parate independent nation. Had there been great,
world-stirring myths there could hardly but have been also more wars,
more cruelty, more wounding of the "heart that weeps and trembles,"
more saturating of the earth with human blood. It is not a small thing
to have conquered myth with philosophy, especially at a time when the
Western world was still steeped in the grossest superstition. Therefore
we may be thankful that the Chinese were and are a peace-loving, sober,
agricultural, industrial, non-military, non-priest-ridden, literary,
and philosophical people, and that we have instead of great myths a
great people.

But if the real test of greatness is purity and justice, then Chinese
myth must be placed among the greatest of all; for it is not obscene,
and it is invariably just.

The Pronunciation of Chinese Words

During the course of Chinese history the restriction of intercourse
due to mountain-chains or other natural obstacles between various
tribes or divisions of the Chinese people led to the birth of a number
of families of languages, which again became the parents of numerous
local dialects. These dialects have in most cases restricted ranges,
so that that of one district may be partially or wholly unintelligible
to the natives of another situated at a distance of only a hundred
miles or less.

The Court or Government language is that spoken in Peking and the
metropolitan district, and is the language of official communication
throughout the country. Though neither the oldest nor the purest
Chinese dialect, it seems destined more than any other to come into
universal use in China. The natives of each province or district will
of course continue to speak to each other in their own particular
dialect, and foreign missionaries or merchants, for example, whose
special duties or transactions are connected with special districts
will naturally learn and use the dialects of those districts; but as
a means of intercommunication generally between natives of different
provinces, or between natives and foreigners, the Court language seems
likely to continue in use and to spread more and more over the whole
country. It is to this that the following remarks apply.

The essentials of correct pronunciation of Chinese are accuracy of
sound, tone, and rhythm.

Sound

_Vowels and Diphthongs_

_a_ as in _father_.

_ai_ as in Italian _amai_.

_ao_. Italian _ao_ in _Aosta_: sometimes _a-oo,_ the _au_ in _c