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on points where Chinese customs differed from British, but does so in rather a coy way. It says, for example, "The young female on the left is wearing a pair of small lady's shoes," rather than stating that the person in question has bound feet. The narrative explains what it was necessary to explain, and leaves it at that.
More noticeable is the way the narrative focuses on Chinese activities, circumstances and customs which were similar to those of the British of the time. "The first [of the six illustrations] represents some women at work: the old woman in the foreground is hemming, ... and the little girls are making narrow silk braid. In the second, mandarins are playing a game somewhat similar to draughts in the garden of the Governor of Canton. The third shows the interior of a drawing-room, with a mandarin family and attendants."
Other parts of the narrative, “Domestic Life in China,” show similarity in difference. “Each lady has an attendant behind her. The young lady to the right of the picture is unmarried: this is indicated by her hair being still in a queue - the hair being put up at marriage. The attendants are slave-girls, with fans to fan their mistresses. The fifth view exhibits a group of ladies of distinction and visitors. The ladies are seated with their visitors at a table partaking of tea and sweetmeats. The box on the table is divided into compartments to contain different kinds of sweetmeats, the old lady in the centre of the picture has a chopstick in her hand, to help the visitors to sweets; the lady to the right is about to take a whiff from the water-pipe which the little slave-girl is holding and lighting. Tea is brought immediately on the arrival of visitors; some time afterwards sweets are served and some fresh tea, after which pipes are carried to each lady by her own slave-girl. The last Sketch depicts a group of ladies receiving visitors. The ladies have all risen to receive a visitor, and one has stepped forward to bow to her. In bowing each lady takes hold of one of her own sleeves, and, whilst bowing, shakes it. Each of the company follow in order, and go through the same ceremony." Smoking by ladies of rank would have been highly unusual in Britain at the time, being practiced rather by gypsy women, and there were no "slave-girls" in Britain. But putting up one's "back hair" was a mark of maturity in Britain also at this time, and the polite partaking of tea and sweets was certainly familiar to British readers. So were ceremonies of politeness in the greeting of guests, although following different forms.
151
on points where Chinese customs differed from British, but does so in rather a coy way. It says, for example, "The young female on the left is wearing a pair of small lady's shoes," rather than stating that the per- son in question has bound feet. The narrative explains what it was nec- essary to explain, and leaves it at that.
More noticeable is the way the narrative focuses on Chinese activities, circumstances and customs which were similar to those of the British of the time. "The first [of the six illustrations] represents some women at work: the old woman in the foreground is hemming, ... and the little girls are making narrow silk braid. In the second, manda- rins are playing a game somewhat similar to draughts in the garden of the Governor of Canton. The third shows the interior of a drawing-room, with a mandarin family and attendants.'
Other parts of the narrative, “Domestic Life in China,” show simi- larity in difference. “Each lady has an attendant behind her. The yound lady to the right of the picture is unmarried: this is indicated by her hair being still in a queue - the hair being put up at marriage. The atten- dants are slave-girls, with fans to fan their mistresses. The fifth view exhibits a group of ladies of distinction and visitors. The ladies are seated with their visitors at a table partaking of tea and sweetmeats. The box on the table is divided into compartments to contain different kinds of sweetmeats, the old lady in the centre of the picture has a chopstick in her hand, to help the visitors to sweets; the lady to the right is about to take a whiff from the water-pipe which the little slave- girl is holding and lighting. Tea is brought immediately on the arrival of visitors; some time afterwards sweets are served and some fresh tea, after which pipes are carried to each lady by her own slave-girl. The last Sketch depicts a group of ladies receiving visitors. The ladies have all risen to receive a visitor, and one has stepped forward to bow to her. In bowing each lady takes hold of one of her own sleeves, and, whilst bowing, shakes it. Each of the company follow in order, and go through the same ceremony." Smoking by ladies of rank would have been highly unusual in Britain at the time, being practiced rather by gypsy women, and there were no "slave-girls" in Britain. But putting up one's "back hair" was a mark of maturity in Britain also at this time, and the polite partaking of tea and sweets was certainly familiar to British readers. So were ceremonies of politeness in the greeting of guests, although following different forms.
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