The weekly Placer herald., 1852-10-23

L
POSTMASTER.
THE CHINESE New YEAR.-A CORES
pondent Of the N. Y. Commercial .Adver-
tiser, writing from Shanghai, under date of
the 7th of FEBRUARY, gives the following
interesting account of the ceremonies OBJ
served by the celestials, in the Inaugural
ton of the New Year. One very com
mendable custom, not noticed in the
communication, and one that will atone
for some of the tollies alluded to, is that
every Chinanlan is at this time expected
to square up every debt he owes in the
world. If the new year comes without
his having done this, he is effectualy
branded as ii bankrupt, and his credit is
gone forever.
'We are just on the eve of the Chinese
New Year. 1t begins with the first day
OF the first moon after the sun enters Aqua
rius; which occurs this year on the Goth of
February. 1t is a general holiday of the
Chinese people, so far as general cessa-
ton from labw is concerned, it may be
called their annual sabbath, for it is the
only day in the whole year in which the
shops are closed and business of all kinds
is universally suspended. IL does in fact
impress you strongly with the idea Of a
sabbath in d christian land, until you come
to one Of the numerous shrlnes aEd tenn
pies, when the illusion, if you we're in
dalgng It, is at once dispelled by the
painful sight of nultitudes prostrating
themselves before the hdeous images of
clay and wood, and burning incense sticks,
wax candles, and gilt and tin foiled paper
to propitlate these imaginary deities.
The practice of making New Years
calls is carried on as extensively through
out this empire as it is 10y the good people
of Gotham, and can boast an antiquity of
some thousands Of years. 1t has, how
ever, different name. 1t is called wor-
Shipping the year. On this OCCASION, when
a Chnaman meets friend, either at his
own house or in the streets, each clasps
his own hands, instead of the other, and
bows his head nearly to the ground, very
slowly and tremendously number of
times. AS this operation must always he
performed with due solemnity and preci-
sion, whenever one chances to meet his
friends, the narrow streets are sometimes
quite oh>tructed, when two scrupuluu>Iy
polite personages chance to fall in each
others way OH the public thoroughtares.
1t is also ii great occasion for sending
presents-very often, | know from per-
sonal observation-tor the express purpose
OF getting one Of greater value in return.
For Instance, u ChlaIan sends you ham
or shoulder Of mutton, fowl or TWO, and
some vegetables and fruit. You ,noy be
sure he has his eye upon something OF
yours, and if you are at all slow of taking
the hint, he begins to admire your watch.
perchance, and ntlrnates in no unequivo-
cal terms, that it would he acceptable as ii
return for his present. This polite way
of begging is, perhaps, more extensively
practsed IN their intercourse with fore gn-
ers, than among themselves; though it is
by no means certain that it does not pre-
vail as widely in the native circles.
This season is also the Fourth of JULY
of Chinese boys, and for several days pre-
cedng and following the first day OF New
Years, the incessant popping OF tire-crack-
ers, sdouble-headers' ct i'd genus onsne,
would almost make one fancy himself in
the Park at New York on thsr' Fourth, ii
he could only shut his eyes-to the scenes
around him. The nights. too, ARE illumi-
mated 10y sky-rockets, roman candles, min
ature VOLCANOES. and the like; but all infe-
rior to the pyrotechny in the United
States.