Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Illustrated Catalogue of Antique Chinese Porcelains, Enamels, Jades, Crystals, Agates and Rare Old Chinese Paintings: Belonging to the Chinese Connoisseur General Hwang Hsing, First President of the Chinese Republic
Hwang hsing was born in 1875 in Hunan Province, near its capital. This province is situated in the central portion of China, south of the Yangtse River. From its beautiful hillsides have come some of China's most celebrated gen erals and statesmen, among whom Hwang Hsing takes sec ond place to none. He is endowed in the amplest measure with those sterling qualities which characterized his an cestors. During youth he was deeply impressed by Western ideas. Mfodern learning has ever had an advocate in him and it has had a warm place in his heart. He studied and graduated with honors from that famous college, The Leung Hu Shih Yuen, established under the auspices of Viceroy Chang Chih-tung, who spared nothing to equip this great State College of the two Hu Provinces with the amplest facilities for the study of European and American arts and sciences. In his school days he was delighted with the broad and liberal policies of the West, as contrasted with Oriental lethargy and stagnation. At college the desire seized him to reform his country, and henceforth to consecrate himself to the elevation of his people. The scepter of the Empire of China had fallen to the l\ianchus, who, in accordance with their despotic policy, were anxious to keep the Chinese, the Han subjects, in ignorance and subjection; they resorted to every conceivable pretext to hold them in the bonds of lethargy. Confucian conservatism was an enforced study, while the liberal and progressive doctrines of Western peo ple were discountenanced. Christians and educated men of America and Europe were looked upon with suspicion, fear ing that their just and broad principles of human equity and justice might leaven the loaf, and induce a rebellion against their narrow and enervating policy. The Manchus favored in their heart of hearts every manifestation of anti foreign movement among the people, and allowed such out rages to humanity as brought scores of years of burdenand woe to the Chinese, as witness the Boxer outbreak. Corruption was widespread and real talent kept down on every hand through the jealousy of their rulers, and these deplorable conditions were being augmented as each year rolled by, so that the people were writhing under the malignant and destructive policy of their rulers. All these facts made an indelible impression on the mind of the youth ful patriot and future liberator of his people. Lhe had strong convictions that the time had passed for China to again bar the door to foreign enterprise and intercourse, and that for his country to relapse supinely into seclusion would bring final disaster. Thus we see that the enlightened aims and lofty ambitions of Hwang Hsing were founded upon solid ground._ But what character, spirit and enter prise do we find in him to assure of the final triumph?
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