The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-07-06
A Curious Tale.
TIE NoNGoLAN's QUEUE AND WHY lie
WEARS 1T.

THE NoNGoLIAN's QUEUE AND WHY lie
WEARS IT.
A Cleveland, Ohio, reporter spent
fully an hour in conversing with a
score or more of the Chinese citizens
with view of obtaining information
regarding the queues worn by Chinese.
There are in Cleveland number of the
celestials who are intelligent and in
dustrious. One of these, who keeps a
laundry, is far more intelligent than
the average Chinaman. lie is neat
and clean in his dress, which is pat
termed after ours, and Is more orderly
in his habits and abode than most of
his race. From tbis intelligent China
man, and from other sources, some in
teresting information regarding the
"pigtair was obtained, ...I .L
For many hundred years prior to the
year 1914, the native emperors Of the
Chinese dynasty compelled the Chinese
subjects under them TO wear long hair
over the whole head, and wear it in a
tuft or coil, something after the man
ner in which the ladies weat false
switches at the present day. The
first emperor of the present dynasty,
who ascended the throne in 164i, de-
teImined to make the tonsure of Man
churia, which was his native country,
the token of the submission of the Chi
nese of the entire country to his author
ity. . ..t ..
1t was not long after he began to
reign that he issued general order
that carried the greatest CONSERVATION
with it throughout the kingdom. He
ordered all the people TO shave all the
hair from their heads except the crown,
and to allow the hair on that particular
part to grow long and dress it accord.
ing to the custom of Manchuria. II
required considerable time for the Chi
namen to become fully accustomed tc
this change, but the custom finally pre-
vailed throughout the length and
breadth of the great empire. 1t is sale
at first those who conformed with the
new rules were presented with tae
of silver. After while all the new
converts to the new custom were giver
half a tael of silver. Then the present
was reduced to only tenth of tae
and then only an egg was given. Fl
nally the egg was dispensed with anC
no present was given.
The law that required the people t.
shave their heads and braid the queu
was not often rigidly enforced by tn
penalty of immediate death, but it wa
soon an established fact all over th'
empire that those who did not do a
the emperor desired, would never be
come successful in lawsuit agains
those who did conform, nor would the
succeed in their business, or other er
terprises and undertaking.
About year ago when the empires
and co regent died, the whole natio
went into mourning, and in memory q
the deceased the law forbade the Oh
nese shaving for month. In the cit
|, of Foochow, the mayor of the tow
made the discovery that the highe
/; powers were being disregarded and h
accordingly made raid upon the ba
Der shops, and sixty Chinese wei
caught in the act of being shave'
They were arrested, brought before II
mayor, were heavily fined, and then s
verely bastinadoed. More than Chi
their heads were painted a bright blu
; which is the color for mourning in CT
: ma, and a coat of varnish was put ov,
!: the paint. Every week while I'll
mourning lasted the culprits were COZ
!, PEELED to present themselves weekly
receive af resh supply of paint and va
u nish.
" In this country the Chinese who b
come American citizens, and who a
cept the Christian faith as their bell,
l. do not hesitate to cut off their queu
II and dress their hair in the Americ
{ fashion. However, those who reta
= their native religion, and who inter
at some future time to return to Chi
II generally retain their queues or ''p
>, tails as the boys Sometimes call the
10 1T Chinaman were to return to
&c native land without his queue he wor
III lose the respect of his countrymen a
be compelled to leave the country.