HIS FIRST PARTY

Evening Star, Issue 19764, 14 January 1928, Page 3

HIS FIRST PARTY

A CHINESE FETE DAY [Written by M. S. Piujimeb, for the ‘Evening Star.’] During my recent sojourn in Peking I was the fortunate recipient of a crimson invitation card to Man-Yueh, the first important party given for Baby. The great day is when the infant is just one month old. In this case about 300 invitations had been sent, so, naturally, there had been great preparations. The house was of tho usual Chinese pattern, with buildings all round a large courtyard, which on this auspicious occasion was entirely roofed with matting, with windows let in so as not to shut out the daylight. These windows had Chinese character writing of good wishes; the walls of the court were decorated with pictures of stories connected with children. On the stone floor, mercifully for us, there was a large carpet, and as the festival was to last many hours wo were glad to have our feet thus protected. The Chinese generally -wear padded or velvet shoes, and so do not suffer from cold feet. A CHINESE SING-SONG. At one end of the courtyard a platform had been erected, with screens on both sides, and until about 8 p.m. Chinese entertainers held forth. These consisted of a few men in the ordinary blue cotton dress worn by the poorer classes, with stringed instruments, and girls who “ performed ” —i.e., they chanted legends and well-known stories to their own accompaniments of tympanum and wooden blocks banged together. The rest of the courtyard was filled with stools and benches, all covered in red—the color of childhood, marriage, and happiness—and small square tables. As wo sat down, delicious China tea, without milk or sugar, came, with the usual assortment of nuts and seeds. Presently one of the girls brought us the programme, from which wo were to choose the next item. It was a fan, on each rib of which was the name of the song, and as we could not read Chinese we pointed haphazardly. Then the song began, but no one paid the slightest attention, and those who were not doing their “turn” sat at tho side of the platform chatting to each other. A ROOM OF JOY. A little later wo were taken 1o sec the baby and his room, where all the chairs and tables were covered with beautiful red embroidered silk. On the tables were the very numerous presents, gold ornaments to be worn till the arrival of number two, embroidered satin slippers, wondrous silk bonnets, and innumerable little jackets and trousers, all making the table rainbow-hued. The very youthful father was bursting with pride, and as he had been to America he aired his good English. Jt was funny constantly to hear “My kid,” however serious the rest of the sentence was. “In China we have many names, so ‘my kid ’ has iiis already—‘ born in Peking.’ Last year I was in America; then I. come hack, get married, and now I have a ‘ kid ’; next week Igo to my new house, then 1 my kid ’ and his mother will come.” THEN THE FEAST!

Having duly admired these presents —and, indeed, they were beautiful—we went back to the now transformed courtyard, the square tables changed to round by the addition of lacquered tops. We women, of course, were quite separate from the men. The young mother, as hostess, and because Tier mother and older ones were at table, did not appear more than to pour out the first cup of wine. Her husband did the same for the men, and neither bride nor groom spoke to nor took notice of the other. I will not here detail the meal, as Chinese food merits a whole article to itself, beyond mentioning that we ate sharks* fins, bamboo shoots, and other succulent dishes. The native wine, or, rather, liqueur, was .served in little cups, ami as it was poured from a teapot and was light brown 1 thought it was tea, and took a good mouthful, only to find my mouth and throat nearly scalded with this fiery liquid, which, I am told, is like vodka. THE CONQUERING HERO.

In tho middle of tho meal the hero of the hour was brought for his formal presentation to the company. Tho nurse carried the little scarlet-clad figure to each table, and all _ the guests rose, shook hands with him — or, rather, with themselves, as is the fashion here —and congratulated the accompanying proud paternal grandmother. This child had his milk name already. He gradually accumulates names till he has six or seven—a baby one, a family one, another indicative of the future, then later a pet name, one for friends, and one for business purposes. This little lad had had his head shaved, an operation that takes place on the twenty-seventh day for a hoy and thirtieth day for a girl. The hair is wrapped in a red cloth and tied to baby’s pillow. When lie is a hundred days old the hair is thrown into a river or lake so that he will grow up brave. A PEEP INTO THE FUTURE.

The father was already looking forward to the future profession of his “kid.” A diviner would be called, and would cast a horoscope to foretell the luck of tho future. The Chinese believe that wo all have five elements —metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. It is bad for a child if metal, wood, or earth be missing, and the name given must include what is absent; on the other hand, he is lucky not to have fire or water. If fire bo too prominent the parents must beware of injury by fire or scalding; if water, they avoid rivers and lakes. When the child has attained the maturity of a hundred clays he has another party, to which the guests bring fish and chickens. The tongue of a cooked chicken is rubbed on his mouth so that ho will be eloquent. The paternal grandmother gives him a rocking chair. But the groat excitement is when he is a year old (or, as they say, two, as he has had one birthday already). A flat basket is placed on the table with a tiger in it. Round him, just within reach, are emblematic articles, such as an ink slab and pen for the scholar, a silver shoe for wealth, a seal for the official. "Whatever he picks shows his natural bent, and in tlie case of a girl she foretells her future husband’s career. After all these parties the child settles to an uneventful existence. His next birthday party will he when he is sixty, or, sometimes, in the case of a very modern and advanced family, it may be at fifty. At that party he hopes to see his descendants to at least the third generation. -