A CHINESE FEED

Southland Times, Issue 17654, 11 February 1916, Page 3

A CHINESE FEED

“The Chinaman at dinner eats a few courses, sheds a jacket, loosens a belt, talks to a singing girl, smokes, then eats a few more courses, gambles a while, and really enjoys himself for four or five hours. When he enters the room for the feast he is given a slip of paper, on which he writes the name of his favourite singing girl and her place of residence. When all the guests arrive the slips are taken by a servant to the different places, and at intervals during the dinner the girls arrive. They swajr in on their tiny bound feet, beautifully dressed, painted and powdered, and take their place Seh ind the man who sent for th,em. They sit on a narrow stool, chat with the man, have a few puffs from a water pipe, cat mellon-seeds (they never eat or drink anything from the table); then their maid brings them their musical instrument, and they sing, in a high falsetto voice, a song or two. After her song the girl arises, says good-bye to her patron, and leaves for her next engagement. They all carry little makeup boxes, and powder their noses whenever the desire seizes them. To Western eyes they are not pretty, with their red and white faces. They paint tho.r forehead, nose, and around their mouth white, the cheeks and under-lip bright red, and to obtain the proper willow-leaf pattern for the eyebrows their own are shaved and others more slanting are painted in their place. It is hard to see any charm in these little women. They sing through their noses, talk very little, and that the most inane gossip, powder themselves, then how and go away.”— “The Harem and the Purdah: Studies of Oriental Women,” by Elizabeth Cooper.