American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-10-28

MihLb SOpllINp'S u MI YIN I hlNA-lN
PTERESTISG ACCOUNT OF THE CHINESE.
The Hon. Caleb Gushing, late Commissioner
China, delivered an interesting lecture at
pston, last week, descriptive Of the customs,
|anners and attainments of the inhabitants Of
e 'ccnirAl fiowery land" He began by show
{: in how many respects the Chinese are an
podcs. He said:
TO an European or an American, Just land
in China, every thing appears strange. He
ds himself not only at the antipodes, physi-
lily speaking, but at the antipodes in moral
nse. He sees around HIM countless myriads
men in strange sarb, and with a general
pearance unlike to all that to which he has
retO!Ore been accustomed. He observes the
psf studied uniformity among the various
Isses, and the progress Of every thing which
Is under his observation, so slow and so un-
|ried, strikes him in singular contrast with
: own changing manners and locomotive
BED. 4 thousand things admonsh him that
is in a strange land. He hears the constant
ladi1g Of gongs, he observes innumerable
ats on the rivers, the dwelling places Of mil
ms Of Chinese; carts moved on land by sails,
WILL as boats on the water. If the pilot looks
the compass to direct his course upon the
Yep, he looks to the pointing OF the south pole
If lie receives letter he will find ii written
lines from top to bottom Of the sheet, read
/ from right to left, with the date at the bot
|n Of tho l3tter-no a lphabet being used but
geographic characters. The mourning, instead
being black, AS with US, is white with the
incfG--the shoe is even Whitencd with some
hist IN !, oil ttr oF
css,
He sees the saucer placed on the cup, in
I'D Of the cup on the saUcer--shuttlo cocks
yed with the feet instead of the hands-ld
~ feet compressed, instead Of their waists
YES of book cut open and trimmed on the
~ person swimming strikes his hands
2ticailY and not horizontally -the top Of the
ld shaved--and when friend meets you in
street, he docs not shake your hands, but
bikes his hands at you--the infantry armed
til match-locks, the cavalry WITH the bow
d ar!Ow-and Coloael at the head Of his
Eimcnt not unffeqnenty brandishing pan
tead Of a sword. He will not only note
csc exterior forms of difference, but will learn
It nobility is not inherited from the father by
son, but rather, if one may so speak, by the
her from the son-good deeds rejecting back
OF remote ancestry. Corruption of blood,
crimes committed, affects ancestors long
les dead and gone, though it does no. neces-
lily affect posterty. All these things will
ike one, upoa a cursory view;-but it is Just
treat the subject in a different manner, or
us'ice viii DO done 10 great and polished
pple.
The prominent, and it may be said, almost
only, principle of government is the pater-
Ielation-the emperor is called the father Of
people, and the idea of the patcrnal relation
us through all the habits, laws, and customs
the people. II is a fiction notwithstanding,
beautiful one.
The radical idea in the social organization OF
Chinese, ID veneIation of parents Annual
erngs are made at the graves of their ances-
s, and children are most relentless!y punish
by their parents for any dsrespect shown to
Yn.
fhe functions Of Government are protested
ana, in truth, TO great degree, bestowed
therit, intellectual and moral. All offices
opon to all men, and hereditary rulers or
Eislators, like those of Europe, are unknown.
tular rank is indeed possessed by some iami-
>, but it is unaccompanied by power; and the
,hest estimation is conferred upon virtue and
ming.
Public opinion is as much regarded in China
in Great Britain, or the United States
ewspapers abound, and are read as much as
this country. The Chinese have their red
ok, as we have our blue book. Pamphlets,
ofed arguments are published as with US,
in farther analogy, periodical addresses are
hde by the sovereign to the people, which,
viewer, inculcate morals as we'll as politics.
The stated agricultural festivals are great
ture with the Chinese--it is at these times
bit the Emperor drives the plough before his
loIe Court, an example to his subjects
The works OF CONTIGUOUS are read by all,
d their influence on the public mind is I'M
unded. They publish as much, and as cheap
az in the United States; and the people
I'd and write as generally as they do in this
untry.
They have vast collections of books, and a
re catalogue OF the Imperial Library, in Mr..
Ehing's possession, comprises ten volumes,
ina had for ages cultivated the arts, litera-
Re, and the sciences. The language ofCon-