Chapter 39 Travel Notes to the New World (excerpts) (February 1904)

Taking a comprehensive look at the above list, the shortcomings of our Chinese people are second to none. One is to have national qualifications but not citizenship qualifications.The organization of our Chinese society takes the family as the unit, not the individual. It is said that the family is in harmony and then the country is governed.Although the form of the patriarchal clan system of the Zhou Dynasty is abolished today, its spirit still exists.In my opinion, the self-government power of the Western Aryan race was developed the earliest, that is, the local self-government of the Chinese people should not be weaker than that.How could Gu Bi form a country but I could not?Then what he developed was the autonomy of the municipal system; and what I developed was the autonomy of the clan system.Try to visit the countryside of our country, the scale of its autonomy is indeed undeniable.That is to say, my hometown has only two or three thousand people, and its legislative and administrative organs are of the same order.Others are also known as yes.If this is the case, it should be the first foundation for the founding of the country.It is a place where you visit a city, and its state is inconceivably chaotic.All of these can be evidence that the nation cannot be the citizen. I have traveled to America and gained confidence.Since he has left his hometown, he has traveled to and from the freest big city as an individual, caring about what he has come and built, and still has nothing other than the family system, and he has maintained a part of the social order, It just depends on this.It can also be seen that the inheritance of thousands of years is deeply rooted, and those who are the guides of the people must pay tribute to these three.

The second is that there is village thinking but no national thinking.I heard Roosevelt's speech, saying that the most urgent thing for the American people today is to get rid of the village mentality, which means that the people of each province and city love their hearts and minds, and love the heart of the city.However, from the perspective of historical development, the reason why the United States can implement a complete republican government is actually based on this village thought.Village thinking is not entirely wrong.Although, its development is too excessive, and it is a major obstacle to the founding of the country.The measurement boundary here is not the most accurate weight, and it is not enough to measure it.And my China is overdeveloped.It's not only the people of Jinshan who are the ears, even the inland is the same, even the wise and wise people can't help it.Lian Po uses Zhao, and his ovary thinks about Han, so there is almost a last resort!However, if this boundary is not broken, it will be difficult to build a consolidated empire.

The third is to be subject to tyranny and not to enjoy freedom.This is the true saying of all things, although, the truth is that, if you want to hide it, can you get it?In my view of society all over the world, there is no messy Chinese in San Francisco.Why?It is called free ear.The nature of the Chinese in the Mainland may not be superior to Jinshan, but in the Mainland, they are governed by the chief and restrained by the father and brother.The Chinese in Nanyang are different from those in the mainland, but the British, Dutch, and French countries treat me very cruelly. Gatherings of more than a dozen people are ordered to be disbanded, and all freedoms are deprived. The strictness is even more severe than that in the mainland, so it is also unreasonable. Ji Yan.Those who can really enjoy the same legal freedom as Westerners are those who live in America and Australia.However, in a city with few people, its momentum cannot be achieved, so its disadvantages are not very serious.The largest group of people live together in a free city, and San Francisco is called the capital, and its phenomenon is similar to that.There are people from the country who are more than just saying, Chinese in San Francisco, but Zuo Geng was the most peaceful when he was the consul. No one dared to seek revenge with a sword, no one dared to gather crowds to make trouble, no one dared to idle around, all secret associations held their traces and held their breath , There is no surprise in the night, and the people work hard to work.Gai Zuoshi instructed the police officials in that city to arrest them severely and punish them severely.After Zuo's departure, the old state remained.This is a clear proof that autocracy is safe but freedom is dangerous, and autocracy is beneficial but freedom is harmful.I have seen that most of the rules and regulations of their guild halls are imitated by Westerners' party associations. They are very civilized and meticulous.That is to say, the Zhonghua Guild Hall is like the general government of the whole city, and every time a meeting is held, the so-called chairmen and directors of each guild hall are less than one out of ten.Or with a small opinion, if the guild halls resist the funds of the Zhonghua guild hall, the Chinese will have nothing to do.As for its discussion, it is even more ridiculous.I have seen dozens of people discussing matters in overseas Chinese guild halls, and the phenomena are two-sided: (one) one or two powerful people in the upper class will not disobey their promises. , order also.If so, it is called an autocracy of the few. (2) The so-called upper-class people, none of them are powerful, never dared to make a decision when encountering a situation, and the rascals stood around them, and when they discussed it, they would gather together and make noise, but the matter could not be resolved.If so, it is called a mob dictatorship.It is not uncommon to see those who fight each other because of discussing matters.This is not just the case of overseas guild halls, that is, the so-called public bureaus in the interior, why not?That is to say, in recent years, the groups organized by those who claim to be new party members, the so-called certain associations and certain academic societies are also the same.This is absolutely impossible to blame one or two people, the extent of covering a country, it is true.That is to say, Li Pan’s so-called national psychology is to go anywhere without discovering it.Husband thinks that if he is a citizen like this, and wants to implement a collegiate system with him, is it possible?Looking at the election, there are some surprises.Each guild hall has a chairman, who is also the representative of the whole guild hall.As for the selection and appointment, this county competes with that county; within a county, this surname competes with that surname;Whenever there is an election, there are often people who kill and shed blood, innumerable.Husbands are no more than a guild hall in a district, and the rights of those who are fighting for more than a thousand gold per year are limited to one or two counties, but the disadvantages are like this; if it expands, the tragedy will be imagined?I am afraid that it is not just like the four-year revolution in South American countries.Is it possible to implement an electoral system with such a citizen?

