New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-26
THE NATION OF NOISES.
Collectively, Chinese Are Terrific
Tribal Turbulence.
From Occasional Correspondent Of the Tribune in
China.

There are no people who move more slowly
or with more noise more continuously than
the Chinese. The white man and all other men
methodically rest and sleep and quiet, but
the Chinaman is not such a respecter Of natures
laws
In China night is alive as the day, and is
filled with Whoops, noisy conversations, the sing
song accompanying work bosterous repartee
and every other unmusical sound. In addition.
the darkness is one long howl of dogs cackle of
geese braying OF donkeys, croaking of frogs, the
squealing Of pigs, the drum beats of the police
man and even as some one has said, the sing
ing of the stars" individually the people are
full of varieties of unsurpassed violent demon
stratveness and collectively they only
terrific tribal turbulence.
One most appropriate name for China has
never been given it. 1t has been called the yell
low Kingdom. the Middle Kingdom the Celestial
Empire, the Pgtail Nation the Sleepy Giant and
others. No one Of these is more applicable than
the Nation of Noises Noise is. seemingly the
first element of Chinese life and has been Guilt
waited for centuries by Chinese talent. and in
conception. development and execution presents
not only new varieties but scores of new species
My first trip into the interior Of the country
was up the Yangtse River by steamer Leaving
Shanghai somewhat after midnight we reached
Chinkiang at o'clock the next morning where
l was awakened by hideous CONDEMNATION OF
noise, which. though having travelled in many
countries. l had never heard before. II came
from the lungs of the Chinese coolie as he swung
himself to the task Of unloading the steamers
cargo. 1t the singsong, heigh-a-ho. so-a-so
rhythm sung by the Chinese workman TO every
movement Of his work whether singly CARRYING
a weighty basket, or in groups Of dozens pushing
carts or heaying heavy weights. and which once
heard IS never forgotten. 1t was n babel OF
voices with such iutermiuable intermingIing
as to seem that every known note that ever came
from the human throat was striving to be the
prevailing one, and complaining that II was
not Upon inquiry learned that the Chinese
coolie could no more unload cargo or do any
other kind of work without this coyote concert
this heigh- a-ho and so-a-so song. than an unoed
cartwheel could turn without crcaking. 1t seems
10 add strength, TO tighten the load or, in some
mysterious way, to turn toll into play. The ex-
PLANTATION appears to be that music however
crude, not only tends to "soothe the savage
breast" but to divert its thoughts from serious
work into more congenal channels.
The most common method OF conveying heavy
objects IN China is by suspending them either
at each end OF a bamboo pole the centre Of
which is placed across the shoulder Of the
bearer or hanging them In the centre with
coolie at each end. This method Of transporta-
ton Is impressively employed In Chinese prov
erb to emphasize the fact that one person can do
more work than too many. or. that too many
cooks spoil the broth" zone priest" say they,
can carry two buckets OF water; two priests
one bucket and three priests have no water to
drink" But In whatever manner the load IS
carried IT Is always and inevitably accompanied
by that eternal sngsong heiGh-a-ho, so-a-so.
10 inevitable. in fact, that It is impossible to
conceive Of dumb Chinaman being able to do
any kind Of work. When two are employed the
bearer In front cries "Hegh-a' first in rather a