Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society China 2025

The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society China, Vol. 85 No. 1 (2025), brings together scholarly essays and personal narratives exploring the history, culture, and people of China and Asia, published by Earnshaw Books on behalf of the Royal Asiatic Society China.The cover story, by Chinese photo collector Zou Dehuai, tells the little-known story of Hazel Ying Lee, Katherine Cheung, and Lee Ya-Ching - three Chinese-born women who broke through racial and gender barriers to become pilots in the 1930s, flying in the face of war and prejudice alike. Other highlights include Paul French's account of four decades of junk traffic on Shanghai's Huangpu River, tracing the city's economic and political upheavals through customs records; John Villar's essay on Shanghai as a "patchwork quilt" of clashing architectural eras; and Alan Babington-Smith's investigation into a suspected fake Ming ceramic pot and the historical mystery inscribed on it. Edith Terry profiles legendary Hong Kong antiques dealer Susan Chen, while Lukas Gajdos recounts the China adventures of Central European envoy Gottfried Ernst Ludwig over a century ago. The issue closes with a review of David Daokui Li's *China's World View* and a tribute to the late Tess Johnston, a founding figure of the modern RAS China.