The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-05-29
CHINESE WOMEN.
What n Lady of Rank Thinks of Hel
Acknowledged Sisters.

What n Lady of Rank Thinks of Her
Acknowledged Sisters.
The Chinese harem is nothing like so
closely kept as the Mohammedans, yet
ladies of rank and position do not re-
ceiye 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 l was
about to be admitted. The middle class
of Chinese women mix freely with their
own countrymen, as also foreigners,
whereas Turkish women must be quite
degraded to appear before man with
out the yashmack. 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 re-
gard 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
sack and the Bosphorus for the lady,
and 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 pantomine, would be
attended with insuperable difficulties.
Certainly, no tete-a tete could take
place with the smallest degree of COM
fort or safety, there being no doors to
shut, and no boudoir where the prying
eyes of half dozen wives could not
spy around corner but the Chinese
rarely experience love as a sentiment.
They know nothing of the "sad and
mad, but, ah ! so sweet - of the poets
love, and are married in the adolescent
state. Affection and passion exists, 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 a private nook for
themselves. Nevertheless, in spite OF
paganism and polygamy, it is my opin-
ion that Chinese woman is both mod
est and moral. She is married young,
and is rarely unfaithful to her husband.
| taking meekly first or fifth share of
| affection. If he dies she remains a
widow, and seldom marries again. If
in the lower classes, she works for her
own living until her children can sup
port her if in the upper grade, she re-
mains an inmate of her husbands fam
| lily. The virtuous conduct of a woman
| through a long life is more highly
esteemed in China than any other coun-
try. Temples are raised in honor OF
virtuous women, as, in other countries
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
| I believe it ought to be-and around
| her, in small frames, are inscribed the
names of such women as had been
| faithful to their widowhood until thy
have attained the age of 60. Sometimes
thew are virgin widows, their husbands
| having died Immediately after their be-
| trothal. In this event the girl goes
through the marriage ceremonies with q
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 temple of chas-
THY, and is honored for her celibacy.
On the other hand, the custom is not
unknown, though comparatively 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 a chair or table, put
her head into a moose, kick over the
chair and hang herself without any one
interfering to stop her. Such is the
extreme devotion to the husband in
China. V1ScOatntess AVOnn1Ore.