CO885-6 — Page 436

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

PIC.O. 882

6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

14

The only two towns of importance which we reached, and at which we spent some time on our way to Ch'u Fou, were the district city of Ning yang and the Prefectural city of Yen chou Fu. At Ning yang we were received most courteously by the District Magistrate, Mr. Ilo Fook, who placed most spacious and comfortable quarters at our disposal and treated us most hospitably.

On approaching Yen chou Fu, we were met by a large hody of troops belonging to the command of General T'ien, and escorted into the city, where we were received by General Tien, Taotai Chang, who had come all the way from Chining Chou to meet us, Prefect Chang, Magistrate Liu, and Bishop Anser, who had kindly placed his house at the disposal of the authorities for our use. After partaking of the usual cup of tea, we were conducted to the Catholic Mission, where we were enter- tained at luncheon by Bishop Anser, the four officials mentioned above being present. After luncheon we were shown round the premises of the mission by Bishop Anser and Father Klaphek, and saw a good many scholars who are being educated by the Catholic Fathers. Among them, the Bishop informed me, are many sons of the official class. We were also introduced to Father Teufel (rather an ominous name for a reverend Father!) who is engaged in compiling a grammar of the Chinese language.

In the afternoon we called on the officials and visited the site, which is marked with stone arch, where Yen Tzu, the favourite disciple of Confucius, is said to have lived. In the streets of the city there are some very fine arches--P'ai Lou- erected to the memory of distinguished men and virtuous women, the carving on which is very finely excented.

On Saturday, the 9th of May, we were entertained by General Tien, a most charming personality, who though advanced in years is still hale and vigorous. He introduced us to his two grandsons whom he wishes to become proficient in English which they are now studying. He wrote for me in my presence two scrolls with his left hand, the caligraphy being described as excellent by competent judges. The meaning of the scrolls is too flattering to bear repetition.

From Yen chon Fu to Ch'u Fou, the home of Confucius, the distance is only 10 miles. The scenery between the two places is most picturesque, the country being covered with rich crops of grain and well wooded. On reaching the city, we were welcomed by the Magistrate, who provided us with quarters in the building in which the Literary Chancellor resicles when he comes to hold his examinations.

Soon after our arrival the steward of Yen Shông Kung, the Holy Duke, a title first conferred on the lineal descendant of Confucius in A.D. 1055, called to inform us that the Duke would be pleased to receive a visit from me on the following day. It is doubtful whether any family can trace a longer descent than that of Confucius. Genealogical tables are common in which the descent is traced from Huang Ti, B.C. 2637, one of the most famous of the legendary rulers of China, but the more generally accepted view is that his ancestry dates back to the commencement of the Chon dynasty, B.C. 1121. The present Duke, who is 32 years of age, belongs to the 76th generation of descendants of the Great Sage, who was born in B.C. 551, and died in 8.C. 479.

On Sunday, the 10th of May, I went in uniform to the Temple of Confucius to show my respect for China's Great Sage. I was conducted by descendants of the Sage to that portion of the temple where Chinese have to kneel and perform the kotow to their great teacher. Having raised my hat, I read in Chinese a short Enclosure encomium of Confucius of which I attach a translation. I then proceeded to the 6 (p. 281. main building of the temple, where the Duke and his suite were waiting to receive

me.

The Duke, who is tall and strongly made, with a handsome face and pleasant manner, accorded me a most cordial reception. He said that he was much gratified that I had evinced so kind a desire to see him; that it was both his duty and his pleasure “to treat kindly strangers from afar" in accordance with the teaching of his ancestor: that as I had come such a great distance it afforded him great pleasure to see me that the Governor of Shantung had written to inform him that I was well acquainted with the works and teachings of Confucius, and that it was difficult to find a European possessed of such knowledge: that on that account alone he was especially pleased to meet me, and that he would be glad if I would allow a photo- graph of all present to be taken,

After a group had been taken, the Duke escorted me to the main entrance gate of the temple.

