The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1894-02-22
CHINESE ETIQUETTE.
DELICATE WORK FOR A MoNaoLiAN
MASTER OF CEREMONIES.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES.
A Complicated systom OF Buttons, Ban-
ners and Coats OF Arms Which Arc Used
to Desiguate Rank--Confusion Occa-
sioned by tho Purchase OF rnsisnias.
Nothing is moro complicated than
Chinese etiquette" said DIR. Edward
Of Debrett and Burke Is q novice beside
Celestial master of ceremonies. Never
theless the latter's system is definite, If
elaborate, and he has many official land
marks whegeby 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 Rsnk-First degree, light crimson
button; second dogree, dark crimson button. .
"Third Renk.-Both, light clear blue.
"Fourth Rank--Dark prussian blue.
"Eifth-Quart1, glass or crystal.
"Sixth-Opaque whito.
seventh euO OElBntn--tflQeu, yellow or YOlQ.
"Ninth-Silvcr or silver whlte.
"It will be seon that red button in
dicates high renk. The Senl. In general
is personal rather than oAicisl. Thus,
for example, a taotatship is An Office Of
the third rank. and its button is light,
clear blue. Yet many taotatis, II not 8
majority Of the class, ere decorated with
red buttons. It even happens that per-
sou Of the Gecond rank, through misfor-
tune or political yicissitudeR: will hold
an Office OF the fifth or aizth rank. In such
case he would still wear his red button,
and In many official events would be
preceded by Ga Official &C dark blue or
crystal button. For this reason it is
often very difficult to tell tho official
rank Of mandarins by th9ir buttons.
Nor is the difficulty lesscned by the en-
broidercd insignia upon the wearing ep-
parel. This 10 moro elaborate than tho
buttons, but, like the latter, does not
discriminate between rank end position.
"To overcome the difficulty the Chi
nese resort to several expedients. Ono is
the card on which iswritten 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 tho 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 cared
In large, bold characters on long red
boards, which are carried by coolies.
Mandarins who have received many hon.
ors will frequently have rs 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 on
trance Of his residence. A fourth mode
resembles the preceding and applies to
junks or vessels In which mandarin
travels. The characters arc 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 tho steamer
Smith, no less than 30 banners of this
class were flung to the breeze from the
masts and other parts of the boat.
"rhe embroidered insignias Of rank
and position arc placed upon tho front
and back of official robes. They must
be Of the finest workmanship and 40 we'll
executed as to show the design clearly
and accurately. The general design for
a civil officer is bird, and for mill
tary official qnadruped animal. Tho
civil list is as follows, ranks and not de-
grees being Disseminated:
"First-A Mantchoorian cranc. Sccond-A
golden pheasant. Third-A peacock. Fourth
"A wild goose. Fifth-A silver pheasant.
Sixth-A young egret. Sovcnth-A euail.
Eighth-A long tailed Jay. Ninth--An oriole.
1.-THE military list runs
"First--A unicorn. Second--A lion. Third
A leopard. Fourth--A tiger. Eifth-A blaols
bear. Sixth--A tiger cat Seventh-A mottlod
bear. Eighth-A seol. Ninth-A rhinoceros.
"These insignias have been used from,
time immemorial, while the buttons ere
creation Of the Mantchoo conquerors Of
China. It is q singular fact that both
the lion and the rhinoceros nre strangers
to the lattor country. Tho limit Of their
habitat seems to be the Ganges and to
have been so since tho 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
creasing 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
er. Ambitious officials arc 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 tho decadence of
the lines by using as button a magnif-
cent sapphire worth kings ransom.
Even private citizens are allowed to o,rat.