Kafka The Great Wall of China

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA was finished off at its northernmost corner. From the southeast and the southwest it came up in two sections that fina ! con"er#ed there. This princip e of piecemea construction was a so app ied on a sma er sca e $! $oth of the two #reat armies of a$or% the eastern and the western. It was done in this wa!& #an#s of some twent! wor'ers were formed who had to accomp ish a en#th% sa!% of fi"e hundred !ards of wa % whi e a simi ar #an# $ui t another stretch of the same en#th to meet the first. (ut after the )unction had $een made the construction of the *a#e +,,wa was not carried on from the point% et us sa!% where this thousand !ards endedinstead the two #roups of wor'ers were transferred to $e#in $ui din# a#ain in .uite different nei#h$orhoods. Natura ! in this wa! man! #reat #aps were eft% which were on ! fi ed in #radua ! and $it $! $it% some% indeed% not ti after the officia announcement that the wa was finished. In fact it is said that there are #aps which ha"e ne"er $een fi ed in at a % an assertion% howe"er% that is pro$a$ ! mere ! one of the man! e#ends to which the $ui din# of the wa #a"e rise% and which cannot $e "erified% at east $! an! sin# e man with his own e!es and )ud#ment% on account of the e/tent of the structure. Now on first thou#hts one mi#ht concei"e that it wou d ha"e $een more ad"anta#eous in e"er! wa! to $ui d the wa continuous !% or at east continuous ! within the two main di"isions. After a % the wa was intended% as was uni"ersa ! proc aimed and 'nown% to $e a protection a#ainst the peop es of the north. (ut how can a wa protect if it is not a continuous structure0 Not on ! can such a wa not protect% $ut what there is of it is in perpetua dan#er. These $ oc's of wa eft standin# in deserted re#ions cou d $e easi ! pu ed down a#ain and a#ain $! the nomads% especia ! as these tri$es% rendered apprehensi"e $! the $ui din# operations% 'ept chan#in# their encampments with incredi$ e rapidit!% i'e ocusts% and so perhaps had a $etter #enera "iew of the pro#ress of the wa than we% the $ui ders. Ne"erthe ess the tas' of construction pro$a$ ! cou d not ha"e $een carried out in an! other wa!. To

understand this we must ta'e into account the fo owin#& the wa was to $e a protection for centuries- accordin# !% the most scrupu ous care in the $ui din#% the app ication of the architectura wisdom of a 'nown a#es and peop es% an unremittin# sense of persona responsi$i it! in the $ui ders were indispensa$ e prere.uisites for the wor'. True% for the more pure ! manua tas's i#norant da! a$orers from the popu ace% men% women% and chi dren who offered their ser"ices for #ood mone!% cou d $e emp o!ed- $ut for the super"ision e"en of e"er! four da! a$orers an e/pert "ersed in the art of $ui din# was re.uired% a man who was capa$ e of enterin# into and fee in# with a his heart what was in"o "ed. And the hi#her the tas'% the #reater the *a#e +,1responsi$i it!. And such men were actua ! to $e had% if not indeed so a$undant ! as the wor' of construction cou d ha"e a$sor$ed% !et in #reat num$ers. For the wor' had not $een underta'en without thou#ht. Fift! !ears $efore the first stone was aid% the art of architecture% and especia ! that of masonr!% had $een proc aimed as the most important $ranch of 'now ed#e throu#hout the who e area of a China that was to $e wa ed around% and a other arts #ained reco#nition on ! insofar as the! had reference to it. I can sti remem$er .uite we us standin# as sma chi dren% scarce ! sure on our feet% in our teacher2s #arden% and $ein# ordered to $ui d a sort of wa out of pe$$ es- and then the teacher% #irdin# up his ro$e% ran fu ti t a#ainst the wa % of course 'noc'in# it down% and sco ded us so terri$ ! for the shoddiness of our wor' that we ran weepin# in a directions to our parents. A tri"ia incident% $ut si#nificant of the spirit of the time. I was uc'! inasmuch as the $ui din# of the wa was )ust $e#innin# when% at twent!% I had passed the ast e/amination of the owest schoo . I sa! uc'!% for man! who $efore m! time had achie"ed the hi#hest de#ree of cu ture a"ai a$ e to them cou d find nothin# !ear after !ear to do with their 'now ed#e% and drifted use ess ! a$out with the most sp endid architectura p ans in their heads% and san' $! thousands into hope essness. (ut those who fina ! came to $e emp o!ed in the wor' as super"isors% e"en thou#h it mi#ht $e of the owest ran'% were tru ! worth! of their tas'. The! were masons who had ref ected much% and did not cease to ref ect% on the $ui din# of the wa % men who with the first stone the! san' in the #round fe t themse "es a part of the wa . 3asons of that 'ind% of course% had not on ! a desire to perform their wor' in the

