Journal of the Society of Arts : Volume LI, No. 2623 [‎732v] (22/32)

320
JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF ARTS.
[Feiit/aty 27, 1903.
with cotton bandages, so as to make them
appear smaller, but beyond giving them the
necessary willowy step, it does not seem to
hurt them in any way.
To turn once more from frivolous to serious
consideration of our subject. It is 18 days
journey by mule caravan from Mengtsz to
Szemao. The main road leads through Linan,
Shihping, noted for its lovely lake, Yuanchiang,
a small, fever-stricken, walled city, on the
Red River, Talang, and Pu-Erh. The road lies
■over mountain ranges, down the beds of
streams, and up wooded valleys, never monoto
nous, but often difficult. Just east of Yuan
chiang the road crosses a range 8,000 feet
high, descending immediately after the Red
River, only 1,500 feet above the sea at that
place. The climb on the opposite side is a
very stiff one, and the best way is to cling on
to your pony’s tail and let him pull you up.
The roads in Yunnan, generally, are in a
deplorable condition. The bridges, however,
are a noticeable feature of the province. The
curve of the ordinary stone ones is unnecessarily
high in proportion to the width of the streams
they span. Between Yuanchiang and Talang,
there are two rather fine chain suspension
bridges. They span the Papien and the Homa
rivers, which unite further south, and enter
Tonkin as the Black River. The planking in the
centre of these bridges is purposely left loose,
and is, in fact, very unsafe. This is to prevent
caravans of pack animals from passing over in
a body, and causing too great a strain on the
structure. At preseut only two or three can
cross at a time, and they have to pick their
steps most carefully.
The scenery on the road was most superb,
and the vegetation most varied, the flowers at
different elevations corresponding to those of
the Tropics, and the Temperate and Frigid
zones respectively. In fact Yunnan is the
botanist’s paradise.
Szemao is a busy town of 10,000 inhabitants,
healthily situated on a little rising in the centre
of a typical Yunnan plain. It was opened to
frontier trade in 1896, and Consuls for both
Great Britain and France appointed there. It
was found, however, that the commercial im
portance of the place had been over-estimated
and both Consulates have lately been sup
pressed. In return, a Consulate General has
been established at Yunnan Fu, the capital of
the province.
I he trade of Szemao is principally in the
famous Pu-Erh tea, that is held in such great
esteem by the Chinese of other provinces.
Raw cotton is imported from the British Shan
States; but other necessaries of life, e.g-.,
matches, woollen cloth, lamps, &c., are sup
plied from Mengtsz.
The architecture of Yunnan has character
istics of its own, notably so in the pointed
| gables that adorn the houses and temples.
I he walls, though built of sun-dried and burnt
bricks, form no part of the structure of a
house, and might fall down without causing
a general collapse. The woodwork in all cases
supports the roof, and is the solid portion of
their buildings. The “ guardian ” figures out
side their temples are rather quaint, their con.
ception of a “ lion ” being particularly funny.
The animals best known to the Yunnanese are
the elephant, tiger, panther, bear, wild boar,
sambhur, or big deer, several varieties of small
deer—including the musk deer, the fox, wolf,
monkey, and wild cat. There are others, but
this will suffice to show the variety existing in
the province. The panthers at Szemao are
rather a nuisance. On three occasions whilst
I w’as out riding on the hills my dog was
attacked by a panther. Young bears are
sometimes brought into the market for sale.
Elephants are found in a wild state in the
Chinese Shan States. Some of the Shan chiefs
own tame ones, and at rare intervals these
are sent into Szemao, as a mark of respect to
the Chinese officials.
In the neighbourhood of Szemao live many
of the aboriginal tribes, whom the Chinese, in
their gradual march westwards, have ousted
from their former homes in the plains. The
Lolos, so often referred to by travellers, are
scattered all over Yunnan. Only in one place,
in the north of the province, do they exist as
a separate and independent community. They
possess a language and literature of their own,
though very few of them can now write and
read their own characters. Their religion is a
form of spirit worship, and consists chiefly
in propitiating the evil spirits, so that no harm
may come to the inmates of the house. The
religion of all these native tribes is a simple
one, based on old legends, and arising in the
first instance from an attempt to account for
the three inexplicable mysteries — Dreams,
Disease, and Death.
The Lolos are fond of music and dancing,
amusements they indulge in on moonlight
nights. Their dancing is not quite like ours.
Although both sexes take part in it, they
evince no desire to hug each other. They
simply move around in a circle, and stamp
their feet in time with the music.