[330] About one sixth of an acre. On old title-deeds of landed
property in China may still be seen measurements calculated according
to the amount of grain that could be sown thereon.
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[331] The king here uses the words “ku-t‘u-tzŭ,” which are probably
intended by the author to be an imitation of a term in the savage
tongue.
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[332] Fondness for children is specially a trait of Chinese character;
and a single baby would do far more to ensure the safety of a foreign
traveller in China than all the usual paraphernalia of pocket-pistols
and revolvers.
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[333] Literally, “a million of taels,” the word used being the
Buddhist term chao.
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[334] Here again we have 100 chün, one chün being equal to about
40 lbs. Chinese weights, measures, distances, numbers, &c., are
often very loosely employed; and it is probable that not more than 100
catties, say 133 lbs., is here meant.
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[335] That is, until the change of the monsoon from S.W. to N.E.
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[336] See No. XLI., note 237.
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[337] Used for pounding rice.
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[338] A fancy name for the Tung-t‘ing lake. See No. XXXVIII., note 226.
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[339] The commentator declares himself unable to trace this allusion.
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[340] These are bound in between several sharp-pointed stakes and
serve their purpose very well in the inland waters of China.
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[341] This deity is believed to be constantly on the look-out for
wicked people, aided by the Goddess of Lightning, who flashes a mirror
on to whomsoever the God wishes to strike. “The thief eats
thunderbolts,” means that he will bring down vengeance from Heaven on
himself. Tylor’s Primitive Culture, Vol. I., p. 88.
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[342] See No. V., note 48.
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[343] Gambling is the great Chinese vice, far exceeding in its ill
effects all that opium has ever done to demoralize the country. Public
gaming-houses are strictly forbidden by law, but their existence is
winked at by a too venal executive. Fantan is the favourite game. It
consists in staking on the remainder of an unknown number of cash,
after the heap has been divided by four, namely whether it will be
three, two, one, or nothing; with other variations of a more
complicated nature.
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[344] See No. XLVI., note 271.
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[345] See No. LIII., note 288.
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[346] The virtuous conduct of any individual will result not only in
happiness and prosperity to himself, but a certain quantity of these
will descend to his posterity, unless, as in the present case, there
is one among them whose personal wickedness neutralizes any benefits
that would otherwise accrue therefrom. Here we have an instance where
the crimes of a descendant still left a balance of good fortune
surviving from the accumulated virtue of generations.
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[347] One of the six departments of State administration.
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[348] This seems a curious charge to bring against a people who for a
stolid and bigoted conservatism have rarely, if ever, been equalled.
Mencius, however, uttered one golden sentence which might be brought
to bear upon the occasionally foolish opposition of the Chinese to
measures of proved advantage to the commonwealth. “Live,” said the
Sage, “in harmony with the age in which you are born.”
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[349] Only slave-girls and women of the poorer classes, and old women,
omit this very important part of a Chinese lady’s toilet.
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[350] Alluding probably to the shape of the “shoe” or ingot of silver.
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[351] See No. XLVI., note 271.
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[352] Literally, “One who would make wild geese alight and fish dive
down for shame;” or, as the next line from the same poem has it, “a
beauty which would obscure the moon and put flowers to the blush.”
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[353] Slave-girls do not have their feet compressed.
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[354] Wherein resides an old gentleman who ties together with a red cord the feet of those destined to become man and wife. From this bond there is no escape, no matter what distance may separate the affianced pair. The first go-between, Ku Ts‘ê, was originally seen, on ice, arranging matches with some one below:—
Hence the common phrase “to do the ice (business),” i.e., to arrange
a marriage.
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[355] This proceeding is highly improper, but is winked at in a large
majority of Chinese betrothals.
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[356] The term “sea-market” is generally understood in the sense of
mirage, or some similar phenomenon.
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[357] A famous General who played a leading part in the wars of the
Three Kingdoms. See No. XCIII., note 482.
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[358] A hit at the hypocrisy of the age.
