314
· THE CONSERVATIVE CHINAMAN.
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(Daily Press, 22nd October.) It is a curious consideration after so many years' intercourse with the Chinese how little most Europeans understand of the inner nature of the native charac ter. In a well-known passage in one of his novels, THACKERAY points out, with an amount of pathos unusual in so cynical a writer, to how small an extent people who have been in the most intimate relations half their lives really appreciate another's true characters. If this is true with regard to ordinary persons, it is much more so with respect to people of different nationality and traditions, and it becomes still more noticeable when these differences are so great as those existing between Europeans and Asiatics,and more especially, between the former and people so self- contained as the Chinese. Those who have dwelt any length of time in China are on their return home commonly asked what is the character of the Chinese, as though aa answer to such a question could be given in half a dozen words and on the spur of the moment. Unfortunately it is often so given, not only in speech but in writing, and the description is generally of the most superficial nature. To form any idea of what the Chinaman's character really is demands a study of years, and no one can hope to arrive at any understanding of the threal oughts and disposition of the Chinese without an amount of personal intercourse with them which few out here either desire or are in a position to have, if they wished it. To obtain even an approximate idea of any national character, it is essential to know something of the language of the people concerned, and to have intercourse with them ou easy terms and in their own way. A "Pidgin English" acquaintance with a limited class will not go very far. Everyone has a character which, consciously or unconsciously, he puts on day by day as
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he does his clothes. This character is not himself, and is indeed often very far re- moved from his true nature. There is so much to be done everywhere that is purely conventional that the outward manifestation of a man's character must of necessity be largely dependent upon and influenced by his surroundings and by the habits and feelings of those with whom he associates. With the Chinaman a conventional character of this kind is a very marked feature, There is a certain type of Chinese “ good form " which he has ever before his eyes, and which he can rarely be induced to forget. He would any day rather be found wanting in honesty than in politeness, and the worst thing in his opinion that a mau can do is to go counter to recognised con- ventionalities. Mei yeu quei-chu (he has not manners) is the severest indictinent that can be made by him against anyone. It is not what he does, but how he does it, that the Chinaman cares most about though perhaps in this he does not su very much differ from many in other places. But with a people so much wrapt up in their own formalities it is not easy even for those who have close relations with them-officials speaking the language, missionaries and others to find out very much of their true character from personal observation, while the large majority of people, who come to China with the simple object for which crossed the blue sea-that is to "better their fortuues " in business of some kind or another-the Chinaman with whoin they have dealt for years or decades remains as much a sealed book as on the day they first landed in the country.
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11
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Time was when it was
FOctober 29, 1904.
e
TIBET.
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For
Of late years, however, the Chinamau has | able to form an estimate of the Chines to some little extent come out of his shell, character upon surer data than from the and, if we do not know very much of the necessity of the case bave been hitherto inner working of his mind, we at least available. know more of the ordinary ways of the Chinese with whom we come in contact; ¦ and on the whole a better feeling has grown up between the Celestial and the European. Many of the old accepted traditions as to his extreme conservatism have been proved to be exaggerated. That the Chinese can only go on in their own old ways and are quite incapable of adopting innovations ie a belief still adhered to by many.
