Lady Hosie and China

Lady (Dorothea Soothill) Hosie had a ordinary Chinese name, 謝福芸。

From her Portrait of a Chinese lady and certain of her contemporaries (London : Hodder and Stoughton, 1933).

A legend is current in the West that the Chinese are an inscrutable joyless race, their faces made blank in order to deceive the innocent foreigner. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is, indeed, inculcated in every young Chinese that he should stand with eyes cast down before his elders and betters: and strangers are treated with this aspect of polite respect. But one walk down a Chinese street will dispel the other illusion. Its occupants are laughing, loiter-(p. 64)ing, chattering, calling to each other. There is animation and vivacity. Very different are the passers-by from the silent quick-stepping English folk who hasten down the grey streets of London Town. (p. 65)

W. Somerset Maugham's China and Far East II

It has been a long time ago since I started reading and admiring Maugham's works, beginning from Far Eastern short stories, like P & O and Mr. Know-all, to his HK-and-China-based novel, The Painted Veil. I love it. My wife, Joyce, shares the same feeling with me, which has proven that we have so much in common.

Maugham was one of the most notable and influential English authors in the first half of the 20th century. After the triumph of his semi-autobiographical novel Of Human Bondage (1915) and successful theatre productions, his popularity quickly spanned from Britain to America, later to France and China.

During the heyday of British Empire, armed with gunboats and outposts, Maugham was frequently introduced to China with the help of the ubiquitous presence of modern book-selling enterprises, such as Kelly & Walsh and Max Nossler in a number of treaty port cities. (to put this into a larger historical context, what kinds of literature / knowledge were brought to China by foreign and / or local book-selling enterprises? why and when? how and how many? To what extent it influenced the Chinese people? These are the essential questions to ask to cope with the lack of research on the first wave of knowledge dissemination and formation, translation being second, in Late Qing and Early Republican China.)

No wonder that Maugham was very popular among Anglophone Chinese intellectuals in Republican China during the 1930s and 1940s. His sharply exquisite depiction of human nature enchanted several generations of Chinese writers, including a young writer in the cosmopolitain Shanghai, Eileen Chang, who had been one of his avid readers at the time. 

1943年，張愛玲捧著〈沉香屑〉兩篇稿子（

"Aloeswood Ashes: The First Burning" and "Aloeswood Ashes: The Second Burning,"）謁見紫羅蘭庵主周瘦鵑以後，周瘦鵑“覺得它的風格很像英國名作家William Somerset Maugham的作品＂“她表示心悅神服，因為她正是S. Maugham作品的愛好者＂。（蘇偉貞：《孤島張愛玲：追蹤張愛玲香港時期（1952-1955）小說》（台北：三民書局，2002））

'Chang later repeated this statement in a more public setting. Invited to the Women Writer's Group Discussion held by Magazine Monthly (Cha Chih Yuan K'an) in 1944, she again mentioned that "Maugham was one of her favorite authors." See Yu Ching's The Biography of Eileen Chang (Taipei: World Publisher, 1995), 113. Later commenting on the influence of British writers on her work in a personal letter (1977), Chang reconfirmed how much she "liked Maugham's short stories." See Edward Gunn's endnote in "Antiromanticism," The Unwelcome Muse: Chinese Literature in Shanghai and Peking 1937-1945 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1980), 292.' (Hsiu-Chuang Deppman, “Rewriting Colonial Encounters: Eileen Chang and Somerset Maugham” Jouvert: a Journal of Postcolonial Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2 (2001), one of the few early papers on Maugham and Eileen)

Some quotes from The Painted Veil (Vintage Classics).

"His shyness is a disease." (p. 47)

"it's a damned soft job to be a Colonial Governor." (p. 63) read this with the preface would make more sense to how hilarious Colonial HK was.

"it's rather hard to take quite literally the things a man says when he's in love with you." (p. 63)

to be continued...

Books to read

1. Michèle Lamont, How Professors Think: Inside the Curious World of Academic Judgment (Cambridge: HUP, 2009).

2. Charles Tilly, Why? (Princeton: PUP, 2006).

RAE 2008, UK

RAE Panel N History employed the following descriptors of the definitions of quality levels forresearch outputs (bold are :

4* – quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour.

Originality can be in the form of reshaping interpretations or approaches or opening up new sources, new data or material. Significance will be judged on the basis of, for example, depth and likely lasting scholarly value. Rigour will be judged on, for example, accuracy, clarity and standards of scholarship. Work graded 4* will be outstanding in respect of virtually all these qualities. Such work is or ought to be a primary point of reference in its relevant field, ie, a contribution of which every serious worker in that relevant field is or ought to be aware.

