EDITORIAL
I have been sparing of editorials in the past, and so were my predecessors. In fact, editorials have appeared to date in only four Journals, 1961, 1965, 1968 and 1974, the first two of them by Professor Cranmer-Byng, the then Hon. Editor, and the others by myself.
Looking back over fifteen years of part-time editorial work, I immediately think of the benefits conferred by being editor of the Journal. Whatever effort I have made has been rewarded in a number of ways. In the first place, I have made many new friends in the course of canvassing for suitable material and in meeting or corresponding with contributors in regard to their work. I have directly benefited from the knowledge that they have made through their contributions. One colourful instance may suffice. I think particularly of Keith Stevens with his interesting article “Altar Images from Hunan and Kiangsu" Vol. 18 (1978): 41-48, which introduced me to the paper slips inserted by persons who commissioned images of popular gods and presented them to temples. I have since learned that this was a common practice.*
Secondly, the Journal gave me a chance to encourage other people in their efforts - a most satisfying and rewarding duty. It also emboldened me to seek (and receive) contributions from scholars of the first rank, such as L. Carrington Goodrich, C. Martin Wilbur, Jen Yu-wen, and others. The Journal also enabled me to include the notes provided for my local tours, so that those members who were unable to go at the time could visit thereafter. In this connection, I thank those members who, over the years, have taken the trouble to write some kind remarks after the visits.
I must confess to having had ups and downs. At one stage, I got rather down-hearted because, despite my apparent best efforts, the delays to the Journal, and the number of misprints that escaped my attention in some volumes during my busy years in Tsuen Wan, passed the bounds of acceptability. I was grateful to Tony Rydings for compiling a list of errata to the 1978 volume, which turned out
See L. Sickman and A. Soper, The Art and Architecture of China (Penguin Books Ltd., 1956), p. 99. See also L. Bachhofer, "Two Chinese Wooden Figures" in The Art Quarterly, Autumn 1938, for two examples dated 1282 and 1385.
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EDITORIAL
I have been sparing of editorials in the past, and so were my predecessors. In fact, editorials have appeared to date in only four Journals, 1961, 1965, 1968 and 1974, the first two of them by Pro- fessor Cranmer-Byng, the then Hon. Editor, and the others by myself.
Looking back over fifteen years of part-time editorial work, I immediately think of the benefits conferred by being editor of the Journal. Whatever effort I have made has been rewarded in a number of ways. In the first place I have made many new friends in the course of canvassing for suitable material and in meeting or corresponding with contributors in regard to their work. I have directly benefitted from the knowledge that they have made through their contributions. One colourful instance may suffice. I think particularly of Keith Stevens with his interesting article “Altar Images from Hunan and Kiangsu" Vol. 18 (1978): 41-48 which introduced me to the paper slips inserted by persons who commis- sioned images of popular gods and presented them to temples. I have since learned that this was a common practice.* Secondly, the Journal gave me a chance to encourage other people in their efforts - a most satisfying and rewarding duty. It also emboldened me to seek (and receive) contributions from scholars of the first rank such as L. Carrington Goodrich, C. Martin Wilbur, Jen Yu- wen, and others. The Journal also enabled me to include the notes provided for my local tours so that those members who were un- able to go at the time could visit thereafter. In this connection I thank those members who, over the years, have taken the trouble to write some kind remarks after the visits.
I must confess to having had ups and downs. At one stage I got rather down-hearted because, despite my apparent best efforts the delays to the Journal, and the number of misprints that escaped my attention in some volumes during my busy years in Tsuen Wan, passed the bounds of acceptability. I was grateful to Tony Rydings for compiling a list of errata to the 1978 volume which turned out
See L. Sickman and A Soper, The Art and Architecture of China (Penguin Books Ltd., 1956) p.99. See also L. Bachhofer, "Two Chinese Wooden Figures" in The Art Quarterly, Autumn 1938 for two examples dated 1282 and 1385.
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