The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-13

AS an object of curiosity, Ii Hung
Chang, ''the most famous man in the
! world has been thoroughly studied
during his visit to this country. Col
umns on columns were written about
him before his arrival, and since he
has been actually on our shores the
columns have been multiplied into
pages, describing his achievements,
looks, manners, habits and dress. All
this mass Of material has given the
American reading public a very accu-
rate idea Of the sort of person Ii
Hung Chang seems, judged by west
ern standards and opinions. But ap-
parently nobody has tried to look on
the other side of the picture, and to
learn how the western world looks to
the great Celestial
To be sure he has several times been
asked to give his opinion of America
and Americans, and to these questions
he has always responded with true ORR
entail politenesS, being careful at the
same time to express himself in the
most general terms. 1t is interesting,
however, to learn how the little things,
the ordinary customs and everyday
usages appeal to the foremost mind Of
a world that is in many respects the
exact anti-type of our own, to enter
into the Chinese mind of the Chinese
potentate ard to look at western civil
lization through his Chinese eyes. This
has been possible in q measure from
the notes which the viceroy has taken
during the progress of his trip, and
which are in charge of his chief sec
rotary, Lob F'eng Luh, and from an
interview with Ii Hung Chang himself,
in which the greatest living interro-
CATION mark consented for a brief
time to give up his favorite role as
questioner and instead to answer a few
questions as to his opinion Of things
American.
To Begin with, Earl Ii learned much
from his trip besides what reached his
ears through the remarks of the inter-
prefer, for the general impression that
Ii Hung Chang is entirely ignorant of
English is a mistake. Though all his
conversation with his American visi-
tors was carried on through an inter
prefer, Lii Hung Chang himself can
speak the English language a little,
and can follow a conversation carried
on in English accurately. Why he pre-
tends complete ignorance of the Ian
guage, it is difficult to understand, I'M
less it is accepted as an evidence of
the devious workings of the Chinese
mind. Perhaps he reasons that it adds
to his dignity to have everything trans
lated to him by an interpreter, and that
there is no reason why he should try
to converse with his callers in English
more than they should learn Chinese
before coming to see him.
Ii Hung Changes notes as interpret
ed by his secretary to the writer, con-
tain frequent reference to the great in
ventions and mechanical triumphs for
which Americans are famous every
where, especially in the line Of ship
and locomotive construction.
Following his observations on our
achievements is a note
rather more personal in it's nature. He
that the Americans are al
ways in a hurry. He mentions this
trait of the Americans several times
n his notes, and compares it unfavor-
ably with the Chinese mode of life. The
great Ii himself, as everyone knows,
Uses at $780, dimes regularly and on
carefully prepared and selected food,
md retires at in the evening. He
notices also that the Americans are
yery nervous, and is of the opinion that
t is because they do not drink good
ca
The viceroy's private observations
show that he is somewhat skeptical Of
he effectiveness of the American sys-
en- of government. There are too
many parties, too many officers and too |
title remedy for unfaithfulness in pub /
ic duties.
- single master" says the Celestial /
will watch his servants |
.arefully but if d man has a thou
;apd masters, each one will put on the |
lthers the labor of holding the ser
ant to an accounting" Evidently he |
prefers the one-master system.
The English (Which means Anglo
saxon) are very proud of their cities, |
which is wen' he observes again. |
They keep them clean and make them /
beautiful but the means of travel are
lot as pleasant as in the Chinese
owns"
In what respect he finds the method
# transportation deficient he does not
ay, but he may be pardOned, perhaps,
or believing that a. sedan chair is more
than a. cable car. In this
onnection it is interesting to note how
he great Celestial ranks the three
-reatest cities of the western world.
n answer to a question as to what city
.ad pleased and impressed him most,
e replied at once, London; that is the
nost beautiful the grandest. After it
ONES kew York and then Paris
Why he placed the three cities in this
rider the viceroy did not explain, ex-
ept to say that he took into account
10Th the inhabitants and the material
reatness of the cities making up his
mind on his subject.
One thing to which the notes Of the
imperial visitor contain frequent ref
renee is Anglo-Saxon humor. He ap-
arently has some difficulty in under
landing it, but it interests him great
v In spite of their fondness for max
ng fun, the Americans are very rev.
rent. according to the ambassador,
nd he cites the action of the people
rho were present at the time of his
isit to Grants tomb as an example.
'rThey cherish the bones of their fore
athers," he says, land preserve them
1 magnificent tonbs which are placed
4 most beautiful parts of the towns"
Lii Hung Chang further notes the
american custom of barring the head
s q token of reverence. The Chinese
ustom Of course is to bow. That eX-
reSses submission, but simply re-
loving the hat does not, in Chinese
ode, express anything at all in this
onnection This was a point which
he viceroy was apparently unable to
Dive for himself or by means of nu
lerous questions.
Here is another of Lii Hung Chang's
pinions presumably not for publica
on, but for his own satisfaction, and