CHINA THROUGH WESTERN EYES
Manuscript Records of Traders, Travellers, Missionaries & Diplomats, 1792-1942

Parts 4 & 5: Manuscript Diaries and Papers from the China Records Project at Yale Divinity Library

INTRODUCTION TO The China Records Project

In 1968, the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA initiated the China Records Project.  The aim of this project was to insure the preservation of the personal records of former missionaries to China and provide a central repository where these papers would be available to historians.  The Yale Divinity School Library was chosen as this central repository in 1969 and has continued to solicit and accept China-related papers for the past three decades.  The Divinity Library now holds approximately 950 linear feet of manuscript materials related to mission work and the Christian church in China.  Records of more than 300 former China missionaries are represented.  The library has also purchased several microform archives collections to complement its holdings of original manuscripts.  A survey of topics pursed by researches in recent years indicates that these records are of use both in providing information about events, movements and institutions in China, and in providing insight into the Western societies that sent, supported, and were embodied in the missionaries

The original records are organised into various manuscript record groups.  These vary in size and date coverage and not all were able to be included in this microfilm edition.  Particular attention should be drawn to Record Group No 8 - the miscellaneous personal papers collection.

China Records Project Miscellaneous Personal Papers Collection, Record Group No 8

China Records Project collection of personal papers is on ongoing project which currently contains material from more than 275 individuals, primarily former China missionaries.  The time period covered is approximately from 1834 to 1978.  It consists of more than 200 boxes (c 100 linear feet) with no individual accounting for more than three linear feet.  Some collections that were formerly part of this record group have now been given separate record group numbers.  The papers in this group are arranged alphabetically by name.  When the information was available, each missionary’s sending agency, geographical location in China and period of service has been noted.  A key to abbreviations used to represent the mission sending agencies preceded the alphabetical listing.  The designation “L” in the indications of period of service means that these are approximate dates derived from listings in available copies of the Directory of Protestant Missions in China (1902, 1904-05, 1908-11, 1916, 1921, 1923-24, 1926-30, 1932-36, 1940, 1950).  A key to abbreviations used in the descriptions of material follows.

The records in this collection include biographical information, correspondence, diaries and journals, writings, printed material, tape recordings, artefacts, photographs and maps.  The medical, educational and evangelical work of both men and women missionaries in China is reflected in the material.  Social issues such as foot binding, opium reform, education of women, cruelty to animals and child labour are also touched upon.  The material is particularly valuable for the descriptions of daily missionary life and work which it provides.  Missionary opinion about major social and political issues is less prevalent in the material, although personal accounts of some political events (such as the Boxer Rebellion and the internment of missionaries by the Japanese) are given.

Part 4 is entirely made up from papers of individuals from Record Group No 8. We have covered 52 of the collections in this part. 

Part 5 features on further collection from Record Group No 8, as well as:

RG   02    Arthur Judson Brown

RG   07    Campbell Family

RG 108    Willard & Ellen Beard

RG 142    Elsie Clark

Please note that the full finding aids for all of the collections can be found at:

http://www.library.yale.edu/div/colguide.htm

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