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ANTI-FOREIGN EDUCATION
IN CHINA
THE HERALD OF ASIA
LIBRARY OF CONTEMPORARY HISTORY
NO. 3
THE HERALD PRESS,
HIBIYA PARK, TOKYO
ANTI-FOREIGN EDUCATION IN CHINA
FOREWORD
The samples, herewith submitted, of the anti-foreign lessons from the text-books used in
the schools of the secondary and primary grades throughout the length and breadth of
China, will undoubtedly supply much food for thought to all interested in a sane and
sound development of the Chinese people as well as in the growth of international
harmony and understanding in this part of the world.
No fair-minded student of history will fail to view with sympathetic appreciation the
tremendous difficulties that confront the Chinese in their work of national reconstruction.
Nor can it be denied that the Chinese have just cause for grievance against most of the
foreign Powers. But on the other hand all far-seeing Chinese patriots will readily
acknowledge at least to themselves, if not openly, that some of the methods adopted for
the furtherance of the work of national reorganization are calculated to do nothing but
harm to the cause so dear to their hearts.
The most pernicious of these mistaken policies, is that of the inculcation of hatred of
foreigners through school text-books. This misguided policy has already had results in the
growing attitude of hostility toward foreigners on the part of the Chinese people of all
classes, especially the young generation who have gone through the carefully organized
course of anti-foreign instruction at school.
PAGE II
In this way there is being rapidly developed throughout China an abnormal mental
condition which is peculiarly unfavourable to a solid and healthy growth of national spirit.
Such growth requires, above anything else, moral courage to recognize defects in
national character and national institutions and direct honest efforts for the rectification
of them.
If the Chinese chose to adopt this attitude of modesty and self-reliant determination, no
foreign nation least of all Japan who has had to undergo the same process of
regeneration, would have hesitated to render all possible help and assistance to them in
the herculean task they are engaged in. As a matter of fact they have unfortunately
adopted an exactly opposite attitude of self-sufficient defiance of other nations. They
have probably gone too far in this mad career of anti-foreignism to make it easy for them
to halt and turn back But halt and turn back in direction of a saner course they must, if
they mean really to achieve some measure of success in their great task of national
reorganization.
In the meanwhile it has been Japan's misfortune to feel in a vital way the shock of an
unavoidable clash with China in her headstrong pursuit of a fatal policy of antagonism to
all foreign interests and claims within her borders. It is to be earnestly hoped that it is not
altogether too late yet for China to recognize the inexorable logic of the situation, so that
the outstanding obstacles in the way of mutual understanding between the two leading
nations of Asia may be effectively removed.
page III
In any case, it is the compilers' earnest hope this modest publication may prove of some
use in helping the public to get a better view of the historical background of the present
trouble in Manchuria.
MOTOSADA ZUMOTO
Tokyo, November, 1931.
ANTI-FOREIGN EDUCATION
IN CHINA
No country has ever taken such pains to inculcate the hatred of foreigners in the minds of
its young boys and girls as modern republican (?) China. Special text-books have been
written on geography, history, civics, arithmetic, and so forth, skilfully incorporating in
them well written lessons describing in insinuating language the wrongs, real or fancied,
which the Chinese people have had to suffer at the hands of foreign Powers. Some of
these compositions are in verse, but the great bulk of them are in simple and good prose.
Originally these writings were found mostly in text-books for schools of secondary grade.
But more recently they find their way chiefly into books intended for use in primary
schools.
Japan and her people come in for the largest share of the attention of the Chinese textbook writers in the teaching of the cult of hatred. But we by no means monopolise their
attention. Other Powers, as the reader will presently see, share the invidious honour with
us in varying degrees.
AGAINST JAPAN
The story told against us Japanese is a long one. It starts with the damage done to China
by Japanese
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pirates several centuries ago. Coming to our own time, we are taken to task in
connection with the presentation of the so-called Twenty-One Demands, the Tsinan
Expedition, and so forth. We quote below what the Chinese youths are told about the first
mentioned subject :
"Twenty-One Demands" and May 30th Affair
Ever since Germany occupied Kiaochow-wan and began to administer Tsingtao, Japan
waited for a chance to get even with her for an old grudge. When the European War
broke out, Japan seized the opportunity and sent her expeditionary army to Shantung and
seized Tsingtao.
