The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-02-14
CHINESE ETIQUETTE.
DELICATE WORK FOR A MoNGollAN
MASTER or CEREMONIES.

ncr- aud Coats Of Arms which Are Used
TO Designate Bank--Confusion Occa-
sioned by the Purchase OF Insignias.
"Nothing is more complicated than
Chinese etiquette" said DIR. Edward
Bedloe, ex-consul to Annoy IA master
of Debrctt and Burke is novice beside
q Celestial master of ceremonies. Never
thcless the latters system is definite, II
elaborate, and hc hasmany official land
marks whereby TO shape his course. Ono
Of tho most important Of these is tho
button which il worn by cvory mandarin
on tho top of his hat. Each of the nine
ranks has it's 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-Eirst degree, light coral red
button; second degree, deep coral rod button.
"Second Rank-Flrst degree, light crimson
button; second degree, dark crimson button.
"Thlrd Rank-Ioth, light clear blue.
Fourth Rank-Dark prussian blue.
Fifth quartz, glass or crystal.
"eixth-Opaque white.
"seventh and Eighth aided, yellow or gold.
"Nlnth-Slvcr or silver white.
at will be seen that n red button in
dicates high rank. The rank in general
IL personal rather than official Thus,
for example, taotatship is an Office of
the third rank, and its button is a light,
clear blue. Yet many taotatis, II not
majority of the class, are decorated with
red buttons. 1t even happens that per-
son of tho second rank, through misior-
tune or political vicissitudes, will hold
an office of the fifth or sixth rank In such
a case he would still wear his red button,
and i'm many official events would be
preceded by an official of dark blue or
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 mp
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 tho lanterns
with which all chairs arc 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 ho is still en-
titled 80 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 nre fastened to tho
mast and elsewhere in lieu of ordinary
bunting. When the present governor
of Formosa left Shanghai ON the steamer
Smith, no less than 30 banners OF this
class We're 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 rs to show the design clearly
and accurately. The general design for
civil officer is a bird. and for a mill
tary official quadruped animal. The
civil list is as follows, ranks and not de-
gress being discriminated:
"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-Alion Third
leopard. Fonrth-A tiger. Fifth-A black
bear. Sixth--A tiger cat. Sevcnth-A notified
bear. Eighth--A seal. Nintb--A rhinoceros
"These insignias have been used from
time immemorial, while the buttons are
creation of the Mantchoo conauerorsof
China. 1t is a singular fact that both
the lion and the rhinoceros nre strangers
to tho latter country. The limit of their
habitat seems to be the Ganges and TO
have been so since the tertiary period.
Tho 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 beastsalive.
"A cause of confusion in the use of
buttons and insignias lies in the ever in
creasing power of wealth TO secure these
honors 10y 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
or. Ambitiofs 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, q very rich Cantonese, uncon-
sciously reflects upon the decadence of
the lines by using as button magnifi-
cent sapphire worth kings ransom.
nfax ,Il 4