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Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classicalQuackenbos, John D. (John Duncan)

History

Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classical

Name: Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classical
Author: Quackenbos, John D. (John Duncan)

Quackenbos, John D. (John Duncan)

Classical literature -- History and criticism; Oriental literature -- History and criticism

=Tenets of Confucius.=—Confucius claimed no divine inspiration; he
founded no new religion. To him the Almighty was “the Unknown God,”
and there was no Paul to declare him to the philosopher. He avoided
referring to a personal Supreme Being, and thought that the study of
themselves should suffice for men. As to death and a future state,
he was equally reticent. “While you do not know life,” he said to an
inquiring disciple, “what can you know about death?” With polygamy,
then an institution of his country, he found no fault; and for women as
such he appears to have had no kindly word, or very elevated regard.

The aim of Confucius was to inculcate certain lofty principles of
conduct, to govern men in their relations to each other and to the
ruling powers. Respect for learning, filial piety,[8] and veneration
for the men and institutions of ancient days, were corner-stones of
his system, and are still deeply impressed on the Chinese mind. His
golden rule “What you do not like when done to yourself, do not to
others”—expressed in written language by a single ideogram—was the _one
word_ he specially commended as embodying the sum and substance of duty.

[Illustration: Ancestral tablet referred to in footnote 8.]

The practical workings of this rule, as enforced by the authority of
the great master, were recently exemplified in the case of an American
traveller. As he and his companion were passing through a Chinese town,
their strange faces and unusual costumes attracted a crowd, and hooting
seemed likely to be followed by serious violence. With admirable
presence of mind, one of the strangers faced the throng, and amid a
shower of mud and stones exclaimed: “Is this the way, O people! that
you obey the precepts of your philosophers, to treat strangers within
your walls tenderly? Have you forgotten the saying of your great master
Confucius,—“That which I wish another not to do to me, I must not do
to him?” The effect was electric. In a moment every hand was lowered,
and the recent assailants sought as best they could to make amends for
their rudeness.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classicalQuackenbos, John D. (John Duncan)

History

Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classical

Quackenbos, John D. (John Duncan)

Classical literature -- History and criticism; Oriental literature -- History and criticism

=Tenets of Confucius.=—Confucius claimed no divine inspiration; he
founded no new religion. To him the Almighty was “the Unknown God,”
and there was no Paul to declare him to the philosopher. He avoided
referring to a personal Supreme Being, and thought that the study of
themselves should suffice for men. As to death and a future state,
he was equally reticent. “While you do not know life,” he said to an
inquiring disciple, “what can you know about death?” With polygamy,
then an institution of his country, he found no fault; and for women as
such he appears to have had no kindly word, or very elevated regard.

The aim of Confucius was to inculcate certain lofty principles of
conduct, to govern men in their relations to each other and to the
ruling powers. Respect for learning, filial piety,[8] and veneration
for the men and institutions of ancient days, were corner-stones of
his system, and are still deeply impressed on the Chinese mind. His
golden rule “What you do not like when done to yourself, do not to
others”—expressed in written language by a single ideogram—was the _one
word_ he specially commended as embodying the sum and substance of duty.

[Illustration: Ancestral tablet referred to in footnote 8.]

The practical workings of this rule, as enforced by the authority of
the great master, were recently exemplified in the case of an American
traveller. As he and his companion were passing through a Chinese town,
their strange faces and unusual costumes attracted a crowd, and hooting
seemed likely to be followed by serious violence. With admirable
presence of mind, one of the strangers faced the throng, and amid a
shower of mud and stones exclaimed: “Is this the way, O people! that
you obey the precepts of your philosophers, to treat strangers within
your walls tenderly? Have you forgotten the saying of your great master
Confucius,—“That which I wish another not to do to me, I must not do
to him?” The effect was electric. In a moment every hand was lowered,
and the recent assailants sought as best they could to make amends for
their rudeness.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classical

Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classical

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