The History and Production of the ECCP Biographical Dictionary
The creation of the biographical dictionary of the Qing period, known as the ECCP, stands as a monumental achievement in the field of Chinese studies. This ambitious project was driven by a commitment to academic precision and a collaborative effort involving some of the most distinguished scholars of the early 20th century.
The Vision and Planning
The project was spearheaded by Arthur Hummel, who developed his expertise in the Chinese language during his time as a missionary in China. Between 1930 and 1934, Hummel served as the Chairman of the Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Studies under the American Council of Learned Societies. Working alongside Mortimer Graves, the council's executive director, Hummel meticulously planned the dictionary.
Financial backing for this scholarly endeavor was provided by the Rockefeller Foundation. The project moved from the planning phase to active implementation in 1934, coinciding with Hummel joining the Library of Congress.
Hummel's dedication to clarity and precision was legendary. A former colleague noted that Hummel went so far as to read the entire text of the ECCP aloud to ensure the language was as refined and accurate as possible.
[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]The Technical Challenge of Printing
Producing a high-quality text containing complex Chinese characters presented a significant technical hurdle, as the chosen printer did not know the Chinese language. To overcome this, Dr. Tu developed a rigorous system to ensure accuracy.
Dr. Tu compiled a master file of every Chinese character used in the text. These characters were then cast in Hong Kong, with a separate cast created for every single instance a character appeared. Each character was placed in an individual wooden frame and numbered by Dr. Tu. The printer then manually placed these frames into the typesetter one by one. Despite this laborious manual process, the final publication remained nearly free of errors.
Collaborative Scholarship
The project was a massive collaborative effort spanning nine years. In the preface, Hu Shih—a prominent scholar and former Ambassador of China to the United States—praised Hummel and the team of over fifty scholars who contributed to the work.
Key contributors included a wide array of experts, such as John K. Fairbank, L. Carrington Goodrich, and Teng Ssu-yu, the latter of whom prepared many of the articles regarding the Taiping Rebellion. Other notable scholars involved were Knight Biggerstaff, Meribeth E. Cameron, Ch'i Ssu-ho, George Kennedy, Li Man-kuei, Hiromu Momose, Nancy Lee Swann, Earl Swisher, C. Martin Wilbur, Hellmut Wilhelm, and J.C. Yang.
Key Facts
- Lead Architect: Arthur Hummel, former Chairman of the Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Studies.
- Funding: Provided by the Rockefeller Foundation.
- Timeline: The project took nine years to complete.
- Production Method: Characters were cast in Hong Kong and manually typeset using a numbered wooden frame system.
- Contributors: Over 50 scholars participated in the research and writing.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Primary Organizer | Arthur Hummel |
| Supporting Institution | American Council of Learned Societies / Library of Congress |
| Financial Sponsor | Rockefeller Foundation |
| Technical Lead for Printing | Dr. Tu |
| Preface Author | Hu Shih |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was responsible for the overall direction of the ECCP?
Arthur Hummel led the project, utilizing his skills as a former missionary in China and his role as Chairman of the Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Studies.
How was the dictionary funded?
The Rockefeller Foundation provided the necessary financial support to bring the project to fruition.
How did the team handle the printing of Chinese characters without a Chinese-speaking printer?
Dr. Tu created a master file of characters, which were cast in Hong Kong and placed in numbered wooden frames, allowing the printer to assemble them manually and accurately.
How long did the project take to complete?
The project involved more than fifty scholars and took nine years of work to complete.
Who wrote the preface for the volume?
The preface was written by Hu Shih, a leading scholar and former Ambassador of China to the United States.