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HONG KONG DAILY PRESS TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 1934.
THE BIG FLOWERY MIAO OF
KWEICHOW
SEVENTEEN DAYS AMONGST
THE POOR
In Cottages Where Soot Is Plentiful!
vegetables. Then the men who hád prepared our food and our horse boy. (Incidentally, it was always men who did the cooking) Next all the other men, folk, in batches. Each sitting had about 8 people, who sat down to the same unwashed basins and chop- sticks, used by the previous fot, and used again by the next Lastly, the women and children had their
turn, most of the best meat hay-
men feed the
ing been consumed by this time! While the men are eating, the wo- pigs, and finally, after everyone is fed, the dogs are given a small amount of cornmeal, Then followed the event of the room is all swept (floor, not cell-day-the evening meeting. Some-
From Our Own Correspondent)
Kopu, May 8.
It
You would have been interested ingt)" and usually a bright fire is if you could have accompanied us made ready in the centre of the on the 17-day trip amongst Mise room, with a bench or two for us from which we have just returned, to sit on. They know that we As you could not be with us on have our camp beds with us and that occasion, maybe you might so prepare the empty room. Like to have some of our impres-must take some time to get ready, sions. Three things seem to have On arrival at 'b place, we were specially remained with me. The taken inside to sit by the Are, or first is the magnificent scenery f hot, outside in the shade. 8oon throughout the district. It was a we, were usually given some oat privilege just to go walking along meal flour, the tea and cakes" of the country tralls, under spreading the Miao. (We, usually take some trees, past, leafy bushes, across sugar to add to ours.) Later we green fields, up steep hills from frequently went for a little walk to explore the surrounding beau- which we could view hills in every direction for miles, or down into ples. Some of the homes cam- valleys beside little streams, pastmanded a magnificent view. One caves. rocks. mountain crags, home especially well situated had waving inspiring and invigorating, a disfuguring old shed and stable and. seemed liked a holiday jaunt. I had not realize quite how lovely it is everywhere in this district.
The second impression, is the large number of Miao who are un-
built square in front of their door, with the result that they could see nothing of the view. Beauty means nothing to them.
Although we stayed
the
DIVISION OF RECEIPTS
Football Council
Meeting
EMPIRE DAY AIR DISPLAY
King Joke With R.A.F. Officers
(Special Air Mail Service)
London, May 26" The King and Queen, with Lord Londonderry, Secretary of State for Air, motored from Sandring- ham to the R.A.F. Aerodrome at Bircham Newton, Norfolk, to-day, Empire Air Day, to see a flying display.
They had an unexpected thril! when one machine talled to take The machine headed for the aerodrome fence, but the pilot cleverly swung the 'plane round and took off, juining., up with the squadron in the air.
The question of distributing the gate receipts obtained from the replay between the St. Joseph's and the South Wales Borderers for the First Division league. honours, formed the main topic of discus- slon at the monthly meeting of the Hong Kong Football Council yes- terday.
After long and deliberate dis-off in formation. times this was held elsewhere, but cussion, it was eventually decided often in "our" room, when again that 25 per cent, of the gate re- the curtained-off corner was a ceipts be given to St. Joseph's and boon to sleeping Neil. Often there the South Wales Borderers respec-
When the King saw a camera on were too many people to be actively 40 per cent to the Hong which was fixed a red and green commodated inside and then we Keng Football Association and the lighting device he remarked joking- had the meeting cutside the house, remaining 10 per cent to the Howly. "You only need another light under the stars. Whether inside loon Football club, on whose to make it like the traffic signal at or out, we were illuminated by the ground the match was played. It Piccadilly-cireas blazing pine-chips, as they were is understood that the receipts piled on a big flat stone on the amounted to a little over $200. | table: It was someone's duty to
TheWonderful. Breathe-able
Tablets
Then the King and Queen bad a little discussion about whether The Council-also decided to hold | Boston "Stump & well-known land- have a basket of these chips ready the annual meeting of the Asso-nack, the tower of St. Botolph's For
ciation at the Sports Club on Church could be seen across The
Wash from Hunstanton, Thursday, July 12, The Hon. Bir Thomas Southern will preside at this meeting.
and keep the blaze replenished. It is most fascinating to watch the flames leaping up, causing spurts of gas to faze forth every now, and again. and lighting up all the faces
near by. Daniel Lo, and| Mark Chang were with us on this trip, and they and my husband spoke at all the meetings. while I often said a few words to the wo- men and girls, We also taught a chorus, as the Miao love something
The accounts for the season 1033-1934 were read and approved, the Chairman, Major C. M. Man- ners. remarking that the financial condition of the Association could be considered satisfactory,
Those present at the meeting were:
Major C. M. Manners
The Queen held the view that it could not, whereas the King thought that it could.
