1958-07-05 — Page 5

Page

Let's Take Hongkong's Word

By R. W. Thompstr

CHEESE-EYE; A small child. I came across this word in a vocabulary which appeared many years ago in a guide-book pub-. lished in Hongkong. The author stated that this was the Japanese chill with the same meaning.

Chisal is certainly a Japanese word but whether it is the same word as cheese-ere I am not yet able to pay. I am hoping that some reader will be able to ieli un more about the use of this wurd in Hongkong. I, for one, find it odd that à lonely Japanese word such as this should have been borrowed by Hongkong people,

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1958.

BY - HONGKONG WRITERS:

=SHORT STORIES ROSALIND YANG applied the lip

stick to the graceful arches of her upper lip. But she was nervous, and the lipstick left, an unsteady red wake. "Ai-ya!" she cried in vexed tones. Things always went wrong when she was nervous, and she would

EBB TIDE

by-

have to be nervous today of all days David T. K. Wong

Just because Te-hsin was duo to return.

Te-hain saying: "Why won't you

CHINA MAIL: readers will be familiar with the authoë?a by-line since it has frequently appeared above his despatches from Britain and the United States.

Up to \nów, however, David T. K. Wong hai confined himself to reporting news stories and feature"articles. 'This

story, set in pre-Communist _Shanghai, marks his first attempt in the field of fiction to appear in the China

Mail.....

"I didn't, say I won't marry you," Rosalind sold. "I just want to walt: a bit and be sure," "Sure of what? Sure that I would eat out of your hands like "'ll never marry you," Rosa for private woes. Under such halt the boys on campus?" lind sold.

circumstances life without Te- Why should the mere also young Cheung whore whether it was because Te-hain There was a note of sarcastic

hsin seemed almost tolerable. father owns the Ta Wah Mills. was leaving or because the defence in Te-hsin's voice.

The air about them was now thought of him still have

Why, any other girl would jump pence she had felt a moment be- the power to excite her, she at such husbands.

"No! Please!" Rosalind said, charged with hate, hanging She thinks fbre was gone,

"You know that is not what I heavy and terrible like "Yoo. Father thinka wondered, as she tissued she can plek and choose just be

that wank, I just want to wait a bit, thunder-charged cloud. the errant redness and re- cause she is beautiful, but her soon there will be war. "The After all, we are stțil so young.”

nol beauty will paired the damage.

"You are now riding on the last forever. Japanese are becoming bolder in At that moment she wanted him crest of a wave at high tide Even the moon perfecta. itself the north. He wants me to very much. If only he would beg Te-hain sold. Ilis voice too was only to wane, ds they my. If finish my studies in Amerien zo her d Hille, plead with her

going to end up being an old way."...

But in the face of his defiance mald, Just you wait and sec.

she too hardened, She must be over thirty now and still she wants to be fussy),

off

礁

At first her reaction was one of

especially sinco 'small-chill' can be said in such ́é variety of ways small comphor wood' box where she does not look out she is that I will be out of haira's fille, she would marry him. be able to reach you, but you without him. It was so untair

In Hongkong Cantonese, Pidgin English und Portuguese.

1 is Interesting to remember that older Macanese borrowed

a few Japanese words for strange imported commodities over three hundred years ago.. One of these the kaki in figo kaki is the name st given by many Hongkong Portuguese to persimmon,

CHE LEI: H Pidgin borrowed from Chinese, Portuguese and Anglo-Indian so did Chinese from many languages. It is not, therefore, surprising to find English words, such as this example embedded in the Cantonese of Hongkong. This word means jelly, CHILO: An old Pidgin word for child. It was specially used In such crudely humourous expressions as cow-cluto, girl and bull- chilo, boy.

