SOME GLIMPSES OF BISHOPSCOURT, AUCKLAND

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue II, 12 January 1901, Page 74

SOME GLIMPSES OF BISHOPSCOURT, AUCKLAND

Chinese Buttons of Honour. The mandatins of China are divided iiut<> nine classes, who wear d stinctive buttons (Man-ting) on their hats a”d display ornamental embroideries ( Ku-siu) on their breasts. The first class wear a button of coral red (Shan-'hu) corresponding .to the colour of a cock's comb, sine? the cock (Ki-hung) is the bird that adorns their breast. The second class are gorgeous with

a robe on which a peacock (Kungtsioh) is emblazoned, while from the centre of a red fringe of silk upon the hat rises a sapphire blue (Yuen-tsing)

button. While the first class is almost entirely reserved for members of the Imperial family and the highest officials and generals of the empire, the second class is occasionally awarded to foreigners who hive distinguished themselves in the Chinese service without having become naturalised Chinese subjects, the only exception of a coral button having been conferred upon a

European being- Sir Robert Hart, In-spector-General of the Marit me Customs. The button of the third cl: ss is an opaque, dark purple stone (Tsz-fan). and the bird depicted on t*he rolje is the pelican (Tang-ngo); the legend of this bird’s feeding rts young from its own breast is current in China for the inspiiation of her literati, who consider this class the acme of their ambition. A light blue (Yuh-lan) button and a golden pheasant (Kiu-ki) distinguish the fourth class, in which the higher

grades of military field officers are reckoned. The fifth class wear a clear crystal (S*hui-tsing) button on the hat and a silver pheasant (Pe»h-hien) on the breast; in this class and in the following mostly rank the higher subaltern officers. The sixth class are entitled to wear a jadestone (Juh) button and an embroidered stork (Kiau-tsing). An embossed gold button (Hwangkin) and a partridge (Che-ku) are the rank of the seventh class; smaller literati, interpreters, and Inland Revenue (Lee-kin) officers are proud of this distinction. In the eighth the gold button becomes a plain brass one (Tung-poh), and the partridge is reduced to a quail (Xgan-shun), while the ninth-class mandarin has to be contented with silver (Yin) for his button and with a sparrow (Mah-tsio) for his emblem. Buttons and embroideries are only worn in full dress Loth by civil and military mandarins, that is, buttons on felt hats in winter and turneddown straw shades in the summer months, and embroideries conespndingly on the fronts and backs of long, dark-blue silk Court rotes, or short military jackets of similar eolorr. The often-displayed very valuable chains of jade and other piecious stones are merely ornamental and optional and no sign of rank; they are not considered the correct thing beneath the third class. The peacock feather is an individual military distinction granted for valour, and can be gained by a mandarin of any class. The yellow jacket is the highest military honour, very rarely bestowed, and only on great generals, while the Order of the Double Dragon and other decorations are mostly reserved for foreigners, and are not often worn by Chinese subjects.