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[359] Shewing that hypocrisy is bad policy in the long run.
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[360] The tears of Chinese mermaids are said to be pearls.
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[361] See No. XIX., note 135.
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[362] Good ink of the kind miscalled “Indian,” is usually very highly
scented; and from a habit the Chinese have of sucking their
writing-brushes to a fine point, the phrase “to eat ink” has become a
synonym of “to study.”
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[363] This all-important point in a Chinese marriage ceremony is the
equivalent of our own “signing in the vestry.”
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[364] Literally, “if you have no one to cook your food.”
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[365] “Dragon Palace” and “Happy Sea,” respectively.
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[366] Alluding to an old legend of a letter conveyed by a bird.
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[367] See No. V., note 49.
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[368] The “Spinning Damsel,” or name of a star in Lyra, connected with
which there is a celebrated legend of its annual transit across the
Milky Way.
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[369] These are of course only the equivalents of the Chinese names in
the text.
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[370] To keep off the much-dreaded wind, which disturbs the rest of the
departed.
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[371] For which a very high price is obtained in China.
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[372] Of the Ming dynasty; reigned A.D. 1426–1436.
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[373] These beadles are chosen by the officials from among the
respectable and substantial of the people to preside over a small area
and be responsible for the general good behaviour of its inhabitants.
The post is one of honour and occasional emolument, since all
petitions presented to the authorities, all mortgages, transfers of
land, &c., should bear the beadle’s seal or signature in evidence of
their bonâ fide character. On the other hand, the beadle is punished
by fine, and sometimes bambooed, if robberies are too frequent within
his jurisdiction, or if he fails to secure the person of any
malefactor particularly wanted by his superior officers. And other
causes may combine to make the post a dangerous one; but no one is
allowed to refuse acceptance of it point-blank.
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[374] A favourite Chinese expression, signifying the absence of food.
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[375] That is to say, his spirit had entered, during his period of
temporary insanity, into the cricket which had allowed itself to be
caught by his father, and had animated it to fight with such
extraordinary vigour in order to make good the loss occasioned by his
carelessness in letting the other escape.
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[376] This is the term used by the Chinese for “Persia,” often put by
metonymy for things which come from that country, sc. “valuables.”
Thus, “to be poor in Persia” is to have but few jewels, gold and
silver ornaments, and even clothes.
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[377] The name here used is the Hêng or “ceaseless” river, which is
applied by the Chinese to the Ganges. A certain number, extending to
fifty-three places of figures, is called “Ganges sand,” in allusion to
a famous remark that “Buddha and the Bôdhisatvas knew of the creation
and destruction of every grain of dust in Jambudwipa (the universe);
how much more the number of the sand-particles in the river Ganges?”
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[378] Drunkenness is not recognised in China as an extenuating
circumstance; neither, indeed, is insanity,—a lunatic who takes
another man’s life being equally liable with ordinary persons to the
forfeiture of his own.
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[379] A favourite Chinese figure expressive of old age. It dates back
to the celebrated commentary by Tso Ch‘iu Ming on Confucius’ Spring
and Autumn (See No. XLI., note 237):—“Hsi is twenty-three and I am
twenty-five; and marrying thus we shall approach the wood together;”
the “wood” being, of course, that of the coffin.
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[380] See No. VIII., note 63.
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[382] See No. LIII., note 288.
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[383] This method of arranging a matrimonial difficulty is a common one
in Chinese fiction, but I should say quite unknown in real life.
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[384] This term, while really including all literary men, of no matter
what rank or standing, is more usually confined to that large section
of unemployed scholarship made up of (1) those who are waiting to get
started in an official career, (2) those who have taken one or more
degrees and are preparing for the next, (3) those who have failed to
distinguish themselves at the public examinations, and eke out a small
patrimony by taking pupils, and (4) scholars of sufficiently high
qualifications who have no taste for official life.
