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They form two sects, and keep mostly to their own customs. One of them wears all their own hair; and the other, which is by far the most numerous, shaves all the head except the crown. These different modes arise from a peculiar religious tenet held amongst them. When a rich man has a child, and thinks he can maintain it, independent of any servile employment, he suffers the hair on its head to grow, which is wound up, tied upon the crown, and ornamented with a gold bodkin or two, and it must never afterwards be shaven; these are of high rank amongst them. The other children have their heads shaven nine months after their birth, and on every ninth day afterwards, till they attain a certain age; and then they are at liberty either to wear it growing or have it shaved: the lock of hair, left on the crown of some of their heads, grows to a great length, reaching down to their posteriors. Their dress is excellently adapted to a hot climate, being generally white taffety, or callico; and consists of a pair of trowsers, over which they wear a frock with wide sleeves, which buttons before: a purse, wrought with silk, hangs beneath the upper garment; and a pair of Chinese pampouches completes their dress. The old men sometimes wear a sort of white boots, that reach up to their knees; and they always carry a fan in their hands, to shade their heads from the sun. Their usual salutation is, Adda bai ke, how do you do, sir? and they are very courteous in their address and behaviour, especially to Britons, whose generosity, I suppose, they have often experienced. The hawkers, amongst them, who outdo the Jews in low artifice, will ask twenty dollars for a thing, and take one, and have acquired, even among themselves, the character of great cheats.
Before the rebellion in 1740, the Chinese were intirely governed by two of their own nation, who were judges in all cases, and sat in council. At present, they have a captain and two lieutenants, one of whom sits every forenoon, with a jury of twelve, in a hall they have for that purpose, to hear and make up suits and quarrels, which happen amongst them, if possible, before they go before a Dutch court of judicature; and this the Chinese must do, if they design to live in harmony with their community. To the said hall they all repair, the three first days of the month, to pay their head-money; at which time there is a Dutch ensign hoisted on a staff before the gate.
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© Derived from the London 1773 edition printed for Stanfield Parkinson, page 177, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/-parkinson-219.html