Chapter I: Preface: By the Author

The friendly welcome accorded by the English Public to my “Chinese Painted by Themselves” has encouraged me to publish this translation of my last work.

Old Epicurus summed up his philosophy in pleasures well understood. The peoples of the world, all epicureans in a certain measure, amused themselves before him, and have amused themselves since, each after his own fashion.

I do not think I shall displease the people of the Country often called “Merry England” in bringing to their notice “The Chinaman at Home.”

INTRODUCTORY

Our pleasures are not such as to shock modesty; they are simple and honest, as becomes an ancient nation, which has left the age of youthful follies long behind it, has due self-respect, and knows how to amuse itself decently.

In my book, “Chinese Tales,” I endeavoured to show the minor details of the life of my compatriots, whose political and social customs I have described in my other book, “The Chinese Painted by Themselves.” The object of this new book is to give a picture of our private amusements and of our small public fêtes. It belongs, accordingly, to anthropological literature, describing as it does a series of ethnological phenomena, games, ceremonies, and fêtes, which, however much they may resemble those to be seen in all other countries, have, nevertheless, a special character in each country. This character depends largely on the national conceptions of the people under consideration.

Everybody amuses himself as he thinks best. This affirmation is as true for nations as it is for individuals. Our joys and our ways of manifesting them are they not the expression of our individuality? And when a whole people rejoices in a certain manner, does not that mean that it offers in its fêtes a kind of picture of its inner life, a synthesis of its dearest aspirations and desires? Our pleasures are determined by our moral and philosophical, political, and social views. Religion has much also to do in fashioning them according to her likeness. The character of a nation is never better shown than in its enjoyments—its fêtes; in one word, in its pleasures. Tell me how you amuse yourself, and I will tell you what you are.

In the task I have laid upon myself of revealing the Asiatic East to the European West, it seems to me that this new chapter will not be out of place. In any case, the author will be sufficiently rewarded if the reader—albeit only for a moment—finds some pleasure in turning over the leaves of the book he has written.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. THE CHINESE HOME 1

II. RELIGIOUS AND NATIONAL FÊTES 10

III. THE FÊTE OF THE MOON 19

IV. THE FEAST OF LANTERNS 26

V. THE FEAST OF THE TWO STARS 34

VI. THE FEAST OF FLOWERS 39

VII. NEW YEAR’S DAY 43

VIII. THE END OF THE YEAR 54

IX. PROCESSIONS 61

X. A BUDDHIST SOLEMNITY 70

XI. RUSTIC PLEASURES—WALKS AND PILGRIMAGES 79

XII. BATHING 88

XIII. KITE-FLYING 93

XIV. THE ILLUMINATED BOATS 97

XV. GARDENING 102

XVI. THE CHASE 113

XVII. FISHING 119

XVIII. CHARMING WOMAN—COQUETRY 125

XIX. FANS 133

XX. CELEBRATED BEAUTIES 139

XXI. SYSTEM OF EDUCATION—THE STUDENT 146

XXII. POETICAL COMPETITIONS 155

XXIII. PAINTERS 163

XXIV. CHESS 171

XXV. AT TABLE—THE PLEASURE OF DRINKING 178

XXVI. TEA-DRINKING 185

XXVII. CHOPSTICKS 192

XXVIII. CHINESE COOKING 197

XXIX. GAMES OF SKILL: CONJURING 208

XXX. THE EVOCATION OF SPIRITS 217

XXXI. PHRENOLOGY AND CHIROMANCY 223

XXXII. DIFFERENT GAMES—ORIENTAL SHOOTING MATCHES—THE
CANDLESTICK—SHUTTLECOCKS—THE COIN GAME 232

XXXIII. GAMES OF CHANCE—CARD GAMES—FIRST GAME: AWAITING
THE CARD—SECOND GAME: FISHING—THIRD GAME: THE
PECKING GAME 239

XXXIV. LOTTERIES 247

XXXV. PUBLIC PLEASURES—THE THEATRES 255

XXXVI. ANIMAL FIGHTS—I. CRICKET FIGHTS—II. QUAIL FIGHTS 261

XXXVII. CONCLUSION—THE PLEASURES OF A PHILOSOPHER 266

CHIN-CHIN; OR, THE CHINAMAN AT HOME