Directory_and_Chronicle_1908 — Page 1055

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

936

SZEMAO

throughout Yunnan, is almost unknown in Szemao. The place is distant from both Yunnan-fu (the capital of the province) and Mengtsz 18 days, and from the French Laos frontier 6 days, and from British territory about 12 days. It was opened in the early part of 1897, and so far has not fulfilled the expectation of its potential importance as a trading centre. The value of the trade of Szemao for 1906 was Tls. 226,082 against Tls. 246,848 in 1905. and Tls. 266,983 in 1904. The smallness of the trade statistics has been attributed partly to the fact that, owing to the various routes in the neighbourhood of the port, effective supervision is difficult of attainment. No foreign traders reside at Szemao, the tra le being entirely in the hands of local merchants, who have no agencies in either Tonkin or Burmah. The principal article imported is raw cotton, which comes from the British Shan States, particularly from Keng Tung and also from the Haut-Laos. A telegraph line from Túng Hai, viâ Yuan Chiang and Pu Erh-fu, connects Szemao with the existing Chinese overland telegraphs, and another one from Szemao to Moung Hou (the first French post across the frontier) makes a junction with the Tonkin lines. Considerable ethnological interest centres in the neighbourhood of Szemao. Writing on this subject in the course of his Trade Report for 1905 the Commissioner of Customs remarked: "It is of much interest to notice the various aboriginal races in this part of Yunnan, living side by side with, and yet differentiated from, the Chinese, and possessing distinct customs, characteris- tics, and traditions of their own. In the surrounding mountains we find the Lolo and Lohe, and in the low-lying plains the Shans, known to the Chinese as Pa-i; interspersed with these is the vassal tribe of the Akas. In the vicinity of the Chinese towns little settlements of the Mahe and Putu, who are offshoots of the Woni, are to be met with. From Talang north to Yüan-chiang and eastwards south of the Red River as far as Man- hao, is the home of the Woni race, who are a swarthy people subdivided into several tribes. Near Talang a few Min-chia live-people who have migrated from Ta-li and Yuan-chiang, the head-quarters of this large branch of the Shan race. At Shih-ping and Yuan-chiang there are several tribes of Pa-i, or Shans proper, and some Yao also are to be found in the mountains to the east of Szemao-a remarkable race which is to be met with in scattered hamlets in mountainous districts as far eastwards as Kwangsi. The Kawas inhabit the prefecture of Chên-pien-t'ing, to the westward of Szemao, and concerning their mode of life but little yet is known. The relentless march of civilisa- tion, however beneficial to the world at large, is bearing hardly on the aboriginal races of mankind; and the south-western portion of this ancient province of Yunnan provides one of the few remaining territories where they are still permitted a local habitation and a name."

Directory_and_Chronicle_1908 — Page 1055

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