Chemistry has become one of the most important fields of Chinese history of science. As other disciplines it is discussed in numerous articles and monographs with titles such as History of Chinese chemistry (Zhongguo huaxue shi) etc. While our understanding of the Chinese alchemical tradition has greatly increased in recent times, the question how the history of Chinese chemistry, which of course was closely related to the discourse on Chinese alchemy, remains still quite obscure. In this paper I will attempt to provide a first look on the early stages of the historiography of Chinese chemistry and alchemy. I especially will focus on the following problems: 1. How was the Chinese alchemical tradition integrated into an universal history of chemistry? 2. To what extent was this shift related to the reception of Western concepts of chemistry since the end oft he 19th century? 3. How can the interaction between Western and Chinese attempts to understand the history of Chinese alchemy be characterized? 4. Who were the scholars and scientists looking into the history of Chinese alchemy? My analysis will be based on a wide range of sources, including material written within the framework of the so-called „Chinese origins of Western knowledge“ discourse (Xixue zhongyuan), early efforts of the popularization of science as well as academic articles and monographs written during the 20s and the 30s oft he 20th century.