Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-20
THE PRESS OF CHINA
FOREIGN INFLUENCE FELT BY
CHINESE NEWSPAPERS.
European Capital Invested in Native
Observation-Disclosures That
Are Ancient.

Case-hardened sas China has undoubtedly
shown itself in very many respects to the
influences Of western civilization. In one
direction at least intercourse with the outer
world has made itself felt Periodical pub
locations in the shape of newspapers have
been known in China since the ninth CEN
fury: but 1t is only during the last quarter
of a century that the press of China has
assumed its present form. and 1t may thus
be regarded a product of foreign in
fuence. In the majority of the cases in
which Chinese enterprise is devoted to
Journalistic undertakings, foreign capital
is represented. The editors of these news
papers are exclusively Chinese, and they
are not difficult to find in country in
which every man who wishes to make a
name must be a literate.
Chinese Printers.
The compositors and printers are also
Chinese. 1t is not surprising to learn that
the Chinese press is especially strong in
those seaport towns in which there are
European settlements. 1t is not altogether
an unmixed blessing that the press of China
is under no restraint from the side OF the
law, for the mandarins enjoy the privilege
of dealing with the newspapers just as they
may happen to deem fit. When a liberal
journal has gone to a certain length in out
spokenneSs the authorities step in close the
printing Office and imprison the editor
However, the Chinese have risen to the
occasion, and with view to avoiding this
sudden termination of their editorial activi~
", many Chinese newspapers are published
by a European firm, and a foreigner is
announced as editor. By this subterfuge
the newspaper escapes interference on the
part of the arbitrary representatives of the
chinese government.
The Picking Journal
The oldest Chinese newspaper is the Pek-
ing Journal, founded, according to tradi-
ton, during the Sung dynasty, which lasted
from $40 to 1866. 1t is not an official organ
in the present meaning of the word: 1t is
simply newspaper which appears with
the permission of the government. and it
communicates to the people the imperial
DEGREES and the orders issued by the va
rious governmental departments. 1t is not
permitted to make any editorial comments
or remarks: these are scarcely necessary.
seeing that In the beStowal of awards and
in the infiiction of punishmeuts the reasons
which have led to the decision in either
case are fully given. The Picking Journal
appears daily. and is read by the educated
Chinese in all parts of the empire. 1t is
printed by means of movable wooden type
and 1t consists generally of from ten to
twelve thin, cinnamon colored little sheets
Of paper, which are bound together; each
side is divided into ten columns by red
lines, and every column contains fourteen
characters OF type. Nearly every number
of this Semi-official organ casts a lurid
light upon the conduct of the manda rims.
For example, the issue of January 4, 1877,
quotes ten instances of gross violation of
duty on the part of the higher officials.
The Shanghai News.
The most important newspaper in Shang-
hal Is the Shewe-she-pao; in other words,
The Current News. This is a long and
slender paper, because the Chinese place
the words one under the other. and these
are read downwards. Every number has
eight sides The Chinaman reads his paper
from right to left; thus, in the right-hand
upper corner of the last side appears the
title. on either side of which there are the
day and the month. according to European
and Chinese reckoning. After the pattern
of English newspapers. the first side con-
tains numerous advertisements. on the
second side are printed items of news of
political Importance, imperial dec ana
official appointments. Then follow tele-
grams from the outer world. AS the Chi>
neSe press possesses no news agencies telc-
grams are lifted copiousiy from English
and Japanese newspapers, but always with
a most conscientious ACKNOWLEDGMENT of
the source whence they are taken. For it's
home news a Chinese newspaper relies upon
its correspondents in the provinces. Lastly
comes the leading article, in which weighty
questions relating either to the internal
life or to the foreign policy of the country
are discussed. This Shanghai newspaper
is decidedly literary in it's aims: however,
it has its staff of reporters. and it devotes
a good deal of space to items of news.