72 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the above, the second, third and fourth, although long antedating Con- 

 fucius, were edited by him, while the fifth is from his pen. The four 

 lesser classics are Ta-Hioh, Great Learning; Chung- Yung, the Just 

 Medium; the Analects of Confucius; and the writings of Mencius. The 

 last is the great production of Mencius, while the first three are a digest 

 of the moralizings of Confucius as gathered by his disciples. 



On these nine books are founded Chinese philosophy, morals, 

 thought, religion, education, ethics and even etiquette. The spirit of 

 the matter in the classics is essentially lofty, moral and good. 



In China, learning transcends all else in importance, and as Con- 

 fucius is considered as the fountain head of literature and learning, so 

 he has become to be regarded as Europeans in the Middle Ages regarded 

 saints, and temples to his honor are found in all large cities. The most 

 important is the beautiful example of Chinese architecture in Peking, 

 where the Emperor annually worships before his tablet. In spite of this 

 apparent adoration, Confucius is not regarded by the Chinese as a god, 

 but is clearly understood by them to have been a man, a philosopher and 

 the embodiment of wisdom, and is revered as such. He was not the 

 founder of a religion, nor was he a religious writer, although his senti- 

 ments have become woven in the complicated fabric of Chinese faith. 

 The name by which foreigners know him is a latinized corruption of 

 Kung-tze, the Master Kung, the last being his family name, as Mencius 

 is a similar corruption of Mang-tze, the Master Mang. 



Following the Chau dynasty comes that of Tsin, which was noted for 

 supplying the foreign appellation of the country and for the great works, 

 both good and bad, of its name-giving Emperor. It was he who united 

 the varieus peoples of Eastern Asia under one sway; laid the foundation 

 for at least internal commerce by beginning the construction of the 

 Chinese system of canals, started the construction of the Great Wall and 

 succeeded in raising his country to a point of material greatness not be- 

 fore reached. Then, with a view to make all records begin with him, 

 he ordered burned all books and writings of every description, includ- 

 ing those of Confucius and the other philosophers. Fortunately, in 

 spite of an energetic attempt, this sacrilegious act was not completely 

 consummated. 



From this period to the Tang dynasty in 618 a. d. the history of this 

 country is a succession of different reigning houses, internal wars, rebel- 

 lions, more or less successful, and during which the capital was fre- 

 quently moved, part of the time being located at Nan-king on the 

 Yang-tze, which many of the Chinese of to-day regard as the proper 

 site. The great single event of this long stretch of years, and practically 

 the only one of foreign interest, was the introduction of Buddhism at the 

 close of the first century a. d. 



The Emperor Ming-ti sent an embassy to the West to bring back the 



