North China Daily News
Encyclopedia
North China Daily News was an English-language
newspaper
in Shanghai
, China
, called the most influential foreign newspaper of its time.
The paper was founded as the weekly
North-China Herald (北華捷報, Běihuá Jiébào) and was first published on 3 August 1850. Its founder, British
auctioneer Henry Shearman (奚安門, Xī' ānmén), died in 1856. A daily edition commenced publication on 1 June 1864 as the North China Daily News. The North-China Herald was also the gazette
(official record) of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan
and the British Consulate. For much of the period it was published under the masthead North-China Herald and Supreme Court and Consular Gazette. The newspaper was an influential force in Shanghai and throughout China. Its circulation peaked at 7,817 copies.
A notable early editor was Frederic H. Balfour
. Other editors included Archibald John Little's brother R.W. "Bob" Little (李德立 Lǐdélì), who also served on the Shanghai International Settlement
, the municipal council
. In 1901, the paper was purchased by Henry E. Morris (馬立斯 Mǎlìsī). In 1920, the paper passed to his son, H.E. Morris Jr., who used his money to build a compound of luxurious houses which became today's Ruijin Hotel, as well as the Canidrome
, a dog-racing stadium
. One of the two Morrises also purchased the Hellier Stradivarius
. In 1924, the newspaper moved its headquarters to the new North China Daily News Building
at Number 17 on the Bund
, then the tallest building in Shanghai.
The North-China Herald and the daily edition suspended publication after 8 December 1941 during the Pacific war
. Publication of the Herald was never resumed. On 31 March 1951, the North China Daily News suspended publication at the orders of the ruling Chinese Communist Party and the North China Daily News Building was seized by the Shanghai municipal government, part of the People's Republic of China
.
The Shanghai Library
keeps back issues of the North China Daily News and the North-China Herald at its branch in Xujiahui next to the old Catholic Cathedral. You need a library card from the Main Branch on Gao'an Road at Huaihai Road. The fee for a library card is ¥100 per year. You need to bring passport for identification.
Newspaperarchive.com (a subscription site) also has the North China Herald from 1850 to 1926 as part of its online database of old newspapers.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China
China
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...
, called the most influential foreign newspaper of its time.
The paper was founded as the weekly
Weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news publication that is published on newsprint once or twice a week.Such newspapers tend to have smaller circulations than daily newspapers, and are usually based in less-populous communities or small, defined areas within large cities; often, they may cover a...
North-China Herald (北華捷報, Běihuá Jiébào) and was first published on 3 August 1850. Its founder, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
auctioneer Henry Shearman (奚安門, Xī
Gazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
(official record) of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan
British Supreme Court for China and Japan
The British Supreme Court for China and Japan was a court established in the Shanghai International Settlement in 1865 to try cases against British subjects in China and Japan, and from 1883, Korea, under the principles of Extraterritoriality. The court also heard appeals from consular courts in...
and the British Consulate. For much of the period it was published under the masthead North-China Herald and Supreme Court and Consular Gazette. The newspaper was an influential force in Shanghai and throughout China. Its circulation peaked at 7,817 copies.
A notable early editor was Frederic H. Balfour
Frederic H. Balfour
Frederic Henry Balfour was a British expatriate editor, essayist, author, and sinologist, living in Shanghai during the Victorian era. He is most notable for his translation of the writings known today as the Tao Te Ching...
. Other editors included Archibald John Little's brother R.W. "Bob" Little (李德立 Lǐdélì), who also served on the Shanghai International Settlement
Shanghai International Settlement
The Shanghai International Settlement began originally as a purely British settlement. It was one of the original five treaty ports which were established under the terms of the Treaty of Nanking at the end of the first opium war in the year 1842...
, the municipal council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
. In 1901, the paper was purchased by Henry E. Morris (馬立斯 Mǎlìsī). In 1920, the paper passed to his son, H.E. Morris Jr., who used his money to build a compound of luxurious houses which became today's Ruijin Hotel, as well as the Canidrome
Canidrome (Shanghai)
The Shanghai Cultural Plaza precinct is an area in Shanghai's Luwan District, in the former French Concession of Shanghai, China. The area began as the Canidrome , a stadium structure originally built for greyhound racing in 1928....
, a dog-racing stadium
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
. One of the two Morrises also purchased the Hellier Stradivarius
Hellier Stradivarius
The Hellier Stradivarius of circa 1679 is a violin made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy. It derives its name from the Hellier family, who might well have bought it directly from the luthier himself....
. In 1924, the newspaper moved its headquarters to the new North China Daily News Building
North China Daily News Building
North China Daily News Building is a historical Neo-Renaissance-style office building on the Bund in Shanghai, China. It is located at Number 17, East Zhongshan No.1 Road, and houses the offices of the American International Assurance and is thus often called the AIA Building...
at Number 17 on the Bund
The Bund
The Bund is a waterfront area in central Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The area centres on a section of Zhongshan Road within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, facing Pudong, in the eastern part of Huangpu District...
, then the tallest building in Shanghai.
The North-China Herald and the daily edition suspended publication after 8 December 1941 during the Pacific war
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. Publication of the Herald was never resumed. On 31 March 1951, the North China Daily News suspended publication at the orders of the ruling Chinese Communist Party and the North China Daily News Building was seized by the Shanghai municipal government, part of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
The Shanghai Library
Shanghai Library
Shanghai Library is the second largest library in China after the National Library of China in Beijing. It is located in Shanghai, China. At 24 stories and 348 feet tall, it is the tallest library in the world...
keeps back issues of the North China Daily News and the North-China Herald at its branch in Xujiahui next to the old Catholic Cathedral. You need a library card from the Main Branch on Gao'an Road at Huaihai Road. The fee for a library card is ¥100 per year. You need to bring passport for identification.
Newspaperarchive.com (a subscription site) also has the North China Herald from 1850 to 1926 as part of its online database of old newspapers.
Sources
- Pan Haixia. "Witness to history." Shanghai StarShanghai StarShanghai Star was a weekly English-language newspaper published in Shanghai, China between 1992 and 2006. It was owned and run by its parent, the Beijing-based China Daily....
. 20 November 2003. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
External links
- "The English-language Newspaper scene, 1930s" An excerpt from Sin City, by Ralph Shaw, a British journalist who worked for the North China Daily News