Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-05-11
THE CHINESE AT HOME.

The chief characteristics of the Chinese, as
nation, the speaker said, is industry. Theil
working day begins at dawn and lasts until
sunset Schools open at sunrise and do not
close till 5 P. NJ, there being but one short re.
cess during the day. The Emperor and his
court rise soon after midnight, and court au.
diences are given between five and eight
O'Clock in the morning This same industry
is exhibited by all classes. After sunset very
like domestic fowls, retiring early to rest.
There is no day corresponding to Sun lay, and
only few holidays in the year. Busily as
they toll, these people are never in hurry,
are never nervous, and are not given to wor.
rying but are steady, cheerful and sober
They rarely quarrel, and even if they do, sci
dom come to blows There will be little
queue pulling, some calling of hard names,
and then the by-standers will quietly separate
the combatants. 1t is not physical timidity.
but sensitive consciousness Of the disgrace
of fighting that keeps them from engaging in
brawls. That they are not towards is well
proven by the fact that they submit without
fiinching to the most severe resurgioal operations
without ever using anasthetics. They main
tain that it is very injurious to health to be
nervous, to worry or to give way to anger.
Asa people, the Chinese do not desire a
voice in the government. The common people
are not public spirited, and are not only
through ignorance, Indifferent to beneficial
reforms, but they oppose them strongly if they
are apt to increase the taxes. The govern
ment of China is not nearly so aristocratic as
foreigners are accustomed to think it is, but
when the popular voice is once aroused it is
sure to have great force. In any case where
there is conflict between the mandarin or
governor of district and the people, if the
people are patient and commit no acts of vio-
lence, the mandarin either yields or is removed
by the government. The people have the pro-
foundest respect for precedent, and are, in
fact, constitutionally conservative. Although
in the main they use the same implements and
materials known to them for thousands OF
years. yet their religion itself is an Importation
from India, and they use foreign watches,
needles, kerosene, sulphur matches, cotton
fabrics, etc. They are, as a people, excessive
ly polite, and their ceremonial of social inter-
course is to foreigners painfully elaborate. 1t
is an error to suppose, however, that they are
cringing race they assert their rights vigo-
rOusly enough when occasion calls.
They are not truth telling people. They
give false evidence in trials, furnish false sta
tistics and even officials present reports that
are tissues of falsehoods. It is impossible to
shame them by their untruthfulness. They
are not addicted to thieving, however. There
is much said about the gross immortality OF
the people. In China, at least, if it exists it is
not seen. There are societies for the suppress
sion of immoral books. The sacred writings
contain not one indecent word, and their
painting and sculpture are perfectly pure.
Vulgar language is never heard above the low
est classes. All Cinnamon drink some wine,
and native beverage made of rice, but drunk
enness is absolutely unknown, so that there are
none of the evils of intemperance there SO
common here wife-beating, brawling and vi
olence of all kinds. The habit that curses the
nation, opium smoking, enervates the physi.
cal, mental and moral nature, but does not
lead to violence.-E. B. DreW.