78 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



THE MORAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHINESE 



By Dk. FREDERICK GOODRICH HENKE 



ALLEGHENY COLLEGE, MEADVILLE, PA. 



THE political events which have transpired in China during the past 

 two decades are symptomatic of profound social changes. Former 

 changes of government had their origin primarily in a discontent with 

 the reigning dynasty, without the further implication of a desire on the 

 part of the people to participate directly in the government. When the 

 ruling dynasty became corrupt and the oppression too severe, Heaven's 

 displeasure was manifested, they thought, by allowing some powerful 

 opponent to gain access to the throne and deliver the people. In case 

 the new monarch was benevolent, he was gladly received and heartily 

 supported. At the present time the educated people earnestly desire to 

 take a definite hand in the changes; and there is an insistent demand 

 on the part of Young China for an opportunity to take a permanent 

 part in governmental affairs. These ideals have been but partially 

 realized ; but the general situation, of which they are a part, has aroused 

 the interest of the civilized world, for they appear to indicate that China 

 will, if given the opportunit}', make a modern nation out of herself. 



The ethical implications of the present movement are of outstanding 

 significance, as they show that real moral advance is being made. An 

 adequate understanding of this particular phase of the problem is best 

 attained by a survey of Chinese moral development from the standpoint 

 that genuine moral progress in any nation is dependent upon the advance 

 from morality on the plane of custom and tradition to autonomous 

 moral conduct. 



The Chinese people may conveniently be divided into two principal 

 classes, though the line of demarcation between them has never been 

 drawn so hard and fast that it has not been possible for the individual 

 to pass from one to the other. There are first the educated — those who 

 read and understand the literature of the country, and who engage in 

 some literary or official pursuit. Official standing has in the past very 

 largely depended upon the literary degree held by the aspirant for office. 

 In the second class are found the illiterate, who, because of their unedu- 

 cated condition, have no knowledge of the literature of China, except 

 such as they acquire indirectly. The leaders of China have come from 

 the first class ; the members of the second class, constituting a large per- 

 centage of the 426,000,000 of population, have been and are to-day 

 living on the level of custom. Kueichu (custom) is with them a final 

 authority, and when it is subject to alteration, as in the present period 



