The Research On The International Institute Of China(1894~1927)

When the curtain of cultural exchange was re-opened in the late Qing Dynasty,the western missionaries coming to China whose main object were to propagatethe Gospel played a very important role. They promoted the process from variousways such as translating books, establishing newspapers and different institutions.The international institute of China is a cultural institution which established by amissionary named Gilbert Reid from America Presbyterian Church in1894. Theinstitution was previously named "The Mission among The Higher Classes inChina", first established in Xuan Wumen, Beijing, after the Geng Zi Incident itwas re-established in Shanghai. During1922-1927, The international institute ofChina kept its function both in Beijing and Shanghai. With the death of GilbertReid in1927, the institution was also gradually declined. In Gilbert Reid’s time,for more convenient administration, the institution established board of directorsand Sino-Foreign union committees on education, business and religion,meanwhile carrying out social activities such as setting up schools, publishingjournals, organizing public speeches, making arrangements for museum to displayChinese cultural objects, etc. All the activities above enabled the institution tobecome the medium of spreading Western civilization in modern China, and theinstitution was also a multicultural group of communication, education, speech,book collection and publication, which naturally became the promoter of westernculture in China. The wide spread of western democratic politics, educationsystem and religious culture in China was largely rely on the international instituteof China. Eastern or western scholars were often invited to give lectures onconstitutionalism, education, celebrities, religion and other topics, which activitiesprovided reference for the Qing government on constitutional and educationalreform. The religious concept “harmony in diversity” advocated by the institutionset a good example for the communication among religious civilization in theearly Republic of China. The idea of explaining and researching other religion inan equal and tolerant attitude advocated by the institution was not only uncommonin contemporary time, but can be also regarded as a role model for latergenerations, and it has an instructive meaning even for modern religious problems.