An Old Chinese Garden – a 3-fold work of poetry, calligraphy and painting – Calligraphy and Painting by Ming dynasty artist Wen Chen Ming (Wen Zhengming); studies written by Kate Kerby; translations by Mo Zung Chung published by Chunghwa Book Company, Shanghai, China, 1923. You can see the whole book online here… The book blends Chinese aesthetics with Western scholarship. Chunghwa Publishing of Shanghai was a large publishing concern (along with the Commercial Press and Kelly & Walsh) in Shanghai in the first decades of the twentieth century. I’m afraid I do not know who Kate Kerby was except she dedicates the book to her husband Philip Kerby, the author of 1927’s Beyond the Bund (see tomorrow’s post)? Art historian Craig Clunas tells me the original Wen Chen Ming album reproduced in An Old Chinese Garden is now considered “lost” – unless anyone has it in their attic?
Some pages from Edward Sheldon Wilkinson. Shanghai Birds: A Study of Bird Life in Shanghaiand the Surrounding Districts. Shanghai: North-China Daily News & Herald Limited, 1929…
A Christmas treat for the China Hand in your life! – all 3 of my Destination… books of collected essays – Shanghai, Peking & Macao – nearly 600 pages, over 50 essays and dozens of old photos & maps of old China!! – Save 20% by buying this book bundle direct from Blacksmith Books…
The good people at WildChina in Beijing are running Midnight in Peking Walking Tours on the last Sunday of every month – including December (28th). Other than the regular tours, they can also organise a private tour on request.
A c.1957 guide/booklet to Macau issued by the Tourist Department. It features a painting of St Paul’s Cathedral ruins by George Smirnoff (who gets a chapter in my Destination Macao) and a map of Macao.
Excellent to see Misha Glenny will be taking over the chair for BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time from Melvyn Bragg. Had great fun chatting with Misha last year for the 4-part The Invention of China, which if you haven’t listened yet is right here…..
