2 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



FAMILY RELATIONS. The relations between the father and 

 son are very strict, as between the king and the subject. If the 

 son enters the room where the father is sitting, he must meekly 

 stand with hands together until invited by his father to be seated ; 

 in sitting, he must lean forward in a humble attitude ; he can not 

 rise again without permission. He sweeps his father's room, 

 makes his bed, and rises early to perform these menial serv- 

 ices ; he often gets up at midnight in solicitude for his parent's 

 comfort. Filial love prompts these attentions, for fear the serv- 

 ants may grumble and complain and thus bring disquiet to the 

 parent. In summer the son fans his father and attends minutely 

 to every want ; this same attention and respect are shown to his 

 father's friends. Seasonal changes of clothing are not made until 

 the parent's consent is given. It is considered exceedingly im- 

 proper to cough, sneeze, eructate, or spit before old men. Boy- 

 hood continues until the fifteenth year, or until marriage ; up to 

 this time the hair hangs behind in a long queue ; when manhood 

 is assumed the hair is tied in a knot on top of the head. All the 

 possessions of the children, as well as their earnings, belong to 

 the father, and no matter how much the son may have the father 

 can claim it all. If, however, the son lives in a separate house, 

 he has the use of his earnings as well as his wife's dower ; but if 

 the father has no money, he may sell his son's house over his head 

 and take all. Old men will not allow their sons to drink intoxi- 

 cating liquors. From all that I could learn, the son is in abject 

 enslavement to his father. After the death of the father the 

 property goes to the oldest son. Brothers are very devoted to one 

 another, and aid in supporting the less fortunate among them. 



The daughters have a much easier time ; they do nothing but 

 eat and dress ; they jest with their father and brothers, scold 

 them, and act with great familiarity; indeed, all my inquiries 

 about their behavior brought out the fact that they act like 

 spoiled children. 



Virtue is rarely lost among the more favored classes. Male 

 and female servants do not sit down together or work in the same 

 apartment. The wife is absolute mistress of the female servants. 

 The apartments of the female servants are under a separate roof, 

 and male servants never enter these apartments, though their 

 duty is to clean the yard and garden belonging to the female 

 servants. Servants are inherited by successors in the family ; 

 they are bought and sold. Loyal servants work and support their 

 masters when they become poor. Masters can and do free their 

 servants. 



EDUCATION. The higher classes employ private teachers. 

 Children at the age of five or six begin the study of Chinese 

 characters ; they are provided with books for composition. Five 



