Rev. Mr. Ostrom, of Oroville, who has served as a missionary in China and whose heart is still there, states the following “general facts”: “Their preparation for the New Year is commenced weeks before the close of the old. One of the first things is to plant the Narcissus——a water lily called by the Chinese ‘the water angel flower’——so that it may be in bloom on New Year’s Day. A beautiful legend connected with this flower is everywhere told and believed in China. In a certain district of the Fo Kien province lived a man who had two wives and a son by each wife. The man died, leaving a farm, which the elder brother seized, allowing to the younger brother only a small, marshy corner, through which ran a sluggish stream. These lilies were found growing in the stream——all that the marsh and stream produced. The gentler younger brother, loving the beautiful flower, cultivated it, and found that it would always bloom on the New Year. Its beauty and fragrance won the admiration of many and the demand for the bulbs increased till finally it came in from all parts of China, and the wealth of the owner of the little stream and marsh soon surpassed that of the avaricious elder brother. Then, through some pretence, the latter took possession of the little stream and marsh, expecting thus to grasp the revenue from the sale of the lilies. But, lo! when New Year came, they refused to bloom. Conscience-stricken by this apparent rebuke of the gods, the marsh and the stream were surrendered to their rightful owner, and then, strange to say, the lilies bloomed forth as before.
“Such is the legend; now for plain facts. At the close of the year the house is cleaned, and dressed on its posts and walls with new red paper containing good words from the sages. On the last day of the old year, every family worships the ancestral tablet, and the idols, with offerings of slain birds and other animals, with vegetable delicacies added. Eight kinds of meat are offered to the ancestral tablets, and only fish, pork and chicken to the idols. Fruit, and a pudding cooked in boiling lard are also used as offerings. These furnish the feasts for the following day; for the spirits only inhale the perfume, leaving the substance for base mortals.
“On the last day of the old year, the married daughters must be at their husbands’ homes, and must not revisit the paternal roof till the New Year’s festival is over. The devotee rising very early on New Year’s morning, worships, first of all, the ancestors, burning incense, and red paper representing money, before the tablet, on each side of which candles have been lighted, and before which the offerings have been placed. Then the idols of the household are worshipped, and, next, those of the temple. Fire-crackers are snapped by the priests in the temple, and by all the people at their homes and their places of business. If any one has married, or is successful in gambling or in business, he expresses his gratitude by these explosives. Breakfast comes next, composed of vegetables only, for no blood must be shed or be used on New Year’s Day. Liquor distilled from rice is sipped from tiny cups. Now, calling and the exchange of cards follow. Only good words are to be spoken. It is a violation of etiquette, established by the custom of ages, to speak evil of, or to, any one during the first ten days of the New Year.”
Such of these usages as are purely social are retained by our Christian Chinese: The house-cleaning which brings to our several mission houses a thorough renovation; the trimming upon the walls and elsewhere with evergreen wreaths, with bouquets of artificial flowers and other samples of Chinese art; the cultivation of the fragrant Narcissus, and the interchange of calls and cards and mutual good wishes; the treating with candies, fruits, and tiny cups of tea——guiltless of the American concomitants of sugar and cream——all these you will find our Christian Chinese carrying forward with no less zest than their heathen countrymen. In these cases, this year, they invited the teacher with the whole family to which she belonged, to a banquet after the Chinese style; and in all cases the teachers seem to have been remembered with gifts selected often with exquisite taste and purchased at a considerable cost.
But with our Christian Chinese these days are holy days rather than holidays. The week is a week of prayer. In all their sociality their religion is remembered and their Saviour is recognized. If on their special reception-day, a minister is among the first to call, he will be likely to be asked to open the day’s enjoyment with prayer. Every day there are special religious services; and connected with these, fresh resolves of consecration to Christ and fresh and earnest intercessions for each other and for their still benighted countrymen. One such meeting I attended by appointment at the home of our Oakland brethren. I remained with them an hour and a half. The school there had been in an unsatisfactory condition; running down in attendance and in spiritual power, while the schools in this city and at most other points were advancing in both respects. We looked the facts in the face; prayed over them; and then took counsel together. The result was a unanimous determination to take up missionary work among their countrymen with more earnestness and more system than ever before, and with God’s help to make their school as large and as efficient for good as possible.
JAPANESE PLEASURE PARTY.
Perhaps the account given by Mrs. Carrington, of the services at Sacramento, presents the week’s work as fairly as any. “A watch meeting closed the old year and opened the new. On Saturday evening there was a union meeting at the Presbyterian Mission House. On Wednesday evening a New Year’s banquet was given at our Mission House. Rev. Dr. Dwinell and Mrs. Dwinell, with the superintendent and teachers in the Chinese Sunday-school and other friends, were present. Other evenings were spent in less formal but more social worship, and on Saturday evening, February 25, a crowning union service was held at our Mission House. The room was filled to overflowing. Twenty or more of the American friends were present, and much interest was manifested. And so this New Year’s festival was closed.”
As between the hurried and meaningless New Year’s calls, with the accessories of unwholesome food in gluttonous quantities, washed down by poisonous wines and fiery liquors, which the old Knickerbocker custom has entailed upon Americans, and these festivities of our Christian Chinese, it does not take me long to judge which ought to be preferred.