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The events of the week.
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1. First three days of the week roasting hot.
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2. Dr. Allen has been laid up with typhoid fever for the whole week. Certainly this is a bad time for it. I pray he may soon recover.
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3. Russia, it is reported, has been requested by China to arbitrate between the latter country and Japan. If so, Japan will get the worse of it, as she has no treaty reasons to justify her late actions.
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4. It is a noteworthy fact that the big majority of the boys in the college know nothing about the disputes between China and Japan. They still indulge themselves in the dream that Japan is one of China's dependencies! Those fellows who seem to know something about the affairs have the characteristic cheek to say, with an air of triumph, that in a recent engagement in Corea, the Japanese killed 200 Chinese, but that the Chinese paid it back by slaughtering 1000 Japanese. All this is a lie: for, in the first place, there has never been a battle fought between the two forces up to date and, secondly, it will take lots more than the Chinese soldiers now in C. to do up 1,000 Japanese.
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14th. Saturday. A hot week.
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A day of two ago, the Daily News said that Russia had offered herself to arbitrate between Japan and China on the condition that, in case the former insists on a war, Russia would form a Russo-Chinese protectorate over C. Shame on the p-g-t-ls, government and people to beg Russia to help them in dealing with Japan. This contemptible cowardice makes the p-g-t-l thousand times more despicable on account of his unfounded or confounded pride and inflation. Todays' paper says that England has offered to settle the difficulties between Japan and China.
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I have yet to find a real gentleman in any fellow who most loudly tells others that he is one. Seven years ago an Italian came to the A.C.C. "I am a gentleman!", was his cant. Well, he needed this self-advertisement just in the same way as a poorly drawn bird needs a card under him saying "This is a bird". In America I took special care to be out of the way of any fool who told me that he was a gentleman. There is a fellow in the College who is as puffed up with a little English as any fool I have ever seen. I was tickled very much to hear him once say, after he had quarreled with the cook, "I am a gentleman! I am a gentleman!"
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Wrote to Dr. Candler, Miss Fonzie and Lon Eaks.
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Once I stept into a hat store in Nashville. A sharp-looking little clerk recommending a certain style of hat said, "I wear this style all the time" Of course he meant to say that his taste was the standard I should go by. A few days ago I scolded the "Niangyi" for cooking rice with water of several days' standing. To which she, with her usual provoking smile and complaisance, replied "You need not be uneasy about my using bad water: for I eat the same rice myself". Indeed! Is her sense of cleanliness to be trusted? Why, she seems to be destitute of the sense of smell. If she has any, she prefers the smell of the "Mo-dong" and stinking sewer to that of rose or violet. I would sooner trust a hog in matters of astronomy and geology than to trust a celestial servant in matters of cleanliness and honesty.
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Prof. Bonnell and wife left Shanghai for Japan for the vacation. Kind providence be with them!
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In the temple right behind the back dormitory―where I used to stay years ago,―I saw two women chanting their prayers with rosaries in the hands. One of them had a book on her knees. Opening it, I found lots of the Buddhistic nonsense which nobody could make any head or tail out of. The woman asked me. "Do you know (or understand) it?" Answering her in the negative I said, "Do you know (or understand) it?" "Yes" replied she. Then I said, "Do you understand the meaning of the book?" "No" was her answer. When I asked her what good, she expected from chanting a book which she did not understand, she said "In this world, we expect no good. On the other hand we spend money in buying incense and paper money to be burned. But in the next we shall get good". I did not tell her about the Christian religion lest my imperfect Chinese might disturb her old faith without giving her a better one; or misrepresent to her ignorant mind the truths of Christianity without being able to show the falsehood of Buddhism.
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A porcelain salt vessel with words, "London" stamped on it, is used as an incense burner before one of the idols. No worse than an Englishman or an American turning a Buddhist or a Mohammedan.
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A beautiful moonlight. Attended the Saturday night prayer meeting at the McTyeire Home.
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When I gave up my "single blessedness", I did not even dream that I should so soon sigh for its freedom.
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A hot day to teach in. The school was this afternoon closed for the Summer vacation.
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Lost my English-and-Chinese dictionary between last Saturday afternoon and this morning. I used it during the term keeping it on the school desk. Mr. L., whose opinion is entitled to respect in the matter, from the first day of the term, warned me to be careful about the books as the students(?) are much given to stealing. I wish I had given heed to his advice. The Chinese, as a class or nation, are certainly the most unlovable creatures breathing.
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Who goes marrying, goes worrying.
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One blessing in Shanghai (Settlement) is that with a little attention to cleanliness one may easily get rid of the annoyance of flies.
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Peace is that peace does. A Corean needs not be glad of the peaceful turns affairs have taken in Corea knowing too well the infirnal selfishness of the government that desires peace only to suck the blood of the people undisturbed.
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19th. Thursday. A hot day-with good breeze.
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This morning's "Daily News" had the telegram that the British consul at Seoul and his wife had been a day or two ago assaulted by a gang of Japanese soldiers on the highway. What fools Japanese are sometimes! England is already too great a friend of China for Japan to offend her that way.
