章节正文
their sober little games." Why we should call such a game
as "blind man's buff," "e-ni-me-ni-mi-ni-mo," "this little
pig went to market" or "pat-a-cake" "sober little games,"
unless it is because of preconceived notions of the Chinese
people I do not understand. The children are dignified little
people, but they enjoy all the attractions of child-life as
much as other children do.
It is a mistake to suppose that the life of Chinese children
is a doleful one. It is understood, of course, that their life
is not the same, nor to be compared with that of children
in Europe or America: and it should be remembered further
that the pleasures of child-life are not measured by the
gratification of every childish whim. Many of the little
street children who spend a large part of their time in
efforts to support the family, when allowed to go to a fair
or have a public holiday enjoy themselves more in a single
day than the child of wealth, in a whole month of idleness.
In addition to his games and rhymes, the fairs which are
held regularly in the great Buddhist temples in different
parts of the cities, are to the Chinese boy what a country
fair, a circus or Fourth of July is to an American farmer's
boy or girl. He has his cash for candy or fruit, his crackers
which he fires off at New Year's time, making day a time
of unrest, and night hideous. Kite-flying is a pleasure
which no American boy appreciates as does the Chinese, a
pleasure which clings to him till he is three-score years and
ten, for it is not uncommon to find a child and his grandfather
in the balmy days of spring flying their kites together.
He has his pet birds which he carries around in cages or on
a perch unlike any other child we have ever seen. He has
his crickets with which he amuses himself--not "gambles"
--and his gold fish which bring him days and years of
delight. Indeed the Chinese child, though in the vast
majority of cases very poor, has ample provision for a very
good time, and if he does not have it, it must be his own
fault.
Statements about the life of the children, however, may
be nothing more than personal impressions, and are usually
colored as largely by the writer's prejudices as by the
conditions of the children. Some of us are so constituted as to
see the dark side of the picture, others the bright. Let us
go with the boys and girls to their games. Let us play
with their toys and be entertained by the shows that entertain
them, and see if they are not of the same flesh and
blood, heart and sentiment as we. We shall find that the
boys and girls live together, work together, study together,
play together, have their heads shaved alike and quarrel
with each other until they are seven years old, the period
which brings to an end the life of the Chinese child. From
this period it is the boy or the girl.
GAMES PLAYED BY BOYS
Children's games are always interesting. Chinese games
are especially so because they are a mine hitherto
unexplored. An eminent archdeacon once wrote: "The Chinese
are not much given to athletic exercises." A well-known
doctor of divinity states that, "their sports do not require
much physicalexertion, nor do they often pair off, or choose
sides and compete, in order to see who are the best
players," while a still more prominentwriter tells us that,
"active, manly sports are not popular in the South." Let us
see whether these opinions are true.
Two years ago a letter from Dr. Luther Gulick, at present
connected with the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y., came to
us while in Peking, asking that we study into the character
of Chinese children's games. Dr. Gulick was preparing a
series of lectures on the "Psychology of Play." He desired
to secure as much reliable information as possible regarding
the play-life of the children of the East, in order that he
might discover what relation exists between the games of
Oriental and those of Occidental children. By so doing he
would learn the effect of play on the mental and physical
development as well as the character of children, and
through them upon the human race as a whole. We were
fortunate in having at our disposal a large number of
students connected with Peking University, the preparatory,
intermediate and primary schools, together with 150 girls in
attendance at the girls' high school.
We received the letter at four o'clock, at which time the
students had just been dismissed from school, and were taking
their afternoon meal, but at 4:30 we went to the playground,
notebook in hand, called together some of our most interesting
boys, explained to them our object, and asked them to play for
us. Some one may say that this was the worst possible thing to
do, as it would make the children self-conscious and hence
unnatural--the sequel, however, will show.
At first that was exactly what happened. The children
tittered, and looked at each other in blank astonishment,
then one of them walked away and several others gathered
about us. We repeated our explanation in order to secure
their interest, set their minds to work thinking up games,
and do away with the embarrassment, and it was only a
few minutes before an intelligent expression began to appear
in the eyes of some of the boys, and one of them, who was
always ready for anything new, turned to his companion and said:
"You go and find Chi, and bring him here."
"Who is Chi?" we inquired.
