Royal Asiatic Society China in Shanghai

RAS China in Shanghai - Newsletter Vol 3 No 6 June 2012
NEWSLETTER
Royal Asiatic Society China in Shanghai
Our Society provides a forum for the
development and expression of interests and
expertise from within the local community, and
from around the globe, to inspire and to enrich
cultural life in Asia’s most dynamic metropolis.
Dear Members and Friends
I am delighted to tell you that the RAS Library is almost
ready to open its doors. Its new home is located at The
Sino-British College (SBC) at 1195 Fuxing Zhong Lu, (near
Shaanxi Nan Lu). We are very grateful to SBC, for
offering this facility, which we feel is a very convenient
location and a fitting venue to house our collection.
This is an exciting development and we hope that
members will make full use of this valuable resource. Hon.
Librarian, Dr Kim Taylor and the Library Sub-Committee
have worked to bring this project to fruition and as soon as
we have arrangements in place for the Opening Ceremony,
we will circulate details. What we need to do now is to
establish a “Volunteer Rota” with help from willing
members – please see below how you can assist with this.
So, to give a little historical background to the RAS Library
here in Shanghai, read on.
Katy Gow, President
JUNE 2012
RAS Lecture – 5 th
Tiger Head, Snake Tails: China today, how it got
here and where it is heading
Jonathan Fenby
RAS Weekender – 9 th
Collecting Research Materials in Shanghai: A
Qing Dynasty Astrologer's Predictions for the
Future
Ronald Suleski
RAS Weekender – 16 th
The One-legged Admiral’s escape from Hong Kong
Tim Luard
RAS Lecture – 26 th
Sir Robert Hart, Maritime Customs, and the
Beginning of Korea's "Chinese Decade",
1880-1888
Wayne Patterson
RAS Modern Chinese History Study Group
11 th and 25 th
RAS Film Club – 10th
RAS Book Club – 18th
For full details and updates of all our events
please visit our website
www.royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
Copy Deadline for Next Newsletter 20 th of this month
RAS China in Shanghai is a branch of The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland

RAS China in Shanghai - Newsletter Vol 3 No 6 – June 2012
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A FITTING LIBRARY
On the eve of our library’s move into its first real home at the
Sino-British College, Peter Hibbard looks back to the 19 th
century to uncover how the North China Branch of the Royal
Asiatic Society (NCBRAS) found a home for its library
collection.
The Shanghai Library, the first such western
language institution to be founded in Shanghai was
formed in March 1849 upon the initiative of Mr.
Edward Burton, a mercantile assistant with Sykes,
Schwabe & Co., with the support of the British
Consul Rutherford Alcock and 24 other men of
Shanghai. Its collection, which had been housed in
makeshift premises including private homes and a
police barracks, moved into the Masonic Hall in the 1850s and in 1858 the newly established
NCBRAS took advantage of its reading room for their meetings, marking the beginning of
relationship that would extend over five decades.
When construction work started on a new Masonic Hall the Shanghai Library moved to more
fitting and commodious accommodation in the recently completed first generation building of
the Shanghai Club on the Bund in September 1865. (It was from the very same location that
our library collection was moved earlier this
year). Meanwhile, in June 1865 NCBRAS
president Sir Harry Parkes announced that
‘Wu, a former Taotai of Shanghai … had kindly
placed at the disposal of the Society the lower
story of his house in the Ningpo Road’.
Although the Society had welcomed donations
of books since its inception it was only in 1864
that definitive aims to form a museum and a
library had been laid down and the move
afforded the opportunity to engage a clerk and
a curator on the premises.
The NCBRAS Library Catalogue 1881
The NCBRAS home in the late 1860s – the new
Masonic Hall
However, the first real ‘fitting out’ of the
NCBRAS library came in March 1869
incumbent upon the purchase of a substantial
and valuable collection of books and pamphlets
from Dr. Alexander Wylie, a missionary and
highly distinguished Chinese scholar. At that
time the NCBRAS meeting room and library
was housed in a bare and cold room in the new
Masonic Hall on the Bund, which a
correspondent of the North-China Daily News
called ‘a chamber of horrors’. However with
what was described as a ‘judicious investment’
in both books and in the best of furniture it
was transformed into a comfortable and
cont’d….

