The Abolition of the Queue

THAT a new style in the cut of the hair may mean, on the one hand, a saving of millions of dollars a year to a whole people, involving the destiny of a nation, and on the other hand, the most disastrous derangement of economic conditions, even to the extent of dislocating great industries of a whole nation, may not have occurred to those who have noted recently that the Chinese are cutting off their queues. The queue itself is insignificant; but its abolition means incomparably more than the mere removal of a few feet of hair. The significance of the economic as well as moral meaning behind this reform can hardly be overestimated.

The queue and the Chinese have become synonymous. To mention the Chinese immediately suggests the queue, and to mention the queue at once reminds one of the Chinese. Indeed, the Chinese without the queue are inconceivable! It is no wonder, then, that the recent Imperial Edict of the Chinese Emperor ordering all the Chinese diplomatic officers to cut off their queues, has at once aroused world-wide interest. The far-reaching effect and significance of this reform, however, cannot be estimated aright without some knowledge of the origin and singular meaning of this peculiar form of wearing the hair, which has been the mark of ridicule on the one hand, and a sign of refinement on the other.

After noting the great fondness which the Chinese in the United States have for their queues in the face of much inconvenience and embarrassment, one can hardly believe that this style of tonsure was once forced upon them, with the sword, as a mark of subjection. Nevertheless this was the case. Before the advent of the present Dynasty in 1644, the Chinese wore their hair long, usually tied up in a knot on the top of their heads. The present Dynasty, on conquering the previous ruling house, imposed by martial law upon every male in the country the Manchu style of the queue. Official barbers, with full power either to shave the hair of every one whom they could catch, or, on his refusal, to cut off his head, were said to have been stationed in many parts of the country. It was inevitable that such a conspicuous and tangible mark of subjection should have been bitterly resisted even to the death by large numbers of the Chinese. Stories abound to the effect that many people during those years preferred to lose their heads rather than to shave their hair. But, as Dr. Arthur H. Smith remarked, the rulers ‘showed how well they were fitted for the high task they had undertaken, by their persistent adherence to the requirement, compliance with which was made at once a test of loyalty.’

Time and dexterous policy have worked a complete change. Not only have the Chinese people long forgotten the rancorous hostility of their forefathers toward the queue, but they have become more proud of it, perhaps, than of any other characteristic of their dress. To an average Chinese young man, a fine long queue is of more importance for his social prominence than the choice neck-tie, the smart cut of the coat, the crease of the trousers, and all other similar points of style combined, of his American brother. Indeed, to be born a Chinese boy without a wealth of hair for a good queue sometimes is regarded as more unfortunate than to be born an American girl prone to many freckles on the face, and hair of an unbecoming shade. Thus what was originally a badge of servitude has ended by becoming an object of pride and solicitude.

Such has been, and to a large extent is, the affection of the Chinese for the queue. During the last two centuries, scarcely any one ever thought of changing the queue, much less of abolishing it. Indeed, it seemed as if the queue were to remain a part of the Chinese people as long as China should remain a nation.

With the beginning of intimate intercourse with the West, however, there gradually sprang up a feeling against the queue, which has grown, not because of any lack of loyalty to the Dynasty, but because of the conviction of the inconvenience of the queue itself. But nothing appreciable had been done toward its removal until after the Chino-Japanese war, when the Emperor Kwanghsu, along with the other reforms which he was about to introduce, was reported to have favored the removal of the queue. But the ambition of that enlightened Emperor was cut short by the coup d’état of 1898, after which everything returned to its former course, and no further talk of this reform was heard until 1900. In that year it was reported in some quarters that the advance of the allied forces into Peking meant the end of the queue. This, however, did not prove to be the case; and the queue prospered as ever, in spite of all the violent changes in China.

In the mean time, the popular feeling against the queue has grown in proportion to the increase of foreigners coming into China, as well as to the unprecedented exodus of Chinese travelers and students into other countries. The law requiring the wearing of the queue also gradually relaxed in severity. Not many years ago, the cutting off of the queue would have been dealt with as a criminal act, while to-day members of the Imperial Household go without it. Before 1900 a Chinese in the United States without a queue was a rare exception, but now the reverse is the case. Not long ago the queue, if considered at all, would have been cited as an essential badge of civilization, ‘a sine qua non of even a moderately intellectual ascendency’; while to-day, in the Chinese capital itself, the queue is condemned as a nuisance. The fact that thousands upon thousands of Chinese young men have cut off their queues, without any permission from the Government, clearly shows that the once severe law governing the wearing of the queue has virtually become a dead letter.

