kineski zid-- chinese wall kafka

7/22/2019 Kineski zid-- Chinese wall kafka

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Kafka

The Great Wall of China

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA was finished off at its northernmost corner. From

the southeast and the southwest it came up in two sections that fina! con"er#ed

there. This principe of piecemea construction was aso appied on a smaer scae $!

$oth of the two #reat armies of a$or% the eastern and the western. It was done in this

wa!& #an#s of some twent! wor'ers were formed who had to accompish a en#th% sa!%

of fi"e hundred !ards of wa% whie a simiar #an# $uit another stretch of the sameen#th to meet the first. (ut after the )unction had $een made the construction of the

*a#e +,,wa was not carried on from the point% et us sa!% where this thousand !ards ended-

instead the two #roups of wor'ers were transferred to $e#in $uidin# a#ain in uite

different nei#h$orhoods. Natura! in this wa! man! #reat #aps were eft% which were

on! fied in #radua! and $it $! $it% some% indeed% not ti after the officia

announcement that the wa was finished. In fact it is said that there are #aps which

ha"e ne"er $een fied in at a% an assertion% howe"er% that is pro$a$! mere! one of

the man! e#ends to which the $uidin# of the wa #a"e rise% and which cannot $e

"erified% at east $! an! sin#e man with his own e!es and )ud#ment% on account of the

e/tent of the structure.

Now on first thou#hts one mi#ht concei"e that it woud ha"e $een more

ad"anta#eous in e"er! wa! to $uid the wa continuous!% or at east continuous!

within the two main di"isions. After a% the wa was intended% as was uni"ersa!

procaimed and 'nown% to $e a protection a#ainst the peopes of the north. (ut how

can a wa protect if it is not a continuous structure0 Not on! can such a wa not

protect% $ut what there is of it is in perpetua dan#er. These $oc's of wa eft standin#

in deserted re#ions coud $e easi! pued down a#ain and a#ain $! the nomads%

especia! as these tri$es% rendered apprehensi"e $! the $uidin# operations% 'ept

chan#in# their encampments with incredi$e rapidit!% i'e ocusts% and so perhaps had

a $etter #enera "iew of the pro#ress of the wa than we% the $uiders. Ne"ertheess thetas' of construction pro$a$! coud not ha"e $een carried out in an! other wa!. To


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understand this we must ta'e into account the foowin#& the wa was to $e a

protection for centuries- accordin#!% the most scrupuous care in the $uidin#% the

appication of the architectura wisdom of a 'nown a#es and peopes% an unremittin#

sense of persona responsi$iit! in the $uiders were indispensa$e prereuisites for the

wor'. True% for the more pure! manua tas's i#norant da! a$orers from the popuace%

men% women% and chidren who offered their ser"ices for #ood mone!% coud $e

empo!ed- $ut for the super"ision e"en of e"er! four da! a$orers an e/pert "ersed in

the art of $uidin# was reuired% a man who was capa$e of enterin# into and feein#

with a his heart what was in"o"ed. And the hi#her the tas'% the #reater the

*a#e +,1responsi$iit!. And such men were actua! to $e had% if not indeed so a$undant!

as

the wor' of construction coud ha"e a$sor$ed% !et in #reat num$ers.

For the wor' had not $een underta'en without thou#ht. Fift! !ears $efore the

first stone was aid% the art of architecture% and especia! that of masonr!% had $een

procaimed as the most important $ranch of 'nowed#e throu#hout the whoe area of

a China that was to $e waed around% and a other arts #ained reco#nition on!

insofar as the! had reference to it. I can sti remem$er uite we us standin# as sma

chidren% scarce! sure on our feet% in our teacher2s #arden% and $ein# ordered to $uid

a sort of wa out of pe$$es- and then the teacher% #irdin# up his ro$e% ran fu tit

a#ainst the wa% of course 'noc'in# it down% and scoded us so terri$! for the

shoddiness of our wor' that we ran weepin# in a directions to our parents. A tri"ia

incident% $ut si#nificant of the spirit of the time.

