The Origin of the Chinese People (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

John Ross

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1330079515 ISBN 13: 9781330079515

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2020

Synopsis

Excerpt from The Origin of the Chinese People

The death of Dr Ross was a distinct blow to the advancement of Chinese studies. His work, especially in connexion with Manchuria and Korea, needs no bush: had he lived, he would no doubt have added to this volume a prefatory note, which I have now been asked to supply.

In his researches into the origin of the Chinese people, Dr Ross would have nothing to do with the fantastic and unsubstantiated theory which traces the civilization of China, and particularly her script, to the ancient inhabitants of Accadia. His sober judgment claimed that the quest should be carried out among the voluminous records which China herself has to show; and from such sources he derived many forcible arguments, which he has marshalled with considerable skill.

The period here covered begins with the semi-mythical age, some forty-six centuries before Christ, and ends with the Han dynasty, down to about one hundred years before the Christian era.

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About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Preface by H.A.Giles,LL.D., Professor of Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Cambridge.
The death of Dr Ross was a distinct blow to the advancement of Chinese studies. His work, especially in connection with Manchuria and Korea, needs no bush: had he lived, he would no doubt have added to this volume a prefatory note, which I have now been asked to supply.
In his researches into the origin of the Chinese people, Dr Ross would have nothing to do with the fantastic and unsubstantiated theory which traces the civilisation of China, and particularly her script, to the ancient inhabitants of Accadia. His sober judgement claimed that the quest should be carried out among the voluminous records which China herself has to show ; and from such sources he derived many forcible arguments, which he has marshalled with considerable skill.
The period here covered begins with the semi-mythical , age, some forty-six centuries before Christ, and ends with the Han dynasty, down to about one hundred years before the Christian era. Numerous illustrations of former Chinese rulers and sages, taken from early sculptures, lend an exceptional interest to the book, as also an exhaustive survey, with plates, of the development of the Chinese script.
Dr Ross declares (p. 50) that " we are justified in concluding that the Chinese people are autochthonous, and their civilisation indigenous." In this important statement I entirely agree with him ; but it must not be further assumed that I accept all Dr Ross conclusions, or even admit the strict accuracy of every detail. A few points raised will be found, as specimens, on the following page ; such discrepancies, however, do not seriously mar the general value of the book.

About this edition

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2020
• ISBN 10: 1330079515
• ISBN 13: 9781330079515
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 214