Diplomatic
They consulted an officer, who replied, diplomatically, that he thought it was possible to see across The Wash on a fine day. The reply created laughter in the Royal party.
der the influence of the Gospel.j largest house in the village, it did new to sing. 'We ended with about ¦ (Chairman), the Hon. Bir Thomas What sffect do bombs really have i
are
it is one thing to know that there not always follow that our host about 4,000 embers, and and hostess entertained us. Often quite another to meet dozens and the village folk clubbed together dozens of them in different places share in buying the rice or corn, day after day. Each night crowds meat etc. also the food for the came to all the house we were in. horses. Sometimes the family we for the evening meeting-always stayed with were pretty short of
and a fresh batch of people, corning food
simply lent their from other villages near by as well room to us, while someone
from as the one in which we were stay; else
took another home of their fire and ing. Thank God for the large possession number of Miso who have been brought food and cooked for us. brought from darkness to Light. These things do not seer at all And thirdly, I was impressed incongruous to the Map but work "with the number of children. They out satisfactorily to all concerned. were everywhere with their bright | in order to secure, a little brown eyes and happy smiles, privacy. I always carry three large Little boys and girls are the same pieces of cloth with me to usė pa the world over, and one's heart curtains. First I put a long tape warmed to them. There is a great which will stretch across a room. opportunity amongst the many and peg. the curtains on to it. children throughout this district. Even a little" cross-corner piece When we travel like this, Chris screened from the public gaze is The Miao knows tian young men come to carry our a great boon. 'boxes. We take
camp nothing of privacy. They do not beds, bedding, wash basins, tollet undress to go to bed, but just lie floor 'or On some articles, cups, rice bowls, chop-down on the sticks, writing material, clothes, boards, with their thick felt capes, The feet sticking out towards the are. gramophone, etc., etc., etc.
and there you are! So of course "people to whom we are going pre- pare their largest room for us, al- they cannot imagine why we prefer ways the largest house in the some privacy. They marvel at our village being chosen for us Miao camp beds, and as for our bedding! houses usually consist of three Words fall them. How warm we (sometimes only one!) a must be with that! Wondering centre, room with one opening of fingers run over our canvas camp it at each side. There is always beds. "How soft!" They can think such a lot of "truck" around the of nothing so soft to sleep on, little room-old earthen pots, ploughs, realizing that we use a thin mat
well! No wonder hares, bow and arrow, old straw tress as shoes, weaving machine, dirty be- cannot think what we have in our grimed little baskets used for pop-boxes. "No wonder, too, that when Ding all sorts of things into; cook they come into our plain little. ing pot and, smoke-blackened home in Kopu they stand in awe wooden steamer for, the grain, all as they gaze at curtains,
rooms,
our own
Shaving Arouses Interést.
half-an-hour's" gramophone' music, the great treat. How they love muste! Mr. Windsor lent ús two Chinese hymn records and Laughing Record, which
were much appreciated.
זיי
It was a treat to watch the faces of the people as the-record began to "laugh." It is surprising how many different ways people can laugh, from quiet sniggers to out-
The King asked another officer:
effect of a shell " on warships! Is it similar to the
Southern. Mr. G. T. May (hon. secretary), Mr." W. L. Alexander Treasurer), Messrs. A. R. Hughes, Barnes, J. Ralston, O. A. Golden-effect was very similar, except that The officer explained that the berg, W.-Pryde, R. Hall, Captain the bomb does not travel so fast as Fleetwood, Capt. Ellot-Heywood and Capt. E. Hague.
black Chinese coffin at one end.
ashell
"I know that the effect of the shells "on the decks of the ships at Jutland was very terrible," remark- ed the King
When examining a new type of told by an RAF. sergeant that theoretically * man wearing the helmet cold stand for five minutes in a flaming petrol fire without harm
right laughing. Mião girls often We found it useful for dumping asbestos fire helmet the King wa siggle into their sleeves. or cover their mouths with their hands. I saw one "man laugh so heartily he had to dry the tears from his eyes, while a woman just rocked in her seat and laughed out loud. The gramophone was a great as- set throughout the trip, and was éspecially nice for the sake of the old people who do not often get to meetings."
things on! In still another home, the living room where our meals were prepared bad a pig pen in one corner, with the water butt close by, and coin in another corner, a big coal fire, and an open door in the other corner, letting in a bitter wind. A board placed on top of the coffin.did duty as chopping board and table to work at while preparing meals! room opened off this one and had a chicken coop in one corner; and the miserable rooster in it decided somewhere after midnight to crow, and kept it up at intervals until daylight.
Our
“Granny” Laughs. One feels so sorry for the very old people in Miaoland. I especi- ally remember one such couple. Both were very deaf, so neither spoke to the other, but just sat In another home, a young fellow there as the weary hours dragged was carried into our room during by Granny was over 80, wrink- | the morning and dumped down on led and wizened up. Most of the a cape by the fire, groaning with time she sat in a dark inner room | pain. He got someone to tie & beside a smoky wood fire, with string very tightly around his armi nothing to do but add an oc- to""relleve" his pain, "We gave casional log. That night, we got him some medicine and made him her to sit close to the gramophone, loose the string. But he didn't hoping she might catch some of feel right that way, and.
music. A look of interest | much wriggling and moaning. flashed into her dreary face--she | eventually persuaded someone to could hear something! When the tie his arm up tightly again. Later, Laughing Record came on, we he was removed to someone else's watched her face closely would fire while we had the morning she catch it? Suddenly her meeting. Before the gramophone she exclaimed. "It's laughing!" he was back and smiling, all bet- It was a real thrill to see her, and ter again. Was it the string or we felt it was worth going to that the medicine that did the trick? village to bring a bit of brightness into such a dreary life. What night as I sat teaching some girls
they the
cleani
8
Hard Boiled Eggs!
