CO129-054 - Sir Bowring - 1856 [1-2] — Page 230

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

225

Certain degree of discredit is attached to every game which depends either partly or wholly on chance; and between the sharper and the honorable player the line does not seem to be very distinctly drawn. Persons, therefore, in official situations who value themselves upon reputations are seldom known to engage in play, even within limits and under circumstances which might be considered to render it perfectly innocent and allowable!

And in a Chinese work now before me the practice is described as 'the thief's back door' (an indirect entrance to a dishonest life), as being "as near to murder as adultery is to disgrace to our parentage" and "as near akin to robbery as ..."

... a guide to poverty, want, crime, and the scaffold.

These observations embrace, I believe, all the points suggested in your letter; but I enclose some answers by an intelligent Chinese to queries on the same subject, which may be interesting from the originality of information and the ideas which they embody.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) C. B. Hillier,

Chief Magistrate.

(True Copy)

Colonial Secretary.

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225 Certain degree of discredit is attached to every game which depends either partly or wholly on chance; and between the sharper and the honorable player the line does not seem to be very distinctly drawn. Persons, therefore, in official situations who value themselves upon reputations are seldom known to engage in play, even within limits and under circumstances which might be considered to render it perfectly innocent and allowable! And in a Chinese work now before me the practice is described as 'the thief's back door' (an indirect entrance to a dishonest life), as being "as near to murder as adultery is to disgrace to our parentage" and "as near akin to robbery as ..." ... a guide to poverty, want, crime, and the scaffold. These observations embrace, I believe, all the points suggested in your letter; but I enclose some answers by an intelligent Chinese to queries on the same subject, which may be interesting from the originality of information and the ideas which they embody. I have, &c., (Signed) C. B. Hillier, Chief Magistrate. (True Copy) Colonial Secretary.
Baseline (Original)
225 certain degree of discredit is attached to every game which sepond either partly or wholly on chance; and between the sharper and the honorable player the line does not seem to be or very ristinelly drawn. Persons - therefore in official situations who value themselves repon reputations are seldom Known to engage in play, their even within limits and under circumstances which might be considered to render it perfectly innocent and allowable ! Chinese work now before. And in a me the practice is deverbed as 'the thiefs back door" an indirect entrance on a dishonest life), as being "as near to murder to s skin to robbery as adultery t disgrace to our as a disgr pa r parentages and 0 R. Aure quide to poverty, wont, crime, and the scaffold 9. . These observations embrace, I "believe all the points suggested in ނ your letter; but Sevclose some answers by an intelley. in intelligent chinese to queries on the same subject, which may be interesting from the and the originality of information the ideas which they embody. I have, Je, (Signed) C. B. Hillier- Chief Magistrate. (True Ropy) Colonial Lecretary.
2026-05-18 00:46:15 · Baseline
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225

certain degree of discredit is attached to every game which sepond either partly or wholly on chance; and between the sharper and the honorable player

the line does not seem to be

or

very ristinelly drawn. Persons - therefore in official situations who value themselves repon reputations are seldom Known to

engage in play,

their

even within limits

and under circumstances which

might be considered to render it

perfectly innocent and allowable !

Chinese work now before.

And in a

me the practice is deverbed as 'the thiefs back door" an indirect entrance on a dishonest life), as being

"as near

to murder

to s

skin to robbery as adultery t

disgrace to our

as a disgr

pa

r parentages

and

0

R. Aure

quide to poverty, wont, crime,

and the scaffold

9.

.

These observations embrace, I

"believe all the points suggested in

ނ

your letter; but Sevclose some answers by an intelley.

in intelligent chinese to

queries

on the same

subject, which may be interesting from the

and the originality of

information

the ideas which they embody.

I have, Je,

(Signed) C. B. Hillier-

Chief Magistrate.

(True Ropy)

Colonial Lecretary.

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