Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-09-20
CAOPPlNG IN CHINA.
Mode of Procedure Very Different from
What Ne Are Acr;sfnined M


What We Are Accustomed To.
Although the peculiar civilization of
the Chinese has failed TO provide the
shops OF the country with place glass
windows, mahogany counters. huge
mirrors and the seductive shop walker.
yet the tradcspeople have methods OF
their own for engaging the attention of
the public worthy of notice. il not of
imitation. TO begin with. the compe-
tlti"n which forces down the prices of
goods in this country is unknown in
China.
The manufacturers. who own most of
til" shops. to protect the interest Of
themselves and their Workrcoplc in
sist on fixing all prices. and when at
taikcd with fits Of greed combine 10
IL lse the prlcc lists, which, to prevent
TIC shopkceDcr overcharging, are post
Ell up in the shop All such shops be-
long to what we should call Il union.
In free hOus - the prices given for an
article is the result OF a prolonged bag
gle. The Chinese are such experts ut
bargaining that shops Of good rcpute
publicly declare that they sell only ut
the advertised price.
Why Il Chilanan when hagyling
should shout at the top of his voice Is
not clear, but he does, consequently
the vocifcrations of several hundred
purchasers and the equally Sten,orian
rejoindcrs of the trad,spcoplc renders
Il Chinese shopping quarter, when the
public is abroad, Il vclitublc pandcmo-
MUM.
The amounts in dispute are seldom
more than Il halfpenny or so. but the
parties scream and gcsticulatc as IL
their entir. fortunes We're at stake. the
din appearing to he much louder than
it really is owing to the narrowncsS "f
the Streets which are seldom more than
u few fee: across.
Shops which decline all abatement
have Il siSnhoard inscribed "cicn pu
URIC chin which means fixed price,"
business in China being conducted ON
principles mostly unknown to the outer
world, ii is Eot strange to find that
shops and warehouses are never known
by the family name of the proprietor
They are distinguished Ivy some sign
generally the invention of the owner.
who will held long and anxious consult
tation with his family and friends in
order TO obtain "hao." which shall cn-
body some fcli,tous idea.
When a new show is opened or Il now
conner comes INTO possession the pub
lie is made aware of what has taken
place by long crimson strcaillrrS hang
ing from the -i.-nboard>. The frcnGli-
ness which exists between the shop
Keeping class and their patrons results
in developments OF which we know
nothing in this country. We should
smile at the tralesnlnn who affixed Il
notice in his window saying that his
wifa was not very we'll that day.. or
that Ibis father was dead" In China,
in addition To snch written amend
ments, Increased publicity is afforded
by white or nshcolored steamers be-
ing suspended from the sign boards.
The signhoar,ls are also used 10 re-
cord the death of an Emperor. This is
done by putting the hoard with its let
ters ia gatldy red and gold into mourn
ing. The paper with which the sides
of the board are covered Is not black.
as ii would lie with MS. but green, and
in order that business shall not be in-
terfcred with the green paper Is dotted
all over with the houses name. But
the loyalty and grief of the shopkeeper
is testified to by two strranlrrs. on
which is inScrilrd 'kus kSlio The
kingdom noi.rns -arc attached TO the
board.