The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-03-14
CHINESE OFFICIAL INSIGNIA.
Quaint Heraldic Emblems of Civic
and Military Designs.
Buttons Worn Among the Celestials
Which Indicate Descent from Fam
Lies of High Rank-Ffg-
ures Used as Symbols.

Nothing is more complicated than
Chinese etiquette, said DIR. Edward
Bedloe, ex-consul to Annoy, to
Washington Post reporter. A master
of Debrett and Burke is a novice be-
side a Celestial master of ceremonies.
Nevertheless, the latter's system is def
nite- if elaborate, and he has many
officiaF landmarks 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 of Chinese has
its particular button and the second
degree of the first and second ranks are
also marked by separate buttons. The
official list is as follows:
First rank-First degree, light coral
red button; second degree, deep coral
red button. Second rank-First de-
gree, light crimson button; second de-
gree, dark crimson button Third
rank-Both, light clear blue. Fourth
rank-Darlz Prussian blue. Fifth
Quartz, glass or crystal. Sixth
Opaque white. Seventh and eighth
-Gilded, yellow or gold. Ninth-Si-
yer or silver-white.
1t will be seen that red button in
dicates high rank. The rank in gen
eral is personal rather than official.
Thus, for example, taotarship is an
Office of the third rank, and its button
is light, clear blue. Yet many tao
tatis, if not a majority of the class,
are decorated with red buttons. It
even happens that person of the Sec
ond rank, through misfortune or polit-
ical vicissitudes, will hold an Office of
the fifth or sixth rank. In such a case
/ he would still wear his red button, and
in many official events would be pre-
ceded by an 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 1essened by the
embroidered insignia upon the wear
ing apparel. 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
statement of the owners rank, degree
and position. Another consists of hav-
ing the same facts painted upon the
| lanterns with which all chairs are pro-
/ vided. These,can be read with equal
| ease OGY OF Inc bnlEO Is uSoO
| for the information 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 re-
ceived many honors will frequently
have as many as twenty of these red
boards. Where an official has retired
from service he is still entitled to
place these boards at the entrance OF
| his residence. fourth mode resem-
bles the preceding and applies to
| junl1s 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 steam
er Smith no less than thirty banners
of this class We're flung to the breeze
from the masts and other parts of tho
boat. The embroidered insignias o.
rank and position are placed upon the
front and back of official robes. They
must be of the finest workmanship anC
SO well executed as to show the desigI
clearly and accurately The genera
! design for civil officer is a bird ant
for military official quadruped an
imal. The civil list is as follows
ranks and not degrees being discrim
! mated:
First, manchurian crane; second
a golden pheasant; third, a peacock
fourth, wild goose; fifth, a silvel
pheasant; sixth, young egret
seventh, a quail; eighth, a long-tailet
jay; ninth, an oriole.
The military list runs: First. uni
/ corn: second, lion; third, leopard
fourth, tiger; fifth, a black bear
sixth, tiger cat; seventh. mottle,
bear; eighth, a seal; ninth, rhfnoc
eros.
These insignias have been used from
time immemorial, while the button
are creation of the Manchu con
querors of China. 1t is singular fac
that both the lion and rhinoceros ar
strangers to the latter country. Th
limit of their habitat seems to be th
Ganges and to have been so since tn
tertiary period. The knowledge O
these animals by the Chinese was &C
quired long before the Christian era
when large fleets of junlxs, naval
pirate or commercial, went from Can
ton to nearly every port in Hindoostal
and often brought back these. an,
other wild beasts alive. OF late year
etiquette has relaxed considerably il
regard to both buttons and insignia.
He Ruined the Business.