Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-01-06
INSULTS OF THE CHINESE.
Inveterate Inso1ence Toward Foreign
ers Through System of Elab-
crate Etiquette.

"The Chinaman, especially he of the
higher and official class. has enveloped
| himself in a subtle and elaborate mesh of
| custom and etiquette, in which ii is his
| delight to entrap the ignorant and
unwary foreign devil" says the King.
"And the strangest thing about this Chi
nese propensity is that it is by no means
necessary, in Chinese eyes, for the object
of an insult to be aware of his position.
1t is enough for them that he is de-
graded thenceforth in their eyes, and in
those of all who are capable OF appre-
ciating the fact that he has been sub
jected to this species of moral degra-
dation.
1T will be apparent, therefore, how
extremely important it is that minis
ter who is intrusted with the interests
and prestige of his country in China
should be thoroughly cOnverSant with
this insidiOus danger and vigilantly on
his guard against all attempts to degrade
his office and weaken his influence in the
| far east.
''The very puerility of these Chinese
insults tends to increase their danger.
| For, unless European is sufficiently
versed in their hidden significance to re-
sent them Immediately, his loss of face
| and caste is as great as though he had
| knowingly and tamely submitted to
| them He is henceforth a subject for
scarcely yelled contempt and derision,
and recognized target for Celestial fool
| ing and levity.
| ''On the other hand. nothing con-
| POUNDS a Chinaman quite so much as
| when the object of his insidiOus attempt
| suddenly displays an acquaintance with
| the actual significance Of the attitude
| adopted toward him. He becomes hope
| lessly disconnected, and his respect is
proportionately as great as his con-
| tempt would have been had he succeeded
in escaping detection.
The following story will afford an
excellent idea of the Chinaman's tnvet-
crate insolence toward foreigners
| through the medium of his elab-
crate system of etiquette. | was
| calling on some English friends in
| Shanghai few years ago. They had not
| long arrived from home, and were COM
paratively new to the country and its pc
culiarities. Among the numerous sub
jects of interest they had discovered III
their novel surroundings they displayed
| for my inspection a Chinese visiting
| card which had been left upon them by
high class Chinaman day or two be-
| fore. 1t was of red paper, about ur or
five inches long by three in breadlD, and
| printed with large Chinese characters.
My friends expressed some pleasure
at it's possession, and | noticed that it
| occupied a prominent place in their col
| lection. Moreover, from their account,
| their visitor had seemed a very amiable
| and genial gentleman.
Il somewhat startled my friends as |
picked up their treasure by remarking:
| The brute! Did he have the insolence
to leave this on you? Anyway, don't
| leave it about where it can be seem
"'Why. what is the matter with it?'
they queried.
Now, my friend occupied an official
position under our government, which
matter; so | fastened to explain that
their visitors interesting red card, with
it's imposing proportions, was pleasant
little attempt to mark his cOntemptuous
sense of their infinite inferiOrity to him
self. and to indicate, in fact, that he was
| a much bigger man than my official
| friend.
well, | don't care what the fool
| thinks observed the latter.
but in China you must" 4 explained.
| IF you accept the Chinaman's insolent
estimation of you you will have lost caste
| forever in your future dealings with
! him. and every one, Cinnamon, and pos
| sibly foreign rivals as well, who are
| aware of your loss of prestige, will not
| hesitate to attempt to take advantage of
you. But at the same time you have a
| splendid chance Of asserting yourself at
the outset in position of corresponding
superiority and advantage
"'But how can this be done, he in
uulred, except by refusing to return the
beggar's call?'
NO | said; you must do that. 1t
| is part of your opportunity, and as soon
as he realizes that, contrary to his ex-
| pectation, you understand his etiquette
| and have seen through his action, he
will be thoroughly disconnected and
crawl to you in future You need do no
| more than simply leave upon him your
| own card a good deal bigger in size than
the one he left upon you, and with your
| own name printed in larger characters
than his. That viii finish him COM
| pletely, and, absurd as it seems, little
things are often big things in China, and
you will place yourself in better posi-
ton to do good service to your country S
interests than you could otherwise ex-
pect.'"