| Miner Searle Bates, who was born in a pasor family in May 1897 in Ohio of USA, his father was a protestant clergyman.Bates received a bachelor’s degree in Hiram College and a master’s degree in Oxford University.He was awarded missionary qualifications by the United Christian Missionary Society in 1920,and was sent to University of Nanking in china to teach.Bates had lived in China for thirty years until he left in 1950.During this period,he constructed the History Department of Nanking University and protected the refugees in Nanjing Massacre, which is of great credit. After leaving China,he focused on the research of Christianity history of China and donated lots of diaries and letters to the Yale Divinity School Library,which has precious value.Bates came to Nanking University in July 1920 and in the following thirty years,Bates had made great contributions for Nanking University. Firstly, Bates constructed the History Department of Nanking University,which was together with the department of politics at first and independented in 1924. As head of the department of history,Bates planned the course,book purchase and teaching instruction,taught many history curriculum,setted up a new system of history teaching,and cultivated a large number of well-known scholars.Furthermore,Bates actively participated in academic research of Chinese Culture Institute and History Department of Arts Institute,as one of the History Department of Arts Institute committee,being responsible for drafting the rules,setting courses and recruit students general rules and the subsequent research work.As the war’s intensify,in November 1937, Nanking University moving west to Chengdu,Bates stayed to protect the school as vice President. He protected refugees in Nanking University campus and fighted with soldiers who were doing bad things,did his best to protect the property. After the war, it was also Bates that came back to receive the school and assisted it to recover.These things had important significance for the development of Nanking University.The Anti-Japanese War broke out In July 1937 and when the Japanese troops occupied Nanjing on December 13, they did a terrible massacre. The U.S. government repeatedly urged Americans in Nanjing to leave before it was occupied, but a strong sense of justice and compassion made Bates resolutely left behind. He and other westerners formed the International Committee of the Nanking Safety Zone and designated safe zone to protect the refugees,and provided food, clothing, cash and medical aid to them,which rescued 250,000 civilians in Nanjing. After the massacre,Bates investigated some problems appeared in the wartime, including the Japanese drug trade in China and war damage in Nanjing.The Japanese drug trade included before the Anti-Japanese War and after the fall of Nanjing,which revealed Japan’s crime action that selling opium and heroin. The investigation of war damage in Nanjing consisted the losses in the war,crops and economic situation,people’s occupation,income, living conditions and so on,which exposed Japanese endless hurt to Chinese. What’s more, Bates attended the Tokyo Trial and Nanjing Trial as a witness after the war,accusing Japanese military’s atrocities in Nanjing,incluing the slaughter of civilians,sexual violence,looting,setting fire and drug trade.Bates left China In 1950 and as a missionary lived in China for 30 years, he was interested in the Christianity history of China. He studied the Christianity history of east Asia and discussed the central issue that "How to develop three self’ church’in China".What’s more,Bates had spent 13 years to write <The Protestant’s Endeavour in China,1890-1950>. From literature gathering to outline writing,Bates had spent lots of efforts,but unfortunately it wasn’t completed.Finally,Bates conversed lots of data like diaries and letters and so on,at last he donated them to the Yale Divinity School Library,which are called "Bates’ papers".The data were of large number and rich content,which were consisted of eight parts: communication,Chinese reading notes and literature, manuscript of <The Protestant’s Endeavour in China,1890-1950>,famous Chinese Christian literature,other notes and collected data,his own work,teaching data,private data and seers,which have important values for us to study the Nanjing Massacre,Nanking University and the history of Christianity in China.Studying Bates can deepen the comprehensive understanding of his life trajectory> character, as well as his academic thought. Meanwhile, it is good for further study of the Nanjing Massacre, Nanking University and the history of Christianity in China. |
