Man, Past and Present Part 25

[459] "On the Relations of the Indo-Chinese and Inter-Oceanic Races and Languages." Paper read at the Meeting of the Brit. a.s.sociation, Sheffield, 1879, and printed in the _Journ. Anthr. Inst._, February, 1880.

[460] In the Javanese annals the invaders are called "Cambojans," but at this time (about 1340) Camboja had already been reduced, and the Siamese conquerors had brought back from its renowned capital, Angkor Wat, over 90,000 captives. These were largely employed in the wars of the period, which were thus attributed to Camboja instead of to Siam by foreign peoples ignorant of the changed relations in Indo-China.

[461] How very dark some of these corners can be may be seen from the sad picture of maladministration, vice, and corruption still prevalent so late as 1890, given by Hallett in _A Thousand Miles on an Elephant_, Ch. x.x.xv.; and even still later by H. Warington Smyth in _Five Years in Siam, from 1891 to 1896_ (1898). This observer credits the Siamese with an undeveloped sense of right and wrong, so that they are good only by accident. "To do a thing because it is right is beyond them; to abstain from a thing because it is against their good name, or involves serious consequences, is possibly within the power of a few; the question of right and wrong does not enter the calculation." But he thinks they may possess a high degree of intelligence, and mentions the case of a peasant, who from an atlas had taught himself geography and politics. P.

A. Thompson, _Lotus Land_, 1906, gives an account of the country and people of Southern Siam.

[462] Probably a corruption of _talapat_, the name of the palm-tree which yields the fan-leaf constantly used by the monks.

[463] "In conversation with the monks M'Gilvary was told that it would most likely be countless ages before they would attain the much wished for state of Nirvana, and that one transgression at any time might relegate them to the lowest h.e.l.l to begin again their melancholy pilgrimage" (Hallett, _A Thousand Miles on an Elephant_, p. 337).

[464] "Le gros orteil est tres developpe et ecarte des autres doigts du pied. A ce caractere distinctif, que l'on retrouve encore aujourd'hui chez les indigenes de race pure, on peut reconnaitre facilement que les Giao-chi sont les ancetres des Annamites" (_La Cochinchine francaise en 1878_, p. 231). See also a note on the subject by C. F. Tremlett in _Journ. Anthr. Inst._ 1879, p. 460.

[465] Properly _An-nan_, a modified form of _ngan-nan_, "Southern Peace."

[466] Cf. _Nan-king_, _Pe-king_, "Southern" and "Northern" Courts (Capitals).

[467] _La Gazette Geographique_, March 12, 1885.

[468] _Geogr. Journ._, Sept. 1893, p. 194.

[469] "Parmi les citoyens regne la plus parfaite egalite. Point d'esclavage, la servitude est en horreur. Aussi tout homme peut-il aspirer aux emplois, se plaindre aux memes tribunaux que son adversaire"

(_op. cit._ p. 6).

[470] From _bonzo_, a Portuguese corruption of the j.a.panese _busso_, a devout person, applied first to the Buddhist priests of j.a.pan, and then extended to those of China and neighbouring lands.

[471] This name, probably the Chinese _jin_, men, people, already occurs in Sanskrit writings in its present form: [Sanskrit symbol], _China_, whence the Hindi [Arabic symbol], _Chin_, and the Arabo-Persian [Arabic symbol], _Sin_, which gives the cla.s.sical _Sinae_. The most common national name is Chung-kue, "middle kingdom" (presumably the centre of the universe), whence Chung-kue-Jin, the Chinese people. Some have referred _China_ to the _Chin_ (_Tsin_) dynasty (909 B.C.), while Marco Polo's _Kataia_ (Russian _Kitai_) is the _Khata_ (North China) of the Mongol period, from the Manchu _K'i-tan_, founders of the Liao dynasty, which was overthrown 1115 A.D. by the Nu-Ch[)a]n Tatars. Ptolemy's _Thinae_ is rightly regarded by Edkins as the same word as _Sinae_, the subst.i.tution of t for s being normal in Annam, whence this form may have reached the west through the southern seaport of Kattigara.

[472] _Western Origin of the Early Chinese Civilization, from 2300 B.C.

to 200 A.D., or Chapters on the Elements Derived from the Old Civilizations of West Asia in the Formation of the Ancient Chinese Culture_, London, 1894.

