March 18, 1907.)
became reduced to one of monotonous mono. syllables. Regarding the antiquity of these fraginents it may be said that the oldest do not date back more than a thousand years B.C., and that the earliest figure that emerges from the mass of tradition is the forerunner of the petty kingdom of the Cheos, whom about 1,200 B.C. we find appearing in the then comparatively fertile land between Sha Chow and Lake Lop That there exist a few fragments of still
+ earlier myth is undeniable, but the myth is not of China; it is Astatic in the widest sense; and belongs to the same body of ancient myth as underlies the stories of Aryan India, of the ancient land of Iran, of far off Hellas itself.
not
But the rejection of these fragments as veritable history by no means implies that we are to condemn thein as forgeries, or reject them as useless towards our object of restoring history. In this respect myth has frequently a part to play more import ant than pretended history itself, as being subject to falsification to the same extent; and in this case we find that the myths of the "Shi King," and in a lesser degree even those of the more corrupt “Shu King," prove to fit in wonderfully with the still more badly manipulated tales of the Indian Mababharata and Ramayana especially the former.
As there is no possi. bility of the one having been founded on the other, and each describes the position of affairs in the lands north of the Himalayas at the same epoch, we are justified in drawing conclusions where both are in harmony, and we are thus enabled to carry back the main facts of the history of the Aryau races in both the north of India and in the plains of Eastern Turkestan for some hundreds of years. More, the juxtaposition of the two throws a flood of light on the counection of both with the early Iranians, and so exem- plifies some of the more debated points in the early history of Zoroastrianism.
So much for Mr. ALLEN's suggestion as to the probable forgery of the mass of the extant Chinese Classics. In endeavouring to rehabilitate the undoubtedly genuine, so far as they go, remains of antiquity to be found here and there amidst the mass of
+
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
173
a weman from the hills of Sha (ie. Sr-obwan | allowed to have been the original inhabitants province), who was called Ch'ang.pu (Splendid Serrant). She bore
of the land, but it is certain that some son Kao-yan (High Emperor died and was buried at Chiaoshan Male) who had the virtue of a holy man. Yellow
twelve hundred (Bridge mountain), and his grandson, Ch'ang. yi's son, High Male, that is Emperor Chuan-bsu,
came to the throne."
at the same time translating more faithfully, Now we may much simplify this, while if we treat the Chinese characters simply as the sounds, for which alone they were intended, without striving to introduce into | them an element of hidden meaning never intended. Such is, as anyone can see by ten minutes' investigation of the Chinese shop signs in the Queen's Road, the foreign proper names. practice of the Chinese with regard to tion we may proceed with our story:
With this explana-
married a
"Hwangti lived at the Hienguen hills, and woman of Siling called Leiten, as his favourite wife. She bore him two sons,
the descendants of both of whom subsequently occupied the throne: one of these was called C'bangyi, and lived by the Yok (Weak, or ratber Dead) Water. Changyi took to wife
8
Changpuk, who gave birth to a son known woman from the Shak Mountains called 88 Kaoyang Kanyang had the ability of a sage. Hwangti died and was buried at Kiaoshan, and Kaoyang, who was the son of his grandson Ch'angyi, succeeded; he was the Emperor Chwenha,"
+
It requiries but little acquaintance with the simplest canons of historical criticism to be accepted as history in any sense. see at once that this is "faked," and cannot Chinese chroniclers, though they were ready But the to put forward as genuine the most unblush ing forgeries, had not the gift of imagina- tion, but were dependent on older stories Mahabharata, the great Indian epic which The source of inspiration here is the tells of the internecine wars of the Kauravas and Panclavas. The outlines of the story were in the hands of every Indian Buddhist priest, and Indian Buddhist priests were as plentiful in China about the beginning of the Christian era as blown leaves in autumn. With this hint we can read the whole tale. Krishna (the Dark) e. Hwangti, and lives in the hills of Gadhara: he has with same meaning, is king of the Pandavas rubbish denominated the "Chinese Classics" many wives it the best beloved is Radha, we must not be supposed to have a word to teller of th tale gets confused, but the (Leitsu), who hore him two sons. Here the say in favour of that extraordinary associa-story proceeds on the lines of the quarrel tion of misunderstood myth and downright between the two cousius. untruth and forgery which has up to this
Krishna Dwat- been miscalled Chinese "History." For it
payana had two SODS,
Dhritarashtra Mr. ALLEN has hardly spoken in sufficiently Sarasvati in the heart of the kingdom | (Tsingyang), who lived by the river strong terms of reprobation. Mr. ALLEN and Pandu, for whom however the Chinese gives a series of translations from SSEMA T'SIEN's work, the "Sbi ki" or "Historical
Ch'angyik, i.e. Dwaraka, Record" which show to what a bathes of Krishna's kingdom), who live in the (Dwaraka not being a person but the name of absurdity a man of more than aver- age ability can permit himself to descend
remote district by the Weak water, Lake when he leaves the straight path of historical The very absurdity of SBEMA'S efforts, when he attempts for himself to make history, may be looked upon as one of the strongest proofs of his utter incapacity to have forged any of the existing classics. Unfortunately Mr. ALLEN has made an attempt in his translation to render into English the characters used by the author to represent proper names; the effect is bizarre-almost as much so as SSEMA's own attempts to invent history. Here are a few lines copied faithfully :
truth.
