Chen Mengjia
Encyclopedia
Chen Mengjia (1911–1966) was a Chinese scholar and archaeologist
. At the height of his career Chen was Professor of Chinese at Tsinghua University
in Beijing. He was married to Chinese poet and translator Zhao Luorui
(aka Lucy Chao). Chen committed suicide in 1966, at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution
after being labeled a "capitalist
intellectual
" and Rightist, having criticised Chinese leaders in 1957. The Chinese leader Mao Zedong
had initiated a campaign to change the Chinese writing
system, adopting an alphabet along Western lines, and Chen wrote articles criticising the proposals.
. His father was a Presbyterian
minister.
In his youth Chen had been a poet, under the pen name Wanderer, his first poem was published when he was 18. He was a member of the Crescent Moon Society, a group of well-known romantic
Chinese poets during the early 20th century. In 1932 he joined the resistance in Shanghai, against the Japanese invasion of China in January 28 Incident
. At that time he also studied law in Nanjing, but in 1932 began to research classical Chinese literature
and religion, before turning to the study of Chinese writing and archaeology at Yenching University
in Beijing, where he specialised in the study of oracle bone
s and ancient Chinese bronzes
. Cheng and his wife moved to Kunming
in the mid 1930s, where had a position at the National Southwest Associated University.
In 1936, Chen published an influential article on the religion and magic of the Shang Dynasty
, in which he compared the list of the kings of the Xia Dynasty
(the first dynasty of China in the traditional recorded history, often thought to be legendary) with that of the Shang Dynasty
that followed it, and argued that the (legendary) Xia were just a "duplication" of the (real) Shang. He also argued that the Yellow Emperor
and Yu the Great
were originally the same personage.
In 1944 Chen and his wife were both awarded humanities fellowships by the Rockefeller Foundation
to study in the USA at the University of Chicago
. Chen also received financial support from the Harvard-Yenching Institute
. Chen traveled around the USA, as well as making trips to Canada
and Europe
studying both private and public collections of ancient Chinese bronzes. His study, with descriptions of over 850 bronze vessels, was turned into a draft for a book, possibly to be published in the USA. In 1947 Chen returned to China (his wife the following year), and the book remained unpublished in USA.
The book was eventually published in China in 1962 under the title Our country’s Shang and Zhou Bronzes Looted by American Imperialists, edited by the Chinese Institute of Archaeology
. Chen himself, however, did not chose the title, and indeed his name is not written on the cover. The book had been considered important to publish, even though its author was a "Rightist", who were not allowed to publish. Among the "American imperialists" listed in the book are the Saint Louis Art Museum
, Mrs. W.K. Vanderbilt
of New York, Miss Doris Duke
of New York, Avery Brundage
of Chicago, and Alfred F. Pilsbury of Minneapolis.
Before his problems with the Chinese authorities Chen published in 1956 the work A comprehensive study of the divination inscriptions from the Ruins of Yin. The inscriptions, made on oracle bones at Yin
, the last Shang capital near today's Anyang
(Henan
), were recognized at the time (and, largely, still are) as the earliest examples of Chinese writing.
Chen Mengjia and his wife collected Chinese antiques, especially furniture. These were later donated to the Shanghai Museum
by Zhao Jingxin, the brother of Zhao Luorui.
Cheng Mengjia's work has long been well known to Shang Dynasty experts worldwide. His life and achievements became known to wider audience outside China with the publication in 2006 of Peter Hessler
’s book Oracle Bones.
in 1966 after being subjected to public criticism sessions at the start of the Cultural Revolution
.
Archaeology of China
The archaeology of China is researched intensively in the universities of the region and also attracts considerable international interest on account of the region's civilizations.-Overview:...
. At the height of his career Chen was Professor of Chinese at Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
in Beijing. He was married to Chinese poet and translator Zhao Luorui
Zhao Luorui
-Biography:Luorui published since the early 1940s. She gained a PhD from the University of Chicago in 1948 and returned to teach English and North American literature at Peking University, Beijing. She was married to Chen Mengjia, an archaeologist and expert on oracle bones...
(aka Lucy Chao). Chen committed suicide in 1966, at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
after being labeled a "capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
" and Rightist, having criticised Chinese leaders in 1957. The Chinese leader Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
had initiated a campaign to change the Chinese writing
Chinese character
Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...
system, adopting an alphabet along Western lines, and Chen wrote articles criticising the proposals.
Overview
Chen was born and raised in NanjingNanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
. His father was a Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
minister.
In his youth Chen had been a poet, under the pen name Wanderer, his first poem was published when he was 18. He was a member of the Crescent Moon Society, a group of well-known romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
Chinese poets during the early 20th century. In 1932 he joined the resistance in Shanghai, against the Japanese invasion of China in January 28 Incident
January 28 Incident
The January 28 Incident was a short war between the armies of the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan, before official hostilities of the Second Sino-Japanese War commenced in 1937.- Naming :...
