North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society =
North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society

North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society =
North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society

Founding of the Society

Year Authority / Notes

1857 According to Otness (1998), this Society was the largest and most active of all the Asian branches, and was founded in 1857 as the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society. In 1858 it became an affiliate of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and was named the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Otness (1998) notes that the Communist takeover in China brought about the demise of the Society. Since the Communist takeover occurred in 1949, we shall take that as the cessation date of the Society.
It is interesting to note that by 1858, this Society had taken the name North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, whilst the Hong Kong Branch still retained the broader name China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. The Society based in Shanghai continued to be known as the North China Branch for twenty-five years after the Hong Kong Branch fell into dormancy. Then, in 1884, the Shanghai Branch took the former name of the Hong Kong Branch, namely China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Then in 1906, an interesting thing happened: the Shanghai Branch reverted to its own former name, North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. A reasonable assumption would be that a second branch had become active by 1906, and the name of the Shanghai Branch was changed to avoid confusion. We have not yet found any evidence that this did indeed happen.

Seat of the Society

City Authority / Notes

Shanghai
China This location is supported by Otness (1998)

Name of the Society

Dates Name Authority

1857 Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society Otness (1998).

1858 - 1883 North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society = North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Otness (1998) gives the start date for this name without the hyphen; its publications give both names and the end date.

1884 - 1905 China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Its publications.

1906 - 1948 North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society = North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Its publications gives both names and the start and end dates.

Journals of the Society

Years Full Journal Title Abbrev. Indexed
1858, June
(No. 1)

A Journal of the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society
Continued by B.
[Oxford Univ. cat.] Shanghai, Journ. Lit. Soc.
[RSLC, v.1, p.lxix] RSLC

1859 May - 1863
([Vol.1], no. 2);
1864, Dec. - 1883
(new ser. [vol.1], no.1 - vol.18)

B Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
A continuation note from a record for A in the Oxford Univ. cat. gives the title as Journal of the North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Continues A. Continued by C.
[Oxford Univ. cat.] Journ. North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.
[GeographicalReview, Vol. 16, No. 2. (Apr., 1926), p.274 cites Vol. 12, 1877.]
Journ. North China Branch, Roy. Asiat. Soc.
[Am. Historical Rev., Vol. 2, No. 4 (Jul., 1897), p.639 cites No. 3.]
Journ. of N.-China Branch of Roy. As. Society
[J. Am. Oriental Soc., Vol. 6 (1858 - 1860), p.593 cites Vol. I, 1857-59.]
Journ. Roy. Asiat. Soc. (North China Br.)
[J. Hist. Ideas., Vol. 12, No. 2 (Apr., 1951), p.208 cites 55 (1924).]
Journal, N. China Branch, Royal Asiatic Soc.
[Notes, 2nd Ser., Vol. 7, No. 3 (Jun., 1950), p.417 cites (1873) 8.]
N.-China Roy. Asiat. Soc. Jl.
[RSLC, v.13, p.lxiv]
N.-China Roy. Asiat. Soc. Journ.
[RSLC, v.9, p.xxiv]
North China Branch, Roy. Asiat. Soc. Journal
[English Historical Rev. Vol. 20, No. 80 (Oct., 1905), p.635 cites vol. x, 1876.]
Shanghai, Journal
[RSLC, v.7, p.xxvii] RSLC

1884 - 1905
(v.19, pt.1 - v.36)

