CHINESE IN OTAGO.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 12, 2 May 1868, Page 4

CHINESE IN OTAGO.

We are favored with a copy of the following report on the manners and customs of the Chinese, recently forwarded by Mr. Blewitt to the Colonial Secretary. Hon. E. W. Stafford, Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Honored Sir, — In accordance with your instruc ions, I beg respectfully to submit this, my first Report, on the manners and Customs of the Chinese located on the various goldfields in Otago. The Chinese, who are generally believed to be a very ancient race of people, and wlio are noted, for their industrious and persevering habits, are making their way fast into this colony from all parts of the Australian Colonies ; and no doubt New Zealand will shortly have a large amount of Chinese population, that is sure to add to the revenue of the Colony — they being a : very useful class with regard to a mercantile point of view, lake other Asiatic nations, the Chinese ptill adhere to most of

their manners and customs, there being very little modern refinement about them. They also obey as much as practicable the preceipts that were laid down to them by Confucious— who some believe t<j "have been the inventor of the Chinese characters, but according to Chinese history, he seems to have been an originator of the moral law amongst them, and who also revised the characters that were in use amongst the Chinese ; likewise invented some new characters, which he added to the old ones, and which were revised shortly afterwards by a Chinaman named Tang Tze, a desciple of Confucious. These characters now comprise the Chinese language, which is a most difficult one, having no alphabet fora basis, but possessing, as an awkward substitute, a numerous variety of these characters as symbols and synonymes ; hence arise the difficulty to those persons, who may wish to study or acquire the Chinese tongue. 2. The average number of these characters in common use is about from three **o four thousand; but the Chinese "Imperial Dictionary," I have heard from reliable and intelligent persons, oontains about 40,000 different characters, and even so is not complete. 3. The Chinese, taking them throughout, are a race of men on the goldfields who should be admired for their industry, and respected for their quiet behaviour. Regardless of their misfortunes, they seem to be always happy and content with their various positions and occupations. When they come over from China, each and all expect to earn a small sum of money, so as to enable them to return home, and live on the profits of their gains all the rest of .their, lives ; .which, alas, some poor fellows never attain, the hand of the Almighty having been pleased to send them away from this life, and therefore will never return, leaving a large family to deplore their loss, as a great many have two and three wives, it being consistent with their laws to allow a plurality of wives. 4. They are also a race very fond of quoting from a book called the " Shee King," which contains a standard collection of ancient poems. For instance, "Pang-U-Goi-Wun," which means, indirectly, " Friends numerous as the clouds ;" or such as " Choon-Lew-put-sick," meaning, " Streams (of water) flowing without ceasing" (metaphorically used), and the indirect meaning to which would be, "Endless business," which they regard, of course, as good omens ; and when opening a store, or commencing a new business, after writing on a small piece of red paper, they post it ou some inner door-post, and even are that superstitious, that should it happen to fall on the ground while posting it, they firmly believe that their business will never be luorative. 5. As for the characters, there is a beautiful meaning to be taken from some of them, as I will endeavor to explain. For instance, the oharaoter representing "Han," which i3 comprised of two characters, the outer one representing "bun" ia a door, and the inner one representing "goot," is a month ; and when the latter is written in a reclining position within the former, it means that a month reclining Cor taking ea3e) within doors is idleness or leisure. And .so -with the character representing " How," meaning good, or that which is esteemed good, and is comprised of two characters, i.e., one representing "Nui," a daughter," and the other representing "Tie," a son — the possession of a Jon and daughter being eagerly coveted by the Chinese ; and also with the character representing "Mon," meaning sorrow or regret, which is likewise composed of two characters, the inner" one representing " Sim," the heart, and the outer one representing " Bun," a door or doors ; the meaning being likely enough adapted to their customs, as in ancient times men would have recourse to shut themselves up from society when there was cause for ' grief ; and hence, the meaning, that if a man's heart or his whole desire be bent on remaining within doors, would infer grief. 6. The reason the Chinese ascribe for not bringing their wives out with them is that they may be the more anxious to return home, and in order to induce them to do so the women are prohibited by their parents from leaving. Another reason might be found in the fact that most of the women have small feet, it being customary to bandage their feet at an early age in order to prevent natural growth, and which in their estimation adds to a woman's beauty (personal attractions of a woman being almost the only objects of consideration amongst the Chinese, and the cultivation of the moral and intellectual powers of the females not being held in such high estimation as" amongst other and more civilised nations), therefore being deprived to a certain extent of the use of their feet, they would not be fit for the hard nsage they may be put to on the goldfields should they come with their husbands. There are a great many Chinese women in California, and in consequence of many not having returned their 'parents in China no doubt, endeavor to prevent as much as possible female emigration to these colonies. 7. The Chinese are also divided into various tribes, each tribe having its own dialect, and here is another difficulty which interpreters or translators of the language have to encounter in endeavoring to acquire a knowledge of it ; in my opinion I fanoy that it is highly necessary that at the least two interpreters should be present whenever heavy lawsuits occur, for fresh difficulties arise in almost every instance where the plaintiff and defendant are of different tribes. 8. With reference to the faults of the Chinese, I must candidly say that they are great strangers to truth and often use a low and dangerous cunning to evade justice, the chief object of their pursuit being to make money, and often follow the motto, "Do evil that good may come." 9. As regards the religion of the Chinese, they are principally Confucionists, and are I loVers ; somt are Budhists, and others worship the sun and moon, although Christianity is slowly m-akjng its wayamongst them. 30. The Chinese generally pursue gold in jning in New Zealand, while- there is a small number engaged In stock keeping, tea shops, ! &c, and there are aleo'&tfsvr gambling houses, but not to the extent as carried on in the sister colonies. The average amount of their earnings, as miners, on the Otago goldfields, is from 30s. to L 4 or L 5 per week ; iind there have' been instances where men have earned, from 1,25 fo L3O per week each last winter up at the Clyde. 'As far as health is concerned, the New Zealand weather agrees with them very well, and they look healthier here than they do. in Aufltr^Urtt-