326
Whistrations of Men and Things in China
JUNE
as strange as can be well conceived, altnost akin to the demoniacal natures ascribed to ghouls and genii in Arabian story; and many of these opinions, we think, derive a sanction in their minds from the use of kwei.
We once saw a mother instantly quell the crying of her child by telling it that she would throw it to the fankwei, if it did not hush. On another occasion, we were walking alone, and over- took a child, who immediately began to whimper and cry fankwei “Do'nt cry, do'nt cry,” said the father, "he understands Chinese, which quite pacified it. The use of this epithet however cannot be eradicated, until the people shall have had more familiar intercourse with those from other lands, and learned to regard them as fellow- men and friends, by receiving ocular demonstration of their claim to such titles.
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Mode of sharpening edge tools.—The greatest part of the blade in most of the edge tools of the Chinese is made of soft iron, the edge only being steel, and usually of a pretty good temper. The search for stones proper for whetstones has not been carried to much extent, or else there are none in the country except those of the coarsest grain, which are wholly unfit for sharpening fine tools. In order to supply this want, the cutlers have contrived a scraper, shaped some- what like a drawing-knife in having handles at each end of a bar, with a chissel-like process on the bar. In using this shovel, or chán as it is called, the razor or other tool is placed firmly upon a bench, aud the workmen pushes the scraper along its edge, paring off a fine shaving. When he has taken off as much as is necessary, a strop is used to give a smooth edge. This clumsy mode of putting an edge on certain tools has been to some extent superseded in this region by common whetstones, but whether they are imported or not we have not learned.
Bean curd.-This is the name sometimes given to an emulsive preparation of pulse, which is constantly hawked about the streets, and used as a condiment. It is made from a species of Dolichos bean, cultivated for the purpose, which after being boiled and skin- ned, is ground in a common hand-mill, with the addition of a good deal of water. The semifluid mass, after straining and adding a little clean water, resembles bonny-clabber or curdled milk, and in that state is called tau fú hwá, or bean curd jam. Frequently, the water is wholly strained off, and the curd sold in slices. It is also made into small cakes, stamped with the maker's name; which are sometimes colored yellow with the juice of small seeds called hwáng In whatever way it is used, finely powdered gypsum is usually