C Journal of the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
Continues B. Continued by D.
[Oxford Univ. cat.] China Roy. Asiat. Soc. Jl.
[RSLC, v.13, p.xxviii]
J. China Br. R. Asiat. Soc., Hongkong
[American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 5, No. 4. (Oct. - Dec., 1903) p.715 cites 1900-1901, N. S., XXXIII.]
J. China Br. Roy. As. Soc., Shanghai
[American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 8, No. 4. (Oct. - Dec., 1906) p.722 cites 1905, XXXVI.]
J. China Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc., Shanghai
[American Anthropologist, Vol. 8, No. 4. (Oct., 1895) p.414 cites 1894, n.s., xxvi.]
J. of the China Branch, R. As. Soc.
[J. Am. Oriental Soc., Vol. 30, No. 1 (Dec., 1909), p.19 cites 1887.]
Jour. China Branch Roy. Asiatic Soc.
[Burlington Mag. Connois., Vol. 50, No. 288 (Mar., 1927), p.123 cites XXIV (1889-90).]
Jour. of China Branch, Royal Asiatic Soc.
[American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1926), p.167 cites N.S. 26, 1891-92.]
Journ. China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.
[Geographical Review, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul., 1938), p.401 cites Vol. 20 (N.S.), 1885.]
Journ. China Branch Royal Asiatic Soc.
[Geographical Review, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul., 1938), p.496 cites Vol. 20 (N.S.), 1885.]
Journ. North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.
[Geographical Review, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Apr. - Jun., 1920), p.320 cites Vol. 23, N. S., 1888.]
Journal of the China Branch, R. Asia Soc.
[Burlington Mag. Connois., Vol. 12, No. 59 (Feb., 1908), p.325 cites 1888.] RSLC

1906 - 1948
(Vol.37 - vol.73)

D Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
A continuation note from a record for C in the Oxford Univ. cat. gives the title as Journal of the North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Continues C.
[Oxford Univ. cat.] J. N. China Br. R. Asiat. Soc.
[J. Roy. Anthrop. Instit., Vol. 87, No. 1 (Jan. - Jun., 1957), p.29 cites 17, 1926.]
J. N. China Branch R. Asiatic Soc., Shanghai
[American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1908) p.158 cites 1907, XXXVIII.]
Jour. N. China Br. Roy. Asiat. Soc.
[Geographical Journal, Vol. 87, No. 1 (Jan., 1936), p.29 cites vol. 53, 1922.]
Jour. N. China Br. Roy. Asiatic Soc.
[Burlington Mag. Connois., Vol. 48, No. 275 (Feb., 1926), p.107 cites LIV (1923).]
Jour. N. China Branch Roy. Asiatic Soc.
[Am. Hist. Rev., Vol. 44, No. 2 (Jan., 1939), p.474 cites LXVIII, 1937.]
Jour. No. China Br. Roy. As. Soc.
[J. Hist. Ideas, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Apr., 1948), p.225 cites 61 (1930).]
Jour. No. China Br. Royal Asiatic Soc.
[Am. Hist. Rev., Vol. 54, No. 3 (Apr., 1949), p.687 cites vol. 72.]
Jour. No. China Branch Royal Asiatic Soc.
[Am. Hist. Rev., Vol. 54, No. 3 (Apr., 1949), p.687 cites vol. 72.]
Jour. North China Branch Roy. Asiatic Soc.
[Am. Hist. Rev., Vol. 42, No. 3 (Apr., 1937), p.602 cites LXVII.]
Jour. of the N. China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.
[ScientificMonthly, Vol. 56, No. 5. (May, 1943), p.411 cites Vol. 54 (1923).]
Journ. North-China Branch of Royal Asia Soc.
[Acta Musicologica, Vol. 46, Fasc. 1 (Jan. - Jun., 1974), p.22 cites XXXIX (1908).]
Journ. North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.
[Geographical Review, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Jan., 1922), p.36 cites Vol. 43, 1912.]
Journ. North China Branch Royal Asiatic Soc.
[Geographical Review, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Jul., 1936), p. U2 in the JSTOR archive cites Vol. 63, 1932.]
Journ. of the North China Branch of the Roy. Asiat. Soc.
[J. Am. Oriental Soc., Vol. 70, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1950), p.164 cites 1933.]
Journ. R. Asiat. Soc. (North China Branch)
[Archiv Musikwiss., 1. Jahrg., H. 4. (Jul., 1919), p.498 cites 39, 1908.]
Journal, N. China Branch, R. Asiatic Soc.
[Notes, 2nd Ser., Vol. 7, No. 4 (Sep., 1950), p.613 cites (1910) 41.]

