WNfVERSlTY OF 5 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/confucianistOOtaylrich ONE OF CHINA'S SCHOLARS A CHINESE GENTLEMAN. Frontispiece ONE OF CHINA'S SCHOLARS THE CULTURE AND CONVERSION OF A CONFUCIANIST BY MRS. HOWARD TAYLOR {nee Geraldine Guinness) author of 'in the far east,' and 'story of thr china inland mission' LONDON: MORGAN AND SCOTT 12 Paternoster Buildings, E.G. CHINA INLAND MISSION London, Toronto, and Melbourne LOAN STAa<: HbTs TO THE BELOVED MEMORY OF CH'EN AND TSENG fi OF HONAN MEN OF LIKE SPIRIT WITH HSI HIMSELF AND TO OTHERS STILL LIVING WHOM IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO CLAIM AS OUR PERSONAL FRIENDS AMONG THE LITERATI OF CHINA. 21 — "Thou hast made us for Thyself; and our heart is restless till it finds rest in Thee." St. Augustine. Thou are the source and centre of all minds, Their only point of rest, Eternal Word ! From Thee departing they are lost, and rove At random, without honour, hope, or peace. From Thee is all that soothes the life of man, His high endeavour, and his glad success, His strength to suffer, and his will to serve. But, oh Thou bounteous Giver of all good, Thou art of all Thy works Thyself the crown ! Give what Thou canst, without Thee we are poor ; And with Thee rich, take what Thou wilt awav. W. CowFER— 7:4^ 'Task, PREFACE Feeling sure the information given in this book will be of special value at the present time, I have urged its immediate publication. My son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, have had considerable oppor- tunity for studying, from personal observation, the character and possibilities of educated men in China ; and the dedication of this book is a sufficient proof of the high regard they entertain for many they have thus learned to know and love. Every one acquainted with Chinese affairs must be aware of the antagonistic attitude maintained by the literary classes toward foreigners and everything connected with them. ; viii ONE OF CHINA'S SCHOLARS Perhaps, however, the fact is overlooked that we ourselves are not entirely free from similar prejudice. Just as the training of the Confucian scholar renders him incapable of fully appreciat- ing the value of western science, education, and customs, so there is a tendency on our part to undervalue the culture and civilisation of China. This danger is lessened by fuller knowledge. Those best acquainted with the Chinese scholar and his ideals appreciate them the most highly for, with all their shortcomings, they yet pre- sent much that deserves our admiration and esteem. In European and American universities Chinese students are proving themselves able to hold their own, and even take a high posi- tion among the educated youth of the West. In diplomacy Chinese officials equal the ablest statesmen of the day ; while in commerce their merchants are second to none. Surely such men are not to be despised. The insight afforded by the following pages PREFACE ix into the influences that combine to make the Confucian scholar what he is, should be useful at this critical juncture in our relations with that remarkable people. Chinese education and civilisation, valuable up to a certaint point, are inadequate and incomplete. They present to the mind high, but unattainable ideals, and leave the most sincere with a conscious void they know not how to fill. The heart God has formed for Himself finds neither satisfaction nor rest apart from Him. The Living Christ—the Wisdom of God and the Power of God — alone can meet any man's need, whether he be Chinese graduate or cultured Western scholar. And His Presence in the heart makes all men one. It is interesting to see in the following story how the self-centered, proud Confucianist was completely transformed through the power of the Gospel, and filled with the love of Christ. Hatred to the foreigner disappeared, and large- X ONE OF CHINA'S SCHOLARS hearted philanthropy became the passion of his life. This book will fulfil its mission if it leads to a larger sympathy for and appreciation of the Chinese. We trust it will have a wide circulation. J. HUDSON TAYLOR. Davos, Switzerland, October 1900. CONTENTS Introductory—A Page from a Traveller's Journal I, Advent of The Litfle Scholar . 19 2. As Schoolboy 29 3. As Student . 44 4. As Man of Letters 59 5. The Home of His Childhood . 77 6. Wedding an Unknown Bride 87 7. Winning a Reputation . ^ 8. Which of the Four Faiths? 105 9. The Swift Descent 131 10. The Story of a Crime 144 II. His Native Province 164 12. Dark Days in Shan-si »75 13. Light at Last 188 14. First-Fruits . 200 xii ONE OF CHINA'S SCHOLARS CHAP. PAGE 15. Fishers of Men . .208 16. Drawing in the Net .... 