་་
after
chorus,.-- granny was sitting The three week-ends were spent. wearlly by the fire and it was at outstations. At two of these late. I suggested that she go off there are schools, and the boys to bed and not mind me. "She did. came out to meet us. carrying It was pathetic to see the meagre | Chinese flags at their head and preparations for * comfortable standing in a double row to let us night's rest. She laid a fagged pass through""- The school boys felt cape on the floor near the fire, are doing well, and incidentally and then warmed a spare? old learning part-singing nicely, 3. garment, which she threw around
sorts of oddments, each and all board floors with mats, chair, pic-face broke into smiles and part of the meeting was finished. dirty with smuts which abound tures, nuwers, and so on, and then
"It's like heaven" I in every Mian house. The fire is exclaim always just a hole dug in the floor have often thought what a Sur- a marvellous Home, and the smoke wanders around prise, what the room at the caprice of the Heaven will be for these poor alm- breezes. You just could not im- ple Miao, who never knew any agine. unless you saw it how the thing of what we call comfort. soot and dust gather on every- thing. Usually, low above this Arc, there is a wooden frame At one place, when I was put affair hanging down from the roof ting Nell to bed behind the cur- by ropes. Green wood is place on tain, I heard women whispering to this to dry out for future use. This each other: They could see his frame gets jet black and often" feet standing in a basin of water hangs with Boot inches long. It below the curtain and said in is so nice when you are walking amazed tones "She's washing his about the room to come bump into feet!" It was also a constant her shoulders and lay down on Visiting a different village each It and have smuts fall over your source of wonder that Nell (almost the cape, with her feet pointing day made the time pass very hair!.
6 yrs old) should go off willingly to the warmth of the fire, and a quickly. Almost all the time we to bed at such an unheard of hour second cape thrown over all-and had good weather, and everywhere Boot" And More Soot
--just at dusk! He had not wept, she was ready for her night's had the warmest of welcomes. Just to look upwards the celling nor fussed, nor said he was sleepy! sleep!. Poor old granny she told Early in the trip we lost count of In most Miao rooms is to get a Some of them though, us pretty me she longed to go to heaven, but the eggs presented to Nell-a few view of cobwebs, dirt and smuts, unkind to do such a strange thing the Heavenly Father was not will dozen being hard bolted! such as no barn or stable at home In the mornings, in order to get ing ito take her, yet what a tunately several were raw: the could boast. The black soot Bolds what light was available, my hus- change awaits her Boon!
hard boiled ones had mostly to be all the dust and dirt that is blow-band usually had to shave sitting God for the Message of Hope we discreetly given away to someone
else." ing around; this goes on increas- by the open front door-as there bring to all such lives as this. ing year by year till it hangs down are usually no windows. This
When visiting Miao homes, it is While out, we heard a disquiet- in festoons many places. operation always aroused interest,
quite handy being so short My ing report that a large robber band. the cool of the evening these Each morning there was a meet-
husband had to go around with which has been in the district for smuts fall in large numbers, so Ing. and breakfast followed, about bent head most of the time. It was some weeks now, had come to that one wakes up to End one's 10 o'clock. The evening meal was rare to get into a house that did Kopu and settled in for a time, nice clean bedding besprinkled round about 5 p.m., and at each not have low smutty ceiling. One and it was a big reller to get a with big black smuts, to say, no- place we were treated royally to house was particularly low and message out from Kopu to the ef- thing of any that have decided to the best they had, always some dark, making us wonder how peo- fect that it was a false rumour. Ap fall on your pillow, nose, or hair! meat and usually eggs, potatoes, ple can manage to live in it always. last the day for returning home Do you wonder that we revel in a greens etc with the rice, or coin-One night was sufficient for us! came and as we reached Kopu and hot bath when we get home? meal, or sometimes -buckwheat. At another house it took four men saw the garden in all its spring Well, as I have said, the main When we were entertained at about fteen minutes to shut the loveliness, and looked around the room is clear of all its "truck," the expense of the whole village, door at night putting it up a few little home, we thanked God that anden beds, weaving machines, there was quite a feast. The order planks at a time. Another home we are still enjoying quietness, and goodness knows what of eating interested, us First, we where we were very comfortable pray that it may long continue. stacked outside the guests sat down to a fine meal was a neatly swept room, com- This band is still at large and loat- e room for us. The with several bowls of meat and manding a fine view, with a big ing badly in many places.
:
Thank
For
"Have you ever done it," asked the King, and when the sergeant replied "No," the King added, with a mile, "No, I would not like to try myself."
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