Chinese Dinner and Social Usages. 49 1 



mouths with thin strips of ivory (''chop-sticks"), instead of 

 knives and forks. 



The peculiarity of Chinese usages, so directly opposed to 

 those of Europe, became likewise strikingly apparent in the 

 course of the meal. And as in China the mark of courtesy is 

 to keep the head covered instead of removing the hat, so the 

 place of honour is on the left hand ; the ancestors are en- 

 nobled instead of the descendants (which is at once more 

 sensible and more economical); the characters in writing 

 run from right to left instead of the reverse ; the mourning 

 Golom* is white instead of black ; the natives carefully ex- 

 tirpate every sign of a beard, instead of cherishing it as a 

 symbol of mature, dignified manhood ; thus also meals begin 

 with the food with which we terminate ours, confectionery 

 and fruit. When we were all seated, each table was forth- 

 with covered with a profusion of the most varied dishes on 

 beautiful plates of stained porcelain, and while we were still 

 engaged in attempting to discover the mysterious ingredients 

 of these, the Chinese who was doing the honours at our table 

 was exerting himself to select and lay before us the most 

 dainty morsels of each dish. In performing this part of his 

 functions he thought only to act with more care and atten- 

 tion, in drawing each of the twain chop-sticks between his 

 own lips and withdrawing them before he fished up a fresh 

 piece and laid it on om' plate ! The dexterity with which all 

 Chinese use these chop-sticks, which are usually made of 



