Event Details

WHAT: "The Manchu Bible: Language, Culture and History", an online talk by Adam Ensign, moderated by Michael Aldrich



WHEN: 7-8 PM, May 6, 2026 (Wednesday), on Zoom



ABOUT THE EVENT: In this online talk, Adam Ensign presents the two versions of Manchu Biblical texts produced during the Qing dynasty (1644โ€“1911). The first is a collection of Old and New Testament books translated by Louis Antoine de Poirot, S.J. (1735-1813), and the second is the New Testament translated by the Russian orthodox missionary Stepan Vaciliyevich Lipovtsov (1770โ€“1841) and edited by the British Protestant writer George Borrow (1803โ€“1881). Situating the sacred texts and translation projects within the cultural, political, and religious context of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Adam draws from his transcription of the Manchu Biblical texts in the State Library of New South Wales in Australia and the Toyo Bunko (Oriental Library) in Japan to share intriguing examples of the enculturation of Christianity into a Manchu context.



ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Adam Ensign earned his BA in Biblical research from Central Christian College of the Bible (2005), after which he resided in Beijing where he obtained his MA in linguistics from Peking University (2012) and taught at Beijing Language and Culture University (2013โ€“2016) and Renmin University (2016โ€“2025). While serving as a translator for the Palace Museum (2013โ€“2022), he cultivated interdisciplinary expertise through research-intensive projects spanning Chinese art, culture, and history from the Neolithic age to the present Socialist period. He has explored every major administrative district in China, including Tibet and Xinjiang, and visited countless cultural and religious sites throughout Asia.



ABOUT THE MODERATOR: Michael Aldrich has lived in East and Central Asia since 1992. He majored in Asian Studies at Georgetown University, pursued a master's degree in East Asian-American Diplomatic History at SUNY at Stony Brook, and later took a JD from the Columbia University School of Law. During his legal career, Michael lived in China and Mongolia while advising international clients. After retiring in 2015, he now lives in a rural Taiwan village and is the author of four books on Asia: "The Search for a Vanishing Beijing: A Guide to the Capital of China" (2006), "The Perfumed Palace: Islam's Journey from Mecca to Peking" (2010), "Beyond Water and Grass: A Guide to Ulaanbaatar" (2018), and "Old Lhasa: A Biography" (2023). He is currently writing "Finding Them Gone: In the Footsteps of the Manchus".



HOW MUCH: Free for members of RASBJ. 50 RMB for members of RAS partner branches (London, Shanghai, Hong Kong). 100 RMB for non-members. Alipay may be an easier payment method than WeChat. You can also pay by credit card. Interested in becoming an RASBJ member? Please sign up at rasbj.glueup.cn/org/rasbeijing/memberships/​



HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT: Those who want to attend should click "Register" or "I will attend" and follow the instructions. After successful registration you'll receive a confirmation email with a link to join the event online. If you seem not to have received it, please check your spam folder. Members of partner RAS Branches: Please register 72 hours in advance to allow time for membership verification. You'll receive three emails from us: the first confirming receipt of your registration request, the second requesting payment, and the third confirming receipt of your payment, with a link to join the event online. Please check your spam folder to ensure you see all RASBJ emails.



REFUND POLICY: If the event is cancelled by RASBJ, registrants will be refunded in full.


NOTE: The banner image of the Lord's Prayer written in Manchu is reproduced from Wikimedia

Speakers

  • Adam Ensign (Speaker)

    Adam Ensign

    Speaker

    Adam Ensign earned his BA in Biblical research from Central Christian College of the Bible (2005), after which he resided in Beijing where he obtained his MA in linguistics from Peking University (2012) and taught at Beijing Language and Culture University (2013–2016) and Renmin University (2016–2025). While serving as a translator for the Palace Museum (2013–2022), he cultivated interdisciplinary expertise through research-intensive projects spanning Chinese art, culture, and history from the Neolithic age to the present Socialist period. He has explored every major administrative district in China, including Tibet and Xinjiang, and visited countless cultural and religious sites throughout Asia.

    view more
  • Michael Aldrich (Moderator)

    Michael Aldrich

    Moderator

    Michael Aldrich has lived in East and Central Asia continuously since 1992. After majoring in Asian Studies at Georgetown University, he pursued a master’s degree in East Asian-American Diplomatic History at SUNY at Stony Brook where he was also a research assistant on East Asian Buddhism at the Center for Religious Studies. He later took a JD from the Columbia University School of Law and was licensed to practice law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the State of California, and the District of Columbia. During his legal career, he worked at several large international law firms in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Mongolia specializing in advising international clients on the Chinese and Mongolian foreign investment regimes. He retired from the practice of law in 2015 and now resides in a rural village in northeast Taiwan. He is the author of four books on Asia: "The Search for a Vanishing Beijing: A Guide to the Capital of China" (2006), "The Perfumed Palace: Islam’s Journey from Mecca to Peking" (2010), "Beyond Water and Grass: A Guide to Ulaanbaatar" (2018), and"Old Lhasa: A Biography" (2023). He is currently writing "Finding Them Gone: In the Footsteps of the Manchus", a book on the rise and eclipse of the Manchus in China.

    view more