The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-29
THE CHINESE LADY.
HER HOME EMPLOYMENT AND HER
DAILY ROUTINE LIFE.


From the American Queen.
Through the misleading accounts of
travellers who have not had the OPP
portunity or taken the trouble of real
ly studying the social life of the Chi
nese comparatively nothing is known
respecting the Chinese lady of to-day.
Her manner of living. her characters
tics and accomplishments are either
shrouded in mystery or misunderstood.
Having had exceptional opportunities
for observing the domestic life of the
people of the Middle Kingdom and
being DESTROYS of showing how a
daughter of Ham actually passes her
life. l will ask the reader to accom-
pany me in Imagination to that far
away empire.
1t is o'clock on a Silly tropical
morning as we approach the private
residence of a merchant who, besides
having three charming wives, is bless
ed with couple of sons and a daugh-
ter. After crossing a courtyard paved
with cobblestones we ascend four gran
lite steps which extend across the en-
tire frontage of the building, and, pass
ing between two large wooden doors.
or several apartments. The reception
hall comes first, then the ancestral hall
and finally the sitting and sleeping
rooms.
The members of the Shun family are
not abroad yet though it is just time
for them to be called, but the servants
have already commenced their duties.
An elderly female attendant, attired in
thin black cotton clothes and possess
ing large natural rauorontlU
enters the ancestral hall, carrying a
sheaf of brown-colored 'jossticks" and
several tiny cups of tea in a lacquer
ware tray. Approaching an oblong al
tar upon which are arranged an image
OF the Yeuk Wang and of other deities
supposed to preside over the chief
doors of the house she places the sac
rifcial cups of tea in front of the
josses and lights the sticks, which emit
fragrant odor of sandalwood and
CARGO. Having done this, she making
several obeisances, leaves the cham
Der and proceeds to the one occupied
by Miss Ching All Choi, her mistress.
The servant finds that Miss All Choi
has just risen from her four posted
wooden bed, which is inclosed by en-
broidered curtains and a mosquito net,
and is standing near a gauze-covered
window, tending some flowers growing
Al q NO0pAC VI DOWIS.
Miss Ching Arises.
The young girl, whose age is IS, is at
present only attired in close-fitting
white linen Jacket which shows to ad-
vantage her small yet faultlessly pro-
portioned figure and her full though
| delicately complexioned face. Her fore
head is high and intellectual; her eye
brOwS curve upward from the nose
which is small and broad at the base;
her eyes are almost almond-shapeda and
of liquid black color, deeply dashed,
while her mouth is small and well
formed, and, being generally half part
ed, reveals row of the most even and
pearly teeth, which look more artificial
than real in their perfection. 1t may
interest some to hear that Chinese la
dies are fastidious with regard to the
tooth brushes they use, and usually
keep stock of new ones by them;
those with very short and stiff bristles
being the kind generally preferred.
Miss All Choi possesses small and
shapely hands, but they are marred by
the extraordinary protraction of the
nails, which were allowed to grow to
length of two or three inches, this
being regarded as the sign of gentility
in the "F'lowery Land" Her feet are
closed in peculiarly sharp and hoof-
like shoes, covered with gold and en-
broidery, and are naturally small and
cramped, through having been bound
tightly from infancy.
Mysteries of the Toilet.
A little girl now enters the room with
hot water and while her mistress per-
forms her ablutions she and the anah
(servant), busy themselves about the
wardrobe, which comprises a number
of pigskin boxes filled with silk gar
fhnGn frrf he int H-k.
with the much-prized silver foxskin.
Then Miss All Choi opens her toilet box,
the lid of which is fitted with NOV
able looking glass. Hair brushes are
seldom used either by ladies or gentle
men in China, and the former always
go bareheaded except in winter, when
they wear a band, generally ornament
ed in front with pearl or jadestone.
which is passed round the forehead and
tied behind, the crown of the head re-
naming exposed.
Placing the box on the table the
young lady sits down on a hard ebony
chair, and. adjusting the glass so that
it reflects her face, leans back. The
little girl now begins to fan her, while
the anah proceeds to dress the wealth
of black hair, which is let down to it's
fullest length. This Is an exceedingly
intricate and irksome task, that takes
quite an hour and often much longer
to complete, according to the style of
colffure worn.
The face is next attended to with
equal care and white chalk and rouge
are brought into use for this purpose.
A little of the chalk is scraped into
the palm of the hand and mixed with
water, and this paste is applied to the
face, over which ii is gently rubbed,
the rouge being used in a similar man
ner, until a delicate artificial complex
ion is produced.
The young lady now rises from her
chair and dons a very broad pair OF
black trousers and a loose silken gar
ment with bell-shaped sleeves Of great
width. Chinese ladies' are celebrated
for the severe modesty Of their dress.
as they assiduously hide the contour
of their figure by ever conceivable
means.
The Morning Meal.
Having completed her toilet, Miss An
Choi leaves her room and enters an
other, WHERE she meets her mother and
perhaps the second or third wife, with
whom she partakes of a cup of tea and
some cakes.
At 10 o'clock they sit down to a meal
Of rice. fish and vegetables. After that
a venerable gentleman OF scholastic
reputs is conducted into the presence
Of the mother and daughter. He in
structs the latter in reading and in the
tenets Of Confucianism or Taouism. in
stilling npon her mind good moral prin-
ciples. He remains about an hour. and