LANDMARKS OF CHINESE LAW. II. Bv Vincent Van Marter Beede. THE Shu King, or Book of Historical Documents, the most ancient of Chinese classical books, relates to the period begin ning about B.C. 2357. Kao-Yaowas Minis ter of Crime to Shun, and is still celebrated as a Solomon among judges. Shun began to rule B. C. 2255. The following conversa tion between him and Kao-Yao was written in perhaps 1100 : Kao-Yao said, " Oh! there are in all nine virtues to be discovered in conduct, and when we say that a man possesses any virtue, that is as much as to say he does such and such things." Yu asked, " What are the main virtues?" Kao-Yao replied, "Affa bility combined with dignity; mildness com bined with firmness; bluntness combined with respectfulness; aptness for government combined with reverent caution; docility com bined with boldness; straightforwardness combined with gentleness; an easy negli gence combined with discrimination; boldness combined with sincerity; and valor combined with righteousness. When these qualities are displayed, and that continuously, have we not the good officer? When there is a daily display of three of these virtues, their pos sessor could early and late regulate and brighten the clan of which he was made chief. When there is a daily severe and reverent cultivation of six of them, their possessor could brilliantly conduct the af fairs of the State with which he was in vested. When such men are all received and advanced, the possessors of those nine virtues will be employed in the public service. The men of a thousand and men of a hundred will be in their offices; the various ministers will emulate one another; all the officers will
accomplish their duties at the proper times, observant of the five seasons, as the several elements predominate in them, — and thus their various duties will be fully accom plished. Let not the Son of Heaven set to the holders of States the example of indo lence or dissoluteness. Let him be wary and fearful, remembering that in one day or two days may occur ten thousand springs of things. Let him not have his various offi cers cumberers of their places. The work is Heaven's "The Punitive
- men Expedition
must act forofit Yin" ! " 1 is an other " speech " of the great Shu. In the reign of Khung Khang, a brother of Thai Khang, the fourth of the kings of Shang, B.C. 21 59-2147, the Marquis Yin exhorted his troops as follows : "Every year, in the first month of spring, the herald, with his wooden-tongued bell, goes along the roads, proclaiming, ' Ye offi cers able to instruct, be prepared with your admonitions. Ye workmen engaged in me chanical affairs, remonstrate on the subjects of your employments. If any of you do not attend with respect to this requirement, the country has regular punishments for you.' " 1 It may be of interest at this point, before describing the Chinese court, to quote from "the earliest detailed account " of China in the English language, by the Padre Juan Gonzalez de Mendoza, translated out of Spanish by R. Parke in 1588 : "All these iustices generally haue a maruellous morall vertue, and that is, they be all very patient in hearing any complaynt, although it be declared with choller and 1 Translation of James Legge, in Sacred Books of the East.