most thorou#h manner% $ut were a so impatient to see the wa finished in its comp ete perfection. 4a! a$orers ha"e not this impatience% for the! oo' on ! to their wa#es% and the hi#her super"isors% indeed e"en the super"isors of midd e ran'% cou d see enou#h of the manifo d #rowth of the construction to 'eep their spirits confident and hi#h. (ut to encoura#e the su$ordinate super"isors% inte ectua ! so "ast ! superior to their apparent ! pett! tas's% other measures must $e ta'en. One cou d not% for *a#e +,5instance% e/pect them to a! one stone on another for months or e"en !ears on end% in an uninha$ited mountainous re#ion% hundreds of mi es from their homes- the hope essness of such hard toi % which !et cou d not reach comp etion e"en in the on#est ifetime% wou d ha"e cast them into despair and a$o"e a made them ess capa$ e for the wor'. It was for this reason that the s!stem of piecemea $ui din# was decided on. Fi"e hundred !ards cou d $e accomp ished in a$out fi"e !ears- $! that time% howe"er% the super"isors were as a ru e .uite e/hausted and had ost a faith in themse "es% in the wa % in the wor d. Accordin# !% whi e the! were sti e/a ted $! the )u$i ant ce e$rations mar'in# the comp etion of the thousand !ards of wa % the! were sent far% far awa!% saw on their )ourne! finished sections of the wa risin# here and there% came past the .uarters of the hi#h command and were presented with $ad#es of honor% heard the re)oicin#s of new armies of a$or streamin# past from the depths of the and% saw forests $ein# cut down to $ecome supports for the wa % saw mountains $ein# hewn into stones for the wa % heard at the ho ! shrines h!mns risin# in which the pious pra!ed for the comp etion of the wa . A this assua#ed their impatience. The .uiet ife of their homes% where the! rested some time% stren#thened them- the hum$ e credu it! with which their reports were istened to% the confidence with which the simp e and peacefu $ur#her $e ie"ed in the e"entua comp etion of the wa % a this fi ed their hearts with a new $uo!anc!. Li'e eterna ! hopefu chi dren the! then said farewe to their homes- the desire once more to a$or on the wa of the nation $ecame irresisti$ e. The! set off ear ier than the! needed- ha f the "i a#e accompanied them for on# distances. Groups of peop e with $anners and streamers wa"in# were on a the roads- ne"er $efore had the! seen how #reat and rich and $eautifu and worth! of o"e their countr! was. E"er! fe ow countr!man was a $rother for whom one was $ui din# a wa of protection% and who wou d return ife on# than's for it with a he

had and did. 6nit!7 6nit!7 8hou der to shou der% a rin# of $rothers% a current of $ ood no on#er confined within the narrow circu ation of one $od!% $ut sweet ! ro in# and !et e"er returnin# throu#hout the end ess ea#ues of China. Thus% then% the s!stem of piecemea construction $ecomes comprehensi$ e*a#e +,9$ut there were sti other reasons for it as we . Nor is there an!thin# odd in m! pausin# o"er this .uestion for so on#- it is one of the crucia pro$ ems in the who e $ui din# of the wa % unimportant as it ma! appear at first # ance. If I am to con"e! and ma'e understanda$ e the ideas and fee in#s of that time I cannot #o deep ! enou#h into this "er! .uestion. First% then% it must $e said that in those da!s thin#s were achie"ed scarce ! inferior to the construction of the Tower of (a$e % a thou#h as re#ards di"ine appro"a % at east accordin# to human rec'onin#% stron# ! at "ariance with that wor'. I sa! this $ecause durin# the ear ! da!s of $ui din# a scho ar wrote a $oo' in which he drew the comparison in the most e/hausti"e