Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-03-11
PECULIARITIEs OF THE CEEE-
. NEsE. sar

The first aspect of China produces
that impression on the mind which we
call the grotesque. This is merely be-
cause the customs of this singular nation
are so opposite to our own. EI They seem
morally no less than physically, our an
tipodes. Their habits are as opposite to
ours as the direction of their bodies. IANe
stand feet to feet IN everything. In box
ing the compass they say "westnorth
instead of northwest, eastsouthH in
stead of southeast, and their compass
needle points south instead Of north
Their soldiers wear quilted petticoats,
satin boots, and bead necklaces, carry
umbrellas and fans, and go to a night
attack with lanterns in their hands, be-
ing more afraid of the dark than of ex-
posing themselves to the enemy. The
people are very fond tOf fireworks, but
prefer to have them inthe daytime. La
dies ride in nswheelbarr0Ws, and COWS are
driven in carriages. no While in Europe
the. feet are put IN the, stocks, in China
the stocks are. hung round the neck. In
China the family name comes first, and
the personal name afterward' Instead
of saving benjamin. Franklin or Walter
Scott, they would say Franklin Benia-
min, Scott Walter Thus the Chinese
name of ConfuCias, Kung-ftl-tseey means
the Holy Master Kung ;-@Kung is the
family name. q In the recent wars with
the English, the mandarins or soldiers
would sometimes run away, and then
commit suicide to avoid punishment. In
getting on a horse the Chinese mount
on the right side Their. old men Ay
kites, while the little boys look on. The
left hand IS the seat of honor, and to
keep on your hat is sign of respect
Visiting cards are painted red, and are
four feet long In the opinion of the
Chinese, the seat of the understanding
is the stomach. They have villages
which contain a million Of inhabitants.
Their boats are drawn by men, but their
carriages are moved by sails, Al mar
ried woman while young and pretty IS a
slave, but when she becomes old and
withered, is the most powerful, respected
and beloved person in the family. The
emperor is regarded with the most pro-
found reverence, but the empress mother
is greater person than he. When a
man furnishes his house, instead Of
laying stress, as we do, on rosewood
pianos and carved mahogany, his first
ambition is for a handsome camphor-
wood coffin, which he keeps in the best
place in his room. The interest OF mon
eyis thirty-six per cents which. 10 DC
sure, we also give in hard times % staVe
off 4 stoppape, while with them Il is the
legal rate. We once heard a BAD din-
ner q described thus; "The meat was
roId Inc vine was hot, and everything
was sour but the vinegar This would
not so much displease the Chinese, who
carefully warm their wine, while we ice
ours. They understand good living,
however, very well. are great epicures,
and somewhat goufmands, for after din-I
ing on thirty dishes, they VIII sometimes
eat a duck byIway Of a finish. They.
toss their meat into their mouths to a
tune, every man keeping time. with his
chop-sticlts, while we, on the contrary,
make anything but harmony with the.
clatter Of our knives and forks. "A Chr
nainan viii not drink a drop Of milk,
but he will devour birds nests, snails,
and the fins of sharks with a great rel