Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-01-25
A BIRTHDAY PARTY IN CHINA.

HAL An II ~ NAAA@N~A-
Tor several months repeated invitations
have come from Mrs Zung and her
daughters 70 visit them in their home,
but time had never permitted. Recently
a special request came. saying that Mrs
zung was inviting her relatives and
friends to celebrate her fortieth birth
S. DAY. and would we not join them on this
happy occasion Miss Ting. our Chinese
secretary: Miss Fitch and myself all
sent acceptances-
Some of the important occasions which
are celebrated in China by feasts. when
large numbers OF guests are invited. are:
The day when a child has reached the age
Of one month: the betrothal OF a daugh-
ter: the fortieth and fiftieth birthdays
OF parents; the day when the parent or
grandparent having reached the suitable
age. the coffin is purchased and brought
IN the house TO await the death of the
owner.
When we reached the Zung home which
f. off the main street and approached
BY a paved alley. we realized that the
occasion was one Of good deal OF fes-
tivity. As we entered an open door our
arrival was quickly announced and we
were met at the door OF the large re-
ception room by a gentleman. who. IL
not one OF the family must have been
there for the purpose of assisting in the
ceremonies AS we were led upstairs to
the ladies' apartments we could see the
gentlemen OF the company already seated
at the banquet tables on the main floor.
We were met In the upper hall by our
hostess and introduced TO her daughters
and number OF friends and relatives.
All were dressed in holiday attire. The
ladies OF the family wore silk dresses. the
skirts OF gorgeous red embroidered in rich
colors: the coat-like upper garments Of
various delicate shades OF SILK.
After congratulations were done with.
We were invited into Mrs lungs he'd
room Almost every Chinese lady has
In her bedroom the necessary things for
serving tea. and IL is very common
thing 10 be invited there when calling
In many cases the bedroom is the only
place lady has to entertain her friends
When a number of guests are entering
a room in body. Il becomes long drawn
out affair. Everybody stands back and
insists upon some one else going first,
and not until much urging has been done
is any one prevailed upon to lead the
way. In this room we were served with
tea. fruits. nuts and watermelon seeds
After chatting for while the feast was
announced and We were invited into a
large room. The table was set in the
center ard immense candles were burning
at the head or the room. All the chairs
were decorated with covers OF beautifully
embridered red satin. The tablecIo.h was
OF red and not unlike calico When strict
Chinse custom IS observed no cloth Is
used. the meal being served on the bare
table which is often OF beautiful hard
wood highly polished But knowing the
foreign custom they almost always pro-
duce cover Of some kind when there are
foreign guests ] have often eaten from
able covered with bedspread
Seating the guests at the table is an
other laborfous task. We were literally
compelled to take the place of honor
though we were lOath to do so with ladies
OF 90 occupying lower seats. Eight ladies
were seated at our table At Miss Tfngs'
suggestion there was a brief silence for
the blessing. Immediately the hot wine
was poured. We explained to the hostess
that we did not drink wine and she
seemed readily TO understand and ex-
cuse US
The first course consisted of several
kinds OF cold meats and nuts. These with
various other delicacies. such as ahcient
eggs. were left on the table throughout
the entire meal. The real feast began
when large dish OF sharks fms was
placed on the table. From this dish every
enc Is served After this came shrimps
clam chOwder. pork a la bambooshoots
fried chicken. pigs lungs. ''miem'' (simi-
lar 10 noodlesl. other things that have
no English equivalent. Change in course.
meant changing the dish in the middle OF
the table. IL goes without saying that We
all eat with chopsticks. Each one has
a small plate and ordinarily one reaches
10 the middle OF the table for supplies;
but In case of company the hostess and
other members OF the family serve the
guests. using their own chopsticks. The
polite thing for the guest to do each
time she receives a morsel from the
hostess. cliopsticks Is 10 make a SEM
blaEce OF rising TO her feet In &C
Acknowledgement. In the course OF this feast
a little slave girl stood at the side of one
OF the elderly ladies with large water
pipe which she lighted and held for her
mistress to smoke at the latter's pleasure.
Neither napkins nor finger bowls are
used by the Chinese. but several times
during the feast each one IS given a
steaming cloth wrung out OF hot water.
with which TO wipe the face and hands.
Little slave girls were stationed behind
our chairs and famed us throughout the