Chinese Flower Girls

1895

They Are Dainty, Demure and Pretty and Feed on Watermelon Seed.

When, for instance, a Chinese gentleman intends giving a dinner to three friends, he will arrange for it to be provided on a flower boat at a certain hour, and also for the company of eight dining out girls — two for each gentleman. I call them dining out girls, as it best describes to me their calling. They will come prettily dressed, their hair done up in most wonderful shapes and brushed over with a sort of varnish, which makes it appear like a fantastic headdress carved in ebony. They will ornament this structure with bright flowers, though the wreaths will be as stiff as their hair, or they will sometimes add jade, gold or feathered inlaid ornaments. Their faces will be painted in white and pink, very artistically painted, smooth and soft looking; delicately traced, sharp black crescents will mark their eyebrows. Dainty, demure dolls they will appear, and pretty to look upon, but seemingly one touch would destroy their artistic effects, as a rough hand the radiance of a butterfly's wing.

Two of these young ladies will attend to each gentleman, sitting slightly back from the table at each side of the entertained. They will fill his liquor cups, sip from them and pass them on, pick out dainty pieces of "chow" (food) with chopsticks and hand them to him, crack jokes, fill and light his pipe and all the while chat gayly and eat dried watermelon seeds. That is all I ever saw them eat. Behind each group of three a solemn looking cooly, or waiter, will stand to fan them all the while. Other waiters bring in food, wine and tea, change the dishes and attend to their wants. The meal will last for a long time. Eventually all will rise and retire to an outer room furnished with broad couches covered with matting. Opium pipes will be there for those who care for them, and tobacco and cigars in plenty. The girls will sit on the couches, laugh, fill the pipes and still eat watermelon seeds, while the gentlemen will recline at their ease, enjoying their society. — Century.