Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-06-04

fa y ~
I FRIDA 7 ] lJN n & A. 1885,
/ The Chinese.
4 i lE AS Mr.. Il. A. Burnell's lectures.in Lit
! tile Falls this week contained some re
miniscences of his travels in China, and
i ]awakened some interest in relation'to the
Chinese and their civilization, we copy
Sfthe following from The American Cy
clopgdia: pea . Z..
sAs to the moral and intellectual character
istios Of the Chinese, great injustice has been
done to them. It is obvious that the trading
/ population Of the large seaports cannot be CON
sidered fair specimens Of the national oharac.
ter in general; and it is from these that tray-
4ellers have taken their impressio ms of the peo-
pie at large. The Chinese, 50 far as they have
4 come in contact with Europeans and Ameri-
cans, are Industrious, polite, skillful, and
Iprovident. They have less personal courage
than Europeans, and also . lower standard
of morality. When aroused they are exceed
fipgly cruel, yet they are not quick tempered
or revengeful. q. In the use of food and drink
they are remarkably temperate. Their com
mercial enterprise is very great, and under
more favorable conditions is likely to play q
prominent part throughout the world. The
Chinese are proud Of their country and of their
Ioivilization, which Was already aourishing at
la time when the Christian nations had no ex-
istence.1 This national pride CONES at least as
| natural to them as to those nations whom we
ore wont to call civilized. Considering that
China contains about one third of the pop
ulation of the globe; that, with the exception
of steam engines and electric telegraphs, there
is scarcely any great invention of modern
times which has not been in use among the
Chinese for centuries ; that popular education
is more general and the social structure more
firmly settled in China than in any other
country, their over bearing demeanor and mar
row -mindedness in regard to foreigners may
at least appear natural. 1t is probable that
more intimate intercourse with them will be
apt to modify in some respects the uDfavora-
BILE opinion which has prevailed among Chris
tian nations of the character of the Chinese
"Their civilization" says Williams, "Fhas
been developed under peculiar forms and in
fuences, and must be compared to, rather
than judged of by that of Europeans; the dis
similarity is as wide, perhaps, as can possibly
exist between two races of beings having the
same common nature and wants. A people
by whom some of the most important inven-
tions of modern Europe were anticipated (such
as the compass, porcelain, gunpowder, paper,
printing!, and were known and practiced
many centuries earlier who probably amount
to more than 300, 100000, united in one sys-
tenn of manners, letters, and policy; whose
cities and capitals rival in numbers the great
est metropolises of any age; who have not on
ly covered the earth but the waters with
towns and streets-such nation must occupy
conspicuous place in tho history of mankind,
and the study of their character and condition
commends itself to every we'll wisher Of his
race" The difficulties with which this study
is beset are shown by the great diversity of
Of OPT among those travellers who have
ventured beyond the immediate vicinity Of
the large seaports, and improved every oppor-
tunity to &c: an inst ght into the peculiarities
of their social system and national character.
The tendencies Of recent observers, however, is
to judge of them in more apprec;ative way,
and to explain their peculiarities by consid-
GRAFTON of the circumstances of their history
and training. If they are vain, they have
been isolated; if they are cowardly, they have
had great measure Of peace; if they lack
boldness in enterprise and the disposition to
organize tor great purposes, the government
has not favored the accumulation of money or
power in the hands of the common people if
they are immobile, the mass is great, and the
structure of the written language is so difficult
that it is mastered only by small percentage
Of the population, and as conseq uence the
diffusion of intelligence is difficult if they are
alheistical, their relig ions have not been such
as to commend them entirely either to theil
Judgment Or their affection.-The domestic
and social life of the Chinese has perhaps
more features in common with western nations
than that Of other oriental peoples Although
polygamy exists among the wealthier classes
and their women generally live in seclusion
family life is much esteemed and cultivated
among them. The first wife has the full con.
troll of the household, while the concubines arr
little more than servants and housemaids
The Chinese illustrate the relation by com
pairing the wife to the moon and the concu
bines to the stars, both of which in their ap
propriate spheres revolve around the sun
The utmost respect and obedience to the be
hests of the parents are eDjoined to children
The betrothment of the children is entirely il
the hands Of the parents; and the obligation
of the former to fulfil the contract made b,
the latter is enforced by law, even to the an
nulling of an agreement made by the son him
self in ignorance of the arrangements of hi
parents. Cleanliness is not among the virtue
of the Chinese, either in regard to their habi
tations or their persons. The poorest peopl
do not change their garments until they ar
worn out. Their houses are generally low, tn
roofs hipped, and the catenary curve of thei
edges shows that the tent is the type of tn
dwelling. But in size, style Of building, ant
the arrangements ofthe interior, there is ever!
variety, from the squalid hovel to the preten
>tious palace. Even the best houses are poorl,
ventilated and lighted the appearance of th'
rooms would be cheerless and uncom fortabl
without the gay and costly furniture and vari
ETY. of ornaments. The little parks connected
with the mansions of the wealthier classes ar
laid ont in tasteful style. The streets in Chi
nese cities are extremely crooked and narrow
few of them exceed 10 or IL It. in width, an.
most of those in Canton are less than #
No public squares relieve the closeness o
these lanes. Ventilation is, of course, yer,
imperfect; drainage is only partially attended
to, and the sewers frequently exude their con
tents over the pathway. Add to this the fac
! that offal and manure are carried through tn
streets by the scavengers, and we can under
i stand the bad odor in which Chinese cities ar
held, and also the prevalence of ophthalmi'
diseases among the people. These marrow
streets present singularly animated spectacle
| IN stro n norr Tfinaran nj work mon ahnun6