The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-01-14
PEDDLINc BREAD in CHINA
Ono Of the Many Curious Sights II
Pekin,

From the Detroit Free Press:
Among the many curious sights In
China none present stronger aspect to
our American eyes than the bread ped
dlers and their methods of dkposing Of
their wares, says the Living Church.
They carry their stock in trade about
with them, either In oval boxes strapped
to their backs, or in two boxes depend
Ing from yoke across the shoulders,
or on trays held by strap hung from
the neck, and carried in front Of them,
after the manner in which, the pieman
of Simple Simon fame is Invariably pictur-
ed by all orthodox illustrators of Moth
er Goose" In the city Of Tientsin these
street vendors Offer three different kinds
Of bread for sale. Two OF \; these, are
twisted in oval shape and the third In
thin, crisp cake sprinkled with seeds Of
sesame, that magic word which at once
recalls to our minds the wonderful tale
of Ali Bahia and the forty thieves. How
little we ever dreamed, when we listened,
spelbiund, in our childhood days to the
thrilling account Of Ali Baba's adven-
lures, that we should ever behold, far
less taste, the fateful sesame, the name
of which proved 50 Elusive to our hero
at the rucial moment when he was con-
fronted by the rock of difficulty. But
the peddlers bread is not more curious
than his method of selling it, for 1t is
frequently disposed Of by rattle, for which
pupose he carries three dice, held in
little DISH
In Pekin, the capital Of the Celestial
empire, the bread peddlers generally come
from the province, mostly from Shatng-
tung. They are called po-po sellers.
Their street cry. .'Yapchin-nantoa+"
"Can I sell you a pound Of Bread" is
often heard until late in the evening.
Their bread is made of wheat flour and
baked in hot vapors, distinguished from
another kind which is baked TN hot pans
| They also sell several varieties OF po7po
or baked goods, a special fav0rite with
! the Chinese being an oval oil cake made
! Of the very best flour and usually eaten
with pork, sausage or liver.
! The Mohammedans in China have a
reputation for good bread and evidently
| wish to be known as pure-food advocates,
for in order to enable customers to
distinguish their yares from those Of
other vendors they ornament their carts
or boxes with the Moslem emblem. This
consists of a vase containing branch
of olive tree, on the top OF which II
perched the Mohammedan cap. On each
side of this design is inscribed the motto
| pure and true Islan." These Moham-
medan peddlers also sell kind Of patty
filled with a mixture of meat, vegetables,
oil and sage. Another of their products
| which is called ia shouting "a chakue|.'
is a large roasted cake or dumping baked
IN oil. Many Of these: Chinese CONNECTIONS
are much more appetizing than one would
imagine from the desert tion, but like
many foreign dishes, the taste for them
must be acquired by cultivation before
they can be thoroughly appreciated. 49,
The average Chinaman eats very little
bread prepared according to our American
formulas. Consequently, the bakery and
confectionery shops are few and far be-
tween. Like all other stores in China,
they are open in front with no partition
to protect them from the heat or the cold
or the dust of the streets. Wooden shut
tiers are used to close them up at night.
One finds practically the same wares at
the bakers as the bread peddlers OFFER
for sale. Among them is one special kind
of cake having the figure of hare
imprinted on it, which Is eaten by the
Chinese in honor Of the birthday OF the
moon. AS soon as the festivities celebrat-
ing this anniversary are over the cakes
are withdrawn from sale and are not
again displayed until the next moon BIRTH
day. which corresponds in season to our
| Easter.