328
There are quite a few mistakes in Chinese characters and I assume that there may also be mistakes in Japanese or other words.
THOMAS H. C. LEE The Chinese University
The Rural Communities of Hong Kong, Studies and Themes, James Hayes, Hong Kong, Oxford University Press, 1983, x + 308 pages, 19 plates.
Jhat zaak vronq ngraw ngrap daem ghuk
Jhat zaak sue ngraw jhat ghaenn vhuk
If Dr. Hayes had lived in China, as I did, when sycee silver was still used for large, and copper cash for small transactions, he would never have passed the egregious error which occurs on page 184 of this splendid compilation. But since the younger generation of scholars who (as I shall mention) I hope will complete the study of Hong Kong's rural communities while there is yet time have not only not lived in war-lord China, but probably also not been taught mental arithmetic, I had better tell them at once that one tael = 1.19 troy ounce (in this context, of silver) and the formula should read not $1 = 72 tael = 1,000 cash, but $1 = 0.72 tael = 1,000 cash. Quite a difference.
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(When I lived in Canton the rate was of the same order of magnitude. The relative values of copper cash and of the ten-cash copper called "cents" vis-a-vis the silver currency varied from day to day and from hour to hour; the rates were displayed in money-changers' and other shops, markets and on buses, and varied around 120 "cents" (1,200 cash) = 1 Canton dollar of 5 silver 20c pieces: the Canton dollar itself stood at about $1.40 = 1 Customs tael and $1.30 = 1 Hong Kong dollar.)
With this single exception I heartily recommend this book, both to the general reader (if the species be still extant) and, more particularly, as a reference manual and vade mecum to any serious
328
There are quite a few mistakes in Chinese characters and I assume that there may also be mistakes in Japanese or other words.
THOMAS H. C. LEE The Chinese University
The Rural Communities of Hong Kong, Studies and Themes, James Hayes, Hong Kong, Oxford University Press, 1983, x + 308 pages, 19 plates.
Jhat zaak vronq ngraw ngrap daem ghuk
Jhat zaak sue ngraw jhat ghaenn vhuk
If Dr. Hayes had lived in China, as I did, when sycee silver was still used for large, and copper cash for small transactions, he would never have passed the egregious error which occurs on page 184 of this splended compilation. But since the younger genera- tion of scholars who (as I shall mention) I hope will complete the study of Hong Kong's rural communities while there is yet time have not only not lived in war-lord China, but probably also not been taught mental arithmetic, I had better tell them at once that one tael 1.19 troy ounce (in this context, of silver) and the formula should read not $1 72 tael = 1,000 cash, but $1 = 0.72 tael = 1,000 cash. Quite a difference.
=
=
(When I lived in Canton the rate was of the same order of magnitude. The relative values of copper cash and of the ten-cash copper called "cents” vis-a-vis the silver currency varied from day to day and from hour to hour; the rates were displayed in money- changers' and other shops, markets and on buses, and varied around 120 "cents” (1,200 cash) = 1 Canton dollar of 5 silver 20c pieces: the Canton dollar itself stood at about $1.40 = 1 Customs tael and $1.30 - 1 Hong Kong dollar.)
With this single exception I heartily recommend this book, both to the general reader (if the species be still extant) and, more particulary, as a reference manual and vade mecum to any serious
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