Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1908-01-05
&M7 e. CdaOzOooS
six VITA dress
SEE IA EOUE
The Lille Known
High Caste Chi
nese Lady.

Is her sphere. she dads Interest and ,i,-
light IN such simple Occupations - lew
Ing. worshipping her uHre s;urS. aisi pay
Ing games with hes children. No wave q
revolt has power To touch her revervnrr
and respect for her lord and master
She has Emhitlol 20 prove herself
mans equal. no desire TO lie anything but
the weaker vessel she Is quite roufsnt
10 remain ri home for days aud weeks
and even months Mt n strvtrh. Her iiny
feet are not meant for ''-atding about
In search OF pleasure or amusement
The high-clnssed Chinese lady Il dressed.
perhaps. more richly than any other WON
an In the world. Even her tiny shoes are
exquisItey made: she takes both pride
and delight IN her Golden Lily" feet
She can scarcely toddie without help. HIT
liberty Of movement Is small matter
compared with the possession OF f-T1inu-
tive feet In shoes OF solid gold
The lilly foot" consists Of the great
toe eucased IN a shoe two or three Inches
long. The other toes have been disiOcatct
backwards 70 lie closely under the foot
When a Chinese girl is about six or eight
years Of age. she Is visited BY the foot
binder. whose profession II Is TO produce
this anatomical distortion so much adj
mired by the better class Of Chinese
The toes are gradually forced under the
foot. which Is bandaged by strips Of espe-
cially made cotton cloth. and these are
kept on for several weeks at a stretch.
being removed only to allow kneadinS %
the joints to make them more pliable-
The pain Is excruciating. and there IL
considerable swelling OF the leg and foot
In the first Instance. Later. huge eorns
appear as a result OF pressure. and u Is
remarkable that disease OF the bones and
-.
pings are finely embroidered. and the IL
tie shoes made Of silk or satin elabc-ately
stitched in rich colOrs.
The smaller the foot the better the
prospects from a matrimonial point OF
view OF the Chinese maiden A Chinese
girl Is sometimes. however. betrothed AZ
a mere baby and should the man die be
the marriage takes place. she Is eonsit-
cred widow" She cannot marry again
without losing caste. but she may adopt
son II she likes
widow Is not allowed 70 rouge 90
powder; she can only wear half nOurn-
Ing. which in China Is symbOlised By
blue or violet shades. for the rest OF her
natural life.
When she dies. n she has been faithful
TO the memory Of her husband. or BE-
trothed, she Is rewarded with a maSnid-
cent funeral and has monuments AMI
arches erected In her honor All over
China, carved arches OF wood or stons
are displayed TO the memory Of widows
and Of women who have never married
at all. The odd Maid" in China Is
very important parsonage compared with
the spinster OF Western countries She
Is REGARDED with admiration and respect
by all her friends and relatives alike
Old age is especially honorable in China:
the greatest compliment you can pay
Chinese woman is TO assure her that she
looks ten years older than her actual age
Trained from babyhood 20 hide all emo
ton, the women lead the simple life a.
a matter OF course; their placid. quiet.
unlined. unwrinkied faces give them an
appearance OF youth till advanced year,.
W hen they seem suddenly 10 shrivei %
Into Old women.
The better class Of Chinese Woui@n are
eNuuisitely dressed In rich!F embroidered
SIX. several skirts OF different voiurs
being worn one above the other HaiF
dressing Is n fine art In -hina- nnd II
no country IN the world are there such
varied fashions and styles Zach district
has its approved couture. but one anu an
,rect elaborate ornaments Of silver OF
,namel and artificial flowers. which show
n strong contrast the glossy black hair
The marriage crown Is as musuin-
cent as money and Chinese taste can
produce. and a marriage Is n great Occa-
lion for display and pOmp In China The
bride. attired In scarlet and gold. with
Wedding veil OF crimson silk. Is carried
n a golden sedan chair. which Is usually
Tired for the occasion. Red Is the luck
est colour In China. and Is introduced
is much as possible at this time Tie
,reseats are carried in large red boxes.
" on red iacquered trays; Fed candl-s
nd banners hrin. luck 20 the bridal pair.
nd In the home. scarlet cushions and
overs and hanginGs are brought out zoe
he occasion. The bride may have been
purchased ike n bale OF silk. she may
lever have seen her husbands face.
nd she must obey and wait upon and
erve her lofd for the rest Of her naE-
raj life.