CHINESE ENTERTAINMENTS. 
11 
In China, every father of a family is responsible for his children, 
and even his domestics ; all those faults being imputed to him which 
it was his duty to have prevented. Every father has the power of 
of selling his son, provided,” says the law, “ the son has a right of 
selling himself.” This custom, howewer, is barely tolerated among 
the middling and inferior ranks; and all are forbidden to sell them to 
comedians, or people of infamous character, or very mean stations. 
In China a son remains a minor during his father’s life, and is even 
liable for the debts contracted by him, those from gaming only 
excepted. Adoption is authorized by law, and the adopted child 
immediately enters into all the rights of a lawful son ; only the law 
gives a right to the father, of making a few dispositions in favour of 
his real children. The children, however, whether real or adopted, 
cannot succeed to the dignity of their father, though they may to his 
estate. The emperor alone can confer honours; and even then they 
must be resigned when the person atains the age of seventy ; tbousrh 
this resignation is considered as an advice, rather than a law. The 
will of a father cannot be set aside in China on account of any inform 
mality ; nor can a mother make a will. 
Chinese Entertainments. 
Nothing can appear more irksome to an European, than the 
multitude of ceremonies used on all occasions by the Chinese. An 
invitation to an entertainment is not supposed to be given with sin- 
cerity, until it has been renewed three or four times m writing. A 
card is sent the evening before the entertainment — a second on the 
morning of the appointed day — and a third when every thing is pre- 
pared. The master of the house introduces the guests into the hall, 
where he salutes them one after another. He then orders wine to be 
brought him in a small cup, made of silver, porcelain, or precious 
wood, and placed on a small varnished salver. He lays hold of it 
with both his hands, makes a bow to all th^ surrounding guests, and 
advances towards the fore part of the hall, where he raises his eyes 
and cup towards heaven; after which, he pours the wine on the 
ground. He afterwards pours some wine into the cup, makes a bow 
to the principal person in company, and then goes to place the cup 
on the table before him; for in China, every guest has a table to 
himself. The person for whom he intends this honour, however, 
generally saves him the trouble of placing the cup ; calls for wine 
in his turn, and offers to place the cup on the master’s table, who 
endeavours to prevent him, with a thousand apologies and compli- 
ments, according to Chinese politeness. A superior domestic con- 
ducts the principal guest to an elbow chair, covered with rich 
flowered silk, where the stranger again begins his compliments, and 
begs to be excused from sitting in such an honourable seat, which, 
however, he accepts of ; and all the rest of the guests do the same, 
otherwise the ceremonial must be gone through with each of them. 
The entertainments of the Chinese are begun, not by eating, but 
by drinking ; and the liquor they drink must always be pure wine. 
The intendant, or maitre de hotel, falling down on one knee, first 