"He is the boy who knows more games than any of the rest of us,"
he explained.
Away he ran and soon reappeared with a very unpromising
looking boy whom we recognized as a street waif that had been
taken into what some one called our "raggedy school" a few years
before. He was a glum looking boy--a boy without a smile. There
was a set expression on his face which might be interpreted as
"life is not worth living," or, which would be an equally
legitimate interpretation in the present instance, "these games
are of no importance. If you want them we can play any number of
them for you, but what will you do with them after you get them?"
All the crowd began at once to explain to Chi what we wanted,
and he looked more solemn than ever, then we came to his rescue.
"Chi," we asked, "what kind of games do boys play?"
Slowly and solemnly Chi wound one leg around the other as he
answered:
"Lots of them."
This is the stereotyped answer that will come from any
Chinaman to almost any question he may be asked about
things Chinese.
"For instance?" we further inquired.
"Forcing the city gates," he answered.
"Play it for me."
The boys at once appointed captains who chose sides
and they formed themselves into two lines facing each
other, those of each line taking fast hold of each other's
hands. The boys on one side then sang:
He stuck a feather in his hat,
And hurried to the town
And children met him with a horse
For the gates were broken down.
Then one from the other side ran with all his force,
throwing himself upon the hands of the boys who had
sung, the object being to "break through," in which case
he took the two whose hands had been parted to "his
side," while if he failed to break through he had to remain
on their side. The others then sang. One from this group
tried to break through their line, and thus they alternated
until one side or the other was broken up.
The boys were panting and red in the face when the
game was over, a strong argument against the Chinese-are-
not-much-given-to-vigorous-exercise theory.
"Now play something which does not require so much
exercise," we requested.
Every one looked at Chi, not that the other boys did not
know the games, but simply because this matter-of-fact
boy was their natural leader in this kind of sport.
"Blind man," he said quietly.
At once a handkerchief was tied around the eyes of one of the
boys who was willing to be "blind man," and a game corresponding
almost exactly to our own "blind man's buff" was played, without
the remotest embarrassment, but with as much naturalness as
though neither teacher nor spectator was near them.
"Have you any other games which require strength?"
we inquired.
"Man-wheel," said Chi in his monosyllabic way.
"Play it, please."
"Go and call Wei-Yuan," to one of the smaller boys.
The boy ran off to find the one indicated, and Chi
selected two other middle-sized and two small boys.
When Wei-Yuan, a larger but very good-natured, kindly-
dispositioned lad, came, the two middle-sized boys stood
beside him, one facing north, the other south, and caught
each other's hand over Wei-Yuan's shoulder. The two
smaller boys then stood beside these two, each of whom
clutched hold of the small boys' girdles, who in turn
clutched their girdles and Wei-Yuan took their disengaged
hands. Thus the five boys were firmly bound together.
The wheel then began to turn, the small boys were gradually
lifted from the ground and swung or whirled around
in an almost horizontal position.
"This game requires more strength," Chi explained, "than any
other small boys' game."
"Have you any games more vigorous than this?"
"Pitching the stone lock, and lifting the stone dumb-bells, but
they are for men."
"What is that game you were playing a few days ago in
which you used one stick to knock another?"
"One is striking the stick, and another is knocking the stick."
"Play one of them."
Chi drew two lines on the ground eight feet apart, on one
of which he put a stick. He then threw another stick at it,
the object being to drive it over the other line. He who
first succeeds in driving it over the line wins the game.
The sticks are ten to fifteen inches long.
Striking the stick is similar to tip-cat which we have
often seen played by boys on the streets of New York. The
children mark out a square five or six feet on each side.
The striker takes a position inside, with his feet spread apart
as wide as possible, to give him a better command of the
square. One of the others places the block in the position
which he supposes will be most difficult for the striker to
hit. The latter is then at liberty to twist around on one
foot, placing the other outside the square, in order if possible
to secure a position from which he can strike to advantage.
