Joseph Edkins (1823-1905)

Joseph was a British protestant missionary who spent 57 years in China, 30 in Beijing. He specialised in Chinese religions, especially Buddhism… He was a linguist, translator and philologist. He penned many books about the Chinese language (See ‘Works’).

He graduated in1843 from the University of London and ordained in 1847.
In 1848 the London Missionary Society (LMS) sent him to China. He edited the Chinese and Foreign Concord Almanach from 1852-58. He also collaborated with others to translate many Western scientific works and the Bible.

He was also involved with direct evangelism travelling with Hudson Taylor on his first canal travels in China.

In 1872 he collaborate with William A.P. Martin to publish Peking Magazine- 36 issues terminated in 1875.

In 1880 resigned form LMS to become a translator for the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs. He became the Customs head and translated a series called 16 Primers for Western Knowledge covering many subjects.

In 1903 he survived typhoid and was still writing at the age of 81. He died in Shanghai on Easter Sunday 1905.

He married three times , his first wife , Jane Rowbotham Stobbs, died in 1863 aged just 22.