Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-31
PASSING OF TIE QUEUE.
Chinese Are Kidding Themselves of a
Former Mark of Subsection.

After noting the great fondness
which the Chinese in the United States
have for their queues in the face OF
much inconvenience and embarrass-
ment one can hardly believe that this
style Of tonsure was once forced upon
them as q mark of subsection.
Nevertheless this was the case. Be
fore the advent of the present dynasty
i'm 1914 the Chinese wore their hair
long. usually tied up in a knot on the
top OF their heads.
The present dynasty. on conquering
the previous ruling house, imposed BY
martial law upon every male in the
country the Mahchu style of the
queue. Official BARRIERS, with full pow
er either to shave the hair of every
ore whom they could catch. or on his
refusal to cut off his head. were said
to have been stationed in many parts
of the country.
AS was inevitable such mark of
subsection was resisted to the death
by large numbers of the Chinese.
Time and dextrous policy have
worked a complete change. Not only
have the Chinese people long forgot
ten the hostility of their forefathers
toward the queue but they have be-
come more proud of 1t, perhaps than
of any other Characteristic of their
jress To an average Chinese young
man fine long queue IS of mora i'm
portance for his social prominence
ehan The choice neclitie. the smart cut
of the ccat, the crease of the trousers
ana all other similar points Of style
conbined of his American brother.
To the outsider it appears mysteri-
Gus If not ridiculous that there should
be so much opposition to the removal
of an appen6age which has been
universally recognized as inconvenient
and derogatory. If one recalls the
complete failure of the boomers in
spite of their undeniable and unmis-
taxable convenience and practical SUI
periority over the skirt he will rea6i
ly understand WHY the Chinese chung
so fondly 10 the queue
The memory of the feeling which
the writer experienced in cutting off
his queue is still fresh. The sound
of the scissors sent peculiar thrill
through his system that it is impos
sihle 10 describe. He knew the queue
was useless and must be cut off, he
wanted 10 nave it cut off. but never
theless he hated to sec it go.
In the meantime the popular feel
ms against the queue has grown in
proportion to the increase Of foreign
ers coming into China, as well as to
the unprecedented exodus of Chinese
travellers ana students into other
countries. The law requiring the
wearing of tie queue also gradually
relaxed in severity. Not many years
ago the cutting off of the queue
would have been dealt with as a Grim
inal act. while today members of the
imperial household go without it
After years of discussion China has
thought fit to conduct the reform of
abolfshirg the queue systematically;
first by ordering those in need of the
change. first of all tho diplomatic Of
ficials. then the students. soldiers, po-
lice and so on to cut off their queues
Other classes arc to follow in their
turn. The general attitude toward
the reform makes it apparent that
those who want to see the Chinese
queues will have to go to China within
the next five years.
When the whole country is taken in
to consideration the benefits and saw
iugs enormous. For instance, the
cobIbing and braiding of the queue
takes every day at least H. minutes
of the best hours of every man in