The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-11-15
CHINESE INDIFFERRNoE TO DEATH -
The Chinese are almost indifferent to

CHINRsE INDIFFERENCE TO DEATH -
The Chinese are almost indifferent to
the phenomenon OF dissolution, and
frequently compass their own end
wht y life becomes wearisome. A wife
sometimes elects to follow her husband
on the starlit road Of death; aud pa.
rents will destroy their offspring in
time OF famine and great distress.
rather than allow them to suffer. Still
more remarkable is the custom OF sell.
ing their livee in order that they may
purchase the superior advantage of OBJ.
sequies, which are considered to insure
the body in safety for the future resur.
rection. A wealthy man condemned
to death will arrange with his jaiier to
buy him substitute for certain sum
Of money, To he spent npon the poor
wretch's interment and preservation
OF his body. Should he have parents,
so much is annually paid to them in
compensation for their sons life:
Cinnamon invariably help to support
their parents; filial respect and devo-
tion is the great Chinese virtue and
religious precept, in which they rarely
fail.
Regarding death as inevitable, be
makes the beet of bad bargain. and
cnnnipgly and oomically gets paid for
dying. The wholesale destruction of
life in this country is greatly the result
OF indifference. Hence, the massacre
OF Europeans, SO terrible to US, seems
to them q matter of little moment, and
they cannot comprehend why we
should make q fuss about 1t. They re-
gard our indignant protestatioE very
much as We might treat our irate neigh
Dor whose dog we had shot. "Well,
we'll. be paoified; if it was such fa-
vorite, I am sorry. but it is only dog,
and there are plenty more. How much
do you want to be paid for it?" "You
English think 80 mach Of life," ar
CUES the Chinese; shave you not pien-
~ OF people at homee" Death III Chi
ma is awarded as the punishment for
most trivial offences, and frequently
for none at all, except being in some.
body's way.
A story was told me as fact, that
during the visit Of one of the royal
princes. theft was committed of a
chain or. watch belonging to the royal
guest. The unfortunate attendant
WAS caught with the property upon
him. aud without further ceremony
his head was chopped of. The man
DARN in attendance immediately an
nounced the tidings to the prince as
delicate attention. showing how de-
voted he was in his service. To his
aatonishment, the prince expressed his
great regret that the mans head had
been taken off. "Your Highness,
cried the obsequious mandarin, bow
ing to the ground, sit shall immeii-
ately be put on againl" so little did he
understand that the regret was for the
life taken, and not the severed head.
In times Of insurreotion or famine the
moving down of human life is like
corn.stalkB at harvest time, appalling
to European ideas. I must coufess to
nervous shnddering when I stood
upon the execution ground at Canton
a narrow lane or potter's field-where
30 many hundred had been butchered
per diem during the weeks together,
the execntioDer requiring the aid of
two smiths to sharpen his swords, for
many of the writhed victims we're not
allowed to be destroyed at ono fell
swoop. but sentenced to be "hncked to
pieces by twenty to fifty blows. I
was informed by European who had
travelled much and seen most OF the
:rightfol side of life, that witnessing
Chinese executions was more than his
iron nerves could stand; and in some
OF the details which be- was nnrrntipg
l was obliged to beg him to dssist.
And yet he says there was nothing
solemn about it. and the spectators
looked on amused. It was tile horri-
BILE and grotesqne combined.
A white man, named w. G. MORGAN,
while sitting with bis family, in San.