The official representative of Japan thrust a number of terms in the Chinese
Government's face and demanded the latter's signature : these are nothing but the socalled "Twenty-One Demands." The date of signing was May 9th [25th by Japanese
calendar], 1925. The most important terms of them were : "To secure possession of the
German economic rights in Shantung" and "to strengthen her position in South Manchuria
and Eastern Inner Mongolia." There were other terms and none of them was short of
treating China as a "Second Korea." At the Peace Conference after the World War, the
Chinese delegates at Paris struggled in vain to recover Shantung : the people at home,
therefore, were greatly excited and stirred up the boycott of Japanese goods, school
strikes, and other anti-Japanese incidents.
The United States of America, who found danger in the expansion of Japan and aimed to
suppress it, invited the Powers to the Washington Conference in America, and passed a
resolution to the effect that they should respect the political independence of China and
her territorial integrity, and at the same time advised Japan to return Tsingtao to China.
Great
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Britain and France declared that they would return Weihaiwei and Kwanchou-wan
respectively.
But there has been no change in the imperialistic attitude of the Powers and they are just
as tyrannical as before. To cite an incident : When a factory hand was shot to death at a
Japanese spinning mill in Shanghai, a number of students and citizens who distributed
bills of propaganda and made speeches in sympathy with the poor victim, were fired upon
by the British police and a few dozen of them, died as the result. This was the tragic
affair of May 30, 1925.
Japan sent out her troops to Shantung when the Nationalist Army proceeded there, and
upon the pretension of protecting her own people, she tried to retain the rights secured
by the "Twenty-One Demands."
(New Age History for Higher Grade, Vol. 2, Lesson XVII.)
This is an appeal by parable to the patriotic spirit of the new generation in school :
Two Fishermen on Liaotung Peninsula
There are two good harbours in Liaotung Peninsula, they are, namely, Port Arthur and
Dairen.
In a village near Dairen, there lived two fishermen ; one of them was an old man of sixty
years of age, while the other was a boy in his teens, a grandson of the old man.
It was the daily task of these two to go to the town, with fish baskets and sell fish until
evening, when they started back home, conversing with each other.
One day the old fisherman said to the younger, " Nowadays, living has become pretty
hard ; it's quite different from olden times. It is not an easy job to sell a basketfull of fish
and you get only a little profit. We can't go on in this way."
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" How was the life in olden times ? " asked his grandson.
" O ! You don't know," replied the old fisherman, " but, I tell you, these two good
harbours (Dairen and Port Arthur) formerly belonged to China, so we could fish as we
wished. Not only around here, but along the Korean shores we could sail just as we
wanted, and on the homeward voyage the ship carried a full catch : we made quite a big
profit by selling that.
In the Sino-Japanese War, however, China suffered a humiliating defeat and had to cede
Port Arthur and Dairen ; though two years later the Japanese returned the same, again
they were leased by Russia and ever since our fishing has become considerably
inconvenient.
In 1904, when Japan went to war with Russia, they made Liaotung Peninsula their battlefields and our village also suffered from it. So much for that. After the war was over and
Russian troops retreated, Japan leased these harbours once again. Consequently our
fishing became more difficult. We were compelled to sell our boat and now, as you know,
we buy some fish from others and sell the same to consumers. Stop and think for a
moment, how much can we make by doing such a petty trade ? "
Hearing all this, his grandson was quite excited and said to himself, "When I become a
man, I must recover the leased territory !"
(The National Language Text-book of the New Doctrines, for Higher Grade, Vol. 3, Lesson
XXII.)
These and other subjects concerning Japan are presented in various forms highly
calculated to stir up resentment and hatred toward Japan in the impressive hearts of
Chinese school boys and girls. There are also some poems and innumerable prose
writings inciting Koreans and Formosans to rise in revolt against their present rulers.
These are, however, unfortunately
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omitted in the important compilation recently published by the Press Union of Japan and
to which we are indebted for the quotations so far made and also for those which are to
follow.
AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN
Next to Japan, Great Britain occupies the most conspicuous position in the alleged role of
China's oppressor. Among the most popular subjects claiming the attention of the Chinese
text-book compilers, is the Opium War, to which one writer refers in this strain :
The Opium War
After ruining India, Great Britain wished to exploit China's resources with India's opium
and practised the imperialistic policy of economic penetration which eventually caused
the Opium War.
Opium is, by its nature, a kind of drug and was imported into China for the first time at
the end of the Ming dynasty or the beginning of the Ch'ing dynasty.
After the period of Chia-thing of the Ch'ing dynasty, the number of people who used
opium has gradually increased. The Ch'ing Government, therefore, fearing its bad effect
to the nation and the subjects, issued an edict against its use, trade and traffic.
But the British merchants conspiring with the cunning Chinese merchants, continued their
business and smuggled it in from India.
In the reign of Tao-kuang, the Ch'ing Government sent Lin Tsesu to Canton as Imperial
High Commissioner to make a strict deal of the matter. He arrived at Canton and
searched out some 20,000 chests which were readily destroyed. The losses thus
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suffered by the British merchants were by no mean small. Thereupon they induced the
British Government to send out a squadron of warships and bombard Canton. As Lin
Tsesu's defence was very strong the British force was unable to disturb there, and finally,
giving up Canton, they moved to Chekiang and invaded Tinghai. Here, the Ch'ing
Government being unable to defend themselves, appointed Chi-Shan in place of Lin in
order to negotiate peace with the British.
At this very time the British expeditionary force also destroyed Humen, Amoy, Ningpo,
Shanghai and Chingkiang and promptly attacked Nanking. There was nothing left for the
Ch'ing Government but to restore peace with Great Britain by signing the Treaty of
Nanking. None other than this treaty was the very first signal of the Imperialists'
encroachment upon China. The important terms of this treaty are as follows :
(1) The island of Hongkong was to be ceded to Great Britain.
(2) The ports of Canton, Amoy, Foochow, Ningpo and Shanghai were to be opened to
British trade and residence, and all the customs duties upon British goods were to be
exempt except an import tax of 5 percent.
(3) $ 21,000,000 were to be paid for the expenses of the British expeditions and as a
recompense for the destruction of opium.
In this connection what we most regret is that there was not a single provision made for
the cessation of the opium trade. As we have seen, opium was imported quite openly
with the result that society was poisoned beyond measure. And being treated with great
courtesy, foreigners became extremely haughty.
After the Opium War the Chinese people gradually changed their attitude toward
foreigners and feared
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them, instead of merely despising them as herefore. The foreigners, on the contrary,
began to assume a firm attitude taking advantage of our diffident attitude. Accordingly,
subsequent international negotiations were never carried out without failure on our part.
(Higher Grade History, Vol. 2, Lesson IX.)
The Chinese writers take pleasure in calling attention to the British rule of India. This is
what one of them has to say on this topic :
Britain in India
India has revolted many times since she was subjugated by the British.
Because she has no perfect voting power, even though there is a legislature, the
conditions in India are nothing to be compared with those of other colonies that are
enjoying self-autonomy.
Great Britain regarded India from the very outset as her treasure chest. Since the World
War in which Great Britain suffered a heavy blow, she set her mind, more than ever, to
put the principle of capitalistic invasion into practice by utilizing the rich natural resources
and cheap labour of India, combining with it the investment of large capital and thus
industrializing India on a large scale.
Against the various demands of the natives of India, Great Britain applied one of the two
following policies : (1) watertight suppression or (2) intentional delay.
The most important popular organization in India is the Indian National Congress, in
which Das and Gandhi take the leadership. While Das advocates radicalism, Gandhi
maintains a principle of " Passive Resistance " and both aim at rejection of British
influence.
Recently, the British Government dispatched a compage 8
mission to India to investigate conditions concerning the British administration of India,
but in reality with a design to make the Indians her puppets. As the commission consisted
entirely of British, it is quite obvious that such a body may bring no good effect upon
Indians. The Indians are all united to protest against it.
(New Chinese History, for Higher Grade, Vol. 4, Lesson XVI.)
