《中国人的性格》是美国传教士阿瑟·史密斯（明恩溥）基于1872年赴华传教期间的社会观察撰写的著作，首版英文名《Chinese Characteristics》于19世纪末问世，。作者在华生活逾五十年，书中融合人类学视角与传教士立场，记录了晚清民众的性格特征与文化形态。
全书以27个主题章节剖析中国人行为模式，包含“保全面子”“省吃俭用”等生活哲学，以及“漠视精确”“因循守旧”等社会现象。通过对比西方工业文明，着重探讨东方特有的生存韧性，如环境适应力与疼痛耐受性。书中案例多源自山东乡村生活经历，涉及衣食住行、孝悌观念等主题，部分结论因宗教立场存在视角争议。该著作开创西方研究中国国民性先河，被译成多国文字，成为近代中西文化互鉴的重要文本。
第二章 节俭问题
“节俭”这个词表示持家的原则，特别是指保持家庭的收支平衡。遵照我们的理解，“节俭”这一词，至少包括三个不同方面的含义：一是节制花销，二是制止浪费，三是尽可能用少花钱多办事的方式调节收支平衡。无论这三个方面的哪一方面，中国人都算得上是杰出的节俭高手。
很多到过中国旅行的人，最初的印象之一，是当地民众的饮食相当简单。如此之多的人口，几乎全依赖于品种很少的食物，如稻米、各种豆子、谷物、蔬菜和鱼。以上诸种，再加上一点其他的食物，就是这亿万人主要的食品。只有在逢年过节，或者遇到特别的事情，才能增加一点点肉。
如今在西方各国，政府正在想方设法为生活非常贫困的人提供廉价且富有营养的食品，那么，有人一定也很想知道这样一个不争的事实。那就是，在中国最平常的年份里，每个成年人每天花不到两美分，就完全能够得到足够量的生活食品。在灾荒的年份里，成千上万的人更是靠每天不到半美分的生活费来维持生命。这意味着中国人做菜做饭的水平是很高的。虽然在外国人看来，中国人的食物很少且不精，有些还淡而无味，甚至倒胃口。但又必须承认，中国人做饭菜方面是超一流的烹饪大师。
在美食方面，温格罗夫·库克认为，中国人应该列于法国人之下，但在英国人（也许还包括美国人）之上。中国人的烹调水准是否应该排在哪一个国家之下，我们不敢说得像库克先生那样确定。但他们的水准一定在某些国家之上，这显然是无可置疑的。在以前的一些小文章里，我已经说过，即使以一个生理学家的眼光来看，中国人对主要食材的选择也算得上是很高明的。中国人的食物原料简单，烹饪出来的菜肴却是花样繁多，其烹饪技术之完美，这点，即使是对中国烹饪技术一无所知的人也会有所耳闻。
一直以来，还有一件事情没引起我们注意却是很有意思，它很容易被你去证实：中国人在做饭菜时很少浪费，所有的食材都尽可能做到物尽其用。在寻常的中国人家，每顿饭后的剩余饭菜非常少，食物的价值很少被浪费。即使有剩下的，都留待下次再用。想要佐证这一事实，只需看一看中国人养的狗和猫的身体状况。这些家养动物，靠着人们的剩菜剩饭艰难地“活命”，总是挣扎在“死亡线”上。
在新兴的列强之国中，人们习惯于铺张浪费已是众所周知的事实。我们毫不怀疑，诸如美国这样生活优裕的国家，每天所浪费的食物，有可能足够亚洲六千万人过上相对宽松一点的生活。我们确实期待着能看到这些剩余的食物能使更多的人胖一些起来，正如许多中国人“酒足饭饱”之后仍把剩余的饭菜整理出来让仆人和孩子享用。甚至在喝完茶后，他们把杯中的剩茶也要倒回茶壶，以备下次热过后再喝！
还有一个无论在何时何处都会引起我们关注的事实是，中国人对食材并不挑剔，而且并不像西方人那样过分地讲究。天地万物什么东西都迟早能成为他们的网罗中的“鱼”，不能入口的东西寥寥无几。在中国的北方地区，人们普遍驱使马、牛、骡子和驴子干活。在很大一片地区，还使用骆驼。但我们下面所列举出的事实，抖落出来会让我们一些读者看来，中国人显然是太过于节俭了：通常，所有的这些牲口只要一死，无论它们是老死、病死，还是意外之死，都会被很快地吃掉。在中国人看来，只要牲口死了，就得把它吃掉，此举乃是天经地义，并不会引起非议。若是这些牲畜偶尔死于像胸膜炎肺炎一类恶性的传染病，大家也依然是这样做。自然，在他们看来，这类病畜肉并不如自然死亡的牲畜的肉，因此其出售的价格也较便宜。可最终，这些肉还都被卖光了，也都被人吃尽了。人们也都明白，这类病畜肉进入人的体内可能会对身体产生不好影响，但还是乐意少花钱冒险去吃这种肉。无非是贪图便宜罢了。
