.
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
WEEK-END SECTION
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1937
THE PITIFUL STORY OF THE TAAN-KA
Hongkong's Teeming
Thousands Who
Live On The Water
O all the teeming mil-
lions of the Middle Kingdom, those who are the most interesting to the average Westerner are per-
DESCRIBED BY
T. PAUL
haps those scores of thou-GREGORY
sands who live, die and literally have their being
upon the water. These boat-
people, or Taan-ka as the to the Taan-ka "flower boats."
Hulco, to this day, a. commia euphemism for the net of becoming 11 1
Chinese are wont to term them, are indubitably most unusual
race and, moreover, have been so op- pressed and persecuted dur- ing the long centuries that they may be, likened in a sense to the Children of Israel, for their being con- fined to dwelling upon the water, has in itself been a much more real and effec- tive barrier to assimilation than was the trammelling isolation of the chetto and Judenstrasse which beset
courtesan is Tok-kui which literally means "to go down to the water," ie, to be forced to live
tpon the river amongst The Tann-
ka.
Informer days, it is interesting to rern, tepers were anished to the water, and it was a common sight to sue al ng portions of the Cantea river front a number of the leper boats whose inmates were segregated thus from the dwellers on land.
that the name was derived from
general
the "outer barbarians"
The
It is interesting to note that the name Tan-ka signifles "ega people” and many a writer has mentioned the shape of their boats and in fact the Jew in mediaevalt requires no great stretch of the Chinese population welcomed the Imagination to note the faurled change of rule, and many of them Europe.
resemblance. Actually, however, forthwith gave up their maritime The parallel is much more apt the name had its origin from an life and settled on shore, forming when we romsider that, like the incident which took place many number of villages. From the Hebrews, these bout-people have eraluries ago on the occasion of a very beginning of foreign inter- been the victims of prejudice great food when the bout-people, course with the Chinese at Canton in 1631, the Taan-ka were which survives even to this day, as a result of the entastrophe had in
funds to pay No
the official tax reality the only Chinese willing to inasmuch they are 3134
dish electors, and so offered to make work for the foreigners, and for herited, landless class, distrusted up the lexy in contribution of decades they formed the hangers- and even feared by their land eggs. This was ultimately accepted on of the foreign "factories," dwelling compatriots. The bias by the Government of the time, assisting not only in the transport the name Taan-ka or "egg- of goods but also as coolies, cocka, against them reached its climax in
knd the promulgation of an edict by ple" passed into the Chinese clerks, servants
language as the proper designalión "landy men" for the Europeat the Manchu Emperor K'ang-hsi fa for these water twellers. It may traders. Furthermore, they were the fifth year of his reign feirra be remarked here that every Than the ones who gave the foreigners 1780) "forbidding them under ka boat has a fowl or two, which their first lessons in the Cantonese kept in a pen placed at the vernacular at a time when tench- sevére penalties to settle on shore, are
of the bant
but ing and to intermarry with the hand-dwol- stern
few feet above the water. Chinese language was a capital ling Chinese, and to compete in It is the custom of the people, to offence. Even the name zagkong any of the literary examinations."
save un the eggs laid by their is simply a corruption of the Than- So ostracised were the Tuan-ka fowls until they aggregate a dozen ka pronunciation of the Cantonese that one of the most dreadled or an before they are takes to the Heung-kong or "fragrant_lagoon." lo he offered for sale, so Moreover, the Taum-ka like other punishments in the hands of the shore Imperial authority was the power that in a case of necessity, such as oppressed people have no illusions mentioned above, thousands of and a modicum of racial prejuilica, to banish those who incurred the
egga can be collected from the in- and did not hesitale in giving their displeasure of the Throne to an numerable craft of these people womenfolk to the European existence amongst these water provided suitable notice were bachelors in the Canton "fac- dwelling folk. The physical hard- given,
tories"; it is said that practically ship and the spiritual unrest of
all the early cases of offspring by such an exile would be a calamity
Coreign fathers and Chinese mothers were born of Tuan-ka wo- high-born mul sensitive scholar or official of the old school,
men. tipl so for this reason it was re- garded as
one of the severest penalties that could be meted out to a transgressor against the law. What is more, although these restrictions have been in abeyance, since the abolition of the old examination system in 1904, and the downfall of the Empire eight years later. popular custom still discountenances intermarriage be tween the Taan-ka and the other Chinese. Of course, such mar- riages do occasionally take place. it is generally a one-sided affair, that is, a land-dwelling The Taan-ka, on account of their build. Moreover, amongst their
of oppression. Chinese may take a Taru-ka wo centuries
are boats one will find those of all types man to be either his wife or con- suspicious of strangers, but are and descriptions bearing persona cubine la fret, no Taan-ka man usually quite friendly and frank skilled to every craft from the
F1:
their desires a lumul-woman for a wife as
relationship with physician and horbalist she can but seldom adapt herself foreigners. For example, when ubiquitous soothsayer and fortune- to the hard life and confinement the Island of Hongkong was ceded teller. According tu figures com- of a tiny boat.
