lOfuftc/fnany oft/ic. Jt!ieoK : ei ftfiiA/y e/ehr/ncneftr6tttnrc con fteyenft etn/jy gCjf" ' ,0 ’JMi!m//*r Var/affi-c fynyftae/c /ro/uiy ceytya Am VATa/iyaf Ch'mefeTarlar>' and Tibet .-ft./ may tiy/iau-from lAef/Av. < E7aA7e.,‘ht/ictvtn.-7ony- m cndenan/' tv thedZinp op France tsMtdr. , ‘/turn t/y .disced’ll tv die Zit dfo/d’f' ./'’Charles Wager. >-jtdord tbmmr/jione/' optAe- dlitnu ra/ty, t‘~/et//ura/ and Canvmaruter opt/ie \^tt'Zute Jqiuidron l/b- Ais xZd^ZZtyevtyj ElZect- Chin eJ f fa/,a,i/A,/ m t/ieWo U/d wd r . 'll, yreai/tiirar, A DESCRIPTION O F T H E Empire of CHINA AND CHINESE.TARTAR !1 Together with the KINGDOMS of KOREA, and T I B E T : CONTAINING THE GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY (N atural as well as Civil) OF THOSE COUNTRIES. Enrich’d with general and particular Maps, and adorned with a great Number of Cuts. From the French of P. J. B. Du HALDE, Jefuit; NOTES Geographical, Hiflorical, and Critical ; and Other Improvements, particularly in the Maps, BY THE TRANSLATOR. In TWO VOLUMES. VOLUME I. L O N D O N . Printed by T. Gardner in Burtholomow-Clojc, for Edward Cavf. at St. John s Cats. M DCCXXXVIII. j m A M O I T 9 I St 0 2 3 Q . 4 o ' I ' 1 ' " ' ■ \LI ■ O'A. , •; ; '■ ; xi : . A \. 0 ! . . ■ 7 O .7 T .•! : -J i 1 .7 ■ M i. . - . .. ■ T O HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS FREDERICK, PRINCE of WALES. May it pleafe Tour Royal Highnefs, PRESUME to approach Your Royal Highness with a complete Englilh Edition of a Pcrlormance, which was thought by its Author not unworthy the Patronage of the King of France: an Honour to which it was the rather entitled, as the Maps, and ColleSlion of Editts, that make the principal Part of it, are the Work of a great Chinefe Monarch, the late admirable Kang hi, by whofe exprels Orders they were executed. The JirJl is a vaft Improvement in Geography, a Science which can never be brought to Perfedfion without the Encouragement of Princes ; and the other is a Fund of excellent Politics, which joined to the Treatifes on the Government and Morality of the Chinefe, may delerve Your Royal Highnefs's Attention, as they come from a People, who wifely make thofe Studies the Top of all Science, and have perhaps arriv’d to a greater Proficiency therein than all other Nations. N o Laws or Inftitutions appear in the general fo well contrived as the Chinefe to make both King and People happy. By them the People are taught to look on the Sovereign as their Father, and the Sovereign on all Occafions to confider his Subjects as his Children. By the Force of this Angle Principle the moft defpotic Emperors on Earth govern with the fame Mildnefs as the moll: limited Monarchs; and Nations as numerous as the Sands of the Sea are reftrained within the Bounds of the moft perfedt Submiflion. Hence it is that their Hiftory hitherto furnifhes more remarkable Pittances ol intrepid Virtue, as The DEDICATION. as well as of Fidelity in Subjedts to their Sovereigns, and of Affedtion in Princes to their People, than that of Great-Britain itfell, which as yet has but faintlv admitted the Parental Scheme (the beft and fureft Bafis of Government) into its Politics: Hence likewife China has but leldom experienced Revolutions, which have io often overturned other States; and were it not for the fupcrftitious Sedts that have been iuffer’d to propagate themfclves, had probably never felt any. In Confequence of this excellent Maxim, a Chinefc Emperor is perpetual!v labouring to merit the Name of Father of the People. He lays up his Revenues only for the public Service: Whenever any Tax bears too heavy he imme¬ diately remits it ; the Moment his Governors give him Notice of any public Calamity, he opens his Treafuries to relieve the DiftrefTed. He looks into all Affairs with his own Eyes, and his Ears are open to hear all Complaints. He permits no Set or Profeilion of Men to iinpofe on, or make a Prey of, the red. He redreffes Grievances in the Law, Religion and Government the Inftant he is inform’d of them. If an Edidt appears to have an ill Effedt, he caufes it to be revoked before it does farther Mifchief. He lets no Magiftrate run on to opprefs, or Foreign Power to injure, his Subjects, but calls them to Account on the firft Remonltrance. He rejedts every Projedh tending to their Detriment, tho’ ever io much to his own private Intereft- and purfues every Scheme which conveys the fmalleft Advantage to the Nation. He is particularly attentive to encourage the Manufadfures; and fuffers no Branch of Commerce to fink or languifh lor want of applying a fpeedy Remedy. In fhort, he never does any Thing contrary to the Inclinations of the People, to which he always conforms bimfelf; and for Fear he fliould deviate in the leaft Particular from his Paternal Charadter, he invites his faithful Minilters to examine his Condudf, and apprize him of his Miftakes. This is the glorious Light in which the Chimfe Hiftory prcf.nts their Monarchs to our View ; and this is the Light in which the Inhabitants of thefe I (lands figure to themfclves Your Future Reign. They can do no Icfs in Jufticethan think thusadvantageoufly of Tour Royal Highiejs, who fo profefledly make the Britijh Princes, molt renowned for their Benevolence, Generality and Difintereftednefs, the Patterns of Your Imitation. Thofe fublime Qualities, which have always diftinguiflfd the greateft Monarchs, and fhine fo confpicuoufly in every Adlion of Your Life, afford an Earncft to them that they will not be deceived in their Expectations; nor can your Pofterity ever want the Hearts of their Subjedts, (the only fure Support of Sovereigns) fo lon°- as they tread in Your Steps. That \our Royal Hightiejs , in Conjundtion with Your moll: Amiable Conjort, may continue long to blefs thefe Illands with Your Prefence, and fecure their lading Happincfs by a Numerous Race of Princes, who fhall fit on the Brlti/h Throne to Latelt Time, is the ardent Wifir of f«»- Royal Highness’s Mofl Dutiful, Mofl Faithful, and Mofl Hum hie Servant, The Tranfiator. TRANSLATO R S P R E F A C E. P E R E du Halde having in his Preface given a copious Account of the Materials of this Remarks on Work, it remains only to lay fomething concerning the Manner in which it has been exe- P refent cuted, and what we have done on our Side to improve it. or ’ In order to this, I fhall confider the Defcription of each Country feparately : And as this Preferable to Volume, with Half of the other, relates almoit entirely to China, T lhallconfine my Remarks at prefent, chiefly to this Part of the Work, which for the Hiftory, Natural and Civil, is abun- ° u ‘ e " dandy more complete than any thing before publifhed •, or indeed, than all the Relations that have been hitherto written, put together: Whole Authors, fuch as Samedo , Magalhanes , Navarette, le Comte &c. having only feen l'ome fmall Part of the Country, could not be qualified to treat fo fully or accurately of Matters, as thole who had travelled over all China , and being employed by the Emperor to l'urvey his Dominions, had an Opportunity of coming to the Knowledge of a Multitude of Things, which mull have remain’d hidden from other Travellers. So that, notwithstanding the Defcription of Chinefe Tartary , Korea and Tibet is alfo exceeding curious, and may be efteemed by many as the more valuable Part of the Work, on Account of the ample Dilcoveries it contains of thole Spacious Countries, whereof little more than the Names were known to us before, yet if P. du Halde had treated folely of China , his Labour mult needs have been acceptable to the belt: Judges in this Sort ot Literature. Epecially fince this Part is enriched with Tranflations of feveral Chinefe Books relating to their Religion, Medicine, Politics and Morality ; among which the Declarations, Edids, Speeches, Gfc. of Emperors and Miniflers, befides giving Light into many of the Cuftoms and Laws of China to be met with no where elle, may be affirmed to be as noble Eflays upon Liberty and Government, as ever appeared in any Country ot Europe , not excepting Great Britain itfclf, the only Nurfery of found Politics, and Aflerter of the common Rights of Mankind, on this Side of the Globe. In ffiort, this Performance is valuable, if it was only for collecting into one Body what occurs molt material Objeflions in former Accounts of China •, a Work very much wanted, efpecially as the Books treating of this Country anlvver ' were becomd very numerous, and feveral of them not eafily to be procured. ’Tis true, certain Topics may be fo.und which are not handled fo minutely as in other \Vriters, fome whereof I have taken notice of, and frequently lupplied as I went along : But poffibly the Author had his Realons for not enlarging on thofe Subjeds, either becaule they had not been confirmed by his Correfpondents in China , or that they appeared not to be exact i which in general he obferves is the Cafe with moll; former Relations, without pointing out the particular Authors, who were chiefly of his own Society. It mull: be confefled likewife, that his geographical Defcription of China is not near fo copious as that publifhed by P. Martini in his Atlas Sinenfis: but then it may be prelumed to be far more accurate ; the Miffionaries having been at every City they deferibe, and indeed fometimes not (paring to correct Mar¬ tini’s Performance, which is compiled almoft wholely from the Chinefe Greographers, who, as P. du Halde obferves, are very apt to exaggerate Matters that relate to themfelves or their Country. Befides, as the Au¬ thor, in his Account of every Diftridt or County in each Province, has inlerted whatever is mod re¬ markable with Refpect to the Trade and natural produce thereof •, and as a particular Defcription of the Situation of every Chew and Hyen would have lwelled the Work to a very great Bulk, and might be learned very juftly from the provincial Maps and Plans, he might deem it needlefs to enter into a farther Detail. In¬ deed, we fhould have been very well pleafed, if inftead thereof he had inferred an Itinerary of the Roads through China , out of fome ot their Books publifhed in every City for the Ufeof Travellers, orelfe the Journals of the Miffionaries in their Progrefs through the Provinces, while they were making the Maps : Which would have been more proper than the Travels he has inferted ot other Miffionaries, and, with the Maps, would havefurnifhed Materials to render the Geography of China in a manner complete. Tho* this Work comes out under P . du Haide's Name, yet many of the Pieces were confeffiedly the The Work Performance of the Miffionaries, whofe Names are prefixed : Nay, he feems to have had little Share in of tiie * lif * any of them, farther than to prepare and fometimes abridge them. In the Letter of P. Regis, inferted in rather than the Author’s Preface in the Name of the Miffionaries concerned with him in drawing the Maps, we meet ^ p* with fome Expreffions which feem to favour this Opinion-, as, the Work which we offer the pub-Halde. lie ,— we did not think fit to infert them , meaning their Observations of the Variation of the Needle, in this Piece of Geography. Now tho’ the firft of thefe Paflages feems to relate only to the Maps, yet the laft plainly refers to a diflinct Geographical Treatife fent to Pere du Halde , as well as the Maps, with a defign to be made public: Befides, we often find the Miffionaries (peaking in their own Perfons, in the Articles not given under any Name. But Nobody, I prefume, will have the worfe Opinion of the Work, for the Miffionaries having had the greateft Share therein: It were only to be wiffied, that the a> • Editpr 11 State of the Propi Names re- thography ts'otcs. The Tranflator’s PREFACE. Editor had given ns the Pieces intire juft as they came from the Hands of his Correfpondents becaufe it is to be feared fome of them may have luffered by a too fevere Caftigation, as I have obfcrved wherever I found occafion. clcvcr ‘TV” THUS much may fuffice with Regard ro the Original: 1 come next to acquaint the Reader with the LI" S ? K , ° f , th c C P r re ! int u Tr ; nfl f?, n ; n th = hr11 1J|aa ’’ 1 endeavoured to give a faithful Veriion of he Author s Sen e in the feweft Words, and to avotd a difagreeable Stile ; hoptng, however, that the R LdTr wdl make allowance for fmall Slips in both, which are inevitable in Works of Inch va-ious Matters and Length It there be any thing better chan ordinary in either of thofe Reipefts, perhaps it may be found in chat Part between p. 345 and 638; which, all but about five Sheets and a few Notes was done by other Hands. * uu *- c Secondly , I have taken a good deal of Care to reduce the proper Names from the French to the Endilh rr ,L ; Idiom i tho in doing it, I met with no fmall Difficulty, chiefly occafioned by the fame Word bfino- E„gl ,“o, e " ntK " d ^ erS ^ays : For inftance, we meet with Fong, Tung, and fometimes Long and H,„ng, IMa ■ 8 and H 'V Trf ’a T"' T’ and , J6 »* ; K °‘ n ' %‘ enmA %>«» . AW, AW, Ktury and A : ’ Kking and King, Nhing and Ning Ngan and Can ; Cien, Tcien, Tcien and Tfien; Tie, tze fee lie ^and ce -.Van, lean and 0«an s Tfin, , fin , tin, and a great number of the like. In Ihort, the feveral Authors of the Pieces thatcompofe the Work, have often different ways of writing the fame Words • Beftfes now and then, Names occur written according to the Port,,gtiefe and other Languages By this v uiou’s O th0Baptar. it appears that the French have not yet one fettled manner of writing the Chineje Names owl ,„g doubtlefs in great mealure to the Scant,nefs and Ambiguity of their Alphabet, which to me teems the word of all others for exprefling the Sounds in foreign Languages. Plowever, I have endeavoured to adjuff them in the bell manner I could, and believe I have Weeded pretty well, excepting in a very few Inftances. Without this Improvement, the Work would hive been very uncouth and deleft,ve s f.nce the French Orthography muff give an Englifl Reader a very falfc Ide" of the Chtnefe Language, by conveying wrong Sounds and making the Words, which are all Monofvl- kibles to appear of two or three Syllables. This is fo obvious in itfelf from the above Inltanccs, and has been fo fully demonftrated of late by I.etters inferted in the public Papers, in Defence „t this Work and on other Occafions, that it would be needlefs to mention any thing farther in Defence of this Alteration I ihall therefore only obferve, chat 1 >. Ju Udde, for the fame Reafon, condemns the French lor ufing the Portuguefe Orthography : And indeed, if ail Traiffators would reduce proper Names to the Idiom of their own Language, it would render their Performances exceedingly more uiciul as well as prevent a W orld of Confufion in Geography and Hillory arifing from the Neglect of it I have frequently marked the Variation of the Orthography by a Note at the Bottom of the P me ■ which Courfe I have taken to fupply, illuftrate, or correft the Original whenever a proper Occafion off-fed If at any time I appear in Oppofition to the Miffionaries religious Notions, it is becaufe I judged it m! honeftto Ipread their Poifon in a Proteftant Country without the Antidote along with it. NofwilUhe well-meaning RovuJJj Laity, I prefume, be offended with me for fhewing the great Conformity thesis between the Doftrines and Praftices of their Clergy and thofe of the Religion ot Fo, called BmZ,; f nee n ,s vifibly done with a benevolent defign to free them, by means of the Parallel, from that depiorab'e Bondage of Mind which they lye under to their deceitful Guides, who palm ou them, as fo many Sons Duties and Precepts of the Gofpel, the fame gainful Artifices, which they charge the Bon™ with invef w merely to enflave and pick the Pockets of their Followers inventing I have diftinguiflted the Original Notes by Symbols, and my own by Capital Letters of the Alphabet excepting when they are tacked to the Authors, and then they are inferted between Hooks : I have ob! fcrved the fame Method as to Words now and then inferted for Illudration into the Text Farther to improve the Tranflation, I have fuited the Running Title at the Top of the Pages to the different Sub- jefts treated of, and have added Marginal or Side Notes to give the Reader a fummary View of the Mat ters handled m each Page. Parenthetes and long Digreffons that interrupt the Relation in the W are thrown into the Notes (a) , and large Paragraphs fometimes tranfpofed for lake of bringing' 71' mems on the fame Subjeft together (a). The four Indexes of Makers arc brought intone at The End of the Second Volume to prevent looking in three or four Places for the fame thing Laftlv he two Tables explaining the Chinefe and Tartarian Words that occur in the Work, are ifkewile into one, and augmented by a great Number of Terms out of the Text. In Ihort, a good deal of Pam has been bellowed to render this Edit,on commodious and correct ; altbo’ i nTuft be onfefi I notwrthftandmg all our Care, feveral Errors have efcaped the Prefs, efpecially in die Proper Name f '- Table of e ErrIta. SenCe °“ r ' e ‘' S ’ Wh ° wiU “ the nlataria] of themLftifiedffi the HAVING given this Account of the Body of the Performance, I proceed next to confider the Maos Plans, and Cuts that accompany ,t. The Maps arc of two Kinds, general and particular .1 e ardcu^rt Maps being 38 in Number are pnol,fired juft as they came from the Miffionaries ; and howeveJ com plcte the reft may be, mull be allowed to be the mod valuable Part of die Work whi- h „ d' 1, have been compiled chiefly with a View to ffher them into the World. ireaiurein Geography s and in faff the procuring of them coll the Emperor of China immenfe Sums“ Light Miflionanes were employed no lefs than nine Years in making of them TrwK; p i travelled over the whole Empire, furniffied with various Mathematical Inftrumen^s Ca riageTprovilf ons.andall other Conveniences at the Emperor’s Expence : The very Mandarins of every DffiS w . -' ordered to attend them, to give their Affiftance in all the ways they were able- lb that U 1 “ ingto render them accurate. Many of the Originals were Fo5 W very mmute in them Defer,pt,on : This appears alio in fome Meafure from the gre« Number of Bm oun 1 or Towns ,alerted in thefe Maps, befides the Cities ; tho’ for want of Room! the Names it » excepting a few ot the moil remarkable Places, as Kin? te chinr alonoff, Vf onn ,,-d. the China-Ware ; Fo flan another Town near Kan ton, eminent for its great tradVand Numbe/of Ini" B b,rants, In ihort, thefe Maps may be truly affirmed to be the greafell Gcc-ranhEil Work rtr .A was performed by the Orders of a fin.le Monarch j whether we confider the “vail W of E nh d " delcnbe, or the great Number of accurate Obfervations that were made for daermimWhes u- nt l uces However, it cannot be fayed that they are all equally exaft, for fon.e P?”of he Mun ^ Laftem far,ary are laid down from the Report of the Natives ; and it docs not app- m d at anv OWN Other Im ments. 1’he partial ]ar Maps, their Ex¬ cellencies. (a) See the A thor’s Pr el. p. 6. (u) See p. 131. Note ,, The Tranflator’s PREFACE. 111 vations were made for thofe of Tibet: But the Maps of China feetn to be drawn with very great Care through out; and yet it is not to be prefumed that every Mountain and River was aftually Yurveyed by die • Jefiats. It appears by the Table ot Longitudes and Latitudes at the End of this Book, that they pa fled through all the Cities of the firft Rank in every Province: They took the Latitudes of all thefe Capi¬ tals, and determined their Diltances from one another by a Chain of Triangles ; for the reft probably mak mg Uie of the topographical Surveys they found in every Diltrift. And this Method doubtlefs was iufncient to produce accurate Maps of any Country. However, it muft be confeffed, thefe Maps are defe&ive in fome Particulars-, (]) As wanti.no- the Their Subdivifions whereby we cannot diftinguifh the Chew or Hyen that belong to each Fu or Capital in I'Pro ieas1,1 thc vince. (2 j For want of the Roads, fo that Places feem to lye in Confufion, and one lol'es the Satisfaction Frend '’ of travelling with the Eye over thc Country. ( 3 ) Being exhibited on the plain Projection with inclin¬ ing Meridians Countries are thrown out of their natural Figure and Proportion : Whence this Deformity tho fcarce difcernable in the Maps of Pe che li, Shan tong, Kyang nan and Kyang ft , thro’which the Meridian of Pe king paffes, is yet very perceptible in thofe of Sbenfi, Sc chwcn and Tun nan, which Ivr lartheft from it. ‘ y As to Orthography, the Maps abound more with Faults than the Texts: Forbefides thofe already mer- tioned which they have in common with it, many of the Names contained in them are written accordi ;^ to cwo or three different Orthographies: For inftance, half of thofe in the Maps of Pe che li and 9uey chew -are after the Portuguefe Manner, and half after the French ; nay, what is ftill more incongruous and perplexing often the Words or Syllables ot which a Name is compoled are written accordin'!- to different Idioms* Thus in Pe obeli we find Tom tcheou, Tom mini hien, Khim tcheou , Tam tcheou, Tim loheou He inftead of Tong tcheou, Tong mmg hien , liking tcheou , Tfing tcheou , Ting; tcheou (tic. in the Map of Ho nar we meet with To xan hien, Lo xan hien, Koang xan hien, for To chan, .Lo chan , Kean* chan See. It is probable, that the Originals have both the Divifions and Roads; but as they are omitted in the Copies fent from China, it was not in our Power to fupply them. ! Tis true, P. Martini’s Maps of the Profin ces are divided according to tire Fu : But as Places are exhibited for the molt Part in a verv different Manner from what they are in P. du Ha/de’s ; and we find in one Set many Hyen which are 'not in the ot er, or at leaft have neither the fame Names nor Situations, we durft not venture to iniert thofe Divi fions any more than the Names offeyeral Places which are inferred without fufficient Authority in the' Dutch Maps from the Travels of th ejefutts, publifhed in the Work. However, P. Martinis Mans ■ have been of Ulc often ,n determining us as to the Choice of the Names, when we found a Difference b.tween the Maps, Tables and Text of du Halde , which frequently happened It was no lets out of our Power to add the Roads, for want of the Itineraries already mentioned. Indeed, the Places in the Table ot Latitudes and Longitudes at the End of this Work, feem to be let down in the Order the Miffionar.es travelled through them, and thereby we are able to trace their Progrels through al‘ the Capital Cities of each Province: But as one cannot from thence lay down the Court of the Roads through the intervening Places, and this Dcfeft may pollibly be fupplied hereafter by the Com¬ munications of the Jefuils themielves, I thought it better to let the Maps remain without the Roads than draw them at random. ’ uiatl My Intention was to have remedied the third Deleft, by drawing all the Maps anew according to a . chc “ ,ar . Pro J l *° n ’ 0‘ Dilatation of the Polar Planifphere ; but fome Gentlemen having been ot Opi¬ nion that it was better to engrave them immediately after the French Edition, and much Time having been lpent m confidering what to do, that Refolution was Iayed afide : However, I have brought the 0° tnography of the local Names to the Englijh Idiom, and confequently have introduced Uniformity in that Rcfpeft between the Maps and the Text, as well as among themfijlves. X As this was a Matter of no fmall Importance towards rendering the Maps correft and ufeful, the Dutch . ■ , Editors tell us they have reftified an infinite Number of corrupt Names. But on Examination, k will zw" e! appear that they have left mod of them m the Condition they found them : Thus in their Map of l’e dmun. che h, we meet with Tim him hien, Tom Him hien, Tom tchim Lien , Ham tchim hien, Hiam ho hien Kiam beam keou, and Numbers of other Names according to the Portuguefe Orthography, inftead of Ting 2 hen, dong tfing hyen, long tchng hien. Hang tching hien, Hiang ho hien, Kiang hoang keou , £* infforf often where they have changed the Orthography, they have done it but by halves ; thus we find Tien for Tfien Thao for Chao, Tchuang and Tcbuam, Tcim , Tcing and Tfing, Tom and Tong, Learn and Leung Tcham and Tchang, Hoam and Hoang. So that by giving the Names fometimes one way, fometimes another, they have introduced even more Confufion in the Maps than there was before (a) . Bcfides this Improvement as to Orthography, I have endeavoured to give the Maps fome others by How im StefT) "f 0U k 0f 4 the J ext - Which °“S ht of right to accompany them as they ferye’ lor P^dTn'thb. Illoftration, and to confirm their Authority, (i) In the Title of each Map, I have inftanced by whom and when it was made as far as I could gather from P. du Halde 's Preface, (a) The upper Scale Adimid to the Longitude of Paris, that the Reader may know the Diftance of the feveral Places of China from thence, which is more mtereftmg to Europeans, as well as more confiftent with their Geography, than to reckon Longnude only from i Pe king ; and I have chofen the Obfervation which place?this hft Cky q'Y D ‘Fw ? jft ° . Pa " S ’2 u S 'Y ke ltS bclns che M,ddle > as wel1 as 1 round. Number. ( 3 .) To the Scale ot Meafures, I have added the Contentol a Degree in Englijh Miles, according to theDetermim- ,,on of the Academy of Pans, rather than that of Mr. Norwood, which makes it about 6 o Mi e “ d a Half becaufe the former is the Refulto feveral repeated Operations, performed by more Methods ( 4 ; All Cities whole Latitudes were taken, have a Angle Line drawn under the Name, and a double chi'’ tingu,files thofe, where both the Longitude and Latitude have been obferved ; that the Reader may difeover a one View, all the Places where celelhal Obfervations have been made, and pafs a JudgmentTff HanY on the Corretftnefc of the Map. ( 5 ) For his farther Satisfaftion, 1 have inferred a Table of the Obfamion themfelves. (a) Indeed it appears plainly from what the Butch Editors have done, that they were not able to reduce the Orthography to a Uniformity; and as they were themfelves fenfible of this, or at lead that they had not done it, they exprcfs themfelves in their Preface very cautioufly on the Occafion. Their Words arc : P. du Halde, in hi, Preface /peaking of the Map, belonging to the Paris Edition, aclnoviled^es that Defect with Regard to the Orthography, which he impute, to thc Difference between the Chi- nefe [it fhould be French] and Portuguefe Pronunciation. This Cov- f jjion moved us to applj a Ranedj wherever «,■ judged it might l, flW Safm From hence it appears, Firft, that they did not difeover tin. Deleft themfelves; Secondly, that they have onff remedied it m l art, which a. I have fhewn is a very i„- confiderable one. But how they came, after making an. Cor. reft,on, not to pa, foe It, for mltnnce, ,0 correeft T„ or & once and leave .t five time, nneorrefted. I cannot readily account for s’ onl; I fhould ratlier impute it to their Diffidence than w mt of taking Pams, Imce they have in feveral other Kerpefts fpared faeeiYbctter S“Je « W iv Advantages of fuch Im¬ provements in Maps. The general Maps. Plans and Cuts. The Translator's PREFACE. themfelves, that he may fee the Authorities whereon the Map is groundedh lor both in copying, and en¬ graving E tors will unavoidably creep in (» leems to have been the Cafe with the JeluitsMaps themfelves,; andtftoe did not, the Situations cannot be taken lo precite y from a Map as from a Table. The Capital of each Province is diftinguifhed in a different Character, and the molt remarkable Variations m the Name, Latimde or Longitude (which amount often to two or three Minutes) from the Map, are marked by a Star. T hink every Map ought to have thefe five Requifites, efpec,ally the lull, without which the belt has nothing TO recommend it more than the wo, It, except the Author's Name, which is of no Authority unlefs "° h“ few who are acquainted with Iris Merit: Butwhen fuel. Vouchers are inferred, a Map Carnes its own C edcntkls alonv with it, and demands a Preference among a Crowd of others which other from it. By ,h mean the Curious would be direfted to a right Choice, and many hindered from propagating Errors Swing falfe Maps, for want of knowing how to diftinguifli the good from the oad T o this Deleft, doubS U to be imputed the little Elleem, or rather great Contempt, that Maps are in here i for Enghjlo- mT require Certainty, and are apt to defpileany Art where they meet with Inch endlefs Difference, withou being able to difcow where the Truth lies. In fhort, it this Method was duly putted, I am perfuaded Geolraphy would foon recover the Credit it has loft among us, and be delivered from the Danger of i, i-.nf, nrh Error bv outtinu a Stop to thofe fpurious Compofitions wh.ch are daily obtruded on the Pubt bT TnoranTor merCry Hand's , becaufe Fn Inch Cafe, nobody would buy Maps for Die which wanted Vouchers, or did not agree with them : For which Reafon, I would earneftly recommend tins Practice to all Geographers, and thole who wifh well to this Science, whofe Perfeftion is of fuel, vaft Im- ^I'kitende^Tewife 6 to have Inferred "in every Map a large Table explaining the Geographical Terms, i Vb 1 have been of great Life, tho’ much the fame in all ; but wanting Room in moft of them, die Reader it defired to have Recourfe on Occafion to the Table in the General Map of China, which will hoplTthat Deleft. This General Map is drawn anew according to a circular Projeft,on, and ^ompamed wuh Vouchers Be. like the particular Maps ; from whence it was copied, and not from Mr. D Anville s : But the Genera Map ot all (including China, Kona, Tibet, and all Tartary from the Eaftern Ocean to the clfZn Sea' is engraven from his Original, without any Variation, except reducing the Names to the So biography. I have not altered them in any ocher Refpeft, altho’ they frequently differ from thofeinti Jelui s Maps: Whether it was that fo much Care was nottaken incorrefting theirs ash,sown or whedrer he had feme particular Informations concerning certain Names, as he feetns to have had w.m Tcfpeft to theDivifion of Korea, and feme imall Additions below the+oth Degree of Latitude, which are omitted in the Jefuits Maps. But tho' for thefe Realons I thought ,t proper to give the Names ,n the General Map as I found them written by Mr. D’Anville, yet I did not think them fufficient to warrant my changing thole in the Jefuits Maps, or inferring fevcral things m them on hisi Authority, asithe Dutch Editors° ive done on abate Prefumption that they were changed, or omitted thici the Caieleffnefs o the Engravers I(a) For that would have been to give Mr. D'Anville- s Work ior the Jefuits, or confound them together and, for ought we know, to infert Errors in Place of T ruth. I mult own I chink it very ft range that fuch confiderable Variations lhould appear between the General and Paittcular Maps, with- oTbeing Accounted for either in P. du Halde’s Preface, or Mr. V Anv,lie’s Difiertat, on.concerning Ins G uieral Map, inferred in the geographical Obfervations on Tibet towards the End ot die Lift f oltime. In this Moap Mr. D’ Anvitle differs from the Jefuits not only with Regard to the Names, but alfo the Situation of Plans, as will appear by the comparative Table inferted in our Copy ; and has akered that ot iilrakban (tolerably well fettled by help of aftronomical Obfervations:) But upon what Grounds I fhall examine in ” particular Differtation at the Clofe of this Preface, and therefore fhall fay no more ot .t here r "plans of Cities, which are thirty eight, may be confidered as fo many Topographical Mapsdefigned to afford usah Infight into the Cbinefe Manner of Fortification, and the Care they have taken to give their Towns the moft advantageous Situation for Trade as well as Defence, in which tew Nations can compare with, and none excell them. I need not mention the Plans of Temples and other Cuts, farther tom obferve that they are very curioufly defigned, and furmlh a lively Idea ol the Things they are m- ten Unon the'whofe, this Work of P. du Halde, or rather the Cbinefe Miffionaries, is a moft noble and vlinage Performance: For tho' we are fenfible it is not in all Relpefts fo complete as could have been wilh'd, and that it might have been executed more to Advantage by a Per fen Ids taken up with the Functions of his Religion, and more inured to Works of this Nature than 1 . du Ha.de , jet is it richly intitled to the Efteem of the Public with all its Faults, which were they much more confiderable than hey are would be recompenfed by the Maps alone; thefe being a whole Atlas ot Difcover.es at once, and in flrort, the greateft Improvement in Geography that ever was publ.ted m any Age atone time. As to"this °Englijh Edition, it was the Undertaker's Defign to rival the French for Beauty of Printing, Good,,eft of Paper, and Elegance of Engravings in halt the Number ot Volumes and at a fourth Part ot the Price to Subfcribers: In a Word, it is a moft expenfive Work to the the Undertaker, but to thofe who Subfcribe to him one of the cheapeft that has been pubhth d in this Century. W H AT has been fay'd may fuffice to give the Reader an Idea of the prefent Performance But before I conclude it will be proper to add feme Remarks tor jult,fy.ng, as well as dlurtrating the: Orthography .u. „ , ’ Names ■ with an Explanation ol the Coins and Mealures mentioned in this \\ ork. of the proper Names; with an Explanat (,) Tho' t cannot but blame the Dutch Editors Tor corrupt¬ ing as 1 may fay die Jefuits Maps, by infert,up 1 hmgs out ol 2\lT. D' Aif-Ji lie’s, or the Journals of the other Miflionaries to be fjund in the Work, without any Certainty of their being in ihc Ri»ht vet they are to be commended for fome other .Additions or Alterations which are grounded on the Text, particularly lor inferring fome Places out of the Tables of Longitude and Lati¬ tude. By this means they have fupplied a few I laces ol Mo¬ ment which feem to have been omitted by Miilakc, as Mycn v ,V dew in Hi q-" »g, and Pingyivn cheat in $uey chew. However I cannot fee why in putting in the Name of Mycn yi w c !;e they lhould expunge that of Uyang hyen, which m the Original Hood in Place of the former: for pofilbly this fall Name may belong to one of the Situations to be found very near it in the Map. 1 wonder they were not governed in tiiif, as in moil things elfe by Mr. D'.Jn^ ille s Map of China, where the lall Name is retained, and the former omitted as in the Original They have committed the like J-'auIt in the Map of Chekyang .' where they have inferted Kbit-, bia ksen, and left out Nan koatt, in Vuangjiy they have made 13 Fu inltead of 12 by inferring 7uyang, which in the Tabic by miilakc is denominated F.v, tho’ by its lquare Situation in the Map, i: lhould be no more than iome Forts, feveral I.rrors of this kind are to be met with. The The Tranflator’s PREFACE ’The following Table fines rff Englilh Characters anfwering to the French, which are ranged on the Out fide j with the Manner of pronouncing the Chinefe Words as printed in this Work. A. This Vowel is commonly pronounced broad like a in all, call, & c . tho’ often like a in Father • but the ^ - Variation is not diftinguiflied in the Original. In our Notes the broad a is marked by a Circumflex a Th * VoW * '* e. Is commonly founded like e in Venal. When it comes before a, it is changed by us into y • thus for Leang, Leao, I write Lyang,, Lyau, to make the Word a Monofyllable j only in the Pronunciation more of the e than the i may be founded between the L and y, if there be any Occafion for it e. In the French is exp retted in our Tranflation by e, and is pronounced like a in Father ,'nr ~ ; c expreffed by e, and pronounced long. ' 1S i. Is founded commonly clofe as in fing ; fometimes open as in ftgn, when at the End of Words and a Confonant goeth before Sometimes like ee in/ra;,and then it is marked with a Circumflex in the Notes At the End of Words, when it comes after a Confonant and before a Vowel, it is changed into v' 1 hus Tat, mat, are written Tay, may ; alfo for Bang, Jiang, we put Kyang, Syang. Sometimes we have omitted the i ; thus for Sate, hiuen, Hiuen , we write Sue, Sven, hven. e. Is commonly founded as in bone,open, tho’(A) fometimes, but rarely,it is obfcure,as in pwon, Pwon where it is pronounced foft like e, and very quick. Sometimes we have changed it into w : for oei writ ing Wey ; for Foe, Five, and at the End of Words after a into it. See ao. u. Is commonly founded like u, fometimes it is changed into w. Thus for’r#«, tchuen, we write Twen cbwen. Tis often confounded with v Confonant, as in Sint, Siam, Hiuen abovementioned which are fometimes written Swe, Siven, and Hive,, in the French : Frequently tis put indifferently for „■ thus we meet with Tong and Tung, Kong and Kung &c. * on. Before a Vowel at the Beginning of Words, or alter a Vowel at the End of a Word, is exoreffed bv us with iv. Thus for Ouan and Keou we write Wan and Kew ‘ ^ Z n?;X "■ as in and is expreffid by * circ ™ B “«•• ao. 1 his is a Portuguefe Charader retained by the French, and is expreffed by an, which mull be oro nounced quick, and thro’ the Nofe. Thus hr Tao, Leao, Miao, we write Tan, Lyau, Myatt. P C. Is always exprefled with us by K to prevent the equivocal Sound before e and i, except in i'ome parti- Co „ r „„ , iar Words made Ule of in Europe, as Confufius. ’ ’ Lonron.nt. Sometimes we have changed it into Tf, thus for Cien we write Tfyen : Sometimes into S, thus for Tang we write Tftng. See Tf among the double Confonants. c. We commonly exprefs by Tf, fometimes by S. g. Before a, o and u, hard as in God. Before e and i, ’tis always changed into j Confonant, to prevent the equivocal Sound i thus for gin, we write jin h. Is founded pretty ftrong as in Englifh. But before o and u like a IF. See ho among the double Letters. ° j. Tins Letter is expreffed very exadly in Englifh by zb, but it is doubtful whether ever it ought to be expretted by this Character, or whether it ftands for our J Confonant or Y. Sometimes in the Maps it leems to be put inftead of our ch. r k. Is fometimes ufed indifferently for c. Sometimes as q. Thus for Koei, Koue, we write Quey que. m. At the Beginning of Words is expretted by m. But at the End of Words by ng. Thus for" Tom Tim mim, we write Tong, ting ming. Thus m final is the Portuguefe Charader, and is found in a great JN umber of Names efpecially in the Maps. For the Pronunciation of ng final, fee the double Letters. n. Eerore the Vowels as our n ; before g after another Manner, fee ng. q. As q in Quang tong. s. Is pronounced fometimes as s with us, fometimes as ts. Thus for se we frequently write tfe. v. Is put frequently in the Original inftead of ou, the Charader by which the French exprefs our W which they want in their Language : Thus we find Van and Ouan, &c. x. Occurs frequently in Chinefe Names, efpecially in the Maps, and is the Portugueze Charader anfwerns: to the French Ch and our Sh. * & y. Is commonly ufed inftead of i Vowel at the Beginning of Words, but we always confider it as a Confonant. When put fingly, or for a whole Word, we change it into a Vowel. Thus for Ttchang and Tangy, we write I chang, Tang i. All other Letters are pronounced like the Englifh. * Ch. This French Charader is expretted by Jh, having the fame Sound. ds. By ds, which is founded nearly like ts, or rather leems to be ufed by fome Miffionaries inftead thereof, ho. Is a Portugueze Charader retained by the French , and is expretted by wh : Thus for Hoang, huon, we ? oub!e Con * Write Whang, whon. Huan and hoan are both written by us whan •, the o and u being frequently ufed ronantSl promifeuoufly for each other. If there beany Difference, it is only that the w carries fomewhat of the Sound of o in the one, and of the u in the other, ko, ku,'kou, are ufed in the French for our qu ■> thus they write Koan, Kuan, kouan for quart. ng. Is expretted by us with ng •, at the Beginning of Words it is founded like ihtPortugueze n, in a pecu¬ liar Manner thro’ the Nofe. At the End of Words it founds like n in feen, queen, being lengthened out with a ringing Tone •, the g being added not to be lounded, but only to indicate that ringing l one, or diftinguifh this fort of n from the common n. ss. This Charader we exprefs by ts. tch. This is a Charader made by the French to exprefs the Sound of our Ch, which is put inftead thereof, ts, tc, tz, and fometimes Ic, are ufed indifferently by the Miffionaries for ts, which laft Charader I have retained. Some ufe th for ts ; and others ds as before obferved. vo. Is expreffed fometimes by Vw: Thus for Vos we write Vwe ; tho’ perhaps a w would be fufficient as for Voan we write Wan. ’ T is difficult to afcertain the Charaders fometimes when two or three different Sorts are employed to exprefs the fame Sound, as in this laft Cafe, ou being the Charader commonly ufed by the French inftead o! w, and what a confufed Medley mull we have made, had we retained the various Charaders ufed in the Original to exprefs the Sound of ts, being no lefs than 9 . viz. c, s, ss, th, tc, tc, ts, tz. b 1 a (a) Sec the Note at huon in the following Tabic of the Chinefe Words. VI The Tranflator’s PREFACE. From the foregoing Table, we may likewife perceive the Barrennefs both of the Chinefe and French Alphabet •, the former wants the a, b, d, r, x, z, which they exprefs by ya, p, t, 1, lh, ch. The latter wants the ch, j Confonant, w, and indeed properly the K and which the Chinefe, and molt other Orien¬ tal Nations have, wherefore it is very unfit tor exprefiing the Sounds ot molt foreign Languages. That the Reader may have a more thorough and regular View of our Method of writing the Chi¬ nefe Names, I have iubjoined a Comparative Table of all the Words which compofe the Chinefe Language, written according to the Portuguese, French and Englijh Idioms. The Portuguese Column is taken from Bayer’s Chinefe Grammar, in his Mufceum Sinicum, and the French from Pere le Comte’s Travels •, only I have changed the m final which the latter ufed, into ng, to make the Words more agreeable to the Orthography of the latter French Mifiionaries. I have alfo marked the with a Circumflex, in thole Word” where I conceive it ought to be pronounced broad, as it is in all, fall, &c. I have alfo diitin- guifhed the other Vowels according to the Rules already layed down, fo far as i found them marked in P. le Comte’s Table, which is defedtive both in that and other refpedts. Ail Alphabetical Table of all the Words which compofe the Chinefe Language according to the Portuguefe, French, and Englifh Pronunciation. Portug. French Englijh. C C K C C.i ka cai cai kay cam cang king can can kan cao kau co CO ko cu cu ku cue que cum cung kung (z) Ch Tch Ch Cha Tcha Chi chai tchai chay cham tchang chang chan tchan chan chao tchao chau che tche che chem cheng chen tchen chen cheu tcheu chew chi tchi chi chiao chyau chien chyen china tching thing chin tchin chin cho echo cho choa tchoa chwa. chu tchu chu chua tchua chwa (a) chuam cchuang chwang chue tchue chwe chuen tchuen chwen chui chwi chum tchung chung chun tchun chun. F F F Fa Fa Fa fam fang fang fan fan fan feu feu few fi fi fi fo fo fo foi foy fu fu fu Portug. French Englijh. fuen fuen fwen fum fung fung G G G&Jcons. Gai Gay gam gang gan gan gao gau g e j e gem jeng gen jen geu jew gin jin go g° goei or gwey or guei guei ghey g u gu guo gho FI H H & Wh Hai Hai Hay ham hang hang han han han hao hao hau he he he hem heng heng hen hen hen heu heu hew hi hi hi hia hia hya hiai hiai hyay hiam hiang hying hiao hiao hyau hie hie hye hien hien hyen hieu hieu hyew him hing hing hio hio hyo hiu hiu hyu hiue hiue live (b) hiuen hiuen liven hium hiung hyung hiun hiun hyun ho ho ho hoa hoa wha Portug. French EngliJJj. hoai hoai whay hoa in hoang whang hoan hoan whan hoe hoe whe hoei hoei whey hoen hoen when hu hu hu hue hue whe hum hung hung hun hun hun huon huon whon(c) K K & K & Q Kao Kau ke ke ke kem keng keng ken ken ken keu keu kew ki ki ki kia kia kya kiai kyay kiam kyang kiao kiao kyau kie kie kye kien kien kyen kieu kieu kyew king king king kin kin kin kio kio kyo kiu kiu kyu kiue kiue kve kiuen kieuen kven kium kiung kyung kiun kiun kyun kua qua qua kuai quouai quay kuam quouang quang kuan quan kue quoue que kuei quouei quey kuem queng kuen quouen quen kuo qouo quo kuon qouon quori L L L, ly,l\v La La Li (z) This is alfo written ktmg, the like happens in other Words of this Form, where the o and « are ufed promifeuoufly by the Mifiionaries. # . (a) This Word and the four following may be written and pronounced with a*u Confonant, Chva, chvang, dc, but 1 take the .V tube the true Pronunciation, only it may have more of the « in this cinva, and of the o in the former, according to wh;tt l have remarked before. The like is to be obferved n all Words in thefe Forms, throughout the following Letters, (u): This Word and the next may be pronounced hiv, hrvm lai but as the v is of the obfeure kind, and the other Letters which arc not obfeure, are pronounced clearly, 1 take h-ve and h-ven to be the true Orthography. (c) In the Words of this Form, which general’v came at the F.nd of each Letter, the o L fo obfeure or mute, that it feems to be an e. Hence fume might pronounce -Jo.-n, loci: or hu'n ; but 1 think it bell to keep to the general Rules of Orthography; and if the Pj PJ piao piao pyau pie pie pye pien pien pyen pieu pyew pirn ping ping pin pin pin po po po poei poei pwey pu pu pu puen puen pwen pum pung pung puon puon pwon QfeeK s s S & fy Sa Sa Sa fai fai fay fam fang fang fan lan fan fao fao fau fe fe fe fern leng feng fen fen fen feu feu few fi fi fi fiam fiang fyang fiao fiao fyau fie fie fye fien fien fyen fieu fieu fyew fim fing fing fin fin fin fio lio fyo liu fiu fyu Hue fiue fve liuen fiuen fven fiun fiun fyun fo fo fo fu fou fu fui fui fwi fum fung fung Portug. French Eng/ifi. fun fun fun fuon fuon l'won T T Tty 6c tw Ta Ta Ta tai tai tay cam tang tang tan tan tan tao tao tau te te te tern teng teng teu teu tew ti ti ti tiao tiao tyau tie tie tye tien tien tyen tieu tieu tyew tim ting ting to to to tu tu tu tui tui twi turn tung tung tun tun tun tuon tuon twon Tc Ts Ts, tfytfw ca Tfa Tfi $ai tfai tfay ^am tfang tfang $an tfan tlan eao tiao tfau $e tfe tfe $em tfeng tfeng $eu tfeu tfew §i tfi tfi $iam tfiang tfyang Ciao tfiao tfyau cie tfie tfye $ien tfien tfyen $ieu tfieu tfyew $im tfing tfing £in v tfin tfin tio tfio tfyo $iu tfiu tfyu £iue tfiue tfve 9iuen tfiuen tfven Sium tfiung tfyung ^oe or £ue tfwe 9 U tfu tsu cui tfui tfwi ^um tfung tfung $un tfun tfun $uon tfuon tfwon V V V Va Va va vai vai vay vam vang vang van van van vei ve vey ven ven ven vi vi vi vin vin ul Jh eul um oum uin VO VO vo von von von vu vu vfl vum vum vung vii x XUl xun Ilia fhau fhe lTien fliew fhi fiiyau fhyew filing fhin The Tranflator’s PREFACE. Portug. French Englijh. Portug. French Englijh. cho choua chouang chu chun chua chuen chuc chung fiio fliwd fhwang fiiu fhwi fiiun fhwa (d) Hi wen ih we fliung Y&I I & Y ya yai I ya yay yam yao ye yem yen yea yin ym yn yo yu yue yui yuen yuin yun ien ieu iun iung yang yau ye yeng yen yew yin ing in )o yu yw£ ywi y wen ywin yun yung This Table would have been more Regular, had ihe Cfe'ne/i Words, reduced to the Order of the Enr- lijh Alphabet as well as Idiom, been placed in the firlh Column. However the Reader may obferve by it [lyre Things, r. That the Words contained under the feveral Letters are formed agreeable to one common Rule in the Chinefe Language, tho’ they are not equally numerous under each. 2. That ac. cording to the Portuguese and French way of writing, many of them appear to be of two or three Sylla¬ bles, and mull: be fo pronounced according to the Englijh Orthography ; whereas according to our way of writing them, they are all Monofyllables, agreeable to the Genius of the Chinefe Language. 3 That the Change of Orthography is natural as well neceffary ; nor fo difficult and uncertain “as many are apt to think. ' t The chief Difficulty is in pronouncing certain Charafters confiding of double Confonants, which are not ufed in our Language ; but as we have feveral other double and even fome treble Confonants, a little Praftice mult make this eafy. For Inftance, it cannot be very difficult for an Englifhman, who’ can lay bran, fling, prong, fitting, firtmg, See. to pronounce in one Sound, fmen, ywen,Syang, Kyang, Hyang,Jven Iwi, tsyen ; tor the lame Rule is to be obferved in pronouncing fia,yw,Jy, &c together, that is obferved in pronouncing hr, Jl, See. that is, to pronounce them as if they were but one Letter; which is learned by putting a Vowel between, and pronouncing it very quick, to as by degrees to throw it quite ourf The Chinefe Coins, Weights and Meafures, being afeertain’d in this Work, by thofe of the Portuguese and French , it will be neceffary for the Reader’s Information, to reduce the Latter to the Fnglijh. Coins and Weights, (e) Portugueze Tael- Value an Ounce of Silver, which in China is equivalent to 7 Livres, 10 Sols. But it goes only for 6 Shillings and 8 pence Englijh. French Livre- About eleven pence Englijh. 23 Livres at prefent are equivalent to a Guinea. Sol or Sou- The 20th part of a Livre, fomewhat more than a Half-penny. Den: ier-The 12th part of a Sol. Measures. The Paris Foot- to 1000 or — To the Englijh as 1068 is &xs ’- Inches. Toife or Fathom- 6 Paris Feet, or 6 Feet 4,896 Inches Etiglijh. Great French League, 20 to a degree- Con¬ tains 18,282 Englijh Feet, or is equal to 3 Englijh Miles, 3 Furlongs and 462 Feet. (d) I take the French choua and chua to have the fame Pronun¬ ciation, the rather becaufe the Portugucze has no Word in the Table anfwering to the latter. And perhaps the French Wed ar.lwering Xoa, Ihould not be choua, but choa ; as in die Letter Ch - Common French League, 25 in a degree_ Contains 14625 j Englijh Feet, or is nearly 2 *- | Englijh Miles. Geometrical or Geographical Mile, 60 to a De¬ gree- Contains 5000 Geometrical Peer, each equal to 14^ Inches Englijh. Englijh Miles, of which according to Nor¬ wood, and 69£ according to the Academy or Paris go to a Degree.-Contains 8 Furlong';. or 5280 Englijh Feet. in the French Column oppofite to Choa, we find tchoa, not /choua. ( e ) For the Chinefe Coins and Weights, fee p. 330, 332, 34;. And for their Meafures, fee p. 141. and the Author’s Preface, p. 11. P. Du Halde’s P RE FA C E T O HIS Defcription of CHINA, CHINESE-TARTARY, ire. ffij&HINA has for a long ’Time pad excited the Curiofity of .European}-, altho’ Fir(t Rel1 ' Sip the firft Accounts they_ had of it gain’d very little Credit among them. The uMtot"* Narrative publifh'd by the Venetian (A) who travelled over loine Provin- ^ ces of that Empire, in the Retinue of the “ 'Tartars, pafs’d for a Romance. All he recounts concerning the Antiquity of this Monarchy, the Wifdom of its Laws and Governmeht, the Fertility of its Lands, and Richnels"of its Trade, as well as the prodigious Multitude of its Inhabitants, the Polite- nels of their Manners, their Induftry to' promote Arts and Husbandry, their Tafte and Zeal for the Sciences; all this, I fay, wa’s look’d on as mere Fiflion, which had not lo much as the Air of Probability. We cou’d not believe that beyond fo many half-barbarous Nations, and at the very Extremity of all Afia, a powerful Nation was to be found fcarce inferior to any of the beft-govern’d Spates of Europe. But by degrees thefe Prejudices diminifhed, and that Authot’s Veracity began to be ac- Verify’d by knowledged, efpecially when it appeared that what hj had advanced agreed with the Accounts !he of the firft M'tjfnmaries , who towards the End of the ijf/r Century found Admittance into"" China, which till then, out of a Principle of Policy, had been deny’d to Strangers. One can¬ not avoid giving Credit to the Teftimony of Perl'ons whole Condition, Integrity, Capacity and Difintereftednel's take away all Grounds of Sulpicion. This awaken'd the Curiofity of People, and changed the Indifference which they fh'ewed be-Curiofity fore for China into an earneft Dcfire'to be acquainted with it. But this Curiofity gave rife *■!"? rife t0 to a great many trifling and falfe Relations. As foonas an European Veffel arrived in a Port of China, it was ufual for fome of the Ship’s Crew, during the few Months flay they made there, "to gather all the Information they cou’d, both from the Report of the Natives and their own Obfervation; this they committed to Writing, and at their Return gave out they had made great Difcoveries: and it is from luch inaccurate Materials as thefe, pick’d up in the Outskirts of fo yaft a Country, that their Rela¬ tions are compofed. Others again, with lefs fincerity, have, in order to ehtertaiti their Readers, fupply’d by In- vention the Want of proper P.emarks. This appears to be the Method taken by a certain Ita- Relations. lian Traveller ( B ) who in a Book printed at Naples in 1710, entitled Giro del Mtmdo, [a. Voyage round the World j dials given a particular Defcription of the Emperor of Chinas Palace; of which he cou’d have no Idea, but what his Fancy fuggefted: and the more eafily to gain Credit in what he advances, he makes no Scruple to affirm that Pere Grimaldi Prefident of the Tribunal of the Mathematics, introduced him into the Palace. All that’s true in this' Matter is; That he was at. Te-king, and walk’d up and down that great City, follow’d by a ChiiieJ'e, who lerved both as his Footman and Valet; that he fre¬ quently vifited the J'efiits, who did him all the good Offices they were able; that he defired them to get him a Sight of the Emperor, or at leaft his Palace, but it was not in their Power • That coming to a Bridge, which it was necelfary to pafs in'going to the Palace, he was con- ftrain’d to turn back, becaufe his Valet Wou’d not venture ariy farther'; and thaf he was oblig’d to leave Te-king without feeing more of the Palace than the South-Gate, which is always fhut. B The (A) Marco Polo, commonly call’d Marcus Paulus Veneius, and Mark Paul the Venetian , who was in China toward the End of the 13th Century (B) The Author here aimed at is Dr. I. Francis Gemelli Ca- reri, well known by his Travels round the World, which were firft publifh’d about the Beginning of this Century, and have bceri printed in feveral Languages, and are to be found in the Fourth Volume of Churchills Englijh Collection. This Cenfure of Pere du Halde is doubtlefs taken from the Extract of a Letter from a Miflionary at Pe-king, in the Preface to the 15th" Volume of the Lettres Edifiantes & Ctnieufes, p. 14. ii 'The Author’j P R E FA C E. The whole of this is Fact; whence it follows that the Defcription, which he has given of the Palace, the Halls, and Imperial Throne, the Audience he was at, and all the reft, is purely his own Invention. How cou’d P. Grimaldi , notwithftanding his high Station, with¬ out the Emperor’s exprefs Order introduce an unknown Perlon into the Palace among the Members of a Tribunal going to Audience? a Thing which neither a Minifter of State, nor even a Prince of the Blood has Power to do. rauntsofc/-; ® ut how unfaithfully foever others may have written of China , I am much furprized that an wTby 2 Ara- Author, (6') famous for his Parts and Learning, ihou’d lole his Time in tranflating into French., Ran Merch- and illuftrating with long Diflertations, two ancient Arabian Accounts concerning China, which ants cenfur’d are nothing but a Parcel of Abfurdities and Lyes. It needs no great skill in Criticilm to per¬ ceive that the Writers of thofe Accounts deferve no manner of Credit, and never were in China\ but when the Mind is once prejudiced, it is difpofed to adopt the moft ridiculous Fables, and to receive every thing as Truth, which tends to run down thePcrfons whom we do not love and even make a Merit of not loving. ( D ) All Men of Learning are not indued with that Sagacity and Penetration, to take a Tiling in its proper Light at once, and to diftinguilh the true from the falle; as is found in thole rational and judicious Reflexions made by a learned * Academician concerning China , and propofed by way of Doubts to P. Earennin , who returned Satisfactory Anfwers. The bad Relations that are either made without Judgment, fictitious, or written with Partiality, have Tendency of a bad EffeX on the Mind, by rendering thofe fufpeXed which are faithful; and inftilling, MdfeifcRe eVCn * nto ^ er ^ ons Underftanding, certain Prejudices, which they have much ado to lhake off Iations. e e again. How many, for inftancc, are there who will not be perfuaded but the Chinefe carry the Origin of their Empire much higher than the Deluge , and even than the Creation itfelf? But if fo ablurd a Notion has entered into the Heads of a fmall number of Chinefe , w'ho have been deceived by the fiXitious Epoch’s of certain Aftronomers, all the reft of the Nation laugh at their Ignorance. What ftiould we fay of thofe Chinefe , who, on hearing that one European Author had afierted that the World has exifted from all Eternity, fhou’d conclude that to be the general Opinion over all Europe ? The Chinefe are guided by their Great Hiflory, which, far from giving into fuch Whim- fies, fixes the Commencement of their Empire at Fo-hi: neither do they pretend to determin when that Monarch or his Succeffors, down to Fan, began their Reigns, or how long they continued. But from the Time of their laft named-Emperor they deem their Chronology lure: and indeed there is very little to be correXed therein, either with regard to the Duration and Order of the refpeXive Reigns, or the remarkable Events. ThebefWk- Whatever Prejudices certain Perfons may have entertained, thus far muft be allowed, that the cTb/fl writ- m0 ^- cxa ^ Accounts we have of China came by way of the Miftionaries; who have fpent moft ten by the part of their Lives either in the Capital City or Provinces of that great Empire, and were Miflionanes. thereby qualify’d better than any others to give a faithful Account of it. Yet hitherto Neverthclels the Relations, which thSy have hitherto publilhed, are pretty much confined, defective. and fometimes even defeXive. Moft of their Authors, being employed about the Affairs of their Millions, mind little more than to inform Europeans of the Difpofition they found thole People in to embrace the Faith, and ot the Frogrefs of the Gofpel amongft them. So that if they mention any thing remarkable relating to the Country, it is only occafionally and in brief, without dwelling on the SubjeX. Some indeed, at the requeft of the Learned in Europe , have at their leifure Hours enter’d deeper in their Enquiries; but their Oblervations, tho’ pretty curious in themfelves, have fometimes wanted ExaXnefs, as being taken from the Chinefe Books, whole Authors arc naturally inclined to exaggerate the Rarities and Wonders of their Country. Principally The Points wherein they have happened to be miftaken principally regard the Geography, as to the occafion’d by their depending a little too much on the Accuracy of the Chi Shu ; which are e°g r ap y- cert:fl j n Books, containing the Hiftory of every City and its DiftriX. Among other remarkable Things to be found in thele Books, are the Plan of the City, and the Number of Market Towns and Villages belonging to it, with their Diftances from one another. Thefc Diftances are reckon’d by Li’s or Furlongs, which are of different Lengths in different Provinces; juft like the Leagues of the different Provinces of Kingdoms in Europe. The City of Fong-chew, for inftance, which lies Eaft ol Ee-king, is reckon’d to be 40 Li’s diftant: neverthelels according to the Mealure employed by the Miflionary Geographers, who made the Maps, the Diftance is not above 30; in the Province, of Shang-tong , 10 Li’s make but 8 of their Li’s, which are almoft equal to thofe uled in the North Part of the Province of Fln-quang. But the Provinces of Kyang-nan , Fo-kyen and fome others, reckon the Li’s very differently, as the Miftionaries found by comparing them with the fame Mealure. This is lufficient to fhew that the Longitudes given by the Peres Martini and Noel ( E ) cannot be cxaX, becaule they were andA'^sTa-^ cterm ’ nec ^ ky ^ ie Diftances as computed by the Chinefe in Li’s or Furlongs, whereof the bles; exnX Length ought to be known before they are made ufe of. In f C) This is the late Abbe Renaudot, Member of the Academy of Infcfiptions at Paris, eminent for his Skill in the Oriental Languages. There is a fmart Critique of P. Premare, on the Book iu Queftion, publifhcd by P. du Halde, in the Let/res Edi- fiAntes, Tom. 19. but the Work is not altogether fo faulty as that Jcfuit would reprefent it; it has been tranllated lately into Engf/h. (D) This Maxim will be found to be almoft univerfal, but none will apply it to themfelves. * M. Dortcus de Mairan of the Academy of Sciences. See the 21 ft Tome of the Lettres Edigantes & Curitufes, p. 76. (E) The firft in his Atlas Chinenfis, and the latter in his Objtr- 'vationes Math. & Phyf in India and China. The Author’^ P RE FA C E. iii In like manner the Peres Regis and Jartoux , by the Obiervations made with excellent Inftru- ments, both at Si-ning where they dwelt a Month, and at other Cities, always found a Difference of ay or 30 Minutes between the Altitude taken by themfelves and that taken by P. Grtteber-,*™ whether it was that the Inftruments ufed by that Jefuit were too ihort and not well (f) £’ tl s 0 ° fcr ' divided, which is very likely, or that he had no regard to the Diameter of the Sun. For the reft I don’t think we ought in the leali to fufpect the Veracity of certain Miflionaries The Miffio- who redding in thole line Provinces, where Nature leans to have fcatter’d all her Riches, vlnii “ have, by their charming Delcriptions, given occadon to imagin that all the reft of the Provin¬ ces were like them: For dnee they fpeak only of what they law themfelves, they are not to be blamed for the talfie Concludons of others, nor is what they have written the lei's true on that Score. They had not then travelled over all the Provinces, as they have dnee done, by means whereof they have acquired a mod: particular and exaft Knowledge of the Country. In Ihort Pere le Comte , who has written fo agreeably about China, confined himfelf p.*c«wA to certain Matters; and is lb far from pretending to give a methodical Relation of the whole, 1,01 that he contefles his Letters ought to be confider’d only as Memoirs, which might be of ul'c Sough' to thole who had Thoughts afterwards of publilhing a more complete Defcription. 'Tis in compodng fuch a Defcription that I have been at Work for leveral Years; and the TheAuthor’j Quantity as well as Variety of Matters, comprifed in the Propofals which I publifhed, has Def ' E "' caufed lome to doubt whether the Execution wou’d come up to the Defign: yet however vaft it appears, I hope it will be’found that I have even done more than I promifed. At lead I have lpared no Pains to make known every thing, with regard to that large Portion of the Earth, that deferved Notice; and to affirm myfelf of the Truth of whatever I relate concerning it. I have had in my Hands a prodigious quantity of Memoirs lent from China ; which (tho’ whence^ moil of the Things contained in them were foreign to my Defign) I was not tired with t „ iak is reading, becaufe I met from time to time with fuch Particulars, as either were not known, or elfe confirmed the Truth of what has been publilhed already in the printed Relations. Befides, the frequent Converfations I have had with certain Miffionaries returned from China, during their Stay in Europe,, but efpecially the necelfary and continual Correfpondence carry’d on for thefe 14 Years paft with the other Miffionaries in all Parts of the Empire, have fup- ply’d me with all the Helps and Informations which I had occafion for. Some of them have even had the Complaifance to tranflate with great Care certain Books of the learned ChineJej, which are inferted in this Work, and furnifh Proofs to many of the Fatfts related by me. In Ihort, the whole being finifhed, I had refolved to fend it to China, in order to have it His Care to examined by fome or other of the oldeft Miffionaries; but while I was thinking of the mold proper Means of doing it, I was informed that Pere Contancin, whom I had chiefly in Work. View, was arrived in France, having been fent into Europe about the Affairs of the Miffion. That able and experienced Father, who had lived 30 Years in China (10 at Re-king, where he had been Superior of the Jel'uits Houle, and the reft of the Time in different Provinces) ftay’d more than a Year at Raris, during which Time he had leifure to read over this Work, more than once, and examine it with the moll critical Attention. By means of his Affiftance, in clearing up certain doubtful Points, as well as adding feveral curious Particulars, I am con¬ vinced that I advance nothing which is nui ItriCtly Fact, and hence it is that I hope to avoid the Cenfure I have palled on others. As to the Order of dilpofing the Materials, it is the fame with that obferved in the Propo- Method and fals, excepting that I have inferted the compendious Hiltory of the Chinefe Monarchy in the ^™ k of th ' firft Tome (G ); becaufe the previous Knowledge of what relates to the Emperors and the Tran- faeftions during their Reigns, is necelfary for the more eafily underftanding the Matters that are handled afterwards. For the fame Reafon I begin with a general View of the Empire, containing a fummary Account of the Things-which are treated more at large in the Body of the Work. This is of china followed by a Ihort Hiltory of certain People, particularly the Si-fan .- which Nation hereto¬ fore formed a powerful Dominion, till Civil Wars rent it in Pieces, and compelled them at length to lubmit to the Chinefe Emperors to whom they were formidable before. I ought not to omit the curious Travels of certain Miffionaries in China, wherein is mark’d Tmmhof down very particularly what daily occurred to their Obfervation; infomuch that in reading, one Mnffiimrid feems to accompany them on the Road. Thefe Relations prepare us for the Defcription that follows of the 15 Provinces which compofe the Empire. This prefents to our View a great Number of fplendid Cities, celebrated on account of their Defcription of Situation and Extent; the Multitude of their Inhabitants; the extraordinary Concourle of the >£• Chinefe drawn thither for fake of Trade; the Beauty ot the publick Buildings, and Plenty which reigns therein: there alfo one beholds the Produce of fertile Lands, (which often yield two Crops in one Year) in Corn, Trees, and remarkable Fruits; Metals of all forts, Minerals and precious Marble dug from the Bowels of the Mountains; extraordinary Plants, whole Roots are lo wholcfome, and thrive in no other Climate; numerous Lakes, and Canals, as well as large and deep Rivers, which abound with all Kinds of Filh ; a furprizing Mul- titude of Stupendous Bridges, which are very ftrong, and not only embellifhed with divers Ornaments of Sculpture, but every Way fitted for the publick Conveniency; in a word, all the Advantages which Art and Nature can contribute, for the Neceffaries and Pleafures of Life. Befides (F) See the Travels of the Peres Grueler and Dnrn-ilte from (G) The Reference is here made to the Original, which con- C.hina to India, thro’ Tibet and Lajfa, in ThtmemF s French Gol- fills Ol four Tomes, left ion of Voyages and Travels. fhe A u t H 0 k’s P R E FA C E. ji,„„ „ nJ Befidcs the general Map of all, including China, Chinefe Tart ary, and Tibet as far as the VL Cafpian Sea, there is in this Tome a general Map of China itfelf, and a particular Map of each Province, with feveral Plans of the Cities, which differ in Figure from thole of other Countries. In fhort, this firlt Tome concludes with a face in cl Hiftory of that great and ancient Mo- ’ narchy : wherein I conform, as I ought, to the Opinion univertally received among the Chinefe, who deduce their Chronology from the Reign of the Emperor Tail, and look upon it as indu¬ bitable down to the prefent; as I have remarked in the (I) Advertifement prefixt to that Hiftory. After giving thefe general Notices of China, I enter into a more particular Detail of what concerns that Nation as to their Character, Manners, Cuftoms, Government, Progrefs in the Sciences, Religion, Morality, iSe. which I handle in lb many leparate Articles, and, I flatter myfelf, as fully as the Subjeft required. c ■ I lpcak firlt of the Antiquity and Extent of that Monarchy; the Authority of the Emperor, ' China his Expences, Revenues, Houfiehold, the Magnificence of his Palace, and his Retinue when he goes' abroad; the Form of Government both Civil and Military; the proper Functions of the Mandarins, their Power, and the Honour paid them; the Forces of the Empire, the Fortreffes, the Soldiery, their Arms and Artillery; the Policy which is oblerved, as well in the Cities for maintaining good Order, as in the great Roads for the Safety and Conveniency of Travellers. CtaraScrof Next I treat of the Genius and Chara&er of the Chinefe, their Air, Phyfiognomy, Chinefe Fafhions; their Houfes, and elegant Furniture thereof; the Punifhments inflidled on Criminals, and the Regulations oblerved in the Prifons where they arc confined. I proceed to {hew how Merit, which alone confers Nobility in China, may be acquired, and how much it differs from the European. As the Grandees are Enemies to Luxury, fo far as concerns their Perfons, they make the better Figure when they appear abroad: we ihall here lee what Magnificence the Chinefe affect in their Journeys, and Feafts; as well as in their publiek Works, luch as Bridges, Triumphal Arches, Gates, Towers, Walls of their Cities, Sir. Every Thing is regulated in China, even to the mod common Duties of Society: which Ccrmmics mc an Occafion to fpeak of the Ceremonies obferved by them in point of Civility; in their Vifits, and the Prefents they make one mother ; in their Letters, Feafts, Marriages and Agriculture hlanufnftures Language Education Literature Canonical Booh of the firjl Order Funerals. With regard to the Commonalty, they are wholly employ’d either about Husbandry, Manufactures, or Trade. This leads me to lpeak of the Efteem fet upon Agriculture, and thofe who apply themfelves to it; of the Skill and Induftry of the Mechanics; the incredible Trade carry’d on in the Heart of the Empire; the numerous Lakes and Rivers, which render the Provinces fertile and produce Plenty; the Barks and Velfels of Burden for tranfporting fo many rich Commodities from one Province to another; of the antient Coins, and thofe current at prefent in the Empire. Their principal Trade with Foreigners, efpecially the Europeans , confifting in Varnifhed Works, Porcelain and Silks; I Ihevv how the Varnifti and China Ware are made: and give the Tranftation of an antient Chinefe Author, who teaches us the Method of managing and rearm 0 " the Silk-Worms, lb as to encreale and improve the Breed. Thefe Matters are render’d ftill more intelligible by the Plates, where lbmething of each is reprelented after the Life. As the Sciences cultivated in China are the only Way to Honours and Employments, and confift chiefly in a thorough Knowledge of their Laws, Hiftory and Morality, they delerve a more than ordinary Attention. I introduce this Part, by informing the Reader what fort of Idea he ought to have of the Chinefe Language, fo widely different from all others both dead and living. In order to this, I remark what is the Genius of it, and how the Words, which are all Monofyllables, muft be pronounced, annexing a fhort Sketch of the Grammar of that Tongue: after which I fhew how the Chinefe make their Ink, and different Sorts of Paper; with their Method of printing and binding Books. I proceed next to give an Account of the Studies peculiar to the Chinefe Youth, the diffe¬ rent Degrees thro’ which they pafs before they commence Doctor, and the Examinations they muft undergo to obtain them. For the Reader’s better Information I have inlerted an Extradl of a Chinefe Book on that Subject: wherein is ftiewn, the Method to be oblerved in teaching Students; the Choice to be made of Mailers; the Paffages of Hiftory neceflary to be learned in order to form the Manners; the Examination of thofe who afpire to different forts of De¬ grees; a Specimen of the Diicourfes made in the Affembly of the Literati; laftly, the Plan of an Academy, or Society of Learned Men. Thefe are only, as it were, the Preliminaries naturally leading to the Chinefe Literature, that is to the Knowledge of thole Books, fo antient and highly efteemed among them, call’d King: bv which Word they underftand a fublime and l'olid Dodtrine, grounded on fure Principles. Of thele they reckon five, which they confider as Canonical Books of the firft Order, and call U-king , or 'The five Books , by way of Excellence. I have given the Subftance of thefe 5 Books, viz. (1.) the 1 -king, a Work purely Symboli¬ cal. (1.) the Shu-king , which contains the remarkable Events under the firft Emperors and Le- o-iflators of the Nation; their Inftrudtions about Government; with their Laws and Regu¬ lations touching Manners, whereof thofe antient Heroes were lb many Patterns From this I Elegies (I) We have omitted forae Paragraphs that follow this, rela- the faid Advertifement, where the fame Sub'eil is handled more ting to the AuthenticneGs of the Chinefe Hiftory, in order to fupply exprefsly. The A u t h o r’j P R E FA C E. v have given fome Extra&s. (3.) the Shirking , confifting of Odes or Poems, wherein the Elegies of illuftrious Men are recited^ and the Laws and Cuftoms of the Empire recorded. Some of thefe Odes have been feleded, and faithfully tranflated. (4.) the Chun-tjyu , which is inferior to the three former, yet is very much efteemed by the Learned : It contains the Annals of the King¬ dom of L//, the fame at prefent with the Province of Shan-tong. (5.) the Li-ki, being a fort of Memorial of the Laws, Ceremonies and Duties of a Civil Life. From thefe Books, which are of greateft Antiquity, I pals to the four Claflical or Canonical Books of the fecond Rank, call’d Tfe-jhu: Thefe properly are no more than Expofitionsand Apho- ril'ms, grounded on thofe antient Monuments; and were either written by Confucius , or com¬ piled by his Difciples, out of the Maxims and Dilcourfes of that celebrated Philofopher, whom the whole Nation look upon as their Mafter. Firft, I give an Abridgment of his Life, and after that an Extract of the moll effential Matters, according to the Order of the Chapters or Heads contained in each of his Works; which are, (1.) the Ta-loyo , that is, the Great Science , or Science of Adults ; (2.) the Ghong-yong , or immutable Medium , .which is that juft Mean to be found between the two Extremes wherein Virtue confifts; (3.) the Lun-yu , that is, moral and pthy Difcourfes ; (4.) Meng-tfe , or, the Book of the 'Fhilofofher Mencius, which gives the Idea of a perfed Government. To thefe four Books I fubjoin two others, which are very much efteem’d, and placed by the Chinefe among their Claflical Books: The firft has the Title of Hyau-king , that is, concerning Filial Reffett, and contains the Anfwers made by Gonfufms to his Difciple Tfeng ; the fecond is named Syau-hyo , which fignifies the Science or School of Children. This is properly what is call’d the Chinefe Science, which comprifcs the fundamental Princi¬ ples of their Government, and maintains fuch good Order in the Empire : This, in effed, is the Science moft proper for Man, feeing it has regard diredly to his Condud, and the Means of rendring him perfed according to his State and Condition. Some, perhaps, may think, that the Government of China , which was grounded originally on Conftitutionof fuch Principles, has been gradually weaken’d during a long Series of Years, and under fo many the Chinefe different Monarchs: But the Chinefe themfelves inform us, that they have never deviated Goven,rr ‘ ent - from thofe wife Maxims. This will appear from a curfory View of moft ol the Dynafties, as they ftand in a Colledion made by the Orders and Direction of the late Emperor Kang-hi , whole Reign was fo long and glorious. In this curious Colledion we meet with the Difcourfes and Refledions made by^thofe who Colkaionof were moft eminent in the State on account of their Dignity, Experience and Knowledge. Edieis, Difi Part of thefe are the Edids, Declarations and Ordinances of different Emperors, and their In- caur f es ftrudions which they fent to the Kings, Tributary Princes and Magiftratcs; the reft are the Difcourfes and Remonftrances of the Prime Minifters, and other Perfons moft famed for Wifdom throughout the Realm, to the Emperor. The Whole of what they fay turns principally upon good or bad Government, the Improvement of Agriculture, the Means of comforting the People, and fupplying their Neceflities, the Art and Difficulty of Reigning; on War, the Advancement of Learning, C&r. At the End of moft of thele Pieces are brief Remarks ol the Emperor Kang-hi , a Prince skilful in the Art of Reigning, written with a red Pencil, that is, with his own Hand. The fame Matters are handled in two other Books, of which I have given very fhort Abftrads: The Firft was compiled under the Dynafty of the Ming ; the Second is intitlcd The illuflri- ous JVomen ; whereby in like manner it appears that, under different Reigns, the Chineje La¬ dies governed themfelves and their Families according to thofe Maxims. It appearing from thefe Evidences, that the fundamental Principles of the Government have been always maintained in China by a conftant Obfervance of them, it is no wonder at all that a State of fuch vaft Extent has fubfifted for fo many Ages, and ftill fubfifts in all its Splendor. From this Detail of the Chinefe Form of Government, I proceed to confider the Reli- Religionsh gion of thefe People; their Morality; the Knowledge they had of other Sciences; their Tafte China - in Hiftory, Poetry, and the Drama; and laftly, their Skill in point of Medicine. Thefe are the Matters contained in the third Volume. With regard to the Religions approved of, or tolerated in 0 :ina , I exhibit, according to the Order of Time, the Doctrines of the different Seds : Here I treat of (1.) the Worlhip of the anti¬ ent Chinefe , drawn from their claffical Books; but without flaying to explain what they under- ftandby * Tyen and f Shang-ti which is the Object: of their Worlhip, I leave the Reader to his own Judgment; (2.) the Sed of Tau-tfe , whofe Syftem I deferibe; (3.) the Seel of the Idol Fo, where I explain what thofe Idolaters call internal and external Dodrine; (4.) the Sed of certain modern Literati , who have made a fort of Philofophy of their own, by means whereof, adhering not fo much to the Text of the antient Books as the Gloffes and Com¬ ments of lome late Writers, they pretend to folve every Thing according to natural Caufes: A Treadle I have inferted in form of Dialogue, wherein one of thele modem Philolophers unfolds his Syftem concerning the Origin and State of the World, will fhew how much thefe Smatterers in Learning are miftaken. The Eftabliffiment and Progrefs of the Chriftian Religion in this Empire being an Article too interefting to be omitted, I thought myfelf obliged to give the Hiftory of it; wherein, tho’ I cou’d not avoid fpeaking occalionally of the Contefts which arofe latterly among the C Miflionaries Tyen, Heaven, or the Spirit of Heaven. 4 Shang-ti, Sovereign Being, Supreme Emperor. Moral Phi- lofopby. Mathematics. Poetry and Hijiory. Medicine. Defcription of Chinefe Tar¬ tary. Travels of P. Gerbillon. vi The Author’i P R E FA C E. Miffionaries, yet I handle them very flightly, a&ing herein the Part of an Hiftorian, and re¬ lating limply, and in few Words, what has been laid on both Sides. Moral Philoiophy has been all along the principal Study of the Chinefe , and it is chiefly by their Abilities therein that they attain to the Honours and Dignities of the Empire; but as, in order to be thoroughly informed what their Notions and Maxims are with regard to the Re¬ gulation of Manners, it will be necelfary to hear what fome of their Sages have written there¬ on, I have given the Abridgement of two Books of Morality: the one pretty Modern, and much efteem’d in the Country; the other more antient, containing Refle&ions, Maxims and Examples in point of Behaviour. The Authors of thefe twoTreatifes have done no more than explained the Principles dilperfed thro’ thole antient and venerated Books above mention’d. Altho’ that on the one Hand, I grant there are among them found Maxims, ufeful Reflections, and laudable Inftances; yet on the other, I dilapprove whatever is vicious or criminal in the Actions which they relate, as well as what is falie or out of the way in their Remarks and Maxims. (M) The other Sciences have not been wholly negleCted by the Chinefe ; but whether they have made any confiderable Progrels in them, may be judged from the Account I have given. The Reader will at lead underftand what the Miffionary Jefuits have done to affift them in im¬ proving lome of thofe Sciences, particularly Aftronomy, wherein they were moft verfed; and in teaching them other Parts of Mathematics which they were ignorant of. For the reft, it can’t be deny’d but they have a Tafte for Poetry, and efpecially Hiftory ; whether we regard the Hiftory of their own Nation, which they write faithfully, and without Partiality: or the little Hiftories they compote notunlike our Romances; which are filled with variety of Incidents contrived to amule the Fancy, but whole foie End is almoft conftantly to difcourage Vice and recommend Virtue, like thofe I have inferted, which I believe will afford Pleafure in reading I cannot fay lo much in behalf of their Tragedies, which are formed on Notions very different from ours. However that which I have given, being carefully tranllated, will fhew their Genius, and what they have been able to do this way on their own Bottom, fince they never correfi- ponded with any other polite and learned People. It remains only to lpeak of the Medicine of the Chinefe, and their Method of Pra&ice. This I have done by explaining firft the general Syftem in ufe with their Phyficians, and after¬ wards ftiewing what is Angular among them, namely, their Skill in judging of Diftempers by feeling the Pulle, and knowing the Ufe of their Simples for compoling their Remedies. To illuftrate this the more, I have inferted three of their Works: The firft is a Treatife intitled the Secret of the RuLCe, the Author whereof lived fome Ages before Chrijl ; The fecond is a brief Extrad of a Chinefe Herbal; and the third a Colledion of Recipes, made ufe of by their Phyficians in the Cure of divers Diftempers. To thefe I have added another Extrad of a Work, whofe Author is not at all favourable to the Phyficians of his own Nation. He teaches his Countrymen how they may do without the Affiftance of Dodors or their Drugs, by means of a Regimen which he prelcribes, and had try’d with Succefs; he pretends to have found out an eafy way of prolonging one’s Days in per¬ fect Health, and becoming our own Tliyflclan. This concludes the three Volumes which treat of China: wherein I think I have taken notice of every Thing that is neceffary in furniih- ing a complete Account of that Empire. The Fourth and laft Volume is wholly taken up with the Defcription of Chinefe Tartary, Ko¬ rea, and Tibet: Of which vaft Countries hitherto we have known little more than the Names, as any one may be convinced, by only cafting an Eye on the Maps of our ableft Geographers. But here he fhall meet with a particular Account of them, partly from the Geographical and Hiftorical Remarks which I have inferted relating to the different Countries; and partly from the Eight Journals of P. Gerbillon’s Travels into Tart ary , by Order of the Emperor, or in his Retinue. That Father fets down in a very particular Manner whatever occurr’d to him from day to day concerning thofe vaft Regions, which extend from China as far as the Ruffian Do¬ minions. And I queftiou whether the Readers cou’d have acquir’d a more thorough Know- them, in cafe they had performed thofe long and painful Travels themfelves. Altho’ (M) The following Lines, which come in here, being foreign to the Subicfl, we have thought the Notes the moil proper Place for them ; if rather fuch Digreflions ought not to have been confider’d a? E::crcfccnces, and thrown out. We are far from intending to introduce the Chinefe Doflors into Europe to give Leisures on Virtue. The Light of the Gofpel lhines out among us in full Luftre, and expofes clearly to our View what the whole Strength of human Wifdom has been able to give us but z Glimpfe of. Whatever the Sages of Chinn, as well as the antient Philofophers, have taught worthy Commendation, it has been owing to the Light of Rcafo.i, in following which they leave acquired fome fmall Know¬ ledge of Truth and its Principles. Whereas Chriltians have a per¬ fect Knowledge thereof, inloinuch as they know J. C. who is the Truth itfelf, the lovereign Rcafon and fubfifling Wifdom of God. Ali human Wifdom is but Folly, if it docs not lead to J. C. his Doflrine is to be found no where but in the Scriptures, which have the Chirafler of the Divinity flamp’d on them; and it is to this heavenly Doflrine, that every Man, who has not a Mind to be led away with vain Rcal’onings, ought inviolably to adhere, as to the pure Fountains of Truth. The Chinefe Sages have indeed known fome Truths, but neither they, nor the antient Philofophers, fo much cry’d up, have known them all: in the Chriftian Law alone confummate Righteoufnels is to be found; nor can any one arrive at true Wifdom but by em¬ bracing its Rules, and putting them in Praflice. If the Chinefe Philofophers have fometimes fpoken concerning Hu¬ mility, the very Name of which was unknown to the Pagan Sages, yet it appears that they underftood nothing more thereby than that outward Refpefl which we ought to have for one another, confiil- ing in a certain Compofurc of the Countenance, peculiar Poflures of the Body, fuch as falling on the Knees, or proflrate on the Ground ; certain Marks of Submiflion and Obedience paid to Parents, Magt- IIrates, and all Pcrfons in Authority ; but that internal Humility, which teaches us to humble our Hearts before God, to acknowledge our Faults, not to be prefumptuous, nor attribute any Tiling to our own Strength; all this is only to be learned, as St Attguftin obferves, from the Doflrine and Aftions of J. C. when he tells us learn from me, for lam meek and humble of Heart ; when being infinitely great, he made himfelf little to come to us; when having no Sin of hi* own to blot out or expiate, he fubmitted even to Death, and the Crofs. He only was capable of teaching and making us love a Virtue fo fublime and little known, which is however the Bafts of all other Virtues. The Author^ P RE FA C E. vii Altho’ by my Propofals I am not obliged to meddle with that Part of Tartary which be- °f Captain , longs to the Rujjians , yet I have inferted both the Map and Relation of the new Dilcoveries siberiaf ‘ tr ° made by Captain Beerings in his Travels from 'Tobolsk as far as (AO Kamchatka, where he was fent by the late Czar, to examine if there was a Paffage thence into North America. I conclude the whole with a Table of part of the Latitudes which were obferved, and the Lon- CM? of La- gitudes relulting from the Geometrical Operations, which the Miffionaries made ufe of in order 'hude«»,/ to draw the Maps inferted in this Work. Thefe Longitudes are reckon’d from the Meridian 0 f Lonsltude ’ Pe-king, being unwilling to reduce them to that of Paris for fear of committing fome Miftake. ( 0 ) The Latitudes were obferved with excellent Inftruments and great Care. They have not inferted in this Catalogue, all that were determin’d, becaufe feveral of the Obfcrvations were made in Places, which either wanted a Name, or were too inconfiderable to be inferted in the Maps. (P) As thefe Maps make a confiderable and very interefting Part of our Defign, it may An Account doubtlefs be expected, that I Ihould give an Account of the Motives which induced the Lni- ofth(: Maps ‘ peror Kang-ht to have them drawn, and of the Method taken by the Miffionaries in exe¬ cuting the Work. That great Monarch having perceived the Accuracy of the European Methods from a Map Uefrji o>- of the Country about Pe-king, which the Miffionaries had made by his Order, relolved to have “d“ n Maps of all the Provinces of his Empire, as well as of Tartary lo far as is under his Sub¬ jection, drawn after the fame Manner. In recommending this Work to the Miffionaries, he Ipoke to them in the moll obliging Terms, protelling publickly that he looked on this great Undertaking as a Matter of vail Importance to the Empire, and that he wou’d fpare no colt to have it completed. In effedt, a few Days after he commanded the great Tribunals to nominate Mandarins to fuperintend the Meafurements, to the end that they might give the exadt Names of the molt remarkable Places they were to pafs thro’; and caufe the Magillrates of Towns to attend on the Bounds of their refpective Diftridts with their People, and afford fuch other Affiltance as ihou’d be deem’d requifrte. All this was performed with furprizing Punctuality; which is a nunifelt Proof of the admirable Order and Policy obferv’d through that valt Empire. The Work w as begun the 4 th of July r 708, according to our Way of reckoning, or according P. P Bavm to the Chmeje Kalendar, on the ibth of the 4 lb Month of the \jth Year of Kaug-hi. The arid Peres Bouvet, Regis and Jartoux, undertook to determine the exadt Situation of the famous A,A for Wall that feparates China from Tartary, which affording a great Number of remarkable veying th” Points, by means of the Gates that give Entrance into the Empire, and fo many fortify’d GreatWall “ Towns with which it is as it v r ere flank’d, might ferve to regulate the Longitudes of the Nor¬ thern Provinces whereof it is the boundary, and confequently of all thofe that are contiguous to them. P. Bouvet falling lick after a Months application, P. P. Regis and Jartoux continued the Work, and did not return to Pe-king till the January 10, 17051. The Map which they brought home with them, and was above 15 Foot long, exhibited not Map of n i; only all the windings of this Wall, which fometimes mounts to the tops of Mountains, and Aw Avr lometimes defeends into the loweft values, according to the Diipofition of the Land, but alfo all the Streights of the Mountains, and Gates great and fmall, to the Number of about 500' all the Forts and Military Places, even thofe which, being built at a certain Diftance fronAhe Wall, feem to have been eredted purely to fupport the others that are near them. In Ihort it exhibits the Pofitions of all the neighbouring Places, on both fides the Wall, as well as the Paffage in and out of the molt inconfiderable Rivers. The Emperor who was much pleafed with this Map, no longer doubting the Succefs of the Undertaking, became more earneft than ever to have it executed in the belt Manner. The ‘ 6 th of May 17051, the Peres Regis, Jartoux, and Fridetti a German, whom the Empe- Mato/Eae ror had joined with them, let out from Pe-king to begin the Geography of Eaftern Tanary Tartary, which is properly the Country of the Manchews who at prefent have the Do w Ly:>u ' minion in China. ' p°p.Rc';! y This was a difficult Task, becaufe that Country having been as it were abandoned for many J art °“ x nni Years, it feem’d ll-arce poffible to find the neceffary Supplies of Men, Holies and Provifions frldelI ‘' for a Work that was to continue for feveral Months. But as nothing efcaped the Emperor’s forefight, he gave fo good Orders to the Manchew Mandarins who govern the Cities, where¬ on thofe uninhabited Countries depend, and thofe Orders were fo pundtually executed, that the Work was never retarded. In advancing towards thofe Parts they determined the Situations of the principal Places of the Province of Lyau-tong or Qiian-tong, bounded on the South by the Great Wall, which having beenfurvey’d the Year before ferved as a Bafis to the Work. In ihort the Map made this Year comprized the Province of Lyau-tong, the antient Country of the Mau- chesvs, the northern Bounds of Korea feparated from it by the (Q) Tmnen River, the Territo¬ ries of the Tartars call’d Tit-pi Ta-fe, the Habitations of the Ke-cheng Ta-fe, which extend to the Mouth of the greatelt River in Tartary, named by the Tartars, Sagbalian Ula, and by the Chinefe (X) Or;.:. Kamtjchacka for Kamt/chatka, which is the German thority to that Part of the Map where it was fituated tho’ the ° r j„S r 5 ,h y- Name were unknown. An Oblervation wou’d even int’itle a VU- ■ a c 0r 0Ur Parts we Pee n0 Inconvemency in reckoning Lon- lage to a Place in a Map before a City which wanted thac Advan- gitude from Paris more than Pe-king, but think it belt to com- tage, and render it confiderable in Geography however abiefl if pute from both Places. might be in itfelf. 1 (P) Ttle Author feems to be miftaken here. An Ob- ( 9 j In the Orig. Teamen Oula, but as Oula or Via fignifies a fervation of the Latitude at any Place wou’d help to give Au- River, 1 thought fit to omit it, to prevent the Tautology. Map of Pe- che-li, made by the fame Fathers. Map of the Remainder Eafern Tar¬ tary by the fame Jefuits • f lap cfShan- tong by Regis and Cordoio. ^Shan- fi and Shen fi by De Tartre and Cordoio. See Pere Sou- ciet, Obfer- vations Ma- thematiqucs fife. 4°. 1729 Vol. I. Page 168. viii The A u T h o r’j P R E FA C E. Chine fe, He-long-kyang } in a word, all the Diftrids of the Mongol Princes, whom the Chinese call Tjau Ta-fe, from the 45th Degree of Latitude to the 40th by which they returned. This W ork was very agreeable to the Emperor, as well as to the Manchews born at Re-king, who there beheld their antient Country, and were able to learn more from it in a quarter of an Hour than by difcourfing with ever fo many Travellers. Thefe three Fathers were l'carce arrived at Re-king when they had Orders to begin upon the Map of the Province of Re-che-li , which is that of the Court. They fet out the 1 oth of Dec. the fame Year, and did notfinifhit till the 20th of June 1710. The Province is large, and contains a great number of Cities, whole Pofitions were not to be negle&ed, otherwile the mutual Di- ltances wou’dhave been greater or ieifer than they ought, or the Bearings of the Towns already mark’d down wou’d have dilagreed with the Oblervations. This Map was the more acceptable, as the Province it deferibed was well known. The Em¬ peror took the Pains to examine it himlelf, and feeing the Places juftly exhibited which he had often palTed thro’, and earned to be mealured by the Manchews, (whole Bufinels it is to Purvey the Roads when he goes into the Country) he fignify’d to the Miflionaries that he wou’d anfwer for the Accuracy of it} and that if the reft proved as good, their Performance wou’d iatisfy him, and be out of the reach of Criticilm. The 22d of July 1710, the Emperor ordered the fame Milfionaries to go towards the Saghalian Ula\ he had caufed a Town to be built on the South fide of that great River, call’d Saghalian Ula Hotun ( R ), where there are ManUoews under a Lieutenant General (named in their Language Maireychain, to guard the Frontiers againft the Ruffians-, who descending the River from Nipchu , a City a little to the Weft, might in a few Days enter the Territories of the Empire. To fupport this Lieutenant General, the Emperor has built two other Cities farther up in his- Dominions towards the South. They are but a few Days Journey afunder, with Villages all along the Road, where are Relays of Poft-Horfes. The neareft to the Saghalian Ula Hotun , is Merghen , where is alfo a Lieutenant General with Troops} the other, named Tsitfikar , (S) is the Seat of the General Commander of all the Country. Returning from Tsitfikar, which is in the Latitude of 47 Degrees 24 Minutes and 30 Seconds, they had an Opportunity of mealuring feveral Degrees luccelfively from North to South} for the Country confifts wholly of Plains which extend beyond the reach of Sight, without either Houfes, Trees, or any confiderable Rivers. The ufual Drink of the Mongols in thole Parts, is Water drawn out of Wells, dug here and there, to which they remove their Tents and Flocks, according to the Seafon and the Plenty or Scarcity of Pafture. This Map was finilh’d the 14th of December, and tho’ it -was empty enough, yet the Emperor was pleafed with it, as giving him a View of his new Settlements which he judged i'o necelfary to the publick Tranquillity. In the Year 1711 the Geographers, in order to expedite the Work, were divided into two Companies. The Peres Regis and Cordojo, a Rortugueze newly landed in China, undertook the Map of the Province of Shan-tong, contiguous to that of Re-che-li. The Peres Jar- toux and Fridelli, accompanied by Pere Bonjour , an Aufiin Friar, (already known in Europe on account of his Learning) who arrived about 3 Months before in China , went beyond the Great Wall as far as Harm (l ), the Capital Luty 01 a Country of the fame Name, and mealured almoft all the Territories of the 'Tartars call’d Kalka Ta-fe. They returned by the publick Road thro’ the Provinces of Shen-fi and Shan-fi, entering China by the Gate of the Great Wall, which is named Hya-yu-quan, from the Fort that defends it, and is diftant from Hami not above Ninety Leagues whereof Twenty go to a Degree: thefe Miflionaries did not arrive at Re-king before. January 1712. The Emperor was extremely pleafed with this Map, and that of Shan-tong made a little be¬ fore and having fent to know if more of their Society were not to be found in the Provinces, who were capable of engaging in the lame Work, four others were propolcd and approved of. Pere Cordojo went to join Pere de 'Tartre, who remain’d in Shan-fi, with Orders to make the Map of that Province and Shen-fi adjoining to it: As loon as they had finilhed thefe 2 Maps, which were each 10 Feet fquare, they returned to Re-king. The Mandarin who prelented thefe Maps to the Emperor, having informed his Majefty, that if he required any Thing to be explain’d, Pere de Tartre w r as in waiting to obey his Com¬ mands, (R) The Chinefe H in Hotun, Hami, Hya-yu-quan, ifc. is a firong Afperate founding like a double Hh, or rather is a Sound partaking both of the K and H; hence we find the fame Words written fometimes with K, fometimes with H. The bed Way wou’d be to make ufe of both Letters together, or Kb, as Mr D'An- raille has done in many Names; but ’tis often difficult to know when that Character is to be ufed, the H being fometimes confounded with the K in Words which we know ought to be written with a K, as we have obferved in our Preface. Pere Souciet by Lompari- fon of Words (hews that Pere Gauhil expreffes the Chinefe H in fo¬ reign Names by Go. But he miftakes in fuppofing that he expreffes th(flame Letter by an O in Oloffe, [ O-lo-ffe j Ruffeot Ruffian, fuppo¬ fing the O to be prefixed like the Particle He in Hebrew Words. But doubtlefs the Reafon is becaufe the Chinefe take the Name from the Tartars, who call the Ruffians Urus or Orus, as well as the Turks, Arabs, and all the other oriental Nations. (S) In the French in this Place tis written Tfiteikar. In the Table of Longitudes at the End of the 4 th Volume Tchifkar, and in the Jefuits Maps Tcitcicar, which lalt Pronunciation I have followed. On this Occafion 1 mull obferve that Pere du Halde has obferved r.o Uniformity, in expreffing the Sound common among the Chinefe and Tartars, and which is defignated by the Portugueze and Spaniards, who alto have if, by a 9 or c with a Plica, call’d by them Cedilla. For we find it exprels’d no lefs than 4 different Ways, fometimes by Jf as in Jfe-fsu, by a fingleS in Ta-Je, by ts as in tfeng, and by Tc in the Name in Queffion; to which Pere du Halde, for what Reafon I know not, has added a 5 th Character, viz Tq, as in the fame Word. So little Uniformity is obferved on this Head, that we meet with the Cedilla written 3 different Wavs in the fame Word, viz. Tfevang, Sf-vang, and Sevang; it partakes fomc what of our z, and is founded like an f with a / before it, whiff¬ ling or flraining it between the Teeth: I have diffinguilli’d this Sort of Sound by ts, tho’ perhaps a Angle f might do as well. It is difficult for thofe Nations who do not ufe this Sound to exprels it in their Characters. Hence Brand in his Account of Isbrand Ides's Tra¬ vels from Mofcow to China, writes Suttegar ; Isbrand Ides himfelf, Xixigar; and Mr Kyrillow in his late Map of the Ruffian Empire, Tschitschigar: which two laft Words according to the Englilh Ortho¬ graphy are Chichigar. (T) Hami is the City, which in fome of our Books and Maps is written Camul, in others Chamil or Khamil; fo Hya-yu-quan is written Kia-yu-koan not only by Pere Gaubil, but often by Pere Du Halde himfelf, for the Reafon before affigned in Note R. 'The Author’j- P R E FA C E. IX hnnds, the Emperor lent for him in, to point out fome Places he had himfelf obferv’d ill thele Provinces: Which done, that Prince faid leveral times I-tyen-pu-tfo, He is right in every Thing. There happened one Thing pretty remarkable in this Audience: The Emperor alledgedthat the Courle of a River was wrong in another Map, which had relation to the Maps of Shan-ft and SJjen-fi: Pere De Tart re, fenfible of his Majefty’s Miftake, maintained the Truth (with all due Refpect,) in fo clear a Manner, that the Monarch came into his Opinion- Tfo Lyau lays he, I am mijlaken. A great Conceflion in an Emperor of China! 7 7 The Peres De Mailla and Renderer were ordered to alliffc Pere Regis in the Province of Ho- nan, after which they all joined in making the Maps of Kyang-nan , Che-kyang , and Fo-kycn-, thole of the Province of Kyang-fi, ^yang-tong and £>uang-Ji, fell to the Share of the Peres De Tartre and Cordofo ; and thofe of 6' e-chtven and Tun-nan to P. Fridelli with P. Bonjour who dyed in this laft Province on the Frontiers of Ava and Regu the 25th of December 1714! The 24th of March following Pere Regis was fent into Tun-nan to finilh the Map of it Pere Fridelli having fallen lick there. By the time he had finilhed his Work that Miffio- nary recovered, and both together let about the Maps of Quey-chew and Hu-quang. After their return to Re-king January 1. 1717, nothing remained to be done, but out of the particular Maps of the Provinces to make a general one; and that was far advanc’d by P. Jartoux , who was detain’d at Re-king by his Indifpofitiqn, fo that it was finilhed and pre- lented to the Emperor in the year 1718. That the Reader may be more fully apprized in how particular and accurate a Manner this Work was conduced, I Ihallinlert the Account fent by Pere Regis in the Name of the Milfionaries concerned with him in the Execution of it. I can alfure you, lays he, that we have omitted nothing requifite for rendering our Work Method ok ‘ perfect. We have ourfelves vifited all the Places, even thole of leaft Confideration, throughout fer 5 ed° in° ‘ the Provinces ; examined the Maps and Hiftories of each City preferved in their Tribunals • makin 2 ^ 4 made Enquiries of the Mandarins and their Officers, as well as the Principal Inhabitants, whole MapS ‘ ‘ Territories we pafs’d thro’; in ffiort, by mealuring as we advanc’d, we ftill had Meafures ‘ ready to ferve the Triangles, form’d by fuch Points as Were to be fix’d. For after mature Deliberation we thought it belt to ufe the Method of Triangles, all others appearing to us ‘ not only too tedious, confidering the vail Extent of the Countries of which the Emperor ° f wanted the Map, but lcarcely practicable on account of the Towns being lo near one another • ccEt.^ *** ‘ fince it is certain that the leaft Error, occafioned by the Pendulum going wrong, or the Immer- ‘ fion of one of Jupiter's Satellites not being accurately obferved, wou’d caule a conliderable ‘ Error in the Longitude: For Inftance, the Miftake of a Minute in Time wou’d produce an ‘ Error of 15 Minutes in Longitude, which are equivalent to four or five Leagues, according to ‘ the Difference of ^the Parallels: So that it might happen, that according to the Obfervation two Towns wou’d be made contiguous, at the fame time that there wou’d be really fome Diftance, tho’ not much, between theim t J nc °nveniency is not to be fear’d in the Method of Triangles: For how is it polfible < Crr 1 Uf Le /S ues * n tbe Diftance between two Places no farther afunder, when by a Meafure < tbat alw ^ys follows us, and Semi-Circles accurately divided, we fix divers Points between the two Terms, which joined together make as it were a Chain of Triangles? On the other ‘ hand nothing is fo difficult as to avoid a fmall Error in Time; the belt Pendulums are put out ‘ of order b y Travelling, and to prevent erring, even in a fingle Minute, the Obiervations mull i be repeated leveral Days; a Task which wou’d be extremely fatiguing. 4 The Obfervations of the Satellites require, not only more Time and Accuracy, but alfo Tele- * fcopes of the lame Size, and, if I may fo fpeak, the lame Eyes in the Oblerver and his ‘ Correfpondent; for, if the one fees them ever fo little fooner than the other, fome Error c will inevitably happen, which muft not be fuffered in determining fmall Diftances: And if Ob- 4 legations of a Satellite, made in the fame Place, by the fame Perfon, differ fo in Time as to 4 caufe a fmall Variation in the Longitudes, and oblige us to take a middle Difference among 4 them, (luppofing the Difference to become infenfible by the Greatnels of the Diftance) the 4 Refults will be ftill more uncertain when there are feveral Obfervers, who have neither the 4 fame Inftruments nor Addrels; fo that the Difference, ariling between the Obfervations, renders 4 the Pofition of Places lying near one another doubtful, nor can it be fixt but by the Rules of 4 Geometry; which Ihews the neceftity of having recourle to the Method of Triangles at laft. t This Method, when continued without Interruption, has one farther Advantage, as it gives not only the Longitude but alfo the Latitude of the Towns to be inlerted; which, being after- t war ds examined by the Meridian Altitudes of the Sun or Polar Stars, lerves to corre which muft all be attended to in order to obtain perfedl Accuracy, that the Operations t cannot be always exad, but muft vary fomething more or lefs. However thefe little < u S, -r'^ a ^ S a PP ear ) an d niay be often corre&ed in large Works, by conne&ing the Points fixt by Trigonometry with thole whole Pofition is under Examination. 4 4 Method, which we judged ought to be employed for greater Precifion, was to return to the lame Point, already determined, by different Ways, from a confiderable Diftance t wojkrng according to Rules. For if by the laft Eflay you find the fame Situation, the Exaft- nels of the preceding Operations will be proved in lome meafure to a Demonftration. When D in Care for pre¬ venting Mis¬ takes. Obfervations of the Lon¬ gitude for ve¬ rifying the Work. Not wholly ncgletted. Work com¬ pared with thofe of other Geographers. More accu¬ rate than the IV'laps of Europe. Defers of Ptolontf s Ge¬ ography. Obfervations not dillin- guilh’d in his Tables. Uncertainty of antient Meafures. Difficulty of allowing for v. inding of Roads. * Agathcm. Geogr. 1 . 1. c. 6 . x The A u t n o r’j P R E FA C E. ‘ in meafuring we cou’d not return to the fame Point, our Method was, as we pafs’d near the ‘ great Towns already marked down, or other fit Places, to lookout for the remarkable Towers, ‘or Mountains that commanded them; and from time to time we mcafured, to fee if the ‘ Diftance relulting from the Operations (when corrected) agreed with the adual Meafure. ‘ All thele Precautions, and many more, too tedious to enumerate, appeared to us necelfary ‘ when executing a Work, in a Manner worthy the Truft repofed in us by a wife Prince, < w ho judg’d it of the greateft Importance to his State. Moreover the Hopes of meriting his Pro- ‘ recti on, which was necelfary to favour the Progrels of Chriftianity in his Empire, lupported 1 us amidfl thole Dangers and Crolfes that are unavoidable by thole who have to do with luch ‘ a Variety of Tempers, and are engag'd in fo laborious an Undertaking: Nay, we were ‘ willing, for our own Satisfadion, to have repair’d again both to the Eaftern and Weftern Fron- ‘ tiers as well as to fome Places within the Kingdom, fituated at convenient Diftances, there ‘to examine the Longitudes by repeated Obfervations of Ecliplcs; but as the Work was ‘ finilhed, and the Emperor appeared fatisfy’d with it, we did not think it proper to engage him ‘in a new and not altogether necelfary Affair. ‘ We therefore contented ourfelves with Obfervations of the Moon and Satellites of Jupiter ‘ made before our Time in feveral Cities by Members of our Society, tho’ we rejeded a few < foecaufe they did not agree with our Meafures, on account of fome linall Error as to Time in ‘ the Obfervation, which but too "often happens to the mod experienced. . Not but that we ‘ ourfelves obferved lome Eclipfes of the Moon ( X ) and found no other Difference in our < Obfervations than is ufual in fuch Cafes; where we had any doubt we chole the mean Difference. ‘ Thus having firft made ufe of the Method of Triangles for determining the Diftances between ‘ the feveral Cities, and afterwards compared it with that of Eclipfes obferved in Places remote ‘ from Re-king, we flatter ourfelves that we have followed the fureft Courfe, and even the only ‘ one practicable, in prolecuting the greatef Geographical Work that ever was performed ‘ according to the Rules of Art. ‘ Thole who have publilhed Maps of Europe , or any particular Kingdom thereof, have fel- ‘ dom taken the pains themfelves to examine the Situation ol Places on the Spot. They are ‘ content either with fuch Obfervations as they can pick up, made by Perlons of very unequal ‘ Abilities; or with collecting the itinerary Diftances, which are fcarce ever alike in different ‘ Provinces; with procuring the Relations of Travellers, who commonly give the Diftances from ‘ Report; and with ranging their Materials, partly according to fome ot thofe Obfervations, and ‘ partly by Conjecture. ‘ Thus we need not wonder, if Rtolomy himfelf, the Reftorer (? ) of Aftronomy and Gcogra- ‘ phy, has committed confiderable Faults; not only in lpeaking of China, whofe Capital he ‘ places in three Degrees of South Latitude, but with refpect to Africa and Europe, both ‘ which the Alexandrians were fo well acquainted with. Not that he neglcded to conliilt the < Aftronomical Obfervations of thofe who preceded him ; for he cites and follows them, io far ‘ as to maintain, (on the Authority of the celebrated Rytheas of MarfeiUes ) what paffed then ‘ for a Falfehood, viz. that in the life of Thule, to which he failed from the Pillars of Hercules , ‘ the Sun at the Summer Solttice role a liiilc aluei it let. Rtolomy had all’o the moft eftcem’d i Itineraries fuch as that attributed to the Emperor Antoninus, (in whofe Reign he lived) ‘ luppofed to be a Compend of the Diftances meafured by the Senate throughout the Roman i Empire: Whereof the general Defcription, under the Name of Use-whole World, form’d ‘ from Agrippa’s Memoirs, was by Auguftus expofed in a magnificent Portico at Rome: 1 Nor is 'it to be doubted but Rtolomy was acquainted with the Delcriptions Alexander ‘ carried to be made of his Conqucfts. However it is certain that thofe Materials were inluf- ‘ ficient for making a Geography of the whole Earth, or even a confiderable Part of either ‘ Europe or AJia, with any tolerable Accuracy. Bcfides, how among the antient Obfervations (hall i wc diftinguifli the good from the bad ? which yet is necelfary in order to have exaCt Maps; for ‘ an Error in Aftronomical Obfervations, which difappears on account of the great Diftance ‘ of the Heavens, fhews itlelf at firft fight in a Map, by means of the Relation it has ‘ to the neighbouring Places known to every Traveller. How could Rtolomy know ‘ t he juft Proportion of Diftances, meafured feveral Ages before, under quite different Govcrn- ‘ ments, among barbarous as well as civilized Nations, and in fome fort determined by the fimple ‘ Eftim'ation of a Ship’s Courfe, which, tho’ made by able Men, (luch as Rolybius, Nearchus ‘ and Oueficritus ; the firft lent by Scipio to the Coafts of Africa and Spain, the others by ‘ Alexander to dilcover the Rerfian Gulf) muft have their Defeds too; and fuppofing they ‘ had not, there ftill remains a Difficulty, almoft inluperable, which is, to determine precifely how ‘ muc h of the Roads is to be retrenched, in order to fix the exact Diftance in a llrait Line from ‘ one City to another. Altho’ Rtolomy, for inftance, had a much more particular Account of ‘ the Diftances from the Cafpian Sea to the Indian Ocean, as meafured by Diogenctes and Beto, 1 at the Command of Alexander, than we find in the fixth Book of Rliny, yet if he never was ‘ on the Spot, to mark all the Windings and different Bearings of the Road, occafioned by the ‘ various Difpofition of the Lands, it was not poffible for him to determine, exadly, either ‘ the Pofition of Towns, or Paffages of Rivers, much lei's the intire Courfe, merely by a few ‘ Points only; nor to alcertain the Dimenfions of a Country, by means ot one or two Geogra- ‘ phical Lines, without having the intermediate Points, which are ablolutely necelfary, ta ‘ conned the one with the other. But (Vi Thefe Obfervations may be teen in Pere SomkC, Obfervat. thought) of thofe Sciences, which werecultivated down to his Time; Mathema: p. a-, A fcqq. one of the Antients themfelves tells us, tlut rn Matters of Geography. (f‘) Ptoiomj* was the Improver, not the ReSorer las is commonly he followed thofe who went before him, inventing nothing of his own. The Author’* P R E FA C E. xi But as the Knowledge of thefe Things does not depend on the Force of Genius, and which mull: be done to acquire it far furpaffes the Strength of a (ingle Perfon, ■'tolomv had no other Way but to have recourfe to the Memoirs of Travellers, to combine Ptolomy I'iicir Remarks with the Obfervations, and in a multitude of Inftances make ufe of Conjedures. cxcufitble, ; -iot‘A ithftanding thefe Diiadvantages he has compofed a uleful Work, (the Delcription , | ie has o-iven of the World being very ample, and the firft that exhibited Places according Latitude and Longitude), yet it is certain that the greater Part of it is grounded not ‘ on Obfervations made with a View to redify Geography, but on the Relations of Travellers 4 ot very different Talents, and the Reports of fome Hiftorians, who have mentioned the Dift- 4 ances only occafionally, and always according to the vulgar Computation.. 4 The Cafe is otherwife in the Work we offer the ‘Pub Ink, for vaft as it is, we judged we parent Work 4 ought not to confine otirfelves either to the Maps of the Chinefe Governors, or to themed™ 4 Diftances meafured almoft throughout the whole Empire, and particularly in Tartary , with Bafisand 4 great Labour and Exadnefs, by the Manchews } nor yet to the printed Memoirs, whereof wholly new. 4 we had divers: But we relolved to begin the whole anew, employing thofe Materials no far- 4 ther than as Guides, in the Roads we were to take, and in the Choice of Places for Obfervation} 4 it being our Intention to reduce all that we did, to the fame Meafure, as well as Defign. 4 The Meafure, which we conftantly made ufe of, had been eftablilhed fome Years before by Meafure 4 the Empeior} I mean the Chinefe Foot employ’d in the Buildings and Works of the Palace, 4 which differs from the other Chinefe Feet, and even from that formerly ufed in the Tribunal of t he°Wor°k 4 the Mathematicks: By this Foot Pcre Thomas found a Degree to be 200 Li’s, or Chinefe 4 Furlongs, each confiding of 180 Chinefe Fathoms of 10 Feet. As then the aoth Part of a 4 Degree, according to the Experiment of the Academy [at Paris ] contains 2853 Toifts, each 4 containing 6 Feet of the Chdtelet , it is juft equal to 1800 Chinefe Toifes, or 10 Li’s } and 4 conlequently one Degree comprizing 20 of our great Leagues, call’d alfo Marine Leagues, 4 contains 200 Li’s, or Chinefe Furlongs, computing by the Foot above mentioned. 4 This Proportion fumilhes a very eafy Method of accommodating a Scale of Trench Meafures 4 to that of our Chinefe Maps, fince allowing 10 Li’s or Chinefe Furlongs to one of our Great 4 Leagues, the fame Part of a Degree gives the fame Number of Leagues in both, as well in 4 the Meridians as Parallels j for tho’ theft latter diminifh according to the ordinary Method, 4 they neverthelefs do not, according to the Meafure of Great Circles, which are fuppofed 4 equal by Geographers and Geometricians. 4 However I cannot forbear taking notice here, that this Dodrine is not altogether cc:tain: inequality m 4 Since in our Return from Tfitfikar in 1710, when we meafured fix Degrees from North to South 4 in thofe Plains, mentioned before, between the 47th and 41ft Parallels of Latitude, the Peres covered 4 Regis and Jartoux always found a Difference between the Degrees, whatever Care they 4 took in meafuring} altho’ they often examined the Cords divided into Feet, and corrected 4 the Quadrant with which they took the Altitudes, they found an Error lomewhat lefs than 4 thirty Seconds. ’Tis true, that Inftrument was no more than two Feet Radius, and tho 4 divided exadly, gave the Altitude fomewhat left, than perhaps one of Nine or Ten Feet 4 wou’d have done, fuch as Mr Picard made uft of in finding the Content of a Degree: Tis 4 true alfo, that the Cords, 10 of which made a Chineje Li, fhrunk and extended according 4 to the different Changes of the Air. But on the other hand confidering that the Inftruments 4 being always the lame, the Quantity of the Error ought to be the fame, that the Weather 4 was then dry, and without any confiderable Variation} that they took care often to meafure 4 the Cord with aToife or Fathom, made for the Purpofe} and that in fhort fuch imperceptible 4 Defeds cou’d not caufe a Difference of 258 Chinefe Feet, which they found in comparing 4 the 47th Degree with the reft} hence thofe Miftionaries were almoft perfiiaded that there muft 4 be fome Inequality in the Degrees themfelves, altho’ it had not been perceived by our 4 Geometricians, but only conjedured by fome who fuppofed the Earth to be like a Spheroid. 4 But as it would be unadvifed to change the Figure of the Earth without unexceptionable t Obfervations, continued under divers Parallels, we determined to make the Degrees equal in all 4 the Great Circles, and all the Parts of the Meridians} conforming ourfelves to the generally 4 received Opinion of the Rotundity of the Earth, and referring the Solution of this new Pro- 4 blem to others, who have the Conveniency and Leifure which we have not. 4 In the Courle of our Operations, we did not forget to obferve the Variations of the Mag-Longitude 4 netic Needle, both in Tartary and China: But feeing the Declination changes in the fame by tJje 4 Place in a certain Number of Years, we did not think fit to inftrt them in this Piece oj Geo- Variation of 4 graphy. It fuffices that they ferved to determine exadly the Bearings of the Roads we took, the Gom P af s* 4 and to convince us (by Obfervations made under the fame Meridian, in two different Places, 4 both neighbouring and remote) that Geography can draw no Advantage from thence, with 4 regard to the Longitude, as hath been hoped by feveral eminent .Authors} who, while they 4 were taking pains to colled the Declinations mentioned by Mariners and Travellers, never 4 confidcr’d that they might have vary’d in the Time they were forming their Syftem of Magnetic 4 Meridians, one of which ought to pafs thro’ Kant on } for we have found, on both fides of 4 that Meridian, fuch a Difference in the Declinations, that there is no Poflibility of reducing 4 them to any of the Hypothefes hitherto publilhed, much left to a conftant Rule} feeing the 4 Declinations, obferved by us in thofe Parts, will in all likelyhood be no more the fame after 4 a certain Period of Years, unlefs w'e fuppoft that the Law, by which the Variations of 4 the Needle in the fame Place are regulated, is neither made for Tartary nor China. By the foregoingAccount of this Performance, the Reader may judge of its Merit, as well as of the Application and Fatigue of the Miftionaries in drawing luch accurate Maps of all the r Provinces xii The A u t H o r’j P R E FA C E. Province's of China and Chinefe Tartary ; a Work, which the Emperor longed to fee executed. Maps of Tibet With regard to Tibet, if it has not been Purveyed in the fame Manner by the Jeluits, at losv mule. jeaft the ;y[ a p has been delineated from divers very exaft Journals, as well as itinerary Diftances meafured by Tartars, who underllood the Mathematics and were lent exprefsly into Tibet by the Emperor, after having received the necclfary Inftrufiions from the Miffionaries. Map of The Map of Korea was taken from one which is in the Palace of the King of that Country, Kora. arK t examined on the Frontiers by the Miffionaries, employ’d to make the Map of Tartary, as we have explained in the Obiervations on the Map itfelf. As all the Maps are drawn according to the fame Scale and general Projection, they feem to be Parts of the fame Map divided into fo many Portions, and In effect, by joining them, one Map might be made out of the whole. They were prefented to the King juft as the Miffio¬ naries lent them me from China: His Majcfty, -who knew their Value, was plealed to accept of, and give them a Place in his private Library at VerfaiUes. b e M To ad j uft thel " e Maps ’ and P re P are them for Engraving, I pitch’d on Mr D’Anvillc, Geo- Ji//T grapher in Ordinary to the King; who, having performed the Work with uncommon Elegance and Accuracy, afterwards drew general Maps from the Particulars, of Dimcnfions lufficient to (hew with what Minutenefs and Precifron the latter were executed, ( A) liippoftng they had not been inferted in the Work. In drawing his general Map of [Chinefe} Tart ary , he had recourlc to the particular Memoirs of Pere Cerbillm ; and to fill it up has added the whole Ifland of Japan, and fome other Lands to the North of it, which are exhibited after a peculiar Manner (ii ). As to the Map of Tibet, he has regulated that Part bordering on lndojian by fuch Informations, with rcipccl to this laft Country, as may be rely’d on. General Map In ftiort, the Map placed in the Front of this Work, bolides the Countries comprized in the of the whole. ot b er g enera i Maps, includes all the reft of Tartary as far as the Cafpian Sea. With refpedt to thele Parts, the Miffionaries had gather’d feveral Materials, but were not in a Condition to complete them; however they communicated them in order to be made ufe of, by comparing and conne&ing them with thofe which might be collected from other Quarters: This Mr ITAnoiUe has done with a great deal of Care, whereof a particular Account is given in the Geographical and Hiftorical Obfervations on Tibet. I (hall fay nothing concerning the Imprcffion of this Work, nor the Care I have taken to embellifh it. It is obvious enough that no Coft has been Ipared to give it all the Beauty and Ornament it was capable of, in relpect to Paper, Print and Engraving. The. Frontilpieces, Cuts, and Compartments of the Maps, were done from the Draughts, and under the Direction of Mr Humblot, who has to perfection imitated the Tafte of the Chinefe Pictures; part of which were communicated to me by Mr dit Velaer, who lived feveral Years at Kantov, as Director of the India Company ; to whom I am farther obliged for fome very curious Remarks concerning the Ifle of Hay-nan, where he made fome Stay. Orthography Whatever Care I took to write the Chinefe Words as they ought to be pronounced, it was of chintfe difficult to avoid fome Faults in the Courle of the Impreffion : But they may be eafily corrected Names. means of the Alphabetical Tables, at the End of the third.and fourth Volumes, where they ate written truly, and explained fen the Reader’^ farther Help, evho may not always remember the Meaning of the Words, which occur often, and are only explained the firft time. As ftrange as the Chinefe Names may appear at firft, it rnuft not be imagined that they are'as difficult to pronounce in our Tongue, as fome have fancy’d : On the contrary, Experience ftiews. that they may be learned much fooner than the Names ufed by feveral Nations of Europe, and, for any thing that appears, may be pronounced with more Eafe. What has contributed to make Inconveni- them difficult to us, is the Poriugueze Orthography, which has been followed for a while by race Of ufing feveral of our trench Miffionaries, tho’, to give the Giinefe Pronunciation, they ought to be a °re' E " one 'written after a quite different Manner. The Portugueze X is exprefs’d by our Ch (C): For inftance, the City which we call Chan-tong, as the Chinefe pronounce it, they write Xan- tum ; in like Sort the Letter m is the fame with them as the I.ctters ng with us; for Pc-kivg , which is the Chinefe Pronunciation [in our Characters] they write Pe-kim. The Reader therefore muft remember that the Names ending with m, which fometimes occur in the Maps, ought to be pronounced as if they ended in ng ; like fang, rang, and without laying any Strefs on the^, which is added only to diftinguifh fuch Words from thofe that end with a Single n, and are to be pronounced, as if the n, was followed by a mute e-, As in non in Latin, and profane in French. The Names of the Missionaries from whofe Memoirs, either printed or Manufcript, the follossiiug Accounts are taken. Pere Martin Martini. Pere Ferdinand Verbieft. Pere Philip .pe Couplet. Pere Gabriel Magalhaens. Pere Jean de Fontaney. Pere Joachim Bouvet. Pere Jean Francois Gcrbillan. Pere Fran fair Noel. Pere Lou le Comte. Pere Claude Vifdelou prefent Bifliop of Claudiopolis. Pere Jean-Baptifie Regis. Pere Jofeph-Henry de Premare. Pere Francois -Xavier Detttre- collcs. Pere Julien-Platide Hervieu, Pere Cyr Contancin. Pere Pierre de Govil/e. Pere Jean-Armand Nyel. Pere Dominique Par renin. Pere Pierre Jartoux. Pere Vincent de Tartre. Pere Jofeph-Anne-Marie de Mailla. Pere J can-Alexis Gol/et. Pere Claude Jacquemin. Pere Louis Parquet. Pere Emeric de Cbavagnac. Pere Antoine Gaubil. Pere Jean-Baptifte Jacques. (A) Mr D'Arrvi/le's■ general Maps, tho’ exccflively crouded, do not take in all the P.accs infertei in the Jefuits Maps. (B) The Manner indeed is peculiar, but the Reprefentation is very c. ude, and different from that given in Mr Kyrillcnu's late Map of the Ruffian Empire, where Tedfo and the other Lands to the North of Japan, feem to be exhibited pretty agreeable to the Truth. (C) The French Ch has the Sound of the Engli/h Sh, confe- quencly what they write Chan-tong, muft be written by us Shan- tong. A DESCRIP- THE O N T E N T of the firft Volume. Page A General View of the Empire of China i Of the Wall, federating China from Tartary 20 Of the People named Si-fan, or Tu-fan 22 Of the Tartars of Koko-nor 29 Of the Nation of the Lo-lo 30 Of the Nation of the Myau-tfe 31 The Travels of feveral Jefuit Milfionaries thro’ China 34 The Journal of P. Fontaney from Pe-king to Kyang-chnv and Nan-king 47 The Road from Pe-king to Kanton, taken by P. Bouvet , in 1693 55 The Road by Land from Siam to China 61 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION of the Provinces of China 65 ANNALS of the Chinese Monarch s. The Introduction 130 Fo-hi, firft Emperor 136 Shin-nong , fecond Emperor 137 JVhang-ti, third Emperor 138 Shau-hau , fourth Emperor 142 Cbweti-hyo , fifth Emperor ib. Ti-ko or Kau-Jin , fixth Emperor J43 Chi, feventh Emperor ib. Tau, eighth Emperor ib. Shun , ninth Emperor 143 2ft Dynafty,. called Hya, having 17 Emperors in the Space of 458 Years ib. 1 2d Dynafty, called Shang, 28 Emperors, 644 Years 151 3d Dynafty, called Chew, 35 Emperors, 873 Years 158 4th Dynafty, called Tsin, four Emperors, 43 Years 171 5th Dynafty, called Han, 25 Emperors, 426 Years 174 6th Dynafty, called Hew-han, or latter Family of Han, Two Emperors, 44 Years 184 7th Dynafty, called Tsin, 15 Emperors, 155 Years 185 8th Dynafty, cailedSoNG, eight Emperors, 59 Years 188 9th Dynafty, called Tsi, five Emperors, 23 Years 190 1 othDynafty, called Lyano, four Emperors, 55 Years 191 1 ith Dynafty, called Chin, five Emperore 33 Years iqz I2th Dynafty, called Swi, three Emperors 29 Years 193 33th Dynafty, called Tang, 20 Emperors, 289 Years 194 34th Dynafty, called Hew-lyang, two Emperors, 16 Years 203 15th Dynafty, called Hew-tang, four Emperors, 13 Years ib. 16th Dynafty, calledHE w-tsin, two Emperors, ii Years ib. 17th Dynafty, called Hew-han, two Emperors, four Years 205 18th Dynafty, called Hew-chew, three Emperors, nine Years ib. 19th Dynafty, called Song, 18 Emperors, 319 Years 206 20th Dynafty, called, Ywen, nine Emperors, 89 Years 214 21 ft Dynafty, called Ming, 17 Emperors, 276 Years 721 22d Dynafty, called Tsing, now reigning 227 ANTIQUITY and EXTENT of the Chinefe Monarchy 2 37 Authority of the Emperor 241 Form of Government in China 248 Military Government and Forces of the Empire, (Ac. 260 Polity of the Chinefe 264 Nobility of China 268 Fertility of the Lands, (Ac. 272 Ingenuity of Mechanics, and Induftryof theCommon People 276 Genius and Chandler of the Chinefe 278 Air, Phyfiognomy, and Fafhions of the Chinefe , &c. 281 Magnificence in their Journies and publick Works 285 Their Ceremonies, Feafts, Marriages, Funerals, (Ac. * 289 Their Prifons and Punifhments 310 Plenty which reigns in China 314 Lakes, Canals, and Rivers 325 Money and Trade of China 330, 333 Chinefe Varnifh 336 Porcelain, or China Ware 338 Silk Manufadture 353 Extradt of an old Chinefe Book, which teaches how to rear and feed Silkworms 355 Of the Chinefe Language 359 Their Paper, Ink, Pencils, Printing, and Binding of Books 366 Manner in which the youn t-yu a Tartar Prince ' ’ ^ Declaration enjoyning Compalfion in judicial Proceeding againft Criminals Declaration to recommend Agriculture to the' People, and Uprightnefs to the Magiftrates ib. Memorial prefented to the Emperor in Purfuance of the foregoing Declaration ^ )0 Declaration to excufe certain worthy Perfons from adting in Publick Affairs 45 j Letter from, the Emperor to a Prince of the Blood on his deferting the Imperial Intereft ib. Declaration for prefenting Perfons diftinguifhed for Filial Piety to the Emperor 462 An Edidt exempting thofe who had loft Father or Mother from Attendance on publick Services ib. The Emperor’s Letter to the Queen Mother in favour of his younger Brother ib. Declaration for regulating the Expences and Apparel of the j Hew, and ether Nobility 45^ Declaration for reforming Muficfc 464 Difcourfe upon good and bad Government ib. Memorial prefented to the Emperor Vcn-ti by Kya-i 468 Difcourfe of Kya-i , to induce the Emperor Ven-ti to lay up Stores of Corn and Money 477 A Reprimanding Letter written by the Emperor’s Order to his Brother the King of IVhay-nan 478 Difcourfe upon War, addrefs’d to the Emperor 479 On fecuring the Frontiers of the Empire by planting Colo- " ies r 48 r Difcourfe againft an unjuft Invafion 483 Extradts from the Anfwers of Chong-fhu to the Em¬ peror Vu-ti 484 Difcourfe on Luxury and War addreffed to the Em- peror, 4 86 Difcourfe CONTENTS. Memorial for Reformation by Tor.g-fang-fo 487 Difcourfe againft the Soft of Fo Difcourfe againft the Ufe of the Bow 488 On the Difficulty of reigning well 5^ -To dillunde the Emperor from a War ib. Difcourfe to expofe the Vanity of what the Vulgar call -Addrefs’d to the Emperor, on his having publifhed happy Omens ^ an Edict for Reformation, occafioned by an Eclipfe •;-On the five Dynafties ^ of the Sun 489 Difcourfe occafioned by the malicious Remonftrance of a Memorial addrefs’d to the Emperor, exhorting him to difgraced Minifter ^-5 imitate the Temperance, Frugality, and Modefty of --On the Art of Government the Ancients 490 Remonftrance on the Emperor’s negledting the Affairs of That Criminals under fome Exceptions fhou’d be allowed Government <- c g to redeem themfelves 492. Whether it is lawful for a Son to revenge his Father’s Remonftrance on the extravagant Expences in the Fune- Death with his own Hands ib. rals of Princes- of the Blood 493 Character of a Man unfit for Minifterial Truft 559 Remonftrance on the Emperor’s leaving the Government Difcourfe againft Auguries to the Relations of the Emprefs _ 495 Elegant DefcriptLn or' the Miferies attending a cornipt Petition in favour of the Family of Confucius 496 Miniftry and negligent Sovereign Remcni'tr.ir/ 2 difluading the Emperor from following the Remonftrance diiiuading the Emperor from going to War Advice of an Altrologer 497 without abfolute Ncceflity rg-. Declaration in anfwer to a Memorial propofing to make Memorial upon Government r&j War againft the Barbaric, ns " 500 Difcourfe proving that a Prince ought to be acquainted Emperor’s Letter to IT- late Preceptor on his petitioning v.'th the different Charaflers of Men 5-^ to retire from Court ib. On the Difference between an ambitious Favourite, and An Emprefs remonftrates againft advancing her Relations ib. an honeft Man, in Credit and Authority ’ Letter from the Emperor to his Brother, fent with a Beautiful Conclufion of a Dii'courfe before the Emperor 576 Prefent of his Grandmother’s Apparel 502 Remonftrance againft a Scheme for limiting the Royal Order for the Support of a virtuous Officer retired from Bounty in Times of Calamity ib. Court ib. On the bad Senfe in which the Sectaries interpret the Declarations to encourage Rcmonftranccs 459, 503, 507 Expreffion Ming Remonftrance to decline the Honour of commanding an Preamble to a Difcourfe prefented to the Emperor, advifir^ Army ib. and 506 him on all Occafions to do his bell On the Advantages of the Virtue Tang, which confifts in Excellent Difcourfe on Repentance ib. refpedting or willingly yielding to others 504 On the different Effedts of Virtue and Vice 583 Difcourfe made by the bounder on opening a College 505 Cbu-hi's Addrefs to the Emperor on his bein°- fent for Remonftrance on the Emperor’s being prefented with a to Court to explain the Books called King ° ib. monftrous Fowl 507 Chu-hi’s Anfwer to Lyang-ke-kya's Letter prefling him to Petition to take off the Prohibitions on Salt 508 engage himfelf in the Miniftry Letter from the Emperor of China to the King of Korea , The Prime Minifter requefting Chang-Jhe' s Advice about commanding his Subjedlion to the Imperial Authority 509 going to War to recover fome loft Territories, for Anfwer The Mirror of Golf on the Difference between good and was defired to prefent the Emperor with an inclofed Re¬ bad Government, by the Emperor Fay-tfong 510 monftrance, exhorting him firft to reform his own Heart Declarations or Ordinances for Reformation 514, 517 585 Letter from the Governor of Lyang, occafioned by a Great Extradl of Tfay-JIoin' s Preface to a Commentary, written Officer intending to make the Emperor a Prefent of a at Cbu-hi's Requeft, on the Shu-king ib. fine Hawk; with the Emperor’s Anfwer 515 Remonftrance to the Emperor always to follow Reafon 586 Emperor Tay-tfong's Preface to his Book of Inftrudtions Another, prefling him to procure the Favour of Heaven for his Son 5I 6 by gaining the Hearts of his Subjects 587 Declaration againft Luxury 517 Extracts from a Compilation made under the Ming An Ordinance to regulate the Bonzas 518 Dynafty, by Tang-king-chwen, one of the celebrated Wey-thing's Remonftrance to the Emperor Tay-tfong 519 Literati. Remonftrance to diffuade the Emperor from his Defign That the Game of Chefs was not invented by the of building a great Palace 524 Emperor Tau 5 S8 Remonftrances add re fled m the Emprefs VA-hew , to check Differtation expofing the Folly of Chefs-playing ib. her Ambition, and move her to rcftorc the Hch — '"'n Sovereign Princes ,-g* Declaration to exempt a Territory from a Year’s Taxes, -On Minifters of State, and Generals of Armies * ib in order to relieve the Poor 527 -Proving that Miniftcrs of State, and Officers of War* Lu-che’s Speech to the Emperor, againft augmenting his ought in their publick Capacity to forget all Dr ivate Titles ib. ^juries p 4 3 Emperor’s Declaration on the fame Occafion 528 -On Politicks ^ Lu-che’s admonitory Difcourfe to the Emperor Te-tfong 531 On Heirs apparent Lit-che' s Remonftrance againft the Emperor’s Reafons for On Remonftrances fupprefling Remonftrances 532 On Government Remonftrance againll the Great Officers making Prefents Of the Daughters of Emperors to the Emperor ~ 535 Of Eunuchs and others who abufe the Authority bellowed on Remonftrance occafioned by the Emperor’s paying facred them by the Prince. Honours to a counterfeit Bone of Fo 536 Character of Eunuchs, by Ngew-yang-fyevj , a celebrated Difcourfe prefented the Emperor by one of the Cenfors 537 Author ’ Memorial under the Fang Dynafty, to induce the Empe- Of wicked Favourites and Minifters, by Su-che 60S peror to rank Han-wen-kong among the Worthies in the Parallel between the Dynafties of Ffn and Szvi 60a Hall of Confufius 538 On bellowing and receiving Favours, by Su-che 611 Declaration publifhed on occafion of fome extraordinary On Silence, by Wang-yong-ming Phenomena 539 Anfwer of Wang-yong-ming to two of his Scholars, about Emperor’s Addrefs to four of his Sons made Vang , pub- feeing Polls^and Preferments 5,5 lifhed by way of Declaration jb. Exhortations of the fame Author to his Difciples 617 Remonftrance to the Emperor with regard to three Faults Lye-nyu , or the illuftrious Women 622 found in him 540 Of the Religion of the Chinefe Difcourfe againft Taxes and Prohibitions by She kyay 541 Of the Sedl of Fau-tfe f ^ Remonftrances to excite filial Duty in the Emperor to- Of the Seel of Fo 6 wards the Emprefs Dowager 542 °f the Sedl of certain Literati of thefe latter Times 647 Difcourfe addrefs’d to the Emperor, occafion’d by the A P' a, °g uc in Defence of the modern Sedl. and confuting publick Calamities thofe of Fo and Lau Remonftrance for recalling the Cenfors, who had been dilgraced in favour of the Eunuchs 548 [ IX ] A DISSERTATION concerning Mr. d’AnvilleV Gene¬ ral Map ; wherein the Situation given by him to Aftra¬ khan, and his Method of graduating the faid Map, are examin'd, andJhewn to he erroneous. T HE Defign of this General Map is, not only to give us a general View of the Countries included in Defi n the particular Maps, but likewife of all the other Countries Weftward to the CaJ'pian Sea. This Ifc^d'An- we are told was done pui fuant to the Requcft of the Mifllonaries, who had provided lome Ma- idle's Genc- terials for the Purpofe f, and indeed had made a Map of the Whole themfelves, as apnears Irom the ral Ma P- Copy fent into France by P. Regis, which was drawn from the Memoirs of the Tartars and Man¬ darins §: But thole Materials not being fufficient to fet the Geography of the Countries Weil: of Kdftopar in a proper Lighr, they recommended the adjufting that Part to the French Geographers. Accordingly Mr. d'Anville , Geographer in ordinary to thp King, being apply’d to, readily undertook the Ta?k and having, finifhed it, to fupport his Performance drew up a Memoir, which is infcrted in the Ooler- vations on Tibet at the end of this Work. As the mod important Point to be fettled for regulating the reft was the Longitude of Aftrakhan, Mr. His Detcr d'Anville examined the Diftance very carefully between Paris and that City, by an uninterrupted Series of mination'of Meafures, and found it to be 47 Degrees, 18 Minutes, according to the ordinary Method of projecting the Longi- or graduating Maps: But on the Suppofition that the Degrees of Longitude are one thirtieth part lar° tude of „ ger than they ought, he determined the Longitude o f Aftrakhan to be 48°. 55'. which are the extended ^ rakhao Degrees reduced to contracted Degrees. Conlidering the DoCtrine of the Contraction of the Decrees of Longitude in the Manner he fuppoles was at beft uncertain, methinks it would have been Mr. Ptiris and Aftrakhan determined to our Hands ; and confequently to determine the Longitude of and crronc * y ,7, it remains only to fettle the Meridian Diftance between it and Moskow , which Mr. de t* Ifte (who ° U ‘‘ 1 \ >uced Moskow according to the above Obfervation) has adjufted to io°. 40' : So that Aftfakbdn mull ; ■ about 47 Degrees Eaft of Paris , as he places it; and there is the more Reafon to believe his Deter¬ mination to be p: etty juft, becaufe in that Space he had the Latitude of Aftrakhan , and feveral of the in¬ tervening Places, befidts Ofearius *s Map of the Wo/ga and other helps, to guide him. Thus it appears that the Longitude of Aftrakhan is but about 47 Degrees, whether there be a Con¬ traction of the Degrees or not : For in determining the Meridian Diftance aftronomically no Regard is had to the Content of the Degrees. If it be objected that the Meridian Diftance between Moskow and Aftra- k!:iin determ.ned by Meafures is adjufted according to the extended Graduation ; I anfwer, that will caufe but a fnall Difference in the Situation, fince, if it be fettled according to the contracted Graduation it will make the Longitude of Aftrakhan but47°. 21'. 20" : The Difference between contracted and extended Degrees amounting, in a Space of io°. 40'. to no more than 21 Minutes 20 Seconds. As therefore the Longitude of Aftrakhan , regulated by that of Moskow , agrees fo nearly with what Mr. d’ Anville had determined it by Itinerary Meafures according to the extended or common Graduation, I think it ought to be a convincing Proof with him, that 47 0 . 18'. or thereabouts, and not 48°. 55'. is the true Longitude of that City. And indeed if Mr. d'Anville was acquainted with the Longitude of Moskow , as it may be prefumed he was, I cannot conceive why he did not choole to make ufe of it in fettling the Lon¬ gitude of Aftrakhan, rather than to depend wholly on Meafures, efpecially when he found his Computation in extended Degrees tally’d fo well with Mr. de P Jfte’s Computation (according to the fame Graduation) grounded on the Longitude of Moskow ; unlefs it may be that he was fo ftrongly prepoffeffed in favour of his Hypothefis of the Contraction that he would not admit of any Obfervation to be exaCl which feern’d to oppofe it. I am of Opinion that what chiefly induced Mr. d'Anville to give Aftrakhan fo great an eafterly Wh Situation was, the Jefuirs Maps of Tartary, where feveral Parts feem to be placed at a Diftance, not blyoreSwi reconcilable with the Pofition given by the European Geographers to Aftrakb n and the Cafpian Sea. hi> Mutake. ’ But if the Lake of Aral in Kbowdrazm or Karezm has the Pofition and Extent given it in Mr. Ky- rilow’s Map of the Ruffian Empire, there will not be fo much Room to fpare as Mr. d*Anville imagines. Befides as this Geographer, by frequently varying from them, feems to have had fufficient Caufe not to think their Determinations infallible with refpeCt to the Situation ol Places, he ought as well to have concluded f See P. dll Halde’s pref. p. 12. § See P. Souciet, Obi'. Math. £sV. p. t ^ 6 . (a) That the Longitude of Moslo.v, or rather Mosknua, is from the Map of Mr, de l'IJle y who places Petetjburo fo much tolerably exadt, appears by comparing it with that of Peterjburg , more to the Weft than it ought to be ; but agreeing precifely lately found by Mr. de l'Ifte, the A. ronomer (a Member of with Mr.' Kyrilo-ids Map of the Rt/JJiein Empire pufelilhed at the Academy in this laft City,) to be 27“ 57 1 30" Eait cf Paris; Peterjburg in 173,), which, with regard at leaft to the Situation which dedufled from that of Moskcv: g ves 8° 22 1 30" for the of thofe two Cep to!«, may be prelumed to be exadt. Meridian Diftance, diffeiirg about i.- If a Degree in dcfe.t III Con¬ fequence thereof. Hj varies termination in the Map. A DISSERTATION concluded the Fault lay on their Side, in placing thofe Parts many Degrees too far Eaft ward(B), as co have fuppofed that our Geographers have either removed Aftrakbdn too much Weft ward, or extended the Space between Aftrakbdn and Pe king feveral Degrees beyond the Truth, in confequence of giving too great an Extent to the Degrees of Longitude. In effetft, notwithftanding Mr. d' Anville has advanced Aftrakbdn fo much Eaft ward, to bring the Cafpian Sea nearer China, yet he was obliged to bring Kdjhgar two Degrees nearer the Cafpian Sea than the Je- fuics have placed it, in order to adjuft its Situation to his own Notions of the Geography of thole Parts. And in this perhaps he has not done amifs, the rather becaufe the Situation of Kdjhgar was determined from Itineraries alone without Obfervations of the Latitude : But I believe he is to blame in placing Mount Altay one Degree more Laftward than the Jefuirs have done ; it Ihould in all likelihood rather be removed fo much more to the Weft if either way. This he has in fome meafure been forced to, by placing Aftrakbdn l'o much Eaft ward. After all, I will not pretend to lay the Longitude of Aftrakbdn , as computed by Mr. del'TJle , is abfo- from his Dc- l u t e ly exatft; on the contrary, I judge it ought to be put at leaft half a Degree more Eaft ward : How- ever I do not impute his Miftake, if he has really committed any, to the common Method of graduating Maps, but the difficulty of fettling the Longitude to any Degree of Certainty by Itinerary Mealures, even when afiifted with thp Latitudes (c). On the other hand, as nothing but an Obfervation made at Aftrakbdn can fully determine which Situation is the right, I will not prefume abfolutely to afiert that Mr. d’Anville’s Conclufion is wrong, tho’ his PremilTcs be falle : But whether it be fo or not, this I will venture to affirm, that he was in the wrong to vary from himfelf, by giving that City a different Situation in his Map from what he had determined it by Computation. The Meridian Difference between Paris and Pe king being 113 0 . 51'. according to the Obfervation of P. Gaubil , which Mr. d' Anville follows, Aftrakbdn , according to the above Determination of 48°. 55'. ought to lie in 64°. 56'. Weft of the Meridian of Pe king ; whereas Mr. d’ Anville has placed it in 62°. 46', which makes its Longitude from Paris 51 0 . 5'. This may appear very ftrange to other Geographers, but if we examine his Motives they will appear ftill ftranger. Mr. d' Anville had but two ways rationally of exhibiting Places, that is, by graduating his Map either according to extended or contracted Degrees, without altering their Longitudes, at leaft as he had deter¬ mined them himfelf : But neither of thofe Methods would ferve his Purpole. As the Jefuits had projected their Maps after the ordinary Graduation, he confidered that if he vary’d therefrom to follow his own Hypothefis of the Contraction of Degrees, the Countries included in the Part taken from them would want of the Dimenflons given them therein ; and if he lay’d the Situations down according to the extended Graduation, the Countries added by him would be as much extended beyond their true Di- menGons. Mr. d'Anville therefore, defirous to avoid both thefe Inconveniencies, has taken a Method, which I believe was never employ’d, or indeed ever entered into the Head of any Geographer, before. For to conform to the Practice of the Jefuits, he projects his Map according to the ordinary extended Graduation : But that the Countries which he has added might not be too much extended, he reduced the Difference of Longitude between Aftrakbdn and Pe king in contracted Degrees to extended Degrees, by deducting 2 0 . 10'. for the 30th Part, according to his Hypothefis of the Contraction; whenc tAJtrakb.n comes to lie in 62°. 46'. inftead of 64°. 56'. In confequence of this extraordinary proceeding, Mr. d'An¬ ville has not only placed Aftrakbdn 2 0 . 10'. more Eaft than he had determined it, but cut off 3 0 . 47'. of the Meridian Diftance between Aftrakbdn and Pe king determined by numerous Obfervations, and ad¬ mitted by himfelf to be juft. Thefirft of thefe two Errors appears manifeftly enough from the State of the Queftion : But on what Grounds fuch a Change can be juftifiable is hard to difeover. He cannot pretend that 62°. 46'. is the true Longitude, becaufe he determined it to be 64° 56': ’Tis in vain to allege that 6 2 0 46'. of the ufual Graduation are equivalent to 64°. 56'. ofhis contracted Degrees ; fince, let that be as it will, there is ftill a Difference of 2 0 . 10'. in the Longitude. ’Twill be as little to the Purpofe to lay that the Countries have the fame Extent as they would have in the other way of Graduation, fince ftill they have not the fame Situation : Unlefshe will maintain that a Geographer is at liberty to alter the Situations of Places as of¬ ten as he alters the Manner of graduating his Maps ; or that if Countries be lay’d down according to their true Extent, it matters not how wrongly they are fituated as to Longitude and Latitude, which no Geographer I prefume will pretend to afiert. . re . That Mr. d* Anville has retrenched 3 0 47' from the Meridian Diftance between Paris and Pe king is trenched in no lefs obvious: For whereas he places Aftrakbdn in 47 0 . 18'. of extended Graduation Eaft of Paris , the Diftance and in 62°. 46'. Weft of Pe king, thefe two Sums added together make but iio°. 4'. which deducted between^ f rom j (the Difference of Longitude between Paris and Pe king) there remain 3 0 . 47’. If Mr. lC’l.- 1 'T d*Anville fhould ftill imagine, that he has made allowance for that DefeCt, by fubftituting no 0 . 4', of ex¬ tended Degrees in place of 113 0 . 51'. of contracted Degrees, he is greatly miftaken ; for tho’ 1 io° 4'. of extended Degrees ftiould be equal in Quantity to 113 °. 51 of contracted, according to his way of reckoning, yet they are not equal in Number to them ; which Number had been determined and admitted by him for the true Difference of Longitude between Paris and Pe king , and confequently could not be altered. I His Notion of convert¬ ing con¬ tracted to extended Degrees by altering their Num¬ ber, proved ab- furd and er (r) On this occafion it may be proper to obferve, that the Miflionaries finding AjiraJbnn marked (by what miftake I know not) in Mr. de /’ IJle' s Chart of the Cafpian Sea, 3:67 Degrees Eaft of Paris , inftead of Fer/o, which is 20 Degrees more Weft ward, P. Gaubil fends P. Souciet Word in November 1725, that they were mightily embarrafled at Pe king, on account of a Map (poffibly the Original of that fent to France as men¬ tioned before) made in the Palace from the Report of certain Tartars who came from the Cafpian Sea ; and concludes that in Cale Mr. de /’ IJle has no good Obfervation made at Ajlrakhan^ or fome Place whofe Diftance from it is known, he is of Opinion, that City Ihould be placed 7 or 8 Degrees more to the Weft f. Hence it appears, that in the Map juft mentioned, Ajlrakhan is put 59 or 60 Degrees Eaft of Paris, that is, about 54 or 55 Degrees Weft of Pe king, which is to Degrees nearer the Meridian of Peking than Mr. A Anville computes it, and ii nearer than Mr. de l lJU puts it. Now I will not fay, that erroneous Situation given Ajlrakhan in the laid Chart had in¬ fluenced the Geographical Determinations of the Jefuits, and induced them to place Kdjhgar and Mount Altay more Eaft. ward than ordinary, becaulc their Maps were made before Mr. de P IJle’s Chart came to their Hands: But T am of Opinion their General Map above mentioned, and Memoirs relating to the Diilance from Kdjhgar and Harkas to the Cafpian Sea, might have influenced Mr. 5 Vernon: U \JCent&• Jtiv-er- \wnt/-' m r„f \ ; \ Ar-dyl* ^ , Wun-V'^ w in & Q^ b 0 \ , til SS@& fasti 1 Q.ue-ya°8' 1 {hang - She-' tj^QXLAftTG' fPtee&J \d-v "is '^.-i ,ytfm-/n/m>d-P< W M s 8 X?' 3 f?°\ J/uiu-teiey-d, \?4‘65- 0 \3 ' Vg °A Quutrdwf*, \ 93 - 36 -oy W* \ :.•/QuoV'Ua-fu j ; 4840ylan-wye. eav ? 1 He ro.vu cufavij. CliiDg'-tu fii Jftez-d/ii' //- meny-fu CAmp-tyarug-/ ' ,/W -cAew-/ii d/umr/uny-jfi £ue-c-/i#>v-/ii NAN deny-c/neen-J*'- it is highly pro¬ bable (e), came thence to us about the Year 230 before Chrilt. However that be, China is, beyond all difpute, the largeft and fineft Kingdom known to us: For I would not take upon me to fay there is no other polite Nation to be found in the Terra Au- jlralis , or fome other unknown Countries. When, after paffing from Europe , we enter on the neareft part of Africa , do not we feem to begot into another World ? Even the Indians themfelves, tho’ not altogether fo rude, can be accounted little better than Barbarians, when compared with our civiliz’d Nations. Who would have believ’d, that beyond thefe, fhould be found a People powerful, well-govern’d, fkilful in Arts, and addicted to the Sciences ? (a) This is to be underftood only of that Part of China which lies to the North of the Whang-bo, or yellow River, as will here¬ after be explained. (b) The true Name is Tatars, or Tattars, and not Tartars, which laft is known only to the Nations on this fide Poland. (c) In the French Copy Courou inftead of Couron, or rather Counin, which fignifies a Kingdom. (d) That is, the Kingdom of the middle ; the Chinefe , fuppofing their Country to be fituate in the middle of the Earth. (e) This Origin of the Name feems to us improbable ; for tho’ the Sinee and Sin a of the Creeks and Latins came from the VOL. I. Perfeans, yet as thefe latter, as well as the Turks, and other Ori¬ entals, except the Arabs, fay Chin, and not Sin, we cannot well fuppofe the Name to have been derived from that of the Empe¬ ror Tfin. The Arabs fay Sin, or Tfin, and the Greeks, Sinai, be- caufe they have not the Sound ol our ch, in their Languages. The Portuguese brought the Name of China into Europe, from either Perfia or India ; where, according to Navarette, it was firft introduced on account of the Silk, which is called Chin ; the Italians write Cina, the Germans, Tfehina , but pronounce like the Englijh ; the French write Chine, but pronounce Sheen. B When A GENERAL VIEW of When Marco Polo, the Venetian , publifh’d his firft Relation, in the 13 th Century , it was look'd on by inoft People to be entirely fabulous, and was attacked as a Forgery by fome Critics of thofe Times, on much the fame Conjectures that feveral later Writers have advanced; though it is cer¬ tain, that this Traveller, who followed the Weftern Tartars, when they conquer’d China, has af- ferted nothing but the Truth; this plainly appears from the Account he gives of certain Cities which are (till the lame as he deferibes them, both as to Name and Condition. For who does not perceive, that his Cingtang , fituate on the (*) Kyang is the City of Chin-kyang, near that great River ? It is eafy to account for the fmall Difference found between the Names, partly from the different Idioms of the Tartar Language, and partly from the Corruption of the Chinefe Words by Stran¬ gers, who have not had fufficient Time to learn the true Pronunciation of a~ Language fo diffe¬ rent from all others. China extends more from North to South, and is narrower from Eaff to Well, than that : part of Tartary, which falls within our Plan j but which way foever we meafure it, its Extent taken in a ffrait Line, is not lefs than 360 great Leagues of Prance „ 20 whereof go to a Decree. ’Tis divided into 15 Provinces: Thofe of Shen-fi, Shan-fi, Pe-che-li, ftretch themfelvesalong the famous Wall, which on the ftorth divides it from Tartary-, Shan-tong, Kyang-nan, Che-kyang, and Po-kyen, lie along the Eajlern Ocean ; thofe of Quang-tong, Quang-ft, Tun-nan, and Se-chuen, lie to the South and Weft ; laftly, the Provinces Ho-nan, Hu-quang, ^uey-chew and Kiang-fi, take up the middle Part. Government. Every Province is divided into a certain Number of JurifdiCtions, call’d by the Chinefe, Fit, on which other Diftridfs of much lefs Extent, named Chew and Hyen depend, in the fame manner as our Bailiwicks and inferior Courts of Juftice do on the Prejidencies : The Prefidents of the Su¬ preme-Courts are call’d (-j~) Chi-fu, and of the others, Chi-chew and Chi-hyen. Hence it is, that in every City having the appellation of Fii, there is always found a (h) Mandarin named Chi-fu , aud at leaft another who is a Chi-hyen : But in the great Cities of all, there are, befides the Chi-fu, two other inferior (p) Mandarins, with the Title of Chi-hyen -, becaufe when the Territory is large, it is divided into two Diftridts, each of which has immediate recourfe to its Chi-hyen. Each of thefe two Tribunals has its particular Name, and depends immediately on that of the Chi-fu, which is much more numerous, more powerful, and very often differently named. For inftance, befides the fix great fupreme Courts at Pe-king, there is alfo the Tribunal peculiar to that City, which is the Capital of the Empire, and named Shun-/yen ; under this Tribunal there are two inferior Courts of the two Hyen, or Cities of the third Rank, whereof one is call’d Tay - hing, and the other Ven-ping. When we fpeak of the Hyen, or City of the third Rank, the Reader muft not imagine it to be a Diftridt of fmall Extent. There are Hyens of 60, 70, and even 80 Leagues in compafs, which pay feveral Millions into the Emperor’s Treafury. What we have faid with regard to the Cities of Tay-hing and Ven-ping, is to be underftood alfo of feveral others, in proportion to the Extent of the Lands belonging to them ; fo that the Number of Cities of this Kingdom will appear to be greater than it is, if we reckon them ac¬ cording to the printed Catalogues to be had every where of the Fu and Hyen, without diftin- guifhing between thofe comprized in the fame Diftridt, and thofe which are not. There are fome Cities with Courts, named Wey, whofe Mandarins, or Governors, have the Title of Wey-pew-pey, and are military Officers; their Jurii'didtion feldom extends without the Walls of the Town. There are others appointed in the Villages, and all that commonly falls un¬ der their Cognizance relates to certain Perfons, who are obliged by their Station and Birth to attend the Service of the Public. Thefe Tribunals, difthguifhed alfo by their Names, are fometimes, like thofe of the Chi-fu and Chi-hyen , included within the fame Diftridts j fo that if one relies on the Lifts of the Mandarins, or Iliftories of the Provinces, without enquiring farther, he may reckon three Cities where there is but one. For inftance, the Town, which in the Hi- ftory of the Province of Quey-chew is called Li-ping-fu, is in reality the fame which in the Province of Hu-quang is call’d U-kay-wey ; for being fituated on the Borders of two Provinces, it is the Seat of a Chi-fu, fubjedt to the Province of Quey-chew, and of a Wey-pew-pey, who depends on the Province of Hii-qua?ig, as a military Officer. This Inftance may fuffice to fliew, that the Number of Cities in China, tho’ very great, is yet much fewer than aimoft all the printed Rela¬ tions make it; and that to write with certainty of the Geography of a large Country, it is not enough to travel over it barely for Information, but one muft be furnifh’d with the proper Helps. All thefe Courts depend on the Viceroy of the Province, and the four other general Officers, who are his Affiftants, according to the nature of the Bufinefs. If it relates to the Revenue and civil Matters, the Affair is brought before the Pu-ching-fe, or Treafurer-General : If a criminal Caufe, it is referr’d to the Lieutenant-Criminal Ngan-cha-Je: If it concerns the Pofts, or Salt- branch, &c. recourfe is had to the Yen-tau : Laftly, If the Bufinefs relates to the Provilions which are colledted by way of Tribute, they apply to the Lyang-tau. But befides the Affairs peculiar to their refpedtive Tribunals, thefe may be apply’d to in Cafes of a different Nature ; becaufe all the inferior Courts of the Provinces depend on them, and they are by their Stations Coun- Extent China. (*) Kyang fignifies River. (fj Chi fignifies Governor, and Fu, a City of the firftRank. (f) Mandarin, or rather Mandar'nn. fignifies Commander: Under which general Appellation the Portugueze (who firit entred China) comprehend all tne Degrees of Chinefe Magiftrates and Officers, military and civil. In the Language of the Country, they have the Title of Qunn, or Qudn-fu, that is Prepoftus, fet before, to denote their Authority; and that of Lau-ya, Lord or Matter, on account of their Quality ; either of thefe Terms would be more proper than that of Mandarin, which Cultom has adopted, and which from the frequent Ufe of it in Relation* of China, has been commonly miftalccn for a Chinefe Word. 2 the EMPIRE of CHINA. Cbunfdlors to the Viceroy ; in which Quality they are oblig’d feveral times, every Month, to attend his Tribunal on Matters of Importance relating to the Province. As the Officers of the Army depend likewife in fome Refpedts upon the Viceroy, and arfe oblig’d under fevere Penalties to give him Notice of the leaft Commotion among the People with¬ in their Diftriits, it happens that almoft all Affairs of the Government, whether civil, criminal, or military, are brought at length before his Tribunal ; and what adds to his Authority is, that all the Decifions of the fupreme Courts of Pe-king are grounded commonly on the Informations that come from him, and that they almoft always ratify the Sentence which he paffes againft the Mandarins, whom he hath a Right to difplace, and, even previous thereto, of taking away their Seal. ’Tis true, the Treafurer-General, and Lieutenant-Criminal, may accufe the Viceroy of the Province ; but as they fear to come by the worft, and the Law conftruing fuch Diffenfions as pre¬ judicial to the Publick, they generally fpeaking agree but too well together, and wink at each other's Conduit. When they proceed fo far as to an Impeachment, either the Affair muft be very notorious, and cannot fail of being otherwife known at Court, or elfe muft nearly affedt their own Honour and Quiet. Even the Perfons fent by the Emperor to inlpedt into Affairs of the Provinces, for the Good of the People, are often corrupted by the Civilities and Prefents of the great Mandarins ; fo that on their Return, they make a favourable Report of their Benefadlors, tho’ at the fame time they apprehend a Complaint againft them unavoidable. Hence it requires a good deal of Penetra¬ tion in a Prince to fee through the Difguife, and difcover the Truth. The late Emperor Kang- hi had this Quality in great Perfection, and many Inftances of it might be produced, were this a Place to fpeak of his extraordinary Wifdom, which has been long admired in the moft di- ftant Countries. It may however be affirmed, that in fpight of all his Vigilance and Penetration there were many Diforders of this kind during his Reign : But his fourth Son, who fucceeded him, has efteitually remedy’d thefe, by allowing the Perfons he deputes, for that purpofe, large Sums to defray them Expences, and vigoroufly punifhing both the Corrupter and Corrupted. The publick Cenfors of the Empire, called Ko-tau-yu-fe , who refrde at Pe-king, and befide the general Infpeftion over the whole, have each a particular Province under their Care, are moft dreaded of all the great Mandarins. As thefe Cenfors are very vigilant, and have their Spies, they can be ignorant of nothing that pafles, and it is their Intereft'to have good Order preferv’d every where. If any Mandarin fails of his Duty, in a matter of Importance, wherein the Pub¬ lick Peace is concern’d, and the Viceroy does not give immediate Notice thereof, the Cenfors are oblig’d to inform the fupreme Courts, and the Emperor, by a publick Accufation, even tho’ the Proof they have be not half fufficient to make out their Charge : And if they be the firft by whom his Majefty is appriz’d of the Diforder, it redounds much to their Honour , on the other hand, if they fail of fo doing, they are liable not only to be reprimanded by him, but even to be remov’d from their Employments. Pofitive Proof is not required, if their Report has the Air of Truth, it is fufficient to ground an Information upon. Nothing perhaps contributes more to preferve good Order and the ancient Cuftoms, as alfo to prevent Commotions, which are ordinarily caufed by the Love of Novelty, fo predominant in the People, as the Fear of thefe public Cenfors. It is an addition to their Authority, that if they be ill treated either by the Intrigues of the Grandees whom they have accufed, or by the Emperors who fometimes are offended at the Advice their Office obliges them to give; the whole Nation looks on them as Fathers of their Country, and (if we may fo fpeak) Martyrs for the public Wel¬ fare : And indeed there is often found in thefe Cenfors an Intrepidity, which fhews that this People are very far from wanting Greatnefs of Soul. For the reft, tho’ the Viceroy of the Pro¬ vince has the four great Officers already mentioned under him, and the Mandarins of the inferior Jurifdicftions have always one, and fometimes two Affiftants ; yet Matters are not ordi¬ narily determined by plurality of Voices : Each Magiftrate, great or fmall, has his Tribunal, of Ta-inen ; and fo foon as he is fully apprized of the Caufe by the Parties, after fome few Pro¬ ceedings, drawn up by proper Perfons, he pronounces Sentence juft as he thinks fit. Sometimes he orders him who has loft his Caufe to be baftonaded, for having commenc'd it with no good Defign, or defended it againft all appearance of Equity. The Baftonade, which is the ordinary Puniffiment of the common People, cannot be infliifted Ordinary on a Mandarin however inconfiderable, unlefs he be firft depriv’d of his Office • yet this no way obftruQs the Viceroy’s Courts of Juftice, fince he has Power to cafhier him on certain Occafions, without waiting for the Anfwer of the fupreme Courts, being only obliged to give them his Reafons, which ulually they approve, and often even order the Offender to be profecuted • but he has liberty to repair to Pe-king, to juftify his Conduit, by prefenting his Petition to one of the fovereign Courts, or even carrying his Complaint before the Emperor: And this reftrains the Viceroy from adting precipitately, and abufing his Authority. The greateft Punifhment next to the Baftonade, is a fort of Collar made of two Pieces of Wood of different Sizes, according to.the Nature of the Crime, and hollowed in the middle, to fit the Neck of the Offender, which is put between the two, and then the Boards being join’d clofe to¬ gether, they are feal d with the Seal of the Court, fix’d to a flip of Paper, wherein is written the Time that the Punifhment is to continue, and the Crime punifhed. Thefe two Punifhments, and Imprifoning, are all that the Chinefe Laws permit the Mandarins of the Provinces to inflict on Criminals; they may indeed condemn to Banifhment, yet their Sentence muft be examined by the Supreme Courts; but they muft never go fo far as to take away Life, 4 Punifhments ofCriminals. Railing of Taxes. A GENERAL VIEW of Life, except the Nature of the Crime require fpeedy Juftice, as in Cafes of Sedition, Or Revolt's tlien the Emperor gives Authority to the f/ong-tu, and even to the Viceroy, to punith the Offen¬ ders with immediate Death. "1 is true, the Law which requires all Caufes relating to capital Offences to be tranfmitted to Court, would in Europe appear very inconvenient: But in China great Inconveniences would be the confequence of giving the Mandarins Power over the Lives of the People; wherefore the Le- giffators, who know the difpofftion of the Nation, have thought it neceffary to take that Power out of their Hands. The three capital Punifhments are Strangling, Beheading, and cutting in Pieces: This laft is inflidted on none but Rebels, thole who murder their Mailers, and naercilels Robbers. The fii II is tile moll common Punilhment which the Court adjudges thole to, who are wor¬ thy of Death. Beheading is the next: The condemn’d Perfon is not expofed on a Scaffold on tbs Day of Execution ; but being made to kneel in fome public Place, with his Hands tied behind, on- Executioner holds him lb fill that he cannot move, while another coming behind takes off his Head at one Stroke, and at the lime time lays him on his Back with fuch Dexterity, that not one Drop of Blood falls on his Cloaths, which on that Occafion are often better than’ ordi¬ nary : His Relations and Friends, who are afhamed to own him in thofe unhappy' Circum- ffances, commonly fend him new Cloaths, and caulfe Proviftons and Drink to be furnilh’d him. by the way. The Executioner is commonly a Soldier, nor is the Office fcandalous, but the contrary, if they perform it well. At Pe-king, he accompanies the Criminal, girt with an Apron of yellow Silk, which is the Imperial Colour; and his Cutlas is wrap'd in Silk of the lame kind, to lliew that he is veiled with the Emperor’s Authority, and to command the greater Refpe the Goodnefs of the Soil; yet whether through Poverty, or Avarice, the People are ulually unwilling to part with it, till the inferior Officers come and harafs them for it, being fometimes conftrain’d to make ufe of Blows. When thefe Tax-gatherers are reproached for their Severity in. preffing the Payment, they excufe themfelves hy faying, That when they are fent into the Villa¬ ges to levy the Tax, flrould they not bring it home with them, their Mailers would fufpefl either that they had neglebted their Duty, or had taken Bribes; which bare Sufpicion, without farther Examination, would be fufficient to procure them the Baftonade. The Mandarins on the other hand pretend to juftify their Condudt, by the Neceffity they are under of ailing in that manner; alledging, that having failed of collefting the Dues in the appointed Time, they “have been obliged more than once to pay the Emperor out of their own Pockets, for fear of lofing their Employ¬ ments; which is a Fail known to all thofe who are acquainted with Affairs; befides, feveral Pro¬ vinces are greatly in Arrear to the Royal Treafury, which probably will never be paid. But to remedy this Inconvenience, the prefent (h) Emperor has ordered that, for the future, the Proprie¬ tors of the Lands, and not the Occupiers, tliall pay the Taxes. Befides the great Mandarins of every Province, as before mentioned, there is one ftill more con- fiderable, call’d Tfong-tu. His Jurildidlion extends over two Provinces; or, fliould we compare the Viceroys to our Intendants, [in France] (tho’ there is a great Difference in refpeft to their Au¬ thority, and the Extent of their Jurifdidtion) it comprehends at leaft two Generalities : For in the larger Provinces, fuch as Hu-quang, Shen-fi, &c. the Tfong-tu has the Care only of one Province ; but then it is divided into two Governments, and each Government has its proper Viceroy : How far the Power of this fuperior Governor extends over the other Viceroys, is determined both by the Laws and Cuftom : For he is their Superior only in certain Matters; but he has always a Right of deciding Caufes, in cafe of Appeals from the Tribunals of either of the Provincial Go¬ vernors. Having given this general Account of the Magiffrates and their Jurifdictions, it will be proper, to exhibit the Names of the Provinces, and the Cities belonging to each : This is the more necef- ftary, as we find many Errors in the printed Relations ; probably either becaufe the Authors have followed the old Catalogues, without confidering the Difference between the Times they were made in, and the prefent; or elfe have relied on the Report of their Chinefe Friends, who, altho’ they are Batchelors and Dodlors, are often as little acquainted with their Country, as old Lawyers in Europe, who never take any pains to know more of the Land than lies within their own Diftrict. (o) Jrfml is a Mcafurc of Land, containing too Perches Square, of 1 3 Foot each. (h, Yang Chine, who died in the Year i-;C. There the EMPIRE of CHINA. % There are in China 173 Tribunal's or Jurifdidtions, immediately fubje£l to the general Officers and Governors of each Province, named in Chinefi , Fu ; 1408 inferior Tribunals, "or fubordinate Jurifdidions, depending immediately on the Chi-fit y whereof 1173 have the Title of Hym, and 235 that of Chew thefe latter however differ fomewhat from each other. The greater part have no Authority over the Hyen ; but fome have a Jurifdi&ion over one, two, and fometimes four Hyen , almo'ft eqtial to that of the Qhi-fit. There are likewile feveral of them which have no dependance on the Chi fit , but depend immediately on the Viceroy ; we (hall here give a Lift of them, which exhibits, at one View, the feveral Sub-divifions of each Province. If the Reader thinks it tedious, he may pafs it-over, and confult it only when he has occafion for the better underftanding what follows. The Firft Province, PE-CHE-LI , CHE- LT y or LI-PA-FU, Sub-divided into IX Fu, or Cities of the firft Rank. 1 Shun-tyenfu , the Capital City of the King¬ dom. In this City the Court refides, whence ’tis called Pe-king , that is, the Northern Court. It commands over 6 Chew or Cities of th e 2d Rank, and 20 Hy,en , or Cities of the 3d Rank. 2 Pau-ting fu , Capital of j the Province of Pe- | chc-li. Here the Go- { .0, TT . c r>L r > 3 Chew. 17 Hyen. vernor or Chc-li re- . J J fides. This Fu has | Jurifdidtion over J 3 Ho-kyenfO governs 2 15 4 Chin-tingfu 5. 27 5 Shun-te-fu o 9 6 QuAng-pingfu o 9 7 Fay-mingfu 1 10 8 Tung-ping-fu i 5 9 Swen-whafu 2 8 The Second Province, KTANG-NAN , divided into two Parts, the Eajlern j and Wejlern ; each of which is Sub-divided into VII Fu. The Eajlern Part. i Nan-king , otherwife called Kyang-ningfit, the Metropolis of all the Province. There the Ffong-tu. of Kyang-nan and Kyang-Ji refides. This Fu governs 2 Su-tchew-fuj Capital of j the Eajlern Part. | Here is the Governor ! . of the Eajlern Part, j 1 which is named I- | to?tg y it has under it j 3 Song-kyarigfu governs o 4 Chang-chcw-fu o 5 Chin-kyang-ju o 6 Wbay-nganfu 2 7 Yang-chewfu p 8 Hyen. Chew. 7 Hyen. 4 5 3 9 6 The Wejlern- Part. Ngan-king-fii y the chief City of the We- Jlern Part. Here refides the Governor of the Wejlern Part, called I-Ji. This Fu has o Chew. Whe-chewfu governs o Ning-qucfu 4 ChUchewfu 5 Fay-pingfu 6 Fong-yangfu 6 Hyen. 6 6 6 3 n The Third Province, KYANG-Sf Sub- Names of the divided into XIII Fit. Provinces and Cities be- Nan-changfu , Capital Here the Governor refides. The Fir com- of the Province. S" E “ mands 2 Zhau-chew-fu 3 %yang-fin-ju 4 Nan-kangfu 5 Kyew-kyang-fu 6 Kyen-changfu 7 Fu or Vu-chewfu 8 Ling-kyangfit 9 Kin-ganfu 10 Shwi-chewfu 11 Ywen-chewfit 12 Kan-chew-ju 13 Nan-nganfu Chew. governs o o o o o o o o 7 Hyen. 7 7 4 5 $■ j6 '4 9 3 4 12 The Fourth Province, FO-KYEN\ Sub¬ divided into IX Fu. 1 Fu-chewfO y Metropolis. Here refides the Ffong-tu of the 2 Provinces of Fo-kyen and Ctoe-kyang ; asalfo the Governor of Fo-kyen. This Fu prefides over Fjwen-chew fu governs Kyeti-ningfu Yen-pingfu. Fing-chewfu Hihg-whafu Shau-u-fu 8 Chang-chew-fu 9 Fay-vanfu y in the Ifle \ of Fay-van , or Fay- L Chew. 9 Hyen. 7 8 4 10 b . . The Fifth Province, CHE-KYANG ? Sub-divided into XI Fu.. 1 Hang-chewfu y Capital of the Province, the Refidence of the Governor. This Fit governs o Chew, 9 Hyen, 2 Kya-hingfu o 7 3 Hii-chew-fit 1 6 4 Ning-pofu. o 6 5 Shau-hing-ft o 8 6 Fay-chew JO. o 6 7 Kin-whaju, o 8 8 Kyu-chewfit o 5 9 Nyen, or Yen-chewfl o 6 10 Wen-chew-fit o 5 11 Chii-chewfit o 10 VOL. I. The A GENERAL VIEW of The Sixth Province, HU-QTJANG , divided into two Parts, Northern and Southern the Northern Part Sub-divided into VIII Fit. I Vu-chang-fu , the Metropolis of the whole Province, and chief City of the Northern Part, or Hu-pe. ’Tis the Seat of the Ffong-tu of both Parts, and Governor of the Hu-pe. The Fit prefides over i Chew. 9 Hyen. 1 Han-yang-fit governs o 2 3 Ngan-lu-fu 2 5 4 Syang-yang-fit 1 6 5 Twen-yang-Ju o 6 6 Fe-ngan-ju 1 5 7 Hing-chew-fu 2 11 8 Whang-chew-fu 1 8 The Southern Part, Sub-divided into 7 Fu. 1 Chang-cha-fu, Capital of the Southern Part, called Hu-nan the Seat of the Governor of Hit-nan. This Fu governs 1 Chew. 11 Hyen. 2 To-chew-fu 1 7 3 Pau-hing-fu 1 4 4 Hing-chew-fti 1 9 5 Chang-te-fu o 4 6 Ching-chew-fu i 6 7 Tung-chew-Ju 1 7 The Seventh Province, HO-NAN , Sub¬ divided into VIII Fit. 1 Kay-fong-fu , Capital of the Province, the Seat of the Governor. This Fit governs 4 Chew. 30 Hyen. 2 Que-te-fu 1 8 3 Chang-te-fu 1 6 4 We-kyun-fu o 6 5 Whay-king-fu. o 6 6 Ho-nan-fu 1 13 7 Nan-yang-fit 2 10 8 Zhu-Jiing-Ju 2 12 The Eighth Province, SHANG-FONG , Sub-divided into VI Ezz. 1 Fji-nan-fu , Capital of the Province; the Refidence of the Governor. This Ezz commands over 4 C/jriy. 26 2 Ten-chew-fu 4 23 3 fong-chang-f t 3 13 4 Ffing-chew-fu 1 13 5 Feng-chew-fu 1 7 6 Lay-chew-fu 2 5 The Ninth Province, SHAN-ST, Sub¬ divided into V .Fz?. 1 Fay-ywen-fu , Metropolis of the Province. Here the Governor refides. This Fzz governs over 5 C&w. 20 EZyzw. 2 Ping-yang fit 6 28 3 Lu-yang-fu o 8 4 Fen-chew-fu 1 7 5 Tay-tong-fu 4 7 The Tenth Province, SHEN-SI, divided into two Parts, Eafiern and Wcjiern ; each Sub-divided into IV Fu. The Eajlcrn Part, call’d I-tong. 1 Si-ngan-fu , Metropolis of the whole Pro¬ vince, and Capital of the Eaftern Part, or I-tong. This is the Seat of the Ffong- tit , of both Parts of Shen-fi , and the Pro¬ vince of Se-chwen. There alfo refides the Governor of the Eafiern Part. This Fit governs 6 Chew. 3 1 Hye?i. 2 Ten-ngan-fu 3 16 3 Vwg-tfyang-fi 1 7 4 Han-chang-fu 2 14 The IVeJiern Part, or I-fi. 1 Ping-kang-fu, or Ping-? ^ „ lyang ,J governs / y 2 Kong-chang-fu 3 10 3 Ling-tau-fH 2 13 Lan-chew is one of the Chews where the Go¬ vernor of the Wejlern Part refides. 4 Hing-yang-fu o o The Eleventh Province, SE-CHUEN , [or SE-Ctf/FEiV.] Sub-divided into X Ezz. 1 Ching-tu-fily Capital of the Province. Here the Governor refides. This Fit com¬ mands over 6 Chew. 19 Hyen. 2 Pau-ning-fu. 2 8 3 Sbun-king-fu 1 7 4 Su-chew-fu o 10 5 Chong-king-fu 3 11 6 Wey-chew-fu 1 9 7 Ma-hu-fu o 1 8 Long-ngan-fie o 3 9 Ffun-i-fu 2 4 10 Fong-chwen-fu o o The Twelfth Province, £>UANG-FONG, Sub-divided into X Fit. 1 Quang-chew-fity Capital of the Province. The Governor’s Seat is here 5 and the Fu prefides over 1 Chew. 16 Hyen . 2 Shau-chew-fit o 6 3 Nan-hyung-fu o 2 4 Whey-chew-fu o 1 5 Chau-chew-fit o 11 6 Chau-king-fit Here refides the Ffong-tu of ifuang-tongy and ^uang-fi ; it governs 1 Chew. 11 Hyen. 7 Kau-chew-fu 1 5 8 Lyen-chew-fu 1 2 9 Lwi-chew-fit o 3 10 Kyun-chew-fity in the) Ille of Hay-nan. i ^ The Thirteenth Province, QUANG-SJ, Sub-divided into XII Fit. 1 Quey-ling-fity Metropolis of the Province. Here the Governor refides. The Fit commands over 2 Chew. 7 Hyen. 2 Lew-chew-fu 2 20 3 King-ywen-fit 2 5 4 Se-nghen-fu 1 2 c Ping-lo-fii l 7 6 U-chew-fu;. the EMPIRE of C HI NA. i Chew. 9 Hyen. 3 3 6 U-cheW-fu 7 Tfin-chew-fu 8 Nan-ning-fit 9 iay-fing-ju. 10 Se-ming-ju 1 1 Chiii-ngan-fu. 12 Se-ching-fu The Fourteenth Province, TUN-NAN\ Sub-divided into XVII Fu. I Yun-nan-fu , Metropolis of the Province. This is the Seat of the Tfong-iu of Yun¬ nan y and Quey-chew , as well as of the Governor of the Province. The Fu I Chew, o Hyen. 12 Ko-king-fu 13 U-ting-fu 14 Li-kyang-fu 15 Ywen-kyang-fic 16 Mong-wha-Ju. 17 Tung-chang-ju 18 Yung-pe-fu 19 Kay-wka-fu The Fifteenth Province, ^ UEY-CHEW, Sub-divided into XI Fu. I Quey-yang-fuy chief City of the Province. This is the Seat of the Governor. The Fu prelides over 3 Chew. 4 Hyen. governs 4 Chew, 7 Hyen. 2 Se-chew-fu 0 0 2 Ta-ii-fu 4 3 3 Se-nan-fii. 0 3 3 Ling-ngan-fu ^ 4 5 4 Chin-ywen-fu 0 2 4 TfUy Tju, or Chii-hyang-fu 2 0 5 She-tfm-fu 0 1 5 Chin-kyang-ju 2 2 6 Tong-jin-ju 0 1 6 King-tong-ju 0 0 7 Li-ping-fu 0 1 7 Quang-nan-fu. 0 0 8 Ngan-Jhan-fu, 3 5 8 Qyang-fi-fu 0 2 9 'Tu-yun-fu 2 2 9 Shun-ning-fu 1 0 10 Ping-yue-fu 1 4 10 Ku-chew-ju 5 2 11 Wcy-ning-ju 3 3 11 Tau-ngan-ju 1 1 By this Lift, one would be apt to think thofe the beft and largeft Provinces, which had moft of thefe Cities [or Mandarinats\ in them. But it is not fo ; for, in fome Countries, the Neceffity of keeping certain ftubborn, and but half civiliz’d People in fubjedtion, obliges the Emperors to cncreafe the Number of the confiderable Mandarins j and thence it is, that the moll barren Pro¬ vinces, fuch as ^uey-chew, have more of them, in proportion, than the molt fruitful. ’Tis true, that, generally fpeaking, the Land in all the Provinces, and even in ^ uey-chew , is fertile enough, and fometimes brings a double Crop ; but ’tis entirely owing to the indefatigable Labour of the Hufbandman that thofe Countries, where the Grounds are low and boggy, are ca¬ pable of bearing Corn. Add to this, that feveral Provinces being full of Mountains, which afford but a fmall quantity of Land fit for Tillage, it happens fometimes, that the whole Produce of the Empire is fcarce fufficient for the Suftenance of the prodigious Number of Inhabitants. Befides the Provinces of Tun-nan , Quey-chew, Sc-chwen , and Fo-kyen , which are too moun¬ tainous to be cultivated fufficiently ; that of Cbe-kyangy whofe Fajiern Part is very fruitful, has hideous Mountains in the Wejiern. The Land of Quang-tong and 9 %uang-Jiy fo fine and fertile along the Sea-Coaft, becomes frightful and dmoft barren in divers Places, the farther it lies from thence. In the Province of Kyang-nan, the large Diftridtof Whey-chew-fu is entirely over-run with very high, and almoft uninhabitable Mountains; they abound ftill more in the Provinces of Shen-fiy and Shan-/i-, all whofe Plains, put together, don’t amount to a quarter Part of the whole. When coming from the Province of ^ 'uang-tong, you have fail’d between the fleep Mountains, which run along its River, and, having made one Stage of th eMey-lin, afterwards come to the River of the Province of Kyang-fi, then you begin to difcover the moft beautiful Country of all China ; one Part of it lies upon the great River, adorned with the fine Cities of Ngan-kijig-Ju, Kya?ig-ning-fu t or Nan-king , and Chin-kyang-fu ; another Part runs along the great Canal, Tu-lyang-ho, befet with the moft rich and populous Cities of the Province of Kyang-nan ; as Whay-ngan-fu , Yang- chew-fiiy Chang-chew-fuy Su-chew-fu and a third Part borders on the Sea-Coafts of the Province of Che-kyang , where are the Lands of Hang-chew-fu, the Metropolis, Hu-chew-fu , and Kya-hing- fiiy which alone furnifh more Silk than all the other Provinces of China. It muft be confefted, nothing appears more charming than thefe Plains, which are fo level, that they feem to have been laid out by Rule; they are overfpread with Cities and large Villages, and cut into an infinite Number of Canals, which have communication with each other, and are navigated without the leaft Danger: They are covered with an incredible Quantity of magnificent Barks, and the Water of every Canal is clear, and excellent to drink. Thefe Plains are cultivated with an Induftry which no People but the ChineJ'e are capable of: They are withal fo fertile, that in feveral Places they yield Rice twice a Year, and frequently Wheat and fmaller Grain between the two Crops. But, whoever judges of China in general by this Country, cannot form an exauang-lan , have nothing in the Tafte to recommend them. Tew if/ The are ordinaril y bigger than our Citrons 3 the Fruit is fometimes reddifh, fometimes white, and of a Tafte betwixt fweet and four. The Tree is more prickly than the Citron Tree. The The fecond fort, in Figure and Colour, very nearly refembles our large Olives : It is indeed ***• one of the ten Kinds fpoken of in the Books, which treat of Olives 3 and what they fay of its Nature, Colour, and the Soil where it grows, fuits them very well. In all probability, if they were prepared in the fame manner as in Europe, they would have the fame Tafte. The Tree is large, and the Leaves refemble thofe of the Olive. When they have a mind to gather the Olives before they are thoroughly ripe, which is their Time of eating them, inftead of beat¬ ing them down with long Poles, which fhatters the Branches, and hurts the Tree, they make a Hole in the Body of the Tree, and putting in fome Salt, they flop it up, and in a few Days after the Fruit drops of itfelf. Other kinds We muft not forget to fpeak of two other Trees, which befides their Singularity, are ufeful ofirces. at fyi ea ] s One of them produces a kind of Pepper call’d Wha-Ifyau. ’Tis the Husk of a Grain as big as a Pea 3 the Kernel of which is too hot and biting to be made ufe of. The Colour 9 the EMPIRE of C HINA\ Colour is grey, mix’d with a few Streaks of red. The Plant which produces it, in fome Places, grows like a thick Bufh, in others it refembles a pretty tall Tree ; it is neither fo pungent, nor agreeable to the Tafle as Pepper, and is feldom ufed for feafoning Vidtuals, except by the meaner People. The other Tree yields Peas; for their Figure, Colour, Pod, and Tafte, tho’ fomewhat rank, ftiew that they are of the kind of ordinary Peas. The Tree is common enough in feveral Provinces, it is very tall, extends its Branches very wide, and for Thicknefs fcarce yields to any other. But among the Trees that deferve the Attention of the Public, and are mod likely to excite the Envy of Europeans , there are none to be prefer’d to the four I am going to fpeak of. The firft is the Varnilh-Tree, called Tfi-jhu, ’tis neither tall, bufhy, nor fpreading : Its Bark TheVamift. is whitifh, its Leaf nearly refembles that of the wild Cherry-Tree; and the Gum, which it Tr "- diiiils drop by drop, the Tears of the Turpentine-Tree. It yields a much greater quantity of Liquor if an Incifion be made in it; but then it peril'hcs fo much the fooner. ’Tis commonly reported, that this Liquor, drawn off cold, has certain venomous Qualities, and that there is no way of preventing its mifchievous Effeds, in pouring it from one Veil'd to another, or ftirring it, but by avoiding to fuck in the Effluvia with the Breath. The fame Caution is to be obferved in boiling it. However that be, ’tis certain this Varniih [or Japan] is not lefs efteem’d on that account, and is continually ufed by an infinite number of Workmen. It takes all Colours alike; and, if well made, lofes nothing of its Luilre and Clearnefs, either by change of Air, or the age of the Wood to which it is apply’d. But to do it well requires Time and Care ; for Manner of one or two layings on is not fufficient; nor mult a new lay of Varniih be applied till the former, k y‘”8 °" '!“= which ought to be very fmooth and thin, be dry’d, but not fo as to be hard. Care mult be tal “ ken to fee whether fuch Lay be ftiffer, or of a deeper Colour ; one muft try to bring it by de- 1 1 ° % grees to a certain Temper, which only can render the Work firm, fmooth, and clear. This Art is to be attained only by Experience. As the varnilhed Works mull fometimes be fet in moift Places, fometimes fteep’d in Water, and, in Ihort, turn’d and placed in various Pofitions, they are feldom very large, like the Pillars fix’d on Stone-Bafes, wherewith the Great Hall of the Empire, deferibed hereafter, the Emperor’s Apartment, and other Chinefe Buildings are fup- ported: Which Pillars are not done over with true Varniih, but another Liquor call’d Tong* yew. The fecond Tree is the Tong-Jhu, whence a Liquor is drawn not much differing from Varniih. Tree whence At a fmall diftance it appears like the Walnut-Tree : And fuch the Tartar Mandarins , who the Oil n' came from Pe-king with the Miffionaries, took it for, fo great is the Refemblance as to the Fi- draw "- gure, colour of Bark, the fize and falhion of the Leaves, the fhape and make of the Nuts. Thefe Nuts are full of a thickilh Oil, mixt with an oily Pulp, which they prefs, otherwile they would lofe the greater part of the Liquor. There goes a Report, that fome Servants, after dreffing their Supper in a Kettle, wherein this fort of Oil had been boil’d a few Days before, found themfelves much diforder’d : Which Ihews, that it partakes of the bad Quality of the Varniih. To make it fit for ufe, they boil it with Litharge, and may mix it with any Colour at plealure. It is often laid without any mixture ill Wood, which it preferves againft die bad Effedls of Rain ; as alfo on the Squares which form the Floors of Chambers: This makes them Ihine ; and provided Care be taken to walh them from time to time, they retain their Luilre. The Pavements of the Apartments, belonging to the Emperor and the Grandees, are made in this manner. But if they would make a finilhed piece of Work, for inftance, wou’d adorn a Hall, Cham-* ber, or Clofet, they firft cover the Pillars and Wainfcot with a Pafte made of Flax, Lime, or fuch like Materials ; when this is dry’d to a certain degree, they with Brulhes lay on the Oil, (mix’d with the Colour they pitch on, and boil’d as ulual) according to their Delign. Some¬ times they gild the Moldings, the Carvings, and every thing that is in Relievo : But, letting afide the Gilding, thele Works fcarce yield in Beauty and Luftre to thole wherein they employ the Varniih, call’d T-fi, As this Oil is cheap, and the Varniih pretty dear, the Merchants ufually mix a great quantity of the Tong-yew with the latter, under pretence, that a little of it is neceilary to bring it to a Temper, and make it Ipread more eafily. ’Tis with this Tong-yew that they make Cloth to keep out Rain, like the Oil-Cloth in Europe ; but the Cloaths made of it can be worn only in the Northern Parts. In Ihort, the Tong-yew is one of the moll ufeful Trees to be found in China, and we have all the reafon in the World to wilh we had it in Europe. The third Tree is that which produces the Tallow. It is as tall as a large Cherry-Tree ; the Tie Tallow- Fruit is contain’d in a Rind called 7 'cn-kyu, which, when ripe, opens in the middle like a Chef- Tree - nut; it conlifts of white Kernels of the bignefs of an ordinary Hazle-nut, whofe Pulp has the Properties of Tallow ; accordingly they make Candles of it when it is melted, often mix¬ ing with it a little common Oil, and dipping the Candles in the Wax produc’d by the Tree I am going to fpeak of: This forms a fort of Cruft about the Tallow, which hinders it from running. I mall fpeak more of it hereafter. b The fourth ealled Pe-la-fiu, that is, the white Wax-Tree, is the mod extraordinary of all. The Wkx : Tis not fo tall as the Tallow-Tree, and differs from it alfo in the colour of the Bark, which Trec ' is white ; and in the figure of the Leaves, which are longer than broad. A kind "of little Worms faften on thefe Leaves, wherewith being cover’d, in a fhort time they form Combs of Wax, much fmaller than the Honey-Combs. This Wax is very hard and fhinine. and is con- . VoL - !• D fiderably Ib The Bambu. The Nan-mu much elleem- ed in China. The Tfe-tan, or Rofe- Wood. the Tyt-li- mv, or Iron* Wood. Tea-Shrub, its different Sorts. Son*-to, or Grcur.-Tea. VS-i, or Bo- hea-fea. A GENERAL VIEW of fiderably dearer than Bees-Wax. When thefe Worms are accuftom’d' to the Trees of any Di- (triift, they never quit them but on particular Occafions; and once they remove from a Place, they never return, lb that others mull be procured in their Head, there being Merchants who deal ih them. , n To the ufeful Trees may be added the Cane, which the Chinefe call Chu-tf, and we Euro¬ peans Bambu. It grows as high as molt Trees; and tho’ it is hollow throughout, except in the knotty Parts, yet 'tis exceeding hard, is capable of fuftaining great Weights, and, in fonre Places, large Houfes of Wood. " It may be divided into fmall Splinters or Strings, of which they make Mats, Boxes, and other curious Works. When it is beaten to Pieces, then left to rot, and boiled in Water till it is reduc’d to a kind of Pafte, it ferves to make Paper of different forts, both fine and coarfe, in which they trade. The Bambu is alfo made ufe of for Pipes to convey Water, and feveral other Occafions too tedious to mention. In Ihort, there are fo many forts of them,'in the feveral Provinces, differing as to fize, colour, and other qualities, that it would be tirefome to deferibe them all. Mod kinds of Wood, ufed by the Carpenters and Joiners i a Europe, are to be found in China. In the Northern Provinces the Fir-Tree is employ’d m Building and in the Southern Part, beyond the River, they ordinarily make ufe of the Sba-mS. But that of greateft Effeem among them is called Nan-mu. The Pillars of the Apartments, and ancient Halls, of the Imperial Palace, are all made of it, as well as the Windows, Doors and Beams. The Relations of Travellers fpeak of it as a Chinefe Cedar; pofftbly, becaule the Natives look upon it as a Wood that never decays, and for that Reafon to be prefer’d to all others. When a Perfon has a Mind, fay they, to build a Houfe, that may laid forever, he muff ufe the Nan- mu. However the Leaves of the Nan-enA, at leafffuch as the Miffionaries have feen, are not at all like thofe of the Cedar, as deferibed by Authors who have feen the Cedars of Mount Ltbttnus. This Tree is one of the tailed fort, and very drait; its Branches (hoot direflly upwards; they be¬ gin only at a certain height, and terminate a-top in form of a Nofegay. The Nan-mu, notwithdanding 'tis fo much edeemed by the Chinefe, comes far fhort in Beauty of the Wood named Pjc-tan , which at Court is called Rofe-Wood. It is of a reddidi Black, dreaked, and full of very fine Veins, .which one would think were painted : It is befides fit for the fined fort of Joinery-Work. The Furniture made of this Wood is much edeemed all over the Empire, and in the Northern Provinces felling at a greater Price than that which is varnifhed. With regard to Strength and Firmnefs, there is, perhaps, no Wood comparable to that call¬ ed by the Portugueze (the better to accommodate the Expreffion to the Chinefe Pye-li-mu ) Pan lie ferro, that is, Iron-Wood. This Tree is as tall as our large Oak, but differs from it m the thieknefs of the Trunk, the fhape of the Leaves, the colour of the Wood,_ which is darker, and dill more in the Weight. The Anchors of their Ships of War are made of this Wood, and the Emperor’s Officers, who accompany’d the Miffionaries in their Paffage to the Ifland of permofa, or Pay-wan, pretended they were preferable to the Iron-Anchors belonging to the Chinfe Merchantmen ; but in this they mud be midaken : For the Flooks can neither be fuffi- ciently pointed, nor drong enough for taking fure hold ; and, by making the Shanks twice as loiw as thole of Iron-Anchors, they mud be proportionably weak, be they ever fo large. IP f rom Trees we pafs to Shrubs, thofe which bear the Tea ought to be placed in the fird P^ank becaufe they are of the greated ufe and benefit in China. The Name of Pha, [or Tea] comes to us frbm the corrupt Pronunciation at Pfwon-chew, and Chang-cbew-Ju, in the Province oib'o-kmi ; in all other Parts of the Empire they ufe the Word Cha, as do the Portugueze in their Relations. But this Word comprizes many kinds of Tea, confider’d according to the dif¬ ferent Names given to it in different Provinces. However, it may be didingui(hed, by its Qua¬ lities, into four Sorts, ziz. Song-lo-ch'a, Vii-i-cha, Pu-eut-cha, and Lo-ngati-cha. '-f’he firft Sort is fo call’d from a Mountain in the Province of Kyang-nan and Didria of J’/lks-ebew-fi, in the Latitude of 29 d. 58 m. 30 f. This Mountain bears the Name of Song-lo- p neither high nor of great Extent, but cover’d over with thele Shrubs, which are culti¬ vated on its Sides, in the fame manner as at the Foot of the neighbouring Mountains. y which we call Green-Tea, is planted much in the fame manner as Vines, and its Growth is prevented, otherwife it wou’d run up to 6 or 7 Foot in height: It mud alfo be planted anew every 4 or 5 Years, or elfe the Leaves will become thick, hard and rough. The Flower is wirke, and (hap’d like a Rofe of 5 Leaves. In Autumn, when the Flower decays, there appears a Berry in the form of a well-filial Nut, fomewhat moid, and not ill-taded. What I have- fpoken of the Height of thefe Shrubs, inud be underdood of thofe that grow in the Province oh Kyang-nan ; in other Parts they let them grow to their natural Height, which is jo or 12 Feet; for this reafon, when the Branches are young, they bend them down, that the'.' may gather the Leaves with greater eale. The Song-lo-cha, preferved feveral Years, is an ex¬ cellent Remedy againd many Didempers. The Pil-i-cbn grows in the Province of Fo-kyen, and takes it Name alfo from the famous Mountain Fu-i'-JJoah, fituated in the Didridl of Kyen-ning-fi), and two Leagues didant from the little City of P/ong-gMi-hyen,. in 27 d. 47 m. 38 L Latitude, according to the Oblervations made oir the Spot. This is the mod famous Mountain in that Province : It is cover’d with a great Number of Temples, Houfes and Hermitages of tile Bonzas belonging to the Sedt of Pau-kya , which draw thither a great Concourfe of People. The better to cornpafs their Dcfigh of making this Mountain pafs for the Abode of the Irn- mort.il Beings, they have convey’d Barks, Chariots, and other Things of the fame Kind, into the II ^EMPIRE of C HINA. Clefts of the fteepeft Rocks all along the Sides of a Rivulet that runs between ; infomuch that thefe fantaftical Ornaments are looked upon by the ftupid Vulgar as a real Prodigy, believing it imptMfible that they could have been raifed to fuch inacceffible Places, but by a Power more than human ; the Soil of the Mountain which produces this Plant is light, whitifh. and fandy. The Shrubs Vu-i-cha and Song-lo-chu are of the fame Height and Size, and cultivated in the fame manner ; the only Difference between them is, that the Leaves of the latter are more long and pointed, give the Water a greenifh Tindture, and Experience fhews it tobefomewhat raking. On the contrary, the Leaves of the Vu-i-cha are fhort, more round, fomewhat blackifh and colour the Water yellow, without the lead: Harfhnefs, or any Quality offenfive to the weakeft Stomach: Hence the Vu-i-cha is mod: generally ufed throughout the Empire. ’Tis difficult to meet with any that is good in the Northern Provinces, where ufually that only which confiils of the large Leaf is fold ; for the more yellow, tender and fine the Leaves of the Vu-i-cba, as well as thofe of the Song-lo, are, the more they are efteemed : Of thefe they make three forts in Places where Tea is gathered. The firft is the Leaf gathered from the Shrubs newly planted, or, as the Chinefe exprefs it, are Mau-cha , or the Jirfi Points of the Leaves : This they call Man cha ■, and is fcarce ever ufed but in Prefents, or to I^eiiat-Tea. fend to the Emperor. The fecond is of the Leaves more full grown ; this is what they fell by the Name of good Vu-i-cha. The remaining Leaves, which are allowed to grow to their full Big- nefs, make the third fort, which is very cheap. There is yet another fort made of the Flower itfelf, but thofe who would have it mud: be- fpeak it, and pay an excedive Price. The Miffionary Geographers, having got a little of it by means of the Mandarins , had it prepared twice or thrice after the ufual manner, but found no fenfible Change in the Water, either as to Colour or Tafte, which is probably the Reafon why this Tea is not ufed by the Emperor or even in the Palace. The Mau-cha above-mentioned is the Impe¬ rial Tea, and fold in the Places near the Mountains Song-lo and Vu-i, for Forty or Fifty Sols a Pound [about two Shillings Englijh '.] Under thefe two forts of Tea or Cha, we may comprehend all the red:, diftinguifhed by dif¬ ferent Names, as Lu-ngan-cha, Hay-cha, &c. The firft has its Name from the City of Lu-ngan-chew , although the bed; Tea of this kind is cultivated no where but on the Sides of the little Hills be¬ longing to the fmall City of Ho-fmn-hyen , from whence they are diftant about feven Leagues. The Miffionaries, having examined it on the Spot, found no Difference between it and the Song-lo- cha, either in the Figure of the Leaves or the manner of Cultivation. If it tinges the Water of a different Colour, and when fredi appears not quite fo rough or corrofive to the Tafte, it may be attributed to the difference of Soil, which has a fenfible Effedt on feveral Plants; fince we fee in Eu¬ rope, that Wines of the fame kind of Grape are more or lefs rough in different Parts of the fame Province, and in Provinces more diftant the Alteration is drill more perceptible. The Chinefe however find the Effedts of them very different: The Song-lo is hot and raking, which the Lit-ngan Tea is not, and befides is fo tempered that it is neither hot nor cold, and is reckoned very wholfome. The Hay-cha comes from Kan-chew-fu. in the Province of Kyang-fi , and differs in no Refpedt from the Lu-ngan-cha, not even in its Roughnefs or Smoothnefs upon the Palate, fo that it may be called a Species of the Song-lo-cha. ’Tis the fame with the other forts of Tea ; for indrance, that which the Mongols in 7 art ary ufe, called by them Kayel cha or Karcha, confifts only of Leaves, either of the Song-lo or Vu-i- cha, which grow to their full Size, and are mixed without any forting; becaufe the Chinefe think any thing good enough for the "Tartars, who cannot diftinguifh the coarfe Tea from the fine, and commonly dilute it with Milk ; of this they make both an agreeable and a nourifhing Liquor, which they take at any Hour of the Day. But we mud: not confound every thing which the Chinefe call Cha with the true Tea j for they Counterfeit give that Name to Plants that do not deferve it, and which are indeed otherwife denominated Teas, by thofe who have not Intereft enough to make them pafs for fuch. Thus in the Province of Shan-tong, that which is fold by the Name of Meng-ing-cha as admirable Tea, is properly no more than a kind of Mofs, which grows on the rocky Parts of a Mountain belonging to the City of Meng-ing-hyen. It is of a very bitter Tafte; and has this Quality of the true Tea, that, when drank hot after Meals, it promotes Digeftion. The fame fort of Tea is found in fome parts of the Provinces which are more Northerly than Shan-tong ; though it be not made of Leaves, yet the Merchants call it Cha-ye, or Leaves of Tea. In thofe Countries where the Tea does not ufually grow, the common People, who have not the niceft Palates, make ufe of any thing that relembles the Tea, either in Tafte or Effects, and regale themfelves upon this coarfe Stuff, which they frequently gather from Trees that, having been long tranfplanted, degenerate on account of the improper Soil, which does not agree with them ; and to make it come cheaper, they lay in their Store when the Leaves are grown old, and become tough and large,' which renders the Tafte rough and infipid, although it produces the fame Effects in thofe who take it, as the Song lo or Vu-i Tea. The third fort of Tea is that which we have named Pu-eul-cha , or Tea of the Village Pu-eul, which is fituated in the Province of Tun-nan, and on the Borders of Pegu, Ava, the Laos and Tun-king. Its Neighbourhood to the Mountains, which produce this kind of Tea, has invited the Merchants thither, and by this means it is become considerable ; though the Inhabitants de¬ bar any Merchant from approaching nearer than the Foot of the Mountains, where they receive the Quantity of Tea for which they have bargained. From thefe Merchants we learned that the Trees which 12 The Tree which yields the Oil. Shrubs which bear Flowers. Odoriferous Shrubs. Flower 2>uty- Lan-iuha. Peonies. lyen nvha, Nympbea, Water-Role, or Water- Lilly. A GENERAL VIEW of which produce this Tea are tall and bufhy, planted without Order, and propagated without Culture ; the Leaves are longer and thicker than thofe of the Song-lo-cha and Vu - i-cha , and are roll’d up into a kind of Balls, which they fell at a good Price. This fort of Tea is common ii* the Provinces of Tun-nan and Quey-chew ; but theTafte is difagreeable, tho’ fmooth. The Balls, when cut in pieces, they throw like other Tea into boiling Water, to which it gives a reddifh Tin&ure. The Chinefe Phylicians affirm this Drink to be wholfome, as by its Effects it feems to be : The Miffionaries, and thofe who accompanied them, found it very good in flight Diforders, inevitable in long Travels, efpecially in the excefiive Heats of Summer; but its peculiar Qualities are, that it cures the Cholick, flops the Flux, and creates an Appetite ; but then it ought to be drank as ftrong again as Tea is commonly made. There is another Tree which bears a Fruit, from whence is drawn an Oil called Cha-yew ; this Oil when frefh is perhaps the beft in all China. It very nearly refembles the Shrub of the Vu-i-cha, with refped: to the Figure of its Leaves, Colour of the Wood, and fome other Qualities, but dif¬ fers from it, not only as to its Size, Thicknefs and Make, but alfo as to its Figure, Flowers and Fruit, which is naturally oleaginous, and becomes Fillmore fo when kept after it is gathered. Thefe Trees are of a moderate Height, and grow without Culture on the Slope of a Hill, and even in flony Valleys ; they bear green Berries of an irregular Shape, filled with a fort of Kernels, which are pretty hard, but not fo hard as the Stones of other Fruits. The flowering Trees and Shrubs are very numerous throughout the Empire. In thefe the C/jz- nefe have the Advantage of the Europeans, as the Europeans have of them with regard to Flowers which fpring from Seeds and Roots. Large Trees are to be feen there, covered with Flowers, which have a perfect Refemblance of Tulips ; the Flowers of others are like RoJes, which inter- mixt with the green Leaves make a very beautiful Appearance. Among the Shrubs I don’t know above three or four Sorts whofe Flowers are odoriferous; thofe, called by the Chinefe Mo-li-wha, are the moft agreeable. The Shrub which bears them is eafily pro¬ pagated in the Southern Parts of China, where it grows to a pretty good Height; but in the North¬ ern Provinces it never exceeds five or fix Feet, although they take care in Winter to keep them in Green-Houles made on purpofe. The Flower has a great Refemblance of the double JeJJamin, both in Figure and Colour, but the Scent is ftronger, though no lefs agreeable : Its Leaf is intirely dif¬ ferent, more nearly approaching that of the young Citron Tree. The Tree that produces the Flowers call’d Quey-wba, very common in the Southern Pro¬ vinces, and fometimes as tall as an Oak, is rarely feen in any of the Northern. Thefe Flowers are fmall, differing in Colour, and have a very agreeable Odour. The Leaves refemble thofe of our Bay-Tree; which Refemblance is more eafily difeerned in the very high Trees, that are principally to be met with in the Provinces of Che-kyang, Kyang-fi, Tun-nan, and Quang-fi, than in the Shrubs of the fame Kind. Thefe Flowers are ordinarily yellow, very fmall, and hang on the Trees in fuch Clufters, that when they fall they quite cover the Ground : Their Scent is fo agreeable, that the Air is perfum’d at a great Diftance. There are fome Trees which bear four times in the Year; for when the old Flowers fall, others prefently fucceed, fo that very fre¬ quently they are to be had even in Winter. There is yet a fort of Plant which is difficult to rear in all but the Maritime Provinces. ’Tis that which bears the Flower call’d Lan-wha , or Lan-wey-wba, whofe Smell is Fill more fra¬ grant than that of the Mo-li-wha, and ^uey-nvha ; but it is not fo beautiful to the Eye; the Colour of it is commonly inclining to that of Wax. The moft leafy, and the moft beautiful Flowers, but entirely infipid, grow like Rofes on Trees and Shrubs, which are thought to be of the Peach and Pomegranate kind ; they are of a very bright Colour, but produce no Fruit. There is another Shrub which has ftill lefs Conformity with any of that Species among us, named by the Chinefe, at Pe-king, JVen-quang-f:u ; for it has different Names, in at leaft three different Pro¬ vinces. Its Flower is white, the Leaves of it growing in form of a double and fometimes a triple Rofe. The Calix or Cup becomes afterwards a Fruit refembling a Peach, but quite taftelefs: The Cells are fill'd with Kernels, or rather Seeds, cover’d with a cartilaginous and blackilh Film. Peonies are found in feveral Parts of China , much finer than thofe of Europe : And befides the variety of their Colour, in fome Places they have this peculiar to them, that they diffiife a iweet and a moft charming Fragrance. Indeed they are the greateft Ornament of their Parterres of Flowers, where one meets with no other fort to compare with our Pink, Tulip, Ranunculus, Anemony, and the like. In artificial Filhponds, and often in the Marfhes, there grows a Flower call’d Lyen-wha, much efteem’d, and cultivated with great Care by the Chmefe ; by the Leaves, the Fruit and the Stalk, it appears to be the Nymphea, or Water-Lilly, which is but little valued in Europe : But by the great Care they beftow on it, the Flower becomes double ; the Leaves, ’tis faid, amount to an Hundred; and the Colours are more lively, and in greater Variety than in Europe. Where the Flower is fingle, the Cup, as in ours, has ordinarily no more than 5 Leaves, whereof the Piftil grows in form of a Cone, and is divided lengthways into feveral Cells, which contain a very white fort of Fruit larger than our Beans. To this Plant, which is much us’d all over the Empire, they attribute a great many Qualities ; fome it certainly has, fuch as that of being refrefhing; others are queftionable, as when the Chinefe tell us, that it foftens Copper when put into one’s Mouth, with a bit of the Root. I Ihall have occafion to mention this elfewhere. The Flower, call’d in Chinefe Pe-tf , is probably a Species of the little Water-Lilly : The Juice to the Tafte is agreeable, and feems to have no corrofive the EMPIRE of CHINA. torrofive Qualities. The meaner fort of People in China living, for the mod part, on Herbs, Pot-Herbs. Roots and Pulfe, together with Rice, which is their ordinary Food, are very careful to cultivate their Kitchen-Gardens : Whenever the Seafon for one thing is over, another immediately is planted or fown, and by this means they never fufFer the lead Spot of Earth to lie idle. They have great Variety of thefe Vegetables, many of which we have in Europe, others we have not. The Seeds of Cabbage, Sorrel, Rue, and fome other Plants, which are brought from the Indies, either dye or degenerate in 2 or 3 Years. They have true Cabbages indeed, but they don’t come to a Head : They have had Parlly for many Ages, fince it is found in their Books under the Name of Shin-tray ; but it has neither the Beauty nor Sweetnefs of ours. Among the Pot-Herbs which we have not, there is fcarce any, except one call’d Pe-tfay , that Pttfay, a deferves a Place in our bed Kitchen-Gardens. This indeed is exceeding good, and much us’dj fome kind 01 Let * midake it for a kind of Lettuce: But tho’ its fird Leaves refemble thofe of the Roman Lettuce tuce ‘ it differs from it in the Flower, Seed, Tade, and Height. They are bed in the Northern Pro¬ vinces, where they are left in the Ground during the fird Hoar-Frods, by which they become more tender ; the Quantity of them that is fown, is almod incredible : In Oftober and Novem¬ ber, the nine Gates of Pe-king are dop’d up by Carts loaded with them, which are paffing conti¬ nually from Morning to Sun-let. The ordinary Kinds which grow in any Ground, are propa¬ gated in an infinite Degree by the ChineJ'e, who preferve them with Salt or Pickle them ; in or¬ der to mix with, and give a Relifh to their Rice, which, when boild by itfelf, is inlipid. In fome of the Southern Provinces they cultivate Mallows, boiling their Leaves, and dreffmg them with Fat or Oil, as we do our Lettuce or Spinage with Butter. This Plant is very whole- fome and laxative, without caufing any Inconvenience. The Medicinal Herbs, which we don’t there find collected, as at Paris , into a Royal Garden Medicinal of Plants, might certainly be very numerous in a Country of fuch vad Extent, and under fo Herbs, many different Climates: But it is not my Delign to examine the difference there is between thefe of China and ours. I fhall only fpeak fuccindtly of thofe Plants, which are mod edeemed or extraordinary, at lead that appeared fo to the Mifiionaries, when they traveil’d over the Pro¬ vinces of that Empire. Rhubarb grows in great Plenty, not only in the Province of Se-chwen, but alfo in the Moun- Rhubarb, tains of Shen-fi, named Swe-Jhan , or the Mountains of Snow, which extend from Lyang-chew, as far as Su-cbew and Si-ning-chew: An incredible Quantity of it is gather’d in thofe Parts only, where the Mifiionaries, while they were making the Map thereof, in the Months of Oftobcr and No¬ vember, frequently met whole Troops of Camels, loaded with Net-Bags full of Rhubarb. The Flowers refemble Bells fcolloped at the Edges; the Leaves are long, and fomewhat rough to the Touch. The infide of the Root, when frefh, is whitidi; but, as it dries, affumes the Colour it has when it comes to us. The Plant which their Phyficians mod ufe, is called by them Fd-ling, and by European Au¬ thors Radix Xina, and grows chiefly in Se-chwen ; its Leaves, which creep along the Ground, are long, and narrow; on the contrary, the Root grows to a great thicknefs; and if we may be¬ lieve the ChineJ'e, fometimes to the Size of a Child’s Head. But whatever Truth is in this, it is certain, that it contains in a kind of Shell a white pithy Subdance, fomewhat clammy: In all appearance, it is on account of its Whitenefs, that the right fort is called Pe-fu-ling, or white Fu-ling. It differs from another fort, which is alfo much ufed, becaufe it is cheaper, and grows fpontaneoufly in feveral Parts of China, where it is confider’d as a Species of wild Fu- ling. Some of our Mifiionaries, who are Natives of that Part of France , where Truffles grow, affirm that th cPe-fil-ling of Shen-fi is a perfect Truffle ; its Colour is nearly green, but when dry, it grows fomewhat yeflowifh ; the Virtues of this Plant are too univerfally experienc’d to admit of any Doubt; but it is not fo eafy to determine in what Didemper it is mod proper to apply it, becaufe the Chmefe Phyficians arc obferved to ufe it indifferently in all their Prefcriptions. The Root of the Plant named T’en-Je, is not fo commonly ufed, but bears a greater Price. It Tcn-fe. is fcarce, even in the Province of Se-chwen, where it grows between the 30th and 29th Degrees of Latitude ; is of a hot Quality, and accounted an excellent Remedy for Difbrders caufed by cold Humours, and for all forts of Obdrudtions. Its Figure is Angular, being very round on one Side, and almod flat on the other; its flat Side is faden d to the Ground by Strings, efpecially by one, pretty thick, which is in the midd of the red, and enters deeper into the Subdance of the Root; from the Convex Surface, fhoot divers Stems, which feparating at the Bottom, each makes a little Nofegay; by thefe Marks ’tis eafily di- dinguifhd. They commonly throw away the Branches, and only keep the Root, which they boil, or at lead make them pafs the Balneum Maria; before they are fold. Fi-whang is another Root of a very beautiful Plant, which grows chiefly in the North of the Ti-^harg. Province of Ho-na?i, in 35 d. 6 m. and 10 f. Latitude, in the Didridt of Whay-king-ju. At fird fight one would take it for a kind of Liquorifh, having a leguminous Flower, and crooked Pod ; but after examining the Leaves, the Seed and the Tade, it is hard to determine under what Species to range it. However that be, it is commonly ufed by the Chinefe, who find it good for drengthening the Stomach, and redoring, by degrees, the lofs of Vigour. But of all Plants, next to the Jin-feng, none is fo much valued by the Chinefe Phyficians as the Saa-tji. San-tfi, and they attribute almod the fame Virtues to both, even preferring the San-tfi in Fe- male Diforders, and in all Cafes where there is lofs of Blood. It has no Refemblance of the Jin-feng in Figure ; it grows in the Province of %yang-fi, and is to be found no where but on Vol. I. E t h c 14 Cajjia Trees. Animals. Man-Bear. A GENERAL VIEW of the Tops of almo'ft inaccefliblc Mountains. A kind of Goat, of a greyiffi Colour, is very fond of this Plant: Whence the Chine/e fay, the Blood of that Animal receives a Medicinal Quality. ’Tis certain, that its Blood has furprizing Effedts in cafe of Hurts, and Contufions received by falls from Ilorles, and the like Accidents ; this the Miffionaries have frequently experienc’d. Some of their Servants, who had been thrown by vicious Horfes, and depriv'd almolt of Speech and Motion, having been fo Speedily cured by this Remedy, that next Day they were in a Condition to continue their Journey. We mull: not forget to ®bferyc, that they look on this Potion as a Specific againft the Small- Pox ; Infiances of its Succefs are frequent: The black and infeifiious Puftules become of a clear red, as.foon as the Patient has taken the Remedy : Hence ’tis prefcribed in Several Diieafes, fup- pofeii to proceed from bad Qualities in the Blood. But this Plant is both lcarce, and dear, and after all, one is not lure of having it pure and unmix’d. In the Experiments above mentioned, they make ufe of the Blood of a Goat that has been hunted down ; the San-tfi they ufe, is always that which grows in the Province of %uang-ji, and which the Mandarins , in thofe Parts, are accuftomed to make Prelents of to the liipcrior Mandarins, and to their Protectors at Court. In the Province of Tun-nan, towards the Kingdom of Ava, there are Cajjia Trees ( Cajjia Fif- .tula)-, they are pretty tall, and bear long Pods; whence ’tis called by the Chinefe, Chang-ko-j'e-Jhu, Tie Tree •with long Fruit ; its Pods are longer than thofe we fee in Europe, and not compofed of two convex Shells, like thofe of ordinary Pulfe, but are fo many hollow Pipes, divided by Par¬ titions into Cells, which contain a pithy Subfiance, in every Refpedt like the Cajjia in ule with us. I forbear to fpeak of the Trees which produce the Betel, tho’ ’tis good againft feCeral Ail¬ ments, and much uled in the Southern Provinces ; asalfo of the Palm, the Banana- Tree, Cotton- Tree, the Mango-Tree, Ananas, and feveral other Plants which grow in the Indies, becaufe they are deferibed in all the Relations of thofe Countries. I (hall.only obferve, that the Chinefe Cinamon grows in the Province of Sjuang-ft, and Diftritft of Tfm-cbew-fi), chiefly on the Mountain Pe-Jhe. "Pis not fo much efteemed, even in China, as that which comes from other Places; its Colour inclines rather to grey than red, which is the Colour of the bell Cinamon of Ceylan \ it is alfo more thick, and rough, nor is it fo odoriferous. How¬ ever, it has the fame Virtue of ftrengtbening the Stomach, and exhilarating the Spirits; and Ex¬ perience (hews it has all the Qualities of. Cinamon, tho’ not in fo great Perfeaion. One meets, now and then, with fome more biting than that which comes from the Indies ; and this they affirm becomes Grey alfo, when it is long a drying. It is not proper here to fpeak of the. Simples and Drugs made ufe of by the Artificers of China ; fuch a Work wou’d be more fuited to the Natural Hiftory of that Empire. However, I (hall mention the Plant named -Tyen and Tycn-wha ; ’tis very commonly us’d in all the Pro¬ vinces: When it is fteep’d in Water, and prepar’d in large Tubs, or little Ponds, it yields a Blue, ferviceable in Dying, Thofe of Fo-kyen give a more beautiful Teint, and are moll efteemed in that fort of Painting which they call Tan-mcy. They fcarce employ any tiling elfe but the Juices of Flowers and Herbs for painting Flowers and Figures on Satin, and Satin-Taffaties, whereof the Chinefe make their Cloaths, Trimmings and Furniture. Thefe Colours, which penetrate the Subftance of the Silk, never fade ; and as they have not a Body, they never peel off. They feem to be woven in very finely with the Ground of the Silk, tho’ they are only painted in a very delicate manner. We have not been able to procure an exatfi Knowledge of the rare Animals, which they tell us, are found in the Mountains of the Chinefe Empire. That which they relate of fome has luch an Air of Fable, that I think it unworthy the Attention of the Publick. By what is re¬ ported .all over Se-dmien, the Sin-jin feems to be a kind of Ape; they fay it is as large as a middle liz’d Man, and has a greater Refemblance of Mankind than other Apes, both in its Actions, anddn the Facility with which it walks on its Hind-Feet. What they like wife report of the jfin-hyung, os Man-Bear, found in the Defarts of the Pro¬ vince of Shen-fi, ought only to be underftood of the extraordinary bignefs of thofe Bears com¬ par’d with Man ; juft as the Animal call'd Ma-ld, or the Horje-Stag, is only a Species of Stags, which are near as high as the little Horfes of the Provinces of Se-chwen, and Tun-nan, named Chwcn-ma. Tiin-nan alfo breeds a kind of Stags, to be found no where elfe ; for their fize never exceeds that of ordinary Dogs; the Princes and great Men keep them in their Gardens as Curiofities. But what fome Chinefe Books mention of the Horfe-Tiger, ought to be look d on as mere Fiaiom They pretend it differs from a Horfe only in being cover'd with Scales, in having Claws which refemble a Tiger’s, and in its bloody Dilpofition j which in the Spring makes him leave, die Water to feize Men and Beads. The Miffionaries have travell’d along the River Flan, that waters the Territory of Syang- yang-fu, in the Province of Hii-qt/ang, where they fay thele Animals breed : They likewife have crofs’d the frightful Mountains of Tun-yang-ju ; and, notwithftanding that the Inhabitants made them take Notice of every thing worth oblerving, and of feveral things even very trifling, and that the Tartars were very inquilitive after whatever was rare, in order to entertain the Empe¬ ror, who had a tafte for Natural Hiftory, and judged it very conducive to the Public Welfare, yet they cou’d neither hear of, nor fee any fuch Creature. That however which is reported the EMPIRE of CHINA. concerning the Hyang-chang-tfe , or odoriferous Deer, is very true ; this Animal is not fcarce, being found, not only in the southern Provinces, but even within 4 or 5 Leagues to the Weft of Pe-king. ’Tis a l'ort of Deer without Horns, with Hair of a blackith Colour; its Mulk-bag is compoled of a very thin Skin, covered with Hair exceeding iine; the Flefti is good to eat, and ierved up at the heft Tables. I fhall have occaiion to fpeak of it hereafter. In the Southern Provinces, as Quang-torig, _&nd efpecially $uang-fi, , there are Parrots of all forts, in every refpedt like thole brought from America, they have the fame Plumage and Docility for Talk¬ ing, but they areno.t comparable to the Birds'called Kin-ki, or Golden-Hem ; thefe laft are found in the Provinces of Se-chwen , Tnn-nan and Sheh-fi. We have no Bird in Europe that refembles them ; their lively red and yellow, the Plume on the Head, the lhadowing of the Tail, and the Variety of Colours in the W ings, together with a well fhap’d Body, have no doubt given occaiion to the Name of Golden-Hen , as it Ihews the Preference this Bird ought to have ever all others: Its Flefh is more delicate than that of a Pheafant; fo that, of all the Birds in the Eaft, this perhaps beft deferves to be brought into Europe. Nothing is more to be admired than a little Bird called P‘urtg-wha-fong, mentioned by the Chineje Geographers, .according to whom, the Variety of its Colours is furprizing, and its Bill of a fhining Red, inclining to Vermillion ; but in the Province of Se-chwen, and even at Ching-tu-fu it felt, where, they lay, it breeds, the Inhabitants know nothing of this Bird, according to the lame Geographers,- its Life is of no longer Duration than the Flower Png-w ha, and its Beauty furpafles that of the Bird Fang-whang ; which Ihould be our Pbienix, if there ever was fuch a Bird, as it is defcribed by our Authors; It is certain that the Pong-whang, whofe Figure is often painted and fet off with a vaft Number ■of Oinaments, never appears in any of the Cities or Mountains, to which they have given its Name, a x. Foiig-tJydng-fi1 nr Shen-fi, where they fay it is, *tis not more known any where elfc, as we have already remarked in fpeaking of Fong-whang-ching in Partary (M.) Among the beautiful Birds, they with good Reaion reckon the Hay-tfing. ’Tis very rare beino- found only in the Diftricft of Hong-chan-fu in Shen-fi, and feme Parts of Partary ; it is not inferior *? Falcons, ^ exceeds them in Bignefs and Strength; it may be called the King of * e " ir “ s Prey in Partary and China ; for it is the moft beautiful, fprightly and courageous of all, and in fuch Efteem, that as foon as any of them is catched, it muft be carried to Court, where it is -prefen ted to the Emperor, and afterwards committed to the Care of the Royal Fal¬ coners. J Birds Kin-ki, or eolden Hens. The Tung- wba-fing. Fong-'inhang, or Phoenix. The Butterflies of the Mountain Lo-fenu-Jhan, fituated in the Dili rift of Whey-cBew-fu and Butterflies' Province ot ang-iong, are likewife fo much efteemed, that the largeft and moft uncommon are lent to Court, where they become a Part of certain Ornaments in the Palace : Their Colours are lurpnzingly diverfified and lively ; they are much bigger than the Butterflies of Europe, and their Wings a great deal larger. In the Day time they appear without Motion on the Trees, and are eaiily taken ; in the Evening they begin to flutter about, much like our Bats, and tome of them ' era '° be as lar g e > when t h “r Wings arc extended : There are alfo beautiful Butterflies found in the Mountains ot Si-Jhan in the Province of Pe-che-li, which are likewife in Requeft ; but they are fmall, and-not to be compared to thefe of Mount Lo-few-Jhan. . T he Mountains of China are ftill more valuable, on account of the Mines of different Metals. Mountains, The Lhineje lay they are full of Gold and Silver ; but that the working of them hitherto has been ail!l Min " hindered from tome political Views, perhaps, that the publick Tranquillity might not be difturbed th "' i "' by the too great abundance of thefe Metals, which would make the Peoole haughty and negligent of Agriculture. ‘ ° a Thus this immenfe Fund of hidden Treafure, which they talk fo much of, becomes ufelefs. The kite Emperor Katig-hi, fo famous for his Wifdom, had once, given Peraiimon to fome of his own Houlhold, who had the Care of his Domain to a large Extent, to open the Silver Mines, but caufed them to give over the Work in z or 3 Years. Not, fay they, becaufe the Profit arifing from them was trifling, but rather to prevent the Rabble from affembling together. They add that t lole who work in the Silver Mines in the Province of Tun-nan, which have always been open were formerly confiderable Gainers by them. ’ ’ 'T * C | ut doubt ’ China affords Mines of Gold alfo. What Gold they have there, is partly dug Gold Mines: °u 1 Sir Mlnes; but moft of lt: is among the Sands, which the Rivers and Torrents roll from the Mountains in the weftern Parts of the Provinces of Se-chwen and Tun-nan ; this laft is the richer o t two. The People called L0-/0, of whom I fhall fpeak hereafter,and who poftefs the neighbour- ^ alt . s 0 tbe Kingdoms of Ava, Pegu and Laos, probably dig a great deal of Gold from their Mountains; fince they life to put a good Quantity of Gold Leaves in the Coffins of illuftrious Perfons, or thofe who deferved their Efteem. Their Gold is not very beautiful, poffibly becaufe not pftrmed: In all likelihood the Lo-lo are not better /killed in Smelting of Gold than Silver which is ftill blacker, and fuller of Alloy; but when refined by the Chinefe Workmen, it becomes as pure and beautiful as any other Silver. The Gold, which is moft beautiful and dear, is found in the Diftnfls of Li-kyang-p and Tang-chang-fd. As the Gold which comes from thofe Places is not coined, it is employed in Trade as a Mer- c andize ; but the Demand for it in the Empire is not very confiderable, becaufe Gold is fcarce ever (M) It feemsfrora this Circumftance, as if the of Cbir.a. Defcription of Tartary was originally defigneci to have been placed before that i6 Mines of Iron, Tin, and other Meta is. Copper- Mines. White- Copper. Red-Copj ei Quarries of extraordina¬ ry Stones. Lapus Am Jafper. Rubies. RockCryflal Marble- Quarries. A GENERAL VIEW of ever ufed but by the Gilders, and in fome trifling Ornaments; for none but the Europeans have any golden Plate. Coal Mines are fo numerous in the Provinces, that perhaps no Kingdom in the World be Tides, has fo many and fo rich. Thole in the Provinces of Shen-fi , Shan-fi and Pe-che-li are innumerable : So that Coal Supplies all their Furnaces, Kitchens and Stoves, which are ufed during all the Winter: Without fome fuch Convenience there would be no living in fo cold a Country, where Wood for Firing is fcarce, and confequently very dear. Mines of Iron, Tin, and other Metals for ordinary Ufe, muft needs alfo be very numerous there, feeing they bear a low Price throughout the Empire. The Miflionary Geographers were Witnefies of the Richnefs of a Tuttenague Mine in the Province of Hu-quang, from whence in a few Days were drawn fome hundreds of Quintals. The Mines of common Copper which are in the Provinces of Tun-nan and Quey-chew, have fupplied the Empire with all the fmall Money that has been coined there for feveral Years paft : But the moft extraordinary Copper is that called Pe-tong , or White Copper ; it is white when dug out of the Mine, and ftill more white within than without. It appears by a vaft Number of Experiments made at Pe-king , that its Colour is owing to no Mixture,on the contrary, all Mixtures diminifh its Beauty ; for when it is rightly managed it looks exadtly like Silver; and were there not aNeceflity of mixing a little Tuttenague , or fome fuch Metal with it, to foften it, and prevent its Brittlenefs, it would be fo much the more extraordinary, as this fort of Copper is, per¬ haps, to be met with no where but in China , and that only in the Province of Tun-nan. Thofe who would have it keep its fine Colour, mix a fifth Part of Silver with it inftead of other Metal. As for the Copper named Tfe-lay-tong , or the Copper which comes of itfelf it proves to be no¬ thing. clfe but red Copper wafhed down by the great Rains from the high Mountains of Tun-nan> and found among the Sands and Flints, in the Channel of the Torrents, when they fubfide and their Beds become dry. The Chinefe pretend, that the Bracelets of Tfe-lay-tong defend the Arms againft the Palfy, or rather prevent their Lofs of Feeling, by the Difcharge of certain Humours. One of the Tartars who accompanied the Mifiionaries, found as much Benefit from Bracelets made of Tun-nan Gold, as he had received from thofe of Tfe-lay-tong ; whence the Virtues aferibed ro the exterior Appli¬ cation of that Metal may be juflly queftioned : However, it is in great Reputation in Tun-nan , and even in Pe-king. If what they affirm of the Stone called Hyung-Whang , being an Antidote againft Poifons is true, it ought to be looked on as a Source of Riches to the Empire, and preferred to the Rubies of Tun-nan , where Mines or rather Quarries of it are found, as alfo in feveral other Provinces, even Northern ones, as Shen-fi. Tis not a Mineral but a foft Stone, eafily formed into VefTels of all kinds, which they tinge with Vermillion, the Stone itfelf being naturally ol a yellowiffi Colour, and fometimes fpotted with black. What the Chinefe Geographers report, of its being an excellent Specifick againfl malignant Fe¬ vers, is uncertain ; at lea ft it is not ufed in the Cure of them in Places where it abounds: Whence it may be prefumed, that in cafe it has that Property, the Phyficians there have not difeovered it. The Lapis Armenus is not very dear in Tun-nan , where it is found in feveral Places, differing in nothing from what is imported into Europe. ’Tis produced alfo in the Province of Se-chwen , and in the Diftricft of Tay-tong-fu , belonging to Shan-fi , which furnifhes perhaps the moft beau¬ tiful Tufhe in all China ; ’tis a kind of white Jafper , the white refembling that of Agat j ’tis tranfparent, and fometimes fpotted when it is polifhed. The Rubies fold at Tun-nan-fu , are of the right fort, but very fmall. We know not in what Part of the Province they are found. One meets with fome other kinds of Precious Stones at the fame City ; but they are faid to be brought from other Countries, and efpecially from Ava : at leaft they are brought by the Merchants of that Kingdom, who come to trade at Tung-chang-fu y whofe Jurifdidion borders upon it. The faireft Rock Cryftal does not come from Tun-nan , but is found in the Mountains of Clang-chew-fu , and Chang-pu-hyen , in the Province of Fo-kyen , fituated in the Latitude of 24 deg. 10 min. The Artificers of thofe two Cities are very fkilful in working it 3 and they make of it Seals, Buttons, and Figures of Animals. There are in the fame Province (of Fo-kyen ) as alfo in feveral others. Quarries of Marble, not inferior to European Marble, were it as well wrought. However, one may meet at the Mer¬ chants with Variety of little pieces, well enough polifhed, and of a pretty good Colour; for inftance, the little Tables named Tyen-tfan , wherewith fometimes the Tables at Entertainments are adorned, are very pretty, and fpotted with divers Colours, which, though not extraordinary lively, reprefent very naturally Mountains, Rivers, and Trees : They are made of a Marble commonly dug in the Quarries of lay-li-ju , whereof they feledt only certain Pieces. But tho’ there is no want of Marble in China, yet one meets with neither Palace, Temple or other Structure at Peking or elfewhere, which is intirely built with it. Tho’ the Chinefe Houles are fupported by Pillars, it does not appear, that they have yet made any of Marble, or once thought of employing the coloured kind inftead of Wood, whereof they are accuftomed to make Pillars. Buildings even of the fine Free-ftone are rare in this Country : Stone is never ufed but in Bridges and Triumphal Arches, named Pay-lew , which adorn the Streets of a great Number of Towns in each Province. The the EMPIRE of C HINA 17 The triumphal Arches are moftly adorned with lively Figures of Men, Birds and Flowers, in Triumphal pierced Work ; fo neatly detached from the Body of the Arch, that they are joyned together only rc es ' by Cordons, and thus run into one another without Confulion. This Ihows the fuperior Skill of the ancient Workmen ; for it is obferved that the Triumphal Arches eredled of late in certain Cities, fall vaftly lhort of the old ones ; the Sculpture Is very fparing and appears coarfe ; the Work is all folid, without being pierced, or having any thing to enliven it. However, the Order in the modern Pay-lew , is the fame as in the old : But this Order is very different from ours, both as to the Difpofition and Proportion of the Parts. They have neither Chapiters, nor Cornifhes ; and that which bears fome Likenefs to our Frizes, is of a Height •fhocking to an Eye accuftomed to the European Architecture ; although it is fo much the more agreeable to the ChineJ'e Tafle, as it affords more Room for the Ornaments, which garnilh the Sides of the Infcriptions engraven thereon. The Stone-Bridges are commonly built like ours, on huge Stone Piers, capable of breaking ^ the Force of the Stream, and fuftaining the Weight of Arches, wide and high enough for the oftKcw^ larged; Barks topafs. They are very numerous in China, and the Emperor fpares no Expence, when >n their Stone the Benefit of the Public requires them to be built. There is fcarce a more beautiful Bridge to be fecn Cnd S C5 - than that of Fu-chew-Ju, Capital of the Province of Fo-kyen ; the River, which is a Mile and a half —That of broad, is fometimes divided into fmall Arms, and fometimes interfperfed with little Iflands. This Fu-tbewpi. is all united in joining the Blands by Bridges, which altogether make 8 Li or Furlongs, and 76 Chi¬ neJ'e Fathoms. The principal Bridge alone has above 100 Arches, built of white Stone, with carved Bannifters on each Side, upon which at, the diftance of every tenth Foot are placed little fquare Pilafters, whofe Bales are very large, refembling hollow Barks. Every Pillar bears one or two crofs Stones, which fupport ffone Steps, more or lefs in Number, according to the Breadth of the Bridge. But that which furpaffes all the reft, is the Bridge of Swen-chewfu , built over the point of an Arm of the Sea, which otherwife muft be crofted in a Bark, often not without Danger. It is 2520 ChineJ'e Feet long and 20 broad, fupported by 252 huge Piers, 126 on each fide ; All the Stones are of a greyifh Colour, and of the fame Length and Thicknefs, as well thofe which crofs from Pier to Pier, as thole which are laid a-crofs to join them together. ’Tis not eafy to comprehend where they could find fo many large Pieces of Rock, or how they could contrive to cut or place Stones of fuch enormous Weight, high enough for large Veffels to pafs underneath : the Bridge is likewife fet off with Ornaments, made of the fame fort of Stone. In lhort, the moft remarkable things to be feen elfewhere, however efteemed in the Country, are nothing comparable to this. What I have faid is fufficient to give the Reader an Idea of the Magnificence of the ChineJ'e in publick Edifices, and whatever concerns the Good of the People; with regard to which they are no lefs profufe, than they are fparing in what relates to their Perfons and private Buildings. This Magnificence appears ftill farther in the ^ Pays, which border the Rivers and Canals. ’Tis furprizing to behold of what Length and Breadth they are, and what large Stones they are fac’d with. But thefe Works, however fplendid they appear, fall far fhort of thofe which regard the Ri- R .