Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-31
A LUNCHEON AT SHANGHAI.
Wives Of Chinese MandaFins Emit,
tanning F0reigners.

Wives Of Chinese Mandarins Enter.
tanning Foreigners.
From the Chicago Record.
A few weeks ago at Shanghai there was
q remarkable invasion of ancient Chinese
customs and an event that could not have
occurred outside Of fairy tale two years
ago. 1t illustrates more forcibly than any
thing that has happened how modern ideas
are penetrating Chinese society and how
rapidly the restrictions that have been i'm
posed 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 foreign ladies to be their guests
at luncheon at a restaurant in a public
garden in the suburbs Of Shanghai, mostly
frequented by foreigners, for the purpose
of discussing ways and means for the es-
tablishment of a school in that city in
which the daughters of the nobility may
obtain a modern education. 1t is believed
to be the first time that noble women of
China, in their own country, have sat at
the same table and eaten from the same
dishes with women of foreign race and
what is even more remarkable it was at
their invitation and with the sanction and
at the expense Of their husbands. Hither-
TO a barrier more formidable than the
great Chinese wall has separated the Wo-
! men of the two races, and, although the
men have mingled in commerce and often
| in social gatherings, native woman of
rank who voluntarily appeared among for
eignerS would have been eternally dis
graced and condemned to perpetual seclu-
sion, II not to worse fate. But upon this oc-
cas1on they sat around table spread in
european style, conversed, SO far as their
command of the English language would
French yyft Enf
and forks, drank each others health and
even made speeches. When Chinaman
gives dinner to his foreign friends, even
when there are ladies in the party his wife
never appears, and it has been a gross vio-
lation of etiquette to allude to her. Mrs
Grant is said to be the only woman who
ever dined with the wife Of a Chinese no.
pie, and she was entertained by Mrs. Lii
Hung Chang.
The wives of all foreign consuls at Shang-
hal were asked to this dinner, the ladies'
VINO compose the executive committee of
the Tien Tsu Hsui, or natural feet society.
several members Of the missionary colony
and the wives of merchants who are prom
lnent In educational and charitable move
ments. AT the close of the luncheon the
wife of the manager Mr.. Sheug of the tele-
graph service, arose and made what is be-
lleVed to be the first public speech ever de-
nVered by Chinese woman Of rank in her
own country at least, perhaps in the world
she explained in hesitating manner and
her associates to enlist the cooperation of
the ladies of the foreign colony in the es-
taDllsnment of a school in the native sec
ton of Shanghai similar to the school for
the peeresses founded by the Empress of
Japan at Tokyo, for the education, in the
modern style, of their daughters and other
girls OF rank. Their plans were not form
ed. and they had very few ideas on the sub
1ect because of their ignorance and mex
perience, but they were anxious that their
daughters should have advantages that
had been withheld from them, and honed
that the foreign ladies present who had
knowledge of such affairs would aid them
The little speech was translated by one
OF the Michigan University girls and heart
lily applauded
Mrs. Archibald Little, an English lady.
responded In an appropriate address. which
vas also translated, expressing the thanks
OF the foreign ladies for the hospitality and
their sympathy with the movement. and
assuring their hosts of their earnest desire
to cooperate in every manner possible
AT thls point all the Chinese ladies present
arose and bowed several times in acknowI.
eugment OF the sentiments offered
a Chinese lady physician then made n
speech of some length. giving more in de-
tai the plains for the proposed school. and
several foreign ladies responded Before
tEe party separated it was arranged that
another meeting should be held at a resi-
dence IN the foreign settlement at which
an organization will be formed and prac-
ucai steps taken for securing a building
ana the employment of teachers.