The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-19
VOL. XII---NO. 40.
AhonG Chinn,

100000, nearly one-third the population
of the entire world. It Is an eminently
conservative population, using, to-day, aa
they have used for hundreds of years,
the writings of Confucius and Mencius as
their school books. Confucius was not q
teacher of science or Of religion, but OF
| political economy. His books are stud
led and memorized by the scholars in all
parts of the Empire, using everywhere
the same printed characters, but pro-
nouncing them differently, so that the
scholars in one section Of the country
reading them aloud would not be under
stood by those OF another section. This
written language is not o spoken Ian
guage anywhere except it be in the form
of quotations. This difference in pro-
| nunciation leads to kind of local clan
nishness, somewhat similar to the historic
clannishness of the Scotch. Thus it hap
pens that between the Chinese of Foo.
| Chow and those of Canton, for instance,
there exists about the same regard as
exists between the Chinese people in
general and the people of the United
States. As to scholarship the average
Chinese scholar knows little or nothing
of geography, mathematics, natural phi
losophy, chemistry or astronomy. He
knows no language but his own. Schools
abound, but 1t Is doubtful if more than
one-fifth the population have what may
be called o common school education.-
Ihe maases of the people know the writ
ten characters representing the common
articles Of food and clothing, without be.
ing able to read aingle page of litera-
ture. The art of printing, the manpfac-
ture of gunpowder and Of glass and the
| use of the compass came from China, but
for many hundred years no new inven-
tion has appeared. The whole civil;za-
tion Of the Empire has stood still, and
become like great stagnant pool. The
religion of the educated may be described
as blind fatality of the masses, as o
heathen idolatry. "What the Empire
needs 10 to bo moved from centre to cir
cumfeTence by contact and friction with
the Christian civilization of America and
Europe" They have always opposed
both emigration and immigration, and
living there by themselves they have be.
como filed with the conceit that they
arc superior to oil other nations of the
earth.
The Confucian system of morals is ac-
cepted by the whole nation, and is COM
paratively pure and elevating, but the
mass of the people are untruthful, selfish,
and cruel. In business transactions,
however, the commercial honor of the
Chinese is on par with that of the na-
tions with whom they deal. The mar
rIage relation is recognized and honored.
Polygamy is allowable, though not gen.
orally practiced. A man will sometimes
marry second wife because be has no
son by bic a:st. Merchants ;w;ssiio ;w;ssiio DO bus
ines In different parts of the country
usually leave their families in one place
and often take secondary wife in the
place OF their temporary residence. The
offspring OF such alliances nre considered
legitimate. Marriage is rather civil
contract than religious rite. No public
register is kept; no oiiicini certificates Of
marriage given. The parties pledge each
other in small cups of wine, and perform
open heavens, and also before the family
idols. In taking second wife, forms
may be omitted, the woman taking her
place in the household as if she were
servant. Divorces are allowable, and
one Of the seven justifyirg causes is 80
persistent habit Of loluacity on the part
of the lady," But divorces are not -fre-
quent and if e man marries roor, and
afterwards becomes rich, he may not for
any cause put away the wife who shared
his years of poverty. It 10 not considered
respectful for widow to marry again,
and if young girl loses her bstrothed
before marriage. it is considered highly
meritorious for her to remain unmarried
ell her life. Sometimes young lady
thus bereayed publicly commits suicide
IN order TO remove temptation to mar
riage. Iri such case, one Of which the
author witnessed, cards are sent round to
friends as if to festivity, and all are
present to encourage the commission Of
the virtuous deed.
Married women ara more faithful than
their husbands. Prostitution exists in
all parts of the Empire, but especially in
the large cities and sea ports. Poor ps1-
pie often sell their female infants for this
purpose. Infanticide of females is also
largely nracticed, none of. boys. The
practice is openly defended by mothers,
on the ground that it is better for o girl
to die than to live.
The Chinaman's habits OF living are
very simple. Throughout Central and
Southern China, rice is the principal
staple of food. In most parts of the EN-
pire the men can live on from seyen to
fifteen cents day. The price of labor
corresponds to the cheapness of living.
Fifteen or twenty cents q day is very
good pay for common Iaborer. Litera-
ry men receive from six to ten dollars q
month, and faard, themselves. House
! servants receive two to four dollars
month and their room and food. Me-
chnnics and atnna- -nasons receive frcn.
twenty to forty cents day. The currsn-
cy in all parts of the Empire is brass
"cash," small coin about the size of q
twenty.cent piece, quite thin, with
square hole through the middle. These
are strung together in hundreds tied in
pairs or links like log.chain, and sold
| In packages of four, six, eight hundred
or thousand each. Each eingle piece
10 worth about mill. In large t7aisac-
tiona, payments are made in sycee-that
10, in mass or Jumps Of silver or by
weight, bearing the stamp Of the house
issuing it. All accounts are squared at
the end of the year. If the debtor can
not pay, or make suitable arrangements,
ne frequently commits suicide.
Their personal habits are dirty. They
sc &c. :;::sS ..lo ..o S. S,S s.S w. baths baths S:,;o.
any circumstances. Their clothing is
frequently washed, and the water In
which 1t is washed is not seldom served
for drinking purposes. Opium. eating is
very prevalent, and 10 to China what
drunkenness is to America. Mr.. Gibson
holds the prime cause of the general
Etagnation 70 be their false religion" "lyo
people can rise above the plane of the
gods thoy worship"