CHIN-CHIN: According to Leland "to worship (by bowing and striking the chin), reverence, adore, implore, deprecato, anger, wish one nelling, lavite, ask. Hobson-Jobson says it is "Chinese" thank you, adieu”. It also gives chin-ohlu joss, religious worship,

I

There la a curious passage in William of Rubrick's Itinerarium, 1253 which, according to Yule and Burnell contains tha very expression: "One day there sat by me a certain priest of Calloy dressed In à red cloth of exquisité colour, and when asked him whence they got such a dye he told me how in the eastern parts of Cathay, there were tofty cliffs on which dwelt cer- tain creatures in all things partaking of human form, except that their knees did not bend... The huntsmen go thither taking very strong beer with them, and make holes in the rocks which they will this beer, Then they hide themselves and these creatures come out of their holes and taste the liquor, and call uut "Chin Chin'." Just like some local cricket clubs.

A Dilemma

,On

An author, writing in 1795 says! The two junior members of the Chinese deputation carne the appointed hour. entering the door of the marquee they both made an abrupt slop and resisted all solicitation to ödvance to chairs that had been pre- pared for them, until I should first be scated; in this dilemma, Dr Buchanan, who had visited China, udvised me what was to

be done; 1 kniedintely seized on the foremost whlist' the Doctor him- self grappled with the second; thus we soon fixed them in thele seats, both parties during the struggle repeating "Chin Chin, Chin Chin,” the Chinese term of salutatiom," (Symes).

In The Fan Kwar at Cantati (1820), one of the servants says to a European, "Mr Talbol chin-chin you come down."

Newcomers still borrow Hongkong words, often a few minutes after (or before) landing. In 1830 they were doing the same thing if we can believe W. Gill, River of Golden Band; "But far from thinking it any shame to deface our beautiful language, the English seem to glory in its distortion and will often ask one another to come lo chow-chow instead of dinner; and send their 'chin-chin' even in letters, rather than their compliments; most of them ignorant of the fact the chow-chow is no more Chinese than

I is Hebrew; that chin-chin, though an expression used by the Chinese, does not, in its true meaning, come near to the 'good-bye, old fellow' for which it is often used or the compliments for which it is so frequently substituted."

CHI SZ: Another loan-word introduced to Cantonese with the arrival of an unfamiliar commodity, cheese. For chi ve is Hong- kong's Cantonese name for cheese.

CHIT: A note bill, cle. This work is now common in col- loquial English all over the world but as recently as 1879 one writer was struck by its extensive use in Hongkong. He is E.S. Bridges who, in Round World remarked that "everything in Hong- kong] is done by what are called chits.

Chilty is still commonly used in the armed forces and calt is its contracted form, Chitty itself is Anglo-Indian and could be written chlithi In Hindi and chitti in Mahroll.

A reference from 1785 (Seton-Karr): "They] may know

his terms by sending a chit.""

A British Crossword Puzzle

1748

120

LACROSS

4

5

12

13

14

16

21

22

24

26

DOWN

1 Not, as a rule, the "ones that 1 They may be wet or dry (8),

gol away" (6).

2. Put of some sauce? (8).

4 Wash out (5).

}

7 Back in the pavilion, so to

speak (3, 3).

a There's lots of interest taken

In this (5).

10 Persian, perhaps (4).

12 This

(7),

dye contains

3 It's all in French! (4).

5 Rude off the Isle of Wight?"

(0),

6 Desert in London? (0)

9 Natural heights (5).

11 Separated (8).

nothing

12 Sighted (5),

13 Sald "must"? (0).

18 Baleful (6).

15 On the damp side (5).

10 Objects (4),

17 A bad slim? (4).

10 Significs Income ($), -

20 Prepares for riding (7).

21 It ebbs and flows (4)

23 All-men are, it has been said

(5).

24 A mañ of judgment, as it

were (6).

25 Poetic polo? (8).

20 Suit for diggers (0),

14 Vital extracts? (8).

22 Clutch

(4),

FO

When at last victory came Rosalind returned to a liberated Shanghal and about a year thereafter she received a letter from Te-hsin 'announcing his imminent return from America, too hard and bitter. "I may not onger. Ah eternity had passed will never have me grovelling of him to return, to intrude once at your feet like all the others. more into her e. Then she One day I know I will have realised that It was fate and you. All I have to do is to that she could not escape from wait for ebb tide."