convivial room, with fitted shelves covering its walls. Some Shanghailanders thought that the
Shanghai Library was lost on the members of the Shanghai Club, who might haplessly fumble
through its volumes following an after dinner sherry and called for it to be moved into the
Masonic Hall as well. They argued that the library, largely composed of novels and light
reading material, would form a perfect complement to the scholarly and reference-oriented
RAS collection, thus allowing Shanghai’s literary resources to be assembled in one place. This
did eventually happen, but not in the manner envisaged. The British Crown granted the
NCBRAS a plot of land on
Yuanmingyuan Road in 1868 for the
erection of their own premises and
building work, under the direction of
Thomas Kingsmill, RAS Council
member and architect, began in
1871. In November that year the
Shanghai Library made a leasing
agreement with the NCBRAS,
agreeing to pay for the construction
of an adjoining building to house its
collection.
Though not entirely finished, the first
NCBRAS meeting took place in its
new home in January 1872. Above
the ground floor meeting room the
NCBRAS Library, measuring 35-feet
The first NCBRAS building
by 28-feet, was in trial operation
opening for just a few hours a week. However it was soon fully open and impressively
developed over the following four years by the Honorary Librarian Henri Cordier, an enigmatic
young French-American on the first steps of a distinguished career in sinology. He assembled
the first library catalogue, published in 1872, listing over 2,400 holdings. The Shanghai
Library opened their premises in 1873 much to the dismay of Shanghai Club members.
Although the building was just a ten-minute walk from the Club, the Committee reported that
many members found it ‘anything but convenient to go to the other end of the Settlement, to
the building whither it had now been removed’. The move promoted the formation of
Shanghai’s third western language library at the Club - but that’s another story.
By 1879 it was apparent that a sole RAS Honorary Librarian could not adequately deal with
administrative duties and the Shanghai Library was approached to provide a full-time
professional librarian to take charge, which they did in 1881. At that time the RAS library was
opened to the general public, though RAS members maintained their exclusive right to loan
books. That staffing arrangement came to an end around 1894 when the Shanghai Library
moved to new premises forcing the Society to fall back upon the voluntary services of its
members yet again. Regardless, the library grew from strength to strength fuelled by a
determination, commitment, passion and a spirit of adventure and discovery from within its
membership.
And today we are again entering what I am certain will be an exciting period in the
development and enlargement of our library in its new convivial surroundings and like
yesteryear will find the support among us to make history again.
Peter Hibbard
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RAS China in Shanghai - Newsletter Vol 3 No 6 – June 2012
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DIGITAL ARCHIVES
of lectures and talks
Dear Members and Friends,
CALL FOR HELP
We have recently been considering adding a new dimension
to the RAS in the form of a digital archive of lectures and
talks.
It has come to our attention that many people around the
world (as well as those of you in Shanghai who can’t make it
to all of our events) would like to have RAS Lectures
recorded and made available in digital format, possibly as
podcasts from our website.
This is a facility that we would very much like to offer. We
see it as a great compliment that our activities are widely
acknowledged, and we believe that an audio archive would
be an innovative and valuable addition to our society,
especially to our library.
However, we currently lack the technical knowledge and
skills to make it happen.
We are currently seeking people with the relevant expertise
who could advise us on how to set this up. If you are
experienced in audio recording and know the best type of
equipment to use, we would love to hear from you. We
would also be very grateful for help in executing the
process.
If you are interested and able to help, please respond to
michelle.blumenthal@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
We look forward to hearing from you.
Michelle Blumenthal
Hon Programme Director
RAS Library
Volunteer Rota
help needed
We are currently trying to set up
a rota of volunteers to man our
new Library. Volunteers should
be fully paid-up members of the
RAS, and they should submit a
short summary of their previous
work experience and current
occupation in Shanghai. Their
request will then be reviewed by
Council.
We ask that volunteers choose
one or two slots a week that
they will be able to devote to
library duties. It is hoped that
volunteers would be prepared to
make a minimum commitment of
six months.
Library duties include assisting
readers, lending books, simple
book cataloguing, and general
maintenance of the collection.
Please send responses,
indicating preferred DAY and
TIME, putting RAS Library in
the subject box, to:
enquiry@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
DAY SLOTS:
Monday – Sunday
TIME SLOTS:
9-12pm
12-3pm
3-6pm
6-9pm
Kim Taylor, PhD
Hon Librarian

MAY EVENTS
In May we hosted James Palmer, Professor Louis Greenspan, Professor Daniel Bell and
Hilary Spurling in the RAS Programme.