219 17. The Living Christ . .235 18. Stronger than all the Power of the Enemy . 246 19. Called to Life Service .... 256 Appendix I . .273 » 11 277 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE A Chinese Gentleman . Frontispiece School Hours 34 A Group of Chinese Scholars .... 56 CuNFUCiAN Temple in T'ai-yuen-fu . ... 74 Chinese Temples 82 Preparations for a Wedding 88 Gathering for the Fair 102 Buddhist Priests 122 Articles Used in Opium-Smoking . • 135 Wealthy Opium Smokers and a Gentleman's GuEsr Hall 149 The Loess Formation 168 A Shan-si Family Mill Stone 178 A Quiet Street 196 A Gentleman's Residence and Carriage . 230 The Late Rev. David Hill 268 INTRODUCTORY A PAGE FROM A TRAVELLER'S JOURNAL LiNG-UiN, Shan-si, North China. Strange scene to unaccustomed eyes ! It is midnight ; but instead of resting peacefully beneath a friendly roof we are out under the open sky, camping in the desolate courtyard of this wayside inn—far in the heart of China. Eight weeks ago we left the coast on a mission tour with father,^ and ever since have been travelling steadily inland, across five of the most populous provinces of this wonderful Empire. Such a journey, at midsummer, is no easy undertaking. Many a time we have had to set out at three or four in the morning to jolt wearily over atrocious roads, in heavy 1 The Rev. J. Hudson Taylor. B I ONE OF CHINA'S SCHOLARS wheelbarrows or springless carts, till night should bring relief. With what apprehension we have often watched day dawn through the cool dim twi- light. Sometimes the loveliness of sunrise has beguiled us to forget, for a little, the long endurance that must follow. Welcome ob- livion ; too soon effectually dispelled ! Oh the weariness of toiling, hour after hour, over dusty roads in blazing sunlight as the day grows hot ! Oh the suffocation of sand-storms in deep Loess gullies, with no protection from scorching wind and blinding sun save the thin mat covering of the cart ! Oh the turmoil of the mid-day halt, when, with a temperature of 110° in the shade, we try to make some sort of meal, hemmed in by excited crowds eager to watch the strange barbarians eating with chopsticks, in a civilised manner, from large basins full of heavy half-boiled dough-strings, often the only food obtainable at the inn ! Forced at last by overpowering heat to abandon our mid-day marches, we have taken now to travelling at night instead. The phange, on the whole, is grateful, though it ; A TRAVELLER'S JOURNAL involves some risk from wolves and robbers in the darkness, and no small exercise of patience in close and crowded inns throughout the day. So here we are at midnight, making the indispensable halt that usually comes at noon. I look around me in the cool and silence. Half an hour ago we entered this sleeping town and drew up at the great closed doors of the principal inn. After loud and prolonged knocking we succeeded in arousing the land- lord, who had to be convinced that we were harmless travellers before he would let us in. This done, he promptly and silently dis- appeared, leaving us to shift for ourselves until dawn. Apparently there is no guest-room available, nor any supper to be had. The carters have found a sleepy coolie, who, with sundry remonstrances, is boiling water for tea, and we cheer up at the prospect. The tired mules, unharnessed, wander about the court- yard, relieving their feelings by an occasional roll in the dust preparatory to a good meal. We too are hungry, and grope for our food- baskets in the dark. Now the waiter brings a smoky lamp, to illuminate our proceedings 3 ONE OF CHINA'S SCHOLARS just a thread of pith burning in a saucer of oil. Beside us, in their cart, father and mother are resting, thankful, no doubt, after nine hours of endurance, that the rough jolting and tumbling have ceased for a while. They decline to be aroused even for a cup of tea. The carters are already sound asleep, lying on the ground, which serves us for a table as we sit down between the carts to take our midnight meal. The moon has set, but her light still spreads through the cool fresh air. Around us, across the gloomy courtyard, stand the great dark buildings of the inn, mysterious and silent. Above, the sky is glorious with stars, countless and brilliant. Our lamp, flickering dimly on the ground, shows the rough cart wheels close at hand ; a big sooty tea kettle ; a black iron wash-hand basin ; a few coarse earthenware cups and plates ; the hungry mules whisking their tails and feeding noisily beside us ; and my husband's face, as he bends toward the light, reading one of David's precious Psalms.