Walter Matthew Gallichan

“ The law does not entirely neglect woman in the matter of divorce; for if a wife finds that it is impossible to live peacefully with her husband, she may obtain a separation with his consent.
The Chinese conception of love differs from the ideal of the Western people, and from that of India. Women are sought and admired for their physical attractions and their domestic qualifications. That is, perhaps, as much as can be said. Male jealousy and the sense of ownership is very strong in China, and women labour under rigorous social restraints. ”

“ They regard the amusement as absurd, and refuse to recognise dancing as one of the arts. Music is cultivated. The people recognise the moral value of music, and its strong appeal to human emotions was set forth in the writings of Confucius.
The kiss, which plays such an important part in Western love-making, is an elaborate ritual among the Chinese, who, however, regard our kissing habits as " odious, suggesting voracious cannibals."* In China the lips are not applied to the face of the beloved person, but the nose instead, and the breath is drawn through the nostrils. ”

“ China is polygamous chiefly because it is patriarchal, and only in a secondary sense is plurality in mates attributable to men's love of variety and the force of passion.
There are, however, a few signs that point to a lessening of masculine despotism. Young Chinese men come to England to study for the professions. ”

“ The women of China are taller than their Japanese neighbours. Their skin is sallow and but little pig- mented. The cheekbones are high; the nose broad and rather flat. A great point of beauty is the eye. The lips should be thin and the ears large. The outer corners of the eyes must droop, giving the eye-aperture a crooked appearance. From infancy the feet are cramped by the use of tight bandages, and the feet of women are scarcely bigger than those of little children. The deformed foot gives an awkward gait, but this is admired in China. Nature has given Chinese women ”

“ Polygyny is the practice of the wealthy; the majority of the Chinese are monogamous. The labouring men seldom have more than one woman. Only one wife is allowed by law, but apparently there is no restriction to the number of mistresses. The concubine is in every sense the subordinate of the legal wife. If the concubine resides in the house of her owner, her chil- dren are considered legitimate, and must be provided for by the father.
Chinese chastity is restricted practically to women. ”

“ The position of the women of China may be described as one of complete subjection to masculine domination. In this typical patriarchal society woman has little or no personal liberty. The daughter is con- sidered a very inferior being to the son. In the most important affair in her whole existence, a Chinese woman is at the behest of her male kindred. ”

“ Abulfeda reports that an old woman one day importuning him to know what she ought to do in order to gain Paradise * My good lady/ answered the Prophet, ' old women never get there/ ' What! never get to Paradise? ' returned the matron, in a fury. ' Never/ says he, ' for they always grow young by the way.' Now, sir/' continued I, " the men of Asia behave with more deference to the sex than you seem to imagine." ”

“ The rest of the world, China only excepted, are, and have ever been, utter strangers to its delights and advantages."
Recognising that a Chinese lover is compelled to accept the bride discovered for him by his father, it is rather difficult to credit the assertion that I have italicised in the foregoing passage. Love, like morality, is determined by climate and racial tempera- ment. ”

“ Celibacy is very rare, and the majority of the popula- tion marry about the age of puberty. The necessity for marriage is taught, and the single life is held to be contrary to nature and almost a sin. ”

“ Such flippant pronouncements often contain some elements of sound truth. English women have tended to exalt unduly the " spiritual " quality of their love, and have too often essayed to refine away the sub- stance. ”