AGAINST RUSSIA
In the compilation from which I am quoting there is only one item specially directed
against Russia, which is as follows:
Thrice He Changes His Abode
Miner Huamin's family once lived in the south of the Outer Great King-an Mts. and
together with their kinsmen passed several generations in peace.
When Huamin was in his boyhood, the Russians came over there one after another for
travelling or hunting purposes but the Chinese government did not stop them ; the
officials never thought it might amount to anything.
Since Huamin became a miner, the number of Russians living around there increased day
by day ; and they were the cause of many troubles to Huamin's family on one pretext or
another, but the officers could find no means to settle them with the Russians. Thereupon
Huamin's family moved into a region several hundred miles south from there.
There was then not a shadow of Russians. After they had been working there for their
living peacefully for a few years, again to their surprise, Russians began to appear there
for travelling or for hunting purposes and the situation became exactly the same as
before.
page 9
Huamin's family thought that, if they had to move south once again, they would have to
cross the Amur. They could never yield any more ; they should oppose them even if it
might cost them their lives.
Quite unexpectedly, however, the Emperor Hsien-feng promulgated an imperial edict to
the effect that " all the territory north of the Amur belongs to Russia."
The only way now left for the Huamin family was to move eastward and they chose their
dwelling in the eastern region of the Ussuri.
Hardly had three years passed since when the Emperor again promulgated another edict
saying : " All the territory east of the Ussuri belongs to Russia."
The only choice for the Huamin family was to move to the west Kirin once again, and
they came to reside in Kirin across the Ussuri. What struck Huamin's mind was the fact
that the area given away twice was over 280,000 square li, and rich in mineral and
forestry resources. He regretted for them deeply.
(The National Humiliation Readers, Vol. 3, Lesson IV.)
AGAINST POWERS GENERALLY
France and Germany also figure more or less prominently in the Chinese anti-foreign textbooks. But omitting for the moment all special references to them, we shall now proceed
to reproduce some of the alleged grievances against the Powers as a whole. First comes
:
The National Humiliations
When a boy was passing through a street on way home from school, some fellow was
making a speech on the road on the National Humiliations of China before a large crowd
gathered around him. Some of the audience were excited to anger while some were
moved to tears in listening to the speech.
page 10
The boy was, however, unable to understand him very clearly. So as soon as he got
home, he aske his elder brother what it was all about.
" You are young as yet," said the elder brother, "and possibly what they say is rather too
lengthy for you to understand. You will understand better, if I briefly explain to you about
the National Humiliations. "Do tell me," said the boy, "I am very anxious to hear of
them."
" Well," said the brother, " our Humiliations may be said to have been initiated in 1842,
when the British merchants forcibly sold opium in China. Since, at that time, use of opium
was not allowed in our country, the Government ordered to be burnt the entire cargoes of
opium brought in by the British traders. Consequently, Great Britain sent out her
warships to invade our land and they promptly penetrated into the Yangtse. Our troops
that fought against them suffered a most humiliating defeat. Peace was finally restored,
but we had to pay a large sum of money as indemnity and cede Honggkong to them.
Since then our National Humiliations were added one by one as the days passed.
"In 1884, France plundered Annam, which has always been tributary to us. Two years
later, Great Britain again occupied another tributary, Burma.
" In 1894, we went to war with Japan for the cause of Korea and, as the result of defeat
we suffered, we had to cede Formosa to the victor in addition to Korea.
" In 1900, in consequence of the Boxer Rebellion, we were subjected to the Eight Nations'
Allied Expedition into Peking. Peace was restored afterwards but this cost China a large
sum of indemnity, and lease of several ports. Since then, China became weaker day by
day.
"After the dawn of the Republic, when we ought to strive and avenge ourselves, once
again, on May
page 11
9, 1915, we were compelled to make an unequal treaty with Japan.
"On May 30, 1925, a great many students and merchants of our nationality were fired
upon and killed by the British on Nanking Road in Shanghai. Before we wiped out the old
reproaches, again we were put to new shames.
"Unless we awaken and cultivate an indomitable spirit, there will soon be no place left for
us to live anywhere in the world."