to Britain in the Treaty of Non- piled by the Canton Police king In 1841, the Taan-ka who there are around that city formed
to
but
a
Another factor which illustrates the inherent prejudice against the Taur-ka is the custom said to be current amongst certain parts of the interior of disposing of those girls who have made a moral faux
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the river
The Taan-ka are generally as sumed to be the remnants of an abriginal people who inhabited the southern portion of the Middle Kingdom in the millennia before
In reality, life the conquering sons of Han came
ank ngst the Taanta whilst ex- down from the North. Indeed, al ceedingly hard, is in its way self- though physically the boat-people sufficient, and as far as health is differ little from their compatriots concerned the Taan-ka are general- on the land, yet many ethnologists ly
healthy than the stale that they possess an affinity Chinese on land. As will other surviving racial groups nole from a casual glance their such as the Miso, Lolo, Loi wad in physiques are well-developed, tribesmen who exist in widely although their women-folk en scattered groups throughout parts easily be distinguished from land- of Kwangtung, Kwengsi, Yunnan women of the working classes by and Kwrichow,
their shorter stature, and stockier
more
Cle
to the
3,600 coastal trading Junks, tions such as carrier coolics, etc. 4,000 sumpans, 600 fishing vessels, The following gives an lien of the 400 sand bouts, 200 fertiliser or average monthly income of a num night-soil barges, and upwards of her of the occupations largely 150 fa-feng or "flower-bonts." In followed by the Taan-ka: Seam addition there are numerous Roat-, stress, $8, sumpan boat-girl, $12, ing restaurants, pleasure launches, manual Inbourer $16, hawker $10, and a number of apecial bouts called sailor $36,
$21, Boothanyer Wu-shun which are hired out by machinist $48, "ilewer boat" courte- the Taan-ka whenever they have san $25 to $100. occasion to perform religious cere-
monies.
Bech
notorious
for
many of the prettiest of their female children are unfortunately dested to be dediated to the service of the Goddess Aphrodite as soon as they attain the age of puberty, and these haam-shui-moni or Yealt water girls" are a familiar aight to those who go for a noc- turnal stroll along the water front <f any of the larger cities. ot southern China. It is in Canton, The cramped life upon the boats however, where they are found per and the hard, laborious existence haps in the greatest number. Here It may be mentioned in this of the Taan-ka people is not con- until recently were found girls who connection, that the Than-ka are ducive to either refinement or mor-
were in many instances clever influitely more superstitious than ality. Indeed, the average boat- linguists. In fact, the majority their compatriots who live on the dweller is
his were partly poly-lingual. Words land, and are the most credulous command of biting invective that and phrases in several longues of all the Children of Tang, and would surpass the fecund impreca- flowed readily from their lin
to accept with the usual tions of the proverbial old-time broken
English, corrupt French, fatalistic acquiesence of the Orien- Russian sailor. Moreover, it is bad Portuguese and
worse-Blill- at the fact that a circumstance is said that the women are most adept Japanese sought to bid fair rivalry ching-ting, or "decreed by Heaven" in eaulic vituperation which would with their native Cantonese. The and since it is this "It positively put to shame the most irate Bil- foreigner who happened to take, an cannot be helped". "To the average lingsgate fish-wife.
evening promenade along the Taan-ka such a doctrine of fatalism
Shumeen water-front would be is the final and suficient explana-
constantly, greeted by feminine tion of all the fortunes and mis- that on account of bitter poverty forties that overtake individanis and nations. Such a belief, coupled with the customary mentality of a submerged and oppressed class, has to a greater or lesser degree steeped them into the most abject and pitiable apathy. Although the repressive barriers which were pat upon them by law have been re- moved since the formation of the Republic in 1912, yet the Tura-ku as a whole do not avail themselves
of the opportunities which are apparently offered them to-day and which cogently speaking al- mits their equality before the bar of justice, yet it will be many years before a complete social conscious ness pervades the people and until this is done and the facilities for securing adequate educational advantages are fully granted, the Taan-ka will not assume a pince of equality amongst the citizens of the Chinese Republic.
