China and the West

Tolstoy, Leo. Kitaiskaya mudrost : mysli kitaiskikh myslitelei [ID D36257]. [The books of Confucius].
"The Chinese are the oldest people in the world. The Chinese are the most populous people in the world. There are 450 million of them, almost twice as many as Russians, Germans, French, Italians and English put together. The Chinese are the most peaceful people in the world. They seek nothing from others, nor do they wish to engage in war. The Chinese are tillers of the soil. Their ruler himself begins the plowing. And because of that the Chinese are the most peaceful people in the world.
"They say: If a man claims that he is skilled in warfare, know that this man is a great criminal.
"The Chinese live in their own way, not ours. They know how we live but they do not adopt our way of life, for they consider their life to be better. Neither French, Russian, German, Turk nor any other people in the world can, in eating so little and producing so much, compete in work with the Chinese. There is no single people in the world who can till the soil and gain a livelihood from it as well as do the Chinese-Whereas on one desyatina [2 ¾ English acres] a single Russian or two Germans can support them¬selves, on that same desyatina ten Chinese can do so.
"The Chinese have now begun to migrate to America, and the American workers do not know what to do.
"The Chinese work cheaper, better and more honestly than do the latter, but they demand less and so have brought down the wages for all work. Some Americans say: We should accept them. Others say: We should expel them. Like it or not, the work will be taken by him who works better. And he who is better is he who does no harm to anyone, takes less for himself, and gives more to others. The Chinese do no harm, fight with no one, and give more and take less. Therefore they are better. And if they are better, we must find out what is their faith.
"Here is their faith : They say (this is what their teacher Chu-khi says): All men have originated from the Heavenly Father, and therefore there is not a single man whose heart is not endowed with love, virtue, truth, propriety and wisdom. But although natural goodness exists in all people from birth, only a very few can nurture this goodness and develop it completely. That is why it so happens that not all people know, or can know, the goodness which lies in them, and develop it. Those, however, who have great sensibility, reason and wisdom, can develop in themselves their spiritual goodness, and it is they who differ from the mass of other people. It is to such men that the Heavenly Father gave a decree to be the leaders and teachers of the people. He decreed that from generation to generation they were to rule and teach the people, so that these might all return to their original purity.
"In this way Fukhi, Chanpunch, Goanti, Iao and Chun received their superior rank from the Heavenly Father, and in this way their assistants carried out their orders. From this their teachings spread everywhere.
"And thus it finally came to be that in the palaces of the rulers, as well as in the smallest hamlets, there was no place where the people did not study. As soon as a boy reached his ninth year—were he the son of an emperor or prince, or of a simple peasant—he entered a primary school where he was taught how to plant, water, cultivate, and keep things tidy. He was taught how to answer politely those who addressed him, how to come forth and greet people, and how to receive guests and see them off. He was taught how to ride horseback, shoot the bow, and how to read, write and count."