OP TUE UUMAN FAMILY. 



425 



the several subjects named in a thorough and schohirly manner. It should be 

 stated that the order in which he discusses the radical features of the Chinese 

 system follows step by step the scries of propositions deduced by an analysis of the 

 Ganowanian system which accompanied the blank scliedule. These several pro- 

 ductions of the pen of Mr. Hart are worthy of careful examination. 



2. Japanese Nation. 



The insular situation of the Japanese, their numbers and their civilization give 

 to them an important position among oriental nations. Since their language is 

 now becoming generally accessible their domestic institutions and early histoiy, as 

 well as their ethnic relations, will soon become understood. It is evident that they 

 have made considerable progress in the direction of a true civilization. They are 

 also a teachable as well as an appreciative and improvable people. From such 

 customs and institutions as have been ascertained to exist amongst them a pre- 

 sumption arises of their great antiquity as a nation. They likewise tend to show 

 that in their upward progress they have extricated themselves from the worst evils 



15. The Chinese, by national custom, change the names of individuals at different period.s. Thus, 

 a child at the breast and during its early years has its "milk name;" it goes to school, and is then 

 called by another name ; it arrives at puberty, or is married, and it receives another name. There 

 are, besides, amongst the Chinese a few other occasions on which an additional name is taken or given. 



16. When a father dies intestate the property generally remains undivided, but under the control 

 of the oldest son during the life of the widow. On her death the oldest son divides the property 

 between himself and his brothers, the shares of the juniors depending entirely upon the will of the 

 elder brother. 



17. The following translation from the Chinese may not be out of place here. 



"A. All men who are born into the world have nine ranks of relations. My own generation is 

 one grade, my father's is one, my grandfather's is one, that of my grandfather's father is one, and 

 that of my grandfather's grandfather is one ; thus above me are four grades. My son's generation 

 is one grade, my grandson's is one, that of my grandson's son is one, and that of my grandson's 

 grandson is one ; thus below are four grades of relations. Including myself in the estimate, there 

 are in all nine grades. These are brethren, and though each grade belongs to a different house or 

 family, yet they are all my relations, and these are called the nine grades of relations. 



" B. The degrees of kindred in a family are like the streamlets of a fountain or the branches of a 

 tree ; although the streams differ in being more or less remote, and the branches in being more or 

 less close, yet there is but one trunk and one fountain head." 



18. The natives of the province of Kearig-se are celebrated through the other Chinese provinces 

 for the mode or form used by them in address, which is Laon-peaon. This may be paraphrastically 

 translated as " O you old fellow! brother mine by some of the ramifications of female relationship." 



19. In conclusion, it merely remains to be remarked that the Chinese system of relationship, 

 judging from its nomencla1,ure, and that nomenclature one that has existed for some thousands of 

 years, must have had its origin in the earliest days, and in the cradle-lands of humanity — in the days 

 when all existing looked upon each other as being equally members of the one increasing family — 

 when each successive birth was considered as increasing the one family, and as being in relationship 

 with every individual composing that family ; and when from the original pair or parents down to 

 their coeval great-great-grandchildren, the relationship of each to the other, through every succes- 

 sive grade, and upwards and downwards, could be distinctly traced, accurately expressed, and was 

 in actual being, having a personal interest for, and being patent to the observation of all. 



N. B. — The Mandarin dialect, or, more properly expressed, the "Pekin dialect," is the standard 

 spoken language of China. 



The Table of Consanguinity and Affinity of the Chinese, in the Mandarin dialect, will be found at 

 the end of the chapter, p. 432. 

 54 April, 1870. 



