The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-08-14
A CURIOUS TALE.
The Mongolian's Queue and Why
He Wears It.

A reporter spent fully an hour in convers-
ing with score or more of the Chinese
citizens, with q view Of obtaining informa-
tiOn regarding the queues worn BY Chinese.
There are in Cleveland number of the
Celestials who are intelligent and indus
trious. One Of these, who Reeps a laundry,
is far more intelligent than the average
Chinaman. He is nea. ard clean in his
dress, which is patterned alter ours, and is
more orderly in bis habits than most of his
race. From this intelligent Chinamap, and
from other sources, some interesting iDfor-
nation regarding the "pigtair was OBJ
tanned.
For many hundred years prior to the
year l644 the native emperOrs of the Chi
nese dynasty compelled the Chinese subjects
under them to wear long hair over the
whole head and wear it in tuft or coil,
something after the manner in which the
ladies wear false hair switches at the pres
ent day. The first emperor of the present
dynasty, who sscended the rome in 1914,
determined to make the tonsure of Man.
churia, which was his native country, the
token OF the Submission of the Chinese of
the entire country in his authority
1t was not long 81 sr he began to reign
that he issued a general order that carried
the greatest CONSERVATION with it through
out the kingdom. He ordered the people
to shave all their hair from their heads ex-
cept the crown, and to allow the hair on
that particular part to grow long and dress
it according to the custom of Manchuria.
1t required considerable time for China
men 10 become fully accustomed to this
change, but the custom finally prevailed
throughout the length and breadth of the
great empire 1t is said at first those who
conformed with the new rules were pre-
sented with tael of silver. After awhile
all the converts to the new custom were
given txel of silver. Then the present
then only an egg was given. Finally the
egg was dispensed with and no present was
given.
The law that required the people to
shave their heads and braid the queue Was
not often rieidly enforced by the penalty
of Immediate death, but il was soon an es-
tablished fact all over the empire that
those who did not do as the Emperor de-
sired, would never become successful In a
lawsuit against those who did conform, nor
would they succeed in their business, or
other enterprises and undertakings.
About year ago, when the empress and
CO. regent died, the whole nation went into
mourning, and in the memory of the de-
ceased the law forbade the Chinese to shave
for month. In the city of Foochow the
mo- of the town made the discovery that
TN higher powers we're being disregarded,
a nd he accordingly made raid upon the
barber shops, and sixty Chinese were
caught in the act of being shaved. They
were arrested, brought before the mayor,
were heavily fined and then severely basti-
nadoed. More than this, their heads were
painted bright blue, which Is the color
for mourning IN China, and coat Of var
nish was put over the paint Every week
while the mourning ceremonies lasted the
culprits we're compelled to present them
selves to receive fresh supply OF paint
and varnish.
In this country the Chinese who become
American citizens, and who accept the
Christian faith as their belief. do rot hesi-
tate to cut off their queues and dress their
hair in the American fashion. However,
those who retain their native religion. and
intend at some future time to
return to China, generally retain the
queues, or "pig-tails" as the boys some
times call them. If Chinaman returned to
his native land without his queue be would
lose the respect of his countrymen and be
to leave the country.