During his lecture, James Palmer (pictured top left) explained some
of the less known facts about the Tangshan earthquake and its
implications for China.
Introducing us to more popular images
and writings on China and Chinese,
Professor Louis Greenspan (pictured top
right) shared his views about how they
have influenced Western thinking on
China, across many levels and cultures.
Professor Daniel Bell (pictured bottom left)
presented his theory of political legitimacy
from a contemporary Confucian view and shared his
ideas on how this could work. He continued with a long
session of dialogue with the audience where many
shared their ideas and theories, as
well as questioning these topics.
Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth
and it’s influence on both the West
and China was the subject of
Hilary Spurling’s lecture, where she illustrated to us the ever fluctuating opinions of
both publics and how this has influenced both the West about China, and China about
its own history.
Our heartfelt thanks and much appreciation go to our
speakers, group leaders, members and friends, our venues
and their staff. All of you make it possible to run the RAS
Programme both today and in the future.
Our RAS Weekender to the Wild Wall did
not go ahead, as we did not have
enough participants. We are sad about
this, and will no longer offer trips like
this since there is not enough support
from our membership.
As always, we ask members and friends of the RAS to let us
know about visiting friends and colleagues who are in the
fields of both historic and contemporary Chinese culture, as
we like to explore a diverse range of subjects through the
RAS Programme. Your suggestions and advice in improving and enhancing all aspects are most welcome.
The RAS JUNE CALENDAR is listed below – full details of all events are available on our website:
www.royalasiaticsociety.org.cn. We do hope that many of you will join us for some of these special
contributions to the RAS Programme as well as the regular events.
Michelle Blumenthal, Hon Programme Director
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RAS China in Shanghai - Newsletter Vol 3 No 6 – June 2012
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RAS CALENDAR - JUNE 2012
For further details please visit our website: www.royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Lecture: Tuesday 5 th – 6.30pm
Venue: Lily Hall, Le Sun Chine, No 6 Lane, 1220 Huashan Lu
Cost: including selected drinks: members – 80 rmb; non members & guests – 130 rmb
Jonathan Fenby CBE
Tiger Head, Snake Tails: China today, how it got here and where it is heading.
RSVP: bookings@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Weekender: Saturday 9 th – 4pm
Venue: The Tavern, Radisson Blu Plaza Xingguo Hotel, 78 Xingguo Lu
Cost: members – 30 rmb; non members & guests – 80 rmb
Ronald Suleski - Collecting Research Materials in Shanghai: A Qing Dynasty
Astrologer's Predictions for the Future
RSVP: bookings@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Film Club: Sunday 10th – 6.30 for 7pm
Zhang Yimou: Hong Gaoliang or Red Sorghum (1987)
RSVP: filmclub@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Modern Chinese History Study Group:
Monday 11 th – 7pm
Lecture 34 – Deng Consolidates His Power 1979 - 1980
Lecture 35 – Socialist Democracy and the Rule of Law
RSVP: studygroup@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Weekender: Saturday 16 th – 4pm
Venue: The Tavern, Radisson Blu Plaza Xingguo Hotel, 78 Xingguo Lu
Cost: members – 30 rmb; non members & guests – 80 rmb
Tim Luard - The One-legged Admiral’s escape from Hong Kong
RSVP: bookings@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Book Club: Monday 18th – 6.30pm
Tiger Heads, Snake Tails:
China Today, How it got There and Where it is Heading
by Jonathan Fenby
RSVP: bookclub@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Modern Chinese History Study Group
Monday, 25 th – 7pm
Lecture 36 – Burying Mao 1981 - 1983
Lecture 37 – To Get Rich is Glorious 1982 – 1986
RSVP: studygroup@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Lecture: Tuesday 26 th – 7pm
Venue: The Tavern, Radisson Blu Plaza Xingguo Hotel, 78 Xingguo Road
Cost: members – 30 rmb; non members & guests – 80 rmb
Wayne Patterson - Sir Robert Hart, Maritime Customs, and the
Beginning of Korea's "Chinese Decade", 1880-1888
RSVP: bookings@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn

RAS SUZHOU Chapter
2pm – Sunday, 17 th June 2012
If you happen to miss Tim Luard's talk on "The One-­‐legged
Admiral's Escape from Hong Kong" in Shanghai on Saturday, June
16, consider coming to Suzhou to catch his book talk. A mere 25-­‐
minute bullet train ride in the morning will give you an
opportunity to visit any one of Suzhou's famous gardens then to
take brunch at the Bookworm, where Tim will be speaking at
2pm.
