the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第6章
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most conspicuous instance of the want of individual rights。 A Chinese son
cannot properly be said to own anything。 The title to the land he tills is
vested absolutely in the family； of which he is an undivided thirtieth； or
what…not。 Even the administration of the property is not his； but resides
in the family； represented by its head。 The outward symbols of
ownership testify to the fact。 The bourns that mark the boundaries of the
fields bear the names of families； not of individuals。 The family； as such；
is the proprietor； and its lands are cultivated and enjoyed in common by all
the constituents of the clan。 In the tenure of its real estate； the Chinese
family much resembles the Russian Mir。 But so far as his personal state
is concerned； the Chinese son outslaves the Slav。 For he lives at home；
under the immediate control of the paternal willin the most complete of
serfdoms； a filial one。 Even existence becomes a communal affair。 From
the family mansion； or set of mansions； in which all its members dwell； to
the family mausoleum； to which they will all eventually be borne； a man
makes his life journey in strict company with his kin。
A man's life is thus but an undivisible fraction of the family life。 How
essentially so will appear from the following slight sketch of it。
To begin at the beginning； his birth is a very important eventfor the
household； at which no one fails to rejoice except the new…comer。 He cries。
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The general joy； however； depends somewhat upon his sex。 If the baby
chances to be a boy； everybody is immensely pleased； if a girl； there is
considerably less effusion shown。 In the latter case the more impulsive
relatives are unmistakably sorry； the more philosophic evidently hope for
better luck next time。 Both kinds make very pretty speeches； which not
even the speakers believe； for in the babe lottery the family is considered
to have drawn a blank。 A delight so engendered proves how little of the
personal； even in prospective； attaches to its object。 The reason for the
invidious distinction in the matter of sex lies of course in an inordinate
desire for the perpetuation of the family line。 The unfortunate infant is
regarded merely in the light of a possible progenitor。 A boy is already
potentially a father； whereas a girl； if she marry at all； is bound to marry
out of her own family into another； and is relatively lost。 The full force
of the deprivation is； however； to some degree tempered by the almost
infinite possibilities of adoption。 Daughters are； therefore； not utterly
unmitigable evils。
From the privacy of the domestic circle； the infant's entrance into
public life is performed pick…a…back。 Strapped securely to the shoulders
of a slightly older sister； out he goes； consigned to the tender mercies of a
being who is scarcely more than a baby herself。 The diminutiveness of the
nurse…perambulators is the most surprising part of the performance。 The
tiniest of tots may be seen thus toddling round with burdens half their own
size。 Like the dot upon the little i； the baby's head seems a natural part of
their childish ego。
An economy of the kind in the matter of nurses is highly suggestive。
That it should be practicable thus to entrust one infant to another proves
the precociousness of children。 But this surprising maturity of the young
implies by a law too well known to need explanation； the consequent
immaturity of the race。 That which has less to grow up to； naturally
grows up to its limit sooner。 It may even be questioned whether it does
not do so with the more haste； on the same principle that a runner who has
less distance to travel not only accomplishes his course quicker； but moves
with relatively greater speed； or as a small planet grows old not simply
sooner； but comparatively faster than a larger one。 Jupiter is still in his
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fiery youth； while the moon is senile in decrepid old age； and yet his
separate existence began long before hers。 Either hypothesis will explain
the abnormally early development of the Chinese race； and its subsequent
career of inactivity。 Meanwhile the youthful nurse； in blissful ignorance
of the evidence which her present precocity affords against her future
possibilities； pursues her sports with intermittent attention to her charge；
whose poor little head lolls about； now on one side and now on the other；
in a most distressingly loose manner； an uninterested spectator of the
proceedings。
As soon as the babe gets a trifle bigger he ceases to be ministered to
and begins his long course of ministering to others。 His home life
consists of attentive subordination。 The relation his obedience bears to
that of children elsewhere is paralleled perhaps sufficiently by the
comparative importance attached to precepts on the subject in the
respective moral codes。 The commandment 〃honor thy father〃 forms a
tithe of the Mosaic law； while the same injunction constitutes at least one
half of the Confucian precepts。 To the Chinese child all the parental
commands are not simply law to the letter； they are to be anticipated in the
spirit。 To do what he is told is but the merest fraction of his duty；
theoretically his only thought is how to serve his sire。 The pious Aeneas
escaping from Troy exemplifies his conduct when it comes to a question
of domestic precedence；whose first care； it will be remembered； was for
his father； his next for his son； and his last for his wife。 He lost his wife； it
may be noted in passing。 Filial piety is the greatest of Chinese virtues。
Indeed； an undutiful son is a monstrosity； a case of moral deformity。 It
could now hardly be otherwise。 For a father sums up in propria persona
a whole pedigree of patriarchs whose superimposed weight of authority is
practically divine。 This condition of servitude is never outgrown by the
individual； as it has never been outgrown by the race。
Our boy now begins to go to school； to a day school； it need hardly be
specified； for a boarding school would be entirely out of keeping with the
family life。 Here； he is given the 〃Trimetrical Classic〃 to start on； that he
may learn the characters by heart； picking up incidentally what ideas he
may。 This book is followed by the 〃Century of Surnames；〃 a catalogue
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of all the clan names in China； studied like the last for the sake of the
characters； although the suggestion of the importance of the family
contained in it is probably not lost upon his youthful mind。 Next comes
the 〃Thousand Character Classic；〃 a wonderful epic as a feat of skill； for
of the thousand characters which it contains not a single one is repeated；
an absence of tautology not properly appreciated by the enforced reader。
Reminiscences of our own school days vividly depict the consequent
disgust； instead of admiration； of the boy。 Three more books succeed
these first volumes； differing from one another in form； but in substance
singularly alike； treating； as they all do； of history and ethics combined。
For tales and morals are inseparably associated by pious antiquity。 Indeed；
the past would seem to have lived with special reference to the edification
of the future。 Chinamen were abnormally virtuous in those golden days；
barring the few unfortunates whom fate needed as warning examples of
depravity for succeeding ages。 Except for the fact that instruction as to a
future life forms no part of the curriculum； a far…eastern education may be
said to consist of Sunday…school every day in the week。 For no occasion
is lost by the erudite authors； even in the most worldly portions of their
work； for preaching a slight homily on the subject in hand。 The dictum
of Dionysius of Halicarnassus that 〃history is philosophy teaching by
example〃 would seem there to have become modified into 〃history is
filiosophy teaching by example。〃 For in the instructive anecdotes every
other form of merit is depicted as second to that of being a dutiful son。
To the practice of that supreme virtue all other considerations are
sacrificed。 The student's aim is thus kept single。 At every turn of the
leaves； paragons of filial piety shame the youthful reader to the pitch of
emulation by the epitaphic records of their deeds。 Portraits of the past；
possibly colored； present that estimable trait in so exalted a type that to
any less filial a people they would simply deter competition。 Yet the boy
implicitly believes and no doubt resolves to rival what he reads。 A
specimen or two will amply suggest the rest。 In one tale the hero is held
up to the unqualified admiration of posterity for having starved to death
his son； in an extreme case of family destitution； for the sake of providing
food enough for his aged father。 In another he unhesitatingly divorces
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his wife for having dared to poke fun； in the shape of bodkins； at some
wooden effigies of his parents which he had had set up in the house for
daily devotional contemplation。 Finally another paragon actually sells
himself in perpetuit
