DOCSLIB.ORG

Chinasource Quarterly

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

FALL 2018 VOL. 20, NO. 3 ChinaSource Quarterly The Chinese Bible Joann Pittman, Guest Editor About ChinaSource For the past 20 years, ChinaSource has been a trusted platform facilitating the flow of critical knowledge and leading-edge research among the Christian communities inside China and around the world and engaging them in collaborating to serve the Chinese church and society. As China continues to grow and change, the church in China is doing the same. With over 100 years of collective China-ministry experience, the ChinaSource team is strategically positioned to help bring knowledge, clarity, and insight to groups engaging with China. Content ChinaSource’s content is aimed at providing reliable, balanced, and relevant information to those who serve China. All of ChinaSource’s content resources can be found on the website: www.chinasource.org Partnerships ChinaSource’s partnerships are aimed at playing a catalytic role in bringing together the right people, asking the right questions, and influencing Christian thinking about China. We partner with individuals, organizations, churches, and interested groups who share our vision to see China's Christians engage the society inside and outside of China as they contribute to and influence the global church conversation for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Training/Consulting Under the ChinaSource Institute, ChinaSource provides its training/consulting services packaged in a variety of products and services that are easily accessible to a wide audience. A full list of our offering can be found on our website: www.chinasource.org Engagement ChinaSource is committed to actively engaging with China in order to better connect and amplify the voice of Christians in China. We hope to act as a conversational bridge between the church in China and the global church. Whenever and wherever the church in China is being talked about, ChinaSource aims to be part of the discussion. This is primarily done via our network of Chinese Christians, conferences, research, events, and in connection with media. www.chinasource.org The Chinese Bible ChinaSource Quarterly Autumn 2018, Vol. 20, No. 3 Thomas H. Hahn Docu-Images In this issue . Editorial An In-depth Look at the Chinese Bible Page 2 Joann Pittman, Guest Editor Articles A Century Later, Still Dominant Page 3 Kevin XiYi Yao The Chinese Union Version of the Bible, published in 1919, remains the most dominant and popular translation used in China today. The author gives several explanations for its enduring acceptance. The Origins of the Chinese Union Version Bible Page 5 Mark A. Strand How did the Chinese Union Version of the Bible come into being? What individuals and teams did the translation work and what sources did they use? Strand provides history along with lessons that can be learned from years of labor. Word Choice Challenges Page 8 Mark A. Strand Translation is complex, and the words chosen to communicate concepts are crucial; they can significantly influence the understand- ing of the reader. Strand gives examples of how translators struggle with this aspect of their work. Can the Chinese Union Version Be Replaced in China? Page 9 Ben Hu A Chinese lay leader gives his thoughts on the positives and negatives of using just the CUV and the impact of using other transla- tions. Chinese Bible Translation by the Catholic Church: History, Development and Reception Page 11 Monica Romano Translation of scripture portions by Catholics began over 700 years ago; however, it was not until 1968 that the entire Bible in Chi- nese in one volume was published. The author follows this process across the centuries. Bibles in China: A Question of Availability Page 14 Joann Pittman The author points out key issues related to Bible availability in China including supply, demand, and distribution. She also addresses the impact of the Internet on this issue. Book Review Be Amazed, Encouraged, and Challenged for Under $10 Page 16 Reviewed by BJ Arthur This concise volume on the life of Morrison challenges with the description of the difficulties he overcame and the prolific amount of translation work he achieved. Resource Corner Obtaining a Chinese Bible Page 18 Means of obtaining Bibles in Chinese, both inside and outside of China, as well as via the Internet, are provided. Editorial An In-depth Look at the Chinese Bible By Joann Pittman, Guest Editor When someone speaks of the Chinese Bible, they are most likely refer- ring to the Chinese Union Verson (CUV), or Heheben (和合本)as it is called in Chinese, since it is the most commonly used translation among Chinese Protestants, both in China and worldwide. Opinions on the CUV are strong and run deep. Many foreigners dislike it, citing the inadequacy of the translation and its archaic language. Chinese believers, on the oth- er hand, retain