The Commercial Press is the first modern publishing organisation in China.
History
In 1897, 26-year-old Xia Ruifang and three of his friends founded The Commercial Press in Shanghai. The group soon received financial backing and began publishing books. In 1914, Xia attempted to buy out a Japanese company that had invested in the Commercial Press. Four days later he was assassinated. There was much speculation as to who was behind the assassination; no one was ever arrested for the crime. Commercial Press was bombed by the Imperial Japanese Army during the January 28 Incident. The bombing destroyed its headquarters in Zhabei, Shanghai, as well as the attached East Library and its collection of tens of thousands of rare books. At the turn of the century Commercial Press became a major publisher of textbooks. Today it is headquartered in Beijing and continues as an active publishing house of Chinese language learning materials including dictionaries, textbooks, pedagogical texts, and a cultural magazine called The World of Chinese.
Evolution
In 1902 it was set up with a forward attitude toward both Chinese and Western studies. In 1903 it became China's first primary education textbook publisher. It later produced 2,550 secondary school textbooks that became popular in the country. In 1904 it launched the "Eastern Miscellany" with editor-in-chief. In 1907 the press moved to an new plant. In 1909 it launched the "Education Magazine". In 1910 it launched "The Short Story Magazine". In 1911 it launched the "Youth Magazine". In January 1914, the founder of Commercial Press, Xia Ruifang, was stabbed to death. In 1914 it set up a branch in "Hong Kong Museum" of the same year. It also launched the "Students' Magazine". In 1915 it printed the first dictionary. In 1916 it set up a branch in Singapore. In 1921 with Hu Shih's recommendation, Wang Yunwu became the general manager modernising it into a business. The first edition of Zhongguo renming dacidian was published. In 1924 it opened the "Commercial Press Oriental Library". On 28 January 1932, the January 28 Incident occurred. The Japanese aircraft bombed the Commercial Press in conjunction with the Oriental Library. Imperial Japanese army would occupy Shanghai the next day. TCP resumed operation in 1932-08-01. In 1949, TCP's operation was relocated away from China after Liberation Army had entered Shanghai. In 1954, the TCP's headquarter was moved from Shanghai to Beijing shifting the focus to academic works published in the West. In 1993, the separate Commercial Press companies in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia established a joint venture to become "The Commercial Press International Limited." In 2011, the Beijing office was changed into limited liability company. When China publishing and Media Holdings Co.,Ltd. was founded in 2011-12-19, the newly founded company became the parent company.
Subsidiaries
? : Subsidiary of the Beijing branch.
? : Subsidiary of the Beijing branch.
? : Subsidiary of the Beijing branch.
? : Subsidiary of the Beijing branch.
? : Subsidiary of the Beijing branch.
? : Subsidiary of the Beijing branch.
? : Subsidiary of the Beijing branch.
The Commercial Press International Co., Ltd. : Founded in 1993 by The Commercial Press branches in Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur.
The World of English Inc. : Founded in 1981.
The World of Chinese Magazine :
The Commercial Press Ltd.
? : Founded in Apr 2011.
? : Founded in 2011.
? : Founded in Jun 2012.
? : Founded in Sep 2012.
The Commercial Press Taiyuan Ltd. : Founded in Jan 2013.
? : Founded in Nov 2011.
? : Founded in 2009-11-11.
Former subsidiaries
Dongfang Tushuguan/Oriental Library : A library founded in 1925, and was later destroyed in 1932.
The Commercial Press Limited : Founded in 1914 in Hong Kong as a subsidiary of the Beijing TCP. In 1988-06-10, it was incorporated as The Commercial Press Limited. When Sino United Publishing Limited was established, it became a subsidiary of SUP.
The Commercial Press, Ltd. : In Sep 1947, TCP's Fuzhou branch manager Ye Youmei entered Taiwan to plan for the branch. In Oct 1947, TCP bought a wooden and brick house in 37 Chongqing South Road 1st Section for the planned Taiwan headquarter. In 1948, the Taiwan branch began operation. In 1949, the Taiwan branch became an independent entity under the demand from Taiwanese government, and the Chinese name was changed. In 1950-10-10, the company completed registration.
The Commercial Press Pte. Limited : Established in 1916 as the Beijing TCP's Singapore branch. As of 2016, it is a subsidiary of Sino United Publishing Limited.
K. L. Commercial Book Company Sdn. Bhd. : Established in 1956 as the Beijing TCP's Malaysia branch. In 1987, K. L. Commercial Book Company Sdn. Bhd. was registered as a limited liability company operating independently. As of 2016, it is a subsidiary of Sino United Publishing Limited.
