Karl Gützlaff
Encyclopedia
Karl Friedrich August Gützlaff (8 July 1803 – 9 August 1851), anglicised as Charles Gutzlaff, was a German missionary
to the Far East
, notable as one of the first Protestant missionaries in Bangkok, Thailand and for his books about China. He was one of the first Protestant missionaries in China to dress like a Chinese. He gave himself a Chinese name, 郭士立 (pinyin: Guō Shìlì), but later on 郭實腊 (Simplified Chinese: 郭实腊, pinyin
: Guō Shílà) became his official Chinese name. Gutzlaff Street
in Hong Kong
was named after him.
), Pomerania
, he was apprenticed to a saddler
in Stettin, but was able to secure admission to Pädagogium in Halle
, and associated himself with the Janike Institute in Berlin
.
The Netherlands Missionary Society
sent him to Java in 1826, where he learned Chinese
. Gutzlaff left the society in 1828, and went first to Singapore
, then to Bangkok
with Jacob Tomlin
of the London Missionary Society
, where he worked on a translation of the Bible
into Thai
. He made a brief trip to Singapore in December 1829, where he married a single English missionary Maria Newell
. The two returned to Bangkok in February 1830 where they worked on a dictionary of Cambodian and Lao
. Before the work was completed, however, Mary died in childbirth, leaving a considerable inheritance. Gutzlaff married again, this time to Mary Wanstall, in 1834. The second Mrs. Gutzlaff ran a school and a home for the blind in Macau. She died in 1849 in Singapore, and was buried there. Gutzlaff's third marriage was to Dorothy Gabriel in England in 1850.
In Macau, and later in Hong Kong, Gutzlaff worked on a Chinese translation of the Bible, published a Chinese-language magazine, Eastern Western Monthly Magazine, and wrote Chinese-language books on practical subjects. In 1834 he published Journal of Three Voyages along the Coast of China in 1831, 1832 and 1833. Along the way he handed out tract
s which had been prepared by another pioneer missionary to China, Robert Morrison.
In 1840, a group of four people (Walter Henry Medhurst
, 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 , with the exception that the Pentateuch and the book of Joshua were done by the group collectively. This translation, completed in 1847, is well-known 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) correct and faithful to the original.
In the 1830s Gutzlaff was persuaded by William Jardine
of Jardine, Matheson & Co.
to interpret for their ship captains during coastal smuggling of opium, with the assurance that this would allow him to gather more converts. Gutzlaff later assisted in negotiations during the Opium War of 1840–42. In response to the Chinese government's unwillingness to allow foreigners into the interior, he founded a school for "native missionaries" in 1844 and trained nearly fifty Chinese during its first four years. Unfortunately, Gutzlaff's ideas outran his administrative ability. He wound up being victimized by his own native missionaries. They reported back to him glowing accounts of conversions and New Testaments sold. While some of Gutzlaff's native missionaries were genuine converts, others were opium addicts who never traveled to the places they claimed. Eager for easy money, they simply made up conversion reports and took the New Testaments which Gutzlaff provided and sold them back to the printer who resold them to Gutzlaff.
Shattered by the exposure of this fraud, Gutzlaff died in Hong Kong in 1851. However, the Chinese Evangelization Society
which he formed lived on to send out Hudson Taylor
who founded the successful China Inland Mission
. Taylor called Gutzlaff the grandfather of the China Inland Mission.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, notable as one of the first Protestant missionaries in Bangkok, Thailand and for his books about China. He was one of the first Protestant missionaries in China to dress like a Chinese. He gave himself a Chinese name, 郭士立 (pinyin: Guō Shìlì), but later on 郭實腊 (Simplified Chinese: 郭实腊, pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Guō Shílà) became his official Chinese name. Gutzlaff Street
Gutzlaff Street
Gutzlaff Street is a lane in the Central district of Hong Kong, China, crossing Stanley Street, Wellington Street, Gage Street and Lyndhurst Terrace.-Etymology:...
in 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...
was named after him.
Life
Born at Pyritz (present-day PyrzycePyrzyce
Pyrzyce , is a town in Pomerania, north-western Poland, with 13,331 inhabitants Capital of the Pyrzyce County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship , previously in Szczecin Voivodeship .-History:...
), Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
, he was apprenticed to a saddler
Saddler
Saddler is both a skilled trade and a surname. As a trade, it refers to the occupation of making saddles.Saddler may refer to* Osmund Saddler* Sandy SaddlerAlso* Saddler, reporting name for the R-16 missile...
in Stettin, but was able to secure admission to Pädagogium in Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
, and associated himself with the Janike Institute in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
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....
sent him to Java in 1826, where he learned 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...
