The documents include a letter from Joseph Needham to Etienne Balazs of the École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris, France, asking if the work is still scheduled for publication as nothing had been heard, 18 April, 1963; letter from Balazs passing the enquiry on to Clemens Heller of the École, 25 April, 1963; letter from Heller confirming that the book will be published by the end of 1964, 8 May 1963.