Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-03
CHINESE ETIQUETTE.
DELICATE WORK FOR A MoNGoLlAN
MASTER OF CEREMONIES.

A Complicated System of Buttons, Ban
ners and Coats of Arms Which Are Used
to Designate Rank-Confusion Occa-
stoned by the Purchase of Insignias.
Nothing is more complicated than
Chinese etiquette" said DR.. Edward
Bedloe, ex-consul to Annoy. "a master
Of Debrett and Burke is novice beside
o Celestial master of ceremonies, Never
theless the latter's system is definite, if
elaborate, and he has many official land
marks whereby to shape his course. One
of the most important of these is the
button which is worn by every mandarin
on the top of his hat. Each of the nine
ranks has its particular button, and the
second degree of the first and second
ranks are also marked by separate but
TONS The official list is as follows:
First Rank-First degree, light coral red
button; second degree, deep coral red button.
Second Rank-First degree, light crimson
button: second degree, dark crimson button.
Third Rank-Both, light clear blue.
Fourth Rank-Dark prussian blue.
"Eifth-Quartz, glass or crystal.
"Sixth-Opaque white.
Seventh and Eighth-Gilded, yellow or gold.
"Ninth-Silver or silver white.
'It will be seen that a red button in
iicates high rank. The rank in general
is personal rather than official. Thus,
for example, taotatship is an Office of
the third rank, and its button is light,
clear blue. Yet many taotatis, if not a
majority of the class, are decorated with
red buttons. It even happens that per-
son of the second rank, through misfor-
tune OF political vicissitudes, will hold
an office of the fifth or sixth rank. In such
case he would still wear his red button,
and in many official events would be
preceded by On official of dark blue or
crystal button. For this reason it is
often very difficult to tell the official
rank of mandarins by their buttons.
Nor is the difficulty lessened by the en-
broidered insignia upon the wearing ap-
parel. This is more elaborate than the
buttons, but, like the latter, does not
discriminate between rank and position.
"To overcome the difficulty the Chi
nese resort to several expedients. One is
the card on which is written full state
ment of the owners rank, degree and
position. Such card in English might
read, Smith, baronet, judge of session,
Devon Another consists of having the
same facts painted upon the lanterns
with which all chairs are provided.
These can be read with equal ease day
or night. The third is used for the in
formation of the public and consists in
having the name and all titles carved
in large, bold characters ON long red
boards, which are carried by coolies.
Mandarins who have received many hon.
ors will frequently have as many as 20
of these red boards. Where an official
has retired from service he is still en-
titled to place these boards at the en-
trance of his residence. A fourth mode
resembles the preceding and applies to
junks or vessels in which a mandarin
travels. The characters are written
upon flags, which are fastened to the
mast and elsewhere in lieu of ordinary
bunting. When the present governor
of Formosa left Shanghai on the steamer
Smith, no less than 80 banners of this
class were flung to the breeze from the
masts and other parts of the boat.
THE embroidered insignias of rank
and position are placed upon the front
and back of official robes. They must
be of the finest workmanship and so we'll
executed as to show the design clearly
and accurately. The general design for
a civil officer is a bird, and for a mill
tary official a quadruped animal. The
civil list is as follows, ranks and not de-
grees being Disseminated:
"First-A Mantchoorian crane. Second-A
golden pheasant. Third-A peacock. Fourth
"A wild goose Fifth-A silver pheasant.
Sixth A young egret. Seventh-A quail.
Eighth-A long tailed Jay. Ninth-An oriole.
THE military list runs:
"First-A unicorn. Second-A lion. Third
A leopard. Fourth-A tiger. Fifth-A black
bear. Sixth-A tiger cat. Seventh-A notified
bear Eighth-A seal. Ninth-A rhinoceros.
These insignias have been used from
time immemorial, while the buttons are
a creation of the Mantchoo conquerors of
China. 1t is singular fact that both
the lion and the rhinoceros are strangers
to the latter country. The limit of their
habitat seems to be the Gauges and to
have been so since the tertiary period.
The knowledge of these animals by the
Chinese was acquired long before the
Christian era, when large fleets of junks,
naval, pirate or commercial, went from
Canton to nearly every port in Hindoo-
stan and often brought back these and
other wild beasts alive.
"A cause of confusion in the use of
buttons and insignias lies in the ever in
power of wealth to secure these
honors by purchase. Originally they
meant pedigree, military heroism, gener-
alship or intellectual ability, literary
culture or eminent philanthropy. Their
ownership indicated distinction of some
kind to high degree. This is so no long
err. Ambitious officials are permitted to
wear them in high honorary ranks. In
Canton and Hankow several magistrates
of the seventh rank have purchased the
right and now wear light blue buttons.
One, very rich Cantonese, uncon-
sciously reflects upon the decadence of
the lines by using as a button a magnif
cent sapphire worth a kings ransom.
Even private citizens are allowed to graf
ify their vanity in this manner. A
wealthy tea faster in Tamsui, whose ed
ucation would not allow him to become
an official Of the lowest class, secured the
privilege Of wearing dark blue button
by paying heavy sum Of money to the
powers that be- He is said to have paid
down $50, 900 for the bauble. Wash
ington Post.