Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-08-30
EVERYDAY LIFE IN CHINA.
Few Facts About the Customs of the
Celestials.

n rev FactS ABOUT tne customs OI tuo
Celestials.
China is in the worlds eye at present
writing, so here are Il few facts about
manners and customs of the Celestials.
According to Chinese custom, the
bridal procession is formed at the
brides house. First, there are a num-
ber of boys who are hired to walk
ahead, carrying red banners fastened
to long poles; then come the musicians.
some playing wind instruments much
resembling i'll sound Scotch bagpipes,
others scraping elongated fiddles.
others humping gongs of varied sizes
and discordant tone, while some are
beating hollow pipes of bamboo, which
give forth a dull sound. After the
band some more boys carrying large
parasols with long red and gold fringe
(these parasols are on sticks ten feet
long, then more boys with red banners.
which bear Chinese characters i'll gold
on either side expressing all sorts of
complimentary things to the bride.
The superstitious treatment of dis
ease is an extraordinary feature OF Chi
nese social life. Death, they account
for by saying it is in accordance with
the ''reckoning of heaven and it
would appear that in this at least they
are not far out of theirs. Recovery is
by grace of some particular god or god
dess. They imagine that this evil god
works by mysterious influences exist
ing between and among the members
of family. and resulting in illness.
Hence great bribes are offered to this
pleasant familiar and large profits to
the Taonist priests.
1t may be said that the Chinaman is
born fishinghe has for ages past cul-
tivated system of artificial breeding
and rearing of live fish for the mar
ket in the shops may be seen displayed
live and dead fish, fish fresh and salted.
smoked and preserved. One variety
are like whtebait in basket graded
from tiny things not half an inch long
to what appears to be the same fish
grown to eight or nine inches in length.
These are sold fresh, salted and
smoked. Shark fins are a delicacy.
There are fish notified and barred.
bright and dull. fish of quaint and. to
us. unknown shapes, but foremost
above all. and everywhere to be seen
are the artificially grown live fish.
Cinnamon boil their rice in fiat YES
sells shaped like deep saucers. From
20 to 30 inches across and from six to
nine inches deep Is the usual size OF
these utensils. which are east wonder
fully thin. the metal rarely exceeding
an eighth of an inch in thickness. The
blast furnaces are shaped like large.
squat lamp chimneys. and fuel and
metal are fed through the narrowed
opening at the top. The very frugal
Chinuman while he works also uses
his furnace fire to cook his evening
meal.
Jade is the article most highly priced
for jewelry by the Chinese. jade
bangle in Canton would bring higher
price than one of diamonds and gold.
The jade is cut by tools worked with
reciprocating motion driven by rock
ing foot treadle.
Owing to the general maladminstra-
ton of the country China offers
thoroughly congenial soil for the
growth of all sorts OF illegal combina-
tions. Under oppression and tyranny
secret societies spring into life. The
kolao Hui Is said to be numerically the
most powerful secret society in China.
Its members number upwards of II mil
lion. and its organization is in theory
rs nearly perfect as the loose ideas pos
sessed by Cinnamon.
1t is direct descendant Of the Hung
League. the university of which is ex-
pressed by the symbol signifying "A
mighty blood which Is employed to
write the word Hung. This society
governed by the chiefs who were
known as the ''KO" or Elder Brothers.
1t was considered advisable to change
the name of the Hui" and title "Ko-
lao" derived from the epithct of the
chiefs. was adopted In place