[Jean Rey collection]

A collection of approximately 60 items, consisting primarily of French newspaper clippings relating to China, many of them with a Catholic focus, booklets, and letters (mostly manuscript, with some typescript). There are also printed sheets with information on the Catholic mission in Sichuan, a province in western China. The documents in the collection date roughly from the 1920s to 1950. The language of the collection is French, with some material in Chinese and Russian.

The collection appears to constitute part of the personal archive of Jean Rey (1861-1935), who is the addressee of the letters. Rey was a Swiss-French businessman and engineer. His businesses produced lamps for lighthouses, as well as other electronic and optical devices. Moreover, Rey himself did a certain amount of scientific experimentation.

Most of the letters in the collection are written by Henri Carrière (1881-1943), a physician and Catholic writer. There is also a letter by Jules Crochet, S.J. (Ming Daoyuan 明道源, 1857-1932), who was a missionary in China, and Tcheng Chou (Chen Shu 陳書, n.d.), whom we have not yet been able to identify. At the time that he wrote to Rey (1928), Tcheng was a professor at Chengdu University in Sichuan. It appears that he wanted Rey to send him some kind of trade publications.

Collection donated to the Institute in 2025 by An Bicheng and Hou Lili.

Detailed inventory:

Box 1

Item 1

Folded, printed sheet (27cm x 13cm) with text in Chinese and French. Recto: Facsimile of a Chinese inscription (ti 題) titled "Mulu" 慕廬, written by Kang Youwei 康有為 and dated 1920, 9th month 庚申九月. Verso: Facsimile of a Chinese account (shu 述) by Lou Tseng-Tsiang written no earlier than August 15, 1931 and a printed French translation of this account. Mulu refers to the enshrined tomb that Lou Tseng-Tsiang erected for his parents in Beijing in 1920.

Item 2

Printed sheet (24cm x 32cm) with text in French. Recto: Titled "Vicariat apostolique de Chengtu, Sze, Chine: Exercice 1929-1930." Statistics for the apostolic vicariate of Chengdu for the years 1929-1930, including the number of staff, Catholics, baptisms, etc. Verso blank.

Item 3

Printed sheet (55.5 cm x 39.5cm) with text in French. Titled: "Vicariat Apostolique de Chengtu, Sze, Chine: Exerice 1929-1930". Data pertaining to the number of baptisms, communions, and devotions conducted by missionaries in each district. 

Item 4

Newspaper clipping (28cm x 13cm) with text in French. Titled "De Confucius au Christ: Monsieur Lou" by Henry Bordeaux. Dated March 31st, 1956. 

Item 5

Small booklet, Titled "Homme d'État, homme de Dieu: Dom Lou" by Genevieve Duhamelet. Part of the convertis du XX Siècle collection. Booklet about Dam Lou (譚麓), dated 1871-1949. 

Item 6

Four opened and empty envelopes addressed to Charles Rey, Cherbourg, postmarked Shunking 順慶, 1922-1925 (Minguo 11-14). 

Item 7

Manuscript letter from Henri Carrière, addressee unknown, March 3, 1945

Item 8

Manuscript letter from Henri Carrière to "M[onsieur] le Commandant Rey," March 13

Item 9

Manuscript letter from A. Tcheng [Chou 陳書] to "Monsieur le Commandent" (sic), Chengdu, October 28, 1928

Item 10

Manuscript letter from Henri Carrière, February 27, 1945

Item 11

Manuscript letter from Henri Carrière

Item 12

Manuscript letter from Henri Carrière. Small size paper. 

Item 13

Manuscript letter from Henri Carrière. Medium size paper. 

Item 14

Typescript letter from J. Crochet, S.J., to Mr. Rey, Taizhou, January 24, 1928. 2-sheet A4 size paper (letter color: blue). Jules Crochet, S.J. (Ming Daoyuan 明道源, 1857-1932).

Item 15

Manuscript letter from A. Tcheng Chou (陳書),  May 1, 1928 in Yang-tze. Single-sided, medium size paper.

Item 16

Manuscript letter, July 19, 1939. 1-sheet, double-sided, medium size paper

Item 17

Manuscript letter, Henri Carrière to Mr. Rey, 2-sheet, double-sided, medium size with purple ink

Item 18

Manuscript letter from A. Tcheng Chou (陳書),  January 23, 1924. 1 sheet, single-sided paper with purple ink. 

