C',
I..
~0
=,z
-C
hV, * LJ
cLU£JJ
"C
ens
TA. wteV
-
4 1L
,,,
B. C.
4'y.
9.
1,
,00.-" .,or,W
.,
11 .Y'
-
'1 1 . -.
'k.
Feb. 22, 1924.
Mr. Herbert VWang
Interview
Emigrants
front
Kwang Tung
As you know all the immigration in China has been from
the provinces of Fukien and Kwang tung.
Now Fukien and Kwang tung are different from all the
rest of China.
They are less Chinese and less touched by
Chinese civilization, than the interior of China.
If you
looked at a map you would see that they lie between the sea
and the mountains. These mountains cut them off from the
rest of the country.
Their history is not so old.,therefore as that of other
parts of China.
Only about a thousand years ago, when the
Mongolians swept down on China, the inhabitants of the
interior fled to the Fu-kien and Kwang tung provinces.
The reason they have immigrated to other countries is
probably because they lie along the sea and because of the
difficulty of language. The people of Fukien and of
Kwang tung speak
a very different
all the rest of the country.
language or languages than
If someone from these provinces
were to go across the mountains they would have a very hard
time because they could not make themselves understood. All
the rest of China speak a language that can be understood
everywhere.
The accent is different, but if some one speaks
very slowly, they can always be understood.
The reason that the immigrants to this country come from
a few districts around Canton is I think Singapore.
to Canada and to the states go thru Singapore.
The ships
The Chinese
B. C.
9. (continued) 2.
go there as cooks, as servants etc. and they see that they
have a chance to earn money
$1.00, in Chinese $2.00.
That
is how it started.
They tell
Then the Canadian Pacific wants so many men.
Over there
some one here, who tells someone else in China.
they start a sort of new immigration society and send over so
You see a bridge here, Chinese have built that
many men.
bridge.
The lack of
race
prejudice
and
patriotism
among the
Chinese.
And that is how they came to be here.
The Chinese in China have the same idea as the Chinese
here that it is possible for different peoples and different
races to live together.
The Mongolians and
It has happened in China, you see.
the Manchurians live among us, we know that we cannot change
It is known
their ways, after a while they adopt our ways.
that they have no civilization to compare with that of the
Chinese, they see that and become Chinese.
They are the
conquerors, they send out emissaries, they have the power,
they rule us.
We have a
There is no Chinese above them.
Manchurian emperor, we have
a
Mongolian emperor after
a
while we have a revolution and now there is no Manchurian or
Mongolian anymore; they
are
just provinces of China.
The foreigners say that the Chinese have
kind of absorbtiveness.
(Mr. Wang made
a
a
particular
motion as of
tentacles drawing in and shook his head in amusement and
distaste.)
What is the toleration of the Chinese due to?
a hard question.
Perhaps it is to the teachings of Confucius.
That is
B. C.
9
(continued)
3.
You see Confucius taught that within the Four Seas all
are brothers.
They thought at that time that around the
borders of China there were Four Seas, that China was an
island.
They did not think there was anything beyoud its
borders.
Now the missionaries teach that within the Four Seas
and outside of the Four Seas all men are brothers.t
But
that is not correct, Confucius meant that all men in the
world are brothers.
And Confucius taught the middle way.
As in physics, the
pendulum swings back and forth and at one moment it is balanced
between the two; that is the middle way.
that no
He taught
matter what happens, glory or dishonor, fortune or lack of
fortune, there remains one thing that is always constant,
always so that is to seek the path of moderation, not to go
to either extreme.
Then the dislike and the fear, they no
longer affect your conduct.
angry at you.
'I
You say to yourself:
I would like to hurt you some more.
am very
But if I
do then there will be a reaction; you will wont to hurt me.
So I show much grace to you that you may show me much grace
in return.'
If the people in Europe would remember that they would
not have such fighting as they have had.
I think God punishes too much.
whimsically.
(Mr. Wang shook his head
He meant that humanity has to suffer rather too
much for its short comings.)
The people, the common people in China, of course do not
know the teachings of Confucius.
characters, that is all.
They learn ten
or
twelve
(continued)
B. C. 9
Bult suppose they have a quarrel.