In spite of the silent change of public opinion in regard to the queue, the Government, being too deeply absorbed in other reforms, did not pay much attention to the queue until His Excellency Wu Ting-fang, the late Chinese Minister to the United States, presented his memorial. Minister Wu’s experience in foreign countries and his keen observation of the conditions of the Chinese people, especially those in America, convinced him of the uselessness of the queue. So, in spite of the warning of his staff that his agitation for the abolition of the queue might prove disastrous to his official career, he did not hesitate to present to the Throne, at the beginning of 1910, his memorial setting forth his convictions. He fearlessly stated that he found that eight or nine tenths of the Chinese in America had removed their queues, and that the remainder, while retaining them, were at pains to conceal this appendage, which they found at once inconvenient and derogatory. He went still further. He even urged the abolition of the queue on general principles, and boldly pointed out to the Throne that it had nothing to do with loyalty, and was entirely unsuited to modern conditions.

To the surprise of many, the memorial actually received considerable favorable discussion in Peking. But, on the clever plea of the conservatives that the removal or retention of the queue did not belong to the realities of reform and had no bearing on the strength or weakness of the country, Minister Wu’s memorial was ‘shelved.'

The abolition of the queue, however, had become too burning a question to be stopped by this adverse attitude of the Peking authorities. No sooner was Minister Wu’s memorial made known than the Chinese ministers to Italy and Holland presented similar memorials pleading for the abolition of the queue, only with more emphasis. In fact, the latter was so opposed to the wearing of the queue that he had cut off his own, without waiting for any instruction or even permission from the Throne, which act fifteen years ago would have cost him his life.

Just about this time Prince Tsai Tao, uncle of the Emperor and brother of the Prince Regent, returned from his world tour. This young, energetic prince was so convinced of the uselessness of the queue, that he personally urged the Prince Regent again and again to abolish it. He even made compliance with his request a condition of his remaining in office. The strenuous advocacy of this prince supplied the strength that had been lacking in the proposals of China’s diplomatic officers. Following his lead, other princes and members of the Imperial Family and anti-queue officials took new courage, and for a while flooded the Throne with pleas and memorials advocating the change. In fact, all other reforms which rightly came up for discussion in government circles were for the time being held in abeyance, owing to the absorbing interest attached to this problem.

Moreover, the question had also become the general topic of conversation throughout the whole empire. All classes of people seemed to take a personal interest in the matter. The conservatives exerted their best efforts to maintain their last stand, while the progressives seized every opportunity to carry out their policy.

To the outsider, it appears mysterious, if not ridiculous, that there should be so much opposition and higgling against the removal of an appendage which has been universally recognized as inconvenient and derogatory. To understand this, one should first of all bear in mind that the queue has grown up with the people for over two hundred and fifty years, and has become a universal custom or fashion. ‘Custom, like human speech, once established resists change,’and fashion defies reason. This is especially true in China, where the people have the greatest respect for the past, and where a proverb says, ‘Old customs may not be broken.' If one recalls the complete failure of the ‘bloomers’ in spite of their undeniable and unmistakable convenience and practical superiority over the skirt, he will readily understand why the Chinese cling so fondly to the queue. The memory of the feeling which the writer experienced in cutting off his queue is still fresh. The sound of the scissors sent a peculiar thrill through his system that it is impossible to describe. He knew the queue was useless and must be cut off, he wanted to have it cut off, but, nevertheless, he hated to see it go!

Aside from the intense dislike of the Chinese for changing the ‘established customs of our ancestors,’ which alone has defeated many reforms, there still remain numerous practical and tangible difficulties to be overcome. In the first place, it was taken for granted that with the removal of the queue the present national costume must disappear, and that the change of costume would necessitate the abolition of the Kowtow — the most sacred form of worship in China. This change will dislocate all China’s ancient traditions and established principles of propriety, as well as the teachings of her sages. Not long ago, this difficulty would have proved insurmountable. To-day, however, it has proved comparatively harmless. In fact, many did not hesitate to say that, after the adoption of the western costume, it might be just as well to substitute the shaking of each other’s hands in greeting for the shaking of one’s own, or the polite bow for the Kowtow.

