Chinese Works : Conferring of Hon. Degrees on Chinese Dignitaries

Chinese Works

An Imperial Visitor : Duke Zaize in Cambridge A full account of the visit to Cambridge by Duke Zaize on Thursday 24 May 1906 may be found elsewhere [1].A local photographer Arthur James Davis (1863-1916), jeweller and watchmaker at 3 Rose Crescent, registered at Stationers' Hall his joint copyright with John Phillips Gray, stationer of 34 Trinity Street, in two photographs taken on that day and published as postcards. The applications are now preserved in the National Archives at Kew. The first photograph shows the Duke in company with Dr. H.M. Butler and others entering Senate House Yard [2]. As the Duke is in his travelling clothes, this was presumably taken shortly after his arrival in Cambridge, on the way to view the Chinese books in the University Library. The second shows the ducal party ascending the steps of the Senate House [3].The photograph shown here was almost certainly taken by the same photographer, but never published as a postcard. It was taken at the east end of the Senate House after the degree ceremony. In the background, in front of Great St. Mary's Church, curious bystanders line the pavement; a cyclist in a striped blazer rides past, and the wooden blocks with which King's Parade was then paved are clearly visible. In the foreground we see the Mayor's carriage, with top-hatted coachman and groom. Seated in the carriage are, from left to right: Duke Zaize, Wang Daxie (Minister of China to the Court of St. James's), the Mayor of Cambridge Mr (later Sir) Walter Durnford (1847-1926, Provost of King's 1918-26) and H.A. Giles (Professor of Chinese).The two Chinese dignitaries wear the scarlet robes of their newly-conferred degrees of Doctor of Law (honoris causa). Although they have their backs to the camera, their identities are revealed by the insignia on their 'winter hats' (nuan mao 暖帽). The Duke wears a ruby button (chun hong ding 纯红顶) and his peacock feather is fastened by a tube (ling guan 翎管) of white jade (bai yu 白玉) denoting his military status. The Minister's button is gold (jin ding 金顶) and he has a tube of green jade (fei cui 翡翠) indicating his civilian status.The visit to Cambridge occupied the penultimate day of the Commissioners' stay in Britain. They had arrived in Liverpool from New York aboard the steamship 'Baltic' on 22 March, and since then, apart from an excursion to France from 18 April to 9 May, they had been received in audience at Buckingham Palace by King Edward VII, lunched at 10 Downing Street as guests of the Prime Minister (Henry Campbell-Bannerman), met leading statesmen as well as the Lord Mayor of London and the Archbishop of Canterbury, visited the main government departments and other places of interest including the Houses of Parliament, London County Council, New Scotland Yard, the Royal Mint, Woolwich Arsenal, the Royal Naval Academy Greenwich, a prison and a girls' school. They had also seen a demonstration of modern firepower at Bisley and made trips to industrial works at Darlington and Birmingham.The Duke returned to China on 23 July 1906 and was granted a two-hour audience with his aunt-in-law, the Empress Dowager, on the following day. His report recommending the establishment of constitutional government was accepted in principle but came too late to prevent the collapse of the dynasty in 1911. [4]NOTES[1] <a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='https://chinese-cat.lib.cam.ac.uk/mulu/zaize.html'>Visit of Duke Zaize</a>. [2] TNA COPY 1/499/155. [3] TNA COPY 1/499/157. [4] E-Tu Zen Sun: 'The Chinese Constitutional Missions of 1905-1906', Journal of Modern History 24iii (1952), 251-269.The following extracts from contemporary newspapers give a flavour of the visit.1. Cambridge Independent Press, 25 May 1906 2. The Times, 11 April 1906 3. Birmingham Gazette and Express, 15 May 1906 4. The Times, 4 May 1908CHINESE COMMISSIONERS VISITHONORARY DEGREES CONFERRED AT CAMBRIDGEThe University of Cambridge yesterday took advantage of the visit to England of the Commission appointed by the Emperor of China to study methods of government, commerce and education in Europe, to confer honorary degrees upon four distinguished representatives of the Chinese Empire.The recipients were: His Imperial Highness Fung En Chen Ko Duke Tsai Tse, Aide-de-Camp to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China, his Majesty's High