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ANNEX XV.
Consul-General Sir J. Jamieson to Sir Austen Chamberlain.-(Received January 12, 1926.)
(No. 62.) Sir,
WITH reference to my despatch No. 58 of the 23rd November, paragraph 7,
Canton, December 2, 1925. I have the honour to enclose herewith, for your information, the following document:
Article: The Patriotic Movement and Christian Work in Canton," by Y. L. Lee, 2. The author of this document is head of the local Young Men's Christian Association.
Copies of this despatch have been sent to Peking, No. 125, and to Hong Kong.
I have, &c.
J. W. JAMIESON.
Enclosure.
The Patriotic Movement and Christian Work in Canton, by Y. L. Lee.
BEFORE discussing the patriotic movement in Canton, we should analyse very briefly the forces at work which have been responsible for the recent movements. We shall notice that while some forces are very active in Canton and others operate in other parts of China, they all, nevertheless, are part of a nation-wide movement. Canton is a hot-bed for political thought and its people are very active. This may be the reason why the political parties here are bearing fruit and others are not.
Forces at Work.
1. The first we should mention is the force representing the old Chinese culture and thought. With Chinese philosophy as its background, it resists foreign influences, especially Christian influence. This force can hardly make a stand before other newiv. developed forces in a commercial city like Canton, but it has a strong and widespre influence in the north. This northern group, joined to the element here which is stu struggling loyally to conserve the old, maintains an active opposition to Christian influences.
2. Another force at work, which may be called the Japanese influence, is represented by the returned students from Japan. They are well scattered in the fields of education and politica.
From these two groups have sprung up a number of strong organisations which are by no means friendly to the Christian movement. Association, the Seventy-two Guilds daily newspaper, the Educational Association and The Ching Wu Athletic the High Normal groups represent people who want to preserve Chinese culture broadened and liberalised through the influence of Japanese education. The last two organisations have strong influence in the primary and middle schools. It is true,. however, that while the political parties are so active in Canton, we do not feel very much the influence of these organisations.
3. The third force may be represented by the modern type of returned students from Europe and America, with their emphasis on science and philosophy and their contention that Christianity has no place in this world. However, this force is much stronger in the north, especially in Peking. In a commercial city like Canton the returned students are not very influential. They think too much of how to "make life
easy and soft."
4. The Christian force may be represented by the church, mission schools, hospitals, Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. This force was very strong two or three years ago. One wonders how it may stand in the future when so many forces are opposed to it; when so many of its missionaries do not realise nor fully understand the current trend of thought, and when the attention of so many of the Christian workers is turned toward material things as well as Christian work. They have not been able to catch up with the people in intellect and they are now fighting defensive battles only.
5. The Young China Society is quite a new force. It was organised about a year ago or so in Shanghai. It has branches in Peking, Canton and several other places throughout the country. This organisation has strongly attacked mission education
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in China. It is out for nationalism and against education in China. It is out for bolism and against internationalism. While China is in its present desperate condition, this organisation is being welcomed everywhere by the intellectuals
6. The Communist party is also a new but a strong influence at work in Canton. Through the New Student Society or the C.Y. movement it has penetrated into many schools and labour organisations. It is well known what this party stands for politically. It is also actively opposed to Christianity.
7. Canton is a stronghold of the Kuomintang, or Nationalist party. Since its reorganisation about a year ago it has worked effectively in Canton. It has branches in schools, labour organisations, merchant associations and many other institutions, It has laid strong emphasis on the work with labourers and farmers and opposed imperialism. This party has been responsible for several patriotic movements in Canton. Many new organisations have sprung up under the influence of this party. It is perhaps the most effective force at work in Canton. It is through this party that the Communist group is able to extend its influence into the schools and labour unions. Although the Kuomintang is a purely political party, many of its early members were Christians. Some of its leaders now, however, are anti-Christian. Which Forces are more Influential ?
All these forces mentioned above have been actively at work in Canton. Some are now strong and some are weak. Each is trying to maintain a hold on the general public. Bach at times finds its public indifferent and unsympathetic. The political parties at present have the upper hand. While student organisations and labour unions used to concern themselves with their own affairs, they are to-day only political tools. The methods of reaching the general public have been improved a good deal by the political parties in the last two years.
Without doubt the Kuomintang is the strongest force working in Canton. The Communist party, well organised and disciplined, inany workers working within the Kuomintang, is getting stronger every day. The Young China Society is new, but its ideas are well accepted by the student class. The other forces are comparatively less strong and some are getting weak.
It is true that the political parties depend upon the Government a great deal. If the Government should change, they would fall also. However, there is every reason to believe that the Kuomintang will rule Canton for some time to come.
The anti-Christian week, the 22nd to the 28th December, is sure to come. The attack on mission education is bound to be stronger. The city Y.M.C.A., fighting in the front line, is to have more difficult times. In the midst of all these forces Christianity stands almost alone. However, the degree of their opposition to Christianity varies a good deal. Many of them, too, are working against each other. It is very important for the Christian leaders to notice carefully at each crisis what forces are friendly and what are not.
Why Opposing Christianity.
The old type of Chinese scholars who have in mind the teachings of Confucius ani other Chinese leaders of thought think very little of Christian teachings. That may be the reason why Christianity has been confined chiefly to the proletariat in China. As soon as it touches the student class or the literati it meets opposition. The returned students from Europe and America, too, with their exaggerated respect for science and philosophy, have little respect for Christianity. But these two groups admire the Christian work in China very much. They even show sympathy with the Christians when they are oppressed. The Young China Society with its intense nationalism has attacked mission education very severely because of the foreign element within the mission schools and their internationalism, but very little on account of their Christian principles. Among the leaders of the Kuomintang, some have attacked Christianity because it was opposed to their materialistic point of view, and some because to their iuds it was associated with imperialism. The late Mr. Liu Chung Hoi, a strong leader of the party, said once, "We must attack Christianity until it gets rid of its imperialistic elements, then we will welcome it as we have welcomed other religions in China." The most fundamental out-and-out opposition to Christianity is offered by the Communist party. This party engineers the anti-Christian week everywhere in China. Its members believe in the materialistic interpretation of life rather than in the spiritual. They believe in no God, no life after death, and that science can take the place of religion. They believe in class war, and maintain that love cannot solve industrial problems. This party is very strong in Canton. It has sufficient means and
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