the golden chersonese and the way thither-第11章

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nearly　as　much　secluded　as　the　women　of　India。

Passing　through　the　Tartar　city　and　some　streets　of　aristocratic
dullness；　inhabited　by　wealthy　merchants；　we　spent　some　hours　in　the
mercantile　quarter；　which　is　practically　one　vast　market　or　bazaar；
thronged　with　masculine　humanity　from　morning　till　night。　Eight　feet　is
the　width　of　the　widest　street　but　one；　and　between　the　passers…by；　the
loungers；　the　people　standing　at　stalls　eating；　or　drinking　tea；　and
the　itinerant　venders　of　goods；　it　is　one　long　push。　Then；　as　you　are
elbowing　your　feeble　self　among　the　big　men；　who　are　made　truly
monstrous　by　their　many　wadded　garments　of　silk　and　brocade；　you　are
terrified　by　a　loud　yell；　and　being　ignominiously　hustled　out　of　the
way；　you　become　aware　that　the　crowd　has　yielded　place　to　a　procession；
consisting　of　several　men　in　red；　followed　by　a　handsome　closed
palanquin；　borne　by　four；　six；　or　eight　bearers　in　red　liveries；　in
which　reclines　a　stout；　magnificently　dressed　mandarin；　utterly
oblivious　of　his　inferiors；　the　representative　of　high　caste　feeling
all　the　world　over；　either　reading　or　absorbed；　never　taking　any　notice
of　the　crowds　and　glitter　which　I　find　so　fascinating。　More　men　in　red；
and　then　the　crowd　closes　up　again；　to　be　again　divided　by　a　plebeian
chair　like　mine；　or　by　pariahs　running　with　a　coffin　fifteen　feet　long；
shaped　like　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　or　by　coolies　carrying　burdens　slung
on　bamboo　poles；　uttering　deafening　cries；　or　by　a　marriage　procession
with　songs　and　music；　or　by　a　funeral　procession　with　weeping　and
wailing；　succeeding　each　other　incessantly。　All　the　people　in　the
streets　are　shouting　at　the　top　of　their　voices；　the　chair　and　baggage
coolies　are　yelling；　and　to　complete　the　bewildering　din　the　beggars　at
every　corner　are　demanding　charity　by　striking　two　gongs　together。

Color　riots　in　these　narrow　streets；　with　their　high　houses　with
projecting　upper　stories；　much　carved　and　gilded；　their　deeply
projecting　roofs　or　eaves　tiled　with　shells　cut　into　panes；　which　let
the　light　softly　through；　while　a　sky　of　deep　bright　blue　fills　up　the
narrow　slit　between。　　Then　in　the　shadow　below；　which　is　fitfully
lighted　by　the　sunbeams；　hanging　from　all　the　second　stories　at　every
possible　interval　of　height；　each　house　having　at　least　two；　are　the
richly　painted　boards　of　which　I　wrote　before；　from　six　to　ten　feet
long；　some　black；　some　heavily　gilded；　a　few　orange；　but　the　majority
red　and　perfectly　plain；　except　for　the　characters　several　inches　long
down　the　middle　of　each；　gold　on　the　red　and　black；　and　black　on　the
gold　and　orangethese；　with　banners；　festoons；　and　the　bright　blue
draperies　which　for　a　hundred　days　indicate　mourning　in　a　house；　form
together　a　spectacle　of　street　picturesqueness　such　as　my　eyes　have
never　before　beheld。　　Then　all　the　crowd　is　in　costume；　and　such
costume！　The　prevailing　color　for　the　robe　is　bright　blue。　Even　the
coolies　put　on　such　a　one　when　not　working；　and　all　above　the　coolies
wear　them　in　rich；　ribbed　silk；　lined　with　silk　of　a　darker　shade。　Over
this　a　sleeveless　jacket　of　rich　dark　blue　or　puce　brocade；　plain　or
quilted；　is　worn；　the　trousers；　of　which　little　is　seen；　being　of
brocade　or　satin。　The　stockings　are　white；　and　the　shoes；　which　are　on
thick；　white；　canoe…shaped　soles；　are　of　black　satin。　The　cap；　which　is
always　worn；　and　quite　on　the　back　of　the　head；　is　of　black　satin；　and
the　pigtail；　or　plait　of　hair　and　purse　silk　mixed；　hangs　down　nearly
to　the　bottom　of　the　robe。　Then　the　most　splendid　furs　are　worn；　and
any　number　of　quilted　silk　and　brocade　garments；　one　above　another。　And
these　big；　prosperous…looking　men；　who　are　so　richly　dressed；　are　only
the　shopkeepers　and　the　lower　class　of　merchants。　The　mandarins　and　the
rich　merchants　seldom　put　their　feet　to　the　ground。

