44 



a mental and a moral evolution, but it carries the same philosoph- 

 ic import. 



I can only point out a few of the suggestive features of 

 Chinese evolution under her past conditions of isolation ; and 

 first among these, the physical setting of the evolution. Until 

 the sea became a highway, the Chinese were measurably shut 

 off from the rest of the world; on the west by lofty mountain 

 ranges, the Thibetan plateau, and the great deserts ; on the 

 north measurably by the Mongolian plateau ; on the east and 

 southeast by the sea ; on the south partially by lofty parallel 

 ridges and deep valleys. The Chinese seem always to have 

 been a stronger people than their neighbors on the south, and 

 the tendency in that quarter has been for the Chinese to flow 

 out rather than suffer incursion. On the north, where the 

 natural barriers were weakest, the great wall of China was 

 added as a supplementary barrier. This implies that isolation 

 was a condition earnestly desired by the Chinese people. They 

 preferred to work out their destiny alone. They therefore at 

 great labor erected the most remarkable of artificial barriers, 

 and yet a barrier whose efficiency was confined rather to pro- 

 tection against marauders, hostile bands, and turbulent neigh- 

 bors than against well equipped armies. It is significant that 

 the Chinese chose thus to guard themiselves by a passive de- 

 fense rather than go out aggressively to attack and destroy 

 their enemies or take possession of their lands. They thus de- 

 monstrated that they long have been what they still are, con- 

 spicuously a peaceful people, non-aggressive and non-belliger- 

 ent by preference. Under such natural and artificial isolation 

 their remarkable development and their former adjustments 

 took place. 



The natural features that constituted these barriers of iso- 

 lation had not only their general effect on the Chinese people, 

 but their influence on such special factors as the climate and the 

 soil, and these in turn gave shape to the Chinese industries 

 and detennined many of the conditions of life. The high in- 

 terior on the one side and the sea on the other formed and still 

 form a working climatic coujylet.. In the winter the coldness 



