The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-26
THE CHINAMAN's CHRISTMAS.
How the Celestials in Savannah Spen
the Day.


There are about twenty Chinese in Sa-
vannah, and although their own Christmas
day has passed they suspended business
generally at their different laundries and
shared in the Christmas festivities ale
samee Mclean man. The Chinese in this
city are drifting away from the religion of
their fathers and if there is joss here, he
is miniature joss and hidden away where
the little imp will not offend the christian
eye.
Charley Lee, the prince of the Savannah
Chinese colony, while punctual attendant
at the Protestant church and Sunday
school, and through whose influence
most Of the Chinese in Savannah have
followed his example, continues to keep a
calendar printed in the hieroglyphics of the
Orient. To a MORNING NEWS reporter, on
the evening before Christmas, Charley was
very communicative about the Chinese
holidays, and in his broken English went
over the list to pick out the principal Ones
He was interrupted once during the Inter
view by a call from his Sunday school
teacher, who brought him a number of
Christmas cards with the wish that
he might have "a merry Christ
mas" and before she left gave him the
parting admonition to be a good boy on
Christmas day. Charley promised faith
fully and when the fair donor left, Charley
united the package and his little
brown eyes kindled with delight as he
looked upon the pictures, and he was espe-
cially pleased with one in which silver
moon was shining in cloudless sky. The
moon is held in great generation by the
Chinese, and Charley explained that moon
day" in China, falls on Sept Is in the
Chinese calendar, and on Oct. Is of the
christian calendar. Charley says every
body shoots irecrackers on moon day.
Millions of fireworks are set off on that day,
and Everybody eats much. Always eat
on Chinese holidays. Not much but shoot
firecrackers and eat" explained Charley.
Chinese Christmas came last Tuesday"
said Charley, which in Chinese reckoning
falls on Nov. 1S, the Chinese calendar being
Just month behind the christian calendar.
The Chinese New Years falls on Jan. 20 of
the English calendar, and the holiday sea-
son lasts whole month.
Joss birthday, which falls on March 3 in
the Chinese calendar, is celebrated with
great eclat. Sacrifices of everything eat
able are made, and Everybody eat much
too on Joss birthday" said the little China
man. Then there is a big holiday known
as the Soldiers and Sailors day, which
comes on the first day of the Chinese May.
All the sailors come ashore on that day and
the festivities are general.
The kings birthday, on July 20, and the
birthday of the kings mother, Sept. 10,
both being the Chinese dates. are national
holidays and are generally observed by the
people "Shoot firecrackers all the time
all the time eat, but shoot more on Moon
day." said Charley in a reminiscent way
SIS there much intoxication on the holt
daysw Charley was asked.
"What that! What you mean!n
"Do many people get drunk"
mo gettee drunk. Gettee drunk, gettee
twenty years"
''rwenty years, howp
"Work. Chinaman gettee drunk, take
him Off, put him to work twenty years.
Nobody want TO go off so long and work
Twenty years work-(and Charley shrugged
his shoulders) keep Chinaman from gettse
drunk"
All the Cinnamon in this city were
dressed in their best clothes yesterday
Some of them went to church, and Others
promensded the city with smiles that were
"childlike and bland" ate the same good
things the Mclean man ate, including roast
pig and turkey, and some of them washed
1T down with sherry wine, hit the pipe
after their repast, and took their post pran-
dial maps with all the aestheticism OF the
eastern nabob. Their hunks are not hung
with tapestry, but Chinaman once re-
signed to sumber does . OF brook q rude
Awakening, and often a visitor will be told
with a look of innocent neekness that a COM
panion is uptown, when he is less than ten
feet away, hidden by common curtain,
aud sleeping sweetly under the influence of
the favorite opiate which takes him back in
his dreams TO the fowery kingdom.