UeviiiB of Revietci, fO/4/CSL 



THE AWAKENING OF CHINA. 



Photos, from 



" The American Review of Rerieicf."} 

 His Excellency Tai Hung Chi. 

 (Imperial Hisli Commissioner. > 



There is now on a tour, which includ<-s in its pro- 

 gress America and several of the most advanced 

 countries of Europe, a Commission of eminent 

 Chinese gentlemen. It is made up of two High 

 Commiss'.oners, their Excellencies Tai Hung-chi 

 and Tuan Fang, the first Secretar)-, and some 

 thirtv-five other persons who rank as Secretaries. 

 By some eminent men whose view is world-wide, 

 and to whom streams of tendency throughout the 

 world are most apparent, the sending out of this 

 Commission is the most significant event of China's 

 last hundred years. It means that China is willing 

 to learn from' other nations regarding methods of 

 government. Primarily, the purpose of the Com- 

 mission is to make such a study of political institu- 

 tions that on their return they w^ill be able to make 

 suggestions for the improvement of their own, and 

 the question of some form of constitutional govern- 

 ment is even seriously discussed by high officials. 

 But the possibility of political reform can only come 

 from a svstem of S(5cial reform, and the Commission 

 will therefore investigate in each country they visit, 

 the educational systems, and those of social 

 amelioration with special regard to those aspects 

 which concern the masses and the treatment and 

 reformation of criminals. 



In addition to this, the methods adopted to make 

 and train soldiers will also come in for study, for 



China has within the last few years been making 

 notable attempts to increase her army and put it on 

 an effective fighting basis. 



The addresses given in America by the two Com- 

 missioners show them to be men of high education 

 and rare ability. During their public careers they 

 have shown themselves to be most sympathetic to 

 foreigners and appreciative of the good results that 

 have followed the introduction of Western ideas, 

 and they are in the best sense progressive in their 

 views. The Viceroy, Tuan Fang, has proved him- 

 self a good friend of the missionaries. He is one 

 of the most enlightened of the Chinese rulers. Dur- 

 ing the Boxer outbreak, although he is a Manchu, 

 and a relative of Prince Tuan, the leader of the 

 anti-foreign party at the Court, with great risk to 

 himself and against the threats of Boxer sympa- 

 thisers, he had the courage to save the lives of all 

 the missionaries and foreigners in his province ; and 

 in some cases, where the necessarv' haste in removal 

 made it impossible for the refugees to procure funds, 

 he supplied them with money to enable thein to 

 escape. At the same time, however, that he is a 

 friend, he is not blind to the fact that missionaries 

 have sometimes, by political interference, precipi- 



His Excellency Tuan Fang. 

 (Imperial High Commissioner.' 