R. Be had to return to open Te-hsin did not offer to corry

up her old wound and to make "I think the bleeding hos her again and Rosalind was too

her bleed, ngain. stopped." Te-hsin sald, finally, proud to ask. She walked releasing the foot: had along

"Hirlap-chich, the tax has beside him in silence, arrived," Lien announced. better carry you back." He biting her lip in pain. She helped her to her feet and then could feel her cut opening up "I am combig right away," arranged offairs with someone hain continued, "so I shall prob- put an arm around her. But again and she could feet herself Rosalind said. She put on from wealthy and respectable ably just stay on there for my instead. of lifting her he drew bleeding, bleeding.

pair of dark glasses before going family, one those marrlages post graduate work."

her gently against him,

That summer want dlented

by ao cut into the summer glare. For by convenience, by "I hear they have, very high Rosalind felt his breath hot swiftly that it seemed driefer some strange reason the dark custom, perhaps even by passion, standards. You will have to upon her and his mouth seeking than springtime. but seldom by love.

In the glosses made her look like put your heart in the work.". hers. She hait-resisted and twinkling of an eye Te-hain was film actress. In return for a life of Idle "Yes,"

then yielded. But the moment gone. They wrote to each other luxury, a woman was expected There was a pause, and both she yielded she knew it was a but that awful ene remained. to resign herself to the frequent were filed with words that they mistake. There was, something between them.

Then she reached for the

he kept all her earrings and began searching for a pair that

Rosalind felt her, heart, con- would go with her dress of pole

tracting within her. She wanted blue Shantung. AL lost she

to turn to him and eling to hlin selected a pair in the form

and Never tet him go. But of two plain while discs. They Rosalind wondered. She sup- there was something about his should go well with a white posed in a way she had been presence the dial-usted.. It wa handung and the while buck- fussy. But that was only be- to potverfil and overwhelming. skin shaca, she thought. She cause she had long ago rejected As always, it pressed itself upon look smart and so- those old Chinese upper class her too jnsistently, like an un- wanted to phisticated. To-hsin would like nollons about marriage. She alterable doom. her that way. After putting on the earrings she got up and smoothed her dress.

did not want one OL those "M.I.T. has accepted me, Te-

"

She didn't want one of those arranged marriages.

Rosalind knew

She'd choose her :

own husband ....... long ago she had decided to be a modern woman .

that

A

7

Rosalind settled herself in the back seat us the taxi sped on its way, reducing the four miles separated her home from the Bund. Her mind was filled with the thought of nothing. She was oblivious arid chants of the coolics, of the the summer heat, of the shouts

American servicemen

She cul a fine figure in

her form-nting Chiness dress. Her breasts reared high and proud while her full hips emphasised The slenderness of her walst, She had a "dignified grace about her, sensuous but not volup- tuous. Her, face, sloped like a selon seed, was staggeringly beautiful. Her dark elongated eyes sparkled like ripples in a nicon-bathed pond. Small cars her peeped out from beneath short lacquer-black hair while her delicate nose stood out just enough to give her that pleas- abrences of her husband us he wanted to say. But each was a sinister and insidious about the that all that was ing line in profile which so few caroused with sing-song girls, a little hesitant before the other, kiss. It seemed to drain her of set things aright was a word or required to Chinese girls possessed.

his acquisition of concubine Each wanted the other to make that which was herself and a gesture from her, but some

The first move.

leave her defenceless, slipping, how he just could not relent.. But there was also something after concubine, and to the re- about her beauty that conveyed jealousies among the concubines sultant squabbles and petty

swirling, rushing towards "Rosalind, why don't you come nihilation. That last stubborn

of all the sights, sounds and a quality of remoteness, of

Then came her graduation smells of life in that great city. something

aloof and detached, and their respective offsprings, over to America too. I know part of her being fought back and that incldent at Marco Polo Before she knew it she touri

She impassive and without warmth. In the end, in the very attempt your father will let you if you fiercely.

broke away, Bridge which plunged the whole herself driving along the Bund breathing heavily.

