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What were the well-known publishers and their representative works in China prior to 1949? |
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See answer below. |
Shen Bao was founded in Shanghai in April 1872 by the British merchant Ernest Major. By the time it ceased operations in May 1949, Shen Bao had published 25,600 issues over 77 years. Shortly after its establishment, Shen Bao became known for its coverage of the Yang Naiwu (楊乃武) case between 1873 and 1876. In 1873, Ge Pinlian (葛品連), a man living in Yuhang (餘杭), Zhejiang Province (浙江), died of natural causes. After Ge’s death, however, his wife Ge-Bi (葛畢氏) (nicknamed Xiaobaicai, “Little Cabbage”) and Yang, a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examination, were accused of adultery and of fatally poisoning Ge. Ge-Bi and Yang confessed to the false charges under torture. Yang was subsequently sentenced to death by beheading, and Ge-Bi to death by thousand cuts. Shen Bao reported this case in detail and listed doubts one by one, revealing how officials shielded each other and deceived their superiors and subordinates. Under the pressure from public opinion, even Emperor Tongzhi (同治帝), Empress Dowager Ci’an (慈安太后), and Empress Dowager Cixi (慈禧太后) heard of Yang’s case. The imperial court then ordered a review of the case, through which Yang and Ge-Bi were acquitted of the charges. As the case drew attention nationwide, Shen Bao’s credibility and influence were enhanced by its reporting. For over a century, numerous Chinese operas, TV series, and films have been adapted from this case.
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What were the well-known publishers and their representative works in China prior to 1949? |
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There were at least five well-known publishers at that time. All of them were founded in Shanghai. (1) The Commercial Press: It was founded in 1897 by Xia Ruifang (夏瑞芳), Bao Xianen (鮑咸恩), Bao Chengchang (鮑成昌), and Gao Fengchi (高鳳池), and received support from Zhang Yuanji (張元濟) and others. It published reference books such as the Ciyuan (《辭源》, Source of Words), Dictionary of Ancient and Modern Names of Chinese Places (《中國古今地名大辭典》), An Unabridged Dictionary of Names of Chinese People (《中國人名大辭典》), and Grand Dictionary of Chinese Medicine (《中國醫學大辭典》); issued periodicals such as The Eastern Miscellany and Fiction Monthly (《小說月報》); and printed multi-volume classical works including The Four Branches of Literature Collection (《四部叢刊》), A Collection of 100 Best Series of Chinese Studies (《叢書集成初編》), and Twenty-Four Histories of Baina Edition (《百衲本二十四史》). (2) Chung Hwa Book Company: Funded and established by Lufei Kui (陸費逵) in 1912, it published reference books and monumental works including the Chinese Grand Dictionary, Cihai (《辭海》, Sea of Words), Hand Library of Important Writings of the Four Categories (《四部備要》), and Gujin Tushu Jicheng (《古今圖書集成》, Complete Collection of Illustrations and Writings from the Earliest to Current Times). (3) Dah Tong Book Company: Jointly established in 1916 by Lu Ziquan (呂子泉), Wang Youtang (王幼堂), Shen Junsheng (沈駿聲), and Wang Junqing (王均卿), it published Chinese studies including Annotated Catalog of the Complete Imperial Library (《四庫全書總目》) and Annotated Catalog of the Chinese Medicine (《中國醫學大成總目提要》); and literature and art, for example, the Complete Collection of World Famous Short Stories (《世界名家短篇小說全集》). It also released periodicals like Violet (《紫羅蘭》), Game World (《遊戲世界》), and The Week (《星期》). (4) World Book Company: Founded by Shen Zhifang (沈知方) in 1917 and closed in 1950, it had published 5,580 kinds of books. In its early period, the company mainly published popular novels such as the A Family of Distinction (《金粉世家》), Legend of Chivalrous Swordsmen (《江湖奇俠傳》), and The Complete Sherlock Holmes (《福爾摩斯探案全集》); and magazines including the Red Rose (《紅玫瑰》), The Home Companion (《家庭雜誌》), and Detective World (《偵探世界》). It also published reference books including A Daily Use English-Chinese Dictionary (《英漢四用辭典》); classical works such as the Famous Books for Chinese Studies (《國學名籍叢刊》), which included the Shisan Jing Zhushu (《十三經註疏》, Commentaries and Sub-commentaries on the Thirteen Canonical Books), Sishi (《四史》, Compact History of Four Periods), and Zizhi Tongjian (《資治通鑑》, Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government), and the Encyclopedia Quatuor Bibliothecarum (《四庫全書學典》); foreign literary works such as The Complete Works of Shakespeare translated by Zhu Shenghao (朱生豪); and serial picture story books like the Records of the Three Kingdoms (《三國志》), Journey to the West (《西遊記》), Water Margin (《水滸》), The Investiture of the Gods (《封神榜》), The Story of Yue Fei (《岳傳》), and The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple (《火燒紅蓮寺》). (5) Kaiming Book Company: Founded by Zhang Xichen (章錫琛) in 1926, it published approximately 1,500 kinds of books. They included literary works such as Mao Dun’s (茅盾) Midnight (《子夜》) and Ba Jin’s (巴金) Family, Spring, and Autumn (《家》、《春》、《秋》); magazines such as the Middle School Students (《中學生》); textbooks including Lin Yutang’s (林語堂) Kaiming English Books (《開明英文讀本》) and Loose-leaf Literary Selections (《活葉文選》); adolescence literature such as the Kaiming Youth Series (《開明青年叢書》) and the World Young Literature Series (《世界少年文學叢刊》); classical works and reference books including the Ershiwushi (《二十五史》, The Twenty-five Official Dynastic Histories) and the Citong (《辭通》, Understanding of Words). |