^. ers an(J vers and Lakes. Nothing can be of greater public Conveniency, than to be able to go by Water Canals, from Kanton , the moft Southern Part of the Empire, to Pe-king the moft Northern-, and that without travelling above one Day by Land, over Mount Mey-lin, where the River of Kyang-Ji rifes : But one need never quit the Bark, provided he fails about thro’ the Provinces of Quang-fi and Hu-quang. For the Rivers of Hii-quang and Kyang-Ji run Northwards into the Yang-tfe-Kyang, which is the greateft River in all China, and traverfes it from Weji to Eajl. This great River joins the River Pe-ho , which is convey’d Southward from Pe-king , by means of Great Ca- a famous Artificial Canal j fo that there is an eafy Communication between the Southern Maritime nal. Provinces, and the Northern bordering on Yartary , which becomes an inexhauftible Source of reci¬ procal Advantages to both. This Canal, which is call’d Yu-lyang-ho, that is, the Canal j'or convey¬ ing Merchandize , and often Yu-ho , or the Royal Canal , is very remarkable for its Length, which is above 160 great French Leagues, and ftill more fo for the Evennefs of the Country thro’ which it is cut; for in all that Space there were neither Hills, Quarries nor Rocks, which gave the Workmen any Trouble either to level, or to penetrate. In the Province of Shan-tong is a River of an ordinary largenefs, named Wen-bo, whole Stream i t5 Origin they have found means to divide. The Point of Divifion is near a fmall Eminence, 3 Leagues and Courfe - from the little City of Wen-Jhan-hyen. This Place is call’d Fu-Jhwi-myau , or the Yemple of the divijion of the Waters , becaufe it is confecrated by the Idolaters to Long-vang , who, according to the Bonzas , is Mafter of the Waters ; the larger quantity of Water, after being divided, fupplies that Part of the Canal which runs to the North ; where, after it has received the River Wey-ho, from the Province of Ho-nan , and run a long Courfe, it falls, near the City of Yyen-tfng-wey in the Province of Pe-che-li , into the River which comes from Pe-king , and diicharges jtfelf into the Eaflern Ocean. The other Branch, which is fcarce one third Part of the Stream, running Southward [in the Canal] towards the Whang-ho , or 7 'ellow River , meets at firft with Pools and Marfhes, fome whereof ferve for its Channel, and others fupply it with Water, by means of Sluices, which are open’d and (hut at pleafure, with Wooden-Planks that are faftened a-crofs the Mouth of the Sluice, in Grooves cut into the Stone-Piers that line it, where it is dilcharg’d into the Canal. Vol. I. F Thefe is Imperial Barks. A GENERAL VIEW of Thefe Works are in Chinefe call’d Cha, and in our Relations Dikes, tho’ very improperly ; be- caufe thofe which are built in the Canal itfelf, and contract its Breadth, leaving only Space enough for a large Bark to pafs, ferve like our Sluices to retrain the Water, when they want at once to flop its Courfe either entirely, or in part, bv laying the Boards a-crofs to a certain Height. This Precaution is often neceffary, efpecially in times of Drought: For the Stream of the Canal be- in-* only part, as has been obferved, of a moderate River, and not able to furnifh Water to more than the Depth of 5 or 6 Feet, they have endeavour’d to retard, and even flop the Courfe of it, by the Elbows made by frequent Turnings and Windings of the Canal : It happens fome Years, when there is fcarcity of Rain, that it is reduced to three Feet of Water, which is not fuffieient to bear the great Imperial Barks, that carry the Provifions and Tributes furnifhed by the Pro¬ vinces to Court. In Parts therefore fubjedt to that Inconvenience, they have recourfe to this fort of Sluices, [or Refervoires,] if they deferve that Name, fince they have no other Bafin befides the Canal itfelf. The Number of others is not fo great as is reported, not exceeding 45, and their Breadth not above 30 Feet, nor are the Sides of the Canal lined with Stone, except here and there : They often need repairing, either in thofe Places where the Earth, being fandy and loofe, eafily tumbles down j or elfe near Ponds, which fwell’d by extraordinary Rains, fometimes break down the Banks that are made commonly of Earth, probably the fame that was thrown up in digging the Canal. They have greater Difficulties to ftruggle with, beyond the Whang-ho : For, to draw the Canal from its Southern fide to the great Yang-tfe-Kyang , it was neceflary to raife great Banks of Stone, and other Works of that kind, to relift the Waters, both of a great Lake which is to the Weft, and of the River Quay-ho, which fwell’d to fucha degree, in the time of great Rains, that, after ravaging the Plain, it fell with fury on the Canal; thefe Works are near Whay-ngan-ju , and the bell that have been made for the Service of the Canal. There are alfo fome pretty good ones towards Yang-chm-fu, which ferve as Quays to that fine City. Beyond the Yang-tfe-Kyang, the Canal (which is continued from Chin-kyang-fu , thro' Chang - chew-fu, and Su-chew-fu, and receives the feveral Canals of the Province of Che-kyang ,) is more commodious, as it is not embarrafs’d with Sluices, or fuch like Works. The Evennefs of the Land, the plenty of Water which has no Defcent, and the Nature of the Ground, are Advantages which it wou’d have been difficult for thofe who made the Canal to have met with elfe-where. That which moll charms the Eye, is the vaft Number of large and beautiful Imperial Barks, divided into Squadrons, commanded each by its Mandarin , advancing in great Order, loaded with the beft Things that the Provinces afford. ’Tis commonly reported, and agreeable to the printed Accounts, that the Number of thefe Barks, maintain’d at the Expence of the Empire, amounts to 10,000. However the Mandarins , who are Surveyors of the Tranfports of Mer¬ chandizes, and count them in their Paffage, have often affirm’d, that they never faw above 4 or 5000 of them arrive : But even that Number is furprizing, when we refledt upon the Large- nefs of thofe Barks, many whereof carry 80 Tun, and that they are defign’d meerly for ap¬ plying the Imperial City with Neceffaries. In the Countries, where there is no danger of damaging the Great Royal Canal, feveral little Canals have been cut into it, by the Inhabitants of neighbouring Towns or great Villages. The Advantages that accrue by having a Communication with the whole Kingdom, and there¬ by facilitating Trade, have made the ChineJ'e furmount Difficulties which frighten Europeans. We meet with an In fiance of this in the Canals that pafs from Shau-hing-ju to Ning-po-fu ; the Waters of one Canal not being on a Level with that of another, the Boat, by means of two Capeftanes, is boifted upon a Stone-Glacis, or Sloping, which being made flippery with Wa¬ ter, the Boat Aides down into the fecond Canal, as fwift as an Arrow out of a Bow: For this reafon they are made in form of Gondolas , with Keels of a Wood hard enough to fuftain the Weight of the Bark. Thefe Boats are proper only for carrying Goods from Ning-po, and the Towns depending on it, as far as the Canal of Shau-hing. They differ much, both as to fize and make, from the Imperial Barks, which to be fure wou’d be broken to Pieces, or at leaft receive fome confiderable Damage in the Defcent. In the Province of Quang-fi they have joined the River that falls into the Sea at Kanton with that which, after eroding the Province of Hu-quang , enters into the great Yang-tfe-Kyang, at the Place where the Royal Canal ends, as has been already obferved. The Waters which defeend from the Mountains, in the North Part of the Province, form near the City Hing-ngan-hyen a frnall River, which is flopped by a Bank equal to the higheft Ground whereon it runs, and its Rapidity makes it fwell above the natural Declivity of its Channel, which difeharges the Surplus of the Water. But this Canal, which goes not far, before it enters the two Rivers juft now mentioned, is neither fo commodious, nor fo well kept in Repair as the Grand Canal. The Wa¬ ter is often fo low, that in many Places the Barks are rather hailed along the Gravel, than car- ry’d by the Stream. Thefe forts of Sluices, which are very proper for increafing the Water, by flopping its Courfe, are commonly made only of Earth, fupported by Stakes, and their Mouths fecured by Matts, or fuch like things. But whatever Defedts happen, they are fupply’d by the Induftry and Labour of the Boatmen and Peafants. This Road is chofen by the Merchants, who are deterred from ta¬ king that to Kanton, thro’ the Province of Kyang fi > becaufe of the Expence and Trouble they are obliged to be at, by carrying their Goods one Day’s Journey over Land. There the EMPIRE of C HINA t? There is fome Inconveniency in travelling from Kanton by the Province of Hu-qUmg-, /of they mull quit the River (which palling to Shtnt-chew-fft, falls into that of Kanton) at I-chang- byen, whence it is 7 Leagues and a half to the fine City of Ching-cbew, (both in Hu-quang ) where they embark on another River which falls into the great Yang-tJe-Kyang : But, when the Waters are high, they are not retarded at all in the Road thro’ Kyang-.fi and Hu-quang: 'Tis' doubtlefs of vaft Advantage to the whole Kingdom, to have A conftant Cotirle of Trade fo eali- ly kept up among the Provinces, by means of the Communication carry'd on, as well by the Royal Canal, which leads to Pe-king, as the Idler Canals, which terminate in it, like fo many crois Roads. Thefe Canals are fupply’d with Fifh from the Rivers and Lakes, therewith they commUni- Different cate ; one meets with almoft all the Kinds that are found in our Rivers in France: Several others kinds ofFllh.. come from the Sea, advancing a great way up the Rivers ; fometimes thofe of the largeft Size are caught in Places above 150 Leagues from the Coaft. There is near Nan-king, a famous Filhery for Shads, call’d She-yu , in the Months of April and May ; and at another Place, a good way from thence, there is fuch plenty of this fort of Fifh, that they often carry them to' a neigh¬ bouring Illand call’d FJong-ming , where they were fold exceeding cheap, at the time the Miffib- naries made the Map of it. Thefe Miflionaries were fo employ’d in fettling the Geography of Places, that they had hot time to enquire into the various Species of Fifh, which are fo numerous in the Rivers and Lakes of China : Befides, a Work of that kind wou’d belong to a Natural Hiftory of the Country, if it were fet on foot. They have, however, obferved two or three Things lingular enough. The fu ft is, That in the great River Yang-tfe-Kyang, not far from the City Ky&ui-king-fil, in the Province of Kyang- Ji, a prodigious Number of Barks meet every Year to buy the Spawn of Filhes. About May the People of the Country damm up the River for 9 or 10 Leagues together, in feveral Places, with Mats and Hurdles, (leaving only Room enough for Barks to pafs) in order to flop the Spawn, which they know how to diftinguifh at firft Sight, tho’ the Water is fcarce alter’d; with this Water, mixt with the Spawn, they fill feveral Veffels to fell to the Merchants, who at this Sea- fon arrive in great Numbers to buy, and tranfport it into divers Provinces, taking Care to have it ftirr’d up from time to time. This Water is fold by Meafure to fuch as haveFilh-Ponds and Pools belonging to their Houfes ; in a few Days the young Fry begin to appear in little’ Shoals, but the different Kinds cannot be fo foon diftinguifhed. The Profit often amounts to a hundred times the Expence ; for the common People live much On Filli. The next Thing remarkable, is the Kin-yu , or Golden-Fijh ; thefe are kept, either in little Golden Fill.. Ponds, made for that purpofe, wherewith the Houfes of Pleafure, belonging to the Princes and great Lords, are embellilh’d ; or elfe in Bafins, that commonly adorn the Courts of their Houfes : In thefe Bafins, which are more deep than wide, they put the leaft that can be found • For the fmaller they are, they think them the more beautiful; befides, the greater Number mag be kept of them, and they afford more Diverfion. "' The prettied of them are of a curious Red, fpeckled as it were with Gold-Duft, efpecialty to¬ wards the Tail, which is forked with two or three Points; fome are of a filver Colour, others White, and fome fpotted with Red ; both forts are extraordinary lively and adKve, delighting to play on the Surface of the Water ; but then their Smallnefs renders ’em fo tender, that the leaft impreffion of Air, and even any violent Ihaking of the Veffel, will kill great Numbers of them. Thofe that are bred in Ponds are of various Sizes ; fome are bigger than our largeft Pil¬ chards (n) : They teach them to rife up to the Top of the Water at the Noife of a Clappe- which the Perfon ufes who feeds them. What is mod furprizing is, that, according to all Ac¬ counts, the beft way to preferve them is to give them nothing in Winter ; ’tis certain they do not feed them for 3 or 4 Months at Pe-king, while the very cold Weather lafts ; what they live on in the mean time, under the Ice, it is not egly to underftand, except we liippoie, either that they find little Worms in the Roots of Herbs, which grow at tile Bottom of the Ponds; or die that Pieces of Roots themfelves, being foftened by the Water, become proper Food for them • but thofe which, to prevent their being frozen, are taken into the Houfes, and kept all Winter in a Chamber, often fhut up in a China Veffel, without being fed at all, are towards Spring put into the Bafins again, where they lport with the fame Strength and Agility as they did the Year before One wou’d imagine they knew their Mailers, and thofe who carry them Food, by their beinff fo ready to rife at their approach: The greateft Lords themfelves delight in feeding them with their own Hands, and Ipend fome Time to obferve their nimble Motions, and fporting in the Water. Thefe Fiih, at leaft the prettieft of them, are caught ifl a fftialt Lake (o), in the Province of Che-kyang, near the little City of Chang-'aiha-hyert, in the Diftrifl of Han-chew-fS, and at the Foot of a Mountain calld Ffyen-king, fituated in 30 d. Z3 m. of Latitude ; but as this Lake is fmall it is not likely that all the Golden-F:ih come from thence, which are leen in the Provinces of China, particularly thofe of Quan-tong and Fo-kyen, where this Species may be eafily preferved and propagated. For ’tis certain, that even the fmalleft of thofe that are fed in Veffels are prolific enough ; their Spawn is feen fwimming on the top of the Water, and provided it is taken up and kept with Care, the Heat of the Seafon never fails to animate it. 1 (n) They fcarce ever exceed a Finger’s Length, and one of the better fort fells for three or four Crowns. (°) It is not above 200 Acres in compafs. : But zo The Hay /*'*%• Pctrefy’d Sea-Crabs. Remarkable Lakes. The Great WALL of CHINA. But this Kind of FiCh is not more beautiful, than thofe, called by the Cbinefe Hay-feng , ore hideous and ugly ; they are however the -common Diet of the Cbinefe, and make a Diih in al- moft every Meal; they are feen floating on the Coafts of Shan-tong and Fo-kyen : The Mifliona- ries took them at flrft for fo many inanimate Lumps: But the Ckinefe Mariners having taken one of them, bv their Orders, they found it to be alive. It fwam in the Bafin wherein it. was caft, and even liv’d there a pretty while. The Natives having always told them, that tltis Animal had four Eyes and fix Feet, and that in Figure it refembled a Man’s Liver, they examin’d it very carefully, but cou’d difeover only two Places, which feem’d to be Eyes, by the fignsof Fear it (hewed when they moved their Hands before thofe Parts ; indeed, was every thing, that ferves it to move with; to ire look’d on as Feet, one might reckon as many as there are little Pimples, re- fembling Buttons, all over its Body ; it has neither Prickles nor Bones, and dies the Moment it is lqueezed. A little Salt will preferve it, in which it is convey’d to all Parts oi the Empire ; it is accounted a great Dainty, and fo it may really be to a Cbinefe Palate, tho’ it did not appear io to ours. But if one’s own Tafte is not the fame at all times, no wonder it llrou'd differ from that of People accuftom’d to different Food. I might ipeak of a kind of Sea-Crabs, (found between the Coaft of Kau-chem, in the Pro¬ vince of r>uang-tong , and the Ifle of Hay-nan) which are fubjeft to Petrefaition without lofing their natural Shape, but this is no Novelty in Europe : The Cbinefe Phyficians prefevibe them as very proper in burning and acute Fevers ; but to prove the certainty of this. Experiments ought to be made to demonftrate the Efficacy of this Remedy. The Cbinefe tell Wonders alfo, concerning the Water of certain Lakes and Rivers •, but what they report appears to be as falfe as it feems improbable. Nature being the fame in all Countries, extraordinary Effedts ought to be rare, which they wou’d not be, if all that is laid on this Head, by the Cbinefe , was true : However it can’t be deny’d, but that China is full of confiderable Lakes as well as Rivers; fuch are the Hong-fe-Hti in the Kyang-pe ; Ta-Hti , partly in the Province of Kyang-nan,- and partly in that of Cbe-kyang •, the Po-yang-Hu in Kyang-fi, and the greateft of all, in H&- quatig, named Tong-ting-Hu. This laft Lake is remarkable for the greatnefs of its Circumfe¬ rence, which is above 80 French Leagues, and the abundance of its Waters, efpecially in cer¬ tain Seafons when two of the largeft Rivers in the Province, fwollen with the Rains, difeharge tliemfelyes into it, and when it difembogues them, one can fcarcely perceive it to be dimi- nilhed. In the Province of Tun-nan there are, .at lead, three Rivers which terminate in pretty large Lakes, but let’s than the four already mentioned ; the People of the Country name them Hay, that is Seas. There are alfo in the lame Province, as well as fome others, large Brooks, which run under Ground for a confiderable Space, and appear again : But there is nothing in all this inconfiftent with the Nature of Things, the Countries known to us affording Inftances of the like kind. As the Cities of China , which are very numerous, are almoft all built oil Lakes, Rivers or Canals, they make without doubt their greateft Ornament, and render travelling by Water ex¬ tremely commodious, as well as agreeable ; this will appear hereafter from the Dclcription of the feveral Provinces, each of which is preceded by its Map. But flrft I think it neceffary to give art Account of tile Great Wall, and certain Nations, which are either independant of the Cbinefe , or but half-l’ubdued. To thefe I have added the Travels of certain Miffionaries thro’ divers Pro¬ vinces, whofe Obfervations are fo particular, that the Reader will imagine he is performing tha Journey himfclf. ....... «. ,f. .* % * .* - ». .1 .♦. .*■ r - .% ■*. ■ lGL cilk tSci-i; t>A VJ.’ til i My ttjj t£h 0-0 ti--: tu; toJ J eta-; Uts c-J into too t .*• .% .*■ .*• .*• & .?■ A ot; ccO -j o too ojj tio tiO uJO tit a tor i too tii; tits tS; tfil <£b Of the Great Wall, feparating China from Tartary. T HIS celebrated Wall was built by the famous Emperor Tfm Shi-whang, with a politic View, 221 Years before Chrift. It bounds China on the North , and defends it again!! the neigh¬ bouring Tartars, who being at that time divided into various Nations, under different Princes, cou’d only incommode it by fudden Inroads and Plunderings. There was then no Inftance of fuch a re-union among the H'efern Tartars, as happen’d about the beginning of the 13th Cen¬ tury, when they conquer’d China. No Work in the World is equal to this; it is continued along three large Provinces, viz. Pe-che-li, Shan-f, and Sben-Ji, built often in Places which feem inac- ceflible, and llrengthened with a Series of Forts erefled at no lefs Expence. The beginning of this Wall is a large Bulwark of Stone, rais’d in the Sea, to the Eaji of Pe-king, and almoft in the lame Latitude, being 40 d. 2 m. and 6 f in the Province of Pe-che-li ; it is well terrafied, and cafed with Brick, and is as high, and much broader, than the Walls of the Cities of the Em¬ pire ufually are, that is, from 20 to 25 Feet in height. P. Regis , and the other Miffionaries, who aflifted him in making the Map of the Provinces, have often, 011 the Top of it, apply’d the Cord to meafure the Bales of Triangles, and taken the Bear¬ ing of Points at a diftance ; they always found it well pav’d, and wide enough for 5 or 6 Horie- men to march a-breaft with eafe. The Gates of the Great Wall are defended on the fide of China, by pretty large Forts : The flrft of them to the Eaji is call’d Shang-bay-^uan, it Hands near the Wall, which extends, from the Bulwark before-mentioned, the Space of a League, along a The Great W ALL of CHINA. a, Country perfedlly level, and does not begin to afcend the Mountains, till after it has pafs’d. that Place. It was the Chinefe General commanding in this Part, who firil called in the Tartars of the Province of Lyau-tong, which lies beyond it : And by this gave them an Opportunity of con¬ quering China , notwithstanding the Confidence the Chinefe had in their mural Rampart, which they thought impregnable. Such is the viciffitude of human Affairs, that outward Defences and all the Strength of a State, lerve only to produce more fudden Revolutions, and even haften its Ruin, when unfupported by Virtue in the Subject, and Vigilance in the Prince. The other Forts, no lefs remarkable, are Hi-fong-kew , in 40 deg. 26 min. Tufl:e-kew in 41 deg. 19 min. 20 fee. Chang-kya-kew , in 40 deg. 5 min. 15 fee. two noted Paffes, by which the Tartars , who are Subject to China , come to Pe-king ; and Kii-Pe-kew * in 40 deg. 43 min. 1 5 fee. this laft was the Way the Emperor Kang-hi ufually took to go to Je-ho-el in Tart ary : The Place is above 40 Leagues North-eaftward from Pe-king. About it are nothing but Mountains where he ufed to take theDivsrlion of Hunting : The Road hither from Pe-king is a grand Work, and level as a Bowling-Green. Here that great Prince refrded above one half of the Year, governing his vaff Empire all the while with the fame Eafe as a Father governs his Family. If he returned late from Hunting, he never went to Reft till he had difpatched all the Petitions, and next Morning rofe again before Day-break. It was furprizing to fee him at the Age of Sixty, often when it fnow’d very hard, on Horfeback, in the midft of his Guards, cloathed as thinly as themfelves, laden with his Bow on one Side and his Quiver on the other, without offering to make ufe of an empty Chaife which followed him. All thefe Forts, which are in the Province of Pe-che-li , are made of Earth, cafed on both Sides with Brick; but when one leaves that Province and enters Shan-fi , towards Tyen-ching-wry , the Wall begins to be only of Earth, is without Battlements, nor fo much as plaiftered, grows narrow, and is riot above 15 Feet in Height. However, after one has palled Sha-hu-kcw in 40 deg. 19 min. which is the Place the Rujfians come to dire&ly from Se/i?ighin/koi , it is cafed on the outfide with Brick ; forne of its-Towers alfo are very large, and built of Brick, on a Foundation of Stone; but it does not always continue the fame. The River Whajig-ho , which has Centry- Boxes along its Banks, where Soldiers keep Guard day and night, fupplics the Place of the Great Wall towards the Borders of Shan-fi and Shen-Ji. Beyond the Whang-ho , Weftward. in the Province of Shen-Ji, the Wall is only of Earth, low, narrow, and fometimes of Gravel (for it ftands in a gravelly Country) and in fome Places quite ruined. But then the Entrance is defended by feveral confiderable Cities, as Tu-ling-hyen , in 3-8 deg. 18 min. Ning-hya, (rj 18 deg. 32 min. 8 fee. Lyang-chew (qJ in 3yd. 59 m. Kan-chew, in 39 deg. Su-chew and Sibling, at which Places General Officers are polled with Bodies of Troops. He who refides at Kan-chew is the Generalifiimo, whom they name Ti-tu ; the reft are only Lieu¬ tenant-Generals called Tfong-ping. Ning-hya is the beft of thefe Cities; it is handfomer, richer and better built than moft Cities of the Empire : It is alfo pretty large ; for taking in both the Inclofures, that are inhabited, it is at leaft 15 Chinefe Li in Compafs. The Iuduftry of the Inhabitants has rendered the Country about it fertile ; for by means of Canals and Sluices which they have made, they can convey the Waters of the Whang-ho into the Lands when they ftand in need of Mcifture. There are Salt-fprings in the Ditches of the Town, from which they make Salt. Here are alfo Manufactories of Wool¬ len Goods and Carpets, after the Tnrkifh Fafhion. The Mountains arefo high and almoft perpen¬ dicularly fteep in the Diftridt of Ning-hya , that 7 or 8 Leag. from the City they lerve inftead of the Great Wall, for the Space of about 10 Leagues. Su-chew, which lies in 39 d. 45 m. 40 f. is a pretty large City ; but not equal to Ning-hya, either for Beauty or Trade, tho’ it commands the Garrifon at Hya-yu-quan , (thro’ which the Road lies to Hami) and feveral Diftridts of the Kalka Tartars. The Wall in thefe Parts is only of Earth, but kept in better Repair than elfc where, becaufe of the Neighbourhood of the People of Hami , who have fubmitted to the Emperor within thefe few Years. The Walls of Hya-yu-quan are not of Brick, but they are well guarded with Soldiers who defend this important Pafs. The Wall ends when you have paffed the little City Chwang-lan\ fo named becaufe it ftands where two Roads meet, one whereof is in the Valley which goes by Lang-chew to Hya-yu-quan, and the other upon the Mountains which reach to Si-ning-chew ; but inftead of a Wall there is a pretty broad Trench dug on purpofe, excepting in the narrow Paffes near to Si-ning , which are walled like thofe in the Province of Shen-Ji. The City of Si-ning lying in 36 deg. 59 min. is not large, but exceeds Ning-hya in Trade. All the Furrs that come from the Weftern Tartary , are fold in this Town, or in a neighbouring Borough called To-pa. This laft Place is of more Worth than a large City, although it is neither well built nor well fituated ; for it abounds with almoft all forts of foreign as well as Chinefe Commodities, and with various kinds of Drugs, as Saffron, Dates, Coffee, "'*■> «B. beffieed 1 ffie g Tow^nf k " eW ° f thefe P rl ™ te Contr ^, after making fome Ravages, Delieged tne 1 own of St-lyang, and taking it, put the Governor to Death; he thought to puffi his -onqueft farther, believing that Pan-lo-chi was coming to join him with his Army, to favour his Defigns. 2S The HISTORY of the ( Dd'igns. But that Prince having, at the Head of 60,000 Horfe, come up with the King of Hya CHRIST, in a few Days, attack'd him with fo much Valour, that he entirely defeated his great Army; however, being wounded in the Battle he dyed foon after the Victory. So-tjb-lo his Succeffor bent his Thoughts on recovering the ancient Monarchy of his Anceflors. His little Dominion confided only of 7 or 8 Towns, with feme neighbouring Countrys. But he rely'd much on the experience and valour of his Troops, which were very well difeiplined ; he was in hopes alfo that the refi of the Tu-fan wou'd join him and feek his Proteftion, when they (hou’d fee him powerful enough to defend them. He fix’d his Court at Tfing-ko-ching, where he efta- blifhed Officers the lame both as to Number and Titles, that the Kings his Predeccfl'ors had. Af¬ terwards levying new Forces in the Territories of Li-tjing-chin, Ho-chew, J-cbwen, Tfmg-tung and throughout all the Parts in general that remain'd to him of the ancient Dominions ot the Tu-fan, he entred the Territories of the Empire feveral Times, but was always beaten, and at length concluded a Peace. The Enterprizes of the King of Hya gave him feme uneafinefs. That Prince's power encreaf- ed Daily, which fwelled his Pride to fuch excefs, that he had afliimed the Title of Emperor. The Chinefe Monarch was glad of having So-lfo-io to oppofe him, and to engage that Prince more firmly in his lntered, he made him Governor General of Pau-Jhun , which dood very con¬ veniently for him. So-tjo-lo dying in the mean Time, the Divifion, which foon after enfued a- mong his Children, haden'd the intire ruin of the State of the Tu-J'an. That Prince had by his fird Wife two Children, the one named Hya-chen, and the other Mo-chen-tfu : He had afterwards by a fecond Venter the Prince Ton-pen. This lad Wife had fo much influence and favour, that to render her Son more powerful, (lie perfwuded her Hufband to imprifon his Children by the firfl, and oblige their Mother to turn Bonzefs. But they finding means to efcape, and deliver their Mother out of the Monaflery where die had been (but up, the People who affided them in getting out of Prifon, declared for them. So-tJ'o-lo who had recovered from his infatuation approved of this Change, and permitted that Mo-chen-tju fhou'd live at‘ Tfong-ko-ching which he gave him for his Maintenance, for he had re¬ moved his Court to Chen-chew. To Kan-ku his other Son he affign’d Hya-chen (n) for the Place of his abode. As to his third Son Ton-Jhen , who appear’d to him mod capable of upholding his Family, he gave up to him all his Authority and the red of his Dominions. Ton-Jhen refided at Li-tjing-chin, where he was equally beloved of his People and fear’d by his Neighbours : Info- much that all the Til-fan which dwelt to the North of the Whang-ho [ or Yellow River] were in- tirely under his Subjection. Moreover the Emperor of China granted him the Government of the whole Country of Pau-Jhun , at the Requed of So-tfo-lo, who furrendred it in his Favour. This great Power wherewith the Younger was inveded, gave Umbrage to the two Elder, and their Families, who were afraid of being one time or other opprefs’d : Neverthelefs they re¬ fumed Courage, afferting the Privileges of their Seniority, and by the precautions they took, died undidurbed in the Cities that fell to their Share. Mu-ching , Son of Hya-chen, more uneafy than his Father at the Power of Prince Ton-Jhen, re- folved to fubmit to the Emperor and deliver up to him Kan-ku, Ho-chew, and all the Land, which were in his Poffeffion. As the City of Ho chew was a Place of great importance for fecuring the Frontiers of the Empire, the Chineje Monarch received the Propofals of Mu-ching with joy, grant¬ ing to him and his Poderity in general, whatever he demanded in order to live with Honour in the Empire. Mo-chen-tfi had for his Heir his Son Kyau-ki-ting, who was much beloved in his little State, but did not lurvive his Father many Years. His Son Hya-cbcng fuccecded him : He was a pal- fionate, violent and cruel Prince, whereby he fo incenfed his Subjects, that they form’d a Defign to depole him, and fet up his Uncle Sit-nan in his Stead. But the Plot being dilcovered, Su-nan and alrnofl all his Accomplices were put to Death. One of the Principal Officers, named Tfyen-lo-ki, finding means to efcape, carry’d with him Cho-fa who was of the Prince’s Family ; and feizing the City of Ki-ku-ching, caufed him to be proclaimed Prince of that petty State. But Hya-ching haftening thither with his Forces, took the Place, and put Cho-fa to Death : while Tj'yen-lo-ki in the midft of all thefe troubles, found means again to efcape to Ho-chew. * ~ The General Van-chau, having been made Governor of this Place by the Emperor of China, Tj'yen-lo-ki perfuaded him that the Conqueft of the Country of Tfmg-tang was very eafy, and that if he had a mind he might make himfelf Mailer of it. Van-chau gave ctedit to him, and immediately attack’d the little City of Mo-clrwen, which he took without any Difficulty. It was then that the Prince Hya-ching, feeing himfelf hated by his People, and vigoroufly attack’d by the Chineje, refolved to iubmit to the Emperor on advantageous Conditions. To this end he re- 1099 paired himfelf to Van-chau, offer’d him all the Territories that belonged to hint, and obtained his Demands. The Emperor ratify’d the Treaty and gave the Government of this Diflridf to Hu-tJ'ong-wha. The like happen’d to Long-fu (f.) a SoiYof Mu-ching, whom one of the Chiefs of the Tu-fan had put in Pofieffion of the City of Hi-pa-wen. After feveral Battles fought with Van-chau, wherein (n) Hai-tchen in the Fr. perhaps by Miflake of the Printer. Confonants, except ti, I. fxv) OT y. tit true they is fomerimes added (e) Orig. Lmc-Ju , doubtlefs another Miitake ; there be- to «, by the Miffionaries, but it is only to diltinguilh certain ing 1 0 Chintft Word that ends with r or k, or indeed with any Words. Sic Prcf. p. 12. The T ART ARS of KOKO-NOR. 2p wherein he diftinguiffi'd himfelf by his furprizing Valour, being fometimes Conqueror and fome tunes conquered; that Prince fubmitted upon advantageous Terms, which the Emperor ratified and thereby all his Territories were re-united to the Empire. The Family of the third Son of So-tfo-lo continued longer in Splendor, but at length it was dif- ponelfed of its Principality Dy the Mongols, who took the Name of Twen and Twen-chau after the Conqueft of China. 3 In the midft of the Troubles, which arofe in the 12th Century between the Chinefe Emperors ot the Dynafty of the Song, and the Eaftern Tartars, called Nu-che, who took the Name of Km , the Family of Ton-pen made an Alliance with the Kings of Hya, and under their Protection enjoy’d their Territories pretty peaceably : But at length it was involved in the com mon Rum by the victorious Founder of the Dynafty of the Twen, whom our European Authors name Jtnghtz-Khdn, , and the Chinefe Chin-ki-Je-Han. (e) The Year 1227, according to the Cbineft Hiftory, is the JE ra of the intire Ruin of the Tit- End of the Jan ; from that 1 ime they have remained in their ancient Country without either Name or Power Kin S‘ : ° m of happy to live there in quiet. So true it is, that the Divilion of a Government almoft always ' he overturns the mod fiourifhing Monarchies. The Tit-fan were always refpeSed by their Neigh boors, fo long as they were united under Mcrnarchs who were capable of governing them well Tho’ the Form of the Government has been changed among the Tu-fan, their Belief has always Religion of continued the fame The Idolatry of Fo was the Religion of their Kings and Princes, as it is ftill che Tu ' faH ' that of the Cmefs of the Nation. The Lama Bonzas , and fometimes the Ho-lhan Bonzas had great Authority 111 their Courts : They even chofe them to be Mmifters of State and on certain Occalions to command the Armies.- Superftition has rather encreafed among the Tu-fan fince their Decline. Under the Emperors of the Twen, the Lamas became fo powerful that the Tartar Families thought it was an Honour to have one of their Kindred among thefe Bonzas 'Tis likely this introduced among the Tu-fan, who were then Subjefls to the Twen, the Cuftom of con¬ ferring on a Lama of the Family, the Power of Governing and Punching. This alto has much contributed to their being fo extremely devoted to Fo. Their Libe-alitv is never mewn, unlefs it be in honouring this Idol, which they inrich by their Offerings For they Andkn ° W P re "y well bow to work it, efpecially in making The ufe of Gold is alfo very ancient among ’em : Since the Chinefe Books mention that in the Reign of a certain Emperor of the Dynafty of the Han, an Officer having been fent to the Tu- fan to complain ot the Devaftations made by fome of their Chiefs with their united Forces they endeavoured to pacify him, by offering him a Quantity of Gold Plate : But the Officer refufed it, earning the Tu-fan to be told, that Rice in diffies of Gold did not reliffi with him. , Their Country is very Mountainous: Lying between the Rivers Wharig-hb to the North, Ya-tong Katare of to the Weft, and the 7 ang-tje-kyang to the Raft. Neverthelefs, between thefe Mountains there the Co»m,y. are fome fine Plains which are like thofe of Se-chwen and Tun-nan, principally along the Banks of the great and beautiful River Ta-long : But there is neither Town nor Fortrefs t 0 8 be met with any where, though there muft needs be the remains of Cities, fince it is certain there were fome formeily in this Country. The Source of the Ta-long, which is both broad and deep, is between 34 and 35 de g- of latitude and 19 of longitude (f). Sf> "" gS “Vr 6 ran £-tri: k l an S> which runs quite thro’ China, are in the Country of the Tu-fan. The moil famous which the oldeft Chinefe Books fpeak of, is named He-fhwi and lies below 33 deg. of lat. and in it of long, but it is called by the Tic fan, Ch&nak, and comes from a Cham of Mountains, which they name Churkiila. I thought fit to take particular notice of this, becaufe the Chinefe Books of Geography relate many falfehoods concerning the great River Tang-tfe-kyang. Thefe Authors wrote only from common ^Tfan a1 ^ at a TimC WhCn therC WaS fCarCC any Correl P ondenc e with either Tibet or the Of the TARTARS j/KOKO-NOR, B E f Y ^D^, without the Gates of the Great Wall, are the Territories olthe Tartars of Koh-Nor. They are proper y Eluths (g) by Nation : But fince the Extimftion of the woyal Family denominated Twen-chau, they inhabit to the Weft of China, along the Province call t. t WeC ", “ ££ rthe l ’ the ^ take their Name from a s reat Lake which the Chinfe Koko Nor'* tlat 1S> tkC ^ eftern Sea 3 and themfelves in their own Language, Koko-Nol "or have be “ * he comtry p °“ d * *• ing conneded withfbat'of 7Sfe ' SdSSff't “ v' f uey-cbew and other Territories, which formerly did or do at prefent belong to them, they were all built by the Chinefe ; the Iron Bridge as it is called, which is in $uey-cbew upon the great Road to Tun-nan, is the Work of a Chinefe General, whofe Name is cut in a great Piece of Marble on the other Side of the Pan-ho. Th'is is a Torrent, which is not wide but very deep; on each Bank they have built a great Gate be¬ tween two huge Piers of Stone, 6 or 7 Foot broad, and 17 or 18 high ; from each of the Piers" on the Eaft Side hang 4 Chains by huge Rings, which are faften’d to the Piers on the Weftern Side, and link'd together by fmall Chains, which make it look like Network with great Melhes on this they have laid thick Planks faften'd one to the other; but as they do not reach within fome Paces of the Gate, becaufe of the bending of the Chains, efpecially when loaded, they have fixt Conloles or Brackets on the fame, level with the Gate, which fupports a Floor that reaohes to the Planks laid on the Chains; on the Sides of thefe Planks they have fet up little Wooden Pilafters- which fuftain a fmall Roof of the fame Materials, continued from one Side to the other, the Ends • whereof reft on the Piers. The Chinefe have made fome other Bridges in imitation of this, which is famous over all the Empire ; there is one efpecially pretty well known, on the River Kin-Jha-kyang, in the ancient Country of the Lo-lo of the Province of Tun-nan ; and in that of Se-chwen there are 2 or - others, which are fupported only by thick Ropes, but thefe tho’ fmall, are tottering and fo unfecure that nothing but Neceffity could make one venture to crofs them. 1 They have fucceeded better in fome other Parts, both in the Province of Se-chwen, at the Foot of the Mountains poffefs’d by the Myau-tJ'e, and in that of Shen-fi, in the Diftridt of Han-chong-fu. They have by help of Confoles faften’d Wooden Poles into the Rocks of the Mountains ; on thefe they have laid thick Planks, and thus rftade Bridges hanging over the Valleys, which ferve for Roads, fometimes for a coniiderable Way together. 0 All thele are the Works of the ancient Chinefe fettled in thole Provinces, which (hews the Su¬ periority of their Genius, not only over the Myau-tfe and Lo-lo, but even all the neighbouring Nations, both to the Wellward and Southward. ^ The Travels of federal Jesuit Missionaries in CHI NA. The Road taken by P P. Bouvet, Fontaney, Gerbillon, Ie Comte, and \ ifdeiou, from the Port of Ning-po to Pe-king: with a very exact and particular Dcfcription of all the Places which they pajs'cl through in the Provinces of Che-kyang, Kyang-nan, Shan-tong, and Pe-che-li. W E departed from Ning-po the 26 th of November 1687, in order to go to Pe-king, where we were call’d by the Emperor, embarking in the Evening with a Mandarin, who was appointed us by the Governor. The 27th m the Morning we pafs’d by Tu-yau-hyen, a City of the third Order, depending on Shau-hmg ; its Wall inclofes a pretty high Mountain, on which there is not a Houfe to be leen, (I) It appears by a Circumftance among others ia the next Journal, that P Fontaneg wrote this. * ^ MISSIONARIES in CHINA. except towards the Foot. A little River feparates the City from a Palace., which Li-Ko-iau, after having obtain'd a Permifiion to retire from Court, caufed to be built in the Rewn of the Father Kr '" 1 f” m pf the Emperor Van-lye, to perpetuate his Memory in the Place of his Birth. He inclofed with Walls a great Piece of Ground, which was inhabited afterwards and is now Part of the City • AAR/ there is a Communication between them, by means of a Bridge of 3 Arches, pretty well built’ and over-againft it are ereded 7 or 8 Triumphal Arches, which almoft touch one another That Day in the Evening we pafs’d two Dikes, and arrived firft at a Paffage where they hoi’ft up the Barks in order to convey them into a Canal, which is 9 or 10 Feet higher than the Level of the River; they hoift the Bark on a Slope or Declivity, paved with great Stones, and when it is at the Top they let it Hide down another into the Canal. There are feveral People at this Pafikge who wan to be hired for this Work, which they finilh in about a quarter of an Hour, by means of two Capftans. ’ 7 All the Country we faw confilts of large, well cultivated Plains, bounded with frightful barren p;„ Mountains, tho' fome are cover’d with Pines and Cyprefles, which are the moll common Cypretfa. Trees to be feen between Nmg-fo and Hang-chew. The Tree which produces the Tallow is T.lUwTrr., almoft as common, efpecially towards Nmg-po , where fcarce any other Trees are to be feen ; they were at that Time ftrip’d of their Leaves, and cover'd with a white Fruit growing in Bunches at the End of the Branches; their Hulks being fallen off, they appear'd white, fo that at a Diftance they feem’d as if cover’d with Flowers. The 28th in the Morning, we crofs’d a Sort of Lake, or rather an Arm of the Sea call’d Xfau-hu, at our own Expence; for the Mandarin declared, that having no Order from the Emperor he could not oblige the Officers to furniili us with Ncceffaries beyond the Dirtridt of Ning-po ■ for which Reafon we were compell’d to hire new Barks, and defray the Mandarins Expences as far as Hang-chew. 1 This Day we failed on the fine Canal which P. Martini mentions, hut he does not give fo Fine Om.l particular an Account of it as it deferves. This Canal is near 20 Leagues in Length ■ it is lined on one Side with large flat Stones, 5 or 6 Feet long, 2 in Breadth, and 2 or 3 Inches thick; its Water is pure and very clear, and its Breadth is generally 20 or 30 Geometrical Paces, fometimes 40 or more. In divers Places it runs above a League, fometimes two in a ftrait Plain. But what is more common, tho’ not meiition’d by P. Martini , is, that from Be¬ ginning to End, at certain Diftances, one finds feveral fine Canals on both Sides, extending along the Plain, where they divide into feveral others ; forming a great Number of Iflands, that make it look like a great Labyrinth, as far as the Mountains bounding thefe beautiful Plains which are level, and fmooth as Glafs. In this agreeable Place is the City of Shau-hing , which is crofs’d by a great Number of Canals- the Bridges, which are very numerous, and generally of a fingle Arch, are very high, but the Ar¬ ches not being of any Thicknefs towards the Top, are much weaker than ours; fo that Carts never pafs over them, all Burthens being carry’d by Porters. Thefe Bridges are pafs'd by means of Stairs which are flat, and of eafy Afcent, the Steps commonly not being above 3 Inches thick. Some of thefe Bridges inftead of Arches have 3 or 4 great Stones laid on Piles in form of a Floor : We faw fome, the Stones whereof were 10, 12, 15, and 18 Feet in Length There are feveral of thele over the great Canal, very neatly built. The Country which is water’d b y it is very pleafant and fertile, offering to the View large Plains cover'd with Rice and Pulfe which afford Suftenance to an immenfe Number of People ; it is alfo diverfify'd with infinite 'Thickets of Cyprefs Trees, here and there ftiading the Tombs. About Shau-hing, and from thence almoft as far as Hang-chew, one fees a continual Series of Houfes and Hamlets, which makes the Country look as if it was one City The Houfes in the Country, as well as thofe of the Villages, are better built and kept in Repair, than thole of the com¬ mon Sort in fome Towns: fo that the Villages of this Country are prettier and more pleafant than thofe of Europe generally are. The 29th we pafs'd by Syau-Jhan, a City of the third Rank. It is fuppofed to have had its CtrSua Name on account of a little Mountain, which is in one of its Suburbs. This City alfo is water’d H with many Canals; its Gates, as well as thofe of Shau-hing , are cover’d with Plates of Iron The 30th we went in Chairs within half a League of the Tfyen-tang m), which we pafs’d in lefs than an Hour and an half. The River was in this Place about 4,000 Geometrical Paces in Breadth, but Ships cannot enter bccaule of its Shallows ; it has an extraordinary high Tide every Year about the full Moon in Oaober. When we had pafs'd the River, we found very neat Calalhes ready for us, which the Chriftians of Hang-chew (n) had brought down to the Water Side ; they accompany’d us, as it were, in Triumph to Church, where we found P. Intorcetta who p was grown hoary in the Labour of the Apoftolic Life, and no lefs venerable on account of his Merit and Vertue, than his great Age. As vve were going to Court we were indilpenfably obliged both to make and receive feveral V flits j in the way from our own Houfe to the Palace of the Vice Roy,;we pafs’d thro’ a very rait Street, about 25 or 30 Feet broad, and in Length from our Houfe to the Gate of the Tartars City about a League. The Middle of it is paved with large flat Stones, and the reft like the Streets of City Sbau- bing. 36 Road from I\'ing-po to Pe king. Lake Si-bu. Cana]. The T RAVE L S of federal JESUIT of the European Cities, but without any Defcent. All the Houfes are one Story high over the Shops, which are open towards the Street; on the back, fide is the Canal. This Street is as much crouded as the moll populous Streets of Paris , yet not a Woman to be feen. It is adorn’d with feveral Triumphal Arches, placed at certain Diflances, which make a very beautiful Appearance, the other Streets, and efpecially thofe where the Soldiers and the Tartars live, are very different; the Houfes on each Side look like thofe of the pooreft Cottagers, neither are they by far fo well peopled as thofe before mention’d. We vifited the Burying Place of the ChriJUans ; all that Quarter, which is full of Mountains, is fcatter’d over with Tombs for the Space of near two Leagues. We went afterwards on the Lake call'd Si-bu, which P. Martini describes as a delightful Place : The ChriJUans had provided us a Dinner in a’large Bark, which had a Hall and very commodious Apartments. This Lake, whofe Waters are very clear, is above a League and an half in Compafs; on the Side of it in fome Places there are Houfes, which are agreeable enough, but not extraordinary handfome. With¬ out Doubt the Tartars, who have Pack’d this great City 2 or 3 Times, have demolifh’d molt of the Palaces P. Martini fpeaks of. The 19th Dec. we took Leave of the Mandarins , and after having fent our Cheft on Board the Bark, went to Prayers in the Church where the Chriftians were affembled ; they furnifh’d each of us with a Chair, and condudted us as they had done at our Arrival to our Bark. We pafs’d Eaftwards thro’ a Street, belonging to one of the Suburbs, for about 11 or j,2oo Geometrical Paces ; as we did not go to the End of it, I cannot fay juftly how fir it ex¬ tends. This Street is narrower than that before fpoken of, but as ftraight. The Houfes are 2 Story high and very clofe together ; we faw as many People as theie are in the moll frequented Streets of Paris, but ftill not a Woman. Our Bark, tho’ it was only of the third Rate, was very large, neat and commodious being more ’ than 16 Foot in Breadth, and between 60 and 80 in Length ; its Sides were 10 or 12 Feet high ; it was accommodated with a Hall and 4 very convenient Chambers, without reckoning the Kitchen and the Places where our Domefticks retired, all on the fame Deck. The Flail and Chambers were adorn’d on the Infide with carved Work, painted and gilded; the reft was beautifully varnilh’d, and the Cieling confiding of feveral Pannels, painted after tire Chincfe Manner. Not only the Emperor, but the Merchants tbemfelves have great Numbers of this Sort of Barks for trading to the feveral Provinces, by Means of the Rivers and Canals, wherewith the Country is interfe&ed. We have feen fome of thefe Barks which might hold 200 Tun; whole Families lodge in them more conveniently than in their Houfes, which are not fo neat. There were above 400 in the Canal that we fail'd on. This Canal, which is to the North Weft of the City, runs more than a great League in a ftrait Line, and is in Breadth every where above 13 Fathom ; it is lined on both Sides with Free Stone, and on the Banks are Rows of Houfes as thick fet as in the Streets, and as full of People ; nor are the Barks lefs crouded, which lie on each Side of the Canal. We ftop’d in our Bark till the 20th, being obliged to wait for the Vice Roy, who defign’d to vifit us, and give us the Kang-ho, or Order of the Ping-fu, that is, the fovereign Tribunal for the Militia. This Order imported, that whether we tra- vei’d by Land or Water, we Ihould be furnifh’d with all forts of Neceflaries till we arrived at Court. The 21 ft in the Morning we left Bang-chew, the Canal was every where about 20 or 25 Fathom broad ; the Sides which were lined with Free Stone and fet thick with great Barks, whereof we reckon'd above 500, and the Banks were ranged with Ploufes for a Mile and a Quarter. Beyond the Suburbs the Canal is lined with Stone only on one Side ; along which there is a paved Way for the Conveniency of thofe who haul the Barks. We found Canals every now and then, and in thofe Places, where the Banks are low and overflow’d, they have mada flat Bridges, with great Stones, each 7 or 8 Foot long, and placed three and three together, which form a fort of Caufey. About 4 Leagues from Hang-chew , we pafs’d through a Village call’d Tan-tfi, built on both Sides of the Canal, which to this Place is ordinarily 15, 25, and 50 Paces broad. The two Sides are very well lined with Free Stone and form 2 Quays, each between 4 and 500 Geometrical Paces long, adorned with double Stairs, fronting the Door of every Houfe, for the Conveniency of Water. The Houfes which extend along the Quays are better built than thofe in the City, and more uniform; fo that each Row leems to be one continued Pile of the fame Building. In the midft of the Village is a handfome Bridge with 7 large Arches, whereof the middlemoft is 43 Feet wide ; the reft are alfo very large, diminilhing in Proportion to the 2 Defcents of the Bridge. We found alfo 2 or 3 great Bridges of one Arch only, and feveral Canals with Houles on each Side. Two Leagues from this Village we faw an Ifland in the middle of the Canal, ■with a very neat Pagod on it. The 22d, after we had pafs’d feveral Bridges, we found that the Canal grew narrower ; we arrived at a City called She-men-hyen, 10 Leagues from Bang-chew. Thus far we had ad¬ vanced almoft continually North Eaft, through a very level Country without Hills, full of Canals cover’d with Bridges, and planted with dwarf Mulberry Trees, much like our Vineyards; Houles and Hamlets were alfo very numerous^ The MISSIONARIES/;; CHI NA ?7 tT'd 2 7 W ?. a [ n . ed *\Ky*-hing-fu. We faw in our paffage on the Side of the Canal a bean- ,/ tiful Pagod whieh is call'd San-ko-ta, becaufe of 3 La or Towers, feveral Stories high, which K°/pZ torm the Entrance of it ; we faw another that was larger, in one of the Suburbs on the Eaft k,, 'S Side. This City is large, well peopled, and has a very good Trade ; its Suburbs ’are of great )&£% Extent. They compare it to Ning-fo for Bignefs, but it is much handfomer and richer The 24th we departed early in the Morning, and entered a fine Cabal, 25 or 30 Paces broad the Water of whieh was very l'weet. We crofs’d a large Village named JVan-kyang-king which extends a good way into the Plain. They pafs from one Side to the other over a" three-arch’d Bridge of very beautiful Architefture ; the middtemoft Arch is 7 5 Feet wide and above 20 high. This Work appears very bold, the Stones whereof it is built are more than 5 Feet long From within three or 4 Leagues on this Side Hang-chew to this Place, the Country is flat Province of without Mountains, and fufliciently cover'd with Wood, fo that it makes a beautiful Landfkip’ Not an Inch of Ground lies ufelefs; but Mulberry Trees here begin to be lcarce. Between Kya-hing and this Village, at a Point where the Canal divides into 3 Branches, we faw 3 For- trefles or Square Towers built in the Water, and fituated in Form of a Triangle. We were told that they ferved heretofore as Boundaries between Kyang-nan and Che-kyam "whenthofe Provinces belong’d to two different Sovereigns. J S ‘ Twenty Li (*) from the fame Village we pafs’d by another on the Left, call’d Wbdn-ha kyun-cbin , in the Province of Kyang-nan ; it is fo large that we took it at’ firft Sight to be a City; and is mterfeifted and furrounded with very broad Canals, quite cover’d with Barks The Plains are well cultivated, and full of Hamlets; the Multitude and Breadth of the Canals and the Evennefs of the Ground, where there is not the lead Eminence to be feen gives room to be iieve that this Country had been formerly intirely under Water, and that the Chinefe who are extremely laborious, have drain d it by cutting thele Canals, whereby they have render’d it ex¬ tremely fertile, and very commodious for Trade. Here we counted no lefs than a dozen ViHa»es the fartheft of which w a> s not above a Mile off, befides thofe which appear’d at a Diftance ° ’ After all, we were told that this Country, as populous as it is, was a Defart in Compa- nfon of Song-kyang, Nang-king, and the Southern Part of this Province. If China was every where as well peopled as it is between Shau-hing and Su-chtm, ■ I fhould make no Difficulty to believe that it contain'd more Inhabitants than all Europe, but we were affur’d that the Northern Pro¬ vinces are not near fo populous as the Southern. Having run 10 Li, we arrived at Pin-Vang , which fignifies an even ProfpeSl. It is a great Village, which we took at firft for a City, on account of the Multitude of its Houfes'and Inhabitants; it is cut in feveral Parts by Canals cover’d with well built Bridges and a great Number of Barks. They derive their Waters from a great Lake on the Weft Side through which the little Barks pals to fhorten their Way in going to Su-chew, and then they don't touch at Kya-hing. J From this Village the Canal extends Northwards out of Sight, and continues in a ftrait Line Cit yU-ijar,. with a Caufey lined towards the Water with very fair Free Stone. On the Eaft appears another great Lake, and thefe 2 Lakes extend as far as U-kyang. We pafs’d by this City in th» Night, which is like the reft cut with fair Canals. Before we arrived we pali'd under the Arch of a Bridge 48 Feet broad and 25 high. A League beyond U-kyang we found that the Caufev on the Left Hand or Weft was 7 Feet high, and very well lined on both Sides with Free Stone, which made a kind of folid Bridge - under which, at certain Diftances, there were Arches made for the Water to pafs into the Plfin’ which was fown with Rice, and.all overflow’d. This being Chrijimafs Eve we faid our Maffes in the Hall, which was as Heady as if the Bark had been on firm Ground. ,.A, he f 5 ?-’ ^ in g Chrijlmafe Day, we found ourfelves in the Morning at tile Foot of the city «. Walls of Sa-c/jf®, 111 a great Canal 35 or 40 Feet broad ; it runs North and South along the Side of a Wall, which we difeover d at one View for about a League, almoft in a ftrait Line Our Bark ftop’d over-agamft a great Arch of a magnificent Bridge, under which is a Paffage' into a great Canal, that runs Weftward, and lofes itfclf in a very long Suburb. On the Edge of the Plain we faw a kind of great Pavilion, or lquare Building, with a double R001 curling up, cover d with yellow Tiles, and encompafs’d with a Wall pierced toward-the Top, and adorn’d with variety of Figures. This is a Monument erefted by the Mandarins in memory of the Honour which the Emperor Kang-bi did their City when he came thither without that Pride and Pomp which ordinarily accompanies the Chinefe Emperors. There are engraven on a Stone, belonging to this Edifice, the Inftmaions which the Emperor gave the Vice- Roy for governing the People. We entered the City betimes in the Morning through the Weft Gate, arid after we had none the Space of 5 or 6 Li on different Canals, we arrived at our Church, where we found P. ovnon Rodriguez , who prefides over a numerous and zealous Congregation of Chriftians Near the Door thro’ which we enter’d, we faw a Polygonal Tower 6 or 7 Stories high and above a League without the Walls, another Tower of the fame Fleight in one of the Suburbs which extended beyond the Reach of Eye. 1 That Day we received a Vifit from Hyu Lau-ya, Grandfon of Paul Syu, that famous Ko-lau w o was one of the greateft Defenders of the Chrijlian Religion. That Mandarin is retired to ohang-hay with his Family ; he had been Vice-Roy , had he not been related to U-fan-ghe y V o L. I. T jay* 11 who (*) Ten Li make a common League [perhaps in this Pan, but they vary in China as they do in the Countries of. Unf 38 Road f om TM : .g-pc to Peking. City Vi- tfye h.cn dc fcribed. City of C^ang-chciv- Ju. Town of ‘Tan-yang. The 7 R A V EL S of fever a l JESUIT who revoked againft the Emperor. He is Han-lin (*), that is, one of the Doctors of the hi-ft Rank, who are chofen by his Majefty for their fuperior Abilities, to compote, print, and to be’for the molt part in waiting near his Peri'on. This Dignity gives him a confi- derable Rank ; the Billets of Vilit which he fends, are written in the lame Manner as thofe of the Vice-Roys. This illuilrious Chrijlian, malgre all our Oppofition, fell on his Knees to falute us, and knock'd his Forehead againft the Ground, to tliew the Refpeft which he bore to the Preachers of the Gofpel. On the 26th we vilited the Vice-Roy of the Province, who refides in this City; he received ns with much Politeneis and Civility, and after a long Converlation recondutod us as far as his Court. The 28th we left Su-chevi. Firft we fail’d about 2 Miles Northwards on a great Canal, that runs partly along the Walls of the City, and partly along a large Suburb, which is cut with Canals in divers Places, and very thick let with Houles. We faw for near three Quarters of a Mile together a double and treble Row of Barks, fo clofe that they touch’d one another’s Sides. We fleer’d afterwards to the Weft, quitting the Great Canal, which con¬ tinues its Courfe Northward, farther than we could fee; and advanced along a new Canal, narrower than the former, crofting a Suburb, which is adorn’d with Houfes for the Space of a great League, furnilh’d with Streets and Canals. From what I had feen of the Walls of Sii-chew, tho’ only on one Side, from the Large- nefs of its Suburbs, and the Multitude of Barks, where whole Families dwell, I made no dif¬ ficulty to conclude, that it is more than 4 Leagues in Compafs, as they affirm’d it was, and that it contains feveral Millions of Inhabitants. At the End of this Suburb, the Canal grows confiderably wider, and extends in a direbl Line beyond the Reach of Eye, to a great Village, divided by Streets and Canals, where is the Cuftom-Houfe of Su-chew ; from which City as far as Vu-tfye-byen the Canal runs in a ftrait Line to the North-Weft, the Space of too Li, which make io^Leagues ; nothing is to be feen but Barks palling, fometimes 50 at once. A League from’the Cuftom-Houfe we found a Bridge of one Arch, 50 Feet wide. Vu-tfye-hyen is a City of the third Rank, depending on Cbang-chew. We pafs’d thro’ the South Suburb’ which is half a League long, extending on both Sides of the Canal; we went clofe by the Walls of the City, and tho’ we could fee but part of it, we judged it was two Miles and an half in Compafs. The Walls were more than 25 Feet in height, not ftrong but very neat, and kept in good Repair. They are furrounded with a great Ditch, which is a fort of Canal. The Space between the Ditch and the Walls is very level, and makes a molt agreeable Walk. The Waters that abound in this Place form feveral Illands in the different Canals, that make a charming Profpe£t, and produce excellent Tea, which is lent even to Re-king and all over China. We pafs’d the Night in the City, and next Day continued our Voyage on the Canal, which extends in a ftrait Line ftill towards the North-Weft, with a Caufey on the Eaft, very well lined on each Side with Free Stone. The Country is even as Glafs, and very well cultivated ; pne lees a continued Series of Hamlets and Villages, which may be eafily diftinguifh’d in Plains as level as our Gardens. When the View is bounded by fome large City, it yields a molt delightful Profpcct. The 31ft of December in the Evening we arrived at Chang-chew-fu, a famous City and of (neat Trade. We fail’d half a League only in croffing one of its Suburbs; the Canal was fo cover’d with Barks, which touch’d one another, that we could fcarce fee the Water. Here they leized two Thieves, who in the Night had crept into our Bark ; one of them found means to efcape, and we hinder’d the other from being carry’d before the Mandarin : When he was fet free, he made what Hafte he could to a little Bark,‘where there were feveral of his Accom¬ plices, with whom he difappear’d in an Inftant. They affirm that thele Robbers bum a kind of Paftil, whole Fumes throw one into a Sleep. The 30th in the Morning, departing from Chang-cbew, we found the Canal very narrow, being fcarce 12 Feet in Breadth ; the Banks were 17 or 18 Feet high, but perpendicular. Forty nine Li from thence, after we had pafs’d the Towns Ping-nyu and Lu-Jhan , the Canal runs in a ftrait Line quite out of Sight. Thefe Towns are half ruin’d, altho’ there ftill remain a few Houfes, which are very neat. The Canal is lined on both Sides to the Height of 10 or 12 Feet with fine lquare Pieces of Marble, greyifb, and much of the Colour of Slate. About 2 Leagues on this-fide tan-yang we were obliged to quit the Canal, and continue our Journey by Land, becaufe they were making the Canal deeper, that it might carry the Barks which bring the Tribute to the Court. Tho’ this Paffage had been (hut up but for one Day, yet we law an infinite Number of Barks Hop’d, and thole who conduced them purified their Journey by Land Carriages like us. The Mandarin of Tan-yang, who had Notice of our coming the Day before, fent us Chairs, Horfes, and Porters, to conduct us to Cbing-kyang-fu ; thofe who carry’d us and our Baggage went at the Rate of a good German League an Hour, fo that in lefs than two Hours we made the two Leagues and an half, which was the Diftance we were at from Tan-yang. Before we arrived there, at the End of the Canal we pafs’d near a Tower, 7 Stories high, and over three large Marble Bridges with only one Arch. The Suburbs of this Town are alfo paved (*) At Pe king there is a Co'iedge call d the Collcdge of the Han-lin } who have a Prefident, MISSIONARIES in' CHINA. 39 paved with Marble ; in three Quarters of an Hour' we went round it, going along the'Walls, which are of Brick, 25 Feet in height, and railed on a Marble Foundation. ’ Nk^“» On the North of this Town is a Lake, 3 or 6 Leagues in Compafs, along which we n fr traveil’d about a League before we arrived at Ma-Iin, a Village 2 Leagues beyond Tan-yang. vCCmI- where we pafs’d the Night in a Houfe prepar'd for us by the Chrijtiam. Tho’ this Village has but /<*. with one Street, yet they affur’d us it contain’d above 200,000 Inhabitants; it is paved with Marble like Sbkanti the reft of theVillageS we pafs’d, till we came to Ching-kyang-fu; in one p art of the Road we met ” ■ “*" ’ with Stones of white Marble 6 Feet in height, with feveral coarle Figures in Relief cut on them. The 2d of January we arrived at Cbing-kyang-fti. We pafs’d fit ft thro’ a Suburb 13,000 Ck y Cih e - Geometrical Paces in Length, all paved with Marble ; the Pieces of Marble wherewith the middle of the Street is paved, are 3 Feet long and near 2 broad. After we had pafs’d above a League along the Walls, which are more than 30 Feet high, and in Very good Repair, we crofs’d over a Marble Bridge into another Suburb, where we found fo great a Concourfe of People, that we had much ado to make our Way thro’ them. The City of Ching-kyang is none of the largeft, for it is but one League in Circumference but one of the moft confiderable for Trade, and as it were a Key of the Empire towards the Sea, from whence it is not above 2 fhort Days Journey ; it is alfo a fortified Place, and has a large Garrifon. We faw 18 Iron Cannon, which form’d a Battery even with the Water. We crofs’d only one Street of this feco’rid Suburb, where there is a little Mountain, from the Top whereof we had one of the moft agreeable Profpedts imaginable; on one Side we faw the City of Ching-kyang and its Suburbs, on the other the beautiful Yang-tfe-kyang, which the Chineje call the Son of the Sea, or Ta-kyang , the Great River, or Amply Kyang, that is, The River, by way of Excellence; in effedt, it feems from this Place to be a vaft Sea. On the other Side of the River over-againft Ching-kyang there appears a great City, named SQua-ckeWj at lead it wants nothing but the great Privilege belonging to Cities ; nor is it lookd bn in China as more than a Ma-tew, or Place of Trade. At the Foot of this Hill lies the Port, where there is a continual Concourfe of People, who make no fmall Clutter and Noife. Here we went on Board the Bark again, which the Officers, had prepar’d for us ; they cILflllkt were fmall but extremely handfome, and were to ferve us only in pafling the River to Yang- chew ; where we pals’d, the River is above a League in Breadth, and yet it was reckon'd narrow in comparifon of what it is both higher tip and lower down. About 700 Paces within the River we pals’d by an Illand, which look’d like a Place inchanted ; hence the Chineje call it Kin-Jhan, or the Mountain of Gold ; it is about 600 Feet in Compafs, and cover'd with fair Stones; on the Top ftands a Tower feveral Stories high, fufrounded withPagods and Houfes of Bonzas. On the other Side of the River we enter’d into a Canal, where we were obliged to pafs a Cha, which is a kind of Sluice, it I may give it that Name. The Chinefe, whom I had talk’d to about our European Sluices, had not the lead Notion of them. In this Place they have contrafled the Canal between 2 Dikes lined with Free Stone, which approach one another towards the Middle, where the Water runs with great Rapidity : It is likely they reftrain it thus, to make its Channel deeper, for otberwife it would fpread, and not have Depth enough to carry Barks. At this Paffage there are People ready to draw the Barks, who mull be very careful not to let them go down with the Stream, for in that Cafe they would infallibly be broken to Pieces and wreck’d. We could not fee tyua-chew, becaufe it was Night, when we pafs'd thro’ one of its Suburbs. cit r Next Morning we arrived betimes at Yang-chew-fu, which is a fair City, of great Trade, and dJLjiY very populous ; they affined me it was 2 Leagues in Compafs, and that including the Suburbs it contain’d 2 Millions of Souls. We departed thence in Litters the 10th of January, at 6 in the Evening, and lay 4 Leagues, and an half from it at a great Borough named Shau-pe ; we travell’d a good part of this Way by the fide of the Canal on a fair Caufey, which is cut thro’ in three Places, to let the Water into the Fields. The nth, after travelling 7 Leagues without flopping, we arrived at Kau-yew-cheiv. This City Km*. Country is flat, and almoft all under Water; we advanced along a great Caufey about 30 Feet broad and 1 o or 12 high, lined in feme Places with iquare pieces of Marble, efpecialiy on the Side towards the Cana), which we left on the Right Hand. Beyond this we difcover’d a great Lake, which is parallel to the Canal, and above a League in Breadth. The Plain on the Right Hand is likewife under Water, excepting feveral Eminences where Rice is fown; and many Hamlets appear whofe houfes are cover’d with Reeds, and have Walls made of Reeds done over with Clay. The vaft Number of Barks under Sail, and rowing over thefe Fields, as on a large Sea, afforded a pretty diverting Spectacle. Kau-yew-chew is a great City, as we were inform’d, for we only pafs’d about the Space of 12,000 Geometrical Paces by the Side of the Walls, which are about 30 Feet high. In our Way. to it we faw, in one of its Suburbs, a Tower 7 Stories high; and in the City itfelf another fquare Building of 6 or 7 Stories, which went up tapering like a Pyramid, terminated by a little fquare Roof of a different Make from that of the Towers; the Suburbs are large, and pretty well built. The. 40 Road from Ning-po to Peking. L/V\> City of Whay-ngan- fi- Marble. River Whang-ho. The T R A V ELS of federal JESUIT The 12th in the Morning we travell’d 6 Leagues on the Caufey which runs along the Canal and Lake ; this Lake extends out of fight like a vaft Sea, where we faw an infinite Number of Barks under Sail. Between the Canal and Lake is another Caufey, cover’d very neatly with fquare Stones in leveral Places ; it is full of wild Fowl, and from time to time we faw Clouds of fmall Birds which cover'd part of the Sky; the Crows were all black, whereas thofe we had met with from Ning-po hither, had a kind of white Collar about the Neck. In the Afternoon we went 6 Leagues farther to P an-hing-hyen along the Canal, which advances continually between 2 great Caufeys, with the Lake on the Left Hand; the Country on the Right is flat, and very well cultivated near that City, but one half of it lies under Water. The 14th having advanced 8 Leagues we came to lie at Whay-ngan-fil ; this is a coniiderable City, and feem’d to us more populous, and of greater Trade than Tang-chew. The Grand Mailer of the Waters, Canals, and Rivers refides there ; he then lived in a publick Inn, where thofe are lodged who are fent for by the Emperor, or difpatch’d from the Court into the Pro¬ vinces : fo that we were obliged to take up with a wretched Inn made of Mats and Reeds, notwithflanding the Cold and Snow, which fell even into the Place where we lay. Three Mandarin lodged with us, who were greatly pleafed with the Sight of fome of our Books, and the Paper Figures they found in them. We made them a Prelent of one of them, with a French Crown, for which they return’d us the weight in Silver, and invited us to drink Tea in their Apartment, where they regaled us with leveral Kinds of Fruit. Marble is common in thei'e Parts, but the Chine/e don’t feem to fet any great Value on it; they employ it only for lining Canals, and in fome other publick Works; we faw there as well as at Ching-kyang Marble Rowlers, refembling pieces of Pillars, which they draw over the cultivated Lands to make them level. On the irth in the Afternoon we went 3 Leagues farther to lodge at Chin-kyang-pu ( qJ, which lies on the South Bank of the Whaiig-ho , and Side of the Canal ; between Whay-ngan and this Town we found another not far from the Suburbs of that City, this gave Occafionto the Error, which the Dutch Embafladors fell into, who, as appears from their Relation, have taken thefe two Boroughs for a continuation of the Suburbs of Whay-ngan , making this Suburb above 3 German Leagues long. Indeed we pafs’d one running parallel to the Walls of the City, which is a League and an half in Length. 1 he Country is flat, well cultivated, and in fome Places half under Water; which renders the Plain, where they fow Rice, fit for tilling. Here we faw abun¬ dance of Geefe, Wild Ducks, Pheafants, &c. We did not leave this Town till the 17th, which was almoft wholly fpent in paffing the Whang- ho y or Yellow Ri r cer t becaufe the Ice was to be broken, and the Pieces obflructed the Paflage. The River is not more than 450 Fathom broad at this Place, which is 25 Leagues diftant from its Mouth; its Channel is pretty firai't, the Banks confift of a yellowifh Clay, which mixing with the Waters in their Courfe, makes them yellow, whence it derives its Name. At the Time we pafs’d it, there was fcarce any Appearance of this Colour in the Water when it was taken up ; its Stream was then neither flow nor fwift, but when it fwells and is rapid, it wafhes off much Earth, which is naturally light, and fo becomes a great deal muddier and yellower. If this River was not reftrain’d by Dikes, which are continually repairing, it would make ftrange Ravages. We went and lodged in a Village [or Town]; the Road is the mofl even and handfome that can be feen, as well as the Country, which is flat and open like Beauce, but more beautiful, better-cultivated, and full of Hamlets, which are not above 50, 100, or 200 Paces afunder. One League from the Whang-ho we found a great Caufey difcontinued in one Place, over which there was a kind of Wooden Bridge, fupported by Piles of Stones, 8 or 10 Feet high; it is 300 Paces in Length, and paved very neatly with fquare Stones ; afterwards we pafs’d a Canal, which runs Northward in a flrait Line, parallel to the Yellow River , whereinto it difeharges itfclf; we took notice alfo of 3 other large Caufeys in the Plain, which are the Roads to different Cities. Hitherto we had not met with any Flocks of Sheep in our Journey ; but we faw abun¬ dance of white Goats and black Hogs, fome Cows and Buffaloes, a great many little Mules, Afles, and forry Horfes, which are commonly ufed for travelling, but not fo much as one tolerably handfome among them. The People are fo numerous, that the Men commonly perform the Office of Beafts of Burthen, both for carrying Luggage and one another; and tho’ the Land is very fertile and well cultivated, it does not yield Suftenance fufficient for Men and Beafts. The Houles of the Suburbs and Country Towns, after one leaves Whay-?igany are made of Reeds and Earth, and cover’d with Straw, the very Inns themfelves for lodging the Mandarins (r) being built after the fame Manner. From the Whang-ho the Land rifes till we come to Pc-kingy as is evident from the Courfe of the Rivers. The 18th we travell’d 11 Leagues to Su-tfyen-hyen over a flat Country, cultivated, and furnifh’d with leveral large Caufeys, which are fo many high Roads, as neat and commodious as one could wifh. Thefe Caufeys are level, and commonly raifed 10 or 12 Feet, being 20 or 30 broad at Top, and the Slopes making 10 or 15 Feet more. All this Day we travell’d by the ( qJ It: fliould be on the Left; for in the Map that City lies (r) Thefe Inns are called Kong-quar.. to the Right Hand or Eaft of the Whang-ho. Missionaries in c hinA. 41 the Side of a fmalt, but very deep and rapid River; it is 7 or 8 Geometrical Paces broad, RmJfrom and bears pretty large Barks. It feems to run parallel to the Whang-ho, which is leldom Ning-po « above 3 or 400 Paces diftant, and is probably the feme which we took for an artificial Canal the Evening before. The Land hereabouts is all marfhy, yet bears abundance of little Trees refembling the Birch. We arrived at Su-tfycn-hyen by a large handfomc Caufey, the Whdng-ko appearing to the Su-tJjen-iytti. Right. This City Hands on a rifing Ground, its Walls are half in Ruini; it has two Suburbs, either of which is preferable to the Town. Near the Walls we faw a kind of Palace, newly built; this is a Monument in Honour of the Emperor Karig-hi, who pafs’d thro' the City in his Way to Su-chcw : the principal Part of this Edifice is a lbrt ot oblong-fquare Salon, open on all Sides, with a double Roof, cover'd with yellow-varnilh’d Tiles, The Caufey reaches no farther than Su-tfyen, which we left the 19th. Half a^ League beyond it we found 7 flat Bridges one after another, each about ioo Foot long, (bpftdrtcd by Piers or little Walls of Brick, with great Rails on both Sides, and triumphal Arches made of Wood at each End. Thefe Bridges lie in a Line, and croik divers Canals, which form a kind of Labyrinth in this Place. Beyond thefe there is a ninth ftill larger, but not lb neatly built as the left. The Country ftill continues pretty flat, but is not fo well cultivated or peopled as we found it the preceding Days. The Land is blackilh, hard, and barren ; and the Houfes built only with Earth and Straw. The 20th we travell'd but 6 Leagues, to Hong-wa-fu , a large Village. They Laid it was in r, : , r 'Shan-tong, tho’ others allured us we did not enter that Province till we had got 2 or 3 Leagues farther. The Country is flat, fmoother than that we faw the Day before, and very well cultivated ; it is alfo ftored with Hamlets. We had 3 fmall Bridges to pafs of 3 or 4 Arches each, built over the Torrents. We met with a fort of Centry Boxes for Cen- tinels built in the Plains at proper Diftances. Here we firft beheld a Flock of Sheep: for ahho’ hitherto we always travell’d in Plains, where we had an unbounded I’rofpedt, yet we neither faw Sheep nor Meadows. The Chinefe never let any of their Land lie uncultivated, and they confume whatever it produces. The 21ft we began to fee feveral Orchards planted with Fruit Trees in the open Fields, which in this Refpedt refemble feveral of our Provinces of France: But the Lands here are better cultivated, and the Houfes and Hamlets much more frequent. The Road from Tang-chew hither is extremely good and commodious; altho’ it was the Depth of Winter, we did not find fo much as one bad Step; It is free from Dirt and Stones, and all on a level, fo that it looks like a Garden Walk. After Dinner we went 3 or 6 Li farther, the Country flat as ufual and well till’d ; they fow both Corn and Rice, but molt of the former. We had this Day, on the Right Hand towards the Eaft, a little Hill, which extends from North to South in a ftrait Line : We lay at Li-kya-Shwang. As far as this Town we had feen in the Plain great Numbers of thofe Stone Rowlers before mention’d ; fome channell’d, others plain, for levelling the Grounds and the Floors, whereon they threlh the Corn. This Borough lies befide a little River which is very broad, confidering its Depth. The 22d we crols’d the River, and at the End of 4 Leagues came to I-checu ; the Plain citJ , of always flat and even like la Bcauce, but much more populous ; the Roads dry and fandy. The Ubn». City did not appear to be above half a Ltague in Compafs; the Walls are of Brick, and in very good Repair : we obferved feveral Saliant Angles, and a fort of Baftions, which were either Polygonal or in the Form of a Horfe Shoe. The Governor came to vifit us at our Inn, and fent a Meffenger before to give Notice of our being on the Road, which was of great Service to us; for otherwife we might have found it difficult to have got a fufficient Number of Porters to carry our Baggage in the Towns of Shan-tong, which are for the moft part but fmall. We pafs’d into one of the Suburbs over a Bridge of five fmall Arches; this Bridge is of Marble with Rails of the fame, adorn’d with Lions very clumfily carved. Without the Suburbs, are a great many Tombs made of Earth in Form of Pyramids, with Inlcriptions engraven’ on Marble Tables. We lodged 4 Leagues beyond I-chew, at a pitiful Town, whofe Houfes are of Earth cover’d with Stubble. The Country being landy, the Roads are troublefome to Travellers on Account of the Dull. Beyond I-chew the Country is not fo open, for one begins to fee quick fet Hedges of a very ftrong and rugged kind of Thorns. At the Dillance of every half League we commonly met with Centry Boxes, where the Centinels make Signals in the Night time, by kindling Fires on the Top, and in the Day time by hanging out a piece of Cloath. Thefe Centry Boxes, which are only made of Sods or Earth, are fquare, railed with a Slope and 12 Feet high. The 23d we travell'd 9 or 10 Leagues. In the Morning the Country was uneven, and we march’d now and then over Eminences, whofe Defcent was fometimes pretty fteep ; the Soil too was barren in many Places; but in the Evening we came into a fertile Plain, between two Ridges of Mountains, one to the Eaft, the other to the Weft. Thefe latter were high, fteep, and craggy in a thoufand Places, cover’d with Snow, and frightful to the Eye, by Reafon of the Rocks ; thofe to the Eaft were lower. The Houfes of the Villages which we faw, are built with Stone in a very coarfe Manner; the Inhabitants of them are imploy’d in fpinning or weaving the grey Silk of Shan-tong. It was there we faw the wild Silk Worms, which feed indifferently on all Sorts of Leaves and fpin Vol. I. M a greyilh 4 - Road from Ning-po to Pe king. City Mong-in b,,„. City Sin-tay- hytn. City 7 'ay- vgan-cbtvj. Miferies of the Civil Wars. City Chang- The TRAVELS of federal JESUIT a greyifh Silk ; of this is made the Stuff call’d Kycn-cbew, which wafhes well, and is fold all over the Empire : Altho’ it is not beautiful to the Eye, yet it is commonly worn by Per- l'ons of Quality in their Houles. The 24th we travelled all Day between barren Mountains, but the Valleys are generally well cultivated, and ftored with Towns and Villages. We dined at Mong-in-byen , a little City, whofe Walls are but 12 Feet high, and in bad Repair. Altho’the Road was full of Afcents and Defcents, yet it was very good and dry, but much incommoded with Duft. The 25th we went but 8 Leagues. We pals’d thro’one of the Suburbs of the finall City Sin-tay-hyen. The Country was plain, well cultivated, very populous and cover’d with Fruit Trees. The Road all the Way was up Hill and down Hill ; it was neverthelefs good, and the Defcents fcarce perceptible. The Chains of Mountains continue on both Sides : at the Diftance of about a League in fome Places, they fink into low Hills, beyond which we difeover’d Plains which reach’d out of fight. The 26th, having travell’d about 3 Hours between frightful and defart Mountains, we came into a well cultivated Plain, full of Fruit Trees. After Dinner, we found the Country equally charming, till we came to Tay-ngan-cbew , which is at the Foot of a hideous Moun¬ tain that covers it from the North Winds. This City has a very agreeable Situation ; its Walls are above 25 Foot high, but the Houfes are very defpicable within. About a Mile from the Town of Tan-lew-tyen , where we dined, we crofs’d a River that was almoft dry : there the Mountains open’d into a great Plain, which is very fertile and populous ; they feem’d to be difeontinued both on the Eaft and Weft Side, but began foon after, efpecially on the Eaft Side, and taking a Sweep, drew near again about Tay-ngan. The 27th we refted, to give our Baggage, which went the Road appointed by the Kang-ho , time to get 3 Days Jonrney from thence, where we were to overtake it, by nearer Roads. The 28th we traveil’d 9 or 70 Leagues among frightful Mountains, and faw very little cultivated Lands, altho’ the Towns were pretty numerous and well peopled. One third of the Inhabitants of this Country have Wens or Swellings in their Throats; a Diftemper fup- pofed to proceed from the Well Water they are obliged to make Ufe of. The Inns are very inconvenient: the Beds are only litde brick Forms the Length of a Man ; the Entertainment is very bad, altho’ one may buy Pheafants cheaper than other Poultry ; we have fometimes had 4 for 10 Sols. The Mountains I fpoke of, between which we pafs’d, are not very high, but generally without any Trees; fome of them are cover’d with Earth, and had formerly been cultivated. The Remains of theTerraffes are ftill vifible from Bottom to Top; but all the Way- hither from Ning-po, thro’ the Provinces of Che-kyang , Kyang-nan , and Emperor fpared nothing to preferve the Life of this Miffionary, whom he honour’d wirh. his "" Favour. He fent him one of his Prime Phyficians, who waited clofe on the Emprefs Dowager, when at the Point of Death ; but the Phyfician, after having feen the Patient, told his Majefty, according to the Cbinefe Way of ipeaking, that nine Parts in ten of him were already dead-, and in EffeCt he dyed a few Days after. The 7th, the Miffionaries at Court fent an Officer of the Tribunal of Mathematics to conduCt us to Pe-king. ; But none of them came in Perfon as they intended, becaufe they were obliged to obferve the Chineje Cuftom, of mourning lor P. Verbiejl. We departed about one of the Clock; the Road was near 20 Fathom broad and often more: but there was fuch a dreadful Clutter, caufed by the Multitude of People, Horles, Mules, Affes, Camels, Calafhes, Litters, and Carts, that it is difficult to delcribe it. We pals’d thro’ Lu-kew-kyau , which is 3 Leagues Ihort of Pe-king. It is a little City almoff City Lu-krw- fquare, 1200 Paces in Circuit. Nothing makes a more delightful Appearance; the Walls are kyau ' exceeding beautiful, it has 2 double Gates with a Place of Arms, and handfome Rooms over them. We enter’d the City by a Bridge, the fineft vVe had yet feen : it is above 170 Geome¬ trical Paces in length ; the Arches are fmall, but the Rails or Side Walls are made of a hard whitifh Stone, refembling Marble. Thefe Stones are more than 5 Foot long, 3 high, and 7 or 8 Inches thick, fupported at each End by Pilafters, adorn’d with moldings, and bearing the Figures of Lions. I reckon’d on one Side only, 147 of thefe Pillafters. Two little Banks, half a Foot high, and a Foot and an half broad, run along the Rails. The Bridge is paved with great flat Stones, fo well joined, that it is as even as a Floor. The Walls of the City are very neatly built, and 40 Feet high. The Rampart, which is not very thick, is lined within after the fame Manner. The Bank or raifed Way is pretty broad and curioufly built, as well as the Parapet, whofe Battlements are very near each other. The Gates are double, with a kind of Advance Wall in this Place : they are high, thick, and well arch’d. Over them is a Building of 2 Stories, with a double Roof, to which they afeend on each Side by a large Stair Cafe, that looks very graceful. The Road from this City to Pe-king appears like one continued Street, it is fo throng’d with People. Four or Five hundred Paces from the Gate of the outward City, we flopp’d at the Cuftom Houle, where they let our Baggage pafs without fearching. Mean Time a Perfon opening the Window of my Litter, afk’d if we were come to pay Tribute to the Emperor. On this Occafton it may be proper to make fome Remarks which are of Moment; but to explain them the better, it will be neceffary to repeat, what I have obferved elfewhere, that the Cbinefe fuppofing the Earth to be fquare, pretend that China takes up the greater Part of it: fo that, to denote their Em¬ pire, they ufe the Word Tyen-hya, that is the under Heaven, this Term is continually in their Mouths; fo they fay, Pin pii tyen-hya, that is, this is current throughout China; Tely an tyen- hya, he has made himfelf JAafler of the Empire. Prepoffefs’d with this rare Syftem of Geography, they have placed the reft of Mankind in the Corners of this pretended Square; and confidering them as Barbarians, think they do them much Honour in reckoning them among their Tributaries. Hence, whatever comes from foreign Kingdoms, whether Letters, Prefents, or Envoys, all pafs as Tribute, and] a Mark of Sub- mifiion ; and thenceforward fuch Kingdoms are fet down in their Hiftory among thofe that are tributary to China. It would be too tedious to enumerate all the Kingdoms which they reckon tributary to them, wherefore I (hall mention only the principal ; Korea is the firft, next Japan , then come the Moors, in whole dominions they put the Kingdom of Sa-ma-eul- han, which probably is Samarkand (s); Pan-ko-la , which mu ft be Bengal, for they place it to the Vol. I. N ' Eaft ( s ) Sa ma lb ban , as it is written in the French . is certainly ban inftead of Khan, and want the Letter d. Samarkand ; for the Chinefe always exprels the r by an /, fay 4-6 Road from Nine po to Pe-king. ^/YV City of Pi- ting defcri- b'cd. The T R A V E L $ of federal JESUIT Eaft of In-ti), or Indujlan-, laftly Me-te-na ; for Mehammed, who found the Way to be honour'd bv fo many Nations, was not able to keep himfelf out of the Number of the Tributaries of China. In the Chinefe Geography intitled $uan-yu, you meet with the following Account ■ Me tc na (u) is the full Kingdom of the Moors ( w): Its firft King named Mo-han-mii-te (x) was "a Man of an extraordinary Genius; he reduced all the Kingdoms in the Weft under his Em pire ; in the Reign of Min-hivn-te (y) he fent an Ambaffador, aecompany’d with the People of the Kingdom of Tyen-fan , to pay Tribute. * Whence it is evident, the Princes of Europe ought to be cautious how they fend Letters or Prefents, either by the Miffionaries, the Merchants, or any other Way in their own Name • for, the Moment they do, their Kingdoms will be regiftred among the Tributaries The RuJJians had a great Struggle to get this Term changed in their Favour; and altho’it was changed, yet the Embaffy was conhdered as a Tender of Homage. The fame Cuftom prevails in all other Parts of the Indies-, where the Perfon, who carries his Princes Letter is look’d on as his Ambaffador. Not that the Indians really believe them to be fuch, but they will have it fo, to flatter their own Vanity : w'hence often they take Occafion to defpife the Maiefty of the Kings of Europe, with whom their Princes cannot compare, (z) For a League before we arrived at Pe-king, the Country was cover’d with little Groves of pretty tall young Trees, inclofed with Walls made of Earth, which are fo many Burying Places. About 4 of the Clock we enter'd Pe-king, by a Gate, which is double, (as all the reft belonging to this City are,) and cover'd with thin Iron Plates, faften’d on with feveral Rows of very large Nails. The Walls are 30 or 35 Feet high, with lquare Towers at convenient Di- ftances. The Street we enter’d was between 45 and 50 Feet broad, and as ftrait as a Line We pafs’d along for above half a League, thro' an incredible Number of People, yet we did not fee one Woman, altho' they are more numerous here than the Men. Every now and then we met with Jugglers, furrounded by 50 or 60 Men, crouded upon one another ; the Thrones were fo great in every Part of this vaft and long Street, that one would have concluded they were Fairs or Tome publick AfTemblies. ^ This Street extended Hill beyond the Reach of Eye, when we turn’d fhort into another large ftraight Street on the Left, almoft as broad and croudcd as the former. In both thefe Streets the Iloufes are low, confifting only of a Ground Floor, and have nothing to attraft the Sight, excepting the Shops ol Merchants, which for Neatnefs, and perhaps Riches 'excell mod in Europe ; the Entrance into thefe Shops is adorn’d with Gildings, Sculptures Paintines and Japannings, in a Manner which charms the Eye. r 3 ° * At the End of this Street we enter'd into the 2d Inclofure, or more properly the 2d City which is call'd the Tartar City. The Gate at this Place alfo is double; the Wall is very neat and new built with fquare Towers, the Sides of which are above 7 or 8 Fathom in Breadth and the Front yet broader. The 2d or inner Gate, has a large Edifice built over it with a double Roof cover’d with japann’d Tiles. It confifts of 2 Stories, whereof the lowermoft, which juts forward’ is em bellilh’d with Paintings and carved Works. The Part of the advance-wall, which ’anfwers to the Gate, has likewife an Edifice eredted over it, larger than the former •’ it is four Stories h,gh, with 12 little fquare Windows in each, which makes a very handfo’me Appearance at the Entrance of the Street of the firlt City. rr As we had pafs'd thefe 2 Gates, we found on the Right Hand the Houfe of the Per tuguefe JeJuits , which is over-againft and near the Rampart. It has a double Entrance- goine in by one of themwepais d thro’three little Gates pretty neatly made, into a fquare, regular Court which leads to the Church ; on each Side of the Entrance there is a very handfome fquare Tower, the Tops of which are made in form of an Obfervatory ; in that on the Right hand there is a very fine Organ, and in the other a Clock with feveral Bells ° At the Beginning of the Chinefe Year, all the Inhabitants of Pe-king croud fo to fee thefe Curiofities, that the Court is never empty from Morning till Night. During this Time the Organ plays, and the Clock is fet a chiming ; and many of thofe who enter the Church in form themfelves about the Myfteries which are there reprefented by the Paintings for there Is a Cathechift attending all Day long to explain them : fo that CurioCty is always the Means of making fome Converts to the Faith. J (u ) Me-te-'na is evidently Medina in Arabia , or, as it is cali'd by the Arabs, Medinat al Nabi, that is, the City of the Prophet, meaning Mohammed. (w) By the Moors mult be underltood the Mohammedans in general, who are fo called by a corrupt life of the Word. (x) This is the Chinefe Way of Spelling, or rather pronoun¬ cing, Mohammed. (y) Orig. Min-hiuen-te; others for Hiuen write Hiven and Hon. Th.s teems to be the fame with Hnm-tSm, 6th Em-' peror of the Dynaty of Si*, who began his Reign in the Year 712 after Chnjt bat MtbcmmJ had been dead above So Years before. (z) Here, I fear, the European Vanity is {train’d as much as the Indian ; for certainly the grandeur of the Oriental Prince* especially the Emperors of China, is „oc to be equalled by any thing on this Side of the World. The 4? MISSIONARIES in CHINA The Journey of P. Fontaney, from Pe-king to Kyang-chew, in the Province of Shan-fi • and from thence to Nan-king in the Province of Kyang-nan. T HE 30th of March 1688, we fet out from Pe-king tor Kyang-chew , which is 18 ealy p,.,j e rr „ Days Journey. I hired Mules for 12 Francs each, out of which the Muleteer was obliged Pe-ku',* n to maintain both himfelf and them ; I lay at Tew tyen, a Country Town, 80 Li (*) from Pe-king. Kya " s cl "”’/ The 31ft I pafs’d thro' Tfo-chcw, where 1 took the Road of Shan-fi ; it is incredible what prodigious Multitudes of People there are on the Road; the Streets of our belt Cities in Europe are not fo throng’d. We rode 8 Leagues to get to Ting-hing-hyen. This City is fquare, about 500 Paces long from North to South, and 400 broad from Eaft to Weft ; its Walls are of Earth, and the Battlements of Brick. A little before we came to the Village of Pe-kcw, which is 20 Li farther, we crofs'd a River over a Wooden Bridge cover’d with Earth ; it runs Eaftward and rolls along a great Quantity of Sand with its Tide. Thefe Roads, which are always crouded, are very broad, and planted with Trees on both Sides from Pe-king, with Walls to cover and preferve the Country. In lefs than the Space of a League we met with two or three Villages, not to mention thole which appear on all Sides in the Plain ; in one of them I faw Puppets, which were made to ipeak, and differ’d in nothing from thofe of Europe, but in their Drefs. The 1 ft of April I went from Pe-kew to Ku-chin-tyen, a great Borough, 30 Li diftant to the South-Weft by Weft ; in the Way we found 3 Villages. Thence to Pay-ta-fii, where there is a great Tower on the Left Hand, 20 Li, with 2 Villages between. 10 Li farther we came to Gan-fu-hyen ; we pafs’d thro’ this City, which meafures 3 50 Paces from Eaft to Weft, and 400 from North to South; its Walls are of Earth, and the Battlements of Brick. At the Entrance of the Suburbs we faw a Stone Bridge, without Rails or Side Walls, over a fmall Brook. From Gan-fu to Su-ho are 40 Li. Going out of this Town, we pafs’d over a handfome Bridge of 3 Arches, and 20 Polls on each Side, built with rough Marble. Thence to the City Pau-ting-fu, where refrdes the Governor of the Province of Pe-che-li, 10 Li; it is nearly city Pen. fquare, and above 4,000 Paces in Circumference. We left it on the Left Hand, and over-againft 'Mfi. the Comer of the Wall found a fine Bridge with 3 Arches, of greyilh Marble, built over a fmall River, form’d by 2 little Brooks ; one of which comes from the Weft, and the other from the North. Our Courfe by Eftimation was South-Weft. The Road is very handfome, planted with Trees like a Garden Walk, and crouded with inconceiveable Numbers of People. The 2d we went direiftly Eaft about 10 Li to Ta-Jye-pu, a Village, leaving on the Ri»ht, a little before we came to it, a fmall Tower in the Plain : 10 Li thence to another Borough named Ta-ki-tyen, where there are 3 fmall Stone Bridges; and 10 more South-Weft to another Borough ; 10 Li farther to Kin-yan-i ; and from thence to Tan-jlun-kyau, a great Country Town, in the middle of which there is a handfome Bridge of one Arch, 30 Li ; 30 Li farther we pafs’d thro’ the City King-tu-hyen, which is not fquare, and no more than 1200 Paces in Circuit• City King-ti- the Walls refemble thofe of other Cities .On leaving it we fawa beautiful Triumphal Arch of white h> m - Marble, adorn’d with 4 Lions. Thence to Tfm-fong-tyen a great Borough, where I lay, are 20 Li. In this Days Journey from Pau-ting I pafs’d by 15 or 16 Cities, Boroughs, and Villages, which are full of Inns, for lodging that furprizing Number of People which throngs the Roads. About 10 or 15 Li beyond Pau-ting, the Road is raifed on both Sides with pretty broad Banks, fo that the Space betwixt forms a fort of Canal, which is plalhy in fome Places. As it is ftrait, wide, and level, with Trees planted on both Sides, it affords beautiful Ave¬ nues to the Villages, that one meets with every Mile and an half. In fome Places the Trees are at full Growth, in others but of one or two Years ftanding; whence it is probable, thefe Avenues were ruin'd during the Wars, yet they have a fine Effedt upon the Eye; befides, very lovely, well cultivated Plains prefented themfelves on all Hands; however, there are fo few Trees in this Country, that it appear’d often like a vaft Sea. One is alfo agreeably deceived in the Parts where the Profpedt is bounded by Trees, which make the Country look as if it was overflow’d, or fome great Lake ; the thicknefs of the Vapours refledting Light enough to create a Whitnefs refembling that of Water at a Diftance. But to produce this Phenomenon, the Hori¬ zon muft be terminated by opaque Bodies, fuch as Trees, otherwife the faint refledled Light will be overpower'd by that which (heds a greater Luftre; it may alfo be faid, that the Shadows of thefe Trees appear in the Vapours, which therefore feem to be thick enough to produce the fame Effedt as a Looking-Glafs. The 3d we advanced 10 Li (1) South-Weft to a Village, then 10 Li South-Weft by South to another, after which we crofs’d a little River over a Wooden Bridge cover’d with Earth ; thence 10 Li South-Weft to Ting-chew, a City as big at leaft as Pau-ting ; after having pafs’d thro’ City Png- 4 tillages, I came to Min-ywe-tyen a great Borough, where I dined, 60 Li from Tjin-fmg- (*) It muft be remember’d that io Li or Furlongs make a (i) In the Trench it is io League?, which muft be an Error League, e f t ] ie p r efs or Copy. tyen. j|i| 111 ® Imperial Poll Houle. City Cking- City Ho-lu- byen. City Chin- kiag-hyen. Province of Sban-Ji. tyen, the Courfe always South-Weft by South; three Li beyond, our Courfe was Weft-South- Welt, and at the End of 3 or 4 more it changed to South-Weft by Weft. Thirty Li from Ling-chew we came to Sin-lo-hyen, a little City almoft fquare, not above 1200 Paces in Compafs; we then pafs’d 3 wooden Bridges cover’d with Earth, over a fmall River that runs North Eaft, and which, when the Waters rife, overflows the Country for 3 or 4 Li-, after eroding a few Villages and a Stone Bridge with 18 Pofts on each Side, we arrived at Fu- chin-i , a great Borough, where there is an Imperial Poft-Houfe, (as the Word i denotes,) 45 Li diftant from Sin-lo. The great Road lies between two fmall Canals, whofe earthen Walls ferve inftead of Banks ; it is of Gravel, about 100 Foot wide, the flneft and moft agreeable any where to be met with. The 4th we traveled 60 Li South-Weft by South to Ching-ting-fti, a City near 4000 Paces in Circumference ; its Figure is a long Square and the Walls handfome; we pafs’d along a Skirt of it at leaft 3 Li, running South-Weft; from the Corner to the Gate I reckon’d 17 jquare Towers. Six or l'even Li thence, we crofs’d the Hu-to-Ho, a River 200 Paces broad; it comes from the Weft, and runs South-Eaft ; its Waters are muddy like thole of IVhang-ho. Beyond this River the great Road divides, one part leads towards the Provinces of Se-chwen, Tun-nan , Ho-nan , &c. the other to thofe of Shan-fi and Shen-Ji, which laft was the Road we took ; as it belongs to fo many Provinces it is no wonder to find fuch a prodigious Number of Paflengers on it. I took up my Lodging at Ho-lu-hyen, a very populous City, 1400 Paces in Circuit, and about 40 Li from Ch.ing-ting. It lies behind a Hill, which we pafs’d before we came to it; from the Top we diicover’d the moft charming Country imaginable, as ifnooth as Glafs to the Foot of the Mountains, whereon there are neither Trees nor Bufhes. The Suburbs of Ho-lu-hyen are large in Comparifon of the City, where there are Manufactures of Iron and Earthen Ware. The 5th I enter’d the Mountains, and having gone 40 Li to the Weft-South-Weft, dined at Zhu-ctnvi-pu (1) a large Borogh on the Eaftern Bank of a River, which we crofs’d by a Bridge; on the other Side of the Town we found another handfome Bridge of one Arch, over a River that runs here Northwards, which having crofs’d, we found 3 more little Stone Bridges over fo many Torrents. We traveled along the River, having it on the Left, and at the End of 15 Li, pafs’d it over a Bridge like the former, and 15 Li farther arrived at Chin-king-hyen. This City is 1200 Paces in Compafs, feated on a little Hill; the Walls, which are of Brick, are fair, excepting the part on the Hill, which is of Earth; the lower part only is inha¬ bited, and the Suburbs are better than the City itfelf. We left it on the Right, and travelling 25 Li farther, came to lodge at He-taw-tyen, a Town in the Mountains, which are indif¬ ferently high. The Road is rugged, fo that one is always either afeending, defeending, or turning ; we law an aftonifhing Multitude of Afles and Mules, loaded with Earthen Ware, ground Bark for making Paftils, Cotton, Silk, Skins, and efpecially wrought Iron, which comes from Lii-ngan-fu , a City of Shan-fi ; on the River by which we travell’d, we faw feveral Mills, for grinding the Bark whereof they make the Paftils. Thirty Li from Ho-lii , after having pafs’d thro’ the Borough of Chan-ngan, we crofs’d a Hill above 100 Paces in height, on the Top whereof is a Pagod ; we advanced on 2 great inclining Plains, pav’d with Stone; nothing is to be feen on all Sides but Hills without Valleys, but they are low and cultivated to the very Top ; to prevent the Rains from wafh- ing down the Earth, as well as to detain the Water, they are cut into Terrafles, fupported by dry Walls, built with the Stones wherewith the Ground was cover’d ; we faw whole Fa¬ milies of Chinefe , which dwelt in Grots, for China has its Troglodytes, as well as Egypt ; in fhort, every Place is as populous as can be. We faw neither Trees nor Shrubs on the Moun¬ tains ; the few Herbs and Briars which they produce are quickly pluck’d up to feed the Cattle, and fupply the Lime-Kilns, which are very numerous along the River. Our Courfe was South- Weft by Weft. The 6th, having gone 40 Li, we came to a Village, where there is a Cuftom Houfe. I was difeharged by fending a Vifiting Letter, without having my Baggage fearch’d. The Pro¬ vince of Pe-che-li ends here, and that of Shan-fi begins. The Village is fhut up by 2 great Stone Arches, which crofs the Road that lies between fteep Hills. Here we faw a Wall, which running over the Mountains as well as Valleys, erodes the Road alfo ; I know not how far it extends, not being able to fee either End ; it is of Stone, rough-hewn but firmly laid, and is flank’d at proper Diftances with lquare Brick Towers, which feem’d as intire as if newly built. The Wall including the Battlements might be 10 or 12 Foot high, and 3 or 4 thick; fome Parts of it are fallen down, fome want only the Pinnacles, and others are ftill entire. The Height is equal throughout, fo that when they fay it is 100 Feet and more, they include the Hills. Twenty Li from the Cuftom Houfe, I came to Pe-chin-i, a great Borough, where I dined. 5 Li beyond, we enter’d a Road 10 Paces broad, between pretty fteep Hills, which are about 60 (1) Orig. Ju-cboui-pou; the zb in Englijb anfwers precifely to the French I confonant. MISSIONARIES in CHINA. 4 <) 60 Paces in perpendicular. Having traveli’d 50 Li, I came to Ping-tHg-chew, a City about R , ai 2 000 Paces in Circumference. The North part Handing on a little Hill is wife, the reft is Peking/* very populous: the Suburb to the Weft is large. In crofting the City, we pafs’d thro' a Street 300 Geometrical Paces long : I reckon'd 23 Triumphal Arches there, fome are t>f Wood with Stone Bafes, others are all of Stone ; feveral of them are very handlome. In the Weft Suburb we faw 6 more. This City is fituated in a Plain aniidft the Mountains. Two " s . Leagues before we came to it, the Road began to be very good. The Tops of the Moun¬ tains are till’d with Oxen. We faw Villages conlifting of Grots or Caverns, dug on Purpofe; bein'r very neat Chambers 20 Feet long, and 10 or 12 broad. I pafs’d thro' 14 Villages without reckoning thofe at the Beginning and End of the Stage; the Cotirle South-Weft by Weft. _ The 7th leaving Ping-ting, we ftruck Northwards, afcending gradually for 7 or 8 Li till we came to a Village, after which we found a Defcent, which was pretty fteep, and at the Foot of it another Village; for 15 Li our Courfe was North-Weft. At the End of 23 Li we pafs’d a Brook, that runs Eaftward ; at 25 Li we found a Village where we turn’d Weft-North-Weft ; at 40 Li another Village, and advanced Weft-South-Weft, for 2 Li-, afterwards North-Weft 12 Li, then 6 Li Weft to Sin-tyen, 60 Li from Ping-ting. From Sin-tyen where I dined, I rode 4 Ik Weft, then 6 Li Weft-North-Wdt to a Village : 14 Li farther I pafs’d a Brook which comes from the North, and falls into that by the Side whereof I travell’d. 20 Li thence to a Borough, and 4 Li beyond we afcended a very fteep Hill. There the Stony Road which was very troublesome to us ends. The Top of this Hill, as well as all thofe about it, is extremely well cultivated, and cut inTerraftes which are continued to the Bottom, and make a very agreeable Prafpeft. From thence we had an eafy Delcent Weftward to the City Shew-yang-hyen, 40 Li from Sin- tyen-, one Li before we enter’d the Suburb we faw on the Left a Tower 300 Paces from 0 1 the great Road beyond the Valley, where the River along which I rode, runs. This Dif- trift is full of Towns and Hamlets. We left the City to the Right; it is above 1300 Paces in Compafs, and its Walls are in -very good Repair. The 8th I advanced 45 Li Weft-Narth-Weft : and at a Village 40 Li farther left the Road leading to Yay-ywen-fu, the Capital of Shan-Ji, and took that for Pin-yang-fu, which runs South-Weft by South. 33 Li from that Divifion the Hills end, which were always well cultivated, and ftored with Hamlets; but full of Precipices, form’d either by the Torrents, carrying away the Mold, or what is more likely, by Earthquakes, which happen pretty fre- Earthquakes, quently in thofe Parts, for many times I faw large Cavities encompaffed in fuch a Manner that the Water could neither get in nor out. One Thing extraordinary I remark’d in feveral Parts of this Province, that there is Earth or Mold for 4 or 300 Feet deep without the leaft Stone, which contributes not a little to the Fertility of the Soil. I came to lie at Wan-hu-ching, after having travail’d 120 Lionet the Hills. In the Morning every thing was frozen and even the ftnalleft River ; fo that the Cold was very piercing, yet the Evening was exceeding hot. After quitting thole Hills, we enter'd into a very fine, even, and populous Plain ; here the Mountains form a fpacious Hollow, leaving a large Opening between the Weft and South-Weft : they are 4 Leagues diftant on the Weft Side, and fomewhat lefs on the South-Weft. The 9th, our Courfe was South-Weft by Weft. Advancing 6 or 7 Li, we left on the South to the City Yu-tfe-hyen ; it has 4 Gates and feems to be fquare. Having gone 12 Li we City Yu-ijt, came to a Borough inclofed with Walls of Earth, where we crofs’d a Brook, which runs Weftward. At the End of 13 Li we pafs’d another Brook running Weftward likewife ; thence It Li to a Village, Weft-South-Weft ; 10 Li farther to a Brook that runs North-wards ; 7 Li beyond, to a Village, after which our Courfe was Weft-South-Weft. Three Li thence to a River which we crofs’d over a Wooden Bridge cover'd with Earth ; it runs firft to the Weft, and prefently turns Northwards. 6 Li farther, to a Village, and then 8 Li more South Weft, to Syu-kyu-hyen, where I dined after travelling 60 Li that Morning. City Sju £»• This City extends from North to South about 400 Paces, and lefs than 200 from Eaft - to Weft. The Walls are of Brick and very handfome : thofe which inclofe its Suburbs are of Earth, with Brick Battlements. Having travell’d 45 Li farther and pafs’d thro’ feveral Villages, I came to lodge at Kya-lin. Thefe Villages are fo many little Cities, and fome ol them are of more Value than feveral Hyen : this joined to the Beauty of the Country, which is as level as a Bowling Green, and the Groves of Trees wherewith the Villages are furrounded, makes a moft agreeable Landlkip. In feveral Parts of this Plain, within the Compafs of a Mile and half round,°we faw 12 Villages at once; and taking in thofe farther off, we could reckon 20, each of which had feveral pretty high Towers. The 10th I made 15 Li South-Weft to Ki-hyen, lying on the Left. I pafs’d thro' the Weft Suburb, which is large and inclofed with Walls of Earth ; thofe of the City are of Brick and very fair, with Guard Houfes and Towers at convenient Diftances. It may be 12 or 1500 Paces in Compafs. Travelling afterwards South-Weft by South we pafs’d thro’ feveral Villages; at the End of 42 Li we faw to the Left a very beautiful Temple dedicated to Yu- whan-Jhan-ti ; thence Weft-South-Weft to XJ-li-chwan a large Village or Town where I dined 60 Li from the place whence I let out. Ten Li farther I pafs’d by Pin-yau-kyen on the Left Hand, a fair City 1,500 or 2,000 CityP/.- Paces in Circuit. It is fquare; its Walls which are of Brick, are very fine, and flank’d with- 1 ""'" Vot. I. O Towers The TRAVELS of federal JESUIT Towers at proper Diftances; I counted 30, and between every two, 22 Battlements; there are 4 Gates, one in the Middle of each of the 4 Fronts of the Wall. Our Courfe afterwards was South-Weft. Having travell’d 60 Li and paft’d thro’ feveral large Towns, I lay at Chan-tfwen ; the Road was crouded with People who raifed a dreadful Duft that was extremely troublefome. For thefe two laft Days the Land appear’d more fat, black and tough th-*.n ulual, and the Villages had fewer Towers; bet to make Amends moft of them were inclofed by Walls of Earth, with Brick Battlements, and often thick double Gates cover’d with Iron Plates faften’d by great Nails. Citv Kyay- The 11 th, at the End of 14 Li we faw a fair Pagod on the Left Hand, our Courle l -' e '' ' )tn ' Wed South Weft ; 6 Li farther to Kyay-hyew-hyen, a fair populous City ; we pafs’d thro’ the North Suburb, which is a fecond City encompafs’d with Walls; 10 Li from thence Weft- South-Weft, we found a Bridge and Pagod; and 10 farther another B.idge on the Left, with two wall’d Villages, 100 Paces from the Road, which might be taken for Cities. There we River JW turn’d South-Weft along a fmall River on the Right Hand, call’d Fwen-ho , which rifes in the Territory of Fay-ywen-fu ; its Waters are yellow and muddy, like thofe of the Yellow River. Here the Mountains begin again, I travell’d however thro’ a Valley 1,000 or 1,500 Paces broad ; 10 Li farther we came to a large Village, and when we left it advanced South-South- Weft ; oppolite to it on the Right was a fair Stone Bridge over the Fwen-ho of 12 fmall Arches; prefently after on the Left a Pagod and two Villages built on little Hills. In fhort, having rode in all 60 Li and pafs’d feveral big Villages, I dined in a large Burough; and 20 Cuv/.T- Li farther arrived at Ling-Jhe-hyen. This City takes up almoft the whole Breadth of the / - Valley, altho’ it does not exceed 300 Paces in Length from North to South, and 150 in Breadtl) from Eaft to Weft ; we left it to the Right, being wafh’d by the Fwen-ho on the Weft Side. Ten Li from the City Southward there is a Village on the Right Hand ftanding on a riling Ground, at the Foot of which we pafs’d ; there we quitted the Fwen-ho , which runs Welhvard into a Valley, and leaving on the South-Eaft the Channel of a Torrent, which is broad and very ftony, began to afeend a Hill, that feem’d to be about 100 Paces higher than the Surface of the Fwen-ho-, the Way up was rugged, and at Top we found a Hamlet, 20 Li from where we let out: from whence defeending 5 Li, we came to a Pagod, where there is a large ft one Arch over a Torrent ; afterwards we afeended for 5 Li, and then defeended to Jm-i where I lay, 40 Li from Ling-Jhe-hyen. We met an infinite Number of People on the Road ; the Wind was fo high as fometimes to hinder my Mule from advancing, and the Duft fo darken’d the Sky, that at Noon we law no better than if there had been a thick Fog. All the Hills, whichare of Earth, are improved to the very Top and cut in Terafles; the Cavities and Precipices are equally well cultivated; for the laft 30 Li, our Courfe was South-South-Weft. The 12th I rode 3 or 4 Li South-Weft by Weft. Afterwards I pafs’d a Mountain, ad¬ vancing South South Eaft ; on the Top there is a Village, 15 Li from Jin-i, from whence we defeended Southward 10 Li : then our Courfe was Weftward ; 23 Li farther at the Foot of the Mountain we found a Pagod ; here we enter’d a Valley above 600 Paces wide, wafh’d on the Right Side by the Fwen-ho. After having travell’d this Mourning 60 Li I came to City Cho- dine at Cho-chew on the fame River. At the Entrance of the City, which is 200 Paces from fW Eaft to Weft, and 400 from North to South , we pafs d a Brook over a little ftone Bridge, on the Left of which we faw an Ox eaft in Iron. From thence our Courfe was full South, where we faw a Pagod, then we afeended a Mountain ; at the End of 36 Li we faw another Pagod on the Left, and found a charming Plain on the Top of the Mountain, which we defeended, after we had gone 5 Li farther, our Courfe being South-South-Weft. Then we enter’d into a Valley like the former, where we found the Fwen-ho , which we kept always on our Right. City c.hau- At length having travell d 60 Li , I came to lodge at Chau-ching-hyen. The Extent of this d-n;r iyen. City from North to South is 300 Paces and 200 from Eaft to Weft ; it is very populous. I faw there a fine Triumphal Arch of well cut Stone. The Road was always crouded with People, and the Land extremely well cultivated. In thefe Mountains, there are Coal Pits, where they are at work continually '> the horrible Caverns which we faw were probably form’d by the Ground falling into the exhaufted Mines ; however from the Top of any of thefe Moun¬ tains there is a charming Profpeft over the vaft Numbers of others that lye round it, all ter- rafsd and cover d in Spring with a beautiful Green ; on fome of the Precipices there are fcarce 3 or 4 Paces left for the Road. The 13th we advanced Southward ; 3 Li from the City we crofs’d a little River which falls into the Fwen-ho, after which we pafs’d by a Village on the Left. A Li farther, our Courfe was South Weft, and 6 Li thence, we came to another Village, where we went up a little Hill; and 8 Li beyond it, to a large Village, where we defeended into a fine Plain. At the Bottom of this Defcent there is a handfome ftone Bridge of 3 Arches over a Brook ; 5 Li before we Ci-v H"> cai ^ ne t0 ’h our Courle began South-South-Weft. Alter we had paft’d fome Villages and a fair tonjhyir Bridge 18 Paces long, always following the Fwen-ho, we arrived at Hong-tong-hyen, 12 Li farther. This City is 1800 Paces in Compafs ; we croft’d it, and at the North-Weft Angle, found a Paged with an Obelilk ; for 4 Miles together it feems to be one continued Town, lying along the Hill; this Plain, which is 40 Feet lower than the former, is at leaft a Mile broad to the River, rut Bridge. Departing from the City we crofs’d a fine Bridge of 17 Arches, 60 Paces in Length ; the Piers are of Free Stone, faften’d together with large iron Keys ; the Buttrelfes are thick and ftrong, fupporting Figures of different Animals, couchant in projedhire, and faften’d by round Barrs of MISSIONARIES/;; CHINA Si of Iron, 3 Inches thick, among which are fome Lions Whelps ; it is paved with large fquare Stones, placed on Beams. At a Village 3 Li from Hong-tong we turn’d to die South-Weft Kyang* by Weft ; 10 Li thence we found a great Borough on the Right; 17 farther another; leaving jj L ' w 10 which we faw a fine ftone Bridge of 3 Arches, over a large Brook. I palsd two other Vil- lages, and two Bridges over the Fwen-ho. Twenty Li beyond I dined at a great Borough, where I faw a fine ftone Bridge of 7 Arches, with Rails or Side Walls, con filling of ftone Pannels, grooved into the Polls, and^adorn’d with Baflo-relievo’s, Chinefe Charadler3, and 4 great Lions at the Corners; it is about 60 Paces in Length. Ten Li farther is the City Pin-yang-fii , above 4 Miles in Circumference, where there is City Pi n - a Wooden Bridge over the Fwen-ho. Thence our Courfe was South-Weft ; after I had rode ya '' v >«f- which is very populous, there is a Bridge with Rails or Side Walls cover’d with a Roof, fup- Ie ”i' hy: " ported by Wooden Pillars. I travell’d all the Day in very pleafuit and even Plains, tho’ on different Levels; there is not an Inch of them uncultivated. Every thing here appear’d green, which I had not ob- lerved any where elfe ; this no doubt was owing to the Multitude of Brooks, which defeend on both Sides of the Hills, whofe Waters are fo well managed that every Body is lupply’d with them. Thefe Hills afford a very beautiful Landlkip, being ftored with Corn, Pulfe, Trees, and Villages, the Number of which is furprizing. As the Corn is fown in Beds, all this Part of the Country looks like a Garden •, here I faw many of thofe Trees, call’d Fjny-tJe (a-), ThcTr(;s its Flower is yellow, and yields an Oyl ufed for Lamps. After palling the Fwen-ho, we found Tjay ' tje - Rice fow’d on its Sides, which are marlhy ; the Road was every where crcuded with People, and the Plains cover’d with Husbandmen fowing Pulfe. The 14 our Courfe was South-Weft by South; after we had rode 37 Li , in a Country like the former, I pafs’d a Bridge of five handfome ftone Arches, over a Torrent that runs between 2 large Villages; there is a wooden Triumphal Arch at each End. Three Li farther we came to a three-arch’d Bridge, and 20 beyond that to the City of Fay -ping-by en ; it City is fmall, and not very populous, but has a pretty large Suburb. A little before we got to it, ptng f - in ' I faw a Bridge cover’d with a Roof, which bears the Name of the flying Rain-Bow ; it is Remarkable a great Lattice of Timber, fupported by wooden Arches, placed on a Bank of Stone, built Bridge, over two ftone Arches that are next the Land ; the Chinefe admire the Contrivance of it, and for that Reafon, perhaps, have given it that whimfical Name ; it is 7 or 8 Paces long, and was made by a Ikilful Carpenter. Seven Li from Lay-ping we found another ftone Bridge 5 after which our Courfe was South Weft, as far as Kyang-chew , where I lodged. This City is 3254 Paces in Circumference, fituate City K m - on the right Side of the Fwen-ho ; it has but two Gates, becaufe one part of it Hands on a cieWi rifing Ground. From Pe-king hither I made the belt Ufe I could of a good Mariner’s Compafs, to mark the Bearings. At Pin-yang-fii I left the great Road which leads to the Province of Shen-fi. I have fiid nothing of the Inns that are upon it, becaufe they are like thofe which I have deferibed in the Journal from Ntng-po to Pe-king (b). The Houles defign’d for the Reception of the Man¬ darins, call’d Kong-quan, have nothing remarkable ; it is much if on their Journey they find Neceftaries, but they have their own Servants, who buy and cook every thing according to their Liking. The 5th of May I fet out from Kyang-chew for Nan-king ; that City Hands, as I faid, on TheAuthor’s a rifing Ground, the River runs below in a fine well cultivated Plain, which bears Corn. I to pafs’d it over a wooden Bridge, my Litter being carry’d on the Shoulders of Men, (who wait for that Purpofe) inftead of the Mules, which they took out ; perhaps becaufe the Bridge is narrow and weak. The Chriftians accompany’d me to the River Side, where they had fet a Table, with a Collation, according to the Cuftom of the Country, to take their Farewell of me; I juft Jailed of their Wine, that they might not think I flighted their Civility. The 6th I dined at I-chin-hyen (c), 50 Li diftant, our Courfe Eaft. I pafs’d thro’ 5 Villages, fome of which were encompafs’d with Walls of Earth, but thofe of the laft are of Brick. Going out of it, I pafs’d along a hollow Road, where leveral Carts meeting Hopp’d. The Chineje never fall into a Pafiion on fuch Occafions, but quietly aftift one another. I had the Mountains always on the Right. I-chin is in the Diftridl of Pin-yang-fii ; the Walls are of Earth, with brick Parapets •, the City/-A.•• whole Country is cultivated, and near the City we law feveral Sepulchres. We could get no Meat to buy at I-chin , the Mandarin thereof having forbidden the Selling any, in Hopes to obtain Rain, by that Sort of Fall; the Chmefe at this time eat nothing but Rice, Pulfe, and fuch things as had not Life ; the Mandarins have Poultry in their Houfes, which they caufe to be drefs’d: yet after all, Flelh is fold privately; for at Kyang-chew, where the fame Prohibition was publilh’d, we had Meat enough, and as cheap as at other times. I continued here W k* f rench Tsai-tze. Map Y-tchin ; the T being ufed for the / Vowel before a Confo- (b) Hence it appears that P. Font an ey was Author of the for- nant, and where it ilands for a Word; and indeed P. Fontaney in me i J^nal. ufing the / differs from his ufual Practice, as in the Words Gi»% (c) 1 his City, which in the Text is written I tchin , is in the Fou tchingy, Sec. Earthen Ware. City 7 'fin- fiywi-bjen. The TRAVELS of feveral JESUIT here the reft of the Day, becaufe there was no Poflibility of getting that Night to the Place where we (hould have lodged, on account of the bad Weather. The 7 th travelling 40 Li Eaft-Soutb-Eaft, I came to dme at a large Village. 3 Quarters of a Mile beyond I-chin , we enter’d the Hills, which are all of good Mold ; the Afcent is rugged every l'crap of them is cultivated, and fown, not excepting the very Precipices ; beyond them is a cultivated Plain full of Villages and Trees. Here fomeumes we beheld Terraffes one above another, coniifting of 4 or 5 Feet of till’d Earth; it appeard that the Chineje had town Corn even on the Tops of the Hills. We found crouds of People on this Road, and faw Mountains to the Weft, South and Eaft, which form a Semicircle. I went 40 Li farther South-Eaft, to lodge at a Borough named Wan-cbay ; one League from Lew-hu (d) we had other Hills to pafs, which are lbony, and the Country uncultivated, excepting in certain Valleys ; a League farther we climbed another, the Detent of which was to fteepf that I was forced to walk. I met with feveral Affes and Mules, carrying Earthen Kettles of the Colour of Iron ; all this Country is poor, and the Road difficult. The 8th I dined at a Hamlet 40 Li diftant [from Wan-cbay ] to the South-Eaft, always ad¬ vancing in a Valley between Hills, the Way being ftonv but perfeftly even. I pafs’d thro’ a H\m “named Tfm-Jhwi (e), it is a fmall City with brick Walls. Leaving it we found two Towers, one in the right, the other on the left Hand, on the Tops of the two bigheft Mountains ; likewife tome Hamlets along the Road ; Dinner was ferved up m Dlfhes of Earthen Ware, but not near to fine as the Dutch. • i_ r rr 1 At the End of this City we climbed up a Mountain, where we met with tome Hamlets. It is an Hours very difficult Journey, Carts can neither afcend nor defcend it. In tome Places the Road is to narrow, that they run a Rifk of falling down the Precipices; thefe Parts are uncultivated. , , ril , irM Afterwards the Road was even, the Lands were tilled, and we pafsd by 2 or 3 Villages ; we were however in a fort of Valley, for on both Sides we beheld the Tops of other Moun¬ tains higher than that we were on. 1 lay at Lew-tjwen, a pretty tolerable Borough ; the Houfes there were of Brick ; our Courfe was South, the Diftance 4 ° Li. The qth I dined at a little Village, the Diftance 40 Li, Courfe South South Eaft. I pafsd 3 Villages and tome Hamlets ; in one of which, call’d Ti-cbin , they make thofe Iron colour d Earthen Kettles mention’d before. The Road was even, and thro’ a clofe Valley, whence the Tops of the Mountains appear’d only like Hillocks. , This Valley is ftonv, yet every where cultivated and planted with lhady Trees: a brook runs thro’ the middle of it, among the Flints, fufficient to water both the Cattle and Land. At the End of it the Men and Horfes afcend a very rugged Hill, Calafhes and Litters con¬ tinuing their Way in the Valley by the Side of it, above a Mile and an half farther; in which Space we pafs’d 2 Villages, in the firft whereof abundance of thofe Earthen Kettles are made. Having pafs’d the 2d, I was obliged to clamber up a very fteep Road ; the Lands on every Side were fown, and the Ways fo narrow that Carts cannot pafs; on a 1 oint of the Hill we faw the Walls of a ruin’d Caffle. I defcended afterwards into a Valley, where is a Bridge, made of Stakes, over a Torrent or Rivulet whofe Water is yellow; then I went up another Hill: after which the Lands are very good and all tilled, the little Hills being cut in Terraffes to the Top, and each Terrais fowen ; I counted more than 40, one above another, feveral of them fupported by Walls made of Stones, taken out of the Hills themfelves. Thefe Terraffes appear on all Sides for 2 or 3 Leagues together ; the Country is diverfify’d with Trees, Houfes and Pagods built on Five or fix Leagues on the right Hand I faw Hills much higher than thofe whereon I was It is likely the Chineje have with vaft Labour levell’d the Tops of moft of thefe, in order to tow them. I lay at Chew-t/wm (f), a pretty Borough, enclofed with brick Walls; the Diftance 40 Li, the Courfe South-South-Eaft. The 10th travelling 45 Li, I came to dine at the Village of Li-chwen s I judged our Courfe was South-Eaft, for the Sun not appearing I could make no Obfervation (g). In the Way I crofs’d three Mountains, and as many large Villages, befides 3 or 4 which I faw on the right Hand. The Afcent of the firft Mountain is not very fteep ; we found very fine plowed Lands on the Top of it, but the Defcent was rugged. The fecond Mountain is fteeper, {landing in the midft of little Hills, which are tilled, and cut in Terraffes, whereof in one* Hill only I reckon’d more than a hundred ; they are commonly 20 or 30 Feet in Breadth ; tho’ tome are but 12, and even lefs, according to the fteepnefs of the Defcent. Having advanced above a League, feeing nothing but little Hills, fowen with Corn and Thickets of Trees, we went up other ftonv Hills. The Roads were paved with large Flint Stones, but very uneven. The Terraffes on the Hills are here walled with Stone for a Mile a nd an half together. Thefe Parts, which are plowed and cultivated with to mu™ Toil, (five us a better Idea of the Induflry of the Chineje, than the Plains of Kyang-nan, Shan-tong, „nd Pe-che-li. (d) It is not mention’d how far this Place is from Wan- day. (e) In the Map it is writttn Tcin-ebout. (f) In the French it is written Tcbeou-tcouen ; here the tc fhould feem to have a different Sound from the tf and tx, which he ufes in the Word Ffay-tze, (Seep. 51 . Note a), but as he is not uniform, I make no Scruple to convert it into tf. (c) The Author in this Part of the Journey feems to have obferved the Bearing by the Courfe of the Sun, and not by the Com pafs. This MISSIONARIES in CHINA. Beyond thefe little Hills, the Mountains began to be barren, excepting towards the Bottom, R ca jy rcm where the Land is cultivated. I faw fome Places where they had begun to make Ter- Kyang-che\V raffes ; they firft gather all the Stones and pile them up to build Walls with, af ter which they level the Ground and low it. The third Mountain is ftill more rugged than the two former ; in defending it I was forced to alight twice j after Rains, thefe Roads are impafhble, the Flints being very llippery ; I lay at Lfin-chau-i a large Village. Juft beyond the Place where we dined, I afcended a Mountain ; the reft of the Country is good and level ; there appear on all Sides little plowed Hills, full of Trees, and a great Number of wall’d Terraftes. 1 pafs’d thro’ 6 or 7 Villages, fome of which are pretty large, and built of Brick ; I faw others in the Bottom, at the Foot of the Hills. On the Road we met a good many Mules and Aftes loaded with Commodities from the Provinces of Ho-nan and Kyang-nan. The 1 ith, I dined at the Town of Chan-pin, having travell’d 40 Li South Eaft, and pafs’d Province of 5 or 6 little Towns or Villages ; it is in the Province of Ho-nan. At fetting out we went K°- nan ' up a little Hill, after which we defcended all the Way ; we found a Road, made among the Rocks, along the Hills inform of a Terrafs both lined and paved with Stone ; it is 10 or 12 Feet wide, with a great Defcent, and in rainy Weather lo llippery, that it is impoftible to go down it. There are on this Road two or three little Forts to defend the Paftage, one of which has thick Walls, whereon Soldiers might be drawn up. Beyond thefe little Hills we began to have a Sight of the Plains of Ho-nan. Every Part of the Mountains is improved, excepting where there- are Rocks. We found multitudes of People on the Road, and fo great a Number of loaded Mules and Aftes that they often flopp'd up the Way. After Dinner, I got rid of the Mountains. For two Leagues and an half the Road is rough and the Defcents very fteep, occaiion’d by the Flints and Stones. Beyond a little Hill wc dis¬ cover’d the Whang-ho ; its Courfe might be traced by the white Vapors, exhaled by the Sun. In the Space of a League and an half thro’ the Plain, I pafs’d thro’ 6 Boroughs or Country Towns, fome of which were very large. The Corn was high, and the Ears all form’d, in the Fields, whereas at 5 or 6 Leagues Diftance, in the Mountains, it was ftill in Grafs. The Country is charming •, we faw Trees every where amidft the Corn and about the Villages: not an Inch of Ground is loft. I lay at Sin-wha-chin, having travel I’d 40 Li Eaft-South-Eaft ; it is a great Borough in the Diftridl of Whay-king-fu. The 12th I travell’d 30 Li, to a little Village where there was not a Room to dine in ; thence 40 Li, to a Borough named Mii-lang , where I lodged. The Country all the Way was even and cultivated ; however I pafs’d thro’ 9 or 10 pitiful Villages. The 13th I went 60 Li South-Eall to Wan-cimen, where I both dined and fupp’d ; it is a Borough depending on Kay-fong-fu . The Country all this Day was charming, with Villages on both Sides of the Road. We faw there little Carts with 4 folid Wheels, and not 3 Foot in Diameter, drawn by Oxen, Aftes, Mules, and Horfes, all mixt together, 4 or 5 in a breaft. I refted in this Borough, becaufe the Place where I was to have lodged was too far off. I faw Corn fown in Lines, like Rice, not above 6 Inches afunder. I faw it alfo fown the common Way as in Europe, but thofe Fields are plow’d without leaving Ridges. The 14th, we advanced 60 Li Eaft-South-Eaft to the Whang-ho ; we law Villages on both Flands, but they were forry ones; the River was 6 or 7 Li broad in this Place, and it is as much as the Eye can do to reach from one Side to the other. I never beheld a more rapid Stream, but it is not very deep, for being got about a third part over, I oblerved they reached the Bottom with a Pole ; I paid no more than 30 Sols for a Bark which carry’d overall my Baggage. Hav¬ ing pafs’d the JVhang-ho I rode 20 Li farther to a Town; our Courfe was about Eaft- South-Eaft, for the Sun did not Urine, (h) The 15th, travelling Eaft by South 70 Li, I arrived at Kay-fong-fu we found nothing to eat, city Kaj either on the Road or in the Inns, but Bread not half baked and a little Rice, drefs’d after the/«»£-/«• Chinefe Manner ; every Body buys and cooks his own Victuals. We lodged in the Suburb without entring the City ; for a few Days before, 60 Men having broken into the Mandainri s Houfe, and carry’d off the L/yen-!yang(i), or Tribute Money, Guards were placed at the Gates to hinder any from going in or out, till they were all taken, as feveral of them had been already. [This is the Metropolis of Ho-nan.] The 16th, pafting along Part of the Walls of the City, I counted the Steps of a Mule Driver, who walk’d before me, and computed that Side of the Town to have been 1000 Geome¬ trical Paces long; the Walls are of Brick, and in good Repair, with little fquare Baftions at proper Diftances. The Country this Day appear’d charming ; we faw more Houfes and Vil¬ lages than before, and fleered our Courfe South-Eaftward. Having travell’d 55 Li, I pafs d thro’ Ching-lyew-byen, a City inclofed by brick Walls, with Baftions. I lay at Han-kang-cbin , a City Ching- great Borough 2 5 Li farther. The 17th, advancing 30 Li I came to the City Ki-hyen, whofe Walls are of Brick, with Towers at certain Intervals ; on one Side they feem’d to extend not above 300 Fathom ; I left it on the Right. From hence to L’ye-fu-tfe , the place where I lodged, the Country was full of Vol. I. P Villages (h) See Note (c) p. 52. the Terms, at the End of the third Volume, thefe Words are (l) In the French Text Cien-lean ; but in the Explanation of written Tfien-lcang. 94 The T RAF ELS of fe-veral JESUIT Road frm Villages, whereof I often counted 12 at a time, and pafs’d thro’ 13 or 14 5 our Courfe ft ill Kyang-chew Eaft-South-Eaft, and our Stage in all 80 Li. The Road was very finely planted on both Sides with Trees like a Garden Walk, and crouded with People. Each of thefe Villages had belonging to it a lofty Houfe like a lfnall fquare Tower, which the Inhabitants make Ule of for fecuring their Effefls in troublefome Times, or when they fear the Irruptions of Robbers, &c. thefe Houfes are the particular Relidence of that Clafs of the People, who live at their Eafe, fuch as Mandarins , Soldiers, &c. The 18th, I left Tye-fu-tfe, the Gates of which are lo low, that my Litter was twice in Danger of being broken. The Road continued to be planted with Trees ; at the End of 45 Li, I pafs’d thro’ Hyan-bi-pu , a large and very long Village thence 20 Li to Nhing- lii-hyen, where I dined and fupp’d, becaufe there were no Inns within 70 Li. city Nbing- This City depends on Quey-te-fu (k) ; it appear’d to be large, but wafte, and poor within ; ' u -b ,n - its Ditches are fill’d with Water; its Walls are of Brick, with Towers at convenient Di- ftances. Our Courfe was Eaft by South. From Kay-fong hither, I found on the Road from! time to time thefe fmall Towers or Centry Boxes, with Bells in fome of them ; this Day I pafs’d thro’ 8 or 9 Villages. The 19th, having travell’d 80 Li, I came to < Tfay-kya-tau-ke e w [ l), a great Borough, where 1 dined and lay; the continual Rain hinder’d me from elfimating the Courfe. I left Quey-te-fu on the left Hand, which makes me believe we travell’d South-Eaff, luppo- fing the Account they gave of its Situation to be true; the Country was agreeable all the Way. I pafs’d by a handfome burying Place, where we law Marble Lions, in a very thick Wood. The 20th, I did not proceed becaufe of the Rain ; the Ground was become fo foft that there was no fure Footing. The 2 iff, having travell’d 90 Li, South-Eaff, according to the Report of our Muleteers ( for the Sun did not fhine), I came-to JVbe-tin-tfye (m), a great Borough ; the Plains were all over fine, and the Roads and Villages befet with Trees. City Tuni- The 2 2d, I proceeded 90 Li South Eaff, and partly South. I dined at a large Village, tbing-bjen. j u fl hall way, after which I pafs’d thro’ the City Tung-ching-hyen ; it is fmall within the Walls, but its Suburbs are very large. This Afternoon, I counted 12 Villages, which I faw all at once on my left Hand ; almoff all of them have little fquare Towers, by which they are diffinguifh’d at a Diffance, but we faw no more fuch Numbers of Trees. Province of The 2 3 ^> having advanced 20 Li, I pafs’d through Fung-tye-ju-tfii [y>\ a fmall Bo- Kyang-nan. rough, where the Province of Kyang-nan begins. I dined at Pe-kang-i another Village; our Courfe was South-Eaff in all 40 Li, and advancing South 40 Li farther, lay at the Village of Sang-pu : all thefe Villages depend on Fong-yang-fu . I had Mountains all Day long to the Eaffward, at 5 or 6 Leagues Diffance. The Country was almoff deffitute of Trees, except in the Villages, which are very numerous, and furnifh’d with little fquare Towers. I few the CbineJe threfh their Corn fpread on the Ground, by rowling a Cylinder of black unwrought Marble over it it was 2 Feet in Diameter, about 2 Feet and an half long, and drawn by two Oxen, with Ropes faffen’d to the Axeltree of the Rowler. City Synv- Monday the 24th, at the End of 30 Li, I pafs’d near Syew-chew ; its Walls appear’d in no ehlw - very good Condition, but its Suburbs are large. I dined at a Village, 45 Li South-South-Eaft from thence; and lay at another named Fan-chang-tfye , 3 5 Li farther; the bad Weather and Rain would not permit me to obferve the Bearing. The Houfes of thefe Villages are very poor ; we found nothing to eat in them. At Dinner I faw a parcel of Silk Worms, on a Mat, feeding on Mulberry Leaves. Thofe which were ready to Spin their Silk were put put into Boxes of dry Reeds ; the Cods which they make are fmall ; I was told, thofe of the Province of Cbe-kyang are twice or thrice as big. The 25th I travell’d 50 Li, without obferving’the Bearing, to Lycn-chin-tfye, where I dined this is a great Borough, where there are two Bridges over two Rivulets, or rather Brooks, which the Rains make navigable for Boats, and run no farther than fome neighbouring Vil¬ lages. I lay at Ku-chin , another Borough 30 Li farther. The Soil was marfhy, and not fo good as that of Ho-nan ; thefe are Paffure Grounds for Cattle, where I faw numerous Flocks of Sheep. The Rain, which fell the two preceding Days, had fo fpoil’d the Roads, that I was forced to travel continually in puddles of Water. The 26th, I proceeded 60 Li, to Sang-pu, but by turning out of the Way fo often, to avoid the Water, I travell’d above 80 Li. Twenty Li from Sang-pu, is the City Fong- yang-fu ; I believe our Courfe was South. We were obliged to pafs thro’ the Water, which in fome Places was two or three Feet deep, and in the rainy Seafon renders travelling very difficult; however, Corn grows there. I took Guides to condudl me thro’ the Fields; a Ridge of Mountains appear’d, extending from South-Welt to South, and even fome what Ealtward. The 27th, at the End of 30 Li, I came to a fmall City, where we crofs’d the Whay- bo, which River is about 70 Geometrical Paces broad ; it has a Communication with the Whang- (k) In the Text, Koua-te-fou , but in the Map, Kovc-tefou, (m) Ibid. Hoe tin tfie. (l) In the French, Tcai kia tao keou. (v) Ibid, Tung-tn-fou^u-. MISSIONARIES/';; CHINA. Whang-ho , and thereby with Nan-king . I lay at JVhan-ni-pu , 40 Li farther: all this Country is full of Pafture. The 28th I dined at Tfon-kya-pu (o), a large Village, 40 L/ } - and lay at Che-ho-yi , a great Borough, 30 Li farther ; at the Entrance of it is a Bridge, with 30 Ports, over which we crofs’d a little River. I believe our whole Courfe was South fomewhat Eafterly, through Roads, which were broken by the preceding Days Rains, but throng’d with People, and full of Villages. The 29th, advancing 50 Li South, I came to Chu-lu-ikyau^ another Village, where I dined and flipped •, about half a League from our fetting out, I enter’d among Hills, which arc neither high, nor the Road rugged, but I law few cultivated Lands. The 30th, having travell’d a League, I was forced to climb a very fteep Mountain ; The Way up is paved with Stones. There are feme Houfcs upon it, and a ftone Arch, 40 or 50 Feet long, under which we pafs’d; the Delcent is eafier.- Forty Li farther, we came to Hyu-chew •, this City is encompafs’d with aFoffe, fill’d with Water, 60 Fathom wide ; it ftands on a riling Ground, and the Country round it is well cover’d with Trees ; the Suburb thro’ which we pafs’d, is very large, where we faw fome Triumphal Arches and a Tower. Thence 20 Li South Eaft, is Tan-tye-kan , a Borough, where I dined. I lay at Tfi-i-kyo (p), another Borough, 40 Li beyond. The Plains were full of Rice. I faw them threlh the Corn with a Flail, as in Europe , alfo fqueeze out the Grain with a Marble Rowler, drawn by a Buffalo. Road from Peking 1. Kan-toh. Ci,y B,-.. ebe-.v. The 3 irt I proceeded 50 Li Eart, to Pu-kew ; a League before we came to it, we enter’d among Hills, of a pretty ealy Alcent, and defeended gradually to this Place, which is a great Borough, encompafs’d by Walls, carry’d over a Hill, overlooking the River [Tang-Je-kyang\ like a Citadel, only it is too high to command it; it makes a Nook on the Eart Side, which extends to another Hill where there is a Tower. The Tang-tfe-kyang is almoft a League broad in this Place. Nan-king ftands 30 Li South by Eaft of Pu-kew. We landed on the other Side, a good League below Pu-kew to the South-South-Eaft, where we enter’d a River, which, two Leagues thence, brought us to the Gate of Nan-king, along whofe Walls we went for the Space of a Mile and half. There were on this River a great Number of Imperial Barks, for the Ufe of the Mandarins. In eroding over from Pu-kew , we obferved the Courfe of that great River, as far as wc could fee, was Eaft-North-Eaft : afterwards nearer Nan-king , North-Eaft, as far as a Hill at Pu-kew , where there is a Tower ; and from Nan-king to that Tower it runs North, for the Space of 3 Leagues. They told me when I crofs’d it, that it was 36 Shang deep, that is, 360 She or Feet. The Road taken from Pe-king to Kan-ton, by P. Bouvet, when fent by the Emperor Kang-hi into Europe, in the Tear 1693. T H E Emperor having done me the Honour to nominate me for the Voyage into Europe , was pleafed that I fhould travel to Kan-ton , with a Mandarin of the 3d Order, named Long Lau-ya , and a Portugueje Jefuit , whom his Majefty fent to Makau to meet P. Grimaldi , who was return’d from Europe , whither he had been dilpatch’d by the Em¬ peror’s Orders. The 8th of July 1693, was the Day fix’d for our Departure; and the Mandarin was charg’d to haften the Dilpatches for this Journey, by the Ping-pu , or fovereign Tribunal ( qJ, of the Soldiers: where it was refolved that I fhould have 8 Horfes for myfelf and Attendants, and might depart next Day, at what Hour I thought fit. This Patent of the Ping-pA , which is call’d Kang-ho , confifts of a large Sheet of Paper, p orm of a printed in Tartarian and Chinefe Characters, and furnifh’d with the Seal of the Court: it con- travelling tains to this EffeCt, “ That the lupreme Tribunal of Ping-pu gave me this Kang-ho by the Warrant - “ Emperor’s Order, who fent me from Court on his own Bufinefs, and was willing I fhould ct take my Journey by Kan-ton. It order’d all the Heads of the Tribunals of Cities, and “ Places where there were Port Houfes, to provide without Delay the appointed Number “ of Horfes, with all Neceffaries on the Road, for the Subfiftance of myfelf, and Retinue ; “ to lodge me in the Kang-quan , or public Inns, for the Reception of Officers, difpatch’d “ from Court; and when I fhould be obliged to proceed by Water, to furnifh me with oat /r rom Leagues to Yen-chew-ju. Before we came to this laft City, we found for the Space of two Pe king to Miles and a quarter, the Country laid wafte by a frightful multitude of Grafs-hoppers, Kan_ton - call’d IVhang-chong , that is, the Yellow) InJ'cB , from their Colour: the Air was full of them, Cuy and the Earth cover’d in luch a Manner, even in the great Roads, that our Horfes could not move without railing Clouds of them at every Step. Thcfe Infers had already entirely r deftroy’d the Hopes of the Harvert in this Country ; however, the Mifchief did not extend far, for within a League of the Place, where this Havock was made, all was perfectly fafe. The 18 th we rode three Ports: the firft: to Yfew-hyen (t) 5 Leagues, the fecond to Kyay- ho-i y 5 Leagues and an half, and the third to Yeng-hyen, 3 Leagues and an hall ; where the Man¬ darin, finding no Inn fit to receive us, had us conducted to the Palace of Kong-fu-tfe or Con- Palace of fucius. There are the like in all the Cities of China , where the Mandarins and Grandees Ccir Nv'- afiemble at certain Times of the Year, to pay their Refpeds to the Memory of that Prince of the Chinefe Philofophcrs. The 19th, two Ports of 8 Leagues each, the firrt to Li?ig-ching-i, the fecond to Li-ko-i , in the Province of Kyang-nan. The extreme Heat of the Seafon as well as Climate, obliged us to travel Part of the Night. The 2othj we went but one Port of 7 Leagues to Syu-chew, a City of the fecond Rank, fituate on the Southern Bank of the IVhang-ho or Yellow River ; fo named from the Colour Whang-la or of its troubled Waters, mixt with a yellowifh Earth, which is continually wafh’d off its Chan- rtUvx • nel by the Rapidity of its Stream. This River, tho’ large and deep, is not navigable, be- caule it is almoft impoflible to fail againfl: the Stream without a rtrong Wind. It often changes its Bed, and fometimes ruins its Banks in fuch a Manner, as of a fudden to overflow the Plains and drown whole Villages and Cities; it is 5 or 600 Paces broad over-againrt Syu-chew, where we crofs’d it. At our landing on the other Side, we found the Chi-chew, or Governor of the City, Poik-rity of named KongLau-ya, one of Defendants of Confucius, whole Family h.,s continued in a direct Line for above 2000 Years. We received all forts of Civility from him ; he waited for us by the River Side, where he regaled us with Tea and Fruit; afterwards he came to vifit us at our Inn, and fent us Tables loaded with Vi&uals. Coming to know that my Horfe had a troublefome G^te, he offer’d me his own, and fent over Night Men belonging to his Tri¬ bunal, 5 Leagues from his City, to prepare Dinner for us next Day. I went to vifit him, and recommended to his Protection two Churches which we had in this City, formerly ereCted by P. Couplet. P Couplet. The 21 ft, we travell’d three Ports; the firrt to Yau-Jhan-i, 5 Leagues, the fecond to Kya-kew-i, 4 Leagues, and the third to Syew-chew, 6 Leagues. From Yong-ngo-hyen hither we had both on the Right and Left a long Chain of defart Mountains; between which we generally found level and well cultivated Plains of vaft Extent. The 22d, we advanced two Stages, one to Ya-lyen-i, 5 Leagues; the other to Ku-ching-i, 7 Leagues. The 23d, two Stages of 6 Leagues each ; the firft to Vang-chwang-i , and the fecond to Hau-lydng^i. As we left Vang-chwang-i we difeover’d at a great Diftance, towards the South- Weft, the Mountain In-yu-Jhan , that is the Mountain of the Agat Seal, becaufe there the Yu- j gat M oun . Jhe is found, which is a kind of precious Stone, like Agat, whereof they make Seals of all tain - Sizes. The Imperial Seal is made of this Stone, whence the Mountain has the Name of In-yu-Jhan. The 24th, two Stages; one of 4 Leagues and an half to Hong-fin, the other of 6 to Ying-ywen- hyen. The 25th, three Stages; the firft to Chang-kyau-i, 4 Leagues and an half, the fecond to Fu- ching-i, 6, and the third to Yyen-fii-i , 4 Leagues and a half. This Day, about a quarter of an Hour before Sun rife, I faw a Phenomenon in the Meteor in the Sky, which I never met with before, or heard of in France , tho’ it is very common in sk y- the Eaft; efpecially in Siam and China, where I have obferved it above twenty Times, both in the Mornings and Evenings, at Sea and at Land, and even at Pe-king. This Meteor confifts of certain Semi-Circles of Light and Shade, which feem to terminate and unite in two oppofite Points of the Heavens, namely, in the Center of the Sun, and in the Point diametrically oppofite. As all thefe Semi-Circles terminate in a Point, both in the Eaft and Weft, that is towards the oppofite Points of their Union, and enlarge uniformly towards the middle of the Sky, in Proportion to their Diftance from the Horizon ; they make a Figure not much unlike the celeftial Houfes, as they are mark’d on Globes, with only this Difference, that thefe Zones of Light and Shade are commonly of a very unequal Breadth, and often have Breaks in them, efpecially when the Phenomenon is not well form’d. As often as I have obferved it, (and I faw it four feveral times during this Journey in lefs than 13 Days,) I always remark’d that the Weather was extremely hot, the Sky full of Vapours and inclinable to Thunder, and that a great thick Cloud half open flood over- againft the Sun. This Meteor feem’d, as to its Figure, very different from thole long Streaks vol. 1. a of (t) In the French, Tfcou-hien. Boad fr Pe-king Kanton. The TR A V ELS of federal JESUIT of Shade and Light, often feen in the Sky at Morning and Evening, as well in Europe as elfewhere, and Which take the Name of Verges (u), or Wands, from their pyramidical Figure. Cicy l.\ thenu-fu City Y eh City Tong- City Wha "The Caufe of this Phenomenon, appearing rather in AJia than Europe, and in Summer than at other Seafons, i'eems to me to be owing to the Nature of the Afmtick Lands; which being ge¬ nerally more’ impregnated with Nitre than thofe of Europe, fill the Atmofphere, efpecially in Summer, and when the Sun lias greateft Power, with Nitrous Exhalations; which being equally diffufed through the Air, render it more fit to refleft the Light, and confequently to form the Meteor. The 26th, we rode two Stages, the firft 3 Leagues and an half to Lyu-cbew-fi), the fecond 6 to I-ho-i. The City of Lyu-chew appear’d to me more populous and better built than any of the Cities I had feen fince I left Pe-king. I met with nothing there remarkable, except¬ ing feme Triumphal Arches, Towers, and Marble bridges. There are many Villages on this Road, partly defert and deftitute of Houfes, which have not been re-built fince they were ruin’d by the ‘ Tartars, who conquer'd China, and are its prelent Matters. ’ The 27th, we made two Stages j one of 6 Leagues and a half to San-kew-i, the other of „ Leagues to Tu-ching-hyen, and 4 more to Mey-fm-i. This Day we firft £aw in the Plain feveral of thofe extraordinary Trees, which bear the Tallow, whereof they make the Candles t allow lrec. mn q p rov ; nc e S 0 f the Empire. The 28th two Stages ; the firft 6 Leagues to Lu-ting-i, the fecond 2 Leagues to Tong- chim-hien and then 4 more to Tau-drmn-i. This Day and the four following we travell’d continually between Mountains, infefted with Tigers, and thro’ very rugged Roads. As the extreme Pleat obliged us to fet out 2 or 3 Hours before Day, we took Guides who carry’d Torches that ferved both to Light us, and lcare thofe fierce Bealls, who are afraid of Fire. The 29th, we rode two Stages of 6 Leagues each, one to %/tng-kew-i, the other to Syau- Prsvi nc e of “tU 30th, three Stages; the firft 6 Leagues to Eong-hyangd, the fecond 6 more to Ting-fyen-i, w hi c h is in the Province of Hu-quang, as well as the third of 4 Leagues to Whang-mey-hyen. Altho’ the Country we pafs’d thro' thefe three laftDays, and the two following, was frightful and incumber'd with long Chains of barren and uncultivated Mountains, yet the Valleys and Plains which feparate them in a thoufand Places, are very fertile and well improved; nor was there an Inch of arable Land in all that Space, but what was cover’d with very good Rice. I ad¬ mired here the Induftry of the Chinefe ; for it is aftonilhing to fee how they lay ftraight all the unequal Ground between thofe Mountains, that is fit for plowing, and divide, as it were, into Parterres, the Parts that are on a level, and into Terraffes in Form of an Amphitheatre, thofe which have Rifings and Hollows. . . . The 3 ift we rode three Stages; the firft 4 Leagues to Kmg-hng-t , in the Province of Kyang-Jt, the fecond 6 Leagues to the City Kyew-kyang-ju , on the Side of that great and fine River calld K’/amr that is to (ay the Riwr.by Way of Excellence. Over-againft Kyew-kyang, where we pals’d it" it is very rapid, and almoft a Mile and an half in Breadth. They catch excellent Fifh in this Part, and among the reft a kind of Dorado, call'd (w) PVhang-yu, or the Pelltnw Fijh, which is very large and of a mod delicious Tafte. We lodged in a real Kong-quan, or Hotel of the Mandarins ; I imagined by the Largenefs of its Halls and Apartments, built in form of a Pagod, that it had been defign’d at firft for an Idol Temple. As the Roads to Nang-chang-fu, the Capital of the Province, two large Days Journey diftant, were very rugged, and the Horfes of the Country very bad, we were advifed to take Chairs, and made that Day a third Stage of 6 Leagues to Fong-ymn-i, travelling great Part of the Night. The two following Day’s Journey being long, inftead of four Chairmen, they furniih d each of us with eight, to relieve one another, and three for our Servants ; each of them was car¬ ry’d by two Men on Poles, made of two great Bambu’s join’d together by means of 2 others, laid acrofs them, we had other Men both to carry our Baggage and light us with Torches, with which Affiftance we eafily travell’d the mod difficult Part of all our Road. Auvuft the ift, we made our Stage in the fame Manner to Le-ngan-hyen. This Stage is no more than 60 Li, or 6 Leagues, but it feem’d to me to be 7 at leaft. I perceived for the laft 4 or 5 Days, that the Li were longer, than they were at our firft fetting out, and indeed I had often been told, that there was a Difference between the Li or Furlongs in the North, and thofe in the South, being fhorteft about Pe-king. As there were no Inns in this City, fit for lodging us all, they led me to the Temple of CbinF-iobanv, that is, the tutelar Spirit of the City. The Bonza, who had the Care of it, immediately fpread a Table, and a little Bed in the middle of the Temple. Altho’ the Chinefe pay Honours to the Guardian Genii of each Place in thefe Temples, yet they reprefent them under a human Form. . , Conference On afking this Bonza a few Queftions, I found he was. exceeding ignorant; he did not between the ft n ow whether the Image he adored, reprefented fome Spirit, or great Perfonage ot Anti- j.-fait and • . w h at Power they aferibed to it, or what they intended by placing it on the Altar. zBo,;za. j forbore alk him more Queftions, for Fear of teaching him Errors which he was ignorant Province of Ry*»s-A City Krew- kyang-fu. City Te r hyen. (u) By Verges is meant the Aurora Borealis. (v.) Orig. Hongyu, doubtlefs by Miftake for Hoangyu. MISSIONARIES/;/ CHI N A. ignorant of. I therefore, changed the Convention, and made a long Difcourfe, concerning the Exiftence of the Supreme Being, and his principal Attributes ; the Creation of the Heavens, Earth and Man ; the Incarnation of Jefus Chriji ; the Obligation we are under, of know¬ ing, loving, and lerving this Supreme Being, as our firft Principle and ultimate End ; to know his Law, and obferve it. I fliew'd him, that this Law is the Cbrjlian Religion, which I was come from the fartheft Part of the Earth, to promulge in China ; that it is the only one which teaches Man to know himfelf thoroughly, by giving him to underftand that he is compoled of a Body and Soul; the former corruptible and mortal, the latter fpiritual and immortal, capable of Joy and Grief, Pleafure and Pain, even after it is feparated from the Body by Death ; that the Souls of all Men, after their Deceafe, do, by an irrevocable Decree of their Creator and Judge, receive the Reward of their Merits and good Actions, if thev have lived conformable to his Law, by afeending to Heaven, there to live eternally happy, and enjoy the Prefence of God himfelf; that, on the contrary, if they have defpifed or violated this holy Law, they receive a Punilhment in Proportion to the grievoufnefs of their Crimes, by going to Hell, where they fuffer everlaftingly the Rigour of the Flames, kindled by the Breath of an in- cenfed Deity, &c. All the while I was fpeaking, which was near two Flours, the Bonza, who appear’d very attentive and touch’d, did not once interrupt me. 1 concluded by fhewing the Obligation he was under of fearching out and following the Truth. I added that, if after what he had heard, he judged, this Truth was to be found in the Religion, whofe Fundamentals I had ex¬ plain’d, I counfel’d him, in return for the kind Entertainment he had given me, to allow himfelf to be inftmdted; that it was but a Step to Nang-chang-fu, where there was a Temple dedicated to the true God, and where he would find one of my Brothers, wdio would expound that Dodtrine to him, the knowledge whereof is more precious than all the Treafures on Earth. The Bonza received my Advice, and heard my Inftrudtions, with equal Signs of Joy. How¬ ever, I dare not flatter myfelf with having made a Convert of him ; his Profeffion as" a Bonza, (without which he muft have been in miferableCircumftances)gave him a comfortable Subfiftance: and I know by Experience, that this Confideration is commonly a greater Obftacle to the Con- verfion of this fort of Men, than any Attachment they can poffibly have, either to their Religion, which they have fcarce any Knowledge of, or to a State of Life, which Neceffity alone has obliged them to embrace. The 2d, we made two Stages in Chairs, 6 Leagues each; the firft to Kyen-chang-hyen, the latter to a Village 4 Leagues diftant from Nan-chang-fu, the Capital City of Kyang Ji, where we were to embark. As the City is on the other Side of the River, we found on our Arrrival one of thole imperial Barks as big as Ships, painted and gilded, which was prepar’d for carrying us acrofs. As foon as we had gotten over, the Vice-Roy appeared with other Mandarins, who invited us to land, and conducted us to a very neat Kcng-quan, which is by the River ; when we came to the middle of the fecond Court, the Vice-Roy, with the fix other Chief Mandarifis who accompany’d him, fell on their Knees over-againft the great Hall, at the Foot of the great Stair Cafe, and turning towards us, he afk’d in form concerning the Emperor’s Health, which none but Officers of this Rank are privileged to do ; Tong Lau-ya made Anfwer, and inform’d them that his Majefty was perfectly cured. The Vice-Roy and Mandarins then rifing, he caufed us to enter into the Hall, where they had fet two Rows of Arm-Chairs, oppofite to each other, as foon as we were feated, they pre- fented us with Diflies of Tea, after the Tartar and Chincfe Manner, which we drank with Ceremony; after this, we went altogether to a Dinner prepared at the End of the Hall. As this Entertainment was partly after the Tartar, and partly after the Chinefe Manner, thofe troublefome Ceremonies ufed in Chinefe Banquets were difpenled with. After Dinner the Vice-Roy and Mandarins condufted us to the River Side, where lighter Barks were got ready, which we demanded for greater Difpatch ; there was one for TongLau-ya, One for the 2 other Fathers, and a third for myfelf. Thefe Barks are very commodious and neat. They are painted, gilded and japanned with their beautiful Varnifh without as well as within. We had a Bed Chamber and a great Parlor with two Windows an each Side ; not to mention the other Appartments, for our Servants, and thofe to lodge the Matter of the Bark and his Family. The 5th, we got at leaft 10 Leagues to Fong-ching-hyen, where they brought us Provilion and Refrefhments. On the Road by Water, there are at the End of every League, Tang, or Guard Houfes, where there are commonly 8 or 10 Soldiers. The 6th, we pafs’d thro’ Fong-ching-hyen, and went to dine 6 Leagues from thence at Chang- fhu, a famous Place of Trade, for all fort of Drougs and Medicinal Roots. This Day and the two following we made but little Way, becaule of the Shallows, which we found almoft every Moment. We pals’d thro’ foine Cities, and’ arrived at Ki-ngan-fu, 40 Leagues from Nan-chang-fu. I faw nothing during thefe three Days worth Remark. Our Pafiage was con¬ tinually between uninhabited and uncultivated Mountains, which form’d two Ridges running parallel, one on each Side of the River, The 9th, we went a Shore at Ki-ngan-fii ; there we found a Congregation of Chriftians, at that Road from Pe-king to jvanton. Imperial great Barks. Lighter Barks. City Fong- cbing-hysn. CilyKy ngan- r«. 6 o The TRAVELS of federal JESUIT Road Rom that time governed by the Francifcans , and under the Care of P. Gregory Thanes a Spaniard. Pe-Uing to I laid Mafs in his Church, which was very neat. The 13th, we pafs’d thro’ Tay-ho-hyen, and advanced no more than 10 Leagues. The iith, we fail’d 10 Leagues farther to Wan- 7 igan-hyen. The Chi-hyen, or Governor, who is a Chrijlian only in Name, tho’ his Wile is very vertuous, Ihew’d us no Marks of Civility. The 12th, we went i 1 Leagues to the Village Lyang-kew. The 13th, in the Morning we fail’d 3 Leagues to Te-w-chingA, and in the Afcernon 7, paf- fing the Night 3 Leagues fhort of Kan-chewfeiv. The 14th, we arrived early in the Morning at Kan-chew-fu, a great and very populous City. The Tfong-ping , or Commander General of the Militia of this City’s whole Diftrid:, named Chang Lau-ya, with other Mandarins , came to receive us at the River Side, and invited us to Dinner. After thefe Civilities, which we returned the bed; we could, I went to our Church, where I found P. Grejlpn , who had labour’d near 40 Years with great Zeal and Succefs in the Con- verfion of the Chineje ; efpecially in this City, where he fucceeded P. le Faure, who grew old in the Apoftolick Labours, and dy’d in the Odour of Sanffity. As the Tfong-ping was a particular Friend of Tong Lau-ya, our Conductor, and had a great Efteem and Friendlhip for P. Grcjlon , we could not refufe the Invitation he gave us to his Houfe, where we had all the Liberty we demanded; only indead of the Comedy, which ulually accompanies a Chineje Entertainment, this was interrupted by a Diverfion, common among the Tartars , of {hooting at a Mark ; the Law oblerved in this Sport is, that he who hits the Mark, obliges the reft to drink his Health in a finall Cup of Wine. F.xercife of This Sport came in Vogue about two Years before, when the Emperor Kang-hi perceiving the Bow. t p e Eft cm i na cies and Indolence of the Tartars , who are all obliged to learn the Art of War, refolv’d by his own Example to introduce this Exercife among the Grandees , and Prime Man¬ darins of his Court. That mighty Prince who fhot an Arrow with great Strength and Juftnefs, was pleated to lpend feveral Hours every Day in this Recreation. The Mandarins who were obliged to try their Skill at an Exercife which was new to them, diverted the Emperor, and the whole Court at their own Expence. The Confufion they were put into on this Occa- iion, caufed them immediately to have their Children, even thofe under 7 Years of Age, to be taught to handle the Bow. Ch iir.s of After our Departure from Nan-chang-fu, we found ourfelves from time to time between Mountains. ] on q: Unaiiis of Mountains, which ftretch themfelves along on both the Banks of the River. Thefe Mountains are fometimes fo fteep that the Chineje were oblig’d to cut a Path along the Foot of them, in at lead a Hundred Places, for the Conveniency of thofe who draw the Barks. Altho’ they conlift for the moft Part of a fandy Earth, cover’d with Herbs, and that the Sides of them are rugged, we law now and then a Piece of cultivated Land in the Vallies between, or elfe at the Foot of them, which could fcarce fuffice for the Support of the Inhabitants (let them be ever fo few) belonging to the neighbouring Hamlets. We found the Land pretty well cultivated for 3 Leagues before we came to Kan-chew-fu . The 1 5th, we advanced not above 8 or 9 Leagues ; the Champion Country feem’d to be even and well cultivated. City Van- The 1 6th, we fail’d 12 Leagues to Nan-kang-hyen. This Day the River grew fo narrow, that kang-lycn. it was Icarce 3o Paces broad, but the Stream very rapid. We got 10 Leagues farther in the Evening to Lin-chin. The 17th, we went 12 Leagues to Nan-?jganJu. Thefe 2 laft Days we fail’d continually be- nganfu. tween Mountains; the River was much more narrow and rapid than before, fo that we were forced to increafe the Number of thofe who drew our Barks. I went next Morning very early to lay Mafs in the Church, under the Diredion of P. Pinuela a Francifcan , born in Mexico , who informing me of his Defign of going with me to Kan-ton, I made him an offer of a Place in the Bark, which they were to prepare for me at Nang-hyong- fu . a City of the lame Province ; for we were obliged to travel 12 Leagues by Land, from Nan- ngan to that City. We got each of us into a Chair, and having gone 2 Leagues, began to afeend a ( y) Mountain by a Road fo crooked and fo very fteep, that they were obliged to cut it in feveral Places in form of Stairs. They were forced alfo to cut the Top of it, which is all Rock, to the Depth of 40 Foot, in order to open the Paffage to the other Side. Tho’ the Mountains over which we pafs’d, are uncultivated and frightful, the Lands between them are till’d and cover’d with as good Rice, as any that grew in the fertile Valleys, fpoken of before. city Nan- Entering into the City of Nan-hyong , I found feveral Chrifians , who conducted me to their bjong-fu. Church, and thence to the River Side, where our Barks were all ready. We were fcarce got on Board, when, betides the Tye-tfe , or Billets of Civilities, and the Prefents of the Mandarins of the Place, they deliver’d us two others from each of the 4 Mandarins of the Province of Quang- tong, who made us a Prefent af all forts of Refrelhments. (y) This is the famous Mey-lin, mention’d before, p. ''n and 8 . are carry’dover it, on the Shoulders of Porters P. Gautil calls ic Me Tin, (or Ala-lin ) Both Goods and Paflengers As MISSIONARIES in CHINA. 61 As we defcended the River, we proceeded that Night and the next Day, about 30 Leagues, p oa jj hom as far as Shau-chew-fu , where the French Mifiionaries had a Church, which I vifited. Tong- Pe-king to Lau-ya, whofe Bark was lighter than mine, had got the Start of me, and I underltood on my Arrival, that he waited for me at the Tribunal of his Friend, the Mandarin of the Cuftom- city si**' Houfe. I repaired thither to oblige him, and having civilly refufed the Supper they had pre- ohew-fu. par’d for us, we return’d to our Barks. We fail’d that Night and the Day following about 20 Leagues to In-te-hyen , where we Cities /»-«- arriv’d towards Noon. Purfuing our Voyage ftill Day and Night, we got to Tfin-ywen-hyen (y), the 20th in the Morning, 20 Leagues farther. The River all the Way was bounded on both Sides by fteep and uncultivated Mountains, with very few Habitations at the Foot of them, but a little farther the Country is well peopled and improved. From Tfm-ywen-hyen to Quang-chew-fu or Kan-ton , (which, being a Space of 40 Leagues,- we fail’d between the 2ift in the Morning and the 22d in the Evening) all the Country is pretty flat, well cultivated, and cover’d with the Long-yen and Li-chi, two forts of Fruit-Trees pecu- Fruit Long. liar to China, and found only in the Province of Quang-tong and Fo-kyen. 'Ti-’c/T^ About 4 Leagues from Quang-cbew we pafs’d thro’ Fo-foan , one of the greateft Boroughs in Fojhan, great China , which they pretend, contains above a Million of People. We have a Church there, and Town - a Flock of about 10,000 Souls, under the Care of P. Turcotti , a Milanefe Jefuit. From Nan-byong to ^nang-chew, over-againft moft of the Guard-Houfes, by which we pafs’d, there were Galleys with their Flaggs and Streamers difplay’d, and mann’d with Cuirafliers, arm’d with their Lances, Arrows and Mufkets, drawn up in Ranks to do us Honour. Two Leagues from Quang-chew\ the Twenywen, or Intendant General of the Province for the Salt, came to met us > he invited us on Board his Bark, where he had prepar’d a great Entertainment j we return’d him Thanks, excufing ourfelves, as being a Faft Day with us. We continued the reft of our Voyage very flowly, and arriv’d about 7 in the Evening at City 2 >umt*- Qiiang-chew , commonly call’d by the Europeans Kan-ton, which Name comes from that of or Qiiang-tong-feng given to it alfo, fignifying the Capital of the Province of ^uang-tong. The For- " tm< tuguefe pronounce it Kantang. The Mandarins of the Province expetfted us on the River Side, to enquire in form after the Emperor’s Health. We declined their Invitation to the Supper they had prepar’d for us, by making the fame Apology that we had done to the Twen-ywen. They carry’d me to a Kong-quan , which was middling, as to Size, but neat and very com- TheKong- modious. It had two Courts and as many principal Buildings, whereof one, which is at the Bottom of the flrft Court, is a Ting, or great Hall, quite open in Front, for receiving Vifits; and the other, which was at the End of the fecond Court, was divided into three Apartments; the middlemoft of them ferving for a Hall and Antichamber to the other two, which were large, and furnifli’d with Clofets. This is ufually the Form of the Houfes of Perfons of any Diftin- Mines of Gold, Silver, and Precious Scones. Medicinal Roots. Fruit in the Form of a Duck. (c) This Name, by what follows, appears to be Chinefe. (d) This Name, ufed by the Chinefe Authors, mull have been taken from the Lahos, if Laffa be intended thereby ; for the Chinefe Name for Laffa or Lafa, is Tjan and Tjan-li, as will be obferved hereafter, in the Account of Tibet ; but indeed Laffa appears to be too for diftant, and lies to the North- Weft, not to the Weft of the Lahos , with Hanxa or Ava, and other Countries between. The from SIAM to CHINA.’ dj The Inhabitants of Mohang Long traffic with their Neighbours without being at the Trouble of going to them. Their Merchandize confifts in precious Stones, Gold, Silver, Tin, Lead, Siam to Sulphur, both common and red 3 Cotton, fpun'and unfpun, Tea, Lack; Sapan or Brafil Wood,' and the Medicinal Root Rot wha b'utia already mention’d. Trade and The Merchants of Mohang bring them Elephants; The Chinefe raw and manufadfur’d Commo- Silk, Civet, white Hair as fine as Silk. Of this Hair, which is taken from a certain Animal, 1 ie “ the great Tufts are made, that adorn the Ears of the Elephant, which the King of Siam rides upon, and hang down to the Ground ; as well as the red Tuft, worn by the Chinefe on their ordinary Bonnets or Caps. They exchange thefe Merchandizes for Sapan Wood, Tea, Lack, Cotton, &c. The Merchants that come from Lay-yay or Patna-hang (e), to the Weftward, bring them Iron, yellow and red Sanders, Linnen Cloth, Chints or painted Callico, Venifon, a kind of red Medicinal Pafte, Opium, and other Commodities of Tnduftdn ; which they exchange for Gold, Silver, precious Stones, Thofe of M. Kemarat and M. Kyang-hay, come to M. Leng , to barter their Cows and Buffaloes for Silver, Tin, and Sulphur. M. Leng, or more properly fpeaking Lahos , is tributary to Haw a (f) or Pama-hang , and an Ambaffador is fent annually from that Metropolis, to pay their Tribute} this does not hinder the Lahos from appointing a Sueceffor, when theiT King dies ; but they are obliged to notify it to the King of Hawa. The King of Lahos employs but one Minifter of State. They reckon eight Cities or Places in this Kingdom, each containing a Garrifon of 1000 Men. Befides the 360 Catis which he receives yearly from the Mine, Northward from M. Leng , he raifes 860 more in the reft of the Kingdom,. Mohang Meng, the Capital of a particular Province, has on the Weft M. Pan and M. Kaa, on the South M. Tfe on the Eaft M. Ghiong and M. Ku , both depending on M. Vinan. The whole Country is without the Tropic, for they never fee the Sun diredlly over their Heads. The Province of M. Meng , is 17 Days Journey from North to South,- and about 7 from Eift to Weft. They reckon 18 Cities which depend on the Capital. A River croffes it, that rifes in a Mountain in the North, and falls into the Mcnam Ko?ig j this laft comes from Moang Chiay , call’d Moang Vinan (g) by the Chinefe. After it has pafs’d thro’ M. Le, M. Kyang-feng , and M. Lan-chang 3 it enters the Kingdom of Kamboya , which it . croffes, and falls into the Sea at the Bar of Bonfac (h). This River carries large Barks from M. Kyang-kong and M. Kyang-feng, as far as the Sea. But from M. Lb to M. Vinan it bears none, fo that there is a Neceffity of travelling by Land. The Soil of M. Meng produces all Sorts of Fruits, which are found in Siam, excepting the Durion and Manguflan .. There are Mines of Kalin or Tin on the Weft Side ; of Silver, Copper and Iron towards the North ; and on the South Side there is one of Salt. The Chinefe trade with M. Meng, tranfporting their Commodities on Horles. In this Diftridt Musk they take the Creatures which produce Mufk ; but more efpecially about M. Pang, M. Chay- Anima1, daw, and M. Kong, all three depending on M. Vinan 3 they find many of them alfo in the Diftridt of M. T’ay-yay. This Animal is as large as a young Goat ; its Body yields a moft agreeable Perfume ; it has under its Belly a Purfe three or four times as thick as ones Thumb; when it is cut, it feems to be a Piece of Fat, or Bacon ; they dry it till it may be reduced to Powder, and then fell it in the Country for its weight in Silver ; this Powder is yellowifh and of a moft excellent Scent. The Natives being prohibited from felling the true Bags to Strangers, they make counterfeit ones of the Animal’s Skin, which they fill up with its Blood and other Humours, adding rotten Wood, after which they tie them up and dry them. The Peafants bring great Quantity of them to M. Meng, which they exchange for things of fmall Value, and thofe of M. Meng fell them at a pretty dear Rate to Strangers. Moang Kemarat is, as it were, the Capital of a Province or Diftridt of the fame Name, which c j ty Moan S is 400 Senes in Compafs, and about 8 Days Journey in Length ; it is tributary to Hawa. At the Kemarat ' time the Chinefe pafs’d thro’ this Country, the Name of its King was Prachyau Otang ; he every Year fends Ambaffadors to the King of Hawa with the Tribute, which confifts of two fmall Shrubs, one having its Leayes and Flowers of Gold, and the other of Silver. M. Kemarat has to the Eaft M. Lb, to the North M. Lang, to the South M. Kyang-feng and M - Kmarat - M. Kyang-hay, to the Eaft. M.Vay, M. Rong, M. Ngong, M. Labi, M. Maa, and M. Laa ; to the North M. Hang, M. Kroa, M. Loey, M. Jang, and M. Pen. From M. Hang to M. Kroa is one Days Journey, and another from M. Loey to M. Jang. Thefe eleven Cities, or Colonies are in the Jurifdidtion of M. Kemarat. In this Country they have the Ule of Fire Arms, great and fmall Canon, Mufkets, Zagayes, [or Darts] and Crofs-Bows. Or the Kingdom of A-va. (a) Written twice in the French Vinam ; this is judg'd by the U) Ong. Hawua The fame doubtlefs as Ava, call'd by the Chine,e Miflionaries to be Tun-nan. la-iya, though written otherwife in this Journal; perhaps more ( H ) 1 ° the Frer.tn, Ba/ach. conformable to the Pronunciation of the Lahos. While <$4 A DESCRIPTION of the Hoadf,om While the 'Tartars were conquering China, a great Number of Chinefe Fugitives out of Yun-nan Siam to fell upon the Territories of their Neighbours and fubdued them ; among the reft the Inhabitants chma. 0 p JCemarat , were forced to abandon their City. Before the Chinefe drove thofe People out, they went duely every Year to trade with them, by the carrying Velvets and other Silks, Camlets, Carpets, Hair, blew and black Callico, Mufk, Quick- L ‘-‘ ne f e - lilver, Kori Shells, and Chinefe Bonnets, [or Hats] Kettles, and other Utenfils of Copper, precious Stones of a green Colour, Emeralds, Gold, Silver, and Chijia Ware: inftead of which they carry’d back Cotton Thread, Ivory, an Earth or Medicinal Pafte, call’d Zhadatn ; a fort of Medicinal A Medicinal Wood, call’d Ingo by the Portuguefe , and Maha ing by the Siamefe j Opium, a kind of Medicinal Pafte and Root, call’d KotJ'o , and white Linnen Cloth ; all thefe Commodities came from Hawn, and the Wood. Chinefe went to fetch them in January , February , and March , with an Intent to return the Month following. Moang Chay or Moang Vinan, belongs to a Province of China and probably to Yun-nan , if it be not that Province itfelf: for the Chinefe Memoirs fpeak of 4 Rivers which rife in it, whereof the firft runs into the Province of Quang-tong ; the lecond paffes by M. Chyang-kong and M. La?i- chang ; the third by M. Motima ; and is call’d Menang-kong , and the fourth which goes to M. Ha- •wa, is call’d Menam-kiu ; all the four pafling out of the Province Yun-nan , at length difeharge themfelves into the Sea. INTRODUCTION , to the DESCRIPTION of the PROVINCES. 1 H A V E already obferved, that moft of the Cities of China refemble one another fo nearly, that to fee one, is almoft fufficient to give an Idea of them all. They are for the moft: Part fquare, when the Ground will permit, and encompafs’d with high Walls, defended by Towers, built as Buttrefles at convenient Diftances. They have fometimes Ditches, either dry or with Water. There are within the Cities alfo other Towers, either round, Hexagonal, or Ocftogonal, and 8 or 9 Stories high : Triumphal Arches in the Streets j tolerably handfome Temples confecrated to Idols, or Monuments eredted in Honour of their Heroes, and thofe who have donefome important Service to the State : in fhort there are certain publick Buildings more remarkable for their vaft Extent than their Magnificence. To this we may add a pretty many large Squares, and long Streets, fome very wide, others narrow, with Houfes on each Side, having only a Ground Floor, or one Story at moft. There one fees Shops adorn’d with China Ware, Silks, and varnifh’d or japann’d Goods j before the Door of each, there is placed a Pedeftal, on which is eredted a Board 7 or 8 Foot high, either painted or gilded, with three large Characters written thereon, fuch as the Shop-Keeper chufes for his Sign, and to diftinguifh it from all others ; you fometimes find on it the Names of two or three forts of Goods, which are fold there, and at the Bottom that of the Shop Keeper himfelf, with thefe Words, Pu-hu , that is, he will ?iot cheat you. This kind of double Row of Pilafters placed at equal Diftances form a Colonade, which makes an agreeable Profpedt enough. The Beauty of the Chinefe Cities, confifting wholly in thefe Particulars, I thought proper to premife this general Account, that I might not be oblig’d to make ufelefs and tedious Repetitions in fpeaking of the principal Cities of every Province. For this Reafon I fhall confine myfelf to what is moft remarkable in them, with refpedt to their Situation, Trade, or the Fertility of their Soil j and fhall enlarge chiefly on thofe Cities which are of greateft Reputation, and moft fre¬ quented : Of the reft I fhall fay what is fufficient to form an Idea of them j and illuftratc the whole with the Plans of fuch places as have any thing Angular. A Pe king Capital Pap fan alums 7ifa.ll o f the Tartar fatlyj almost Syut Ufa7/ of the Chine jv fatly . The 7fmp>ero?'s Palace . A Place ofprlectsu/'e where is >tn Artifci o/ 'fate Palace leaf the outward In*, of the place of Pleasure . saaaaasaai j . The Gatee 4 . The Gate . ^ ^ 5 . The Gates'of the Tartar lily . 6 . The Gates of the Chinese City . 7 . The Great Courts of the Palace . S . Outnwd inclosure of the Palace . c). fahu/vh and House of theTreruh Jesuits . to House 1 Church off.PotivpuaseJesuUs, cal/dfllescJeeice of 11 . tallepe o,lthe Tiutuauc-ze Jesuits. 12 . Tarver of the Afatl ematics i j . h/ouse i >f the Society de p rop apandpfde j 4 7 'A e Jesuits Puru mo piece 15. Temple o f the Earth . j(> . Temple where the Emperos- Sacrifaces to Hu. Thel'artar lily is apr'cA'leapueJromLfcrth tryout fthe Cline/e faitvja, little more than haCfaleaoue 7 /i the two Citus <1/11 / then ■ Sul ur hs as e computed than tlvee millions of 'people. The walls are cue? Bride, Round those of the Chinese City run Ca Latitudefat v CfallepeofthePortupueze-JesuitisJi. f North. Latitude,/at the House ofay. Trench < 7 e jf. 54-. o find itsLonaitudeJmo/'eTast than Paris fac?'jJ4 do. 40 . PutUivo/duip to the later Chserrat. J*. Gaubil used lvM r . D'AnviUe, po.5.26 or 113 Tim lpro/In ndth JUf D el 1 /Ie /he Clserral/, ■// / rushes 11 Just 7. jb'.o or 114. . decrees, whence it Past of London it(j° 25 J . , jV. fi . 'Tie n or.is leln-on SfopA'.i n-ere inserted ty /A.- , L lties'. - MEN-HYEN ' ■ the preal’ Tftslt de/ n -rvtia- fau . CHIN- TING -FU G-KEW J’fan of par / of the prod mat/ on /At Sulei r fYimp-pinp-/u^ 7 lanhclly — severalfar/nfaes _ * ijl ' V 3 4 j3 M3 3 ■f i-I J<5 y • • . ■ -. .. ■' . ■ *" rn t) 1 7 A'ffi X jPE-CHE-XI, CHE-LI />/LEPATU | I„.y U fn Sm/r-rr-i r T Zu-*v*t' ■ k Inn-tony - Ayr, 1 2Ciy-/i. ’ /in/// ^ >, n-tot 6 • * i/* / . A,//o 0/ t//s^fiaftfrt,/<-jfo/’/orroZ j an,/, fin,/t/n,/oJ f /o- /ortntno2/u-ty,n-/yen 3p.j6.10 :, .,8 40 1 lton,/-cAen• jp 36.30 :o .3030 t/ony-/nry-/u 30 .3640 : 1 .23.18 l/ony -out- cAn-any38 .ao.o : , .3 . ay Oftyony-Ayen 30.1 .j \ 0 .,8.2/ Itay -r/,„y-Ayen 36.44.0 : o .jf .30 SSany-cAoio 38 . 22 . 20:0 . 21.0 5 fto- /yon 3 g 3,,. 0 u , j# . „ .6 .30 Jt/t-cAsn- 35 38 ay o . 46.30 &ey-Ayafty-/yen 36 . 33.33 \ , . 2230 &ay-m/ny-fii 36 . 22.4 :2 . 6.30 &Smy-m/ny-/iyen 3 S 23 .J : 1 .xo .13 Ofain-Ayon 330 / 3 . 30 : / . 40.30 C/t,ny-ny< 111 -/ 1 / 0 , 1 . 36 . 30.0 \ , . 36.30 Httanyynny/ft 36 . 43 . 30:2 .3430 y/un-tz-/!, 3 / 5 tty J 4 $.o i/i,> 14 - n'Ao,/-tz,r 38 . j . o : o .33 .30 Oi„ 7 -/ 7 ,' 38 . 10 . 33.2 . 43 . o i/fntf-cAzn • 38 . 32 . 30 : 2 .2 0.30 M,u-t,'ny -yf,' 38 - 53.0 : '• J 2 .32 • Iyon-aen -At/on 3 p. 2 . 20:0 . 42.0 ■nan x6e ,2uoo/ V / -/,o /, 1 ,,/ -/- //t//t f.ouy, fro," Pains A geographical DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVINCES of CHINA. PROVINCE I. PE-CHE-LI, CHE-LI, or LI-PA-FU. *Wi. Pe-che-'li. T HIS Province, which is the firft and chief of the whole Empire, is bounded on the eWC Eaft by the Sea ; on the North by the Great Wall and part ot ■Tarlary ; on the Weft by Fours'. ““ the Province of Shan-Ji, from which it is leparated by Mountains; and on the South by the Provinces of Shan-tong and Ho-natt. Its Figure is triangular. It is divided into nine different Countries, each of which has a Fu, or principal City of the firft Divifon and Rank, whereon feveral Cities depend. Thefe Cities are 140 in Number, of which 20 are Chew, £.™ ber of or Cities of the fecond Rank, and 120 Hyen s or Cities of the third Rank; not to fpeak of 1UCS ' Boroughs and Villages without Number, fame as large as Cities, but have not that Name, becaufe they are neither encompafs'd with Walls nor Ditches, as the Cities are. The Air of this Province is temperate ; notwithftanding, tho’ it does not extend beyond the Air, 43d Parallel, the Rivers are frozen during 4 Months of the Year, that is, from towards the End of November to the middle of March , Unlefs a certain North-Wind blows, they never feel thofe piercing Colds the Froft produces in Europe , which may be attributed to the nitrous Exha¬ lations that arife from the Earth, and efpecially to the Clearnefs of the Sky, the Sup. being fcarce ever cover’d with f louds, even in Winter. The rainy Seafon is towards the End of July and the beginning of Aiiguft: At other times it Weather, feldom rains, but the Dew that falls every Night moiftens the Earth ; this Moifture is dry'd up at Sun-rife, and is fucceeded by a very fine Duft, which penetrates every thing, even Rooms moil clofely fhut. Tender-eyed People who travel on Horleback, wear a thin Veil for covering their Faces, which, without hindering them to fee, defends them from thofe Whirlwinds of Duft that furround them ; or elfe they take other Precautions, whereof I (ball fpeak hereafter. The Soil of Pe-che-li is even, but fandy, and not very fruitful. It produces lefs Rice than the Son and Southern Provinces, becaufe it has but few Canals ; however, befides what is Town along the rrod " ce - Rivers, it is fown dry in feveral Places, and grows very well, but is fomewhat harder to boil. All manner of Grain thrives here in abundance, and chiefly Wheat and Millet; here likewife we find all forts of Cattle, and Pulfe, with plenty of Fruit; fuch as Apples, Pears, Plumbs, Chefnuts, Walnuts, Figgs, Peaches, Grapes, &c. Its Rivers are full of Fifh, efpecially excellent Cray-Fifh. The Mountains afford a great deal of Pit-Coal: this they burn inftead of Wood, which is very fcarce ; and confidering how long thefe Mines have fupply’d the Province, one would think them inexhauftible. Among the various kinds of Animals, there is a particular fort of Cats, with long Hair, and hanging Ears, which the Chinefe Ladies are very fond of, and rear with a great deal of Tendernefs. But this Province is render’d much more confrderable by being as it were the Rendezvous of all the Riche6 of the Enjpire ; and becaufe all the Northern and Southern Provinces ftrive to outvie each other in furnifhing it with the moil rare and delicious things they produce. The Inhabitants are neither lo polite, nor fo much addidted to the Sciences as thofe of the Southern Parts; but they are much more Robuft, Warlike, and able to undergo the Fatigues and Hardfhips of War. The fame may be faid of all the Chinefe inhabiting the Northern Pro¬ vinces. Vol. I. s The 66 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION l Plate 4. Walls. The Firft City, Shun-tyen-fu, or Pe-king. thm-Mvp. r-jpt H E firft City, which is the Capital of the Province and of the whole Empire, is Shun-tyen- th/oftai X /«■ It is fituated in a very fruitful Plain, 20 Leagues from the Great Wall, and is the of thcEm- ordinary Refidence of the Emperors. They call it Pe-king , which fignifies, the Court of the P' rc North-, as the Capital of the Province of Kyang-nan , was named Nan-king, or the Court of the ' ' ln South , when it was the Emperor’s Refidence. But the ‘ Tartars, a reftlefs and warlike People, who made continual Irruptions into the Territories of the Empire, obliged them at length to remove their Court into the Northern Provinces; that they might be near at Hand, to oppofe them with the numerous Troops which ordinarily attend the Chinefe Monarchs. This City is almoft Square, and divided into two Cities; that where the Emperor’s Palace Hands is named Sin-ching, or the New City ; it is alfo call’d the 'Tartar Cite, becaufe the Houfes were diftributed among the Tdfctars, when the prefent Family was eftablifh’d on the Throne. The fecond is call'd Lau-ching, or the Old City ; it may be termed the Old Chinefe City, becaufe when the Chinefe were driven out of the other City, part of them retired into this, while others fled towards the Southern Provinces, being even obliged to quit the Country, becaufe not only the Houfes of the New City (built under Tung-lo about 140;, when the Court forfook Nan¬ king) but alfo the Lands about it and the Neighbouring Cities, within a certain Diltance, were given to the Tartars, with a perpetual Exemption from Taxes and all forts of Tribute. In lefs than fourfeore Years the Tartan have multiply’d to fuch a Degree, that they occupy -almoft all the New City -, the reft is inhabited by Chinefe, fo that there is not any Part of it empty, as there is in the Old. The Compafs of the Walls of both Cities together, exclufive of the Suburbs, has been meafur’d, and does not exceed 52 Chinefe Li [or Furlongs] fo that it is lefs than Nan-king. But there is a vaft difference between the Breadth, Length, and Beauty of the Walls of thefe two Cities; thofe of [the New City of] Pe-king are ftatelv, and worthy the Capital of the greateft Empire in the World ; but the Walls of Nan-king are narrow, and do not appear to exceed thofe of the ancient City of Pe-king, which are no better than the Walls of the generality of the Cities of China. A Horfeman may afeend the Walls of the New City, by means of a Ramp, which begins at a great Diftance. In feveral Places there are Houfes built for a Corps de Guard ; the Towers are within Bow-lhot of each other ; there are forne of them at certain Pittances, much larger than the reft, and capable of containing fmall Bodies of Referve. The Gates of the City, which are high and well arch’d, fupport exceeding large Pavillions, nine Stories high. Each Story is furnifh’d with Windows and Loop-holes; and the loweft forms a great Hall, where the Soldiers and Officers, who have been on Guard, or come to relieve it, retire. Before each Gate there is an open Area or Parade (k) of above 360 Feet, (which fervesfor a Place of Arms) incompafs’d by a femicircular Wall of equal Height and Breadth with that of the City. The Entrance of this Parade is never on that Side which faces the great Road into the City: This Road is alfo commanded by a Pavillion like the former, fo that, as the Cannon of the one can play upon the City, the Cannon of the other fcowrs the neighbouring Country. All the Gates, which are nine in Number, have a double Pavillion, built in like Manner on the Platforms of the Walls, and furnifh’d with Artillery; nor is there need of any other fort of Citadel, this Artillery being more than fufficient to keep the People in Awe. The Streets of this great City are exceeding ftrait, almoft all laid out with a Line, at leaf! a Streets. League in Length, and about 120 Feet wide, with Shops, for the moft part, on both Sides. It is a Pity there is fo little Proportion between the Streets and the Houfes, which make a mean Appearance, and are very low. It is aftonifhing to fee the infinite Multitudes of People, wherewith thefe Streets are Clouded, Populouthcfs. wit | lcmt onc Woman among them; and the Confufion which is caufed by the furprizing Number of Hoi ks. Mules, AlTes, Camels, Carts, Waggons, and Chairs, without reckoning the various Crowds of Men, too or 200 in a Clutter, which one meets with every now and then, gathered about fomc Fortune-teller, or Players at Cups and Balls; or liftening to Ballad Singers, and others who read or repeat certain comical Stories to make Diverfion ; or elfe gaping at a fort of Quacks, who diftribute their Medicines, and difplay their admirable Effedls with a great deal of Eloquence. People of Diftindlion would be flopp’d every Moment, if they had not a Horfeman to go before and call to the People to make Way. All the Riches and Commodities of the Empire are continually flowing into this City. People are carried thro’ the Streets in Chairs by Men, or more ufually on Horfeback. Both forts of Voiture are eafily to be met with in many Places : one may fometimes hire a Horfe or Mule the whole Day for 6 or 7 Pence; and as all the Streets are crouded with People, the Muleteers often lead their Baafts by the Bridle, in order to make way. Thefe Men are perfectly acquainted with the Streets and Houfes, where the great Folks and principal Citizens refide. There are alfo Books fold, which give an Account of the Wards, Streets, or Places where every Perfon lives, who has any public Employment. Gates. (k)'T here are no Parades in the Plan of Pe king, but the Reader will find them in that of Chin-ting-fu, in the fame Plate. The of the PROVINCES of CHIN A. 67 The Governor of Pe-king, who is a Mancbew Tartar of Figure, is call’d Kyu-men ti-tu, or the p RQV j General of the nine Gates , and has under his Jurisdiction not only the Soldiers but the People, p e - C he-Ii". in whatever concerns the civil Government or the Public Safety. Nothing can exceed the Policy obferv’d here: it is amazing to fee the perfeCt Tranquillity that is maintain’d among fuch an infinite Number of Tartars and ChineJ'e ; and for foveral Years together one ihall not hear of a Houfe being broken open, or a Man murder’d; for fuch is the Order obferved, that it is almofc impoffible thofe Crimes ihould be committed and the Authors efcape unpunifh’d. All the great Streets, which run in a Line from one Gate to another, and are about 120 Feet Guard; of broad, have Corps de Guard. Day and Night there are Soldiers with Swords by their Sides, and the Street. Whips in their Hands, to chaftife all, without DiftinCtion, who make any Difturbancc ; and to confine whoever refills, or creates any Quarrel. The lefier Streets, which terminate in the greater, have Wooden Crofs-barr’d Gates, thro’ which thofe, who walk within, may be feen by the Corps de Guard, placed over-againft them in the great Streets. There are alfo Soldiers on Duty towards the middle of almoft all thofe _ Streets. The Crofs-barr’d Gates are ihut every Night by the Guard, and are leldom open’d, except to Perfons with a Lanthorn in their Hand, who are known, and have a good Reafon for going out, fuch as to fetch a Phyfician. As loon as the firft Stroke of the Watch is given on a great Bell, one or two Soldiers walk from one Corps de Guard to the other, playing all the Way with a kind of Clapper, to let it be known that they are on the Watch. They fufter none to walk in the Night, and even quellion thofe whom the Emperor fends about Buiinefs; if their Anfwer gives the leaft Sufpicion, they put them in Cuftody of the Corps de Guard ; befides, this Guard mull: anfwer every Call of the Centinel who is on Duty. It is by this excellent Order, obferved with the greateft ExaCtnefs, that Peace, Silence and Safety reign thro’ the City. It muft be added that not only the Governor of the City, who is obliged to go the Rounds, arrives when leaft expeCted ; but alfo the Officers, who keep' Guard on the Walls and Pavillions over the Gates, (where they beat the Watch on great Brafs Drums,) fend Subalterns, to examine the Quarters belonging to the Gates where they are polled : the leaft NegleCt is punilh'd next Day, and the Officers of the Guard are broken. This Regulation, which prevents NoCturnal Meetings, will without doubt appear very extraor¬ dinary in Europe , and be by no means relifh'd by Perlons of Quality and Fortune 5 but, ought not thole who are at the Helm in a State, to prefer good Order and the publick Security, to Diverfions, which give Occafion to innumerable Attempts on the EffeCts and Lives of the Citizens? Befides, nothing feems more agreeable to Reafon, fince the Tartars , a People bred up in Woods, illiterate and unenlighten’d with the true Religion, adting according to thele Maxims, root out fo many Crimes too common in other States. The Empire is indeed at great Expence on this Account, for part of the Soldiers I have mention’d. Exceeding are employ’d for nothing elle but to take Care of the Streets; they are all Foot, and their Pay. is large: Befides their watching Day and Night, it is their Bufinefs to fee that every Body cleans ' ,c 0 the Street before his Door ; that it is fwept and watered every Morning and Evening in dry Weather ; and that the Dirt is taken away after Rain : And as the Streets are very broad, one of their chief Employments is to work themfelves, and keep the middle of them always clean for the Publick Conveniency. After they have taken up the Dirt (for the City is not paved) they beat it, or turning it dry it, or elfe mix it up with other dry Earth , fo that within two Hours after the heavy Rains one may walk all over the City without dirtying himfelf. Thofe Writers who tell us, that the Streets of Pe-king are commonly nafty, probably fpeak with RefpeCt to thole of the Old City, which are fmall, and not kept in fuch good Order as thofe of the New ; where the Soldiers are continually employ’d to keep them clean, even when the Emperor is abfent. There is a fecond Wall in the New City, which is low and narrow, but adorn’d with large Gates, where there are Guards ; this is call’d JVhang-ching , that is, the Imperial Wall. Its South Gate is that of the Palace itfelf, about a hundred Fathoms from the principal Gate of the City, which looks Southward alfo, and is call’d by the People Syen-men ; altho’ its true Name, which is cut both in Tartarian and Chinefe Characters, is Ching-yang-men , that is, the Gate facing the Noon-Day Sun. This Palace is a prodigious Collection of great Buildings, vaft Courts, and Gardens ; it is inclofed imperial with a Brick Wall about twelve Chinefe Li in Circuit. This Wall has Battlements along the Cur- ^Ibed^ tains, and at the Angles is adorn’d with little Pavillions ; over each Gate there is a Pavillion more lofty, as well as ftronger built, than the former, and furrounded with a Gallery, fupported by Pillars relembling our Periftyle : This properly is the Palace, becaufe it contains the Apartments of the Emperor and his Family. The Space between this Inclofure of the Palace and the firft Wall, named JFhang-ching, which is above 15 Li in Compafs, is taken up chiefly with Houfes, as well of the Officers of the Houfe- hold, as the Eunuchs, and the feveral Tribunals; whereof fome have the Care of providing Necef- faries for the Service of the Prince, and others are to preferVe good Order, decide Differences, determine Caufes, and puniih the Crimes committed by the Domefticks of the Imperial Family. Neverthelefs when the Crimes are flagrant, and fully proved, thefe Tribunals of the Palace, named 68 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION the Inner Tribunal?, tranfmit the Criminals to the Exterior Tribunals, which are the Grand Tri- Pe-che-li bunals of the Em P! re - Altho* the Architeflure of the Imperial Palace be wholly different from ours, yet it ftrikes lu Architc- the Eye by its Vaftnefs, the regular Difpofition of the Apartments, and the Structure of the ^rand dp ea R°°f s > which have four Sides riling very high, and adorn’d on the Reft with a Plat-band of ranee. Flower-work, and turn’d up at the Ends ; the whole is cover’d with varnifh’d Tiles of fuch a beautiful Yellow, that at a Diftance they appear as bright as if they were gilded. A fecond Roof as glittering as the former, riling from the Walls, goes quite around, fupported by aForeft of Beams, Joyfts and Spars, all japann'd with green Varnifh, ftrew’d with Gold Figures. This fecond Roof with the Projection of the firft makes a kind of Crown to thofc Buildings, which has a very fine EffeCt ; and perhaps we ought to judge of the Goodnefs of the Rules obferved in any Building, according as we find ourfelves affeCted with the Beauty of it 5 fince thofe received in Europe are rejected by other Nations, and have appear’d good to us, only becaufe we have dilcover’d Grace and Beauty in the Works of the Ancients , who feem to have introduced both. Whatever one may think as to the Tafte of Architecture, it is certain that thefe Halls, built in the Chineje Faftnon, with their Bas-Courts, furrounded by Galleries, and ranged one after another in regular Order, form altogether one intire Structure, which is very magnificent, perfectly Auguft, and worthy the greateft Empire upon Earth. The Terrajfes. The Terraffes, whereon thefe Apartments are built, contribute alfo much to give them that Air of Grandeur which ftrikes the Eye ; they are about 15 Feet high from the Ground,cafed with white Marble, adorn’d with Balluftrades of pretty good Workmanfhip, and open only at the Entrance of the Stair Cafes, which are placed on the Sides, and in the Middle, and Corners of the Front. The Afcent in the middle is properly no more than a Ramp or Slope, con lifting of one or two pieces of Marble, without either Steps or Reftingsj Nobody is permitted to enter this Way into the Apartments but the Emperor alone, who upon Days of Ceremony is carried thro’ in his cover’d Chair. Thefe Terraffes, whiqh extend from Eaft to Weft, make before the Doors and Windows of the Apartments, a very broad Platform paved with Marble, projecting feven or eight Foot all the way beyond the Building. This is the Form of the Apartments or Lodgings of the Emperor, Imperial Hall, and of the Imperial Hall, named Tay-ho-tyen, (as who fhould fay, the Hal! of the great Union) which ftands more towards the South, and is expofed to the Eyes of all the Mandarins of the Empire. In the Bas-Court before this Flail the Mandarins range themfelves on Days appointed for the Ceremonies preferibed by the Laws of the Empire, to renew their Homage, which Ceremonies are perform’d whether the Emperor be prefent or not. Nothing is more ufual than for them to ftrike the Ground with their Foreheads, before the Gate of the Palace, or one of the Royal Halls, with the fame Formality and Refpeft, as if he was feated on his Throne. This Hall is about 130 Feet long, and almoft fquare; the Cieling is all of carved Work, varnifh’d with green, and charg’d with gilded Dragons. The Pillars that fupport the Roof within, are fix or feven Feet in Compafs at the Bottom, and incruftated with a kind of Pafte, japann’d with red Varnifh. The Pavement is cover’d partly with very ordinary Carpets, made like thole of Turky - y the Walls are very well white-wafh’d, but without Hangings, Looking-Glafles, Branches, Paintings, or any other fort of Ornament. The Throne. The Throne, which is in the middle of the Hall, confifts of a lofty Alcove, very neat, but neither rich nor magnificent; and without any Infcription but the Word Shing , which the Authors of Relations have render’d Holy •, but it is not always ufed in that Senle, for it is fome- times better explain’d by the Latin Word Eximius, or the Englijh Words Excellent , Perfect , Mo(l Wife. On the Platform or Floor before it, ftand very great and thick Vefiels of Brafs, wherein Perfumes are burnt during the Ceremony, and Candlefticks made in the Form of Birds, large enough to hold Flambeaux. This Platform is continued Northward beyond the Hall, Tay-ho- tyen , and ferves as a Foundation to two other leffer Halls, which are hid by the former; one of them is a very pretty Rotundo or circular Room, with Windows on every fide, and fhining with Varnifh of divers Colours ; there, they fay, the Emperor repofes fometimes, before or after the Ceremony, and changes his Habit. This round Hall is but a few Paces diftant from a fecond, that is longer than broad, the Door of which faces the North ; thro’ this Door the Emperor is obliged to pafs, when he comes from his Apartment to his Throne, there to receive the Homages of the whole Empire; he is then carried in a Chair, by Chairmen drefs’din long red Vefts, embroider’d with Silk, and wearing Caps, adorn’d with Plumes. Great Court The Court which is before the Tay-ho-tyen, is the largeft belonging to the Palace; it is at leaft before the 300 Feet long, and 250 wide. Over the Gallery that furrounds it, are the Imperial Magazines of Hall. Rarities, for the Trealure or Revenues of the Empire are kept in the fupreme Tribunal, named Hu-pii. Thefe Magazines are open’d on certain Occafions, as at the Creation of a Prince, who is to inherit the Crown, an Emprefs, Queen, &c. In one are kept the Vafes, and other Works of different Metal; in another vaft Quantities of the moft beautiful Skins of various kinds; a third contains Habits furr’d with the Skins of gray Squirrels, Foxes, Ermins, and Sables, wherewith the Emperor fometimes rewards his Servants. There is one for precious Stones, curious Marbles, ajid Pearls which are found in Tartary, The greateft of all, conlifting of two low Stories, is full of the PROVINCES of CHINA 69 of Preffes, where the Silks are kept, made on purpose for the Ufe of the Emperor and his Family,, p at Nan-king, Hang-chew , and Su-chew ; thefe are the bed in all the Empire, becaufe they are p R °h‘ t- manufadtur'd under the Care and Infpeftion of a Mandarin , who prefides over thofe Works, and would be punch’d if they were not fin idl’d in the greateft Perfection. * a-w-s In the other Store-houfes are repofited Arrows, Bows, and Saddles, which have either been made at Peeking, brought from foreign Countries, or prefented by great Princes, and fet apart for the Ufe of the Emperor and his Children ; there is one alfo where they colled! the belt Tea of every kind that China produces, with various Simples, and other the mod edeemed Druggs. * This Gallery has five Doors, one to the Ead, another to the Wed, and three in the South Front. Thofe in the middle are never open’d but for the Emperor ; the Mandarins , who come to perform the Ceremony before the Imperial Hall, entring by the Side Doors. There is nothing extraordinary in this Front ; it has a large Court, into which one defends by a Marble Stair-Cafe, adorn’d with two great Lions of Copper, and a Baludrade of white Marble; it is made in form of a Horfe-fhoc, on the Side of a little Serpentine River, which runs thro’ the Palace, and has Bridges over it of the fame Materials. It would be endlefs to defcribe the red of the Buildings belonging to this vaft Palace, but as thefe are the mod magnificent in the Judgment of the Chintje and Tartars, they may fufficetogive the Reader an Idea of the whole. The Palaces of the Emperors Childien and the other Princes of the Blood, are very neat within, , vadly large, and built at a great Expence j the fame Mannef runs thro’ the whole, both as to the *{»£!$!