Year: 1868

Among the amusements Of the Chinese
perhaps theatrical exhibition is the most
popular, sad at the same time the mos
ridiculous. Mr.. Barrow informs US tha,
be learned III his time that there were il
Pekln about one hundred companies O.
playe each containing about fifty per.
sons, and that they were conveyed frot,
place to place in passage boats. They dc
not, as ia Europe, exhibit their perfor,n
ances to public and crowded audiences
but they act a5 the private houses of the
rich, when they are enga. ed for the pur-
pose. a5 ~..tt tal ii of


The Dutch Envoys have asserted that
the spectacles Of this kind, which have
been gotten up for the entertainment o1
the Court Of China, would not have at


tracted an audience at a country fair in
Europe, and Mr.. Staunton has remarked
the grotes4ue nature Of such exhibitions.
and the presentation of scenes which
good sense an deicacy would have in
other countries withdrawn from the public
gaze. More recent information regarding
the Chinese has made Us acquainted with
the fact that they posses dramas having a
regular plot, and not destitute of charact-
er and interest, although they exhibit
more show and Euff emery to those who
are ignorant Of their language. ., Ii


From their childhood the Chinese are
accustomed to gambling, and they seem
to prefer games of chance to many other
kinds of amusement. Near the places of
public resort is to be seen "a table With a
large circle on it, divided into eight areas
or compartments these divisions are an
imitation Of the eight hioo, or philosophi-
cal emblems Of ermutation This circle
is furnished at it's centre with shaft
turning on a pivot like the needle of a
compass, and the gambler, after placing
his stake upon one Of the compartments,
wnirls the shaft round with great velocity,
in the ardent hope that twill point W hen
it stops to spot on the division which he
has selected When this is the case,
his stake is doubled. but it is evident
that the probability Of his winning is
very small compared with the chance of
losing.


At the time Of their public festivals
tbs Chinese amuse themselves with lift
ing up a machine called the wheel and
axle. The axle is heavy piece Of wood
furnished at each end with wl.eel cut
from block of granite Their activity
in the use Of this apparatus is displayed
first by their lfting it Up to their knees,
then raising it upon their arms, and last
.ly heaving it aloft in the air. The mus
cular strength and dexterity which they
acquire in this exercise is remarkable
Another faVorite amusement among the
middle classes of the Chinese is the pro-
lection OF ball or small balloon into the
air, by smart and sudden stroke given
with the hollow part Of the foot. The
ball is full of air, and is made of some
elastic material. The praeticed player
performs this game in such a manner as
to drive the ball upward in a vertical
direction, and at the same time to give
the smallest possible jerk to the body
and to avoid the discomposure both ofhis
limbs and his long robe The palm of
merit is given to him who, when the bal
dascends, can project it -up again by 9
slight and apparently careless action Of
his foot. 9.- 4. ...


To us, the most singular am usement ir
which this singular people indulge is the
manufacturing and flying of kites; with
us this is the amusement Of boys-with
them Of men But, after all, it seems
more rational than many Of ourpastimes );
for instance, it is less injurious than card:
and dice, billiards and skittles, and many
others, because it is performed in the op-
en- air affords healthy exercise of tht
lungs and the limbs. In this amuse
ment they leave US far behind as to th'
devices which are exemplifed in the man
ufacture of their kites. They do not con
fine themselves to the ancient type SO vel
known among US, to be rhombous, the dia
mond and the sector; but they extenc
their choice of shape to that Of butterflies
birds and fish. The imitation of thes;
shapes is very exact, and she kite is ST
contrived as to mimic the action Of th


living creature. which has constituted it
model. But, in fact, the name kite