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It is reported that China has decided to fight. Japan on account of her overweening conceit seems to have lost much of the sympathies of the Powers. It is said that the warlike measures have already cost Japan 10,000,000, yen. Where will she get that back―I wonder!
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Our "Nyangyi", old though she is, does not even come to the bathroom door while I am bathing. By contrast this modesty reminds me of the pretty maid―servant who offered to rub my back for me when I took bath in Mr. Nagami's house years ago. As for me, I prefer a smiling, polite and agreeable Japanese girl, even if she didn't blush to see men bathing, (which no Japanese women do) to the lying, cheating and impudent Chinese woman who is modest. I am tired to tell the old woman to be clean. She loves filth from nature and habit―yet she is one of the neatest of her class. It actually made her mad when Baby and I compelled her to throw away some of the dirty things―old shoes etc.―with which she had made the kitchen repulsive to smell and sight. Baby tells me, and I believe her, that it would be almost impossible to get another servant who might do even as well; and that this "Nyangyi", having no home of her own, at least does not steal rice etc. as others professionally do.
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Kong Chee Yeu 江載祐, one of my school mates, called on me in the night. I was very glad to see him. He is studying medicine in the government medical college. He doesn't like the profession.
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Sometime ago I asked Liang Lee Cho, one of my Chinese friends whom I love truly, which he liked best, Prof. Bonnell or Mr. Loehr as a teacher. To my surprise he said that he liked Mr. L. better. "He is very prompt and regular," said he as his reason, "while Prof. B. is lazy. While I was in the College, he never met his class in time". A good lesson in the remark.
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At 4 p.m. with Rev. Uyeda called on Mr. Okoshi(大越) , the Japanese consul. By the way this is the first time I have ever visited a Japanese consul in Shanghai. Our conversation was chiefly on the affairs in Corea. No new things. The Japanese consul is very confident of the victory of Japan in case of a war. He said that Japan has no object in view but the good of Corea.
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Dr. Allen is improving fast. He said that Japan does a very dangerous thing in forcing China to a war; that the Great Powers have better treated Japan than she has them or herself; that Japan is not at all prepared for a representative government: that it will do her good for somebody to take her on his lap and give her a spank or two. He asked me of I had, in the history of any age, found anything parallel to the action of Japan in Corea. It is surprising how a wise man say some very foolish things. What! if there is no precedence to the course of action Japan is now pursuing. Why, everyone is a descendant as well as an anscestor, and every event is often a precedent as well as an imitation.
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It is reported that Japan has demanded the Corean government (1) to re-organize the internal system of government, (2) to connect Seoul with Fusan by a R.R., (3) and to institute a system of education. Corea is said to have conceded to the above demands.
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24th. (六月二十二) Tuesday. Rather breezy.
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It was reported this afternoon that the Chinese had instigated the Coreans to attack the Japanese; that the Corean force was totally defeated; and that war was thus begun between China and Japan. Further details later.
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1. The Coreans, if the above news be true, acted as foolishly as Coreans alone could. To stand aside and see the fight taking such opportunity as may occur to improve their own affairs would have been the wisest course for the Coreans to take. But the fools, the slaves to slaves, have gotten themselves into trouble. In case Japan gets out of the fight just decent enough to be proud but not victorious enough to be merciful or crushed enough to be humble, she will take her vengeance on the helpless Coreans.
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2. Japan gives it out that she has undertaken the war purely to uphold the independence of Corea against the aggression of China. This is too good to be true. A more rational explanation is found in the fear of Japan that China might make a viceroyalty of Corea, and that the distempered condition of the body public of Japan might breed a civil war. Whatever may have been her motive Japan has a job on hand. If she succeeds, she will secure a sort of protectorate over Corea, and the possession of Formosa. In case she gets whipped, she will lose her influence in Corea altogether with possibly the surrender of Riu Kiu Islands to China.
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3. China sent her soldiers to help the government of Corea to put down the rebels(?) This seemingly innocent act has plunged her into difficulties from which she has no means to extricate herself but war. If she gets the worse of the fight she will, at least for the time being, give up her accursed interference with the Corean affairs. But woe to the already trodden down people of Corea in case China come off victorious.
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4. Though late, there are possibilities of Corea's reformation and deliverance from the yoke of China at this juncture, if wise and patriotic men had the affairs of the peninsula in hand. A perfect neutrality would be her safety. But there is more hope for a fool than for Corea. The weakness of the King, the selfishness of the Queen, the weakness, selfishness, wickedness and blindness of their counsellors will render the Kingdom a prey to a stronger neighbor or neighbors. One comfort is that every sensible man and woman, firmly believe that whatever may betide, nothing can be worse for Corea than her present condition of affairs.
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5. After all, nothing may come out of the war to the good of anybody except to Russia. Or, it is likely that the Powers may step in a few days hence and separate the combatants who may be only too glad to get disentangled. By the way, it is the general opinion of most people, foreigners espcially, that Japan will get the better of the war in the beginning, but that China will win at last by means of her numerical superiority. If Japan cannot beat China now, she will never.