* Body of the Work and Embellifhments. It is a Series of Courts, adorn’d on the Sides with children. Buildings, and in Front with a varnifh’d Hall, rais’d on a Platform, three or four Feet high, which is border’d with great fquare Blocks of hewn Stone, and paved with large fquare Tiles; the Gates generally open into little Streets not much frequented, and have no other Ornaments than two Lions of Brals or white Stone of very indifferent Workmanfhip, without any Order of Architecture, or Sculpture in Stone, fuch as is found in the Triumphal Arches. I (hall enlarge no farther on this fuperb Edifice, (the only one throughout that great City, which deferves Attention) the rather becaufe I fhall fpeak of it in another Place. What I (hall fay of it there, with the Defcription I have already given of it, will luffice to make it tolerably well known to the Reader. The Tribunals of the fupreme Jurifdidtions are alfo vadly large, but ill built, and worfe kept in thcSutr Repair ; they are in no wile fuitable to the Majefty of the Empire ; there are fix of them, which Tribmah of 1 but juft mention here, becaule I (hall hereafter (peak of them more at large. ^ je ^ Tn P ,re • The firft, the Lzhi-pu, propoles the Mandarins who are to govern the People. The fecond, Hii-pu , has the Charge of the Tributes. The third, Li-pu, is for maintaining the Cuftoms and Rites of the Empire. The fourth, Ping-pu, has Care of the Troops and Pofts which are on all the great Roads, and maintain’d at the Emperor’s Expence. The fifth, the Hing-pu, determines Criminal Caufes. The la ft, Kong-pu , has the Infpedtion of the publick Works. All thefe Tribunals are divided into different Chambers, among which the Bufinefs is diftri- buted; their Number is not the fame in every Tribunal, fome of them having much lefs to do than others. Under thefe fix (bvereign Courts are alfo divers other Tribunals, which depend on them ; for Inftance, the Kin-tycn-kjen, or Tribunal of the Mathematics, is fubordinate to that of the Li-pti ; it is alio divided into two Chambers, whereof the principal and mod numerous, call’d Li-ko, is folely employ’d about calculating the Motion of the Stars, and Aftronomical Affairs the other named Lu-ko , befides other Bufinefs more peculiar to it, is employed to determine the proper Days foi Marriages, Burials, and other Civil Affairs; about which they give themfelves but little Trouble, copying for the moft part an ancient Chinefe Book, wherein almoft all thefe things are already fettled according to the Year of the Sexagenary Cycle or Chinefe Century. Thefe fix fupreme Jurifdidtions never meddle with Affairs of State, but when remitted to them by the Emperor, with Orders to deliberate thereon; for then (landing in need of each other, they are oblig d to agree together, to the end that the Money, Troops, Officers and Equipages may be ready at the time appointed : Excepting in fuch Caffs, each Court confines itfflf wholly to the Affahs belonging to it, and certainly has enough to do, in an Empire of fuch vaft Extent as China. If the different Functions of repairing public Works, the Government of the Forces, the Regulation of the Revenue, the Adminiftration of Juftice, and above all the Choice of Magi- ftrates, were all united in one Tribunal, it would without doubt produce great Confufion in the Refolutions, and a Slownefs in Proceedings, which would ruin Affairs; for this Reafon it was neceffary to encreafe the Number of Mandarins , both at Court and in the Provinces. But as in fo great a multitude it would be difficult to find out the proper Perfon with whom one has Bufinefs ; to remedy this Inconvenience, there is a Book fold, which may be call’d the Prefent State of China, containing the Names, Sirnames and Employments of all the Officers, and diftin- gm( ling whether they are Chinefe or 'Tartars, Bachelors or Doctors, &c. It takes particular Notice alio of the Changes made with relpedt to the Officers of the Army, as well thofe that are in Gar- rilon, as in the Field ; and to fpecify thefe Changes, without re-printing the Book, they make uff of moveable-Char alters. 3 All the Tartar Families live in or about Pe-king, and are not permitted to remove from thence Emperor’s without the Emperor’s fpecial Order • hence it is, that the Tartar Troops, which compofe the Life-Guard. Vot * T Emperor’s 7 o GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION Emperor’s Life Guard, are always in a manner near his Perfon; here are alfo found fome Chineje P R0 , V ' r Troops who formerly lifted themfelves under the 'Tartar Banners, and were for that Reafon call'd dAfkM 1 : the Tartarizei Chineje ; they are very well paid, and are always ready to fly on the firft Order to extingnilh the Flames of Sedition, wherever they break out, with furprrzmg Secrecy and Ex- F Thefe Troops are divided into 8 Bodies, each of which has a Banner, diflinguifh’d either by the Colour, viz. yellow, white, red and blew, or by the Borders, which are all red, excepting that of the red Banner, whole Border is white ; green is the Colour belonging to the troops that are entirely Chineje , which are thence call’d Lu-ki, or the Soldiers oj the Green Banner. Everv Tartar Banner has its General, named in the Manchew Language Kujanta, who has under him certain great Officers, called Meyreynchain , who are like our Lieutenant-Generals, and have under them feveral other Officers fubordinate to each other. . As each Body at prefent is compoied of Manchew Tartars, Mongul Tartars, and lartarizcd Chine I the General has under him two General Officers of each Nation, and thefe Officers have likewife Subalterns of the fame Nation. Each Body confifts of 10,000 effedtive Men, divided into 100 Nuru's, or Companies, of too Soldiers each (n) ; fo that if we reckon the Emperor's Houfehold and thofe of the Princes, who have their Servants, Po zho nuru wish the Pay of tire Officers and Soldiers, the common Opinion may be readily allow'd to be true, viz. that there are always 100,000 Horfe at Pe-king . . „ , ij/-i We may hence form an Idea of the Forces of the Empire ; for if to the Cavalry, already fpoken , , 1 1 r r . \ ■ u .. tVinfp nniVnl nlnncr thp CireAt Wall, fin the inimmer- Empi We may nence iorm an iugo. ui j \ / 1 of wc add the Infantry which are at Pc-king, thofe ported along the Great Wall, (in the mrmmer- able Fores built for its Defence, tho lefs numerous at prefent than when the Country was in Danger of Invalions from the tartars) together with the reft of the Forces difpers’d all over the Empire, it will be found that the Number, agreeable to the common Calculation, amounts to at leaft 600,000 Men : So that China may be Lid to keep on Foot in time of the profoundeft Peace, an Army able to refill the moil formidable Powers, purely to maintain the public Tranquillity, to provide againft Seditions, and ex’-inguifh the fmalleft Sparks of Rebellion. ...... Such a vail Body as China muft needs be terribly agitated when once it is in Motion, fo that it is the whole Policy of the Chineje Magiftrates, to prevent and fupprels Inturreftions as foon as poffible No Favour is to be e.xpefted for a Mandarin whofe People revolt; let him be ever fo innocent he is conlider’d as a Man of no Capacity, and the fmalleft Pumfhment that can befal him is ’to be diicharg’d from his Employment, by the Tribunal of the Court, to which fuch C tiles are alwavs tranfmitted by the Vice-Roys and Governors of Provinces ; and thofe Tribunals deliberate on the Informations, and prefent their Report to the Emperor, who either confirms or ltj Thefe foverewn Courts have no Superior, except the Emperor or the Great Council; when that Prince thinks fit to affemble it on fome important Affair, already determined by one of thofe Courts, they prefent their Peritions on the Days appointed, and often confer with the Emperor himfclf, who cither approves of or reiells them, by figning them with his own Hand But if he retains them they wait fome time for his Orders, which is communicated to them by the Great Man¬ darin, called in Chineje, Ko-lau, and in Tartarian, Aliagata. The Petitions prefen ted by the Prefidents of thefe fupreme Courts, who are call d in Chmeje, Shang-fhu and in Tartarian, Aliagamba, ought to have the Subjeft, which it relates to, fpecify’d in the Title and to end with the Opinion of the Court, to which the Affair belongs. The Emperor difpofes in the feme Manner of all the Employments of the Empire, without beina oblig’d to confer them on thePerfons propofed bv the Tribunals, altho’ he generally confirms their Chbfce after he lias himfclf examined thofe to whom tire Employments fell by Lot, in the Manner hereafter explained. As to the principal Polls oi Tjimg-tu, Vice-Ray, &c. they are always norfiinafed by the Emperor himfelf. . s i t will Icarce be believ’d, that the prefent Emperor condefeends to examine himfelf fuch Application £ row( j s of Mandarins , whereof every Day fome are advanc’d to higher Employments, and others t are Candidates for them ; neverthelels, it is certainly true, and this fhews his Care in governing the State; He will fee evety thing with his own Eyes (o), and he will truft nobody in choofing Magi¬ ftrates for his People. r . T ■ , T t ; -a Prerogative. His Authority is abfolute, and almoft unlimited. A Prince of the Imperial Houfe can neither 'aflume the Titles, nor receive the Honours due to him as fuch, without the Emperor s rermimon. When his Conduct does not anfwer the Expeftation of the Public, he lofes his Dignity and Re¬ venues by order of the Emperor, and is no longer diftinguiffi’d, except by the Yellow Girdle, worn by Men atief Women of the Imperial Blood, who are allow’d but a moderate Pennon out of the The Laws allow no Way of applying againft the Abufe of Authority, but by Remonftrance. -e"Emr°e Thefe Laws have eftablifti’d publick Cenjors, whofe Duty it is to give Information to the Emperor ' ’ bv Petitions which are difpers’d thro’ the Empire, and cannot be rejefted by him, without hurt¬ ing his Reputation ; befides, the Chineje having annext an Idea of Heroic Bravery to that Em- Form of Petitions. Emperor’s ,,. than is remark'd to have cflablilh'd the fame (o) Thr. may well teem tncredtbie m a Monarch of fo vail an fort of Order amove his Troops, it would be worth enquiry. Empire, when the petty Entrees of Evtope are fo much taken up whether iretook it from, or communicated it to the Cfe/t with orfra, Affairs, that they have not Lerfure to look into thofe 'Tartars. of the PR0F1NCES of CHIN A. 71 ployment, (hould the Emperof treat them ill, he would dp them the greateft Honour, and draw p ROV j on himfelf odious Names, which the Hiftorians would with great Care tranl'mit to Eofterity. p e ,cbe-li. In Ihort, thefe CenJ'ors feldom or never change their Refolution. If the. Court or the Great Tri- buna Is feek to dude the Juftice of their Complaints, by fome Rebuff, they return to the. Charge, and make it appear that they have not anfwer'd conformable to the Laws. Some of them have per- fever’d two whole Years in accufmg a Vice-Roy fupported by the Grandees, and without being difcourag’d by Delays and' Oppofition, or frighted by the moll terrifying Menaces, have at length compell’d the Court to degrade him, to avoid difgufting the People, and lullying its own Reputation. But if in this fort of Combat between the Prince and State, in the Name of which the Center fpeaks, the Prince happens to yield., he immediately receives the Praifes of the Public in their Addreffes, and is loaded with Elogies by the whole Empire ; the iovereign Courts of Pe-kirg return him their Thanks, and what he has done for Juftice, is look’d on as a lingular Favour. It is owing to this good Order obferv’d at Pe-king, and which influences the other Cities, that the Empire enjoys fuch a happy Tranquillity and long Peace. This JSleffing may alfo be attributed in fome meafure to the favourable Situation of China , whofe Neighbours confift of Nations not very populous,, half Barbarians, and incapable of attempting any thing to the Prejudice of fuch a mighty State, while its Forces ate well united under the Authority of its Sovereign. The Mqgi- chews, who conquer’d it, took Advantage of the Troubles of the Realm, which was fill’d with Rebels and Robbers; and were brought in by the faithful Chinefe, who were deftrous to revenge the Death of their Emperor. I could not forbear enlarging in my Account of this Capital, becaufe it is, as it were, the Soul of this great Empire, puts it in Motion, and keeps all the Parts of it in Order; hilt I fhall be much briefer in fpeaking of the other Cities, efpecially thofe, which have nothing more than ordinary to recommend them. I fhall only add, that befides the general Jurifdiftion which Pe¬ king has over the whole Empire by its fix Supreme Courts, it has allb, like the other Capitals of Provinces, a particular Diftridt, which comprehends 26 Cities, whereol fix are of the fccond, and twenty of the third Rank. The Second City, Pau-ting-fu. f) au-ting-fu is the Refidence of the Vice-Roy of this Province ; it has three Cities of the Pau-nr^-fit. -* fecond Rank, and feventeen of the third, within its Diftrift, which is very agreeable and fruitful. In the midft of the City there is a little Lake, famous for the great Quantity of thofe The Lym-^ Flowers, ellewhere deferibed (p), which the Chinefe call Lyen-wha. Ter -Lilly. * In travelling from Pe-king into the Province of Shan-Ji , one is obliged to pafs thro’ this City j it is one of the moft pleafant Journeys imaginable ; all the Country is flat, and well cultivated ; the Road even, and planted with Trees in feveral Places, with Walls to cover and defend the Fields; Men, Carts, and Beafts of Burthen are continually pafling backwards and forwards. In the Space of a Angle League you pafs thro’ two or three Villages, without reckoning thofe you fee on all Ades. The Rivers are cover’d with very handfome Bridges of feveral Arches. The Third City, Ho-kyen-fu. T HIS City has its Name from its being Atuated between two Rivers. Its Walls are built Hc-kyen-fit. in a Line, handfome, high, and in good Repair ; it is reckon’d almoft four Miles in Com- pafs. On it depend two Cities of the fecond Order, and fifteen of the third. Its Rivers are (lord with good Fifli, befides the Cray-Filh, which are very plenty, and exceeding delicious. The Fourth City, Chin-ting-fu. T HIS is a great City, almoft four Miles in Compafs; its Figure approaches an oblong Chin-ting fit. Square ; the Walls are handfome, and flank’d with fquare Towers at certain Diftances ; it (lands pretty near a fine River, which a few Leagues from thence falls into the Lake Pay-hu. Its Jurifdiftion is very large, comprehending thirty two Cities, five of the fecond, and twenty feven of the third Rank. To the North of it are Mountains, where the Chinefe pretend, abundance of Simples and uncommon medicinal Herbs are found. Certain Monuments or Temples are feen there, built in Honour of their Heroes, and, among others, one confecrated to the Memory of the firft Emperor of the Dynafty of the Han. The Fifth City, Shun-te-fu. T H E Diftrift of this City is not very extenfive, containing only nine, but they are very famous shun tc-fu. and populous Cities, of the third Order. The Country is render’d very charming and fer¬ tile, by the plenty of Water; the Rivers afford divers forts of good Fifli. A very fine Sand is found (*“) Seep. 12 and Elfewhere, hereafter. 72 geographical description -p T found there, which is ufed in polifhing precious Stones, and fold all over the Empire ; they alfo Pe R che li make China Vt are of it, but far fhort for Beayty of that made at King-te-ching , a Borough in TArA the Province of Kyang-ji. Sbun-te-fu alfo produces Touch-Stones for Gold, reckon’d the beft in the whole Empire. The Sixth City, Quang-ping-fu. Qnang-pEg- K rt HIS City is fituated in the Southern Part of Pe-che-li , between the Provinces of Shan-tong f‘‘- and Ho-nan-, it has but nine Cities of the third Rank in its Dependance ; its Territory is water’d by feveral Rivers, which breed very good Fifh j the Country is agreeable and fertile: It has otherwife nothing to diftinguifh it from other Cities. The Seventh City, Tay-ming-fu. Tay-ming-fu. fTp H I S City as well as the former, which lies near it, has nothing extraordinary to boaft JL of j but the Country is more fruitfull and agreeable, and the Rivers equally full of Fifh ; it has under its Jurifdidtion only one City of the fecond Rank, and eighteen of the third. The Eight City, Yung-ping-fu. Yung-pingfu. S ban-hay Fort. T HIS City is advantageoufly fituated, but its Jurifdiaion not large, extending only over one City of the fecond, and five of the third Order ; it is encompafs’d by the Sea, by Rivers, and by Mountains cover’d with very fair Trees ; its Soil is not very fertile, but that Dt-fedt is fupply’d by the neighbouring Bay, which furnilhes it with Plenty of all forts of Ne- ceflaries. Not far from this City is a Fort named Shan-hay , which is as it were the Key of the Province of Lyau-tong; it ftands near the Great Wall, which, before it afeends the Hills, extends from the Bulwark built in the Sea, for the Space of a League, in a plain Country. The 'Ninth City, Swen-wha-fu. Snsen-wba- Forts in Pe che-li. along the Great Wall. Tyen-Jtng- wey. T HE Largenefs of this City, Number of Inhabitants, Beauty of its Streets, and Trium¬ phal Arches, render it confiderable; it is feated amidft Mountains, and not far from the Great Wall ; two Cities of the fecond, and eight of the third Rank are under its Jurifdidtion; befides fome Places or Forts along the Wall, which are provided with numerous Garrifons for defending the Entrance into China from Partary. Its Mountains afford fine Cryftal, Marble, and Porphyry. Among the Animals which this Country produces, there are abundance of yellow Rats, larger than thofe of Europe ; their Skins are in great Requeft with the Chinefe. Belides the Fort of Shan-hay above-mention’d, which defends the IPaffage from Lyau-tong into Pe-che-li , the Gates of the Great Wall are defended on the Infide with feveral pretty large Forts, viz. Hi-fong-kew, at 40° 26' (p), Ku-pe-kew , at 40 0 43' the Emperor ufually palfes thro’ this Gate, when he goes to hunt in Partary ; Pu-Jl:e-kew, at4i° 19' 20"; and Chang-kya * kew, in 40° 51' I5 "(p); thefe two laft Entrances are famous, becaufe the Roads which tha Partars, (who are in Subjection to the Empire) take to come to Pe-king, lye thro’ them. All the Places along the Great Wall in this Province, are built with Earth, and cafed on both Sides with Brick. It would be endlefs and tirefome to give' an account of the Cities of the fecond and third Rank ; however I cannot omit one, which, tho’ without any JurifdiCtion over others, has beyond Comparifon a greater Trade, is more populous and rich than mofl of the Cities before deferibed ; it is named Pyen-tjing-wey, railed fince the Map was made to the Rank of Chew, or Cities of the fecond Order. It is feated in the Place where the Royal Canal, which comes from Lin-t/in-chew, joins the River of Pe-king. A great Mandarin , named Ten-ywen-i , refides there, on whom the Officers depend, that luperintend the Salt made along the Coafts of the Provinces of Pe-che-h and Shan- tong. All the Ships that fetch Timber from Eaftern Partary for Carpenters Work, after crof- fing the Gulf of Lyau-tong , named Pyen-tung-wey , come and unload in this Port ( qJ, which is but 20 Leagues diflant from Pe-king. (p) The Latitude mark’d here differs fome Seconds from the ( qJ Tyen-tjing-'iviy, though here cak’d a Port, is above 27 Tables. ’ Miles from the Sea, up the River Pay-bo. PRO- 'eyitude i/\j fro/n Perrt'j U/A JV '/'O JO G y>in- /, > . J. hrrff afLari/etdejfolverued, and.Zcmyitnde./ /determinedyea f/i Ala// /.< ///< -tr/oai/yj?/ ‘/freon yrtnmded _ Pet/-/ye _ «a Tony /you Dra/r/i an t/w A'pat in/ t/ie Et/rj dr MiuJla <}//- o*\ . I//an /yen . 34. i-z. o ; o. 44-*?! 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Ena Inn tn/'-,' 1 Pt/tt-r/err /it . 31.3637'. e. 46 HZ,/// yntett. /ty, Hino'-cliew h a .i/ittn /e vew -/ay /o ten- / yen 3 j 7 y<' a e/a no -A i/e/i^ tnt-en ' Tg v rhew a a /• ruK\y-Fr Jnioj./n/e’ a// naan lint iyet Jo k yen/ /ye tt Pt/, a t tty 03 t/e /irat Re, CJiew,^ (ity of tie a iRa JPyen,a Pity of//3^Ra// ty airo lire// -fstyaa/yt ell/ne under t/ieiName \ of a P/ace denotes t/e Lari' tz/de deternuned, and (/no Lines Zot/ij/ Lot ! l/Loney ^mig-tse -Kyang-ke F 7 a-tan /torn. Ho-cLii Praifi; iixrr/iyeni au Hu le/ty-h/et Ptaee.f Lot Lorn/. I liu-e/te/n/u . 31.a3.23 4.0.23', /yP.Ncel. . 3t.rj.43' S ZyP . 3 ‘ 17.30', 3.48.13 t/any-e/err/ri .31.30.36' 3.24.17^ iyPWoei. . 3/ -38.36 < '(•//./-/yon.7fi 31.0.0.4.28.34 I'/uny-iyam/fu . 32.14.26 2.33.43 Ismy-mmy -/yen . 31.36. o ■ 4.30. r /yPRoei. 31.32.0 4-37.30 7 i/y-/unyyii 3/3638 2.4.33 Fo/iyi/anyfii 3a.33.30 1.1.26 >i/a//a-//oj//ye/oJLyi3i.y . o 4.44.O /yPffoei.. 31.14.24 3.n.44 /t/d 1 . 31.16. 0.3. //. 43 o. 7. /t 0.48.41 O. t 6 . o t 0.33.47 * 0.38.34 : Ari leno-Ay"’ io-j/tan /yen. \ftyn-kyarn/ /ye Tiran -ymt -, dun . i ’an /tno fi. < Zt e/err fi. Pftny-t* ‘-/yen / /nne/e Pu t do/ige Rttty-yui'du. Li -e/nn-/yen Kvang-nmg-fii wNsn-lcmo; h, OMW ° /yRR’.-itgnei J yen trait a sc torn/non Irene// Lear/i. Poneyitu.de.- i/i'om Pe-Ziney THAN KING thu> £a/uJxU. Oru >. y fL.tiyany CYANG NINO FTJ tfr II /SU CHEW FU "-• jTI/fic rr /a/?/•- worn or me floyj 'or/Province reside. ty adnVncJ r'fat IcaqueJ m urcumfe/rnceffnf id, in /dcjcryitifn ’-to Of above 'eaouej round the fl'adjT}. [ ‘a-nd.adoy-e j £ qrvad lraftixd /i Comfia/d :>> QUEN^SHAN HYEN KYA-TING ■''Tsraii-w HYEN i ni«i<; rm w Ij® Fictc/ur .'',■////’ of the PROVINCES of CHINA. 75 PROVINCE II. K YANG-NAN. F R0V - Ir - hyang-nan; /—■jr—\ H I S Province which is one of the moll fertile, trading, and confequently wealthy istQC^ Hj of the Empire, is bounded on the Weft by that of Ho-tian and Nu-quang , on the fcjf South by Che-kyang and Kyang-fi, on the Eaft by the Gulf of Nan-king, and on the North by Shan-tong. The ancient Emperors conftantly kept their Courts there, till Reafons of State obliged them to remove nearer ’Tartary, and choofe Pe-king. It is of vaft Extent, containing fourteen Cities of the Extent artf firft, and ninety three of the fecond and third Rank, all the mol populous and famous in the N™ bc r oi Empire, efpecially for Trade. It is the Refort of all the Great Barks, for the Country is full of Cme *' Lakes, Rivers, and Canals, either natural or artificial; which have a Communication with the Great River, Tang-tfe-kyang , that runs thro’ the Province, where there are few Mountains to be feen ex¬ cept towards the South. The Silks, varniCh’d Works, Ink, Paper, and in general every thing that comes, both from Nan- Com , mc " ! '> le! king and the other Cities of the Province, which carry on an aftonifhing Trade, is much more 1 ” efteem’d and dear, than what is brought from other Provinces. In the City Shang-hay only, and the Villages belonging to it, they reckon above 200,000 Weavers of Callico. The Sea Coaft in feveral Parts abounds with Salt Pits, the Salt whereof is dilperfed almoft thro’ Salt Fat. the Empire ; a great Quantity of Marble is alfo found there. In (hort, this Province is fo plentiful and rich, that it yields annually about 32 Millions of Taels (*), exclufive of the Duties ariiing from every thing either exported or imported, for receiving of which feveral Offices are eftabliih’d. The Inhabitants of Kyang-nan are civil and polite ; they are exceeding ingenious, and have a Charafterof more than ordinary Inclination for the Sciences; hence this Province is remarkable for producing the a great Number of Dodtors, who by their Merit attain to the Offices and Dignities of the Empire. The Province is divided into two Governments ; the Eaftern, the Governor whereof refides at Divifion. Su-chew-fu-, and the Weftern, whofe Governor has his Seat at Ngan-king-fu, each Government has feven Fu or Cities of the firft Rank within its Jurifdiftion. The Firft City, Kyang-ning-fu, or Nan-king, Capital of the Province. I F we may believe the ancient Chineje, this City was once the fineft in the World; when they Van-ku^. fpeak of its Magnitude, they fay, that if two Horfemen went out in the Morning by the fame s « plat =V. Gate, and were ordered to gallop round it different Ways, they would not meet till the Evening. It is certainly the greateft City in China, its Walls are 67 Li in Compafs, according to the Meafure its Magni- we took of it when we made the Plan, which amount to near 5 great Leagues and an half and 466 tude. Fathom. It ftands but one League from the great Tang-tfe-kyang, from which River Barks come up to it by means of feveral Canals, that end at the City ; one fees on thefe Canals Numbers of Impe¬ rial Barks, almoft as large as our middling Ships. The Figure of Nan-king is irregular, the Hills that are within it, and the Nature of its Soil is fuch, that it could not be otherwife without great Inconveniencies. It was formerly the Impe- F,gure rial City, whence it has the Name of Nan-king, that is the Southern Court, as Pe-king fignifies the Northern Court-, but fince the fix great Tribunals, which then were in both thofe Cities, are N,Irc ' all tranflated to Pe-king, the Emperor has given it the Name of Kyang-ning: it is ftill in Dif- courfe called by its old Name ; but it is never fuffer’d to be mention’d in the publicklnftruments. This City is much fallen from its ancient Splendor, no Footfteps appear of its Magnificent Palace ; its Obfervatory is now negleaed, and almoft deftroy’d; nothing but the Memory of its s Temples, Sepulchres of Emperors, and other fuperb Monuments remain ; being all demolilh’d by tIte ' the Tartars who firft invaded the Empire, to gratify their Avarice and hatred to the Dynafiy then reigning. About one third of it is quite wafte, but the reft very well inhabited ; fo great a Trade, and fuch Numbers of People are feen in fome Parts of it, that one would fcarce believe there is a greater Hurry any where: this would be ftill more extraordinary, were the Streets as broad as thofe of Pe-king, which they are not by one half; Neverthelefs they are fufficiently hand- fome, well pav’d, and adorn’d on both Sides with neat Shops richly furnilh’d. In this City one of the great Mandarins refides, named Tfong tu, before whom are brought Government important Matters, not only from the Tribunals of both the Governors of the Province, but alfo from that of the Governor of Kyang-fi. The Tartars have alfo a numerous Garrifon here, under a General of their own Nation, and poffefs one Part of the City, leparated from the reft by a Angle Wall. The Palaces where both the Tartar and Chinefe Mandarins dwell, are neither fo fpacious p„b!ick Stru- nor vvell built as thofe of the Capitals of the reft of the Provinces. One fees no publick a “ ss ' Buildings there, anfwering to the Reputation of fo famous a City, except its Gates, which are (*) A Tael is the Value of an Ounce of Silver, and this Ounce in China is equivalent to 7 Livers 10 Sols French * at this Vol. I. u Time [that is about 8 Shillings 7 Pence Eng!i/b.~\ exceeding 74 geographical description „ tT exceeding bi Prov. II. m ■ Kyang-nan. autiful, and fame Idol Temples : Such is that where Hands the famous Porcelain Tower; it is of an Odtogonal Figure, each fide being fifteen Feet in Front ; it is twenty Chinefe Fathom high, that is two hundred- Feet, end divided into nine Stories, by fingle Floors Famous Por- within, and without by Corniihes at the Rile of Arches, which fuftain little Roofs, cover'd ccbuTower. -piles jone over g recn varnifli. I (hall give a Defcription of it in another Place. This Tower is without Difpute the tailed and mod beautiful of all thofe to be feen in China-, where this fort of Works, named fa, are lo common, that in feveral Provinces, one meets with them in.almoft every City, and even in the great Towns. That which renders alfo this City famous, is the great Care it takes to cultivate the Sciences: It fingly furnifhes more Dodtors and great Mandarins, than feveral Cities together; the Libraries here are more numerous, the Book-fellers Shops better furnifh'd, the Printing more beautiful, and the Paper better than any where in the Empire befides. Artificial Nothing can be more natural than the artificial Flowers made here of the Pith of a Tree call’d Flowers. fong-tfau ; this is at prefent become a particular Manufacture, which has increas'd to that Degree in China, within thefe few Years, that there is a great Trade driven with them. The Satins of Nan-king, which are call’d Twan-tfe, as well thofe that are flowerd as not, are the beft and moft efteem’d at Pe-king, where thofe of Kanton are much cheaper; pretty good Woolen Cloath alfo is made lietc, which is call’d, from the Name of the Town, Nan-king-Jhen. That which is to be found in fome other Cities is not to be compared to it, as being fcarce any thing elfe than Felt made without weaving. I„k The Ink, call’d th elnkofNan ling,comes all from Whey-chew, in the fame Province. ItsDillridl is full of great Villages, alnroft wholly peopled with thofe who make or fell thefe Sticks of Ink which are often adorn'd with green, blew or gilded Flowers; they are of all forts of Figures, as Books, Joints of Bambu, Lions, &c. The Breadth and Depth of the Yang-tfe-hyang render’d Nan-king formerly an excellent Port: The famous Corfair, who befieg’d it in the late Troubles, pafs’d eafily up to it; but at prefent the great Barks, or rather the Chinefe Veffels of Carriage, do not enter the River, either becaufe the Mouth is Hopp’d up of itfelf, or that the Chinefe out of Policy make no more ufe of it, that the Knowledge of it by Dea§ees may be loH. FKherv in .4. In April and May, abundance of excellent Fifh is caught near the City; during this Seafon fril and May. y ome Q [ t h em are C(>il vey’d to the Court, cover’d with Ice, which keeps them frefh, in Barks ap¬ pointed folely for that ufe ; thefe make fuch Speed, that in eight or ten Days time, failing continu¬ ally Day and Night, they arrive at Pe-hing, tho’ it be more than two hundred great Leagues diftant; for greater Expedition there are Stages all the Way, where the Men are reliev'd. So long as the Filliing lafls, two Barks depart from Nan-king, twice a Week, loaden with Filh. Tho’ Nan-king is the Capital of the whole Province, it has no more than eight Cities of the third Rank under its Jurifdiftion. The Second City , Su-chew-fu, Capital of I-tong, or the Eaflern Part of the Province. TT II IS Is one of the moft beautiful and pleafant Cities in all China ; the Europeans , who have feen it, -compare it to Venice , with this Difference, that Venice ftands in the midft of the Sea, and Su-chew in frefh Water. One may pafs thro’ the Streets here both by Water and Land; the Branches of the River and Canals are almoft all capable of bearing the largeft Barks, which ‘may even fail' thro’ the City, and arrive at the Sea in two Days at moft. It carries on a Trade,’ not only with all the Provinces of the Empire, but alfo with "Japan ; from which it is feparated only by an Arm of the Sea (s), which the little Merchant Ships crofs fome times in two or three Days. There is no Country that is more charming, in refpedt of Situation and Climate; that is more populous and thick fet with Towns and Boroughs, which are ever in Sight; that is better improv'd, there not heing an Inch of Ground, but what produces Fruit, Corn or Rice; and laftly* that more abounds with Rivers, Canals, Lakes, and efpecially Barks of all Sorts, and Sizes, painted or gilded : fome full of Perfons of Quality, who are lodg’d in them more decently than in their own Houles ; others loaded with rich Commodities, and feveral defign’d purely for Recreation. This City,'Wkc Hang-chew in the Province of Cbe-kyang, is properly a City of Pleafure ; it wants nothing that can contribute to make Life delightful; hence we find an ancient Proverb in the C/j;;^A”Books, Shang'yew tyen tangy y Hya yew Su Hang , that is, Above is Paradije , below Su chew and Hang chtw ; in Effect it may be faid that thefe two Cities are the Perrejlial Paradije of China. . This City, like Hang-chew , and fome others of the Empire, may be reckoned three Cities : one within the Walls, which are reputed more than four Leagues in Compafs ; another in the Suburbs, which extend a great way on both fides of the Canals; and a third in the Barks, which are fo many floating Houfes, rang’d on the Water for more than a League together in leveral Rows; many of thefe Barks equal our third Rate Ships in Bulk. (s) The Author is to be underdood here of the Diftridt of feems that this Defcription is an Abftraft- from a more com- he City, and not of the City itfelf, which he feems to con- plete one. cund together, as he does in many other Places ; whence it Delightful Situation. Trade with Japan. Paradife of China. The of the PRO VINCES of CHINA 7? T’he whole together yields a Profpea, which cannot well be defcrib’d, and muft be view'd in p order to judge how agreeable it is. This great City has but fix Gates to the Landward, and as V ° V ’ . many towards the Water. To behold the immenfe Numbers of People that are here continually in Motion, and the Throngs there are in every Place, of thofe who come to buy and fell, one would imagine that the Inhabitants of all the Provinces came to trade at Sd-chew. The Embroideries and Brocades that are made at this Place, are in Requefl throughout the whole Empire, becaufe the Work is good and cheap. It is the Seat of the Vice-Roy of the Eaftern part of this Province, whole particular Jurifdidlion contains eight Cities, whereof one is of the fecond Order, and feven’of the third ; they are all very handfome, and a League and an half or two Leagues in Compafs each. The third City, Song-kyang-fu. T H I S City is built in the Water, and the Chineji Ships, or rather Veffels of Carriage; S „_ W/S enter it on every Side, and fo pals to the Sea, which is not far diftant. The extraor¬ dinary Quantity of Cotton, and lovely Callico's of all forts, wherewith it furniflies not only the Empire, but alio foreign Countries, render it famous, and of very great Refort. Thefe Callico’s are fo exceeding fine, that when they are dyed, one would take them for the fineft Serge It has but four Cities under its Jurifditftion, but it is neither the lefs fertile nor rich on that Score •" for, tho' thefe Cities are of the third Order, they may compare with the bed for Magnitude" the extraordinary refort of Merchants from all Parts throughout the Year, and the different forts of Commerce carry d on there; fuch is for inffance the City of Shan-hay-hyen, where Ships from Fo-hyen are continually entring, and others failing out to trade with Japan. The Fourth City, Chang-chew-fu. ( T ) T H I S is a famous City, and of great Trade, fituate near the Canal, by which the Barks Chong-,b m . fail front Su-chtrw into the Tang-tfe-kyang ■, it is adorn’d with feveral Triumphal Arches and the Sides of the Canal, which lead to it, are lined with hewn Stone. Its Diflritft contains only five Cities of the third Order, but moft of them are very fair and well peopled. Vu-ft-hyen lu) Vt-Ji-kx*. for Example, is a good League and an half in Compafs, Exclufive of the Suburbs, which are a Mile and an half in Length ; it is furrounded with a great Ditch in form of a Canal; the Walls are twenty five Feet high, and kept in very good Order ; the Waters wherewith it abounds are very good, efpecially for Tea, to which it gives a very agreeable Flavour, not to be found elfewhere. In another City of the fame DiHritft, China Ware is made, which, according to them, adds an admirable Smell to the Water us’d for Tea ; whence it is preferr’d to the bell Porcelain of King- te-ching , and brings a confiderable Trade to the Town. 5 The Fifth City, Chin-kyang-fu. T H I S is none of the largeft Cities in the Province, for it is fcarce three Miles in Com- c/* e -w. pafs; but it is one of the moft confiderable, on account of its Situation and Trade being ft- one of the Keys of the Empire towards the Sea, and at the fame time a Place of Defence where there is a Strong Garnfon ; its Walls in feveral Places are above thirty Feet in 'height and made of Back which are at leafl four or five Inches thick ; the Streets of the City and Suburbs are paved with Marble. It Hands on the fides of the Fa-hang (w), which, in this Place, is a Mile and an halt broad, and to the Lalt of a Canal, which they have cut as far as the River Six Paces from the Bank, in the River, Hands a Hill, call’d Kin-Jhan or Golden Hill, becaufe r „,- of its agreeable Situation j on die Top of it is a Tower feveral Stories high. This Illand is atleaH five hundred Paces round, and has its Shores befet with Idol Temples, and Houfes of Bonzas Oppofite on the other fide of the River Hands <3 'go-chew-, which, tho’ it has not the Denomi¬ nation of a City, and paffes for no more than a Ma-te-w, or Place of Trade, yet it is as confider- able as the greatelt Cities. . The Suburbs of Chin-kyang are a Geometrical Mile in Length, and as populous as the City itfelf, from which they pafs to them over Stone Bridges. There is fo great a Throng of People in the Streets, and efpecially -at its Port, that one can fcarce fqueeze thro’ them. There are feme very agreeable Hills near the Town. Its Jurifdi&ion is but fraall, extending over no more'than three Cities of the third Rank. Qua-chev:, The Sixth City, . Whay-ngan-fu. T H I S City, which is fituate in a marfhy Place, and is inclofed with a triple Wall is rich W Te n ? 1 ™ r y P°P U 1°US; it is in Danger of being drown’d, by the extraordinary Increafe of/T^” water, tor the Ground it Hands on is lower than the Canal, which in feveral Places is fupported only *'it onTht £. £ SFt ° f T ‘\T thc Text ’ 'l ,here !t is PrinlcJ Ua, which according to ”7 ’ ,,, Sf bc according to both the Map and the the Emlifh Alphabet is written fi b, T e ,h ,f ‘-! n “ b f r f. , ”f« r, edp. S . (w)Or rZr/e-W, ^ (u) In the fsame of this City I follow the Map rather than 76 PROV. II. Kyang-nan. J\lo'ramtne- dar.s in China. Marble. Yang-chew- Great Trade in Salt. Ngan-king-fu. IVlny-chew- Beft Indian Ink made here. GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION only by Banks of Earth: Bat two Leagues off, it has a Borough belonging to it, named Tfng- kyang-pu, which is as it were the Port of the River Whang-ho-, it is very large, and populous, and the People commonly very bufy. There, one of the great Mandarins refides, named Tfong-ho , that is, the Surveyor General of the Rivers, or Grand Majler of the Waters. This Mandarin has a great Number of Officers under him, who have each their Divilions, and convenient Stations allotted. Beyond the Whang-ho there are certain Towns along the Canal, where the Mohammedans have unfuccefsfully endeavour’d to draw a Trade ; their Mol'ques are very high, and not built in the ChineJ'e Tafte. Notwithftanding they have been fettled there for fo many Generations, they are ftill confidered as of foreign Original, and from time to time meet with Infults. A few Years ago at Hang kew in the Province of Hu-quang, the People, provok’d by the indifcreet Beha¬ viour of fome of them, deftroy’d the Mofques which they had built there, in Spight of all the Magiftrates could do. Marble is very common in the Diftridt of this City ; the Plains produce plenty of Rice and Wheat, and are watered by Rivers and Lakes, where all forts of Fiffi are caught. It has eleven fubordinate Cities, two of the fecond, and nine of the third Rank. The Seventh City, Yang-chew fu. T H E Air of this City is mild and temperate, the Soil agreeable and fertile ; it is built on the fide of the Royal Canal, which extends from the Ta-kyang, and runs North¬ ward to the Whang-ho or Yellow River. It is a Place of great Trade, efpecially in all forts of Chinefe Manufactures. That which contributes moft to rendering it fo populous, is the Sale of Salt, which is made on the Sea Coaft in all Parts of its Diftridt and Neighbourhood ; whence it is convey’d hither by means of Canals made on Purpofe, which enter the Great Canal, whereon there is no City as far as Pe-king , comparable to it. This Salt is tranfported by a great Number of rich Dealers into the Provinces lying in the Heart of the Empire and very far from the Sea. The City is divided into feveral Parts by Canals ; the People are fo numerous, and the Canals cover’d fo thick with Barks, that there is free Paffage for nothing but abfolute Neceffaries; there is a Tartar Garrifon in the Place. Over-againft the Eaftern Part one fees a Bridge and large Suburbs ; the Croud is fo great at all times, that the Bridge is not large enough to let them pafs; this has oblig’d them to fettle a Ferry-Boat, thirty Paces farther, which fcarce fuffices to carry over the People that turn that Way, altho’ the Paffage is not above twenty Paces over. Yang-chew , is two Leagues in Circumference, and, including the Suburbs, contains 200,000 Souls. It has only fix Cities of the third Rank in itsDependance. The Inhabitants are great Lovers of Pleafure; they educate feveral young Girls, whom they teach to fing, to play on Inftruments of Muffck, to paint, and all other Accomplifhments that render the Sex agreeable; and after¬ wards fell them at a great Price to the rich Lords, who place them among their Concubines, that is, their Second-Hand Wives. The Eighth City, Ngan-king-fu, Capital of the Weflern Part [I-fi.] I T S Situation is charming j it is near the Borders of three Provinces, and tho’ it be but five Days Journey from the Capital, yet it has a particular Vice-Roy this Mandarin keeps a great Garrifon, in a Fort that commands the Lake Po-yang , at the Entrance of the Province of Kyang-fi and of the River Yang-tfe-kyang. This City is very confiderable, on account of its Riches and Trade; whatever is carry’d to Nan-king , paffes thro’ it ; there are but fix Cities of the third Rank in its Diftridt, which is a very open, agreeable and fertile Country. The Ninth City, Whey-chew-fu I S the moft Southern City in the Province, and one of the wealthieft in the Empire ; the Air is wholefome and temperate, tho’ it is encompafs’d with Mountains. It has within its Jurifdidtion no more than fix Cities of the third Order. The Inhabitants are reckon’d very expert in Trade ; there is not any City, be the Commerce ever fo fmall, without fome Dealers from Whey-cbew j nor any Bank or Change, in which there are not fome of its Inhabitants principally concern’d. The People there are thrifty and live fparingly ; but they are bold and enterprifing in Bufi- nefs. In the Mountains there are Mines of Gold, Silver, and Copper ; and they fay, it is the Country that produces the beft Tea. In this City alfo the beft Ink in China is made, wherewith the Shop-keepers of Nan-king are furnifti’d. Every body knows this Ink is not liquid like ours, but made up in little Sticks, on which the Makers cut divers Figures of Flowers, Animals, Anticks, Gfr. The of the PRO VINCE S of C HIN A 77 The Art of rnaking Ink, as well as all the other Arts which have a Relation to the Sciences, p ROV jj is honourable in China , where there is no attaining to the Dignities of the Empire, but by the Kyane-nan! Sciences. They alfo prefer all the varnifh’d Works that are made at Whey-chew , becauffi JW-/ the Varnifh is more beautiful, and they have the Art of laying it on better there than any Bdl Varn ‘H'- wbere elfe. The Earth whereof they make the China Ware, particularly at King-te-ching , and'wifot is likewife found in the Diftricft of this City, near the Borders of the Difirict of Zhau- making cti.. chew , in the Province of Kyang-fi. Ware. The Tenth City, Ning-que-fu. HIS City is fituate on a fine River, which falls into the Tang-tfe-kyang. The Ground A 'ing-que-fs. where it ftands is uneven and rugged, becaufe furrounded with Hills 3 but its Hillocks afford an agreeable Profpedt, and its Mountains, which are all cover’d with Woods, furnifh the Botanifts with excellent Medicinal Herbs. There are in this Place a great many Manufactories for Paper, which is made of a kind of Reeds. It has under its Jurifdidtion fix Cities of the third Rank. The Eleventh City, Chi-chew-fu, P RESIDES likewife over fix Hyen 3 it Hands on the Side of the Tang-tfe-kyang (r), CU-dw-V. and tho’ encompafs’d with Hills, yet its Diftridt is fruitful, and furnifhes plenty of all the Neceffaries of Life 3 in cafe it fhould want any, it may be fupply’d by the K.ya?ig t which is continually carrying on its Waters the Riches of feveral Provinces. The Twelfth City, Tay-ping-fu. B Y this City’s being fituate on the Tang-tfe-kyang , and by the Rivers wherewith its Plains Tayping-pr,. are water’d, one may readily judge how eafy it carries on Trade. It may be taken it in fome meafure for an Ifland, for it ftands inclos’d by three Branches of Rivers, which fall into the Kyang 3 its Diftridt contains only three Cities, whereof the moft confiderable for Riches is Vu-hu-hyen. The Thirteenth City, Fong-yang-fu. I T ftands on a Mountain, pretty near the Yellow River, and inclofes feveral little Hills Fon s-y an sf I2 ‘ within its Walls. Its Diftridt is very large, comprehending eighteen Cities, whereof five are of the fecond Rank, and 13 of the third 3 befides a great Number of Ma-tew , or Places of Trade, fettled on the River for the Conveniently of Merchants, and levying the Duties of the Empire. It is eighty Leagues from Eaft to Weft, and fixty from North to South 3 fo that is exceeds in Extent our greateft Provinces of Europe. As this was the Birth Place of Hong-vu , firft Emperor of the preceding Dyna/ly , he refolv’d to render it famous, by making it a (lately City, and the Capital of the Empire, which he did in 1367. Having driven the Weftern Tartars out of China, which they had been in Pofleffion of 87 Years, he fix’d his Court at this Place, and named it Fong-yang , that is, the Place of the Splendor The lmpemi of the Eagle. He defign’d to have made it the moft large and famous in the Empire 3 but the iwt Space . 1 Unevennefs of the Ground, the Want of frefh Water, and moft of all, the Neighbourhood of his Father’s Tomb, caufed him to change his Refolution 5 and by the unanimous Advice of his principal Officers he transferred his Seat to Nan-king i a more beautiful and commodious City, not above thirty two Leagues diftant. As foon as he had determin’d to quit it, a Stop was put to all the Works that were then going forward. The Imperial Palace, which was to have had a triple Inclofure 3 the Walls Magnificent that Were to have been nine Leagues in Compafs, and the Canals which were mark’d out, were of a all abandon’d. There were but three Monuments finifti’d, which are ftill remaining 3 the Grandeur and Beauty whereof demonftrate how magnificent that City would have been, had the Emperor purfu’d his firft Defign. The firft of thefe Monuments, the Tomb of the Father of Flong-T>u , is adorn’d with every thing the moft beautiful in its kind, that the Chinefe Genius, and Filial Affedtion were able to invent 3 it is call’d IVhang-lin, or the Royal Tomb. The fecond is a Tower, built in the midft of the City 3 it is the Figure of an oblong Square, a hundred Feet in Height, divided into four large Stories, railed on a maffive Pile of Brick-work, forty Foot high, a hundred long, and fixty broad 3 it is, they fay, the higheft Structure in China , and is feen at a great Diftance. The third is a fumptuous Temple, eredted to the Idol Fo 3 it was at firft a little Pagod, where Rife of Ho?ig~vu, after having loft his Parents, retired at the Age of feventeen, and ierved for fome Years as Scullion in the Kitchen ; being weary of fuch a llothful Life, he lifted himfelf a Soldier under one of the Chiefs of the Robbers, who had revolted againft the Tartars. He V 0 L - I- X foon (r) According to the Map, this City ftands a Mile, or a Mile and an half from the Kyang on the Eaft Side. 78 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION Prov. II. foon gave Proofs of his Valour, and the Chief, whofe Efteem he had gain’d, gave him his Kyang-nan. Daughter in Marriage j fhortly after he was declared his Succefl'or by the unanimous Content of the Troops. Upon this feeing himfelf at the Head of a confiderable Party, he afpired to no lefs than the Throne ; his Reputation had already brought a great Number of brave Men into his Army, at the Head of which he attack’d the Tartars brilkly, defeated them, and took Nan-king , with feveral other neighbouring Cities. He did not ftay long there, but never ceafed purfuing the Tartars till he had driven them entirely out of China. So many Battles he fought were fo many Victories, whence he got the Name qf Hong-vu , which fignifies, a Prince of Valour , that triumphs over every thing. stately As foon as he came to the Throne, more out of Acknowledgment to thofe who had Temple. entertain’d him in his Mifery, than any Truft he put in Idols, he caufed the fumptuous Temple I have been fpeaking of, to be built in Favour of the Bonzas ; it begins by a Row of five great Piles of Buildings after the Imperial Manner, flank’d with divers Halls and Lodgings for the Bonzas ; to whom he affign’d Revenues for maintaining three hundred Perfons handfomely, under a Chief of their Setft, whom he conftituted a Mandarin , to govern them independant of the Officers of the City. This Pagod was call’d Long-hing-fe, that is, The Tejnpk which the Dragon came out of be- caufe the Emperor bears a Dragon and fix Griffins for his Arms; it was kept up fo long as the laft Dynajiy continued, but afterwards, during the Civil Wars, it was almoft entirely ruin’d, and nothing remains of it now, but the five main Buildings aforefaid. The prefent Dynajiy of the Eaftern Tartars , who fucceeded, have taken no Care to repair this Temple ; fo that there is not above one in twenty of thofe Idol Priefts remaining, who befides are almoft reduced to Beggary. Except thefe three Monuments, there is fcarce any thing to be teen in Pong-yang worth Notice ; it has been fo intirely ruin’d by the Wars, that from an Imperial City it is dwindled to a large Village ; it is pretty populous, and well built towards the middle, but in all other parts of it, nothing is to be met with but low thatch’d Houfes or open Fields, where they plant Tobacco, in which the Riches, and almofi: the whole Trade of the Country confifts. In the neighbouring Mountains there is found abundance of Talc, and red Wormwood, ufed by the Phyficians. Its Plains are water’d by fine Rivers, and among others, the great Whay - ho (s), which rifes in the Mountains of the Province of Ho-nan , runs thro’ the whole Country, and after a long Courfe, paffes thro’ the Lake Hong-tje , and falls into the Whang-ho, about thirty nine Leagues from its Mouth. The Fourteenth City, Lyu-chew-fu. T H E Country, where this City ftands, is pleafant, and very fertile ; the Lake Tfau , in the midfi: of which there is an Ifland, furnifhes Fifh of all Sorts, and waters the Plains fo well, that they produce plenty of all forts of Grain and Fruit, and efpecially the beft Sort of Tea, on which account chiefly the whole Diftritt is famous. They make very good Paper here. Its Mountains, elpecially thofe which are in the Neighbourhood of Lii-kyang-hyen, are cover’d with very fine Trees ; there is a very remarkable Bridge near Lu-ngan-chew. Its Jurifdidtion is pretty large, containing eight Cities, two of the fecond Rank, and fix of the third. The Ifland of Tfong-ming. LyuchnvfZ. Famed for Tea and Paper. Ifland of Tfong-ming. How firft Peopled. T HIS Ifland, which belongs to the Province of Kyang-nan , is feparated from it on the Weft by an Arm of the Sea, that is not above five or fix Leagues over ; they pretend it has been form’d by Degrees, of the Earth, which the Tang-tfe-kyang brought along with it from the feveral Provinces that it wafhes. Wherefore, befide the Name of Tfong-ming , they commonly call it Kyang-jbe, which fignifies The Tongue of the River , either becaufe, being longer than broad, it refembles a Tongue, or that it lies diredtly at the Mouth of that great River. Anciently it was a defart fandy Country, over-run with Reeds, where the Robbers and Villains, of whom they wanted to purge the Empire, were banifh’d. The firft who were tranfported there, were under a Necelfity either of perifhing by Famine, or getting their Food by cultivating the Earth; the Defire of Living render’d them adtive and induftrious; they clear’d this unculti¬ vated Land, pluck’d up the Weeds, fow’d a few Grains they brought with them, and in a fhort time reap’d the Fruit of their Labours. Some ChineJ'e Families, who found it difficult to live on the Continent, took it in their Heads to go and fettle there, whither they went and divided the arable Ground amongft them. Thefe new Comers, not being able to improve their refpedtive Shares, invited other Families from the Continent, to whom they made over for ever part of the Lands, on condition they pay’d a yearly Rent, in the Produce of the Country. The Duty, which the firft Proprietors referv’d, is call’d flfuo-tew, and ftill fubfifts. The Ifle of Tfong-ming is about twenty Leagues long, and five or fix broad. There is only one City, on it which is of the third Rank, inclos’d with very high Walls, fupported by good Terrafles (s) In the Text it is Hai ho, inftead of Hoai ho, as it is elfewhere written, agreeable to the Map. . lllllllllljllln * mmimiiiiiiL- Himitiiiiiiinr' iirj'cjzznnn ro _v/. l C/wmAv;/.F. 7 t.s. rtt/i vi an // • A//aA Ay y *//To ■r ti//7V a- {M/MAc/Ach Me 1/ ' /■ . i . / A/ctrr/7/a. rr. tn/n v ■c/r/ct/A// Me (ia&vr FT7, a Ct/iy cf/Aefir-e r AianA Chew; It (i/y e/ : y ■?. AianA /'(. am, a t/Ay ‘/y ^AattA*-- '//Ana iA?t?f>/ej y . /erftfucAz A/.eAvmi ,//,-//A 2 Ance A-t/A y Many f / ttz/M- cf ’Me rtoertWJ iiMMMzyv/J/Mkjf&eA'rrrun/x) __ Ay A. /Zee/. U- nil,/ - /yen . //tut/ — c/i'it • - a/n-A - eAere ‘/it N" an - I'h.aiij.' - hi . _ 4 . A/ZW, yj /Jny -/yen, ^ 1 ./T-. //A/i./AitAnn-A.[ Z'n cAfit- -At’. Mi .Alt 1 , 1 / A yet, . /Cti, - /t - . Ain . * t7e - Airy - A ye it . 1 _ i/r. //Ay, . //tiny - ft -At .J" 'cA„ - cAeit ■ -/it , _ Jiyeri - eAany -/it . _ /y /’.We/. A/,in -/iny Aiyen . t/Aii-t ■ Amy - Ayer, ///Any - eAany - A yen /An ny - tuny - A yen Anny - nan - Ayen n "A_ZA-A‘e /{an ,Aet, ■ /it _ -Ay A Me/ //it,, - fu/ti/i - Aye/i /■Ct ftyme—/'',, * ZAven - cAem-At ‘Ai i, - Aytiry '/n ’ - ' -¥> ’-5+ — 00 >-+/ - '* ’-3' - f* *7-33 - 3A 2 7 _ 2 - '■/, * 5 -S* - 4 A *A-5* - 3 j 5 _ 26 - 241) / _ y/ * 7-7 - 5 +\ ' - 34 *7-5' — 3 2 * -5 *7-57 - 3 e \ ' — ' iong; 1 - p - 4 oE - 5 s - *° — 5° -V ' —47 - - >3 - * -**-/ ^ - 5 / - jo ' -5' -4°* VolXp. 79 Y UN-NAN ru Capiitul p. J 22 Tym Jfay fAeSea ofTtyen. Great JOaie Chang- TAY HYEN fmy di/rrut of&uzny-chcnrju Kyen-njng FlJ .p NAN CHANGFU tAe Gapxta/p.So _' KYA-CHEW in die diff. ^o/'j’fncf -i/anyjii p. jo ■; Trov. or Shan-S i Cities of the province of TCVano-- -ci Fn-kven . Shan-si <&'Yun-nan "V ' of the PROVINCES of CHIN A. 7 9 Terraffes, and furrounded with Ditches fall of Water ; the Champain is cut into an infinite p RQV jj N umber of Canals, edg’d with very high Caafeys, to prevent Inundations} for the Land is even, Kyang-nan. and void of Hills. The Air is wholefome and temperate, and the Country pleafant* Every now and then one meets with large Boroughs, well furnifh’d with Shops, where all things for neceffary Ufes, and even Pleafure may be had. Between the Boroughs there are as many Houfes fcatter’d up and down the Country, as there are Families employ’d in Hufbandry. It is true thefe make no extraordinary Figure, excepting thole of the richer fort, which are built with Brick, and cover’d with Tiles; the Walls of all the reft are made of Reeds platted, and the Roofs of Stubble. The Trees that are planted on both fides of the Ditches, which furround the Houfes, and are full of running Water, give them an Agreeablenefs which they want in themfelves. The great Roads are narrow, becaufe the Inhabitants are very fparing of their Land, but lin’d Roa(3s - on both fides with little Houfes of Shop-keepers, who fell Refrefhments to Travellers. One would .almoft imagine the whole Ifland, in thole Places where it is bell cultivated, to be one Village of an immenfe Extent. The Ifland affords no Game, but there is plenty of large Geefe, wild and tame Ducks, Hens, Produftions; Hogs, and Buffaloes, which they referve for the Plough. Fruit is fcarce, the Ground producing nothing but large Limons, fmall lour Oranges fit for Sauces; Apricocks, huge Peaches, the Fruit call’d Se-tfe, of which I Avail fpeach ellewhere, and large Water-Melons; with all forts of Herbs and Pulfe the whole Year round. There are three different forts of Soil in this Ifland ; the firft lies to the North, and is wholly Nature of the uncultivated, but the Reeds, which grow there naturally, yield a very confiderable Income ; as SolU there are no Trees throughout the Ifland ( t ), part of thofe Reeds is employ’d in building Houfes about the Country, the other part ferves for Fewel, and fupply’s not only the whole Ifland, but alfo part of the neighbouring Coafls on the Continent. The fecond fort of Land is that which extends, from the firff, as far as the Sea on the South-fide. It affords the Inhabitants two flarveffs every Year, one of Grain in general, which always falls in May, the other is either of Rice or Cotton ; the firff in September , the fecond foon after. Their Grain is Rice, Wheat, Barley, and a kind of bearded Corn, which, tho' refembling Rice, is yet of a quite different Nature. There is a third fort of Land, which, tho’ barren in Appearance, is yet more profitable than the other two ; it confifts of a greyifh fort of Earth, difpers’d, by Spots of the Bigneis of two Acres, over feveral parts of the Ifle on the North-ffde; it yields fo great a Quantity of Salt, that thofe of the Continent are fupply’d with it, as well as the Iflanders. It is pretty difficult to account whence it is that certain Portions of Land, fcatterd here and there over the whole Country, fhouldbe impregnated with Salt to fuch a Degree, as not to produce a Angle Blade of Grafs; while at the fame time the Lands contiguous to them are very fertile, both in Corn and Cotton. It often happens alfo that the fertile Lands, in their turn, become, full of Salt, and the Saline Lands fit for lowing. Thefe are fome of the Secrets of Nature, which the Mind of Man ftrives in vain to dive into, and ought to make him admire more and more the Grandeur and Power of the Author of Nature. T PROVINCE III. KYANG-SI. H I S Province is bounded on the North by that of Kyang-nan, on the Weft by Hu- quang , on the South by Quang-tong , and on the Eaft by thofe of Fo-kyen and Chc- kyang. The Mountains, which are in the Southern part of it, and unite with thofe of ipuang-tong and Fo-kyen, are almoft inacceffible; but having paft them, one dis¬ covers very fine Valleys and Plains exceeding well improv’d. However, it is fo populous, that notwithstanding its Fertility, it does not yield much more ] Rice, than is fufficient for the Ufe of the Inhabitants ; they alfo pafs for being great Oeconomifts, and their fordidnefs draws on them the Raillery of the neighbouring Provinces; in other refpe&s they are of an excellent Genius, and produce a great Number of able Men, who obtain the Degrees, and are advanc’d to the Magiftracy. Kyang-fi is water’d with Brooks, Lakes, and Rivers, which abound with all forts of Fifh, par- i ticularly Salmon, Trouts and Sturgeon. The Mountains, with which it is encompafs’d, are cover’d over with Woods, or famous for their Minerals, Simples, and Medicinal Herbs. This Province, befides abounding in all Neceflaries of Life, is very rich in Mines of Gold, Silver, Lead, Iron and Tin. It furnifhes very beautiful Silks, and the Rice Wine made here is reckon’d delicious by the Chinefe ; but what renders it moft famous is, that lovely China Ware made at King-te-ching , and the Rice it produces, which is much efteem’d in the Empire, and whereof many Imperial Barks are freighted. The Flower of Lyen-wha, fo much valued in China , is found almoft every where in this Pro¬ vince ; it grows principally in the Lakes, juft as the Water-Lilly in Europe fprings up in Standing Waters; but is is very different from the Water-Lilly, as well in the Root and Bloffom, as the Fruit. Nothing is more agreeable than to fee whole Lakes all cover’d with its Flowers, which arc Prov.III. Kyang-fi. The Lyatt- tutha, orWa« ter-Lilly. (t) That i6 Trees for Timber, otherwife thofe planted about the Houfes in the Coumry mult be excepted So GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION Prov.ITI. Kyang-fi. are cultivated every Year, the great Lords keep them in little Ponds, fometimes in great Vafes fill'd with Mud and Water, which ferve to adorn their Gardens or Courts. This Flower, which (hoots up above the Top of the Water, the Height of a Yard, or Yard and an half, pretty nearly refembles our Tulip; it confifts of a little Ball, fupported by a fmall Filament, much like that which is found in the Lilly ; its Colour is either Violet, or White, or partly Red and partly White; the Smell is very agreeable ; its Fruit is of the Size of a Hazel- Nut, the Kernel whereof is white and well tailed. The Phyficians prize it, being of Opinion that it nourithes and (Lengthens, for which Reafon they prelcribe it tor thole who are weak, or after a fevere Sicknefs do not eafily recover their Strength ; the Leaves are long, and float on the Water, they are fatten’d to the Root by long Strings ; the Gardeners make ufe of them to wrap their Ware in. The Root is knotty like that of Reeds ; its Pith and Subftance is very white; it is eftem'd and much uied, efpecially in Summer, becaufe it is very refreflting ; there is nothing in this Plant but what is of ule, for they even make Meal of it, which ferves for feveral Occafions. The River Kan-kyang divides this Province into two Parts, which contains thirteen Cities of the firft Rank, and feventy eight of the fecond and third Rank. The Firft City, Nan-chang-fu, the Capital. him-chang f.i. Hf I S is one of the fined: Cities that are fituate on the Banks of their charming Rivers. X It was formerly ruin’d by the ’Tartars, whofe Yoke it refufeing to fubmit to, they fet it on Fire, and nothing remain’d of it excepting the Walls ; but it has been fince re-built. The Compafs of its Walls is not great, and along the Port the River (u) is pretty deep; that which renders it a Place of fo great Trade, is the Canals and Rivers, by which it may be enter’d on every fide. It is not far off the Lake Po-yang , into which the River difeharges itfelf, after it has colleded almoft all the Waters of the Province, from the Southern End whereof it comes. China Ware. The China Ware, which is made in the Diftritt of Zhau-chew-fu , ftanding on the Eaftern fide of the fame Lake, is the Commodity wherein all its Trade confifts; and indeed it draws a^great Number of Dealers from the reft of the Provinces, for the Sort that is made at Kanton , in the Province of Fo-kyen, and fome other Places, is not fo much efteem’d in China y as Earthen Ware is in Europe ; Strangers cannot miftake it, for it is white as Snow, does not Shine, and is without any Mixture of Colours. It feems that the Water of the Place where the China is made, contributes to its Beauty and Goodnefs, for they do not make fo good elfewhere, altho’ they employ the fame Mate¬ rials ; thefe Materials are not only found on the Borders of this Province, but alfo in one Place on thofe of Kyang-nan , what this Earth is, and how it muft be order’d, will be fliown hereafter; and as one cannot from a bare Defcription form an exadt Notion of the Nature of the kinds of Stones and Earths, that are employ’d in this Manufacture, I have procur’d Samples of them from China, and put them into the Hands of Mr. de Reaumur , one of the Members of the Aca¬ demy of Sciences, who is capable of difeovering whether there are any of the fame Kind in the Provinces of France. Eight Cities depend on Nan-chang , whereof feven are of the third, and only one of the fecond Rank. Its Plains are fo well cultivated, that it is hard to find Places for Cattle to graze in ; it has always produced a great Number of Literati, and is full of Perfons of Diftindtion. The Vice-Roy keeps his Court in this City, where there are confiderable Officers and Magiftrates. Under the preceding Dynajly , feveral Families of Princes of the Imperial Houfe dwelt there, whofe Fortune was fomewhat capricious, but not inglorious. At prefent all the Princes remain at Court, and are not fuffer’d to leave it. The Second City , Zhau-chew-fu. 7 ba U -cbrw- f | * HIS City, which has within its Diftridt (even others of the third Order, has a very X beautiful and pleafant Situation, being built on the North-fide of the Lake Po-yang , and encompafs’d with Rivers that fall into the Lake. All the Country is flat, and render’d extraordinary fruitful by the Rivers that water it but Fa ITlrT k is chiefl y famous for the beautiful China Ware made at King-te-ching, which is in its Diftri’dt. china Ware. This Borough, where the true Artificers for Porcelain are to be found, is as well peopled as the greateft City in China, and wants nothing but Walls to merit the Name. Thefe Places call'd Ching, which are of great Refort and Trade, are not enclos’d. They reckon in this Borough more than a Million of Inhabitants, who confume every Day above ten thoufand Loads of Rice, and one thouland Hogs, exclufive of other Animals, whofe Flefli they eat. The Houfcs of the Merchants take up a great Deal of Room, and contain a prodigious Multitude of Workmen. Kmg-te-ching extends a League and an half along a fine River, and is not a Heap of Houfes as might be imagin’d, but the Streets are very long, and interledt each other at certain Diftances; ( u ) The Kan-yang before-raention’d. of the PROVINCES of CHINA 8 1 Diftances, without a Scrap of wafte Ground to fpare in it. The Houfes themfelves are rather too clofe, and the Streets too narrow ; in parting thro’ therp one would think himfelf in the ^ R0V ' middle of a Fair, and they ring with the Cries of Porters, who are clearing way. Kyang-tL It is confiderably dearer living here than at Zhau-chew, becaufe whatever is confirm'd muft tT^pS - ' be brought from other Places, even to the Wood for fupplying the Furnaces with Fewel which Lame and at prefent comes from near three hundred Miles Diftance ; ’but notwithftanding the Dea’rnefs of plov\l°“" Proviftons, it is the Refuge of an infinite Number of poor Families, who have no Means of fubfifting in the neighbouring Towns. They find Employment here for Youths and weakly Perfons; there are none, even to the Lame and Blind, but what get their living hers by- grinding Colours. Anciently they reckon’d no more than three hundred Porcelain Furnaces at this Place, but at prefent they amount to about five hundred. King-tt-ching Hands in a Plain, furrounded with high Mountains; that on the Eaft-fide s: mtioii of again!! which it is built, forms, without, a kind of Semicircle. The Mountains on the Sides give Partage to two Rivers, one of them is final], theother very large; which unite and make an handfome Port, within a League of the Place, in a vaft Bafin, where it loles a good Deal of its Rapidity. One fees fometimes two or three Rows of Barks, following one another the whole Length of this Space ; this is the Profpedl that prefents itfelf on entring, thro’ one of the Straights, into the Port. The Clouds of Flame and Smoke, which afeend in different Parts of it, fhew at once the Length, Breadth, and Circumference of King-te-ching ; at Night one would think he faw a great City all on Fire, or a vaft Furnace with a great many Vent-holes. Strangers are not luffer d to be at K.ing-tc-chi?ig: whoever has not Acquaintances in the Place to anfwer for his Behaviour, muft lodge at Night in his Barks. This Regulation, join'd to that which is obferv’d Day and Night in the Borough itfelf, the fame as in the Cities, keeps all in good Order; and eftablilhes perfeeft Security in a Place, whofe Riches would otherwife make it liable to the Attempts of an infinite Number of Robbers. The Third City, Quang-fm-fu. A LT HO’ this City is fituated in the midft of Mountains, which are for the moft part very high and of great Extent, it muft not be thought that the Country is lefs culti- * vated and inhabited. A great Number of thefe Hills are divided into plough’d Lands, which are no way inferior to the moft fertile Plains, and abound with Boroughs and Villages : Some of them are cover’d with great Forefts, and others produce good Cryftal. There is very good Paper made at this Place, and the beft Candles in all the Empire. This Country borders on the Provinces of Fo-kyen apd Che-kyang. The Conveniency of efcaping eafily to the Mountains, gave Robbers Opportunities formerly of doing Mifchief with Impunity, and the Emperor kept a pretty good Garrifon in the City, in order to purfue them. As the Roads, leading into the Province on this Side, are narrow, and like Straights between the Mountains, it is very eafy to defend the Partage of them, and in cafe of an Infurreftion in the neighbouring Provinces, to prevent Invalidns. The JurifdiSion of Qyatig-fm- fti extends over feven Cities of the third Rank. The Fourth City, Nan-kang-fu, H AS in its Diftrift no more than four others of the third Rank, and Hands on the fide ,, of the famous Lake Po-yang, which is about four Leagues long, and thirty broad . it ****& affords all forts of excellent Fifh, and divides this Part of the Province in two. The Plains produce plenty of Rice, Wheat, Fruits, and Pulfe ; the Mountains are partly cultivated, and partly cover’d with thick Woods, fome of which are five Leagues in Length. A kind of Hemp grows about the Town, whereof they make good Summer-Cloaths. r The Fifth City, Kyew-kyang-fu, I S a large City of .great Trade, lituate on the South-fide of the Y'ang-tfe-kyang , pretty near the Place where the Lake Po-yang communicates with that River ; thus being inviron’d with §^** 2 ' Water on the North and Eaft-fldes (x), it becomes the Rendezvous of all the Barks, that go and come from the other Cities of this Province, as well as thole of Kyang-nan and Hii-quang. Altho’ it is near a hundred Leagues from the Sea* they catch Salmon, Dolphins, and Sturgeon in the River which wadies its Walls, the Water whereof ebbs and flows at the New and Full Moon, it runs fo flowly from this City to the Sea, that its Courle is almolt imperceptible. The Sixth City, Kyen-chang-fu. T HIS City is fltuate on the Borders of the Province of Fo-kyen , in a pleafant and fruitful v-. > Country. Five Cities of the third Order depend on it; it is famous dill, but was much jH””*’* moie fo formerly. The Rice Wipe made here is pretty good, but the Rice itfelf is not; fo that ei °ns of Fortune have it brought from fome neighbouring Town. However the Land produces .sort ot red Rice that is well tailed, and very wholefome. They make a kind of Linnen here of riemp, which is efteem’d, and worn during the Summer Heats. .(*) Rather on the North and Weft Sides, which are wafli’d by Rivers, the Lake being 3 or 4 Miles from it at leaft. VOL. I. Y The Si Pr.ov.I1I. Kyang-fi. Vu-thewfufSt fu-ebewfu. Lin-kyangfu. Kt-ngar.fu. Dangerous Paflage, fee f . 83. S/^-vi-cbc'W- f*\ geographical description The Seventh City, Vu-chew-fu, or Fu-chew-fu, S TANDS on the fide of a River in a great Plain, fufficiently fertile; the Compafs of its Walls is greater than that of any City in France, , excepting Paris ; its Government may extend twenty or twenty five Leagues, and contains fix Cities of the third Rank. To judge of its ancient Beauty by what ftill remains, it muft have been one of the molt flourilhing Cities of the Empire, before the laft Wars ; but fince it was fack d by the Tartars , it is become a Heap of Ruins and Rubbilh ; in the midft whereof every now and then one fees certain Houfes, which ate repair’d, and form, as it were, Hamlets, Villages, and Boroughs in the City itfelf; excepting the Eaft-fide, which is well built, and contains almoft all the Tribunals of the Mandarins. , _ , , 10 They reckon but 40, or 50,000 Inhabitants in the City and Suburbs; the Country, to make amends is very populous and well improv’d. In feveral Places they have two Harvefts of Rice every Year; and it is out of the Diftri^x{y i. k V ?/.v^ J’ - K 5 x-, ‘ .vnw? , M.i>- V \v ... fix. Sommon c 0 r\enoA ,yt’ot.gt/i\s 5 J 5 zto 4,$ I (j>/ryAyS% 'Stfi/oy __ 3 ,^,/A^ano unz/&nZYo\ namo of a w 6 aoo aAeour&J Mx -ftzA. ^ o/eJer- nun’c/, iZfic/ 2 YcYtea Ao/Ay^Ya SzAzz/o anoA—Yony i Szu/o . , x> > \ j, V>n : >• 7 Vr Zong-jvi.m j Tong oyang'-.m Q / '/i. 7 ,t,/ - &’,V„.,„je-ru ■longjAPY Nk " 4 X X A^%>\ '>V .-V'.: - ; •>' ; -: \ ^-6}ifST-6try -Cto'/Uf rs< 0 = £L-fa :i * a L , jv aw* /'/•"; Iflandso/pT 1 ^*^ poncrli Ten'Junq . ^ TSTongttsn • / ZAYrY/o cydAe^pzAiti/doj f cdfcnrt Aj r.~~i Lot- Puchewfu .4 iA.2,.24 cYany-Anyo '25 >4 -2j Jnresi -oAozo/u 24.36.12 'ZZAnp-ya'/iAycn 24.44.34'. jc fo *40 3 i O/ttrty/ysn. 25-4.48 o.to : y>"/ 4 'iy 5 y^r 24.44.54 o 24 t tOu^A/i' 2 ?. 2 ,t .36 t.8.0 Xr~,4uyjV. 2/ 3 Jff ' 5S -i At/ttn rung Aywi. - 45 . 48 . Jo o.3o-4 ymgtmfrgi'. 25-38.24 i 40 u Yflt e>i//^r Aiyon . S}8 ■ o ■ Ji Ayo/iy x A/criy frYsiy -fiy&n 26.13. m Areny /iyort 2,3.40 , 6 yon cAtny Ayon 253J- t% C?Azzu-siyzzn -Ai/est <23.43 6 e > / ~ /n jy l J/Yeo/Cporw-Zui <23.34.48 Tajr-wan-fu.... 23. 0 . na >h ed Tay-wan-fl, is very populous, much frequented, and of great Trade being equal to mod Cities of China, for Goodnefs, and the Number of Inhabitants There one finds every thing that either the Ifland produces, or is brought from other Count.ies, as Rice n^ a - r ’j SU r a t t ' a,nd ^’- r ° bacc °> Salt > cur d Vemlon . which is much efteemed by the Chinefe all kinds of bruit Lumen of divers Sorts, Wool, Cotton, Hemp, the Bark of certain Trees and Plants refembling Nettles, abundance of Medicinal Herbs, for the moll Part unknown in Europe ; thefe are the native Commodities, the foreign are Chini/e , and Indian Callicoes, Silk* } armffi China Ware, feveral things made in Europe , &c. there are very few Mulberry-Trees in the Ifland, and contequently few Silks of the Country, or Manufhaories If the Chinefe had Liberty to fettle in Formofa , feveral Families would gladlv tranfplant themfelves thither ; but in order thereto they mull obtain Pafsports from the Mandarins of China, w no grant them with Difficulty, and not without taking Security. The Mandarins are very careful to examine all that pafs into or out of the Ifland, and fome of t.icm extort Money under-hand. Tins extraordinary Precaution is the Effeft of good Policy eipecialiy as the Tartars are Matters of China ; for Formofa is a Place' of great Importance, and it a Chinef mould feize it, he might raife great Troubles hi the Empire : fo that the Emperor keeps a Garnfon there often thoufand Men, commanded by a Tfong-ping, or Lieutenant-General two lu-Jyang, or Major-General, and feveral inferior Officers; who are chang’d duely every three i ears, or oftner, if there be Occafion. ] ■ The Streets of Tay-wan-fu are all ftrait as a Line, and cover’d during feven or eight Months m the i ear to keep off the Heat of the Sun. They are not above thirty or forty Feet broad but fome of them are near a League in Length; all the Houfes on each fide belong to Dealers’ whole Shops are adorn'd with Silks, China Ware, Varnilh, and other Goods, rang’d to admirable Advantage, in which Art the Chineje excel. Thefe Streets look like charming Galleries, and it would be a Pleafure to walk in them if they were lefs crouded with People, and better pav'd; the Houfes are cover'd with Straw and bu.lt for the mod Part only of Clay and Bambu ; the Tents wherewith the Streets are cover d, hide all that is difagreeable, letting nothing be feen but the Shops Tay-wan-fu has neither Fortifications nor Walls; the Tartars don’t care to confine either their voices or Courage within Ramparts; they love to fcour the Country on Horfeback. The Port >s pretty good, and flicker'd from all Winds, but the Entrance becomes more difficult every Day. Heretofore it had two Entrances, the one call'd Ta-kyang, where the greateft Ships ride with Safe; and the other Lo-u/h-men, where the Bottom is Rock, and there is not above nine or ten Feet Water at the higheft Tides. The firft Paffage is imprafticable at prefent, for in fome Places they find but five Feet Water, and the moft it rifes to is feven or eight; befides it is every Day choak’d up more and more by the Sea rolling in the Sands The Dutch formerly enter’d the Port by this Ta-kyang, and to keep foreign Ships out, at the Point of the lfle, to the South of the Ta-kyang , they built a Citadel, which would be an ex¬ cellent one, was it not founded on the Sand; however, it is very fit to defend them from the Enemies they had moft to fear, that is, the Chinefe and Japonnefe. The Part of Formofa which is fubjeft to the Chinefe , is inhabited by two different Nations the Natives, and Chinefe, who, drawn by Gain, flock from feveral Provinces of China. Tay- wan-fn, Fong-fhan-hyen, and Chu-lo-hyen , are inhabited only by Chinefe, for the third Hyen of the three abovementioned, is included in the Capital. As to the Natives, there are none but what are the Servants, or rather the Slaves of the Chinefe. Bslides thefe three Cities the Chinefe have feveral Villages, but they have no confiderable Fort excepting Ngan-p,ng-chmg; it is at the Foot of the Caftle of Zeland, which is the Name given by tie Dutch to the Citadel fpoken of before. There may be four or five hundred Families at Ngan-ping-chmg , with a Garrifon of two thoufand Men, commanded by a FiUfyam, or Major-General. 1 6 ‘ The Chinefe in Formofa ere the fame as to Government and Manners as in China ; fo that la on y ere give an Account of the Genius and form of Government among the Natives. I he People of Formofa, who are fubjefl to the Chinefe , are divided into forty five Boroughs or Habitations, call'd She, thirty fix in the Northern, and nine in the Southern Part; the Northern Boroughs are populous enough, and the Houfes very like thofe of the Chinefe : but thofe of the South are no more than a Parcel of Cottages made of Earth and BarnbH, cover'd with Straw, railed on a kind of Terrafs, three or four Foot high, built in form of a Tunnel inverted, and fifteen, twenty, thirty, or forty Feet in Diameter; fome of them are divided by Partition-Walls. 1 here a re ln thefe Huts neither Chairs, Benches, Tables, Beds, nor any Moveable. In the middle is a kind of Chimney or Stove, rais'd above two Feet from the Ground, where they drels their Viftuals ; their ordinary Diet is Rice, fmall Grain, and Game, which they take either by running or with Arms; their Swiftnefs is furprifing, and they have been feen to out-run Horfes in their full Speed. The Port. Inhabitants of Chinefe For mo/a. Fort Nga. P -.-‘C'-g Cuilom? of die Natives The Ornaments; of the PRO VINCES of CHINA The Chinefe alledge as the Caufe of their Swiftnefs, that till the Age of fourteen or fifteen their Knees and Loins are bound exceeding tight. Their Arms are a fort of Dart, which they throw the Space of feventy or eighty Paces with the greateft Dexterity; and tho’’ nothing is more fimple than their Bows and Arrows, yet they kill Pheufants flying with as much cer- ' tainty, as do Europeans with a Gun. They are very ilovenly in their Diet, having neither Difiies, ] Plates, Spoons, nor Chop-dicks; whatever they have drefs'd, is put on a piece of Wood or Mat, and they feed themfelves with their Fingers like Apes ; they eat their Flefh half raw, and think it exceeding delicious if it be but fhewn to the Fire. For a Bed they are content with the Leaves of a certain Tree, very common in the Country, which they fpread on the Earth or Floor of their Cottages, and fo lay themfelves down to fieep. Their whole Apparel is a Angle Cloth, wherewith they are cover’d from the Waift down to the Knees. Pride, which is rooted in the Heart of Man, finds means to fubftft amidft fo much Poverty; 1 they even pay dearer for it than the moft polite People, who pique themfelves more on Luxury and Magnificence. Thefe latter borrow Flair from Animals, and Silk from Worms, which they embroider with Gold and Silver ; but our Iflanders make ufe of their own Skin, whereon they imprint feveral grotefque Figures of Trees, Animals, Flowers, (Sc. which puts them to fucli violent Pain, that the Operation would kill them, was the whole to be perform’d at once. They therefore employ leveral Months about it, and fometimes a whole Year, during which time, they muft put themfelves every Day to a fort of Torture, and all to gratify the Am¬ bition they have to diftinguifh themfelves from the Croud ; for it is not every one that is allow'd to bear thofe Marks of Magnificence, the Privilege being granted only to fuch, as in the Judgment of the molt confiderahle Men of the Borough, have exceil'd the rell in running or hunting. Neverthelefs, all Perfons are at Liberty to blacken their Teeth, vyear Bobs in their Ears, and Drdil Bracelets above their Elbows and Wrifts, Necklaces and Coronets, confuting of feveral Rows of fmall Grains of different Colours; thel'e Coronets end with a kind of Plume made of Fea¬ thers of Cocks or Pheafants, which they pick up with a great deal of Care. Whoever reprefents to his Imagination thefe fentaftical Ornaments on the Body of a Man of an eafy and (lender Shape, olive Complexion, with fleek Hair hanging negligently over his Shoulders, arm’d with a Bow and Dart, all his Clcaths a piece of Linnen two or three Feet long, which goes round him from the Wailt to the Knees, will have the true Pidture of a Native of the" Southern Part of FormoJ'a. In the North Part of the Hand, as the Climate is fomewhat colder, they cover themfelves with the Skins of Stags, kill’d in hunting, whereof they make a fort of Coat, without Sleeves, fhap'd much like a Dalmatic (d). They wear a Bonnet in form of a Cylinder, made of the Leaves of Bananas, which they adorn with feveral Coronets, plac’d one over another, and faften’d with very narrow Bands, or little Locks of Hair, of different Colours ; on the Top of the Bonnet they place a Tuft or Plume of Cocks or Pheafants Feathers, like thofe in the South. Their Marriages have nothing barbarous in them, they do not buy their Wives, as they Marriage^ do in China ; neither have they any Regard to the Fortune of one or the other Party, as is pratSifed in Europe, the Fathers and Mathers having l’carce any Hand in them at all. When a young Man has a Mind to marry, and meets with a Lafs to his liking, he goes feveral Days together with Mufrck to her Door; if the young Woman is fatisfy’d with her Spark, (he goes out to him, where they fettle Terms between themfelves, after which they acquaint their Parents with the Matter, who prepare the Marriage Feaft. This is made at the^Houfe of the Bride’s Father, where the Bridegroom continues, looking on it as his own, and himfelf as the Support of it, without ever returning to flay at his Father’s Houfe ; which thence¬ forth he has no more Regard to, than the Brides in Europe have for the Houfes of their Parents, when they quit them to live with their Spoufes ; hence they place their good Fortune not in having Boys but Girls, who procure them Sons-in-Law, that are the Props of their old Age. Altho the Handers in this Divifion are intirely fubjedt to the Chinefe , yet they A ill prelerve Government Ibme Remains of their ancient Government; each Borough choofes three or four of the molt an¬ cient, who are in greateft Repute for Integrity, to be the chief Judges over them ; thefe deter¬ mine all Differences abfolutely, and if any one refutes to fubmit to their Decifion, he is driven that Inftant out of the Borough, without flopes of ever being admitted there again, nor dares any other receive him. They pay their Tribute to the Chinefe in Grain, the Tails or Skins of Stags, or in other Things of that Nature, which are eafily procur’d in the Hand. T o regulate what concerns this Tribute, there is in every Borough a Chinefe y who learns the Language, to ferve as an Interpreter to the Mandarins. Thefe Interpreters, inftead of procuring Eafe to thefe poor People, and preventing their being over burthen’d, are fo many petty Tyrants, who tire out the Patience not only of them, but the Mandarins themfelves, who are forc’d to let them continue in their Em¬ ployments, to avoid greater Inconveniencies. However, of the twelve Boroughs that were fubjedt to the Chitiefe in the South, there remain but nine. Three of them having revolted, they drove out their Interpreters, and united them- (D) Dalmatic is a kind of Cope or Veltment which Deacons, Subdeacons, and even Biihops put on, when they officiate. Von. I. A a felves 2 ° Prov. IV Fo-kycn. Religion. Hiflory of Eay wait, Jfipanefe leize Formofa Dutch arrive there. GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION felves with thofe of the Eaftern Part of the Ifland, paying no longer Tribute to China ; under the prefent Emperor a great Number of Boroughs have fubmitted, and they hope, by little and little, that the reft will follow their Example. Tho’ thele People are reckon’d Barbarians by the Cbincfe , yet they feem to have truer Notions of Wifdom, than many of the Philofo- phers of China. One finds among them, by the Confeffion of the Chinefe themfelves, no cheating, thieving, quarrelling, nor any Law-Suits, except againft their Interpreters, and they praftife all the Duties of Equity and mutual Benevolence ; whatever is given to any of them mull not be touch’d by him, till thofe who fhar’d the Labour partake of the Wages. There appear to have been Chriftians among thefe Illanders, when the Hollanders were Mafters ol the Port; we found feveral of them who underftood Dutch, read their Books, and made life of their Charadters in writing; we alio faw in their Hands fome Fragments of Scripture in the fame Tongue. Thefe People adore no Images (e), and even abhor whatever tends that Way; they per¬ form no religious Worfhip, nor fay any Prayers, yet we have feen fome who had Know¬ ledge of one God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, in three Perfons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft ; that the firft Man was call’d Adam, and the firft Woman Eve, and that they had by their Difobedience brought down the Anger of God on themfelves and their Pofterity ; and that it is neceflary to have recourfe to Baptifm, to walh out that Stain. They are acquainted alfo with the Form of Baptifm, neverthelefs we could not tell certainly whether they were baptized or not. Altho’ Formofa is not far from China, yet the Chinefe, according to their Hiftory, had no Knowledge of it, before the Reign of the Emperor Swen-ti of the Dynafly of the Ming , about the Year 1430, when the Eunuch Wan-fan-pau, returning from the Weft, was driven thither by a Tempeft. This Eunuch finding himfelf in a ftrange Land, whofe Inhabitants appear’d to him as bar¬ barous as their Country was beautiful, made fome Stay there, in order to get the beft Intel¬ ligence he could of it, to carry to his Mafter; but the greateft Advantage he reap’d by his Enquiries, were a few Plants and Medicinal Herbs, which are to this Day employ’d in China with good Succefs. In the forty fecond Year of the Emperor Kya-tfing, and of Chrift 1564, Tu-ta-yew, Chief of a Squadron, cruiling in the Eaftern Sea 0 1 China, met a Corlair, named Lin-tau-kyen , who had feiz’d the Ides of Pong-hu, where he had left Part of his Men. He was a proud Man, and ambitious of every Occafion to diftinguifh himfelf; as foon as he faw Tu-ta-yew, he fail’d up to him, attack’d him brifkly, and had infallibly defeated the Chi?iefe Squadron, if he who commanded it had not had an equal Share both of Courage and Condudt. Tu-ta-yew receiv’d the firft Fire with unconcern, after which he attack’d his Enemy in his Turn ; the Fight lafted more than five Hours, when Night coming on, Lin-ta-kyen fied towards the Iftes of Pong-hu, with an Intention, after he had refrefh’d his Troops, and taken all the reft of his Soldiers on Board, to return and face the Enemy; But Tu-ta-yew, like an experienced Captain, purfued him fo clofely, that at break of Day Lin-tau-kyen found the Entrance of the Port block’d up by Part of the Enemy’s Squadron. His Troops being much diminilh’d in the Fight, and intimidated by their Lofles, judg’d it dangerous to attempt enter¬ ing the Port, wherefore he refolv’d to continue his Courfe, and put into Formofa. Tu-ta-yew purfu’d him thither, but as he found the Sea fhallow, and befides had no Know¬ ledge of the Entrance of the Port, he was unwilling to expofe his Ships, and return’d to the Iftes of Pong-hu, whereof he made himfelf Mafter. He made the Soldiers he found there Prifoners, and after he had left a good Garrifon in the Place return’d victorious to China, where he gave an Account of his Difcoveries and Expedition. The Court receiv’d the News with Joy, and lent a Literary Mandarin to govern thofe Iftes. Formofa, fays the Chinefe Hiftorian, was then an uncultivated Country, inhabited only by Barbarians. Lin-tau-kyen, who had great things in View, not thinking this Ifland fit for his Purpofe in his prefent Circumftances, cut the Throats of all the Inhabitants that fell into his Hands, and by an unparallel’d Piece of Inhumanity making ufe of the Blood of thofe unhappy Mortals to caulk his Ships, put to Sea as foon as he could for the Province of ^uang-tong, where he dy’d miferably. Towards the End of the Year 1620, which was the firft of the Emperor Fyen-ki, a fa - panfe Squadron landed on Formofa ; the Officer who commanded it, finding the Country, wild as it was, fit for receiving a Colony, refolv’d to fubdue it; for which End he left part of his People there, with Orders to get fuch Information concerning it, as was neceflary for the Exe¬ cution of his Defign. About the fame time a Dutch Ship, in its Courfe to or from yfapan, was driven by Storm on the Ifle, where they found the fapanefe in no Condition to oppofe them. The Country, accord¬ ing to the Chinefe Hiftorian, appear’d charming to the Dutch, and commodious for their Trade; wherefore under Pretence of ftaying for Provifions and other Neceflaries, fome of them took the Opportunity to examine the Ifland. On their Return on board, they refitted their Ship, after which they intreated the fapa- well known to every body, yet Proteftastt make no Difference. nefe (e) Tt is Idols, in the Original; but tho’ P. du Halde makes a Diflinftion between the Worihip of Idols and Images, for Reafons of the PROVINCES of CHINA. 91 1 'nefe, with whom they were unwilling to embroil themfelves, for Fear of hurting their Trade, to p R0V jy let them build a Houfe on the Shore, at one of the Entrances of the Port, which might be Fo-kyen/ of fome B:nefit to them in trading with 'Japan. The Japanefe at firft rejected their Propofol, but the Dutch prefling their Inftances, and alluring them that they would take no more Ground than what an Ox-Hide would inclofe, they at laft confented. (f) For mo/a. The Dutch immediately went to work, and cutting the Hide into very narrow Thongs, The Dutch join’d the Ends together, and therewith meafur’d out their Ground. The Japanefe were at hr ft and a little angry at this piece of Fraud ; but on farther Reflections pleas’d with the Stratagem, they bui:t Fort were pacify’d, and allow’d the Dutch to make ufe of the Land; accordingly they in that ^ clancla - Place built the Fort I have already fpoken of, on the Gate whereof are ftill to be leen thefe Words: Castel Zelanda, 1634. The Building this Fort render’d the Dutch Mafters of the Port, and the only Paflage by which large Ships could enter; perhaps the Japanefe faw the Importance of it too late. How¬ ever that be, whether they took Umbrage at the new Fort, or did not find their Account in the Ifland, which continued ftill unimprov’d, they foon after abandon’d it, and return’d home. The Dutch feeing themfelves now foie Mafters of FormoJ'a, for the Iflanders were in no Con¬ dition to oppofe them, the better to fecure the Port, built on the other Side of it, oppofite to Fort Zeland , a Houfe fortify’d with four Semi-Baftions, whereof I have alio fpoken before. At this time China was all in a Combuftion, partly by the Civil War, which laid wafte fo many fine Province^, and partly by the War with the Tartars, who at length lubdued it, and founded the prefent Dynajly. One of thofe who moft ftrenuoufly oppos’d the latter, was a Perfon of Condition in the Province of Fo-kyen , call’d Ching-chi-long (c), who from an ordinary Trader was become one of the greateft Merchants in China ; This Perfon fitted out a Fleet at his own Expence, againft the Tartars , and was foon follow’d by an innumerable multitude of Chinefe Veffels, whereby he became Head of one of the moft formidable Fleets that ever appear’d in thole Seas ; the Tartar offer’d him the Dignity of King, provided he would acknowledge his Sovereignty, which Offer he refufed, but did not long enjoy his good Fortune. Happy had his Zeal for Religion (for he was a Chrijiian) equall’d his Fidelity to his Prince and Country, now ready to fall under a foreign Power. His Son Ching-ching-kong (h), who fucceeded him in the Command of this numerous Ar ■-Ciing-cting: mada, more zealous ftill for his Country than his Father, undertook divers Exploits; he be- lieged feveral confiderable Cities, as Hay-chi ng in the Province of Fo-kyen , which he took after For mo/a. 1 cutting in Pieces the Tartar Army fent to relieve it ; alfo Wen-chew in Che-kyang , Nan-king in Kyang-nan , &c. But his Succefs did not continue long, for he was at length vanquifh’d by the Tartars , and driven quite out of China ; he then directed his Views towards FormoJ'a, refolving to expel the Dutch, and eftablifh a new Kingdom there. In the Year 1661, and the feventeenth of the Reign of Shurt-fji, Father of the Emperor Kang- hi, Ching-ching-kong left China , and in his Way to FormoJ'a took the Ifles of Fong-hu. The Dutch, who without doubt thought themfelves fecure on the Side of China , which was ftill in Trouble, had taken no Care to furnifh Fong-hu and Tay-wan with Forces; fo that Ching- ching-kong no looner appear’d, but they fell into his Hands; he left there an hundred of his Ships to guard them, and continued his Courfe to Formofa. In the Garrifon left to defend the Fort and Port of Formofa , there were but eleven Dutch¬ men, the reft confifted of Indian Blacks and Iflanders; notwithftanding which Inequality the Floilanders refolv’d to defend themfelves bravely, which they did. Ching-ching-kong enter’d die Port with his Fleet, confifting of nine hundred Sail, by the Paffage of Lo-ul-men, a great League beyond the Fort of Zeland, and landed Part of his Men, in order to attack the fame, both by Sea and Land , the Siege lafted four Months, during which time the Dutch defended themfelves by their Cannon, with an unexpected Succefs. Ching-ching- kong was in Defpair to meet with fuch a Refiftance and Courage in a Handful of Europeans, againft an Army fo numerous as his own. As the Chinefe wanted Guns, they had no Hopes of reducing the Dutch otherwife than by Famine, which Method as it required much Time, would give them an Opportunity of procuring Aftiftance from their Ships at Batavia, or thofe that trade to Japon. Ching-ching-kong was fully appriz’d of the Difficulty of his Enterprize; but feeing no Hopes of ever returning to China, while the Tartars govern’d, on whom he had made War, and that if he was fhut out of Formofa, he knew not where to retire to, he refolv’d to make a laft Effort againft the Dutch ; thefe had four Ships in the Port, on board each of which they had put one of their Men with Indians to guard them, the other feven Dutchmen were block’d up in the Citadel or Fort of Zeland. (f) It is remarkable that the fame Stratagem, related here of the Dutch, was ufed by the Pbenicians in Building Byrfa , afterwards Carthage, and there is a Refemblance in the Cha¬ racters as well as Adventures of the two People. (c) He is named Chin chi lung in the Dutch Embaflies, where it is obferved, that he was .called by Foreigners Iquon, or Ikoan aRd Equan ; there alfo we are told, that he alpired to the Empire was made General of the Chineje Forces*, betray’d the Emperor to the Tartars, and was after all call in Prifon by them, at Pe¬ king, where he dy’d. (h) This mull be the famous Coxinga in the Dutch Embaflies, for it is there laid, that his Son Coxinga and Brothers being (about 1657) informed of his Father’s Imprifonment, betook themfelvfes again to the Fleet, and kept the Tartars on the Coall in continual Alarm, till being at length driven out of the Ifland* Jy, £>ue-mqy, C5V. by the Tartars, afliited by the Dutch ; he in Revenge, in 1660, failed with all his Forces to Taj-wan and Formofa, both which 1 (lands, with Caftle Zeland, he took in * See Ogilb. March 1661, after a Siege of 10 Months, treating the Dutch China, Vol. with great Rigour, contrary to Agreement.! z. p. 49. Theft + ‘ b - s °- P2. Prov. VI. Fo-kyen. Hiftcry of ‘Tay-aum or Formala. The Dutch driven out. CbtHg-king ■ CUnt-h-fan. Submits to the Emperor of China. GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION Thefe Ships the Chinefe Captain purpofed to burn, to this end putting a Quantity of Fire¬ works on Board fome of his own Vefi'els, and being favour’d by a North-Eaft Wind, he fent them driving againft thofe of the Hollanders , whereof he burnt three; on this unexpected Suc- cefs he immediately fummon’d the Dutch , who were inclofed in the Port, to furrender, declaring he would fuffer them to retire with all their Effedts, but if they perfifted to hold out, he would give them no Quarter. The Dutch , who had only one Ship left, readily accepted of the Offer, and having put their Goods on Board their VelTel, deliver’d up the Place into the Hands of the Chinefe , and fail’d away. Ching-ching-kong having no body now to oppofe his Defigns, diftributed part of his Troops in that Part of Formofa , which is at prefcnt poffefs’d by the Chinefe. He plac’d a Garrifou at Ki-long-chay , an abandon’d Fortrefs formerly built by the Spatiiards , and built one himfelf at Tan-jhwi-ching , at the Mouth of the River Tan-fnvi, where the Chinefe Veifels might lie at Anchor. He "pitch’d on the Ground where Cbu-lo-yen and Fong-fan-byen ftand at prefent, and founded two Cities thereon, to which he gave the Names of Tyen-hing-hyen and Wan- nyen-byen. Fie eredted the Capital of his new Dominions in the Place where Tay-wanfu now is, and gave it the Name of Sbing-tyen-fu ; he eftablifh’d his Palace and Court at Fort Zeland , giving it the Name of Ngan-ping-fu , which it (fill retains. It was then Formofa began to take a new Form, where he eftabliffi’d the fame Laws, Cu- floms, and Government as"in China ; but he did not long enjoy his new Conqueft, dying within a Year and fome Months, after he had taken Pofleffion of the Ifland. He was fucceeded by his Son Ching-king-may , who having been bred up to Study, took little or no Care to cultivate the Lands his" Father had acquired with fo much Pains and Fatigue, which much diminifh’d the Courage of his Troops, and their Zeal for his Service. In the Year 1673, and the twelfth of the Reign of Kang-hi, the Kings of §luang-tong and Fo-kyen revolting, Ching-king-may , being willing to revive the Martial Spirit of his Troops, refofv’d to join the latter againft the Tartar ; accordingly he fitted out his Ships, and fail’d to the Coafts of that Province, but as he would be treated on the Foot of a fovereign Prince, and the King of Fo-kyen pretended to have the Precedency of him, he was fo highly incenfed thereat, that he forthwith declar’d War againft him. They fought on both Sides with much Refolution and Courage, but as the Troops of Ching-king-may confifted of Veterans, the Vi&ory always fell to him ; fo that the King of Fo- kyen was at length oblig’d to caufe himfelf to be fhav’d a fecond time, and lie at the Mercy of the Tartars. Ching-king-may return’d to Formofa , where he dy’d foon after, leaving for Suc- ceftor his Son Ching-ke-fan , who was very young, under the Condudt of Lyew-que-kan and Fong- fi-fan , two Officers firmly attach’d to his Intercft. The Rebellion of Fo-kyen being intirely fupprefs’d by the Tartars , they abolifh’d the Title of King; and in the Year 1682, which was the twenty firft of the Reign of Kang-hi , they eftablifh’d a Tfong-tu to govern both this Province and that of Che-kyang, which is a Dignity fuperior to that of Vice-Roy. The firft of their Appointment was Tfong-tuyau, who was dexterous, polite, and of an en¬ gaging Behaviour ; no fooner was he in the Poft, than he publifh’d a general Amnefty, which extended to Formofa , for all who fubmitted themfelves to the Dominion of the Tartars ; with Promife to procure them the fame Employments, Honours, and Privileges, which they poflefs’d under their refpedlive Chiefs. This Declaration had the defired Effect ; for moft of thofe who, having follow’d Ching-ching-kong , had abandon’d their Country, Wives, and Children, feeing themfelves in a foreign, uncultivated, and almoft uninhabited Land, without Hopes of drawing any confiderable Advantage from it, were rejoic’d to find fo good an Opportunity of returning home. Some therefore without any farther Delay left Ching-ke-fan to go into Fo- kyen , where the Tfong-tu yau receiv’d them with fo much Curtefy, and fo well provided for them, that they were quickly follow’d by a great many more. The Tfotig-tu yau thought this a proper time to fubdue Formoja , and accordingly fent out of hand a formidable Fleet under the Command of a Ti-tu , or Lieutenant General, to feize on the Ifles of Pong-hii. The Ti-tu found more Refiftance there than he expe&ed, the Soldiers defending themfelves vigoroufly with the Affiftance of the Dutch Cannon ; but at length they were oblig’d to fubmit to Number and Force. The Ifie of Pong-hu being taken, the young Prince’s Council judg’d it would be difficult, confidering the Temper the Troops were then in, to preferve Formofa ; and without waiting for the Ti-tu to come and attack them in form, they difpatch’d a Ship to carry a Petition to the Emperor, in the Name of the young Prince, by which he fubmitted himfelf to his Majefty. This Petition, faithfuly tranflated from the Chinefe , is as follows: The King of Yen-ping, General of the Army , Ching-ke- fan, prefents this Petition to the Emperor. “ \XT HEN humbling myfelf at the Feet of your Majefty, I confider the Grandeur of cc y y China , which from time immemorial has always fupported itfelf with fo much tc Glory, and where an infinite Number of Kings have fucceeded each other; I cannot help “ confeffing ( An/u/ - j/u/n -Ayon . A -j/uin - A yon - sn v ■/! A non J'/uut - /ufU 7 S 7 uut'nyogf-Aygti !//!//- ’ll/O/U/i ■ton - s/rnn A,77/rtl/i/t- {O ./< 5 /£/l <7 Ayj:A W'"'AZ^' pi' - /-.' - tan. - Kft ^S,no -/bn t/ - jA< 7V,r / //ic ysiz/'/jjjj. n/i/'tn >emen& / r y • ',■///m/ r > '/iin< £/tt///. 2 - ' rrcm Paris. JJJ SJ& J2.0\ mi/nu/ Crtxyno/s 'uii//?/) /i/ii'/HiVi M/.17/liy? t.i if/rru/uu’i/^, . * . -/a/- Aim: Hang-chew Fu. 30. to. to. 3. 33. /■ . - Ay /’//A// 30.14.34 ■ {it# f Au-ytAy-Ayon 30. 4- 37. 3. 27. 7 I //a ■ a//ftt- Ay on 30.14. ■ 27. 2 • 34- 27 ' 7 /yA-Aitti/-y/i 30.3t.4S. 4. 4. Ji />S 3 - of the P R Q PIN CPS of CHINA. confeffinv that it is the Effefl of a particular Providence of Tyen (m), who has chofen your p HOV Iy _ illuftrious Houfe to govern the nine Earths (*). 7 "yen has not made this Change but in order Fo-kyen. to render the five Virtues perfedt (f), as appears evidently from the good Order and Succefs i of all your Majefty’s Undertakings. Hiilory of « When I think with Humility of my Anceftors, I perceive they were firmly attach d to the T , or “ Intereft of their Sovereigns, whereby they endeavour’d to make an Acknowledgment for the ■ C< Favour they receiv'd from the preceding Dynajly, at a time when my Family had received none “ from your illuftrious Houfe. ’ It was this Principal of Loyalty to his Prince, which oblig'd “ my Grandfather Ching-ching-kong to leave China, and go to grub up the uncultivated Lands “ of the Eaft. My Father Ching-ching-may was a ftudious Man, who durft not venture him- ■ < felf on the Side of a Precipice ; like the" Kings of Ye-lang, he was wholly employ’d _ in “ governing and inftrudting his People, confining himfelf to this Corner ot the Earth, lying “ Ft the midft of the Sea, without having other Views. “ Hitherto I have enjoy’d Benefits derived from my Anceftors ; I their Grandlon, never cea'fe « to teftify my Acknowledgments, by continually calling to mind the Favours they have receiv'd •a f rom Heaven, without aiming to aggrandize myielf .on Earth. But now that I lee your Ma¬ li jetty, like the Heavens (n), which by their Height and Extenfion cover all Things, and the “ Earth, which by its SoliJity fuppofts them, always inclin’d to do good, and allay |he Effefls <; of your Juftice ; the Foundation whereon your Majefty governs China: Now that 1 fee your “ Majefty, like the rifing Sun, whofe Light fpreads itfelf in an inftant over the whole Earth, “ as foon’asit appears on the Horizon, and difpels in a Moment the {lender Mifts, which it meets with, on the Surface of the Earth ; how dare I think of any thing eUs but applying “ my ielf to my PerfeAion ? which I, a Foreigner, deem the only Means ot acquiring Con- “ Should I think of fending my Ships to crofs over to the Wift( o), I confefs I lhould com- “ mit a Fault : But alas! What remains of that Race which came into the Eajl ? Is it “ not like a feeble Dew, that falls in the Morning, and ditfipates when the Sun appears ? « How durft I then undertake any thing againft your Majefty ? My Heart is iritiiely devoted to “ .you; This Petition difclofes its lincere Sentiments to your Majefty, who will fee the EffeAs j know at prefent that I am not in the right Way, and for the future, I (hall be ambi- « tious to-walk in the Garden of Charity, and in the Retinue of Ki-ling. I ardently wifh to it f ee Heaven and Earth united in one ; the poor People of this Ifland do not want to in¬ ti toxicate themfelves with Liquor, or to forfeit themlelves with ViSuals ; if they are treated ■ i w ; t h Mildnefs, they will be more inclin’d to Submiflion. It is the Nature of Fifli to retire it w here the Water is : deepeft, they have never too much of it, and can live a long time tc eniidft the Waves of the Sea.- To confirm with an Oath all that I lay before your Majefty in tt this Petition, may I never fee the Light of the Sun, if thefe are not the Sentiments of “ my Heart.” The Emperor’s Anl'wer to this Petition was, that Chi ng-ke-fast fhould leave hot tnoja, and come to Pe-king. But Ching-ke-Jan fearing to go to Peeking, by a fecond Petition, (wherewith he fent his Seals, and thofe of the Principal Officers) reprefented to the Emperor, that having been born in the Southern Parts, and being likewife very unhealthy, he dreaded the Cold ot the North; wherefore hS'intreated his Majefty to permit him to retire into the Province of Fo- kyen , from whence his Anceftors came. . This laft Petition was of no Effeft, fo that this unhappy Prince, who faw himfelf almoft wholy deferted, was oblig’d to furrender Formofa into the Hands of the Tartars , and go to Pe¬ king, where on his Arrival at the Court, the Title of Count was conferr’d on him, in the twenty fecond Year of Khng-bi , and 1683 of Chriji. PRO VINCE V. CHE-KYANG. -^HIS Province is one of the moft fertile and flourifhing as to Trade, in the whole Em- p RO v. V. ' ® ^ pire. It is bounded on the Eaft by the Sea; on the South by Fo-kyen-, on the Che-kyang. North and Weft by Kyang-nan and Kyang-Ji, with which it is furrounded. They reckon in it eleven Cities of the firft Rank, whofe Jurifdidtions are like fo many Provinces, and feventy feven of the fecond and third Rank, beiides an infinite Number of very populous Boroughs and Villages. (m) Her cfyen, which fignifies both God and Heaven, {lands for God. (*) Thatis the whole inhabited World. The Chine/e divide the Earth into q Sorts; i. Mountains of good Land, z. Stony Moun¬ tains, 3. Land and Hillocks, 4. Black and dry Lands, 5. Moift Lands, 6. Sandy Lands, 7. Clay Lands, 2 ."Yellow Lands, and 9. Red Lands. Voi.. I. (+) Charity, Juftice, Civility, or the Ceremonies, Prudence, Fidelity, or Honefty. (n) Here doubtlefs, in the Original Cbinefe, the Word Ijer. is ufed but the Properties of Height and Extenfion requires it to be taken for Heaven, as the Attribute of Providence in the Place above required it (hould be tranflatedG od. (o) By the Weji is to be underllood China, and by the Eaji, Formofa. B b The 94 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION Prov V. w ^ ole Country, which confifts of well cultivated Mountains, and equally .fertile Fields, Che-Scsang. ‘ s cut with R' vers and Canals : which laft are broad, deep, and lin’d on both lides with hewn hone; they are cover’d alio with Bridges at certain Diftances, which join the Plains on both Sqi1 - fides together, fo that one may travel all over the Province by Water as well as Land. The running Springs and Lakes, wherewith it abounds, contribute farther to its Fertility. Silk. Its Inhabitants are very mild, ingenious and polite. The Silks which they make, embroidered with Gold and Silver, are the beh in all China , and fo cheap that a Suit of good Silk cofts lefs than one of the mod ordinary Cloth in Europe . Hence one fees a great Number of Fields full oi dwarf Mulberry Trees, which they hinder to grow, planting and cutting them almoft like Vines ; the Chinefe being convinc’d by long Experience that the Leaves of the lfnalleft Mulberry- Trees produce the bed Silk. They breed fo great a Quantity of Silk-Worms in this Province, that we may almod fay it is in a Condition of itfclf to furnifh Japan , the Philippine Iflands, and Europe with Silk of all forts, at an eafy Price. All forts of Neceflaries are very plentiful. The Mountains in the South and Wed Part are cultivated ; in other Parts where they are interfpers’d with Rocks, they afford Timber for building Ships and Houfes. Golden Fifli. I n tne Lakes of this Province the Golden Fifh are found, which I have deferibed before • it affords alfo abundance of excellent Cray-Fifh. In certain Places there grows an infinite Number of Muihrooms, which are carry’d all over the Empire. After having falted, they dry and keep them the Year round. When they want to make ufe of them, by only letting them lye a while in Water, they become as good and frefh as if they had been jud gather’d. Gammon?, The bed Hams come from this Province, where alfo that extraordinary Tree grows, call’d Tallow Tree. U-kyew-mu , which produces the Tallow; likewife thofe Shrubs that bear a very white Flower refembling the Jalmin, excepting that it has a greater Number of Leaves as well as a more agreeable Smell ; a Angle Flower is fufficient to perfume a whole Houfe, fo that they are in fuch Edeem with the Chinefe , that they take the fame Care to preferve thofe little Shrubs as is employ’d in Europe to defend the Orange-Trees from the Rigour of Weather, fruit Pe-t/t. Altho’ the Fruit call’d Pe-tfi is found elfewhere, yet it is much more common in this Province ; it grows in marffiy Water, and is as big as a Chefnut; its Kernel is cover’d with a very thin Skin ; the Pulp is White, and full of an agreeable Juice, it is firm and fomewhat four. Some pretend that if one puts a Piece of Copper Coin with this Fruit in his Mouth he may break it with his Teeth, as eafy as the Fruit itfelf } this P. Martini affirms but other Miffionaries who made the Trial found it not fo. The Canes or Reeds, call’d by the Portuguese Batnbu, are found throughout the Empire, but Bambu Canes. Qhe-kyang yields more than any other Province, having whole Foreds of them j thefe Bambti’s are of infinite ufe in China ; they are very large and hard ; and tho’ they are hollow within and divided into Joints, they are very drong, and bear the greated Burthens j their Leaves are long and folded in towards the Ends. Notwithdanding their Hardnefs, they are eafily flit into very thin Slips, wherewith they make their Matts, Boxes, Combs, &c. As they are by Nature bor’d thro’, they are very proper for Pipes to convey Water from one Place to another ; or for Telefcopes, to ferve either as a Tube, a Cafe, or a Red. The Firfi City , Hangchew-fu, Capital of the Province. T HIS is one of the riched and larged Cities of the Empire. It is confiderable, efpecially on account of its mod advantageous Situation, prodigious Number of Inhabitants the fu - Conveniency of its Canals, and its Trade for the bed Silk in the World. If you will believe the Chinefe Proverb, it is the Lerreftrial Paradife. Its Figure is almod round it is forty Li , or four Leagues, in Compafs, exclufive of the Suburbs; thefe Li mud be three hundred and fixty Paces each, from the Eadern Gate to the Northern they reckon ten Li. One of our Miffionaries, by counting the Steps of the Chair-Men, judg’d that the Li might well be of that Length. Number of As to the Number of Inhabitants they amount to a Million. A Chriftian Bachelor aflur’d the inhabi- a Miffionafy who redded there, that within the Walls only, without reckoning the Suburbs which are immenfe, the Officers who gather the Tax, had on their Rolls about three hundred thoufand Hu or Families j or, as the Chinefe exprefs it, Sanfhe-wan (p), which fignifies thirty times ten thoufand. The Walls of Hang-chew are fair, very high and thick. The Water of the Canal within the City is not good. There are on the Canals of the Suburbs a prodigious Quantity of Barks, inhabited by intire Families, the fame as at Kan-ton. The Streets are pretty narrow, but the Shops very neat, and the Dealers very rich. Thele Streets are all adorn’d with Triumphal Arches, which one meets with, elpecially in Places of great Retort, being Monuments rais’d in Honour of the Mandarins , who have diftinguifh’d themfelves in the Difcharge of their Office, or have attain’d the chief Dignities of the Empire. There are befides in Hang-chew four great Towers, feveral Stories high. The Garrifon confifts of (p) Orig. San-che-voan , which laft Syllabic is elfewhere written ouan. ■of the PROVINCES of C H I N A. ^ of feven thoufand Men, under the Tjyang-kyun or Tartar General, and three thoufand under Prov. V. the Fu-ywm or Vice-Roy. che-kyana. Ttio' there are large Gardens in the City, and the Houfes are of one Story, it is aftonilh- '•^rC ing to think how populous it is. The great Streets are throng'd with People like thofe of Pans , with this Difference, that there are no Women among them. The Tartar Troops have a Fortrels here, feparated from the City by a Wall. The River, call’d Tjyen-tane-kxang: runs near its Walls, where it is a great League in Breadth. 6 " 61 It may be. faid without exaggerating, that Hang-chew is properly the Country of Silk be- cauie the chief Manufafluries are there. They fay there are fixty thoufand Workmen with- in its Walls, and it that be fo, there muff needs be feveral hundred thoufand in the neighbour¬ ing Country, and the Places depending on Kya-hing-fH and HCi-chew-fti; fince there is fc-.rce a Village, howfoever (mall, but the Silk-Works are going forward in it. Certain flower’d Taffeties. and Satins, named Lin-tfe, and otners all plain, but compafl and even, call’d Lau-fang-fe , which are made in this City, are reckon’d the beft in the whole Empiie and in exceeding great Requeft. r * B t that which renders this Place delightful, is a little Lake, nam’d Si-bu, which is clofe to it, and two Leagues in Compais. The Water of it is good, and clear as Cryftal, fo that the Lake" fmalleft Stones may be ken at the Bottom j on the fide where the Water is low ’it is cover'd over with the Flowers of the Lyen-wha. They have rais’d there on Wooden Stakes open Halls fuftain’d by Pillars, and pav’d with great fquare Stones, for the Conveniency of thofe who would walk on Foot. They have alio made Caufeys lined with Free-Stone, and over the Openings left for Boats to pafs, built pretty handfome Bridges. r b In the midft of the Lake there are two little Iflands, whither they ufually repair, after having taken the Pleafure of the Barks; and where they have built a Temple and Houfes fit for diverting themfelves. The fides of the Lake are likewife adorn'd with Temples, huge Monafterics of the Bonzas, and pretty handfome Houfes; among which is a little Palace for the Ufe of the Emperor who lodg’d there, when he travell’d into the Southern Provinces. r Charming The Second City, Kya-hing-fu. A LL this Country is water’d by Lakes and Canals, made by the Induftry of the Chinefe K The City is great, very populous, and of confiderable Trade. Its Suburbs are of very gic..c Ex.ent, its Canals and Ditches coverd with many handfome Bridges, and every Houle in it rears Silk Worms. 1 1 hey have brought Canals, whole Sides are lin’d with fine Free-ftone, into every Part of the City. In all the Streets there are handfome Piazzas, under which one may walk out of the Rain. Triumphal Arches are common enough, both within the City and without. There are (if een Marble Towers, on the fides of the Canal, to the Weft of the City, thro’ which all the Berks p.fs. Tile Fruit, call’d Pe-tp, fpoken of before, grows in all the Handing and marfiiy Waters Fruit P.-iJ> In Autumn they catcli certain little Birds, which are preferv’d in Wine made of Rice and fold all the Year round. Very good Cray-Fifli are alfo taken here. In the Neighbourhood of the City Hay-yen- hyen, which ftands on the Sea Coaft, there are Salt-Pits, which yield plenty of Salt. One fees on all fides Silk Manufadturies. The whole Country is flat, without fo much as one Hill. Tile City contains feven others of the third Rank within its Diftrict. The Third City, Hu-chew-fu. T HIS City takes Its Name from the great Lake on the fide whereof it ftands, Hu fig- Jtu-.lw-jtr nffving a Lake; and is one of the greateft and mod confiderable in China, on account of its Riches, Trade, Fertility of its Lands, and Beauty of its Waters and Hil.s. It is inconceiveable what a Quantity of Silk is made there. The Tribute pay’d therein by Te-tfm-hyen , one of the Cities depending on it, amounts to five hundred thoufand Taels Be J Pencil! or Ounces of Silver. It is alfo the Place in China , where the beft Pencils for writinv with are made. It yields abundance of Tea, and has in its Diftridl one City of the fecond Rank and fix of the third. ’ The Fourth City, Ning-po-fu. b! v*-PO-FUi Europeans ( r ) have call’d Ltam-po, is a very good Port on the Ring-pofV, Eaftern Sea of China , over-againft Japan , and has four Cities of the third Order under its Jurifdi&ion. It ftands on the Confluence of two fmall Rivers, which form the Canal from thence to the Sea. This Canal is capable of bearing Tranfports or Chinefe Veflels of two hundred Tuns. One of thefe Rivers nam’d Kin, comes from the South, the other call’d Tau from the Weft-North-Weft. * •(r) By Europeans are to be underitood chiefly the Portuguefc . Liam po in Englifh Characters (hould be lyano-to . Thefe y6 geographical description Prow V. Thefe Rivers water a Plain encompafs’d almoft on every lide with Hills, which form a kind Chekyang 0 f Oval Bafin, whole Diameter from Eaft to Welt paffing thro’ the City, may be ten or twelve Thoufand Gbinefc Fathom, which, as I have laid, are of ten Feet each. The Length from South to North is much greater. Canal of The Plain, which refembles a Garden, as being fo level and well improv’d, is full of Villages, ^' :ng L' aud Hamlets. It is cut by a great Number of Canals, form’d by the Waters, that fall from the Hills. The Canal on which part of the Eaftern Suburb Hands, extends to the very Foot of the Mountains, and divides into three Branches. It may be about five or fix thoufand Fathoms long, and fix or leven broad. In this Space there are fixty fix Canals on both fides of the principal Canal, feveral of which are broader than it. This great abundance of Water, manag’d with Art, renders the Plain ex¬ ceeding fruitful, and maK.es it yield two Harvefts of Rice; belides which Grain they fow Cotton and Pulfe. Tallow-Trees are very numerous here. The Ti'f-an The Air is generally pure and wholefome, and the Country pleafant and open. The Sea or yellow furnifhes plenty of Fifh, with all forts of Shell-Filli, and efpecially good Cray-Fiih ; among the J reft in the beginning of -the Summer, they catch the Fifh call’d IVbang, that is, Yellow , which are much in Requeft, being very favory and delicious; but as they will not keep long out of Water, they put them in Glafles, and fo tranfport them into all Parts of the Empire, e :y Walls. The Walls of Ning-po are five thoufand and feventy four Geometrical Paces in Compafs. In paffing from the Weltern to the Eaftern Gate, we reckon two thoufand five hundred and leventy four great Paces. Its Walls are built of Free-Stone, in good Repair, and able to withftand any Force, but that of Cannon. It has five Gates, whereof two look towards the Eaft, becaufe the Port is on that fide ; not to mention two Water-Gates, as the Chinefe call them, which are great Arches, made in the Wall, to let the Barks in and out of the City, for there are many Canals in the South-Weft part of it. There is not one Building worth taking notice of in the whole Place. Indeed one meets with a Brick Tower, feveral Stories high; and before the moft Southern of the two Gates there is a Bridge over the River Kin , of fixteen flat-bottomed Barks, faften’d with Iron forty Fathom long. The moft tolerable Pieces of Architecture to be found here, are the Pay-lew or Pay-fan , which.we call Triumphal Arches. The Streets, which are narrow, are ftill more contracted by the Pent-houles over the Shops, fo that two of our large Coaches would have much ado to pafls. This City was plunder’d and fack’d in the laft Wars, but of late Years it has recover’d again. It is provided with a large Garrifon. The Entrance of Ning-po is difficult, efpecially for great Veflels, there not being above fifteen' Feet of Water at the Bar in the Spring Tides. In entring the River, you leave on the left ■7.,, ■•oy-hjen. Hand the City of Yin-hay-hyen (s), which depends on it. This laft City, which isan oblong Square, 1000 Toifes in Compafs, is commanded by a Citadel built on a very high Rock, at the Foot of which Ships muft neceflarily pals within the Diftance of half Piftol-Shot. One Tide brings them up along a very fine River, at leaft a hundred and fifty Fathom broad, and every where leven or eight deep, with Salt-Houfes on both Sides, be¬ tween which and the Mountains one has a ProfpeCt of Villages and cultivated Plains. The Chincje Merchants of Siam and Batavia come to Ning-po every Year, to buy Silks, which they know to be the faired in the Empire. Thofe of Fo-kyen and other Provinces refort thither continually. The City has alfo a great Trade with ’Japan, Nangazaki being only two Days failing from hence. The Chinefe carry thither' Silk, raw and manufactur’d. Sugar, Drugs and Wine ; and bring back Copper, Gold and Silver. Ifland cbnv- Eighteen or twenty Leagues from Ning-po in the Sea, is the Ifland Chew fan. The Port is very jhan. good, but not commodious for Trade. The EngUfh at their firft Arrrival put in there by Accident, not being able to find out the Way to Ning-po, among fo many Iflands as are upon the Coaft. The Fifth City, Shau-hing-fu. ..tg-fi- fT"* PIIS City is fituated in one of the fineft Plains in the World ; it is full of Canals, nor is there any Place, which has a greater Refemblance of Venice , but it has the Advantage Of it in this, that the Canals here are fill’d with clear and running-Water. Orre may come from all the Places in the neighbourhood to any Part of the City in a Boat. There is no Street without a Canal, fo that Shau-hing abounds with Bridges, which are very high, and almoft all of one Arch. On both Sides of each Canal there are very handfome large Streets, paved with great white Stones, for the moft Part fix or feven Feet long. The City is adorn’d with a Number of handfome Triumphal Arches, and reckon’d at leaft four Leagues in Compafs ; for which Reafon it is divided into two Hym or fubordinate Jurifdicftions, that have their diftindt Governors, one of which is call’d Shan-in , the other Quey-ki. Several of the Lloufes are built with exceeding white Free-Stone, which-is fcarce ever feen (*s) Here Teems to he a double \fiflake, for Tin-baj-hyen, liyen, and this laft ftands on the right Hand, in refpecl of thofe which is on the Ifland Cbnvjhan (above nine Leagues from who enter the River, the Mouth of die Rive; of King-go) is put inftead of Chin hay ~ in of the PRO VINCE J «/ CHINA py in the other Cities of China. Thefe Stones are dug out of an almoft inexhauflible Quarry in the p RQV y Mountain Nyau-men-Jhan , two Leagues from the City. Its Walls are encompafs’d with 2 Ditches, che-kvane! the one within the other without the City, both full of Water as good and as clear as that in the Canals. Shau-hing is in fome fort a City of Literati , for its Inhabitants are the moil noted in all China , for the Chicane of the Law j tho’ other wife they are good Lawyers* and there is no Vice- Roy or Mandarin , but what has an Inhabitant of this City for his Syang-kong or Secretary. It contains within its DiHrict eight Cities of the third Rank. The Wine, whereof a good Quantity is made here, is much efleem’d, and tranfported Tomb of the throughout the Empire. Half a League from the City is a Tomb, which the Chinefe fay Great2 “‘ is that of the great Tu t who advanc’d himfelf to the Throne, by the Service which he did his Country at the beginning of the Monarchy, in caufing the Sea, which had overflow’d part of the Empire to retire; on one Side of this Tomb they have rais’d a flately Edifice by orders of the late Emperor Kang-hi, who, in the twenty eighth Year of his Reign, went to fhew his Refpetft to the Memory of that great Man. There is near it alfo a remarkable Hill, call’d Hew-ftan, or the Mountain of the Ape , becaule it has fome fmall Relemblance in Figure ; it is a Place of Recreation, where the People go to regale themfelves. They have built a pretty Rodin here for that Purpofe, at the Foot of which there is a very deep Pond, wherein they keep Fith of an extraordinary Size ; which are accuftom’d to appear on the Top of the Water, while thofe within the Hall throw them little Loaves out of the Window, which they fwallow whole. The Sixth City, Tay-chew-fu. T HIS City, which has fix others under it, Hands on the fide of a River, in a Country quite {for, T'i'idplli iVb/Tiegis m J/zefyotw zfid. ’nZn tm/troivrwn£s /■// Zf/c Editor. “ t XAifiv/A,/ fo the. efZon file Georg'elyttelton -.'/rcreZun/ To Acs fllai/cif f/q/incfr tfie/rvhv o/"Wales /leJ,ll/4.u2Jlq-/ut,\ 5A//. rite/ -Avon (h°.-/y' ^V,uf-f.it/-6t. Ci/f/ of ZAe^f,/\rt /Zend . a (fa of' t/?e ■second /ZanA . , a (,(,/ of (Ac dunZ /LwA . 1C tf/ut'ef (Yte name o/iiPl/ice denote. ^ Aatono Aeen observed. AU1. /fcdca/-/c -t/anq-Zu, die. d-aZr/udec doAferi>ed J and donydttdeo "d (/come Cat ccd/t/A tr/tercon (Zt/S ‘ZPAl/‘ to grounded. -Zed? Zcmt,? Z.d - \£?t 2tO/,/-ef-. Tf//nKQ 2 L Fr Torty-Ays/i ■-///?/}. 7/077,//y,^^ XM.-FO.V GJt} Ao I S' a x~, /.,... ' • ft'X'X'tC'Z v>s / v Tsi-chew Yu-chew \ 7 ’iif/-Ao/iy- 7 f/eo 2 i/j// 7 u/,’// chew } /// -///7hV///ss/ xA/e v ////o/o . / 7/7/(///,/-A//,. -chew'^ . r/. t -1 / y -y >// Q-t 4 o- ottos/ •7o/‘A’ ofTot/toeScj{('/•.><’/7ftAJefrpfb?tot/StttAeJ fiAe/e/vnt-not£ (/t’O- me&tcalfyjnsAettom. tAi/o //Ay/ /./ yrtruntfeef 2 " 2 ’ /f Zo/ty . 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'2 .4430 ax .00 *- SS- 3 0 f .a/s.o * j; 0 Li w (7/ii/{ a-U „ T ..1.... in r i • i ® Gr e-- Plenty catch a prodigious quantity of Fifh in the Lakes and Sea, of which you may have feveral of Fiiu. Pounds for a Penny. J Fruit-Trees of all kinds grow here, efpecially excellent Pears, Chefnuts, fine wholefome Peacnes, divers forts of Nuts, and abundance of Plumbs. They dry the Plumbs and Pears for The Fruits.* tranlporting into the other Provinces; but the Fruit which grows in moft plenty, is that fort //..or Chh.fi called by the Portugucfe Figgs, and the Chinefe Se-tfe ; which are to be found no where but in f'iggs. China, nor in any Province thereof in fo great abundance as in this of Shan-ton This Fruit which I fpeak of elfewhere, does not ripen till the Beginning of Autumn ; they commonly dry them as they do Figgs in Europe, and fell them all over the Empire ; being dry’d, they commonly grow mealy, and are cover'd by degrees with a Cruft of Sugar ; they have an excellent Tafte, fo that one would imagine he was eating fome of our belt dry’d Figgs ; fuch alfo is the fmaller fort that grows in Shan-Ji. There is likewife another kind of green Figgs, which continue hard, even when ripe, and are cut with a Knife like our Apples in Europe. The Trees that bear them, need no cultivating; but we conceive that if they affifted Nature, by being at the pains to graft them, the Fruit would be truely delicious, wild Silk- In the Fields certain Worms, refembling Caterpillars, produce a white Silk, which is fatten'd V urms. to the Shrubs and Bullies, whereof they make Silks, coarfer indeed but more compact and ftrong than thofe made of the Silk produced by the Worms that are rear’d in the Houfes. The Fir/i City, Tfi-nan-fu, Capital of the Province. A LTHO’ this City is not on the Grand Canal, yet by means thereof principally is its Trade I\- carry’d on; a little more than a League from it is the Village Lti-kew, Handing on the fide of the Xfing-ho , by . which River Goods are convey’d to the Canal ; thofe which are moft common and peculiar to the Country are, viz. I. The Stuffs nam’d Kyen-cbew , made of Silk, inclining to a greyilh Colour, which is pro¬ duced only by the wild Worms, refembling Caterpillars. Thefe Worms fpin their Webs on Shrubs, and Bullies, and furnilh as great Quantities as the domeftick Worms. This Silk is the more eftimablc, as it cofts in a manner nothing, and is fo ftrong, that the Goods made of it are very lading, and have a tolerable Vent every where. It mull however be confefs’d that the Colour is fometimes neither agreeable nor uniform, and often various; fo that one may fay. ( d ) Or Zhu-ning-fti, being elfewhere written Ju-ning-Jou in the French. -Mi-fu) ’/*¥**' S.4 S- ^ i ls ad o r n’d with divers Figures ; within it is lin’d with finely P° 1. “ Ntarble of feveral Colours. By a Stair-cafe made in the Wall, one goes up to all the Stories, and from thence to very fine Galleries of Marble, embelliffi’d with gilded Iron Rails winch encompafs the Tower ; at the Corner of thefe Galleries hang little Bells, which when movd by the Wind make an agreeable Tinkling. Not far from this Tower are certain curious ALdt S ’ wh ° fc Man " er W0Uld n0t be dila s reeable t0 the Tafte of the bell European The Fourth City, Tfing-chew fu. T) T I ^i| Ter u t c I T beI , on S^S t0 'his City is partly water’d by Rivers, and partly cover'd with m m CS tie fertility of its Soil, the Neighbourhood of the Sea fupplies it plen- titully with Neceffanes. So great a Quantity of Fifh is caught here, that they are exceeding cheap, and their Skin alone yields a confiderable Profit. & In this Country there grows in the Bellies of the Cows a yellow Stone, call’d by the Chine,fe S fometimes as a Goofe-Egg, but not more folid than the fofteft Crayon (e). , e yhcians. of China prefer it to the Bezoar, and fay, that, when pulveriz’d and taken in 0 ater, it is an immediate Cure for Defluxions and Rheums ; in the fame manner as the tone t at grows in the Gall of an Ox, cures the Jaundice. This City has in its Diftridt one City of the fecond, and thirteen of the third Rank. 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Pu o fz'/y o/~/Ay /irjf Afaz/A Chew a 07 ?/,y~7/..'AonA JZi/t/z a Cdy o/'r/y AlztnA of the PROVINCES of CHINA io *7 On the neighbouring Mountains are to be feen very handfome Sepulchres, which take up a great p R0V IX deal of Ground, and are all either of Marble or Hewn-ftone. At convenient Didances are plac’d Shan-fi Triumphal Arches, Statues of Heroes, with Figures of Lions, Horfcs, and other Animals in different Attitudes and very natural. The whole is encompalsd with a kind of Foreft of ancient Cyprefs, planted checker-wife. The Fieen-ho, whofe Name is found in the moil ancient Chinefe Books, is neither broad nor deep ; yet it contributes to the Ornament and Conveniency of the City, in the Line Manner as the River Wey does to the City Si-ngan-fu ; for tho’ neither of them is comparable to the great Rivers, which run by feveral Capitals, yet as after a pretty long Courfe they fall into the yellow River, they by that Means have a Communication with the Provinces of Ho-nan and Kyang-nan. There is at Fay-ywen a fmall Fartar Garrifon, under an Officer nam’d Ho-tong-ta. The Manchews who are at prefent Matters of China , have few Garrifons of their own Nation and indeed it would be difficult, and almoft impoffible to furnitti fo many Cities, which are cither at the Pafftges of great Rivers, on the Frontiers, or on the Sea Coaft, with Garrifons. So that they are content to garrifon fome of the principal Cities of the Empire, partly to fupport the Chinefe Soldiers, who are on the Coafts, partly to difpute the Paffage of the Great River Tang- tfe-kyang, which croffes thro' the middle of China ; and partly to have a watchful Eye upon the Militia of the Provinces of Shan-fi and Shen-fi , employ’d for Defence of the great Wall; altho’ the Emperor being a Fartar , there is at prefent no great Number of the latter, (n) The Second City, Ping-yang-fu. A LTHO’ Ping-yang is no more than the fecond City of the Province, yet it is not inferiour to the Capital, either for Antiquity, Fertility of Soil, Extent of its Diftridt, or Number of Cities under its Jurifdidion, which amount to thirty four, viz. fix of the fecond’ and twenty eight of the third Rank, whereof feveral are very confiderable; without reckoning an infinite Number of very populous Boroughs and Villages. It is fituate on the River Fwen-bo and is more than four Miles in Compafs. The Country which depends on it, is partly plain, partly mountainous ; all the Lands are cultivated and very fertile, except in the Neighbourhood of fome Mountains, which are unim¬ prov’d and perfeftly frightful. Two Rivers which divide this Territory do not contribute a little to keep up the plenty that reigns there. On the Weft and South Sides it is water’d by the River Whang-ho. Near Ngan-i-hym there is a Lake whofe Water is as fait as the Sea, whereof they make abundance of Salt. The Third City, Lu-ngan-fu. T HE t T " r '. tor y of tIlls . Clt y *f not ' ar g e > for it has under its Jurifdeflion no more than UntUt eight Cities of the third Rank ; but it is agreeably fituated, almoft at the Head of the River X/o-tfartg-ho. Altho the Country it pretty full of Hills, yet the Lands produce all the necef- faries of Life. The whole Diftridt is fpread over with Boroughs and Villages. The Fourth City, Fwen-chew-fu. (e) T HIS City hesalmoft at an equal Diftance between the Capital and Ping-yam It takes «. t its Name from the River Fwen-ho, on the Weft fide whereof it Hands (f) in a Placed ™' very commodious for Trade. Its Diftrifl is not large, for it contains only one City of the fecond Rank, and feven of the third, almoft all of which lie between the great River Whantr and the Fwen. b ® Country is hilly enough, it is not the lefs improv’d on that Account. One meets with Fields, abounding with all forts of Grain, thick Forefts and good Paftures. They make a Drink here of Rice call’d r a ng-tfyii, wherein they fteep Mutton after a particular manner They prize this Liquor highly, it is fiounffimg, ftrong, and very delicious to Chinefe Palates. In this Haft one meets with a great Number of Baths and Springs almoft boiling hot, whofe Waters differ both m Colour and Tafte. The Fifth City, Tay-tongfu. T HIS City is neither fo antient nor large as the other Cities of the Province. That which renders it of Importance is its being fituated in the midft of Mountains, (wherewith indeed the whole Country is cover’d) and in the only Spot which lies expos’d to the Incurfions of the (d) This is a Reafon grounded on a Falfxty in Faflr; for reaher the Manchews who govern China, nor the Mongols and other Nations furrounding China, are Tartars ; nor is the Name 0I \ ratber eTatars - known to thofe People, in the ex¬ tended Senfe it is ufed by Europeans j it being peculiar to a particular Tribe, which at prefent feems to be extinft, at leaft as to the Name ; the Reafon therefore, why fo few Guards are employ d row about the Walls, is, p.obab’ly, becaufe the Power oi the Mongols being weaken’d, they have fubmitted or put themfelves under the Proteftion of the Manchews ; whom formerly they expell’d out of China, under the famous Jemrbix Khan. J ° (B) In the two Tables mentioned p. ,o6. Note r, tis written ten-chenjj-fii, but faultily. • { F) lb i1 ds above tvv ° Miles from the River accord- ing to the Map ; and indeed the Author is not very accurate as to the situations. * 108 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION Prov IX ^ ie ^ artars J hence it is one of the beft fortify’d Places after the Chinefe manner, and fur- Shan'-fi. nifh’d with a numerous Garrifon. Its Territory is furrounded with the great Wall, along which there are Forts built from Space to Space, provided with Forces for its Defence. Its Ju- ri Id iff ion which is very large, extends over four Cities of the fecond Rank, and feven of the third. In its Mountains are found excellent Lapis Armenus, with abundance of Simples and Medicinal Herbs, which the Botanifts come in fearch of from all Parts. Some of them produce a Stone lo red, that being fteep’d in Water it is ufed inftead of Vermilion, for taking the Impreffion of Seals ; others furnifh the Azure, refembling that which is brought into Europe ; and a par¬ ticular kind of Jafper nam’d Tu-fhe , which is very tranfparent, and as white as Ag.it. In fhort, there is plenty of Marble and Jafper of all Colours; and a great Trade is driven in all Sorts of Skins drefs’d here. PROVINCE X. S HEN-SI. Prov. X, Shen-fi. Gold-Mines, and Goldr Sand. Soil and Produce. Minerals. Animals. p. —g r—* HIS Province is divided into two Parts, the Eaftern and Weftern, which contain |g eight Cities of the firfl and one hundred and lix others of the third Rank ; befides a great Number of Forts built from Space to Space along the great Wall. Of thefe fortify’d Places Kan-chew and Su-chew are very confiderable. In the firfl a Vice-Boy refides, and feveral Mandarins , the principal among whom receive their Orders from none but the Court. The fecond is of equal Strength, and its Governor very powerful. It is divided into two Parts, whereof one is inhabited by the ChineJ'e , and the other by Strangers, who come to trade here. The Air is temperate, the People mild, civil, obliging, and better affe&ed to Strangers, than the Chinefe , who live more towards the North, are. The overflowing of Torrents and Rivers render the Soil very fruitful. This Province yields rich Gold Mines, the opening of which is prohibited ; fo great a Quantity of that Metal is found in the Rivers and Brooks, that an infinite Number of Perfons fubfift by the Profit that arifes by wafhing the Sand and feparating the Gold from it. This Country is fubjeeft to be infefled with Locufts, which eat up the Grafs, and fbme- times deftroy the moil plentiful Harvefts. It produces little Rice, but abounds with Wheat, and Millet ; which grows here fo fall, that during Winter, the Hufbandmen fuffer their Sheep to browze on it, knowing by Experience that thus it will thrive the better in Spring. Befides Grain, this Province furnifhes abundance of Drugs, efpecially Rubarb, Honey, Wax, Mufk, Red-Lead, perfum’d Wood which refembles Sanders, and Pit-Coal, whereof there are inexhauftible Mines. A great Number of Quarries afford a foft Stone, or Mineral, call’d Hy ting-whang, out of which they cut Veffels of feveral kinds. The Phyficians look on it as a fovereign Remedy againll all forts of Poifon, malignant Fevers, and the contagious Heats during the Dog Days. They infufe this Mineral in Wine before they make ufe of it ; it is of a red Colour inclining to yellow, and fpeckled with littte black Spots ; it has a great refemblance of the Crayon. Little blew Stones are alfo found there, inclining to black, and interfpers’d with fmall white Veins; the Chinefe fay, that being ground and reduc’d to a very fine Powder, they make an excellent Remedy, and even prolong Life. Stags and Deer range the Country in Herds; here are alfo abundance of Bears, wild Bulls, and other Creatures refembling Tigers, whofe Skins are in much requefl; a kind of Goats, from whence they take the Mufk, and of Sheep with very long and thick Tails, whofe Flefh is very well tailed ; not to mention a Angular fpecies of Bats as big as Hens, which the Chinefe prefer to the niceft Pullets. Of Wool and Goat-Hair mixt, they make a very pretty Stuff much in requefl ; the Hair they ufe, is that which grows in the Winter, as being more fine, becaufe not fo long. The Birds, call’d the Golden Hens , much efleem’d for their Beauty, are alfo found in this Province. All forts of Flowers grow here, particularly one much efleem’d by the Curious, call’d the Queen of Flowers, relembling the Rofe, but is more beautiful, and has larger Leaves, altho’ The Smell is not fo pleafant; the Stalk is without Prickles; its Colour is a mixture of White and Red; yet there are fame of them red and yellow. The Shrub it grows on is like the Elder-Trce, and to be feen in all the Gardens of the Lords; but Care mufl be taken in the hot Climates to lhelter it from the Sun. The Eaftern Part of the Country, call’d I-TONG. The Firfl City , Srngan-fu, the Capital. Si-ngnn-f,', "^TEXT to Pe-king this is one of the largefl and fairefl Cities in China. It Hands in a tke capital. great Plain, and is the Refidence of the Tfong-tu of Shen-fi and Se-che'ivn, as well as of the Governor of this Eaftern Part of Shen-fi. Its Jurifdidtion extends over fix Cities of the fecond, aid thirty one of the third Rank. This Cities of the province of Shen- si VolJp. 108 . Jro'lo'cfitn// I *at ut/vrj/d'1unit oftdfihuv, denn/ro die.daMude Aaisi/13 Aten o 7 rtented& 2 AneJ ArSh.j/.. 7 aeff&.fi/ty'; deTartre & Cordofo ' utthe 7 jearj?ja '// fm/mn/ement) lr//,tdu ' * WM^Y 1 ddvmze. if m,ey/r„ -dOa/de of the. ^atitude.i f ■’/-Jcroed ) and r /ouadt/dej fdete/rmtn e/h (feometncal/y )nrJ/ereon t/u'j.'ffa/i tj //rounded Tlaeea Uatt _£•* , SabI<:s > and °*er choife Furs. It abounds likewife with all forts of fine Marble , and produces almoft every where thofe Shrubs, already defc teT whkh produce the Flowers rear d, with fo much Care, in the Gardens of the Grandee^ 'The Third City, Fong-tfyang-fu. A p ' abulous Blrd > which the Chinefe defcribe with Variety of admirable Colours and paint , e £lJa?a ^o^Ckv fth f f d / Ur uT e> S !v f n Na ” e t0 thisPlace . which has under fleR -U- t C y f , h fec , 0nd ’ and feven of the third Rank. It is very l a rg» and the Buildings handfome enough. The Air is temperate and healthful ; the whole CoumryEs weU cultivated, and rendered fertile by the Torrents, Brooks and Rivers 7 Ycn-nganfU. Oyl of Stone, The Fourth City, Han-chong-fu. C r^ inin # tW0 Ckies of the fecond, and fourteen ofs-ni^ X the third Rank, IS water d by feveral Branches of the River Han, whereon Bar bora which is large and populous, is fituate. The high Mountains and Forefts, wherewith it L nnr f V d W len m r ' tVCryft n ng ’ andferVeforBulwarks - The Valleys are pleafant and furniih plenty of Neceflanes, as well as Honey, Wax, Mu(k, and fed-Lead ; falloE Beads are very nu Sote z- and Bears; the Feet ° f £hefe iaft - ei > e “ aiiy ^ -v nrifin' ?; 0 f d made 4 0n Y rly l . ov f ‘ he Mountains, leading to the Capital, has fomething fur- have Rdls U or t or > y °ur Horfemen may ride abreaft over them, and for more Security they Of Travellers? ' Diftances ' are Villages and Inns for the Convenient ' S f t n'' y " n th. e i3iftri£t^of this City, and toms particular parts of Tartar,' that a verv rare nefs and cT’ 03 d ls found - If m ay be compar’d to' our beft Falcons for Sprightly- ■peror’s Falconry? J 38 f0 ° n * S ° f ‘ hefc B ‘ rdS ^ CaUsht> they are immi =diately fent to ?he° Em- V0L ’ h * f The 1 The Weftern Part of the Province, call’d X-SI. The Fifth City , Ping-lyang-fu. HIS City Hands on a Branch of the River Kin-bo, and abounds with every thing. The 1 Climate is very mild, and the agreeable Profpeft of Mountains furrounding it, together with the Rivers which water the Country, render it a charming Habitation. It has within its Diftridl three Cities of the fecond, and feven of the third Rank. Kong-chang-fu. T HIS is a City of Trade, and very populous, fituate on the River Whey. The almoft in- _ __J J (Urmurlir n /if T m TIAr ftl n PP fo thft I1IS is a Lity or liaae, ana vciy jjujjiuuus, inurm. uu tin. ■ acceffible Mountains which cncompafs it, render’d it formerly a Place of Importance to the Security of the Empire, when they flood in fear of Invafions from the Tartan. They fhew a ra .. sTomb . Sepulchre here, which the Chineje fay is that of Fo-bi, which, if fo, muft be the moll ancient Monument in the World. . , r , i ■ i It affords plenty of Mufk ,[and almoff all its Mountains, yield the Mineral Hyung-whang ■ which as I obferv’d before, is a kind of Orpiment, ufed in Phyfic, when very tranfparent, especially againft the Bites of venemous Infeds ; and in malignant and epidemical Difeafes either as a Remedy or an Antidote. Here is alfo found the dark blue Stone, ftreak'd with white, which^ being reduc’d to Powder, according to the Chinefe, preferves Health. This City has in its Dxftiuft three more of the fecond, and feven of the third Rank. Seventh Ling-tau fu. Ling-tau-fu. T (HIS City Hands on a River that falls into the Whang-ho or Fellow River. It is famous HIS CJity ltanas on a reiver mat ~ w. — — , - ~ - for the great Quantity of Gold found in the Sand of the neighbouring Rivers and Tor¬ rents. The Country is full of Mountains, which abound with wild Bulls, and certain Am- mils’ refembling Tigers, whofe Skins are in great Requeft, and ufed for Winter Cloathing. The Valleys are cover’d with Corn, excepting thofe near Rivers which are flock, d with Cdtt e, efpecially Sheep, whofe Tails are very long, and Flelh delicious. In ffiort the whole Terntory is fufficiently fiuitfull. It comprizes two Cities of the fecond, and three of the third Rank. The Eighth City, Kin-yang-fu. (a) Kin-yang-fu- T HIS has always been look’d on as a Barrier againft the Incurfions of the Vartan. The _ . rr _ J_ _.-.J «-V.o XH/nlle fl-rrtner Thp TTvPr that J I Ditches encompaffing it are very deep, and the Walls ftrong. The River, that almoft furroundsit, and the feveral Forts built from Space to Space, join d to the Mountains and Rivers, by which it is as it were inclos'd, render it a very ftrong Place, according to the Cbtmje man- ner of Fortifying. . , The Country is very fruitful, being water’d by numerous Springs and Rivers. It produces a certain Herb nam’d Kin fe, that is, gilded Silk, which is confider’d as an excellent Remedy; alfo a kind of Bean, affirm’d to be an admirable Specific againft all forts ot Poifon. This City has under it only one of the fecond, and four of the third Rank. Lan-chew, a famous City of the fecond Rank, [and Capital of the Weftern Part of ShenTi.] A LT HO’ Lan-chew is only of the fecond Rank, and depends on the former, yet it is of . tvt_.._ ..u.. r>_:_ rWv t-n lie mpf wii-h nn the Yellow River. LlnU j_,an-tvew is umy ui uic iccunu , -n eminent Note in the Province, being the beft City to be met with on the Fellow River. It cannot indeed be call’d large, however it is the Capital of the Weftern part of this 1 10 - vince, and the Seat of the Governor ; becaufe being near the Great Wall, and principal Gates in the Well, Succours are eafily lent from hence to the Soldiers who defend the Entrance. The Trade of this City confills principally in Skins, which come from Tart ary by way of o/- n [ m an d To-pa , thro’ which they mull neceffarily pafs j as alfo in Woolen Stuffs of feveral forts whereof a kind of fine Serge, nam’d Ku-zhongy is the molt efteem’d ; it is almoff as dear as the common Satin, but is eafily fpoil’d, becaufe it is difficult to preferve it from being Moth- eaten ; the coarfer fort is call’d Ko-he. Thereis another Stuff call’d Pe-zhong, made ot Inert teas’d Hair, which is fubjeft to the fame Inconvenience, and likewife dear. The Myew-zhong is made of Cows-Hair, it is coarfe, and almoff as thick, as Iverfey.. They make Cloaths of it,, proper for fnowy Weather, having nothing better for the Purpofe in this Country. _ r Laffly, there is a Stuff' call’d Tje-fa-rriyen, made" of Thread and Worfled ; which might be compar’d to our Linfey-Woolfey, if it was as fubftantial and dole woven. But notwithftanding its Trade in thefe Commodities, Lan-chew is not reckon d a rich City in China. U - - J (a) In the Map Here, ft is Kin-janpfi, in the Tabic of DivifiOns p. 6. UingyangfiY, and in the Table of Longitude and Latitude it end of the Work King-yang fti. n/~\ PRO- Pit O VIJT CIE XL. Se-chwen" JjOrativi vny lyurt ty t/ie /Ires l'ridelli,B OI y our<&Regis in y pear ayi y. With finproi'emente In/the Editor Snyiief. -fCt/ed J/inc/nt/ed co che/neze.o M'MvSISPhB VRR O ZTGHS Teas* i*. U /('.I,.'I f/d/dde /- thefa/ifederfcd/ferved' ,£ pant/itudee /determned /feumetncady J ndiercon t/ur May/ id cfi'cnmded. ^ Z/at/-ptn 6.53.30 ~ 4 / . 30.25.00 11.51.00 *CAinq hr/ant[/i. jy.18.00 11.3S.15 CAon/pAtny'ft . 23.42.00 tt.4f.30 *r/?vf:/-'-Ae,rj!t . 28.38.24 *11.42.52 Shey-Zt'cAen’ . 2A.33.3S 43.32.25 *CAt 1,A.-'o ...9.8.30.00 8.5y.30 Pfiru/ c/tn-en-fu 2O.20.5b 23.2.51 3 T.B. <<» Aefiv the name datztude or cfo/uyitied? of a AYaee (Senator aZariaaon trom t/ie. Hup. Tsuni fu er omittedin tAir tot/de . EU, a City cft/aff TtanA Chew a City of the 2. ZtanA Jtyem aCdy of die 3. ZtanA 1 y Zine under the. fame of up iZe/nitoe t/ie Ztadtiu/e oArerved. of the P R 0 VIN C E S of CHI N A. iif P RO VINCE XI. S E- C H W E N. E-CHWEN is hardly inferior to any of the other Provinces, either for Extent or Plenty. Prov.XL It is bounded on the "North by that of Sheri-Ji ; on the Ealt by Hu-quang ; on the South Se-chwen. by Hu-quang and Tun-nan ; and on the Weft by the Kingdom of Tibet , and certain neighbouring People. It is divided into ten Diftridls, comprizing ten Cities of the ftrft Rank, and eighty eight of the fecond and third, befides a great Number of fortify’d Towns rnd Forts. The great River Tang-tfe-kyang runs thro’ the Province, which is very rich, not only by reafon of the great Quantity of Silk it produces, but alfo in Iron, Tin, and Lead, in Amber, Sugar- Canes, excellent Loadftones, and Lapis Armenus ; which laft is of a very beautiful Blue. It abounds alfo in Mufk ; Orange and Citron-Trees are very numerous. The Horfes are very much efteem’d, becaufe they are little, very pretty and exceeding fwift. Plere are likewife plenty of Stags, Deer, Partridges, Parrots, and a fort of Hen with Wool like that of Sheep, inftead of Feathers; they are very fmall, have fhort Feet, and are highly efteem’d by the Chinefe X/adies, who keep them for their Amufement. From this Province comes the beft Rubarb, and the true Root The bed Ru- of Fu-lin ; which has under its Bark a kind of white fpongious Subftance, fomewhat clammy, barb, and true which the Phyficians prefcribe in almoft all Cafes. There is found a wild-fort in the other Pro- of F: " vinces ; but it is neither fo large nor good as this. Se-chwen produces alfo another Root, named Fen-fe , which bears a great Price, and confequently is not fo commonly ufed. As this Province is far from the Sea, it would be difficult to bring Salt hither; to fupply that Defedt, they dig Weils in the Mountains from whence they get fait Water, which being evaporated by Fire, leaves a Salt behind- but it is not fo good for feafoning as that of the Sea. The Fir ft City, Ching-tu-fu, the Capital of the Province. T HIS was heretofore one of the fineft Cities in the Empire ; but having been ruined as chEg-tu-fE well the as whole Province in 1646, by the Civil Wars preceding the Change in the Mo- the Ca P ltal - narchy, it retains nothing of its former Splendor: however it is ftill very populous, and of great Trade. Its Diftridl, which is very large, comprifing fix Cities of the fecond, and twenty five of the third Rank, is interfpers’d with navigable Canals, lin’d with hewn-Stone. The Territory of Ching-tu is the only one that is plain in all the Province ; it is water’d by Canals, cut from the Ta-kyang, which there is very gentle, and rather flow than fwift; but The Pa-bang when (after thefe Branches are re-united into one Channel, and augmented by the River Hin- ? r 7 a f t V t f e - JJ:a-kyang) that River paffes out of Se-chwen into Hu-quang , it becomes very dangerous; as.well on account of the Rapidity of its Stream, as its being incumber’d with Rocks, which the Coun¬ try is full of. The Ta-kyang cannot truely be faid to be the broadeft, deepeft and moft navigable River of China , till it has pafs’d Kin-chew. The Breadth of its Mouth in the Oriental Ocean is almoft leven Leagues; but at Ching-kyang-fu itfelf, the neareft City to the Sea, built on purpofc to defend the Entrance of it, its Channel is fcarce half a League broad : as it was found on meafuring it with Inftruments, from the famous Mountain Kin-fhan , which ftands in the middle of the River, by obferving the Points whofe Situations had been before determin’d. This fhows how little Regard is to be had to computed Diftances ; for altho' that Part of the River is much frequented, the ChineJ'e have err’d very much in their Eftimation, on the fide of Excefs. The Second City, Pau-ning-fu. T HE Situation of this City between two Rivers, tho’ fmall, renders it agreeable, and of pretty PaunEgfE good Trade. Its Houfes are Well built. The Country depending on it, which abounds with Mufk, is as it were cover’d with Mountains; which are ftor’d with Stags and Deer, 'and for the moft part afford no difagreeable Profpedt, efpecially thofe that are cultivated and cover'd with Forefts. It has ten Cities under its Jurifdidtion, two of the fecond, and eight of the third Rank. The Third City, Shun-king-fu. T HIS City, which ftands on a fair River, has ifr its Diftridl two Cities of the fecond, and ShunTEg-fi^ feven of the third Rank. It is furrounded with Mountains, whereof fome are cover’d over with Orange-Trees ; and affords more arable Lands than the Territory of the preceding City. This Country yields abundance of Silk, Oranges of all forts, the Root Scorzonera , and a kind of well tailed Chefnuts j but is' remarkable for nothing clfe. The geographical description The Fourth City, Su-chew-fu. (a) T - ' ' - HE Situation of this City on the Banks of the Yang-tfe-kyang renders it a Place of great Trade as well as Note ; and opens a Communication with Several other Cities of the Province, befides the Capital. The Country tho’ mountainous is very fertile, wanting nothing that may contribute to the Pleafures or Conveniences of Life. The Canes, called by us Bambu , which the ChineJ'e put to fo many different ufes, grow almoft every where in the Territory of this City, which has ten Cities of the third Rank within its Ju- rifdidtion. Ill Prov. XI. Se-chwen. The Fifth City, Chong-king-fu. f-J-tHIS is one of the handfomefl and mod trading Cities in the Province ; reckoning within 1 '" i “' I ; ts Diftridl three Cities of the Second, and eleven of the third Rank. It Hands at the Con- . I? T.rVilr'k ifi P nmmprrp with the whnle Province: one of I its Diltrict three Uittes or tne lecona, ana eicveu 01 uic umu ivaim. it umiusai flurace of two remarkable Rivers, which facilitate its Commerce with the whole Province ; one of them is call'd K in-Jba-kyang or [the River of] Golden Sand, which in its Way from the Province of run-nan collects all the Waters of the Mountains on the fide of Tartary ; the other, which rifes ftill further beyond the Borders of China , is properly the Ta-kyang, tho’ it goes by divers Names GraI according to the Place thro' which it paffes; but after it has left To-chewfu , it conftantly re¬ tains the Name of Ta-kyang , or Tang-tfe-kyang. Chong-king is built on a Mountain, where the Houfes feem to rife one above another, in form of an Amphitheatre. The Country depending on it, which is of vaft Extent, is intermix! with Plains and Mountains. The Air is healthful and temperate; they make very pretty Trunks here of Canes twitted and painted with divers Colours. The Rivers afford exceeding good Filh, whereof the Tortoifes, efpecially, are much efteem’d. Shtt'j-chtiu- /«•' The Sixth City, Quey-chew-fu. (b) A S this City, which ftands on the great Tang-tfe-kyang, appears as foon as ever we enter the Province, they have cftablilh’d a Cuftom-Houfe for receiving the Duties on Goods brought hither. Its Trade renders it very rich. Ten Cities are under its Jurifdidtion, viz. one of thefecond, and nine of the third Rank. Altho’ the Country is full of Mountains, yet the Induftry of the Hufbandman has made it very fertile, there not being fo much as an Inch of Land uncultivated. It produces abundance of Muik, and of thole Pits from whence they procure Salt; Orange and Limon-Trees are common. In the mod Northerly Parts, the Moun¬ tains, which are very rugged, and difficult of Afcent, are inhabited by a very clownifh fort of People, if compared with the Chinje Commonalty. The Seventh City, Ma-hu-fu. HIS City, which is feated on the Kin-Jha-kyang, has no more than one City of the third — T Rank under its Jurifdidtion. Its Territory, tho’ very fmall, is well watered, and very fruit¬ ful. Kank under its jurncncuon. its lcuuuiy, mu y Some of its Mountains are full of Stags, and its Situation procures it the Advantages of Trade. The Eighth City, Long-ngan-fu. Long-ngan fit■ A LTHO’ this City has only three of the third Rank under its Jurifdiflion, yet it has al¬ ways been look’d on as one of the mold important Places in the Province, whereof it is, as it were, the Key: Hence it commands over Icveral Forts, which were of greater ufe formerly than they are at prefent, to defend the Province from Invafions of the Tartars. The Country is intermixt with fteep Mountains and fertile Valleys. The Ninth City, Tfun-i-fu. T HIS City is confiderable for nothing, but becaufe it lies on the Borders of the Province of Quey-cheiv, and may defend the Entrance of it on that fide. It has in its Diftridl two Cities of the fecond, and four of the third Rank. The whole Country is very mountainous} notwithftanding which it is well watered, and fertile enough in feveral Parts. lor.gcbv.'cn- /“■ The Tenth City, Tong-chwen-fu. T HIS is a military Place, as well as the Cities TJ-mong-tu-fu and Chin-hyung-tu-fu ; which are fo call’d, becaufe the Inhabitants are old Soldiers, who from Father to Son have been bred up to Arms. Befides their Pay, they have Lands affign’d them near the Cities they inhabit. I Thefe Troops are difbanded in time of Peace, but to make them amends, they are diftributed into all the Frontier Garrifons of the Empire. (a) In the Table of Latitude and Longitude it is Swi-chcw-fu, but el&where as in this Place. (b) In the Map, as heTe,^uey-chenv-fu, but in the ife Table men¬ tion’d p. lo.Notc A.iiitf'iey-cbew /ii.and in the a d Tabl e^ue-chnv-fu. Befides of the PRO VINCE S of CHINA lop Befides thefe Cities of the firft Rank there are fome others, which, tho’ only of the fecond p R0V ^ Rank, have peculiar Jurifdiflion over certain Cities of the third Rank, and many Forts or Places s e -chwen, of War, fuch as thefe following, viz. . v_^TN_/ Torig-cbwen-cbew, whofe Diftrift is very fruitful, being watered by feveral Rivers. The Air is very healthful, and the Mountains as well as Plains well cultivated. The Country produces abundance of Canes, which yield exceeding good Sugar; and very populous Boroughs are feen in great Number. Kya-tinsc-chew, whofe Territory is watered by many Rivers, furniihes plenty of Rice and kiting- ,, «■ n ° chew. Mulk. Ta-chew lies neareft Tibet, and commands feveral Forts, built on the Borders of the Ya-thrw. Province. PROVINCE XII. Q.UANG-TONG. m h HIS is the moft confiderable of all the Southern Provinces. It is bounded on Frov.XII* I the North-Eaft by that of Fo-kyen ; on the North by Kyang-Ji , on the W eft by Qjiang- | Qyang-f l and the Kingdom of Tong-king ; the reft is walh’d by the Sea, where are tong. - ” a good Number of commodious Ports. It is divided into ten Countries, containing ten Cities of the ftrft, and eighty four of the fecond and third Rank ; exclufive of feveral oun s ‘ Forts or military places, together with the City of Ma-kau , and Ille of S(in-pan ; of both which I Ihall fpeak, becaufe they are become famous in Europe. The Country is partly plain, partly mountainous, and fo fertile as to produce two Crops of Produce. Corn yearly. Whatever can contribute to the Pleafures of Life abounds here j it alfo furniihes Gold, precious Stones, Silk, Pearls, Pewter, Quickfilver, Sugar, Copper, Iron, Steel, Saltpeter, Ebony, Eagle-wood, and feveral forts of Odoriferous Wood. There is likewife plenty of all forts of Fruits, as Pomegranates, Grapes, Pears, Plumbs, Chefnuts, and Peaches; which tho’ they do FruIts ‘ not ripen without Difficulty, would make pretty good Sweetmeats. There are others that are excellent in their kind, viz, Ba?ianas, Ananas, Li-chi, Long-ywen, Oranges, and Limons of all forts. There is a particular fort of Limon, which grows on Trees, full as thorny as the Citron- Tree, but much larger ; it bears white Flowers of an exquifite Odour, from which they diftil a very pleafant Liquor. The Fruit is almoft as big as a Man’s Head; its Rind refembles that of other Oranges, but tire Subftance within is either white or reddilh, and has a Tafte between fweet and fower. There is another fort of Fruit, the largeft any where to be feen, which grows not on the Branches, but out of the Body of the Tree; its Rind is very hard, and within it has a great Number of little Cells, containing a yellow Pulp, which is very fweet and agreeable when the Fruit is full ripe. Filh of all forts are caught on the Coafts, befides Oyfters, Lobfters, and very well tailed Fi,h : Crabs, and Tortoifes of an extraordinary Size > the ChineJ'e make an infinite Number of pretty Curiofities of their Shells. This Province abounds with wild and tame Peacocks, which are carry’d into the other Parts of the Empire ; alfo a prodigious multitude of tame Ducks, which the Inhabitants breed with Care. They hatch their Eggs in Ovens or in Dung, and then carry them in little Boats to the Sea-Side, at low Water, to feed on Oyfters, Cockles, and feveral Sea-Infedts. As a great Number of Boats go together, confequently many Flocks of them are intermixt on the Shore; but as foon as the Owners ftrikeon a Bafin, every Flock returns to its own Boat, as Pidgeons do to their Houfes. Another Rarity of this Province is the Tree, which the Portugueze call Iron-Wood ; and iron-Wood, indeed it refembles Iron in Colour as well as Hardnefs and Weight, which laft hinders it from fwimming on the Water. There is alio another particular Wood, which they call Rofe-Wood, Rofe-Wood, whereof the Cbinefe Joiners make Tables, Chairs and other Moveables: Its Colour is black, inclining to red, it is lpeckied with Veins, and painted naturally. On the Coafts and in a Lake of the Illand Hay-nan they catch Crabs, which, as they affirm, Petrefied as foon as they are taken out of the Water, become as hard as Flints; and prove, as they fay, Crabs - a good Remedy againft burning Fevers. There grows alfo on the Mountains a prodigious Quantity of a wonderful kind of Oziers or Stmrge kind Willows, no thickei*than one’s Finger. It creeps along the Ground, and Ihoots forth very long of0zicrs i Sprigs refembling twilled Cords, which fo embarrafs the Way, that the Stags themfelves know not how to extricate themfelves. This Ozier, which is very pliable and tough, ferves for making Cables and Ropes for Shipping; they divide them into very thin Slips, whereof they make Balkets, Paniers, Hurdles, Chairs, and very commodious Mats, which the ChineJ'e generally lie on in Summer, becaufe they are cool. G g VOL. I, The H4 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION The People of this Province are very induftrious; and tho' not quick at Invention, they are Qjj a n g-' ver y ex P ert at imitating any fort of European Work that is ihown them, and immediately make rnncT fuch another in great Perfe&ion. As Quang-tong is a Maritime Province, and moft refriote from the Court, its Government is at imieS* one t * le m °ft conl iderable in the Empire. He who is •T/ing-ti} of it, is alfo ‘fjmg-tu of Qiiang-fi'; and for that Reafon reftdes at Cbau-kingi to be the nearer at Hand for giving his Orders relating to that Province. The Firjt City, Quangchew-fu, Capital of the Province. T HE City which the Chinefe name £>uang-chew , is the fame which Europeans call Kan-ton (a). It is one of the moft populous and opulent in China ; and perhaps deferves the firft Quang-chcvj- fu. Place in this refpedt, fince to the Trade of the neighbouring Nations it hath added that of Europe. Befides it ftands on one of the fineft Rivers in the Empire, which they have Reafon to name Ta-ho, [or the great River ] efpecially at Kan-ton ; becaufe in its way from the Province of £>uang-f, it receives another River deep enough to bring up large Velfelsfrom the Sea to the Town, and by means of Canals extends its Waters into divers Provinces. Its Mouth is large, and more terrible for its Name Hu-??ien, that is, the 'Tiger s Gate y than its Forts, which are built only to keep off the Chinefe Pirates. The fides of this River, the neighbouring Plains, even the little Hills themfelves are well cultivated, and ftor’d with Rice, or a kind of Trees, w r hich are always green. The great Quantity of Money, which is brought hither from the moft diftant Countries, draws the Merchants of the feveral Provinces to this Port, where almoft evdry thing that is curious and rare in the Empire may be found. The Inhabitants are befides very laborious, ingenious, and' above all exceeding fkilful in imitating any Pattern, as has been already obferved, and embellilh- ing their Manufactures : which however are not much efteem’d at Pe-king , becaufe the Work¬ men there undervalue them, as being neither fubftantial nor well wrought; for generally the Materials they are made of, are too fcanty or ill chofen, or elle the Workmanfhip within is too (light. Neverthelefs the Silks made at Kan-ton , call’d Sha, are reckon’d at Pe-king the beft of that Silks. kind ; efpecially the flower’d forts, which are wrought open like Lace, and very much worn in Summer, becaufe they are cheap and genteel. Tho’ the Number of Artificers in this City is almoft incredible, yet not being fufficient for its Fo-jhan. Trade, they have eftablifh’d a great many Manufactories at Fo-fian y which has render’d it famous thro’ the whole Prtivince. During the Troubles wherein Kan-ton was involv’d, the Trade was carry’d to this Borough, which is within four Leagues of it ; it is at leaft three Leagues in Compafs, is a Place of great Refort, and in fhort not inferior to Kan-ton , either for Wealth or Number of Inhabitants; tho’ that City taken altogether is reported to contain up¬ wards of a Million pf Souls: which is the more credible, confidering its great 'Extent, and vaft Concourfe of People continually in the Streets, altho’ one fcarce ever fees a Woman among them. The Kice-Roy refides at Kan-ton , which has under its JurifdiClion (eventeen Cities, one of the fecond, and fixteen of the third Rank. There can hardly be a more charming Landlkip than what offers itfelf on entring the River that leads to the Town. It is various, animated and gay ; on one fide Meadows of a moft lovely Green extend out of Sight, on the other Groves appear, or little Hills which rife in form of Amphitheatres, and are afeended by Steps made of green Sods. Sometimes Rocks are feen cover’d with Mofs ; at other times Villages are difeover’d among the Copfes; fometimes Canals prefent themfelves, which form Iflands, or lofing themfelves in the Earth expofe to view their beautiful Banks; in (liort the whole ProfpeCt is inchanting. Kan-ton is very large, and, as it were, three Cities united in one; which are feparated by fair high Walls, but fo contiguous that the fame Gate ferves to pafs from one to the other. The whole forms a Figure almoft fquare, and is not much lefs in Compafs than Paris ; thofe who live at a Diftance from the Center, are fometimes a whole Hour going to make a Viftt in a Chair, and yet there are no very large Gardens or wafte Grounds in the City; only there ar© fome pretty good Squares, which are agreeable enough. The Streets are long and ftraight, paved with very hard hewn-Stone, and extremely neat, but all narrow, excepting a few, which are adorn’d with Triumphal Arches at certain Diftances. They are wholly taken up with Shops, and as fome of them are cover’d, the beft Shops are there. The Streets are full of People, efpecially Porters, who commonly go bare-footed and bare¬ headed ; cr elfe wear a Straw Hat, of a vaft Circumference, and an odd Figure, to defend them from the Sun or Rain. Moft of them are feen loaden with Burdens, for they have noConveniency here for carrying Goods but the Shoulders of Men. Perfons of Condition are carry’d in Chairs. The Houfes, tho’ very neat, are far from being (lately; almoft all of them confift of a Ground-Floor, and are built of Earth, ornamented with Bricks, and cover’d with Tiles. Yet Kan-ton (a) Kan-ton is a Corruption of Quang tong, the Name of the Terms are feldom explained; for the Table of Terms is far from Province. P. Bouvet, p. 6;, ihews how it came in ufe. It is taking in all. one great fault of this Relation, that the proper Names and ■.wV. . uh •!)', ill i. ■ ■ j v ! • : of the PRO VINCE S of CHIN A. 115 1 Kan-ton is not deftitutc of handfome Buildings. The Idol Temples, furrounded with Cells of p the Bonzas , have fomething lingular in them : And the Hall of Confucius , as well as the Aca- A° V ‘ demy where the Literati aifemble to compole their Exercifes, are curious Structures. The Ta-men toms" or Palaces of the Mandarins , are alfb beautiful and grand3 tho’ in a different Refpedt from what we term fo in Europe. The River is crouded 'on both fides with a prodigious Number of Barks in fev£ral Rows, which contain an infinite Quantity of People, and make a kind of floating City. Thefe Barks lying clofe together form Streets 3 each Bark contains a whole Family, and like Houfes is divided into different Apartments 3 the common People who inhabit them, go out be,times in the Morning, either to hfh, or work at the Rice, which yields two Crops every Year. At the End of each Street there is a Barrier, which is fhut every Evening foon after the Gates of the City ; fo that every Body is obliged to be at home by the time it grows dark. This Regulation prevents many Diforders in Chijia, where the greateft Cities are as quiet in the Night¬ time as if they confided but of fingle Families. The Second City, Shau-chew-fu. T HIS City is fituate between two navigable Ri'vefs, which meet at the Place where it sbau-cbn* is built ; one of them comes from Nan-hyong, and the other from the Province of Hu- ftl quang. The Bank of the River on the Weft-Side is joined to the City by a Bridge of Boats, and well inhabited. The whole Country, which is fcattered over with Boroughs, produces abundance of Rice, Herbage, Fruits, Cattle and Fifh 3 but the Air is not healthful, fo that often from the middle of October to December a great Number of the Inhabitants are carry’d off by the Diftempers that reign there. Six Cities of the third Rank are dependant on it 3 near one of which there grow black Reeds, which look like Ebony, whereof they make various Mufical Inftruments. Three Miles from Shauche%v there is.a celebrated Monaftery of the Bonzas , which formerly, Fine Mona- they affirm, contained a thouland of them ; nothing can be- more charming than its Situation. ftci 7 - In the middle of a great Mountain, where it ftands, call’d Nan-wba, one difeovers an agree¬ able Defart, which extends along a vaft Plain, intirely encompafs’d with little Hills; on the Tops of which they have planted Rows of Fruit-Trees, and from Space to Space Thickets* of Evergreens. The Country round about belongs to this Monaftery, which they fay was founded eight or nine hundred Years ago. The Devil, who is the Imitator of God’s Works, has' his Penitents as well a$ his Virgins and Martyrs. They pretend that the Founder of this Monaftery, whofe Body is worfhip’d here, (pent his Life in the moft dreadful Mortification and that Worms having bred in the Sores, made in his Flefh by an Iron Chain which he wore about him, he took fo much Care to improve his Sufferings, that he gather’d them up as faft as they dro'p’d off his Body, and put them in their Place again, faying, That there was ft ill fomething to feed on. The Bonzas his Succeffors follow his Example, but very ill; for tho’ they make Profeffion of Chaftity, it is faid they are given to all forts of Debaucheries. Formerly great Complaints were made by the People, -who came, hither in Pilgrimage, that they robbed and plundered them ; but at prefent Care is taken to prevent the like. The Third City, Nan-hyong-fu. (a) T HIS is a large trading City, an 1 one of the moft frequented in the Empire. It ftands jgan-hong-jn. at the Fco. of a Mountain, (leparating the Provinces of ^uang-tong and Kyang-fi ) from which two large Rivers defeend, whereof one runs Southward, the other Northward 3 this laft is divided into fo many Branches that none of its Waters are loft, which are continually fwell’d with the Streams that fall from the Mountains. This City has only two Cities of the third Rank under its Jurifdidtion. Between Nan-hyong , which is the laft City of the Province of ^uang-tong, and Nan-ngan the fir ft City of Kyang-fi, ten Leagues diftant, lies a great Mountain, call’d Mey-lin 3 over which there is a remarkable Road, above three Miles in length, with Precipices on each fide 3 but as J ' " the Way is pretty wide, Travellers are in no Danger from Accidents. On the Top of the Mountain, from whence one may fee a great Way into both Provinces, there is a fort of Temple built in Honour and to the Memory of the Mandarin who caufed this admirable Road to be made, which is the moft famous throughout China 3 becaufe what¬ ever comes either from the Eaft or South, muft pafs that Way 3 whence it is almofi: conti¬ nually throng’d with People, as much as the Streets of great Cities. The Merchants of the (everal Provinces have very lately caufed a Stone Monument to be eredted here, at their own Expence 3 whereon is inferibed the Elogy of the Vice-Roy, who had the Care of the Cuffom- Houfes of the Province of Quang-tong, and caufed the Duties to be confiderably leflen’d. (a) In t h e Map, Kan-yong, and in th e TabI e of Divifions, p. 6. Work, nor is it eafy to deternine which is the trae Ortho- J San-ojung. Differences ot thefe kinds are very common in this grnphy. The 112 . geographical description Chan-chew* A Cbau-kingfu. Prov.XII, The Fourth City, Whey-chew-fu. uGSTF >-r--p!HE Tide comes up as far as this City, fo that the Chinefe Ships of Burthen may fail up A au-Jwjt,. I ^ ; wh;ch conveniency, with the Fertility of its Land, caufes great Plenty. It prefides ow? one City of the fecond, and five of the third Rank. This Diftrift is inclofed partly by the Sea, and partly by Mountains, which are as Walls to it Here are abundance of excellent Birds of Prey ; alfo a fort of Stone nearly refembhng Marble which naturally reprefents Water, Mountains, and Landfkips. The Chinefe cut it into Leaves’ whereof they make Tables and other Furniture. The Sea produces a kind of Crab, much like the common fort, which have this ex- c e rl r r" S traordinary Quality, that when they are out the Water, they petrefy, without lofing their natural FormT" The Chinefe Phyficians ufe them as an excellent Remedy agamft burmn a Fevers. Village Fe- Jhan contains 1,000,000 Souls. The of the PRO VINCES of C II I N A. I17 The Eighth City, Lyen-chew-fu. Fsov.XII. Qu ang- '“THIS'City’(lands near the Sea, which there forms a Very commodious’ Port for Barld, and ^ Ships of Burden. Its DiftriCt is but of fmall Extent, comprizing only one City of the /“• fecond, and two of the third Rank'. The Country borders on the Kingdom of Tong-king, from which it is feparated by inacceffible Mountains. It affords plenty of Peacocks; they fifh here for Pearls, and make leveral pretty Works of Tortoife-Shell. The Ninth City, Lwi-chew-fu. T HE Territory belonging to this City, is the molt agreeable and plentiful in all the Weftbrn Part of the Province. It is almoft furrounded by the Sea, being feparated from the liland of Hay-nan, only by a fmall Streight; where, it is faid, there was formerly a Pearl- Fifhery. It abounds with Boroughs, whofe Inhabitants fubfift by hilling oh the Coafts, which afford plenty of all forts of Fifh. The creeping Ozier, confiftirig of long Shoots, refemblihg twilled Cords, whereof the Chinee, make an infinite Number of pretty Works *, grows every where in the Diftridl of this City ; which has fubordinate to it three Cities of the third Rank. The Tenth City, Kyun-chew-fu ( A ), Capital of the JJland of Hay-nan. TV 11 r Lwi-chtnu-fU, * See before, P- «3s clear: JAY-NAN, which fignifies Souths of the Sea, is a great liland, having to the North, the Province of Qtiangfdng (b), whereto it belongs, which may be feen diftinCtly when the Sky is ir; on the'South, the Channel form’d by the Bank of Paracel, with the Eaftern Coaft of Cochin china-, on the Weil, part'of the fame Kingdom, and that of Tong-king and on the Eaft the Sea of China. Its greeted: Length from Eaft to Weil is between iixty and feventy Leagues, and its Breadth fi'om North to South, between forty and fifty; fo that it is near a hundred and iixty Leagues in Circumference. On the North fide, the Country is plain for fifteen Leagues from the Coaft; but on the South soil, and Eafl: fide,. it is covered with very high Mountains. It is only between thefe Mountains, and thofe which poiTeis the middle part of the Iile, that one meets with cultivated Plains ; and even thefe Plains, altho’ they contain but a very fmall Portion of the Land, are alfo in many Places fandy and uncultivated. However the great Number of Rivers,- and frequent Rains that follow the Change of Seafons, render the Rice Fields fertile enough 5 and as they have often two Harvefts a Year, the Produce fuffices for the Inhabitants, tho’ pretty numerous. The Climate of the Southern part is very unwholeforfie, especially on account of the Water, Air unwhole* which according to the Chtnefe is noxious; wherefore they take Care to boil every Morning a fonie ' Quantity that may ferve for the whole Day. Kyun-chew-fu, the Capital of Hay-nan, \s fituate on a Promontory ; and Ships come to Anchor under its very Walls. . Two forts of Mandarins command here, as in all other Parts of China/*' viz- Literary Mandarins , and Military Mandarins, ox Officers of War. It has under its Juris¬ diction three Cities of the fecond, and ten of the third Rank, which are almoft all on the Sea Coaft. The greater Part of the liland is fubjeCt to the Emperor of China none but the Country Li-mu-jka*, or in the middle, named ,Li-mufJ:an ox Chifjhari ’being-• independent. It is inhabited by a free //ft ,n " People, who have never yet been"conquered, or acknowledged the Authority of the Mandarins j independent 11 being obliged to abandon the plain Country to the Chinefe, they have retreated to the Mountains Pco P Ie - in the Center of the liland, where they are fhelter’d from all their Infults. Thefe People had formerly an open Correipondence with the Chinefe : Twice a Year they expofed to Sale the Gold, which they dug out of their Mines, and their Eagle and Calamba.Wood, fo much eftcem d by all the Eaftem People'." One deputed by them was lent to examine the Chinefe Linens, and Wares on the Frontier's, .while the Principal among the Chinefe Merchants repair d to the Mountains to view their Commoditiesj the Bargain being made, the Chinefe Goods were hi.ft carried thither, after.which they faithfully deliver’d; them the Things they had agreed forj by this Traffic the Chinefe made an immenie Gain, whereof the Governor had the greater part. The Pxnfexox Kangfi, being informed of the prodigious Quantity of Gold which his Man- aarins acquired by this Commerce, for that and other Reafons,. forbid all his Subjects, under Pain o Death, to have any' CoiYefpbndence with-thefe People. However, fome fe.cret EmifTarics of t le neighbouring Governors, (till find means" of getting to them by Stealth j but the Profits anting from this clandeftinc Trade, for thefe thirty Years paft, are very inconfiderable to what they ufed to be. (a) In the Geographical Table as well as the Text, it-is written Kiun ; but in the Map, Kiong, which according to our VOL. I. way of fpelling will be Kyong-chc'W-fu, (b) The French has thro’ fome Miflake, 9uane-fi, Hh ^ U Thsfe nS GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION Thefe Iflanders therefore fcarce ever appear, Unlefs when they are moved, either by Caprice, Prov.XII. or t j le R eme mbrance of their ancient Liberty, to invade the neighbouring Cbineje Villages. Ltpa.ng- y bave now and then attempted to furprize fome of them ; but are futh Cowards, and lb badly difciplined, that fifty Cbinefe , tho’ far from being good Soldiers, would defeat 1000 of them, their very Looks being enough to put them to flight. Neverthelefs there are other Ifianders more tractable, who, paying Tribute to the Emperor, are fuffered to pofiefs feveral entire Villages in the Plains, becaufe they hold no Correfpondence with thofe of the Mountains. Many others put themfelves into the Service of the Cbineje , keep their Sheep, till their Lands, and are fub- jeCt to the common Days-Work, appointed by the Governors of the different Places ; thefe are difperfed thro’ the Plain in the Eaft and South part of the Ifland; and generally fpeaking are very deform’d, fhort, and of a reddifh Colour. Habit. Both Men and Women wear their Hair in a Ring on the Forehead, and on their Heads a Hat made of Straw or Rattan , tied under the Chin with two Strings. Their Habit confifts of a Piece of Callico, either black, or of a deep Blew, which covers them from the Waift to the Knees. The Women wear a kind of Waift-Coat of the fame, and are farther dillin- guifh’d by blue Streaks on their Faces, made with Indigo, from their Eyes downwards. Both Sexes wear Gold and Silver Ear-Rings, fhap’d like a Pear, and very well made. > s Their Arms are Bows and Arrows, which they are not very expert at; and a kind of Hanger, which they carry in a little Bafket, faften’d to their Girdle behind. This is all the Tools they have for doing their Carpenters Work ; and to cut Wood and Bufhes, when they crofs Forefts. Mines. Befides the Mines of Gold in the Heart of the Ifland, there are others in the North part, of the Lapis Armenus , which they carry to Kan-ton, and is ufed in painting all the blue Por- cellain. The bed Wood, both for Scent and Carving, comes from the Mountains of Hay-nan ; from whence the prelent Emperor caufed a Quantity to be brought, at a vaft Expence, fuffi- cient to build a Palace defign’d for his Burying-Place. SweetWools, The moft precious of thefe Woods, next to the Eagle-Wood , is the Wha-li , call'd by Eu¬ ropeans > Roje or Violet Wood , on account of its Scent. There is allb a yellow Wood, which is very beautiful and incorruptible ; whereof Pillars of a certain Thicknefs, are of an immenfe Price, and referved as well as the Wha-li for the Emperors Service. Produce. ^his Ifland, befides the feveral kinds of Fruits found in China , produces much Sugar, To¬ bacco and Cotton. Indigo is common here; to which if we add the Harveft of the Areca-Nut, the Crop of Rattan, with the different forts of Fifh taken on the Coafts, which are dry’d and falted for Exportation ; nobody need wonder that twenty or thirty thoufand pretty large Jonks fhouli arrive here every Year from Kan-ton , or fcruple to to rank Hay-nan among the moft confiTrable Blands of Afia , on account of its Situation, Magnitude, and Riches. Ports. The Port, where almoft all the Barks of Kan-ton come, is in the North-fide of the Ifland, and form’d by a pretty large River, whole Mouth is defended by two fmall Forts; but as it has not above ten or twelve Feet Water, VefTels, made after a different Manner from the Cbineje , would find it difficult to enter. Trade brings thither all the Merchants in the Ifland, who have their Factors in other Parts. The Capital City Hands about two Leagues from this Port; between them is a great Plain, full of beautiful Chinefe Sepulchres, among which there is one with a Crofs on it, where lies interred an Italian Jefuit , the firfl Miffionary who landed on this Ifland. On the Southern Coaft:, where the Company’s Ships have put in, there is one of the befl Ports to be met with, at the Bottom of a great Bay; where VefTels ride at Anchor in twenty Feet Water, within Piftol-fhot of the Shore, and fix Ships may continue, during both the Monfoons, in the greatefl Security. On the Shores of this Port grow feveral Maritime Plants and Mandrepores (c) of all kinds; alfo fome Trees which yield Dragons Blood, and feveral others of different forts; from which, an Incifion being made, there diftills a white Juice, that as it hardens, turns red ; but is not of a Con fi fie nee like Gum or Rofin. This Matter caft: into a Perfume Pot, burns llowly, and dif- fufes a Scent lefs ftrong, and more agreeable, than Incenfe. There is found among the Rocks, at no great Depth of Water, a certain little blue Fifh, which refembles the Dolphin more than the Dorado , and is in greater Efleem with the Cbineje than the Golden Fijh ; but, unluckily, they live only a few Days out of their Element. Tho’ we cannot abfolutely deny what is reported in Travellers, of a Lake in this Ifland, having the Virtue of petrifying whatever is thrown into it; yet there is great Reafon to doubt it, be¬ caufe the Iflanders know nothing of the Matter ; that which may have given Occafion to this Opinion, is thofe counterfeit Petrifications, which the Chinefe make to Perfection, and are very com¬ mon at Kan-ton. They tell us alfo, that Pearls are found no where in fuch Abundance as on the Northern Coafts of this Ifland ; but however true this might have been formerly, it it certain, that at prefent there is no fuch thing : Indeed fome very fmall ones are gotten on the Coaft of $uang- fi, which are very dear ; but the Pearls one meets with in China , come from the Indies. Apes. Among the Animals, this Ifland breeds a curious kind of great black Apes, whofe Phyfiognomy very nearly refembles the Human, fo diftintft are the Features ; but this Species is fcarce. There are others of a grey Colour, which are very ugly and common, (e) The Mandrtpre is a Sea Plant refembling Whitt Coral. Hay-nan of the provinces of China. 119 Hay-nan abounds with Game ; indeed the Partridges, Quails, and Hares are inferior to thofe **”*»*»■ K "*- Snirrp« Tnl. and all forts of Water-Fowl are very good. There is a kind ProvXII. Qjj a n g- JL %l 0 t P e le . c ™ d third - It produces fuch plenty of Rice, that for fix Month be * fuppo : t ° f Whkh ° therW ‘ fe W ° Uld n ° ^UUl.g, ... ^✓YV. Notvvith- ^e!crnzeeJ-oc lAe^/aA. ^oA/eweeA, aneA tn,-o Aneo A0//1 UotA. “’and'AAny . ' i^avy shun (chew* 2 ° co l °^^ : Li oreAmeA' Furlough ^nzn-n on fAe JjnaA Ai/J/Ai"'' de Tartre d' Corddio , tn tAe boarj/j-J. ; r/A fm/irove/nenSu Ay /Ae o/nsnon /"f-dJi-he -At/esi , y -,' v shoi>^ P^:’ JjiCJIWALD GRWf Monymuisk. /3t Aong./te.-i <7 XatA Sonqjnjty 5 . 22.40 -/yen’-rAe/tyit 24240 , 47 . 20.00 529.20 4 r/y-y/ny-A/en ? 3 - 3 8 ?9 • 7 . 02.40 S. 14.20 'zAnyenj/u'.. 23 . 25.12 8 - 344 “ - .JO. 40 . who m ofterwaids employ'd m lome of [lie Governments oi Magiftracies. The Third City, Kin-ywen-fu. ( F ) . „ t T TO’ this City is built on a large River, yet it is not the more agreeable ; for befides being T c ncompaffed y with frightful Mountains, thofe of .W** winch are i 9 acceffibl=, and and five of the third Rarikdepend on its Jurifdiftion. Plant produ’ ces Meal. Infe&s that make white Wax. dhiey-linf’-fu. Etymol. of Quty-ling. The Flower Bed Stones for making Ly&w-cht-iv- - -(oV-More properly Seylan, Qi-Sslan with an S... (pi According to the Map, it ftands on a fort of Lake. (A Here the Name agrees with the Map, buttfc fectth the Tables it Is fpelled, /Cwg-jwf»/& _ of the PROVINCES of CHINA ill PROVXIU. The Fourth City, Se-nghen fu. Se-ngben-fu. T HE t)iftri6l of this City is of no great Extent, containing only one City of the fecond Rank, and two of the third. It is encompaffed with Mountains, whole Inhabitants, who were formerly rude, and half Barbarians, but have become civiliz’d by Degrees, lince they were incorporated with the Empire. The Fifth City, Ping-lo-fu. T HIS City (lands on a River, which, tho’ large, is hardly navigable. It runs among very narrow Valleys, interlperfed with Rocks, which makes it full of Water-Falls. Its Jurifdi- tim-kfi. dhon contains one City of the fecond, and feven of the third Rank. All thefe Cities are inviron'd with Mountains, which render the Country difagreeable; fome of them however are cover’d with Orange-Trees ; abundance of that white Wax, made by certain Inledls, is found here, whereof I have fpoken more than once already. The Sixth City, U-chew-fu. A LL the Rivers of the Province meet near this City, which borders on ^uang-tong ; whence it is look d on as the molt conliderable for Trade, and of greatefl Importance, becaufe it is Ucbewfii the Key of that Piovince. Its Diilridt comprizes one City of the fecond, and nine of the third Rank. The Country is partly plain, and partly mountainous. It produces Red Lead , and a remark- Cinnabar, able Tree, nam’d $uang-lang ; which inftead of Pith contains a foft Subfiance, employ’d to the fame Ufe as Meal, and of no difagfeeable Talle. S Befides the common Animals of China , one meets here with the Rhinoceros; and a kind Rhinoceros, of Apes, with yellow Hair, which by their Shape, and Shrilnefs of their Yell, have a great Re- femblance of Dogs. The Seventh City, Sin-chew-fu. (a) T HIS City flands at the Confluence of two Rivers, in an agreeable Country,, if compar’d with the reft of the Province. The Forefls and Mountains, wherewith it is incompaffed, Sinc erw '- have fomething inexpreflibly gay and fmiling, efpecially to fuch as come from thofe fleep Moun¬ tains, on the Spot which flrike the Eye with nothing but what is frightful and melancholy. The Country produces a fort of Cinnamon, much inferior to that of Ceylan, in Goodnefs and Smell ; alfo thofe Trees, whofe Wood is fo hard that it has the Name of Iron-Wood. They make Cloth of a certain Grals, which fometimes bears agreater Price, than the com¬ mon Silks. ^ A kind of yellow Earth is found here, which they fay is a fovereign Remedy again ft all forts of Poifon. The Dillridt of this City is not confiderable, containing no more than three Cities of the third Rank. The Eighth City, Nan-ningfu. T HE Place where this City flands, is almofl furrounded with Rivers, and little Lakes. Ran-ningfli. Four Cities of the fecond, and three of the third Rank are within its Diflridl, which is intermixt with Plains and Mountains. Great Parrots are found here, that are eafily taught to fpeak j alfo a kind of Fowl, which difcharges out of its Mouth Threads of Cotton; and very large Porcupines, which dart very long and fliarp Quills at thofe who approach them. Some of its Mountains produce Iron Mines. The Ninth City, Tay-ping-fu. ~1 'HIS City is fltuate in an Elbow made by a large River, by which it is incloled on ^ a y-pi”g-/«> JL three lides, and fortify’d on the fourth by a Wall running from one Branch of that River to the other. The Country depending on it is the beft in the whole Province. The Soil is fertile, very populous, and well cultivated. It contains a great Number of Forts, as bordering on the Kingdom of ‘Long-king. The Inhabitants are look’d on as Barbarians by the Chinefe, becaufe they have not much Politenefs,. and fhew a Roughnefs in their Behaviour, very different from the Chinefe Affability. The Dillridt of this City contains twelve Cities of the fecond, and two of the third Rank. (a) In the Table Page 6. Tfin chrwfu. VOL. I. S TANDS alfo near the Borders of ‘Tong-king , in a mountainous Country, and not far from the Pillar, which the Tong-kingeje have erected to ferve for the Limits of their Kingdom, as I have elfewhere remark’d. Its Mountains furnifh abundance of Wood, and its Diftridt contains only four Cities of the fecond Rank. The Country produces all the Necelfaries of Life, but the Inhabitants are' not near fo polite as thole of other Parts of the Empire. Chin-ngan-fu. Chin vgan-fu. \ S great Part of the Diftriift of this City depends on Tong-king , it contains only one il City of the fecond Rank. It was formerly no more than a pitiful Borough, which was afterwards inlarg’d, and inclofed with Walls, in order to make it a City of the firft Rank. The Manners ol its Inhabitants does not differ much from thofe of the ChineJ'e. The Country produces all the Necelfaries of Life, and among the reft much Honey and Wax. The Twelfth City, Se-chin-fu. T HE Diftrift of this City is inconfiderable, containing only two Cities of the fecond Rank'. It is fituate aimoft at the Spring of two little Rivers, which meet near its Walls. The Country is partly plain, partly mountainous. It borders on Tun-nan , and is full of populous Boroughs. PROVINCE XIV. Y U N - N A N. T HIS Province, being one of the richeft of the Empire, is bounded on one fide by the Provinces of Se-chwen, §>uey-chew , and Quang-Ji and on the other by Tibet , fome favage Nations little known, and the Kingdoms of Ava, Pegu , Laos, and Tong-king. It contains twenty one Cities of the firft Rank, and fifty five of the fecond and third. It is water’d every where by Rivers, whereof feveral take their Rife from confiderable Lakes, which are in the Province, and render it very fruitful. All forts of Necelfaries are very cheap here. The Gold alone that is gathered out of the Sand of the Rivers and Torrents, which defeend from the Mountains fituate in the Weftern part of the Province, amounts to a confiderable Sum ; whence it may be judged that thofe Mountains contain Gold-Mines, which would produce immenfe Riches, were they fuffer’d to be open’d. Befides the Mines of common Copper, found alfo in fome other Provinces, there are fome of a lingular’ kind, named Pe-t.ong, which is white, both within and without. It produces red Amber, but no yellow ; in a word. Rubies, Saphirs, Agats, Pearls, precious Stones, Mufk, Silk, Benjamin, a fort of Frankincenfe, which is much efteem’d, Lapis Armenus , and very beautiful Marble. Some of this Marble, which is of divers Colours, naturally reprefents ■ Mountains, Flowers, Trees and Rivers, whereof they make Tables and other Ornaments; fome think that the Rubies, and other precious Stones, are brought hither from the King¬ dom of Ava. Among the Animals, one meets with excellent Horfes, moft of them low but ftrong and vigorous ; Stags of a peculiar kind, which are neither taller nor thicker than our ordi- ' nary Dogs. The Lords keep them in their Gardens for their Diverfion. The Birds, call’d Kin-ki or Golden-Hens , are alfo found here, which I have defcribed elfewhere. The People are very ftrong and courageous; befides they are of a mild affable Temper, and fit for the Study of the Sciences. The Firft City, Yun-nan-fu, the Capital of the Province. T HIS City has no navigable River, but is built on the fide of a large and deep Lake, or to fpeak in the Language of the Country, on the Coaft of the South Sea. It is not many Years fince it it was remarkable for its Beauty. Within its Walls, which are three Miles in Com- pafs, it was full of handfome Buildings, and without, adorn’d with pleafant Gardens, two or three of which are ftill to be feen. (c) In the two Tables tis Se-ching-fui but in the Map as here. A Ch inefe ?aris «- 'ttlaAle of 'dl&daMuded f cdiJervedjenddonjltuded /deform e-ned Gjeometoicalli/ ) wAoreon dud ^d/eyi. Grounded. OPlaced ^fatf ^fbnif , l IP laced 'djt-tonuj-fti ...0j.ja.14 ja.38.30 CAcngi-Aany (o-/u/ntf -c/eii' ..34.38.48 xi.ff .10 .{onj-Aa/i-y, 'htan/f-nan-ft ..24.3 .36 22 .««.fj '’dn-y/vej-cA h/e-nrAafu - 23 .14.30 xi . 6 .43 Ifonj-cAamj Henxf-tde-Aye/i .ij .14.0 xa .32.10 JA/tn-nenj- f1n.-n77an.-fu -.-03.3721 13.24.0 ddn^-toxuy- ? /n-en-Ayanj-fu..i3 .36.0 d4.38.40 ddr-si-Ai^en liven -ive/y-txe ... 1a.11. o 13.16.40 Ruanj-ji-fl, dton/f- hy.eiv ... 1a.z3.20 36.42.0 Clu/nj-Aya) lionj-dnyy-fu. .. 13.37.31 ‘3724.40 CAu-lu/onp- ]©.«■ » le/oredieu!ante.,dot‘tcr.donyfofa.Place denoted a variation from dteJddajr jo 300 2JO zoo ComnionFivnc/iJlea^i/iif 26.31.0 18.31.0 274140 */•* -35 36.x8.33 1*6-1430 ITa-li-fu _ 13.44.14 dCy enr-Arn-cAew .16.31. o *i/ei-cAtna-yuan *27.31.0 ■f’-AyAnj-fi ,.. 2631.36 If/mef-nonef-fit ... 17.48.18 Ifonefyie-fii - 16.41.0 yan-7yXn-3L-.1s.3iM It-ting-fu. . 1j.31.14 'Xuu-iian-iu- 13.6.0 JEnghoh i.dMoJ . ddfvree anderrtAe.dl'dme, of 071/000 denoted die-Cot. olderved. ■ City ofu. /vratrtvnA .aOhyoft./. ran A , a City o*f 17.3 d . ran A FU .at Clxew,, jffye-n., -XyaOy/Xct). MA J. JlSK- 1 J JL O V 3 JVCJE JOV Yun -isrA.isr; Auranm Cn d dyicily flu lira I’ndelli^R.egis,^ ZBonjour, 'MiAugustmzan, m t/idAMearjyyf. tytty^nywyn/mzm./if wy ^Editor. ^njon/xer/ ^JohlllV^dcieltDll YC/url CaM M. t/ic (anmPi/, JEs tf’Zsii&tti/tea • ajA- AJhr/uztt>w/tp/or t/edaulifcnim. d%- ‘Tla-dAu-jAa, .Lau- <: 11 w a if tire PROVINCES of CHINA 12? **•"**, J Yoke, end having taken up Arms againft he E»Z in 670 ll Fa^ ^ ^ the ?— a while after of old Age, his Troops were of a Ld» difpeld ™ """ d ’ “ d ^ of Z ft® lT ce s r 'f ti Z 3 part!cular f « cafion of this Name. It is 4 ade rf twifted sll wlth °“t knowing the Oc- Theydye it of all forts of Colons' 7 s Zy t \^ G1 °*- neither bright nor lively ; they alio make very good Carpets common Satln i but it appears feremlv ftirnillfdff-he I^ea^ers^poo^the^Buddlno^ 11 ^^ 011 ’> the Sh °P s -e but indif- ^ reEdes/Ll^^ °/ %?- and feven of the third Rank Fiovmce. Its Diftndl: contains four Cities of the fecond, Admittance to Veffels J 0 - te temperate, and the Canals give an eafy .y«S£V?SSg££&<£r -*«- »*«»., d«« S„ t Marble. The Tree, call'd alfefobbil herd/' P, ““ Tine Second City, Ta-li-fu. T forts o/’Fift! *it e if hrge^ and^verv D^ 31 ? 6 ’ wh ^ h “ ^ lon & and abounds with all fo that it is a very AlnScfto lI 7 i„ P ^ J ^ Chn ““ “ “ d ^ Soil fertile, £ id y-r ents made ° f that ■— different Colours, that one would think ,/ p m’ d - ™ 1S llaturalI y variegated with fo many thereon were dkw^ ^ a Zlftl P^ler TreeS ’ Rivers reprefented ra-k has under its Jurffdiftion, four Cities of the fecOnd, and three of the third Rank. Third City, Ling-ngan-fu. ( E ) T“ agreeable Profpeft ; it is water'd by pretty£» 1 ^ W ^'T*’ * hlch afford no dif - efpecially in Rice and Wheat. It urcduJs fl ! lfn 7 “ Vu T Rlvers » that render ic fertile. Fruits found in the Indies. ‘ P n y 0 Honey and Wax, as well as moil of the The Fourth City , Chu-hyung-fu. ( F ) T^ith^erfl“tj ami iSotd °L aU V" 7 b “ Utiful C ° Mt ^ Wa “' d C ^' of Bulwarks. The Air is healthful 'and the k a *" ™ 0nnm ™’ whida feve Mead abounds alfo with good Paftures. ’ 01 P1 ° UCCS P ent f °f ad f° rts of Grain. It MiTesf i^CailTthey were open^^flt^aTbuft and * fine g r “ n . Stone i fo do fome of them Silver y open d. It has but two Cities of the fecond Rank under its Jurifdiflion. The Fifth City, Chin-kyang-fu. N°fid™ N f greTt Lak™ vhich^ef!o ^ °Pp S ^ “ ftands ™ th eB» W tains, which are at a proper Diftance to fend o e 3 Plaln e, 5 com P aff ed with Moun- great Extent, con,aining P Tmorethan two S* ofVV b ' e ' ItS Diftrift is * but it is water'd by Lakes and Rivers th af C L f f ^ 5 0nd > and two of the third Rank; The Inhabitants make Cotton Carpets, whicSm mU'efteemU ^ W “ h ^ The Sixth T HE Country tain r m and Rivers. .o ru’pplfLS't Ufa " shj ’ Wh0 all ' d “ Tartar, (e) In the Map Ling-gan.Ju , but in the Tables as here. Clt y, King-tong-fu. Snver P Mines CrC It tb >h Cl 'd ftand n i!.P ullof ver y high Mountains, which they fav con iZ' its v t y F ie wei1 — 'dwifhBmi^ juyb ine Kan.K ot Fu, there is no other City in its DiRridt. (r) In tl ie Map as here, but Cbu-byang.fi, i n the firft TubV and Chu-hyong.fu m the iecoud. 1 1 b ‘ On geographical description n . th , Weft of it is one of thofe Bridges, which I have deferred elfewhere, fupported by Iron Quins "The Sight of the Preciprces, and Agitation of the Bndge, when many Paffengers are on it at once, never tail to terrify thofe who have not patted it before. The Seventh City, Quan-nan fu. Quan nan- ft- — (Trie citv as well as the former, has no other within its Diftria. It ftands on the r r H „ , "Y 1 Province of SueV-cheia and is feparated, as it were, from the nil of thTProvince by Bghtful Mountain.' Its Soil is fertile but the Inhabitants are confidefd by the Chineji as Barbarians, on account of the Rudenefs of their Behaviour. The Eighth City, Quang-fi-fu. Quang-fi-fu. r^dts untr two S Citief of thfthird Rlnf w“J thing farther, worthy Remark. The Ninth City, Shun-ning-fu, Shun-ning-fi) „ „ r ; fv not above a Mile and an half In Compafs, furrounded with Mountains, T S fo a Z? th?Avenues m it are tiro’ very narrow Valleys. The Soil is almoft every where Wren, and the Genius as well as Manners ot the Natives as rude as the Climate they inhabit. The Tenth City, Ku-tfing-fu. (g) * LTHO’ this City is furrounded with Mountains, yet the Country about it is fruitful W- A enough. lt commands over five Cities of the fecond ; and two,_rfthe jh.rd_ Ramkv h\ enouffb It commands over nve , . ,, , . , T^ir Inhabitants are very laborious, and do not leave an Inch of Land ummprov d; but they are fo litigious, that they lpend the beft Part of their Effefts at Law'. The Eleventh City, Yau-ngan-fu. (h) Yau-ngan-fu. nr HE Territory of this City is diffidently large, altho’ it has but two Cities, one of the A fecond and 7 the other of the third Rank under us Junfdidion. It is inteimixt with fe A Valleys and Mountains, cover'd with fine Forefls. It furmfhes abundance of Mufk Near the City is a Well of fait Water, whereof they make very white Salt. The I eople of this Country are of a ftrong Conftitution, and naturally warlike. The Twelfth City, Ko-king-fu. Ka-kingfu. T HIS City which is encompaffed with Mountains, has no more than one City of the fecond y Rlnk in its Diftria, which is f.tuate on a Lake fix Leagues m Compafs. Its Inhabitants are couragious and brave. They ufually go arm d with Bows and Arrows. The Country produces Mufk and Pine-Apples. Very beautiful Carpets are made here. It Is raid there are Gold Mines in its Mountains, bordering on the Country of the Si-fan, or Territories of the Lamas. The Thirteenth City , Vu-ting-fu. (>) Yh-tingfu. HTHIS city is fituate on the Borders of the Province of Se-chwen iri. „ch and ferule Soil, I water’d'with Brooks and Rivers that produce great plenty.. It has a pretty large Gur- „ton to defend the Country againft any Incnrfions of the neighbouring Mountaineers. The Land is well cultivated, and its Paftures are ftockd with numerous Flock.. A great deal of Mufk alfo comes from hence. Some of its Mountains are rugged and ft ep and the Paffattes over them fo narrow, that only one Man at a time can clamber up. In time of Wat fhe Inhabitants retire to them as inacceffible Holds. It has in its Diftria only two C.t.es of the J fecond Rank, and one of the third. The Fourteenth City, Li-kyang-tu-fu. (&) Li-kjang-tu- fu • 1 T is faid the Inhabitants of this City and the Territory belonging to it, are defended from I the ancient Colonies of the Chineji, who came and fettled here. It haS it, and is furrounded by Mountains, which feparate it from the Dominions of the L««^whe e^j no doubt are Gold Mines. The whole Country is well water d and fertile, yielding Amber and. Pine-Apples. (o) This City is call'd in Table I. and the Map, Ku chrmj 11. (hJ In the Map, Yau-gan-fli. (i) In both Tables U-ting-fu ; but in the Map as here. (k) In the Map as here ; but in the Tables Li-kyang-fii- Cities or the province or Quey-chew Vol.I.p. 13 /. itnnrmrmT 'andLono-itud&l {deterinMihljyeornelrical/y./'ndiereo/t i £ Lcnyitu.de Piacet Latitua oo. 8 . ib- li. W. Ycnycuny-cAbiv ag. $4 ■ :14. 8. 2. go. L/yan-fAun-fL* z6. 11 • 24. y. 2J. J. Lcmy-li-Attye/i 26. 2J. 48. y. 54. o. Tu-yivensfii 18. 12. 00. 8. 18. 40. AfdAA-cAen/* z6. 28. 12. 8. 10. 4 - 0 . Bue-tzny-Ayen * 28. JO. ■1,6. 8. 4J. 52* Que-yang-iii* zf. JO, 20. 8. 26. 40. Yony-tfeno-Ayen %j. jy. 12- 8. 48. J2. A r B. a *at tAe end of tAe / 2g. o. 4. gzf Lay. of.aPlace denoted va* A Tab6 of Latitudes / oA/en'dJt Ptacej Latitude ru. a, City of t/ie fimt Rank ClleW. a Ccty of the 2 ■ KaovA ffy&n.a, City eof t/ie RanA ^le-tfyen-fu unriyvenf 'ii'iuiy-hye/L SAeyuny-Ayen * Lunyyuny-Ayen -iuanofhx'idi \\ ■"7 ToA/frifw -1 n/j. . i \n-u/ 2 \ I aujy-fv ’.OlO ifhey-rutty-JU PinyjyevenrcAetv Ptinyan -cAerv jVtyzri’ Lwiy-cAtn rWg; -> ^ chew Q Kuv-hoeri ' Ivt/ay rnefi/e v iF* l \L0n4 Province xv QUEY- C HEW Iranm on tht Spot ty tie Pe-rej FrideUi and Regis in t/it'1/ear rji6. noth Imprin't/nento ii/ t/it Editor Latitude ■2 8. 24. OO. 2J. 56. 2 4- ay. j8. 24. ay. 10. 48. ay. go. 00. 27. 1. 12. 27. 3 . 3 s. 27. o. 2 O. 2 6. gy. i2. 2 6. gy. 25. 2 6. 58. 40. 27.5. 36. 27. fz. p. (6. 43- if- 2 6. gy. 12. 25. 44. 2 4. * 5 - g • 36. J7. 73ct.ftre sfcuty? Cities oe the province of Quet^chew Chin - -ywen o of the P R 0 FINCES of CHINA. The Fifteenth City, Ywen-kyang-fu . I2 7 Prov.xiv. Yun-nan. 2 pre rl Ia f rg if/r RiVer ’ cal1 'J K?- U -b a «g, and has no City under its JurifdidHon/" O The Country contilts of Mountains, and Plains water'd by feveral Rivers. It furnilhes Abun- tTth Betj lV P f r SP l nty b ° ny ’ Palm -? reeSi and ^> which the Inhabitants chew •with .Betel Leaf. Peacocks are very numerous here. The Sixteenth City, Mong-wha-fu. T HIS 13 one of thofe Cities which has no Jurifdidtion over others; it is furrounded u with high Mountains, and is remarkable in that there is no Country in the whole Empire * wmch furnilhes fo great a Quantity of Muflc. P ' The Seventeenth City, Yung-chang-fu. (a) T HIS City is pretty large and populous, built like the former, 'in the midft of Moun- tains, near an Extremity of the Province, and in the Neighbourhood of People who are tavage and little known; the Difpofition and Manners of the Inhabitants pana’ke of^ thofe of their Neighbours. The Country furnilhes Gold, Honey, Wax, Amber, and abun- Jutfdiflion ' ' X the fecond > and ‘wo the third Rank are under its The Eighteenth City, Yungning-tu fu. T HIS City klM >t the end of the Province, almoft touching the Dominions of the Etz/wtzr. There is a line L ake on the Eaft-fide of it, with four little Idles in it which r «"J ”“i '- appear above Water m pretty Eminencies. It has no other City under its Jurifdidtion ’ Here, as well as in Tibet Numbers of that fort of Cows are to be met with, whofe Tails ferve for feveral Ufes. They make Stuffs of them, that are Proof againil Rain, and Carpets much efteem d. The Cbmeje Officers employ them alfo in adorning their Standards and Helmets. The Nineteenth City, Yung-pe fu. A L i THO pi tb ' S City fta J ndS T'? ft fountains, its Territory is not the lefs fertile; having large Plams, watered partly by a fine Lake, partly by divers Brooks and pretty big Rivers^ Dut nas no City depending on it. J ° ^ The Twentieth City, Kay-wha-fu. (b) T HI s City is confiderable for nothing but that it borders on tong-king.. and is one of i r heKeys of the Province on that fide. It Hands in a Country^ intemixt with fer me /alleys and high Mountains. It has no Jurifdidtion or City depending on it. The Twenty Firft City, San ta-fu. (c) fc . Bulwark , and Hu V*,. « “ PROVINCE XV. Q.UEY-CHEW. T HIS Province, which is one of the fmalleft in the Empire, is fituated between r> lb° ft v U f UanS A ? e r chwe .\ r '‘n-nan, and % “ng-f. It contains ten Cities of ^? ov aV ' the firft Rank, and thirty eight of the fecond and third. 0 -“ e who never , f r u t° f lnacceffible ■Mountains, whence one Part of it is inhabited by People CNN’ this Work. r„ U I bdUed> but are perfearly mdeipendant, as I have fhewn at the Beginning P of Eounds - and Lr • 3 Z J Situation. 1 the Name of ,his City, and the fol- I 23tt'.S e a r 7V"w' !“ ond TabIe of Latitude and Lon- gitude at the end oi the Worlt. (a) In the fame Table it is Quwha-Jh. tM^Tabk^ef’ 35 W£l1 as r “” Sis omitted in th« VOL. I. Kk The I2 .s geographical description The Emperors, in order to people this Province, have often fent Colonies hither, and even fometimes Governors with their whole Families. It contains abundance of Forts, and Military Places, where numerous Garnfons are kept; but the Tribute which the Province pays, not being fufficient to maintain them, the Court is oblig'd to make up that Defeft by tending them Supplies every Year. The Mountains afford Mines of Gold, Silver, and Mercury , alfo part of the Copper, whereof the fmall Money, current thro’ the Empire, is made, comes from hence. Among thefe Mountains one meets with agreeable and fertile Valleys, efpecially near the Rivers. Provifions are cheap, but not in fuch Plenty as ellewhere, or as they might be, if the Land was better cultivated. , . „ . , , , c- nr c They have no Manufaftures for Silks in this Province, but they make Stuffs ot a cer¬ tain Herb, which refembles Hemp, very fit for Summer-wear The Inhabitants breed a great Number of Cows, Hogs, and the beft Horfes in ail China ■, txie wild Fowl, whereof one meets with infinite Quantities, have an excellent Tafte. The Firft City , Quey-yang-fu, (d) Capital of the Province . o„,"THIS City, which is one of the fmalleft in China , is not three Miles m Compafs. fi. I ItsHoufes are built partly of Earth and partly of Brick, like .thole belonging to the Tnbunals. The River whereon it Hands, bears no Boats, whence it has but little Trade ; But its Turifdiftion extends over three Cities of the fecond, and four: of the third Rank, befides abundance of Forts, wherewith it is, as it were, furrounded. The Country is plain in fome parts, and in others full of Mountains, feme of which are very fteep. The Second City, Se-chew-fu. (e) : , „ CE-CHETV fituate at the Extremity of the Province towards Hi-quang , has only fome /u ' O F orts un der its Jurifdiftion. The Country is full of Mountains, and furmfhes Red-Lead, Ouickfilver, and divers other Metals. -n • Its Inhabitans, tho’ more civilized than the reft of the People of the fame Province, are perfeftly ignorant of the Chinefe Sciences. They go ordinarily barefooted, and are fo inured io Fatigue that they travel over the Rocks with a furpnzing Swiftnefs. The Third City, Se-nan-fu. T HIS Citv which (lands on a fine River, and in a long Plain, has in its Diftrift three Cities of the third Rank, and feveral Forts. It is bounded on both fides by Moun- fome whereof are inacceffible, there being but one narrow Way to get up any ot th In 1 time of War, the Inhabitants retire to thefe Mountains with their Effedts, to prevent being plunder’d by the Soldiers, who pafs thro’ their Country. There alfo a favage People hide themfelves, who have fcarce any Correfpondence with the Chinefe. The Fourth City, Chin-ywen-fu. (p) T HE Diftria of this City is very fmall, comprifing only fome Forts, and two Cities of the third Rank; but produces Pomegranates, Oranges, and the beautifulleft Flowers m Some *of its Mountains are inhabited by People, who having little Communication with the Chinefe , are Boorifh, and next to Barbarians. The Fifth City, She-tfyen-fu (g) TS fituate between the two former Cities, and has but a very fmall Jurifdiaion comprifing ShMfinfi. I a few Forts, and one Town of the third Rank. The People who inhabit the Mountains are . 441 & feqq. from whom I have added this. (e) In the Original by Miftake 236. (f) In the Original this Number and the following are tranf- pofecl by fome Miftake. (c) He removed his Seat from Shen-f to Chin-chew, a City of Ho nan. [P. Couplet Prof, ad Sinic. Chronol.p. 20. l 37 ANNALS of the CHINESE Monarchs. prefs’d by Hunger, and when that was latisfy’d they threw away what was left ; they fwallow’d the Hair, drank their Blood, and clothed themlelves with the Skins of Animals. Fo-hi taught tiiem how to make Filhing-Nets, and Snares for Birds 3 alfo to rear Do- Things in- medic Animals, -as well for Food as for Sacrifices (h), whereby he provided for the Subiiftence ^ en ^ ed b / of his People. This Prince perceiving afterwards that the knotted Cords, which lerv’dinftead of Characters, and to inftrutft their Children, were unfit for publiihing his Laws, and tranfmitting his Documents to Pofterity 3 he invented the eight Q'ua , confiding of three Lines each, which, differently combin’d, make fixty four, to ferve as Symbols for exprefiing whatever he had a mind. Thefe eight Qua or Symbols, whofe Lines are either whole or broken, fignify certain general The s Qua.] Things, on which depend the Corruption and Generation of particular Things j one reprefents Heaven, another the Earth, the third Thunder and Lightning, the fourth Mountains, the fifth Fire, the fixth the Clouds, the feventh Water, and the eighth the Wind. He taught them how to make ufe of thefe famous Symbols 3 and to give the greater Credit to his new Laws, pre¬ tended that he had feen them inferib’d on the Back of a Dragon-Horfe, which rofe from the Bottom of a Lake 3 he call’d it a Dragon-Borfe, becaule it was fhap’d like a Horfe, with the Scales and Wings of a Dragon. He took Occafion, from this Prodigy having gain’d him Reputation among the People, to Creates feve- create Officers, or Mandarins , under the Name of the Dragon. Pie call’d one the flying Dra- oilers gon i and his Employment was to compofe Books 3 he call’d another the Dragon that hides him- of State ' JelJ\ whofe Bufinels it was to make the Kalendar 3 a third was nam’d the Dragon who inhabits { and he had the Infpecftion of the Buildings 3 a fourth, call’d the Dragon P.rote£lor ? had the Charge of relieving the People, and preventing theirMiferies; a fifth, under the Name of the 1 Terrejtrial Dragon , had the Care of the Lands 3 a lixth was call’d the Dragon of the Waters, whofe Office it was to procure the Growth of Trees and Plants, as alfo a Communication between Springs. He eftabliffi’d a Prime Minifter, and divided the Government of his Realm among four Man- Makes Laws.; darins-j one of whom he fent to the North, another to the South, the third to the Eaft, and the fourth to the Weft; in this Manner he gave Strength to his Laws. The two Sexes were not then diftinguifh’d by different Habits, but mix’d together, lived without Shame, and in perfedt Ignorance of the connubial Laws. Fo-hi, to reform this Abufe, ordained that Women fhould go clothed in a different Manner from Men 3 and made Laws for conjugal Society, by one of which no Man could marry a Woman of the fame Name, whether relaied or not, which Cuftom continues to this Day 3 for Inftance, thofe of the Name of Tong, Li, &c. can not marry Wives of the fame Name, altho’ remov’d twenty Generations, or of different P'amilies. To mitigate the natural Fiercenefs of his new Subjects, and calm wild and turbulent Spirits, r nvent3 he invented Mufic, with the Inftrument Kin (1)3 the upper part of which was convex, to re- Mufic. prefent the Heavens, and the under part flat, to reprefent the Earth. If the Harmony invented by Fo-hi was no better than what the Chinefe make at prefent, we cannot conceive how it could have any Effedt on the Mind 3 for this they apologize by faying, That the Mufic or Fo- hi was all divine, but that it is a Treafure they have irrecoverably loft. Fo-hi dying (k), was buried in a Place called Chin, and was fucceeded by Shin-nong. A certain ChineJ'e I liftorian places fifteen Princes before Shin-nong , but others following the com¬ mon Opinion affirm, that thefe fifteen Princes were no more than Lords of tributary Provinces, much like the Chu hew in after times. SHIN-NONG, the fecond Emperor. T PIE People being exceedingly multiply’d, the Plants and Animals were not fufficient to Shin-nong , prevent Famine. Shin-nong, touch’d with the Mifery of his Subjedts, ftudy’d to render 1 the Earth fruitful; and inventing the Implements proper for Tillage, taught the People to fow Husbandry, five forts of Grain. Hence he got the Name of Shin-nong , or Celejiial Hufbandman 3 he taught them alfo how to make Salt of Sea-Water. The People becoming fubjedt to many Difeafes, for which they knew not the proper Re- phlfic> medies, Shin-nong made Trial on himfelf of the Virtues of Simples, and difeover’d their good and bad Qualities 3 he confider’d, fays the Chinefe Hiftorian, their Nature whether hot, cold or temperate, and made ufe of them accordingly, as a good King does of his Subjects. In one Day he difeover’d feventy (l) poifonous Herbs, and had the Art of making them ufeful, that is, he found out the Counterpoifon: After which he compofed Books of Medicine, and taught the way to reftore fick Folks to their Health 3 whence he is look’d on as the Author and Prince of Phyfic. The Simplicity of Manners kept out the Spirit of Contention. Every one had enough to live and Com- on5 the Laws were few, and there was no Occafion to multiply them, but the Government was meict " majeftic and fevere. Shin-nong introduc’d Commerce, and appointed publick Markets, where the People reforted about Noon, and having furnifh’d themfelves with what they wanted, teturn’d quietly home. (h) Which he offer’d to the Spirit of Heaven and Earth. [P. Couplet Prtef adSinic. Chronol. p. 20 ] (1) He invented two Inftruments, one of twenty feven, and the other of thirty eight Strings. Ibid. (k) He is reported to have begun his Reign 2952 Years be¬ fore the Chrijlian JEra , and to have fat one hundred and fifteen Years on the Throne. [Ibid. & P. Martini Sinic. Hijl. /. 1. />. 21. Art. Fo-hius.] (l) Martini agrees with our Author in this Point j but Couplet fays only twelve Poifonous Herbs. While !^g ANNALS of the While this Emperor was wholly employ’d about the Good of his Subjedts, a tributary Prince, named So-Jha, revolted, and refufed to obey his Orders. But his Difobedience was punifti’d by his own Subjedts, who put him to Death ; after which every one return'd to his Duty. Nor was there one throughout the Empire, who did not willingly fubrnit to the mild and juft Government of Shin-nong. . . He dy*d at Cha-hyang, a Place depending on Chang-cha. A certain Uiineje Author lays, that His Death. Qha-hyang is the City call'd at prefent Cba-lin-chew ; which is under the Jurifdiaion of Chang- cia.fi , the Capital of the Southern part of the Province of Hu-quang. ( m) Siicceflbrs g on j e Hiftorians place feven Emperors between Shin-nong and Whang-ti , viz. Lin-que , uncertain. Ming, I, Lay , Li, and Yu-wang this laft was depofed, and perhaps^ the reft were no more than tributary Princes. However, it is certain that the Chinefe Hiftorians place only Fo-hi, Shin-nong, and Whang-ti among the firft Emperors to whom Arts and Sciences owe their Rife and Progrefs, WHANG-TI ( N ), the Third Emperor. T HE Hiftory relates that Tu-aeang was a Prince of a paffionate and violent Temper; that the People groan’d under the Oppreffion of his Government; that the tributary Princes 3d. Emp. revolting one of them, nam’d Chi-yew , firft appear’d in Arms againft him ; that the Emperor was deno'fed, and Whang-ti, who was but twelve Years of Age, placed by the Princes on the Throne • that the Mother of Shin-nong had a younger Brother, who was hereditary Sovereign of the Principality of Shau-tyen ; and that the Wife of the Regulo thereof, in the Reign of Yu- wang was nam'd Fii-fau, who being much frighten’d with a Noife of Thunder, brought forth 1 Whang-ti, on a Mountain call’d Swenywen. He was according to the Hiftory a wonder¬ ful Child ■ he fpoke almoft as foon as he was wean’d from the Breaft. In his Infancy he dis¬ cover’d a * great deal of Wit and Addrefs; in his Youth an exceeding good Nature and Sweetnefs of Temper • and in his Manhood an extraordinary Depth of Judgment and Sagacity. Chi-yew above-mention’d, was a Prince whofe reftlefs Temper and unbounded Ambition occa- fion’d great Difturbances. Whang-ti attack'd and fought three Battles with him ; when perceiving that the thicknefs of the Fogs hinder’d him from purfuing his Enemy, and that the Soldiers ftray’d from following the right Courfe ; he contriv’d a Card, which fhew’d them the South and the Invents the other three Cardinal Points ; by which means, at length, overtaking Chi-yew he feiz'd and put Compafs. tQ Some lay that on the Card were engraven the Characters ot the Rat and the Horfe and Underneath a Needle to point out the four Quarters of the World. We fee here the ufe of the Compafs, or fomething like it, of great Antiquity, and exprefly recorded ; it is pity they have not explain’d the Method of it, but the Expofitors knowing only the bareFaft, durft not venture on any Conjeaures of their own.(o) Having regulated the moft important Affairs of the Empire, Wbang-ti employ d his whole Makes Care to make his People happy, by procuring them all forts of Conveniencies: he cut thro’and Roads thro- l eve ll’d Mountains, made great Roads to facilitate Commerce, and enlarg d the Bounds ot his his Domi ' Empire • extending it Eaftward as far as the Ocean, Northward to ancient Lartary, and Southward to the River Kyang, which ferv’d as a Barrier to his Dominions. He created fix Crcaies 6 lau or p rlrae Minifters, to affift him in governing the Empire, and made 2 jang-kyay, the Mandarin for compofing the Hiftory. La-mu had the Charge of making the Kya-tfe, or Cycle of fixty Years (p) This Cycle is compofed on one fide of ten Charafters, nam’d Tyen-kan, and Invents the on th( / other of twe i ve) call’d Li-chi. Thefe Charadters fignify nothing ( oJ> ftrve inftead cycle of 6o of Numbers and Signs; the firft ten are call’d the ten Roots^ and the others the twelve Bran- Years. A Sphere and the Ka- lendar. ches. Every Year is mark’d by two of them, that is one or eacn lorr, wnicn arc 10 com¬ bin'd that the fame two Signs never come together till the Cycle is out. (n) Tong-cheng was order'd to make a Sphere and Kalendar ; he difeover’d the Pole-Star and the others that are about it. But what Figure the Sphere was of which he invented, reprefenting the celeftial Orbs, is not known. In fhort, by means of feveral Experiments he could foretell the Changes of the Weather and Air. . Li chew's Office was to regulate Numbers and Meafures. The Method he invented to cait up any Sum and which is (till in ufe, confifts of a little Box, divided in two Parts, crofs’d with feveral ’iron Wires, thro’ which pafs little Balls. On every Wire in the upper Divifion there (m) He tranflated the Imperial Seat fron Ha-nan to Yen- chew in Shan-tong. He is laid to have dy’d in his Progrefs thro’ Hu-quang after he had reign’d one hundred and forty Years, and to have been interr’d in the City Tfing. [Couplet, ibid.'] (n) Whang-ti fignifies the Yellow Emperor. (o) As P *du Halde does not produce his Authors, to war¬ rant the Antiquity of this FaCt, it may have been inferted into their Hiftory of late Ages, to do Honour to the Founders of their Monarchy. Indeed as the thing is related it has the Air of a Fiflion ; nothing can be more abfurd than to fuppofe a Compafs invented to direft an Army in purfuit of a vanquith’d Enemy; if they were in View, as it lhould feem they were, being juft defeated, the Victors had no Occafion for a Com¬ pafs to direCt them ; if they were not in View, of what ufe was a Compafs to find them out ? Could they divine on what Point of the Card the Enemy was fled, and yet not know how to find that Point out ? In fhort, was not Whang-ti him- felf fufficient to (hew them the Way ? However that be, it is not likely, if fo ufeful a Secret had once been difeover’d, that it ever would have been loft. (p) Thefe Chinefe call this Cycle Lo-Jhe-'ivba-kya, that is. the ConJlruSion of fixty Converfions. [Couplet Prafi ib. p. 14.] ( qJ Thefe Characters are the Names of Animals. (r) P. Noel has given a Scheme of this Cycle, [Noel Obfi. Math. & Phyf. p. -,9 ] Ologh heigh treats of it at large, \de Epochis Celebr. Cap. 6. p. 42. ] but his Tranfhtor Greaves has committed many Miftakes in writing the Names of the Characters, as Dr. Hyde has juftly remark'd. [Hyde de Menf. (J Pond. Simic. p. 30.] CHINESE Monarchs. 