Meet Ko K’un-hua (Ge Kunhua), a Chinese scholar who became Harvard University’s first Chinese instructor during the late 19th century and whose documents became the core of the Harvard-Yenching Library.
The first step
The group of alumni sought advice from China’s Imperial Maritime Customs Service, which handled the country’s emigrant labor issues, telegraph and postal systems, among other tasks.
Sir Robert Hart, the service’s longtime inspector general, disagreed with the proposition, arguing that “[a] Chinese literary man can undertake no more dreadful drudgery than…teaching Chinese to a foreigner,” adding that those who wanted to join the service have plenty of time to learn Chinese.
Despite that, the group still proceeded with their plan.
Looking for the right candidate
Problems surfaced, but it was too late
Drew later revealed in a confidential letter to Harvard President Charles William Eliot that while Ko was “very learned,” he was not a recognized scholar as he never obtained any degrees by examination. Drew…
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