The morning times., 1896-02-13
BURNED MUCH INCENSE
John Chinaman Last Night Cele-
brated the New Year.
HIS GREATEST FESTIVAL
Made Vows to His Gods and Ancestors
ndShook Hands With His Country
men-Natiye Customs Observed
Among the Resident Orientais-
No Work Was Done

4
| In Washington. celebrated yesterday, and
are celebrating today, and will celebrate
| 1or several days, for that matter. Yester-
day was New Years with the Chinese. and
the period of festive ceremony lasts several
suns.
New Years, as observed generally by
respectable Chinese, and there are Chinese
considered not respectable, divide the
celebration into five parts and any part
OF 1T means, i'll Sordid American tongue
I'm glad I'm living" 1t strikes Chris
tan dogs" the gentle epithetic term by
Which we are generally defined, that One
Lung is somewhat surprised he has sur
viyed another twelveinonth and he Quietly
raises Ned as a sort OF equilibrium weight
to his feelings.
IL Is very little work you'll get out OF
Lung on his.native heath at this time.
1t is the exceptional peUod when his
phiegTnatc temperament can summon the
fordtade To say, hang the expense
He don't just say that, bat it is part OF
his religion and traditional observance
TO custom TO mean 1t Just the same.
Every Chinese establishment in Washing
ton was transformed TO gaudy glitter yes
terday and SO remains today. II at
no other time they pay attention to
the conyeniiondtities of calling on friends
they do il now.
THEIR GREATEST HOLIDAY.
Chinese New Year is a great time. the
greatest of the many they have, from the
standpoint OF good Fellowship and extern
sion OF hospitality
Yesterday brighter silks, brighter smiles
they wore than usual. For they were cele-
brating. They are not noisy; but they
celebrate, Notwithstanding
The five parts of the days observance
begin with sacrifices TO heaven and earth.
This table is spread with tea, rice wine,
vegetables, and incense galore. When
everyth is ready the explosion of fire
crackers denotes that their obligations 10
heaven and earth may be shown, which is
done by the head OF the house giving his
head three awfuliy hard knocks on the
floor.
The harder he knocks the more he feels
his obligation. THEN there are more fire
crackers, and great wads of mock money
are burned. You don't catch the shrewd
Chinese having real money TO turu. That
portion OF The ceremony is arranged to be
consistent with his nature.
The second phase is the worship of the
homes among them, They hunt up ali the
gods In the house, so as not to possibly
slight or hu IT the feelings of any one OF
them. Then the head of the establishment
goes through vows as long as the niorailaw.
More real fire crackers; more mock money,
and here is where the incense gets in it's
fine and pungent work.
REVERENCE FOR ANCESTORS.
The ancestors now come in for the share
OF general humility that is their due. About
this tine the very young ones get impatient,
but they get whacEs on tho head and their
pigtails pulled and told to keep their hirts
on, for their time is coming. Kneeling
yowing, and incense burning 10 tie names
of every one wio has gone ahead TO the
hpnthpn heaven homes n
them there arc expressed.
The surviving ancestors, who sit side by
side, are Salaamed and worshipped but
without incense. The concluding part
goes on for a week and consists in making
calls dressed up fit to kill. :.
Sons-in-law must not fail to pay respects
to their wives parents and go through a
lot of rot about devotion and all that which
he really can't mean ttc half Of Every
house is open house. They eat and eat as
they do not eat at any other portion of
the ammo domini.
Nobody goes hungry. II a weary Willie
ever had it in mind TO brace Chinaman
for handout, now is the accepted time.
Everything goes; you Will get loose skinned
oranges if you call on any of these peculiar
people OF the far east now. .'Kek'' is the
name OF a loose skinned orange and it
means Fortunate lucky" The motto
for the time is:
during the IlfSt part OF the flrSt month
no one has an empty mouth
IN MANY HUED COATS.
On almost any car line yesterday Chinese,
in their most brilliant toggery, were astir.
They were making their yearly calls.
stores and laundries all Close. No
work. How could there be rejoicing and
work all ct the same tine? Why, even
an enlightened American can't do it. 1t
is also the gamblers gala day. A game
is easy TO get with One Lung today, even
if he could not be tempted at other times.
There are festivals OF all kinds, made as
they go along.
Fer it is New Years. They have been
spared for another year, and there is
ebulition to show it. The gentle spirit,
the quiet nature, the cold and calculating
elements all disappear at this time.
Washington Chinese celebrated in their
own way, and while they were not intru-
sive, little close observation showed
what they were up to. 1t is still going on.