EXAMINATION OF A CULPRIT
B e fo re a M a n d a rin .
T h i s su b je c t re p r e s e n ts a F em a le , c h a rg e d w ith p ro s titu tio n . Su ch an
o ffe n d e r is g e n e ra lly p u n is h e d p u b lic ly , b y n um e ro u s blows w ith th e
p a n -tse e , o r b am b o o ; a n d , in cases o f n o to rio u s in fam y , is d o om e d to
suffer th e a d d itio n a l s e n te n c e o f b e a rin g th e c a n -g u e ; som etime s, h ow e v e r,
c o r p o ra l p u n is hm e n t is c om m u te d in to a p e c u n ia ry fine.
T h e M a g is tra te , h a b ite d in fu ll d re s s , is k n ow n to be o f ro y a l b lo o d , b y
th e c irc u la r b a d g e on h is b re a s t, th a t w o rn b y e v e ry o th e r M a n d a rin b e in g
s q u a re . T h e S e c re ta ry , w h o is ta k in g m in u te s o f th e p ro c e e d in g s , we ars
o n his g ird le h is h a n d k e r c h ie f a n d p u rse s , to g e th e r w ith a case c o n ta in in g
h is k n ife a n d c h o p s tic k s . T h e s e p u rse s a re m e re ly fo r o rn am e n t, n o t b e in g
m a d e to o p e n .
T h e C h in e s e w r ite w ith a h a ir p e n c il a n d In d ia n i n k : th e p e n c il is h e ld
v e r tic a lly , a n d th e le tte rs a re a r ra n g e d in p e r p e n d ic u la r lin e s from th e to p
o f th e p a g e to th e b o ttom , b e g in n in g a t th e r ig h t a n d e n d in g on th e le ft
s id e o f th e p a p e r. T h e c a p w o rn b y th e offic er o f p o lic e is d is tin g u is h e d
b y c e rta in le tte rs w h ic h d e n o te th e nam e o f th e M a n d a rin h e serves.
T h e m a n n e r in w h ic h th e p ris o n e r is p re s e n te d is c h a ra c te ris tic o f th e
in so le n c e o f office a n d h a rsh n e s s w h ic h (even female) d e lin q u e n ts are
su b je c t to in th a t c o u n try .
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