3* – quality that is internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour but which nonetheless falls short of the highest standards of excellence.

Work graded 3* will be outstanding in respect of many of the criteria listed above for 4*. It is or ought to be a point of reference in its relevant field, ie, a contribution of which serious workers in that relevant field are or ought to be expected to be aware.

2* – quality that is recognised internationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour. 

Work graded 2* will be distinguished by some of the qualities listed above. It makes a substantial contribution and merits attention in its relevant field.

1* – quality that is recognised nationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour.

Work which makes a valuable contribution and merits some attention.

Unclassified – quality that falls below the standard of nationally recognised work. Or work which does not meet the published definition of research for the purpose of this assessment. Or ‘missing’ outputs, where the reason for submitting fewer than four outputs has not been accepted by the subpanel.

"In judging outputs the sub-panel will be guided solely by its view of their research quality. All cited outputs will be judged on academic merit regardless of the medium (for example, inpaper or electronic form) or location of publication. Web-based publications, including for instance those published on publicly available departmental web-sites, will be judged by the same standards and criteria as other outputs."

"The sub-panel will look for evidence of the following in judging the quality of outputs: originality, contribution to the advancement of knowledge and understanding, scope or range of the work, and scholarly rigour."

"Types of output will not be ranked against each other, and outputs not already subject to a peer review or refereeing process will not for that reason be regarded as of lesser quality. No form of output will be regarded as intrinsically inferior to any other." (emphasis added)

MSG is all around

It sounds like a myth that only the Chinese are addicted to MSG (Monosodium glutamate), which was invented by the Japanese more than a century ago. Is that true? I always question such kind of quasi-racial presumption. It doesn't break a sweat to know the truth.

In fact, popular American fast food chains like McDonald's, Burger King, KFC all use MSG extensively. Others foods like Campbells and Walkers are no better. Of course, you never know the ingredients of Big Mac and realize the fact that MSG is no longer labelled properly but marketed brilliantly and irresponsibly.

A few weeks ago, while I was enjoying pre-packed wanton produced by a local brand, I felt I had some of the symptoms of the Chinese restaurant syndrome. Then I checked the ingredients label and I expected that I would find MSG on it, but none. (I was so stupid that I didn't check it before buying it) Instead, I was puzzled by "flavour enchancer (E621)". What the hell is that? I jumped to my laptop and google. It is MSG!!! E621 is the code of MSG! I was furious and hastened to check my Walkers stock. E621 again. My goodness, MSG is all around.

BTW, in response to my earlier post Chinese food mania, finally I had Yorkshire pudding again last week after I left England for almost two and a half years. Thanks to M & S.

Why we historians should care about statistics?

I rarely claim myself historian. Rarely.

I never learn statistics beyond mean and median. I never quite grasp the implicaitons of SD either. Equation is simply not my cup of tea. (I tried to construct one for historical analysis for fun) 

But life is all about learning. Learning to be an individual, a human kind, a man/woman, a scholar, a historian. By and large, learning how to learn is the key and education plays the pivotal role throughout our lives. 

Working in academia, I am concerned about education, in particular higher education. Recently I have turned my eye to education statistics, initially U.S., and my scope now spans to the other side of the Atlantics to U.K. and the world. Below are three principle websites providing important education statistics.

Digest of Education Statistics, 2008 by National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education, U. S.

"The 44th in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest's primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons."

Points to think:

For scholars of gender studies, refer to figure 24, Median annual earnings of persons 25 years old and over, by highest level of education and sex: 2007. On the same highest education level, why males earned at least 40% more than females across all education level (e.g. bachelor's and master's degree)?

For engineering and education students, refer to figure 25, Average salaries of bachelor's degree recipients 1 year after graduation, by field: 1991, 1994, and 2001. Engineering graduates ranks no. 1 in 2001! And education graduates no. 1 from the bottom...sorry.

For HK grumpy teachers, graduates and students of humanities and social sciences, let's face the global trend, refer to figure 15, Trends in bachelor's degrees conferred by degree-granting institutions in selected fields of study:1996-97, 2001-02, and 2006-07. Business has been the top one for a decade while social sciences and history (together in one category) no. 2. (business outnumbered twice though)

For narrow-minded law legislators and school administers, refer to figure 28, Public direct expenditures for education as a percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP [among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries], by country: 2005. Top five are Iceland (7.2) (the government just bankrupt), Denmark (6.8), Sweden (6.2), Finland (5.9), and Belgium, Flemish (5.8). What about U.S. and U.K.? Both in the middle (4.8 and 5.0). Japan? The bottom (3.4). (No kidding!) Quality education is not merely higher percentage of expenditures, it's about quality and devotion.

