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Your search within this document for 'year' resulted in 396 matching pages.
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Page i
“...THE
CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK
BEING
"The Christian Movement in China"
1911
^ \
EDITED BY V
D. MacGILL)VRAY, M.A., D.D.,
Editor of A Century of Missions in China," Author of
a Mandarin=Romanized Dictionary of Chinese "
etc. etc.
fri wm it
SHANGHAI
CHRISTIAN LITERATURE SOCIETY FOR CHINA
1911...”
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“...PREFACE.
rpHE second issue of the Year Book is now before our
readers. That the first issue was appreciated was
evidenced by numerous commendatory letters, and by the
exhaustion of the edition long before the Year Book for 1911
went to press.
Again our thanks are due to all who have united to
produce the volume. Owing to the lamented illness of
several friends, the papers promised by them for 1911
were not forthcoming. At the time of printing, however,
it was found that there was not space enough to include
all the chapters which had been received and so the
following had to be omitted.
" Concerning Chinese Hymnology."
" The Hymns of the Chinese Christian Church."
" The Ideal Translation of the Bible into Chinese."
''The Work of Anglican, Canadian and American
Episcopal Church Missions in China."
" Learning the Chinese Language.''
"The C. I. M. Language Schools."
" Physical Training in China."
Some or all of these will be inserted in the Year
Book for 1912.
In the Index of the present Volume...”
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“...11
preface.
I am specially pleased to announce that during my
furlough the Year Book for 1912 will be prepared by the
very competent hands of the Rev. G. H. Bondfield, the
well-known Secretary of the Centenary Conference of 1907,
and Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society in
China and the Philippines.
D. MacGillivray....”
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Page 1
“...CHAPTER L
THE GENERAL SURVEY (19104911).
by the editor.
as Dr. Arthur H. Smith said last year,* the difficulty
of comprehending China is not only not diminished,
but is actually increased as compared with two decades ago.
His masterly General Survey in the Year Book for 1910 is
scarcely out. of date still, save on minor details, and we
strongly recommend our readers to ponder again Dr. Smith's
lucid and brilliant pages. The prolonged absence of Dr.
Smith from China precludes his writing the survey this
year, but our readers may expect that on his return he will
continue to do the work, which none but he can do so well.
china under the empress dowager, and after.
The period of Chinese history during which Yelionala,
better known as the Empress Dowager, ruled China, will
always be of surpassing interest to the student of Chinese
affairs. The situation of China to-day both for good and
evil is largely the aftermath of those eventful times. Then
as now, action and reaction, like Jaco9 and Esau...”
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“...2
china mission year book.
will simply confirm previous opinions, though the wrath of
of Mr. Ku Hung-ming and others burns fiercely against
them and all their works.
china's task.
AVe would do well to recall again the weighty words of
Professor Ernest D. Burton, of the University of Chicago,
spoken at the Conference of Foreign Mission Boards in New
York, 1910.
4'Having determined that she will emerge from the
isolation which she has maintained for centuries, that she
will not simply yield as she has for a hundred years to such
pressure as she can not resist, bat will herself actively enter
into the life of the nations and become one in the family of
nations, China confronts to-day one of the greatest tasks
that any nation ever faced. This is nothing less than the
creation of a new civilization * *
The task which China thus confronts is one of tremen-
dous difficulty. Observe what is included in it. A new
constitution, which means in reality a new political system;
a new army, a new navjT...”
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Page 3
“...and Government
alike. These sorrows shed a lurid light on the poverty of
the people, the neglect of waterways, f and the unreadiness
of those responsible to cope with national calamities. (See
our special chapter on "China's Sorrows.)" "If by the
stroke of a magic wand every Chinese official from the
members of the Grand Council to the humblest constable
could be made strictly honest, ninety-nine hundredths of
China's difficulties would have vanished at sunrise."
the prince regent.
The second year of Prince Chun's regency has passed,
and he has done as well as might be expected, although
*AVords of a Japanese writer in an American magazine.
tBut a high authority on the spot in Anhui says it would cost
£P>00.000.000 to drain that region....”
