A CHINAMAN always, or nearly so, looks so grave and sober that one finds oneself wondering if he ever was a boy But he was once a child, and as Chinese fathers and mothers are very proud of their sons, and pet and indulge them a great deal, the first eight or ten years of boy-life in China are often very bright and happy ones.
The birth of a little son is a great event in every Chinese household. Friends and relations send good wishes and baby garments. There will be no dainty white frocks, white and blue being in some parts of China only worn as mourning; but the wee stranger's clothes are made of brightly-colored silks, red, green and yellow being those most suitable. Many of these small coats and trousers are beautifully embroidered, and almost covered with ornaments. If baby's friends are rich people gold thread will be used, if not, gilt paper will serve equally well. But without some words in the strange-looking letters we call Chinese characters, each garment would be thought unfinished, and perhaps would never be put on at all. The heathen Chinese, who do not know the only true God, would tell us that these letters were charms, and would bring good to the child and also keep away evil spirits, of whom the poor people live in constant fear.
Sometimes little boys have girls' names given to them, in the hope that the spirits will be deceived, and thinking they are only girls, not take the trouble to steal or bewitch them. When baby is a few months old, a very curious thing happens: dressed in his gavest clothes, he is placed on a table; books, pens, scales and different kinds of tools are all placed within reach of his small hands, and the family stand round, waiting to see which of the various objects he will choose. If' it is a book, they are greatly pleased, for they feel sure he will be a scholar; if a pen, a scribe, or letter-writer; if scales, a shop-keeper; while his trying to grasp a tool would, they think, settle beyond a doubt that he will be a mason or bricklayer.
The Chinese are very fond of mottoes and inscriptions. On doors, windows, gates, pillars, and everywhere, inside and outside their houses, shops and temples, scrolls covered with writing are to be seen. The mottoes or signs over some of the shops are very curious. Here are one or two: "Heavenly Embroidery" is painted in large black characters over a place where coals are sold; while his next door neighbor advertises his shop by the high-sounding title of "Temple of Celestial Principles." A third is called "The Shop of Morning Twilight." Over a house we read, "May the five blessings descend upon this house." There is the owner, so we will ask him what the five blessings are. His reply will be, "Contentment, health, long life, riches and success." Do you notice he puts contentment first? We are reminded of the Bible words: "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." (1 Tim. 6:88And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (1 Timothy 6:8).)
But I must not forget the wonderful lanterns, the delight of every Chinese child, and not of the children only, but of the grown-up people. They are of all shapes and sizes. Some are made to represent dragons, birds and fishes. Mottoes or riddles are very often painted upon them. Once every year, a great feast called "The Feast of Lanterns" is held, when, as every house is hung with lanterns, the effect is very bright and pretty. It is only the poorer class of Chinese women who, as a rule, are to be seen in the streets. The rich seldom, if ever, go out, except when carried in sedan chairs; but the Feast of Lanterns is a general holiday, and mothers take their children to see the wonderful display of light and color.
The Chinese are a polite people, and though time is often wasted in paying compliments, and they are not always careful to say exactly what they mean, some English boys and girls might perhaps learn a lesson from the respect every Chinese boy is taught to pay to old people. Visiting cards are used by poor as well as rich in China. They are made of a very bright red paper, but different cards are required according to the visit a Chinaman wishes to pay. If he is only going to call upon a slight acquaintance, or a person no better off than himself, a common card will do very well. It is about twelve inches long by four broad, with the full name of the caller written in very large black characters; but if a wedding or a birthday visit is to be paid, a sheet of crimson paper must be folded ten times, each fold being as large as a common card. On the top left-hand corner must be written, if the person he is going to see is about his own age, "Your stupid younger brother," then follows the name, "bows his head, and pays his respects," but if the person visited is much older, it would be thought polite to call himself, "Your more than stupid nephew.”
Chinese boys, as a rule, study well; for every one seems to be looking forward to the time when he will be old enough to go in for a Government examination, which are much harder than any we have in England. In some parts of China the students who sit for "honors" are shut up, each one by himself, in a small cell-like room, where he must stay for three days and nights, not being allowed to speak to a single person, but working away at his papers nearly the whole time.
But our great interest in China is not the odd ways of its people, but the open door there is now for the gospel. Much has been done, but a great deal needs still to be done. Though there are many missionaries in China, and quite a number of native Christians, there are many villages in which the sweet story of a Savior's love has never yet been told. Do we ever ask the Lord to send laborers into this great harvest-field?