The Inventor of the Numeral-Type for China (Classic Reprint)

Constance F. Gordon Cumming

ISBN 10: 1330219090 / ISBN 13: 9781330219096

Published by Forgotten Books, 2018

About this Item

Print on Demand. This book presents the author's endeavor to teach blind and illiterate Chinese people to read and write using a system based on embossed numerals. After being inspired by a vision, the author, a Scottish man working in China, realized that by representing Chinese sounds with numerals, and associating these numerals with Braille symbols, even the most illiterate individuals could learn to read and write within three months. Not only did this system prove to be remarkably effective for the blind, but it also revolutionized literacy for the countless illiterate sighted population, as they could now learn to read and write simultaneously, a task that previously took years to master. The author's dedication and the transformative power of his system have brought the gift of literacy to countless individuals, opening up new possibilities for personal growth and empowerment. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book.

Seller Inventory # 9781330219096_0

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Inventor of the Numeral-Type for China (Classic Reprint)
• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1330219090
• ISBN 13: 9781330219096
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Book Type: print-on-demand item
• Seller catalogs:
  • Biography and Autobiography

About this title

Synopsis

A simple, groundbreaking system helps illiterate Chinese learn to read and write—blind and sighted alike. It explains a two‑stage approach that began for the blind and later opened a wider path for illiterate readers across China, using a numeral-based type that is easy to learn and quick to master.

This book outlines how Murray’s Numeral Type was designed to represent Mandarin sounds through embossed digits and lines, making reading possible for those who could not read traditional characters. It also shows how the invention was adapted with visible black lines for sighted learners, enabling rapid literacy and writing practice in a single method.

• How a simple set of geometric symbols can teach reading and writing quickly.


• The practical impact for missionary work and literacy among illiterate populations.


• The journey from idea to production, including printing challenges and collaborations.


• Differences between the blind‑origin system and its sighted adaptation.

Ideal for readers interested in the history of literacy, education, and the cross‑cultural efforts to spread reading in 19th‑century China.