The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-20
LISTEN 70 WI TING FANG
STUDEBAKER THEATER, CHICAGO,
PACKED WITH A CROWD OF
INTERESTED AUDITORS
ON CHINESE CIVILIZATION
Eloquent and Scholarly Oriental
Delivers Striking Address Com
pairing History and Present
Condition of China.

baker, theater, this afternoon, before the
faculty of the institution and an audience
that packed the theater to the doors.
Mr. WI took for his subject Chinese
Civilization"
His defense of the civilization of his ma
tive country. in his comparisons with that
of the civilization of the Occident, was
much applauded In beginning his address
Mr.. WI said China had been to other ma
lions like the recluse community In the
heart of mountain, as told by a Chinese
writer of 1,500 years ago. community
that fled from the prosecutions of the
Chinese dynasty had found peace and
tranquility and content with their lot,
had no desire to emerge into the turmoil
and excitement of a more active life.
This mountain community may be said
to be China in miniature. Mr.. WI con-
tinued:
MINISTER WU'S ADDRESS.
ITO her isolation she undoubtedly owes
her long freedom from foreign DONNA
ton
Foreign influence, indeed, has had
velopment of China. Before the nine
teenth century the only possible foreign
enemies she had to meet were the no.
MAIDS of theMongolian plateau who oc-
casionally made sudden incursions upon
the settlements along the northern from
tier, and pirates from the Malayslan
! islands, WHO sometimes spread terror
along the sea coast by their ravages.
These warlike encounters, fortunately,
were not frequent.
Far from the conflict and strife of the
west these Chinese have been able to
give through the past centuries almost
their exclusive attention to internal de-.
Velonment. They have accordingly
solved their political problems in their
own way and worked out their destiny
without foreign interference.
Mature has blessed the country with
every variety of soil and climate, so
that the people have never been obliged
of their wants. They have been able
| to live within themselves without diff
! Guilty, and to get along without having
anything to do with the outside nations.
Their long Seclusion has been not only
matter of necessity, but also a matter
of choice.
IS NOW BEHIND THE AGE.
.''True it is. that China's isolation has
served to strengthen the nations charac-
ter and given it a marked individuality,
but this has not been gained without
great losses. The most serious is that
the nation has not been able to profit by
the experiences and achievements of the
rest OF the world. This is especially true
of scientific knowledge and mechanical
invention. 1t must be admitted that to-
day China is centuries behind the age in
ner knowledge of chemistry, electricity,
steam navigation, rapid transit and
other arts and sciences. All these things
she must learn from other nations before
she can hope to put herself abreast of
the times.
But does civilization consist of rail-
reads. telegraphs, telephones, electric
lights, battleships, rapid firing guns,
magazine rifles and a thousand and one
things which are often regarded as nee
essary for progressive nation? This
would be very narrow Interpretation of
the world. Civilization has, 1 believe,
broader meaning, with intelligence, or
der, morality and refinement for it's es-
sential elements. Such a civilization
China undoubtedly hasa civilization diff
ferent, to be sure, from that of the West,
but civilization nevertheless. In other
words, civilization is the elevation a ma
ton has reached in it's progress from a
lower to a higher state of society. It is
to be expected that the civilization at
tanned by China should be different from
that attained from the nations of the
West, by reason Of their differences in
national development. Chinese ways are
not necessarily bad because they often
seem strange to Western eyes. It is
merely a question whether one is ac-
cuStomed to them or not.
CHINESE CHARACTER.
THE Chinaman is the principal type of
Oriental civilization. He is phlegmatic
and sluggish Time is no object with
him. He takes things as they come and
never seems to be in a hurry. How diff
ferent is the American, the highest type
OF occidental civilization. He is nervous
and energetic. He acts on the principle
that time IS money and accordingly is
impatient of restraint and always on a
rush. When the old Oriental civilization
meets the new Occidental civilization it
IS to be expected that there will be a
clash. Which will have to give way 20
the other is by no means certain; for
the race is not to the swift nor the bat
tie to the strong
There has lately been a great deal of
newspaper talk about civilizing China |
~1a
cate such a course for their good inten-
lions but its desirability, to say nothing
OF its difficulty, should not be overlooked.
OLDEST OF CIVILIZATIONS.
China has already eiviliza ton of her
cWn. 1t is the growth of time Long
6efore the ancestors of the people of the
West ceased to be naked saya ees in the
PrlmevaI forests of Central Europe the
Chinese had already known the Use Of the
compass and the art of printing. Now
Tor the people of the West to turn around
ana then ask the Chinese to put away
their old civilization is rather novel The
PEOPLE of the West may know more than
the Chinese about the building of rail-
road, the floating of foreign loans. the
combination of capital, the development
CT resources and the like. All this is
granted. But the Chinese naturally feel
mat they are in better position to judge
what is best for their own interest and
welfare than any outsider can be- There
fCre, any attempt to impose upon them
any reform or religion they do not feel
The need of, is apt TO create trouble The
use of force is especially to be depre-
Gated, as this serves only to infiame their
passions and rouse their resentment and
opposition But, on the other hand much
can De accomplished by exercising tact
and discretion, and, above all by giving
due consideration to their sentiments ana
prejudiceS
IF the people of the West would study
the civilization of China, instead of try
ing to pull>it down, they will save them
selves great deal of trouble.
CHINA NOT DEAD YET.
They Will find that the Chinese are not
addicted to ways that are dark and that
are vain, as they are represented to be
by an American poet. They will find
that China, old as she is, still exhibits
ali the strength and vigor of full ma
turity: They will find that the civiliza-
ton that has stood the test OF forty cen
trries is far from being effete. They WIN
find that the proper course to be pursued
in putting China on the road to pros
perity and happiness is not to shake the
foundations of her social and political
fabric. but to allow her to incorporate
such elements of Western civilization as
she can assimilate. On the other hand,
China must keep up with the times in
the onward march of progress. To this
end, it is necessary for her to take les
sens from the Western world. But she
need not be servile imitator. Her re-
qrirements are peculiar to her position
among nations and to the growth of her
national life. BY adopting from the
West only what is best for her welfare
and avoiding everything that is not suit
&c to the conditions and needs Of her
people she will transform herself into
modern nation without losing those
elements of national character which
have made her great and strong in the
past"
Mr.. WI was the guest of honor at the
University congregation dinner at the
Quadrangle club this evening. Tomorrow
he will spend in SIGHTSEEING a trip to