North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society = North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
Founding of the Society
Year	Authority / Notes
1857	According to Otness (1998), this Society was the largest and most active of all the Asian branches, and was founded in 1857 as the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society. In 1858 it became an affiliate of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and was named the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Otness (1998) notes that the Communist takeover in China brought about the demise of the Society. Since the Communist takeover occurred in 1949, we shall take that as the cessation date of the Society. It is interesting to note that by 1858, this Society had taken the name North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, whilst the Hong Kong Branch still retained the broader name China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. The Society based in Shanghai continued to be known as the North China Branch for twenty-five years after the Hong Kong Branch fell into dormancy. Then, in 1884, the Shanghai Branch took the former name of the Hong Kong Branch, namely China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Then in 1906, an interesting thing happened: the Shanghai Branch reverted to its own former name, North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. A reasonable assumption would be that a second branch had become active by 1906, and the name of the Shanghai Branch was changed to avoid confusion. We have not yet found any evidence that this did indeed happen.
Seat of the Society
City	Authority / Notes
Shanghai China	This location is supported by Otness (1998)
Name of the Society
Dates	Name	Authority
1857	*Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society*	Otness (1998).
1858 - 1883	*North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society = North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society*	Otness (1998) gives the start date for this name without the hyphen; its publications give both names and the end date.
1884 - 1905	*China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society*	Its publications.
1906 - 1948	*North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society = North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society*	Its publications gives both names and the start and end dates.

