University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1908-10-27


her pedantic and wOrn-Out civilization,
while others fOretOld her revival in time
to come and even feared yellow
PERIL" which would wipe white Civili-
zatiOn" from the globe when the powers
of the Yellow People should come to be
fully realized.
At the present, there are signs of pro-
gress throughout China and the East.
In spite of hopeless corruption and ul-
ira conservatism on the part of a major
ity of the governing officials, the general
desire for reform is positive and sub
stantial
Conservatism Is Crumbling.
Striking changes are taking place in
China. The solid wall of conservatism
has at last been penetrated by the awak-
ened class of her people and the com
bined force of Western nations exercised
through missionaries, diplomacy, by
threats and open war.
The development of national spirit is
manifested by the new custom OF hold
ing public meetings, conferences with
representatives from many places to
consider topics of national importance,
and by the establishment of newspapers,
the spread of Western education, the |
reorganization of the army and navy, |
and the introduction of social and ad-
ministrative reforms.
Would Preserve Literature.
As China is undergoing so many re-
forms, it is natural for Americans and
others to ask, and the Chinese them
selves to consider, what elements of the
old civilization should be retained. The
general sentiment of the student class
seems to agree that her literature,
ethics, and few of the minor social and
political rules and customs should never
be repealed.
The Chinese should retain their liter L
,ture. Apart from its grandeur, rich {
hess, and antiquity, they may say it is {
he sole working force by which their t
Independent existence is rendered posi- c
Die. The only path to distinctive edu- 1
alton lies in the assimilation of distinc- ,
i've ideas and the thoughts, and, when f
he student has so trOdden on his way, e
lis manner of thinking tends to be more i
r less in the same direction with those s
rom whom he has derived his ideas. S
'hinese literature, which is a record of Y
ast Chinese thoughts and ideas, thus t.
urns their thoughts to a definite chan h
el peculiar with the Chinese. ST
Tends to Preserve Race. e
National characteristics, which are the n
ase of Independent existence, are thus =
ormed The Chinese believe that to do
way with their national literature, is
n act of Humiliation; to remove .,
ne characteristics which are a support
, the national life. reduces them to
hysical bondage; while to force them to
link as others do, subdues them to in VI
,llectual slavery, a more serious and er
form of servitude.
The Importance of it's own literature IN
} a nation is best proved by the record dc
history. Russia, in her eradication M
Polan, first attempted to exterminate al
le latters' literature by compelling it pr
accept the Russian while Japan in hs
r renovation did not adopt a new for an
gn literature. ri:
A Means of Reformation. ~
tr
Literature is and will be the sole do
cans by which the reformation of tb
lima can be brought about, in convey
g to the public mind the pressing nee
sity of ameliOration; in eliminating
injurious systems and conveying the an
tier and sounder ideas from outside IN
supplement the important internal "
es. These cannot be effected unless 'es
ere are at work ouant;t;ss Of oxnos spi
ry articles, translated books, and in vi
'uctive novels, which increasingly lay vi
en- and attack the dark sides of ex-
ing institutions. As these processes AS
public education can never be accom- me
shed except through the agency of a h.'
niliar handed-down literature, to get iet
OF it means to forsake the means. 'io
en- the end to which it leads is strong SIS
desired. exa
yes
Magazine of Ancient Thoughts. w,
The national literature should be pre- nat
we'd not only for the part it plays lea.
the sustenance of the national life and aid
reformation of the nation, but also ito,
utilitarian qualities which are essen S
to the regeneration of China. Like eld,
human brain, which by recording of
erent sensations and storing past ex- san
fences, renders memory of the past beel
conception of the not yet expert tins
ed, practicable, literature is the mag nat,
lie OF ancient thoughts and ideas, of wa,
glory and humiliation, of attempted true
,ess and failure. of former civ;liza- finn,