The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-24
ny r. 7. SHORT

re4ce enc freedom
BY q. 7. SHORT
CREATION in China q q huge
y unified empire that made
peace a possibility and individual
ism q necessity vas not accom-
pllshed without some experiment
tation. How this Was done IL
pointed out in the second INSTALL
uent Of the review Of the sd-
dress Of DR.. Hu shih. retiring Jap
anese ambassador 10 America. on
the basic differences in the Chi
nese and japanese philosophy. In
eidentally. II has been recalled
that DR.. shin was here few
years ago and gave an interest
Ing and Informative address be-
fore the World Affairs council
Opening this instsllment DIT.
shih points out that the Chinese
smpire in the second century,
a. c, was almost As big as China
1. today. To govern such large
empire without modern means Of
communication and trsnsporta-
ton was no easy matter.
Tn, founders Of the first EN-
nire tried to govern II IN a mill
taristic Ar totalitsrian way and
failed nnisersbly. The empire last
cd only fifteen years and was
overthrown by revolution.
Tho second or Han empire last
cd 400 years. The statesmen haa
learned from history and were de-
t.rmined to establish reign OF
peace by gradually developing a
permanent system of civilian gov
ernment and by consciously prae-
ticing the political philosophy OF
1ais.ez faire. There was con-
seious attempt to let the people
eniov the benefits of unified ne
vithout undue interference by the
Government. The system worked
out during the long reign OF the
Han empire has been more or Tess
continued by the later dynasties'
Governmental policy, philosophy
~.,,,,on ana literature have con-
.,,red to condemn war and the
.r,s NJ war. Peace and laisse1
f.,re have been conducive to the
development of individual freedom
local autonomy and self-goVern-
mani There has grow up IN
chin, An inveterste tradition OF
nol,t,caI individuslism almost an
srcnistic in its avoidance of gov
.rnmental action and control.
This ideal Is expressed In the
following proverb;
Heaven is high;
The Emperor Is far away
The same thought is expressed
also in a famous song which runs
like this:
81 begin work at sunrise
rest at sunset.
I dig INV own well and get my
drink;
pillow my field and get my
food.
What has the emperor to do
with me ?"
with the early disoarding o.
feudal society there was ABOLISH
.d tn, institution of primoeem'
,nr.. or seniority of the hrss'
horn, throughout the empire IL
wa. the policy of the statesmen
N encourage the division OF ols
,amily estates among the msi'
heirs. No great family eou
stand three generations OF eaua
subdivision. Twenty-one centuries
A. hi, have brought about az
equal distribution of wealth anc
landed property and graoua
d.mocratization Of the social strue
ture.
Chinese society was furthel
semocratized through twenty cen
turtles of civil service examins
tons AS education graduaii!
snread and civil service came L
be more firmly established TN
examinations were open to NOR
and more people who were pre-
psred TO take them. In the eours'
Of time the examinations oecsm'
the legitimate and only respect
ali. channel of civic advancement
through which sons OF the poor
"a, families could rise to the hign
est offices in the empire.
lust as China established equal
itv through the early abolition Q
nrimoseniture and the system 0
eivil service examinations. so ma
she fought the battle Of freedom
through the peculiarly Chinese IN
stitution of oensorisl control 0
government. The institution
e.nsors dates back 10 aneien
time, when courageous minister
brsyed the wrath Of despone rul
.rs by their outspoken eritieisI
Ard advice. Gradually there gre'
up a semi-religious-traoition VI
der which even the most notoriou
6espots dared not subject the Out
spoken censors 10 severe punis .i
ment. Those great oensors VINO q
lose their lives or suffered sever
punishnents az the hands OF "
.r,icsg v,ilers were deified by y