The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-14
View Of a Chinese School
New Years@ Canton, China


discouraging the evil spirits Just as though
they had really been alive.
Little Foo Ling could hardly wait for
midnight to arrive. The holiday lanterns
and the pyrotechnics We're so tempting.
There We're lanterns made of silk and fiber;
lanterns made OF thin translucent horn; Ian
terms with whirligig attachments that were
set in motion when the interiors were filled
with warm air; lanterns of all kinds. some
representing dragons and some serpents.
curious fish. outrageous animals and mon
strOuS birds,
And then the glorious red punches of fire
crackers. and the papers of joss-sticks
Immediately after midnight the whole
family paid their devotions 10 the tablet OF
their ancestors. Behind this tablet one OF
the iIlustrious forefather's three spirits was
supposed 10 dwell. This done, the family
were lighted TO the street by servants who
were dressed gorgeously in honor OF the
occasion.
This going to the street on New Years
morning is a CEREMONY not to be passed
over slightingly. On the results Of this the
fortunes. good or evil. for the year depends.
If the first person that the head of the
house sees be a priest, ii is an omen OF the
most unlucky sort. And If the first words
spoken be of death. misfortune. sickness or
disease, calamity is sure TO visit him who
listens.
Then the great New Years fusilade be-
gins, and strings of crackers are touched
off in every quarter. Now and then the
streets are shaken by the explosion OF "A
bomb. The racket is Observation-Disclosures.
Now and again fire threatens the huddled
city of one-storied wooden houses and mat
shaded a~lleyways.
The noise will brighten away the evil
spirits-the Yan-Kwei, genii and ghosts who
roam about trying to smell peoples food
and, failing to smell the kind of food they
like. infiicting pe~stilence and sickness on the
families.
And without doubt the evil spirits are
extinguished for a time. The sulphurous
fumes that permeate every filthy nook and
Granny, the air charged with nitre. kill the
disease germs that are always lurking in the
byways of an undrained and unsanitary
Chinese city.
AS the day breaks, strings of blind and
diseased beggars infest the streets, and
the blind leading the blind, tapping their
way, on the stone pavement with their
bamboo sticks. hold out their cups with
long-drawn, whining walls A shaver
priest stands on the corner with his beg
ging-bowl, and little Foo Ling drops In a
cash. 1t takes a rather long string of cop
pers TO last out the day, for IL Is always
unlucky not to give a beggar aims during
Foo Ling. dressed in his finest satins,
winds along the zigZag alleys Till he comes
before the open place surrounded by the
temple walls. Here. with his father. he
will burn loss at the feet OF the great
wooden idol and will shake a number out
of the box on the altar, from which the
priest will interpret for him his fortune for
the year to come. He is impressed by the
grotesque heroic paintings on the dingy
wall, the odor of incense and the pulsa-
tions of the drum.
Then he is lee away to make his New
Years calls. "KuEg-hei. fat is OF" he says,
and then, after the manner Of his father.
he bows low, and shakes his own hand cere-
moniously. After the formal cup of tea
has been served. Foo Ling thanks his faith
er's host for the presents OF cash and fire
crackers that he has received. and proceeds
TO drive out some more evil spirits.
But this is only the first day of a celebra-
ton that is TO last more than a week. And
as little Foo Ling brushes past the lepers
and the coolies and the mendicant beggars
OF the Lane of Fillal Piety, and notices that
his fathers store, THE Celestial Paradise"
Is closed. he cheers himself with the re-
Election that there will be no school to-
morrow morning.
But with fireworks by day and night.
feasting. congratulations and exchanges OF
gifts, the New Years holidays Will be a
season of d"elight-until the Feast of Ian
terms comes with the full moon.