Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1884-05-23
CHINA
The Great Mall-The Crand Canal
Civil and Social Customs
worship &c.

the following portions OF letter re-
Gently received from Rev. N. w. Hol-
comb, who will be remembered by |
some of our readers as having been
connected with the Baptist church, OF
this city, as a-tor for short time. a |
few years ago Mr.. Holcomb weEt
.rcm this place to Tung Chow, China.
as a missionary. Though giving his life
to heroic christian effort in that far
away field. he yet remembered his old
friends hare affectionately. and many
Of them will be glad to read these
items of information from his hand +:
LUNG Chow. CHINA, P. O. CHEFoo.
MR. r. S. HALLIDAY, DEAR SIR AND
3Ro. In reply to
some of your queries will say, The
Great Wall of China so frequently
spoken of, really exists and its con
struction was truly prodig,ous I'm.
dertaking. 1t was built B. c. azo.
more than 1000 years ago and stands
to attest the solid,ty ofits construction.
1t is not now kept in repair and is
broken In many places 1t is between
China proper and Chinese I artary. or
Mongolia. 1t was built for the pur-
pose of keeping out the incursions OF
the northern warlike tribes. Its I75o
miles long, IS # thick at the base, IS
# thick al the top and from IS to 3of
high. There are numerous towers
averaging about 40 # in height.
What an expenditure Of labor 1t
is called "The Myriad Mile Wall. !"
The Chinese mile is one.third as long
as OURS. But the wall is by no means
10000 Ii or chinese miles. This is an
illustration of their common disposition
to exagerate.
The Grand Canal is also work OF
gigantic proportions and of far greater
utility. 1t is about $50 miles long and
was formerly kept in good repair, but
now the northern part is almost useless
through neglect.
The most common punishments for
crime are imprisonment, fines, decapi-
tation and Punishment. Justice, (or
often iniustice), is melted out qnite
summary by the mandarins or officers
who are responsible not to the people,
but to higher officers, these to higher
ones and they finally to the emperor.
The government of China is an abb
solute monarchy, founded on the idea
of the family. The Emperor is the
son Of Heaven. The higher officers
are the children OF the Emperor, The
lower officers of the higher and finally
the people are the children of the
lower officials. The theory of the
government is that from the Emperor
down all the officials shall exercise
their authority in the spirit of paternal
affection. But some of them prove
most unaturaI parents and corruption
is rife everywhere. Yet for heather
country, the government of China is
worthy of much praise. The fact tina,
1t has existed SO long, at least 3 ooc
years, and some say more than 1000
shows that it must be possessed o.
many good characteristics among all it:
evils.
You ask me how the boys and girls
spark. Well they don't spark at all.
Their fathers and mothers do that for
them and don't consult their wishes in
the matter in anyway. In fact if two
persons are found to be fond of eacl
other that is rather a reason for moi
allowing them to be married. A man
and his wife must not love each Other
too much. They must love his parents
A mans duty to his parents are much
greater than to his wife according to
Chinese morals. He may let his wife
60 hungry, but must see that his pa.
rents have plenty to eat. Not only de
the boy and girl have no say in the
matter of the betrothment or engage.
ment, but it often takes place before
they are old enough to walk or talk, lie,
alone to think of such things as who
they shall marry. The marriage cere.
mony consists principally in the inter.
change ofpresents, the worship of an.
cestors. and the conducting of the bride
to the house of the bridegroom. After
this comes the marriage feast which is
more or less pretentious affair &C.
cordIng to the wealth of the parties.
The Bridegroom goes to the house Of
the bride and the two carried in sedan
chairs ola bright red color are preced.
ed by band of musicians making a
horrid clamor, and a number of the
bridegoom's friends. They usually
arrive at the groom's house toward the