a deep affection for the CUV, despite its problems. It car- ries a weight of authority that other translations do not. Next year, 2019, will mark the 100-year anniversary of the CUV, so here at ChinaSource, we thought now would be a good time to take an in-depth look at the Chinese Bible. In the lead article, Dr. Kevin Xiyi Yao examines why, despite much criticism, the Chinese Union Version remains popular among Chinese speakers, not just in China, but worldwide. Similar to the King James-version-only attitude that long prevailed in the Eng- lish-speaking world, the CUV is viewed by Chinese Protestants as having an authority that other versions lack. Dr. Yao unpacks the factors that account for the staying power of the CUV. Mark Strand contributes two articles to this issue. In the first, he traces the history of the CUV. Setting its development within the cultural context of valuing the written word, he shows how the translation of the Bible was a prerequisite to winning converts. Re- flecting on the work of translation teams and the lasting impact of the CUV, Strand identifies key lessons learned from the history of Bible translation in China. In his second article, Strand identifies the challenges faced by Bible translators and subsequent word choice errors. The challenges were often rooted in the fact that the theological concepts were new, thus there were no existing words for them. Since 1988, Amity Press in China has printed more than 75 million Bibles. Does that mean there is no longer a shortage of Bibles in the country? If there is still a shortage, what are the strategies for addressing that shortage? In my article on the availability of Bibles in China, I try to make some sense of the statistics and the factors that affect availability. I also present the differing perspectives of those who bring Bibles in from the outside and those who source Bibles from inside China. Ben Hu, a pastoral intern in China, offers a personal reflection on the difficulties of trying to shift the church away from the CUV towards more contemporary translations. While he uses a modern translation for his personal study and believes the church should make the shift, he does not see it happening anytime soon. Many Protestants, both Chinese and foreign have little knowledge about the Bible used in the Catholic Church in China. Dr. Monica Romano, a lecturer at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy, provides a fascinating historical overview of the efforts of the Catholic Church to translate the Bible into Chinese. The final article is a review of a short biography of Robert Morrison, one of the earliest Protestant missionaries to work on Bible translation. The story of Morrison’s faithfulness amid great difficulty is one that still encourages and challenges us today. We wrap up this issue with a list of places (both online and offline) where one can get a Chinese Bible. Joann Pittman is senior vice president of ChinaSource and editor of ZGBriefs. She is the author of Survival Chinese Les- sons and The Bells Are Not Silent: Stories of Church Bells in China. Her personal blog, Outside-In can be found at joannpittman.com, where she writes on China, Minnesota, traveling, and issues related to "living well where you don't be- long." You can find her on Twitter @jkpittman.com and on Facebook at @authorjoannpittman. She makes her home in New Bright- on, Minnesota. 2 A Century Later, Still Dominant By Kevin XiYi Yao As the missologists Lamin Sanneh and Andrew Walls argue, the translatability of the Scriptures is essential to Christian tradition.1 Ever since the beginning of Protestant missions in China, Bible translation has been a huge part of mis- sion work. Since its publication in 1919, in a relatively short period of time, the Chinese Union Version (CUV) has become the most dominant and popular translation. After almost a century, and even with all the changes in Chinese language and available new translations, its dominance is still unabated and unshaken. A Taiwan-based scholar put it this way: “It could well be the most influential ‘Chinese text’ among the Chinese readers for the past nearly one hundred years and also in the future. Undoubtedly, even if we cannot claim it has become a ‘canon’ in the Chinese world, it is certainly an ‘authority.’”2 For the majority of Chinese Protestants, the CUV unquestionably remains an authority often with the status of “God’s Word.” It is recently reported that a Chinese believer loved God’s Word so much that he decided to purchase and compare various Chinese ver- sions of the Scriptures, including the Catholic one. When his fellow believers got to know about this, they began to challenge him, saying only the CUV is the true Bible, and all other versions are erroneous and even heretical.3 This may be a fairly extreme case, but it is very telling.
Recommended publications
  • ABSTRACT Liang Fa's Quanshi Liangyan and Its Impact on The