The one-­‐legged Admiral Chan Chak (the only person ever to have
served as China's official representative in the British colony) left
behind his wooden leg when he had to swim for his life in a
barrage of gunfire to escape the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong
on Christmas 1941. He and sixty British companions made their
way overland across China's interior to eventual freedom.
At the Suzhou Bookworm: tell your taxi driver the intersection of
Wu Que Qiao and Shi Quan Jie.
Or, take the subway to the Lindun Lu stop in downtown Suzhou
and take a 10 minute ride by pedicab or five-­‐minute taxi ride to
the Bookworm. It's a fifteen minute walk due south from the
Lindun Lu subway station: Gongyuan Lu (across from the old
Sofitel Hotel -­‐ now Marco Polo), cross Shi Zi Jie to Wu Que Qiao.
The Bookworm will be on your left at the intersection of Wu Que
Qiao and Shi Quan Jie.
50 rmb for members; 90 rmb for non-­‐members.
Includes one glass of wine or beer. For more information or
membership applications, contact Bill Dodson at
bdodson88@gmail.com.
Bill Dodson
Vice President Suzhou
RAS FILM CLUB
WANTS
YOUR
INPUT
There are a huge number of
Chinese movies worth
watching and deciding on a
programme of films raises
an array of possibilities as to
where to draw the
parameters of what we
screen. From time to time
we will ask members to give
us their opinion on whether
a particular category of film
should be excluded or
included from consideration.
This month we are posing
the fifth question:
DO WE WANT TO
SEE MARTIAL ARTS
MOVIES?
The approach we are taking
to defining ‘Chinese film’ is
to concentrate on films
made by mainland directors
without excluding other
Chinese language films that
have made a significant
contribution to the genre.
Martial arts films have been
very significant in the
history of Hong Kong film
and form an important subgroup
of Chinese language
films with their own industry
leaders, stars and art house
winners.
Email your opinion to:
filmclub@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
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RAS China in Shanghai - Newsletter Vol 3 No 6 – June 2012
RAS FILM CLUB
at Chai Bites
Embankment Building,
Ground Floor
410C North Suzhou Road
8
CHANGE OF SUNDAY
2nd Sunday of the month
10 th JUNE
film starts promptly at 7pm
RSVP is essential as space is limited
filmclub@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
FORTHCOMING
Wong Kar-Wai’s:
Huayang Nianhua
In the Mood for Love
(HK: 2000)
and
2046 (HK: 2004)
LAST MONTH’s film, Jia Zhangke’s 2010 documentary Hai
shang chuan qi or I Wish I Knew brought the film club back to the
urban environment for which 6 th Generation film makers are
famous. Unsurprisingly Jia Zhangke brought a new approach to
documentary with this film as he placed his muse, actress Zhao
Tao, as a silent ghost-like figure wandering through an ethereal
Shanghai in rain and mist, connecting the 18 people interviewed.
In the past Jia Zhangke has always included actors and elements
of drama in his ‘documentaries’ but here, Zhao is alone and he
uses extracts from film to provide his creative use of reality,
advancing the genre of documentary to new levels internationally.
The film was a popular choice, producing far more requests for
seats than we could accommodate in a single showing at our
intimate venue and, I think, nobody was disappointed with the
film. Some members did find some of the stories in the film
repetitious and others would have liked to see a greater variety in
his choice of interviewee. Certainly those connected with
Shanghai’s great film industry predominated even amongst those
interviewed in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Whilst we all agreed that
the film provides a view of Shanghai concentrated on a conflicted
history that caused loss, pain and sadness, the Communist Party
generally comes out of the film better than the Guomindang.
Which is more than can be said for Shanghai weather and
scenery, which does not compare well with the lushness of
Taiwan. As a few members observed, this film is great in its
presentation of Shanghai history as complex and personal, but
leaves a hollow sadness in contemplating Shanghai’s future.
