Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors]

FOнI was one of the first and most celebrated legisla tors of China; but little is known of the methods by which he civilized his country. An ancient book, called Yekimų which is still preserved in China, is ascribed to Fohi; but it is written in hieroglyphics; and no one has been able to give a satisfactory explanation of its contents. The most probable conjecture is that of Leibnitz, that it was intended to teach the art of numeration. Several successive emperors carried forward the work of civilization, particu larly by means of moral allegories, fables, and poems. The ancient Chinese wisdom is contained in two distinct collections called U-kim, "The Five Books," and Su-COL "The Four Books;" which, besides the enigmatical book of Foli, contain laws, precepts, poems, memoirs of princes, and institutes of rites and ceremonies. These have been commented upon by Confucius, Memcius, and other philosophers.13

To this first period of the Chinese philosophy succeeded another, in which it assumed a more artificial form, under Li Lao Kuin, or Lao-Tan, who flourished six hundred years before Christ. He delivered many useful precepts, of morality, and obtained great authority both among the Chinese and Japanese.

1

[ocr errors]

The most celebrated ancient philosopher of China is Con-fu-cu, or Confucius. He was born of an illustrious | family, in the reign of the emperor Lu, about five hundred and fifty years before Christ. At fifteen years of age, he engaged in the study of the ancient learning of his country,b and discovered, such uncommon wisdom, that he was early advanced to the office of minister of state. Finding all his endeavours to reform the corrupt manners of the court ineffectual, he retired from his public station, and instituted a school, in which he is said to have had several thousand

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Leibn. App. ad<
Spizelius de ReA

Fouquet. Tab. Chron. Sin. Korth. de Phil. Sin. vers. Germ. Theodic. Reimann. Sciagraph. Phil. Sin. liter. Sin. Bulfinger Speciin. Doct. Vet. Sin. Grap. de Theol. Sind / Nai varett. de Regno Sin. Renaud, et Minorell. Observ. ad Errores Juvencii de Reb. Sin.

disciples, to whom he taught morals, the art of reasoning, and the principles of policy. His life is said to have been, in every respect, worthy of the character of a philosopher. He lived to the age of seventy-three.141

.

By his sage counsels, his moral doctrine, and his exemplary conduct, he obtained an immortal name as the reformer of his country. After his death, his name was held in the highest veneration; and his doctrine is still regarded, among the Chinese, as the basis of all moral and political wisdom. His family enjoys by inheritance the honourable title and office of Mandarins; and religious honours are paid to his memory. It is, nevertheless, asserted by the missionaries of the Franciscan and Dominican orders, that Confucius was either wholly unacquainted with, or pur posely neglected, the doctrine of a future life, and that in his moral system he paid little regard to religion.15

15❘

Confucius was followed by Mem-ko, or Memcius, who flourished about three hundred years before Christ, and other philosophers, who wrote books of popular and useful learning. But in the third age after Confucius, the em peror Chi-hoam-ti, or Ching, ordered all philosophical books to be burned, and inflicted death upon many philo sophers. A few remains of Chinese wisdom were, however, preserved, and, in the more enlightened dynasty of Han, were brought to light. The destruction of ancient writings under Chi-hoam-ti, renders all Chinese records doubtful, which are of earlier date than two hundred years before Christ.16

t

The third period of the ancient Chinese philosophy commences from the time when the doctrines of Föe, already dispersed through India, passed over to China. This hap pened about sixty years after the birth of Christ, when the idol Föe, under which the memory of Xekias is worship14 Couplet. Diss. pr. ad Confuc. S. Bayer. Mus. Sin. t. ii. p. 214. 246. Kempfer. t. ii. I. iii. c. 6. p. 67.

