Timothy Richard's Literary Work in Late Imperial China
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God, Western Learning, and Personal Memento: Timothy Richard’s Literary Work in Late Imperial China Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Joachim Kurtz Prof. Dr. Barbara Mittler Chih-wen Kuo Ph.D. Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Philosophy Heidelberg University Date: May 5, 2020 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Background 1 Literature Review 4 Research Data 8 Methodology 10 Structure 13 Chapter 1 Early Periodical Publications 16 Preface 16 Debut 17 Target Readers 22 Witnessing the Power of Media 27 Rethinking Missionary Work 34 Adjustments in Chinese Periodical Publications 38 Conclusion 45 Chapter 2 The Challenge of Promoting Christianity with Western Learning 47 Preface 47 Introducing Western Learning 51 Proposing New Methods 55 Criticisms from Colleagues 57 Responding to Criticisms 74 Relevant Discussion in Missionary Circles 84 Conclusion 87 Chapter 3 The Enterprise of Literary Work 89 Preface 89 Establishing the Theoretical Standpoint 90 Dual Role: Author and Publisher 95 Richard’s Literary Work 102 Strategy of Balance 107 The Influence on Chinese Newspapers 110 Inclusion in Huangchao jingshi wenbian 116 Extensive Exposure in Media 121 Time to Change 125 Conclusion 130 Chapter 4 Personal Memento: The News Cuttings Book 133 Preface 133 Compilation 135 Report and Advice from the Far East 140 Book Reviews and a New Readership 148 In Contrast to Previous Publications 156 Conclusion 160 Conclusion 162 Preface 162 Summary of the Dissertation 163 Reflection on Transcultural and Micro-historical Approaches 173 Further Studies of Timothy Richard 176 Epilogue 177 Appendix A 179 1. Herbert Dixon’s Correspondence 179 2. Joshua Turner’s Correspondence 199 3. Timothy Richard’s Correspondence 227 Appendix B 250 1. Richard’s Articles in the First Edition of Huangchao jingshiwen xinbian 250 2. Richard’s Articles in Huangchao jingshiwen sanbian 253 3. Richard’s Articles in Huangchao jingshiwen tongbian 256 4. Richard’s Articles in Huangchao jingjiwen xinbian 258 5. Richard’s Articles in Huangchao xuai wenbian 260 Appendix C 264 The Catalog of Richard’s News Cuttings Book 264 Bibliography 284 Introduction Background Since the early nineteenth century, missionaries from the West imported subjects of Western learning into China, such as politics, economics, history, literature, engineering, medicine, and the natural sciences. Robert Morrison was considered the first missionary working in China at the time when he conducted his work in Canton in 1807. In the beginning missionaries were not allowed to enter inland China. It was not until the first Opium War (1840) that missionaries were allowed to do missionary work in treaty ports. Enlightened Chinese intellectuals, such as Wang Tao 王轁, Wei Yuan 魏 源, and Song Shu 宋恕, were influenced by Western learning and eager to learn it, in order to narrow the bridge between China and the West. Active missionaries, such as Alexander Wylie, Joseph Edkins, William Alexander Parsons Martin, William Muirhead, Young John Allen, John Fryer, Ernst Faber, Timothy Richard, and Gilbert Reid, all played important roles in this narrowing during the second half of the nineteenth century. They not only translated Western books into Chinese, but also published articles through newspapers and magazines to introduce Western learning. Alexander Wylie, for instance, translated the books Huaying tongshang shilue 華 英通商事略 (The Introduction of Trade between China and England), Xiguo tianxue yuanliu 西國天學源流 (The Origin of Astronomy in the West), and started the publication of the magazine Liuhe congtan 六合叢談 (The Shanghai Serial) in Shanghai in 1857. William Alexander Parsons Martin translated the Elements of 1 International Law into Chinese, and published the magazine Zhongxi wenjian lu 中西 聞見錄 (The Peking Magazine) in Peking in 1872. Young John Allen published the books Quanqiu wudazhou nusu tongkao 全球五大洲女俗通考 (The Study of Female Cultures in the Five Continents of the World), Zhongdong zhanshi benmo 中東戰事本 末 (The Whole Course of the Sino-Japanese War), and began the publication of the newspaper Jiaohui xinbao 教會新報 (The Church News) in Shanghai in 1868, which was renamed as Wanguo gongbao 萬國公報 (The Globe Magazine) from 1874. John Fryer translated several scientific books and started the publication of a scientific magazine, Gezhi huibian 格致匯編 (Chinese Scientific Magazine), in Shanghai in 1876. These books and periodical publications widely promoted Western learning in China. Although missionaries in China actively introduced Western learning, in the beginning only a small number of Chinese intellectuals welcomed their ideas. It was not until the first Sino-Japanese war (1894) that a large number of Chinese intellectuals took to studying Western learning more keenly. One example can be cited in order to illustrate this transformation. According to Guangxuehui nianbao jilue 廣學會年報紀 略 (The Annual Reports of the Society for the Diffusion of Christian and General Knowledge Among the Chinese; the Annual Reports of the S.D.C.K.), the number of publications from the society between 1893 and 1898 increased by 20 times, especially those covering the subjects of Western learning, showing that the S.D.C.K.’s publications were fervently welcomed by Chinese intellectuals and widely circulated in the reading market. In addition, many publications from the S.D.C.K. were illegally copied by bookstores, and these publications were not counted in the annual reports. A 2 large number of publications circulating in the market showed that China’s defeat in the first Sino-Japanese war had a great impact on Chinese intellectuals.1 Timothy Richard succeeded Alexander Williamson as the secretary of the S.D.C.K. in 1891. When working in the S.D.C.K., Richard met the time that China started to embrace Western learning. He translated many books which thematized Western learning, such as Shengli fenli zhi bie 生利分利之別 (The Distinction between Production and Consumption) in economics, Nongxue xinfa 農學新法 (The New Farming Methods) in agronomy, Tianxia wudazhou ge daguo 天下五大洲各大國 (Five Continents and Countries in the World) in geography, Bainian yijue 百年一覺 (Looking Backward) in popular literature, and Taixi xinshi lanyao 泰西新史攬要 (An Outline of New Western History) in history. Taixi xinshi lanyao even became one of the best-selling books in China at the time; more than one million copies were published, showing Richard’s influence on Chinese intellectual circles.2 In addition to translating Western books into Chinese, Richard also took to publishing articles in newspapers and magazines, acting as one of the pioneers to promote Western knowledge through the media in China. He served as the editor of Shibao 時報 (The China Time) and Wanguo gongbao, publishing several articles in support of China’s reforms. Richard fully understood the influence of new media, and deliberately used them to disseminate Western knowledge. Due to his periodical 1 Li Renyuan 李仁淵, “Chuanbo meiti de zhengzhihua 傳播媒體的政治化 (The Politicalization of Media),” Wanqing de xinshi chuanbo meiti yu zhishifenzi 晚清的新式傳播媒體與知識份子 (New Media and Intellectuals in the Late Qing), New Taipei: Daw Shiang Publishing Co., ltd., 2013, p. 104. 2 Xiong Yuezhi 熊月之, “Litimotai: ‘Guizi daren’李提摩太: ‘鬼子大人’ (Timothy Richard: ‘Special Foreigner’,” Xixue dongjian yu wanqing shehui 西學東漸與晚清社會 (Western Learning to the East and the Late Qing Society), Peking: China Renmin University Press (revised version), 2011, pp. 466- 489. 3 publications, Richard’s opinions were widely circulated during the reform movement in 1896-98, exerting a great influence among Chinese intellectuals. Literature Review When William E. Soothill published Richard’s biography Timothy Richard of China in 1924, Richard’s personal image had been established as a “Seer, Statesman, Missionary & The Most Disinterested Adviser the Chinese Ever Had.”3 He was not only a missionary who was involved with Christian movements in China, but also an advocator who, through his publication in the media, advised Chinese intellectuals for the promotion of political and social reform.4 The transformation of late Qing China was a theme which was emphasized by many scholars.5 Due to China’s transformation from the imperial to a republican age, the example of Richard is repeatedly cited in the study of modern Chinese political reforms. One of the topics concerning China’s transformation was that of knowledge through enlightenment, in which new thoughts transmitted from the West to China was especially emphasized. 3 It is the sub-title of William E. Soothill’s book, Timothy Richard of China: Seer, Statesman, Missionary & The Most Disinterested Advisor the Chinese Ever Had (London: Seeley, Service & Co., Ltd., 1924). 4 Xiong Yuezhi, “Litimotai: ‘Guizi daren’,” Xixue dongjian yu wanqing shehui, pp. 466-489. 5 For instance, Hao Chang, “Intellectual Change and the Reform Movement, 1890-8,” John K. Fairbank and Kwang-Ching Liu, eds., The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 11: Late Ch'ing, 1800-1911, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1980, pp. 274-338; Ge Zhaoguan 葛兆光, “Xiyang xinzhi de jinru: shijiu shiji xiabanye Zhongguo zhishi shijie de bianqian 西洋新知的進入:十九世紀下半葉中 國知識世界的變遷 (The Import of Western New Knowledge: The Transformation of the Chinese Knowledge World in the Late 19th Century),” Zhongguo sixiangshi: qi zhi shijiu shiji Zhongguo de zhishi, sixiang yu xinyang 中國思想史:七至十九世紀中國的知識、思想與信仰 (The Intellectual History of China: Knowledge, Thought, Belief from the 7th to the 19th Century), Shanghai: Fudan University Press, 2000, pp. 574-609; Pan Kwangche 潘光哲, “Zhuisuo wan Qing yuedushi de yixie