wa!. In it he tried to pro"e that the Tower of (a$e fai ed to reach its #oa % not $ecause of the reasons uni"ersa ! ad"anced% or at east that amon# those reco#ni:ed reasons the most important of a was not to $e found. His proofs were drawn not mere ! from written documents and reports- he a so c aimed to ha"e made in.uiries on the spot% and to ha"e disco"ered that the tower fai ed and was $ound to fai $ecause of the wea'ness of the foundation. In this respect at an! rate our a#e was "ast ! superior to that ancient one. A most e"er! educated man of our time was a mason $! profession and infa i$ e in the matter of a!in# foundations. That% howe"er% was not what our scho ar was concerned to pro"e- for he maintained that the Great Wa a one wou d pro"ide for the first time in the histor! of man'ind a secure foundation for a new Tower of (a$e . First the wa % therefore% and then the tower. His $oo' was in e"er!$od!2s hands at that time% $ut I admit that e"en toda! I cannot .uite ma'e out how he concei"ed this tower. How cou d the wa % which did not form e"en a circ e% $ut on ! a sort of .uarter; or ha f;circ e% pro"ide the foundation for a tower0 That cou d o$"ious ! $e meant on ! in a spiritua sense. (ut in that case wh! $ui d the actua wa % which after a was somethin# concrete% the resu t of the ife on# a$or of mu titudes of peop e0 And wh! were there in the $oo' p ans% somewhat ne$u ous p ans% it must $e admitted% of the tower% and proposa s wor'ed out in detai for mo$i i:in# the peop e2s ener#ies for the stupendous new wor'0

*a#e +1< There were man! wi d ideas in peop e2s heads at that time ;; this scho ar2s $oo' is on ! one e/amp e ;; perhaps simp ! $ecause so man! were tr!in# to )oin forces as far as the! cou d for the achie"ement of a sin# e aim. Human nature% essentia ! chan#ea$ e% unsta$ e as the dust% can endure no restraint- if it $inds itse f it soon $e#ins to tear mad ! at its $onds% unti it rends e"er!thin# asunder% the wa % the $onds% and its "er! se f. It is possi$ e that these "er! considerations% which mi itated a#ainst the $ui din# of the wa at a % were not eft out of account $! the hi#h command when the s!stem of piecemea construction was decided on. We ;; and here I spea' in the name of man! peop e ;; did not rea ! 'now ourse "es unti we had carefu ! scrutini:ed the decrees of the hi#h command% when we disco"ered that without the hi#h command neither our $oo' earnin# nor our human understandin# wou d ha"e sufficed for the hum$ e tas's which we performed in the #reat who e. In the office of the command ;; where it was and who sat there no one whom I ha"e as'ed 'new then or 'nows now ;; in that office one ma! $e certain that a human thou#hts and desires re"o "ed in a circ e% and a human aims and fu fi ments in a countercirc e. And throu#h the window the ref ected sp endors of di"ine wor ds fe on the hands of the eaders as the! traced their p ans. And for that reason the incorrupti$ e o$ser"er must ho d that the command% if it had serious ! desired it% cou d a so ha"e o"ercome those difficu ties that pre"ented a s!stem of continuous construction. There remains% therefore% nothin# $ut the conc usion that the command de i$erate ! chose the s!stem of piecemea construction. (ut the piecemea construction was on ! a ma'eshift and therefore ine/pedient. Remains the conc usion that the command wi ed somethin# ine/pedient. 8tran#e conc usion7 True% and !et in one respect it has much to $e said for it. One can perhaps safe ! discuss it now. In those da!s man! peop e% and amon# them the $est% had a secret ma/im which ran& Tr! with a !our mi#ht to comprehend the decrees of the hi#h command% $ut on ! up to a certain point- then a"oid further meditation. A *a#e +1="er! wise ma/im% which moreo"er was e a$orated in a para$ e that was ater often .uoted& A"oid further meditation% $ut not $ecause it mi#ht $e harmfu - it is not at a certain that it wou d $e harmfu . What is harmfu or not harmfu has nothin# to do with the .uestion. Consider rather the ri"er in sprin#. It rises unti it #rows mi#htier

