Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-01-29
CHINESE pAwNsHOps.
Theae Institutions Have Been Known
to Have Existed Over $500
Years Ago.

IItI YtINNft. LG1Fu A8De
What the public house or hotel 10 !
an English town the pawnshop is to
chinese community, says the Londo
Express.
Its lofty, solid building rears issel
above the houses and forms the mos
prominent feature in the bird's-ey
view of any city or town. They ar
now national institutions and wer'
known to exist in the days Of Con
fucius, over $500 years ago.
In those days usurers charged ex
orbitant interest for money lent, ant
very frequently the borrower disap
peared with his booty for good. tt
one ingenious Shylock there came ar
idea. As hostages were given In wal
as guarantee of good faith, why
should not borrowers deposit pledges
for the money lent them? Thus orig
mated pawnbroking in China The
pawnshop is a square building, tower
Ing to some 10 or so feet above the
ground. The first 20 feet are built Of
solid granite, the remainder Of best
brick. As precautions against fire and
thieves, they are most solidly built
No woodwork is allowed on the out
side, and the walls are raised several
feet above the roof. The windows are
very small and tightly laced with thick
iron shutters to repel flames.
The eight or ten-storied building
stands several feet back from the street
line. There is small doorway, and be-
hind It stands wooden screen bearing
the name Of the pawnshop. Instead OF
the English three balls" the Chinese
pawning sign consists OF two. This
represents the bottle gourd, used in
China as q natural life buoy, and thus
proclaims the pownshop as "The Life
Preserver."
Behind this signboard Is q small
courtyard where all business is trans
acted. The front of the shop is fenced
of with iron bars, like lions cage,
six feet above the ground. The Chi
nese coming to pawn his winter clothes
hands up the bundle to the broker be-
hind the bars.
The Chinese "uncle" fixes the price,
gives the nephew" q ticket and the
money; the pledge 10 ticketed and
packed away, just as in England.
The rates of interest are high. On
advances of less than ten shillings 80
per cent. per nnnum is charged. From
los. to Ell, "a per cent, and on larger
sums slightly less.
But during the winter months arti-
cles can be redeemed at reduction of
one-third In the interest, as conces-
sion to the needs of the poor.
A pledge may hold good for three
years. After that time 1t cannot be re.
deemed.
Periodically the pawnshops sell off
their unredeemed pledges to second
hand shops, sales direct to the public
being forbidden.
On migrating to Australia, America
or elsewhere, the Chinaman pawns his
Implements of worship-censer, urn,
tripod, ETC., thus leaving them in Sc.
curity till his return. Pawnshops are
llso used as banks.
A man having saved some money con-
igns 1t to the Pawnbroker for safe
custody, paying small fee for the priv
lege. From time to time he is admit
ed to see that his treasure is still in
act or to add more to 1t.
There are three classes of pawnshops
n China. The largest are, Of course, the
most respectable, while the smaller
louses are more grasping in their
business. Both are duly licensed by
he government, and pay an annual
ee. There are also small secret pawn
hops existing outside the law and only
~ connivance with the officials whose !
is purchased. In China
he business of pawnbroking is honor
Ible and followed by the highest men
n the kingdom. Much of Ii Hung
Jhang's vast wealth has come and still
ZONES from his Ave large pawnshops. |
ie is pawnbroker as well as a vice
10Y.
The Chinese "uncle's" great enemies
ire fire and thieves. II fre orig
mates in the shop the proprietor mustt
aye the full value Of all pledges de-
troyed. II the building is wrecked
" fire starting outside the owner