A CHINAMAN’S VIEW OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3299, 29 October 1883, Page 2

A CHINAMAN’S VIEW OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE.

It is said that a hand bill has recently been distributed broad-cast through China, which contains the following references to Europeans in general, and the English in particular. The “ Invincibles” ought to gain the friendship and alliance of the Chinese: — The Europeans do not belong to the human race. They are the descendants

of apes and geese; their appearance re. sembles that of apes ; (heir hearts that of the devil ; for this reason they are called “ koui-tse” (European devils). This race of savages worships neither heaven nor earth, does not honour its parents, has no reverence for its ancestors. Besides this, among them the sanctity of family ties is unknown. A veritable herd of dogs and pigs, their talk is only of equality; they have no idea of social hierarchy, and know no distinction between father and son, king and subject. These famous English particularly, what are they ? A small tribe confined in a corner of the sea. on an island not larger than a hand. Their may be male or female ; half of their subjects are men, half animals. You say, “But this race is so savage, how is it that they can manufacture steamers, railways, watches—none of which we, the sons of the Celestial Empire, are able to make p’’ You are simpletons! Do you not know that these Europeans, who come into our country under the pretext of preaching religion, in reality only come to snatch away the eyes and the brains of the dying, to extract blood from children ; and with these eyes, these brains and this blood they make medical pills, which they sell in their country, and so acquire ability to do all these things. Only those who have eaten of our Chinese substance have their eyes opened sufficiently to make the discoveries of which they are so vain. But remember what our holy book says: “The proud enemy shall without fail be conquered.” Their confidence is in their steamboats. With these boats they have many a time offended the Spirit of the Sea. Let me have my way and I swear I will exterminate them all to the lasi, and none shall return home. If the Emperor would only send a few regiments against them! If a few are insufficient, let all the armies of the Empire be sent. Fortune may be inconsistent, our patience will tire it out, and we shall be vietorious. You say yet, “ But if they are so dangerous, why do our mandarins allow them to sojourn in our country ?’’ Listen! Our mandarins do but tolerate an evil which they cannot mend, but at the bottomof their hearts they suffer, but grumblingly. Quite recently, going to Court, I had the opportunity to talk to a great dignitary, who frankly avowed that they were only waiting for an opportunity to exterminate this pest. And, in fact, it could be easily done. Of real European barbarians scattered throughout the Empire there are but very few ; the immense majority only consists in false barbarians, disciples of (heir religion. Now all the Empire is divided into districts, the districts into counties, having each its chief of the national guard. Well, let each district, each county, under the command of its chief, begin to pursue all these savages. If they try to resist, let the alarm signal be sounded that all the districts all the counties, may rise like a single man, let mandarins and subjects unite in one common effort, that at last these barbarians may know that they cannot without punishment brave the wrath of a whole empire.