Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-27
IN CHINESE scHp9Ls
REVERENCE FOR OLD CUSTOMS AND
HATRED FOR THE NEW.
schools of Missionaries Educating
People Away From Old Forms
of Religion.


FOOCHOO. China.-1t is not surprising
that there should occasionally be uprisings
of the lower classes of people in bar
barous protest against modern ideas, west
ern methods and liberality of thought and
education. such is now causing alarm in
the northern part of this country around
Picking. The Boxer movement is one that
is directly traceabe to the mode of life and
thought that has been part of the very ex-
istence of the Chinese for centuries. China
is one of the oldest countries in the world.
its form of government has existed longer
than any other system in the world. 1t has
not changed with changing conditions in
other countries. because. as Is well known.
all knowledge of these conditions was kept
out Of China until within a very few years.
China has been living in the past.
The reverence for things antique. for
manners and customs that date back 2.WD
or 5000 years, is nowhere more noticeable
than In the Chinese system OF education.
Suppose that the young men OF America
We're sent to college to learn nothing ex-
cept to repeat by heart the writings of the
ancient Greek philosophers. and that the
extent of mans education were reckoned
by the number of quotations from those
writings he could glib!y repeat. Would
America be the progressive country that II
Is if her educated classes had received only
that kind of an education?
Chinese education consists in just that
sort of learning, nothing more. When one
considers that the system has been in ex-
fstence for centuries and that for hundreds
of generations the Chinese have been taught
to look backward and not forward it is not
surprising that the present generation
should look with disfavor on the new ideas
that, In spite of them. have crept into the
country and made an impression on part
of the people that can never be effaced, no
matter how many Boxer movements are
started and supported by the conservative
classes.
No Public School System.
There is no public school system in the
Chinese empire. Only the weil.to-do or
wealthy have the advantage of an educa-
ton. except the missionaries of generous
Chinese open schools in behalf of the
masses The Chinese boy starts to school
when about six years old. The girls are
practically never educated. The Chinese
recognize three great superiors-the en-
peror, the parents and the teacher-so when
the boy presents himself at the school he
bears present for the teacher and bows
his head to the floor three times signifyins
that he is willing to obey the teachers com
mands. His next duty is to burn incense
before tablet on which is written the
name of Confucius. Then he is ready to
begin to learn his lesson.
The walls of the school are usually dec
GRATED with scrolls which are pictures
and writings. quotations from the ancient
sages. Each pupil has a little table on
which are an Ink stone and the brush with
which he learns to write. There are no
regular hours for the opening and the clos
ing or the school: the pupils come and go
as may be convenient. and there are there
fore. no classes. each being taught separate
iy, and they are advanced as rapidly as
they can be. The pupils are taught to read
and write the Chinese language and this
Is no easy task. for there is no alphabet in
the language. which has PA root charac-
,f1r fy,tr t,,tA 81
characters in the written language each CT
which represents a word. There are about
R.He words in the language, but only
small part of these are known to any except
the most highly educated.
Lessons for Children.
The primer which Is used in the schools
Is at least 1000 years old and contains A
number Of proverbs. which the scholar has
to learn. He is then taught that there are
three great pOwers-heaven. earth and
man; and three great lights-sun, moon
and stars He is further taught that rice.
mlllet. wheat. rye and barley are the five
kinds of grain on which man subsists This
sort of teaching is followed by a summary
OF chinese history, and the examples of the
saeeS or antiquity are commended to the
youthful pupil. He is also taught to de-
spise foreigners and that China Is the only
great nation of the earth. FglaI piety is
taught from the first day of school to the
last.
When the Chinese pupils have learned
these elementary things he begins to learn
the sayings and writings of the ancient
Sages. Chinese education is not "A drawing
out of the youthful intellect IL is Cram
cram. Thousands of young men in China
can repeat for days the sayings of Mencius
and Confucius. After studying for ten or
fifteen years the students begin attending
the annual examinations held under the
auspices Of the government. The examina-
tions are very severe and probably not
more than one in 100 passes the first ex-
animation and receives the degree of Stu
tSoi, corresponding to our bachelor of
arts. Those who have attained this degree
can continue their studies If they will and
afterward take examinations for the de-
grees Of "Cu-ing'' (master of arts and
'Cing-seu'' doctor of philosophy. Men
with these degrees possess official prestige
and power. 1t Is considered a great honor
to obtain degree. and when the lucky
holder arrays himself in classic robes and
calls on his friends. they give him presents.
make feasts for him and show him great
respect. About II per cent Of the male
population has some education along the
lines outlined. Very few of the females
are educated at ALL Not more than 1 per
cent can read.
The Missionary Schools.
When the missionaries began work in
China they at once began to pay much at
tention to the educational problem. 1t was