A CHINESE VILLAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 194, 17 July 1937, Page 11

A CHINESE VILLAGE

DESCRIPTION OF LIFE. INFLUENCE OF ENAHRONAIENT. Life in a Chinese village was the subject of a very interesting address delivered by Mr H. B. Low, ALA., lecturer in economies at Alassey College, and formerly a resident for several years in China, to the Palmerston North Citizens’ Lunch Club, yesterday, when he described the little world in which some Oriental communities lived, and their constant struggle for existence, with the ever present threat of famine or flood.

Air ,T. A. Nash presided over a large attendance. Air J. Afcßrenrty was welcomed as a new member, and Air D. Thomas as a visitor. AffJD BUILDINGS.

Two hundred miles south of Pekin ami on the northern plains, said Air Low, could be found one of the many scattered Chinese villages. Mud was the only building material, with thatch front the harvest field tor the roofs. Children there dispensed with clothes in the summer, but were swaddled in heavy clothes for protection from the winter cold. Clusters of houses stood in groups of ten, and ihey were so designed as to give protection against bandit attacks. It was the only world the children knew, and their bed in tbe winter nights ,as well as their resting place in the day time, was the kang. built of mud-bricks, under which a small fire was kept burning with manure and straw to provide warmth. Families became accustomed to near starvation or subsisting on little in the winter, and it was a good season in which recourse I harl not had to he made to killing a working donkey for food or making inroads into the slender store of grain seed conserved for the spring, i AVinter rlothes—quilted and padded cotton garments—went into the village ! pawnshop at the advent of a very vivid and green spring, and the ag- ! ricultural implements were redeemed, so that the wooden plough could be harnessed to an ill-assorted pair, a yellow cow and donkey. AA’here there was a family of some substance, children were sent to a village teacher for “education.” which consisted of learning and reciting off the old classics, without knowing their meaning. They might learn as many as 600 letter characters. Rebelling against this about the age of fifteen, the sons learned to work or not to work. Later. there might come across the fields a procession carrying a bridal litter, possibly with the second daughter of a merchant in an adjacent town, and the hoy of seventeen would be married to the girl of sixteen. NECROAfANCY AND BANDITRY.

Graves were dotted about the fields and one ploughed round the bones of his grandfather, but spirit money must be burned at the proper festivals to sustain his soul. Necromancers decided the place of appropriate burial according to wind and water influences. Red dyed eggs were distributed in rejoicing by the proud father when a man-child was born, but a daughter was not welcome, as it meant just another mouth to feed, another household slave to he maintained, or possibly to be sold to another family.

Drought might prevail in the early summer, and after the wheat harvest rain would pour down, bringing its threat of floods, Air Low added. Dykes would have to be strengthened but suddenly would come word of floods in the north, followed by the rapid bang of the big drum. announcing impending danger. Tben the drum would be banged slowly. The dykes had broken, but one's own village might be on high ground. A r illaees around woidd collapse and slither into mud in the inundation, and food stores would be washed away. It would lie too late to secure an autumn harvest, but houses would b° rebuilt. Those possessing small granaries would enter the winter in fear of banditry, which was impelled bv hunger. Gifts of wheat were shared out to relatives until summer came again. It was a life of insecurity and uncleanliness, but not of evil and dirt. It was a difficult environment. but the Chinese village communities remained cheerful and friendly.

Now Japan was seeking the coal and iron in the hills of Shansi, and the fields which grew the red-stemmed eot.ton. Fears of early summer drought, the late summer flood and the visit of the taxpayer dominated life in the Chinese yillage, Mr Low con eluded.

The speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks on the motion of Mr W. B. Tennent.

It was announced hv the chairman that two members of tlm chib —Messrs G. D. Rattle and G. I. McGregor—had been admitted by its council of ten to life membershin which was free of all subscriptions, it being considered that they had so qualified by their probity, common-sense and worthiness. Mr McGregor was not present, but Mr Rattle was presented with his life membership certificate.