SOOTHILL, William Edward. Halifax, Yorkshire 23.1.1861 — Oxford 13.5.1935. Rev. British Missionary in China, then Sinologist and Buddhist Scholar. Son of William Soothill, a textile worker. Studies at London University. Ordained priest 1882. In 1882–1911 Wesleyan Missionary in China, first in Wenzhou and in the end (1907-11) as Director of the Imperial University of Shanxi. When the university was sinicised in 1911, he moved to Hankow (Hankou) Central University and from there visited Britain. The war impended his return and later on his health did no longer allow him to return to China. In wartime worked in Y.M.C.A. In 1920-35 Professor of Chinese at Oxford. Married 1884, his wife, Lucy Farrar (1857–1931), who wrote A Passport to China (L. 1931), and his daughter Dorothea, Lady Hosie (1885–1959), several books about China.
Publications: Much on Sinology (e.g. a translation of The Analects of Confucius. 7+1029 p. Yokohama 1910; China and England. 235 p. L. 1928; A History of China. 79 p. L. 1928) and on the history of mission.
– The Three Religions of China. 324 p. L. 1913, rev. ed. 1929.
– China and the West: A Sketch of their Intercourse. 8+216 p. L. 1925.
– Transl. from Chinese: The Lotus of the Wonderful Law, or, The Lotus Gospel, Saddharma pundarīka sūtra, Miao-fa lien hua ching. 10+275 p. Oxford 1930.
– With Lewis Hodous: A dictionary of Chinese Buddhist terms. With Sanskrit and English equivalents and a Sanskrit-Pali index. 510 p. L. 1937.
Sources: D.S. Margoliouth, JRAS 1935, 783-785; *G. Stott, Oxford D.N.B.; W.J. Young in bdcconline.net with photo; Wikipedia.
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