The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-05
Rirbmunh qispatrb.



CAinese Home.
During Minister Wards late visit 70 Pekin
Q private house was allowed him for the use
Of himself and suite. The China correspon.
dent Of the Boston Traveller. who accom-
named Mr.. Ward, thus describes the place:
Let us look about the premises we are to &C.
cupv The owner was \ private entleman Of
wealth and standing, whose family had for the
time vacated them, not woman or child ap.
the owner. who was q ute courteous and oblig-
ing. At the request Of the government, he
had consented TO give US the use Of his house,
OF houses, for there were two, both of brick.
and running parallel and being about i50 feet
long with court between about thirty feet
wide and paved with hewn stone. Like almost
all Chinese houses, they We're OF only one story
and with roofs covered with tiles. Two or
three arches were thrown across the court
seeming to divide the long space INTO
rooms. and doors opened into each ouiIu'nK as
they were needed. The rooms, however, we'e
few and dark from the use OF semi"HahsRaI
ent paper instead Of glass windows Iney
were neat and the walls and ceiling covered
with handsome paper. The Chinese use OUT
little furniture, and the most Oh wa nau
belonged to this had been removed as unsulta,
BILE TO our tastes and customs. A gate, closed
at night, opeEed into narrow street, Wnich
led in to the centre Of the village. and within
few rods travel out of it, Altogether the
buildings were commodous, neat, and In GOOD
taste Nor had the government and owner
been content with furnishing the best house in
the place. and supplying as with the snostan'
tials aud delicacies of the country. 1t was the
hot season Of the year, and to relieve tnelr Tor
eigu guests from its oppression, posts mad oeen
erected along the side of each house some thir-
ty feet high, while poles Of equal helght We're
PLANTED in the centre, on which ham boo rafters
were laid over which new white mating was
spread which reached from roof to roof, and
quite shut out the sun, while as the sun changed
It's position, or SET or other circumstances re-
Quired large windows could be made In the
roof by pulling certain cords, through which
the air was freely admitted.
In the evening" it added TO the beauty OF the
scene to have large lamps suspended in vari-
Gus places through the court, hexagonal In
form, two feet long, and one in diameter, the
frame being of wood, and some OF them having
and others stained glass. On the top an orna-
men tai story was added, foot high. OF carved
work, which proJecte ted some half foot beyond
the lantern proper. They discovered gooo
deal Of art and taste, and are for ornament
more than for use. Long strips OF red cloin
were hung upon the walls in various places,
AS expressive of good wishes.
But the most singular, and yet touching and
beautiful usage, is the fastening OF long strips
of red paper upon the door posts, covered from
top to bottom with large gilt Chinese ch%rac-
ters OF course, they are unmeaning without
an in interpreter, and, as we had three with US,
one of them, my request, translated them
for me, and here give them to your readers:
Opposite the main entrance was written, in
"Great JOY"
Over a door
Receive all Heavenly happiness"
On the sides Of the door:
"Felicitous be the sun, and suspicious the
clouds ~
And,
Harmonious may be the breezes, and sweet
the rains :"
Over another door
"Hacpiness comes from Heaven"
On the sides of another door:
Imagination, like great dragon, scars an
hundred feet!''
And,
"Literature, like good horse is vigorous a
thousand autumns! !"
Another pair of sentences was perfectly Chi
nese:
THE virtue of sages is like sweet wine Hea-
ven's grace enriches ~
And,
The words Of King are like silken sound;
the iavors of the kingdom are many!''
The posting Of such sen fences over the doors
of houses and on each side is a common prac
tice, generally expressing welcome and good
wishes to the guests and strangers who visit
the house, or else containing sentences from
the Chinese classics, which are held in vsnera-
ton among the people.