The　shops　just　now　are　filled　with　all　sorts　of　brilliant　and　enticing
things　in　anticipation　of　the　great　festival　of　the　New　Year；　which
begins　on　the　21st。　At　the　New　Year　they　are　all　closed；　and　the　rich
merchants　vie　with　each　other　in　keeping　them　so；　those　whose　shops　are
closed　the　longest；　sometimes　even　for　two　months；　gaining　a　great
reputation　for　wealth　thereby。　Streets　are　given　up　to　shops　of　one
kind。　Thus　there　is　the　〃Jade…Stone　Street；〃　entirely　given　up　to　the
making　and　sale　of　jade…stone　jewelry；　which　is　very　costly；　a　single
bracelet　of　the　finest　stone　and　workmanship　costing　600　pounds。　There
is　a　whole　street　devoted　to　the　sale　of　coffins；　several　in　which
nothing　is　sold　but　furniture；　from　common　folding　tables　up　to　the
costliest　settees；　bedsteads；　and　chairs　of　massive　ebony　carving；
chinaware　streets；　book　and　engraving　streets；　streets　of　silk　shops；
streets　of　workers　in　brass；　silver；　and　gold；　who　perform　their
delicate　manipulations　before　your　eyes；　streets　of　second…hand
clothing；　where　gorgeous　embroideries　in　silk　and　gold　can　be　bought
for　almost　nothing；　and　so　on；　every　street　blazing　with　colors；
splendid　with　costume；　and　abounding　with　wealth　and　variety。

We　went　to　a　〃dog　and　cat　restaurant；〃　where　a　number　of　richly　dressed
men　were　eating　of　savory　dishes　made　from　the　flesh　of　these　animals。
There　are　thousands　of　butchers'　and　fishmongers'　shops　in　Canton。　At
the　former　there　are　always　hundreds　of　split　and　salted　ducks　hanging
on　lines；　and　pigs　of　various　sizes　roasted　whole；　or　sold　in　joints
raw；　and　kids　and　buffalo　beef；　and　numbers　of　dogs　and　cats；　which；
though　skinned；　have　the　tails　on　to　show　what　they　are。　I　had　some　of
the　gelatinous　〃birds'…nest〃　soup；　without　knowing　what　it　was。　It　is
excellent；　but　as　these　nests　are　brought　from　Sumatra　and　are　very
costly；　it　is　only　a　luxury　of　the　rich。　The　fish　shops　and　stalls　are
legion；　but　the　fish　looks　sickening；　as　it　is　always　cut　into　slices
and　covered　with　blood。　The　boiled　chrysalis　of　a　species　of　silkworm
is　exposed　for　sale　as　a　great　delicacy；　and　so　are　certain　kinds　of
hairless；　fleshy　caterpillars。

In　our　peregrinations　we　came　upon　a　Yamun；　with　its　vestibule　hung
with　scarlet；　the　marriage　color　as　well　as　the　official　color。　Within
the　door　the　〃wedding　garments〃　were　hanging　for　the　wedding　guests；
scarlet　silk　crepe；　richly　embroidered。　Some　time　later　the　bridal
procession　swept　through　the　streets；　adding　a　new　glory　to　the　color
and　movement。　First　marched　a　troop　of　men　in　scarlet；　carrying　scarlet
banners；　each　one　emblazoned　with　the　literary　degrees　of　the　bride's
father　and　grandfather。　　Then　came　ten　heavily　gilded；　carved；　and
decorated　pavilions；　containing　the　marriage　presents；　borne　on　poles
on　the　shoulders　of　servants；　and　after　them　the　bride；　carried　in　a
locked　palanquin　to　the　bridegroom's　house；　completely　shrouded；　the
palanquin　one　mass　of　decoration　in　gold　and　blue　enamel；　the　carving
fully　six　inches　deep；　and　the　procession　was　closed　by　a　crowd　of　men
in　scarlet；　carrying　the　bridegroom's　literary　degrees；　with　banners；
and　instruments　of　music。　It　is　the　China　of　a　thousand　years　ago；
unaltered　by　foreign　contact。

There　are　many　beggars；　and　a　〃Beggars'　Square；〃　and　the　beggars　have　a
〃king；〃　and　a　regular　guild；　with　an　entrance　fee　of　1　pound。　The
shopkeepers　are　obliged　by　law　to　give　them　a　certain　sum；　and　on　the
occasion　of　a　marriage　or　any　other　festivity；　the　giver　sends　a　fee　to
the　〃king；〃　on　the　understanding　that　he　keeps　his　lieges　from
bothering　the　guests。　They　make　a　fearful　noise　with　their　two　gongs。
There　is　one　on　the　Shameen　bridge　who　has　a　callosity　like　a　horn　on
his　forehead；　with　which　he　strikes　the　pavement　and　produces　an
audible　thump。