141 there are only two Balls, each Handing for five; but every Wire of the lower Divifion, which is much larger, has five Balls, each of which Hands for one. When they reckon from right to left, the Numbers multiply the fame as in Cyphering with us ; which Method of cafling Accounts is more ready and fure than ours with the Pen. With regard to Meafures, he took a Grain of Millet to determine the Dimenfionof a Line, andMeafures. reckoning ten Lines to an Inch, ten Inches to a Foot, &c. The various ways of ranging thefe Grains, which are of an Oval Figure, have occafion’d a Divcrfity in the Meafures under different Dynafiies. Under the prefent Dynafly there are three forts of Meafures, 1. the Foot of the Palace, which is to the Paris Foot as ninety feven and an half to-a hundred. 2. The Foot of the Tribunal of Publick Works, call’d Kong-pu , ufed by Workmen, is fhorter by one Line thaii the Paris Foot. 3. The Taylors Foot, made ufe of alfo by the Mercers, is feven Lines larger than the Kong-pu. To Ling-lun was given the Care of improving Mufic, and to explain the Order and Arrange- Mufic im- ment of the different Tones. Laflly Tong-ywen had Orders to make twelve Copper Bells, P roved - which reprefented the twelve Months of the Year. JVhang-ti afterwards invented the Bonnet or Cap, call’d Myen , to ferve him for a Diadem. Various Arts This'Bonnet dip’d a little before and rofe behind, it was feven Inches broad' and one Foot two Inches high. He alfo made Habits and Ornaments, proper for his Dignity ; his Robe was blew vented by and yellow, to imitate the Colours of the Sky and Earth. After having maturely confider’d the Wba*g-ti. Feathers of the Pheafant, and various Colours of Birds and Flowers, he found out the Art of Dying, and order’d that the Stuffs, wherewith the Rich and Poor were cloathed, fhould be' of different Colours. He caufed feveral ufeful Inffruments to be made, as Machines to pound Rice, Kitchen-Stoves, Cauldrons, &c. and the People began to eat their Rice drefs’d alter different Manners, fometimes thicker, lometimes thinner. He caus’d Bridges to be built over Rivers, and Coffins to be made for the Dead. He taught the way of making Bows and Arrows ; alfo Wind Inffruments, as Flutes, Fifes, and Organs ; Trumpets that imitated the Voice ; .of the Dragon, and Drums that made the Noife of Thunder. Obfervirig hollow Trees to fwitn, he caus’d Barks to be made, to which he added Oars. He likewife invented Waggons; and order’d Oxen and Horfes to be train’d to draw them. His Subjects dwelling at that time in mi- ferable Hutts, he drew Models for Building, and caus’d a Palace to be eredted, nam’d Ho-kong y where he facrific’d to the fovereign Lord of Heaven. To facilitate Trade, he coin’d Money, which he call’d Kin-tau , becaufe it had the Figure of a Knife-Blade ; and regulated the Expcnces of the Empire fo well, that its Riches grew immenfe. Mankind being tormented, from without by the Rigour of the Seafons, and within by -their Paffions, dy’d before their Time ; therefore Whang-ti having attentively confider’d the five Ele¬ ments, the Seafons of the Year, and the Nature of Man, order’d three Doctors, nam’d Ri¬ pe , Tu-fu y and Ley-hong , to examine the Blood-Veffels, after which he appointed the Remedies P 1 proper for every Difeafe, fo that Men lived as long as they ought to do, according to the Courfe and phyfic. of Nature. He order’d the Emprefs to teach the People the Manner of rearing Silk-Worms, to fpin their Webs, and make Cloaths thereof (a). This Prince enjoy’d not a Moments Repofe, and tho’ he had taught his Subjects to build Houfes, and had a Palace built for himfelf, yet he had no fix’d Abode, but encamp’d with his Soldiers in the Field. He caus’d the Country to be meafur’d, and divided it into Chew ; he effablifil’d feveral Prin- Divifion of cipalities, confiffing of a hundred Li each, wherein he built Cities. According to his Ap- . pointment, two hundred and forty Paces in length, and one in breadth, made a Mu, and a hun- & c . * * dred Mu one King ; fo that the Pace confiffing of five Feet, every Mu of Land contain’d fix thoufand fquare Feet, and the King fix hundred thoufand. He appointed alfo, that nine King fiiould be call’d fifing , and that a fifing fhould be allotted to eight Families, each to have one King or a hundred Mu ; the King which remain’d in the Middle to belong to the Emperor, and to be cultivated in common by the eight Families. He caus’d four Roads to be made to every fi/ing y and farther ordain’d that three T/ing fhould be call’d Ho-ki ;; three Ho-ki one Street; five Streets a Town ; ten Towns a Ti 1 -, ten Lu a She-, and ten She a Chew. Whang-ti dy’d on the Mountain King-Jhan , and was interr’d in the Province of Shan-tong, The Chinef) Hiftorians beftow on him the higheft Praifes: T’he Virtue and Endowments of this Prince , fay they, equal Heaven and Earth ; his Government was admirable , his Laws firm, and his Conduct unchangeable ; he ficatter'd his Benefits all over the Earth , and we fill feel the Effects of his Liberality , infomuch that tho' he be dead , he may be J'aid to be yet living. He had twenty five Children, whereof Shau-hau fucceeded him in the Empire, (b) (a) She alfo Caught them the Art of Dying. [ Couplet .] (b) His Seat was at Cbo-cbenv, in the Province of Pc-che-li. He appropriated the yellow Colour to the Emperors, as their Livery, forbidding others to wear it. He invented Aftronomy, Mufic, and Mufic.il Inftruments ; alfo Arms, the Bow, Netts, Chariots, Barks, the Art of Building, making Earthen-Ware, Meafures, and Weights; wrote feveral Books on the Method of difeovering Difeafes by the Pulfe. Eighty five Emperors of three Imperial Families, which continu'd 2457 Years, derive their Pedigree from Whang-ti. He dy’d in the fortieth Year of the fecond Cycle, aged one hundred and eleven Years, where¬ of he reign’d a hundred. [Fid. Couplet Tab. Chron. Monar. Sinic. p. 1,2. N n VOL. I. SHAU- 142. ANNALS of the Sha u-hau, 4-th Emperor. The Fong- •whang) or Phcenix. The Orders of Mandarins diftinguifh'd by Birds. Kyew, or preaching Mandarins. S H A U - H A U, the Fourth Emperor. PT^HIS Prince gain’d the Effeecn and Love of his People by the Mildnefs and Goodnefs of I his Difpofition. It is reported that the Fong-whang (c) appear'd at his coming to the Crown, which was look’d on as a happy Omen ; becaufe the Chinefe fay this Bird never appears but when good Kings are upon the Throne. . This Fo/w-whang is a very extraordinary, or rather fabulous Bird, much like our r -cenix; according to* the Chinefe way of painting it, it refemblesan Eagle, but differs a great deal from it, in the wonderful Variety of its Colours. From the pretended Appearance of this Bird, the Emperor took the Hint to diltanguifh his Officers by the Figure of divers Birds, which they wore on their Cloaths ; a Cuftom that is ftill obferv’d. Thofe of the Literary Mandarins are embroider’d with Birds in Gold, as a Mark of their Dignity; thofe of the Mandarins of IVar are adorn'd with Animals, fuch as the Diagon, Lyon, Tiger, &c. by which Marks the People know the Rank which the leveral Officers bear in the nine prime Orders of the State. Among the Mandarins of the new Creation, fome of them, call’d Kyew were oblige! to affemble the People ; it was the Bufinefs of others to govern the five forts of Artificers, while others had an Eye to the Tillage, and the Manners of the People. This Prince govern’d his Dominions with much Equity. The Chinefe Authors lay, he was an exact Imitator of Fo-hi ; he reform’d the Meafures for Grain, and had a Drum made to beat the Watches- he clear’d the Channels of Rivers, and fmoothed the Roads over the Mountains; in fhort he invented a new fort of Mufic, that united Spirits with Mortals, and reconcil'd the high with the low ; whence he is call’d La-ywen. "This Emperor dy’d very old, and left five Sons, whereof four were Men of Jylei it ; but per¬ ceiving greater Talents in his Nephew Chleen-hyo, who vnsff'hang-ti s Grandfon, hepreferrd him before his own Children to be his Succeffor in the Empire. ( 0 ) Chwen-hyo, 5 th Emp. Unites the Priellhood with the Im¬ perial Dig¬ nity. Improves Aftronomy. Regulates the Kalendar CHWEN-HYO, the Fifth Emperor, W AS To far from diftrufting thofe whofe Station he fill’d, that as foon as he was on the Throne, he conferr’d confiderable Employments on them, fuitable to their refpedtive Capacities. As thefe Princes had a perfed: Knowledge of the Nature of Metals, Waters, Trees &c. he made one Governor of the Mines, another Mafter of the Waters, F orefts, &c. and being aflur’d of their Fidelity, rais’d them afterwards to the mofl honourable and impor- Towards the End of the Reign of Shau-hau the People began to intrude into the facred Miniftrv each Family affeding to have Sacrifices among them 5 which Abuie Cbwen-hyo re¬ form’d by uniting the Priefthood to the Crown, and ordaining that none but the Emperor mould offer folemn Sacrifices to the Lord of Heaven. This Law has always been and ftill is obferv d ; for the Emperor alone is the Pontif, and has a right to offer Sacrifices in the Temple of Heaven, from which if he be hinder’d by Age or Sicknefs, he deputes a Prince or fome Great Man to perform that Duty in his ftead. . . c . , . j ur As this Emperor was an able Aftronomer, he chang’d the Method of calculating and obfer- vine the Celeftial Motions; which being to be view’d only at a Diftance, he invented an Inftru- ment to give a clearer Notion of them, and fhew the Equations, Afcenfions, u. The Interpreters fay nothing about the Conftrudion and Figure of this Inftrument, which it is probable they were ignorant of. They fpeak only of the ConjuncTon of the five Planets in the Conftellation Shi , that happen’d in this Emperor’s Reign ; but as an able thineje -Altro- nnmer remarks, it is an hypothetical Conjundtion, not a real one. (*) , _ . , Chwen-hyo regulated the Kalendar alfo, ordering that the Year Ihould begin the firft Day of the Month, wherein the Conjundtion of the Sun and Moon fhould fall neareft the fifteenth De- Icl It appear’d before in the time of Wbtag-ti. (l) o He built Cities for Men to dwell in; caufed Chariots to be drawn by Oxen. Kfaw-li, or the 9 Regulo’s, d.fturb the Order of Sacrifices, terrifying the People with Speflres and Goblins, which gave Rife to Superilitions, that brought the Empire in Danger Sbau-ha* was born, reign'd, and bury'd m Kyyfis to in the Province of Siam Martini makes Kjrvi-U a lingle lm n As"the Conjunctions of the Planets have always been look'd on as good Omens ; thefe ftlfe Conjunctions often occur in the Hiftory, efpecially at the Change of Dynajiies. To find one, we need go no farther back than the fecond Year of the prefent Emperor, when the Conjun&ion of 4 Planets was thought fuf- ficient Reafon for making 5 of them, in Favour of the new Monarch. The Emperor feem’d rejoic’d at it, and receiv'd the Compliments of the whole Court on that Occafion ; every one found his account in it, efpecially the Tribunal of the Mathe¬ matics, which did not err thro’ Ignorance. A certain Situation (1) Vid. Coupl. p. 1. ( 2 ) P- 2 : of other Planets in refpecl of thofe in Conjundtion, was fuS- cient Ground with them to form an Afpeft, which flatterd the Emperor, and was of Benefit to themfelves. This falfe Con- jundion, which is fet down in the Regifters, may poflibly caule Difputes and Objeftions hereafter. What if 2 or 3,000 Years hence, on calculating this Conjunction of Planets m Europe they fhould not find Saturn among them ; would that be a fuf- ficient Reafon to doubt of the other Pacts recorded m the Reign of Tong-ching *> It would certainly be none to the Chinefe, who being accuitom'd to thefe Flatteries to their Emperors, know how to make Allowance for them. [This Apology, which in the Original is inferred in the Text, does not free the Chinefe Hiftory, as it is defign’d to do, from a Sufpicion of being corrupted in other RefpeCts ; on the contrary it fhews it is liable to be corrupted, and if in Matters which flatter the Emperors, why not in thofe which flatter the Anti- quity, L>Y. of the Empire and Nation ?} (3) Martini ubifnpr. p. 32. CHINESE Monarchs. 143 gree of Aquarius; whence he is call’d the Author and Father of the Ephemerides. He pitch’d on the Time when the Sun was in the middle of the Sign ; becaufe then the Earth is adorn’d with Flowers and Plants, the Trees refume their Verdure, and every thing in Nature revives and feems to be produc’d anew. This Prince, who dy’d very aged, was interr’d at Pit-yang, and fucceeded by T’i-ko , or Kau - Jin, the Emperor Sbau-bau' s Grandfon. To the Defendants of Cbwen-hyo , who were very nu¬ merous, were afterwards given (e) feveral little Dominions, whereof they were Kings or tributary Princes, (f) T I - K O, or K A U - S I N, the Sixth Emperor. I HIS King is greatly extoll’d by the Chinefe Writers; they fay he had a penetrating Judg- The Emperor liv’d twenty eight Years in great Harmony with his new Collegue ; and at War' t-v.j; length perceiving himfelf near his End, he exhorted Shun to govern his Subjects like a true Chriji Father, and remember that he was made more for the People, than the People for him; and that an Emperor is exalted above the reft of Mankind, to no ether End but to procure their Ad¬ vantage, and prevent their Necelfities. Having fpoken thefe Words, he departed in the hundied and eighteenth Year of his Age, leaving nine Children behind him; the People, who found in this Prince the Love and Tendernefs of a Father and Mother, mourn’d for him the Space of three Years. Care in chut ing a Suc- ceffor. Great Self- denial in a Minifter of State. SHUN, CHINESE Monarchs. SHUN, the Ninth Emperor, reign’d alone Fifty Tears. \?AU dying in the twentieth Year of this Cycle, Shun began the Year following to reign -*• alone, and is reckon’d one of the Chinefe Lawgivers, as well as his Predeceffor. Soon after Shun trufted the Government to his Minifters, and fliut himfelf up for three Years in Tau s Tomb, the more freely to vent his Grief for the lofs of a Prince, whom he eonfider’d as his Father} whence the'Cuftom arofe of mourning three Years for one’s Parents. The Cbinefe Hiftorians attribute the Advancement of Shun to the Submillion and Obedience he always fhew’d to his Parents. Tho’ he receiv’d nothing but badUlage from them, and his Life was often in Danger, he mildly bore all their ill Treatment, fo that by degrees his Refpedt and Patience wrought a Change in their Hearts, and made them virtuous. From hence the Chinefe Philofo- phers deduce two great Principles of Morality } firft, 'That however wicked Fathers and Mothers may be , the Children are not the lefs bound to pay them Re [pc 61 and Obedience. Secondly, That there is no Man fo bad , but may be reclaim d at lafl by good Offices. Shun having difcharged his Duty of Piety and Gratitude towards Tau , took Poffeffion of the Imperial Palace, and receiv’d the Homage of all the Tributary Princes. Finding abundance of Gold and Jewels in the Palace, he caus’d a Sphere to be made, exhibiting the Seven Planets 3 each of which was reprefen ted by the Precious Stone mod: fuitable to it. He made new Laws for governing the Realm, and appointed inferior Officers to affift in the fix Tribunals eftablilh’d by his Predeceffor. He always honour’d Philofophers and Men of Learning with his Favour and Protection. He vinted the Provinces every Year 3 and in his Progrefs rewarded or punilh’d the Tributary Princes with fo much Juftice, that he gain’d the Elteem and Admiration of the People. One of his principal Cares was to procure Plenty and to make Agriculture flourilh 5 for which end he forbad the Governors, under fevere Penalties, to exaCt Days-work from the Hulbandman, as a thing that was a Hardlhip, and tended to llaken their Ardor for tilling the Lands. He was equally careful, not to truft Governments to any but Perfons of Merit and Capacity. In a word, he made feveral other Ordinances, the Wifdom and Juftice of which have in all times' caus’d him to be look’d on, as one of the greateft Heroes China ever produc’d. One of thefe Ordinances may. appear fomewhat extraordinary, as it permits any of his Subjects to fet forth on a Table, expos’d to publick View, whatever he found blameable in his ConduCt. He admitted twelve Lords into his Council, fix whereof were delcended from Chwen-ho , and fix from Ti-ko. The Shu-king contains Difcourfes made by fome of thefe Lords to the Emperor, concerning the Maxims of a wife Government. The fifty fourth Year of this Cycle he chofe a Succeffor; in which Choice he wholly confulted the Good of his People, preferring Tu to his own Children, on account of his Ca¬ pacity and Merit, as well as in fome meafure to reward the Service he had done the Empire, by draining the Lands that were overflow’d. He lived feventeen Years after he had rais’d Tu to the Throne, and the Union was fo great between thefe two Princes, that the Authority never feem’d to be divided. The Emperor Shun died the tenth Year of this Cycle, aged one hundred and ten Years, and was bury’d in the Province of Shen-Jt. A Sphere of Jewels'. Remarkable Ordinance, and Love for his Subjefts. The firfl DYNASTY ( K ) call’d HYA, cbnfifiing of Seven¬ teen Emperors, in the Space of 4^8 Tears. Y U, the firfl Emperor, reign’d alone Ten Tears. T HE eleventh Year of the fame Cycle, which anfwers to that of 2207 before Chrift (m), Tu or Ta-yu , that is, Tu the Greats ruled alone, and kept his Court in the Province 1 \ of Shan-fi. One of the Sons of Shun, vex’d to fee a Stranger on his Father’s Throne, i/YVj had a mind to revolt 3 but being abandon’d both by the Grandees and the common p“ r ’ or firft Em * People, his Attempt only (erv’d to fix the Crown more firmly on the Head of Tu, whofe great Genius and Virtue had endear’d him exceedingly to the whole Nation. The Knowledge he had acquir’d of the Nature of Lands, by draining off the Waters, qualify’d him for compofing an excellent Piece upon Agriculture 3 treating of the Method of Tilling and Sowing, and manuring Lands with the different kinds of Dung. Afterwards he caus’d the doping and riling Grounds to be levell’d, that the Waters might run towards thofe Places which had moft need of it. He divided his whole Dominions into nine Provinces, and caufed as many great Brazen JJiyifion of Veffels to be made, with the Map of a Province engraven on each. In after-times thefe ^Tpro* Veflels became very precious, infomuch that it was believ’d the Security of the State depended vinces. Vol. I. O o on (l) What is here render’d Dynajly, is in the Chinefe term’d Chau, for an Explanation of which fee p. 136, Note(c). (m) P. du Halde makes it the Year 2217 before Chrifi, which coincides with the firft Year of the Cycle. 146 ANNALS of the H r a. on their Prefervation ; and whoever could get PofTeffion of them thought himfelf fecure of the dynasty Crown. The Empire became hereditary under this Prince, as well as the Priefthood, which L had been before united to the Crown, as it has continued inviolably ever fince j it being Death CvcLHiiY. by the Law for any Perfon but the Emperor to offer Sacrifice. Year before To give the Emperor Yu Advice as to his Conduct, was the wav for a Man to eain his dering Juft ice to the People. For this End he was acceffible at all times; and to make the Admittance more eafy, he caus’d a Bell, a Drum, and three Tables, one of Iron, the fecond of Stone, and the third of Lead, to be faften’d to the Gates of his Palace; on which was an Order fix’d, enjoining all thofe who wanted to fpeak to him, to ftrike on the Inflru- ments or Tables, according to the Nature of their Bulinefs. The Ringing of the Bell di- ftinguifh’d Civil Affairs, the Drum was to be beaten for Bulinefs relating to the Laws and Religion ; the Leaden Table for Matters concerning the Miniftry and Government ; the Stone Table to denote a Complaint again ft the Injuffice of fome Magiftrate; and linking on the Table of Iron was to exprefs very fevere Treatment. He always receiv’d gracioufly, and even with a fort of Acknowledgement, thofe who came either to give him Advice, or implore his Juflice ; it is reported, that one Day he rofe from Table twice at the Sound of the Bell, and another Day left the Bath three times to hear the Complaints of People. We find in the Shu-king the Inftrwftions he gave the Princes for governing their Dominions, and the Rules he preferibed with regard to bellowing Employ¬ ments and raifing Taxes. He us’d to fay, that a Sovereign ought to be as cautious of his Conduct, as if he walk’d on Ice; that nothing is more difficult than to reign; that Dangers fpring up under a Monarch’s Feet; that he has every thing to fear, if he gives himfelf wholly up to Plea- fures; that he ought to avoid Idlenefs, chufe good Minifters, and follow their Counfels; in fhort, that when he had once made a wife Refolution, he ought to execute it with¬ out the leaft Delay. Wine prohi- In this Reign I-tye invented the Chinefe Wine, a Drink made of Rice ; as foon as the bited, and Emperor tailed it, he Ihew’d his Difpleafure at it, faying, 'This Liquor will caufe the great eft bti!hed nt0r Troubles in the Empire. He ban idl’d the Inventor, and forbid the making of it for the future under grievous Penalties. But the Art being preferv’d, the Law prov’d ufelefs, and it is at - prefent one of the greateft Delicacies at the Tables of the Chinefe. T I - K I, the Second Emperor, reign d Nine Tears. A LL the Chinefe rejoic’d at fo worthy a SuccelTor, and finding in the Son the lame Qualities which they admir’d in the Father, were more eafily comforted for their Ti-ki. fecond Emperor. One of the Lois. The Beginning of his Reign was difturb’d by a War, declar'd againft him by one tributary c f the Tributary Princes, who had treated his Subjects rigoroufly, and defign’d to make him- reWs" felf independent; the Emperor therefore put himfelf at the Head of his Army, and with the Aiiiltance of fix other Tributary Princes fo reduc'd the Rebel, that it was not in his Power to create new Troubles. The People did not long enjoy the Happinefs they began to tafte under the Government o£ ib _ wife a Prince, for he dy’d in the twenty ninth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son ‘fay-kang. TAY - KANG, the Third Emperor, reign d Twenty nine Tears. H E began bis Reign by eretfling feveral Territories into Principalities, which he divided among his five Brothers, in order to diminifh the Jealouly they might entertain on feeing him preferr’d ; but this was the only wife thing he did during his Reign. Very different from his Predeceffors, who were employ’d in governing the State, he aban¬ don’d the Care of it, to give himfelf up to Wine and Women, with whom his Palace fwarm’d. He fpent intire Days in the Woods, hunting wild Beafts; his Horfes and Dogs laid wafte the Plains, and deftroy’d the Harvefts. The People in general complain’d heavily of this Tyranny ; but Cries and Remonftrances proving ineffectual, they were at length driven to Defpair, and revolted. One of his principal Officers, nam’d 7 , who was General, and had the entire Confidence of the Army, undertook to depofe him ; accordingly, in concert with the Grandees of the Empire, he feiz’d the Prince in the Woods, where he had been an Inhabitant for three Months, and fending him into Exile, fet his youngeft Brother nam’d Chojig-kang on the Throne. This Revolution, which happen’d in the forty feventh Year of the Cycle, was brought about without the leaft Difturbance, not one appearing in behalf of the aepofed Monarch. CHONG- CHINESE Monarchs. 147 CHONG-K ANG, thefourth Emperor, reign dThirteen Tears. h r a. DYNASTY f. V_V .T. ~ Ill. T HE Years that pafs’d from the Depofition to the Death of Tay-kang are not reckon’d Year before to the Reign of Chong-kang , becaufe he conftantly refus’d to take the Title of Emperor during his Brother’s Life. This Con dud was no lefs prudent than modeil ; he was afraid cbong-t^g, that 7 , who had Power and Credit enough to dethrone his Brother, would one day ferve foiirth Em ' him in the fame Manner. Neverthelefs, as he was beholden to him for the Crown, he pc ' ur found means of providing for his own Security, without being wanting in point of Grati¬ tude. He declar’d that he could not be without the Counfel of fo able a Minifter as 7 , and defil’d to have him near his Perfon. I was caught in the Snare, not doubting but foon to get the Afcendant over the Prince, and govern the Empire in his Name. The Com¬ mand of the Army being incompatible with this Employment, Chong-kang gave it to Chew, an able Officer, of approv’d Fidelity. 7 , foon perceiving that he had' no Share either in the Emperor’s Favour, or Confi- dence, vow’d in Revenge to deftroy the Imperial Family > yet he conceal’d his Refent- 0 f7i.c imm¬ inent: But Ending he could not execute his Defign while Chew was at the Plead of the rialFjmil >* Troops, and that he had no Hopes of corrupting fo faithful a Subject, he attempted leveral times to make the Prince jealous of him, but in vain ; nor did he iucceed any better in his Con¬ trivance to deftroy him. His laft Shift was to gain the Grandees by his Bounty; and lie had the Addrefs artfully to iniinuate himlelf into the Confidence and Favour of the Prince who was to inherit the Crown, till he had an Opportunity of effecting his PI it without Hazard. In the mean time 7 ‘ay-kang dy’d the fifty eighth Year of the Cycle, when Chong- kang affirm’d the Title of Emperor. The fecond Year, or, according to others, the fixth of this Cycle, there happen’d a re- markable Eclipie of the Sun, at the Time of its Conjunction- with the Conftellation Fang(m). Cycle iv. Two Aftronomers, nam’d Hi and Ha (’f*), who prefided in the Tribunal of the Mathematics, c/*Z b f^ were put to Death, becaufe being overcome with Wine they had not foretold thisEclipfe; and that by a like Negledt to calculate and oblerve the Motions of tire Stars, they had difturb’d the Order of the Kalendar, entrufted by the Emperor to their Care, which is a capital Crime. It is the Opinion of fome that thefe Mathematicians lecretly favour’d thp Treafon of 7 , and fuffer’d partly on that account. Chong-kang dy’d the thirteenth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son 7 t-Jyang ., the Year following. TI-SYANG, the Fifth Emperor, reign d Twenty feven Tears. T HE Imprudence of this Prince was the Caufe of the Ruin of himlelf, anti almoft «f his whole Family. Inftead of following his Father’s Example, by keeping 7 out G f En ’l’ cr0 ''' all conftderable Employments, Ti-Jyang put his whole Confidence in him ; nay, was fo blind as to deprive the faithful Chew of his Command of the Army, and give it tile Traitor, who by cringing and and flattering was become his Favourite. 7 , feeing himfelf reftor’d to this important Poll, which Chong-kang had depriv’d him of, / forccI the began to think of executing his long-conceal’d Defign. Be firft gain’d the Afledtions of the Emperor tt > Soldiers ; by degrees he accuftom’d them to pay more Regard to his Orders than the Em- 8> ' peror’s, and thus drew them over to his Intereft. In fliort, he fet on Foot fo many In¬ trigues and Confpiracies, that the Emperor was forc'd to fly for Refuge to the Courts of two Tributary Princes his Relations. 7 , during the Time he was in Favour, made a World of Creatures, whom he rais’d to the chief Polls in the Empire; yet fearing left the other tributary Princes fltould join the Emperor, he durft not fo foon dclare his Revolt: but having Recourle to his ufual Stratagems and Artifices, he wrote the Emperor a very fubmiflive Letter, foil of Proteftations of Fide¬ lity, intreating him to return to his Palace, and allur'd him he would foon be convinc’d by Experience, that he had not a Subjedt more devoted than himfelf to his Intereft and Ser¬ vice. He added that they were his Majefty’s greateft Enemies.who had given him filch ill- grounded Sufpicions; in effedf, he accus'd them falfly of feveral Crimes, for which they were either banifh’d or condemn’d to die, and their Places fill’d with Creatures of his own. He thought that he was upon the Point of enjoying the Fruit bf his deteilable Crimes, when E hunO-lf he perilh’d himfelf by a like piece of Treachery. Among his Creatures there was one nH v. Han-tjo , a diffembling, artful Mar., whom he molt confided in, and to whom he had given full Power over the Army. This ambitious Villain imagin’d he fliould mount the Tiirone himfelf, if he could deftroy both his Benefadtor, and' his Sovereign, at the fame time; and had laid his Plot in fuch a Manner, that he thought he could not fail of Succefs; for having order’d fome Soldiers, who were intirely devoted to' Him, to aflaffinate 7 , as he was hunting, - 1 j' : jV’ ’ s ills fecond Star to the South of the Lucid Star (+) Thefe feem to tic Marne' of Employments rather than of in the Forehead oi Scorpio. Families, [for they cannot be the Hi and Ho mentioned in the Reign oi Tan, p. 14a ] ANNALS of the hunting, he gave out that it was done by the Emperor’s Orders ; and the Death of I was look’d on as a juft Puniftiment due to a rebellious Subjeft. To difpatch the Emperor, he made ufe of the following Contrivance: He fent for Kyau, the eldeft Son of 7 , who was an adfive, violent young Man ; and exciting him to revenge his Father’s Death, furnifli’d him fecretly with a Body of his Troops for that Purpofe. Kyau, marching towards the Emperor, who had not time to gather many Forces, defeated his Army entirely, kill’d him with his own Hand, and afterwards extirpated his whole Family. The Empre’fs alone efcap’d his Fury, who being pregnant, with much Difficulty got to the Mountains. Han-tfo immediately feiz’d the Crown, and to reward him who had fo well ferv’d his ambitious Views, eredted certain Lands into a Principality, which he conferr’d on him. han-tso, an Ufur per, reign'd Forty Tears. an FT^HE Emprefs, who took refuge among the Shepherds in the Mountains, was there de- Ufurper. * I liver’d of a Son, whom fhe nam’d Shau-kang, and brought up unknown to any body ; fo that the Birth of this Prince was a Secret for feveral Years, and he arriv’d to an Age of Maturity before the Ufurper heard of it, who immediately caus’d a ftridt Search to be made for him ; but the Prince being inform’d of it, retir’d, and became a Domeftic at the Court of one of the Tributary Princes, where he pafs’d for a Shepherd’s Son. But his Matter perceiving fomething grand and noble in his Air and Behaviour, beyond what could be ex- pedted from a low Birth and Country Education, he fent for him one Day ; and in private alk’d him feveral Queftions, concerning his Family, in fo very kind a Manner, that Shau- kan'r, judging he ought not to diffemble the Matter, told him ingenuoufly all the Misfor¬ tunes of his Houfe, as he had heard them related by his Mother. The Prince, who was acquainted with them himfelf, embrac’d him tenderly, and gave him his Daughter in Mar¬ riage with part of his Principality for a Portion. Shau-kang having now a better Oppor¬ tunity of firewing his excellent Qualities, made it appear, that he was worthy of the Throne. His Father in Law without Delay wrote to all the Minifters and Nobles, who were in the Intereft of the late Emperor ; and being fure of having the People on his Side, who ab- horr’d the Tyrant, and wiffi’d for their lawful Sovereign, he rais’d an Army, and the eigh- Year'befare te enth Year of the Cycle attack’d Han-tfo, who making no great Rettftance, was defeated, chrifl 2097. taken p r ifo n er, and put to an infamous Death. At the fame Time Shau-kang afcended the Throne of his Anceftors with general Acclamations. SHAU-KANG, Sixth Emperor, reign'd Twenty two Tears. „ . \ s foon as Shau-kang was inaugurated, he order’d the General of his Forces to purfue Sh Emj*- the Accomplices of the Ufurper and Murtherer of his Father. Kyau flood on his Defence, ror. but p; s ii tt j e Army being cut to pieces he was taken Prifoner, and beheaded. By the Death of thefe Rebels Tranquillity was eftablifh’d in the Empire, the Laws re-affum’d their former Vigour and the Emperor frequently affembled the Tributary Princes to reform the Abufes that had crept into the feveral parts of the Government. His Orders were exaftly obey’d, and the People liv’d with Satisfadion under fo wife an Adminiftration. His Reputation drew Embaffies from foreign Princes, and his Reign was as glorious as peaceable. He dy’d in the fortieth Year of the Cycle, and the next Year his Son Ti-Jhu fucceeded him. TI-SHU, Seventh Emperor, reign'd Seventeen Tears. t v r h t 1 ~*H 1 S Reign offers nothing remarkable; the fovereign Authority, which was fo firmly n-pu ,(events ■ e ftablifh’d by the late Emperor, and the Reputation that he on the Throne had ac- ciuir’d for Arms kept the Princes, the Great Men, and the common People in perfefl Obedience. The Empire enjoy’d a profound Peace, nor durft any body difturb it; there were indeed fome Commotions towards the Sea-Coaft, but they were quell’d as foon as they arofe. This Prince dy’d the fifty feventh Year of the Cycle, and the Year following his Son Ti-whay afcended the Throne. TI-WHAY, Eight Emperor, reign'd Twenty fix Tears. P EACE and good Order had put the Empire in fo flourilhing a Condition, that the neighbouring Nations fent Ambaffadors in the fixtieth Year of the Cycle, to the new Em¬ peror, offering to put themfelves under his Prote&ion, and pay an annual Tribute It appears by the Hiftory, that the Ambaffadors came by Sea, and confequently that the Art of Navi¬ gation was then known. i • r>i r u This Prince growing effeminate, during a long Peace, became a Slave to his Pleasures 5 he fpent the reft of his Life (hut up in his Palace, among his Women and Eunuchs, without «er Emperor. CHINESE' Monarch*. H9 fhewing himfelf to the People, and left the Care of the Goverment intirely to his Minilters. DYN r He dy’d the twenty third Year of the Cycle, and the twenty fourth was fucceeded by his Son H rj. Ti-mam. l/W Cycle VI. Year before TI-MANG, Ninth Emperor, reign’d Eighteen Tears. fTpHIS Reign was much like the former ; the Prince was not indeed fo addicted to Pleafure JL as his Father, but his Life was equally indolent and idle ; all that he did worth Notice E m P“ or - was removing his Court towards the Yellow River, and vifiting feme of the Maritime Parts of his Dominions. He dy’d in the fortieth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son Yi-Jye, who began his Reign the Year following. TI-SYE, Tenth Emperor, reign'd Sixteen Tears. T HIS Prince was commendable for his Love of Juftice, as well as his Care to prevent but even forbid them to give him any Accounts of publick Affairs, that he might not be interrupted in his infamous Pleafures. This Prince’s Days being Ihorten’d by his Debaucheries, he dy’d without Iffue, the thirty eighth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Brother Kcng-ting. KENG- 1^6 ANNALS of the DAN. II. [ffj KING-TING, Twenty fourth Emperor, reign'd Twenty Cycle XIX. sy Yearbefore OHC 1 6ClY£ . Chriji 1257. Ki^thrs^ T "HISTORY relates nothing of this Emperor, excepting the Years that he reign’d, and the 24th Emp. Year of his Death ; which was the fifty ninth Year of the Cycle, and nine Years after the Birth of Vu-vang, who was the Founder of the following Dynajly. His Son Vu- ye fucceeded him. VU-YE, Twenty fifth Emperor, reign'd Four Tears. VH-ye, 25th 4 S fhort as this Reign was, it appear’d too long to the Chinefe. They fpeak of Vu-ye Emperor. as an impious and wicked Prince, who could not fail to- draw on himfelf the Ven- cvcl^*"xx. geance of Heaven. He was kill’d by Thunder, as he was hunting, the third Year of the Years before Qy C l e) his Son fay-ting fucceeding him. Chriji 119/. About this time fome Illands to the Eaftward were peopled by Chinefe Colonies; and there are fome who fay Japan began then to be inhabited. TAY-TING, Twenty fixth Emperor, reign’d Three Tears. Tay-tir,? :6th ' § 'HIS Emperor began his Reign by declaring War againft a Tributary Prince, whole Emperor. little State was call’d Ten. It is in the Province of Pe-che-li ; and Pe-king , which is at prefent the Metropolis of the Empire, was one of the Cities belonging to it. His Death, which happen’d the lixth Year of the Cycle, hindred him from finifhing the War j which was continued by his Son, who fucceeded him. TI-YE, Twenty feventh Emperor, reign dThirty feven Tears. T-ye, 27th ' | ^HIS Emperor continuing the War, which his Father had begun, againft the Prince of Emperor. 1 Yen j he gave the Command of his Forces to a General, call’d Ki-lye> who defeated that little Sovereign, and having driven him out of his Territories, reduc’d him to the Condi¬ tion of a private Man. The Emperor was fo well pleas’d with the Conqueft, that he gave that Principality to his General, and made it hereditary to his Family. Kk-lye govern’d it feven Years, and at his Death his Son Ven-vang fucceeded him, who afterwards founded the third Dynajly. Ti-ye had three Children, two of which were by a Wife of the fecond Order, who were born before their Mother had the Title of Queen. The third, who was by the Emprefs, was lawful Heir to the Crown ; but being very young, and of no promifing Talents, his Father was induc’d to prefer the elder of the two others. The Emprefs herfelf to pleafe him came into his Meafures: But this Choice was oppos’d by the Minifters, who declar’d it to be contrary to the Imperial Laws, and that they would acknowledge none for their Lord, but the Son of the Emprefs, nam’d Chew. They had Caufe to repent it afterwards, for Chew was a cruel Tyrant ; whereas the Prince whom the Emperor had chofen, was indow’d with all the good Qualities reqiiifite for a Sovereign. The Emperor dy’d the forty third Year of the Cycle. CHEW, Twenty eighth Emperor, reign'd Thirty three Tears. che-L- -’StE I3RIDE, Luxury, Debauchery, Tyranny, and Cruelty, mounted the Throne with this Emperor, a JJJ Prince. He marry’d a Woman nam’d Ta-kya , who was the moll beautiful, but at the buTexceeded fo m e t “ lie t ^ e m °ft barbarous and wicked Perfon in the whole Empire. She would have by his wife all things directed according to her Caprice and imperious Humour ; and if the Minifters Ta-kya. fail’d to conform to her Opinion, in either their Reprefentations or Counfels, they were immediately driven from the Palace, or condemn’d to Death. To difapprove what was done by her Orders, was accounted Rebellion ; and fhe perfuaded her Hulband that he could not be abfolute Mafter of his Subjects, unlefs he made himfelf dreaded by them. For that Purpofc (lie invented a kind of Punishment, terrible to think of: She caus’d a brazen Pillar to be eredted, which being made red hot, by means of a great Fire, the condemn’d Perfon was forc’d to embrace it, nil fuch time as his Flefti was confum’d to the Bone. It was an agree¬ able Diverfion to her, to fee the unhappy Vidlims of her Fury fufter, and to hear the dreadful Shrieks, caufed by the Exquitenefs of the Torture. One of the Minifters of Chew , in order to infinuate himfelf into his Favour, and met it his Confidence, made him a Prefent of his Daughter, who was a great Beauty, but at the fame time very virtuous. The Daughter, who detefted this Adtion of her Father, refilled with an CHINESE Monarch s. 177 an heroic Courage, the criminal Addrefles of the Emperor; whofe Love thereat changing ■ ^ of a fudden into Fury, he flew the young Virgin with his own Hands, and cutting her s u\iNG. Body in Pieces, caus’d it to be ferved up at her Father’s Table. Another Minifter was fo rvywO aftonilh'd at this Barbarity, that, not being able to contain his Indignation, he took an Ctcve XX. Opportunity to reprefent the Horror of the Adtion to the Emperor, who rewarded his Zeal '"7. with prefent Death. * Thefe cruel Executions did not intimidate the wife Ven-vang, who had the Courage vi- lyprifons goroufly to oppofe fuch Inhumanities. The Tyrant, who ftill refpedted his Virtue, did not "' s ‘ treat him with the fame Rigour, as he had done others, but fent him to Prifon, to pu- nifli his Raihnefs, as he call’d it. The principal Subjedts of Ven-vang' s little State, quite difmay’d at his Imprifonment, affembled themfelves ; and believing that they might eafily ob¬ tain their Prince’s Liberty by Prefents, that would flatter the Emperor’s debauch’d Inclina¬ tions, among other things fent him a young Girl of very great Beauty. Chew, as they had furmis’d was fo taken with her Charms, that he immediately order’d Ven-vang to be releas’d; whofe Joy was doubled, to fee himfelf both freed from his Confinement, and remov’d from fo corrupt a Court. This Prince was dearly belov’d by his People ; and tho’ his Dominions were but fmall, yet he was as much refpedted throughout the Empire, as Chew was hated. Ven-vang was eminent for his Sweetnefs of Temper; his Love of Juftice; the Care he took in having young Men brought up according to the pureft Maxims of Morality; the good cliarail ' r - Reception he gave wife Men and Philofophers, which brought a great Number of them to his Court • the Pleafure he took in hearing their Difcourfes; his preferring Perfons of Virtue and Merit to Employments; the Refpedt he Ihew’d to thofe of his Family, who were his Seniors ; in fhort all thefe excellent Qualities join’d to hisModefty, Frugality, and Application to publick Affairs, gain’d him fo great Reputation among the Princes, who were his Equals, that feveral of them made him the Arbiter of their Differences. It is related, that two petty Kings [or Regulo’s] who were always in War about the Limits Man« of of their States, having agreed to refer their Pretenfions to his Decifion : As foon as they enter’d his Territories, they obferv’d that his Subjedts drove to outdo one another, by reciprocal Proofs of Friendfhip and Kindnefs; that none durft even take up any thing which happen’d to be drop’d on the Roads, every one faying it did not belong to him ; and that thofe who had Lands, gave a part of them to their reduc’d Friends for their Subfiflence. When they arriv’d at Court, they were furpriz’d at the Unanimity and good Underflanding, which they found among the Grandees, who were Strangers to Artifice, Diflimulation and Intrigue. On feeing fuch great Order in the State, What Bufinefs have we here ? fay’d one of them, What will Ven-vang think of our DiJ'putes ? What Notion will he have of us ? They there¬ fore without proceeding any further in the Bufinefs, inflantly accommodated the Difference between themfelves; and indead of infilling on their Rights and Pretenfions, flrove who Ihould yield up mofl Lands to the other. The Reputation of Ven-vang became fo great, that forty Tributary Princes chofe him for their Sovereign ; perceiving that he alone could remedy the Evils which afflidted the Em¬ pire. But he dy’d foon after he had obtain’d that Dignity, leaving his Principality and his Riches to Vu-vang his fecond Son, whom he preferr’d to his eldeft, becaufe he would not enter into his Views of dethroning the Emperor. The eldefl difcovered a peculiar Greatnefs of Sou! on this Occafion ; for he did not make the lead Complaint of any Injuftice done him: and Kingdom! of that he might not diflionour the Memory of his Father, he retired beyond the River Tang- tfe-kyang towards the Borders of Se-chwen, where he founded the two Kingdoms of Two and Hit. In the mean time Chew grew more cruel every Day, as well thro’ Habit as the Influ¬ ence of Ta-kya, who was in effedt Sovereign; the Emperor always confirming whatever Laws (he propos’d. It is laid to be owing to her, that little Feet is accounted one of the greateft 0ri „ ina , of Ornaments of the Sex; her own being very fmall, (he bound them tight with Fillets, little F«t in aftedting to make that pafs for a Beauty which was really a Deformity. However the Women cil ", ““dof all follow her Example; and this ridiculous Cuflom is fo thoroughly eftablilh’d, that to have Feet of the natural Size is enough to render them contemptible. It is likewife faid, that the great Number of Candles, which lire caus’d to be lighted up thc FeaJlof in the Palace every Night; to fupply, as it were, the Abfence of the Sun, and continue the Day, Lanterns, gave rife to the Leaf of Lanterns, which is annually celebrated on the fifteenth of the firft Month Chew became daily more hateful to his Subjedts, who groan'd under his tyrannical Govern¬ ment. His neared Relations feeing him running headlong to his Ruin, thought it their CWj Duty to lay before him his ill Condudt. He would have put one of his Uncles to Death, cruelties, who took that Liberty, if he had not counterfeited Madnefs. However, he imprifon'd him to difcover whether it was real or pretended ; but he adted his part fo well, that he deceiv’d the Tyrant. Another of them, thinking he ought to run any Rifque to reclaim his Nephew, went to the Palace with furprifing Intrepidity, prepar’d for the word that could happen, and was immediately ftrangled by the Emperor’s Orders ; who aftewards caus’d his Heart to be pluck’d out, and had the Barbarity to view it for fome time, not fo much to fatisfy his Curiofity, as to fatiate his Revenge. So great Inhumanities, carry’d to fuch a Length, provok’d at lad the whole Empire to re- The whole volt. The Princes and Grandees intrcated Vu-vang to put himfelf at the Head of an Army, Vol. I. Rr and i $8 ANNALS of the and give the Tprofit Battle, promifing to fiirniftr him with what Forces Ihould be neceffary. A haNG. Vu-vang defir’^ Time to confult what was the Will of Heaven; and in the mean time con- tinued the Preparations for War, which had been put in great Forwardnefs by his Father. ^Vearbefore ^ oon as ^ ie found himfelf in a Condition to declare his Intentions, as if he had the drift 1137. Orders of Heaven, he march’d againft Chew , who, at the Head of a more numerous Army, advanc'd to meet him. As foon as the Signal was given for Battle, the greater part of the Imperial Troops went over to Vu-vang. Cheno burns Chew feeing himfelf betray’d, fled in Defpair to his Capital, and entring into his Apart-, himfelf and inen t j fet it on Fire, that he might not fall into the Hands of a rebellious Subject; this happen’d the fixteenth Year of the Cycle. Notwithftanding all the Care that Was taken to extinguifli the Flames, half of the Palace was burnt to Afhes, and Vu-vang enter’d it as a Conqueror, where the firft Objedt which appear’d to him, ,was the Emprefs, ' Ta-kya , Ta-kya is whom he ilew at one Stroke with his Sword. Hereupon the Tributary Princes, and the Gran- ilam. dees of the Empire, unanimoufly eledted him Emperor, and he became the hi ft Founder of the third Dynajiy , call’d CHEW. * 'The Third DYNASTY, call'd CHEW, which comprehends the Reigns of Thirty five Emperors, within the Space of Eight hundred and Seventy three Tears. VU-VANG, Firft Emperor, reign'd Seven Tt 'ars. Gives Korea to Ki-tJTi. Erefts feve¬ ral Principa¬ lities. Falling lick, Chew-hong offers his ow; Life for his Recovery. /•—jg—-^HIS new Emperor fix’d the Imperial Seat in the Metropolis of the Pro- fi vince of Shen-Ji , call’d at prefent Si-ngan. He began his Reign, as ufual, with Y offering Sacrifices to the Lord of Heaven, and re-eftablifhing the Laws and Cu- ftoms which his Predecelfor had in fome meafure abolifli’d. I. He made ftridt Enquiry into all the Adis of Injuftice that had been committed in the preceding Reign, and apply’d himfelf to redrefs them. II. He fet at Liberty many Perfons of Merit, who had been imprifon’d. III. He fent for to Court, Ki-tJ'u , the Uncle of the Tyrant, who, to lave his Life had feign’d himfelf mad ; and frequently confulted him in Aftronomy, Politics, and the Science of Go¬ vernment. His Inftrudtions are to be feen in the Shu-king , a Book hereafter fpoken of. The Emperor rewarded this learned Man, by giving him and his Pofterity the Kingdom of Korea , and made it in a manner independant; for they were only oblig’d to come every new Reign to defire the Confent and Protedlion of the Emperor. IV. He reftor’d feveral illuftrious Families, which had been almoft wholly unnobilitated; and gave the Defendants of the Emperor little Sovereignties to fupport their Rank with Decency. One Prince of the Family of Shtn-nong was fettled in the Province of Shen-fi ; another of the Family of Whang-tj had for his Share a Country in the Province of Hu-quang , that was call’d The Kingdom of Tfu ; a third, defended from Tail, had fome Territories about Pe-king , which was nam’d the Kingdom of Su 3 another, who was of the Race of 1 Shun, obtain’d Lands in the Province of Ho-nan , under the Title of the Principality of Chin: . V. He eredled fifteen other Principalities, which he gave to fifteen of his Relations j not forefeeing that fo many Sovereignties, tho’ holding of the Crown, would in time become a Source ot unhappy Wars. He alfo rewarded feveral of his Minifters with Eftates not much, inferior to the former, and rais’d others to the chief Dignities of the Empire. The Fame of his Wifdom and Generofity reach’d the moft diftant Countries; and feveral foreign Princes, who refus’d doing homage to Chew, came prefently to pay Fu-vang the an¬ cient Tribute, and put thcmfelves under his Protedlion. Vu- r cang having in the fecond Year of his Reign been attack’d with a dangerous Diftem- per, which it was fear’d would prove fatal, all the Court was alarm’d. Chew-kong, his Prime 1 Minifter caus’d Sacrifices to be offer’d in the Palace for the Emperor’s Recovery ; in the midft of' the Ceremony, lifting up his Hands towards Heaven, and praying with a loud Voice, he offer’d his own Life in Sacrifice, to fave that of a Prince which was of fuch Importance to the State. The Hiftory informs us that the Emperor grew better next Day, and in a little time recover’d. This Adtion of the Prime Minifter was greatly applauded ; and the Emperor was fo affedled with it, that he inferted it with his own Hand in the Secret Regifters, which are kept in the Palace in Coffers of Gold. He govern’d with the Tendernefs of a Father, and was indefa¬ tigable in public Affairs to the Day of his Death j which happen’d the twenty third Year of the Cycle. He was fucceeded by his Son Ching--vang . * [Chew, which is] the Name of the Dytiafty , is [both the late Emperor, written and] pronounced differently from [Cheav"] the Name of CHING- CHINESE ' Monarchs . ll )9 dyn. rri CHE W. Cycle XXE *TXURING the tender Years of this Prince, which render’d him incapable of Governing, his ( JlJ Uncle Chew-kong , who was Prime Minifter, and whofe Virtues were generally acknow- ledg’d, took upon him the Care both of. the Empire, and the Education of the Empetort Chitg-amg, over whom he plac’d an able Governor, capable of inftruding him in the Royal Virtues ; and zcl En, B“ ot ' (liew’d fo much DUintereftednefs in the Adminiftration of Affairs, that the Tributary Princes very readily paid him the cuftonvary Homage. Neverthelefs his Virtues could not lcreen him from the Malice of his Enemies ; who per- fwaded the Emperor, that he a.bus’d his Authority, by making a great many Creatures, and de- lign’d to ufurp the Imperial Dignity.. Thele Calumnies, which were whifper’d about, coming to the Minifler’s Ears, he took, a Refolution of retiring from Court; which was an Affiidion to'all People, who were convinc’d of his Probity, and Zeal for his Nephew’s Intereft. On the eon* trary, the young Emperor was,overjoy’d to be from under the Tuition of his Uncle, and took upon him the Government of Affairs with great Alacrity. But he quickly experienc’d the Weight of the Burthen which, he had on him - and the iii Succefs which conflantly attended him, having made him fenfible of his.own Incapacity, he fent for the Secret Records of the Empire, to confuit them, and find out a way to free himfejf from the Difficulties lie was plung’d in. In running them over, lie met the Place where his Father had minuted down Brings back the generous Action of Cbtm-img, who had devoted himfclf to Death, to lave the Emperor’s Life. Being feniibly affeded. with liich an extraordinary Inffance of Love in a Subjed to his Urdfrom'" Prince, he grew afham’d of his Dijlruft; and perceiving how much lie flood in need of fo great Court, a Man, he went himfclf that inftant to the Place where Chew-kong had retir’d,' and with Tears entreated him not to forfake him, but to affift him with his Counfel. Chew-kong was thus re- inftraced in his former Honours and Dignities, wherein lie gave continual Proofs of his Zeal for the Glory of his Prince, and the Good 'pf his/State. It is reported of this Emperor, that in the fifth Year of his Reign, growing fond of the Is rebuk’d by Recreations which he had ufed in: his Childhood, one Day in play with his youngeft Bio- hisGo « r - ther, by way of Joke, he gave him the Patents of a fmall Sovereignty. On which" the Ko- nM: lau, Sti ya, his Governor fay'd,, that the Prefect, tho’ made in jeft, became a ferious.Matter, as foon as it went oat; of the Hands of the .’Sovereign; that a Prince was difhonour’d by break¬ ing his Word ; and that the Law, which oblig’d him not. to enter too ralhly into any Engage¬ ments, oblig’d him alfo to keep his Promile. Thus, at the fame time, he both did his Brother Favour, and receiv'd folid I rut,motion, which was of advantage to him. The Emperor, following the InffruSions of his firft Minifter, govern’d his Dominions with great Wifdoin ; by which means he acquir’d fuch high Reputation, that the'King of Cochin- China fent Ambafladors with Prefents, to congratulate him on having a Subjebt of fo extra¬ ordinary Merit as Chew-kong-, and they were receiv’d with the higheft"Marks of Efteem and Friendlhip. After they liad their Audience of Leave to return into their own Country, Chew- hong gave them an Inftrument, which on one fide pointed towards the North, and on the op- pofite fide towards the South, to diretft them better on their Way home, than they had been , direQed in coming to China. This Inftrument was call’d Chi-nan, which is the fame Name £££?*' the Chinefe, now give to the Sea-Compafs; whence it is believ’d that -Cbne-h/ig was t£ie In- «««•• venter of the Compels, (r) This great Minifter, who was fo greatly admir’d both at home and abroad, dy’d the thirty third Year ot the Cycle, in the hundredth Year of his Age, and the Emperor, to (hew his : Gra¬ titude to him by fome remarkable Token, caus’d him to be bury’d near his Father s Tomb, with the fame funeral Rites as were cuftomary at the Interments of the Emperors. Sometime after the Emperor aflembl'd the States of the Empire, where he order’d that every Prince Ihould forbid the immoderate Ufe of Wine in his Dominions, as being the Source of infinite Mif- fortunes, and the Deftruftion of Families. This Prince dy’d the fiftieth Year of the Cycle, and left his Crown to his Son, call’d Kang-vang. KANG-VANG, Third Emperor, reign d Twenty fix Tears. T HIS Emperor being, remarkable for maintaining Peace both at home and abroad, he Kaw-va™ took the Opportunity oi this Tranquillity to apply himfclf to govern his People with 3d. impend, Gentlenefs, and endeavour to make them happy. - .One of his Maxims was, 'Chat the Joy of a Prince depended, on that, which reign'd among vojS!’ his Subjeffs ; and that he ought not to take any P leaf are -when his Subjects were in Dij/ref .—_- Cbriji 1077. He afiembled.the States frequently, and from time to time vifited the Provinces of his Empire. He was principally attentive to promote Agriculture, the Care of which he traded to one o. his Minifters, nam’d Chau-long. He us’d to decide the Difputes that arofe. among the Huf- bandmen, fitting under an old Willow-Tree ; which was preferv’d from being cut down out of Refpedt, and became famous in the Poetry of the Chinefe. (a) Whang-ti is laid before p. 138, to have been the Inventor. Bet neither Accoil it feems probable. So 1 6o ANNALS of the DYN III So drift a Regard was had to Sincerity and keeping Promifes, that the Prifoners were let c H E w. out every Morning to till the Lands, and in the Evening return’d to Prifon again. Kang-vang dy’d'the twenty filth Year of the Cycle, extremely lamented by his Subjefts, and was fucceeded Year before by his bon C hau-vang. Chrift 1077. CHAU-VANG, Fourth Emperor, reign'd Fifty one Tears. Chau-vang, /"ANE Tingle Pafiion, to which this Prince was intirely devoted, eclips’d all his Virtues, 4 th Emp. and caus’d him to negledt the Care of his Empire. He was fo given to Hunting, that he minded nothing elfe; the Havock which his Horfes and Dogs made in the Fields, drove the People to Defpair, who were continually lamenting to fee their firft Harvefts ruin’d by an Army of Hunters, which perpetually follow’d him. This ill Condudt drew on him the univerfal Hatred of his Subjects, who feeing no end of their Sufferings, at length confpir’d his Death, and invented the following Stratagem, to Year before prevent their being difcover’d. Knowing that the Emperor, in his return from Hunting, was c^ift 1017. oblig’d to cro fs a River, which was pretty broad, and that Barks were order’d to attend his Paflage, they prepar’d one fo built as to fall in Pieces prefently. The Emperor went into it with fome of his Nobles, but they had fcarce got to the middle of the River, before the Planks feparated at once, and the Veffel funk to the Bottom. Thus perifh’d this Prince, the fixteenth Year of this Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son Mo-vang. It is faid that in the fixteenth Year of his Reign, and forty firft of the former Cycle, Fo was born in India ; who was the Author of the abominable Sect of the Bonzas , and of the Dodtrine of Metempfycbofu: which was firft introduc’d into this Empire, the fixty fifth Year after ChriJ ?, under the Protection of the Emperor, as will be related in its proper Place. Mo-vang, ;th Emperor. Marches a- gainft the Tartars. Cyc.XXIV. Year before Chrift 957. MO-VANG, Fifth Emperor, reign d Fifty five Tears. T HE excellent Qualities of this Prince, and his Zeal for Juftice, foon gain’d him the Hearts of his Subjefts, and made them the more eafily forget one remarkable Failing he had, which was an extreme Fondnefs for Horles. When he vifited the Provinces, he had great Numbers in his Train, and always rode on Horfeback, or in a Chariot drawn by Horfes, moft magnificently equipp'd ; his Pleafure lay in making a pompous Appearance. Some of the Barbarians of the Southern Parts having revolted, he fent an Army againft them, commanded by Kau-fu , who intirely defeated them; for which piece of Service the Emperor rewarded him; with the Principality of Chau , in the Province of Shan-Ji. This Succefs incourag’d him to turn his viftorious Arms againft the Tartars, from which his Son- in-Law endeavour’d to diffwade him : reprefenting to him that Wars ought never to be under¬ taken, unlefs there was an abfolute Neceffity for it; that they were often more prejudicial to the Conquerors than the Conquer’d ; that the Defolation of one's own Country, and the Exhaufting of the Revenues were the ordinary Confequences of them ; and that in ftrort a virtuous Prince was more inclin’d to Peace than War. Thefe Remonftrances proving ineffeftual, Mo-vang advanc’d at the Head of a very power¬ ful Army to the Borders of Tartary. The Tartars hearing of his March, made the beft of their Way into the Heart of their Country, with their Tents and Cattle; fo that the Emperor finding no Enemies to fight with, was oblig’d to return, after having fatigu’d and impair’d his Army with long and troublefome Marches. He then repented that he had not taken his Son-in-Law’s Advice, and promis’d him never to form an Undertaking of the Kind, without his Approbation. This Prince’s Maxim was, That a Sovereign ought always to guard again/I Deceit and Flattery, and that he will be ejleem d only in Proportion as thofe who are about him are virtuous. The Author of the Idolatrous Seft, mention’d in the former Reign, dy’d in India the ninth Year of the Cycle, and two Years before the Emperor dy'd, who left for his Succell'or his Son Kang-vang. KONG-VANG, Sixth Emperor, reign'd Twelve Tears. A nt-oanz, TrlHIS Prince began his Reign with an Aftion fo cruel, that it would have been a per- 6 th Emperor. p etua i gi ot U p 0n him, if he had not made Amends for it, by his future Conduft, which was full of Equity and Juftice. He often us’d to walk by the Side of a Lake, in a Country call’d Mye, where the moft beautiful Maidens at thofe times made their Appearance, with three of whom he fell defperately in Love ; but they perceiving the Danger they were in, abfented themfelves from the Walk. This fo enrag’d the Emperor, that in the firft Tranf- ports of his Fury, he commanded all the Inhabitants of Mye to be maffacred. He repented this moft unjuft and barbarous Aftion all the Days of his Life; and by a continual Courfe l Monarchy of Equity and Moderation, which took off the Odium h<* + u i . Son He dy ' d th£ & CyCcVanV left SSSr? t Jgg Cvc.XXIV. YE-VANG, Seventh Emperor, reign d Twenty five Years StSj Tsuf-as t? se“ ,r,s isfsvj* «&?“•* he iS only known. He dy'd in the forty eighth Year of the Cycle, (defpis'd oftll Men^ by Vio U Lce. nS t0 CUre thC Cr ° Wn t0 hi5 Chl ' ldreni his Brother’ Hyal^ HYAU-VANG, Eighth Emperor, reign d Fifteen Tears. T HIS Ufurper maintain’d himfelf peaceably on the Throne bv his Mpric or>A ajj r tt only Fault was being over fond «£ Horfel, whereof heZd^^Numbef tt £ntfi targe Sums to procure the beft and moft rare that were to be had in all Parts F! // - P ° Fel'ow whom he had made his Mafter of the Horfe, infinuated himfelf into his FavourZrelv by his Skill in managing Horfes He us’d to ride them in the Emperor’s Preface who one Day was fo delighted with his extraordinary Addrefs that he rave him 1 p - ’■ r tn the Province of Shen-Jt; one of whofe Defendants fouling the foUowZ F ft roy d the Family to which he ow’d his Advancement. ° S Dj/ dy, de- I-VANG, Ninth Emperor, reign'd Sixteen Tears. T HE diforderly Conduit of this Prince and his want of Merit render’d him temptible to all his Subjedts; he had no Talents and was fo timerons rh,r I u" 7 ?' F" 1 ' 9tl1 make any Anfwer to his Minifters, when they came to him for Orders or to 1 d neither P "° r ' of their Adminiftration He could never bring himfelf t ogive Audience’to foreign A mbaffadon or receive ra Public the Homage of the Tributary Princes. He dv’d the nineteenth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded the Year following by his Son Li-vJ s . LI-VANG, Tenth Emperor, reign'd Fifty one Tears . nP H , IS ^ r * nce was proud, felf-conceited, prodigal, and cruel The Weolil-i 1 i ft f r °-mi hlS S “ b j e6 !; s b y Exaftions, could fcarcely fatisfy his Paffion for Riches^ which hi fpent lavilhly and without Judgment; the Mifery of his Peoole was rttJr’j t" was heard every where but Complaints and Lamentations. Several Manifeftos were publirhkf reprefatmg the cruel Inhumanity of the Emperor, in menacing Terms P ' * o frf C ! amoms and Repinings of an opprefs’d People only increas’d his Fury • and he caus’d made himfelf to his Subjects, he fufpefted that ali their dS wafonh^ hi ctduft md therefore he forbid them, on Pain of Death, to convene together or even wh far m“ w other; fo that you might fee all the Inhabitants of the Metropolis, walking tit Str-elwkh Eyes call down in mournful Silence, and (hunning each other t cL„ S c c- „ The Predidhon of this Wife Mimfter prov’d but too true ; for the fifty faond Year of the Cycle f d Pe ° Pl f ^ Ult p d . rlven . t0 d ‘; f P air > I'b i Torrent which has broken down itsBanks mill’d It a Mrtud^'trfh^ feC ’ CtIy C ° n b ey ’ d h f ° me> !n ° rder t0 coIceaThlm frotlhlRZof S t “ e ’ Mnc, „ih TtaS ’Sp,S, r " t S'ffeS'cJXI ar*xis£5i “ --—«*, Li-vano, loth Emperor, a Tyrant., Forces the People to revolt. Great Loya' ty of Chau - VOL. I. Sf i6 2 A N N A L S of the „ Li-vam henceforward liv’d in Obfcurity, a Wanderer, and Fugitive ; all Chau-hng could do to appeafe the People, and to re-eftablilh him on the Throne, was to no Purpofe, fo ty-V'O that the Throne was vacant for fome Years. Cvc.XXVI- Year before Chrijl 837. J Snien-vang, or St'vn-'vang, i ith Emp. Reftores Peace to the Empire, which he ex¬ tends beyond the Yang-tfe- kyang. His mean Condefcen- fions to pleafe her. punifh’d in his Death. S WEN-VANG, Eleventh Emperor, reign’d Forty fix Tears. T T-VANG dy-d in his Exile, the tenth Year of the Cycle; a'nd the Throne was fill’d E bv the young Prince, whom Chau-kong had fav’d from the Fury of a revolted Nation. This faithful Minifter having had time to inform the People, after what manner the right Heir to the Crown had been preferv’d, and how worthy he was of the imperial Dignity, lie by Degrees brought them to Obedience ; fo that at the Death of Lt-vang, Swen-vaiig was ac- k"Aif he*was*ftdl very young, Chau-kong and another no lefs faithful Minifter were appointed to be his Tutors, and to take Care of his Education. They acquitted themfelves of this im¬ portant Employ with great Zeal, and their Royal Pupil was equally obfervant of their In- ftrudtions. Of this he lave fufficient Proofs, as foon as he was of Age to govern by h.m- felf ; infomuch that it was faid in his Praife, that he reftor’d the happy Times, when the Throne was fill’d by the great Yu and the wife Chmg-tang. The Cruelty and Diforders of the preceding Emperors had driven from Court the Wife Men and Philofophers, who finding they could not put a Stop tothefe Evils retn d into the Defarts and Mountains, there to ftudy Wifdom more at Eafe. The young Emperor recall d them from their voluntary Exile, and by his kind Treatment and Liberality fix d them near hisPerfon- all the Difcontent likewife which his Father’s Tyranny had causd was remov d by his Virtue.’ The Tributary Princes took a Pleafure to do him Homage, and imitate him in governing their refpedtive States ; whereby all the Members of the Empire refurn d the moll perfect Subordination. ,. , , . „. „ Some of the Nations of the South, who were feparated from China by-the| great River Yang-tfe-kyang , taking Advantage of the Independency in which they liv d plunder d the neighbouring Provinces ; againft whom Swen-vang fent an Army commanded by excellent Of¬ ficers, who quell'd their Arrogance, and forc’d them to fubmit to the Laws and Cuftom of the Empire. The Prince dy’d the fifty fixth Year of the Cycle, and his Son Yew-vang luc- ceeded him. YEW-VANG, Twelfth Emperor, reign'd Eleven Tears. T HIS Prince had very great Faults, without any of the good Qualities fo muchadinir d in his Father, which made him contemptible. Among others he fuftcr d himlelt to be enflav’d by a Paffion, which was the Caufe of his Ruin, as well as of great I roubles in the Empire. He was fo defperately in Love with a Concubine nam d Pau-tfe .thanlor the Sake of her and her Son, he put away the Emprefs, and inheritedi the lawful Heir to the Crown. The Prince with the Emprefs his Mother retird to his Uncle, who had a Principality in the Province of Shen-Ji. r>, f • .1 Notwithftanding all this Tendernefs for Pau-tfe, Yew-vang had no great Pleafure in the Enjoyment of her? becaufe fire was naturally of a fplenetick and melancholy Temper; to remove which he had recourfe to all forts of Inftruments, that might infpire her with G Hlf was thl’n h at War with the Weftern Tartars, and had given Orders that when the Soldiers faw Fires lighted, they lhould immediately take their Arms, and attend his Perfon This Signal, which ought never to be us’d but in Cafe of Neceifity, he often older d to be oiven without any real Occafion, looking on it as a proper Diverfion for the Objefl of h Love- who was highly delighted to fee the Hurry that the Soldiers were in to run to the Em¬ peror in order as they thought to fight in his Defenfe, and then to fee how much furpnx d and alham’d they look’d at having had fo many fatiguing Alarms to no Puipo e. She took great Pleafure alfo in the Noife made by the Tearing of Silks, and the Em¬ peror to humour her in this odd Fancy, debas’d himfelf fo far as to be tearing them conti- ’^Nevertheleffthe Emperor was difpleas’d that his Son had abandon’d him, and fent an Order to his Brother to bring him to him immediately His Brother anfwer d that he would not obey his Orders, till the young Prince (hould be declar d lawful Hen to the Empire whi fo provok’d Tew-vang, that he inftantly declar’d War againft him. This Prince not being in a Condition to oppofe the Emperor’s Forces, join’d the firtars, and in the Night-time at¬ tack’d the Imperial Camp. The Fires were immediately lighted, but the So diets, who hac been deceiv’d by this Signal fo often before, difregarded it, looking on it as the utual Game to divert Pau-tle ; in the mean time the Camp was forc’d, and the Emperor flam. This hap¬ pen’d the feventh Year of the Cycle, and Ping-uang his Son fucceedcd to the Empire. PING- CHINESE Monarchs. 1 6] SeveralKing9 throw of their Dependance,, and make War on each other for le- veral Ages. PING-VANG, Thirteenth Emperor, Fifty one Tears. T HE Tartars, who were introduc’d into the Empire, taking Advantage of the Con- fufion which the Emperor’s Death had caus’d among the Chinefe Troops, plunder’d wherever they came, and made divers Conquefts. The Tributary Princes being alarm'd at it united their Forces to. oppofe this Torrent, which threaten’d to overwhelm them. Among thefe Confederate Princes, the Kings of Tfin and of Wey diftinguifh’d themfelves for their Valour, drove back the Tartars, and recover’d the Lands they had conquer’d. This Succefs put an End to a foreign War, but gave Rile to civil Commotions, ftill more dangerous. Thefe two Kings kept Poffeffion of the Lands which they had taken from the Tartars, in Right of Conqueft, and looking on themfelves as independent, refus’d to pay Homage to the Emperor, under Colour that he had lent them no Aftiftance. This Example produc’d fatal Confequences, which the Emperor brought on himfelf, bv removing his Court from the Province of Shen-Jt to that of Ha-nan. This Caution was imputed to the Fear wherewith the melancholy Fate of his Father had infpir’d him; and it was not doubted but his Defign in retiring farther from the Neighbourhood of the Tartars , was more for the Security of his own Perfon than that of the Empire. Several Tributary Princes, feeinv themfelves abandon’d, follow’d the Example of the Kings of Tjin and IVey, and made themfelves independant. There were three efpecially, who fignaliz’d themfelves by their Ufur- pations, and founded three confiderable Kingdoms. The King of Tfi leiz’d the Southern Part of the Province oiShan-tong ; the King of Tfu took the Provinces of H&-quang and Kyang- fi ; and the King of Tfin ufurp’d the greateft Part of the Province of Sben-fi. "Thefe three Princes no longer acknowledging any Superior, follow’d the Difiates of their Ambition; and feeking only to enlarge their Dominions by the Spoil of their Neighbours, made War againft each other. The Emperor endeavour’d to put a Stop to their Proceed¬ ings, and enjoin’d them to live in Peace, but they defpis’d his Authority. Thefe Wars lafted feveral Ages, and were not at an end in the Life-time of the celebrated Philofopher Confucius, whofelliftory begins here, which he has intitul’d Chun Tfyu. Ping-vang dy’d the fifty eighth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by IVhan-vang his Brother’s Son. WHAN-VANG, Fourteenth Emperor, reign'd Twenty three Tears. TI/HAN-VANG afeending the Throne at this difficult Jundlure, endeavour’d to bring whm^mg, vY t h c Tributary Princes to their Obedience by gentle means ; but thefe proving ineffedtual '+ ih En ' p ^ > he had Recourle to Arms, wherein he was not more fuccefsful. His Army being defeated, c^XYvm. and himfelf wounded, he gave up all Hopes of re-eftablilhing his Authority in the revolted Year before Provinces, and was content to preferve thofe which remain’d to him. He dy’d the twenty ffSptgp firft Year of the Cycle, and his Son Chwang-mang fucceeded him. CHWANG-VANG, Fifteenth Emperor, reign'd Fifteen Tears. T PIIS Prince came to the Crown contrary to the Will of feveral of the Minifters, as ct-w ang- well as of his Father, who nam’d for his Succeffor the Son of one of his Concubines, call’d Kew. But one of the Grandees, who had great Authority at Court, having reprefented to the reft of the Grandees and Minifters that this Injuftice done to the lawful Heir, would neceffarily occafion a civil War, and give a fatal Blow to the Imperial Authority, which totter’d but too much already, moft of them approv’d of his Reafons, and acknowledg’d Cbwang-vang. Notwithftanding this, Kew had a Party, which form’d a Plot to affaffinate the Emperor. Confpiracy The Chief of the Confpirators (who were three Years before their Defign was difeover’d) J =- being one of the Council, and a Perfon of great Credit; the Minifter, who had taken fo '• much Pains to place Chwang-vang on the Throne, eounfel’d him to feem not to know any thing of the Confpiracy, but to fend for the Traitor as if he wanted his Advice on lome important Affair. The Confpirator coming to Court was ftabb’d by a Soldier, who had Orders for that Purpofe ; and Kew on this fled to the King of Ten. His Flight and the Death of the chief Plot fecur’d the Emperor on the Throne ; but the revolted Princes con- Great Au- ftantly maintain’d their Independency : and even the King of Tfi-, by governing according to the Advice of his Ko-lau, or Prime Minifter, call’d tfiucn-chu., got fo great an Afcendant over them, that they leem’d as if they had depended entirely upon him; and durft un¬ take no Affair of Moment without his Approbation. The Emperor dying in the thirty fixth Year of the Cycle, the fame Ko-lau had fuch Influence in the State, as to procure almoft all the Suffrages of the Minifters and Grandees in Favour of Li-vang ; who was a Relation of the 164 ANNALS #/ the the King his Mafter, and defcended from a younger Brother of the Imperial Family, call’d DYN. III. ri che w. Gbew. Year before LI-VANG, Sixteenth Emperor, reign d Five Tears. fiGfYth r-p*HE Crown, by natural Right, defcended to one of the Nephews of the late Emperor ; Emperor but ] le was excluded from it by the Election of Li-vang, who was fupported by the King Power of the of Tfi, his Relation. This Tributary Prince enlarg’d his Power to the great Prejudice King of Tfi. of the Imperial Authority, and ufurp’d the Title of Pa, that is to fay, the Chief of other Princes, the greater Part of whom acknowledg’d him in that Quality. But this Title, which others alfo affum’d after his Example, lafted but one hundred Years, and then was aboliih’d. Li-vang dy’d the forty hi'It Year of the Cycle, and his Son Whey-vang fucceeded him. WHEY-VANG, Seventeenth Emperor, reign cl Twenty five Tears . mey-wng, ripHEfirft fix Years of this Reign were Peaceable, but this Tranquillity was afterwards 17th Emp. difturb’d by the 'Tartars who inhabit to the North of the Province of Shan-fi ; againft Vartan de- whom the Emperor fent an Army, commanded by the King of Tfi. This Army attack- K^ofV'^ in S them while they were befieging lay-tong-fu, forc’d their Camp, put them to the Rout, ingo1 and oblig’d them to retreat with Speed into their own Country. This Victory, and the Truft Whey-vang repos’d in the King of Tfi, gave him fuch Authority, that he wanted nothing of being Emperor but the Title ; and his Ambition, which was ftill greater, would have put him upon dethroning his Mafter, if he had not apprehended that the other Princes, who were his Equals, would have oppos’d his Advancement to the Throne. Firft King of It is pofitively affirm’d, that Japaji began to be govern’d by Kings in the fifty eighth Year Japan. 0 f t ^ e Cycle, and the fixteenth of this Emperor’s Reign. The Emperor dy’d the lixth Year of this Cycle, and was fucceeded by his eldeffc Son, call’d Year before Syang-Vatlg. Chrijl 657. t/'V'NJ SYANG-VANG, Eighteenth Emperor, reign'd Thirty three Tears. Syang-vang, QTA NG - VANG , altho’ very young, obferv’d in his Father’s Time, that the King of Tj?s 18th Emp.’ a) Ambition was without Bounds, that his Authority increas’d daily, and that he aim’d at making himfelf Mafter of the Empire : Therefore as foon as he was on the Throne, he refolv’d to reftrain his ambitious Defigns; but as he could not effeCt it by open Force, he made ufe of a Stratagem, which prov’d fuccefsful. Defeats the The King of Tfi had found means through the Intrigues of his Prime Minifter to aflemble Sfi'Tof the little Sovereigns that were dependant on the Imperial Crown. This was a kind of Con- the 'iting 0 of vocation of the States, which none but the Emperor had a Right to fummon. His Defign was Tfi by a Sera- t0 engage thefe Princes to acknowledge him for their Sovereign ; when the Emperor made tagem. u p e 0 f t h e f ame Occafion to caufe the reft of the Princes to be jealous of him. To this Pur- pofe he fent a fkilful Embaflador with Letters to the Aftembly. The Order of the Ceremony is, that when a Letter comes from the Emperor, it fhould be plac’d on a Table magnificently adorn’d; and that the fame Honours fhould be paid to it, as to the Emperor himfelf, before it was open’d. The Ceremony was perform’d by all the Tributary Princes, except the King of Tfi; who feem’d to be at a ftand, and had even refus’d to comply, if his Prime Minifter had not made him fenfible on one fide, that his Conduct would give Diftruft to the Princes affembled, who were in Reality his Equals ; and on the other expofe his own Orders to be treated with no more Regard by his Subjects, than he had treated the Emperor’s. This Prince fol¬ low’d fuch wife Counfel again ft his Will, and put off the Execution of his Defign to a more favourable Opportunity. In the mean time this public Proof of his Submiffion had great In¬ fluence on the other Princes, and help’d not a little to confirm them in a due Submiffion and Dependance on the Emperor ; which reftor’d the Government to its ancient Form. His Son Sho- Syang-vang was beginning to enjoy the Pleafures of Peace, when it was difturb’d by the Dif- tay retires to con ^ ent 0 f his Son, Sho-tay ; who left his Court the fifteenth Year of the Cycle, and put him- Tfi, who loon felf under the Protection of the King of Tfi. At the fame time a Tributary Prince of the Province after dies. G f Sben-fi openly revolted; but the Emperor foon defeated him with the Help of an Army of Tartars , whom he had brought over to his Intereft by marrying the Daughter of their Chief. He was foon after deliver’d from his Fears of the King of Tfi , who dy’d of old Age; and the Wars which arofe among his five Sons, who difputed the fovereign Power, together with the Divifion which enfu’d thereon in that Kingdom, feem’d to promife the Emperor lafting CHINESE Monarchs. 168 'jtattg-vang, 20th Emp. Goodnefs the Security of a Prince. lafting Eafe. As therefore he thought he had nothing more to fear, he divorc'd his + artar ByN nJ Spoufc (whom he had marry'd for political Reafons) under Pretence that fire was a Stranger. CHE PK The Chief of the tartars being highly provok'd at this Affront, refolv’d to be reveng’d. t^~VNj He fent therefore for Sbo-tay , who was quite deftitute of Help, and promis'd to make him Emperor if he would join with him, which he did ; and they both march d to the Capital chrift 657. of the Empire from which the Emperor was oblig’d to fly. Sbo-tay caus’d himfelf to be proclaim’d, while his Father wander’d about like a Fugitive, imploring Affiftance of the Tributary Princes. But having receiv’d from them the Succours he expedted, with which he form’d two Armies, one of them beiieg’d the Metropolis, enter d it in Triumph, and pu- nilh’d with Death the rebellious Prince ; the other Army defeated the Tartars, and re-efta- blifh’d Syam-vang upon the Throne. This Event happen’d the feventeenth Year of the Cycle, when the Empire was reftor’d to its former Splendour, and the Emperor enjoy’d it peace¬ ably to his Death; which happen’d the thirty ninth Year of the Cycle, and his Son A tug- vang fucceeded him. KING-VANG, Nineteenth Emperor, reign d Six Tears. T HE Empire began to flourifh when this Prince took Poffeflion of it; but his Reign was too fliort for the Good of his People, who were always praifing his Mildnefs, Wil- dom and Moderation. He dy’d the forty fifth Year of this Cycle, as much lamented by his Subjects, as he had been tenderly lov’d by them, and left his Crown to his Son Quang-vang. QUANG-VANG, Twentieth Emperor, reign d Six Tears. T HIS Reign was equally Ihort, and applauded by the People as the preceding. %uang- uam had inherited all the good Qualities of his Father, and the new King of TJi was not in a Capacity to caufe any Difturbance, being hated by his Subjedts, becaufe ot his Cruelties, and want of Application to Government. A Prince, who was his Kiniman, having given him Advice with regard to his Conduct, he was fo provok’d at it,.that he lent a Ruffian who had neither Fear nor Remorfe, to alfaffinate him. The Villain who was to pretend’ fome Bufinefs from the King of Tft, to make furer of his Blow, went betimes m the Morning to the Palace: where, finding the Prince feated on his Throne receiving Petitions, and adminiftring Juftice, he became feiz’d with Horrour at the Thought of ftaining his Hands in the Blood of fo good a Sovereign ; and not daring to return to his Mailer without having executed his Orders, flew himfelf at the Door of the Palace. . . The Emperor dy’d in the fifty firft Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Brother Ting-vang. TING-VANG, Twenty frft Emperor, reign'd Twenty one Tears. T HE whole Care of this Prince was to keep Wars at a Diftance, to preferve the Em¬ pire in profound Peace, and caufe the Laws to be put in Execution.^ On the fourteenth Day of the ninth Month, in the fifty fourth Year of the Cycle, Lau-kyun was born in the Province of Hu-quang ; who is the Founder ot one of the two principal Sedts, which have infefted the Empire, and whereof I fhall fpeak hereafter. He taught, that the Soul died with the Body ; that the Happinefs of a Man confided in Voluptuoufnels ; and confining all Felicity to this Life, he pretended to have found out a way to prolong it beyond its natural Term ; hence this Se£I was call’d the Sell of Immortals. It eafily found Admittance among the Grandees, who flatter’d themfelves that by embracing it they lhouU prolong their Days. However there is Reafon to believe, that the Founder of this impious Seclxon- fefs’d a Supreme Being, which he call’d Taw, for he fays in one of his Treatiles “ I hat “ this Tau has no Name that is fuitable to him ; that he created the Heaven and the Earth « without being corporeal; and that, tho’ he is himfelf immoveable, he gives Motion to all “ things." This has occafion’d fome to think, that his Doftrines, where they are very bad have been much corrupted by his Difciples. He dy’d at the Age of eighty four d ears; as did this Emperor in the twelfth Year of the Cycle, and his Son Kyen-vang fucceeded him. KYEN-VANG, Twenty fecond Emperor, reign’d Fourteen Tears. \ HIS Prince, by his Wifdom and Prudence, preferv'd the Grandeur of the Empire, Cvc. XXX. ’ - ... • ” 1 -* 1 r ^ - In his Reign two dan- Ting-vang, 2lft Emp. Birth of Lau- kyun, Founder of the Sett of Immortals. T and fuftain’d with Dignity all the Burthen of the Crown. A 1 l • _ _ 1.. "NTonrl rlpirlt; Chrift , 597. gerous Opinions began, which made a great Noife, and were clearly refuted. The Names of ANNALS of the Ling-vang, 23d Emp. 1 66 the two Philofophers who broach’d them, were Tang and Me 3 the former held, that all Men were to be lov’d alike, as well Strangers as thofe of the neareft Kin ; the latter would have every Man to mind his own Affair, without having the lead; Concern about the red of Man- • kind, or even the Emperor himfelf. Before this Reign, Hiftory does not mention the Kingdom of U i which is at prefent the South part of the Province of Kyang-nan. The Emperor dy’d the twenty fixth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son, call’d Ling-vang. LING-VANG, Twenty third Emperor, reign'd Twenty feven Tears. T HE Chinefe Hiftory relates, that this Prince was born with Hair on his Plead, and a Beard on his Chin. He is chiefly prais’d for his Wifdom and Prudence, in having prelerv’d his Authority, and the Peace of the Empire, tho’ all the Tributary Princes were continually at War among themfelves. The forty feventh Year of this Cycle, was remarkable for the Birth of Kong-fu-tfe or Confucius , fo often mention’d, whom the Chinefe account the greateft Philofopher of their Nation 3 He was born in the Province of Shan-tong , the fourth Day of the eleventh Month. When he was but three Years old, he loft his Father Sho-lyang-ho , who was Prime Minifter in the Principality of TfTt. Great In- The Death of the King of U gave Rife to a Difpute between his two Sons, which is deS Ce a nd M ° w hhout Example 3 for the eldeft, to whom the Crown belong’d, refolving to refign it to his Selfdenial, younger Brother, who refus’d it, plac’d him on the Throne as it were by Force, put on him the Royal Ornaments, and faluted him as his Sovereign : But the latter left the Palace fecretly, and hid himfelf in the Defarts, fo that the elder was at laft oblig’d to wear a Crown, for which he had fuch a noble Contempt. The Emperor dy’d the fifty third Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son, call’d King-vang. KENG-VANG, Twenty fourth Emperor, reign'd Twenty fi’ve Tears. 1 H I S Emperor is blam’d for his Negligence in the Affairs of Government, and his Indolence, with Refpedt to what pafs’d in the Empire. For which Reafon the King of U alter’d his Delign, of fubmitting himfelf to the Empire and its Laws: fo that inftcad of fending Ambafladors to the Imperial Court, he fent them to that of the King of Lit, who was of the Family of the Chew, and govern’d his Subjedts according to the Laws eftablifh’d by the Emperors of this Dynafty. The Wars, which had continu’d fo long among the Tributary Princes, having caus’d great Confufion in the Government of their relpedtive States 3 the King of Ching , who reign’d in the Province of Shen-fi began to think of reftoring Order in his own. Plis Prime Minifter, a Perfon of known Ability and Merit, to whom he had committed this Truft, entring into his Mafters Views, began with reforming the Abufes which long Ufe had eftablifh’d in the Court. He renew’d the ancient Laws that had been made by the beft Princes, divided the Lands equally, and fhew’d fo much Wifdom therein, that the Rich did not complain of what had been taken from them to fupply the Wants of the Poor. His Regulations on this Head were thefe 3 viz . I. That the Lands fhould be divided into nine equal Parts, whereof the ninth Part fhould be the Domain, and cultivated at the common Expenfe. II. That all People indifferently fhould be permitted to fifh in the Lakes and Ponds. III. That the Magiftrates fhould have an Eye particularly to all Widows, old Men and Women, who have no Children, and to Orphans, in order to aflift them in their Neceflities. Confucius marry’d at the Age of nineteen Years, contenting himfelf with one Wife, by whom he had one Son. A while after he divorc’d her upon fome Pretence 3 but the true Reafon was, that being freed from the Cares of a Family, he might purfue his Studies with greater Application 3 in effedt, he made fuch a Progrefs in various kinds of Knowledge, that in a few Years he became the moft learned Dodtor of this Empire. The Emperor dy’d the eighteenth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son, call’d Meng-vang. This Prince reign’d but a few Months, in which time he had a Son born, whofe. Birth gave Rife to two powerful Fadtions in the Empire. The principal Courtiers declar’d this Infant Emperor, and nam’d Guardians to govern the Empire in his Minority 3 while fome of the Governors of the Provinces, alledging in their Excufe his tender Age, and the Uncertainty of his Life, proclaimed the [fecond] Brother of Meng-vang. Both Parties proceeded to Arms, but this laft Fadtion being the ftrongeft, took the Metropolis, and plac’d King-vang on the Throne 3 whofe Name tho the fame [in Sound] as his Father’s (s), yet it is written in different Chandlers, and has a different Signification. (s; It is Brother in the French by Miftake. King-vang, 24th Emp. Cyc~XXXI. Year before Thrift 537. C cnjacius marries and divorces his Wife. ICING- CHINESE Monarcht. 167 Con/ufius is made Prime Mini Her of the Kingdoa of Lu. King 6f Tfi afTaflinated by his Prime Minilter.who ufurps the Crown. Con/ufius re- figns his Port and retires. KING- VANG, Twenty fifth Emperor, reign’d Forty four Tears. C ONFUCIUS had already acquir’d fuch great Reputation, that he was follow’d by three thoufand Difciples, of which feventy two were diftinguiSh’d by their Learning ; and in this la ft Number there were ten, who were fo accomplish'd in all forts of Knowledge, that they Were call’d by way of Excellence, The Ten Philofophers. The thirty eighth Year of the Cycle Confucius was preferr’d for his great Merit to be Prime Millifter of the Kingdom of Lu , his native Country. Thro’ his wife Counfel the Face of Af¬ fairs was foon chang'd throughout the Land; he reform’d the Abufes that had crept into it, and reftor’d Honefty in dealing; he taught young Men to reSpedt the old, and honour their Parents, even after their Deceafe -he infpir’d the fair Sex with Mildnefs and ChaStity j and caus’d Sincerity, Uprightnefs, and all other civil Virtues to prevail among the People. The Love of JuStice became fo univerfal, that if any thing happen’d to be drop’d on the high Roads, nobody durSt meddle with it, but the Perfon it belong’d to ; in Short he eftabliSh’d fuch perfect Order and Union in all Parts of this State, that it feem’d like a well govern’d Family. About this time the King of ffi was aSTaSTnlated by his Prime Minister, who feiz’d the Crown. This Ufurper fufpetting the Fidelity of his new Subje&s, and fearing the Power of the King of Lit , courted his Friendship, and at the fame time laid a dangerous Snare for his Virtue. He restor’d the Lands conquer’d by his PredeceSTors, and made him a Prefent of a young Maiden, who beSides being exceeding pretty, had a charming Voice ; She was order’d to employ all her Charms, and the ufual Arts of her Sex, to infpire the King of Lu with Love. Confucius employ’d all his Eloquence to difuade his Prince from receiving fuch a pernicious Prefent ; but Love was Stronger than Realon, and what the Philofopher forelaw came to pafs; for the Prince minding nothing but his MiStrefs, and the Diverfions he made for her, ne¬ glected the Care of the State, ceas’d to administer JuStice, aud defpis’d the Counfels of the Wife Men who were at his Court. Confucius finding that he could no longer maintain the pru¬ dent Maxims which he had establish’d, laid down his Place of Prime Minister, and retir’d out of the Kingdom. Mean time moSt of the Tributary Princes were Still at War together, wherein the King of U periSh’d miferably in Battle againSl the King of Twe , which is at prefent the Province of Che-kyang. The fifty fecond Year of the Cycle, the Family of Tfau , which had twenty five King9 in the Space of fix hundred and thirty fix Years, was entirely extinguish’d by the King of Song. Confucius ends about this Time the HiStory of the Wars of the Tributary Princes, which had lafted two hundred Years; and dy’d the fifty ninth Year of the Cycle, in the feventy third Year of his Age, and the forty firft of this Reign. The ChineJ'e pay the greateft Veneration to the Memory of this Philofopher. He is look’d on as the Mafter and DoClor of the Empire. His Works have fo great Authority, that to make the leaft Alteration in them would be punilh’d as a Crime. Whenever any Diforder arifes in Point ofDoClrine, a Quotation out of his Works decides it at once ; fo that the moft obftinate among the Learned are oblig’d to Submit. His Posterity are Still in being, and enjoy the greateft Privileges} which have always fubfifted, whatever Revolutions have happen’d in the Empire. In the Sixtieth Year of the Cycle, the Kingdom and the Family of Chin, which continu’d fix hundred and forty five Years, under Twenty four Princes was entirely destroy’d by the King of Tfu. The Emperor dy’d the fecond Year of this Cycle, and left his Crown to his Son Twen-vang. YWEN-VANG, Twenty fixth Emperor, reign’d Seven Tears. I F the Reign of this Emperor had been longer, the Power and Dignity of the Empire had Twen-vang? been compleatly re-eStabliSh’d, through the Wifdom and Mildnefs of his Government. z6ch Em P- The ancient Laws of his PredeceSTors were beginning to revive, and moft of the Tributary Princes were return’d to his Obedience, excepting the King of Lu who refus’d to come to the ASTembly of the States, which the Emperor had conven’d, not looking on himfelf as a VaSTal Profcribes of the Empire. On this the Emperor caus’d him to be proferib’d as a Rebel, which is the firft the King of Inftance we find of that fort of Punishment. The Prime Minister of that Prince being difeon- as a Re * tented, came to the Emperor, who gave him the Command of the Army} with which he fought feveral Battles, conquer’d almoft the whole Province, and fent AmbafladQrs with Prelents to the Emperor, defiring the Inveftiture of that Principality } which was granted him, on Condition that he pay’d the ordinary Homage and Tributes. The Kingdom o ft/, which had fubfifted for fix hundred and fifty Years under twenty petty Kings, was fubverted at that Time by the King of Twe. Twen-vang dy’d the ninth Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son Ching-ting-vang. CHING- Kirtdgom of Chin deltroy- ed. Cvcxxxir. Year before Chrift 477, ANNALS of the DYN. TIT. CHE IV. Cyc.XXXII. Year before Chrijl 477. CHING-TING-VANG, Twenty fe-venth Emperor, reign'd Twenty eight Tears. Ching-ting- vang, 27th Emperor. Kingdom of Tfay deltroy’d T HIS Prince found the Empire alrnoft reflor’d to its ancient Splendour, and maintain’d the Dignity of it, by his wife Conduit. The Emprefs dying, he liv’d in Celibacy ; being an admirable, tho* rare Example of Continency, whence he was furnam’d the Chafle. The thirty firft Year of the Cycle, the King of Tj'u , put an end to the Principality of which had continu’d fix hundred and feventy fix Years under twenty five Princes. This Emperor dy’d the thirty feventh Year of the Cycle, leaving three Sons, who were old enough to reign. The eldeft, call’d Ngan , lucceeded him, but he only reign’d three Months, and was murder’d by his Brother Su ; who enjoy’d the Fruits of his Crime no longer than five Months; being aflaffinated, under Pretence of revenging the Parricide, by his youngefi: Bro¬ ther, Kau-vang, who afcended the Throne without the lead Oppofition. KAU-VANG, Twenty eighth Emperor, reign d fifteen Tears. Kau-vang , \ LTHO’ this Prince ufurp’d the Crown without Oppofition, yet the barbarous Action, 28:hEmp. by which he made his way to it, difgrac’d him throughout the Empire; and furni(h’d moll of the Tributary Princes with a Pretence to refufe paying him the ufual Homage, or to acknowledge him for their Sovereign. He had a Brother, call’d Whan-kong , whom he remov’d, out of Policy, from Court, by giving him a Principality in the Province of Ho-nan ; one of whole Defendants was the lafb Emperor of this Dynajly. In the Kingdom of * 7 //, a very numerous Family, call’d Tyen, having become exceeding powerful by their great Credit and Riches; they made themfelves popular by their Libera¬ lity, and'growing proud of the Authority they had acquir’d, caus’d the People to rebel, who fecret- ly made away with their King. But to remove the Sufpicion of their having been the Rigicides, they plac’d his eldeft Son on the Throne, and made the youngefi; Prime Minifter; however, as they had divided all the great Polls and Governments among themfelves, they left the Prince nothing but an empty Title, and kept all the Power in their own Hands. Kau-vang dy’d the fifty fecond Year of the Cycle, and was lucceeded by his Son Ghey-lye-vang. GHEY-LYE-VANG, Twenty ninth Emperor, reign'd Twenty four Tears. Ghrs-Ue-vang \ BOUT this time the cruel Wars between the Tributary Princes began again, and lafied 29th Emp. near three hundred Years. The Hiftorians call thefe times Chen-que , or the warlike Ages. Each Prince aim’d at the Empire, and endeavour’d to deftroy his Rival. The Emperors had Miferabie fcarcelv any thing left them except their Dignity; and had the Affliction to fee both their State of the ^ ut bority and their Provinces taken from them by Degrees. The Hiftory tells us, that the nine Brazen Veflels, which Tu> the Founder of the firfl Dynajly , caus’d to be made, reprefenting the be h< in again P rovmces °f the Empire, Ihook of their own accord ; which was look’d on as a Prefage of among the the Evils that threaten’d the State. Tributary The Kingdom of'Tfin was divided among four Princes, who had conquer’d it. One of them, nnccs ’ who was become famous by gaining feveral Battles, form’d the Defign of feizing the other three Parts, but was prevented by Death. However his Son Chi-fyang , who fucceeded him, being equally unquiet, and ambitious to enlarge his Territories, picked a Quarrel with the Kings of Han and Ghey ; who chofe rather to deliver up the Places, which he unjuftly demanded by his Ambaflfador under Pretence of making Satisfaction for Injuries receiv’d, than engage their Subjects in a bloody War. Chi-J'yang , who breathed nothing but Hoftilities, thought to have made the King of Chau , another of his Neighbours, truckle in the fame manner ; but that Prince not only difmifs’d his Ambafl'ador without giving him any Anfwer, but engaging the injur’d Kings of Han and Ghey to join him with their Forces, the Army of Chi-fyang was intirely defeated, and himfelf {lain. The King of Chad having fubdued the Dominions of his Enemy, enter'd them in Tri¬ umph, and put all his Family to Death. Not content with this Vengeance, he caus’d the Corps of Chi-J'yang to be brought before him ; and cutting off his Head made a Cup of his Scull, out of which he us’d to drink, being varnilh’d over for the Purpofe. One ol the Offi¬ cers mod firmly attach’d to Chi-fyang , was fo enrag’d at this Affront done to the Memory of his Mailer, that he attempted feveral times to flip into the Palace of the King of Chau , and murder him ; but being difeover’d, he was put to death. There was another War between the King of Lii and the King of Tji. The former gave the Command of his Army to a brave General, nam’d U-ki , who entring the Kingdom of 1 J /i, gain’d a great Victory, took five important Places, and would have pufh’d his Conquefts farther, if a Peace had not enfu’d between the two Kings. This Officer was as fober as he was valiant ; he liv’d like one of the common Soldiers, and equally {har’d with them the Fatigue as well as CHINESE Monarch s\ i6p Ngan-vang, 30th'Emp. , U-ki the fa¬ mous Gene¬ ral. His Saying to the King t of Gheyr ■. ■- who makes him his Prime Mini- Iter. Retires to the King of 7 /«. Renders the Kingabfolutd and is mur¬ dered. as the Gain ; whereby he infpir’d his Troops with that Vigour to which’ he ow’d his Succefs DyN m rather than to his Valour. . * c H E If'. The Emperor dy'd the Sixteenth Year of the Cycle, and his Son Ngan-vang fucceeded him. j Year before NGAN-VANG ,Thirtieth Emperor, reign d Twenty fix Tears. H ISTORY relates nothing concerning this Emperor, excepting the tear of his Reign j and only gives an account of the Wars among the Tributary Princes. The Kintr of Ghcy had engag'd in his Intereft the famous General U-la, juft now mention’d, of whofe Wifdom he had conceiv'd as high an Idea as of his Valour. One Day dilcourftng familiarly with him, concerning his Wealth, and the Strength of his Kingdom, which Nature had fort’fy’d with inacceffible Rocks: U-ki made Anfwer, that he deceiv'd himlelt much if he plac’d his Security in fteep Rocks; and that the Power and Grandeur of a State fconiifted in the Virtue and Application of the Perl'on who govern'd This Anfwer encreas'd his Efteem with the Prince, who having declar d War againft the King of TTin gave U-ki the Command of his Army ; with which he attack d the Enemy, en¬ tirely defeated them and forc'd the King to fue for Peace. Thefe and other no left glorious Aftions gain’d the General the Affeftion of the Prince, who to recompenfe him, made him his PrimeMinifter. The Grandees difpleas’d hereat, endeavour’d to render his Fidelity fufpeited; and fuggefted to the King that it was not prudent to put a Stranger into the mod important Poft in the State U-ki, being inform’d of the ill Offices they were doing him, left the Kingdom fecretlv and retired to the Court of the King of Tfu ; where his Merit being foon known he was niac’d at the Head of the Army, and having gain’d feveral Battles, againft different Princes, oblig’d them- to feek the Amity and Alliance of his Mafter. The Great Men envying hr; Profperity they endeavour'd to ruin him with the King ; but not fucceeding in their Defign, they confpir’d againft their Sovereign as well as his Favorite ; who difeovering the Piot, all thole con¬ cern’d in it were either baniffi’d the Kingdom or put to Death. U-ki after this changed the Form of the Government, by limiting the Authority of the Grandees and Minifters, and lodging the Power folely in the King, This Reform in the State render'd it fo flounihing that it became formidable to the neighbouring Princes ; who confpir'd with the Governors and Magiftrates of the Kingdom, to deftroy a Man, who had render’d his Mafter fo much their Supenour m Power and Authority. Accordingly he was found murder’d in his own Houfe. The Emperor dy’d the forty fecond Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son Lye-Fang. LYE-VANG, Thirty firfi Emperor , reign'd Seven Tears. T HE Empire decay’d daily, and the Imperial Family was on the Brink of Ruin. All the Tributary Princes maintain’d their Independency, excepting the King of Tfi, who - was the only one who renew’d his Homage on Lye-vang’% Acceffion to the Throne. The fame Year that he took Poffeffion of the Empire the Kingdom of Ching which had twenty ^ rf three Princes in the Space of four hundred and thirty two Years, was deltroy d by the king C /, ; ° dcftrcy< ° f The*’forty fecond Year of this Cycle was remarkable for the Birth of the Milofopher Meng-tfe, commonly known by the Name of Mencius, who is efteem’d moll of all the ■ Chinefe Sages after Confucius. Lye-vang dy’d without Iffuc in the forty ninth Year of the Cyclq, and his younge'r Brother Hyen-vang, fucceeded him. HYEN-VANG, Thirty fecond Emperor, reign d Forty eight Tears. T HIS Prince had fcarcely any thing elfe but the Title of Emperor; the Imperial Autho¬ rity being fo little refpefted that the Tributary Princes not only refus’d to acknow¬ ledge him for their Sovereign, but alfo threaten’d to declare War againft him if he oppos’d their Deigns or blam’d their Conduft. They being prepoffefs’d with an Opinion, that the Crown belong’d to the Poffeffor of the nine Vafes of Copper, which the great 1 u had caus d to be made • each of them ftrove to get the Poffeffion of them, in order to ufurp the Autho¬ rity over the reft. The Emperor, to defeat their Defigns, was oblig’d to have them thrown into a deep Lake, from which it was impoffible to get them out. Mencius who was but thirty fix Years old, then flounfh d in the lngheit Reputation, and had feventeen Difciples that follow’d him. He travell’d over feveral Kingdoms, efpecially thofe of Ghcy and Tfi inftrufting Princes how to govern their Subjcds, and the Subjefls in their Duty towards their Princes ; as well as in the Virtues that they ought to pradhfe, both in the private and adtive Scenes of Life. Hyen-vang dy’d the thirty feventh Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son Shin-tfm-vang. Vol. I. UU SHIN- Hyen-vang, 3 2d Emp. Has nothing left but the Title. ANNALS of the SH1N-T SIN-VANG, Thirty third Emperor, reign'd Six Tears. ShinJjid^ T F this Prince had poffefs’d Strength and Courage enough to have taken Advantage of the Emp’ e ror d , Divillons and Wars . which reign’d among the Tributary Princes, doubtlefs he would have reftor’d the Empire to its former Grandeur : but his Cowardice and Sloth, in which he exceeded his Predeceffor, contributed more than any thing to the abafement of his Dig- HisSloth&nd nit y. and tllc extindlion of his Authority ; while the King of Tfin encreas’d to fuch a Degree Cowardice, that he kept the other Princes in Subjedtion to him, and had the Imperial Authority, Great Power tho ’ not the Di S nit y- Five Kings, viz. of Tju, Chau , Han, Ghey, and Ten, joined their of [he King Forces to oppofe his formidable Power; but the King of Tjin defeated their Army, and of ‘ rj!n - might have deprived them of their Kingdoms, if a more important Concern had not call’d him elfewhere. Two Princes of the Weftern Part of the Province of Se-chwen, who were independant of the Empire, were at War together, and each demanded Aid from the King who defeats of %fi n > who believing it was eafy to take Advantage of their Difference, and join thofe five Confe. vaft Countries to his own, marched to the Affiftance of one of thefe Princes, and defeated the derate Kings. Army of the other, who was found dead in the Field of Battle ; in fhort he oblig’d the Prince, whom he had affifted, to pay him Homage, and an annual Tribute. At the fame time the King of Ghey, one of the Confederates, having no Hopes of living either eafy, or fecure in his Dominions, while he had fo powerful a Prince for his Enemy, Of whom became his Tributary, and pay’d him the fame Refpeft and Submiffion as if he had been that of Emperor. The King of Ttfm granted him his Friendihip and Protection the more willingly, Tr“bmry. 1S as A tIle Kingdom of Ghey, he could more eafily enter and fubdue the Territories of the other Princes of the Eaft. The Emperor, who had been an idle Spectator of all the Vittories of the King of 'Tfm } dy’d the forty third Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son Ngan-vang. 170 dyn. nr. CHE ir. cvOxxTv Year before Chrijl 357 . NGAN - VANG, Thirty fourth Emperor, reign'd Fifty nine Years. N/an-vang, 34th Emp. the Honour paid to the Me¬ mory of a virtuous Mi- niltcr. T HIS Prince’s Reign was not more happy for being fo long ; when he came to Throne, the Imperial Authority was almoft annihilated 3 and tho’ he wanted neither Parts nor Virtue, yet the State was too weak to undertake any thing that might give the leaft umbrage to fuch a powerful Prince as the King of T’Jin. At this time a Ko-lau of the King of Iju , nam’d Kiv-yen , who had gain’d the Plearts of all, by his Probity and Uprightnefs, fell a Sacrifice to Envy, and was unworthily depriv’d of his Honours; not being able to furvive his Misfortune, he threw himfelf into the River and was drown’d. The People were fo fenfibly afflidled at his Lofs, that they preferve the Memory of it by a Feaft; which is (till celebrated annually on the fifth Day of the fifth Month, when they fail about the Rivers in ornamented Barks, as if they were in fearch of that virtuous Mandarin , in order to bring him to life again. Men ft us dy’d the ninth Year of this Cycle, in the eighty fourth Year of his Age, and Year before is look'd upon as the greateft Philofopher of the Empire, except Confucius. His Works are Chrijl 297. held in high Veneration, and his Defcendants enjoy great Privileges. Mean time the King of Ifji n followed clofely his ambitious Defigns, and infenfibly clear’d the way to the Empire, by Mutg-tje dies. un derhand fupporting the War among the Tributary Princes; each of whom afk’d Succours from him, which he readily furnifh’d them with, that they might deftroy one another, and leffen the Kingdom of Number of the petty Sovereigns. Thus the Kingdom of Song, which had fubfifted three hundred Song extmdl. e jgh t y one Years, under thirty two Princes, was deftroy’d by the Kings of Tfi and ifa ; and the Principality of Lit, which had been govern’d by thirty four Sovereigns, was fubdu’d by the King of Iju. This laft alfo invaded the Territories of Ghey , who became tributary to him. King of Tfin After this Cbau-fyang King of 7 /fo, no longer concealing his Defign upon the Imperial dethrones the Crown, offer’d to the Sovereign Lord of Heaven a Sacrifice, with the fame Ceremonies i.mperor. none but the Emperors were allow’d to perform, by which publick Adt he openly declared his Pretenfion to that fovereign Dignity. At that time there was no Prince pow¬ erful enough to difpute it with him, except the King of Fji ; but Chau-fyang gained a corn- pleat Vidtory over him, and immediately fent part of his Troops to dethrone the Emperor, whofe Army was fo fmall, that it was defeated at the firft Attack ; and this unfortunate Prince was forced to implore the Clemency of the Conqueror, to acknowledge him for his Sovereign, and yield up to him the few Cities that remained in his Hands. This Submif- fion faved him his Life, which he ended the Year following in the Province of Shan-fi , whither he retired. As foon as the Emperor’s Misfortune was publickly known, feveral of the Princes, par¬ ticularly the King of Han , haften’d to pay Homage t-o the King of Fjin. Neverthelefs, as he CHINESE Monarch s. 171 he was not acknowledg’d by the whole Empire, and there were ftill fome Princes, who ad- ^ her’d to the Family of Chew, they elected Chew-kyun^ one of the Grand-fons of the Brother crew. of Kau-vaug , the twenty eighth Emperor of this Race. Cyc.XXXV- Year before CHEW-KYUN, Thirty fifth Emperor, reign d Seven Years, TXpp. r'HEW-KTUN took the Title of Emperor the forty third Year of the Cycle, and gather’d Forces on all fides to make Head againft the Ufurper, demanding Aids from the Kings m of IJi, Tju, and Ghey but thefe Princes fearing Chait-J'yang , and regarding no Intereft but Abdicates, their own, refus’d to fend him any. Chew-kyun finding himfelf forfaken, and out of Elopes a" d E f nd P totfie of maintaining himfelf on the Throne, abdicated the Crown, and liv’d a private Life. Thus Dynaiiv of ended the Dynafty of the Chew. the Che w. Chaa-fyang did not long enjoy rhe Authority which he had ufurp’d, but dy’d even before the Abdication of the Emperor ; his Son Hyau-veng-vang dy’d the lame Year, and left the Imperial Crown to his Son, call’d Chwang-fyang-vang , who was the Founder of the Dxna - fly The Fourth DYNASTY, call’d TSIN, which had Four Emperors, within the Space of Forty three Tears. CHWANG-SYANG-VANG, Firfl Emperor, reign d'Three Years. T -t HE Beginning of this Prince's Reign is remarkable for his Inroad into the Terri- DYN ' tories of the King of Ghey. At firft he won feveral Battles, which fo alarm’d TSIN.' the other Princes, that fearing after he had gotten the Empire, he would dilpoffefs them of their Dominions, live of them viz. the King of Han, TJi, Ten, Chau, and 3/S», join’d the King of Ghey, their Forces confided of two hundred thoufand’ Men” riTtmperor. who defeated the Emperor's Army, and oblig'd him to quit the Territories which he had conquer'd. S- P °“h!? During thefe Tranfadtions the Emperor dy’d, and left the Crown to his adopted Son Shi- Khigs. whang-ti, who fucceeded in the fifty fecond Year of the Cycle. According to the Chinefe Hiftory he was born in the twelfth Month after his Conception. SHI-WHANG-TI, Second Emperor, reign'd Thirty f ven Years. I F the Confederacy form’d by the fix Kings, above mention’d, for their common Defen fe, had continu’d, they might eafily have maintained their Ground againft the Forces of xdEmperor.’ Shi-whang-ti ; but their Ambition foon difuniting them, they made War on one another, Subdues the and fo weaken’d themfelves by the Deftrudion of their Armies, that by little and little Confederate they became a Prey to Shi-whang-ti; who having fubdu’d them one after another, Kings ' “ d put them to death with all the Males of their Families, excepting the King of Tfi, whom KtS he referv’d for a more lingring and cruel Punilhment; for he fhut him up in a Park, planted Families to with Pine-Trees, where he allow’d him only juft as much Food as was neceflary to fupport Death ’ Nature. This unfortunate Prince, by thefe means grown defperate, refus'd to eat any of the Provifions which they brought him, and ftarv’d himfelf to Death. The King of Han avoided the Fate of the other Princes, by delivering up himfelf with Except the his Troops and Dominions to the Emperor; he liv’d at Court with the Honours belonv- King otUm t ing to his Rank, and as he had both Abilities and Experience, Shi-whang-ti often difcours°d wl> ° fublmIS ’ with him upon the Maxims of Government. All thefe Principalities being re-united under one Sovereign, and their Titles abolifli'd En,ar S' s the became thenceforth Provinces of the Empire ; which, having been farther enlarg’d by the dSTimo great Conquefts the Emperor made Southward, was divided by him into thirty fix Provinces. 36 Province! The Admiral of a little Fleet, fent to fome of the ‘Japanefe Iflands (t), allur’d the Empe- j. s r (t ror In the Account he gave him of his Expedition, that nothing could be more advan- peopled from tageous to the Trade of the Empire, than to have a Colony fettled there; and to engage him c4 "'“' more - (t) P. da Hulde omits the Expedition to Bengal, mention’d p. i, which happen’d much about the fame time with this to Japan. m ANNALS of the . effectually in that Defign, he told him that one of the Iilands produc'd a fovereign Builds the Great Wall IV. Remedy againft a ll forts of Difeafes, and even Death itfelf. TS 1N ' The Emperor, fond of living long to enjoy his Conquefts, was caught with this Bait, and fent him back with’ Ships, Soldiers, and three hundred young Men, with as many marriageable Maidens. The Admiral arriving at an Bland, built a City, of which he declar’d himlelf Sovereign ; in a fhort time the Country was peopled, and the Inhabitants are prbud of deriving their Original from the Chineji. Shi-whang-ti having obferv’d in vifiting his Empire that the Northern Provinces, cfpe- cially Pc-che-li , Shan-fi, and Shen-fi, were much expofed to the fudden Incurfions of the Tartars ; he fent a formidable Army, which having driven them back a great way beyond the Frontiers of the Empire, he immediately put in Execution the Scheme he had form'd to fecure his Country againfl luch dangerous Neighbours, by building a Wall from the Sea to the Extremities of the Province of Shen-fi. In the forty fecond Year of the Cycle, he caus’d Ships loaded with Iron, to be funk into the Sea, to fecure the Foundation ; one thud part of the Men in the Empire, who were of a certain Age, were employ’d ill the Work ; and the Architeft was oblig’d under Pain of Death to join the Stones fo well with Mortar, that not a Nail could be driven between. , There were lame Arches built for the Paffage of Rivers, as alfo Forts along the Wall, at prop'-r' Diftances for Garrifons, and Gates in the molt convenient Places, to facilitate Com¬ merce and invade Tartary on Oecafion. It was fo thick that feven or eight Horfemen could ride abreaft on it, and fo folid that it is almoft all {landing to this Day ; but, what is more furprifing, is, that the whole was finifh’d in five Years time. This ftupendous Work was enough to immortalize the Founder ; but not fatisfy’d with .Inim and Lis Pi-eflere.fTnrs. much to Publishes a Decree to havfn-r Companions made between him and his Eredeceffors, much to his Advantage, he__ pre- bur': .ill the , < , * , , .n r' 1 A-A"', tend'd he had eclVoTfed all their Glorv, and that Pofterity might have none to talk of but d pvfii fi ' himfclf h- endeavour’d to deftroy the very Remembrance of them. For this end he pub- liih’d 1 Decree commanding his Subjedts on pain of Death to burn the Books call’d K-n-r and all the Works of Confiufins, -’■~ l - nf Hiflory the Sciences. which tranfmitted the Virtues and Adtions of the* neat’ Emperois -“he only’excepted thofe that treated of Architefture and Medicine. To coun- e nance thele de’ltruaive Orders, he framed- feveral Pretences: Tbefe Booh, faid he, were ufiejul when the Empire was divided among . .. ious Sovereigns, that the People might be govern'd by the Tame Laws • 'but 7m that it is under one Monarch , it is the fiame Spirit which governs and ani¬ mates the whole. Thefe Sciences, added he, to which an infinite Number of Men apply themfilves, feme only to encourage Wemfs, while Agriculture, which is the Source ofi Happsnefi to the People ■s n-PcAed In ffiort, according to him, thele Books contain’d the Seeds of Rebellion, and thofe who made them their Study went fo for in their Pretence to reform the State, that it the wife Comm r.ds of the Prince, which muft vary according to the feveral Occafions, were not con- formabie to the ancient Laws of the Empire, they took the Liberty rafhly to condemn h.s Conduit and with their l'cditious Difcourfes kindled a Spirit of Difobedtence and Rebellion. This Decree was executed by the Governors with the utmoft Severity; they made the ftndlell Search for thefe valuable Books, and the Men of Learning, who were found with any of them in their Cuflo'y were put to Death; however, feme Copies of them were lav d, as 1 have mention'd in another Place. This Decree of tire Emperor, and the Severity with which it has was put in Execution, have made his Name odious to Pofterity, and the Lofs of thefe ancient Monuments is much bewail’d by the Chine/e, at Shis Day. A profound Peace fucceeding after a twenty five Yeais War, the Emperor made feveral new Laws, and alter’d others. _ As he had feveral Children, feme of his Minilters advis'd him to create the Younger, Sovereigns of cer- -fo t ,; n provinces - but the Emperor putting them in mind of the Troubles which the erecting ;; : J j; fc h Principalities had cans' 1 under the preceding Dynaflies, rejeded that Method; and inftead iatC.U thereof order'd Palaces to lie built for them in feveral Cities, where they fhould be mam- \v render’d his Name odious Makes Laws. ce tViti’d at the Emperor’s Expence, and treated with the Refpe<3 due to their Birth, but have :r, ‘ - ■ • ’ ™ ’ xhis Cuftom has been obferv’d almolt ever fince, and in latter which lie ap points ano¬ ther Way. of-the youn- - , * 1 n l' cer Children no Authority over the rcople. _ . ■ Emi-eroi . n ;„ 1)S t ] ley l 1!lve been oblig’d to refide in the Metropolis, and to follow the Court v wth he so- w ho was not us’d to be at reft, refolv'd to make a fecond Progrefs, through the F.aftern Provinces of the Empire, and took his fecond Son with him ; but falling dangeioufly •ion the Road, he dy’d in the thirty feventh Year of the Cycle. Finding himlelf drawing near lus End, he wrote a Letter to his eldeft Son, deelanng y. m Emperor and deliver’d it together with the Seals of the Empire to his fecond Son, in LA”!;™ order to fend them to his Brother; but as foon as the Emperor was dead, the young Prince 1 r, fo; the r ,.f u l v ’a to place the Crown on his own Head. The only way to lucceed in tins Affair, was . .* 1 to en.raz* Li-tfc the Prime Minifter, in his Party, who had great Authority in the Em- wa-Liipcror. pire ; he indeed rejected the firft Propofol, but on new Solicitation, his own Intereft and the Merit of the young Prince at length prevail’d with him ; and being m great Efteem, his own Example drew almoft all the Suffrages over to the young Prince The eldeft Son who had got together feme Forces, in order to maintain his Right, finding that molt of the Pro¬ vinces had already acknowledg’d his Brother Emperor, was oblig d to fubmit ; but the Steps he had taken, being look’d upon as Crimes of high Treafon, he was order d to kill himfelf. EUL- CHINESE Monarchs. 173 D.YN. IV. EUL-SHI, Third Emperor, reign'd Three Tears. pgQy T HIS Prince, who was both an Ufurper and a Murderer of his Brother, during the fhort time that he reign’d, fhew’d how unworthy he was of the Crown. Hechofe the greateft Enemy of the Family of Tfin for his Ko-lau , or Prime Minifter, who affieCted a great Zeal for his Perfon, tho’ fecretly he was endeavouring to extirpate all his Race j and indeed the mined by the Emperor’s Inclinations too well feconded the Views of the Traitor. _ This Prince had told him feveral times, that, Life being fhort, he would pafs it as pleafantly Minifter. as poflible, and indulge himfelf in an unbounded Loofe ot Pleafure. The Ko-lau upon this advifed him to remove all the Minifters and Governors appointed by his Father, who, he faid, would be continually difturbing his Pleafures with their Remon- ftrances, and Threatnings, and put in their Places fuch as he was fure would have a regard to his Quiet. The Emperor follow’d this pernicious Counfel, and all Employments were fill’d with Creatures of the Ko-lau. The Complaints and Murmurs which enfued in all the Provinces upon this Change, made the People,(who were burthen’d with Taxes to fupply the Emperor’s Expences in building Palaces, Parks, and fine Gardens,) ready to revolt. Add to this, that the fmalleft Faults were punilh’d in the fevered: manner; and that often the Governors gratify’d their private Refentments, under Pretence of pleafing the Emperor, and executing his Orders. One of the Generals of the Army, who had been lent into the Eaftern Provinces, to quell gneo^hi^ fome Troubles, was the firft that revolted j and engag’d the Troops to proclaim for Emperor vo ^ the Lawful Heir, who was Son of the eldeft Brother, and to dethrone the Ufurper, who had murder’d him. At this Juncture there appear’d a Freebooter, call’d Lyew-pang , who from a private Sol- of dier was become Captain of a Troop of Vagabonds. He was endow’d with great Qualities, jew pang ' b ing courageous, mild, and moderate ; tho’ a ftriCt Obferver of the Laws of Military Difci- pline among his Companions. He was alfo naturally eloquent and perfuafive, efpecially when he declaimed againft the Luxury and Indolence of the Emperor. A great Phyfiognomift meet¬ ing him on the Road, threw himfelf at his Feet : By the Lines of your Face , 'which , fays he, I have carefully examin'd, I know you will be Emperor, and I render you beforehand the Refpebls, which a Subjebl owes to his Sovereign. I have a Daughter , who has not her Equal for Beauty and Wifdom in the Empire -, her I offer you in marriage , fo fure I am, that my PrediSlion will one Day come to pafs. Lyew-pang charm’d with this Dilcourfe accepted the Offer, and was i er ’s Daugh- inftantly marry’d. _ _ ter J Mean time the revolted General form’d a Defign to make himfelf King of Tfu. and march- defeats the ing towards one of the Places of that Kingdom, which he hop’d to take in a fhort time, ^°[ tedGe " the Governor feeing the Danger he was in, begg’d Affiftance of Lyew-pang : who by his Pre¬ fence and the Terror of his Name caus’d the Enemy to retreat, and thus deliver’d the City. But the Governor, inftead of acknowledging the Service, (hut the Gates againft his Deliverer. Lyew-pang, being inform’d by a Letter faften’d to an Arrow, which was fhot into his Camp, that the Governor’s Ingratitude had caus’d a Sedition in the City, immediately befieg’d, and fcaling the Walls, took it. The Governor having been flain at the firft Attack, the Inhabitants declar’d an d becomes for the Conqueror, who enter’d with his Army in Triumph ; and thus from being Captain of G ^J^ ofa the Vagabonds, he became of a fudden General of a great Army, as well as Mafter of a rich £ rcat rm ) Booty. Hereupon he caus’d red Enfigns to be made, and began to entertain Hopes of fulfilling the Prediction of the Fortune-Teller. In the mean time, tho’ the Emperor’s Throne (hook under him, yet it could not route him out of that dead Lethargy, into which the Love of Pleafure had thrown him ; and the perfidious Ko-lau, inftead of endeavouring to recover him, precipitated his Ruin, by his per¬ nicious Advice j he falfly accufed of Crimes the Minifters and Governors, who were beft affeCted to the reigning Family, and had them immediately put to Death. Such a Career of Covetoufnefs and Cruelty making the People defperate , many Cities, and even whole Provinces, received thofe who came to take Poffeflion of them, looking on them as the Aven¬ gers of publick Liberty. So that in the fecond Year of Eul-ffi, feveral Provinces revolting, Se^ralKmg- chc.c their own Sovereigns) and thus all the Kingdoms rofe again, which had been deftroy’d a g a ; n n e up by the Dexterity of Sbi-whang-ti, particularly thofe of Tfi, Ten , Chau , Ghey, and LJu. The King of Tfu, who was the moft powerful, having taken into his Service the brave Lyew-pang Lyew-pang , fent him and two other Generals, with each an Army under his Command, to attack the Emperor feparately ; promifing to beftow the Kingdom of TJin on any of the three, that fhould take the Metropolis, and drive the Emperor out of it. The Chinefe Monarch concluding, that if he defeated the King of Tfu , he could eafily defeats the fubdue the reft, fent a large Body to oppofe his three Generalas; one of whom was beaten Forces^*, by the Imperial Army, which at length was routed in its Turn by the General of Tfu, named Hyang-hyu. On this they fent to Court for a Reinforcement, but the Deputy being oblig’d to return without having had an Audience of the Ko-lau, they with their General join’d the Forces under Hyang-lmi. VO L. I. Xx The 174 ANNALS of the The Ko-lau hearing of the Defertion of the Imperial Army, and fearing that his Treachery DVttlv. {] 10U y ^ fulpedted, to prevent the Punifhment which he juftly dreaded, brought an AflalTin into the Palace, who murder’d the Emperor in the twenty fourth Year of his Age, and the Cvc.xxxvi. t ]-jj r( j Q f hi s Reign. Thus perilh’d miferably a Prince, who pav’d his Way to a Throne by “; C . the Murder of his Brother. Mean while the Ko-lau , who had fhut himfelf in his Palace, pretending to be fick, came The Empe- out j n hafte, as if he wanted to difeover the Regicide and his Accomplices, and the better byhhKo-hu. to make this Siiew of his Fidelity pafs unlufpe&ed, he plac’d Ing-vang , who was Grand Nephew to the Emperor, on the Throne. Ing-'vang, pth Emperor, puts to Death the treaterous Ko-lau. L.f no pang dethrones the Emperor, and puts an End to the Dytiafiy of the 7 Jin. ING-VANG, Fourth Emperor, reign d Forty five Days. T HIS Prince had been but three Days PofidTor of the Crown, when he difeover’d that it was the treacherous Ko-lau, who had murder’d the late Emperor. But as it was hazardous to punifh fo powerful a Minifter openly, he pretended to be lick, and commanded his Son to ftab the Ti'aytor, when he came alone, according to the Privilege of his Place, to fpeak with him in private. This was put in Execution, and the Empire thereby de¬ liver'd from a Monfter, who difpos’d of all Employments, and arbitrarily deprived the Mi- niflers and Governors, both of their Subftance and Life. Afterwards they put to Death all his kindred to the third Generation. In the mean time Lyew-pang was advancing towards the Capital: which when the Empe¬ ror heard, he drew out all his Troops that were in Garrilon, to ftrengthen his Army. Lyew-pang on his fide making ufe of Stratagem, fent abundance of his Soldiers, under Pretence of being Deferters, into the Imperial Camp ; where they corrupted great Numbers, craftily per- fuading them that it was their intereft to follow Lyew-pang'. who heing inform’d that the Im¬ perial Army was ready to mutiny, came upon it luddenly and defeated it. The Emperor find¬ ing himfelf forfaken by his Subjedts, and fearing Death more then the Lois of his Crown ; threw himfelf at the Conqueror’s Feet, and deliver’d him the Seals and other Marks of the Imperial Dignity. Lyew-pang entred the City in Triumph, which he gave Leave to his Sol¬ diers to plunder, excepting the Palace, where he found immenle Riches; forbidding them under the .fevered: Penalties to ufe any of the Inhabitants ill. 'The Fifth DYNASTY, call'd HAN, which had Twenty five Emperors in the Space of Four hundred and twenty fix Tears. KAU-TSU , Firfi Emperor, whofe Name before was LYEW- PANG, reign'd Twelve Tears. DVN v YEW-PANG was the Founder and fird Emperor of this Dynajly, under the Name HAN. H of Kym-tfi. At fird he only affumed the Title of King of TJin ; becaufe he had ’ H ■ ta lccn the Capital of the Empire, in the Name of the King of Tju, who had Emperor , 1 * —““ promis’d to give him that Kingdom. comei to an Hyang-hyu^A), the other General, who as hath been obferved had alfo been fent to dethrone wKhflml the Emperor, was vext to find that Lyew-pang, through his Expedition and Addrefs, had de- hju, ' ° priv’d him of the Glory and Principality to which he afpir’d , and as he was brutifh and cruel, and at the Head of a numerous and well difeiplin’d Army, it was fortunate for Lyew-pang, that he prevented its coming to an open Rupture. This was effedted by means of an Interview, procur’d by the Father of Hyang-hyu, at which the Generals being reconcil’d, they afterwards entred the Metropolis together. who murders Hyang-hyu, not pleas'd with the Clemency and Mildnefs of Leew-pang, and to Ihew his hatred the dethron’d to the Princes of Ffm, fet the City and the Imperial Palace on Fire; had the Tombs of the Prin- Einperor. ceg < jj m f earc h’ ( ^ j a nd their Bones thrown into unknown Places; and with his own Hands murder’d the dethron’d Prince, whom Lyew-pang had treated with great Relpect ever fince his Misfortune. . A great number of the late Emperor’s Soldiers, who were among his Troops, having murmur’d at his Cruelty, he caus’d their Arms to be taken from them by Stratagem ; after which they were furrounded by his Army, who cut all their Throats without Mercy, by his Orders. (a) In the Orig. Hyangyu. CHINESE Monarchs. I 7 ( > 3 rders. So many barbarous Actions render’d him abhorr’d by the Soldiers, as well as the D People; and ferv’d as a Foil to fee olf the Juftice, Clemency, and Moderation of Lyew-pa?ig. han.' As Hyang-hyu had made himfelf absolute in the State of Han, and plac’d Garrifons in moil T the Cities, he next relolved to murder his Mafter, to whom he owed his prefent For- ^Year before :une ; whereby he propofed both to attain the Empire, to which he had long afpired, and chriji 237 . 3e revenged on him for having preferr’d Lyew-pang before him, in giving him the Principality jf Tfin. With th is Defign he fet toward the City of Kyew-kyang , in the Province of Kyang- Hyan?-h } u af- £, where the King of Yju was. This Prince to honour his General, came himfelf to meet J=® nal “ aim, and was immediately afiafiinated. Lyew-pang being grieved at the Misfortune of this 1 s Prince, who was his Benefactor, order’d the molt magnificent Obfequies poffible for him ; which gain’d him ftill more the AffeCtion of the People, who join’d with him to revenge ;he Death of their Sovereign. The two Generals, who from this time were at War together I? defeated for the Imperial Crown, having fought feventedn Battles, with various Suocefs, at laid Lyew- p„„g bang entirely defeated his Antagonift’s Army, who ilew himfelf to avoid falling into his Ene- kilts himfelf. my’s Hands. A Soldier, who found his Body on the Ground, cut off his Head, and carry’d it to Lyew- pang , after which it was fix’d on a Spear, and fhew’d to all the Inhabitants of Yfu. The Con¬ queror ufed his Victory with Moderation ; he order’d a magnificent Funeral for Hyang-hyu , to Ihew the Efteem he had for his Valour, and gave his Father the Sovereignty of a Province. This War being ended, he conven’d a General Aflembly of the Eitates of the Empire ; ^ckTedlm- wherein he was declared Emperor, under the Name of Kau-tfu , by all the Tributary Princes, p Cror Grandees, and Governors of the Provinces. He kept his Court at firft in the Province of Sben-fi , but afterwards remov’d it into that of Ho-nan, where it continued one hundred ninety fixYears, under twelve Emperors. At a great Feaft which he gave to his Officers and Soldiers, with whom he talk’d very familiarly, he alk’d them, to what they attributed his Advancement to the Empire ; they mak¬ ing Anfwer in flattering Terms, aferibed it to his Merit, Valour, and other great Qualities ; You The Maxim' are mi (taken , reply’d the Emperor, it is owing to this, that I knew how to difiinguijh the different ^bed his Yakuts of thofe whom I honour'd with my Confidence, and to give them fuch Employments as they were A.u-ance- mofi fit for. ment- Kaurtfu falling fick, nam’d his Son Whfy'ti for his SuccefTor, appointing him Minifters in whom he might confide ; he dy’d the forty third Year of the Cycle. The ChineJ'e Hiftory bellows on him the higheft Elogies. WHEY-TI, Second Emperor, reign'd Seven Tears. T HE Empire expedited great things from this Prince, he being endow’d with Abundance Whey A, id of Meeknels, and Moderation, as well as great Courage. But thefe Virtues were defac’d ?™{J r s °£ s by much greater Faults ; his immoderate Love for Women ruin’d his Health, and his Complai- Mother with fance for his.Mother induced him to intruft her with the Care of the Empire. Affairs. This Princefs affum’d the whole Authority to herfelf, and was generally hated for her Cru- Her wicked elty and other Crimes. She removed the Minifters and Governors, according to her Fancy, and 11 -- l,L£s difpofed of their Places to her Creatures. The ordinary Inftrument of her Revenge was Poifon, which Ihe cauled to be given fecretly to thofe fhe wanted .to get rid of. The King of' Yfi, who was the Emperor’s eldeft Brother, coming to vifit him, when he was fick, had been difpatch’d in the fame manner, if the Emperor himfelf had not taken the fatal Cup, which fhe had prefented him, out of his Hand. Whey-ti dy’d the fiftieth Year of the Cycle, being opprefs’d with Infirmities, which his Shefetsup loofe Life had brought upon him. Lyu-hew, his Mother, fearing that they intended to let one ^ h^Son's of the Emperor’s Brothers on the Throne, pretended to have a Child, which fhe bought of a Death. Countrywoman and declared herfelf his Guardian ; but confidering that the Cheat was in Danger of being difeover’d, while the Mother lived, Ihe caus’d her to be ftrangled. LYU-HEW, the Ufurper, reign'd Eight Tears. fr^HIS Princefs was not fatisfy’d to have raifed her Family out of the Dull to the heigheft j. yu Acw, 8. Dignities ot the Empire, but fhe wanted the Tributary Crowns at her Difpofal ; and the Ufurper. put to Death one of her Minifters who had the Courage to tell her, that thofe Dominions belong’d of Right to the Princes of the Family of Han , and that her Hulband had fworn all the Governors to maintain that Right even by Force of Arms, if Neceflity required it. Flowever, fhe thought herfelf powerful enough to fear nothing ; and in effedt gave the Sove¬ reignty of fome Provinces to her own Relations, on Condition of paying her Homage. After this flue murder’d the young Child, to which Hie was Guardian, and by fo doing Murders the dilcover’d the Secret of the Artifice which her Ambition had prompted her to. Her Relations pretended alio abufing their good Fortune, behav’d themfelves with fo much Arrogance and Pride, that Heir ‘ the Nobles combin’d together to reduce them to their former defpicable Condition, when this wicked Princefs was taken away by a fudden Death, in the fifty eighth Year of the Cycle. Her i~j (5 ANNALS of the Her Memory was fo odious, that nobody would take the Part of her Family; fo that all her Relations were malfacred throughout the Empire. They proceeded immediately to eledl an Emperor, and chofe the Sovereign of a fmall State, Cvc.xxxvn. w ^ 0 vvas t he fecond Son of Kau-tfu. He afcended the Throne without Oppoution, and took Year before - — Chrijl 177. the Name of Ven-ti. j VEN-TI, Third Emperor, reign'd Twenty three Tears. Ven-ti , 3d Emperor, Reftores the : Empire to its former Lultre. Whole fome Regulations. Indian Ink invented. U NDER the Reign of this Prince the Empire recover’d its ancient Splendor ; and his Virtues gain’d him in a little time the Love of the Nobles as well as the People. In the Sacrifices which he offer’d, according to Cuftom, to the Lord of Heaven, he firff pray’d for the Happinefs and Profperity of his Subjefts, then for the. Prefervation of his Perfon. He was fo frugal, that he would not fuffer the lead Alteration to be made in the Furniture of his Palace, nor to be ferved in Gold or Silver Plate; and prohibited his Wives, even the Emprefs herfelf, to wear Silks, that were either embroider’d or of various Colours. He teflify’d his Tendernefs for the People, by remitting the Duty on Salt, and one half of the ordinary Taxes; alfo by ordering all the poor old Men in every Province, after they were arrived to the Age of fourfcore, to be maintain’d at his own Expence. There being a Mint for Copper Money no where but in the Metropolis, whereby the Im¬ perial Treafure found an Advantage, but the Public differ’d in Proportion to the Ditfance of Places ; he permitted the Coinage of them all over the Empire, ordering, that this fort of Money fliould be made round, with a fquare Hole in the middle for the Conveniency of car¬ rying it. The preceding Wars having laid wafte the Country and ruin’d Agriculture, which is one of the principal Supports of the State, he cultivated the Earth with his Royal Hands, in fome fort to enoble that laborious Profeffion. He caufed Mulberry-Trees to be planted, and Silk-Worms to be bred in his Palace, in order to induce the Grandees to follow his Example ; obliging the Emprefs and his other Wives to employ themfelves in Needlework, that they might let a Pattern of Induftry to the Chinefe Ladies. He protedled Learning, and uang-tong and ^uang-fi voluntarily offer’d to fubmit to his Laws, and pay'd him I ribute; on which he fent Ambaffadors to receive their Homages. The only Fault which this Prince is accufed of, is his Weaknefs in giving credit to a certain Impoftor, who prefented him with a very coftly Liquor, alluring him that, if he drank it, it would make him immortal. He dy’d in the forty fixth Year of his Age, and the twenty firft Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son King-ti. KING-TI, Fourth Emperor, reign'd Seventeen Tears. King-ti, 4th Emperor. n - * HIS Prince was remarkable for his Mildnefs and Clemency. One of his firft Adis was y to mollify the Rigour of Punifliments which were then inflidted on Criminals j but he re-eftablifh’d the Taxes, which his Father had reduc’d to one half, alledging as a Reafon, that fince Agriculture was reftored, the Imperial Treafure ought to be put in a Condition to fupport the Occafions of the State. The great Indulgence of thofe who had the Care of the Education of the young Princes, occafion’d great Diforders in his Reign. As it was the Cuftom for the Children of the Tri- Th - butary Princes to be educated with thofe of the Emperor, the eldeft Son of Kwg-ti made Aalcmof his a Feaft for one of them, whom he had taken a particular Affedlion for, above the reft ; eldeft Son oc-j n w hich he carry’d the Debauch to fuch Excels, that having quarrell’d with his Favorite, he in fi t°he S Er ar ftabb’d him dead with a Knife. The Father hearing of his Son’s Death, iwore to revenge it, P ire - and engag’d in his Quarrel fix other Tributary Princes, who join’d Forces with him. The Emperor, to prevent their Defigns, fent an able General with an Army againft them ; who had the Policy to draw the Enemy into a Province, where they had Difficulty to meet with Pro- vifions, while himfelf, fortify’d in his Camp, had plenty of all things neceftary for the Subfiftance of his Army. _ The Confederates perceiving they fliould loon be affli j • /-»/ • \ r lit - an excellent as one of the greatett Emperors that ever reign d in China. As loon as he had perform’d his Piince. Father’s Obfequies, he lent for all the chief Philofophers in the Empire to his Court, to con- fult them upon the Meafures of his Government. And as he was naturally inclin’d to War, he thought they would have incourag’d hie Inclination, by adviling him to attempt the Con- queft of fome neighbouring Countries, that he might eftablifh Order and Tranquillity therein; but he was mightily furprifed to find thefe Wife Men perfuading him to maintain Peace, and avoid the moll juft Wars, which fooner or later prove fatal to a State. This made him give over the Thought of fuch Projects, however fond he was of them, and apply himfelf to the Cares of Government, which he reliev’d with Hunting, the only Recreation he delighted in. He had for that Purpofe a Park, enclofed with Walls of vaft\ Extent, where all forts of Game and Fallow Beafts were kept ; but reflecting that fo much Land lying uncultivated was a Lofs to his People, he chofe rather to deprive himfelf of * that innocent Pleafure, than give them Caufe to complain, and thenceforth contented him¬ felf with the ancient Parks belonging to his Predeceffors. Pie made feveral Laws, very conducive to the Peace of the Empire. The Extent of Land, Hls Law5 ' given in Sovereignty to any Prince, was not to exceed one hundred Li fquare ; But fome of them had fo encreafed their Quantity, that they poflefs’d above a thoufand Li. Pie re- medy’d this Abufe, by ordaining that, whenever a Prince fhould die, his Eftate Ihould be equally divided among his legitimate Children, not thinking it juft that only one fhould be enrich’d, while the reft, thro’ Indigence, were unable, with Decency to perform the Ho¬ nours indifpenlably due to their Father’s Memory. He order’d withall, that for want of law¬ ful Heirs, thofe Sovereignties fhould revert to the Crown. In order to promote the Sciences he commanded the learned Men, whom his Liberali- Rertores th* ties had drawn to his Court, to put in Order thofe ancient and precious Books which had ancicnt efcap’d the general DeftruCtion ; caufing them to be taught publickly • as alfo the Moral b °° J ‘ Maxims of Confucius and Menfus. Thefe Books were Manufcripts, Printing not having been invented till within fifty Years before the Chrijiian Mr a. The good Qualities of this Prince were tarnifh’d by his Weaknefs, in giving Ear to Irn- Deluded poftors, who promifed him an Elixir, which fhould render him immortal j once, when one wuh Li ‘ of thefe Chemifts brought him this Liquor of Immortality, and fetting it on the Table ear- momllc^ 11 * neftly intreated him to drink it for an Experiment; one of his Minifters, who had endeavour’d in vain to cure him of his Credulity, took up the Cup fuddenly and drank it himfelf. The Emperor being incenfed that his Minifter had deprived him of Immortality, refolved to punifh him with Death ; to which the Minifter reply’d with a Smile, If this Drink, Sir, hath made me Immortal , how can you put me to Death ? But if you can, how doth this fri¬ volous 'Theft deferve it ? This Anfwer foften’d the Emperor, wffio, tho’ he applauded the Wifdom of his Minifter, was not thoroughly cured of his Weaknefs. Some time after a Magician appear’d at Court, who undertook to fhew the Emperor one of his Wives of the fecond Order, who was dead, and had been tenderly beloved by him. The Impoftor pretended flue inhabited the Moon, where fire enjoy’d the EfFeCts of drink- Year before ing the Liquor which render’d People immortal ; and having order’d a Tower to be built, Chri fi u 7 - affirm’d that by his Power over Spirits, he would caufe her to defeend therein as often as p^hesarT^ the Emperor pleafed. The Emperor affifted at the conjuring Ceremonies, but the Immortal Impoftor. was deaf to the Voice of the Magician, who fearing to be punifh’d, had recourfe to this Artifice. Having on a piece of Silk written the Reafons, which hinder’d the Concubine from defcending from the Moon, he caufed a Cow to fwallow it ; after which pointing to the Beaft, 1 know not , fays he to the Emperor, in a fearful Tone, what Crime we have committed, hut I fee in the Belly of this Creature things that fur prize me ; command it, 0 Prince ! to be open'd in your Prefence. The Cow was accordingly open’d, and the piece of Silk found in its Belly. But after examining the Writing, they difeover’d it to be the Impoftor’s own Hand, who not able to deny it was put to Death. This Hiftory ferves for a Subject to feveral Comedies. Vu-ti won four great Victories over the Tartars-, and, after having, driven them far beyond the R epe !stbe Great Wall, he carry’d his victorious Arms into the Kingdoms of Pegu, Siam, Kamboya, and Lnars and Bengal •, dividing the vanquiffi’d Countries among the two Generals, and other Officers, who verafcoun* had conquer’d them. He built feveral Cities there, and honour’d the two Generals with the tries. Title of King. Thefe Chinefe foon contracted the Manners and Inclinations of the Tartars, and proved in time the greateft Enemies of their Mother Country. One of thefe Tartar Kings, to prevent the Refentment of the Emperor, threw him-° ri S' :n the fell upon his Mercy, fubmitted to pay him Tribute, and fent his eldeft Son to be rtewTartofj Vo l . I. Yy educated 178 DYN. V. HAN. Cyc. xxxvi n Year before. Chrijl 117 . O'-V-NJ Vu-ti names a Succeffor and puts the young Prin¬ ces Mother to Death. Chau-li, 6th Emperor Wife Con- duft. Care to pro¬ vide for the poorer Sub¬ jects. Makes Peace with the ‘Tartars, and dies greatly lamented. Hjau-ti his SuccefTor being vicious is foon depo- fed. Swen-ti, or Sivn ti, jihEmperor. Re-ellabliihes Cenfors. Reduces the Laws. ANNALS of the educated at his Court. The Emperor was greatly pleafed with this young Prince, who, belid'e a graceful Shape, had a very lofty Air, mixt with a furprizing Sweetnefs; and being charm’d with his Dexterity in managing Horfes, made him firft his Matter of the Plorfe, and afterward General of his Army : honouring him with the Name of Km (u), to diftin- guifh him from the Tartars , as if he had been a Native of China. When Vu-ti drew near his End, he declar’d the Son of one of his Concubines his Sue- ceffor. This young Prince, whom he loved better than any of his Children, was no more than ei»ht Years of Age; but he appointed him for Guardian one of his Minifters, in whom he had an entire Confidence. And fearing that the Mother of the young Emperor (hould ftir up Troubles in the State, as Lyu-hew had done, he refolv’d to put her to Death, for the many Crimes ftie was accufed of; allowing her the Favour however of chooiing what Death (he would die. _ , , r . r . , The Emperor dy’d the thirty firft Year of the Cycle, and the feventy firft of his Age, and the young Prince Chau-ti fucceeded him. CHAU-TI, Sixth Emperor, reign cl Thirteen Tears. T PIIS Prince tho' very young, difeover’d good Dilpofitions, and a Piudence far above his Years; being very traffable to the Inftruaions which he receiv'd from the wife Guar¬ dian which his Father had appointed him. He began his Reign by rewarding the Officers who had ferv'd the State well; byfendingjuft and able Magiftrates fecretly into the Provinces, to enquire if the People were opprefs'd ; and by providing for the Poor in a time of Dearth, when he ordain'd that the rich People, who had more Com than was neceilary for their Subfiftence fhould furnifh the poor with as much as they wanted, and be oblig’d to fow enough to’fupply them. To make them Amends, he remitted the Taxes on all fort of Grain- by which wife Regulation he fav’d the Livesof infinite Numbers of indigent People. Equally careful of the Repofe and Happinefs of his Subjeas, he concluded an honour¬ able Peace with the Tartars-, but did not long furvive it, dying without Male Iffiie, in the forty fourth Year of the Cycle, before he was quite twenty two Years old, mightily lamented bv the Empire, on account of his excellent Qualities. . Hyau-ti his Uncle fucceeded him, with the Confent of the whole Nation, who foon re¬ pented their Choice ; for he was negligent of the Government, had no Tendernefs for the People, fpent both Dav and Night in Debauches, and defpisd all good Counfels, which ob¬ lig’d the Minifters and Nobility to depofe him - , - . . . They went to the Palace, and feiz’d the Seals, and other Enfigns of the Imperial Digmtv, declaring he had forfeited his Authority ; and then fent him to the little State, whereof he bid been Sovereign before; not one of his Subjefts or Domeftics finding Fault with what was done, fo odious and contemptible he had render’d himfelf. They chofe in his Place Swen-ti, who \vas Grand-Son of the Emperor Vu-ti. SWEN-TI, Seventh Emperor, reign d Twenty five Tears. '-j—-pjE Misfortunes which this Prince fuffer’d in his Youth, did not a little contribute to thofe 1 Virtues which render’d him worthy of the Empire. He had been educated in a Pnfon, where the Princefs his Mother was (hut up by the Command of the Enaperor; who fufpedted her tho’ falfely of deftroying the Princes and Pnnceffes of the Royal Blood, by Witchcraft and Sorcery. The Keeper of "the Prifon was very careful of him, and Swen-ti , as foon as he was Emperor, rewarded him with a Principality. This Prince was of eafy Accefs, of a very mild compaflionate Nature to the Unfortunate, and very conftant in his Application to State-Affairs. As he refolved to govern alone, he re-eftablilh’d an Officer, fupprefsdby bis Predeceffors, whofe Bufinefs it was to put the Emperor in mind of his Faults, and to exhort him to reform his Conduit, when he departed from his Duty. rid . . „ • He caufed exadt Information to be given him of the Behav.our of the Governors and Magi- ftnues of the People; gave Audience often, efpecially to Widows Orphans, and poor Folks. He permitted all his Subjefts to prefent him Memorials ; becaufe in that Form they could better evnlain and he give more Attention to their Cafe, than in Audiences. He reduc’d the multitude of Laws to a certain Number of Articles, and difannull d the reft, which ferv’d only to perplex the cleareft Matters, and to perpetuate Suits. Havin-r been 7 inform'd that the Kingdoms in India, which were conquer d by his Grand- f-ther had thrown off the Yoke, he was preparing to go and chaftife the Rebels; but was (u) The Hiftory is related confufedly in this P ace. The Fa¬ ther of this Prince, who is called the Tartar King feems to be one of the two Cbineje Generals, mention'd juft be ore, who were fettled in the Parts of India , to the South of China i and if fo, thofe Countries feem to be confounded with Ealtern Tartary whence came the Manchev.s, who are Defcendants of the !Kin Tartars . Which laft took their Name from a De- feendant of this Prince, whofe Father reign’d in Ealtern Tar- tan, as will appear hereafter. CHINESE Monarch. diffuaded from it by his Minifters, who told him, that the Blood of his Subjeds ought to be dearer to him than Conquefts fo diftant; and that thofe who refitted his Wifdom and Virtue did not deferve to tafte the Sweets of his Government. In the forty eighth Year of the Cycle there were dreadful Earthquakes, which feparated Mountains and fill'd up Valleys ; and as fuch Accidents were not common, they ftruck the greater Terror among the People, who look'd on them as a Sign of the Anger of Heaven, and fhe Fore-runner of fome greater Calamity. Tan-yu, a King of the Tartars, fent Ambafiadors to pay the Emperor Homage, and to acknowledge himfelt his Tributary. As it was lufpeded that their Intentions were not fincere, and that they came only to diicover the Strength of the Empire and prevent War being declar’d againft their Nation before they had recruited themfelves ’it was refolv’d at firft not to admit them to Audience ; but perceiving by the fine Furs which they brought, that this Step was taken folely for the Advantage of having free Li- .berty of Trade they were gracioufly receiv’d, and treated as Envoys of an Ally. Swen-ti , who afcended the Throne at the Age of eighteen, was but forty three Years old, in the ninth Year of the Cycle, when he dy’d, leaving his Crown to his Son Vwen-n. YWEN-TI, Eighth Emperor , reign’d Sixteen Tears. 1~19 NA/l Cvc. XXXIX. Year before ' a,i/i S7 . T HE Angular Tafte this Prince had for Learning, and his Refpedt for learned Men, whom Sth he invited to his Court, and often convers’d with, made him indeed a great Scholar, but t - not a Great Prince, tho’ he did not want feveral good Qualities. He is prais'd particularly for his Moderation, his Love to his People, and the Frugality he difcover'd after he was Em- ‘ A '“" ’ peror, being ufed to fay. That He who could be contented with little, would want nothing. He regulated his Houle by this Maxim ; he leffen’d the Number of his Domeftics, and retrench’d all Superfluities in his Diet, Furniture, Stables, and Equipage ; retaining only juft as much of every thing as was purely neceflary. , ,. „ But thefe crood Qualities, and many more, were quite oblcur a by the baa Choice or his oer- but ruins lu’s vants having regard neither to their Capacities nor Experience ; to exprefs themfelves polite- 'Ate 1by ^ ly and eloquently, was with him the higheft Merit, and all that he required in lus greatett his 0 ' fals> Minifters. Hence having no other Views than their own Promotion, they fill d the Court with Fadions and Cabals, endeavouring to deftroy one another, and get the Attendant over the Prince; who by his Credulity and Weaknefs fuffer’d himfelf to be led into all their Mea- fures. So that by Degrees they turn’d all Perfons of Merit and Experience out of the Ma¬ nagement of Affairs, and put their own Friends and Relations into their Places. Notwithftanding the Peace which had been concluded with the Tartars, the Troops that who violate were pofted along the Walls took two of their Princes Prifoners ; who Putting to the former ; v h ' h P ““ Treaty were hunting in the Mountains, and beheaded them both. _ Tartar,, The’ Emperor, inftead of punifhing the Commander of thofe Troops for this piece of Treachery, rewarded him for it; but hearing that the Succeffor of one of thofe Princes, was levying numerous Forces, to revenge that infamous Breach of Peace; in order to appeafe him, and prevent the War, he was oblig’d to give him a Princefs of the Imperial Family in Mar¬ riage with a conliderable Dowry. A Civil War was ready to break out in the Empire, andcreatc among the numerous Parties form’d by the Minifters; when the Emperor dy’d in the ia ,ons - twenty fixth Year of the Cycle, and the forty third Year of his Age. He was fucceeded by his Son Ching-ti. CHING-TI, Ninth Emperor, reign'd Twenty fix Tears. T HIS Prince’s Fondnefs for Women and Wine, plung’d him into all manner of Vice, and ching-n, 9th infamous Pleafures. Out of that blind Refpeft which he had for the Emprefs his Mother, Emperor, who was of the Family of Lyang , he conferr’d the moft important Places of the Empire His Exceffes. on her Relations, without confidering the Prejudice he was doing to himfelf and his own Fa¬ mily. A Nobleman, who had the greateft Share of the Government in the former Reign, not thinking it for his Honour to remain at Court, afk’d Leave to retire, which was granted ; but he was murder’d on the Way to one of his Country Seats, by order, as was believed, of the He fell fo violently in Love with an Adtrefs, as {he fang in his Prefence, that he drove his lawful Wife out of the Palace, to make Room for her, whom he declar d Emprefsj Aftrcfs. and that the Meannefs of her Father’s Extraction might be overlook’d, he gave him a Prin¬ cipality. But his Minifters having in feveral Petitions reproach’d him with fo fhameful an Alliance, he order’d them all to be put to Death; and yet thefe are but a fmall part of his brutal Crimes. . , rr r _ c . A fudden Death deliver’d the Empire from this Monfter, in the fifty nrft Year 01 the Cycle. He left no Iflue, but was fucceeded by his Nephew Hyaa-ngay-ti. HYAU- i8o ANNALS of the Tan-yau does Homage in Perfon. HYAU-NGAN-TI, 'Tenth Emperor, reign'd Six Tears. T HO’ this Prince was but eighteen Years old when he came to the Crown, yet they conceiv’d great Hopes from his Mildnefs andJModeration ; as well as the Refolution lie took immediately to reftore Order in the Empire, and comfort the People. He began by difplacing feveral Governors, whom he thought unworthy of their Employ¬ ments; and depofed the Prime Minifter, whofe Family was grown fo exceedingly in Power and Credit, that it even feem'd to counter-balance the Sovereign Authority. He made feveral other Regulations, which were very necefl'ary, and gave great Expeditions of a moll happy Reign, had his Life been prolong’d. In the fifth Year of his Reign, Tan-yu, King of the Tartars, having obtain’d Leave to come in Perfon to pay Homage to him, was receiv’d in a very magnificent Manner, and a firm Peace was eftablifh’d between the two Nations. The Emperor dy’d the Year after this happen’d, at the Age of twenty five, beinv the fame Year that Cbrijt was bom. They placed on the Throne a Prince defcended from Ywrn-ti, the eighth Emperor of this Dynajty , who was but nine Years old. Hyau-ping- ti, i ithEmp. Vany-man? made Prime Minifter. HY AU-PING-TI, Eleventh Emperor, reign’d Five Tears. T HE Emprefs, Grandmother to the young Emperor, very imprudently trailed the Go¬ vernment, during his Minority, in the Hands of one Vang-mang, whom file made Ko- lau, or Prime Minifter. This Man join'd an unbounded Ambition to Deceit and Art ; and made no Scruple to commit the rnoft cruel ASions, to gratify the fecret Defire he had of’ufur- ping the Sovereign Authority. His firft Step towards it, was to get rid of his Affociate in the Miniftry, who was a Man of Merit ; and having thus made himfelf ablolute, his whole Care was to ftrengthen his Party. He erefled feveral new Principalities, and bellow’d them on thofe who were moil devoted to his littered. He even dared to offer Sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven ; and tho’ he did it in the Emperor’s Name, his Defign was to accuftom the People to fee him perform thofe Fun¬ ctions, which belong’d folely to the Imperial D ; gnity. In fhort he fpread Iham Reports of Pro¬ digies, by means of his Creatures; who took much Pains to perfuade the People that by thoft Signs Heaven declared that Vang-mang was lent for the Relief of the Empire. In the fecond Year of the Cycle, the treacherous Vang-mang mix'd Poifon with the Em¬ peror’s Food, which in a few Days reduc’d him to the laft Extremity. The Traitor, who pretended to be pierced with Grief at the Danger the young Prince was in, made the Palace refound with his Cries, offering Vows continually to Heaven, for his Recovery, and even de¬ voting his own Life as a Sacrifice for the Emperor’s • by which means he avoided the Sufpicion of his Crime. However, he did not think it proper, at this Jundture, to ufurp the Crown, but placed it for the prefent on the Head of a young Infant of two Years old, call’d Zbu-tfe-ing, who de¬ fcended from Swen-ti, the feventh Emperor of this Dynajty. ZHU -1 SE-ING, Twelfth Emperor, reign d Three Tears. or'jftf-ln HT IIE ^ fanc y Pri n ce maintain’d Vang-mang in the Power which he had afium’d, 12th Emp.’ JL and he made ufe of it, to increafe his Party by his Favour ; but three Years were fcarcely at an end, before he depofed the young Prince, and proclaim’d himfelf Emperor. VANG-MANG, the Ufurper, reign’d Fourteen Tears. a Ufurper. Divides the Empire into nine Provin¬ ces. Severnl In- furrections. A S foon as the Ulurper was plac’d on the Throne, which he had obtain’d by the blacked Crimes, he gave to his Family the Name of Tfm, which fignifies New ; and indeed the Empire receiv’d a new Face from the Alterations which he made in it. He divided the Em¬ pire into nine Provinces, and each Province into feveral Diftrias, over which he fet Governors in whom lie could confide ; he alfo created feveral new Principalities, to increafe the Number of his Dependants. After taking thefe and fome other Precautions, the Tyrant began to think his Authority fo well fix’d, that it was not in the Power of any thing to fhake it; but lie foon found himfelf miftaken. The Empire was prefently in a Flame, feveral numerous Annies appearing, fome of which were commanded by the confederate Lords; who were call’d Che-mu-i, becaufe the Soldiers had painted their Eyebrows, red, to diftinguifh themfelves from their Enemies. The other Armies were commanded by two Brothers, of the Family of Han, whofe Names were Lyew-fyew and Lyew-ing. Thefe Wars lafted a long time, and were very bloody. The nineteenth Year of the Cycle, the Country was pellet'd with’ filch multitudes of Grafhoppers, that they devour'd the Harveft, and caufed almoft a general Famine which occafion’d abundance of Infurrections and Robberies. In CHINESE Monarch*. 181 In the twentieth Year, the Ufurper’s Army was entirely defeated, his Palace plunder’d and burnt to the Ground, his own Threat cut, his Body cut in pieces, and his Head put on a Pitchfork and publicly expofed, for the Mob, to make Sport with. The victorious Army eleCted Whay-yatig-vang Emperor, who was a Defcendant of King-ti , the fourth Emperor of this Dynajiy. D y n. v HA N. WHAY-YANG-VANG, 'Thirteenth Emperor, reign'd Two Tears. T HE loofe and effeminate Life, which this new Emperor led, induced the Army who Wbayyang- had fet the Crown on his Head to take it from him again, as being unworthy to wear ™ ng ' G th it. They gave it fir ft to Vang-lang , who was an Impoftor, pretending himfelf to be the Son 1 K of Ching-ii, the ninth Emperor. But the Cheat being foon difcover’d, they cut off his Head, and elected in his Place Lyew-fyew ; who affum’d the Name of Quang-vu-ti, and was de¬ fended from the tenth Son of King-ti , the fourth Emperor of this Dynajiy. QUANG-VU-TI, Fourteenth Emperor, reign d Thirty three Tears. T HIS Prince removed his Court from the Province of Shen-Ji to that of Ho-nan , and made himfelf famous by his Politics, and warlike Atchievements. The homely Education i+thEmp. which he had at firft in the Country, where he fhar’d the Labour and Wants with the meaneft Peafants, made him fenfible of the Miferies of the People. Befides he was mild, affable, libe¬ ral, and very fond of learned Men ; whom he fent for to Court from all Parts, and gave them honourable Employments. At a time when he pafs’d thro’ the Country, where he was born, in vifiting the Provinces, he Tnftances of fent for feveral Hufbandmen, who were his Countrymen, and admitted them to his Table. hlsAfFabllu > r Being inform’d, that one of his old Friends, call’d Nyen-quang , a Fifherman, was living, he fent for him, received him honourably, and pafs’d the whole Night in Difcourfe with him, about their paft Adventures. He was twelve Years employ’d in fubduing the Rebels, and fettling the Peace of the Genero ' Empire. Mean time the Army, the Soldiers of which had painted their Eyebrows red, chofe C> ’ an Emperor of the Family of Han , call’d Pwan-tfe , who being defeated, went to the Empe¬ ror, threw himfelf at his Feet, and intreated his Clemency. The Emperor ufing his Victory • with Moderation, granted him not only his Life, but gave him a Principality. The Chi- nefe Annals fay, that in the twenty eighth Year of the Cycle, the laft Day of the feventh Moon, there was a total Eclipfe of the Sun, which happen’d fooner than it ought to have done by the Calculation. I leave it to Aftronomers to examine, if this Eclipfe is the lame about the which happen’d at the Death of Chriji. Time of Quang-vu-ti dy’d in the fixty firft Year of his Age, and the fifty fourth of the Cycle, leaving ten Children ; one of whom, call’d Ming-ti, fucceeded him. MING-TI, Fifteenth Emperor, reign'd Eighteen Tears. T HIS Prince is extoll’d by the Hiftorians for his Prudence, Clemency, and Judgment. He 15th eftablifh’d an Academy of Sciences in his Palace, for the Education of young Noblemen Eft^h^e 3 A- of the Empire ; Strangers were alfo admitted into it, and he was often prefent himfelf at cademEs in their Exercifes. hls Pa ;iCe - He caufed the Pictures of the mod eminent Men, both in time of Peace and War, to be painted, with which he adorn’d one of his Halls. He was mightily applauded for his choice of the Daughter of one of his belt Generals for Emprefs ; this Lady, who was a Pattern of Dif- cretion and Modefty, never wearing any Cloaths that were embroider’d. The Whang-ho , or Yellow River, having often overflow’d the neighbouring Country, where¬ by Cities and Fields receiv’d confiderable Damage ; the Emperor, to prevent thefe Inundations, caufed a Bank to be raifed, which was ten Leagues long, and employ'd one hundred thoufand Men at Work. Having dreamt in the fecond Year of the Cycle, that a Man of Gigantick Size appear’d to him, it brought to his Mind an Expreflion often in the Mouth of Confucius, viz. that the Holy Year of one was in the Weft , with which he was fo deeply affected, that he fent immediately Em- chri ft 6 4- baffadors to India , in Queft of the true Religion. Thefe Embaffadors ftop’d at a Place where the Idol Fo was in great Veneration; and taking TheReiigion fome Bonzas with them to China , they introduced their impious SeCt, with the ridiculous f * h fi t r f nto Opinion of the Metempfychofis. This Emperor is greatly condemn’d by all the Chinefe Hi- JTimpiTc° Vol. I. Zz ftorians 182. ANNALS of the ftorkns for having admitted foch a deteftable Doftrine into his Dominions. He dy'd the D ff twelfth Year of the Cycle, and left the Crown to hi^Son Cbang-ti. L/YV CHANG-TI, Sixteenth Emperor , reign’d 'Thirteen Tears. ft, 'T^HE Reign of this Prince was very pacifick, being neither, difturb’d by Wars, or any i6thEmp. I Commotions: which is attributed to the Fame of his Wifdom and Prudence ; to his Atfo'ftion for his People, whofe Taxes he leffen'd; to theProtedion he granted to Men of Learn¬ ing • and to his Averfion to Luxury and fuperfluous Expence. Lie often reminded his Sub- iedts of the wife Oeconomy of the Ancients; and letting it as an Example to the No¬ bility and Magiflrates, forbid all Magnificence in their Tables, Habit and Furniture of their Houfes. He dy’d the twenty fifth Year of the Cycle, in the thirty firft Year of his Age ; and his Son Ho-ti, who was but ten Years old, fucceeded him. HO-TI, Seventeenth Emperor, reign'd Seventeen Tears. Ho-ti, 17th \ S this Prince was very young, the Emprefs, his Mother, became his Guardian. ISA A His Power was extended to very remote Countries, by the Valour and Condud of one Arms ns far 0 f his Generals, call’d Pan-chau ; who oblig’d a great number of Sovereigns to pay Homage as ‘Ta-ifin, or £q (he E ror> and to crave his Protedion. It is feid that he advanced as far as Judea, J "“"' which the Chinese call < ta-tjin, fpending feveral Years in thefe Expeditions. The Emperor having thro’ Jealoufy divorced his Wife, who foon after dy’d with Grief, he made Emprefs in her fiead, the Grand-Daughter of one of his Generals. She was a Pnncefs of extraordinary Merit, and what is rare in Perfons of her Sex, well fkill'd in all the Chmeje Learning ; which Accomplifhments ftill receiv’d greater Luftre from her Modefty. When thofe who came according to Cuftoin to felicitate her Advancement, offer d her Prefents ; file would accept of nothing but a few Pencils, and a fort of Paper, which had been newly invented. Ho-ti was the firft who gave exorbitant Authority to the Eunuchs of the Palace, by advancing Power t^the them to the bigheft Places in the Empire, which was the Occafion of great Troubles and Eunuchs. Diforders afterwards. , , c , „ . This Prince dy’d the twenty feventh Year of his Age, and the forty fecond of the Cycle, being fucceeded by his fecond Son call d Shang-ti. SHANGTI, Eighteenth Emperor } reign d One Tear . Ngan-ti , Grand-Son to S/oa?ig-ti, iucceeded mm. 1 NGAN-TI, Nineteenth Emperor, reign’d Nineteen Tears. SHUN- CHINESE Monarchs. 1 S 3 SHUN-TI , Twentieth Emperor, reigned Nineteen Years. T HE Beginning of the Reign of this Prince was fignalized by fevcral ViSories, which he obtain’d over the Barbarians. The Emprefs, who had poifon’d the Concubine, Mother of Sbun-tt , did not long outlive her Ciime; and the Emperor being inform’d of it, in Revenge forbid Ihe ihould have the funeral Honours, which were due to her Dignity. In the fourth Year of his Reign he made a Law, whereby no one could. be admitted into the Magiilracy, before he was forty Years old, unlefs he had fome extraordinary Merit to fup- ply the Want of Age. .. In the ninth Year of the Cycle a great Number of Vagabonds uniting,, form d a conlider- able Army under the Command of one Ma-myen ; who, being flufli d with Succefs in plun¬ dering feveral Cities of the Southern Provinces, began to afpire even to the Empire; but lie was (lain before he could accomplilh his bold Delign. The Emparor dy’d in the twenty-firft Year of the Cycle, and thirty fecond Year of his Age, and was fucceeded by his Son Cbung-ti. Rebellion of Ma-myen. CHANG-TI, Twenty fir/l Emperor , reign'd One Tear. H E afeended the Throne in the fecond Year of his Age, and dy’d before it expir’d. The Reign of his Succeffor was of no longer Duration. Cl.uvg-ti, 2ill EmjH. CHE-TI, Twenty fecond Emperor , reign'd One Tear. A LTHO’ he was but eight Years old, when he fucceeded to the Crown, yet he difeover d a 2 ^EmV Genius far above his Years, which gave the Nation mighty Hopes of him. However, he a prom ifling being fo young, Lyang-ki , the Brother of the Emprefs, did not pay him the Refpefts due Pnncc. to him, but abufing his Sifter’s Authority, fpoke and adted as if he had been Sovereign. Nor could he forbear fhewing his Pride and Infolence at a public Affembly, where the Em¬ peror himfelf was prefent; who offended at his Behavior, and looking at him with a threatning Countenance, faid in a low Voice, yet loud enough to be heard, 'That is an arrogant Perfon. Thefe Words coft the Prince dear ; for Lyang-ki finding that he had Reaion one Day to is poifon’d fear this Emperor’s Refentment for his ill Conduct, took care to get him poilon d ; fo that * v - yan & this young Prince reign’d but one Year, and his eldeft Brother Whan-ti fucceded him. WHAN-TI, Twenty third Emperor, reign’d Twenty one Years. U NDER the Reign of this Emperor the Magiftracy became Venal. He was a great Pa- wh ^ tron of the Seft of Lyau-kyun , and Eunuchs were his Chief Favorites, which made all 23 the learned Men retire from his Palace ; nor could the Emperor either by Invitation or rich Prefents bring them back again : they preferring the Tranquillity of their Solitude to the Folly of a Court, where the whole Authority was in the Hands of Eunuchs. However Lyang-ki , the Murderer of the late Emperor, was raifed to the bigheft Em- Lyang-ki ployments of the Empire; and his Wife was honour’d with the Title of Heroine , befides a ^ info _ Yearly Revenue of five hundred thoufand Taels. Thefe Smiles of Fortune made him excef- lenc> five haughty, fo that he thought he might do whatever he pleafed. At the beginning of the Chinefe Year,’when all the Grandees pay their Duty to the Emperor, he had the Confidence to enter the Palace with his Sword by his Side, contrary to the Laws., Upon this, he was immediately difarm’d, and acknowledging his Crime, alk’d the Emperor’s Pardon, which was granted him ; but having made himfelf odious to every -body, by his Infolence- and Piide, he ^ k ^ r h A c was fhortly after, as it were, befieg’d by a Troop of Eunuchs, and finding he could not efeape their Vengeance, he flew both his Wife and himfelf. His Relations and. B fiends were ftrrpt of all the important Places to which he had prefer’d them, and his Riches, which were im- menfe, confifeated. . . In the twenty eighth Year of the Cycle there was fuch a dreadful Famine in feveral Parts Dreadful of the Empire, that many of the Chinefe were oblig’d to feed upon human Flefh. The Em- Hmmc. peror dy’d the forty fourth Year of the Cycle, and in the thirty fixth Year of his Age, without Iffue, notwithftanding he had a great many Concubines. Ling-ti , who was of the Family of Chang-ti , fucceeded him. LING- 184 ANNALS of the Gives exor¬ bitant Power to Eunuchs. Rebellion of the Tellinu Caps. LING-TI, Twenty fourth Emperor, reign’d Twenty two Tears. T HIS Prince, among other bad Qualities, is chiefly blam’d for his exceeding Fondnefs for Eunuchs, to whom he gave more Power than his Predeceflors had done ; his Aver- fion to thofe who were able to give him good Counfel; his infatiable Avarice, and fliarp Satirical Humour. He took a Fancy to eftablifli a Fair in his Palace, for felling all forts of Curiofities, where his Pleafure was to fee his Concubines outbid, wrangle, and abufe one another. One of his ordinary Diverflons, which was no lefs fantaflical, was to take the Air in his Gardens in a Chariot drawn by Affcs i whence, in imitation of the Court, AfTes came to be preferr’d every where to Horfes. The only good Adtion for which this Emperor is extoll’d, was the Care that he took to have the wife Inftrudtions of the ancient Emperors, contained in the five Claflical Books, engraven on Marble Tables, and publickly expofed at the Entrance of the Academy. The Power of the Eunuchs became fo very great, that they caufed a great Number of the Nobility, who had confpired their Ruin, to be put to Death. This Negledt or Abafement of the Imperial Authority naturally produced Revolts. In a little time feveral great Armies ap¬ pear’d in the Field, who Ril’d themfelves Yellow Caps , under the Command of three Brothers call’d Change of the Sedt of Lyau-kyun , who plunder’d divers Provinces ; but at lafb they were defeated one after another, and flain. The Barbarians , (for fo the Chinefe call all Strangers) endeavour’d feveral times to make ConqueRs in the Empire, but were always defeated by an able Chinefe General, named Twan- kyong ; who, as the Report goes, for ten Years that the War lafted, never went to Bed. In the fifth Year of the Cycle fome Remainders of the Rebel Yellow Caps, appear’d again, in order to create new Troubles. The Emperor died the following Year, in the thirty fourth Year of his Age, without having nam’d a Succeflor. HYEN-TI, Twenty fifth Emperor, reign'd Thirty one Tears. Hycx-t;, pTEN-'Tl, the eldeR Brother of this Monarch, who reign’d fome Months, and then ab- 25th Emp. I Seated the Crown to Hyen-ti , who was but nine Years old, is not number’d among the Emperors. The Weaknefs and Indolence, or rather Stupidity of this young Prince, occalion’d perpetual Wars at home as well as abroad. China was divided firft into three, and afterwards into four Parts, and had as many So- Murder’dby vereigns. The EaRern Part firft confpir’d againft Tong-cho , General of the Imperial Army, his General. w j 1Q mur der’d the Emperor and his eldefl; Brother ; and having burnt the Palace, and open’d the Sepulchres of the Emperors, where he found immenfe Riches, he removed his Court into the Province of Sben-Ji. But his Crimes did not long go unpunifh’d, for the next Y 7 ear he was murder’d, and his Body hung on a Fork in the publick Market Place, and his Treafures Yillrw Caps confrfcated. l n the mean time the Yellow Caps took Advantage of thefe Diforders to increafe coiro) . Number of Rebels 5 but they were gradually deRroy’d by Yfait-fau , who ufurp’d the love- reign Authority : of which he was Rript the thirty feventh Y r ear of the Cycle, by his own Son, ‘Tfau-poy , and banifh’d to a Principality, which he gave him, where he dy’d lourteen Years after, generally defpifed. n ; ;L T The Sixth DYNASTY, call'd HEW-HAN, that is, the CTAj latter Family of HAN ; which had two Emperors, in the Space of Forty four Tears. CHAN-LYE-VANG, Firfi Emperor, i/eignd Three Tears. chau-Lye- HAU-LYE-VANG was call’d before Lyew-pi i and was defcended from King-ti , ' vang, 1 ft m ' t he fourth Emperor of the preceding Dynafly. This Prince was very tall, and had an Emperor. j Air 0 f Grandeur and Majefty, which commanded Refpedt. His Courage correfponded to his Afpect; he fpoke but little, and in all Events, whether good or bad, was Rill of an even Temper. When he drew near his End, he fpoke to thofe that were about him in the following Manner: When once a Man has attained to the Jge of Fifty Years , he has no Reajon to complain of the Shortnefs of his Life ; why then fhould I complain , who am more than fxty Yean of Age f Afterwards CHINESE Monarch s. iSc Afterwards he lent for his Son, whom he had appointed his Succeflor, and his fir 1 i Minifter call’d Ko-lyang ; If, faid he to the latter, my Son fhould refufe to fay that Regard to your wife S/djf. Tf Counfcl, which he ought , dethrone him, and reign in his /lead. Then turning to his Son, he t_/-vx faid, How light fever a Fault may Jeem to you, beware of committing it, and how fmallJoever Cvc . XLIU - a virtuous Action may appear, negled not to do it. Virtue alone dejervcs our Attention, and cww °L Purfuit ; I have had too little to J'erve you for an Example-, but follow the Advice o/Ko-lyarw, and you will find in him a fecond Father. ' This Prince dy’d in the fixty third Year of his Age, and the fortieth of the Cycle, after he had nam’d his Son Hew-ti for his Succeffor. HEW-TI, Second Emperor, reign'd Forty one Tears. W HILST the Prime Minifter liv’d, Hew-ti trod in the Steps of his Father ; he kept his tinu-tt, Court at Ching-tu , the Metropolis of the Province of Se-chwen. There were then in 2d the Noithern Provinces thiee Sovereigns of the Family of Ghcy, and in the Southern Provin¬ ces the Family of [/kept their Court at Nan-king. The Family of Ghcy, which was the Ci.noam- moft powerful of the three, lafted but forty fix Years ; it was deftroy’d by one of its Generals,' damon S the whofe Son became the Founder of the following Dynafiy. The Faniily of [/had four Kings FamuT« 0 ‘ 3 in the Space of fifty nine Years. Thefe different Principalities necelfarily occafion’d Wars; in one of which the Emperor loft two famous Generals, call’d Chang-fi and Stuang-yu. This latter is number’d among their Idols, and honour’d as the Mars of China. The famous Ko-lyang, who ftill remain’d, had divers Encounters with the King of Ghey but was often overcome. He was admired for his extraordinary Skill in making 0 a Retreat in c£5p,™f prefence of the Enemy ; which always prov’d no lefs to his Glory and Honour than if he had » •!>= Em- gain’d the Vidtory. P ire - The King of Ghey, being now grown fo powerful, that he thought himfelf able to conquer the Kings both of Him and J, who were leagued together. In order to put his Defign in Execution, march d with a formidable Army to the fide of the great River Tang-tfe-kyang, which he in¬ tended to have crofs’d ; but feeing the Waves very rough and boifterous, DoubtleJ's, fay’d he, thefe are the Pounds which Heaven hath put to the Ambition of Mortals , and immediately turn’d back. Song-chau, who was General to the King of Ghey, being puft up with his Viftories, and ob- ferving the Credit he had obtained in the Army, retail'd againft his Mailer, whom he over- Cyc - xliv - came, and thereupon refolved to make his Way to the Throne. The Son of Hew-ti feeing chrifi 2I4. things in a defperate State, went to his Father; fhere is no Room to deliberate, fays he, this J Moment muft decide your Fate, either to vanquijh or die, with this Sword in your Hand, and Crown on your Head. But the Emperor wanting Courage refufed to give his Enemy Battle 1 ; at whichis rc! - which the young Prince was fo griev'd, that retiring into the Hall of his deceafed Anceftors, General’s.™ he defperately fiew his Wife, and then himfelf. In the fortieth Year of the Cycle, the Imperial Army was cut in pieces, and the Palace plunder’d. The cowardly Emperor went and deliver’d himfelf into the Hands of the Con- queror, who gave him a fmall Principality; where he lived feven Years an obfcure and con- P temptible Life, and dy’d in the fixty fifth Year of his Age. The Seventh DYNASTY, call'd TSIN, •which had Fifteen Emperors in the Space of One hundred and Fifty five d the Ea ji ern Family of Tfin. In the fixth Year of h s T s , N . Re^n'he 2 fell into a deep Melancholy, which was the Caufe of his Death in the forty fixt t/V\J year of liis Age. His Son fucceeded him. MING-TI, Sixth Emperor, reign'd Three Tears. rr-iHE Ghincfe Hiftory mentions nothing of this Prince, who after three Years Reign dy’d the T twentY&cond YeL of the Cycle, in the twenty feventh Year of his Age, and was fucceeded by his Son Ching-ti. CHING-TI, Seventh Emperor, reign’d Seventeen Tears. T HIS Prince being but five Years old when he afeended the Throne, the Emprefs his Mo- ther, was intruded with the Government. The Imperial Authority was too weak to curb the nettv Sovereigns whofe Ambition was boundlefs; fome of the more powerful aiming to de- ThcRegulo's toy P each other^ only to clear the Way to the Throne. This young Prince was but twenty one ««« *. Years old when he dy’d ; his Brother Kang-ti fucceeding him. KANG I I, Eighth Emperor, reign'd Two Tears. HIS Prince afeended the Throne the fortieth Year of the Cycle, and dy’d the forty firft, k* h .h, ™ the forty fecond Year of his Age, leaving the Crown tohis eldeftSon Mo-ti. 8 ‘ hE "^“’ MO-TI, Ninth Emperor, reign’d Seventeen Tears. *-r-tPIF Emorefs was declared Guardian of this young Prince, who was but two Years old m,.,;, T whence came to the Crown. As foon as he had pafs’d his Infancy, he dftcoverd flumng W- IVU-ks of Wlfdom and Virtue far above his Age ; he made good ufe of the Advice of his Mi- commaidrf°the Imperial Army, march’d into the North, to puniflt a revolted rettv Kin- of the Family of Han , whofe Palace he plunder d and burnt to the Ground. r However, the Punilhment of this Prince did not appeafe the Troubles; ther^theTmofre ft ^ ftill continued the War with each other, in order to mcreafe their Power and obtain the Empire Had the Emperor liv’d, he would without doubt have reduced them to Obedience but he dy d h the nineteenth Year of his Age, and fifty eighth of the Cycle. The Nobles chofe Ngai-ti, who was the Son of Ching-ti, feventh Emperor of this Dynajty. T Cyc. XLYI. Year of Cbrijl 364. NGAI-TI , Tenth Emperor, reign'd Four Tears. r-ptHIS Prince dy’d in the fecond Year of the Cycle, the twenty fifth of his Age, when Vi-ye ^ ^ I his younger Brother was elefted by the Grandees to fucceed him. lothEmp.; TI-YE, Eleventh Emperor, reign’d Five Tears. T HE Reign of this Prince was not much longer than that of his Predeceffor, altho he lived yyy, much longer ; for IVhan-ven, his Prime Minifter, after obtaining a great Vnftory in the ^ e™p- North over the King of Tmen, dethron’d the Emperor, and confin d him in a Cittadel ; wnere ^ his plime havin- lived an obfeure Life fifteen Years, he dy’d the forty third Year of his Age, and the Gran- Minifter, dees chofe in his room Kyen-ven-ti, the laft of the Children of Twen-tt, fifth Emperor of this Dynajly. KYEN-VEN-TI, Twelfth Emperor, reign'd Two Tears. D URING his (hort Reign of two Years, nothing remarkable is laid of him. He dy’d in the Xjnvm-n, fifty third Year of hisAge, and was fucceeded by his Son Vu-ti. I2th Emp ' vu- Defeats the Emperor of the North . Suffers feve- ral Regulo's to revolt. Is fliin by the 2d Queen. ANNALS of the VU-11, Thirteenth Emperor , reign'd Twenty four Tears. Flu XI a , fcend ^ the Thronf ; the tenth Year of the Cycle. Fd-kyen, who was Emperor in the North relolving to attack the Emperor, and conquer his Provinces, his Minifters^ndea Tt'h J -7T d l Th C h ‘ m i ‘T 1UC ^ a dan S erous Enterprize ; by obferving to him that the Family of he Tfm had been placed on the Throne by the Diredtion of Heavenfand that as yet they had neither mcuned its Wrath, nor done any thing to render them unworthy of its Protedtion/ Thefe Remonftrances proving ineffectual, Fil-kyen, who rely’d on the Number and Bravery of ' his Soldiers, march d Southward with a formidable Army; which Vd-ti being inform’d of, haften’d with a fmall but feledl Body of his Troops, and without giving his Enemy time to bring all his Forces together, attack d him in his Camp with fuch Courage and Refolution, that he intirely defeated him. The Generals of Fo-kyen’ s Army being driven to Defpair, feiz'd him in the Rout and conducting him to a Temple, there ftrangled him. ’ Notwithstanding this great Succefs of Vd-ti, fo fatal to the Empire of the North feveral of the (mailer Sovereigns revolted; whom he might have eafily fubdued, had he made good Ufe of his \ lctoiy, and march d with his Forces into the Northern Provinces; but he return’d to his Court and gave bimfelf up to all manner of Voluptuoufnefs and Senfualities. This Hero at lall dv’d by the Hands ot a Woman ; for having by way of Raillery call’d the Second Queen an old Wo man, who was but thirty Years of Age ; this Princefs being highly exafperated with fuch an ill- grounded Reproach, immediately revenged herfelf upon him, for the Emperor was found Rifled m his Bed. Ngan-ti his Son fucceeded him. NGAN-TI, Fourteenth Emperor, reign’d Twenty two Tears. I YeY T HE llttle ^ erit found in this Prince, his Indolence, and Want of Application, gave but fmall 1 l+t ' n ‘ P ' Hl, P es ° f his reftoring the Tranquillity of the Empire; and indeed we meet with nothing Revolts and but Revolts and Wars among the Regulo’s, during his Reign. A Grandfon of the King of Fay ' SegTo 1 ? the on 'y remainin s Branch of that Family, intirely defeated the King of Ten, with whom he ! was at War, and took his Principality from him ; whereby he founded a Dominion, which was govern’d by thirteen Monarchs of his Family, in the Space of one hundred forty nine Years. " About this time there was a Man of mean Birth, call’d Lyew-hu, who got his Living at firft by j Lyrv H » felling Shoes about the Country ; hut afterwards turning Soldier, he came to be General of a ' ro°»der k of ST 1 A ™y> Bgnaliz’d himfelf by feveral Exploits, and was fo powerful as to ufurp the Imperial the following Throne, being the Founder of the following Dynajiy. He murder’d the Emperor at theA^-e i Dynaity. of thirty feven, and Kong-ti , his Brother by the fame Mother, fucceeded him. b KONG-TI, Fifteenth Emperor, reign cl Two Tears. AhEm'p ■ T HIS Pr:nce afeended the Throne in the fifty fixth Year of the Cycle, and in the fecond * Year of his Reign was fluffed or choak’d by Lyew-yu , who afeended the Throne, and took the Name of Kau-tfu-vu-li. Thus was the Dynajiy of Ffm extinguifh’d, to make room for that of Sang. TTY ^e Eighth DYNASTY, call'd SONG, which had Eight Lmj Emperors, in the Space of Fifty nine Tears. KAU-TSU-VU-TI, FirJl Emperor, reign’d Two Tears. P~~m —l HIS new Emperor fix’d his Court at Nan-king , which was his Native Place. His lit Emperor. S Air, his Gate, his Size, in fhort his whole outward Deportment had fomething in § them inexpreffibly Noble and Majeftick ; to a great natural Courage he join’d equal Moderation, which appear’d principally in his Cloaths, Train, and Drefs, being in all of them remarkably frugal. 6 DynatHes oa- This Dynajiy and the four following, which altogether go by the Name of U-tay, are accounted med u-taj. fmall in comparifon of the others, becaufe they continued but very few Years. China was Hill Empire divl-divided into two Empires, the Northern and the Southern, each of which had its proper ded into Nor- Monarch. * ^ Somhemf , . In , " inth FT of the CycIe Kau - t f»- v “- ti d y’ d i at the Age of Sixty feven. Shau-ti his eldeit bon lucceeded him. SHAU- Monarch s. 189 reign'd One Tear. T HO’ this Emperor was feventeen Years old, when he afcended the Throne, it was foon perceived that he wanted Underftanding, becaufe he delighted to bufy himfelf in trifling Matters. I’an-tau-tfi , the Ko-lau i or Prime Minifter, took away the Crown from him, and not long after his Life. He was but eighteen Years old when he dy’d, and was fucceeded by Vcn- ti y the third Son of the Founder of this new Dynajiy. VEN-TI, Third Emperor, reign'd Thirty Tears. T HIS Prince was efteem’d on Accuont of his good Nature, Moderation, Juftice, and great Integrity; he was blam’d only for having too great an Affecftion for the Bonzas, whofe Protestor he openly declar’d himfelf. He ordain’d that no Magiftrates fhould continue in the Erne Poll: above fix Years: and after fome other Regulations of this fort, for the good of his People, he declar’d War againft the Emperor of the North, whofe Power daily increaled, having already lixteen Regulo’s in intire Subjection to him. Ven-ti loft the firft Battle, but afterwards obtain’d many Victories, by the ConduCt and Bravery of Tan-tau-tfi , his Prime Minifter. who by this extraordinary Succefs gain’d no little Credit and Authority ; but that Credit render’d his Fidelity fufpeCted to the Emperor, who fearing too powerful a Subject, procur’d him to be put to Death, which was the Reward of his Services. The News of this great General’s Death being fpread abroad, the Northern Men took Courage, and boldly entred the Southern Provinces, renewing the War with more Fury than ever. Ven-ti' s Troops, no longer commanded by that able General, were defeated in feveral Battles; but in the twenty fixth Year of his Reign there was fuch a horrible Slaughter on both fides, that the Fields were overflow’d with Chinefe Blood. Tay-vu-ti, the Emperor of the North caufed a General Maflacre of the Bonzas, throughout his Dominions, and burnt all their Temples and Idols. Ven-ti was murder’d at the Age of thirty five, by his eldeft Son, and the Parricide was kill’d in his turn, by his fecond Brother, who im¬ mediately revenged his Father’s Death. VOU-TI, Fourth Emperor, reign d Eleven Tears. T HIS Prince was much addicted to the Chinefe Sciences, and had the Reputation of bein<* Vou-ti, learn’d: he was likewife.exceeding fkilful in managing a Horfe, and drawing the Bow° 4 t hEm P eror - Which gave him a more than ordinary Inclination to Hunting. He is cenfur’d for Prodigality, and bellowing Favours without Reafon or DiftinCtion. He treated thofe about his Perfon with a Roughnefs little fuitable to their Rank, for having no Command over his Tongue he often ufed (harp and reviling Language. He dy’d in the thirty fifth Year of his Age, and forty firft of the Cycle, Fi-ti his eldeft Son fucceeding him, FI-TI, Fifth Emperor, reign'd One Tear. H E was no (boner on the Throne but he difeover’d a cruel and bloody Difpofition ; many innocent Perfons were put to Death by his Orders, and he was (lain himfelf in the firft Year of his Reign. His Succeffor was Ming-ti, the eleventh Son of Ven-ti , the third Emperor of this Dynajiy. MING-TI, Sixth Emperor, reign’d Eight Tears. T HIS Prince was as barbarous and cruel as his Predeceffor. He put to Death thirteen young Princes of the Imperial Blood, who were his Nephews; and as he had no Children of his , own, he introduc’d Mert among his Wives, with a Defign to have a Male Child, then to kill n ' per “ 3 the Mother, and give it to the Emprefs, who was barren. He preferr’d Syau-tau-ching to the higheft Dignity of the Empire, a Man exceeding ambitious, and who afterwards murder'd two Emperors to make way to the Throne. Ming-ti dy'd the forty ninth Year of the Cycle, being only thirty four Years old, and was fucceeded by Dfang-ngu-vang his eldeft Son. Ti-ti, 5 th Emperor.' Maflacre of the Bonzas. CHINESE SHAU-TI, Second Emperor, VOL. I. Bbb tsang- Emperor, reign’d Four T HE rough and untradlable Temper of this Prince ferv’d to colour the Perfidioufnefs and Treafon of Syau-tau-ching ; who dipp’d his Hands in the Blood of his young Mailer, being yet but fifteen Years of Age when Shun-ti , the third Son of Ming-ti, was advanc’d in his room. SHUN-TI, Eighth Emperor, reign’d Two 1 ears. Shun-ti, f-r-'HIS young Prince met with the fame Fate as his Brother, filling a Sacrifice to the Ambi- ^ifrdeKd 0 ^ A tion of his Prime Minifler, who murder’d him in the fecond Year of his Reign, and four¬ teenth of his Age. By this double Murder Syau-tau-ching put an End to the Dynajly of Song, and became the Founder of a new Dynajly call’d Tfi, under the Name of Kau-ti. E' The Ninth DYNASTY, call'd TSI, which had five Empe- v - xv% - ; rors in the Space of Twenty three Tears. KAU-TI, Firfl Emperor, reign’d four Tears. Kau-ti, or Kau tfe jft Emperor, 'E fix’d his Court at Nan-king the Capital of the Province of Kyang-nan, but enjoy’d not long the Fruit of his Crimes. He was more remarkable for his Skill in the Sciences, than Military Exploits. He ufed to fay, That if he liv’d to govern the Empire but ten Years, he would make Gold as cheap as Dirt. One Day being drefs’d in a Habit fet over with precious Stones, all of a fudden he order’d them to be beaten to Powder, faying they wete good for nothing but to infpire Luxury and Covetoufnefs. He dy’d in the fifty ninth Year of the Cycle, at the Age of fifty four, and was fucceeded by his eldeil Son Vu-ti. VU-TI, Second Emperor , reign'd Eleven Tears. H E began his Reign with publilhing a Law, that the Mandarins fliould not hold their Em¬ ployments longer than three Years; and revived an ancient Statute, which prohibited the Intermarriages of Families of the fame Name. At this time there appear’d a pretended Philofopher, whofe Name was Fan-chin , who taught mod pernicious Tenets, hitherto unheard of, viz. “ That all Events, in this World are the Effects “ of pure Chance ; that after this Life the State of Mankind is the fame with that of Beafts; « and that the Soul dies with the Body,” which impious Dodtrines were quickly oppoled by feveral able Men, and learnedly refuted by them in their Writings. Syau-ywen, famous for his Skill in Politicks and Military Afiairs, was raifed to the Dignity of Ko-lau ; we (hall fee him prefently tread in the Steps of his Predecefior, and (hedding the Blood of his Mailers to ufurp their Crown. Vu-ti dy’d the tenth Year of the Cycle, and forty fifth of his Age j Ming-ti , the Brother of the Founder of this Dynajly, being advanced in his Room. MING-TI, Third Emperor, reign d Five Tears. Ming-ti, JT'AU-'Tly the Founder of the Dynajly, thought he could not do better, than to commit the aMu^dercr r ’ C* re *hd Education of two of his young Children to his Brother Ming-ti who placed them and ufurper. fuccefiively upon the Throne, but cut them oft* one after another, in the fhort Space of four Months, and feiz>d the Crown. The Northern Provinces enjoy’d a profound Peace, whofe Emperor was fo addidted to Study, that whether he was in a Chair or on Horfeback he had always a Book in his Hand. Ming-ti dy’d at forty Years of Age, the fifteenth of the Cycle, and left the Crown to his third Son Whcn-hew. WHEN- ty CHINESE Monarchs. m WHEN-HEW, Fourth Emperor, reign'd Two Tears. T HE Debaucheries and Cruelty of this Prince, his Averfion to thofe who were capable of giving him wife Counfels, and the Credit into which he brought the Eunuchs, were fo many Pretences for Syau-ywen under which to cloak his Paffion for Reigning. He join’d the King of the Principality of Lyang, and having made himfelf Mafter of the Palace, fet it on Fire, and after built another more magnificent. The Emperor was dethroned, and at nineteen Years old kill’d by the Hands of this traiterous Prime Minifter, who plac’d Ho-ti the Brother of that unfortunate Prince on the Throne. HO-TI, Fifth Emperor, reign'd One Tear. CYAU-YWEN., when he placed this young Prince on the Throne, did not defign that he U fliould enjoy it long ; for at the Year’s End and Age of fifteen he depriv’d him both of his stbEmpJror. Life and Crown, which he feiz’d, and founded a new Dynajiy. Kau-tfil-'vu-ti ill Emperor. The Tenth DYNASTY, call'd LYANG, which had Four Emperors, in the Space of Fifty five Tears. KAU-TSU-VU-TI, Firfl Emperor, reign d Forty eight Tears. Y'AU-YVVEN, who after his Acceffion to the Throne, which he fo traiteroully ob¬ tained, afiinned the Name of Kau-tju-vu-ti , was defcendea from the.ancient Family of Syau-ho, and endow’d with excellent Qualities, being aftive, laborious, and vigi¬ lant. He difpatch’d all his Affairs, which always pall thro’ his own Hands, with lur- priling Readinefs i was fkilful in almofl all the Sciences, particularly the Military Art; was au- Ruin’d by his ftere in whatever concern’d his own Perfon, and fo faving, that the fame Cap ferved him three F h on l ne ^ 01 Years ; but at lad his Fondnefs for the Bonzas carry’d him fo far, that he neglefled intirely the Bu- * finefs of the State, and in effe£l became a Bonza himfelf. He put out an Edid forbidding to kill Oxen or Sheep, even for Sacrifices, appointing ground Com to be offer'd inftead of thofe Animals. In the fifteenth Year of his Reign he laid Siege to the City of Sbew-yang in the Province of Shen-Ji, which lafted ten Years; lofing before it an incredible Numer of Men either by Water, Sword or Famine. At this time happen’d the entire Ruin, of the Empire of the North, call’d Obey. This vaft E^P^of Dominion was divided between two Sovereigns, one of the Eaftern, the other of the Weftern Sf Part, but at length was united under the King of Tfi and Chew. The Emprefs of the North, ' ? ’ nam’d Hu, built a Monaftery large enough to lodge a thoufand Bonzas, and gave it the Name of Yong-ching, that is, Perpetual Peace. For twenty fix Years the Emperor govern’d with Succefs, till the Fancy took him to leave TlKEm P ErM the Court, and dwell in a Temple of the Bonzas, where he had his Head fhaved, wore a oTpA™ 2 * coarfe Garment, and liv’d upon Herbs and Rice ; and tho’ the Grandees of the Empire brought Monk 8 "” him back again!! his Will, from the Place of his Retirement to his Palace, yet he obflinately continued to live after the Manner of the Bonzas. According to their Dodrine of the Tranf- migation of Souls, he durft not condemn any, even the greateft Criminal, to Death ; which open’d the Door to Licentioufnefs, and occafion’d infinite Murders and Robberies. Kyen-wen, the Ko-lau of the Empire, griev'd that he was forc’d to ferve an Ufurper, ftarv’d himfelf to Death, which Pradice is common enough among the Chitiefe. When the Emperor heard of it, he cry’d out; Do not 1 hold my Crown of Heaven ? Am I beholdenfor it to the Grandees of the Empire ? What Reafon than had this miferable Man to make himfelf away ? Hew-king, who was King of Ho-nan, and the Emperor’s Vaflal, revolted fuddenly, and making himfelf Mailer of Nan-king, feiz’d the Emperor ; who appearing intrepid before his fe:2 .’ (1 fjy Conqueror, and without the leaft Sign of Concern in his Countenance, the Rebel, tho’ naturally llTlTi fierce, was Icarce able to look him in the Face ; and felt fuch Emotions, that the Sweat ran down darvcd\o in Drops ; I could not have believed, faid he, that it was fo difficult to refijl a Power, which Dcath ' Heaven has eftablifid. So that he durft not imbrue his Hands in the Blood of the old Man, but contented iyi ANNALS of the contented himfelf with putting him to a lingering Death, by retrenching part of his Suftenance D ™' / every Day. There were great Encomiums made at this time on the filial Piety of a young Man fifteen Cyc XLt 111 y ears 0 f a ge^ call'd Kye-fwen-, whofe Father being condemn’d to lofe his Head for feveral Of- c S r ft fences committed by him, during his Magiftracy, Kye-fwen , as foon as he was inform'd thereof, went and threw himfelf at the Feet of the Prince, intreating him, with Tears, that he might « of £' be allow’d to fuffer in his Father's Stead. The Prince after a ftria Examination, finding he was Piet/. in Earneft, and afted voluntarily, in Confideration of fuch remarkable Tendernefs, pardon’d the Father’ and rewarded the Son with a Title of Honour ; which yet he conftantly refufed, becaule it would continually put him in mind of his Father’s Fault, rvjy'"} Kau-tfiu-vu-ti being deny’d a little Honey which he call'd for, to take away a bitter Tafte he C Yc*rf X ' had in his Mouth, dy’d immediately in the fixth Year of the Cycle, and fourlcore and fixth of chriji 544 . /v-r C his third Son Kyen-ven-ti fucceeding him. KYEN-VEN-TI, Second Emperor, reign’d Three Tears. AVm.0, t 7 ft - K IN G did not fuffer this Emperor to remain long upon the Throne; for he zi Emperor. ^ f e i z ’d his Perfon in the fecond Year of his Reign, and having put him to Death, affum’d the Title of Emperor, but preferv’d it fcarce one Year. Kyen-ven-ti, when (lain, was forty nine Years of Age, and was fucceeded by Twen-ti, the fevetith Son of the Founder of the Dynafiy. YWEN-TI, Third Emperor, reign’d Three Tears. JlSftr. H IN- P A - S TEN who was Sovereign of a frnall Dominion, and at the fame time Ka- devoted to ’ Cj ] a u of the Empire, attack’d Hew-king, cut his Army in pieces, and caufed him to be be- lYi™° f headed. But this Ko-lau, [or Prime Minifter] alfo revolted in his turn, and befieged Nan-king. ““ ’ The Emperor, who refided there, and was wholly befotted with the idle Conceits of the Se£t of Lau-kyun, being by this Revolt roufed to Arms, went round the Walls of the City ; but feeing all was loft, he broke his Sword, and burnt his Library, which confifted of a hundred and forty thoufand Volumes, faying, “ There was an End, both of the Sciences and the Military ; s f e i z ed and “ Art.” After this, the Rebel having taken the City, Twen-ti mounted on a white Horfe went murder’d b/ an d furrender’d himfelf into theHands of the Conqueror, who flew him at the Age of forty feven, Milan™' King-ti his ninth Son fucceeding him. KING-TI, Fourth Emperor, reign’d Two Tears. I N the thirteenth Year of the Cycle this Prince was advanced to the Imperial Dignity, which he held not above two Years, the Murderer of his Father difpatching him likewife, in the fix- teenth Year of his Age. With this Prince expired the Dynafiy of Lyang-, and Chin-pa-J'yen, the Founder of the Dynafiy of Chin , made himfelf Matter of the Empire, taking the Name of Kau- tfu-vu-ti. In the fame Year, the Emperor of that part of the North, call’d Chew, caufed all the Temples of the Bonzas and their Idols to be burnt. mx XI. The Eleveth DYNASTY, call'd CHIN, which had Five Emperors in the Space of Thirty three Tears. KAU-TSU-VU-TI, Fir ft Emperor, reign d Three Tears. Kaurtju^Bu-ti, p—m _4 HIS new Emperor was defeended from Chin-Jhe , the famous General, diftinguifli’d ill Emperor. 3 his glorious A&ions, under the fifth Family of Han ; he was a Lover of the Sciences, and very fond of Bonzas; but Death in a little time depriv’d him of that Crown which he had obtain’d by a double Crime, for he dy’d in the third Year of his Reign, which was the fifty ninth of his Age, and fixth of the Cycle, his Brother Ven-ti fuc¬ ceeding him. King-ti , 4th Emp. murder’d by the fame Hand. Deltru£tion the Bonzian Temples. YEN- \ CHINES VEN-TI, Second Emperor, T/EN-TI always lived privately, without concerning himfelf in Affairs, till the Moment cd"sf. y he was made Emperor; but itfoon appear’d that he had the proper Qualities of a great Prince, by the Affedtion he bore to his Subjedts, and the Trouble he took to hear their Law-Suits him- p*"’. felf, and bring them to a fpeedy Iffue. He order’d a Drum to beat within the Palace to diftin- The Hour?’ guihi the Hours of the Night, which Cuftom is obferv’d to this Day. Being fenfible that his diitinguiih'd Son was a Perfon of no great Capacity, he refolved tochoofe his Brother, the King of Ngan- ™ t b h ^ a “ thing, for his Succeffor; but the Ko-lau and Nobles making a ftrong Reprefentation againft it, he Drum? alter’d his Intention. The Emperor of that part of the North call’d Chew, revived at this time an ancient Cuftom, which was to maintain at the publick Charge all aged Perfons, who had done any important Service to the State. Ven-ti was forty five Years old when he dy’d, in the twenty fourth of the Cycle, and his Son Ling-hay-va?ig fucceeded him. LING-HAY-VANG-, Third Emperor, reign'd 'Two Tears. T HIS Prince was hardly feated on the Throne, before he was depofed by his Uncle, the Li^.hc. King ol Ngan-cbing ■, and dying foon after at Nineteen Years of Age, Swen-ti, Nephew to tneFounder of this Dynafiy, feiz'd the Crown by Force. SWEN-TI, Fourth Emperor, reign d Fourteen Tears. T HIS Prince was of a fweet and eafy Temper, and his chief Delight was Mufic, to which he devoted part of his Time. The Sages, whom he lov’d and protected, had always an ^Emperor, ealy Accefs to him. One of his Vaffals having, out of fome interefted View, fent him Prefents of great Value, he, to check his Ambition, order’d them to be burnt in his Prefence. The Emperor of the North, having promoted Tang-kyen to the Dignity of Ko-lau, and given Thai Rife of his Danghter in Marriage to his Son, not long after made him Sovereign of the Principality of Swi, by which he became fo powerful, that in a few Years he was in a Condition to l'ubdue all China. Swen-ti dy’d in the forty ninth Year of the Cycle, and the forty fecond of his Age, his Son Chang-ehir^-kong fucceeding him. CHANG-CHING-KONG, Fifth Emperor, reign'd Seven Tears. T HIS, Prince was no fooner invefted with the fovereign Power, but he plung’d himfelf into the mod criminal Exceffes. Tang-kyen, who was become very powerful in the "" s,i ' mp North, being inform'd of his debauch’d and effeminate way of living, affum’d the Title of Em¬ peror ; and advancing Southward, with a very numerous Army, crofs’d the River Tang-tJ'e-kyang, without the lead Oppolition, and entred the Imperial City of Nan-king in Triumph. Chang- dethron'd by ching-kong chooftng Death rather than to fall into the Enemy’s Hands, threw himfelf into a n*g-kj'n. Well, from whence however he was taken out alive ; but being dethron'd he fpent the remain¬ ing four and twenty Years of his Life in a private Condition, dying at the Age of fifty two. Tang-kyen took the Nameof Kau-tfu-ven-ti,a.nA became the Founder of a new Dynafty. E Monarchs. m reign'd Seven Tears. The Twelfth DYNASTY, call'd SWI, Emperors in the Space of Twenty KAU-TSU-VEN-TI , Firfl Emperor, reign'd Fifteen Tears, T HIS Prince feiz’d the Throne in the forty feventh Year of the Cycle, and in the fifty fourth Kau-t/A-i-th- he rfe-united the Northern and Southern Empires; which had exifted feparately for three n, iit Emp. hundred Years, the Yang-tfe-kyang being their common Boundary. He was descended from a noble Family, which had perform’d great Services to the fifth Race, call’d the Han, and and Southern kept his Refiden.ce in the Province of Shcn-Ji. His folid and penetrating Judgment made Amends Empires. Vol. I. Ccq which had Three nine Tears, m ANNALS of the for his Want of Learning, while his admirable Temperance and Love of his Subjects gain’d him r. 11 ^eir Efieem and Confidence. He reform’d the ancient Malic, and commanded the Learned to make ufe of nothing but found Reafoning in their Compofitions, avoiding all Rhetorical Flou- Cyc. XLlx- riilies and vain Ornaments, as fit only to pleafe the Ear, and enervate Eloquence; he caufed alfo Chrijt 4 P u hlick Granaries to be built in all Cities; and ordained that each Family, in proportion to hs Subfiance, fhould furnilh every Year a certain Quantity of Rice and Corn, for the Support of Hi; Laws, the Poor in time of Famine. He publilh’d likewife an Edidt making it Death to fteal the Value of eight Sols; which afterwards, upon the Reprefentations that were made to him, he abolifh’d, but was inexorable towards the Judges who received Bribes. Laftly, he render’d Merchants and Mechanics incapable of enjoying publick Employments. Altho’ he knew his eldeft Son to be a r\_A -/0 Perfon of no Merit, yet he intended to make him his Heir; which Preference fo exafperated Cyc. XLIX. his fecond Son Tang-ti, that he murdered his Father in the fixty fourth Year of his Age, and the ci•> 7/604 t ^ le Cycle. With the fame Barbarity he treated his Brother, whom he look’d upon as his Rival, and by this double Parricide mounted the Throne. YANG-TI, Second Emperor, reign’d Thirteen Tears. i ? eT err this Prince had valuable Qualities, yet he is generally blamed for his Luxury and Pro- n,p JL digality. Flaving removed his Court from the Province of Shen-Ji to that of Ho-nan , he caufed two vaftly large public Granaries to be built, and a Park to be made, fifteen Leagues in Compafs, with fiately Palaces and magnificent Gardens; where he took the Air on Horfeback, accompany’d by a Great number of his Wives, who perform’d Concerts of Vocal and Inftru- mentalMufic. His Fame drew feveral foreign Princes to his Court, in order to put themfelves under his Protection. He forbad his Subjects to carry Arms, a piece of Policy ftill in Force. He Repiirs the a lfo repaired the great Wall dividing China from Tartary, in which Work it is faid a Million of G.-eat Wall. jyj en were ern pi 0 y’d. He was f 0 intent upon the Advancement and Progrefs of the Sciences, that he commiflion’d a hundred of the moft learned Men to revife and re-print, after the Man¬ ner of thofe Days, all Books treating of War, Politics, Phyfic, and Agriculture. He efta- blifii’d the Degrees of DoCtor, to qualify both Literary and Military Men for their refpedtive Forces Korea Employments. Fie attack’d the Koreans both by Sea and Land ; and tho’his firft Attempt was tributary 1 . 6 without Succefs, yet in a fecond Expedition he forced them, in Quality of Vafials, to fend Am- bafladors to implore his Clemency. In vifiting the Southern Provinces, the thirteenth Year of the Cycle, he arriv’d at Tang-chew , a City of Kyang-nan , where he was aflafiinated at thirty nine Years of Age, by a mean Fellow, Afaflinatcd. whofe Name was Wba-kye-, on which Li-ywen, one of the Regulo’s, having aflembled an Army of one hundred and twenty thoufand Men, placed the Crown upon the Head of Kong-ti, Grand- fon of the Emperor Kau-tfu-ven-ti. KONG-TI, Third Emperor , reign d One Tear. Kong-ti, f-r-i'HIS Prince was enthron’d and depofed the fame Year, by Li-ywen, whofe fecond Son, at 3 d ElI1 P eror > ^ the Head of an Army raifed by his Father, made himfelf Mafter of the Palace. It is re- depo ed by ported, that while he was viewing its Magnificence and Riches, he fetch’d a deep Sigh, and faid, l.yyvjen. « No, fuch a fiately Edifice muft not be fuffer’d to ftand any longer, being good for nothing but “ to foften the Spirit of a Prince, and cherifh his vicious Inclinations,” and fo order’d it imme¬ diately to be burnt down. Thus ended the Dynafty nam’d Swi, the laft of five petty ones. Li- ywen was the Founder of the following Race, and reign’d by the Name of Shin-yau-ti. DYN. XIII. The Thirteenth DYNASTY, call'd TANG, which had iAAj Twenty Emperors , in the Space of Two hundred eighty nine Tears. SHIN-YAU-TI, Firfi Emperor, reign'd Nine Tears. H E began his Reign with an Adt of Clemency, which prefaged the Mildnefs of his future Government , abating the Rigour of Penal Laws, and moderating the Taxes; but on the other hand he fhew’d himfelf too favourable to the Dodlrine of Lau-kyan , by erect¬ ing a Temple in Honour of the Chief of that Sedt. Shin-yau-ti, ill Elnperor, frvonrs the SeA of Lau- kyun. CHINESE Monarchs. In the fifteenth Year of the Cycle, he reduc’d all the Rebels, and thereby became the peace¬ able Pofleffor of this vad Monarchy. It was he who ordain’d that one Ounce of Copper fhould be coined into ten Pieces of Money, with thefc Words, Tong Pau, imprefs’d on them. This was the only Money current in China, and is in ufe at this time. By the Advice of his Ko-lau , call’d Fil-ywe, he enjoin’d one hundred thoufand Bonzas to marry, in order to propagate Soldiers for his Army. In the twenty third Year of the Cycle he abdicated the Crown in favour of his fecond Son call’d ' Fay-tfong , and dy’d nine Years after in the feventieth Year of his Age. TAY-TSONG, Second Emperor, reign'd 'Twenty three Tears : T HIS Prince, who began his Reign in the twenty fourth Fear of the Cycle, is accounted by the Chinefe one of their greated Emperors; whom they praife efpecially for his Wifdom, 2 a EmpXo t, and the favorable Reception all thofe met with, who were capable of giving him prudent Coun- fels, or had Courage enough to tell him of his Faults. So great was his Temperance and Fruga¬ lity, that he never fuffer’d more than eight Dilhes of Meat to be ferved up to his Table; and drove almoft all the Concubines out of his Palace. In his Reign the Chriftian Religion gained Footing in his Empire, as will be obferv’d hereafter. He caufed the bed; Books to be brought from all Parts; and became in fome refpedt the Redorer of the Sciences, by the Care he took to re- efiablifli in his Palace an Academy for Literature, wherein were reckon’d eight thoufand Scholars, eflab!i{h „ s many of them Sons of foreign Princes; whom he provided with able Maders, appointing eighteen Academies of the moft eminent, C2\\'&She-pa-hyo-tfe,x.o fuperintend their Studies. He founded likewife a Mi- for Literature litary Academy for Archery, where he often abided himfelf. This was not at all agreeable to the and Archcr >'- Minibers, who reprefented to him the Indecency, as well as the Danger that might accrue to his Perfon, by frequenting this Academy; to which Fay-tJong anfwer’d, “ I look upon myfelf in my “ Empire as a Father in his Family, and I carry my Subjects in my Bofom, as if they were my <£ Children ; What have I then to fear?” This Affection for his Subjedts made him fay, “ That he wifh’d his People to have Plenty of His ftrong “ the common Necefiaries of Life ;” adding, “ That the Welfare of the Empire depends on “ the People ; an Emperor who fleeces his People to enrich himfelf, is like a Man who cats op-* U “ his own Flefli in pieces, to fupply his Stomach, which is fill’d, it is true, but in a fhort tithe prefling the “ his Body mud perifli. How many Emperors have ow’d their Ruin to their Luxury ! What Subjcft ' “ Expences were they at to fupport it? and what heavy Taxes did the poor People groan under “ to fupply thofe Expences ? When the People are rack’d and opprefs’d, what becomes of the “ Empire ? Is it not then on the Brink of Dedrudtion ? And if the Empire perifb, what “ Condition mud the Emperor be in ? Thefe are the Reflections, continued he, that ferve as a . s every ObieS furnifhing matter for his Inftruaions ; if, for Irsftance, he was eating Rice, he made care in .-dn- tliern fenfible how much Toil and Sweat this Rice had coif the poor Hufbandmen. One Day as C ™S*‘ S he was taking the Air with them on the Water, he faid, “ You lee, my Children, that this “ Bark is fupported by the Water, which at the fame time can overwhelm it; confider that the Iniknce. « People relemble the Water, and the Emperor the Bark." The Year before his Death he gave his Soil, whom he had declar’d his Heir, the following Fine Advice confiding of twelve Maxims, which were exprefs’d in twenty four Charatfers. “ Get imso f Go . “ the Command“over your Heart and all its Inclinations ; promote none to Places and Digni- v ' v r "™'”' his “ ties but Perfons of Merit ; invite wile Men to your Court; watch over tile Conduft of Ma- fj’“ 10 « n-jftrates; drive Slanderers from your Prefence ; be an Enemy to Pomp ; keep good Oecono- “ my ; let’your Rewards and Punilhments be proportion’d to the Merit and Crimes of Perfons ; “ take’ a particular Care to make Agriculture, the Military Art, Laws and Sciences flourilli; learch « among the ancient Emperors for the Models of your Government, for I do not deferve your c. Notice having committed too many Milfakes in my Adminidration ; have an Eye always to “ that which is“mod perfeft, otherwife you will never attain to that juft Medium, wherein “ Virtue con lifts; laftly, take Care not to "be puffed up with tile Splendor of your Rank, nor to enervate yourfelf by the Pleafures of a voluptuous Life, for if you do not, you will ruin both “ the Empire and yourfelf.” Pay-pong dy’d in the forty fixth Year of the Cycle, and the fifty third of his Age; and the Year following his Son Kau-tfong was acknowledg’d Emperor, KAU-TSONG, Third Emperor , reigned thirty-four Tears. W HEN he had reigned five Years he fell paffionately in Love with Vu-pi, the young Girl mentioned before, whom Pay-tfong had placed in the Rank of his Wives ; and 3 d Em P“° r - who was now retired to a Monaftery of Bonzejes, whither the Emperor went himfelf to fetch her out, and conduit her to his Palace. A little after, under Pretence that he had no male Iffue, he’ put away the Emprefs and one of the Queens, malgre the Remonftrances and the Mak „ y ., ftrongeft Oppofition of his Miniders. Vu-Jhi was then placed upon the Throne ; but perceiving Shi Emprefs. that the Emperor did not forget the divorced Princeffes, (he in a Rage caufed their Elands and Feet to be cut off, and a few Days after their Heads. She had fcarce committed thele horrid Cruelties, when (he fancied herfelf purfued Day and Night by the Ghofts of thefe Princeffes, who were as fo many Furies ready to fall upon her: And the Fright it put her in made her drift her Place continually. Neverthelefs the Emperor grew more and more enamoured with this Wretch ; and was even infatuated to fuch a Degree, that he put the Government of the Empire into her Hands, giving her the Name of Pyen-bew, i. e. Pbe %yeen oj Heaven ; a Title of Honour till then unheard of in China. This Moulder was no fooner invefted with Sovereign Power, but the firft Ufc (lie made of it pdfc[is hrf was to poifon her eldeft Son ; that fo the Crown falling to her Brother’s Children, her paternal c id el t Son . Family might be fettled on the Throne: However (he did not obtain that Satisfaction. In the fixth Year of the new Cycle, the Koreans returned to their Obedience, and did Homage The Koreans in the accuftomed manner. This Emperor favoured the Chriftian Religion, as appears by the Stone Monument mention’d before. Churches were built for the Worfhip of the trueGod, and the 1 U1 Faith was preached in the Provinces: One of the MifTionaries, whole Name was O lo pwen, had a Title of Honour conferred upon him. Kau-tfong died at the Age of Fifty-fix, and in the Cycle I. twentieth Year of the Cycle, when the cruel Vu-hew feized on the Throne, ch-M cL VU-HEW, an Ufurper, reigned twenty-one Tears , ''T’' HIS Princefs, who was as fubtle as Hie was cruel, refolving to maintain herfelf in all the v,\ hi . Power which the late Emperor had been fo weak to entruft her with, drove away her fe- an ^ - cond Son, who had been declared Heir of the Crown by Kau-tfong \ and gave him a petty So- Vol. I. Ddd vereignty 19* ANNALS of the DyN XIII verei S nt 3 ' in thc Province of Hu-quang-, placing in his Room her third Son, who being very ■T A N G. ' young had only the Name of Emperor. The firft thing hie did was to get rid of all thofe (lie lufpedfed not to be in her Intereft, and in one Day put to Death a great many Lords of the chief C Year of EamilieS t ^ le Empire. Cbrijt 664. I n the fifteenth Year of her Reign, a Perfecution was raifed againft the Chriftians, which lafted about fifteen If ears. In the fame A ear the Ko-latt, Lye, had the Courage to make vigo- Perfecutes 1 ous Remonftrances to her in Behalf of her Son, the rightful Heir, now bamfh’d fourteen Years |, h a e n f hnf ' He ur g cd as a Reafon > that it would be a thing unprecedented to place in the Hall of Anceftors a Name which did not belong to the Family, and which befides Pofterity would never acknow¬ ledge. Hereupon the Prince was recall’d from Exile, and lived feven Years in the Eaftern Palace till the Death of Vu-hew in the eighty firft:Year of her Age; after which he afcended the Throne, in the forty firft Year of the Cycle. CHUNG-TSONG, Fourth Emperor, reign'd Five Tears. Chung-tfong , 4 th Emperor. Poifoned. T HIS Prince little deferved the Crown, which he ow'd to his Birth, the Tendernefs of his Father Kau-tfong , and the Courage of the Prime Minifter. He gave himfelf up to In¬ dolence and Debauchery ; and that he might have nothing to think of but his Pleafures, relwn’d his whole Authority into the Hands of the Emprefs Gbey, who had been the faithful Companion of his Exile. This Princefs, by the Advice of San-fe, Governor of the Palace, intended to place her Son Shang upon the Throne; but the Princes and petty Kings on all fidcs took up Arms to oppofe it. Chung-tfong however dying of Poifon in the fifty fifth Year of his Age, Shang was immediately proclaim’d Emperor. But his Uncle who poffels’d a Principality, at the fame time feiz’d the Pa¬ lace, where the Emprefs was kill’d together with her Daughter; and young Shang laved his Life by furrendering himfelf to the Mercy of his Uncle Zhwi-tjong, the deceafed Emperor’s Brother, into whofe Hands he deliver’d his Crown. ZHWI -1 SONG, Fifth Emperor, reign d Two Tears. s.hnxi-tfong , I 'HE Shortnefs of this Prince’s Reign ranks him amongft thofe of whom we find nothing, 5thEmperS! -JL f art h er than that he took Pofleffion of the Empire in the forty feventh Year of the Cycled an Ufurper. and dy’d in the forty eighth, aged fifty five. Hivn-tfong, his third Son, was declar'd his Succdfor.” HIVN-TSONG, Sixth Emperor, reign’d Forty four Tears. IThT’T’ , T' HE g° od Nature of this Prince, his Moderation, fingular Temperance, and Zeal for the /y»g, X Publick Good, gave prefently great Hopes of the Happinefs of his Reign. He was the 6 thEmpcror. Reftorer of his Family, then upon the Brink of Ruin ; but he committed one almoft irreparable Fault, in promoting an Eunuch, call’d Kau-lye-fe , to be Mafter of the Palace : without doubt becaufe he did not forefee the Misfortunes which the Power of the Eunuchs would one Day State of Chri- ^ r * n § u P on and his Succefiors. nianity in The Chriftian Religion began to recover and florifh under this and the three fucceedino- Ein- China. perors. D Endeavours Hivn-tfong , looking on Luxury as the Bane of good Morals, declar’d open War againft it, and Lux p r prefs an Edidt forbidding to fifti for Pearls. One Day he caufed all his Gold and Silver Vef- fels, and all his Cloaths embroider’d with Gold, to be burnt before the Palace Gate ; in order to Gc. lie reftrain by his own Example the Extravagance of his People, who ruin’d themfelves by fuch Lear of coftly Superfluities. Efe eda blifh’d a College in his Palace, confifting of forty of the moft learned Dodtors of the Edablifhes Empire, which ftill bears the Name of Han-lin-ywen , and furnifhes Hiftoriographers, Vifitors of oUlJ'S- E rovinces > Governors, Vice-Roys, &c. He caufed the ancient Books, which treated of the Mi- Lin. litary Science, to be fought out, and new ones compofed for the training up Soldiers. He one Honours Day vTited the Houfe where Confucius was born, and honour’d that great Man with the Title of Cot ft ins the King of Learning. It could have been wifh’d, that this Prince had fhew’d more regard to tle of Ki n T ' Gounfels of Twen-chau , his Prime Minifter ; who in a Memorial advifed him, among other things, to confer no publick Employment upon the Eunuchs, to grant no Power to his Relations to abolifh the Idolatrous Sedts of Fo and ‘Tau, &c. but he gave no Ear to thefe wife Admonitions. This Emperor was the firft who honour’d with the Title of petty Kings or Sovereigns the Ge- Empredi- nerals of his Armies, who had moft diftinguifh’d themfelves by doing the greateft Service to fifSvpS- t ^ ie S tate > tho’ not of Imperial Blood. In a Progrefs he made over his Empire he divided it into vinces. fifteen Provinces. S.atue of Lau He caufed the Statue of Lau-kyun, Author of one of the Sedts which are found in China, to th Palace. ' 3e P^ aced with great Solemnity in his Palace. The Difciples of this Sedtary, as well as the Bonzas, ufed to burn filk Stuffs and Ingots of Silver at Funerals; but this Cuftom the Emperor alter’d by Advice of his Brother Van-yu , commanding that for the future none but Stuffs or Cloaths made of CHINESE Monarch s. 15$ of Paper, fhould be burnt; which Law is flill obferved among the Bonzas. The Empire had enjoy’d a profound Peace almofl thirty Years, when it was diflurb’d by frefli Inlurredions, and rj'f: a.' the Imperial Army entirely defeated, with the Lofs of feventy thoufand Men ; while the Em- peror himfelf knew nothing of the matter, becaufe all the Avcnnes to his Throne were kept (hut y e c , r of * by the Eunuchs. The Chief of the Rebels was a foreign Prince, named Ngan-lo-foan, whom cirifi 724. the Emperor againfl the Advice of his Miniflers had railed to the highefl Employments, and even v^Y" entrufted with the Command of his Army. This Traitor, imbolden’d by Succefs, and feeing Ngan/e siaK himfelf Mailer of a great Part of the North, had the Infolence toadume the Title of Emperor, rebels. Mean time the Palace itfelf was in a Combuflion, for the Emperor divorced his Wife, put three of his Children to Death without any jufl Caufe, and marry’d his Daughter-in-Law. As one Misfortune often draws on another, thele Difiiflers encouraged a Company of Robbers to attack the Imperial Army, which having routed, with the Slaughter of forty thoufand Men, the Em- ™ e fl |™ pe ‘ peror was oblig’d to dy into the Province of Se-chwen. SO-TSONG, Seventh Emperor, reign'd Six Tears. T OWARDS the end of the thirty third Year of the Cycle, Hivn-tfing made his fhameful So-tfi*?, Retreat, and So-tfong took Pofleffion of the Government, tho’ his Father was dill living; 7 thEm P c ™r. being a warlike Prince, he with the help of his Ko-lau , Ko-tfi-i , dedrov’d the Army of the Robbers and difperfed them. The publick Tranquillity was no fooner fettled, but he brought back his Father from the Province of Se-chwen, and conduded him into the Palace with all the h SI Honours due to his Rank; but he did not long enjoy the Repofe which his Son had procur’d pitmen ate him, for he dy’d the thirty eighth Year of the Cycle, and the feventy eighth of his Age. In the i>aIacc - mean time Ngan-lo-Jhan had plunder’d the Palace of Chang-ngan , and along with the Riches, carry’d into the Province of Ho-nan an hundred Elephants and Horfes; which had been taught to dance to the Sound of Indrumerits, and to prefent the Emperor a Cup with their Mouths. Ngan-lo-Jhan wanted to have the lame Diverdon, but as if thele Beads had refufed to acknow¬ ledge him Emperor, they could never be brought to do what he defired, which fo inraged him, that he ordered them to be kill’d on the Spot. The Treachery of this Wretch, who made ufe Js murdereil of his Matter's Favours to dedroy him, was not long unpunifli’d, he being murder’d in Bed by his by his own own Son. The Parricide was attaflinated in his turn by Se-mong , General of the Army, who in- Son - tending to make his youngedSon his Heir waslikewife killed by his elded Son. So-tfong dy’d in the Ninth Year of the Cycle, and left the Crown to his Son Tay-tfong. TAY-TSONG, Eighth Emperor, reign'd Seventeen Tears. T HE beginning of this Reign was tolerably profperous, thro’ the Care of able Miniders, in Tay.tfing, whom the Emperor confided ; the Rebels were forced to return to their Obedience, and 8 cllEn >P eror - Peace was redored in the Empire. But it did not continue long, for five of the mod powerful Several R^- Kings fhook off the Yoke ; and refilling to acknowledge the Emperor as their Mader pretended S ulo ’ s revolt - to reign in an abfolute Independency. A Mandarin , named Fu-hu-tfyen , finding himfelf at the Point of Death, order’d his Head to be diav’d, and his Corpfe to be interr’d after the Manner of the Bonzas, whofe Protedor he was; which Example, we fhall fee, was afterwards follow’d by many Grandees in the nineteenth Dynafiy. In the eighth Year of this Reign, more than two hundred thoufand 'Tartars made an Irruption irruption of into the Empire, and forced the Emperor to fly ; they plunder’d his Palace, and loaded with im- thc Iayla,i - menfe Treasures retired into their own Country. The Emperor return’d to his Palace with the Afiiflance of the famous General Ko-tfu-i , whofe Elogy is to be feen upon the Stone Monument, which I have fpoken of more than once. There his Liberality is applauded, and it is not to be doubted but that he employ’d both his Credit and Subfiance in ereding Temples to the true God; fomeeven conjedure that he imbraced Chriflia- nity. The fame Monument relates, that on Chrifmafs Day the Emperor lent rich Perfumes to the Church, and Fruits from his own Table to the Miniflers of the Gofpel. Tay-tfong dy’d in the fifty third Year of his Age, and fifty firfl of the Cycle, Te-tfong his eldefl Son Succeeding him. TE-TSONG, Ninth Emperor, reign d Twenty five Tears. T HE Empire found no great Support from this Prince, for he minded nothing but Trifles, ‘Te-t/ow* was of a timorous Nature, extremely miftruflful, and ready to give ear to Flatterers. 