当然，应该说，真正吃出问题来的倒是不常见的。何止死马、死骡、死驴，连死狗、死猫也一样被吃了，并消化掉。我曾不止一次地亲身经历过，因为不堪其扰，村民们故意用毒药把狗毒杀，然后煮了吃掉。其中有几个小心谨慎的人，提议去问问洋大夫吃了这种肉可能会有什么样的坏处。但狗“已经下锅了”，这几个人都曾吃过这种肉而没得病，他们这次也不可能眼睁睁放弃这顿到嘴的美餐。结果，在此次大快朵颐之后，他们居然仍是平安无恙！
另一个与做饭有关的事例，也很能证明中国人的勤俭节约，这就是，他们在烹饪时充分考虑到高效利用柴火。在中国，燃料是非常缺乏而非常宝贵的，一般而言，燃料有树叶和庄稼的根茎。这种燃料的燃烧速度飞快，一把火就烧没了。为了让食物能熟得快，所有的锅底要做得尽可能薄，使用起来更要特别小心。在此，顺便说一下收集这些燃料的过程，这从另一个侧面可以表现出中国人的节俭已经到达了极点。在中国的每个小孩，即使他无力干其他的重活，但至少还能去拾柴火。到了秋冬时节，漫山遍野是拾柴火的大军，蔚为壮观。只见他们手持竹耙扫荡田野，连一根干草也不会留下。孩子们都被派到树林里去，把枝头尚未凋零的秋叶打落下来，就仿佛他们收成熟的栗子一样。至于田野中的稻草，甚至秋风还没有将它们吹起，就早已被那些勤劳的人们“抓捕”起来了。
所有的中国家庭主妇们都擅长于最大限度地使用她手中的布料。她的衣服并不像西方国家同龄女性所穿的那样，在装饰和款式上过于浪费，而是尽可能地省时、省工和省料。在外国人看来是一片小得不能再小的布料，在中国妇女手里同样能派上用场。利用起来虽然说不上美观，但真的是实用。这是议会中所有“家政研究”的女作家们做梦也想不到的。在一处不能用的布料，在另一处肯定能用上。即使是那些零碎的布头，还可以用来纳成鞋底。一个伦敦和纽约的慈善家，会把自己不再穿的衣服送人。他内心真切地希望接受者不要因为靠救济过活，而感到耻辱，否则，他们只会受到伤害。但是，不管是谁把同样的物品送给中国人，尽管他们服饰的布料和穿着风格与我们根本不同。但我们可以充分相信，这些衣服都会得到充分的利用，一点儿也不会被浪费，甚至能与其他布料巧妙地配合在一起。
中国人经常会给朋友送一些题词的条幅。题完词的纸被简单地缝在一块绢帛上。用线缝而不用糨糊粘贴，为的是让受赠者好另有用场。如果他愿意的话，可以很方便地用来更换绢帛上的字。这样一来，他就会拥有一块可长期使用的绢帛！
中国人的节俭也表现在小商贩的买卖中。再小的细节，都会引起他们的注意。比如说，一个杂货铺的商人能准确地报出各种火柴盒中火柴的根数。他也精确地知道每盒火柴能赚到多少利润。
中国人的旧账簿用完后，每一张纸都能派上用场，或者是糊窗子，或者用来糊灯笼。
中国人的节俭甚至达到了这种地步，就连确实必要的食品也尽量节俭。他们会为了省钱而忍饥挨饿，而且认为这是理所当然。B.亨利博士在他的《十字架和龙》一书中记录下了一个很好的例子：三个轿夫抬着他走了五个小时、二十三英里的路送他到目的地。然后，轿夫们又回广州，去吃别人施舍的免费的早餐。在吃早餐之前，他们走了四十六英里的路，其中一半还是担轿子负重而行的，只是为了节省五美分！
还有另一个例子。两个轿夫抬着轿子走了三十五英里路，然后撑着船回去。自早上六点钟起，他们什么东西也没吃过，却舍不得花上三美分买两大碗米饭吃。后来，那只船搁浅了，直到次日下午两点才到达广州。而这些人已经是二十七小时粒米未进了，还抬着一个人走了三十五英里的路。这时，他们竟然还提出抬着亨利博士前去广州，继续走十五英里，还要带上他的行李！
