Yap Goan Ho
Yap Goan Ho | |
|---|---|
| Born | Batavia, Dutch East Indies |
| Died | 1894 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, translator, publisher, bookseller |
| Years active | 1880s–1894 |
| Known for | First Chinese Indonesian to produce Chinese language novels translated into Malay; owner of a printing press in Batavia |
Yap Goan Ho (, passed away in 1894) was a prominent Chinese Indonesian entrepreneur, translator, publisher, and bookseller based in Batavia, Dutch East Indies. During the 1880s and 1890s, he stood out as one of the earliest Chinese Indonesians to own a printing press and was the first to produce Chinese language novels translated into Malay language.[1][2][3]
Biography
Born in Batavia, Dutch East Indies in the 19th century,[2] Yap initially generated income through pork sales before venturing into the printing industry.[4] Around 1883, he acquired a printing press and began securing contracts to produce books for educational institutions and government departments.[5][6] By the mid-1880s, Yap shifted his attention toward the mass market by publishing illustrated Malay translations of Chinese literary works. These editions were particularly favored by the Peranakan community, who spoke Malay but generally lacked proficiency in reading Chinese characters.[1][5][7] He is considered a pioneer in this area, preceding figures such as Lie Kim Hok.[1] Among his most acclaimed translations was The Travels of Emperor QianLong in South China (1883).[2] His publishing repertoire also included educational materials, reference works, religious texts, and Malay-language books printed in Jawi script.[1][6]
In June 1888, Yap inaugurated a Malay-language newspaper in Batavia, serving as its publisher with an Indo editor named W. Meulenhoff.[2] This publication catered primarily to a Chinese readership throughout Java and Sumatra and remained active until approximately 1898.[5]
In October 1891, legal complications arose when his printing operation was temporarily shut down due to allegations of possessing stolen documents from the national printing house.[8] However, Yap held a government contract that justified his possession of those papers. In 1894, he attempted to launch another newspaper titled , but it ceased publication shortly after its inception.[5]
Around 1893, Yap announced intentions to establish a new publishing firm in Semarang, Central Java, though some scholars question whether this venture ever materialized.[7][2][5][3] Despite certain accounts suggesting a later date of death, contemporary obituaries verify that Yap passed away in 1894.[1][2][3]
Following his demise, Yap’s enterprises continued operating under his name. In 1897, they imported laborers from China for their Semarang branch.[3][9][10] By 1901, the company declared bankruptcy and liquidated assets located in both Batavia and Semarang.[11][12] One of the presses was sold to Surakarta for use by a new Chinese printing house; meanwhile, Kho Tjeng Bie took over operations in Batavia focusing on printing translated Chinese novels.[2][13]
Selected works
- (1883, translated version of )
- (1883, rendition of )
- (1890)
- (1893, adaptation from a Chinese short story anthology)
- (24 volumes, 1895-1902, Boen Sing Hoo's translation of Journey to the West () released by Yap)
- (1899)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedSalmon 370-1 - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedWang 2018 - ↑ "De Chineesche Concurrentie". Bataviaasch handelsblad (in Nederlands). Batavia. December 7, 1888. p. 3.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedAdam 66-9 - ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedSalmon 2013 - ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedRiwajat Semarang 164 - ↑ "NËDERLANDSCH INDIE". Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad (in Nederlands). Batavia. October 14, 1891. p. 1.
- ↑ "Nederlandsch-Indië". De Preanger-bode (in Nederlands). Bandung. August 16, 1897.
- ↑ "NEDERLANDSCH-INDIË". De Locomotief (in Nederlands). Semarang. August 12, 1897. p. 2.
- ↑ "Drukkerijen". Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië (in Nederlands). Batavia. October 12, 1901. p. 2.
- ↑ "Drukkerij gesloten". De Locomotief (in Nederlands). Semarang. June 13, 1901. p. 2.
- ↑ "Goede prijzen behaald". De Locomotief (in Nederlands). Semarang. October 3, 1901. p. 2.