9thEmpcior. However he deferves Applaufe for refilling Prefents from Strangers, which was efleem’d a happy Omen; “ The beft Augury I can have, fays he, is to fee Wife Men about me.” He fhew’d one Sign of Difintereflednefs, which gain’d him great Encomiums; for a very confiderable Sum of Money being prefented him, inflead of receiving it he order’d it to be diflributed among his Soldiers. In 200 DYN. VIII. T A N G. Cvc.LIII. Year of Ckrifl 784- Great Power of the Eu¬ nuchs. ANNALS of the Wife Saying of a Ko-lau about Def- In the third Year of his Reign the famous Ko-tJ'u-i , who had render’d fuch important Service to the Empire, dy’d in the eighty fifth Year of his Age ; he had been Prime Minifter under four EmperorSi and got fuch mighty Reputation for his Probity, that it was generally allow’d there had not been his Equal for many Ages. Such Confidence was placed in this Minifter, that it may with truth be affirm’d that the Fate of the reigning Family was in his Hands. Tho’ he at¬ tained to the higheft Flonours, and had acquired immenfe Riches, yet he was refpedted by Envy itfelf, whofe Strokes he never felt; and notwithftanding the Splendor he lived in, yet ftill his Liberality exceeded his Magnificence. He left eight Children, who all acquired lading Glory in the different Magiftracies to which their Merit raifed them. China mourned three Years for this great Man, whom (he bewailed as her Father. The Power of the Eunuchs became fo formidable, and their Infolence grew to fuch a Pitch, that there was nothing to be heard of but In fur regions; this oblig’d the Emperor to augment his Army by a great Number of frefti Troops, to maintain which he was conftrained to double the Taxes,. There was even a Duty laid on Tea itfelf, which is the common Drink of the Chine [a. Thefe extraordinary Impofitions exafperated all Perfons, and the extreme Mil'ery of the People occafion’d infinite Thefts and Robberies. By good Fortune the Imperial Arms were victorious every where, and the Rebels being deftroy’d, Peace was re-eftablifli’d, and the People relieved. The Emperor on a time attributing the Wars and Calamities to his own Deftiny, added, “ That this had been in part foretold him by the Aftrologers,’’ on which Li-mye his Ko-lau re- ply’d, “ Prince, leave this kind of Talk to the Ignorant, and Vulgar, fuch Language does not “ become either you or me. It is ourfelves who render our Deftiny happy or unhappy, accord- “ mg as we govern the State well or ill.” This Prince dy’d at the Age of fixty four, in the twenty firft Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his Son Shun-tfong. SHUN-TSONG, Tenth Emperor, reign'd One Tear. .- fT^HERE was all the Reafon imaginable to expea a happy Reign from this new Emperor; but ioX Emp. I being attack’d by a grievous and an incureable Diftemper, he abdicated the Crown, and are fign’d it to his Son Hyen-tjong. Hftn-tfing, 1 i th Emp. Care to re¬ lieve his Peo¬ ple in Dif- trefs. Honours a Finger-bone of Fo. Poifon’d with the Liquor of Immortality Mo-tfong, i - th Emp. The Family of the 'Tang begins to de¬ cline. HYEN-TSONGj Eleventh Emperor, reign d Fifteen Tears. T HIS Prince was endow’d with wonderful Penetration and Dexterity in difintangling as well as difpatching the mot intricate Affairs ; he had alfo a Firmnefs of Mind, in purfuing the thing he hail once refolved on, which no Confideration could fhake. He gave folid Proofs of his Affedtion for his People in a time of Famine, by opening his Treafures and the publick Grana¬ ries in favour of the afflifted Provinces; at the fame time fending the great Lords of his Court to inquire into the Peoples Diftrefs, and to relieve them in proportion to their Indigence. In the thirty fixth Year of the Cycle, he order’d a Finger-bone of the Idol Fo to be brought with »reat Solemnity from the Province of Shen.fi. The Chief Tribunal of Rites ftrongly op- pofed°this fottifh Refolution of the Emperor, boldly alledging that the execrable Rcliques of this Idol [or Impoftor] ought to be burnt. As they firmly perfilfed in their Determination, with¬ out regarding the Difpleafure of the Emperor, feveral of them were degraded ; which is a Punifh- ment pretty commonly inflidted on great Mandarins. He fell into another Piece of Folly, which coft him his Life ; for having fent every where in Quell of the pretended Liquor of Immortality, promifed by the Sefl of Fan, to which he was greatly devoted ; it was at length brought him by the Eunuchs, who it is not doubted mix’d it with Poifon; for this unhappy Prince, after he had taken it, dy’d fuddenly, at the Age of forty three, and his Son Mo-tjong fucceeded him. MO-TSONG, Fifth Emperor, reign'd Four Tears. T HE Choice which the laft Emperor made of his Son Mo-tfing t to fucceed him, was at firfl thwarted by certain Lords, who had a Defign to place another Prince on the Throne ; but their Projedts mifearrying they were put to Death. Seeing himfelf in quiet Poffeffion of the Crown he granted as ul'ual a General Amnefty, and was fo ill advifed as to difhand Part of his Troops'; who being thereby reduced to great Straits went and took Refuge among the Robbers, whofe Number they increafed. It was under this Prince that the Imperial Family of the. Tang began to decline from that State of Splendor which it had till then maintained, and the following Princes compleated its Ruin. He dv’d at the A<»e of thirty, after he had taken a Medicine that had been prepared for him. His Son King-tfong fuceeeded him the Year following, which was the forty fecond of the Cycle. KING- CHINESE Monarchs. 201 DYN. xir, KING-TSONG Thirteenth Emperor, reign’d Two Tears. fppy I T was by the Eunuchs, who were now become Mailers, that King-tfong was elected to the qimj} Throne ; and by the fame ufurped Authority, they depiived him of the Go.vernment not '^nrv; long after, in order to confer it on the Emprefs-Mother., The childilh Behaviour of this young King-tfong, Prince, and his Irregularities, were Reafons to them for difpoftcffing him, and leaving him nothing ' 3 th Em P- but the Title of Emperor, in the forty fourth Year of the Cycle, and eighteenth of his Age. This Prince returning from Hunting, went into his Apartment to change his Cloaths ; when the Candles being fuddenly put out, he was murdered by the Eunuchs, who placed his Brother ^ Eunuchs^ Ven-tfong in his room. VEN-TSONG, Fourteenth Emperor, reign'd Fourteen Tears. np HIS Prince, who had a great Affection for the wife and learned Men of his Empire, being jr„ A impatient at the Power of the Eunuchs, in the ninth Year of his Reign took Meafures 14th Emp fecretly to deftroy them ; but perceiving the Snares that were laid for them, they fell on a fud- Eunuchs rife den with fo much Fury on the Minifters, and Guards of the Palace, that they llew above a thoufend of them, and many Families were entirely deffroy’d. Thefe Misfortunes, in Con- junflion with others ftill greater, which the Emperor ford iw, fo overwhelmed him with Grief ; that, tho’ he often endeavoured to divert it or drown it in Wine yet, it jrey’d upon his Spi¬ rits to fuch a Degree, that he wafted away infenfibly, and at laft died of a Coniumption, in the fifty feventh Year of the Cycle. The Eunuchs, who now toolf upon' them to nominate ^ the Emperors, never thought of the Son of the Deceafed, but chofe his Brother Vu-tjorig, who Jm p ' r ' r ' was the fifth Son of the twelfth Emperor of this Dynajiy. VU-TSONG, the Fifteenth Emperor, reign'd fix Tears. T H E fuperior Qualifications of this Prince juflified the Preference he met with, being of a warlike Inclination, and dreading neither Danger nor Fatigue. He drove the Tartars out of the Province of Shcn-fi , where they had fortify’d themfelves; and cleared feveral other Pro¬ vinces of the Robbers, who march’d in Troops, and made great Havock. His Judgment was fo excellent, that he was never deceived in his Choice of Minifters. He eftablifhed, or rather re¬ vived a Law, ftill obferved, which is a Check upon the Mandarins of the Imperial City, (upon whom depend the Mandarins of the Provinces) enjoyning, that every five, or at lea ft every feven Years, the Conduct of the Chief Officers of the Empire fhould be ftridtly enquired into ; and thefe Mandarins are obliged to commit to Writing, a ftneere and particular Account of all their Mifcarriages, and intreat the Emperor’s Pardon ; and if in this humble Confeffion, they offer either to excufe, difguife, or extenuate their Faults, they have then no Favour to expert, and are inevitably deprived of their Employments. This Emperor did not live long enough for the Good of his People, (A) being but thirty three years old when he died, in the third Year of this new Cycle. The Eunuchs reje&ed his Son, and in his ftead elected Swen-tfong , the Grand-fon of the eleventh Emperor of this Dy¬ najiy. SWEN-TSONG, Sixteenth Emperor, reign d Thirteen Tears T I S probable, that the little Genius which this Prince difeovered in his Infancy, induced the Eunuchs to prefer him to all others; rightly judging that nothing eftablifhed their °,Vh Empf* Authority fo much as the Incapacity of the Emperor. However they were deceived ; for Swen- tfong was no fooner upon the Throne but he appeared another Man, and was eminent for all the Qualities which conftitute a great Prince. His Wifdom, Judgment, Moderation, Equity, Applica¬ tion and Love for the Welfare of hisPeople, made them confider him as another Tay-tjong , the fecond Emperor of this Dynafty , whofe Memory was ftill revered thro’out the Empire : But notwith- ftanding all this Prince’s Merit, he could not reduce the Power of the Eunuchs. Hu-tau , his Prime Minifter, in a Memorial advifed him to be inexorable to the Eunuchs who fhould commit Eunuch! i!on- any Fault, and not to fupply the Places of thofe who died ; that their Number leflening by Degrees, tmue*. it might be more eafy to deftroy them. This Project, being difeovered by the Eunuchs, occa- (A) The Chriftians from Ta-tfong, or Judea, who had been reckoned three thoufand, fhoild return to a fecular Life. This favoured by fome of the former Emperors, were fupprefTed.by appears by an Ordinance of the fame Emperor, but without this; who in the fifth Year of his Reign, or of Chriji 84$, or- his Name, to be found hereafter among thofe of Taj-tfong Second dered that their bonxas, as they are called, or Prielh, then Emperor of the Tang. V ol. I, E e e Honed Vu-tfong, 15th Emp. Drives the Tartars of Shen-fi. Law to curb the Mamta- 201 ANNALS of the Takes the immortal Li¬ quor and dies foon after. fioned a mortal Enmity between them and the Minifter, fo that the Troubles grew greater than ever. # _ _ . The Chinefe Hiftorians blame this Prince for inviting to his Court the Sectaries of Fail, in order to procure by their Means the pretended Drink which renders People immortal. On this Occafion one of his Minifters reprefented to him, that thebeft way to procure himlelf a long and happy Life, was to get the Maftery over his own Heart, to fubdue his Paflions, and pradtile Virtue : “ Moft of the Emperors who preceded you, added he, would have arrived to extream “ old Age, if they had followed the Counfel which I give you.” He had no fooner taken the Drink which the Sectaries gave him, but he faw himfelf devoured by Worms, that fwarm’d in his Body ; and a few Days after he died, at the Age of fifty Years, being fucceeded by his Son I-tfong, who was eledted by the Eunuchs. I-TSONG, Seventeenth Emperor, reign’d Fourteen Tears. l-tfmg, 17th r"in< H E Haughtinefs, Pride, Prodigality, Luxury and excefiive Debaucheries of this Prince Emperor. mac j e him universally detefted. In the fourteenth Year of his Reign he caufed a Bone of Sottilh Re- the Idol Fo to be brought with Pomp into his Palace, and three Months after dy’d, at the fpect fora j^ctq G f thirty one Years. The Chinefe Writers attribute both his Death, and the Troubles which Reliqueof A. to his ftupid Devotion for the faid Idol. The Eunuchs placed his Son Hi-tJ’ong in his room. HI-TSQNG, Eighteenth Emperor, reign’d Fifteen Tears. ■ sth MpHE Eunuchs, who were abfolute Matters, fettled this Prince upon the Throne, being but Emperor. 1 twelve Years old. He fpent his Time wholly in Play and Mufic, in Riding and Shooting with the Bow; at the fame time that there was nothing to be be feen on all Sides, efpecially in the Northern Provinces, but Tumults and Revolts. The Taxes wherewith the People were over loaded, the Famine caufed by the over-flowing of Rivers, and by the Locufts which deftroyed „ - , the Corn, encreafed the Number of the Rebels. Wban-tfyau , a Native of the Province of Shan- wr'c'piiT tong, being at the Head .of them, went and laid Siege to the Imperial City; and having driven by his Sovereign from thence caufed himfelf to be proclaimed Emperor, and gave to his Family the Name of Tfi. Broughtback A young Man call’d Li-ke-yong, who was but twenty eight Years of Age, and having but one bp ' ;; Fyp ) was nick-named " 7 o~yen-long, commanded the Imperial Troops, and attack d the Captain of the Rebels. At firft he was repulfed, but rallying his Soldiers, he renew’d the Battle with fuch Vigour, that he obtained a cotnpleat Victory, and brought the Emperor back in Triumph to his Palace. For thefe Services he was rewarded with the Principality of pin, and his Son became the Founder of the fifteenth Dyitajly. The Emperor did not enjoy the Fruit of this Victory 7 above three Months, for lie dy d in the forty fifth Year of the Cycle, at the Age of twenty feven, and the Eunuchs fet the Imperial Crown on the Head of Chau-tjong, who was the fixth Son of the laft Emperor. CHAU-TSONG, Nineteenth Emperor , reign'd Sixteen Tears. foTEm?’ Hr HIS Prince, who wanted neither Parts nor Courage, fliew’d great Marks of Efteern for l Men of Learning, and for his Principal Minifters ; propofing by their Affiftance to retrieve in time the Affairs of the Empire, which the ufurp’d Authority of the Eunuchs, and the rebellious Difpofition of the People had thrown into great Diforder. To effect this Change, .. ,, ] ie judg’d it necelTary to begin with the Dellrudlion of the Eunuchs; but while he was confi- by 1 the Eu- denng°of the Means, they fufpedting his Defign, came fuddenly upon him with their Soldiers, nucb . e n d feizing his Perfon, confined him in a remote Apartment, under a fecure Guard, leav¬ in' only a°Hole in the Wall, for conveying him Food. But the Ko-lau, Tfu-yu, having difeo- ver’d the Place, lent thither a number of refolute Fellows, well armed, who flew the Guards, releafed the Emperor, and brought him back to his Palace. ,vho nrem if- CM-vni, Captain of the Robbers, invited by the Ko lau to come to the Emperor's Affiftance r , r, i .,,, .,, (p Eunuchs arriv’d juft at the Time that this Prince publiflrd an Edict for extirpating jAd X t&n all, excepting thirty of the youngeft to be referred for the moft feryiie Offices of c 7< tile Palace; and executed this Commiffion with fuch Zeal, that many hundreds of Eunuchs were put to the Sword. Chu-wn, who hitherto had appear’d loyal, being foon after feized with a A of ’ Spirit of Ambition, caufed the Ko-lau, who had been fo faithful to his Prince to be flam ; and Chrji 90+. obliged the Emperor to remove his Court from the Province of Shen-fi to that of Ho-nan. Which lie had no fooner done, but the Traitor put him to Death, in the thirty eighth Year of his Age, and firft of the Cycle; placing the Imperial Crown on the Head of Chau-Jweti-tfong , Son of the murdered Emperor, till he could take it himfelf with Safety. CHAU- CHINESE Monarchs. CHAU-SWENTSONG, Twentieth Emperor, reign'd Two Tears. T HIS young Prince was fcarce two Years upon the Throne, when feeing plainly that he ' fliould be facrific’d, as well as his Father, to the Ambition of the perfidious Chu-ven, chofe ‘ voluntarily to refign the Crown to him, to prevent his committing a frefh Crime, and to five his ' own Life. The Ufurper, who took the Name of Tay-tfu, gave him a Principality, which he i poffel's’d no longer than three Years, being (lain at the Age of feventeen; and with him ended ■ the Family of 'Tang. 1 The five following Succeffions are call'd by the Chinefe , Hew-u-tay, that is, the Five latter _Dy - ’ najlies , being accounted Petty Races, as well as the five which precede that of the Tang. They rd- J femble them allb in Wars, Revolts, and Parricides, which fo often ftained the Throne with , Blood; but they differ from each other in the Number of Princes, and in the Time of their Duration. The five former reckon twenty four Emperors, in the Space of one hundred and ninety eight Years, whereas thefe latter continued not one Cycle, and reckon no more than thirteen Emperors. The warlike Nation of th sSye-tan, inhabiting theCountry now call’d Lyau- tong , being exceedingly increafed by many Colonies, that came from Korea, gave much Uneafinefs to the following Emperors. Nation of Sye-ian or Lyau grow powerful. The Fourtenth DYNASTY, call'd HEW-LYANG, which had Two Emperors, in the Space of Sixteen Tears. DYN. XIV. H E LTANG. G'-ATNJ TAY-TSU, Firjl Emperor, reign'd Six Tear s. URING thefe troublefome Times, many Principalities fell off by Degrees from the %-yS, ill Body of the Empire, under the arbitrary Government of their refpedtive Sovereigns, Enl P cror - who ftill did Homage to the Emperor. Tay-tfil fix'd his Court in the Province of Ho-nan, but did not long fit on a Throne, to which he had mounted by fo many Treafons; being murder’d at the Age of fixty two Years, by his eldeft Son, tho' his third Son Murder'd by Mo ti fucceeded him. hiseldeltSon. MO TI, Second Emperor, reign'd Ten Tears. A S foon as this Prince, who was Sovereign of a petty State, heard of his Father’s Death, he Mo-n, 2 d inftantly march’d at the Head of his Army; and engaging that of his Brother, entirely de- Em P er “- feared it, kill’d the Parricide, and afcended the Throne the tenth Year of the Cycle. Towards the thirteenth Year the Barbarians above-men tion’d, changing their Name from The Kir.g- that of Sye-tan to Lyau, laid the Foundation of their Government, which in the Space of dom of two hundred and nine Years reckon’d a Succeffion of nine Princes. founded. Chwang-tfong, Son of the famous Warrior Li-ke-yong bsfore-mention’d, who had done fuch m°-u defeat-' Service to the State under the eighteenth Emperor [of the Tang,] took Advantage of thefe' d by Troubles to gain a Crown, which he was more worthy to wear, than the Ufurper ; he com- STS manded an Airny accuftonad to conquer, and having taken (everal Cities, engaged and defeated Mo-ti’s Forces, who in Defpair flew himfelf, and with him his Family became extindl. Pays himfelf. The Fifteenth DYNASTY, call'd HEW-TANG, compriz- ing Four Emperors in the Space of Thirteen Tears. CI1WAN G-TSONG, Firjl Emperor, reign'd Three Tears. C HWANG-TSONG inherited the Martial Genius of his Father, being inur’d to the Chiva™- Fatigues of War from his Youth. In all his Campaigns he lay on the Ground, and '>£> 111 for fear of lleeping too long wore a Bell about his Neck to awaken him. Emperor. ■ru’i i T £? ^ rince would have deferved a Place among the Heroes of his Nation, had he not turns Aftor. tarnnn d the Glory of his earlier Years by Idlenefs, Luxury, aud a Love for publick Shews. He not 2Q4 Ming-t/ong, zd Emperor. Printing in¬ vented. His ulual Prayer. Eunuchs ex¬ cluded public Employment Fong-tau’s Obfervrtion on Govern¬ ment. 1 ANNALS of the . not only delighted in feeing Plays, but would defend fo low as to aft himfelf, to divert his Oueens and Grand-Daughters; and employ’d his time in fo many other Amulements unworthy of Miefty that he became the contempt of all his Subjefts. He was moreover lo fordidly covetous, that tho’ his Coffers were full of Gold and Silver, yet he could not find in his Heart to open them for the Relief of his People. , A r i • i v. At length a Sedition arifing among the Soldiers, he was wounded by an Arrow, of which he dv’d the*twenty fecond Year of the Cycle, and thirty fifth of his Age ; but it is not known whether the Stroke was given by Def.gn or Accidentally. Mmg-Jong was eleited Emperor by the Grandees. MING-TSONG, Second Emperor, reign'd Eight Tears. HF Father of the late Emperor had adopted Ming-tfing , tho' he was not born in the Em¬ pire This Prince had acquired a general Efteem, and proved himfelf pcrfeftly worthy of the Choice that had been made of him. He is chiefly prailed for h.s Liberality, Moderation, Love of Peace and a particular Affeftion for his Subjeifts. Tho' he was illiterate, he gave frequent Marks of his Efteem for Learned Men. The Art of Printing was invented in his Reign. The Chinefe Hiftorians all'o praife his Piety and Modefty, affirming that every Night he burnt Perfumes in Honour of the Lord of Heaven, and implored his Affiftants in theft Words, 1 «■ W as born a Barbarian, and in a Country of Barbarians, yet m the midft of the t roubles that “ afflifled this Empire, they have chofen me to govern it. I make but one Requeft, which is, «. that the Heavenly Majefty would condefend to watch over my Conduct, and fend me wife .< and experienced Men,' whofeCounfel may aid me to govern this State without falling into “•Miftakes.” Indeed he had always in his Palace a great Number of able Men by whofe Counfel he made many excellent Regulations, and among others one excluding Eunuchs from all Public Employments The Birth of that illuftrious Perfon, who was afterwards the Founder of the nineteenth Dinah , the Profound Peace the Nation enjoy'd, all the while he was on the Throne, and the Plenty -which reign’d throughout the Empire, are attributed by toe fame Writers to the Pl Among'ihe'many great Men who were about this Prince, a Ko-lau, named Fcng-tau , is highly praifed for his extraordinary Undemanding and Integrity ; be ufed to fay, “ I hat a State is to J. be govern’d with the fame Care and Circumfpeaion that is required in riding a Horfe. I have « often laid he traveli’d in very rough and mountainous Countries, and never got any Hurt, .< b ecaufe I always took Care to keep a ftiffRein ; whereas in the finootheft Plains, thinking the fame Care needlefs, and giving my Horfe the Bridle, I have fallen and been in Dinger of “ hurting mvfeif It is juft the fame with the Government of a State; when it is m the mod flou- “ rifting Condition a Prince ought not to abate any thing of his ufual Vigilance and Attention.” Ming-tfong dy’d in the fixty feventh Year of his Age, and thirtieth of the Cycle, leaving the Crown to his Son Min-tfong. MIN-TSONG, Third Emperor, reign'd One Tear. T his Prince was fcarce feated on the Throne, when Sbt-kwg-tang, Son-m-Law of the late Emperor with an Army of fifty thoufand Men, furnift’d by the People of Lyau-tong, made ing -ta„g. himfelf Muller of the Palace, and deprived Min-tfong of his Lite and Crown in the forty fifiil Year of his Age ; he was fucceeded by Fi-ti, his adopted Son, before named Lo-vang. Min-tfong, 3d Emperor, FI-TI, Fourth Emperor, reign'd One Tear. rdi. 4 th n—-tl.TI unable to refift the Murderer of his Father, fled to the City Ghey-chew , where not Emperor IT bd ’ &fe he fl lut up himfelf and his Family in a Palace, with every tiling he had of (aTe Hand' Value, and then fetting it on Fire, perifh’d in the Flames. By the Extindion of this DynaJ.y, SJie-Jting-tang became Emperor, and took the Name of Kau-tju. filEEfThe Sixteenth DYNASTY, calfd HEW-TSIN, which con- tains Two Emperors in the Space of Eleven fears. KAU-TSU, Firjl Emperor, reign'd Seven f ears. Kw-tJS. lit H E General of the Auxiliary Forces of Lyau-tfong, who had fo much contributed jb EmpeiLr. I t he Advancement of Kau-tfu, refufed to acknowledge him for Emperor, having an In- *- clination to affume that Title himfelf; fo that Kau-tfi, not caring to undertake a new War, purchafed a Peace at the Expence of the Honour of his Country, yielding up to the l at - CHINESE Monarchs. 209 tarian Chief, in recompence of his Service, fixteen Cities of the Province of Pe-che-li , which were neareft to Lyau-tong , and engaged to give him annually three hundred thoufand Pieces of Silk. This imprudent Donation exceedingly augmented the Force and Power of a warlike and turbulent Peoples and was the Occafion of numberlefs Wars, which ravaged China for more than four hundred Years. Kau-tJ'u dv’d in the thirty ninth Year of the Cycle, aged fifty one Years, and his Nephew Tfi- vang was elected by the Grandees of the Empire. TSI-VANG, Second Emperor , reign’d Four Tears. '"g '' HE barbarous People of Lyau-tong , foon breaking the Treaty made with Kau-tfu , invaded after which they march’d into the Southern, but were flopp’d by confiderable Bodies TcYyauTz- of Troops, that oppofed their Paflage; which occafion’d the General of the Barba- vage China, rians to fay, “ He could not have believed the Conqueft of China would have “ prov’d fo difficult wherefore contenting himfelf with a rich Booty, he retired to his owh and return. Country. During thefe Tranladlions, Kau-tJ'u dy’d at the Age of fifty four, and the next Year, which was the forty fixth of the Cycle, his Son In-ti lucceeded him. IN-TI, Second Emperor, reign d'Two Tears. X HE Youth of this Prince gave Opportunity to the Eunuchs to raife Commotions, iii Jn-ti, 2d order to regain their Authority ; efpecially as the Army was employ’d at a Diftance from Em P eror - ourt, in oppofing the Invafions of the Lartars of Lyau-tong. The L ^ This Army was commanded by Ko-ghey , who fought leveral fuccefsful Battles with the Barba- often deftac- rians, and thereby reftored Peace to the Northern Provinces ; but at the fame time the Palace ed Ko ~ was in Confufion, the Intrigues of the Eunuchs having raifed a Sedition, in which the Emperor ‘Emperor lhe was flain at the Age of twenty Years. flainbythe The Emprefs placed his Brother on the Throne, but he was fcarcely feated before Ko-ghcy re- turning with Triumph from his glorious Expedition, the Army cover’d him with the Ban- Generd ners of the Empire, and proclaim’d him Emperor ; which the Emprefs feeing, fhe abandon’d “ fur P sthe the Prince fhe had fet up, and fubmitted to the General as her Sovereign, who in acknowledg- rone ' ment always refpedted her as his Mother. He took the Name of Lay-tju: The Eighteenth DYNASTY, call'd HEW-CHEW, which yyyy- contains Three Emperors, in the Space of Nine Tears. c JTrC T AY-TSU, Firjl Emperor, reign’d Three Tears. T HE new Emperor fix’d his Court in the Capital of the Province of Ho-nan, he vi- Tay-tjt,, ift fited the Sepulchre of Cottfucius in Perfon, and to honour his Memory gave him_ E PP eror - the Title of King. /?™fe the”^" Some of his Courtiers reprefenting to him that this Honour did not fuit a Man who Title of had always been a Subject, not only to the Emperor, but alfo to a petty King: “ You are mifta- ken, reply’d he , we cannot give too much Honour to a Man, who has been the Matter to Kings Vol. I. F ff _ » and c/,,>;«. 20 6 ANNALS of the DYN.XV 11 I. H E IT¬ CH E W. Ly^V~\j Cyc. LV. Year of Chr'tfi , 904. xysr^) £t and Emperors.” Some believe that about this time the Mohammedans firft fettled in this Coun¬ try ; but other Authors place their Eftablifhment here much fooner, viz. under the thirteenth Dynafty of the ‘Tang. ]fay-tfu dy’d at the Age of fifty three, in the fiftieth Year of the Cycle, leaving no Iflue, and was lucceeded by Shi-tjdng y his adopted Son. Shi-tjong, zd Emperor. His Humi¬ lity, arid Compaf- fion for the Poor. Coins the Bonzas Ima¬ ges into Mo¬ ney. Several Re- gulo’s return to their Al¬ legiance. SHI-TSONG-, Second Emperor, reign d Six Tears. HPHE Love of the Sciences, and the Proofs which thisPrince had given of hisBiravery and Skill in the Art of War, were the Steps by which he alcended the Throne j but in the bight of his Grandeur he was always fo modeft, as to keep a Plough and a Loom in his Palace, to re¬ mind him of the Station and hard Labour of his Anceftors. In a time of Scarcety he order’d the publick Granaries to be open’d, and the Rice to be fold at a very low Rate, which the People were to pay when they were able ; but the Surveyors of the Provifions reprefenting, that the Poor would never be in a Condition to pay it; ct How, fays the ■ c Emperor , don’t you know that they are my Children, and that I am their Father r Was a Fa- 7f- tfe a Duke. Authors of a New Phi¬ lofophy. zio Cyc.LVIII. Year of Chrijl 1084. Che-tfong, 7th Emp. 10 Inflrufli ons of his Ko-lau. bold Saying of a Minifter ANNALS of the rink of the New Philofophy, which now began to degenerate into Atheifm, obferving that the Emperor appeared fad in a time of Drought, and endeavoured to appeafe the Anger ot Hea¬ ven by Fading and Prayer; “ To what Purpoie do you afflift yourfelf: thus, fays he, and what “ have you to fear from Heaven ? Know, O Prince, that whatever happens is the Effedt of .. Chance and that you torment yourfelf in vain”. Pi-fr, one oHhe m°ft eminent Ko-lau s not abl- to bear fuch Language, “ How dare you teach fuch Doftnne ? fays he in a refolute ToneP'If an Emperor Luld once come to lofe all Refpedl and Fear ot Heaven, what “ Crimes would he not be capable of committing ? 1 u . j c- Thf&me Van.nxan.JbeR rove to introduce many other Novelties ; but the celebrated Su-ma- quang, who was in the higheft Efteem, vigorouOy oppoled all the Attempts ot this rath and iubultf ^ThLfong died in the fecond Year of the Cycle, at thirty eight of his Age, and was fuc- ceeded by his Son Che-tfong. CHE-TSONG, Seventh Emperor, reign'd Fifteen Tears. C HE-TSONG beinv but ten Years old when he attended the Throne, theEmpreis his Grand¬ mother governed the State with great Prudence during the eight Years that the lived. A few Moments before her Death the lent for the Ko-lau s, and ordered them to clear the Palace of that great Number of Minillers, who were ot no Ute but to corrupt the Inclinations of the young Prince • but as (lie ought to have done this herfelf when the Power was in her own Hands her Orders were now too late. Lyu-kong-cbtt , being railed to the Dignity of Ko-lau, presented a Memorial to the Emperor, which contained the ten following Iuftruflions, exprefled in twen¬ ty Characters. 1. Fear Heaven. 2. Love your Subjefis. 3. Labour to be perfeft. 4- Apply yourfelf to the Sciences. 5. Bellow Employments on Perfons of Merit. 6. Be ready to hear Ad¬ vice. 7. Leffen the Taxes. S. Mitigate the Severity of Punifhments. 9. Shun Prodigality. I0 The Emrerorhav'inz divorced his Wife, one of the Minillers prefented a Petition containing Remonftrances on that Occafiqii; the Prince told him lie had followed the Example of fome oi his Anceftors: Ton had better (reply’d the Minifter) imitate thetr Virtues than their Faults._ The Emperor was fo flung with this Reply, that he threw down the Petition, trampled upon it, and deprived him, who gave him that Counfel, of his Dignity. . , _ , Ch-tfmg was but twenty five years of Age when he died, in the feventeenth Year cf the Cycle. He was lucceeded by Whey-tfihg, the eleventh Son of Sbtn-tfeng, who was the fixth Emperor of that Dynajly. WHEY-TSONG, Wbey-tfong, 8 th Emperor Encourages the Eunuchs. Favours the Se6t of Tau. The De- ftru&ion of the King¬ dom of Lyau Eighth Emperor, reign'd Twenty-five Tears. T'HIS Prince divided his Authority with the Emprefs his Grand-Mother, and was more 1 a ddidled to the Luxury and Pleafures of his Palace, than to the Bufinefs of the State ; yet he loyed Literature, and had made a confiderable Prdgrefs in it. In one thing lie is inexcufable ; that tho- lie could not be ignorant of the Troubles occafioncd in former Times by the Authority of the Eunuchs, yet he honoured them with his Favour and Protection fo far as to beftow Sovereignties on fome of them ; a Honour never granted to any but Princes of the Imperial Family, or (which was feldom praSifed) to Great Men who had done fignal Services to the Empire. His Reputation fuffered fbll more by htS'FoUy in adhering to he abominable Superfluous of the Sed of Fan ; for he carefully col eded all the Books which contained their Dodrine, and was fo infatuated, as to give the Title of fiang-tu ot Supreme Lord to a famous Difciple among them, named Chang-i, who . lived under the Dynajly ol the Han ■ nay, he went farther, for he declar’d himfelf Head of this impious Sett. The Authors of this Time cannot forbear inveighing again ft his Conduit, and make no Ehm- culty to aferibe all the fucceeding Misfortunes, and even the Deftru&ion of the Empire to a Blaf- phemy fo difhonourable to the true Sovereign of Heaven . . P The Emperor, contrary to the Advice of the King of Korea and moft of his Min.fters joined Forces with the Nyu-che or Eajtern Tartars , whom he called in to deftroy the Kingdom of Lyau- tomr The Nyu-che joyfully entered into this Confederacy, and feveral Battles were fought, in which the Army of Lyau-tong was always defeated, and reduced at laft to fuch Extremity, that thofe who remained were obliged to quit their Country, and fly for Safety to thei Mountains in the Weft (a). Thus ended the Kingdom of Lyau, which had ftood for the Space oi two hun- ,A) The Remainder ofthe2>« flying into the Weft foundeda Weftern Tartars (i), that hJenghF Man-, but I don't find Kingdom, which a hundred Years after was deftroyed by the where this Kingdom was. (1) Couplet. Monarch. Sinic Tab Chron■ p 72. 211 DYN. XIX. SONG. Cvc.LVIU. Year of Chrijl 1084. The King of the Nyu che or Kin Tar¬ tars founds the Empire of Ka-taj. who dies in Tartarj. Kin-tfong, ^thEnipeior. The Kin Tar¬ tars pafs the Yellow River , and feize the Em¬ pire. 'CHINESE Monarch - ...a and nine Years, under nine Princes. The tartar grew fo elated with this Conqvteft, that dred and n n > ^ ^ • k the Name 0 f Kin. (b) Soon after extending his hedetermm himfelf he openly broke his Treaties with the Emperor of China, andin- V din^ ft/provinces o 8 f Pe-chTli and 5 belfi, made hi.nfelf Matter of them, more by the Treachery V f d r g 1 Chinffe Malecontents than by Force of Arms. The Emperor, in Danger of lofing the °reater Pair ofHiis Dominions, made feveral advantageous Propofols to the tartar who in- Ifwhl tfont to come in Perfon, and fettle tire Limits of the two Empires; which lie did, and vited ivbe)J g between them. But on the Emperor's Return to his Capital S'SnitteS? hi^ange his Mind, telling him, that foe Treaty could not fubfift, A ’tlvst the moft cruel War was preferable to fo fhameful a Peace. The Tartar , who was in- foil’d Of his Refolution, had immediately recourfe to Arms, and taking feveral Towns, entred , n f r, in Triumph where he invited the Emperor once more to come and fettle theirLimits.°^Thi”unhapp 1 y I1 lMnce, V who dreaded nothing fo ^nuch as War was weafi enough' 11 .J time to his Enemy who prefently after his Arrival feized his Perfon, and having ftrfpt h m of"Marks of his Digfoty kepf him Prifoner A faithful Minifter, nam’d Li- r X, who accompany'd the Emperor, enraged at fuels Treachery cry d out with a deep Sigh, Pff ’ nn „ r i„L / w o Suns nor can I obey two Mailers.” The Endeavours of the Tartars tc/appeafe him only enraged him the more, and in the Light of his Fury he cut off his Lips and his r °m Ty’-tlbng dy’J in'theDrfart'of Sha-mo, where he was confin’d under a ftrbng Guard, the forty fecond Year of the Cycle, and fifty fourth of his Age ; having before his Death named Km-tfong, his eldeft Son, to fucceed him. KIN-TSONG, Ninth Emperor, reign d One Tear. K W-TSONG began his Reign by executing the Orders of Ids Father, which enjoin'd him to put to Death fix of his Minifters, who had bafely betray'd him to the tartars. In •an time they purified their Conquefts, invading the Province of Ho-mn aidI palling the Telldv River without Oppofilion, which made them wonder at the Indolence of the Chnefe, who wfih a Handful of Men could have prevented it. Then they marched direftly-to the Imperial CW which they took and plunder'd, carrying away the Emperor and his Queen Pnfoners ; K /’foe Principal Lords and feveral of the Minifters, preferring Death before fo ignominious a Bondage, flew themfelves. The tartars being informed by the Emprefs Meng, that foe had been divorced, and had no Hand in the Management of Affairs, they left that Pnncefs behind ■ who oreferved the Empire by her Wifdom and Conduft, in getting the Crown p need on the Head ot Kaatfong, Brother of the late Emperor, and ninth Son of Whey-tfing by h,s divorced Emprefs. KAU-TSONG, Tenth Emperor, reign d Thirty fix Tears. K AU TSONG fix’d his Court firft at Nan-king , but foortly after was oblig’d to remove it to Ham-chew Capital of the Province of Che-kyang. Tbo’ he was of a peaceable Difpo- fition and a Lover of Learning, yet he gain’d fome Vidtories, both over the tartars and certain Chiefs of the Rebels; who took Advantage of the prefent Troubles to enrich themfe ves by plun¬ dering the Provinces. Kong-ye, who commanded his Army, had feveral times repulfed the Tar- frre hnt to no ^reat Purpole. fince none of the conquer’d Countries were recover d from them. This Prince is blamed for two things ; firft, for flighting his Minifters of greateft Experience rafitesandthe snd Integrity and placing his whole Confidence in two or three Parafites, who had neither Ho- jw.. nefty nor Honour. Secondly for being fo much devoted to the SeS of the Bonzas as to abandon the Government to his adopted Son, that he might have the more Time to fpare for his fuperfti- X ' m H?-tfrm m th"tTr'tar King, to gain the Love'of his new Subjefts, gave public Proofs of his Efteem for Learning and learned Men; he alfo vifited the Hallof Conjuaus, and in imitation of the Chinefe paid him regal Honours. The Courtiers being difpleafed that a Man, who was for from being Noble by Birth, Ihould receive fuch Honours, difeover d their Surprize to the King who replv’d ■ “ If he does not merit thofe Honours by his Birth, he merits them for the “ excellent Doftrine he has taught.” He fell afterwards on the Town of Nan-hng, from whence the Emperor was retired, and took it. . , . , , . . „ ■ u .1 The Fidelity of a ChineJ'e General, named 2 ang-pang , is highly commended. Having been taken Prifoner by the Tartars, he was greatly importuned to fide with them; but he not only refufed the moft advantageous Offers, but wrote witli his Blood on his Robe, “ That he had rather die, “ and meet again the Spirit of the Imperial Family of Song, than live to ferve Barbarians. " Which refolute Behaviour coft him his Life, for he was kill’d that Inftant. (b) The Dominion founded by this Nation was the famous larly the Country of the Mandc-wj, whofe Progenitors thefe Kin Empire of 1Catay, which Name Lme to us from the Mnngt, or were^ K,n fignifies Gold ; whence the Em peror of m (.) It contain'd, as appears from this Hiilory, the tile H.ftor.es of JtngHsc-kh&n, IS called Ah.n-ldtn, or the OMai Northern Provinces of China, with part of Tartar}, particu- King. ( '> Se,ip ■ , ' Mean Kau-tfong, i oth Emp. Hi-tfong, King of Kirt y honoursATsnf- fiu-tfe, and takes the Im¬ perial City. Fidelity of a Chineje Ge- Ill DYN. XIX. SONG. CYc. LIX. Year of Cbrijl 1144. The Empe¬ ror by a jhameful Peace makes himl'elf the Subjefl and Tributary of the Kin. The King of Kin breaks the Peace, is kill’d by his own Sol¬ diers. TheEmperor abdicates the Crown. HyJu t/ong, i ichEmp. Chu-hi flc- rilhes. Quang-tfmg, i ath Emp. ANNALS of the Mean time Yo-fi ., another Chinefe General, was advancing by long Marches to relieve the City of Nan-king-, cf which the Tartars having Intelligence, they let Fire to the Palace, and retir'd towards the North. However To -]f arrived time enough to fall upon their Rear-Guard, which fuffer’d very much, and from that time they never durft crofs the Kyang. A few Yearsafter the Emperor made Peace with the Tartar King on very dilhonourable Con¬ ditions; for in figning this Treaty he made no Scruple to ufe the Word Chin, that is Subjeli, and Kong, which fignifies Tributary. The Tartar, in Confideration of thefc fubmiflive Terms en¬ gaged to fend the Emperor the Bodies of eight of his Relations, who had died within eight Years. When thefe Bodies arrived at the Imperial City, they were received with great Demon- ftrations of Joy; the Prifon Doors were let open, and a general Pardon granted thro’ the whole Empire. The Chinefe Authors, far from blaming this Adtion of the Emperor, highly praife it as a rare Example of Filial Piety. In the thirteenth Year of his Reign the Tartar King broke the Peace, and at the Head of a very formidable Army invaded the Southern Provinces, and took tang-chew. Afterwards approach¬ ing the Tang-tJ'e-kyang, which is not far from that City, he order’d his Troops to pafs over near the Mouth of the River, where it is wideft and mod rapid ; upon which the whole Army mutinied, and the King being kill’d in the beginning of the Tumult, they immediately retir’d towards the North, where leverat Dillurbances and Infurredtions began to appear. In the Nineteenth Year of the Cycle, Kau-tjbng refign’d his Crown to his adopted Son Hyau- tfong, but lived twenty five Years longer, and dy’d without Children at the Age of eighty four. HYAU-TSONG, Eleventh Emperor, reign'd Twenty feven Tears. T HIS Prince, who was defcended from the Founder of this Dynafty, enjoy'd a peaceful Reign; becaule the Tartar King, named Sbe-tfong, very different from his PredecelTor, was of a mild and pacifick Temper. Chu-hi, one of the moft celebrated Interpreters of the ancient Books, flourilh'd at this time and difcharg'd with Honour the higheft Fundtions in the State under four Emperors. Hyau-tfong dy'd in the forty fixth Year of the Cycle, and fixty eighth of his Age, being fuc- ceeded by his third Son i^uang-tfong. QUANG-TSONG, Twelfth Emperor, riegn'd Five Tears. T HIS Prince was taken fuddenly with an Apoplexy, in the fifty firfi: Year of the Cycle ; and in Spight of all Remedies dy’d a few Days after, at the Age of fifty four, his third' Son Ningrtfmg fucceeding him. Ning-tfong, 13th Emp. Chu-bi crea¬ ted Prince of Literature. NING-TSONG, Thirteenth Emperor, reign’d Thirty Tears. T HIS Prince was with Difficulty perfuaded to accept of the Crown. He was fober, and of a gentle Difpofition, but withal of fuch a llcnder Capacity, that his Courtiers govern’d him as they pleafed; or rather continually abufed his Credulity and Confidence. He publilh’d an Edidt, which forbid all private Perfons to print or even to write Annals of the Empire, with¬ out an exprefs Licence. About this time dy’d the famous Chu-hi, who was honour’d after his Death with the Title of Ven-kong, which fignifies Prince of Literature, and his Tablett was order’d to be placed in the Hall of Confucius, in the Rank of his Difciples. It is an eftablifh’d Cuftom in China that when any Perfon has remarkably diftinguifh’d himfelf by his Virtue, or Knowledge in the Art of Go¬ vernment, the Emperors rank him among the Difciples of Confuftus-, that he may partake of the Honours which the Mandarins and learned Men pay to that Philofopher on certain Days in the Year. The Palace having been fet on Fire,’continued burning four Days before it could be extinguifh'd. And feme Years after a Fire happen’d in the Imperial City, which was Hang-chew, whereby five hundred and thirty thoufand Houfes were confum’d. The Twelfth Year of this Reign the (*) Chief of the Weftern Tartars laid the Foundation of his Empire, and gave his Family the Name of Twen. Thele Tartars poffefs'd the Country which extends from the Province of Shen-Ji to Tibet and Samarkand. Ever fince the time that they had been intirely defeated by the fifth Emperor of the Dynafty named Han, about a hundred Years before Chrift, they never made any Attempt againft the Chinefe, either becaufe the Weftern People of AJia found them Employment, or their Forces being divided among many Petty So¬ vereigns, they were difabled by their frequent Quarrels with each other. They relate, what has much the Air of Fiction, viz. that thefe Tartars , having deftrov’d the (*) This Chief is laid to be [the Author might have faid war] the famous ingtSr.-ibin. CHINESE Monarch s. zi] the Kingdom of Matena (c), and pufh'd their Conquefts to the Indies and Samarkand, advanced to Tyd-mwen (d), that is, the Iron Gate, which was the Name of a Cittadel ; that in this Place D /n '/l?' their General was ftopt by a Monfter refembling a Stag, he was cover’d with green Hair, had-a O'-Y'vJ Horn in the middle of his Forehead, and a Tail like a Horfe; that this Monfter fpoke to the Cvc - L - v - Prince of the Tartars, and alk’d him, if he was not fatisfy’d with fo many horrid Slaughters c S r ,°‘, and if he would fet no Bounds to his Fury ? That this fo frighted the Tartar, that without prol FFfj ceeding farther he return'd to his own Country, and fometime afterwards invaded China. Mean time the Eaftern Tartars, named Kin, broke the Peace, and invading the Chinefe Ter- The Emne ritories afreili, the Empesor enter’d into a League with the Prince of the Weftern Tartars to rorle »g“ s deftroy them; in order to rid himfeif of an Enemy, who made a Jeft of the Faith of Treaties „ ht , he and continually gave him Difturbance. The Eaftern Tartars, in a great Confternation, imme- gStl£ diately fued for Peace, and made very advdntageousPropofals; but the Emperor, incenfed by their Ki "- Breach of fo many folemn Treaties, and depending more on the Integrity of the Weftern Tar¬ tars, rejected thele Conditions with Scorn (e), Ning-tfong dy'd without Iffue, the twenty firft Year of the Cycle, and fifty feventh of his Age. He was fucceeded by Li-tfong, who defended from the Founder oi this D.pnijly. Li-tfong, 14th Emp. dignifies the Family of Ktmg-fu-tfe. The Empire of Kin de- ftroy’d, LI-TSONG, Fourteenth Emperor , reign'd Forty Tears. 'THE prefect Jundtare required a warlike Prince, but Li-tfong was wholly additfted to the A Sciences, and very much attach’d to the idle Whimfies of the Sea of Tau. In the fecond , Year of his Reign he gave the Title of Duke in Perpetuity to the eldeft Son of the Family of Confusyius ; which is the only Family in the Empire exempted from paying Tribute ’ Mean time the War was carry’d on vigoroully againft the Tartars-, who,“being attack’d on one fide by the Chmeje, and on the other by the Weftern Tartars, commanded by an able Ge¬ neral nam’d Pe-yen, were defeated in feveral Battles. The City of Ho-nan was taken where the King of the Eaftern Tartars kept his Court ; and tho’ the Capital of the Province of Shan-tong held out a long time (the Befieged defending the Place fo obftinately, that they were driven for want of other Vidtuals to feed on human Flelh) yet at lenth Ngai-ti, the Tartar Prince defpair- ing of Relief, bang’d himfeif: whofe Death put an end to the Empire of the Eaftern 'Tartars which continued under nine Princes in the Space of one hundred and feventeen Years Never- thelefs the fmall Remains of thefe People, who were almoft intirely deilroy’d, gave Rife to the Family, which at prefent pofleffes the Empire of China, and governs it with fo much Glory as we fhall fee in the fequel. Whilft Li-tfong had only the Southern Provinces of China under his Dominion, the Weftern Tartars poffelfed the Empire of the North. Their King Ho-pi-lye ( F ), who was’{kill’d in the Sciences, gain’d tile Good Will of his Subjeds by the Efteem he lliew’d for learned Men and by the Honour he did to the Memory of Confucius. J Li-tfong dy’d without Iffue, the firft Year of the Cycle, aged fixty two, and Tu-tfong his Ne- phew fucceedcd him. J 6 TU-TSONG, Fifteenth Emperor , reign'd Ten Tears. T HE vicious Connfds which this Prince fell into, prov’d fatal to himfeif and the Empire. He T.UM had the Misfortune to be encouraged in his Exceffes by a treacherous Ko-lau (nam'd Hya 1 5 th Emp. Ju-tau] who was equally a Slave to the moft: infamous Paffions. The Minifters prefented Memo- lofa all» mis to difmgage the Emperor from this Monfter, but without Succefs ; fo that many of them feeing no Remedy for the Misfortunes, which were ready to fall on the Imperial Family retired to the Weftern Tartars, who were purfuing their Conquefts (g). Their Army having overrun the Provinces of Tun-nan, Se-chwen, and Shen-fi, enter’d that of Hii-quang • moft of whofe Cities open’d their Gates to the Conqueror, whilft the wretched TiUfong, drown’d in Pleafures was ltripp’d of his Dominons by Degrees without knowing any thing of the Matte’* (*) ff -tfiag dy’d the eleventh Year of the Cycle, at the Age of twenty five, leaving three young Children, who were born to be the Sports of Fortune. Kong-tjong, his fecond Son, was placed on the tottering Throne. > r (c) Here the Chinefe Hiftorians (peak very confufedly. Ma¬ tena, which, as we o’oferv'd before, p. 46, Teems to be the City of Medina, is in this place fuppofed to be a Country lying be¬ tween Samarkand and China. (d) This feems to be Darbend in the Province of Shir-ivAn in P erf a, call’d by the Turks (whofe Language is the fame origi¬ nally with that of the Mogols or Mongols) Demir kapi, or Iron Gate. (e) When their Refufal of Peace was told the Emperor of Kin, ‘‘To Day, faid he, the Weftern Tartar will take my Em- “ pire from me; to Morrow he will take yours from you(i),” meaning Ning-tfong ; which accordingly came to pafs. (1) Couplet, Monarch. Sinic. Tab. Chron. p. 74. ( F ) Tflls 1S the Chinefe Name for Kublay or Koplay Khfn, hith Emperor of the Mongols, Founder of the next Dynafly (c) Here we find the Mongols at War with the Chinefe who but a while ago were their Friends. Neither P. du Halde nor P Couplet in his Chronological Table informs us when or how this Change happen'd. (*) About this time Marco Polo or Mark Paul, a Venetian Gentleman, came into China, and tranjcll'a thro' the finefl Pro f k * R'tztJ, 4 gamed but little Credit in Europe. VOL. I. Hhh KONG- 2.14 ANNALS of the DYN. XIX- ■ . ,y, ICONG-TSONG, Sixteenth Emperor, reign d Two hears. Year of .— \ j jjr Emprefs, who govern’d the Empire for her Son, who was but an Infant, fent Ainbaf- Clr jSpEj _L fadors t0 the ‘T artar King, t0 demand Peace, offering to fubmit to the moll hard and abjefl i Kong-tfing, Terms; but (h) that inexorable Monarch anfwer’d, “ Your Family owes its Rife to the Infancy I i6:h Emp. „ of the | aft p r ; nc( , of the preceding Dynajly-, It is therefore but juft that the remaining Princes “ of the Family of Song, who are Infants all'o, lhould give Place to another Family.” _ r . Mean time Pe-yen advanced with a numerous Army of Vartan, lubduing all before him. This neraHiis General is highly praifed, both for his Prudence in condufting two hundred thoufand Men with great cha- as much jr a fj. as a fingle Soldier ; and for his Modefty, which was fo extraordinary, that in the :. raa ' r ‘ mid ft of all his Viftories he never dropt the leaft Word in his own Praife. The thirteenth Year i whotakes of the Cycle he took the Emperor Prifoner, who dy’d in the Defart of Vartan, nam'd Ko-bi, the Emperor or r JS t ] le Cbi n t/i’ call it] Sba-mo; and was fucceeded by his eldell Brother Vivan-tjong, in his Mis- Pnfoner. f ortunes as well as his Throne. TWAN-TSONG, Seventeenth Emperor, reign'd Two Tears. Tiuan-t/ong, rift HE victorious March of the Vartar, who met with noRefiftance, obliged the Emperor to go , 7 thEmp. I on Boar d his Fleet, with the Lords of his Court, and one hundied and thirty thoufand : Sokliers, which remain’d with him, defigning to have retired to the Province of l<'o-kyen-, but 1 being clofely purfued by the Vartan, both by Sea and Land, he was oblig’d to fly to the Coaft ot :■ Quang-tong, the moft Southern Province of China, where he dy’d of a Difeafe, aged eleven ft ears. ; His younger Brother Vi-fing, the only Remains of the Family of Song, fucceeded him. TI-PING, Eighteenth Emperor, reign'd Two Tears. 7t-ping, 18 th "T~^HE Chinefe Fleet, being overtaken by that of the Tartars, could not avoid an Engagement, Emperor. I w hich was very bloody, and decifive in Favour of the Tartars, who gain’d a compleat Vidory. The Ko-lau, Lo-Jyew-fe, to whofe Care the Emperor had been intruded, feeing his Ship furrounded by the Tartarian Veffels, took the young Prince, who was but eight Years of Age, in his Arms, and threw himlelf into the Sea. The reft of the Lords and Minifters follow d Sad Cataf- his Example. The Emprels, quite diftraded, with dreadful Shrieks threw^ herfelf alfo in. This i trophe of the terr ibl e Cataftrophe happen’d near an Ifland dependant on Quang-chew-fu, Capital of the 1 ro- I fmilyofthe v . nceof Another General, who commanded a part of the Chinefe Fleet, having j forced his Way thro’ the Enemy, and efcaped their Fury with fome of his Veftels, endeavour d to make to Shore, but was driven off by a ftrong Wind, which blew from the Land; and a violent Storm arifing at the fame time, he was funk at once with all his Followers. It is afnrm d that above one hundred thouland Chinefe perifh’d in this Fight, either by the Sword or the Water, into which the greater part threw themfelves in Defpair- . . . . c Thus ended the Dynafty of the Song, and with it the Dominion of the Chinefe ; for bhi-tju , before I call’d Ho-pi-lyc, (the fourth Son of Tay-tfii, [or Jenghiz Khan ] who founded the Empire of the We- ftern Tartars,) took Poffeffion of his Conqueft, and was the Firft Emperor of this new Dynajty. dyn. xx. ThcTwenticth DYNASTY, call'd YWEN, which contains Nine Emperors in the Space of Eighty nine Tears. SHI-TSU ( 1 ), Firfl Emperor , reign'd Fifteen Tears. r-r* RE Chinefe Nation, which for fo many Ages had been govern’d by its Natural Princes, Ho-pi-iyT i ft 1 now firft became fubjed to a Foreign Power; if indeed this Emperor ought to be Emperor. »- call’d a Foreigner, who in his Manners was more of a Chinefe than a Tartar. At his coming to the Crown, he made no Alteration, either in the Miniftry or in the Laws and Cuftoms; he was fo conformable to the Humour of his Subjeds, and won them fo much by his fmcere Condud, by his Equity, by the Protedion he gave to Men of Letters, and by his tender J n J Affedion ( h) P. Couplet reports this as fpoken by thefamous Pt-yen, . the Tartar General above mention’d, (i) (i) Monarc ’ ( i) Shitju, or Ho pi lye, that is Koplayox Kublay Khan, was Sir.. Sabi. the fifth Mongol or Mogol Emperor, who reign'd in Katay , which A 75 - included the Northern Provinces of China-, but the firft who made a Conqueft of the whole. It is to be wiih'd the Miflio- nary, who made this Extraft, had given us the Mongol Names of the Succeflors of Koplay in China, to compare with thofe of his Succeilors in Tartary, as given us by the Oriental Authors. 2IS CHINESE Monarchs. Alfeblion for the People, that, even at prefent, the Adminiftratiou of this Tartar Family is call’d The wife Government. He firft eftablilh’d his Court at Tay-ywen-fu, Capital of the Province of Shan-fi, and afterwards remov'd it to Pc-king (*). He caufed' it to be publilh’d that all Perfons ihouid continue in the Employments and Dignities which they poffefs’d in the preceding Reign ; but many refufed that Bounty, and preferr’d a voluntary Death to an Plonourable Servitude. Among the reft was a Ko- lau named Ven-tyen-ftan, who had been taken Prifoner in the Sea-Fight; in vain was he told, that there were no Hopes of reftoring the Family of Song , which was extindl; that a wife Man ought to comply with the Times, efpecially when there was no Remedy ; that the Emperor knew his Merit,' and that he might be allured of his Efteem and Confidence. “ A faithful Mi- “ nifter, reply d he, is attach’d to his Prince as a Son to his Father ; if his Father is fick he em- “ ploys all lorts of Remedies to cure him; if the Strength of the Difeafe prevails over the Reme- « dies, yet he does not ceafe to continue his Endeavours to give him Eafe, becaufe he ought never “ to ceafe difeharging the Duties of Filial Piety, and is withal lenfible that Heaven is the So- “ vereign Arbiter of Life and Death.” This was all the Anfwer they could get from his invin¬ cible Obftinacy. After his Death thefe two Sentences were found written by hinrfelf on his Girdle; the firft is from Confucius, “Let the Body perilh, provided Filial Piety is brought to Perfetftion."The other from Mencius, “ The Lofs of' Life is a Trifle, when in the fupport of Juftice.” This Ko-lait dy’d, being forty feven Years of Age, greatly lamented. The Emperor, in the third Year of his Reign, form’d a Defign againft Japan, and fent one hundred thoufand Men to invade it. But the Expedition prov’d very unfortunate, not above three or four Perfons returning home with the News; all the reft were either lhipwrack’d, or perilh’d in the neighbouring Wands. The fame Year he caufed all the Books of the Seift of Tail to be burnt; and ordain'd that there ihouid be but one Kalendar for the whole Empire, which Ihouid be made at Court, and publilh’d every Year: forbidding all private Perfons under pain of Death to undertake any Work, of this kind. Four Years after, his only Son, whom he had nam’d his Heir, dy'd, and tho’ he left Children, yet the Emperor was inconfolable for his Lofs. Some Mohammedans having offer’d the Emperor a precious Stone of great Value, he forbid it to be bought, “ Becaufe, J'aid he, the Money “ that it would coft, might be much more ufefully employ'd, in relieving the Neceffities of the “ Poor.” Being inform'd, that the Barks which brought to Court the Tribute of the Southern Pro¬ vinces, or carry’d on the Trade of the Empire, were oblig’d to come by Sea, and often fuffer’d Shipwrack; he caufed the Great Canal to be made, which is at prefent one of the Wonders of China. It is three hundred Leagues in Length, and forms a great Road of Water ; by which above nine thouland Imperial Barks tranfport with Eafe, and at a Imall xpence, the Tribute of Grain, Stuffs, S’ c. which is annually paid to the Emperor. Had this been the only Advantage this Prince procured for China, he would have been worthy of the high Praifes which the Chinefe give him (k). He dy’d at the Age of eigthty, and iri the thirty firft Year of the Cycle, fucceeded by his Grandfon Ching-tfong. CHING-TSONG, Second Emperor, reign d Thirteen Tears. T HIS Prince is praifed for his Clemency and Love to his Subjedts. He mitigated the SftS. Qbi^-tfing, rity of Punilhments, and leffen'd the Taxes with which feveral of the Petty Sovereigns si Emperor, began to burthen the People ; but his ill State of Health, andalmoft continual Diforders, hindred his applying himfelf as diligently as he inclined to the Affairs of Government. He dy'd at the Age of forty two, in the forty fourth Year of the Cycle, and Vu-tfong his Ne¬ phew fucceeded him. VU-TSONG, Third Emperor, reign d Four Tears. T HE People thought the Reign of this Emperor too (hort, being charm’d with the Affe&ion. ^ he bore them, and the great Inclination he fliew’d to make them happy. He was natu- 3 d Emperor, rally liberal, but beftow’d his Bounties only on thofe who did fome real Service to the State, on which Occafions he rewarded them with a Generofity truly Royal. honours To give a Luftre to Learning, and excite Emulation among the Literati, he gave to Corfu- Kongfu-tf. cius , who is look'd on as the Matter of the Empire, the fame Titles with which the Regulo’s are Unfortunate Expedition aguinll Japan Death of the Emperor’s only Son. The Great Canal made, 300 Leagues in Length. (*) This City is call'd Kambalu, injlcad of Hampalu, by Mar¬ co Polo; for in the Tartar Language Ham fgnifes King, and Pa- lu a Court or Seat of the Emperor. It is eafy for a Stranger to miftake the Pronunciation of IVords, which is not readily at¬ tained, and hence it is that Author has wary'd the Names of federal other Chinefe Cities. [But this Etymology may be quefiond, for not Ham but Han, or perhaps rather Khan fgnifes King in the Mon¬ gol Language, which is originally the fame with the Turkifh; fo pojfibly Palu is a Mifake for Balik or Baluk, which in the fame Language fgnifes a City.] (k) We are told by another Jefuit Miffionary, who has given us a very curious Abftratt from the Chinefe Hiflory of the five firft Mongol Emperors, (which I have prepared lor the Prefs, with Notes,; that the Chinefe Hiftorians exaggerate the Faults of Hti-pi-lye, but fay nothing of his Virtues. They reproach him particularly for his Fondnefs for the Superftitions of the Lama's. (1) (1) Toy. P. Souciet Obf. Math. Vol. I. p. 201. ANNALS of the ® V o'■*^' ari horiou r, d; and being inform’d that Gold, Silver, Grain, and Silk, were carry’d out of the Empire, he forbad the Exportation of them under very fevere Penalties. Cyc lx;. This Prince was but thirty one when he dy‘d, in the forty eighth Year of the Cycle, and Ctrift 'i°6 ' h‘ s Brother, by the fameVenter, was his Succefl'or. JIN-TSONG, Fourth Emperor, reign'd nine Tears. T H E People had no Reafon to grieve for the Lofs of the late Emperor, fince they found ft ill more excellent Qualities in his Succeffor ; who, befides a lively and penetrating Genius, yin-tfong i 4thEinperor. was indued with great Equity, Mildnafs and Moderation. The way to obtain his good Graces was to give him fage Advice, especially if it tended to the Eafe and Happinefs of his Subjects, fie punifhed with Reludtance, but re warded with Generofity ; in fliort he applied himlelf whol¬ ly to govern his Dominions well. makesaLaw He publifli’d an Eifid:, forbidding all the Princes and Petty Sovereigns to hunt, from the fifth againfl Hunt* Month of the Year to the tenth, for fear of doing Damage to the Country. He ufed to fay that the Mohammedans were extreamly fond of Jewels ; but that he fet a much greater Value on wife His Wifdom. Men, and that he always endeavoured to have them near his Perfon ; for in fort laid he, if by their Advice I can procure my People 'Tranquillity, a?id the Conveniencies of Life , what Riches can be comparable to this Happinefs ? His Com- Being inform’d that five Brethren were guilty of Crimes, for which they were condemn’d to paffion. die, “ Let one at lead be pardoned, laid the Emperor, that their unfortunate Parents may have “ fomebody to feed and comfort them.” In the time of a great Drought, when the Harveft was in Danger of being deftroyed for want of Rain, ’Tis 7 , cry'd he fighing, Pis I who brine this Calamity upon my People : and repeating often thefe Words, he offered Incenfe, and implor’d the Affldance of Heaven j and it was obferv’d that next Day abundance of Rain fell, which revived the parch’d and languifhing Fields. This Prince died the fifty feventh Year of the Cycle, aged thirty fix, and was fucceeded by his Son Ing-tfong. ING-TSONG, Fifth Emperor, reign’d Three Tears. Ipg-tfing, 5th A S & c Virtues of the Father were pofTefTed by the Son, his Subje&s expeded the Continua- Emperor. _t\. tion of their happy Government, when he was affaffinated, (in the lad Year of the Cycle, as Affisffinatcd. ^e was entring his Tent with one of his mod faithful Ko-lau'sf) by fome wicked Villains; who were confcious of having committed the mod enormous Crimes, and dreaded the Punifhment they deferved. This Prince lived but thirty Years, and had for his Succefior Tay-ting , elded Son of King Hyen tfing. TAY-TING, Sixth Emperor, reign’d Five Tears. A Month after Tay-ting afeended the Throne he condemned the Murderers of his PredecefTor to the mod tormenting Death ; and extirpated their Families, by executing their Children ‘Tay-ting , 6th Emperor. Cyc. l\ 1 1 and Grand-Children. Year of In this Reign, as in the former, China was afflicted with various Calamities, as Earthquakes, Cb r iji \yz^' f a lling of Mountains, overflowing of Rivers, Droughts, Conflagrations, and many other Misfor- Pubiick Ca- tuneson which Occafion both Emperors gave Proofs of their Love for their Subjects, by the lamities. Care they took to fuccour them. Prierts of Tay-ting ordered that the Entrance into his Dominions fhould be denied to the Bonzas of Ti- Tibn forbid- called Lamas ; who ufed to come in Swarms to China , and wandering from Houfe to Houle il'-n rn rnri»r . . <• i . china CnCCr were very burdenfome to the People. Great Seif- This Prince dying the fifth Year of the Circle, aged thirty fix Years, the States aflembled Prince'” 1 anc ^ e ^ e< ^ ec ^ his ^ econ( ^ Son ; but he refufed to accept a Crown, which he faid belonged of Right to his elded Brother Ming-tfong , who thereupon was lent'for out of Tartary where he then was, and proclaimed Emperor. MING-TSONG, Seventh Emperor, reign’d one Tear. S I X Months after this Prince was made Emperor he gave a great Entertainment to all the Lords of his Courts, but in the Height of their Mirth he died fuddenly; and fome fulpedt he was poifon’d. His younger Brother Ven-tfong , who had before refufed the Crown, was his Succefl'or. YEN- CHINESE Monarchs. 217 ven-tsong, Eighth Emperor, reign d Three Tears. DYN. XVI. r WE N. Crc. LXII Year of T HIS Prince feemed to deferve the Crown by (hewing lo much inditterency tor it; ana cin ^ ]J24 . indeed the Care he took to choofe good Minifters, and his readinefs to follow their Coun- tyV\j fels, are worthy of Praife. He is blamed only for one thing, and that is, for receiving the Great h Lama , who is chief of the Bonza's of Tibet , into his Palace, with the moft diftiiiguifhing H Z,u“the Honours, and commanding his Courtiers to pay him the profoundeft Relpeft. Great Lima. The Great Lords were feen to falute this Botiza on their Knees, and prefent him Wine in Wkoft Pride this humble Pofture; whilft he did not offer in the lead to ftir from his Seat, nor (hew any To- ” ken of Civility. Whereupon one of the principal Courtiers being extremely piqu'd at this Haughtinefs, “ Honed Man (fays he) I know that you are the Difciple of Fo, and Mader of “ the Bonzas ; but perhaps you are ignorant that I am a Difciple of Confucius , and one of the chief “ among the Literati in the Empire ; it's fit you fhould be acquainted with it, therefore let us “ lay afide all Ceremony”. And at the fame time dandiug up he offered him the Cup, when the great Lama riling from his Seat, took it with a Smile and drank it. Vcn-tjimg died the ninth Year of the Cycle, aged twenty nine Years ; and Ning-tfong , who was the Son of the feventh Emperor fucceeded him. But as he lived only two Months, lie is not reckoned among the Emperors : His elded Brother Shun-ti was fetch’d from the Province of Quang-Ji, and placed on the Throne, being thirteen Years old. SHUN-TI, Ninth Emperor, reign'd Thirty five Tears. S HU N-TTI was the la ft of this 'Tartar Dynafly who govern’d China. Thefe Princes, e- sh,n-n t 9 th nervated by the Pleafures of fo fine and fruitful a Climate, by degrees degenerated from the Emperor. Courage and Bravery of their Anceftors ; while the Chinefe whom they fubdued, growing a war¬ like People, deprived them of the Fruits of their Conqueft, and drove them for ever out of the Empire. Shun-ti , tho’ a Prince of great Parts, drew on himfelf this Difgrace by his effeminate Indo- H kjndo- £f _ lence and love of Pleafure, which made him wholly negleCt the Affairs of the State ; leaving f em j naC y. the Government to his Ko-laa , Pe-yew-ha-ma, who was become abfolute Mafter, and had all Favours at his Difpofal. To compleat his Misfortunes he fent for the Lamas of Tartary , who introduced Idolatry and isaddufted to Magic j and as they ftudy’d only to indulge his vicious Inclinations, they fettled in the Palace a ^ amas ' Company of young Female Dancers, who intirely enervated the little Courage that remained in him. In the twenty third Year of the Cycle, a Chinefe named Chu ; who had been a Servant in a Monaftery of Bonzas , taking Part with a numerous Company of Revolters, became their Lead- der, and made a furprizing Advantage of the prefent Juncture of Affairs; for after leizing by de¬ grees feveral Cities, he made himfelf Mafter of fbme Provinces, and in a celebrated Battle defeated Dynafly of the Emperor’s Troops fent to oppofehis victorious March. Thefe great Succefles foon encreas’d his Army, and the Chinefe flocking to him from all Parts, Chu having crofs’d the Yellow River, and extinguiflied finding no Refiftance, eafily got Pofleffion of all the Cities in his way; when at length meeting by Heng- to erafe his Name from all public Afls, as a Punilhment for having ufurp’d the Crown ■ Bm P em - but he rejefted this Propofal, being content with ordering his Funeral to be perform'd with the Honours due only to a Prince of the Blood, and the Emperor's Brother. tng-tjong dy’d at the Age of thirty one, the twenty firft Year of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his eldeft Son Hyn-tfong. HYEN-TSONG, Ninth Emperor, reign d Twenty three Tears. H YEN-TSONG, who was the Son of the fecond Queen, ow’d the Crown to the Em- prefs s being barren. All that is related of him is that he was greatly attach'd to the Sedt oftheBonzas; that the twenty third Year of the Cycle he defeated an Army of Rebels in the Province of Hu-quang ; that he cut in Pieces the Army of the Tartars, who from time to time came and plunder’d the Provinces; and that the next Year the King of Korea having pro pofed a more lhort and eafy Way of paying his Homage, than by an Embuliy, he would never rnnfent to it * He dy’d at the Age of forty one Years, the forty fourth of the Cycle, and was fucceeded by his eldeft Son, Hyau-tfong , who was before call’d Hong-chi. 1 HYAU-TSONG, or HONG-CHI, Tenth Emperor, reign'd Eighteen Tears. VU-TSONG, Eleventh Emperor, reign’d Sixteen Tears. Wifdom and Zeal for the Public Welfare. This he urged as the Me of Heaven for the prefent, and deferving its Protedtion for the future V ° L - I. K Hr K kk The 222 Inflance of Courage and Fidelity, in a Ko-lau. Emperor pre¬ pares to re¬ tire South¬ ward. Diffuaded in vain by his Ko-laus, is diverted by an Omen. Shi-t/ong, or Kja-tfing' i zth Emp. Repairs the Great Wall. Honours Chaftity. Seeks for the Liquor of Immortality. PrefTed to ex¬ tirpate the Sett of Fa and Lau-kyun. Tartars in¬ vade the Em¬ pire and are repulfed. "Japanefe in¬ vade China feveral times, but are re¬ pulfed. ANNALS of the The forth Year of the Cycle, the Tartars renew'd their Ravages; and the next Year a Petty Sovereign of the Blood Royal, having revolted, was taken Prifoner in a Battle, and punilh'J "^Mean time the Famine, which laid wafte the Provinces of Shan-ttmg and Ho-nan , join’d to the heavy Taxes, had reduc’d the People to fuch Mifery, that they took up Arms in Defpair; and forming feveral Bodies, advanc’d to the Territories of Pe-king. They were call'd Lyew-lje be- caufe they fuddenly overfpread the Provinces, like an impetuous Torrent, deftroying all betore them. Several Forces were fent againft them, which only put a flop to their Attempts, andltitied their Rebellion for a Time, for it appear’d again upon the firft favourable Opportunity. The fifteenth Year of the Cycle Vu-tfong having form’d a Defign of marching againlt the Tartars incognito, in Quality of Generaliffimo ; his Minifters earneftly reprefented to him, that fuch a Difeuife could not but greatly endanger his Perfon, and occafion Revolts, i hele Ae- monftrances fo enrag’d him, that he drew his Sword to (hike thofe who oppoled h.s Refolut.on ; at the fame Inftant, one of his Ko-lau's offer'd his Head to receive the Stroke, which relolute Be¬ haviour appeafed the Prince’s Fury, and made him change his Delign. The next Yearas, he was preparing to retire into the Southern Provinces, that is, either Kyang-nan, or Che-kyang his Ko-lau’s prelented frefli Memorials; wherein they obferved, that as the Tartars would certainly look upon this Journey as a lhameful Flight, they would grow more haughty and infolent and that his Abfence would expofe the Northern Provinces to their Irruptions. Theie prudent Counfels only incenfed him the more; and to pumlh their Ralhnefs he left them expofed to the Weather five whole Days, on their Knees, before the Gate of his Palace and impnioned fome of them. But a fudden Inundation at this time, which he took for a bad Omen, having appeafed him, he fent home his Minifters, and laid afide all Thoughts of going into the Provin¬ ces of the South. This Prince finding himfelf very ill the eighteenth Year of the Cycle, fent for the Grandees of his Court; and in their Prelence appointed the Emprefs Guardian of his fecond Son, who was thirteen Years old, and whom he had nominated his Succeffor. He dy d at the Age of thirty one Years. SHI-TSONG, or KYA-TSING, Twelfth Emperor , reign'd Forty five Tears. T HE Condua of this Prince at firft feem’d to promife a wife Government but the End was not fuitable to fuch hopeful Beginnings. He examin’d himfelf the Petitions whic were prefented to him; and in a time of Scarcity was willing to be told of the Fallings he was iubied to and gave large Sums out of the Imperial Treafury for Relief of his Peopk. Pie repair d the Great Wall, which feparates China from Tartary ; and renew’d the Law, made by the Foun¬ der of this Dynajty , that only the Title of Syen-tfe, or Mafier of the Empire, lhould be given to Confucius. Two young Maids, who perceived that their Father s Indigence incHn d him to feU them for Proftitutes, hiving, to efcape that Difgrace, drown d themfelves, Shi-tjong eredted fine Monument to their Memory, with this Infcription : The two illuflnous Virgins This Prince is blam’d for his Paffion for Poetry ; for his Credulity in believing the Superftmons of the Bonzas; and for the diligent Search which he caufed to be made thro the Empire for the Liquor of Immortality, promifed by the Sebi of Tail. , • <. u„. The eighteenth Year of his Reign he had thoughts of refignmg the Crown to h ‘ s S °". b “ t was diffuaded by the Grandees of the Court; who in leveral Memorials prefs d him, but vam, t0 The forty h fevemh°Year a of the Cycle the Tartars drew near Pe-king with an Army of fixty thoufand Men; but it was intirely cut to pieces by the Chineje, and above two hundred Officers taken Prifoners. The next Year the Tartar King fent an Ambaffador to the Court to a Emperor Pardon, with Leave for his Subjefls to come into his Dominions to fell Horles. The Emperor readily confented; but finding afterwards that this Permilhon was th f 1 °L C °?‘ tinual Quarrekbetween the Mandarins and the Merchants, and often occafion d Revolts, he ab- fol The y SYeafoJt^yde fome Pirates, commanded by one Whang-che, infefted the Coaft of China with a Fleet of a Hundred Barks and Ctae/eVeffels of Burden And in the fi fecond Year the Japanefe, who before ufed to bring Prefents as Vaffals of the Empire, began t fhake off the Yoke waged open War with the Chinefe, and made a Defcent, to the um four thoufarul upon theOiaft of the Provinceof Che-kyang. But they were recewedvery r°“gh- lv that eighteen hundred of them were kill'd, and the reft, flying to their Ships, penfh in the Sea The next YeTr^returning ten thoufand ftrong, Kau-ling, a Cbir.efe Captain, at the Head only of nine hundred Men gave\hem a notable Repulfe ; by which, Time being gained for the Arm> t r=e, the Japanefe were grounded, and not a Man efcaped to carry home the News of their Defeat. Thefe Ioffes did not abate the Eagernefs of the Years after made a Defcent with frefh Forces on the Coaft of Fo-kyen, b~t with imall buccei., for the Chinefe Commander, nam’d Tfye, fell upon them unexpededly, and made a great Slang ter. C H I N E S E Monarchs. 223 At the fame time Lyew-han, General of the Cbinefe Army, marching beyond the .Great Wall ■ the Tartars upon the Report of his Arrival in their Territories, fled, and hid themfelves in their Forefts: fo that there were but twenty eight Tartan kill’d in this Expedition, and the whole Booty was only one hundred and feventy Camels. The third Year of this Cycle, a Memorial was prefented to the Emperor, ill which he was f ,,, 1 , b „ more watchful over his Conduit, and the Public Affairs. It reprefented that fnr U nhnve twenty Years paft the Laws had infenfibly loft their Authority, and that the Empire ‘ aL ■ , that he feldom converfed with the Prince his Heir ; that his mod faithful W nd honeft Valfals were either defpil'ed or ill ufed without Caufe, and on the flighted Sufpicions ; ‘that hefD-nthis Time in Pleafure and Idlenefs, amidft a Company of Concumnes, defpifmg F Fmnrefs his lawful Spoul'e ; that he gave the Command of his Army to Men who were h (kill'd in the Art of War, and fonder of Gold and Silver than of Honour and Glory; that The Treafury was daily exhaufted by his ridiculous Expences, either in building Palaces, or making Cardens or in defraying the Charges of the extravagant Ceremonies of the Bonzas, and feeking alter the’ Liquor of Immortality, which thofe Impoftors pretended came down from Heaven: as if fince the happy Times of the Emperors Yau and Shun, any Perfon whatever had been exempt- el from the fatal Neceffity of dying. The Emperor, on reading this Memorial, unable to ft • in his Rage threw it on the Ground; but foon took it up again, and dlfcover’d Signs of a Were Repentance However, he had not time to reap the Benefit of it, for a few Days after lie fell fick; and had no fooner drank the pretended Liquor of Immortality, but he expir'd, at the Age of fifty eight, and was fucceeded by his Son, nam’d Mo-tfong. MO-TSONG, Thirteenth Emperor, reign d Six Tears. t O TSONG began his Reign with Adis of Clemency, releafing thofe whom his Father A I h ’jl MiJJionary of the Jefuits in that Country. 124 ANNALS of the Tartars fwarm into China. Great Fa¬ mine. A Son offers his own Life to fave his Father’s. Terrible Fa¬ mine in Ho- Japanefe in¬ vade Korea with ill Suc- ccis. Nyu-che, or Eallern Tar¬ tars, begin to grow power¬ ful again. Ravage tong and Pe-che-li. Their King affumes the Title of Emperor of China. Makes a great (laugh¬ ter of the Cbinefe. Woman feeing her Hufband, who was famifh’d to Death, thrown into one of thefe Pits, threw herfelf in alio 3 and tho’ fine was taken out by Order of the Mandarin , it was to no Purpofe, for not being able to furvive her Lofs, fhc dy’d three Days after. This fame Year was remarkable for two great Events 3 one was the Defeat of the Tartars , of whom ten thoufand were (lain by the Cbinefe General Li-chin 3 the other was the Lofs which the Emperor had in the Death of Chang-kyu-ching , his Ko-lau and Mailer 3 whom he honour’d after his Death with the Title of Ven-chong, that is, A Man remarkable for Knowledge and Fide¬ lity, and his Corps was carry’d in a pompous manner to his Sepulchrein the Province of Hu- quang. But thefe Honours lafted not long, for two Years were lcarce at an end, when his Ene¬ mies having laid heavy Accufations to his Charge, he and his Poflerity were depriv’d of their Titles, and his Eflate was confifcated 3 while his Son thro’ Grief or Fear of Pimifhment kill’d himfelf. The twentieth Year the Rivers were frozen, which facilitated the Irruptions of the Tartars into the Empire, who came in Swarms, but were cut to pieces by the Cbinefe Troops. j| The twenty fecond Year was fatal to the Empire, on account of a terrible Famine, when the Empe¬ ror gave flronger Proofs than ever of his Affedion for his Subjects 3 he often implored the Aifif- tance of Heaven, remitted a great Part of the Taxes, and lent Mandarins into all the Provinces to examine the Condud of the Governors, and relieve the Miferies of the People. The twenty ninth Year of the Cycle a Comet appear’d towards the Eafl ; upon which Occafion a Ko-lau named Fong-ngen, prefented a Petition to the Emperor, letting forth that the Figure of this Meteor warned him to rid his Palace of certain Minillers, who took Bribes, and preferved their Employments by the bafefl Flattery. The Emperor being incenfed at his Admonitions, order’d him to be imprifoned, and condemned him to Death 3 but his Son coming to offer his own Life to fave his Father’s, Sbin-tfong relented, and changed the Sentence to that of Banilhment. The thirtieth Year of the Cycle the Inhabitants of the Province of Ho-nan were reduced to fuch Extremity by Famine, that they fed on Human Flelh ; upon which the Emperor imme¬ diately order’d Supplies to be fent them out of the Imperial Treafury. The fame Year the Japanefe enter’d the Kingdom of Korea , deftroying all before them with Fire and Sword, wherever they came, and took feveral Cities. The King was forced to fly, till he had received the Succours from China , which he had demanded by his Ambafladors 3 but the Succours arri¬ ving very feafonably, there enfued an obftinate and bloody Battle, wherein the Japanefe were intirely routed. After their Defeat they implor’d the Emperor’s Clemency in a folemn Embafly 3 by which, having firfl begg’d Pardon for their Fault, they pray’d him to honour their Chief with a Title that might authorife his Claim : Accordingly the next Year Sbin-tfong granted him the Title of Je-pnven-vang (a), which fignifies King of Japan, forbidding him ^to fend any more Ambafladors to China. The thirty third Year the Emperor, contrary to the Advice of his Minifters, ordered the Gold and Silver Mines in the Provinces of Ho-nan , Shan-fi , and Sben-Ji to be open’d 3 but fix Years alter he caufed them to be clofed again. (*) Mean time the Nyu-che , or Eallern Tartars , began to grow formidable ; they were divided into feven Gaffes, or different Dynafies , which, after they had been long at War together, were united under one Prince, who ereded a Kingdom. As to the Tan-yu , or the Weftern Tar¬ tars , they lived peaceably within their own Territories, having given over to diffurb the Cbinefe , as they had formerly done by their frequent and unexpeded Irruptions, (-f-) The fifty third year the Tartars , whofe Forces being united under one Chief were more capable of undertaking fomething confiderable, no longer thought of making tranfient Irruptions into the Empire, but relblved to feize the Cities which were mod for their Conveniency ; being incenfed again 11 the Cbinefe, becaufeth uang-fi , where Thomas Kyu, Vice- Roy of this Province, and Luke Chin , Generaliflimo of the Chinefe Forces, both’ Chri- Jhans, oppofed the Progrefs of the Tartars , and after an obffinate Battle intirely routed, and put them to flight. The Conquerors immediately elefted a Prince of the Imperial Family, named Tong-lye, who was King of the Capital of the Province of gjtey-chew, and, after heinz proclaimed Emperor, removed his Court to Shau-king. A ChriJUan Eunuch, nam’d Pan Achilles (a), who was very zealous for the Faith,-}vas his chief Counfellor; by whofe means Father ^afrfTOA'^rinftraa- ed the Emperor's Mother, his Wife, and eldeft Son, in the Truths of Chrif Unity, and baptized them. It was expefted that this Emperor would one Day be the Conftantine of China (b) ; which Name was given him when he received the Sacrament of Spiritual Regeneration. For thefe illu- ftrious Converts, with the Confent of the Emperor, fent Father Michael Boym to Rome, to pay a Filial Obedience to the Holy See in their Names. ’ ■ ' The Report which was fpread thro’ all the Provinces of a great Viftory gain’d over the Tartars, and of the Elefbon of the new Emperor, rouzed the Courage of the Chinefe. A Commander who had got together an Army in the Province of Fo-kyen, and Ching-ching-kong, who fcour'd the Seas with a numerous Fleet, retook feveral Cities ; the one within the Country, and the other upon the Sea-Coafts ; at the fame time the Vice-Roy, of the Province of Kyang-fi fhook off the Yoke, and defeated the Tartars in feveral Engagements. In the Northern "Parts two Chiefs, one nam’d Ho, the other Kyang, had raifed each a confiderable Army. The firft took feveral Cities in Shen-fi, and the fecond entering the fame Province with an hundred and forty thoufand Horfe, and a ftill greater number of Foot, they defeated the Tartars in two Battles, and put them in fuch Dread, that they durft not appear any more in the Field. Neverthelefs, in the Space of three or four Years, the Tartars, partly by Craft and Policy, and partly by Rewards and Promifes, join’d to the Quarrels between the two Chinefe Leaders, at length conquered them, and recover’d all the Cities they had loft. In the Weft another Chief of the Revolters, named Chang-hyen-chong, who feem’d to be a Demon in Human Shape, made of the Revof Havock wherever he came ; and after having exercifed all manner of Cruelties in the Provinces rns m the of Ho-nan, Kyang-nan, and Kyang-f, he turned his whole Fury againft the Province of e ‘' Se-chwen. He was good natured and affable to none but his Soldiers, with whom he made merry, and ,Jt ' y eat familiarly ; but to others he was exceeding barbarous. He put to Death the King of Ching- tii-jii, the Capital City, who was a Prince of the preceding Dynajly -, and if any Man com¬ mitted even the moft trifling Fault, he caufed all the People that lived in the fame Street to be kill’d. Five thoufand Eunuchs were (lain by his Orders, becaufe one of them had re¬ filled to give him the Title of Emperor. Having call’d ten thoufand Literati to an Exa¬ mination, as foon as they were affembled in the Hall appointed for their Compofitions, he caufed them all to be murder’d, on Pretence that by their Sophiftry and Arguments they ftirr’d up the People to rebel. Being about to depart from Ching-tu-fu, to go into the Province of Shen-fi he caufed all the Inhabitants to be brought out in Chains, and maifacred in the Fields (f). He alfo order d his Soldiers to kill their Wives, becaufe they were only Incumbrances in time of War ; and he fet them an Example by cutting the Throats of three hundred of his own, re- ferving only twenty to wait on the three Queens. In fhort he did not leave the Province of Se-chwen, till he had burnt the Capital and feveral other Cities. and attack the Tartars both by Sea and Land with great Succefs. The Tartars recover all again. * See before p. 91. (a) The Reader is not to imagine that Thomas Kyu, Luke Chin, Pan Achilles, and fuch like curious Names, are to be met with in the Chin s Annals; but that they have been inferted by the Miflionaries to do Honour to their Spiritual Converfions. (b) How comes it the Emperor has not his ChriJUan Name join’d to his Chinefe Name as well as others ? (+) Lt mas on this Oceajion.that feveral Children mere baptized hy PP« Bniglio ana Magalhaens. [P. Couplet relates what is more to the Purpofe ; That this Monfter having facrificed to the Devil, (a very Chrillian Expreflion) tmenty thoufandBonzas, wn account of one of that Order (who had formerly raifed a great Perfection againft the ChriJUan Converts) he boafted of it before thofe Fathers, faying: “ Thefe Men would have ‘‘ taken away your Lives, but the Lord of Heaven fent me to “ punilh them.” He feems, by taking his Commiffion for his Villainies and Murders from God, to have been originally a Jem: for there are Jems in China, as well as in other Coun¬ tries. P. Couplet adds, ‘‘ That he often praifed the Law of “ Chrifl, promifing, when he came to the Empire, to build z ‘‘ magnificent Temple to God (1). This I fancy fhould have been the Conflantine of China, as having fo near a Refemblance for Piety and Humanity to the Conftantine of Rqme. See more of this Monfter Vol. II. p. 13.] (1) P. Coupl. Monarch. Sink. Tabl. Chron. p. 96 The CHINESE Monarchs. Then entring Shn-fi, as he was preparing to engage the far tars, who were not far off, he wa Sj . . . • ■ ■? <•„_ .. *!«. Utile. nrvtn whirh he went immediately to view. 22 <> told that five Warriors were feen upon the Hills; upon which he went immediately to view T s 1 N G . them without putting on either his Helmet or Cuirals, but was lcarce got in fight of them, before he was ihol thro' the Heart with an Arrow. His Army difperfing after his Death, the Yc , r of People received the tartan as their Deliverers, and joyfully lubnntted to their Government. anji,6 a+. By this Time eleven Provinces being reduced under the Dominion of the tartar Monarch, there remained only five in the South in the Poffeffion or the Chine/c Emperor ; to fubdue E f „ orlllcl which three different Armies were lent by the Court. Accordingly Siege was laid, o he Ca- • pital of $uang-tong, which lafted a whole Ye. r, with great Loffes on both fide ; but at length Ft was tato, atd the Soldiers were allow'd to plunder it tor ten Days. They march d afterwards to SUu-king where Tong-lye kept his Court; but this Prince not having Forces fuffic.cnt to refill the Conqueror, retired fir ft to the Province of ^uang-fi and afterwards into that of 2 un-nan The next Year, which was the twenty eighth of the Cycle dy d , A met van, Unc.e andI GuliJian Guardian to Shun-chi. His Death was the more regretted as he had gam d the Efteem of dies> the Chinefe by his great Qualities and fvveet Difpohaon; m fliort, it is property he who fix d the tartar Family now Signing on the Throne. His Brother who had a .fina l Sovereignty, claim’d a right of fucceeding in the Gnardianflup of the young Emperor; but all the Giandeea Fppofed it, becaufe being now fourteen Years old, and marry'd to a Daughter of the Prince of the Weftern Tartars, they thought him capable of governing alone: they went fo far as to hang Government, up the Enfigns of their refpeflive Dignities at the Gates of their Palaces faying, that they ■would receive them from the Hands of Shun-chi only. It was then agreed that this Prince fhould affume the Government, which he did in a manner that foon gam'd him the Hearts ot the People ; inftead of (hutting himfclf up in his Palace, as the Cbineje Emperors ufed to do Shun-ch, ^ ^^ began his Reign by (hewing himfclf in public, and giving free Accefs to his Pei Ion He made , loLhangc no Alteration either in the Laws or Government of China , not even differing the Chmefe to m theWs. leafn the Tartarian Language, without a particular Licence. He preferved the fix Supreme Tri¬ bunals but would admit them no where, except at Pe-kmg, fo that thofe ot Nan-king were fuppreffed ; he alio order’d that there fhould be a tartar Prefident befides the Chineje. He continued to bellow the Government of Cities and Provinces only on the Literati-, and as the Safety or Ruin of the Empire depends on the Choice of proper Perfons to fall fuch important Polls, having been inform’d that tome Literati had bought the Suffrages of their Exa- Funilhes Cor miners, he condemn’d thirty fix of the latter to be beheaded, and order d the Literati to under- rup!io „ go a frefli Examinationjpardoning thofe whofe Qualifications intitled them to their Degrees, ut banill.’d the reft with their Families into tartar), which is at prefent the common Place of Exile for Offenders; and the Defign in peopling thefe vail Defats is, that the Children who are born here might more eafily contrad the Dilpofition and Manners of th s Tartars. ... , , This Prince had a fingular Affedion for P. Adam School,* nd always call d him Ma-fa which is a Term of Refped that fignifies, My Father-, he made him Prefident of the Tnbunal of the thematical Mathematics that he might reform the Chinefe Aftronomy, and expelld the Mohammedans, Tribunal, who had been in Poffeflion of it for three Centuries. He alfo permitted him to prelent his Peti¬ tions into his own Hands, without their paffing thro’ the Tribunals, according to Cuftom; which remarkable Favour contributed much to the Advancement of Religion, and foon after two fin Churches were built at Pe-king by the Authority and Protedion of the Emperor The thirty third Year of thf Cycle the firft Embaffy from the Czar of M. (a) arr.v d at Pe-kiim but it was not favourably received, becaufe the Ambaffador refufed to fubmit to t anJ Hs/W . C&Wf Ceremonies; nor was that which came from the Dutch more fuccefsful. The thirty fixth Year of the Cycle Ching-ching-kong, who til then contented him elf w h O-ggr making Incuifions, and plundering the Coaft of China, came and laid Siege - t0 ■ m d three thoufand Ships. A Chinefe, who was a young Man, oeing Vice-Roy of the City and Province a Council of War was held, and the tartar Chief declar’d, “ That confidenng ^ .< the multitude of Inhabitants, the City could not be defended, unlefs they were all deftroy d of the v ? ce _ ThisPropofalwas received with Horror £y the Vice-Roy, “ You muff begin this Butchery with Roy . “ me, (Lid he) if it be really fo that the City cannot otherwife be prelerved. This Anlwer ftoDt the tartar’s Mouth, and faved the Lives of the Citizens. On the twentieth Day of the Siege there was a great rejoicing in the Befiegers Camp on Ac- TheS.ege count ofthe^hrtr-DayLf their General, and the Feftival held three whole Days, winch were fpent in feafting and all manner of Diverfions; when the Belieged took this Opportunity to:Tally o P ut at Midnight with great Silence, and finding their Enemies overcome with Sleep and Win , “tack’dTern and deftroy'd near three thoufand, forcing the reft to fly in hade to their Sh.ps, and abandon their Camp, Baggage, and Provifions to the Conqueror. ... Ching-ching-kong feeking to repair this Lofs as foon as poffible, fail’d to ^J^ct^r Aa- Fleet and coming up with it, after an obflmate Fight, funk, and took feveral of t P > and having put the reft to Flight, cut off the Nofes and Ears of his Prifpners, which amounted to four thoufand, and then let them on Shore. As the tartar Soldiers could not bear the Si t of this difmal Spedacle, and their hideous Countenances were a conftant Mark ot their Defeat, they were all put to Death by the Emperor’s Order; as being culpable either for not conquering, or for not dying glorioully in Defence of their Country. (x) He is call'd in the Text, Hi Gnat Date »/ Moscow, according to the Cuftom in the laft Century. M m m Vol. I. After ANNALS of the is delivered up and ftrangled. 230 DYN. xxr. , A , f “ r t , his , V ‘ aor y>. Ching-ching-kmg begun to think of a Place of Retreat, and pitch’d upon Ts IN c. the Ifland of Formnja, which was potfefs’d by the Dutch ; he belieg'd it both by Sea and Land c£ucvu. Here 3 hfeftahlhhMlV 8 * the Balleg< ; d , were oblig’d to lhrrender for want of Provilions! Year of he dtabhlh d his Hew Dominion, but did not enjoy it long, for the following Year hedv’d Dr’ 8 80 ?' There now only remain’d Tong-lye, who, tho’ driven out of China and fled for Refuge to the Kingdom of Pegu, whichbordersontheProvii.ee of Tun-nan, hill kept cbinefi Em- the Title of Emperor, and confequently might be able to give feme Difturbance ; therefore the 7 ™ " , Colirt kn t { T C Tro °P. s WKh throning Letters to the King of Pegu, which enjoin’d him to dc- wer up the fugitive Prince Accordingly he was immediately furrender’d with his whole Family to the Tartan who carry d him to the Capital, where he was ftrangfed ; the two Queens, his Mother and Confort, were fent to Peking, and had each a feparate Palace, where they were honourably treated, and always perfevered in the Faith which they had embraced. 3 Shun-tbA , T , he lame Year > bem s the thlrt y eighth of the Cycle, proved fatal to the Emperor, occafioned Paflion for by his violent Love for the Wife of a young Tartar Lord, whom he had fom with the This Lady having informed her Husband of the Prince’s Solicitations, hegavlt In! ftruflions how to behave, which (he difclofed to her Lover, either thro’ Simplicity or Defizn Shw,-ch, who was entirely governed by hisPaffion, fent for this Lord, and under Pretence of foie Negledt m the Bufinefs of his Port, gave him a Box on the Ear; which Affront the Tartar took fo much to Heart, that he died of Grief the third Day after. The Emperor immediately marrying the Widow, made her Queen, and had a Son by her wliofe Birth was celebrated with great Magnificence ; but this Child dyed in three Months and his Mother followed him foon after to the Grave. The Emperor was inconfolable for this Lofs (w) and fign.fiecI by Ins Will, that thirty Men (hould kill themfelves [voluntarily] to appeafe her TvfV W re ch Cererao,, y the Chmi fi look u P on with Horror, and was abolifhed by the Care or his Succefior. J He ordered tire Grandees of the Court and Minifters of the Empire to go in Mourning for a Month, and the People for three Days, as if (he had been Emprefs. After the Body was burnt on a Funera Pile he gathered up the Alhes himfelf, and with Tears in his Eyes inclofed Grows fend them in a Silver Urn. He then devoted himfelf wholly to the Brnzas, and the Worfhip of their im™\o 7 the In "g es > wmch before he had treated with Contempt ; in (hort, in a few Days this Unhappy Pnnce was reduced to the laft Extremity, and his Life defpaired of. P. Adam (x) had often made mm itrong Remonftrances upon his Condudl, which the Prince look’d upon as the Effe6t of Ins Loye^but were unayadmg ; however feeing him in this melancholy Condition, here- folved to make a aft Effort. The Prince receiv’d him kindly, heard what he had to fay, forbid- ding him to kneel, made him drink Tea, and difmifled him. 3 After the Jefuit was gone, he ordered four Lords of the Court to draw near, and in their Pre¬ fence reproached himfelf for his Neglefls in the Government of his Dominions; for his Inzrati tude to thole who had ferved him faithfully ; for delpifing the Counfel of his Mother- for his Avarice and idle Expences rn vain Curiofities ; for his Affedion to the Eunuchs ; his inordinate 1 af ionTor the deceafed Queen, and the Afflidlion he had occafion'd to his People. After this he declared them Guardians of his youngeft Son Kang-hi, who was but eight Years old. Then cal¬ ling for the Imperial Mantle, he put it on, and ftirinking himfelf up in the Bed faid Now I leave you-, and expired the lame Inftant, about Midnight, aged twenty four Years. “r The next i y° rl ' i ng all the Bonzas were driven out of the Palace, and the Body of the Em- P eror ,na ° led 111 V™g"‘ficem Coffin : The Day after Kang-hi aicended the Throne and received the Homage of all the Grandees of the Empire. is inconfola ble for her Lott. His Death. KANG-HI, Second Emperor, reign cl Sixty Tears. K cl KG- HI, ad Emperor. Eunuchs dri¬ ven from the palace. H AV ln tbe Courfe of this Work, fpoken at large of the great Qualities and Merit off this Emperor, whole Name is refpetfted throughout the Eaft, and juftly regarded by all Europe ■ nothing remains in this Place but to relate the principal Events of his Reign in Chro¬ nological Order. The Empire was pretty free from Difturbances under the Adminiftration of the four Guardians ■ the firft Ufe they made of their Authority was in beheading the Chief of the Eunuchs, who had been the Author of many Misfortunes, and driving from the Palace four thoufand others, retaining only a thoufand to be employed in the meaneft Offices. Afterward an Eduft Was pubhthed, commanding all thofe who inhabited the Coaft of the fix Provinces on pain of Death, to leave their Dwellings, and to fettle themfelves three Leagues from the Sea’ In purfuance of which they demoliffied all their Cities, Forts, and Maritime Towns • and all Commerce by Sea was abfolutely prohibited. ’ By this Means, indeed, the Power of a formidable Enemy (v) who had made himfelf Matter of the Sea, was weakned, but then an infinite Number of Families, who lived by Fithing were reduced to Want. A great many Idol Temples and Churches were alfo deftroyed ; and the City of (ij P. Coupl. Monarch.Sin. Tab. Chron. p. 109. [w] Upon the firft News of their Death, he fnatched up a Sword and would have killed himfelf, if he had not been pre. vented by the Queen Mother and Eunuchs, (t) (x) That is, Adam Schaal, or Scaligsr , Prefident of the Tri¬ bunal of the Mathematics before mentioned. (y) This was Ching-Ching-^ong, or his Son mentioned before p. 229, of whom the Hillory has b^en already given, p. 9., & CHINESE Monarchs. 231 of Ma-lau would have ffiared the fame Fate, had it not been for the earneft Solicitations of P Adam [Schaal | who employed all his Credit to exempt it from the general Law. ’ X, 'V In Year f ° rty Tan &-i“ an g-fy en > one of the Literati, prel'ented a Petition to the Re- , gents, full of the moft horrid Calumnies againft [our] Religion and the Miffionaries ■ of whom Cv [xvu - P. Adam being look’d upon as the Chief, he and three of his Companions were loaded with cl’,7, mne Chains, and dragg’d before feveral Tribunals, where they underwent very long and mor- gWC tifymg Interrogatories, their Books of Devotion, their Beads, their Medals, (Sc. were look'd T he cinti- upon as fecret Marks, by which the Confpirators might know one another, and thefe Symbols of pcrfica- Chriftian Piety were ordered to be burnt: However it was forbidden to perfecute the Chrillians ted ' or to profane their Churches and their Images. The following Year P. Adam was condemned to be ftrangled ; but this Sentence was afterwards revoked, and they condemned him P s.iw to be cut while living into ten thoufand Pieces, which is the Punifhment for the moft atrocious Crimes. This Sentence was carried to the Princes of the Blood, and to the Regents, to be con- Dcath ' firm’d by them; but as often as they attempted to read it, a dreadful Earthquake difperfed the At fembly. The Confternation was fo great, that they granted a general Pardon and all the is P art L tle( b Priloners were releafed except P. Adam-, who was not let at Liberty till a Month afterwards ? nd ,he *? if - when the Royal Palace was confumed by the Flames. All the Miffionaries except four re- 5 '“ tamed at Court, were baniffied to Kan-ton , among whom were three Dominican Fryars one Francifcan, and twenty one Jefuits. The 15th of Auguft, in the fame Year, Adam Scbaal died at the Age offeventy years forty :ven of which he fnent in the. Lahrmru nf on T _ J r. \ , feven of which he fpent in the Labours of an Apoftolical Life, The° Emperor aftervvards^e- dared him innocent, and honoured him with an Elogium, and feveral Titles [which he formerly cnjoy’d.j The forty third Year of the Cycle happened the Death of So-ni, the Chief of the four Re ? rare T r f gents; when the young Emperor, taking the Government into his own Hands, foon raifed Hopes ““ment of that glorious Reputation which he acquired in the Sequel cf a Reign, the moft flouriffiing that ever was. 6 Su-ka-ma, who had the greateft Credit of the four Regents, and who was the more danger- Chiefo f the ous as he was a more fecret Enemy of Chriftianity, had twenty Articles of Accufatidn brought againft him. His Effedts were confifcated, he was loaded with Irons, and condemned to die “ D “ th ' moft torturing Death -, but the Emperor mitigated the Rigour of his Sentence, and he was only ftrangled ; feven of his Children or Grand-children were beheaded, and his third Son was cut into many Pieces. In the forty fifth Year of the Cycle, an Ambaflador from the King of Portugal came to Court, who was received with Honour, and contributed not a little to efta bum his Nation in the Poffeffion of the City of Ma-kau. The Year following P. Ferdinand Verbieft was ordered by the Emperor to examine and fet p - down in Writing, all the Faults of the Chinefe Kalendar made by Tang-qUanp-l'ten • who had reform s the fucceeded in P. Adam [Sehaah] Place, and had fet the Grandees, the Bonis Id Mohammedans Waf ^ againft the Chriftian Religion. The Faults being very many and enormous, Tang-quanr-den was deprived of his Office* degraded of his Honours* and even condemned to Death ■ However the Emperor was content to baniffi him into his own Country, but before he could reach it he died of a peftilential Ulcer, (d) Pere Verbief 'was then made Prefident of the Tribunal of the Mathematics, being in great Mad. P™&. Llteem with the Emperor, to whom he taught thofe Sciences for five Months He took this dentof tfie Opportunity to prefer,t a Petition to that Monarch, wherein he detefted the Calumnies that cal Sf had been raifed againft the Chriftian Law, and the Injuftice which had been done, under Colour of his Authority, to toe Preachers thereof. Seven Days were fpent in examining this Petition in a general Affembly of the Mandarins, after which it was declared, That the Chriftian Law The Million taught nothing that was evd, or tending to Sedition; and the baniffied Miffionaries were L. SS recalled by an Imperial Decree, forbidding them however to build any more Churches and the Chinefe to embrace their Religion. J In the fiftieth Year of the Cycle, TJ-fan-ghey, who had introduced the Tartars into the Em¬ pire to deftroy the Rebels, began to think of delivering his Country from their Yoke. The Mnneror invited him t-n Pnurf. hit hlo Ar tt .,, ,, “ U P Emperor invited him to Court j but his Anfwer to the Deputies was,'“ That he would not go a™ s “againft thither, unlels in the Company of eighty thoufand Men", and prefently after made known his the T “ r “ r ‘- Delign. He had already made himfelf Matter of the Provinces of Tun-nan, Se-chwen, Shtey-chm and part of Hu-quang ; and, which is a Mark of the Imperial Authority, had fent the Chinefe Kalendar to the Princes his Neighbours and among the reft to the King of Tong-king. But they all refilled to receive it, and fent it back to the Emperor, who caufed the eldeft Son of U-fan-gbey, then at Court to be be eaded Soon after the Kings of Fo-kyen and %uang-tong revoked, and were joined by thePrince Other K ;„, of Formoja ; fo that the Tartars would have had no Chance for it, if all thefe Princes had adted in concert, in behalf of the common Liberty ; but they were divided by Jealoufies The Prince loon&Uout ' of Formofa thinking himfelf not treated with due Honour by the King of Fo-kyen declared War againft him, defeated him in feveral Battles, and forced him to fubmit to the Tartan The King of ^ uang-tong , for a like Reafon of Difcontent, broke the Treaty which he had made with (d; The Author doubtlefs would have it imagined that thefe ka-ma and Yang quanr-fien ; as he exDreflv intimni* r k 1 ^ kif « rtancs or Punithments, were Judgments which befel Si- imputing them' as the Work of God. P See Vol.Il! zyz ANNALS of the Emperor. Dreadful Earthquake. w'nh V-fan-ghey, and put his Province into the Hands of the Emperor; who feat l'everal Armi*, DYN.XXIT. „ de d by Tartarian Princes, into the Provinces ot Hu-quang,Chc-kyang T S -LL j Suanx-tonx and ^ang-ft, to reduce the reft that refufed to acknowledge his Authority. How- V r^AXVfin-ghey dy d in the fifty fix* Year of the Cycle, being very aged, and h,s youngeft Cv v L " '■ f 1 ’ Son tiom-wba was proclaim’d Emperor. , _ , , , ,, „ p ,■ The fecond of September, in the fame Year, a dreadful Earthquake happen d atWj, thereby a great many Palaces and Temples, with the Towers and WaUs of tte City were over "'a—, thrown" which bury’d upwards of four hundred Perfons under the Ruins. More than t y WWUm *ouInd perififd inV Neighbouring City of Tong-cheiu, and as the Shocks were time to time for three Months, the Emperor, the Princes, and the Nobility qm-ted they 1 a... e. “. an d dwelt in Tents; on this Occafton the Emperor was exceeding liberal nr relieving his Suty-dte. Palace burnt. j n tde Month of the fame Year the Imperial Palace was all in f lames, and in a ew .on was reduced to Alhes j it is faid that the Lofs amounted to 2,850,000 Taels _ . Four Days after this Fire the Emperor fet out to take the D.verfion of Hunting at his Plea- fure Houle i and perceiving at a Diftance the magnificent Monument which his Tatlier had erefted for the lal \ Chinefe Emperor, he went to it, and having proftrated himfelf to the Ground and burnt Perfumes: “ You know', O great Emperor, (faid he, ftedd.ng Tears) that it was. not “ we but your rebellious Subjedfs, who were the Caufe of your Death. Ahho’ the King of the Province of $uang-long had fubmitted to the Tartars , yet Con¬ duit was not the lefs fufpedted at Court ; becaufe he had an enterprifing Spirit and was very powerful by the Trade, which, notwithftanding the Emperor's Prohibition, he con inued to carry ^ by Sea with the Spaniards and Dutch. The fifty feventh Year of the Cycle he received 0 ,dere to march againft the Rebels of the Province of iuang-fi with his Army ; which Ik g divided into feveral Bodies, as Occafion required, he was artfully prevailed on to return to Palace • where a lew Days after two Lords of the Court arrived, who, on the ninth of Oitober, early in the Morning, presented him with a filken Halter, and the Emperor s Order to ftrangle himfelf One hundred and twelve of his Accomplices, among whom were three of his Biot , were beheaded ; and his great Riches divided amongft his other Brothers, whereof one wi EmceroPS Son-in-Law. (*) The Year following the King of Fo-kyen, whom the Tune of Ins Revolt had mal-treated the Mandarins, who were faithful to the Emperor, was put to Death, and his Body caft to the Dogs; his Brothers too, tho’ innocent, were beheaded. Mean time the Tartars having taken the Capital of Tun-nan ^ong-wha, who had teen^ de¬ clared Emperor, prevented the Punifhment defign’d for him, by killing himfelf. The Bones o hU Fath vU-faJhey were dug up, and carry’d to Peking; where feme of them were expofed with Marks of ifftmy on Stakes, in feveral Places, the reft reduced to Afires, and Matter d in th AH c^r, W i?he fifty ninth Year, the Emperor, having happily fubdued the duced by the d e ftabli*'d Peace throughout the Empire, determined to viht his own Country and t Tombs Of his Anceftors; accordingly he fet out for Ea/hrn Tartary the thud of March, ac- company'd by the Prince his Heir, his three Queens, the great Lords and principal wi*an Army of about feventy thoufand Men: He likewife ordered Pere Verbal to attend him Tnd to be always near his Perfon during the journey. In the fixtieth Year, which was the laft of 1 . 1 1 1 C- —_I Til.. n* .-a Cn infrx LIZ>>Itprn T/ The Kings Vf tong find Fo- kyen put to Death. Hong-whet kills himftlf. Emperor’s and t0 be always near his Perfon during the Journey in tne nxtieu a£"“J ” Jourmesmto h c j he made a fecond Progrefs into IVeJIern Tartary, with a greater > , + , Tanary. [ IT _fKpfr Innrnevs every Year into that Country (+), e a fecond rrogreis into ncjicrn ...... - . . - , + . numerous Army. He continued to make thefe Journeys every Year into that Country (+), where he fpent feveralMonths in theExercife of Hunting. The thud kear of the " e L Lg % W* tor- kc-fan, the Grandfon of the famous Pirate, who had taken the Ifland of Fbrmfacom rendr.d. was obliged to furrender it to the Emperor, and repair to Pe-king, w rere &ttx»E C °The fifth Year^the PP. Gerhillm and Pereyra had.Orders from thetEmperor to accompany Year of Q^\ ne Q Plenipotentiaries into Tartary, who went to fettle wit // ° Chinch profound Peace, which was owing to the Wifdom and ^ Ahffiries of rfifter of the , Emperor The indefatigable Application of this Prince to all tl " 5 , . ^ Equf t ; a P nd Penetration in thl ChoicTof proper Perfons to fill the pnnc.pa Place, Frugality and Averfion to Luxury with refpedt to ms own Perfon, joi Forwardnefs Magnificence with reference to the Public ; his Tendernefs for h.s to relieve them ; his Steadinefs in maintaining the Laws m their fu , U ^"lolute Dominion Watchfulnefs over the Condud of his Vice-Roys and Governors; and the abfolute Dominion which he had over himfelf; all thefe put together kept up a perfeft Sufc bersof this vaft Empire, without which there commonly is nothing but Trouble and Loniuito (*) [Ttnuarefs the End of this Year the Auftin Frytzrs landing fafel, at Ma kau, from the Philippine IJles, entred China.] (+) T ,?e f ourth ^ ear °f the C J cle ' Febr - 7 ’f- ve new MiJJionaries, who were all French Jefuits, arriv'd at Pe-king, having left Brelt in March 1685. See Vol. IT. p. 17, iS.] ( 4 ) His View in thefe Vifits was, to keep his Troops in Exercife to harden them with Fatigue, and prevent their growing ctemHMUe by the Deliceciet of Chtna; tn well «, by W«S the Magnificence of his Court, and the Vhltaefs of hi. Power, to make his Authority on the one Hand formidable to the tar Princes his SubieAs, and on the other, by his perfonal Afta bility and Beneficence, to make it amiable. (if) [The thirtieth Tear of the Cycle , 1710, Jfv Lord, tic Car dinal de Tournon, Jpofolical Legate, dy d at Ma-kau.] CHINESE Monarchy. 233 being inftrufted in the European Sciences, viz. Geometry, Algebra, Natural Phihfiphy, AJlro- nomy, Phyfic and Anatomy. The Peres Gerbillon, Bouvet, and Thomas, for feveral Years com- pofed their Leftuies in the Tartarian Language, and explained them to him twice a Day, ei- s \ thei at Peeking, oi his Pleafuie-Houle. It was' his Will alio that Pere Gerbillon ihould attend W t-^Ift. on him in all his Journey into Tartary. cm\Is As the Chrijliau Religion was only tolerated in China, it was not fecure againft Perfecution in Jr M 3 ' the Provinces. In that of Che-kyang there arofe a very cruel one ; whereupon the Jefuitsprefented a Petition to the Emperor, and after great Oppofnion from the Tribunals, they at length, by the,f„cS°l Protection of the Prince Bo-Jan, a Relation ot the Emperor, obtained a Decree which fpoke in Commendation of it, and permitted its free Exercile throughout the Empire. This Decree, was Popery tole- obtained in the ninth Year of the Cycle, ot Chrilt 1692, and in the thirty-firft of the Reign “JmCii- of Kang-hi, who confirmed it the twenty fecond of March, and caufed it to be publilhed Coon after in all the Provinces. The twenty-fixth Year ot the Cycle was remarkable for a very uncommon Event -, the Empe- Emperor Sc ror s fecond Son, who was appointed his Heir, and almofl his Equal in Dignity, was all of a fud- poles his den depofed, and loaded With Irons, his Children and principal Officers being involved in his ^ lr ' Difgrace. Likewife an Allrologer, who had predicated, that it this Prince was not Emperor in fuch a Year he never would, was condemn'd to be cut in a thoufand Pieces. The public Ga¬ zettes were filled with Inveftives againtt the Prince, whole Actions were canvas’d from his very Infancy. 1 Soon after it appeared that he was innocent, and that his eldelt Brother, to render his Loyalty Who is re. fufpecfted, had recourle to Magick, and divers Delultons, by the Alliltance of certain Lama s ' t ' 1 c ' 10 who were skill’d in Sorcery. Thefe Lama’s were put to Death, the eklcft Son condemn'd to perpetual Imprifonmem, and the Prince his Brother re-eftablifhed in the Quality of Heir. Publick Rejoicings were ( made on this Occafion, and a Comedy was afted tor fome time, taken fiom a Paifage in ancient Hiftory, that alluded to this Event. But this Retloration was not laft- deprived ing, for afterwards he was deprived of the Title and Privileges of his Rank, for real Confpira- cies againft his Father. r The thirty-fevemh(a) Year of the Cycle, 1717, a Tfmg-ping, or Mandarin of War, whofeName A „ was Chjn-mau, prefented a Petition to the Emperor, full of Invecftives and Calumnies againft preveS"" the Cbrijhan Religion, and the Preachers thereof; under the Ipecious Pretence of Watchful-^ rowt ^°^ nefs over the publick Tranquillity, which, he faid, was ready to be difturbed at Home by the Popery ' Mifiionarjes and their Diiciples, and from Abroad by the Europeans, who trade to China. They were aftomfhed when they found that this Petition was lent to the Tribunals to be examined, and that the Emperor confirmed their Sentence, which revived two Decrees : one of the eighth Year o £ Kang-hi, which prohibits the building of Churches and embracing the Chrijtian Religion; the other ot the forty fifth Year, obliging every European to receive an Imperial Patent, wherein fhall be mentioned his Country, the Religious Order he is of, the Time he has been in China, and the Promife to be made by him never to return to Europe any more. Father Parennin, with two other Miflionaries, went and threw themfclves at the Emperor’s Feet; but he c )uld get no other Anfwer, than that none were prohibited to preach their Law but thofe who had not received the Patents. The Year following the Emperors Mother dy’d, on the eleventh of "January, and the whole Great Empire went into deep Mourning for upwards of forty Days. The Mandarins, and even the Mourning . Sons of the Emperor, went to fleep in the Palace without putf'ng off their Cloaths : All the f ° r r0 ' h ,'*“- Mandarins on Horfeback, with white Garments and a fmall Train, went for three Days to- cher. gether to perform the ufual Ceremonies before the Tablet of the deceafed Emprcfs. The Tribu¬ nals were (hut up during the Mourning, and red Silk was prohibited, fo that none wore either it or any other Ornament in their Caps. The fame Year the Emperor was attacked with a Dlf- Hedefigr, temper, which gave a general Alarm; efpecially becaufe his Delign was to fet afide his own Chil- “ choole a dren, and choofe for his Succeffor a Prince of the Dynafly of the Twen, of whom there ftill re- mained more than athoufand. On this Occafion one of the chief Ma?idarins caufed his Son to pre- Fami] y- lent a Memorial, wherein he refpeCtfully (hewed, of how great Importance it was to the Repofe ot the Empire to appoint his fecond Son the inheriting Prince. The Emperor, incenfed at this Remonftrance, pardon’d him who prefented it, becaule it was done in Obedience to his Father, ut gave Oideis that the Father Ihould be put to death. This Example of Severity flopt the Mouths of ail the Grandees, who durft not fpeak of a Succeflor any more. Year of the Cycle, 1720, the Court received the agreeable News of a compleat Tibet, cone. Victory gain d by the Chinefe Troops over Tje-vang Paptan, King of the E/uths, who pofielled a * uered * the Country of the Lamas, and ravaged it for four Years together; by which Means Tibet fell into the Hands of the victorious Army. Though this Conqueft was far enough from the Con- fines of China, yet it was of great Confequence, becaufe the Emperor had the finilhing of this War much at Hearty and all the Grandees congratulated him upon it. feventh of June the fame Year, an Earthquake happened at Pe-king at nine in the Eart M uak€ Morning, which lafted two Minutes. The Shock began again the next Day at half an Hour after at Pek,T! Z' leven in the Evening, and continued about fix Minutes, nothing being heard in the City but confuted[Cries and Shrieks; at length it ceafed for the prefent, tho’ ten Shocks more were felt in the Night but not fo violent as the former. At break of Day the Calamity did not appear fo , * N n n great (a) It Ihould be the 34 th Year of the Cycle, fuppofing the 37th Year of the Cycle. Year of Cbnft to be right; fo the Year 1720, anfwers to the 7 2 34 Rebellion in Forrnofa, death cf K..,, L- 1 foti'-Cbivv, 3 j Emperor; difpleafed with Tome of his Brothers. Di fa (Fells the Miflionaries, The Manda¬ rins petition sgaiflit them. ANNALS of the „eit as was apprehended, there being but a thoufind Perfons crulh’d to death in Pt-king Fv r as the Streets are generally broad, they could place themfelves out of the Reach of the falling Houles ; for twenty Days after feme flight Shocks were perceived from time to time. The twenty fecond of November, a Ruffian Ambaflador made his public Entry into Pe-kwg, with much Pomp and Magnificence ; having almofl: a hundred Perlons in his Retinue molt of them richly drefs’d after the European Faftiion. The Gentlemen, who rode on each Side the Ambaffador, had drawn Swords in their Hands, which was a Sight both new and extraordinary, mv Lord Mezzabarba, the new Legate from his Hohnels, who came from Lisbon in a lortu- S uefe Ship, arrived at Pe-king , and was received by the Emperor with Diftindtion. After leveral Audiences he took his Leave, in order to return to Europe, to give the Pope an Account of what the Emperor had faid to him, promifing to return to China as foon as poihble He was con¬ duced to Kan-ton, where he ftayed but four or five Days, and from thence to Ma-kau, with all the Honour due to his Perfon and Dignity. _ , _ , The Year following, the Ifland of Formofa in a few Months threw off the Emperor s Yoke, but was Toon obliged to return to its Obedience. The Chincj'e Inhabitants affifted by thofe of Fo- hen and Kew-mi had killed all the Mandarins, except one who efcaped, and put all the Impe¬ rial Troops to the Sword. When the News was fpread at Pc-king, the Revolt was imputed to the Dutch . (who had certainly no Hand in it) doubtlefs on Account of that Averlion which the ’chinefe have to all Strangers, and with defign to render the Europeans odious. But there were great Rejoycings foon after, when they came to know that the Imperial Troops, lately fent thither, having entred the Capital, had cut in Pieces one Party of the Rebels, except¬ ing their Chief, who fled into the Mountains, and that the reft were intirely difperied. ' The forty fecond Year of the Cycle, 17 22 ( a), in December, the Emperor, diverting himfelf with hunting the Tygcr in his Park of Hay-t/e, was feized with a Chilnefc and immediately gave Orders to thole that were with him to return to his Pleafure-Houfe. This fudden Return fur- prifed his whole Attendance, who foon were acquainted with the Caufc, his Blood being coagu- 11 ted lb that no Remedy could do him any Service. Perceiving himfelt near his End, heat lembled all the Grandees, and declared his fourth Son his Succelfor. He expired the twentieth of December, about eight in the Evening, aged fixty nine Years, and the fame Night his Body was conveyed to Pe-king. YONG-CHING, Third Emperor, now reigning. J -\ H E Day after the Death of Kang-hi, the new Emperor afeended the Throne, about five in the Morning, in the forty fifth Year of his Age, affuming the Name of Tong-Ching, which ramifies lifting Peace (b) ; and was acknowledged by all the Princes, the Grandees, and the Mandarins belonging to the Tribunals. As foon as he came to the Crown he lhew’d feme Dill.itisfii&ion againfl: fome of his Brothers, efpecially the ninth, condemning him to refund large Sum , which he pretended were unlawfully acquir’d in his Father’s Reign, and banilhed him ; nt o Durian-, where he died foon after his Arrival of the Flux, as the Gazettes gave out. He afterwards recalled to Pe-king, his fourteenth Brother, who commanded the Chinefe Army; his eighth' and tenth fell like wife under his Difpleafure ; nor had any of them his entire Confidence, except the thirteenth, to whom he communicated all the Affairs of State. At the fame Time he imprifoned or banilhed leveral Princes and Lords; many of whom proteded the Miflionaries, - nd by lb doin'- favoured Chriftianity. Whether this Prince hath not the fame 1 afte for the Sciences as his Father, or that he feeks Occafion to dilmifs the Miflionaries, they have as yet received but few Marks of his Benevolence, contenting himfelf with letting them live in quiet. On- Italian Jefuit onlv, an excellent Painter, is employed in the Palace. If he has given a new Tide of Honour to Father Kegler, Prefident of the Tribunal of the Mathematics, it was not from any favourable i nclinations to our Religion but only with a V lew that he might appear with De¬ cency in his Prefence, efpecially on certain Days of Ceremony. In his Application to Affairs of St atc he is indefatigable and affiduous, Heady and refolute; always ready to receive Memorials, anti to anfwer them. He governs intirely by himlelf, infbmuch that there never was a Monarch more abfclute, or more to be dreaded. He was prejudic’d againft the Europeans from the firft Year of his Reign, by means of feveral Petitions prefented to him by the Literati, remonftrating ; That thefe Foreigners had deceived the- kite Emperor, who had loft much Reputation, in condefcending to let them fettle in the Pro¬ vinces^ that they had built Churches where ever they came, and that their Law made a very fwift Pro°refs; that the Chinefe Chriftians acknowledged no other Dodtors, and that in trouble- fome Times they followed none but their Diredtions, i$c. Thefe bad Impreffions were ftrengthened by a public Petition addreffed to the Emperor by the Djmg-tu of Fo-kyen; wherein, after fpecifying what important Reafons there were for prohibiting Chrfjliamty throughout his Dominions, he befought him, both for the Repofe of the Empire, J and (a) The Year 1722, was the 39th of the Cycle, (b) P. dll Ealde tells us elfewhere what more properly comes in here : that Kav.g bi t a few Hours before his Death, named this Prince his Succeffor, who took the Name of Yong-ching, which fignifies firm Peace, or indijjbluble Concord. That he is witty and fpeaks well, but fometimes too fail, and without giving Time for any Reply; which fome think he affefls, to prevent hear¬ ing any Reafons that might induce him to change his Reio- lutions when they arc once fixt. CHINESE Monarch s. 233 and the Good of the People, to order the Strangers to be fent out of the Provinces, either to DyN ^ Court or to Ma-kau, and that their Temples might be put to other Ufes. r s in g. This Petition was referr’d to the Tribunal of Rites to determine wliat was to bedbhe: whofe Sen- tence ivas, to keep at Court th eEuropeans that are already there; to bring thither thole fromthe^^' Provinces that might be ufeful ; to fend the reft to Ma-kau ; to convert their Temples to public CMji .684. ufes ■ and ftridly to prohibit their Religion, This Sentence of the Tribunal was confirm'd by the Emperor, to which he only added; That the Vice-Roys of the Provinces fhould allow them r ;„ a Mandarin’ to conduit them to the Places appointed, and prated them from any Infults. The the! ^ Miffionaries beftirr’d themfelves heartily by means of their Friends, and cfpecially the Emperor’s g" thirteenth Brother, but to no Purpofe ; all the Favour they could obtain was, to be convey’d to Kan-ton inftead of Ma-kau , nor were they allow’d to ftay there, but on Condition they gave no Caufe of Complaint. By Virtue of this folemn Edift, which was publifh’d throughout the Empire, the Miflionanes TheChur- were driven from their Churches, and tolerated no where but at Pe-king, and Kan-ton. Upwards^ of three hundred Churches were either demolifh’d or converted to profane Ufes; and more than three hundred thoufand Chrijiians, depriv’d of their Pallors, faw themfelves deliver’d up to the Rave of Infidels. There was then, and Hill is, every Method employ’d that a prudent Zeal can in- fpire, to re-animate, as often as poffible, the Faith of thole leveral Communities, and keep them ftedfaft in it. This Edid was fcarcely publifh’d, when the Emperor let fall the whole weight of his Anger and Indignation upon an illuilrious and numerous Family which had embraced the Faith. The v °“ of ™‘ = Head of this Family is a Prince of the Blood, defeended from the eldeft Brother of the Founder of Royal Fami- the'prefent Dviajly, whom, without any regard to his Dignity, his old Age, or his important Ser- vices to the State, he banifh’d into Partary, together with his .Children; being no lefs than eleven Princes befides fixteen Princeffes, who were marry’d to Mongol Princes, or Mandarins of Pe¬ king. All thefe Princes and Princeffes, who had each a numerous Family, were degraded from their Rank, and allow’d no other Abode than a defart Place in Partary, where they were clofely confin’d, and guarded by Soldiers. This venerable old Man was feen fetting out for the Place of his Exile, with his Children and Grand-Children, to the Number of thirty feven, without reckoning the Wives and Daughters, who were near as many j and about three hundred Domefticks of both Sexes, the greater^Part of whom were baptized. All thefe Difgraces not beinv able to fhake their Conftancy, the Princes were brought back to Pe-king in Waggons, loaded all the Way with nine Chains; there undergoing feveral Interrogatories, they were promifed to be reflorcd to their former Dignities if they would renounce their Faith, but were threatned with more dreadful Tortures if they refufed. Thefe Methods proving ifteffedual, they were condemn’d to die by the Tribunals ; But the Emperor changed this Punifhment into perpetual Confinement. Accordingly fome were (hut up in clofe Prifons, where three dy’d merely thro’ Hardfhips; the reft; were di’fperfed in the Provinces, to end their Days in obfeure Dungeons, under a Load of Irons. The Ambaffadors of Portugal and Piijpa, who were then at the Court of Pi-king, were Admirers of the Conftancy and Intrepidity of thefe Illuftrious Confeffors of Jtfus Chrijl. How little foever this Prince appear’d to favour our Religion, which yet he could not but efteem, we cannot avoid praifmg his unweary’d Application to Bufinefs ; For he employ’d his Emperor. Thoughts Night and Day to eftablifh a wife Form of Government, and procure the Happinefs of his Subjects. The way to gain his Favour is to prefent him fome Scheme tending to benefit the Public, and comfort the People, upon which he immediately refolves, and puts it in Execution, without fparing any Expence. He hath made feveral fine Regulations to honour Merit, and reward Virtue, to raife an Emulation among Hufbandmen, and to relieve his Subjeds in Years of Sterility. Thefe excellent Qualities have in a very fhort time gain’d him the Refped and Love of all his Subjedls. The fiftieth Year of the Cycle, 1730(c), the Emperor’s thirteenth Brother, who (hard with Extraorfina- him the Burthen of Affairs, dy’d the nineteenth of June, of a languiftiing Diftemper, being worn away meerly by his- exceffive Application. The Emperor was fo inconfolable for his Lofs, his daxafet that it even prejudiced his Health. He caufed extraordinary Honours to be paid to this Prince, Brothers, which he was pleafed to account for to the Public by frequent Declarations; wherein he inti¬ mated how defirous he was that all the V/orld fhould ihare in his Grief, and affift at his Funeral, without Diftindtion of Rank, giving leave both to Great and Small to honour the Deceafed in their own way, either byPrelents or Encomiums. He added neverthelels, that he would conftrain no”body and "that thole who did not think this Prince deferved fuch Honours were at Liberty not to pay them; yet at the fame time he appointed Officers to take Notice of all thofe who per¬ form’d this Duty, and to give him an account of them daily. His Body was expoled in the great Pirn where none were admitted but the Princes of the Blood. Before the firft Gate of the Palacethere is a great Court, in the middle of which a Hall was ereded, made of Matts, with a Throne-in it for the Deceafed was not only a Rogulo of the firft Order, but had alfo the Title of Sue-vangot King-, and before this Throne ftoodafmall Table, upon which were only two Candlefticks and a Perfuming-Pan. The Entrance into the Hall was by a Folding-Door, which was opened as often as the Officers of the Tribunal came in their turns to pay their Reverence, a fet Number entring at a time. At firft they flood upright behind the Tables, placed on the fide of the Hall ; then kneeling down, they made fix feveral Proftrations, giving a deep Groan all together, and fo filently withdrew ; being fucceeded by others, who perform’d the fame & * Ceremonies (c) The Year 1730 was the 47th of the Cycle. 236 Ceremonies. Its lingular Courfe. ANNALS of the DYN XXII. “• Some time after the Body was carry’d to a Palace built on purpofe, above half a TSJN c . League from he City, where thole Rues were repeated; and here the Maminas of the City c^Lxviu. Honours. W ^° e ^ erc ^ an,s > and the meaner fort of People went to pay him the lad ?’££'+■ 1 ? ne „ hU r ndrCd f DayS a /‘A this be wascarry-d to another Place, prepared in the fame manner where belay the fame fpace ot Time. In fhort, there were live feveral Stations, of an hundred Davs each where the lame Ceremonies were obferv’d ; and then he was convey'd to the Pl-ce of hh Sepulchre, which the Emperor had cauled to be prepar'd, being four Lc-unu, 1„ '<■ ' , rence^ The Mandarin.s of the Provinces either came to perform this Rite themfelves, or deputed their Sons 1,1 their dead ; afterwards they cauled Monuments to be railed in their refneffive Diftrufts, which contain the greateft Elogmms on the illuftrious Deceafed. Tire Emperor had his Name placed m the Hall of Emperors; a very extraordinary Diltinction, and which is never confer; d on private Perlons, but when they have render'd the mold important Services to the State faXUr • Soon after the Emperor cauled his third Brother to be arrefted, andclofely imprifon'd ; but k Vifon’J- ,S not ( . k " OWn what occalion’dhis Dtfgrace, which has even reach'd his Family, who are inti elv out of Favour, and degraded trom their Rank and Dignities. 7 Earthquake. ° n th p thirteenth of November, the Year following, being 1731, the City of Pe-hng wasalmoft overturn d by an Earthquake, the mold extraordinary that ever afflided China. The fir ft Shocks which happen d a little before eleven in the Morning, were fo very firdden and violent that tliev were not perceived but by the dreadful Noife made by the falling of the Houfes and Buildings One would have lmagin J that they had been blown up in the Air by a general Mine and tb-t the Earth had open d under Foot; for in lefs than a Minute upwards of a hundred' thoufand Inhamtants were bury’d in the Ruins, and a (dill greater number in the Country, where whole Towns were intirely deftroy d. ; What is Angular in this Earthquake is, that it was not equal throughout the Line of its Courfe; for in iome Places it made great Devaldations, and feem'd to Ikip over others where th- Shocks were but (lightly felt. Nothing could refill two Shocks fo hidden and contrary to each other; and where the refilling Matter was mod folid, there the Effeds were moll violent This was follow u by twenty three other fmaller Shocks in lefs than twenty four Hours. The Emperor was then at his fine Pleafure-Houfe two Leagues from Peking, which was in- (lantly reduc d to fuch a miferable Condition, that to repair it will require an immenfeSum of Money He was taking the Air in a Bark upon a Canal, which runs thro' his Gardens, when im- mediately falling proftrate, he lifted his Hands and Eyes towards Heaven. Afterwards he publilh'J an Ed,d, wherein he accufed himfelf; attributing this Evil to the Wrath of Heaven for his Of- fences, and to his want of Care in governing the Empire. This Prince appear’d very fenfible of the Afflidionof his People, and commanded feveral Of- ficers to make a Till of the demohffi’d Houfes, and to enquire what Damage each Family had fultaind, advancing feveral confiderable Sums towards their Relief. The Miffionaries at Pe king partook ot his Liberality ; for he admitted them to Audience, where he receiv’d them kindly and gave them a thoufand Taels towards repairing their Churches. The fifty lecond Year of the Cycle, 1732 (a), the Miffionaries, who were ten Years before driven from the Provinces, and bamlh’d to Kan-ton , were now forced from Kan-ton to Ma-kau (a little City belonging to the Portuguese, but where notwithftanding the Chine, /e are Mailers! being allow d but three Days to prepare for their Journey, and to carry away their Goods The only Reafon given for inch hard Ufage was, that they had difobey'd the Emperor's Order in preaching the Chrijltan Law. r * The twentieth of Augujl they embark’d to the number of thirty, under the Convov of four Galleys and two Mandarins. When they came to Ma-kau , the Mandarins caufed their Do meltics, and the Cbn/hans , who had follow’d the Miffionaries, to land alfo, and fent them back loaded with Irons to Kan-ton ; where, after being dragg’d in an ignominious Manner before feveral Tribunals, lome were call into Pnfon, others receiv'd the Ballonado, and others were condemn'd to carry the Kan-gbe for a Month or two. They all confefs’d openly the Name of Chri/l and gave public Tetfimony to the Truth and Holinefs of their Religion, (b) Thefe are the moft remarkable Tranfattions hitherto under this Emperor, who is now in the c t r n f r h !n R , ei S n > and g° verns bis vaft Dominions with an abfolute Authority • fo that here I mult ninth the Fafli [or Annals] of this great Monarchy. Emperor’s Liberaliry The Miffio¬ naries expel led to Mo - kau. and their followers punilh’d. (a) The Year 1732 was the 49th of the Cycle. (b) Since this was written Yong-ching dy’d in 1736. and the Miffionaries are in hopes of being reftored; but methinks with¬ out any real Grounds. For fince they acknowledge they found numbers of few and Mohammedans in China, on their firft Ar¬ rival,but no ChriJUans ,notwithftanding their being fo numerous, as they pretend, in former Ages, and that feveral Emperors rhemfelves embraced the Faith, how can they hope for better Succefs now l And indeed it feems almoft impoffible that tho Romijh Religion ffiould ever gain firm footing in that Country ■ confidermg how very averfe the Mandarins in general ('with the reft of the Followers of Confucius) are to it, as looking on it to be the counterpart of the Religion of the Bonn's or Lama's-. who, by their Arts to delude and fleece the People; by their pre¬ tended Revelations and Miracles ; by their recommending a Monaftic Life to both Sexes ; and efpecially by their praying to Saints, and ufe of Images in Religion, have been odious to them in ail Ages, as appears from the foregoing Annals. Antiquity and Extent OF THE CHINESE MONARCHY *S HINA has this Advantage over all other Nations, that for more than four thou- "1 f an d Years it has been almoft conftantly governed by its own Princes; and has continued the fame, with regard to the Attire, Morals, Laws, Cuftoms and Manners of the Inhabitants, without deviating in the leatt from the wile Inftitutions of its ancient Legiflators. ■ As the Inhabitants find within themfelves every thing that is neceffary for . the Conveniences and Pleafures of Life ; fo judging their native Soil diffident to fupply all their Wants, they have ever affedted to carry on no Commerce with the reft of Mankind. This Ignorance of diftant Countries led them into the ridiculous Perfwafion that they were Mailers of the whole World ; that they inhabited the greater Part of it • and that all without the Bounds of China were Barbarians : Which Averfion to foreign Trade, joined to the Solidity of the People, has not a little contributed to the conftant Umfor- mitv found in their Manners. _ . . , . , rL - r Concerning the Origin of this Empire, there are two Opinions among the learned Chinefe ; for they do not give info the Chimerical Notions of the Vulgar, who on the Credit of fome fa¬ bulous Authors, place it in imaginary Ages before the Creation. Their beft Hiftonans dift - guifti their Chronology into the Fabulous, the Doubtful, and the Certain ; and being unw 1 ling fo admit any thing that is not grounded on Truth, rejedt the Ages preceding Whang-H as un¬ certain, or not to be reduced to a true Chronological Order; and the Times before Fo-hi, as ^Thrfe Authors therefore confider (a) Fo-hi as the Founder of their Monarchy, who about two hundred Years after the Deluge, according to the Septuagint, reigned firft towards the Confines o {Shen-fi and in the Province of Ho-nan, fituate almoft in the Heart of the Empire, after which he cleared all that Trad of Land extending from thence to the Eaftern Ocean. This is the Opinion of almoft all the Literati : and indeed it ,s fo well fupported by a conftan t Tradition, and die Authority of their moft ancient Hiftories, which could not have been altered bv Strangers, that it's generally look'd upon as inconteftable. According to thefe Tan wasi the fifth Emperor, tho' there are other Chinefe Authors, who carry their Monarchy no higher than his Reign : But fhould any one prefume to place its Commencement lower, he would not only O o o be Antiquity of the Chinefe Nation. Unchange¬ able in their Manners and Cultoms. Opinions a- bout the O- rigin of the Empire. Fo-hi the Founder of the Monar* chy. , f , T Kp nlured rather forced Refemblance between certain Circumftances in W A '"™S the eh.meras of tho Uarned f S' Hittory of each, fet forth at large in a Modern Perform, the Not bn fome of ate have entertained, that Fn-ht is the lame tnc ninety 01 , s ■ , with MI which Conjeaute b grounded on feme feint, or ance. See Un.v.rf, H.J 1 . Vol.l. p. lto. in the Note. I) ■ife, m III 23S China Inha¬ bited for certain 2155 Years before Chrijl. Govern’d by Monarchs a- tove 4000 Years. Eafy Con- queil by the ManekevSs, to what ow¬ ing. (jreat Succcfs of Li-kong, 'a Rebel. He is decla¬ red Emperor. Take; Pe- AI 1 fubmit but the Gene¬ ral U'fan- ib- Of the A N T I Q_U I T Y and EXTENT be laughed at, but feverely chaftifed, if not put to Death ; and fhould the Miflionaries betray tlie leaft Sufpicion of that Kind, it would be fufficient Ground to banith them out of the Empire. It is certain however, that China was inhabited above 2155 Years before the Birth of Clnift, which is demonftrable from an Eclipfe of the Sun that Year; as may be feen in the Aftronomi- cal Obfervations, extrafled from the ChineJ'e Hiftory and other Books in that Language and nub- lifhed in the Year 1729. (bJ The moft ancient Empires of the AJfyrians, Males, Perjiam and Greeks , have been long fince deftroyed ; whereas that of China, like its great Rivers, which always flow with the fame Majefty, has loft nothing in lb many Ages, either of its Beauty or Splendor: For as often as this Monar- chy has been diflurbed by Civil Wars, the weak or bad Condudt of its Emperors, or by a foreign Yoke, the Evil has been but of fhort Continuance ; the Wifdom of the fundamental Laws, join¬ ed to the happy Difpofitions of the People, always affording the Means to recover itfelf. Thus for four thoufand Years and more, this Imperial Throne has been poffeffed, without any Interruption, by twenty two Families; in which they reckon two hundred and thirty-four Emperors, who reigned fucceflively till the Invafion of the Tartar King, who about eighty-five Years fince feized the Crown, and has given China three Emperors of his Family, namefy, Shun- chi, who reigned feventeen Years ; Kang-hi, who reigned fixty Years; and Tong-ching, who at cended the Throne in 1722. [but is fince dead.] This Coneueft was made with the moft furprizing Facility, thro’ the Mif-underftandings of the ChineJ'e, and the various Fadtions which divided both the Court and the Empire. The greater Part of the Imperial Army was employ’d at that time near the Great Wall, in oppofing one of the Kings of theEaftern Tartars, called Manchew's : who to revenge the Injultice done hisSubjedts in trading with the Chine/e Merchants, and the little Regard fhewn by the Court to his Com¬ plaints, had entred into Lyau-tong, at the Head of a formidable Army, and begun a War, which lafted many Years ; in the Courfe of which feveral Battles were fought, Cities befieged’ and Irruptions made into the Empire, with various Succefs on both Sides. Mean time the Emperor Tfong-ching , lived very eafy in his Capital, tho’ he had but little Reafon to be fo. For the unjuft Punifhment, to which he had condemned one of his moft conii- derable Minifters, his exceflive Severity, and extreme Covetoufnefs, which would not permit him to leflen the Taxes, even in a time of the greateft Scarcity, having provoked the People to re¬ volt, m the Capital as well as in the Provinces; a ChineJ'e of the Province of Se-cb-w/n, called Li-kcng-tfe, who was a bold enterprizing Man, put himfelf at the Head of a great Number of Rebels; and his Army increafing daily with the Malecontents, in a fhort time he made himfelf Matter of feveral confiderable Towns, and even whole Provinces. He gained the Affections of the People, by eafing them of the heavy Taxes, and by turning out the Magiftrates, placing in their (lead others, in whom he could confide, charging them to ufe his Subjedts with Mildncfs ; but on the other hand, he gave up every City which made the leaft Refiftance, to be plunder’d by his Soldiers. In fhort, after he had inriched himfelf with the Spoils of the delightful Province ot Ho-nan , he went into that of Shen-/i, where he was declared Emperor, under the Name of Tyen-Jhtm, which fignifies, He that obeys Heaven ; in order to perfuade the People, that he was the Inftrument appointed by Heaven to deliver them from the Tyranny and Oppreffion of the Minifters. When the Rebel found himfelf near Pe-iing, where the Divifions among the Grandees fa¬ vour'd the Attempts of his Spies to get Intelligence, he refolved without farther Delay to take that Capital. Moft of its Troops were then on the Frontiers of Tartary , and feveral Chiefs of thofe which remain’d, being gain’d over, were ready to join with the Tyrant: who befides had f-nt a great Number of his beft Soldiers into the City, diiguifed like Merchants, with Money to hire Shops and carry on a Trade; that being thus difperfed into every Part of it they might awe the Inhabitants and favour his Delign, whenever he fhould appear before the Walls. Flic Succcfs anfwered his Expectations : for his Army was no fooner in fight of the City, be¬ fore Sun-rife, than one of the Gates was opened to him; and the few faithful Soldiers that refitted him being quickly overpower’d, he march’d thro’ the City, like a Conqueror, diredtly to the Pa¬ lace, the firft Wall ot which was forced before the Emperor heard any thing of the Matter This unhappy Prince, thus forfaken and betray’d by his Courtiers, finding it not in his Power to elc.ipe the Fury of his Enemy ; and fearing to fill into the Hands of a Rebel more than Death itfelf, retired in Defpair into one of his Gardens with his Daughter, and having firft killed her at one Stroke with a Sabre, he hanged himfelf on a Tree. After this Cataftrophe all fubmitted to the Tyrant, who, to eftablifh himfelf on the Throne, put to Death feveral of the great Mandarins, and exadted large Sums of Money from others. None refufid to acknowledge him for Emperor, except U-Jan-ghcy, who commanded the Forces that were on the Frontiers of Tartary ; to reduce whom lie fet out with his Army, taking alonv with him the Father of that General, called U, who then lived at Pe-king, and wasvenerable for his Age as well as Dignities. U-fan-ghey having retired into one of the Cities of Lyau-tong, the new Emperor befieged it, and ordering U to be brought out in Chains, threaten'd to cut his Throat before the General's Face, if he did not fubmit to him forthwith. C B ) We a r e ob igel for the Extra&s here meant to P. Gaubil, who tranfmitted them with many other very curious Matters re¬ lating to the Chimfe Aftronomy and HiRory, which were pub- lifhed by P Etienne Soueiet. under the Title of Obfervations Ma- tbematiques, Geograpbiques f Cbronc/ogiques & Pbfques, Sec. U-fan-ghey of the CHINESE MONARCHY. 2- 39 U-fan-gbey, after being agitated for a while between the Love of his Country and Filial Ten- dernefs, at length facrificed his Father to his Virtue; the old Man himfelf, extolling the Loyalty of his Son, met his Fate with an heroic Courage. This cruel Acftion provoked the General fo much the more to feek Revenge ; but as it was difficult for him long to refill the Efforts of the Ufurper, he thought that by piquing the Generofity of the 'tartar King, he might not only obtain 'Mmchtw' Peace from him, but likewile his Affiftance, with all his Forces, tfong-te , (which was the Name of this King) incited by a fecret Ambition, more than the Riches offer’d by the ChineJ'e General, liked the Proportion fo well, that the very fame Day he appear’d at the Head of eighty ‘‘he Ufurper being inform’d of the Union of the Cbinefe and Tartarian Armies, Li-kong flies, and is heard durft not encounter two fuch great Commanders, but retir’d in hafle to Pe-king ; and having ofno more> loaded feveral Wagons with thechoiceft Goods of the Palace, he fet it on Fire, and fled into the Province of Sben-Ji , where he took fuch Care to hide himfelf, that the Place of his Retreat could never be found ; Altho’he made great Speed, yet part of the Plunder fell into the Hands of King of the the 'Tartarian Cavalry, who purfued him ; However, tfong-te\ who might eafily have routed his Army, chofe rather to repair to Pe-king , where he was joyfully received, both by the Gran- Emperor and dees and the People. All looked on him as their Deliverer, and were manag’d fo dexteroufly dies - that they intreated him to take into his Hands the Government of the Empire, which was the thin^ he aim’d at. But he did not long enjoy his Conqueft, for he dy’d quickly after, having only time to name Shun-chi, his Son, for his Succeffor, who was but fix Years Old ; leaving the Care of his Education and the Government to one of his Brothers call’d A ma vang. This Prince by his Courage and Policy reduced mod of the Provinces, which were averfe to Moftof chin* the tartar Yoke; and tho’ he might have kept the Empire to himfelf, yet he furrender’d the;^ du “ s d s ""* Government to his Nephew, as foon as he had attain’d the proper Age. The young Emperor s bun-chi. fhew’d himfelf at once fo able in the Art of Reigning, that he foon gain’d the Hearts of his Sub¬ jects ; and as nothing efcap’d his Vigilance and Penetration, he found Means to unite the Chi- nefe and tartars fo firmly, that they feem’d to be but one Nation. During his Reign he main¬ tain’d the Grandeur of the Empire with fuch a Superiority of Genius, as made him admired by his Subjects when living, and regretted when dead. Being at the Point of Death, which happen’d in the twenty fourth Year of his Age, he call’d his four chief Minifters; and having exprefs’d his Concern for not having been able to reward thofe who had faithfully ferv’d his Father, he de¬ clared, that Kang-bi, who was then but eight Years old, was of all his Children fitted: to fucceed him, and recommended his Education to their Care. The Day after the Death of the Emperor Shun-chi , his Body being put in a Coffin, Kang-hi Konghil ao was proclaim’d Emperor; when afeending the Throne, all the Princes, Lords, Prime Officers of cee 5 ' the Army and the Crown, with th t Mandarins of the feveral Tribunals, proftrated themfelves at his Feet three times, linking the Ground with their Fore-Heads every Time they kneel’d, and made the nine Cuftomary Reverences. Nothing could equal the Magnificence of theGreat Court, where this Ceremony was perform’d. Afccmis All the Mandarins were ranged on both fides, drefs’d in Silk, flower’d with Gold, in the form cf h T g r r e ° a " e Rofes; there were fifty who carry’d great Umbrellas of Gold-Brocade and Silk, with their Magnificence Staves gilt, and were divided in two Rows, twenty five on each fide of the Throne. On the fide of them were fifty other Officers with large Fans of Silk embroider’d with Gold ; and near thefe were twenty eight large Standards, imbroider’d with golden Stars, great Dragons, and the Figure of the Moon in its Change, its Full and Wane, with all its various Phafes and Ap¬ pearances: In order to reprefent its twenty eight Manfions in the Heavens, and its-different Con¬ junctions andOppofitions with the Sun, as they appear in the Interfe&ions of the Circles, which the Aftronomers call Nodes, or the Dragon’s Head and Tail. A hundred Standards follow’d thefe; and the reft of the Mandarins carry’d Maces, Axes, Hammers, and other Inftruments of War or Ceremony, with Heads of ftrange Monfters and other Animals. The Sovereign Power was never fo abfolute as under this Monarch; who during his whole Reign, which was one of the longeft to be met with, was not only held in Veneration throughout Afia, but his great Merit and Renown palling the Ocean, procured him the Admiration and Efteem of all Europe. It was he, who, uniting the two tartaries with China into one Empire, Unites the brought under his Power a vaft Extent of Country, which is no where interrupted by the Territories belonging to any foreign Prince. As none but the Weftcrn tartars were able to give him Difturbance, he partly by Policy, and partly by Force, oblig’d them to remove three hundred Miles beyond the Great Wall, where he gave them Lands and Paftures, fettling his own Subjects in their Room. In fhort, he divided this immenfe Country into feveral Provinces, which were tri— His Policy, butary and fubjedt to him; and kept them ftill more in Awe by means of the Lama's , who have an abfolute Sway over the Minds of the tartars , being ador’d by them like fo many Divinities. He made ufe of another Piece of Policy: for whereas his Predeceffors (hut themfelves up in Appe.-us a- their Palaces,and were never feen by the People ; he on the contrary went out of his three times a g u ° b "^|‘ s ls Year, either to travel or perform Hunting-Matches, which refembled fo many military Expeditions. As foon as he had eftablilh’d a folid Peace in his Dominions, he re-call’d the greater part °f Makesfre . the Forces that were difpers’d thro’ the Provinces ; and to prevent their being folten’d by Eafe qiK: nc jour- and Luxury, march’d them from time to time into tartary , arm’d with Bows, Arrows, and Ci- nies inco meters: thereto wage War with Stags, Boars, Bears, Tygers, and other wild Beafts, making/*^’ his Soldiers perform long and fatiguing Journeys. Thisgreat Army was divided into Companies, and march’d in Order of Battle, at the Sound ofDrums and Trumpets. It had itsVan, Rear, main Body, right 240 Of the ANTIQUITY and EXTENT right and left Wings, commanded by fo many Princes and great Lords ; and was follow’d by Waggons, Horfes, Camels, and Mules, loaded with Provifions, and Ammunition. It was ob¬ lig’d to encamp every Night, there being neither Cities, Towns, nor Villages in the JVeftem 'Tartary , whofe Inhabitants dwell in Tents, difperfed over the Country; where they feed their Oxen, Horfes, and Camels, removing from Place to Place for the Conveniency of Pafture. They know nothing of fowing Corn or cultivating Land, but live on Milk, Cheefe, and what they can take in Hunting. While the Emperor thus kept his Troops in Adtion, and the Tartars in Obedience, he did not leffen his Application to State-Affairs, but held his Councils regularly with his Minifters under a Tent, as if it had been a Palace, and gave them his Orders. He was inform’d of every thing, and govern’d the Empire wholly, by himfelf, as the Soul that gave Motion to all the Members of fo great aBody, not intruding the Adminiftration either to his Ko-lau's, or to the great Lords of the Court; as for the Eunuchs of the Palace, who had fo much Power in the preceding Reigns, they had not Mixes the the leaf! Authority. Another piece of his Policy was, to appoint one half of the Officers of the Tribunals Chinefe, and the other half Tartars , who being fo many Spies on each* other, chcTribunals might prevent any Attempts to the Prejudice of either Nation; befides, it obliged the Tartars to apply themfelves early to Literature, in order to qualify themfelves for Employments, according to the ancient Cuftom of the Empire. Extent of the Ever fince the Peace, which this Prince concluded with the Ruffians at Nip chit, for fettling Empue. the Limits, the true Extent of this great Empire has been known ; being in length from the molt Southern Point of [the Ifland of] Hay-nati, to the Extremity of that Part of Tartary , fubjedl to the Emperor, upwards of nine hundred common Leagues of France. Befides there are many Kingdoms, as Korea, Tong-king, Kochin-china, Siam , &c. which are tributary to the Emperor, who fometimes appoints, and mull: always confirm their Kings. But thefe Countries differ from China, as well in their refpedtive Forms of Government, as in the Fertility of their Soil; the Num¬ ber, Beauty, and Largenefs of their Cities ; the Religion, Genius, Manners, and Politenefs of their Inhabitants: fo that the Chinefe have very little Efleem for them, calling them Barbarians, and induftrioufly avoiding all Alliance with them. Multitude ot The fifteen Provinces, into which China is divided, are not equally peopled; for from Pc- its lnhabi ' king to Nan-chang, which is the Capital of Kyang-Ji, the People are not fo numerous as in the Provinces of Che-kyang, Kyang-nan, Quang-tong, Fo-kyen, and fome others, where the great Roads as well as Cities are fo crouded, that it is troublefome to travel ; whence the Miffionaries, who have feen only thole fine and populous Provinces, have exaggerated the Number of Inhabi¬ tants, which however far exceeds that of all Europe put together. Altho’ Pe-king ftands on more Ground than Paris, I don’t believe it contains above three Millions of Souls; which Computa¬ tion is the more certain, as every Head of a Family is oblig’d to give the Magifirates an account of the Number of Perfons that compofe it, with the Age and Sex of each. Great Num- Several things contribute to make this Country fo prodigioufly populous, as the Chinefe being J^ttes, a n ow ’d man y Wives ; their Sobriety and ftrong Conftitution; their Contempt for other Nations, jrdL-s, c.. which prevents their fettling or even travelling abroad ; the Goodnefsof the Climate which has been hitherto free from the Plague; and efpecially the almoft perpetual Peace which they enjoy. There are in each Province, befides the Capital (which is very large and fit to be the Seat of the Empire) a great Number of Cities of the firft, fecond, and third Order ; moll: of which are built on the Banks of navigable Rivers, with large Suburbs on each fide. Add to thefe a multi¬ tude of Forts,. Caftles, Villages, and Towns ; lome of which latter, efpecially thofe call’d Ching , vye with Cities in Magnitude, Number of Inhabitants, and Trade : tho’ they are only call’d Towns, becaufe they have neither Walls, nor Magifirates of their own, being govern’d by thofe of the neighbouring Cities ; thus King-te-ching, where the fineft Porcelain is made, depends on a City in the Diftridi of Zhau-chew, and Fo-ffian on Kan-ton, which is but four Leagues Difiant, &c. ; . i_m of the Molt of the Cities of China, (but not all as fome have affirmed) are alike, being Oblong Squares, Cuies - whofe Walls are built on a Line at right Angles, and facing the four Cardinal Points as near as may be. In like manner, whatever way the Streets are difpofed, the Houfes ought always to front the South, in order to avoid the fharpnefs of the Northwind, which does not agree with the Chinefe ; and for this Reafon the Door is commonly made ilanting in one of the fides of the Court. Their Walls. The Walls of the Cities, which are generally very broad and high, are either of Brick or fquare Stone, furrounded by a wide Ditch, and fenc’d behind with a Rampart of Earth, as well as fortify’d with fquare Towers at certain Diftances. Their Gate- F ver y Gate is double, and opens with two Leaves; and between the Gates is a Place of Arms for exercifing the Soldiers. When one enters the .firft Gate, the fecond is not to be feen, becaufe not oppofite. Above the Gates are fine Towers, which ferve for Arfenals and Guard-Houfes for Soldiers; and without the Gates are frequently large Suburbs, almoft as populous as the City. Their Tow- t ^ le m °fi frequented parts of each City, there is one or more Towers, which make a ers. moft beautiful Appearance, on account of their Architedture and Hight ; fome confifting of nine, but none of lefs than feven Stories. The principal Streets are generally ftreight, but often narrow, except thofe of the Imperial City, which are very wide, as well as long ; and perhaps the moft con¬ venient in the World, efpecially for Horfes and Waggons. All the Houfes, excepting the Towers and fome particular Buildings overtoping the reft, are very low; and fo hid by the Walls of the City of tie CHINESE MO ritv that were it not for a great number of fquare Towers that appear, one would take it at a diftance for a vaft Park. There are wafte Places in feme of the Cities becaufe not re-built fince thev were ruin’d by the Tartan, who lately conquer’d China. But what is very remarkable near the^great Cities, especially in the Southern Provinces there are leen a kind of floating Cities; conifiling of a prodigious multitude of Barks on both fides of the River, which are inhabited by numbers of Familiesf who have no other Dwellings: fo that the Water is almoft as populous as the There d 'are properly but two Orders in the Empire, one of tire Nobility, and the other of the PeoDle The firft comprehends the Princes of the Blood; the Dukes, Earls, Mandarins of Learn- clafc in who judge of the Merit and Talents A Check to ^ Pri'fce, folely by the Paternal Affedtion which he fhews to his Subjedls; and the Care he theFmpcror’s takes to make them fenfible of it by procuring their Plappinefs. So that he ought to be, according Power. t0 their way of expreffing it, The Father and Mother of bis People ; nor ought he to make himfelf fear’d Emperor dif. poles of all Employ¬ ments. ana depofe kirn at Plea 243 of the CHINESE MONARCHY. fear’d by them, but in proportion as he gains their Love by his Goodnefs and Virtue. It is in this manner they draw the Charafter of their great Emperors, and their Books are full of thisMaxim. It is the general Notion of the Chine/e, that an Emperor is oblig'd to attend to the minuted Heisionfi. matters which concern his People; that he is not elevated to fo high a Station to divert himfelf dereuan. who are called to Court, or fent from thence into the Provinces ; they are ferved, and all their Charges defrayed on the Road, being furniftied with Barks, Horfes, Carriages and Inns, which are kept at the Emperor’s Expence. When a Mandarin is difpatch’d by the Court, they give him a Kang-ho , that is, an Order of the Court, made out by the Ping-Pit, or Tribunal of the Militia, and fealed with its Seals; by which the Officers of the Polls and Cities are obliged to furnifh without Delay, whatever the Kang-ho diredts, and as a Proof of having executed it, apply their Seals to it. They provide Men to draw the Barks, and carry the Baggage, which is weighed by the Poft-mafter General’s Order, who allows as many Men as are neceftary to carry it, at the Rate of fifty Chinefe Pounds Weight each Man. The Number of Soldiers maintain’d by the Emperor along the Great Wall, and in the Cities Emperor’s and fortify’d Places, amounted formerly to 770,000 ; which Number has been increafed, Fortes ' J but not diminilhed, for they never reduce their Forces. They are to ferve for Guards to the Grand Mandarins , Governors, Officers and Magiftrates: they even attend them on their Journeys, and in the Night keep Watch about their Barks or Inns, being relieved at every Place the Mandarin halts at. The Emperor likewife keeps near 565,000 Horfes to remount the Cavalry, and for the Ufe of Polls and Couriers to carry his Orders, and thofe of the Tribunals into the Provinces. He alfo defrays the Expences of all Foreign Ambaftadors, from the Day they enter till the Day Expences of they leave his Dominions; furnilhing them with Horfes, Barks, and all neceftary Carriages, ^ e "^ a l 1 d adors - as well as Provifions for the Journey; and when they arrive at Court lodges them in a Palace, e ra> where as a Token of Friendfhip he fends them every other Day Difhes from his own Table ; and when he has a Mind to Ihew particular Marks of his Affection, he adds fome extraordinary Mefles. I do not mention this Monarch’s Expences with regard either to public Buildings, in the Cities and Country, or the Repairs of his Palace. Altho’ the Defcription of the Palace in the Beginning of this Volume [/>. 67.] may feem fuffi- Supplemental cient to give the Reader an Idea of it; yet I fhall here add leveral other Particulars, in the Words ^thePalace. of one of the Miffionaries, who had the Honour to be admitted into the Emperor’s Prefence, and to l'alute him in his own Apartment. “ It confifts, fays he, of an aftonilhing Collection of Buildings, and a long Row of Courts, Galleries and Gardens, which altogether make a mag¬ nificent Appearance. As the Southern Gate is never opened but for the Emperor, we came in by that facing the Eaft, which leads into a vaft Court to the South of the Palace. This Court pirft Court, is fquare, being two hundred Geometrical Paces from North to South; it is paved with large Bricks, and the Walks laid with broad flat Stones. At each Angle is a large oblong Building, with a double Roof, whofc Ground-Story has three Entrances, like the Gates of Cities. Before we enter’d the next Court, we came to a Canal, moft dry, running parallel to the Walls of it from Eaft to Weft. We pafled over this Canal by one of the fix white Marble Bridges, built towards the Middle, facing fo many Arches or epen Gates, each fupporting a large Building that has a Platform or Tower, with a double Roof, whofe Thicknels is upwards of twenty Geometrical Paces. At each End of the Bridge leading to the middle Gate are two great round Pillars of white Marble, upon a large Pedeilal, furrounded with a Baluftrade of the fame. The Bafe is adorn’d with two great Lions, each between feven or eight Foot high, and feeming as if they had been cut out of one Block. Paffing Northward thro’the Gate into this lecond Court (which is in Length about a hun- SccondCourt dred Geometrical Paces, and fifty in Breadth) we found at the Entrance two other white marble Columns, adorn’d with Dragons in Relievo, with two fmall Wings below a Chapiter, which is flat and very broad. From thence we entred a third Court, twice the Length of the fecond, and a little wider, Third Court with five Gates, and Buildings over them like the former. Thefe Gates are very thick, and co¬ vered with Plates of Iron, faften’d on with rows of Brafs Nails, whofe Heads are bigger than a Man’s Fill, all the Buildings of the Palace are placed on Bafes as high as a Man, of a reddifh grey Marble, very ill poliftied, and adorn’d with Mouldings. All thefe Courts are furrounded with very low Buildings, covered with yellow Tiles. At the Bottom of this third Court, there is a long Building flank’d with two Pavilions, whofe Wings are terminated by two other Pavilions, which are like the firft: being double roofed and fur¬ rounded with Galleries as well as the Wings, and the lower Part of the Building; which Hands on a Platform of Bricks with its Parapet, and little Embrafures, being near thirty five Foot high. The Bafe of the Platform, for fix Foot above the Ground, is of Marble. The Paflage is by three Vol. I. Gates 246 Of the CONSTITUTION and GOVERNMENT Gates like the former, with this Difference, that the Nails and Iron Work are gilded. There were feveral Guards at this Gate, among whom was a Ko-lau , or [one of the Prime] Minifters of State, who having been accufed of taking a Bribe, was condemn’d as one of a Company of Sol¬ diers to guard this Poft : But notwithstanding his Difgrace, all who pa fled faluted him by bending the Knee; Hill regarding him on account of the high Station he once poflefled. Fourth Court After we had paffcd thro’ thele three Courts, which have nothing remarkable excepting their Extent, we entered into a fourth. Near fourfcore Geometrical Paces fquare, and exceedingly agreeable. It is furrounded with Galleries, interrupted at proper Diltances with little open Halls, fomewhat high, having Steps before them, with their Flights of white Mable, which go quite round. Thro’ this Court runs a little Canal, lin’d with white Marble, whole Sides are adorn’d with Balifters of the fame Fafhion : It has over it four or five Angle arched Bridges of white Marble, adorn’d with Mouldings and Baflo Relievo’s. At the Bottom of this Court there is a large and magnificent Hall, with three fine Stair-Cafes, whofe Flights are adorn’d with Ba¬ lifters of the fame Kind. The fifth Court, which follows, is nearly of the fame Form and Size; but makes a finer Ap- Fifth Court. p CarancCj as having a large fquare Perron, three Stories high, each adorn’d with Balifters of white Marble. This Perron takes up near half the Length of the Court, and two thirds of its Breadth : It is about eighteen Foot high, built upon a Bale of Siam Marble, which is coarfer, and up¬ wards of fix Foot high. It has three Stair-Cafes, whereof the middle one is moft confiderable, having near the Foot of it two great Brafs Lions; and on the Top of the Perron are eight Vafes of the fame Metal, about leven Foot high. This Perron is before a large and magnificent Hall, where the Emperor receives the Memorials and Petitions daily prefented him by the Manda¬ rins of the fovereign Tribunals, who firft perform the accuftom’d Proftrations at the great Stairs. sixth, fe Afterward we pa fled tfiro’ two other fuch Courts, with Perrons of the fame Form as well as vcnth and gj zej anc j encompafled with the like Buildings, furnifhed with Stair-Cafes and Balifters round eighth Court \y e were conducted through a Door on the Right-hand of the laft Court into another, about two hundred Paces long ; being a kind of Hippodrome , [or Place for Florfe Racing] at the End of which on the Left-hand, we entred a great open Hall, where we found Guards, and waited fome time for the Mandarin , appointed to conduct us into the Apartment of the Emperor. Ninth Court Him we followed thro’ a ninth Court, fomething lefs than the former, but equally fumptuous. At the End of it appeared a large Building, of an oblong Figure, with a double Roof, cover’d with yellow varnilh’d Tiles, like the preceding. This is the Palace where the Emperor’s Apartment is ; to which there led a Caufey, railed about five or fix Foot high, inclofed with Bali¬ fters of white Marble, and pav’d with the fame. None but the Emperor may pafs this way, or thro’ the middle of the other Courts. The Palace This Palace, which fhines with Carvings, Varnifh, Gilding and Painting, ftands upon a kind of a Platform, pav’d with large fquare Pieces of a beautiful green Marble, polifh’d like Glafs, and laid fo clofe together, that one can fcarcely difeern the Joinings. At the Entrance of the great Hall, there is a Door, which opens into a large fquare Room paved with Marble ; where the Emperor was fitting on an Eftrade, after the Tartar Fafhion. The Beams of this Room were fupported by wooden Columns varnifh’d with red; and fixed in fuch a manner in the Wall that they were even with its Surface. We perform’d the ufual Ceremonies, that is, we ranged ourfelves in a Line facing the Emperor, and fell on our Knees three times, bowing every time to the Ground. In receiving thefe Marks of our RefpeCt himfelf, he did us a great Favour ; for when the Mandarms of the fix Sovereign Courts come every fifth Day, on the firft Day of the Year, and on the Emperor’s Birth Day, to perform thefe Ceremonies, he is fcarce ever pre- fent ; and is fometimes at a good Diftance from the Palace when they pay him their Homages. After we had performed this Duty we approached his Perfon, kneeling on one Side, and in a Line : He afked us our Names, Ages and Country, and entertain’d us with a Sweetnefs and Af¬ fability which would befurprizing in any Prince, but was much more foin the Emperor o f China. It muft be confefs’d, that this Series of Courts all on a Level and ranged in a Line; this Collection of Buildings, tho confufed and ununiform; interfperled with Pavilions, Galleries, Collonades, Balifters, Stair-Cafes of Marble, and a multitude of varnifh’d Roofs, cover’d with yellow Tiles, fo bright and beautiful, that when the Sun fhines on them, they look as if they were gilt with Gold : I fay it muft be confefs’d that all this prefents fomething fo inexpreflibly magnificent to the Eye, as to difeover it to be the Palace of a great Emperor. If to thefe we add, the Courts that have been made on the Wings for Offices, and Stables; the Palaces of the Princes of the Blood,with thofe of theEmprefs, and of the Women; the Gardens, Ponds, Lakes and Woods, in which are kept all forts of Animals, the Whole will appear fur- prizing. What we have deferibed is only the inner Palace leparated by a great Wall from the outer, which itfelf is inclofed with a very high and thick Wall, about two Leagues in Compafs, and refembles a little City ; the different Officers of the Court, and a great Number of Tradef- men of all forts who are in the Service of the Emperor, lodging in it. PUaCure- Near Pe-king lies the Pleafure-Houfe of the ancient Emperors, no lefs than ten common French Houfe of the Leagues in Circumference ; but it differs vaflly from the Royal Palaces in Europe , having neither ancient Em- Marble nor Water-Works, nor Stone Walls about it. It is furnifhed with four Rivulets of excel- perors. j ent of the CHINESE MONARCHY. 247 lent Water, whofe Banks are planted with Trees; and is compofed of three Buildings very Iargg and neat with feveral Fifh-ponds, Paftures for Roebucks, wild Mules, and other fallow Beafts; Sheep-folds, Kitchen-gardens, green Walks, Orchards, and fome Pieces of Ground under Corn; with all that renders a Country Life agreeable. Hither the Emperors formerly retired from Bufi- nefs, to relieve the Cares of Government, and tafte the Sweets of a private Life. They feldom went out of their Palaces, imagining that the lels they appeared in Publick the greater Refpedt would be paid them ; but the ; Tartars , who now poffefs the Throne, affedt greater Popularity, without departing too far from the Cultoms of the Chinefe. When the Emperor goes out of the Palace, he is always attended by a great Number of F.mperor’s Lords of his Court ; every thing glitters in his Train, the Arms, the Harnefs of the Horfes, the he goesouc Streamers, the Umbrella’s, the Fans, and all the other Enfigns of the Imperial Dignity. ofhisPalace The Princes and the Lords go foremoft on Horfeback, follow’d by the Ko-laus or Prime Mi- nifters, and the Great Mandarins ; they advance clofe to the Houfes on both Sides, leaving the middle of the Streets clear. After them march twenty four Standards of yellow Silk, which is the Emperor’s Livery, embroider’d with golden Dragons, which is his Coat of Arms. Thefe are fol¬ lowed by twenty-four Umbrella’s of the fame Colour, and as many Fans, which are very curious and rich. The Life-Guards are cloathed in Yellow, each wearing a kind of Head-Piece, and in their Elands a fort of -Javalin or half Pike gilt; on the Top of which is the Figure of the Sun or of a Crefcent, or the Head of fome Animal. Twelve Footmen drefs’d in the fame Colour, carry on their Shoulders the Emperor’s Chair, which is very magnificient. At divers Places on the Road there are a great Number of thefe Footmen to relieve one another. A Band of Mufick, of Trumpets, and other forts of Inflruments, accompanies the Emperor, playing all the while. Laft of all, a great Number of Pages and Footmen clofe the Proceflion : But now that the Em¬ perors appear oftner abroad, they are attended with a lefs Retinue. When Kang-hi vifited the Southern Provinces, he went by Water, going on board a new Bark built on purpofe; accom¬ panied with his Children, the great Lords, and an infinite Number of trufly Officers: befides, there were fuch a Number of Troops on the Road that he feemed to march in the midft of an * Army. He made but fhort Stages, flopping from Time to Time to examine Things himfelf, and to be informed exadtly of whatever occur’d; but in his Return to Ve-king , his Bark proceeded Day and Night. When he went into I’artary, to take the Diverfion of Hunting, he then adlually march’d at the Head of an Army, as if he was going to conquer an Empire : But having defcribed elfewhere the Magnificence of the Habits, Tents, and Equipages, belonging to the Train of this Prince, and of all the Grandees who attended him on thefe Occafions; I fhall fpeak at prefent only of the Pomp in which he ufed to go, when he offer’d folemn Sacrifices in the Temple of c Tyen. The Account whereof (taken from P. Magalhaens) is the more certain, becaufe thefe forts of Cere¬ monies are always regulated and invariably obferv’d. This Proceflion began with twenty four Drums, rang’d in two Files; and twenty-four Trum¬ pets, (made of V-tong-fju, a Wood greatly efteem’d by the Chinefe) more than three Foot long, His Proce *' and about eight Inches in Diameter at the Mouth : they are in the Shape of Bells, adorn’d Tempte'of with Circles of Gold, and fuit very well with the Drums. ty n . Next to thefe were twenty four Men in the fame Livery; arm’d with Staves feven or eight Foot long, varnifh’d with red, and adorn’d with gilded Foliages. Then a hundred Soldiers car¬ rying Halberts, the Iron Part of which ends in a Crefcent. A hundred Mace-Fe rers, whofe Arms were ja mail’d with red Varnifh, mixed with Flowers, and gilded at the End. Four hundred great 1 . inthorns finely adorn’d. Four hundred Flambeaux made of a Wood, which burns for a long T ne, and yields a great Light. Two hundred Spears, fome fet off with Locks of Silk of various Colours; others with the Tails of Panthers, Foxes, and other Animals. Twenty four Banners, on which were painted the Signs of the Zodiac, which the Chinefe divide into twenty four Parts, fifty fix other Banners, exhibiting the fifty fix Conftellations, to which the Chinefe reduce all the Stars. Two hundred Fans (fupported by long gilded Sticks) painted with diverfe Figures of Dragons, Birds and other Animals. Twenty four Umbrellas richly adorn’d ; and a Boufet car- ry’d by Officers of the Kitchen, and furnifh’d with gold Utenfils, fuch as Bafons, Ewers, &c. After thefe had march’d in good Order, the Emperor follow’d on Horfeback pompoufly drefs’d, with a grave majeftic Air; on each Side of him was carry’d a rich Umbrella, large enough to {hade both him and his Horfe. He was furrounded with ten white led Horfes (whofe Saddles and Bridles were enrich’d with Gold and precious Stones. A hundred Spear Men, and the Pages of the Bed Chamber. After which appear’d in the fame Order, all the Princes of the Blood, the Regulo’s, the Chief Mandarins , and the Lords of his Court in their Habits of Ceremony. Five hundred young Gentle¬ men belonging to the Palace richly clad. A thoufand Footmen in red Gowns embroider’d with Flowers, and Stars of Gold and Silver. Then thirty fix Men carry’d an open Chair, follow’d by another that was clofe and much larger, fupported by a hundred and twenty Chair-Men ; laftly, came four large Chariots, two drawn by Elephants, and the other two by Horfes, cover’d with em¬ broider’d Houfings; each Chair and Chariot had a Company of a hundred and fifty Men following it for its Guard. This Proceffion was clofed by two thoufand Literary, and as many Military Mandarins , in magnificent Habits of Ceremony. Such is the Grandeur and Power of the Monarch, who go¬ verns 248 Of the CONSTITUTION and GOVERNMENT verns fo vaft an Empire. In him alone every thing centers, being the Soul that gives Motion to that vaft Body, and keeps all its Members in the moll perfedt fubordination, as will appear in the Sequel. " Principle of the Chinefe Government Nine Orders of the Quart Firft Order, the Ko-lau • Second Order Third Order Privy Coun¬ cil, and Council of State. Of the Form of Government in China; the different Tribu¬ nals ; the Mandarins, the Honours that arc paid them , their Power and their Offices, T IIE Political Government of China entirely turns on the reciprocal Duty of Parents and I Children. The Emperor is called the Father of the Empire; the Vice-Roy is the Father of the Province under his Command ; as the Mandarin is of the City which he Governs. This fingle Principle is the Foundation of that great RefpeS and ready Obedience which the Chinefe pay to the Officers who affift the Eiifperor to fuftain the Weight of Government. ’Tis very furprizing, to fee a Nation fo vaftly numerous, fo naturally relllefs, fo exceffively felfifh, and fo eager in its Purfuit of Riches, govern’d and kept within the Bounds of its Duty I by a fmall Number of Mandarins, at the Head of every Province. So true it is, that the bare Shadow of Imperial Authority, which appears in their Perfons, can do every thine with this People. From the very Commencement of the Monarchy, the Mandarins have been divided into 1 nine different Orders, in fo perfcft a Subordination to each other, that nothing can be compar’d to the Rcfpcct, and Submiffion, which the Mandarins of an inferior Order bear to thofe who are of a Superior. The firft Order of Mandarim is that of the Ko-lau’s or Minifters of State, the Chief Prefidents of the Supreme Courts, and other principal Officers of the Army. This is the higheft Degree that the Literati can arrive at; unlefs in Return for very important Services done the Nation the Emperor ffiould think proper to confer more honourable Titles on them } fuch as thofe equi¬ valent to Earls, Dukes, &c. The Number of the Ko-lau s is not fix’d, but depends on the Will of the Prince, who choofes them at Pleafure, out of the other Tribunals ; however they are feldom more than five or fix, and one of them is commonly more diftinguiftvd than the reft and ftiled Shew-Syang ; he is Prefident of the Council, and in greateft Confidence with the Emperor. The Tribunal of thefe Ko-lau s is kept in the Palace on the Left-hand (which is accounted moft honourable) of the Imperial Hall ; where the Emperor gives his public Audience, and receives the Veneration and Homage of the Mandarins. As there are in the Palace feveral magnificent Halls pompoufly adorn’d, each of the Ko-lau’s is afiign’d one; in which he examines what ever comes under his Cognizance, and has the Name of the Hall added, as a Title of Honour to his own: for Inftance, fuch a Ko-lau , Supreme Hall of the Middle. The Tribunal which is call’d Nwi-ywen, that is the Inner Court , becaufe it rs within the Pa¬ lace, is compofed of three Orders of Mandarins. The firft are properly the Minifters of State whole Bufinefs is to infpedtalmoft all the Petitions of the fupreme Tribunals, whether relating to War or Peace, Civil or Criminal Matters: after which Examination, they remit them to be reprefented to the Emperor, unlefs they have any Objeiftion thereto, wherewith they acquaint his Majefty; who receives or rejeefts their Advice, as he thinks proper, referving fometimes folely to himfelf the Cognizance of Affairs and the Examination of the Memorials that are prefented to him. The Mandarins who compofe the Second Order of this Tribunal are, as it were Affiftants to the former; and out of their Number are appointed the Vice-Roys of Provinces, and the Prefidents of other Tribunals. They bear the Title Ta-byo-fe, that is Literati or Magijlratcs of approved Capacity j and are taken out of the Second or third Order of Mandarins. The Mandarins of the third Order, who are called Cbong-fm-ko , that is c fhe School of Man¬ darins, are the Emperor’s Secretaries, whofe Office is to fee all Matters, deliberated upon in the Tribunal, reduced to writing} thefe are taken out of the Fourth, Fifth, or Sixth Order of Mandarins. Thefe three Orders of Officers compofe the Emperor’s Privy-Council ; and at this Tribunal the principal part of the great Affairs are examin’d and determin’d, unlefs the Emperor afl'cmbles the Great Council for that Purpofe. This Great Council is compofed of all the Minifters of State, the chief Prefidents, and Affiftants of the fix fupreme Courts, and three other confider- able Tribunals. For, befides this Council within the Palace, there are in Pe-king fix fovereign Courts, call’d Lew-pu, whofe Power and Authority extend over all the Provinces of the Em¬ pire : each of them has always had a Prefident, who is commonly a Mandarin of the firft Order, and two Affiftants of the fecond Order; without reckoning the forty four fubordinate Tribunals, who have every one a Prefident and at leaft twelve Counfellors. After 24P of the CHINESE M O N ARCH Y. \frei- this Manner the Tribunals were compofed under the Chincfe Emperors; but fince the Thc s xS o- Tartars became Mafters of China, they have doubled the Officers, both of the Superior and Inferior Courts, placing therein as many Tartars as Chimp. This was a Mafter-Piece of Po¬ licy in the Conqueror, who thus brought the Tartars into the Adminiftrxtion, without dilcon- tenting the Cbineje ; who would have had Caufe to complain, it they had been excluded from thc PU TheBufineft?f n the Chief'of their Supreme Courts, call'd Li-pil, that is, the Tribune.’, of Mandarins is to furniffi all the Provinces with Officers; to watch over their Conduit; to examine their good and bad Qualities; and to give an account thereof to the Emperor : that tome may h- railed to the hwheft Offices, as the Reward of their Virtue and Merit; and others degraded, for behaving unworthy of the Station they were tailed to. Thefc are, properly fpeakmg, the In- quiiitors of the State. , , . . , , t • ItsfubonH- This Court has four Tribunals under it; the hill is charged with choofing, thole who,by tneir na:e Tribu- Learning and other Qualities, deferve to polfefs the great Offices of the Empire. The fecond ml, examines the Conduct dt the Mandarins. The third is to leal all Judical Acts, to affign to the Mandarins of different Dignities and Offices their refpedtive Seals and to examine n they Sealsof the Difpitches that are lbnt to Court, be true or counterfeit. The fourth is to examine the Merit of the Grandees of the Empire, that is, the Princes of the Blood the Regulos, thofe who are honour'd with Titles, like our Dukes, Marquiffes, and Counts, and in general all Per- fons of Rank and Diftindtion, _ . , ... , . , 0 . , r The fecond Supreme Court, call’d Hil-fii, that is, HighTreafurer of the King, hath the Superm- s.-condCou.-c, tendance of the Finances, with the Care of the private Eftates, Treafures, Expences, and Revenues ° of the Emperor. It makes out Orders for Salaries and Penfions, appoints the Delivery of Rice, Silks and Money, which are diftributed to the great I.ords, and all the Mandarins of the Em¬ pire ' It keeps an exadt Catalogue of all Families; of all the Duties that ought to be paid ; of the Cuftom-Houfes and public Magazines. To go thro’ this prodigious Throng of Bufmeis, it has luTribn.ua. fourteen fubordinate Tribunals for the Affairs of thc fourteen Provinces, whereof the Empire is compofed ; for the Province of Pe-che-li, being the Province of the Court, and consequently fuperior to the reft, enjoys in many Cates the Prerogatives of the Court and Hot!(hold of the Emperor. The Province of Kyang-nan, whereof Nan-king is the Capital, had heietofore the fame Privileges, on account of its being the Emperor's Relidcnce ; but the Tartars have reduc d it into a common Province, and changed the Name of Nan-king into that of Kyang-mn. The third Supreme Court is call’d Li-fu, or The Tribunal of Rights ; Pu lignifytng Tribunal, ™r lurt ’ and Li Right ; ib that, tho' the Name feems to be the fame with that of the firft Court already fpoken of vet there is a great Difference between them, which is determin’d by the Pronuncia¬ tion. It belongs to this Court, to fee that Rites and Ceremonies be duly obferv'd, and look after the Improvement of Arts and Sciences ; it has alfo the Care of the Imperial Mufic, and exa¬ mines thofe who are Candidates for Degrees, and permits them to come to be examined : it is contulted concerning Titles of Honours, and other Marks of Diftindiou, wherewith the Em¬ peror would gratify thofe that deferve them. Befides, it has the Charge of the Temples and Sacrifices offer'd by the Emperor ; alfo of the Feafts given by the Prince to Subjeds, or Strangers. It receives, entertains, and difmiffes Ambafladdrs ; it has the Direction of the Liberal Arts, and of the three Laws or Religions that are tolerated in the Empire, viz. of the Literati , the Tau- tje, and the Difciples of Fo. In (hort, it is a kind of Ecclefiaftical X ribunal, before whom the Miffionaries have been obliged to appear in Times of Perfecution. _ .. , This Court is affifted by four lubordinate Tribunals : the Bufinefs of the firft is to deliberate itu nbnmj. on the mod important Affairs, as when Patents are to be made out for the greateft Offices of the Empire ; fuch are thofe of the Tfong-lu, or Vice-Roys. The fecond has the Charge of the Sa¬ crifices which the Emperqr offers; of the Temples ; of the Mathematics ; and of the Religions ap¬ proved or tolerated. The third is to receive thofe who are fent to the Court. The fourth has the Direction of the Emperor’s Table, and the Feafts which he gives either to the Grandees or Ambaffadors. . _ „ The fourth Supreme Court is call’d Ping-pb, the Tribunal of Arms. The Soldiery of the whole Empire is under its Care, and the Officers of War, as well general as particular, have their Dependance on it. It examines them in their Exercife, keeps the Fortrefies in Repair, fupplies the Arlenals and the Magazines with Weapons often five and defen live, ^ Ammuni¬ tion and Provifions ; it caufes all forts of Arms to be made, and in fhort has the Management of every thing in general, which concerns the Defence and Safety ot the Empire. It has four Inferior Tribunals to aflift it ; the firft difpofes of all Military Employments, and ItsTribunals. fees that the Troops are well dilciplined. The fecond diftributes thc Officers and Soldiers into their refpedtive Stations, for maintaining the public Tranquility, and take Care to clear the Cities and Highways of Thieves and Robbers. The third has tlic Superintendance of the Horfes of the Empire, the Poft% Stages, Imperial Inns, and Barks, appointed to carry Victuals and other Provifions for the Soldiers. The Fourth orders the making of all forts of Arms, and flowing them in the Arfenals. They have given the Name of Hing-pu to the fifth Supreme Court, which is like the Tour- nelle, or Criminal Chamber belonging to the Parliaments of France, where thofe, guilty of any Crime, are examined ; under it are fourteen lubordinate Tribunals, according to the Number rcsTribunals of the Provinces. Vol. I. Rrr The 2^0 Sixth Coi’fr, or Kon^-p'ii. ItiTribuna!; of the Court liow limited P-tblic Tn- I’peclor. or Ucufors. Reg-fd r niJ to their In- ferftutioHs, much dread¬ ed. Tribunal for the Afcurs of Princes. Of the CONSTITUTION and GOVERNMENT The fixth and laft Supreme Court, call’d Kong-pu , or The ‘ Tribunal of public Works , is em¬ ploy’d in keeping in Repair the Palaces as well of the Emperor as ot the Tribunals, the Princes of the Biood, and Vice-Roys; the Imperial Sepulchres, Temples, &c. It luperin tends the Towers, Triumphal Arches, Bridges, Cauleways, Dykes, Rivers, [Canals] Lakes, and all the Works neceffary to render them navigable j the Streets, Highways, Barks, and all Vellels requi- lite for Navigation. This Court has likewife four Subordinate Tribunals ; the firft prepares the Plans and Defigns for the public Works. The fecond has the Direction of all the Work-Shops of the [Imperial ! Joyners, Mafons, Carpenters, &c. in the feveral Cities of the Empire. The third is employ'd in repairing the Canals, Bridges, Caufeys, Roads, &t\ and making the Rivers navigable. The fourth takes Care of the Royal Houfes, Gardens, and Orchards; caufes the latter to be improv’d, and receives the Profit arifing from them. Each of thefe Inferior Tribunals hath a Palace, with proper Halls, and is compofed of two Prefidents and twenty four Counfellors, one hall Tartars , the other Cbmj'c ; belides a great number of Clerks, Regifters, Tipftaffs, Meffengers, Provofts, Sergeants, and other Under- Otficers, which I pafs over. As there might be room to fear, that Bodies of Men, inverted with fo much Power, would 'by Degrees weaken the Imperial Authority, the Laws have provided againft tins Inconvenience; i two Ways; firrt, none of thefe Tribunals is verted with an abfolute Power of judging in Matter* that are brought before them, but requires the Affiftance of another, and often of all the reft, to put its Decrees in Execution. For Inftance, the Army is fubjed to the fourth Supreme Tribunal, but the Payment of it belongs to the fecond, while the Barks, Waggons, Tents, Arms, &c. are under the Management of the fixth : lb that no military Operation, can be carry’d on, without the Concurrence of thefe different Tribunals, and this is the Cafe with regard to all Affairs of Importance that concern the State. Secondly, nothing can be better contriv’d to curb the Power of the Magiftrate-s, belonging to the Supreme Tribunals, than the Precaution that is taken to appoint an Officer, whole BulineJs is to afiirt at all their Affemblies, and to revife all their Ads which are communicated to him. He can decide nothing himfelf, but is only an Infpedor to take notice of every thing that partes in each, and give an account thereof to the Court ; being obliged by his Office to give private Information to the Emperor of the Faults of the Mandarins , not only in the Ad mi nift ration of public Affairs, but in their private Condud. Nothing efcapes their Vigilance, nor do they fpare even the Emperor himfelf when lie-is blameable ; and that they may neither be corrupted by 1 lopes, nor intimidated by Threats, they are kept conftantly in their Employment, unlefs advanc’d to a more conliderable Port. This fort of Infpedors or public Cenfors, call’d Ko-tau> are extremely dreaded, and there are aftonifhing Inftances of their Courage and Conftancy ; they have ventur’d to ace tile Princes, great Lords, and Tartar Vice-Roys, tho’ under the Protedion of the Emperor : nay they commonly, either thro’ Obftinacy or Vanity, choole to fall into Difgrace with the Prince, and even fuffer Death, rather than delift from their Purluits, when they believe them to be con¬ fident with Equity and the Rules of a wile Government. One of thefe Cenfors having, in the Reign of the late Kavg-hi , accufed and convided four A>- kni'S) and as many great Officers, of receiving Bribes to put People into Ports ; they were immediately difplaced, and reduced to the Condition of Warders, who are petty Officers among the Commonalty. So that one may well fay of the Officers of this Court, what a Persian Corn- tier laid of his own Prince, “ They are in the Hands of the King my Mailer, like Counters, “ which have no Value but what he puts upon them.” When the Emperor, according to Cuftom, refers the Petitions of thefe Cenfors to the Tribu¬ nals, to deliberate upon them, the Mandarins feldom contradid them, for fear of being accufed themfelves ; this, it is true, gives them great Power in the Empire, but then it is a means of keeping every one to his good Behaviour, and in the Subordination neceffary to maintain the Im¬ perial Authority. Whatever Defference the Mandarins pay to the leaft Intimations, as well as Orders of the Emperor, they do not fail on proper Occasions to dilcover a great deal of Refolu- lion. When the Emperor interrogates the Tribunals, and they anlwer according to the Laws, they are not liable to either Blame or Reproach ; whereas, if they anfwcr contrary thereto, the Cenfors of {he Empire have a right to accule, and the Emperor to punifh them. There is at Pe-king another Tribunal cftablifh’d, folely to infped the Affairs relating to the Princes ; which they are not willing fhonld be confounded with thofe of the common People. The Prefidents and Officers of this Tribunal are Princes; but the inferior Officers are chofen from among the common Mandarins , who draw up the Ads of their Proceedings, and all other neceffary Writings. Alio in the Regirters of this Tribunal, all the Children of the Imperial FamiJv, as loon as they are born, are inroll'd ; the Titles and Dignities they are honour’d with inferib’u ; and in this Court they are tried and punifh'd when culpable. The Rt-gulo’s, belides their lawful Wives, have commonly three more, on whom the Emperor beftow9 Titles, and whole Names are regiftred in this Tribunal. Their Children take Place next to thofe that arc legitimate ; and are more rel’peded than thofe born of meer Concubines, ol whom the Princes may have ai ma v as they pleaie. I ihall give no farther account of the feveral Tribunals cftablifih’d in the Imperial City, ha\l;\, been fo particular in that of the fix principal, fo which the reft are luhordinatc, but 1 cannot omU of the CHINESE MONARCH Y. one of a Angular kind, which will lcrve to inform us in how great Efleem Men of Learning are in China. -S ' 1 Every three Years all the Kytt-jin , or Licentiates in the Empire, refort to Pe-king , to obtain Tribunal of their Doiftor’s Degree; where they are ftritfly examin’d for thirteen Days together, and not above t,le Haa - , ‘ n - three hundred can be admitted. Out of thefe new Doctors, thofe who have given Proofs of their Capacity and Skill, are chofen to compofe the Tribunal, whereof I am (peaking; which is call’d Ilan-lin-ysccn, and is a kind of Academy, whofe Members are Men of the greateft Genius and Learning in the Empire. Thefe Doctors direct the Education of the Heir to the Crown, and are to teach him Virtue ■the Sciences and Rules of Civility,, and the great Art of governing well. It is their Buiinefs to write theHiftory of theEmpire in general,and to record all the confiderable Events, worthy to be tranfmitted to Pofterity. Their Profefilon is to ftudy continually, and to compofe ufeful Books. They are properly the Literati of the Emperor, who diicourfes with them about Matters relating to the Sciences; and often chooies the Ko-lau's and Pretidents of the Supreme Tribunals out of their Body, they being at once both efteem’d and dreaded. The Emperor likewife nominates and veils with Authority the Mandarins in the Provintes, Officers and who are govern'd by two General Officers, on whom they depend ; one is call'd Fit-ywen , the Yp“™ ls “ f lame with the Vice-Roy, or Governor of a Province in Europe-, the other, whofe Jurifdidlion is much more extenfive, fince lie has two, and fometimes three Provinces fubjeft to him, is call'd T/ong-ti'i. Both thefe are at the Head of a Supreme Tribunal in the Province, wherein all Affairs of Moment, Civil or Criminal, are determin'd ; to them the Emperor immediately illues his Orders, and they take Care to tranfmit them off hand to all the Cities in their Diftrict. However great the Authority of the ‘ffong-tu may be, it does not in the lead diminilh that of tile particular Vice-Roys ; but every tiling is regulated in fuch a manner, that they never have any Contcft about Jurifdidtiou. The Supreme Tribunal of every Province hath feveral other fubor- liinate Tribunals under it; and a certain number of inferior Mandarins, who affift the Vice-Roy in difpatching Affairs. In all the Capital Cities of the Provinces two Tribunals are eftablifli’d, one for Civil, and the Tribunals of other for Criminal Affairs. The firft call’d Pu-ching-tfi, has a Prelident who is like the Treal'urer «o». General of a Province in Europe ; and two Affiftants, who are all Mandarins of the lecond Order. The Criminal Tribunal, nam’d 'Ngan-cba^tje, has a Preffdent of the third Order, and inftead ol Affiftants, it has two Claffes of Mandarins, call’d ‘tau-li. 1 hcle Mandarins are Vilitors of the different Diftridts, into which every Province is divided and have their refpeflive Tribunals ; their Bufinefs is to give an account of what paffes to the Em¬ peror, efpecially when there is no Viiitor in the Province lent exprefly from the Court. Some of them, call'd I-clMcn-tau, have the Care of the Pofts, as all'o of the Imperial Inns and Barks within their Diftridt ; others named Ping-pi-tau, have the Infpedlion of the Army ; tire Lun-tyen-tau overfee the repairing of the High Roads; the Ho-tau take Care of the Rivers; and thofe call'd Hay-tan, \ ifit the Sea Coafts. They have all a Power to punifli Criminals, and are as the Subftitutes of the fix Supreme Tribunals of the Court. The Cities being of three different Ranks, have alfo their own Governors, and feveral [other] Government Magiftrates. The [chief] Mandarin of Cities of the firft Rank, is call'd Chi-fu , and is oi of the fourth Order, but his three Affiftants are Mandarins of the fixth and feventh Order; he has befides a number of inferior Mandarins under him, in Proportion to the Extent of his Jurif- tliblinn and number of Cities within it. The Mandarin of Cities of tire fccond Rank, is nam’d Cki-chpw, and is of the fecond De¬ gree of the fifth Order; his two Affiftants are of tire lecond Degree of tire fixth and feventh Order. In lliort, all the reft of the Cities of the Empire have each a Tribunal, whofe Prelident is call'd Cbi-hyen. He is a Mandarin of the feventh Order, and has two Affiftants, one of the eighth, and the other of the ninth Order. Befides the Tribunals, common to all the Provinces, there are others peculiar to certain Places, Other Triba. or which have particular Fundtions. Such are for Inftance (I) the Mandarins of the Salt, whofe als ' Bufinels is to diftribute it thro’ the Provinces bv trully Perfons, and to hinder private Traders from felling it in Prejudice to the Revenue ; the prelident of this Tribunal is call’d Ten-fa-Uut. (2) The Mandarin-General of the Tribute of Rice, named Lyang-tau. (3) Another Manda¬ rin-General, call'd Hyo-tau, who prefides at the Examination of the Students of the Province, and thole who appear to take the Degrees of Literature; befides feveral others too tedious to mention, who have particular Offices. Tne number of Literary Mandarins, difperfed thro’ the Empire, amount to more than thirteen Number of thoufand fix hundred ; four times a Year is printed an exa <2 Catalogue of them, wherein their the ^ An ’ Name, Titles, Country, and the Times when they took their Degree, are mention’d. I fliall fp-ak elfewhere of the Military Mandarins, or Officers of War. The Governors of Cities, who arc inferior Mandarins, do not commonly determine matters of Importance themfelves, but are oblig’d to make their Report to the Superior Mandarins ; that is, to the Pu-ching-tfe and Fuffsvsn, who have none above them, except the Tribunals of Pe¬ king. As for the Ffong-tu, who is above a Vice-Rov, and has the Governn*rnt of two or three Provinces, he is fubject to the fame Tribunals ; but his Office is fo confiderable, that there is fio advancing him without making him a Minifter of State, or. Prelident of one of the Supreme Courts. r The ■xz V} tuc CONSTITUTION and GOVERNMENT The Mandar ndarim are extremely jealous of the Badges of their Dignity, which diftinguifh them ‘ not only from the common People, but all'o from other Literati, and all thole of an inferior Rai ' among themlelves. This Badge confide of a Piece of fquare Stuff, which they wear upon their Breads, richly work'd, and carrying in the Middle the Devices peculiar to their rcfpeoT.vc f mploymimtsi The Litfrary Mandat in have, fonie a Dragon with four Claws, others an Eagle, or a Sun, and fo of the red : In like manner, thole o:- the Military Clefs bear Leopards, Tygers, Liens, Lie. Gold, and Jewels; the Materials d'.ffuing according to the different Employment of the Per* ions. None but a Ko-lau might wear one of Jewels, which was given him by the Emperor, when he put him in Pofl'clTion of his Office ; but at prefer* a filk Girdle is all that is worn, power of the There is an abfolute mutual Dependence among the feveral Powers that govern the Empire, i...rr.iieg,i■ / The moft inconliderable Mandarin has full Authority within the Extent of his l)iflrict; but he ■depends on other Mandarins, who tho’ more powerful, yet are fubjeft to the General Officers of every Province ; as thefe latter are to the Tribunals of the Imperial City ; and the Prelidents of the Supreme Court , who are dreaded lay all other Mandarins, tremble themfelves before the Emperor, in whom rclides the Sovereign Power. The Employments are divided among the Mandarin Officers, in the following Manner. Any Perlbn who has gain’d two of the three Degrees of Literature, is capable of enjoying Public Offices, the Names of thefe three forts of the Learned, that is, Si-eio-tf. or Batchellors, Kyu-jin or Li¬ centiates, and L/inr-tje or Dodtors, are written on the Regifters of the fitft tupretnie Tribunals, call’d Li-pu ; which diftributes the vacant Offices, according to the Rank and Merit of the Li¬ terati, who when duly qualify’d repair to Court for that Purpofe ; but they do not ufually raife even ’tfiiw-Je, or Doctors, to be more than Governors of Cities of the fecond or third Rank. •As (boil as any of thefe Employments fall, fuppofe four, they immediately acquaint the Empe¬ ror with it ; and then calling the four Literati, who are firft upon the Lift, write the Names of the four Governments on four Tickets, which are put into a Box, placed fo high as juft to be within Reach of tile Candidates, who draw by turns according to their Rank, each poffeffing the City which falls to his Lot. Betides the common Examinations, they pafs thro’ another; in order to difeover what fort of Government they are fit for: and it is Laid, that when a Perfon has Friends or Money to beftow, the Cbineji do not want Ways to caufe the beft Governments to fall to thofe they defign to fa¬ vour. _ Tis iiirprizino' with how much Eafe a fingle A 'Iandarin , for Inftance, c iCh-fu, governs Mul- - V , ° , 1 1 1 • /-V . J - ... - D.\. ,-Jf*N** L..J ,1 T, Manner cf diftributing Offices a- mong them by Lot. rh which titudes of People ; he does no more than publifh his Orders on a finall Piece hi Paper, lea led with his Seal, and fix’d up at the Corners of Streets, and he is inftantly obey’d. This ready Obedience •Multitude;, is grounded on that profound Veneration and unlimitted Submiffion with refpeft to Parents, in which the Cbineji' are brought up from their Infancy. It proceeds alfo partly from the Reverence the Mandarin acquires bv his Conduct towards a People, who are accuftom d to look upon him as the Emperor himfelf, whofe Perfon he reprefents. They never fpeak to him but on their Knees when he is diftributing Juftice in his Tribunal; and be never appears in Public without a great Attendance, in a very majeftick Manner ; he is pompouflv drelsd, his Conntenance grave and fevere, being carried by four Men in a gilded Chair, open if in Summer, but cover d with Silk in Winter; preceded by all the Officers of his Tribunal, whofe Caps and Garb are of a very extraordinary Fafhion. . , hc p)p ^ Thefe Officers march in Order on each Side the Street, fome carrying before him an Umbrella inwh:u;;iicy of Silk, lomc ftriking from time to time on a Copper B don, and giving Notice to the People, appcira- w j t | 1 a l ouc l Voice, to fhew Refpetft as he palfes along. Some carry great Whips, others long bload - staves or Iron-Chains, the Din of all which Inftruments makes the People tremble; for they are naturally timerous, and know that in Cafes of Difobedience they cannot efcape Correction. So that as foon as he is in Sight, all who are in the Street, fhew-their Refpeft; not by faluting him him in any manner whatloever, for that would be a Familiarity dclerving Punifhment ; but by withdrawing out of the Way, Handing upright with the Feet clofe together, and their Arms hanging down ; in which Pofture as the molt refpedtful, they continue till the Mandarin has If the Cbi-fi , who is a Mandarin of the fifth Order, marches with fo much Pomp, what That of a mu ft be the Magnirieence of the Tfong-tu, or a Vice-Roy, when he goes abroad ? He is always ac¬ company’d with a hundred Men at lead, and this long Train, which has nothing embarrafing, becaule every one knows his Poft, fometimes takes up a whole Street. In the middle of this Pro- ceffion he appears, clad in his Habit of Ceremony, and fitting in a very large Chair, handlomly gilt, carry’d on the Shoulders of eight Men. Firft, two Kettle Drums beating upon Copper Bafons ffives Notice of the March. Next follow eight Perfons bearing Colours, (with japan’d Staves)’ whereon are written in large Characters, the Vice-Roy’s Titles. Then fourteen other En- fi?ns, exhibiting the Symbols peculiar to his Office, fuch as; the Dragon, Tyger Phoenix, fly¬ ing Tortoife, and other winged Animals. Six Officers carrying a Board in the Shape of alaige Shovel, fufpended at a pretty good Height; whereon are written, in large golden Characters, the particular Qualifications of the Mandarin. T wo others bearing, the firft, a large triple Umbrc ^ a of yellow Silk ; the fecond a Cafe, wherein the Umbrella is kept. Vice-Roy. Two Archers on Horfcback, at of the CHINESE MONARCHY. 2*3 at the Head of the chief Guards. The Guards arm'd with ftrait Scythes, adorn’d with Locks of Silk in four Rows; two other Files of arm’d Men, fome of them carrying Maces, either witn l on <7 Handles, or in the Form of a Hand or Serpent of Iron ; others arm'd with large Hammers and long Hatchets like a Crefcent. Another Company of Guards, fome arm’d with (harp Battle- Axes others with ftrait Scythes like the former. Soldiers carrying three pointed Halberts, Arrows or Axes. Two Porters, with a kind of handfome Coffer, containing the Seals of his Office. Two other Kettle Drummers, who give Notice of the Mandarins Approach. Two Officers with Plumes of Geefe Feathers in their Hats, and arm’d with Canes, to keep the Crowd in Awe. After them come two Mace-bearers, with gilt Maces in the Shape of Dragons, and a great number of Officers of Juftice; fome holding Whips or flat Staves, to give the Baftonado,others arm’d with Chains, Whips, and Cutlaces, or carrying Silk Scarfs. Laftly, two Standard-bearers, and the Captain, who commands the Company. This is the Equipage that precedes the Vice-Roy, who is carry’d in his Chair, furrounded with Pages and Footmen, having near his Perfon ail Officer, who carries a large Fan, fiaap’d like a Skreen. He is follow’d by feveral Guards, fome armed with Maces, in form of Polyhedrons, and others with long handled Sabres. After which come feveral Enfigns and Cornets, with a great number of Domeftics on Horfeback, every one carrying fomething for the Ufe of the Mandarin ; as the fecond Cap, inclofed in a Cafe, if the Weather Ihould oblige him to change the one he wears, &c. When he is abroad in the night time, they do not carry Flambeaux as in Europe , but feveral very handfome large Lanthorns, on which are written in Capital Lettets the Titles and Quality of the Mandarin, with the Order of his Mandarinat ; thereby to infpire every one with the Reverence due to him, as alfo that thofe who are walking may flop, and others who are fitting may rife in a refpefifful manner. . It is the Duty of the Governor of every Hyen or Chew to adminifter Jultlce j to receive the ^“7^ Go- Tribute due from each Family to the Emperor; to vifit perfonally the Bodies of thofe vvlro citiKS of the have either been kill’d in fome Scuffle, or thro’ Defpair have kid violent Hands on themfelves. iwuadfe. Twice in a Month he is oblig’d to give Audience to all the Heads of the Wards in his Diftridt, condRan -. and to inform himfelf exaftly of every thing that paffes. It is likewife his Bufinefs to give Pafs- ports to Barks and other Veffels, to hear Complaints and Accufations, which mult be almolt continual, in a Country fo populous. All Law-Suits come before his Tribunal, and he punillies the Perfon he judges to be in the Wrong, with a fevere Baftonado. In a Word, he condemns Criminals to Death, but his Sentence, or indeed that of any fuperior Mandarin, cannot be exe¬ cuted till it be ratify’d by the Emperor. Caufes of fmall Importance are determined firft by the three inferior Mandarins, who are like the private Deputies of our Judges of the Prefidial Courts [in France ]. g . However formidable the Authority of thefe Mandarins may be, they could not maintain Thegreateft themfelves in their Offices, if they did not gain the Reputation of being the Fathers of the of the People, and of having nothing in view, but their Happinefs ; fo that a good Mandarin ought D, ve of the to place all his Glory in rendering the People happy. A Magiftrate of this Charader has made People, it his Bufinefs to fend for Perfons fkill’d in breeding Silk Worms and making Silk, that he might teach thofe Arts in his Diftridj and thus by enriching his City, he has acquired thegreateft A There have been others, who in the Time of a Storm were not contented to forbid Perfons to crofs the River, but have come themfelves to the Bank, and ftaid there all Day ; to prevent,^ by his Prefence, any from being fo rafti thro’ Defire of Gain astoexpofe himfelf to the Danger ot periling miferably. A Mandarin who did not fliew the like Affedion, or was too fevere to the People under him, could not avoid being noted down in the Informations fent by the Vice-Roys every three Years to the Court, and this would be fufficient to deprive him of his Office. If a Great Value Prifoner dies in his Confinement, a great number of Atteftations muft be produced, to prove, that the Mandarin was not fuborn’d to compals his Death; that he vifited him, fent him a g u bjcdt. Phyfician, and furnifh’d him with proper Remedies, &c. for an account muft be tranfmitted to the Emperor of all thofe who die in Prifon, and of the manner of their Death, and according to the Advice which he receives, he often orders an extraordinary Procefs. There are certain Occafions whereon the Mandarins aided chiefly to ffiew their Tendernefs for their People; for inftance, when they are appreheniive of a bad Harveft, occafion d either by Drought, too much Rain, or any other Accident, fuch as the fwarming of Grafs-Hoppers, which fometimes over-run certain Provinces j for then the Mandarin , either thro Affedion, In- tereft, or Diffimulation, omits nothing that may render him popular. Tho* the greater Part of them are Men of Letters, and deteft the Idols of Fo and the Fan, yet they fail not to make Thg folemn Vifits to their Temples, and that on Foot, contrary to their Cuftom, to implore Rain v ifu the idol or fair Weather. When Calamities of this Nature happen, the Mandarin caufes his Orders for Tempicsw^ a general Faft to be fix’d up in all public Places, forbidding Butchers and Cooks to fell Meat pray or aia under heavy Penalties; which, tho’ they cannot do it openly in their Shops, they do privately by means of a little Money, given under hand to the People of the Tribunal, appointed to fee that the Orders are obferved. The Mandarin goes to the Idol Temples on Foot, negligently drefs’d, fometimes even with Straw Shoes on, accompany’d with inferior Mandarins , and follow’d by the principal Perfons of the City. Being arrived, he lights upon the Altar two or three fmall perfume-Sticks, after which they all fit ; and to pafs away the Time, drink Tea, fmoak, and chat an Hour or two together, and then retire. Vol.I. Sff This 2^4 Of the CONSTITUTION and GOVERNMENT This is all the Formality they obferve on fuch Occafions, wherein the Reader may perceive bKu'cn'to they treat the Idol with very little Ceremony ; and if they are oblig’d to pray too long before pieces for not t l le Favour is granted, they fometimes bring him to Reafon with a good Cudgel, but this is rare. fendingRain {aid that at Ky&tig-chew, in the Province of Shen-Ji, an Image was beaten to pieces by Order of the Officers, for very obftinately refilling to fend Rain in Time of a great Drought. It may be prefum’d that during this Execution, there were delicate Hymns fung in his Praife; and when Rain fell, they made another Image, which was no difficult matter, (for they are generally of Earth or a fort of Plaifter,) and led it in Triumph into the City ; where they offer’d Sacrifices to it, and in a Word reftored it to its Saintfbip again. Another Idol The Vice-Roy of a Province proceeded in the fame Manner with another Idol, which ill treated on not vouchfafing to anfwer his reiterated Prayers,' he could not reftrain hisCholer; but font an tt like ac- j n f er i or Mandarin to tell him, that if there was not Rain by fuch a Day, he would drive him C0J ” out of the City, and level his Temple with the Ground. It is likely the Image did not under¬ stand that Language, or was not afraid of his Menaces •, for on the Day limitted there fell no Rain. Upon which the Vice - Roy, to be as good as his Word, forbad the People to carry any Offering to the Image, and ordered the Temple to be lhut up, and the Gates feal’d, which was immediately done ; but the Rain falling a tew Days after, the Vice-Roys Anger was appealed, and the Image permitted to be worthipp’d as before. In thefe kinds of public Calamities, the Mandarin addreffes himfelf chiefly to the Guardian- Genius of the City, according to ancient Cuftom, imploring his Affiftance ufually in the follow¬ ing Form; viz. Form of ad- “ Guardian Genius 1 Notwithftanding I am the Paftor and Governor of this City, you, tho‘ dreflmg till- <1 invifible are much more fo. This Quality of Paftor obliges me to procure the People what- Gcniuirf a “ ever is advantageous for them, and to remove from them every thing that is hurtful. But it is u'"“ s ° a “ f rom . you, properly, that they receive their Happinefs ; it is you who preferve them from the “ Misfortunes they are threaten’d with: and tho’ you are invifible to our Eyes, yet whenever you “ pleafe to accept our Offerings, and hear our Vows, you are in fome Senfe no longer fo. But “ if you are pray’d to in vain, the Heart can have no Share in the Honours paid you; you “ indeed will continue to be what you are, but you will be little known: in the fame manner as “ I, who am commiffion’d to proteft and defend the People, would make them doubt of my “ Quality if I did not aft anfwerable to it. In public Calamities we ought to lay before you the “ Ills which we cannot remedy, and implore your Aid. Behold then the great Affliction the “ People are in 1 from the fixth to the eighth Month no Rain hath fallen, nor any Grain been yet " reap’d, if all be deftroy’d, how can the Earth be fown hereafter ? It is my Duty to reprefent “ this to you. I have appointed feveral Faft-Days : the Butchers are forbidden to open their “ Shops; the ufe of Meat, Fi(h, and even Wine, is prohibited; every one applies himfelf “ fmcerely to purify his Heart, examine his Confcience, and repent : but our Virtue and Merits << a re not fufficient to move Tyen. As for you, O Spirit ! the invifible Governor of this City, “ you have Accefs to him ; you can requeft Favours of him for us Mortals, and befeech him “ to put an end to our Afflictions. Such a Favour obtain’d by your Interceflion, will anfwer “ the utmoft Defires of the People. I (hall fee then accompliffl’d what my Office obliges me “ earneftly to wifh for ; and you will be more and more ador’d in the City, when it appears to “ the Inhabitants, that you do not prefide over it in vain.” Daly of the As the Mandarin is appointed folely to fupport and proteft the People, he ought always to be Governors rea( jy t0 j-, ear t ] lc j r Complaints, not only at the dated Hours of Audience, but at all other Hours of the Day. If the Affair be urgent, then they go to his Palace, and beat loud upon a kind of Kettle- toadminitter jy runl) w hich is fometimes on one fide of the Hall of Juftice, but commonly without Doors, J “ mcc ’ that the People may come at it both Night and Day. At this Signal, the Mandarin , tho’ ever fo much employ'd, is oblig’d to leave every thing immediately, to grant the Audience de¬ manded ; but whoever gives the Alarm, unlefs he has fuffer’d fome extraordinary Wrong that requires fpeedy Redrefs, is fure to receive the Baftonado for his Pains, to preach as One of his principal Functions is to inftruft his People as he is in the Emperor’s (lead; who Pridts under aCcor ding to the CUncfe is not only a Monarch to govern, and a Prieft to facrifice, but is alfo a the Emperor. £ ° teac ij Hence it is that from time to time he affembles all the Grandees of the Court and chief Mandarins of the Tribunals, to give them Inftruftions, always taking his Text out of the Canonical Books. Their Times I a like manner, on the firft and fifteenth Day of every Month the Mandarins affemble, and ofafTembiing • t j, e i r People a long Difcourfe, wherein every Governor afts the Part of a Father, who the Peop e. Family. There is a Law of the Empire for this Praftice, and the Emperor him¬ felf has appointed the Subjefts to be handled in their Sermons; which are comprehended in fixteen Teii? S f ° r I m P erial Ordinances as follows ; viz. The Firft. That they very carefully praftife the Duties preferibed by filial Piety, and the Deference that the younger Brother ought to pay the elder ; whereby they will learn how to let a Value on the effential Obligations, which Nature lays on all Mankind. The Second That they always preferve a relpeftful Remembrance for the Anceftors of their Family; which will be conftantly attended with Unity, Peace, and Concord, That of the CHINES E M ONARCHY. 