Year: 1860

The boys commence their studies at six or
seven years of age. In China there is no royal
road to learning, but every boy, whatever his
rank, takes the same class book aud submits
TO the same training. The schoolroom is a
low shed, or back room in some temple or
some attic in some shop, where each boy is
supplied with a table and stool, and the
teacher has a more elevated seat and a larger
table In the corner Of the room is tablet or
picture of Confucius, before which each pupil
proStrates himself on entering the room, and
then makes his obesiance to his teacher He
then brings his book to the teacher, who re-
peats over q sentence or more to the pupil
and he goes to his place repeating the same at
the top of his voice till he can repeat it Grom
memory, when he returns to his teacher, and
Iayiug the book on the teachers table, turns
his back both book and teacher, and repeats
his lesson. This is called backing his lesson
In this way he goes through the volume till he
can back the whole book than another then
another till he can back the list of the classics
The boys in the school, to the number Of ten
to twenty, each 20 through The same process,
coming mp in turn to back their lessen, and be
that has defective recitation receives a blow
on the head from the masters ferule of bamboo
and returns 10 his seat to perfect his lesson
School teachers are usually unsuccessful candi-
dates for the preferment and Office, who. not
having habits Tor business or a disposition to


labor, Iuru pedugogues. They receive from
each OF the pupils given sum, proportioned
70 the means Of the parents, and varying from
three to ten or twelve dollars year from each
pupil, and perhaps in addition an occasional
gift Of fruit or food.


The schools are opened at early dawn, and
the boys study till nine or ten O'Clock, when
they 90 to breakfast and after an hour or so
,eturn and study till four or five o'clock in the
afternoon, and then retire for the daY In
winter they sometimes have a lesson in the
evening.


The first book is called the Trimetrcal
Classic, which all Chinese boys begin with,
and which some Of their commentators have
called passport into the regions Of classical
and historical literature. We should as soon
think Of putting copy Of Young's Night
Thoughts into the hands of . beginner with
the expectation Of seeing him master it
These Young celeStials are not expected, how
ever, to understand what they read mt simply
to mcmoriZa, and occasionally write ont some
more simple character and perhaps after two
or three years reading and memorizing, they
begin TO study the sentiments Of the author
The sons of tradeSmen and mechanics seldom
study long enough to master the classics, but
gain Smatteriug of books, and learn to read
and write the language sufficient to keep ac
counts and gon little knowledge of math-
emat.cs, whcu their education is ended Such
boys-and they constitute no small portion of
school boys ia China-as they grow up, retain
the SQUAD Of many characters, bat are unable
to explain the meaning 0! Il page in any ccm-
mon book. Three or four years OF schooling
forms the sum of their education, and that is
insufficient to give any one practical knowe
d-e of the written language TIE China
Mission, Jy " Desa, y. y.