The record-union., 1898-02-21
Chinese Women Give q Banquet to
Foreign Women.

was remarkable invasion of ancient
Chinese customs and an event that
could not have occurred outside of a
fairy tale two years ago. 1t illus
trates more foreibly than sanything
that has happened how modern ideas
are penetrating Chinese society. and
how rapidly the restrictions that have
been imposed by the policy of exclusion
are being broken down. Three native
young women, who were educated at
the University of Michigan, persuaded
ten Chinese ladies, wives of mandarins
of the highest rank, to invite fifty for
eign ladies to be their guests at lunch
con at a restaurant in n public garden
in the suburbs of Shanghai, mostly fire.
quented by foreigners, for tA purpose
of discussing ways and means for the
establishment of school in that city
in which the daughters of the nobility
may obtain modern education. 1t
is believed to be the first time that no.
BILE women of China, in their own coun-
try, have sat at the same table and
eaten from the same dishes with wom-
en- of a foreign race, and, what is even
more remarkable. it was at the ex-
pense of their husbands. Hitherto a
barrier more formidable than the great
Chinese wall has separated the women
of the two races and although the
men have mingled in commerce and
often in social gatherings native wom-
an of rank who voluntarily appeared
among foreigners would have been eter-
nally disgraced and condemned to per-
petual seclusion, if not to a worse fate.
But upon this occasion they sat
around table spread in European
style, conversed. so far as their COM
mand of the English language would
permit, ate French cooking with
knives and forks, drank each others
health and even made speeches. When
Chinaman gives a dinner to his for
eign friends, even when there are la
dies in the party, his wife never ap-
pears, and it has been a gross viola
ton Of etiquette to allude to her. Mrs
Grant is said to be th9 only woman
who ever dined with the wife of Chi
nese noble, and she was entertained by
Mrs. Ii Hung Chang.
The wives of all foreign Consuls at
Shanghai were asked to this dinner,
| the ladies who compose the Executive
| Committee of the Tien. Tsu HSui, or
National Feet Society; several mem
bers of the missionary cHony and the
wives Of merchants who are promi-
nent in educational and charitable
movements. At the close of the lunch
eon the wife of the manager, Mr..
| Sheug, of the telegraphic service, arose
| and made what is believed to be the
| first public speech ever delivered by a
Chinese woman of rank, in her own
country at least, perhaps in the world
| She explained in a hesitating manner,
and in her own tongue, the desire of
| herself and her associates to enlist CO.
operation of the ladies of the foreign
colony in the establishment of school
| in the native section of Shanghai, SIM
| liar to the school for peeresses found
| ed by the Empress of Japan, at Toxic,
| for the education in the modern style
| of their daughters and other girls of
| rank Their plans were not formed
and they had very few ideas on the
| subject because Of their ignorance and
| inexperience, but they were anxious
| that their daughters should have ad-
vantages that had been withheld from
them, and hoped that the foreign ladies
present who had knowledge of such af-
fairs would aid them.
| The little speech was translated by
one Of the Michigan University girls
and heartily applauded
| Mrs. Archibald Little, an English
| lady responded in an appropriate ad-
dress, which was also translated, ex-
pressing the thanks of the foreign lad
| les for the hospitality and their sym
| pathy with the movement, and assur-
| ing their hosts of their earnest desire
| TO cooperate in every manner posi-
! BILE. AT this point all the Chinese lad
| les arose and bowed several times in
acknowledgment of the sentiments Of
| fered.
| A Chinese woman physician then
made a speech of some length, giving
more in detail the plans for the pro-
posed school, and several foreign wom-
en- responded Before the party sep
arated it was arranged that another
meeting should be held at residence
in the foreign settlement, at which an
organization will be formed and prac-
teal steps taken for securing a build
| ing and the employment of teachers
w. z. Curtis in the Chicago Record
|