Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-03-05
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CHINESE HOME LIFE.


The Costumes and Dress OF zhe
Ladies Of China,
Far less mysterious and poetical than
the yelled women of the Mediterranean
Orient Turkish, Egyptian, Syrian, Mo
rescue, Arabian the great Chinese ladies
lead, nevertheless, an indoor life, beyond
the reach Of vulgar eyes or public con
tact. When they do go out, they are
always accompanied by numerous ser
wants, the palanquin is entirely closed
up, its windows are covered with cur
tains Of unpenetrable gauze, one cannot
even distinguish the shape Of the woman
within the palanquin which is always
decorated with the insignia of the priv
ileged class.
A mandarin's wife must not show her
self under risk of being sullied by the
gaze of the populace. She shares the
honors of her husband, gives parties in
her own house, visits her female friends.
but the street is forbidden her.
In the house Of the rich mandarins
there are always several courts-little
open yards through which one has to
pass before reaching the female apart
ments, which are always separated from
those of the men. The married people
alone occupy the same room; every other
member of the family must occupy a
separate room.
The most luxurious Chinese upholstery
and furniture never invites one to idle
repose, in fact the best furnished house
is barely comfortable. The bed has no
spring; but has number of little cotton
mattresses covered with silk; and padded
counterpanes which are rolled up in one
mass during the day. Such bed repre-
sents perfect square, covered like a
catafalque. The lighter furniture, of a
very handsome hard wood, are stiff-look-
ing; the tables are usually heavy, mas
sive, solid; but have seen some light
ones maze OF DamDOO.
A Chinese parlor always looks like a
council hall. Against the center of the
wall at the further end, divan is always
placed, covered with very thin mat
tresses. At either side is row Of chairs;
and on the floor beside each chair is
magnificent porcelain vase precisely
the same as those Chinese vases we use
for mantelpiece ornaments these vases
are used simply as spittoons.
Lanterns symmetrically disposed, fill
the parlor with pale light. Nothing
ever appears disturbed, or even anima-
ted, in these vast and glacial rooms dur
ing winter. Painfully the Chinese la
dies move their little feet over the
slippery floors, or over strips of Pekin
carpet.
Chinese ladies wear robes of silk of
any or every color; their frightful little
feet protrude from the legs Of a straight
pair Of satin pantaloons-m much like the
European garment in form. The custom
of martyrizing the feet always affects
the legs, which invaribly become thin,
atrophied or deformed.
Little feet are not admitted to the i'm
perial court. Only the daughters Of
Tartar generals are admitted to the en-
peror's palace; and these are never sub
jected to the torture of having their feet
deformed.
The hair Of the Chinese women is
thick, black, smooth, without ever
CLEAN in it dead black. This is one of
the things which 1 do not admire. in
them; but it is distinct characteristic
of the race.
The Chinese women love their chill
dren; and are much loved and respected
by them. The story about Chinese in
fants being thrown into the river is pure
humbug. The affection shown to their
children by the women Of the lower
classes is often very touching; they carry
them strapped to their shoulders even
while at work.
1t must not be supposed that one
Chinese woman exactly resembles an
other Chinese woman-it is just as ra-
tional to say that all French women look
alike. The race-type is the same; but
the physiognomy is very different I
have seen fine aquiline noses, long or
oval faces. But all these women have
bright, intelligent, decided, energetic
features. Their costume is simple, very
graceful; and some little jewel of jade
always glimmers in the car, or on the
swarthy arm.
The working woman runs, goes every
where. She has the bold, brusque man
ner of the person who is wholly self-de-
pendent, and is conscious of her force to
do and dare She is the exact counter
part Of the aristocratic lady who stag
gers about on her little feet.
A good example of Chinese high life
is shown by the fact Il at if anyone asks
what sort Of woman some great man
DARN has married, the answer is always
given, with an air Of shocked surprise
''Ohl woman with little feet, Of
coursen That is to say he has not
married beneath him.