2?f That there be Union in all the Villages; by this means they will be Strangers to Quarrels and The Third. Law-Suits. Let them have, a great Efteem for the Profeflion of Hufbandmen, and thofe who cultivate The Fourth Mulberry-Trees, wherewith the Silk-Worms are nourish'd ; they will then never want Grain to feed on, nor Garments to cover them. That they accuftom themfclves to a prudent Oeconomy by Frugality, Temperance and Modefty; The Fiftb and this will be the means of avoiding many idle Expences. That great Care betaken to encourage public Schools j to the end young Students may be The six t h - taught good Morals. That every one apply himfelf to his proper Bufinefs; which will be an infallible means to keep TheSeventh, the Heart and Mind at Eafe. That they ftifle Sedts and Errors in their Birth; in order to preferve the true and folid Dodfrine The Eighth in its Purity. That they inculcate to the People the Penal Laws eftablifh’d by the fupreme Authority ; for The Ninth. Fear will keep rude and untradtable Minds in' their Duty. That they inftrudt Perfons thoroughly in the Laws of Civility and decent Behaviour; thus The Tench, the good Cuftoms, which Decorum has eftablifh’d, will always be punctually piadtifed. That they apply all their Endeavours to give Children, and younger Brothers, a good Education; TheEleventh which wall prevent their giving themfelves up to Vice and diforderly PalTions. That they abftain from all flanderous Acculations ; thus Innocence and Integrity will have TheTwelfth. nothing to fear. That they take Care not to conceal the Guilty, whole Crimes oblige them to lead a TheThir- wandering and vagabond Life ; by this Means they will avoid being involved in their Mif- teenth - fortunes. That they be pundtual in paying the Contributions eftablifh’d by the Prince ; whereby they The Four- will prevent the Inquiries and Vexations of the Tax-Gatherers. teenth. That they adt in Concert with the Heads of the Wards in every City; which will prevent The Fif- Thefts, and the Efcape of thofe who are Guilty. teenth. That they reprefs the Sallies of Anger, which will fecure them againft all Danger. The six^ teenth. Thefe are the Ordinances which ferve the Mandarins for a Text to their Sermons. The fol¬ lowing Difcourfe of one of them upon the third Head, will fhew their Manner of inftrudting the People. “ The Emperor orders you to preferve Union in the “ Suits may be banifh’d from thence; liften attentively to “ of this Ordinance. “ When you dwell in the fame Place (whether Relations or not, imports little) you pafs for tc an Inhabitant of that Place or Town ; you there live with Kinsfolks or Acquaintances, with ct Perfons advanced in Age, and with your School-Fellows ; you cannot go abroad without “ feeing one another Morning and Evening, and at all times you will meet. It is this Aflem- “ blage of Families united in the fame Place, that I call a Village: in this Village there are rich <£ and Poor ; fome are your Superiors, fome your Inferiors, and other are your Equals. “ Fir ft of all therefore let this be a Maxim with you, that your Credit ought never to be fC employ’d to make yourfelf dreaded; and that you are never to be allow d to make ufe of Craft cc or to lay Snares for your Neighbours. To fpeak of the latter with Contempt; to be oftenta- “ tious of your own good Qualities; and to feek to enrich yourfelf at the Expence of others, are “ things that you ought abfolutely to avoid. “ One of the Ancients has wifely remark’d, that in a Place where there are old Men as well “ as young, the latter ought to refpedt the former, without examining whether they are rich or “ poor, learned or ignorant, they ought to regard nothing but their Age. If being in eafy Cir- ‘ Country, as may occafion his being partial : and as almoft all the other Mandari?is , who govern in the fame Province, are unknown to him, he hath feldom any Reafon to favour them. If an Employment be given him in a Province joining to that where he came from, it muft be in a City at leaft fifty Leagues from it ; the Reafon is, becaufe a Mandarin ought to think of no- Reafons for thing but the publick Good. If he poflefled a Place in his own Country, his Neighbours and thlswlie Re * Friends would not fail to folicit him, whereby he might either be biaffed in his Decrees to do ** icn Injuftice to others in their Favour, or carry’d, by a Spirit of Revenge, to ruin or opprefs thofe from whom he, or fome of his Family, had formerly received Injury. They are fo nice in this Refpedt, that they will not permit a Son, a Brother, ora Nephew, uSn re ll rain’d f/omPleafure. Of the Military Government and Forces of the Empire j the Forts and Soldiers , their Arms and Artillery. A S there were formerly in France Knights belonging to the Army, and Knights belong¬ ing to the Laws, there are likewife in China Literary DoClors, and Military Doctors. Having already fpoken of the firff, upon whom the Government depends, we proceed now to the latter, who are appointed to preferve Tranquillity in the Empire, to keep their Neigh¬ bours in Awe, and to ftifle or prevent Rebellions, Degree? a- The Military Mandarins , or Officers of the Army, muft pafs feveral Examinations, as well i ::0 ;;S the as the Literary Mandarins, and give Proof of their Strength, Dexterity, and Experience in the f‘f ry Art of War. Accordingly there are three Degrees among them, which they are to take, viz. thofe of Batchelor, Licentiate, and Dodtor of Arms. The Batchelors are examined in the Capital of every Province, in order to be Licentiates, in the Manner explain’d eltewhere. > 11 There are at P e-kin? five Tribunals of Military Mandarins , call’d U-fu, that is, j the free Chips, or Claffes cr- r ■» r t ■ a nr J or droops of Mandarins of War. The firff Clafs is that of the Mandarins of the Rear-Guard, call’d Hew-fu. The fccond confiffs of the Mandarins of the left Wing, which is nam’d j Xfo-fu. The third is of the Mandarins of the right Wing, call’d Tew-fu. The fourth of the Mandarins of the Van-Guard of the main Bodv, named Chong-fu. The fifth of the Mandarins of the Van-Guard, call'd Tjfen-ju. Thefe five Claffes have at their Head a Chief [or Prefidcnt] and two A (Tiff ants, which arc of the firff Order of Mandarinss. They commonly choole for theiePoffs great Lords of the Empire, and ihefia of the CHINESE MONARCHY. z6i thefe are they who command the Officers and all the Soldiers. Thefe five depend on a Supreme g renieTri Tribunal of War, call’d Yong-ching-fu , whofe Prefident is one of the greateft Lords of the bunaiofrJg- Empire, and has Authority over the five Tribunals, and all the Officers and Soldiers of the < hin sJ* or Court; but to prevent the Abufe of fo extenfive a Power, which renders him Matter of ^ :n S c ^”£' many Troops, they give him a Literary Mandarin for an Affiftant, with the Title of Super- intendant of the Army, and two Infpedtors nam’d by the Emperor, who have their Share in all Affairs. Moreover, when the Execution of any Military Projedt is in Agitation, they depend abfolutely on the fourth of the fix Supreme Courts, call’d Ping-pu , already fpoken of, which has the whole Militia of the Empire under its Jurifdidtion. Tho’ there are great Lords, who, holding in the Empire the Rank of Princes, Dukes, and Earls, are above all the Orders of Mandarins, by their Dignity, Merit, and Services; yet there is not one of them but thinks himfelf honour’d by the Title he derives from his Mandarinat , and the Quality of Chief of the five Tribunals of Military Mandarins. None can be more ambitious to command than the Chinefe , placing ail their Glory and Happinefs in having Authority in the State. The Rank and Bufinefs of the principal Military Mandarin is much the fame with that of °* a General in Europe. He has under him in fome Places four Mandarins , and in others only gufa. two, whofe Employment is not unlike that of our Lieutenant-Generals, who have likewife four fubordinate Mandarins , anfwering to Colonels; thefe again have under them others, who may be confidered as Captains, and have likewife their fubaltern Officers refembling our Lieutenants and Enfigns. Each of thefe Mandarins has a Train fuitable to his Dignity ; and when he appears in Public, he is always attended by a Company of Officers belonging to his Tribunal. All of them together command a great number of Troops, partly Horfe, and partly Foot. Thefe Officers exercife their Soldiers regularly : the Exercife confifting in a kind of tumul- Difcipline tuous and diforderly Marches, which they perform when they attend the Mandarins ; or elfe in oftheTroo P , ‘ forming Squadrons, in filing off in Order, in encountering each other, or in rallying at the Sound of Horns and Trumpets ; in a Word, they draw the Bow, and handle the Sabre with a great deal of Skill. They alfo from time to time review their Troops, examining carefully their Horfes, Mufkets, Sabres, Arrows, Cuiraffes, and Helmets. If there be the leaft Ruft on their Arms, they are punifti’d on the Spot for their Negligence ; with thirty or forty Blows of a Battoon, if they are ChineJ'e ; or fo many Lafhes of a Whip, if they are Tartars. At other times they are at Liberty to follow what Trade they pleafe, unlefs they are on fome Duty which gives them full Employ; as when, for Inftance, they are placed to guard a City-Gate, or to take Care of the high Roads. As the Military Bufinefs does not take up much of their Time in a Country which has Pro r eflion of been fo many Years at Peace ; far from being oblig’d to inlift Men by Force, or Money, as ^vetedYn is pradtifed in Europe , the Profeffion of a Soldier is commonly look’d upon as a Fortune, which china. they endeavour to procure by means of their Friends, or by Prefents to the Mandarins ; the Service being generally in the Country where they dwell, and have their Family. The three Northern Provinces furniffi abundance of Soldiers, who every three Months receive The Pa X* their Pay ; being five Sous of fine Silver, and a Meafure of Rice a day, which is fufficient to maintain one Man. Some have double Pay, and Horfemen have five Sous more, with two Meafures of fmall Beans to feed their Horfes, which alfo are provided by the Emperor. They reckon more than eighteen thoufand Mandarins of War, and above feven hundred Number of j thoufand Soldiers diftributed among the Forts, Cities, and Fortifications, belonging to the Military ieveral Provinces, and along the Great Wall. Thefe Troops being well cloathed, and well arm’d, make a very fine Appearance in their March, or on a Review ; but they are not comparable to the Soldiers of Europe , either for Courage or Difcipline, being eafily put into Diforder and routed. Befides, that the Chinefe are naturally effeminate, and the Tartars are almoft degenerated Chinefe no to Chinefe , the profound Peace they have enjoy’d, gives them no Opportunity to become ^ dS L ldlcrs * Warlike. Add to this the Efteem that they have for Learning preferable to every thing elfe ; ' r ' the Dependance which the Soldiers have on the Literati ; and the Education that is given to Youth, (who fee nothing but Books and Characters, who are inftruCted with a grave and ferious Air, and hear nothing fpoken of but Law and Politics,) are fo many ObftruCtions to their being Warriors. Thefe Troops are fcarce ever employ’d, efpecially fince Tartary has fub- mitted, for any thing elfe, but to prevent Revolts, or to quafh Commotions on their firft Appearance in a City or Province. Twenty four Tartar Officers have at Court the Dignity of Captain-Generals, and there are likewife many Colonels. Befides thefe Officers, who were Number of eftablifti’d by the Tartars , there are alfo Officers of the Pijig-pu , or Tribunal of War j who Generals - fuperintend the Chinefe Troops throughout the Empire, and have always Couriers ready to carry neceffary Orders into the Provinces, which is perform’d with great Secrecy. Their chief Employment is to purge the high Ways of Robbers, whom they follow and obferve fo carefully, that they leldom efcape. On thefe Occafions, Orders are fent to the City, and, if there be a Necef- fity for it, the Forces of feveral Cities, neareft to the Place infefted by the Robbers, are employ’d. In War-time feveral Battallions are detach’d from every Province to form an Army. Before the Union of the Tartars and Chinefe i a prodigious Number of Troops were rang’d along the Great Wall, in order to guard it, and cover the Empire againft the Attempts of fuch formidable Enemies; but at prefent only the moft important Places are garr.ifon’d. \ QL. I, U U U Nature 2 6z The MILITARY GOVERNMENT China fcrti- Nature has taken care to fortify China in all other Places, where it might be liable to be attacked, fy'd by Na- rpjj e g eaj which wafhes fix Provinces, is fo {hallow near the Shore that no large Veflel can approach ture ’ it, without being broken to Pieces; and Storms are fo frequent that no Fleet can ride there in fafe- t y : On the Weft there are inacceflible Mountains, which are no lefs a Defence on that fide, than the Sea and the Great Wall on the other two. Great Wall, Two Hundred and Fifteen Years before Chrift, this prodigious Work was built, by order of "■hen an I t jj e p ir ft Emperor of the Family of P/in, for fecuring three great Provinces againft the Irrupti- ho«r built. ons 0 f t h e Tartars. To execute this grand Defign he drew every third Man, capable ot work¬ ing, out of each Province; and in laying the Foundation of it on the Sea-Coaft, he ordered feveral Ships loaden with Iron and huge Stones to be funk : whereon the Wall was railed with fo much Art that the Workmen were not to leave the leaft Chink between the Stones on Forfeiture of their Lives; hence the Work is aimoft as intire at prefent, as when it was firft built. It is about 500 Leagues in Length, and broad enough for fix Horfemen to ride abreaft upon it. [See p. 20.] This Wall is admirable on two accounts; Firft, That in its Courfe from Eaft to Weft it runs in feveral Places with a gradual Al'cent, over very high Mountains; and is fortify’d with largeTow- ers, no more than two Bow-fhots a funder, that no part of it may be left undefended. It is hard to conceive how this enormousBulwark could be railed, ot the Height it is, in dry and barren Places; confidering the Bricks, Mortar, and all the neceffary Materials for the Work muft have been brought with incredible Labour from a great Diftance. The lecond is, That this Wall does not run in a ftrait Line, but, as may be feen in the Map, turns and winds in feveral Places, according to the Difpofition of the Mountains, in fuch a man¬ ner, that the North Part of China may be laid to be encompaffed with three Walls inftead of one. The Cities of War have no Advantage of other fortified Cities but in their Situation, which renders them difficult of Accefs. The whole Art of Fortification among the Chineje confifts in an excellent Rampart, Brick-Walls, Towers, and a large Ditch full of Water ; and, to fay the Truth, this is fufficient Security againft all Efforts of Enemies, who are as ignorant of the offen- five as the defenfive part of War. The Forts, fortified Places, and Cittadels, are very numerous, and diftinguifh’d in feven diffe¬ rent Orders, named by the Chine ft, Saucing, Obey, So, Chin, Pan, P it and Cuay. 1 here are about fix hundred of the firft Order, five hundred and upward of the fecond, three hundred and eleven of the third, three hundred of the-fourth, one hundred and fifty of the fifth, and three hundred of the laft : which make above two thouland fortified Places, without reckoning the Towers, Ca¬ ttles, and Redoubts of the famous Wall, which have every one its particular Name and Garrifon. Among the latter, there are Places of Refuge in' the middle of the Fields, whither the Hufband- men and Peafants retire with their Flocks and Moveables, in cafe of Commotions, which rarely happen, or of the fudden Incurfion of Robbers, where they are fecure from all Infults. There are others built on the Tops of Rocks and craggy Mountains, inacceflible but by Ladders or Steps cut into the Rock. Thefe Places are not"encompafs’d with Walls, their Strength confift- inv folelv in their impregnable Situation, or in deep and broad Ditches capable of flopping the Rebels in their March." They reckon, befides thefe, more than three thouland Towers, or Ca¬ ttles called Pay ; wherein are conftantjy kept Centinels and other Soldiers on Duty, who, when they difeover any Difturbance, make a Signal: in the Day, by a Flag on the Top of the Tower, and in the Night, by a lighted Torch, to alarm the Neighbouring Garrifons; for there is not a Province, City, nor walled Town in the Empire, but what has Soldiers for its Defence. Anil'ery and Artillery is but a modern Invention among thgChinefe, and tho’ that of Gunpowder is very Gunpowder. anc ient, they have 1 'eldom made ufe of it but for Fireworks, wherein they excel. There are how¬ ever three or four Bombards fhort and thick at the Gates of Nan-king, ancient enough to prove that they have had fome Knowledge of Cannon, tho’ they feem’d to be ignorant of their Ufe; for they lerve for nothing but to be fhewn as Curiofitics. They had alfo a few Patarreroes on Board their Veffels, but had not {kill enough to make ule of them. In the Year 1621, the City of Ma-kau having prefented the Emperor with three Cannon, and Men to manage them, the firft Trial of them was made before the Mandarins ; who were greatly lurprized at the Novelty, but more when they faw that one of thePieces in recoiling kill’d a Portugueje, and three Chineje , who did not get out of the way time enough. Thefe Guns be¬ ing employ’d againft the Partars , who came in fwarms towards the Great Wall, they were lo rerrify’d at the Havock made by them, that they fled, and durft never approach it any more.^ In the Year 1636, when the Perfecution was raifed againft the Miffionaries, who had not dar’d to appear for ten Years, the Partars having made a new Irruption into the Empire, the mili¬ tary Mandarins confulted about Meafures for putting a flop to their Inroads, and talked of fortify¬ ing the Towns, and furnifhing them with Artillery. On this occafion, remembering they had of¬ ten heard Dr. Paul Syu fay, that the Miffionaries underftood the Art of founding Cannon, they p c_ '. an! or _ immediately befought the Emperor to command P. Adam Schaal , Prefident of the Tribunal or dured by the t j le Mathetnaticks, to caft fome. His Maiefty was defirous to know before hand if this Father cait'Amc C ° had ever actually founded any, or knew how to do it. But the Mandarins taking upon themlelves to make the Enquiry, without letting him perceive their Defign, intreated the Emperor to haften the Order, which they were not to make ufe of unlefs a proper Occafion offered. Having obtained what they defired, they made the Father a Vifit, under pretence of propofing fome Difficulty in Aftrooomy, and putting him Queftions concerning feveral parts of the Mathematics: among the reft afked. him, as it were by chance, if he underftood the method of catting Cannon; and the Chin-ft Forti¬ fications. FortreiTes fe¬ veral kinds. Places of •Refuge. Cmnc mired. of the CHINESE MONARCHY. 2.63 the Father replying that he underftood its Principles, they immediately prefented him the Em¬ peror's Orders ' The Miffionary excufed himfelf, by alledging that the Prafiice was quite different from the Theory but obey he muft, and inflrud the Workmen. Accordingly they affigned him a n roper Place near the Palace, that he might be affifted by the Eunuchs of the Court. Afterwards the feveral Pieces of Work relating to Optics, Statics, Arch,teffure and Fortification, and feve- ral Inftruments of Wood and Copper, made by P. Ferdinand Verbtejl, for the Obfervatory at Pe¬ kin! perfwaded the Mandarine that he muft be equally Hailed in founding Cannon ; which they wanted in order to defend the Empire again ft its Enemies, and efpecially certain Robbers whom- fefted the Coafts and Frontiers of China, from whence it was difficult to chafe them. . For this reafon they prefented a Memorial to the Emperor, bcfeeching him to order P. Verbtejl VerbieJi to inftrudl Workmen in the manner of founding and making of Cannon for the Prefervat.on ofgfcjjo the State The Jefuit having read in the Regifter of the Church of Pe-kmg, that a great num¬ ber of Miffionaries have been brought into the Empire by the fame means under the laft Family of the Chinefe Emperors; and believing that fuch a piece of Service done for the Empeior would induce him to favour the Ronlijh Religion, he caft 130 Pieces of Cannon with wonderful bU Some time after, the Council of the Chief Mandarine of War haying prefented a Memorial « J» to the Emperor, whereby they required 320 Pieces of Cannon, of different Bores, after the Eu- ropean Fafhion, for the defence of the fortified Places ; his Majefty granted then- Requeft and or¬ der'd that Nan-whay-jin (for fo the Chinefe called P. VerbieJi) fhould overfee the Work, which was to be perform'd accordingly to the Patterns, to be painted and prefented him in a Memorial. Ac¬ cordingly the 1 ith of February 168 I, P. VerbieJi haying prefented the Patterns, they were approv¬ ed of-"and an Order was fent to the Tribunal, which has the Infpefhon of the Pubhck Build- ings and Works, to furniffi all things neceffary for the Purpofe without Delay. It took up above a Year to make thefe Cannon, in which time the Father met with many Ob- They. a*, ftruftions from the Eunuchs of the Palace, who, impatient to fee a Stranger fo much m favour Wng with the Emperor, us'd their utmoft endeavours to defeat the Undertaking; they complained eve- rv Moment of the Slownefs of the Workmen, while they caufed the Metal to be ftolen away by the Under-Officers of the Court. As foon as one of the largeft Guns was caft, before it could be polifhed on the infide, they forced an Iron Bullet into the Mouth of it, thinking thereby to ren¬ der it ufelefs; but VerbieJi having charged it thro' the Touchhole, it was fired out with fuch a terrible Nolfe, that the Emperor hearing it in the Palace wou’d needs fee it repeated. When all the Cannon were finiffied, they were taken to the foot of the Mountains, half a Day s Journey Weft from Peking, whither feveral Mandarine went to fee them tried; whereof report being made to the Emperor, he went himfelf, with feveral Governors of Weftern Tart ary, who were then at Peking, and the principal Officers of his Army, befides his whole Court, to fee the Experiment. Accordingly they were loaded in hisPrefence, and difeharged feveral times againft fuch Places as Obferving that the Balls hit the Places they were levell'd at by the Jefuit with his Inftruments, wko ko . he was fo greatly pleafed that he made a folemn Feaft for the -Tartarian Governor and princi- noun r.r- pal Officers of the Armv, in the middle of the Fields under Tents ; drinking out of his Golden Cup to the Health of his Father-in-Law, of his Officers, and even of thofe who had fo exaftly diredted the Cannon. At length fending for P. VerbieJi, who by his Orders was lodged near his own Tent he faid to him, The Cannon you caufed to be made for me the laft Tear were veryJervipea- ble again/l the Rebels, in the Provinces of Shen-fi, Hfi-quang and Kyang-fi, and I am ■wellJaUs- fied with tour Services ; then taking oft" his Veft furred with Martin-flans of great value, and alfo his Gown that was under it, he gave them to him as a Teftimony of his Fnendftnp They continued feveral Days to make Proof of the Guns, in which time they difeharged twen¬ ty three thoufand Bullets, to the great Satisfadion of the Mandarins, whofe Officers affifted at the . fame time. P VerbieJi compofed a Treatife on the founding of Cannon, and their Ufe which he prefented the Emperor ; with forty four Tables of Figures neceffary for undemanding the Art, and of the Inftruments proper to level the Cannon for fhooting at any Mark. A few Months afterwards, the Tribunal for enquiring into the Defeats of Perfons who have done fervice to the State, prefented a Memorial to the Emperor, wherein they befought him to have regard to the Service P. VerbieJi had done, by calling fo many Pieces of Artillery. His Ma- iefty granted their Petition, and beftow’d on him a Title of Honour, like that con eir on t e ice- Roys when they have deferved well in their Government by their prudent ConducT 1 o prevent the Superdition of the Chinefe, who facrifice to the Spirit of the Air, Mountains and Rivers, ac¬ cording to the various natural Events, and the different Works they begin 01 fini ’ • c f te J The Jefui: fixed a Day to blefs the Cannon in a folemn Manner. For this purpole be ereded an Altar in the Udfcs the Foundarv, on which he placed a Crucifix, and then in his Surplice and Stole adored the true God, making nine Probations, and beating his Forehead againft the Ground; and as it is the Cuf- tom in China to give Names to fuch kinds of Works, the Father gave to every Piece of Cannon the Names of a he or (he Saint of the Romijh Church, tracing the Characters that were to be en¬ graven on the Breech of the Gun. , ., . . c . . T , Some Perfons, with a defign to render the Jeiuits odious, publiftied Libels in Spain and Italy againft P. VerbieJi ; affirming, that it was unworthy of a Prieft and a Regular to furniffi the Inn- dels with Arms, and that he had incurred the Excommunications of the Popes who have forbid¬ den it. The 264 The CONSTITUTION and GOVERNMENT The Father prudently reply'd, That the Intention of the Church in this Prohibition, was to hinder the Infidels from making ufe of thofe Arms againft the Chriftians; that nothing like this could happen in China, fince neither the Chinefe nor Tartars could make war againft the Chri¬ ftians : That, on the contrary, by this means the Romifh Religion was eftablifhed in China ; fince the Emperor, in recompence of fuch a Service, gave the Miffionaries leave to preach throughout his Dominions. But P. Verbiejl is cleared from thefe Invedlives by the honourable Brief fent him by Pope Innocent Xlth; who therein praifes him for having fo wifely employed the profane Sciences for the Converfion of the Chinefe , and exhorts him to continue, by his Zeal and Knowledge, to pro¬ mote his Religion, promifmg him all the Aftiftance of the Holy See, and his Pontifical Authority. Of the Polity of the Chinefe, as well in the Cities for maintaining good Order, as in the great Roads for the Safety and Conveniency of Travellers; of the Cuflom- Houfes, Ports, &c. Cities di¬ vided into Wards. Guards at the Gates. None abroad afterNight- fall. Watches of the Night. I N fuch a vafl Dominion as China , fo prodigioufly populous, and fo full of Cities, there would be nothing but Confufion and Diforder, if the Regulations were not fo exadly obferved as to prevent the leafl Diflurbances; the Repofe which it enjoys being the Effedt of the Wif- dom of its Laws. Every City is divided into Wards, each of which has a Head, who keeps an Eye over a certain Number of Houles, being refponfible for whatever palfes within his Precindt; fo that fhould any Tumult happen, and he negledt immediately to inform the Mandarin about it, he would be very feverely punifh’d. Mailers of Families are equally refponfible for the Condudt of their Children and Servants; he who has all the Authority being deem’d culpable, when his Inferiors, who owe him Obe¬ dience and Refpedl, have committed any Crime. The very Neighbours themfelves are obliged to lend mutual Afliftance when any Misfortune happens, for Inilance, a Robbery in the Night ; and in fuch Cafes one Houfe anfwers for the next. There is always a good Guard at the Gates of every City, who examine all PalTengers; and if they fee any thing fufpicious about a Man, if his Phyfiognomy, Air, or Accent, dilcover him to be a Stranger, he is immediately Hopp’d, and Notice given to the Mandarin. One of their principal Maxims, and which they believe contributes moft to good Government, is, not to fuffer Foreigners to fettle in the Empire ; for befides their hereditary Pride, and Con¬ tempt of other Nations, whom they look upon as barbarous, they are perfuaded, that a Mixture of People would introduce a Diverfity of Manners and Cufloms, which would gradually pro¬ duce perfonal Quarrels, Parties and Rebellions, fatal to the Tranquility of the Empire. As foon as Night falls, the Gates of the City, as alfo the Barricades at the End of every Street are carefully fhut; and at proper Diflances there are Centries, to flop thofe who are abroad. In fome Places there are Horfemen continually patrolling upon the Ramparts; The Night , fay they, is for Repofe , and the Day for Work. This Law is fo well obferved, that no People of Credit will be feen at Night in the Streets; and if any one happens to be found, he is look’d upon as a Scoundrel or Robber, on the Lurch to do Mifchief by favour of the Dark- nefs, and therefore he is flopp’d : So that it is very dangerous to be abroad at unfeafonable Hours; 'it being difficult, however innocent, to efcape the Severity of the Magiflrates. There are in every City large Bells, or a Drum of a very extraordinary Size, with which they diflinguiffi the Watches of the Night. Every Watch lafls two Hours. The firft begins about Eight in the Evening, during which they flrike from time to time one Stroke, either on the Bell or on the Drum ; in like manner, they flrike two Strokes throughout the fecond Watch, three in the third, and fo on ; infomuch that at any Time of the Night, one may know within a Trifle what it is o’ Clock. The Sound of their Bells is not very harmonious, becaufe the Hammer which they flrike with is not of Metal, but of Wood. The Gate of Arms is only for the Ufe of Soldiers, who feldom are in their military Accoutre¬ ments but when on Duty, as in time of War, when they keep Guards ; when they pafs in Review, or when they attend the Mandarins ; at other times they apply themfelves to Trade, or follow their own private Profeffions. If there happens to be a Quarrel among the Populace, and from abufive Language they come to Blows, they are extremely careful not to fhed Blood; for which Reafon if they chance to have any Stick or Iron Weapons in their Hands, they lay it aflde, and fall a Boxing. They commonly end their Quarrels by complaining to a Matidarin , who fitting in his Chair of State, and furrounded with his Officers, very calmly hears both Parties plead their own Caufe; after which he caufes the culpable, and fometimes both Parties, to be baflonadoed in his Prefence. There of the CHINESE MONARCHY. 26$ There are coinmon Proftitutes in China as well as elfewhcre ; but as they generally caufe Diftur- Common bances, they are not permitted to live within the Walls of the City, or have private Houfes to themfelves; but leveral'of them lodge together, and often under the Government of a Man, who is refponlible for any Diforder. After all, thefe loofe Women are but barely tolerated, being look’d upon as infamous; and fome Governors of Cities will not permit them to live within their Diftri&s. In fhort, the Education they give to Youth, contributes much to the Repofe which the Cities enjoy j for as Offices and Dignities are obtained according to the Progrefs made in the Sciences, young Perfons are kept continually to their Studies, being wholly debarr’d from Play, and all Diverlions likely to promote Idlenefs; by which clofe Application to cultivate their .Minds, and cxercife their Memories, they are accuftomed to moderate their unruly Pallions, and free from a great Part of thofe Vices that necelfarily attend Idlenefs and Sloth. Nor is the Government lefs careful to render the great Roads fife, handfome and commodious, The great than to preferve Peace in the Cities. The numerous Canals, fo ufeful for the tranfporting of Mer- Roadi ’ chandizes into feveral Provinces, are border’d with Quays of hewn Stone ; and in low, marffiy, and watery Places, very long Caufeways have been raifed for the Conveniency of Travellers. Great Care is taken to keep the Roads even, and often to have them well pav’d, efpecially in kept in Or- the Southern Provinces, where they ufe neither Horfes nor Waggons. The Roads are commonly der ; very broad, and as in many Places the Soil is light, it dries almoft as foon as the Rain ceafes. They have made Ways over the higheft Mountains, by cutting thro’ Rocks, levelling the Tops of Hills, and filling up the Valleys. In fome Provinces the high Roads are like fo many great Walks, having very tall Trees, and 1Ike Garder k fometimes Walls on each Side, eight Foot high, to prevent Travellers from riding over^ alks ‘ the Fields; with Openings into the Crofs-ways leading to different Villages. In the great Roads there are at proper Diftances reffing Places, very neat and conveniently with retting fenced, as well againft the Winter Cold as the Summer Heats. Moft of the Mandarins on their PIac€s - Return to their own Country, after being difmifs’d from their Employments, endeavour to recommend themfelves by Works of this Kind. There are alfo Temples and Pagods, which afford a Retreat in the Day time, but it is with great Difficulty that any Perlon is permitted to ftay there all Night, except the Mandarins , who have that Privilege. The Bonzas wait on them with great Affedion, receiving them with the Sound of Mufical Inftruments, and lodging them in their own Apartments : They alfo take Care of their Baggage, their Servants and Porters. This fort of Gentlemen make very free with their Gods; for they put their Temples to all manner of Ufes, not thinking fuch Familiarity inconfiftent with the Reverence due to them. There are fome charitable Perfons, who hire Men to diftribute Tea to poor Travellers in the Summer, and in the Winter a kind of Water with Ginger infufed in it; requiring no other Return, but that they would not forget the Name of their Benefadors. Inns are numerous enough on the Roads ; but nothing can be more wretched or ill con- Wretched trived, excepting thofe on the great Roads, which are very large and handfome ; but Travellers th0 muff carry their Beds along with them, or elfe be forced to lie on a plain Mat. The Cbinefe , ° a s * efpecially the meaner fort, never ufe Blankets, being content to wrap themfelves, fometimes quite naked, in a Cover-lid lined with Linnen ; fo that their Beds are eafily carry’d. The Enter¬ tainment is fuitable to the Lodging, for you will have very good Luck if you meet with any Fiffi or the leaf: Bit of Meat. In feveral Places, however, Pheafants are cheaper than other wild Fowls ; for fometimes four may be bought for ten Sols. ’Tis true fome of thefe Inns afford better Accommodations than others, but the beft of them are very mean ; confiding for the general of four Mud Walls without any Plaiftering. All the Rafters in the Roof appear, and ’tis well if you do not fee thro’ it in many Places; befides the Rooms which are feldom paved are full of Holes. In fome Provinces thefe Inns are built only of Earth and Reeds, but in the Cities they are of Bricks, and pretty convenient. In the Northern Parts one meets with what they call Kan's ; being great Brick Eftrades, the whole Breadth of the Room, with a Stove underneath, and a Mat made of Reeds on the Top, whereon you may lay your Bed if you have one. They have taken Care to publifh an Itinerary, which contains all the Roads, with the Diftances Book of die of Places both by Land and Water, from Pe-kmg to the Borders of the Empire (f). The Man- the Roads? Aar ins make ufe of this Book when they fet out from the Court, to take Pofteffion of their Employments in the Provinces. At the End of every Stage there is a Houfe called Kong-quan , appointed to receive the Mandarins , and all thofe who travel" by the Emperor’s Order, who defrays their Expences. The Day before a Mandarin fets out on his Journey, a Courier is fent forwards, who carries a Tablet, wherein is written the Name and Employment of that Officer ; on Sight of which the Lodgings are immediately prepared for him according to his Dignity ; and he is furnifh’d with all Neceffaries, fuch as Provisions, Porters, Horfes, and Chairs, or Barks if he goes by Water. The Couriers, who publifh the Approach of the Mandarinj always find Horfes ready ; and VoL - F Xxx that ( 1 } Had the Mifiionaries fent a Tranfiation of thefe Itinera- fome Meafure have fupplied the Want of the Journals of their r:e5 ’ '. £ ', vo , have been very acceptable to the Curious; thereby own Travels over the Provinces, when they made the Mans •we might have improved the Maps with the Roads, and in The Kong- ou»n. Kun ton de- deicribed. 166 Jhe CONSTITUTION and GOVERN M ENT that they may not be difappointed, one or two Li, before their Arrival, they ftrike very_ hard feveral times upon a Bafon, to give Notice that the Hoffe may be immediately (addled it it be ^ThefeHoufcs appointed for Lodging of the Mandarins, are not fo handfome as might be expected • for which Reafon, when one reads of fuch things in the Relations of foreign Countries, he ought’to make home Allowance : not that the Authors are given to magnify, but they often borrow the Defcriptions from the Natives, to whom very mean Things feem magnificent, be¬ tides they are obliged to make U& of Terms, which convey very lofty Ideas to Europeans-. When it 'is raid for Inftance, that the Kong-quan are prepared for the Reception ot the Man¬ darin! and thofc who are entertained at the Emperor's Expence, one would imagine t,., m from hence to be noble Struflures. When farther we read that an Officer is fent before hand with Or¬ ders to vet every thing readv again# the Mandarin arrives. It is natural to believe that they were in a Hurry to (bread Carpets, and adorn the Apartments with handfome Moveables ; but the Their Furni- Qfoiyigfc, Frugality and the great Number of Meffengers, who are difpatch d from Ccuit, free: ture ‘ them from this Trouble : the Furniture to be prepared confifting of a few Felts and Mats, two or three Chairs a Table, and a wooden Bedftead cover’d with a Mat, when there is never a Kan If he be a Mandarin of confiderable Rank, and the Kong-quan not finable to his Dig¬ nity he is lodged in one of the belt Houfes of the City, where an Apartment is borrowed for him The Kong-ouan are fometimes large and fometimes froall, and there are feme handfome and commodious enough. By that of Kan-ton which is one of the common fort, one may judge of the reft - It is of a moderate Size, confiding of two .Courts, and two principal Buildings; one of which, at the Bottom of the firft Court, is a Ling, or large open Hall, for receiving Vifus The other (landing at the end of the fecond Court, is divided into three Parts ; that in the middle ferving for a Salon, or Anti-Chamber, to the two great Rooms that are on the Sides with each a Clofet behind. This Difpofition is obferved in moftof the Houfes belonging io Perfons of any Diftinaion. The Hall and Anti-Chamber are each adorn'd with two great Lanthorns of tranfparent Silk painted, hung up in the manner ot a Branch ; alfo the Gate towards the Street, and thofe of the Courts are each enlightened with two large Paper-Lanthorns, adorn’d with large Characters. ■ u r* * n , On the great Roads, at proper Difiances, there are a fort of Towers, with Centry Boxes upon ^Sr,h^fo Snels, and Vg-ftaffs to make Signals in Cafe of Alarm, Thefe Towers tries on the are made D f Turf, or temper'd Earth ; they are lquare, about twelve Foot high with Bat- Rrad! - dements and are built flaming. In fome Provinces there are large Bells of caft Iron on the Ton of them ; but mod of thofe which are not upon the Road to Pe-kmg, have neither Centry Boxes nor Battlements. According to the Laws, thefe Towers ought to be found on all fre- nuented Roads at the Diftance of every five Li [or bait League] one (mall and another large alternately ■ with Soldiers continually upon Duty to obferve what paffes, and prevent any Diftur- bancc Thefe Soldiers have their Guard-Houfes, and place themfelves in a Rank when any confiderable Officer paffe by. They are very regular, efpecially in Pe-che-lt, which is the Province 1 of the Court, and there is always a Centry in the Box . . In fome other Provinces thefe Towers falling to Ruin, Orders are given from time to time to repair and keep Guard in them ; efpecially when they are apprehenfive of Robbers or any D (lurbance In which Cafe the Number of Soldiers not being fufficient, they oblige tlieVillagcs to lend Afliftance in their Turns. The Mandarins make a Lift, and the Inhabitants agree among the iTlwfLiwwas n obferv?dTriaiy, there would be no Robbers in China i; for at every half League there would be a Guard to flop fufpicious Perfons ; not only in the Roads leading to die Capitals but alfo in thofe from one City to another ; fo that as the Cities are very numerous; and all the Country is croffed with great Roads, thefe Towers occur almoft every Moment. For this Reafon Highway-Men are very rare in China ; indeed they are fometimes found in the Provinces neighbouring to Pe-king ; but they feldom murder thofe they rob, and when they have done their Bufinefs, they make off very dexteroufly. In other Provinces there are vepr few Robbers. Thefe Towers are alfo of Ufe to determine the Diftance from one Place to another much in the fame manner as the Romas Stones. ,. , , , . " When the Roads are too rough to travel on Horfeback, they make Ufe of Chairs, which the V’ -’” 0 ' ri rail Quan-kvau that is to fay, Mandarin- Chairs ; becaufe the Chairs ufed by the Mania- “*• C r t t ° ™ch the fame Fafhion. Ve Body of the Chair is not unlike that of the Hackney- Chairs of Paris, but it is larger, higher and lighter. It is made of Ban,bus, a kind of Cane, very ftroiw and light laid a-crofs each other in the Form of a Lattice, and tied together very ftrongly with Rattan ■ which is another fort of Cane very fmall but ftrong, creeping along the Earth, io the Length of eight hundred or a thoufand Foot. This Lattice is covered from Top to Bottom with a Piece of coloured Linnen, Silk, or Woolen Cloth, according to the Seafon ; over which, in rainy Weather, they put an Oil-Cloath [if we may call that fo which is made of T This Chair which is of a convenient Size for fitting at Eafe, is carried by Men like our portable Chairs or Sedans. If there be but two Chairmen, the Ends of the Poles reft upon their Shoul¬ ders ■ but if it be a Sedan with four Chairmen, then the Ends of the Poles as weU before as be¬ hind pafs thro' two running Knots of a ftrong pliable Cord, hung by the middle to a thick veiling. How carry’d. O' Stick, whofe Ends reft on the Shoulders of the Chairmen, (g) and then there are commonly eiS WhL 0 m e avoid r 1 hT Heal’s^ttey travel in the Night, efpecially along Mountains infefted with Tveers they hire Guards on the Spot with Torches; which ferve both to light them and to fcare Night ' thofe wild Beads who are naturally afraid of Fire. They are made of Branches of the Pine Tree, s™«- dried by the Fire, and prepared in fuch a manner that the Wind and Rain do but make them ‘ ■ burn the fafter, each Torch, which is fix or feven Foot long laftmg near an Hour : and with the Help of four or five of thefe Guides, they travel al Night over the Hills, with as much Saf-ty and Eal'e as at Noon Day in a plain Country ; Wherefore in mountainous Countries thefe forts of Conveniencies are to be found at proper D.ftances However fcarce any Body but thofe font from Court, the Mandarins, and other great Lords, travel in this Manner durfog the Night, for having a great Train they have nothing to fear either from Tygers or R0 The rS 2 reat Number of Villages upon the Roads, full of Pagoda, is no final! Conveniency Travelers Over againft thele Pagods, and in the great Roads, one meets with a great many a]lcds/v ; Monuments called Sbe-pey, with Infcnptions on them ; being great Stones generally of Maible, w . ftandiivr upright upon Bafes of the fame ; wherein a Mortis being made, the Stones are fivHn bv means of Tenons cut at the Ends, and joined together without farther Trouble. Some of thefe Stones are eight Foot high, two broad, and almoft one thick ; tho commonly i? u ° h, above four or five Feet, and the other Dimenfions in Proportion. The farU of ah are eiefled on a Stone Tortoife, in which the Cbineje Atchitedls (if they de- ferve that Name) have more Regard to Probability than the Grecian, who introduced Caryatides fit) and Supporters. Nay, what was ftill more extravagant, feme put Cufluons on then Heads fot f„ r f „ r h heavv Burdens fhould incommode them. Some few if thefe Sbe-pey are furrounded with large Halls ; others to avoid Expence are in- , r , with a ftnall Brick Building, and covered with a neat Roof : they are exadtly fquare except towards the Top, which is fomewhat rounded or covered with fome Groteique Figure, °^When th^y^r^erefted^o^Acc^ium' of fome Favour or Honours received from the Emperor, When t y ; twifted . T he Inhabitants of the Cities ereft them in Memory fatisfied with their Government. The Officers ere* them t ° D perpetuate the Extraordinary Honours beftowed on them by the Emperor, and for feveral 0 th On“conveniency to thofe that travel by Land in China is, the Eafe and Safety where-Good, with their Goods are carried by Porters, who are very numerous m every City, and have their ■(. toCit)r £ V r whom Perfons apply; and having agreed for the Pnce, he gives them as many by Peers. Tickets 1 asThey'haveffired Porters, by meanslhLof they are furniffied in an Infant, and he Tickets as Uiey Contents of their Bales. When the Porters have brought their Loads whichthey carryback totheirChieti who pays them with the Money t j, at over t he Mountain of Mey-lin, (which Manner or r ln /The S rf S ao £.«) there ate in the Cities betwe/n which they raTtTereat Number of Officer^ whem alf the*Porters, both in the City and Country, give fn heir Names with good Security : fo that if you have Occafion for three or four hundred they ll n o^de them Having applied to the Head of the Office, he makes out an exaft Lift Ta Trice of all'von have to carry, whether they be Bcxes or other things; and agrees with Troubfe: fhen the^make ufe of font Men with two Poles. They are changed every Day, and obliged n make the faure Stages with thofe who employ them. When one Man carries a Bundle alone, behto h LO^ by dividing it into two equal Parts, and fattening them with Cords or he lightens hi ^Loatt y & a f Krwar ds he poifes the Pole upon his Shoulders Balance which bends and rifes alt'ernately as he g P oes along, When he is weary of , ■ r m’d on one Shoulder he dexteroufly gives the Pole a twift round Ins Neck upon theother Shoulder and by this M^ans fome will carry a hundred and tixty French Pounds ten Leagues in a Day ; for a* 5 ^ they are paid by the Pound, they catty as much as they can at a '’T' r p Provinces thev make ufe of Mules for carrying the Bales and Merchandizes, but oftener am with Carts wkh one Wheel which indeed are Wheel-barrows, excepting that the Wheel ,s very large one Wheet. Tnl t -2 ^ Hie middle On each end of the Axel-Tree, which comes out on both fidcs, they K «"'««.hry ay wa?>■•>**>»■ «. ota .. -j » feveral Parts of China; one Man only thrufts it forwards, or if the Load be heavy, another (c) The Chairmen mull be fuppofed to follow one another, two before and two behind the Sedan, which is carried as it were in Slings; for fuch the Stick and Rope feem to be by the Defcription. ( H ) Caryatides, is a fort of Pilafler repreienting the Figure of a Woman without Arms, and cover’d with a Robe down to th? Heels, and the Supporters Statues of Men. z 6 3 the CONSTITUTION and GOVERNMENT Man, or elfe an Afs,is put before to drawit, and fometimesboth.They have Axle-Trees refemblin^, with the Wheel plac’d forward, but they fcarce ever make ufe of them in journeys. When the Loads are carry’d by Mules, the common Price for twenty five Days is four Tat’/rand an half, or at moft five, according to the different Seafons and Price of Provilions ; return’d Mules may be hired a great deal cheaper. The Muleteers are oblig’d to maintain and bear their own Charges back, if no body hires them. Their Mules are very little if compared with thole of Europe , but they are very ftrong ; their ufual Load being from one hundred and eighty to two hundred Chinefe Pounds. The Chetiefe Pound is four Ounces heavier than ours. L< , 1!om There are Cuftom-Houfes in China , but they are not fo rigorous as thofe in the Indies , (where Houles in Palfengers are fearch’d without regard to Decency or Shame) or indeed any where elfe; for they China not fe-f earc h no Man’s Perfon, and very rarely open the Bales. Nay, if a Man makes a tolerable Appearance, they not only forbear to open his Cheft, but take nothing of him, We fee plainly, fay they, that the Gentleman is no Merchcitit. There are Cuftom-Houfes where they pay by the Lump, and then Credit is given to the Merchant’s own Bill of Parcels. There are others that require fo much a Load, which is eafily fettled. Even the Emperor’s Kang-ho [or Travelling Order] does not exempt one from paying Cuftom ; neverthelel's the Mandarin out of Refpedt lets him pafs, without requiring any thing": But at Pe-king they are generally more ftridt. The Bales of Goods, which come from, or are fent to, the great Officers of the Court, have each a Fong-tyau pafted on it, which is a large flip of Paper, whereon is written the Time it was pack’d up, with the Name and Dignity of the Owner; and if thefe Officers are confider- able, they dare not venture to open them. Formerly the Cuftom-Houfes were fhut up, and the Mandarin belonging to them changed every Year. This Mandarin by his Employ was a conliderable Officer, who had the right of Memorial, that is, to addrefs the Emperor immediately; but for twelve Years paft the Emperor has committed the Care of the Cuftom-Houfe to the Vice-Roy of each Province, who appoints a trufty Mandarin to receive the Cuftoms; however, they have been oblig’d of late to appoint particular Mandarins for thofe of Quang-tong and Fo-kyen , on account of the Trouble cccafion’d by the Sea Trade. p ji-. Hcd.es. j n ever y place, where there is a Poft-Houfe, there is a Mandarin to take Care of it. All the Poft-Horfes belong to the Emperor, and no body is to make ufe of them but the Couriers of the Empire, the Officers, and others who aie fent from Court. Thofe who carry the Emperor’s Orders are commonly Perfons of fome Note, and attended by feveral Horfemen ; the Orders are inclofed in a great Roll, cover’d with a piece of yellow Silk, and wrap’d in a Scarf, which hangs at their Backs. Their Horfes are but ordinary to look at, but they are very good, and capable of performing long Journeys, for they commonly ride fixty or feventy Li’s without changing them. One Poft-Stageis call’d Chan-, two Poft-Stages two Chan. Thefe Stages where they change their Horfes are not always of the fame Length; the fhorteft contains fifty Li’s , and rarely fo few as forty. The ordinary Couriers carry their Wallet faften’d upon their Back, and when they ride, it reftsupon a Cufliion lying on the Horfes Buttocks. Their Wallets are not heavy, for they carry nothing but the Emperor’s Difpatches, or thofe of the Sovereign Courts, or Advice from the Officers of the Provinces. They alfo carry privately the Letters of other Perfons; and in this confifts their Perquifites. The greateft and almoft the only Inconvenience in travelling, efpecially in Winter time and in the North Part of China, is the Duft, for it fcarce ever rains in that Seafon; but there falls a great Quantity of Snow, in fome of thefe Provinces, but not much at Pe-king. When the Wind blows very hard, it raifes fuch Clouds of Duft, and that fo frequently, that the Sky is darken’d with them, and one can hardly breathe. They are often obliged to cover their Faces with a Veil, or their Eyes with Glafles, fix’d in Leather or Silk, and ty’d behind the Head whereby one may fee and not be incommoded with the Duft. As the Soil is very loofe, it eafily flies off in Duft, when there has been a want of Rain for any confiderable time. The fame thing happens in other much frequented Roads of the Empire, where the continual Motion of fuch infinite numbers of People as travel on Foot, on Horfeback, or in Waggons,, raifes a thick Cloud of very fine Duft, which would blind them, if they did not take care to prevent it. The Southern Provinces are indeed free from this Inconvenience ; but they have another to fear, which is the overflowing of the Waters, if they had not provided againft it by building a vaft Quantity of Wooden and Stone Bridges. The Roads greatly in¬ commoded with Dull. Of the N 0 B I L I IT. hereditary In "T^~T OBILITY is not Hereditary in China, tho’ there are Dignities belonging to fome China. 1 Families, which are beftow’d by the Emperor on fuch of them as he judges to have the greateft Abilities. However illuftrious any Man has been, nay, tho’ he had arriv’d to the higheft Dignity of the Empire, his Children have their Fortune to make; and if they want Parts, or love their Eafe, they become like the common People, and are often obliged to follow the meaneft Occupations. It is true that a Son may fucceed to his Father’s Eftate, but not to The NOBILITY of CHIN A. 2 .69 to his Dignities or Reputation, to which lie muft raife by the fame Degrees as his Father did. For this Reafou they place their chief Dependance on a conftant Study, and they are lure to be advanced, let their Condition be what it will, if they have a Difpolition for Literature. Thus one fees every Day feveral Very furprizingly jump into Honouis, not much unlike the Eccle- fiatlics in Italy, who, tho’ of the meaneft Extradtion, are allow’d to afpire to the Prime Dig¬ nity in the Romi/b Church. . All the Inhabitants of China are divided into three Claffes, the People, the Literati, and the Superior rw- Mandarim. None but thofe belonging to the Family now reigning, have any Title ot Dilfintftion: j ;|“-£■ thefe polfefs the Rank of Princes, in whofe Favour five honorary Degrees ot Nobility are efta- Kegdu's; blifh'J, much-like thofe of Dukes, Marquiffes, Earls, Vifcounts, and Barons in Europe. Thefe Titles are granted to the Defcendants of the Imperial Family, fuch as the Children of the Emperor and thofe to whom he gives his Daughters in Marriage, who have Revenues affign'd them equal to their Dignity, but not the leaft Power. However, there are Princes who are not at all ally’d to the Imperial Family ; being either Defcendants of the preceding Dynajlies, or fuch, whofe Anceftors have acquired the Title by the Services done to the Public. T he Provinces are govern’d folely by Mandarins, fent thither by the Emperor, as has been already obferv’d, after he has examin'd them himfelf. _ . . .. The Prince now reigning is the third of the Family, which for ninety nine \eais has govern’d all China and ■ tartary, but the fifth if you go back to his Great Grand-Father’s Father. This latter having fubdued his own Country, conquer'd alfo Eajiern 'Tartary, the Kingdom of Korea, and the Province of Lyau-tong, beyond the great Wall ; fixing his Court in the Capital, call’d Shin-yang by the Chinefe, and Mukden (a) by the Manchew Tartars. They then gave him the Name Tay-tfu, which is conferr’d on all Conquerors, who are Founders of a Dynajly ; and as his Brothers, who were very numerous, had contributed very much by their Valour to the Conqueftof lo many Countries, he gave them Titles of Honour, creating tome Tfin-vang, others Kyun-vang, and Pey-lc. The Europeans have thought fit to give thefe forts of Dignities the Appellation of Regulo’s, or Princes of the fir ib, fecond, and third Rank. It was then deter¬ mined, that from among the Children of every Regulo, one fhould always be chofen to fucceed his Father in the fame Dignity. Befides thefe three the fame Emperor created others of an inferior fort, which are beftow d on the other Children who are moll worthy. Thofe of the fourth Rink, are call'd Pey-tfe-, thofe of the fifth Kong- hew, and fo ot the reft. This fifth Rank is above that of the greateft Mandarins in the Empire ; but the Princes, of the ^ inferior Ranks have nothing todiftinguifh them, like the former, from the Mandarins, either in grees often their Equipage or Habits, except a yellow Girdle, which is common to all the Princes of the very poor. Blood, as well thofe who polfefs Dignities, as thofe who have none ; but thefe latter hide it, beino- afham’d to let it be feen, when their Circumftances are too low to afford an Equipage fuitable to their Rank and Birth. For this Reafon we fhould have a falfe Notion of the Princes of the Blood in China , if we compare them to thole in Europe i and efpecially France ; where their Delcent from fo many Royal Anceftors, raifes them far above Perfons of the higheft Diftin&ion in the State : Befides the fmall number of them attracts greater Regard and Veneration, which increafes in Proportion as they are nearer to the Throne. On the contrary, in China the Origin of the Princes of the Blood is at no great Diftance, as being but five Generations back¬ ward ; and yet their Number has increafed to fuch a Degree, in fo fhort a Time, as to amount at prefent to no lefs than two thoufand. Hence, as their Multitude puts them at a vaft Diftance from the Throne, they are little efteem’d, efpecially thofe who, having neither Titles nor Employments, cannot make a Figure fuitable to their Birth; which makes a great Difference between Princes of the fame Blood. Polygamy caufing the Princes to increafe exceedingly, they hurt one another in Proportion as they multiply, for they have no Eftates in Lands; and as the Emperor cannot afford Penfions to them all, fome of them live in extreme Poverty, tho they wear the yellow Girdle. Towards the End of the Dynajly of the Ming, , there were more than three thoufand Families Pn - n - ce? of of that Race in the City of Kyang-chew , feveral of whom were reduced to fubmit upon the Fan,.ly Charity. The Banditti, who made themfelves Mafter of Pc-king , flew almoft all thofe Princes, °.j* r c em ^ which is the Caufe that fome Part of the City lies wafte ; the few that efcaped quitting the ; n g. yellow Girdle, and changing their Names, mix’d themfelves with the People. But they are ftill known to be of the Imperial Blood of the Ming ; and one of them was a Servant of the Miflio- naries, in a Houfe belonging to our Society in that City, which was built by one of thofe Princes; who, knowing that the Tartars fought after him, betook himfelf to Flight and difappeard. The Princes, befides their lawful Wife, have commonly three others, on whom the Emperor Wl - ves an( j beftows Titles, and whofe Names are enter’d in the Tribunal of the Princes ; their Children Children of take Place next to thofe of the lawful Wife, and are more refpeaed than thofe of common Concubines, of whom they may have as many as they pleafe. They have like wife two forts of Servants, the one are properly Slaves, the others are Tartars , or ChineJ'e Tartarizcd ; whom ’ the Emperor beftows upon them in a greater or leffer number, according to the Dignity where¬ with he honours the Princes of his Blood. Thefe latter make the Equipage of the Regulo, and are commonly call’d The Men of his Gate . Their Equi- There are among them confiderable Mandarins , Vice-Roys, and even Tfong-tus ; who, tho not Slaves like the firft, yet they are almoft equally fubjedt to the Will of the Regulo, fo long as u\ In the Original Moukwe grant to thofe, who by their Merit His Grand. “ have been raifed to the Dignities of Mandarins , and the chief Magiftrates, ought to be fathei ’ s Pai requiring nothing more than the motion of the Arms, employs an infinite number of Peo¬ ple. This is not for want of Water-mills, which are common on moil of their Rivers, Water-Mills.; being ufed for grinding the Bark of Trees to make Paftiles withal. The Wheel of thefe Mills is placed Horizontally, and has double Fellows, about a Foot, or a Foot and a half, from each other; which are united by little Boards, and difpofed obliquely in fuch a Manner, that at the Top they leave a pretty wide Opening, and at the bottom a very narrow Cleft, while the Water, that falls like a Sheet, the height of two Foot on thefe little Boards, makes the Wheel turn fwiftly round. The Chinefe will make a Profit of Things, which appear to others to be, quite ufelefs: Their Shifts A great many Families in Pe-king fubfifl by felling Matches; others by picking up in the Liveli ‘ Streets little Rags of Silk, Wollen, Cotten, or Linnen; the Feathers of Fowls, Bones of °° ’ Dogs, and Bits of Paper, which they wafh and fell again. They even make fale of Ordure, for which purpofe a great Number of People in every Province carry Pails ; [See p. 272] In fome Places they go with their Barks into the Canals, which run on the Backfide of the Houles, and fill them at almoft: every Hour of the Day. This Sight, in Cities fo well governed as thofe of China , is very furprizing to an Euro- Excrement? pean ; but in this Country it may be properly faid, Lucri bonus Odor ex re qualibet. Gain fold. has a good Smell let it come out of what it will. The Chinefe are not lels aftonifhed to fee the Water-bearers in Europe. The Peafants come and buy it in their Houfes, endeavouring to forellai each other, and give in Exchange Wood, Oil, and Pulfe. There are in every Street Conveniencies for Paflengers; whereof the Owners make a good Advantage by this fort of T raffic. Yet it mull be owned, that notwithllanding the great Sobriety and Induflry of the In- Their Multi' habitants of China, the prodigious Number of them occafions a great deal of Mifery. tudesocca- U ‘ There are fome fo poor, that being unable to fupply their Children with common Necef- fl0n g re »t faries, they expofe them in the Streets, efpecially when the Mothers fall fick, or want Milk Ml{ery% to nourilh them ; fo that thefe little Innocents are in fome fenfe condemned to Death, as foon as ChiIdrei » they begin to live. In the great Cities, fuch as Pe-king and Kan-tony this fhocking Sight is expciled * very common, but in other places it is very rare. The MilTionaries in populous Cities have Catechifls, who, dividing the Place among them- felves, walk out every Morning to baptize a Multitude of dying Children. With the Vol. I. 4 A fame 2-7 S The INGENUITY of MECHANICS. fame View they have fometimes prevailed on the unbelieving Midwives to permit Chrifli jn Women to follow them to the Houles where they are called j for it often happens that the Chinefe, not being in a Condition to maintain a numerous Family, engage the Mid¬ wives to ftifle the Females in a Bafon of Water, as foon as they are born, on which Occa- fion tbefe Chriilians take care to baptize them. Mortgaging The fame Mifery produces a prodigious Multitude of Slaves, or rather Perfons who mort- themfelvet gage themfelves with a Condition of Redemption, a thing very common with the Chineje ; for and Families. amon g t h e q' ar t a rs they are truly Slaves. A great number of Men and Maid-Servants are thus bound in a Family, tho’ there are fome to whom they give Wages, as in Europe. A Man fometimes fells his Son, and even himfelf and Wife, at a very moderate Price; but if he can he choles to pawn his Family only. It often happens that a great Tarta¬ rian Mandarin , or Chinefe TartariJ'ed , (that is. Idled under the Tartar Banner) who has a Parcel of Slaves for his Servants, is himfelf a Slave to fome Court-Lord; to whom, from time to time, he makes a Prefent of confiderable Sums. A poor Chinefe, when he gives himfelf to a Tartarian Prince, if he has Merit, may hope to be a great Mandarin very foon; hut Slavery in this is not fo common under the prefent Dynafty as formerly : if he be deprived of his Office China very he returns to his Mailer to ferve in certain honourable P'uncaions. “O’- When rich Folks marry their Daughters, they give them leveral Families of Slaves, in Proportion to their Wealth. It often happens that they give them their Liberty ; and fome have half their Freedom, on condition that they pay Yearly a certain Sum. If any of them grow rich by their Induftry, or Bufinefs, their Mailer does not drip them of their Goods, but is contented with large Prefents; and lets them live in Credit, without confenting how¬ ever to their Redemption. Thefe Slaves are of an approved Fidelity, and inviolably attached to their Mailer ; who on his fide ules them as his own Children, and often trulls them with the mod important Affairs. As to his Authority over his Slaves, it is confined to Matters relating to his Service; for ffiould it be legally proved, that a Mader had abufed his Power, by tilting criminal Liberties with the Wife of his Slave, he would be ruin'd beyond Remedy. The Chinefe affable, mild, and humane. Have great Refpetl for old Men. Inftance in the late Em¬ peror. How Stran¬ gers (hould behave in converling with them. Their Cere¬ monies irk- fome to us. Of the Genius and Chamber of the Chinefe. T HE Chinefe in general are of a mild, tradable, and humane Difpofition. There is a great deal of Affability in their Air and Manner, wherein we fee nothing that is either harfh, rough, or paflionate: This Moderation is remarkable among the Vul¬ gar themfelves: I was one Day (fays “ Pere de Fontatief) in a very narrow and deep Road, “ where, in a fliort time, there happen’d a great Stop of Carts. I expeded they would have “ fallen into a Paffion, given one another abufive Language, and perhaps come to Blows, “as is common in Europe ; hut was much furpriz’d to lee that they faluted each other, “ fpoke mildly, as if they had been old Acquaintance, and lent their mutual Afiiftance to “ make way”, (a) Above all things, they Ihew a great Deference and Refped for their old Men, of which the Emperor himfelf fets the Example. An inferior Mandarin of the Tribunal of the Mathematics, about a hundred Years old, came to Court the firfl Day of the Chinefe Year, to falute the late Emperor Kang-hi ; who, tho he had defigned to fee Nobody that Day, gave Orders to admit him. As the good old Man was but indifferently clad, every one was forward to lend him Garments. Being conduded into the Emperor’s Apartment, his Majefty, who was fitting on an Efirade after the ; Tartarian Manner, rofe up and went to meet him; receiving him with great Tokens of Affedion. The Mandarin was going to fall on his Knees, but the Emperor immediately railed him, and gracioufiy taking him by both his Hands, “ Venerable Old Man, faid he, I will admit you henceforth into my Prefence as often as you come to lalute me; hut I acquaint you, once for all, that I exempt you from all Sorts of Ceremony. As for me, I will rife upon your Arrival, and go to meet you; but it is not to your Perfon that I do this Honour, it is to your Age: and to give you real Marks of my Affedion, I from this time appoint you Chief Pre- fident of the Tribunal of the Mathematics”: This compleated the Happinefs of the old Man, who never tafted fuch perfed Joy before. When we have to do with the Chinefe we Ihould take care of being too hafty or warm • the Genius of the Country requires that we fhould command our Pafiions, and ad with a great deal of Calmnefs. The Chinefe would not hear in a Month what a French Man could fpeak in an Hour. We mull; luffer with Patience this Phlegm, which feems more natural to them than any other Nation. Not that they want Fire and Vivacity ; but they learn betimes to become Matters of themfelves, and are vain of being more po¬ lite, and more civiliz’d than other People. It is a difficult Matter for a Stranger to conform himfelf to their Notion of Politenefs and Civility. Their Ceremonies are on many occafions tirefome, and full of Conftraint; it being one Fatigue to learn, and another to pradife them. But this Trouble regards only the Be- (a) See fomething of this kind in that Father’s Travels, p. 51. 2-7 9 The Charailer of the CHINESE. Behaviour towards fome, to whom uncommon Veneration is due, on certain particular Occations; as the firft Vifits, a Mandarin's Birth-Day, (Sc. for after two Perfons have leen each other feveral Times, they lay alide all Referve, and grow as familiar as the People of Europe ; fo that if you fhould begin to ufe Ceremonies, they are the firft as will fay, Pu-yau-tfo-be, Make no Stranger of me : No Compliments, No Compliments. Tho’ the Chinefe ate mild and peaceable in Converfation, and when they are not pfovo- c.yys fullot ked, they are exceeding violent and revengeful when they are offended. The following is ‘ ! ' r ™ t “ cnt an Inftance: In a certain Maritime Province it was dil'cover’d that the Mandarin had ly p rov °™ c j" applied to his own Ufe, great Part of the Rice fent thither by the Emperor in a Time of Scarcity, to be diftributed to every Family in the Country; the People accufed him before a Superior Tribunal, and proved, that out of the four hundred Loads of Rice received, piea&rn he had only delivered out ninety ; upon which he was immediately depriv’d of his Office. When he had left the City to go on Board a Ship, he was greatly furpriz’d, inllead of finding in his Paffage Tables loaded with Perfumes, and new Boots for Change, (as is cuftomary for thofe who gain the Love and Efteem of the People) to fee himfclf incom- paffed with a prodigious Multitude, not to do him Honour, but to infult and reproach him for his Avarice. Some invited him, by way of Derifion, to flay in the Country till he had eaten all the Rice, the Emperor had intruded him with, for the relief of his Sub¬ jects ; fome dragg’d him out of his Chair, and broke it; others fell upon him, tore his Gar¬ ments, and filken Umbrella in Pieces; in fhort, ail followed him to the Ship, loading him with Injuries and Curfes. , Tho the Chinefe, are naturally vindictive when urged by Iritereft, yet they revenge them- Deliberate in felves in a methodical Manner. They diffemble their Refentment; and as they rarely ^ e,r Rc ~ take violent Meafures, efpecially People of any Figure, they preferve, even with their Ene- u £e ' mies, fo fair an Outftde, that one would imagine they were infenfible : but when an Oppor¬ tunity of deftroying their Enemy offers, they immediately fieze on it ; and their having feemed fo patient, was only with a Ddign to ftrike the furer Blow. In fome Diftrits the People are fo very litigious, that they mortgage their Lands, Very Houfes, Goods, and all that they have, for the Pleafure of going to Law, and procuring the Baftonado to be given to their Enemy: and it fometimes happens that the Defendant, by giving a larger Sum privately to the Mandarin , finds Means to efcape the Punifhment himfelf, and caufe the Blows to fall on the Back of the Plantif. Hence arife mortal Enmi¬ ties amongft them, which ftick in their Hearts till they find an Opportunity of fatisfying their Revenge. One of their Methods, tho rarely praftifed, is to fire their Enemy’s Houfe in the Night¬ time ; by their Laws, thofe who are convifted of this Crime are punifhed with Death, and the Mandarins are very expert in difeovering the Authors. However, many abhor f'uch Villanies, and become fincerely reconciled with their Enemies. Their Modefty is furprizing; the Literati always appear with a compofed Air, without Exceeding uling the leaft Gefture, but what is ftridlly agreeable to the Rules of Decency. It feemsmodA to be natural to thofe of the Female Sex, who live in a conflant Retirement, and are decently covered even to their very Hands, which never appear, being conftantly hid within their long and wide Sleeves; fo that in prefenting any thing, even to their Brothers or Parents, they lay it on the Table with the Hand always cover’d for their Relations to take it. Intereft is the Grand Foible of th e Chinefe, with whom you muff adt all forts of Parts, -yiclf even that of being difintereifed. When they have any Gain in View, they employ all Jr ““ 6 their Cunning, artfully to infinuate themfelves into the Favour of Perfons, who may forward their Buflnefs, and endeavour to gain their Friendftiip by frequent Services; affutning all forts of Charadters with furprizing Addrefs, and turning to their advantage the molt trifling Occafions to obtain their Ends. Intereft is the Spring of all their Adtions; for when the leaft Profit offers, they defpife all Difficulties, and undertake the molt painful Journeys to procure it. In a word, this puts them in a continual Motion, fills the Streets, the Rivers, and the high Roads with infinite Numbers of People, who pafs and repafs, and are always in Adtion. Tho’, generally fpeaking, they are not fo deceitful and knavilli as P. Le Comte repre- Have team’d tents them, it is however true that Honefty is not their favourite Virtue ; efpecially when Eec^it from they have to do with Strangers, whom they feldom fail to cheat if they can, and then ' ' brag of it. Some of them are fo impudent as, when detedted, to plead in Excufe, their want of Dexterity; “ You fee I am but a Bungler, fay they; You are more dextrous than “ I; Another time I will not venture to meddle with an European": And in reality it is faid, that fome Europeans have taught them their Trade. Nothing can be merrier than what happen’d to a Captain of an Englifh Ship. He had Merry Story bargained "with a Chinefe Merchant of Kan ton for feveral Bales of Silk; and when they oHnE» s IiJ& were ready, he went with his Interpreter to the Merchants Houfe, to fee if the Silk was ■*F“ m ' in a good Condition. On opening the firft Bale it proved to his liking, but the reft con¬ tained nothing but rotten Silks Upon which growing very angry, he reproached the Chi¬ nefe in the fevereft Terms for his Difingenuity and Knavery; while the other heard him very unconcerned, and only made this reply; Blame , Sir, faid he, your Rogue of an Inter¬ preter, for he protejled to me that you mould not examine the Bales. This i8o Some of their little knavifh Tricks. Robbers ufe Craft in (lead of Violence. Chinefe very anxious about their Coffins. Proud and conceited of themfelves, tho’ igno¬ rant of the World. Wedded to their own Paihions. The Char after of the CHINES E. This knavifh Wit is found chiefly among the Vulgar, who have Recourfe to a thotfc fand Tricks to adulterate every thing they fell. Some have the Art to open the Breaft of a Capon, take out all the Flefh, fill up the Hole, and then clofe it fo nicely that the Cheat is not perceived till the Fowl comes to be eaten. Others counterfeit the true Hams fo exattly, by covering a Peice of Wood with a fort of Earth, and then wrapping it in Hogs Skin, that the Deceit is not difeovered till it is ferv’d up at the Table, and going to be carv’d. However, it mull be confefs’d they feldom praetife thefe Tricks on any but Strangers; and in other Places [diftant from the Sea-coaft] the Chinefe themfelves will hardly believe them. Robbers fcarce ever make Ufe of Violence, endeavouring to gain their Ends by Subtilty and Craft; for fome follow the Barks and hire among thofe who draw them along the impe¬ rial Canal, in the Province of Shan-tong ; where, being changed every Day, the Thieves are not eafily known: In the Night they flip into the Barks, and by the Smoke, as is reported, of a certain Drug which they burn, caufe thofe on Board to deep fo foundly, that they have Time enough to feareh all Places, and carry oft what they will, unperceived. Some of thefe Thieves will dog a Merchant two or three Days together till they find a proper Opportunity to do their Bufinefs. Moft of the Chinefe are fo fwayed by In ter eft, that they can fcarcely conceive a thing is ever undertaken with any other View : Hence it feems almoft incredible to them, that the Miflionaries fhould have no other Motive in leaving their Country, Friends, and all that is dear to them in this World, than to glorify God and lave Souls. They know that it is not Necef- flty that makes them run the Danger of the Sea to get to China , fincethey fubfift without asking any Favour, or expecting the leaft Affiftance ; nor the Defire of Riches, fince they are Wit- nelfes to the.Miflionaries Contempt of them: Some therefore are Ample enough to imagine, that they come to bring about a Revolution, and by their Intrigues to make themfelves Mailers of the Empire, as happen’d in the Affair of Yang-quang-fyen (b). However their Difinterefted- nefs is one of the moft prevailing Motives, with many, to embrace their Religion. The extreme love of Life is another Foible, wherein the Chinefe exceed almoft all other : Nations; tho’ there are fome, chiefly Females, who make away with themfelves, either thro’ Anger or Defpair : and indeed the Generality, efpecially among the Poor, feem lefs afraid of Death, than of wanting a Coffin after it. It is aftonifhing to fee how careful they are in this RefpeCt: Thofe who have but nine or ten Piftoles in the World will lay it out on a Coffin, above twenty Years before they want it; looking upon it as the moft valuable Moveable in their Houfe. However, it muft be confeffed, that the Chinefe , for the moft part, when dangeroufly ill, are willing enough to die, and even to be told they are near their End. To omit nothing of the Character of the Chinefe , I muft add, that there is no Nation more proud of their pretended Grandeur, and their alfumed Preheminence over all others. This Haughtrnefs, which is born with them, infpires even the Rabble with the greateft Contempt for all other Nations. They are fo full of their own Country, Cuftoms, Manners, and Max¬ ims, that they cannot be perfuaded there is any Thing good out of China , or any Truth but what their learned Men are acquainted with. However, they have feen their Miftake a little, fince the Europeans came among them ; tho’, when they firft faw them, they asked if they had any Cities, Towns, or Houfes in Europe. Our Miflionaries have often been Witnelfes of their Surprize and Confufion on Sight of a Map of the World. One Day fome of the Literati defiring P. Chavagnac, to fhew them fuch a Map, they fought a long while for China ; and at length took one of the two Hemifpheres for it, which contains Europe , Africa , and Afia ; fuppofing America appeared too large for the reft of the World. The Father let them alone for a while in their Error, till one of them defiring an Explanation of the Letters and Names in the Map : You fee Europe, faid the other, Africa and Asia; In Asia here is Persia, the Indies and Tartary. Where then wChina, cry’d they ? It is this little Corner of the Earth , reply’d he, and thefe are the Bounds of it: Upon this they look’d aftonilh’d at one another, faying in Chinefe , Syau- te-kin , It is very fmall How far foever they fall fhort of the Perfection, to which Arts and Sciences are brought in Europe , there is no getting them to do any thing in the European Manner ; the*Chinefe Archi¬ tects could hardly be prevailed on to build the Church, which is in the Palace, according to the Model brought from Europe. Their Ships are very ill built, and they admire thofe that come from Europe ; but when you talk of their imitating them, they are furprized at the Propofition : It is according to the Fajhion of China , fay they. But it is worth nothing , fay you. It matters not , reply they; fince it is ufed in the Empire it is Jufficient , and it would be a Crime to vary from it. But this Anfwer, made by their Carpenters, proceeds not merely from their Fondnefs for their own Cuftom, but partly thro’ Fear they fhould not pleafe the European, who employs-them, fo effectually when they follow his Method as their own ; for thofe who are Artifts readily undertake and perform the Work let the Model be what it will, provided there is Money t<* be gotten, and you have Patience to give them Directions. (b) Pray mult not every Proteftant think thefe Sufpicions of Experience; nay, they have been charged already, as well as the Chinefe very wife and juft, fince they have the fameNotions the Bonza’s, with fleecing their Profc'ytes. chemfelve?, not without the moft convincing Reafons, dear a i=S7/&» JS/i/f ss a4 Ebward Carteret , '*,# ' .'A>/£ ^wwa^ Chamber of the CHINESE. 281 In a Word, to finifh the Chat-after. of the Chinefe, it is fufficient to fay, that tho’ they are vicious they naturally love Virtue, and thofe who praftife it : tho’ they are not chafte them- virtue, felves they admire thofe that are, efpecially Widows; and when they find any that have liv’d a continent Life, they preferve their Memory by Triumphal Arches, and honour their Virtue by halting Infcriptions. It is no: decent for a Woman of Credit to marry again after her Hus- ^ As they are fubtil and crafty, they know how to carry a fair Outfide; and cover their Vices with fo much Cunning, that they conceal them from the Public. They have the greateft Re- via*, fpea for their Parents'; and thofe who have been their Mailers. They deleft every Aftion, Word and Gefture that feems to betray Anger, or the leaft Emotion ; but they all'o know per¬ fectly how to diffemble their Hatred. They are not permitted to carry Arms even when they travel that being a Privilege peculiar only to the Soldiery. All their Efteem and Ardour are engrafted by the Sciences, which are the Foundation of their Nobility ; beeaufe, as I faid before, all their Honours and Preferments are derived from thence. Of the Air and Phyfiognomy of the Chinefe : their Fajhions ; their Houfes, and elegant Furniture. W E muft not judge of the Air and Phyfiognomy of the Chineje by the Piflures on their iapan’d Works and China- Ware. Tho’ they are fkilful in painting Flowers, Ani¬ mals and Landfkips, they are very ignorant in drawing Human Figures, maiming and disfiguring themfelves in Inch a Manner that they look more like Scaramouches than Chinefe. It is true however, that as Beauty depends upon Tafte, and confifts more in Imagination A C-™/. than Reality their Notion of it differs fomewhat from that of the Europeans-, for, generally Ipeaking that which feems beautiful to us is agreeable to their Tafte, and that which appears beautiful to them appears equally fo to us. That which they chiefly admire, as making a perteft Beauty is a large Forehead, a fhort Nofe, fmall well cut Eyes, a large and fquare Face, great broad Ears, a middle-fized Mouth, and black Hair; for they cannot bear the Sight of yellow or red-hair’d People. However, there muft be a certain Proportion among the leveral Features to render the whole agreeable. , - , A fine eafy Shape is no Charm among them, beeaufe their Garments are wide, and not fitted Then Shape, to the Body, as thofe of the Europeans ; they think a Man well made, when he is large and fat, and fills his Chair with a good Grace, Their Complexion has been mifreprefented hy thofe who have feen only the Southern Their Com- Parts of China-, for tho’ the exceflive Heats which prevail there, efpecially in Sftang-tong, • Fo-kyen, and Tun-nan, give the Mechanics and Peafants an Olive or brown Complexion, yet in the other Provinces they are naturally as white as the Europeans ; and generally fpeaking, their Phyfiognomy has nothing difagreeable in it. The young People, commonly to the Age of thirty, have a very fine Skin, and beautiful The Do£ta. Complexion as well as the Literati and the Doftois ; thefe latter, efpecially if they are of bafej£“‘°»* Extraftion, never pare the Nails of their little Fingers, affeding to let them grow an Inch long, or more with a Delign to let People fee that they are not driven by Neceffity to work for their Living. As for the Women they are commonly middle fiz’d, their Nofes fhort, their Eyes little, their Hair black, their Ears long, and their Complexion ruddy ; there is a cei tain tlie women. Gayety in’ their Countenance, and their Features are regular. It is affirm’d that they rub their Faces every Morning with a kind of Paint, to make them They pant, look fair, and give them a Complexion ; but that it foon fpoils their Skin, and makes it full of Wrinkles. , _ , , . , Among the Beauties of the Sex, fmall Feet is not the leaft ; when a Girl comes into the Small Fee:« World the Nurfes are careful to bind their Feet very clofe, to prevent their growing. b«ut r . The Chinefe Ladies all their Lives after feel this Conftraint impoled on them in their Infancy, their Gate being flow, unfure, and difagreeable to Foreigners : yet fuch is the Force of Cuftom, that they not only willingly undergo this Inconvenience, but they increafe it, by endeavouring to make their Feet as little as poffible ; thinking it an extraordinary Charm, and always afteftmg to fhew them as they walk. , . The Chinefe themfelves are not certain what gave Rife to this odd Cuftom. i lie story cUr.tfi la- current among us, which attributes the Invention to the ancient Chinefe,. who, to oblige their dies under Wives to keep at home, are faid to have brought little Feet into Faftnon, is look.d upon as jj raints> fabulous by feme. The far greater number think it to be a politic Defign, to keep the Women in continual Subiedion. It is certain, that they are extremely confin’d and feldom ftir out of their Apartment, which is in the mod retired Place in the Houfe; having no Communi¬ cation with any but the Women-Servants. However they have generally ipeaking the com¬ mon Vanity of the Sex, and tho’ they are not to be feen by any but their Domeftics, they Ipend feveral Hours every Morning in Drefling and fetting themfelves out. Their 282 Their Head Attire. Uncommon Modefty of their Looks and Drefs. TheFafhions in China never alter. Habit of the Men. Their Sum¬ mer and Winter C'.oaths. Confined to certain Co¬ lours. Thev fhave the Head. Their Hats or Caps. Fajhions of the CHINESE. Their Head-drefs ufually-confifts in feveral Curls, interfpers’d rvith little Tufts of gold and filver Flowers, Some adorn their Heads with the Figure of the Fong-wbang, a fabulous Bird, of which the Ancients fpeak many myfterious things. It is made of Copper or Silver, gilt, according to the Quality of the Perfon ; its Wings are ftretch’d gently over the fore part of their Head-drels, and embrace the upper part of their Temples. Its long fpreading Tail makes a fort of Plume on the Top of the Head ; the Body is placed over the Forehead ; the Neck and Beak hang down upon the Nofe : but the Neck is join'd to the Body by a fecret Hinge, that it may eaiily play and vibrate at the leaft Motion of the Head, whereon the Bird is fup- ported by the Feet, which are fix’d in the Hair. Women of the firft Quality fometimes wear an Ornament of feveral of thefe Birds, interwoven together, which forms a fort of Crown, the Workmanfhip whereof alone is very coftly. The vounv Ladies commonly wear a kind of Crown, made withPafle-Board, and cover’d with a beautiful Silk ; the Fore-part whereof rifes in a Point above the Fore-head, and is cover’d with Pearls, Diamonds and other Ornaments. The Top of the Head is adorn’d with natural or artificial Flowers, mix’d with little Bodkins, with Jewels on their Points. Women who are advancing in Years, efpecially thofe of the common fort, are contented with a piece of very fine Silk, wound leveral times about the Head, which they call Pau-tew, that is to fay, A Wrapper for the Head. But what adds much to the natural Charms of the Chinefe Ladies, is the uncommon Modefty which appears iu their Looks and Drefs. Their Gowns are very long, and cover them from Head to Foot, fo that nothing is feen but their Faces. Their Hands are always conceal’d within their wide long Sleeves, which would almoft drag on the Ground, if they did not take care to hold them up. The Colour of their Garments is either red , blue or green, according to their Fancy ; only, fcarce any but Ladies advanc’d in Years wear violet or black. What I here call the Fafhion, is very different from the Idea which that Word carries in Europe, where the manner of Drefs is fubjedt to many Changes : but it is not fo in China ; nor is there'any thing that more (hews the good Order and Uniformity of the Government, even in the molt trifling Matters, than the Fafhion as to Drefs having been always the fame, from the Commencement of the Empire, to its Conqueft by the Tartars j who have changed nothing of the ancient Ufages among the Chinefe, except in obliging them to drefs after their Manner. The Garb of the Men is fuited to the Gravity they affedl ; it confifts in a long Veft, extending to the Ground, one of whofe Lappets folds over the other, the upper one reach¬ ing to the right fide, where it is fatten'd with four or five gold or filver Buttons, not far afunder. The Sleeves, which are wide towards the Shoulder, grow narrower gradually towards the Wrift-bands, and end in the Shape of a Horfe-fhoe, covering all their Hands, except the ends of their Fingers. They gird themfelves with a broad filken Sa'fh, whofe ends hang down to the Knee ; and fatten to it a Cafe, containing a Purfe, a Knife, and two fmall Sticks, which ferve for a Fork, S 'c. Formerly the GhiruJ'e did not carry a Knife, and to this Day the Literati very rarely do. In the Summer they wear under the Veft a pair of Linnen Drawers, which they fome¬ times cover with another pair of white Taffety ; and during the Winter they put on Breeches of Sattin, quilted with Cotton or raw Silk, but if it be in the Northern parts they are made of Skins,” which are very warm. Their Shirts, (being of different kinds of Cloth, according to the Se’afon) are very wide and ftiort; and to keep their Garments from Sweat in Summer, feveral wear next their Skin a filken Net, which hinders their Shirt from flicking to it. Durinv this laft Seafon they go with their Neck quite bare, but in Winter wear a Collar, made either of Sattin, or Sable, or the Skin of a Fox, and fatten d to their Vefts j which in Winter are lin’d with Sheep-Skin, tho’ fome are only quilted with Silk and Cotton. People of Quality line them quite thro’ with the rich Sables brought from Fartary, or fine Fox-Skin with a Border of Sable ; in Spring they have them lin’d with Ermin. Over the Veft they wear a Surtout with fhort Sleeves, that are lin'd or border’d after the fame manner. All Colours are not differ'd to be worn indifferently by the People ; none but the Emperors and Princes of the Blood may wear yellow Garments. Sattin, with a red Ground, is affected by certain Mandarins on days of Ceremony ; but they are commonly drefs’d in black, blue, or violet: and the 1 People are generally clad in blue or black Callico. Heretofore they oyled their Hair very much, and were fo exceeding fond of this Ornament, that many chofe to die rather than (have their Heads after the Tartarian Fafhion ; though their new Matters did not meddle with the other Cuftoms of the Nation. However, at prefent they let Hair enough grow on the hind part or Top of the Head, to braid into Treffes. . . . In Summer they wear a kind of fmall Hat or Cap, (hap’d like a Funnel; it is cover’d on the outfide with Rattan, very cnrioufly work’d, and lin’d with Sattin. At the Top is a large Lock of Hair, which fpreads over it to the very Edge. This Hair, which is mighty fine and light, grows on the Legs of a certain kind of Cows, and is dy’d of a very bright red ; .it is very much ufcd, and allow'd to be worn by all forts of People. There is another fort of Cap proper to the Mandarins and Literati, which the People dare not wear; it is of the fame Fafhion with the former, but made of Pafte-Board, between two Their HOUSES and FURNITURE. 283 two pieces of Sattin ; that on the infide is commonly red or blue, and the outfide Sattin is white, cover’d with a large Lock of the fineft red Silk. People of Diftin&ion often make ute of* the firft fort, efpecially when they ride, or in foul Weather ; becaule it keeps out Rain, and defends the Head both before and behind from the Sun. In Winter they wear a very warm fort of Cap, edged with Sable, F.rmin, or Fox-Skin, Winter-Csps the Top of which is cover’d with a Lock of red Silk. This edging of Fur is two or three Inches broad, and looks very handfome, efpecially when made of the fine black finning Sable, which 16 fold at forty or fifty Taels. The Chinefe , efpecially thofe of any Quality, dare not appear in Public without Boots j Tliey wear thefe Boots are generally of Silk, particularly Sattin, or ofCallico, and fit exactly, but have no Bco:s in all Tops nor Heels. When they go long Journeys on Horfeback, their Boots are ot Neats or Sc ' 1 ons ' Horfe-Leather, fo well drefs’d that nothing can be more pliable. Their Boot-Stockings are of Stuff, fiitch’d, and lin’d with Cotton, whereof part comes above the Boot, and has a broad Border of Plufh or Velvet. But thefe, tho’ very commodious for keeping the Legs warm in Winter, are almoft intolerable in hot Weather: for which Reafon they have another cooler Sort; but it is not much ufed among the People, who often, to fave Expenee, have fomething of this kind made of black Cloth. Perfons of Quality wear fucK in their Houfes, made of Silk, which are very neat and handfome. When they go abroad, or make a Vifit of any Confequence, over their under Garments, Vifit^g- which are ufually of Linnen or Sattin, they wear a long fiik Gown, commonly blue, with Habl,s - a Girdle about them ; and over all they have a fhort Coat of a black or violet Colour, reaching only to their Knees, but very wide, with large and fhort Sleeves: alfo a little Cap, fiiap’d like a fhort Cone, and cover’d with loofe waving Silk or red Hair; lafily, Stuff Boots on their Legs, and a Fan in their Hand. . The Cbinefe love to be neat in their Houfes, but they nave nothing very magnificent. ThcirHoufe* Their Architecture is not the moft elegant, nor have they any regular Buildings, except the an u J i]( J- ber Emperor’s Palace, fome public Edifices, the Towers, Triumphal Arches, the Gates and u,i inss ' Walls of the great Cities, the Dikes, Caufeways, Bridges, and Temples of the Lonzas. The Houfes of private Perfons are very plain, for they have no regard to any thing but Conve- niency. The Rich adorn theirs with 'Japan Work, Sculpture and Gildings, which render them very pleafant and agreeable. They commonly begin with eredting Pillars, and placing the Roof thereon ; for the greater Tie Walls, part of their Buildings being of Wood, they feldom lay the Foundation deeper than two Feet. They make their Walls of Brick or Clay, tho’ in fome Places they are all of Wood. Thefe Houfes are generally nothing but a Ground-floor, excepting thofe of the Merchants, which have often one Story above it, call’d Lew, where they place their Goods. In the Cities almoft all the Houfes are cover’d with very thick Ridge-Tiles j they lay The Roof, the convex Side downwards, and cover the Chinks where the Sides meet, by laying on others in a contrary Pofition. The Spars and Joifts are either round or fquare : upon the Spars they lay either very thin Bricks, in the Shape of our large fquare Tiles, or elfe fmall pieces of Boards, or Matts made of Reeds, which are plaifter’d over with Mortar ; when it is a little dry, they lay on the Tiles, which thofe who are able to be at the Expence, join together with Roche-Lime. In moft of their Houfes after paffing through the Porch, you enter into a Hall, facing, the The Timbex- South, about thirty or thirty five Feet long ; behind the Hall there are three or five Rooms in a Range from Eaft to Weft, whereof the middlcmoft ferves for an Inner-Hall. 1 he Roof of the Houfe is fupported by Pillars, in fuch fort, that if the Hall be thirty Feet long, it will be at leaft fifteen broad, and then there will be twenty four Pillars forward, and as many backward, with one at each end. Thefe Pillars, which are commonly ten Feet high, are ere&ed on Stone Bafes, and fupport great Beams, laid lengthwife j and between every two Pillars they place a crofs Beam, and on the two Pillars at the Ends, they lay other Pieces of Wood, which fupport the Timber-Work of the Roof, this done they begin to build the Walls. ... The Magnificence of the Houfes, according to the Chmcfe Tafte, ufually confifts in the Tne Frcnt * Thicknefs of the Beams and Pillars, in the Excellency of the Wood, and in the fine Carvings on the Gates or Doors. They have no Stairs but the Steps at the Entrance of the Houfe, which is raifed a little above the Level of the Ground; but along the Front there is a clofe Gallery, about fix or feven Feet wide, and lin’d with fine hewn Stone. There are feveral Houfes whofe middle Doors anfwering one another, difeover on entering a Houfes of long feries of Apartments. The Houfes of the Vulgar are made of unburnt Bricks, only the common in Front they are cafed with burnt Bricks ; in fome Places they are made with tempered Ieo P Ic - Clay, and in others of nothing but Hurdles cover’d with Lime and Earth ; but in Houles of Perfons of Diftindtion, the Walls are all of Ground-Bricks, very artificially carv’d. In the Villages, efpecially of fome Provinces, befides being very low, the Houfes are generally made of Earth, and the Roofs fo obtufe, or elfe round, fo much by Degrees, that they feem to be flat. They are compofed of Reeds cover’d with Earth,and fupported by Matts of fmall Reeds that lie upon the Rafters and Joifts. In fome Provinces inftead of Wood they burn Pit-Coal, or elfe Reeds or Straw. As they make ufe of Stoves with very fmall Chimneys, and fometimes none at all, when Fires are made in any place, befides the Kitchen, one is almoft ftified with 2.84 7 heir HOUSES and FURNITURE. the Smoke ; efpecially if the Fewel be Reeds, which is unfupportable to thofe who are not ufed to it. The Houfes of the Nobility and rich People do not deferve to be mention’d, m companion Nobfiifwd of ours 5 !t would be an Abnfe of the Term to call them Palaces, they being nothing but Tribunals! n a Ground-Floor, raifed fomething higher than common Houfes; the Roof is next, and has feveral Ornaments on the Top. The great number of Courts, and Apartments for lodging their Domeftics, makes amends for their want of Beauty and Magnificence ; not that the Chinefe hate Pomp and Expence, but the Cuftom of the Country, and Danger of appearing extravagant, reftrain them contrary to their Inclination. The Tribunals of Juftice are not more pompous : the Courts are large, the Gates lofty, and fometimes adorn’d with elegant Carvings; but the Inner Halls and Chambers of Audience are neither magnificent nor very neat. _ palaces of It muft be confeffed, however, that the Palaces of the chief Mandarins , and the Princes, as the o™.. we ll as of thofe who are rich and in Power, are furprizing for their vaft Extent. They have four or five Courts, with as many Ranges of Buildings in each. Every Front has three Gates, that in the middle is the largeft, and both fides of it are adorn’d with Lions of Marble. Near the great Gate is a Place, inclos’d with Rails, finely japan’d with either red or black ; on the fides are two frnall Towers, wherein are Drums and other Inftruments of Mufic, on which they play at different Hours of the Day, efpecially when the Mandarin goes in or out, or afeends the Tribunal. The Form On the infide there appears firft a large open Place, where thofe wait who have any Cafe or ofihem. Petition to prefent; on each Side are fmall Houfes, ferving as Offices for the Officers of the Tribunal : Then there appear three other Gates, which are never opened but when the Manda- rin afeends the Tribunal ; the middlemoft is very large, and none but Perfons of Diftindion pafs through it. Beyond this is another large Court, at the End whereof is a great Hall, wherein the Mandarin adminifters Juftice ; laftly, follow fucceffively two very neat Halls, for receiving Vifits in, furnifhed with Chairs and Variety of other Moveables. Such are generally the Tribunals of the great Mandarins. _ The Officers juft now lpoken of are a kind of Notaries, Clerks, &c. there are fix Sorts ot them, each employed in Bulinefs of the fame kind with one of the fix Supreme Courts at Pe-king ; fo that a private Mandarin does all that in little, in his Tribunal, whicn forne time or other’ lie will be called to do in one of the Supreme Courts, with refpeft to the whole Em¬ pire. They are maintained at the public Expence, and their Places are for Life ; fo that Bufinefs goes on without Interruption, tho’ the Mandarins are often changed, either by being cathier’d, or removed into other Provinces. Out Houfes You afterwards pafs into another Court, with a Hall much handfomer than the former, ciden“5;. where none but particular Friends are admitted, furrounded by Out-Houfes for the Man¬ darins' s Domeftics. Beyond this Hall is another Court, where is the Apartment of the Women and Children, with a great Gate to it, thro’ which no Man dares to enter. This Part is very neat and commodious, being furniftied with Gardens, Woods, and Lakes, and every thing that is delightful to the Eye. Some delight in artificial Rocks and Mountains, pierced thro’, and full of Windings like a Labyrinth, to take the frelh Air in. When they have Room enough, they make littleFarks to keep Deer, and Ponds for Fifhand Water-Fowls. Fine Palace The Palace of the Tfyang-kun, or General of the Tartarian Troops at Kan-ton, is thought at Kant m . t0 be one 0 f t he fineft in all China ; it was built by that rich and powerful Prince called Ping- nan-vang, that is, The Peace-maker of the South. The Emperor Kang-hi had made hint in feme Sort Kin" of Kan-ton , for his Services in reducing fome of the Southern Provinces under the Dominion of the Tartars: but forgetting his Duty a few Years after, he and all his Family fell into Dlfgrace ; being forced to ftrangle himfelf with a Scarf of red Silk, prefented him by a Gentleman of the Emperor’s Bed-Chamber, fent Exprefs from Pe-king. c;; . No _ ■ -phe Chinefe Notion of Beauty and Magnificence, with regard to their Palaces, is very different tion of Build- f rom the European: for tho’ the Largenefs of the Courts and Buildings befpeaks them to be the "ff- Habitation of Perfons ofDiftinftion, yet an European is not at all affedted with this Sort of Magnificence; which onlyconfifts in the Number and Extent of the Courts, theLargenefs of the principal Halls, the Thicknefs of the Pillars, and a few Pieces of Marble rudely cut. Marble (el- ^ Marble is very common in the Provinces of Shan-tong and Kyang-nan , but the Chinefe don t ilom ufed by know the Value of it ; for they feldom make ufe of it but for lining Canals, or building Bridges them ' and Triumphal Arches, in Tables for Infcriptions, in their Pavements, the Threfholds ot their Gates, and the Foundations of fome of their Temples. ... . f The Chinefe are not curious like the Europeans , in adorning and beautifying the Infide ot Not curious their Houfes, where neither Tapeftry, Looking-Glaffes nor Gildings are to be feen: for in adorning as t h e Emperor owns the Palaces of the Mandarins , whofe Offices ure no more than Lom- S; HoUles millions that are taken away when they commit any Fault; and as they are not. fixed in any ’place, be their Condudt ever fo unblameable, but when they leaft think of it are removed into’another Province; they do not care to be at any great Expence in furmlh- ing a Houle, which they are in danger of leaving every Minute. Befides, as Vilits are never received in the Inner Appartments, but only in the great Hall before the Houfe, it is not furprizing that they are fparing of Ornaments; which wou’d be, in fome mealure, uielels, as not being feen by Strangers. The Their HOUSES and FURNITURE The principal Things, that fet off their Halls and Apartments, being kept with a great In pn p & j. f j, nf i agreeable to the Eye: Such as, large hlk-Lan- tureanc j deal of Care, appear exc | . ° T y Cabinets, Screens, Chairs, Japan’d Momabto. thorns painted, and hanging from lb that the Veins of r'wSd^Si 1^» » Vntiety of Figures, i„ r ld^d Silve P r or other § Colors painted npon this Japan, give it a new Luftre ; more¬ over the Table’s, the Bouffets, and the Cabinets are adorned with that fine CWWare, which is fo Th^Tup 1bU i t n C feverai n piaces r pieces of white Sattin, on feme of which are p;£lures . painted Flowers, ^ different ‘senfe ‘from ffieTamraU thefe ’Sentences are commonly two and_ two together, and conceived in the fame Number of Words. Some are contented wrth wh.temng or papering the Walls of their Rooms, wherein the Chinefe are very skilful. Their Beds Tho’ they never are feen in their Bedchambers, where it woud be unpohte to co dCurai „ s , lie y t u_ p.-Hc efoeciallv of the Nobility, are curious and handfome. the drift a Stranger he Bed^^l^ual^ or ; ^ ^ according t0 the Seafon , =?«= $&*££ sf ffssr.'S f“V Z,“SU .'my .hi" CM, ^ of. to of H«,p, ta M.Bf.fc ... h. i sz£‘, "“risrtrs.? s E ;i t: *ETe c sr E ° y finn^for the Feather-Beds of Europe. Thofe who are afraid of lying on the hot Bricks, hi a fon of a Hammock over th/m, made of Cords or Ratan, and not unlike the Sack- inS In 0f th 0 e U M B orii‘ng every thing of this kind is taken away, and Carpets or Matts put in TWrCon- in the morning ev y „ ^ (h have no Chimneys, nothing can be more conve¬ nient- foTthe whole Family work upon them, without feeling the leaft Cold, or being oblige ’ r j poi-ments The meaner Sort drefs their Victuals, warm their Wine, and pre- l °:Z ifTeai thrati drk every thing hot) over the Mouth of the Stove The Beds belonging to the Inns are much larger, that there may be Room for feveial T vellers at a time. Of the Magnificence of the Chinefe, in their Journeys; in their Public Works , fucb as, Bridges, Triumphal Arches, Towers, Walls of Cities; in their Feafls, o c. i-jp HE Magnificence of the Emperor and his Court and the: Riches. of thc^Ma^a- ■ rim furpafs all that can be faid of them; one is furprifed at n 1 .. b . henotpri- I Silks Zcellaine, Cabinets and other Furniture, which make a more glittering ' Appearance, ’than the common Manufaftu.es of Europe But the principal_ ^ficence o the Chinefe Lords is not feen in their Houfes ; for they commonly negleft£“ f ^ home, from whence the Laws baniih Luxury and Pomp, perm.tt.ng them tl^ Ule Hie^eo only when they are feen in publick, when they make or receive Vifits, or when they go to Court, and are admitted into the Emperors Piefence.. . , I have already fpoken of the pomp of the Mandanm, and the MaLy Officers attending them. Military Men, who travel commonly on Hoiteback, no Jets attett ^ when an Air of Grandeur. Indeed their Horfes are not very beautiful, but their Hamefs is exceed- the j, travel, ing fumptuous the Bitts and the Stirrups being either Silver or gilt. The Saddle is very rich ; he S of the Bridle are made of coarfe, pinked Sattin two fingers broad. From the upper part of the Cheft hang two great Locks of fine red Hair (fuch as their Caps are cover d with) fufpended by Iron-rings either gilt or filvered. Their Retinue confifts of a great num¬ ber of Hoffemen, part going before, and part behind them ; without reckoning their Dome i , who are clad either in black Sattin or dyed Callico, according to then Matter Qua! y But the Chinefe Magnificence never appears with fo much Splendor as when the Em-Magntoc peror gives Audience to Ambaffadors; or when fitting upon his Throne he beholds at ^ StaK daJ , a his Feet the principal Lord of his Court, and all the great Mandarins m their Habits of Cere¬ mony, paving him Homage. It is a Speftacle truly Auguft, to fee a prod.g.ous Number 4 C 2.86 Magnificence of the CHINESE of Soldiers under Arms; an inconceivable Multitude of Mandarins , with all the Marks of their Dignity, each placed according to his Rank, in exatf: Order ; the Minifters of State, the Prefidents of the Supreme Courts, the Regulo’s and Princes of the ' Blood ; the whole appearing with extraordinary Grandeur, and conveying a moft lofty Idea of the Sovereign, to whom fuch profound Reverence is paid. There is no Difpute about Precedence, but every one knows his diftinct Place ; the Name of each Office being ingraven on Copper- Plates faflned into the Marble Pavement. In Europe People are not fond of making a great Figure upon the Road, inftead of which they are commonly unprovided, and have nothing in Order ; but the Cuftom is otherwife in China , where a great Mandarin always travels in State. If by Water, his own Bark is very fplendid, Riling at the Head of a great Number of others, which carry his Attendants. If he goes by Land, belides the Domeftics and Soldiers who precede and follow him with Spears and Enfigns, he has for his own Perfon a Litter, a Chair carried by Mules, or eight Men, and feveral led Horfes; making Ufe of thefe Vehicles by turns, according to his Fancy and the different Changes of Weather. Canals nu- I have already obferved that China is full of broad Canals, which often run in a ftrait Line j ST m tJiere is commonly in every Province a great River, or broad Canal, ferving for a Highway, with Caufeways on each Side, cafed with flat Stones or Marble. Great Canal. That which is called the Great Canal croffes the whole Empire from Kan-ton toPe-king ; and nothing can be more commodious than to travel the fix hundred Leagues from the Capital to Ma-kau , as if he were all the while in his own Houle, without going above one Day’s Journey by Land over the Mountain Mcy-lin , that feparates the Provinces of Kyang-fi and Qpang-tong ; tho’ the whole may be,performed in a Bark, efpecially when the Waters are high. Imperial For realon > the Mandarins who go to take poffeffion of their Governments, and the Barksde-- Meffengers fent from Court, moft commonly travel by Water: Being furnilhed with icribed. Barks maintained by the Emperor, which are equal in Bignefs to one of our third-rate Men of War. Thefe Imperial Barks are of three different Sorts, nor can any thing be more neat; for zefof them" t ^ e y are P ainte ^» gihi embellilh’d with Dragons, and japan d both within and without. Thofe zeso t em. 0 f t j ie middle Size, which are moft in Ufe, are above fixteen Feet broad, fourfeore long, and nine in Depth from the Deck. As to the Form, they are fquare and flat, excepting that the Forepart is fomewhat rounded. Appartments Befides what the Mafter has for himfelf and his Family, (viz. his own Cabbin, a Kitchen, and two large Places, one before, the other behind,) there is a Hall about fix or feven feet Furniture Bigh, and eleven broad ; next an Anti-Chamber, and two or three other Rooms ; likewife a and Embcl- Bye Place without Ornaments, all upon the fame Deck, which make up the Mandarin's Apart- hlhments. ment. It is all japan’d with the beautiful red and white Varnilh, and the Sides as well as Cieling adorn’d with plenty of carv’d Work, Painting and Gildings ; the Tables and Chairs are japan’d red or black. The Hall has Windows on each Side, which may be taken away upon occafion; and inftead of Glafs they make ufe of very thin Oyfter-fhells or fine Stuffs, done over with fhin- ing Wax, and embellifh’d with Flowers, Trees, and variety of Figures. The Deck is fur- rounded with Galleries, for the Sailors to go backward and forward without incommoding the Paffengers. The Hold. Over this Apartment is a fort of Platform, or Terrafs, open on all Sides, fet apart for the Mufic, which confifts of four or five Hands, whofe Harmony can ravifh nothing but the Ear of a Chinefe. Underneath is the Hold, divided into feveral little Chambers for flowing s ;Js the Baggage. The Sails are made of Mats, and confift of feveral oblong Squares, which fold¬ ing like a Fan, take up little or no Room. They are very convenient, becaufe they are better than any other for failing near the Wind ;■ befides, if the Braces happen to break, no Inconvenience arifes from thence to the Bark. To pufh forward thefe great Barks, they make ufe of long thick Poles, fhap’d like a Gibbet, or the Letter T, thrufting one End to the Bottom of the Water, and applying their Shoulder to the other; or elfe they employ Oars of feveral Shapes, but the common fort is a long Pole made like a Shovel at one end, with a Hole in the middle, to receive the Pegs fixed on the Side of the Bark. There are others whofe Extremities, being continually moved to the right and left in the Water, like a Fifh’s Tail, cut it obliquely, in the fame manner as your Birds of Prey do the Air, when they fly with their Wings extended, making ufe of their Tails for Oars. This Method is the more convenient, as the Rowers take up little or no Room in the Bark, for they are ranged on the Sides upon Planks. Their Oars, which do the Office of a Rudder, feldom break; and, tho’ never taken out of the Water, conftantly force the Bark forward. Some ot thefe Barks are hauled along with Ropes, when the Wind is contrary, or they are obliged to go againft the Stream. Thefe Ropes in fome places are made of Hemp, and in other of very long and fine Splinters of Cane twifted, which are exceeding ftrong, and never rot with the Water. Barks attend- Among the Barks that follow the great Mandarins , there is always one, at leaft, called the Ho-* in 2 cheirTra H J^ e ~ c ^ wen \ OI " & ar k oj the Provifions ; on board which is the Kitchen, the Eatables, and the Cooks, veis by Wa- Another is full of Soldiers for the Convoy; a third, much more fnvall and light, may be called the ter. Harbinger , becaufe its Bufinefs is to haften before to give Notice, and caufe every thing to be pre¬ pared that there be no Occafion to wait. Thefe Barks have their Rowers, and in cafe of Neceffity, are in their Public WORK S. 287 a«e alfo drawn with a Rope along the Bank by Men, who are furnifhed by the Mandarin of each City, and changed every Day. The Number of thele Supplies is determin’d by that of the Horfes appointed by the Kang-ho , or Patent of the Emperor, viz. three Men for every Horfe : Hence if eight Horfes are appointed for an Envoy, they liipply him with twenty four Men to draw the Bark. All along the Roads by Water, there is, at the End of every League, a Tang, or Guard , who, Ginrdsalong if there be Occafion, are to give Notice to each other by Signals. In the Day time, the Signal the Roads b / is a thick Smoak, made by burning Leaves-and Branches of Pine, in three fmali Stoves, fhaped VVater ' like Pyramids, and open at the Top ; in the Night the Signal is given by fhooting off a fmali Cannon. The Soldiers of every Tang, who are fometimes ten, fometimes five, or lefs, according to the Place, ufually ftand in a Rank along the River fide, out of Refpedt to the Mandarin , one of them bearing an Enfign difplay’d, and the reft with their Arms in their Hands. If the Bark carries an Envoy, they put at the Head and Stern four Lanthorns, with thele Words in great Characters of Gold, King-chay-ta-jin , that is, The Great Envoy Jrom the Court: Thefe are accompanied with Flags and Streamers of Silk, of feveral Colours, waving in the Wind. Every Morning and Evening, when they heave and caft Anchor, the Guard Llute the Man- The & Dut J r l darin with a difeharge of their Fire-Arms, followed by the Sound of Trumpets. Towards Night-fall they light the Lanthorns at the Head and Stern, as well as thirteen others of a (mailer Size, hung in the Form of a Chaplet, by the Side of a Maft, viz. ten in a perpendicu¬ lar Line, and three above them crofs-wife. When the Lanthorns are lighted, the Captain of the Place appears with his Company oppo- fite to the Barks, and with a loud Voice calls over the Names of the Men whom he hath brought to watch and ftand Centry all Night; then the Mafter of the Bark pronounces a long Harangue to the Soldiers, reminding them of all the Accidents that are to be feared, as Fire, Thieves, &c. and that if any of them fhould happen, they muft be accountable for it. The Soldiers at the end of every Article give a great Shout; after which they withdraw to form a Guard, leaving one of their Company to ftand Centry, who walks to and fro on the Quay, continually ftriking two Pieces of Bambu againft each other, to fignify his Vigilance, and that he is not afieep. Thefe Centries are relieved every Hour, performing by turns the fame Duty, and making the fame Noife the whole Night: If he be a principal Mandarin , or a great Court-Lord, they pay him the fame Honours. The great Number of Canals to be feen in China is fomething very extraordinary: They Form of the are often lined on each Side to the height of ten or twelve feet, with fine fquare Stone, which lar g er Canals in many Places feem to be a kind of grey Marble, of the Colour of Slate. The Banks of fome of the Canals being twenty or twenty five foot high on each Side, there is need of a great number of Chaplet-Engines to raife the Water into the Fields. Some run above ten Leagues in a ftrait Line ; as that from Su-chew to Vu-fi-hyen. In like manner the Canal to the Northweft of the City Hang-chew extends very far in a Right-line, and is every where more than fifteen Toifes in Breadth ; it is lin’d on each Side with hewn Stone, and border’d with Houfes clofe together, and as full of People as thofe in the City. Both Sides of the Canal are cover’d with Barks, and in Parts where the Bank is low and flooded, there are flat Bridges of great Stones feven or eight foot long, placed three and three in form of a Caufeway. The great Canals in every Province difeharge their Wafers into feveral fmali ones on each Smaller Ca- fide ; which afterwards forming a great number of Rivulets, are difperfed in the Plains and nals ' reach to the Villages, and often to the great Cities. From Space to Space they are cover’d with Bridges of three, five, or feven Arches ; that in the middle is fometimes thirty fix, Bridges, nay forty five Foot wide, and fo high, that Barks may pafs through, without taking down their Mafts ; thofe on each fide are feldom lefs than thirty, and diminifti in proportion to the Slopings of the Bridge. Some of thefe Bridges have but one Arch, which is femicircular, and built of arched 5 ^ ol oa6 Stones, five or fix Foot long, and only five or fix Inches thick ; fome of them are Polygonal. Arch. As thefe Arches are not very thick at Top, they cannot be ftrong, but then Carts never pafs over them, for the Chinefe make ufe only of Porters to carry their Bales. Several Bridges inftead of Arches have three or four great Stones placed on Piers, like Planks; many of them being ten, twelve, fifteen and eighteen Feet long. There are a confiderable number of this fort neatly built over the Great Canal, whofe Piers are fo narrow that the Arches feem to hang in the Air. It is no hard matter to learn how the Chinefe build their Bridges, for, having finifh’d the How they fides of the Arch next t to the Land, when the Bridge is to have only one Arch, or raifed bui . ld their . the Piers when it is to have feveral, they then take Stones four or five Foot long, and half Brldgc3 * a Foot broad, and place them alternately upright and crofswife, in fuch a manner that the Key- Stones may be laid horizontally. The Top of the Arch is commonly no thicker than one of thefe Stones; and becaufe the Bridges, efpecially when they have but one Arch, are fometimes forty or fifty Foot wide between the Piers, and confequently much higher than the Caufeway, the Afcent on each end is by very flat eafy Stairs, with Steps about three Inches thick ; tho’ it would be difficult for Horfes to pafs over fome of them. The whole Work is generally well contrived. Many 2.88 Beautiful Bridge nea Pc-king. Public Monuments erefted in Honour of Women as well as Men, Magnificence of the CHINESE. Many of thefe Bridges are very handfome. That call’d Lu-ko-kyau, two Leagues and a l.rdt' Weftward of Pe-king, was one of the fineft that ever was feen, before part of it was broken down by a Land-flood. The whole was of white Marble well work’d, and very curioufly built There were on each fide feventy Pillars, feparated by Cartridges of fine Marble, whereon were delicately carved Flowers, Foliages, Birds, and feveral forts of Animals. On each fide of the Entrance of the Bridge on the Eaft-end, there were two Lions of an extraordinary Size, on Marble Pedeftals, with feveral little Lions in Stone, lome climbing on the Backs of the great ones, fome getting off them, and others, creeping between their Legs; at the Welt- end, on Marble Pedeftals alfo, ftood the Figures of two Children, carv'd with the fame Skill. Amonc the public Works ought to be rank’d the Monuments which the Chtnefe have ereded almoft in every City to eternize the Memory of their Heroes ; that is to fay, the Captains, Generals, Princes, Philofophers, and Mandarins, who have done Service to the 1 ublic, and fignalized themfelves by great Adions. There is for Inftance, near the City of Nan-hyong, in the Province of $uang-tong, an high Mountain ( A), (from whence proceed two Rivers) which was formerly inaccelfible, till a Ko-lau born in that Country, undertook to cut a Pafl'age through it, for the Sake of Tra¬ vellers To perpetuate the Memory of fo fignal a Benefit received from that great Man, they creded a Monument on the Top of the Mountain, and placed his Statue there, before which thev burn Perfumes. They reckon more than eleven hundred Monuments ereded in Honour of their Princes and illuftrious Men, renown’d for Knowledge or Virtue. The Women participate of this kind of Glory; Hiftory taking Notice of feveral, who have merited and obtain’d the like Titles of Honour, and whofe Heroic Virtues are daily celebrated in the Works of their inoft famous Poets. „ . , _ . Triun,rt,l Thefe Monuments confift principally in Triumphal Arches, call d Pay-fang and Pay-lew , Arches. ' which are very numerous in every City. Many of them are very clumfily made and deferve little Notice ■ but others are worth Attention. Some are wholly of Wood, except the Pedeftals, which are of Marble. Thofe at Ning-po have generally three Gates, that is, a large one in the middle and two fmall ones on the fides; the Peers or Jambs are fquare Pillars or Polls con- ThrirAr- filling of one Stone; the Entablature is compofed of three or four Faces generally without chiteaure. an y p r0 jedion, or Moulding, except the lad or the lall but one, which is in place of a Frieze, and has fome Infcription engraven on it. , , , , _ , . Inllead of a Cornice, the Piers fupport a Roof, that makes the Top of the Gate, and is only to be defcribed by the Pencil, our Gothic Architedure itfelf not having any thing fo odd in it Every Gate confifts of the fame Parts, which differ only in Size, and tho of Stone, are join’d together by Tenons and Mortifes, as if they were made of Wood. The Rails or Bread-Walls of the Bridges on the Canals, are in the fame Tade, being large iquare Pannels of Stone, fix’d in Grooves cut in the Polls for that purpofe. Their Orna- Thefe Triumphal Arches, which are feldom above twenty or twenty five Feet high, are menu. fet off with Figures of Men, Antics, Flowers, and Birds, jutting out beyond the Arch in various Attitudes, with other Ornaments indifferently well carv’d ; The Relievo is fo great, that many of them feem to be almoft feperated from the Work : among the reft are feveral final! Cordons or Pieces of Net-work, pierc’d very artificially. In a word, thefe Pageants, tho flight enough, have their Beauties; and feveral of them placed at certain Diftances in a Street, efpecially if it be narrow, difcover fomething grand, and make an agreeable Show. City Walls I have alreadv given fome Account of the ChineJ'c Magnificence, with relpedl to public Works in fpeaking of the Walls and Gates of Pe-king ; and as many Cities have the like I (hall only add, that their Walls are fo high, that they hide the Buildings, and lo broad that one may ride on Horfeback upon them. Thofe of Pe-hng are made of Brick and forty Feet high ; they are flank’d at the diftance of every twenty Toifes, with fmall Iquare Towers kept in good Repair; and in fome places have great Ramps, that the Cavalry may and Gales. ° As^for the Gates, tho’ they are not adorn’d with Figures in Baffo Relievo, like other public Works, the Sight is' extremely affeded by the prodigious Height of the two Pavilions that form them ; by their Arches, that in fome places are of Marble ; by their Thicknefs, and by the Strength of the Work. Towers. The Towers, call’d Pau-ta, ereded in almoft every City, are fome of their greatelt Or¬ naments ; they confift of feveral Stories, one lefs than another the higher they go, with Windows on every Side. The mod famous Strudure of this kind, is that in the City of Nan-king in the Province of Kyang-nan, commonly call’d, The Great or Porcelain Power, which I’have already fpoken of in the Beginning of this Work; but as P. le Comte has given a more exad Defcription of it, it deferves to be repeated here : Porcelain “ There is (fays he) without the City, and not within it, as fome have written a Temple Tower at .c cal p d hy t h e Chine/e, The Temple of Gratitude, built by the Emperor Tong-h. It is eroded “ on a Pile of Bricks, which form a great Perron, forrounded with Rails of unpolilh d “ Marble, and a Stair-Cafe of ten or twelve Steps. The Hall, which ferves for the Temple, “ is a hundred Feet high, and Handing on a fmall Marble Balls, no more than a Foot “ in height, but jutting out two Feet beyond the reft of the Wall all round. The Front is “ adorn'd with a Gallery and feveral Pillars. The Roofs (for according to the Cuftom ot ( a ) The Mountain meant here, is doubtlcls the famous Mey-tio, mention’d p. 286 and often before, particularly p. US- 2Sp in their Public WORK S. " China , there often are two, one bearing on the Wall, the other covering that again) are of “ japan'd Tiles, green and (liming. The Joyners Work on the Infide is painted, and adorn’d “ with an infinite number of Pieces, engaged, indifferent manners one within another ; which is «< no fmail Ornament among the Chineje , It is true that this Foreft of Beams, Joifts, Rafters, “ and Spars, that appear on all fides, hasfqmething very lingular and furprifing ; becaufe one “ is apt to imagine that there is a great deal of Labour and Expencc in Works of this •• kind : tho’ in reality the Condition proceeds from the Ignorance of the Workmen, who “ have not yet difcover’d that lovely Simplicity, wherein the Strength and Beauty of the “ European Buildings confift. “ The Hall has no Light but what it receives through the Doors, of which there are on “ the Eaft-fide three very large ones, leading into the famous Tower I am going to (peak “ of, which makes part of the Temple. It is an Odtogon, about forty Feet in Diameter, fo 11 that every Side of it is fifteen Feet in length. It is encompafs'd on the Outfide by a “ Wall of the fame Figure, which is two Toifes and an half diftant from the Edifice, and “ at a moderate Height fupports a Roof, cover’d with japan’d Tiles, that feems to proceed “ from the Body of the Tower, and makes underneath a very handfome Gallery. The “ Tower has nine Stories, each adorn’d witli a Cornice, three Feet above the Windows j “ and a Roof like that of the Gallery, except that it does not jilt out fo far, as not being “ fupported by a fecond Wall: Thefe Stories grow fmaller, as the Tower rites higher, and “ leffens in Circumference. The Wall on the Ground-Floor is at leaft twelve Feet thick, “ and eight and an half high, cafed with Porcelain. It is true, the Rain and Duft have “ impair’d its Beauty, but yet it is dill entire enough to (hew that it is made of China “ Ware, tho’ of a coarie fort, for it is not probable Bricks would have continued three “ hundred Years in fo good Condition. “ The Stair-Cafe, which is made on the Infide, is fmail and inconvenient, becaufe the Steps are extremely high. Every Story is feparated by thick Beams, plac'd crofs-ways, “ which Support a Floor, and form a Room, the deling of which is adorn’d with variety tf “ Paintings, if the Chineje Painters be capable of embellifhing an Apartment. The Walls “ of all the upper Stories are full of fmail Niches, containing Images ill Baffo-relievo, which make a very pretty fort of Inlaid Work. The wohle is gilded, and feems to be of Marble, “ or polifh’d Stone, tho’ I believe it to be nothing but Brick made in a Mould ; for the “ Chineje are furprizingly fkilful in ftamping all forts of Figures on their Bricks: the Earth of “ which, being extremely fine and well temper’d, is much fitter than ours for taking the “ Impretlion of the Mould. “ The fil'd Story is the higheft of all ; the reft are of an equal Height. As I reckon'd “ one hundred and ninety Steps, almoft every one ten Inches thick, which I meafur d exactly, “ they mult make one hundred and fifty eight Feet ; if to this we add the Height of the “ Perron, the ninth Story which has no Steps, and the Roof, the Tower will be from the “ Ground about two hundred Feet high. “ The Top of all the Work is one of its greeted Beauties ; for it is a thick Mad, reaching from the Floor of the eighth Story, whereon it (bands, more than thirty Foot above the " Roof. It feems to be inclos’d in a large Iron Hoop of the fame pleight, which winds round “ it [like a fpiral Line or Screw] at the Didance of feveral Feet; fo that it looks like a fort “ of hollow Cone, pierced through, rifing in the Air, with a golden Ball on the Top “ of an extraordinary Magnitude, This is what the Chineje call the Porcelain Tower, though tL Ibme Europeans perhaps will name it a Brick Tower , but let that be as it will, it is certainly “ the bed contriv'd, mod fblid, and magnificent Work in all the Ead.” Among the mod fumptuous Buildings of the Chineje we Ought not to omit their Temples or Pagods, erefled to fabulous Divinities by the Superdition of the Princes as well as of the People. Of thefe there is a prodigious number in China, and the mod celebrated are built in barren Mountains, to which however the Indudry of the Natives has given the Beauties arid Conveniencies deny’d them by Nature ; the Canals cut at a great Expence to conduct the Water from the Heights into Bufons and Refervoirs appointed for that Purpofe; The Gardens, Groves, and Grottos, made in the Rocks for Shelter, againd the exceffive Heat of a burning 'Climate, render thefe Solitudes charming. The Structure confids partly of Porticos, pav’d with large fquare polifh’d Stones, and partly of Halls, and Pavilions, which dand in the Corners of Courts, and communicate by long Galleries, adorn'd with Statues of Stone, and fometimes of Brafs. The Roofs of thefe Buildings dune with beautiful Tiles japan'd green and yellow ; and are adorn’d at the Corners with Dragons of the fame Colour, projedting forward. There are few of thefe Pagods but what have a great Tower, danding by itfelf, and terminating in a Dome, to which they afeend by a handfome Stair-Cafe that winds round about it. A fquare Temple commonly occupies the middle of the Dome, which is often adorn’d with Mofaic Work, and the Walls cover’d with done Figures of Animals and Monders in Relievo. This is the Form of mod of the Pagods, which are larger or fmaller, according to the Devotion and Abilities of thofe who have contributed towards building them. Thefe are the Habitations of the Bonzas and Idol-Prieds, by whom all forts of Frauds are praftifed, to impofe on the Credulity of the People ; who come from far in Pilgrimage to thefe Temples con- Vol. I 4 D fecrated Feftivals of the Chinefe. That of Lanthorns. Another Fellival of Lanthorns. The Lant¬ horns de- lcribed. Moving Figures. Splendid Fire-work Magnificence of the C H INESL fecratcd to the Devil (a): but as the Chinefe are not very confident in the Worfhip they r; ; y to their Images, it often happens that they fhew but little Veneration either for their Gods or his Miniffers. Generally the Bonzas are in great Contempt, nor will any Chinefe of Fafhion embrace their Condition ; fo that being almoft all taken from the Dregs of the People, they are often, to encreafe their number, oblig’d to buy young Children, whom they bring up in their way of Life, in order to fucceed them in the Mini dry. In fpeaking of the Magnificence of the Chinefe , I fhould omit what is very effential, if I laid nothing of their Feftivals, whereof principally two, are celebrated with vaft: Expence. The one is the Beginning of their Year, and the other, which falls on the fifteenth of the firft Month, is call’d ‘The Feaf of Lanthorns. By the Beginning of the Year I mean the End of the twelfth Moon, and about twenty Days of the firft; Moon of the following Year, which is properly their Vacation-Time. Then all Bufinefs ceafes, they make Prefents, the Pofts are flopp’d, and the Tribunals are fhut up throughout the Empire. This is what they call the Shutting up the Seals ; becaule at this Time they, with a great deal of Ceremony, fhut up the little Coffer, wherein the Seals of each Tribunal are kept. This Vacation lafts a whole Month, and is a Time of great Rejoicing ; efpecially during the laft Days of the old Year, which are celebrated with great Solemnity. Their inferior Mandarins go to falute the Superiors, the Children their Fathers, the Servants their Mafters, &c. This is what they call taking Leave of the Tear. In the Evening all the Family meet together, and a great Feaft is made. In fomePlaces a very odd piece of Superftition prevails, for they will not fuffer a Stranger among them, nay not one of their neareft Relations; for fear that the Moment the new Year begins, he fhould catch the good Luck which was to light on the Houfe, and carry it away with him, to the Prejudice of his Hoft. On this Day therefore every one keeps clofe at home, and rejoices with none but his own Family ; but on the Morrow, and the following Days, they exprefs Signs of extraordinary Joy, for all the Shops are fhut, and every body is wholly taken up with Sports, Feafts and Plays. The poorer fort on this Day put on the beft they have ; while fuch as can afford it drefs themfelves richly, and vifit their Friends, Relations,, eldeft Brothers, Patrons, and all thofe they have any Intereft in. They aft Plays, treat each other, and mutually wifh all kinds of Profperity; in a word, all the Empire is in Motion, and nothing is heard of but Mirth and Pleafure. The fifteenth of the firft Month is likewife a folemn Feftival, when all China is illumi¬ nated, and to look from fome high Place feems to be on Fire. It begins on the thirteenth in the Evening, and continues to the fixteenth or feventeenth. Every Perfon, both in City and Country, on the Sea-Coaft, or on the Rivers, lights up painted Lanthorns of feveral Fafhions; even the pooreft Houfes that are, have them hanging in their Courts, and at their Win¬ dows, every one being delirous to diftinguifh himfelf. Thofe ufed by the Poor do not coft much, but the Rich lay out fometimes two hundred Franks in Lanthorns ; and the chief Mandarins , the Vice-Roys, and the Emperor, three or four thoufand Livres. This being a Speftacle free for every body, the People flock thither from all Parts of the City, and the more to fatisfy their Curiofity, the Gates are left open every Evening : They are even permitted to enter into the Tribunals of the Mandarins , who adorn them in a fplendid manner, to fhew their Magnificence. Thefe Lanthorns are very large, the Frames of fome, containing fix Panes, being of japan’d Wood, adorn’d with Gildings. Thefe Panes confift of fine tranfparent Silk, whereon are painted Flowers, Trees, Animals, and human Figures; which being difpofed with Art, receive as it were Life from the great number of Lamps and Candles,wherewith the Lanthorns are lighted up. Others are round, and made of blue tranfparent Horn, very beautiful to the Sight. The Top of this Machine is adorn’d with Variety of carved Works, from the Corners whereof hang feveral Streamers of Sattin and Silk of divers Colours. Several of them reprefent Sights purpofely to amufe and divert the People ; there you fee Horfes galloping, Ships failing, Armies marching, People dancing, and feveral other things of •the fame Nature; the refpeftive Figures being put in Motion by means of imperceptible Threads, manag’d'by Perfons unfeen. Some by Shadows reprefent Princes and Princeffes, Soldiers, Buf¬ foons, and other Charafters; whofe Geftures are fo conformable to the Words of the Operator, who moves them with extraordinary Art, that one would think they really fpoke. Others carry a Dragon fixty or eighty foot long, full of Lights from the Head to the Tail, which they eaufe to wind and turn like a Serpent. But what gives a new Splendor to this Feaft is the Fire-Works, which are plaid off in all Parts of the City ; and wherein the Chitiefe are thought to excel. P. Magalhaens relates, that he was extreamly furprifed with one he faw, reprefenting a Vine-Arbor, which burn’d without confuming ; and the Foot of the Vine, the Branches, Leaves, and Grapes confumed exceeding flowly : The Grapes appeared red, the Leaves green, and the Colour of the Stem was imi¬ tated fo artificially, that any Perfon might have been deceived. But the Reader will be better able to judge of thefe Fire-Works from the Defcription of one which the Emperor Kang-hi caufed to be play’d off for the Diverfion of his Court; whereat the Miflionaries, who were of his Train, were prefent. (a) The hard Names beftow’dby the Author will not take of the Refemblance between the two Religions. Their Practice is the very lame, they only differ as the Objcdls of their Worfhip. it 2.8 p in their Public WORKS. l't began by fetting Fire to half a dozen Cylinders planted in the Earth: thefe fpouted Flames in the Air, which at the Height of twelve Foot fell down again in golden Rain or Fire. This was follow’d by a iort of Bomb-Cart fiipported by two Stakes or Pillars, from whence pro¬ ceeded a Shower of Fire with feveral Lanthorns; many Sentences wrote in large Charafters; the Colour of burning Sulphur ; and half a dozen branched Candlefticks in the Form of Pillars, confiding of feveral Rings of Lights, one above another, which carta white or lilvcr Flame, and in a Moment turn’d Night into Day. At length the Emperor, with his own Hands, fet Fire to the Body of the Machine, which prefently became all in a Blaze, being eighty Feet long, and forty or fifty broad : The Flame having caught hold of feveral Poles, and Paper Figures placed on all Sides* a prodigious Quantity of Squibs flew up into the Air, and a great number of Lanthorns and Branches were lighted all over the Place. This Show lafted for half an Hour; and from time to time there appeared in fome Places violet and bluiflr Flatnes, in the Form of Bunches of Grapes, hanging on a Vine-Arbor* which, joined to the Splendor of the Lights, that were like fo many Stars, yielded a very agreeable Spedacle. There is one very remarkable Ceremony obferved at this Feflival: In mod Houfcs the Odd Cere. Head of the Family writes in large Charafters on a Sheet of red Paper, or japan’d Board, the following Words, Tyen-ti, San-kydy, She fail, Van-tin, Chin tfay : the Senfe of which is, To the true' Goveniour of the Heaven, the Earth, the three Limits, (that is, the. whole World) and of the ten thoufand Intelligences, (that is, an innumerable Multitude.) This Paper is either put in a Frame, or parted on a Board ; at Court they place it on a Table, on which is fet Corn, Bread, Meat, or fome other Thing of that Nature, and then proftrating themfelves on the Earth, offer Sticks of Paftil. Of the Ceremonies obferved by the Chinefe in their Com - pliments, Vi fits, Prefents,' Letters, Feafis, Marriages, and Funerals. i. Their SALUTATIONS and COMPLIMENTS. T HERE is nothing in which the Chinefe feem more fcrupulous than in their Ceremo- chint j- e fine nies and Compliments. They are perfwaded that a due Attention in performing the Notion of Duties of Civility goes farther than any thing elfe to purge the Mind of a certain Cmlu y- Roughnefs that is born with us; to infufe a Sweetnefs of Temper, and to maintain Peace, good Order, and Subordination in a State : It is, fay they, by Modify and Politenefs in civil Society , that Men are difinguijbed from Brutes. Among their Books, containing the Rules of Civility, there is one which has upwards of Their Cere- three thoufand, every thing being fet down at large. The common Salutations, the Vifits, h » ve the Prefents, the Feafts, and whatfoever is done in public or private, are rather fo many 0 ftanding Laws, than Falhions gradually introduced by Cuftom. Almoft the whole of thefe public Ceremonies may be reduced to the Manner of bowing, kneeling down, and proftrat¬ ing one or more times, according to the Occafion, Place, Age or Quality of the Perfons; efpecially in vifiting, making Prefents, or treating Friends. ^ Foreigners, who are obliged to conform to thefe fatiguing Ceremonies, are frighten’d with Ail even them at firft ; whereas the Chinefe, who are brought up to them from their Infancy, inftead ^ r d an /^ af of being difeouraged, are greatly pleafed with them, and believe that for want of the f 4 d ors oblig’d like Education other Nations are become barbarous. And, that the Obfervation of thefe Cuf- tj comply toms may not wear out in time, there is a Tribunal at Pe-king, whole principal Bufinefs Wlth thcm ‘ is to preferve the Ceremonies of the Empire ; wherein it is fo ftricffc that it will not exempt even Strangers from the Obligation: for which Reafon, before the Ambaffadors are intro¬ duced to Court, the Cuftom is to inftrud them privately for forty Days together, and excr- cife them in the Ceremonies of the Country; much after the fame manner as our Come¬ dians pradife before they come to ad their Parts on the Stage. It is reported that one of the former Czars of RuJJta, having in a Letter to the Empe- inftance; ror of China befought his Majefty to pardon his Ambaffador, if, for want of being well acquainted with the Cuftoms of the Empire, he committed any Blunder; the above men¬ tioned Tribunal, called Li-pu, reply’d genteely in thefe Terms, (which the Mifiionaries at Pe-king tranflated faithfully by the Emperor’s Order) Legal us tuns mult a jeat rufice ; Tour Ambaffador has done many things in a very impolite Manner. This Affedation of Gravity and Politenefs appears ridiculous at firft to an European ; but An Apology he muft comply with it, unlefs he has a mind to pafs for a Clown. After all, every Nation for the Chi- has its Genius and Manners; nor ought we to judge of them according to the Prejudice of Education. If on comparing the Cuftoms of China with ours, we are tempted to look upon fo wife a Nation as fantaftic ; the Chinefe in their Turns, agreeable to their own Notions of things, look upon us as Barbarians: But both are miftaken, moft Adions of Man¬ kind being indifferent in themfelves, and Handing juft for nothing but what People pleafe to make of them : hence that which is look’d upon as a mark of Honour in one Country, is a fign of Contempt in another. In many Places it is an Affront to a Gentleman to 2pz Ceremonies of the CHINES E. take him by the Heard; in others it is a Mark of Veneration, and fignifies that the Peffort who does it has fome Favour to afk. The Europe am rife up and take off their Hats to receive Vifitors : the japanefe on the contrary neither move nor uncover, but only pull off their Shoes and Stockings; and in China it is a great Rudenefs to talk bare-headed to any Perfcn whatever. Plays, and Inftruments of Mufic, are almoft every where Signs of Joy, yet in China they are uled at Funerals. Therefore, without either praifing or blaming the Cuftotns which difguft us, it is fufficient to fay, that thefe Ceremonies, however forbidding they may feem to us, are look’d upon by the Chinefe as very efiential to the good Order and Peace of the State. It is a Talk to learn them, and a Science to be Mailer of them ; but they aFe brought up to them from their Infancy, fo that, however irkfome they may prove at hill:, they at length become natural to them. The Beha- All things being thus regulated as to Ceremonies, every body is fure not to fail in the fmallelt Duty of Civil Life. The Grandees know the Helped due from them to the Emperor regulated^ and the Princes, and in what manner they ought to behave to each other ; even the Mechanics, the Peafants, and the very Dregs of the People perform all the Formalities prefcribed theni, and in their Meetings obferve Politenels and Complaifance ; as will appear from the Account I am going to give of thefe Ceremonies. Ceremony Of On certain Days the Mandarins go to falute the Emperor in their Robes of Ceremony; 1 and if he does not appear himfelf, they do reverence to his Throne, inftead of his Perfcn. Emperor. \yhji e t h e y wa ' lt: for the Signal to enter the Court of the Chau , facing the Hall of the Throne, they fit on their Cufhions in the Court, before the South-Gate of the Palace, which is pav’d with Bricks, and as clean as a Room. The Cufhions vary according to the Degree of the Mandarin : thole who are intitled to one, for all are not, have it in Summer of Silk, the Colour making the Diftindion, though the Difference of the Rank appears chiefly from the middle of the^Cufhion ; and in the Winter they ufe Skins, which are dillinguilh’d by the Price. In this great multitude, where one would exped to meet with nothing but Confufion, every thing is admirably well regulated, and perform’d in the greateft Order ; for as each knows his Place, there are no Difputes about Precedence. Every owac- When the Body of the late Emprefs was carrying to be interr’d, one of the Princes of the Blood calling a Ko-lau to fpeak with him, the Ko-lau approach'd, and having anfwer’d of'che Cere- 1 him on his Knees, the Prince left him in that Pofture without bidding him rife. Next Day monial. a _&?-// aC cufed the Prince and all the Ko-lau s before the Emperor ; the Prince for fuffering luch a conliderable Officer to appear before him in fb humble a Pofture; and the Ko-lau s, chiefly him who kneel’d down, for difhonouring the higheft Poll: in the Empire, and the reft for not oppofing, or at leaft giving the Emperor Notice of it. The Prince excufed himfelf, in that he was ignorant of what Cuftom or the Law direded in the Cafe, and did not require that Submiffion ; but the Ko'-li in Anfwer alledged a Law of an ancient Dynajly : Whereupon the Emperor order’d the Li-pu [or Tribunal of Ceremonies] to fearch for fuch Law in the Archives, and in Cafe it could not be found, to make a Rule on that Head, which might take place for the future. Formality of The Ceremonial is likewife regulated, on all other Occafions, which the Grandees may compliment- jj avc t0 compliment the Emperor : Such for Inftance (and it is the only one I fhall mention) pcroVon the was that when the prefent Emperor \Tong-ching] declar'd the Choice he had made of one Choice of an of fos Wives for Emprels. Immediately two of the mod conliderable Dodors, who are Emjpds. Members of the great Council, were deputed to make the Compliment, (for to them only it belongs to compofe thefe pieces of Eloquence) and remit it to the Tribunal of Rites j who, as foon as they receiv’d it, prepar’d themfelves for the Ceremony. On the Day appointed, in the Morning, there was carry’d, to the flrft or Eaftern Gate (*) of Palace, a kind of fquare Table, on the Corners whereof were ereded four Pillars, which fup- ported a fort of Dome: This little portable Cabinet was fet off with yellow Silk and other Ornaments. At the prefixed Hour a neat little Book ( wherein was written the Compli¬ ment that was compofed for the Emperor, with the Names of the Princes, Grandees, and thofe of the fupreme Courts, who came in a Body to perform this Ceremony) being plac’d on the Table, fome Mandarins , clad fuitably to their Office, took up the Machine, and went forward. All the Princes of the Blood with the other Princes and Noblemen had gone before each according to his Rank, and waited near one of the inner Gates of the Palace. The reft of the great Officers, fuch as the Prime Minifters, the Dodors of the firft Rank, the Preiidents of the lupreme Courts, and the other "Tartarian and Chmefe Mandarins , as well Literary as Military, all magnificently drefs’d in their Habits of Ceremony, follow’d the Table on Foot, every one in his proper Place. Several mufical Inftruments made a very agreeable Concert, the Drums and Trumpets refounding from different Parts of the Palace. They began the Proceffion ; and when they were near the Gate call’d U-»rwen> the Princes join’d them, placing themfelves at their Head. In this manner they walk’d together as far as the great Hall of Audience (-f), which having entred, they took the Compliment oft the portable (*) For the great Gate, facing the South, is never open’d but for the Emperor, or for the Ceremonies which relate to his Anceftors. (-(•) This is the Hall where the Emperor gives Audience to Ambafladors , where he gjves public Inflations Tor preaches] two or three times a Year, and where on the firft Day of the Year he receives the Compliments of all the Officers who arc at Peking. Table* in their Salutations and Compliments. 2^3 Table, and plac’d it on another Table, prepar’d for that Purpofe, in the middle of the Hall. Then all being rang’d in handfome Order, and {landing in their proper Places, they made their ufual Reverences before the Imperial Throne, as if his Majefty had been there himfelf; that is, they fell upon their Knees, {truck their Foreheads three times again ft the Ground with great Refpecft, and then rofe up again, performing the fame Ceremony three times. After this, every one keeping in his own Place with great Silence, the Mafic began to play again ; and the Prefidents of the Tribunal of Rites acquainted the chief Eunuchs of the Prefence, that all the Grandees of the Empire befought his Majefty to come and fit down on his precious Throne. Thefe Words being carry’d to the Emperor, he appear’d and afeended the Throne; when immediately two Doctors of the firft Rank, appointed for that Purpofe, having advanced near the Table, made feveral Reverences on their Knees; and then rifing up, one of them took the little Book, and read diftincftly with a loud Voice the Compliment made by this Auguft Company to his Majefty, which was not very long. As foon as the Doctors had finifh’d it, and retired to their Places, the Emperor, defending from his Throne, return’d to his Apartment. After Noon the Princefles of the Blood, the other Princefies, and Ladies of the firft Quality, with the Wives of all the great Mandarins t above-mention’d, went every one, according to their Rank and Dignity, towards the Palace of the Emprefs, no Lord or Mandarin daring to appear; they were conducted by a Lady of DiftinCtion, who on this Occafion perform’d the part of a Miftrefs of the Ceremonies, as the Prefidents of the Tribunals had done that of Mailers. As foon as all the Ladies were arriv’d near the Emprefs’s Palace, her firft Eunuch prefent- ing himfelf, the Miftrefs of the Ceremonies addrefs’d him in this Manner : “ I humbly befeech « the Emprefs, (laid fhe) in behalf of this Afiembly, to condefcend to come out of the Palace, Me -znzAoj . sose/tzltzig /As/tzc/szto', zizAof 2 /tzuzitArg *, tozzis Slum- clii, nn/Anet Ac floess//Asrs jo fozto aoAto Mazzuf sszi/inasJ to retyzt S-tAzvo Side-Hal Is , zi/uir a-zr A MtA/s/o0/3 5?• //szz //A/fz-iousfz- Aissr AirZuc azzA /a/our. gTerrafs orAQerzvzt a/ /As fryis-zY,z/.J/aAl, zmA /Arss • /Aznz ■ -c? off /o go iyz 1 1 /zva/\Jrns, or AlzttfAaztsyGz- Auzzuziy/Zer/uzzisstzi JZoziour of /As 't//or os.'ezt/ssszZ zzz /AsM/a //-. 1 Gates', Ter-r tils, zzzfto Stair-Cafes zz/zz/szt/zt/ cfAis nmer /eztr/.l Gates,' Tevrafs.anto' Stair-Cafes of/Asfors fouzffo ctzzg //is Mrss/. m Wall ofRefp ec\ i o/z/stftos to zAs fz/s/ AsAezu/zoAzsAMofe zzuA//Ztff zvAo zozA/zte/AyA/frezzi /Aszr .Z/ozfss , few sAzoo yzstt/T num -plial Arches of/looz/fazitose/ ozu/yi/z, on esicA As/s /As z/fztozwmce of Msff/a. s. o Tower of A- Bell/6r ssyti/a/ezzy Ms //sms ziAezt sasA f’az/ of/As Zsesszzieziy m to As/zfzyfrzztss/. p Ais/s Courts ; izi one /toes /Ae~ Mandarin zizAo Assyu As f/t/zss, tzt /As o/Aer azwyz e/sazeAAs /te/ua/> amt oAsr sMzzzyj ofezvA/o/As A/ez'osJ to A/ozzozzz- Aistr . Z/'znezy atis/ /eztous Explanation fbrthc que tseKyen a //aA/zzis/tfz'zzy /As zeAo/e A/ass, c/iziA/tzt/o 7 /tv Sour/o, XyZ/ie/ /i/zuzict zetAi a//a//yAMy>ee//or//itj/< : to/uf AcAtzu/toAozitZ/zurZeAfitottzi/. cT/u\ftrea d Atv AwznyA/z/. /ztAs-.e c/ozc - Zeisr/^ f A/ziszi/oi/ztgfea/. %}Ae/ /szs/non Ji !-?aA/e/of ConFu/tor, /,/ g ( t t ziz/.'' 'tzs/oz J /ziyo-a/f of Confucius, t ( Y- Wirdom or Perfeaion ; Ta-hyo, The Great College, [or School] $ua-hyo , _ The College of the Empire’. On the Walls are hung divers fmall Boards, gilt and japan d, lnfcnbed with the Names of thofe who have diftinguifhed themfelves in the Sciences, Confucius being at their Head ; and all the Learned are obliged to honour this Prince of their Philofophers, according to the following Ceremonies : Thofe who after rigorous Examinations, are judged fit for the Degree ot byew-tjay, or ceremony Batchelors, go’to the Threfhold of the Ti-hyo-tau, ot Mandarin, with black linen Garments, of .he Buj and a common Cap on. As foon as they are admitted into his Prefence t , bow themfelves, > uting hinTi fall on their Knees and then proftrate themfelves feveral times, on the Right and on the Left in two Lines ; till the Mandarin gives Orders for prefer.ting them with the Habits proper for Batchelors, which confift of a Veft, a Surtout, and a filk Cap. Having put them on, they return in order to proftrate themfelves again before the Tribunal of the Mandarin. From hence they march very gravely to the Palace of Confucius , where they bow their Heads four times to the Ground before his Name, and before thofe of the moft eminent Philofophers, as they had done before in the Mandarins Houfe. This firft Devoir of the Batchelors is per¬ formed in a City of the firft Rank, nor can any Perfon whatfoever be excufed from doing it, unlefs he is in Mourning, or dangeroufly ill. When the Syew-tfay are return’d to their own Country, thofe of the fame Diftrid go in a Body to proftrate themfelves before the Governor, who experts them; and having received thefe new Marks of Honour in his Tribunal, he riles, and offers them Wine in Cups, which he firft lifts up in the Air. In fevera Places pieces of red Silk are diftributed among them, of which they make a kind of Belt; they alfo receive two Wands adorned with Flowers of Silver, which they fet on each of their Caps like a Caduceus ; then they walk with the Governor at their Head to the Palace of Confucius, to finilh the Cere¬ mony with the ufual Salutation before mention’d. This is as it were, the Seal [or Tettj which eftablifhes them, and puts them in Pofteffion of their new Dignity ; becaufe then they acknow¬ ledge Confucius for their Matter, and by that Adion profefs to follow his Maxims in the Go- vernment ot the State. Befides this, the Emperors have order’d that the Doctors and Literati fliould celebrate, as it were in the Name of the Empire, a Feftival to that Great Man. Every thing is prepared honourof the Evening before : a Butcher comes and kills a Hog, and the Servants of the Tiibunal bring Kang-fu-tfe. Wine, Fruits, Flowers and Herbs, which they place on a Table, fet with Wax-Candles and Perfuming-Pans On the Morrow, the Governors, Doctors and Batchelors, repair with Drums beating, and Hautboys founding to the Feaft-Hall : where the Matter of the Ceremonies, ap¬ pointed to regulate the whole Affair, commands them fometimes to bend forwards, fometimea to kneel down, fometimes to bow to the very Earth, and fometimes to ftand up. zy6 Honours paid fo iiluitrious Perionr and Citizens. F.mperor Kya-tm£s .AJdrels to Kng-fi-tfi. Ceremonies of the CHINESE When the Hour for beginning the Ceremony is come, the chief Mandarin takes fucceffively Meat, Wine, Pulfe, and prefen ts them before the Tables of Confucius ; the Mufic playing all the while to Verfes fung in Honour of this great Philofopher. They afterwards repeat his Encomium, which is feldom more than eight or ten Lines, in praife of his Knowledge, Wifdom, and good Morals. The Formula is the fame throughout all the Cities of the Empire; and thefe Honours, which are in EffeCt paid to all the Learned in the Perfon of Confucius y inlpire the DoCtors with great Emulation. The Ceremony is concluded with repeated Bows and Reverences at the Sound of Flutes and Hautboys, and with reciprocal Compliments among the Mandarins. Laft of all, they bury the Blood and Hair of the Animal that has been offer’d ; and burn in Token of Joy a large Piece of Silk, which is faften’d to the end of a Pike, and hangs to the Earth in manner of a Streamer. They afterwards go into the fecond Hall, to pay certain Honours to the ancient Governors of Cities and Provinces, who are famous for behaving well in their Employments, Then they pals into a third Flail, where are the Names of Citizens iiluitrious for their Virtues and Talents, and there perform fome farther Ceremonies. 1c is reported, that the Chinefe Emperor Kya-tfmg , before he began his Studies, went to the Palace of Confucius to offer him Prefents, and before his Tablet fpoke to him in this manner : “ I, the Emperor, come this Day to offer Praifes and Prefents, as Marks of my RefpeCl '- of the Places keep in Readinefs to regale the Khig-chay, the Cuftom is to fend the fame fort . of Provifions on board the Bark that accompanies him. One may judge of the Nature of thefe Prefents by that of the Viceroy, the Lift of which follows: viz. two Meafures or Bufhels of fine white Rice, two Meafures of Meal; one Hog, two Geefe, four Fowls, four Ducks; two Bundles of Sea-Herbs, two Bundles of Stags Pizzles, which when pick’d and dry’d are deem’d in China exquifite Eating; two Bundles of the Entrails of a certain Sea-Fifh, two Bundles of dry’d Me-yu , or Ink-Fijh , and two Jarrs of Wine. The Prefents of the other Man¬ darins were much of the fame fort. As it is cuftomary in all the Cities that you pals thro’, to receive this kind of Prefents from th z Mandarins, there is no occafton to make any other Provifion on board the Barks, becaufe there is enough and to lpare for the Envoy and all his V tan or Bill Attendants. When a Prefent is made, befides the ! Tyc-tJ'e , or Vifiting-Billet, they add a Li-t'n ; of Parcels, which is a piece of red Paper like the Tyc-tfe , whereon is written the Name of him who offers it, and a Lift of Particulars. When he who makes the Prefent comes in Perfon, after the common Civilities, he offers Cuftomary to vou the Billet, which you take from him, and give to one of your Servants to keep, making j. n Uvcic j QW g oW by way of Acknowledgement. The Vifit being over, you read the Billet, and take rcce^veonly what you think proper : if you accept of every thing fet down in the Lift, you keep the Billet, Part. and fending another immediately to return Thanks, acquaint him that you accept of the Whole: If you detain but Part; you mention the Particulars in the Billet of Thanks ; and in cafe you keep nothing at all, you fend back the Billet and the Prefent, with a Billet of Thanks ; upon which you write Pi-fye, that is, Thefe etre precious Pearls , / dare not touch them. Form of If the Perlon thinks fit to fend the Prefent by his Servants only, or if he fends the things doing it. w Ith the Billet, then you obferve the fame Ceremonies as when he offers it in Perfon : but if he fends you the Billet before the things are bought, intending to buy thofe you pitch on, you take a Pencil, and make Circles on the things you accept of, which are immediately bought and lent to you. Then you write a Billet of Thanks, and mention what you have received, adding Yu- pi r that is, The reft are precious Pearls. But when there is any Wine, the Servants never fail to eafe themf Ives of lome part of the Weight, without its being perceiv’d till the Pots or Jarrs come to be open’d. On feveral Occafions, when you accept of a Prefent, Complaifance requires you fhould fend another in return ; this is principally put in Practice, in the Beginning of the Year, in the fifth Moon, &c. When the Prefent comes from a Perfon confiderable, either by Birth or Office, the Receiver makes a low Bow before it. Even the Letters that are written by private Perfons are fubjeCt to a great number of wrLTri 1 ''nnd" Formalities, which often puzzle the Literati themfelves. If you write to a Perfon of Dif- tending of" tin&ion you are obliged to ufe white Paper, wit ten or twelve folds like a Screen ; they Letters. arc to be brought, with little Bags and flips of red Paper, which go along with the Letter. You begin to write on the lecond Folding, and put your Name at the End. A great deal of pains muft be taken about the Stile, which ought to be different from that ufed in com¬ mon Converlation; Regard muft alfo be had to the Character, for the fmaller the Size the more refpeCtful •, there are proper Diftances to be kept between the Lines, and Titles to be made Ufe of according to the Rank and Quality of the Perfons. The Seal, if any be ufed, is put in two Places, that is, over the Name of the Perfon who writes, and over the firft Words of the Letter, but they are ufually contented with putting it on the little Bag w'hich enclofes it. If the Writer is in Mourning, he puts a flip of blue Paper over his own Name. The Letter when written, is put in a little Paper-Bag, on the middle of which they pafte a flip of red Paper, the length of the Letter, and two Fingers broad, and write thereon Nwi-han , that is, The Tetter is within. They then put it in a fecond Bag, of thicker Paper than the former, with a Band of red Paper, as before, on which they put, in large Characters, the Name and Quality of the Perfon to whom it is addreffed ; and on the fide, in fmaller Characters, the Province, City, and Place of his Abode. The Openings at top and bottom of this fecond Letter aie pafted together very neatly, and the Seal im- prefled on both with thefe Word;,, Hu-fong , that is, Guarded and Sealed ; alfo between both from top to bottom, they write the Year and Day, on which the Letter is delivered. When the Mandarins fend any Difpatches to Court that require more than ordinary Expedition, they fallen a Feather to the Packet, and then the Courier is obliged to travel Night and Day without flopping. 3. Their Feafts and Entertainments. T HE Chinefe , as well as other Nations, often invite one another to Feafts, wherein they make mutual profeffions of Efteem and Friendfhip; but it is chiefly in thefe Feafts that Politenefs, natural to the Chinefe , is troublefome to Europeans , for the whole is made up of Ceremonies and Compliments. Their Feafts are of two Sorts: the ordinary, confifting of about twelve or fixteen Difhes; and the more folemn, which require twenty four upon each Table, as well as more Formalities. When all Ceremonies are punctually obferved, the Feaft is preceded by three Tye-tfe, or Billets, fent to thofe who are invited : the firft Invitation is made the Day or two Days before, but this laft is rare; the fecond in the Morning Z99 in their FEASTS. Mornin'T of the Feaft-Day, to put the Guefts in mind, and intreat them not to fail coming ; and the third, when every thing is ready, and the Mailer of the Houfe is difpofed, by a third Billet, carryed by one of his Servants, to let them know he is extremely impatient to fee them. , , . The Hall wherein the Feaft is ferv’d up, is commonly adorned with Hower-Pots, Pic- The Fait tures China- Ware, and fuch like Ornaments. There are as many Tables as there are Per- Kail haw lit fons’invited; unlefs the Number of Guefts obliges them to fit two at a Table, for they out ' rarely put three, at thele great Feafts. Thefe Tables are ranged in a Row on each Side the Hall, in luch a manner that the Guefts face each other as they fit in their Arm-Chairs. The fore-part of the Tables are fet off with filk Ornaments of Needle-Work, refembling thofe belongin'* to our Altars ; and tho’ there are neither Table-Cloaths nor Napkins, the curious japanning makes them look very neat. The Ends of each Table are often covered with feveral great Difhes, loaded with Meats ready carved, and piled up like a Pyramid, with Flowers°and large Citrons on the Top ; But thefe Pyramids are never touched, being only for Ornament, like the Figures made of Sugar at Feafts in Italy. When he who gives the Entertainment introduces his Guefts into the Room, he ialutes Comply them all, one after another; and then calling for Wine in a little Cup, either of Silver, j™" precious Wood, or Porcelaine, placed on a little japan’d Salver, he takes it with both Hands, to Table, and bowing to all the Guefts, turns towards the great Court of the Houfe, and advances to the Forepart of the Hall; when lifting up his Eyes and Hands, together with the Cup, towards Heaven, he ftraitway pours the Wine on the Ground, by way of acknowledging that whatever he is poffeffed of is the Gift of Heaven. Ke then caufes Wine to be poured into a China or Silver Cup, and after making a Bow to his principal Gueft, places it on the Table, where he is to fit. The Gueft returns this Civility by endeavouring to hinder him from taking the Trouble, and at the lame time taufing Wine to be brought in a Cup, advances a few Steps; as tho’ he would carry it to the Place of the Mailer of the Feaft, which is always the loweft, and who in his Turn prevents him with certain common Terms of Civility. Immediately after the Steward brings two fmall Ivory Sticks, adorned with Gold or Silver, which ferve inftead of Forks, and places them on the Table, in a parallel Por¬ tion before the Chair, if there were not any placed before, as there ufually are. This done, he leads the chief Gueft to his Chair, which is covered with a rich Carpet of flower’d Silk and then making another low Bow (c), invites him to fit: But the Gueft docs not com¬ ply,’ till after a great many Compliments, excufing himfelf from taking fo honourable a Place. The Steward next prepares to do the fame to all the reft, but they will by no means fuffer' him to take fo much Trouble. It is obfervable that, according to the ancient Cuftom of China, the firft Place is given to Strangers, preferable to others; and among!! Strangers, either to’ thofe who come fartheft off, or are moft advanced in Years, unlefs fome other Perfon of a confiderable Diftindtion be in Company. All thefe Ceremonies being over, they fit down to the Table; at which inftant four or Comedyaff- five Principal Comedians in rich Dreffes enter the Hall, and making low Bows all toge- the ther, knock their Foreheads four times againft the Ground. This they perform in the ea mid’ft of the two Rows of Tables, with their Faces towards a long Table, let out like a Buffet, full of Lights and Perfuming-Pans. Then rifing up, one of them prefents the principal Gueft with a Book, like a long Pocket-Book, containing, in Letters of Gold, the Names of fifty or fixty Plays, which they have by heart, and are ready to aft on the Spot. The chief Gueft refufes to choofe one, and fends it to the fecond with a Sign of Invi¬ tation ; the fecond to the third, (Sc. but they all make Excufes, and return him the Book ; at laft,’ he confents, opens the Book, runs it over with his Eyes in an Inftant, and pitches on the Play which he thinks will be moft agreeable to the Company. If there be any thing in it not fit to be afted, the Player ought to apprize him of it ; for inftance, if one of the principal Perfons in the Play had the fame Name with one of the Auditors: after which the Comedian fhews the Title of the Play that is chofen to all the Guefts, who teftify their Approbation by a Nod. The Reprelentation begins with the Mafic peculiar to that Nation : which are, Batons oi Nature of Bral's or Steel, whofe Sound is harlh and Ihrill; Drums of Buffalo- Ikins, Flutes, Fifes, and their Trumpets, whofe Harmony can charm none but ChineJ'e. There are no Decorations for thefe Plays, which are ailed during the Feaft ; they only fpread a Carpet on the Floor, and the Comm’edians make ufe of fome Rooms near the Balcony, from whence they enter to adt theic Parts. Befides the Guefts, thefe are commonly a great number of other Spedta- tors, who, led by Curiofity, and known to the Servants, are let into the Court, from whence they can fee the Play. The Ladies, who are willing to be prefent, are placed out of the Hall over againft the Comedians, where, through a Lattice made of Bambtt, and a fort of Silken-Net, they fee and hear all that paffes without being ften themfelves. “The counterfeit Murders Tears, Sighs, and fometimes Shrieks of thefe Players will inform an European, tho’ ignorant’of the’Language, that their Plays are full of Tragical Events. (c) There is no Mention here of a Steward bowing before, and indeed all thro J this Account of the Feaft, the Maitri tT Hotel, or Steojjard, feems to be confounded with the Maitre do FeJUn, Mttitre dt Mai/on, or Mahrt dt Logit, the Mefttr of the Feaft , or Majler of the Houfe, that is, the Perfon of Quality who gives the Entertainment; this appears alfofrom P. Bouvet's Account of a Feaft, which comes afterwards. As 300 Ceremonies of the CHINESE Order of the As the Feall always begins with drinking unmixt Wine, the Steward, on one Knee, lays to all the Guells with a loud Voice, Y'fing Lau-ya , jnen kyu po\\ that is, You are invited\ Gentlemen , to take the Cup. On this every one takes his Cup in both Hands, and having firft moved it up to his Head, and then down below the Table, they all put it to their Mouths at once, and drink llowly three or four times, the Steward all the while prefling them to drink it up, after his example; turning the Cup upfide down to fliew that it is quite empty, and that each of them ought to do the latne. Wine is ferved two or three times, and while they are drinking, on the middle of each Table is fet a China-D'iih full of Meat ragou’d, fo that they have no Occalion for Knives; then the Steward invites them to eat, in the fame Manner as he did to drink, and immediately every one takes fome of the Ragou very dexteroufly. Twenty, or twenty four of thefe Dilhes, are ferved up [on each Table] with the fame Ceremony every time one is brought in, which obliges them to drink as often ; but then they may do it as fparingly as they pleafe, befides the Cups are very fmall. The Difhes are never taken away as they are done with, but continue on the Table till the Repaft is over. Between every fix or eight Difhes they bring in Soop, made either of Flefh or Fifh, with a fort of fmall Loaves or Pies, which they take with their Chop- flicks, to dip into the Soop, and eat without any Ceremony : Hitherto nothing is eaten but Flefh. At the fame time they ferve up Tea, which is one of their mod common Drinks, and taken hot as well as the Wine, the Chinefe never ufing to drink any thing cold; for this Reafon there are always Servants ready to pour hot Wine into their Cups out of Veffels for the purpofe, and to put back that which is cold into others of China. When the Gucfls have quitted their Sticks, and done eating, they bring in Wine, and another Difn; and then the Mailer of the Houfe invites them again to eat or drink, which is repeated every time a frefh Difli is ferved up. In ferving up Victuals the Waiters order it fo, that the twentieth or twenty fourth Difh is placed on [each] Table, jiifl in the time, when the Comedy is to break off. Afterwards Wine, Rice, and Tea, is prelented. Then riding from the Table, the Guefls walk to the lower end of the Hall, to pay their Compliments to the Mailer of the Feall; who conducts them into the Garden, or another Hall, to chat and reft a little before the Fruit is brought in. Ceremony of mean time the Comedians take their Repall; and the Domellics are employed, ferving the fome in carrying warm Water for the Guells to walh their Hands and Faces, if they think Deierc. fit; others to take the Things off the Tables, and prepare the Defert; which like wile conflfts of twenty or twenty four Difhes of Sweetmeats, Fruits, Jellies, Hams, falted Ducks dryed in the Sun which are delicious eating, and fmall Dainties made of Things which come from the Sea. When every Thing is ready, a Servant approaches his Mailer, and with one Knee on the Ground in a low Voice acquaints him with it, who as foon as every one is filent, rifes up, and very complaifantly invites his Guells to return to the Feaft-Hall; where being come, they gather at the lower end, and after fome Ceremonies about the Places, take thofe they had before. Now bigger Cups are brought, and they prefs you mightily to drink large Draughts •, the Play alfo is continued, or elfe fometimes to divert themfelves more agreeably, they call for the Book of Farces, and each chufes one, which he a6ts very neatly. There is at this Service, as well as the former, five great Dilhes for State on the Sides of the Table ; and while it lalls the Servants belonging to the Guells go to Dinner in one of the neighbouring Rooms, where they are very well entertain’d, but without any Ceremony. Money ga- At the Beginning of this fecond Service, every Guell caufes one of his Servants to bring, thered at the 0 n a Sort of Salver, feveral little Bags of red Paper, containing Money for the Cook, the Servants^ Stewards (d), the Comedians, and thofe who ferved at the Table. They give more or lefs according to the Quality of the Perfbn who made the Treat, but never any thing unlels there is a Play. Every Domeflic carries his Salver to their Mailer, who after fome Difficulty confents, and makes a Sign to one of them, to take, in order to dillribute, it. Thefe Fealls, which lall about four or five Hours, always begin in the Night, or when it grows dulkifh, and do not end till Midnight; the Guells feparating with the Ceremonies ufed in Vifits, already deferibed. The Servants, who wait on their Mailers, walk before the Chairs, carrying great Lanthorns of Oil’d Paper, whereon their Quality, and fometimes their Names, are written in large Characters. The next Morning each of them fends a T’ye-tfe , or Bil¬ let, to thank him who had entertained them fo handfomely. Account of a ^' Bouvet was at one of thefe Fealls at Kan-ton, when he was fent by the Emperor Feait by P. into Europe. He was invited, along with Tong-Lau-ya, [already mentioned, p. 297.] and two Bouvet. other Miffionaries, by the Yfong-tu of the Province ; and as the ufual Refidence of that Mandarin was at Chau-king , he borrowed the Palace of the Tfyang-kyun for the Entertain¬ ment. Now, tho’ the Ceremonies are nearly the fame with thole already related, yet the Palace de Defcription Bouvet gives of that Feall, in a Letter fent juft after into Europe , deferves the feribed. Reader’s Notice, on account of the Singularities which it contains. The Place where the Feall was made is a vail Edifice at the Bottom of two great fquare Courts, compofed of three large Halls, one behind the other, in fuch a manner, that the middle communicates with (d) Orig. AIaitre d' Hotel. This Circumftance proves what is obferved in the former Note, for it is not to be fuppofed Money is gathered for the Mailer of the Feaft, or Houfe, as well as his Servants ; neither can we fuppofe two Mailers of the Houfe, as there may be Stewards, tho’ we hear but of one before. in their Feafts rece * ve them at the lower end of the Flail, where as many Servants belonging to the Kitchen as there are Tables bring them, one by one upon japan’d Salvers, and prelent them on their Knees. The Domeftics who received them, before they brought them to the Table, rang’d them four and four in a Row; fo that at the end of the Entertainment all the Difhes which remain’d on the Table form’d a kind of Square, ami Courfes. At the end of every A£t of this Comic Feaft, that is, at every fourth Difh which appear’d on the Table, in order to diftinguifh the Courfes, they lerv’d up a particular kind of Broth, and a Plate ol Mazarine Tarts, but of a different Tafte : At .ength, the whole was concluded with a Dilh of Tea. It was necelfary to tafte every thing, and obferve the frme Ceremony, which feem’d to me very troublefome, for it was the firft time I had been at a Feaft of this kind, though I had been often invited ; but I always made fuch Excufes a" r ‘ : fy’d thole who had done me Money ga- that Honour. When there is a Play it is cuftomary at the enu of the Repaft, as I already Servant^ thC °b^ erv ’d, f° r ^ le Giiefts to make a fmall Prefent to the Domeftics in waiting. A Servant belonging to each of them brings in his Hand four or five fmall Bags of Red Paper with a little Money in every one ; and bv his Mailer’s Order lays them on a Table that is fome- times plac’d at the lower end of the Hall, in the fight of all the Company; while the Mafter, [of the Feaft] by divers Signs, feems to accept of this Gratification for his People with a great deal of Reluctance. At length the Ceremony of the Feaft concludes with a great many mutual Profefllons of Thanks ; and after a quarter of an Hour’s Conversation, every one withdraws. The next Morning, according to Cuftom, I fent the Tfong-tu a Billet of Thanks for the Honours he had done me the Day before. Such are the Ceremonies which the Qhinefe Politenefs requires, and are aimoft conftantly obferv’d at their folemn Feafts. However, the Tartars , who do not like Reftraint, have retrench’d a great Part thereof; and tho’ their Meat and Fifti are cut in fmall Pieces, their Cooks have fuch an Art of feafoning them, that they are very palatable. Chimfi Their Broths are exceeding good, and to make them they ufe the Fat of Hogs, which Broths com- in China are very excellent, or elfe the Gravy of different Animals, fuch as Pork, Fowls, mended. Ducks, &c. and even in drefling their Halhes or minced Meat, they boil it up in this Gravy. Their Cooks ever y Seafon of the Year they have feveral forts of Herbs (as well as Pulfe) not known preferr'd to in Europe , of whofe Seed they make an Oil, which is much us’d in Sauces. The French t he French. Cooks, who have refin’d fo much in every thing which concerns the Palate, would be Ap¬ priz’d to find that the Chinefe can outdo them far in this Branch of their Bufinefs, and at a great deal lefs Expence. They will hardly be perfuaded to believe that, with nothing but the Beans that grow in their Country, particularly thofe of the Province of Shan-tong , and with Meal made of Rice and Corn, they can prepare a great many Difhes quite different from each other, both to the Sight and Tafte. They vary their Ragous by putting in feveral forts of Spices and ftrong Herbs. Their moil The moft delicious Food of all, and moft ufed at the Feafts of Great Men, are Staggs- Difhe^sta- Hizzles, and Birds-Nefts, which they carefully prepare. To preferve the Pizzles, they dry them Fizzles, and in the Sun in the Summer, and roll them in Pepper and Nutmeg. Before they are drefs’d, they are foak’d in Rice-Water, to make them loft; and after being boil’d in the Gravy of a Kid, are feafon’d with feveral forts of Spices. Birds-Nefts. As f or t h e js[ e fl; S they are found on the fides of the Rocks, all along the Coafts of Tong - king, "Java, Kochin-Cbina, &c. where they are built by Birds, which, as to their Plumage, refemble Swallows, and are liippofed to make them with the little Fifties they catch in the Sea. However that be, this is certain, that the Birds themfelves diftill a vifeous Juice from their Beaks, which ferves them inftead of Gum to faften their Nefts to the Rock. They have alfo been obl’erv’d to take the Froth that floats on the Sea, wherewith they cement the Parts of in their MARRIAGES. 3°3 of their Nefts together, in the fame manner as Swallows make ufe of Mud. This Matter being dry'd becomes folid, tranfparent, and of a Colour fometimes inclining a little to green, but while frefh it is always white. As foon as the young ones have quitted their Nefts, the People of the Place are very eager to get them down, and fometimes load whole Barks with them. They refemble the Rind of a large candy’d Citron, in Shape as well as Size, and mix’d with other Meats give them a good Relifli. Tho’ there is Corn everywhere in China, and great Plenty in fome Provinces, yet they Rice Bread, generally live upon Rice, efpecially in the Southern Parts. .They even make ftnall Loaves of it, which in lefs than fifteen Minutes are prepar’d in Balnea Maria;, and eat very foft ; the Europeans bake them a little at the Fire, and they are very light and delicious. Alfo in the Pro¬ vince of Shan-tong, they make a kind of a thin Whcaten Cake, which does not tafte amifs, efpecially when mix’d with certain Herbs for creating an Appetite. To grind their Corn, they Com-MSli. make ufe of a very funple kind of a Mill, confiding of a round Stone Table, plac’d hori¬ zontally like a Mill-Stone, whereon they roul circularly a Stone Cylinder, which by its Weight bruifes the Corn. Tho’ Tea, as I have faid, is their mod ufual Drink, yet they often drink Wine, made of ? - ,c =- Win '- a particular kind of Rice, different from that which is eaten : There is a great Vent for it amonv the People. There are different Sorts, and various ways of making it; the' following is one : Ahey let the Rice foke in Water with fome other Ingredients which they throw in, howmade , for twenty or thirty Davs; afterwards boiling it till it is difiblv’d, it immediately ferments, and is cover’d with a light Froth like that of our new Wines. Under this Froth is very pure Wine; and having drawn off the Clear into earthen Veffels well glaz’d, of the Lees which remain they make a kind of Brandy, as drong as the European, nay, it is fometimes ftronger, and will fooner take Fire. The Mandarins make ufe of Wine at their Tables that comes from p) a - ;s mo r t certain Cities, where it is reckon’d very delicious: that of Vu-fi-hyen [in Kyang-nan ] is in great famousior ie. Efteem, owing its Excellence to the Goodnefs of the Water found there ; but that brought from Shau-hing is in greater Requeft, as being more wholefome. Both thefe Wines are fent all over China , and even to Pe-king itfelf. They have a kind of Spirit or diddl'd Water, faid to be drawn from the Fiefli of Mutton, »» which the Emperor Kang-hi drank fometimes; but few make ufe of it befides the Tartars, as it L ™ bs y _ “ has a difagreeable Tafte, and gets foon into the Head, being affirm’d to be very ftrong. They have Wine, another very extraordinary fort of Wine, which is made in the Province of Shen-fi, and call’d Kau-yang-tfyew, or Lambs Wine. It is very ftrong, and has a difagreeable Smell ; but among the Chincfe, or rather the Tartars, it paffes for exquilite Wine. None of it is carry’d into other Countries, but it is all confumed at home. 4. Their MARRIAGE S. W E now come to their Marriages: The Laws regarding which, eftablifh’d by the Chincfe Marriage Policy, and particularly let down in the Ceremonial of the Empire, are regulated, Firft, p" n fibleDuty By the Grand Principle, which is as it were the Bafis of their Political Government; I mean among the the Veneration and Submiflion of Children which continues even after the Death of their Cbimje. Parents, to whom they pay the fame Duties as if they were living. Secondly, By the abfolute Authority that Fathers have over their Children ; for it is a Maxim of their Philofophy,that Kings ought to have in the Empire all the fender nefs of Fathers , and Fathers in their Families ought to have all the Authority of Kings. It is in Confequence of thefe Maxims, that a Father lives in fome fort of Difhonour, and is not eafy in his Mind, if he does not marry off all his Children ; that a Son is wanting in the principal Duty of a Son, if he does not leave Pofterity to perpetuate his Family ; that an elder Brother, tho’ he inherit nothing from his Father, muft bring up the younger and marry them: becaufe if the Family become extindf thro’ their Fault, their Anceftors will be deprived of the Honours and Duties they are in titled to from their Defendants 3 and becaufe in the Abfence of the Father the eldeft. Son ought to be a Father to the reft. In like manner the Inclinations of the Children are never confulted in Matrimony, Choice of a Wife belonging to the Father or the neareft Relation of him that is to be the Parents, marry’d ; who makes the Match either with the Father, or Relations of the Maiden, paying a certain Sum to them (for in China the Daughters have no Fortunes) which is laid out in new Cloatbs and other things for the Bride, who carries them with her on the Day of her Nuptials. This is the common Practice, efpecially among Perfons of mean Rank ; for the Grandees, JJ s fi h ^ e ug n J the Mandarins , the Literati , and all rich People in general, expend much more than the Portions. Prefents they receive amount to. For the fame Reafon a Chincfe , who is in mean Circumftances, often goes to the Hofpital of Foundlings, and demands a Girl, in order to bring her up, that file may be a Wife for his Son : Wherein he has three Advantages; he faves the Money that he muft otherwife have given to purchafe one ; the Maid is educated as one of the Family ; and is accuftom’d by that means to have greater refpedt for the Mother-in-Law : there is Reafon alfo to believe, that a Wife thus taken from the Hofpital will prove more fubmiffive to her Hufband. It is very rare that any thing paffes contrary to Decency, before the Nup¬ tials, for the Mother, who never is from home, has always her Daughter-in-Law under her Eye; befides, the Modefty which prevails among the Sex in this Country, would alone be fufficient Security againft any fuch Diforder. It 3°4 Ceremonies of the CHINES E Strong De¬ fire of the Chineft to leave Polle- rity. Marriage tranfa£led by It is faid that fometimes the Rich, who have no Children, pretend that their Wife is with Child, and go privately in the Night-time and fetch one from the Hofpital, who paffes for their own Son. Thefe Children, being fuppofed legitimate, purfue their Studies, and obtain their Degrees of Batchelor and Dodtor, a Privilege which is deny’d the Children taken publicly from the Hofpital. It is obfervable that, with the fame View of leaving Pofterity, the Cbineje , ChSren° Pt w ^° ^ ave no Male-Ifliie, adopt a Son of their Brother, or fome of their Relation. They may alfo adopt a Son of a Stranger, and fometimes give Money to the Relations; but, generally fpeaking, thefe Adoptions require much Solicitation, and often the Credit of their Friends is employ’d to bring them about. The adopted Ghild is intitled to all the Privileges of a real Son ; he a flumes the Name of the Perfon who adopts him, goes in Mourning for him after his Death, and becomes his Heir. And if it happen afterwards that the Father has Children of his own, the Son by Adoption (hares the Inheritance equally with the reft, unlefs the Father does fomething more for his own Son. It is alfo with the fame View of preventing the want of Pofterity, that the Marry man y Cbineje are permitted by the Laws to take Concubines belides their Lawful Wives. The Wives. Name of Concubine, or rather of Second Spoufe, is not at all reproachful in China , thefe fort of Wives being inferior and fubordinate to the firft:; but that which gave Occafion to this Law, is not always the Motive that induces the Chinefe at prefent to take many Wives, for the being rich, and able to maintain them, is Pretence enough. However, there is a Law, that prohibits the People from marrying a fecond Wife, unlefs the firft lias arriv’d to the Age of forty without having any Children. As thofe of the Female Sex are always fliut up in their Apartments, and Men not per- Match-ma- mitted to fee and converfe with them. Matches are brought to a Conclufion l'olely on the ktrs or Go- Credit of the Relations of the Maid, or the Old Women, whofe Bufinefs is to tranfadl fuch betweens. Affine Thefe the Parents are very careful to ingage by Prefents, to make advantageous Reports of che Beauty, Wit, and Talents of their Daughter; but they are not much rely’d on, and if they carry the Impofition too far, will be feverely punifh’d. When by means of thefe Go-betweens every thing is fettled, the Contract fign’d, and the Sums agreed upon, deliver’d. Preparations.are made for the Nuptials; during which certain Ceremonies intervene, whereof the principal conlift in both Parties fending refpedlively to demand the Name of the intended Bridegroom and Bride, and in making Prefents to their Relations of Silk, Callicoes, Meats, Wine, and Fruits. Many confult the Fortunate Days, fet down in the Kalendar, as proper for mar¬ rying on ; and this is the Bufinefs of the Relations of the future Bride, to whom are fent Rings, Pendants, and other Jewels of the fame Nature. All this is done by Mediators, and by a fort of Letters, written on both fides ; but it is what is pradtifed only among the Vulgar, for the Marriages of Perfons of Quality are manag’d and conducted in a more noble manner, and with a true Magnificence. Ceremony on The Day of the Nuptials being come, the Bride is put into a Chair, pompoufly adorn’d, and theMamage- £ 0 ij 0w >^ by t hofe who carry the Fortune (lie brings ; which among the Vulgar confifts of Wed- ding-Cloaths, laid up in Boxes, fome Goods and Moveables, given by her Father. A Train of hired Men accompany her with Torches and Flambeaux, even at Noon-Day ; her Chair is preceded with Fifes, Hautbois, and Drums, and follow’d by her Relations and the parti¬ cular Friends of the Family. A trufty Servant keeps the Key of the Door belonging to the Chair, which he is not to deliver to any body but the Hufband, who waits at his own Door,’ richly drefs’d,to receive his Bride ; as foon as fhe is arriv’d, he takes the Key from the Servant, and eagerly opening the Chair, is then a Judge, if he never faw her before, of his good or bad Fortune. There are fome who, not content with their Lot, immediately fhut the Chair again, and fend back the Maid along with her Relations, chooftng rather to loofe the Money they gave; than be ty’d to fo bad a Bargain ; but this very rarely happens, by the Precau¬ tions that are taken. When the Bride is got out of the Chair, the Bridegroom placing him- felf at her fide, they go both together into the Hall, to make four Reverences to lyen ; and having done the like to the Hulband’s Relations, file is put into the Hands of the Ladies invited to the Ceremony, with whom fhe paffes the whole Day in Feafting and Diverfions, while the new-marry’d Man treats his Friends in another Apartment. Privileges of Tho, according to the Laws, the Chinefe can have but one lawful Wife, and in the Choice and their 1VeS they make, have regard to Equality of Age and Rank, they are neverthelefs permitted, as I Children. before faid, to have feveral Concubines, whom they receive into the Houfe without any For¬ mality : all they do on thefe Occafions, being to fign a Writing with their Parents, whereby, on delivering the Sum agreed upon, they promife to ufe their Daughter well. Thefe fecond Wives are intirely dependant on the legitimate Wife, whom they refpedt as the only Miftrefs of the Houfe. The Children born of a Concubine are alfo deem’d to belong to the true Wife, and have equally a Right to inherit ; none but fhe has the Name of Mother: and if the real Mother happen to die, they are not abfolutely oblig’d to go in Mourning for three Years, nor to be abfent from their Examinations, nor to quit their Offices and Governments, as it is cuftomary to do at the Death of their Father, and the lawful Wife ; however very few fail to exprefs that Token of Tendernefs and Refpedt for their own Mother. There are fome, who piquing themfelves upon their Probity, and defiring to gain the Repu¬ tation of good Hufbands, take no Concubines without the Permiffion and Confent of their Wives; perfuading them that their Intention in fo doing is only to provide a greater number of Women for in their Marriages. 309 for thfeir Service. Others take a Concubine only with a View of getting a Son, and the Moment he is born, if (he difpleafes their Wives, they fend her away, and give her Liberty to marry whom {lie thinks proper ; or which is inoft ufual procure her a Hufband themielves. The g; r ] s educa-. Cities of Tang-chew and Su-chew , are famous for furnifhing great numbers of thefe Concu- ted and jpid bines : for which Purpofe they bring up good handfome young Girls, whom they buy up elfe- ^ vc e “ n where ; teaching them to fing, to play on Mufic, and in fhort all forts of Accomplifhments belonging to young Gentlewomen, with a View to difpofe of them at a good Price to fome -rich Mandarin. _ . . • - The Men as well as Women, may contract Matrimony again, when Death has broken the Second Mar- fir ft Bonds; but, tho’ in the firft Match they are oblig’d to regard Quality in their Wives, nages > they ceafe to be under the fame Obligation, when they marry a fecond time: being at Liberty to efpoufe whom they think fit, and even to raife one of their Concubines to the Rank and Honours of a lawful Wife ; but in thefe fecond Nuptials there are but few Cere¬ monies obferv’d. • • , 1 • -K/rn. rr As for Widows when they have had Children, they become intirely their own Miltrelles ; difreputabie fo that their Parents cannot conftrain them, either to continue in the State of Widowhood, ^Women or to marry anew. However, it is difreputabie for a Widow, who has Children, to marry Quidrea. a fecond time, without great Necefiity, efpecially if fhe is a Woman of Diftindlion . foL tho’ file was marry’d but a few Hours, or but only contracted, (he thinks herlelf obligd to pafs the reft of her Days in Widowhood, thereby to teftify the Refpedt fhe preferves for the Memory of her deceas’d Hufband, or the Perfon to whom fhe was engag’d. But it js Some fo^ otherwife with thofe of a middling Condition, whofe Relations being defirous to get back Husband's part of the Sum that fhe coft her firft Spoufe, may marry her again, if fine has no Malc-Iflue, Relations, and often force her to it ; nay, fometimes the new Hufband is actually procur d, and the Money paid without her Knowledge. If there happen to be a Daughter yet unwean d, by the Bargain, fhe goes along with the Mother: who has no way of avoiding this Oppreffion, unlefs her own Relations are able to maintain her, or fhe either reimburfes thofe of her deceafed Hufband, or becomes a Bonzefs ; but the Condition of thofe Nuns is fo contemptible that fhe cannot embrace it without difhonouring herfelf. This violence is not fo common among the Tartars. As foon as a poor Widow has been fold in this Manner, they bring a Sedan, with a number of trufty Perfons, and carry her to her Hufband’s Houfe. The Law, which forbids the felling of a Woman before the Time of their Mourning expires, is fometimes negleCted, fo eager they are to get rid of them; however, when this Trefpafs is complain’d of the Mandarin muft look to himfelf, if he has in the lea ft conniv’d at it. The Marriages duly folemniz’d, according to the preferib’d Ceremonies, cannot be diffolv d. A Mm may The Law inflicts fevere Penalties on thofe, who proftitute their Wives, 01 fell them fecretly to ; n g wife, others If a Woman elopes from her Hufband, he may fell her, after Are has undergone the Corredlion appointed by the Law : on the other hand, if the Hufband abandons his Houfe A and Wife, after three Years Abfence fire may prefent a Petition, laying her Cafe before the Hl]sb , nd ab . Mandarins, who, after they have naturally examin’d the whole Affair, may licence her to ferns three take another Hufband ; but Are would be feverely punilh’d if (be marry’d without obferving this Formality. However, there are particular Cafes wherein a Man may divorce his Wife, Cafa of D; _ fuch as Adultery, which is very rare, by Reafon of the Precaution taken with regard tovorce. Women ; Antipathy or different Tempers; Excefs of Jealpufy, Indifcretion, or Difobedicnce; Barrennefs, and contagious Diftempers: on thefe Occaiions the Law permits a Divorce, y et 11 Bars agai „i, feldom happens among Perfons of Quality ; Examples of this kind being only to be found among a Man’s mar- the common People. If a Man, without lawful Authority, fell his Wife, both be and the r . y:n h- Buyer with all thofe who are any way concern’d in the Affair, are very feverely pumih'd. (a) There are other Cafes, wherein a Man cannot contrad a Marriage, and which, if he lhould, AJWr would make it null and void ; viz. I If a young Woman has been promifed to a yourig Man, fo far as that I relents have been Tent and accepted by the Relations of both Families, fire canhot marry any other Perfon II. If any Deceit has been made ufe of, for Inftance, if inftead of a beautiful Perfon, who has been fhewn to the Match-makers or Go-between, they fubftitute a difagreeable one ; or if the Daughter of a Freeman be marry’d to his Slave ; or if a Man gives his Slave to a Free-Woman, and perfuades her Relations that he is his Son, or his Relation ; in luch Cafes the Marriage is declared null, and all thofe concern’d in the Fraud are rigoroully ^ III. A Literary Mandarin is not allow’d to marry into any Family of the Province or City where he is Governoar ; and fhould he be found to tranfgrefs this Law, the Marriage would not only be null, but he would be condemn’d to be feverely baftonado’d. IV During the time of Mourning for a Father or Mother, Marriage is prohibited their Time of Children; nay if Promifes were given before the Death, the Obligation ceafes; and the young Moon,,n * Man, who has loft his Parent, ought by a Billet to acquaint the Relations of the betrothed Damfel : However, thefe latter do not on this Account think themfelves difingag d, but wait till the time of Mourning is expir’d, and write in their turns to the young Man, to put him in Vol. I. 4 H mmd (a) This feems to clafh with what has been already related, p. 27S, where the Men feem to have a Liberty of felling their Wives and Children. Perhaps Neceflity may give them lawful Authority. 6 Ceremonies of the CHINESE ■ mind of his Promife ; then indeed if he will not liften to their Propofal the Maid is at Liberty,, and may be married to another. The cafe is the fame if any extraordinary Affliflion befrls urTfommL a Family ; for inftance, if the Father or near Relation is imprifon’d, the Marriage cannot Accident. ta k e Ef&d till the Prifoner gives his Confent; and then there is no Feafting, nor any of the ufual Signs of Rejoicing at the Wedding. Relation-flap V. Laftly, thofe of the fame Family, or even Name, cannot marry, tho' ever fo diftant in- point of Affinity. In like manner the Laws do not permit two Brothers to efpoufe two Sifters, or a Widower to marry his Son to a Daughter of the Widow whom he takes to Wife. Their Mournings and Funerals. Ceremonies of Mourning, and at Fune¬ rals, for what End inUitutcd. Term of Mourning for a Parent three Years. Piety of Ven¬ kov* on that Occafion. White the Mourning Colour. Their Ccffins and manner of putting in the Corps. They never open dead Bodies. S INCE the Chinefe Policy has taken fuch great Care in regulating the Ceremonies that are to accompany publick and private Actions, as well as all the Duties of Civil Life ; and fince the Ceremonial is fo very particular in thefe Refpeifts, it would be ftrange if filial Piety fhould be forgotten: on which, as I have obferv’d more than once, the whole Frame of the ChincJ'e Government is built. Young Perfons being Witnefles of the Veneration paid to deceas’d Re¬ lations, bv the continual Plonours that are done them, as if they were ftill alive, become acquainted betimes with the Submiffion and Obedience which they owe to their living Parents. The ancient Sages were convinc’d, that the profound Refpedt which is infufed into Children for their Parents, renders them perfectly fubmiffive ; that this Submiffion preferves Peace in Families; that Peace in private Families produces Tranquility in Cities j that this Tranquility prevents Infurredtions in the Provinces, and eftablifhes Order throughout the Empire : for this Reafon they have preferibed the feveral Forms to be obferved in the time of Mourning, and at Funer. Is, as well as the Plonours to be paid to deceafed Parents. The ufual time of Mourning ought to be three Years ; but they commonly reduce them to twenty feven Months ; and during this time they cannot exercife any public Office. So that a Mandarin is obliged to quit his Government, and a Minifter of State, the Adminiftration of Affairs, to live retired, and give himfelf up to Grief for his Lofs ; (unlefs the Emperor, for fomc extraordinary Reafons, difpenfes therewith, which very rarely happens ;) nor can he re- affiume his Office till the threeYe'ars are expired. Their continuing fo long in this melancholy Situation, is to exprefs their Gratitude for their Parents Care of them, during the three firft Years of their Infancy; wherein they flood in continual Need of their Affiftance. The Mourn¬ ing for other Relations are longer or fhorter, according to the Degree of Kindred. This Practice is fo inviolably obferved, that their Annals perpetuate the Piety of Ven-kong ,, King of Tfin : who being driven out of the Dominions of his Father Hyen-kong , by the Cunning and Violence of Li-ki, his Step-Mother, travell’d into feveral Countries to divert his Uneafinefs, and avoid the Snares that this ambitious Woman was continually laying for him. When he was informed of his Father’s Death, and invited by Mo-hong , who offer’d him Sol¬ diers, Arms and Money, to put him in Poffeffion of his Dominions, his Anfwer was: “ That being as it were a- dead Man, fince his Retreat and Exile, he no longer eftcemed any thing but Virtue and Piety towards his Parents; that this was his Treafure, and that he chofe rather to lofe his Kingdom, of which he was already difpoffefs’d, than to be wanting in thofe laft Duties, which did not permit him to take Arms at a Time deftin’d to Grief, and the Funeral Plonours which he owed to the Memory of his Father’’. White is the Mourning Colour both among Princes and the meaneft Mechanics. Thofe who wear it compleat, have their Cap, Veft, Gown, Stockings, and Boots all white. In the the firft Month after the Death of a Father or Morher, the Habit is a kind of hempen Sack of a bright red Colour, much like our packing Cloth ; their Girdle is a fort of loofe Cord, and their Cap, which is of a very odd Figure, is alfo of hempen Cloth. By this melancholy Attire and negligent Outfide, they affetft to exprefs their inward Grief for the Lois of what is moft dear to them. They feldom wafh the dead Bodies, but dreffmg the Deceas’d in his beft Cloaths, and lay¬ ing over him the Enfigns of his Dignity, put him in the Coffin they have bought, or that he had order’d to be made in his Life time ; about which they are extreamly anxious. ^ [See p. 280.] Sometimes the Son will fell or mortgage himfelf, to procure Money to buy a Coffin for his Father. The Coffins for thofe in eafy Circumftances are made of Planks bove half a Foot thick, and laft a long time. They are fo well daubed with Pitch and Bitumen on the infide, and japan’d without, that no bad Smell can break thro’ them. Some are finely carv’d and gilded all over ; in a word, many rich Perfons lay out from three hundred to a thoufancf Crowns, to purchale a C .tfin of precious Wood, adorn’d with Variety of Figures. Before the Body is placed in the Coffin, they throw a little Lime at the Bottom ; and after it is Payed in, they put either a Pillow or a good deal of Cotton, in order to keep the Head fteadv. The Cotton and the Lime ferve to foak up the Moifture that may proceed from the Corps ; they alfo put in Cotton, or fuch like things, to fill up the Vacancies, and preferve i- in the fame Situation. It would be, in their Opinions, an unheard-of Cruelty, to open a dead Body, and taking out the Pleart and Entrails, bury them feperately ; in like manner it would be a monftrous thing to behold, as in Europe , the Bones of dead Perfons heaped one upon another. * The in their Mournings and Funerals. 307 The Chinefe are prohibited from burying their Dead within the Walls of the Cities, Or ^j ay j. eep any inhabited Places, but they are permitted to keep them in their Houfes, inclofed in fuch the Corps in Coffins as I have delcribed ; which they often do for feveral Months, and even Years, like fo [ lu ' lr Ho “ fes much Treafure, nor can the Magiftrate ever oblige them to interr them. They may even tranl- bury in port them from one Part of the Empire to another ; as is commonly pradtifed, with regard not Ciues - only to Perfons of Didindtion who die in Employments out of their Country, but even among the richer fort of People who die in a didant Province, which often happens to Merchants and Dealers. If a Son did not caufe the Corps of his Father to be laid in the Tomb of his Ancellors, he would live without Reputation; efpecially in his own Family, who would refufe to place his Name in the Hall where they pay them Honours. In carrying them from one Province to another, they are not permitted to bring them into, or pals with them through, the Cities without an Order from the Emperor, but mull keep on their way without the Walls. Tney do not bury feveral Perfons, tho’ Relations, in the fame Grave, fo long as the Se- Do not bury pulchres keep their Form. They come lometimes a great way to vifit them, and examine the ^Ycrave Colour of the Bones, in order to difcover whether a Stranger has died a natural or violent Death ; but it is necelTary that the Mandarin Ihould be prefent at the opening of the Coffin, and there are under Officers in the Tribunals, whofe Employment it is to make this Enquiry, in which they are very Ikilful. Some indeed open the Tombs to ileal Jewels or rich Dicffes, but it is a Crime that is punifh’d very feverely. The Sepulchres there are built without the Cities, and as often as may be, upon Eminences; Places ofSe- it is alfo ufual to plant Pine and Cyprefs Trees round them. About a League from every City P ulture - one meets with Villages, Hamlets, and Houles fcatter’d up and down, diverfify’d with little Groves ; alfo a great many Hillocks cover’d with Trees, and enclos’d with Walls, which are fo many different Sepulchres, affording no difagreeable Profpedl. The Form of their Sepulchres is different in different Provinces; they are for the moft Formofthcir part very prettily built in Shape of a Horfe-ffioe, and well white walk’d, with the Names Torabs - of the Family, written on the principal Stone. The Poor are content to cover the Coffin with Stubble or Earth, railed five or fix foot high like a Pyramid : Many inclofe the Coffin in a Place built with Brick, like a Tomb. As for the Grandees and Mandarins , their Sepulchres are of a magnificent Structure : they Sepulchres ctf build a Vault, in which they put the Coffin, and raife a Heap of temper’d Earth over it, not un- thcGreat - like a Plat in Shape, about twelve foot high and eight or ten in Diameter; covering it with Lime and Sand made into a Cement, that the Water may not penetrate, and planting it round with Trees of different kinds ranged in very nice Order. Near to it Hands a large long Table of white polilh’d Marble, whereon is a perfuming Pan, two Veflels and two Candlellicks, which are alfo of Marble, and curioully made. On each fide are placed in feveral Rows a great many Figures of Officers, Eunuchs, Soldiers, Lions, Saddle-Horfes, Camels, Tortoifes, and other Animals in different Attitudes, difeovering Signs of Grief and Veneration ; for the Chinefe are Ikilful in imitating and exprelling all the Paffions in their Sculptures. Many Chinefe , to give the greater Proof of their Refpedt and Tendernefs for their deceafed Fathers, keep their dead Bodies by them for three or four Years; and during the whole time of Mourning, their Seat in the Day is a Stool‘covered with white Serge ; and in the Night they lie near the Coffin, on nothing but a Matt made of Reeds : they deny themfelves the Ule of Meat and Wine, frequenting no Feafts, nor any public Affemblies ; and if they are oblig’d to go out of the City, which is not ufual till a certain time be over, the Chair they are carried in is fometimes cover’d with white Cloth. The Tyau, or folemn Rites, which they render to the Deceas’d, Time of fo- commonly continue feven Days, unlefs fome good Reafon obliges them to reduce the number lem Rltes ‘ to three. During that time all the Relations and Friends, whom they take great care to invite, come to pay their laft Duty to the Deceas’d; the neared Relations remaining together in the Houfe. The Coffin is expos’d in the principal Hall, which is hung with white Stuffs, fometimes intermix’d with Pieces of black, and violet Silk, and other Ornaments of Mourning. Before the Coffin they fet a Table, and place on it the Image of the Deceas’d; or elfe, a carv’d Piece of Work, whereon his Name is written, with Flowers, Perfumes, and lighted Wax-Candles o*n each Side. Thofe who come to make their Compliments of Condolence, falute the Deceas’d after the Ceremony of manner of their Country, prodrating themfelves, and knocking their Foreheads feveral Times Condolence, againd the Ground, before the Table; on which they afterwards place Wax-Candles and Per¬ fumes, brought with them according to Cudom. Particular Friends accompany thefe Cere¬ monies with Tears and Groans, which may be often heard at a great Didance. While they are performing thefe Duties, the elded Son, attended by his Brothers, comes from behind a Curtain, which is on one Side of the Coffin, crawling on the Ground, his Face the very Pidture of Grief it felf, and fheding Tears, with a mournful and profound Silence. The Compliment is paid with the fame Ceremony that is ufed before the Coffin; behind, the Curtain are plac’d the Women, who fend forth every now and then, very doleful Cries. The Ceremony being ended, they rife up, and a didant Relation of the Deceas’d, or fome Friend in Mourning, who receiv’d them at the Door, when they came in, performs the honours of the Houfe, and conducts them into another Apartment; where they are prefented with Tea, and fometimes dry’d Fruits, or the like Refrediments, after which he condudts them to their Chairs. Thofe who live but a little Way from the City, come purpofely to pay thofe Rites in Perfon ; and if they are hundred by :o8 Ceremonies of the CHINESE, The Proceflion. Place of Bu¬ rial. the Dtftance of the Place, or fome Indifpofltion, they fend a Servant with a vifiung Billet, and their Prefents, in order to make their Excufe. The Children of the Deceas d, or at lead the eldeft Son, are afterwards obliged to return all thole Vilits: but then they are not under art abfolute neceflity, of feeing fo many Perfons; it being fufficient to go to the Door of every Houfe, and fend in a vifiting Billet by a Domeftic. . . . When the Day for the Funeral is fix’d, Notice is given to all the Relations and Friends of the Zn Deceas’d, who are fure to be there at the Time. The Proceflion is begun by Men carrying vari¬ ous Paftboard-Figures reprefenting Slaves, Tygers, Lions, Horfes &c. Several Companies fol¬ low marching two and two; fome carry Standards, Flags, and Periuming-pans full of Perfumes; others play doleful Tunes on divers mufical Inftruinents. In fome Places the PuSure of the Defunfl: is elevated above all the reft, with his Name and Dignity written in large Charadters of Gold • then follows the Coffin nnded a Canopy, in form.of a Dome, made mtirely of violet- colour’d Silk with Tufts of white Silk at the four Corners, which are embroider’d, and very curioufly intermix’d with Twift. The Machine whereon the Coffin is plac’d, is carry'd by fixty four Men ■ But thofe who are not able to bear the Expence, make ufe of one that does not require fo great a Number of Bearers. The eldeft Son, at the He:d of the other Sons and Grand- children follows on Foot, cover'd with a Hempen Sack, and leaning on a Staff, with his Body bent as’if ready to fink under the Weight of his Grief. Afterwards appear the Relations and Friends all in Mourning; and a great Number of Chairs cover’d with white Stuff, wherein are the Daughters Wives, and Slaves of the Deceas'd, who make the Air eccho with their Cries. Nothing can be more furpiifing than the Tears which the Chinefe (lied, and the Cries they make at thefe Funerals (b); but the Manner, in which they exprefs their Sorrow, teems .00 regular and affefted to excite in a European the fame Sentiments of Grief that he is the Spectator of. Entertain- When you are arrived at the Burying-Place, you fee, a few Paces from the Tomb, Tables let mentatthe jj[ a p s on purpofe; and while the ufual Ceremonies are performing, the Servants prepaie an Entertainment to regale the Company. Sometimes after the Repaft, the Relations and Friends proftrate themfelves again, knocking their Foreheads again ft the Ground j but molt com¬ monly they content themfelves with exprefling their Thanks: which Civilities, the eldeft Son, and the other Children return by exterior Geftures, but with profound Silence. At the Burying- Placcs of great Lords, there are feveral Appartments; and after the Coffin is brought to be inter¬ red, many of the Relations flay there for a Month or two together, to renew their Grief every Day with the Sons of the Deceas’d. , , . , ,. . , ,, , At the Funerals of Chriftans the Crofs is carry’d on a great Machine handfomly adorn d, and fupported by feveral Men, with the Images of the Virgin, and St. Michael the Archangel. The Reader will find an Accourt of the other Ceremonies in the Defcription I (hall hereafter give of P. Verbieft’ s Burial (c). Thofe that were obferv’d at the Interment of P. Broglie, appear’d fo magnificent to the Chinefe , that they printed the Defcription of them. The Emperor honour d his Tomb with an Epitaph; and, to defray the Expence, fent ten Pieces of white Cloth for Mourn¬ ing, and two hundred Ounces of Silver, with a Mandarin and other Officers to aflut on his Behalf at the Funeral. . . , , If at any Time Death attacks the Throne, the whole Empire goes in Mourning. When the Emprefs Mother of the late Kang-bi, died, all went in deep Mourning for fifty Days ; during n , , which time, the Tribunals were fhut up, and they never fpoke of any Buiinefs to the Emperor. EZift The Mandarins fpent the whole Day at the Palace, intirely taken up with weeping or at leaft the Appearance thereof; feveral of them pafs’d the Night there, fitting in the open Air the1 it was very cold Weather: even the Emperor’s Sons flept in the Palace without putting off their Cloaths. all the Mandarins on Horfeback, dad in white, and with few attendants, went for three Days together to perform the ufual Ceremonies before her Pifture ; and as the red Colour was prohi¬ bited their Caps were ftripp’d of their red Silk, and all other Ornaments. When her Corps was carry'd to the Place where fhe was to lye ill Public-State, the Emperor order d that file lliould pafs through the common Gates of the Palace : affefting to fhew by this how much he defptsd the fuperftitious Notions of the Chinefe, with whom, it iscuftomary to make new Doors to their Houfes on purpofe for carrying out the Bodies of their Relations to be buried -. after which they clofe them up again to prevent the Grief becoming exceflive by too frequent a Remembrance of the Deceas’d which would be renewed every time they pafs through that Door (d). Out of the City they built a vaft and ftatcly Palace (all of new Matts, with Courts, Halls, and Appart- mentsV for the Body to remain in, till it was carry’d to the Imperial Burying-Place. Four young Ladies, who had ferved her affedionately while fhe liv’d, (being defirous of bearing S' her Company in Death, that they might attend her likewife in the other World) had taken their the Tarnm Att ; re according to an ancient Ufage of the Tartars, in order to go and facrifice themfelves ?L‘ h of F th"i, before their Miftreffes Corps; but the Emperor, who difapprov’d of fo barbarous a Praftice, pre- Princes. vented their putting it in Execution. He likewife prohibited, for the future, another extra¬ vagant Cuftom among that People of burning the Riches, and even fometimes Domeftics of Great Men, along with their Bodies, on the Funeral Pile. Ceremonies obferved on the Death of the Extra va^ Cuftoms c (b) The Irijh flill put forth as many doleful Cries over the Dead as the Chinefe , and perhaps filed as many Tears; whe¬ ther as uufeignedly I will not fay, becaufe the Irijb Mourners are for the molt part hired. (c) See Vol. 2. p. 20. , , (d) According to this Account, the Cuflom is grounded on Filial Affe&ion, and not Superftiuon. The in their Mournings and Funerals. $09 The Ceremonies obferv’d at the obfequies of the Grandees are very magnificent, as the Reader Funtral . Pr0 _ may judge, by thofe perform’d at the Death of Ta-vang-ye, the eldeft Brother of the late Empe- ceifion of ror Kang-hi, at which fome of the Miflionaries were oblig’d to affift. The Proceffion began u ' vm t >'■ with a Band of Trumpeters and Muficians, after which marched two and two in the following Order: Ten Mace'bearers, whofe Maces were of gilt Copper; four Umbrellas, and four’Candpies of Cloth of Gold ; fix unloaded Camels, with Sable-lkins hanging at their Necks; fix Camels carrying Tents and Hunting-Equipages, cover’d with great red Houfings, which trail’d upon the Ground; fix Hounds led in a Leafh ; fourteen led Horfes unfadled, with yellow Bridles, arid Sable-fkins hanging down ; fix other Horfes carrying magnificent Portmanteau’s full of Habits that were to be burnt; fix other Horfes with embroider’d Saddles, gilt Stirrups, ©c. fifteen Gentlemen carrying Bows, Arrows, Quivers, &c. eight Men beariftg a couple Tartarian Gir¬ dles, from whence hung Purfes fill’d with Pearls; ten Men carrying in their Hands, Caps proper for every Seafbn ; an open Chair, like to that in which the Emperor is cairy d in the Palace ; another Chair, with yellow Cufhions; the two Sons of the deceas'd Prince fupported by Eunuchs; and weeping ; the Coffin, with it’s great yellow Canopy, carry’d by fixty or eighty Men, cloath’d in Green with red Plumes in their Caps; the Ago in Companies furrounded with their Servants; theRegulos and other Princes; two other Coffins containing the Bodies of two Concubines, who were hang’d, that they might ferve the Prince in the other World, as they had done in this ; the Grandees of the Empire; the Chairs of the deceas’d Prince’s Wife, and the Priiiceffes, his Rela¬ tions ; a Multitude of People, Lama's , and Bonza’s clos’d the Proceffion. The eight Banners with all the Mandarins great and fmall, were gone before, and rang’d themlelves in order of Battle, to receive the Body at the Entrance of the Garden, where it was to be depofited till the Tomb was built; in a word, they reckon’d above fixteen thoufand Perfons at this Ceremony. The Duties and Hohours that are paid by every Family to their deceas’d Anceftors, are not Honotapaid folely confin’d to thofe which regard the Mourning and Funeral; there being two other Sorts of*' “ Ceremonies that are annually obferv’d with reference to them. The firft are perform d in the Tie - Anceftors, tang or Hall oj Anceftors , in certain Months of the Year : for every Family whatever has fuch a Place, built on purpofe for this Ceremony, which is frequented by all the Branches thereof, amounting fometimes to feven or eight thouland Perfons; fince fome of thefe Afiemblies have con¬ fined of eighty feven Branches of the lame Family. At this time there is no Diftindfion of Rank ; the Mechanic, the Hufbandman, the Mandarin , are all confufedly mixt together, and own one another; it is Age here that gives Precedence; the dldeft, thd the pooreft, having the firft Place. There is in the Hall a long Table ftanding againft the Wall, with Steps to go up to it, whereon commonly is plac’d the Image of the moft eminent Anceftor, or at leaft his Name; and ori fmall Tablets, or little Boards about a Foot high, rang’d on both fides, are written the Names of the Men, Women, and Children of the Family, together with the Age, Quality, Employment, and Day of the Deceafe of each. All the Relationsaftemble in this Hall in Spring, and fometimes in Autumn. The Richeft among them prepare a Feaft: feveral Tables are loaded with Variety of Dilhes of Meat, Rice, Fruit, Per¬ fumes, Wine, and Wax-Candles, and much the fame Ceremonies perform'd, as their Children ob¬ ferv’d with Referrence to them while they were living, and are pradtis’d, in refpedt of Manda¬ rins, on their Birth-Days, or when they take Poffeffion of theirGovernments. As for the Common People, who are not able to build proper Places for this Ufe, they content themfelves with hang¬ ing the Names of their neareft Anceftors in thofe Parts of their Houfes, where they may be moft in view. The other Ceremonies are pradlis’d at leaft once a Year, at the Burial-Place of their Anceftors; and at their which being without the City, and often in the Mountains, the Defcendants, both Men and Chil- jS^S- dren, refott thither every Year. Some time in April they begin with plucking up the Weeds and Bufhes from about the Sepulchre; after which they exprefs Signs of Veneration, Gratitude, and Grief, according to the fame Forms that were obferv’d at their Death : they then place Upon the Tomb, Wine and Vidluals, with which they afterwards regale themfelves. It cannot be deny’d but that the Chinefe carry their Ceremonies to Extremes, efpecially with refpedt to honouring the Deceas’d ; but it is a Maxim eftablifh’d by their Laws and Cuftoms, that they ought to render the Dead the fame Honours that were paid them when living. Confucius fays, in the Book Lu nyu, that the fame Duties muft he paid to the dead as if they were The Aat)](> prefent and alive. In explaining which Words one of his Difciples tells us, that when his Mafler ; 1 V y t made the accuftomed Offering to the Dead, he did it with great Ajfeblion ; and to raife his warmth the more, he imagined that he faw them and heard them [peak ; attd becaufe thei had been long dead, he often called them to mind. In the Book of the Li-ki, the famous Pe-hu-tung, who liv'd under the Dynafty of the Han, Grounds (A)'fays, The Reafon for malting that little Reprefentation is, becaufe the Soul or Spirit of the Dead for this uuf- heing itruifible, a Child )lands in need of a fenftble Objebl to put him 'in mind of his Parents, to attrali am - his Eyes and Heart, and give him Confolation. As after a Father is interr’d, nothing remains with the Children capable of fixing their Hearts, that Confideration firft; induc’d them to make a Pidturc, in order to do him Honour. (a) In the French the Empire of the Han chau. See my Reafon for not ufing this laft Term, P. 136. Note (c). Vol. I. 4 I The 3 io The Prifons in CHINA, Tile ancient Chimji made ufe of a little Child, as a living Image, to reprefent the Deceas’d, in place of whom their Succeffors have fubftituted an Image or Tablet; becaufe it is eafier to pro¬ cure a Tablet than a Child, as often as they have occalion to make their Acknowledgments to their dead Relations, for the Life, Fortune, and good Education receiv’d from them. Superftitions is tme tllat Idolatry having been introduc'd in the Empire, the Bonzas, or Tan tfe, Lcj.j by the engag’d by views of Intereft to deceive the People, have mingl’d with thefe Ceremonies feveral fiiperltitious Praftices: fuch as, burning gilt Paper in the Form of Money, and even Pieces of white Silk, as it tnofe things could be of Service to them in the other World ; and teaching that the Souls of the Deceasd hover about the Tablets intcrib’d with their Names, and feed on the Smell of the Meats, and Perfumes that are burnt. But thefe ridiculous Cello ms are very oppofite to the true ChineJ'e Dodlrine, and prevail only among an ignorant Multitude, who follow fuch Sedts; even the Bonzas themfelves, nutwithftanding the Corruptions they have introduc’d, always conhder the ancient Ceremonies as fo many Signs of Filial Refpedf, which Children owe to their Parents. Of the Prifons in China, and Punifhments inflicted on Criminals. Juilice flow but Jure in China. The Prifons more conve¬ nient and fpacious than thole of Europe. Criminals very clofely confin’d. The Prifons veil guarded, Great Care taken of the Health of thePrifoners. The Wo¬ men’s Prifon HOUGII Juftice in China feems flow, by Rcafon the Proceedings are lengthen’d out, that Men may not be unjuftly depriv’d of fuch confiderable Benefits as Lufe and Honour; yet Criminals are feverely punilh’d, and the Penalty proportion’d to the Enormity of the Crimes. Before the Criminal Matters come to a definitive Sentence, they commonly pafs thro’ five or fix Tribunals, fubordinate to one another ; which have all a Right to review the whole Proceedings, and to receive exadt Information concerning the Life and Manners of the Accufers and Witnefles, as well as of tire Crimes of the Pcrfons accufed. This Dilatorinefs proves favour¬ able to the Innocent, who by that means are leldonr opprefs’d, altho’ they lie a lono- while in Prifon. Thefe Prifons are neither fo dreadful nor loathfome as the Prifons of Europe , and befides are much more convenient and fpacious. They are built almofl: in the fame Manner, through¬ out the Empire, and lituated at a final! Diltance from the Tribunals. Having pafs’d thro’ the firft Door towards the Street, you meet with a long Paflage, which brings you to a fecond Door, leading into a Bafe-Court, which you crofs over to a third Door, belonging to the Jailor’s Apartment. After that, you enter a large fquare Court, on the fides whereof are Prifoners Rooms, eredted on large Pillars of Wood, which form a kind of a Gallery. At the four Comers are fecret Prifons, wherein the more notorious Rogues are fecur’d, who are never let out in the Day-time to converfe in the Court, as fometimes the other Prifoners are ; and yet Money will purchale this Liberty for a few Hours : but at Night they take care to load them with heavy Chains, which are faften’d to their Hands, Feet, and Middle, fqueezing the Sides fo hard that they can fcarcely ftir. However, a little Money rightly apply’d may even foften this Severity of the Jailors, and make their Irons fit eafier. As for thofe whole Faults are not very heinous, they have the Liberty of the Courts of the Prifon in the Day-time to walk about to take the Air ; but in the Evening they are all call’d one after another, and fliut tip in a large dark Hall, or elfe in the little Rooms which they may hire for lodging more conveniently. A Centinel watches all the Night, to keep the Prifoners in profound Silence; and if the leaA Noife is heard, or the Lamp which is to be kept lighted happens to be put out, immediate Notice is give to the Jailors, that they mav remedy the Diforder. Others are oblig’d to walk the Rounds continually, fo that it would be in vain for any Prifoner to attempt an Efcape; becaufe he would immediately be difeover’d and feverely punifh’d by the Mandarin , who vifits the Prifons very often, and ought always to be able to give an account of them : for if any fall lick, he muft anfwer for them, being oblig’d not only to provide them with Phyficians and Remedies, at the Emperor’s Expence, but alfo to take all poflible Care for their Recovery. When any die, they are to inform the Emperor, who often orders the fuperior Mandarin to examine, if the inferior have done their Duty. At thefe Times of vifiting, thofe who are guilty of any capital Crime, appear with a melancholy Air, the face pale and ghaftly, the Head hung down, and the Feet trembling, whereby they endeavour to excite Compaflion ; hut it is to no purpofe, for the Defign of their Imprifonment is not only to fecure but alfo to afflidt them, and become part of their Punifhment. In large Prifons, fuch as that of the fupreme Court at Pe-king , Tradefmen and Mechanics, as Tailors, Butchers, Sellers of Rice and Herbs, &c. are allow’d to enter, for the Service and Conveniency of thofe who are detain’d in them : there are even Cooks to drefs their Victuals, and every thing is done in order, thro’ the Care of the Officers. The ^Womens Prifon is feparate from that of the Men, and there is no fpeaking to them but through a Grate, or at the Turning-Box, by which their neceflaries are convey’d; but very rarely any Man goes near them. In and Punishment for Criminals. 