192 REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 



record their impression that the Japanese Government must experience 

 a considerable change of heart and method before implicit confidence 

 can be placed in its pledges and assurances." It is pointed out clearly 

 that "In their conduct of operations against Tsing-tau, Japan, on the 

 plea of military necessity, committed a violation of Chinese neutrality 

 and international law for which, from a purely military point of 

 view, there was even less justification than for Germany's outrageous 

 violation of Belgian neutrality." 



The shameful story of the "twenty-one demands" is faithfully 

 told and it is to be hoped that the calm repeating of it by an impartial 

 authority after the lapse of even these few years, will have a good effect 

 upon the more thoughtful and solid section of the Japanese people, and 

 lead to better relations between the two nations. It is good to see 

 that quite recently Prof. Yoshino of Tokyo Imperial University said 

 in a speech that "If the question was put to the students, 'Shall we 

 withdraw from Shantung and give it back to China?' ninety in one 

 hundred would say 'Yes.' " 



So much of real progress and creditable action of Japan is told in 

 this book that it is all the more unfortunate that the record of dealings 

 with China should be so deplorable. Nor has the whole been told, for 

 our authors make no mention of the illicit traffic in opium and 

 morphia with which certain Japanese are only too well known to be 

 associated. 



Modern Japan is a book to be kept at hand for ready reference 

 by those so near to the conditions it describes as are most of our 

 members. I. M. 



The History, Customs and Religion of the Ch'iang. By Rev. 



Thos. Torrance. ("The Shanghai Mercury," Shanghai.) 

 Mr. Torrance says "It is well known that in West China there is 

 a wonderful variety of tribesmen and remnants of aboriginal races. 

 In the province of Szechuan there are the Ch'iang (56), Nosu 

 or Lolo (M W> R° n S 0$). Polotsze (£ W *) and Sifan (M «). 

 Of all these the Ch'iang are undoubtedly the most interesting 

 though among the least known." They are known also as the Ch'ing 

 I Ch'iang ( W' jKt^). This booklet of 26 pages will be found interest- 

 ing and informing, especially to ethnologists and students of primitive 

 religions. The Ch'iang maintained some form of independence for 2090 

 years, and though now nominally under Chinese rule, they have kept 

 their individuality in speech and mode of life, in customs and religion. 

 Their dwellings are of stone, well-built and several stories high ; their 

 square stone towers, over 100 feet high, have been mentioned by many 