For our government, refer to figure 5, Highest level of education attained by persons 25 years old and over: March 2008. About 20% attained bachelor's degree while approximately one-thirds completed high school or equivalent. Only 10% achieved postgraduate level.  

Research & Statistics on Education and Training by Department for Children, Schools and Families and Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills, U.K.

It should be interesting and stimulating to compare with the situation of post-colonial HK. 

Global Education Digest 2008 by Institute for Statsitics, UNESCO

"The Global Education Digest 2008 presents the latest available data for more than 200 countries and territories." "These data can be used to provide a global perspective on long-term progress towards educational goals and to identify the advances and setbacks of individual countries." "The Institute’s historical dataset now includes about 30 indicators for more than 200 countries and territories. The Digest presents 15 of these indicators, which are most commonly used for monitoring progress towards Education for All and related targets of the Millennium Development Goals."

HKers and HK as a hugh shopping mall

Comments on a post titled China's often forgotten SAR on the blog of a Fulbright scholar, Gina, living in Shanghai:

I was absolutely not surprised that the HK speaker spoke lowly of the mainland and mainlanders, which represents a general and persistent views of the majority of HK people. For more than a century, they have always been the others of HK people. On the one hand, we are Chinese, in some way more Chinese; on the other, we are not quite Chinese, and some are even proud of being illiterate in Chinese (definitely not native in any other languages). You may call these people unspoken self-claimed Upper Chinese but not many people might agree. They prefer Hong Kongers. After all, HK is just a floating conception (more or less like a hugh 'but packed' shopping mall, see below), HKers even worse, flexible to the extreme. 

After the SARS, tens of millions of mainlanders have been travelling to HK. They have been consistently described as shoppers, super rich shopaholics, to the extent that they have largely outnumbered wealthy locals and expats to be pure shopping kings and queens. Shop assistants nowadays speak better Mandarin than Cantonese. (What a joke!) Furthermore, they are never considered to appreciate the hybrid cultures and colonial landscape in the same way we do. In fact, the majority of HKers traveling aboard are also crazy shoppers looking for designer brands and bargains. The way we look down on mainlanders is in par with the way Parisians see us.

Indeed, mainlanders have boosted the post-SARS economy. But since mainlanders are still regarded as shoppers and nothing more, thanks to the media, and behave almost exactly the same as we expected (littering and spitting) and we see uncivilized 'others', no wonder the speaker used 'backward' to describe the mainland and mainlanders. It is equally important to point out that HKers travelled to the mainland to buy cheap / pirated stuff but mainlanders came to bought up LV and Chanel. By and large, HK is a hugh shopping mall. People come and go in every single min.

HKers have been benefited from cheap food and water from the mainland (expensive as in the mainland but a lot cheaper compared to import food). In other words, it seems to me that HKers refuse to acknowledge the fact that we were brought up by Britain, but we were, still is, fed up by the Mainland. These are the problems of HKers. Yes, I am a genuine HKer.

Shanghai Literary and Debating Society

Formed in 1857 by Rev. Joseph Edkins and Alexander Wylie. Chinese name: 文友輔仁會, from《論語‧顏淵第十二》：「曾子曰：『君子以文會友，以友輔仁。』」

Victoria University of Mancheseter - Early Chinese Alumni

I prefer to call my second alma mater University of Manchester's former prominent name Victoria University of Manchester which vividly reminds all of the Victorian sensation and enlightenment. This great civic university was established in one of the greatest industrial cities in the world Manchester.

Dating back to Owens College, which was founded in 1851 and named after John Owens (1790-1846), a Manchester textile merchant who traded in China, it became the first federal Victoria University since 1880 followed by University College in Liverpool and Yorkshire College in Leeds. The red brick university was designed to emphasize practical knowledge, such as science and commerce, over academic subjects like languages and philosophy. In 1904, the university was renamed Victoria University of Manchester. After all, it was - is - one of the best universities in England and attracted people from all around the world, including Chinese.

In the previous post, I mentioned Chow Tien (周典). Chow was a Pekingese who came to pursue undergraduate study in 1904 and received B. Comm. in 1909. In the same year, he traveled to America for advanced study in Commerce in University of Pennsylvania and returned to China with a M.A. Upon his return, he taught at Peking University and later worked in the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce.

In 1904, there was another Chinese student studying in the university and it was 何育傑(1882-1939), one of the earliest physicists in China. Below are from Chinese sources.

