have, with the most profound care, searched
out these sixteen lofty maxims, explained
their meaning, and amplified the style by the
addition of some ten thousand words ; so
that we may denominate it a full explanation
of the wise sayings. "We have drawn our
illustrations from every available subject,
and have used every method to find appropriate
expressions by which the sense could
be clearly given."

Subsequently, it was still found that the
grand object sought for by the imperial authors
was not easily secured. The people did not
profit so much as had been expected. The
language of the Commentary, being artificial
and classical, was too high for the majority of
readers and hearers. Accordingly, those
officers who felt peculiar anxiety to be real
teachers of the people, thought fit to give an
easier interpretation by help of the vulgar
dialects. Wang-yewpo, on the other hand, in
the province of Shensee, put the imperial
work into the Mandarin language, and
enlarged it by the introduction of common
sayings, colloquial phrases, and a variety of
significant illustrations. This Mandarin paraphrase
is now generally printed and bound up along
with the general maxims of Kanghee and the
Commentary of his son Yoong-ching.

Some officials, again, not quite satisfied that
the Mandarin tongue can be adequately
caught by the crowding throngs, require that
the text of Wang-yewpo should, as far as
possible, be read off in the vulgar patois of
the districts under their rule. In a Tartar
community the Mantchoo version is used.
In the case under my own experience, the
address was delivered in the Shanghai dialect
proper to the spot.

I have by me a Canton edition of the
"Wise Maxims," published in the year
eighteen hundred and fifteen, during the
reign of the Emperor Kiakeng, the preface to
which was penned by a local officer of some
standing in the province of Canton. As
editor, he says, "This interpretation of
Wang-yewpo's was written in the northern
dialect, most perspicuously and fully, not
leaving any part of the sense unexplained.
Having received it and read it, your
Majesty's humble servant became insensibly
delighted with the paraphrase, and ordered
the academical officer to search among the
second class of literary candidates, and select
four individuals whose teeth and mouth
seemed formed for clear and distinct enunciation,
that on the first and fifteenth of each
moon they might read the original text in the
Canton dialect. These said Maxims your
humble servant has widely distributed
throughout the districts in this province, and
has given it to the local officers, who, in fact,
are appointed to be the pastors of the people,
requiring that they should extensively
proclaim the same, and not leave one person (even
in the huts that may be thinly scattered along
the coast) ignorant and perverse.

Thus far we have dwelt chiefly on the word
of mouth proclamation of the texts of the
preacher, Kanghee. But the press is also
active in issuing the same maxims in sundry
shapes, and circulating them throughout the
empire. Several officials of repute, at different
times and in various places, have on their own
responsibility printed editions for free distribution
among their people. At present there
is circulating through the empire a vast
supply of this Book of Sage Maxims, in full
and abridged editions; in the largest and the
smallest text; in handsome volumes, and in
cheap, crabbed little reprints. The Sixteen
Maxims are not found only in books; sometimes
they are inscribed on slips of bamboo
or wood, sometimes engraved on seals. Then,
again, the work has been versified, for the
benefit of children. There are now upon my
desk three different samples of it. One is
the full-sized edition; another is of a
watchpocket size; the third is a stamp, or seal
(the face of which is one inch wide by half an
inch deep), with the sixteen maxims carved
upon its face.

Enough has been said to make it proper
that I should add a translation of these
proverbs, and I should begin by noting that
each of the sixteen consists of seven
characters — the first three conveying the lesson,
the last three the object to be gained; the
middle character being the same in each, and
equivalent to the English "in order to," "so
that." The following are the maxims
themselves:

First.—"Pay all necessary regard to filial and
fraternal duties, so that you may give due importance
to the various relations of life.

Second.—" Respect your whole kindred, so that you
may display genuine harmony.

Third.—" Let concord prevail between neighbouring
clans, so that you may put an end to quarrels and
strifes.

Fourth.—" Let just importance be placed on
agriculture and the cultivation of the mulberry-tree, so
that we may secure a sufficient supply of food and
clothing.

Fifth.—" Be particular in habits of economy, in
order to be careful in the expenditure of money.

Sixth.—" Set the highest estimate possible on
academical learning, so that you may advance the
scholar.

Seventh.—" Put away all strange notions, in order
to pay the profoundest respect to the instruction that is
correct and upright.

Eighth.—" Explain the laws, in order to warn the
ignorant and stubborn.

Ninth.—" Make yourself clearly acquainted with
the rules of politeness and propriety, so that you may
improve your manners.

Tenth.—" Let each man attend to his own calling;
so that decision of character may be given to the mind
of the public mass.

Eleventh.—" Instruct the rising generation, in order
span id="w20819