and nourishes more rich ! the soi on the on# stretch of its $an's% sti maintainin# its own course unti it reaches the sea% where it is a the more we come $ecause it is a worthier a !. Thus far ma! !ou ur#e !our meditations on the decrees of the hi#h command. (ut after that the ri"er o"erf ows its $an's% oses out ine and shape% s ows down the speed of its current% tries to i#nore its destin! $! formin# itt e seas in the interior of the and% dama#es the fie ds% and !et cannot maintain itse f for on# in its new e/panse% $ut must run $ac' $etween its $an's a#ain% must e"en dr! up wretched ! in the hot season that present ! fo ows. Thus far ma! !ou not ur#e !our meditations on the decrees of the hi#h command. Now thou#h this para$ e ma! ha"e had e/traordinar! point and force durin# the $ui din# of the wa % it has at most on ! a restricted re e"ance for m! present essa!. 3! in.uir! is pure ! historica - no i#htnin# f ashes an! on#er from the on# since "anished thunderc ouds% and so I ma! "enture to see' for an e/p anation of the s!stem of piecemea construction which #oes farther than the one that contented peop e then. The imits that m! capacit! for thou#ht imposes upon me are narrow enou#h% $ut the pro"ince to $e tra"ersed here is infinite. A#ainst whom was the Great Wa to ser"e as a protection0 A#ainst the peop e of the north. Now% I come from the southeast of China. No northern peop e can menace us there. We read of them in the $oo's of the ancients- the crue ties the! commit in accordance with their nature ma'e us si#h in our peacefu ar$ors. The faithfu representations of the artist show us these faces of the damned% their #apin# mouths% their )aws furnished with #reat pointed teeth% their ha f;shut e!es that a read! seem to $e see'in# out the "ictim which their )aws wi rend and de"our. When our chi dren are unru ! we show them these pictures% and at once the! f ! weepin# into *a#e +1+our arms. (ut nothin# more than that do we 'now a$out these northerners. We ha"e not seen them% and if we remain in our "i a#es we sha ne"er see them% e"en if on their wi d horses the! shou d ride as hard as the! can strai#ht toward us ;; the and is too "ast and wou d not et them reach us% the! wou d end their course in the empt! air. Wh!% then% since that is so% did we ea"e our homes% the stream with its $rid#es% our mothers and fathers% our weepin# wi"es% our chi dren who needed our care% and

depart for the distant cit! to $e trained there% whi e our thou#hts )ourne!ed sti farther awa! to the wa in the north0 Wh!0 A .uestion for the hi#h command. Our eaders 'now us. The!% a$sor$ed in #i#antic an/ieties% 'now of us% 'now our pett! pursuits% see us sittin# to#ether in our hum$ e huts% and appro"e or disappro"e the e"enin# pra!er which the father of the house recites in the midst of his fami !. And if I ma! $e a owed to e/press such ideas a$out the hi#h command% then I must sa! that in m! opinion the hi#h command has e/isted from o d time% and was not assem$ ed% sa!% i'e a #atherin# of mandarins summoned hasti ! to discuss some$od!2s fine dream in a conference as hasti ! terminated% so that that "er! e"enin# the peop e are drummed out of their $eds to carr! out what has $een decided% e"en if it shou d $e nothin# $ut an i umination in honor of a #od who ma! ha"e shown #reat fa"or to their masters the da! $efore% on ! to dri"e them into some dar' corner with cud#e $ ows tomorrow% a most $efore the i uminations ha"e died down. Far rather do I $e ie"e that the hi#h command has e/isted from a eternit!% and the decision to $ui d the wa i'ewise. 6nwittin# peop es of the north% who ima#ined the! were the cause of it7 Honest% unwittin# Emperor% who ima#ined he decreed it7 We $ui ders of the wa 'now that it was not so and ho d our ton#ues. 4urin# the $ui din# of the wa and e"er since to this "er! da! I ha"e occupied m!se f a most e/c usi"e ! with the comparati"e histor! of races ;; there are certain .uestions that one can pro$e to the marrow% as it were% on ! $! this method ;; and I ha"e disco"ered that we Chinese possess certain fo ' and po itica institutions that are *a#e +1>uni.ue in their c arit!% others a#ain uni.ue in their o$scurit!. The desire to trace the cause of these phenomena% especia ! the atter% has a wa!s intri#ued me and intri#ues me sti % and the $ui din# of the wa is itse f essentia ! in"o "ed with these pro$ ems. Now one of the most o$scure of our institutions is that of the empire itse f. In *e'in#% natura !