David Crockett Graham

David Crockett Graham (Chinese name: , ; 21 March 1884 – 15 September 1961) was a polymath American Baptist minister and missionary, educator, author, archaeologist, anthropologist, naturalist and field collector in the Province of Sichuan (formerly spelled Szechwan) during the Chinese Republican Era, from 1911 to 1948. He was a 32nd degree Mason, and a past master of the Szechwan Lodge . From 1921 to 1942, Graham collected and sent to the Smithsonian Institution nearly 400,000 zoological specimens, including more than 230 new species and 9 new genera, of which 29 were named after him (see below). From 1932 to 1942 he was curator of the Museum of Art, Archaeology and Ethnology at the West China Union University, which still stands as part of Sichuan University, in Chengdu. There, he taught comparative religions at the theological college, and archaeology and anthropology at the university. He wrote extensively and spent his retirement years, from 1950 to 1961, in Englewood, Colorado compiling his writings and research into three books that were published by the Smithsonian Institution. A fourth manuscript lay in the Whitman College and Northwest Archives until it was discovered by Hartmut Walravens, who edited it and published it in 2018. McKhann refers to Graham as "One of a handful of Western missionaries whose scientific work was respected by other scientists—and of even fewer scientists whose religious work was respected by other missionaries."

Early life and education Graham was born in Green Forest, Arkansas on March 21, 1884 to William Edward Graham (20 February 1841 – 28 March 1904) and Elizabeth Belinda (Atchley) Graham (14 August 1844 – 28 August 1888). His family moved to Walla Walla, Washington when he was a small child, and he grew up there. When he was 4 years old, his mother died of TB, (she herself received a B.A. from Whitman College, 1908, an M.A. from University of Washington, 1921, and became an Associate Professor and Dean of Kansas State Teachers College reflected his growing interest in the Chinese and their religions and was influenced by Eustace Haydon who was head of the Department of Comparative Religions. reflected his ongoing research and studies in China and was subsequently published by the Smithsonian Institution. Graham returned to the U.S. again at the end of 1930. He spent 1931 studying archaeology with Fay-Cooper Cole at the University of Chicago and in the same year received an honorary Doctor of Science from Whitman College.

On his return to China in September, 1932, Graham moved from Xuzhou (Suifu) to Chengdu (Chengtu) and joined the faculty of the West China Union University. There he taught anthropology and archaeology and served as curator of the Museum of Archaeology, Art, and Ethnology where he taught until his retirement in 1948. He also taught comparative religions at the Theological Seminary.

China, 1911–1948 The years that Graham was in China, 1911-1948, were marked by instability and turbulence. They began with the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 (see Xinhai Revolution) while Graham was in transit from the United States and ended with the formation of the People's Republic of China in 1949 following the Chinese Communist Revolution, which concluded less than a year after Graham retired and returned to the United States.

Trackers pulling a houseboat through rapids on the Yangtze in 1913.

Sichuan (Szechuan) in West China was remote from the central government (normally in Nanjing), and required a two-month trip up the Yangtze River to reach Xuzhou. The Western Provinces were ruled by warlords There were revolts in the West when Yuan Shikai declared himself emperor in 1915, and Yunnan Province invaded Sichuan. Xuzhou (where Graham was stationed) is on the Yangtze river near the border of Yunnan and was occupied by Yunnan troops.

Throughout most of this period of time, there were conflicts with the Japanese. The Japanese declared war on Germany early in World War I and had a large contingent in Versailles to participate in treaty negotiations. The resulting Treaty of Versailles in 1919 awarded Germany's holdings in the Pacific, North of the equator, including Shandong, China, to Japan. This led to outrage among the Chinese and to the May Fourth Movement protesting imperialism and instigating violence against westerners. The 1920s was an ongoing period of instability and warlordism. Both Sun Yat-sen and Yuan Shikai died. Chiang Kai-shek consolidated power through the Northern Expedition against warlords in 1926 to 1928, but never really controlled all of China. The Nanking Incident in 1927 again demonstrated Chinese hostility toward imperialist powers. Civil war between the Nationalists and Communists began in 1927, and the Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931. Both of these hostilities continued, and Japan declared all out war on China in 1937. The Chinese Nationalist government was relocated to Chongqing (Chungking) in Sichuan, and many students and faculty evacuated from Eastern Universities were relocated to Chengdu, where Graham was from 1932 to 1948. Chengdu itself was bombed by the Japanese as early as 1938. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union was engaged in military action in Xinjiang. Around 1942, Japan had taken over Indo-China and Burma, completely cutting off western China, except for flights over the Himalayas.

