, 1891-05-14
CHINESE URBANITY.
clRcuMLoCUuoN THEY DISPLAY IN
LETTER WRITING.

The Educated ChIuaman Can Give the
American Points on Poutcness and Re-
hnements in the Conduct Of EpistoIary
Correspondence.
1t has probably fallen to the lot Of
most Of Us TO have met people who.
without the excuse of an unconscious
habit, nave the kuack Of asserting I'M
pleasant truths, and who value the I'M
gracious practice as a sign Of honesty.
There are others, such as the Quakers of
byEoue days, who regard every EXPIRES
sion which may not be in strict accord
ance with absolute truth as a sin against
their couscieuces. To such people the
idea of subscribing themselves Yours
truly or Of beginning "a letter TO a
casual acquaintance, Dear So and So
is abhorrenL But public opinion has
been too strong for them, and we con-
tinue, and shall continue so long as so
ciety holds together. TO address one an
other in terms Of endearment and respect
which are not required to correspond
with our sentiments
Oneutals have surpassed US In this re-
gard as much as the brilliant sunshine
70 which they are accustomed cNcels the
murEy atmosphere Of Europe. The de
scripuuus Of ourselves and Of our CORE
s~puudents pale before the glowing ex-
pressions Of objective admiration aud
subjective self aDasameut which alUrn
eastern epistles We are content TO CON
fine our wishes and compliments TO the
present life; but such "a limit IS far too
narrow for an Asiatic, who delights in
wishing that his friends may live for
ever and ever, and that the ancestors Of
his enemies may be condemned to ever
lasting disgrace.
We are satisfied to speak OF II" and
You" but ~ oriental loves TO heap adj
j~ectives Of contempt upon himself and
Of gloriication upon his correspondents
ELEvATING AND pESIASING SMILES.
In all cases he avoids the uss Of the
personal p%ronouus. By a system of cir.
-cumloCution ueccssitated by this omis-
sion, he describes himself as Your
younger brother, " the character repre-
scnting his expression being written
small, and partly at the side of tho col
umns Of words, and he designates him
self and others |coujointly as we ants"
But the person he Is addressing figures
as Your excelleuCy," My benevolent
elder brother, or Your honor" liter.
ally, lyon who are mt the steps Of the
council chamber. HISS own house is "a
mean dwelling " or, ns the parts of the
character signify, "a stricken and broken
dwelling. but hc is unable To- think Of
his correspondents habitntiou as any
thing but IAN honorable literally
"baskct-of-pearls paluce." In the same
spirit Of self abasement ho feels Obliged
10 wind up his epistle with the phrase.
Your stupid younger brother. So-aud-
So, bows his hcal TO the ground" The
character for stupid" Is drawn for us
by two hieroglyphiCs, meaning mon
key hearted To bow 10 his friends ia
also pi~ctorially expressed by a c%olloca-
ton Of "A head and turf" suggesting
the act Of bowling the head TO the earth.
If his correspondent proposes 10 call
upon him he hlstcns to assure him that
at tho appointed hour, with bowling
hands, he will await the time when his
excellency shall abase himself by driving
his chariot TO his Office" His friends
letter Is ''the revelation OF his hand
and he takes pains to make him avian
that holding it with washed hands he
had chanted" its contents.
On expressions Of thanks particular
emphasis is laid by the Chinese, aud
me Oriental instinct, in their effort
aIter hyperbolc, ruUy u.
give a physical Interpretation to thheiI2P
mental feelings.
POWERFUL H"YPERBOLE.
For instance, a correspondent who
wishes TO say that heis profoundly CRATE
full, writes, Your kindncssis very decpIy
engraved and euveiued in my heart" If
he hears Of tho illness Of a friend che
cannot help being hung up in suspense"
and the symbol he uses shows to the ewes
the heart Of the writer tied up, while ut
the Same time he urges him "tu take care
Of his person as a pearl" And ON the
receipt Of better news he breaks out.
How shall l bear the JOY and pleasurc,'
Having finished expressing the object of
his letter, no winds up by "availing him
self of the opportunity to wish his CORE.
spondent all the blessings of the season.
and, If he is on the road 60 honor. "all
tho promotion he deserves
But, If not ferocious, a sufficient lati-
tudo still remuius to "a Chinaman for the
development Of much plain speaking. 1t
is as possible to silt the thin spun life
with n ]stiletto as with a broadsword. and
in tho most finished periods a Chinaman
finds himself quite able 20 express either
whitening contempt or rumorseless hate.
But he has other ways also Of giving
vent to his i'll humors. The very pune
ulious rules Of letter writing enable him
10 convey his dislike by omission as well
rs by commission.
Chinese is, it may be explained, writ
ten in vertical columns, beginning ON
HLL Ha #-lA H