Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-31
SHOPPING IN CHINA.
Some OF the Queer Features OF Trade
I'm Tint Country.
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China is a silver country. when, there
fore. you go a-shopping and are pro-
vided with the necessary cash. you take
a faithful servant with you TO carry the
money, and a second to protect the first
from the wiles Of the snatcher. A hun
bred dollars in our money is represented
by a bag Of silver coins weighing twelve
pounds. and a string of copper coins
called cash" weighing three pounds.
Your servant keeps both the account and
the money. You scrutinize the former,
but never handle the latter. On the other
hand, every storekeeper keeps a strong
box a safe. or a silver room, and en-
ploys one or more clerks to look after
the white metal. This arrangement
makes as much trouble in paying a bill
as in mourning one. The storekeeper
weighs your money and examines every
piece. while your servant does the same
to whatever change he receives.
The stores are small smaller, smallest.
Hundreds are scarcely more than mere
booths. The largest are not more than
% feet front and 100 deep. Department
stores are unknown. The rule IS for one
shop to sell one thing. A silk store looks
Ike brown-paper esta6lishment or the
delivery-room of laundry. None Of the
goods are exposed TO view. Each roll is
done up I'm fine white tissue paper; this
in turn in firm light-br0wn paper. and
this in the strongest gray-brown paper.
One paper IS sure death to ants, reaches
moths. flies, spiders. and mice. Another
Is waterproof and almost fireproof. All
three are dUStprOOf and dampDrOOf On
the outside Of each parcel is an inscrip-
ton stating the color, pattern, width,
quality and quantity.
The clerks are men, and are very neat
and polite. They viii climb up "A light
ladder TO the top shelf near the ceiling.
bring down a parcel, open It on the
counter, and display the material, and re-
verse the process a hundred times over
without changing the rich professional
smile which marks the calling.
The counters are either made Of dark
hard wood polished until ii shines. or else
are covered with black oil-cloth. 4 sales
man or servant keeps them spotless with
a damp cloth followed up by a dry one
There Is no display or attempt at beauty.
Chaffering is very rare. Both merchants
and customer know the value of the
goods, so that there is no debate over the
price This state of things ia in strong
contrast with what prevails in the bazaars
of India and Egypt, where trader often
asks ten times the value OF his wares,
and cries real tears of grief when he
sells them at five times their proper price
Another extraordinary style of shopping
results from the odd social conditions Of
China. The ladies' Of that land all under
so the process of foot-bInding, and are
unable to travel about, except with the
greatest difficulty. In addition to this
disqualification. II IS considered unwO-
manly and shameless to expose the face
i'm public. When a Chinese lady desires
the pleasure Of shopping she sends a SER
want to her favorte dealer, with instruc-
tons as 10 her particular desires. The
dealer thereupon takes down enough ma
ter'al 70 load anywhere from four 10 ton
porters. and goes around with the in
voice to the lady's home. European
lady can enjoy the same privilege with
out any extra charge or any increase I'm
the price Of goods. There are very few
novelties in the Oriental shopping world
Almost everything fashionable is pre-
scribed by law, as well as custom. The
pattern of your dress was probably in
vented 5000 years ago, and the cuts of
your pantaloons and jackets were de-
signed in forgotten centuries. There is
one field, however, where the children OF
the East can give points and then dis
count their sisters Of the West, and that
IS IN rich underwear.
Silks and grass cloth. Indian muslins.
and pineapple cloths are employed of
qualities finer than nine tenths OF those
we call the best. This material worthy
of q kings ransom they embroider untii
the garment is n veritable blaze of splen-
dor. / saw while In China pair OF pam
falcons which were heavy with decora-
tons In gold thread pearls, and precious
stones, and have admired underiackets
anu uUutTWUlNlS winch were so extensive
ly embroidered that II was difficult to de-
termine the material of which they were
made. The wife of a mandarin OF my ac-
quaintance had several sets Of underwear
that were worth $500 and 500 set. All OF
these quaint goods are handled by male
statesmen. and never by women II is very
trying at first TO women brought up under
the system which prevails in the West.
TO cap the climax. for oil your garments
you are supposed 10 be measured and 1T
ted by male dressmakers. The women are
regarded as interiors. and are only allow
ed 10 do what sewing and darning that
may be necessary I'm the conduct OF the
household. There are no express-wagons
and no delivery-wagons. Everything is
carried by porters, from spool Of cotton
up 20 a trunk full OF clothing.
They are much more powerful than they
look and will carry heavy loads under a
tropical sun without complaint or muir
muir. There are no trade marks and no
particular means OF identifying goods.
go to the dealer from whom you bought
ID. II you bought II yesterday, well and
good. II you bought It from his father
twenty-five years ago. well and good, or
from his grandfather fifty years, or his
great-grandfather seventy-fve years, II
Is the same and II ten years hence you
desire an extra yard of the same material |
you get II from the same man at the same |
place: or, II he has passed away. from his |
son or grandson. The East is very pleas |
ant for shopping, but the shopping Is not |
ono whit like what prevails I'm the depart |
ment stores and dry-goods palaces OF the |
great American cities