for the final abolition of the queue may be due to one or all of the
following reasons. Intelligent Chinese may have come to realize that the
fashion is cumbrous and out of date. Sensitive Chinese may fear that it
makes them ridiculous in the eyes of foreigners. Political Chinese, who
would gladly see the re-establishment of a native dynasty, may look
to its disappearance as the first step towards throwing off the Manchu
yoke.

On the whole, the ruling Manchus have shown themselves very careful
not to wound the susceptibilities of their Chinese subjects. Besides
allowing the women to retain their own costume, and the dead, men and
women alike, to be buried in the costume of the previous dynasty, it was
agreed from the very first that no Chinese concubines should be taken
into the Palace. This last condition seems to be a concession pure and
simple to the conquered; there is little doubt, however, that the wily
Manchus were only too ready to exclude a very dangerous possibility of
political intrigue.



CHAPTER VI--LITERATURE AND EDUCATION

The Chinese people reverence above all things literature and learning;
they hate war, bearing in mind the saying of Mencius, "There is no such
thing as a _righteous_ war; we can only assert that some wars are better
than others;" and they love trade and the finesse of the market-place.
China can boast many great soldiers, in modern as well as in ancient
days; but anything like a proper appreciation of the military arm is of
quite recent growth. "Good iron is not used for nails, nor good men for
soldiers," says the proverb; and again, "One stroke of the civilian's