Page:Through China with a camera.pdf/19



" Chinese are so ancient in the world that it fares with them, as to their original, as with great rivers whose source can scarce be discovered." It is over two centuries since this was written by Le Comte, and the origin of the Chinese is still wrapped in the obscurity that preceded the dawn of authentic history. It is held by native scholars that Chinese history supplies a fairly accurate record of the Kings and Emperors who have reigned for the past four thousand years, and that their annals, dealing with an earlier period are largely mythical. The primitive sovereigns of the race are represented as the sources of the wisdom and probity, which are supposed to characterise the Government of the present day. They were certainly not without influence in moulding the political and social institutions which have kept the Chinese together for so many centuries in independence and isolation. The cause, however, of the permanency of the Chinese Government, in its main outlines has afforded ample scope for controversy to sinalogues and students of history, some affirming that it is solely due to the principle 1