4.
They get together and
yell at each other and after a while they go and get some old
men, or maybe some scholar, who knows the teachings of Confucius.
The men in these little villages are not necessarily poor
scholars.
You know our system of examinations.
One of these
men may this year take an examination in a town, next year in
a province, by and by he may be a very great and famous
scholar.
These men advise the people.
These scholars are very very poor, mostly.
have no food at all.
usually of money.
Sometims they
At New Years the people make them presents,
They earn their living by teaching.
wonder why they study so hard.
the way they study Confucius.
People
No European studies the bible
It is because they have hope.
Because of that they spend all their time studying and writing.
Each family in China has a temple.
Almost every village
as you say here belongs to people who have the same surname.
That is a very good thing for the common welfare.
In this
temple there is a piece of wood with the name of each individual
on it who has belonged to that
his name.
Foreigners think
not quite so.
we
family.
Perhaps his titles after
worship these names but'that is
It is however a very good thing.
Suppose there is a boy who is a thief.
His father brings
him into the temple and there he has to kneel to his ancestors.
The head of the branch of the family that he belongs to decides
what is to be done with him. If that is not sufficient, he is
brought back 'o
a man
of
a
still higher generation who has all
(Mr. Wang had the expression on his face of a
thoroughly-frightened small boy.) And suppose there is a boy
who has passed the first examinations. Then they arrange with
the power.
B. C.
9. (continued)
5.
the president of the temple to provide so much a year for this
boy out of the temple funds, because they think if he will
become learned it will be a very great thing for them all.
The
As far as I can see there are only two kinds of societies.
Conservatism
of the
The kind they had in Europe before the introduction of science
Chinese in
and the kind vre have in China, that is one kind. The other is
Canada.
the kind you have after the introduction of science and industry.
China has been able to take up anything that she happened across,
she can take up science too.
Everybody in China is Europeanized now, everybody.
the very lowest class they do not change.
Only
They are very
conservative.
I suppose it is this same class you have in this country.
But these Chinese if they were in China today they would know
more than they do over here.
1 ,6
Doc. F, vancouver
Feb. 22, t924
Mr. Ierbert Wang
Interview
Emigrants from
Kwang tung.
As you 'Know all the immigration in China
has been trom the provinces of Fukien and Kprang
tung.
Now Fukien and Ykeang tung are different
from all the rest of China. they are less Chinese and less touched by Chinese civilization,
than the interior of China. If you looked at a
mar you would see that they lie between the sea
antXthe mountains. These mountains cut them off
from the rest of the country.
'i'heir history is not so old therefore as
that of other parts of China. Only about a thou
sand years ago when the hiongolians swept down
on China, the inhabitants of the interior fled
to the Fu-kien and Kwang tung provinces.
The reason they have iLvm rated to other
countries is probably because t'ey lie along the
sea and because of the difficulty of language.
The people of Fu kien and of Kwangtung speak a
very different language or languages .han alli
the rest of the country. If someone from these
provinces were to go across the mountains they
would have a very Eard ti e because they could
not mdiake themselves understood. All the rest of
China speak a language that can be understood
everywhere. The accent is different, but if some
one speaks very slowly, they can always be under
stood.
The reason that the imni grants to this
country come from a few districts around canton
is I think Singapore. The ships to Uanada and
The Chinese
to the states go thru Singapore.
go there as cooks, as servants etc. and they
see that they have a chance to earn money $1.00,
in Chinese 1$2.00. That is how it started.
Then the Qanadian Lacific wants so many
men. They tell soue one here, -ho tells someone
else in China. Over there they start a sort of
new irmij-ration society and send over so many ax
men. You see a bridge here, Uhinese have built
that bridge. find t`at is how they care to be
here.
The lack of race
ppejudace and
among
patriotism
he Chinese.
The Chinese in China have the same
idea as the Chinese here that it is possible
for different peoples and different races to
live together.
