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 16 Vol. 1 (1961) ISSN 1991-7295 Christian centuries of the new states of South-east Asia, formed under Indian influence in Indo-China, Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula. During the Middle Ages the navigation of the Southern Seas was in the hands of the Arabs. But after the rounding of the Cape, direct contact between Europe and the East by sea was restored. It was mainly by the sea-route that India, China, and South-east Asia became known to modern Europe. In this the Portuguese navigators played an all-important part. Passing over the rivalries of the Western nations we come to the days of the East India Company. In India the Moghul empire had reached its height, fine examples of its art remaining in the Moghul architecture of Pakistan and North-west India, and Moghul miniature painting. But with the Moghul Moslem law had come to India, and it was soon recognized by the East India Company that the study of Moslem languages was necessary for the government of India. So Islamics now became part of the study of India as of Persia. In 1783 Sir William Jones, a brilliant linguist who had mastered Persian and Arabic during his student days in England, was appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of Judicature in Bengal. In 1784 he proposed the forming of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and became its first President. Becoming aware of the importance of Sanskrit, he became the founder of Sanskrit studies in the West. In accordance with Warren Hastings' decision in 1776 that Indians should be ruled by their own laws, he undertook the immense task of compiling a complete digest of Moslem and Hindu law, a task which he left unfinished at his death eleven years later. It was from India that the Western study of Tibet commenced, initiated by Catholic missionaries, of whom the most eminent was Desideri who lived for many years in the great Sera monastery at Lhasa, and wrote the first comprehensive account of Tibet. Meantime the Jesuit missionaries had proceeded eastwards in the wake of the Portuguese to Malacca, Macau and Japan. It was from Macau that Matthew Ricci entered China in 1580 and in course of time reached Peking, where a beginning was made in the study of the Chinese Classics and Histories, which led to the first real knowledge of Chinese civilization in the West. It was now realized that the 'China' at the end of the sea-route was the same as Marco Polo's 'Cathay'. At the beginning of the nineteenth century modern Sinology commenced with Robert Morrison at Canton, and continued with a number of able scholars, too numerous to mention here, of whom James Legge with his translation of the Chinese Classics into ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1964 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/qz20zx09r 8 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1967 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/0c488p70g EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1968 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/66833948d EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1969 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/9g553n20d EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1970 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ww72j0241 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1971 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/z029vt43g EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1972 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/gm80qf99h EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1973 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8910rj06r EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1973 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8910rj06r 26 PARSONS, Usher. H. A. RYDINGS Directions for making anatomical preparations. Philadelphia, 1831. "Directions for anatomical preparations." PORTAL, Antoine, Baron. Cours d'anatomie médicale. 5v. Paris, 1803. "Cours d'anatomie médicale." RENNIE, James. Alphabet of medical botany. Edinburgh, 1834. "Alphabet of medical botany." WARE, James. Chirurgical observations relative to the eye. 2v. London, 1798. "Ware on the eye." PERIODICALS Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India. Proceedings (and journal) 2v. American journal of science. 6v. Asiatic Society of Bengal. Journal. Braithwaite's retrospect of practical medicine and surgery, v.12, 1845. British and foreign review, Jan. to April 1845. Calcutta journal of natural history. Calcutta Medical Society. Transactions. 2v. Dublin journal of medical science. 5v. Dublin medical press, Jan.-Oct. 1845. Edinburgh medical and surgical journal. 6v. Guy's Hospital reports. 2v. Indian journal of medical (and physical) science, no. 3-6 (and) seven issues for 1845. Lancet, 1825-30, 1836-39, April 1844, Jan. 1845-14 Feb. 1846. *List of apothecaries. 6 yrs. between 1815 and 1837. *List of London surgeons, 1837. unidentified. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1974 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/x633mp077 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1975 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/j0995146d EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1976 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/hq382988q EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. Page 15 Page 16 ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1977 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/np198x23n EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1978 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8g84t8593 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1979 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/2801w5938 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1980 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/kh04md207 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. vii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1981 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ff36bt18m ON 9TH FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND ASIATIC 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1982 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mk61z420p EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. vii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1983 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/j9607p61v EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. vii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1983 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/j9607p61v Links with other Overseas Branches of the RAS From time to time we have established short-lived links with one or other of our sister branches of the Society, including the Korean Branch (established in 1900) and the Asiatic Society of Bengal (established in 1784); and since Mr. K. M. A. Barnett left Hong Kong I have been the Corresponding Member in Hong Kong for the main Society in London. At the last AGM a member asked if ties could be renewed with branches in the region. This has been discussed by the Council recently, and I have written to the Korean and Malaysian Branches asking for information on their activities and expressing an interest in maintaining contact. I was also invited to attend the bicentenary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in January 1984, but unfortunately the notice came late and no direct reply was given to my letter expressing willingness to go. (In this connection Members may have seen the rather distressing account of this venerable body in the Far Eastern Economic Review for 15/3/84). We will continue the effort to keep in touch. Membership Our total membership as at 29th February 1984 was 478, comprising 7 honorary members, 105 local life members, and 2 institutional members, with 75 overseas life members and 37 ordinary overseas members. Changes since last year at this time included 36 resignations, 2 deaths, 19 persons not sending subscriptions and 20 renewal notices returned by the GPO because the members were no longer at their notified addresses. Against this there were 29 new members. There was, as you will perceive, a marked reduction in total membership, mostly in local ordinary membership and mainly attributable to the doubling of the annual subscription from $50 to $100 in 1982. There had been an earlier loss of this kind when the subscription was raised from $30 to $50 in 1975. This is seemingly unavoidable in a busy place like Hong Kong with its many competing interests and claims on people's time, leading some members to say, in their letters of resignation, that they felt they did not take sufficient advantage of the Society's activities to warrant the increased cost. All the more reason, then, for us all to make a special effort to provide interesting programmes if we are to find new members. xiii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1984 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/5h73wh572 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. vii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1985 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/gt54s866x EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1986 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/jq08c7063 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 56 Queen Anne St. LONDON, W.1. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1987 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/rx919b522 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60 Queen's Gardens, London, W2 3AF. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1988 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ft84gb83q EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER, 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60 Queen's Gardens. London W2 3AF. V ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h # EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED # ON 9TH DECEMBER, 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC # SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60 Queen's Gardens, London W2 3AF. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1990 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/d79206299 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER, 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104, Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60 Queen's Gardens, London W2 3AF. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1991 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/k356gt84j EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER, 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104, Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60 Queen's Gardens, London W2 3AF. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1992 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/qf85tx75x EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER, 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104, Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60 Queen's Gardens, London W2 3AF. vi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1993 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/66833t302 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER, 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104, Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60 Queen's Gardens, London W2 3AF. viii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2001 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/zg651950g EXTRACT FROM CHAPTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60, Queen's Gardens London, W2 3AF vii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2002 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mp4901278 OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY The Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was originally founded in 1847 but ceased to exist in 1859. It was reconstituted in 1959. The objects of the Society are to encourage an active interest in East Asia and, in particular, China through the medium of lectures, meetings, discussions, visits and by publishing an annual journal, and to do such other things as may be conducive to the attainment of the objects of the Society. A brochure containing a short history of the Hong Kong Branch, together with a list of lectures given before the Society since its reconstitution, can be obtained from the Hon. Secretary, G.P.O. Box 3864, Hong Kong, China. NOTE TO CONTRIBUTORS The Council welcomes contributions to the Journal, either in the form of articles, notes, queries or book reviews. Contributions containing photographs and illustrations are particularly welcome. The text should be forwarded in soft copy and should adhere closely to the Journal's style, a sample of which is on the following page. Articles without an accompanying disk will not normally be accepted. It is requested that submissions are checked