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BY HIS EXCELLENCY SAO KE ALFRED SZE

CHAP. PAGE

INTRODUCTION 11

I THE LONG ROAD 17

II THE MODEL GOVERNOR--YEN HSI-SHAN 49

Description of Taiyuanfu, the Capital--The Hall of Public Worship--Girls' Schools--Sports--New Institutions for Cattle Breeding, Agriculture, Sericulture--Beggars removed into Workhouses--Introduction of the New Script--Unification of the Language--The Governor as Author--Famine Relief Works--Four Hundred Miles of Road-making--The Model Gaol--Quick Methods of Communication--Transport Lorries from England.

French Influence--Activity of Brigands--A Modern Robin Hood--Chinese Home Missions--Women's Initiative--A Visit to the Lake and its Places of Pilgrimage--Mineral Resources of Y?nnan--Preparations for Road Journey--Wonderful Scenery and Flora--Stormy Weather--Opium Culture--The Chinese View of Opium Smoking--Sale of Children--Difficulties with Coolies--Weather Symbols.

A Land of Mountains and Valleys--Extraordinary Rock Formations--Surface Coal--The Rose Garden of the World--Post Office Facilities--Varieties of Inns--Buffaloes as Neighbours--Wild Animals--Industries at Lang-tai-Fung--Roman Catholic Missions--Anshunfu--Hospitals Needed--Visits to the Haunts of Aborigines--First Miao Church--Tenten--Baptismal Service--A Chinese Farm--Village Shrines--Ta-ting, the Mission Centre for many Tribes--Bridges of Various Kinds--Kwei Yang, the Capital--Buddhist Monks--Valuable Trees--Military Escort Needed--Strict Rules not Strictly Observed--Chen Y?en--Start on River Journey in small House-boat.

V SOME ABORIGINAL TRIBES IN KWEICHOW 117

VI THE PROVINCE OF HUNAN 141

Boat Travel--Fear of Robbers and Evil Spirits--Yuanchowfu--White Wax Industry--Hong Kiang--Medical Work--Shenchowfu--American Ideals--Standard Oil Company--Changteh--Journey by Launch across Tong Ting Lake to Changsha, Capital of Hunan--Fear of Southerners--Red Cross Preparations--Various Missions--Yale College--Dr. Keller's Bible School--An English Consulate.

Changsha Headquarters--Work of 16th Mixed Brigade in Sze-Chuan--Arrival at Changsha--Changes in City Life--Suppression of Opium Dens, Gambling Hells, Theatres, etc.--Open-air Evening Schools--Industrial Schools--Women's Education--General Feng's Career--Murder of Dr. Logan--The General's Patriotism--Industrial Training of Army--Strict Discipline--Sunday in the Army--Service for the Ladies--Officers' Service--Recent Events--Withdrawal of Northern Army from Changsha--Entry of Southern Troops--No Pay for the 16th Mixed Brigade.

Chinese ideas of Woman's Sphere--Confucius on Woman--"Rules for Women"--Modern Women--Their Patriotic Spirit--Miss Tseng's Early Life and Training--Adoption of Christianity--English University Career--Return to China--School started for Chinese Girls of Middle Classes--Sports--Decision of Students not to Strike--Miss Tseng's Influence--Women Journalists and Doctors.

Veneration of Old Age Modified--Young Chinese in responsible posts--Youth criticizes Antiquity: Seizes Responsibility--Attitude to Japan--Organized Union defeats Government--Co-operation with Shopkeepers--Effect of Spirit on Literature--Change of Education by Dowager Empress--Further Development under Republic--Contrast between Renaissance of China and Japan--Attitude towards Religion--Noxious Effects of Propaganda by Missions--Importance of Improved Educational Work--Students and Social Service--Famine Relief--National University of Peking--Foreign Lectureships--Hong Kong University--Projected University at Amoy--St. John's College, Shanghai, and Others--Child Labour--The Boy Scout Movement--Student Demands--Youth Accepting Christian Ideals.

X SOME CHINESE SEAPORTS AND COMMERCE 205

W?nchowfu and Its Waterways--Foochow--Trinity College and Union--Many Institutions and Industries--Floods--Amoy--Curious Scenery--Y.M.C.A.--Chambers of Commerce--Guilds--Trade Relations--Swatow--Great Commercial Centre and Outlet for Hinterland--Journey by Railway to Home of Tan Family--Fine Ancestral Tablets--American Baptist Community--City of Chao Chowfu--Results of Earthquake--New Hospital--Missionary Memorial Tablet in Buddhist Temple--Swatow's Industries--Light Railway--Presbyterian Missions--Hong Kong contrasted with Macao--Trip to Canton--Wonderful Maze of Narrow Streets--Many Industries--City of the Dead--Railways--Commercial Outlook--Britain's Opportunity for Service.

