But I am in Yuen-nan, and things move slowly here.
All this does not mean that my presence is desired, or that fear of me,
the foreigner, has ceased. On the contrary, it signifies that I am more
greatly to be feared. The European is _not_ wanted in China, no matter
how absurd it may seem to the student of international politics, who
sits and devours all the newspaper copy--good, bad and
indifferent--which filters through regarding China becoming the El
Dorado of the Westerner. He is wanted for no other reason than that of
teaching the Chinese to foreignize as much as he can, teaching the
leaders of the people to strive to modify national life, and to raise
public conduct and administration to the best standards of the West.
When China is capable of looking after herself, and able to maintain the
position she is securing by the aid of the foreigner in her provinces,
following her present mode of thought and action, the foreigner may go
back again. But it is to be hoped that the evolution of the country will
be different.
Another feature impressed upon me was the emptiness of the lives of the
people. Education was rare, and any education they had was confined to
the Chinese classics.
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