The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-28
q i l1I|@l ! lt|[:t1 j
The City of Pekin.

The City of Pekin.
THE Attache at Pekin.'' by A. B. Free
man Milford, author of Tales of Old ia
pan," has been awaited with interest by
those familiar with the former work of
this author. 1t was justly surmised that
what he might have to say about China
would be interesting and instructive.
The present volume is collection of
letters written some years ago and not at
the time intended for publication in this
permanent form. They have thus the
especial fascination which more or less
unstudied and unconventional correspond
ence is apt to have. The author discl2ims
any effort to give a complete picture of
Chinese manners, and refers the reader to
DR.. Wells Williams work The Middle
Kingdom" Sir John Davies book, THE
Chinese" and Prof. Douglas book on Chi
nese society, for further information.
s:r. -sSford. in his rather long and very
interesting preface, says that the hostility
which has eliminated in the tragedy of
1900 was slowly gathering at the time Of
his residence in Pelsin. and that even in
1866 there were signs of disturbance below
the surface. A part of this preface is worth
quoting, because it describes. in very brief
paragraphs. the condition of things exist
ing in China today which has caused the
strained situation of the last few months.
remember how on more than one occasion We
were warned that on such and such day there
would be n massacre of Europeans for the old
reason, the murder of babies whose eyes were
used Tor purposes of photography. These sto-
ries were put about by intriguing mandarins
who succeeded in deceiving some OF the more
ignorant of their own class. The famous Gen
Tseng kwo Fan Gather Of the Marquis Tseng.
fts. att
talking one day with English doctor the
subject Of this babies eyes fraud when sud-
denly he said: ct is no use your attempting to
deny Il, for have here some of the dried speci-
mems" and he pulled out a packet of those
gelatine capsules which are used for covering
castor oil and other nauseous drugs. We paid
little heed to these warnings. though, as recent
events have proved. there was perhaps more in
them than we supposed. We were sitting on
volcano, for experience has often shown how
swiftly this seemingly mild and almost child
Ike people can be dashed into a fury like that of
the flaming legions OF hell.
It is the fashion to belaud Japan for the spirit
Of progress which she has shown, at the expense
OF China, which remains welded to old ways
and worn-out customs. Much as we may admire
the marvellous Roadway which Japan has made
this ie hardly quite fair. 1t must be remembered
that Japan has never originated anything. All
that she knew. up to the time of her frst real
intercourse with foreigners forty years ago, she
owed to China. Buddhism, which replaced and
IN some Uft throve hand in hand with the old
ancestor worship and Sninto, reading and writ
tAg, every art and Accomplishment, from music
a1d Ancing down to the game of football. all
filtered through Korea from China to Japan, and
the dates OF their advent are solemnly recorded
as important facts in the o Dai Ichi Ran, "a
Glance At the Generation Of Kings the native
history Borrowers from the beginning of time,
il mattered little TO the japanese whether they
borrowed once more or once less, and when
<In,- bat .5,nl lafl 40
among the nations their only chance to get
nd Of ancient Chinese forms and adopt the civil
ixation Of the West, they did not hesitate-they
took leap into the light and left the thirteenth
thusiasts talk one would almost be led to be-
lieve that the japanese invested the nineteenth
century. They found It ready-made to their
hand 1t was impossible to go through the in
termediate centuries They had to skip, and they
did 1t with a will. The Transformation scene
WIS sudden as Il was complete. But 1t cost
the Japanese no sacrifice Of national pride. What
they gave UP was none Of their own invention.
The Chinese, on the other hand, have au-
tochthon civilization, Of which they are justly
proud Five hundred years before Christ came
into the world-when the inhabitants Of these
islands were hopeless sarages clad in skins, or
stained with woad according to the seasons, II
the old stories be Irue-Confucius was teaching
respect for customs which were already ancient.
Since hi sday there have been thirteen changes
OF capital and no fewer than thirty dynasties,
the Dragon throne they have been compelled to
follow the rules Of the Chinese, and civilization
has remained what it was under the shadow
OF the great teacher. No wonder that the son
OF Han thinks a good many times before he will
scatter his past to the four winds Of heaven,
the japanese did without sigh
In one sense the mandarins have been wiser
in their generation than the men who made the
japanese revolution of 1865. These were the
daimios such men Satsuma, Tosa, Chosiu
and their karos (elders or councilors) who
thinking to overthrow the Tycoon and his rule
were blind to the fact that in 30 doing they
For they. no less than he, were the embodiment
Of the feudal system. Where are they now?
Gu eont les neiges d'antan? They have vanished,
and their places are filled by mushroom growth
OF dukes, marquises, counts, viscounts and ba-
rons. For Japan has stopped short at nothing;
not content with adopting the cooked hat, which
as we all know is the very marrow Of all good
government. giving the entree to the comfy
Of cations, she has actually invented full and
complete peefage. Far more astute is the man.
DARN. Such willy anachronisns as Lii Hung
Chang and his compeers know full well that
der the sun Of Western civilization they must
they die hard. All the myriads OF officials from
the highest to the lowest, swarming like ants
over that vast empire, are alive to the fact
that their very existence depends on keeping
1Eu, the red devih. That has always appeared
% me the keynote Of the situation.
Mr.. Milford then goes ON to point out
a. -. r,.,'as .to. .h, o,,;aath,. ,o,,.ara
40 oaai NJ .nas tne eo"aIu
CHRISTIAN missionaries can oniy lie COIL
sidered political. The mandarins know
that under any Christian rule their social
and political fabric must totter and fall
to the ground. The author gives at some
1epo,b Tho his,orv M the Iesu;t ,nissionc
a. SsI.s - - a.. -, ,,,,,;,aaI.. -
IN emma, ~nlcn came 10 an untimei! end
IN the eighteenth century.
His remarks about the modern Chris
tian missionary are worth the attention
of every member of the A. B. c. F. NJ. and