The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-08-28
The Chinese Weakness for Red Ink
and Autographs.

CHINESE customs are very peculiar,
and present an inexhaustible fund of
surprises. Among the most curious is
the fondness of the Chinese for the use
of red as their official color. In China
imperial edicts are traced with red ink
their distinctive finland are regarded
with the greatest veneration, which. by
the-way, is by no means always the
case with similar official productions in
Europe. The use of red ink is, with a
few exceptions, reserved to the Emperor,
as was that of purple paper to the By
zantine potentates in the seventh and
eighth centuries. The edicts, or simple
acta, signed by the Son of Heaven,
have ever been held in deep respect in
the Celestial empire. An instance in
point: An ambassador once sent by
Louis XIV, as the bearer of presents to
Kang-Hi, called at the palace one morn
ing to inquire after his Majesty's health.
An officer of the court took the enyoy's
message, and returned with a square bit
of paper laconically inscribed, in red ink
of course, with the words 81 (Kang-Hi)
am quite WELL" For some time brisk
competition continued among Chinese
autograph collectors for this precious
missive, which finally became the prop
erty of an ultra-loyal subject for the
modest sum of $3.50.
In the early days of the Chinese en-
pire the sovereigns did not trouble them
selves to regularly sign official docu-
ments, but used to dip the thumb and
forefinger in cup of red ink, after
which the wet digits were applied 70 the
paper, the finger-marks serving as sig
natures. After the fingers had thus
been used, the rest of the ink was wiped
off on the flowing silk robes, just as many
slovenly individuals of the present dry
their pens on their coats. The
higher mandarins also got into
the habit of signing in this primitive
fashion, and with their crimsoned
fingers used to trace an indescribable
hieroglyphic on papers submitted to
them. Others even went further. AT
ter immersing the palm of the hands in
the fluid, they "dabbed'' it on the pa
per, and thus affixed their signatures.
This latter custom was not peculiar to
China, being also practiced by all the
early sovereigns of the East. Hence
the reason why an open hand at the
head of all Mohammedan state papers
represents the signature of the Grand
Seignor. Sultan Amurah Ill, who
lived in the fourteenth century, was a
solitary exception to this rule. He used
the figure of a leopard instead of an
open hand.
The passion of the Chinese for the
possession of the signatures of the En-
peror or his mandarins is such that,
in default of any thing better, many of
the inhabitants of the Flowery Land
have their autocrat's initials-in red
on their fans. These articles of luxury,
it must be remembered, are essential
portions of the national costume.
Whether the weather be hot or cold, in
rain and snow alike, every CONNIE il
fault Chinaman must never be unprovid-
with his fan. And it is natural enough,
human nature being much the same ev-
erywhere, that fans bearing the imper-
ial initials are specially in favor. The
Chinese. are, besides, ardent autograph
collectors. In Europe an artist will
make a present of a painting from his
brush to valued or honored friend,
while an author presents his literary
production. In China the highest token
of esteem on the part of one of its inhabit-
ants is his autograph. When the first
interview between M. de Lagrenee, the
French ambassador, and the high COM
missioner, king, took place at Macao,
in 1874, the latter offered to Louis
Philippe's envoy and the principal men,
bers of his embassy some fans, which
might have possibly been worth two
cents apiece. They were, however,
really regarded as presents of the high
est value by their donors, because his
highness king, himself, had written a
few lines on them in crimson ink.