CHINESE IDEALS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22722, 7 May 1937, Page 3

CHINESE IDEALS

ADDRESS BY DR. KOO MUSIC PLAYED ON FLUTE BUSINESS GIRLS' FUNCTION Simply dressed in a high-necked gown of dark blue silk, with two beautiful hands and an expressive face to give added meaning to his words, Dr. T. Z. Koo gave a convincing talk to a large number of business girls yesterday evening. The gathering was held in the Y.W.C.A. assembly hall, and the girls were the guests of several members of the association at tea before Dr. Koo's address. After he had been welcomed by the singing of "Hoe-roa," Dr. Koo, who was introduced by Miss Elsie Bennet, charmed his audience with a number of old Chinese airs played on his native flute. The instrument, of polished wood banded with silver, he took out of a painted case, explaining that these flutes were very popular among the Chinese. They could be bought in China for the equivalent of 3d or 4d in English money. Before playing each tune on the flute, the tone of which was very sweet and vibrant, Dr. Koo explained the meaning of the air. The Chinese appreciation of gardens and natural beauty, and combined with this their love of a quiet attitude toward life, was thus expressed *in one of theso songs. Love ol Silent Meditation "The love of silent meditation is an important side of the Chinese temperament. When 1 go into Western countries everyone is bustling and I have to adjust myself after the leisurely life of the East," the speaker said. Many Chinese songs did not end on a descending note, as was usual in English, but ascended instead, Dr. Koo pointed out, using as an illustration a Chinese love song which also, he remarked, further showed distinct differences from the Western type. In most Chinese love songs, women sang of love to men, instead of men to women. Chinese songs spoke of love after marriage, instead of before. The love songs of China, moreover, often dealt with simple, homely things—the wife, for instance, thinking of her husband s welfare, what food he was being given, while he was away from her. "Ten Cups of Wine" was the name of Dr. Koo's last song, this being, since wine is drunk on sad as well as joyful occasions, a song of sorrow, of a woman sold into slavery. Dr. Koo concluded his talk with an outline of his ideals of living. "My work is to try to bring life and religion into a practical and understandable relationship." he said. The Y.W.C.A. and Y.M.C.A. were attempting to give to the rising youth in every part of the world some insight into the side of life with which religion dealt Need lor Inner Strength "There are three main points in life," Dr. Koo said, "First, the idea of heaven, secondly, the material universe, the needs for food and clothing, etc., and finally the realisation that there are other people in the world beside oneself." The three Chinese conceptions of God, as a state of equilibrium—a universe moving by law —as a form of creative energy, or as an illuminative knowledge, were improved by the more personal idea of Christianity.

Companionship in life was a very real and right need to everyone, but for the times when one was driven back upon oneself an inner strength was necessary, and this the speaker "Urged his audience to seek. The craving for more and better material possessions was wrong onlv when one allowed it to overcome one's better judgment. The great precepts on which Western civilisation was founded were those which everyone should try to build into their own lives.