何育傑是浙江慈溪人, 1897年中秀才，1898年就讀於寧波中西儲才學堂。1902年入京師大學堂速成科師範館格致科數學物理學部，1904年被派赴英國留學，入讀Victoria University (later Victoria University of Manchester)，攻讀物理學，1907年獲B. Sci.。後遊歷德國和法國。1909年回國任京師大學堂格致科教習。1912年任北京大學理科物理學教授。1914年主編中國第一部高等教育物理學教材。1917-20年任物理科(系)主任。1927年赴東北大學任物理系主任至1931年。

王夢齡(1882-1963)，字嘉瑞，山西平魯人。14歲中秀才，入山西大學堂西齋就學。1905年走英國留學，1912年畢業於英國維多利亞大學機電系。(《山西通志》，頁534)

徐新六(1890—1938)，字振飛，浙江餘杭人，生於杭州。1902年入南洋公學，1908年赴英國留學，獲伯明翰大學理學士，1913年獲維多利亞大學商學士，後又在巴黎國立政治學院學習國家財政學一年。1914年回國，任教於北京大學經濟系。1918年隨梁啟超赴歐洲考察。1919年任巴黎和會賠款委員會中的中國代表和中國代表團的專門委員。歷任工部局華董兼主任委員（為任此職之第一人）及復旦大學校長。1938年8月國民黨政府組織代表團擬赴英國商談借款事宜，電邀在香港的徐新六參加。8月24日徐所乘飛機被日機擊落，不幸罹難，時僅48歲。(http://www1.tianya.cn/new/publicforum/Content.asp?idWriter=0&Key=0&strItem=no01&idArticle=284477&flag=1)

張英華，字月笙，直隸衡水人。畢業於英國維多利亞大學。1913任北京中國大學教授，1914年任四川鹽務稽核經理。。。1922年任全國財政委員會委員長。。。1927年任河南省長。《(汪精衛國民政府成立：汪偽政權資料選編》，頁766)

王憲鍾(1918-1978) Wang, Hsien-chung，於1941年畢業於昆明清大學數學系，1944年研究院畢業(導師陳省身)。1945年獲英國文化委員會獎學金（British Council Scholarship），赴英國留學。1948年獲英國曼徹斯特大學博士學位，導師為馬克斯威爾·紐曼（Maxwell Newman）。在曼徹斯特大學時期，發現了代數拓撲學中以其命名的「王氏序列」（Wang Sequence）。1948年─1949年任中央研究院數學研究所副研究員，後隨中研院遷台，其後赴美，先後任教於普林斯頓大學、華盛頓大學、西北大學、康奈爾大學。1966年當選台灣中央研究院院士。(Wiki)

胡世楨(1914-)Hu Sze-tsen. BS, NCU 38. Ph.D. & D.Sc., U. of Manchester. Assc. Res. Fel., Acad. Sinica 47-48. Mem., Inst. for Advanced Study, Princeton U. 50-52. (http://www.etaiwannews.com/who/index.php?view=523&category=9〈=tc)

胡適亦曾到講學。1926 年11 月26 日，在曼徹斯特維多利亞大學講演《處在十字路口的中國:新與舊的衝突》(邵建：《胡適前傳》，頁447)

Who's who of American returned students 遊美同學錄 Part 2

More...

周厚坤字厚坤。年二十八歲。生於江蘇無錫。永久通信處。上海南洋公學。。。任上海商務印書館機器工程師。。。現時通信處。上海寶山路商務印書館。Chow, H. K. born in Wusih, Kiangsu, 1889...Mechanical Engineer, Commercial Press, Shanghai, 1916 (p.54)

周典字紹聞。年三十九歲。生於北京。初學於京師大學堂師範館。光緒三十年。留學英國。入維多利亞大學商科。宣統元年。得商科學士學位。以官費赴美。入本薛文尼大學。習商科。得碩士學位。宣統二年回國。宣統三年。任北京大學教員。工商部僉事。及農商部僉事。住址。北京西單牌樓迤北小將坊胡同十一號。Chow, Tien. Born in Peking, 1878. Married. Studied at Government University, Peking, 1902-3; at Victoria University, Manchester, England, 1904-9. B. Com., 1909. Arrived in America, September, 1909. Government support. Studied Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania, 1909-10. M.A., 1910. Returned to China, 1910. Teacher, Government University, Peking, 1911. Senior Clerk, Ministry of Agriculture an Commerce, 1911 to date. (p. 57)

胡棟朝字振廷。字振廷。年四十四歲。生於廣東。永久住址。上海二洋涇橋八號。已婚。子一。初學於香港皇仁書院。及北洋大學。得工學士學位。任香港船塢繪圖員。光緒二十六年。以官費遊美。。。Hu, Theodore C—Bom in Whampoo, Kwangtung, 1873. Married, 1895. Studied at Queen's College, Hongkong, 1890-95; at Peiyaug University, Tientsin, 1895-99. B.S., 1896. Draftsman, Dockyard, Hongkong, 1899-1900. Arrived in America, July, 1900. Government support. Studied Civil Engineering at the University of California, 1900-3...(p. 65)

