Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-02-05
cHrNEsE OF pENANe.
Adopting Modes and Customs Of Their
European Neighbors.

progressive they must keep pace
with the onward march of tho
times. SO general has this feeling
become that within the last dec
ade rapid strides have been made
in the direction of reform. There
are, however, still many difficult
barriers to be negotiated, but
with determination these may be
surmOunted, says the Penang
Straits Echo.
1t may be pertinently asked
what the goal is at which the
Straits Chinese should aim. To
begin with, they should adopt the
European costume, as the Japan
csc have done. A foreigner to
Penang, or the native states, can
easily distinguish the difference
between a Straits-bOrn Chinese
and a celestial proper. This, to
some extent, shows that the
Straits Chinese are progressing in
the right direction. The fashion
of the latest cut is closely watched
by them, so much SO that in Kuala
Lumpur an Quitting department
owned by PenangbOrn Chinese
has been established to further
this object; loose and baggy trOu-
sers, which are an incumbrance to
cyclists; coats as if made to pro.
vide for bodily growth; Sin Che
ang shoes from China are gradu-
ally but surely giving way to tight
trousers, collars, jackets and Eng
lish-made boots, while as for the
headgear, white hats are becOm-
ing popular, such as "Panamas,"
the Straits and EllwOOd's.
White to the Chinese is a sign
of the deepest mourning, but the
Babas of today have learned the
absurdity of sticking to antiquat-
ed customs and sentiments. The
tOwchang (queue), a standing me-
mace to cyclists, mechanicians and
others, is wisely discarded by
some, but this derelictiOn Of an
cient custom is still looked upon
with great horror by the fair sex,
who, in conjunction with the
scholars of Chinese literature, re-
tain their conservative admiration
for it. A friend of the writer,
who proved to have the courage of
his convictions, recently informed
him that it almost threatened TO
result in divorce when his first
wife saw him without his "tail,"
but after she had got used to the
loss she was heard to say that il
was a pity others would not fol
low her husbands sensible exam
pie. The change in this direction
is impeded. but with the return of
the Penang lads who are sent to
complete their studies in Europe
this obstacle may eventually be
removed. The n0nias. too. have
caught the cOntagion of reform,
but in ii lesser degree.
Turning to their social life, the
bright and shady side-sights re-
Iuire TO be touched upon. In re-
gard to the relationship between
husband and wife il cannot be-
gainsaid that an ornate desire TO
place the latter on an equal foot
ing is more noticeable each day.
A husband is not now ashamed to
give his cOmpeer a seat with him
in an open conveyance, or even es-
cOrt her to picnic, where neces-
sarily the men and women mix
with each other freely. On the
other hand cases of wives leaving
their husbands are Of frequent Oc.
|currence, the real causes Of which
may be summarized as follows:
The husband leads a life of de.
bauchery, cultivated in the So
called Intellectual Improvement
clubs. where literature, supposed
TO be their primary object, is al
most unknown. The wife, finding
that the husband longs more for
his club than his home, naturally
'esents the change, and, her re-
monstrances being in vain. she
seeks the company of her rela.
.tives.
AS against the fair sex, the hOr-
rible scOurge of Peh Bin is to
very great extent responsible for