Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/460

 4:48 CHINA and practised many centuries earlier; who probably amount to more than 300,000,000, united in one system of manners, letters, and policy ; whose cities and capitals rival in num- bers the greatest metropolises of any age ; who have not only covered the earth but the waters with towns and streets such a nation must occupy a conspicuous place in the history of mankind, and the study of their character and condition commends itself to every well-wisher of his race." The difficulties with which this study is beset are shown by the great diversity of opinion among those travellers who have ventured beyond the immediate vicinity of the large seaports, and improved every opportu- nity to get an insight into the peculiarities of their social system and national character. The tendency of recent observers, however, is to judge of them in a more appreciative way, and to explain their peculiarities by a consid- eration of the circumstances of their history and training. If they are vain, they have been isolated ; if they are cowardly, they have had a great measure of peace ; if they lack boldness in enterprise and the disposition to organize for great purposes, the government has not favored the accumulation of money or power in the hands of the common people ; if they are immobile, the mass is great, and the structure of the written language is so difficult that it is mastered only by a small percentage of the population, and as a consequence the diffusion of intelligence is difficult; if they are atheistical, their religions have not been such as to commend them entirely either to their judgment or their affection. The do- mestic and social life of the Chinese has per- haps more features in common with western nations than that of other oriental peoples. Although polygamy exists among the wealthier classes, and their women generally live in se- clusion, family life is much esteemed and cul- tivated among them. The first wife has the full control of the household, while the concu- bines are little more than servants and house- maids. The Chinese illustrate the relation by comparing the wife to the moon and the con- cubines to the stars, both of which in their appropriate spheres revolve around the sun. The utmost respect and obedience to the be- hests of their parents are enjoined to children. The betrothment of the children is entirely in the hands of the parents, and the obligation of the former to fulfil the contract made by the latter is enforced by law, even to the an- nulling of an agreement made by a son him- self in ignorance of the arrangements of his parents. Cleanliness is not among the virtues of the Chinese, either in regard to their habita- tions or their persons. The poorest people do not change their garments until they are worn out. Their houses are generally low, the roofs hipped, and the catenary curve of their edges shows that the tent is the type of the dwelling. But in size, style of building, and the arrange- ments of the interior, there is every variety, from the squalid hovel to the pretentious pal* ace. Even the best houses are poorly ven- tilated and lighted; the appearance of the rooms would be cheerless and uncomfortable without the gay and costly furniture and vari- ety of ornaments. The little parks connected with the mansions of the wealthier classes are laid out in tasteful style. The streets in Chi- nese cities are extremely crooked and narrow ; few of them exceed 10 or 12 ft. in width, and most of those in Canton are less than 8 ft. No public squares relieve the closeness of these lanes. Ventilation is, of course, very imperfect ; drainage is only partially attended to, and the sewers frequently exude their con- tents over the pathway. Add to this the fact that offal and manure are carried through the streets by the scavengers, and we can under- stand the bad odor in which Chinese cities are held, and also the prevalence of ophthal- mic diseases among the people. These narrow streets present a singularly animated spectacle to strangers. Itinerant workmen abound ; blacksmiths, tinkers, glass menders, barbers, druggists, shoemakers and cobblers, fortune tellers, herb sellers, book sellers, money chan- gers, and many other tradesmen, keep their mov- able establishments in the streets. Still, great as the bustle and crowds sometimes are, alter- cations or collisions are rare, and at night a remarkable quiet prevails. Ordinarily, confla- grations are soon got under. Fire engines of an imperfect construction are used, and build' ings are pulled down and the inflammable ma- terials withdrawn. The dress of the Chinese is neither so uniform nor so unchanging as is generally supposed. Fashions alter there as well as elsewhere, but not so rapidly as among European nations. If it were not for the shaven crown and braided tail of the men, and the crippled feet of the women, little fault could be found with their costume, combining as it does warmth and ease. The fabrics most worn are silk, cotton, and linen for summer, with the addition of furs and skins in the winter. The winter garments of the poor are made chiefly of padded and quilted cotton materials. The garments of the sexes differ more by their colors than by their shape and cut. Inner and outer tunics made of cotton or silk, a pair of loose trousers over which tight leggings are pulled in winter, and shoes with thick felt soles, are the principal articles of dress. The diet of the Chinese is sufficient in variety, wholesome, and well cooked, though many of their dishes would appear insipid to the taste of Europeans and Americans. The proportion of animal food consumed is proba- bly smaller among them than among any other race in the same latitudes. Cookery is almost esteemed as a science in China. Mr. Wingrove Cooke assigns to the Chinese in cookery a mid- dle position, below the French and above the English. The Chinaman considers the English- man's mode of feeding the nearest approach to that of the savages of Formosa ; for, says he,