Page:Oriental Religions - China.djvu/142

{{rh|112|{er|ELEMENTS. }}|112}} past. Through the supposed degeneracy of centuries it has endured, and is still visible in many institutions imply- ing the highest forces of moral culture, amidst the special laws that prove such forces far from available. In what ways, and how imperfectly, the actual framework of gov- ernment is adjusted to the strict demand for concrete insti- tution of virtue will be considered elsewhere. Works on judicial precedents, reviews of criminal legislation, records of causes ctlebres, discussions of the theory and practice of government, abound ; and the law codes, whatever mixture of good and evil they may contain, are models of direct, practical, unmistakable dealing with the facts, and monu- ments of sincere effort to deal justly. They consist, it is true, of bald detail, though arranged with the utmost clear- ness. Thus the Tcheou-li J is an amazingly long, minute enumeration of official functions. The Ming published a description of their government in the sixteenth century in nearly three hundred volumes. The present dynasty has issued a still more comprehensive collection of laws, not only in their actual form, but in all the stages of their growth The Penal Code of the T'sing 2 is a compilation of extreme minuteness and reach, abounding in just* dis- tinctions and noble equities. It is but here and there that startling anomalies, in principles and estimates, interrupt the great preponderance of mercy over severity. Its accomplished translator claims that, "if not the most just, it is at least the most comprehensive and uniform, and suited to the genius of the people for whom it is designed, perhaps, of any that ever existed." 3 This review of the results of Chinese industry justifies us in claiming for such assiduity, patience, loyalty to con-

1 Translated into French by Ed. Biot. 2 Translated by Staunton. 8 Preface, xi.