CO129-531-10 Hong Kong University- encouragement of Chinese students to counteract American influence 30-5-1931 - 1-9-1931 — Page 100

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teachers and lack of other resources, for there is a kind of

religious fervour 2mounting almost to fanaticism in the movement

to realise this ideal of a modernised China through western educa-

tion. Young China has not only thrown down the walls of the cities

and cut straight through the narrow tortuous streets of the old

towns, but it has also cut right through the old hoary traditions

and customs and exposed the nation to the quickening breeze of the

western scientific method. National salvation lies through this

knowledge which alone gives power, and material wealth. The old

system which made culture the primary aim is subordinated to an

unimportant position, for China believes she can live on this

ethical and cultural capital which has beenstored up during the

centuries and that the defect in her system can only be made good

by an exclusive attention to the means whereby she can be enriched

in the same way as merica has been.

For the first time in her history it seems that China has come

up against forces which she cannot tame or absorb into her system,

but to which she must entirely surrender, so seductive are the

promises which the new education makes. But perhaps the movement

is not so catastrophic as it appears on the surface.

that in China as elsewhere the old is always dying and the new

being born, but that there is no breach of continuity.

could not be born except of the old and the old gives evidence of

life, not of death by being transformed into the new.

Old things need not be therefore true

O brother men, nor yet the new

Ah still awhile the old retain

And yet consider it again.

It may be

The ner

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M

Yet one

cannot help feeling

regnet at

which, with

the past

a

chech

pany of

the passing of

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system

all

faults, served

مان

Chine so will

& helped to exeate that type of cultured gentleman

who with his grass,

the minis of Europe as

his courtry

an ideal

→

delicacy impress, wo

empress is some of the words can of sod

the to lose

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