对西方人来说，中国人如此节俭的活法，确实很难令他们赞同。这些做法完全是出于纯朴的天性，但是我们不能完全表示赞赏。在这个国家的大部分地区，一年的好几个月里，特别是北方地区（说起来很怪），男孩和女孩就像是穿着“伊甸园的服饰”，完全光着身子到处乱跑。或许，在他们看来，这样不穿衣服让孩子们更舒服一些，但其实，目的还是为了节俭衣服。中国人所使用的独轮车，有相当大部分推动起来，发出咯吱咯吱的声音。而只要加上几滴油，车子的响声就会消失殆尽。这种响声从来不会停止，因为对那些“浑浑噩噩”的人来说，咯吱咯吱的响声要比几滴油更便宜。
如果是一位日本侨民在租屋子，他会在合同里特别要求每天必须得有几加仑的热水，以方便他按照老习惯洗澡。中国人也有澡堂，但绝大多数人根本就没去洗过。甚至，很多人连见都没见过。一位外国妇人看见一位中国母亲用扫帚拍去她孩子身上的灰尘，就好奇地问她：“你每天都给你的孩子洗澡吗？”“天天洗澡？”这位中国母亲不甚愉快地回答道，“打他生下来，就还没洗过澡。”肥皂的零售商们喜欢把“像泥土一样便宜”的字样贴在橱窗上，即使如此，也不会吸引一般中国人的兴趣。
中国人一定把外国人都看做是“浪费肥皂的人”，这正如意大利人对英国人的评价一样。在中国，人们洗衣服时所用的肥皂，当然是少得不能再少了。他们所洗过的衣服，与我们所说的清洁标准相比，显然还有一定距离。我们不能把他们这么做的原因完全归于为了节俭。因为许多中国人与我们一样，尽管生活条件非常简陋，但依然喜爱干净，其中有些人虽身处贫寒，但还整洁得值得我们去效仿。
正是由于节俭的本性使然，在中国，要买任何现成的工具一般是不可能的。你可买到一些部分的“半成品”，然后自己动手加工组装。一般而言，自己动手总比买加工现成的便宜，正因为所有的人都是这么想的，结果完全的成品当然也就不出售了。
我们曾经谈论过许多中国人在物质上节俭的方式，比方说，在普通人家的房子里，两个房间的隔墙上会开一个洞。在洞中摆上一盏几乎是不用花钱的小油灯，用以驱散两个房间的黑暗。最具有典型性的节俭典范，可以在中国的诸如纺织、制陶、冶炼、工艺制作一类的小作坊里看到。在我们看来，这类作坊与其说表现出高明的手艺，不如说是表现中国人在节俭方面的某些才能。
就这些工作而言，中国人原本可以设计出更好的工艺方式，但是我们却看到他们没有人去改善一丁点。我们可以提供更好的方法，但却提供不了任何一种如中国人这般用料少、成效高的办法。他们似乎能够胜任任何一种工作，他们的产品，无论简单或是复杂，大多数都有这样的性质。比如，他们的炼铁炉就建在一个小院子里，总共就是那么一点点大，像是建一个大炉灶，一个小时就能用砖砌好，却能长期地用下去，很好使，成本几乎为零。
在中国，即使在完成重大事务工作上，也会以节俭优先。表现中国人节俭的最好、最典型的事例，莫过于对大量贡粮进京的管理。这个过程井井有条，也可以说是完全缺乏管理。在中国，每年有大量的贡粮被运到北京，这些贡品从南方运抵天津，再从天津起运至通州卸货。堆积如山的稻谷要卸货、称量和运输，需要各种器械。然而，让西方国家的那些“谷物交易商们”注定大吃一惊的是，在这里，完成这些工作的，只是靠一大帮的苦力，一些计量谷物的斗和数量不定的苇席，仅此而已。席子铺在地上，然后倒出谷物，称量，装袋，运走，最后收起席子。那壮观的谷物交易所，最终所剩下的仅仅只是光秃秃的泥岸！
在美洲的烟草种植园里，最大的一项开支就是建一个又长又精致的棚子，用来晾烟叶。而在中国农村，种植烟草的人这桩花费根本不贵。晾烟叶的棚子是用茅草搭盖的，用过后，这些茅草与其他草一样，又是很好的燃料。烟叶被摘下时，粗硬的叶柄依然留着，再用草绳扎住叶柄，这样烟叶都连在草绳上，然后在夜里再把它们挂起来，就像衣服晾晒在绳子上一样。这样做，简直太容易而有效不过了！
每一个在中国居住过的人都能够通过细心观察，再补充一些有关中国社会生活的事例。但是，或许没有比以下这个故事更为典型的事例了：这个故事是说一位中国老妇人，人们见她步履蹒跚地挪着步子，痛苦万分状，上前一打听才知道，她是去亲戚家，为的是死的时候能离祖坟更近些，这样一来，就能节省一点抬棺材的费用了！
英文原版
CHAPTER II. ECONOMY.
