MANDARIN  , the

common name for all public officials in China, the Chinese name for whom is kwan or kwon . The word comes through the Portuguese from Malay mantri, a counsellor or minister of state . The ultimate origin of this word is the Sanskrit root man-, meaning to " think," seen in " man," " mind," &c . The term " mandarin " is not, in its western usage, applied indiscriminately to all civil and military officials, but only to those who are entitled to wear a " button," which is a spherical knob, about an inch in diameter, affixed to the top of the official cap or hat . These officials, civil and military alike, are divided into nine grades or classes, each grade being distinguished by a button of a particular colour . The grade to which an official belongs is not necessarily related to the office he holds . The button which distinguishes the first grade is a transparent red stone; the second grade, a red coral button; the third, a sapphire; the fourth, a blue opaque stone; the fifth, a crystal button; the sixth, an opaque white shell button; the seventh, a plain gold button; the eighth, a worked gold button; and the ninth, a worked silver button . The mandarins also wear certain insignia embroidered on their official robes, and have girdle clasps of different material . The first grade have, for civilians an embroidered Manchurian crane on the breast and back, for the military an embroidered unicorn with a girdle clasp of jade set in rubies . The second grade, for civilians an embroidered golden pheasant, for the military a lion with a girdle principal industries are the raising of Indian corn and sugar-cane and the manufacture of salt from sea-water . Cebu-Visayan is the language .