Theodore Hamberg (Chinese: 韓山明 or 韓山文) (25 March 1819 – 13 May 1854) was a Swedish missionary and author active in China. He is known for his role in having authored an important account on the early Taiping rebellion and for his role in establishing Christian missions in Guangdong province. He also laid the foundations for the study of the Hakka dialect in the West.
Hamberg, born Knut Theodor Hamberg,[1] was the son of sea captain Nicholas Hamberg and his wife Magdalena Lovisa Löfvenberg and the younger brother of the Swedish chemist Nils Peter Hamberg. His father died in 1830 when Hamberg was 11 years old. He began working in the office of British consul George Foy and maintained a close relationship with the family. Daughter Mathilda Foy, a writer, wrote about Hamberg frequently. After graduating from school, Hamberg worked as a commercial bookkeeper in Stockholm. He became a member of an association to support the Swedish Mission Society in 1835.[1] Hamberg's conversion came in 1842 through the preaching of Pietistrevivalist preacher Carl Olof Rosenius, whom he became close friends with and introduced to Mathilda. He and Foy were also godparents of Rosenius' first child.[2] In 1844, he left the bookkeeping trade to join the Basel Mission under the influence of Peter Fjellstedt and with the support of the Swedish Mission Society.[3] Hamberg spent the following two years in training at a missions school in Switzerland.[4]
Missionary work in Chinaedit
In 1846, Hamberg was sent to China, where he arrived on 19 March the following year and started to work in the Guangdong mission, where he worked to convert members from the Hakka community. He also worked out a draft of the first description of the Hakka dialect, which provided the foundation to D. MacIver's Hakka dictionary. Hamberg initially worked under the influential German missionary Karl Gützlaff, but Hamberg gradually grew skeptical of Gützlaff's strategy of mass conversions; instead he advocated a more cautious approach, which in due course would bring him into conflict with Gützlaff and with the Basel Mission. After the death of Gützlaff, Hamberg was vindicated and he continued to work under the Basel Mission.
Hamberg and the Taiping Rebellionedit
In 1852, Hamberg met Hong Xiuquan's cousin Hong Ren'gan, who had been separated from the rebellion and fled to Hong Kong. Hong Ren'gan also provided Hamberg with important information on the Taiping rebellion, which formed the basis of a book Hamberg later published on the rebellion. The book was the first extensive account on the Taiping rebellion in a Western language and remains an important source on the early life of Hong Xiuquan. Hamberg also instructed Hong in Christianity and baptized him.
Hamberg died in Hong Kong on 13 May 1854 after contracting dysentery.[2]
Worksedit
Report regarding the Chinese Union at Hongkong. Hong Kong: Printed at the Hong Kong Register Office, 1851.
The visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen, and origin of the Kwang-si insurrection. Hong Kong: The China mail office, 1854.
^ abLodin, Sven (1959). C. O. Rosenius (in Norwegian). Lunde. from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
^Cornelius, Carl Alfred (1886–1887). "Missionen i Tamullandet". Svenska kyrkans historia efter reformationen (in Swedish). Vol. Senare delen (1693-1886). p. 268 – via Project Runeberg.
^Cornelius, Carl Alfred. Svenska Kyrkans historia efter reformationen, Senare delen (in Swedish). p. 268.
Hannich, Gustav. Treue bis ans Ende. Erlebnisse des schwedischen Missionars Theodor Hamberg in China. Basel: Basler Missionsbuchh., 1941.
MacIver, D. A Chinese-English dictionary. Hakka-dialect as spoken in Kwang-tung province. Revised by M.C. MacKenzie. Shanghai: Presbyterian Mission Press, 1926.
Schlyter, Herman. Theodor Hamberg: Den förste svenske Kinamissionären. Lund: Gleerup, 1952
So Kwan-wai, Eugene P. Boardman and Ch'iu P'ing. "Hung Jen-kan, Taiping Prime Minister, 1859-1864." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 20, No. 1/2. (Jun. 1957), 262-294.