THEword "economy" signifies the rule by which the houseshould be ordered, especially with reference to the relation between expendittu"e and income. Economy, as weunderstand the term, may be displayed in three several waysby limiting the number of wants, by preventing waste, and bythe adjustment of forces in such a manner as to make a littlerepresent a great deal. In each of these ways the Chineseare pre-em.inenLly economical.
One of the first things which impress the traveller in Chinais the extremely simple diet of the people. The vast bulk ofthe population seems to depend upon a few articles, such asrice, beans in various preparations, millet, garden vegetables,and fish. These, with a few other things, form the staple ofcountless millions, supplemented it may be on the feast-days,or other special occasions, with a bit of meat.
Now that so much attention is given in Western lands tothe contrivance of ways in which to furnish nourishing foodto the very poor, at a minimum cost, it is not without interestto learn the undoubted fact that, in ordinary years, it is inChina quite possible to furnish wholesome food in abundantquantity at a cost for each adult of not more than two cents aday. Even in famine times, thousands of persons have beenkept alive for months on an allowance of not more than acent and a half a day. This implies the general existence in China of a high degree of skill in the preparation of food.Poor and coarse as their food often is, insipid and even repulsive as it not infrequently seems to the foreigner, it is impossible not to recognise the fact that, in the cooking andserving of what they have, the Chinese are past-masters of theculinary art. In this particular, Mr. Wingrove Cooke rankedthem below the French, and above the English (and he mighthave added the Americans). Whether they are really belowany one of these nationalities we are by no means so certainas Mr. Cooke may have been, but their superiority to someof them is beyond dispute. In the few simple articles whichwe have mentioned, it is evident that even from the point ofview of the scientific physiologist, the Chinese have made awise choice of their staple foods. The thoroughness of theirmode of preparing food, and the great variety in which thesefew constituents are constantly presented, are known to allwho have paid the least attention to Chinese cookery.
Another fact of extreme significance does not force itselfupon our notice, but can easily be verified. There is verylittle waste in the preparation of Chinese food, and everythingis made to do as much duty as possible. What there is leftafter an ordinary Chinese family have finished one of theirmeals would represent but a fraction of the net cost of thefood. In illustration of this general fact, it is only necessaryto glance at the physical condition of the Chinese dog or cat.On the leavings of human beings it is the unhappy functionof these animals to " live," and their lives are uniformly protracted at "a poor dying rate." The populations of newcountries are proverbially wasteful, and we have not the leastdoubt that it would be possible to support sixty millions ofAsiatics in comparative luxury with the materials daily wastedin a land like the United States, where a living is easily tobe had. But we should like to see how many human beingscould be fattened from what there is left after as many Chinese have " eaten to repletion," and the servants or children haveall had their turn at the remains! Even the tea left in thecups is poured back into the teapot to be heated again.
