The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-30

Season the Bargalnlng-Chlnese
Shop keeping Customs Differ
Widely from Those of the Western
World.
From pearsous Weekly.
Although the peculiar civilization of
the Chinese has failed to provide the
shops of the country with plate glass
windows, mahogany counters, huSe
mirrors and the seductive shop walker
yet the tradespeople have methods OF
their own for engaging the attention
of the public worthy of notice II not
of imitation. TO begin with, the COM
petition which forces down the prices
of goods in this country is unknown In
China.
The manufacturers. who own most
of the shops to protect the interests OF
themselves and their workpeople. insist
on liking all prices, and when attacked
with fits of greed combine to raise the
price lists, which, to prevent the SHOP
keeper overcharging, are hung up IN
the shop. All such shops belong to
what we should call a union.
In free houses the prices given for
an article is the result of a prolonged
haggle. The Chinese are such experts
at bargaining that shops of good re-
putc publicly declare that they sell
only at the advertised price.
Why u Chinaman when hagSlinS
should shout at the top OF his voice it
not clear but he does: consequently
the vocifcrations of several hundred
purchasers and the equally stentorian
rejoinders of the tradespeople render
a Chinese shopping quarter when the
public is abroad, Il veritablv pande-
monum.
The amounts in dispute are seldom
more than a half-penny or so. but the
parties scream and sesticulate as if
their entire fortunes were a stake
the din appearing to be much louder
than it really is, owing to the narrow
ness of the streets, which are seldom
more than d few feet across
Shops which decline all abatement
have IL sign board inscribed, FIXED
price"
Business in China being conducted
on principals mostly unknown to the
outer world, it is not strange to find
that shops and warehouses are never
known by the family name of the pro-
pretor. They are distinguished by
some sign, generally the invention of
the owner, who will hold IL long and
anxious consultation With his family
and friends in order to obtain u ''hao"
which shall cmbody some felicitous
idea.
When d new Shou is opened or II
new conner comes into possession the
public are made aware of what has
taken place by long crimson streamcrs
hanging from the sign boards. The
friendlinesS which exists between the
shopkeeping class and their patrons
results in developments of which we
know nothing in this country. We
should smile at the tradesman who af-
fixed d notice in his window saying
that his wife was not very well That
day or that his father was dead"
In China, in addition to such written
announcements increased publicity is
afforded by white or aSh-colorcd
streamers being suspended from the
sign boards.
The SignboardS are also used to rec
ord the death OF an emperor. This is
done by putting the board, with its
letters in saudy red and gold, into
mourning. The paper with which the
sides of the board are covered is not
black, as it would be with us. but
green, and in order that business shall
not be interfered with the green paper
is dotted all over with the houses
name. But the loyalty and grief of
the shopkeerer are testified to by two
strcamers on which is inscribed "The
kingdom lnourns.'
ON the occasion OF "a nov ruler the
= ih;tnnnI
ned ones--a color IN China symbolic
ing JOY, The display of bunting out
side Chinese shops always strikes the
European rs strange, but it serves its
pu! pose
We shal! have our work cut out
when the time comes 10 destroy the
popularity Of the candle in China. This
| is how the candle dealers, a mighty
imaginative body il would seem, invest
their dips with poetry, After detail
ing the varieties they deal in, the am
ncuncement proceeds: AT cvcntidc
the mandate came from courts of IIuu.
ON hearing that mighty name the
scholars hurried to the tower aud
studied there by CGndleliSht.'
Dyers in China may nv expert, but
they are not modest. I'VE deal in
kinghshel and dark blues, also double
blacks. We rival in our Workmanship
celestial manufacturers"
Another dyer, after declaring that
| the public should deal only al the right
| sign. allows them TO infer that he is
alluding to his own by stating that
| his is the double headed phoeniN,'
! Although there are over 100000 shops
! in China. it is safe to say no two signs
| .lr,. alike.