LITERATURE 



279 



The first published book on record in China is of their topographical works, which are scarcely 



equaled in any other literature. Historical 



the " Book of Changes," dating originally about 

 1 !.")() B. C. Little is known of this mysterious 

 book, but it was evidently a treatise on philos- 

 ophy, and centuries later 'it became the founda- 

 tion for a book of divination. The "Book of 

 History" is a compilation made by Confucius 

 from old manuscripts, records of years between 

 2400 B. C. and 700 B. C. The " Book of Rites," 

 1 guide of Chinese life, was also compiled 

 from ancient sources and is said to be the work 

 of a duke living sometime between 1200 B. C. 

 and 110X) B. (V This "Book of Rites" is still 

 the ceremonial which is the soul of the Chinese, 

 are the most important of the books 

 known as the "Five Classics." Following these 

 are the "Four Books," all by followers and 

 pupils of Confucius. Together they form a 

 Body of records or annals, written in urief para- 

 graphs with no literary form, simple statements 

 of fact or doctrine. They might be considered 

 mere curiosities of literature, out for their un- 

 bounded influence over a great nation. This 

 influence is easily understood upon closer ac- 

 quaintance for the recorded sayings, or conver- 

 sations, contain the essence of wisdom, and the 

 educated classes committed to memory pages 

 from the Classical Books, while the wise maxims 

 became as familiar to the people as nursery 

 songs. The aim of all these writings was to 

 build lofty principles of thought and action 

 which should govern men in every relation of 

 life. "The Great Learning," based upon the 

 older teachings, shows political knowledge and 

 judgment in its suggestions. These great books 

 directed the people with such words as: 



"The ancients wishing to order the empire, 

 first ordered well their own states. Wishing to 

 order well their states, they first regulated their 

 families. Wishing to regulate their families, 

 they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to 

 cultivate their persons, they first rectified the 



" What a man dislikes in his superiors, let 



him not display in the treatment of his inferiors." 



in the past, and you will know the 



future." 



Commentaries by the thousands have been 

 written on these books, and form a great body 

 in Chine-e libri: 



Meric-ius Cil7 B. C.), the last and greatest 

 apo-tle of Confucius, has been called the Plato 

 nation. He was the first to maintain 

 the goodness of human nature unmoMed by 

 education. The spirit inherent in the Chine.-e 

 classics was. "Walk in the trodden paths" and 

 seek wi>duii from ancient teachings. Mericiu- 

 threw his influence into society about him. in- 

 sisted upon changes in his dr. 

 used humor and -atnv \,> -harpen his discussions. 



Priming was invented in China abo 

 then chiefly ir-ed in publ 

 of chronicles of information or hi 



official chronicle, making a hi- 

 tory of the nation irom the Third (Vnli;- 

 to the middle of tl.. nth Cent 



The >y>tem of Chinese education ' 

 to compress the minds of the student-* into i 

 ot thouuht. but this helped obser- 

 \ it ion of detail and may account for the value 



and literary encyclopedias are well arranged 

 and have been closely studied by European 

 authors, who speak highly in their praise. 



The first great thoughts of this seemingly 

 prosaic and practical people were put in i In- 

 form of poetry, and their songs and ballads date 

 back beyond any knowledge of authors. In the 

 time of Confucius (550-478 B. C.) there was 

 an official collection of some 3,000 songs, which 

 he arranged and from which he made his Book 

 of Odes. The subjects of these odes are from 

 the everyday life and simple ways of antiquity. 

 They are written in rhyme and give most pleasing 

 pictures with delicate touches. Epic poetry, 

 so conspicuous in India, is wholly lacking in 

 China, the historical romance taking its place. 

 Dramas abound, but in very primitive form, 

 while didactic poems are common, official docu- 

 ments being sometimes issued in this form. 



In China is found the philosophy of Confucius, 

 prominently ethical; the philosophy of Tao, 

 almost purely material; and the philosophy 

 of Buddha, preeminently metaphysical. These 

 seem to hold a joint power over the people and 

 effects of this mixture can be traced in their 

 literature. Many discussions in moral philoso- 

 phy are popular among Chinese scholars, but 

 they have, also, romances of all kinds, light 

 poetry and works on history, geography, and 

 travel. The Chinese are a reading people. 

 Translations are bringing books out from their 

 hoard of treasures, helped by a well-executed 

 dictionary of the Chinese language. 



The countries of Burmah, Siam, and Thibet 

 are related to China by having the same mono- 

 syllabic language. To each of these nations be- 

 longs, also, a valuable literature, reaching back 

 to antiquity. 



HEBREW LITERATURE 



Hebrew literature stands first among the 

 literatures of antiquity. A universal significance 

 has been given to it on account of the remarkable 

 influence it has had in forming the thought of 

 Christian and Mohammedan nations. From it 

 we jget our Bible, which gives us our rev 

 of uod and our fundamental ideas of worship. 

 Hebrew literature reaches back to rein. 

 tiquity. It is the story of a people who believed 

 themselves selected by God to be the conserva- 

 tors of His revelation. It is the marvelous story 

 of a race, which for thousands of years endured 

 captivity, dispersion, wars, and persecution ot 

 every kind, and yet preserved its nationality. 

 its peculiarities of worship, its laws and language, 

 traditions and literature. In its deep religious 

 spirit, in credibility, and in the vigor of its 

 poetry, it far surpasses the literature of any 

 other nation of antiquity. It constitutes a 

 remarkable monument of the early history 

 and spiritual development of the human race. 

 Hebrew law has been studied and imitated by 

 lawmakers of every nation and. like their 



i - unsurpassed in originality and vigor of 

 expression. 



Only a small part of the great mass of Hebrew 

 writing has conn- down to us. Of this, the 

 most important is that contained m the Hebrew 