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Absolutely no news of any worth concerning the true state of affairs in Corea. War has not been declared. This morning's Daily News said that there is a fair prospect for peace.
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1. "Let's play war", said little Bertie. "How do you play war?" asked little Eddie. "O, it's easy enough. You take the bread knife and I'll take the toasting-fork". "What'll we do then?" "Nothing but stand and look at each other and both be afraid".
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When I read the above, tickled as I was, I had not the least idea that the two foremost nations of the Far East should act Bertie and Eddie.
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2. The Japan Daily Advertiser with an owlish look tells us that Coreans are incapable of enjoying an independent nationality. If he means by independence that freedom and self-government enjoyed by an Englishman or an American, his point is well taken. No Asiatic nation as for that matter has this independence. But if he means that Coreans are incapable of maintaining a distinct national existence with rights and privileges of her own, he is simply off. For centuries Corea has been to all purpose and intent independent. Even in recent years when China has tried to control the peninsular government, Corea has exercised all the rights of a free state. If the imbecility, selfishness and cowardice of the men who happen to hold the rule have brought the country to the brink of dissolution, this can no more argue the inability of the Coreans for independence than the fact that the Norman conqueror once felt insulted by being called an Englishman proved the inability of the despised Saxon for reaching his present glory. Then, the absurdity of pronouncing any individual or nation incapable of freedom and independence without being given a fair chance of a good government and better education!
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3. The N.C. Daily News, which is strongly pro-Chinese, gave, a day or two ago, the translation of General Neh’s proclamation as a sort of refutation of the Japanese reports of the bad behavior of Chinese soldiers in Corea. Anyone who has been long enough in China to know the utter impotence and hollowess of the grandiloquent proclamations, edicts, nonsenses etc. needs not reject the reports as untrue until he has positive proofs to the contrary. I saw many proclamations of this type and tenor some years ago in Corea. But they didn't do any good in restraining the Chinese from breaking into stores, pistoling people, and outraging women.
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30th. Monday. A hot day as usual.
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Too hot even for light reading. Wandering thoughts:
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1. China, daring not to test her strength in a pitched battle, seems to avoid as far as possible any collision with the Japanese forces on sea and on land. She seems to be waiting for the cold weather when ice will lock up the northern ports. In the meantime she is preparing herself for a possible war.
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2. Japan seems to be in deep water. Nobody has any kind word for Japan. Her late antiforeign feelings expressed in papers and measures seem to have alienated her from Europeans. Her trade has already suffered much. The soldiers now in Corea are said to consume25,000 per day. To fight, China would not give her a chance. To withdraw,―it is almost impossible, without setting whole Japan on fire.
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3. The reformatory measures urged upon Corea by Japan will all come to nought. (1) Because the King led by the Queen, the Queen led by eunuchs and palace maids, the eunuchs and palacemaids led by the Devil―all these personages are incapable of, and unwilling for, reformation. (2) Japan can not keep her armed force in Corea always. (3) As soon as Japan withdraws her troops. China will help the Corean government or rather the Queen and her diabolical relatives and slaves to undo whatever measure that may have been carried out for the good of the people. Or, more likely, China may land a force and take the management of the peninsula into her own hand with or without the nominal King. In the matter of occupying the capital by an armed force China may do with a pretext and a precedence what Japan has done without a pretext and a precedence. Only difference would be that while Japan tries to reform Corea, China will deform it.
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4. The only possible way to reform Corea is to convert the King into a determined character surrounded by wise and patriotic men or to overthrow the present government altogether, putting the reins in some competent hands, native or foreign.
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31st. (二十九) Tuesday. A hot day.
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Oh, for the freedom of my bachelor days!
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This morning's News reports that on the 23rd inst.(六月二十一) the Japanese soldiers attacked the palace and removed the King and the Queen to the Japanese legation; that Kwoshing, a Brititish steamer, carrying 1200 Chinese soldiers and Mr. Von Hennecken (the right-hand man of the Chinese Navy) was sunk by a Japanese man-of-war on the 25th(六月二十三) ; that the Japanese force was repulsed from Ashan, not however, until after they had killed the Chinese commander. General Yieh. The 'News' spared no word in denouncing the cruelty of the Japanese for sinking Kwoshing.
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Now Japan has gone far―further than I thought. Let her keep the situation. Give Corea a good government. Am I not then shocked at the news of the capture of their Majesties? Yes I am. But no more than expected. Indeed, I would rather see the King in the Japanese legation than in a Chinese camp. I am so thoroughly convinced of the helplessness of the Corean government that no insult it undergoes in surprising, though grievous, to me. I believe so firmly that might is right that no high-handed act of a strong power in Corea is strange, though offensive to me.
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I am so disgusted with the Chinese infernalisms in Corea that the domination of any other nation is comparatively tolerable to me.
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For this national disgrace the Queen and her relatives are directly responsible. O, the evil a wicked woman may do!
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