    ABSTRACT Liang Fa's Quanshi Liangyan and Its Impact on The

    ABSTRACT Liang Fa’s Quanshi liangyan and Its Impact on the Taiping Movement Sukjoo Kim, Ph.D. Mentor: Rosalie Beck, Ph.D. Scholars of the Taiping Movement have assumed that Liang Fa’s Quanshi liangyan 勸世良言 (Good Words to Admonish the Age, being Nine Miscellaneous Christian Tracts) greatly influenced Hong Xiuquan, but very little has been written on the role of Liang’s work. The main reason is that even though hundreds of copies were distributed in the early nineteenth century, only four survived the destruction which followed the failure of the Taiping Movement. This dissertation therefore explores the extent of the Christian influence of Liang’s nine tracts on Hong and the Taiping Movement. This study begins with an introduction to China in the nineteenth century and the early missions of western countries in China. The second chapter focuses on the life and work of Liang. His religious background was in Confucianism and Buddhism, but when he encountered Robert Morrison and William Milne, he identified with Christianity. The third chapter discusses the story of Hong especially examining Hong’s acquisition of Liang’s Quanshi liangyan and Hong’s revelatory dream, both of which serve as motives for the establishment of the Society of God Worshippers and the Taiping Movement. The fourth chapter develops Liang’s key ideas from his Quanshi liangyan and compares them with Hong’s beliefs, as found in official documents of the Taipings. The fifth chapter describes Hong’s beliefs and the actual practices of the Taiping Movement and compares them with Liang’s key ideas.
  • A Chinese Christian: the Transformation of 20 Century

    A Chinese Christian: the Transformation of 20 Century

    Ip Ka-kei, Benedict Keith,〈A Chinese Christian: the Transformation of 20th Century Catholic Church in John C. H. Wu’s Perspective〉 A Chinese Christian: the Transformation of 20th Century Catholic Church in John C. H. 1 Wu’s Perspective Ip Ka-kei, Benedict Keith 2 一位中國基督徒 ── 從吳經熊先生的觀點 看 20 世紀天主教教會的轉變 葉家祺 [ABSTRACT] John Ching Hsiung Wu ( 吳經熊, 1899-1986), undoubtedly was a prominent figure in the field of Law, Philosophy, translation and Christianity in 20th Century China. His experience, writings and understanding of the Catholic faith since his encounter of St. Thérèse of Lisieux open a way for Chinese to connect the faith with Chinese culture. With his East-West knowledge, his literature presents in the Chinese classics an elegant manner. Many books were translated, including the psalms and the New Testament, which are surprisingly outstanding in terms of presenting Christianity in a true Chinese manner. His way of being a “Chinese Christian” serves as a 1 This article would not be possibly completed without the help of Fr. Matthias Christian, SVD, who generously shared his materials with me at all times. 2 Master of Religious Studies (Specialized in History and Adaptation of Christianity in China and Asia), University of Saint Joseph, Macau. Associate Editor of “O Clarim” (號角報), Catholic Diocese of Macau 《天主教研究學報》〈現代歷史中的基督宗教〉 第五期 2014 年 model for both preserving traditional Chinese values and philosophy, yet interweaving it with the Christian faith. After he returned and settled in Taiwan in 1966, he dedicated his life to realizing his idea of a “Cultural Renaissance” (文化復興), in which he envisioned it as the ultimate goal to achieve in order to transform Eastern and Western Society.
  • E Virgin Mary and Catholic Identities in Chinese History

    E Virgin Mary and Catholic Identities in Chinese History

    e Virgin Mary and Catholic Identities in Chinese History Jeremy Clarke, SJ Hong Kong University Press e University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong www.hkupress.org © Hong Kong University Press 2013 ISBN 978-988-8139-99-6 (Hardback) All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed and bound by Goodrich Int’l Printing Co., Ltd. in Hong Kong, China Contents List of illustrations ix Acknowledgements xi Introduction: Chinese Catholic identities in the modern period 1 Part 1 Images of Mary in China before 1842 1. Chinese Christian art during the pre-modern period 15 Katerina Ilioni of Yangzhou 21 Madonna and Guanyin 24 Marian images during the late Ming dynasty 31 e Madonna in Master Cheng’s Ink Garden 37 Marian sodalities 40 João da Rocha and the rosary 42 Part 2 e Chinese Catholic Church since 1842 2. Aer the treaties 51 French Marian devotions 57 e eects of the Chinese Rites Controversy 60 A sense of cultural superiority 69 e inuence of Marian events in Europe 74 3. Our Lady of Donglu 83 Visual inuences on the Donglu portrait 89 Photographs of Cixi 95 Liu Bizhen’s painting 100 4. e rise and fall of the French protectorate 111 Benedict XV and Maximum Illud 118 viii Contents Shanghai Plenary Council, 1924 125 Synodal Commission 132 Part 3 Images of Mary in the early twentieth century 5.
  • The Origins and Evolution of Adventist Mission in a Chinese Province

