New Testament in Mandarin

Collection ID

BIB.004993

Type

Bible - Printed Book

Date

1894

Geography

Shanghai (China)

Language

Mandarin

Medium

Printed on paper

Dimensions

12.5 × 9.5 × 1 in. (31.8 × 24.1 × 2.5 cm)

Exhibit Location

Not on view


Description

This Bible is an 1894 copy of the Imperial Edition of the New Testament in Mandarin. In 1894, a group of women from the Chinese church raised money to create a copy of the New Testament, known as the Presentation New Testament, to give to the Empress Dowager Cixi in honor of her 60th birthday. This was the first time a New Testament in Mandarin was received into the Imperial Palace. Two hundred fifty copies were printed from the same type and distributed among the many Bible societies involved in the fundraising and production of the presentation copy. These copies can be identified by a red border around the text.

Provenance

Printed in 1894 by Mei Hua Printing Co., Shanghai, China. Acquired before 1988 at a used bookstore by Peter Webb. Gifted in 1988 to Amy and George Liu as a wedding gift; Donated in 2018 to Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC.

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