[473] "Observations upon the Languages of the Early Inhabitants of Mesopotamia," in _Journ. R. As. Soc._ XVI. Part 2.

[474] MS. note, May 7, 1896.

[475] C. J. Ball, _Chinese and Sumerian_, 1913.

[476] _History of the Archaic Chinese Writing and Texts_, 1882, p. 5.

[477] The first actual date given is that of Tai Hao (Fu-hi), 2953 B.C., but this ruler belongs to the fabulous period, and is stated to have reigned 115 years. The first certain date would appear to be that of Yau, first of the Chinese sages and reformer of the calendar (2357 B.C.). The date 2254 B.C. for Confucius's model king Shun seems also established. But of course all this is modern history compared with the now determined Babylonian and Egyptian records.

[478] Amongst the metals reference is made to iron so early as the time of the Emperor Ta Yu (2200 B.C.), when it is mentioned as an article of tribute in the _Shu-King_. F. Hirth, who states this fact, adds that during the same period, if not even earlier, iron was already a flourishing industry in the Liang district (Paper on the "History of Chinese Culture," Munich Anthropological Society, April, 1898). At the discussion which followed the reading of this paper Montelius argued that iron was unknown in Western Asia and Egypt before 1500 B.C., although the point was contested by Hommel, who quoted a word for iron in the earliest Egyptian texts. Montelius, however, explained that terms originally meaning "ore" or "metal" were afterwards used for "iron."

Such was certainly the case with the Gk. [Greek: chalkos], at first "copper," then metal in general, and used still later for [Greek: sideros], "iron"; hence [Greek: chalkeus] = coppersmith, blacksmith, and even goldsmith. So also with the Lat. _aes_ (Sanskrit _ayas_, akin to _aurora_, with simple idea of brightness), used first especially for copper (_aes cyprium, cuprum_), and then for _bronze_ (Lewis and Short).

For Hirth's later views see his _Ancient History of China_, 1908 (from the fabulous ages to 221 B.C.).

[479] This term _Y-jen_ (_Yi-jen_), meaning much the same as _Man_, _Man-tse_, savage, rude, untameable, has acquired a sort of diplomatic distinction. In the treaty of Tien-tsin (1858) it was stipulated that it should no longer, as heretofore, be applied in official doc.u.ments to the English or to any subjects of the Queen.

[480] See J. Edkins, _China's Place in Philology_, p. 117. The Hok-los were originally from Fo-kien, whence their alternative name, _Fo-lo_.

The _lo_ appears to be the same word as in the reduplicated _Lo-lo_, meaning something like the Greek and Latin _Bar-bar_, stammerers, rude, uncultured.

[481] The _Hakkas_, _i.e._ "strangers," speak a well-marked dialect current on the uplands between Kw.a.n.g-tung, Kiang-si, and Fo-kien. J.

Dyer Ball, _Easy Lessons in the Hakka Dialect_, 1884.

[482] Numerous in the western parts of Kw.a.n.g-tung and in the Canton district. J. Dyer Ball, _Cantonese Made Easy_, Hongkong, 1884.

[483] In this expression "Pidgin" appears to be a corruption of the word _business_ taken in a very wide sense, as in such terms as _talkee-pidgin_ = a conversation, discussion; _singsong pidgin_ = a concert, etc. It is no unusual occurrence for persons from widely separated Chinese provinces meeting in England to be obliged to use this common jargon in conversation.

[484] For the aboriginal peoples, with bibliography, see M. Kennelly's translation of L. Richard's _Comprehensive Geography of the Chinese Empire and its Dependencies_, 1908, pp. 371-3.

[485] _Kung-tse_, "Teacher Kung," or more fully _Kung-fu-tse_, "the eminent teacher Kung," which gives the Latinised form _Confucius_.

[486] _Kwong Ki Chiu_, 1881, p. 875. Confucius was born in 550 and died in 477 B.C., and to him are at present dedicated as many as 1560 temples, in which are observed real sacrificial rites. For these sacrifices the State yearly supplies 26,606 sheep, pigs, rabbits and other animals, besides 27,000 pieces of silk, most of which things, however, become the "perquisites" of the attendants in the sanctuaries.

[487] Arthur H. Smith, _Chinese Characteristics_, New York, 1895. The good, or at least the useful, qualities of the Chinese are stated by this shrewd observer to be a love of industry, peace, and social order, a matchless patience and forbearance under wrongs and evils beyond cure, a happy temperament, no nerves, and "a digestion like that of an ostrich." See also H. A. Giles, _China and the_ _Chinese_, 1902; E. H.

