Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-28
CHINESE NEW YEAR.
An Americans Account of Its Observ-
nEce in Hong Kong.

Al = knsHr1can's account of Its Observ-
"E"e in Hong Kong.
JOHN A. CockeTilI, y. Y. Herald.
The Chinese celebrate the opening of the
new year very much after the manner of
their neishbors over in the Rising Sun. To
be exact, their new year begins on the 18th
of February, but the Qualification begins
about two days earlier. 1t keeps up for
en- entire week.
The Cninanan settles all earthly affairs
on the eve of his New Year. If he doesn't
pay all his debts he loses his face" as the
veTnacular hath it Ii he be caught steal
ing or committing any criminal act which
he cannot deftly explain and excuse, his
face is no longer recognized, and so if he
fails TO clear of his financial slate at the
end of tie year his face departs from him
and he is no better than an outcast
For this reason the night before New
Year day in Hong Kong I found to be a
night or forced sale. In one Chinese street
every merchant had his goods exposed in
front OF his shop They were spread out
on the ground, and the whole street was
lighted with lamps and torches Bargains
were abundant If you asked the price of
a gimcrack you were told:
Five dolla; how muchee give?''
Fifty or twenty-five cents would be sure
to secure the coveted article. Oh the mer-
camille sacrifices, This street bazaar was
thronSed with people. Many were there TO
enjoy the spectacle, but the merchand.r-
ing was vigorous. All this went on amid
the crackle and boom of frecrackers-a
fusilladiEe which made the memory of
pitched battle and rifle firing quicken
The Hong Kong drecracker is about three
times as large as the common Fourth of
July pop used in our country, and five
times as vicious and demoniaeal The
natives here know how to produce the
greatest amount OF deviltry with their
CRACKERS Ihey perch ON the porch of a
two-story building, and there weave a
dozen or more packs Of crackers into one
long string. Throughout the string they in
sert the large explosives known as cannon
CRACKERS This web of the inferno they at
tach to the end of a bamboo pole light the
lower fuse and swing clear. Then the
trouble begins. Some of these strings are
ten feet long. They produce a Swapping
and bombing which Is distracting, deafan-
ing and demorahzing. When fifteen or
twenty of these collocations of deviltry are
at work on one block the street becomes
impossible The air is filled with explo-
sives, smoke, flame and red paper
Throughout New Year day proper saw
scores of men going about the streets and
lanes sweeping up the red paper resulting
from the cracker explosions and Juggling it
away IN great baskets. The firing intensi-
ned at night and lasted throughout all the
hours. This is near the 18th, and the roar
of the crackers is still in my ears 1t will
not slack off for at least a couple of more
DAYS, L am told As far as inducing a
Chinaman to work at his vocation during
this week of jollfication, that is absolutely
out of the question Even that patient,
iaborious, frugal industrian, the laundry
man, Is on a pleasure strike. Neither love
nor money will persuade a laundryman to
do up shirt, and the travelling public is
greatly embarrassed. The dashboard
hangs pendant on the WALL and the wash
man is swimming in somsu and toying in
fuHgiEoUs dens with fan tan. 1 am coming
TO Ike the whole souled, earnest way of
WnoopinS up holiday. 1t means some
thing. 1 am moved to say that when the
Asldtlcs go In for spree or celebra lion
they throw their concentrated energies into
II and trey get something out of It