Royal Asiatic Society North China Branch

Established as the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society, in 1857, the Society became affiliated to the Royal Asiatic Society the following year, becoming the Royal Asiatic Society (North China Branch). This material was collated in the interaction of the two Societies; the closure of the North China Branch and subsequent questions regarding it closure; and in its reopening and re-establishing links with the Royal Asiatic Society.

The Royal Asiatic Society China is a learned society based in Shanghai and Beijing, China. It was established in Shanghai in 1857 by a small group of British and American expatriates as the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society, and within a year had achieved affiliation with the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland and become the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (NCBRAS). The first journal was published in 1858 and thereafter for 90 years. The Society's original home comprised a ground-floor reading room, library and lecture hall, but was expanded in 1874 to house a museum on the floor above. The Society was closed in 1952. The book collection went to the Shanghai Library and most of the museum exhibits to the Shanghai Natural History Museum.
In 2006 the society was re-established in Hangzhou and transferred to Shanghai the following year as the Royal Asiatic Society China in Shanghai. The Journal has been resurrected and a growing library and museum opened to members and scholars. In 2013 a chapter was established in Beijing as the Royal Asiatic Society in Beijing.

The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke on the 15th March 1823. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV on the 11th August 1824 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. It continues as a forum for those who are interested in the languages, cultures and history of Asia to meet and exchange ideas.

The material was divided into series for the original Society and the recent reconstituted ones.

Mostly open. Some recent correspondence may remain closed. Please contact the archivist using the email address given here. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

The material is part of the institutional records of the Society from its dealings with other organisations. Further material concerning the governance and events for the re-established RAS China in SHnghai were donated by Dr Judith Kolbas in 2023.

The Royal Asiatic Society China is a learned society based in Shanghai and Beijing, China. It was established in Shanghai in 1857 by a small group of British and American expatriates as the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society, and within a year had achieved affiliation with the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland and become the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (NCBRAS). The first journal was published in 1858 and thereafter for 90 years. The Society's original home comprised a ground-floor reading room, library and lecture hall, but was expanded in 1874 to house a museum on the floor above. The Society was closed in 1952. The book collection went to the Shanghai Library and most of the museum exhibits to the Shanghai Natural History Museum.
In 2006 the society was re-established in Hangzhou and transferred to Shanghai the following year as the Royal Asiatic Society China in Shanghai. The Journal has been resurrected and a growing library and museum opened to members and scholars. In 2013 a chapter was established in Beijing as the Royal Asiatic Society in Beijing.

The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke on the 15th March 1823. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV on the 11th August 1824 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. It continues as a forum for those who are interested in the languages, cultures and history of Asia to meet and exchange ideas.

This material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2019. It was added to in 2024.

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

These papers were created by the Royal Asiatic Society and the Royal Asiatic Society North China Branch in the course of their business.

The Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society is held within the Collections. More details can be found in our Library catalogue: https://ras.koha-ptfs.co.uk/.

Published

gb891-rasall5