America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Dipl(东方外交家眼里的亚美利坚)

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America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

America Through the

Spectacles of an Oriental

Diplomat

by Wu Tingfang, LL.D

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

Introduction:

While this book is by no means famous, it is a remarkable chance to

look at America of 1914 through the eyes of an outsider. Wu Tingfang

shows evidence of having thought through many issues of relevance to the

United States, and while some of his thoughts are rather odd -- such as his

suggestion that the title of President be replaced by the title of Emperor;

and others are unfortunately wrong -- such as his hopes for peace, written

on the eve of the First World War; they are all well-considered and

sometimes show remarkable insight into American culture.

Even so, it should be remarked that he makes some errors, including

some misunderstandings of American and Western ideas and an

idealization of Chinese culture, and humanity in general, in some points --

while I do not wish to refute his claims about China, I would simply point

out that many of the things he praises have been seen differently by many

outside observers, just as Wu Tingfang sometimes looks critically at things

in America which he does not fully understand (and, unfortunately, he is

sometimes all too correct) -- in all these cases (on both sides) some leeway

must be given to account for mutual misunderstandings. Still, his

observations allow us to see ourselves as others see us -- and regardless of

accuracy those observations are useful, if only because they will allow us

to better communicate.

The range of topics covered is also of particular interest. Wu Tingfang

wrote this book at an interesting juncture in history -- airplanes and motion

pictures had recently been invented, (and his expectations for both these

inventions have proven correct), and while he did not know it, a

tremendous cultural shift was about to take place in the West due to the

First World War and other factors. I will leave it to the reader to see

which ideas have caught on and which have not. The topics include:

Immigration; the Arms Race and changes in technology; one-time

six year terms for the office of President; religion and/or ethics in the

classroom; women's equality; fashion; violence in the theatre

(violence on television); vegetarianism; and, cruelty to animals.

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

I will also note that a few passages seem satiric in nature, though I am

not certain that it isn't merely a clash of cultures.

Alan R. Light. Birmingham, Alabama.

May, 1996.

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

Preface

Of all nations in the world, America is the most interesting to the

Chinese. A handful of people left England to explore this country:

gradually their number increased, and, in course of time, emigrants from

other lands swelled the population. They were governed by officials

from the home of the first settlers, but when it appeared to them that they

were being treated unjustly, they rebelled and declared war against their

rulers, the strongest nation on the face of the earth. After seven years of

strenuous, perilous, and bloody warfare, during which thousands of lives

were sacrificed on both sides, the younger race shook off the yoke of the

older, and England was compelled to recognize the independence of the

American States. Since then, in the comparatively short space of one

hundred and thirty years, those revolutionists and their descendants, have

not only made the commonwealth the richest in the world, but have

founded a nation whose word now carries weight with all the other great

powers.

The territory at first occupied was not larger than one or two provinces

of China, but by purchase, and in other ways, the commonwealth has

gradually grown till now it extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,

from the north where ice is perpetual to the south where the sun is as hot

as in equatorial Singapore. This young republic has already produced

many men and women who are distinguished in the fields of literature,

science, art and invention. There hosts of men, who in their youth were as

poor as church mice, have, by dint of perseverance and business capacity,

become multi-millionaires. There you may see the richest man in the

world living a simple and abstemious life, without pomp and ostentation,

daily walking in the streets unattended even by a servant. Many of them

have so much money that they do not know what to do with it. Many

foreign counts, dukes, and even princes have been captured by their

wealthy and handsome daughters, some of whom have borne sons who

have become high officers of state in foreign lands. There you find rich

people who devote their time and wealth to charitable works, sometimes

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

endowing libraries not only in their own land, but all over the world; there

you will find lynching tolerated, or impossible of prevention; there one

man may kill another, and by the wonderful process of law escape the

extreme penalty of death; there you meet the people who are most

favorably disposed toward the maintenance of peace, and who hold

conferences and conventions with that object in view almost every year;

