Page:Ports of the world - Canton (1920).djvu/54

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CANTON



Government Officials who Coin China's Fifty-cent Silver Dollars, Imperial Mint Gardens, Canton

habits. "Some American and European foods are as revolting to us as snakes, dogs, and cats—as food—are to you," they say, "and there is no more reason why we should deny ourselves these culinary dainties than you should deny yourselves your favorite dishes because they may happen to be out of harmony with our sense of tastes."


IDOLS AND POTTERY

ANTON, besides being one of the strangest cities in the Orient, from the traveler's viewpoint, is also one of the principal manufacturing cities of the country. A majority of the industries in Canton are carried on by the 75 or so trade guilds, some of whom have entire districts devoted to the production of their respective wares.

The output of the Canton trade guilds includes hundreds of articles of merchandise, ranging from idols to pottery, and running the whole gamut of export goods—from hair, silk, embroideries, jade, carved woods, candied ginger, and other Chinese sweetmeats, to fans and lacquer ware.

The district of the blackwood-cutters' guild offers one of the most interesting sights in Canton. Few travelers ever visit the city without directing their sedan-

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