External linksedit
Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon (in Swedish)
March 15, 2024
theodore, hamberg, chinese, 韓山明, 韓山文, march, 1819, 1854, swedish, missionary, author, active, china, known, role, having, authored, important, account, early, taiping, rebellion, role, establishing, christian, missions, guangdong, province, also, laid, foundat. Theodore Hamberg Chinese 韓山明 or 韓山文 25 March 1819 13 May 1854 was a Swedish missionary and author active in China He is known for his role in having authored an important account on the early Taiping rebellion and for his role in establishing Christian missions in Guangdong province He also laid the foundations for the study of the Hakka dialect in the West Theodore HambergMissionary to China Image from Svenskt Biografiskt Handlexikon 1906 BornKnut Theodor Hamberg25 March 1819Stockholm SwedenDied13 May 1854 1854 05 14 aged 35 Hong KongOccupationMissionarySpouseLouise Motander m 1851 wbr RelativesNils Peter Hamberg brother Contents 1 Early life 2 Missionary work in China 3 Hamberg and the Taiping Rebellion 4 Works 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editHamberg born Knut Theodor Hamberg 1 was the son of sea captain Nicholas Hamberg and his wife Magdalena Lovisa Lofvenberg and the younger brother of the Swedish chemist Nils Peter Hamberg His father died in 1830 when Hamberg was 11 years old He began working in the office of British consul George Foy and maintained a close relationship with the family Daughter Mathilda Foy a writer wrote about Hamberg frequently After graduating from school Hamberg worked as a commercial bookkeeper in Stockholm He became a member of an association to support the Swedish Mission Society in 1835 1 Hamberg s conversion came in 1842 through the preaching of Pietist revivalist preacher Carl Olof Rosenius whom he became close friends with and introduced to Mathilda He and Foy were also godparents of Rosenius first child 2 In 1844 he left the bookkeeping trade to join the Basel Mission under the influence of Peter Fjellstedt and with the support of the Swedish Mission Society 3 Hamberg spent the following two years in training at a missions school in Switzerland 4 Missionary work in China editIn 1846 Hamberg was sent to China where he arrived on 19 March the following year and started to work in the Guangdong mission where he worked to convert members from the Hakka community He also worked out a draft of the first description of the Hakka dialect which provided the foundation to D MacIver s Hakka dictionary Hamberg initially worked under the influential German missionary Karl Gutzlaff but Hamberg gradually grew skeptical of Gutzlaff s strategy of mass conversions instead he advocated a more cautious approach which in due course would bring him into conflict with Gutzlaff and with the Basel Mission After the death of Gutzlaff Hamberg was vindicated and he continued to work under the Basel Mission Hamberg and the Taiping Rebellion editIn 1852 Hamberg met Hong Xiuquan s cousin Hong Ren gan who had been separated from the rebellion and fled to Hong Kong Hong Ren gan also provided Hamberg with important information on the Taiping rebellion which formed the basis of a book Hamberg later published on the rebellion The book was the first extensive account on the Taiping rebellion in a Western language and remains an important source on the early life of Hong Xiuquan Hamberg also instructed Hong in Christianity and baptized him Hamberg died in Hong Kong on 13 May 1854 after contracting dysentery 2 Works editReport regarding the Chinese Union at Hongkong Hong Kong Printed at the Hong Kong Register Office 1851 The visions of Hung Siu tshuen and origin of the Kwang si insurrection Hong Kong The China mail office 1854 References edit a b Schlyter Herman K Theodor Hamberg Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon in Swedish Retrieved 12 May 2022 a b Lodin Sven 1959 C O Rosenius in Norwegian Lunde Archived from the original on 12 April 2022 Retrieved 12 April 2022 Cornelius Carl Alfred 1886 1887 Missionen i Tamullandet Svenska kyrkans historia efter reformationen in Swedish Vol Senare delen 1693 1886 p 268 via Project Runeberg Cornelius Carl Alfred Svenska Kyrkans historia efter reformationen Senare delen in Swedish p 268 Hannich Gustav Treue bis ans Ende Erlebnisse des schwedischen Missionars Theodor Hamberg in China Basel Basler Missionsbuchh 1941 MacIver D A Chinese English dictionary Hakka dialect as spoken in Kwang tung province Revised by M C MacKenzie Shanghai Presbyterian Mission Press 1926 Schlyter Herman Theodor Hamberg Den forste svenske Kinamissionaren Lund Gleerup 1952 So Kwan wai Eugene P Boardman and Ch iu P ing Hung Jen kan Taiping Prime Minister 1859 1864 Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies Vol 20 No 1 2 Jun 1957 262 294 External links editSvenskt biografiskt handlexikon in Swedish Biography from Ricci Roundtable Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Theodore Hamberg amp oldid 1191944222, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
