Thomas Meichen of Amoy>

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
I received this e-mail from Roger Clark, who was browsing the Amoy Mission for info on his great grandfather, Thomas Meichen, who was born in Amoy on 24 May 1849, and in 1875 married one of his shipmate's younger sisters--"a country girl from distant Cornwall," Clarke noted in a second e-mail. If anyone has any information, please contact me. Thanks! Bill

Dear Dr. Brown,

I found your e-mail address while researching the history of the Amoy mission & have been reading with interest your your edited version online.

My own interest in Amoy goes back to 1849 when my great-grandfather (Thomas Meichen) was born there. He eventually joined he Royal Navy where his record gives his birth date as 24 May 1849. He is also described on his record as "(Chinaman)".

I am guessing that his father was English, Irish, or American & that the name Meichen originated with his mother. It's possible that his father was also called Thomas. All pure speculation.

I wonder whether you know of any records of that time (1849) that would help clarify any of this? If he was illegitimate, I assume there would be no record of his birth. Any suggestions or ideas would be most welcome.

I appreciate your time & interest.

Sincerely,

Roger Clark

www.amoymagic.com

Tung Wen Institute of Amoy

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
I was delighted to receive a letter from Mr. David Weed, whose grandfather, Charles J. Weed, ran the Tung Wen Institute [Tongwen Shuyuan, 同文书院) in Amoy for about 20 years, until his retirement to Southern California in 1920. Mr. Weed is hoping to find more information about Tung Wen (and perhaps his grandfather as well?). Tung Wen was built on Kulangsu (Gulangyu Islet). To read more about Gulangyu's pioneering education, click here.

If you have anything, please contact Mr. Weed at wdweed @ gmail.com (I have separated the @ from the wdweed and the gmail.com to avoid it being used by spammers). Also please send copies to me as well at amoybill @ gmail.com Thanks!

Many retirees in Xiamen, including well known historian Hong Buren,studied at Tung Wen in their youth. It was started by Amoy's U.S. Consul Mr. Burlingame Johnson--one of the most enlightened of a long line of interesting American consuls in China.

I hope to upload a few pages of photos and info about Tung Wen when I can obtain them from Mr. Weed--or you!

Below is some information kindly provided by Mr. Weed (I have a little information from old books as well that I will collate and upload):

Enjoy Amoy!

Bill

Here is an excerpt from a 1903 paper on foreign schools:

TUNG WEN INSTITUTE

Mr. CHARLES J. WEED, A.B., Superintendent.

,OSCAR GORRELL, A.B. English and History.

,J. CHARLES RATHBUX. Mathematics and Science.

22 native male teachers, 33 boarders, and 307 day students, allmale. 318 are in the Grammar Course and 22 in the AdvancedCourse.

The Tung Wen Institute was founded in 1898 by Mr. A.Burlingame Johnson, United States Consul at Amoy, and six wealthy Chinese merchants Yap Ching-tee, Tan Ah-soon, Khoo Jeow,

Poh Luk-kuan, Khoo Chin-siong, and Tan Poh-hak.

The Tung Wen Institute is a school organized and conductedwith three principal objects : to provide opportunity for Chineseboys to get a thorough knowledge of the English language, to givethem a sound business education, and to provide elemental instruction in mathematics and the sciences. Religious teaching of allkinds is prohibited, but a respectful toleration of all the variousbeliefs is insisted upon.

Great care is exercised in the selection of teachers ; not only tohave them well equipped mentally but also morally. Particularattention is given to conversation, composition, and grammar, andthe results of the work in these branches are pointed to with pride.

BUILDING.

The building, erected in 1902, affords accommodation for six hundred day pupils, t\vo hundred boarders, and a limited number of beds. The location is high and healthful, and easily accessible

from both the city and the harbor.


Tung Wen Institute (from Pitcher)
Below is an excerpt about the Tung Wen Institute from "In and about Amoy," by Reverend Philip Wilson Pitcher, 1912 (this was the 2nd edition, with much more info and more photos).

Education Work Not Connected with Missions (pp. 242,243)

The Tung- Wen Institute was first established on Kolongsu about 1898 in a native house, and
then some three or four years after moved over to Amoy to occupy its new and commodious building erected in 1902. While this is not a missionary institution, nor in anywise connected with Missions, yet to make the history of foreign educational work in this port more complete, it may be inserted here.

The founder of this Institute was Mr. A. Burlingame Johnson, then U. S. Consul at Amoy.
He enlisted the cooperation and support of a number of wealthy Chinese gentlemen, from whom a Board of Trustees was chosen and by whom the Institute has ever since been successfully conducted. By constitutional authority the resident U. S. Consul is made President of the Board, and the Commissioner of Customs Vice President.

Speaking of educational work in the Annual Trade Report of Amoy for 1909 the Commissioner
uses these significant words : " The forward educational movement, which has made so much headway all over China, has at this port been continued with greater impetus than before. All the educational establishments report large increase in students; and the wealthy class continue to cooperate handsomely in this great work by giving large sums to the various institutions."

In this connection it should be mentioned that the natives of this port who reside in the Straits,
Manila, and elsewhere, are manifesting the keenest interest in these educational matters. A Chinese pastor has just returned (1910) from Manila bringing a handsome contribution, in cash and promises, of $10,000 Mex. for such work. Nor does this by any means exhaust the list of similar gifts from the same sources ; others have been helped in the same way by these patriotic citizens living abroad.

Links: The Amoy Mission : more info about education and mission work in early Xiamen.

"Fifty Years in Amoy: the Story of the Amoy Mission" (Philip Wilson Pitcher, 1893); the entire books is scanned and online. Enjoy
www.amoymagic.com