I was uc'! inasmuch as the $uidin# of the wa was )ust $e#innin# when% at

twent!% I had passed the ast e/amination of the owest schoo. I sa! uc'!% for man!

who $efore m! time had achie"ed the hi#hest de#ree of cuture a"aia$e to them coud

find nothin# !ear after !ear to do with their 'nowed#e% and drifted useess! a$out

with the most spendid architectura pans in their heads% and san' $! thousands into

hopeessness. (ut those who fina! came to $e empo!ed in the wor' as super"isors%

e"en thou#h it mi#ht $e of the owest ran'% were tru! worth! of their tas'. The! were

masons who had refected much% and did not cease to refect% on the $uidin# of the

wa% men who with the first stone the! san' in the #round fet themse"es a part of thewa. 3asons of that 'ind% of course% had not on! a desire to perform their wor' in the


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most thorou#h manner% $ut were aso impatient to see the wa finished in its compete

perfection. 4a! a$orers ha"e not this impatience% for the! oo' on! to their wa#es%

and the hi#her super"isors% indeed e"en the super"isors of midde ran'% coud see

enou#h of the manifod #rowth of the construction to 'eep their spirits confident and

hi#h. (ut to encoura#e the su$ordinate super"isors% inteectua! so "ast! superior to

their apparent! pett! tas's% other measures must $e ta'en. One coud not% for

*a#e +,5instance% e/pect them to a! one stone on another for months or e"en !ears on end%

in

an uninha$ited mountainous re#ion% hundreds of mies from their homes- the

hopeessness of such hard toi% which !et coud not reach competion e"en in the

on#est ifetime% woud ha"e cast them into despair and a$o"e a made them ess

capa$e for the wor'. It was for this reason that the s!stem of piecemea $uidin# was

decided on. Fi"e hundred !ards coud $e accompished in a$out fi"e !ears- $! that

time% howe"er% the super"isors were as a rue uite e/hausted and had ost a faith in

themse"es% in the wa% in the word. Accordin#!% whie the! were sti e/ated $! the

)u$iant cee$rations mar'in# the competion of the thousand !ards of wa% the! were

sent far% far awa!% saw on their )ourne! finished sections of the wa risin# here and

there% came past the uarters of the hi#h command and were presented with $ad#es of

honor% heard the re)oicin#s of new armies of a$or streamin# past from the depths of

the and% saw forests $ein# cut down to $ecome supports for the wa% saw mountains

$ein# hewn into stones for the wa% heard at the ho! shrines h!mns risin# in which

the pious pra!ed for the competion of the wa. A this assua#ed their impatience.

The uiet ife of their homes% where the! rested some time% stren#thened them- the

hum$e creduit! with which their reports were istened to% the confidence with which

the simpe and peacefu $ur#her $eie"ed in the e"entua competion of the wa% a

this fied their hearts with a new $uo!anc!. Li'e eterna! hopefu chidren the! then

said farewe to their homes- the desire once more to a$or on the wa of the nation

$ecame irresisti$e. The! set off earier than the! needed- haf the "ia#e accompanied

them for on# distances. Groups of peope with $anners and streamers wa"in# were on

a the roads- ne"er $efore had the! seen how #reat and rich and $eautifu and worth!

of o"e their countr! was. E"er! feow countr!man was a $rother for whom one was$uidin# a wa of protection% and who woud return ifeon# than's for it with a he


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had and did. 6nit!7 6nit!7 8houder to shouder% a rin# of $rothers% a current of $ood

no on#er confined within the narrow circuation of one $od!% $ut sweet! roin# and

!et e"er returnin# throu#hout the endess ea#ues of China.

Thus% then% the s!stem of piecemea construction $ecomes comprehensi$e-

*a#e +,9$ut there were sti other reasons for it as we. Nor is there an!thin# odd in m!

pausin# o"er this uestion for so on#- it is one of the crucia pro$ems in the whoe

$uidin# of the wa% unimportant as it ma! appear at first #ance. If I am to con"e! and

ma'e understanda$e the ideas and feein#s of that time I cannot #o deep! enou#h

into this "er! uestion.