311 In fome Places when a Prifoner dies, his Body is not carry’d out thro’ the common Door of Door for the Prifon, but through a Paflage made in the Wall of the firft Court, which ferves only for carrying out the Dead. When Prifoners above the common Rank find themfelves in Danger of Death, the Dcad - they delire, as a Favour, that they may-go out before they expire, becaufe they look upon it as an infamous thing for their Corps to be carry’d thro’ that Paflage, in fo much that the -greateft Curfe a Chincfe can bellow on the Perfon to whom he wiffies ill, is to fay, May you be draggd thro the Prijon-Hole. In China no Offences whatever efcape Punilhment, that of each being fix’d. The Baftonado The Bail6- is commonly apply’d for flight Faults, and the number of Blows proportion’d to the Quality nado * thereof. It is the ufual Chaftifement inflicted by the Officers of War on the Soldiers, plac’d as Centinels in the Night-time in Streets and public Places of great Cities, who, when found aileep, are often punifh’d on the Spot. If the number of Blows does not exceed twenty, it is accounted a Fatherly Correction, and is not difgraceful; for the Emperor himfelf caufes it to be given to Perfons of great DiftinCtion, and afterwards fees and carries it to them as ufual. A very finall matter will incur this Fatherly Chaftifement, as having filch’d any Trifle, us’d for wh-.t abufive Language, given a few Blows with the Fill:; for if thefe Things reach the Mandarins in ' Ears, he immediately fets the Pan-tJ'e at work, for fo that Inftrument is call’d. After the Correction is over, they are to kneel at the Feet of the Judge, bow their Bodies three times to the Earth, and thank him for the Care he takes of their Education. The Pan-tJ'e is a thick Piece of fplit Bambu , (which is a hard, mafly, and heavy fort of Cane) feveral Foot long ; the The Par.-tfe lower end is as broad as one’s Hand, the upper fmooth and fmall, that it may be more eafily manag’d. When the Mandarin fits in Judgment he has before him on a Table, a Cafe full of fmall Form . of \ Sticks, about half a Foot long, and two Fingers broad, and is furrounded by Officers, holding appIyingi: ' Pan-tfe , or Battoons in their Hands; who, upon a Sign given by the Magiffrate taking out and throwing down thefe Sticks, feize the Offender, and lay him along with his Face towards the Ground, pull his Breeches over his Heels, and as many fmall Sticks as the Mandarin throws on the Ground, fo many Officers give him five Blows each, with the Pan-tfe on the bare Skin. They are chang’d every five Strokes, or rather two flrike alternately five Blows, that fo they may fall the heavier, and the Correction prove more feyere. However, it is obferv- able that four Blows are always reckon’d as five, which they call the Grace of the Emperor , who as a Father, out of Compaffion for his People, conftantly leflens the Puniffiment fome- thing. There is a way of mitigating it alfo by bribing the Officers, who have the Art of making the Blows fall fo lightly as to be fcarcely felt. A young Chineje, beholding his Father condemn’d to this Puniffiment, and ready to fuffer, threw himfelf upon him to receive the Blows; which ACt of Filial Piety fo afteCted the Judge, that he pardon’d the Father for fake of the Son. A Matidariu has Power to give the Baftonado not only in his Tribunal, but alfo wherever The Pan-tji he is, even out of his own DiftriCt; for which Reafon when he goes abroad, he has always Officers of Juftice in his Train, who carry the Pan-tfe. If one of the People happening to be on Horfeback, when the Mandarin pafles by, does not alight, or erodes the Street in his Prefence, it is fufficient Offence to incur five or fix Blows by his Order ; which is exe¬ cuted fo nimbly, that often the honeft Man has got his due, before thofe about him know any thing of the matter. Mafters give the fame Correction to their Scholars, Fathers to their Children, and Noblemen to their Domeftics, with this Difference, that the Pan-tfe is neither fo long nor fo large. Another Puniffiment, lefs painful but more infamous, is the Wooden Collar, which the Por- The Kanght tuguefe call Cangue. This Kan ghe is compofed of two pieces of Wood, hollow’d in the or Wooden Middle, to fit the Neck of the Offender; and when he is condemn’d by the Mandarin , ' they take the two pieces of Wood, lay them on his Shoulder, and join them together. By this means the Perfon can neither fee his Feet, nor put his Hand to his Mouth, fo that he cannot come to his Victuals without fome other Perfon feeds him. Night and Day, he carries this difagreeable Load, which is heavier or lighter, according to the Nature of the Fault. The Weight of the common fort of Kan ghe’s is fifty or fixty Pounds, but fome weigh two hun¬ dred; and are fo grievous to Criminals, that fometimes through Shame, Confufion, Pain, Want of Nourishment, and Sleep, they die under them. Some are three Foot fquare, and five or fix Inches thick. The Criminals, however, find different ways to imitigate this Puniffiment, fome walk in Contrivances Company with their Relations and Friends, who fupport the four Corners of the Kan ghe, that *° f ™ ake “ flt it may not prefs their Shoulders ; fome reft it on a Table or on a Bench ; others have a Chair made with four Pillars of an equal Height, to bear up the Machine; fome lie on their Bellies and make ule of the Hole, their Head is in, as a Window, through which they impu¬ dently gaze at all that pafles in the Street. When they have fix’d the two pieces of Wood about the Neck of the Criminal, in the Mandarins prefence, they pafte on each fide over the Place where it joins, two long Slips of Paper, about four Inches broad, on which they clap a Seal, that the Kan ghe may not be open’d without its being perceiv’d. Then they write Tlie 0fiVnce in large Characters the Crime for which this Puniffiment is inflicted, and the Time that it wrmen ° ought to laft ; for Inftance : This is a : Thief ; this is a diforderly and feditious Perfon ; this is a Diflurber of the Peace of Families ; this is a Gamefter , &c. he fall wear the Kan ghe for three Months in fuch a Place. The 3 IZ The Prifons in CHINA, The Place, where they are expofed, is generally at the Gate of a Temple which is much JSr frequented, or at the Corners of crouded Streets, or at the Gate of the City, or in a public the moft Square, or even at the principal Gate of the Mandarin's Tribunal. When the Time of publicises, payment \ s expir’d, the Officers of the Tribunal bring back the Offender to the Mandarin, who, after exhorting him to amend his Courfes, frees him from the Kan ghe, and to take his Leave of him for that Time, orders him twenty Strokes of the Pan-tje : for commonly in China all Punifhments, except Pecuniary ones, begin and end with the Baffonado, in io much that it may be laid, the ChineJ'e Government lubfifts by the Exercife of the Battoon. Women u This Puniffiment is more common for Men than Women, neverthelefs, an ancient Miffio- niih’d with it nary, P. Contancin, viftting a Mandarin of a City of the firll Rank, found a Woman near his Tribunal carrying the Kan ghe. She was a Bonze/s, that is, one of thofe Females who live in a kind of Nunnery, where Entrance is forbid to all Perfons whatever; who employ them- BoZfor felves in worffiipping of Images and in Labour ; and who do not keep their Vows, yet Chine/' Nun. are oblig’d to live a Life of Chaftity while they continue there. This Bonzefs being accus’d of having had a Child, the Mandarin cited her before his Tribunal, and after giving her a fevere Reprimand, told her; that fince ffie could not live continently, it was fit fhe ffiould quit the Convent, and marry. However, to punifh her, he condemn d her to carry the Kan ghe ; and to the Note containing her Crime, it was added, That in Cafe any Perfon would marry her, the Mandarin would fet her at Liberty, and give her an Ounce and an half of Silver, to defray the Expences. Of this Sum, which is equal to feven Livres and ten Sous French Money, fifty Sous were to hire a Chair, and to pay the Muficians ; and the five remaining Livres were for bearing the Expence of the Wedding-Feaft, to which the Neighbours were to be invited. It was not long before ffie met with a Hufband, who demanding her of the Man¬ darin, ffie was accordingly deliver’d to him. Other Pu- Befides the Puniffiment of the Kan ghe, there are ftill others, which are inflicted for flight nifhments for Faults. The fame Miffionary entering into a fecond Court of the Tribunal, found young flight Faults. p eop i e U p on t ] le j r Knees > fome bore on their Heads a Stone weighing feven or eight Pound, and others held a Book in their Hands, and read very diligently. Among thefe was a young marry’d Man, about thirty Years old, who lov’d Gaming to excefs, and had loft part of the Story of a Money given him by his Father, to carry on fome little Bufmeis, Exhortations, Reprimands, young Ga- and Menaces, proving ineffectual, his Parents defirous, if poffible, to cure him of fo perni- raelkr - cious a Vice, carry’d him before the Tribunal. The Mandarin , who was a Man of Honour and Probity, having heard the Father’s Complaint, caus’d the young Man to draw near ; and, after giving him a fevere Reprimand, as well as very good Advice, with regard to Submiffion, was going to order him the Baftonado ; when his Mother entred of a Hidden, and throwing ber- felf at the Mandarins Feet, with Tears in her Eyes, befought him to pardon her Son. The Mandarin being mov’d to Pity, order’d a Book to be brought, compos’d by the Emperor for the Inftru&ion of the Empire, and opening it, chofe the Article which related to Filial Obe¬ dience. Tou promife me, faid he to the young Man, to renounce Play, and to liften to your Fathers Dire/lions ; I therefore pardon you this Time, but go kneel down in the Gallery on the fide of the Hall of Audience, and learn' by Heart this Article of Filial Obedience: you fall not leave the Tribunal till you repeat it, and promife to obferve it the Remainder of your Life. This Order was punctually executed, the young Man remain’d three Days in the Gallery, learn d the Article, and was difmifs’d. Markin on There are certain Enormities for which Offenders are mark’d on both Cheeks with a Chmefe the Cheeks, Character, fignifying«thofe Crimes; for others they are condemn’d to Baniffiment, or to draw Banilhments; t h e Royal Barks, which Servitude fcarce ever lafts longer than three Years. As for Baniffiment it is often perpetual, efpecially if Tartary is the Place of Exile ; but before their Departure they are fure to be drubb’d with a number of Blows proportionable to their Crimes. Ca ital Pu- There are three different ways of punifhing with Death, the firft and mildeft is Strangling, nifhment. which is inflicted for the fmaller fort of Capital Offences; as, when a Man kills his Adverfary Stran lin in a Duel - The fecond is beheading, and this Punifhment is inffiCted for Crimes of a more enor- and behead- mous Nature, fuch as Affaffination. This Death is look’d upon as the more fhameful, becaufe in S- the Head, which is the principal part of a Man, is feparated from the Body ; and that in dying they do not preferve the Body as intire as they receiv d it from their Parents. In fome places they ftrangle with a kind of Bow, the String of which being put about the Criminal s Neck, they draw the Bow, and by that Means choak him. In other Places they make ufe of a Cord, feven or eight Foot long, with a running Knot, in which the Neck being put, two Servants belonging to the Tribunal draw it hard at each End, and loofe it of a Hidden a Moment after ; then they draw it as before, and the fecond time they are Hire of doing the Criminals Bufinefs. Perfons above the common Rank are always carry’d to the Place of Execution in Chairs, or cover’d Carts. Form of When the Criminal is to be condemn’d, the Mandarin orders him to be brought into the Condemn*- Tribunal, where commonly there is prepar’d a ffiort Repaft ; at leaft before Sentence is given, they never fail to offer him Wine, which is call’d Tf-Jeng (-f-). After the Sentence is read, the Criminal fometimes breaks out into abufive Language and Invectives againft thofe who condemn’d (- 1 ) This Word Tf, [written in the French T ( i] is the fame, Author, can be of no great ufe to the Reader, without farther with that made ufe of when they offer any thing to their An- Explanation. All I can conjedlure from it is, that F/-J cr, l ccilors. [Such naked Remarks, which are coo frequent in this fignifies offer'd or Offering Jpine ] P uni foments for CRIMINALS. 3 1 3 condemn'd him ; when this happens the Mandarin hears all with Patience and Companion* but afterwards they put a Gag in his Mouth, and lead him to Execution. Some of thofe who go on Foot, fing all the Way, and drink chearfully of the Wine prefented them by their Acquaintance ■ who wait their coming, in order to give them this lafl Proof of their Friendlhip. There is another kind of Punifhment which favours of Cruelty, and wherewith Rebels and Punirtmrent Traytors are ufually puniffi’d : this they call Cutting in ten thoufand Pieces. The Executioner fallens the Criminal to a Poll, and tearing the Skin off his Head pulls it over his Eyes : he ccf. mangles him afterwards in all Parts of his Body, which he cuts in many Pieces ; and whe:: he is tired with this barbarous Exercife, he abandons him to the Cruelty of the Populace and Spectators. This has been often pradifed under the Reigns of fome Emperors, who are looked upon as barbarous; for according to the Laws, this third Punifhment confifts in cutting the Body of the Criminal into leveral Pieces, opening his Belly, and throwing the Carcafe into the River, or a Ditch, as is done by great Malefactors. Unlefs in lome extraordinary Cafes, which are mentioned in the Body of the Chinefe Laws, or None can be wherein the Emperor permits Execution upon the Spot, no Mandarin Or fuperior Tribunal can pro- nounce definitive Sentence of Death. The Judgments palled on all Perfons for Crimes worthy Emperor's - of Death, are to be examin’d, agreed to, and fublcrib’d by the Emperor. The Mandarins fend cx P reft ° r *. to Court an Account of the Trials with their own Decifion, mentioning the particular Law e ‘ on which their Sentences is grounded ; for inllance, Such a one is guilty of a Crime, and the Law declares, that thofe who are convitted of it, jhall be frangled, for which Reajon I have condemned him to be fr angled. Thefe Informations being arrived at Court, the Superior Tribunal of Criminal Affairs, examines the FaCts, the Circum fiances, and the Sentence. It the FaCt is not clearly Rated, or the Tribunal has need of frefh Informations, it prefents a Memorial to the Emperor, containing the Cafe and the Judgment of the inferior Mandarin , with this Addi¬ tion : To form a right Judgment, it is necejj'ary that we Jhould be informed offuch a Circum - fiance -, therefore we are of Opinion that the Matter Jhould be fent back to fuch a Mandarin, that he may give us fuch Light therein as we could wifi} to have. The Emperor makes what Order he pleafes, but his Clemency always inclines him to do what is defired ; that the Sentence, which concerns a Man’s Life, may not be pronounc’d rafhly, and without the mofl convincing Proof. When the fuperior Tribunal has receiv’d the Informations requir’d, it prefents a fecond time its Deliberation to the Emperor, who either confirms the fame, or elfe diminishes the Rigor of the Punifhment; nay, Sometimes he remits the Memorial, writing thefe Words with his own Hand : Let the Tribunal deliberate farther upon this Affair, aiid make their Report to me. In China every thing is canvafed with the flrideft Care, when they are about condemning Mighty Ten- a Man to death. The Emperor [Tong-ching] gave Orders in 1725, that thenceforward n °ne ^e Lirfof fhould be put to Death till after his Trial was prefented to him three times. Agreeable the Subject, to this Order the Criminal-Tribunal obferve the following Method : Some time before the appointed Day, they caufe to be tranferibed in a Book, all the Informations that, during the Courfe of the Year, have been fent them from the inferior Judges, to which they join the Sentence given by each, and that of the Tribunal of the Court. This Tribunal afterwards affemble to read, review, corred, add, or retrench whatever they think fit. When every thing is fettled two fair Copies are made out, one of which is prefented to the Emperor for his private Reading and Examination; the other is kept to be read in the Prefence of all the principal Officers of the Supreme Courts, that it may be amended as they lhall advife. Thus in China the moff vile and defpicable Wretch enjoys a Privilege, which in Europe is granted to none but Perfons of thegreateft Diftindion ; namely, the Right of being judg’d and condemn’d by all the Houfes of Parliament affembled in a Body (a.) The fecond Copy havingbeen examin’d and correded they prefent it to the Emperor; then it is written over again ninety eight times in the Tartarian Language, and ninety-feven in the Chinefe : All which Tranfcripts being put into his Majefty’s Hands, he gives them to be examin’d by his mofl fkilful Officers of both Nations who are at Pe-king. When the Crime is very enormous, the Emperor, in figning the dead Warrant, adds: As Dead War- foon as this Order fi}all be receiv'd, let him be executed without any Delay. As for capital Crimes, which have nothing uncommon in them, the Emperor writes this Execution- Sentence underneath, Let the Criminal be kept in Prifon till Autumn, and then be executed. For Day ' there is a fix’d Day in Autumn, whereon all Capital Offenders are put to Death. The ordinary Torture in China to extort Confefiion, is extremely acute and painful. ’Tis Ordinary inflided both on the Feet and Hands: for the former they make Ufe of an Inftrument com- Kinds of pofed of three crofs Pieces of Wood, of which that in the middle being fix’d, the two other move Torturc * and turn about; in this Machine they put the Feet of the Criminal, and fqueeze them fo vio¬ lently, that they make the Ankle Bone quite flat. They inflid it on the Hands by placing 4 K little (a) Nay, it is a much greater Privilege, and fuch as alone mud convey a mod noble Idea, both of the exceeding Happi- nefs of the People and Mildnefs of the Government. For abfolute and limited Monarchies are but Names, that is moil limited and eligible, where the Conftitution is bell calculated tor fecuring the Rights of the Subject, and preventing the Op- preflion of Minillers and Magiftrates. Such is the Monarchy of China: where, the People are more free, from being in the moll profound Subjection;and where, the mofl: defpotic Power in the Prince is reconciled, with the mofl perfect Liberty and Property of the SubjeCt. A Paradox not to be folved on this Side of the Globe. 314 Plenty in CHINA. little Pieces of Wood between the Fingers of the Criminal, and tying them very hard with Cords, leave him for feme time in this Torment. The Chinefe have Remedies to diminiih and even ftupify the Senl'e of Pain during the Torture ; others to heal the Prifoner who indeed recovers by their Affiftance, fometim^s in a few Days, the former ufe of his Limbs (b ). From the ordinary Torture I pafs to the extraordinary, which is indicted for great Crimes, efpecially jury Tor. High Treafon, in order to difeover the Accomplices, when the Faft has been proved ; it Iure - confifts in making flight Gafhes on the Offender's Body, and flapping off the Skin in narrow Slips like Fillets. Thefe are all the kinds of corporal Punifhment appointed by the Chinefe Laws for Male- factors; tho’ as I laid before, fome Monarchs have indicted others of a more inhuman Nature Horrid Pn- but they have been detefted by the Nation, and look’d upon as Tyrants for it: Such was the v'med'b Emperor Chew , whofe horrible Cruelties are mention’d in the Annals of the Empire, [p. 157.] the" Emperor This Prince, at the Inftigation oiTa-kya, one of his Concubines, with whom he was defperately Clew enamour’d, invented a new kind of Punifhment call’d Pau T lo: It was a column of Brals twenty Cubits high, and eight in Diameter, hollow in the middle like Pbalaris’s Bull, with openings in three Places for putting in fbwel. To this they taftned the Criminals, and making them embrace it witli their Arms and Legs, lighted a great Fire in the Inlide ; and thus roafled them till they were reduc’d to Allies, in the Prefence of that Monfler of a Woman who feem’d to take Delight in fo dreadful a Spectacle. Of the Plenty which Reigns in China. Great Plenty T may be laid, without Exaggeration, that China is one of the mod fruitful, as well as lame O, .ill tilings I an( ] beautiful Countries in the World: A Angle Province of it might make a confiderable 1 ' ii. Dominion, and flatter the Ambition of no mean Prince. Almoft all that other Kingdoms afford may be found in China, but China produces an infinite Number of Things, which are to be found no where elfe. r what owe. This Plenty may be attributed as well to the Depth of the Soil, as to the painful Induflry of mg. the Inhabitants, and the great Number of Lakes, Rivers, Brooks, and Canals, wherewith the Country is water'd. There are few Cities or even Burroughs in the Southern Provinces but what one may go to by Water, becaufe no Part is deflitute of Rivers or Canals. Rice is fown twice a Year in fome Provinces, and is much better than that which grows in Europe. The Land produces various other Sorts of Grain, fuch as Wheat, Barley, Millet of feve- ral kinds, Beans, Peafe that are always green, befides black and yellow Peafe, which they make ufe of inflead of Oats to feed their Horfes; but in the Southern Parts all thefe Grains are of no efteem, in companion of Rice, which is their common Food, as Wheat is in the Northern Hog. Fifth a a " t j le oi Animals . caten in Europe, that of Hogs is reckon'd moft delicious by the great Dainty Chinefe, efpecially the Rich who love their appetites; they prefer it to all the reft, and make it as it were, tile Foundation of their Feafts. Almoft all People keep Hogs in their Houfes to fat¬ ten, for they eat them the year round ; it muft be own’d that they are far better tafted than thofe in Europe , nor is there finer Eating in the World than a Chinefe Ham. Wild-Mare’s Fleflr is alfo in great Efteem; and befides Fowls, Hares, Rabbits, and other Animals, that we have in Plenty Stags-pizzles, (c) Birds-nefts already fpoken of [p. 302.] Bears-Paws, and the feet of diverfe Dor- Cat! Wild C,eatures > which are brought ready falted from Siam, Kamboya, and Tartary, are Dainties an?Rats’ ’’ fit for the Tables of Great Lords. The People are very well pleas’d'with the Flefh of Horfes and eaten. Dogs, even tho they dye of Age or Sicknefs; nay, they do not fcruple eating Cats, Rats, and fuch like Animals, which are openly fold in the Streets. It is very good Divcrfion to fee the Butchers, when they are carrying the Flefh of Dogs to any place, or dragging five or fix to the Slaughter: for all the Dogs, drawn together by the cries of thofe going to be kill’d, or the fmell of thofe already (lain, fall in a Body upon the Butchers, who are oblig’d to go always arm’d with a long Staff or Whip to defend themfelves from their Attacks; and to keep the Places clofe flint where they kill them, if they wou’d do it undifturb’d. Befides the domeftic Birds, they have on the Rivers and Lakes great Plenty of Water-fowl caching efpecially Wild-ducks; tile manner of taking which dclerves mention. They put their heads into Wild-Ducks, the Shells of large Gourds, with holes made in them to fee and breathe through; then uoing naked into the Water, they walk or fwim fo low that nothing appears but the Gourds.” The Ducks being accuftom’d to See Gourds floating on the furface, and to play about them, approach them without Fear; when the Duck-hunter, taking them by the Feet, pulls them under Water to pre¬ vent their making a noife, wrings their Necks, and fa’ftens them to his Girdle, purfiiing his Exer- cife till he has gotten a great number. Came. Game is exceeding plenty. . In feveral parts of Pe-king, during the Winter, are to be feen great Heaps of Animals, and Fowl of various kinds, harden’d by the Froft and free from Corruption. There (n) If this be fo, methinks the Cbinefe Surgeons mull far excel the European; and their Method of curing Wounds and Contufions be well worth enquiring after. (c) Thefe Dainties are in great Requeft in feveral Parts of England, and are called Inch pins in many Places. of Cattle, Game, Fiih, GV. 31C There are a prodigious number of Bucks, Does, Wild-bores, Goats, Elks, Hares, Rabbits, Squirrels, Cats, Field-Rats, Geefe, Ducks, Wood-cocks, Partridges, Pheafants, Quails, and feveral other Creatures not to be met with in Europe , which are fold exceeding cheap. The Rivers, Lakes, Pools, and even Canals are full of all forts of Fiih: nay, they abound in the very Ditches, which are made in the middle of the Fields topreferve the Water, whereof the F ‘ n '- Rice (lands in continual Need. Thefe Ditches are (lock'd with the Water mixt with the Spawn of Fiih, which, as we have already mention’d,[p. 19.] are carry'd in Boats into all Parts of China. The, young Fry being feral], and almoit imperceptible, are led with Lentils that grow in the Marlhes, or yelks of Eggs, much in the fame manner as domeftic Animals are nourifh'd in Europe; they preferve the large Fiih by means of Ice, and tilling great Boats with them, carry them as far as Pe-king. There is fcarce any fort of Filli in Europe but what is to be met with in China, as. Lampreys, Carps, Soals, Salmons, Trouts, Shads, Sturgeons, Of c. befides a great many others of an excellent Taile, quite unknown to us; whereof I (hall mention a few by way of fpecimen, it being impoffible to give an account of all the different kinds. One of thofe in greateft Efleeni, and which weighs about forty Pound, is call’d Cho-kya-yu, ch , n that is, the Armour-Fijh ; it is fo nam’d becaufe its Back, Belly, and Sides, are cover’d with (harp Aymoo/elZ Scales, plac’d in (Irait Rows, one over another, much like Tiles on the Roof of an Houfe. It is an admirable Fiih, exceeding white, and taftes not unlike Veal. In calm Weather they catch another fort of delicate Fife, which the People of the Country call the Meal-Fife, on account Meai.flfli. of its extraordinary Whitenefs, and becaufe the black Pupils of its Eyes are inclos’d with two Circles refembling very bright Silver. There are fuch prodigious Shoals of them in the Sea near the Province of Kyang-nan, that they commonly take four hundred Weight of them at one draught of the Net. One of the bed forts of Fife China affords, refembles a Sea-Bream : it is caught in the fourth Son of Sea- and fifth Moon, and commonly fold for a little more than a Farthing a Pound, whereof it weighs Br “ m five or fix, and for about twice as much, twenty Leagues up the Country, where it is carried. When this Fifhing time is over, there comes from the Coafls of Che-kyang large Barks, loaded with another kind of frefe Fife refembling New-foundland Cod ; it is incredible what a Confumption d Cod there is of them, in the proper Seafon, along the Coafts from Fo-kyen to Shan-tong, befides the pro¬ digious Qimntity that is lalted in the Country where they are caught. The plenty of this fifeery ap¬ pears in thatthey are fold at a very low Price, notwithflandingthe Merchants are atgreat expence to procure them : for they mud firft buy a Licence of the Mandarin to trade, then they mull Salt-Fith. hire a Bark, buy the Fife as foon as it is caught, and lay them in the Hold, on Beds of Salt, in the fame manner as they pack up Herrings in Tuns at Diepe-, by which means the Fife is tranf- ported into the moll diftant Provinces, even in the time of the greateft Heats. There is likewife brought a furprizing Quantity of other Salt-fife from the Sea-coaft, from the fixth to the ninth Moon. In the Province of Kyang-nan, one meets with very large Fife, which, coming out of the Sea or yellow River, throw themfelves into vaft Plains cover’d with Water; but matters are (o ingenioufiy contriv’d (d), that the Water runs off as (oon as the Fiih are entred : fo that being left on dry Land they are taken without Difficulty, faked, and fold to the Merchants, who load their Barks with them at a very cheap Rate. In the great River Tang tfe kyang, over againft the City Kyew-kyangfu, where it is above half a wtangyu. or League broad, they catch all forts of excellent Fife; and among others, one call’d Whang-yu, Yellow Fiih. that is, the yellow Fijh. It is of an extraordinary Size, (feme of them weighing upwards of eight hundred Pound) as well as an exquifite Tafte, nor is there any Fifh in the World that eats more firm ; they are caught only at certain Seafons, when they come out of the Lake Pong-ting hu into this River. This Lake, which is alfo call’d the Lake of Zhau [or Jau chew] is form’d by the Confluence of four Great Rivers, each as large as the Loire, which come from the Province of Kyang-ft. It is thirty Leagues in Curcumference, and is fubject to Storms like the Seas of China, it being the greateft Lake belonging thereto : for almoft every Province has Lakes of prodigious Extent, fuch are the Hong-tJ'e Hii, the Pa Hu, the Poyang Hu &c. We have already (poken, in the general View of this Empire, of a very extraordinary Fife „ or call’d the Golden or Silver Fijh, which the Grandees keep in their Courts or Gardens as an Orna- Golden Fiih ment to their Palaces; and P. Le Comte, from whom we gave the Account, adds fome farther Particulars which ought not to be omitted. “ Thefe Fife (fays he) are commonly the length of “ one’s Finger, and proportionably thick. The Male is of a beautiful Red from the Head to " more than halfway down the Body, and the remaining Part, together with the Tail, is folded; “ but accompany’d with fuch a bright and dazling Luftre, that our bed Gildings ’fall°vaftly «“eding “ (hort of it. The Female is white, the Tail, and fome part of the Body, having a perfedl Refem- bca “ :f “ 1 ’ “ blance of Silver. The Tail of neither kind is fmooth and flat, like that of other Fife, but forms “ a fort of Tuft, thick and long, which adds a particular Beauty to this little Creature, whofe “ Body befide is finely fhap’d. Thofe who feed them ought to take great Care, becaufe they are and tender- “ exceeding delicate, and fenfible of the lead Injury from the Weather. They are kept in a very large and deep Bafon ; at the Bottom of which there is commonly put an earthen Pan “ turn’d upfide down, and made with Holes in it, that in hot Weather they may retire “ and have a Shelter' from the Sun. The Water is chang’d three or four times a Week howke P ta, “ I 3 managed. but t D ) This mull be a very curious Contrivance ; I wifh the Author had given fome Account of it. 316 Eafily kill’d. Their Food. Very proli- Further Re¬ marks on the golden Filh. Their Size. How dillin- guilhed. Food. How propa¬ gated. Way of fifh- ing with Birds. See the Fi¬ gure. Another way of fifli- ing with Boards. Plenty in CHINA. c bat in Inch a manner, that the frefh runs in while the other runs out, that the Bafon may never ' be dry ; they likewife ftrew on the Surface certain Herbs, which keep the Water always c green and cool. If they are oblig’d to tranfport the Fifh from one Veffel to another, great Care :t mull be taken not to handle them, for thole which are touch’d die foon after or decay ; there- :t fore they make Ufe of a fmall Net, the Mouth of which is fatten'd round a Hoop, wherewith cc they take them up by degrees, the Threads being woven fo clofe together that they have time “ to put them into frefh Water before the old runs out. A great Noife, like that of Guns or Thun- “ der, a ftrong Smell, or a violent Motion, hurts and fometimes kills them ; as I obferv’d upon C{ the Sea, where we carry’d fome of them , every time the Guns were fired, or Pitch and Tar’ “ were melted. Befides, they live upon almoft nothing ; the imperceptible Worms that are bred in “ the Water, or the little earthy Particles mixt with it, are fufficient to keep them alive. Never- « thelefs from time to time they throw in fmall Bits of Pafte : but there is nothing better for “ them than Wafers, which foak’d make a kind of Broth they are extremely fond of, being in reality, very proper Food for fuch delicate Creatures. ‘ c In hot Countries they multiply exceedingly, provided the Spawn, that fwims upon the Sur- “ face of the Water, be carefully taken away ; for otherwife they would devour it. Being plac’d in 'befides contain but one or two Nuts or Berries. The Nut has a pretty hard Shell including ,a kind of fmall Kernel, about the Bignefs of a large Heinpfeed, which is cover’d with a brown Skin, and affords a great deal of Oyl • fo that the fame Fruit iupplies the Cbinefe both with Tallow for their Candles, and Oyl for their Lamps. Thefe Candles are like the Segment of a Cone, which they light at the broad End ; and The Candles the Wick is a little Stick, or hollow Reed, round which they wrap Cotton Thread, or elle the che Pith of a Rufh of the fame Bignefs: this Rufh ferves alfo for the Wick of Lamps. One end of the Reed or fmall Stick ferves for lighting, and the other for fixing on the Candleftick, which is made with a Point to enter into the PIollow of the Reed. This fort of Candle,befides being thick and heavy, readily melts when touch'd with the Hand. The Light it gives is pretty clear, but a little yellowifli; and as the Wick is folid, and changes while burning into a hard Coal, it is not eafily fnuft, they ufing Cizars made for the Purpofe. In order to feparate the Tallow from the Fruit, they pound the Shell and Nut both together, The Tallow ‘and boil it in Water ; fkimming oft* the Fat or Oyl as it rifes to the Top, which condenfes like Grom'S Tallow when it is cold. To ten Pound of this Greafe they fometimes put three of LinTeed- Fruit. Oyl, and a little Wax to give it a Body ; whereof they make exceeding white Candles, tho’ they alfo make red ones, by mixing Vermillion with the Compofition. One of the moft ufeful Shrubs in all China is that producing the Cotton ; which the Huf- The cotton bandmen, the fame Day that they get in their Harveft, fow in the fame Field, only breaking shrub - the Surface of the Ground with a Rake. After the Earth has been moiften’d with Rain or Dew, there grows up by degrees a fmall Shrub about two Foot high ; the Flowers of which appear towards the beginning or middle of Augujl , being generally yellow, but fometimes red. This Flower is fucceeded by a fmall Button, growing in the Shape of a Pod of the Bignefs of a Nut. The fortieth Day after the Appearance of the Flower, the Pod opens of itfelf; and cleaving The Cotton in three Places, difeovers three or four little Bags of Cotton, extremely white, and of the fame grows in a Figure as the Cod of a Silk-Worm. They are laften’d to the Bottom of the open Pod, and con- 1 od ‘ tain Seed for the following Year. It is then time to get in the Crop; but in fair Weather the Fruit is left expos’d to the Sun two or three Days more, that fo being fwell’d by the Heat the Profit may be greater. As all the Fibres of the Cotton are ftrongly faften’d to the Seeds which they inclofe, they How fepa. make ufe of a fort of Wheel to feparate them. This Engine confifts of two very fmooth Rowlers, iated - :.T» one 30(5 The Tree Krjlu, yields a a fort of Size for Gilding. The Tree L„r S -ju-,fi. The Tree Mo-hen. The Tree La-newe. The Tree Hf-tong-Jbu. Plenty in CHINA, one of Wood and the other of Iron, about a Foot long, and an Inch thick. They are pla. J fo clofe together that there is no Vacancy between ; and while one Hand gives Motion to the firft Rowler, and the Foot to the fecond, the other Hand applies the Cotton, which, loofeniiw by the Motion, paffes on one fide of the Engine, the Seed remaining on the other. Afterwards they card and fpin the Cotton, whereof they make Callico. There is another Tree call'd Kti-Jhu, refembling our Fig-Tree, both with refpeft to the Wood of its Branches, and its Leaves; the Root commonly fends forth feveral Stalks or little Trunks like a Buth, and fometimes only one. The Trunk of feme is ftrait, round, and nine or ten Inches thick. The Branches confift of a light pithy Wood, and are cover'd with a Bark like that of the Fig-Tree. The Leaf is deeply indented, efpecially in two Places, whereby it becomes as it were divided into three Leaves, curiouily hollow’d on each fide. In Colour on both fides, as well as the Contexture of the Fibres, it refembles the Leaf of the Fig-Tree • only it is larger, thicker, and rougher on the upper fide, but the under fide is very loft, bein'* cover’d with a fine Down. Some of them are not hollow'd at all, and have the Figure of a longifh Heart. ° This Tree yields a Milk, made ufe of by the Chinefe in gilding with Leaf-Gold, which is drawn off in the following manner: They make in the Trunk one or more Horizontal and Perpendicular Incifions, and in the Slit put the Edge of a Sea-fliell, or fome fuch Receiver • into which the Milk diftilling they afterwards put it all together, and in ufing it draw with a Pencil what Figures they pleafe upon Wood or any other Matter whatever: this done they apply Leaf-Gold, which flicks fo firmly thereon that it never comes off ' 1 * The Tree, which the Chinefe call Lung-ju-tju, has a Trunk as large as our bigveft Plum- Tree. It divides betimes into two or three thick Branches, and thefe again info fmaller The Bark is of a reddifh grey Colour, and fpotted like the Filbert-Tree ; but the Extremity of the Branches is knotty, crooked, rough, and full of Pith, like the Walnut-Tree. The Fruit ia fomewhat oval, and when green, nearly refembles Cherries, both in Colour and Shape as well as the Stalk; which laft is green and ftringy ; extremely long, and divided into feveral Branches, each whereof has one of thefe Berries hanging at the end. The Skin of the Fruit in fome Places is full of little red Spots, is pretty tough, and inclofes a greenilh Subflance winch when ripe becomes like Pap : they ufe it in Winter to rub the Hands with, and prevent Chilblains. 1 This Fruit has a very hard Stone, like a Cherry-Stone, but a little oblong, and indented with five, fix, and fometimes feven Furrows. This Stone receives its Nourifhment through a pretty large round Hole, that grows ftraighter, as it approaches the inclofed Kernel, which -is final! and cover'd with a blackith Skin, not fo hard as that of the Pippin of an Apple. Of the Trunk of this Tree they make Boards for common ufes. If the Chinefe delighted, as we do in Europe, to adorn their Gardens, and make fine Alleys they might, by cultivating their Flowers, and employing certain Trees peculiar to their own Country, have very agreeable Walks ; but as nothing feems to them more ridiculous than to walk backward and forward, merely for the fake of Walking, they take no care to make ufe of the Advantages which Nature has bellow'd upon them. Among the Trees that I am fpeaking of, there is one call’d Mo-lyen, as thick as the fmall ot one's Leg; its Branches are ilender, full of Pith, and cover'd with a red Rind fpeckled with whitifh Spots, like a Filbert-Tree. They have not many Leaves, but to make amends for that Defeft, they are very large, being broader towards the Top than in the Middle or lower part. They are thin and pretty dry ; their Ribs and principal Fibres are cover’d with a tine whitifh Down. They are join’d to the Tree by Stalks, which fpread fo much towards the Bottom, that it may be faid they embrace the Branch, and that the Branch proceeds from it, as out of a little Tube, making an Elbow in this Place. From amidft the Stalks proceed little Buds of an oval Figure, cover’d with Down ; which opening in December, or the Depth of Winter, become large Flowers, like the Mountain-Lilly’ compoled of feven or eight Leaves full of long Fibres, of an oval Figure, and pointed at the Extremities. Some of thefeTrees bear yellow Flowers, tome red, and others white; the Leaves fall at the fame time, and often even before the Flowers are open’d. Another Tree call’d La-mice has fome Refemblance of our Bay-Tree as to the fize and figure as well as the fhape of its Branches; which yet are wider, and furnifh’d with Leaves oppofite^ach other, growing by Pairs on thort Stalks. The greateft Leaves are almoft as large as thofe of the common Laurel, but neither fo thick, nor fo dry ; growing left and left in proportion to their Pittance from the end of the Branch. In the Depth of Winter there proceed from between the Leaves fmall yellow Flowers, of an agreeable Smell, not much unlike that of the Rofe. Nothing can be fitter to adorn a Garden than the Tree call'd U-tong feu ; which is very lame and refembles the Sycamore; its Leaves are long, broad, and join’d to a ftalk of a Foot in Length! This Tree is fo buflty, and crouded with Tufts, that the Rays of the Sun cannot penetrate. The manner of bearing its Fruit is very extraordinary : towards the end of Auguft there grow at the extremities of the Branches, inftead of Flowers, fmall Tufts of Leaves, which are different from t.’ie reft, being more white, fott, and not fo broad. On the Edge of every Leaf are generated three or four fmall Grains of the bignefs of a Pea, containing a white Subflance, of a Tafte not unlike tne Kernel of a Hazle-nut before it is ripe. The of uncommon Trees, Plants, Roots$ 32? The Tree call’d Cha-wha would alfo be a great Ornament for Gardens. There are four kinds of The Tree • it, which bear Flowers, and refemble our Spanijh-E^md in the Wood and Leaves: thefe latter do not fall off during the Winter. The Trunk is commonly as thick as one’s Thigh. The Top is ffap’d like the Spanifi- Laurel. Its Wood is of a whitiff Grey, and very fleek. The Leaves, which are rang’d alternately on each fide of the Branches, are as large .as thole of the Spanijh- Laurel, but of an oval Figure, pointed at the ends, and indented on the edges like a Saw; they are alfo more thick and firm, being of a dark Green on the upper fide, like the Leaf of an Orange- tree, and yellow underneath, with pretty thick Stalks. At the Place where the Stalks join to the Tree proceed Buds of the Bignefs, Figure, and Colour of a Hazle-nut; they are cover’d with fine white Hair, and have a Ground like that of Sattin. In the Mpnth of December thefe Buds become Flowers, which are double and of a reddiff Colour like fmall Roles; they are fupported by a Calix or Cup, and join’d immediately to the Branch without any Stalks, The Trees of the fecond kind are very high: the Leaf is rounded at the end, and the Flowers, which are large and red, being intermix’d with the green Leaves, make a very agreeable (hew. The two other kinds bear Flowers alfo, but they are fmaller and whitiff: the middle of this Flower is full of fmall Filaments, which have each a yellow flat Top, much like thofe in com¬ mon Rofes, with a fmall round Piftil in the middle; at the bottom whereof is a fmall green Ball, which as it grows, forms the Film, inclonng the Seed. There is another remarkable kind of Tree, partaking fomewhat both of the Juniper and Cy* lieT/e prefs; for which reafon the Chinefe call it T),e-Jong; that is, Juniper , and Twen-pe , or Cyprefs. ° r ve ^y™ Pe ’ The Trunk, which is about a Foot and a half in Circumference, fends forth Branches almoft markable from the very Ground, fubdivided into a great number of others, which ftretching out at fome' Trec ' Diftance from the Trunk, form a thick green Buff. The Tree is cover’d with a Multitude of Leaves, fome like Cyprefs, and the reft like thofe of Juniper; that is to fay, the latter arc long, narrow, and ffarp, having this peculiarity, that they are difpos’d along the Boughs in Rows Odd sin* four, five, or fix in Number : fo that looking on the Boughs from the end, they appear like tlon > Stars of four, five, or fix Rays; the Leaves of the firft Row covering thofe of the under Rows fo exactly, that thro’ the Spaces between, one may fee diftindtly to the bottom of the Bough. The Boughs or Twigs, which are cover’d with thefe long Leaves, are found principally at the lower part of the Branches, for towards the Top you behold nothing but Cyprefs. Nature feems to have taken Pleafure, in mingling thele two forts of Leaves in fuch a manner, y an - ety an( j that fome Branches are entirely Cyprefs, and thele are the more large and numerous; others Mixture of intirely Juniper; fome are half one and half the other: in fhort, fometimes one beholds a few 1M Leave3 Cyprefs Leaves grafted at the end of a Juniper Bough; at other times lome fmall Juniper Bough ffooting from the bottom of a Cyprefs Branch. The Bark of this Tree is fomewhat rugged and of a grey iff brown Colour, inclining a little to the red in fome Places. The Wood is of a reddifh white, like that of the Juniper, with a fpice of Turpentine in it. The Leaves, befides the Smell of Cyprefs, have an aromatic Scent, but their Tafte is tartifli and very bitter. The Tree bears fmall round green Berries little larger than thofe of Juniper ; the Pulp is of an Olive green, and has a ftrong Smell. The Fruit is join’d to the Branches by long Stalks of the fame Nature as the Leaves : It contains two reddiff feeds in the ihape of Hearts, and as hard as Grape-Stones. The Trunk of fome of thefe Trees is tall and {lender, having Branches no where but at the top, which ends in a Point almoft like the Cyprefs: there are others of the Dwarf-kind, growing no higher than feven or eight Foot; but as their Trunk and Branches are crooked and wrinkled, there is reafon to believe the Chinefe ftunt their Growth by cutting them. When the Tree is young, all the Leaves are long, like thofe of Juniper; but when it is old, they refemble the Cyprefs. I ffould never have done were I to deferibe the reft of the uncommon Trees or Shrubs, to be met with in China ; and yet I cannot poflibly negledl to fpeak of the famous Plant call’d JinJ'eng, T] ^ fafno i . which is fo much efteem’d in the Empire, where it bears a very great Price, and is confider’d as p] ant 0 f ? the moft excellent Cordial. It grows no where but in 'Tartar '}, for that which comes from the feng. Province of Se-chwen is not worth mentioning. As P. Jartoux had full Opportunity and Lei- fure to examine this Plant attentively on the Spot, when he affifted in making the Map of the Country by the Emperors Order, he has drawn it according to its proper Dimenfions, and explain’d its Properties and Ufe as follows: “ The moft ikilful Phyficians of China , fays he, mix it in all the Medicines they prepare i ts Medicinal ? Of the hakes, Canals, and Rhers of China ; as alfo of the Barks, and Veffels of Burden. T H E great Plenty which China fo happily enjoys, is owing much to the Goodnefs and Lakes c „ Depth of its Soil ; but chiefly to the great number of Rivers, Lakes and Canals, nils, and" wherewith it is water’d: there not being a City, nor even a large Country Town, R j veriof efpecially in the Southern Provinces, but what is fituated upon the Banks of fome River, Lake] C ""'’ or Canal; whereof as I have had Occafion to fpeak at large in feveral Places of this Work’ I fliall, to avoid Repetition, only juft mention fome few over again to refrefh the Reader’s Memory. Among the Lakes, to be met with in mod: of the Provinces, the Chief are : (i) The Ton*- Chief Laker, ting Phi, in the Province of Hti-juang, which is eighty Leagues or more in Circumference (2) The Hong-Ji Hu, one part of which is in the Province of Kyang-nan, and the other in that of Che-kyang ; and (3) the Ho-yang Hu, in the Province of Kyang-Ji, otherwife call’d the Lake of Zhau-chew, [or Jau-che to.] This laft being thirty Leagues in Compafs, is form’d by the Con¬ fluence of four Rivers, each as large as the Loire, which come out of the Province of Kyang-Ji. It is alfo fubjeft to Hurricans like the Seas of China ; for in lefs than a quarter of an Hour the Wind will veer round all the Points of the Compafs, and fometimes fink the largeft Barks. In approaching the moll dangerous part of the Lake, a Temple appears built on a fteep Dangermn Rock ; on fight of which the Chinefe Mariners beat a kind of Brafs Drum, to inform the M'ngonthe Idol of their Arrival, and lighting Wax Candles in Honour of it, upon the Fore-part of the LskcH, '- ,,, "S' Bark, burn Incenle, and facrifice a Cock. To prevent thefe Inconveniences Barks are ftation’d here on Purpofe to fuccour thofe who arc in Danger of being caft away ; altho’ it often happens that thofe who are appointed to give the Affiftance, are the moft forward to work the Merchants Deftruffion, in order to enrich themfelves with the Spoil, efpecially if they think they can do it without being difeover’d. Neverthelefs, the Vigilance of the Magiftrates of China is very great: A Mandarin places his chief Glory in alliftingthe People, and (hewing that he has a Paternal Affedtion for them. In tempeftuous Weather you fee the Mandarin of Jau-chew, after giving Order not to crofs the Lake, go in Perfon to the Side of it, and there continue all Day long; with Defign to hinder, by his Prefence, any one from raflily expofing himfelf to the Dangers of perifliing, thro’ Greedinefs of Gain. Befides thefe principal Lakes there are many others in the feveral Provinces, which, together Canals/ with a multitude of Springs, Rivulets, and Torrents, that defcend from the Mountains, have given Occafion to the induftrious Chinefe of cutting numberlefs Canals, wherewith all their Lands are water’d. There is fcarce a Province but what has a large Canal of clear and deep Water, inclos’d between two Caufeways, cas’d with flat Stones, or Marble Slabs, laid on the Ground, and fatten'd in Pofts of the fame Materials, by means of Grooves. ’ The Canals are cover’d with Bridges at convenient Diftances, confiding of three, five, or feven Arches, in order to open a Communication between the feveral parts of the Country. The middle Arch is always exceeding high, that Barks may pafs with their Marts up : The Tops of the Arches are well built, and the Piers fo narrow, that at a Diftance the Arches feem to hang in the Air. The principal Canal difeharges itfelf on the Right and Left into (everal other fmall ones; which are divided again into a great number of Brooks, that run to fo many different large Towns, and even confiderable Cities. They alfo often form Ponds and fmall Lakes, whereby the neighbouring Plains are water’d. The Chinefe, not contented with thefe Canals, which are of infinite Conveniency for Travellers and trading People, have dug many others with admirable Induftry and Art, for the Reception of Rain, to water the Plains cover'd with Rice; for Rice requires to be almoft continually in Water. But nothing of this Kind is to be compar’d to the great Canal, call’d Tun-lyang, or RoyaP'^-h-rg, Canal, which is three hundred Leagues in Length. The Emperor Shi-tfu, who was Chief of the Wejlern Tartars, and Founder of the twentieth Dynafty of the Turn, undertook and executed this grand Work, which is one of the Wonders of the Empire. This Prince having Vol, I, 4 N conquer’d 32 6 Occafion of its being made. Its Courfe. Depth of Water. Rivers. Th zYang tfc- kyang. its Couii'e. Depth. Signification of its Name. The Wvang- ho , or Yellow River. Its Courfe very rapid. Canals and Rivers of CHINA. conquer’d all China , and being already Matter of }VefcniTartary,{ which extends from the Province of Pe-che-li, as far as the Great Mogof s Empire, Perfia, and the CaJ'pian Sea,) iefolv’d to fix his Refidence at Pc-king , to be, as it were, in the Center of his vaft Dominions, that he might govern them with the greater Eafe. But as the Northern Provinces were unable to furnifti Proviiion9 Sufficient for fuch a large City, lie caus’d a vaft number of Veffels and long Barks to be built, in order to fetch from the Maritime Provinces Rice, Callicoes, Silks, Merchandizes, and other Commodities neceffary for the Maintenance of his numerous Court and Troops. But finding this Method dangerous, and that Calms detain’d the Provifions too long, and StOFms occafion’d many Ship-wrecks, he employ’d, at an infinite Expence, innumerable Work¬ men, who with incredible Induftry carry’d on through many Provinces this prodigious Canal, upon which all the Riches of the South and North are convey’d. After it has crofs’d the Pro¬ vinces of Pe-che-li and Shan-tong, it enters that of Kyang-nan, and difcharges itfelf into the great and rapid JVhang-ho, or Yellow River ; whereon having fail’d for two Days you come to another River, and prefently after find the Canal again, which leads to the City of Whay-ngan. From thence patting by many Cities and Towns, rt arrives at Yatig-ckew , one of the moft famous Ports of the Empire; and a little beyond it enters the great River Yang-tfe- kyang, one Day’s Journey from Nan-king. Continuing your Courfe on this River to the Lake Po-yang in Kyang-Ji , you crofs it, and enter the River Kan-kyang , which divides that Province nearly into two equal Parts, and afeend the Stream as far as Nan-ngan. From thence you go by Land to Nan-hyong, the chief City of 9 luang-tong , where you embark upon a River, that carries you to Kan-ton : fo that you may travel very commodioufly, by means of the Rivers and Canals, from Pe-king to the fartbeft part of China , being about fix hundred Leagues by Water. To facilitate the Navigation of this Canal, they commonly allow a Fathom and an ; half Water; but when the Stream is fwell’d and threatens to overflow the neighbour¬ ing Fields, they take care to make Trenches in divers Places, in order to keep it within Bounds. There are Inlpedlors appointed, who vifit the Canal continually, accompany’d with Work¬ men to repair the damag’d Places. China abounds alfo with navigable Rivers, as appears from the Defcription already given of the Provinces ; wherefore it will be fufficient to fpeak here of the two great Rivers which run acrofs this vaft Empire. The firft (call’d Yang-tfe-kyang, commonly tranflated, Tlje Son of the Sea , or Ta-kyang , that is, The Great River , or Amply Kyang, Yhe River, by way of Eminence) runs from Weft to Eaft, rifing in the Mountains belonging to the Country of the Tu-fan , about thirty three Degrees of Latitude. It receives different Names, according to the different Places it palfes through; and, dividing into feveral Branches, forms a great many Iflands full of Rufhes, which ferve as Fewel for the Cities round about. Firft crofting a Skirt of the Pro¬ vince of Yun-nan, it afterwards runs through thofe of Se-chwen , Hu-quang , and Kyatig-nan. Its Stream is very rapid, but after making many Windings and Turnings in thofe Provinces, (where it lofes and refumes its Name of Ta-kyang) as far as the City of Kin-chew , it begins to be flacken’d by the Sea Tide, (which meets it at the City of Kyew-kyang,) and glides along more flowly ; thenceforward it is fo gentle at all times, but efpecially at the new and full Moon, as to admit being fail’d upon. It palfes next by Nan-king , and falls into the Eaftern Sea, over-againft the Ifle of Yfong-ming . This River is broad, deep, and exceeding full of Filh. The Chinefe have a common Saying, That the Sea is without a Shore, and the Kyang without a Bottom ; Hay vu-pin, Kyang vu-ti. They pretend that in feveral places they find no Bottom with a Sounding- Lead, and that in others there are two or three hundred Fathom Water; but it is probable in this they exaggerate, and that their Pilots have judg’d fo, only becaufe they found no Bottom with their Lines, which do not exceed fifty or fixty Fathom. It feems they are miftaken likewife in tranflating Yang-tfe by the Sg?i of the Sea ; for the Cha¬ racter us’d in writing Yang , is different from that which fignifies the Sea, tho’ the Sound and Accent are the fame. Among its various Significations that given to it formerly {Length¬ ens this Conjecture : for in the time of the Emperor Yu it denoted a Province of China, bounded on the South, by this River, which it is thought took the name thereof, becaufe the Emperor diverted the Waters which overflowed the Province into its Channel. The fecond River is call’d Whang-ho, or, the Yellow River: A Name given to it on account of the Colour of its Waters, which are mix’d with yellowifh Clay, wattl’d off its Banks by the Force of its Stream. It rifes about the thirty fifth Degree of Latitude, in the mountainous Country of the Tartars of Koko nor, which having patted thro’, it runs for a while along the fide of the great Wall, and then taking a fweep round the Lands of the Ortos Tartars, re-enters China between the Provinces of Shan-fi and Shen-fi. Next it croffes the Province of Ho-nan, with part of Kyang-nan ; and after a Courfe of about fix hundred Leagues, difcharges itfelf into the Eaftern Sea, not far from the Mouth of the River Yang-tfe-kyang. Altho’ this River is exceeding large, and traverfes a great Extent of Land, yet it is not very navigable, becaufe it is almoft impofiible to fail up it, without a ftrong, as well as fair Wind. Sometimes it makes great Havock in the Places thro’ which it paffes, where breaking its Banks, it fuddenly overflows the Country, and lays whole Villages and Cities under Water; for which Reafon they are oblig’d to make long and thick Dikes in certain Places to reftrain the Waters. The Lands of the Province of Ho-nan being low, and the Banks liable to be broken down, as I have Barks and Ships of CHINA. I have elfewhcre obferv’d they us’d to be formerly, they raife, by way of Precaution, round I moft of the Cities, at the Diftance of more than a Quarter of a Mile from the Wall, a j ftrong Inclofure or fort of Bank made of Earth, cover’d with Sods. The Canals, as well as Rivers, are all cover’d with Barks, of various Sizes; which fome- nrvrsTnd ' : times lye fo dole together for more than three Quarters of a Mile, that it is impoffible to fqueeze Canals, i in one more amongft them. They reckon about ten thouliind which belong to the Emperor, c and are wholly employ’d in carrying Tribute and all forts of Provision from the Provinces to ^ the Court. Thefe imperial Barks, call'd Lyang-chwen, or Barks of the Prtroifms, have all flat Bottoms, and are of equal Breadth from Head to Stern. There are others which are appointed to carry Stuffs, Brocades, Pieces of Silk, &c. which are call’d Long-i-chwen, that is, Barks with Dragon-habits ; becaufe the Emperor’s Arms are Dragons with five Claws, and ! his Garments and Moveables are always adorn'd with the Figures of Dragons in Embroidery or Painting. Each Bark makes but one Voyage in a Year, and carries no more than one fourth Part of its full Burden. They pay the Matter of the Bark a certain Sum out of the Royal Treafury, according as the Place from which he fet out is diftant from the Court: for inftance, if he comes from the Province of Kyangfi, which is above three hundred Leagues from Pe-king, they give him a hundred Taels. This Sum, tis true, feems too little for defraying his Expence; but then he gets what does that and a good deal more, by the Liberty of taking in Palfengers as well as Goods, which pafs the Cuftom Houfes Toll-free. There is a third fort of Barks, higher and fmaller than others call’d Tfo chwen, which are ap- Thofe for pointed to carry the Mandarins to their refpetflive Governments in the Provinces, „ and Perfons °f Diftinbtion, who are fent from, or call'd to Court. They have two Decks, upon the firft of which, there is a compleat Apartment reaching from one End to the other, about feven or eight Foot high ; its Rooms are painted within and without, varnifh’d, gilt, and extremely neat: but I have given a particular Defcription of them in another Place, [p. 286.] There a Mandarin may deep, eat, ftudv, write, receive Vifits, &c. In fhort, has every thing as convenient and neat about him as in his "own Palace : Indeed it is impoffible to travel more agreeably than in thefe Balks. There are befides an infinite number of Barks belonging to private Perfons, fome very com- Several Sorts modious, which are hir’d to th a Literati or rich Folks, who have Occafion to travel; others g ar £" va “ much larger, made ufe of by the Merchants, for carrying on Trade: and laftly, there are a pro¬ digious Multitude of Barks where whole Families dwell, having no other Habitation, and live more conveniently than in Houfes on Land. In the lmalleft fort, which have no Cabbins, they make a kind of Tilt or Arch of thin Mats about five Foot fquare, to defend them from the Rain and Heat of the Sun. You lee likewife fome that may be call’d a kind of Galleys; which are convenient for failing x;; ri; i 0 fGai- upon the Rivers, along the Sca-coaft, and among the Iflands. Thefe Barks are as long as Met- ley: chant-men of three hundred and fifty Tuns. But as they are fhallow, and draw no more than two foot of Water ; as alfo their Oars are long, and do not extend a crofs the Sides of the Bark like thofe in Europe , but are plac’d on the Outfide, in a pofuion altnoft parallel to the Body of the Bark, every Oar is eafily mov’d by a few Hands, and the Vefl'el made to go very fwiftly. I fhall fay nothing here of certain fmall Barks, built in Form of a Dragon, and drefs'd out every Year on a Feftival-day, whereof an account has been given already [p. lot] The Merchants trading in Timber and Salt, who by the way are the richeft in all China , Rafts or inftead of Barks to carry their Goods, ufe a fort of Rafts, or Floats, made in the following man- SI 1 ™" 0 " the ner: After the Timber, which they cut down in the Mountains, and neighbouring Foretts, off" the Province of Se-chwen , is brought to the fide of the River Kyang, they take what is necef- faryto make a Raft, four or five Foot high, and ten long. Then boring Holes in both ends of the Pieces of Wood, they run thro’ them twitted Oziers, with which they fatten the reft of the Timber together, and fo form a Raft, floating on the River, of any length ; which is propor¬ tion’d to the Wealth of the Merchants, there being fome half a League long. The feveral Parts of the Raft thus put together, move eafily any way, like the Links of a Chain. Four or five Men on the Fore-part guide it with Poles and Oars; while others, plac’d all along the fide at equal Diftance, help to condufl it. They build thereon, from Space to Space, Booths cover’d with Boards, or Mats, where they put their Moveables, drefs their Victuals, and take their reft. In the different Cities which they touch at, they fell their Houfes along with their Timber ; and thus they float above fix hundred Leagues, when they carry their Wood to Pe-king. As the Cbinefe fail upon the Sea, as well as Rivers, they have always had pretty good Ships; Ships for and pretend to have croffed over the Indian Seas long before the Birth of Chriji. But what- Sca - ever Knowledge they may have had of Navigation, they have not brought it to a greater Per- feftion than their other Sciences. Their Ships, which they call Chwen in common, with Boats and Barks, are nam’d by the Their Portuguefe Soma, or Sonnies ; but for what Reafon is not known. Thefe Veflels are not to be an d Suuttur* compar'd to ours, the largeft of them carrying no more than from two hundred and fifty to three hundred Tuns. They are properly no other than flat Barks, with two Matts, and not above eighty or ninety Foot in length. The Fore-part is not made with a Beak, but rifes up fomewhat like two Wings or Horns, which make an odd Figure; the Stern is open in the middle to receive the Rudder, and ibelter it from the beating of the Waves. This Rudder, which is about five or fix Foo t broad, may be eafily rais’d or lower’d by means of a Cable, fatten’d to it from the Stern. Thefe 52 .S Their Mail¬ ing- Sails. Caulking. Anchors of Wood. Cbintje Sail¬ ing. Defcription of a Chinefi Ship. Malls and Rigging. Sails. Barks and Ships of CHI N A. Thefe Veffels have neither a Mizzen-maft, Bow-fprit, nor Scuttles; all the Mailing confifts ol a Main-maft, and Fore-maft, to which they add fometimes a very fmall Top-maft of no great ufe. The Main-maft is plac’d near the Fore-maft, which ftands very forward upon the Prow ; the Proportion of one to the other is commonly at two or three, and the Length of the Main-maft is ufually two thirds of the Length of the Veffel. ’ a Their Sails are made of Matts of Bambu, (a kind of Canes common in China ) divided into Leaves like a Pocket-Book, and join’d together by Poles, which are alfo of Bambu. At the Top there is a piece of Wood, ferving for a Sail-Yard ; and at the Bottom, a fort of Plank above a Foot broad, and five or fix Inches thick, which keeps the Sail fteady, when they have a mind to lower it, or hoift it up. Thefe forts of Ships are no good Sailors ; tho’ they hold much more Wind than ours, becaufe of the Stiffnefs of their Sails, which do not yield to the Gale : yet as they are not built in fo commodious a manner, they l’ofe the Advan- tage they have over ours in this Point. Their Veffels are not caulk’d with Pitch and Tar, as thofe of Europe, but with a par¬ ticular fort of Gum; which is fo good, that a Well or two, made in the Bottom of the Hold of the Ship, is fufficient to keep it dry : for hitherto they have had no Knowledge of a Pump. 5 Their Anchors are not made of Iron, like ours, but of a hard and heavy Wood, which for that Reafon they call fiye-mu, that is. Iron Wood. They pretend that thefe Anchors are much better than the Iron ones; becaufe, fay they, thefe are apt to bend, which thofe of the Wood they ufe never do : however, they commonly tip both the Flukes with Iron. The Chinefi have on Board neither Pilot nor Mafter, the Veffel being wholly under the Manage¬ ment of thofe who fteer her. It muft be confefs'd, however, that they are tolerable Seamen, and very good Coafting-Pilots, but indifferent Pilots in the main Sea. They lay the Head of the Ship upon the Rumb, on which they propofe to fail ; and without giving themfelves any Pain about the Deviation of the Veffel, thus hold on their Courfe as they think convenient. This Negligence proceeds, no doubt, from their making no long Voyages, yet when they have a mind they foil tolerably well. As the five Jefuit Miffionaries, who went from Siam to China, in 1687, (embarking the feventeenth of June , on Board a Chinefi Soma, the Captain of which belong’d to Kan-ton,) had Leizure enough, during their Voyage, to examine the StruQure of thefe forts of Veffels”; the particular Defcription which they made of them, will give the Reader a molt exaft Know- ledge ot the Chincfc Navigation. The Ship they embark’d in, according to the way of reckoning among the Indian Portu- guefi, carry'd nineteen hundred Pics -, which at the Rate of one hundred Cam, or one hundred and twenty five Pound a Pic, comes to near one hundred and twenty Tuns ; a Tun Weight is computed two thoufand Pounds. The Model of it was tolerably handfome, except the Fore¬ part, which was flat, and without a Beak. Its Mailing was different from that of our Veffels with relpedt to the Difpofition, Number, and Strength of the Malls. Its main Maft was plac’d within a fmall matter where our Fore-Mall (lands, fo that the two Malls were near to one another. For Stays and Shrouds it had a Ample Rigging, which reach’d from Star-board to Lar-board, that it might be always fatten'd out of the Wind. It had alfo a Bolt-fprit and Mizzen-maft, which was plac’d to the Lar-board. As for thefe latter they were very fmall, and fcarce delerv’d the Name; but to make Amends, the Main-maft was extremely large in Pro¬ portion to the Veffel ; and to ftrengthen it Hill more, it was fupported by two Fillies, or Side-beams, ladl’d to it, reaching from the Keelfon up to the fecond Deck. Two flat pieces of Wood ftrongly fallen d by Pegs on the Top of the Main-maft, and join'd together at the upper ends, extending (even or eight Foot above the fame, fupply’d the Place of a Top-maft. It had two Sails, the Main and Fore-Sail both made of Matts : the firll was forty-five Foot in Hight, and twenty-eight or thirty Foot in Breadth ; the fecond was proportionable to the Maft that carry’d it. They were furnilh’d on both fides with leveral Rows of Bambu, laid along the Breadth of the Sail, near a Foot afunder on the Outfide, and fomewhat farther afunder on the "Side next to the Mall ; on which they were llrung by means of leveral Chaplets or Rings, that took up about a fourth part of the Breadth of the Sail, reckoning from the Side where there were no Braces. So that the Malls divided the Sails into two very unequal Parts, leaving more than three Quarters of them on the Side of the Braces ; whereby each Sail was difpos’d to turn upon its Maft as upon a Hinge, and run without Difficulty towards the Stern, at lead twenty fix Points, when it was neceffary to tack about, fometimes bearing upon the Maft, and fometimes only upon the Chaplets. The Yard ferv’d for Rat-lines above ; and a great round Pole as thick as the Yards, perform’d the fame Office below : It like- wile ferv’d to keep the Sail ftraight, which, to prevent its tearing, was fupported in two Places with Planks, fufpended by two Ropes, hanging down from the Top of the Maft for this Pur- pofe. Each of the Sails had but one Brace, one Bow-line, and what the Portuguefi call a Spider- which is a long Parcel of fmall Tacklings on the Edge of the Sail from Top to Bottom,’ about two Foot afunder, whofe ends are fatten'd to the Brace, where they make a (Iron'' Knot. 0 This fort of Sail folds and unfolds like a Skreen. When they would hoift the main Sail they made ufe of two Wind-laffes, and three Halliards or Ropes, which pafs thro’ as many Pulleys fix d at the Head of the Main-maft. When they were about furling the Sail, they laid Barks and Ships of CHINA, &c. V-9 I laid hold of it with two Iron Hooks, and after looling the Ropes, they folded the Plates one after another, hauling them down forcibly with the Hooks. The Rigging being ill-contriv’d, the ordering of it takes up a great deal of Time ; wherefore Rigging ill the Chine/e, to lave Trouble, let the Sail flap to and fro during a Calm. It is eafy to fee that the enormous Weight of this Sail, join’d to that of the Wind, which ads upon the Mail fome. as upon a Lever, would drive the Prow under Water, if they had not prevented this Incon¬ venience by their Method of flowing ; for they load Veffels much more behind than before, to counter-balance the Force of the Wind : hence it happen’d, that when they were at Anchor, the Prow was all above Water, while the Stern lay very deep under it. Indeed there is this Advantage in the Largenefs of their Sail, and its Situation upon the Fore-caftle, that they proceed very fwiftly, when fleering right before the Wind ; nay, can, if we believe them, keep up with our beft Sailors, and even leave them behind. But then with a quar¬ terly or Side-Wind they cannot hold it, and are driven out of their Courfe : not to mention the Danger they are in of being turn'd about, when they are Appriz'd with a fudden Flurry of Wind. In fine Weather they carry’d, befides a Sprit-Sail and a Top-Sail, a Driver, (which was plac’d on the Side of the Sail that had no Braces) Bonnet-Sails, or Drabblers, and a fquare Sail on the Mizzen-maft ; all of them made of C'allicoe. The Stern was cleft in the middle to make Room for the Rudder, to lie in a kind of The Stern. Chamber, which ihelter'd it from the beating of the Sea in ftormy Weather. This Chamber was form’d by the two fides of the Poop, which leaving a large Opening outwards, approach'd nearer within, and form'd an accute Angle, the Point whereof was cut off, to give the Rudder fufficient Room to play. This Rudder hung by two Cables, the two ends of which were wound about a Capftan The Rudder, plac’d on the higheft part of the Stern, in order to raife or lower it, as Occafion ferv'-d; then two other'’Cables (a) paffing under the Veffel, were carry’d up to the Fore-part of the Ptow, where they were kept tight alfo by the help of a Capftan, and when flacken’d ferv’d in place of the Hinges, by which ours are fatten’d to the Stern-poft. To augment the Force of the Steerfman, the Rudder had a Whipftaff, feven or eight Foot long, but without either a Handle or Pulley : there were alfo fatten’d four Tacklings, two to each Side of the Veffel, and one of each Couple was turn’d feveral times over the end of the Whipftaff, to enable the Steerfman to keep.the Rudder in its proper Pofition. A Rudder made after this manner can fcarcely be felt by a large Veffel; partly becaufe the very incon- Ropes, by whole means it communicates its Motion, eafily ftretch, but chiefly by reafon of its conti- venlenI ' nual Wabbling, occafion'd by the inceffant Trembling of thofe Ropes : from whence arifes another Inconvenience, namely, that there is all the Difficulty in the World to keep the Veffel fteady on the fame Rumb. They have begun to make Soma, which the Portuguefe call Mejiifas, becaufe they fix Rudders to them after the European manner, without varying ill other Refpedts from the Chinefe form of Building. The King of Siam had fome of them made, carrying feven or eight hundred Tun each, which were much the largeft that ever were feen of the fort. The Pilot made no ufe of a Mariner’s Compafs, but fleer’d his Courfe by a Card of a very The Card oy Ample make. The Rim of the Box was divided into twenty four equal parts, which c ° m P als - mark’d the Points or Winds, and were plac’d upon a Bed of Sand ; which did not lerve fo much for laying them foft and fecure againft the Agitation of the Veffel, which every Moment deftroy’d the Equilibrium of the Needle, as to hold the Paftils, wherewith they perfum'd them inceffantly. But this was not the only Regale thefe Compafles received from the fuperfti- tuous Chinefe , who look’d upon them as fure Guides in their Voyage ; for their Blindnefs was fo exceeding great as to offer them Victuals by way of Sacrifice. The Pilot took great Care to furnifh his Binocle well with Nails, by which it appears how How they unlkilful this Nation is in Navigation. The Chinefe are affirm'd to be the firft Inventors of the Mariner's Compafs, but if this be true, they have made little Advantage of it. They directed the Head of the Ship to the Rumb they defign’d to fleer upon, by the help of a Silken Thread, which divided the Surface of the Card in two equal parts, from North to South. This they perform’d in two different manners: for Inftance, to fail North-Eaft, they put this Rumb parallel to the Keel of the Ship, and then turn’d the Veffel about, till the Neddie became parallel to the String ; or elfe, which comes to the fame thing, putting the Thread parallel to the Keel, they made the Needle point to the North-Weft. The Needle of the largeft Compafs was not above three Inches long ; at one end there was a kind of Flower-de- Luce, and a Trident at the other. They were all made at Nanga faki [in Japan.\ The Bottom of the Hold was divided into five or fix large Chambers, feparated by ftrong The Hold, Wooden Partitions. Inftead of a Pump they had only a Well at the Foot of the Main-maft, from whence they drew the Water with Buckets. Tho’ the Sea ran very high, and the Veffel was deeply laden, yet thro’ the Strength of its Planks, and Goodnefs of its caulking, it fcarcelet in any Water. This Caulk is a kind of Compofition of Lime, Oil, or rather Rofin, which diftils from the The Caulk- Tree call’d Tong Jhu , [fee p. 9] and Ockarn of Beimbu. The Lime is the principal Ingredient, and ,ns " V OL. I. (a) Thefe two Cables, I fuppofe, were fatten'd to the lower end of the Rudder. 4 o when! 330 The Money of CHINA, when the Stuff is dry, one would take it for Lime, and nothing elfe. This fort of Caulking,beficks being more cleanly, is free from that loathfome Smell of Tar, which reigns on board our Shins, and is intolerable to thofe who are not accuffom'd to it, But there is a 'dill more confidcrable Advantage in this fort of Caulking, in regard their Ships are thereby fecur’d againft Accidents of Fire, which ours are expos’d to by the Pitch and Tar. Anchor.. The Anchors were of Wood, except the Sheet-Anchor, whofe Flukes were cover’d with Plates of Iron. All the Tackling, as well as the Cables, are made of Ratan Cane, or of Hards of the Cocoa- Tree, call’d by the Portuguefe, Cairo. MdOfikm’" ThC Shi P s Crew confided of forty feven Perfons, including the Officers. The Pilot had nothing to do but to fet the Compafs, and appoint the Courfe ; the Steerfman directed the working of the Ship ; and the Captain provided Neceffaries for the Men without giving himfelf any farther Trouble: and yet every thing was done with furprizing Readinefs. This Harmony proceeds from the Intereft that the Crew has to preferve the Ship ; every one hav- ing a Share in the loading (r). The Officers and Sailors, indead of receiving any Pay, have the Liberty of putting a certain Quantity of Merchandizes on Board the Veffel, where’ each has his particular Apartment ; the Space between the Decks being divided into different CabbinS. In (hort, it may be laid in general, that the Chinefe are diligent, attentive, and laborious, wanting nothing but a little Experience to make them very good Sea Men. Of the Money which, at different Times, has been current in China. Gold a Commodity in China. Silver not coin’d but cut into Bits, Money- Scales. Standard of Silver and its different Alloys. Cutting their Silver very inconvenient in recale Trade. Copper Money. O NLY two forts of Metals, viz. Silver and Copper, are current in China, to purchafe Neceffai les, and to carry on Trade. Gold is on the lame Footing as precious Stones in Europe, for it is bought like other Merchandize, and the Europeans, who traffic there, make confiderabie Profit by dealing in it. As for Silver, it is not coin’d as in Europe, but is cut into bits, great or fmall as Occa- fion requires; and its Value is rated by the Weight, not the Prince’s Image. They generally carry about them, in a neat japann’d Cafe, a pair of fmall Scales, not unlike the Roman Balance. It is compos’d of a little Plate, an Ivory or Ebony Beam, and a Weight. The Beam, which is divided into minute Parts on three lldcs, is fufpended by Silken Strings at one of the ends, in three different Points, that they may more eafily weigh things. This fort of Ballance is exceeding exaft, for any Money from fifteen or twenty Taels down to a Sous, and lefs, may be weigh’d therein, with fo great Nicety, that the thoufandth Part of a Crown will fe’nfiblv turn the Scale. " 3 Their Silver is not equally fine: but as we fix the greateft Degree of fined for Gold at twenty four Carats, they divide their Alloy into one hundred parts, which is the Degree of the fined: Silver. However one meets with Silver.from ninety to an hundred Parts; alfo feme of eighty Parts: but this is reckon’d the bafeft Alloy, and will not pafs unlefs the Weight be augmented, till it amounts to the Value of that which is current in Trade. The Ingots, which are the fined Silver, are us’d only in paying large Sums. The Chinefe are very fkilful in judging at Sight of the fined of Silver, and are fcarcely ever midaken. The Difficulty is to make ule of the Ingots, in the Retale way : for fometimes they are forc’d to put it in the Fire, and beat it thin with a Hammer, in order to cut it more eafily into little Bits, and give the Price agreed upon ; whence it happens that they are always longer in mak¬ ing the Payment than the Purchafe. They own it would be more convenient to have, as in Europe, Money of a fix’d Value, and determinate Weight : but then they fay the Provinces would fwarm with Clippers and Coiners, whereas that Inconvenience is not to be fear’d, while they cut the Silver, in order to pay for what they buy. As in cutting it fo often) it is hard to avoid lofing feme fmall Particles, fo you will fee poor People very bufy in gathering and waffling the Dirt, that is thrown out of the Shops into the Streets, the Trifle they find being fufficient to fubfid them. Copper Money is the only Sort that has any Charaflers ftarnpt thereon, and is of Ufe in Retale Bufinefs: thefe are fmall round pieces or Deniers, with a hole in the Middle, which they put on Strings by hundreds, to the number of a thoufand. The Metal is neither pure nor hammer’d. Ten of thefe pieces go to a Sous, ten Sous make the tenth part of a Chinefe Crown, call’d Lyang, and, by the Portuguefe, Taels, which are in Value about a hundred Sous of French Money. Thefe fmall pieces have been the current Money of China in all times; and the Curious preferve feme that were coined in the Reigns of the mod ancient Emperors, and have either pafs’d from Family to Family, or have been found in the Ruins of Cities and Palaces. (B) I am nthcr of Opinion this Harmony is owing to that in the Minds of the Chintfi, above all other People. Seep, great Law of $ubmiifion f Induftry, and Good Nature, ingrafted 51, 278, and elfcwhere. What Vol.I.p. )| rAe h’l/iamdei ' C/iaic Tatt '^\K "tl /una his is tv 6 e i fait 1 rrn t/ie re#fit C rrut fr f/te /eft j ■ Coins . Tye/t hya - 7 on ^ ! fsau P“ A£' ; Jjjf i 4 v/ '- ik/.. Wacei•tain, oefbiYu/n tv rn./vrm ei ly Current in China ; Ant atrvhat time is un&ntrron , The t'oui toy y Tita/'itn • hav- \ lilyy>i v/en ted \ tAisTetctivriilt : ts ordainedf/ttif' />’Paper Mono y ihusmtvA d/otthi/\ fi/yn-ruit Seat of the J/tny shati t'afr thfivn t.6c tie eft use as /act/ as // Copp er Co m . Ttuse m/io toi/tt- terfeit ttsha/tAc • heheadtd: // Ancient and Modern. 33 i What lam going to relate, is taken from dn ancient Book, concerning Coins, the Author g xtra ^ froA of which lived under the Dynafty of the Song : it was lent to me by P. Dentrecolles. He an Author/ treats of the Matter and Form of Coins, their Infcriptions, Value, and the Dynafties in c 0 "“ rnin * which they were current: he then fpeaks of uncertain Money, that is, Money, the Time of whofe Currency is unknown ; foreign Coin introduc’d by Trade; and laftly, the fuperftitious Coins, or thofe, concerning which, in Procels of Time, the People thro’Folly have enter¬ tain’d certain fuperftitious Notions. The Word Tfyen, which was formerly us’d to exprefs what we call Money, properly Cbmje. Nam< fignifies The Water of a Fountain that rum 'without ceafmg , and figuratively, that fort of Metal for Moncy ' which continually paftes from Hand to Hand : but for a long time paft, they have given it the Name of Tfyen ; thus they fay, Tong-tfyen , Copper Money ; In-tfyen , Silver Money ; for lo they term at Kan-ton the Piafters and French Crowns. The Copper us’d for this fmall Coin being not pure, as I laid before, but always mix’d, Copper Coin the pieces of a good Alloy have four parts of Lead to fix parts of Copper ; which Mixture is not pure, the Caule that the red Copper lofes its Colour, as v/ell as Sound, and the Money made of it, tho’ thick, may be eafily broken with one’s Fingers. Thele pieces ferve for trifling Expences; but if the Sum laid out be any thin£ conliderable, they give them Strung, in form of a Chaplet or Beads, each containing a thoufand. The Time was when Gold and Silver Coin were current in China, as well as Copper. The Gold and Chinefe Author cites an ancient Book, which aflerts that under the Reign of Yu, Founder of ^ the firft Dynafty, call'd Hya, Gold, and Silver, and Copper were in ufe ; and that under other Dynafties there were Emperors, who permitted the Ufe of foreign Pieces of Gold and Silver, throughout their Dominions. There was alfo Money made of Tin, Lead, Iron, and even bak’d Earth, on which Figures Money of and Characters were ftamp’d. It is reported, that after the Reign of the Han , a certain Prince caus’d Money to be made of feal’d Earth, compacted with a ftrong Glew ; and taking a Fancy to put down Copper Money, he gather’d as much as he poflibly could, amounting to a prodi¬ gious Quantity, and burying it very deep in the Earth, caus’d the Workmen employ’d therein to be llain, that none might know where it was hidden. Certain little Shells, call’d Pwey in China, and Koris in the Kingdom of Bengal, have like- Koris Shells, wife ferv’d for fmall Money, [or Change] feveral of them going for one of the Copper Pieces : but they did not continue long in ufe. With refpeCt to the Form of Money, it has been of different Figures, under different p re fent Chi- Reigns. Since the time of the preceeding Dynafty, the Copper Pieces have always been round, Money and with a fquare Hole in the Middle: which Hole is edg’d with a Border, rifing a little, and round- was made, that they might be ftrung, and carry’d about, ready told by thoufands; every hundred being feparated by a String twifted about the laft Piece. It appears from the Hiftory of the Dynafty of the Han, which is very ancient, that in thofe Ages the Money was pierc’d in the fame manner. According to ancient Authors, befides the round Money, there were current, in the Beginning AncIcnt of the firft Dynafty, feme call’d Tau, which fignifies a Cutlafs, as having been of that bhape: Money of Another fort refembl’d the Back of a Tortoife, and for thisReafon was nam’d £>uey ■, Laftly, others J?"™ 5 term’d Pu, were of an extraordinary Form, as reprefented in the Plate. The round Money was commonly an Inch or an Inch and an half Diameter, and fome was twice as large. That call’d Pu and Tau, was five Inches long, and feem to have refembled the Cupans of < Japan : But, tho’ pierc’d on the Top; it was very inconvenient for Ufe, and on that account was put down. At one time there were Pieces fo fmall, that they were call’d Geefe Eyes ; and fo thin, that Coin of they fwam on the Water, and in handling were in Danger of been broken. It requir’d no lefs Se ”S- then ten thoufand of them to buy a Meafure of Rice, fufticient to fubfift a Man for ten Days. The firft appear’d under the Song, and did not continue long in Ufe, becaufe People refus’d to take them in the way of Trade. Under the firft Dynafty of the Tang, the Banks of the Yellow River having tumbl’d down, Coinof the the Emperor was inform’d that there were found three thoufand three hundred Pieces of Money ^ ree £ rft with three Feet; the Characters imprefs’d thereon were defac’d, and the Earth had eaten into >na them. This fo very ancient Coin was doubtlefs current under the firft Dynafties of the Hya , Shang , and Chew: for the Emperors of thofe Times kept their Court not far from that great River. But what Mark or Infcription is on this Money ? That of Europe is ftamp’d with the Head None fatti- of the Prince; but in China it is otherwife. According to the Genius of that Nation, it Em^ror’s* 6 would be deem’d indecent and difrefpe&ful to the Majefty of the Prince, for his Image to Image, be perpetually palling thro’ the Plands of Dealers, and the Dreggs of the People. The Infcriptions on their Coin are commonly the pompous Titles given by the reigning Ufual In- Princes, to the different Years of their Reign : as for Inftance, The Eternally Shi?iing ; The fcn f t,ons - Supremely Peaceful ; The Magnanimous, &c. The Learned are not deceiv’d by thefe Infcrip¬ tions, fo as to take every new Title for a new Emperor ; as fome Europeans , unacquainted with the Cuftoms of the Empire, have done, and by that means multiply’d the Number of the Emperors. The late Ka?ig-bi is perhaps the only Monarch, who, throughout one of the longeft Reigns, never affeCled to aflume fuch Titles. On 33 1 The Money of CHINA, On other Money may be feen the Names of the reigning Family, of the Tribunal that on^Co!n. arkS pretides over the Mint, or of the City where it was ,coin’d. Some are mark'd with the Value fet upon them by the Prince : fuch, for Inftance, as Pwan lyang, which lignifies baij a Tail. There is another fort, whofe Infcription is lingular enough, confiding of tliefe four Charadters: Stycy yu ching ti, that is, Money has its Run, and at length returns to the Emperor. With Regard to the Charadters on the ancient Money, fuch as the Pit and Tau, they are difficult to explain ; The mod fkilful ChineJ'e ingenioudy confeffing that they can neither under- dand nor read them. Some with Some of the ancient Coin being cover’d with Figures, are fuppos’d to have been current in Figures. ear i; e Q. Ag es . an d that, to avoid the Labour and Expence, they afterwards were content with more dmple Devices, fuch as Charadters are. There are three forts of them engraven, confiding of a Mixture of Silver and Tin. One of them, which is round, and weighs eight Taels, reprefents a Dragon in the midft of Clouds ; on another, which is of a Square Form, and weighs lix Taels, there is a Horfe galloping; the third is oblong and (liap’d like the Back of a Tortoife, with the Word Vang, that is, King, in every Compartment of it: this lad weigh'd but four Taels. A certain Author attributes the Invention of this Money to Ching-tang, Founder of the Dynady of the Shang ; the Charadters on the Reverie were defac’d. The Chinefe give a mide- rious Senfe to thefe Figures : The Tortoife, fay they, fignifies thofe who are attach’d to the Earth; the Horfe, fuch as are lefs wedded to it, and rife above it from Time to Time ; and the dying Dragon reprefents thofe who are intirely difingag’d from earthly Things. There are other ancient Coins to be found, dampt with Dragons ; doubtlefs, becaute the Dragon is the Symbol of the Chinefe Nation, as the Eagle was of the Roman. It is hard to affign what was the jud Value of this ancient Money : tho’ in my Opi¬ nion it ought to be determin’d by the Nature and Weight of the Metal. It is true that Regard has not always been had to that Rule ; The Princes, who fix the Value, having often rais’d or lower'd it, as their own Occafions requir’d, or the particular Species grew icarcer. Clhafi But for the better underdanding the Value of Money, whether ancient or modern, it w ' ight ’- mull be obferv’d, that the Chinefe Pound, call’d Lyang, is Sixteen Ounces; the Lyang nam’d by the Portuguefe Taels, is divided into ten Parts, call’d by the Chinefe Tfyen, and by the Por- tuguefe Mai-,' the Tfyen or Maz are divided into ten Fwen, which are equivalent to ten French Sous ; and the Fwen or Sous is divided into ten Li of Silver. The Beam of the Chinefe Scales carries thefe Divifions no farther ; and yet with relpeft to Gold or Silver of a confi- derable Weight, the Divifion is more minute, and almod extends to imperceptible Parts: for which Reafon it is fcarce polfible to convey a jud Idea of them in our Language. They divide the Li into ten IVha, the IVha into ten Se," the Se into ten Fit, the Fu into ten Chin, the Chin, which fignifies a Grain of Dufl, into ten lay, the Yay into ten Myau, the Myau into ten Mo, the Mo into ten Tfyun, and the Tjyun into ten Sun. Value of the T bj s being known, it will be yet impoffible to afcertain the jud Value of the ancient uncertaim° ln Coin: for tho’ the Weight is mark’d thereon, fome of them pafs’d for much more than their intrinfic Value came to. There was a Time when the Scarcity of Species oblig’d the Emperor to raife the Value of the very fmall Copper Pieces fo exceffively, that one of them was worth ten of the fame fort, current in former Times. This has often occafion’d popular Tumults, becaufe the Merchants rais’d the Price of Commodities in Proportion. This Scarcity of Species happen’d either thro’ the hidden Irruption of Foreigners, who loaded whole Barks with this Coin, and carry’d it away ; or elfe thro’ the Cautioufnefs of People, who bury’d it in time of War, and dy’d without difcovering where it was hid. Copper was once fo fcarce, that the Emperor caus’d near fourteen hundred Temples of Fo, to be demolifir’d, and all the Copper Images to be melted down in order to coin them into Money : at other times the People have been dridfly prohibited the Ufe of any Veflels or other Utenfils of Copper, and oblig’d to deliver them in at the Mint. PaperMouey Matte rS were carry’d ftill farther in the Beginning of the Reign of Hong-vtt , Founder of 5 jf“ tlie the twenty fecond Dynafty, call’d Ming, when Money was become fo very fcarce, that they paid the Mandarins and Soldiers partly in Silver and partly in Paper ; giving them a Sheet of Paper feal’d with an Imperial Seal, which pafs’d for a thoufand little Copper Pieces, or a Tael of Silver. Thefe Sheets are yet much fought after, by fuch as build, who hang them up as a Rarity to the chief Beam of the Houfe; the People and even fome of the Quality being fo fimple as to imagine, that it preferves it from all Misfortunes, and thcFocw. Such Money as this could not have any great Run ; Shop Keepers could never confent to give their Commodities for a Scrap of Paper : So that the Quarrels, Law Suits, and other Inconveniences, which happen’d every Day, oblig’d the Emperor to put it down. It had been introduc’d before with as little Succefs under the Dynafty of the Twen: but Marco Polo is miftaken in affirming, in the eighteenth Chapter of his fecond Book, that the Bark of the Mulberry-Tree was employ’d to make the Paper which compos’d this Money; for fuch Trees are too precious to be deftroy’d by the Chinefe. In effedl it was made of the Bark of the Kii-chu, a Tree of little Value, and full of Pith like the Elder, whereof they make a ftronger Paper than that of Bambu. Money, The Copper Money is not hammer’d as in Europe, but caft, and is coin’d no where at where corn’d. p re f ent but Court. Formerly indeed Money was coin’d at twenty two feveral Places, but then there Ancient and Modern. 333 there was an exprefs Order for it from the Emperor; and even at a Time when there werd Princes lb powerful that, not contented with the Quality of Duke, they affirmed the Title of Kings, yet none of them ever durft claim the Right of coining: the Money current in their Do¬ minions, having always born the Emperor’s Mark, however weak his Authority might have It is ealy to judge that there would be many Dcbafers of Money in China , if the Silver was coin'd as well as Copper, fmce their fmall Pieces of Copper are fo often counterfeited. The punil ' n - 3 .' Chinefe, who follow this Trade, ftarnp the falfe Coin with the fame Charaders that are upon the true, but neither the Metal nor the Weight is 1 b good. If they happen to be detefled they ouo-ht to be put to Death by the Law : and yet fome Princes have been contented with ordering the Hand to be cut off, others, with banifhing the Offender ; nay, in the Time of extraordinary Scarcity of this fmall Money, fome have wink’d at the counterfeit Coin, till it has been difperfed all over the Empire, and then confifcating it, have put it upon the fame Foot with the Imperial Money. As the very fmall Pieces are no longer current, fuch as have any of them beat them out with a Hammer, till they are as broad as the Pieces now in Ufe ; and being put upon a String among the reft, are not perceiv'd by the Merchants. Nay, fome have gone fo far as to cut Pafteboard in the fame Form, and mixt them with the reft upon the String; and the De¬ ceit is not perceiv’d till they come to lay out the Pieces feparately. Of the Coins anciently current in China , I have caus’d feveral to be engrav’d, of which no-^entm- certain Account can be given : fome belong to foreign Countries; but it is hard to determine what Countries, becaufe the ChineJ'e alter the Names fo much that there is no Poffibility of know¬ ing them : for inftance, they call Holland, Hung mau qua. The Kingdom of red-hair’d Men, becaufe they have feen fome of the Dutch with fair Hair and red Beards. Now, How is it pof- fible to find out any Country by fuch a Mark ? (a) There is other Money whole Original is very uncertain : only it is conjedured that they be¬ long’d either to the Tartars of Lyau-tohg, who for a time were Matters of the Province of Pe-che-li ; or elle to fome great Lords, or petty Kings, who had revolted, and taken the Title of Emperor. . .. In a word, there are certain Coins, with refped to which the People at prefent entertain fuper- ftitious Ideas, never thought of in the Ages when they were current. The Charaders or Figures imprefs’d thereon, relate "to Epocha's of Time, or Hiftorieal Fads, the Remembrance of which is loft : fuch is, for inftance, the Coin ftamped with the i mg-mihang and Ki-lin, two fabulous Animals, whereof the Chinefe relate a thoufand Stories. The firft is a Bird frequently mention’d by us already; and the latter is, according to them, compos’d of different Parts of leveral Crea¬ tures : it has the Hight and Cheft of an Ox ; the Body is cover'd with broad hard Scales ; it has a Plorn in the middle of the Forehead, with Eyes and Whilkers, like thole of the Chinefe Dragon. This Animal is the Symbol of the Military Mandarins of the firft Order. The late Emperor Kang-hi had a Cabinet wherein he had gather'd all Sorts of Coin, both ^rt ancient and modern; plac’d according to the Order of the Dynafties, by the Care of a Man¬ darin call’d Tjyang, Prefident of the Academy of the chief Defiers of the Empire. The moft ancient Coins in this curious Collefiion, are thofe current in the Time of Tail. There are thofe alfo of Ching-tang, the Founder of the Second Dynafty ; and a great Number belonging to the three celebrated Dynafties (mention’d in the Canonical Book Shu-iing ) of Hya, Shang and Chew, efpecially this laft. If thefe Pieces of Money are not genuine, but were counterfeited in latter Times, they might The anelent as well have forged Money for all the Emperors of the firft Dynafties ; but we find the Coin belonging to thefe latter Ages wanting, as well as thofe of the moft diftant Times. It is true they have fupply'd the Deficiency with Pafteboard Money, made according to the Idea the ancient Books give of thofe old Coin ; which indeed are io nicely imitated, as well with regard to Pro¬ portion of Parts as the Colour of the Metal, that this counterfeit Coin feems to be real. This Series of Coins is a concurrent Teftimony of the Truth of the Chineje Hiftory ; for who can doubt there was fuch a Dynafty, and filch an Emperor, finte the Money coin’d in their Times has been preferved for fo many Ages by the Chineje ? Of the Chinefe Trade. T H E Riches peculiar to each Province, and the Facility of conveying Mcrchandife, by DomefKc Means of the Rivers and Canals, have render’d the domeftic Trade of the Empire always . 3 very flourilhing. As to its foreign Trade it is fcarcely worth mentioning ; for the Chinefe , flourffhing* finding among themfelves all Things neceflary for the Support and Plealures of Life, feldom go far from home. So long as China was govern’d by Emperors of its own, the Ports were always 4 P fhut (a) The Chinefe know Holland by that Name well enough, tho’ we don’t. So we know their Country by the Name of China : but what Chinefe, as we wrongly call them, could find it out by that Name ? It is the fame with regard to Prefer John's Country, the Mogol' s Empire, Tartary, the Ifland' of St. Laurence, Newfoundland, and innumerable other Places ro which Europeans have given fantallic Names utterly unknown to the Natives. 334 Of the Chinefe TRADE. fruit up M Foreigners; but the Tartars, fince they became Mailers thereof, have open'd them to all Nations: therefore, to give a full Account of the Cbineje Trade, it is neceffary to fpeak, as well of that which they carry on among themfelves, and with their Neighbours, as of that carried on by the Europeans with them. Exceeds the xhe inland Trade of China is fo great, that the Commerce of all Europe is not to be com- E^ofe to- 3 " par’d therewith ; the Provinces being like fo many Kingdoms, which communicate to each other gether. their refpedtive Productions. This tends to unite the feveral Inhabitants among themfelves, and makes Plenty reign in all the Cities. The Provinces of Hu-quang and Kyang-fi fupply thofe with Rice that are not well provided; that of Che-kyang furnilhes the fined: Silk; Kyang-nan Varnifh, Ink, and all Sorts of curious Works ; Tun-nan, Shen ft, and Shan ft, yield Iron, Copper, and feveral other Metals, Horfes, Mules, Furs, Fo kyen produces Sugar, and the bed Tea ; Se-chwen , Plants, Medicinal Herbs, Rhubarb, &c. and fo of the red ; for it is not poffible to give a particular Account of the Commodities peculiar to each Province. Is exceeding All thefe Riches, which are readily convey’d from Place to Place along the Rivers, are fold in a very fhort Time; you may fee, for indance, Dealers who, in three or four Days after their Arrival in a City, fell fix thoufand Caps proper for the Seafon. Trade is never interrupted except on the two fird Days of the fird Moon, which they fpend in Diverfions, and the ufual Vifits of the New Year: At all other Times every Thing is in Motion, as well in the Cities as in the Country. The Mandarins themfelves have their Share in Bufinels; there being fome among them who put their Money into the Hands of trudy Merchants, in order to improve it in the way of Trade. Dweft 1 Bran lh° r t> there is not any Family to the very poored of all, but what with a little good Ma- ches. nagement can find Means to fubfid very eafily by Traffic. There are many of them, whofe whole Stock does not amount to above a Crown, and yet the Father and Mother, with two or three Children, are maintain’d out of the Profits of it, procure filk Garments for Days of Cere¬ mony and in a few Years Time, enlarge their little Commerce to fomething confiderable. Al¬ though this may feem not very ealy to comprehend, yet it is no more than what happens every Day: for indance, one of thefe finall Merchants, who has about fifty Sous, will buy Sugar, Meal, and Rice, and make fmall Cakes, which he has bak’d an Hour or two before Day, to kindle , as they exprefs it, the Heart of Travellers ; which done, his Shop is hardly open before all his Ware is carried off’by Country People, who come in Crowds in a Morning to every City, by the Workmen, the Porters, the Children of the Ward, and thofe who are in Law. This little Trade in a few Hours produces a Profit of twenty Sous, the half of which is diffident to main¬ tain his fmall Family. Chinefi ad- In a word, the mod frequented Fair affords but a faint Refemblance of the incredible Crowds ‘lifted to of People to be fcen in the Generality of Cities, who are bufy in buying or felling all forts of over.reitch- Commodities. It were only to be wifh’d the Chinefe Merchants were a little more honed in their Dealings, efpecially when they trade with Foreigners; they always endeavour to fell as dear as they can, and often make no Scruple of adulterating their Goods. Their Maxim is, that he who buys is for getting Things as cheap as pofiibly he can, and would even give nothing at all did the Seller confent to it; and upon this Principle they think they have a Right on their Side to afk the greated Price, and to take it if the Buyer is fo fimple or ignorant as to give it: It is not the Dealer who deceives, fay they, It is the Buyer who deceives himfelf The Buyer is under no Compulfion, and the Profit which the Merchant gets is the Fruit of his Indudry. How¬ ever, thofe who ad according to thefe detedable Principles, are the fird in praifing Honedy and Difinteredednefs in others; fo that they dand felf-condemned. Their Fo- Trade flouridfing at fuch a Rate, as I have obferv’d, in all the Provinces of China , it is not inconfidcr-k at a ^ f ur P r ^ n S that the Inhabitants fhould be fo negligent of foreign Trade, efpecially confider¬ able. ing their Contempt for all other Nations: Thus by Sea they never pafs the Streights of Sonda, their farthed Voyages that Way reaching only to Batavia , which belongs to the Dutch-, in like Manner on the Side of Malacca, they do not go beyond Ac hen , and the Limits of their Navi¬ gation Northwards is Japan ; I fhall therefore, as briefly as poflible, mention the Places they trade to in thofe Seas, as well as the Sorts of Merchandizes which they import and export. That to I. Japan is the Kingdom which they mod frequent, and commonly fet Sail for it in the Japan. Month of J une or July at farthed. They fird goto Kamboya or Siam, where they carry Goods proper for thofe Countries, freighting themfelves there with fuch as are in Requed at Japan; and at their Return home, find that they have made 200 per Cent, by their Voyage. If they go diredtly to Japan from the Ports of China , that is, Kan-ton, A-mwi, or Ning-po, then they Commodities export the following Merchandifes: (i)Druggs, fuch as J inf eng, Birthwort, Rhubarb, Mira- carry’dthi- bolans, and fuch like. (2) Areha Bark, White Sugar, Buffalo, and Cow-hides; as for Sugar they gain greatly by it, even fometimes a thoufand perCent. (3) All forts of Silks, but chiefly Sattins, Taffeties, and Damasks of different Colours, efpecially black : fome of thefe Pieces which cod but fix Taels in China, fell at Japan for fifteen. (4) Silken Strings for Indruments Eagle and Sandal Wood ; there being a great Demand for it, on account of its Perfume, among the Japanefe , who are continually cenfing their Images. (5) Ladly, European Cloth and Cam¬ lets, which have a quick Sale: and tho’ the Chinefe never export any unlefs they can fell them there at the fame Price as the Dutch do, yet they affirm they gain fifty per Cent, thereby; which fhews how confiderable the Profit of the Dutch mud be. The Of the CHINESE TRADE. 35? The Commodities which the Chinefe Traders load with their Veffels in Return, are . (i) Fine Pearls, which coft more or lefs in Proportion to their Beauty and Bignei's, gaining b,°u^ht(rom fometimes a thousand per Cent, by them. (2) Red Copper in Bars, which they buy from three thence. Taels to four and an half, felling them in China for ten or twelve ; alfo wrought Copper, fuch as Scales, Chafing-Diihes, Perfuming Pans, Bafons, &c. thefe go off at a great Price in their own Country, the Copper being fine and agreeable to the Sight. (3) Sabre-Blades, they coft but a Piafter in Japan, and fell fometimes for ten Piafters in China, where they are much efteem’d. (4) Smooth flower’d Paper, of which the Chintje make Fans. (5) Porcelain, which is very beautiful, but not fo ufeful as that of China, becauie it will not bear boiling Water; it is fold in Japan much at the fame Price as China Ware is ibid at Kan-ton. (6) Japaun’d Works, which are not to be parallel’d in any part of the World. There is no fettled Price for them : and the ChineJ'e feldom meddle with them, for fear they iliould not get them off, but when they do import any, they fell them extremely dear. A Cabinet not above two Foot high, and but a little more in Breadth, has been fold in China tor a hundred Piafters. Thole who venture moft to deal in them, are the Merchants of A-mwi and Ning-po ; becaufe they carry them to Minilla and Batavia, gaining confiderably by the Europeans, who are tond of thefe forts of Works. (7) Gold, which is very fine, and a certain Metal call’d Tombak, by which they gain fifty or fixty per Cent . at Batavia. Could the Europeans depend on the Honefty of the Chinefe, they might eafily carry on a Trade with Japan by their means: but they could not poffibly do any good that way, unlefs they bore them Company, were Mafters of the Cargo, and had a fufficient Force to prevent their Infults. T , ... II. - The Chinefe alfo trade to Manilla-, but fcarce any go thither befides the Merchants of„." A-mwi, who carry a great deal of Silk, ftrip’d and flower’d Sattin ot different Colours, Em¬ broidery, Carpets, Cufliions, Night-Gowns, Silk Stockings, Tea, China Ware, Japann’d Works, Druggs, 0 V. by which they are generally .Gainers fifty per Cent, and bring back nothing but Piafters. III. The Trade which the Chinefe carry on the moft regularly, as finding it moft eafy and gainful, is that to Batavia: whither Veffels fail every Year from Kan-ton, A-mwi, uni Ning-po ; putting to Sea towards the eleventh Moon, that is, in December. The Merchan- difes they are loaded with are : (1) A kind of Green Tea, which is very fine, and of a good Smell, but Song-lo and Bohea CommcdiMi Tea are not fo much fought after by the Dutch. (2) China Ware, which is fold as cheap ™ r y‘ d chl * there as at Kan-ton. (3) Leaf-Gold and Gold Thread, which is nothing but gilt Paper j fome of this is fold not by Weight, but in fmall Skains, and is dear, becaufe it is cover’d with the fined: Gold: But that which the Chinefe bring to Batavia is fold only by Weight. It is made up in Parcels, with large Hanks of red Silk, put in on Purpofe to fet oft the^ Colour of the Gold, and to make the Parcels weigh heavier : The Dutch make no ufe of it, but they carry it to the Country of the Malayans, where they make confiderable Profit of it. (4) futenak [or futtenague] a Metal, which partakes of the Nature both of Tin and Iron,yielding a hundred and fometimes a hundred and fifty per Cent. (5) Druggs ,efpecially Rhubarb. (6) A great Quantity of Utenfils of vellow Copper, fuch as Balons, Chafing-Diihes, great Kettles, &c. They import from Batavia ; (1) Silver in Piafters. (2) Spices, particularly Pepper, Cloves, Nutmegs, &c. (3) Tortoife-Shells, of which the Chinefe make very neat Toys, and among other Combs, Boxes, Cups, Knife-Handles, Pipes, and Snuff-Boxes, after the European Fafhion, which they fell for ten Sous. (4) Sandal-Wood ; alfo red and black Wood, proper for Cabinet- Work, with another red Wood, commonly call’d Brafil- Wood, which ferves for dying. (5) Agat- Stones, ready cut, whereof the Chinefe make Ornaments for their Girdles ; Buttons for their Caps, and a' kind of Neck-lace. (6) Yellow Amber in Lumps, which they buy very cheap. (7) Laftly, European Cloth, which they have alfo at a moderate Price, and fell again at ^ This is the greateft: Trade the Chinefe drive abroad. They likewife go, but very feldom, J cher e c oun . to Achen , Malacca , Thor, Patana , Ligor , which belongs to the Kingdom of Siam, to Cochin- tries. china , &c. The Trade they carry on at Ihor, is the moft: eafy and profitable. They would not get even as much as would pay the Expence of their Voyage by going to Achen, if they fail’d of being there in November and December ; at which time the Ships of Surat and Bengal are upon the Coaft. , They feldom import any thing elfe from thefe Countries but Spices, fuch as Pepper, Cinna- Commodiuej mon, &c. Birds-Nefts, which are counted Delicacies at the Chinefe Tables, Rice, Camphire, Ratan, (a kind of very long Canes, which they twift: together like fmall Cords,) Torches made of the Leaves of certain Trees, that burn like Pitch, and ferve for Flambeaux when they walk in the Night; alfo, Gold, Tin, &c. It remains only to fpeak of the Trade carry’d on in China by the Europeans ; who have Trade of tM the Liberty of fcarce any Port, except that of Kan-ton, which is open to them at certain times 111 of the Year. Not that they go up as far as the City itfelf, but caft: Anchor at Whang-pih, a Place about four Leagues ftiort of it, in the River; which there is fo crouded with a Mul¬ titude of Veffels, that it looks like a large Wood. Formerly Cloths, Chryftals, Swords, Clocks, Striking-Watches, Repeating-Clocks, Telefcopes, Looking-Glaffes, Drinking-Glaffes, &c. were carry’d thither. But fince the Englifh come regularly every Year, all thefe are as cheap as in 33^ Gold of Chi¬ na profitable. Other Com¬ modities im¬ ported by Eu¬ ropeans, Of the CHINESE Varnilh. in Europe ; and Coral itfelf can hardly be fold there any longer without Lofs: fo that at prefent there is no trading to Advantage with any thing but Silver in China , where conllderable Profit may be made, by purchafing Gold, which is a Commodity there. The Gold to be met with at Kan-ton , comes partly out of the Provinces of China, and partly from foreign Countries, as Ac hen. Cochin-china , Japan , &c. and is all melted over-again in that City, except what comes from Cochin-china ; which is commonly the moft fine and pure that can be, when it is bought of the King of that Country: for that fold clandeftinely by the People is not fo pure, and therefore they take Care to refine it at Kan-ton. The Chinefe divide their Gold by Alloys as they do in Europe. That which is commonly fold, is from ninety Carats to a hundred, and is more or lefs dear, according to the time when it was bought. It is much cheaper in March, April , and May, than it is from July to January ; becaufe this la ft is the Seafon when there is the greateft number of Vefiels in the Port or Road of Kan-ton. There are alfo excellent Drugs to be bought in China, feveral forts of Tea, Gold-Thread, Mufk, precious Stones, Pearls, Quickfilver, fife, but the Trade carry’d on there by the Europeans, confifts chiefly in japann’d Works, China Ware, and Silks, with refpedt to which I {hall treat more at large in the following Articles. Of the Chinefe Varnilh. TheVarnifli Trees. When in their Prime. Places moF. h o U G 11 the varnidl’d Works, made at Kan-ton, are neither fo beautiful nor fervice- vi’n ;h\j ° r I able by a great deal, as thofe that come from Japan , ’Tong-king, and Nan-king , Works. Capital of the Province of Kyang-nan : it is' not that the Workmen do not employ the fame fort of Varnifh and Gilding, but becaufe they fit them up too haftily ; and then if they do but pleafe the Eye of the Europeans, they are well enough content. To japan a Piece of Work well, it ought to be done at Leifure, a whole Summer being fcarcely fufficient to bring it to Perfection ; but the Chinefe have rarely any by them that were made a confiderable time beforehand j for they almoft always wait till the Arrival of Ships, before they begin, that they may do them according as the Europeans {ball direCt. This Varnifli which gives fo fine a Luftre to their Works, and makes them fo much efteem’d in Europe , is neither a Compofition, norfo great a Secret as fome have imagin’d ; to undeceive whom, it will be lufficient to give an Account where the Chinefe get it, and after¬ wards how they ufe it. The Varnifh, call’d Tji, is a reddifh Gum, diftilling from certain Trees, by means of Incifions made in the Bark. Thefe Trees are found in the Provinces of Kyang-Ji and Si-chwen, bu- thofe of the DiftriCt of Kan-chew, one of the moft Southern Cities of Kyang-Ji, yield that which is moft efteem’d. The Varnifh ought not to be drawn till the Trees are of feven or eight Years Growth, for that which is procur’d before, is not fo fit for Ufe. The Trunk of the youngeft T •', from whence they begin to draw it, is a Chinefe Foot in Circumference, and the Chinefe Foot is much larger than the King’s Foot in. France. It is faid that the Varnifh of fuch Trees is better than that which diftills from thofe older, but that they yield much lefs: yet, whether there be any Foundation for this Report, is uncertain, becaufe the Merchants make Their Shape no Scruple to mix them both together. Thefe Trees, whofe Leaf and Bark are very like thofe and Size. the Afh, are fcarce ever more than fifteen Feet high; and when they are of that Growth, the Trunk is about two Foot and an half in Compafs. It is affirm’d that they bear neither Flowers nor Fruit, and that they multiply in the manner following: In the Spring, when the Tree begins to {prout, they choofe the moft promifing Sprig that proceeds from the Trunk, not from the Branches ; and when it is about a Foot long, they coat it with yellow Clay. This Coat begins about two Inches above the Place where it rifes, and reaches four or five Inches lower : It is at leaft three Inches thick, is laid on very clofe, and cover’d with a Mat carefully ty’d about it, to fecure it from Rain, and the Injuries of the Air. It is left in this manner from the Vernal to the Autumnal Equinox, and then they open the Earth a very little way, to examine the Condition of the Roots, which the Sprig ufually fhoots forth, and are divided into feveral Strings. If thefe Strings are of .a yellowifh or reddifh Colour, they judge that it is time to feparate the Sprig from the Tree, and then they cut it dexteroufly without doing it the leaft Damage, and afterwards plant it. But if the Strings are ftill white, it is a Sign they are too tender, and fo they clofe up the Coat again, and defer cutting the Shoot till the next Spring. But whether it is planted in the Spring, or Autumn, a good deal of Allies muft be put into the Hole, prepar’d for that Purpofe; other- wife the Pifmires, as they affirm, would devour the tender Roots, or at leaft get out all the Sap, and fo caufe them to wither. The Varnifh is to be procured from thefe Trees only in the Summer Seafon; for in the Winter they yield none, and that which diftils in the Spring or Autumn, is always mix’d with Water : befides, they yield it only in the Night-time, and never in the Day. In order to draw out the Varnifh, they make feveral horizontal Incifions in the Bark, round the Trunk, which are either deeper or {hallower, according to its Thicknefs. The firft Row of How propa¬ gated. The Varnilh when and how drawn of the chine 's e Vamiik of Incifions is but feven Inches from the Ground, the fecond is at the fame Diftance above the firft; and thus at the end of every feven Inches there is a Row of Inciftons, not only to the Top of the Trunk, but even along fuch of the Branches as are of a fufficient Thickncfs to bear it. They ufe a little Knife with a femlcircular Blade to make thefe Inciftons; which muft not be done direaly downward, hut dinting, nor deeper than the Bark is thick. While the Operator makes them with one Hand, he thrufts the Edge of a Shell, which he has in the other as far in as he can, that is, about half a Chinefe Inch; and this is fufficient to lupport the Shell without any thing elfe. Theie Shells are very common in China , and much larger than odr trigged Oyfter-Shells. The Inciiions being made in the Evening, next Morning they "either what is run into the Shells ; in the Evening they fix them again in the fame Incifions^and continue fo doing till the end of the Summer. The Proprietors of thefe Trees do not ufually draw off the Varnifh themfelves, but let them for the Sealon at the Rate of two pence half¬ penny a Foot to Mercnants; who hire Labourers to attend; giving them an Ounce of Silver a Month, if they find their own Victuals, which is mod; common, if not, then they have but three half-pence a Day. One of thelc Labourers is fufficient to take care of fifty Feet of Tree. It is neceffaty to ufe fome Precautions, to fecure the Labourers from the bad Effects of the Varnifh; fo that whether the Merchants maintain them or not, they are oblig'd to have a Cautions » large Veffel of Oil, wherein has been boil'd a Certain Quantity of the Flefhy Filaments which Sote'who' are found intermix d with the Fat of Hogs, and remain after the Fat has been melted ■ The ^ raw ^ die Proportion is one Ounce to a Pound of Oil. When the Workmen go to place the Shells VlrnilK in the Trees, they carry with them a little of this Oil, wherewith they rub the Face and Hands; and in the Morning, when they have gather'd the Varnifh, and return to the Merchants they rub themfelves more carefully with it. After Dinner they wadi their Bodies with hot Water prepar’d by the Merchant, wherein has been boil’d a certain Quantity of the following Drugs’ viz. the outward rough Shell of Chefnuts, the Bark of the Fir-Tree, Salt-Petre in Cry flats’ and a Sort of Blits, an Herts eaten in China and the Indies-, all’which are fuppos’d to’ be of a cold Nature. With this Water every Labourer wafhes himfelf very carefully, in a little Tin Bafon; for they will not ufe the common Copper Batons, wherein the Chinefe ufually wafli their Faces in the Morning, having fome Objeflion to that Metal. ' 3 During the time they are at work at the Trees, their Heads are cover’d with a Linen Bag, ty’d about their Necks, wherein are only two Holes for their Eyes; before them they wear a fort of Apron, made of Doe-Skin, which is hung about their Necks with Strings and ty’d round their Middles ; they have alfo Bulkins of the fame, and long Gloves on their Arms. When they gather this Varnifh, they have a Veffel made of Neat’s Leather, faften’d to their Girdle ; then with one Hand they take out the Shells, and ferape them with a fmall Iron Inftrument, which they hold in the other, till they have got out all the Varnifh : at the Bottom of the Tree is a Bafket, wherein they leave the Shells till the Evening. To facilitate coming at the Varnifh, the Proprietors take care to plant the Trees not far afunder; and when the Time of gathering it is come, they iay a great number of Poles from one to another, which fatten'd with Cords ferve inftead of Ladders to get up by. The Merchant has always ready at his Houfe, a great earthen Veffel, plac’d under a fquare wooden Frame, like that of a Table, fupported by four Feet. On the Frame is a thin Cloth (whofe four Corners are faften’d to Rings,) lay’d very {lack, whereon they pour the Varnifh; and when the fluid part has run through, they wring out the reft, all but a little that remains Quarnffr of behind, which is fold to the Druggifts, as being fometimes us’d in Phyfic. They are well Varni(h at enough fatisfy’d ^with their Bargain, when a thoufand Trees in one Night yield twenty Pound °"g Ea ' h ' : of Varnifh. After the Gathering is over, the Merchant puts the Varnilh in wooden Buckets, well caulk’d on the Outfide, fattening on the Covers with ftro'ng Nails. A Pound of Varnifh while it is frefh, is valu’d at about forty Sous; and the Merchant gains double or more, accord¬ ing to the Diftance of the Place to which it is carry’d. The Labourers pay very dear for gathering the Varnifh, if they do not take the above- Difeafe e™t mention d Precautions. The Difeafe Dcgins with a kind of Ringworm, which in tile Space ra L the cf- of a Day covers the whole Body, Face and all, for it fpreads in a few Hours, and grows very *“ via S, f th ” red. Soon after the Perfon’s Face becomes bloated, and his Body, which fwells to an extra- ‘‘ rm ' ordinary Degree, feems quite cover'd with a Leprofy. To heal a Man attack’d with this Dif- ternper, they give him immediately a confiderable Quantity of the aforefaid medicinal Water for wattling with to prevent thefe Accidents, which purges him violently : .they afterwards make for him a ftrong Fumigation with the fame Water, wrapping him up very clofe. By this means the Swelling is remov’d, but the Skin is not fo foon heal'd; for it cracks in feveral places from whence proceeds a great deal of Water. To remedy this, they take of the Herb that I call’d above a kind of Blits, div and burn it; then upon the part moft affected they put the Attics which imbibing the (harp Humour, tile chopp'd Skin dries and falls off) a new Skin fucceedin^ in place of it. s The Chinefe Varnifh, befides tile Beauty it gives to the ftnalleft Piece of Work it is apply’d to, has likewife the Property of preferring the Wood, and hindering the leaft Moifture from ofThi Var’ entnng it: Pour whatever Liquor you pleafe upon it, and only wipe it with a wet Cloth nilh - and there will remain neither Mark nor Smell behind. But then there is a great Art in ufing m for let it be ever fo good in its Kind, yet there is ftill need of a dextrous and careful Hand Vol. I. 4 to 338 Of the Porcelain, or China-Ware, to apply it. The Workman ought to be Mailer of a great deal of Patience as well as Skill, to find the juft Temper that the Varnifh requires; for it it be either too thick or too thin, he will make but very indifferent Work of it. The Varnifh is apply'd in two different Manners; the one, which is moft firnple, is im- How ufed in me q; ate iy U p on the Wood: After it has been well polifli'd, they do it over two or three Japanmg. t j mes ^ong-ycw, a kind of Oil; and when it is well dry’d, lay on their Varnifh as often. It is fo tranfparent that the Grain of the Wood appears clearly through it; and therefore if they would conceal the Materials they work upon, they lay on the Varnilh a great number of times, and then it becomes fo glofiy that it refembles a Looking-Glafs. When the Work is dry, they paint feveral forts of Figures with Gold or Silver, fuch as Flowers, Men, Birds, Trees, Mountains, Palaces, £=fc. over which they lay Varnifh once more, but lightly, both to preferve and give it a Glofs. The other Manner, which is not fo plain, requires more preparation, for it is laid upon a kind of Maftic, or Pafte-board, compos’d of Paper, Flax, Lime, and fome other Materials; which being well beaten together, and glu'd upon the Wood, makes a Ground very fmooth and firm : on this they pafs the Oil before mention'd two or three times, and then apply feveral Lays of Varnifh, letting each dry one after another. Every Workman has his own way of doing things, which are more or lefs perfeft according to his Skill, (a) To relfore its It often happens that by fpilling Tea and other hot Liquors upon thefe Japan'd Works, and Luttre' tlle y lofe t * leir Luflre, becavife the Varnifh grows dull, and turns yellow. “ The Means, (fays an U rL “ a Cbijije Author) to give it the filming Black that it had before, is to expofe it for a “ Night to a white Froft, or elle, which is better, to hold it for fome time in the Sun.” Of the Porcelain or China-Ware. Porcelain or C6/>a-Ware, made only at King-te thing in Kjang Ji. Curious Ac¬ count of it by P. Dent re- wiles. Its Inventor unknown. Attempts to make itelfe- were fruitlefs P ORCELAIN, which is the moll common Furniture us’d by the Chinefe , and the chief O' ament of their Houfes, has been fo much fought after in Europe, and ftiil makes fo great a Branch of its Trade, that it will not be amifs to acquaint the Reader with the Manner of making it. Some Authors pretend that it is compos’d of Egg-Shells, or of Shells of a certain Fifli, bury’d in the Earth for twenty or thirty, or even a hundred Years. But this is mere Invention of fuch Writers, who have boldly palm’d their own filly Conjectures on the World, in many other Particulars alfo, concerning China ■, of which they have given the moft falfe, and often the moft ridiculous Accounts. China- Ware is made no where but in one Town of the Province of Kyang-Ji , nam’d King-te-ching , which is a League in Length, containing upwards of a Million of Souls. It is not above three Miles diftant from Tew-lyang, a City of the third Rank, whereon it depends, lying in the DiftriCt of Jau-chew > one of the Cities of the firft Rank in the Provii ice. As P. Dcntrccolles had a Church in King-te-ching , and among his Converts there were feveral, who both made China- Ware, and drove a confiderable Trade in it, he obtain’d from them an exaeft Knowledge relating to every Branch of this curious Art. Befides this, he has feen every thing himfelf, and confulted the Chinefe Books that treat on this Subject, efpecially the Hi- ftory or Annals of Few-lyang : for it is a Cuftom in China for every City to print a Hiftory of its DiftriCt, comprehending its Situation, Extent, and the Nature of the Country; an Account of the Manners of the Inhabitants, and the Perfons diftinguifh'd for Arms, Learning, or Inte¬ grity of Life ; the extraordinary Events, and efpecially the Merchandizes and Provifions which are exported or fold there. This Miflionary has fearch’d in vain to find out the Inventor of China- Ware, for the Annals fay nothing of him, nor whether the Difcovery was owing to Chance or Experience. They only fay, that it was exquifitely white, without any Defedt ; and that whatever was tranf- ported into other Kingdoms, had no other Name but The precious Jewels of Jau-chew. And lower it is added. The fne China -Ware, which is of a lively fining White , and a clear Sky- Blue , comes all from King-te-ching. It is made in other Places, but it is of a quite different Colour and Finenefs. In fhort (not to fpeak of the other fort of Earthen-Ware made all over China , but to which they never give the Name of Porcelain) there are fome Provinces, as thofe of Kan-ton and Fo-kyen , where they make Porcelain, but Strangers cannot be deceiv’d therein ; for that of Fo-kyen is as white as Snow, but has no Glofs, and is not painted with various Colours. The Workmen of King-te-ching formerly carry’d thither all their Materials, in hopes of being con¬ fiderable Gainers, by reafon of the great Trade then driven by the Europeans at A-mwi, but they loft their Labour, for they could never make it there with Succefs. The Emperor Kung-hi, who defir’d to know every thing, caus’d fome Workmen in Porcelain to be brought to Pe-king, and every thing proper for that Manufacture. They did their ntmoft to fucceed, being under the Prince’s Eye, and yet we are affur’d that their Work fail’d. It is (a) For a more particular Account of laying on the Varnifh, fee before, p. 9, and its Materials. yy is poflible the Rcafons of Intereft and Policy had a Hand in the Milcarriage; but however that be, King-te-ching alone has the Honour of fupplying all parts of the World with Porcelain ; even the Japanefe come to China for it. Every thing that relates to China- Ware, fays P. Dentrecolles ( b), (for it is he who fpeaks in Heads treat, the reft of this Article) maybe reduc’d to the following Heads: viz. The Materials whereof «t of in this it is compos'd, and how they are prepar’d; the different Kinds of Porcelain, and the Manner Aruclc - of making it ; the Oil which gives it the Glofs, and its Qualities ; the Colours which embellifh it, and the Art of laying them on ; the Baking, and Meafures taken to give it a proper Decree of Heat ; laftly, I lhall make fome Refledtions on the ancient and modern Porcelain, as all'o on certain things, which render it impradticable for the ChmcJ’e to imitate thofe Paterns that have been or may be lent them. But before I begin, it may be proper to undeceive thofe who imagine that the Name of Porcelain comes from a ChineJ'e Word. Indeed there are fome Words, tho’ but very few in number, which are both French and ChineJ'e: Tie [or Tea] for Inftance, as we call it, is likewife call'd Tie in the Province of Fo-kyen, tho’ the Name in the Mandarin Lan¬ guage is Cha. Pa pa and Ma ma, are likewife Words, which in fome Provinces, and particu¬ larly at King-te-ching , are in the Mouths of Children, and fignify Father and Mother. But as for the Name of Porcelain, it is fo far f.om being ChineJ'e , that none of the Syllables whereof it is compos'd, can be either pronounc’d or written by the ChineJ'e-, the Sounds not being to be found in their Language. It is likely that the Word came from the Portuguefe , notwith¬ standing that with them Porcellana fignifies properly a Cup or Porrenger-, and that Loca is the Name they generally give to the Ware, which we call Porcelain, and the ChineJ'e commonly Tj'e-ki. I. The Materials of China -Ware, and bow prepar'd. T HE Matter of Porcelain confifts of two forts of Earth, one call’d Pe tun tfe, and the other Kau tin : This latter is mix’d with (hilling Particles, the other is Amply white, forIS of and very fine to the Touch. At the fame time that a great number of Barks afcend the River Earth, from Jaii-chew to King-te-ching, in order to load with China-Wave, nearly as many fmall ones defcend from Ki-mwcn , laden with Pe-tun-tJ'e and Kau-lin, in form of Bricks ; for King-te-ching produces no Materials fit for Porcelain. The Pe-tun-tJ'e, whofe Grain is fo very fine, is nothing elfe but pieces of Rock, dug out ofThe Pi- Quarries, and made into that Form. All forts of Stones are not proper for Pe-tun-tJ'e, other- wife there would be no Occafion to go twenty or thirty Leagues diftant in the next Pro¬ vince to look for it. The ChineJe fay the right Stones ought to have a greenifh Call. The firft Preparation is in the following manner ; They break the Stone with great Iron howprep3r , d Mallets, and putting the Pieces into Mortars, reduce them to very fine Powder, by help of certain Peftles, the Head whereof is made of Stone, and capp’d with Iron. Thefe Peftles work without ceafing, being put in Motion, either by the Labour of Men, or elfe by means of Water, in the fame manner as the Hammers of Paper-Mills. They afterwards call the Powder into a great Jar full of Water, and ftirr it up ftrongly with an Iron Shovel; then having relied a few Minutes, there rifes on the Surface a fort of Cream four or five Fingers thick, which they take off, and pour into another Veffel full of Water. In this manner they agi¬ tate the Water in the firft Jar feveral times, ftill gathering what fwims on the Top, till there remains nothing but the grofs part, which they take out and pound afrefh. With refpedt to the fecond Jar, wherein that is caft which was gather’d from the firft, they Reduced to a wait till there is form’d at the Bottom a kind of Pafte, and when the Water appears clear at Top, they pour it gently off, that the Sediment may not be difturb’d, and throw the Pafte‘„™ B ricks- into large Moulds to dry; But before it is quite bard, they divide it into fmall Bricks, which they fell by hundreds; and to this Shape, and its Colour, it owes the Name of Pe-tun-tfe. The Moulds wherein this Pafte is thrown, are a kind of large Boxes, whofe Bottoms are cover'd with Bricks, plac’d upright, fo as to make an even Surface, over which they lay a thick Cloth ; then they pour in the Matter, which they cover foon after with another Cloth, and place thereon a fecond Bed of Bricks, laid clofe together flatwife : All this is done to get out the Water more readily, without lofing any thing of the Subftance, which as it grows hard, eafily takes the Figure of the Bricks. There would be nothing to add to this Article, if the ChineJ'e were not addicted to adulterate their Goods; but People who roll fmall Grains of Pafte in Pepper Powder, in order to mix them with the true Pepper, are not willing to fell Pe-tun-tfe unmix'd with groffer Matter; for which reafon they are oblig’d to purify it again at King-te-ching, before they ufe it. Th e Kau-Hn, which is another component part of Porcelain, requires fomewhat lefs Labour in 2 The loa¬ the Preparation than the Pe-tun-tfe: They find Mines of it in the Heart of certain Mountains, whofe Surface is cover’d with a reddifh Earth. Thefe Mines are pretty deep, and the Matter we are fpeaking of is found in Lumps, which they make into Bricks, in the fame manner as ,i, c the Pe-tun-tJ'e. I do not at all doubt that the white Earth of Malta , call’d St. Paul's Earth, white Earth J6 of much the fame Nature with the Kau-lin, tho’ the fmall Ihming Particles have not been of M “ u “' ob- (b) This Account is taken from the Lcttres Edifiantes , where there are two Pieces written by this Jejuit on the Subjeft^ 340 l:s Quality, A third in¬ gredient cr kind of Chalk. Its Qualitiei IIow pre¬ pared. fifed either alone or mixed. Alfo for painting Fi¬ gures. Another Mi. neral for painting white. The Oil of Stone or Var- niihy for glazing the Porcelain. Of the Porcelain, or China-Ware °blerv’d in it. The fine Porcelain receives its Firmnefs from the Kan-tin, which hi-. j t wt „ the Smews thereof; and thus the Mixture of a foft Earth gives Strength to theiY-te-'/Y which is got from the hardeft Rocks. A rich Merchant inform'd me that Come Years a»o Re' 7 - or Dutch (for the Chinefe Name is common to both (c) Nations) bought a Quamiiv n’t [ke K- tun-tfe, and carry’d it into their Country, to make China- Ware; but that having ion.-- the Kau-hn, their Defign mifearry’d, as they afterwards own’d: On which Occafion the Chirr* Merchant laid with a Laugh, that ‘They would have a Bode, whofe Fkfi (kwld h ' iumfe. 1 - \it'h out Bones. ‘ ‘ u They have lately found out another proper Ingredient in the Compofition of China-W. which is a Stone, or kind of Crayon, call'd Wha-Jhc , whereof a fort of Ptiliui is made bv ' Chinefe Phyficians, who reckon it deterlive, opening and cooling. Yare, the c , , .. ■ ,. , , -... ..o o- They take fix pans of this Stone, and one of Liquorice, which they pulverile; and putting half a Spoonful of the Powder . Ca P pf freih Water, give it the Patient to drink, pretending that this Ptifan cools into • - r l tv r~ . - 0-— -• -j H..J Dill t thing of the Nature of Sope. The China -Ware that is made with it, is fcarce, and much dearer than the other. The Grain of it is exceeding fine, and as for the Paintirw if com¬ par'd with ordinary China- Ware, it as far exceeds it as Vellum does Paper; befides this China-Ware is fo light, that it furprifes one -who is accultom’d to handle the other Sorts • It is likewife much more brittle than the common, and it is difficult to hit upon "the true Degree of baking it. Some do not make ufe of the Wka-Jhe for the Body of the Work- contenting themfelves with making a fine Glue of it, wherein they dip the Porcelain when it is dry, that it may take one Lay before it receives the Colour and Varnifh, by which means it acquires a good deal of Beauty. I mall now explain the Manner of working the Wha-jhl. (t) When they have taken it out of the Mine, they wafii it in River or Rain-Water, to feparate the remainder of yellow Earth that Ricks to it. (2) They then break it, and put it into a Tub of Water to dif- iblve, preparing it in the fame manner as the Kau-lin. It is affirm’d that Porcelain may be made with lVha-Jhe alone, prepar'd in this manner, without any Mixture. However one of my Converts, who had made feme of this Kind, told me, that to eight parts of JVha- Jhi lie puts two parts of Pe-tun-tfe-, and that for the ref! he proceeded in “the fame manner as when he made the common China- Ware, with the Pe-tun-tfe and Kau-lin. In this new kind of Porcelain the Wha-fht : fupplies the Place of the Kau-lin: but one is much dearer than the other, for a Load of Kau-lin coft but twenty Sous, whereas that of the Wha-the flands in a Crown; fo that no wonder this fort of China-Ware Ihould be dearer than tire common. I fhall add one Obfervatlon more concerning Wha-Jhd : When it is prepar’d and made into little Bricks like the Pe-tun-tfe , they diffolve a certain Quantity of them in Water ■ and making a very clear Pafte of it, with a Pencil clipp'd therein trace feveral Fancies upon the Porcelain, to which, after it is dry, they give the Varniih. When it is bak’d thefe Defigns appear, being of a different White from that of the Body of the Ware, and not unlike a thin Vapour, fpread over the Surface. The White of the Wha-JhH is call'd White of Ivan Stan* ya pe. ' * J * They paint Figures on the Porcelain, alfo with She-kau, a kind of Stone or Mineral like Allum, which gives another kind of white Colour, and is particular in this, that before it is prepar’d it mult be burnt in the Fire ; afterwards they break it, and manage it like the Wha-foe: they throw it into a Veffel full of Water, ftir'it about, and gather the Cream that lwims on the Top from time to time; and when this is done they find a pure Mafs which they ufe in the fame manner as the purify’d Wha-fe. The She-kau does not enter into the Compofition of Porcelain; for nothing yet has been found proper to liipply the Place of the Kau-lin, and give Confidence to the Ware, but the Wha-Jht „ If, as they tell me, more than two parts of Pe-tun-tfe be put to eight of Wha-fhi , the Porcelain will fink down in the Oven, for want of a Body, or rather, becanfe there is 'not a nrnner Cohefion of the Parts. ‘ P P 2. The Oil which gives the Glofs to the Porcelain. B ESIDES the Barks loaded with Pe-tun-tfe and Kau-lin , which lye along the Eank- fide at King-te-ching , there are others full of a whitilh liquid Subftance. I knew a great while ago, that this was an Oil which gives the Ware its Whitenefs and Glofs, but was ignorant what it was made of; a thing I have fince learn’d. The Chinefe Name Yew, given to different Sorts of Oil, feems not (o fuitable to this Liquid, as the ffi, which fignifies Varnifh , a.s I believe it would be call'd in Europe. This Oil or Varnifh is procur’d from a very hard’ Stone ; but this is no ftrange thing, fince it is pretended that Stones are form’d of the Salts and Oils of the Earth, which mix and unite intimately together. ( l 'j That is, I Aippofe, Tbz Red-haird Men. Sec before p. 333. Tbo’ S4t and the Oil which gives it a Glofs. Tho’ Oil may be gotten from the Stone, whereof the Pe-tun-tfe are made, yet they choofe } this fort, becaufe it is whiter, and the Spots are of a deeper Green. The Hiftory of Few lyang , i tho’ it does not enter into particulars, fays, the Stone proper for the Oil has Spots of the Colour of I Cyprrfs Leaves, Pe Jhu ye pan ; or red Marks on a brownifii ground, much like the Plant call’d f Toad-flax, Ju chi ma tang. After this Stone has been very well waffl’d, it muft be prepar’d in the fame manner as the How prep** Pe-tun-tfe : And when the Cream, or pureft part of the Matter in the firft Jar, or Veffel, has-¬ been put into the fecond, to about a hundred Pounds thereof, they add a Pound of She-kau * t made red-hot in the fire, and beaten fmall. This is, as it were, the Runnet which gives it a Con¬ fidence, tho’ they take care to keep it always liquid. This Oil of Stone is never ufed alone, but is mixed with another, which is, as it were, the Oil of Lime Soul of it, and compofed as follows: They take large pieces of Quick-Lime, whereon they and Fern throw a little Water with their Hands to reduce it to a Powder; over this they fpread a Lay of dry Fern, and over that again another of Lime. Having thus put on feveral Lays, alternately one upon another, they fet Fire to the Fern ; and when the whole is confum’d, divide the Afhes between five or fix new Lays of dry Fern : or if there be more of them the Oil will be fo much the better. Heretofore, fays the Hiftory of Few-lyang , befides Fern, they made ufe of the Wood of a Tree, the Fruit of which is call’d Se-tfe. To judge from the roughnefs of the Fruit before it is ripe, and by its little Crown, it feems to be a kind of Medlar. They now make no ufe of it, perhaps becaufe it is become exceeding fcarce; and probably it is for want of this Wood that the China- Ware made at prefent is not fo beautiful as it was formerly. The nature of the Lime and Fern contributes to the goodnefs of the Oil; and I have oblerv’d that what comes from fome Places is much more valuable than that which is brought from others. When they have gotten a fufficient quantity of the Afties of Lime and Fern,they throw them How prepar- i into a Veffel full of Water. In a hundred Pounds of it they diffolve a Pound of She-kau , then ed and mixed ftirring the Mixture very well, let it reft till there appears upon the Surface a Skin or Cruft ; ^ 1 r ‘^ e the which they gather and put into a fecond Veffel, repeating the whole feveral times. When there is form’d a kind of liquid Pafte at the bottom of the fecond Jar, they prepare it, pouring off the Water very gently and this is the fecond Oil, which is to be mixt with the preceding. In order to have a proper Mixture, the two kinds of Oil ought to be equally thick ; for which reafon they from time to time dip fmall Bricks of Pe-tun-tfe into both, in order to difeover by their Surface, when drawn out, whether the Oil be of an equal Conftftence. So much for the Qua¬ lity of thefe two forts of Oils: As to the Quantity,the beft way is to mix ten Meafures of Oil of Stone, with one Meafure of that made of the Afties of Fern and Lime; thofe who are mod Iparing, never put in lefs than three Meafures. If the Merchants who fell this Oil are inclin’d to tricking, they may eafily increafe the Quantity, only putting Water into it; and to conceal the Fraud, adding She-kau in proportion, which hinders the Matter from being too liquid. There is another kind of Varnifti call’d Tfi kin yew, that is, Varnijh of burrid Gold: but I fhould rather call it Varnifti of the Colour of Call Brafs, or Coffee, or of a dead Leaf. To burnt Gold; make this Varnifti, which is a new Invention, they take common yellow Earth, and manage it in the fame manner as the Pe-tun-tfe ; and when this Earth is prepar’d, they ufe none but the fineft Matter, which they caft into Water, and make a kind of Glue of, about the thicknefs of the common Varnifti call’d Pe-yew, made of pieces of Rock-ftone. Thefe two Varnifties Tfi- kin and Pe-yew are mix’d together ; and as for this purpofe they ought to be of an equal Confl¬ uence, trial is made thereof by dipping a Pe-tun tfe into each fort, and if the Varnifties enter the Bricks, they are deem’d fit for incorporating. They likewife put into the Tfi-kin, Varnifti, or the Oil of Lime and Fern-Afties prepar’d as above, and of the fame Confidence as the Pe-yew ; mixing more or lefs of thefe two Varnifties with the Tfi-kin, according as they would have it deeper or clearer; to know which feveral Trials muft be made: For inftance, they put two Cups full of the Tfi-kin to eight of the Pe-yew , and to four Cups full of this Mixture they put one Cup of Varnifti made of Lime and Fern. A few Years ago they found the Art to paint with the Tfwi, that is, with the Violet-Colour, Art of gild- and to gild the China- Ware. They have alfo try’d to make a mixture of Leaf-Gold with Var- ingandpainc- nifh and Powder of Flint, which might be apply’d in the fame manner as they do the red Oil: jgf Colour* 0 * but this Attempt did not fucceed, and they found that the Varnifti Tfi-kin look’d more beauti- lately in¬ ful and gloffy. At one time they made Cups, applying the gilt Varnifti on the Outfide, and vented the pure white within: But they have varied their Method fince. Thus upon a Cup or Veffel, which they defigned to varnilh with the Tfi-kin , they ftuck on a round or fquare piece of wet Paper in one or two Places; then having laid on the Tji-kin, they took off the Papers, and painted the Places with red or blue, varniftiing thofe Parts alfo when the Ware was dry. Some fill’d up thefe empty Spaces with a blue or black Ground, in order to gild them after the firft Baking. 3. Manner of making China.-Ware. B EFORE iftiew the Method of ufing this Oil, or rather Varnifti, it will be proper china Matm. to give an Account how China-Ware is made: in doing which I {hall begin with the fa ^ or y ac Work that goes forward in the leaft frequented Part of King te ching. There, in a Place encom- Vol. I. 4 R pafs’d ■ 34- r H je Manner of Making paft’d with Walls, they have built vaft Pent-Houfes, wherein appears abundance of Earthen Veflels in rows one above another. Within this inclofure an infinite number of Workmen live and work, each having his particular Talk. One Piece of China- Ware, before it is fit for the Furnace, pafles through the Hands of above twenty Perfons without the leaft Confufion, they having doubtlefs found that by fuch means the Work goes on the fader. The firft Labour confifts in purifying the Pc-tun-tfe and Kau-lin , from the grofs Parts it K,fu"n' jiow abounds with when it comes to them. To this end they break the Pc-tun-tfe in Pieces,and throw purify U it into a Veflel full of Water, ftirring it about with a large Spatula till it is diffolv’d : then they let it fettle a few Minutes; after which they gather what fwims on the Surface, repeating the fame in the Manner before mentioned. As for the Pieces of Kau-lin there is no occafion to break them; for being put into a very clean Balket, and fo let down into a Veflel full of Water, they diflolve of themfelves, commonly leaving Impurities behind that are thrown away. In a Year’s time this Refufe gathers to a vad quantity, making great heaps of white fpungy Sand, of which it is necelfary to clear the Place where they work. And mixed. Thefe two Materials being thus prepar’d, they mud be mix’d in a jud Proportion: For mak¬ ing fine China- Ware, there goes the fame quantity of Kau-lin as Pc-tun-tJ'e ; for the middle Sort, they put four Parts of Kau-lin to fix of Pc-tun-tfe ; and for the word, they allow one Part of Kau-lin to three of Pc-tun-tfe. When fo far is done, they throw the Mafs into a large hollow Place, well pav’d, and cemented every where: Then they tread and knead it till it grows hard. This Work is very laborious; for theChridians who were employ’d at it feldom came toChurch, not being able to obtain that Liberty, without getting others to fupply their Places; becaufe when this Labour ceafes to go on, all the red of the Workmen dop of courfe. The Matter being thus wrought, they take Pieces of it and fpread them on large Slates, where they knead and roll it every way, taking great care that there be no hollow Places in it, or any foreign Matter mixt with it: For a Hair ora Grain of Sand would fpoil the Ware: and if the Mafs is not well kneaded the China will , crack, fplit, run, and warp. From thefe fird Ele¬ ments arife fo many curious Works in Porcelain ; which are made, fome with the Wheel, others in Moulds only, and afterwards finifh’d with the Chifel. Smooth Cb - All the fmooth Ware are made the fird way : A Tea-Cup, for indance, when it comes from made with the Wheel is very imperfeft, not unlike the Crown of a Hat before it is form’d on the Block, the wheel, Workman gives it the Widenefs and Height requir’d, and parts with it almod as foon as he has taken it in hand: For he gets but three Deniers [or the value of half a Farthing] for a Board, and every Board contains twenty fix Pieces. The Foot of the Cup is nothing then but a fhape- lefs piece of Earth; which is hollowed with a Chifel, when the Cup is dry, and has receiv’d all the Ornaments intended for it. From the Wheel the Cup pafles immediately to a fecond Workman, who places it on its Foot; and foon after to a third, who puts it in a Mould, (which is fixt on a fort of turning Wheel) and gives it the Figures: A fourth polifhes the Cup with a Chifel, efpecially towards the Edges; and to make it of a proper Thinnefs to render it tranfpa- rent, ferapes it feveral times, moiftening it a very little if it be dry, left it fhould break. When the Cup is taken out of the Mould, it muft be roll’d gently thereon, without prefling it more on one fide than the other; for elfe it would not be exactly round, or would warp. It is furprizing to fee with what Swiftnefs thefe Veflels run thro’ fo many Hands. Some affirm that a Piece of China , by the time it is bak’d, pafles the Hands of feventy Workmen; which I can eafily believe after what I have feen my fielf. The great Pieces of Porcelain are made at twice: One half is lifted upon the Wheel by three in Vlouldf 6 or ^ our ^ en > eac ^ w h° m fupports a Side of it, in order to give it the proper Shape; and the other halt being almoft dry is join’d to it, by means of fome of the fame Matter moiften’d in Water, which ferves inftead of Mortar or Glue. When the whole is quite dry, they polifh the Place where the Pieces were join’d with a Knife, both on the Infide and the Outfide, which afterwards by means of the Varnifh looks as fmooth as the reft. In the fame manner they apply Handles, Ears, and other parts to the Veflels. What has been faid, chiefly regards the Porcelain made in Moulds, or by the Hands only : Such are thofe Pieces that are fluted, or reprefenting feveral Fancies; as Animals, Grotefque Figures, Idols, Bufts, befpoken by the Europeans y and the like. Mould-Works of this fort conlift of there or four Pieces, which are join’d to each other, and afterwards finifti’d with Inftruments, proper to hollow and polifh them, as well as to add feveral Strokes, which they do not receive from the Mould. As for Flowers and other Ornaments that are not in Relievo, but as it were engrav’d, they are imprefs’d on the China with Seals and Moulds : They alfo apply Relievo's ready prepar’d, much in the fame manner as Gold -Lace is put on a Suit of Clothes. What follows, relating to Moulds, I have lately been an Eye-witnefs of myfelf. When a Model is given them, which they cannot imitate by the Wheel, they take the Imprefllon of it with a fort, of Earth fit for that purpofe, and then feparating the Mould from the Model in feveral Pieces, let it dry gently. When they are about to make ufe of this Mould, they fet it near the Fire for fome time : How the after which putting in a quantity of the Stuff, according to the Thicknefs’the China is to be of. Mould; are t fy e y p re f s j t j n ever y w h ere w ffh the Hand ; and then placing it for a Minute or fo before the Fire, the Figure loofens from the Mould, by the drying up of the Moifture that held them toge¬ ther. The different Pieces thus work’d feperately, are united again with the Stuff made fome- -what liquid. I have feen Figures of Animals thus made-that were quite folid. Thev firft let *■' the 343 and Painting the China-Ware. the Mafs harden, then giving it the Figure propos’d, afterwards finifti’d it with a Chifel, or added Parts that were made feparately. Thefe forts of Works are very troublefome to make, and in great requeft. When the Work is finifti’d, it is varnifh'd and bak’d; after which they paint it, if it be defir’d, with feveral Colours, and gild it, baking it a fecond time. Pieces of Porcelain | thus made are fold extremely dear. All thefe Works ought to be Ihelter’d from the Cold, for when they do not dry equally, the Parts that are moift crack; To avoid which Inconveniency, they fometimes make Fires in thefe Laboratories. The Moulds, abovemention’d, are made of a yellow fat Earth, which is as it were in Lumps, How and of ( and as I imagine is common enough, being gotten in a Place not far from King te ching. They what ,Mde - knead this Earth, and when it is become very firm, and fomewhat hard, they take the proper quantity for the Mould that is to be made, and beat it very much : After they have given it the 1 Figure that is defir’d they let it dry, and in the laft place finifh it upon the Wheel. The Pot- J ter here is well paid for his Labour. To haften a Work that is befpoken, a great number of Moulds are made, for employing feveral Companies of Workmen at the fame time. It care 1 be taken of thefe Moulds, they will laft a long while; and a Merchant, who has them ready I by him for thofe forts of Works which Europeans require, can deliver his Goods much fooner I and cheaper, and yet gain confiderably more by them, than another who has them to make, 1 But if they fhould happen to crack, or have the leaft Flaw in them, they are of no farther | Service, unlefs for China of the fame Falhion, but fmaller Size: For in fuch a Cafe they put it I upon the Wheel, and repair it, that it may ferve a fecond time. Colours for emhellifhing the China, and the Art of laying them on. I T is now time to embellifh the Porcelain , by letting it pafs into the Hands of the Painters. The Painters Thefe Wha-pey, or Painters of China, are as poor as the other Workmen ; and indeed it is no wonder, for, excepting fome few, a Prentice in Europe, who had ferv’d at the Trade t[fts 1 but a few Months, cou’d perform as well. What they do that way is the effeft of Prafticc, 1 a {lifted by none of the moft extenfive Imagination, being quite ignorant of all the excellent i Rules of this Art; and yet it muft be confefs’d, they have a knack of painting Porcelain, as ■ well as Fans and Lanthorns, of a very fine Gauze, with Flowers, Animals, and Landfkips, which are juftly admir’d. The Painting part is divided, in the fame Work-houfe, among a great number of Operators. It is the foie Bufinefs of one to ftrike the firft colour'd Circle, near the Edges of the Ware; another traces the Flowers, which are painted by a third ; it belongs to one to draw Rivers and Mountains, to another Birds and other Animals; As for the Figures of Men, they are com¬ monly the’ word: done of all. But we have no right to rally the Chineje, for their manner of painting certain Landfkips, and Plans of Cities, brought illuminated from Europe. 1 Th e China is made of all Colours, tho’ one feldom meets in Europe with any fort, but that Ci;™ made with a bright Blue upon a white Ground : However,I believe our Merchants have imported others. The Ground of fome is like our Burning-Glaffes; that of others is quite red, done either with Oil- red or Blown-red, and frofted with little Points, like our Paintings in Water-colours. When both forts of Work are done to perfedtion, which yet is no eafy matter, they are vaftly priz’d, and extremely dear. In Ihort, there is other China- Ware painted with Landfkips, in almoft all forts of Colours, and fet off with the Luftre of Gilding: Thefe are very beautiful when one will go to the expence of them ; but as for the ordinary China of this kind, it is not compare- able to that which is painted Amply with Blue. „ The Annals of King te ching fay, that formerly People made ufe only of white Porcelain: ^ Perhaps becaufe they had not as yet found Blue in the Neighbourhood of Jau-cbew, inferior to whit5 that ufed for the fineft Ware; which laft comes from far, and is fold very dear. They relate that a China- Ware Merchant, having been fhip-wreck’d on a defart Coaft, found by accident abundantly more Riches than he had loft; for wandering upon the Shore, while the Sailors were building a fmall Veffel out of the Wreck, he perceiv’d that the Stones, for making the fineft Azure or Blue were very common there: Wherefore he carry’d back with him a confi- derable quantity of them, and tis faid, that fo charming a Blue was never feen at King te ching. But it feems the Chineje Merchant could never afterwards light upon the Coaft, which Chance had before conduced him to. . . . The Azure is prepar’d after the following manner: Firft they bury it in the Gravel, which is UphArmt- about the Depth of half a Foot in the Furnace', where they calcine it for twenty four Hours; P r «* then they reduce it into an inpalpable Powder, in the fame manner as they do other Colours, not upon Marble, but in great Porcelain- Mortars, the Bottoms of which are unglaz d, as well as the Head of the Peftles which ferve to beat it. With regard to this Affair, there are fome few Remarks to be made :’ (i.) Before it is buried in the Gravel, of the Furnace, which is done before the Furnace >s heated, it muft be well wafh’d from the Earth that fticks to it. ( 2 .) It ought to be enclos’d in a Box made of Porcelain very well luted. ( 3 .) When it is calcin d they break it, and pafiing it through a Searfe, put it into a glaz’d Veil'd, pouring thereon boiling Water: then ftirring it about, they take off the Scuhl which fwims on the Top, and decant 344 Manner of Painting China-Ware, China-TriVi not fit for Paint. the Water very gently. This way of purifying the Blue with boiling Water mu ft be repeated twice ; after which they throw the Blue, while it is yet moift, and in the condition of a very fine Pafte, into a Mortar, where they grind it for a conliderable time. Where found I have been allur’d that this Azure [or Lapis Armenus] is found in Coal-Pits, or among the red Earth that lies near them: It is ufual for fome of it to appear on the Surface, which is an infallible Sign that if you dig a little in the fame Place you will find more. It exifts in the Mine in fmall Pieces, about the Bignefs of the middle Finger, but flat and not round. The coarfe Azure is common enough, but the fine is very fcarce, and befides is not eafily dif- tinguifh’d by the Eye; wherefore to prevent being deceiv’d, it is neceflary to try it. This Proof confifts in painting a China Cup, and then baking it. Could Europe furnifh this fine Lyau or Azure, and the beautiful Efyu, which is a kind of Violet, as a great deal of it would go in a little room, it would be a charming Commodity for King te cbing , from whence the moft lovely Forceldin might be brought back in exchange. I have already (p) faid that the Efyu is fold for a Lyang and eight Eyen the Pound, that is, for nine Francs; and a Box of fine Lyau y con¬ taining only ten Ounces, is fold for two Ea'els , which is twenty Sous an Ounce. They have attempted to paint fome Veffels black, with the fineft China- Ink, but without Suc- cefs; for when the Ware was bak’d it became very white. Whence it may be prefum’d that the parts of the Ink, not being fubftantial enough, were diflipated by the adtion of the Fire; or rather that they had not fufficient ftrength to penetrate the Lay of Varnilh, nor to produce a Colour different from that of the Varnifh. The red is made of Efau-fan , or Copperas; and as the Chinefe may have fomething particular in their Method of doing it, I fhall give an Account thereof. They put a Pound of Copperas into a Crucible, which they lute well to another, on the Top of which laft is a fmall Opening, cover’d in fuch a manner that it may be eafily uncover’d when there is occafion: Then they put kindled Charcoal all about it, and to make the Reverl>eration the ftronger, enclofe it with Bricks. The Matter is not brought to perfection till the very black Smoak ceafes, and a kind of a fmall, fine, thin Cloud fucceeds. Then they take a little of this Matter, moiften it with Water, and trying it upon Fir-wood, if it produces a bright Red, they take away the Fire which furrounds, and almoft covers the Crucible. When it is quite cold, they find a fmall Cake of Red at the Bottom of the Crucible : But the fineft red adheres to the Crucible that is above. A pound of Copperas yields four Ounces of Red, wherewith they paint the China. Tho’ the Porcelain is naturally white, and becomes ftill more fo by means of the Oil that is lay’d on it, yet there are certain Figures, that require the laying a particular fort of white on the China , which is painted with different Colours. This White is made with a Powder of tranfparent Flint, calcin’d in the Furnace after the fame manner as the Lapis Armenus. To half an Ounce of this Powder they add an Ounce of powder’d Cerufe, or White-lead, which alfo enters into the Compofition of the Colours. For inftance, to make a Green, to one Ounce of Cerufe, and half an Ounce of powder’d Flint they add three Ounces of what they call Eong-wha pyen ; which, according to the Information I could get, muft be the fineft Scales of hammer’d Copper. The Green thus prepar’d becomes the Mother of the Violet, which is made by adding a quantity of the White, and is the deeper the more there is of the preparation of Green. The Yellow is made by mixing feven Drams of prepar’d white, mention’d before, with three Drams of the Copperas Red. The Colours The Colours apply’d to Porcelain after it has been varnifh’d and bak’d do not appear green, violet, yellow, or red, till it has receiv’d the fecond Baking. The Chinefe Book fays, & thefe fecond ba- feveral Colours are laid on with Cerufe, Salt-petre, and Copperas; but the Chriftian Potters mentioned nothing to me but White-lead, which is mix’d with the Colour,' when it is dilfolv’d in Gum-water. The red Oil-colour, call’d Eew-li-bong, is made with the Powder of red Copper, and that of a Stone or Flint which has a reddifh Caft. A Chriftian Phyfician told me that this Stone was a kind of Allum, ufed in Phyfic. They beat the whole in a Mortar, mixing with it young Men’s Urines and the Oil of Pe-yew ; but I could never difeover the Quantities of thefe Ingredients, thofe who have the Secret being very careful not to divulge it. They lay this Compofition on theCbina before it is bak’d, without employing any other Varnifh; but they muft take heed while it is baking that it does not run to the bottom of the Cup. Thev have affur’d me that the Ware whereon they lay this Red is not made of Pe-tun-tfe but Kau-lin , of the yellow Earth, prepar’d in the fame manner as the Pe-tun-tfe. It is very likely that fuch kind of Earth is moft proper to take this Colour. Copper Pow- Perhaps you will be glad to be inform’d how this Copper Powder is prepar’d. It is well known, dcr - as I have elfewhere obferv’d, that they have no coin’d Money in China, but inftead of it make ufe of Silver in Ingots, many Pieces of which are of a bafe Alloy: however, on certain Occafions there is a neceflity of reducing it to fine Silver; as when, for inftance, the Taxes, or fuch like Contributions are to be paid: At which times they have recourfe toWorkmen, whofe foie Bufinefs is to refine it, by feparating from it the Copper and the Lead in Furnaces made for the purpofe. And of this Copper, which probably retains fome imperceptible Particles of the Silver and Lead they make the Duft. Before the melted Copper hardens and congeals, they dip a Brufh flightly in Water, and, ftriking the Handle of it, fprinkle the Water on the melted Copper. This caufes a Skin to rile upon the Surface, which they take up with fmall Iron Tongs, and plunge into cold Water: whence (a) Before, p. 3-5;. the Violet Colour is call’d and no Price mention'd. White, Vio¬ let, Green, and Yellow. king. Red Oil Co¬ lours. Preparing and laying on the Colours. 34 s ) whence the Copper Powder is made, which increafes as often as they repeat the Operation. 'Tis my Opinion, that if the Copperas was diffolv’d in Aqua-fortis, this Powder of Copper wou’d be fitter for the Red I am lpeaking of: But the Chinefe have not the Art of making Aqua-fortis and Aqua-regia, all their Inventions being exceeding fimple. The other Kind with Che-wi-hong or Blown-red is done in the following Manner: They cu-wi-hr.* take a Pipe, and covering one end with a fine Gauze, apply it gently to the red Powder ready "J 10 "" 1 prepar’d, which the Gaufe takes up; then blowing thro’ the other end upon the China, it appears cover’d ’over with fmall red Specks. This fort of Ware is dill dearer and fcarcer than the I former; becaufe the making it is more difficult, if all the neceffary Rules are obferv’d. They blow on the Blue in the fame manner as the Red, but it is much eafier to fuccced Other Co- therein. The Workmen agree, that if any wou’d be at the Expence, they could likewise J,°°” h a e ”y a e r ‘. blow Gold and Silver upon the China, the Ground of which fhould be black or blue; that nilh blown they cou’d fpread equally over the Ware a kind of Golden and Silver Shower. This fort of Por- on. celain being of a new Tafte, would not fail to pleafe. They fometimes blow the Varnifh on. Thus, feveral Years ago they made fome China- Ware, for the Emperor, fo very fine and llender, that they were oblig’d to lay them upon Cotton for fear of breaking them by handling; and as they could not dip them in the Varnifh, without taking them in their Hands, they cover’d them therewith by blowing it on. I have obferv’d that in blowing on the Blue, the Workmen, in order to lofe as little as pofli- ble of the Colour, that does not flick upon the China, place the Ware upon a Pedeftal, with a large Sheet of Paper underneath, which will ferve for tome time; and when the Azure is dry, they dear it off the Paper with a fmall Brufh. But for the better underftanding the Method us’d by the Painters in mixing their Colours, cbmfi and thence making new ones, it will be proper to fet down the Proportion of the Cbineje Weights, "'tights. The Kin, or Chinefe Pound, is fixteen Ounces, call’d Lyangs, or fails, (a) The Lyang, or Tael is, a Chinefe Ounce; the Tfyen, or Mas, is the tenth Part of a Lyang or Tael-, the Fwen is the tenth Part of the Tf'yen or Mas ; the Li is the tenth Part of the Fwen ; the ~H.au is the tenth Part of the Li. This being premis’d, I (hall (hew how they compound the Red which is made with Cop- Ompofeidi peras, call’d 5 "fail-fan, and uled upon the Porcelain that is bak’d a fecond time. To a Lyang or fuel of Cerufe they put two Tfyen of this Red, and, paifing both together through a Searce, mix them dry. Then they encorporate them with Water mix’d with common Glue, fuchas is fold, reduc’d to the Confidence of Fi(h Glue: This caufes the Red to flick when apply’d to the China, and prevents its running. As the Colours, if laid on too thick, would produce Ine¬ qualities in the Ware, they from time to time dip the Pencil lightly in Water, and then in the Colour they are about to paint with. To make a White, they add to one Lyang of Cerufe, three Tfyen and three Fwen of the impalpable Powder of the mod tranfparent Flints, calcin’d in the Gravel of a Furnace, as before mention’d; making ufe of Water only, without Glue, to incorporate it with the Cerufe. They make a deep Green by adding to a Lyang of Cerufe, three Tfyen and three Fwen of of Green, the Powder of Flints, with eight Fwen, or near a Tfyen of Tong wha fyen. This laft is nothing elfe but the Drofs of Copper when it is melted; and I have learnt that in ufing it to make the Green, it muft be wafli’d, and feparated carefully from the Grains of Copper mix’d with it, which are not proper for a Green; nor muft any part of that Metal be us’d, excepting the Scales which fly off in hammering it. As for the yellow Colour, it is made by adding to a Lyang of Cerufe, three Tfyen, and three Of Yellow. Fwen of the Powder of Flints, and one Fwen eight Li of pure Red, that has not been mix d with Cerufe : Another Workman has told me, that to make a fine Yellow, he put two Fwen and a half of the faid Red. _ A Lyang of Cerufe, three Ffyeti and three Fwen of the Powder of Flints, and two Li of or Violet Azure, make a deep Blue inclining to a Violet. One of the Workmen,whom I confulted, thought jn< * that there fhould be eight, Li of the Azure-The Mixture of Green and White, for inftance, one part green to two parts white, makes a very bright Sea-Green.-The Mixture of Yellow and Green, for inftance, two Cups-full of a deep Green to one of a Yellow, make the Ku-lu Green, which refembles a Leaf fomewhat faded. To make a Black they moiften the Azure in Water, fo as it may be a little thickifh, mix- of Black, ing therewith common Glue macerated in Lime, and boil’d to the confidence of Mouth- Glue. When they have painted with this Black the Porcelain that is to bebakd over again, they cover the black Places with White; and, in the baking, the White incorporates with the Black, juft as common Varnifh incorporates with the Blue of common China- Ware. There is another Colour, call’d Ffyn , which is a Stone or Mineral refembling Roman-V itriol. Deep Violet. According to the Anfwers made to my Queftions, I am perfuaded that it is gotten out of Lead- Mines; and that carrying with it the Spirits, or rather imperceptible Particles of Lead, it infi- nuates itfelf into the China without the Afiiftance of Cerufe, which is the Vehicle of other Colours that are laid on the double-bak’d Ware. Of this Ffyu they make the deep Violet. It is found at Kan-ton , and comes alfo from Pe-king: But the laft fort is beft, being fold for a Lyang and eight Fjyen a Pound, that is, for nine Livres. The 7 ’fyu will melt, and when it is Vol. I. 4 S melted, (\) I.yang is the Chlvrfe Appellation, and Tael the Portugucfe. The like is to be underftood of the Terms that follow. 346 Manner of Painting China-Ware, U-ed to ena mc ^ tec ^> 01 foftcn'd, the Goldfmiths ufe it like Enamel upon Works made of Silver : They will mei with, put, for inftance, a fmall Circle of L/yu within the Hoop of a Ring, or elfe filling the Eye of a. Bodkin, enchafe it like Jewel Work. This kind of Enamel will at length wear off; but they endeavour to prevent it, by putting it upon a flight Lay of either common or Fifh-Glue. The Tfyu, as we ^ as ot h er Colours I have fpoke of, is us’d only upon China bak’d how T i 5 ir’J a f econ d time. As to the Preparation of Lfyu, they do not calcine it like the Lapis Ar menus, 1 1 but break it, and reduce it into a fine Powder, then throw into a Veffel full of Water ; which having flirred abo.it a little, they caft away when it becomes foul, preferving the Cryftal that is fallen to the Bottom. The Mafs thus moiften’d lofes its fine Colour, and feems outwardly inclinable to an Afh, but recovers its Violet Hue again, as foon as the Porcelain is bak’d. The Tfyu will keep as long as they defire it, and when they go to paint, it is fufficient to moiften it with Water; mixing therewith, if they think proper, a little common Glue: A tiring which fome think unneceffary, but in this Experience mult teach, andufci in To or fil ver China- Ware, they add two F according to the Annals of Few-lyang, they added Salt-Petre and Copperas. If Cerufe were likewife ufed in the Colours painted on Glafs, and the Glafs afterwards bak’d a fecond time, might not the Art be recovered that we formerly had of painting thereon, without dimr- niftiing its Tranfparency ? But this Experience muft determine. Our Lofs of this Secret among us put me in mind of another, which the Chinefe alfo lament the Lofs of; they had the Art of painting Fifh, or other Animals, on the Sides of a Porcelain Veflel, which did not fhew them- felves till the Veiled was full of Liquor. They call this kind of China -Ware Kya-tfing , that is. Azure put in a Prefs, on account of the manner of placing it. I fhall communicate what they have preferv’d of the Art. Who knows but the Europeans may fupply that Part which the Chinefe have forgot? The China -Ware to be painted in this manner muft be very thin. When it is dry they lay Sort of china on the Colour pretty ftrongly, not outwardly according to Cuftom, but on the In fide ; they generally paint Filh thereon, as mod proper to appear when the Veflel is fill’d with Water. The Colour being dry, they fpread on it a thin Lay of a kind of very fine Pafte, made of the fame Earth a-the China ; fo that the Azure is clofe-prefs’d between thefe two kinds of Earthen Plates. When the Lay is dry, they oil [or varnifh] the.Infide of the Veflel, and feme time after put it on the Mould and the Wheel. As it has receiv’d a Body on the In fide, they make it as thin as poflible on the Outfide without penetrating to the Colour. Then they dip the Outfide in the Oil, and when it is dry, bake it in the common Furnace, This 349 for Baking the China. This Work is extremely nice, and requires a Dexterity which the Chinefe, it feems, are no longer Matters of; and yet from time to time they make Attempts to recover this Art of Magic painting, but in vain : one of them aflur’d me not long ago, that he had made a new Trial, and was very near fucceeding. But however this be, it may be faid that, even at prefent, the ttneft Azure revives upon the China after having difappear’d; when they lay it on the Ware it is of a palilh Black, but when dry, and varnifh’d, it is intirely hid, and the Ware becomes white, but the Fire difclofes all the Beauty of the Colours, much in the fame manner as the natural Heat brings from the Cods the ttneft variegated Butterflies. After all, there is a great deal of Art, in laying the Oil [or Varnifh] on Porcelain, with refpedt both to the juft Quantity, and the equal Diftribution of it: China that is thin and (lender, is done over with it twice very (lightly, for if the Lay fliould be too thick, the Ware not being able to fupport it, would warp immediately; thefe two Lays are equivalent to one, commonly given to the fine Porcelain of a (Longer make, and are apply’d the ftrft by Sprinkling, and the other by Dipping ; they take the Cup by the Outttde in one Hand, and holding it (loping over the Pot ofVarnilh with the other, throw into it as much as will fprinkle it all over ; this is repeated to a great number of Cups, and as foon as the firft become dry, they oil them with¬ out in the manner following : They put one Hand within the Cup, and applying a fmall Stick to the Middle of the Foot [with the other] to fupport it, dip it in a Veflel of Varnifh, and take it out again immediately. I have (aid before that the Foot of the Veflel is left unfafhon’d, and in reality it is not put on the Wheel to be hollow’d, till after it has been varnifla’d and dry’d; within the Hollow they paint a fmall Circle, and often a Chineje Character, and when that is dry they varnifh the Hol¬ low, which is the ttnifhing Stroke 5 for immediately after it is carried from the Laboratory to the Oven in order to be bak’d. I have been furpriz’d to fee a Porter carry fteadilv on his Shoulders two long narrow Boards rang’d with China- Ware, and pafs in that manner thro’ leveral Streets full of People, without breaking any of his Cargo : ’Tis true he carefully avoids joftling ever fo little againfl: any thing, becaufe he would be oblig’d to make good the Damage; but if ill it is very aftoniftiing, that the Porter (hould himfelf fo well order his Steps, and every motion of his Body, as to preferve fuch a nice Equilibrium. 1'he Place where the Furnaces [or Ovens] are prefents another Scene: In a kind of Porch All the Ware before the Furnaces, (lands a Heap of Boxes and Cafes, made, of Earth, for encloftng the China- LakM in Ware. Every Piece how inconliderable foever having its Cafe, as well thofe with Lids as thofe < ’ a ' es ‘ without: Thefe Lids, which flick but weakly to the lower part during the Baking, are ealily fever’d by a little Stroke given them: As for the fmaller Pieces, fuch as Tea, and Chocolate- Ditties, one Cafe ferves feveral. The Workman herein imitates Nature, which to ripen Fruits, and to bring them to Perfection, inclofes them in a Covering, that the Pleat of the Sun mav only penetrate by Degrees, and that the inward ACtion may not be too much interrupted by the outward Air, during the Cold of the Night. Within thefe Cafes is a Bed of very fine Sand, fpread over where the Cup (lands with the Duft: of Kau-lin, that the Sand may not flick to the Foot of the Cup, which does not touch the Sides of the Cafe. The Top of this Cafe has no Lid ; but another Cafe of the fame Figure, fur- nitti’d likewife with China- Ware, is put within it fo as to cover it intirely without touching the China- Ware below; thus they fill up the Oven with large Piles of Earthen Cafes, or Boxes: by the Afliftance of whofe thick Veils the Beauty, and, if I may fo exprefs it, the Complexion of the China-Ware within them is not tann’d by the Heat of the Fire. As for the fmall Ware, inclos’d in large round Cafes, each Piece is fet on an Earthen Saucer, two Crowns thick, and fufficiently broad ; whofe Bafe alfo is fprinkled with the Duft of Kau-lin. When thefe Cafes are fomewhat large, they put no China-Ware in the Middle, becaufe it would be too far from the Sides, and fo for want of Strength, might open and give way, which would endamage the whole Pile. Thefe Cafes are one third of a Foot in height, and part of them are unbak’d as well as the China- Ware ; however, they quite fill thofe which have been baked and ferve again. I muft not forget to (hew how the China- Ware is put into the Cafes; the Workman does not Manner of handle it, becaufe that would either break it (for nothing is more brittle) or at lead foil or Calins dent it ; but he takes it off the Board, by means of a little String, fatten’d to the two Prongs, fomewhat crooked, of a wooden Fork, which he holds in one Hand, while with the other he difpofes the two ends of the String crofs-wife, and opened, according to the Breadth of the Chbia- Ware ; thus incircling it, he lifts it up gently, then puts it in the Cafe upon a little Saucer : All this incredibly quick. I have faid that the Floor of the Oven has half a Foot depth of Gravel, to hold with greater Safety the Piles of China- Ware, which, in the Middle of the Furnace, are at lead feven Foot high. The two Bottom-Cafes of each Pile are empty, becaufe there the Heat is not ftrong enough, a'nd be Tides Part of them is covered with the Gravel for the fame Reafon, the Top Cafe of the Pile is empty likewife. The Oven is fill’d in every Part, except immediately under the Vent-hole: In the Middle (land Piles of the fined China , at the Bottom the coarfer Sort, and at the Mouth that which is ftrongly coloured. This lad Sort is compos’d of a Matter wherein there is put as much Pe-tun-tfe as Kau-lin, and varnifh’d with the Oil of a Stone fpotted red or black, becaufe this Varnifti has a better Eody than ordinary. All the Piles are plac’d very near each other, and join toge- Vol. I. 4 T ther Of the Furnaces or Ovens ther at Top, at Bottom, and in the Middle by Pieces of Earth, placed fo Ikilfully as to admit a free Paftage for the Flame on all Sides. All Earth is not proper to make Cafes for the China- Ware ; there are three Sorts ufed ; one is yellow, and common enough, of which they make the Bottoms ; another is call'd Lau-tu , and is a ffrong Earth ; the third, which is oily, is call’d Yeu-ti. Thefe two laft are got in Winter from certain deep Mines, impoffible to be work’d in Summer: If they are mix’d in equal Parts, the Cafes coft fomewhat more, but will laft a long while ; they bring filch Cafes ready made from a large Village a League from King-te-ching, down the River. They are yel- lowifh before Baking, but afterwards of an obfeure Red : When for Cheapnefs they ufe molt of the yellow Earth for the Cafes, they feldom laft above two or three Bakings ere they break to Pieces. If a Cafe is but (lightly crack'd, or even lplit, they bind it with an Ozier Band, which tho’ it takes Fire, preferves the Cafe for this once, fo that the China-Wits does not fuffer. They take Care not to fill the Oven with new Cafes; one half at leaft muft have been bak'd before ; thefe are plac’d at the Top and Bottom of the Piles, and the unbak’d ones in the Middle. The Hiftory of Feu-lcang fays, that in former times all the Cafes were bak’d in a Furnace by themfelves, before they were ufed to bake the China ; doubtlefs becaufe then, there being fewer Workmen, they had lefs regard to the Expence than the Perfedtion of the Work. Structure of Let usnow come t0 Strudture of the Ovens or Furnaces ■ they are plac’d at the further die Oven. End of a long Porch, which ferves inftead of Bellows, and is withal a Warehoufe ; it is of the fame ufe as the Arch in Glafs-Houfes : The Ovens are larger now than formerly, for then, accord¬ ing to a Chinefe Author, they were only fix Foot high and fix broad, hut arc now two Fathom high, and almoft four wide: The Arch as well as Body of the Oven is fufficiently. thick, fo that one may walk upon it without being incommoded by the Fire: This Arch or Vault is not fiat on the Infide, nor does it rife in point, but grows narrower and narrower as it approaches the great Vent-hole, at the Extremity, through which the Flame and Smoak arife. Befides this Mouth, the Oven has five or fix Openings about its Head, like fo many Eyes, which arc cover’d with broken Pots, fo as to allay the Air and Fire of the Oven. By means of thefe Eyes they judge when the China is bak’d ; they uncover the Eye, which is neareft the great Vent-hole, and with Iron Tongs open one of the Cafes. If the Ware is done enough they difeontinue the Fire, and keep the Door of the Oven remaining (hut for feme time : This Oven has a deep Hearth of equal Extent with itfelf, and a Foot or two wide, they afeend by a Plank to enter the Range of China in the Oven ; When the Fire is lighted, they immediately (hut the Door, leaving only a proper Opening to throw in thick (height pieces of Wood, a Foot long. At firft the Oven is heated for a Day and a Night, and then two Men relieving each other, continually throw in Wood. One Baking generally confumes a hundred and eighty Load. Nay, a Chinefe Book holds this Quantity not fufficient, affirming that formerly they burn’d two hundred and forty Load, and twenty more, if the Weather was rainy, altho’ the Ovens were lefs by one half than they are now. They kept but a frnall Fire during (even Days and Nights, and on the eighth Day made a very brilk one. It muft be obferved, that the Cafes containing the fmaller Ware had been baked before by themfelves. The old Wi ^ mu ^ own’d, the Porcelain of the ancient Chinefe is more fubftantial than that made of n°naging > n latter Times; they obferv’d all'o another Thing, now neglected, that is, they did not open that Matter, the Oven-Door of the large Ware till ten Days after the Fire was out, and of the frnall, not till five. At prefent indeed they delay taking the large Velfels out of the Oven a few Days ; for if they did not they would crack ; but as for the final!, if the Fire ceafes in the Evening, they’ll take them out next Morning, it (hould feem, that they may fave Wood in the next Baking. As the China- Ware is then burning-hot, the Operator, who takes it out of the Oven, makes ufe of long Slings hung about his Neck. The baking They difeover that the Porcelain bak'd in the frnall Oven is fit to be taken out, if when looking the Ware, thro’ the Opening above, they fee that all the Ware is Fire-red to the Bottom, that they arc diftinguilhable one from another as plac’d in the Pile, that thofe that are painted look fmooth, and that the Colours are incorporated with the Ware, in the fame manner as Varnifh is with the fine Blue, by the Heat of the great Oven. As for the Ware bak'd a fecond time in the great Oven, this they judge fufficiently bak’d, (i) when the Flame comes forth no lon¬ ger red, but whitifh; (2) when looking in at one of the Openings they fee thro’ the Fire the Cafes red-hot. (3) When after opening one of the top Cafes, taking out a Veflel, and letting it cool, they find the Varnifh and Colour to their Liking. And laftly, when they can fee the Gravel (hine at the Bottom of the Oven. I have been furpriz’d that, after the burning at the entrance of the Oven 180 Load of Wood If h 'vooJ t t! ‘ n cne ^ay, on t * le next no A< ^ cs (hould be found on the Hearth. They (hould be well feafon’d to the Fire that feed thefe Ovens. Tis faid they put Salt in their Tea, that they may drink as much as they will without being incommoded; but I can’t conceive how this fait Liquor (hould quench their Third. Confidering what I have related, it can be no wonder that China-Ware is fo dear in Europe , Ui'mVork cf !' cci;ill >’ w ^ en you know yet further, that, befides the large Gains of the European Merchants ana their Factors, few Bakings fucceed quite well, and, that often the whole is loft, and they find, when the Oven is opened, both the Ware and Cafes reduced to a Muls as (olid as a Rock. Too fierce a Fire, or inlufficient Cafes may ruin all. It is no eafy matter to regulate the pro¬ per Degree of Heat: for the Alteration of the Weather has an immediate Effefl, not only upon the for Baking the China. ' 3$l the Fire, but on the Quality of the Subjecft on which it aft?, and of the Wood that feeds it. Thus a’hundred Workmen are ruin’d for one that grows rich j a hundred ruin themfelves by mil tryi'W their Fortunes, in hopes to get enough to fet up a Merchant’s Shop. Befides, tils China rent into Europe is almoft always made from new Models, often fo whimfical, that it is difficult to fucceed •, and the Europeans refufe it for the lead Defefl, in which cafe it mull ftick on the Matter's Hands, becaufe it is not to the Chinefe Tafte; confidently that which is fold mutt bear a good Price. According to the Hiftory of King-te-ching, their Gain formerly was much more confiderable; The Ga,n. but this is to be queftion’d, becaufe they had not then fuch Demands for their China from Europe. For my part I believe the prefent Dearnefs of the Merchandife, and Poverty of the Merchants, ariies from the Dearnefs of Provifions, and the Scarcity of Wood in the Neighbouring Mountains’; add to this, the Workmen are now not fo fkilful as formerly, and the Mandarins, who employ a great many to make Prefents for their Patrons at Court, pay them ill. The Workmen do not undertake all the Models that come from Foreign Countries, they Rcmar ^ a t!, have lbme impraflicablc given them in China, tho’ at the fame time they perform fuch fur- Pieces of prizing Works as Strangers would think impoffible. For Inftance, I have feen a large Lanthorn, w° rk '" a "- like that of a Ship, all of one Piece of China, thro’ which one Candle fufficiently enlighten’d a whole Room. This was made feven Years ago at the command of the Hereditary Prince, who a I lb order'd to be made divers Inftruments of Mufic, particularly a Sort of fmall Organ, call'd c Tp;r about a Foot high, confiding of fourteen Pipes, whofe Harmony is agreeable enough ; Mnfleal hut they attempted it in vain. They fucceeded better in making Flutes, Flagellets, and an Irnlmmcnu. Inftrumcnt nam'd Tun-lo, which is compos'd of divers fmall round Plates, a little concave, each of a particular Note. They hang nine in a Frame, at different Heights, which they (trike like a Dulcimer, and it returns a little Tinkling, which agrees in Concert with other Inftruments, and the Singers Tone. I concluded they had the Secret of incorporating a little Me[j| , m Metal with ihefc Pieces, to diverfify the Sound ; but I was miftaken, Metal being fo incapable capable „f of uniting with th a China, that if a Copper Farthing be put on the Top of one of the Piles in the Furnaces, it would, when it melts, pierce all the Cafes and Veffels, fo that all the Veffcls in the Pile would have a Hole in the Middle. Nothing can give a better Idea, than this, of the Effcft of the Fire on all things in the Oven, which are affirm'd to be in a State of Fluidity. I h ive notwithftanding, feen Defigns of Work perform'd, which were (aid to be impraaicable: Thefe were Urns above three Feet high without the Lid, which rofe like a Pyramid a Foot [° r “ lam high. They confided of three Pieces, fo artfully put together that the Joining could not be perceived. But I was told, that only eight out of twenty four fucceeded well, the reft being fpoilt. Thefe Urns were befpoke by the Merchants at Kan-ton for the European Trade; Wares of fo high Price not taking in China. . To come to the Works of the Chinefe which are more curious than ordinary ; they fucceed bed in Grotelque Work, and reprefenting Animals: They make Ducks and Tortoifes, that will float on the Water. I have feen a Cat painted to the Life ; in her Head they had plac’d a Lamp, the Flame of which made the two Eyes, and they affur’d me that the Rats were frighted with it in the Night. They alfo make abundance of Statues of Kdan-in, a Goddefs Sti!ucs of famous in China. She is reprefented holding a Child in her Arms, and is invok’d by barren Women defirous of Children. We may compare her to the antique Statues of Venus and Diana, with this Difference, that the Statues of Kuan-in are extremely modeft. There is another kind of Porcelain, difficult to make, and therefore very fcarce. Its Sub- fiance is extraordinary thin, and the Surface exceeding finooth within and without, and yet you fee Mouldings on it engraven, as a Round ot Flowers, for inftance, or fuch like Ornaments. The Manner they do it is thus: As foon as it is off the Wheel, they clap it on an engraved Mould, whence the Infide takes off the engraven Figures; the Outfide of it they work with a Chife’l, and make it as fine and thin as poffible. Then they varnifti and bake it in the ordi¬ nary Oven. .... t,. , ■ i i The European Merchants require fometimes China Slabs in one Piece, big enough to make the Top of a Table, or Seat, or Picture-frame; but this is impoffible; for the largeft they can make are but a Foot or thereabouts; if they exceed that, tho’ ever fo thick, they’ll warp. The Thicknefs alfo renders thefe Works fomewhat difficult, and therefore inftead of moulding them folid, they make two hollow Outfides, which they join, leaving a Vacancy within. They put but one Piece acrofs, making on both Sides two Holes to frame them by, as in Cabinet- The Hiftory of King-te-ching mentions feveral Works commanded by Emperors, which were attempted in vain. The prefent Emperor’s Father order’d fome almoft in the Fafhion of our Orange-Tree Tubs, therein to breed the Red, Golden, or Silver Fifli. Thefe Veffcls were to be three Foot and a half over, two Foot and a half high, the Bottom half a Foot, and the Sides a third of a Foot thick. They labour’d three Years together on thefe Works, and made two hundred Urns, but not one fucceeded. The lame Emperor order d Slabs for the Front of a Gallery, each to be three Feet high, two and a half broad, and Haifa Foot thick; but they could not be made, and the Mandarins of the Province addrefs’d the Empe¬ ror to put a Stop to the Work. Yet thefe Mandarins, knowing the Genius of the Europeans, have fometimes requefted me to fend for new and elegant Defigns, that they might prefent them as Curiofities to the Emperor. On the other hand, the Chriftians entreated me not to procure 3 S'- the Furnaces or Ovens procure them fuch Models, becaufe the Mandarins were not lb eafy to be put off as our Mer¬ chants, when the Workmen tell them the Thing is impradicable ; but often caule them to be 1 ( well baftinadoed, before fuch a promifing Projedl mull: be given tip. that prefides evei T Protellion has its particular Idol, and as the Divinity is as eafiiy communicated over Porce- here as the Quality of an Earl or Marquis in fome Countries of Europe,' it is no wonder - la,n ’ there fliould be a God of China- Ware : The Pi-fa (an Idol fo call'd) owes its Origin to thefe i Its Original. Models, which toe Workman cannot fucceed in. The Story is thus related : One of the [ Emperors abfolutely commanded them to make him fome Pieces, after a 'Model he gave them. They reprefented feveral times to him, that it was an impoffible thing, but their Remonftran- ! ces made him only the more politive. For the Emperors are, whilft alive, the Divinities mod fear’d in China-, and they often believe that nothing ought to oppofe their Defires. The Officers doubled their Diligence, and treated the Workmen with all forts of Rigour, while, poor Wretches! they were at great Labour and Expence, and received nothing butYows. At jaft one of them, quite in Defpair, threw himlelf into the burning Oven, and was confum’d in an Inffant. The China- Ware then baking, tis find, prov’d perfectly fine, and entirely to the Emperor’s liking; this Delperado pafs’d ever after for a Hero, and became the Idol pre- fiding over the Porcelain Works. But I don’t find his Example was follow’d. Antient and Porcelain having been in great Efleem for lo many Ages, lorne may defire to know in what Si r , e (P eas that of former Times differs from that of the prefent, and what the Cbineje think on Far'd" CLm ' tb ‘ s bcad - Th cy f> ave doubtlefs their Virtuofo’s, who are prejudic’d in favour of Antiquity : Nay, they are all generally inclin’d that way; and yet we find fome who give the Preference to the modern Works. But it is not with Porcelain as it is with old Medals, which give a light into Antiquity. _ Old Porcelain perhaps is adorn’d with fome Cbineje Charafters, but not fucli as fettle any point of Iliftory: The Curious therefore can find nothing but Fancy and Colours to give it the Preference. ° , I was told in Europe that the befi: Porcelain requires to be a long Time buried in the Earth; Error.’’"' but thls 1S a falf = No;ion > and is laugh’d at by the Cbineje. The Hillary of King te ching, fpeaking of the fineft Porcelain of old Times, fays it was lb catch’d up, that the Oven was lcarce open, but the Merchants were difputing for the firft Lot: fo far were they from burying it in the Earth. Tis true, that in digging on old Ruins, and on cleanfing Wells long cut of Porcelain Ufe, Ibmetimes fine Pieces are found, which have been hid in troublefome Times, when Peo- pie leek to fecure their choiceft Effects. It is not therefore the being brought to Perfection bv burying in the Earth, but its antient Beauty being preferv’d, that acquires it fuch Efteem j for that alone bears fuch Price in China, that they will give great Sums for the lead: Utenfil of the commoneft Sort, that has been ufed by the Emperors Tau and Shun, who reign’d many Ages before the Dynafty of the Tangs. All that the Porcelain gets by lying long in the Ground, is a Change ot its Colour, or, if you will, its Complexion, which (hews it to be old. The fame thing happens to Ivory or Marble, but much fooner; the China- Ware being guarded bv its Varnilh againd EfteCts of the Moidure. I have my fclf found, in old Ruins, Porcelain i probably very ancient, and I could not obferve any thing fingular in it. If it really had acquir’d Perfection by growing old, it was not, when new-made, equal to the prefent Works. Tis my Opinion, there was then, as now, Porcelain of all Prices. According to the Annals of King-te-ching, there were formerly Urns of the Price of 58 or 59 Taels each, which is more than 80 Crowns. How much greater the Price in Europe! Theie Annals add, that for every Urn of this Value an Oven was made on purpofe, and no Expence rvip . was *P ard * The. Mandarin ot King-te-ch'mg, who is my Friend, made Prefents to his Patrons bin counter- a ^. p ourt > °* Porcelain, which he had the Art to make himfelf, or rather to imitate that feited. of the nearer tames of Antiquity and to do it employ’d a great many Workmen. The Matter of thofe fa lie Ku-tong , or Counterfeits of Antiquity, is a yellowifh Earth got near King-te-ching, at a Place call’d Ma-ngan-JJmn. They are very thick; the Mandarin gave me a Plate of his mak¬ ing, and it was as heavy as ten common ones. The. F.nfhion There is not hing particular in the working on this Sort of China Ware, excepting the Varnilh, which is made of a yellow Stone, and being mixt with a larger Quantity of common Oil dyes the Veffels a Sea Green; when bak’d they throw them into very fat Broth made of a Capon and other Meats, then bake them again, and lay them in the naftied Puddle they can find, for the Space of a Month or more; after they are taken out they pafs for 3. or 400 Years old' or at leaft nf the preceding Dynady of the Mings, when Porcelain of this Thicknels was the Court Tafte. Thefe falfe Antiques fo far refemble the true, that they don’t ring when ftruck, nor yield the lead; Noife if held to the Ear. J A Pi .in- wi-i, ^ be Y brought me from the Rubbifh of a large Shop a little Plate, which I value beyond the 11 y 1 ^ fined. Porcelain Piece, tho’-a thoufand Years old. On the Bottom is painted a Crucifix between " Lne iJ * r gin Mary and St. John. Formerly, they exported (as ’tis faid) a great deal of this Sort to Japan, but the Enemies of Religion have hinder’d any of it being made thefe 1 6 Years. T-hey are in China almod as curious in European Glades and Crydals, as the Europeans are \\\ Cenia Ware ; but yet this Curiofity has not made them crofs the Sea to feek Glafs in Europe _ 1 hey find their own Manufacture ot more Uie ; for their Porcelain will bear hot Liquor, and you may hold a Dilh of boiling Tea without burning your Hand, if you take It after theif f r I dt ^ llch ^° U can ’f do ^ a Silver Difh ofthc fame Thicknefs and Figure. i c.i.i-ir'd ^ be Porcelain has its- Luftre as well as Glafs; and, tho’ it be not fo Tranfoarent, it is left w:;h Glab. * * Of the Silk Manufacture in C HIN A. brittle. What happens to Glafs, when juft made* happens alfo to Porcelain; and nothing better (hews the Conformity of their Nature: Good Porcelain hath a clear Sound, as well as Glals. A Diamond cuts Glafs; fo alfo they ufe a Diamond in reuniting broken Porcelain. They make therewith* as with a Needle, little Holes in the Subftance of the Ware, in which they twill a very line Brafs Wire, and fo render it fit for Service again, the Place where it was broken being fcarce perceptible. This Bufinefs is a Trade in China, 1 have faid that there continually arrive at King-te-cbing Barks laden with the Pe-tuh-tfe and ty afte of Kau-lin i and that after thefe have been cleanfed, they lay the Drofs that remains along in great Porcelain, of Heaps ; that there were three thoufand Kilns and Ovens in King-te-chitig , and all full of Cafes wliat u ‘ e ' and Ware ; that the Cafes could ferve no more than three or four Batches, and that a whole Batch is often fpoil’d. It is natural, after this, to afk, into what Abyfs do they call all that 1300 Years Rubbifh of Ware and Kilns ? The very Situation of King-te-ching , and the Manner in which it is built, will anfwer this pirft ufe Difficulty. This City was at firft no large Place, but is now prodigioully increas’d; they build every Day, and there is not an Houle but is furrounded with Walls. The Bricks in thefe Walls are not laid flatways, nor are they cemented like Works of Mafonry in Europe : The Walls in China are more beautiful, but not fo lolid. Long and wide Bricks incrullate, as I may fay, the Wall: Every one of thefe has another on each Side, of which you only lee the End even with the Middle one, to which they are the two Spurs. A flight Lay of Mortar round the middle one, binds all thele Bricks together; and the Back of the Wall is laid in the fame manner. Thefe Walls grow narrower as they rife, till at Top they are no more than a Brick’s Length or Breadth. The Spurs, or crofs Bricks, no where anfwer thofe on the oppofite Side, fo that the Bulk of the Wall is like a fort of empty Coffer. When they have laid two or three Rows of Bricks on a Shallow Foundation, they fill up the middle of the Work with Potlheards, over which they throw Earth temper’d like thinnifh Mortar; this binds the whole, and makes of it one Mafs, which inclofes the crofiway Bricks on all Sides, and thefe lock up the middle ones, which only bear upon the Thicknefs of the Bricks that are under them. At a diftance thefe Walls appear’d to me, at firft, as tho’ they were made of fine grey Stone, fquar’d, and polifti’d with the Chifel; and what is furprizing, if they take care to cover them at top with good Tiles, they will ftand 100 Years. But in truth they don’t bear any Timber-work, which is always fuftained by mafly wooden Pillars; they only ferve for Enclo- fures to Edifices and Gardens. We fee already in part what becomes of the Rubbifh of the Porcelain and the Kilns. The Second Ufe, reft they commonly throw on the Banks of the River, below King-te-ching. Hence in time they gain upon the R'ver ; and the Rubbifh being foak’d with the Rain, and trodden by the Paflengers, the Ground foon becomes fit to hold a Market, or to build Streets on. Moreover in great Floods the River drags along with it large Quantities of thofe broken Pieces; fo that its Bed is as it were pav’d with them, and affords a very agreeable Sight. Of the Silk Manufacture. G REECE made Italy the rich Prefent of Silk, which in the Time of the Roman Empe¬ rors was valu’d at its Weight in Gold. The Grecians were beholden for it to the Per- ^n^faiure fans ; and thefe, according to Authors of mod Credit, as M. d' Herbelot obferves, ‘ *' confefs that they had the Knowledge of Silk-worms, and the Art of breeding them, origi¬ nally from China. The mol Ancient Chinefe Writers aferibe their Difcovery to one of the Wives of the Emperor Whang-ti, her Name Si-ling , and furnamed, for Honour’s Sake, Twen- Silk, by fey But it is didicult to meet with any Memoirs of an early Date that mention the Silk-worm. ' uh “™ dir ‘ Before the Time of this Queen, when the Country was but newly cleared, the People were c0 '" d ' cloth’d in Skins of Animals; which being infufficient for fo multiplying a People, Neceffity render’d them induftrious, and they bent their Wits to make Cloth to cover themfelves; but they were oblig'd to this Princefs for the ufeful Invention of Silk. Since her Time, feveral Empreffes, recorded in Chinefe Authors, have heen agreeably employ’d in hatching and breeding of Silk-worms, in feeding them, taking the Silk, and manufaflur- cSTS. ° ing it ; and an Orchard of the Palace was allotted for a Plantation of Mulberry-Trees. The Silk worm.. Emprefs, attended by the Queens and the Prime Ladies of the Court, went in Ceremony to this Orchard, and gather’d with her own Hands the Leaves of three Branches, which her Handmaids bended dotvn within her Reach. The fineft Pieces of Silk, made by her felf, or by her Order, and under her Eye, were devoted to the Ceremony of the grand Sacrifice offer’d to Shang-ti . There is reafon to believe that the Trouble the Empreffes gave themfelves, was chiefly with a politic View to engage, by luch great Examples, the Princeffes, the Ladies of Quality, and all the People in general, to breed Silk-worms; on the fame Account, the Emperors, to enno- . ble, in fome fort. Agriculture, and to excite the People to fo painful a Labour, never omit at the beginning of the Spring, the Ceremony of holding the Plow in Perfon; opening with it fome Ridges, and fowing Grain therein. The prefent Emperor ftill obferves this Cuftom . Vol. I. 4 U Al ‘ ^4 Of the Silk Manufacture Where the are ma c. As far the Empress, they have, for fome time paft, not troubled themfelves about Silk : though there is yet to be feen, within the Verge of the Palace, a large Square of Houles, where hands the Church of the French Jefuits, the Avenue to which is hill call’d the Way to the Nttrfiry of Silk-worms for tic Diverfian of the EmpreJJ'es and Queens. In the Books of the ancient Philofopher Mencius , we meet with a wile Regulation of the Magihracv, which limited the Space appointed for the Mulberry Plantation, according to the Extent of every private Man’s Pofleffions. We may well call China the Silk-Country , for it feems to be inexhauhible. Befides furnifhing the Nations of Afia and Eiuope with large Quantities, the Emperor, the Princes, and their Domeilics, the Mandarins , the Literati, the Women, and in llaort, the Generality of the Chineje wear Silk, and are cloth’d in Satin or Damafk. There is fcarce any excepted, but the mean- ell of the People and the Peafants, who wear blue Cotton. Tho’ feveral Provinces of this Empire furnifh very fine Silks, thofe of Che-kyang are, without Companion, the fineit and heft. The Chineje judge of the Goodnefs of Silk by its Whiteneis, Softneis, and Finenefs. If it feels rough, it is a bad Sign. Oftentimes, to give it a Glofs, they drefs it with a Sort oi Rice-Water, .mix’d with Lime, which burns it, fo that, when brought to Europe, it won’t bear Milling: Tho’ nothing takes the Mill better than found Silk. A Chineje Workman will mill this Silk above an Hour together without Hopping, that is, with¬ out breaking a Thread ; and ’tis certain, nothing can look finer or neater. Their Mills are very different from thole in Europe , and far lefs cumberfome. Two or three wretched Blades of Bamboo with a Cog-Wheel are enough : ’Tis furprizing to fee with what fimple Inflruments they work the fineit Stuffs. There is at Kanton another Kind of Silk, that comes from 'Tong-king , but not compara¬ ble to that of Che-kyang , provided this latter be not too damp; of this Silk are made the fineit Stuffs in the Province of Kyang-nan, where are the greater number of good Workmen, and whence the Emperor is fupply’d with Silk for his own Uie, and for Prefents to the Grandees and Lords of the Court. The great Trade they drive at Kanton , which is the Port for all Strangers, does not fail to draw thither a great. Number of the belt Workmen: They could make as rich Stuffs as any in Europe , were they fure of Vent; but they ufually confine them- felves to the plainelt Sorts, becaufe the Chineje chufe the Ufeful before the Agree¬ able. They make Gold-Tillue indeed, but they don’t draw their Gold into Wire, to twill with the Thread, as is done in Europe , but gild a long Sheet ol Paper, which they cut into very fmall Slips, and very artfully wrap them about the Silk. Thele Stuffs look very fine, coming out of the Workman’s Hand, but are not lafting, nor fit for Garments, becaufe the Air and Moiffure loon tarnilh the Luftre of the Gold; they are hardly of any Ufe but for Church-Moveables and Ornaments ; none but Mandarins and their Ladies wear them, and that but very feldom. The Silks moll in ufe among the Chineje are plain and flower’d Gaufes, which are their Summer Wear ; Damalks of all Sorts and Colours; flriped Sattins, black Nan-king Sattins, cbarlb Taffeties, or fmall Mohairs, which are very ferviceable ; and feveral other Sorts ; fome like flower’d Grogram; others with open Flowers like Gauze; fome ftriped, in a very good Tafie, or mafqueraded, or embroidered with Rofes, &c. Crapes, Brocades, Plulh, and feveral Sorts of Velvet. That of the crimfcn Dye is the dearell, but one may be eafily deceiv’d in it. The Way to dtfeover the Cheat is, to take Juice of Lemon mix’d with Lime, and fprinkle a few Drops here and there; if it changes Colour, ‘tis counterfeit. In fhort, the Chineje make an infinite number of Stuffs that we have no Name for, but there are two Sorts moll commonly worn among them. (1.) A fort of Sattin, llronger and lefs glofly than what is made in Europe ; they call it Twan-tfe. Some are plain, others varied with Flowers, Trees, Birds, Butterflies, Cfc. (2.) A particular Taffety, call’d Chew-tje, [Suja] of which they make Drawers and Linings ; it is clofe, and yet fo fupple, that tho’ it be folded and fqueezed with the Hand, it will not take the Mark of the Fold; it will walh like Linen, without lofing much of its Glofs. or the Glofs The Chineje Workmen give their Chew-tfe, or Taffety, a Glofs with the Fat of a River-Porpus, • ■• •• which Creature they call Kyang-chu , that is to fay, the Hog of the River Yang-tle-kyang ; for in that great River, above 60 Leagues from the Sea, are feen Porpufes, lefs in Bulk indeed than thofe of the Ocean, but which feud along in Shoals, by Ranks, thro’ the frefh Water, with the fame Leaps and Evolutions as in the open Sea. This Fat is purified by waffling and boiling; then with a fine Bruffl they fpread it over the T.-ffetv from Top to Bottom, the fame Way, and on that Side they would give a Glofs to. The Workmen burn the fame in their Lamps at their Work by Night inflead of Oil. The Smell of it is very ufeful in driving away the Flies, which otherwile would damage the Silk. The Province of Shang-tong yields a particular Silk, found in abundance on Trees and in Fields: It makes the Stuff call’d Kyen-chew. This Silk is produced by fmall Infedts very like Caterpillars ; they don’t fhape it into Cods like the Silk-worms, but in very long Threads, wim h ftick to fmall Trees, or Shrubs ; theie Threads are gather’d, and make a coarfer Silk than the Houfe-Worms fpin: But the Worms are wild, and eat the Leaves of other Trees as v.xll as that of the Mulberry. Such as are not acquainted with this Silk, wou’d take it for a Ruflet Stuff, or a Coarfe Drugget. Vi.ere are two forts of Worms which fpin this Silk : One larger and blacker than ours, call’d Tjwen-kyen ; Europe. bnk. Particular Wonv.s .'01 and the Silk-Worms, in CHINA. k'i Tlkecn-kitn ; the other, which is (mailer, is call’d Tyau-kyen : The Cods of the firffc are of a ratter grey, thofe of the latter more black, and the Silk has a mixture of tbele two Colours. This Silk is very thick, never cuts, lafts long, wadies like Linnen, and when good, will not ftain even with Oil. This Silk is in great Vogue among the Cbinefe , and is fometimes as dear as Sattin, or their bed wrought Silks. As they are very dexterous in counterfeiting, they make a falfe Kym-chew of the Wade of the Che-kyang Silk ; by which, without Care, one may be eafily deceiv’d. A Silk Manufaflory has been fet up at Kanton, within thefe few Years, for making Rib¬ bands, Stockings and Buttons, which has had very good Succefs: The Stockings are fold for a Tael a Pair, and a dozen of the larged Buttons, for no more than Six-pence. As the Quantity and Goodnefs of the Silk depend very much on the way of breeding and caufe of ths feeding the Worms, from the time they are hatch’d till they fpin, the Method obferv’d in Plenty and China may become as ufeful as it is curious. An Author of Reputation, who lived in a ul Province abounding with Silk Manufadtories, under the Dynady of the Ming, has wrote a pretty large Treadle on this Subject. Father Dentrecolles fent me an Extract of it, from which I have taken all the Diredtions I thought neceffary for the managing, with Succefs, fo fine a Manufadture ; concluding, that the new Lights given by the Cbinefe on fo profitable a Wofk, that employs fo many Ships, will not be altogether ufelefs. Extract of an old Cbinefe Book, which teaches how to rear and feed Silk-Worms, fo as to have Plenty of the bcjl Silk. HE Author begins immediately to diredt how the Mulberry-Trees, whole Leaves silkworms; the Silk-Worm feeds on, ought to be cultivated ; becaufe thofe Infeds, fays he, like other Animals, are fit for no profitable Labour, but in proportion as their Food is fliit- Their Fcod - able to their Organs and Functions. He diftinguifhes two Sorts of Mulberry-Trees; the true Two Sorts of one, called Sang , or fi fang, which does not produce Fruit fo large as in Europe ; it being cul- ® rry " tivated with no other View than to have Plenty of Leaves, which only are ufeful. The other Sort are frnall and wild, called Che, or Te fang ; thele have neither the Leaf nor Fruit of the Mulberry Tree. Their Leaves are frnall, rough, roundifb, terminating in a Point, and their Edges fcollop’d ; their Fruit is like Pepper, one of which grows by the Stalk of each Leaf; their Branches thorny and cluttering, like a Bufh. Thefe Trees thrive beft on Hills, where they form a kind of Foreft. There are tome Silk Worms, no fooner hatch’d in the Houfe, but they are laid on thefe Field Silk- Trees, where they feed themfelves, and make their Cods. Thefe Field Silk-Worms being more worms, hardy, grow thicker and longer than the domeftic ones ; and tho’ their Work is not fo good, it is Valuable and ufeful, as may be judg’d by what I have faid of the Stuff call’d Kyen chew. Strings for Mufical Inftrumcnts are made of their Silk, becaufe it is ftrong and refounding. Tis not to be imagin’d that thefe Che , or Wild Mulberry-Trees, require no further Care than wildMuK to place the Silk-Worms upon them. Several Paths muff be made in thefe little Forefts, for berry Trees, the Conveniency of plucking up the Weeds growing under the Trees, and fo far pernicious, as they harbour Infers, and efpecially Serpents that are greedy Devourers of thele large Worms. The Paths are alio neceffary for the Keepers, who conlfantly traverfe the Woods, in the Day, with a Pole or Gun in their Hands, and at Night beating a Copper Bafon, to keep off the Birds that would prey on thefe Worms. Tis to be obferv’d, that the Leaves not touch’d by the Silk-worms, in the Spring, ought to Howto be be pull’d off in the Summer. If they are left on the Trees, the Leaves of the following Spring cultivated, have venemous and unwholefome Qualities. A Cbinefe Treadle on Plants fhews the Circulation of their Sap in a very clear Light; hence they conclude, that the Sap which circulates from the old Leaves corrupts, by its Ranknefs, the whole Mafs. To render the Che Trees fitter to nourish Houfe-worms, ’tis beff to cultivate them in the fame Manner, almott, as the true Mulberry-Trees, and efpecially to plant them but thinly, and low the Ground with Millet, to correct the Harfhnefs of the frnall Leaves, which grow too rank and too chaffening. The Worms that feed on them fpin the earlieft and ftrongeft Silk. Perhaps fuch Silk-worms might be difeover’d in Europe , as ’tis probable they were in China, if their .Cods were obferv’d on the Trees where they fix: They fhould be gather’d before they change into Moth-flies, for when they come out of their Cods they don’t leave their Eggs, many of which are loft by feveral Accidents. To have the Male and Female Moth-flies, feveral of the pregnated Cods fhou’d be alfo gather’d, and the Eggs being hatch’d the enfuing Year, fhould be laid on the fame Trees again, where their Iffue would eafily nourilh themfelves. One Obfervation has been made, which, tho’it maybe of Ufe, the ChineJ'e Author has not oak leaves mention’d : And that is to ufe Oak-Leaves inftead of Che- Leaves, whereon are fed the Worms ufcd for.viui- that fpin the Silk of which they make the Kyen-chew. The Emperor Kang-hi made the Ex- bcl ' !; ' . periment 3 S'6 Of the Silk-Worms of CHINA. psriment at Gcho in 'Tartary, where he had Silk-worms fed on Oak-Leaves; doubtlefs, the young and tender ones. If any one would hazard the placing of Houfe Silk-Worms on young Oak-Trees, fome of them would probably ufe themfelves to that fort of Rural Living, in the fame manner as we fee young Gentlemen of’nice Education accudom’d to the Fatigues and hard Living of a private Soldier. Their Eggs would produce, without doubt, a wild Sort, fuch as thofe that fpin the Silk made ufe of for the Kyen-chew. At lead:, Tryal might be made, whether the Houfe-worms would relifh young Oak-Leaves ; if lo, they might be ufed when the Mulberrv- Trees are backward. Of the true All the Chinef Authors fay of the true Mulberry-Tree, may be reduced to the following Trees!"'