As World War II was coming to a close, the Soviet Union invaded Manchuria. In the aftermath of the War, Chiang Kai-shek was severely weakened, the Chinese economy was ruined, inflation was rampant, and the Communist Revolution was gaining strength. The era of the Republic of China ended on the mainland, and the era of the People's Republic of China began in 1949.

During the years that Graham was in China, there were numerous incidents in which foreigners, and sometimes missionaries or Christians in particular, were the targets of violence. The May Fourth Movement and the Nanking Incident were prominent examples (the Boxer Rebellion antedated his time in China). The Communist's animosity toward Christianity also resulted in killings (see for example, Murders of John and Betty Stam). Graham himself was held captive by Communist troops in 1933, but managed to talk his way out. There was also widespread violence in the countryside by bandits and brigands.

Second term in Xuzhou 1919–1926

Third term in Xuzhou alone 1927–1931

First term in Chengdu 1932–1939, he became the acting secretary of Szechwan Lodge , and spent a week in Shanghai lecturing at the Royal Asiatic Society on "The Customs, Art and Religion of the Chuan Miao".

Second term in Chengdu 1940–1948

In his retirement years (1950–1961) in Englewood, Colorado, Graham was a member of the First Baptist Church of Denver and was a leader in the Social Action Committee. Among other things, he was one of the first to encourage exchanges between the black and white Churches of Denver.

Chinese Name Graham was given the Chinese name (simplified Chinese: , Wade-Giles: Kê Wei-han, pinyin: Ge Weihan), which is a transliteration of Graham. However, there are a number of different ways Graham could have been transliterated. The specific choice of a Chinese name is influenced by the additional meanings of the symbols. In this case, 維 with 漢 has the meaning: Protector of the Han, or Protector of the Chinese People. While there doesn't appear to be any record of the origin of this choice, it seems to fit with his first term in Xuzhou and his humanitarian efforts during the civil war between Yunnan and Sichuan, They are also available in print, edited and published by Hartmut Walravens. and publications on the ancient caves of Sichuan. In early 1931, Graham left Xuzhou to return to the U.S. on furlough, in preparation for taking the position of Director of the WCUU Museum in Chengdu. He spent 1931 and 1932 in postgraduate studies in Anthropology and Archaeology (see Early life and education).

On his return to Sichuan in early 1933, Graham moved to Chengdu and began organizing and cataloging the stored holdings of the museum. His attention was drawn to a collection of Jade pieces contributed to the museum by a British missionary, V.H. Donnithorne, in 1931. These were from Guanghan county where a farmer, Yan Daocheng, had discovered them while digging an irrigation ditch in 1927. Graham decided to investigate and headed up a team with the museum's assistant curator, Lin Min-Juin, to undertake an archaeological excavation. This was the first archaeological excavation of what is now known as Sanxingdui. Graham's preliminary report has since been republished in China both in Chinese and in English. Graham dated the site to 1100 BC and earlier, believed there was a clear link to the cultures of central and northern China, and concluded that there was likely much more to be found in this area. All of this was confirmed by archaeological work decades later. Unfortunately, Graham was unable to do any further excavation himself because of a national Administrative Yuan order in 1934 enforcing the Antiquities Preservation Law, restricting archaeological excavations in China and requiring collaboration with and financing of researchers from Academia Sinica. After that, Graham had to rely more on purchasing artifacts for the museum from antiquarian dealers, without the benefits of proper excavation.

Species named after D.C. Graham D.C. Graham began collecting zoological specimens for the United States National Museum (the Smithsonian Institution) after 1919 and continued collecting in Sichuan and Tibet on his vacations and summers until he left China in 1948. Around the time of his death in 1961, several sources stated that Graham had collected nearly 400,000 specimens from which were identified over 230 new species and 9 new genera. Of those, 29 were named after him. While the number of specimens he collected remains fixed, the other numbers have changed over time. The specimens Graham collected are still being studied, and new species have been named at least as recently as 2009. while by no means complete, is the best overall source. Specimens Graham collected are tagged "D.C. Graham." Entering that (in quotes) for the Smithsonian's search term currently (as of 14 December 2011) turns up 540 taxonomic type specimens of which 348 are holotypes. Careful searches turn up 60 species and a genus (Grahamomyia bicellula Alexander, 1935) named after Graham. But even this is not up to date. Ahrens, in a review of the genus Serica, found 4 new species among Graham's specimens and named one of them after Graham (Serica (Serica) grahami). In a subsequent analysis, Ahrens named 4 more species of Serica based on Graham's specimens. These latter 4 have yet to show up in the Smithsonian collection catalog (access-date 14 December 2011).

