The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-06-03
CHINESE CORRESPONDENCE.

ChlNESE CORhESPONDENCE.
Airport is in circulation in the papers, on the a-
thority of gentleman who has lately returned
from China, that the Emperor Taou Kwang has adj
dressed to the President Of the United States letter
of surprising dimensions, not less than six feet long
and three feet wide! Though the letter is said to be
witten both in the Chinese and Manchu Tartar
languages, it must not be imagined that its extraor-
tents Generally, the size Of Chinese document is
in proportion to the importance of the subject it
treats Of to the rank and dignity Of the writer and
of the person to whom 1t is addressed. When Mr..
Gushing was negotiating with the Chinese author
ites the communications he received from Ching
and XII Wing were each about t,co feet and halt long,
and foot ,oide tcyen in rery large characters
Every Chinese despatch is inclosed in bag of
thick paper, carefully closed with paste. The adj
dress, well the name and titles of the person
who sends it, end the date, written on the out
side. The Chinese date their documents Of pub
lie and private transactions from the year Of the
reignof the living Emperor.
In their correspondence they attach great import
to certain words, by which they designate their
letters and which used according to the rank OF
those whom they address. A great magistrate, for
instance, writing to his equal in rank, styles his
episte chaou schuy, luminous communication. A
superior writing to his inferior in rank, calls yi
ling, an imperative command; and an inferior officer
addressing his superior, must designate il with the
character pisn, humble statement. The dispatches
addressed to Mr.. Gushing were luminous commune
cations showing that the ambassador the nation Of
the "fowery fag' was considered the equal of the
highest statesmen of the central howery empire;''
an admission but Of recent date, and sufficiently in
dcatng the revolution which has taken place in the
ideas Of the Chinese regarding foreign nations. But,
in addressing foreigners, they careful to ascer-
tain their respective ranks, in order to observe the
prescribed etiquette respecting the dimensions and
style of their letters. In the Of the negota-
tons with the American commissioner, Ching, the
governor of Canton, addressed letter Of the
gentlemen attached TO the mission. II of small
er size than those addressed to the commissioner,
and bore the mark of neither luminous commu-
ncation" nor an imperative commando II was
marked with the character Cha, instructive COM
position.
Documents issued from the nuy-ko Cor cabinet) in
the name Of the Emperor, are styled shang-ya SUI
preme commands. Sometimes, also, they are pro.
mulgated as shing-ch, the sacred will. The manda-
rim who receives such documents must before open
ing them, burn incense and PROSTATE himself thrice,
and knock his head nine times on the ground.
The Chinese government attaches much inn
portance to the observance of the formalites used
in their correspondence, that clause to that effect
has been entered in the treaties lately concluded by
it with foreign nations as appears from the treaties
with Great Britain and France which have been
published. According to this clause, public agents
of foreign governments in corresponding with Chi
officers of equal rank, are bound to address to
them luminous communications" but foreign mer-
chants writing to Chinese magistrate, of whatever
rank, must address pien, or humble statement.
The Chinese write in perpendicular columns from
the top to the bottom of the page, and proceeding
from the right hand to the left. II is with them
point of civty, in addressing letter, TO begin
column, and place the Of the person addressed
whenever it occurs, line or two higher than the
rest of the writing, whether it be in the beginning
midi I'D or end Of the sentence. There is, perhaps,
no htry in the world where so many titles,
terms Of respect and expressions of poteness, are
in use as in China. From the Emperor down to
the poorest aborer people treat each other in the
hyperbolica style There are some words, how
ever, which can never be addressed to any other
person except the Emperor. Amongst these are
the singular expressions of van suy, ten thousand
years; 20 hia steps below; klpang slang, august
supreme These expressions are used as the word
"sre" is in certain countries of Europe. He is also
called item tsz the of Heaven; but this far
know, is never made use of in his presence, nor in
documents directly addressed to him. When the
Emperor speaks in the first person, he always uses
very modest language; he calls himself k,oa jim,
destitute man.
A governor of province has the title offa jim, q
great man; the magistrate Of chao,, district, is
called lay Ian yay great venerable father the project
Of HEN, or part Of district, is addressed as tay
yay, eminent father.
In tile streets of Canton and about Macao, one
frequently hears laborers and coolies salute each
other with the title of sisn sang, schoomaster.
In their letters people of the poorer class use very
singular form Of politeness; in place OF the express
sons, ''your obedient servant" used among us, a
Chinese subscribes himself yen te, stupid younger
brother.
Confidential notes of the Chinese are written on
very fine paper, ornamented with drawings of land
scapes and fantastic figures.
In former times, the Chinese government used ia
assume the title Of item chao the celestial court, this
however has of late been Abandoned and the more
modest style Of ia tsing, the great pure dynasty
is used in the documents addressed to foreign.
ers. I'll.