Having heard of this story from his brother, the boy realized for the first time that there
were so many "National Humiliations " in China and could not refrain from shedding the
tears of indignation.
"Never mind, brother," said the elder one, " you need not be angry or weep for that. The
only thing we have to do is to have a purpose and do our utmost to vindicate our
honour."
" How can we do it ? " asked the boy.
" That can be done only by our own endeavour and strife," answered his brother.
The boy clapped his hands with joy and agreed with his elder brother thoroughly by
saying, "All right ! all right !"
(New-Age National Language Text-book, Vol. 5, Lessons XIV-XVIII.)
Imperialism is another subject claiming much attention from the Chinese text-book
writers. In these writings, it is interesting to notice, reference is frequently made to the
United States, as for instance in the following :
Imperialism and Conflicts between Powers
(1) Why do the Powers invade foreign countries?
(2) What are the facts of British encroachment ?
(3) What are the facts of French and German encroachment ?
page 12
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
What are the facts of Russian encroachment ?
How is the situation of Europe since the Russo-Turkish War ?
What are the facts of Japanese and American encroachment ?
What are the objects of the Powers in occupying the ports of our country ?
It is evident that since the beginning of Modem Age all the Powers of the World, believing
in Imperialism, have vied with one another in foreign conquests, destroyed the weaker
nations and changed the colours of various parts of the world-map. The most conspicuous
instances are as follows:--Great Britain invaded India, by making use of the economic power of the East India
Company, and India finally became a dependency of the former. Moreover, she made
Persia and Afghanistan her dependencies and provided against the Russian ambition
towards India (in 1876). She also subjugated Burma which had been a dependency of
ours (in 1886) and tried to hinder the French attacking Annam. On the other hand she
secured the right of navigation of the Suez Canal and made Egypt her protectorate. After
that she conquered Africa and plundered the gold mines (in 1902).
After occupation of Annam, a dependency of our country, France annexed Madagascar (in
1895) and Morocco of Africa (in 1909).
Germany also joined the contest in Africa and occupied Guinea, Southwest Africa and East
Africa (in 1884).
Russia, from Peter the Great until Nicholas II, carried out aggressive policies, occupied
the vast territories of Asiatic Siberia and Central Asia, concluded many treaties with our
country and more than once penetrated into our northwestern and northeastern
borderlands. After the Franco-Prussian War, she grasped a chance to expand toward the
Black Sea
page 13
and thus caused a trouble with Turkey (in 1877). Taking advantage of domestic
disturbances in Turkey, Russia occupied the Balkan Peninsula and thus attained her
desire to find a way to the Mediterranean through the Black Sea. However, Russia was
compelled to yield somewhat after the Congress of Berlin (1818).
Nevertheless, it brought on a kind of rivalry between the triple alliance of Germany,
Austria, and Italy on one side and the Franco-Russian entente on the other, and this
eventually led to the World War.
Japan has been prosperous ever since the Restoration of the Emperor Meiji ; she won a
victory over us in a war (in 1894), and again did she win over Russia (in 1904). As a
result Formosa and Korea were transferred to Japanese rule, and at the time of the Great
War she presented us the so-called " Twenty-One Demands " and forced us to recognize
such unreasonable demands as might have decided China's
fate.
Under the signboard of Monroe Doctrine, the United States of America also secretly
attempted invasion. After the Spanish-American War (in 1898) she made Cuba her
protectorate, then she annexed the Philippine Islands, and Hawaii, thus securing a
dominant position in the Pacific. Later encroaching upon Panama she obtained the right
to cut the canal. The cutting of the Panama Canal revolutionized world transportation,
and thus the international position of the United States became more and more
important.
In the same period (1898) the rest of the Powers came into contact with our country, one
after another, and secured leases of our littoral ports and harbours, and thus they
obtained a firm grasp on our entrances.
(New Doctrine History, for Higher Grade, Vol. 4,
Lesson XI.)
page 14
REVOLUTIONARY REMEDIES
Discussing the question as to how to liberate China from the yokes of foreign imperialism,
appeal is made by most writers to the public spirit and patriotism of the Chinese people.