Item 19

Name card for MICHEL D'HERBIGNY. Half-typescript, half-manuscript. 

Item 20

Typescript article draft in French. 12-sheet, single-sided, purple ink. 

Item 21

Newspaper clipping, in French, Titled "Les Missions catholiques en Extrême-Orient", dated March 16, 1933. 

Item 22

French typescript extrait on missionary, Titled "Aux Écoutes (Extrait) Un Missionnaire". February 5, 1938

Item 23 An envelope of newspaper clippings about China, addressed to Herry Rey. 

Item 23.1 Newspaper clipping (6cm x 12xm)  titled "L'école 'Aurore' de Changhai gardera le français comme langue fondamentale". Dated February 1, 1928. 

Item 23.2 Newspaper clipping (6cm x 13.5cm) titled "La Chine et les mission catholiques". Dated August 18, 1920. 

Item 23.3 Newspaper clipping (43cm x 24cm), titled "Situation Religieuse de la Chine". 

Item 23.4 5 sheets of newspaper clippings (42.5cm x 14.5cm) , titled "Le Culte en Chine". Dated March 3, 1928. 

Item 23.5 Newspaper clipping, titled (13cm x 42cm), titled "Dans la Chine, par le R.P. HUC". 

Item 23.6 Newspaper clipping (12.2cmx52cm), titled "Le Pape et la Chine, Les griefs de quelques 'nationalists'". Dated August 15, 1928. 

Item 23.7 Newspaper clipping (43cm x 18.5cm) titled "Échoes de Chine, textes et documents, testament de Suen-Ya-Tsen". Not later than 1927. 

Item 23.8 Newspaper clipping, (14cm x 50.5cm) titled "Où est Pierre, là est l'Eglise". Dated June 20, 1927. 

Item 23.9 Newspaper clipping in English (7.5, 52.5cm) titled "Holy See and China's Future-Important Message from the Holy Father-Hopes for a Lasting and fruitful Peace". 

Item 23.10 Newspaper clipping titled "Revue de Revues - Sous la tourmente communiste en Chine". Dated September 1928. 

Item 23.11 Newspaper clipping titled "Revue de Revues - Du bouddhisme au catholicisme". Dated September 1928. 

Item 23.12 Newspaper clipping (6cm x 11.5cm) titled "Mgr de Guébriant et les articles 70 et 71". Dated October 14, 1928. 

Item 23.13 Newspaper clipping, titled "Les missions en Chine". Dated October 14, 1928. (19.5cm x 6cm). 

Item 23.14 Newspaper clipping (34.5cm x 13.5cm) titled "La Chine Moderne". Dated October 2, 1935. 

Item 23.15 Newspaper clipping titled "La Chine (suite et fin.), Son passé prestigieux Son vertigineux avenir: Une promenade dans Pékin". 

Item 23.16 Newspaper page from the Cross (14cm x 58cm), titled "L'Ours et le Dragon". Dated April 24 & 25, 1927. 

Item 23.17 Tiny newspaper clipping (7cm x 4cm), no title. Includes one ripped loose leaf of wax paper. 

Item 24 Typescript essay draft, 12 pages, no title. 

Item 25 Letter envelope from Hernri Carrière

Item 26 Manuscript letter from Q, Chang, December 25, 1928. Single-sided, 2 sheets, medium size paper. 

Item 27 Manuscript letter, September 2, 1945. Folded sheet. 

Item 28 Manuscript letter, March 4th, 1928

Item 29 Postcard, Saigon, March 22nd, 1928. 

Item 30 Postcard featuring two cows on a grassy hill, from Henri Carrière, August 10, 1948. 

Item 31 Manuscript letter from A. Tcheng Chou (陳書), June 18, 1928. Written on the stationary of the School of Engineering, Chengtu, West China. 

Item 32 Manuscript letter from Henri Carrière, August 13. Medium size paper, double-sided

Item 33 Manuscript letter, Henri Carrière to Rey, July 13. 2-sheet, double-sided

Item 34 Booklet to Mr. Rey, January 1927. "Annals of the Propagation of the Faith"

Item 35 Typescript "Note sur un projet de fondation Benedictine en Chine". Note on a Benedictine foundation project in China. 3-sheet, single-sided. 

Item 36 Postcard, from Henri Carrière to Rey

Item 37 Manuscript letter, from Henri Carrière. 1-sheet, double-sided. 

