Anders Ljungstedt

Andrew Ljungstedt was a Swedish merchant who lived for many years in Canton, China and is credited with writing the first history of Macau.

Born in a poor family in Linkoping, Sweden, Ljungstedt was forced to drop out the formal education due to lack of money. Since the Swedens neighbor was Russia, one of the greatest powers of Europe Ljungstedt started to learn Russian. After he mastered the language, he went to Russia where he spent the next ten years teaching the children from wealthy families. Upon his return in homeland he was qualified to work as a translator in the Swedish government and served as interpreter for King Gustav IV Adolf during his visit to Russia in 1796. At the age of 39 Ljungsted found an employment in the Swedish East India Company and sailed to Canton in 1789. There he worked as resident in charge of Swedish factory. Swedish main commodities were Swedish iron, steel, copper and timber which they exchanged for Chinese tea, porcelain, textiles and silk. Ljungdtest also started to work on his own account and he made a fortune.

Most of the profit he donated to his native town for establishing a school for poor children. In 1820 the King of Sweden appointed him as the country’s first consul-general in China and awarded him the Order of Vasa. Ljungstedt is also credited with being the father of Sinology in Sweden. The last 20 years of his life he spent in Macao where he was buried.