the soul of the far east-第6部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
f the curriculum； a far…eastern education may be said to consist of Sunday…school every day in the week。 For no occasion is lost by the erudite authors； even in the most worldly portions of their work； for preaching a slight homily on the subject in hand。 The dictum of Dionysius of Halicarnassus that 〃history is philosophy teaching by example〃 would seem there to have become modified into 〃history is filiosophy teaching by example。〃 For in the instructive anecdotes every other form of merit is depicted as second to that of being a dutiful son。 To the practice of that supreme virtue all other considerations are sacrificed。 The student's aim is thus kept single。 At every turn of the leaves； paragons of filial piety shame the youthful reader to the pitch of emulation by the epitaphic records of their deeds。 Portraits of the past； possibly colored； present that estimable trait in so exalted a type that to any less filial a people they would simply deter competition。 Yet the boy implicitly believes and no doubt resolves to rival what he reads。 A specimen or two will amply suggest the rest。 In one tale the hero is held up to the unqualified admiration of posterity for having starved to death his son； in an extreme case of family destitution； for the sake of providing food enough for his aged father。 In another he unhesitatingly divorces his wife for having dared to poke fun； in the shape of bodkins； at some wooden effigies of his parents which he had had set up in the house for daily devotional contemplation。 Finally another paragon actually sells himself in perpetuity as a slave that he may thus procure the wherewithal to bury with due honor his anything but worthy progenitor； who had first cheated his neighbors and then squandered his ill…gotten gains in riotous living。 Of these tales； as of certain questionable novels in a slightly different line； the eventual moral is considered quite competent to redeem the general immorality of the plot。
Along such a curriculum the youthful Chinaman is made to run。 A very similar system prevails in Japan； the difference between the two consisting in quantity rather than quality。 The books in the two cases are much the same； and the amount read differs surprisingly little when we consider that in the one case it is his own classics the student is reading； in the other the Chinaman's。
If he belong to the middle class； as soon as his schooling is over he is set to learn his father's trade。 To undertake to learn any trade but his father's would strike the family as simply preposterous。 Why should he adopt another line of business？ And； if he did； what other business should he adopt？ Is his father's occupation not already there； a part of the existing order of things； and is he not the son of his father and heir therefore of the paternal skill？ Not that such inherited aptness is recognized scientifically； it is simply taken for granted instinctively。 It is but a halfhearted intuition； however； for the possibility of an inheritance from the mother's side is as out of the question as if her severance from her own family had an ex post facto effect。 As for his individual predilection in the matter； nature has considerately conformed to custom by giving him none。 He becomes a cabinet…maker； for instance； because his ancestors always have been cabinet…makers。 He inherits the family business as a necessary part of the family name。 He is born to his trade； not naturally selected because of his fitness for it。 But he usually is amply qualified for the position； for generations of practice； if only on one side of the house； accumulate a vast deal of technical skill。 The result of this system of clan guilds in all branches of industry is sufficiently noticeable。 The almost infinite superiority of Japanese artisans over their European fellow…craftsmen is world…known。 On the other hand the tendency of the occupation in the abstract to swallow up the individual in the concrete is as evident to theory as it is patent in practice。 Eventually the man is lost in the manner。 The very names of trades express the fact。 The Japanese word for cabinet…maker； for example； means literally cutting…thing…house； and is now applied as distinctively to the man as to his shop。 Nominally as well as practically the youthful Japanese artisan makes his introduction to the world； much after the manner of the hero of Lecocq's comic opera； the son of the house of Marasquin et Cie。
If instead of belonging to the lower middle class our typical youth be born of bluer blood； or if he be filled with the same desires as if he were so descended； he becomes a student。 Having failed to discover in the school…room the futility of his country's self…vaunted learning； he proceeds to devote his life to its pursuit。 With an application which is eminently praiseworthy； even if its object be not； he sets to work to steep himself in the classics till he can perceive no merit in anything else。 As might be suspected； he ends by discovering in the sayings of the past more meaning than the simple past ever dreamed of putting there。 He becomes more Confucian than Confucius。 Indeed； it is fortunate for the reputation of the sage that he cannot return to earth； for he might disagree to his detriment with his own commentators。
