New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-02
CHINESE ETIQUETTE.
THEIR EXCESSIVE POLTENEsS SEEMS
RIDICULOUS.
HOW LITTLE DOG" is RECEIVED INTO ST
JOHNS COLLEGE. sTANGHAI-A CHINESE

STUDENTS IDEA OF HIS COUNTRY
When last in this country the Rev. F. l.. H. Pott.
who is head master of 81 Johns College Shanghai
gave to a Tribune reporter interesting account
of the way in which he receives pupil 1t gives one
a good idea OF Chinese etiquette. Mr. Potts said:
~ on want TO know how receive boy into the
college? Well the fathers OF the boys at St Johns
are usually politicians. merchants or scholars They
are all Chinese gentlemen. OF course, I have to
adapt myself to the etiquette of the Chinese. and
so when father arrives with his boy escort them
10 my Chinese receptionroom. where the father
and each shake our own hands most heartily and
bow profoundly. then say to him.
what Is your honorable name?
He replies: My mean, insignificant name is
Wong
Then / say: Please be seated and point to
seat at the back of the the left hand of the
table-the seat OF greatest honor. He Immediately
takes the right hand seat the door-the post
OF least honor. urge him to up higher. He
declares that he is unworthy. Then catch hold
OF him to force him to higher. and he takes hold
of me to prevent it. We have quite vigorous
struggle. lasting some time Finally he accepts
compromise, and takes a halfway up the side
OF the room. | sit down the seat next lower.
Before beginning conversation, | send for
tea and the wdter-ppe and when they arrive say:
Please use tea
when he has taken some tea and pun from the
pipe we talk He asks innumerable polite questions
about myself. A Chinese gentleman never comes to
business for quarter or half hour. Time never
troubles an Oriental He begins b. asking:
What is your honorable name?
Il Of course reply that my mean. Insignificant
name is Po;t. The next question from him Isl
what is your honorable Kingdom and / am
obliged, much dislike it. to say:
The small. petty district from which come is
the United States of America
How many little stems have you sprouted?' he
says That is the way he asks how old l am. L
have vainy spent thirty years l reply
aft fat no
able and great man of the household living 1t Is
shocking. l know, but have to answer: The old
man is Well
Then comes: How many little. precious ones
have you?' reply gravely. I have two little dogs
CIhe little dogs are my chidren) The las, ques-
ton is:
How many children have you in this nlusrlous
institution? My answer is: have 100 little broth
ers'
AT LAST HE COMES TO BUSINESS.
Then he,comvs business. and says:
venerable master. l have brought my little dog
here. and worshipfully intrust him your charge.
The little fellow who has been standing in a corner
of the room this comes forward. kneels down
before me- puts his hands on the ground. knocks his
head on the floor and worships raise him up
and send him off TO school, and arrangements are
made about his do.mitory, Of study. etc
The gentleman rises TO take his leave i have
tormented you exceedingly to-day nc remarks on.
no. answer. 1 have dishonored you As he goes
toward door ne keeps saying. Il am gone / am
gone and | reply. Go slowly go slowly AS
follow him TO the gate In the garden he says
please restrain your golden footsteps When we
arrive at the gate again shake hands.
bow very reverently TO one another. and he is
Their politencss Is sometimes carried to an ex-
treme which seems amusing TO us. ! have five
or six men hagge for five minutes over who should
first enter a door at which they had CHANGED
meet. They all urge each other to in first And
this ceremon,ous poteness Is not confined 10 the
upper classes. II two vheelbarrow-m meet in
narrow path and has TO 20 TO side 10 let
| the other pass the who kept the road Will say:
4 have snned against you. and the other Will reply.
Don't mention IT. But. while they exceedingly
! polite among themselves. they very rude.
| rule. to a foreigner"
The reporter ask d him II he would say something
more about the Chinese He then said:
The qualities the Chinese value most OF all are
diligence. economy. patience and obedience. This
will illustrate their economy a missionary once
met an old woman walking on a road. She was 20
house. She replied that she knew she was going
to De, and was going home to DE- there so thers
lasting monument 10 their diligence is the Great
obedience and honor to parents. however. is the
cardinal principle story is told OF boy whose
s the good boy SAT on the bed and Dared the up
per part of his body the mosquitoes could feast
wanted TO catch some fish for his mother stripped
and lay on tae Toz b c r'fr and un b ss
inrnned ont These are some Of the stories Chinese
parents tell their children TO teach them what an
excellent thing 1t is to honor and obey their par
II know for fact that it is unusual thing
for boys to cut out pieces OF their hesh for mol,
cine for their parents For medicine 40 you say
Yes for the Chinese have the most ridicu0us IDEAS
about medicine. They have no surgery. They use
snake skins and other charms one way they treat
a disease Is to give nine pills to person nine years
Old forty pills TO one forty years Old ana on.
that s p4 Eent They only siudy Ethical books
and as ignorant as children OF tne sciehcgs
back of the crocodile who pa SEES his time holding
up the globe begins to itch an! so wheh ~ ~
rant people think that an eclipse rs caused by a
huge monster who cones mo me SKY ahu b neon
away They are afraid Of thunder, but not of the
awav They are afraid OF thunder. but not Of the
lightning, and have no IDEAS. OF co.tse' anEut nv,
composed of poisonous gases. Boys are taught that
If they point their finger at a rainbow they VIII
have a felon on H.
A STUDENTS IDEA OF HIS COUNTRY
Mr. Pott showed a copy OF THE st. Johns Echo"
unfinished in English by the students Of the college
II was n neat-looklng sheet. and many Of the
articles showed good deal of thought student
named Zaw fob Kung signs his name TO an article
on THE Political Advantages to ..ation which which
qnoMt ntb,nr EXHIBITS more influence upon human
eoc;etv than religion the birth Of which dates
as back the creation OF me nrst man anu
mcnts OF the human race down to the present
generation Nor is there anything exis,ihe 'n tha
Can surpass religion In deciding the rate or me
ouicome of a Nation as il Is the only ihdspehsaDIe
means OF bringing men up TO h'ghei S'a'e u
civilization. ,,, TO- han o,rshod
with the weight OF 1900 years OF I9isenood , anu
superstition and buried under mIennuns OF isno-
ancc and depravity. China, as ! rem IN me
,,nnnrs .as compared with Christian countries, ~
go years behind In the race of national progress
And The author of this piece. with more emphasis,
fnrther adds What is worse than that. she means
10 stay So If II be possible , .,o ~ T.,
What has prevented her rapid growth, or IN
,har words what causes her TO have lost IN me
Uane? Her conservative religions have deprived inc
I"S.o ~ the desire toward perfect civilization, her
fpnst,cism has bound her feet Ike strong ietters;
Ia So utterly Impossible for her to take rapI
IL & off these bondages ana
ont christian principle. her condition would un
,odv he improved. not merely In her spiriuaI