"No!" she nation This quality of remoteness had to make life tolerable, life is really want to."

into war. She clung confronted by those great stone cried. disconcerting effect on those reduced to a sterile round

desperately to her home in the banks. Across the Whangpon who knew Rosalind for it seemed banal gossip, shopping sprees

"What's the matter?" Te-hsin International Settlement, that the big foreign ships would be lu for an invisible carapace and mahjong parties.

asked, surprised..

frall island of safety around anchoring end, Te-bein would be around her, shutting her off la

which the tides of wor ebbed walling. A ponic seized her. same private world,

Rosalind was filled with a and flowed. Then patriotism de- hatred for him.

Turn back!"

for her while buckski

up and called for the

of

"I don't know. I only have a year to go before I get my de- gree at St John's. What's the inpoint at going over only for n

year?"

an-

.

stared at her

who

she drove by,

No, she had seen all that her own mother and she did not want it to happen to her. She hnd long ago decided that she would be a modern' woman; she would choose her own husband like the women of the West, Yes, she would even be so najve "But we can be together," Te- and you're not going to get it," as to believe in that will-o'-the- hsin sald. "You must know by she said, vehemently. wisp called love. But then if now how I feel about you. I want to marry you, Te faced with the suffering of she chose her own husband she want to marry you"-lig hand must also bear alone the respon- reached out and found hers.

hein said. sibility for a fallure. In the

"Turn back! She wanted to manded that long trek to the say something to hurt him, to inferior to make her contribu she said to the driver,. "I have tear down his male ego, to tion to the war effort. In that forgotten something." destroy the power he had over movement from town. Lo town The taxi swung around, and her. "I know what you're after End village to village across the very quietly Rosalind began to

face of China contact with Te- cry. hein was lost. The nightmare of war scemed without end, and

THE END

2.

was.

Rosalind began rummaging shoes among the thirty-old shoeboxes which housed on equal number of pairs of shoes under her bed. After lifting and closing the lids of four or five boxes she gave marriage, There war the Rosalind fell his strong maid-terrible rub. Therefore how Angers enclosing hers and she Prescully, Lien the mald ap- could anyone blame her for felt weak. His mero touch peated, her long queue dangling being careful and selective? She seemed to be able to reduce her behind her like limp fai anake: only wanted to be absolutely to a state of dependency and to

"Islap-chich, did you call?" sure that whosoever she married make her less than she Lien asked, in her fut stumber- would love her and respect her She now became afraid of him, afraid of the power he háď over, ous voice. She was big-boned and as an equal. That was all

her and of the things he could heavy. full of ihe animni But that was not all. Some do to her. strength and the animal dull- deep, dark, secret feeling in her ness of her peasant stock. told her that that was not all,

"Don't you love me?? Te-hsin Otherwise she should

have whispered.

"Yes, but married, Te-hsin years ago, for

"Then marry me. I am sure) with Te-hsin she had been

news. that he loved her deeply. She We can get married right away sure as was humanly possible Father will welcome the

knew that there was something and go over together. Won't it) between them, something vague be wonderful to spend our and terrible, something which honeymoon in Howall or In she has never allowed to emerge California?"

"Yes, And for me my pair of white shoes,** Romilnd said. She

then tumed her attention ic selecting a pair of nylon stockings.

Lien began the search, open- ing box after box. Then, hold- ing up a pair of while tennis shoes, she asked: "Is this the pair?"

09

on the surface of consciousness Rosalind felt · his presence where it could be formulated closing in on her. “It all sounds into words, to be analysed and very wonderful, but I am not Rosalind could not

sure," help explained.

she guld, hurriedly, kughing. It was a restrained,

"Anyway, let's not talk about It gentle laugh. "Not The pair

now, Let's go back Lo the with the high heels!" Lien

others." She disengaged /her went back to her search not

fingers from his. She gol up understanding why her young

quickly and began brushing the mlstress had laughed.

Lien at last produced the pair Band from her body, She of shoes desired.

"Make a telephone call for me to send for a taxi," Raralind

An inward laughter lingered with Rosalind. Poor Lien, she thought. How could she be so

said simple?

Bense And yet, in s perhaps her simpleness ought lo be envied. Knowing

"Is it so that I ask it to come straight away?" Lien asked.

ttle, Llen would expect very "Yes, and watch for fi at the little from life. In a year or window and tell me

when it *wo she would marry some arrives."

yanted to run away from him, far, far away from him. She began walking briskly away, but she had gone hardly a dozen paces when ska uttered a sharp try of pain.

