New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-11
NAMING A CHINESE HEIR.
AN INTERESTING SERVICE IN MoFTsr.
WHAT THE crnEMoNy is rlSE--soNE OF THOSE
PRESENT

WHAT THE CEREMONY rs IIKE--soME OF THOSE
PRESENT.
For the last few weeks there has been an unusu@
unber Of social affairs In arstocratie Chinese circles
Fortunately for the jewellers in hottest, The season
Of Lent in no way affects their fesHvites. ihe
h,sI,tant series OF receptions conversations and
h,gh teas which have been the talk of the social
void IN that part Of the town recently, reached It's
c,,,nax Yesterday on the occasion of baptism, at
ubach he most prominent people OF lower MotSst
vcre present. A few years ago HI kee came 10
America to make his fortune, and started out IN
NE with modest littie shop. where tho principal
things for sale were sugar Chinese candies ana
eew- gaws He prospered sufficiently to marry q
Young woman, two years ago, who enjoys tho as
ttnction of having been born in San Francisco
Mr. ana Mrs HI Kee yesterday were the proudest
couple among the little colony from the Orient 10
the Chinese the baptism OF child IS no less an %
caslon for concentrations, good-wshcs and offerings
OF uraise than TO those of farer skins and shorter
hair The particular cause for qualification and
paronabIe pride on this occasion was the TACT mat
the child was q boy, for son and an heir IS more
70 Chinaman than whole family oil girls. me
baptism took place at the home OF Mr. and MRS Seo,
No a l-2 Mottst. 1t was hardly baptism, for
the sprinkiing Of water plays no part whatever In
the bestowing Of a name upon Chnaman's SON.
There are many points of difference between
Chinese and Christian baptism. Tho hour set down
yesterday for aixing to the heir OF HI Kee and his
wife So Kee name by which he should from that time
be known was o'clock No guests were admitted 20
the room where the ceremony was to take place until
promptly on the stroke Of the hour At that tmo the
other rooms were filed with the guests, stately ana
solemn looking silent and bowng. For once the swiit
wag of their tongues had ceased. When the door OF
the front room thrown open by WIN so, hiiu
priest to the mighty JOSS godfather 10 the heir ana
oclator at the services, those present fell into line
and with gravity and dignity, marched two oy Two
into the outer rooms. At the head OF the line OF
men 1.-THE men precede the women, walked Stet sum-
the we'll known importer, who was to be godfather
to the young heir, the officiating priest Always Doing
formal godfather to as many children may be named
by him. The five ladies present as guests came
directls behind the mon. led by Mrs. kee, hef
assumed seriousness Of expression scarcely hiding the
pleasure and pride on her dehcately featured face
and her narrow, shining eyes.
On bed, spread with spotless covering OF white
Law the child the tinlest most fragile bit of bundle
OF gsudy SILK and olive-tinted cheeks About his
neck hung string of gold beads, there was band
of gold about his diminutve head, gold bracelets en-
circed his small wrists, while two ivory rings Win
gold fastenings were clasped around his ankles
beneath which were beautifully embroidered shoes,
which seemed to DO no larger than mans thumb
The guests walked In silence before the oed' the
young heir blinking up at them with all the wisdom
of COnfucius in his fare When the last couple hso
filed past the bed they gathered about
the centre of the room and WIN So
the officiating prioSb picbou up e"O ""H
of silk and carried 1t to place before the guests me
mother stopped forth and took the bundle In her
arms, while all those present bowed low. AS yet no
word had been spoken by any one.
Then the priest bowed almost to the
ground three times his face getting longer and longer
until he let out q string of Chinese words first 70
fine father and then 10 the mother This was 70 ask
them IL they both wished their heir to be named Mon
Kee sing Both Of them nodded assent to this. Inc
priest again took the child and bowling three times
more with him in his arms. pronounced his
name Mon Kee Sing thus became his name
There had been stationed In the room three Chinese
musicians and as the last words fell from the prlests
mouth, sudden noise of screeching, one-sningee
violin and two piercing wind instruments broke out
This lasted only moment, however, and there was
no Chinese drum this being used especially at numerals
When the hideous music had stopped, all fell 10 chat
tcrng Ike mad around the father and mother There
followed dinner which lasted for two hours. The
whole ceremony, including the "name-feast' a. IL
is called required trtfe over three hours. Among
the representative Chinese people were Mr. and Mrs;
Yuet Sing, Biz. and Mrs. Tun Sung Sung, Mr and
Mira. Quoug Chen Chong, Mr.. and Mr. ouong Ching
High Mr.. and Mrs. Hang Ting Chin, Ha e.. Won Hong
Wah, King Kee Tuck High ouong Lung jim, Tic kee,
Lung Chang Quong Lung Wah, Sing ouong, Wing Wah
chong, Wing Sung Sang Gee Tong, and Wong NOW