The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-12-03
CHINESE PEACEMAKERS.
How They Are Respected in the
Land of Rice.
Belligerents Commence Their Fight by
Beating Themselves-Curio Instances
of How Disputes Were Settled
Repainting His Front Door,"

China is probably the most peacea-
bic and peace-loving nation in the
world. It's Government has submitted
to gross wrongs and acts of injustice
at the hands of other Powers without
recourse to war, and sometimes with
out even protest, such as, if attempt
ed toward any Western nation, would
have caused bitter struggle and much
shedding of blood. The highest hon
ors which, as State, it has to bestow
upon its people, are to be sought and
found in the liue of civil promotion
Not the great General, but the popular
and successful magistrate or ruler, is
the man who may hope for and receive
the highest hOnOrs from the Emperor
Its only privileged class is that of the
students or scholars
A great difference has existed in this
respect between China and Japan. In
the latter Government the privileged
class has been the samorai, or " two
sworded men," that is, the military.
And in recent times, during the reor-
ganization of Japan by its present able
rulers, this class has given great trouble,
and attempted at least one revolution.
This important difference between
those two great Eastern nations may
be correctly stated by saying that for
hundreds of years the Chinese have
been taught the arts of peace, and the
Japanese the art of war. Yet though
the Chinaman is not warlike, he is, as
an individual, quarrelsome. This NAV
seem to be u distinction without diff
ference, and yet there is difference;
it may seem to be very strange, and
still it is fact. The average China
man always goes about with his little
chip of pride, conceit and self-esteem
nicely balanced upon his shoulder,
waiting and watching for some one to
knock it off. The never-ending code
Of etiquette tends largely to develop
and help on this quarrelsome DISPOSE
ton.
If your Chinese cook calls his Chi
nese friend, your bottle washer, by his
given name, instead of addressing him
as Venerable Elder Brother" there is
ill-feeling aroused at once, though the
two may be old friends and even rela-
tives. If q Chinaman enters room
where another is seated, and the other
does not rise to receive him, there NAV
be high words about it. If Chinaman
meets an acquaintance whose queue is
coiled on his head, and that queue is
not at. once brushed down and
Strengthened out, there is a quarrel.
On one occasion the wife of the
writer sent servant with q note to a
lady friend, directing him to bring
back an answer. He did so, but
brought the reply to the writer in the
Office, who directed him to take it into
the house. He took it to the servants
quarters, intending to give it to the
butler to deliver to the mistress; but as
the butler was absent he handed it to
another house-servant, with the words:
The master says you are to give that
TO the Mistress"
''Why don't you take it YOURSELF"
was the reply.
ugh! Is that the way you talk to
meP" said the first.
In an instant they had grasped each
other by the queue, and were pulling
each other about the yard, screaming
out abusive language, and making
noise enough generally for mob. The
writer was forced to go and pull them
apart, and it was only after they had
been tied, each by the queue, to two
hitching-posts in the stabe-yard fol
half an hour, that they cooled down,
apologized to the master, begged each
Others pardon, and were reconciled.
But Chinese quarrels, as a rule, are
very harmless affairs, in which only
the lungs and fingers of the parties ara
called into use. They generally begin
by mutual fault-finding in an ordinary
voice. The voice gradually rises, while
1.-The tone of conversation is lowered
until each is screaming out at the tor
of his lungs the most abusive language
about the wife, sister, mother. grand
mother and female relatives generally
of the other Then each tears off his
garments and strips himself naked
above the waist. The screaming con
tinually increases in violence. Then
each, still screaming and ''callino
Names" hammers himself on the cheS
with his doubled fists, until you would
think he would beat in all his ribs
This gymnastic exercise having beer
completed, each seizes the other by the
queue, close up to the head, and they
pull each other about until they arc
tired, or until they are separated.
But the interference, tAe peace-mak
ing, is so regular, SO universal, in every
Chinese dispute, as to have become {
thorough and constitutional part of it
and no description of Chinese character
would be complete in which that were
omitted. At certain stage in the pro.
ceedings, generally after the hair-pull.
ing has begun, two Of the bystanders,