But there are others who advocate more radical procedures. For instance, the New
Education System Civics for Higher Grade (Vol. 4, Lesson I), recommends revolutionary
procedures as follows : "There are three essential methods provided by the Kuomintang
for overthrowing Imperialism, namely, first, the alliance of leading nations for a world
revolution ; secondly, the union of the entire oppressed nations and peoples of the world
; thirdly, the consolidation of the oppressed peoples living within Imperialistic Countries."
It then goes on thus :
As was well said by Dr. Sun Yatsen, we must endeavour, with the co-operation of those
nations in the world who treat us according to the principle of equality, to do our duties
as citizens of China.
If we, all patriotic people, make the best use of these methods, it will not be a difficult
matter to overthrow Imperialism.
Put all the races, nations and peoples of the world on an equal footing, the ideal of
universal co-operation and harmony will be realized.
Organize a party of speakers and appeal to the public, disclosing the wrongs committed
by the Imperialists and illustrate your speeches with the fact that the Imperialists have
massacred our patriotic brethren.
Another text-book contains an imaginary letter from a young man going abroad for study.
He takes pains
page 15
to explain why he would serve the country better by the course he has chosen than by
staying at home and joining the hands of patriotic youths fighting for the unification of
the country. He, however, expresses a fervent hope that, when he returns home better
educated and more experienced, he would endeavour with his warrior friends "to expel
the foreign fleets from our territorial limits."
ABROGATION OF UNEQUAL TREATIES
It is not necessary to say that the so-called unequal treaties forms one of the most
important subjects treated in the anti-foreign text-books. The following is a typical
specimen of the way this subject is dealt with:
Q. Are the concessions foreigners' lands ?
A. The concessions are those areas leased by our country to the foreigners for their trade
and residence. Therefore, they are not foreign territories by any means. They are still our
own lands.
Q. When did the concessions commence to exist ?
A. The concessions were brought into existence as a result of the Anglo-Chinese Treaty at
Humen, 69 years before the establishment of the Republic of China that is to say, in the
13th year of Taokuan (1843) of the Ch'ing Dynasty.
Q. How many kinds of concessions are there?
A. There are two : one, the exclusive concession ; and the other, the international
settlement.
Q. If the concessions are Chinese territories, why should they be placed under foreign
administration?
A. At the time the concessions were first established, the sovereignty of our country was
not lost so
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completely as it is to-day. In the first year of Tungchi of the Ch'ing Dynasty, there broke
out the Taiping Rebellion and the Government was in urgent need of funds. The Taotai of
Shanghai imposed a poll-tax upon the Chinese subjects who lived within the foreign
settlements. After that, taking advantage of our people's ignorance and of our officials'
lack of knowledge in regard to international law, the foreigners penetrated gradually, and
finally took over all the administrative powers of China in those concessions. As a result,
the concessions became de facto foreign land.
Q. If the foreign concessions are China's territories, there could be no "restoration " in the
strict sense of the word.
A. The so-called " restoration " of the concessions simply means that you no longer lease
the area in question to the foreigners. In administrating all the concessions, China should
hold full power in government, and allow no interference from the foreigners, but make
them observe China's law if they wish to reside there and carry on their business as
heretofore.
Q. Is there any instance that China has heretofore succeeded in restoring the concessions
?
A. Yes, she restored the concessions at Hankow and Kiukiang.
Q. Can we restore all of the concessions throughout China ?
A. Of course we can.
Q. How can we restore them all ?
A. We can restore them completely, if we endeavour to accomplish our national
revolution and abolish all the unequal treaties.
(National Teaching Material for Primary Schools, Vol. 5.)
page 17
ECONOMIC OPPRESSION
The Chinese seem to suffer from a peculiar form of obsession concerning the
significations of their economic relations with the so-called Imperialistic Powers. They
seem to believe that they are losers thereby to an enormous extent. One writer, for
instance, computes that China's annual loss in this respect amounts to no less than $
1,200,000,000 (Mex). He says in the New Age Three Principle Text-Book, Lesson I, as
follows :
What is meant by economic oppression? That is what purely deprives us of our sources of
riches ; they are namely :
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
Penetration with foreign goods.
