The Peking correspondent of the Times states in last Saturday's
paper that at the end of last year Imperial dedrees were passed which raised the Sage Confucius from the level of the sun and moon to the level of the heaven and earth, and conferred upon his spirit honours of the highest grade such as are given to the Imperial ancestors, instead of his former second-grade honours. In addition a sum of £15,000 was set aside to found a College at his birthplace to be exclusively devoted to the perpetuation of his teachings. The decree was intended to check the growth of foreign learning. The Times correspon- dent states, however, that this attempt meets with no favour from the present bead of the family of Confucius. The " Holy Duke," a descendant of the Sage in the seventy-sixth genera. tion, is apparently an intelligent man, and recognising the strength of the new movement, urges that Confucianism shall be linked to modern learning. The statement of the views of the " Holy Duke," we are told, is bound to make a deep im. pression throughout the country.
Previous page
