Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-04
CHINESE WOMEN.
What N Lady of Rank Thinks OF Her
AlmOnd.Eyed Sisters.

The Chinese harem is nothing like so
closely kept as the Mohammedans, yet
ladies of rank and position do not re-
ceive visits or hold any conversation
with gentlemen who are not immediate
relatives. Two Chinese merchants, or
mandarins, however closely allied in
business or pleasure, would never see
each others wives, or pass in that por-
ton of the dwelling into which ] was
about to be admitted The middle class
of Chinese women mix freely with their
own conntrymen, as also foreigners,
whereas Turkish women must be quite
degraded to appear before a man with
out the yasbmack. Probably the differ
ence is that the Chinese regards this
practice of mixing in familiar inter
course with the other sex as unlady-like
and unbecoming, while the Turks regard
it as immoral.
Thus, little love-making or intrigue
might possibly be carried on in Chinese
establishment without fatal consequent
ces when such proceeding in Turkey
could have no other termination than a
sack and the Bosphorus for the lady
and a poniard FOR the lover. So strict
is this mode of justice, that even allied
armies consent to yield up any such Of
fender of the Mohammedan law. To be
sure,in Chinese house any love-making,
except by pantomime, would be attended
with insuperable difficulties. Certainly,
no tete-a-tete could take place with the
smallest degree of comfort or safety,
there being no doors to shut, and no bou-
doir where the prying eyes Of half doz-
en- wives could not spy around the corner;
but the Chinese rarely experience love
as sentiment. They know nothing of
the sad and mad, but, ahl so sweet" of
the poets love, and are married in the
adolescent state. Affection and passion
exist, but very little romance.
There are no lovers walks, no paths
being wide enough to admit of two
walking comfortably together; no buggy
rides, no sleigh-driving, no outrageous
bowers or chiro-oscura corners in
churches, cars or theaters. There seems
to be too many people in China for any
two to get private nook for themselves
Nevertheless, in spite of paganism and
polygamy, it is my opinion that Chinese
woman is both modest and moral. She
is married young and is rarely unfaith-
full to her husband taking meekly first
or fifth share of affection. If he dies
she remains a widow, and seldom mar
ries again. II in the lower classes, she
works for her own living until her chill
dren can support her; if in the upper
grade, she remains an inmate of her
husbands family. The virtuous conduct
of woman through long life is more
highly esteemed in China than any other
country. Temples are raised in honor
| of vlrtuous women, as, in other coun-
tries, monuments are erected to heroes.
In the temple consecrated to pure
women there is female figure upon the
altar, the goddess of chastity should
prefer saying the patron saint, as | be
lieve 1t ought to be-and around her, in
small frames, are inscribed the names of
such women as had been faithful to their
widowhood until they have attained the
age of sixty. Sometimes they are vir'
gin widows, their husbands having died
Immediately after their betrothal. In
this event the girl goes through the mar
riage ceremony with paper bridegroom,
and is then escorted in the usual way TO
| the residence of his people, where, if she
lives all of her life true to his memory,
she becomes one of the elect in the tenn
pie of chastity, and is honored for her
celibacy. On the other hand, the Gus
tom is not unknown. though compare
lively rare, for wife to destroy herself
on the death of her husband. She will
invite all of her friends to banquet,
array herself in scarlet, and, in the
presence of her guests, rush to rope
which is suspended, mount chair or
table, put her head into moose, kick
over the chair and hang herself without
any one interfering to stop her. Suehis
the extreme devotion TO the husband in
China. - ViScountess AUoRmOre.