    The Origins and Evolution of Adventist Mission in a Chinese Province

    O'Reggio and Smith: Christianity With Chinese Characteristics: The Origins and Evolut TREVOR O’REGGIO & JOMO R. SMITH Christianity With Chinese Characteristics: The Origins and Evolution of Adventist Mission in a Chinese Province The Seventh-day Adventist Church in China is organized as the Chi- nese Union Mission and forms part of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division, which also includes the Japan Union, the Korean Union, and the Mongo- lian Mission Field. The Chinese Union has 1,150 churches and a member- ship of 380,295 members according to the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook of 2010. The Chinese Union, in its current form, was first organized in 1949 and reorganized with the East Asian Association to form the Chinese Union Mission in 1999 (2010:239). The Adventist mission in China is a story that is yet to be fully told. Un- til recently, Western or Chinese scholars have not been interested in how the church has indigenized or localized to suit Chinese needs. The pur- pose of this study is to trace the origins and the evolution of Adventism in China, particularly in the southern region of the country, showing how Chinese Adventists indigenized their faith to make it more suitable to the Chinese context without necessarily compromising it. It also highlights the strategy of local Adventists in carrying out their mission within the context of a totalitarian state. Perhaps this study may increase our under- standing of how Christian missions can be more successful in totalitarian regimes in other parts of the world. Early Adventists had little concept of mission and were in fact anti- mission due to their peculiar theology of the Shut Door.
  • Chinesischer Diplomat Biographie Beltchenko

    Chinesischer Diplomat Biographie Beltchenko

    Report Title - p. 1 of 33 Report Title Bayanty (um 1732) : Chinesischer Diplomat Biographie 1732 Deysin und Bayanty besuchen die Ermitage in St. Petersburg. [ChiRus8] Beltchenko, Andrew T. = Bel'chenko, Andrei Terent'evich = Belchenko, Andrey Terentyevich (Kozlova 1873-1958) : Russischer Diplomat Biographie 1899-1900 Andrew T. Beltchenko ist Student Interpreter der russischen Gesandtschaft in Beijing. [Belt1] 1901 Andrew T. Beltchenko ist Konsul des russischen Konsulats in Fuzhou. [Belt1] 1902-1903 Andrew T. Beltchenko ist Vize-Konsul des russischen Konsulats in Hankou. [FFC1] 1903 Andrew T. Beltchenko ist Assistant Secretary der russischen Gesandtschaft in Beijing. [Belt1] 1906 Andrew T. Beltchenko wird Konsul des russischen Konsulats in Niuchang (Mandschurei). [Belt1] 1910 Andrew T. Beltchenko ist Konsul des russischen Konsulats in Fuzhou. [Belt1] 1912 Andrew T. Beltchenko wird Konsul des russischen Konsulats in Guangzhou (Guangdong). [Belt1] 1914-1920 Andrew T. Beltchenko ist Generalkonsul des russischen Konsulats in Hankou. [FFC1] Bibliographie : erwähnt in 2014 Andrei Terent'evich Bel'chenko Papers, 1898-1962 : http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf7779n8ts/entire_text/. Bogomolov, Dimitri (um 1938) : Russischer Diplomat Biographie 1935 ca.-ca. Dimitri Bogomolov ist Botschafter in China. [Int] 1938 1937-1938 Vertrag zwischen Sowjetunion / Russland und China in Tianjin, unterschrieben von Wang Chonghui und Dimitri Bogomolov. Bestätigung 1938 vom Supreme National Defense Council unter Chiang Kai-shek. [ChiRus6:S. 20] Borodin, Mikhail = Borodin, Michael = Borodin, Mikhail Marcovich (Russland 1884-1951) : Sovietischer Ratgeber der Guomindang Biographie 1923 Mikhail Borodin kommt in Guangzhou an und wird von Sun Yatsen als Berater der Guomindang eingestellt. [ChiRus3:S. 126] 1924-1927 Mikhail Borodin ist Ratgeber der Guomindang.
  • The New Missionary Force Mission from the Majority World

