THE HOUSE AND HOUSEHOLD.
Babyhood is the most enjoyable stage in the life of an Oriental. It is
the only period when his wishes are regarded and when demonstrations of
affection are shown him. The family regulations in China are such that
so soon as a child begins to understand, he is not only taught to obey,
but also loses his freedom of action; nor does he fully recover it till
he is old and past the brief season of youthful enjoyment.
Every person in China is in strict subjection to somebody. The child is
subject to his parents or guardian. They, in turn, are subject to their
parents, who are liable to be called to account by the elders of the
clan. The magistrate is considered the father of the people he rules
over; and the Emperor stands in the same relation to his subjects
as the father to his children. Women are subject to their fathers or
husbands. All are subject to the national laws.
Accordingly obedience and respect, rather than affection, are required
of the Chinese child. His home-life, therefore, is constrained,
sober and dull. The boy attains to the ideal character only when he
habitually checks his affectionate impulses, suppresses his emotions
and is uniformly respectful to his superiors and uniformly dignified
with his inferiors. Therefore the child is early taught to walk
respectfully behind his superiors, to sit only when he is bidden, to
speak only when questions are asked him, and to salute his superiors
by the correct designations. It would be the height of impropriety for
him to mention his father’s name, or call his uncles and elder brothers
by their names. (Children call their father “_A-dé_,” or “_A-ye_,”
which corresponds to papa in English. Mamma in Chinese is “_A-ma_.”
The syllable _A_ is prefixed for the sake of euphony or convenient
pronunciation. In the same way, we say, “_A-suk_” for uncle, “_A-ko_”
for elder brother, “_A-ka_” elder sister. Cousins on one’s father’s
side are reckoned as brothers.) He must rise from his seat when they
approach him. If he is taken to task for anything he has done, he must
never contradict, never seek to explain. Such an offence is not easily
forgiven and double punishment is likely to immediately overtake the
offender. How often have I rued my imprudence in contradicting my
parents, uncles or teachers! Often I was but simply trying to give
the explanation of seemingly bad conduct. But the Chinese take no
explanations from those subject to them. It is better for an accused
son, pupil, or servant to suffer punishment in silence although he may
be conscious of no wrong doing. This seems very unreasonable; and,
in fact, it does foster sullenness and a spirit of rebellion which
fear alone keeps under. But the Chinese deem this method absolutely
necessary for the preservation of authority. In every household the
rattan stick is always ready to the hand of the majestic wrath of
outraged family law. It is not my intention to represent the Chinese as
naturally cruel. They are not. They simply maintain family discipline
by customs handed down from one generation to another. Fathers and
teachers have undergone the same training. The customs of their
ancestors enjoin it, the teachings of Confucius prescribe it, and the
laws of the empire arm it with authority.
Indeed, among the lower and less educated classes, we find family
discipline less strict than among the higher orders of our people. I
happened to be born into the higher middle condition of life. There
is no such thing as caste in China, in the sense that caste exists in
India. In China, wealth, and literary and official honors ennoble a
family and can lift it from a lower to a higher plane. The regulations
and government of my family were as rigorous as possible. I lived
the years of my childhood in a shrinking condition of mind. Like all
youngsters, I wanted to shout, jump, run about, show my resentments,
and my affections, give my animal spirits and affectionate impulses
full play. But like a colt in training for the harness I was checked
and curbed, my tongue was bridled, and my feet clogged, by fear of my
elders. My father was a stern man as was his father before him. I
remember him vividly by the beatings I got from him.
Yet he was truly good and kind.
Though the times when I required punishment were comparatively rare, I
remember a constant sense of dread lest I should do something out of
the way of a well-bred Chinese lad. The bamboo rod hung over my head
like the sword of Damocles. My mother (who is still living) saved me
from its blows many a time by giving me timely warning or by keeping my
misdemeanors from my father’s knowledge. But she was not so foolishly
indulgent as to spare me when I truly deserved punishment.
Our immediate family consisted of my parents, a brother four years
older than I, one two years younger, and myself. I had two sisters who
had died before my birth; by the course of nature, let me add, for the
horrible practice of female infanticide was in our part of the empire
only heard of in stories, and not without a shudder.
I have previously said we occupied a part of my grandfather’s house.
The building had only one floor. The accompanying plan describes it:
[Illustration: PLAN OF A CHINESE HOUSE.]
“A” stands for those spaces over which the roof was open to the sky,
and which corresponded to the _compluvium_ in the dwellings of the
Romans. There were five of them in our house. Through them came air,
wind and rain. You may easily conjecture that such openings in Chinese
houses must be favorite entrances and exits for burglars and thieves.
At night there seems to be no protection against such gentry except the
wakefulness and bravery of watchmen, who, by striking the hour of night
on a piece of bamboo in going the rounds, only warn the burglars to
keep out of sight while they are near. The Chinese watchman serves the
double purpose of a patrolman and a perambulating clock; and although
clocks are in common use, my countrymen have not yet employed bells to
toll the hour for the whole city.
If you examine the plan, you will see that there is only one regular
entrance to the house. Having passed the door, you will be in the
vestibule which opens on the large _compluvium_ by three pairs of
doors, all of which are thrown ajar on grand occasions; but ordinarily
only a side pair are left open. Having passed them and descended by one
step into the _compluvium_, you have a full view of the audience
hall which is decorated and used on great occasions, as New Year’s
days, weddings, funerals, birthday celebrations, or for extraordinary
events, as the reception of distinguished guests, etc. On either hand
are the two wings, library, and men’s living rooms. The only passage to
the women’s apartments is through this audience hall. On that side also
are three pairs of doors, two of which are usually closed, only the
pair on the extreme right being in daily use. A screen stands before
this entrance; for the worst thing that can happen is to have male
visitors look into the women’s apartments and see the female members of
the family. My grandmother occupied the chamber back of the ladies’
parlor, for that is usually considered the best room on account of
its central location. The left wing back was occupied by an uncle and
his family. Behind this section of the house was the kitchen and the
chambers for servants and daughters of the house. The garden had a
well, from which the women drew water. I trust I impress upon you that
the house was divided into two portions; the front belonging to the men
and the rear to the women. My grandfather’s rule was that no lady of
the family should pass the boundary line except on “occasions.”
I make no mention of cellars because there were none. The house-walls
were of slate-colored brick, the roof of tiles laid over slats and
beams increasing in height from the vestibule to the garden. The rooms
were lofty and airy, and but for storms and the winter’s wind would
have been comfortable.
As I have before said, the house was plainly furnished. The audience
hall was the festival room. A long table in the centre, with
interesting vases and curios, stood behind a square one of mahogany.
They were flanked by two rows of chairs of the same material, with
tea-poys between that served to hold the tea-cups of guests. A couple
of easy folding-chairs lined with leather, stood in front. On the walls
were water-color paintings and scrolls.