He amplified the indictment. All
cultures must be judged by their reaction and fatigue products, and
Confucianism had produced formalism, priggishness, humbug. . . . No
doubt its ideals had had their successes; they had unified China,
stamped the idea of universal peace and good manners upon the
greatest mass of population in the world, paved the way for much
beautiful art and literature and living. "But in the end, all your
stern orderliness, Benham," said Prothero, "only leads to me. The
human spirit rebels against this everlasting armour on the soul.
After Han came T'ang. Have you never read Ling Po? There's scraps
of him in English in that little book you have--what is it?--the
LUTE OF JADE? He was the inevitable Epicurean; the Omar Khayyam
after the Prophet. Life must relax at last. . . ."
"No!" cried Benham. "If it is traditional, I admit, yes; but if it
is creative, no. . . ."
Under the stimulation of their undying controversy Benham was driven
to closer enquiries into Chinese thought. He tried particularly to
get to mental grips with English-speaking Chinese.
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