there an American multi-millionaire devotes a great proportion of his time

to the propaganda of peace, and at his own expense has built in a foreign

country a palatial building to be used as a tribunal of peace.* Yet these

people have waged war on behalf of other nationalities who they thought

were being unjustly treated and when victorious they have not held on to

the fruits of their victory without paying a reasonable price.** There the

inhabitants are, as a rule, extremely patriotic, and in a recent foreign war

many gave up their businesses and professions and volunteered for service

in the army; one of her richest sons enlisted and equipped a whole

regiment at his own expense, and took command of it. In that country all

the citizens are heirs apparent to the throne, called the White House. A

man may become the chief ruler for a few years, but after leaving the

White House he reverts to private citizenship; if he is a lawyer he may

practise and appear before a judge, whom he appointed while he was

president. There a woman may become a lawyer and plead a case before

a court of justice on behalf of a male client; there freedom of speech and

criticism are allowed to the extreme limit, and people are liable to be

annoyed by slanders and libels without much chance of obtaining

satisfaction; there you will see women wearing "Merry Widow" hats who

are not widows but spinsters, or married women whose husbands are very

much alive, and the hats in many cases are as large as three feet in

diameter;*** there you may travel by rail most comfortably on palace cars,

and at night you may sleep on Pullman cars, to find in the morning that a

young lady has been sleeping in the berth above your bed. The people are

most ingenious in that they can float a company and water the stock

without using a drop of fluid; there are bears and bulls in the Stock

Exchange, but you do not see these animals fight, although they roar and

yell loudly enough. It is certainly a most extraordinary country. The

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

people are wonderful and are most interesting and instructive to the

Chinese.

-- * This magnificent building at The Hague, which is aptly called

the Palace of Peace, was formally opened on the 28th of August, 1913,

in the presence of Queen Wilhelmina, Mr. Carnegie (the founder) and a

large assembly of foreign representatives. ** I refer to the Spanish-

American War. Have captured the Philippine Islands, the United

States paid $20,000,000, gold, for it to the Spanish Government. *** This

was several years ago. Fashions change every year. The present

type is equally ludicrous. --

Such a race should certainly be very interesting to study. During my

two missions to America where I resided nearly eight years, repeated

requests were made that I should write my observations and impressions

of America. I did not feel justified in doing so for several reasons: first,

I could not find time for such a task amidst my official duties; secondly,

although I had been travelling through many sections of the country, and

had come in contact officially and socially with many classes of people,

still there might be some features of the country and some traits of the

people which had escaped my attention; and thirdly, though I had seen

much in America to arouse my admiration, I felt that here and there, there

was room for improvement, and to be compelled to criticize people who

had been generous, courteous, and kind was something I did not wish to

do. In answer to my scruples I was told that I was not expected to write

about America in a partial or unfair manner, but to state impressions of the

land just as I had found it. A lady friend, for whose opinion I have the

highest respect, said in effect, "We want you to write about our country

and to speak of our people in an impartial and candid way; we do not want

you to bestow praise where it is undeserved; and when you find anything

deserving of criticism or condemnation you should not hesitate to mention

it, for we like our faults to be pointed out that we may reform." I admit the

soundness of my friend's argument. It shows the broad-mindedness and

magnanimity of the American people. In writing the following pages I

have uniformly followed the principles laid down by my American lady

friend. I have not scrupled to frankly and freely express my views, but I

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

hope not in any carping spirit; and I trust American readers will forgive

me if they find some opinions they cannot endorse. I assure them they

were not formed hastily or unkindly. Indeed, I should not be a sincere

friend were I to picture their country as a perfect paradise, or were I to

gloss over what seem to me to be their defects.

Contents

Preface Chapter 1. The Importance of Names Chapter 2. American

Prosperity Chapter 3. American Government Chapter 4. America and

China Chapter 5. American Education Chapter 6. American Business

Methods Chapter 7. American Freedom and Equality Chapter 8.

American Manners Chapter 9. American Women Chapter 10.

American Costumes Chapter 11. American versus Chinese Civilization

Chapter 12. American versus Chinese Civilization (Continued) Chapter

13. Dinners, Banquets, Etc. Chapter 14. Theaters Chapter 15. Opera

and Musical Entertainments Chapter 16. Conjuring and Circuses Chapter

17. Sports

AMERICA Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

CHAPTER 1. The Importance of

Names

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other

name would smell as sweet."

Notwithstanding these lines, I maintain that the selection of names is

important. They should always be carefully chosen. They are apt to

influence friendships or to excite prejudices according to their significance.

We Chinese are very particular in this matter. When a son is born the

father or the grandfather chooses a name for the infant boy which,

according to his horoscope, is likely to insure him success, or a name is

selected which indicates the wish of the family for the new-born child.

Hence such names as "happiness", "prosperity", "longevity", "success",

and others, with like propitious import, are common in China. With

regard to girls their names are generally selected from flowers, fruits, or

trees. Particular care is taken not to use a name which has a bad meaning.

In Washington I once met a man in an elevator whose name was "Coffin".

