The Royal Asiatic Society was founded in 1823 by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Henry Colebrooke and a group of likeminded individuals. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV in the same year 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. Throughout the course of the Society's history many distinguished scholars have contributed to its work, including Sir Richard Burton (1821-90) the noted explorer and first translator of the Arabian Nights and Kama Sutra and Sir Aurel Stein (1862-1943) the renowned archaeologist and explorer of the 'Silk Road'. The Society is based in London and affiliate societies operate in India (Calcutta, Bombay, Bangalore, Madras, and Bihar), Sri Lanka, China (Shanghai and Hong Kong), Japan, Korea and Malaysia.

RAS in Shanghai
In 1857 a small group of British and Americans seeking intellectual engagement in a city dedicated to commerce established the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society. Within a year the organisation was granted affiliation with the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (NCBRAS) was born. The Society fell into decline following the death of the Society’s first inspirational American president, the Rev. Elijah C. Bridgman in 1861.  However Sir Harry Parkes, British Consul, successfully resurrected it in 1864. The Society’s intent was to investigate subjects connected with China and surrounding nations, to publish papers in a Journal and to establish a library and a museum.