Spizel. de Rebus. lit. Sin. p. 31. 119. Ep. Leibnitz. v. ii. p. 283. Buddæus de Superstit. de Mort. apud Sin. Anal. Phil. p. 287. Hist. Cultus Sinen. Col. 1700. Ant. de S. Maria. v. ii. Ep. Leibn, p. 275. Arnold. Prax. Mor. Jesuit. t. 3. 6. 7. Leibnitz. Præf. noviss. Sin. Cle- ✓ rici Sylv. Phil. c. ii. § 7, 10) 42.rul

¡Carpzov.odél Memcio Sin. Lips, 1743..': Martini Hist. Sin. 1. við poz 240. Spizel. I. c. p. 40.

ped, was brought among the Chinese. This new superstition was accompanied with doctrines of morality, and with mystical precepts, which inculcated fanatical quietism as the only way to perfection. This fanaticism of Föe overspread the whole country like a deluge, and continues to this day. In the third century, a peculiar sect arose, who gave themselves up entirely to the contemplation of the First Principle of Nature, and who thought, that the nearer they approached to the perfect inaction of inanimate bodies, the more they resembled the Deity."7

About the tenth century, two philosophers, Chem-Cu and Chimci, appeared, who introduced metaphysical doctrines nearly resembling those of the Stoics; whence a new sect arose, called Ju-Kiao, or the Sect of the Learned.18

This was the state of the Chinese philosophy when the Jesuit missionaries, French mathematicians, and other Europeans, in the sixteenth century, visited China, and for a long time obtained much attention and respect. The emperor Kam-hy encouraged the study of European learning, particularly mathematics, anatomy, medicine, and astronomy. He himself, for several months, received daily instruction in astronomy from the mathematician Verbiest. European philosophers had free access to his empire and court. But since his time little indulgence has been shewn to Christian travellers.19

The obscurity of the ancient Chinese books, the dubious credit of the reports brought to Europe by the Jesuit missionaries, and the imperfect acquaintance of Europeans with the Chinese language and writings, render it difficult to ascertain the present state of opinions in China. Their notion of Deity has been a subject of much dispute. Some assert that their Xang-ti signifies a Supreme Creator and Ruler of the world; others ascribe to the Chinese a system of nature nearly approaching to Atheism; whilst others maintain their doctrine to be, that there is in the visible heavens a living and powerful nature, like the soul in the body, who has produced other secondary divinities, the rulers of the world, through whom the Supreme Deity

17 Couplet. 1. c. Minorelli, p. 147.

18 Leibn, ep, ad Remond. Ep. t. ii.

19 Leibn. noviss. Sinica. Dentrecolles Lettres edifiantes, Rec. 17. 23.

is to be worshipped. Leibnitz is of opinion that the Li of the Chinese is the chaotic soul of the world, and their Taikie the soul of the formed universe; in fine, the Deity of the Stoics.20

The moral and political philosophy of the Chinese, as derived from Confucius, consists of detached maxims and precepts for the conduct of life.

IV.

THE Japanese nation appears to be of equal antiquity with the Chinese. The first period of the history of both is equally fabulous. Fohi, the Chinese legislator, is also celebrated by the Japanese as one of the founders of their monarchy. They honour the memory of Confucius. At the time when the doctrine of Xekias was introduced into China, the book Kio, containing the institutes of his philosophy, was brought out of India into Japan by a Xekian priest. The Jesuit Vilela, in 1562, writes from Japan, that the Japanese superstitions are the same with those of the Indian Bramins, and were received from an Indian teacher of the kingdom of Siam; and that their temples are similar to those which he had seen in the island of Ceylon; which confirms what was before observed concerning the origin of Xekias.21

If the Japanese superstitions be compared with those of Egypt, it will appear exceedingly probable, that they originated with the Egyptian priests, and passed over from Egypt to India, and thence to China and Japan.

20 Martin. Hist. Sin. 1. i. c. 9. p. 16. Wolf. de Sapientia Sinica. Renaudot. Diss. Act. Phil. v. ii. p. 785. Minorell. contr. Juv. p. 126. Kortholt. Præf. Du Halde Hist. Chin.

" Acosta de Rebus a Soc. Jes. in Oriente Gest. Dilling. 1571, 8vo. Epist. Japan. a Maffeio edit. Crasseti Hist. Eccl. Jap. Kempfer. Hist.

Jap. Bayle, Art. Japan.

THE END.

Printed by J. F. Dove, St. John's Square.

N. B. The division of this History having occasioned some ine-
quality in the size of the volumes, the Index of the Second Volume
is placed at the end of the First.

« PreviousContinue »