Furthermore, it
is
afirmed
COMEDY
TEST ANSWERS
Wook-End Problems
PROBLEM I.
AT MACARONI'S
jist party
There is no
2nd
17
3rd
11
clue 13 to
4th
19
the order in
5th
17
which the
*
1 (31
23
17th 10th
50
four groups arrived.
01
دی
Total 214
The clue to the solution is that in the case of each party the number of pennies spent must have been the square of n prime.
*
PROBLEM IL BORE
OVID
RICE
EDEN
Who Is This?
(1) Sir Pelham Warner. (2) Dame Sybil Thorndike, (3) Ernest Bevin.
voices who would shril at him, and there would be an agitated scramble as each sampan manned by two or three aturdy women would race to the boat landing in the hope that the foreign gucat would condescend to come aboard. Sometimes, too, the inquisitive tra- veller might hire a sampan manned by honest folk and yau-hoh or go for a nocturnal ride into the watery streets of the harples, and if his heart showed pity for the daughters and sisters of men he would never purchase a "flower" at the price that poverty and incredible hard- ship compel these poor boat-people to pay.
In short, considering every phase of the toilsome existence of the Taun-ka, one has nothing but the greatest pity for them, and a ein- cere hope that Time trill see their completo emancipation from the trammelling shackles of intolerance and prejudice of their more for- tunate compatriots, and that both will realize that they must work for the renaissance of modern China and that together they must assume the burdens and responsi bilities that are incumbent upon the citizens of arent and powerful Commonwealth.
CORNER
By F. W. Thomas
Mr. MacWhully,
Was
con-
MR. DONALD MACHINERY next three days he dribbles
MACWHUTTY—a Scots- felt. It trickles out of his boots. man, I shouldn't wonder-has it falls out of his trouser turn-ups. "And of what," I asked, "dors this written me a very angry letter, delightful stuff consist?" And what's more, he means every "Well," said Mr. Spratt, "it's just
a lot of rotten uld word of it.
so-and-so and what-J-suld-before rubbidge, Bits I Icarn.
of entoured paper, and silver horse- Thinking of getting married, but shous, and little bells, and so on. now he is not so sure. He's having And the way it blows about, and another think,
gets in the pews, and mucks up the You see, friend Donald Bves in
lower beds, and bungs up the chicobs town, Emall provincial
pixl
the of the
I reckon harmonium,
Ave vicar he had chosen to do the job bob's dirt cheap. seven-and-six and no extras-re-
"The little coloured bits," said Mr. cently decided to charge a furtehr Spratt Ave shillings it confetti were thrown Spratt, "are manufactured by retired bus-conductors. They punch 'em out of old bus tickets, red, green, blue and yellow; and the noise in the factory, I'm told, is something awful.
about in the churchyard.
Sonte of the customs of the Taan- ku differ in detail from those of the land population, and amongst This has aroused Donald's fre. No there is that of child marriage. couple, he says, can consider them This takes place at the age of eight | selves decently married without to ten, although, of course, no mari- plenty of confetti. The thing isn't
done, tal relations occur until the girl
the larger part of the nearly 7,500 transport eraft, is of nubile age, and hence until
that period she acts as a helper to her mother-in-law in the hard work-a-day life of n bont-girl. This system has a number of well-re- cognised advantages inasmuch as the girl is more easily managed and can be brought up to please her husband's people and can be made at the same time a source of income. Furthermore, the shan-ka or "body-price" is much lower-be- Ing only about $100 or so, whilst for a fully-growa young woman aged 16 or 17 it ranges between $300 and $400,
"Nothing but the ping-ping-ping And Isn't it bad enough to have to of these bus-conductors, plaging pay tuppence a bag for the stuff their
pingers, and making these without this further dreadful im- little bits of paper for people to get posccction?
| married with,
Five shillings, say Donald! Five "And then they comes here with solid
silver shillings! Hoch nye!t, and hangs about outside the church More than enough to buy half-a- | door, walling to bung it at the pore dozen wee dochs and dorises. And old bridegroom.
