the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第7章
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himself in perpetuity as a slave that he may thus procure the wherewithal
to bury with due honor his anything but worthy progenitor； who had first
cheated his neighbors and then squandered his ill…gotten gains in riotous
living。 Of these tales； as of certain questionable novels in a slightly
different line； the eventual moral is considered quite competent to redeem
the general immorality of the plot。
Along such a curriculum the youthful Chinaman is made to run。 A very
similar system prevails in Japan； the difference between the two consisting
in quantity rather than quality。 The books in the two cases are much the
same； and the amount read differs surprisingly little when we consider that
in the one case it is his own classics the student is reading； in the other the
Chinaman's。
If he belong to the middle class； as soon as his schooling is over he is
set to learn his father's trade。 To undertake to learn any trade but his
father's would strike the family as simply preposterous。 Why should he
adopt another line of business？ And； if he did； what other business
should he adopt？ Is his father's occupation not already there； a part of the
existing order of things； and is he not the son of his father and heir
therefore of the paternal skill？ Not that such inherited aptness is
recognized scientifically； it is simply taken for granted instinctively。 It is
but a halfhearted intuition； however； for the possibility of an inheritance
from the mother's side is as out of the question as if her severance from
her own family had an ex post facto effect。 As for his individual
predilection in the matter； nature has considerately conformed to custom
by giving him none。 He becomes a cabinet…maker； for instance； because
his ancestors always have been cabinet…makers。 He inherits the family
business as a necessary part of the family name。 He is born to his trade；
not naturally selected because of his fitness for it。 But he usually is amply
qualified for the position； for generations of practice； if only on one side of
the house； accumulate a vast deal of technical skill。 The result of this
system of clan guilds in all branches of industry is sufficiently noticeable。
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The almost infinite superiority of Japanese artisans over their European
fellow…craftsmen is world…known。 On the other hand the tendency of the
occupation in the abstract to swallow up the individual in the concrete is
as evident to theory as it is patent in practice。 Eventually the man is lost
in the manner。 The very names of trades express the fact。 The Japanese
word for cabinet…maker； for example； means literally cutting…thing…house；
and is now applied as distinctively to the man as to his shop。 Nominally
as well as practically the youthful Japanese artisan makes his introduction
to the world； much after the manner of the hero of Lecocq's comic opera；
the son of the house of Marasquin et Cie。
If instead of belonging to the lower middle class our typical youth be
born of bluer blood； or if he be filled with the same desires as if he were so
descended； he becomes a student。 Having failed to discover in the
school…room the futility of his country's self…vaunted learning； he proceeds
to devote his life to its pursuit。 With an application which is eminently
praiseworthy； even if its object be not； he sets to work to steep himself in
the classics till he can perceive no merit in anything else。 As might be
suspected； he ends by discovering in the sayings of the past more meaning
than the simple past ever dreamed of putting there。 He becomes more
Confucian than Confucius。 Indeed； it is fortunate for the reputation of
the sage that he cannot return to earth； for he might disagree to his
detriment with his own commentators。
Such is the state of things in China and Korea。 Learning； however； is
not dependent solely on individual interest for its wonderfully flourishing
condition in the Middle Kingdom； for the government abets the practice to
its utmost。 It is itself the supreme sanction； for its posts are the prizes of
proficiency。 Through the study of the classics lies the only entrance to
political power。 To become a mandarin one must have passed a series of
competitive examinations on these very subjects； and competition in this
impersonal field is most keen。 For while popular enthusiasm for
philosophy for philosophy's sake might； among any people； eventually
show symptoms of fatigue； it is not likely to flag where the outcome of it
is so substantial。 Erudition carries there all earthly emoluments in its
train。 For the man who can write the most scholastic essay on the
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classics is forthwith permitted to amass much honor and more wealth by
wronging his less accomplished fellow…citizens。 China is a student's
paradise where the possession of learning is instantly convertible into
unlimited pelf。
In Japan the study of the classics was never pursued professionally。 It
was； however； prosecuted with much zeal en amateur。 The Chinese
bureaucratic system has been wanting。 For in spite of her students； until
within thirty years Japan slumbered still in the Knight…time of the Middle
Ages； and so long as a man carried about with him continually two
beautiful swords he felt it incumbent upon him to use them。 The happy
days of knight…errantry have passed。 These same cavaliers of Samurai
are now thankful to police the streets in spectacles necessitated by the too
diligent study of German text； and arrest chance disturbers of the public
peace for a miserably small salary per month。
Our youth has now reached the flowering season of life； that brief May
time when the whole world takes on the rose…tint； and when by all
dramatic laws he ought to fall in love。 He does nothing of the kind。
Sad to say； he is a stranger to the feeling。 Love； as we understand the
word； is a thing unknown to the Far East； fortunately； indeed； for the
possession there of the tender passion would be worse than useless。 Its
indulgence would work no end of disturbance to the community at large；
beside entailing much misery upon its individual victim。 Its exercise
would probably be classed with kleptomania and other like excesses of
purely personal consideration。 The community could never permit the
practice； for it strikes at the very root of their whole social system。
The immense loss in happiness to these people in consequence of the
omission by the too parsimonious Fates of that thread； which； with us；
spins the whole of woman's web of life； and at least weaves the warp of
man's； is but incidental to the present subject； the effect of the loss upon
the individuality of the person himself is what concerns us now。
If there is one moment in a man's life when his interest for the world at
large pales before the engrossing character of his own emotions； it is
assuredly when that man first falls in love。 Then； if never before； the world
within excludes the world without。 For of all our human passions none is
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so isolating as the tenderest。 To shut that one other being in； we must of
necessity shut all the rest of mankind out； and we do so with a reckless
trust in our own self…sufficiency which has about it a touch of the sublime。
The other millions are as though they were not； and we two are alone in
the earth； which suddenly seems to have grown unprecedentedly beautiful。
Indeed； it only needs such judicious depopulation to make of any spot an
Eden。 Perhaps the early Jewish myth…makers had some such thought in
mind when they wrote their idyl of the cosmogony。 The human traits are
true to…day。 Then at last our souls throw aside their conventional
wrappings to stand revealed as they really are。 Certain of comprehension；
the thoughts we have never dared breathe to any one before； find a tongue
for her who seems fore…destined to understand。 The long…closed
floodgates of feeling are thrown wide； and our personality； pent up from
the time of its inception for very mistrust； sweeps forth in one
uncontrollable rush。 For then the most reticent becomes confiding； the
most self…contained expands。 Then every detail of our past lives assumes
an importance which even we had not divined。 To her we tell them all；
our boyish beliefs； our youthful fancies； the foolish with the fine； the witty
with the wise； the little with the great。 Nothing then seems quite
unworthy； as nothing seems quite worthy enough。 Flowers and weeds
that we plucked upon our pathway； we heap them in her lap； certain that
even the poorest will not be tossed aside。 Small wonder that we bring as
many as we may when she bends her head so lovingly to each。
As our past rises in reminiscence with all its oldtime reality； no less
clearly does our future stand out to us in mirage。 What we would be
seems as realizable as what we were。 Seen by another beside ourselves；
our castles in the air take on something of the substance of stereoscopic
sight。 Our airiest fancies seem solid facts for their reality to her； and
gilded by lovelight； they glitter and sparkle like a true palace of the East。
For once all is possible； nothing lies beyond our reach。
