The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-14
CHIN ESE NEW YEAR.
Saturday of Next Week is the Day
 Designated for Its Observance.

Designated for Its Observance
 There will be no Friday for Chinamen next week. A Chinaman measures the months by the moon. and his depend ence upon that ficlSle celestial body serves quite to set the length of years at variance, Every three years there is another month added to the calendar in order to make up for lost time. and. somehow or other. the new Chinese year of Quong Suy, "A, which begins on Saturday, the 22d of this month, takes no account of the fact that the year 23 ends on the preceding Thursday at mid night. So far as the calendar goes there will be no time intervening be- tween Thursday of next week at midnight and Friday at midnight, In fact there will be no Friday at all, and all Chinatown is mystefied in an at tempt to reconcile facts with figures New Years day is the most generously and joyously observed of all the Chinese holidays and, of course, Chinamen are at a loss as to when to begin their cele-
 
 bration.
 The edict which makes it the duty of all men of Chinese birth to observe Jan- uary P as the first day of the year was sent out from Washington only few days ago. Until then every Celestial in America was of the opinion that the 21st was the only original New Years day but Wu Ting Fong, the Chinese minis ter, had heard from China, and there he learned the 22d was to be observed as the beginning of Quong Say, 24 Then word was sent out to observe that day for New Year feasting and celebration Nothing was said about the disposition to be made of sighted Friday, and, consequently every Chinaman's life will be heightened by day, and he will wonder until his dying day how it all happened.
 However, now that Saturday of next week has been fixed upon as New Years day every preparation will be made to celebrate in proper way in the larger cities the opening of the new era.
 CELEBRATION OF A WEEK OR
 MORE.
 l extends through an entire month, but in this country week or two suffices, for collars must be ironed and shirts must be washed. In that time a crowded an immense amount of visiting and feast ing and happiness runs riot
 Every shop on New Years day is a reception room, and all articles that might indicate business, all goods on shelves, are covered carefully with draperies and are hidden carefully from view. The first duty of the day is the worshiping of the household god no Chinese home is complete without an idol-and at that offering to the idol no stranger may be present To pro pitiate the god all sorts of toothsome | declicacies are placed at the feet oi the mighty one, and that duly ended, 3 | jubilation is at hand Great punches o1 1 firecrackers are exploded in quick sue cession. the josshouse is crowded, in- | cense burns, and the musicians begir their scrapings and poundings. The dreadful wang-su, Or flute sounds in the night; the tita, or flageolet, pours forth its mournful cadence; the strumming ot the banjo-lke instrument with the | moon face, the ngiitlim, Is heard, the sam-yin or fiddle screeches it's discord ant notes, and above all the din comes | the noise of the ta-la-ku or drum. Wis iting begins in the morning and, witt | greetings appropriate to the season each Chinaman, robed in his best goes | from place to place, drinking innumera 1 ble cups of tea, eating rich foods an6 | confections, and always leaving visit | ing card of rather imposing dimensions | (the aristocratic card is about sever l by three inches and is red In color). Every Chinaman begins the New Years free of debt if he Is able to dc | so, and he makes the occasion one fol | forgiving all who have done him an in jury. In turn he is forgiven for his | trespasses, though, if he is so unfortu nate as to be still in debt, reminder ot | the unpleasant fact is made by the post | ing upon his door of a bill of the in 1 debtedness, and, until that money i: paid, he will not reopen his store. Pub | lie opinion acts as a check upon tht | employed who remains in debt. He i! | discharged, becomes rank outsider | and finds it we'll nigh impossible to SC | cure another position.
 | The next Chinese year will have thir' | teen months, with two Marches Marcf | the less and March the great. The | month is not divided into weeks ant | there are no Sundays. No month is | longer than thirty days and many O | them contain only twenty-nine days. | New Years delcacies for the Chines' | include preserved fruits and ginger l candies, nuts and oranges. Ducks ant chickens are favorite dishes, and, O 1 course, rice and tea are much in de mand A nut called the Lichee Is an other favorite of the season. The nu | has fragile shell, and the fruit is mucf | like a prune in appearance, covering { seed of the size of a. large bean. Int taste of the Lichee is much like that Q | the tamarind.
 | A PLEASING LECTURE