% at the imperia court% there is some c arit! to $e found on this su$)ect% thou#h e"en that is more i usi"e than rea . A so the teachers of po itica aw and histor! in the schoo s of hi#her earnin# c aim to $e e/act ! informed on these matters% and to $e capa$ e of passin# on their 'now ed#e to their students. The farther one descends amon# the ower schoo s the more% natura ! enou#h% does one find teachers2 and pupi s2 dou$ts of their own 'now ed#e "anishin#% and superficia cu ture mountin# s'!;hi#h around a few precepts that ha"e $een dri ed into peop e2s minds

for centuries% precepts which% thou#h the! ha"e ost nothin# of their eterna truth% remain eterna ! in"isi$ e in this fo# of confusion. (ut it is precise ! this .uestion of the empire which in m! opinion the common peop e shou d $e as'ed to answer% since after a the! are the empire2s fina support. Here% I must confess% I can on ! spea' once more for m! nati"e p ace. E/cept for the nature #ods% and their ritua which fi s the who e !ear in such $eautifu and rich a ternation% we thin' on ! a$out the Emperor. (ut not a$out the present one- or rather we wou d thin' a$out the present one if we 'new who he was or 'new an!thin# definite a$out him. True ;; and it is the so e curiosit! that fi s us ;; we are a wa!s tr!in# to #et information on this su$)ect% $ut% stran#e as it ma! sound% it is a most impossi$ e to disco"er an!thin#% either from pi #rims% thou#h the! ha"e wandered throu#h much of our and% or from near or distant "i a#es% or from sai ors% thou#h the! ha"e na"i#ated not on ! our itt e stream% $ut a so the sacred ri"ers. One hears a #reat man! thin#s% true% $ut can #ather nothin# definite. 8o "ast is our and that no fa$ e cou d do )ustice to its "astness% the hea"ens can scarce ! span it ;; and *e'in# is on ! a dot in it% and the imperia pa ace ess than a dot. *a#e +1?The Emperor as such% on the other hand% is mi#ht! throu#hout a the hierarchies of the wor d& admitted. (ut the e/istent Emperor% a man i'e us% ies much i'e us on a couch which is of #enerous proportions% perhaps% and !et "er! possi$ ! ma! $e .uite narrow and short. Li'e us he sometimes stretches himse f and when he is "er! tired !awns with his de icate ! cut mouth. (ut how shou d we 'now an!thin# a$out that ;; thousands of mi es awa! in the south ;; a most on the $orders of the Ti$etan Hi#h ands0 And $esides% an! tidin#s% e"en if the! did reach us% wou d arri"e far too ate% wou d ha"e $ecome o$so ete on# $efore the! reached us. The Emperor is a wa!s surrounded $! a $ri iant and !et am$i#uous thron# of no$ es and courtiers ;; ma ice and enmit! in the #uise of ser"ants and friends ;; who form a counterwei#ht to the imperia power and perpetua ! a$or to unseat the ru er from his p ace with poisoned arrows. The Empire is immorta % $ut the Emperor himse f totters and fa s from his throne% !es% who e d!nasties sin' in the end and $reathe their ast in one death ratt e. Of these stru## es and sufferin#s the peop e wi ne"er 'now- i'e tard! arri"a s% i'e stran#ers in a cit!% the! stand at the end of some dense ! thron#ed side street peacefu ! munchin# the food the! ha"e $rou#ht with them% whi e far awa! in front% in

the 3ar'et 8.uare at the heart of the cit!% the e/ecution of their ru er is proceedin#. There is a para$ e that descri$es this situation "er! we & The Emperor% so it runs% has sent a messa#e to !ou% the hum$ e su$)ect% the insi#nificant shadow cowerin# in the remotest distance $efore the imperia sun- the Emperor from his death$ed has sent a messa#e to !ou a one. He has commanded the messen#er to 'nee down $! the $ed% and has whispered the messa#e to him- so much store did he a! on it that he ordered the messen#er to whisper it $ac' into his ear a#ain. Then $! a nod of the head he has confirmed that it is ri#ht. @es% $efore the assem$ ed spectators of his death ;; a the o$structin# wa s ha"e $een $ro'en down% and on the spacious and ofti ! mountin# open staircases stand in a rin# the #reat princes of the Empire ;; $efore a these he has de i"ered his messa#e. The messen#er immediate ! sets out on his )ourne!