Commissioner, Great Chamberlain of the Imperial Household, Member of the Imperial Library, Commander-in-Chief of the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Manchu Army. His Excellency Wang Tahsieh, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in London of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China. His Excellency Shang Chi-heng, High Commissioner of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China. The Honourable Po Jui, Secretary to his Imperial Chinese Majesty's High Commission.Degrees of Doctors in Law were conferred upon the Duke Tsai Tse and His Excellency Wang Tahsieh, His Excellency Chi-heng received the degree of Doctor in Letters, and the Honourable Po Jui that of Master of Arts. The distinguished visitors, wearing their official robes, travelled from London to Cambridge by the G.N.R. express, which is due to arrive in Cambridge at 12-30.Admirable arrangements had been made, under the direction of the Station Master (Mr. Essame), for the reception of the Orientals. The saloon in which they were accommodated was drawn up at a part of the platform which had been enclosed by barriers, to which only official representatives of the town and University, together with a few students from the Far East, were admitted. In the absence of the Vice-Chancellor (Mr. E.A. Beck), who was at Great St. Mary's Church for the University Ascension Day sermon, the University was represented by the Registrary (Mr. J.W. Clark), who was accompanied by the University Professor of Chinese. The Town was represented by the Mayor (Mr. W. Durnford) and the Town Clerk (Mr. J.E.L. Whitehead).On the arrival of the train, Professor Giles entered the saloon and welcomed the Commissioners, and subsequently presented them to the Mayor and the Registrary. A large crowd witnessed the arrival of the visitors, who rode in open carriages to the University Library. There they were shown the collection of Chinese books which the University possesses. It is generally agreed that, in spite of the absence of certain important works, this collection is the finest Chinese library in the West, and the Commissioners exhibited great interest in the works.The Vice-Chancellor subsequently entertained the visitors to lunch, and they were afterwards escorted to the portico of the University Library for the procession to the Senate House. A large crowd assembled in the street to witness the procession in the Senate House Square, the order of which was as follows:The Esquire Bedells The Vice-Chancellor accompanied by the Registrary The Recipients of Honorary Degrees: 1. His Imperial Highness Fung En Chen Ko Duke Tsai Tse. 2. His Excellency Wang Tahsieh. 3. His Excellency Shang Chi-heng. 4. The Honorable Po Jui Their attendants The Heads of Colleges Doctors in Divinity Doctors in Law Doctors in Medicine Doctors in Science and Doctors in Letters Doctors in Music The Public Orator The Librarian Professors Members of the Council of the Senate The ProctorsThe dignity of the procession was somewhat spoiled by a sudden gust of wind, which relieved several of the Doctors of their velvet hats, and caused them to dash across the lawn in pursuit. The laughter, to which the incident gave rise, had hardly subsided when the procession entered the Senate House by the south door. The visitors were greeted with applause by the occupants of the floor, and boisterous cheers by the undergraduates.The Public Orator welcomed the distinguished visitors in a brief Latin oration, which was punctuated with frequent applause from the gallery. Reference was made by Dr. Sandys to the fact that the existing Mongol dynasty [1] was fully established in China about the date of the foundation of the earliest of the Cambridge Colleges (1284), and that the Chinese examination system goes back to the beginning of the Christian era. In accordance with the Chinese etiquette in such matters of ceremonial, the visitors remained seated during the delivery of the Public Orator's speech, and at the conclusion of the oration they rose and were severally presented to the Vice-Chancellor.The ceremony concluded, the visitors and their attendants passed out of the Senate House by the west door and drove away in open carriages, the Mayor and Professor Giles accompanying the Duke Tsai Tse and His Excellency Wang Tahsieh. A brief visit was paid to Newnham College, and the Commissioners returned to London by the 4.35 G.N.R. train.The