"CEM Connections" is a web site about the Chinese Educational Mission (CEM), a pioneering project undertaken by the Chinese government in 1872 to send young students to study abroad.

Beset by the military and economic domination of Western colonial powers, the last Chinese monarchy, the Qing government, sent 120 teenaged boys to the United States to acquire the Western knowledge and technological expertise that China needed to defend itself against foreign aggression.  It was intended that after completing their studies they would return to serve in government with the skills they had acquired and play a leading role in their nation’s efforts at self-renewal.  This web site tells the story of those pioneering students, their experiences in America and their subsequent lives and careers.

About Us

This web site has been developed by a small group of third-generation descendants of CEM students with a strong interest in the subject. (More personal details provided under "Resources.") We have also received valuable assistance from other descendants, historians, writers and media professionals who have shared with us their knowledge of the history of the Mission itself and of early modern China.  Since the first gathering to discuss Yung Wing and the CEM held at Yale University in 1998, we have built up an informal network via email to share our common interest.  In more recent years there has been an upsurge of interest both in China and among the Chinese community overseas, as evidenced by the recent documentary produced by China Central TV and related publications, further conferences at Yale and Zhuhai, China, as well as by major exhibitions on the history of Chinese overseas education held in Beijing and in Hong Kong.  We live in different parts of the world, and come from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.  But our common goal is to preserve and to publicize the history of the CEM.

Aims of the Web Site

The main aims of this web site are as follows:

• To gather in one location currently available accurate information about the 120 students;
• To preserve and publicize the historical legacy of the CEM;
• To provide for descendants of the students and other interested individuals a forum for sharing information, photos, resources and opinions about the CEM and related topics.

This is an on-going project and it is our intention to develop and enlarge the site as more information about the students and their times becomes available.  We invite visitors to this site to contribute information about the CEM and its students that is not currently provided in the site.  We also welcome your comments and queries.  You may contact us at webmaster@cemconnections.org

Navigating the Site

A bar consisting of six navigation buttons will be found at the head of each page of the web site, accessing the six sections of the site.

Introduction — the web site’s home page and introductory information.

History — a series of essays that presents a historical overview of the CEM from its inception to its termination, and considers the Mission within the broader context of its importance to the development of modern China.

Students — alphabetized directories of all 120 student names, which in turn link to biographical profiles for each of the students.

Resources — a list of sources in English and Chinese that have been used in the preparation of the historical essays and student profiles, as well as credits and acknowledgments.

Postings— (currently under construction) will provide information and guidelines for viewers wishing to submit comments or other contributions for posting on the site.

Contact — e-mail address for submitting queries and short comments.

Site Policies

Language

The primary language of the web site is English.   Where possible and appropriate, Chinese translations or equivalents of names and terms are included.  For the convenience of the majority of Chinese language users, the Simplified Character system has been adopted for our usage.  In the Romanization of Chinese personal names and place names, we have endeavored to use Hanyu Pinyin spelling wherever possible.  However, when relying on older sources that use Wade-Giles or some other Romanization system, we have kept to the original spelling.  In cases where an older form has become the accepted standard, e.g. "Sun Yat-sen" and "Hong Kong," we have retained it.

Editorial

In the operation of the Postings feature, the CEM Connections Editorial Committee reserves the right to edit, where appropriate, the contents of all submissions sent in to the site and also to determine if they meet its criteria for posting on the web site.

Copyright

All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without acknowledgement of CEM Connections.

Internet Browsers

For best results, view this web site with Safari for the Apple Macintosh, or with Mozilla Firefox for Mac's and PC's. Firefox is freely downloadable for either operating system.  Accessing with Internet Explorer leads to a less satisfactory viewing and printing outcome.