He then throws a stick about fifteen inches long at
the block to drive it out of the square. If he fails, the one
who placed the block takes the stick, and another places the
block for him. If he succeeds he has the privilege of striking
the block three times as follows: He first strikes it
perpendicularly, which causes it to bound up two or three feet,
when he hits it as one would hit a ball, driving it as far as
possible. This he repeats three times, and if he succeeds
in driving it the distance agreed upon, which may be 20,
50, 200, 300, 500 or more feet, he wins the game. If not
as "blind man's buff," "e-ni-me-ni-mi-ni-mo," "this little
pig went to market" or "pat-a-cake" "sober little games,"
unless it is because of preconceived notions of the Chinese
people I do not understand. The children are dignified little
people, but they enjoy all the attractions of child-life as
much as other children do.
It is a mistake to suppose that the life of Chinese children
is a doleful one. It is understood, of course, that their life
is not the same, nor to be compared with that of children
in Europe or America: and it should be remembered further
that the pleasures of child-life are not measured by the
gratification of every childish whim. Many of the little
street children who spend a large part of their time in
efforts to support the family, when allowed to go to a fair
or have a public holiday enjoy themselves more in a single
day than the child of wealth, in a whole month of idleness.
In addition to his games and rhymes, the fairs which are
held regularly in the great Buddhist temples in different
parts of the cities, are to the Chinese boy what a country
fair, a circus or Fourth of July is to an American farmer's
boy or girl. He has his cash for candy or fruit, his crackers
which he fires off at New Year's time, making day a time
of unrest, and night hideous. Kite-flying is a pleasure
which no American boy appreciates as does the Chinese, a
pleasure which clings to him till he is three-score years and
ten, for it is not uncommon to find a child and his grandfather
in the balmy days of spring flying their kites together.
He has his pet birds which he carries around in cages or on
a perch unlike any other child we have ever seen. He has
his crickets with which he amuses himself--not "gambles"
--and his gold fish which bring him days and years of
delight. Indeed the Chinese child, though in the vast
majority of cases very poor, has ample provision for a very
good time, and if he does not have it, it must be his own
fault.
Statements about the life of the children, however, may
be nothing more than personal impressions, and are usually
colored as largely by the writer's prejudices as by the
conditions of the children. Some of us are so constituted as to
see the dark side of the picture, others the bright. Let us
go with the boys and girls to their games. Let us play
with their toys and be entertained by the shows that entertain
them, and see if they are not of the same flesh and
blood, heart and sentiment as we. We shall find that the
boys and girls live together, work together, study together,
play together, have their heads shaved alike and quarrel
with each other until they are seven years old, the period
which brings to an end the life of the Chinese child. From
this period it is the boy or the girl.
GAMES PLAYED BY BOYS
Children's games are always interesting. Chinese games
are especially so because they are a mine hitherto
unexplored. An eminent archdeacon once wrote: "The Chinese
are not much given to athletic exercises." A well-known
doctor of divinity states that, "their sports do not require
much physicalexertion, nor do they often pair off, or choose
sides and compete, in order to see who are the best
players," while a still more prominentwriter tells us that,
"active, manly sports are not popular in the South." Let us
see whether these opinions are true.
Two years ago a letter from Dr. Luther Gulick, at present
connected with the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y., came to
us while in Peking, asking that we study into the character
of Chinese children's games. Dr. Gulick was preparing a
series of lectures on the "Psychology of Play." He desired
to secure as much reliable information as possible regarding
the play-life of the children of the East, in order that he
might discover what relation exists between the games of
Oriental and those of Occidental children. By so doing he
would learn the effect of play on the mental and physical
development as well as the character of children, and
through them upon the human race as a whole. We were
fortunate in having at our disposal a large number of
students connected with Peking University, the preparatory,
intermediate and primary schools, together with 150 girls in
attendance at the girls' high school.
We received the letter at four o'clock, at which time the
students had just been dismissed from school, and were taking
their afternoon meal, but at 4:30 we went to the playground,
notebook in hand, called together some of our most interesting
boys, explained to them our object, and asked them to play for
us. Some one may say that this was the worst possible thing to
do, as it would make the children self-conscious and hence
unnatural--the sequel, however, will show.
At first that was exactly what happened. The children
tittered, and looked at each other in blank astonishment,
then one of them walked away and several others gathered
about us. We repeated our explanation in order to secure
their interest, set their minds to work thinking up games,
and do away with the embarrassment, and it was only a
few minutes before an intelligent expression began to appear
in the eyes of some of the boys, and one of them, who was
always ready for anything new, turned to his companion and said:
"You go and find Chi, and bring him here."