Was I to be blamed for wondering if the elevator would be my coffin? On

another occasion I met a man whose name was "Death", and as soon as I

heard his name I felt inclined to run away, for I did not wish to die. I am

not superstitious. I have frequently taken dinner with thirteen persons at

the table, and I do not hesitate to start on a journey on a Friday. I often do

things which would not be done by superstitious persons in China. But to

meet a man calling himself "Coffin" or "Death" was too much for me, and

with all my disbelief in superstition I could not help showing some

repugnance to those who bore such names.

Equally important, if not more so, is the selection of a name for a state

or a nation. When the several states of America became independent

they called themselves the "United States of America" -- a very happy idea.

The Union was originally composed of thirteen states, covering about

300,000 square miles; it is now composed of forty-eight states and three

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

territories, which in area amount to 3,571,492 square miles, practically as

large in extent as China, the oldest nation in the world. It should be noted

that the name is most comprehensive: it might comprise the entire

continent of North and South America. It is safe to say that the founders

of the nation did not choose such a name without consideration, and

doubtless the designation "United States of America" conceals a deep

motive. I once asked a gentleman who said he was an American whether

he had come from South or North America, or whether he was a Mexican,

a Peruvian or a native of any of the countries in Central America? He

replied with emphasis that he was an American citizen of the United States.

I said it might be the United States of Mexico, or Argentina, or other

United States, but he answered that when he called himself a citizen it

could not mean any other than that of the United States of America. I have

asked many other Americans similar questions and they all have given me

replies in the same way. We Chinese call our nation "The Middle

Kingdom"; it was supposed to be in the center of the earth. I give credit

to the founders of the United States for a better knowledge of geography

than that possessed by my countrymen of ancient times and do not assume

that the newly formed nation was supposed to comprise the whole

continent of North and South America, yet the name chosen is so

comprehensive as to lead one naturally to suspect that it was intended to

include the entire continent. However, from my observation of their

national conduct, I believe their purpose was just and humane; it was to set

a noble example to the sister nations in the Western Hemisphere, and to

knit more closely all the nations on that continent through the bonds of

mutual justice, goodwill and friendship. The American nation is, indeed,

itself a pleasing and unique example of the principle of democracy. Its

government is ideal, with a liberal constitution, which in effect declares

that all men are created equal, and that the government is "of the people,

for the people, and by the people." Anyone with ordinary intelligence

and with open eyes, who should visit any city, town or village in America,

could not but be impressed with the orderly and unostentatious way in

which it is governed by the local authorities, or help being struck by the

plain and democratic character of the people. Even in the elementary

America Through the Spectacles of an Oriental Diplomat

schools, democracy is taught and practised. I remember visiting a public

school for children in Philadelphia, which I shall never forget. There

were about three or four hundred children, boys and girls, between seven

and fourteen years of age. They elected one of their students as mayor,

another as judge, another as police commissioner, and in fact they elected

for the control of their school community almost all the officials who

usually govern a city. There were a few Chinese children among the

students, and one of them was pointed out to me as the police

superintendent. This not only eloquently spoke of his popularity, but

showed goodwill and harmony among the several hundred children, and

the entire absence of race feeling. The principals and teachers told me

that they had no difficulty whatever with the students. If one of them did

anything wrong, which was not often, he would be taken by the student

policeman before the judge, who would try the case, and decide it on its

merits, and punish or discharge his fellow student as justice demanded. I

was assured by the school authorities that this system of self-government

worked admirably; it not only relieved the teachers of the burden of

constantly looking after the several hundred pupils, but each of them felt a

moral responsibility to behave well, for the sake of preserving the peace

and good name of the school. Thus early imbued with the idea of self-

government, and entrusted with the responsibilities of its administration,

these children when grown up, take a deep interest in federal and

municipal affairs, and, when elected for office, invariably perform their

duties efficiently and with credit to themselves.

It cannot be disputed that the United States with its democratic system

of government has exercised a great influence over the states and nations

in Central and South America. The following data showing the different

nations of America, with the dates at which they turned their respective

governments from Monarchies into Republics, all subsequent to the

independence of the United States, are very significant.

Mexico became a Republic in 1823, Honduras in 1839, Salvador in

1839, Nicaragua in 1821, Costa Rica in 1821, Panama in 1903, Colombia

in 1819, Venezuela in 1830, Ecuador in 1810, Brazil in 1889, Peru in 1821,

Bolivia in 1825, Paraguay in 1811, Chile in 1810, Argentina in 1824, and

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