The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-07
MoNooLlAN NovELIsTs.
Tho Chinese Writer OF sonsat 'onai staries
and tho Confucianists.

Tho Chinese Writer OF Sensational Staries
and tho Confucianists.
The writing of this class Of literature
began in the thirteenth century, and con-
tinued to DO q favorite occupation of
Chinese writers for about three centu-
RIGS. After this it was felt that enough
had been provided, and tho production
almost ceased. Tho authors concealed
their names Tho moral teaching of
the Confucian school was too powerful
for those who loved to give roign to
their imagination in novel and play
writing to DO ablo to venture ON pub
licity. 1t WAS never with the consent
OF the always dominant moral phiioso-
piers that novels grow to the position
of influence they now possess in China.
This hostility. says the North China
Herald, has by means ceased. Quito re-
comfy thoro appeared in Chinese
newspaper paper written by an an
nonymous Confucianist against novels.
Ho is deeply impressed with tho need
of continuing tho crusade against licen-
tious literature and romances com
monced by one Chion during tho last
century, whom no founded a school in
Soochow for tho promotion of tho
healthy study of tho classical books
He held that novels are now so preva-
lent that thoy amount to fourth estate
in tho realm OF teaching, tho Confucian,
Buddhist, and Taois literatures being
tho first, second, and third. But instead
OF intoxicating virtue they lead mon into
vicc. Every ono reads them or hears
them read, and it may DO questioned
whether tho moral influence for evil Of
Chinese works Of Imagination is, ho says,
not greater than that of tho books Of
tho three religions for good. They sug-
gcst to young men that they should lead
liccntious life, and represent killing u
man as noble action. TO read of these
things produces disastrous results on
public morality Tho many cases Of
crimo in the courts and tho number of
those who adopt n robbers career are
duo to the effect of Chinese novel read
ing.
This author was followed by Shih,
who set tho example OF establishing n
paper burning urn in his family court
Into this urn went all novels and every
sort of vicious literature on which he
could lay hands, and especially tho
blocks from which they wcro printed.
For these he made wide search, in the
hopo of cxtinguishing the evil ut its
source. In order to find money to buy
them up, no first used his spare funds,
and then sold clothing, and oven his
wifc's ornaments, in order that the
work of destruction might DO more COM
plete. Othors OF influence In Soochow
followed these examples; they created a
public opinion, and tho consequence
was that representatives OF sixy-five OF
tho most respectable firms went to-
gcthcr to tho city temple, burnt Incense
and made q VOW not to engage in the
trado in immoral books An Office was
opened in tho Confucian temple OF tho
magistracy for buying up tho blocks OF
all Immoral books, including novels.
There was an immense destruction of
this literature in Soochoow, so that ii
became hard to meet with vicious pub
locations. This was. however, nearly
half u century ago, ind tho OWL rose
again. Twenty-Five years ago tho then
Governor OF tho district issued IL new
proclamation rciterating tho order pro
hibiting immoral publications..
At the present timo tLcrc is flood OF
books with Il bad influence. Such read.
ing as they furnish has moro influence
in leading young minds wrong, says the
Confucianist writor, that all tho in
Gucnco on the sido OF right or tho teach
ing of the sagca Tho foreign reader
of Chinese books of an imaginative X ind
can not condemn them indiscriminate-
ly, because they contain beautiful char
actors, both Of men and women, which
exhibit IN admirable idea OF bravery,
iilial pioty, purity of life, loyalty and
other noble qualities. But thcro can bo
no doubt Of the bad influence OF many
of tho native books which familiarize
the minds of tho young with scenes oil
vice, and hold up successful crime &c
sympathetic admiration. 1t must also
be remembered that whatever evil thorc
may be in tho actual life of tho Chinese,
they have among them tho firm friends
of high morality. Tho National con
science and the National literature alike
testify with unfaltering voice to tho
duty of every one TO be moral. just and
humane