Intrusion with foreign bank notes.
Increased freight upon exported and imported goods.
Land tax and increase of land value in the leased territories.
Chartered business.
Speculative and other manipulative method of conducting business.
The loss at present sustained by China from these six sources of economic oppressions
may be summed up as no less than one thousand and two hundred million dollars (Mex.)
per annum.
In ten years, the amount of money annually plundered by the foreign countries will reach
Mex. $ 3,000,000,000. If this vast sum were to be divided equally among the 400,000,000
Chinese, each one of us would have to pay Mex. $ 7.50 as his share. In other words, all of
us would be contributing to the foreigners this sum as poll-tax.
Out of the four hundred million, the women, children and the aged are unable to afford
this poll-tax. It falls, therefore, upon the middle-aged, productive men to bear the whole
burden of the tax, which would
page 18
cause them to pay Mex. $ 45.00 each to the foreigners.
Oppression of this sort is more disastrous to us than massacre of millions of soldiery.
When they use armed forces, it is impossible to annihilate us but if they use economic
force, every one of us ma} be completely plundered of all our vitality within ten years,
and not one of us would be lucky enough to escape that fate.
Another text-book discussing the same subject of the so-called economic oppression, says
that it is owing to the vast amount of money thus robbed of them yearly by other Powers,
that "the people lack in vitality and no enterprise for social wellbeing can develop." "Our
future," he says, "is in imminent danger, if no immediate measure is taken to combat
these oppressions."
INSULTED ABROAD
The Chinese grudge against the insulting way they are treated abroad finds very often
expression in these text-books in the form of one or two act dramas.
The following, from the National Humiliation Readers, is a typical specimen :
Act I. I'm no Chinaman
Dramatis Personae
The guest of honour, Mr. X, a Chinese emigrant and big business man. He pretends,
however, not to be a Chinese emigrant.
Host, a local petty merchant. Associate guests, A. B, all local petty merchants.
Boy, a Chinese.
Scene : —A dining room ; a dining table put in the centre with a dinner set on ; not very
pretty, however.
page 19
Place :—A certain town in the United States of America.
Time :—Noon of a summer day.
Curtain rises. The host, guest of honour, and the associate guests sit all at the table.
Host. (To guest of honour) We feel we have been greatly honoured by your presence
here to-day. (Stands up with a cup in his hand). Let us all drink to Mr. X's success. (He
drinks. His attitude is that of mean flatterer). The guest of honour drinks with a haughty
attitude. The associate guests stand up, both smiling flatteringly and drink. They eat a
little.
Host. I am quite willing to go through fire and water for your sake. Mr. X, if I can succeed
in that transaction with your assistance—(The guest of honour haughtily laughs at the
host, seeing his attitude of flattery.)
Ass. guest A. I am sure Mr. X will consent.
Ass. guest B. (Chiming in with a remark) Such a little sacrifice won't amount to anything
for Mr. X, I am sure.
Guest of honour. (Arrogantly) Quite right, I can let you do such a small transaction of a
million or two. But don't make a mess of it, I tell you.
Host, associate guests. (In one voice) Yes, sir ; exactly as you say!
Enter a boy with four dishes at one time. His elbow hits, by mistake, Mr. X's face, which
becomes a little flushed. The boy loses his presence of mind. The host and the other
guests are also quite at a loss and filled with awe. The host taking out his own
handkerchief wipes the guest's face and at the same time smacks the boy with his palm.
Host. Hung yourself, you dirty Chin ......
(Stops before completing " Chinese ")
(To the guest of honour, all of a sudden)
I don't think you are a Chinese, Mr. X ?
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Guest of honour. (Quite at alarm) No, I am not a Chinese. (Then shuts his mouth for a
while.) That's all right.
(The host and the associate guests take seats and take up their knives and forks.)
Host. (Taking out a pen and a sheet of paper from his pocket) Mr. X has already given his
consent. I wonder if Mr. X would mind signing this. We must count on Mr. X's favour, you
know.
(Flattering upon the guest of honour, he hands them to him. The guest, signing the paper
with his right hand, covers his nose with the left. The host and the other guests fearfully
watch him.)