. At that time he also studied law in Nanjing, but in 1932 began to research classical Chinese literature
Chinese literature
Chinese literature extends thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novels that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese...
and religion, before turning to the study of Chinese writing and archaeology at Yenching University
Yenching University
Yenching University was a university in Beijing, China. It integrated three Christian colleges in the city in 1919. Yenching is an alternative name of Beijing - derived from its status as capital of Yan state, one of the seven Warring States from 5th century BC to 3rd century BC.The university...
in Beijing, where he specialised in the study of oracle bone
Oracle bone
Oracle bones are pieces of bone normally from ox scapula or turtle plastron which were used for divination chiefly during the late Shang Dynasty. The bones were first inscribed with divination in oracle bone script by using a bronze pin, and then heated until crack lines appeared in which the...
s and ancient Chinese bronzes
Chinese bronzes
Bronzes are some of the most important pieces of Chinese art, warranting an entire separate catalogue in the Imperial art collections. The Chinese Bronze Age began in the Xia Dynasty, and bronze ritual containers form the bulk of the collection of Chinese antiques, reaching its zenith during the...
. Cheng and his wife moved to Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
in the mid 1930s, where had a position at the National Southwest Associated University.
In 1936, Chen published an influential article on the religion and magic of the Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
, in which he compared the list of the kings of the Xia Dynasty
Xia Dynasty
The Xia Dynasty is the first dynasty in China to be described in ancient historical chronicles such as Bamboo Annals, Classic of History and Records of the Grand Historian. The Xia Dynasty was established by the legendary Yu the Great after Shun, the last of the Five Emperors gave his throne to him...
(the first dynasty of China in the traditional recorded history, often thought to be legendary) with that of the Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
that followed it, and argued that the (legendary) Xia were just a "duplication" of the (real) Shang. He also argued that the Yellow Emperor
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
and Yu the Great
Yu the Great
Yu the Great , was a legendary ruler of Ancient China famed for his introduction of flood control, inaugurating dynastic rule in China by founding the Xia Dynasty, and for his upright moral character....
were originally the same personage.
In 1944 Chen and his wife were both awarded humanities fellowships by the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
to study in the USA at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. Chen also received financial support from the Harvard-Yenching Institute
Harvard-Yenching Institute
Harvard-Yenching Institute is an independent foundation dedicated to advancing higher education in Asia in the humanities and social sciences, with special attention to the study of Asian culture...
. Chen traveled around the USA, as well as making trips to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
studying both private and public collections of ancient Chinese bronzes. His study, with descriptions of over 850 bronze vessels, was turned into a draft for a book, possibly to be published in the USA. In 1947 Chen returned to China (his wife the following year), and the book remained unpublished in USA.
The book was eventually published in China in 1962 under the title Our country’s Shang and Zhou Bronzes Looted by American Imperialists, edited by the Chinese Institute of Archaeology
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences , established in 1977, is the premier and highest academic research organization in the fields of philosophy and social sciences as well as a national center for comprehensive studies in the People's Republic of China. It was described by Foreign Policy...
. Chen himself, however, did not chose the title, and indeed his name is not written on the cover. The book had been considered important to publish, even though its author was a "Rightist", who were not allowed to publish. Among the "American imperialists" listed in the book are the Saint Louis Art Museum
Saint Louis Art Museum
The Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the principal U.S. art museums, visited by up to a half million people every year. Admission is free through a subsidy from the cultural tax district for St. Louis City and County.Located in Forest Park in St...
, Mrs. W.K. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt family
The Vanderbilt family is an American family of Dutch origin prominent during the Gilded Age. It started off with the shipping and railroad empires of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and expanded into various other areas of industry and philanthropy...
of New York, Miss Doris Duke
Doris Duke
Doris Duke was an American heiress, horticulturalist, art collector, and philanthropist.-Family and early life:...
of New York, Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage was an American amateur athlete, sports official, art collector, and philanthropist. Brundage competed in the 1912 Olympics and was the US national all-around athlete in 1914, 1916 and 1918...
of Chicago, and Alfred F. Pilsbury of Minneapolis.
Before his problems with the Chinese authorities Chen published in 1956 the work A comprehensive study of the divination inscriptions from the Ruins of Yin. The inscriptions, made on oracle bones at Yin
Yinxu
Yinxu is the ruins of the last capital of China's Shang Dynasty. The capital served 255 years for 12 kings in 8 generations.Rediscovered in 1899, it is one of the oldest and largest archeological sites in China and is one of the historical capitals of China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
, the last Shang capital near today's Anyang
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....
(Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), were recognized at the time (and, largely, still are) as the earliest examples of Chinese writing.
Chen Mengjia and his wife collected Chinese antiques, especially furniture. These were later donated to the Shanghai Museum
Shanghai Museum
The Shanghai Museum is a museum of ancient Chinese art, situated on the People's Square in the Huangpu District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China.-History:...
by Zhao Jingxin, the brother of Zhao Luorui.
Cheng Mengjia's work has long been well known to Shang Dynasty experts worldwide. His life and achievements became known to wider audience outside China with the publication in 2006 of Peter Hessler
Peter Hessler
Peter Hessler is an American writer and journalist. He is the author of three acclaimed books about China and has contributed numerous articles to The New Yorker and National Geographic, among other publications...
’s book Oracle Bones.
Death
In the 1950s, when the government decided to simplify more than 2,000 characters, Chen opposed the reform project. Accused of being a "rightist" and sent to a labour camp, he committed suicide in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in 1966 after being subjected to public criticism sessions at the start of the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
.