The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-14


collar OF their coats. The matter was re-
ported to Picking forthwith. and the too
advanced young men were recalled. Not
long ago two officials called at one OF the
legations in Peking and removed their
hats; this confession OF equality with the
narbarous westerner was also reported by
some jealous onlooker and the men mar
rowIy escaped from Office in disgrace. The
Chinese want to avail themselves OF west
ern knowledge and mechanical skill with
out closer contact with western nations,
and this is why they encourage western
teaching and endow schools conducted on
American and European principles.
1t is limited, however, that the boys IN
these schools are becoming strongly preju-
diced against the queue and they do not
hesitate to say that If they were not COM
PEELED by law to wear it they would dis
card it at once. In their new avocations-
engineering and the like, and in the games
which they are taking up here at home.
and which are not forbidden. they COM
plain that the queue is terribly in the way.
And amcng the self-respecting it must be
worn as long as possible, it being consid
cred an objectionable affront TO appear
with it wound round the head-a COM
promise that would be some relief, if ii
were practicable.
There is little doubt that it is realized
by the more thoughtful-the few that can
be made to realize that there is future.
and that radical changes are imminent,
even in China, where they have been re-
sisted so long, that in these schools a
leader is being trained, in all likelihood
who, taught in western methods. will be
able to meet the aggressive foreigner upon
his own ground.
Having possessed their land for untold
ages, dsfying change where other nations.
in either resisting or endeavoring TO as
simulate foreign innovation, have persisted,
the Chinese have become fixed in their
customs and habits, as must necessarily
have happened. Nevertheless, they do
change, and are still changing, inpercept-
IDLY, but restlessly, like the movement
of glacier, few inches at a time. But
new China is not approaching; it is here.
CHANGES TAKING PLACE.
have just had a manifestation in the
flesh of this truth. While taking my tea
Chinese gentleman and his wife were an
dressed in splendid costume of rich black
brocade, Chinese shoes and Chinese hat.
which he did not remove. He was accom-
panied by his lovely young wife, who was
picture that would have delighted the
eye of painter. She was a tiny creature
with silky black hair, dressed as married
women in Shanghai dress their hair, with
ornamental pins and artificial flowers; her
skin was like ivory, her soft, dark eyes
full of expression, and when she smiled she
showed rows of teeth like pearls. She was
bareheaded. as is the Chinese fashion. and
with skirt of black silk she wore an over
garment Of light blue satin fastened at
the throat with gold buttons. Upon her
feet We're pretty shoes Of silk, embroidered
in gay colors-very tiny feet they were,
although they had never been bound. Their
manners were as charming as their appear
ance was attractive. Both had been edu-
Gated in the Methodist mission in Picking,
the husband in the boys preparatory
school, afterward studying and taking his
degree in the medical school connected
with the university. The young wife was
pupil in the fine school supported by the
Women's Foreign Missionary Society OF the
Methodist Church. The husband is con-
nected with one Of the hospitals in Shang-
hal and is also practicing medicine
among the Chinese as well-for
the people are glad to avail
themselves Of medical skill as 1t is under
stood in the west. The young physician
and his wife have beautiful family of
four children, two little sons and two
fbax
were taught, and whose education will be
continued in the schools where they them
selves were pupils. This is the new China
and 1t is China refined and spiritualized
beyond anything that could be imagined.
They are only one of many such families
now scattered throughout the empire
Chinese in the best sense of the term, be-
cause they are Chinese emancipated from
their mysterious fears and superstitions,
who have acquired western refinement
without losing any OF their own fine char
acteristics. They both talked extremely
well. drank tea with me. declining milk
and sugar and buttered toast, which the
Chinese find unpalatable, accepting the
They were anxious to know how had liked
IehllS-WHdl Thought Oh the SCHOOLS, ana
asked what the pupils were doing.
The pretty young wife spoke of her for
mer teacher with an enthusiasm that
brought the color to her cheeks and made
her eyes sparkle more brilliantly than ever.
Mrs. Jewel is a grand woman" she said,
and / shall always recall the look with
which she bore this grateful testimony
when am told. as 1 am certain to be. that
the Chinese have no appreciation of what
is done for them and that the missionaries
have done no good.
I have also had the problem presented
to-day from still another point of view. /
was hidden to wedding feast, in the home
of Christian Chinese, in the old Chinese
town. The bride had not yet arrived, but
the chair, closely curtained with richly en-
broidered scarlet silk. was just being sent
to her home for her, where she had been
married by the Christian ritual. This was
about the only departure from the usual
Chinese custom. The chair departed in the
midst of a tremendous fusillade Of fire.
crackers. and a deafening screech and
crash from the Chinese orchestra estab-
Hshed in the outer court under a canopy
of scarlet-draped lanterns. Where the an
cestral tablets would have been hung in a
heather house was the word Happiness"
in large gold characters on a scarlet back