The New York herald., 1868-05-27
CHINA AND CHINESE.


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The Literature and Art Of the Middle King
dom-Oriental Modes OF Thought as Com.
pared with Eur0poan-PrOverbs of the
People as Illustrative of Their Habits Of
Thought-How a Mandarin Curses.
The study OF the manners and morals and modes
OF thought common to the people OF the Middle King
dom reveals many points OF similarity to those OF the
Hindoos and the races OF Southeastern Asia in
general, with the exception Of one or two OF these
races which have heretofore proved remarkable for
military prowess Notwithstanding the fact that
agriculture Is particularly encouraged the subjects
OF the fve-clawed dragon have always been a COM
mercial people, and are in fact commercial In their
ideas and instincts. For several centuries
and, in fact, since the first attempts of
European diplomacy to open tho ports
Of the East to free trade the great obstacle In the
way of tolerabe freedom of intercourse have been the
Jealousy and extortlon of the mandarlns, who have
pretty well controlled the OF the dragon In his
foreign diplomatic relations; and though the entire
instincts Of the people have been commercial there
has been on the part OF tho government general
disregard OF these instincts and of the true theory of
political economy as based upon the geographical
position and resources of the kingdom. The inter-
course with foreigners consequent upon trade rea-
tions has, however, had the effect to disabuse
the minds of considerable of their national
prejudices, most of which may be dated
from the advent Of the Hon. Ansen Burlingame as
Minister from the United States and OF Sir Frederic
Bruce English British Minister at Pekin. More
accurate knowledge Of the topography OF the coast
has also developed the fact that line Of seashore
OF the same length in the world Is furnished
with so many excellent harbors and with so
many facilities for commerce. aud no reason can be
assigned why the Middle Kingdom should not with
proper treaties become one OF the wealthiest CON-
mercial nations in the world. Latterly also, the
government has manifested q laudable inten-
ton to be just to the barbarians, as all
foreigners are termed, somewhat N imta:
ton OF the Greek national egotsm, and
in one or two instances, as in the case of
the FormOsa murder active measures have been
part OF this aDatng Of the national prejudice has,
douotedly been due to the education Of numbers of
the higher classes abroad, some few mandar ms hay
ing graduated in institutions in the United States,
with more or less credit to themselves. AS O rule
the natives learn languages with facility and man.
language with more or less facility. Another cause
has been the emigration of considerable numbers of
natives to California and their frequent return to
bring back their wives, mothers and fathers to
this country; though no native is permitted to
leave the imperial domain without taking all
proved that the relatives in question have sum-
cent property to take care Of themselves and could
in no wise become burden to the State. This regu-
lation amounts, OF course, to an approximately POSI-
tive prOhib ton Of all emigration, though means
ore often found to evade 1t. Slight as has been this
knowledge OF the true strength and civilization of
European races among the natives at home, 1t has,
nevertheless, proved more efective than all the
dipomacies OF Europe; and, in this regard, 1t may
be said that California has done far more to en-
Tighten the races OF the Middle Kingdom as to the
comparative fallacy and weakness of their civi-
cation than have all the countries of Europe put
gether 1t may be said, therefore, that to extent
loosened OF its hold upon che popular imagination;
that the race Is in the inception Of that transition
awsS e oS M s
OF thought and feeling and that the day is not fur
distant when this most remote of ali Monaghan
races from the European civilization will have put
on Its garb and adopted Its customs. 1t Is mistake
to suppose that because the Oriental civilization has
entail mind is wanting In 1exibility. On the other
hand, these races are q rule remarkably initiative
advantages Of the Inao European culture over their
own; and already Tartar Turkey fingers upon
so n ss q
manners and customs OF the MongOlian races may
be expected even from this limited contact with
0tner phases OF civilization better adapted to develop
tie resources OF q country and more liberal in Its
culture and modes OF thought; and out of these
must spring new literature which cannot but super
sede the old or the present literature OF the Cees.
tias In fact the less said In praise the better unless
developed In his essay on MiltonOvis. that ara. a.
gons gory0ns and weird superstitions are neces-
sary clements OF poetry, and that to appreciate
imaginative literature necessarily presupposes
certain unsoundness OF mind. The elements OF
Mongolian poetry are made up in large degree OF
~
Mongoan races are far more material in their imag-
Ings than are the Semitic races. in the literature
fairies and gen though hardly less OF tasinans and
anules; In that OF the latter genii constitute the
principal imaginative stock. The former deals with
grotesque distortions OF the natural the latter with
the supernatural, which, to the Imagination OF the
Arab, is forever manifest not in the natural ITSELF
sane peculiar distinction Is Inherent i'm
the art Of both stocks-that OF the Sc
ndtic races having a vaslness and sublimity OF
Al. nkQn in 4
Constitution vi the former. Weird dragons monster
bats aud distortions aud exaggeratons OF natural
phenomena form the materials through which the
Monaghan Imagination reflects itself; while the
Semitic imagination creates Its seraphs, its hours
invested to q greater or less extent with human
attributes. or the two the latter is more IDEAL and
the Tor former more grotesque The latter has elements
the distinctive instinct Of the beautiful; the former
constitutes the elementary basis OF a certain gro.
In most OF the conceptions OF Gustav bore and
his imitatOrs Both diIrer from the European
Imagination proper In essential respects-the Euro
pea basng lis art Instinct rather upon the ideaza-
tlon Oh the natural than upon the realization of the
supernatural which Is Semitic or the realization Of
other words, both In art and literature, well
In logic, the European mind Is inductve while that
Of the literature and art OF the former but three In
dividual exceptions can be pointed out, viz, Poe
and the latter in art. The creations OF these three
approximate to the oriental In quality, being based
upon essentially the same instlnct-the realization
oil the groteSque and supernatural In art form.
In the drama OF these races the dragons and mon
ster bats and toads OF theirs mostly disregarded
except la their farce, which is clumsy and wanting
In comic or satlrlca point. The dramas (natve) IN
vogue In the Middle Kingdom are almost without |
exception based upon historical Incidents and con-
stute IN their body very fair dramatic history OF
the several dynasties. They are mostly Of aegorlco
moral purpose, are clumsily constructed and gener-
ally ineffective. The race not In TACT, essentially
In its sinstncts as II might be supposed no
rnce could be, the instincts Of which essentially
opposed to the true dramatic purpose. Farce for the
drama FOR The European. These are the natural dc.
ducttons OF the mental habits OF the three as dis
the one rom the other; and these mental
habits are but the logical results Of their differences
In mental constitution.
That these essential NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. dis |
tincuons OF period OF development nor OF stage |
civilization, but OF natural tendency-might be
dered obvious by n more minute review and analvsis