We have, however, to call your attention to the following passage found in various commercial treaties: * * * The Christian religion having for its essential object the leading of men to virtue, the members of all Christian communities shall enjoy entire security for their persons and property and the free exercise of their religion, and efficient protection shall be given the missionaries who travel peaceably in the interior furnished with passports as provided for in Article XIII. All that has been previously written, proclaimed, or published in China, by order of the Government, against the Christian religion is completely abrogated and remains null and void in all the provinces of the Empire. (Quoted from Art. XIII, French treaty of 1858.) In the ninth year of Tung Chih (1871) the board of punishments omitted from the edition of the code made by them the clause referring to the propagation of Christianity, and this edition contains this statement in its preface: All statutes which occurred in former editions and which are omitted from this, were omitted by imperial sanction or memorial by the board of punishments. Such omitted passages should be no further circulated nor quoted. The laws forbidding Christianity were abolished by the Throne on memorial from the board of punishments in 1871 and must be no longer inserted in publications. It becomes, therefore, our duty to write your honorable bureau to notify all bookshops that in observance of treaty they are forbidden to print in the books known as the Tung hsuan chi cheng and the Lü-li pien lan and similar books, those passages referring to the propagation of Christianity, which are to be found in the section of the code on corrupt doctrines, as well as the clauses which prohibit the practice of the western religions. Thus will the treaties be observed. DOCUMENT No. 3. THE TSUNG-LI YAMEN TO MR. GÉRARD. SEPTEMBER 7, 1895. On the 31st of August we had the honor to receive from you a dispatch as follows: On the 18th August I received Your Excellency's dispatch saying that the Ta Ching lu-li hsing an tung hsuan chi cheng and the Lü-li pien lan were not official publications, but that you had taken measures to have the clauses therein contained concerning the propagation by foreigners of the Christian religion in the interior and the other clauses heretofore referred to stricken out in accordance with treaty. It becomes my duty to express my thanks for this action. On the 19th August I went in person to your Yamên and stated that this class of private publications were issued in other parts of China. You concurred in my opinion that these also should be revised, and I have now to express the hope that you will order that this be done and that I be informed in what manner the officials of the various provinces upon whom this duty falls carry out these orders. In reply we have to state that we recognize our obligation to do as you request in the matter of issuing notices prohibiting the publication of rescinded laws. We communicated with the bureau of gendarmerie some time ago on the matter, and we have now written the governors-general and governors of the various provinces to order the local officials to command the bookstores in their jurisdiction to erase from their publications those passages cut out of the code by the board of punishments. We make this reply for Your Excellency's information. No. 63. CHINA. PREVENTION OF ANTI-CHRISTIAN RIOTS.a IMPERIAL DECREE OF JANUARY 17, 1898. [Translation.] On account of the murder of some missionaries at Chu-yeh Hsien, in Shan-tung, capital punishment has already been inflicted on the murderers. Li Ping-heng, formerly governor of Shan-tung and appointed viceroy of Szechuan, which latter office he has been deprived of, failed to assume the responsibility confided in him and take precautionary measures, hence a serious affair occurred. Let him be handed over to the proper board for the determination of a penalty. The Taotai, Hsi Liang, of the Yen, I Tsai and Chi circuit, Wan Pen-hua, brigade general of Tsao-chao, and Shao Chen-chao, prefect of Tsao-chao, are also ordered to be handed over to the proper board for the determination of a penalty. Hsü Ting-jen, magistrate of Chu-yeh Hsien, was very lax in arresting the murderers and reporting the matter to his superior officers. Let him at once be degraded. Robberies have occurred at the missionary chapels in Shou-chang Hsien. Let the Governor investigate into the conduct of the magistrate, Chuang Wei-lieh, and report him to the Throne for impeachment. Trouble has occurred between the Christians and non-Christians at Chi-ting, Ho-che, Shan Hsien, and Cheng-wu. Let the magistrates either be removed from office or transferred to other posts. Shan-tung is a State famous for carrying out the observances of civilization. Her scholars and high Ministers of State have practiced the principles of Confucianism and have always understood the meaning of self-respect." But the ignorant people of the rustic districts, not knowing the underlying principles of matters, have beaten and insulted the missionaries and destroyed their churches. This condition of affairs can @See also on this question the two Imperial edicts of February 1, 1901, supra pp. 87-90. not, on any account, be allowed to continue. Let the authorities of Shan-tung take action in good earnest to suppress such acts and use every endeavor to protect the missionaries. Let all the Tartar Generals, Viceroys and Governors of the various provinces take heed that whenever the people assemble together for purpose of causing trouble to the missionaries they must take action in the matter as commanded by Imperial decree of July, 1891. Should there be any further procrastination or idleness shown in the discharge of their duties, the negligent officials will be severely punished and not the least leniency will be shown them. No. 64. CHINA. OFFICIAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN CHINESE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES. a SUBMITTED TO THE EMPEROR BY THE TSUNG-LI YAMÊN, MARCH 25, 1899. [Translation.] China has long ago given her consent to the establishment of Mission stations of the Roman Catholic religion in the various provinces. With the desire of maintaining peaceful relations between ordinary Chinese subjects and the converts, and of facilitating protective measures, the following proposals as to the reception of missionaries by local officials are submitted: 1. To define the various ranks of missionaries. Bishops rank with Governors-General and Governors. They may ask for interviews with these officers. If a Bishop returns to his country or vacates his post on account of sickness, the priest who acts for him can also ask for interviews with the Governor-General and Governor. Provicaires and Head Priests can ask for interviews with Treasurers, Judges, and Taotais. Other priests can ask for interviews with Prefects and Magistrates. The Chinese officials of all ranks above mentioned will return the courtesy in accordance with the rank of the priest. 2. Bishops must furnish the provincial authorities with a list giving the names of the priests deputed to transact international business with the Chinese officials, and of the places where missions are estabJished, so that the provincial authorities can instruct their subordinates to treat with such priests according to these regulations. All those priests who ask for interviews, and those specially deputed to transact such business, must be Westerners, but in cases in which the Western Priest cannot speak Chinese, a Chinese priest may interpret. a British Parliamentary Blue Book, China No. 1 (1900), p. 142. For French text see Cordier Hist. des relat., III, pp. 469–471. |