- a powerfu % an indefati#a$ e man- now pushin# with his ri#ht arm% now with his eft% he c ea"es a wa! for himse f throu#h the thron#- if he encounters resistance he *a#e +1Apoints to his $reast% where the s!m$o of the sun # itters- the wa! is made easier for him than it wou d $e for an! other man. (ut the mu titudes are so "ast- their num$ers ha"e no end. If he cou d reach the open fie ds how fast he wou d f !% and soon dou$t ess !ou wou d hear the we come hammerin# of his fists on !our door. (ut instead how "ain ! does he wear out his stren#th- sti he is on ! ma'in# his wa! throu#h the cham$ers of the innermost pa ace- ne"er wi he #et to the end of themand if he succeeded in that nothin# wou d $e #ained- he must ne/t fi#ht his wa! down the stair- and if he succeeded in that nothin# wou d $e #ained- the courts wou d sti ha"e to $e crossed- and after the courts the second outer pa ace- and once more stairs and courts- and once more another pa ace- and so on for thousands of !ears- and if at ast he shou d $urst throu#h the outermost #ate ;; $ut ne"er% ne"er can that happen ;; the imperia capita wou d ie $efore him% the center of the wor d% crammed to $urstin# with its own sediment. No$od! cou d fi#ht his wa! throu#h here e"en with a messa#e from a dead man. (ut !ou sit at !our window when e"enin# fa s and dream it to !ourse f. Bust so% as hope ess ! and as hopefu !% do our peop e re#ard the Emperor. The! do not 'now what Emperor is rei#nin#% and there e/ist dou$ts re#ardin# e"en the name of the d!nast!. In schoo a #reat dea is tau#ht a$out the d!nasties with the dates of succession% $ut the uni"ersa uncertaint! in this matter is so #reat that e"en the $est

scho ars are drawn into it. Lon#;dead emperors are set on the throne in our "i a#es% and one that on ! i"es on in son# recent ! had a proc amation of his read out $! the priest $efore the a tar. (att es that are o d histor! are new to us% and one2s nei#h$or rushes in with a )u$i ant face to te the news. The wi"es of the emperors% pampered and o"erweenin#% seduced from no$ e custom $! wi ! courtiers% swe in# with am$ition% "ehement in their #reed% uncontro a$ e in their ust% practice their a$ominations e"er anew. The more deep ! the! are $uried in time the more # arin# are the co ors in which their deeds are painted% and with a oud cr! of woe our "i a#e e"entua ! hears how an Empress dran' her hus$and2s $ ood in on# drau#hts thousands of !ears a#o. *a#e +1, Thus% then% do our peop e dea with departed emperors% $ut the i"in# ru er the! confuse amon# the dead. If once% on ! once in a man2s ifetime% an imperia officia on his tour of the pro"inces shou d arri"e $! chance at our "i a#e% ma'e certain announcements in the name of the #o"ernment% scrutini:e the ta/ ists% e/amine the schoo chi dren% in.uire of the priest re#ardin# our doin#s and affairs% and then% $efore he steps into his sedan chair% shou d sum up his impressions in "er$ose admonitions to the assem$ ed commune ;; then a smi e f its o"er e"er! face% peop e throw surreptitious # ances at each other% and $end o"er their chi dren so as not to $e o$ser"ed $! the officia . Wh!% the! thin' to themse "es% he2s spea'in# of a dead man as if he were a i"e% this Emperor of his died on# a#o% the d!nast! is $ otted out% the #ood officia is ha"in# his )o'e with us% $ut we wi $eha"e as if we did not notice it% so as not to offend him. (ut we sha o$e! in earnest no one $ut our present ru er% for not to do so wou d $e a crime. And $ehind the departin# sedan chair of the officia there rises in mi#ht as ru er of the "i a#e some fi#ure fortuitous ! e/a ted from an urn a read! crum$ ed to dust. 8imi ar ! our peop e are $ut itt e affected $! re"o utions in the state or contemporar! wars. I reca an incident in m! !outh. A re"o t had $ro'en out in a nei#h$orin#% $ut !et .uite distant% pro"ince. What caused it I can no on#er remem$er% nor is it of an! importance now- occasions for re"o t can $e found there an! da!% the peop e are an e/cita$ e peop e. We % one da! a eaf et pu$ ished $! the re$e s was $rou#ht to m! father2s house $! a $e##ar who had crossed that pro"ince. It happened to $e a feast da!% our rooms were fi ed with #uests% the priest sat in the center and