But the strongest obstacle was the fear of the inevitable economic derangement. It is recognized that as Chinese goods are not suitable for the European style of dress, any sweeping change of costume would consequently necessitate the importation of enormous quantities of foreign goods. This would at once throw thousands of Chinese weavers and other laborers out of work, to say nothing of the waste of the stock of goods on hand. Thus it is admitted that such an important and sweeping change in Chinese economics as would be involved by the change of costume would necessitate a great loss of money to, and probably ruin of, the innumerable silk-merchants and clothiers of the country. In fact, the Hangchow hatters, who, ‘like Demetrius of Ephesus,’ feared their craft ‘in danger to be set at nought,’ have already protested strongly against any change of the sort. The Chekiang silk-manufacturers have also raised a loud cry. That a sweeping change of costume will result in much loss and misery hardly admits of any doubt. For these and other reasons the simultaneous change of the costume and the queue was thought impracticable.

Under such circumstances, it was suggested that China should adopt a partial change: that she should remove the queue and retain her costume. The argument was that the removal of the queue and the change of costume are two entirely different things, and should not be confused in the solution of the problem. Since the two reforms cannot be carried out at the same time, it is but appropriate to remove the queue only, without adopting any new costume. By taking this middle course the Kowtow and other sacred forms of worship may be continued, and the danger of economic derangement may also be avoided.

This at once appeared a logical solution of the problem. Moreover, the best opinion concurs that there is no need of discarding the Chinese costume. On the contrary, it would be a mistake if China should adopt, wholesale, the European dress in place of her own. The senseless adoption of the dress of another people is likely not only to introduce all the bad points of the new, but to banish all the good points of one’s own. Moreover, the erroneous idea that the removal of the queue must necessarily imply a similar change of costume cannot be demonstrated more clearly than by the fact that the Japanese, as well as other peoples, except a small minority among them, still retain their national garb, notwithstanding their cropped hair; and they certainly do not appear the worse for the change.

Some people, especially foreign residents in China, also advance a plea for the retaining of the Chinese costume for æsthetic reasons. They say the Chinese look ’elegant and picturesque’ in their present costume. The Chinese, however, although called a ‘nation of æsthetes,’ find no time to take æsthetics into consideration in their reforms. The pendulum of public opinion against the former attention to æstheticism is now swinging to such an extreme that there is every reason to believe that the elegance of the Chinese dress will hasten its abolition rather than retard it.

The real objection to the partial change of cutting off the queue and retaining the costume, however, lies in the fear that it will give an appearance of half-heartedness, which might prove disastrous to the whole programme. The past teaches that such signs of half-heartedness on the part of the government have been repeatedly the principal cause of failure of reforms, and should, therefore, be avoided at all events. Moreover, such a partial change would not help much in bringing about conformity to the present universal fashion, which was the principal purpose of the change. Therefore it was urged that the removal of the queue and the change of costume must come together.

To meet all these objections, another proposal was made, to the effect that the removal of the queue and the change of costume should be made simultaneously; but should be confined only to those classes of people who come into contact with foreigners and those whose occupations require such change. The diplomatic officers, for instance, must first of all be compelled to make the change. Then the police, the soldiers, and the students, must follow in their order. As the number of men in these classes is comparatively small, the danger of economic disturbance may be avoided on the one hand, and the real purpose of a genuine, complete change, so as to conform with other peoples, may be achieved on the other.

This at first appeared logical. But those who made the proposal overlooked the fact that the soldiers serve only a limited number of years in the army, and that the policemen do not remain policemen all their lives. The same is true about the students and the diplomatic officers. If the great majority of the people were permitted to wear queues and Chinese dress, while only those few who happened to be police or soldiers were compelled to adopt the western fashion, then the latter few, upon their change of occupation, would be subjected to much embarrassment, and at once become objects of curiosity. Therefore, the proposal, perfect as it appeared, has already proved impracticable, as in the case of the Imperial Body Guard, where, on the application of this theory, desertions actually took place.

Thus, it appears that there was objection from every direction. To remove the queue without changing the costume is regarded as half-hearted and hence dangerous; to change the dress and queue of certain classes of people is impracticable; and to compel all classes to adopt the changes is perilous. For a while it seemed as if there were no hope of accomplishing anything.

