RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1961 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/vd6724704 Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch RASHKB and author Vol. 1 (1961) ISSN 1991-7295 1 THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY The Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was originally founded in 1847, but it ceased to exist at the end of 1859. Exactly a century later, on December 28, 1959, it was resuscitated with the approval of the parent society in London - The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. The Royal Asiatic Society was founded in March 1823 "for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts, in relation to Asia". It received its Charter of Incorporation as a royal society from George IV on August 11, 1824. The Royal Asiatic Society is the oldest and most important Society of its kind in Europe, and its standing as the doyen of Societies promoting the study of Asia has been maintained by the devotion of generations of eminent scholars, explorers and others who have contributed through its Journal, in public addresses and in many other ways, a rich harvest of knowledge, both academic and practical, in the service of Western understanding of the East. A large part of the Society's work has always been done through its branches and affiliated Societies in the East. Branches were formed at Bombay and at Madras about 1838, and in Ceylon in 1845. The Hong Kong Branch followed in 1847, the North China Branch at Shanghai in 1857, the Japanese in 1875, the Malayan in 1878, and the Korean in 1900, etc. etc. THE HONG KONG BRANCH grew out of a Medico-Chirurgical Society founded in 1845. This Society, however, in accord with the contemporary spirit of inquiry and the enthusiasm for better knowledge of Asia in general and China in particular, had contemplated setting up a Philosophical Society; but the movement ended in the establishment of the Asiatic Society with laws drafted by Andrew Shortrede, Editor of the China Mail, framed on the model of those of the Royal Asiatic Society. Sir John F. Davis, the Governor, by reason of his known literary and scientific acquirements rather than his official rank, was asked to be President. He suggested that the Society should seek to be admitted as a Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society with which, as a founder member, he was in close touch and with whose active President, the Earl of Auckland, he had discussions on these lines before he left England. So in January 1847 the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was founded, and all the members of the Medico-Chirurgical Society who wished to join were admitted without ballot or entrance fee on condition of their Society's apparatus and books being handed over to the new body. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1970 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ww72j0241 4 trade and penetration to China and the Far East, and the Society was in part designed to bring together in London members of these societies who had returned to England and allow them to meet and continue publication of their work. It was founded in March 1823 and received its Royal Charter of Incorporation from George IV on 11th August, 1824. It is the oldest and most important Society of its kind in Europe, and its standing as the doyen of Societies promoting the study of Asia has been maintained by the devotion of generations of eminent scholars, explorers, and others who have contributed through its Journal, in public addresses and in many other ways, a rich harvest of knowledge, the practical uses of which serve to promote and aid our understanding of, and our relation with, the East. Before the acquisition of Hong Kong the movement had extended to the mercantile community in Canton, under the influence of Sir John Davis who had become a founder member of the Royal Asiatic Society in London, and of correspondents of the Society who included James Matheson. The Hong Kong Branch grew out of a Medico-Chirurgical Society founded in 1845. This Society, however, in accord with the contemporary spirit of inquiry, and the enthusiasm for better knowledge of Asia in general and of China in particular, had contemplated setting up a Philosophical Society under the leadership of Andrew Shortrede, Editor of the China Mail who drafted the Society's laws based on those of the Royal Asiatic Society. Sir John F. Davis, then Governor of the Colony, by reason of his known literary and scientific acquirements rather than his official rank, was asked to be President. He suggested that the Society should seek to be admitted as a Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society with which, as a founder member, he was in close touch and with whose active President, the Earl of Auckland, he had had discussions on these lines before he left England. So in January 1847 the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was founded and all the members of the Medico-Chirurgical Society who wished to join were admitted on condition of their Society's library being handed over to the new body. Besides the Governor as President, and Andrew Shortrede as General Secretary and Major General D'Aguilar as Vice President, ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1972 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/gm80qf99h TRADITIONAL CHINESE REGIONAL ARCHITECTURE BIBLIOGRAPHY 145 Bulletin of the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture. V, 1. Chinese Architecture: A Simple History. Volume 1: The Old Architecture of China: A Simple History. China Industrial Publishing Company, 1963. Boyd, Andrew. Chinese Architecture and Town Planning (1500 B.C. · A.D. 1911). London, 1962. Cressey, George Babcock. China's Geographic Foundations: A Survey of the Land and Its People, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1934. Freedman, Maurice. Chinese Lineage and Society: Fukien and Kwangtung. New York: Humanities Press, Inc., 1966. Gutkind, E. A. Revolution of Environment. London: Broadway House, 1946. Hsieh, Ting-yu and Kuo, Ch'ang-ch'eng. The Hakka Chinese-Their Origin and Folk Songs. San Francisco: Jade Mountain Press, 1969. Kulp, Daniel H. Country Life in South China: The Society of Familism. Volume 1: Phenix Village, Kwangtung, China, New York: 1925, Liu Tun-chen. A General Discussion of Chinese Houses. (PAREMM). People's Republic of China: Architectural Engineering Publishing Company, 1957. Penn, Colin. "Chinese Vernacular Architecture." Royal Institute of British Architects. October, 1965. Skinner, William. "Chinese Domestic Architecture." Review of Liu Tun-chen, A Short Study of the Chinese House. Royal Institute of British Architects. November, 1957. Smith, Arthur H. Village Life in China: A Study in Sociology. Fleming H. Revell, Co., 1899. Ta Chen, Emigrant Communities in South China: A Study of Overseas Migration and Its Influence on Standards of Living and Social Change. New York: 1940. Tregear, T. R. A Geography of China. London: University of London Press, 1965. Wong Chung Hong. "Walled and Moated-A Hong Kong Village." Arts of Asia. Vol. I, No. 4, July-August 1971. Wu, Nelson I. Chinese and Indian Architecture. New York: George Braziller, 1967. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1972 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/gm80qf99h 146 up LINDA F. SULLIVAN N + down. ئيسية + Fig. 1. Ground and upper floor plans of cave dwelling, Honan (Reproduced from p. 110 of Andrew Boyd's Chinese Architecture and Town Planning 1500 BC - AD 1911, London, Alec Tiranti, 1962) ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1972 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/gm80qf99h KAFIEK Plate 13. Hakka dwellings: a larger block of circular plan, from the outside. (Reproduced from Andrew Boyd's Chinese Architecture and Town Planning 1500 BC - 1911, London, Alec Tiranti, 1962, plate 131) - ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1982 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mk61z420p 63 Nationality Members 1855 (March)—1856 (January) (23.3.1855) William Shephard Wetmore William Thorburn William Herbert Vacher Henry Alexander Ince Clement D. Nye 1856 (January)—1857 (January) (14.1.1856) George Griswold Gray Firm Nationality Wetmore & Co. American Hargreaves & Co. British Gilman, Bowman, Dent, Beale & Co. American Bull, Nye & Co. British (Treasurer) James Lawrence Man Andrew Arch. Ranken 1857 (January) — 1858 (February) (31.1.1857) George Watson Coutts Hugh Bold Gibb Charles W. Orne Russell & Co. American Geo. Barnet & Co. ? Smith, Kennedy & Co. British Watson & Co. British Gibb, Livingston & Co. British Russell & Co. American Note: In February 1858 G. W. Coutts is no longer mentioned as member. 1858 (February) — 1859 (February) (4.2.1858) William Wetmore Cryder Hugh Bold Gibb John Thorne Note: In February 1859 only J. Thorne is mentioned as member. 1859 (February) — 1860 (February) (31.1.1859) Robert Reid (Chairman) William Wetmore Cryder Wetmore, Williams & Co. American Gibb, Livingston & Co. British ? ? Birley, Worthington & Co. British (Treasurer) Hubert Marshall Murray Gray Wetmore, Williams & Co. American Smith, Kennedy & Co. British 1860 (February) — 1861 (February) (15.2.1860) Rowland Hamilton (Chairman) Smith, Kennedy & Co. British James Whitlow (Treasurer) Richard R. Tyers Holliday, Wise & Co. British 2 British 2 1861 (February) — 1862 (April) (2.2.1861) William Howard (Chairman) J. Priestley Tate (Treasurer) Chartered Bank Blain, Tate & Co. William Shephard Wetmore British ? ? Wetmore, Williams & Co. American Note: In April 1862 only J. P. Tate is mentioned as member. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1986 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/jq08c7063 176 CARL SMITH Dr. Legge never taken him away from the herd of buffaloes he was tending at Malacca. STUDENTS CATCH GOLD FEVER Gold fever hit the Canton delta in the 1850s. It had an unsettling effect on students. Books were much less attractive than nuggets of gold in California or Australia. The reports of the schools reflect the pull of the gold-fields on the pupils. Shortly before the first class of the Presbyterian Boarding School at Canton was to be graduated in 1852, the whole class was swept by the gold fever. Their principal, the Rev. Dr. Andrew Happer, explains the reasons. "The villages from which the older pupils have come are those from which a great number had gone to California. Their brothers, uncles and cousins had gone, some had sent home some gold dust and statements about the ease with which gold could be obtained. This caused a feverish excitement among these boys." The school had a hold on them from which it was not easy to get free. When they were enrolled their parents signed a bond that the boys would remain in the school for the full course, usually six to eight years. In return they received free board, clothing and education. If they left before this period, the cost of their board figured at $20 a month had to be refunded or the bond was forfeited. While others of their own age were off to adventure and fortune, they had to sit in the classroom deprived of their freedom. They became restless, unruly and hard to manage, not the docile, diligent, obedient students the missionary teachers had become used to. It took a great amount of diplomatic skill and patience for Dr. Happer to prevent a full-scale walkout. He believed that most of the unrest was caused by one student, whom he had to dismiss. Afterwards Dr. Happer reflects: “I am now inclined to think that wanting employment he took the course he did with a wish to be ================================================================================