The Bible Translation Work of the Basel Mission for the Chinese Union Version, as Revealed in Mission Records

Abstract

The article reviews the contribution of the Basel Mission's missionaries to the translation of Chinese Bible. Starting from the translation of the Matthew's Gospel by Rev. Rudolf Lechler into Hakka language in 1860, the Basel Mission devoted massive resources to Bible translation until both the New and Old Testaments were available to Hakka Church in their own language. When the missionaries in China decided to work together to produce a Chinese Union Version for all Chinese Protestants, the Basel Mission responded to the call by sending out its best theologian Martin Schaub. His outstanding knowledge in Chinese classics led him became a valuable member of the High Wenli working group led by John Chalmers of the London Missionary Society. Schaub and Chalmers published High Wenli New Testament in Hong Kong in 1897. Their intention to make that a blueprint for further discussion never realised because both of them passed away shortly afterward. But the work of Schaub in Old Testament before his death was adopted by the subsequent Old Testament High Wenli Working group of the Chinese Union Version Bible,