The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-01
THE CHINESE CHARACTER.

THE CHINESE CHARACTER.
We know of no national character about
which there is so much dispute as that of
the Chinese. They have been profoundly
studied by able men who have given their
lives to the pursuit, but the result is not
q consensus, except upon two points, that
they are incurably conceited, and that
even among Asatics they are exceptionally
calious The Chinese are no more moved
by human suffering even among their own
people than the animals are. No China
man cares if Il famine breaks out near
him. or is shocked if another Chinaman is
tortured, or will exert himself against his
own interest TO prevent suffering to any
other human being. And no Chinaman
ever forgetS or questions that he IS a mem
Der OF the supreme civilization OF the
world-indeed, OF the only one TO which,
in his judgment, that great term in its
original meaning can be fittingiy applied.
Upon these two points there IS no doubt
among observers, or was none until the
Japanese war shook even Chinese self
confidence, but upon every other there is
a violent conflict of opinion. Some, eS-
pecially those who judge solely from living
among them. hold the Chinese to be de-
cidedly inferior people with a low and
cumbrous civilization, wholly unable to i'm
prove, and enduring a distinctly evil rule
because they are too imbecile to make il
better. The same men, with few excep-
tons, consider the Chinese towards, be-
lleVe them to be slaves TO Singularly feeble
supersttions, and think they would be
immensely benefited by even inferior Euro
pean rule. They describe them as vicious
IN all ways to a degree which in Europe
would dissolve society, corrupt in the mat
which the modern world has ex-
perienced, and swing to their de-
votiou 10 personal interests. incapable of
large combinations. The same observers,
when inferior persons, are universally
struck with something comic in China
and its people-they have the same feeling
about animals, the cause in both cases be-
ing that there is always something unac-
countable in their ways-and this feeling
has diffused itself in Europe, producing a
contempt which. though sometimes kindly,
Is never tolerant. In England especially
the idea OF Chinaman is that Of a buff
Toon in a piStafl who dances, as IN Ten
niel'S cartoon. because he has cheated a
European Ambassador. These however
are not the views Of those who used a few
years ago to be called "Sinologues" the
cultivated experts in Chinese literature,
history, or politics, These men maintain
almost with one voice that the Chinese are
a great people. with a civilization which
was once energetcaIiy progressive though
it is now arrested, and which still holds a
fourth of the human race in an orderly
contentment; that they possess a DhlOso-
ply of their own which though strangely
secularist. sets before them ideal rules of
conduct, and which has penetrated deeper
than any philosophy has penetrated into
any other race; and that the extraordinary
difference which Europeans perceive be-
tween them and every other people is in
part fancy. in part q result of pecuia:
artistic notions, and in part a consequence
Of the civilization having captured even
the uneducated so that there is n perpet-
uai and amazing as we'll as amusing con-
trast between the TnaNims they profess and
the conduct they pursue. 1t is as if the
roughs of London had been bred to talk
like cucates, yet acted all the same after
the manner Of their kind. Some SinOlosues
even deny that the Chinese are exception
ally treacherous, believing that though
suspicious. they are when once they con-
fide as faithful as any other Asiatics, and
quoting in proof of their assertion that
they are rathen punctiliously honest in
business. The Chinaman lies till the bar
gain is concluded but he will then keep it
even to his own hurt. They deny that cor
ruption in Office is universal or even worse
than it is among Ottomans. Persians. or
Russians, and maintain that instead of be-
ing without patriotism the Chpaman has
high sense of patriotic pride often lead
Ing him. as 1t leads F'renchmen. to I'M
reasoning dislike and scorn of the for
eigner, but still acting as a very strong
motive power. AS to his faculty for com
bnaton, they point to the secret societies
which he maintains in all lands and under
all circumstances: and as to his capacity
of self-governnent, to the fact that ha has
governed himself for countless ages, and
has imposed upon warning tribes. as Eu-
rope has never done, single method of
which supersedes all diff
ferences of dialect and language, a single
system of administration based on superior
culture and q single set of ideals acknowl
ed by all Cinnamon alike to be in the alb
Stract incapable of Improvement Finally.
they deny even the charge of cowardice,
alleging that Chinese inability to succeed
in battle is in no degree the result of ply
steal fear. from which they are rather
exceptionally free, as the history of the
bandits. pirates. and.revolutonaries among
them conciusivey proves, but is the in
ability Inherent in every mob. aggravated
by the fact, peculiar to China. that the
classes which would otherwise furnish lead
ers hold violence Of any kind to be eX-
ceedngly ungentlemanly. They say that
the Chinese converts, whether to Mahon-
mechanism or Christianity, have accented
more readily than any other
modern converts: that the Taepings in our
own time fought as well as NIexicans did
against the early Spanish conquerors: and
that General Gordon, many officers since
his time and all who have commanded
Chinese sailors agree that once disciplined
they can trust them at least as we'll as
any second-class fighting men. The
Chinese they admit are not '4Tomnlies." or
Zouaves, or Pomera mans. or men of the
Russian Guard. but they are as good as
average European militia
We are not Anglo Chinese, still less
lnA4 "a. o1a