studied the sheet. 8udden ! e"er!$od! started to au#h% in the confusion the sheet was torn% the $e##ar% who howe"er had a read! recei"ed a$undant a ms% was dri"en out of the room with $ ows% the #uests dispersed to en)o! the $eautifu da!. Wh!0 The dia ect of this nei#h$orin# pro"ince differs in some essentia respects from ours% and this difference occurs a so in certain turns of the written word% which for us ha"e an archaic character. Hard ! had the priest read two pa#es $efore we had come to our decision. Ancient histor! to d on# a#o% o d sorrows on# since hea ed. And thou#h ;; *a#e +11so it seems to me in reco ection ;; the #ruesomeness of the i"in# present was irrefuta$ ! con"e!ed $! the $e##ar2s words% we au#hed and shoo' our heads and refused to isten an! on#er. 8o ea#er are our peop e to o$ iterate the present. If from such appearances an!one shou d draw the conc usion that in rea it! we ha"e no Emperor% he wou d not $e far from the truth. O"er and o"er a#ain it must $e repeated& There is perhaps no peop e more faithfu to the Emperor than ours in the south% $ut the Emperor deri"es no ad"anta#e from our fide it!. True% the sacred dra#on stands on the itt e co umn at the end of our "i a#e% and e"er since the $e#innin# of human memor! it has $reathed out its fier! $reath in the direction of *e'in# in to'en of homa#e ;; $ut *e'in# itse f is far stran#er to the peop e in our "i a#e than the ne/t wor d. Can there rea ! $e a "i a#e where the houses stand side $! side% co"erin# a the fie ds for a #reater distance than one can see from our hi s% and can there $e dense crowds of peop e pac'ed $etween these houses da! and ni#ht0 We find it more difficu t to picture such a cit! than to $e ie"e that *e'in# and its Emperor are one% a c oud% sa!% peacefu ! "o!a#in# $eneath the sun in the course of the a#es. Now the resu t of ho din# such opinions is a ife on the who e free and unconstrained. (! no means immora % howe"er- hard ! e"er ha"e I found in m! tra"e s such pure mora s as in m! nati"e "i a#e. (ut !et a ife that is su$)ect to no contemporar! aw% and attends on ! to the e/hortations and warnin#s that come to us from o den times. I #uard a#ainst #enera i:ations% and do not assert that in a the ten thousand "i a#es in m! pro"ince it is so% far ess in a the fi"e hundred pro"inces of China. @et perhaps I ma! "enture to assert on the $asis of the man! writin#s on this su$)ect which I ha"e read% as we as from m! own o$ser"ation ;; the $ui din# of the wa in particu ar% with its a$undance of human materia % pro"ided a man of sensi$i it! with

the opportunit! of tra"ersin# the sou s of a most a the pro"inces ;; on the $asis of a this% then% perhaps I ma! "enture to assert that the pre"ai in# attitude to the Emperor *a#e +15shows persistent ! and uni"ersa ! somethin# fundamenta ! in common with that of our "i a#e. Now I ha"e no wish whate"er to represent this attitude as a "irtue- on the contrar!. True% the essentia responsi$i it! for it ies with the #o"ernment% which in the most ancient empire in the wor d has not !et succeeded in de"e opin#% or has ne# ected to de"e op% the institution of the empire to such precision that its wor'in#s e/tend direct ! and unceasin# ! to the farthest frontiers of the and. On the other hand% howe"er% there is a so in"o "ed a certain fee$ eness of faith and ima#inati"e power on the part of the peop e% that pre"ents them from raisin# the empire out of its sta#nation in *e'in# and c aspin# it in a its pa pa$ e i"in# rea it! to their own $reasts% which !et desire nothin# $etter than $ut once to fee that touch and then to die. This attitude then is certain ! no "irtue. A the more remar'a$ e is it that this "er! wea'ness shou d seem to $e one of the #reatest unif!in# inf uences amon# our peop e- indeed% if one ma! dare to use the e/pression% the "er! #round on which we i"e. To set a$out esta$ ishin# a fundamenta defect here wou d mean underminin# not on ! our consciences% $ut% what is far worse% our feet. And for that reason I sha not proceed an! further at this sta#e with m! in.uir! into these .uestions.