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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[December 12, 1904
the case.
8.me fifty-seven years ago six young | the white race. Statistics are given to show, though the splitting up of the nation is before Englishmen went off into the country on the that during the last 200 years the whit race their eyes, yet they dance and sing. The outskirts of Canton. On approaching a
farmers, artisans, and merchants cling to village they met some Chinese labourers coming
ancient methods and will not introduce any. from the fields. and shoved them off the path,
thing new. he whole nation regards military hitting one old man-it was had enough to hit
affairs as unimportant; hence, whenever foreign an old man, but this one happened to be
troops come, we are beaten. Unless we change, the village elder. They were taken in
I fear there will be no need for the foreigner to custody and killed. The facts of the
come and destroy us: we shall destroy our- selves.
Case did not excuse the Chinese but it was not out and out murder, and the Englishmen were largely to blame for their fate. There were continually cases of Chinese who happened to have enlarged spleens or other maladies succumbing to kicks from Englishmen. it made a man feel sorrow to think that he had caused the death of another, but he was not guilty of murder What they had to look at was the material result. Did it not degrade a man to hit not er without pro- vocation? And, very often, to hit men with more brains than themselves! Had not the Chinese their poetry, their literature and civiliza- tion dating back to the time when Europeans were savages? They (Europeans) had gone into a co der limate and acquired whiter skins than the Chinese; they were also proud of their modern civilization, and religion-but did such action- as he had enumerated earn respect? Europeans and Chinese, certainly, would not blend together for many years to come as the two civilizations were so different, but it appeared to him that they could have far friendlier relations than at present..
A CHINESE PATRIOTS VIEWS.
We extract the following interesting com- ments, written by a Chinese in a mandarin book called "The Bell for Rousing the Age," from an article by George Miles in the North China Herald.
Regarding foreign concessions the Chinese author says:
Although concessions are leased to foreigners, they still form part of Chinese territor, yet a Chinaman entering a foreign concession is like entering hell; there is not the slightest liberty. The Indian policemen
who stand in the streets are like the demons standing before the palace of the King of Hades. The interpreters and others in for ign hongs are just like the underlings of the Decider of Life and Death in Hades. If they speak to you, they make your hair stand on end.
"In Shanghai there is a Foreign Public Garden. A notice is put up at the gate Dogs and Chinamen are not allowed inside'; thus we Chinamen are regarded as a grade lower than dogs. China is still a nation, and yet we are treated thus: but wait until China is split up, and we dare not venture to imagine the treatment that we shall receive.
"C
From my remarks you will imagine that I am a madman, or suspect that I belong to the Boxers. But you are wrong. I am not in full sympathy with the Boxers. I have met many foreigners, visited foreign countries, and desire that we may learn foreign methods. I give unstinted praise to foreign learning, yet I am fully convinced that the foreigner's heart is full of enmity. Should our country be split up by foreigners, we shall indeed be in a sorry plight. I therefore venture to use these strong and vehement words, to rouse all to try and save our country. To do this, there are ten things we should clearly understand :—
"1.-We should clearly understand that the splitting up of China not only means the des- traction of the nation; it also involves the extermination of the race.
2.-That after foreigners have split up China, the Manchu Government will be retained to crush the Chinese.
3-That it is now useless to think of prepar- ing any plan to save China, except fighting battles involving terrible loss of life. The fault of China has ever been, that she never makes preparation; she only talks of preparation when the danger has come upon her.
4.-The death of a few men at the present time will be the salvation of many valuable lives in the future.
5. Clearly understand the distinctions be- tween the various races of mankind. (Here follows a description of the various races. It is shown how other races have been conquered by
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has increased and other races diminished through the cruelty and oppression of the whites, and that China and Japan are the only nations left for the whites to seize.)
