The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-12-05
CAPTURED BY west
GREAT CITY OF HANGcHOW,
CHINA, is MoDERNIZED.
Completely Transformed, Largely by
the Advent of American Busi-
ness Firms-Danger of Its Co
ing Ahead Too Quickly.

The visitor to Hangchow 900 years
ago could well have been surprised.
Silk-clad gentry rode through the
paved streets in magnificent carriages,
drawn by the finest Of horses, or float
ed on the placid waters of beautiful
West lake in great barges, with beau
tiful singers and graceful dancers to
while away the hours, and silver and
choice napery on tables to which were
brought the delicacies of the known
world. Thousands of bridges crossed
myriad canals and the emperor's pal
ace was the grandest in the world
Three thousand baths, accommodating
quarter million of people, catered to
the desire for cleanliness.
Paper money passed freely, the
births of children were recorded by
the state, dead bodies were crenated,
and the wealthy visitor, on arriving
at his hotel, was compelled to register
his name before being shown to his
luxuriously upholstered bedroom. A
census of the entire city was kept by
the painting of the names over the
house doors.
Today the office of a great sewing
machine company occupies a place on
the once famous Great street; British
American tobacco has taken the place
of opium since 5000 opium pipes were
burned in single bonfire; and the
Standard Oil company is preparing to
sell motor spirit instead of kerosene,
after short but decisive battle with
the Mazda globe.
l saw the first carriage that modern
residents have ever seen in Hangchow.
1t was very popular for several weeks,
but it was almost Immediately pushed
into second place by the advent of an
automobile. From rickSha to carriage,
and from carriage to motor car was
the change of single month"; Both
carriage and motor car were shipped
in by rail or canal, for although one
can go from Hangchow to Shanghai in
3O-mile-an-hour express, he cannot
drive in a carriage between the two
cities under any circumstances.
Foreign goods are appearing in
shops, once the finest in the world.
Many of the men are already wearing
HColcAu uISSS anu even rev OF the
women occasionally wear new world
fashions. With its loss of oriental
| character, Hangchow is gaining in
wealth and Importance. The great
fan shop, patronized by pilgrims from
the four corners of China's vast do
main, bears on its walls certificates of
| excellence from the expositions of Eu-
rope and America. The simple but
keen-minded Chinese are coming into
| constant contact with the foreigner.
Last spring I watched the progress of
party of wealthy foreigners from
Shanghai down the newly paved street
| into the newly built hotel district. One
| of the ladies not only attracted my
attention, but that of many of the po-
lite Chinese as well. Her carmined
| lips held a cigarette and her crossed
legs displayed the latest style of sheer
| hose.
The Chinaman knows his place. He
| never presumes. But many of them
already prefer foreign wives to
women from their own race. Western
culture is pervading this beautiful city,
which has so far only been influenced
by the missionary class. Hangchow's
| beauty threatens to spoil her.-May-
nard Owen Williams in World Cul,
| ture.