The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-01-11

Special Correspondence Of III. Sunday Republic.
New York. Jan. 6. Columbia University
has the distinction OF being The first TO
offer a course in Chinese.
Believing that a knowledge Of the Ian
Guage and customs OF these O-ientals will
prove of practical valu. in connection with
our trade relations with China, the uni
versitv has recently established this new
department.. appointing Professor Friedrich
Hirth to the chair.
Professor Hirth. who was born in Gotha.
Germany. in 1916, was educated IN the Col
leee of Gotha and the universities of Ieip-
sic. Berlin and GreIfswald. where he studied
classical nhilology under eminent masters.
His father was German and his mother
French. He has TWO brothers living In Mu-
| mich. both well known in the world OF arts
and letters.
! one, Doctor George Hirth. is a publisher
and art collector. and the other. K. Hiftn
du Frrnes. is a painter.
Exceptional advantages for the study OF
the Chinese language, customs and htera-
ture have been given Professor Hirth. for
since 1870. when he was first appointed TO
the chinese customs service. under Sir Rob
ert Hart. all his life. with the exception of
the usual leaves of absence, has been spent
in China.
Al Canton. hi' hrst posi-. ne oesah ""7
local dialect OF that province out ia'ef Cav.
more attention 10 the written Language and
the m phrases of the court.
He has written several BOOKS ana pa'ere
on various subjects relating to the Chinese
Empire and the history or its carry people
In lNs', when on 4 leave OF aDSeHse, IA
resigned from the service ana se't'eu III
1900 l,-, n
Munich. Here he sa'h-reu ao"u0 NM q
la:Ee and valuable Cninese library 'ose.NeI
with rare Chinese scroiis anu p"ih'"'S'
which he haa cohec'ed "hie III Il
and which were l" ana nm l" "i"Ns a
history OF pictorial! AK III mn
In order 10 come l" Ne" ioih u DesNh
instruction at Coinmola lie mas asAeu ie@'e
to postpone some very iihi'orlanl WIN %"
Chinese BOOKS anu manuscripts hep' III .He
Asiatic Museum at ST fe'eFs"uIs' winch
ne was invited 10 no oH tue h"Ss4 H'Au-
envy
He has brought Win MN Ms enufe II
brary ana COLLECTION wh!ch VIII De d' the
service Of advanced students In Chinese
The course in Chinese which VIII be
given at the university SAID DOCTOR Hirth.
when seen at 'olHinoia- is intended prln-
cipally to educate men so that they VIII
be enuoled TO carry on researches in Chi
nesc literature.
The system which will clear up the mys-
teries OF modern government life in China
can he go, a, OILY BY Men who understand
~. ,,+i,.a literature.
' "" "' ~'H "ih'i' wiz"
Government NE anu the only way TO a.
TINS Is 10 STUDY II carefully
AT present there Is only 4 general and
vague iiea OF the contents Of those iulpor-
tant official documents which contain 70
,tt.e ot ~. Cb,,as. r,..,
To- -. +. -
" "" u '' 'a"e 10 YEA. "'h
TINS ioreish country II Is eSs'ntIdl mat
We nave something more than a translation
which presents merely an abstract OF the
communication
There is a vast difference between read
ing documents in the original and getting
them soco,ab,,d
..Tha - c, - :,
~ s'uuS Oh IhiheS' pA''ituar'y III
regard 10 Government matters VIII heip 10
create. in the course of a few years. i stock
of men who possess necessary qualifications
to instruct themselves in the advanced
language and eventually 1hes. will become
,aaI ,,,to-tias which in Tho face of "a
- -. 49, ,,,,a - ii.
1T need scarcely De sdid' continued FRO
fessor Hirth. that the Chinese anguage
abounds with the greatest interest to every
ON. concerned in national life. while chin,s.
literature is the principal-and in some cases |
the onIv-source Of Information for the his. !
tory. ethnographv and language of all IN.
Asiatic nations east Of Persia and north OF