The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1916-06-29
LAMBERTVILLE
PRIZE ESSAY

AS test of the English work of the
Eighth Grade, under Miss Sheath, the
pupils were assigned an essay, to be
written on a subject chosen by them
selves. Florence Noble won the first
prize of blue ribbon, and her essay
is printed herewith. James Leary
was granted the second prize, or red
ribbon. His essay will be published
next week. All the work is absolute
ly the independent effort of the pupil
to combine assembled reference work
with personal knowledge of the sub
ject selected.
THE CUSTOMS OF CHINA.
By Florence Noble.
The population of China is four
hundred twenty-six billion, forty-sev-
en- million, and it has an area of four
billion, three hundred million, nine
hundred thousand square miles.
For our first topic we shall refer to
the Chinese method Of arithmetic. The
Chinese have a machine (abacus)
which consists of number of little
balls of various colors, strung upon
wires fixed in box and divided into
compartments; the balls in one divi-
sion being units, in another fivcs, and
with these they add up and multiply
with as much facility as we do by the
aid of figures.
The houses of the wealthy of China
are built like those of the Egyptians,
within court, surrounded by wall /;
consequently they are not visible to
the passcrs-by. But those of govern
ment officers are always known by
two red poles, which are set up be-
fore the gate. The handsomest dwell
| ings arc those which consist of num-
Der of separate buildings or ranges of
apartments, all on the ground floor.
| The principal entrance is threefold
namely, by large folding door in the
centre, and smaller one on each side
| at which hang two handsome lanterns
inscribed with the name and titles of
/ the master of the house. This en-
trance leads to the saloon, where visi-
tors arc received, which is usually the
first of a suite that may be called the
state apartments, since they are chief
| ly used for the reception and enter
tainment of distinguished guests.
They are elegantly and commodiously
furnished, for the Chinese are efficient
in taste, and they save much expense,
although their interior decorations are
often fitted up in very costly style.
| The walls of the rooms are generally
adorned in different parts with scrolls
of white silk or satin hangings, from
the ceiling to the floor, on which are
imprinted, in large characters, max
| inns and moral sentences extracted
from the works of the ancient sages,
which are considered far more oTna-
mental than the finest paintings. Many
| of these sentences bear some reSem-
blance to the Proverbs of Solomon.
Their chairs, which it may be re-
marked, are articles of furniture not
used by the natives of other parts of
Asia, are rather clumsy and heavy in
appearance, but they are made of a
very beautiful wood which grows in
| China, and is not unlike rosewood
They are all made with arms and
sometimes are furnished with silk or
satin cushions, and hangings for the
back, embroidered by the ladies of the
family who devote a great portion of
their time to needlework.
We will now turn to China's way of
celebrating the New Year. New
Years Day in China is very dear to
it's people. They have the annual
house cleaning before the New Year,
and one must be there and see to be-
lieve that even such a travesty is at
tempted. There is much bustling and
fixing of red paper and tinsel charms,
and filling of flower vases. They put
wooden boards up to the doors and
then sit down to fortnight's feast.
Besides visiting ancestral graves,
the New Year pleasure seekers may
walk in a slow procession through the
crowded paths of the Fa-Ti garden
where they may see branches of white
plum, double peach, almond and ounce
and pots of royal peonies, which are
the proper New Year decorations.
Almost Immediately after the cele-
bration of the New Year is a festival
of ancient date among the Chinese and
the occasion of a most brilliant and
beautiful spectacle. On the fifteenth
| day of the first moon, every city, viii
| lage and hamlet throughout the coun-
try is splendidly illuminated with an
infinite variety of beautiful lanterns,
which are hung up at every house,
from the palace of the viceroy to the
hut of the humble fisherman; the gen.
eral feeling being desire to outshine
his neighbor. This illumination is
| IOl cillCO LlSilCoy tlIlo 10 az
tended by grand display of fireworks
in which tho Chinese excel all other
nations. Many of the lanterns made
purposely for these occasions exhibit
moving figures, such as huntsmen
on horseback galloping round, ships
sailing, troops of soldiers marching,
or people dancing, ali kept in motion
by an ingenious continuance not visi-
BILE to the bcholder. The chief portion
of the many thousands of lanterns
manufactured expressly for this festi-
val are of horn, or very strong
transparent paper, made in Corca
which is used in most parts of China
instead of window glass.
1t certainly seems very queer for us
to hear that the Chinese women
smoke, because in America the women
have not adopted, generally, such Gus
tom. 1t is not exactly certain when
tobacco was first introduced into Chi
ma, but it is supposed that it found its
way there soon after the discovery of
EsE%. A own Enwn.