of the shops come from these villages. Of course, not everyone who belongs to the "Market Association" has a share in a shop, but they have an interest in the market, and therefore they have been accepted as members of the association. The population of the 45 villages of the small associations is roughly 6000, out of which 250 live here.
The Chinese population consists of four ranks. Here and in the surrounding area live people of all four ranks. The first rank consists of literati, and all the Government employees of the Empire belong to this rank. The lowest class of the literati are the so-called "book-readers", who have read the Four Books of Confucius, and the Five Classics, but who have failed at the District Examination, and have no degree. If they can gather a sufficient number of students they found a primary school and subsist on the meagre payments from them, which is just adequate for survival. They do not get any employment from the State, and, as a rule, they have to find their own means of survival. They earn comparatively the same as a primary school teacher receives at Home. They number a high percentage of the literati in China.
The candidates who have passed the District Examination receive the first degree, and they are called Siu Tshoi [Sau Tsoi]. This means "Elegant Talent". It has to be mentioned that many unworthy students receive this degree through corruption, whereas some knowledgeable young men, without resources, will have to give way. A Siu Tshoi also gets no Government employment. Should he want employment, he will have to apply himself to further study and examinations. However, he already has some advantages as a Siu Tshoi. He is allowed to open a Private School in which he can prepare students for the District Examination. By doing this he can earn quite good money. Besides, it is a great honour for a Chinese to have received a first degree. Literati of this kind are much rarer than the "book-readers". However, some live in this particular district, and Brother Lechler's teacher [the other missionary resident in Sha Tau Kok] in
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of the shops come from these villages. Of course, not everyone who belongs to the "Market Association" has a share in a shop, but they have an interest in the market. and therefore they have been accepted as members of the association. The population of the 45 villages of the small associations is roughly 6000. out of which 250 live here.
The Chinese population consists of four ranks. Here and in the surrounding area live people of all four ranks. The first rank consists of literati, and all the Government employees of the Empire belong to this rank. The lowest class of the literati are the so-called “book-readers", who have read the Four Books of Confucius, and the Five Classics, but who have failed at the District Examination. and have no degree. If they can gather a sufficient number of students they found a primary school and subsist on the meagre payments from them, which is just adequate for survival. They do not get any employment from the State, and, as a rule, they have to find their own means of survival. They earn comparatively the same as a primary school teacher receives at Home. They number a high percentage of the literati in China.
The candidates who have passed the District Examination receive the first degree, and they are called Siu Tshoi [Sau Tsoi, ✈✈. This means "Elegant Talent". It has to be mentioned that many unworthy students receive this degree through corruption, whereas some knowledgeable young men, without resources, will have to give way. A Siu Tshoi also gets no Government employment. Should he want employment, he will have to apply himself to further study and examinations. However, he already has some advantages as a Siu Tshoi. He is allowed to open a Private School in which he can prepare students for the District Examination. By doing this he can earn quite good money. Besides, it is a great honour for a Chinese to have received a first degree. Literati of this kind are much rarer than the "book-readers". However, some live in this particular district, and Brother Lechler's teacher [the other missionary resident in Sha Tau Kok in
289
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