_History._--One of the labours undertaken by Confucius was connected
with a series of ancient documents--that is, ancient in his day--now
passing under a collective title as _Shu Ching_ (or _Shoo King_), and
popularly known as the Canon, or Book, of History. Mere fragments as
some of these documents are, it is from their pages of unknown date that
we can supplement the pictures drawn for us in the Odes, of the early
civilization of China. The work opens with an account of the legendary
emperor Yao, who reigned 2357-2255 B.C., and was able by virtue of an
elevated personality to give peace and happiness to his "black-haired"
subjects. With the aid of capable astronomers, he determined the summer
and winter solstices, and calculated approximately the length of the
year, availing himself, as required, of the aid of an intercalary month.
Finally, after a glorious reign, he ceded the throne to a man of the
people, whose only claim to distinction was his unwavering practice of
filial piety. Chapter ii. deals with the reign, 2255-2205 B.C., of this
said man, known in history as the emperor Shun. In accordance with the
monotheism of the day, he worshipped God in heaven with prayer and burnt
offerings; he travelled on tours of inspection all over his then
comparatively narrow empire; he established punishments, to be tempered
with mercy; he appointed officials to superintend forestry, care of
animals, religious observances, and music; and he organized a system of
periodical examinations for public servants. Chapter iii. is devoted to
details about the Great Yue, who reigned 2205-2197 B.C., having been
called to the throne for his engineering success in draining the empire
of a mighty inundation which early western writers sought to identify
with Noah's Flood. Another interesting chapter gives various
geographical details, and enumerates the articles, gold, silver, copper,
iron, steel, silken fabrics, feathers, ivory, hides, &c., &c., brought
in under the reign of the Great Yue, as tribute from neighbouring
countries. Other chapters include royal proclamations, speeches to
troops, announcements of campaigns victoriously concluded, and similar
subjects. One peculiarly interesting document is the Announcement
against Drunkenness, which seems to have been for so many centuries a
national vice, and then to have practically disappeared as such. For the
past two or three hundred years, drunkenness has always been the
exception rather t