West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-12-27
Liro in chi n.


Chlnese house go Usually built OF
brick, one story high. and covered with
tiles and earth. They are built no
higher for fear Of disturbing the good
ana evil spirits, and are covered with
earth because earth is plentiful. and
timber Is scarce. The houses are d.
vided into two rooms, one for the males.
the other for the females. Each does
MS or her own cooking. Husband and
wire never eat together, nor are they
ever seen together on the street. Chin
csc husbands are extremely Jealous of
their wives, aud are afraid OF evil spir-
It's; and In Or,ler TO keep one I'm and
the other out, their dwellings are sur
rounded by high wall. The turni-
ture OF "a Chinese dwelling consists of
"a small table about three feet square
chairs similar TO bar-room chair. and
the cong (bed) is built OF brick some
thing like an old-fashioned oven and
mas a iiue Tor the smoke TO pass off
when Chinaman wishes to retire. he
builds fire under his bed, warns II
up good, arranges sheep skin and blan-
kets, crawls in and Is happy. Their
dishes are not very extensive, the
kwaetsze (chop-sticks) be ing most i'm
portant, az they are used for convey
Ing all manner of food TO the mouth
The only currency of the country is
called cash. II Is small copper pieces
with u square hole In the centre. Six
hundred OF them make one dollar. Sill
yer circulates through the Empire, but
1t goes by weight altogether. There
are banks In the large towns that issue
their notes, but their notes are not
legal-tender cash for the PAYMENT of
debts, and only pass in the towDs where
issued. No banks fall In China. In
case bank should fail the banker
would be beheaded. Any person who
receives money or other property from
his customers for safe keeping must re-
turn the same when called upon to do
so, or be held as guilty of high crime,
the punishment for which is death.
After the debts are paid, all else that
he has goes to the Government. In case
he has hidden the property so it cannot
be found, the property of his relatives
first IN line is taken till the depositor Is
made good, Bankers are honest i'm
China. Chinese physicians know little
or nothing aboIt the human system,
never 20 TO see patient but once, and
insist that the same medicine will not
do ut all for man and woman, though
their complaint be the same. The
beasts OF burden are cows, donkeys-
borses, mules, and camels, and they
frequently get them strangely mixed
a great many camels are used for the
purpose of carrying tea to Russian
siberia The principal temples, from
which they try To exclude foreigners.
are as follows: 'The Temple Of
Heaven, the walls OF which are TWO
miles square. The temple itself covers
about one-fourth of an acre: and il
built In the form of dome. Here the
Emperor is supposed TO attend every
three months to offer sacrifice, which
consists of from six To eight hogs, four
or hVe sheep, and two or three oxen.
At the Llama Temple" Is an image of
Buddha 20 feet high, made in the pro-
portions OF man. From 2, 900 to 3. 900
priests ofllciate at this temple. Our
missionaries cav 1900 at one time
kneeling on mats and chanting Buddha
praise. At the Temple of the Great
Bell' is the largest hanging bell In the
world, being thirteen feet in diameter
and fifteen feet high. There are about
10000 different characters cast on the
bell. The bell is rung when they want
rain, and no other time.