"Who is Chi?" we inquired.
"He is the boy who knows more games than any of the rest of us,"
he explained.
Away he ran and soon reappeared with a very unpromising
looking boy whom we recognized as a street waif that had been
taken into what some one called our "raggedy school" a few years
before. He was a glum looking boy--a boy without a smile. There
was a set expression on his face which might be interpreted as
"life is not worth living," or, which would be an equally
legitimate interpretation in the present instance, "these games
are of no importance. If you want them we can play any number of
them for you, but what will you do with them after you get them?"
All the crowd began at once to explain to Chi what we wanted,
and he looked more solemn than ever, then we came to his rescue.
"Chi," we asked, "what kind of games do boys play?"
Slowly and solemnly Chi wound one leg around the other as he
answered:
"Lots of them."
This is the stereotyped answer that will come from any
Chinaman to almost any question he may be asked about
things Chinese.
"For instance?" we further inquired.
"Forcing the city gates," he answered.
"Play it for me."
The boys at once appointed captains who chose sides
and they formed themselves into two lines facing each
other, those of each line taking fast hold of each other's
hands. The boys on one side then sang:
He stuck a feather in his hat,
And hurried to the town
And children met him with a horse
For the gates were broken down.
Then one from the other side ran with all his force,
throwing himself upon the hands of the boys who had
sung, the object being to "break through," in which case
he took the two whose hands had been parted to "his
side," while if he failed to break through he had to remain
on their side. The others then sang. One from this group
tried to break through their line, and thus they alternated
until one side or the other was broken up.
The boys were panting and red in the face when the
game was over, a strong argument against the Chinese-are-
not-much-given-to-vigorous-exercise theory.
"Now play something which does not require so much
exercise," we requested.
Every one looked at Chi, not that the other boys did not
know the games, but simply because this matter-of-fact
boy was their natural leader in this kind of sport.
"Blind man," he said quietly.
At once a handkerchief was tied around the eyes of one of the
boys who was willing to be "blind man," and a game corresponding
almost exactly to our own "blind man's buff" was played, without
the remotest embarrassment, but with as much naturalness as
though neither teacher nor spectator was near them.
"Have you any other games which require strength?"
we inquired.
"Man-wheel," said Chi in his monosyllabic way.
"Play it, please."
"Go and call Wei-Yuan," to one of the smaller boys.
The boy ran off to find the one indicated, and Chi
selected two other middle-sized and two small boys.
When Wei-Yuan, a larger but very good-natured, kindly-
dispositioned lad, came, the two middle-sized boys stood
beside him, one facing north, the other south, and caught
each other's hand over Wei-Yuan's shoulder. The two
smaller boys then stood beside these two, each of whom
clutched hold of the small boys' girdles, who in turn
clutched their girdles and Wei-Yuan took their disengaged
hands. Thus the five boys were firmly bound together.
The wheel then began to turn, the small boys were gradually
lifted from the ground and swung or whirled around
in an almost horizontal position.
"This game requires more strength," Chi explained, "than any
other small boys' game."
"Have you any games more vigorous than this?"
"Pitching the stone lock, and lifting the stone dumb-bells, but
they are for men."
"What is that game you were playing a few days ago in
which you used one stick to knock another?"
"One is striking the stick, and another is knocking the stick."
"Play one of them."
Chi drew two lines on the ground eight feet apart, on one
of which he put a stick. He then threw another stick at it,
the object being to drive it over the other line. He who
first succeeds in driving it over the line wins the game.
The sticks are ten to fifteen inches long.
Striking the stick is similar to tip-cat which we have
often seen played by boys on the streets of New York. The
children mark out a square five or six feet on each side.
The striker takes a position inside, with his feet spread apart
as wide as possible, to give him a better command of the
square. One of the others places the block in the position
which he supposes will be most difficult for the striker to
hit. The latter is then at liberty to twist around on one
foot, placing the other outside the square, in order if possible
to secure a position from which he can strike to advantage.
