Broadcasting Mr. Chu's Own Story of His Boyhood and School Days in China The following is the text of Chu Chéuhain, Chinese Charge the little speech made by Mr. Affaires im London, to the children of Enyland through the Ventral Broadcasting Station. Mr, Chu ye thought to be the first diplomatic representative ko a speech of the kind. a From Our Own Correspondent.
London, Mirch 21.
If every one of the children of China on whose behalf F am now speaking sent their best wishes to you, the children of England, each of you would get about ten messages, for the population of me ina. is just about ten times that of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
'You will understand, then, that there are so. many children in China, and) China is such a big place that I cannot tell you a great deal about it in the few mites' talk, but T will do what can to show you where we of the old land of China are like you in the West and where we Uiffer from you.
'When I was a boy in Canton, the school T and other boys went to was of the old-fashioned sort, such as bad been the rule China for hundreds of years. Tu those schools the children studied nothing else butt classies, " parti cularly' the Four Books by Confucius, the great Chinese. teache who Nived in the year 400 B.C.
every sentence, every. paragraph They could repent every word, fandevery chapter of the book they were required to recite word This year the ¢ld Chinese New Year came on February 3. The Chinese children got presents from their parents like you do at Christmas and they had plenty of fireworks and "crackers. "Ab night every house was illuminate ed Janterns, hundreds and hundreds of them. You would even see dragons walking down the streets, great aper monsters with lots of Paper you looked closer you would see that, these legs were rather like men's Tegs, and asa matter of fact these "dragons were really like some of the animals you see at your Christmas pantomime—when they come in half you ind they are only men dressed up.
Of course the children of China drink tea, for it was from China that tea first came to Europe. But they never have any milk oF sugar in it, nor do. they drink milk at other times. Colfeo and cocoa they do not know of, and they never drink cold water. Plain rice soup is generally taken at breakfast, and at other meals they have tige and vegetables with small portion of meat. But they are very healthy and happy, even with this simple living. for word before the tencher, 10 that very child in the old days had this solid foundation of the basic knowledge of all that. Con: fucius taught Nowadays, however, the children study in the now schools, and they mot devote their time to: Chi so literature, ut have. to learn linest as many different subjects you children in England, The old) method fut more real gcholn—but child.
the modern schools their fu they are turned out practical men for the country aad Rye better fitted for businees. crntatoxy asp seveniry, FILIAL PIETY, One of the chief things Chinese children are taught is filial piety. This is the same-command as you earn to "Honour your father and mother." "This is considered important. Childven must obey their parents. A Glial son rouse always show a happy face. and have soft voice whenever he attends" to "his parents. In" the winter the sen should warm th quilt of his parents, and in sumner cool their bed. Each morning the son should call on his parents, and before—_retitug at night inquire whether they are comfortable, Chinow children are. usually taught by their parents to be ex-ly cetmmsuous fo teachers should observe a di to Confucius, a. pupil
ner in "school Tisten "to the hie should stand the teacher passes by.
Ecasily recollect my school life in the early days. The students Were confined to the class-rooms all day long and were not allowed to play. The teachers were very atrict "in preventing the pupils from moving about, Nowadays, however, it is different. The schools "have been modernized The boys play football, baseball, cricket sind other gonies, almost the same as you children here.
The children of China look for. ward to the great festivals and holidays, Although China adopted_the Western calendar in 1912, hheing the first year of the: Repub: Jie, many conservative people. China. still observe our old New Year Day, which is a moveable ate, just! like Easter is in other A filial s knows how to please his Parente, Let me fell you ancedoto about Kou "ai-tar, who. is known one. of" the "Twenty-four jai' Sons" in 'Chinese history, When he himself was 78 years of aye, his parents were stil living, ie' never felt he was an age no, and always tried to. do his {itiadst to amuse his aged parents Gno day when he_ thought. they seemed miserable he put beautiful coat with five colours, sid played in a childish manner
amuse them. While begging some-in Sront of hit paventy, justo hing to. eat, he" purposely fell ied like a child, for hie thought his parents, would. slad to be reminded of the time
pened.
Shen, tach things setaally hope There is another quaint old story which is told the children of China, It is of the dutiful son who gladly accepted his mother'* beatings, even when he was a. krewn nan. One day, however after a beating, he burst into tears. When his friends asked him why, ho replied "Formerly I felt pain when my mother beat me, but this time I didn't: Fam' afraid,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.