Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-08-10

in China
The inhabitants OF Thibet are Budd- /
hists, and celibate monasteries are /
numerous. TO marry is looked upon
rs degrading. polygamy is found
among them, and the peculiar instiIu-
ton known as polyandry, form Of
marriage in which one woman has .
several husbands. 1t is quite usual for
several brothers to have the same wife.
They are pastoral people, not I,
particularly ardent in agricultural pur-
suits. The Indo-Chinese of Farther
India are Of a mixed descent, having
Aryan, Negltic and Monaghan strains
of blood. Their color is brownish on
yellow. In religion they are Buddhists.
By "A curious freak of fashion the dress
of women is open in front, but it is the
height of immodeSty to slow the naked
foot
The Sibric Branch of the Asian race
comprises six groups, the Tnngusic,
Mongolia, Tatalic, Finnic, Arctic, and
japanese.
The Tungusic Comprising the Tun-
gus and Manchus) is tarthcst east of
the northern portion of Asia occupied
by the Sibiric branch They are a
bold, hardy people, and conquered
China in the seventeenth century.
They continue to rule it by military
despOtism. This has led to an extern
sive fusion of Chinese blood among the
Manchus and also an improvement of
their social status.
The Mongolia group occupies the
high arid regions of the Altai noun
tains. They are a pastoral people,
restless and warlike. Their religion is
debased form of Buddhism engrafted
on their earlier fetichism. Under
Ghengis Kahn, in the beginning of the
thirteenth century they poured down
|
of Asia and Europe and established a
monarchy, then the greatest in the
world. About century later his de-
sccndent, Tamerlane, swept Asia from
Indian Ocean to Arctic circle; and at
the close of another century, Baber of
the same lineage, founded the empire
of the Great Mogul, iu India, extending
from Indus to the Gauges. These gi-
gantic states disappeared in few gem
eratons, leaving scarcely a trace Of
existence, except the ruins of higher
civilization which they destroyed.
The Tataric group from the word
ta-ta, incorrectly written Tartar, is
found in the western portion OF north
ern Asia, commonly called Turkestan
or Tartary. They are a rowing, preda-
tory, warlike people, and have been
looked upon with dread by the might
lest potentates of Europe and Asia.
They frequently appeared in Europe,
and were ruthless devastators. Attilla.
who styled himself 'the scourge of
Cod, who with his band of Huns swept
down ON the Roman Empire, was a
Tartar. as were the Avari, Bulgaria,
| Turcomans and Cossacks. The Osmanli
Turks are also members of this group,
though the modern Turk has more Sc
mite and Circasian blood in his veins
than any of his Tatar ancestors.
The Finnic group comprises the
Firms, Lapps, anc Ugrians. They are
mixed largely with Aryac blood, as
they have been in contact with the
Sclavoaic groups for 2,090 years or
more.
The Arctic group includes many bar
barrie tribes wi thin the Arctic circle in
northeYa Asia, and include the Eske-
1 mos of Asia and America. They are
small in. stature. live by fishing. and
ride in sledges drawn by dogs and
reindeer.
The Japanese are not probably of
pure descent, but are of Asiatic origin.
'They vary in physical traits, as do all
mixed peoples. They are intelligent,
artistic, brave, kind, honorable, and
fully alive to the benefits OF civilization.
and are able to accept with profit all
the western world has to offer. Their
> religion is Shintuism. or worship of the
powers Of nature. Buddhism was in
troduced in the seventh century, and
has many votaries. The japanese peo-
pie have displayed more of the western
spirit of progress than any others OF
the Asian race.
/ 'NCanst thou minister to mind diseased