The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-10-14
BILKINs IN CHINA.
Continued from Page ID


The kowtow or bow az we'd call
hit, liz a great thing in China. II two
Chinese officials meet, even II ridin',
they dismount an "kowtow," which
means that they kneei upon the
ground and bow their heads to the
ground. OF course, that IL awl TOOL
ishness. In America II two politi-
clans meet they may not speak at
awl, or if they do, hit IL q simple
handshake. II they pass each other
upon the street. both bein' in car
riages or buggies. they bow an drive
on. Not so in China. The rule is that
both must get out Of the vehicle ana
"kowtow." In the Chinese schools,
the students go through the Con1u-
clan rites every mornin', kneelln an
bowin' nine times, their heads touch-
ing the floor at each bow. Then they
kneel again an bow three times to
the teachers. After salutin' the pro-
lessor each student then bows once
to his fellow-student an by that time
school IL ready to begin. No wonder
the Chinese air somewhat behind In
educational matters.
Many of the Chinese people live
In "house-boats," where cities air
built near the large rivers. The
boats air fixed up fer a permanent
home an the people who live in
them hev no other home. These
| Households air small. but can be
made fairly comfortable. The water
| in these rivers IL bound to be filthy,
an yet hit IL used fer drinkin' an
bathin' purposes, an fer cookin'. In
their reckless disregard ov dirt the
natives ov China an the natives ov
India air about on a par.
The Chinese hev some guide quail
ties. They air patient, Industrious
people. Under good conditions the
Chinese laborer will do az much
much work as any man, an do hit
well. If he happens to get religion
ov the rite sort, or an education, he
will hold on to hit fer they air stick
ers." But the main trouble IL to get
them weaned off from ages ov non
sense, or idolatry, or worse than SUI.
perstition.
The theater IL a favorite amuse.
ment in Chinese cities. but while
they serve az a place to kill time
after supper, they furnish but little
in the way Of entertainment, bein
neither funny nor instructive Quai
(partridge) fitin' IL another form O,
amusement. The little birds ali
raised an air tame. They air train
ed to flte az game chickens would
fife. Another favorite Amusement
here IL singin' matches between
larks, a bird very much like tn,
| Ameican field lark. The birds al
: raised in cages an when a singfn
contest liz arranged each owner /
9 present with hiz bird. The 1arks de
;, eide the contest, each bird retirin
from the contest until but one re
main, that bird bein' the winner an
:. the fortunate owner scoops in aw
the money bet on the result. Hit
sed that the defeated birds will no
sing again fer months, needin' tim
= to get over defeat.
The Chinese air a superstition
people. They hev what they cal
y "Fungshui" doctors who make a liv
in by selectin' lucky burial places
Most ov the Chinese consult then
when any ov their relatives die
- There air certain spirits that air sup
= posed to preside over an rule certain
. places an the Chinese object to an
:. change in that ground. For In
stance, the Chinese object to havin
;, railroads in that country because tn
- route selected may be rite through
. patch ov sacred" ground. But tn
American and English companies 90
concessions from the government an
the surveyors hev located the road
an they air generally built JUS
where the engineers set the stakes
though the citizens along the rout
9 sometimes raise cane. They even he
a horror ov church spires. But tina
IL more on account ov prelude
: against foreign religion" thai
against the style ov the church build
y in
China claims to have invented tn
= : compass, the printin' press an gun
: powder. which II true, hev not don
them much guide fer they hev no
- been able to steer their country In
= :, strate line. an they hev added moth
:. in to the literature ov the world
Gunpowder hez been ov but nttl
advantage fer any little tenth-rat
power can whip China. They ma,
hev invented the compass but hit WI
English and Spanish sailors who frs
, used hit to find their way across tn
. ocean. They may hev invented gun
), powder, but they equipped their sol
diers with nothin but bows an ar
rows up to few years ergo. The,
may hev invented the printin' pres
but they hev not got a hrst-clas
!, newspaper In that country an tn,
;, few books they hev published lool
. like a few ants an spiders had bill
crushed between the pages an hat
left splotches on the paper.
China hez no educational system
though they boast much. To get al
education the student must frs
= learn about twelve hundred charac