Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-20
IDEALS ARE CHANGING.
PEOPLE OF CHINESE EMPIRE
CoURTINa WESTERN LEARNING.

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to this country. has the following to say
of conditions in the celestial empire:
"China's rapidly changing attitude to-
ward western learning and ideals is most
strikngly illustrated by the visit OF His
Excellency Chou Flu. viceroy of the three
provinces of Kiang-Su, An-Hue and
kiang-Si. at the recent commencement ex-
ercises of Marking University. the most
important mission college of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in central China. Nan
king is the old southern capital of the Chi
nese empire and is at present the vice-regal
headquarters for three of the eighteen
provinces of China proper, these three
provinces having a combined population of
about 70W0,S0O of people. 1t is also one
of the few places in the empire where the
great literary examinations are given ac-
cording to the ideals and customs of the
ancient educational system of that en-
pire. Triennially about 10000 students
gather to compete for the higher degrees
in these examinations. 1t is in such
center of Chinese tradtionalsm that Nam
king University. with its preparatory. col
lege. theological and medical departments
has been built up result Of foreign
missionary initiative and support.
Chou Flu has only recently gone to
Marking as viceroy. At the time OF the
boxer uprising he Nxas treasurer Of the
Szchuan province In far western China, on
the viceroy of the province he received
copies of the empress dowagers edict COM
manding the officials to cruelty extermi-
nate all foreigners. or all the omclals,
Chou Flu alone stood from the first for
ignoring the imperial command. but by
force of character and will he finally per-
suaded them all. so that the result OF the
viceroy's counsel was unanimous decision
to defy the edict and protect the Chris
tians 1t Is said to be the general opinion
of foreigners and Chinese that Chou Flu
In 1900 saved western China from worse
fate than befell the region about Picking
Later Chou Flu was treasurer of the prov
ince of Chill. In which Picking Is situated.
and later still was governor OF Shantung
province. Now as viceroy In central emma
he holds one of the most important OH
cial positions in the empire.
Graduation Week.
"Grad1ation week at Marking University
comes In winter rather than in early sum-
mer as at most colleges In the Cniteo
States. At o'clock in the morning OF
commencement day the invited officials and
literati began to arrive. At $50 all the
chief local officials, and the presidents and
principals of the various Chinese schools
throughout the city had arrived. Promptly
at 10 o'clock the viceroy, with out-rlders,
soldiers. red banners ana general SUITE,
swung into the university campus with his
chair-bearers at full trot. After meeting
the officers of the university, and the grad
uating classes in the guest hall, he proceed
ed to the chapel where he listened to the
students sing hymn, examined the fac
smile of the empress dowagers Bible, and
addressed the assembled students. He
urged them to faithfulness and sincerity in
observing the teachings they learned,
whether of Christ or of Confucius, and ex-
pressed himself as very much pleased with
everything he saw. He took leave soon af-
ter II o'clock. when the regular program
was carried out
1.-The vceroy left a gift of 5000 to be
distributed among the fourteen members of
the graduating class, and also requested
that they and as many as possible OF the
former graduates call later at his official
yamen. When they did so a few days later,
he received them with great kindness and
conferred the button of the fifth rank upon
a graduate of about ten years ago, the but
ton of the. sixth rank upon five other former
graduates, and the button of the seventh
rank upon one former graduate and eleven
members of the graduating class. The three
graduating students of the theological
school declined the proffered honor the
ground that their lives were dedicate to
the service of the church and that it would
be better therefore for them not to receive
official honors and decorations.
Employment for Students.
His excellency. through the president of
the university. offered employment at forty
taes per month to all alumni of the uni
versity not already under engagement. Only
one. medical graduate of the class of 1865
awaited himself of the offer. the others all
being engaged chiefly by the church and at
salaries much less than offered by the vice.
roy. All the graduating class, fourteen in
number. together with the former graduates
decorated, are Christians.
Buttons with decorations to correspond
as conferred by Chinese officials, are of nine
different ranks. and give to the individuals
thus honored much recognition and prestige
among their own people everywhere. The
decorating of so many graduates of mis-
sion college in this way is thought to be
unprecedented in Chinese history. Such
an event in one of the most conservative
literary centers of the empire shows the
changed attitude Of the highest officials to-
ward missionary effort as well as the grow
ing appreciation OF what the mission
schools and colleges are doing for the Chi
nese people"