Journals of the Society
Years	Full Journal Title	Abbrev.	Indexed
1858, June (No. 1) A	*Journal of the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society* Continued by B. [Oxford Univ. cat.]	*Shanghai, Journ. Lit. Soc.* [RSLC, v.1, p.lxix]	*RSLC*
1859 May - 1863 ([Vol.1], no. 2); 1864, Dec. - 1883 (new ser. [vol.1], no.1 - vol.18) B	*Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society* A continuation note from a record for A in the Oxford Univ. cat. gives the title as *Journal of the North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society*. Continues A. Continued by C. [Oxford Univ. cat.]	*Journ. North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.* [GeographicalReview, Vol. 16, No. 2. (Apr., 1926), p.274 cites Vol. 12, 1877.] *Journ. North China Branch, Roy. Asiat. Soc.* [Am. Historical Rev., Vol. 2, No. 4 (Jul., 1897), p.639 cites No. 3.] *Journ. of N.-China Branch of Roy. As. Society* [J. Am. Oriental Soc., Vol. 6 (1858 - 1860), p.593 cites Vol. I, 1857-59.] *Journ. Roy. Asiat. Soc. (North China Br.)* [J. Hist. Ideas., Vol. 12, No. 2 (Apr., 1951), p.208 cites 55 (1924).] *Journal, N. China Branch, Royal Asiatic Soc.* [Notes, 2nd Ser., Vol. 7, No. 3 (Jun., 1950), p.417 cites (1873) 8.] *N.-China Roy. Asiat. Soc. Jl.* [RSLC, v.13, p.lxiv] *N.-China Roy. Asiat. Soc. Journ.* [RSLC, v.9, p.xxiv] *North China Branch, Roy. Asiat. Soc. Journal* [English Historical Rev. Vol. 20, No. 80 (Oct., 1905), p.635 cites vol. x, 1876.] *Shanghai, Journal* [RSLC, v.7, p.xxvii]	*RSLC*
1884 - 1905 (v.19, pt.1 - v.36) C	*Journal of the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society* Continues B. Continued by D. [Oxford Univ. cat.]	*China Roy. Asiat. Soc. Jl.* [RSLC, v.13, p.xxviii] *J. China Br. R. Asiat. Soc., Hongkong* [American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 5, No. 4. (Oct. - Dec., 1903) p.715 cites 1900-1901, N. S., XXXIII.] *J. China Br. Roy. As. Soc., Shanghai* [American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 8, No. 4. (Oct. - Dec., 1906) p.722 cites 1905, XXXVI.] *J. China Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc., Shanghai* [American Anthropologist, Vol. 8, No. 4. (Oct., 1895) p.414 cites 1894, n.s., xxvi.] *J. of the China Branch, R. As. Soc.* [J. Am. Oriental Soc., Vol. 30, No. 1 (Dec., 1909), p.19 cites 1887.] *Jour. China Branch Roy. Asiatic Soc.* [Burlington Mag. Connois., Vol. 50, No. 288 (Mar., 1927), p.123 cites XXIV (1889-90).] *Jour. of China Branch, Royal Asiatic Soc.* [American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1926), p.167 cites N.S. 26, 1891-92.] *Journ. China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.* [Geographical Review, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul., 1938), p.401 cites Vol. 20 (N.S.), 1885.] *Journ. China Branch Royal Asiatic Soc.* [Geographical Review, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul., 1938), p.496 cites Vol. 20 (N.S.), 1885.] *Journ. North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.* [Geographical Review, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Apr. - Jun., 1920), p.320 cites Vol. 23, N. S., 1888.] *Journal of the China Branch, R. Asia Soc.* [Burlington Mag. Connois., Vol. 12, No. 59 (Feb., 1908), p.325 cites 1888.]	*RSLC*
1906 - 1948 (Vol.37 - vol.73) D	*Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society* A continuation note from a record for C in the Oxford Univ. cat. gives the title as *Journal of the North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society*. Continues C. [Oxford Univ. cat.]	*J. N. China Br. R. Asiat. Soc.* [J. Roy. Anthrop. Instit., Vol. 87, No. 1 (Jan. - Jun., 1957), p.29 cites 17, 1926.] *J. N. China Branch R. Asiatic Soc., Shanghai* [American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1908) p.158 cites 1907, XXXVIII.] *Jour. N. China Br. Roy. Asiat. Soc.* [Geographical Journal, Vol. 87, No. 1 (Jan., 1936), p.29 cites vol. 53, 1922.] *Jour. N. China Br. Roy. Asiatic Soc.* [Burlington Mag. Connois., Vol. 48, No. 275 (Feb., 1926), p.107 cites LIV (1923).] *Jour. N. China Branch Roy. Asiatic Soc.* [Am. Hist. Rev., Vol. 44, No. 2 (Jan., 1939), p.474 cites LXVIII, 1937.] *Jour. No. China Br. Roy. As. Soc.* [J. Hist. Ideas, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Apr., 1948), p.225 cites 61 (1930).] *Jour. No. China Br. Royal Asiatic Soc.* [Am. Hist. Rev., Vol. 54, No. 3 (Apr., 1949), p.687 cites vol. 72.] *Jour. No. China Branch Royal Asiatic Soc.* [Am. Hist. Rev., Vol. 54, No. 3 (Apr., 1949), p.687 cites vol. 72.] *Jour. North China Branch Roy. Asiatic Soc.* [Am. Hist. Rev., Vol. 42, No. 3 (Apr., 1937), p.602 cites LXVII.] *Jour. of the N. China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.* [ScientificMonthly, Vol. 56, No. 5. (May, 1943), p.411 cites Vol. 54 (1923).] *Journ. North-China Branch of Royal Asia Soc.* [Acta Musicologica, Vol. 46, Fasc. 1 (Jan. - Jun., 1974), p.22 cites XXXIX (1908).] *Journ. North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Soc.* [Geographical Review, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Jan., 1922), p.36 cites Vol. 43, 1912.] *Journ. North China Branch Royal Asiatic Soc.* [Geographical Review, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Jul., 1936), p. U2 in the JSTOR archive cites Vol. 63, 1932.] *Journ. of the North China Branch of the Roy. Asiat. Soc.* [J. Am. Oriental Soc., Vol. 70, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1950), p.164 cites 1933.] *Journ. R. Asiat. Soc. (North China Branch)* [Archiv Musikwiss., 1. Jahrg., H. 4. (Jul., 1919), p.498 cites 39, 1908.] *Journal, N. China Branch, R. Asiatic Soc.* [Notes, 2nd Ser., Vol. 7, No. 4 (Sep., 1950), p.613 cites (1910) 41.]