The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-07-27
Centennial Letter.

eyed Cihdman's Dispiiy a. the Fair
-Ilhdt house furnishing costs Ia The
Woweyy Kingdom - Othcr Notes
about the .Show-7otdl attendance to
Juty l9th.
lFrom our Regular Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, July II, 1876.
Taking up the review where l
left it last week the comparison Of
China and Japan by their respect
i've displays is still in order. An
other careful tour through the two
sections confirms my first impress
sions in some respects and modifies
them somewhat in others. l must
confess that the average curiosity
hunter would argue fora great sim
ilarity in the handiwork of these
people. The Chinese section runs
parallel with that of Japan, OPEN
ing upon the main avenue. There
is not sufficient room given for the
extent of the display, and the result
is that the space is generally un-
comfortably crowded, but the ar
rangcmcnt of the section is effect
i've and pleasing. The character
istic gateway to the department
gives a good idea of the world of
wonders to be seen within, and all
the fittings up arc to foreign eyes so
odd AMI fantastic as to attract al
most as much attention rs the arti-
cles exhibited. 1t is the style to
denominatc these modes of building
and decorations as "tca caddy"
fashions, but looked at impartially,
these designs are seen to have a
kind of wild beauty. The portals,
cases, etc, appear heavy and cum
brous,- but the fact must not be lost
sight of tina. each of them gives in
itself IA condensed idea of the whole
science of architecture rs the Chi
ncse understand it. There is a
strange lack of versatility about
this people. They have been doing
the same thing in the same way for
ages and it never seems to occur to
them to vary from settled usage.
A temple is built in certain way;
case ten feet square is built in the
same way; and if one looks cum
brous while the other seems we'll
proportional, the fault is in the
need of having so small a structure.
The visitor will observe various pic
lures in the department., of Chinese
cdificcs ofvarying size and elegance,
and will notice both that the one
style of building runs through all,
and that when it can be properly
displayed it is not heavy, but light
and elegant.
Here, as in the Japanese section,
a prominent feature consists ofthose
wonderful and very elaborate
screens, some drawn and shaded in
India ink, but more of them en-
broidcrcd. The framing Of these
works by the Chinese is superior to
that of the japanese. The frames
are of open carved woodwork, beau
tifully executed and forming splcn-
did border all around the picture.
This Woodworking is one of the best
sbings cone by the Chinese. A va
ric'y o. woods arc shown in the
section, but the o+lly kind which
cn,c:s iato the construction of gOods
described in this letter is a magnif-
cent black closegraincd wood great
~ resembling ebony. This mater
lal takes dull deep polish, and
makes one Of ,hc finest mediums of
ornamcnta;ion ] have ever seen.
IT, addition to the framework of the
screens, various handsome and pc
GUITAR articles Of furniture arc made
o" i. \ parIo. set is noticeable,
inducing u splendid sofa. "A IA
vorite article with Chinese house
keepers appears to be n sort of
buffet, with doors on the lower por-
ton and open shelves above; it
makes charming piece of furni-
tire. There arc elegant centre
tables, card tables, ETC., Of the same
material, with tops of native varic-
gated marble, as well rs of painted
cniua resembling mosaic work.
The vases and bronzcs made by
both the Chinese aud japanese are
noticeable features. The cxtcut to
which animal subjects arc portrayed
in all their works is marvellous.
Birds, dragons, fishes and reptiles
arc introduced everywhere, some
times with a humorous turn and
again with an effect anything but
funny. Some idea of the elaborate
workmanship of these ornaments
may be gathered from the prices
marked on the exhibits. A pair OF
huge vases all covered over with
gold dragons costs only the trifling
sum of $500, and a very hand
some carved chamber set might be
obtained for an outlay of only
$4,000. Young couples vcnturing
into matrimony this season arc rec
commended 70 visit the Exposition
and perfect their housekeeping ar
rangcments.
In the manufacture of silk China
had for ages the monopoly of the
world. At last France broke in,
and of late years other countries
have powerfully followed, but the
Flowcry kingdom still holds "A front
place in this respect, and in some
particulars her silk manufactures
arc even yet unrivalcd. The dis
play Of this kind is reasonably sat