"And when the show's do I know if he would be allowed to sweep up the confetti after the lave to clear up the mess. Hours ceremony and keep lt by him in case and hours I've spent sweep-sweep- he should ever go to another wed-sweeping the profane stuff out of the ding or get married again?
Wishing to know more about these things I called in at the Dog and Dabchick last evening and had a few words with Mr. Abel Spratt.
perishing
over,
I
cracks In the pusillani- maus pavement; and when I com- plain about it the vlear says why don't I get a little sticit with a little all in the end, like a park-keeper, and pick up each bit separate, the silly old geezer."
"But it's a nasly heathen custom," For the first ten minutes our said Mr. Spratt, "ond it ought to be conversation was quite pleasant and stopped. Back in the good old days sanitary, but when I mentioned con-
people used to sling rice at the Really!
dear, oh, dear!, and that was all right. Inshionable wedding.
feiti
I'd plien 'em."
Oh
the
The Taan-ka ns a while, it may be mentioned, are not very provi- dent and their mode of gaining an Income belng precarious to the The so-and-so rubbidge," said with plenty of friends to see 'em off, extreme renders them a people Mr. Spratt. "Blowing all over the I'd sweep up enough rice to keep us who gypay-like live from day to so-and-so place, getting into the in milk puddens for a week or more, day. In fact, it is estimated that naughty cracks of the wicked-word beside having a bit over for
the tomb- chickens, nearly three-fourths of the average pavement, and making Lacome is expended on necessities stones untidy. If I had my way of life such as food and clothing, whlist the remaining 25 per cent, is squandered in various ways, moat- ly in gambling, drinking, smoking and in various practices connected with their religious worship such as the buying of candles, incense, charm, ole. The majority of the Tann-ka are engaged in maritimo industry, although a considerable number engage in and occupa-l
Subsequently, under the soothing Influence of a stoup of old-and-mlid, Mr. Spratt told me much about the confetti habit that I had never licard
before.
of
"The great iden," he said, "is to shove as many handfuls as you can down the bridegrooom's neck. It la also considered quite the thing to rest Into his back hair. ram some into his cars and rub the
"Then wherever he goes for the
"But this contumacious confetti makes rollen puddens, no matter how long you stoo it. There's next to no nourishment in the stuff, and the chickens won't even look at it.
"As for charging people five bob for chucking it about, I'm all for flint, providing the Reverend Plim- sole plays the game and goes fifty- fifty."
With which Mr. Spratt gazed mournfully Into his mug, assuring me that there was Just line for an- other if I hurried up.
IN WORRIED ABOUT WINNIE, HUASE, SHE FRETS FROM MORNING TILL NIGHT. WHAT DO YOU ADVISE?"
"Why, the poor little thing is consti pated. No wonder sho's frälful, That - is the chief thing o mother has to guard against, Mrs. Grant.
"Kiddies don't understand; they're 60 absorbed in their games, and often neglect Nature's call. Then they get bilious, lose their appetite and be- come irritable.
"Show me your tongue, Winglo. Yes, it is coated a sure sign sho's out of sorts. All she needs in 'Call- fornia Syrup of Figs," and she'll be as happy as a lock in the morning.
"You'll find it keeps the bowels regular, purifies the syslam and saves stomach
upsets and biliousness.
"If children are to thrive and grow strong Lad keen witted, they must cat well and digest what they eat. There's no better way than the regu- far weekly dose of 'California Syrup of Figs. All children love it.
"If I were you, I would send for a bottle now and give Winnio a dose at once.
"Be sure you insist on "California Syrup of Figs, Mrs. Grant, I am sur prised that some mothers are ready to experiment with cheap and drastic preparations. It's such a pity they don't realize that 'California Syrup of Figs' in a perfectly anfo children's laxative. I know myself how carefully and scientifically it is prepared,"
California Syrup of Figs"
'NATURES QWH` LAXATIVE