In November 1895, famous scholar and reformer Kang Youwei (1858-1927) published an article promoting creation of a new calendar system using the birth year of Confucius (551 BC) as the starting point, just as the Western calendar uses the birth year of Jesus.

The article was published in the first issue of the journal of the Society of National Strengthening, a group founded by Kang in the same year with the purpose of “studying Western knowledge and strengthening the country.” It was one of the many short-lived scholarly societies focused on learning and discussing Western ideas.

The idea of a new calendar starting with the birth year of Confucius was Kang’s way of translating an aspect of Western culture, at a time when Chinese scholars were impressed at the Western books that had been translated and introduced to China since the mid-19th century.

Influential politicians and scholars began a debate that lasted for decades — whether the weakening country should adopt Western ideas or maintain traditional Chinese values. For some, it was an either-or choice.

Intellectuals argued furiously in the newly founded newspapers and journals, many taking sides, except for those siding with politician and reformer Zhang Zhidong, who proposed “Chinese learning for fundamental principles and Western learning for practical application.”

Kang’s idea of a new calendar was not well received, since creating the calendar was the prerogative of the emperor and it was the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The reformer and his society were widely assailed and the society finally shut down. Only the section translating Western books was retained and taken over by government officials. It became one of the many publishing organizations — Chinese, foreign, government, non-government — in the second half of the 19th century to translate and introduce foreign works.

The London Missionary Society Press, the first of its kind, was co-founded in Shanghai by missionaries, including Walter Henry Medhurst (1796-1857), in 1843, the same year the city’s port opened to foreign trade.

The original building of the press on today’s Shandong Road is long gone, but some of the translations, mostly the Bible and scientific books, influenced many Chinese scholars, especially the reformers.

“Many of the early missionaries were also very influential and well-known scholars and sinologists,” says Nenad Djordjevic, honorary vice president of Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) China in Shanghai and author of “Old Shanghai Clubs and Associations.”

“They were sincerely interested and enthusiastic about Chinese history and culture, and their Chinese was good enough to do projects like translating the Bible into Suzhou dialect. They were very important in the early cultural exchanges,” he adds.

The press staff included both foreigners (mostly British missionaries) who were also well-known sinologists, and Chinese translators who were among the first in the country to learn English.

In 1868, the government set up an official translation press in Shanghai and hired many foreigners such as Alexander Wylie and John Fryer to help with translations. The procedure was to first have expatriates orally translate the original text directly into Chinese, while Chinese translators polished the text.

In 10 years, the press translated and published more than 200 volumes, mainly in math, engineering, geology, applied science, physics, chemistry and astronomy.

Gradually, the interest in Western books expanded to literature, though some of the early famous Chinese translators didn’t even speak the foreign language. They carried on the process of working with a basic oral translation, which they honed into fine literature.

In 1897, the well-known and prolific translator Lin Shu introduced “The Lady of the Camellias” by Alexander Dumas, and the story of the courtesan  immediately became a hot topic and best-selling title as the first Western novel to be introduced into China.

Lin was also the first Chinese to introduce Sherlock Holmes stories to Chinese readers. As one of the best-known early translators, Lin translated more than 180 books from the US, UK, France, Russia, Germany, Greece, Japan, Spain and many other countries. He spoke none of the languages.

In the 1920s, Kang’s student Liang Qichao (1873-1929), also a reformer, started China Lecture Society that invited foreign intellectuals to deliver lectures to inspire Chinese scholars.

Over nine years, the society invited American philosopher and educator John Dewey (1859-1952), British philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), German philosopher Hans Driesch (1867-1941) and Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). These lectures were among the first opportunities for Chinese scholars and students to communicate in person with foreign intellectuals. They received extensive media coverage.

While Chinese intellectuals and scholars were eager to read all the Western works they could get hold of, a group of early Shanghailanders devoted their time and energy to exploring Chinese culture, history and natural science.

“There were many different foreign associations in Shanghai (from 1843 to 1940s), but the most remarkable one was the Royal Asiatic Society, because it was an association composed of people who liked Shanghai a lot and whose interest focused on culture, history, sociology and natural science of China, on the higher aspects of being a human,” Djordjevic says.

“It was never an ego-driven organization. It was founded by and composed of humble and noble people. That is always rare, at the time and even today.”

The society (www.royalasiaticsociety.org.cn) was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Henry Colebrooke in London in 1823. The North China Branch in Shanghai, as it was known then, was founded by a group of British and American missionaries and merchants in 1857. It was one of the earliest foreign associations in Shanghai.

Many noted sinologists were members, including Alexander Wylie, who supervised the London Missionary Press and helped translate many works into Chinese. Since 1858, a year after the society was founded, its journal was published, containing new findings about China. The society published 73 issues before the society ceased to function in 1952.

The society had about 150 members as early as in 1860, only three years after it was founded and long before Shanghai was known as the Paris of the Orient. In 1917, the membership reached 400; from 1857 to 1952 the roster included more than 3,000 members.

At first, members were mainly Westerners, but exchanges with Chinese were greatly relaxed after the 1920s, when a few Chinese scholars were admitted as members.

“Many of the early members were very influential diplomats or wealthy merchants. They were here to work, but they also wanted to find out as much as they could about the country,” says Katy Gow, president of today’s  re-convened Royal Asiatic Society in Shanghai.

Rockbund museum

In the early years, a major object was to build a museum and a library.

Both were established in the society’s headquarters on today’s Huqiu Road, which was once renamed Museum Road to honor the institution. The library was established with 700 books purchased from Wylie, and in 1916 the collection exceeded 7,000 volumes — in both Chinese and foreign languages.

In 1933, a new six-story building for the headquarters was completed on Huqiu Road. It contained a lecture room on the first floor, the library on the second floor and exhibits of taxidermists’ stuffed animals, Chinese antiques and art crafts on the upper floors. The building has been renovated into the Rockbund Art Museum.

The society was re-established in Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang Province, in 2006 and transferred to Shanghai in 2007. A Beijing chapter was created early this year.

“The object is to continue the very good work of the North China Branch of Royal Asiatic Society,” says Gow. “Now we have four pillars. It is important to re-introduce the journal, which continues with the same design, and to carry on from volume 74.”

The society has re-established the library in the Sino-British College of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology.

The Royal Asiatic Society organizes a range of activities, including lectures, study groups, focus groups and tours.

A new monograph series encourages scholars to conduct research into areas that previously did not receive sufficient attention, Gow says.

As part of the monograph series, Lindsay Shen published “Knowledge Is Pleasure” on Florence Ayscough (1875-1942), who was raised in Shanghai and became a poet, translator, sinologist, avid collector, pioneering photographer and early feminist champion of women’s rights in China. Anne Witchard explored the years between 1924 and 1929, when famous contemporary writer Lao She encountered with British modernism and literature in “Lao She in London.”

Exhibition marking the 170th anniversary of the Shanghai port

Date: Through December 2, 9am-5pm

Venue: 2/F, Shanghai Library, 1555 Huaihai Rd M.