With many ancient, wise, simple customs and ordinances, coming down
from remote centuries, and the time of Confucius,

This vast population abides--the most stable and the most
productive in the world.

* * * * *

And Government touches it but lightly--can touch it but lightly.

With its few officials (only some twenty-five thousand for the
whole of its four hundred millions), and its scanty taxation (about
one dollar per head), and with the extensive administration of
justice and affairs by the clan and the family--little scope is
left for government.

The great equalized mass population pursues its even and accustomed
way, nor pays attention to edicts and foreign treaties, unless
these commend themselves independently;

Pays readier respect, in such matters, to the edicts and utterances
of its literary men, and the deliberations of the Academy.

* * * * *

And religious theorizing touches it but lightly--can touch it but
lightly.

Established on the bedrock of actual life, and on the living unity
and community of present, past and future generations.

Each man stands bound already, and by the most powerful ties, to
the social body--nor needs the dreams and promises of Heaven to
reassure him.

And all are bound to the Earth.

Rendering back to it as a sacred duty every atom that the Earth
supplies to them (not insensately sending it in sewers to the sea),

By the way of abject commonsense they have sought the gates of
Paradise--and to found on human soil their City Celestial!

The first general knowledge of Confucius came to the Western world in
the latter part of the Sixteenth Century from Jesuit missionaries.
Indeed, it was they who gave him the Latinized name of "Confucius," the
Chinese name being Kung-Fu-tsze.

So impressed were these missionaries by the greatness of Confucius that
they urged upon the Vatican the expediency of placing his name upon the
calendar of Saints. They began by combating his teachings, but this they
soon ceased to do, and the modicum of success which they obtained was
through beginning each Christian service by the hymn which may properly
be called the National Anthem of China. Its opening stanza is as
follows:

Confucius! Confucius!
Great was our Confucius!