Renditions
Nos. 53 & 54 (Spring & Autumn 2000) Chinese Impressions of the West
By Xue Fucheng
Translated by D.E. Pollard
In their moral exertions, in their self-denial and love of others, Christians in the West do not differ markedly from Confucians, yet the New and Old Testaments and other books the church publishes are full of fallacies, distortions and fantastic claims that even Chinese popular novels like The Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West would not descend to. A child could see that what they say is untrue.
Thus it can be seen that the Way of the Sage, being unbiased and fair-minded, has a direct appeal to the human heart. In comparison with Confucianism, Christianity is no more than crystal set against jade, as even westerners are aware. Admitted, Yang Zhu, Mo Zi, Lao Zi and Buddhism did have their day in China, but in the course of time they faded and gave out, while the teachings of Confucius have been like the sun and moon crossing the heavens, shining more brightly with the passing eras. As long as the other continents have no contact with China they will go their way undisturbed; but if they do have contact, then their teachings will converge with ours. Hence I am convinced that Christianity will decline, and Confucianism will spread to the West.
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| The Confucian Temple in Peking, 1860. Photograph by Felice A. Beato. |
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Research Centre for Translation, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.