施肇基字植之。年四十一歲。生於江蘇震澤。兄肇曾。。。民國三年。任中國駐英公使。現時通信處。英國倫敦中國使館。。。Sze, Sao-Ke Alred. Born in Chengtse, Kiangsu, 1876...Studied Liberal Arts at Cornell University, 1897-1901...Chinese Minister to London, 1914 to date. Present Address: Chinese Legation, 49 Porland Place, London (p. 71)

徐墀字夢塘。年三十一歲。生於廣東台山。未婚。永久通信處。香港德輔道六十五號。初學於直隸唐山路礦學校。為北京日報通信員。Hsu, Mongton C. Born in Taishan, Kwangtung, 1886...(p. 76)

徐景文。年三十二歲。生於香港。兄翼周。任大總統府醫官。已婚。初學於香港聖保羅學院。拔萃書室。及上海聖約翰大學。光緒［原誤印褚］二十八年。自費遊美。Kingman, H. B. — Bom in Hongkong, 1885. Man ied, 1910. Studied at St. Paul's College, Hongkong, 1894-98; at Diocesan School, Hongkong, 1899-1901; at St. John's University, Shanghai, 1902. Passed Local Oxford Examination, 1901. Arrived in America, September, 1902. Piivate support. Studied Dental Surgery at Philadelphia Dental College, 1902-5. D.D.S. 1905. Member, Garretsouian Society and British American Society, 1902-5. Returned to China, January, 1906. Commercial Deputy to Strait Settlement by the Kwangtung Provincial Government, 19(j8. Manager, Hun Ta Insurance Co., Shanghai, 1908. Honoiary Surgeon to Peking-Mukden Railway, 1905. At present. Dental Practitioner in Peking and Tientsin. (p. 79)

席德柄字彬儒。年二十六歲。生於上海。父裕光。本籍住址。上海白克路五百七十九號。。。民國三年。赴英國。入北明翰大學商科。民國四年。得有畢業文憑。。。Hsi, Turpin P.—Born in Shanghai, 1891...Studied Commerce at Birmingham University, England, 1914-15. Awarded Graduate's Commerce Diploma, 1915. Returned to China, September, 1915, Surveyor and Sanitary Engineer, Tsiug Hua College, Peking, 1915 to date. (p. 83-4)

梁福初字君屐。年二十六歲。生於廣州。本籍住址。廣州十六甫八號。已婚。初學於香港拔萃書室。及廣州嶺南學校。。。Liang, Foo-Tso. - Born in Canton, 1S91. Married, 1915. Studied

at Diocesan College, Hongkong, 1902-5; at Canton Christian College, 1905-9...History and Political Science at Syracuse University, 1912-15. A. B., 1915...Teacher, Tsing Hua College, 1916 to date...Assistant Business Manager, Chinese Social and Political Science Review, 1916 to date...(p. 86-7)

Who's who of American returned students 遊美同學錄 Part 1

Today I began flipping through this extraorindary book on MTR, Who's who of American returned students 《遊美同學錄》 (Peking: Tsing Hua College, 1917) by G.T. Chao, F.T. Liang, M. Wu. What interested most was not those who came from St. John's University and proceeded to the graduate schools among the Ivy League institutions, but those who received high school education in Hong Kong and returned to China for bachelor degrees, then studied in the U.S.A. To name a few here:

王建祖字長信。年三十八歲。生於厦門。父鑑明。已婚。子一。女二。初學於香港皇仁書院。北洋大又留學日本。光緒二十七年。任南洋公學教員。譯歐洲文明史光緒二十八年。自費遊美。入加利佛尼大學。習經濟科。光緒三十一年。得學士學位。（頁5）Wang, Chien-Tsu...Studied at Queen's College, Hongkong, 1894-95; at Peiyang University, Tientsin, 1896-98; at Waseda University, Tokyo, japan, 1899. Teacher, Nanang College, Shanghai, 1901-2. Translated Buckle's "History of Civilization," 1901. Arrived in America, October, 1902. Private support. Studied Economics at the University of California, 1903-5. B.S., 1905...(p. 6) 

