The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-04-29
THE HEATHEN CHINEE.

You saw 1t at glance,
And never had to hire guide,
As strangers do In France.
A stroll through Chinatown is one of tn
curious sights to be taken in by every sh an
ger visiting San Francisco. But without
guide or some one familiar with their ways
which are dark, and their tricks that are vain,
one could far more easily comprehend and I'm
derstand the Choctaws than Chinese methods
Chinatown is the "Flowery Kingdom on {
small scale. BY daylight it is an animated
panorama of motley sights; at night it is {
den of dark damnation.
The stores are all open, holding inside and
out every conceivable thing for sale. All sorts
of vegetables are exposed to view In all stages
of freshness and decay. Every branch OF
business Is represented The streets and al
leys are crowded. The Mongolians move to
and fro in endless procession. The sound Of
hammers and machines, the hum of voices
in strange dialect, are heard on every hand
and come from every quarter.
The stores and restaurants look as though
they had been transferred from the Hata
mem.tachlch " of the Chinese capital, or the
streets Of Benevolence and Love in the city of
Kamo. From every door post and window
scrolls OF red paper bearing mottos and de.
vices in Chinese Therapeutics are seen every.
where, all of which are full OF poetry to them
who understand them.
Hop Wo, Wo XII, Shun Wo, Chung Sum-
Wa Kee, Wing an Tslsng, and 80 on, are signs
often seen, but it does not always follow that
these signs are the names OF the parties CON-
prising the firm, nor the kind of goods to be
found within. AS, for example, when sign
maker hangs out the legend, "Shun Wo," it
does not mean that his name is Wo, but pro.
claims that his establishment is the abode of
"Faith and Charity" "Hang XII" "the laun-
dry-man," also suffers in the eyes of the out
side barbarian. A Chinaman reads in his sign
only "The Home Of Prosperity" and washee
washee. "Wung Wo Shang"' Everlasting
harmony" "Kwong On Chang" extensive
peace and afliuence;" Hip Wo," mutual
help and concord" ava Yum" "the flowery
Fountain" Man ILL.," "ten thousand profits"
These signs adorn the entrances of some of
the wholesale stores. Each store has its par
tcular sign and motto" Alice samee like
Mclean man" Apothecary shops show signs
like this: "The hall OF approved medicines of
every province and Of every land" Hall of
everlasting spring." Hall for multiplying
years." Hall of all peace;" "Vast age hall"
Pawnbrokers' shops are known by the names
OF, "Great and glorious pawnbrokers," "Mu-
tual benefit pawnbrokers," &c. Intelligence
offices, which are numerous, have signs read.
ing, Flowing out and coming in" furnishing
servants and taking in fees; "Sam ILL.,"
Righteousness as an OVERLOOKING fountain"
Then there are the cigar makers and manufac-
turers, who are more numerous than all the
rest put together, except Chang Lee laundry,
washee washee; and manufacturers Of silver
shrines--not for DIANA and of paper shrines
for gods and goddesses; paper images, and
paper clothing, and furniture for offerings to
the gods.
Chinese doctors are up to the tricks of their
trade, and on the sign one reads, DR.. Yeang
Tsz Wing feels the pulse and writes prescrip.
tons for external and internal diseases" Dr.
Ma Yuk "feels the pulse and heals unheard
of diseases" DIR. Tseang Ling "cures wounds
and broken bones"-so much the Job. Others
announce that "those suffering on account of
their vices will be taken In hand and turned
out again IN sound condition for specified
amount advice and medicine included"
Then there are the fortune tellers, of whom |
one, Mr.. U TIN, proclaims himself scion of
the family of the renowned Shin Hang Chit,
divine reckoner, by the "eight diagrams" of
mans destiny. But Mr.. U TIN does not tell
all the fortunes, other men have had distln.
gulshed ancestors and hold intercourse with
the spirit world and can decpher diagrams,
dissect the characters forming persons name
and read the lines in the palm of the hand rs
well as the descendants of Shing Hang Chit
Within the stores and shops are to be seen
scrolls hanging on the wall and sentences
written upon red paper, pasted over the doors
shelves and boxes On the scrolls are quota
tons from the classics and original sentiments,
and what may seem like prayers to the gods.
CHINESE JOSS HOUSE.
The entrance to this temple of the heather
was by rlckety pair Of stairs and along a
rude portco. The doors stood open, through
which barbarians were continuously passing.
This temple Is dedicated to the worship of
the Pearly Emperor, the Supreme Ruler-the
Chinese Iuplter,-snd contains all the neces
sary utensils for sacred ceremonies. On en-.
tering, a Pickering light sent forth from seve
raj dozens of taper candles, revealed the he ght
of Chinese extravaganza in bright colored pa
per Communications, but being pressed for time
we didn't stop to read them! In this temple
are several shrines dedicated to gods and god
esses, and any number Of divinities in mina
ture. In front stand two affairs, one behind
the other, while behind both is shrine on
which the god is seated on throne, which is
scarcely perceptible through the profusion of
artificial flowers and offerings of an ornament
al character which are placed at his fee, and
suspended all around him. On the first altar
Is large bronze urn for burning incense, and
several larpe yaaes for art fetal ao,poro hab;nd