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Canton he was asked if he cared to send for any books to read. He replied that he had already read every printed book. (Life + letters of Dr. S. Wells Williams by his son p 251)
But really to take this reply as mere stupidity on the part of Yeh is to misunderstand his meaning in particular and Chinese character in general. He meant to rebuke the insult to his dignity in presuming to his face that there were any books he had not yet read. He was more interested in straightening out their barbarian manners than in giving a correct answer "The A.B. knows everything without going out of doors".
The Chinese can disagree with you in a quieter and more politic way than any other nationality in the world - Dr. Watson of Fenchow.
When the Japanese wish to say that a matter is complicated or difficult they say it is mutsukashi - "six-sided". Because the individual is responsible to the group, he cannot give a quick direct reply to a querty. He must refer it to the family or the company, to have it considered in its bearings to the larger group.
Dr. Geo. D. Wilder told me that when he + Mr. Pye were on an evangelatic tour in a new town to open up preaching work there they came with only one Chinese Christian as a companion - a man who seemed to have no
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particular intelligence. The weather was getting cold and they needed a fire in the preaching chapel, but there was no stove. The young Chinese assistant insisted that with a few materials he could make a stove. When asked what materials he needed, he said, a Standard Oil tin, some clay, lime etc. He was told he might get these and put up the stove. Pye + Wilder were gone out preaching on the street preaching not more than two hours. When they returned they found the stove put up and working, a tea pot sizzling on top of it, and the Chinese companion preaching to a respectable audience about Christianity. The stove, moreover did service in the chapel for several years after that.
Chasing after servants to in inspect their work only makes them careless, as they want to be trusted.
Chinese will flatter you horribly but at the same time they expect you to fall in with some plan they have in mind.
When a foreigner speaks to a Chinese audience the whole audience is very attentive. Sometimes it is
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because they are pleased that you are intelligible, but it may also be because the foreigner is unintelligible. In either case the attention is faultless. But the foreigner always interprets it as being due to his superior powers of eloquence.
"Sometimes the main issue of a question may be maintained in spite of the sacrifice of outward forms" - Doris, Soldier, Missionary p. 150.
Chinese become apprehensive when their opponents maintain calmness and apparent indifference, they remember their own maxim "He that has reason on his side need not talk loudly. - Robt. Morrison
Chinese emphasis on right is shown in Chang Yuan K'ais following phrase which without hesitation he gave me, showing that it had already been fully formulated in his mind. 中國人先禮而後法 西國人先法而後禮
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Mr. Chang illustrated the above point as follows: A student came to ask leave of absence to go home. He was granted leave. Later another boy came for the same purpose. But Mr. Chang refused to grant him leave. The boy reminded him that the other student had been granted leave then why couldn't he? "I have the same reason for going home that he has?" Mr. Chang replied, "Yes, the two reasons are the same, but the men are different". [Chinese characters]. This shows how the Chinese lay the emphasis on persons, and how personal factors must receive due consideration, in the solution of any question. The one boy could be trusted, the other could not.
If students cut a class and the teacher calls one of the class to get the other boys, the boy will usually ignore the request or fail to answer. He feels he has no right to reply in the name of the whole group until he has first consulted the whole group.
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Door Mottoes.
古寺無燈明月照 山門不鎖白雲封
漢候宋王明大帝 儒聖釋佛道天尊
道高龍虎伏 德重鬼神欽
讀好書,行好事 Mr. Pye saw on road to San Ch'üan.
為人不作虧心事 半夜打門心不驚
白日莫閒過 青春不再來
綠水本無憂,因風皺面 青山原不老為雪白頭 [?] see AHS with PS3
半個蒲團天地老 一聲清罄古今空 Half a reed cushion for the priest to kneel on, thus heaven and earth are growing old.
A few dear strokes of the Chines that quickly are ended, things ancient and modern alike are but vanity.
玉不琢,不成器 近者悅,遠者來