China, however, always seems able to find a way of doing things slowly, and this case was no exception. She recognized that her subjects may be divided into four categories: namely, those who are enthusiastic for the change, those who are in need of it, those who are opposed to it, and those who are indifferent. Therefore, she thought fit to conduct the reform systematically, first by ordering those in need of the change to adopt the reform, as has already been done in the case of the diplomatic officers, and at the same time to encourage those who are willing. In addition the members of the Imperial Family must also set the example, by adopting the change themselves. By so doing, within a few years the European costume may be adopted without any disturbance by those only who are willing or in need of the change, and the queue may disappear as magically as it came into existence.

This is evidently what China has begun to do. Reports say that after the experiment with the diplomatic officers the government will soon impose the reform upon the army, the navy, and the students, and finally will proclaim the complete abolition of the queue throughout the country, and wall leave the question of costume to each individual. The general attitude of the masses, the strong conviction of the leading classes, and the sincerity shown by the government in carrying out the reform, make it apparent that those who want to see the Chinese queues will have to go to China within the next five years.

The significance of this change can hardly be overestimated. When the whole country is taken into consideration, the benefits and saving from doing away with the queue are enormous. For instance, the combing and braiding of the queue takes every day at least fifteen minutes of the best hours of every man in China, and perhaps twice that much of the barbers’ time, which could be applied to productive purposes. Although time is cheap in China, it is worth at least ten cents a day on the average. According to this rate, each queue costs about one cent every day for combing. Multiply this by the number of males above fifteen in the country, which is placed at about 100,000,000 and then by the number of days in a year, one will see that the annual saving from this source alone will mean about $365,000,000. This, however, is only the cash value of time saved. But the actual saving in useful material is also considerable. A conservative estimate of what an average man or boy spends for queue-cords, etc., will be about twenty cents a year, which means $20,000,000 for the country. It is also recognized that the queue shortens the life of one’s coat or gown by at least 10 per cent. The removal of the queue will, therefore, mean a saving of about twenty cents a year for every man, or about $20,000,000 annually for the country. There are many other savings from the removal of the queue, concerning which we need not go into detail; but these three sources alone will mean an actual saving of material valued at $40,000,000 per year, or $405,000,000 in cash value of time and material. These figures should not be taken too seriously; but they are significant, nevertheless.

If the question is considered from a hygienic point of view, none will hesitate to say that the queue should be removed. Few can realize how much trouble it means to keep clean a headful of long hair, especially when it is genuine. The ease and comfort which one with cropped hair feels in washing and scrubbing his head are unknown to the man who wears the queue! The general inconvenience of the queue can be properly realized only after one has once worn it.

These economic and hygienic benefits, great as they are, dwindle to insignificance, when compared with the moral effect of the reform. In introducing the western institutions upon which China’s destiny largely depends, China must change the attitude and feeling of her masses. She cannot do this unless she can make these masses feel some changes in themselves. To accomplish this, nothing seems more effective than to do away with the queue. Once an average ‘Chinaman’ finds his head minus the queue, he will at once take it for granted that he has also become one of those ‘foreign devils,’ and hence regard it as his lot to adopt things foreign. Instead of being opposed to western innovations, he will become eager to adopt them. Indeed, it seems safe to prophesy that the removal of the queue will bring about more changes in the attitude of the masses toward the introduction of modern institutions than any other reform. It will probably mean the complete revolution of the thoughts of four hundred millions of people!

Again, it must not be overlooked that the abolition of the queue will do much toward that complete removal of the ancient differences between the Chinese and the Manchu, which the government has been endeavoring to accomplish. It will lead even those who are most hostile to the ruling Dynasty to feel that the government is really doing its best to harmonize the old discord, and that after all the two peoples are but one.

Thus it seems that the abolition of the queue, insignificant as the queue itself is, is destined to be an epochmaking reform, which will clear the way for numerous other practicable changes. It will create unity among the people and give new strength to the nation. There are numerous strong and apparently insurmountable obstacles; but if China can compel her people to give up such a deadly and tenacious habit as opium-smoking, and can impel her women to change the fashion of their feet, there is little reason why she cannot compel her men to change the fashion of their hair.