volve themselves in guilt and criminality, nor give themselves occasion for future repentance. Make known this decree to Ke, and let him enjoin it on Păng. Respect this. In obedience hereto, we the ministers of the Council forward this to you.'

"I the acting governor having received the above, now issue this order. When it reaches the said senior merchants, let them immediately and explicitly command the English barbarian merchants or the head of affairs to act in respectful obedience to the above, and to enjoin orders on all the barbarian merchants of the said nation, (telling them) that the laws and enactments of the celestial empire, in suffering them to have commercial intercourse at Canton, are dictated by celestial favor beyond the usual bounds, of indulgence. Hereafter, they must pay obedience to the restrictive rules, the same as do the other barbarians; and must not sail to all the provinces, foolishly thinking to trace out new paths to gain. If they again indulge their own desires, and act thus irregularly, they must be immediately driven out of the port, and no longer allowed commercial_intercourse. It will be found hard to transgress the statutes of the government. Let them be careful not to draw on themselves guilt and criminality; nor give themselves occasion for future repentance. Tremble hereat! Be very attentive hereto.

These are the orders.

"Taoukwang, 15th year, 9th moon, 15th day." (November 5th.)

Reform of morals. One of the censors, appointed to watch over the morals of the country, has recently memorialized the emperor, requesting that the great rulers in the several provinces may be directed to reform the abuses which are now everywhere so cominon. Robberies, thefts, and such like, are the evils of which he complains. The censor names several provinces, and among them Shantung and Kwangtung, in which illegalities are most common: but he suggests no measures by which the desired reform may be effected; and under the present order of things, we fear there are, in the possession of the government, neither the means nor disposition to effect any change for the better. If the censor or some of the other guardians of the peace of the empire, would recommend to his majesty the free circulation of good books, then there would be some prospect of improvement: and it is possible that such means may be employed successfully, even without imperial sanction.

Tombs of the empresses. It appears by a late gazette that the remains of two of the emperor's consorts have been removed during the present season. The 3d day of the 9th moon, (the 24th ultimo,) was the day fixed for conveying them to Lungtseuenke, the place where they were to be finally deposited; and December 30th is appointed for the emperor to offer the appropriate sacrifices. The preparations for these were to be made in due order, and by the appropriate officers. Remission of taxes. His majesty Taoukwang has issued a decree, directing all the chief officers of the empire to make speedy returns of all the sums which were due to the imperial treasury previous to the tenth year of his reign, 1830; this is done that all such debts may be remitted in order to show forth throughout the empire his boundless goodness and joy, occasioned by the completion of the sixtieth year in the age of his holy mother, her imperial highness the empress." False coin. Yuen Wantseäng, one of the emperor's censors, has addressed a memorial to the throne respecting false coin which is made in various parts of the empire. None are allowed to engage in manufacturing coin, except those em ployed in the service of the government. Vast quantities of coin, however, are made by others, and the censor requests that these interlopers may be apprehended and punished. We understand that there are several private establishments for coining in Canton, known to all who choose to know them.

A new tseängkeun has been appointed for Canton, in place of Sootangalı, who a few months since died on his way hither from Peking. Sooleihfangah is

said to be the new officer.

Monday, the 23d. A fire broke out last night about 7 o'clock, within the walls of the new city, near the most western gate in the wall which separates the old city from the new, and continued to spread till sunrise this morning. The reports concerning the manner in which it commenced, its extent, and the amount of loss, are contradictory and unsatisfactory. We must defer giving particulars till our next number.

THE

CHINESE REPOSITORY.

VOL. IV. DECEMBER, 1835.- No. 8.

ART. I. Heaou King, or Filial Duty: author and age of the work; its character and object; a translation with explanatory

notes.

