Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-14
CHINESE PAWNSHOPS.
known to Have Existed Over $500
Years Ago.
From the IOndon Ernroaa

known to Have Existed Over $500
Years Ago.
From the London Express.
What the public house or hotel is to an
English town the pawnshop is to a Chinese
community
Its lofty solid building rears itself above
the houses and forms the most prominent
feature in the bird's-eye view Of any city or
town. They are now national institutions
and were known to exist In the days Of
Confucius, over $500 years ago.
In those days usurers charged exorbitant
interest for money lent, and very frequently
the borrower disappeared with his booty
for good. To one ingenious shylock there
came an idea. AS hostages were given in
war as a guarantee Of good faith, why
should not borrowers deposit pledges for
the money lent them? Thus originated
pawnbrokng In China. The pawnshop is a
square building. towering to some seventy
or eighty feet above the ground. The first
twenty feet are built of solid granite. the
remainder Of best brick As precautions
against fire and thieves, they are most SOL
idly built No woodwork is allowed on the
outside and the walls are raised several
feet above the roof. The windows are very
small and tightly laced with thick iron
bars, and inside are iron shutters to repel
flames.
The eight or ten storied building stands
several feet back from the street line.
There is a small doorway, and behind it
stands wooden screen bearing the name
of the pawnshop Instead of the English
three balls the Chinese pawning sign
consists Of two. This represents the bottle
gourd, used in China a natural life buoy,
and thus proclaims the pawnshop as The
Life PreServer."
Behind this signboard is a small court
yard where all business is transacted The
front of the shop is fenced of with iron
bars. like lions cage. six feet above the
no frn1 Iii
winter clothes hands up the bundle to the
broker behind the bars.
The Chinese uncle fixes the price,
gives the nephew" a ticket and the money:
the pledge Is ticketed and packed away,
just as In England.
The rates of interest are high. On ad-
vances of less than 10 shillings 80 per cent
per annum ia charged. From los. to fl, "a
per cent, and on larger sums slightly less
But during the winter months articles
can be redeemed at a reduction Of one third
Of the poor.
pledge may hold good for three years.
After that time II cannot be redeemed
Periodically the pawnshops sell off their
unredeemed pledges to secondhand shops
sales direct to the public being forbidden.
On migrating to Australia, America or
elsewhere, the Chinaman pawns his imple-
ments OF worship-censer, urn, tripod etc
thus leaving them in security till his re-
turn. PawnShops are also used as banks
A man having saved some money con-
Si6Hs IL ~ tHe pdWnDFOReF Tor safe Gus
tody, paying small fee for the privilege.
From time to time he is admitted to see
that his treasure is still intact or to add
more. to it..
There are three classes of pawnshops in
China. The largest are, of course the
more respectable. while the smaller houses
are more grasping in their business. Both
are duly licensed by the government and
pay an annual fee. There are also small
secret pawnshops existing outside the law
and only by connivance with the officials,
whose complacency is purchased. In China
the business Of pawnbroking Is honorable
and followed by the highest men In the
kingdom. Much Of L! Hung Chang,s vast
wealth has come and still comes from his
f1ve large pawnshops He is, pawnhroker
as well as viceroy.
The Chinese '.uncle's' great enemies are
fire and thieves. If fire originates In the
shop the proprietor must pay the full value
of all pledges destroyed If the building
is wrecked by a fire .starting outside the
owner is exempt save for q small per-
centage. As to robbers, carloads OF stones
are stored to repel an attack. prompted by
the r.cn booty OF the pawnshops. The at
tendants are also armed, but not infre-
quently the places are wrecked by gangs Of
robbers. 'te