Zhangyu or Changyu?

Date: 2014-01-21 From: 管理员 Print Font size: LargeMediumSmall


    Just as “Beijing” is pronounced as “Peking” by Wade-Giles Spelling System, Wade-Giles pronunciation of “Zhangyu” is “Changyu”. It is known that Thomas Francis Wade is the Chinese Secretary of the British Embassy in China in the 1860s, while Wade-Giles Spelling System is invented by him to facilitate foreigners’ Chinese learning in 1868. The system generated great influence home and abroad and was applied to many Chinese place names, personal names and brand names. In 1958, after the issuance of the modern Chinese phonetic alphabet, many time-honored brands and well-known trademarks remained their Wade-Giles spelling by the consent of the state.