Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/440

 428 CHINESE LITERATURE

" No longer will they dare to play Their shameful tricks ; of late revealed; The office only sends away Boats and on orders duly sealed.

" One rule will thus be made for all, And things may not go much amiss; Ye boatmen, 'tis on you I call To show your gratitude for this.

" But lest there be who ignorance plead, I issue this in hope to awe Such fools as think they will succeed By trying to evade the law.

, " For if I catch them, no light fate

Awaits them that unlucky day; So from this proclamation's date Let all in fear and dread obey."

It is scarcely necessary to add that wall literature has often been directed against foreigners, and especially against missionaries. The penalties, however, for post- ing anonymous placards are very severe, and of late years the same end has been more effectually attained by the circulation of abusive fly-sheets, often pictorial and always disgusting.

Journalism has proved to be a terrible thorn in the official side. It was first introduced into China under the aegis of an Englishman who was the nominal editor of the Shen Pao or Shanghai News, still a very influential newspaper. For a long time the authorities fought to get rid of this objectionable daily, which now and again told some awkward truths, and contained many ably written articles by first-class native scholars. Eventually an official organ was started in opposition, and other papers have since appeared. An illustrated Chinese weekly made a good beginning in Shanghai, but un-

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