What's the maller?". Te-hsin cried,

"Ċarefull Rosalind cried. "I've cut myself on something"

to-

farmer and return to the coun- Rosalind crossed her legs to Te-hain made his way tryside. She would work with pull on her shoes and in him in the Belds and bear his doing she saw the faint scar

BO wards her gingerly. Though children and she would bo the

she could not see him, Rosalind instep of her right foot, could sense his approach. When trappy. Was that not infinitely Seeing the scar she was taken he reached her he swept her up better than to be sophisticated back eleven years to the sum in his arms. "Let's wash and knowing. to demand

mer of 1930, to that night on cut out first," he said, as he peat deal from life and to end the beach Te-hsin first proposed, carried her towards the sea up with nothing?

*

Nothing

1

the

It was one of those balmy Feeling his hard male body sunimer evenings with just a against hers and, smelling his sole of expectancy in the air. sweet male smell Rosalind was There toda no moon and the filled with desire She felt stars were like jewels scattered weak once more. on the black velvet of night,

Rosalind 'savoured There were some lights of fish-

the word slowly as she sheathed ing boats way out at sea, but

ada

*

her legs in nylon stockings, since sca and sly merged in a But somehow it did not sound uniform blackness one quite right. It did not seem to never sure whether they were Where is the cul7" Te-bain convey that growing emptiness lights or stars. The two of them baked, setting her down a she felt in her life, that empti- came out of the sea wet and foot of sea water. ness that was less than nothing panting, having awum a long

5

Why should it be so, she won- way from the rest of the party, Rosalind clenched her teeth dered. Was I really because They lay side by side on the as she felt, the bite of the salt she was demanding too much? beach and neither spoke for a water on her wound, "It is on Of course, her critics had always long time.

the right foot," she said, guiding thought so.

It was

a setting in which his hand down to it. She knew what they had been words seemed on outrage. saying about her behind her Wrapped

up." in the black.

beck:

Te-bain-bothed the cût gently back, especially of late, after voluptuousness of night and and then carried her back onto piece of tuggage news of Te-hein's return had feeling the warmth of the sum the beach. Do you feel there in abroad. "That creature mer and on her back; Rosalind anything inside the cut?" he just expects too much," they experienced that profound peace asked, setting her, down on the had said. "She still wants to that was past, understanding Band. keep Te-hein dangling. What Everything was so still that she.

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIÓN--Abrom: 3 Blotting,

Borneo,

@ Covering, 11 Deviated, 12 Well, 13 Usual, 18 Ellis (Island), 19 Ural, 22 Radiator, 24 Ballast. 25 Legion, 28 Rendered. Dowur Abode, 2 Brave, 3 Because, 4 Loot, 5 Tied 0 Irises. 7 Gaggle, 10 Venal, 14 Ulnar, 15 Limited, 16 Number, 17 Fall in,20 St-a-, 21 Brand, 22-Rave, 29 (Mrs) Dale,

"I don't think so," Rosalind

she is waiting for no one knows, could hear the silence Finging said.

By cil standards He must be in her

*4193

Then Te-hein "In that case, we had better

considered a good catch, being a spoke, and immediately the try to stop the bleeding." : Te- foreign graduate and with his posco was gone.

* kain said.” He took hold of ber father nothigh up in the govern- "1 shall be going to. America right fool, and finding the cut, ment and everything. Bul the ix. 'in' autumn," Te-bom said.. Ells. he pressed upon it wilh both His so proud and choosey, not to voice was strong and calm and thumbs, ga mentionell, her strange; ideas, só masouline,

Under the pressure the

cut She thinks no 019 good Has It, been definitely de- ceased to hurt and Rosalind enough for her, Just look at cided?' Tomalijich unked, she was Haxed; "How efficient here,wis, the way she turned her nose up, filled with an Infälle? sodnews," she thought." Thm, "when alle at the son of General Ma and thought the vdid. Ersts ; fenów" was least expecting it, she board..

18

A

nailon, one had little Time left (Copyright Reserved)

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