It is a fact which cannot fail to force itself upon our notice .at every turn, that the Chinese are not as a race gifted with that extreme fastidiousness in regard to food which is fre-jquently developed in Western lands. All is fish that comes totheir net, and there is very little which does not come therefirst or last. In the northern parts of China the horse, themule, the ox, and the donkey are in universal use, and in largedistricts the camel is made to do full duty. Doubtless it willappear to some of our readers that economy is carried too far,when we mention that it is the general practice to eat all ofthese animals as soon as they expire, no matter whether thecause of death be an accident, old age, or disease. This isdone as a matter of course, and occasions no remark whatever,nor is the habit given up because the animal may chance tohave died of some epidemic malady, such as the pleuro-pneumonia in cattle. Such meat is not considered so wholesomeas that of animals which have died of other diseases, and thistruth is recognised in the lower scale of prices asked for it,but it is all sold, and is all eaten. Certain disturbances ofthe human organisations into which such diseased meat hasentered are well recognised by the people, but it is doubtlessconsidered more economical to eat the meat at the reducedrates, and run the risk of the consequences, which, it shouldbe said, are by no means constant. Dead dogs and cats aresubject to the same processes of absorption as dead horses,mules, and donkeys. We have been personally cognisant ofseveral cases in which villagers cooked and ate dogs whichhad been purposely poisoned by strychnine to get rid ofthem. On one of these occasions some one was thoughtfulenough to consult a foreign physician as to the probable results, but as the animal was " already in the pot," the survivors could not make up their minds to forego the luxury of a feast,and no harm appeared to come of their indulgence!
Another example of Chinese economy in relation to thepreparation of food is found in the nice adjustment of thematerial of the cooking-kettles to the exigencies of the requisite fuel. The latter is scarce and dear, and consists generallyof nothing but the leaves, stalks, and roots of the crops, making a rapid blaze which quickly disappears. To meet thedeeds of the case the bottoms of the boilers are made as thinas possible, and require very careful handhng. The wholebusiness of collecting this indispensable fuel is an additionalexample of economy in an extreme form. Every smallestchild, who can do nothing else, can at least gather fuel. Thevast army of fuel-gatherers, which in the autumn and winteroverspread all the land, leave not a weed behind the hungryteeth of their bamboo rakes. Boys are sent into the trees tobeat off with clubs the autumnal leaves, as if they were chestnuts, and even straws are scarcely allowed leisure to showwhich way the wind blows, before some enterprising collectorhas " seized " them.
Every Chinese housewife knows how to make the most ofher materials. Her dress is not in its pattern or its construction wasteful like those of her sisters in Occidental countries,but all is planned to save time, strength, and material. Thetiniest scrap of foreign stuff is always welcome to a Chinesewoman, who will make it reappear in forms of utility if not ofbeauty, of which a whole parliament of authoresses of " Domestic Economies" would never have dreamed. What cannot be employed in one place is sure to be just the thingfor another, and a mere trifle of bias stuff is sufficient for thebinding of a shoe. The benevolent person in London or NewYork who gives away the clothing for which he has no furtheruse entertains a wild hope that it may not be the means ofmaking the recipients paupers, and so do more harm than good. But whoever bestows similar articles upon the Chinese,though the stuifs which they use and the style of wear are soradically different from oiu"s, has a well-grounded confidencethat the usefulness of those particular articles has now at lastbegun, and will not be exhausted till there is nothing left ofthem for a base with which other materials can unite.
The Chinese often present their friends with complimentaryinscriptions written on paper loosely basted upon a silk background. Basting is adopted instead of pasting, in order thatthe recipient may, if he chooses, eventually remove the inscription, when he will have a very serviceable piece of silk
Chinese economy is exhibited in the transactions of retailmerchants, to whom nothing is too small for attention. Adealer in odds and ends, for example, is able to give the precise number of matches in a box of each of the different kinds,and he knows to a fraction the profit on each box.
Every scrap of a Chinese account-book is liable to beutilised in pasting up windows, or in the covering of paperlanterns.
The Chinese constantly carry their economy to the point ofdepriving themselves of food of which they are really in need.They see nothing irrational in this, but do it as a matter ofcourse. A good example is given in Dr. B. C, Henry's " TheCross and the Dragon." He was carried by three coolies forfive hours a distance of twenty-three miles, his bearers thenreturning to Canton to get the breakfast which was furnishedthem. Forty-six miles before breakfast, with a heavy loadhalf the way, to save five cents!
In another case two chair coohes had gone with a chairthirty-five miles, and were returning by boat, having had nothing to eat since 6 a.m., rather than pay three cents for two}arge bowls of rice. The boat ran aground, and did not reachCanton till 2 p.m. next day. Yet these men, having gonetwenty-seven hours without food, carrying a load thirty-five
mfles, offered to take Dr. Henry fifteen miles more to Canton,and but for his baggage would have done so
Many of the fruits of Chinese economy are not at all pleasing to the ^Vestemers, but we cannot help admitting thegenuine nature of the claim which may be built on them. Inparts of the Empire, especially (strange to say) in the north,the children of both sexes roam around in the costume of theGarden of Eden, for many months of the year. This comesto be considered more comfortable for them, but the primarymotive is economy. The stridulous squeak of the vast armyof Chinese wheelbarrows is due to the absence of the fewdrops of oil which might stop it, but which never do stop it,because to those who are gifted with " an absence of nerves "the squeak is cheaper than the oil.
