Poets and Murder

As regards some aspects of Chinese literary life mentioned in this story, it may be worth reminding the reader that for nearly two thousand years in China competitive literary ex­aminations constituted the principal gate to a government career. Every citizen could take part in these examinations, and although, naturally, the sons of the well-to-do had better opportunities to prepare themselves for these tests than the sons of poor families, the fact that everyone who passed, re­gardless of social status and private means, was given an official appointment at once, lent the government system a democratic touch, and had a levelling influence on Chinese society. Literary achievements played a predominant role in social life, and among those calligraphy ranked very high; higher, as a matter of fact, than painting. This will be readily understood if one remembers that Chinese characters are largely ideographs which are painted rather than written; one can legitimately compare calligraphy with Western ab­stract painting.

The three creeds of China were Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, the latter having been introduced into China from India in the first century A.D. Most officials were Confucian-ists with a sympathetic interest in Taoism, but largely anti-Buddhist. In the seventh century, however, a new Buddhist sect was introduced from India, which in China was called the Ch'an sect, and it absorbed many Taoist elements; it de­nied the Buddha as a saviour and declared all holy books useless, teaching that enlightenment must be found within one's own self. This doctrine was favoured by Chinese eclectic literati, and became popular also in Japan where it is known as Zen. Sexton Loo of the present novel was a Zen monk.

Chinese fox-lore dates from before the beginning of our era, and throughout the ages figured largely in Chinese litera­ture. For more information on fox-magic I refer to The Reli-ligious System of China, the monumental work by the Dutch sinologue Prof. J. J. M. de Groot, Volume V, Book 2, pp. 576-600 (E. J. Brill, Leyden, 1910).

In Judge Dee's time the Chinese did not wear pigtails. That custom was imposed upon them after 1644 A.D. when the Manchus had conquered China. The men did their hair up in a top-knot, and they wore caps both inside and outside the house, taking their head gear off only when going to bed. To confront another person with one's head uncovered was a grave insult, the only exception being Taoist recluses and Buddhist priests. In the present novel this point is brought out in the murder of the student Soong.

In the Tang dynasty the Chinese did not smoke. Tobacco and opium were introduced into China many centuries after Judge Dee's time.