signatures of the recipients of honorary degrees in the Senate House register were scrutinised with interest and curiosity by a large number of those present at the ceremony.NOTE[1] Dr Sandys' oration in fact refers to the Yuan or Mongol Dynasty (1271-1368) rather than the (then) existing Qing or Manchu Dynasty (1644-1911).Cambridge Independent Press, Friday 25 May 1906, p.5THE CHINESE COMMISSIONERS.The China Assocation entertained at dinner last night, at the Café Royal, Regent-street, a large number of merchants, bankers, and others interested in British trade with China, "to meet H.I.H. Duke Tsai-Tse and their Excellencies Shang Chi Heng and Li Sheng To," the Chinese Commissioners now on a visit to this country.Mr R.S. Gundry, C.B. (president of the association) occupied the chair; and among those present were the Chinese Minister, Mr. Tso Ping Lung, Mr. Chu Yen, Captain Cheng En Tao, Mr. Chou Shao-Po, Lord Fitzmaurice (Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs), Admiral Sir B. Tracey, the Hon. Sir Eric Barrington, Lieutenant-General Sir J. Bevan Edwards, Sir Patrick Manson, Mr. W.G. Ellison-Macartney, Sir W. Robinson, Mr. Joseph Walton, M.P., Mr. C.P. Lucas, Mr. W. Adamson, Sir H.S. Wilkinson, Sir Thomas Jackson, Sir Alfred Dent, Mr. G. Cawston, and Mr. J. Welch (hon. sec.).The health of "The King-Emperor" and of "The Emperor of China" having been honoured, The Chairman proposed the health of Duke Tsai-Tse and his colleagues, and said that the China Association, representing British interests and British residents in China, welcomed their distinguished guests, who were at present visiting Europe for the purpose of studying our forms of government and the working of our public departments. He regretted that their stay in our midst was to be so short, but he felt sure that they would return to their country with a clearer conception of Western civilization, which was just now exciting so much interest in China.Duke Tsai-Tse (whose speech was interpreted by Mr. Tso Ping Lung) replied to the toast in Chinese. After remarking that it was a source of great gratification to himself and his collegues to receive that friendly welcome from the president and members of the China Association, his Imperial Highness said:-The Chinese Special Mission has come to England to study the system of Government, and, speaking generally, to ascertain to what extent and in what direction it would be well for China to borrow from the experience and the practice of Western countries. In times past foreign countries have borrowed from China, or, to use the president's words, they borrowed the germ, and in their keeping the germ fructified and acquired growth. We therefore feel no compunction in claiming that the debt should be repaid, and that in our turn we should be allowed to borrow from the West. But what we wish to borrow is that which will inure to the benefit of our country; and it is here that great foresight and cautious action are necessary.It is well known that the mariner's compass was invented in China; and, to mention no greater results from its extended application in your hands, one very happy result, at any rate, is that we have been safely navigated to your hospitable shores. (Cheers.) Gunpowder and guns had also their origin in China - a very harmless beginning (laughter), and there it might have stayed; but on the occasion of our recent visit to Woolwich Arsenal we noticed how greatly our germ had developed, and the idea suggested itself whether we had benefited mankind in making the discovery (Laughter.)Your president has rightly said that our object is to study at the fountain-head such foreign methods as may be applicable to our country, and in the pursuance of this object we have the advantage of profiting by your mistakes and of making a start at the point you have reached after many expensive experiments. We may have lost something through our tardiness, but we shall gain by the experience of others. In the matter of railways, for example, our investigations have brought to our knowledge that some railways pay 12 per cent. This is the sort of railway that is eminently suited for China. (Laughter.) There are other railways, on the contrary, that pay nothing at all. The construction of that sort of railway may for the moment be left out of consideration (renewed laughter), for although Chinese and English people may have points of difference, they