THIS work holds a middle rank between the primary school books of the Chinese, and their highest classical productious. It consists chiefly of select sayings of Kung footsze (Confucius), and of dialogues between him and his pupil Tsăng Tsan. Who reduced it to writing, we do not know. After the destruction of books by order of Tsin Chehwang, the Heaou King was found with other classical works in the walls of the house of Confucius, where it had been concealed. It then contained twenty-two sections. Early in the eighth century, the emperor Yuentsung of the Tang dynasty wrote a commentary upon it. At that time, however, it consisted of only eighteen sectious, as it does at present. Many other learned men have written upon it during the thousand years which have since clapsed. We have before us three editions of the work, in all of which it is united with the Seaou Heo, Easy Lessons, or more literally translated, Lessons for the Young. Of these three editions, the first is the Heaou King, Seaou Heo, ching wăn, 'the plain text of the treatise on Filial Duty, and of the Easy Lessons:' the second is Heacu King, Seaou Heo, tswan choo, Treatise on Filial Duty, and the Easy Lessons, with notes: the third is the Seaou Heo te choo ta ching, a complete collection of notes on the Easy Lessons:'-to which are added the Treatises on Filial Duty and Fidelity. In the text of these three editions there are some slight discrepancies, but none of them are worthy of particular notice in the translation. The simple fact that the work contains the words of the Chinese sage secures for it, in the eyes of this people, an immaculate character, and shows that its only object is to improve the morals and the government of all people.' In two of the editions before us, the sections are numbered, 44

VOL. IV. NO. VIII.

and each furnished with an appropriate title; these we shall preserve in the translation. On some parts of the Heaou King we intended to add a few notes of explanation; but the space to which we are limited, makes it necessary to omit them, and to refer our readers to the original work where they will find the whole amplified and explained.

SECTION 1. Origin and nature of filial duty.

Confucius sitting at leisure, with his pupil Tsăng Tsan by his side, said to him, "Do you understand how the ancient kings, who possessed the greatest virtue and the best moral principles, rendered the whole empire so obedient, that the people lived in peace and harmony, and no ill-will existed between superiors and inferiors?" Tsăng Tsan, rising from his seat, replied, "Destitute as I am of discernment, how can I understand the subject?" "Filial duty," said the sage, "is the root of virtue, and the stem from which instruction in moral principles springs forth. Sit down and I will explain this to you. The first thing which filial duty requires of us is, that we carefully preserve from all injury, and in a perfect state, the bodies which we have received from our parents. And when we acquire for ourselves a station in the world, we should regulate our conduct by correct principles, so as to transinit our names to future generations, and reflect glory on our parents: this is the ultimate aim of filial duty. Thus it commences in attention to parents; is continued through a course of services rendered to the prince; and is completed by the clevation of ourselves." It is said in the Book of Odes:

SECTION II.

"Think always of your ancestors;

Talk of and imitate their virtues."

Filial duty as practiced by the son of heaven. The sage said, "If he loves his parents, he cannot hate other people; and if he respects his parents, he cannot treat others with neglect. When, therefore, his love and respect towards his parents are perfect, the virtuous instructions will be extended to the people, and all within the four seas will imitate his virtuous example. Such is the influence of filial duty when practiced by the son of heaven." In the Book of Records it is said:

"When the one man is virtuous,

The millions will rely upon him."

SECTION III. Filial duty exhibited on the part of nobles. "When those who are above all others are free from pride, they are not in danger from exaltation. When those who form rules of economy abide by them, nothing will be wasted of all their abundance. To be elevated, and yet secure from danger, is the way in which continually to maintain nobility: and of an abundance to have nothing wasted, is the method by which riches are to be conImnually secured. Thus preserving their nobility and riches, they will be able to protect their ancestral possessions with the produce of

their lands, and to keep their subjects and people in peace and quietude. Such is the influence of filial duty when practiced by the nobility." In the Book of Odes it is said:

"Be watchful, be very watchful,

As though approaching a deep abyss,
Or as when treading upon thin ice."