. Gutzlaff left the society in 1828, and went first to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, then to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
with Jacob Tomlin
Jacob Tomlin
Jacob Tomlin was a Protestant Christian missionary who served with the London Missionary Society during the late Qing Dynasty in China.-Works authored or edited:...
of the London Missionary Society
London 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...
, where he worked on a translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
into Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
. He made a brief trip to Singapore in December 1829, where he married a single English missionary Maria Newell
Maria Newell
Maria Newell Gützlaff was an English missionary, teacher and translator.Maria was born at Stepney, Middlesex, in England, the child of Samuel Newell, tallow chandler, and Mary Duchesne....
. The two returned to Bangkok in February 1830 where they worked on a dictionary of Cambodian and Lao
Lao language
Lao or Laotian is a tonal language of the Tai–Kadai language family. It is the official language of Laos, and also spoken in the northeast of Thailand, where it is usually referred to as the Isan language. Being the primary language of the Lao people, Lao is also an important second language for...
. Before the work was completed, however, Mary died in childbirth, leaving a considerable inheritance. Gutzlaff married again, this time to Mary Wanstall, in 1834. The second Mrs. Gutzlaff ran a school and a home for the blind in Macau. She died in 1849 in Singapore, and was buried there. Gutzlaff's third marriage was to Dorothy Gabriel in England in 1850.
Tract (literature)
A tract is a literary work, and in current usage, usually religious in nature. The notion of what constitutes a tract has changed over time. By the early part of the 21st century, these meant small pamphlets used for religious and political purposes, though far more often the former. They are...
s which had been prepared by another pioneer missionary to China, Robert Morrison.
In 1840, a group of four people (Walter Henry Medhurst
Walter 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
John Robert Morrison
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...
) 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 , with the exception that the Pentateuch and the book of Joshua were done by the group collectively. This translation, completed in 1847, is well-known 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) correct and faithful to the original.
In the 1830s Gutzlaff was persuaded by William Jardine
William Jardine (surgeon)
William Jardine was a Scottish physician and merchant. He co-founded the Hong Kong conglomerate Jardine, Matheson and Company. From 1841 to 1843, he was Member of Parliament for Ashburton as a Whig....
of Jardine, Matheson & Co.
Jardine Matheson Holdings
Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited often referred to as Jardines, is a multinational corporation incorporated in Bermuda and based in Hong Kong. While listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Singapore Exchange, the vast majority of Jardines shares are traded in Singapore...
to interpret for their ship captains during coastal smuggling of opium, with the assurance that this would allow him to gather more converts. Gutzlaff later assisted in negotiations during the Opium War of 1840–42. In response to the Chinese government's unwillingness to allow foreigners into the interior, he founded a school for "native missionaries" in 1844 and trained nearly fifty Chinese during its first four years. Unfortunately, Gutzlaff's ideas outran his administrative ability. He wound up being victimized by his own native missionaries. They reported back to him glowing accounts of conversions and New Testaments sold. While some of Gutzlaff's native missionaries were genuine converts, others were opium addicts who never traveled to the places they claimed. Eager for easy money, they simply made up conversion reports and took the New Testaments which Gutzlaff provided and sold them back to the printer who resold them to Gutzlaff.
Shattered by the exposure of this fraud, Gutzlaff died in Hong Kong in 1851. However, the Chinese Evangelization Society
Chinese Evangelization Society
The Chinese Evangelization Society was an early British Protestant Christian missionary society that was involved in sending workers to China during the late Qing Dynasty. It was founded by Karl Gützlaff. Hudson Taylor was the first missionary to be sent overseas in 1853...
which he formed lived on to send out Hudson Taylor
Hudson Taylor
James Hudson Taylor , was a British Protestant Christian missionary to China, and founder of the China Inland Mission . Taylor spent 51 years in China...
who founded the successful China Inland Mission
China Inland Mission
OMF International is an interdenominational Protestant Christian missionary society, founded in Britain by Hudson Taylor on 25 June 1865.-Overview:...
. Taylor called Gutzlaff the grandfather of the China Inland Mission.
Works
- Journal of Three Voyages along the Coast of China in 1831, 1832 and 1833, with notices of Siam, Corea, and the Loo-Choo Islands (Desert Island Books, Westcliff-on-Sea, 2002)
- A Sketch of Chinese History, Ancient and Modern (London, 1834, German version in 1847)
- China Opened (1838)
- Life of Tao Kwang (1851)
External links
- Article about Gutzlaff being duped by Chinese converts
- Scanned version of the <Journal of Three Voyages> at Singapore
- University of Hong Kong library page about book and Gutzlaff
- In-print edition of Journal of Three Voyages...
- "Gutzlaff, Karl Friedrich August," Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity