377. The Founders’ Homes and Chinese Cultural Elements in Colonial North America

 

Readers of this blog and Dr. Dave Wang’s publications have learned the hard facts of Chinese cultural influence in colonial North America. With this post I want to demonstrate specifically where you could find Chinese cultural elements in colonial North America.

Actually, there are many places one can find them, however you will be amazed that one can find Chinese cultural components in the three homes of the founders.  The first one is Benjamin Franklin’s printing shop in Philadelphia.  It was in his printing shop that Franklin published Confucius moral teachings in his widely circulated Pennsylvania Gazette . The Second is Thomas Jefferson’s main building in Monticello. Jefferson installed Chinese railing on the top of this building. The third is James Madison’s home. He hung Confucius portrait together with some Western saints in his home. In this library he had a copy of Ta-Hyoh (Daxue, GreatLearning) one of the four classics of Confucianism.

From the Chinese civilization in the founders' homes you will further understand the founders' efforts to obtain insights from Chinese civilization in their efforts to build a great nation in North America.