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(C) The Promotion of Chinese Studies in Great Britain.
342
In the First Schedule to the Chinese Indemnity
(Application) Act of 1931 it was laid down that one of the pur-
poses for which a grant of money was made to the Universities
China Committee was the following:-
"To encourage and facilitate the teaching of the
Chinese language and literature at the universities
of the United Kingdom by the endowment for those
purposes of professorships and lectureships, or
otherwise.
!!
In our discussions with Chinese academic authori-
ties and others during our visit to China we found no enthusiasm
whatever for the suggestion that a portion of the funds allotted
under the Act of 1931 to the Universities China Committee
should be spent on financing the teaching of the Chinese
language in the United Kingdom. Chinese opinion, as far as we
could ascertain, was unanimously in favour of the establishment
of the proposed lectureships and fellowships, and it was pointed
out that through the lectures given and the researches carried
out by the British and Chinese beneficiaries of those founda-
tions the study of Chinese literature, and indirectly that of
the Chinese language, would undoubtedly be fostered; for the
interest in Chinese civilisation and culture which would be
stimulated in Great Britain by the existence of the proposed
lectureships and fellowships would necessarily lead to an increas-
ing interest in the language. But the suggestion that chairs for
the direct XMAX purpose of teaching the language should be
provided for out of the funds of the Committee did not meet with
a favourable response. It was considered that what was mainly
wanted in England was not the learning of the Chinese language
by Englishnen, few of whom would ever have occasion to put their
knowledge to practical use, but a deeper acquaintance with the
conditions and problems of modern China, a clearer understanding
of her social, scientific, economic and educational requirements,
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