John Robert Morrison
Encyclopedia
John Robert Morrison was the second son from Robert Morrison's first marriage with Mary Morton. He was a translator, diplomat and missionary in China and the Far East, most closely associated with Canton City
and Hong Kong
. John Morrison participated in the negotiation of the Treaty of Nanking
and was appointed the first Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong.
They returned to Macau on August 23, 1820, but in less than two years his mother died and he was sent back to England to receive his education. During the next four years he lived near London.
When his father left for China on May 1, 1826, he took John with him. He learned the Chinese language
from his father, and attended the Anglo-Chinese College
in Malacca
in 1827 - 1830.
from 1830. In 1832 he accompanied Edmund Roberts, a merchant and diplomat of United States of America, to Siam and Cochin China and established trade treaties. He compiled the Chinese Commercial Guide, which provided information on British trader in China.
John Morrison succeeded his father in 1834 and was appointed Chinese Secretary to the British East India Company
on behalf of British government. He was then involved in the diplomacy during the Opium War
from 1839 - 1842. In the negotiations, the Treaty of Nanking
was formed.
The Government of Hong Kong formed after the treaty and he became a member of the Legislative Council
and Executive Council
, and the first Colonial Secretary of the government under Sir Henry Pottinger.
to continue the missionary work in Canton. In February 1838 he was made Recording Secretary of the Medical Missionary Society.
, Charles Gutzlaff, Elijah Coleman Bridgman
, and John Robert Morrison) cooperated to translate the Bible into Chinese
. The translation of the Hebrew part was done mostly by Gutzlaff from the Netherlands Missionary Society
, with the exception that the Pentateuch and the book of Joshua were done by the group collectively.
This translation, completed in 1847, after John Robert's death is very famous due to its adoption by the revolutionary peasant leader Hong Xiuquan
of the Taipingtianguo movement (Taiping Rebellion
) as some of the reputed early doctrines of the organization. This Bible translation was a version (in High Wen-li, Traditional Chinese: 深文理) marvelously correct and faithful to the original.
. He is buried in the Old Protestant Cemetery in Macau
, close to the grave of this father.
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. John Morrison participated in the negotiation of the Treaty of Nanking
Treaty of Nanking
The Treaty of Nanking was signed on 29 August 1842 to mark the end of the First Opium War between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China...
and was appointed the first Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong.
Early life
The year following his birth, on January 21, 1815 John Morrison was taken by his mother, along with his elder sister, aboard a ship bound for England.They returned to Macau on August 23, 1820, but in less than two years his mother died and he was sent back to England to receive his education. During the next four years he lived near London.
When his father left for China on May 1, 1826, he took John with him. He learned the Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
from his father, and attended the Anglo-Chinese College
Anglo-Chinese College
Anglo-Chinese College may refer to:* Ying Wa College, Hong Kong * Anglo-Chinese College , Fuzhou, China...
in Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
in 1827 - 1830.
Career in China
He had been a translator for English merchants in the Canton City, ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
from 1830. In 1832 he accompanied Edmund Roberts, a merchant and diplomat of United States of America, to Siam and Cochin China and established trade treaties. He compiled the Chinese Commercial Guide, which provided information on British trader in China.
John Morrison succeeded his father in 1834 and was appointed Chinese Secretary to the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
on behalf of British government. He was then involved in the diplomacy during the Opium War
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
from 1839 - 1842. In the negotiations, the Treaty of Nanking
Treaty of Nanking
The Treaty of Nanking was signed on 29 August 1842 to mark the end of the First Opium War between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China...
was formed.
The Government of Hong Kong formed after the treaty and he became a member of the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
and Executive Council
Executive Council of Hong Kong
The Executive Council of Hong Kong is a core policy-making organ in the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong.. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong serves as its President.The Executive Council normally meets once a week...
, and the first Colonial Secretary of the government under Sir Henry Pottinger.
Missionary work
Apart from official duties, John Morrison continued his father's work of the English Protestant Church in Canton and supported those Chinese converts persecuted by the Chinese authorities. He revised his father's translation of the Bible and appealed to the London Missionary SocietyLondon Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
to continue the missionary work in Canton. In February 1838 he was made Recording Secretary of the Medical Missionary Society.
Translation of the Bible
In 1840, a group of four people (Walter Henry MedhurstWalter Henry Medhurst
Walter Henry Medhurst , was an English Congregationalist missionary to China, born in London and educated at St Paul's School, was one of the early translators of the Bible into Chinese language editions.-Early life:...
, Charles Gutzlaff, Elijah Coleman Bridgman
Elijah Coleman Bridgman
Elijah Coleman Bridgman was the first American Protestant Christian missionary appointed to China. He served with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions...
, and John Robert Morrison) cooperated to translate the Bible into Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
. The translation of the Hebrew part was done mostly by Gutzlaff from the Netherlands Missionary Society
Netherlands Missionary Society
Netherlands Missionary Society was a Dutch Protestant missionary society that was involved in sending workers to countries such as China during the Qing Dynasty. The most famous of which was Karl Gützlaff....
, with the exception that the Pentateuch and the book of Joshua were done by the group collectively.
This translation, completed in 1847, after John Robert's death is very famous due to its adoption by the revolutionary peasant leader Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan , born Hong Renkun, style name Huoxiu , was a Hakka Chinese who led the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing Dynasty, establishing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom over varying portions of southern China, with himself as the "Heavenly King" and self-proclaimed brother of Jesus Christ.-Early...
of the Taipingtianguo movement (Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
) as some of the reputed early doctrines of the organization. This Bible translation was a version (in High Wen-li, Traditional Chinese: 深文理) marvelously correct and faithful to the original.
Death
John Robert Morrison died young in the late summer of 1843 from a nine day episode of malarial fever. This was the same outbreak in Hong Kong that took the life of fellow missionary Samuel DyerSamuel Dyer
Samuel Dyer 台約爾 , was a British Protestant Christian missionary to China in the Congregationalist tradition, who worked among the Chinese in Malaysia. He arrived in Penang in 1827. Dyer, his wife Maria, and their family lived in Malacca and then finally in Singapore...
. He is buried in the Old Protestant Cemetery in Macau
Old Protestant Cemetery in Macau
The Old Protestant Cemetery , located close to the Casa Garden, was established by the British East India Company in 1821 in Macau in response to a lack of burial sites for Protestants in the Roman Catholic Portuguese colony....
, close to the grave of this father.
Works authored
- Some Account of Charms, Talismans, and Felicitous Appendages worn about the person, or hung up in houses, &c. used by the Chinese. London. 1833
- Companion to the Anglo-Chinese calendar. 1832.
- A Chinese Commercial Guide, consisting of a collection of details respecting foreign trade in China. Canton. 1834