Early development Pe̍h-ōe-jī

frontispiece of doty s anglo chinese manual of amoy dialect (1853)

the system expounded medhurst influenced later dictionary compilers regard tonal notation , initials, both complicated vowel system , emphasis on literary register of southern min dropped later writers. following on medhurst s work, samuel wells williams became chief proponent of major changes in orthography devised morrison , adapted medhurst. through personal communication , letters , articles printed in chinese repository consensus arrived @ new version of poj, although williams suggestions largely not followed.

the first major work represent new orthography elihu doty s anglo-chinese manual romanized colloquial in amoy dialect, published in 1853. manual can therefore regarded first presentation of pre-modern poj, significant step onwards medhurst s orthography , different today s system in few details. point on various authors adjusted of consonants , vowels, system of tone marks doty s manual survives intact in modern poj. john van nest talmage has traditionally been regarded founder of poj among community uses orthography, although seems promoter of system, rather inventor.

in 1842 treaty of nanking concluded, included among provisions creation of treaty ports in christian missionaries free preach. xiamen (then known amoy) 1 of these treaty ports, , british, canadian , american missionaries moved in start preaching local inhabitants. these missionaries, housed in cantonment of gulangyu, created reference works , religious tracts, including bible translation. naturally, based pronunciation of romanization on speech of xiamen, became de facto standard when moved other areas of hokkien sprachraum, notably taiwan. 1858 treaty of tianjin officially opened taiwan western missionaries, , missionary societies quick send men work in field, after sojourn in xiamen acquire rudiments of language.