author
N. B. (Nicholas Belfield) Dennys
1840–1900
A British civil servant, journalist, and early student of Chinese folklore, he spent much of his life in Hong Kong, Singapore, and other parts of East Asia. His writing helped introduce English-language readers to Chinese customs, beliefs, and stories in the late nineteenth century.
1 Audiobook
The folk-lore of China : and its affinities with that of the Aryan and Semitic races
by N. B. (Nicholas Belfield) Dennys
About the author
Born in 1839, Nicholas Belfield Dennys built a career that crossed journalism, public service, and scholarship. He worked in China and later in Singapore, and became known for his deep interest in Chinese language and culture.
He edited the China Mail in Hong Kong and was also connected with museum and library work in the region. Alongside his official duties, he wrote studies on Chinese folklore and related subjects, including The Folk-Lore of China, a book that reflects the curiosity and collecting spirit of nineteenth-century scholarship.
Dennys died in Hong Kong in 1900. Today he is remembered less as a conventional literary author than as a writer who tried to explain everyday beliefs, customs, and traditions from China to English readers of his time.