ABSTRACT
China’s response to foreign newspapers can in a limited sense be traced back to 1839 when Commissioner Lin Zexu arrived in Canton to enforce the prohibition of opium. As information on Western countries was scarce, Lin, being one of the few open-minded high mandarins, spearheaded the work of translating the foreign press2 in order to understand the ‘barbarian’ institutions and customs and limit their influence.3 However, though they represent the first signs of a recognized need, these translations, originally compiled for Lin’s private use, can not really be considered as the beginning of the Chinese periodical.
