'44 SURGEON-GENERAL C. A. GORDON, M.D., C.B., Q.H.P., ETC., 



Following the enumeration of ethical principles from which 

 the above rather copious extracts have been taken are others 

 the bare enumeration of which must here suffice, namely : On 

 the government of the heart; accomplished behaviour; love 

 of learning ; tlie conduct of an honest man ; the manner of 

 governing the house ; caution necessary in our discourse ; 

 duties of private life ; perseverance in good works ; maimer 

 of behaving in life ; and so on. 



The Sacred Edict. 



Towards the end of the year 1671, and in the reign of 

 K'ang-Hsi, second emperor of the present dynasty, a code of 

 ethics, derived from experience, handed down from ancient 

 times, was published for general guidance throughout the 

 empire, the express object in view being "to humanise the 

 sentiments of the people, and to stimulate them to virtue." 

 Sixteen different maxims are laid down in "the Sacred 

 Edict,"* for such is the title given to the code in question, 

 and these may here be briefly alluded to as follows, namely : — 



1. " Practice sincerely filial piety aiid fraternal love, and 

 thus give support to social relations" [to which are appended 

 explanatory notes of what is intended to be the special obli- 

 gations so implied, including dignity of manner, loyalty, 

 considerate demeanour towards others, bravery in battle, 

 etc.] 



2. "Maintain the bonds of relationship, and so render manifest 

 concord and union." Every person should pay consideration 

 to those immediately near him, even as he attends to " the 

 four members and the hundred parts of his body, of which the 

 (blood) vessels should communicate with each other and so be 

 mutually affected whether under affliction or pain." [In other 

 words, "Love thy neighbour as thyself."] 



3. "Live in peace with your neighbours," and so avoid 

 litigation. To which the commentator adds : " Concord 

 between relations, good understanding between alhes, 

 fidelity between friends, and charity : — let these be always 

 held in honour.^' 



4. " Hold in honour agriculture and care of the miilberry 

 tree, and so assure both food and raiment " — these tAvo 

 essentials of the people. In ancient times the sons of 

 Heaven tilled the ground with their own hands, while 



* Le fSaint £dit^\>&v Theupliile Piry. , Shanghai, l&7f>. 



