“Viceroy of Liang Kwang” (i. e. Kwangtung and Kwangsi provinces), at Canton.
“Viceroy of Yun Kwei” (i. e. Yunnan and Kweichou provinces), at Yunnan.
The favorite retreats for these retired officials are the five cities of cultured Kiangsu province: Shanghai, Suchow, Chinkiang, Yangchow and Nanking; and one city in adjoining Chekiang province, Hangchow. If the clubs of these cities could by a dictograph breathe what they have heard, volumes of wonderful interest would keep a score of publishers busy. China has entered the world arena because of her human interest on a vast scale.
The Manchu may try to come back, as the irreconcilable Major General Yin Tchang has been plotting from Japanese Dalny. The doctrine of sacred right, as strongly as the Hohenzollern has enunciated it, has been preached before in China. The Manchu, with this in view, would not abdicate until he was assured that in him would lie the ancient right to pay the sacred Chou sacrifices, which are 4,000 years old. The builder of the Great Wall, the Emperor Tsin, 200 B. C., said “Shao Ming Yu Tien” (Heaven gives me my decree to reign). Sunyacius and the republicans of 1911 said: “Tien Ming Wu Chang” (The divine right lasts not forever).
Some of the political proverbs of the people are the following:
“An oligarchic government bites harder than a tiger.”
“A good hearer knows twice as much as a foolish talker, for he knows himself and he knows the talker, too.”
“The great statesman makes public opinion his opinion.”
“When the whale gets out of his element, even minnows can safely laugh.”
“In the rise and decline of his country, each man has his share.”