the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第6节
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ceremonies； but to family gatherings and general jollification。 And the
fortunate defunct must feel； if he is still half as sentient as his dutiful
descendants suppose； that his earthly life； like other approved comedies；
has ended well。
Important； however； as these critical points in his career may be
reckoned by his relatives； they are scarcely calculated to prove equally
epochal to the man himself。 In a community where next to no note is
ever taken of the anniversary of his birth； some doubt as to the special
significance of that red…letter day may not unnaturally creep into his own
mind。 While in regard to his death； although it may be highly flattering
for him to know that he will certainly become somebody when he shall
have ceased； practically； to be anybody； such tardy recognition is scarcely
timely enough to be properly appreciated。 Human nature is so earth…tied；
after all； that a post…mundane existence is very apt to seem immaterial as
well as be so。
With the old familiar landmarks of life obliterated in this wholesale
manner； it is to be doubted whether one of us； placed in the midst of such a
civilization； would know himself。 He certainly would derive but scanty
satisfaction from the recognition if he did。 Even Nirvana might seem a
happy limbo by comparison。 With a communal； not to say a cosmic；
birthday； and a conventional wife； he might well deem his separate
existence the shadow of a shade and embrace Buddhism from mere force
of circumstances。
Further investigation would not shake his opinion。 For a far…oriental
career is thoroughly in keeping with these； its typical turning…points。 From
one end of its course to the other it is painfully impersonal。 In its regular
routine as in its more salient junctures； life presents itself to these races a
totally different affair from what it seems to us。 The cause lies in what is
taken to be the basis of socio…biology； if one may so express it。
In the Far East the social unit； the ultimate molecule of existence； is
not the individual； but the family。
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The Soul of the Far East
We occidentals think we value family。 We even parade our
pretensions so prominently as sometimes to tread on other people's
prejudices of a like nature。 Yet we scarcely seem to appreciate the
inheritance。 For with a logic which does us questionable credit； we are
proud of our ancestors in direct proportion to their remoteness from
ourselves； thus permitting Democracy to revenge its insignificance by
smiling at our self…imposed satire。 To esteem a man in inverse ratio to
the amount of remarkable blood he has inherited is； to say the least；
bathetic。 Others； again； make themselves objectionable by preferring
their immediate relatives to all less connected companions； and cling to
their cousins so closely that affection often culminates in matrimony；
nature's remonstrances notwithstanding。 But with all the pride or
pleasure which we take in the members of our particular clan； our
satisfaction really springs from viewing them on an autocentric theory of
the social system。 In our own eyes we are the star about which； as in
Joseph's dream； our relatives revolve and upon which they help to shed an
added lustre。 Our Ptolemaic theory of society is necessitated by our
tenacity to the personal standpoint。 This fixed idea of ours causes all else
seemingly to rotate about it。 Such an egoistic conception is quite foreign
to our longitudinal antipodes。 However much appearances may agree；
the fundamental principles upon which family consideration is based are
widely different in the two hemispheres。 For the far…eastern social
universe turns on a patricentric pivot。
Upon the conception of the family as the social and political unit
depends the whole constitution of China。 The same theory somewhat
modified constitutes the life…principle of Korea； of Japan； and of their less
advanced cousins who fill the vast centre of the Asiatic continent。 From
the emperor on his throne to the common coolie in his hovel it is the idea
of kinship that knits the entire body politic together。 The Empire is one
great family； the family is a little empire。
The one developed out of the other。 The patriarchal is； as is well
known； probably the oldest political system in the world。 All nations may
be said to have experienced such a paternal government； but most nations
outgrew it。
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The Soul of the Far East
Now the interesting fact about the yellow branch of the human race is；
not that they had so juvenile a constitution； but that they have it； that it has
persisted practically unchanged from prehistoric ages。 It is certainly
surprising in this kaleidoscopic world whose pattern is constantly
changing as time merges one combination of its elements into another； that
on the other side of the globe this set should have remained the same。
Yet in spite of the lapse of years； in spite of the altered conditions of
existence； in spite of an immense advance in civilization； such a primitive
state of society has continued there to the present day； in all its essentials
what it was when as nomads the race forefathers wandered peacefully or
otherwise over the plains of Central Asia。 The principle helped them to
expand； it has simply cramped them ever since。 For； instead of
dissolving like other antiquated views； it has become； what it was bound to
become if it continued to last； crystallized into an institution。 It had
practically reached this condition when it received a theoretical； not to say
a theological recognition which gave it mundane immortality。 A couple
of millenniums ago Confucius consecrated filial duty by making it the
basis of the Chinese moral code。 His hand was the finishing touch of
fossilification。 For since the sage set his seal upon the system no one has
so much as dreamt of changing it。 The idea of confuting Confucius
would be an act of impiety such as no Chinaman could possibly commit。
Not that the inadmissibility of argument is due really to the authority of
the philosopher； but that it lies ingrained in the character of the people。
Indeed the genius of the one may be said to have consisted in divining the
genius of the other。 Confucius formulated the prevailing practice； and in
so doing helped to make it perpetual。 He gave expression to the national
feeling； and like expressions； generally his； served to stamp the idea all the
more indelibly upon the national consciousness。
In this manner the family from a natural relation grew into a highly
unnatural social anachronism。 The loose ties of a roving life became
fetters of a fixed conventionality。 Bonds originally of mutual advantage
hardened into restrictions by which the young were hopelessly tethered to
the old。 Midway in its course the race undertook to turn round and face
backwards； as it journeyed on。 Its subsequent advance could be nothing
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The Soul of the Far East
but slow。
The head of a family is so now in something of a corporeal sense。
From him emanate all its actions； to him are responsible all its parts。 Any
other member of it is as incapable of individual expression as is the hand；
or the foot； or th
