Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/107

Rh honoring the dead has created the impression among foreigners that the Chinese worship their dead. "Ancestral worship" is commonly spoken of as an established fact; but it is entirely a mistake. They do not worship their dead in any legitimate sense. The ceremony of restoring the graves is not unlike in nature and answers much the same sentiment as our annual Ceremony of decorating the graves of our soldier dead. We strew flowers upon graves and construct monuments in marble or bronze over the tombs of our distinguished dead, and yet we do not worship them. If a Chinaman, witnessing these observances with us wrote to his friends that the Americans worship their dead and erect idols over their tombs, it would be a similar error to that we perpetuate in our books regarding the Chinese ceremonies in honor of their dead. Ancestral tablets are hung upon the walls of Chinese homes much as painted portraits are upon ours, not to be worshiped, but to keep in perpetual memory the departed. The desire to be thus honored after death is why Chinamen are so anxious to leave sons. It is also why those dying in foreign lands are so careful to have their bones taken back to their native homes. They wish to be remembered when they are gone, and only sons—dutiful sons—will see that the graves of their fathers are kept green. It is the most striking feature of Chinese character—their great respect for their fathers. In all business enterprises, in poverty or in wealth, the Chinese look to their fathers for counsel and example. This amounts with them to a positive passion, and is the greatest obstacle in the way of the introduction of modern methods and appliances. What was good enough for their forefathers is good enough for them. If anything new is offered, they dismiss it with the belief that, if it had been necessary, their fathers would have had it. They are not an inventive people, and use to-day the same pattern of plow and hand-made goods of all sorts they did a thousand years ago. The same cut of coat, build of boats, architecture, everything remains now as it was at the time when history with them first began. Filial affection is deep-rooted in their natures, and no one questions the propriety of it. Here, at least, Kung has impressed himself upon his people.

—The patriarchal plan of family government leaves but little scope for individuality in the members of a household. Estates are entailed from one generation to another intact. All the members of a family partake of the resources in common, and are supposed to perform their share of the labor. But they own nothing in severalty. This removes the most fruitful source of fratricidal conflict. No quarreling over division of property, and no cutting off of one in favor of another heir at law, for all remain in equal possession of