New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-15
MADAME GOLDEN LILY,
TIE CHINAWOMAN AT HOME.
THE LITTLE FEET THAT MEAN ToRTI RE-A
Normal, CALI, FROM MANDARIN,S WIVES

More. probably, than any other nation In the world,
| the Chinese cOnine their women to duties purely
feminine. called. Few Chinese women. OF the
lowest rank, perform services OF mental character.
An "anah' woman maid OF mine, a really intei-
| gent Chinese woman. said to me once: Foreign
woman work very hard. DO mans work, wash, and
scrub and work ont OF doors. Chinawoman only do
wonan's work. Sew and take Of children
This woman had lived with Englishwomcn In Hong
kons many years. had travelled as servant over
England. France and Germany, and had been scnsi-
bic and rather keen observer. VIVA, she said was.
from Chinese standpoint, quite corrcc'. and who
| shall say her standpoint a bad one7 Surely
hr care Of children and tho dainty handicraft OF the
needle are after all the most purely feminine and
from old ashioncd point OF view the most graceful
and poetic occupations Of women.
The possession OF the small fcci-Or golden lili's'
as they called in Chinese parlancc-is n sign Of
| ariSocracy. A poor man cannot afford to have his
daughters feet bound. A woman with compressed
feet with difficulty living. In wel-to-do
family daughter. usually the most prcposscssing.
IS selected for this dignity. At the age Of three
the bandaging begins. Tho torture Is extreme,
but the little girl is compelled TO bear IT, and is
punished by her mother for not walking fast. She
is forced TO take occasional the mother often
beating her child 10 mako her faster. IL allowed
TO rest the chlds feet under the banflging proccs,
would become useless. The shoes by the
smaoocd women cannot he bought In shops. Each
foot being distorted into distinctive and individual
shape, the shoe mrs, rally be made cNpr sly for H.
The smill-foocd women usually make their
shoes OF bits OF silk embroidered gold colors.
Very dainty work they make Of II, too, shoemaker
simply soling these bits OF embroidery. In crrio
shops the globc1rotter may sometimes pick mp
second hand shoe. The tiny feet must be often and
carefully washed and diSinfcctcd. Many Of them
pcrpctually swollen and innamcd There are women
whose business II is to from house 10 house bathing.
| bandagins and treating these MANNED members.
woman OF rank has sometimes amab whose
special duty II Is for her tiny but troublesome
feet. Chinese women who possess small feet are,
while proud Of them in way very shy and I'M
willing exhibit them 10 foreigners. had great
dincuty in coaxing Chinese woman OF rank to
give me n glimpse Of her foot. The four smaller
toes are pressed under the SOLE and tho whole weight
falls really upon the great toe In walking. The ankle
Is very large and distorted hut the leg Is thin and
wasted from inadequate exercise. The tout ensemble
from a Western point Of view Is unbeautlin II not
absolutely rcpusive.
\ Chinese woman OF rank Is never seen on the
streets In Tho hottest weather Smothcrcd in "A sedan
chair, behind thick silk cotton curtains. which In
turn shroudcd 10y heavy bamboo shades, with
only a small aperture Of bamboo Stats In front. the
Chinese woman Of rank pays her infr"Iuent visits
abroad on reaching her destination, her maid or
amah takes her mistress her back and carries the
woman indoors. This Is not only 10 illustrate the
hcplossncSs Of high caste. bn II partial necessity.
as these tiny footed women Weighted down In heavily
embroidered garments, hardly get along without
assistance.
one day my husband. who was In official service.
received the brilliant red slips Of paper which are III"
Chinese visiting cards. and verbal word 10y the
Interpreter that mandarin Of our acquaintance IN
tended honor by call Of ceremony on the fol
lowing day. bringing his five wives with MIN. ii L.
customary IN Chinese etiquette TO send word III" day
before when intending to Gala social law not with
out lis drawbacks. Tor one can never be- not It HON"
20 visitor In China.
The II, xt day about IL I saw from my veraHdn
long cavaloadc oi closed s"danchair and attendants
approaching II Wa our mandarin ana his quintet
81 wives. When 1t 4. understood that each wife had
hsf II doz'n amah, o. - In attendance besides male
servants. and that two of the wives had brought
their children boys l,drs don't count with attendant
nurses II may be- ina gincd what army had
appeared.
My drawing room, like most rcccp'ion.rooms III
China was on the second floor II mntter of
some difficulty get these women OF rank up The 10
them extremely long staircase. but soon siah pro
ccs,on OF pantalooncd amahs with bloomcrcd women
on their hicks ascending tho stairs 1t was all
! could do 10 preserve my gravity. but as even the
least approach To visibility would have been deadly
insult. | ,moo,hcd out my face with some difficulty
and received them AT N" head OF the stairs With hh
attempt at Oriental Circumstance. The women wrr"
elegantly dressed. Heavily embroidered SILK pcttlcoaS
partially concealed full Oos" drawer, which ar"
the distinctive feature Of Chinese wonan' garb.
or. rather the drawers projected only slightly brl""
The pciilcoats. The annals wore 10 U'ti!coats. The
women were obviously and proluscly po"dcred-th"
Chinese wear their powder with no attempt at dis
cise or conccamcnt-aDd their lips were brilliantly
carmiDed. Their bcrng'd and braceci"h hands "cF'
ais" heavily coated with powder. Their llti" hands
oChncsc women very small and pr"iiill chapel
hands, projecting their full sirNc,. terminated
oil she'd Ill. d.
cratic In the extreme with nails inch or so long
a woman cnn do work. sometime a richly en-
hosscd silver sheath protects the nails when on
parade"
The Jewels OF my guests were beautiful one wife
had .xaul. tie solitaire pearls large peas-sur
mosinting the usual immense hoop Of hlierec COLL
the conventional Chinese carrns. They all wore
numerous bangles. which fell iorwurd-l had almost
sad by the dozeIl-ovcr their hands they walked.
Their hair ornaments were also beautiful The hair.
arranged Ia teapot, and I"madcd Into pac" uh'il
Il looks as though carved In bl1ck marble l. coil'i
at the back around n large central ornament OF Jade,
or gold and jewels. other ornaments OF flowers or
gold nisrcc forming Imitation flowers are stuck Into
mis- coil on either side. The poorest sampan woman
though she own shoe and has never known the
comforts Of II stocking, possesses hair ornament,
usually Of Jade. The hair Is conurcd once n week
nv BARRIERS go from house to house. The Chinese
p,llov-a squarr block Of WOOD placed back of the
ears 10 keep tho hair from nmblng II Is only the
men I'm China who really sleep comfortably.
The last Of my guests having djsmounted from her
moa,s back welcomed them into the drawing room.
Conversation langi shed. The small boys. In heavy.
souat embroidered cOnts, were very funny and so
unboyish should al another time, when unbnrdencd
Of their mammas, have enjoyed them immensely ]
had fortunately some boxes OF bonbons. and by Il
Iucky inspiration / trottcd them about. The Chinese
,rc vcrv fond OF sweets. My marion glaccs were
appreciated both by mistress and waiting women.
Then / showed them my photographs, which they
enjoycd hugely and afterward the first wIfea rather
dIgnilcd sad eyed woman. much more plainly dressed
than the others asked through our Interpreter (my
own Chinese maId) II they might the house
took them through after room. the spaciOusness
,..lIcL Lodi ihcm With Nunder and admIrltiOu