INDEX 223

PAGE

A Chinese Ritz 40

Yen Hsi Shan, Statesman 48

Temple of Heaven and Hell, Workhouse 56

The Pilgrim Way, Y?nnanfu Lake 72

In Cloudland 72

The Gate of the Elements 80

"Lonely I Stand on the Loneliest Hill-top" 96

Robbers' Haunts 104

Light for the Spirits 112

Little Flowery Miao Coat 120

Ancient I-chia Script 128

Great Flowery Miao 136

A Roadside Restaurant 136

A Man of Mark 160

A Chinese Leader of Thought 176

"Nor soul helps body more Than body soul." 184

"Girls, Knowledge is now no more a fountain seal'd: Drink deep." 184

Storm-driven Boats 208

Strange as it may seem to the comfort-loving Britisher, PLEASURE is the main lure to China, and a sort of basilisk fascination which is quite irresistible. Naturally, there are other reasons also--this time it was to take a young doctor niece to see what the Chinese Empire was like before she settled down to work in her own hospital. Besides this, in the interests of geography and a better understanding of the Chinese people by our own people it seems worth while for an artist to try and show what China is like at the present time. That is the reason for writing this book. I frankly own that I hate writing, but am consumed with a desire that people should know what is now going on in China. My rooted conviction is that the future of the world depends largely on what happens in China during the next decade. This is the decisive hour. An American deplored to a Chinaman the troublous condition of the country, and received a reply to the following effect: "You must have patience with us, we are only a nine-year-old Government, and, if my memory does not deceive me, the United States did not get their constitution for thirteen years."

What is more remarkable still is the changing mettle of the race. Its temperamental characteristics seem to be undergoing as great a change as the social fabric. China has an inward force that is stronger than appears: her faults are so glaring that they have obscured this fact completely. She has been wise enough--unlike all other countries--to entrust certain branches of her administration to foreigners until she is capable of taking over control; these branches are the Customs, the Salt Gabelle and the Post and Telegraph Service; and she has been admirably served by them, despite some flaws in the administration. The vital need of to-day is for honest, incorruptible, educated Chinese who will save their country from their worst enemies--the self-seeking, ambitious, unscrupulous Chinese, who play off one party against another and, through fear of foreign foe as well as home treachery, are dragging China to the verge of the precipice.

To the Chinese themselves, therefore, this book is very specially addressed, and I search for winged words to summon them to their great task to act as true patriots and to devote every energy and talent they possess to building up a new and more glorious empire than the Celestial Empire of the past.

The conditions of China are changing not merely from day to day, but from hour to hour, so that my book must seem strangely paradoxical. The mutable jostles the immutable, and--as in life itself--all sorts of things get mixed up together. There are no watertight compartments in nature, and I have taken the liberty of making my book as miscellaneous as the page of a dictionary. It tells of great personalities, of great movements, of wild tribes, of nature and of human nature, of politics, commerce, religion and education, and scores of other things.

The account of the Miao and I-chia tribes opens up a question of considerable importance in the new China, for there are unaccounted tribes throughout the whole of Western China, not to mention those in other parts, such as the Hakka tribe, whose picturesque boats ply on the Han Kiang on which Chao Chowfu is situated.

The task has been a heavy one, because the worthy treatment of such a vast and complex subject is far beyond my powers, but in past days readers have always treated my books so far more generously than they deserved, that I take courage and send forth this fledgling of my pen and brush.

LONDON, 1921.

"Travel abroad for one year is more profitable than study at home for five years.... Mencius remarks that a man can learn foreign things best abroad; but much more benefit can be derived from travel by older and experienced men than by the young."--CHANG CHIH TUNG.

The journey through thirteen provinces of China brought us into contact with such an amazing variety of people that it is no easy task to describe clearly what we saw. I propose to give first of all a brief account of the journey as a whole, and then deal with the more important and less-known provinces somewhat in detail. The one salient fact which emerges from the welter of experiences is that the mettle of the Chinese people is changing, even to the remotest bound of the empire. What it will eventually become, the wisest man cannot foretell, but it is amazingly interesting to watch the changes taking place, and I hope that the sympathetic interest of my readers will be quickened by the record.

The journey in China itself lasted six months. We reached Shanghai February 1, via the United States, and at once went by rail to Taiyuanfu, the capital of Shansi. Visitors to China nowadays can get on fairly comfortably without any knowledge of the language, if they keep to the beaten track. The railway runs from Shanghai up to Peking, and only two changes have to be made during the journey of two days and a night; the first is at the Pukow ferry, a very easy matter and well arranged. The train goes down to the Yangtze at Chen Kiang, and the steam tug takes you across in about ten minutes. At the other side we got into a more comfortable train where we had secured sleeping places; in all the long-distance trains there are restaurant cars, where you can get fairly good meals at reasonable prices.

