Lion and dragon in northern China (1910) (14761097676)

Identifier: liondragoninnort00john (find matches)
Title: Lion and dragon in northern China
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Johnston, Reginald Fleming, Sir, 1874-1938
Subjects: Weihaiwei
Publisher: New York, E. P. Dutton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



Text Appearing Before Image:
A DISTRICT HEADMAN AND HIS COMPLIMENTARY TABLET (see p. 289).
Text Appearing After Image:
THREE VILLAGE HEADMEN (see p. I58). VILLAGE CUSTOMS 159 yet it is hardly an exaggeration to say that everyvillage is policed by its entire adult male population.The bonds of family and village life are such that everymale villager finds himself directly or indirectly re-sponsible for the good behaviour of some one else. Thebad characters of every village soon become markedmen. For minor offences, evil-doers are punished bytheir neighbours in accordance with long-standingrules and by-laws; if they are regarded as incorrigible,they are either expelled with ignominy from the familyand clan to which they belong1 or they are handedover for punishment to the nearest magistrate. Everyunknown stranger who arrives in a village is im-mediately treated with a disquieting mixture of hos-pitality and suspicion. He is not interfered with solong as he encroaches on nobodys rights, but allthe villagers constitute an informal band of amateurdetectives for the purpose of keeping an eye on hismovements