50 



REV. ARTHUR ELWIK, ON CONFUCIANISM. 



and neighbours freely comment on the misfortune that has 

 come upon the family. And too often the father, by means of 

 a pail of water, or in some other way, will suddenly bring to 

 a close the life of the little baby daughter, who, unwelcomed, 

 has so lately entered his household. In a large country district 

 to the south of the city of Hangchow, the people said that the 

 baby's soul came with its teeth. A soulless baby, dying 

 without teeth, was wrapped in a piece of matting, and left 

 anywhere on the hills, generally being eaten by the dogs, but 

 if the little, one had cut even one tooth, the soul was supposed 

 to be there, and a little box was therefore provided for the 

 burial. 



A short poem written about 825 B.C., that is about the time 

 of the prophet Jonah, well expresses the feeling in China 

 to-day, as it did the feeling in the country nearly 2,800 years 

 ago. The poem consists of two verses only, one referring to 

 the boys, the other to the girls. 



" And it shall be, whenever sons are born, 

 These shall be laid on beds to sleep and rest ; 

 In loose long robes they also shall be dressed, 

 And sceptres shall be given them for their toys, 

 And when they cry what music in the noise ! 

 These yet shall don the scarlet aprons grand, 

 And be the kings and princes of the land. 



And it shall be, when daughters shall be born, 

 These shall be laid to sleep upon the ground ; 

 In coarsest bands their bodies shall be bound, 

 And tiles shall be their playthings. ; Twill belong 

 To these to meddle not with right or wrong, 

 To mind alone the household drink and food, 

 And cause their parents no solicitude." 



Following the example of Confucius we must leave the little 

 girls alone, and indeed the boys only would take far more time 

 than we can give to them to-day. 



There was nothing that Confucius thought more important 

 than the education of the young. As we have already seen,' 

 that if, through neglected education, a young man went wrong, 

 those, who had neglected to give the education, ought also to 

 be punished. Even now in Central China, if a child be rude 

 or call names, the most cutting thing that can be said is ; 

 " I fear you have no father or mother," implying of course that 

 the education had been neglected. At about six years of age 

 the boy goes to school, and places his foot on the first step of 

 that ladder which, if he mounts well, will give him a place in 

 the highest offices in the Empire. At school the boy will have 



