The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-23
SOME CHINESE PARADOXES.

reason Why China Atands sIll.
New York Post: To those who are
,,t.re,ted in the study OF character. the
chinese AFFORD fascinating and perplex-
,nr problems. It Is favorlte conce2-
,on of modern ethical writer's that ev-
rry man has universe in which he ha-
iJtually lives; but what complicated
and obscure realm that must be in
which the Chlnaman dweIls! It Is only
those who have read about him, or who
have seen but little Of him, who think
,bsy understand him. Those who have
devoted years TO the study find him be-
N'IIderlng and battling, and even mod
srate observation sufiiees to disclose
sone OF the difficulties of the subject.
one naturally thinks himself on safe
grouuds in describing che Chinese as
Tactical. Certainly, no one ever dream
I'd OF calling them idealists. The ev-
crvdaV facts OF life are viewed by
,ben without romance or illusion. The
Gread-aad-butter philosophy Is the one
tRat makes quickest appeal to them land
,be entire discipline of life In so over
crowded a country sharpens the atten-
don paid to the most practical consider
atoms, With hundreds OF millions OF
population, the question always upper
most is how to sustain existence on the
smallest amount OF food and fuel, and
how 10 obtain that modlcum OF these
Yet experience Of life In China will
tempt one to exclainl. was there ever a
more unpracticable people! Pekin, I'M
ike other Chinese cities. has a system
NJ seIers-an antiquated system, OF
course. These sewers are open, and II
& no unusual thing for persons to be
drowned in them on dark nights, They
nave no adequate outlet. and are period
ically Inspected by committee OF oth-
cIals, who at one point see o man de-
scend into the sewer. and then, proceed
ing to another point, see q man SINH
Iarlv dressed come up from the sewer,
who reports to them that he finds the
entire system IN perfect order. No one
Is really deceived. but official decorum
Is observed. and "tace"-the universally
and significantly coveted appearance by
which self-esteem Is conserved lndepen-
IDENTIFY Of the reality OF things-is salts
factorlly sustained.
The roads Of North China are in
vretchedly neglected condition. The
travellers cart often disappears from
view, the roadway beInU worn far be
low the level OF the adjoining fields. II
two carts chance to meet In such de-
preston, hours may be consumed in the
angry alteration of the drivers, each
insisting that the other should back out
Hating by the roadside one day TO
eat our midday luncheon, we were met
BY an old man on foot, carrying fes-
ICONS OF paper money, which Is manu-
Iactured in immense quantities to burn
AT graves. Our missionary friend. OF n
keen and socratic mind, engaged the
rustic in conversation, and soon had
rim admitting that there was no wis
dom In thus providing the departed
with spending money. But, he re-
marked seriously, 1--WE all do 1T" Our
friend resumed his argument, more TO
furnish us a study.thnn in hope OF prac-
deal result, and soon had his interloeu-
tor laughing in shrewd appreciation OF
the thrusts at his impractical procedure.
But" said the old man conclus!vely.
eve have always done It" and he
trudged on to accomplish his task.
These two sentences express with abso-
lutte fidelity the contradiction between
the practical temper Of the Chinese and
their inveterate prejudice for the pre-
scriptIons OF antiquity.
We are accustomed TO think OF the
Chinese as a scholarly people, and there
Is substantial ground for such a char
acterizatIun. They ore unique among
the nations In making education the
sole avenue OF political opportunity; IN
their reverence for their classic iitera-
ture. In their admiration for literary
style stepped In classical allusion' In $he
passionate ardor with which men will
attempt the examinations year after
year, even until old age brings an hon
orary degree in consideration OF the life
long effort. Their literature itself Is
unique in Its serious tone and its con-
tanning no passages offensive to q fas-
t!dious purity.
Yet tue Chinese cannot be regarded as
nm educated people in any modern sense
OF the term. Their mental powers are
not exercised upon the current prob
lens, whether practical or philosophical.
Their system OF teaching depends un-
duly upon memory and gives abnormal
development to reverence for tradition.
Il Is suggestive OF the system that IN
Chinese schools the pupil when recitlng
stands with his hack TO his teacher, the
reason being fear lest he may read from
the book In the teachers hand. For the
first four years OF school life the boy
learns simply By rote. no attempt being
made to explain to him the enigmatical
sayings which he studies In loud sing
song and recltes mechanically. AS the
majority have to leave school before the
end Of these years. they have absolute
~ nothing 10 show for their pains, Much
Of the lnterpretative teaching OF the
more advanced years is scarcely more
enllghtening.
The scientific spirit seems utterly alb
sent from Chinese scholarship. No ut
tempt worthy OF mention Is made TO CO.
ordinate familiar phenomena. How the
sun gets back in the east In the morn
!ng is ! perpetual puzzle. Cobwebs
floating In the air are said to be teath-
crs Of birds dissolved by flying too high.
The practice OF medicine "a lamenta-
BILE system OF childish emplrlcism. In
which the elaborate feeling OF the pulse
in both wrists and both ankles is a
prominent feature. II Ia not customary
10 give one physician charge o. an en-
tire illness, and It Is not IN accordance
with professional etiquette FOR the ply
Stefan 10 make q second call without
being especially summoned Usually.
the doctor Is given one thwack Mt the
disorder; II that fails to finish Il. anoth-
or Is summoned to trF his hand. One
might about as safely lntrust serious
illness to children playing doctor" as to
Chinese physicians
1t Is not considered good form to dis
cuss events occurring during the pres
ent dynasty; this principle has been re-
Eardcd as applicable TO the history OF
:orelgn nations: not unn1turally since
Annual sOiOO over 1000 600 so10o