Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-01
RECEIVES HIGH HONOR
Present Head Of the Descend
ants of Confucius.
OF UNASSUMING MANNER
Has Longer Pedigree Than Any One
Else in World.
FAMILY HOME AT TSU.FU
Seldom Visited by Foreign Tourists
Owing to It's Northumberland
Of United States Senate.
ny WILLIAM &. CURTIS.

Of United States Senate.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Written for Tie Star and the Chicago Record
Herald
Referring TO a recent letter concerning
the elevation Of Confuctus to god OF
the first rank in the Chinese Pantheon.
l have received several inquiries about
the personality of the present head OF
the family.
Duke hung fu-tz,l. next to the empress
dowaeer and the emperor, is the most in
tere sting individual in China, and can
show longer pedigree than any other
person In the world. The First Families
of the Universe. the real aristocracy Of
mankind, are the Bedouins of Syria, who
trace their ancestry back to 1shmael with
ont a break. and the sheiks of Mt. Leb-
anon, who have succeeded their fathers
from generation to generation, and have
occupied the same homes and fed their
flocks on the same pastures from the time
OF Abraham. But the family Of Con-
fucius is almost as old, and can show
written records for more than =, 400 years,
containing a list of the honors bestowed
upon members Of the family by successive
dynasties and emperors; and. what is
even more remarkable, the family has
always occupied the same home and has
performed the same public services all
Of those centuries. The present Duke
Kung f,l-tzu In the seventysixth In di-
rect male line Of descent who has resided
on the same spot where the chronicles
king" the sage OF ten thousand gen
erations," was born and taught his max
inns and died. and where his tomb is an
object of worship by pilgrims from all
parts of the Chinese empire.
Birthplace Of Confucius.
The family home Is at Tsu-fu, the
birthplace Of Confucius. In the province
o. Shangtung, about l25 miles west Of
the city OF Tsi-nan fu. the capital OF that
province 1t is seldom visited by foreign
tourists because Of its isolation. Until
recen tly it was necessary to travel all the
way from Peking On horseback. but now
the railway Is open running from Picking
to Tsi-nan fu, and from there the re-
mainder of the journey to the Mecca of
China, requiring six days. can be made
on horseback or In wheelbarrow. There
Is no cart road. and no carriages or any
other vehicles. except wheelbarrows.
which are commonly used In the interior
for transportation purposes. 4 passen-
ger Inf a wheelbarrow has plenty Of time
to observe the scenery and to contem-
plate the maxims of Confucius. Some
times one coolie wheels two persons In
a double barrow arranged like q jauut
ing car, with a seat and a footrest on
either side OF the wheel. II the con-
ductor Of one Of these double wheefbar-
rows has only one passenger he has to put
a bag OF stones or some other form OF
ballast In the other side to maintain an
equilibrium.
Duke ng-fu-tzu, the present head OF
- ~ Co. fe, "
years old. who, as / stated In q recent
letter, is very highly respected and exer-
cises considerable influence. although he
keeps out of politics and preserves an
impartial dignity that Is very becoming
to tho only example of hereditary nobility
in the Chinese empire. He ranks next to
the imperial family; he receives a large
income from an estate which Is probably
the largest and one OF the most productive
in China, and IL distinguished by various
special honOrs and privileges.
Descendants Of the Sage.
The town OF Tsu-fu has about 600 in
habitants. all related to each other. for
nearly every one Of them can trace his
descent directly back to the great philos-
opher. and is In some respect q dependent
upon the bounty OF Duke Kung-fu-tzu.
The community il one of the most re-
markable examples Of paternalsm that
may be found anywhere. The descend
ants Of Mahomet are scattered all over
turbans. They number thousands and,
although many OF them are doubtless I'm
posters. man who wears a green tur-
ban In Morocco or Algiers. in Cairo or the
as descendant Of the prophet and IS
respected accordingly. The descendants
Of Confucius. however. have remained in
the same spot They are seldom seen
anywhere except at Tsu-fu. where they
live like ordinary people. cultivate the
estates belonging to the family. and are
governed by the duke In a little autocracy
which has never been disturbed by trea-
son or dissension. They wear no dis
tinguishing badge: they seek no prefer
than their descent from the wisest OF
mankind and pillow the ground SOW the
millet seed and reap their crops annually
IN simple contentment. Some OF
them keep hotels and boarding houses
for the accommodation of pilgrims who
visit the tomb of Confucius in large num-
bers: others look after the temples and
off1ciate at the sacrifices and other cere-
monies. Everybody at Tsu-fu Is related
to everybody else, and all the entire town
and the territory surrounding 1t Is recog-
nized as the property of the ruling duke.
The tomb of Confucius Is marked by
an ordinary fagstone about the height OF
a man, whose surface is covered with In
sCIiptlouS ana De1OTe which lHCeHse ID
contantly kept burning in a beautiful urn.
His grave is surrounded by large ceme-
terry, in which his descendants. numbering
thousands, repose; and it is sacred
ground. There are a dozen or more tenn
pies surrounding the cemetery, in which
memorial services are being performed
almost constantly. with more or less cere-
mony according to the rank Of the pill
grim who asks the price he pays for
them. The present duke. being inclined to
modern ideas and methods. does not often
appear. He rather avoids the honors that
natives are required to. pay him. The
governor OF Shangtung. for example Is
required by immemorial custom to visit
the tomb of Confucius once every year,
Durn a certain amount of incense and con-
tribute certain amount Of money in the
FORM OF offerings. He Is required also to
ko-toW and touch his forehead to the
moor nine times in the presence of the
duke but the latter usually takes the
trouble to be absent when the governor
annual pilgrimage Is made so as to re-
lleve that gentleman, of the humiliation
From all that can be learned of him he Is
very sensible and unassuming gentle
man.
Maxims Of Confucius.
1t would be impossible to give an ade-
quate idea of the philosophy OF Confucius
In the space Of a newspaper letter. but
the following maxims give the drift Of
his teachings:
L. Esteem most highly filial piety and
brotherly submission. in order to give due
prominence &c the social relations.
Behave with generosity to the
branches OF your kindred in order to IL