author
William Edward Soothill
1861–1935
A Methodist missionary, teacher, and scholar, he spent decades in China before becoming one of Oxford’s early professors of Chinese. His life joined practical work on the ground with a lasting contribution to the study of Chinese religion and language.
1 Audiobook
The lotus of the wonderful law : or, The lotus gospel = Saddharma pundarīka sūtra = Miao-fa lien hua ching
by William Edward Soothill
About the author
Born in Halifax, England, in 1861, William Edward Soothill trained for the Methodist ministry and went to China in 1882 as a missionary. He is especially associated with Wenzhou, where he spent many years building churches, opening schools, and taking part in educational and medical work.
After his long service in China, he returned to Britain and became Professor of Chinese at Oxford. He was widely regarded as an important early British sinologist, helping introduce English-speaking readers and students to Chinese thought, religion, and language.
Soothill is also remembered as an author and translator. His books on Chinese religions and his work on Chinese Buddhist terms helped shape Western study of China in the early twentieth century, reflecting a career that moved between faith, scholarship, and cross-cultural exchange.