First% then% it must $e said that in those da!s thin#s were achie"ed scarce!

inferior to the construction of the Tower of (a$e% athou#h as re#ards di"ine appro"a%

at east accordin# to human rec'onin#% stron#! at "ariance with that wor'. I sa! this

$ecause durin# the ear! da!s of $uidin# a schoar wrote a $oo' in which he drew the

comparison in the most e/hausti"e wa!. In it he tried to pro"e that the Tower of (a$e

faied to reach its #oa% not $ecause of the reasons uni"ersa! ad"anced% or at east that

amon# those reco#ni:ed reasons the most important of a was not to $e found. His

proofs were drawn not mere! from written documents and reports- he aso caimed to

ha"e made inuiries on the spot% and to ha"e disco"ered that the tower faied and was

$ound to fai $ecause of the wea'ness of the foundation. In this respect at an! rate our

a#e was "ast! superior to that ancient one. Amost e"er! educated man of our time

was a mason $! profession and infai$e in the matter of a!in# foundations. That%

howe"er% was not what our schoar was concerned to pro"e- for he maintained that the

Great Wa aone woud pro"ide for the first time in the histor! of man'ind a secure

foundation for a new Tower of (a$e. First the wa% therefore% and then the tower. His

$oo' was in e"er!$od!2s hands at that time% $ut I admit that e"en toda! I cannot uite

ma'e out how he concei"ed this tower. How coud the wa% which did not form e"en a

circe% $ut on! a sort of uarter; or haf;circe% pro"ide the foundation for a tower0

That coud o$"ious! $e meant on! in a spiritua sense. (ut in that case wh! $uid the

actua wa% which after a was somethin# concrete% the resut of the ifeon# a$or of

mutitudes of peope0 And wh! were there in the $oo' pans% somewhat ne$uous

pans% it must $e admitted% of the tower% and proposas wor'ed out in detai formo$ii:in# the peope2s ener#ies for the stupendous new wor'0


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*a#e +1< There were man! wid ideas in peope2s heads at that time ;; this schoar2s $oo'

is on! one e/ampe ;; perhaps simp! $ecause so man! were tr!in# to )oin forces as far

as the! coud for the achie"ement of a sin#e aim. Human nature% essentia!

chan#ea$e% unsta$e as the dust% can endure no restraint- if it $inds itsef it soon

$e#ins to tear mad! at its $onds% unti it rends e"er!thin# asunder% the wa% the $onds%

and its "er! sef.

It is possi$e that these "er! considerations% which miitated a#ainst the

$uidin# of the wa at a% were not eft out of account $! the hi#h command when the

s!stem of piecemea construction was decided on. We ;; and here I spea' in the name

of man! peope ;; did not rea! 'now ourse"es unti we had carefu! scrutini:ed the

decrees of the hi#h command% when we disco"ered that without the hi#h command

neither our $oo' earnin# nor our human understandin# woud ha"e sufficed for the

hum$e tas's which we performed in the #reat whoe. In the office of the command ;;

where it was and who sat there no one whom I ha"e as'ed 'new then or 'nows now ;;

in that office one ma! $e certain that a human thou#hts and desires re"o"ed in a

circe% and a human aims and fufiments in a countercirce. And throu#h the

window the refected spendors of di"ine words fe on the hands of the eaders as the!

traced their pans.

And for that reason the incorrupti$e o$ser"er must hod that the command% if

it had serious! desired it% coud aso ha"e o"ercome those difficuties that pre"ented a

s!stem of continuous construction. There remains% therefore% nothin# $ut the

concusion that the command dei$erate! chose the s!stem of piecemea

construction. (ut the piecemea construction was on! a ma'eshift and therefore

ine/pedient. Remains the concusion that the command wied somethin# ine/pedient.

8tran#e concusion7 True% and !et in one respect it has much to $e said for it. One can

perhaps safe! discuss it now. In those da!s man! peope% and amon# them the $est%

had a secret ma/im which ran& Tr! with a !our mi#ht to comprehend the decrees of

the hi#h command% $ut on! up to a certain point- then a"oid further meditation. A

*a#e +1="er! wise ma/im% which moreo"er was ea$orated in a para$e that was ater often

uoted& A"oid further meditation% $ut not $ecause it mi#ht $e harmfu- it is not at a

certain that it woud $e harmfu. What is harmfu or not harmfu has nothin# to dowith the uestion. Consider rather the ri"er in sprin#. It rises unti it #rows mi#htier


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and nourishes more rich! the soi on the on# stretch of its $an's% sti maintainin# its

own course unti it reaches the sea% where it is a the more wecome $ecause it is a

worthier a!. Thus far ma! !ou ur#e !our meditations on the decrees of the hi#h

command. (ut after that the ri"er o"erfows its $an's% oses outine and shape% sows

down the speed of its current% tries to i#nore its destin! $! formin# itte seas in the

interior of the and% dama#es the fieds% and !et cannot maintain itsef for on# in its

new e/panse% $ut must run $ac' $etween its $an's a#ain% must e"en dr! up wretched!

in the hot season that present! foows. Thus far ma! !ou not ur#e !our meditations

on the decrees of the hi#h command.