It has happened in China , you see. The
I.4ongolians and the Manchurians live among cs
we Enow that we cannot ch' nge their way s, aftey
a while theyz-adopt our ways. It is known that
they have no civilization to compare with that
of the Chinese, they see that and become Chinese, Whey are the conquerors, they send out
emissaries, they have the power, they ri'le us.
e have a
There is no Chinese above them.
oanchurian emperor, we have a mongolian emperor
after a while we have a revolution and now
there is no Idanchurien or 1'"ongolian anymore;
they are just provinces of China.
The foreigners say that the Uhinese have
a particular kind of abso:tiveness. (PiMr. iaang
mate a motion as of tentacles drawing in and
ement and distaste.)
shook his head in amq-.er
that is the toleration of the Chinese
due to? That is a hard question.
Perha-ps it is to the teachings of Con-
fucius.,
You see Confucius taught that -within
the Four Seas all are brothers. They thought
at that time that around the borders of China
there were S'our Seas that ihina was an island
They did not think tere was anything beyond
its borders.
iio., the missionaries teach that 'withof the Four Seas
in the Sour 6eas and outside
all men are brothers. I But that is not correct Uonfiicius meant that all men in the
worlk are brothers.
i nd Confucius taught the middle way.
'sin physics, the pendulum swMins back and
forth ano jt one moment it is bnTancer between
the two; that is the middle way. tie taught
that no matter what haroens, 4tory or dishonor
fortune or lack of fortu-Le, tter remains one
thing that is always constant always so that
is to seek the path of moderation? not to go
to either extreme. When the disliire and tle
fear, they no longer affect your conduct. You
-
3
say to yourself: 'I am very angry at you.
I would lie to hurt yar some more. But if
Ii do then there will be a reaction; you will
want to hurt me. 2o I show much* grace to -U
that you may show me much grace in return.
If the people in Europe would remember
that they wouJl not have suen fighting as they
have had.
i think God punishes too much. (Ilr. 'an
shook his head whimsically oe meant that hu-k
manity has toA suffer rather too much for its
short coming. )
o The people , the common people in China}
of course do not know, the teachings of Confucius. the learn ten or twelve characters, ik
that is all.
but sup--ose they have a quarrel. Whey
get together and yell at each otHer and after
a while they go and get some old men ar maybe
some scholar, who knows the teachings of Conf-a
cius. The men in these little villages are not
necessarily poor scholars. You knowl our system of examinations. Onq;of these men may this
vear take an examinationjaitown, next year in
a province, by and by he may be a very great
and famous scholar. these men advise the peop loe .
These scholars are very very Door
mostly. Soiaeti es they ave no food at all.
..t New Years the people make them presents
1'sually of money. They earn their living ty
teaching. People wonder why they study- so
hard. No European studies the bible the way
they study Confucius. It is because they have
hone. .because of that they spend all their
time studying and Writing.
Each family in Uhina has a temple. 11moF-t every village as you say here belongs to
people who have the same surname. That is a
very good thing for the common welfare. In
this temple there is a piece of wood with the
name of each individual on it who has belong
ed to that family. lerheaps his titles after
his name. Foreigners think we worship these
names but that is not quite so. It is however
a very good thing.
Suppose there is a boy who is a thieL.
-4
The
Conservatism
of the Uhinese in
Uanada.
his father brings hi;:; into the temple and
there he has to kneel to his ancestcors. The
head of the branch of the family thta he belon,
to decides what is to be done with him. If
that is not sufficient, he is brought back to
a man uf a still higher generation who has all
the power. (heir. V'ang had the expression on his
face of a thoroughly frightened small boy.)
And suppose there is a boy who has gassed the
first examinations. Then they arrange with
the president of the temple to provide so much
a year fro this boy out of the tIemple funds,
because they think if he iilecome learned
it -411 be a very great thing for them all,
s far as I can see there are only
two kinds of societies. The kind they had
in Europe before the introduction of science
and the kind we have in China, that is one
kind. The other is the kind you have after
the introd ction of science anti industry.
China has been able to ta1 a up anything that
she h,,pned across , she can take up science
too.
Alvery , in China is Europeanized now,
everybody. Only he very lowest class they do
not change. They are very conservative.
I suppose it this same class you have
in this c.untry. but these Chinese if they
were in China today they would be
1
~
C-o
L'