The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-05
Chinese Names.

To the Editor of The Journal:
10 one somewhat familiar with the make
up of Chinese names the following from
the pen Of Fannie Brigham, seems very
funny: Z
The little son Of the former Chinese minister
and Nine. WI. whom his schoolmates called
Chow chow will; be greatly missed this year
at the legation Of the fowery Kingdom He is =,
bright and lovable lad and never resented the
nickname, although bis more dignifed title Was
really Cboa Chou Ting Fang.
In spite OF his oriental training he enioyed
Christmas to the top of his bent, lust like an
American small boy, and levied gifts upon the
whole legation. 1t was also his custom to go
alone on Christmas morning to the White House
carving huge bouquet TO present to the mis-
tress thereof. Gentle Mrs. Mckinley expected
him with the greatest pleasure and always had
her gift ready for him. ssas ~
= The me baby son Of the present charge datfaires
too small to care much about our festival as yet
lie was born on the Fourth of July. and his name
being longer than himself, beginning With
Washington and. after half a dozen or more
chinese Jaw-dislocators ends, of course, with
Shen Tung. 49, -.
Usually when the correspondents: speak
Of eX-Minister WI, and go no farther into
his Names they land all right But when
they try to get the Ting Fang part in
they are usually as much at sea as is Miss
Brigham in the aobve article.
1t does not seem to be, generally known
that a sChinaman always puts the family
or surname first. Then, if we would at
tempt to Anglicise the ministers name
it would. read something like this, Mr.
Tingfang WI. Little Chow Chow's'
name would not be "Choa Chou Tingfang,
but Choa Chou WI; Or: properly. WI Chos
Chou, as his ia Tiers name is WI Ting
fang. And-as to the new baby: although
it may have half a dozen Chinese jaw
dislocators' as part of it's name, it doe:
not lend Of course, with Shen Tung." !
is simply baby Shen, without the father:
given name (Tung) added to it.. Thu
Chinese always place the family name
first; and they have a very good reason TO
it, viz, reverence for the father. With us
this regard for father and mother, find
it's expression in the endearing names
1.-THE old man. ::'the governor or 'tthe oil
woman but the Chinese boy out of re
! spect to his father. always calls the faith
! ers name first as his father had done be
fore him; and this is followed by his owl
given name, feeling that nothing coul
show greater disrespect to the father thai
| for the child to place it's own little give
name before his. -..- 49,. =
So our friend Jee Cam, the first Chimes
convert on the coast, belongs to the Je
family, and his mamma name as til
Chinese put 1t is Gam We often sc
letters from one of his sons. and they ar
always signed Jee Luther Mclean, If on
young people could be brought up wit
this heather Chinee' idea, what won
derful advance in civilization it would civ
us. With us in Christian America, in thi
the twentieth century, there IS still to
much of the same spirit that 5000 years az
prompted the young people of Bethel to e
out and call to the prophet Elijah as h
passed by "go up, thou bald head; go vi
thou bald head Although many of thel
have ways that are dark, and tricks ths
are vain,' there are many good thing
that we may learn from the "heathe
Chinee." &C. A.. Cable.
616 Eighth street S, Minneapoli