After　the　cleanliness；　beauty；　and　good　repair　of　the　Japanese　temples；
those　of　Canton　impress　me　as　being　very　repulsive。　In　Japan　the　people
preserve　their　temples　for　their　exquisite　beauty；　and　there　are　a
great　many　sincere　Buddhists；　but　China　is　irreligious；　a　nation　of
atheists　or　agnostics；　or　slaves　of　impious　superstitions。　In　an
extended　tramp　among　temples　I　have　not　seen　a　single　male　worshiper　or
a　thing　to　please　the　eye。　The　Confucian　temples；　to　which　mandarinism
resorts　on　certain　days　to　bow　before　the　Confucian　tablets；　are　now
closed；　and　their　courts　are　overgrown　with　weeds。　The　Buddhist　temples
are　hideous；　both　outside　and　inside；　built　of　a　crumbling　red　brick；
with　very　dirty　brick　floors；　and　the　idols　are　frightful　and　tawdry。
We　went　to　several　which　have　large　monasteries　attached　to　them；　with
great　untidy　gardens；　with　ponds　for　sacred　fish　and　sacred　tortoises；
and　houses　for　sacred　pigs；　whose　sacredness　is　shown　by　their
monstrous　obesity。　In　the　garden　of　the　Temple　of　Longevity；　the　scene
of　the　〃Willow　Pattern；〃　dirty　and　degraded　priests；　in　spite　of　a
liberal　douceur　to　one　of　them；　set　upon　us；　clamoring　_kum…sha_；
attempting　at　the　same　time　to　shut　us　in；　and　the　two　gentlemen　were
obliged　to　use　force　for　our　extrication。　In　the　court　of　the　〃Temple
of　Horrors；〃　which　is　surrounded　by　a　number　of　grated　cells　containing
life…sized　figures　of　painted　wood；　undergoing　at　the　hands　of　other
figures　such　hell…torments　as　are　decreed　for　certain　offences；　there
is　perpetually　a　crowd　of　fortune…tellers；　and　numbers　of　gaming　tables
always　thronged　with　men　and　boys。　Each　temple　has　an　accretion　of
smaller　temples　or　shrines　round　it；　but　most；　on　ordinary　occasions；
are　deserted；　and　all　are　neglected　and　dirty。　Where　we　saw　worshipers
they　were　always　women；　some　of　whom　looked　very　earnest；　as　they　were
worshiping　for　sick　children；　or　to　obtain　boys；　or　to　insure　the
fidelity　of　their　husbands。　〃Worship〃　consists　in　many　prostrations；　in
the　offering　of　many　joss…sticks；　and　in　burning　large　squares　of
gilded　paper；　this　being　supposed　to　be　the　only　way　in　which　gold　can
reach　either　gods　or　ancestors。　One　or　two　of　the　smaller　temples　were
thronged　by　women　of　the　poorest　class；　whose　earnest　faces　were　very
touching。　Idolatry　is　always　pathetic。　It　is　not；　however；　idol　worship
which　sits　like　a　nightmare　on　China；　and　crushes　atheists；　agnostics；
and　heathens　alike；　but　ancestral　worship；　and　the　tyranny　of　the
astrologers　and　geomancers。

I　like　the　faces　of　the　lower　orders　of　Chinese　women。　They　are　both
strong　and　kind；　and　it　is　pleasant　to　see　women　not　deformed　in　any
way；　but　clothed　completely　in　a　dress　which　allows　perfect　freedom　of
action。　The　small…footed　women　are　rarely　seen　out　of　doors；　but　the
sewing…woman　at　Mrs。　Smith's　has　crippled　feet；　and　I　have　got　her
shoes；　which　are　too　small　for　the　English　baby　of　four　months　old！　The
butler's　little　daughter；　aged　seven；　is　having　her　feet　〃bandaged〃　for
the　first　time；　and　is　in　torture；　but　bears　it　bravely　in　the　hope　of
〃getting　a　rich　husband。〃　The　sole　of　the　shoe　of　a　properly　diminished
foot　is　about　two　inches　and　a　half　long；　but　the　mother　of　this
suffering　infant　says；　with　a　quiet　air　of　truth　and　triumph；　that
Chinese　women　suffer　less　in　the　process　of　being　crippled　than　foreign
women　do　from　wearing　corsets！　　To　these　Eastern　women　the　notion　of
deforming　the　figure　for　the　sake　of　appearance　only　is　unintelligible
and　repulsive。　The　crippling　of　the　feet　has　anothe