The Changing China.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14042, 28 October 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

The Changing China.

THE NEW PEKIN. The special correspondent of the "Times" in the Far East makes an :n----teresting comparison between Pekin as he saw it first, fourteen years ago, and Pekin to-day. Then there was no railway to the city, which was readied alter a dreary river journev. The effect of the ride through the dust and smells of the city to the British Legation was a sense of depression, and during his stay of two months in the city nothing availed to weaken this. "The sullen hostility of the common people, the intangible aloofness of the. upper classes . . .the perpetual obsession of a strangely alien civilisation, the physical remoteness from the whole outer world" all combined to produce a haunting im r pression of complete isolation. The-Pekin-of to-day is very different; the train from Tientsin stops almost within sight of the inner Imperial City; two other linos lead into Pekin: a good road leads to the British Legation; European carriages and Japanese rickshas have to a. great extent displaced the old springless Pekin cart; electric, light is. supplied throughout the city, and a water supply is being laid on; the traffic is well under control, and among all classes is to he observed a new sense of cleanliness and public deconcv. The attitude of the Chinese towards the foreigner has changed. The old policy of rigid isolation has lieen abandoned. Chinese officials freely visit foreign houses and entertain foreigners. Chinese ladies have begun to exchange visits with foreign ladies, and at the Palace Hotel the eorresoondent saw two Manehu ladies of high degree come in and order afternoon tea. with the ease of manner of English ladies of fashion. The foreign quarter has greatly changed. The new Lega-

tions are imposing buildings; hotels and business houses have been erected; and the whole quarter has an elaborate, system of 'defence. No Chinese is allowed to reside there unless he .is in.the service of foreigners. This huge isolated foreign quarter of course affords the thoughtful Chinese much food for reflection. "Yes," said an official to the correspondent, when the latter remarked on the interesting change in this part of-Pekin, "hut it cannot be half so interesting to you as it is to us — who have paid the bill."