The Alchemist9
Reading edition
The Alchemist9
Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · Literally ‘golden oranges.’ These are skilfully preserved by the Cantonese, and form a delicious sweetmeat for dessert.Note 2 · Only slave-girls and women of the poorer classes and old women omit this very important part of a Chinese lady’s toilet.Note 3 · Alluding probably to the shape of the ‘shoe’ or ingot of silver.Note 4 · Slave-girls do not have their feet compressed.Note 5 · Wherein resides an old gentleman who ties together with a red cord the feet of those destined to become man and wife. From this bond there iNote 6 · This proceeding is highly improper, but is ‘winked at’ in a large majority of Chinese betrothals.Note 7 · The usual occupation of poor scholars who are ashamed to go into trade and who have not enterprise enough to start as doctors or fortune-telNote 8 · Say about £10.Note 9 · Alchemy is first mentioned in Chinese history B.C. 133, and was widely cultivated in China during the Han dynasty by priests of the Taoist rNote 10 · Kuan Chung and Pao Shu are the Chinese types of friendship. They were two statesmen of considerable ability who flourished in the seventh ceNote 11 · These are used, together with a heavy wooden bâton, by the Chinese washerman, the effect being most disastrous to a European wardrobe.Note 12 · To provide coffins for poor people has ever been regarded as an act of transcendent merit. The tornado at Canton in April 1878, in which sevNote 13 · For usurping its prerogative by allowing Chia to obtain wealth.Note 14 · At Ch’ang-an there lived a scholar named Chia Tzŭ-lung, who one day noticed a very refined-looking stranger; and, on making inquiries about