The Washington times., 1903-11-15
THE AMUSING LIFE
OF CHINESE GIRLS

The life Of the little Chinese Eirl Of
today. although an Improvement in
some respects upon that led by her
sisters Of an earlier generation. is stnI
nightly amusing from an American or
European standpoint.
She is betrothed at thirteen. Her
course of study. which is painstaking
and thorough. By the way. includes a
knowledge OF the Doetical names Of
flowers and OF the rearing Of goldfish.
A clever little Chinese lady. Miss
Wong jim Ling. daughter OF diplomat
now residing IN st. Louis. talked to an
interviewer a short time ago. giving
some interesting details on this subject:
7 was born thirteen years ago in
Shanghai. China she said. and have
been betrothed since I was twelve TO
Master Sab FOX Kyiun. son OF Adj
rniraI Sab, of China. am as yet too
young to be married. For five years I
shall remain in my fathers house. the
marriage ceremony taking place when
am eighteen. or two years after
become of age. In China a girl is OF
oge at sixteen.
Master Sab. who Is seventeen. re-
sides also with my father. This is some-
times the custom IN China among fam
lilies Of the upper class, IN cases where
two families are on very intimate terms.
Master sab and I see very little OF
| one another, although we are in the
same house Judged by the way Amer
lean young people act, Chinese boys and
| girls are very shy.
Much of my time / spend in my own
room, engaged In my studies or prac-
ticing the accomplishments which
must master. I have committed many
passages of poetry to memory, for the
! Chinese consider this very graceful
art, one that surpasses music can
both recite and compose poetry. The
two studies go side by side In a Chinese
girls education. She is taught to begin
writing poetry at a very youthful age
"One of my favorites among the Sc
lections which I have committed TO
memory is a production BY q famous
Chinese poet" she continued 1T is
quite long. OF many verses, and is en-
titled The Burial of the Flowers
Water color painting has consumed
many of my leisure hours. We begin 70
paint on paper and then, when We are
well advanced. paint on silk A scene
on hillside or bamboo growing or
| beautiful lake are familiar subjects
T.
taught to rear flowers. We learn the
| culture of the hundreds of beautiful
flowers which bloom IN China, particu-
larly the chrysanthemum. the peony and
the lotus lily.
-Often we go out to the ponds and
| lakes to gather lilies. That is consid-
cred a very nice pastime for young
ladies'
4our education is not regarded as
complete unless we know the poeticaI
ns-nes Of all the flowers. wei as how
to take care OF them This is not very
difficult. because cur recreation is almost
always taken in the flower garden.
ITO rear goldfish is another accom-
! plishment Of the Chinese girl.
THE reason Why a Chinese girl IS be-
trothed so long before she is married is,
as nv Darents have explained TO me. be-
I cause the CA4nesS A->S ~ --e-F $500
affairs settled as soon as possible
Parents wish to be sure that whatever
may happen to them. their daughter viii
be. taken care Of; therefore every family,
even the poorest, Is anxious to secure
a daughters betrothal just as soon as
the family can afford 1t. In families or
the upper class there is no anxiety as
to the setthment Of a daughter. but
marriages are often arranged to cement
friendship between two families"