University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

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THE WESTERN HEAVEN 39 THE VVESTERN HEAVEN Where is the Western Heaven? Lies it hallowed still Over the rondures rolling beyond the far-seen hill? lVaits it for those who, toiling the live-long day, Urope for its sweet inelosures, yearning to End the way? Beneath the barrows' creaking, with the load's unyielding press, Beneath the modulate moaning-me-ting. with measured stress, The two-fold swinging burden's two-fold weariness, Comes still its illusive whisper, that somewhere it waits to bless? NVhat if I told you the vision that broke on my sight lo-day, As, high on the hill-top gazing, I grieved for vast Cathay? Scanning the far horizon, on a sudden il beheld .l low, behind the grasping tinger of age-long growing need, Not a leaf or tree was standing. remained not even a weed To hold the fond illusion that behind might be withheld The wondrous lair lilysium of the chastened and Saintly eld. fVith saddened face averted. 'l was mourning in sore dismay l'i1ose whom the Western Heaven had lured but to betray, NYhen, lifting my eyes to the eastward, fair as lair as could be, I beheld, in earth's bosom implanted, her new and beanteous Tree! R. P. B. A wayside shrine.

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38 Tl-IE LINGUIST Though he be discouraged at times, a teacher of English' has his compensations in the unintentional humor of the compositions he receives. English written according to Chinese sentence structure is extremely ludicrous. A short time ago I asked the class to watch some animal or insect for a few minutes and then write in detail what they saw the animal or insect do in that time. I received the following paper from an earnest youth who writes in another theme that after graduating from middle school without stopping I went the college with my own feet walked about eight hundred miles, even there is a railway, but that is my luck and fortune 1 An Interesting Horse. When I walking on the street, there was a tall horse who stands beside of the road with his carriage. Who seems to me very interesting animal, because I stop my walking and watch him for a few minutes. He is about eight feet tall one. He has a numerousiyellow brown furton the whole his body. His whole body is very fat and. it seems to me vividful and strongest one among his group. I am the tirst time to see such a fatest horse. The head is very large, where are the eyes which appeared round and round and so big 501116 times close or open with the eye's shelter. which is so bright and vividly well done with his body. The cars are very big, moves with himself turn right or left sometimes up and down, and try to hear some noise with them. The teeth are in the Mouth. And the mouth is very big and wide, Sometimes t'ry to get something with his tongue. He has two legs on the front side and two legs on the behind sides altogether four legs, which :1 very long and where have the knee. So he can easily bend with his legs. The hoofs are aparted two ways. It can walking very convenience to him. And the hoofs are very strong and hard too, whatever it will he never mine to him anyplaces. I-Iis tail is very long, some times play with its long tail, Thelmost long hair is on the tail. It is very useful to use the tail hair. We can use different ways with it. Instances such as this can be multipliedg I speak but from my own limited experience. To meet students socially, in one's own home, is always a delight. Some are timid and accustomed to the polish and grace of the old generation, others are forward and quite modern in their courtesy. If they are amused at our attempts with chopsticks, they do not mind our amusement at their attempts with knife and fork. And they are appreciative asagroup, much more so than American students. This brief survey ,of education in China and its needs and the opportunities and possibilities for teaching is not complete without indicating the teaching that can besdone in Nankmg in the year that is spent in residence at the Language School. Almost every student teaches English, one, two, or more hours at week. Many assist the teachers in the schools of their own missions. . The Y. M. C. A. and the Y. NV. C. A. have both day and evening classes which are partly taught by language school students. The government has an orphanage in Nanking to which two of the students golfor two hours each week. The Theological Seminary sometimes needs help in English for one or two hours. And it has been the custom for five young women to devote an hour a week each at four o'clock to teach- ing the wife of the military governor, Chi Tai Tai, who is very anxious to learn English. These brief contacts with the Chinese are .very helpful andinspiring and are welcomed by all who have the opportunity to takeadvantage of them. Sometimes some teaching, especially of music, can be done at Hillcrest, the school for the children of the foreign community. A. BREDE

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l 40 .t THE LINGUIST SOME SOCIAL ASPECTS. OF THE CONFLICT OF Two Ctvttazartons , We who come to China become conscious'-'fquiekly of the fact that underneath the surface of the seemingly placidsociety about us there are great forces cbt-ing and flowing, heaving-land' surging: Occasionally these forces come to the surface in some outburst, 'and then we get a conception of their hiddenipower. lil-:duced to its simplest and most inclusive terms, what we' are .witnessing is the struggle between two very different civilizations for the mastery of a great people. The new and pushing NVest is making adesperate attempt to oust the hoary, oriental civilization of China. Little wonder that the conliict is a bitter one, even more bitter than the surface conditions would indicate. w NVe have tried to present certain aspects of this struggle for the information of those interested in the future of our adopted -country. - We have attempted to talce you, our readers, into the home. into the market place and into the school-. We are very conscious of our limitations as we make the attempt. We are limited by the space available-we only wish we could take you on further, e. g.,, 'into the political and military situation of this fioundcring democracy. We are even more circumscribed by our own comparatively limited opportunity for observation, and our limited experience. But one would have to be blind not to see the things which we have presented for your consideration, and so having seen them we pass them on to you. - J. W. DECKER . LOOKING BACKVVARD AND DIVIDED . , . A One need live in China only a very short while to become conscious of the fact that the essential organization of Chinese -society is radically different from our own. and that this organ- ization must be reckoned with by those who desire to influence Chi- nese life. Q The west has its family systems, but none of them can compete with the Chinese family system in its influence and power in the life of the people. At times this system has been the veritable bulwark of the nation, protecting it from disintegration and disaster. In the 'present age it is proving the stronghold of conservatism, the very 'citadel against which the attacks of progress are often dashed into a thousand impotent fragments. The present family system is sustained lby the practice of .ancestor worship, and the beliefthat direycalamities willxsurely follow if the ancestral rites are neglected or the elders -sho,yvn'any disrespect. These ideas were taught by the ancients, reiterated by Confucius, and are an inseparable part of the makeup of ev,grggApChinese. To the family belongall those who worship a common ancestor. Very precise laws govern this unit. Virtual life' and death powers arevested-e in the-- senior member. H-is word' is -lawwonr all