Guest of honour. I smell something nasty.
Host. Is it not the dish?
Ass. guest A. Be sure that's from the China . . . (He wants to say China Town, but stops
halfway) . . . . (To the guest of honour, suddenly) Mr. X ! You are not a Chinese, are you
?
Guest of honour. (Grudgingly) No, not a Chinaman, I say.
Ass. guest A. I think the smell comes from the China Town.
Ass. guest B. (To the host) Next time you invite Mr. X, you had better select some other
place that is comparatively far from the China Town.
Host. All right, and let us consider some way to drive those dogs away.
Guest of honour. What's the China Town?
Host. That is the place were the Chinese dogs live. Since you have come here for the first
time, I think you have not seen that vulgar, dirty place.
Guest of honour. I would like to see that --- the China Town.
Host, and the associate guests. (In one voice) We beg the honour to guide you there, sir.
(All eat the foods, with their heads down.)
(CURTAIN FALLS SLOWLY)
page 21
Act. II. I am also a Chinese
Dramatis Personae
The guest of honour; the host; associate guests, A.B.; same as in Act I; besides, ha
couple of Chinese emigrants and their little son.
Scene : --- A low ruined cottage-gate. On its two side-pillars are perfunctorily pasted
several bills, on which are written Chinese characters meaning "Good Luck," "Get Rich,"
"Prosper in Business," etc. Inside the gate, the yard is very narrow. Both the emigrant
father and his son, each clad in dirty Chinese clothes, sit on tattered carpets out of the
gate beside lots of rubbish. All these things combine to represent in effect the typical
home of the Chinese emigrant in a " China-town."
Locality : --- Same as in Act I.
Time : --- Do.
Curtain rises.
Son. (Having searched out a torn book from the rubbish) Papa, teach me to read this
book.
Father. (Shakes his head.) What books need we read ? You may as well learn to say
"Mosquitoes sing 'buz, buz,' or flies sing 'buz, buz.' "
(From the east side come precipitantly a group of men, consisting of the host, the guest
of honour and the associate guests A and B of the previous scene, all covering their noses
with clean handkerchiefs.)
Host. Sir, we must quickly get out of this dirty, dusty quarter.
Guest of honour. No, I will go through and observe this slum.
(All have to escort the guest of honour. The host, perceiving the emigrant, is struck by an
idea to amuse the guests.)
Host. (Coming to the emigrant, harshly) You, Chinese dog ! Bring out your pig-tail and
show it to this gentleman to please him.
Emigrant. (Winces and showing the back of his head) My queue was cut long ago.
page 22
Host. (Stretches his arm and slapping the emigrant's face more harshly) Miserable
wretch! Be quick and snatch a queue from your cottage.
(The emigrant runs into the cottage. The host and the associate guests A and B laugh at
him in the expectation of the guest's being amused.)
Guest of honour. Why do you ill-treat Chinese so ?
Ass. guest A. The Chinese deserve ill-treatment.
Guest of honour. Aren't you afraid that their government should come to reproach you ?
Ass. guests B. China has no government.
Host. A government, unless it is of a strong country, does not deserve to be called one.
(The emigrant comes out of the cottage. His wife stretches her upper body and looks
anxiously out of the gate.)
Emigrant. Sir, I have not been able to find out the queue after all.
(The host again takes the attitude of attacking the emigrant but catching glimpse of an
indignant flash from the guest's face abrupty stops.)
Ass. guest A. (Perceiving the emigrant's wife, to her husband) You had better tell your
wife to bring a pair of shoes to show to this gentleman.
Emigrant. (In dismay) I am afraid they are also missing.
(The host and the associate guests turn on the emigrant couple in fury. They run into the
cottage in fright. The boy begins to cry in loud voice. Then the three turn on their heels
and come to the guest with flattering laugh.)
Host. (To the guest) The creation of God is various. The Chinese, though they have their
own history and country, are doomed to be insulted.
Guest. (In the excess of his indignation cries out) I am also a Chinese.
Host and associate guests. (As if thunderstruck gasp groaning) " Well, to be sure ! "
(CURTAIN CLOSES)