Now thou#h this para$e ma! ha"e had e/traordinar! point and force durin#

the $uidin# of the wa% it has at most on! a restricted ree"ance for m! present essa!.

3! inuir! is pure! historica- no i#htnin# fashes an! on#er from the on# since

"anished thundercouds% and so I ma! "enture to see' for an e/panation of the s!stem

of piecemea construction which #oes farther than the one that contented peope then.

The imits that m! capacit! for thou#ht imposes upon me are narrow enou#h% $ut the

pro"ince to $e tra"ersed here is infinite.

A#ainst whom was the Great Wa to ser"e as a protection0 A#ainst the peope

of the north. Now% I come from the southeast of China. No northern peope can

menace us there. We read of them in the $oo's of the ancients- the crueties the!

commit in accordance with their nature ma'e us si#h in our peacefu ar$ors. The

faithfu representations of the artist show us these faces of the damned% their #apin#

mouths% their )aws furnished with #reat pointed teeth% their haf;shut e!es that aread!

seem to $e see'in# out the "ictim which their )aws wi rend and de"our. When our

chidren are unru! we show them these pictures% and at once the! f! weepin# into

*a#e +1+our arms. (ut nothin# more than that do we 'now a$out these northerners. We

ha"e

not seen them% and if we remain in our "ia#es we sha ne"er see them% e"en if on

their wid horses the! shoud ride as hard as the! can strai#ht toward us ;; the and is

too "ast and woud not et them reach us% the! woud end their course in the empt!

air.

Wh!% then% since that is so% did we ea"e our homes% the stream with its $rid#es%our mothers and fathers% our weepin# wi"es% our chidren who needed our care% and


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depart for the distant cit! to $e trained there% whie our thou#hts )ourne!ed sti

farther awa! to the wa in the north0 Wh!0 A uestion for the hi#h command. Our

eaders 'now us. The!% a$sor$ed in #i#antic an/ieties% 'now of us% 'now our pett!

pursuits% see us sittin# to#ether in our hum$e huts% and appro"e or disappro"e the

e"enin# pra!er which the father of the house recites in the midst of his fami!. And if I

ma! $e aowed to e/press such ideas a$out the hi#h command% then I must sa! that in

m! opinion the hi#h command has e/isted from od time% and was not assem$ed% sa!%

i'e a #atherin# of mandarins summoned hasti! to discuss some$od!2s fine dream in a

conference as hasti! terminated% so that that "er! e"enin# the peope are drummed

out of their $eds to carr! out what has $een decided% e"en if it shoud $e nothin# $ut

an iumination in honor of a #od who ma! ha"e shown #reat fa"or to their masters the

da! $efore% on! to dri"e them into some dar' corner with cud#e $ows tomorrow%

amost $efore the iuminations ha"e died down. Far rather do I $eie"e that the hi#h

command has e/isted from a eternit!% and the decision to $uid the wa i'ewise.

6nwittin# peopes of the north% who ima#ined the! were the cause of it7 Honest%

unwittin# Emperor% who ima#ined he decreed it7 We $uiders of the wa 'now that it

was not so and hod our ton#ues.

4urin# the $uidin# of the wa and e"er since to this "er! da! I ha"e occupied

m!sef amost e/cusi"e! with the comparati"e histor! of races ;; there are certain

uestions that one can pro$e to the marrow% as it were% on! $! this method ;; and I

ha"e disco"ered that we Chinese possess certain fo' and poitica institutions that are

*a#e +1>uniue in their carit!% others a#ain uniue in their o$scurit!. The desire to trace the

cause of these phenomena% especia! the atter% has awa!s intri#ued me and intri#ues

me sti% and the $uidin# of the wa is itsef essentia! in"o"ed with these pro$ems.