15

On my return to our quarters, I sent as a present to the Duke a wooden tablet with the following remark of Confucius, selected from his " Discourses and Sayings," engraved in gilt characters--" A great pleasure it is when friends come from afar to seek you because of your attainments." I also sent on behalf of Dr. Marques, late of the Civil Service in Hong Kong, a silver goblet.

The tablet and goblet were forwarded on a stand, accompanied by a band of Chinese music, and were received at the Duke's palace with a salute.

In the afternoon I called on the Duke at his palace when he thanked me for the tablet which he said he would hang up in remembrance of my visit. I enquired after his mother who is still alive and who is reputed to be a woman of great attainments.

After visiting the Duke I called on his uncle, K'ung Hsiang-lin, who had come all the way from Chinan especially to make arrangements for our reception at Ch'u Fou, to thank him for his kindness.

In the evening the Duke returned my visit, and expressed a hope that Captain Barnes and I would accept an invitation, which he proposed to send to me, to dine with him on the following day. He also stated that my address to Confucius had been most gratifying to him, and that he wished to show his appreciation of my tribute to the memory of his ancestor by presenting me with books referring to the life and works of Confucius inscribed to me with his own hand, and with some articles made out of wood from the tree planted by one of the Sage's favourite disciples. He hoped that I would again visit the temple when he would arrange for my party to be shown over it, and take such photographs as I might wish.

After the Duke had gone, his uncle returned my call and said it would give

him great pleasure to accompany me on our visit to the tomb of Confucius.

On Monday, the 11th of May, we proceeded to the Temple of Confucius, and were met at the entrance by two of the uncles of the Duke and his steward, who conducted us all round the buildings.

The grounds of the temple cover about 35 acres and are well wooded with fine old cypress, yew, and fir trees of great age. Among the trees are one planted by the Sage himself and two planted during the Tang (A.D. 618-905) and Sung dynasties (A.D. 960-1126),

The temple is divided into a series of courts, of which there are six, before the main temple is reached. Each court is separated from the other by a gateway, but has steps leading into the court on either side. The main temple is built upon the spot where Confucius, who was born in B.c 551 and died in B.c. 479, lived. In front of the entrance to the main temple are 13 pavilions covering tablets with inscriptions written by various Emperors of China. The main temple itself con- sists of 10 buildings and an altar: each building has a court to itself.

After passing through the entrance to the main temple, the altar called the Hsing Tan is reached. It is open on four sides, and is so named because Confucius received those who came to seek his instruction at a place so called. Behind the Ising Tan is the Ya Ch'eng Tien, a great hall containing a statue of Confucius, 16 feet high, seated on a throne and screened with curtains embroidered with dragons. The hall is supported in front by white marble pillars with deeply carved dragons, and in the north, east, and west by pillars of black marble carved in cameo- work. The floor is lined with black marble, and the roof is covered with yellow tiles. The ceiling consists of 486 panels, square in shape, gilded at the edge, and ornamented with dragons.

In front of the statue is a table on which are displayed enamelled vases and bronze urns and tripods, presented to the temple by the Emperor Yung Ching (A.D. 1723-1736), and which are said to date back to the second year of Yuan Ho, of the Han Dynasty (A.D. 85). In the hall are suspended four gilded tablets and three pairs of scrolls presented by Emperors of the present dynasty, and there are also statues of Yen Tzu and Tseng Tzu, his favourite disciples, of his grandson, of Mencius and of twelve of his chief disciples. At the east and west of the great hall are two corridors containing the tablets of his disciples and the philosophers who have supported his teaching from the earliest times up to the present dynasty. Behind the grand hall is a building in honour of his wife, and in the rear of it is a building panelled with black marble, in which are depicted scenes in the life of Confucius and in one of which is a picture of the sage. On the west are three buildings, the first being the hall in which the music is played at the worship of Confucius, the instruments used being kept in a building still further to the west The second contains the statue of the father of Confucius; the third is in honour