File: China

Scope and Content

Material relating to various aspects of education in China and the teaching of Chinese.

The bulk of the material relates to the so-called Boxer Indemnity Funds (1921-1932). These funds were established with money paid by the Chinese government as compensation for the Boxer Rising in 1900, with over £7m going to Britain. Following China's entry into the War on the Allied side in 1917, indemnity payments to Britain were suspended and the British government agreed to devote its share of funds to projects mutually beneficial to the two countries. In 1925, the China Indemnity (Application) Act created a new fund for educational purposes. In 1930, the British share of the funds was effectively handed over to the Chinese government to use for a variety of cultural projects. The papers concern efforts by the University to fund a chair in Chinese from funds released by the China Indemnity (Application) Act and again with money administered by the Universities China Committee following the changes in administration of the Fund in 1930. Although unsuccessful in endowing a chair in Chinese, a reader in Chinese was appointed by the University in 1933 using such funds. There is a folder of printed material relating to various aspects of the Fund and education in China.

The other papers relate to the work of the China Christian Universities Association (1931-1952) [Stopford was President of the Manchester branch]. Most of the material is printed minutes and reports. There are references to conditions for Christians during the Chinese civil war.

In addition, there is a folder of papers concerning efforts to provide relief funds to Chinese universities in the wake of the Japanese invasion (1939-1941). Efforts were made to collect books for the universities. There is also a small body of papers relating to the appointment of E. H. Parker as professor of Chinese in 1901 [he served until his death in 1926], books relating to China in the Christie Library, and Chinese objects in Manchester Museum.

Former reference: 34

Related Material

See also VCA/7/173 for the Universities China Committee in London, and VCA/7/314-315 for the teaching of Chinese at the University.