Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/113

 OLD JIEN. 89 being exactly the same. A loud burst of admiration from all beholders rewarded the old man's skill He was made com- mandant of a frontier station in the neighbourhood of Taishan ; his garrison consisting of only 700 men. He was attacked from the east by an army ten times as numerous, under Tsu, a Tsin commander ; yet he ventured battle, in spite of remonstrances that so small a force was suited only to act on the defensive within the walls of their fort. He, however, believed it was better to assume a bold face ; and fight in the open, rather than defend well a place out of which there was no hope of escape. He himself marched at the head of his men ; but though they fought furiously, they were driven within their ramparts, after having slain a thousand of the enemy. Tsu then besieged the fort ; his lines being several deep all around. Jien sighed, and said there was no hope. He urged his men to submit, and save themselvess ; that he would remain alone, and die inside. The men, bursting into tears, swore they would not part from him ; but would do whatever he did, and live or die with him. He replied that it was better to march out and die in battle, thambe strangled in their hold. He, therefore, rode out at the head of his men ; but though he bravely pushed against the foe, his men, in spite of their own bravery and his magnificent archery, could not cut their way through the thick set, deep lines before them. He and his band were soon surrounded and taken. Tsu admired the old man's courage, and asked why he was not serving the true emperor. He replied that it was through no fault of his that Tsin had lost the empire, and that there was then no real emperor. He was again and again urged to revolt ; and he at length angrily asked if he were taken for a child. The sneer in this reply offended Tsu, who ordered kim to be chained up. After a few days he died of indignation.* It 18 a very oommon belief that the Chinese are a dull, phlegmatic, passionless race. Neither acquaintance with their history nor knowledge of their family and social Hfe gives any countenance to such belief. Many die from the effects of a fit of passion lika old Jien ; numerous suicides, murders, and dangerous and bloody attacks arise from the same cause. Their usual nonchalance springs partly from their national education inculcating strict self-contR)l, and partly from the selfishness which so strongly pervades their life and principles of action, leading to. a careless indifference regardiug either the welfare or the sufferings of others.