王寵佑字佐。年三十八歲。生於香港。已婚。女一。初學於香港皇仁書院。畢業於北洋大學。光媎二十七年遊美。入加利佛尼大學。習礦科。光緒二十八年。入哥侖比亞大學。習礦學及地質學。光緒二十九年。得碩士學位。（頁8) Wang, Chung-Yu. Born in Hongkong 1879. Married, 1912. Studied at Queen's College, Hongkong, 1893-95 ; at Peiyang University, Tientsin, 1895-99. Graduated from the Mining Department, Peiyang University, 1899. Arrived in America, 1901. Studied Mining at the University of California, 1901-2; Mining and Geology at Columbia University, 1902-5. M.A., 1903... (p. 8-9)

王紹瀛字叔海。年二十九歲。生於廣東廣州。父遜卿。業商。家中住址。香港德輔道中五十八號二樓。已婚。女一。初學於香港格致書院及唐山路礦學堂。（頁10) Wang, Shao-Ying. — Born in Canton, 1888. Married, 1915. Studied at Li Shing Scientific College, Hongkong, 1904-7 ; a Tangshan Railway and Engineering College, Tangshan, 1907-9. Arrived in America, August,

1910. Government support. Studied Mining at Colorado School of Mines, 1910-13. M.E., 1913... (p. 11)

李燦基字伯曜。年四十歲。生於上海。叔福疇。未婚。初學於香港拔萃書室。皇仁書院。畢業於天津北洋大學。任廣州英文學校英文教員。Lee, Beiyao Tsanchi Bom in Shanghai, 1877. Studied at Diocesan School, Hongkong, 1S91-94 ; at Queen's College, Hongkong, 1895; at Peiyans University, Tientsin, 1898-99. B.C.E., 1899. Teacher in English. English Educational School, Canton, 1901... (p. 32-3)

李豋輝字騰飛。年四十五歲。生於厦門。。。中華書局總輯。Lee, T. H...Graduated from Anglo-Chinese School, Singapore, 1890...Chief, Editorial Department, Chung Hua Book Co., Shanghai. (p. 36-7)

Some more figures here:

王寵惠字亮疇。年三十五歲。生於廣東。。。譯德國民法為英文。為中華書局編。Wang, Chung-Hui...Studied Law in England and Germany. Called to the English Bar at the Inner Temple. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Provisional Government, Nanking, 1911. (p. 7-8)

伍朝樞字梯雲.年三十一歲。廣東新會人。生於天津。父廷芳。永久住址。上海戈登路三號。已婚。女三。LL.B., University of London, England, 1911. Called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn,

1911. Holder of Inns of Court Studentship and University of London Scholarship, 1911. (p. 26-7) 

伍鏡湖字澄波。年三十二歲。生於廣東新寗。父義學。業醫。家中住址。香港文咸街九十號。(頁27)

李奉藻字采南。生於廣東香山。年三十三歲。父贊辰。前清舉人。叔恩富。。。初學於香港。。。民國三年。在香港行醫。Lee, Joe F. Born in Hsiangshan, Kwangtuiig, 1881-. Married, 1914. Studied in Hongkong. Arrived in America, September, 1899. Private support. Prepared for college at Louisville Preparatory School, 1907-9. Studied Medicine at the University of Tennessee, 1909-13. M.D., 1913. Returned to China, December, 1913. Medical Practitioner, in Hongkong, 1914. Pathologist, Canton Hospital, 1915. (p. 35)

李翼純年三十一歲。生於廣州。兄揚庭。任香港中國電報局會計員。(頁37)

李應南字次薰。年三十七歲。生於廣州。本籍通信處。。。初學於聖保羅中書院。及皇仁書院。畢業於天津北洋大學。得數學第一名獎。Lee, Ying-Nan. — Bom in Canton, 1879. Married, 1904. Studied at St. Paul's College, Hongkong, 1889-93; at Queen's College, Hongkong, 1893-94; at Peiyang University, Tientsin, 1894-1900. Awarded first prize for best work in Mathematics, 1899. (p. 37-8)

The Odd Volumes of Hong Kong

I am currently amused by the peculiar name of a gentleman's society in Colonial Hong Kong, Odd Volumes (Literary, Scientific, and Debating Society of Hongkong, 叙談文社 in Chinese), which was established in 1893. Odd Volumes, adopted from the Victorian usage of "odd" meaning matchless, dates back to the London-based literary society the Sette of the Odd Volumes in 1878.

From the Year-boke of the Odd Volumes, 1889-90, the legend of the Odd Volumes is given into verse by W. Mort Thompson, the histogriographers, as follows:

Long ago, when such ventures but few undertook,

Some one printed and published a capital book,

But when all the copies were suitably bound,

One copy was missed and could nowhere be found,

Whether stolen or lost was a point never cleared,

But the twenty-one volumes had all disappeared.

