Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-13
CUSTOMS IN CHINA
Minister Wu's Account of Various
4 81
Functions.
SELDOM HAVE LARGE COMPANIES
Ceremonies at BetrothaIs, Mar
riages, and Funerals.
H A B T S. OF w I'D o w S
[inister WI Ting Fang in Golfers Weekly.

Minister WI Ting Fang in Golfers Weekly.
in comparing the social customs of China
with those of the United States, is
strongly impressed with the peculiar fea-
lures of a Chinese community, which are
so different from those seen in an Amcri-
can or European city. In every important
town, in addition to the patrol of soldiers
who do the police duty, private watchmen
are employed. When a Waterman PAGES
his rounds, he beats his bamboo sticks to-
gether, to mark the coming and going of
the five watches of the night. BY so doing
he proves to his patrons that he is on duty
and not asleep. but he also frequently dis
turbs the slumbers.
AS encouragement to intrudcrs and
an attempt to keep out suspicious charac-
tiers, it is the rule in many cities to lock up
certain portions out of harms way at night.
The streets are usually not large, and are
often spanred by forbidding gates. At 10
O'Clock these are locked up fer the night.
and the homeward way of the belatcd
diner-out is belated with difficulties. To
arouse one sleepy gateman after another.
and to make clear to each dreary brain
ones reason for being abroad and ones
earnest desire to return home, is not
pleasant pastime for a tired man.
Many of the rich Chinese are philanthropy
fering they see about them. They give
freely of their wealth, but the poor are
legion in China and the task is not easy
ore. Private charity, however which is al
ways more or less capricious has provided
most of the orphan asylums, the free hos
pitfalls and the poorhouseS of the country. In
China, the hand of pity often goes into the
pocket of plenty to relieve cases of suffer-
ing that never appeal to the American. He
fortunately never hears an6 shudders at the
leper's cry of "Unclcan! unclcan!''
Conservative as my people are, it is easy
to understand that they are content to keep
on, day after day, at their accustomed
tasks with no mpaticncc at their monoto-
ny. They are devoid of any craving for
excitement Working year in and year out,
without even a weekly rest sucn as that
taken by Sunday observers the world over.
they seldom seem to realize the need or the
charm of social relaxation. When they do
come together for mutual entertainment the
company is always small. social 'func-
ton" with its crush of people. of the kind
common in this country would never ap-
peal to a Chinaman as entertaining or re-
Taxing. The Chinese of the upper classes
frequently entertain their friends at more
or less elaborate banquets, but at the ordi-
nary dinner party covers are laid for only
eight people. Conversation can then be
general. AS an after dinner bit. private
theatricals are In order. and professional
jugglers and comedians are frequently call
ed in to amuse the guests. Similar affairs
would be dubbed stag parties in Ameri-
CD lot lHty are lnNdTiuDly
by the absence of women. The latter en-
terrain each other in their own apartments
as gayly and as pretentiously as they
please, but men are never their guests.
woman may be the mistress of her hus-
bands house. but she is never the dispenser
of his hospitality.
Social Entertainments.
Social entertainments in China never re-
volve around dancing or athletic contests,
as they so frequently do in this country
Our ideas about the in1propriety of the two
mingling socially would effectually
prevent dancing from becoming a form of
entertainment. Athletic sports have not
found favor in our eyes, but games of
chance have a strong hold the popular
heart. In the tea houses and cafes. where
the club life Of Chinese men is conferred
gambling iourishes in many forms 1t is
discouraged by the government, but there is
as little hope of pluckng the gaming inter
est from the Chinese heart as there is of
suppressing the trading spirit in the Jewish
breast. 1t is those little rpples of gambling
excitement that keep the Chinaman's life
from stagnating. Cards dice, chess, domi-
noes. all serve to satisfy his passion. Fan
tam which is a game of purest chance alb
solutely Independent in its results of any
skill on the part of the player, is a special
favorite. which, for popularity among the
sporting element. may be compared to the
American game of poker
Some of the most striking differences be-
tween the social customs of China and the
United States apparent In the various
rites and ceremonies connected with the
great events of marriage, birth and death
Among my people the choice of a partner
for life is always left to the parents of the
bridal pair They have the interest and well
fare of their children at heart and act with
the judgment and wisdom that only mature
years can bring. The engagement is usual
ly made when the young people are in their
early teens-in many cases when they are
much younger. Matrimonial alliances be-
tween friendly families are the most COM
mon.
In some sections of the country the as
sistance of professional matchmaker is
called in when marriage Is desired for a
child of the house, especially If no suitable
alliance with friends child is possible
The role of marriage broker is played by
women Of the middle class They go from
house to house, working up the trade by
telling of the eligibles in different families.
When consulted, their first instruction al
ways is: Give me a paper on which is
written the day and hour of your child's
birth. Chinese women generally are su-
perstitious, and as the marriages are al
ways negotiated by women, 1t is natural
that superstitious practices should be con-
nected with their solemnization. With this
scrap of paper the parent goes to a fortune
teller and has the horoscope of her child
cast in conjunction with those of possible
partners for him. If there appears to be
anything in the fate or fortune of the two
young people that would be Inconsistent
with their mutual happiness, negotiations
are dropped at once. 1t is only fair to saw
that these fortune tellers often hit the
truth accurately that the peoples faith
in them might almost seem to be Justified
The superstitious sometimes go to the loss
house also and ask advice of the idol. This
is done by shaking a bamboo case, which
contains bamboo slips numbered consecu-
lively and corresponding to the numbered
pages of book in which are collected the
sayings Of the idol. On shaking the case
one of the slips falls out and It's number
indicates the page on which will be found
the saying of the idol applicable in this
case. The keeper Of the temple will write
it down. that the Inquirer may bear it
n