Short bio: Studied in Japan and England. Mother, with Mrs. Archibald Little, organized the Anti-Foot-Binding Society in Shanghai and Ningpo. Father, formerly the general officer of a steamer, was then the general manager of China’s greatest colliery.
Seldom if ever have I enjoyed such pleasure as I feel at being privileged to speak, imperfect as it may be, on my native country before such an audience. But being a world-despised Chinaman, I could not help feeling when I cast my eyes upon myself how unworthy I am for such a great honour. Nevertheless I am unwilling not to make use of this great chance and say something which I hope may lead us to understand each other more and better.
Since I came to this country, I have found that most of the people here in England have a very poor idea of the Chinese, in other words, you think we are barbarians or uncivilized people. China has been dubbed "The sick man of the Far East," "The Sleeping Lion," "The Tottery Empire," and other names more or less picturesque and complimentary have been bestowed upon her.
With some people, it is the conviction that China has only a historical interest, that her glory is of the past that the leopard may change its spots, but China remains for ever in her ruts ; the same yesterday, to-day, and to-morrow. But while this gloomy picture of the state of affairs might have been partly true of China in the time past, it is no longer true now. The sick man is rapidly convalescent, the sleeping lion is awake, and the hoary and tottery empire has had new blood injected into her system. China is moving and she is moving with a rapidity difficult for one who has not personally witnessed the wonderful changes to understand and realise.
Repeated defeats at the hands of the foreign Powers soon convinced our people of the futility of matching bows and arrows against modern guns and explosives, whilst our wooden junks went down before the onslaught of armoured cruisers and battleships like wheat before the scythe….
In passing, I may say that all the books written by the foreign authors on China as she is are mostly out of date, with the exception of a very few published in recent years. These books have only a historical value now, and can no longer be regarded as guides or indexes of the situation in the Far East. The changes that have taken place are kaleidoscopic in rapidity and mysterious in character, so that even a native of the land, unless he is a keen observer, gets bewildered and is left behind in the swiftly moving onward progress of my country.
Lu, C.C., of Ningpo, China “China and England: a Lecture Delivered at Sheffield University,” Sheffield Independent Press, Sheffield, U.K., 1904
As you know, not many years ago, your Indian traders sent opium to our country. We observed that the use of the drug was destroying the health and morals of our people, and therefore we prohibited it. But to please your traders your Government made our action an excuse for war. Was this calculated to impress us with a sense of the justice and fair play of the British Nation? We submitted because we had to, we were not a military Power. "The Chinese believe in right," said Sir Robert Hart honestly, “so firmly that they scorn to think it requires to be supported or enforced by might." Yes, it is we, who do not accept it, that practise the Gospel of Peace; it is you who accept it who trample it under foot. And, irony of ironies, it is the nation of Christendom who have to come to us to teach us by sword and fire that right in this world is powerless unless it be supported by might! You have posed as civilized people dealing with barbarians, and this has been your conduct. First you compelled us to receive your missionaries, and when they provoked our people by their ignorant zeal to rise against them you made this an excuse for new depredations, till we not unnaturally have come to believe that the Cross is the pioneer of the sword, and that the only use you have for your religion is as a weapon of war. O, my dear brethren! let me cry out and tell you! "Christianity is a doctrine which is not only for you to believe, to listen to, to read on Sunday in church, but to act according to it at any time and everywhere!"
Listen to my uncle, Dr. Suvong's words. He wrote me and said:"My dear nephew The first thing for a man is to be good, the second is to do good, and then the good God in heaven will reward here and hereafter." These words which I have heard from the East are the true doctrine of Christ, and though we do not preach it, yet we perform it as our duty.
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