Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-09-20
Manners and Customs of the Chinese.

gives great deal OF information REGARDING
the customs and manners of the Celestials.
and his work is interesting and instructive
The following extract is somewhat amusing:
The chinese are our antipodes, not only
IN geographical position, but they do SO
manythings in manner directly the reverse
of our own modes, that most amusino
chapter might be written on these points Of
dItterence.-The following are some of the
partlculars:-They shave the hair from the
head, instead Of that on the face. after they
reach fill manhood. The lather.brush
looks like a tooth brush, and they lather
with warm water only, without soap They
not only always wash and bathe in hot water
but Will also drink warm water in prefer
cnce to cold. They begin at the end of a
book to read, and read from the top to bot
tom, beginning at the right hand. instead
, OF across the page and beginning at the left.
Explanatory notes are always at the top of
the page instead of at the bottom. The IT,
tie Of book is always on the outer margin
instead of at the top. The leaves are all
double and printed on one side instead of
being single and printed on both.
/ The pupils in schools study as loudly as
they can scream, instead Of silently, and in
! reciting stand with their back to the tea
cher, instead of face. They locate the seat
Of intelligence in the stomach instead of in
the head. In salutation they each shake
their own hands instead of the others.
| With them the magnetic needle is always
said to point to the South, and in naming
the four cardinal points they say east, south,
west, north. Instead Of southwest and
| northwest, they always say east-south and
west north. Mating is used for mat
traSseS, instead OF on floors, and they use
+! hard pillows sometimes a block Of wood)
instead of soft. Long nails are ornamen-
tal-if three or four inches, they are of
quite an aristocratic length. They put the
given name, or the title by which you are
called, after the family name instead of be-
fore it. So it would be Smith Mr. instead
Of Mr.. Smith 1t is impolite to take off
your hat in the house. They plaster and
whitewash buildings on the outside oftener
than on the inner. 1t is strong mark of |
fiial regard for son to buy coffin as a |
present to his father, while yet living. On |
presenting it he says, may you live thou
sand years"
When a man becomes able, one of the ,
first articles of furniture he buys for him
self, is his coffin 1t is often used as a !
bench or table for years. When it becomes !
tenanted it is frequently kept in the house |
for many years longer instead of being
taken out and buried, and when thus taken |
out it is often placed on the surface of the |
ground instead of beneath it. The inscrip- !
tion is always on the end of the coffin in
stead of the top. They wear white for
mourning instead of black. At funerals,
women must weep even if they are not .
grieved; men must not if they are
More lanterns are carried at the time of |
the full moon than at any other They |
sell wood and fluids by weight instead ofby |
measure. At dinner, the dessert is al
ways eaten first. The seat of honor is on
the left hand instead Of at the right They .
eat with two sticks, both in one hand, instead .
of with knife and fork, one in each. |
Their boots and shoes are higher at the
toes than at the heels, and mostly made of .
cloth instead of Feather They use whiting
instead Of backing. In laying floors they
lay the plank with the smooth surface
down on the timbers, while the upper is
left rough and unplaned.
In drinking tea, the saucer is placed on
the top of the cup instead Of at the bottom.
They kill themselves to be revenged Of an
enemy. Men wear gowns, petticoats, beads,
embroidery, and CATERS, and women wear
pantaloons, not however, 'He pantaloons.'
They always mount horse on the wrong
do ho
tary officers carry fans instead Of pistols.
The plume is on the back of the cap and
hangs down, instead of being on the front
and standing up. In battle they wait for
a ship to sail into line with the cannon on
a fertilization, instead of moving the gun,
and directing it to the position Of the ship.
In the dress Of men, the drawers are large
and loose at the bottom, and have no string,
while the pants are tight as possible, and
are tied around the ancle like drawers. In
other words, it might be said they wear
drawers outside their pantaloons.
Among US, young men and women choose
for themselves and do their own courting,
when they become grown (and sometimes
bef0re0 in China, this is all done for them
by their parents while they are lniants,-
With US, ladies have the preference; with
them, gentlemen. We educate and honor
our wives, sisters and daua1 and bring
them forward in Society; they degrade
theirs, keep them in ignorance and out of
sight. Women nave their feet always
bound-th@.l or waist never The circum-
erS~Ince Of their dress is greatest at the
Waist and least at the ankles. They wear
their breast pins on the forehead The
young lady goes to the residence of her
betrothed to be married, and she walls and
weeps along the whole way to her wedding.