Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-07-12

which Arc the opposite 10 Ameri-
can Ideas-Favorite Chinese Dishes.
The Three Principal ReligiOns-AEe
of the Empire.
AS China is now the seat OF interna-
tional interest the following facts
about that country are OF timely inter-
est:
China and its dependencies have
total area of 4,21S,401 square miles and
a population of 4O2, 100000. In area it
includes nearly one-twelfth of the total
area of the globe, while its population
includes nearly one third of all the peo-
pie in the world. says the Chicago Trib-
une. AS compared with the United
States, the Iatter's island possessions
being excluded, China has SOC, 900 more
square miles of territory and more
than five times as many inhabitants.
The population of China proper per
square mile is 292, that of the state of
Rhode Island is 254 and that of Tex
as 6.
China is the land where everything Is
upside down. Thus In Canton the wo-
the men are employed as chamber
maids, laundresses and seamstresses.
In salutation the Chinaman shakes his
own hand instead of that of his visitor.
AS mark Of respect he puts his hat on
instead Of taking 1t off. Their sign
boards are perpendicular instead of
horizontal. In reading Chinese print it
is necessary to begin at the right hand
side at the bottom and read to the left
and up. The Chinese raise the toe of
the shoe and depress the heel instead
of raising the heel. so that they some
times appear to be in danger of falling
over backward.
The Tartars, who overthrow the ma
tive Chinese dynasty of China in 1914,
are the ruling class in China. There
are in the neighborhood of 100000
Tartars in the empire. The Chinese
pigtail" dates from the Tartar inva-
sion, when the Tartars forced the Chi
nese to grow cues after the Tartar Gus
tom as mark of subsection. Thou
sands of Chinese We're killed for refus-
ing to plait their hair, and even now
the new China party has as one of its
objects the abolition of the old rule.
There are or were until recently less
than 1900 foreigners permanently res
ident in China. OF this number 5000
are British, 1000 Americans and 200
Japanese.
Most Christian ministers wear black
The Chinese priests stick to
bright yellow. People on this side the
world signify their sorrow at the death
Of n relative or friend by putting on
IL IL t.. 81,
ing color is white. In the United States |
most people believe that the living !
have the first call upon their charity |
and care. In China more precautions !
are taken for the preservation of the |
body after death than before, and u |
Chinaman will lie down supperless oil |
his mat rather than neglect to light the |
evening joss candle in honor of his |
lead relatives. In most countries the |
leathbed is surrounded by weeping !
'elatiyeS, and often a minister and q
1octor are present. In China the dying
ire carried out of the house and left
alone in some vacant space to die.
There are three principal religions In
China, Buddhism, Taoism and Confu-
,ianism. The latter is almost without
orms and ceremonies, consisting chief
Y in study and contemplation of the
and works of the ancieIits.
Buddhism and Taoism both have elab-
rate and splendid ceremonials Tao
sm is the older, Buddhism having
made its appearance In China about
800 years ago 1t IS now the religion
f almost eight-tenths of the people. In
he northeast and southwest there are
o 100000 Mohammedans. The Roman
catholics have more than 100000 ad-
erents and support % bishoprics The
Onverts of all the Protestant churches
re estimated to number not more than
O,OOO. Back in the remote interior of
he kingdom the hill tribes are still ma
ure worshipers or heather.
At 4 grand dinner the Chinese begin |
7ith sweetmeats and conclude with !
CUP. They sit sometimes at the table
or five or six hours, with a midway
lterval or recess, during which bowls
re brought in and the members of the
arty wash their hands and heads in
OF water. Fricasseed dog is q favor
e dish, special breed of poodles be-
lg raised for eating purposes Stewed
1t Is another delicacy. and the Chinese
re also fond of eggs when they have
assed the point where even The cold
forage man could call them fresh.
harks' fms. bird nests, peacocks' liv-
rs, green ginger, cocks combs and
owls hearts and brains are dishes
'hich might be found on the menu of
high class Chinese banquet
II the Chinese themselves are to be
alieved. the Chinese empire has been
existence for more than 100000
ears Other students say that it was
'unded $500 years before Christ. and
: some Fohi. supposed to be the Noah
the Bible. Is considered the founder.
he great wall OF China, portions OF
hich are still in evidence, was COM
eted 211 B. q Printing is said to
Ave been known in China as early as
Y Il. c. In 1917 A. ID. the first Euro
eans arrived in China In 1878 Jesuit | &