The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-20
Curious Celestial Customs.

III an exceedingly entertaining pas
sage DR.. Taylor summons up the diff
ferences between the Chinese and
ourselves so far as the opposite ways
of doing things are concerned.
"They shave the hair from the
head instead of the face after they
reach manhood. The lather brush
looks like our tooth brush, and they
use only warm water without soap.
They not only always battle and
wash in warm water, but also drink
warm water in preference to cold.
They begin at the end of a book to
read and read from the top to the
bottom. beginning on the right hand,
instead of across the page beginning
at the left. Explanatory notes are
always at the top instead Of the bot
tom of the page. The title of a book
is always at the outer margin instead
of Mt the top. The leaves are all
doubled and printed on both sides
instead Of single and printed on both.
The pupils in school study AS loud As
they can scream, instead of silently,
and in reciting stand with the back
to the teacher instead of the face
They locate the seat of intelligence in
the stomach instead of the head.
with them, the magnetic needle
Is said to point to the south, and in
naming the cardinal points they say
east, south, west. north. Instead of
southeast and northwest, they always
say east-south and west north, Mat,
ting is used on the beds instead of on
the floors, and they use hard pillows,
generally block of wood, instead of
soft. Long nails are ornamental; if
three or four inches, they are of quite
an aristOcratic length. They put the
given name, or the title after the
family name instead of before it, so
1t would he Smith, Mister, instead OF
Mr.. Smith. 1t is impolite to take off
your hat in the house. hut the height
of respect to remove your shoes. They
plaster and whiteWash their houses
on the outside instead of on the in
side, and it is strong mark of fila
regard for a son to buy Coffin for his
still living father. When a man be-
comes able, one of the first articles of
furniture he buys is his own coffin,
and it is often used as a bench or
table for years. When il hecom IS
tenanted, it is frequently kept in the
house many years longer instead Of
being taken out and buried, and
when thus taken out it is placed on
top of the ground and the earth heap
ed over it in a mound. The inscrip
tion is always on the end instead of
the top of the coffin, and all the
mOurners wear white instead of black.
At funerals women must weep even
If they are not grieved /; men must
not If they are.
uIC NJ lull
moon than at any other time, and
wood and water are sold by weight
instead of measure. AT dinner the
dessert is always eaten first. The
seat of honor is on the left hand in
st adj of the right, the boots and shoes
are higher at the toes than at the
heels, made of cloth instead of leather.
and are whitened instead of BACKED.
In laying floors they lay the plank
with the smooth surface down on
timbers, while the upper is left rough
and unplaned. In drinking tea, the
saucer is placed on the top of the cup
instead of under the bottom. They
Kill themselves to he revenged on an
enemy. Men wear gowns, pettcnats,
beads, embroidery. carriers and cor
sets, and women wear pantalo0ns.
They always mount horse on the
wrong side, and women rifle the
same as the men. Military officers
carry fans instead of pistols. The
plumes on their caps are at the back.
and hang down, instead of being at
the front and standing up. In battle
they wait for the ship to move in II
line with the cannon. instead of NOV.
ing the gun in the direction of the
ship. In the dress of the men, the
drawers are large and loose Il; the
bottom and haye no strings, while
the pants are As tight rs the skin. and
tied round the ankles.
"Among us, young men and wo-
men chOuse for them selves and do
their own counting when they be-
come grown; in China this is all done
for them by their parents while they
are infants. With us ladies have the
preference; with them gentlemen.
We educate our wives, sisters and
daughters and bring them forward in
society; they degrade theirs, keep
them In ignorance and out of sight