Commercial Press
Encyclopedia
Commercial Press is the first modern publishing
organization in China
.
Attacks by the Japanese ceased operations in 1932, and operations remained at a standstill until after WWII had ended.
At the turn of the century Commercial Press became a major publisher of textbooks. Today it is headquartered in Beijing and continues as an active publishing house of Chinese language learning materials including dictionaries, textbooks, pedagogical texts, and a cultural magazine called The World of Chinese
. 1
In 1903 it became China's first primary education
textbook publisher. It later produced 2,550 secondary school
textbooks that became popular in the country.
In 1904 it launched the "Eastern Miscellany" (東方雜誌) with editor-in-chief (杜亞泉).
In 1907 the press moved to an 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) new plant.
In 1909 it launched the "Education Magazine" (教育雜誌).
In 1910 it launched "The Short Story Magazine" (小說月報).
In 1911 it launched the "Youth Magazine" (少年雜誌).
In January 1914, the founder of Commercial Press, Xia Ruifang, was stabbed to death. 1
In 1914 it set up a branch in "Hong Kong Museum" of the same year. It also launched the "Students' Magazine" (學生雜誌).
In 1915 it printed the first dictionary.
In 1916 it set up a branch in Singapore
.
In 1921 with Hu Shih
's (胡適) recommendation, Wang Yunwu
(王雲五) became the general manager
modernizing it into a business.
In 1924 it opened the "Commercial Press Oriental Library".
On January 28, 1932, the January 28 Incident
occurred. The Japanese aircraft bombed the Commercial Press in conjunction with the Oriental Library. Imperial Japanese army
would occupy Shanghai
the next day.
In 1954 the press moved from Shanghai
to Beijing
shifting the focus to academic works published in the West.
In 1993 China
, Hong Kong
, Australia
, New Zealand
established a joint venture to become "The Commercial Press International Limited."
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
organization in 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...
.
History
In 1897, 26-year-old Xia Ruifang and three of his friends founded The Commercial Press in Shanghai. The group soon received financial backing and began publishing books. In 1914, Xia attempted to buy out a Japanese company that had invested in the Commercial Press. Four days later he was assassinated. There was much speculation as to who was behind the assassination; no one was ever arrested for the crime.Attacks by the Japanese ceased operations in 1932, and operations remained at a standstill until after WWII had ended.
At the turn of the century Commercial Press became a major publisher of textbooks. Today it is headquartered in Beijing and continues as an active publishing house of Chinese language learning materials including dictionaries, textbooks, pedagogical texts, and a cultural magazine called The World of Chinese
The World of Chinese
The World of Chinese is an English-language magazine about Chinese culture, language, business, and travel. Six regular issues of the magazine are published each year. The magazine is owned by the Commercial Press, and targeted primarily at students of Chinese as a foreign language...
. 1
Evolution
In 1902 it was setup in with a forward attitude toward both Chinese and Western studies.In 1903 it became China's first primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
textbook publisher. It later produced 2,550 secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
textbooks that became popular in the country.
In 1904 it launched the "Eastern Miscellany" (東方雜誌) with editor-in-chief (杜亞泉).
In 1907 the press moved to an 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) new plant.
In 1909 it launched the "Education Magazine" (教育雜誌).
In 1910 it launched "The Short Story Magazine" (小說月報).
In 1911 it launched the "Youth Magazine" (少年雜誌).
In January 1914, the founder of Commercial Press, Xia Ruifang, was stabbed to death. 1
In 1915 it printed the first dictionary.
In 1916 it set up a branch in 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...
.
In 1921 with Hu Shih
Hu Shih
Hu Shih , born Hu Hung-hsing , was a Chinese philosopher, essayist and diplomat. His courtesy name was Shih-chih . Hu is widely recognized today as a key contributor to Chinese liberalism and language reform in his advocacy for the use of written vernacular Chinese...
's (胡適) recommendation, Wang Yunwu
Wang Yunwu
Wang Yun Wu was born 1888 in Shanghai and was a famous Chinese scholar of history and political science, he was also a politician and invented Shih Chiao Hao Ma, a method of Chinese lexicography also sometimes referred to as the Four Corner Method....
(王雲五) became the general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
modernizing it into a business.
In 1924 it opened the "Commercial Press Oriental Library".
On January 28, 1932, the 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 :...
occurred. The Japanese aircraft bombed the Commercial Press in conjunction with the Oriental Library. Imperial Japanese army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
would occupy 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...
the next day.
In 1954 the press moved from 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...
to Beijing
Beijing
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...
shifting the focus to academic works published in the West.
In 1993 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...
, 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...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
established a joint venture to become "The Commercial Press International Limited."