    The New Missionary Force Mission from the Majority World

    Vol. 11 No. 3 September–December 2016 The New Missionary Force Mission from the Majority World MCI(P)181/03/20161 Contents Mission Round Table Vol. 11 No. 3 September–December 2016 03 Editorial – Walter McConnell 04 Partnering with the Majority World in the Global Paradigm – Eldon Porter 10 The Challenge and Opportunity of Urban Ministry in China – H. P. 21 Indigenous Mission Movements in China – Steve Z. 33 Partnership with the Global Church: Implications for the Global East – An Interview with Patrick Fung 36 With Bethel in Manchuria – Leslie T. Lyall Cover Photo: The cover photos illustrate just how international mission has become. The first photo shows OMF members at the Central Thailand Field Conference in 1958. Contrast this with the second photo taken at a recent OMF Field Conference held in Thailand and it becomes clear how global OMF has become. Five continents and more than seventeen countries were represented. Nations included Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Uruguay, UK, and USA. Also noticeable is an increasing number of ethnic Asians joining from non-Asian countries. Archive photo source: The Millions (March 1958): 27. Photo Credits: Donations: Download: WEA p. 3, Walter McConnell If you would like to contribute to the work PDF versions of Mission Round Table can be of Mission Round Table, donations can be downloaded from www.omf.org/mrt. made to OMF International and earmarked for “Mission Round Table project.” The editorial content of Mission Round Table reflects the opinions of the various authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the views of OMF International (IHQ) Ltd.
  • The Chinese Bible

    The Chinese Bible

    The Chinese Bible ChinaSource Quarterly Autumn 2018, Vol. 20, No. 3 Thomas H. Hahn Docu-Images In this issue . Editorial An In-depth Look at the Chinese Bible Page 2 Joann Pittman, Guest Editor Articles A Century Later, Still Dominant Page 3 Kevin XiYi Yao The Chinese Union Version of the Bible, published in 1919, remains the most dominant and popular translation used in China today. The author gives several explanations for its enduring acceptance. The Origins of the Chinese Union Version Bible Page 5 Mark A. Strand How did the Chinese Union Version of the Bible come into being? What individuals and teams did the translation work and what sources did they use? Strand provides history along with lessons that can be learned from years of labor. Word Choice Challenges Page 8 Mark A. Strand Translation is complex, and the words chosen to communicate concepts are crucial; they can significantly influence the understand- ing of the reader. Strand gives examples of how translators struggle with this aspect of their work. Can the Chinese Union Version Be Replaced in China? Page 9 Ben Hu A Chinese lay leader gives his thoughts on the positives and negatives of using just the CUV and the impact of using other transla- tions. Chinese Bible Translation by the Catholic Church: History, Development and Reception Page 11 Monica Romano Translation of scripture portions by Catholics began over 700 years ago; however, it was not until 1968 that the entire Bible in Chi- nese in one volume was published. The author follows this process across the centuries.
  • Fudan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and East China Normal University: Background and Context

    Fudan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and East China Normal University: Background and Context

    CHAPTER 4 Fudan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and East China Normal University: Background and Context Over the last two decades, a liberal arts education curriculum has been imple- mented in some top Chinese institutions of higher education to broaden students’ learning experience, with the aim of cultivating critical thinking, creativity, moral reasoning and innovation skills. This reform reflects a shift in education away from specialization toward liberal arts education, a shift from training experts in specialized disciplines to educating students so as to “develop understandings of a breadth of topics, enhance their critical think- ing abilities, and become well-rounded, educated citizens” (Bourke, Bray, and Horton 2009, 221). This chapter explores liberal arts education in three well-known universi- ties—Fudan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and East China Normal University in Shanghai—by discussing each school with respect to its cur- riculum development and liberal arts core curriculum modules. It begins by examining some key dimensions of each university: historical background, educational initiatives, and the present implementation of a liberal arts cur- riculum. The process of how a liberal arts curriculum came into being at each university and how it differs from the old curriculum is analyzed and exam- ined. These portraits of the three universities provide a foundation for the development of the main themes of this book in the following chapters. Fudan University Fudan University is unique among the three institutions as the only university founded by the private sector prior to 1949, when the Chinese Communist Party took power in China. It is affiliated with the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1540.
  • Chinese Theological Review 1999

