THE 



NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Vol. XI AUGUST, 1900 No. 8 



PROBLEMS IN CHINA 

 By James M. Hubbard 



In 1724 the Emperor Yung-ching proscribed the Christian religion, 

 which at that time had made great progress in China. Three Jesuit 

 priests who were in Pekin addressed a petition to him, supplicating 

 him to revoke his decree. Yung-ching summoned them to his pres- 

 ence, and in an argument of some length gave his reasons for his 

 action, in which he disclaimed any disbelief in or hatred of Chris- 

 tianity. " You say that your law is not a false law, and I believe it. 

 If I thought it were, what should hinder me from destroying your 

 churches and driving you from the empire? " He closed with these 

 words : " You wish to make the Chinese Christians, and this is what 

 3'^our law demands, I know very well. But what in that case would 

 become of us ? The subjects of your kings ! The Christians whom 

 3'ou make recognize no authority but you ; in times of trouble they 

 would listen to no other voice. I know well enough that there is 

 nothing to fear at present; but when your ships shall be coming by 

 thousands and tens of thousands, then, indeed, we may have some 

 disturbances." 



This remarkable statement is interesting both as showing the intelli- 

 gence and liberality of a Cliinese ruler nearly two centuries ago, and 

 also as l^eing a concise statement of one of the principal causes of the 

 present upheaval in China. Christian law demands an obedience 

 whicli undermines and linall}^ overthrows tlie autliority of every other 

 conflicting hiw. This fact the intelligent Chinese of today recognize 

 more clearly even than did Yung-ching, and the vindication of the 

 authority of Chinese law is the main object of the present conflict. 

 The distinction Ijetween the two laws, the Christian and the non- 

 Christian, leaving religious dogmas out of view, may be said to lie in 

 the fact that Christian law demands obedience to these three princi- 

 ples : the right of every man, whatever his condition or station, to his 



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