Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-09-15
CHINESE INSrNCERITY.

| One Of the most prominent features Of the |
Chinese character is said to be the nsincerity
which pervades all classes of their society
In their religion, for instance, although oil
may profess to be partizans Of Confucius,
Lao-tze, and Buddha, yet they in reality re-
ject all faith, and regard the three as equally
good. M. Hue, a French missionary in
China, in recently published account Of his
travels in that country, says that when two
respectable Chinese strangers meet together,
one of them asks the other in complmenta-
ry way to what sublime form Of religion" he
belongs, and upon receiving his answer pro-
nounces an eloquent panegyric upon that par
ticular creed, and finally concludes with the
words, "All religions are good religions are
many; but reason is immutable we are all
brothers" Thus it is that all true religious
sentiment has vanished from the popular
mind. and in the eyes of people worship is
merely an affair of taste and fashion, to which
no more Importance is to be attached than to
the color of their garments
The Chinese have always been remarkable
for their powers of dissimulaton. NJ. Hue
says, in his description of Chinese funeral,
that after the body of deceased person had
been laid in its coffin, the men and women as
sembled in separate apartments, and until the
time comes at which it is settled they shall
grieve, they smoke, drink, laugh and gossip
with such an air of careless enjoyment that a
stranger would suppose they were the most
contented and happiest people in the world.
But when the nearest relation informs the
men that the hour has arrived, their conver-
sation ceases, their faces become lugubrious,
they surround the coffin and the lamentations
begin. The most pathetic speeches are ad-
dressed to the dead every one speaks his
own sorrowful monologue, interrupted by sobs
end eroans and sprinkled with a profuson Of
II Il.,t at ,na1 Al,n
whole scene abruptly changes again, the tears
are dried up, the performers do not even stop
to finish sob or groan, but they take their
pipes, and 10 then are again these incompa-
rable Chinese laughing, gossping and drink
ing tea. The part Of the women is, if posSi-
BILE played with still greater Perfection
Their grief has such an appearance of sim
cerity, their sighs are so agonizing, their
tears so abundant, their voices so broken with
sobs, that notwithstanding the certainty that
the whole affair is purely fictitious repre-
sentation, the beholder can hardly help being
affected by it.
NJ. Hue, in his work, observes that the Chi
nese are not remarkable for the strength
of their affections. AS an instance Of their
general character in this respect, he relates
the following incident:
We were staying with literary man, q
; native of Pekin, who had left his family eight
, , years before to take the Office of schoomaster
in one of the towns of the south. Many con-
versations we had had with the Chinese had
led us to suppose that he was not of quite so
cold and insensible nature as most Of his
countrymen his manners were kind, and he
:. had the appearance of possessing more
warmth of heart than is common here. One
day we were on the point Of sending of a
messenger to Pekin, and we asked him wheth-
: er he would not like to take the opportunity
u of sending something to his family or fr ends.
After considering for moment he said, oh
yes; should write a letter to my old moth
'. er; have heard nothing of her for four years
, , and she does not where l am. Since there is
: such good opportunity it would not be
. amiss if | were to write few lines
Il !, We thought his flial piety did not seem o
= q very fervent complexion; but we merely
. told him that he had better, in that case
) write Immediately, as the messenger was go
II ing off that evening. Directly, directly" he
: replied "you shall have the letter in a few
u minutes" and he called to one Of his pupils
= who was singing his classical lesson in the
- next room probably some fine passages ou
:. of Confucious upon the love that children OWE
~ their parents. The pupil presented himsel
% with the proper air of demure modesty.
-, Interrupt your lesson for a moment" saiC
y the master "take your pencil and write mi
- letter to my mother. But don't lose an.
II II time, for the courier is going directly. Here
~ take this sheet Of paper,"-and the pupil ac
50 cordingly took the paper and set.about wri
.; % ting to his masters mother.
80 The Chinese mostly write their letters upo
fancy paper, upon which are stamped, in re'
.. and blue figures Of birds, flowers, butterhie
Ie and mythological personages. The Chimes
~ character, being always of fine black, is no
- lost amidst these fantastic ornaments.
al When the pupil had left the room with hi
90 sheet OF ornamented paper, we asked thl
30 -, schoolmaster whether this lad knew his mott
NJ er. Not in the least" he answered. g
20 don't think he knew whether she was living
he or had already 'saluted the world"
~ :, I'm that case, how can he write the letter
Pc You did not even tell him what he was
say"
ba Don't he know quite well what to say
~ For more than a year he has been studyin
'"' literary composition, and he is acQuainte
with number of elegant formulas. DO 70
at think he does not know perfectly well how
at son ought to write to his mother?"
il We had nothing to reply to this but W
ci understood Immediately the difference bi
an tween tilial pety, as it is felt and practsed
vn China, and as it is so magnifcently describe
he and commented on in their books.
ON The pupil, obedent to his masters order
No lost no tllne. he Telurneu SOON aterWaT'
,p- with his letter in an elegant envelope, whic
ne he had had the politeness to seal all ready. S
as, that the admirable son did not even give Ain
tu- self the trouble to read the unctuous EXPIRE
EN- sions of tenderness and respect he had az
he dressed to his mother; no doubt he ha
ma known them by heart a long while, and ha
re- himself taught them to the pupil. He wishe
ON however. to write the address with his ow
nd hand which appeared to us rather superb
en Gus for the letter would have done just
well for any other mother in the Celesti
all Empire as for the one TO whom it was addre
lu- sed, and any other would doubtless have fe
la as much satisfaction in the receipt of it.