An Introduction to John Fryer's Theories on Translation into Chinese: Records of the General Conference of the Protestant Missionaries of China

John Fryer (1839-1928) was one of the most prolific foreign translators in China during the second half of the nineteenth century. The purpose of this article is to present in detail the theoretical background of Fryer's activity as a translator: the paper analyzed can be considered a summary of Fryer's work for the Jiangnan Arsenal and of his theories about translation into Chinese. The four parts of Fryer's speech will be examined and its implications on his translation activity will be stressed; the author of the article will point to recent interpretations and the latest studies as references to analyze the theories put forth by Fryer. The author hopes his work can represent an instrument for researchers of John Fryer and, in general, the translation activities that took place in the framework of the phenomenon known as Xixue Dongjian 西學東漸.