Chinese Rebels.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2398, 3 February 1899, Page 3

Chinese Rebels.

Mr Thomas Meadows, who spent half a century in the Flowery Land, and fell iii love with it, in an entertaining book on the country , and its people says the great obstacle in the way of progress is inbred conceit and the supercilious notion that foreigners are of an inferior species—an unclean beast, in fact, which is pretty much the same as the Britisher’s opinion of the Chinese. When we consider the inborn ideas of reverence which a Chinaman has for the Emperor, who is God’s representative on earth, and God’s son, one wonders how such a subject can become a rebel. But the philosophy of it is quite simple. True, the Emperor is the “ Sacred iSon of Heaven,” but suppose that Heaven withdraws its smiles and gives his Imperial Majesty the cold shoulder, either in the form of too mucih rain, overwhelming floods, or extra degrees of cold, then the Celestial thinks; himself quite justified in believing that the sacred sonship exists no longer, and that his divine commissi :n to rule is cancelled. Let any great calamity occur and it is debited to the Emperor’s account, and his subjects hold him responsible. If a river overrun a district, or an epidemic break out, -then a demagogue suddenly starts up and informs the people that their ruler has offended the Sovereign of the Skies. The Eftiperor knows this and acts upon it—believes in it, one might say. So if he is inclined to give England a concession for a railway, he looks not so much to his Ministers, but to nature, which he hopes will give him a few minor hints as he goes along. If a comet suddenly appear, he knows that he is on the wrong course, and the negotiations must be broken off If a terrible typhoon cause widespread misery, this is regarded as a thunderous injunction against the course of action being pursued by the Imperial Court, and a full step is the consequence. Thus the despotism of China is the most cruel that can be imagined, for the policy, external and internal, is governed by comets and their capricious movements, fires, inundations, and suchlike. Yet, so far as it goes, it is the logical outcome of their fanciful and superstitious creed. If the Emperor will declare himself as “Cousin to the Moon” and “ Brother of the Sun ” it is not unnatural that his subjects should expect him to exercise some influence, if not control, over‘his relatives, sufficient to secure them against meteorological commotions for which such celestial bodies are held responsible. That great powers involve great responsibilities is a maxim generally recognise , and the Chinaman carries it out to its logical conclusion in every detail. The rebel always takes care to found his actof revolt on a divine mandate, and for proof of his commission he has simply to b; ; on the lookout for something which cany be construed into a national calamity. Nature is regarded as the divinely appointed commentator on the acts of subordinate officers. The governor of a province is held accountable for all disasters happening within the boundaries of his jurisdiction, the chief magistrate for any municipal mishap.' If a curse be put upon the people the Achan must' be found, and the Emperor, in the case of dispute, will appoint a commission of mandarins with full powers, and someone will be punished—must be punished, or the mandarins would be regarded as unwise' men, or unfaithful to the trust reposed in them, which, of course, is a thing unheard of. With such, ; beliefs, can we be surprised at anything China may do ?