Note 326 — Chapter XI · CLASSICAL LITERATURE OF THE CHINESE.

It may here be remarked that the terms tsz’ or fu-tsz’ do not properly form a part of the name, but are titles, meaning rabbi or eminent teacher, and are added to the surnames of some of the most distinguished writers, by way of peculiar distinction; and in the words Mencius and Confucius have been Latinized with Măng and Kung, names of the persons themselves, into one word. The names of other distinguished scholars, as Chu fu-tsz’, Ching fu-tsz’, etc., have not undergone this change into Chufucius, Chingfucius; but usage has now brought the compellation for these two men into universal use as a distinctive title, somewhat like the term venerable applied to Bede.