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“...1(3
CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.
there were signs at one time that the present Empress
Dowager, Lung Yu, would like to step into the shoes of her
predecessor. The Regent has been too strong for her, and
by the aid of his Grand Council, has at least avoided glaring-
blunders. He recently proclaimed himself Generalissimo of
the Army and Navy.- His various Edicts during 1910
indicate that he is doing his best, and under the circum-
stances no one but a Kangsi or Chinshihhuang could have
anything more to show than he has. There is much talk of
welding together Manchu and Chinese, but several recent
Edicts inopportunely emphasize the Manchu overlordship.
During the year the Chinese Christians, as related in
our Appendix, prepared four presentation copies of the New
Testament, one for the Empress Dowager, one for the
Prince Regent, one for the Empress Mother, and one for
the Child Emperor. But as long as the eunuchs and con-
cubines swarm and intrigue in the purlieus of the Palace,
little improvement...”
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“...GENERAL SURVEY. 13
The centrifugal and centripetal tendencies of govern-
ment received ample illustration during the year. The
Viceroys and Governors accustomed to almost absolute sway,
like the satraps of ancient Persia, are constantly offering a
passive resistance to the efforts of the Grand Council who
desire to centralise power at Peking. Every few months
there is a general shuffle of high officials as in times past, a
vacillating policy which renders the work of the best men
nugatory, and incidentally prevents any one man being too
successful to suit Peking.
official salaries.
The National Assembly has been turning its attention
to the question of official salaries and has sanctioned a
scale which includes, both metropolitan and provincial
posts, the following being some of the chief items:
Grand CouncillorTls. 24,000; President of a Board,
Tls. 10,000 Vice-President, Tls. 8,000; Councillors, Tls.
4,000; Secretary, Tls. 3,600; Viceroy of a Provincial pro-
vince, Tls. 24,000; Viceroy...”
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Page 6
“...Governors. At the same time there
are many indications that the people's representatives will
force the pace, and make serious alterations in this con-
stitution.
The nine years' programme is fully set forth on Page
31 of the Year Book for 1910. Owing to the earlier calling
of Parliament, the following revised table of constitutional
reform has been issued:
Third Year of Hsuan Tung (1912) :
(1) The establishment of a Cabinet, (2) The establish-
ment of an Advisoiy Board. (3) The promulgation of a
new official system. (4) Promulgation of laws and regula-
tions to be followed by officials. (5) The publication of a
system of Book-keeping for Government finances. (6) The
promulgation of rules and regulations in regard to Likin
and Taxes. (7) The authorization of the expenditure of
the Imperial Household. (8) The establishment of Courts
of Justice in the Yamens of the Administrative Officials....”
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“...regarding procedure in
civil and criminal cases. (12) The publication of the
system for taking of the census. (13) Census Statistics.
Fourth year of Hsuan Tung:
(14) The promulgation of the Constitutional Law.
(15) The publication of special enactments for the Imperial
Household. (16) The promulgation of the Parliamentary
Law and System. (17) The Election Rule for both Houses.
(18) The Election. (19) The introduction of the Budget
System. (20) The establishment of an Audit Office. (21)
The putting into force of all the new laws. (22) The
opening of Courts of Justice of every grade throughout the
Empire.
Fifth Year of Hsuan Tung:
(1) The summoning of Members of Parliament to
Peking. (2) The Imperial Decree relating to the same.
(3) The opening of Parliament.
It is pleasing to record that the local Self-Government
Councils called for in the first year of the programme, have
done most excellent work in connection witli the famine
relief distribution in Anliui and Kiangsu.
The taking of the...”
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“...1(3
CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.
In Shantung, 119,549, members elected, 103.
In Manchuria, 52,679, members elected, 50.
In Hupeh, 113,233, members elected, 80.
Of the 105 members elected in Szechuen, six only were
elected under the property qualification. Christians voted
freety, and in one instance the Vice-President of the
Assembly is a Christian.
