New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-19
PASTIMES OF THE CHINESE.
COCKFIGHTS AND GAMBLING GAMES
THE FAvORITES.
THEIR WEAKNESS IN ATHLETIC sPopTS-KITB.
FLYING CARRIED ON AS A sc1ENcE-THE
INNOCENT FAMILY ADJUSTMENTS.


FLYING CARRIED ON AS A scIENcE-THE
INNOCENT FAMILY ADJUSTMENTS
The Chinese essentially sedentary people,
and little given TO outdoor sports. Cricket. hockey
rolf football baseball tennis all these totally
unknown TO them nor have they anything at all
corresponding thereto Horse-racing. archery
weight lifting putting the stone and fencing are
rather military exercises than sports: and even then
II is moro the ruling caste of Tsrtars than tho
Chinese proper who indulge in such pastimes. Now
ever self-contained and sedate though the yellow
man NAV be- he is not says THE Badmintol
Magazine" totally destitute Of a desire for amuse
ments, whether indoor or outdoor
Orail fights are in vogue both in the north and
south Of China and II is 10y means uncommon
In Picking TO see a man walking about In the coun.
try lanes with his favorite bird in cage. lie
takes II out feeds IT, and plays with 1t just as the
spaniards do with their fighting cocks. "nourish-
ing its hate and ferocity. wherever opportunity
may occur by confronting ii with rival OF It's
own kind In Canton quail fights arc usually held
In gambling booths or mat sheds Called lp or liak
according TO diaecO. ard betting goes on very
freely Cricket fights also common. alike In
Picking in the Great River Valley and in the South
In Picking the crickets are invariably kept In sort
of covered Jar made of porous earthenware. which
Europeans used 10 find most excellently adapted
for keeping tobacco in. When once the insects
close they rarely separate until the other
Il left dead on the field
Cockfghtng is a very ancient sport. but at pres
ent II seems to have gone somewhat out of vogue
At Shanghai the Manila scamen. Of whom there are
always great number in port. Invariably amuse
themselves a Sunday with afternoon OF cock
fighting 1t is either ignored connived at by the
foreign municipality. The arrangements. though on
a humber scale differ in way from those Of the
regular arenas in Madrid. Mexico or Havana The
spurs small razors of the most deadly 6escrp-
ton and the movements of the birds are so rapid
that one Of the often falls dead from blow
clean through its h>ad without the inexperienced
spectator being able 20 more than a futter OF
feathers and instantaneous rush on both sides
Camel fights and ram fights mentioned by the
Chinese having been in vogue among the Tar
tars. Over a Thousand years ago the people Of
Kutcha ION the road from Turfan TO kashgaD
were said 10 naugurate fights and camel
fights during tho weeks holidays at the new year.
and to Judge the prospect of harvest by results
There are horse races and cart races every year
few miles to the OF Picking, chiefly in con-
nection with the annual drill Of the Manchu troops
but there is little true sport about them The Chi
nese are clever making their naSs run (as dis
tinct from trottng and gallopins). An even runner
will fetch twice much mere galloper Trot-
ting is not an admired movement. Hawking was
wont to be a great amusement in the extreme
North Of China. and Marco Polo gives graphic ac-
counts of the sport he witnessed in the days of
Kubla Khan Tribute of hawks used TO he exacted
from the tribes about Manchura. and well trained
birds are very valuable indeed. Even now it is no
uncommon thing in and around Picking to meet
in the streets with hawk upon the wrist.
sometimes wearing hood: but very little practical
seems TO be made OF them now.
GAMBLING GAMES POPULAR.
sedentary a,nusements are the taste of
the Chinese than outdoor sports. and the various
forms Of gambling are of course. the most popular
Of the former. Their playing cards arc about the
same length as ours. but only half the BREADTH be-
sides being much mper. There is reason TO believe
that they be at least as old as our era: but.
up 10 the present no one seems 10 have made
serious study Of Chinese card games The most
popular ones appear 20 be a kind OF "beggar-my-
neighbor" ard draw poker" and women pla5 more
than men.
Chinese chess has been carefully studied by sew
eraI Europeans. notably Mr. Holngsworth CS66).
Mr. Hlmy Oss9) and Signcr Volpceli OSSs). 1t is
still question whether China or India was the
country which gave birth to the game. but IT is
quite certain that it was known TO the Chinese at
least before the first century of our era If not much
earlier The Chinese chessboard. like ours. has
sixty-four squares, with the addition of a river,
which practically means eight squares more. How
ever, the men not placed in the centre Of the
squares as with uG, but on the ntersecting points.
and they move along the lines. The Chinese stale
mate counts as win instead of draw and some
Of the pieces, besides skipping. are placed diiier-
emily from Otherwise there is great similarity
between the two games. Among Europeans II IS
only to the elephant chess" which so closely re-
sembles ours, but to the surrounding chess. or a
kind of draughts-the Japanese gobang, or. SIM
ply. go.
Dice seem 10 have been known 10 the Chinese as
far back as history goes. They are not shaken, as
with us in q box and then thrown out; the Gus
tom is to grasp them in the hand and then flick
them sharply into a common rice bowl. There are
three different games: one played with six. one
with three and third with two dice. In buying
cakes sweemeats etc, in the public streets. II is
quite usual thing for the purchaser to 'go double
or quits with the itlncrant hawker, who keeps a
dice bowl tempti1gly handy for his clients use.
Fantan, or turnover is the most popular
gambling amusement. and almost every one wfo
has visited China will be familiar with IT, as seen
IN Macao. where. under government protection, IL
brings in a considerable revenue. After two or
three years of fourlshng. the Hong Kong Govern
ment has at last succeeded In inducing the Chinese
authorities TO close the fantan shops at CoWioon,
opposite The banker. in view of all, grabs hand
full O. copper cash or paste counters. and claps
common rice bowl over them until the bets are
made Then with chopstick rod he separates
four counters at a time from the mass until only
one two, three or four ii. e.. none) remain There
are thus four bets. and IL Is not unusual Tor haf
starved looking Chnaman to put $40 on at time
Many Europeans drop considerable sums. Tor the
game soon becomes exceedingly fascinating and OF
course each inveterate gambler has theory
which he works out Invariably at loss TO him
self by taking down notes In this game the
banker seems TO have no advantage whatever. I'M
less II be that the odds laid In such a way as
70 give him an extra chance.
a-hwei is another form Of gambling very pop
MAR in the southern provinces, especially in Foo
chow Out of thirty-sx placarded names each
spectator mentally selects one and makes his bet
on Il: meanwhile the banker has taken slip OF
paper with one Of the thrtysix names upon H. ana
las hung 1t up In bag before the eyes OF all Inc
tiroaG hiC
Here OF course there Is an advantage OF one
sixth in favor of the banker. The bag is opened
by the player VINO has staked the largest sum-
There is another Cantonese game called Pak-kop-