Odd volumes turned up here and there now and then,

But the once perfect sette never turned up again.

Yet every odd volume, on stall or on shelf, Seemed somehow or other to speak for itself, — "As a single Odd Volume I'm matchless, but yet The whole twenty-one of us perfect a sette!"

The founder of the Hong Kong Odd Volumes was the Scottish physician Sir James Cantlie (康德黎 in Chinese). Before coming to Hong Kong, Cantlie spent more than 15 years studying, teaching and practising medicine at Charing Cross Hospital in Central London and had published a both critical and contentious lecture on public health entitled Degeneration among Londoners (London: Field & Tuer, The Leadenhall Press, E.C.) delievered at the Parkes Museum of Hygiene in South Kensington in 1885, which "attributed the poor physique of Londoners to overcrowding and industrial pollution." Despite no evidence is shown that he had ever been invited to the Sette of the Odd Volumes, Cantlie might have been well aware of such a learned literary club in London provided that he had lived in Central London for such a long period and later formed the Hong Kong Odd Volumes.

Cantlie came to Hong Kong in 1887 and became Dean of the College of Medicine for Chinese in 1889. He played a key role in drawing the attention of the learned community and addressed at the inaugural meeting held at the famous Hongkong hotel on 2nd March, 1893, being himself the founding President, explaining the aims objects and aims of the society, which was by no means a subsidiary of the London Odd Volumes. Located in Wyndham Street, alias the literary street, the club was also regarded as Literary, Scientific, and Debating Society of Hongkong Odd Volumes. Cantlie later became President of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in London.

In the following years, the society was recognized by the support of the Governor Sir William Robinson and Colonial Secretary Sir James H. Stewart Lockhart being President and Vice-President respectively (Cantlie being Vice-President until his return to London in 1896). While it was common for the Governor and Colonial Secretary being respective President and Vice-President of any gentleman's society, one distinguished member of the community also served as one of the three Vice-Presidents (Cantlie himself being one) in 1896. It was John Joseph Francis. Francis was one of the leading counsels of the community and an outspoken Irish. He was also an active member of many learned societies and clubs, and was instrumental for the formation of the Odd Volumes and the Jockey Club.

The other important early committee member was less known but absolutely not negligible. William Harris Purcell served the society for almost two decades as Honourary Secretary between 1896-7 and Honourary Treasurer for many years since 1898 until 1914 (replaced by a prominent figure Henry Edward Pollock, 普羅 in Chinese, Barrister-at-law and Attorney General, the original Honourary Treasurer). He joined Kelly & Walsh in Shanghai in as early as 1885 and later moved to the Hong Kong branch in 1893 when the Odd Volumes was inaugurated. In 1896, He was invited to take up the post of Honourary Secretary whereas he was bookkeeper of Kelly & Walsh. During his office in the society, he had overseen its persistent growth as "a representative body of the best men" of Hong Kong thoroughout the years of various popular public lectures by distinguished guests, such as the HK-based sinologist James Dyer Ball and United States Minister to Siam, John Barrett. Purcell worked for the society until he returned to Kelly & Walsh in Shanghai in 1914 and was elected Director until around 1928. 

According to the papers of Cantlie (MS 7923), deposited in the Wellcome Library, London, the society published the journal The Book Plate, Vol. 1 No. 2 being issued on 27 Feb 1895.

to be continued...

W. Somerset Maugham's China and Far East

Driving away from my field of study is delightful but sometimes painful. I am no a big fan of literature but glancing through my English fiction bookshelf is more than enjoyable, both visaully and spiritually, which has also created a mixture feelings of devastation and inspiration. Some highbrow novels are tough to read and destined to be had rather than read, or even worse that people tend to lie about having read.

The world is full of lies. We all smell suspicion in the air. Governments lies. Bankers lies. Scholars lies. Parents lies. Even our uni. students lies. We too often hear lies like "having submitted assignment," or even "[self-claimed] being illiterate" (no joke!). Does lies matter? Who knows, while the majority of us consider only big lies matter.

I read through a few, some unfinished, a lot untouched. García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude was one of the most intimidating and let me down indeed. Reading on public transport and while waiting for a date (not to make a good impression though) has always been my habit. Novels is one of my options (others like articles and columns). One blogger would get swooned with a man scowling Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being (highly recommended, best of the best) which shrewdly shows his refined tastes and possibility of intellectual conversation.

Talented authors ripple the wildest minds into deep solitude and lash the tranquil ones out of control. Wilde and Orwell never bores me while Kundera and Eco deserve best of the best. Another author I like is W. Somerset Maugham, Elieen Chang's favourite English novelist, playwright and short story writer. I first noticed his name by his On a Chinese Screen, not a book at all, as he revealed, but notes for a book (I am yet to finish it I confess). His exquisite and sarcastic writing style completely caught my heart and I began to trace his writings on the Far East ever after.

to be continued...

