distinguished were the [Ch] "even," [Ch] "rising" and [Ch] "entering."
Between that date and the 4th century A.D. the [Ch] sinking tone was
developed. In the 11th century the even tone was divided into upper and
lower, and a little later the entering tone finally disappeared from
Pekingese. The following monosyllabic dialogue gives a very fair idea of
the quality of the four Pekingese tones--_1st tone_: Dead (spoken in a
raised monotone, with slightly plaintive inflection); _2nd tone_: Dead?
(simple query); _3rd tone_: Dead? (an incredulous query long drawn out);
_4th tone_: Dead! (a sharp and decisive answer). The native learns the
tones unconsciously and by ear alone. For centuries their existence was
unsuspected, the first systematic classification of them being
associated with the name of Shen Yo, a scholar who lived A.D. 441-513.
The Emperor Wu Ti was inclined to be sceptical, and one day said to him:
"Come, tell me, what are these famous four tones?" "They are
[Ch][Ch][Ch][Ch] whatever your Majesty pleases to make them," replied
Shen Yo, skilfully selecting for his answer four words which
illustrated, and in the usual order, the four tones in question.
Although no native is ever taught the tones separately, they are none
the less present in the words he utters, and must be acquired
consciously or unconsciously by any European who wishes to be
understood. It is a mistake, however, to imagine that every single word
in a sentence must necessarily be given its full tonic force. Quite a
number of words, such as the enclitics mentioned above, are not
intonated at all. In others the degree of emphasis depends partly on the
tone itself, partly on its position in the sentence. In Pekingese the
3rd tone (which is really the second in the ordinary series, the 1st
being subdivided into upper and lower) is particularly important, and
next to it in this respect comes the 2nd (that is, the lower even, or
2nd division of the 1st). It may be said, roughly, that any speaker
whose second and third tones are correct will at any rate be understood,
even if the 1st and 4th are slurred over.

The characters.

Pictorial characters.

It is chiefly, however, on its marvellous script and the rich treasures
of its literature that the Chinese language depends for its unique
fascination and charm. If we take a page of printed Chinese or carefully
written manuscript and compare it with a page, say, of Arabic or
Sanskrit, the Chinese i