Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-02
CH|NEE NO SABE
MEL|CAN HOLIDAY
WAITS FOR HIS OWN HAPPY
NEW YEAR
Chinatown viii Have Big Time Feb
ruary II, When Monster Dragon
VIII Be On Ex-
hibition

Chinatown huddled about its little
fires yesterday and shivered out the
New Years day with little thought
of anything but eating and drinking.
For it was Mclean" new years
day and the yellow man could find
but small sympathy for 1t, so they
drank an extra amount of rice wine
to be I'm sympathy with the spirit of
festivity, smoked few more wisps Of
tobacco in the little water pipes for
the warmth and discussed preparations
for their own new year.
To thorough Chinese yesterday was
the eighteenth day of November in
the thlrty-second year OF the reign uf
the good Kwang Shu, whose name in
Chinese characters resembles ~ minia-
ture poodle dog and the San Gabriel
mission and whose reign has been gov
erned by his mamma, Tsi An.
There are, however many Christian
Chinese in Los Angeles. some because
they are quick to adapt themselves to
the ways of a new country, others for
business reasons and q few because
they believe in It.
The latter observed New Years day
yesterday because on their calendar
there was such a day, but they were
in the minority and their observation
was insignificant and inexpensive. On
February II, lasting for a period of
four days, is the Chinese new year, the
time when every man with Chinese
blood In his veins observes the season,
no matter what religion he may follow.
Plan Big Time
This year the observation of the
Chinese new year will be general and
the cefestials will spare no expense
to make it pleasant. A particular at
traction and feature of the celebration
this year will be the exhibition of the
great dragon, several hundred feet long
and of great cost which will be on
exhibit in the Bow Wong Wei hall on
Apablasa street. The dragon was
brought to Los Angeles from China by
George Lem and some of his business
partners.
1t is coiled about a great hall with
Chinese symbols and banners about it
and curios enough to delight the eyes
of any tourist.
That will form the chief attraction
for the visitors. The Gong Jue temple
or joss house will also be open to tour
lists, but a careful watch will be kept
on those who enter and the first at
tempt to start trouble will meet with
immediate punishment from special
officers who are to be on duty.
Many officers in plain clothes will
be on the streets Of the little settle
ment and the Chinese are to receive
full protection so that a repetition OF
the disgraceful scenes of last year
when young hoodlums and even young
women battered down doors and stole
the decorations, will be impossible
The Chinese reckon time from thu
days of Pan Ku, of whom they have
but little data. He was supposed Il
have lived about 5000 years before tn,
time of Christ and to have worn littl,
more than a long beard. He lived will
the first of the Chinese people in cave:
and had no religion.
But they base their idea of New
| Years on the date of the ascension o.
their various emperors to the throne
and January 1 fails to figure promi.
nently in their history.
This year several thousands of the
outside Chinese laborers and ranchers
will be in the city and great cele-
bration is expected.