SECTION IV. On the practice of filial duty by ministers of state. "Robes other than those which were allowed by the laws of the ancient kings should not be worn language opposed to their usage should not be employed: nor should any presume to act except in accordance with their virtuous conduct. If therefore, ministers of state speak only according to the rules, and act only in harmony with the principles, of those ancient kings, their words will be unexceptionable, and their conduct irreproachable. Then their language, free from erroneous words, will pervade the whole empire; and their conduct will everywhere be manifest, without one occasion of complaint, and unattended by any evil consequences. When their dress, language, and conduct, are all well regulated, they will be able to preserve the temples of their ancestors. So great is the influence of filial duty when exhibited by ministers of state."

Odes it is said:

"Morning and evening be watchful:

And diligently serve the one man."

In the Book of

SECTION V. On the attention of scholars to filial duty.

"With the same love that they serve their fathers, they should serve their mothers likewise; and with the same respect that they serve their fathers, they should serve their prince: unmixed love, then, will be the offering they make to their mothers; unfeigned respect, the tribute they bring to their prince; and towards their fathers both these will be combined. Therefore, they serve their prince with filial duty and are faithful to him: they serve their superiors with respect and are obedient to them. By constant faithfulness and obedience towards those who are above them, they are enabled to preserve their stations and emoluments, and to offer the sacrifices which are due to their deceased ancestors and parents. Such is the influence of filial duty when performed by scholars." As it is said in the Book of Odes:

"From the hour of early dawn till late retirement at night,
Always be careful not to dishonor those who gave you birth."

SECTION VI. On the practice of filial duty by the people.

"To observe the revolving seasons, to distinguish the diversities of soil, to be careful of their persons, and to practice economy, in order that they may support their parents-is what filial duty requires of the people.

"Therefore, from the son of heaven down to the common people, whoever does not always conform entirely to the requirements of

filial duty, will surely be overtaken by calamity: there can be no exception."

SECTION VII. Filial duty illustrated by a consideration of the three powers.

Tsang Tsan exclaimed, "How great is filial duty." Upon which the sage remarked, "It is the grand law of heaven, the great bond of earth, and the capital duty of man. The people ought to conform to the ordinances of heaven and earth. The wise man, by acting in accordance with this light of heaven, and this harmonizing principle of earth, easily reduces the empire to obedience: hence his instruction is perfect, without being severe; and his government completely effective, without being rigorous.

"The ancient kings saw that such a mode of instruction was calculated to reform the people: therefore they placed before them an example of universal love, and the people never cast off their parents; they laid open to thein the principles of virtue, and the people hastened to put them in practice; they showed an example of respectful and yielding conduct, and the people lived without contentions; they led them in the paths of propriety and amid the delights of music, and the people enjoyed peace and harmony; they instructed them how to choose the good and avoid the evil, and the people understood the prohibitions." It is said in the Book of Odes:

"How glorious was the good master E Yin,

All the people anxiously looked up to him."

SECTION VIII. The influence of filial duty on government. "In ancient times," said the sage, “the illustrious kings governed the empire on the principles of filial duty. They would not treat with disregard even the ministers of the small countries, how much less the dukes, counts, and barons of every grade: bence all the state gladly served the ancient kings. The nobles who ruled the nation would not slight even the widows and widowers, much less the scholars and people: hence all the people joyfully served the ancient rulers. The masters of families would not neglect even their servants and concubines, much less their wives and children: and hence the members of the families were delighted to wait upon their relatives. When the various duties of society were thus carefully performed, parents enjoyed tranquillity while they lived, and after their decease sacrifices were offered to their disembodied spirits. And hence the whole empire was gladdened with perfect peace and quiet; no distressing calamities arose; and the horrors of rebellion were unknown. It was thus the ancient kings ruled the empire on the principle of filial piety." As it is said in the Book of Odes: They exhibited a pattern of virtuous conduct,

And the nations on all sides submitted to them."

SECTION IX. The influence of the sages on the government. Concerning the virtues of the sages," said Tsang Tsan, may

I presume to ask whether there is any one greater thau filial duty?”