We have to remember that the growth of the Chinese nation to its present dimensions has entailed through the ages a continual process of annexing other tribes and peoples and bringing them under China's imperial sway. The ease with which China split herself into a host of petty states immediately the strong hand of Shih Huang-ti was removed, is doubtless partly accounted for, by the heterogeneous condition of her peoples who had not been fully absorbed by the superior race. When the rule of Han was removed the resultant split was not so severe, indicating that the welding process had been going on.
That Chinese Imperialism had of the best qualities tha associate with British rule is manifest in several instances. For example, the method by which Chu Ko-liang subdued the Burmese, thus making a friend instead of an enemy is a ease in point. We may leg note, to speak generally, the way jin which she sought to' make inferior. nations consider it for their benefit to become ber vessels. This! attitude of mind however became s0 ingrained that, no matter what the China' assumed that she the benefactor and the other nation the debtor. That any nation was equal to herself she did not believe; that any should be superior was preposterous. China under Ch'ien Lung and earlier could go round her borders annexing tribes and nations and persuading herself that she was doing them good, even as she accuses Britain of doing to-day; and it is this spirit which blinds her eyes to the fact that the small concessions she has made to the British have resulted in an incomparably large return.
The Faults in Others So true is it that we see faults in others that are most glaring in ourselves, In no event of her history has this lofty Imperialism shown itself more patently than in the famous matter of 1792-3 A.D. wher George: HI sent Lord Macartney to China with a view to opening up commercial relations. "It behaves you, O King, to respect our wishes and by perpetual submission to our Throne in the future to bring prosperity and peace to your people, Tremble and obey." With such words did his Chinese Majesty address the ruler of the British, Let the amusement which every Briton feels in reading them not hide from him how bitter blow it must be for China to realize that they were but words s0 soon to have a rude contradiction.
The greater the heights of Im-Ferial prestige to which a nation Climbs the greater will be her chagrin if fate o% ice bring her down. Fate and injustice have both combined in China's case; not to mention her own arrogant and aggravating assumption of super-
Even when China is pleading her case against foreign nations she lays herself open to the charge of i ism. For instance in. that very interesting "Story of the Manchus" the author opens with 8 few sentences which while they indict foreign nations also accuse China of the same sin. He accuses the French and British of taking Annam and Burma from China; iso he says the Japanese took Formosa and the Pescadores Islands.
These are serious charges, and there are others against other nations that we have not mentioned.
The French and Annam It might be well to examine briefly tory of Annam and Burma jow far China is justified in It about 214 B. C. Tongking China were "conquered and occupied by the Chinese. The natives never forgave the invaders and war was always breaking out. About 939 A.D. Tongking freed herself from China; and in 1403
A.D. a war was begun that went on till 1428 A.D. In that year the whole of Annam was declared independent, although China still called herself the suzerain. It is necessary to note that these things ieate Anpam's disapproval of China's imperialism. In 1789 A.D. we see the French helping the An-mese. A considerable amount of fighting went on and at last by the Treaty of Tientsin, of August 25, 1884, Annam consented to the zerainty of France. Although China's "right to interfere Annam's affairs was based on the same Imperialistic foundation that might is right, she of course could not consent that might is right if it were some other nation so she went to war with France, and by the Treaty of Tientsin of June 9, 1886, she consented to the new state The Story of Burma We now turn to Burma. There have been several occasions when China has met Burma in the field We have noted above Chu Ko-liang's campaign against them, about 224 A.D. Kublai Khan as Emperor of China conducted a campaign against them about 1280 A.D. It is, however, the great Imperator, Ch'ien Lung, who again provides ys with a notable example. of.succeseful
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.