The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-28
THE CHINESE new Year
Celesiials Busily Preparing for
Their Chief Holiday Season.
The Festivities to Continue for "a
Weck-Thc Annual House Clean
ing-Omcns of GOOD or Had Fortune
From the Narcissus Piant--Activity
of the Creditor and the Debtor.

Everything in Chinatown at this time Is
| hustle and hustle Every Celestial mer-
! chant, iamdrfman and restaurant keeper
is making rlost careful and elaborate
preparations to celebrate his New Year,
The Chinese New Year is movable festi-
vat falling on any date between January
Fl and February 10. and is said to be the
most generally observed holiday season
kept by any nation in the world. IL Ia
celebrated wherever a single Chinaman Is
found. be he in Washington or in Pekln.
This year it begins on the last day of this
ately upon the striking OF the midnight
hour on January 80. For whole week tho
Chinaman viii continue the festivities
oceasioned thereby.
Preparations for the feast were begun
several weeks ago. At present the annual
housekeeping is in progress The aecumu-
lated dirt of many months disappears as Il
by magic. and everything is made to look
bright and cheerful Not only his store.
laundry or restaurant, but the Chinaman
himself undergoes the cleaning process.
He washes his outer garments and clothes
and battles his person in perfumed water,
and with strongly scented SOAPS
Omens of the Narcissus.
The laundries and stores are deliberately
decorated with long streamers of glaring
red paper. bearing, in Chinese characters.
New Year wishes and invocations to their
god. Wong Kung. and with artificial flow
ers. made from vari-eolored paper and
feathers. and the Chinese narcissus. This
Is the Chinaman's favorite flower: IL Is
in great demand at this season. and It's
growth is anxiously watched by its owner
Should the plant bear flowers before the
advent OF the New Year it signifies that
its owner will have plenty Of all and lots
OF good luck. Should. on the contrary. tie
plant begin to bloom after the close OF the
old year. 1t means evil and bad luck to its
proprietor. The Cbinaman, then, to dispel
the evil spirits which bring the bad luck
and are lowering around him, tears the
plant into little pieces. meanwhile burn
ing innumerable joss sticks and murmur-
ing prayers. His measure of hick for the
New Year also depends upon the number
of flower stalks produced from a single
bulb: IL many stalks, plenty OF happiness:
If only few. misery without end.
The Chinese stores and restaurants along
the south side CT Pennsylvania Avenue
and on Four-and- Half Street, during the
closing days of the old year present busy.
and most picturesque scene. They are
with customers attired in holt
day garb of heavy silken coats, lined with
fur, who are eagerly securing large quanti-
ties of delicacies. clothing. and New Year
gifts.
Settling with Creditors
~.
to the Chinese debtor and creditor, both
Of whom can be seen hurrying to and fro.
endeavoring to straighten out and
settle their accounts. According to GUS
tom which is worthy of imitation. all ..ebts
must be paid or settled in some satisfae-
tory manner before the dawn of the New
Year. In order to enable them to meet
heir liabilities. shopkeepers frequently
,ffer their wares at low prices. and it is a
common occurrence for families to part
With valuables and odd bits of bric-a-brac
.urios. relics ornaments. and objects OF
rt. for a triiing sum. They believe that
here is no disgrace equal to having an
unpaid debt on the first morning of the
Sew Year.
The creditor also has his obligations to
uihii. which are more agreeable, however.
han those of the debtor. Should ne neglect
o Collect Whit Is uue MIN dI Eln1t.
lie loses the right TO ask payment from his
ebtor for many months. But the China
nan is of a saving and calculating nature.
nd he therefore pursuss his debtor Jar into
he night. continuing his search into the
Iew Year Day II necessary, rather than
use the privilege of reminding him OF his
Obligations Should the creditor be I'M
uccessfu in locating his debtor, and
houId he therefore be obliged to continue
lis search on New Year Day. he must
AIRY lighted lantern to indicate that he
5 still engaged in last nights business
nd that he has not discovered that the day
as dawned
Those Ceestials who live up to the ira
itions of their nation and the teachings
f their religion will wend their way to
he joss house soon after daybreak on the
irst day of the New Year. and there Of
or their prayers 10 Wong Kung the Chi
ese god. through the medium OF Shen
IAN (high priestJ. After that everything
n Chinatown will be practically free to
he faithful. There will be feasts and re-
options galore.
At the Chinese legation preparations
n a grand scale are being made to OBJ
erve the holiday in a BETTING manner.
IS attaches and secretaries, attired in pic
lresque blue silk tunics and skull caps
18th red button, can be frequently met at
torres. where the are laying in their sup
ly of New Year gifts.
JOKES OF THE DAY.