The celebration of the birthday of Confucius as a national holiday, and the holding of special commemorative ceremonies at the tomb of the Sage at Chu-fu and at the country's capital by decree of the National Government must be considered as amongst the most significant events in the recent history of the Republic of China. It marks a very definite reactionary trend in the political life of the country and in the ideas of both its leaders and its people.

It is less than five years since the National Government, in Decem-ber, 1920., issued a mandate ordering that the name of the temples erected in honour of Confucius throughout China should be changed from Ta Ch'eng Tien or Hall of Supreme Excellence, to k'ung Tzu Miao or Temple of Confucius. It was also decreed that the names of the Hsien Ju or Senior Scholars, men of great literarv distinction and high repute of the past, altogether numbering ninety - seven, should be cancelled. The Hall of Supreme Excellence was said to have been based on feudalism, and this action on the part of the National Government marked the rising tide of popular feeling in China against old traditions and customs which reached its optimum at about that time.

The new Life Movement, launched early in the present year by Generalissimo Chiang Kai.shek and his associates, is said to be based on the teachings of Confucius, and may be considered as the first outward sign of the return of the Chinese people to the philosophy and ethical code of their forefathers, having as its culmination the ceremonies held on August 27 in commemoration of the birthday of the Great Sage.

A Government delegation of thirty-two prominent officials, headed by Mr. Yeh Cho-tsang, the General Secretary of the Standing Committee of the Central Executive Committee, visited Chu-fu, and there, in the Hall of Supreme Excellence, conducted the grand commemorative ceremonies, subsequently visiting and laying wreaths upon the grave of Confucius; while at Nanking Mr. Wang Ching-wei, President of the Executive Yuan, and other high officials attended a similar commemor- ative service, when speeches were made extolling the great teacher of the sixth century before the Christian era.

Confucius was born in the year 550 B.C., that is to say, some 2,485 years ago, and won immortal fame by his remarkable life and teachings. He lived in a period of constant internecine warfare between the rulers of many rival states, and noted with sorrow the sufferings of the people, as he journeyed from state to state with his disciples, seeking a ruler who would listen to his doctrines. Failing in his quest, he retired into seclusion, devoting himself to the writing of the Four Classics. Although he made little impression with his teachings during his own lifetime, these subsequently became the guiding principles of Chinese political and social life, helping to build up a great empire that imposed its civilization and culture upon the savage tribes by which it was surrounded.

To.day conditions in China are very similar to those which existed in the Great Philospher's time: is it too much to say largely as a result of the abandoning of his teachings It would almost seem that such is the belief of the country's present leaders, and so we see this move-ment back to Confucius. Let us hope it will have the desired effect of restoring China once more to a state of law and order, peace and plenty, for certainly something is needed if this country is ever to recover the greatness that was hers during such periods as the Han and T'ang Dynasties.