SOCIAL LIFE IN CHINA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 762, 10 March 1910, Page 11

SOCIAL LIFE IN CHINA.

Mr. Hwang had a great deal that, was new to ' tell vabout the social customs of ■ China' in tho lecturi he .delivered, in.^St.' John's ..Schoolroom on. Tuesday evening; and -he doalt .in : an.'. interesting manner with aspects. .. that; -«;ere. more-..'familiar- to.', kis .-audience.. It was .'■ an ideal . picture- that:-, he -.-drew of a nation .which, had for'.thousands ■of years.b#en-living according to the,most lofty'teaohing.'of. the .niorali£ts,, a. which regards filial devotion as .the high-, est virtue, -whi9h / posses6es.,fiudh.a prid«of. family- as --no ■-"Western -nation- can matoh, and which rewards its chosen vir-j tues in the most glorious"ways,-.a ntitiori' which. knows: priic.tically. no' .cTafe dfetin'o;, tionj but aocbriling «qvial. honour toymen", of educational; industrial,- .commercial, , and farming; pursuits,'.throws open .the highest offices.and honours in the Empire, ■to the ; inan of most merit;- no -matter what' his.birth. , "In China;" said Mr. Hwang, i proudly, "there is no aristoiraoy, 'but'tho aristocracy of. oharacter;"' The audience was largely composed of ladies, bttt I. boldly Mr. Hwang defended, or rather eitolled, the. Chinese conceDtioh; of & viifc's relation to her ;parents in- law arid her husband, quoting , from a Chinese,writer the statement that .from the wife's submission, sprang, the eon's respect to his parents, and his feeling of duty to the nation. The Chinese clan system is an extraordinary one;;and ; ho other.-natioii; has anything:to equal'it. The-clan'is^really 1 a large- as'spciatidn'of farnilies/congTegS'ting in toivn or tmvns, witfrtfie'eame.'iriterest in and oontrol over its. individual members as. the' 'headrof• a.;f airily: would hiivo. It possejsses.:.elaborat.e-recprds-k«pt for - thousands of" .years,..which"' contain the name of every'iriale'mMbef"" t bf .the :.clan, a" dftcriptigrt'efrlus-.character, and ■ ,hj£ ! 3Jf<fi , r f -.Eyiiji! by ;a; Member "of ?' tho' : clan!' 'is vtHS honour; and each individual disgrace falle heavily on the olan. The eiaers of the clan , have great authority. .Each clan possesses its temple, where.it worships its' ancestors and -offers sacrificfes. V : Mr. Allan wds %P in-t"he?ehariii' : aTid'uii .tho ;earlier.-jiaTt..of-.thfl..oyening there was _a musical- a -pianoforte solo being.'given'.by Miss Maud -Edmonds '.son, and- songs -by; Miss -Rash and jMγ. ;Clark Johnson. u : ','i'. '..