Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-01-14
THE CHINESE.

Their Manners, Customs and Expectations.
 ED. CITIzES:-In many parts of the world one travels in, 6nl it becomes known that hs is taking notes for pub hcstion, and one does rot conform to just the ideas of the many knowiug z ones, and what they want to say, you are put down as having taken bas.y or dyspeptic observation of the country, and had no opportunity to knoS any thing, etc. Making no greater preteu- tons to being a writer than to tell me plain, simple truth, under all circum- stances, I shall not be thus branded I hope.
 once spent eight months in travel ing ID China, and in looking over many of my old notes, concluded they might interest Eome of the many read CTS of your excellent paper.
 Should one pass a week or SO in ho- tel and should write contormably to what various interest would have you do you are a! once quoted ss a most in- tellIgent, experienced traveller and writer 4 thorough investigation, however, takes of ali the vsrnish.
 In China society may be divided into six parts. First, the gentry. which in cludes the literary and professional classes, and from which the officials are usually chosen. Second, the commer- cIal, which includes all grades of mer. chants. ThIrd, the mechanical, includ- ing all artisans. Fourth, the aSr!cul- turlst, florist, etc. Fifth, the religious. or the preist and nuns, which may be sad to compose a distinct type. Sixth. the common laborers or coolIes Aud might add separate class, cOmposed oi tine army and navy, which is chiefly re cruitsd from from the last named di- VI non.
 Their regard for ancestors and the es- tablil he'd usages of past ages requires that the son shall engage m the busi- ness calling of the father. Hence each Of the above classes might be sub-di- Slded, forming as many distinct classes as there are distinct callings The fifth class must be excepted. ss nH their priests are celibates, and recruited from the other classes, but the choice IS gen sedentary and vegetarian life marks tine physiognomy of the priest.
 The peculiar nature of their written language also tends to separate the diff. ferent learned professions. Hence each student IS 6 specialist. There are but few comparatively of the literary classes outside the priesthood who know any thing of their religious literature, aud so of the other specIRl branches. The natural result of thIs fact IS to give deference to each professor Tn his de partment. Thus the judicial order is coofined to very few judges in each district from whose decisions there is no appeal, and likewise the medical fraternity, although, strange tc say, they are among the most ignorant. Yet they wield an absolute influence in their sphere and all classes submit tC the most needless and excIucIatlnR tor | ture upon the prescription of the doctor simply because he is supposed to know all about 1t.
 Among the best patronized, most re munerative and respectable of then ! learned professions, is the fortune teller | or clRIrvoyant, whose business It IS tC | study the spirits for fRtes of men ,snd thui know just what IS safe and profitable for escn man to do. So complete if this belief in the powers of this clasl that nothing is begun without first con sulting an oracle, and hIs instructions | gre followed to the letter. This clss, correspond and are contemporary Sitt | with Daniel, the interpreter of al dreams and handwriting upon the vail of ancient Babylon. When a house II built the oracle is consulted to see whrrt 1t should be and where to put the doors | They think the devil is a great fool hence the doors of all the houses ar, put in some eccentric angle, SO thA his satanic majesty may not find hI
 way into the house to disturb the for tunes of the tenants. The idea IS th, same ss that " hich obieIrs in the trsl with an open trench for qusils, whicI
 ook around the wall for @ place O escape, but never think to look Tn th, ceuter of the enclosure for the opel trench through which they entered.
 When a person dies Ihe fortune teller are called in to ascertain a lucky posi-
 ton for the grave, and this is often
 difficult task, especially if decessed bs, money. It Is much like the srduou
 task of praying the soul of rich prodi
 gal out of purgstory, Tn Roman Oatho
 lie circles. IL IS no unusual thing 10
 the dead to remain unburied for month
 or even years, waiting for the oracle t
 determine the proper place; or, nor
 siten with the poor, waiting 10 Ee
 money to pay the fee, for fortune sellIn
 IS a cash business.
 There IS DO danger of the professions
 losing a patron by refusing ere lit, fo
 the belief of the people is so cOmp!ei
 that they dare not neglect this impoi
 tsnt feature, and thus incur the d!s
 pleasure of the spirit of the dead, who's
 powers for evil is supposed to be ur
 limited.
 It often happens that bird will dela
 A wedding for many days. The house
 sher-yer 1t is possible, are surrOunde with trees or shrubbery, and those Gr the fayorite resorts of the birds wh:c are very numerous, and almost ever variety of bird, especially the crow CD magpie. are connected with some trad lion or i'll luck. Hence when a proieI sional oracle is consulted with regard a safe time for @ marriage, he often tel them that dsy must be selected upo winch a certain bird either does or dct not light upon the premises; snd tbu the bride is sometimes kept waiting fc many days while the family constant look out for the omen of good luck.
 n crow cry over the head or breast oi
 man on a journey it fills hIm with dread sppreheDson of some dire calaEl ty. very similar to traditions of som
 parts of the United States, where do' 3 cooing upon the hOusetop IS sure siR of a death in the family. This class r fore telling events is based upon s seer , power of divinstIon possessed by the pr 3 tessionRl.
 r have often met with men who e 2 amined head and hands too, with g view to ascertain the owners Dent s aptItudes, in other words, prac,icir - akin 10 those of Phrenology and PhYs
 ology, are also prscticed among thei
 They seem to have discovered that Il contour of the cranium has some rel tion to the mental sptltudes. l WAS ul 2 able to learn the extent to which the q cisions of the phrenologist influences D
 subjects, as the cases met with we generally those of young men. But ' !, feature that impressed me was the I 2 plicis faith the people seem to have