The next afternoon we reached Tientsin at 4.40, and had to change into a crowded train to Peking; there is always, I believe, a sort of free fight to get in at all, and the weakest go to the wall, except in the case of children, for the Chinese are very fond of children, and never fail to make room for them. Peking is reached by 8 p.m. After leaving the train we passed through two great old gateways, linking Past and Present, to another railway station close at hand, and had only sufficient time to get our luggage through the customs, and to start at 9.30 on the Peking-Hankow line for the junction at Shihchiah Chwang. It is not pleasant to do cross-country travelling in any country at night, and to reach a place at 4.20 a.m. on a cold February morning where you have to change stations would be far too difficult a matter for foreigners were it not for mission friends. They never seem to think anything of such trifles as spending nights looking after helpless travellers. We soon got all our goods and chattels out, and handed them over to a Chinese, whom our friend had engaged to look after them till the train left at 7 a.m. for Taiyuanfu. Meanwhile he escorted us to a clean inn, and comforted us with tea and cake and bedding till it was time to start. The bright cold dawn saw us off once more at 6 o'clock, rather enjoying a walk to the station; there we got into quite a comfortable train, and our friend travelled with us back to his own station, the first up the line. All day we passed through fascinating scenery, often following the course of a river, where turbine water-wheels in groups were busy grinding corn.

The line was only begun in 1903 by a French company, but the Chinese have bought it up, and it ought to be increasingly valuable, chiefly for the transport of coal, in which product Shansi is specially rich. How well I remember in the old days seeing the long files of donkeys, each laden with basketfuls of coal, slowly wending their way across the plains and over the hills; whereas now the railway taps some of the chief coal-mines in the Pingtau district. The seams are from eleven to thirty feet in thickness and quite near the surface, and the coal is of excellent quality. The length of the line is only one hundred and fifty-five miles, and we did it in nine hours, whereas on my first journey we were more than nine days travelling up by mule litter and on horseback!

After spending ten days with our friends, we went back to Peking, starting in a heavy downfall of snow, which made the Chinese rejoice; it is considered a sign of great prosperity before the approaching New Year. There is so little rain in Shansi and irrigation is so difficult that a good fall of snow is essential for the crops. We found it extremely chilly, however, waiting for three hours at the junction in the middle of the night, without any shelter. The Hankow train was delayed; when it did arrive it was full of Chinese soldiers and others who occupied all the carriages, though we had bespoken sleeping-places in advance. We had to spend the rest of the night in the corridor--a cold and weary time. In the morning a Chinaman came out of a sleeping-carriage and took pity on us, giving us his coup?; but it is a great mistake that the railways are so badly managed, and the military are allowed to monopolize them free of charge whenever they please. Later on in the year they were for some weeks entirely closed to civilian traffic.

At Peking I had the pleasure of being welcomed by the Anglo-Chinese Friendship Society, with which I have been connected ever since it was started. Its object is to cement the friendship between our peoples by putting Chinese and other students when they come to England into touch with congenial English people, and showing them the courtesy and helpfulness they need on arrival in a strange land. It is greatly to be wished that more Chinese of both sexes should come and study in England, and see what is best in our civilization. So many go to America in comparison with those who come here; yet not a few Chinese students have told me that they felt it would be better for them had it been the reverse, because our ideals are nearer to Chinese ones, and our desire for self-realization is so keen. A denationalized Chinaman is a poor product, but a Chinaman who has got his own Chinese culture and adds to it the best we can give of Western knowledge and culture, can, when he returns home, be a tremendous power in the moulding of the new China. He has a reverence for all the great past of his own country, and will strive to preserve its beauty, together with all that is good and great in its literature, art and customs. Wherever I travelled in China this fact was brought home to me. So much that is of historic and artistic value is being ruthlessly swept away, and the tragedy of it is that it is so unnecessary. For instance, in Canton, the most historic Yamen was pointed out to me on a wide new thoroughfare, but its fa?ade had completely lost its dignity and character by the guardian lions having been swept away. There was more than room enough for them, but their value had been ignored. I wanted to see the wonderful old water-clock, the triumph of ancient Chinese science, but was informed it had been taken away in the grand new improvements, and would be set up in a garden. "But do they know how to set it up again so that it will go?" I asked. "Probably not," said my Chinese guide complacently. So it is with countless treasures in China to-day.

It will cost more money perhaps to send students to England than to the United States, but there are plenty of wealthy men, and still more of women, who are willing to make sacrifices to give their sons and daughters the best possible education, if they realize that they will really get it by coming over here. If only those who come have either friends to look after them, or apply to the Anglo-Chinese Friendship Society, there will not be the disappointment which some have experienced in past times. In Shanghai I was told that students returning with diplomas from England had no difficulty in finding satisfactory posts at once, and are in greater demand than those from America.

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