Those who suffer will say, this is just a phenomenon in the city of San Francisco, and the stubborn folk customs of the Ruyue Valley can be used as a law for the whole country, is it evil?Although, to be fair, I have not seen that the nature of the inland people is better than that of the San Francisco people; on the contrary, I see that their level of civilization is still far below that of the San Francisco people.Is there any city in the whole country that can accommodate six newspapers in a city with 20,000 to 30,000 people?Nothing.Ask the organizations in the country, is there anyone who can draft the regulations as beautiful as the eight major halls?Nothing.This is the case in San Francisco, and even more so in the Mainland.And even if the inland people are better than the Jinshan people, their superiority is no more than a hundred steps to fifty steps, and they are not qualified to enjoy freedom, only one.Don't you have one or two wise and great men whose ideals and friendships do not let those of the upper class in Europe and America?But relying on only one or two of these tens of millions of people, can a country be established?It is okay to rely on one or two people out of tens of millions to implement interventionism to strengthen the country; take one or two people out of tens of millions as an example, and then say that all people in the whole country can be free, but it is not allowed.

Husband free cloud, constitutional cloud, republic cloud, is the general term for majority government.And the majority, the majority, and the largest majority in China are like this, so if I adopt a majority government today, it will be tantamount to committing suicide for the country.Liberty cloud, constitutional cloud, republic cloud, like kudzu in winter, like fur in summer, beautiful is not beautiful, it doesn't suit me!I don't want to dazzle the emptiness now, I don't want to make good dreams come true now.In a word, Chinese citizens today can only be subject to autocracy, not freedom.I wish, I pray, I eulogize my thoughts, I only pray and eulogize our country that people like Guanzi, Shang Jun, Lai Kavashi, and Klingwell will be born today, act resolutely, use iron to fire, and mold our people In twenty, thirty, or even fifty years, the husband will read Rousseau's book with him, and then talk to him about Washington. (The above three items all show that there is no political ability. On the one hand, he is too conservative. Everyone is a republic, and there is no need to repeat it.)

Fourth, there is no noble purpose.This is the fundamental shortcoming of our Chinese people.They are all citizens, whether they are big or strong, or small or weak, why?Ordinary people in space must have a greater purpose beyond clothing, food and shelter; in time, they must have greater purposes than the present comfort, wealth and honor.If the husband is like this, he can make progress day by day and heal himself in the light, otherwise he will just stagnate and degenerate.The same is true of the hidden body of an individual, and the same is true of the extended body of an individual who is regarded as a citizen.Europeans and Americans have different noble goals, but according to my estimation, the most important one is their beautiful heart. There are few words about beauty, but Confucius said that youth is both beautiful and good. Mencius said that what is desirable is good, and what is full is beautiful. A beautiful citizen is fine.) The reputation of society is the second, and the future concept of religion is the third.The development of Western spiritual civilization is almost based on these three, and my country lacks the most.Therefore, what it manages is only in one body, and what it breeds is only in the present. The reason for stagnation and degeneration is really this.This is not only the case of overseas people, but also the whole country, but I have a deep feeling when I go overseas, so I discuss it.This reason is quite long, and it is impossible to finish his words today.