    Chinese Theological Review 1999

    Chinese Theological Review [Vol. 13, 1998] This page was generated automatically upon download from the Globethics.net Library. More information on Globethics.net see https://www.globethics.net. Data and content policy of Globethics.net Library repository see https:// repository.globethics.net/pages/policy Item Type Journal volume Publisher Foundation for Theological Education in South East Asia (FTESEA) Rights With permission of the license/copyright holder Download date 04/10/2021 17:33:38 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/165439 Chinese Theological Review: Volume 13 Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................... 1 From the Editor .............................................................................................................................................. 2 Chinese Traditional Culture and its Influence On Chinese Theological Reflection - Wang Weifan............. 4 Imago Dei and Yin-Yang Philosophy: A Theological Reflection on the Relationship between Man and Woman - Wang Jianguo ............................................................................................................................... 11 The Church's Approach to Intellectuals - Chen Zemin................................................................................. 22 The Chinese Church in a Transitional Society - Chen Xida......................................................................... 30 Spiritual
  • 3.4 Hong Xiuquan's Interpretation of the Bible

    3.4 Hong Xiuquan's Interpretation of the Bible

    Copyright Undertaking This thesis is protected by copyright, with all rights reserved. By reading and using the thesis, the reader understands and agrees to the following terms: 1. The reader will abide by the rules and legal ordinances governing copyright regarding the use of the thesis. 2. The reader will use the thesis for the purpose of research or private study only and not for distribution or further reproduction or any other purpose. 3. The reader agrees to indemnify and hold the University harmless from and against any loss, damage, cost, liability or expenses arising from copyright infringement or unauthorized usage. IMPORTANT If you have reasons to believe that any materials in this thesis are deemed not suitable to be distributed in this form, or a copyright owner having difficulty with the material being included in our database, please contact [email protected] providing details. The Library will look into your claim and consider taking remedial action upon receipt of the written requests. Pao Yue-kong Library, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong http://www.lib.polyu.edu.hk TRANSLATION AS CULTURE TRANSPLANT: A CASE STUDY OF MORRISON’S BIBLE TRANSLATION AND TAIPING HEAVENLY KINGDOM YUECHEN WANG Ph.D The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 2015 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies Translation as Culture Transplant: A Case Study of Morrison’s Bible Translation and Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Yuechen WANG A thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy March 2014 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I hereby declare that this thesis is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it reproduces no material previously published or written, nor material that has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.
  • The Protestant Missionaries As Bible Translators

    The Protestant Missionaries As Bible Translators

    THE PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES AS BIBLE TRANSLATORS: MISSION AND RIVALRY IN CHINA, 1807-1839 by Clement Tsz Ming Tong A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (Religious Studies) UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) July 2016 © Clement Tsz Ming Tong, 2016 ABSTRACT The first generation of Protestant missionaries sent to the China mission, such as Robert Morrison and William Milne, were mostly translators, committing most of their time and energy to language studies, Scripture translation, writing grammar books and compiling dictionaries, as well as printing and distributing bibles and other Christian materials. With little instruction, limited resources, and formidable tasks ahead, these individuals worked under very challenging and at times dangerous conditions, always seeking financial support and recognition from their societies, their denominations and other patrons. These missionaries were much more than literary and linguistic academics – they operated as facilitators of the whole translational process, from research to distribution; they were mission agents in China, representing the interests and visions of their societies and patrons back home. Using rare Chinese Bible manuscripts, including one that has never been examined before, plus a large number of personal correspondence, journals and committee reports, this study seeks to understand the first generation of Protestant missionaries in their own mission settings, to examine the social fabrics within which they operated as “translators”, and to determine what factors and priorities dictated their translation decisions and mission strategies. Although Morrison is often credited with being the first translator of the New Testament into Chinese, the truth of the matter is far more complex.
  • Between Admiration and Transformation 061008

    Between Admiration and Transformation 061008

    Between admiration and transformation : paths of Western education into early twentieth century China Schulte, Barbara Published in: COMPARATIV. Zeitschrift für Globalgeschichte und Vergleichende Gesellschaftsforschung 2012 Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Schulte, B. (2012). Between admiration and transformation : paths of Western education into early twentieth century China. COMPARATIV. Zeitschrift für Globalgeschichte und Vergleichende Gesellschaftsforschung, 22(1), 49-75. Total number of authors: 1 General rights Unless other specific re-use rights are stated the following general rights apply: Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Read more about Creative commons licenses: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. LUND UNIVERSITY PO Box 117 221 00 Lund +46 46-222 00 00 Final version