D.C. Graham collected primarily in Sichuan around Xuzhou and Chengdu, and on trips to the Sichuan highlands, the West China borderlands, and into Tibet. There was a Rev. John Graham who collected at least from 1900 to 1920 primarily from Yunnan Province, with specimens cited as being from Yunnanfu and Wuding District (Wutingchow). There are a number of species (particularly fish, some snakes and Rana grahami) that were named after John Graham. To say that a species is named after D.C. Graham, the type specimen should have been collected by him, from the areas he collected, during the dates he collected, and be in the Smithsonian. Otherwise, there should be an explicit statement in the publication in which it was named. There are also instances in which specimens are reclassified, resulting in changes in names.

The following are ordered alphabetically by taxonomic classification. For example, Animalia Arthropoda comes before Animalia Chordata. Links to Wikispecies and to the Smithsonian should show full classification and references as well as historical synonyms resulting from reclassifications.

Heteropoda grahami Fox — USNM #1153 Lycosa grahami Fox — USNM #1141 Myrmarachne grahami Fox — USNM #1163 Sigipinius grahami Hoffman — USNM #2678 Spirobolus grahami Keeton — Stenothemus grahami Wittmer — USNM #73893 Carabus (Pagocarabus) grahamianus Mandl, 1975 — Cryptocephalus grahami Gressitt & Kimoto — USNM #80000006 Lilioceris grahami Gressitt & Kimoto — USNM #69985 Platycorynus grahami Gressitt & Kimoto — USNM #69988 Opilo grahami Chapin — USNM #40245 Byturodes grahami Barber, 1941 — USNM #55459 Serica grahami Ahrens, 2005 — USNM Calliphora grahami Aldrich, 1930 — USNM #26865 Conops grahami Camras, 1960 — USNM #64477 Scaptomyza grahami Hackman, 1959 — USNM Lipoptena grahami Bequaert — USNM Homoneura grahami Malloch — USNM #40346 Ormosia grahami Alexander, 1931 — USNM #10403764 Eriocera grahami Alexander, 1927 — USNM #40318 Grahamomyia bicellula Alexander, 1935 — USNM Limonia (Dicranomyia) grahamiana Alexander, 1933 — Fannia grahami Chillcott, 1961 — USNM #64541 Euprosopia grahami Malloch — USNM #43070 Rhagio grahami Malloch — USNM #50571 Tenthredomyia grahami Shannon — USNM #27820 Chrysomikia grahami Villeneuve — USNM Simoma grahami Aldrich — USNM #28930 Tipula (Vestiplex) grahami Alexander, 1933 — Philagra grahami Metcalf & Horton, 1934 — USNM #70201876 Bremus grahami Frison, 1933 — USNM #50123 Leptocimbex grahami Malaise — USNM #56325 Sphecodes grahami Cockerell, 1922 — USNM #24886 Hemipepsis grahami Wahis — USNM #66812 Psen affinis grahami Van Lith — USNM #69074 Siobla grahami Malaise — USNM Tenthredo grahami Malaise — USNM Vespula grahami Yarrow — USNM #67063 Notodonta grahami Schaus, 1928 — USNM #33420 Panorpa grahami Carpenter, 1938 — USNM #52860 Chrysopa grahami Banks, 1940 — USNM #5128 Hemerobius grahami Banks, 1940 — USNM #5148 Agrion grahami Needham, 1930 — USNM Xiphidiopsis grahami Tinkham, 1942 — USNM #3586 Acroneuria grahamia Wu & Claassen, 1934 — USNM #55239 Togoperla grahami Banks, 1940 — USNM #53139 Agapetus grahami Ross, 1956 — USNM #71038 Hydropsyche grahami Banks, 1940 — USNM #53165 Pseudostenophylax fumosus grahami Martynov, 1931 — USNM #43160 Rhyacophila grahami Banks, 1940 — USNM #53154 Stenopsyche grahami Martynov, 1931 — USNM #43153 Potamon (Potamon) grahami Rathbun, 1931 — Microhyla grahami (Stejneger, 1924) — Antiornis grahami (Riley) — USNM #303857 Dryonastes grahami (Riley, 1922) — USNM #257204 Lepus grahami (Howell, 1928) — Diploderma grahami (Stejneger, 1924) — USNM #65500 Melania (Plotiopsis) grahami Chen, 1937 — Viviparus quadratus grahami Chen, 1945 — USNM #334007

Selected publications Walravens listed 178 publications by David Crockett Graham. Following are just a select few. Two of the journals in which some of these were published are the Chinese Recorder (CR) and the Journal of the West China Border Research Society (JWCBRS).