Item 38 Newspaper, the Cross, June 25, 1929. "Nos lettres de l'étranger". "Our letters from abroad: China"

Item 39 Printed sheet. "Kiang-Nan confiée aux pères de la compagnie de Jésus". July 1, 1921 and 1922

Item 40 Letter envelop from Henri Carrière to Rey. Two letters contained

Item 40.1 Manuscript letter from Henri Carrière, March 14 in Billy-Montigny, France. 2-sheet, double-sided. 

Item 40.2 Typescript letter to the Abbot Henri Carrière, November 8, 1946. Single-sided, purple ink. 

Item 41 Manuscript draft. 9-sheet, double-sided, marked 17 pages. 

Item 42 Postcard in Arra from the Abbot Henri Carrière to Rey

Item 43 Empty Menu sheetwith the address "Journal  des Demoiselles, 14, Rue Drouot, Paris"

Item 44 Printed and manuscript information about Benedictine monk

Item 44.1 Newspaper clipping about the death of a Benedictine monk. A small piece of paper.

Item 44.2 Extract from La Vie diocèsaine of April 2, 1938. "Le R.P. Dom Jehan Joliet (1870-1937)"

Item 44.3 Manuscript with sidenotes

Box 2

Item 45 Extract from La Vie Intellectuelle, titled "Un rayon d'espérance en Chine". December 1928. 

Item 46 Printed book in Russian, titled "Scientific Notes, Kazakh State University, volume one, Biology"

Item 47 Printed book in French, titled "L'invasion et l'occupation de la Mandchourie jugées à la lumière de la Doctrine Catholique par les écrits du Cardinal Mercier publiés par Dom P.C. Lou Tseng-Tsiang"

Item 48 Quarterly Bulletin of the Work of Saint Peter the Apostle, printed in French. Titled "l'Euvre de Saint-Pierre-Apôtre". New series, no. 19, (Catholic Mission, April 16, 1935)

Item 49 Booklet in Hebrew, titled "Guide for emigrants", Cherbourg Committee for Assistance and Relief to Emigrants

Item 50 Booklet in French, titled "Hiérarchie missions séminaires écoles catholiques en Chine". Published in Shanghai , Printing house in T'ou-se-wa, Zi-Ka-Wei, November 21, 1922

Item 51 Bulletin of Chinese Catholic Youth, in French, titled "Bulletin de la Jeunesse Catholique Chinoise, organe mensuel, de l'Associatio Catholica Juventutis Sinesnsis". Monthly publication of the Catholic Youth Association of China. July 1927, No. 31.

Item 52 Franco-Chinese Journal, titled "Revue Franco-Chinoise" Volume XV-No. 3-3rd quarter 1934. 

Item 53 Handbook in Chinese, titled 「四川將立修院之宣言」 （Declaration on the Establishment of a Seminary in Sichuan). 

Item 54 Journals about relations with China (Nanjing), "Relations de Cine". 

Item 54.1 Quarterly review-26th Year-No. 1, 42, rue de Grenelle, Paris, January 1928.

Item 54.2 Quarterly Reveiw-29th Year-No. 3, 42, rue de Grenelle, Paris, July 1931

Item 54.3 Quarterly Review-30th Year-No. 3, 42. rue de Grenelle, Paris, July 1932

Item 55 Bulletins of Chinese Catholic Youth

Item 55.1 Chinese Youth, Monthly publication Rue des Joyeuses Entrées, 28 Leuven, 8th Year-September-October 1932-No. 93-94

Item 55.2 Chinese Youth, Monthly publication Rue des Joyeuses Entrées, 28 Leuven, 9th Year-April 1933-No. 100

Item 55.3 Chinese Youth, Monthly publication Rue des Joyeuses Entrées, 10th Year-July-August 1934-No. 115-116

Item 56 Bulletin des missions, published by the Benedictines of St. Andre Abbey, Vol. VIII, No. 8, March-April 1927

Item 57 Booklet in French, La Croisade Pour La Chine Booklet, 1923. 

Item 58 Printed sheet, titled "Une lettre du roi Albert à un novice bénédictin". Inside is the scanned manuscript letter. 

Item 59 Two booklets on the Chinese Correspondent

Item 59.1 Le Correspondant Chinois. The Chinese Correspondent, No. 5, First Year, June 1939

Item 59.2 Le Correspondant Chinois. The Chinese Correspondent, No. 6, First Year, July 1939

About Chinese women . [Des Chinoises. English] / Julia Kristeva, trans. Anita Barrows.