are very much alike in this respect, that shareholders in both counties admire large dividends.The president has also alluded to the inquiries we are making as to the form of government existing in this country - constitutional government, as it is called. China realizes that she cannot stand still and take no heed of the changes that are taking place around her. As was suggested just now, a movement is already noticeable, and once a change begins to make itself felt and proves itself to be for the good of the country, it may proceed rapidly. We have had an opportunity of studying the Constitution of your country, and a visit to the Houses of Parliament has enabled us to see the machinery of government in motion.In China, at present, there is no direct way of gauging the opinions and wishes of the people. Some day the means of learning their opinions will come, and some method for giving expression to their wishes will be evolved. What shape all these will assume future years alone can tell; but perhaps in years to come, when England sends out a special mission of inquiry to China to collect useful information, that mission may be given seats in the distinguished Strangers' Gallery in our new House of Parliament, and be able to judge whether, as is sometimes the case, the copy is an improvement on the original (Laughter.) On that occasion I am sure you will receive as warm a welcome from the members of the England Association in Peking as we have received this evening from the China Association in London. (Laughter, cheers.)The next toast was that of "Commerce," which was proposed by Sir Thomas Jackson. Sir Alfred Dent afterwards submitted the toast of "Our Guests." Lord Fitzmaurice, in responding, said that a great gathering of that kind, where East and West met together, was a happy augury of the increasing relations between Great Britain and China, which it was the sincere object of the Foreign Office to further to the best of their ability. (Cheers.) The health of "The Chairman," submitted by Mr. J.H. Scott, concluded the toast list.The Times, Wednesday 11 April 1906, p. 7EAST MEETS WEST.Distinguished Celestials visit Birmingham.A trip to Saltley.The meeting of East and West is always seasoned with a spice of incongruity.Especially was it so when the five illustrious Celestials, who have come to England on a voyage of enquiry into the workings of a progressive nation, sat down to luncheon with the directors and guests of the Metropolitan Amalgamated Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Ltd., at the Saltley works.The visit of the Chinamen to Birmingham was brief, and their glimpse of the pioneer among municipalities was hurried and uncertain. Most of the time was spent at the Saltley works, where an inspection was made of the railway carriages, now in course of construction, destined to carry pig-tailed passengers on the new Shanghai and Nanking railroad.The visitors upon their arrival from London at half-past eleven yesterday morning, were met by the chairman and directors of the company, and driven to Saltley by a circuitous route so that they might see the city's principal buildings.A dashing escort of mounted policeman accompanied the carriages, and at Saltley the Chinamen found elaborate decorations designed in their honour. Immediately over the principal entrance, in chief prominence, hung the Chinese standard, with its queer blue dragon and yellow background, while the more animate decorative element clambered upon the walls of the adjoining courtyards and gazed with interested eyes at the procession.The first function took some time. Sir Benjamin Stone, M.P., was there, and Sir Benjamin, as everybody knows, dotes upon photography.So the celestials gazed composedly at a couple of cameras, top-hatted magnates of the railway world and Birmingham citizens gathered behind them, and the group was "taken" - several times.Sir Benjamin beamed all over. He was ecstatic. Assiduously he went through all the gyrations of the experienced photographer, seeming by artistic instinct to dispense with all the necessities of a mutual language when invoking the foreign gentleman to "look pleasant." It is to be hoped that the negatives will prove a success.Impassive Chinamen.Then came the luncheon. Englishmen are said to be undemonstrative, but by the side of the Chinamen's impenetrable, emotionless visages, the Englishmen at Saltley appeared as animated as Neapolitans.Only