The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-28
A VICIOUS CHINESE seek Beck
Foreigners Pictured as the Celes-
tiais Observe Him.
Dense Ignorance of the Masses I'm the
Asiatic Kingdom Imposed Upon by
the Literati, or Omcials-The TSnct
Distributed Broadcast Throughout
the Lnnd-A Scandalous Publication

! lnIs Is by no means the WnOle OF the
truth. The root of the matter lies deeper
and has many ramifcations. In the first
place the foreigner is disliked simply be-
cause he is n foreigner, 10 matter what his
nationality lie IS stun kuwai,'' white
/ faced cog" scarcely human. a mob of
Chinese out on raid against foreigners
wastes no time in consideration of the
question of nationality any more than an
American enquiries whether the laundry
man on the next block hail from Kwans-
81 or Hu-Peh.
To one who has not resided in China the
determination of the problem involving
| the question Of responsibility for native
attacks on foreigners is not an easy one.
| but those who have experience no difi-
Guilty in the premises. Who are at the bot
tom of the mischief? Is it the officials.
| the priesthood, the people themselves?
1t is the literati.
Missionaries resident in China are as
one in this opinion. The Rev. Alexander
Williamson, author OF Journeys in North
China and Manchuria," says: The Chi
! nsse opponents of missions, as of every
thing foreign, are not the people, but the
literati. or officials Another American
| missionary, speaking OF the massacre of
the two Swedish missionaries, Wikhom
ard JohanssOn, in the province of Hu-Peh
a few years ago, says: Our sympathics
with the Chinese as an oppressed race
should not blind US to the fact that some
of the highest and many of the lower Of
ficials are committed to an anti-foreign
policy that works with the deadly weapons
of poisonous Islander and mob violence"
This is confirmed by the Shanghai cOrre-
spondent of leading London daily, who
reports that VicerOy Chang. notorious for
his hatred of foreigners and for encourage
ing natives in the barbarous treatment of
Europeans, is reported to have addressed
a petition to the throne openly advocating
the determination OF foreigners in China
and especially English. in order to prevent
the eventual partition OF China among
European powers.
The literati of China include all these
who have taken degrees at the literary ex-
aminations held at stated periods, either
at the district city or at the great triennial
examinations at Pelin, at which thousands
of aspirants from all parts of the Empire
compete. The prizes are few. The SUI
cessful competitors ma receive Off -ial APP
pointmerts, or may have to rest content
with being placed on the "expectant,'' or
eligible, list. The majority remain there,
and the number of literati belonging to the
great tribe of oiiieeseekers is natu: ally
large. AS might be inferred, they are rot
a very scrupulous body OF he. They are
fanatics in everything relating to China
and the Chinese. and their hatrel Of for
eigners-.'the outer barbarians is only
exceeded by their Grass ignorance Of every
thing relating to them.
This is well exempiified in the pages Of
a small book of the most scurri- Gus and in
decent character. published, as appears
from the title page, by the Gentry and
People 1t is entitled, "A Death or to
Corrupt Doctrines 1t has had an enor-
nous circulation throughout the Chinese
Empire, one jealous person alone having !
subscribed fer eight hundred thousand !
copies. to be distributed gratuit, usly. 1t Is !
significant fact that the headquarters Of |
the fanatics responsible for the dissemiEa- |
ton of this outrageous publication in each |
of the eighteen provinces has been fould |
to be the yamen OF the chief mag strate.
The attention of certsin Christian mis-
sionaries resident at Tung-Chow, in the
province OF Shantung, haviGg been dire t
ed to this scan6alous treatise, it was de-
cided to translate it, and so make its con-
tents known to the outside world. Tee
translators regard It las of too much i'm
portance to be withheld from the fore ign
public, believing as we do that it is Ie-
markably truthful representation Of the
animus of the ruling and literary classes
!
also. that it has been largely instrumt ntal
in giving rise to the vile and Sian ierous
stories concerning foreign residents and
native Christians which have Tecenty
spread throughout China; and that it sheds
important light on the means by which the
massacre at Tientsin was brought about.
No mere description, however full. COLD
possibly convey any adequate idea of its
vileness and deadly animcsity."
Practically and in no nj nf In |
author. the book is an attack on Chris
-ianity and on Christian nations at large |
All Europeans are ciassed together and |
heir religion is regarded as one. "It is
lot," say the translators, IAN ordinarily
obscene book: nor ere its obscenities their
,wn end. They nave a subtle aim 1t is, !
o connect with the very idea OF foreign
II associations of the lowest and most
'eDulsive."
1t might seem to some that it is a book
10 full of eXaggerations, misrepresenta-
ions, and wholesale falsehoods, its ex-
esses would BE- its own refutation But"
ay the trans!ators. the author doubtless
understood his readers better than we do |
lie knew their extreme ignorance of every
hing relating to foreigners, and with |
what ready credulity they dring in such |
tories as those here presented. T. ere can
,e no doubt in the minds of those who
now the Chinese that nearly i who read |
he book will believe it,
So much for the translators; nov for the
,hnaman himself. The first to speak is
N anonymous scholar who describes him
elf as "A man of Jao-Chow, above all
thers distressed in heart" THE religion
# T'ien-Chu Qit.. Sect of the Lord OF !
ieavenD originated with Jesus. Its ad- !
Ierents falsely assert that Jesus was en-
owed with divine gifts. Priests .
re for the most part educated to their
rofessicn from their childhood. They are
- Those who enter
his religion practice wickedness with the
riests without restraint Every seventh .
ay all assemble in church. When
he ceremonies are over all give them c
elves up to debauchery. This they call c
The Great Communion or Love Gather /
ng!'
They make use of occult and deyilish
rts. and bew!tch the ignorant by magical
rts and lamentations, so they joyfully
inter- the sect When a person 5
nters this religion the teacher gives him e
our ounces of silver and pill. When lie u
as taken this pill his whole mind is con-
used and darkened. so that he destroys 2
is ancestral tablets and only wOrships .
n image OF a naked child which points Il
ne finger toward heaven and another to- r.
yard the earth. They say this is the o
rince Jesus. Families having daughters. v
n entering their religion, restrain one of u
hem from marriage. These are the guar y
ians OF the locks and keys OF the chest
magical spells and incanta.ions. o
hey are called the old women who open Il
he chest In case of funerals. Il
he religious teachers eject all the rela- 6
ives and friends from the house. and the Il
orpse is put into the coffin with closed C
oors. Both eyes are secretly taken out, ii
al al a n-ifca IN l Is