Evening star., 1901-09-10
FACULTIES OF THE CHINESE.
UndevelOped Senses Which Stand II
the Way OF Civilization.

UndevelOped Senses Which Stand In
the Way Of Civilization.
From the North China Herald.
Chinese civilization has been affirmed and
denied with equal vigor. There are those
who see in the teaching of Confucius and
the practice of his pupils something higher
than the more spiritual doctrine Of Christ
is ever likely to produce: there are others
who deny to China all right or title to
civilization or culture. Between these two
extremes truth lies.
We propose to approach the question
from the physical side. Thought, imagina-
tion, mental and moral considerat tions of
every kind are to be put aside and Gues-
tions asked and answered by the body 1t,
self What are it's tastes, it's likes and
diSlikeS? How does 1t demean itself so far
as its senses are concerned? What is its
stage of development? Every individual
man has gone through in his own expert
ence the whole chapter of evolutionary
history. What his delights were as child
are not his delights today; he has outlived
them. If We were to take him back to his
childhood. or, better STILL take note of his
own little one what do we find with regard
to his sense of hearing for example? Is
not the chief characteristic love of noise ?
Does he not revel in the boom of can
non, the crackle of fireworks. the clash Of
cymbals and the roll of drums? And have
we not at every celebra tion of the Chinese
new year proof that the native, so far as
his auditory sensations are concerned. has
not got beyond the stage of European child
hood? Does he not shut himself up for
hours at q stretch and hammer away at
an orchestra composed entirely of gongs,
cymbals and tom-toms? And would it not
be utterly impossible for him to do any
thing Of the kind had his evolution reached
the stage Of the European?
So with color. There are symptoms of a
higher development of the eye than of the
VIII f-lx ~In, l1r<,
beautiful tints of porcelain and an unerr-
ing eyo for Scenery-witness the position
of scores of Buddhist temples-are proofs
that the Chinese race are advancing in the
aesthetic culture of the organ of sight.
But having said so much, we have said ALL
Where in China is the beauty perceiyable
in a European city? Where Is there an
attempt at street architecture? Why do so
many hundreds of natives offend the eye
with the inconformity of colo.s in their
dress? Where is European cleanliness to
be found in house and home? There Is none
In discrimination Of vision. as well as in
hearing, the Chinese are behind the peo-
pies of the west. Evil sights do not Of
fend them
It is hardly necessary to draw attention
to their deficiency in the olfact3ry sensa-
tions, except where disinfectants are en-
ployed. It is curious fact that the Chi
nese who will bear, apparently in happy
Inconsistencies, the foulest exhalations OF
decayin ganimal or vegetable matter. are
sensitive to the smell of carbolic acid,
which, as a rule, they cordially dislike.
Most foreign residents in China find the
protection of handkerchief an absolute
necessity when passing even through
village, but the native Is so fmpervious to
odors OF the eastern type as to be quite
ignorant that there Is anything amiss. In
the development Of the olfact0ry nerves.
therefore. 1t would seem that the native
is even behind the youngest of foreign chill
dren, who at quite an early age resent
anything offensive In that respect.
Closely connected with smell Is taste.
Here agaiK the Chinese cannot claim any
very high standard. There are some things
they cook admirably. and some Of their
flayors and sauces are OF high erder But
Is every householder knows. these things