THIS MONTH there is a slight change in our usual programming
time. I have brought the screening forward to the 2 nd Sunday in
June to be sure to catch as many of you as possible before the
summer exodus begins. I will be leaving Shanghai for 2 months
this summer, so I have decided to show one of the classics of
modern Chinese cinema to mark the occasion. It will also give us
a chance to highlight the huge changes that have taken place
within Chinese film over the last 20 years. Hong Gaoliang or Red
Sorghum (1987) was Zhang Yimou’s first film and established the
genre we all now identify as Fifth Generation Cinema. It sets in
place several themes of his earlier movies as well as his approach
to cinematography. The story falls into two parts. The first is the
marriage of the newly discovered Gong Li to a leprous winemaker
and her love affair with an entertaining Jiang Wen who injects
humour into the story of arranged marriage. The second part is a
harsh and graphic account of the brutality of the Japanese War.
If you can’t make the film on June 10 th , have a great summer!
Book early to be sure of a seat! See you there!
Linda Johnson

RAS MODERN CHINESE HISTORY STUDY GROUP
starts promptly at 7pm
VENUE:
Melange Oasis,
Jiashan Market Shanxi Nan
Road
Lane 550 No. 37 Building D
Monday – 11 th June
Lecture 34 – Deng Consolidates His Power 1979 - 1980
Lecture 35 – Socialist Democracy and the Rule of Law
Monday – 25 th June
Lecture 36 – Burying Mao 1981 - 1983
Lecture 37 – To Get Rich is Glorious 1982 – 1986
Modern Chinese History Study Group
met at Melange Oasis, our usual venue,
on May 14 and 28. Our Professor
Baum, who delivers the lectures via
DVD, has been a China Watcher since
the 1980's. He inserts his own
anecdotes of his experiences in China in
those early days to the delight of us
all. We have discovered that this very
serious and respectable professor is
really a hippie in disguise.
The topics we covered this month were the two years of Hua Gaofeng's administration,
the rise of Deng, the historic Third Plenum of 1978, and the normalization of US-China
relations. We will have the regular two sessions in June, however, in July and August we
will only have one session a month. Please see the website for details.
Katie Baker
RSVP is essential as space is
limited.
Further details and to RSVP:
studygroup@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
COST:
Members – 20 rmb
Non members and guests – 50 rmb
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RAS China in Shanghai - Newsletter Vol 3 No 6 – June 2012
RAS BOOK CLUB
Monday 6.30pm
VENUE
gloLondon, 3F VIP Room
1 Wulumuqi Lu near Dongping Lu
(across from the American Consulate)
COST: including selected drinks
Members – 70 rmb
Non members & guests – 100 rmb
10
For the MAY Book Club meeting at glo London, we
used a new written format combining excerpts from a
Penguin (publisher) interview with Wang Gang and
Penguin’s discussion questions. With this format, we were
able to discuss character development, architectural
imagery, references to American movies and music, the
importance of the English dictionary and the English language, the background of the Cultural
Revolution and the related violence and the universal life experiences (parenting, love,
betrayal, etc.).
The conversation was lively and the general impression of the book was positive with most
attendees appreciating the way that Wang Gang was able to touch on sensitive subjects, such
as the Cultural Revolution and the soul, without going too far and thus creating problems with
book sales in China.
We all felt that a big part of being in China today is attempting to understand this
unbelievably hard period of Chinese history and its impact on the survivors such as Wang
Gang.
The food options from glo London were also a ‘hit’. Attendees enjoyed food before, during
and after the event. The glo London bakery has all items half price at 9 pm, so we discovered
another advantage of this new venue.
The JUNE selection for the RAS Book Club is Tiger Head Snake Tails: China Today,
How it Got There and Where it is Heading by Jonathan
We look forward to seeing some of you there.
Monday 18 th June
We continue to work on the RAS Book Club ‘line-up’ for 2012 in order to give you sufficient
warning of the titles, however owing to publication dates and availability of books and
speakers, we will announce forthcoming titles as soon as we have confirmation. Please check
the web site for updates as well as our mailings for book offers.
