A short review of the development of terminology along the border of Kiangsu and Shantung will be a useful introduction to this vast subject. While there has always been some banditry, in this region the present situation is easily a growth of less than two decades.
lied to those who preyed on the There were several keipe Fives and property of others 20 years ago:
Chiang-dao, or robber operating at night, descending on unprotected houses or villages and carrying off all that was easy of transport, such as money, clothing, horses and cattle. They killed if resisted but their primary object was booty.
Dwan-lu-cly, or highwayman: of less ferocity and daring than the first class, attacking travellers in lonely places.
Dzci, or thief: meaning the small sneak thief who snatched clothing from open doorways or got off with chickens or loose articles or small value, Owang-gwen, or rowdy: Gwangdan, or smooth egg. 2 Ching-pi, or pi dz, all meaning rowdies and rough idlers that might be criminal on occasions.
one of these terms are heard much to-day. They have been superseded by the common term "tufei" which means generally a band that live by kidnapping. "Pi dz"? has exactly the same meaning. And the term "small thief" has come to mean any of the bandit gang that carries a gun,.apart from the leaders thereof who are known as head robbers. ''Piao-baer,"' pronounced in awed accents with a roll of the second syllable is applied to men of. established prestige in deeds of violence.
The kidnapped victim is known as a "rou-dan." meat egg: a "rou plac," meat ticket, or simply as a "Piao" or ticket. And a "chiang dz" is the man who conducts the negotiations for the payment of the ransom money.
The growth of these terms hus been due to the progress of the scourge. All of the lesser criminals have joined the major class. It is the writer's belief that the kidnapping practice arose solely from the fact that the robbery rewards dwindled down to small proportions. Nobody in the country now makes any attempt to hold any portable valuables in his home. Only those who can afford a heavy guard, that are eternally vigilant, Keep up any appearances. So we see everywhere the rich man wearing the same clothes as the poor and living in the same style. The only hope a robber now has true except in the case of an un-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.