"The ancient caves of Szechuan province." CR 61:432-440 (1930). "Religion in Szechuan Province." West China Missionary News, 1930 June, 20-23. "The Lolo of Szechuan province, China." American Anthropologist, 32:703-705 (1930). "Seven Lolo sacred books." Translated by D.C. Graham, CR 62:575-586 (1931). incl. 3 ill. of amulets. "Bridge for becoming immortals." Translated by D.C. Graham, CR 63:171-177,226-237,301-307,372-382 (1932). "Persistence of custom as illustrated in the collections of Han dynasty clay images in the West China Union University Museum." JWCBRS 6/34:105-106 (1933). 9 pl. "A preliminary report of the Hanchow excavations." JWCBRS 6/34:114-131 (1933). 18 pl. "A late neolithic culture in Szechwan province." JWCBRS 7:90-97 (1935). 1 pl. "Historic notes on the P'o Jên (Beh Ren). The last group of the pre-Chinese Thai people to remain in Szechwan." JWCBRS 8:82-87 (1936). 3 pl. "The hawk-cuckoo (hierococcyx sparveroides) in Chinese tradition and belief." [By] Lin Min Chuin (Translated by D.C. Graham) JWCBRS 8:145-152 (1936). "Archaeology in West China." China Journal 26.1937:4,S.172-174, 8pp., ill. "Excavation of a Han dynasty tomb at Chungking." JWCBRS 10:185-190 (1938) 25 ill. "Temmoku porcelain in Szechwan province, China." Man 38:177-179 (1938). "Anthropological research in West China." Man 39:130 (1939). [Graham was listed as local correspondent of the Royal Anthropological Society.] "Biggest migration in the world in Chinese trek to the West. 40,000,000 people, including more than 30 universities and their students, in mass escape from invasion." Science news letter. 1939: Dez., 373. "The greatest trek in human history." Missions 31.1940:4,p. 206-210. "The religion of the Ch'uan Miao." The review of religion. March 1941,276-289. "The Chengtu School for the Blind, Deaf, and Dumb." West China Missionary News 7/12:149-150 (1942). "New species and genera from the collection of David Crockett Graham in the Smithsonian Institution." JWCBRS 15B:189-200 (1945). "Jidujiao yu xiaoji wenti" 基督教与孝祭问题 [Christianity, Filal Piety and Ancestor Worship]. Translated by Chen Zongwen, 陈宗文译. The Christian Omnibook 基督教叢刊, 10:79-80 (1945). Chengtu: The United Christian Publishers. "Qiangmin de zongjiao" 羌民的宗教 [The Religion of the Ch'iang]. Translated by Zhong Ji, 钟季译. The Christian Weekly 天风, 32:11 (1946). Chengtu: The United Christian Publishers. "Qiangmin de fengsu he zongjiao" 羌民的风俗和宗教 [The Customs and Religion of the Ch'iang]. Translated by Xu Songshi 徐松石译. The Christian Weekly 天风周刊, 78:10-11 (1947). Shanghai: The United Christian Publishers. "Songs and stories of the Ch'uan Miao." Washington: Smithsonian Institution 1954, XI,336 pp. (Smithsonian Institution. Publications. 4139.) "A Lolo story: The greed god O-li-bi-zih by Lin Kuang-tien." Translated by D.C. Graham. Journal of American Folklore. 68:175-199 (1955). "The customs and religion of the Ch'iang (with 16 plates)." Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution 1958. VII,114 pp., 16 pl. (Smithsonian Institution. Publication. 4300.) "Folk Religion in Southwest China. (With 28 plates.)" Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution 1961. Viii,246 pp. (2nd pr. 1967.) (Smithsonian Institution Publication. 4457.) "More Songs and Stories of the Ch'uan Miao." Edited by Hartmut Walravens. Weisbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag 2018. 329 pp. (Abhandlungen für die Kunde des Morgenlandes, Bd. 112.) 葛维汉在华西 ["David Crockett Graham in West China" - Autobiography]. Translated by Bian Simei 卞思梅 and Peng Wenbin 彭文斌. Chengdu: Tiandi Publishing House 天地出版社. 2022. 228pp.

Publications about There have been a few notable publications about Graham in recent years. McKhann and Waxman; Kyong-McClain and Jing; and Walravens; have all been cited elsewhere in this article and appear below in the References section. Additional publications include: