Born into a prosperous middle-class family in the Jiujiang district of Jiangxi province in southwest China, Chiang Yee 蔣彝 (1903-1977) embarked on a remarkable journey to London in 1933 and made Britain his second home for the next 18 years. During his stay in London, he found residence in the vibrant artistic and literary community of Hampstead, while spending a significant portion of his time in Oxford.
Chiang quickly established himself as a Lecturer of Chinese at the School of Oriental Studies, a prominent painter and a prolific travel writer within London’s vibrant art and literary scene. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, he was a regular guest on BBC radio programmes, where he delighted listeners with his insightful discussions on Chinese art and literature. In addition to his captivating radio presence, Chiang authored a delightful series of children’s books, expertly crafted guides on Chinese calligraphy, and dedicated his artistic skills to capturing the essence of London Zoo’s beloved pandas from China — Song and Tang, and their adorable offspring, Ming. His countless sketches and paintings beautifully preserved the presence and charm of these remarkable creatures.
In 1955, Chiang relocated to the United States. After an absence of four decades, he returned to China in 1975. Today, he rests in eternal peace on the slopes of Mount Lu, in close proximity to his birthplace in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province.
Chiang Yee’s The Chinese Eye: An interpretation of Chinese Painting (1935) heralded a significant turning point, as Chinese intellectuals began directly communicating information and ideas about their culture to Western audiences. Chiang’s publications and lectures on Chinese art and culture not only marked the advent of a new era where Chinese individuals portrayed their own culture, but also stood as an innovative effort in the form of The Silent Traveller books. These remarkable works presented a fresh perspective on Britain, striving to synthesise the co-existence of two diverse cultures during a time when the prevailing Orientalist paradigm continued to wield considerable influence over the collective consciousness of the British people.
Selected bibliography
Bevan, Paul, Anne Witchard, and Da Zheng, eds. Chiang Yee and His Circle: Chinese Artistic and Intellectual Life in Britain, 1930-1950 (Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2022).
Chiang, Yee. The Chinese Eye: An Interpretation of Chinese Painting (London: Methuen, 1936).
Chiang, Yee. The Silent Traveller in Edinburgh (London: Methuen, 1948).
Chiang, Yee. Chinese Calligraphy: An Introduction to its Aesthetic and Technique (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1954).
Huang, Michelle Ying-Ling. “Laurence Binyon: A Pioneering and Authoritative Curator of Chinese Painting in Early Twentieth-Century Britain.” Museum History Journal 8, issue 1 (January 2015): 41-58.
Wu, Anna. “The Silent Traveller: Chiang Yee in Britain 1933-55.” V&A Online Journal 4 (Summer 2012), http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/journals/research-journal/issue-no.-4-summer-2012/the-silent-traveller-chiang-yee-in-britain-1933-55/.
Zheng, Da. Chiang Yee: The Silent Traveller from the East—A Cultural Biography (New Brunswick, NJ : Rutgers University Press, 2010).