This is your Book Club. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
Sandy Strand

RAS BOOK CLUB
BOOK AVAILABILITY FOR RAS BOOK CLUB IN JUNE
TIGER HEAD, SNAKE TAILS: CHINA TODAY, HOW IT GOT
THERE AND WHERE IT IS HEADING
by
JONATHAN FENBY
On Monday 18 th June at 6:30pm, the RAS Book Club will meet to
discuss “Tiger Head, Snake Tails: China Today, How it Got There and
Where it is Heading” by Jonathan Fenby.
In keeping with our recently established format, the book will be
available at the discounted price of RMB 190 at RAS events prior to
this meeting, in particular the RAS Lecture on June 5 th where Mr Fenby
will be talking about the book, and by contacting the RAS Book Club on
bookclub@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
Owing to high demand and our pre-order arrangements, please indicate your interest in taking
advantage of this opportunity.
- - - ABOUT - - -
There has been a plethora of books on China in recent years. Authors have forecast the coming
collapse of the People's Republic or looked to the day when it will rule the world. So why another book
on the most heavily populated country on earth, which has emerged in the last three decades to
occupy a central position on the global stage? Because, despite the stream of publications, there is no
single book that pulls together the whole of the China story linking its very disparate elements to
present a coherent portrait that explains to the general reader what China is and why it matters so
much.
With its expanding economy (already the second largest in the world), its population of more than 1.3
billion, its place at the core of the G20, its $2.4 trillion in foreign exchange reserves, its trade surplus,
its nuclear weapons and modernizing military forces, its permanent seat on the UN Security Council
and its ability to dispense cash without conditions to poor countries in return for the raw materials it
gobbles up, China will become steadily more important in the world. It will not collapse. It is not the
great exercise in smoke and mirrors depicted by some writers, or a giant Ponzi scheme as posited by
hedge fund bears. But neither will it rule the world for reasons that lie in its inner complexity, and
complexes.
In this compelling and lucid account based on years of research and first-hand experience, rooted in
on-the-ground reporting, interviews, observations, analysis of data and a viewpoint that sees the
country from the inside out, Jonathan Fenby links together the myriad features of today's China. The
binary approach so often applied to China – that the country is either good or bad, set to reach the
stars or collapse in chaos – often boils down to the prejudices of its authors. Only by seeing China as a
whole and joining the dots does Jonathan Fenby arrive at a coherent picture of its nature and depict its
future, both internally and in its impact on the rest of the world.
CURRENT REVIEWS:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/08dfe1d4-77f2-11e1-b437-00144feab49a.html#axzz1tgVi9368
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/04/26/eight-questions-jonathan-fenby-tiger-head-snaketails/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/apr/05/tiger-head-snake-tails-jonathan-fenby-review
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RAS China in Shanghai - Newsletter Vol 3 No 6 – June 2012
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RAS China in Shanghai Journal
Call for Contributions
Honorary Journal Editor - Lindsay Shen PhD
The Royal Asiatic Society China in
Shanghai welcomes submissions
on the culture and history of
China. We invite scholars,
writers and photographers to
contribute work to a journal that
from 1858 to 1948 was an internationally
recognised repository of learning on China. Our aim is to
create a 21st-century RAS China Journal that is authoritative,
creative, incisive and readable.
The editor welcomes enquiries at:
editor@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
“Guide for Contributors” - see next page
Details are also available on our Website under “News”.
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR 2014 ISSUE
Journal Editorial Advisory Committee
RAS China in Shanghai is very pleased to announce that the following people have joined the
Journal Editorial Advisory Committee and is very grateful to each of them for their help.
Robert Bickers, University of Bristol, UK
Michelle Blumenthal, independent art consultant, Shanghai; RAS China in Shanghai Council
Katharine Burnett, University of California, Davis
Colin Day, fomerly Publisher of Hong Kong University Press
Spencer Dodington, writer, Shanghai; RAS China in Shanghai Council
Paul French, writer, Shanghai; RAS China in Shanghai Council
Ian Gow, Sino-British College, Shanghai
Peter Hibbard independent scholar, Shanghai; RAS China in Shanghai Council
Liu Wei, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou; RAS China in Shanghai, Hon Vice President
Robert Mintz, The Walters Art Museum, MD
Ni Yibin, independent scholar, Shanghai
Justin O’Jack, Council on International Educational Exchange, Shanghai
Lynn Pan, independent scholar, Shanghai
Jeffrey Riegel, University of Sydney
Lindsay Shen, Sino-British College, Shanghai; RAS China in Shanghai Council
William Smith, Sino-British College, Shanghai

Introduction and Scope
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society China in Shanghai
Guide for Contributors
The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society China in Shanghai publishes original research articles of up to 10,000 words
(shorter articles are also welcome) on Chinese culture and society, past and present, with a focus on mainland China.