Such is the state of things in China and Korea。 Learning； however； is not dependent solely on individual interest for its wonderfully flourishing condition in the Middle Kingdom； for the government abets the practice to its utmost。 It is itself the supreme sanction； for its posts are the prizes of proficiency。 Through the study of the classics lies the only entrance to political power。 To become a mandarin one must have passed a series of competitive examinations on these very subjects； and competition in this impersonal field is most keen。 For while popular enthusiasm for philosophy for philosophy's sake might； among any people； eventually show symptoms of fatigue； it is not likely to flag where the outcome of it is so substantial。 Erudition carries there all earthly emoluments in its train。 For the man who can write the most scholastic essay on the classics is forthwith permitted to amass much honor and more wealth by wronging his less accomplished fellow…citizens。 China is a student's paradise where the possession of learning is instantly convertible into unlimited pelf。
In Japan the study of the classics was never pursued professionally。 It was； however； prosecuted with much zeal en amateur。 The Chinese bureaucratic system has been wanting。 For in spite of her students； until within thirty years Japan slumbered still in the Knight…time of the Middle Ages； and so long as a man carried about with him continually two beautiful swords he felt it incumbent upon him to use them。 The happy days of knight…errantry have passed。 These same cavaliers of Samurai are now thankful to police the streets in spectacles necessitated by the too diligent study of German text； and arrest chance disturbers of the public peace for a miserably small salary per month。
Our youth has now reached the flowering season of life； that brief May time when the whole world takes on the rose…tint； and when by all dramatic laws he ought to fall in love。 He does nothing of the kind。 Sad to say； he is a stranger to the feeling。 Love； as we understand the word； is a thing unknown to the Far East； fortunately； indeed； for the possession there of the tender passion would be worse than useless。 Its indulgence would work no end of disturbance to the community at large； beside entailing much misery upon its individual victim。 Its exercise would probably be classed with kleptomania and other like excesses of purely personal consideration。 The community could never permit the practice； for it strikes at the very root of their whole social system。
The immense loss in happiness to these people in consequence of the omission by the too parsimonious Fates of that thread； which； with us； spins the whole of woman's web of life； and at least weaves the warp of man's； is but incidental to the present subject； the effect of the loss upon the individuality of the person himself is what concerns us now。
If there is one moment in a man's life when his interest for the world at large pales before the engrossing character of his own emotions； it is assuredly when that man first falls in love。 Then； if never before； the world within excludes the world without。 For of all our human passions none is so isolating as the tenderest。 To shut that one other being in； we must of necessity shut all the rest of mankind out； and we do so with a reckless trust in our own self…sufficiency which has about it a touch of the sublime。 The other millions are as though they were not； and we two are alone in the earth； which suddenly seems to have grown unprecedentedly beautiful。 Indeed； it only needs such judicious depopulation to make of any spot an Eden。 Perhaps the early Jewish myth…makers had some such thought in mind when they wrote their idyl of the cosmogony。 The human traits are true to…day。 Then at last our souls throw aside their conventional wrappings to stand revealed as they really are。 Certain of comprehension； the thoughts we have never dared breathe to any one before； find a tongue for her who seems fore…destined to understand。 The long…closed floodgates of feeling are thrown wide； and our personality； pent up from the time of its inception for very mistrust； sweeps forth in one uncontrollable rush。 For then the most reticent becomes confiding； the most self…contained expands。 Then every detail of our past lives assumes an importance which even we had not divined。 To her we tell them all；our boyish beliefs； our youthful fancies； the foolish with the fine； the witty with the wise； the little with the great。 Nothing then seems quite unworthy； as nothing seems quite worthy enough。 Flowers and weeds that we plucked upon our pathway； we heap them in her lap； certain that even the poorest will not be tossed aside。 Small wonder that we bring as many as we may when she bends her head so lovingly to each。
As our past rises in reminiscence with all its oldtime reality； no less clearly does our future stand out to us in mirage。 What w
