University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1908-10-27
CHINESE LITERATURE
NECESSARY TO NATION
So Says Hin Wong, Student in Journalism
Pointing Out How it Influences National
Character, Government and Commerce.


tism are inspired, effects for ma;n,.
ing past greatness and the stimulus "a
improve the future fOstered. and ideal.
for the nation formed. The knowlad..
OF time-honored common literatw.
does much to increase sympathy amo.,
fellow cOuntrymen and 10 generate r..
altruistic principle.
Ethics in Literature.
But it might be asked. has NOT ~.
literature of China begun to exist f,o.
very early period? Has it not been II.
possession of China for the last anon
years? Why is it, then, that su.s
traits as are mentioned in the preeed.
ing paragraph are absent from the Chi.
nese people and, instead of them con.
tism, disuniOn and ignorance are sucking
the sap of her life! The answer mu,t
be sought in the attitude of the Chime.
heretofore toward their literature. Il
may safely be said that the ethical or
moral side has always been the one
most emphasized. A discussion of these
results leads to the necessity of preserv.
ing another element, the ethics.
China is without a well-organized. in
digenOus religion. and what she has oh.
tanned for her moral code has all been
drawn from her ethical literature. By
going into the details of human life il
has undoubtedly regulated mans indi-
vidual actions, while such exalted pre-
repts as "Recompense injury with kind
ness" He who conquers himself is
mighty" and That which we do not
want others to do to us, we should not
10 to them" have surely trained the
moral sense of the Chinese to high
standards.
Reform Individual First.
The Chinese Great Book of Learning.
Ocusing on the individual reform as the
,asis of all reforms, is valuable for that
purpose, and the book entitled the Doc
rine of Man, laying stress on modera-
ion as the aim of human life, is, no
oubt, precious moral treatise Confu-
ius' doctrine of first reforming the in
ividual, then regulating the family,
hen governing the state, and then
rganizing the world, has certainly
loulded superior individual characters;
'hile his teaching as regards the
We principal NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., right
BUSINESS, propriety, wisdom, and SINGER
y-has helped to elevate the moral
.atus of the Chinese. The over -empha-
zed principle of filial piety has at least
lelded one fruit-Obedience. Since Q
'acher or parent seldom if ever teaches
IS pupils or sons to be immoral, but in
ructs them to be virtuOus, this Obedi-
Ice assists great deal in shaping the
orality of the young Chinese. Since
linese ethical literature is the source
their moral code, the exterminatioa
it will, without doubt, gradually eat
, the moral characters and degrade
EN- to barbarism.
The Political System.
Chinese ethics is also the basis of the
linese political system. The normal gov
nment of China is less despotism than
morally supported autocracy, and it ID
principle paternal. According to stu
nts Of Oriental history, the three orig-
| principles of Chinese government
e: moral agency to be preferred to
ysical force; government to be
ndled by the ablest and the wisest,
d wicked and tyrannical rulers to Be
htfully deposed and even executed. In
: administration of justice the doc
ne of mutual responsibility is pre-
minant. These are all derived from
: COnfucian ethics.
Some Conservatism Needed.
Conservatism, sufficiently modified, -
element that must be retained. In
s era of reaction, reformers are like
to rush into hotheadedness and un-
guided by a steady conservative
mt, will prove a more dangerous sort
people than the conservatives. An
er element that should be retained
The literary competitive examination. .
the only way to honor and emolu-
Mt, it has stimulated the pursuit OF
rature. and the general respect for
ers which has become a Chinese na-
lal tradition. The corruption con-
8 in the method of conducting these
minations and is the phase to be IN
.igated, rather than the original idea
en- the mode of conducting the exani-
ion is properly purified, it will at
t be one of the factors which Will
in the reorganization and classifica-
of the official system.
Dme such customs as the respect for
rs and superiors and the appealing
minor disputes to the elder of the
e class (same surname) which has
| the least expensive way of get
IL L. Il Eorfy. n