Original articles, which will be peer-reviewed, must be previously unpublished, and make a contribution to the field.
The Journal encourages contributions from both inside and outside the academy, and also accepts for consideration
material that falls outside the boundaries of traditional scholarship including, but not limited to, photo-essays,
interviews, translations, maps, essays. The Journal also publishes timely reviews of books on all aspects of Chinese
history, culture and society.
Submissions
All material should be submitted as an electronic attachment to the editor: editor@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
A separate cover sheet should include the following:
Title of work
Contributor’s name and contact information
Abstract of up to 300 words
For peer review, the main body of the text should not include the author’s name. Text should be double-spaced, leftaligned,
12pt, in an easily read font such as Times New Roman, and paginated. The first line of paragraphs should be
indented.
Illustrations should be high quality JPEG or TIFF files, and able to reproduce well in black and white. Authors are
responsible for securing copyright permissions, and for any associated costs.
Process
Submissions will be acknowledged by e-mail. Original articles, that in the opinion of the editor (working with the
editorial advisory committee), make a significant contribution to the field, will be sent to one independent peer
reviewer. The Journal operates a “double-blind” system of review, which means that neither the reviewer nor the
writer is informed of the other’s identity. Following peer review, an article may be accepted, accepted with revisions,
or declined.
Authors of accepted original articles will be sent a proof before publication. This is for final checking only, as no
substantial revisions are possible at this stage.
Style
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For punctuation, vocabulary and Romanization of Chinese, please refer to the Hong Kong University Press Style
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References
Notes should appear at the end of the article, and be formatted according to The Chicago Manual of Style. The notes
and bibliography system, or the author-date system may be used according to whether your paper falls into the
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For archival sources, please follow the format requested by the repository.
The editor welcomes enquiries at editor@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
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RAS China in Shanghai - Newsletter Vol 3 No 6 June 2012
THANK YOU to all our recent EVENT
PATRONS………
1195 Fuxing Middle Road
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SUZHOU Gunxiufang 77, Shi Quan Jie.
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No 6, Lane 1220 Huashan Lu
www.lesunchine.com
RAS Council Members 2011-2012
T8 Club Lounge
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Jiashan Market Shanxi Nan Road
Lane 550 No. 37 Building D
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President – Katy Gow
Vice Presidents – Tess Johnston, Spencer Dodington, Mike Nethercott
Hon Secretary – Patrica Lambert
Hon Treasurer - Jan Flohr
Hon Programme Director - Michelle Blumenthal
Hon Journal Editor – Lindsay Shen PhD
Hon Librarian - Kim Taylor PhD
Hon Research & Publications Director – Paul French
Council Member - Membership – Wendy Stockley
Council Member - IT – Lynn Fawcett
Council Member – Simon Drakeford
Council Member – Alexandra Hendrickson
Council Member – Liz Jennings
Council Member – Neale McGoldrick
Ex Officio – Jennifer Wen
Past President 2007-2011 – Peter Hibbard MBE
Vice President Suzhou – Bill Dodson
Hon Vice Presidents:
Carma Elliott CMG OBE, Nenad Djordjevic, Professor Liu Wei
www.britishchambershanghai.org
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Enquiries: enquiry@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn Membership: membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn

RAS MEMBERSHIP FORM
Any foreign passport holder interested in Asian culture and in promoting the aims of the Society may apply for
membership. (PRC law unfortunately prohibits us from admitting Chinese nationals.)
The Society operates a rolling membership system – membership is valid for one year from the date of
registration. Payments are only possible in cash – please remit your fee and completed form to a Council
member at one of our events.
PLEASE VISIT the Society’s website for up-to-date news of all events.
Past newsletters are also available:
RAS Membership Enquiries: membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS General Enquiries: enquiry@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Event Bookings: bookings@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Film Club: filmclub@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn - RAS Book Club: bookclub@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
RAS Modern Chinese History Study Group: studygroup@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
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