The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1896-12-17
CHINESE ETIQUETTE.
DELICATE WORK FOR A MoNeoLiAN
MASTER OF CEREMONIES.

.,.aA..
a'onsu " ESQ ef'a's'e " ias's"ias'
] 'sNothing is more complicated tina,
Chinese etiquette, said Dr. Edward
Bedloe, ex-eonsul to Annoy. "a maste,
Of Debrett and Burke is a novice besid,
Celestial mister of ceremonies. Never
theless the latter's system is definite, \
elaborate, and he has many official land
marks whereby to shape his course. On,
Of the most important Of these Is til,
button which is worn by every mandarin
on the top Of his hat. Each of the nint
ranks has its 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-First degree, light coral red
button; second degree, deep coral red button
hrt.cU saoond dsora srs ussrss h,na
sThird Rank--Both, light clear blue.
Fourth Rank-Dark prussian blue.
sltth-0uarts, ..st glass or crystal
.savsnth anJ E,ehth@a,ldsa vs,,ow or ,o,a
ninth Silver or silver white.
.It will be seen that a red button in.
dicates high rank. The rank in general
is personal rather than official. Thus,
for example, a taotatship is an Office Of
the third rank, and its button is light,
clear blue. Yet many taotatis. if not a
majority of the class, are decorated with
red buttons. It even happens that a per-
sou Of the second rank, through misfor-
tune or political vicissitudes, will hold
an office Of thefifth or sixth rank. In such
a case he would still wear his red button.
and in many official events would be
preceded by an official of a dark blue or
crystal button. For this reason 1t is
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 ap-
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 ia
the card on which Is written a 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 the lanterns
with which all chairs are provided,
These can be read with equal ease day
or night. The third Is used for the in
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
If these red boards. Where an official
has retired from service he is still en-
titlad IN nlace those boardu a. tba an
i.-.s ''-D -
'iaiiec VI nis Aeoiiciiee' ioutsn hioue
resembles the preceding and applies to
unks or vessels in which mandarin
ravels. The characters are written
mon flags. which are fastened In the
), a ~ .rd elseu,bera IN l;a,, ~ o-ai,o-r
~, a, -
,urss' = " '.ss aen q, slo piesen. governor
I IuiAIo'a - ,n. an ~" Va 'ns s'eanier
,.sa' ! ~ - .u''n 4, - oauue.s VI tnls
.4aos vi e y .Alo SASoAe hioni tiie
..Scs nm. GUY osnei r.. = = .no Doa''
~ -. sD4o.4eiou iu,isAia' u iahA
~ po,a'loa aso piaoeu upon =, 'iie lroh1
Nv paoA 3. - o'ne.a. US. iuey mus,
9 y .is nlies' "Ii Aniansil, I anu 50 wen
A1ouVeu q - sru" nn sne aesssh ciearly
az NC, a.0ase9 uas No esneia, uesish LUZ
etSn on1ei % piu' anu ior d nlii-
a.y vn'iA e9ii 9uaal upeu aniina' Inc
va W ~. = - ioi:ows' tanAs anu iio' ae-
.oes - ueh.s uiAe .i'!a'eo'
,dar sSA rha.sans SGrdan TSird crane, n, second
a wiid goose Fifth-A silver pheasant #
ixth : A young egret. seyenth--A quail.
ishth-A Long tailed Jay Sinth-An oriole.
"lhe military iist runs;
"Eirst-A unicorn. second-A lion. Third
,ar soy,a sTth tianr a. ssr riIA .S PICK
sar. Eighth-A seal Ninth-A rhipoceros,
"These insienias have been used from
me immenlorial, while the buttons are
creation Of the Mantchoo conquerors Of
hina 1t is q singular fact that both