CO129-531-10 Hong Kong University- encouragement of Chinese students to counteract American influence 30-5-1931 - 1-9-1931 — Page 86

43

6

instrument of learning.

An adequate knowledge will be essentiel

but a pedantic mastery of detail, and that exact knowledge of the

obscure region of classical allusion, which is important only to

those who can afford to make it their sole interest in life, the se

are not necessary for the masses. The problem then is or has been

to adjust the language to the new demands, but there is sturdy

opposition to the new system, which is replacing the old laborious

process of learning the classical books. The dethronement of an

idol is necessarily and always regarded as sacrilege by the priests

of the old religion. It denotes loss of reverence, and when

innovations are permitted in one direction there is a danger of

the inonoclasm spreading generally. Now nothing has been so highly

regarded in the past as the sacred characters of the Classical

language and their associations. The Chinese scholar who first

arrested thought and imprisoned it in the written character on the

bamboo, did more for the civilization of China, than Prometheus

who stole fire from heaven in order to give it to man,

or the

unknown genius who invented the wheel at the dawn of history and

so reduced man's labour.

The significance of the phrase "The word was God" seems to

have been realised by the Chinese who alone perceive that "words"

and especially the written word have raised man so high above the

brute beasts and given him such god-like stature, that it may truly

be said that he is made in the image of God. Hence the numerous

societies for preserving the dignity of learning, and the frequent

essays written denouncing those who would profane the sacred

characters by using the papers on which they are written as

wrappers for domestic articles, and the money expended on collecting

the discarded papers or other things which have writing on them,

with a view to dealing with them in the most reverent fashion.

The following translation of a short essay published in 1870

by an enthusiastic scholar and distributed gratis among his erring.

countrymen, is given by H. A. Giles in his book, "Chinese Sketches."

It brings out this attitude of reverence and awe for the old learning.