when it became necessary for dumb language to be employed did the faces of the guests light up into eloquence of expression. The necessity over, back again beneath their masks each man hid his thoughts and his impressions.On the right of the chairman, Mr F. Dudley Docker, sat His Imperial Highness the Duke Tsai Tse, distinguished in apparel by a display of gold braiding and buttons upon the breast of his blue costume, and in feature by a deeper suggestion of uncommunicativeness than his countrymen.The other guests - his Excellency Li, Captain Chen of the Chinese Navy, First Secretary of Legation Tso Ping Lung, and Attache Chow - were distributed at different positions of the head table.Those present included the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Sir Benjamin Stone, M.P., Sir G. Scott Robertson, M.P., Messrs. A. Keen, A. Godlee, W. Lee Mathews, J.P. Lacy, W.L. Hodgkinson, L.C. Docker, W.C. Shackleford, H.C. Allen, B. Brennan (Chinese Attache), F. Henderson, R. Gould, A. Dyesy (secretary Japan Society), J. Greg, H.M. Malcolm, J.E. Cay, H. Walker and L. Chandler.The first two toasts, submitted by the chairman, honoured the King of England and the Emperor of China."We all rejoice to know," said Mr Docker, submitting the latter, and turning to the Duke, "that this great re-awakening of China is in the hands of your Highness's august relative, the Emperor, and in those of that wonderful and accomplished 'statesman,' the Dowager Empress."The toast of "Our Guests" also was proposed by the chairman.Chairman's welcome.On behalf of his colleagues and himself he expressed great delight to welcome, on the most peaceful of missions, the representatives of a civilisation infinitely older than that of any Western nation, one of the greatest populations on the face of the globe."If we can teach you nothing," he added, "I would like to assure you that we are ever at your service. You are the representatives of a great and mighty nation with which it is the wish of every Englishman to live on terms of friendship and goodwill. We wish you all success in your peaceful mission, and trust that it will prove the forerunner of many others."He hoped that trade would increase by leaps and bounds to their mutual content and advantage, and that the two nations would be linked together with new and stronger trade ties, always remaining good friends.After a short whispered consultation between himself and his Excellency Li, his Highness replied with a little speech in Chinese, the gutturals sounding remarkably like German, and Tso Ping Lung rose to speak to the Englishman in their own language."His Imperial Highness and his Excellency wish me to return you their heartiest thanks," he said, "for your kind entertainment and for the trouble you are going to take to show them the various interesting works which they always hold in great admiration."Fame of Birmingham."They also wish me to say that Birmingham is the great centre of industries where a great many useful and interesting works are worthy of being observed and studied. They are well aware that the reputation of Birmingham has reached to the Far East for long time, but they find, to their great surprise, that what they have seen to-day is far better than they expected, especially the wonderful progress of your municipal government, which, they are sure, must have been made by some of the wisest men.""They are very sorry that they have not had the pleasure of seeing your most prominent statesman, the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain."China, being so immense a country, as they were aware, could not improve herself without first extending communications by railway and other modes of conveyance. It was not altogether unlikely that they would continue to seek "materials and works" from those who had taken so great an interest in their prosperity and who had already rendered them assistance."In conclusion," said the First Secretary, "they beg to drink to the health of their worthy host and also to the prosperity of your company."Mr G. Scott Robertson, M.P., K.C.S.I., proposed the toast of "The City," to which the Lord Mayor (Councillor Reynolds) responded, as "the representative of a great commercial community." His pleasure at meeting Birmingham's illustrious guests was enhanced by the knowledge that their visit was connected with the city's commercial interests.He felt sure that the visit would result