The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-01-16
CHINA AND JAPAN---A CONTRAST.
1t is highly problematical whether
the student, who,

the student, who,
with extensive view,
Surveys mankind from China to Peru,
Will find two other countries, neigh
boring each other, which, though in
habited by people that in common
belief belong to the same race-the
Mongolian-shOw so many striking
dissimilarities in character, manners,
and customs, and who offer a more
interesting subject for study, than is
the case with China and Japan.
Here we have two nations, only dl-
vided from each other by sea
which one of the greyhOunds " of
the Western ocean could cross IN
less than twenty four hours, yet, IN
all Europe, from the sunny shores
of Southern Italy, to the barren cliffs
of the furthest Scandinavia, you will
not meet with two countries, the
people of which are so emphatlcally
unlike each other as those inhabit-
ing the Land of the Vermilion
Pencil, and Golden Lilies" and the
Land of the Rising Sun and ORA
gon-Fly." This fact seems all the
more strange when we consider that
both China and Japan have drawn
their culture from sources which, If
not exactly identical, are certainly
closely related, whilst, moreover,
both countries-at least the far
greater part of each-have en-
braced a system of faith and
worship which is traced back
to the same founder-Buddha.
Nevertheless, no matter in what oil
rection you direct your attention,
whether to character, language,
dress, or manners and customs in
general, you find that the sombre
8 Chinee'' varies more from the
cheerful Japanese" than the Gun
speakable" Turk differs from the
'|brilliant" Gaul Let me just en-
umerate a few Of the many marked
distinctions. In Japan neatness and
order reign supreme; in China all
appears utter decay and confusion.
Niponese cleanliness is strikingly
opposed to All Sins filth. A yard of
spare ground alongside a cottage in
Japan always contains some tiny
pebbles, and perhaps a miniature
tish-pond and fountain, but in the
Celestial Empire the same would be
a heap of filth and rubbish; Chinese
urchins call you naughty names, and
the women run from you into their
houses; japanese children grace
fully salute You, and NipOnese WO-
men will exert themselves to become
agreeable to you. All Sins babies
yell and cry all day and night; the
''tootsy-wOOtsies" of Nippon, like SEN
sible people, keep their mouths shut
and treat the world with the equan-
unity of a stole. A Japanese tea
house positively attracts you to stay,
in order to enjoy its cleanliness, the
tastefulness of its little garden, and
the courtesy of its charming ser
wants; a Chinese inn repels you by
it's diametrical contrast; the dress of
the Dai NipOnese, both from a point
of usefulness and cOmeliness, has
never been surpassed by any nation,
no matter whether ancient, medieval,
or modern; the habiIiment of the
black haired race Of Han-a bun
die of cloth as shapely and service
able as a flour bag. The Japanese
| language, though it cannot boast of
| long tailed words in Osity and alton,
sounds exceedingly sweet, almost as
euphOnious as the Italian, but Chin
| csc speech is quaint and Olden,"
and beats all gibberish into a cooked
/ hat, and strikes you as being in
| vented in order to initiate the exc
CRADLE chipping of scissor grinders
and the buzzing of bumble-bees.
WOmankind in the Land of the
Rising Sun" enjoys almost all the
privileges of her fair sisters in the
West: in the Land of the Nermil-
J ion Pencil" the social status of the
! gentle sex stands in direct contra
riety, the woman being at the best
her lord and masters slave. The
Niponese people are always anxious
! to hurry-often heedlessly- along
the path of occidental civilization
| the 'child-like and bland Chinee''
moves along in the same direction
at a snaiPs pace, always SUSPECT
ously viewing foreign innovations,
Gnl most reluctantly part 6
from his fosslhzed usages. Even
in the animal kingdom the diff
ference is emphatically noticeable
Chinese dogs are imbued with the
spirit of mandarins and bark in
chorus after every foreigner who
passes; japanese dogs are inspired
with the courtesy of their masters
and are incapable of such insolence
Aud so forth, ad infnitum.- TShang
hal Courier.