substitutes
Lib. Taking advantage, seemingly of his absence, though the story finds another incomprehensible excuse, Dhritarashisa (singyang) assumes the throne, which is Dwaraka's grandson acquiesced in for some time; but eventually
succeeds to the throne ad Swarga (Chwanhuk).
the other
Al
4.
on
years B.C. an alien tribe, closely connected with the Aryan settlers about the same period in Northern India, also entered China, and brought, as in the former case, their own language and countries was in fact in the main similar, civilisation. The early history of the two and so it is that the myths of the two, when carefully studied, show so biance.
close a resem-
accept the Vedas and the Nahabharata as As in the case of India we cannot having any claims to be called historic, 80 neither can we look upon the ballade of Chion as truthful records of the past. Both, however. can throw a very important light on the primitive conditions of Eastern Asia, and both are equally well worthy of study by the oriental scholar.
SHANGHAI AND HONGKONG.
(Daily Press, 16th March.) When DOGBERRY remarked that “ com- arisons are odorous"—not "odious "—it 18 not absolutely clear whether he meant that they were objectionable or the reverse. That section of the public which habitually misquotes its unread Bard assumes rome- how that comparisons are always bid form, which is, of course, nousense.
Pharisaic comparisons are offensive, perhaps ; but all island, avoiding the mistak» of grumbling can admire the philosophic CRUSOE on his
with them his actual compensations. Some at his apparent misfortunes by comparing such comparison is suggested by our news from Shanghai. Shanghailanders in Hong kong often
on.
The
rude, they say, than thoirs at Shanghai; we Hongkong coolie class is more insolent and
institute comparisons.
have no ticket system of paying riesha bire; we are less well provided in the matter of Bocial amusements; and we have no elections worth speaking of. And so forth, and so enough for us to consider.
The first item of the comparison is European pedestrians on
It is true that especially ladies, find progress less confort- our sidewalks, able than they would at Shanghai. Thanks the past, so it is said, the pigtailed Jack is to a paternal Government's pampering in
northern port, where the too intrusive juxta- as good as his master, and thinks himself better. Indeed, he has no master, as in the
position of his odorous presence is resented
said that though the native lower orders of by a cuff or a blow. On the other hand, if a Crown Colonist make the comparison, it is Shanghai may be more servile and out
heart better babayed and more law-abiding. class, though insolent in demeanour, is at wardly respectful, the Hongkong servant
be averse to giving any man the wall, but As a British subject, and equal under the
man in the street flag, our Chinese
may
at the worst he does not throw stones at us. or burn our public offices, or shoot our Karoa (Kaoyang) residents who have heard of Shanghai's policemen. Just at present Hongkong the Emperor, immunity from some of our minor worries may find consolation in the compariso0, stories of the Three investigation equally turn out to be mere Sovereigns and Fire Emperors
and congratulate themselves on the absence of graver troubles. For, indeed, our neigh- bour's troubles rehashes of comparatively late Indian stories,
are sufficiently grave. and it is not till we arrive at the Tis (devas),
Canton may be too hospitable and friendly "Yellow Emperor lived on the hillook of
Yao and Shun that we come on even
to our debtors occasionally, and it would be Hsien-yuan, and married a daughter of Western genuine myth. The myths never had their
better if it sent us fewer contagious Range, namely, Lei-tsu, and she was Yellow origiu in China, but can be traced to the
patents, but so faj as the anti-foreign and Emperor's principal wife. She bore two Cheo immigrnuts who entered
criminologist aspects are concerned, we China sons, both of whose descendan's possessed the ⚫owe twelve or fifteen centuries before have Little to complen of
The native city empire. One of them was called Hausa-hsiao; Christ. Here Mr. ALLEN
Dani hinterland of Shinghai is far worse. this was Ch'ing yang (Azure Male) who came stating in his intro-luction that there is 18 wrong in
It barbura criminals and hiters of down to dwell on the river Chiang. The other
Foreigners, an! pours them into the Settle- called Ch'ang-yi (Splendid Idea) came down nothing to show how the “
Chinese" prople to dwell on the Jo water. Ch'ang-yi married
inhabit China. Tuers are
The British Consul-General, Bir errors here. The Chinese people may be
PELHAM WArres, has just reminded the
!
come to
*
twʊ
шеп.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.