This page last updated: June 14, 2023

Les Tribulations d'un Chinois en Chine - 1879

The Tribulations of a Chinaman in China - 1879

[Voyages Extraordinaires #19 - 1 Volume - L'Asie]

Image used with permission from
Project Jules Verne Illustrations by Bernhard Krauth, www.jules-verne-club.de

Bibliographic
Reference
French
(J-M Margot)
Jules Verne
Encyclopedia
Myers
Bibliography
Galagher
Bibliography
 
TC
V020
M55
A46

Alternate English Titles:

    Adventures of a Chinaman
    Tribulation of a Chinaman
    Tribulations of a Chinaman
    Tribulations of a Chinaman in China
    Tribulations of a Chinese Gentleman
    The Troubles of a Chinaman

Plot Synopsis: (courtesy of D. Kytasaari - http://epguides.com/djk/JulesVerne/works.shtml 
Kin-Fo, a well to do Chinese man living in Shang-Hai, is accused by his good friend Wang of not having had any discomforts in his life that would make him appreciate true happiness. When Kin-Fo, receives news that his fortune is lost, he arranges for an insurance policy to be taken out on his life that would cover his death, even by suicide; which he is planning on committing. When Kin-Fo can't bring himself to end his own life, he contracts Wang to do it, by even giving him a letter that will exonerate him of the deed. Then Wang disappears and then Kin-Fo feels much discomfort, especially when he is informed that his fortunes are not lost. He travels around China, hoping to avoid being murdered before the contract expires. His discomfort increases when a note from Wang arrives saying that he regrets not being able to fulfill the contract, so he has turned it over to his old friend Lao-Shen, a notorious character.


Book Collecting Information:
Hetzel Editions:

First Appearance in English 1879
First US "In Wraps" Edition
(See also, next entry)




Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"On September 25, 1879, Lee and Shepard copyrighted Tribulations of a Chinaman, and two deposit copies following on October 17."

is the below listing the above item?


The Tribulations of a Chinaman in China
1880
Boston: Lee and Shepard, Publishers
New York: Charles T. Dillingham.


Translator: From the French of Jules Verne
by Virginia Champlin

in Wraps

On back of title page:
"Copyright, 1879 By Lee and Shepard."

and

"Franklin Press:
Electrotyped and Printed by
Rand, Avery, & Co.,
Boston"

on page after the title page.
"This Translation
is Gratefully Dedicated
to
Mr. FRANCIS A. NICHOLS,
who was an editor
gave me my first literary opportunities."

Ad on inside of cover:
"Uniform with this Volume
A Tight Squeeze:
The Adventures of a Gentleman,
who on a wager of
Ten Thousand Dollars
undertook to go from
New York to New Orleans
in Three Weeks,
Without money or the assistance of Friends.
Cloth, $1.00. Paper. 50 Cents.
Lee & Shepard, Publishers, Boston."

Ed Note: The Boston Globe
Thurs., 28 Aug 1879
"Everybody can get A Tight Squeeze in bookstores, Saturday"

(and ads all the way through Dec 6, 1879)

AND

New York Daily Herald
Mon, 6 Oct 1879
Jules Verne's Chinese Romance
Jules Verne's "Tribulations of a Chinaman in China" has been transalated into English by Virginia Champlin and will be published in November by Lee & Shepard"
and Nov 19, 1879 - Paper cover, 50 cents; cloth, $1.00

AND

in Boston Post, Boston, Sat 18 Oct. 1879
a great ad!

"Wang! Wang! Wang!
Tribulations
of a
Chinaman!
By Jules Verne.
16 mo. Cloth $1.00. Paper, 50 cents.
Translated from the French by Miss Virginia Champlin. Just published in America.
For Sale Everywhere.
Lee & Shepard, Publishers, Boston.
Kin-Fo! Kin-Fo! Kin-Fo!"

Hmmmmm:
Lastly, a vote against 1st edition (EXCEPT for the 1880 date on Title page!):
Boston Post, 16 Dec 1881
The Tribulations of a Chinaman in China
from the French of Jules Verne. By Virginia Champlin, Boston: Lee & Shepard. New York: Charles T. Dillingham. Price, $1.50.

Collection Andrew Nash

First Appearance in English
First US Edition

Cloth binding of above!

