Evening star., 1951-08-19
confucius and the Weeping Woman

According to reports from Hongkong, the
Communist regime at Peiping has issued orders
to all Of China's public and private schools for
bidding them to teach anything about Con-
fucius or to let even wisp Of his writings
circulate in the classrooms. Apparently, in the
new society Of the Red totalitarians the views OF
the ancient sage must be completely obliterated
as "reactionary" doctrine likely to poison young
minds with thoughts of independence, the dig
nifty of the Individual the sanctity Of the family,
the dangers Of the omnipotent state, and similar
bourgeois rawlings about the basic essentials OF
free and decent way Of life.
It is easy to understand, Of course, why the
Peiping tyranny would like to stamp out Con-
fucius and the anti Communist contagion Of his
ideas For the Chinese people, through century
after century have been profoundly influenced
by his ethical teachings, his good-conduct max
inns, and In general the philosophical gentleness
and sense Of justice summed up in his admoni-
ton (the Golden Rule stated negatively long
before Christi that what ye would not that
others should do unto you, do We not unto them"
Needless to say, in the judgment OF the Kremlin-
serving Mao Tze-tung regime, the less said about
such matters the better. the more suppression
the better.
Above all, what must be q constant source
Of embarrassment to the Peiping Communist
thing they must be anxious to wipe out OF the
memories Of the Chinese peoples the fact that
one of the oldest and most celebrated stories
associated with Confucius is, in effect damning
indictment Of all that the Red tyranny repre-
sents The story dates back some "A centuries
to day when he and group OF his followers
were strolling through the countryside and came
upon woman weeping and wailing beside
freshly dug grave. On seeing this the great
sage filed with compassion, sent one Of his
disciples to find out the cause of such immense
grief. Whereupon something like the following
discourse ensued:
The disciple: what is it, my good woman,
that has moved you to this torrent OF tears and
this extraordinary display Of sorrow?" The
woman: "Oh, sir, some time ago my husbands
father was killed here by tiger and then my
husband also, and now my son has met with the
same fate" The disciple: "A truly tragic story!
But why, pray tell, do you yourself linger in
this dangerous place instead OF departing for
safer territory?" The woman: X "Sir, linger
here because here there is no oppressive govern
ment." At which, upon hearing it, Confucius
turned to his followers and said: Remember
this, my children, oppressive government Is
fercer and more feared than tiger
So it is not surprising that the Peipng
Communists are reported to be doing their best
to sweep away every influence Of the old sage.
The same effort was made many, many CEN
turieS ago when the hrSt head OF the TSln
dynasty burned the great mans writings and
buried alive hundreds of his followers But this
tyrant, during his short-lived rule, failed to put
out the light-a light that has managed to
shine on, even though hickering occasionally,
through all the ages that have since passed.
That is the way things are likely to continue.
China-which Is itself kind of weeping woman
probably will keep on honoring and remember
ing Confucius long after it has condemned and
forgotten the Red totalitarians.
A mysterious parcel, mailed to Southern
ofaceholder. Is found to contain not bomb,
but can Of hash. T& mystery continues