_Sharks’ fins_ made our next dish. These were also served in little cups and eaten with chopsticks. The two chopsticks were about a foot long and made of ivory, but it seems they are often made of bone, silver, gold, or wood, and children, until they are six or seven years of age, are rarely able to manipulate them. One is held between the thumb and first finger, the second between the first and second fingers, and so dexterous was Lord Li in their manipulation that he, later, took the small bones out of a fish and put them on one side more easily than one could have done with a knife and fork. The shark fins, when boiled in Chinese fashion, were almost like the gelatinous part of calf’s head or the outside of a turbot. They were cooked with cabbage and some ham, so, in a way, the taste reminded me of German sauerkraut; but though also a delicacy, this was less delicate in flavour than the bird’s nest and somewhat satisfying. Now came fish—mackerel, I think—likewise cooked in a Chinese way, for, be it understood, the Chinese cook was doing the entire luncheon. A thick brown sauce, with a curry flavour, and the tiniest of little onions here and there, were added to the dish, which the guest simply could not manipulate with chopsticks, so had recourse to an English knife and fork. The next course was again served in covered cups, and was chicken, a favourite and ordinary dish in China. Apparently the bird was chopped fine, or had been passed through the mincing machine. Anyway, there were no bones, yet it was solid. My private opinion was that it must have been compressed under weights, because it adhered to its own skin and looked substantial, although the ingredients fell apart when attacked with the chopsticks. This tasted like boned capon, and with it was something white, appearing to be fish, which Lord Li said was dried oyster. It seems there is a particularly large oyster in China which has a sort of bag protrusion. This bit is cut away and sun-dried, when it makes the flavouring and decoration for the chicken. We had not finished yet. Duck was the next course. This came on a plate and had its bones entire. It was also covered with thick brown sauce and finely shredded vegetables. His Excellency told us there were many more vegetables in China than in England, and that some of them were prepared for export. These appeared to be shredded in the same way as vegetables are cut for Julienne soup. With it was also served a great dish of rice, and in ordinary Chinese households rice is served with every course. “In the rich homes we eat much meat and little rice, and in the poor homes much rice and little meat,” said the Minister. This dish I did not care for at all, besides finding it next to impossible to detach the meat from the bones with the chopsticks. Our next course was a very pretty one. On a plate sat a row of little dumplings, into which lobster, finely shredded with ham, had been daintily tucked.