But if we look at the question in the light of ex- perience and fact, there is much that goes the other way. thought an almost wild idea that railways would ever he introduced into China; and the absence of these outward signs of modern civilization was constantly quoted as a proof of the backwardness of the Chinese and the impossibility of bringing them to understand and appreciate Western improvements. The answer of the officials was always the same. We will have all these things when we can have them under our own control"; and, looked at in the light of recent events, it is to be regretted that China did not in all cases adhere to this But by degrees sound view of the matter. railways have become familiar amidst the old-fashioned surroundings of this country,
same way the Chinaman has adopted many other foreign improvements which in former days were considered entirely alien to him and his ways. He has his own steamer companies and his own insurance offices, and indeed, wherever a clearly useful and practical en is to be obtained by the adoption of Europeau methods, he has been ready to accept them. Slowly it is true, but still markedly, he has made progress within the last twenty or thirty years; and when it is considered how vast is the difference in the education and instinct of the Chinaman as compared with the European the progress
and in the
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which has actually been made is rather more thau less than might have been anticipated. Still, in his intercourse with foreigners, the Chinaman preserves his old self-conscious
He looks upon us ness and reserve, curiosities, and to us in most things he is still an unexplained mystery. We meet him in business day by day, but know very little of him outside his business dealings. At times, however, we obtain glimpses of characteristics little suspected. Even here in Hongkong observant persons must oc- casionally have been struck by displays of ability of which they had little idea. Some of the speeches which have been made by leading Chinamen in this Colony upon
formal occasions bave been models of correct
both sides between
(Daily Press, 24th October.); Even had the India Office not published a prompt denial of REUTER's assertion that the British__occupation of the Chumbi Valley would most probably continue for seventy-five years, it would have been very difficult for anyone who has followed the history of the Tibetan question to give even momentary credence to the report. the Government policy has repeatedly been declared to be against the occupation of Tibetan territory, attitude which is very clearly set forth in the despatch of Novem ber 6th last sanctioning the advance of the Mission to Gyungtse. It contained these words: The step should not be allowed to lead to occupation or permanent inter- vention in Tibetan affairs in any form." The draft Treaty provided for the payment of the Indemnity of £500,000 in three yearly instalments, and Article VII. provides that British and Indian troops shall remain at Chumbi until the indemnity has been pait and other provisions of the treaty fulfilled relating to the restoration of boundary marks on the Sikkim frontier and the opening of trading marts at Yatung, Gyang- tse and Gartok: In the negotiations it could scarcely have been contemplated that all these undertakings could not be com pleted well within the three years, but REUTER now learns that the indemnity, instead of being paid in three instalments, is to be spread over a term of seventy-five years.
ture
REUTER'S telegram contains the
the draft first intimation that any such a depar-
terms of from the Treaty signed at Lhassa has been made, and the circumstance that the dementi of the India Office relates solely to the statement of military occupation naturally gives the impression that the indemnity is in fact to be paid at the rate of oue Likh of rupees a year, and that the British Government will not insist on its claim to occupy the Chumbi Valley until such time as the in- demnity has been fully paid. If the cribed the clause which declares that British troops will continue to occupy the Chumbi Valley until the trading places are satisfac- torily established and the indemnity liqui dated in full the Treaty will be of no value whatever. Experience has plainly taught that it is only by force majeure that we are likely to get the Tibetan promises fulfilled, and it is simply inconceivable that the Government has consented to the spreading of a war indemnity of 7,500,000 rupees over - a period of seventy-five years and at the same time abandoned the clause in the Treaty which provides for the continued occupation of British troops until it is paid. We await with interest the official explanation of these reports.
Government abandons in the manner des
THE APPEALS OF LAZINESS.
diction and good taste-and might be studied with advantage by many public speakers not only in these parts but in more important centres. In many ways which would not have been thought, of in former times, common ground for intercourse in something more than business has been found; and, on the whole, there has been a better feeling on Europeans aud Chinese. It is true matters have not gone very far, and the most literal must feel that there must be many changes
(Daily Press, 24th October.) One of those cheerful optimists, who would in Chinese ideas and habits before any- thing like intimate social relations can be also wish to pose as a benefactor to his race, established. To expect this would be to has, in the North-China Daily News, a letter look for the impossible; but even as things which should give pause to the thoughtful. are, there are opportunities for friendly He is concernel with the question of office interchange of courtesies; and for co-opera-hours in Shanghai, and us that self-same tion in schemes for the common good of the question has been the subject of consider- Chinese and Europeans, which will have the able heart-searching in Hongkong it may effect of making each understand the other not be out of place to indicate the views of better, as time goes on, and we shall then be the Shanghai philanthropiet. Starting. on
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