If a Japanese emigrates, it is specified in his contract thathe is to be furnished daily with so many gallons of hot water,in which he may, according to custom, parboil himself. TheChinese have their bathing-houses too, but the greater part ofthe Chinese people never go near them, nor indeed ever sawone. " Do you wash your child every day ? " said an inquisitive foreign lady to a Chinese mother, who w:.,s &een throwingshovelfuls of dust over her progeny, and then wiping it offwith an old broom. " Wash him every day ! " was the indignant response; "he was never washed since he was born! "To the Chinese generally, the motto could never be madeeven intelligible which was put in his window by a dealer insoap, " Cheaper than dirt."
The Chinese doubtless regard the average foreigner as itis said the Italians do the English, whom they term "soapwasters." Washing of clothes in China by and for the Chinese there certainly is, but it is on a very subdued scale, andin comparison with what we call cleanliness it might almostbe left out of account. Economy of material has much to dowith this, as we cannot help thinking, tor many Chinese appredate clean things as much as we do, and some of them aremodels of neatness, albeit under heavy disadvantages.
It is due to the instinct of economy that it is generally impossible to buy any tool ready-made. You get the parts in a"raw" shape, and adjust the handles, etc., yourselves. It isgenerally cheaper to do this for one's self than to have itdone, and as every one takes this view of it, nothing is to behad ready-made.
We have spoken of economical adjustments of material,such as that found in ordinary houses, where a dim light, whichcosts next to nothing, is made to diffuse its darkness over twoapartments by being placed in a hole in the dividing wall.The best examples of such adjustments are to be found inChinese manufactures, such as the weaving of all kinds offabrics, working in pottery, metal, ivory, etc. Industries ofthis sort do not seem to us to exemphfy ingenuity so much asthey illustrate Chinese economy. Many better ways can bedevised of doing Chinese work than the ways which theyadopt, but none which make insignificant materials go furtherthan they do with the Chinese. They seem to be able to doalmost everything by means of almost nothing, and this is acharacteristic generally of their productions, whether simpleor complex. It applies as well to their iron-foundries, on aminute scale of completeness in a small yard, as to a cookingrange of strong and perfect draft, made in an hour out of apile of mud bricks, lasting indefinitely, operating perfectly, andcosting nothing.
No better and more characteristic example of economy ofmaterials in accomphshing great tasks could be found, evenin China, than the arrangements, or rather the entire lack ofarrangements, for the handling of the enormous amount ofgrain which is sent as tribute to Peking. This comes up thePeiho from Tientsin, and is discharged at T'ung-chou. Itwould surprise a " Corn Exchange " merchant to find that all the machinery needed for unloading, measuring, and removingthis mountain of rice and millet is simply an army of coolies,a supply of boxes made like a truiicated cone, which are the" bushel " measures, and an indefinite number of reed mats.Only this and nothing more. The mats are spread on theground, the grain is emptied, remeasured, sacked, and sent off,and the mats being taken up, the Emperor's Com Exchangeis once more a mere mud-bank!
On an American tobacco plantation one of the heaviest expenses is the building of the long and carefully constructedsheds for drying. In Chinese tobacco farms there is for thisobject no expense at all. The sheds are made of thatch, andwhen they are worn out the old material is just as good forfuel as the new. When the tobacco is picked, the stout, stiffstalks are left standing. Straw ropes are stretched along thesestalks, and upon the ropes are hung the tobacco leaves, whichare taken in at night with the ropes attached, like clothes hungto a line. For simplicity and effectiveness this device couldhardly be excelled.
Every observant resident in China would be able to add tothese illustrations of a Chinese social fact, but perhaps nomore characteristic instance could be cited than the case ofan old Chinese woman, who was found hobbling along in apainfully slow way, and on inquiry of whom it was ascertainedthat she was going to the home of a relative, so as to die in aplace convenient to the family graveyard, and thus avoid theexpense of coffin-bearers for so long a distance！
热门跟贴