Kenneth Scott Latourette's Chinese Study

Kenneth Scott Latourette (1884-1968) is one of the pioneers of Chinese study in a strict sense. In his early years, he studied under the instruction of professor Frederick Wells Williams, a specialist in Far Eastern History in Yale University. Latourette visited China twice at the beginning of the twentieth century, and made great contributions of publishing a series of books in Chinese Studies and promoting the establishment of Far Eastern Association. He is also an expert in the history of Sino-America relations and Church. This paper attempts to analyze Latourette's historical thought and academic contribution as a Chinese study expert in the context of American academy of that age. This paper includes five chapters. The first chapter briefly describes his life and missionary activities. The next chapter looks into his study in Sino-America Relation History, which opens up a new field of America Chinese research. The third chapter concerns about his study in Chinese history and culture and his compilation of history textbooks, which made China known by more and more people. The forth charter is his pioneering contribution to open up a new field in America Chinese Study, that is, the study of Modern Chinese History. His exploration about the prospect of China is also deeply discussed. The last chapter is a comment on LaTourette's Chinese study. The paper holds that Latourette is a great Chinese study promoter in the history of American Chinese Studies. As a faithfully Christian, his research in Christian history has a profound effect on his Chinese study.