New-York tribune., 1911-10-15
HIGH LIVING IN CANTON
AriStoCrat Usually Has a Wife
and Two Slave Girls.
HIS HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES
Plenty of Luxuries and Servants,
Though the Poor Live
in Squalor.
By George A. Dorsey. Ph. D.. IL. n.

Cantonese aristocracy is official. There
Is nothing in the system TO prevent a sim
pie peasant from becoming viceroy. Until
recently entrance into and promotion in
official life was by competitive examina-
ton.
Princes OF the Manchu dynasty are, of
course, the real blooded aristocracy OF
China. But there are not enough OF them
to go round and outside Of Peking they
exert little influence in social life.
While there are no watertight compart-
ments in Cantonese society, Il is possible
TO distinguish certain classes. I propose
to show with the help given me by our
consul, how typical families Of these diff
ferent classes live. especially looking into
their living expenses and incidentally into
the structure Of family life in Canton.
Taking the aristocratic official class first
YOU will find In a typical family six in
dividuals-husband and wife, two other
women, and two children.
Their monthly household expenses would
be about as follows:
Rent for house valued at $4,000. 500;
eleven men servants. including one porter.
four general servants, a cook assistant
cook. and four chair coolies, S57. There
will be seven women servants. az a total
cost OF sl7 70. comprising two womens
maids ar 50 each, two babies nurses at 81
and three general servants, who also do
the family washing, at 8 . each
The food for the family would cost so
month The master and three wives
have four meals a day: Breakfast -
cents; luncheon. . cents; dinner, 70 cents
supper. 50 cents. The two meals for the
servants cost % cents a day. To this must
be added rice 10 the value Of SIG 90. and
sli for firewood and sundry expenses. Thus
the bare living expenses FOR the family
are S2l7 a month.
The two extra wives are practically
slaves. II they bear no children they have
no legal status: II they bear children their
position in the family is assured. They
are subject 70 the orders of the first wife
their children are considered her children
and subject 10 her direction.
As there always is a steady exodus or
men from Canton the population numbers
more women than men. The law does not
sanction but on the contrary actually for
bids plurality OF wives. Chinaman may
have but one wife there is no limit TO the
number OF concubines he may have. The
wife is chosen from the same rank and
position In life as that of her husband
Among the higher classes betrothal Is
usually contracted few years before the
marriage takes place. The young people
have no voice in the selection Of a lie
mariner betrothal and marriage being ar
ranged by the nearest eldest male relative.
After a formal betrothal is entered into the
Young mans family send a quantity OF
cakes 10 the girls family, together with
IAN agreement OF engagement and valu-
able presents 10 the fancee herself The
girls family. in turn, sends gifts Of confec-
tionery and formal acknowledgment of
the engagement
The marriage ceremony is formal and
we'll defined About two weeks before the
wedding there is an engagement cere-
mony" Fortune tellers and soothsayers de-
termine an auspicious day. The bride is
brought to the bridegrooms house In a dec