Parker, _John Chinaman and a Few Others_, 1901; J. Dyer Ball, _Things Chinese_, 1903; and M. Kennelly in Richard's _Comprehensive Geography of the Chinese Empire and its Dependencies_, 1908.

[488] See _Contemporary Review_, Feb. 1908, "Report on Christian Missions in China," by Mr F. W. Fox, Professor Macalister and Sir Alexander Simpson.

[489] A happy Portuguese coinage from the Malay _mantri_, a state minister, which is the Sanskrit _mantrin_, a counsellor, from _mantra_, a sacred text, a counsel, from Aryan root _man_, to think, know, whence also the English _mind_.

[490] Miss Bird (Mrs Bishop), _The Golden Chersonese_, 1883, p. 37.

[491] H. A. Giles, _The Civilisation of China_, 1911, p. 237. See especially Chap. XI., "Chinese and Foreigners," for the etiquette of street regulations and the habit of shouting conversation.

CHAPTER VII

THE OCEANIC MONGOLS

Range of the Oceanic Mongols--The terra "Malay"--The Historical Malays--Malay Cradle--Migrations and Present Range--The Malayans--The Javanese--Balinese and Sa.s.saks--Hindu Legends in Bali--The Malayan Seafarers and Rovers--Malaysia and Pelasgia: a Historical Parallel--Malayan Folklore--Borneo--Punan--Klemantan-- Bahau-Kenyah-Kayan--Iban (Sea Dayak)--Summary--Religion--Early Man and his Works in Sumatra--The Mentawi Islanders--Javanese and Hindu Influences--The Malaysian Alphabets--The Battas: Cultured Cannibals--Hindu and Primitive Survivals--The Achinese--Early Records--Islam and Hindu Reminiscences--Ethnical Relations in Madagascar--Prehistoric Peoples--Oceanic Immigrants--Negroid Element--Arab Element--Uniformity of Language--Malagasy Gothamites--Partial Fusion of Races--Hova Type--Black Element from Africa--Mental Qualities of the Malagasy--Spread of Christianity--Culture--Malagasy Folklore--The Philippine Natives--Effects of a Christian Theocratic Government on the National Character--Social Groups: the Indios, the Infielos, and the Moros--Malayans and Indonesians in Formosa--The Chinese Settlers--Racial and Linguistic Affinities--Formosa a Connecting Link between the Continental and Oceanic Populations--The Nicobarese.

CONSPECTUS.

#Present Range.# _Indonesia, Philippines, Formosa, Nicobar Is., Madagascar._

#Hair#, _same as Southern Mongols, scant or no beard_. #Colour#, _yellowish or olive brown, yellow tint sometimes very faint or absent, light leathery hue common in Madagascar_.

#Skull#, _brachy or sub-brachycephalic (78 to 85)_. #Jaws#, _slightly projecting_. #Cheek-bones#, _prominent, but less so than true Mongol_.

#Nose#, _rather small, often straight with widish nostrils (mesorrhine)_. #Eyes#, _black, medium size, horizontal or slightly oblique, often with Mongol fold_. #Stature#, _undersized, from 1.52 m.

to 1.65 m. (5 ft. to 5 ft. 5 in.)_. #Lips#, _thickish, slightly protruding, and kept a little apart in repose_. #Arms# _and_ #legs#, _rather small, slender and delicate_; #feet#, _small_.

#Temperament.# _Normally quiet, reserved and taciturn, but under excitement subject to fits of blind fury_; _fairly intelligent, polite and ceremonious, but uncertain, untrustworthy, and even treacherous_; _daring, adventurous and reckless_; _musical_; _not distinctly cruel, though indifferent to physical suffering in others_.

#Speech#, _various branches of a single stock language_--_the_ #Austronesian# (#Oceanic# _or_ #Malayo-Polynesian#), _at different stages of agglutination_.

#Religion#, _of the primitive Malayans somewhat undeveloped--a vague dread of ghosts and other spirits, but rites and ceremonies mainly absent although human sacrifices to the departed occurred in Borneo_; _the cultured Malayans formerly Hindus (Brahman and Buddhist), now mostly Moslem, but in the Philippines and Madagascar Christian_; _belief in witchcraft, charms, and spells everywhere prevalent_.