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[385] Unless under exceptional circumstances it is not considered
creditable in China for widows to marry again. It may here be
mentioned that the honorary tablets conferred from time to time by His
Imperial Majesty upon virtuous widows are only given to women who,
widowed before the age of thirty, have remained in that state for a
period of thirty years. The meaning of this is obvious: temptations
are supposed to be fewer and less dangerous after thirty, which is the
equivalent of forty with us; and it is wholly improbable that thirty
years of virtuous life, at which period the widow would be at least
fifty, would be followed by any act that might cast a stain upon the
tablet thus bestowed.
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[386] Literally, a “pig old-woman dragon.” Porpoise (Fr.
porc-poisson) suggests itself at once; but I think fresh-water
dolphin is the best term, especially as the Tung-t‘ing lake is many
hundred miles inland. The commentator explains it by t‘o, which
would be “alligator” or “cayman,” and is of course out of the
question. My friend, Mr. L. C. Hopkins, has taken the trouble to make
some investigations for me on this subject. He tells me that this
fish, also called the “river pig,” has first to be surrounded and
secured by a strong net. Being too large to be hauled on board a boat,
it is then driven ashore, where oil is extracted from the carcase and
used for giving a gloss to silk thread, &c.
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[387] Literally, in the utter absence of anybody.
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[388] In passing near to the women’s quarters in a friend’s house, it
is etiquette to cough slightly, that inmates may be warned and
withdraw from the doors or windows in time to escape observation. Over
and over again at interviews with mandarins of all grades I have heard
the rustling of the ladies’ dresses from some coigne of vantage,
whence every movement of mine was being watched by an inquisitive
crowd; and on one occasion I actually saw an eye peering through a
small hole in the partition behind me.
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[389] Literally, “bald”—i.e., without the usual width and
ornamentation of a Chinese lady’s sleeve.
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[390] Small waists are much admired in China, but any such artificial
aids as stays and tight lacing are quite unknown. A certain Prince Wei
admitted none but the possessors of small waists into his harem; hence
his establishment came to be called the Palace of Small Waists.
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[391] Probably of felt or some such material, to prevent the young lady
from slipping as she stood, not sat, in the swing.
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[392] A rebel chieftain of the legendary period of China’s history, who
took up arms against the Emperor Huang Ti (B.C. 2697–2597), but was
subsequently defeated in what was perhaps the first decisive battle of
the world.
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[393] This favourite process consists in gently thumping the person
operated upon all over the back with the soft part of the closed
fists. Compare Lane, Arabian Nights, Vol. I., p. 551:—“She then
pressed me to her bosom, and laid me on the bed, and continued gently
kneading my limbs until slumber overcame me.”
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[394] See No. LVI., note 315. A considerable number of the attendants
there mentioned would accompany any high official, some in the same,
the rest in another barge.
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[395] Generally known as the “cut-wave God.”
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[396] At all great banquets in China a theatrical troupe is engaged to
perform while the dinner, which may last from four to six hours, drags
its slow length along.
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[397] See No. LIV., note 292.
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[398] The name of a celebrated beauty.
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[399] In this favourite pastime of the literati in China the important
point is that each word in the second line should be a due and proper
antithesis of the word in the first line to which it corresponds.
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[400] See No. LXII., note 349.
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[401] See No. LXIX., note 390.
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[402] The language in which this fanciful document is couched is
precisely such as would be used by an officer of the Government in
announcing some national calamity; hence the value of these
tales,—models as they are of the purest possible style.
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[403] The examination consists of three bouts of three days each,
during which periods the candidates remain shut up in their
examination cells day and night.
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[404] The name of a place.
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[405] This interesting ceremony is performed by placing little conical
pastilles on a certain number of spots, varying from three to twelve,
on the candidate’s head. These are then lighted and allowed to burn
down into the flesh, while the surrounding parts are vigorously rubbed
by attendant priests in order to lessen the pain. The whole thing
lasts about twenty minutes, and is always performed on the eve of
Shâkyamuni Buddha’s birthday. The above was well described by Mr. S.
L. Baldwin in the Foochow Herald.
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