child. Hence such names as "happiness", "prosperity",
"longevity", "success", and others, with like propitious import, are
common in China. With regard to girls their names are generally
selected from flowers, fruits, or trees. Particular care is taken not
to use a name which has a bad meaning. In Washington I once met a man
in an elevator whose name was "Coffin". Was I to be blamed for
wondering if the elevator would be my coffin? On another occasion I
met a man whose name was "Death", and as soon as I heard his name I
felt inclined to run away, for I did not wish to die. I am not
superstitious. I have frequently taken dinner with thirteen persons at
the table, and I do not hesitate to start on a journey on a Friday. I
often do things which would not be done by superstitious persons in
China. But to meet a man calling himself "Coffin" or "Death" was too
much for me, and with all my disbelief in superstition I could not help
showing some repugnance to those who bore such names.

Equally important, if not more so, is the selection of a name for a
state or a nation. When the several states of America became
independent they called themselves the "United States of America"--a
very happy idea. The Union was originally composed of thirteen states,
covering about 300,000 square miles; it is now composed of forty-eight
states and three territories, which in area amount to 3,571,492 square
miles, practically as large in extent as China, the oldest nation in
the world. It should be noted that the name is most comprehensive: it
might comprise the entire continent of North and South America. It is
safe to say that the founders of the nation did not choose such a name
without consideration, and doubtless the designation "United States of
America" conceals a deep motive. I once asked a gentleman who said he
was an American whether he had come from South or North America, or
whether he was a Mexican, a Peruvian or a native of any of the
countries in Central America? He replied with emphasis that he was an
American citizen of the United States. I said it might be the United
States of Mexico, or Argentina, or other United States, but he answered
that when he called himself a citizen it could not mean any other than
that of the United States of America. I have asked many other
Americans similar questions and they all have given me replies in the
same way. We Chinese call our nation "The Middle Kingdom"; it was
suppo