Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1908-03-21
TOMB OF CONFUCIUS|
MODEST SHRINE MARKS GREAT
LEADERS, RESTING PLACE.
seventy-seven Generations of His
Family Have Lived in Place
Where ilIustrious Chinese
Philosopher Was Born

Philosopher was Born.
A new guide book buries this lacon
ic paragraph among it's descriptions OF
the German port of Tsingtau and OF
about 90 routes in the Shantuns
province of China:
AT T'shue flu, on passports ant
cards presented to Duke Kung. permits
sion is granted to visit the temple and
tomb of Confucius.''
Many known tombs were very ole
before that of Confucius was built, but
there is no doubt that Duke Kung car
person. He is the latest in the line
of the descendants of Confucius, ant
the family has lived for n generations
in the very place where the illustrious
Chinese philosopher was born ano
died.
The remarkable history of this fam
lily is due largely to the attitude OF
the Chinese toward the descendants OF
the great teacher. The family is the
only example of hereditary aristocracy
in the empire. The head of the house
is an independent nobleman, ranking
next to the imperial family, supported
by the state on the rentals derived
from nearly 100000 acres of land, and
distinguished by various special
honors and privileges. The governor
of the province of Shantung, in the
western part of which Confucius was
born, is required to prostrarS himself
nine times when he pays his respects
to the duke, but the few Europeans
who have visited the place have been
simply and cordially welcomed though
making only their customary saluta-
ton No other family in the world.
of course. has a record of having lived
for over 2,4OO years in one place. Con-
fucius died in his birthplace 1885
years ago.
Four-fifths of the population of the
little city that is hallowed by the dust
of Confucius can trace their lineage to
the philosopher If the place is to be
visited hereafter by the tourists who
will go to China in increasing numbers
as transportation facilities improve
there should be some agreement as to
the spelling of its name. 1t is spelled
in two ways in the guide book referred
to, and Legge, Williamson and some
other writer's on Confucius have their
own original considerations for the
name of his birthplace. Political re-
form in China should be accompanied
by reform in the Occidental spellings
of Chinese place names
Sequestered among the mountains
of Shantung, the town has been al
most unattainable by foreigners; and
even to-day few pilgrims, unsustained
by firm purpose, Will undergo the
great discomforts of the journey there.
Six days are required to reach the
town from the railroad at Tsinan flu.
Il
the choice is offered to the tourist be-
tween six days on a donkey or in a
wheelborrow. The place is called the
Mecca of China, but many devotees
from the western world are likely to
tation facilities.
Some hours before the city is
reached the visitor may see the large
cemetery in which the remains of
Confucius and his descendants repose.
Near the top of gentle eminence
is a terrace to which stone stairway
gives access. The terrace is covered
with tagging stones, not in the best of
repair, for the surface is uneven, and
at the further side of the tagging OPP
posite the stairway rises a tombstone
of ordinary height, embedded in NOR
tar between cross pieces of stone.
The fiat surface is covered with the
inscription, and in front of it are a
stone prayer stool and a handsome
vessel in which incense is constantly
burning.
This is the modest and simple tomb
of the man who was deified by his
countrymen and whose temples,
reared for his honor and worship, may
be seen in all the larger cities of the
empire.