The record-union., 1897-08-22
JAPANESE ETIQUETTE.
THE JAPS ARE CALLED THE
FRENCH OF THE EAST"
They Even Pass Beyond the Gauls
in Their Excess of
Formality.

of the East, and their complicated SyS-
tenn of etiquette is indeed not unworthy
of the most polished nation of Europe.
The old-time ceremonies were long and
laborious, and have to a great extent
disappeared with the present busy era,
but the everyday etiquette still re-
mains, and many of the forms are pret-
ty and quaint, and especially interest
ing to the foreign traveller in Japan
as being so peculiarly oriental 1t is
especially curious to see how even the
lowest classes, the coolies and the
jinricksha men, keep up form of etf-
quette among themselves and are ex-
ceedingly polite and ceremoniOuS while
pulling their two-wheeled vehicles or
pursuing the lowest trades in the hum
bic walks of life. One from the West
would hardly expect to find a coolie
bowling profoundly and apologiZing to
another in the most courteous of lam
guage for some mishap, or shouting
out some expression of sympathy when
a heavy burden was being carried or
pushed along, and yet these are COM
mon, everyday occurrences in Tokyo.
In learning the etiquette of Japan a
stranger will always do well to remem-
ber that Self-aba Sement and humility
to the extreme must be the guiding
principle on which all actions are to
be ruled. In America it is often the
duty of a guest to accept little court
estes from his host, not because he
thinks it is due him as a superior, but
because he is simply the guest, and
he receives them as a kindness which
hospitality extends to him, and which
he cannot refuse without appearing un-
gracious. In Japan the laws of hospi-
tality for the host are no less rigid
than in America. To welcome the COM
ing and speed the parting, to enter
tain with the best that one has in the
kindest and most friendly manner, to
see that the guest lacks nothing which
thoughtfulness might provide-these
are rigidly the duty of the Japanese
host. The duty of the guest differs in
that each separate act of courtesy,
even though accepted in the end, must
be met with many protests and ex-
postulations. and must on no account
be simply accepted The extreme to
which this is carried would no doubt
seem tiresome to those accustomed to
the free-ande etiquette of Ameri-
can life.
TEDIOUS SEXPOSTULATIONS
Every Japanese parlor has it's place
of honor and its honorable and less
honorable side, the latter being usually
toward the door leading to the other
apartments. the bedrooms and the
kitchen. The seat of honor is in the
part removed from the door, and is in
front of raised alcove, where are
placed hanging scroll, a vase of flow
ers and the few ornaments which a
room possesses. 1t is a matter of time.
energy and many bows before a guest
can De induced to take this place of
honor, and it is a contest in which the
host must be the victor in the end, or,
If not entirely successful, he must at
least persuade his guest to sit in the
more honorable side of the room, so
that he himself may take the humblest
place on the other side. 1t is also a
matter of Importance as to who shall
precede in entering a room, and much
time is spent by two people, one waiting
for the other and each refusing to en-
ter first. In entertaining many guests
the hosts duties are arduous, and. as
each separate guest is bound to con-
slider himself the humblest of all the
suade him to the contrary.
There is a great deal in the etiquette
OF bows. Handshaking is a foreign
innovation, and bowling hitherto has
been the only mode of salutation. When
two acquaintances meet in the street a
bow is made by placing the hands in
front as far down as they will reach,
and then bowing from the waist down
ward until the upper part of the body
is almost at right angles with the low
er. One bow is not usually sufficient
at meeting, for if words are ex-
changed a bow must accompany each
expression of goodwill and friendship.
BoW1nS when one is seated on the soft
| mats of a japanese house (by far the
polfteSt method) is much more com
plicated. One is not expected to hur-
ry through as in the street, and there
| is no excuse for the omissions of all
the formal phrases of courtesy. each. of
which must be accompanied by bows
made with the hands placed on the
floor and the head bent down to them.
There must always be an exchange of
congratulations on the continued good
health of the families, thanks for past
kindnesses or favor shown by any
member of one family to the other. and
very often visit is accompanied by
a gift. which is formally presented and
accepted.
ETIQUETTE OF PRESENT-GIVI
The etiquette of present-givinp is in
itself very complicated, and not the
least arduous of the duties which fall
on the head of a household. A present
IS not necessarily confined to any sea
son, but may be given at any time; in
deed 1T is the appropriate accompani-
| ment of visit. Fish, fruit, eggs neatly
packed in wooden boxes, cake or a piece
OF SILK or crepe are the most common
presents. They are brought in by the
guest on neat tray, or else sent before
hand by servant. Presents are usual
ly wrapped up in white paper. folded
| so that the left edge of the paper will
lie under the right, and they are tied
with peculiar string, half red and
half white. This string must be not
| only tied in a certain wav. but the
package must bear on 1t written char
acters which signify that it is pres
ent.
There are a number of symbols which
may be used, representing a greater or
less amount of humility and respect on
the part of the giver The characters
have various meanings, some being
words of good luck and others signifying
the smallness and unfitness of the pres
ent for acceptance, a term most com
monty used being so shina-literally a
common, coarse. or rough article Ac-
! companyiag each present is a little bit
of dried fish, which is neatly folded in