In addition, the nature of the Chinese is not as good as that of the Westerners, and I occasionally remember it when I come across it, or forget it after passing it.Here are a few of the reporters' articles, which are not in order: Westerners only operate at eight o'clock every day, and rest every day.Chinese shops open at 7 o'clock in the morning and close at 11 or 12 o'clock. They sit in the shop all day long and come and go day after day without a break. They cannot be richer than Westerners, and the work they do cannot be as good as Westerners. many.Why?Ordinary people should not be tired when doing things. If they operate all day long, they will be bored. If they are tired, they will be tired. If they are tired, everything will fall.Rest is one of the essentials of life.The reason why the Chinese cannot have a noble purpose is also to blame for the fact that they have no rest.

In American schools, an average of only one hundred and forty days of books are read per year, and an average of five or six hours of books are read every day. Westerners are superior in academics to Chinese, and this is also the case. In a small shop of the Chinese, there are often a few people or even a dozen people. In a normal shop of the Westerners, there are only two people.Probably that one person always does the work of the three of us. The Chinese are not industrious, but they are not sensitive. It's beautiful to rest day after day.After every six days, there will be a new air, which is the reason for the clearness of people's spirit.The Chinese people are so muddled that even if they don't use the other worship, the system of resting and bathing for ten days is absolutely unavoidable.

Try to gather more than a hundred or so Chinese in a meeting place. Although it is extremely solemn and quiet, there must be four kinds of sounds: the most frequent is coughing, the second is sneezing, and the third is wiping your nose.I tried to listen silently when I was giving a speech, and the four voices seemed to be continuous, and they never stopped.I also listened to it quietly in Western lecture halls and theaters, although thousands of people did not hear a sound.Toyo cars and trams must have spit pots, and the spit pots are in a mess; American cars have spit pots, and even if they have it, they rarely use it.In the Dongyang car, more than half of the people in the car fell asleep when it was more than two or three o'clock on the way; in the American car, although they travel all day long, no one has ever slept in seclusion.The strengths and weaknesses of the Eastern and Western races can be seen.

Westerners in San Francisco often talk about moving to Chinatown, because Chinatown has the most favorable location in the city center, so they covet it, or it is also an excuse for our uncleanness.A certain gentleman, the counselor of the embassy, ​​tasted the words and said, it is appropriate to make a statement to make the Chinese move here.Today's business in Chinatown is not able to compete with the Westerners for profit, and all the recruiters are Chinese. If they move to other places, their recruiting is the same as before.After the relocation, it will be greatly rectified to make it refreshing, and the atmosphere may change slightly.And don't let the nearby people be thorns in their eyes every day, isn't it okay?Otherwise, if I don't move myself, he will move me one day, and Chinatown will be scattered if he moves, and so on.This is also one thing to say.Although, can it be done?But nothing.

In San Francisco, the pedestrians on both sides of Fan Street (Central Central Station) are not allowed to spit, and are not allowed to throw away rotten paper and sundries. The offender is fined five dollars in silver; the New York tram is not allowed to spit, and the offender is fined five hundred dollars in silver. The same is true of its strict interference and denial of freedom.It is no wonder that the Chinese are disgusted by them as a country that is messy and filthy. When a westerner walks, there is no one whose body is not straight, and no one whose head is not raised.In my China, one life leads to slumping, another life leads to stooping, and three lives leads to bowing.In contrast, I'm really ashamed. People in the west walk in a hurry, and they can tell at a glance that there are people in the city full of jobs, even if they are not as busy as they are.The Chinese are elegant and graceful, and call Ju Peiyu, which is really disgusting.On the street, if you look at a Chinese coming tens of feet away, you can immediately recognize it, not just because of its short body and yellow complexion. People in the west are like geese, while people in China are like ducks. Westerners speak, if you talk to one person, one person can hear it; if you talk to two people, two people can hear it; if you talk to ten people, ten people can hear it; if you talk to a hundred people, a thousand people, or thousands of people If you speak it, it will be heard by hundreds, thousands, or thousands of people.The level of its voice should be measured.In China, a few people sit and talk in a room, and the sound may be like thunder; thousands of people gather in the hall to make speeches, and the sound may be like mosquitoes.Westerners sit and chat, and the first language is not finished, and the second has no words; the Chinese are in a room, the sound is scattered, and the famous scholars in the capital may rush to speak as Fang's family, which can be described as extremely disorderly.Confucius said: "If you don't learn poetry, you can't speak; if you don't learn ritual, you can't stand." My friend Xu Junmian also said: The Chinese have never walked or spoken.No exaggeration.Although this matter is small, it can be used as a metaphor for big things.