Robert Morrison and his China: A Dialogue (1824): a missionary memento.

In 1824 Robert Morrison (1782–1834) composed a school textbook,China:A Dialogue(London: James Nisbet), on his first voyage to England from China. Among all Morrison's publications, this textbook has attracted little scholarly attention to date. This study aims to fill the gap by analysing its content in the context of the China Trade between 1809 and 1824. Through the exposition of the text this article unfolds an image of China through Morrison's Christian eyes, and reveals invaluable information about his personal emotions and devotion to evangelistic mission, as well as providing glimpses of his family life. Although the textbook inevitably bears the imprint of the attitudes of his time, it shows that Morrison ardently promoted the study of Chinese language and literature, endeavouring to educate Britain about China and to bring China to the world. In this sense his dual roles in the China Trade functioned as a bridge between China and the world. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]