Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-09-27
The "HEATHEN
CHINESE"

For Europeans or Americans to I'M
ueistahd the mind of China is hopeless
~ impossible. That ocean which f. the
physical separation between her and
america is but a narrow gorge COM
pared to the gulf between her mental
llfe n ours. Japan knows her. but
the white man does not and never can
she is beyond the pale. For thousands
upon thousands of years her peopIe
nave lived apart from the rest Of the
world, sufficient unto themselves. They
might as well have been upon another
pianet, or In a realm of the fourth d.
mansions. SO different has their envi-
ronment been to that of other peoples
on this earth today.
One cannot prognosticate what a
Chinaman will do, but one can be sure
d a whatever he does he will do it
Inherently than would an American or
European.
His politeness is impertinent to us,
Tor whether you are man or m his
nrst question is How old are your" If
you are advanced in years he congrat-
ulates you. Then he will ask your in
come and many other questions as to
your private affairs. This is Chinese
etiquette; but, II you would show a
friendly interest in his welfare and the
prosperity OF his family be sure not to
say wife" To ask after a Chinaman's
wife or to refer to her at all is a serious
preach OF good manners. Do not speak
OF his daughters, either, but you may
congratulate him on having sons. Do
not praise them, however, for if n
should fall sick at any time after he
would lay 1t to your evil eye.
When you enter a Chinaman's house
you take your hat off, while he, as he
hears you coming, puts his on. He
would not receive a guest otherwise. BY
way of greeting he shakes hands with
himself instead Of with you, and offers
you a seat on his left rather than on
the right; for the left is the honorable,
side in China.
The book he has laid down as you
came in has its title on the lower left
hand corner of the back cover. It's
pages read from right to left. in coll
umns instead Of in lines. The foot
notes. are at the top of the page, and
he has inserted his bookmark at the
bottom. If he is a merchant aid keeps
accounts he will enter the debts on the
upper half and the credits on the lower
half of the same page.
Instead of backing he uses whiting
for his shoes, and if he is in mourning
he robes himself in white. If he is a
nan of POSITION he has a wife with
dwarfed feet, too small to walk on; so
small, indeed, that in the process of
compression some of the bones were
crowded out. The nurse carries his
children on her back instead Of against
her breast. But all these things are Of
q kind with the Chinese compass,
which points south instead of north
and reads w~est-north, west-south, east
south, east-north, as the Chinaman
boxes it. He also says thirds-two in
stead of two-thirds. and in writing a
date his order is year, month, day.
He writes his family name first and
his given name follows. If he mounts
a horse he chambers w on the right
side; if he shores a boat he does it
stern first; if he marches in company
or works at a paddle he breaks" in
stead of keeping time. He laughs when
telling you Of the death of a relative or
friend.
If he is i'll his doctor" prods for the
pain with a long needle, often piercing
the stomach walls in the endeavor TO
find it. If he is lame he takes ashes of