Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/113

 globe, the country would be in a chronic state of rebellion.

The ruling dynasty is Manchu or Tartar. When this race, coming from the north, overrun and conquered the “Flowery Kingdom,” they imposed upon the Chinese the wearing of the long queue or pigtail in token of subjection. In the course of many centuries it has become the most necessary and essential part of the Chinese dress, and to be deprived of it is the greatest indignity. To cut off a man’s pigtail is a worse punishment even than to cut off his head, and would result in suicide. The military officers throughout the empire are all of the Tartar race, and in most of the large walled cities there is an inner wall, within which the Tarter families reside. Upon this colony or garrison the Emperor depends to hold possession of the city in case of a rebellion or insurrection. In every province and district there is a military officer, whose authority is co-ordinate with that of the civil governor. Although the government is an absolute despotism, it embodies some decidedly republican features, and the people have a good degree of personal liberty. The civil officials are all selected from the literary graduates, and persons of almost any condition in life may rise to the highest position of honor and influence through a most complex system of competitive literary examinations. Hundreds of thousands spend years in study, and yet fail to pass this ordeal; or if successful in taking the first degree, are unable to reach the second or third, which would make them eligible to the higher offices under the government. This class of literati scattered throughout the whole empire, are thoroughly imbued with the doctrines of Confucius, are earnest supporters of the government, (which they regard as the embodiment of the wisdom of their ancient sages), and exercise great influence ever the common people. Some idea of the enormous scale on which these competitive examinations are carried out, may be had from the fact that at the last triennial examination at Nanking in September, 1870, over eighteen thousand candidates appeared, and they were from only three of the eighteen provinces. A novel feature on this occasion was that Kiang-si, the Governor, placed two steamers at the disposal of the candidates to convey them to and from their homes without charge. These examinations are frequently attended by demonstrations of dislike to foreigners, a feeling which generally