Now one of the most o$scure of our institutions is that of the empire itsef. In

*e'in#% natura!% at the imperia court% there is some carit! to $e found on this

su$)ect% thou#h e"en that is more iusi"e than rea. Aso the teachers of poitica aw

and histor! in the schoos of hi#her earnin# caim to $e e/act! informed on these

matters% and to $e capa$e of passin# on their 'nowed#e to their students. The farther

one descends amon# the ower schoos the more% natura! enou#h% does one find

teachers2 and pupis2 dou$ts of their own 'nowed#e "anishin#% and superficia cuturemountin# s'!;hi#h around a few precepts that ha"e $een dried into peope2s minds


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for centuries% precepts which% thou#h the! ha"e ost nothin# of their eterna truth%

remain eterna! in"isi$e in this fo# of confusion.

(ut it is precise! this uestion of the empire which in m! opinion the common

peope shoud $e as'ed to answer% since after a the! are the empire2s fina support.

Here% I must confess% I can on! spea' once more for m! nati"e pace. E/cept for the

nature #ods% and their ritua which fis the whoe !ear in such $eautifu and rich

aternation% we thin' on! a$out the Emperor. (ut not a$out the present one- or rather

we woud thin' a$out the present one if we 'new who he was or 'new an!thin#

definite a$out him. True ;; and it is the soe curiosit! that fis us ;; we are awa!s

tr!in# to #et information on this su$)ect% $ut% stran#e as it ma! sound% it is amost

impossi$e to disco"er an!thin#% either from pi#rims% thou#h the! ha"e wandered

throu#h much of our and% or from near or distant "ia#es% or from saiors% thou#h

the! ha"e na"i#ated not on! our itte stream% $ut aso the sacred ri"ers. One hears a

#reat man! thin#s% true% $ut can #ather nothin# definite.

8o "ast is our and that no fa$e coud do )ustice to its "astness% the hea"ens can

scarce! span it ;; and *e'in# is on! a dot in it% and the imperia paace ess than a dot.

*a#e +1?The Emperor as such% on the other hand% is mi#ht! throu#hout a the hierarchies of

the word& admitted. (ut the e/istent Emperor% a man i'e us% ies much i'e us on a

couch which is of #enerous proportions% perhaps% and !et "er! possi$! ma! $e uite

narrow and short. Li'e us he sometimes stretches himsef and when he is "er! tired

!awns with his deicate! cut mouth. (ut how shoud we 'now an!thin# a$out that ;;

thousands of mies awa! in the south ;; amost on the $orders of the Ti$etan

Hi#hands0 And $esides% an! tidin#s% e"en if the! did reach us% woud arri"e far too

ate% woud ha"e $ecome o$soete on# $efore the! reached us. The Emperor is awa!s

surrounded $! a $riiant and !et am$i#uous thron# of no$es and courtiers ;; maice

and enmit! in the #uise of ser"ants and friends ;; who form a counterwei#ht to the

imperia power and perpetua! a$or to unseat the ruer from his pace with poisoned

arrows. The Empire is immorta% $ut the Emperor himsef totters and fas from his

throne% !es% whoe d!nasties sin' in the end and $reathe their ast in one death ratte.

Of these stru##es and sufferin#s the peope wi ne"er 'now- i'e tard! arri"as% i'e

stran#ers in a cit!% the! stand at the end of some dense! thron#ed side streetpeacefu! munchin# the food the! ha"e $rou#ht with them% whie far awa! in front% in


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the 3ar'et 8uare at the heart of the cit!% the e/ecution of their ruer is proceedin#.

There is a para$e that descri$es this situation "er! we& The Emperor% so it

runs% has sent a messa#e to !ou% the hum$e su$)ect% the insi#nificant shadow cowerin#

in the remotest distance $efore the imperia sun- the Emperor from his death$ed has

sent a messa#e to !ou aone. He has commanded the messen#er to 'nee down $! the

$ed% and has whispered the messa#e to him- so much store did he a! on it that he

ordered the messen#er to whisper it $ac' into his ear a#ain. Then $! a nod of the head

he has confirmed that it is ri#ht. @es% $efore the assem$ed spectators of his death ;; a

the o$structin# was ha"e $een $ro'en down% and on the spacious and ofti!

mountin# open staircases stand in a rin# the #reat princes of the Empire ;; $efore a

these he has dei"ered his messa#e. The messen#er immediate! sets out on his

)ourne!- a powerfu% an indefati#a$e man- now pushin# with his ri#ht arm% now with

his eft% he cea"es a wa! for himsef throu#h the thron#- if he encounters resistance he