The powers of these bodies are nominally advisory only,
but with this they will not long be contented. The discus-
sions were intelligent and dignified, and showed that the
Government has set free an entirely unsuspected power in
the land. The aim is not revolutionary, but to encourage
patriotism, and strengthen the Empire.
the national assembly.
The first meeting of the National Assembly took place
in Peking on October 4, 1910. One hundred of the mem-
bers were appointed by the Government and one hundred
from the various Provincial Assemblies. These bodies
having tasted the new wine of power made haste to agitate
for an earlier summoning of a real...”
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Page 9
“...The Government at every turn is
met by want of money. Reforms are found to be ex-
pensive. The Army and Navy clamour for reorganization
and large expenditure. China's Foreign indebtedness is
£125,000,000,* requiring the payment of a yearly interest
of Tls. C50,000,000. The Executive is at a loss-to find new
means for taxation, and even taxes for the new schools have
in several instances provoked riots, and the people are too
ignorant to allow of the introduction of new imposts.
the currency.
The Year Book of 1910 recounts on page 7 the attempt
of China to reform her currency. In May an Edict was
published setting the standard of currency for the present in
a Silver Dollar of Taels .73 weight. This Dollar was to be
the sole medium for payment of taxes, etc., and other
-Exclusive of the £10,000,000 loan mentioned later....”
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“...1(3
CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.
official liabilities. The Provincial mints were forbidden to
coin any save exactly like those issued at the central mint
in Peking, but. it was discovered that to inaugurate this
reform a large supply of ready cash must be available, and
United States, Great Britain, Germany and France offered
China a loan of £10,000,000 Sterling, which will probably
be arranged.
These loans though much detested are now seen to be
inevitable. A National Debt Redemption Society which
made such a stir at first soon fizzled out. Not only did the
National Debt remain unpaid, but more was added to it.
At the same time the Provinces were piling up foreign loans
on their own account, notwithstanding the efforts of the
Central Government to get a monopoly of the foreign loan
business.
Many authorities counselled China to adopt the Gold
standard, but this would require such an immense reserve
that it is practically impossible.
courts of justice.
The new penal code is at last nearly ready...”
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Page 11
“...GENERAL SURVEY.
11
Mixed Court, it may be doubted whether the Chinese people
can be ruled without it.
government education.
As this subject was fully treated in the Year Book of
1910, and Chapter V. of the present book gives further
details, it will not be necessary to give a lengthy survey,
especially as the opinions then expressed require little, if
any, modification.
The Christian Literature Society's Report for 1910
says: "The object is to provide an elementary school for
every 400 families within the next five years, that is, school
accommodation for fortjT-five million scholars within the
next ten years. Japan, at the end of thirty years, had
schools for 5,300,000 scholars. Will China succeed with
her forty-five millions?"
At the Nanyang National Exhibition held in Nanking
one immense building was filled with educational exhibits
from kindergarten to University. Though these exhihits
were drawn from a comparatively small number of schools,
they served to show as far as material things...”
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“...1(3
CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.
The sensation of the year was Professor Ling's speech,
which we give in extenso in Chapter V. It is well sum-
marised by a leading Daily Paper as follows:
" Mr. Ling inveighs primarily against the lack of moral
and educational discipline in Chinese Government Schools.
The students, he infers, have imbibed advanced ideas
without ridding themselves of the irresponsibility of youth.
Doctrincs of equality and liberty, culled, we are told, from
Japanese sources, have been interpreted as authorizing a
general lawlessness of conduct at home, in the school and in
public. The most ardent reformers in China can scarcely
wish that the new order, with its many untried innovations,
should altogether supplant the old virtues that have held
together for so long the component parts of this heterogeneous
empire. Among these filial respect lias always occupied a
prominent place; but even this is threatened, according to
the lecturer who took the Foochow scholars to task. In the...”
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Page 13
“... chiefly from Austria and Sweden. It
has opened twenty branches in various cities of China.
