314 CHINA AND HER PEOPLE 



in the northern provinces of the empire will go far to dispel tliis im- 

 pression. At Chifii, Takn, and Tientsin one is struck l)y the stalwart 

 appearance and height of the natives. At the first-named port large 

 numbers of the men are six-footers, and among the boatmen of Cliifu 

 it is no uncommon thing to see a native over six feet in height, weigh- 

 ing nearly or quite two hundred pounds. In the south, however, tlie 

 average is more nearly accordant with specimens we encounter as 

 laundrymen, gardeners, and " coolies " generally in the United States. 

 The well-known queu or ])igtail by which Chinamen have become 

 so well known is the visible mark imposed by their Manchurian con- 

 querors in 1G44. Notwithstanding the length of years since the im- 

 position of this mark of subjection, there are large numbers who 

 resent the queu. At Swatow the singular spectacle is presented of 

 Chinamen wearing turbans! Unable to avoid shaving their heads 

 and plaiting their hair in accordance with the Tatar edict, these 

 peoj)le conceal the marks of their degradation l)eneath a veritable 

 turban, fashioned closely after the Arabian model. It presents a 

 curious anomaly in a country so thorough!}^ controlled by i)recedent 

 and tradition. 



The singular usages and customs of the people of China have been 

 the wonder and comment of otlier and younger parts of the civilized 

 world for many centuries. The general trend of such comment has 

 been astonishment at the unusual manners and methods })revailing 

 among the millions of the yellow subjects of the Son of Heaven, in 

 clothing, style of living, care of children, amusements, and in many 

 other points the Chinaman is different from the rest of the world. 

 This view, however, is not quite a correct statement of the matter. 

 The Chinese methods undoubtedly antedate western methods, and so, 

 logically, the Chinaman, having adopted a certain manner of living, 

 has the prior right to the system, and variations from his system 

 should be counted singular. I am well aware this method of argu- 

 ment is not the usual one, but it is certainly the most logical. Those 

 of the East naturally take this view, and express surprise that so many 

 things are " done the wrong way " by their western brothers. 



Intimate contact with the civilization of China impresses the ol)- 

 server with the conviction that nearly all their methods are the 

 results of long experience, a survival of the fittest in pretty nearly 

 every branch of human needs and conveniences. One feels that the 

 experimental stage has long since passed awa}'. A different wa}' of 

 doing a piece of work does not enter the mind of the Chinese operator 