*a#e +1points to his $reast% where the s!m$o of the sun #itters- the wa! is made easier for

him than it woud $e for an! other man. (ut the mutitudes are so "ast- their num$ers

ha"e no end. If he coud reach the open fieds how fast he woud f!% and soon

dou$tess !ou woud hear the wecome hammerin# of his fists on !our door. (ut

instead how "ain! does he wear out his stren#th- sti he is on! ma'in# his wa!

throu#h the cham$ers of the innermost paace- ne"er wi he #et to the end of them-

and if he succeeded in that nothin# woud $e #ained- he must ne/t fi#ht his wa! down

the stair- and if he succeeded in that nothin# woud $e #ained- the courts woud sti

ha"e to $e crossed- and after the courts the second outer paace- and once more stairs

and courts- and once more another paace- and so on for thousands of !ears- and if at

ast he shoud $urst throu#h the outermost #ate ;; $ut ne"er% ne"er can that happen ;;

the imperia capita woud ie $efore him% the center of the word% crammed to

$urstin# with its own sediment. No$od! coud fi#ht his wa! throu#h here e"en with a

messa#e from a dead man. (ut !ou sit at !our window when e"enin# fas and dream it

to !oursef.

Bust so% as hopeess! and as hopefu!% do our peope re#ard the Emperor. The!

do not 'now what Emperor is rei#nin#% and there e/ist dou$ts re#ardin# e"en the

name of the d!nast!. In schoo a #reat dea is tau#ht a$out the d!nasties with the datesof succession% $ut the uni"ersa uncertaint! in this matter is so #reat that e"en the $est


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schoars are drawn into it. Lon#;dead emperors are set on the throne in our "ia#es%

and one that on! i"es on in son# recent! had a procamation of his read out $! the

priest $efore the atar. (attes that are od histor! are new to us% and one2s nei#h$or

rushes in with a )u$iant face to te the news. The wi"es of the emperors% pampered

and o"erweenin#% seduced from no$e custom $! wi! courtiers% swein# with

am$ition% "ehement in their #reed% uncontroa$e in their ust% practice their

a$ominations e"er anew. The more deep! the! are $uried in time the more #arin# are

the coors in which their deeds are painted% and with a oud cr! of woe our "ia#e

e"entua! hears how an Empress dran' her hus$and2s $ood in on# drau#hts

thousands of !ears a#o.

*a#e +1, Thus% then% do our peope dea with departed emperors% $ut the i"in# ruer

the! confuse amon# the dead. If once% on! once in a man2s ifetime% an imperia

officia on his tour of the pro"inces shoud arri"e $! chance at our "ia#e% ma'e

certain announcements in the name of the #o"ernment% scrutini:e the ta/ ists%

e/amine the schoo chidren% inuire of the priest re#ardin# our doin#s and affairs% and

then% $efore he steps into his sedan chair% shoud sum up his impressions in "er$ose

admonitions to the assem$ed commune ;; then a smie fits o"er e"er! face% peope

throw surreptitious #ances at each other% and $end o"er their chidren so as not to $e

o$ser"ed $! the officia. Wh!% the! thin' to themse"es% he2s spea'in# of a dead man as

if he were ai"e% this Emperor of his died on# a#o% the d!nast! is $otted out% the #ood

officia is ha"in# his )o'e with us% $ut we wi $eha"e as if we did not notice it% so as not

to offend him. (ut we sha o$e! in earnest no one $ut our present ruer% for not to do

so woud $e a crime. And $ehind the departin# sedan chair of the officia there rises in

mi#ht as ruer of the "ia#e some fi#ure fortuitous! e/ated from an urn aread!

crum$ed to dust.