It is managed on the co-operative plan, sharing profits with
its employees. The net profits are divided into twenty
parts. Five of these are distributed among the employees,
ten go to the shareholders, three to the reserve fund, and
two to the schools of children of employees, to sick and
injured employees and the widows and orphans of those
who have died. The net profits distributed in these ways
last year were $200,000 Mex......This Press now issues...”
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“...1(3
CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.
most of the text-books used in the Government Schools and
a large proportion of the bank notes which are in circula-
tion.5' It has the only three colour printing plant in
China.
It is said, however, that anti-foreignism has began to
interfere somewhat with its business. The demand for its
translations from foreign works is declining, though doubt-
less the school book trade is bound to increase.
Printing presses are, of course, found everywhere, but
they are mainly occupied in publishing newspapers.
the chinese press.
A series of new press laws has been issued, the object
of which is to secure official control of the papers similar to
that exercised by the Government in Russia. An enter-
prising Taotai in Shanghai with the approval of his
superiors, bought up the Shanghai vernacular papers for the
sum of Taels 183,096.82 together with Tacls 34,634.56 to
meet current losses. Part of this sum was paid from the
interest accuring on the Huangpu Conservancy Fund...”
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Page 15
“...last year 1915i li of lines and 22 new offices were added.
A reduction of rates has been granted, but telegraphing
is still to expensive for the multitude. A recent loan of
£500,000 is to be devoted to extension.
railways.
The Ticntsin-Pukou Railway being built by foreign
engineers has made rapid advance. Last year the Northern
section had reached as far south as Taianfu at the base
of the Sacred Mountain, while the Southern section has
trains running regularly to Linhwaikuan on the Hwai
River, and construction trains going beyond Hsuchowfu.
The value of this line in the rapid transport of foodstuffs to
the scenes of the Anhui Famine gives a delightful forecast
of how easy it will be to deal with famines when China has
a proper network of Railways.
A length of thirty miles of the Canton-Ivowloon Rail-
way from the Canton end was opened in December, while
on October 1st the British section of the line was opened.
It is expected that the two ends will be linked up sometime
next year, though...”
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“...1(3
CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.
appears that a large part of the funds for this line were
lost in rubber speculation at the time of the boom in
Shanghai, an accident likely to interfere with the company's
operations.
The Peking-Kalgan line is being extended to Tatungfu
in Shansi.
Some work is being clone on a line from Kiukiang
to Changsha and on another from Wuhu southwards to
Kuangtehchow.
In Yunnan a number of surveys have been made for a
line from Yunnanfu into Szechuen province.
In Honan Province, the Railway from Kaifeng, which
crosses the Peking-PIankow line at Chenchow, is opened to
Honanfu, and work beyond the city is being pushed on.
It is hoped to reach Tungchuan in the spring.
The Canton-Iiankow Railway has made- some progress
in Canton Province, but little is known about it.
The Shangliai-Hangchow Railway, which is being built
beyond Iiangchow towards Ningpo, had a bitter conflict
with the Central Government during the year over loans,
and Mr. Tang, the General Manager, was finally...”
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“...1(3
CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.
By far the greater number of farm labourers in China are
slaves. There is no evidence that the Edict has made any
difference to those who are in servitude.
At Canton the friends of progress rejoice at the recent
abolition of licensed gambling, which for years has been a
Government Monopoly farmed out to the highest bidder.
Viceroy Chang Ming-chi deserves the greatest credit for this
act. The revenue from this source is two million Taels,
and taxes on wine, salt, etc., were to be increased to cover
the deficit.
The cigarette evil shows no sign of abatement, but the
sale of patriotic tobacco is said to be gaining ground.
Foreign liquors are being most persistently pressed
upon the Chinese. The demand for beers and spirits is
increasing in North China. The Imperial Maritime Cus-
toms Returns show a most alarming increase in the import
of wine, spirits, beer, etc. Comparing 1909 with 1908, the
total net increase for the whole of China is Taels 815,186,
but of this...”
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