The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-13
HISTORICAL VIEW OF ANCIENT CHINA
Its Political and social COnditiOn-The
Feudal Monarchy In Asia.


Translated from the "dustand"
In his last report on the new publications of
European oriental scholars, julius Mohl, the
permanent Secretary of the Asatc Society of
Paris, notices with high appreciation the re.
searches of Mr. T. Plath of Munich, which have
been published in the Memoirs of the Academy
of the latter city. Among them must be par.
tcularly mentioned his inquiries concerning the
condition of Ancient China. A superficial his
torical knowledge only could make the Chinese
the laughing-stock of other nations. Our
knowledge of the Chinese was commonly limited
TO their tails, their buttons, and their ceremo.
nial prescriptions. China became proverbal on
account of the seeming absence of all progress,
but we forget that this nation possesses civili-
zation which dates back thousands of years;
that 1t was everywhere surrounded by savage
tribes, and tnat before the Immigration OF the
Buddhlsts they were Indebted to no foreign
nation tor any of Cher intellectual progress as
from their geographical position they were
under the necessity OF inventing themselves
whatever they were in want OF. Mr.. Path
justly observes that alongside OF this Chinese
civilization, which is four thousand gears old,
the empires of Persia and of Rome appear
rather OF transitorY character.
During tour thousand years China always
remained monarchy, under two different forms
"a feudal monarchy il antiquity and an abso-
lute monarchy since Thsin Chi Hoang.ti (22I
consequently since over 1000 years. Before the
foundation OF this absolute monarchy there were
only three dynasties, and it is the social and
political condition of China during that period
which Mr.. Plath has eudeavored to describe
He assigns to the Emperor Yao with whom the
authentic history OF China begins, the year 1857
b. O., and to the Emperor Yu the founder of
the first dynasty, the year 2205 Ancient China,
therefore, fills period OF 1000 years, or just the
same lapse of time as New China under the
absolute monarchs.
The Chinese rniUratad aonoa uhora ohout a1nn
to 5000 b. Q. from the slopes OF the Kunlu to
their actual abode. According to ancient &C
counts they are SAID not to have numbered more
than hundred families, which formed rude
society, having no knowledge of the use of fire,
and dressed In the skins OF wild beasts. These
statements may be either doubted or accepted;
but at the moment when authentic history
begins, we find the Chinese to have already con-
structed csnals and cultivated slkworms.
Mr.. Plath's opinion, which deserves credit, Is
that the Chinese spread and expanded, not by
means of conquest like the Romans, but rather
like the North Americans, who pushed the red
man more and more towards the West with
this great difference, that those who were driven
In China from their original seats, were not
entirely destroyed, but gradually blended and
commingled with The invading conquerors. Mar
riages of emperors with barbarian princesses
are mentioned, SO that there cannot have existed
an aversion against intermarriages, such as
existed in ancient India.
Rome was not built up in one day. neither
must 1t be imagined that the Chinese Empire
possessed its present extent thousands OF years
ago. The island OF Formosa was incorporated
only under the Mandshou dynasty in che year
1858 OF our present era. Yunnan in the South
west was conquered by the Mongols in 1866 A.
ID. Southern China was united with the Empire
in 2l4 b. G., when the great Tying Shlhoang
conducted there 100000 settlers. Old China
comprised only the present northern and middle
provinces; 1T had existed a thousand years
before it arrived at the Yang-tse- -Kiang, and an.
other thousand years passed before lit reached
the South or China Sea-
At the beginning, the Chinese lived like back
woodsmen. They cleared woods and dug canals
and drained marshes. BY the seducmg exam
pies of higher well-being, they attempted to
tame their wild neighbors, trusting to the wise
princlple:-"First to that which is right; sub
mission will follow OF ITSELF"
The long duration OF the old dynastes mus
necessarily astonlsh when compared with the
many changes and final extinction OF European
reigning families. But in China, although mo
nogamy was the prevailing custom, the child
less husband was allowed to take a second anC
third wife. No doubt this caused many incon
veniences by giving origin to palace and haren
intrigues, and to the uncertainty OF succession
This political danger which in MahommedaI
countries brought about the frequent change
OF dynasties, was to great extent modified il
China by the unlimited and almost divinel
respected paternal power. There are in tn
Chinese history examples of princes who volun
tarily gave themselves up to the murderer
whom their own father had hired in order no
to thwart his will. In China the iather alway
exercises the right of father, although his so
may become an emperor, and he himself be
criminal. Respect towards aged persons wa
always observed, and Mr.. Plath lays great stres
upoL the fact that in the Chinese language theI
are particular words Tor distinguishing the olde
from the younger brother. The Prime MinistC
for a long time was not called otherwise than tb
''Old of the Empire"
The relations between the monarch and hi
people were completely based on the idea of tn
limited intellect of the subjects. Confucius a
admirer of absolute government, declared :
''The people must receive orders without beiu
given any reasons for them" But alongside {
such opinions there were others which insiste
upon the respect of public opinion in cases {
punishment or the election OF functOnaries
An intrepid Minister one day declared befol
the monarch:-"It IL more dangerous to sh
the mouth of the people than 10 dam up waite
which then overhows and causes damages
man; in the same way, as it is more prudent
better to let the people speak freely" II
Emperor, with Heaven and Earth, framed Il
holy triad. The Chinese recognized in him n
only the father of his people, but also their
yooiber 80 = y
The annals of ancient China begin with Il
Emperors Yao and Shun; for. according to NJ
Plaih, the older names are TO be considered
unhistorical. Yao, the first Emperor, transfer
the succession to his throne and the co-:egen
upon his first Minister and son-in-laW, Shu
who had been pointed out to HIM by the peoI
as the most worthy; he left the crown to his {
regent, Yu, and only with the son of Yu XII t
Throne became hereditary, and he must be &C
sidered as the founder of the first dynasty-t
Hia, But we know very little In regard to I
first and the second dynashes. III may be
garded as proof OF the high civilization OF I
Chinese in those days, that che Sse.k .kung, or n
z utclionary OF the Empire was designated