8imiar! our peope are $ut itte affected $! re"outions in the state or

contemporar! wars. I reca an incident in m! !outh. A re"ot had $ro'en out in a

nei#h$orin#% $ut !et uite distant% pro"ince. What caused it I can no on#er remem$er%

nor is it of an! importance now- occasions for re"ot can $e found there an! da!% the

peope are an e/cita$e peope. We% one da! a eafet pu$ished $! the re$es was

$rou#ht to m! father2s house $! a $e##ar who had crossed that pro"ince. It happenedto $e a feast da!% our rooms were fied with #uests% the priest sat in the center and


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studied the sheet. 8udden! e"er!$od! started to au#h% in the confusion the sheet was

torn% the $e##ar% who howe"er had aread! recei"ed a$undant ams% was dri"en out of

the room with $ows% the #uests dispersed to en)o! the $eautifu da!. Wh!0 The diaect

of this nei#h$orin# pro"ince differs in some essentia respects from ours% and this

difference occurs aso in certain turns of the written word% which for us ha"e an

archaic character. Hard! had the priest read two pa#es $efore we had come to our

decision. Ancient histor! tod on# a#o% od sorrows on# since heaed. And thou#h ;;

*a#e +11so it seems to me in recoection ;; the #ruesomeness of the i"in# present was

irrefuta$! con"e!ed $! the $e##ar2s words% we au#hed and shoo' our heads and

refused to isten an! on#er. 8o ea#er are our peope to o$iterate the present.

If from such appearances an!one shoud draw the concusion that in reait! we

ha"e no Emperor% he woud not $e far from the truth. O"er and o"er a#ain it must $e

repeated& There is perhaps no peope more faithfu to the Emperor than ours in the

south% $ut the Emperor deri"es no ad"anta#e from our fideit!. True% the sacred

dra#on stands on the itte coumn at the end of our "ia#e% and e"er since the

$e#innin# of human memor! it has $reathed out its fier! $reath in the direction of

*e'in# in to'en of homa#e ;; $ut *e'in# itsef is far stran#er to the peope in our

"ia#e than the ne/t word. Can there rea! $e a "ia#e where the houses stand side $!

side% co"erin# a the fieds for a #reater distance than one can see from our his% and

can there $e dense crowds of peope pac'ed $etween these houses da! and ni#ht0 We

find it more difficut to picture such a cit! than to $eie"e that *e'in# and its Emperor

are one% a coud% sa!% peacefu! "o!a#in# $eneath the sun in the course of the a#es.

Now the resut of hodin# such opinions is a ife on the whoe free and

unconstrained. (! no means immora% howe"er- hard! e"er ha"e I found in m! tra"es

such pure moras as in m! nati"e "ia#e. (ut !et a ife that is su$)ect to no

contemporar! aw% and attends on! to the e/hortations and warnin#s that come to us

from oden times.

I #uard a#ainst #enerai:ations% and do not assert that in a the ten thousand

"ia#es in m! pro"ince it is so% far ess in a the fi"e hundred pro"inces of China. @et

perhaps I ma! "enture to assert on the $asis of the man! writin#s on this su$)ect

which I ha"e read% as we as from m! own o$ser"ation ;; the $uidin# of the wa inparticuar% with its a$undance of human materia% pro"ided a man of sensi$iit! with


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the opportunit! of tra"ersin# the sous of amost a the pro"inces ;; on the $asis of a

this% then% perhaps I ma! "enture to assert that the pre"aiin# attitude to the Emperor

*a#e +15shows persistent! and uni"ersa! somethin# fundamenta! in common with that

of

our "ia#e. Now I ha"e no wish whate"er to represent this attitude as a "irtue- on the

contrar!. True% the essentia responsi$iit! for it ies with the #o"ernment% which in the

most ancient empire in the word has not !et succeeded in de"eopin#% or has

ne#ected to de"eop% the institution of the empire to such precision that its wor'in#s

e/tend direct! and unceasin#! to the farthest frontiers of the and. On the other

hand% howe"er% there is aso in"o"ed a certain fee$eness of faith and ima#inati"e

power on the part of the peope% that pre"ents them from raisin# the empire out of its

sta#nation in *e'in# and caspin# it in a its papa$e i"in# reait! to their own

$reasts% which !et desire nothin# $etter than $ut once to fee that touch and then to

die.

This attitude then is certain! no "irtue. A the more remar'a$e is it that this

"er! wea'ness shoud seem to $e one of the #reatest unif!in# infuences amon# our

peope- indeed% if one ma! dare to use the e/pression% the "er! #round on which we

i"e. To set a$out esta$ishin# a fundamenta defect here woud mean underminin#

not on! our consciences% $ut% what is far worse% our feet. And for that reason I sha

not proceed an! further at this sta#e with m! inuir! into these uestions.

kineski zid-- chinese wall kafka

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