He then throws a stick about fifteen inches long at
the block to drive it out of the square. If he fails, the one
who placed the block takes the stick, and another places the
block for him. If he succeeds he has the privilege of striking
the block three times as follows: He first strikes it
perpendicularly, which causes it to bound up two or three feet,
when he hits it as one would hit a ball, driving it as far as
possible. This he repeats three times, and if he succeeds
in driving it the distance agreed upon, which may be 20,
50, 200, 300, 500 or more feet, he wins the game. If not
- childish [´tʃaildiʃ]
a.孩子的；幼稚的 (初中英语单词) - holiday [´hɔlidi] n.假日，假期，节日 (初中英语单词)
- wealth [welθ] n.财富，财产 (初中英语单词)
- addition [ə´diʃən] n.加；加法；附加物 (初中英语单词)
- unlike [,ʌn´laik] a.不同的 prep.不象... (初中英语单词)
- provision [prə´viʒən] n.供应；规定；条款 (初中英语单词)
- sentiment [´sentimənt] n.情绪；多愁善感 (初中英语单词)
- physical [´fizikəl] a.物质的；有形的 (初中英语单词)
- compete [kəm´pi:t] v.比赛，竞争，对抗 (初中英语单词)
- prominent [´prɔminənt] a.突起的；凸出的 (初中英语单词)
- writer [´raitə] n.作者；作家 (初中英语单词)
- institute [´institju:t] n.学院 vt.建立；设置 (初中英语单词)
- mental [´mentl] a.精神的；心理的 (初中英语单词)
- character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)
- primary [´praiməri] a.主要的 n.居首位的 (初中英语单词)
- explanation [,eksplə´neiʃən] n.解释；说明；辩解 (初中英语单词)
- intelligent [in´telidʒənt] a.聪明的；理智的 (初中英语单词)
- companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)
- instance [´instəns] n.例子，实例，例证 (初中英语单词)
- solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)
- feather [´feðə] n.羽毛 (初中英语单词)
- argument [´ɑ:gjumənt] n.辩论；争论；论证 (初中英语单词)
- handkerchief [´hæŋkətʃif] n.手帕，手绢 (初中英语单词)
- willing [´wiliŋ] a.情愿的，乐意的 (初中英语单词)
- firmly [´fə:mli] ad.坚固地，稳定地 (初中英语单词)
- striking [´straikiŋ] a.显著的，明显的 (初中英语单词)
- privilege [´privilidʒ] n.特权 vt.给....特权 (初中英语单词)
- dignified [´dignifaid] a.尊贵的 (高中英语单词)
- regularly [´regjuləli] ad.有规律地；经常地 (高中英语单词)
- circus [´sə:kəs] n.马戏(团)；圆形广场 (高中英语单词)
- hideous [´hidiəs] a.丑陋的，可怕的 (高中英语单词)
- eminent [´eminənt] a.卓越的；杰出的 (高中英语单词)
- athletic [æθ´letik] a.运动的；强壮的 (高中英语单词)
- reliable [ri´laiəbl] a.可靠的；可信赖的 (高中英语单词)
- disposal [di´spəuzəl] n.处理；支配 (高中英语单词)
- repeated [ri´pi:tid] a.反复的；重复的 (高中英语单词)
- interpretation [in,tə:pri´teiʃən] n.解释；翻译；表演 (高中英语单词)
- solemnly [´sɔləmli] ad.严肃地，庄严地 (高中英语单词)
- hurried [´hʌrid] a.仓促的，慌忙的 (高中英语单词)
- spectator [spek´teitə] n.观众，旁观者 (高中英语单词)
- vigorous [´vigərəs] a.精力旺盛的；健壮的 (高中英语单词)
- unrest [ʌn´rest] n.不安；不稳；动乱 (英语四级单词)
- uncommon [ʌn´kɔmən] a.非常的，非凡的，罕见的 (英语四级单词)
- divinity [di´viniti] n.神性，神；神学 (英语四级单词)
- exertion [ig´zə:ʃən] n.努力；行使；活动 (英语四级单词)
- embarrassment [im´bærəsmənt] n.窘迫；困惑；为难 (英语四级单词)
- good-natured [´gud-´neitʃəd] a.脾气好的，温厚的 (英语四级单词)
- horizontal [,hɔri´zɔntl] a.水平的，横的 (英语四级单词)
- doleful [´dəulful] a.悲哀的；忧郁的 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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