Biography
Edkins, Rev. Joseph, DD. b.1823 at Nailsworth,
Gloucestershire; graduated at London University
1843; was missionary of the London Missionary Society
in China 1848-80; translator of scientific and other
books into the Chinese language, in the Chinese
Imperial Maritime Customs service 1880-85.
Also known as Ai Yuese 艾約瑟
Publications:
- A Grammar of Colloquial Chinese as exhibited in the
Shanghai Dialect, Shanghai 1853.
- Phases in the Development of Tauism;
Transactions of the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic
Society, 1st series, 5: 83-99, 1855. (The earliest study in a Western
language to include an account of Chinese alchemy).
- On Early Tauist Alchemy; NorthChina Herald, 1857.
- A Grammar of the Chinese Colloquial Language,
commonly called the Mandarin dialect, Shanghai 1857.
- The Religious Condition of the Chinese;
with Observations on the Prospects of Christian
Conversion amongst that People, London 1859.
(second edition entitled "Religion in China: containing a
Brief Account of the Three Religions of the Chinese:
with Observations on the Prospects of Christian
Conversion amongst that People." 1877.
"A very instructive and spirited sketch .... As a missionary,
it has been part of Dr. Edkins's duty to study the
existing religions in China, and his long residence in the
country has enabled him to acquire an intimate knowledge
of them as they at present exist". - Sat. Rev., viii 102 and xiv, 346.
- Progressive Lessons in the Chinese Spoken Language, Shanghai 1862.
- A Vocabulary of the Shanghai Dialect, Shangahai 1869.
- The Miau-tsi Tribes, Foochow 1870.
- China's Place in Philology: an Attempt to show that the Languages of Europe and Asia have a Common Origin, London 1871
- Introduction to the Study of the Chinese Characters, London 1876
- A Catalogue of Chinese Works in the Bodleian Library, London 1876
- Chinese Buddhism: a Volume of Sketches, Historical, Descriptive, and Critical, London 1880
"It contains ... a vast deal of important information
on the whole subject of Chinese Buddhism, such as is only
to be gained by long-continued study on the spot" - Ath. No. 2749
- The Evolution of the Chinese Language as exemplifying the Origin
and Growth of Human Speech, London 1854.
After: S.A.Allibone - British and American Authors (Supplement)
Christian Missionaries were not always welcome:
In December 1854, within nine months of his arrival, (James) Taylor and Joseph Edkins hoisted sail, and with bags of Chinese Bibles and tracts over their shoulders, visited hamlets along the banks of the Huangpu River. At Songjiang, the extraordinary appearance of two foreigners drew crowds, who at one point made sport of the two men, mocking them and threateningly backing them down a street that ended at the river. Taylor and Edkins barely escaped (hopping onto a passing boat) and continued their 200-mile, round-trip journey.
From:
Christian History
Another Biography -
Ricci Roundtable on the History of Christianity in China (gives his 2nd & 3rd marriages).
Joseph's first wife also has literary citations:
Author : Edkins, Jane Rowbotham (Stobbs), 1838-1861.
Title : Jane Edkins, ein Missionsleben : in einer Reihe
von Briefen / herausgegeben von ihrem Vater ;
nebst Jospeh Edkins' Bericht čuber einen Besuch
in Nanking ; aus dem Englischen.
Publisher : Gčutersloh : C. Bertelsmann, 1871.
Description : [8, 343] p. ; 19 cm.
Series : Lebensbilder aus der Heidens=mission ; v. 1.
Subjects : Edkins, Jane Rowbotham (Stobbs), -- 1838-1861
: Edkins Joseph, -- 1823-1905 -- Correspondence
and:
Edkins, Jane Rowbotham (Stobbs).
Chinese scenes and people. With notices of Christian missions and missionary life.
London, 1863.