Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-11-23
CHINA BY A

In the last number OF the North dHert-
can Reviro there is an excellent resume Of
Chinese literature from the earliest times.
From the gradual translation and publica-
ton OF ancient Chinese books in England,
we are now becoming quite able to obtain
a familiarity with the course Of thought
in that mighty nation from about b. G.
2350-that il, from shortly after the period
commonly assigned to the food down to
the present timu. Confucius, who died
in China about ten years before Socrates
was born in Greece, taught many doo-
trines tina, bear = great resemblance to
those OF the Creek philosopher, but with
this difference: Confucius was Q strong
conservative and full Of moral intuition,
seeking to deducs each truth he taught
from the maxims Of the Ancisnts before
his time, while Socrates belonged rather
to the sksptical school, relying more on
reason. The result 10. that Confucius
writes what he thought worthy Of collec-
ton aud could DO gathered Of the teach
ings OF the wise and good who had pre-
coded him from the remote period We have
named 10 his own day. After him arose
a worthy successor and pupil, Msng-t,s
or Msncius, who, about the time Of Aris-
totle, went about from place to place leo
turing to princes and people, publicly dis
cussing the great question whether and In
what sense and degree it was proper and
possible to love ones nsighbor ~ oneself.
The habit the Chinese have formed Of d.
costing all their literature will enable Us
to trace the history Of their civilization
and philosophy very accurately, and show
how and when each great idea Of politics,
religion or practical philosophy was set
tied as they now have it. 1t must DO BY
utilizing the truths they have and have
long known, and showing them how the
practical and daily practice which our
Christian civilization brings out from tho
same truths give strength and force to
Christian nations, that these people will
be induced to believe in and adopt mod
ern views Of life, morals and religion.
Mencius, for instance, taught clearly that
the good Of the people is to be superior to
the good OF the prince in politics. prin-
ciple long practically lost sight Of BY the
conquering, cruel princes Of the Tartar
dynasty.
At this moment there 10 . greater move
mens going on among the whole Chinese
nation than at any former period. Their
pride and fancied superiority have been
thoroughly broken down BY the manifest
superiority Of Christian nations in arms.
They have lost tho faith, which ever since
the days Of Confucius has been theirs, that
their institutions and civilization were
superior to those Of the rest Of the world.
For many centuries this was true. Down
10 the times Of the Reformation, China
was. seemingly, centuries before Europe
in civilization. But the philosophy Of
Bacon and the spirit Of free inquiry and
political freedom have caused Europe to
grow while China has only grown old.
tt E fleets Of England, France and America
have utterly destroyed the faith Of the
masses Of the people in tho wisdom and
superiority Of their government and rsli-
gion, and Rebellion 10 chronic and univer-
sal in China.
An educated Chinese, named Lin-Ls,
has just got published in London, BY Day
& Co., the History Of the TIPPING Rebel
lion, BY desire Of the Chinese rebels,
who wish thus to present their side Of the
case to the British people, and induce
them no more to interfere in favor Of
the Emperor and against them. He
asserts that the rebel movement COM
msncsd in the TIPPING leader becoming .
Christian, and that this from the first .
grsa. Christian impulse, spreading through
Asia. It is q very important work in this
respect, that it shows q movement going
all over the Flowery Land Of immense i'm
p~ortance. and that an exchange Of ideas
has commenced which will BE- Of the
greatest importance to the whole civilized
world. No doubt many Of the poor Chi.
nese who come over to seek gold in Cali
fornia are Q bad and vicious set. But If
friendship instead Of injustice and abuse
met them, or even If a few missionaries
were to study their books, history and
ideas, and devote themselves to teaching q
few Of them how to teach the rest the use
fulneIs Of honesty, truth and good morals
here, and not to cut of each Others heads
in China quite so freely, We should soon
find tina, We have all much to learn, in our
turn, from their literary men, Of the his
tory and the development Of this most
ancient civilization from principles Of
sound moral reasoning. Probably We
should all find that it 10 not 20 much from
want Of knowledge, a. from not keeping
that knowledge alive BY uniting it with
the daily practice Of the virtues admitted,
which causes nations to crumbls into de-
cay and lose their power and prs-eminence.
The PRHss ON Il PAcIrIc CoAsr.-
The Gan Eranninco Timsa aaaunea IN sta,.