Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1914 — CURIOUS CHINESE CUSTOM. [ARTICLE]

CURIOUS CHINESE CUSTOM.

Elaborate Ceremony Attending First Cutting of a Boy’s Hair. One of the most ancient and curious customs among the Chinese, and one rarely commemorated In this country, was observed with great pomp and clrcumstanoe In Chinatown recently, says the San Francisco Chronicle,, when Fong Hock, a leading merchant who for years has had the supervision of the Chinese discounts in the Anglo-Californian Bank of San Francisco, entertained his relatives to a remote degree with a magnificent banquet in honor of the first putting of the hair of his only son. The banqut took place at an Eighth street restaurant and there were 150 guests. A notable feature was the" fact that the wives and children of the gueets sat down at the same table with the* heads of families. A most elaborate menu, comprising birds’ nest soup, steam stuffed duck, Foon Yon Ha, shark's fins and other costly Celestial dishes were served. The banquet cost the happy father SI,BOO. During the evening quite a number of prominent members of the San Francisco clearing house called at the restaurant to offer their felicitations to him. The hair cutting ceremony, which was observed with picturesque rites, symbols that Fong Hock’s heir is now a factor in the family. The guests brought presents for the little son worth thousands of dollars.