Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
CHINESE MANNERS.
You Are Asked to Dinner and Then Told How
to Behave.

L Ou al Y AohNG " bllIIcI Iucu -lOiu l1ON
to Behave.
In China all the actions of life are sup
posed to be regulated by book called
the ali ri, or the Book of Rites" says
the Youths Companion. This book
which Is said TO make it easier to be pc
lite III China than anywhere else, because
pOliteness is subject to more fixed regu-
lations, has been in large part translated
into English by James Legge, professor
of Chinese in tbs university at Oxford
The Chinese is surrounded with rites and
regulations from his birth TO lis grave
very many of which ara exceedingly gro.
tesque and trivial to US.
When Chinese makes a visit TO an &C
quaintauce he sends in his ordinary visit
ing card or billet, on which is written
"The tender and sincere friend OF your
lordshlp, and the perpetual disciple OF
your doctrine presents himself to pay his
duty and make his reverence even to tht
EARTH"
The master of tho house meets at the
door his visitor, who firmly refuses tc
enter first; the ghost then makes him 6
profound bow, and they go in together
There is a similar scene at the stairway
After long exchange of formalties, they
go up side by side, but the visitor il
obliged to step on the first stair with his
right foot, while the man Of the house
puts his left foot first. Any Chinamar
who omits these formalties is regarded a:
very ill-bred.
In conversation the host and guest
never think of using the pronouns | ano
you. Instead of saying: 81 am very sen
sible of the service you have done me,
they will say: THE service that the lord
or the doctor has done for his meanesi
servant or his scholar has greatly affected
me-" The guests invitation card bears
this sentence: ''To what an elevation OF
splendor will your presence assist US to
rise!n
IF visitor is asked to dinner, custom
requires that he shall receive the follow
ing bit of advice:
Do not make noise in eating; do no
crack the bones with your teeth; do MOI
drink the sauces in long draughts.
All this is said and received with the
utmost gravity. If the host is person
of consequence and serves fruit con
tanning stones at dinner, the guest is ex-
pected to put the fruit stones in hi.
pocket, as it would be impolite TO refuse
>
The manner of c1tting melon varie!
according to the rank of the eater and OF
the officehol6ers, there are between the
highest mandarin and the lowest con
stable. nine classes, each distinguished
by dress peculiar to itself.
The military ceremonies are aImos
endless; even the killing Of an enemy ha
TO be done according TO certain cere-
moIy, and there is a special carriag,
provided in which messenger wht
brings news Of defeat has to ride.
Mourning is rigidly regulated. Here i
an extract from eli XII"
When the father dies, the son must ap
pear dumfounded, as if he knew no
where he was. When the body is placed
in coffin the son must cast about hin
rapid and afflicted chances, as if b,
sought something which he could no
| find.
When the burial has taken place b
must wear an agitated and alarmed ex
preston, as if he awaited someone VIII,
did not come. At the end of the frs
year of mourning he must wear sad an.
| detected air, and at the end of the secon,
year vague and restless expression.
At certain intervals the mourner mus
bear his throat and execute a series o
| jumps. For a distant relitive the Jump
alone suffice.
The "Li Kin cites, as a perfect exampl
OF discretion in mourning, the case of
woman named King Klsng, who, havin
lost her husband and her son, mourne
her son day and night and her husban
through the day only.