Things vs Sketches

The publishing industry ventured little to publish similar titles below like, Things and Sketches series on exotic subjects to cultivate Anglophone readers at home and abroad.

Things Asian: Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Korean

1. James Dyer Ball, Things Chinese or Notes Connected with China (Hongkong: Kelly & Walsh, 1888. 4th ed., rev. & enl., 1903, New York: C. Scribner's sons, 1904. 5th ed., revised by Edward Theodore Chalmers Werner, 1925, London: John Murray, 1926).
2. Sun Yat Sen and James Cantlie, a lecture “Things Chinese” illustrated by lantern slides and Chinese curios, on 11 Mar 1897, at St Martin's Town Hall, for the Charing Cross Hospital Special Appeal Fund. There is also a chapter entitled "Things Chinese" in Cantlie's Sun Yat Sen and the Awakening of China (London : Jarrold & Sons, 1912).
3. WIlliam Crooke, Things Indian: Being Discursive Notes on Various Subjects Connected with India (London: John Murray, 1906).
4. Basil Hall Chamberlain, Things Japanese, Being Notes on Various Subjects Connected with Japan, for the use of travellers and others (London: Kegan Paul, 1890. 2nd ed., rev. and enl., London: Kegan Paul; Yokohama: Kelly & Walsh, 1891. 3rd ed., rev., London: John Murray; Yokohama: Kelly & Walsh, 1898. 4th ed., rev. and enl., London: John Murray; Yokohama: Kelly & Walsh, 1902. 5th ed., rev., London: John Murray; Yokohama: Kelly & Walsh, 1905. Reprint of the 5th ed., rev. with the addiction of two appendsice, London: Kegan Paul; Kobe: J. L. Thompson, 1927. 6th ed., rev., London: Kegan Paul; Kobe: J. L. Thompson, 1940). btw, J. L. Thompson, famous chemists in Kobe, was K & W's agent in Kobe. 
5. Horace Newton Allen, Things Korean: A Collection of Sketches and Anecdotes, Missionary and Diplomatic (New York: Revell, 1908).

Sketches exotic: Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Malay

1. John Treat Irving, Indian sketches taken during a U. S. expedition to make treaties with the Pawnee and other tribes of Indians in 1833 (Philadelphia, 1858).
2. Herbert Allen Giles, Chinese sketches (London: Trübner, 1876).
3. A. Herbage Edwards, Kakemono: Japanese sketches (London: W. Heinemann; Chicago: A.C. McClurg, 1906).
4. James S. Gale, Korean sketches (New York: Revell, 1898).
5. Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham, Malay sketches (London: John Lane, 1895).
6. Far-Eastern sketches (Shanghai: Shanghai Mercury, 1906).

to be continued...

Inspiring Quotations

Books and reading

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. (Francis Bacon, Essays) Bookshelves poster. Should be put it up next to my bookshelves to stop visitors keep asking this and that.

The printing press is either the greatest blessing or the greatest curse of modern times, one sometimes forgets which. (James M. Barrie, Sentimental Tommy) Obviously, the most environmentally unfriendly invention

City

If you would be known, and not know, vegetate in a village. If you would know, and not known, live in a city. (Charles Caleb Coulton, Lacon) Similar to Bai Letian's 大隱住朝市，小隱入丘樊” ( 《中隱》)

Clearly, then, the city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo. (Desmond Morris, The Human Zoo) Living in cages, on display, and, alledgedly, environmentally unfriendly. 

Cities are the abyss of the human species. (Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile) 

Appearance

It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible. (Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray) This is a visible world!

Food

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are. (Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste) You are what you eat.

Fashion

Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months. (Oscar Wilde) Let's face it. Most of us are ugly.

Language

Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind. (Rudyard Kipling, speech, 1923) Say NO to drug.

The limits of my language mean the limits of my world. (Ludwig Wittgensten, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus) 

Society

Gerald: I suppose society is wonderfully delightful!

Lord Illingworth: To be in it is merely a bore. But to be out of it simply a tragedy. (Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance) Boredom only leads to tragedy.

Society is no comfort

To one not sociable (Shakespeare, Cymbeline) Why the hell I shall be sociable, or in other words, agreeable?

Sports

The English country gentleman galloping after a fox - the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable (Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance) What an Irish!

History

"Who controls the past," ran the Party slogan, "controls the future: who controls the present controls the past." (George Orwell, 1984) This is why you have to learn History and write History.