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2013

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Chronology Entries (4)

#	Year	Text	Linked Data
1	1849	Thoreau, Henry David. A week on the Concord and Merrimack rivers [ID D29691]. The Chinese are bribed to carry their ova from province to province in jars or in hollow reeds, or the water-birds to transport them to the mountain tarns and interior lakes. The reading which I love best is the scriptures of the several nations, though it happens that I am better acquainted with those of the Hindoos, the Chinese, and the Persians, than of the Hebrews, which I have come to last. But is it necessary to know what the speculator prints, or the thoughtless study, or the idle read, the literature of the Russians and the Chinese, or even French philosophy and much of German criticism. "Assuredly", says a French translator, speaking of the antiquity and durability of the Chinese and Indian nations, and of the wisdom of their legislators, "there are there some vestiges of the eternal laws which govern the world." It would be worthy of the age to print together the collected Scriptures or Sacred Writings of the several nations, the Chinese, the Hindoos, the Persians, the Hebrews, and others, as the Scripture of mankind. They appeared to be green hands from far among the hills, who had taken this means to get to the seabord, and see the world ; and would possibly visit the Falkland Isles, and the China seas, before they again saw the waters of the Merrimack, or perchance, not return this way forever. [Gedicht] Though all the fates should prove unkind, Leave not your native land behind. The ship, becalmed, at length stands still; The steed must rest beneath the hill; But swiftly still our fortunes pace To find us out in every place. The vessel, though her masts be firm, Beneath her copper bears a worm; Around the cape, across the line, Till fields of ice her course confine; It matters not how smooth the breeze, How shallow or how deep the seas, Whether she bears Manilla twine, Or in her hold Madeira wine, Or China teas, or Spanish hides, In port or quarantine she rides; Far from New England's blustering shore, New England's worm her hulk shall bore, And sink her in the Indian seas, Twine, wine, and hides, and China teas. The periods of Hindoo and Chinese history, though they reach back of the time when the race of mortals is confounded with the race of gods, are as nothing compared with the periods which these stones have inscribed. Nevertheless, we will go on, like those Chinese cliffs swallows, feathering our nests with the froth which may one day be bread of life to such as dwell by the seashore. Pneumatologists, Atheists, Theists, - Plato, Aristotle, Leucippus, Democritus, Pythagorus, Zoroaster, and Confucius. Confucius said, "Never contract Friendship with a man that is not better than thyself. " Confucius said, "To contract ties of Friendship, with any one, is to contract Friendship with his virtue." "They Say That Lieou-Hia-Hoei and Chao-Lien did not sustain to the end their resolutions, and that they dishonored their character. Their language was in harmony with reason and justice; while their acts were on harmony with the sentiments of men." [Confucius, Analects]. Mencius says : "If one loses a fowl or a dog, he knows well how to seek them again ; if one loses the sentiments of his heart, he does not know how to seek them again… The duties of practical philosophy consist only in seeking after those sentiments of the heart which we have lost ; that is all."	Document: Thoreau, Henry David. A week on the Concord and Merrimack rivers. (Boston : James Monroe, 1849). [Enthält Eintragungen über China]. http://ia600400.us.archive.org/19/items/weekonconcordm00thor/weekonconcordm00thor.pdf (THD2, Publication) Person: Thoreau, Henry David
2	1855	Thoreau, Henry David. Journal (1855). Plotinus ; Porphyry ; Iam blichus ; Proclus ; Rig Veda Sanhita ; Vishnu Purana ; Confucius ; Koran ; Ali ben Abu Talib ; Saadi.	Person: Thoreau, Henry David
3	1856	Letter from Benjamin B. Wiley to Henry David Thoreau, Providence Oct 31, 1856 …I am anxious to know a little more of Confucius. Can you briefly, so that it will not take too much of your time, write me his views in regard to Creation, Immortality, man's preexistence if he speaks of it, and generally anything relating to man's Origin, Purpose, & Destiny. Letter from Henry David Thoreau to Benjamin B. Wiley, concord Dec 12 '56 …I do not now remember anything which Confucius has said directly respecting man's 'origin, purpose, and destiny'. He was more practical than that. He is full of wisdom applied to human relations – to the private Life – the Family – Government &c. It is remark able that according to his own account the sum & substance of his teaching is, as you know, to Do as you would be done by. He also said – (I translate from the French) "Conduct yourself suitably toward the persons of your family, then you will be able to instruct and to direct a nation of men". "To nourish ones self with a little rice, to drink water, to have only his bended art to support his head, is a state which has also its satisfaction. To be rich and honored by iniquitous means, is for me as the floating cloud which passes". "As soon as a child is born we must respect its faculties ; the knowledge which will come to it by & by does not resemble at all ist present state. If it arrives at the age of 40 or 50 years, withoug laving learned any thing, it is no more worthy of any respect". This last, I think, will speak to your condition…	Person: Thoreau, Henry David
4	1856	Thoreau, Henry David. Houghton manuscript (1856), We lately read an anecdote of Confucius and his disciples which is to our purpose. "Tseu-lou, Thseng-sie, Yan-yeou, Kong-si-hoa, were seated by the side of the Philosopher. The Philosopher said: make no account of my age more than if I were only a day older than you. Living apart and isolated, then you say: we are not known. If any one knew you, then what would you do? Tseu-lou replied with a brisk but respectful air: Suppose a kingdom of a thousand war-chariots, hard-pressed between other great kingdoms, add even, by numerous armies, and that withal it suffers want and famine; let Yeou (T'seu-lou) be appointed to its administration, in less than three years I could accomplish that the people of this kingdom should recover a manly courage, and know their condition. The Philosopher smiled at these words. And you, Khieou, what are your thoughts? The disciple replied respectfully: Suppose a province of sixty of seventy li in extent, or even of fifty or sixty li, and that Khieou were appointed to its administration, in less than three years I could accomplish that the people should have sufficient. As to the rites and to music, I would entrust the teaching of them to a superior man. And you, Tchi, what are your thoughts? The disciple replied respectfully: I will not say that I can do these things; I desire to study. When the ceremonies of the temple of ancestors are performed, and great public assemblies take place, clothed in my robe of azure and other vestments proper for such a place and such ceremonies, I could wish to take part in them in the quality of a humble functionary. And you, Tian, what are your thoughts? The disciple did nothing but draw some rare sounds from his guitar; but these sounds prolonging themselves, he laid it aside, and rising, replied respectfully: My opinion differs entirely from those of my three fellow disciples—The Philosopher said: What prevents you from expressing it? Here each one can speak his thought.—The disciple said: spring being no more, my robe of spring laid aside, but covered with the bonnet of manhood, accompanied by five or six men, and six or seven young people, I should love to go and bathe in the waters of the Y—, and go and take the fresh air in those woody places where they offer sacrifices to heaven to obtain rain, to modulate some airs, and then return to my abode. The Philosopher applauding these words by a sign of satisfaction, said: I am of Tian's mind. The three disciples departed, but Thseng-sie remained yet some time. Thseng-sie said: What ought one to think of the words of these three disciples? The Philosopher said: Each one of them has expressed his opinion; that is all.” The narrator proceeds to tell why the Philosopher smiled; but that is obvious enough. For the most part, when we listen to the conversation of the Reformers, we too [are] of Tian's mind."	Person: Thoreau, Henry David