6.-Clearly understand that every subject as a share and an interes in the nation's welfare. The nation might be compared to a ship, the Emperor to th man at the helm, the official to the sailors, the people to the owners of the cargo. Should the ship be nuseaworthy not only would the man at the helm and the sailors be concerned, the owners of the cargo would be still more concerned. If the man at the helm and the sailors are proved to be inefficient, the owners will dismiss them and select others. This is in accord with the highest reason. The owners certainly would not fold their arms and be indifferent as to the condit on of the ship and allow the helmsman and sa lors to recklessly navigate it. If, theo, I»m a suɔ- ject of this kingdou how can I be indifferent about the prosperity or adversity of my country and allow the Emperor and officials o act stupidly with out remo strance? Let the Em- perr and officials exert themselves for the good of the nation ad we will help them, but if ey injure and destroy the country, we must call, them to account for such are the duties of the
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9. We must become civilised. We must not act like savages and barbarians. By civilisation I mean that outwardly we must always treat foreigners with gentleness and friendliness. We must protect all mission chapels, mis- sionaries, and merchants. But inwardly we must watch the foreigner carefully, knowing that he desires to seize our power and wealth. If he wishes to build a railway, buy- a mineral hill; locate foreign troops, or appoint a foreign official, we must never consent. If they fight us and offer us tens of thousands of gold, we must not join them or sell them provisions, neither must we act as spies for them. Before the battle we must resolve to fight to the death, and kill all the enemy. But all foreigners, other than soldiers, must not be harmed. If foreign soldiers are taken prisoners or surrender, they must not be killed, but be well cared for. This is inter ational law. This is a civilised method. By doing this, for the time being, we shall only be able to save the nation; we shall not be able to destroy Foreign Powers, but must make peace with them; hence the necessity of employing these methods. Barbarous methods are without order and are confused. Suddenly a few hundred men con- gregate, burn and destroy a few missionaries and converts, or a forein official and merchants. They then think they have accomplished their purpose. But foreign troops arrive, the rioters are scattered, the pace is unished, and a heavy indemnity demanded. Therefore these barbarian methods must on n account be adopted
10. We must clearly understand that this
7-If we wish to withstand foreigners, we must first learn and imitate their good points. Nowadays pople all speak of the wealth and power of Western nations, but have no idea how this wealth and power have been acquired. Now although we hate them. we must copy their good points. This is bow Japan has become so powerful. Many among us say: "We must fht the foreigners," but do not tell us how to do it. Their guns are powerful, and we must acquire the use of the most modern weapons. The foreigners have so many good points that they cannot all he mentioned here. One of the best things ab ut them is. that they nearly all have a good education. They treat work of contending with Foreign Powers all with justice (that is, all their own race to will be unending. If foreigners seek to split other races they extend no justice) They love up our nation, we must not allow it. whilst one their own country (though not other countries) man over twenty years of age remains alive. They are always seeking to improve the army;
When the next generation grows up, they must and navy, the government, and the industries carry on the work Those who are willing to of the country. Which one of these things become slaves to the foreigner, must not be ought not China to imitate?
We must copy i
allowed any clan rights during life, nor must them in order to crush them; the more we hate they be allowed burial in the ancestral grounds them, the more we must imitate them.
We after death." must imitate their strong love of country and sense of justice. To do this we must establish schools and send students to foreign countries. Many have strong prejudices against sending students abroad as most of the students return with foreign ideas and talk about upsetting the Manchu dynasty. What they say is unim- portant; try and find out what is in their hearts, and you will find that in bearing insult patiently they have copied their enemies and may yet be the salvation of their country.
8. We should know that if we desire to be strong, we must cast aside our bad points. We Chinese are always boasting that we are a civilised race: the nation of propriety and justice. In the time of our forefathers this was perfectly true, but in the present day we are unprincipled, cunning plunderers and hypo. crites, there is no wickedness we will not do. No trace of the ancient spirit is left among us. The officials know nothing besides how to get rich. The soldiers are afraid of death and only think of saving their own lives. The only desire of scholars is to obtain degrees, so they will not trouble themselves with other affairs. The consciences of the upper, middle, and lower classes are dead; they have no sense of shame. Their minds are cramped and they are without education. They are doltish and bigoted, and they believe in demons and sprites. The men smoke foreign opium and the women bind their feet. Many lead wandering lives and join secret societies. The country is full of thieves and robbers. Their houses are just like cattle sheds. Their conduct is barbarous. Their words are without nicety and they love money as they love life. If they go to foreign countries they are re- garded as belonging to a barbarous, mean, and despicable race, and are refused permission to land. The nation is thus insulted and treated with contempt, yet the Government knows nothing of it, or of the shame it entails. Al-
A PARSEE PRESENTATION.
A large gathering of the members of the Parsee community of Hongkong, and Canton met at the Parsee Club House in Elgin Street on the evening of the 3rd inst, in honour of Mr. Framjee H. Arjanee, who has acted as a trustee and honorary secretary of the Parsee Charity Funds for the last six years, and who is returning to Bombay by the steamer Lightning, and will not be returning to Hongkong. The object of the meeting was to present him, as a parting souvenir, with a handsome urn made of solid silver. with two silver trays, silver glasses, and other minor accessories, from the Parsee community of Hongkong and Canton.
It
may be perhaps interesting to add that the Parsees use the urns to put the fire on which they burn sandalwood and other incense while saying their prayers; fire, which is the source of heat and light, and consequently of all life, being considered by them as an outward manifestation of the Holy Ahurmazd, the Creator of the Universe. As Mr. Arjanee belongs to the priest class, and is known to be extremely religious, this form of presentation was agreed upon by the subscribers as fit and appropriate.
The silver urn and trays bear the following inscription in Gujarati: -"Presented to Mr. Framjee Hormusjee Arjanee by the Parsee community of Hongkong and Canton in grateful recognition of his valuable services rendered as a Trustee and Honorary Secretary of their Charity Funds. November, 1904."
The meeting hall was profusely decorated with green foliage and festoons of flowers, and great enthusiasm prevailed. The meeting was presided over by Mr. H. N. Mody, the popular leader of the Parsee community of South China, and proceedings were opened by his reading the
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