carefully for grammar, punctuation and spelling before transmission. The return of original photographs and illustrations cannot be guaranteed. Responsibility for opinions expressed in articles, notes, queries or book reviews published in the Journal rests with individual contributors and not with the Council. EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within ix ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2002 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mp4901278 the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60, Queen's Gardens London, W2 3AF ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2002 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mp4901278 around the world where full sets of our Journal are available to scholars. Members will have seen, in the Newsletter, a growing amount of information about the activities of a number of these other Societies, information reaching us as a direct result of the improved communications we have been seeking. I am glad to say that we have been able to get into improved communication in particular with three of the Branch Societies in India, that is, those in Madras (the Madras Literary Society), Bombay (the Asiatic Society of Bombay), and Calcutta (the Asiatic Society of Bengal), and with those in Colombo (The Royal Asiatic Society, Ceylon Branch), Kuala Lumpur (the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society), and Seoul (the Royal Asiatic Society, Korea Branch). All these Societies have agreed to welcome our Members to any of the events they mount, and we in turn have been very happy to offer Members of these Societies temporarily visiting Hong Kong access to our activities on the same terms as our own Members. We have also improved our contacts with the Siam Society, in Bangkok, and, again, we are now offering their Members access to our events on the same terms as our own Members. We have also been in regular communication with the Parent Society in London. We have not been able to contact the Branch Society in Tokyo as yet, and any Member able to help us in this respect should contact me. As part of our drive to improve relationships with these other Branch and Associated Societies we have agreed to donate sets of our Journal to the Madras, Bombay, and Bangkok Societies, in return for sets of their Journals, which will be placed in our Library. Exchange arrangements with the Parent Branch in London, and with the Korea, Calcutta, Malaysia, and Ceylon Branches are also in place. We have also recently agreed an exchange arrangement with the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm, Sweden. Following the agreement of Members at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society on 4 October 2002, that the Society should have a new category of Member, that is Honorary Institutional Member, we have agreed in the subsequent months to make the Shanghai Library; the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Archives; the Zhong-ying Street Historical Museum, Sha Tau Kok (Shenzhen); the National Library, Bhutan; the British Empire Museum, Bristol, England; and the Instituto Cultural of Macau Honorary Institutional Members of the Society. In xxvi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2002 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mp4901278 361 THE LIBRARY OF THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY J. L.Y. CHAN In the early days of Empire, when western institutions permeated around the world as a result of colonisation in the nineteenth century, libraries were among the first community organisations established wherever foreign settlements developed. Some of the libraries began as informal shared collections of reading materials, but a few developed a specialty of publications providing sources of information about the host country and its culture. This paper traces the development of the Library of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, its progress and growth since inception, and addresses some of the concerns faced by the Library. The Royal Asiatic Society The establishment of the Asiatic Society dates back to 1784 when a group of interested traders, missionaries, diplomats and administrators founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal in Calcutta, the then capital of British India. This provided the impetus for the formation of the Royal Asiatic Society in London (now known as the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland) in March 1823 which again gave rise to the founding of other branches, in Bombay and Madras in 1838, in Ceylon in 1845, in Japan in 1875, in Malaya in 1878, and in Korea in 1900. In China, two branches were established, the Hong Kong Branch (formerly named the China Branch) started in 1847 followed by the North China Branch in Shanghai in 1857/58. The aim of the Royal Asiatic Society and its branches is "... investigation of the subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts, in relation to Asia." As such, they serve as fora for discussion and greater understanding of Asian culture. The Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society had actually grown out of a Medico-Chirurgical Society which was founded in 1845, initially constituted as the China Branch in January 1847 with the effort of Sir John F. Davis, the then Governor, himself a founder member of the Royal Asiatic Society in London. Due to dissent and feuds within the trading community in Hong Kong, the China Branch collapsed in ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2003 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/2v242g390 EXTRACT FROM CHARTER AND RULES, AS REVISED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1948, OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 104. Members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and of Branch and Associate Societies are entitled, while on furlough or otherwise temporarily resident within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland, to the use of the Library as Non-resident Members, and to attend the Meetings of the Society other than Special General Meetings; and in the case of any Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal or of any Branch Society aforesaid applying for election as a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, nomination as laid down in Rule 4 shall not be necessary. 60, Queen's Gardens London, W2 3AF xi ================================================================================