NEWSPAPERS (Contd.)
with the appearance of rival vernacular papers, it was again a daily, seemingly controlled by a Chinese syndicate, under the name of the Chung Ngoi San Po, (the "Local and Foreign Daily News"). It was still published by arrangement at the Daily Press offices. By the later Seventies we find this Chinese edition competing with the Wa Tsz Yat Po (or "Chinese Mail") commenced in 1872 and the Tsun Wan Yat Po (or "Universal Circulating Herald"), founded in 1873, both being also daily papers. There was also in the late Seventies a bi-weekly called the Kam Sz Ping Luk. The Wa Tsz (or Tze) Yat (or Yah) Po, as we shall see later, was founded by arrangement with the China Mail.
A daily known as the Chin-shih Pien-lu had appeared in 1864, and flourished for many years more of its history will be given presently.
By 1890 there were five native daily papers, two new arrivals being the Yut Po and the Wai San Yat Po. The Chin-shih Pien-lu is no longer mentioned.
By 1900 only four were left, the Yut Po having dropped out of the competition. The four were the Chung Ngoi, Wa Tsz, Tsun Wan, and Wai San.
The Chung Ngoi San Po ceased publication in 1919, and the Wai San Yat Po also came to an end some years ago. The other two remain to-day.
751
In reviewing the history of these Chinese papers we might give greatest attention to two or three of them, and mention must be made particularly of one personality closely associated with the vernacular press of old - Wang Tao, a scholar and reformer whose literary gifts were expended on the establishing of one of the most influential of the Hong Kong Chinese dailies. I can not do better than quote from that admirable book published about a year ago by Mr. Roswell S. Britton, "The Chinese Periodical Press, 1800-1912," one whole chapter of which is devoted to the native newspapers of the Colony. Mr. Britton states in part:
"Wang Tao was the chief figure in the early development of Chinese newspapers at Hong Kong. He was a scholar and a graduate in the civil examinations and therefore eligible for office, and yet had sufficient independence of mind to be something of a rebel. This combination of orthodox classical learning and unorthodox thinking admirably qualified him to be a founding editor-publisher. According to Ko Kung-chen, Wang T'ao became an outlaw in consequence of making communications to a Tai-Ping rebel prince, and escaped in company of a foreign missionary to Hong Kong. There he at once became associated with James Legge, and was his consultant in preparing volumes III-V of that monumental work of translation, exegesis and criticism, "The Chinese Classics." Wang Tao's work includes several considerable volumes of critical studies of the classics and of classical chronology, done in manuscript at the time for Legge's guidance.
"Legge refers often to Wang Tao in the latter volumes of the Classics.
Wang Tao began newspaper work soon after settling at Hong Kong. While assisting Legge, he concurrently served as editor of the Chin-shih Pien-lu, a daily paper generally known as "The Hong Kong News," established under foreign auspices in 1864. Though this paper did not have the wide fame of the paper which Wang T'ao himself founded in 1873, it was an able publication and influenced the development of modern newspapers not only in South China but at Shanghai, and in the Chinese communities in the Straits Settlements. The Chin-shih Pien-lu passed in 1883 to Chinese proprietorship, its subscription was lowered from $5 to $4, and it continued with success for some time though not into the new century.
Page 175
Page 176
NEWSPAPERS (Contd.)
with the appearance of rival vernacular papers, it was again a daily, seemingly controlled by a Chinese syndicate, under the name of the Chung Ngoi San Po, ( the "Local and Foreign Daily News"). It was still published by arrangement at the Daily Press offices. By the later Seventies we find this Chinese edition competing with the Wa Tsz Yat Po (or "Chinese Mail") commenced in 1872 and the Tsun Wan Yat Po (or "Universal Circulating Herald"), founded in 1873, both being also daily papers. There was also in the late Seventies a bi-weekly called the Kam Sz Ping Luk. The Wa Tsz (or Tze) Yat (or Yah) Po, as we shall see later, was founded by arrangement with the China Mail.
A daily known as the Chin-shih Pien-lu had appeared in 1864, and flourished for many years more of its history will be given presently.
det
two new
By 1890 there were five native daily papers arrivals being the Yut Po and the Wai San Yat Po. The Chin-shih Pien-lu is no longer mentioned.
By 1900 only four were left, the Yut Po having dropped out of the competition. The four were the Chung Ngoi, Wa Tsz, Tsun Wan, and Wai San.
The Chung Ngoi San Po ceased publication in 1919, and the Wai San Yat Po also came to an end some years ago. The other two remain to-day.
751
*
*
In reviewing the history of these Chinese papers we might give greatest attention to two or three of them, and mention must be made particularly of one personality closely associated with the vernacular press of old Wang Tao, a scholar and reformer whose literary gifts were expended on the establishing of one of the most influential of the Hong Kong Chinese dailies. 1 can not do better than quote from that admirable book published about a year ago by Mr. Roswell S. Britton, "The Chinese Periodical Press, 1800-1912," one whole chapter of which is devoted to . the native newspapers of the Colony. Mr. Britton states in part:
"Wan, Tao was the chief figure in the early development of Chinese newspapers at Hong Kong. He was a scholar and a graduate in the civil examinations and therefore eligible for office, and yet had sufficient independence of mind to be something of a rebel. This combination of orthodox classical learning and unorthodox thinking admirably qualified him to be a founding editor- publisher. According to Ko Kung-chen, Wang T'ao became on outlaw in conswquence of making communications to a Tai-P1ing rebel prince, and escaped in company of a foreign missionary to Hong Kong. There he at once became associated with James Legge, and was his consultant in preparing volumes III-V of that monumental work of translation, exegesis and criticism, "The Chinese Classics." Wang Tao's work include several considerable volumes of critical studies of the classics and of classical chronology, done in manuscript at the time for Legge's guidance.
"Legge refers often to Wang Tao in the latter volumes of the @lassics.
Wang Tao began newspaper work soon after settling at Hong Kong. While assisting Legge, he concurrently served as editor of the Chin-shih Pien-lu a daily paper generally known as "The Hong Kong News," established under foreign auspices in 1864. Though this paper did not have the wide fame of the paper which Wang T'ao himself founded in 1973, it was an able publication and influenced the development of modern newspapers not only in South China but at Shanghai, and in the Chinese communities in the Straits Settlements. The Chineshih Pien-lu passed in 1883 to Chinese proprietorship, its subscription was lowered from $5 to $4, and it continued with success for some time though not into yhr nre vrnyuty.
Page 175Page 176
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