The Tribulations of a Chinaman in China
1880
Lee & Shepard / Charles T. Dillingham
Boston / New York

Published October 1879
Translated by Virginia Champlin

Brown, Green, Yellow and Blue cloth

First Appearance in UK
First UK "Serial" Edition

The Troubles of a Chinaman
In: The Leisure Hour
1880 (January 24 to xxx)
Religious Tract Society
56, Paternoster Row, and 164, Picadilly,
London

Printed by: R. K Burt & Co., Printers, Wine Office Court, Fleet Street, London

serial published in 21 parts
Starting January 24 and concluding at end of the year

Pg 55. 71, 93, 104, 125, 137, 157, 172, 186, 200, 217, 253, 267, 283, 295, 316, 330, 347, 362, 376, 394

The 1st chapter with 2 illustrations can be seen here

Chapter 1 continas an interesting footnote by the Editor, in response to the text in the 3rd paragraph:
TEXT, Paragraph 3: "Then be philosophers, be philosophers, and take life as it comes; to-day you run the risk of being choked, tomorrow discomfort departs as easily as this wine. Such is life!"
FOOTNOTE for that paragraph: "The author not only gives accurate sketches of life and manners in the Celestial Empire, bur presents the salient points of the mingles Confucian and sceptical philosophy too prevelant among those who have thrown off ancient superstition. The more we know of China the more evident is the need for the same Divine truth which in the first Christian centuries transformed the pagan world. - Ed. L. H."

Collection Andrew Nash
Bound 1880 Volume

First UK Editon: 

The Tribulations of a Chinaman in China
1880
Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington
London

Published November 1880,
but with Publisher's catalogue dated April 1880

Pictorial Grey-Blue cloth

First US Illustrated Edition:


The Tribulations of a Chinaman
1881
E. P. Dutton
New York

Published in October 1880
Translated by Ellen E. Frewer
Illustrated by L. Benett

Other Editions:
(1880) Tribulations of a Chinaman
nd - published Nov 1879
George Munro
New York

Seaside Library, No. 647

1882
The Tribulations of a Chinaman in China
1882
Lee & Shepard / Charles T. Dillingham
Boston / New York

50 Illustrations
Translated by Virginia Champlin

1883

The Tribulations of a Chinaman in China
1883
Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington
Crown Buildings, 188, Fleet Street
London

Third Edition (on title page)

NOTE the Backward "N" in Chinaman on the Spine..
It is NOT backwards on the earlier Sampson Low editions!!!
Surely this was done òn purpose`, because with Typesetting a backwards N is not just sitting around, without being `Created`!!!
.

1889
The Adventures of a Chinaman
1889
Lee and Shepard
Boston

50 illustrations
Translated by Virginia Champlin
Lee+Shepards "White Black & Gold Series"
(although no mention of this in the book)

?1890?
The Tribulations of a Chinaman
xxxx
Sampson Low, Marston, Low and Searle
London
? circa 1890
Tribulations of a Chinaman
?circa 1890
Sampson Low
London

"Pears' Soap" Plain edition

Tribulations of a Chinaman
?circa 1890
Sampson Low
London

"Pears' Soap" Banner edition

nd

The Tribulations of a Chinaman
nd
Sampson Low
London

New and Cheaper Edition
Red and Blue and Green covers shown

nd


The Tribulations of a Chinaman
nd
Sampson Low
London
The Tribulations of a Chinaman
nd
Sampson Low, Marston & Company Limited
London

with Dust Jacket

Chronicles of the Imp

Ed: unknown what cover is underneath...Onion Dome?

Image courtesy of Dana Eales

The Tribulations of a Chinese Gentleman
1963
ARCO Publications
London

187 pages plus 2 page "Song of the Wang-Pow boatwoman"

0 illustrations

Opposite Title page a list of 28 titles in the Fitzroy Edition (ending with Tribulations!)

First published 1963 by Arco Publications
Copyright Arco Publications 1963

Back of Dustjacket a list of 29 Jules Verne titles
each 12s 6d net
ARCO PUBLICATIONS

Fitzroy Edtion
Dustjacket unclipped 12s 6d net

My copy Royal Airforce, Scampton
Recreational Library

Collection Andrew Nash

The Tribulations of a Chinese Gentleman
nd - copyright 1963
Associated Booksellers
Westport Connecticut

187 pages plus 2 page "Song of the Wang-Pow boatwoman"

0 illustrations

Opposite Title page a list of 28 titles in the Fitzroy Edition (ending with Tribulations!)

First published 1963 by Arco Publications
Copyright Arco Publications 1963

Back of dustjacket an ad for The Fitzroy Edition
Associated Booksellers
Westport, Conn.

Fitzroy Edtion
Dustjacket clipped

Collection Andrew Nash

 
Return to Verne Titles Page
Return
to Jules Verne Collecting Web Page Collecting
©Images copyright Andrew Nash 2011 to 2024
WebPage Design by Puppy Cup Productions