CO129-514-2 Mui Tsai system- suggested regulations and possible abolition 9-1-1929 - 16-5-1929 — Page 85

Sir,

Enclosure No.2.

85

COPY

British Consulate,

ALOY.

1st May 1929.

The Honourable

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of

your letter, T/S:ALP, No.1961/1910, of the 24th April, enclosing a copy of extracts from an article entitled "The Kui Tsai" question, published in the issue of the

།

20th April of a Canton newspaper entitled "The China Truth", and enquiring whether regulations prohibiting the Mui Tsai system had been promulgated by the Chinese

authorities in this district; and if so, what practical

effect, if any, such regulations have had on the employment and treatment of Mui Tsai.

2. The judge of the Chinese District Court of

Amoy, whose advice I have sought in this matter, informs

me that no new regulations have been promulgated by the Fukien authorities prohibiting Pei nu(), the equivalent in this and other provinces of China of Mui Tsai (13), a term which appears to be confined to

the province of Kuangtung.

3. In theory, the Pei nu (maid-servant or slave

girl) system has no existence in China, where slavery,

expressly forbidden in the latter years of the Manchu dynasty, is now a punishable offence under Article 313 of the Criminal Code of the Chinese Republic; but, in

actual fact, it is in force from one end of the country to

the other. Girls are everywhere openly bought and sold for maid-servants or slaves, the euphemism Yang nữ ()

"adopted

The Colonial Secretary,

Tone Tong.