in the cementing of that cordiality which existed between China and Britain.For Chinese travellers.Thirty cars are to be constructed by The Amalgamated Companies for the Shanghai and Nanking Railway, but the visitors were only able to inspect the ten "thirds," the bringing one of which to completion had been accomplished in record time.The average weight of the cars will be 42 tons, the measurements being:- length of body, 68 feet; total length over buffers, 72 feet; width, 10 feet; height 11 feet 6 inches; height rails to top of carriage, 14 feet 3 inches.The windows, for use in the Chinese climate are of triple formation - wire gauze to keep out the dust; louvres to shut out the heat; and glass to admit the light. These are capable of independent manipulation by passengers.All the framework is of teak, with steel panels, and for shipment the cars split up into several sections.Having examined the works, the members of the commission returned to London.Birmingham Gazette and Express, Tuesday, May 15th 1906, page 6.UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.CAMBRIDGE, May 2.A Great Chinese Library.Through the generosity of a few prompt subscribers, a notable addition of books has been made to the Chinese Department of the Cambridge University Library.Ever since the gift by the late Sir Thomas Wade of the whole of his valuable collection, brought together during 40 years of residence in China, Cambridge has been easily first among all the libraries of Europe and America; and it is not too much to say that Duke Tsai Tsê and his suite, on the occasion of their visit in 1906, were amazed at the extent of the collection and also at the rarity of many individual works which were laid before them.The purchases which have now been made include 51 separate works, numbering 1,203 volumes in all. Several important lacunae have been filled up. For instance, the Cambridge Library already possessed the gigantic anthology of the T'ang dynasty (A.D. 618-906), which contains over 48,900 selected poems [1]; and now to this has been added its sister work, a similar collection of the prose works of the same period, filling 401 volumes [2]. There is also a rare encyclopaedia in 120 volumes [3], which was compiled in the 13th century by the leading scholar of the day.One of the chief gems among these new acquisitions is an Édition de luxe of the well-known poet Tu Fu, issued in A.D. 1204. It is in 24 volumes, small folio, and has been most carefully preserved [4]. Reference to this edition will be found in the great Catalogue of the Imperial Library, Peking. There is also one small book, the writings of Lieh Tzŭ, vaguely attributed, according to a note added by some Chinese bibliophile, to "the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1260)"; but in the absence of any actual date, the foreign collector, who has had but a moderate training in Chinese typography, ink, and paper, can only assert with confidence that it is a very old book [5]. Another early printed book dates from 1465 [6], and is a beautiful specimen of the best typography of that period. A fine edition of the poet Po Chü-i (A.D. 772-846) dates from 1606 [7]; a collection of the prose writings of eight famous authors from 1631 [8]; the Lêng-yen sutra from 1649 [9]; an old Chinese dictionary from 1670 [10]; besides which there are several standard works in 18th century editions.Already rich in its collections of reprints, a class of work much in favour with the Chinese as a means of preserving many small books which would otherwise disappear, the Cambridge Library has now acquired three new ones, in 68 [11], 24 [12], and 12 [13] volumes respectively. Good editions of one or two of the best novels have also been secured, as well as several collections of essays by known writers on light and interesting topics.The Times, Monday, May 4, 1908, p.10.NOTES[1] 御定全唐诗九百卷目录十二卷 (清)清圣祖御定 [FC.551.1-30] [2] 钦定全唐文一千卷目录三卷 (清)董诰等编 1818 [FB.551.1-80] [3] 玉海二百卷 (宋)王应麟撰辑江宁 1806 [FB.31.23-46] [4] 集千家注杜工部诗集二十卷文集二卷 (唐)杜甫撰 [FB.563.1-8] [5] 列子八卷 1527 [FB.793.1] [6] 贞观政要十卷 (唐)吴兢撰; (元)戈直集论 1465 [FB.853.1-2] [7] 白氏长庆集七十一卷 (唐)白居易撰松江 1606 [FB.568.1-4] [8] 唐宋八大家文钞一百六十四卷 (明)茅坤编; (明)茅暗叔重订 1631 [FB.558.6-15] [9] 大佛顶首楞严经正脉疏十卷 (明释)真鉴述高平 1649 [FA.870.34-36] [10] 正字通十二集 (明)张自烈撰; (清)廖文英辑南康府 1670 [FB.471.1-8] [11] 宜稼堂丛书七种 (清)郁松年辑上海 1840-44 [FB.55:74.1-16] [12] 功顺堂丛书十八种 (清)潘祖荫辑苏州 1884-86 [FB.57:17.1-6] [13] 池北偶谈二十六卷 (清)王士[礻真]撰 1701 [FB.85.1-2]