The Portland daily press., 1895-01-07
JEWELRY IN CHINA.
Its Uses Described by Major-Gen. Wong
Chin Foo.
Jewellers Circular. [


of wearing jewelry, and the
Cinnamon have kept the ball
rolling ever since, until even the Ameri-
cans consider it fashion. According
to Chinese history their women wore
rings and anklets, ever since there was q
Noah was born. Seriously speaking,
the first Chinese jewelry store was start
ed in the city of Chang On about 5000
years ago, when Empress Wo Chi Tien
1.-THE only female tyrant China ever had)
decorated herself and her court with its
precious pearls and jades. and in turn
decorated the enterprising jewelIer with
the "Yellow Jacket"
Jewelry was first worn by the women
upon their ankles, later about their
| waists, around their necks, and finally
at the top of their heads; but the men
beat the women one point by wearing
jewelry upon the top of their hats, so
that now mans wealth in China is
frequently measured by the amount of
the cost of the button on top OF his
official hat, which is always of coral.
Some of these buttons cost as high as
$1,000 ESQ was told.)
No Chinese woman is considered COM
plete in her toilet unless at least she
wears her earrings. No matter how poor
she may be, she is expected to possess at
least this much ornament. They are just
as necessary as the conventional Amerl-
can girls hairpins. Il don't mean curly
or short-haired girls.)
Girls, as soon as they can toddle about,
must have their little pink ear lobes
pierced to receive their allotted amount
of iewelry, without which they will be
laughed at by their little playmates
The fashion of wearing clumsy anklets
is still in vogue in some of the Southern
provinces, notably the province of
Kwong Tung, where most of the Amer
can Chinese hail from. Some of these
leg ornaments are very costly, being
made of pure gold studded with
expensive gems; more commonly
they are only of twisted silver, or jade.
foot easily; when worn they give their
owners much trouble in locomotion.
This peculiar custom has long ago been
abolished in northern China, where rings
are only worn upon the fingers, and
bracelets upon the wrists. The latter
are as widely worn by men as by women,
but they differ in size and material,
being of silver or gold, while the brace
let's of the men are invariably of jade or
species of rare rattan. This jewelry is
worn more because of national super
stitioE than aS ornaments, either as a
taIisman of good luck or as cure for
rheumatism.
Diamonds as jewelry are not yet as
fashionable among the Chinese as jade,
pearls, ruby, coral. silver and gold.
Pearls and jades are the most popular.
When describing ones wealth the Chin
ese do not say he is covered with dia-
monds, but with fades and pearls.
The most exalted artisans of China are
the jewellers and carpenters, of the most
formidab BILE organizations of the trades
Jewellers Brotherhood of China, which
claims mem bership of several millions.
Every luem Der must be an expert metal
worker of some sort. All Chinese jew
oilers are selected from childhood for
their neatness in appearance as well their
natural adoption for the skill of a me-
chanic. Then they serve seven years.
apprenticeship: the first three years they
must pay to their masters for the privil-
eye of giving their services to him.
The most expensive jewelry is worn
upon the head of the Chinese ladies',
instead of neck and hands, as is the GUS
tom of Europeans. AS the Chinese
thoroughly believe the hair is woman's
glory, all endeavors are exercised to
beautify it. The style of hair dressing
of the women of the middle provinces
has long been conceded even by Ameri-
can tourists to be the most beautiful
and artistic in the world; and the
amount of small but expensive jewelry
they manage to put into their jet black
hair makes even an old maid attractive.
The fashionable and fastidious girl has
| no less than seventy two pieces of jew
eIry in her. hair alone, and every piece
has its distinct name and place. Their
positions upon the head are SO exact that
a lady of fashion would instantly detect
when one of the seventy two pieces is
stuck in the wrong portion of the hair.
Rings Of all colors and styles are worn
by ladies of the upper classes only.
Poor and hum BILE females are laughed at
as vain when they make any such at
tempts. AS rule men never wear
rings upon their hands except they be
Chinese dudes. Then they get ring
big enough to go upon their thumb
This is the only way they wear rings.