, 1882-06-09
The Chinese on the Pacific Coast.
Az THE EDITOR SAW THEM IN SAN FRAN
CISCO CHINATOWN.

Chinese historians date the record
of their second and only authentic
era with the reign OF a sovereign
named Fai ko Foker, or Great King
Stranger. He assembled the throne
B. C. 1856. He founded a dynasty,
and from that time the nation pre-
served a history and true chronolog-
ical succession of their rulers, The
name of the king implies that he was
n foreigner who obtained the throne
by conquest. Preceding history has
been handed down only by tradition.
The great Chinese history written by
Tso-ma- Chang, B. G. ~, and pur-
porting to be an accurate transcript
of all earlier histories, narrates events
chronologically from the reign of
Hoang-Ti, which commenced b, &.
2697, when he was but seven years
of age. Five of his descendants sue
ceeded to the throne; then came Tai
Tas, followed by Yuti -Tsi-Yeone, b.
G. 2294. The next emperor, Ia Iu,
B. g. 2233, caused canals to be cut
to convey to the sea immense bodies
of water, which, during the reign OF
his predecessor, had been precipitat-
ed upon a portion of China, sub
merging large amount of territory.
The eleventh descendant OF this king
was banished for tyranny. King
Chang Tang came to the throne in
in 1865 B. c., and died thirteen years
later. The Tsin dynasty reigned
from 249 b. G. to 305. This early
Chinese era consisted Of three dynas-
ties, who successively ruled the king
dom of China, whose dominion spread
into an empire, and the aggregate
term of their reigns must have ex-
tended over a long period OF time.
During many centuries, China, like
Corea and Japan, remained sealed
empire, where no possible admixture
OF foreign blood could occur. Until
the seventh century before the Chris
tian era, they were strangers to any
any form of idolatry. Pure Chinese
are race distinct from the idolatries
by which they are surrounded. Chi
ma has her ancient picture writings,
but no ancient idols When the
great pyramids of Menes were built
in the fourth dynasty of Egypt, b.
9. 1890, we find one vast system OF
idolatry spread throughout Asia Dor,
dering ON the Mediterranean, all
worshiping emblems, more or less
types of the sun or solar principles.
China, standing alone far back in the
twilight of history, is a solitary ex-
ception, on the continent Of Asia.
Is it strange that people whose
customs have been handed down I'M
changed through ages should, when
transplanted on our soil, be slow to
assimilate with the body polite in
new nation like America? We see
them on the Pacific coast, whittier
they have been brought for the most
part by spectators for gain, and we
wonder because they are so much
like peas in a pod, and that their
habits and customs should be well
nigh as Interchangeable as those of the
beaver or the honey bee that are said
to build their houses exactly as they
dld a thousand years ago. A glance
at their history explains. 1t should
not be forgotten by those who wreak
vengeance on the Cinnamon, who
they imagine have come to our shores
greedily seeking to root out laborers
here, that very few il any of them
come as individuals seeking fortune
The poorer classes of them in their
own country are little better than
slaves, and are subject to the beck
ard call of those over them, who can
MI al order for so many of them as
fisherman would ship so many sar'
aines. 1t is a matter Of Indifference
70 the Chinese government whether
they 90 or stay. AS Il matter Of fact
few millions of them could be
spared and hardly missed The Chi.