The Democratic advocate., 1874-06-27
Dinners of Ceremony in China.

A dinner must always be preceded by
three written invitations addressed to the
persons invited The first invitation is sent
the day previous to the fete; the second is
sent on the morning on which the fete is
to be given, In order to remind the guests
Of the honor they have been requested to
do the writer, and to beg them anew not
to fail to come; finally, when everything is
prepared, and the master Of the house is
ready to receive his guests, a third invita-
ton is sent to aequaint them Of his ex-
treme impatience to see them. In accor-
dance with the ancient usages of China,
the place Of honor is given to foreigners,
and to that foreigner who comes the far
thest; the host always occupies the hum
blest place When he introduces his
guests into the dinner-hnll, he salutes them
one after the other; next he pours some
wine into porcelain cup, and, after max
ing low bow to the most distinguished
OF his coRriues, he carries il toward him
The gnest responds to this clvllity by en-
deayors to prevent the host from taking
so much trouble, aud at the same time he
has wine brought him in. cup, and takes
some steps toward the hosts place, who, In
his turn, politely demonstrates. The din
ner is always begun by drinking wine.
The chief butler, or steward, with one
knee on the ground, importunates all the
guests TO drink Each ono now takes his
cup with both hands, raises 1t as high as
his forehead, carries il down lower than
the table, then raises it to his mouth and
drinks slowly, stopping two or three times
The host also presses his guests to drink
which he docs first, and then shows the
bottom of his cup, that all may sec he has
emptied tan example every one is ex.
pected to follow. At the beginning of the
second course, each guest sends, by one Of
his own servants, divers little bags Of red
paper, each containing small sum o.
money, to the cook, the steward, player
and servants, who wait at the table. Tn,
amount is more or less, according to tn,
position Of the person who gives the enter
tainment, but these presents are made onl,
when tho fete is enlivened by play. Tn,
entertainer, Of course, does not allow thes
little offerings to be made until he has in
dulged in series Of expostulations o.
: returning from the dining-room the hos
never fails to express his regrets that h
has not been able to offer his guests some
thing better
The Chinese pass half of their lives il
observing forms that are as unmeaning a
they are imperative, When a number o
mandarins are being entertained in th
1 same house, and tea is offered them, &C
cording TO the custom Of the country,
must be offered to the highest in ram
first but it is equally obligatory on him t
$ offer it to the second, the third, and SO o.
to all present before he can drink il
l Those who arrive late must, in their tur
60 through the same ceremony. Tn
: Chinaman is equally profuse in word,
r He overwhelms you with generous offer
and pressing invitations, and sets you dow
for an INBRED fellow if you venture :
accept. This has been the experience o
more than one European. The Chinamal
win tell you frankly that these offers an,
invitations are only made and given 70
{ forms sake, and on no account are to b
accepted IF we look about us we shal
, find that We have certain usages which
would be as difficult to defend.