*" Articles, viz. to know the good and bad Sort; the manner of improving them by chufing the Trees, manuring the Soil, dripping the Leaves, grafting, and above all pruning them; and ladly, how to multiply the good Sort. !h-’m W Chufe The Mulberry-Trees which Ihoot their Fruit before their Leaves, ought to be reje&ed, their ucm * Leaves being commonly very fmall and unwholefome; befides this Sort perifhes in a few Years. As to chuling young Plants, fuch as have the Rind fhrivell’d, produce but very fmall Leaves, and are not to be made ufe of; but thofe that have the Bark white, few Knots, and large Buds, are always to be chofen. Their Leaves grow large and thick, and the Silk-Worms that feed on them produce firm Cods full of Silk. ThebeflSort. The bed Mulberry-Trees are thofe that give the lead Fruit, becaufe the Sap is lefs divided. There is a Method to render them barren as to Fruit, but rich in Leaves, and it is, by feeding Poul¬ try with Mulberries, either frefh pick’d off the Tree, or dried in the Sun ; and then taking their Dung, and didolving it in Water, the Mulberry Seed is deep’d therein, after which they fow it. Of the Kino. . There are in general two Sorts of good Mulberry-Trees, and thefe are nam’d from the Pro- "r ? -Trees beF vm , ces wbence the y were brought: The one is from King, a Country in the Province of Iiii-quang , and therefore named King-fang ; the Leaves of it are thin, fomewhat pointed, and in Shape a little like the Leaf of a Gourd. The Root is durable, and the Heart of the Trunk folid. The Worms fed on its Leaves fpin a drong Silk, very fit to make the Sha and the Lo-Sha , (which is a kind of Gauze or thick Crape.) The Leaves of King are far the bed for the Silk-Worms newly hatch’d ; for every Age has a fuitable Food mod agreeable to it. Mulberry- The Mulberry-Trees of Lu (the ancient Name of the Province of Sbang tong) do not bear '' much Fruit; their Trunk is tall, their Leaves large, drong, firm, round, and full of Juice i the Branches ar; f-und and vigorous; but the Root and Heart are neither folid nor lading : tho’ their Leaves be good for all Ages, they are more proper to feed Silk-Worms a little grown. Of thefe Mulberry-Trees, fome dioot out their Leaves very early; this is the Sort that fhould be kept near home, the more conveniently to clear the noxious Grafs from their Root, and to dung and water them in dry Seafons, in order to have near at Eland the fird Provifion for thofe precious Infedts. The young Trees that have been too much dripp'd of their Leaves in their fird three Years, futfer for it afterwards, becoming weak and backward. The fame happens to thofe Trees whole Leaves and Leaflefs Branches are not clean prun’d. They are in their prime Vigour in the third Year, but begin to decline towards the fifth, when their Roots gall. The Remedy is, in the Spring, to un-earth the Roots, and cut off the mod entangled, and then cover them with a proper Mould, fprinkling it with Water. Art of mak When the Mulberry-Trees grew old, there is an Art to recover them, by cutting off the ex- ing Mulber- Branches, and grafting found Shoots in their Stead; by which means a Sap glides thro’ ry Trees the whole Body of the Tree, and enlivens it : This Operation fhould be always made in young. t he Beginning, of the fecond Month, which anfwers to our March. To prevent thefe Trees from languifhing, you mud frequently examine, if certain Worms have not entred and lodg’d their Seed in them. Thefe Worms are kill’d by pouring a little of the Oyl of the Tong Tree Fruit in upon them. Any other drong Oyl would certainly pro¬ duce the fame Effeff TJ>e Son pro- The Soil proper for Mulberry-Trees ought not to be drong, nor too hard. Ground newly brny-Trei broke U P } s ve D § ood for this Purpofe. In the Provinces of Che kyang and Kyang nan , whence the b:d Silk comes, Care is taken to mend the Soil with the Mud of the Canals cut thro’ the Country, which are clean’d every Year. The Dung of Animals, and even of the Silk- Worms, with Afhes, is alfo proper Manure. Small Garden Seeds fown between thefe Trees, are of no Damage to them, provided the Plough does not touch the Roots. But the main and mod profitable Point is to be very watchful, in having the Mulberry-Trees prun’d in a right Seafon, and by a skilful Hand: This makes them earlier, and more abounding with Leaves: which are thereby better fill’d, and more relifh’d by the Silk-Worms. The Branches about the Middle of the Tree ought particularly to be lopp’d away, that the Leaves may be pick’d the more commodioully. A Leaf-Gatherer, who places himfeff always in the Center of the Tree, will, with this Precaution, gather more in one Day, than another without it could in leveral Days, which is no fmall laving ; befides being a readier way to fupply the hungry Worms. To gather the Leaves of the extreme Branches they ufe a fork’d Ladder, Yupported by its own Prop, that it may not hurt the Tree. Our Author afierts, that a Mulberry-Tree well prun’d is as good, and yields as much, as two others. The Of the Silk-Worms in CHINA. 3 n The Month of January is the Seafon for pruning the Mulberry-Trees, which is done in the Thc Sea(in fame manner as Vines, particularly Arbour-Vines: It's fufficient that the Branches which are for pruning, left have four Buds, the Over-plus ought to be thrown away. Four Sorts of Branches mult be entirely cut off; lft. Thofe that hang down towards the Root. 2dly. Thofe that fhoot inwards towards the Trunk, adly. Of thofe that are forky, and flioot two and two out of the Trunks ose ought to be retrenched. 4 thly. Thofe which grow well otherwifc, but are too clufterin? and ?oo much garnilh’d. None but the Branches that flioot outward from the Tree Of tun are to be fpared. The following Spring they will be vigorous and flourifhing, and their forward Leaves will advance the Maturity of the Worms, and the Profit of the Silk. . Our Author who lays great Streis on the Alt of Pruning as pra&ifed in hem king, neai Cle ■ haw his own Country, infills that the People of the Province of ?han£ tmg who prune in a different Manner, ought to try this, and not obftinately pradtife their old Method. About the Clofe of Autumn, before the Mulberry Leaves grow yellow they ought tc. be Qf ^ ^ gather’d and dry’d in the Sun, then to be pounded fmall, and put into large Lai then J ots th[ringutlllfl ftop'd with Clay, and fo kept in a Place free from Smoak. In the Spring thole beaten Leaves Leave,. will be like Meal, and proper to be given to the Worms after Moulting. . , In the Provinces of Che kyahg and Kyangnan, where the bell Silk is produced, they are The uftef very careful to hinder the Growth of the Mulberry-Trees, and lopp them to prevent their then w„oJ. exceeding a certain Height. The Loppings are diligently heap'd together for more than one Ufe • the Cbinefe knowing how to turn every tiling to Advantage ill Where Wood is Pearce they burn them to warm the Water, into which the bed Silk Cods are put for the more ’ eafy Winding. zdly. Their Alhes make a Waflr for the Cods pierced by the Moth-flies, “id fuehrers as B are faulty; with the help of this Waflr wherein they flew, they open extraordinarily, and become fit to be fpun to make Ferret-S.lk or be prepar d for Wad usd inftead of Cotton adly. Of the Bark of thefe Loppings they fometimes make Paper ftrong enough to cover an orUary Umbrella, efpecially when varnljh'd and colour'd. ^ hen the ^ 1 - Ms^cf berrv-Trees grow old, and their Leaves rank. Care fliould be taken to renew them. For MttlberJ S_ which end, befides the Method by grafting, before explain'd they procure new Plants either Phlu , bv twilling together quick and found Branches, in fmall Calks made of two Pieces of large Bamboo and fill’d with good Mould ; or by bending, at Spring, the long Branches left unprun d and flicking their Ends in manured Soil: In December following, when thefe Branches will have taken Root they are dexteroufly cut from the Body of the Tree, and transplanted m the proper Seafon. They alfo fow the Mulberry Seed, which mud be chofen from the beft Trees B> the Seed. andVrom the Fruit that grows about the Middle of the Branches. This Seed ought to be mix with the Alhes of the burnt Branches: Next Day the whole is to beftirrd in Water; when the Water is fettled, the ufclefs Seed floats; that which finks to the Bottom, ought to be drv’d in the Sun, and afterwards fowed, mix'd with an equal Quantity of Millet, which affills the Mulberry-Trees that then love the Shade, and defends them in growing from the k°When Ak 1 Millet C is "ripe, they wait for windy Weather, and then fet Fire to it. The enfuine Spring, the Mulberry-Trees (hoot with a great deal more Strength. The Branches mull be prun'd away till the Plants are grown to a proper Height, and then the Tops muft J)y TnM]fi be cut to make the Branches flioot out on the Sides; at length the young Mulbeiry-Trees are plaMJng . tranfplanted at the dillance of eight or ten Paces, in Lines four Paces afonder; but the Trees of one Line muft not be placed direftly oppofite to thofe of the next: Tis likely they negledl Symmetry in this, becaule otherwife the Trees might over-lhade one another. y 'Tis not enough to have cultivated the Mulberry-Trees for the Nour.fliment of Silk-Worms; ^ ^ Aoartments mult alfo be prepar’d for thofe precious Infedts, iuitable to the differ ments for tZ to the Places where, P and Times when they fpin. Thofe excellent Workers, winch ofsHUAtW their own Subftance contribute to the Luxury and Delicacy of our Drefs and Furniture, deferve to be treated with Diftinftion; fince the Riches they yield are in proportion to the Caie taken of them, and if they fuffer or languilh, their Work will do the fame Several Cbinefe Writers have treated of the Apartments proper for Silk-Worms fuch feme Provinces almoft every Family has, and in which only a fmall quantity of Silk, propor¬ tion’d to their Lelfure and narrow Habitation, is gathered: But this Extract is taken from an Author, who became one of the firft Minifters of the Empire, and who fully difcufsd this Matter, having wrote only with regard to large and expenfive, but in the Event very profitable, Manufaftories: He fays, an agreeable Place ought to be chofen for the Apart--A ment of the Silk-Worms; it muft be on a dry lifting Ground, and near a Rivulet; becaule it 1 cccdion. neceflary to waflr'the Eggs often, and running Water agrees bell with them. Their o g- ings ought to be retir’d from all Dunghills, Sinks, Cattle, and all Noife. Difagreeable Smells, and the lead Fright, make drange lmpreffions on fo nice a Brood. Even the balking of a Dog, and the crowing of a Cock, put them into Diforder, when newly hatched. The Room muft be built fquare, and may ferve for other Ufes when the Silk-Worm Sea- The Figure fon is over. Its Walls fhould be very clofe for the fake of Warmth ; the Door South at leaft JJ" South Eaft, but never in the North; with a Window on every Side, to receive and have a free Paffage for the Air, as occafion requires. Thefe Windows, which are almoft always kept (hut, are of white tranfparent_ Paper, behind which are moveable Matts placed fo as to admit or fhut out the Light, as occafion requires. ^ Thofe Vol. I. 4 X 3*S Of the Silk-Worms in C H I N A. The Heat lieceff theC The Fire proper for biik-YVorms. Furniture the Si Ik. Worms Nur- fen ! Matts are a fo uicla t0 kee P out pernicious Winds, fuch as the South and South Weft Which thou Id never enter the Apartments. As a refreffing Breeze is fometimes required, and in fuch Cafe, one of the Windows muft be open’d, ftiould the Air be full of Gnats and Flies it would prove very deftruffive. For as they fettle on the Silk-Cafes, they make Blemiffes’ winch render the Winding extremely difficult, fo that it is beft to haften the Wo.k before the Fly-Seafon. One ought not to be lefs careful to prevent the Entrance of fmall Li- ^ UantCats* 118 ’ ^ after Silk-Worms; this is done by having aftive and 1 ls '’ er y V’ a '". lal tIm * e ' E?g« be hatch’d at once, and that the Worms deep, waken feed roh"mbk ? n k Caft . thelr Skuls '°Sf her; to1 ; this purpofe, a conftant and equal Warmth fhould be kept in their Apartment by having Fire cover’d in Stoves at the four Corners of the Room dr die by carrying* Warming-Pan up and down the Room, while neceffary; the Pan otwb’t to nk, m T-, ° m ’ when they P ut in theFire , which ftiould be cover’d with Affes for a red or bluith i- lame very much annoys the Worms. Our Author would if pofhble, have the Fuel, which warms the Chamber, to be of Cow- J ung ; he advifes to lay in a Stock of it during Winter, to moiften it, and to make it into Uods to be dry d in the Sun: Thefe Clods are laid upon Planks of bard Wood, which mult be put into hollow Brick-work; when they fet Fire to it, it produces a ventle Heat which is very proper for the Worms, and they are pleafed with the Smell of that Dung’• rut great Care muft be taken to keep the Smoak out of the Chamber, for the Worms cannot bear it ; this Fire keeps in a long time under the Allies, which is no fmall Advantage. Laftlv to preferve the Place dry, for in cafe of Dampnefs, little Profit there can be expefled it 'is neceffary that the Outfide of the Door be covered with a double Matt, to keep out !hc chi’ll Air for He next treats of furmfhmg the Chamber with the neceffary Utenfils for keeping and main¬ taining the bilk-Worms: Nine or ten Rows of Shelves muft be made by Stories, nine Inches more or lefs diftant from each other; upon thefe they place Hurdles of Ruffes, with wide Melhes the Holes big enough to receive the little Finger, that the Warmth of the Place may the more eafily penetrate them, and that the cool Air may fucceed it: Thefe feveral Stories muft be mnged in fuch a manner, as to form an open Space in the midft of the Chamber, and a free Pafkige quite round: Upon thefe Hurdles they hatch the Worms, and here they feed them till they are ready tofpin ; but then the Scene changes. Moreover thefe Hurdles being like a Cradle for thefe very tender Infefis, thev lay on a kind of Mattrefs, call d the Shims, that is to fay, they fpread over it a Bed of dry Straw- chopt fmall, upon which they put along Sheet of Paper, foftened by gentle handling; u-bk the Sheet is fouled by their Oidure, or by the Remnants of their Meals, that is to fay, by the Fibres of the Leaves, which they never touch, they cover it with a Net, having Melhes' that afford a free Paffage: Upon this Net they caft Mulberry Leaves, the Smell of which immediately £ a !L UP h r g 7 I™ th c y take the Net off S entl P> and P lace i[ upon a new Hurdle, whilft they clean the old one, that it may ferve another time. \ ou lee there are many Precautions to be taken about the Habitation of the Silk-Worms ■ Our Author adds further, that there ffould be a Wall, or clofe Palifade round about the Chamber and at a little diftance from it, efpecially on the Weft Side, in cafe they ffould be obliged to let in the Air that Way, that the fetting Sun might not ftrike upon the Worms. ° The Guhtr- - T 1e ?. ® tre3ts of ftockmg yourfelf with Mulberry Lea\-es, he advifes you to ufe a wide Bav- ingofihe I Lt . W Inch opens and fhuts much like a Purle, that the Leaves may not be fluffd butmavdrv Leave. in carrying, and not wither. ' “ * As the Worms new-hatch’d require a more nice and prepared Food, he fays the Leaves muft be cut into very fmall fine Threads; and that for this purpofe a very (harp Knife muft be uled, that it may not fqueeze the Leaves in cutting, but leave all the Delicateneis of their Tafte It is often feen that Plants degenerate, and that the Seed is not fo good as its Original ■ if !l the n W f ” the Moth-flies, there are feme weak and languiffing; a good Brood muft not b- expected from thefe; and therefore you muft make Choice of thofe that are proper- This Choice is made at two Seaborn, y 1 8 I ft. Before they go out of their Cods, and it is then they diftinguiff the Male Cods from tne 1 - emale. This is the way to know them ; the Cods which are a little pointed, clofe and fine ana lefs than the others contain the Male Moth-flies; the Cods rounder, biggk and thicker' and more clumfy, inclofe the Females: In general, the Cods which are clear, fomewhat tranf parent, clean and weighty are the beft. zdly. This Choice is more fafely made when the Moth-fties are come out, which happens a little after the fourteenth Day of their Retirement: Thofe which come out a Day before the otheis, muft by no means be ufed to multiply the Species; lay hold of thofe that come out XU kf 7 - m C /°u d u ; th f a f eft muft be re j eng good JY 1 ocm- flies trom bad Of the Silk-Worms in C H I N A. wtll cover’d with Straw. After the Moth-flies have been together about twelve Hours, the Males mu ft be taken away; if they were to be any longer together, the Eggs which’thev would produce, being later, would not be hatch’d with the others, which Inconveniency (hould be avoided: The Male Moth-flies mull be put in a feparate Place, with thofe which are rejedted in the beginning. That the Females may lay their Eggs more advantageouily, it is neceffary to give them Room The dree, and cover them j for Darknefs hinders them from too much fcattering their Eggs. When they be nI; ™ °t have done laying, they mull be kept covered for four or five Days; after which all thefe Moth ~l" al ' s in flies, with thole which were fet aflde, or which were taken dead out of the Cods, mull be Adr hying buried deep in the Earth; for it would infedt any Animal to touch them. Some aftert that if K SS-- they were buried in leveral Places of the Field, it would neither produce Brambles, nor any prickly Shrub for feveral Years; others throw them into Filh-Ponds, and pretend there is nothing better to fatten the Fifh. r As to the valuable Seed that remains flicking upon the Sheets of Paper, fome of it mull ftill The Care to be thrown away ; for Inflance, thofe Eggs which flicking together make a fort of Clots ■ We be tak ™ °f mult hope for Silk from the others; and of thefe great Care mull be taken. Here my Author ex the EgEi ' preffes his Surprize, that the Worms being fo fenfible of the lead Chilnefs, or Moifture of the Air their Eggs on the contrary (hould be found to agree very well with the Water and Snow ■ Would not one think {fays he) that they were of two difthrent Natures ? He compares the 'changes undergone by the Worms, which fucceflively become Ants, Caterpillars, and then Moth-flies to the Changes which in order happen to Plants, by the unfolding of their Parts which are compact in one Situation, and dilate theinfelves in another; fome of which wither in'a Moment and fall off at the fame time, that others appear in their full Vigour. Tile firft Care to be taken, is to hang up the Sheets cover’d with Eggs to the Beam of the Room, which mud be opened in the Front, fo that the Wind may come in without the Rays ot the Sun Unking upon them ; that Side of the Sheet, on which the Eggs are laid, mud not be turn'd outwards; the Fire which heats the Room, mull neither blaze nor lmoak ; Care mud be taken likewife, that no hempen Ropes come near either tile Worms or Eggs: Thefe'Precautions are not repeated without Reafon. When they have let the Sheets hang lo for fome Days they take them down and roll them up loofly, fo that the Eggs be within the Sheet and then they are hanged up again in the fame Manner, during the Summer and Autumn. • > The , B ' / ka fth , e I ? tiMoon ’ that is, the end of December, or in January , when there is an The B*h for intercalary Month, they put the Eggs into cold River-Water, if it is to be got, or in Water the E SS S * with a little Salt diffolv'd in it, taking care that this Water does not freeze; the Sheets are left therein two Days, and left they (hould fwim, they keep them down to tile Bottom of the , ■ ,, Veffel, by clapping a C&W-Dilh over them. After having taken them out of the Water they hang them up again, and when they are dry, they roll them up a little tighter and i’nclole them leparately, (landing on one end in an Earthen Veffel; after that, once in about ten Days when the Sun after a Shower (Hines very bright, they expofe the Sheet to its Rays in a flicker'd Place where there is no Dew ; they leave them there about half an Hour, and then clofe them up in tlie fame Manner as before. There are fome who pradife a different Method: They put the Sheets into a Lye made of „ Allies of the Wood of Mulberry-Trees, and after their having been there a whole Day they thoj l take them out, and lay them fome Moments in Snow-Water, or elfe hang them up three Nights on a Mulberry-Tree, to receive the Snow or Rain, provided it be not too violent. Thefe Baths, whether made of a fort of Lye and Snow-Water, or of River-Water or Water impregnated with Sait produce a Silk eafy to wind, and contribute to render it clofer itfonger, and m its Subftance lefs porous; their chief life is to cherifti the internal Heat in the Eggs, in which their prolific Virtue confifts. When the Mulberry-Trees begin to have Leaves, it is time to think of hatching tile Eggs; Care of rhe foi they are ha lien d or hinder’d according to the different Degrees of Heat or Cold imparted to K gg sacthe them: They forward them, if they often fpread the Sheets abroad, if alfo, in laying them by Hacchik they roll them up very loofly j by doing the contrary, they hinder them. J S ’ Here follows the Bufinefs ot the three Days preceding the hatching of the Worms. It is o. great importance that they (hould all hatch together: When they are ready to come out one fees the Eggs fwell, and their Roundnefs become a little pointed : The firft of the three Days' about ten or eleven o'clock, in a clear Sky, a little Wind flirting, (as is common at that Seafon) thefe precious Rolls of Paper are taken out of the Veffel, ftretch’d at length, and hung up with the Backiides towards the Sun ; they keep them there till they acquire a kindly Warmth then they are roll’d up clofe, and fet. upright in the Veffel, in a warm Place, till the next Day • then they are taken out again, and the lame Operation repeated. 1 ’ This Day, the Eggs ate obferved to change Colour, and turn of an Afh-grcy : Then they NiLTV 1 * 615 n° S f he c r ; and ro1 ! i hc, V i fl htCr> •yks the Ends. The third Day towards “ g , Wight they unroll the Sheets, and ftretch them on a fine Matt; the Eggs then appear blacknh - If there are any Worms hatch’d, they mull be caft away, becaufe they would never be Worms of the fame Community; for Experience teaches, that thofe Worms which arc not hatched with the others, never agree with them in the time of calling their Slough of • waiang, of eating, nor, which is the principal, of making Cods: Thefe odd Worms would milch xncreale tire Care and Trouble, and occafron Lofs by putting things out of courfe; wherefore they arc 360 Of the Silk-Worms in CHIN A. Way of Managemeni The Matron, or Houle- kecper. arc feafonably banifh'd : This Separation being made, they roll three Sheets together very looft, and carry them into a pretty warm Place, lhelter’d from the South Wind. The next Day, about ten or eleven o’ Clock, they take out the Rolls, open them, and find them full of Worms, like little black Ants, which is what is meant by the Name they give them, He-y ; the Eggs not hatch’d in about an Hour afterwards, muff be thrown away : If amongft any of thefe new-hatch’d Worms you perceive any with a flat Head, that are fhri- vell’d, and as it were fcorch’d, of a Sky-Blue, Yellow, or Flefh-Colour, none of thete are worth keeping; the good Sort are of the Colour of a Mountain feen at a diftance. It is" advilable firft to weigh the Sheet containing the new-hatch'd Worms; then hold it Hop¬ ing, and turn’d almoft upfide down, upon a long Sheet of Paper ftrew’d with Mulberry Leaves, and’ prepar’d in the Manner before mention’d: The Smell of thefe Leaves will attract the little hungry Worms; but the mod fluggifh may be help’d down with a Feather, or by gently flap¬ ping the Back of the Sheet, which being weighed by itfelf, will give exaflly the Weight of the Worms; whence they compute, very nearly, how many Pounds of Leaves will be neceflary to feed them, alio the Weight of the Cods they ought to produce, barring Accidents. We come now to treat of the right Management of thefe Worms, and how properly to qua- , lify the Heat of their Nurfery; For this Purpofe they provide fur the Worms a kind Mother, who is careful of their Wants; file is therefore call'd by our Author ‘Tfan-mi't , Mother of the Worms. She takes poffeffion of the Room, but not till Ihe has wafh’d her felf and put on pro¬ per Attire, that hath no ill Smell; fhe muft not have eaten for fome time before, nor handled Wild Succory, the Smell of which is very prejudicial to this tender Brood ; She muft be clothed in a tingle Habit, without lineing, that Ihe may judge the better, by Feeling, the degree of the Warmth of the Place, and accordingly augment or diminilh the Fire ; but file muft carefully avoid making a Smoak, or raifing a Dull, as it would be very contrary to the Delicacy of thefe little Infedts, which muft be very nicely managed before the firft Moulting. Every Day, Jays an Author, is a Year to them, and has in it, as one may fay, the four Seafons; the Morning is Sprinj;’ the middle of the Day, Summer; the Evening, Autumn; and the Night Winter. Here follow general Rules of Praftice, founded on Experience, and proper to be obferv’d. tj\ As long as the Eggs are kept before they are hatch’d, they require much Cold. (2.) When hatch’d, and like Ants, they want as much Heat. (3.) When become Caterpillars, and near Mewing-time, they need a moderate Heat. (4.) After the great Mewing, they muft be kept cool. 4 When upon the Decline, and growing old, they ought to be warm’d by little and little. (6.) Agreat Heat is neceflary when they are working their Cods. The Delicacy of thele little Infcdts, requires great care to be taken to remove every thing that E'i'gults and might incommode them; for they have their Diftaftes and Antipathies: They have a particular Antipathies Aver f 10n t0 Hemp, wet Leaves, or thofe heated by the Sun, and, when newly hatch’d, to Dull: 0fSllk railed by fweeping’; to the Moifture of the Earth, Flies and Gnats, the Smell of broil’d Fifli, burnt Hair, Mulk, Smoak, Breath fmclling of Wine, Ginger, Lettice, Wild Succory; all great Noifes, Naftinefs, the Rays of the Sun, the Light of a Lamp, the quivering Flame of which muft not ftrike upon their Eyes in the Night; the Wind that draws through Holes or chinks, a high Wind, Cold, Heat, and efpecially a Hidden Change from great Cold to great Heat. With refpedt to their Food; Leaves cover’d with Dew, thofe dry’d in the Sun or a high Wind, or tainted with an ill Savour, are the moft common Caufes of their Diftempers: It is proper to gather the Leaves two or three Days before-hand, to keep them in a clean airy Place, where there is Room enough ; not forgetting during the firft three Days to give them the tendereft Leaves cut into little Threads. At the end of three or four Days, when they begin to turn white, augment their Food in- Quantity, but cut it not fo fmall: Afterwards when they become blackifh, they muft have a greater quantity of Leaves, and as gather’d from the Tree: As they turn white again, and eat Their Mew- ^.‘ h Ap p e ' t ; te> leffen their Meals a little: As they grow yellow, they muft have lefs Meat ftill; when they become quite yellow, and are, according to the Chinefe Language, at the Eve of one of the three Sleeps ; that is to fay, when they are ready to mew, then give them nothing: Every Mewing-time they muft be treated in the fame Manner, in proportion to their Bignels. " We now come to a more exait Account : Thefe Worms eat equally Day and Night. After they are hatch’d, they muft have 48 Meals the firft Day, two every Hour, the next 30, but the Leaves not cut fo fmall; the third Day, they muft have lefs ftill: Thefe little Inleffls then refemble new-born Infants, who pine, unlefs always at the Nipple : Their Meals, If their Food be not proportion'd to their Appetite, they will be over-heated, which would how often'. ’ ru ; n the fineft Hopes. Some advife to give them at firft Leaves, which healthy Perfons have kept a certain time in their Bofom, becaufe the Perfpiration of a Human Body is very agreeable to thefe little Worms. At the times of their Repafts, the Meals muft be equally ftrew’d all over : Cloudy and rainy Weather takes away their Stomach : The Remedy is, immediately before their Repaft to light a Wifp of very dry Straw, the Flame of which muft he all alike, and held over the Worms, to free them from the Cold and Moifture that benums them, or elfe, to remove the Blinds from the Windows, and let in the full Day-light. Thefe fmall Helps give them an Appetite, and prevent Difeates. TheMyority g L1 (- w hy fhould they take fo much Pains to make this little Swarm eat fo often ? It is to Worms ad- haften their Growth, 'and to make them fooner work their Cods, the chief Profit of the vantageousto Silk-Worms depending thereon. If they come to Maturity in 23, or 25 Days, a Hurdle the Breeder. Cover’d Particular Rules con¬ cerning th Silk-Worm of Silk- Worms. Their Dif¬ eafes. The Silk¬ worms eat Day and Might. Of the Silk-Worms in CHINA. 361 cover'd with them, the Weight of which, directly weigh’d, amounted to a Mas, that is, a little more than a Drachm, will produce 25 Ounces of Silk; but if, for want of Care and Food, they come not to Perfection till 28 Days, they’ll yield no more than 20 Ounces; and but 10, if they are a Month or forty Days in growing. When they come to full Growth, give them an eafy Food, a little at a time, and often, ^ ^ almoft the lame as when young: If they digeft not their Food, at the time they begin to fpin, the „ to a [,g the Cods have a faltilh Moifture, that will render the Silk very difficult to wind: In a word, taken of when they have been hatch’d 24 or 25 Days, the more their Work is deferred, and the more them< Leaves they confume, the lefs Silk they produce. After they have call their Slough, you mu ft give them Leaves cut fmall, a few at a time, but often : This is like a fecond Birth, or, according to other Authors, a fort of Recovery : When the Worms are on the Point of mewing, they are like a Man lick almoft to Death by the Change in his Conftitution ; but if he can deep a Night, he becomes quite another Thing, and there is no more to be done but to recover his former Strength by a prudent Regimen. There are other Difeafcs occafton’d either by Cold, or too much Heat: To prevent the former, Difeafes cauf- a juft Heat mail be kept in their Room. Notvvithftanding, if the Cold has feiz’d thele little cd Co!d * Labourers, either for want of the Windows being dole ffiut, or becaufe the Mulberry-Leaves were not well dryed ; it deftroys their Appetite, and caufes a fort of Flux, for inftead of Clots they void a watery Slime; in that cafe you mull bum Cow-Dung near them, the Smell of which will revive them to Admiration. The Diforders proceeding from Pleat are occafion’d, By Heat, either by letting the Worms be too long hungry, by the Quality and Quantity of their Food, by an inconvenient Situation, or by the Air without becoming all of a fudden fultry hot: In this laft Cafe they open one or more of the Windows, but never on that Side the Wind blows; for it mull not come direCtly into the Room, but round about, that it may be qualified : For inftance, if it is a South-Wind, they open the North Window, and if the Wind be too hot, they fet a Veil'd full of Water before the Window: The Room may alfo be fprinkled with cold Water, taking great care that not a Drop fall on the Worms. For an Excels of internal Heat, they give them the Meal made of Mulberry Leaves, gathered in the Autumn, and reduced to a very fine Powder, as I have before fhewn : They moiften a lit¬ tle the Leaves defign’d for their Repaft, then ftrew over this Meal, which flicks to them ; but they abate an Ounce of Leaves for every Ounce of the Meal. Some give the Meal of certain little green Pulle for a cooling Food, inftead of the Leaf-Powder; it certainly refreffies and invigorates thofe Worms that eat it freely. As to an inconvenient or ftreight Situation, it often S ; ckne r s caules Over-heatings, and thence proceeds the moft common and the moft dangerous Sicknefs thciVs'ituJ among thele Worms. Tho’ while lhut up in the Egg they may be crowded, as foon as they t: ° n - are hatch’d they require a great deal of Room, efpecially when they are grown Caterpillars, and abound in Moifture. Thefe Infe&s, tho’ not cleanly themfelves, fuffer much by Naftinefs : Their Clots, which they caft in abundance, quickly ferment, and heat them confiderably, if they are not feafonably freed from them, either by fweeping them off with a Feather, or, which is better, by often removing the Worms from one Hurdle to another. Change of Hurdles is chiefly neceflary when they are grown big, aqd near mewing: But ^ ow preven . feveral Perfons mull: be employ’d, that the Worms may all be removed at the lame time: They ted and cur’d, muft be touched with a light Hand, and not let fall, nor rudely fet down. This would enfee¬ ble them, and make them iluggifh in their Work. Tho’ changing the Hurdle is alone fufficient to cure their Diforders, for a lpeedy Relief, fome throw upon them dry Ruffies, or Straw, cut fmall, upon which they ftrew Mulberry Leaves: They crawl up to eat, and by that means come cut of the Clots that over-heat them. The great Benefit of thefe Removals con- fifts in the Frequency and equal Diftribution of them ; doing it gently, and allowing the Worms more Room every time. When they become pretty well grown, the Worms belonging to one Hurdle muft be divided, and put on three new ones, like fo many Colonies; afterward into fix, and fo on to the number of twenty, or more: For thefe Infedts being full of Humours, muft be kept at a due Diftance one from another. But it is of the greateft Importance to remove them at the critical Moment, when they are of a bright Yellow, and ready to fpin: An Apart¬ ment fhould be prepared beforehand proper for their Work. Our Author propofes a fort of rough Piece of Timber-Work, or long Roof, very little flope- ing, and the Infide clear; which muft be divided all round into many Partitions, each with a Shelf, where they place the Silk-Worms, and where they will afterwards range themfelves, each in his DiftridL This Machine ought to have convenient Room for a Man to go in, with¬ out difplacing any thing, that he may keep a fmall Fire in the middle, to defend the Worms from Moifture and Cold, which are much to be feared at this time. I faid a fmall Fire, becaufe there muft be but juft enough to yield a gentle Pleat, which makes the Worms more eager at Work, and the Silk more tranfparent. This numerous Army of Worms, being thus ranged in their Apartment, muft be furrounded with Matts at a little diftance, which muft alfo cover the Top of the Machine, to keep off the outfide Air; and becaufe the Worms love to work pri¬ vately, and in the dark. Neverthelefs, after the third Day’s Work, they take away the Matts from one o’clock to three, and give the Sun a free entrance into the Room, but fo that the Rays y n pi j rerve may not ftrike upon thefe little Labourers; after which they cover them as before. If *it th^Tm™ ot fhould thunder, they are preferv’d from the Terror of the Noife, and the Lightning, by being Thum!er :;IlJ cover’d with the Sheets of Paper that were ufed when thev were on the Hurdles. ° ^ Lightning. Vol. I. 4 y In 3 S 8 Of the Silk-Worms in CHINA. fiow to lef- fen the Num¬ ber of Worms without hurt¬ ing the Brood The firft Way. The fecond Way. The third Way. Seafon pro¬ per for the Worms. Autumn bet¬ ter than the Spring. Reafons why Eggs how to preferve. In feven Days the Work of the Cods is finilhed, and in feven more, or thereabouts, the Worms quit their filke'n Apartments, and appear upon their coming out in the fhape cf Moth-flies. When they gather the Cods, it is ufual to put them on Heaps, for it is impoffible to wind off ail the bilk immediately, becaufe they are hindred by other Bufmefs. Neverthelefs this hath its Inconveniences: For if out of the Heaps of Cods they defer chilling thole to be left for Moth- flies to multiply the Species, the Moth-flies of thofe ftifled Cods by being fqueezed and over* heated will not fucceed lo well; the Females efpecially that had been hurt, would lay none but fickly Eggs: They fet therefore the Cods deiigned for multiplication of the Species apart, and lay them upon a Hurdle big enough, and in a cool airy Place. As to thofe numerous Cods, which you would not have bored, you muft contrive how to kill the Moth-flies, without damaging the Work. They muff not be put into the Kettle, but as they can be wound off; for if they were to foak too long, it would hurt the Silk. It would be beft to wind them off all together, if a fufficient number of Hands could be imploy’d. My Author affirms, that five Men can wind off thirty Pound of Cods in a Day, and fupply two others with as much Silk as they can make into Skains, that is, about ten Pounds ; but as that cannot always be done, he directs three Ways to preferve the Cods from being bored. The firft is, to let them lie a whole Day in the Sun, the Pleat of which, tho’ prejudicial to the Silk, certainly kills the Moth-flies. The fecond Way is, to put them in Balneo Marie ?: It is reckon’d of nfe to throw an Ounce of Salt, and half an Ounce of Rape-Oil, into the Cop¬ per ; for the Exhalations, impregnated with the acid Spirits of the Salt, and the fulphureous Particles of the Oil, are luppofed to make the Cods better, and the Silkeafier to wind; there¬ fore the Machine with the Cods muff go very ftrait into the Copper, the Top of which muft be cover’d and luted, fo that no Steam may get out: But if this Bath is not rightly order’d, in which many are miftaken, a great number of the Flies will bore their Cods: Upon which it is to be cbferv’d, (i.) That the firm and hard Cods have generally the Ball of Silk coarfer, and of confequence eafier to wind, which for the lame Reafon may be left longer in Balneo Maries ; the contrary is obferv’d of the fine and flendcr Cods. (2.) That when the Flies are kill’d in Balneo Maria, the Cods muft be fpread abroad upon Matts, and cover’d, when a little cool, with lmall Willow or Mulberry Branches. The third Way of killing the Moth-flies is preferable to the two former, and as follows: Put the Cods into great Earthen Veffels, and into every Veflel throw four Ounces of Salt for each ten Pound of Cods, and cover them with large dry Leaves, like thofe o t Water-Lily ; upon thefe Leaves lay ten Pounds more of Cods, fprinkled with four Ounces of Salt as before, filling the Veflels with feveral Lays; then clofing the Mouth of it, fo that the Air may be entirely excluded, the Flies will be ffifled in feven Days; but if the leaft Air be admitted by any Chink, they’ll live long enough to pierce their Cods ; for as they are of a fpungy Subftance, and readily imbibe the Air, the leaft Quantity getting in would keep them alive. In laying the Cods in the Veffels, the choiceft muft be fet apart; the long, white, and glit¬ tering ones yield a very fine Silk; the thick, dark, and of a Blue, like the Skin of an Onion, produce a coarfe Silk. So much for the Method of raffing Worms in the Spring; and indeed ’tis in this Sealon that the Generality of the Chinefe are employ’d in this Work. ’Tis true, fome hatch Eggs in Sum¬ mer and Autumn, and almoft every Month after the firft Spring-Crop : But then they muft provide Workmen for the purpofe, who are able to hold out, and Mulberry-Trees to fupply Food enough for all the Seafons, which the Trees would hardly furniffi ; befldes, if they are ex- haufted in one Year, they decay, and fail entirely the Spring following. Therefore, according to my Author, it is beft to hatch but few Worms in Summer, and only to provide Eggs for Autumn : He cites indeed an Author who advifes to raife Worms in that Seafon, which begins towards the i$th of Augujl ; but he allots for their Food the Leaves of thofe Branches only, that may be fpared without hurting the Tree. He prefers Autumn to the Spring, for raiflng Worms ; (1.) Becaufe the Spring being the Seafon for Rain and Winds in the Southern Parts, the Profit expected from the Labour of thele Worms is more uncertain ; but in Autumn, the Weather being generally ferene, there is lefs Hazard of Succefs. (2.) Tho’ the Worms cannot have fuch tender Leaves for their Food as in the Spring, yet this is fully com- penfated by their having nothing to fear from the poifonous and mortal Stings of Gnats and Mufkettoes. The Silk-Worms bred in Summer muft be kept cool, ar.d the Windows cover’d with Gauz e to keep out the Gnats: Thofe raifed in Autumn are to be kept cool at firft, but after their Mews, and when they fpin, they muft be kept warmer than in the Spring, becaule of the cold Air of the Nights. When thefe autumnal Worms turn Moth-flies, they might lay Eggs for the next Year; but the fureft Way is to make Provifion in the Spring, becaufe thofe of Autumn do not always anfwer. If you keep the Summer Eggs to he hatch’d in Autumn, firft inclofe them in an earthen- ■ Pipkin, which muft afterwards be let in a large Pan of cold Spring Water, as high as the included Eggs ; if the Water be higher, the Eggs will periffi ; if lower, many of them will mil- carry for want of Strength. If they are flow in Hatching, they either die, or make a very bad fort of Cods. If all thefe Directions are well obferv’d, the Eggs will hatch in twenty one Days. Inftead of cold Water, fome advife to fet them in the Shade of fome very bulky Tree, inclofed in an earthen Pipkin never bak’d. When Of the CHINESE Language. 5 ^9 When the Silk-worms are ready to fpin, they may be plac’d in fuch aJVIanner, that inftead of making Cods, as they naturally do when left to themfelves, they will make a Piece of Silk th °™ p ’"_ f flat, thin, and round, like a large Wafer : This is done by laying the Worms when they fpin on the Top of a Cup exaflly cover’d with Paper. And feveral Advantages would arife from a Work thus order’d; (i.) Thefe round and flat Pieces are as eafy to wind as the Cods. (2.) They are all pure Silk, having none, of that vifcous Matter the Worm emits in the Shell, upon being long enclos’d in it, which the Chinefe call the Urine ; and which, foon as the Worm has done fpinning, is taken away to prevent its damaging the Silk. _ (3.) You need not hurrv in winding the Silk, as you muft when it is in the Cods ; for in this way, that Work may"be deferr’d as long as you pleafe, without Danger. When the Silk is wound off, they immediately fet upon manufadturing it. The Chinefe have very Ample Inftruments for this Work: But ’tis hardly pofiible from Words to form a juft Idea of Things, which the Eye is the proper Judge of. The Figures on the oppolite Plate repre¬ sent the various Uten fils "that ferve in managing the Worms, with the feveral Tools and In¬ ftruments by which they work, to fuch Perfedion, thofe fine and beautiful Pieces they fend us. Of the Chinefe Language. I N order to give a true Idea of the Chinefe Language, I {hall here explain the Nature of it; The cw „^ afterwards I {hall (hew how the Chinefe Words muft be pronounc'd, and how written in Language European Charafters; Laftly, I {hall finifh with a compendious Chinefe Grammar. The Chinefe has no refemblance with any dead or living Language, that we are acquainted Nature of ir. with: All other Languages have an Alphabet of a certain Number of Letters, which by their various Combinations form Syllables and Words: This has no Alphabet, but as many Charac¬ ters and different Figures as there are Words. _ The only Conformity it has with the Languages of Europe is, that as our Alphabet is made Agree? with up of t wentvfour Letters, which are form’d of thefe feven Strokes; ' r °f ■viz The A of the three firft ; the B of the fixth and fourth repeated; the C of the fifth alone - the D of the fixth and fourth; the E of the fixth and the third tripled ; the O of the fourth and fifth join’d; the Q_of the O and the feventh Stroke, G fc. fo all the Chinefe Cha¬ racters are formed, properly fpeaking, only of the fix following Strokes, J >8=*=^ 4 ^ The Chinefe have two different Languages: Firft the Vulgar, proper to the common People, Two Un- which varies according to the different Provinces: The other is call’d the Mandarin Language, "* and is nearly what the Latin is to us, amongft Ecclefiafticks and the Learned. But the Analogy between the Chinefe Language and others is fo fmall, that this Companion is not exadt: The Mandarin Language is properly what was formerly fpoken at Court, in the Province of Kiang nan , and propagated among the Polite of the neighbouring Provinces. Hence this Language is beft fpoken in the Provinces adjoyning to Kyang nan , but by flow degrees was introduc'd into all Parts of the Empire, to the great Conveniency of the Govern¬ ment. It feems barren, for it has not above three hundred and thirty Words, all Monofylla- bles, indeclinable, and almoft all end with a Vowel, or the Conlonant N, or Ng. Thefe few Syllables are, notwithftanding, fufficient to difeufs all manner of Subjedts; becaufe, without multiplying Words, the Senfe is varied, almoft to Infinity, by the Difference ot Accents, Infleftions, Tones, Afpirations, and other Changes of the Voice: And thisVariety of Pronunciation, to thofe that are not well vers’d in the Tongue, is a frequent Occafion of miftaking one Word^^^ for another: For example, the Word Chu founded drawling out the a, and raffing the Voice, di „„ signi . fignifies Lord , or Mafter ; but pronounced in an even Tone, with u long, means a Hog. ficatioA. When expreffed quick and light, it fignifies a Kitchen ; but founded in a ftrong and mafculine Tone, remitted towards the end, it intends a Column. In like manner, the Syllable Po, accord¬ ing to* its different Accents, and ways of Pronunciation, has eleven different Meanings. It fig¬ nifies Gla/'s, to boil, to winnow Rice , prudent , liberal, to prepare , an old Woman, to break or deav’e, inclin'd, as little as map be, to water, a Slave or Captive. Whence we may conclude that this Language, which appears fo barren, and confined by the fmall Number of Mono- fyllablcs that compofe it, is neverthelels very copious and fignificant. Again, the fame Word varioufly compounded, fignifies an Infinity of different Things; Mu, for Inftance, by itklf fignifies a ‘Tree, Wood-, but when compounded has many other Significations ; Mu-leau, fig¬ nifies Wood prepared for Building-, Mu-lan, fignifies Bars or wooden Grates, Mu-hya, a Chef s Mufyang, a Prefs ; Mft-tfyang, a Carpenter ; Mu-ewl, a Mujhroom ; Mil-mi, a kind of Jmall .Orange-, Mu-fmg, the Planet Jupiter; Mu-myen , Cotton, &c. This Word may be joyned to feveral others, and has as many different Significations as Combinations. I UK 3<4 Of the CHINESE Language, Method of juvr.inyj Mo- **oiy li'b-'cs. D’.ff-rence b 1 tween Word® us’d Thus the ChimJ'e, by differently ranging their Monofyllables, make fet Difcourfes, and exprefi thcmfHves very clearly, and gracefully, almoft in the fame manner as we form all our Words out of the different Combinations of the twenty four Letters of our Alphabet. In fhort, they fo naturally diftinguifh the different Tones of the fame Monofyllable, that they comprehend its Senfe, without the lead: reflecting on the various Accents that determine it. We muff not imagine, as fome Authors have related, that they fing in fpeaking, and make a fort ot Mufic ; this would be (hocking, and very difagreeable to the Ear: Thefe different Tones are fo nicely founded, that Strangers find it difficult to perceive their Difference, efpecialiy in the Province ot Kyang nan, where the Accent is mod perfect. We may form a judgment of it from the guttural Pronunciation in the Spanijh Tongue, and by the different Tones in 0 the French and Italian: Thefe Tones are hardly diftinguifhable, neverthelefs they have different Meaning which gave rife to that Proverb, The Tone is all. Tht CU>:.,■ What relates to the Manner of pronouncing the Chtnefe Words, and writing them juitly in European Charadters, will farther Muftrate what has been faid concerning the Genius ot tins Language ; [Of which in another Place.} Boards uled inHead of Paper. The Fnw a tion ofl’a- per. Its Matter. How ro pre- ierve it from Worms F.xtrr.fl of a Chine ft Bock on the Sub¬ ject of Paper Of the Paper, Ink , Pencils, and of the Printing and Binding of Books in China. I N the moft remote Ages of their Empire, the Chmf had no Paper, but wrote upon Boards, and broad pieces of Bambu. Inftead of a Pen or Pencil, they made ufe of a Style or Bod¬ kin of Iron ; They wrote alfo on Metal; and the Curious of that Nation lull preferve fome Plates on which there are Charadters very neatly traced : It is a great while however lince the Ufe of Paper was found out. Their Paper is fo fine, that many Europeans have thought it was made of Silk ; not confidering that Silk cannot be beaten into fuch a Paite, as is neceffary t0 The Ckinefe make their Paper of the Bark of the Bambu, and other Trees. The Bambu is a Tree pretty much like a long Reed, being hollow, and divided by Knots into joints: But very different in other refpedls; it being much larger, fmoother, harder and ftronger. They only ufe thefecond Skin of the Bark, which is foft and white ; this they beat in clear Water. The Frames they make ufe of to take up this Matter, are long and broad ; fothat they have Sheets ten or twelve Foot long, and fometimes more; they dip every Sheet into A lum-Water, which ferves inftead of Size; and lienee they call it Fan- Paper, becaufe Fan Hi China iignifies AUum • this Allurn hinders the Paper from foaking in the Ink, and gives it fuch a Luttre, that one would think it was filvered over, or varmfhed. Tins Paper is white, foft, and com- padt without having the leaf! Roughnefs that can flop the Pencil, or feparate the Hairs. As it is made of the Bark of a Tree, it cracks more eatrly than that of Europe-. It is apt to take Moifture the Duft flicks to it, and the Worms infenfibly get into it, it proper care be not taken to’preferve it: To prevent thefe Inconveniences, they are obliged to beat their Books often, and as often expofe them to- the Sun. , , • . , Befides the Paper made of the Bark of Trees, they have fome made of Cotton ; and thu is the whiteft, fine ft, and moft tried. It is not fubjeeft to the Inconveniences juft now mentioned > for it keeps as well, and is as durable as the European Paper. _ . The little I have faid of the Chineje Paper in general, will be confirm d by the exaft Account I am entring upon; in which I (hall infert nothing but what is extracted from a Chineje Work, Its Origin uncertain. The ancient Chinefe Man¬ ner of VVri- Upon Wood. Upon Pieces of Silk or ; Linen-. JEra. of Pa¬ per in China . The Matter of which u is made. Of the CHINESE Paper and Printing. 3 6 7 that appeared under the prefent Dynafty : It is a curious Cclleftion, and eftcemed amongft the Learned: It treats of the Invention of the Chi, that is, ot Papers of what Materials it is made, of its Qualities; of its Form , and of the different Sorts of it. ; This ' Chinefe Author takes notice firft, that the Invention is very ancient; but confeffes, that it is not known, precifely, in what Century they fhould place us Original The Characters Kyen, and W which they made ufe of in former Ages inftead of Ck, to figmfy the Matter on which they wrote, confirm, by their Figure, what this Author advances; namely, that in ancient Times after having, as it were, polillied the little pieces of Bambu, and rendered them more limber’ by the help"of the Fire, but without taking the. Rind off ; they then delineated Let¬ ters thereon with a fine Graver; and of thefe little Plates, threaded one after another they made a Volume: Thefe Books were lading, and capable, by their Solidity, of withltanding the Injuries of the Weather; but were cumberlome however, and unfit for Ufe. , They had afterwards recourfe to another Method : It is certain that ever fitice the Dynafty of the 'tin before Chrift, and by confequence under the following Dynafty of the Han, they wrote upon pieces of Silk or Linen. For this Reafon it is that the Letter CA; ,s eompofed fometimes of the Charafter Se, which figmfies Silk, and fometimes of the Charafter Kin, which fignifies Linen. They ul'ed to cut the Piece of Silk or Linen bigger or Ids, according to the Form they had a mind to give their Volume. At length, in the Year 95 of the Chriftian /Era, under the tong ban, that is, under the Han who had removed their Court into a more Eafterly Province than the Han their - 1 re- deccffors, in the Reign of Ho-ti, a great Mandarin in the Palace, whofe Name was invented a better Sort of Paper, which was called Tfay-bcw-chi, Paper of the Lord Tjay. Mandarin by boiling the Bark of different Trees, and of worn-out Pieces of Silk, and old Hempen Cloth made a liquid Confidence, and reduced it to a fort of thin Pafte, of which he made 11 - rent forts of Paper. He made fome alfo of the Knots of Silk, which they called Flaxen 1 aper. Soon after, the induftrious Chinefe brought thefe Difcoveries to PerfecTion, and found out the Secret of polifhing'their Paper, and giving it a Luftre ... ■ Another Book, intitled, Su y kyen chi fit, which treats of the fame Subjeft, fajs, that a. tlie Province of Se-chwen the Paper is made of Hemp; that Kau-tjong the third limpercr o the great Dynafty of the Tang, caufed an excellent Paper to be made of-Hemp cm which all his tecret Orders were written: That in the Province of Fo kyen, it is made of loft Bambu. That in the Northern Provinces they make it of the Bark of the Mulberry-Trees: That in the Province of Che kyang, it is made of Wheat or Rice-Straw : That in the Province ot Kyang nan, they make a Parchment of the Skill that is found 111 the Cods the Silk-Worms fpm ; which they call Lo-men chi-, and which is fine, fmooth, and fit for Inscriptions, and Cartridges : In fine that in the Province of Hu-quang, the Tree C'/ra, or Ko-chu, furmlhes the principal Material f ° Speaking of the different Sorts of Paper, our Author mentions one Kind of which the Sheets are three, and fometimes five Chinefe + Chang in Length; he mentions thofe who have found the Secret of dying it of different Colours; and particularly he treats of the Manner ol lilveiing it without ufing any Silver ; an Invention the Honour ot which is given to the Emperor Kau- ti of the Dynafty of Tfi, and which I will treat ot prefently. He has not omitted the Paper of Korea, which he fays is made of the Cods the Silk-Worms fpm; and he reports that the Koreans paid their Tribute to the Emperor in their Paper, even from the feventb Century, undei the Government of the ‘Tan?. . r _ . r • What I have mentioned here, fufficiently proves that the Invention of Paper is of great Anti¬ quity in China. Chwe-wen, a Chinefe Author, who writ 111 the Tune of the -Bis, affures us tha/in the earlieft Ages they had a Secret of uniting the Knots of Silk and Cotton, which they could not wind off, nor fpin, and making a Confidence of it, on n Inch they writ with Eafe. This Secret was partly loft during the Revolutions of the State, and leems not to hav been recovered till under the Dynafty of the Tfm.- . It is certain that the Chinefe Paper has one Advantage over that of Europe, m that the Sheets are made of an extraordinary Length, and being moreover full as white is much fo f te ‘ d fmoother. The Pencils, which the Chinefe write with, would not bear the leaf! Roughnefs of the Paper, becaufe that would render it very difficult to make iome of their fine btioses. When we fay of the Chinefe Paper, that it is not lading, and that it is apt to crack ; the Meaning is, that the Paper made of Bambu has thefe Defefts This is certainly true in one Senfe; for it is apt to crack when it is ting'd with Allum, as it always is to make it fit for our Ufe- becaufe without this Preparation, it would not bear our-Ink: But when that is omitted be it ever fo thin, it may be handled and folded all manner of Ways, without any danger ot “ The Confumption of Paper in China is fo great, that it is not fin-prizing they make it of all forts of Materials: For betides the prodigious Quantity that is ufed by the Learned, and Stu¬ dents, who are almoft innumerable, and to furnifh the Shops of Tradesmen, it is inconceiva¬ ble how much is confumed in private Houfes. One fide of their Room is nothing but -allies, cover'd with Paper; on the reft of the Walls, which are plaifter'd over, they pafte white Paper by which means they preferve them white and fmooth. The Cieling is made of Frames cover d ' * The Si ban held their Court at Si nganfu, the Capital of Lo yang ,, or Ho nan fh, a City m the Province of Ho nan. the Province of Shenfi : The Tong ban removed their Court to t A Chang is ten foot. Form of the Chinefe Pa¬ per. Chive men s Opinion of this Affair. Advantage of the Chinefe Paper over that of Eu¬ rope. The great Conk mption of it in Chi¬ lli Ufc 9 . 368 Of the CHINESE Paper and Printing, Paper. Of the Hau trig, or Ko ting. Its Prepara¬ tion. "' !th Pa P cr > on which they draw divers Ornaments. It has indeed been juftlv C . h ""d A Pf. tmcms g ll!;er ,"’ ith that beautiful Vsrnifh which we admire in Europe bdt then it is alio true, that in the greatert part of the Koufes there is nothing to be feen but Paper. The W orkmen of this Country have the Art of parting it very neatly, and the Chinefe take cue to renew it every Year. J preparation It is only the inward Bark of different Trees that is tiled to make Paper • But the Bamlm ° f,he ! h, " P k f ,Cutari ‘y ; well as the Shrub that bears Cotton, that not the Bark only, but the whole Subrtance of the Plant is ufed, by help of the following Preparations. ' Out of a Wood of the largeft Bambfa, they feka Shoots of a Year’s Growth which are P l 0 ;t foT ab ° u ‘ ! he B 'S nefs of ‘ hc C ’ alf ot » krge Man’s Leg: They ftrip them of their firft green Rind this Purpofe. ™ them into ftrait Pieces of 6 or 7 Foot long: It is remarkable, that the Trunk of the orn a Bambu being compos’d of long and ftrait Fibres, it is very caly to cleave it length-ways but Of the Jf— very difficult to cut it acrofs: They bury the Pieces thus cleft in a Pond of muddy W iter’ that they may grow as ,t were rotten, and be foften’d by this Maceration. In about a Fortnight they take thefe pieces of Bantu out of the Mud; and then walh them in clean Water fnread them in a large dry Ditch, and cover them with a great quantity of Lime. In a few Days they take them out again, and having waft'd them a fecond time, they reduce them to a fort of Threads which they expofe in the Sun to dry and whiten ; then ‘they throw them into large Coppers’ where they are throughly boil’d : And lartly, they are reduced by Pefllcs to a fluid Parte ’ T.ie Chtmje Author adds, that upon Mountains, and in uncultivated Places they find a Plant that (hoots in long and flender Tendrils like a Vine, the Rind of which is very fmootli and flippery to the Touch. This is expreffed in the Name of it, Hau-ten g. It is alfo call’d Ko- becaufe it produces little fourilh Pears, of a whitirti Green, that are good to eat Its Branches which are about as big as the Shoots of a Vine, run upon the Ground, or twine about Trees; According to our Author, _ they make ufe of this Plant in the following Manner. They take feveral Shoots of it, which they foak four or five Days in Water when there comes out of it an unftuous fizy Juice, refembling a fort of Glue or Gum. They mix this gummy Water with the Parte of which the Paper is made, fomewhat in the fame manner as Painters remper their Colours; Care being taken not to put in too much, nor too little of it • The jult Medium m this Cafe is taught by Experience. Perhaps for want of Ko tew, the Ber- nes of Mdlelto might be ufed, which are naturally vifeous; or the inner Bark of Holly wmch being rotted, and pounded in a Mortar, is reduced to Bird-Lime When they have mixed the Juice of Ko teng with the cleft Bambu , beaten in fuch a manner mat !t is like a thick clammy Water ; they pour this Liquor into large deep Refervoirs, which mart be made with four Walls breaft-h.gh, and the Sides and Bottom fo well cemented that the Liquor cannot run out, nor foak in. Then the Workmen being placed at the Tides of the Refer- voir, take up with their Moulds the Surface of the Liquor, which almoft inftantly becomes 1 aper. Doubtlefs, the mucilaginous and glevvy Juice of the Ko teng binds the Parts and very much contributes to make this Paper fo eompatft, forty and glofly ; which Qualities the Euro- •pean has not, when firft made. The Mould ufed to take up the Sheets of Paper, the Frame of which is eafily taken to Pieces, or rais d, or lower’d is not made with Wire, as thofe of Europe, but with Threads of Bamau. They are little thin Slips, which they draw feveral times through Holes made in a 1 late o Steel whereby they render them as fine as Wire : Then they boil them in Oil till they are thoroughly foaked, that the Moulds may enter lightly into the Water, and not fink deeper than is requifite to take up the Sheets of Paper. ^b'YiT r U ' d "^ ake SheetS ° f an extraordinary Size, they take care that the Refervoir and Mould be large m Proportion. They fix up a Pulley, and run through it feveral Strings the Motion of which ftould be extremely free : Thefe Strings fuftain the Frame, and at the Moment that they pull it up, the Workmen plac’d on the Side of the Refervoir aflift to take the Sheet off, working together in a regular Manner. The Cbineje Author gives us a Way of drying the Sheets juft taken off. There mud, fays he, be a hollow Wall built, the Sides of which fhould be well whiten’d. At one End of this Wall tney contrive an Opening, and, by means of a Pipe convey thither the Heat of a neigh¬ bouring furnace: At the oppofite End, there muft be a fmall Vent to let out the Smoke Ly help of this Sort of Stove, they dry the Sheets of Paper almoft as faft as they take them off. ' The Paper which is made of Bambu is neither the only, nor the beft, nor the mod com¬ mon Sort made of Trees in China ; they ufe in this Art many other Tices, efpecially thofe which have the mod Sap; as Mulberry-Trees, Elms, the Body of the Shrub which produces Cotton Hemp, and divers other Plants, the Names of which are unknown in Europe Firft oS ali they ferape off lightly the thin outfide Bark of the Tree, which is greenift, then they take lilt :ne inner Rind in very long thin Slips, which they blanch in Water, and in the Suit and afterwards prepare them in the fame Manner as the Bambu. ' O.Jla P gar Bat the Paper mod in Ufe, is that made of the ifiner Rind of the Tree called Chu-kS 0 , the ™ fe whlch P^per « therefore called Ku chi. When its Branches are broken’ tne Bar.c peels off in long Slips, like Ribbands. To judge of this Tree by its Leaves one’ would ta.ee it for a wild Mulberry-Tree, but its Fruit is more like that of the Fig-Tree. This The Mould different from thofe of Europe. ordinary length. Manner of drying the Of the diffe¬ rent Sorts of Pipet. Manner of making Paper in C II IN A; > 6 9 This Fruit grows to the Brunches without any Stalk; if it is pluck’d before it is perfe&Iy ripe, f ts Pre P*ra- it yields a fort of milky Juice from the Place where it grew to the Branches, juft like the tlul1 ' Fig : There are, indeed, lo many Particulars, in which it agrees with the Fig and the Mul¬ berry-Tree, that it might be thought a fort of Sycamore ; neverthelefs, it is more like a kind of Strawberry-Tree, called Adrachne , which is of a moderate Height, and the Bark of which is fmooth, white, and glittering; apt to crack in the Summer, for want of Moifture. The Tree Cbu ku , as well as the Strawberry-Tree, grows upon Mountains, and in ftony Places. Tiie Cbinefe Herbal teaches the Manner of railing the Tree Cbu ku, that it may afford a great Its Culture, quantity of this ufeful Bark, and in the Perfection requifite for making Paper. At the Vernal Equinox, lays it, you mult take the Kernel of this Tree, and having wafh’d it, mix it with the Seed of Sefamum, which the Portuguefe call Gergelin , and fcatter them together at random about the Ground. The Gergelin will fprout out with the firft Shoots of the Cbu ku -, but you mult take care not to cut it in the Autumn nor in the Winter; you mu ft ftay till the next Spring, and then let Fire to the Field ; that very Year you will fee the Plants of Cbu ku increale confiderably, and at the end of three Years it will be fit to cut, and make Paper of. To harden the Paper, and make it bear Ink, the Cbinefe dip it in Allum-Water: To exprefs Manner of this Operation, the Europeans have invented the Word Faning , becaufe the Cbinefe Word Fan p’.,™" 6 the fignifies Allum. Their Method of doing it is this: They take fix Ounces of Filh-Ghle, very white and clean, this they cut very fmall, and throw it into twelve Porringers of clean Water, J'^olngtc. which they afterwards boil. It muft be ftirr’d all the while, that there may be no Lumps: When the whole is reduced to a liquid Subftance, they throw into it three quarters of a Pound of Allum, white and calcin’d, which they melt and incorporate with it. This Mixture is poured into a great wide Baton, a-crofs which they lay a fmall Stick fmooth and round ; then they lhut the Edge of every Sheet in another Stick, which is cleft from one End to the other, and the Parts made to ftick well together. In this Manner they dip the Sheet, gently, drawing it out as loon as it is wetted, by Hiding it over the round Stick. When the whole Sheet has pafs’d fwiftly through this Liquor, which makes it white and more compaCt, the long Stick that holds the Sheet by the Edge, is ftuck in a Hole in the Wall, where the Sheet hangs to dry. This is all the Art which the Cbinefe have to give their Paper its Body, Whitenefs, and even Luftre : A Cbinefe Author pretends, that this Secret came from Japan. This is a proper Place to mention another Secret, which the Cbinefe have, of filvering Paper, The Secret with a very little Charge, and without ufing Leaf-Silver: Take feven Fucn, or two Scruples, of filming of Glue, made of Neats Leather, three Fuen of white Allum, and half a Pint of clean Water ; I>;i P er - fimmer thefe over a llow Fire, till the Water is confumed, that is, till there arifes no more ingredient? Steam; Care being taken to keep this Mixture very clean. Then they fpread, upon a very f ° o r f ' hat I>urJ fmooth Table, fome Sheets of the Paper made of the Cotton-Tree, which is called Se lyen chi, daubing over it with a Pencil, in an equal Manner, two or three Lays of the Glue. It is eafy to perceive when this Glue is apply’d in a proper Confidence, and does not run; if it does not lie even, do it over again: Then take Powder of Talc, prepared in the manner I ftiall imme¬ diately explain, which fift through a fine Sieve, or a piece of threaded Gauze, fpreading it uniformly upon the Sheets prepar’d as above. After this they hang the Sheets in the Shade to .dry; which effected, they lay them again upon the Table, and rub them gently with clean Cotton, to take off the fuperfluous Talc, which ferves again for the lame purpofe. With this Powder diluted in Water mixt with Glue and Allum, you may draw any Figures at Fancy* upon the Paper. Though I have mention’d only that Paper which is made of the Cotton-Tree, it muft not be underftood as if the others were excluded: All Sorts of Paper may be lilver’d, if thev are fmooth, and if Talc is made Uie of, prepar'd in the following Manner. Take fine Talc that is tranfparent, and as white as Snow. Talc comes from the Province Preparation of Se-cbwcn, but that which is brought by the MuJ'covites is the beft. The Cbinefe call this Mine- of the Talc ral Tun moa cbe, which fignifies the Stone pregnant with Clouds, becaufe every Flake which they p f: ; ver the break off, is a kind of tranfparent Cloud. When you have made choice of the beft Talc, it muft be boil’d in Water about four Hours; after it is taken off the Fire, you muft leave it in Howtochufe the Water a Day or two; then take it out, wafli it well, put it into a Linen-Bag, and break it “• to Pieces with a Mallet: To ten Pound of Talc, thus broken, add three Pound of white Allum. All this muft be ground in a little Hand-Mill, then lifted through a Silk Sieve, and the Powder put into Water juft boiled up. When the Powder is funk to the Bottom, and the Water become clear again, you muft pour off all that you can. The Matter which remains at the Bottom, being expofed to the Sun, makes a hard Confidence, which muft be pounded in a Mortar, till reduced to an impalpable Powder. This Powder muft be lifted again, and then ufed as before explained. In finillii.ng this Article, I muft not omit a pretty remarkable Manufacture, which is carried Renewing of on in the Out-parts of one of the Suburbs of Peking, where they renew old Paper, to anfwer oM i>aper ' the great Demand for that Commodity. Thefe Workmen get together all the old’ Paper they can find, which they have the Art of reftoring to its original Beauty and Ufefulnefs. It mat¬ ters not whether the Paper has been wrote upon, or whether it has been pafted upon Frames or againft the Walls, or has ferv’d for other Purpofes; all anfwers their End ; and they purchafe it out of the Provinces at a very moderate Rate. Thefe Workmen occupy a pretty long Village the Back fide of their II oufes being built againft the Burying-Places, and every Houle having an Inclofure of Walls that are well whitened. Here in each Houfe may be leen great Heaps Vol. I 5 A ot 370 Manner of making Ink in CHINA. Of the CBi- nefi Ink. Of its Com- pofition. Figures Its hrlt Age. of old Paper ; and if there happens to be a pretty deal of fine Paper amongft tliefe Heaps, they fort it. They put thefe Pieces of old Paper into great Bafkets that are made flat and dole ; and in thefe carry them near a Well, upon a little paved Place, which has a fmall Defcent. Plere they wafh the old Paper with all their Strength, rubbing it with their Hands, and (lamping on it with their Feet, to get the Filth out of it, and fo reduce it to a lhapelefs Mafs: Then they boil this Confidence, and after having beaten it till it is fit to make Paper, they pour it into a Refervoir. The Sheets of this Paper are but of a middling Size. When they have taken up a pretty large Pile, they carry it into the neighbouring Inclofure, where, feparating each Sheet' with the point of a Needle, they (lick them up wet againft the Wall, which is very lmooth and white. As foon as the Heat of the Sun has dry’d all the Sheets, which it does in a very little time, they take them off, and colled! them together. The Invention of Paper had been of little Service to the Chinefe , if they had not at the feme time invented a fort of Ink, wherewith to draw their Charadlers upon it. The Ink they ufe is made of Lampblack, which they get by burning feveral forts of Matter, but chiefly Pine-wood or Oil. They mix Perfumes with it, to corredl the ftrong and difegreeable Smell of the Oil. They incorporate together thefe Ingredients, till they come to the Confidence of a Fade, which they put into divers wooden Moulds. Thefe Moulds are well and varioufly wrought, thev in order to print upon the Pade what Figures they pleafe. The ufual Impreffions are of Men E tmthor Dragons, Birds, Trees, Flowers, and the like. The Form of the Lump is commonly that of a Truncheon, or of their Writing-Tables; and one of the Sides is almod always covered with How to make Chinefe Charadlers. The bed Ink is made at Whey chew, a Town in the Province of Kyang nan-. the bee ink There are many things to be obferv’d in the making of it, and it has feveral Degrees of Good- nefs; according to which it is dearer or cheaper. The Europeans have endeavoured to coun¬ terfeit this Ink, but without Succefs. Painters, and thofe who delight in Drawing, know how ufeful it is for tr icing their Sketches, becaufe they can give it what Degree of Shade they pleafe. They make ufe of a red Ink alio in China-, but this is of little Requed, except for the Titles and Infcriptions of Books. As to other Particulars, everything which relates to Writing is fo reputable among the Chinefe, that even the Workmen employ’d in making the Ink, are not look'd upon as following a ferviie and mechanical Employment. Jf n of ,i,c The fame Author, whom I have juft now quoted in the Article of Chinefe Paper, and who L .-ent onoi fumillies me with what I am further to fey concerning their Ink, affirms, that this latter has Iok mCbina. been invented Time out of Mind, but that it was many Years before it attained its prefent Perfedlion. At fil'd they ufed to write with a fort of a black Earth; and indeed the Charadter Me which fignifies Ink, has in its Compofition, at the Bottom, the Charadler 71 ?, which fwnifies Earth, and at the Top, that of He, which fignifies Black. According to fome, they drew a black Juice out of this Earth, or Stone: Others fay, that after having wetted it, they rubb’d it upon Marble, and they got from it a black Liquor: Others again, that it was calcin’d, and after being reduc’d to a very fine Powder, was made into Ink. In fine, according to our Author, the Ufe of this Ink is fo ancient, that the famous Emperor Vii vang, who is well known to have flourilhed 1120 Years before the Chriftian /Era, took from hence this Moral Refledtion. “ As the Stone Me, which they make ufe of to blacken the engraved Letters, can never become white; fi a Heart defiled with Iniquity, will always retain its Blacknefs. Piece: oflnk Under the firft Emperors of the Dynafty of the Long, that is about the Year 620 of the Chri- dian /Era, the King of Korea , fending his annual Tribute to the Emperor of China, prefented him with fome pieces of Ink, which were made of Lampblack, gathered by burning old Pine- Trees, and incorporated with Size made of Hartfhorn, to give it a Confidence. This Ink had fuch a Ludre, that it look’d as if it had been varnifh’d over; which tended to raife the Emu¬ lation of the Chinefe. They endeavour’d to imitate the Art of the Koreans, and fucceeded after feveral Efliiys: But they did not attain the Perfedlion defired, till near the end of the feme Dynafty, about the Year of Chri/l goo, for it was not till about that Time they firft made the excellent Ink, which is ufed at prefent. In the Year 1070 of the Chriftian /Era, under the Reign of Shin tjong, they made an Ink with further Improvement, which was called Imperial, Tu me, hecaufe it was ufed in the Palace. The Lampblack in this Ink was more expenfive, and much finer than before: It was not made by burning Pine-Trees only, as formerly; but by burning Oil in Lamps with many Fun¬ nels, the Smoak whereof was gathered by a brazen Concave, which condenfing it, made the Lampblack defired. In making it up, they added a little Mud, to give it a plealant Odour. Our Author does not fay what Oil was ufed, nor how they contriv'd to get the moll Lamp¬ black, and of the bell Qualities, from the Oil; for all which there are certain Rules to be obferv’d: Perhaps they made ufe of tile Oil of Gergelin. Olive-Oil, or the Oil of Walnuts, which are not us’d in China, would certainly do better. Another Chinefe Book, intitled The Method of making Ink, gives a Receipt to make a good inC .... a Sort, in which there are fome Ingredients that cannot eafily be known in Europe, ill. fays he, Take ten Ounces of Lampblack made from Pines. 2d. Of the Plants tio hyang, and Kan Jung. 3. Add Juice of Ginger. 4. Of the Pods or Shells called Chu hya tfau h. Boil thefe four Ingredients in Water: When the Virtues of the Vegetables arc thus extradled, the Liquor mull be drain’d off: This Liquor, already thickened, being fettled and clarified, mud be let again on the Fire to give it the Confidence of a Parte; and in every ten Ounces of this Mixture, lint bate. A-ra of mo¬ dem ink. Of the im penal Ink. Dru S i ufed The firft Re- celpt. 37i Manner of making Ink in C HIN A. Mixture, there muft be diffolved four Ounces of the Glue, call’d 0 kyau, in which there have been incorporated three Leaves of Gold, and two of Silver: When all thefe Ingredients are thus prepared, they then mix with them the ten Ounces of Lampblack, to give a Body to the whole. This Compolition muft be beat a long while with a Spatula: And then, laftly, they put it into Moulds, to make it into Cakes; foon after which they bury the Ink in cold Allies, where it remains five Days, if in the Spring3 three, if Summer 3 feven, if Autumn ; and ten, if Winter: And this is the laft Operation it goes through. Thefe Intelligences are very imperfetft, becaufe it is difficult to find out, by the Chinefe Names, what the Plants are. One of our Millenaries has fent me his Conje&urcs con¬ cerning them, which may help to difeover them, if there were any fuch in Europe 3 or at leaft, to lubftitute others in their Room, capable of giving the Ink a Body, a good Scent, and a Luftre. 1. According to the Chinefe Dictionaries, Ho hyang is an aromatic medicinal Plant. It of the/A has the intrinfic Qualities of the Su ho , another Plant from which they extradl a Sort of Oil, bang. that is fold at Peking 3 and which the Dealers often mix with the Balfam of Peru , to augment itsProperties. its Quantity, Thi9 Oil, extracted from the Su ho , fee ms to be the liquid Storax, which is a vifeous Matter, of a greyifh Colour, of a ftrong aromatick Odour, and which has the Con¬ fidence of a thick Balfam. 2. The Kan Jung is a Plant which enters in divers Compofitions of Perfumes. It is of a Of the Kan- temperate Nature, and fweet to the Tafte 3 for fo the Name Kan denotes. Its Leaves are very Af¬ fine, and of a clofe Contexture. They add, that this Plant is an excellent Remedy for the Cholic, and other Diftempers in the Bowels. 3. Pju y a receiv’d its Name becaufe the Fruit of this Shrub very much refembles a Boar’s 0 f t h e Tfu Tuik, in Shape, Length, and Thicknefs. To this they add the two Characters, Pj'au ko,ja. which fignify a fort of black Plorn, and would induce one to take it for the Fruit of the Carol or Locuft-Tree, the Shape of which refembles a Plorn, and is of a dark red Colour. We may obferve, however, that the Chinefe Fruit is not fo long as that of the Carob-Pree , and that, inftead of being flat, it is alrnoft round, full of little Cells, containing a marrowy Subftance, of a (harp and unpleafant Tafte. 4. Initead of the Glue of O kyau , which is made of the Skin of a black Afs, and a particular Water found only in one Place of the Province of Shan tong , another fort of ftrong Glue might be ufed, as for inftance that which we call Paurina. 5. The Bed of cold Allies, in which they bury their Ink newly made, ferves to extract from it all that the Glue might leave in it too hard or binding. I add to this firft Receipt another, both eafier and fhorter, taken from the Chinefe , and Second Re. which perhaps may fuffice to make the.Ink of a good Black, which is looked upon as an effen- ceipt. tial Property. Burn, fay they, Lampblack in a Crucible, and hold it over the Fire till it has done fmoaking: In the fame Manner burn fomc * Horfe-Chefnuts, till there does not arile the leaft vapour of Smoak: Diflolve fome Gum Tragacanth 3 and when the Water in which the Gum is diflblv’d becomes of a proper Confidence, add to it the Lampblack and Horfe-Chefnuts, and ftir all together with a Spatula: Then put this Pafte into Moulds3 and take care not to put too much of the Horfe-Chefnut, which would give it a violet Black. A third Receipt, much more Ample, and eafier to be put in Practice, has been communi- Third Rc- cated to me by P. Contancin, who had it from a Chinefe , as lldlful in this Matter as any one cei pc can be expeefted to be 3 for we ought not to fuppofe that the ingenious Workmen difeover their Secret 3 on the contrary, they take the greateft care to conceal it, and make a Myftery of it, even to thofe of their own Nation. They put five or fix lighted Wicks into a Vefiel full of Oil, and lay upon this Veffel an Iron Cover, made in the fliape of a Funnel, which muft be let at a certain Diftance, fo as to receive all the Smoak. When it has received enough, they take it off, and with a Goofe’s Feather gently brufh the Bottom, letting the Soot fall upon a dry Sheet of ftrong Paper: It is this that makes their fine and ftiining Ink. The beft Oil alfo gives a Luftre to the Black, and by confequence makes the Ink more efteemed and dearer. The Lampblack which is not fetch’d what makes off with the Feather, and which fticks very fall to the Cover, is coarfer, and they ufe it to make ic fine and an ordinary fort of Ink, after they have feraped it off into a Difh. lluluns ' When they have, in this Manner, taken off the Lampblack, they beat it in a Mortar, mixing with it Mufk, or fome odoriferous Water, with a thin Size to unite the Particles. The Chi¬ nefe commonly make ufe of a Size, which they call Nyew kyau, Size of Neats Leather. When this Lampblack is come to the Confiftence of a fort of Pafte, they put it into Moulds, which are made in the fliape they defign the Sticks of Ink to be. They ftamp upon the Ink, with a Seal made for that Purpofe, the Charafters or Figures they defire, in blue, red, or gold Colour, drying them in the Sun, or in the Wind. We are affiired, that in the City of Whey chew, where the Ink is made which is moft efteemed, Where the the Merchants have great Numbers of little Rooms, where they keep lighted Lamps all Day 3 1,611 lnk and that every Room is diftinguifhed by the Oil which is burnt in it, and confequently by the l ° C a Ink which is made therein. Neverthelefs many of the Chinefe believed, that the Lampblack, which is gathered from the Lamps in which they burn Oil of Gergelin , is only ufed in making Without doubt, they mean the Horfe Chefnut-Tree, or the true Chefnut made into Cakes, which comes from Lean ton 3 /2 Opinion of the Chineft concerning Lampblack. IIow to know the Goodnc.s o' Ink. How to pre- ferve Cbine/e Ink. Ink kept foi Ornamc-nt it the Clofets o the Curious. How to nfe their Ink. Chine Te Ink in Phyfick. The Chineft ule no Pens in Writing, but a Pencil. Of the Ink and Pencils in G H IN A. a particular Sort of Ink, which bears a great Price; but corrfidering the furprifing Quantities vended at a cheap Rate, they mult ule combuftible Materials that are more common, and cheaper. They fay that Lampblack is extrafted immediately from old Pines, and that in the Diftrift of Whey chew, where the bed Ink is made, they have Furnaces of a particular Structure to burn thefe Pines, and to convey the Smoak thro’ long Funnels into little Cells (hut up clofe, the Infides of which are hung with Paper: The Smoak being conveyed into thefe Cells, (ticks to every Part of the Wall and Cieling, and there condenfes itlelf. After a certain Time they open the Door, and take off a great quantity of Lampblack. At the fame time that the Smoak ot thefe Pines fpreads itfelf in the Cells, the Roffn which comes out of them runs through other Pipes, which are laid even with the Floor. It is certain that the good Ink, for which there is a great Demand at Nan king, comes from the Diftrift of Whey chew, and that none, made elfewhere, is to be compared with it: Perhaps the Inhabitants of this DiftriCt are Matters of a Secret, which it is hard to get out of them. Perhaps alfo the Soil and Mountains of Whey chew furnifh Materials more proper for making good Lampblack, than any other Place : There is a great number of Pine-Trees'; and in fome parts of China, thefe Trees afford a Rolin much more pure, and in greater Plenty, than our Pines in Europe. At Pe-king may be feen fome pieces of Pine-wood which came from Partary, and which have been ufed for above thefe iixty Years: Nevertheless, in hot Weather, they (lied a great quantity of big Drops of Rofin, refembling yellow Amber. The Nature of the Wood which is burnt, contributes very much to the Goodneis of the Ink. The Lampblack which is got from the Furnaces of Glafs-Houfes, and which the Painters ufe, may perhaps be the propereft for imitating ChineJ'e Ink. ^ As the Smell of the Lampblack would be very difagreeabie, if they were to five the Fxpence of Mufk, which they molt commonly mix with it; fo by burning inch Druggs, they perfume the little Cells, and the Odours mixing with the Soot, which hangs on the Walls like Mofs, and in little Flakes, the Ink they make thereof has no ill Scent. We have feveral Obfervations from the fame ChineJ'e Author, whom I have quoted, that (liould not be omitted.. 1. To diftinguifh the different Degrees of goodnefs of Ink newly made, take a Veffel varnifli’d with the fineft Varnifti, called Titian quant tfi: Having wetted the ends of the feveral pieces of Ink, rub them upon the varnilh’d Veffel: The Proofs beinn- dry, hold the Veiled to the Sun; and if you fee that the Colour of the Ink is entirely like thac ol the Varnifh, that Ink is of the fineft Sort. It is much inferior if the Black be of a bluiili Hue ; but if it be Afli-colour’d, it is the leaft valuable of all. 2. The Way to preferve the Ink from any Damage, is to (hut it up in a clofe Box, in which mutt be put fome perfedly ripe Mugwort: But, above all, it mutt never be expoied Co the Rays of the Sun, which would make it crack and fall in Pieces. : 3. I hey fometimes keep in Cabinets, for a Curiofity, Sticks of Ink finely adorned and gilded; t -and ii any one of thefe Sticks happens to break, the manner of joyning the two Pieces together, fo that there fhall be no Marks of its having been broke, is, by making ufe of the fame Ink, firff reducing it into a Paffe upon the Marble, and then rubbing the broken Pieces with it, and fqueezing them together. When you have done, leave the Stick of Ink a whole Day Without touching it, and you will find it as whole and firm as ever. 4. When they defign to write, and would finifli delicately the Strokes of the Pencil be¬ fore they temper the Ink upon the Marble, Care mutt be taken that the Marble be well waffl’d, in that no.hiiig of the Ink ufed the Day before may remain upon it; for if ever fo little of it be left, it fouls the Marble they make Ufe of, and fpoils the frelh Ink: Further, the Marble muff not be waffled either with hot Water, or Water raw out of the Well, but with Water tnat has been boil d, and is grown cold again : The bed and mod proper Stones for preparing tile Ink are called Twan Jhe, 1 5. When the Ink has been preferved a long Time, it is then never ufed for Writing, but becomes, according to the Chineft, an excellent and refreffiing Remedy, good in the Bloody flux, and in the Convuliions of Children. They pretend, that by its Alkali, which naturally abforbs acid Humours, it fweetens the Acrimony of the Blood. The Dofe, for grown Perlbns is two Drachms, in a Draught of Water or Wine. The ChineJ'e, in Writing, make no Ufe of Pens, like the Europeans, nor of Canes or Reeds like the Arabians, nor of Crayons, like the Siameje ; but of a Pencil made with the Hair of fome Animal, and particularly of the Rabbet, which is tile fofteft. When they would write, they have upon the Table a little polifh d Marble, with a Hollow at one End to contain Water - they dip their Stick of Ink in it, and then rub it upon that Part of the Marble which isfmooth and according as they lean, more or Ids, upon the Ink when they rub it, it becomes more or left black. When they write, they do not hold the Pencil obliquelv, as Painters do ; but perpen¬ dicularly, as if they would prick the Paper. They write from the Right to the Left. In like Manner they end their Books where we begin ours, and our laft Page is with them the firft People ot .Learning and Study delight in keeping their Marble, Pencils, and Ink very neat, and placed in good Order ; juft as our Warriors pique themfelves in prderving their Arms well polifhed and ranged. The Pencil, Paper, Ink, and the little Marble, the Chineft call oje pdu i which lignifies, The four precious Things. There Manner of Printing in CHINA. There are in China a prodigious Number of Books, becaufe they have had the Art of Printing of Printing from Time immemorial, tho’ in Europe that Art is ftill almoft in its Infancy. But longstanding the Chmefe Printing is very different from that of Europe. As our Alphabet coniifts of a very 1,1 fin all Number of Letters which, by their different Combinations, can form the largeft Volumes, we have no need of a great Number of Characters, fmce thofe ufed for the fir ft, may be taken afunder, and ufed for the fecond Sheet: On the contrary, the Number of Chmefe Characters being almolt infinite, it is impofiible to caft in Metal fuch a prodigious Multitude; and if they were caft, the greateft part would be but feldom ufed. Here follows an Account of their manner of Printing. They get their Work tranfcrib’d by Manner of fome excellent Writer, upon a fine, thin, and tranfparent Paper. The Engraver paftes every Leaf upon a Plate or Block of the Apple or Pear-Tree, or of any other Wood that is but fi ' xe a cim- hard and fmooth, and with a Graver follows the Traces, and carves out the Characters by rafters, cutting down the reft of the Wood. Thus he makes as many different Blocks as there are Pages to print, working off as many Copies as are required, the Blocks being always in a readi¬ ngs to work off more, without the Trouble of compoling. There is not much Time loft in cor¬ recting the Proofs, fince as the Graver works on the Strokes of the Copy itfelf, or the Original of the Author, he cannot poflibly make any Error, if the Writing be exaCt. This manner of Printing is convenient, becaufe they print the Sheets only as they fell them, Why con _ and do not run the Rifque, .as in Europe , of felling but half the Copies, and ruining themfelves venient. by ufelefs Expences. Moreover, after having taken 30,000 or 40,000 Copies, they can eafily retouch the Plates, and make them ferve for many more Impreffions. They can print Books in all forts of Languages, as well as in Chinefe. The Beauty of Prof>er for the Character depends upon the Hand of the Copyift; the Skill of the Engraver being fo great, Books in all that it is noteafy to diftinguifh that which is printed from the written Copy-, fo that the W^ges. Impreffion is good or bad, according to the Ability of the Writer employ d. This mu ft be under- ftood principally of our European Characters, which are engraved and printed by the Chinefe ; for as to the Chinefe Characters which are engraved, the Skill of the Engraver often corrects the DefeCts of the Writer. The Chinefe nevertheless are not ignorant of the manner of Printing in Europe-, they have The Manner moveable Charaders as well as we, with only this Difference, that whereas ours is of Metal, theirs are only of Wood: By the Kelp of thefe they corred I'be prefent State of China,^ cfoT** which is printed at Pc king every three Months. It is reported, that at Nan king , and Su rafters. chew, they print in this manner fome little Books, and that as neatly and corredly as thofe which are engraved by the heft Hands. There is no Difficulty in believing this, becaufe it onlv requires a little extraordinary Labour and Care. In Affiirs that require Difpatch, as when an Order comes from Court, which contains many fn urgent Articles, and which muft be printed in one Night, they have another Method of Engraving. Affairs, They cover the Block with yellow Wax, and trace out the Charaders with a furprizing Quicknels. They ufe no Prefs as in Europe ; their wooden Plates, and unallum’d Paper would not bear The of it. But when once the Blocks are engraved, the Paper cut, and the Ink in readinefs, a fingle p re ffes un- Man, with his Brufti, and without fatiguing himfelf, may print every Day near ten thou- known in fand Sheets. _ The Block which is in-Ufe, muft be fet level and firm. They have two Brumes; one harder How they than the other, which is to be held in the Hand, and may be ufed at both ends. They dip place their this Brufh in the Ink, and rub the Plate with it, but fo that it may not be too much, nor too Plates * little moiften’d: If it be too much, the Letters will be obfeured ; if too little, the Charaders will not print: When the Plate is once in order, they can print three or four Sheets fucceftively, without dipping the Brufli in the Ink. The fecond Brufh muft pafs gently over the Paper, prefling it down a little, that it may take up the Ink: This is eafily done, becaufe not being dipt in Allum-Water, it imbibes it inftantly. You muft only prefs more or lefs, and pafs the Brufti over the Sheet oftner, or fewer times, according as there is more or lels Ink upon the Plate: This Brufti muft be oblong and foft. The Ink which they ufe for Printing is a Liquid, and therefore much more convenient than T}ie ; r Print _ that which is fold in Sticks: To make it, you muft take Lampblack, pound it well, expofe it ing ink. to the Sun, and then fift it through a Sieve: The finer it is, the better. It muft be tempered with Aqua-vita till it comes to the confidence of Size, or of a thick Pafte, Care being taken that the Lampblack may not clot. After this it muft be mixt with a proper Quantity of Water, fo that it may be neither too thick, nor too thin. Laftly, to hinder it from flicking to the Fingers, they add a little Neats-Leather Glue, probably of that Sort which the Joyneis ufe. This they dilfolve over the Fire, and then pour on every ten Ounces of Ink almoft an Ounce of Glue, which they mix well with the Lampblack and Aqua-vitae, before the Water is added to them. , , They print but on one Side, becaufe their Paper is thin and tranfparent, and cannot bear a double Impreffion without confounding the Characters with one another. Hence it is that everv Leaf of the Book is folded, the Fold being at the edge of the Book, and the Opening at the Back, where they are fown together; fo that their Books are cut at the Back, whereas ours are cut at the Edges. And to put the Sheets together, there is a black Line drawn upon the Folds of the Sheets, which teaches to place them right; as the Holes made by the Points in Vol. I. 5 B our 374 Method of Study among the Chinefe Touth. otir printed Sheets direct the Binder how to fold them truely, that the Pages may anfwef each other. They cover their Books with a neat foft of Pafteboard of a grey Colour, or e!fe with fine Sattin, or flower’d Silk, which does not coft much. There are fome Books which the Bind¬ ers cover with red Brocade, intcrfperfed with Gold and Silver Flowers. Tho’ this Manner of Binding is inferior to ours, it is neverthelefs neat and convenient. Of the Manner in which the young Chinefe purfue their Studies; of the fever a l Degrees they take ; and the vari¬ ous Examinations they undergo before they attain the Doc¬ tor s Degree. Of the Edo. "3 ' ROM about five or fix Years of Age, according fo the Capacities of the Children, and the d * e g Care l ' lat IJarents tali;e of tl> c ‘ r Education, the young Chinefe begin to ftudy the'Letters j 1 but as the Number of the Letters is fo very great, and without any fuch Order as they have in Europe, this Study would be very ungrateful, if they had not found out Means to make it a fort of Sport and Amufement. Of teaching They have chofen for this purpofe about ioo Charafters, which exprefs the mod common rf°their"un- am -' w hich prefent themfelves mofl frequently to the Senfes; as the Sky, the Sun, the gt tl J.‘ Moon, Man, certain Plants and Animals, a Houfe, and the moft common Utenftls; they get all thefe Things engraved in a coarfe Manner, and put the Chinefe Charadters for them under- Whichmay neath: And thefe Figures, tho’very aukwardly reprefented, do yet quicken the Capacities of be caird their children, fix their Imagination, and help their Memories. This Colleftion may be called Alphabet. qpj Je jUpp a Jj e t f Chinefe. One Inconvenience, however, occurs in the Method, which is. That Children imbibe an infinite number of chimerical Notions in their tender Years ; for to reprefent the Sun, they make a Cock wdthin a Circle; the Moon they fignify by a Rabbet pounding Rice in a Mor¬ tar : A fort of Demon with fiery Bolts ill his Hand, fomewhat like the ancient Reprefen tat ion of "Jupiter , Hands for Thunder. The Brutes, and their Myau, or Pagods, have their Place amongft thefe Figures; fo that the poor Children, in a manner, fuck in with their Milk all thefe extravagant Whiinfies: I have lately been informed, however, that this Method is now- grown out of Ufe. T(ie Book which they put next into the Hands of Children, is called San tfe king -, ’tis a con- cife Work, containing what is neceflary for a Child to learn, and the Method of teaching it. Itconfifts of feveral fhort Sentences, of three Charafters, ranged in Rhymes, to help the Memo¬ ries of Children. There is aifo another Book, the Sentences of which are of four Charafters: As likewife a Catechifm made for the Chriftian Children, the Phrafes of which are but of four Letters, and which for this rcafon is called Sfe tfe king ven. Charaflersof In a word > the Children muft learn all thefe Charadters by degrees, as At European Of- the Aiplnbci dren do our Alphabet; with this Difference: That as we have but four and twenty Letters, lua uliV . ■ the y have many thoufands. They oblige a young Chinefe to learn at firft four, five, or fix of .them in a Day, which he muft repeat to bimfelf from Morning till Night, in order to rehearle them regularly to the Matter twice a Day. If he is often deficient in his^ Leffon, he is chaftifed. The Punifhrnent is ufually in this Manner: They make him get upon a little narrow Bench Of the Cor- on which he lies down flat on his Belly, and there he receives eight or ten Blows upon bis Ciuiaan 1 Drawers, with a flat Stick fomewhat like a Lath. During tile time of their Studies, they oblige them to fuch a clofe Affiduity, that they have very feldom any Holidays, except a Month at the beginning of the Year, and five or fix Days about the middle of it. When once they can read the Sfe chit , * they are not fuffered to read any other Books till they have got thefe by heart, without miffing a Letter; and, what is moft difficult and ungrate¬ ful, they muft learn thefe Books without underftanding fcarce any thing of them ; it being the Cuftom not to explain to them the Senfe of the Charadters, till they know them perfectly. 5 ||’ 7 „ At the lamc time th ?t they learn thefe Letters, they are taught how to form them ‘with a te . . Pencil. At firft they give them great Sheets, written, or printed in large red Charadters; and Li: “ the Children do nothing with their Pencils, but cover the red Strokes with Black, which accuf- toms them to trace tile Strokes. When they have learnt to make them in this manner, they give them others, which are black, and not fo large; and laying upon thefe Sheets another Sheet which is blank and tranfparent, tiiey draw the Letters upon this Paper, in the Form of thofe underneath: But they oftener ufe a Board covered with White, varniflied, and divided into little Squares, which make different Lines, whereon they write their Charafters, and efface them with Water when they have done, to lave Paper. * Thefe are the four Books that contain the Doftrine of Kong fit tfe, or Confu.hr,, and Ming tfe , or Men ins. Method of Study among the Chinefe Tenth. 57? In fine, they take great Care to improve their Hands; for it is a great Advantage to the Care of the Learned to make their Chara&ers well: They pay much regard to this Qualification, and in Cbmji in the Examination, which is made every three Years for the Degrees, they commonly reject thofe ^™ e ' r n S lheif who write ill, efpecially if their Writing be not exadl; unlels they give great Proofs of their Ability in other Refpedls, either in the Language, or in compofing good Difcourfes. It is reported that a certain Candidate for the Degrees, having ufed, contrary to order, an Abbreviation in writing the Character Ma , which fignifies a Horje , had the Mortification of feeing his Work, tho’ excellent, rejected; and was obliged to bear this Piece of Raillery from the Mandarin , That a Horfe could not 'walk well without four Legs 4 When they know Characters enough for compofing, they muff learn the Rules of the Ven cham. This is a Compofition refembling that fort of Thefes which the European Scholars make before they enter upon Rhetorick; with this difference,, that the Ven chang muft be more difficult, becaufe its Senfe is more confin’d, and its Style peculiar. They give for a SubjeCt but one Sentence, taken out of the Gallic Authors, which they call Ti mu , ’The Thefts \ and this Thelis isfometimes but one fingle Character. To find out whether the Children improve, the following Method is pra&ifed in many Pla- co°mpufuicn3 ces: Twenty or thirty Families, who are all of the fame Name, and who confequently have one common Hall of their Anceflors, unite together, and agree to fend their Children, twice a Month, into this Hall to compofe: Every Head of a Family, by Turns, gives the Thefis, and provides, at his own Expence, the Dinner for that Day, which he takes care to have brought into the Hall: Fie likewife judges of the Compofitions, and determines who has fucceeded the befc. If on the Day of Compofing any one of this little Society abfent himfeif without a fuf- ficient Guile, his Parents are obliged to pay about twenty Pence ; which is a lure means to prevent any one’s being abfent. Befides this Diligence, which is private and voluntary, all the young Scholars are obliged Pu , i; _ Com to compofe together, before the inferior Mandarin of Letters, called Hyo-kwan. This is done poAcions. at leaft twice a Year, once in the Spring, and once in the Winter, throughout the whole Empire: Twice, I fay, at leaft; for befides thefe two general Examinations, the Mandarins of Letters examine them pretty frequently, to find what Progrefs they have made in their Studies; and to keep them in Exercife. There are fome Governors of Cities who take the like trouble on themfelves, with regard to Men of Learning that live near them, whom they fummon every Month to their Tribunal, and there make them compofe, giving Rewards to thole who fuc- ceed the beft, and bearing the Expcnce of their Entertainment for that Day. It is not furprizing, that in a State where they have profeffed Learning for fo many Ages, Of the Per- and where they prefer it to all natural Advantages, they ftiould take fo much pains to educate ^d^over their Youth. There is not a City, Town, nor almoft any little Village, in which there’are the Edu- not School-Mafters to inftrueft Youth in the Sciences; People of Fortune have Tutors for their " tk jJ of Children, who teach them Letters, accompany them, and form their Manners; whoinftru£t u rtn * them in the Ceremonies, the manner of Saluting, the Compliments and common Civilities, the manner of Vifiting, and, when of a proper Age, the Hiftory and Laws of their Country : Infinite is the Number of thefe Preceptors, becaufe amongft thofe who put up for the Degrees, there are very few that obtain them. In the Houles of Perfons of Quality, thofe that are entrufted with this Province are generally Doctors, or at leaft Licentiates. In Families of a lower Rank, they are Bachelors, who con¬ tinue the courfe of their Studies, and go to the Examinations in order to arrive at the Dodtor’s Degree. The Employment of a School-Mafter is accounted honourable, the Children’s Parents maintain them, make them Prefents, treat them with a great deal of Refpect, and every where give them the upper hand. Syew feng , Our Mafter , Our Doctor , is the Name they give them; and their Pupils have the higheft Relpedt for them as long as they live. Tho’ there are no Univerfities in China , as in Europe , there is no City of the firft Order, ^ which has not a great Palace fet apart for the Examinations of the Graduates: And in the 0 f'[; r n jver- Capitals, this Palace is yet bigger. A Miffionary gives this Defcription of the Edifice, in the fities, how City in which he was; and, as far as the Place will permit, they are all built after the fame ruppiy Manner: It is inclofed, fays he , with high Walls, the Entrance is magnificent, and before it is a large Square, 150 Paces broad, and planted with Trees, having Benches and Seats for the Captains and Soldiers, who keep Centry in the Times of Examination. One enters at firft into a great Court, where the Mandarins place themfelves with a Corps de Garde, at the end of which there is another Wall, with Folding-Gates. As foon as you enter, there is a Ditch full of Water, which you muft pafs over upon a Stone-Bridge, to come at a third Gate, at which Guards are planted, who let no body enter without an exprefs Order from the Officers. When you have pafled this Gate, you difeover a great Square, the Entrance to which is by a very narrow Pafi’age. On both Sides of this Square, are a vaft number of little Chambers, clofe together, four Foot and an half long, and about three and an half broad, to lodge the Students; in thefe Chambers are fometimesto the Number of lix thoufand. Before they enter the Palace to compofe, they are ftopped at the Gate, and fearched with thegreateft Exatftnels, that they may not carry in any Books, or Writings; nothing being allow’d there but Pencils and Ink. If any Fraud were to be difeovered, the Offenders would not only be turn’d back, but very feverely punifhed, and excluded from the Degrees of Literature. When every body is entred, they Jhut up the Gates, and the publick Seal is fet upon them. There 37 6 Method of Study among the Chinefe Youth. There are Officers of the Tribunal to over-look every thing that pafles, and to prevent them from going out of their Chambers, or fpeaking to one another. At the end of the narrow PafFage which I mentioned, a Tower is eredted upon four Arches, and flank’d with four Turrets, or a Sort of round Domesj from which, if any Diflurbar.ee be perceived, the Drum is immediately beat to give notice, that the Diforder may be remedied. Near this Tower there are divers Apartments, and a great Hall well furniflied, in which thole aflemble who prefide at the firft Examination. At the going out of this Hall you enter another Court, hi which there is another Hall refembling the firft, but more magnificently furniflied; with divers Apartments for the Prefident, and principal Officers. There are alio Galleries, a Garden, and many little Apartments for the Mandarins , Secretaries, and inferior Officers ; and laftly, every thing which is requifite for lodging commodicufly the whole Reti¬ nue of the Examiners. When they think the young Students are fit to appear at the Examination of the inferior r t-cns'of Mandarins, they fend them thither on the appointed Day. For the better underftanding of tiic*Students, what follows, we muft recollect what has been faid already; namely, that China contains fifteen great Provinces, every Province including many great Cities, which have the Title of l 'u ; and that thefe Cities have many others of the fecond and third Order, that depend on them, fome of which are called Chew, and others Hyen: There are no Cities of the firft Order that have not in their DiftriCt a Hyen , and fometimes two, for the Word Hyen fignifies much the fame as what we call a Bailywick.. It is by the Hyen that they gather the Taxes, and even diftinguilh the Learned, for Example, they lay, Bachelor of Juch a Hyen. Neverthelefs it muft not be thought that Learning flourifhes alike in all the Provinces, there being many more Students in fome than in others. The Mandarin , who is at the Head of a whole Province is called Fu ywen. He that governs a Fu, is called Chi fir. They likewife call him Fu fun; that is, the illnftrions Ferjon of the Fu, or City of the firft Order. He who has only the Government of a Hyen , has the Title of Chi hyen , or Hyen tfun. Agreeable to this Subordination there are in Kyen chang fu, one Chi fu, and two Chi hyen, and in the Capital Fu, there is a Fit ywen, that is a Viceroy. So that the Monarchical Government is eftabliflied not only over the whole Empire, but in every Province, in every Fu, and in every little Hyen. l'\ami- To return to the Examinations: As foon as the young Students are thought capable of palling thofe of the Mandarins, they muft begin with that of the Chi hyen, in whofe Juridi&ion el ites for they were Lorn; for Example, in the Diftridt of Nan ching hyen, which is in the Jurildidlion of degrees. Kycn chang fii, there are more than eight Hundred, who go to compofe before the Chi hyen of this City. It is this Mandarin that gives the Thefis, and examines thefe Compofitions him- lelf, or orders them to be examined in his Tribunal, and who determines which is the beft: Of the eight hundred Students, there are about fix hundred named; they fay then, that they have Hyen ming , that is, that they are inferib’d to the Hyen : There are fome Hyen in which the Number of Students amounts to fix thoufand. Thefe fix hundred muft afterwards appear at the Examination of the Chi fu of Kycn chang , who makes a new Choice ; and of thefe fix hundred, there are not above four hundred who have Fu ming, that is, who are named for the fecond Examination. Hitherto they have no Degree in Literature, and therefore are called ‘Tongfeng. In every Province there is a Mandarin who comes from Pe king, who is but three Years in his Office ; he is called Hyo tau, or in the fineft Provinces, Hyo ywen ; and is generally a Perfon who hath Intelligence with the great Tribunals of the Empire: Formerly, he gave Prefents un¬ derhand, and thofe very confiderable, to be chofen ; but the prefent Emperor has remedied this Abufe by very fevere Orders. He muft make two Examinations during his three Years: The fit ft Examination is called Swy kau , the fecond Kokau-, for this purpole he is obliged to make a Circuit thro’ all the Fu of the Province. As foon as the Hyo tau arrives in a Fit, he goes to pay his refpects to Confucius, whom all the Learned look upon as the DoCLor of the Empire: Then he himlelf explains lome Pafiages in n'r'S to the Claffick Authors, and the fucceeding Days examines. When the four hundred Fong feng of Co L /iuius. Nan ching hyen,* who have Fu ming, go to compofe in the Tribunal of the Hyo tau with the other Students, that come from all the Hyen which are fubordinate to that Fu, if the Num¬ ber of them is very great, they are divided into two Companies. The greateft Precautions are now ufed, to prevent the Mandarins knowing the Authors of the Compofitions ; but thefe Precautions are fometimes rendered vain by the Intrigues of the Par¬ ties. The Hyo tau nominates but fifteen Perfons, out of the four hundred, for example, that are in a Hyen ; thofe who are thus nominated, take the firft Degree, and are therefore faid to enter into Study fin leau hyo, and are called Syew tfay : They then wear the Formalities, which confift of a blue Gown, with a black Border all round it, and a Silver, or Pewter Bird, upon the Top of their Caps: They are no more liable to be baftonadoed by the Order of the com¬ mon Mandarins, but have a particular Governour, who punifhes them if they do amils. Of the fifteen who are nominated, moft of them are dcfervedly chofen. Sometimes indeed there is Favour fnewn ; but they who are thus eleCted, what Protection foever they may have, muft not be without fome Merit : For if it fliould ever appear that Favour was the Motive of their Choice, the Envoy of the Court would be ruined both in his Reputation and Fortune. One * Whar I fay of this Hyen mult be tmderfiood proportionally of all the others. Method of Study among the Ghinefe Touth. ^77 One may fav much the fame Things concerning the Ton's few of War: The fame Man- or :i ' i: '-~ J J r . 0 . 1 0 a Otd- • , „ .. , , nunatioiis lor damns who examine for Learning, examine tor the Army : Thole who are Candidates here^vvan mult fhew their Ability in fhooting with the Bow, and Riding; and it they have before applied themfelves to bodily Exerciles, which require a great deal of Strength and Vigour, they muft fometimes give Proots of it j for example, by lifting a large Stone, or fome heavy Burden. But tho’ this may be ferviceable to them, yet it is not altogether elTential; and to thofe who have made any progreis in Learning, they give certain Problems to be folvech refpedting Incampments, and Stratagems of War; which contribute to their Preferment. It is proper to know, that the Warriours as well as the Learned, have their Clafiic Authors, which they alfo call by the Name of Keng, They were compoled purpofely for their ufe, and treat of the Military Difcipline. The Hyo tau is obliged by his Office to make the Tour of his Province, and to affiemble in obligations every City of the firft Order, all the Syew tjay who are dependant upon it; when, after being of tu- Mis¬ informed of their Condudt, he examines their Compofitions ; recompenfes thole who have ta “' made great Proficiency in their Studies, and punifhes thofe whom he convidts of Negligence and Carelefnefs. Sometimes he enters into a Detail, and divides them into lix Claftes: The firfb contains a very few, of thofe who have remarkably diftinguifhed themfelves; to whom he gives, as a Reward, a ‘Tael, and a Silk Scarf: Thofe of the fecond Clafs receive alfo a Silk Scarf, and a fmall matter of Money : The third Clafs hath neither Reward nor Puniffiment: Thofe of the fourth receive the Baftonado, by command of the Mandarins: The fifth lofe the Bird with which the Cap is adorned, and become but half Syew tfay: Thofe that have the Misfortune, to be in the fixth, are entirely degraded; but there are few to whom this happens; In this Examination, one fliall fometimes fee a Man of fifty or fixty Years of Age baftonado’d, vvhilft his Son, who compofes with him, receives Applaufe and Rewards: But as to the Siew tfay , or Batchelors, they do not receive the Baftonado for their Compofitions alone, unlefs there be alfo fome Complaint made of their Morals and Behaviour. Every Graduate who does not come to this Triennial Examination, runs the Rilque of being Cafes in deprived of his Title, and ranked with the common People. There are but two Cafes, in which he may lawfully be abfent; either Sicknels, or Mourning for the Death of a Parent, me c.-.-cuied The old Graduates, who upon their laft Examination appeared to be fuperannuated, arc for ! r01n h f- ever after excufed from attending thefe Examinations; preserving neverthelefs, the Plabit, Cap, Exnnimm and all the Prerogatives and Honours of their Degree. tions. To attain the fecond Degree, that of Kyu gin , they muff pafs a new Examination called 0 bv-uicn Chu kail , which is but once in three Years, in the Capital of every Province of the Empire. ;;n d b,dcr of All the Siew tfay are obliged to attend at it. Two Mandarins come Exprefs from the Court, fevcrai to prefide at this Examination, which is made by the great Officers of the Province, and by min ‘ lt ‘ ons ‘ fome other Mandarins , as their Afliftants. The fir ft of the two Mandarins fent from the Court, is call’d Cbing chu kau , and muft be Han lin , that is, of the College of the chief Doc¬ tors of the Empire: The other is called Fii chu. In the Province of Kyang fi , for inftance, there are at leaft ten thoufand Syew tfay , who are obliged to be at this Examination, and who fail not to attend. Amongft thefe ten thoufand, the Number of thofe who are nominated, that is, who obtain the Degree of Kyu.gin, is no more than fixty: Their Gown is of a brown- iih Colour, with a blue Border four Fingers broad: The Bird upon the .Cap is of Gold, or Copper gilt; and the Chief of them-has the Title of Kay ywen. It is not eafy to obtain this Degree by corrupting the Judges; and if any Intrigues are carried on for that Delign, they muft be managed with great Secrecy, and have their beginning at Pe king. When they arrive at this Degree, they have but one Step more to take, to be Dodlors: They muft go the next Year to Pe king , to be examined for the Degree of Dodtor ; and the Emperor is at the Charge of this firft Journey : Thofe who after having pafied this Examination once, are contented with being Kyu gin, eithor becaule they are too far advanced in Years, or becaufe they have a moderate Fortune, are excufed from coming any more to this Examination, which is made at Pe king every three Years. Every Kyu gin is qualified to bear any Office: Sometimes they obtain Employments merely by Seniority in this Degree ; and fome of them have become Vice¬ roys of Provinces: And as all Offices are beftow’d in confideration of the Perfon’s Merit, a Stu¬ dent, who is the Son of a Peafant, has as much Hope of arriving to the Dignity of Viceroy, and even of Minifter of State, as the Children of Perfons of the firft Quality. Finally thefe Kvu gin, as foon as they have obtained any publick Employment, renounce the orthc Trn De grec of Doctor. But all the Kyu gin , that is, Licentiates! who are not in any Office, go penal Exa- every three Years to Pe king , as I have faid before, to be prefent at the Examination there; minatlon * which is called the Imperial Examination: For the Emperor himfelf gives the fubjedt of the Compofitions, and by the Attention he gives, and the exadt Account that is rendered him, is foppofed to be himfelf the judge of them. The Number of Licentiates who come to this Examination, amounts very often to five or fix thoufand; and of this Number about three hundred, whofe Compofitions are judged the beft, are advanced to the Degree of Dodtor. Sometimes this Degree hath been given but to 150. The three principal ones are called Tyen tfe men /eng, that is, ThcDifciples of the Son of Heaven : The Chief of thefe is called Chwang ywen, the next Pang ywen, and the laft Tan wha. From the other Dodtors, the Emperor chufes a certain Number, to whom they give the Title of Ilan lin, that is 4 Dodlors of the firft Order: The others are called Tfin R. Vo l. I. 5 C Who 378 Of the CHINESE Education. Who ever can obtain this glorious Title of j Tfin Je, either in Literature, or the Army, may look upon himfelf as a Man firmly fettled, and needs not fear Want: For, bdides that he receives an infinite Number of Prefents from his Relations and Friends, he is in a fair Way to be employed in the molt important Pods of the Empire, and every body courts his Protec¬ tion : His Friends and Relations never fail to eredt, in their City, magnificent triumphal Arches to his Honour, on which they infcribe his Name, the Place where, and the Time when he received his Degree. The Number The late Emperor Kang hi, towards the latter end of his Reign, obferved that there were not nefs of Books naany new Books printed as ufual 5 and thofe which were publifhed, had not that degree of under the Perfection he could have wifh’d, for the Glory of his Reign, and which might make them wor- A'TrTJ th y t0 ^ c tranlm itted to Pcderity : He perceived that thefe chief Dodtors of the Empire, enjoy- '' ing quietly the Rank to which they were railed, and the Reputation for Learning which they ^ mc f !es had obtained, negledted their Studies, in expectation of gainful Employments. To remedy gTnce. egil * this Negligence, as foon as the Examination for Dodtors was ended, he took upon himfelf, contrary to cudom, to examine thefe chief Doctors, who fo piqued themfelves upon being Judges and Examiners of others. This Examination gave great Alarm, and was followed by a Judgment dill more furprifing: For feveral of thefe chief Dodtors were fhamefully degraded, and fent back to their own Provinces. The Dread of fuch another Examination, keeps thofe Chief of the Learned, clofe to their Studies. The Emperor prided himfelf upon this extraordinary Examination, becaufe one of the mod learned Men of the Court, who was employed in looking over the Compofitions, agreed exadtly with him in his Judgment, con¬ demning all the fame that his Majedy had rejedted, excepting one Piece, which the Mandarin judged of a doubtful Merit. Companion It appears from what I have mentioned, that the Comparifon that has been made between of the De- t ] le f e three Degrees, which didinguifh the Learned in China , and the Batchelors, Licentiates, fyTheLearn- a °d Dodtors of Europe , is not altogether jud. id. Becaufe thefe Names in Europe , are known e.i in China, fcarcely any where but in Univerfities and Colleges j and the Licentiates have no greater Accefs T 1 cVr^thc f ^ an others to People of Fafhion ; whereas here, thefe three Degrees comprehend all the Nobility L--arnedgin' 1 " and polite People of China ; and furnifh almod all the Mandarins , except fome few Tartars. Europe. 2 d. Becaufe in Europe , a confiderable Progrefs in the fpeculative Sciences, and an exadt Know¬ ledge of Philofophy and Theology, is requifite in order to be made a Doftor; whereas in China , nothing more is required than Eloquence, and the Knowledge of their Hidory and Laws. To give a yet more perfect Idea, of the great Care taken by the Chinefe to form their Youth, and to make the Sciences flourifh in their Empire, I fliall infert here feveral Extracts of Chinefe Books, which treat of their Edablidiment of the publick Schools. It was Father Dentrecolles Father Den- who made this curious Enquiry, and communicated it to me. There can be no better Means tn-.-o/Ws Re- of informing Ourlelves concerning China , than by China itfelf: For we are fure to come at a fearchcs on tme Knowledge of the Genius and Cudoms of that Nation, if we pur fue this Method, this Subjcdl. ° Seminaries of F.ducation in China. Ry whom and when indituced. Extraff of a Chinefe Book, entitled ’ The Art of making a People Happy, by cjlablijhing public Schools. i Hr o, A NTIENTLY. in China a Place called Shu , was alotted for a certain Number of Families; and another called Tfyang , for a larger Didridt. Thefe two Places were Seminaries for educating the Youth of the Empire, and forming them to the Sci¬ ences. The Literati of the mod confpicuous Merit, were compleated in the Academy of Tfyang. The Country Schools produced thofe Geniufes that are qualified for Perfection in the Sciences. And to this Day, they whofe Knowledge has gain’d them Admittance into the Hall of Con¬ fucius, have begun by the lowed Exercifes of the young Students. The Emperor Hong vil Founder of the preceding Dynady of Ming , being perfuaded of how much Importance to his State it was, to aid and encourage Youth to Literature ; in the fecond Year of his Reign ordained, that publick Schools fhould be built in all the Cities of the id. 2d. and 3d. Rank. And fix Years after, that he might make the Benefit more general, he founded Schools for the Country. His Order addred to the Mandarins of the refpedtive Provinces was in thefe Terms: “ At prelent we fee at Court, and thro’ all the Cities, Schools eredted for teaching the Sci- “ ences. Our Intention is, that the People in the Country fhould likewile diare in thefe great “ Advantages, and in that wonderful Change which Study, no doubt, will produce among our “ Subjedls. For this effedt, you the Mandarins are to caufe Schools to be built in the Coun- “ try, and to take care to furnifh them with able Maders. Thefe Maders being cloathed with “ Authority, and Men of Merit, every one in the Empire will be willing that Literature “ fhould become the fird and chiefed Employment of our Youth, and that they endeavour to “ excel in it.” Thus 37 9 Of the CHINESE Education. Thus after the Reign of the Oriental Tartars , Learning began to revive under the laft Dynafty.. I fhall firft fpeak of the Schools in the Country. If 25 Families require one of them, we Chall find that the Diftrict of a City of the third Order, will require a hundred, yet the Royal Appointments for the Profeflors, are fufficient only for thofe of two Villages. How fhall we remedy this? My Thoughts are as follows. Our Schools at prefent, I mean the Country Schools, are a good deal different from what thofe named Shu or Tjyang were formerly. Our Anceftors had the Subjects of their Studies regulated, and the manner of teaching in all Schools was uniform. Children began to ftudy at eight Years of Age, at which time they read the [*] Kin tfe to inftrudt them in Chronology. And the Book of the five Parts of the Empire, for Geography. They then were taught Arithmetic, and to inftrudt them in their private Deportment, Method of made to read, the Manner in which they ought to behave to a Father, a Mother, their Rela- ^y> n g m tions and Domcftics; and in their Public; their Behaviour to Magiftrates, to Seniors, and to their Equals. Such were the Books that were put into the Hands of the Youth, in the lower Form or the Syau hyo. At the Age of 15, they paft thro’ the higher Sciences, or Ta hyo ; they learned all the Pafla- ges, by which the Books of our ancient Sages are become fo valuable ; the Rites and Ceremo¬ nies of the Empire, with what ever relates to Princes and Magiftrates; whatever forms a Man of Honour, and a Polititian ; in fhort, what ever relates to good Government in general. At firft they applied themfelves to the eafieft Studies, and when they were Mafters of the Rudiments, they advanced, by infenfible Degrees, to higher Attainments; till at the end of a certain Number of Years, they became very able Men. It was in the Schools of the refpeftive DiftrivSts, thaf they were thus form’d by little and little. At laft the Students of different Pla¬ ces or Shu y were tranfplanted into the Tjyang or common School of the Diftridt; and they there compleated themfelves by Conferences, by the Ledtures of the firft Mafters, and by a mutual Emulation. . Thefe excellent Methods new modell’d the Wit, the Underftanding, and in fhort, the whole virue, a of the Man. Virtue, thus as it were becoming a Science, renders Multitudes happy ; and Science, hence it was, before they were aware, that the fo much defired Change was of a fudden wrought among all the Members of the State, fo as to render the whole Empire perfect. At prefent, the Children of Men of Fortune and Quality, have the means of Studying,^ ^ without ufing them; and the Poor are deftitute of them who moft wifh for them. When the Parents are Great and Rich, and defign to beftow a liberal Education upon their Children, they take a Tutor into their Houfes, where they aflign him an Apartment; nor will their Pride fuffer them to allow the Children of their poor Neighbours, to reap any Benefit by his Leffons. And from hence it is, that the wife Regulations for public Schools, either for City Study, or Country, are much negledted. The Mandarins know well enough, how much the Manners of the Age require to be reformed ; but one would think, that they did not look upon this as a very preifing Affair. The true Obftacle is, that they want the neceffary Alfiftances, to build and endow thefe Schools in the Country. Thus, that proper and ufeful Defign is laid afide; and hence the Dodtrines of our Claffic Books are not pradtifed; fo that the good Cuftoms of our Anceftors daily decay, and in time will be entirely ruined. Let us prevent this Misfortune. What I am going now to propnfe, appears tome of Confequence, for the effectual Re-eftablifh- Means of ment of thefe Schools. Let the Literati of Fortunes, and the rich People who are in Pofts, removing make it their Pleafure to unite; and each in his own Country promote this noble Undertaking, them. Let the Mandarin of the Place, put himfelf at their Head; after which, where will be the Diffi¬ culty of eredting public Buildings for Learning ? It ought likewife to be confidered, that thefe Schools are principally opened for the Children of poor People, who, without fuch Helps, can make no Progrefs in Letters. By thefe Methods young People, however poor, if their Genius leads them to Learning, may give themfelves up intirely to it. Mifery commonly prevails moft in the Country. Cities confift chiefly of Merchants, Tradefmen, Graduates, and People who either have been in Employ¬ ments, or live nobly. In the Country, moft of the Inhabitants either labour or cultivate the Ground, keep Flocks, or are imployed in ruftick Labours. A Computation muft be made how many poor People there are in the Diftridt of a City, for Method of inftance, of the third Order, and how many rich ; upon this Computation the Plan of a p r a o ! J,‘ j "| n a for School muft be formed. When it is known how many large Burroughs, and Places fre- a r ^ 0 “j n or quented either by the Commerce, or by the Fairs held in them, are without the City, and how many Habitations and Houfes are joining to each other; one may judge from thence how many Schools there ought to be. As for Angle Houfes difperfed up and down, it the Inhabitants of them have a mind that their Children fhould ftudy, they muft even draw nearer the School, and provide their Children Places in it. The Form and Order in which I would have fuch a School built, is as follows ; The Building ^ fhould have firft a fpacious Entry ; and over the Gate fhould be written in large Characters this Infcription, I HYO , that is, The College of Piety. Laftly, the whole Ground necelfary, mult be furrounded with a good Wall; that the Students, may not have the Liberty of going out, or other People of coming in. A Cycle of Time by a Calendar of 60 Years. After Qimlifi'.- itiors ol Makers. Dutie?, and Exercilcs of the Stu¬ dents. The Scho¬ lars Exe ru¬ les in the Afternoon, Of the CHINESE Education. After the Gate and firft Court, there muft be a Hall for the Teng, Aftemblies or LefTons, adorned with three Ranges of Pillars ; and at a juft Diftance a fecond Hall, where fhall be placed the Picture of cur moft Wife and Ancient Mafter, that the Student may come every Morning and Evening and honour him in that Quality. Two Lodgings are to be built at the Side of this Hall. The Profeffor is to live in the one, and the other is to ferve for receiving VilitSj befides a Warderobe is to be built where the Moveables of the Houfe are to be kept. 1 'he Kitchen may be on the Eaft, and an open Space may be relerved in form of a Garden. The Building being once finilhed, it may be furniihed with Stools, Tables, Arm-chairs, Por¬ celain and Hangings ; in fhort, with every thing that is neceftary. All this will require a good deal of Expence, but the People of Quality are tofupply it by voluntary Contributions. He who is the principal Superintendant of the School, is to chufe for the Stewart of the Houfe, an aged, wife, and virtuous Man. As for the Profeffor, the choice muft fall upon a Man of an unblemtfh’d Reputation, full of Probity, and with Talents both to inftrudt and improve Youth ; provided he is poffeft of fuch Qualities, no matter for his Riches. He muft be prefented to the Mandarin of the Place, who is to examine him and to judge of his Abilities. The School is then to be opened with Solem¬ nity, and the Youth muft have Notice to be prefent, and be exhorted to be fubmiflive to him. The Scholars are to acknowledge their Mafter by the Reverence due to his Quality, and they may make a Prefent to him, tho’ he cannot exaCt one from them : However that is an ancient Curtotfi. IVen hong, famous in the Province of Se Cbwen, when he alfemhled the Youth of the Country every Day to be inftrucled, introduced the Cuftom of offering fomething to the Mafter. It appears tome that this Practice ought to be kept up: And that none fhould grudge a frnall Expence, efpecially when it is well placed. It helps a poor Profeffor, fuch as moft of thefe Mafters are, to pals his lifeeafily, and to aflift his Family, from which he is fometimes at a good Diftance. Indeed, he ought rather to have a regular Appointment to truft to ; for which reafon in found¬ ing a School, a certain Extent of Land fhould be purebafed, whole Revenue fhould be apply’d to the Payment of the Mafter and Officers of the Houfe. He is regularly to give out the common Exerciles of their Studies. In the Morning he is to make them recite by heart the Paffage of the Book which had been preferibed as a Leflon the Night before ; he is then to give out a new one, and to proportion it to the Capacity of the Scholar. It is of Importance that he pronounces the Letters in a diftinCt clear Voice, giving each its full Emphafis. Befides, in Reading he is to mark the different Paufes, where the Senfe of the Period is more or lefs compleat. After the Scholars have breakfafted they are to apply to Writing. The Mafter in fetting their Copies ought to form every Letter according to the Number of Strokes, and the Model in the laft amended Chyang Tun. Pie is to guide the Pencil, fo that the Letter may have its exaCt Figure and Beauty; and by thefe Copies the Scholar is to write. Moreover, tho’ the Bufmefs here is to know how to manage the Pencil, it muft not be imagin’d that this Art is learn’d in Hafte, or at Random, or that it is an eafy Matter to form a well proportion’d Letter. It is neceftary in the Beginning to accuftom the Scholar to be exact, and to labour to attain to Perfection on that Head. When the Copy is finifh’d, every Scholar ought to bring his Writing to the Mafter, who is to run it over, and to mark the faireft Letters with a little Circle, and to mark with a Dafh thofe that are faulty, that they may learn to correCt them another Time. When Books are to be explain’d, the Mafter is to begin by briefly lumming up the SubjeCt of the Chapter to be explain’d. Then taking it by Parts he is to give; i. The proper Signi¬ fication of each Charadfer. 2. The Senfe of the whole Period. Above all Things it is ne- ceffary that the Mafters convey clear and precile Ideas, and fuch as may continue diftindfly upon the Memories of the Children. When the Explication is over, he is to call each of the Students, and to make them pafs by his Table in Silence, that the Awe of him may be better imprinted on their Minds. Next Day, before he proceeds to a new Explication, he muft take an Account of the foregoing. Tho paraphrafes of the learned Chang ko lau , is the Work that can beft inftrudf the Scholar in the true fenfe of claflic Books, which are there explained very clearly even to the leaft Letter. When the Hour of Explication is over it is commonly Mid-day, and then they go to Dinner ; after Dinner, as in the Morning, the Exercifes begin by a recital of the preferib’d Leflon, after which a new one is given out. Then they are to fall to the Exercifc of Tfo tuf (*j-) the fubjeCt of c Pwi tfe is propofed, which ought to be more or lefs lengthened, according to the Progrefs the Scholar has made. But before this Work they receive a Book to read, which contains many Models of thefe Sort of Compofitions, and inftruCting them to know in what Senle the Words and Characters muft to be taken, and how they ought to be placed according to the different Accents, that they may receive the neceftary Cadence. By exerciftng themfelves in thefe Works* their Style may (+) Thefe Tv:i conlift of fome Words and Phrafes, that have a kind cf Relation to one another, making an ifppcrfaft Verfifi- cation, or Blank Yerie. Of the CHINESE Education* 581. May ha formed to Petitions, Ordinances, Letters and other Compofidons, where the familiar Style cannot have Place. Every Morning and Evening, when the Scholars enter and leave the School they Ought to prefent themfelves before the Piflure of the Ancient Mafter (f) Syen tfe and to do him Reve D " tlts of N C k A Wf f n ,“ me h °T’ ^ hey ° U ? ht “ make the fame inference to their Parents and to the Aged. (*) Thefe are the Duties ot Civility to which young Perfons ought to be formed in order, that both at home and abroad, they may acquire that Air of Politenefs fo fuitable to the Literati. The Lefi'ons they have got by heart in five Days, they ought to repeat upon the fixth ; on which Day they are to be preferib’d no new Talk, but are to confider all thefe Leffons and reduce them to writing, without the help of a Book. Such as do it faultily, ought to be punilhed. Thefe Days of Repetition are the fime thing to the Students, as the great Exami- nations arc to the Literati. ° But the principal Study of Youth ought to be the Efteem, Love and Praftice of Virtue; to y; m , c a know, to combat, and to vanquifh their own Failings; to reform, and to Work a thorough cc!i:i, v Study Change upon their Natures: Thefe are the grand Studies. And, that none may be deceiv’d in forVoucll > the Meaning of thefe general Terms, it is as follows. A young Man, at home, mud be perfeflly fubmiffive, and abroad, perfectly compos'd. Does he meet one of greater Age or Quality Net him fliew a great deal of Refpedt: Is he among his Companions and Equals? Let him win them by his Modefty, and a genteel Complaifance; let no haughty Air, or any Neviiger.ee of Manners be feen in his Deportment, and no Expreffions of Ill-nature be heard in his Talk Let Anger never make any alteration in his Countenance; and Sincerity, Honefty, and Upright- nel's always prevail, in his dealings among Men, and in his Commerce in the World. This is aftually to reform and to perfedt one’s felf. Our + I King informs us, that to endeavour to corredl thofe who know not the Ways of as i s Actio Juftice, and have gone aftray, is the bufmefs of a wife Man. This Text acquaints usthat rightntf. of as outh is a Time of Ignorance; fo the great Science in which Youth (hould be educated ! ; f and is the Science of an upright Heart and a difinterefted Mind, which are direftly oppofite to and diftant from fidie Sedts and dangerous Maxims. What excellent Subjefls would not fuch an Education form 1 and how worthy of our Sages, would fuch an Exercife be ! What then can one think of a Mafter, who negleding to reform his Pupils from the Errors and Corrupti¬ ons of the Age, applies all his cares to burthen their Memory with a Load of ufelefs Leffons? Unacountable Abufe ! This Diforder might be reform'd, if the Mandarins, who are the || Paftors as well as the Hfcwamm. Governors of the People committed to their Charge, would rightly confider it. As for inftance able - when Bufmefs calls them, as it frequently does, into the Country, where they are oblig'd to Vifit feveral different Places of their Diftridt, if they would take the Trouble to vifit the Schools toebferve the Progrefs of the Scholars and the Method of the Teachers; and bellow feme Mark ot Diftindtion upon the fineft Capacities among the former, and of Liberality upon the rnoft painful and diligent among the Latter ; What good Confequences would not attend ibis f The Fathers, the Mothers, and the elder Brothers, when they knew of a Mandarin’s cominv would fpur their Children or younger Brothers up to ftudy. And the Mafter, after fuch art Honour, would have a great deal more Zeal and Authority to make himfelf heard and obey’d ■ and thereby form Pupils diftinguith’d both by Learning and Virtue. 1 ’ REMARKS on the fame Subject. HE I hyo, or Schools founded and endowed by the Liberality of the Prince Mandarins Plr or other wealthy People zealous for the public Good as far ds T can learn, are pretty rare School, in China ; but the common Hyo or Schools are fo frequent , that there is fcarce a Village rare in •without at leaf one. And a young Man who leas notftudied, is a lining Monument of the ext ream Poverty of his Parents. It is a Proverb in China; There are more Mnfers than Scholars, and more Phiftcians than Patients. Teaching is the Employment of all the numerous Crowds of poor Literati ; for as the greatcfl Teaching, Honours and the highejl Mandarinate is attainable by Letters , there is not a Family that does not thc bafinefs make one of the Children ftudy, in hopes that he may Jucceed as well as others ; but as they are fre- ° a f ti Poor Llce ' quently difappomted, they at laf find themfelves reduc'd to the NeceJ/itv of Teaching. Scboolmafiers often to enlarge their Income, make up a fmall ColleSion of Noftrums, and tints ail in the double Capacity of Schoolmafcr and Pbyfician. Or efe, they betake themfelves to the latter, when Age has incapacitated them for the former ; fo that all of a Jilddcn they become old Phyficians. T/v Literati-who teach,if they have Genius, learn at the fame time ^ that they may attain a higher Degree. For, as J'oon as in the Examinations they become Syew tfay or DoElors, however poor they were before, they inflantly emerge from their MiJery. All their Kindred contributes to their Sub - Jifertce-, they have a Right to demand Favours from the Mandarins; and are in hopes to become Vol. I. ’ c D d ^ one (II) The Cbintfc Word is Mu tfay: Mu fignifying Paflor, and tfay fignifying Gsvav/r. (!) Confttius. (*) This is what the Chineli call 7/S ye. (t) l^eir oldeil Canonical Book. Of the CHINESE Education. tbimfihes within a certain Number of Tears. If they repair to Court, and there get to be Preceptor to J'ome Mandarin’s or 'great Man's Son, their Advancement is yet more quick and more . lure: This is a Cour/e that many of them take. vr t r ,< J The Quality of Mailer, or Syen feng, is never effaced with refpeblto the Scholar He, (fays t,.e Jr r 7 ~ r . iiAnn .jiYHfW m/rrht nil the relt of MS Life to he let Difeafes in¬ cident to School-maf- ters. teblor of our Holy Religion, put htmfilf tm anawnoiecamuy y r for Us inn Rather, when he beard of the Death oj the Mifonary who had mjlrubledandbaptfid him. J Vton thefe Principles too, -whenever the Scholars become Mandarins, their Majler, or, in his room his Sons, have a Right to vifit them, and to demand a mark of Acknowledgment -which is never d-nied. Even a Viceroy, in Prefence of the great Mandarins of his Province, will yield, without any Sr rutile the firli Place to the Syen feng, who bad given him his earlieft Injlrutttons ; tho perhaps he lives to’or and in feme Village, white his Pupil mounts to the highejl Diftinblion. This is the foundation If the sreat Honours that even Emperors pay to Confucius, -who is the firf f Syen feng of the Empire J The Chinefe Authors very much cxtollthe Ojfceof a Schoolmafler to Youth. It is, ( jays one of their Sages) the mofl compleat and the moft important Employment-, for the good or bad Fortune of a Family depends upon the Education of the Children, and the Faults of tbe Scholars afftB the Cha- , a ^The following Pajfage « contained in a pretty Modern Author, apprised of by two of the firf Debtors about Court. “ To apply to the Education of Youth ,s a very high Point of the Virtue Te kvi ta : Will the Creator of the Univerfi fail one Day to reward it ? i fau we ngan te pu me yew ? ” The fame Author has fiveral Obfirvations -which I Jhall take notice of, viz. Firfl OBSERVATION. T is wrong to (hew Contempt, as People fometimes do, for thofe who have taught us the firft Elements The Pains they take are very great, and incomparably more diicouraging, than thofe required in direffing the Studies of fuch as are more advanced. Remark 1 In reality, -we fie a great many Schoolmafiers who become ajlhmatic and confumptive, by being obliged both ioftudy and to teach-, tho’ their Entertainment is better than they can have at their ownHoufes; the Parents of their Scholars providing them with all Neceffanes. Befides the continual Bawling either of the Majler or the Scholars is tmeafy, for the Chinefe learn their Books by reciting them aloud, and arefurpris’d to fie us fludy- without opening our L,ps or ufmg any Motion -, they accompanying always the Sound of their Voice with a flight Motion of the Body, or at leaf of the Head. Second OBSERVATION. A few People dwell together, that they may be near the Matter who teaches their Children; and becaufe they are not in a Condition to be at Expences, any of the Literati ferves their turn ; thus the Generality of Matters are very ignorant. Remark 1 They are, however, good for fomewhat-, for they have a Method of teaching certain Books. Befides they jhew the Scholars how, and -when to make a handfome Reverence-, to give and take a Dip o/pea genteely, to contraB a certain Air in his walking , the Manner of his Bonnet , and the handling of his Fan, -which dijlinguijhes the Chinefe Students. Third OBSERVATION. p • He commends the Praftice of a certain Profeffor, who always enquired of the Parents of his D».“of * Scholars, whether they defigned to compleat the Education of their Children as Scholars or if Milter. thev intended them only for Merchants or Tradefmen, filch as themfelves, that he might adapt his Leffons to their feveral Views, and his Scholars neither lofe their Time nor he hisains. „ , , . Remark.! The Children of poor People are commonly affifted in quickly procuring afmall Educittg' Stock of Charablers, for writing their Accounts, by means of a Book, where the moft ordinary Occur- Poor Out. 0 f Fife are coarfily drawn, and below each Figure is the Char abler or Name of the Thing _ ’^The Chinefe, for their Diverfion, commonly found the Inclinations of their Children. tf henever eurCT they can ufi their Hands, they lay before them a Book, a Ballance and Arms y and according to tounuing the ,/,/Choice of the Child, they judge (a) him born -with a Genius for Learning, Irade,or IV ar. Inclinations. J J J Fourth OBSERVATION. The Capacity of the Scholar is to be confuted, and it is not to be over-loaded with Study. Bad Choice of Mailers to what owing. (a) This Cuftom has very little Foundation in Reafon. The Choice of the Children probably will fix upon what moll at- trafts their Eyes. Perhaps it may only prevail among the lower Rank of People, who we find by Du Haldt s Accounts in other Places of this Work are as much addicted to Superfbtions as any in the World. Of the CHINESE Education. Tho’they could learn 200 Charaders in a Day. teach them but 100, otherwife you will dif- of courage them. Do not pufli them on to too hard Talks, for that is to make them do amiis. bc confultcd, Remark.] As to the Memory of the Chine! ejays Father Dentricolles. I have been more than once furprized, to hear the little Chrijhans about Jeven or eight Tears of Age, repeat pretty g the a, Books from one End to the other. Science in China, confifts principally in the Exercije of the Memory ; and in committing to it many Books. A Mandarin, one Day fenng my J,mall European library nvhifpered to another Mandarin, Do you think that he can repeat feme of thefe Books tons, ‘The e Gentlemen frequently enquired of us, by what Secrets they might attain a happy Memory. I believe a great many ruin'theirs by their Excefs at firft fettmg out upon their Studies. Fifth OBSERVATION. Above all things young People muft be prohibited from reading Romances, Comedies, £*■ Verl'es or obfeene Songs; thefe fort of Books foften and corrupt the Heart infcnfibly, and y onng ch.l- contribute to the Lofs of good Manners. It is a (hameful Thing ever to have read them with dren. Pleafure ; a bad Difcourfe, if it enters into the Ear of a young Scholar, remains, all his Cite after, in his Heart. Remark.] The Emperor Kang hi prohibited the SaleofBooks that are to‘good Manners, fitch as certain -Romances capable to corrupt Youth. The Mandarins iiifpeS the Shops of the BookjTilers, who, for all that, do not flick to fell them privately. Extract of a Treatife upon the fame Subject, made by Chu hi, one of the mojl celebrated Doctors in China, •who lived under the Nineteenth Dynafly called Seng, C HU HI begins with pointing out the true End of Study,which is Virtue : To tKs C™ft q ae„« it is fays he that a Scholar ought to apply all his horces; in the fame Manner as he cation of who draws a Bow, aims itraight at the Mark, and fears nothing fo much as. to Ihoot Youth, wide To learn Children Charaders, to make them repeat whole Books, and to give them an outward Air of Politenefs, without ever troubling them with any Endeavours to reform then Manners, is generally what is called Affedion for Children; but at the bottom it is hating them : Parents may perhaps be very well fadsfied with fuch. a Matter; but do not fupenor Beings, without our perceiving it, keep an Account of fo criminal a Negligence, to puni 1 it in dU The m famous Hyu, when he was a little Scholar, afked one Day of his Matter, What was M »f the End of his Studies ? The Latter anfwer'd, That he might rife to the honourable Degree of Syew tfav or Dodor. What, reply'd the young Hyu, is there nothing more propped ? The. Matter immediately perceived the elevated Views of the Child and went to his Parents ■ 1 our Son Paid he, has a Soul greater than ordinary ; fo promifmg a Scholar requires a more able MaJ. . r than I am ; take care to provide one for him. . c n. u At prefent, when we fay that a Man can, if he will, become as virtuous as our firft Emperors Tan and Shun, it is look’d upon as a Paradox; the Difficulty difeourages to fucceed.. But does any renounce the Goods of Fortune, becaufe of the Pain that attends the acquiring of them . If young Men are commonly entertain’d with the Example of our antient Sages, and it they are accuftomed frequently to think of them, they will become what they were. It is in virtue /Wbfr of - of fuch an Education that a Matter is called a fecond Father ; but a Matter ought to remember. Government, that as a Workman is employ’d becaufe of his Skill, fo when he is charged with the Education of a Youth, it requires all his Cares and Application. . . , The Advice given by an Emperor upon his Death-bed to his Succeffor, (liould be inculcated among Youth: “ Never fay this or that Fault is a flight one, therefore I will indulge my felt in “ it-°or this Adi of Virtue is inconfiderable, therefore let me omit it. Youth is averfe to Conftraint; they therefore ought to .be inftruded m fuch a Manner as a _ n not to difeourage them. If the Bundle of Thorns which is wrapp’d round the Young I ree. Education to defend it from Cattle, is too thick, and binds it too hard, it cruflies it. Inftrudions and •Uuiteucd. Reprimands Ihould come like the vernal Winds and Rains, whole Influence promotes the gen¬ tle Growth of the Plants. _ , , . , „ Lefl'ons and Precepts formerly were in Verfe, and in Form of Songs that they might enter ^ more eafily into the Minds of Children, and ferve for Diverfions adapted to their Age, theieby Anticm Lcf . making them infenflble of the Toil of Studying. Our. antient Kings had introduced that to and Method of Teaching: We think that there is little in it; but it is of veiy great Importance. This Method is alter’d; do Things go better ? , , . Chu hi defeends into feveral other little Details: “ When Children, fays he, repeat thei “ Leffons, caufe them to do it in fuch a Manner, that they may have printed 34 And of the Chinefe Holi¬ days for Schools. Faults to be Jhunu’d. Of the CI I iNESE Schools. “ Minds, what they pronounce with their Lips : fay nothin^ to them th,t mot n t •‘to favour (*) fa ,fe,Sefls: Take Care to ghl .he^ anTnlid^ ft' 7? Chhiefe Holidays in different Months. The Birth-Dav nf »v, c, r and other another Feail for the Scholars, who that Day make hint their Preims^Conmhtl^^Th® Evening Clafs ends every Day by a fhort Hiilory This PrnTi I 'is gratulation. The iff i 4 T Schol , ars r are difmife ’ d f ’ a ima11 ' Board is expofed' So« ins an *S T “ S* ■- Then ,h. OffiSSiS? ttZS?*"' ‘ a f»?:: ^jstrWtf'VS*»<•»-. SES##***-* ,k “ ■»‘t- ™*»*.; >*ih «?=a „“ 4 iS 1. Hiftory informs us, that formerly the Paffion fm- r . , »"■> »t* reduced to dig the Earth for his Livelihood, carried his Book to the Field* P °°l “ ®‘ ght fna V ch Moment for Study, ’amidit his h.d Toils Whaf m tr Jshimef Ardour foitT " “ “ ^ ^ ““ the leniencies of Studying, yet fed nn 2. Our Anceftors went cheerfully a great Way to fearch out a Mailer - Now-a-davs we. have Mailers at hand, and yet negledt to profit b- them ° } J&3kgSC2it 2&“ £ 5-5S » £ **, rrihini. l "‘ Sh ° ps T ,d I: '.-nn are overiblk'd with Boohs Petfons ntgldi f 0 4. For want of Explanation, People were formerly oblig’d to fpend three Years upon the wf, T 0 'b °°f anc l were thirty Years in underilanding the Canonical Books. TPre ien., ^ the Labours of the Learned have rendered all thefe Studies attainable in the Flower f Man s Age; yet we lee Perfons fpending the Bloom of their Life in Idlenefs and Indolence f 1 5 How many unhappy Perfons are born deaf and blind ? We bewail their Misfortune and uilly. Yet, when young Men m the free Exercife of their Senfes, and with a lively p ene trating Underilanding abufe thefe precious Gifts; what worfe could befal them tk/thev were depriv’d of both Eyes and Ears ? > 10 tne y 6. What Age or Condition of Life is exempted from Pain ? Yet a young Fellow free from all Trouble or Hardihip ftuns a il.ght Pain, fuch as that of reading/white his Father perhaps is earning a Livelihood for him with the Sweat of his Brows. ’ P P ’ 7. Plow many People born to humble and mean Imployments are fo unhappy as to be isrno lant even of the Names of our Canonical Books, Shi and Li? Yealfo, Young Gentlemen Sons ot the LueratJ, and of the Doctors ye place not the Glorv nf n Him nfT ° 1 5 t-> thers did in the Knowledge of Books, but in clothing yourfelves in Silk, andTiTffuminTgreat A 8 ’ Thnm. i\ ofer J?rurtAsrtA4'> <5ar/As/t yurfo /i-yai iSAoet-o of ayu-s Auotf o. rnbiAfys /t-ssj? //oa i'e-/z< ufia ' 7 >M ^//cj Plate /' /'• '/ Curzou 4 iar' y d. Silk Manufacture 4s. //nr, ■ ^Pf m. ■ ?, 4/,/tfy of « /a ?rc’/-A, A pmfcyu/ey ////oy/’ca P ’,./. \atria i A, r/y, ,t»a /a./ Lady; /' Example 17, He therefore relolved to give up Learning, and to turn his Views to another Objedt. While he ru¬ minated on this, he met with an old Woman, who was rubbing an Iron Peftle to and fro upon a Whetftone. What do you pretend to do with that Peftle ? faid he to her. 1 want, anlwered ftie, to grind it down till it becomes fo {harp as to be fit for embroidering. Li pe begun then to refledt, and to conceive this Myftery: And inftead of holding on his Way to his Houfe, he returned to his ancient Place of Study; to which applying himielf with new Ardour, he at laft arrived to great Employments. Remark.] The Author , from whom the above Examples of filial Piety and Application to Study are extracted, ends this Book by relating Faff ages of Hifiory upon the different Virtues proper to a Man of Honour. Some are as follow : 16. Under the Reign of the Song, a Philofopher called Fan chun Jhwen faid to his Difciples: Example 16. All my Science is comprehended in underftanding and practiling thele two Words, \Jprightnefi\ Sweetnefs ; and yet I fee that a great deal ftill remains for me to learn and pradtife. There are few, added he, however dull they naturally are, who don’t {hew abundance of Wit whenever they blame others. In the fame manner, the moft underftanding, when they would excufe their own Faults, betray a great deal of Ignorance. We muft, in order to adt well, reproach ourfelves for our Faults with the fame Difpolitions of Heart we fliow when we reproach others, and to pardon the Failings of others in the fame manner as we pardon our own. By conftantly obferv- ing this Condudt, we {hall arrive at a high Degree of Wifdom and Virtue. 17. In the Times of the Song, there was another Sage. Mandarin whofe Name was Fan, ] but his Surname Chung yen. He had no Attachment to Riches: His Pleafure was to Ihare them with the Poor, efpecially thofe of his own Kindred, which was very numerous. That he might render his Favours to them more lading, he purchafed large Eftates, whofe Revenues were to be for ever employed in the Subfiftence of the Poor, but thofe of his own Family preferably to others. Befides, he would not allow his Steward to enquire whether the Relations were remotely or nearly allied to him. All we Fan , faid he, who are in the Provinces of Kyang nan and Kyang //, are defeended from the firft Fan who fettled in thefe Parts; we are all one Fa¬ mily. For an hundred Years paft I am the only one who have made a Fortune, that is to fay, our Fathers for an hundred Years paft have heap’d up nothing but Virtues. The Fruits of the Virtues of fo many particular Perlons begin to difeover themfelves in one, and I have been raifed to 'Employments. If I and my Children {hall pretend to ingrofs my Riches, without {haring them with our poor Relations, with what Face after my Death can I appear before my Anceftors? And at prefent ftiould I not blufh to enter into the TJe tang of my Family ? that is, the Hall or the Place where the Pictures of Anceftors are preferved. 18. Under the Dynafty of the Tang, who reign’d about the Commencement of the Chri- j ftian /Era, Kung y was famous in one Refpedt; he faw his Defendants even to the ninth Generation, compofing as it were but one Family, all in perfect Harmony and Union. The Emperor Kau tfong wanted to fee this Miracle, and as he was going to ' 1 ay chang honoured the Houfe of Kung y with his Prefence. He called for the good old Man, and alked him by what means he preferved Peace and Union among fo many Children and Grand-Children, Cung y ordered Paper, Pencil and Ink to be brought him, and he wrote down above a hundred times the Letter Giu, which fignifies. Patience. He then prefented his Paper to the Emperor; thereby fignifying that the Divifions of Families proceeded from the Uneafinefs entertained, when one faw another better provided for, better cloath’d, treated, carefs’d, attended, honoured, or more happy and eafy than himfelf. But Patience , if you know how to infpire and to ufe it, prevents thefe Diforders, and eftablifties Peace and Harmony. 19. The fame Thing was feen in the Family of Li wen ching, under the Song. This Fa¬ mily had more than 300 Perfons, Sons, Grandfons, and Great-Grandlons, living at once in 1 the lame Houfe, and eating at the fame Table, and fubfifting in common upon the Eftate and Fortune of the Family. Thofe of it that were Mandarins, fent all the Superfluity of their Eftates to be depofited in the common Stock, which fupplied the Neeeflities of the whole Family. 20. Whang wen, when he was old, was advanced to the higheft Employments. Every time that he receiv’d his Salary he threw his Eyes to the Ground with a Sigh; then turning Example 20. to his Domeftics, This Money, faid he, that I receive, is the Subftaiice and Blood of poor People, and I regret that I am to live on it. 21. Chang chi pe t after he was a great Mandarin, alter’d nothing, neither in his Table nor his Drefs, nor the Furniture of his Palace ; and kept his Domeftics to a very modeft Behaviour. J ' amp e 21 ‘ You are miftaken, would his Friends fay to him, if, by {hunning Expences, you think to ac¬ quire the Reputation of an honeft Minifter; for your Frugality will pafs for fordid Meanneft. Believe me, my Friends, reply’d he, Fortune is inconftant; I am in Poft to-day; to-mor¬ row 1 may be turn’d out of it. The Tranfition from Want to Plenty is eafy ; but if a Man in this Condition accuftoms himielf to Luxury and Merry-making; how {hocking muft it be for him to return to his primitive Obfcurity ! Our Life is but as it were one Day ; let us do our beft to make it uniform and regular. 22. Syu mwey and Tang yu lived in great Fricndfliip together, even before they were railed to Employments. Syu owed the Beginning of his Fortune to Tang x who loft his own Poft : He was Example i S, Example 19. 3 8S Examinations of Young Students in China. Was reduced a Degree lower, and appointed to go a great way off to a Mandarinate of an inferior Order, which was a wretched Pod, it was found, that he was but ill lock’d on at Court; fo that he faw himlelf abandon’d by all his Friends, and every one dreaded to have any Con- verfation with him. Syu mwey never abated his Friendship for him. When Tang departed, no Body appear’d to bid him Farewel but Syu mwey, who attended him without the City, to the Frit Refting-Place, which was about a League from the Walls; there they parted with great Demonstrations of Friendship. This faithful and intrepid Friendship, which, one would, think, might have been Syu wavy’s Ruin, came to the Ears of the Minister, who ibon after gave him a confiderable Promotion, without the other’s knowing to what he owed his ludden Rife. When he thank’d the Minister, Sir, faid he, I never had "the Honour to' appear iu your Prefence, and yet you load me with Favours. The Minister anfwer’d in ft few Words : I have given.you a Poll, being perfvyaded that one who fo well anfwers the Services and Friendship’ of Tang; will never fail to anfwer the Favours of his 'Prince. Example 23. 2 3. Ly wen pe, by his Merit and Learning,-rais’d himfelf to the firft ' Dignities of the Court, to which he introduc’d his Mother. One Day returning from the Palace to his own Houfe, he enter’d the'Apartment’of his Mother, in his Habit of Ceremony, to enquire about her Health - } and finding her placed upon a Stool-Spinning, as 'She is represented' in the Prints of the Book • Ha ! .what,' Madam, faid he, do you fpin now that you are become MiltreSs of the Family of a Grandee in the Court ? At thefe Words fending forth a deep Sigh, She Lid, Is the Empire then upon its Decline? I fee that the Government is intruded to Mandarins, that talk like young'and unexperienc’d People, ' who would infpire a Soft and an idle Life. Stay -a Moment and hear me: While the Body labours, the Mind is employ’d and col- lefled ; and the Understanding being intent upon its Duty, the Heart is form’d to Virtue : But without Virtue, it gives itlelf up to the greatest Irregularities. Do we not fee that the In¬ habitants of a rich Country are never industrious ; but thoSe who live in a barren poor Country are active, dexterous, and laborious ? Did you forget, when you talk’d to mein 1b inadvertent a Manner, that our antient Emprefies wrought with their own Hands upon Diadems and •upon Sallies for the Ufe of the Princes and Emperors, and that it was the Cuftom to fet the Wives of the Mandarins a Talk to be wrought by their own Hands? I thought you would have been the firlt to put me in mind of thefe antient Examples, and yet you fay to me. Why do you work? Rather quietly enjoy the Pleasures of Life, Since I am now a Grandee of the Court. My Son, this Language makes me tremble for our Family, and dread left the Memory of your Father be extinguished in you. Think of this. £xi|i i 24. It is told, by way-of Jeft on Callers of Nativities, that Hongvu, who from a mean 1 Extraction was railed to the Throne, caufed his Empire to be carefully fearch’d for a Mail Calling of- p orn in the precife Moment, and under the very fame Afpe8 9 eations. Thcfe arc the Advantages of Monthly Examinations. But at prefent this antient Pra&ice is almoft loll among the Learned. It is of Confeauence to revive it vigoroufly. For this Effect, the Governor of the City mull order the Mandarins of the Literati, to name S.-mlert? how a Day in every Month, when thefe AlTemblies fliall be held in the Hall of Lclions, or the treated; Min lun tang (an Apartment in the Building of Confucius') where the Subjects of the Compo- fition are to be prefcrib’d, and the Examinants are to labour all that Day under the Eye ot the Mandarin if the College of the City is in poffeffion of a Land Ellate, a Collation to be bellowed upon the Literati on the Day of Examination, mull be furnilhed out of the Reve¬ nues. At every Table there mull be two Difhes of Meat and two of Pulle. Four are to eat at one Table. At the Collation in the Evening, they are to be allowed two little Pots of Wine for every Table. I reflect that the Students at one of thefe City Examinations, cannot be fewer than fome dozens: Thus the Expence of an Affembly will mount to very near two Taels, and as in the 6 th Month, by reafon of the great Heat, and in the 12th, by reafon of the great Cold, there is no Academy, all the Expences of a Year for thefe Entertainments, cannot be lefs than twenty Taels. This Sum is not fo confiderable, but that the Governor of a City may lave it out of his Expences. It belongs to him to make public Intimation beforehand, of the Day of the Alfembly and Examination, and to give Advice of it to the Mandarin of the Literati; and at the fame time invite him to be prefent. All young Students, capable to compofe a piece ot Eloquence, are to be admitted to this Examination. The Compofition being ended, and the Pieces read a,nd examined, the different Degrees of Pieces of their Merit mull be fixed : Thole who are judged perfect are to be placed out of the common Rank; and to keep up the Emulation, the finell firft-rate Pieces are to be pick'd out and engraved ‘ b> upon a Plate and printed, to the end that this commendable Exercife even but of one Day, may not remain without Advantages and Rewards. Moreover, the Mandarin mull not fail to bellow particular Praifes upon fuch as join to a fine Rewards to Genius, a polite and regular Life. If thefe are already rich, he is to give them fome honourable ^^ cl j < < wcd Tellimony under his own Hand. If they are poor, he fhall join to his Praifes a pecuniary Gra- am inmions. tuity, whereby they may entertain themfelves. This Conduct will caufe thofe who arc mod negligent to reproach themfelves, and be alhamed of their Backwardnefs. They will ani¬ mate themfelves, and by endeavouring to attain the Perfection of others, they may come to make a great Figure in Learning. I fee no way more effectual than this, for promoting Literature ; of which the Governors of the Cities will have the Glory; for thus they can plan out and fmooth a Way, to condudt, as it were by the Hand, the Students of their Dillridt. REMARK upon the Preceding Chapter. T HESE Examinations are call'd particular, to diflinguijh them from the general ones, which a Mandarin of a City of the fecond or third Order, holds once a Tear ; and are fucceeded by another , held by a Mandarin of the firft Order , upon whom thefe Cities depend. This double annual Examination is held in one Difirift , that the young Students may be chofen who are admit¬ ted to compofe that Tear before the Mandarin of Letters, who is Jent exprefsly from Court, with power to confer the degree of Syew tfay, or Batchelor, upon a certain Number in every City according to the Extent of its D if rift, or rather the Number of its Students. The Tau of the City Zhau chew is Governor, or rather Intendant of two other Cities of the fir ft Order ; and all his Office, being to judge in important Affairs, when he is mofl at Leif lire he alfo regularly holds thefe particular Examinations ; and by this he piques himjelf in imitating the Wifdom of pa ft Ages. Bcfides, thefe Tau, or Superintendents of three Cities, as populous as a large Province in France, commonly have no Opportunity of amafjing Riches: And if they are not powerfully fupported at Court , they have no Chance to better their Fortune but by a fin ft Virtue. This is a vaft motive for a Chinefe to make a Shew of Virtue and Public Spirit. A Complaint is made in the former Chapter, and with good reafon too, that the Syew tfay are Comp'aint only imployed in attending Audiences and J'oliciting Caufes at the Tribunals. This is all the way again ft the of living that mofl of them have, unlefs when they receive Favours from the Mandarin, to whofe - ay ‘ Perfon they have free Accefs by reafon of their Degree. They afterwards drive a kind of Trade with thefe Favours among the meaner kind of People. Many of them do not value the Degree of Literati , any farther than it enables them to cany on this Commerce. Mandarins, either of very great Authority, or very great Integrity, are above thefe Solicitations, and refufe the Vifits and Requefis of the Graduates. The other Mandarins, either from Weaknefs or Fear, keep in with them, leaf they Jhould di/cover their fecret Injufiices to their Superior Mandarins. Thus both their Pens and Tongues are dreaded. The prefent Emperor, well aware of the bad Confequences of this Irregularity, applyed the mofl Regulations effeftua! Remedy to hinder thefe Graduates from intermeddling in any Affair, or from appearing oncliaiIkaJ ' before the Tribunals but in very important Caufes. ill. They werp obliged to have four Perfons to appear to .their Charafter and their Conduft. 2d. They could not prefent any Requeft even relating to their own Affairs, to the Governor of a Place, unlefs it was revifed and approved of by the Mandarin of the Literati, who, if he conniv'd with them, was fire to lofe his Employment. 5 F Tranjlatitin Vo L. I. 3P° Model of a CHINESE Difcourfe. Foundation of Govern¬ ment ; and Translation of the Chapter Kyang hyo, wherein the Author gives a Model , of fuch a Difcourfe as may be made in the Hyo, or Hall of the Affembly of the Literati. ~pP^ERFECT Government is founded upon the wholefome Cuftoms introduced in a States Br* To attain this end, we mult endeavour to corred the Heart of Man. But by what means? By giving him a true notion of the Dodrines of the Sages. It is not to be imagined, that he is to go very far in fearch of this Knowledge, or that it is impoffible, or even difficult, to acquire it. No out of the Way or extraordinary Paths are propofed, or fuch, as a Man has Difficulty to enter into, or to tread. All this Dodrine is reduced to the Duties of Prince and Subjed; Father and Child; elder and younger Brother; Hufband and Wife, and the reciprocal Tyes betwixt Friend and Friend. Let thefe Obligations be perfectly fulfilled there fhall be neither Defed nor Excels. What more is required ? But without Study, one cannot conceive the Reafon by which thefe Maxims are regulated, and if the Rules are not under¬ flood, the Virtues can never be pradifed. Befides, what is underflood by the Word Reafon, is properly the Attribute of Tyen [or Heaven]; who as it were ffiares and communicates this Light to Man. In Tyen this is called Reafon ; in Man Virtue or ‘Talents ; and the Pradice of'it is what we call JuJlice. The Lights of this Reafon in a great many are obfeured by their Wills, and the Corruption of their Hearts. Reafon when once ’tis clouded by Self-love, immediately confounds the Vir¬ tue of a Man’s Heart, which thenceforth lofes its Purity: And the inward Virtue being thus tainted mull infallibly affed the Pradice of all Duties. Thus do we wander from Tuf- tice ; and on that Account the I King , one of our canonical Books, fays very well, “ The Study of a wile Man is to grow in Wifdom, and to add Acquirements to Acquirements, he mull pant for Inllrudion, and apply himfelf to examine whatever he learns: He loves to impart his Lights to another: But he keeps himfelf as it were within an Apartment from which he never llirs: His Science is not barren, and Piety regulates his Condud. ” the Necefiliy In effed, the want of Inllrudion, prevents our growth in Virtue : And if we are not pious oi Initrudti- we never can be perfed. There is therefore reafon in what the Text fays ; That we mull begin with learning, and go to the Bottom of our Lelfons, and thence proceed, as from their Souorce, the Adions of a Life regulated by Piety. The Order necelTary to be held is, fit’ll, to excell, and to be perfedly accurate in the Theory of Wifdom; then to enter into the Bottom of the Heart, and to take care that all the Virtues there are pure and unmixt: In fine, to regulate all our Behaviour, fo as no Adion nor any Fundion of our Senfes may be out of order. But in lliort, it is impoffible for a Man, tho’ polfell of the Inclinations of the Sages, to attain to that Hate of Perfedion and that Wifdom, I l'peak of, without a vail Application and Labour. The fame 1 king mentions. “ Fidelity in the ordinary Virtues, Accuracy in our common Difcourfe; and a perfed Integrity free from Vanity and Corruption. ” What do we under¬ hand by ordinary Virtues: if they are not thofe which regard Sovereign and Subjed ; Parents and Children ; elder and younger Brothers; Plulbands and Wives; and lallly Friend and Friend ? What common Difcourfe does our I King fpeak of, but what regards the fame R.elations ? Set afide thefe Obligations and this Dodrine and there is an end of civil Life, the Pradice ot Virtue, and the Name of Science. As for the Words of the Text Vanity and Corruption , the true Senfe is as follows: Would you have that Reafon or Tyen li, which is imparted from Tyen [or Heaven] always to enlighten you with its purell Beams? Take Care that no Self-love oblcures it. In the fame manner to perlevere in perfed Integrity, is the fame thing as to have pure Virtue: But in order to have it fuch, it mull be preferved from all Adulteration, with which our Wills, when mallered by our Paffions, would infenfibly dafli it. This and no other is the true Senfe of this palfage of the Text. Let us furvey the Maxims and Dodrine of our great Men, fuch as Tan, Shun , Tu, Tang , Ven vang, Chew kong , Kong tfe , [or Confucius ,] and we fhall, fee that they are all of my opi - nion in this Point. Tan, devolving the Empire upon Shun, Above all things, faid he, keep in the juft Mean: This UiViie jail Mean confifts in running into no Excefsof any kind. Shun, when he left the Government to ;b ' on - Tu, gave him this excellent Lefibn: The ground of Man’sHeart is fubjed to a thoufand Dangers and Errors. The center of Truth is a point almoll imperceptible; apply in good earned: to the Pradice of this Maxim ; preferve a juft Mean in all things. By the Heart of Man is undcr- llood his Inclination and Ajfeclion for fenjible Ob]eels ; and by the center of Truth, the Integrity of Mind. The attention that Shun requires. is a rigorous Examination of the moll lecret Thoughts. When we make ourfelves Mailers of this Point, we attain to Integrity; and when once we polfels that, we never allow it to be affeded with any interefled Views, which regard the fenfible Objeds that awake the Paffions. On Moral Max¬ ims. Plan of an -Academy in CHINA. 39 1 On this Account the Text fays, “ the Center of Reifon, which ought to guide us by its Rays, is delicate and fubtile.” If a Man has once learned to fimnount the Dangers ot his Heart and Self-love, he is then in a condition to keep a juft hi can in his Actions; without leaning eithet ^ , to the one Hand or 1 1 1c other: And thus he will be I audio is and Perfect: Shun in reporting ;1 , „ this 2reat Leilon which he had received from Tan ; Keep a Mean j teaches likewife how this ^ ^ high point of Perfedtion may be attained. Remark.] The Author then explains the Maxims of other great Men: He pews efpecially that in the main thee are all the fame, amt reduceablc to what he had advanced in the beginning of his Dif- courfe, which is too long to give entire: What is already Tranfated, may afford the Reader an Idea of the Relation betwixt the Philofophy of the Chinefe, and that of the Greeks and Romans. That •we may more clearly comprehend this, it were to be miff'd that me could do JuJlice in our Language to the Beauties of the Chinefe Stile, which is lively, concife, and fublime in all its Compojhitmf.- All we have Tranfated here is contained in 23 Lines, each Line covfjling only of 22 Characters, which, taken fever ally, prefents to a Chinefe Eye, a Metaphor very animated, but too bold for our of the Exfreffon. b'vV" ATranjlation of a Chapter containing a Plan and Pa’gu- lations for an Academy, or a Society of learned Men. W H A T is propofed in the Defign of an Academy is to inftrutt Men in the Knowledge of their own Nature, and thus to become the followers of our antient Sages. To attain The Enel, to this, a Man muft apply entirely, methodically, and conftantly, to come to a fettled and a thorough Knowledge of things, and not take up with empty Appearances, or. be latisfied with the Reputation and the Honours of a learned Man. I have thoroughly examin’d antient Regulations of Academies of this kind; and obferve there are three that have been eminent ; to which, we may add one of a modern Date. I final 1 here collect all the Regula¬ tions that appear to me of greateft Confequence. This Labour of mine will lave the tum¬ ble of turning over a great many Books, through which thele Regulations aie difperfed. . 1 he Mandarins , my Colleagues, profiting by my Collection, may have the Glory of eftabhfhing in their feveral Diftritts thefe admirable Regulations, and of engaging wife and knowing Periods in fo excellent a Project. Thefe Academies may one Day furnifh Perfons of the greateft Merit, and notwithftanding my own Infutticiency, I flatter myfelf that I have not a little contiibuted to am > p;. in of this already; and I reflect with Pleafure, that the Profeflhrs, educated in thefe Socie ties, _ may infenfibly introduce a Reformation of Manners into all degrees of Men. How ravifhing is this Thought to me! And it is with the moft profound Veneration that I here communicate thefe different Regulations, I have extracted from the Writings of our wife Maflers; every one may pick out of the Collection which I here give, what he judges moft agreeable to the Plan I pro- poie. I fliall reduce thefe Regulations to the Number of twelve. i. The Qualifications neceflary to an Admifiion unto this Academy, are an Efteem and iARA-and Zeal for the true Dottrine *. In order to attain to Knowledge and Virtue, a Man have a high Idea of the Dottrine of our Sages, and apply all his Studies to tread in their Members, Footfteps, their Works tending all to influence a right Practice. The Viitue of the Acade¬ mics ought to ennoble the Place where they meet. Thus the Heads of the Academy muft admit none into their Body, but fuch as have a Zeal and Ardor to be accomplished Literati, and to become the faithful Tranfcripts of the Mafters who have gone before, and Shining Examples to. the Students who fliall follow after them. Whoever fliall be convitted of fpeaking favourably ot the Setts of Fo or Lau, or fliall be fo raih as to advance that their Dottrine is at the Bottom, the fame with the Zhu kyau or the Literary Sett; tho’ fuch may make a public Profcfiion ot the Dottrine of the Empire, they are always to be looked upon as fecret Abettors of thefe Herefles, and confequently as infected- Members, which are to be excluded from this Body. Remark.] The two SeBs of Fo and Lau, advance that all things have begun by and are rejolved into Nothing, or a Vacuum. The Idolatry they likewife praBife towards Eo and Lau, leads The Princ . the Per/on , who Jearches to the Bottom of their Myftcries, toAthiejm . Thoje in China who ajjert, that pk . s of the the Literary SeB , and thofe of Fo and Lau are the fame , San kyau y kyau, make an Idol of Confu- S«a s Fo and ? ius, whom they rank with thofe of Fo and Lau ; but thefe P erf ns are very rare and in great l)e- tefation with the Literati ; whenever the Mandarin has notice of any fuch , he is Jure to punijh them. 2. The fecond Qualification required in the Members, is a fair Character, and a fincere Application to all their Duties. The Men of Learning, who in their private Life are perfettly obedient to their Parents, refpettful to their elder Brothers, referved in their Speech, fincere in ij|- K - ;it ; 01! . their Manners, uniform and regular in their Condutt, fcrupuloufly attached to the ancient Doc¬ trine, and in fliort, generally praifed by their Relations, friends and Neighbour, aie wort ly Candidates for Admifiion into this Body. * In Oppofition to the Hcrtfics / t--nu 5 efpecially the ido- Time have over-run Cbu ilatrous Setts of the Bonzas, and the • c [s:-pc, which for a long 3. Thefe 592 . Third Qua¬ lification of tne Candi¬ dates. The Exami¬ nation they are to under How rotten Members are to be cut off. Of the Build¬ ing for the Academy. Of its Go¬ vernment. Days of Af* feinbling. Ranks of the Members de¬ termin’d by Plan of an Academy in CHINA. 3. Thcie Literati mud be retired find difmterefted: All bailing, intriguing and tumultuous Spirits, fuch as dillegard the Character of a Man of Honour, iuch as are always running before the Tribunals, dipping themfclves in a hundred things which are frequently unjuft:; employing or fuggefting a thoufmd Falfehoods, without knowing how to fpeak a word of Truth; great Speakers, Blabs, and thofe whole condutt' fo much hurt the Literary Sett, luch as want to enter into the Academy only to gain themfelves a Name, and being puffed up with a vain Elo¬ quence, think to domineer over everybody elfe : All thefe fort of People fliall be excluded from taking Places in the Academy. 4. Thofe, who are admitted, ought to undergo a ftrittExamination. When one is a Candi¬ date for that Society, he maft be prefented by one of the Seniors, who fhall make him known t'o the Syndic; and this laft.is to mention him to the Prelident of the Academy, who fhall make the neceffary Enquiries about the Truth of the Informations given by the Introducer: If he finds them well fupported and favourable, he fliall confent to his Inrollment. The new Member is then to give in his Name and Surname to the Prefident, who is to appoint the Day of his coming to take Place in the Aftembly. c. It may happen that the Virtue of fome may be but fhort-liv’d, and that they may difho- nour themfelves by failing in the moll effential Duties, and by their Behaviour taint the Body of which they are Members: Whoever then in the Aftemblies fhall fet the Statutes at nought ; whoever, without Doors aie Vain, Proud, Diffolute, Rafters, Cheats, in one word, all who make the falfe Maxims-of the Age the Rules of their Condutt : The Members of the Academy are to hold a Council upon' fuch Brethren, to expunge their Names, and for ever to exclude them from their Body. Befides,-. fuch of the Academy as were their Introducers and their Sureties muft- be examined; that the Members may by thefe means fee what Weight their Teftimonie's ought to have in time to come. 6. The Mandarin is to chufe a large fpot of Ground of a wholefom and agreeable Situation, on which the Houfe of the Academy is to ftand. Then the Materials for the Building are to be got together, and according to the Funds they have, the Plan of the Building to he more or Ids magnificent. The Pitture of Confucius fliall be placed in the Chong Tang, or Middle Hall, which is next to that of the Alfemblies: After which fhall follow a Court, and the Hew tang , or third Hall, which fliall ferve as a refrefliing Place, and the common Eating-Room of the Members. As to the Expences of their Entertainment, it fliall either be generoully defray’d by the Rich and the diftinguiihed Members, or every one fliall defray them in his turn ; or lather they fliall all join together to raife a fmail flock of Money, wherewith they may purchafe fome Lands adjoining to the Academy: By this means, nothing will be wanting to the Eftablilli- ment, and it may fubffti for a long time, 7. As to the Government of the Academy, what occurs to me as mofl proper to give it a Luflre is this : When all the Members of the Aftembly are met together for the firfl time, the Mandarin of the City fliall repair in Perfon, and in State, to the Place appointed for their Meet¬ ing, with a Billet of Vifit, and his Prefents of Silks. When he is upon the Threftiold, he muft invite the Members to enter in a very civil manner; then the Perfon mefl diftinguiihed by his Merit fliall be eletted, and •e'flahliftied Whey ifun , that is, Prefident or Plead of this Learned So¬ ciety : The JVhcy chang, or Syndic, who ought to be an elderly and a polite Man, fliall be next in Authority to the Prefident. This Taft fliall have under him, as Afteftbrs in his Employment, two Perfons equally active and able, but not fo old as the Syndic: Thefe fliall be called Whey clung. The Syndic fhall likew'ife have two Affiftants who muft be healthy middle aged Men ; and above all things their Capacities muft be proportioned to their Employments: Their Title fhall be Whey tjan ; and their Office, to receive -with Civility, fuch Strangers as fliall come to the Academy. The Afteftbrs of the Prefident and the Syndic ought to att in Concert, as to what -relates to the Affairs of the Society: Laftly, two young, intelligent, attive, wife, and induftrious Perfons fliall he chofen : Their Title fhall he * V/hey tang ; and their Office, to carry Mefiages and Orders, and to execute abroad the feveral Commiflions of the Aftembly. 8. Two Aftemblies muft be held every Month., and the Day of Meeting appointed before¬ hand. The Members are all to meet at the ordinary Place, where they are to hear a Dif- courle delivered. This Exercife is to begin about ten'o’clock in the Forenoon, and to iaft hit four in the Afternoon, when they fhall break up, 9. The Members who aftift at the Aftemblies, are to take their Places in the Hall accord-- ing to their Seniority. But the firft Seats muft be aftigned to the Strangers, who honour the Academy with their" Prefence. As to the Members themfelves, their Seniority muft determine their Ranks, and no Regard is to be paid either to their Nobility, Riches, or their other Prero¬ gatives as Members. A confiderable Advantage will accrue, from this Regulation, which is, that it will prevent any from being prefented as Candidates, who are haughty, proud, intoxi¬ cated with their own Merit, full of themfelves, and confequetitly, far from being willing to apply themfclveg earneftlv and with a docile Heart to the Search of Truth. 10. The Subjett to be' treated of in the following, muft be lettled in every preceding, Affem- bly. The Prefident is to propofe three feveral Subjetts upon which they are to compofe. The firft, is to concern the Clafiic Books: The fecond, upon the Nature and Heart of Man and upon Hiftory : The laft Subjett fliall be upon Ceremonies, Eloquence, and good Government. Theie Subjetts being fixed by the Prefident, he fhall confer with the Syndic and other Officers, in order to eftabfifh the Fundamental Point of Dottrine upon every Subjett. Five Days immediately before Airrotl the fame with our Bedcis of our Colleges. 393 Of the CHINESE Literature. before the Day of general Meeting of the Affembly, he fliall communicate the Refult of their Conferences to all their Members. This Precaution will put them in a condition to go to the bottom of the Subjadt, and to handle it knowingly and diftindtly; When they arrive at the Hall they fhj.ll confer together, and propofe their Difficulties to one another; and this is the Way to advance and profit in Science. n. Great opennefs of Heart muft be ufed in carefully remarking, and faithfully communicate Openneft of ing their different Views. Wifdom muft be fought for only in the Heart of Man, it is there ■««<• (he relides, difcovering and proving herfelf by her Actions. It would be right for the Mem- b ' 1 '' bers candidly to communicate to each other, what they have been employed in during every Day betwixt one Affembly and another, and even their Vices, and molt fecret Sentiments. For this end, they muft fet every thing down on Paper; and thefe Memorandums may be called the Journal of what they have learned or done during fuch and fuch Days. As to their Adtions, they are faithfully to write down the Bad, or Whey qua, in their Journal, as well as the Good, or Whe Jkeu. Afterwards, on the Day of Affembly, when the exercife is over, every one is to pull out his Memoirs and impart them to another, that by this means they may furnifli matter for an ufeful Differtation. This Examination being continued for fome time, their Abi¬ lities and Inclinations for good, will encreafe, and the Defedts both of the Head and Heart will dwindle to almoft nothing. This is a Point of the utmoft confequence to you, the other Literati, both with refpedt to your Perfedtion in the Sciences, or your Acquifition of Virtue, which demands all our Cares and Application. But if ye ufe any Sophiflry to exagerate the Good, or even to conceal the Bad of your Lives, what will thefe Exerciles avail you? One can only learn from fuch a Pradtice to become an habitual Rogue. Such People will never improve, and we may conclude from their proceeding, that they will for ever remain in their Ignorance and Imperfedtions. 12. The different rules for the Morals of the Members are as follows. I. As to what relates to RuIcsofMo . thole who are of a lower Clafs, either by their Station or by their Merit; they ought, becaufe rality for'ihe of their Meannefs, to apply tliemfelves in rooting up all the Pride of their Heart. 2. That they Members, efteem the true (*) Apathy : And that thus they endeavour to difengage and cleanfe their Heart from all bad Affedlions. 3. It is perfeverance in Virtue that gives it its true Merit. Let us then baniffi from our Hearts all Indolence. 4. Free-will is peculiar to Man; confequently, let us banilh all Tranfports, all Impetuofity, and over Eagernefs. 5. Peace and Tranquillity of Mind is a great Jewel; let us not then fuffer our Minds to waver and to rove. 6. Lfprightnefs is the Soul of Converlation, and Commerce: That we may attain to this, we muft be upon our Guard again!! Trick and Artifice. 7. The Soul muft be elevated and confequently impartial. 8. The defires of the Heartmuft.be moderated; then let us combat our Concupifence. 9. Our Expences ought to be regulated, therefore we fhould ufe no Oftentation. 10. As a peaceable Temper is the Beauty of our natural Difpofitions: The oppofite Vice, which we ought to cut off, is Anger. 11. Man is chiefly made for Society: He therefore ought totally to exclude all Envy. 12. It is the Property of Science always to endeavour after Improvement; therefore let us look upon a Heart, which is ealily bounded and limited, as an Evil. Thefe are the twelve moral Rules which include Perfection. I add, that when the Subjects, of which they are to treat in the Affembly, are propofed five Days before ; they ought to be exhi- f bited upon a varnifhed Tablet, hung up in the Hall of Conferences. In the mean time, Advice the Subjefls muft be given to the Literati, and to the Graduates without Doors, even tho’ they are at fome ” uta,e ' 1 Diftance: In order that being inftructed in the Subjects, they may prepare tliemfelves, if they defign to affift. at the Affembly ; and thereby be riper to judge of what is faid, and readier to propofe their own Opinions upon the Subjects in queftion. Of the Chinefe Literature. A S Letters are more efteemed all over the Empire than Arms, and as the firft Dignities in the Body Politic are only beftowed upon learned Perfons ; Science has been always cul- peferr"/to tivated in China , but we dare not affirm, with Succeis; at lean - , if we may judge by their Arms in Books, and the Qualifications of their learned Men j which may proceed from the fmall regard had to reward fuch as excel in abftracted Sciences, and perhaps from the length of Time requir’d, to attain to a competent Knowledge of the Language, whole Figures and Characters are almoft infinite ; they being as different, as the Terms and Names of the Things to be expreft. Their Sciences may be reduced to, fix principal ones, namely, the Knowledge of their Lan¬ guage which we have already taken notice of; Moral and natural Philofophy 3 the Mather Diviiion of tics; efpecially Aftronomy; Medicine; Hiftory ; and Poetry. ” their Ssicncei The profound and almoft uninterrupted Peace which they have enjoyed, and the little com¬ merce which they have with other Nations, from whom they are precluded by exprefs Prohi¬ bitions from going out of the Empire, and from admitting any Stranger into it, have attached them fo much to thefe Studies and Arts, that contribute to the Conveniencies of Life. The Apathy of the Ber.zas, which extends to every Thing, is condemn’d. Vol. I. 3 G The 324 The ScichC-' mod valued in Lkina. The Muhe- nut Cs thei nioli antien: Stuc'y. Of the CHINESE Literature , The Sciences mod fought after among the Chinefe , are, the perfect Knowledge of their Lan¬ guage, Laws, Hiftory, and moral Philofophy, becaufe thefe are the means of attaining to the higheft Ports; None can be received as a Dotftor without underftanding the Language; and being able to form their Characters perfectly well, and to compote an elegant Diicourle upon the principal Maxims of their Morality and Government, which are always extracted from the Books they call Canonical. Thefe Books have given occation to an infinite Number of Commentaries, which imploy them for many Years, in order to improve them in the knowledge of Politics and Morality; This laft is indeed the Science moft proper for Man, as it directly regards his Conduct, and the means of rendering him perfect, according to his State and Condition in Life. It appears that, fmee the foundation of their Empire, the ChineJ'e have applied to the Study of Mathematics, and particularly of Aftronomy; and that fkilful Perfons have at all times been maintained by their Emperors, for making Obfervations and calculating Ecliples, and have always been punifhed and rewarded according to their different Succefs. In after times, Superftition increafed their Application to this Study ; moft of them being perfoaded that Events depended upon the Afpect of the heavenly Bodies, and that there are happy and unhappy Times, and that it is of Importance to every one to obferve the Variation and the Difference of thefe Times, to determine the Junctures proper for undertaking Voyages, Treaties, Negotiations and Marria¬ ges, for waiting upon Governors and Emperors, in order to obtain Favours ; and for many other Things. Every Year a Calendar is publifhed at the Emperor’s Expence, in which, the fubal- tern Officers of the Tribunal of the Mathematics, that they may raife its Price, never fail to infert the lucky and unlucky Days diftinguifhed according to the Principles of their judicial Aftrology. The state of Neceffity having introduced Medicine into China as into other Nations, they have a great Number of Treatifes upon that Subject; but what they are moft remarkable for, is, their Know¬ ledge of the Pulfe, by which they can diftinguifh Difeafes and their proper Cures. As to what concerns their Hiftory and Poetry, the one ferving only for Curiofity, and the other for Diverfion ; few Perfons apply themfelves to either of thefe, becaufe it is not by them that a Man can rife, and make his fortune. However, their Hiftory and their Annals are almoft as ancient as the Times immediately fucceeding the Deluge, and they have been continued to the prefent Times, by different but moftly contemporary. Authors. With relpedt to their Poetry, befides their ancient Books, fome of which are in Verfe,- the Poems of Kiu i wen are extremely delicate and fweet. Under the Dynafty of the Tang , Li tj'au pe and Til te tnwey, did not yield to Anacreon and Horace: In fhort, in China , as formerly in Europe , the Philosophers are Poets, and among all their celebrated Writers, Tfeng nan fong is the only one who has not written in Verfe ; for which reafon he is compared to the Flower Hay tang , which would be perfeeft, were it not infipid. As the ChineJ'e have a Spirit and Turn for the Sciences, and as moral Philofophy is that by which a Man can moft readily raife himlelf, they apply more to it than to any other. There area great Number of Licentiates and Batchelors all over the Empire, fometimes upwards of 10,000 in one Province. And the Number of Candidates for Degrees at a moderate Computa¬ tion, amounts to two Millions: In the Southern Provinces there is fcarce a Chinfe but can read and write. Characters of Befides this, they have a good many Books that treat of natural Philofophy, where there are theirAuthors. ver y re ffn'd Reafonings upon the Nature, Properties and Effe&s of different Things. The Errors which are found in thefe Works, proceed rather from the fmall Commerce they have with other Nations, than from any Defedt of Penetration in the Authors. This want of Commerce has rendered them very ignorant in Cofmography, for they fcarce know of any Country befides their own. Thence proceeded the extravagant Notions that obtained amongft them, before the Europeans had inftrutfted them in the State of the World. It is true that, in their Maps, they exhibited the fifteen Provinces in their due Extent. But as for other Kingdoms, they place them at random round their Empire in very fmall Spaces without diftinguifhing them either by Longitude or by Latitude. In fhort, if we except the Europeans , I don’t believe there is any People that have publifhed fo many Books, as the Chineje , upon all forts of Subjects, upon Agriculture and Botany, upon the liberal, military and mechanical Arts, particular Hiftorics, Philofophy and Aftronomy, &c. They have likewife Romances, Comedies, Tragedies, Books of Knight-errantry, eloquent Difcourfes, and a great many other Treatifes upon mifcellaneous Subjects. Their learned Men having a great deal of Facility and Inclination for compoffng Books; we fee vaft Numbers pub- liflied by them. The Bonzas have likewife their Treatifes upon the Worfhip of their fulfe Divinities, which they take care to fpread as they fee occafion, in order to abufe the Cre¬ dulity of the People, and to increafe their own Revenues. But nothing is more refpedfed by the Chinefe than the five Books which they call U king, or fo much revered by them both for their Antiquity, and the Excellence of the Dodlrine which, they fay, they contain: Thefe are to them, their facred Writings, for which they enter¬ tain the moft profound Veneration. The other Books, which are of the greateft Authority in the Empire, are only Interpretations. Efieem they Amongft the Authors who have wrote beft upon thefe ancient Originals, Confucius is the moft have for Con Celebrated: And the ChineJ'e accordingly regard him as the firft of their Sages; as their Doc- Medicine a mo»g them of Hiilory, and Poetry. The Chin Love for Learning. in Cofmo- grapliy. Their Au¬ thors nnme- The five Books fu tor; as their Legiftature; as their Oracle; and as the Teacher of Emperors and Kings. They give Of the CHINESE Canonical Books , give a conftant Application ta the Principles and Maxims that this Philofopher has delivered, The Damnge and are collected into four Books upon Ancient Laws, which they look upon as the Rules and ,c ulb,nd: Source of perfect Government. Howrepair'J As we miift give a flight Idea of thefe Books, I fliall begin with the five Ancient Books, which the Chinefe by way of excellence call the five Volumes. I fliall afterwards give an Abridg- The prerent ment of the Work of Confucius and his Difciple Mencius. Canonical 0 ^ Books, Of the Books King, or the Chinefe Canonical Books of the fir/i Order. T HE Letter King fignifies a Dodlrine, fublime folid, and invariable, becaufe founded upon The Canoni- immoveable Principles. The Books containing this Do&rine are of a fuperior Order, and have been admired by the Chineje of all Ages, SedEs, and Opinions. As thefe Books der. are of the firfi: Clafs, and of the greated Authority; they are the Source of all Science and Mo¬ rality among the Chine ft. But thefe precious Monuments of their Antiquities were almod all deflroyed at one Blow, aimoft ail by order of an Emperor named Tfin fei whang ; about 200 Years after the Death of Confucius , crtr0> and 200 before the Birth of Chrid. This Prince, much celebrated by his Valour, and more by the vad Wall which he built in order to guard his Dominions from the Irruption of the Tartars , formed a Refolution of extinguifhing Science, and of permitting no Books in his Empire, except what he judged abfolutely neceffary, fuch as thofe upon Agriculture, Medicine, &c. Pie ordered all the reft to be burnt on pain of Death, and carried his Cruelty fo far, as to punifh feveral Doctors capitally. Some pretend, that this Prince, notwithdanding this Order, was no Enemy to the Sci¬ ences, or even to the Books he ordered to be deftroyed. They found their Opinion upon his having for his Preceptor Lyupuwey , of whom they have an excellent Work remaining, who loved Antiquity too well to infpire his. Pupil with a Contempt of it. And belides that, Ly fse his Miniiter of State, an undemanding and polite Perfon, would have been far from giv¬ ing him any Advice that tended to ruin the Government, and to introduce Ignorance and Barba¬ rity into the Empire. They think that this Prince was induced to ilTue out this barbarous Decree, from the political upon wlmt View of fecuring to himfelf the peaceful Poffeffion of his Throne. The Students of thefe Days Pietences - impatient under a Prince, who had a defign to render himfelf arbitrary, abufed the Fa£ts, delivered in the Shu king, and were always crying up a Ching tang who expell’d the infamous Kye, and a Vu vang who dethron’d the Tyrant Chew. Thus they blew up the Fire of a Revolt on all Sides. The new Monarch refolding to chadife their Infolence, and judging that nothing was more valuable in an Empire than Peace, deprived thefe Literati of Books, which in fuch Hands as theirs, create only Didurbance in a State. The 1 king as it was lefs intelligible T he i ting was judged more harmlefs, and therefore efcaped the common Fate. . _ excepted. Science had then been abfolutely extindt in China , had not many Literati, at the hazard of their Zeal of the own Liv^s, preferved thefe dear Monuments from the general Conflagration. Some digged Holes, b “ e c ’ in the Walls of their Houfes where they buried them, until the Storm fhould blow over. OtheiS p,efervation concealed them in the Tombs, thinking them more fafe there. _ ofLiterature, Immediately after the Death of this Prince, Literature revived among the Chinefe , who fought preferves it to repair the great Lofs it had fudained. The Books hid in Tombs and in the holes of Walls i n china. were brought to Light, tho’ much damaged by the Damps and Worms. But the old Literati having Learned them by Heart in their Youth they found means of fupplying what was difficult in one Copy by what was legible in another; and applied with the greated Care to reftore them to their genuine State. The Succefs in fome meafure was anfwerable ; but they could never entirely make up all the Gaps. Thus there were always fome Deficiencies which they endeavoured to fupply, by infert- ing Pieces foreign to the Subjects of the Originals. The Literati are agreed as to fome of thefe Chafms, but divided as to others; their Criticifm confiding, in thoroughly examining the Doc¬ trine of the Antients, and comparing it with what they believed to be Interpolations. The I king ; the jirfl Canonical Book of the firfl Order. T H E Work here treated of is purely Symbolical, being a feries of Images of this vifible Thc 7 tj r World, expreffive of the Properties of Creatures, and the Matter of which all Beings. s y „,boikal are formed. Fo hi , who teas the Inventor of this, is looked upon as the Founder of their Work. Monarchy, but the time in which he began to reign is very unfetled among the ChineJ'e. He Bj; who31 formed to himfelf a particular Method of Hicroglyphicks, which have no relation to Words, invented. but Of the CHINESE Canonical Booh. but are immediate Images of Things and Thoughts, or at leal! Symbols arbitrary and of Human Inftttutton, fubftituted lor thele Images ; and this was the beginning and original Infti- tution of the Ckineje Charatfters. In Ihort, his Deftgn was to point out by fenfible SLns the Principles of all Beings, in the fame Manner as the Lines and Notes of Muftc do the Tone and alteration ol the Voice. This Work is a mere Riddle, it confiding only of fome Lines; that according to the variety of their Situations and D.fpofitions, form Figures which, by their different Combinations figni- nes different Things, bo hi teems to have intended to teach his Dependents whatever relates to Heaven, to Earth, and to Man. From a Confideration of the Affinity and admirable Connedlion among thefe three Beings, he has defcribed them by eight Figures, each compofed of three Lines part intire, and part broken, burin all, producing eight different Combinations. This Number multiplied by it felf produces 64 different Figures, which are difpofed into different Methods, in order to exprefs in a rude Manner, by thefe different Combinations the Na¬ ture and Properties of every Being, their Motion, their Reft, their reciprocal Opposition and even the Order and Union which reigns among them. This will be better comprehended b'v the Delineation which I here give of this fymboiical Syftem. The Two First PRINCIPLES. ?he PerfiSI. rhe Imfcr f ea _ or > or, Yang. Yn. Four IMAGES arifing from thefe Two Principles. More Perfett. Lefs Imperfia. Lefi Perfia. More Imfer/eS. „ 0r ’ „ ^ OT > ° r » Tay yang. Shau in. Shau yang. Tay in. Eight FIGURES refulting from thefe Four Images. He awn. Waters of the Fire. Thunder. Winds. Waters. or, Mountains, or, or. or. or. or. Kyen. Twy. Ly. Shin. Swen. Kan. Ken. Quen. - - . _ — • • ■ ■ • Thefe eight Figures, of which four belong to the Perfea, and four to the ImperfeB are difpofed thus in Form of a Circle; fo as to have a mutual Relation among themfelves and likewife to the four Cardinal Points of the Compafs. Defcription of the Table of Fo hi. 397 The Table of the Sixty four Figures : Or, The Book of Tranfmutations, entitled, I king. I. 2. 3 - 4 - S‘ 6. * Heaven. Earth. Water. mountains Water. Heaven. Earth. - - ' -* - - --- *- - Heaven. Earth. Thunder. Water. Heaven. Water. Water. Earth. 9 - 10. 11. 12. Winds. Heaven. Earth. Heaven. T ' 3 ‘ 14. 15. 16. Heaven. Fire. Earth. Thunders Heaven. Wat.of m. Heaven. Earth. Fire. Heaven. mountains Earth. 1 7 - 18. 19. Water of mountains Earth, mountains 20. Winds. 21 . Fire. 2Z \ 2 3 - 24. mountains mountains Earth. Thunder. Winds. Wat.of m. Earth. Thunder. Fire. Earth. Thunders 25 - Heaven. 26. mountains 27. mountains 28. Wat.ofm. 29. Water. -—. 30 - Fire. 3 1 • Wat.ofm. 32 Thunders Thunder. Heaven. Thunder. Winds. Water. Fire. mountains Winds. 33 - Heaven. 34 - Thunder. Fire. 36 - Earth. Fire. --- — mountains Heaven. Earth. 41. mountains , 43 - Wat.ofm. 42 - Winds. 44 - Heaven. Wat.ofm. Thunder Heaven. Winds. 49 - Wat.of m. 50 - Fire. 5 1 • Thunder. 52. mountains mountains 60. Water. Fire. Winds. 58. Wat.ofm. Thunders Winds. 59 - Winds. ' - - _ Winds. Wat.ofm. Water. Wat.ofm. ‘ - - - - - . 37 - 38. 39 - 40. Thunders Winds. Fire. Water. - - Fire. Wat.ofm. mountains Water. 45- Wat.ofm. 46- Earth. 47- Wat.ofm. 48. Water. Earth. Winds. Water. Winds. 53- Winds. 54- Thunders 55- Thunders 56. Fire. --- — '-- l mountains Wat.ofm. Fire. mountains — - '- — 61. Winds. 62. Thunder. 63- Water. 64. Fire. — Wat.of m. mountains Fire. Water. — — S H VOL. I. Such Description cf the Table of Fo hi. Unriddled by Such is the Table of Figures invented by Fo hi. It is a Labyrinth which exercifed the able ft Confucius. ^j en j n Qif ina t i ie times of Confucius , who decyphered it. The 64 Figuies are compofed each of lix Lines; the Sum of thel'e Lines anfwers to the Days of the Chinefe intercalary Year, which are 384. The Lmperor Ven vang, who attempted this Riddle, lived not till 1800 Years after Fo hi ; by the different Changes, which he wrought among thefe Lines, Ire pretended to give an Account of the reciprocal Tranfmutafions of the eight firft Principles. His Son Chew hong went upon the fame Dcfign, and extended his Scheme much In what beyond his Father’s. He considered thefe Lines with refpect to the Connection and Relation Manner. w hich the firft have with the Middle ones and the laft. And, according as they were more or lefs perfeCt, he drew Confequences, and found out Allotion's ; but they give no greater Light into the Subject. Thus, both the one and the other only more perplexed this ./Enigma by new /Enigmas equally obfeure. Confucius appeared four hundred Years after, and unriddled not only the myfteriousLines of Fo hi , but the equally dark Interpretations of thele two Princes; he refer¬ red all their DoCtrine, partly to the Nature of Beings, efpecially of the Elements, and their Properties; and partly to Morals, and to the Manner of right Governing Mankind ; he His Method therefore applied thele Figures not only to Natural but to Moral Philolophy; being perfuaded, tation 6 ^' 6 t ^ lat ^efe fy m bolicaI Lines contained Myfteries of great Importance to the Government of States. As foon as the Heaven and the Earth were produced, faid Confucius , all other material Beings exifted ; after other Beings exifted. Male and Female were produced ; when Male and Female came into the World, Man and Wife followed ; then Father and Son. The Relation of Father and Son produced that of Prince and SubjeCt; and thefe, “ Subordination and reciprocal Duties. tc Heaven is the Emblem of the Perfon and Virtues of a King: And the Earth is the Sym- “ bol and Image of Subjects.” It may fuffice to give here an Explication of one of the iixty four Figures, to fhew in what manner the Chinefe Interpreters have extracted the Principles of Morality from them. The more elevated, fay they, one is above others, the more he ought to be upon his Guard againft Haughtinefs, Arrogance and Pride; and the more he ought to ftudy Moderation and Modefty. This is taught us in the fifteenth Figure, which is as follows: FVirth. 4 -- The Expla- 1 5th of the 64 Figures of Fo hi. Mountains. 3 It contains two Figures, the lower is compofed of one uninterrupted Line, and two in¬ terrupted Lines, which denote and fignify the Mountains. A Mountain is a Symbol of Ele¬ vation but its Root is in the Earth, that is to fay, Humility. In the fame manner the Earth defined by the three upper Lines which are broken, is the Image and Symbol of a high Vir¬ tue joined with Humility, which includes within it immenfe Riches, and only manifefts its Power, by admirable Fruits and Effects, both falutary and ufeful to the Welfare of Mankind. fj hi the Au- Thus we fee, Fo hi was Author of the Figures ; Ven 'Vang, and his Son Chew hong, were Authors thor of the 0 f t h e Texts; and Confucius, of the Commentaries upon them : Thefe Commentaries are called Fwen and Syang, and are the only ones which Critics and able Interpreters attribute to Confu¬ cius. The Difcipies of that Philofopher affirm, that when their Mafter had finifhed thele Com¬ mentaries, he was but indifferently fatisfied with them : And that when he came to be old, he wilhed to live fome Years longer, that he might put the laft Hand to, and new model his Work. Tho’ this Monument be the mod ancient of all the Canonical Books, if we confider only its Source and Original, I mean the Figures of Fo hi, yet the Explications of it were made a long time after, and the Interpreters rather deferv’d the Name of Authors, than of Interpre¬ ters; for this Book is full of Obfcurities, and contains a great many Things hard to be under- ftood. In procefs of Time, this Obfcuritv occafioned a Multitude of Errors and Superftitions, and the more unintelligible the I king was, the more Myfteries it was thought to contain. Hence the true Doctrine of the Text, which includes excellent Principles of Morality and Politics, was altered falfified, and interpolated, with abfurd, contradictory, and impious Interpretations: Thefe Monuments of Chinefe Antiquity falling into the Hands of blind Doctors, whofe Under- ftandin^s were clouded with the Infidelity and Idolatry at that time reigning in the Empire, they wrefted the Senfe to vain Prognoftics, Divinations, and Magic : And this is the Reafon why they have been called The Book of Lots. Thefe Alterations are attributed to a Doctor called King fang , and another of the celebrated Literati,, called Chin when. We may add to them another Doctor of an equally diftinguifhed Merit, whofe Name is f/yau pin, who, as an excellent Critic cbferves, taught his Difciples a Doctrine which heimpofed upon them as one extracted from the I king. The School of Con¬ fucius always def.efted thefe empty Explications, by which the Texts aie abufed, in order to form frivolous Preditions, and to eftablifh Magic and Divinations. One Defcription of the Ho-tu and Lo-fhu. ^99 One Thing is certain, that all the Chinefe, and efpecially tire Literati, have the utmoft Re-Ea«mofthe fpeft and Efteetn for this Book. And many ancient and very 'able Authors, in their Writings, this Eook exprefs their Regret for having loft the fubffcantial and real Meaning of it, while they retain, to fpeak properly, but a fuperficial one. - The Man, fay they, who knows the I king, knows every thing. Before the Empire was founded by Fo hi, according to what is related in their great Chro- D' nicle, there were no Charadters, of which that Prince could compote an /king; as Ven -Jang, , he early Chew tong and Confucius did, a long time after: Thus when one would ftudy the J king of Ages »CZ- Fo hi, it is fufficient to meditate upon his Tables alone, abftrafied from, and ftript of all Sorts “' of Charadters, and all phyfical and moral Gloffes, contenting himfelf with mathematical Axioms, naturally refulting from the regular Combinations of the Author's Lines: It one would know the Dodtrine of the Claffical Book compofed by Ven vang, Chew kong and Con¬ fucius, he muft then have lefs regard to the natural Doctrine of the Tables, than to the enig- Method of matical AUufions, that each of them have annexed to each of thefe Symbols; and fo judge ot the Dodtrine of thefe four Philofophers, by what each has himfelf put down, and not by what t u- Com¬ others have inferted in After-ages. As then, before Fo hi. Characters were not known, little Cords with Aiding Knots, each of which had a particular Idea and Signification, were ufed in Commerce and Bufinefs. Thefe are reprefented in two Tables, by the Chineje call’d Ho til and Lo Jhu. The Invention of Characters was owing firlt to Fo hi, and afterwards to the Emperors Shin nong and Whang ti : When they had invented, one alter another, .a good Number, they then attempted to make Books. Tire fil'd Colonies who inhabited Se chwen, had no other Literature befides fome arithmetical Original of Sets of Counters made with little knotted Cords, in imitation ot a String of round Beads, with ®°°^ which they calculated and made up all their Accompts in Commerce : Thefe they carried about with them, and fometimes uled them as Belts for girding in their Cloaths. In fltort, having no other Characters, they neither knew how to read or write. As for what pafs’d, there¬ fore, in that Time, we have no Accounts of it, either from Annals or any written Tradition. King Fo hi then was the fird, according to this Opinion, who by means of his Lines the firft occafioned the Invention and the Idea of that kind of hieroglyphical Charadters, peculiar Inventor ot- to the Chinefe. The two ancient Tables olHotu and Lo Jhu taught him the Art of Com- m binations, the fird Efiay of which was the drawing up his linear Tables, limiting himletf to the Rules preferibed by the Art of arithmetical Combinations, and letting the Tables remain draight, and 'according to their natural Order. Ven vang fird put them out of this Order, that he might enigmatically exprefs the terrible Diforders of the World, turn’d upfide down under the Tyrant Chew. It is an ancient, condant, and univerfally received Tradition, that Fo hi by this Work rendered himfelf the Father of Science and good Government in China; and that it was from the Idea of the Flo tu and the LoJhu that he drew up his linear Table. I here give a Defcription of them, that I may, if poffible, render fo ancient and obfeure a Monument eafy to be underdood. ho cf fff tP .I'flW Tradition informs us, that thefe ancient Figures called Ho tu and Lo JJ.ni, from whence we TheHotu and are allured that the I king took its rife, are the Words of the Spirit ot Heaven addrelfed to ^/g^the Kings ; tint the firft Kings received them from Heaven, and fpread them all over the Univerfe, chin, >. have that thereby the Mandarins might learn to govern the People well, and the People to reflect upon^ivjne their Duties. The white Notes fignify the odd Number, which, among the Chine]e, is the Symbol of Uo ' lia ' what is perfedt, as well as this Line-. The black Notes fignify the even Number, which is ;r the Symbol of what is imperfect, as is the Line broken and interrupted in this Manner - — —. j n gexplain’d. The Ho tu ends at ten, and the Lo fiu at nine. The Chinefe attribute that which is perfect to Day, Heat, the Sun, Fire, the Heaven, &c. What is imperfect, they attribute to Night, Cold, the Moon, Water, Earth, &c. Altho’ 4co Account of the Shu-king, or Second Canonical Book. Tho'il is a conftant Tradition in China , that Fo hi drew up thefe linear Tables from the Idea of the He tu and the Lo Jbu ; yet to give the greater credit to his Figures, he affirmed that he law them upon the Back of a Dragon which arofe from a Lake. This is the fo much celebrated Original Of f g P n that ! S fi , n “ be “ me ‘ h< ; D ?™e of Chi ™, tite Ornament for the Habits of the Emperor the celebr.i- and the principal Chmeje, with this Difference, that there is none befidesthe Emperor who can wear ttJ CM*,/, it with five Claws, excepting luch as are judged to have a right from the Emperor to wear it • as Dragon. for inftancc, when he makes any one a Prefent of a Piece of Imperial Silk. If others wear a Dragon with five Claws, they are guilty of acting contrary to the Laws of the Empire and will certainly be pumChed. 1 ’ Rcafons why But wbat chiefly contributes to the great Authority of the 7 king is in the firft Place the .he I king univerfally received Opinion, that this Monument efcaped the general Conflagration of ancient V«em?or B l ooks “ de T r the E f'P chi whan K> whofe only View was to extinguifh theMemory of the u-irh-he three hrlt Imperial ramines, becaufe their great Actions condemned his Conduct. This Re- -ft. mark is made by Kong in ta in his Prolegomena to the 7 king-, is reported by Li fit in his Lives of iliuftrious Perlons; obferved by the Commentators upon ancient Hiftory, and fupported by conftant Tradition. r ' In the fecond Place, what gives the Chinefe a vaft Veneration for this Book, is, the great Encomiums that have been made upon it in all Ages, by the ableft and beft Writers of the Empire ; who praife it as the moll Ancient of their Books, becaufe invented by Fo hi to whom however, they attribute only the Figures. Others pretend, that it is filled with moll excellent Precepts and the wife It Maxims of Govern ment, as may be underftood by the Explications which Ken vang and Chew kong have aiven upon every Figure; but becaufe Fo hi, by the Combination of his Lines was the firft who taught the method of compofing Chinefe Characters, they fay, that his Book is as it were the Root from whence thefe Characters fprung, and that it is the Principle and Source of all the Sciences: And as his Figures, according to their firft Inftitution, denote the Heaven Earth Water, Mountains, &c. they affirm that the 7 king contains the Heaven and the Earth • And on ‘y. the f So'-rce of the other King, but that it gives a Knowledge of all Things the other both y* lble and ■nvifible: In fliort, that to apply to the Study of other Books and neglect «<«• that of the King, is to feek after the Stream and neglect the Fountain. D Of the Shu king, Meaning of the Word Sbang jhu. The Con¬ tents of i;s two firft Parts. The Charac¬ ter of Shun. The Inftitu- tions of thefe tw o Princes. Remarkable Jufticeof the People. The Family of Tu extin- guifh'd by th.-T/rant or ' the fecond Canonical Book of the firft Order. T HIS Monument is likewife called Shang Jhu, that is to fry, We Book/peaking of ancient Times. It is divided into fix Parts, whereof the two firft contain the moft memorable Events of the Reigns; of Tau, Shun, and Tu. Thefe firft Princes are looked upon as the Legiflators of the Chinefe Nation. 1 an, who reigned near a hundred Years is celebrated for his great Piety, Juftice, Clemency, Wifdom, and the great Care he took to eftabiilh a riaht Form of Government in his State. ° As in his time, fay the Chinefe, more Regard was had to Virtue than to any other Quality this Prince not finding in his Son the Talents neceffary for good Government declared upSfi his Death-bed Shun, one of his Subjects, his Succeffor, giving him his fecond Daughter in Marriage " Shun 1S P ralfed for his Patience, Submiffion, filial Piety, and the Affection he entertained for his Brother, who was a very vicious Perfon. He imitated Tau in his Choice of a Succeffor When he was dying, not judging his Son qualified for wifely governing the People he caft Ins Eyes upon his Mimfter Tu, who had done him very important Services during the Courfe of his Reign, and had been very affifting to him by his Councils in the Government if his State Thefe two Princes appointed the Ceremonies to be obferv’d in Sacrifices; and divided the Em pire into Provinces, whofe Bounds were determined with regard to the celeftial Conftcllations - They regulated the Tribute to be payed by the People to the Prince; and made a great number of other Ordinances, very ufeful for the Inftruction of the Grandees, for the Relief of the People the Reformation of Manners, and the Tranquillity of the Public. ” * It was this Tu who, in the time of his Predeceffor, had the care of recovering fome Lands of the Empire, which had been overflowed by the Waters of the Sea. In fliort, thefe three Prin ces are the Heroes of the Chinefe Nation. The Doctrines taught and practifed by them railed them to the Throne: And the Examples and Precepts left "by them, are fo many Oracles • which the Chinefe hear with Refpect, and regard as indifpeniable Laws. 1 This Emperor, willing to imitate the Examples of his Predeceffors, defigned to leave his Crown to one of his Subjects called Ye, who had allifted him to fupport the Weight of Government ■ but the People oppofed this, as being an Injury done to his Son, who was worthy of Empire His Son accordingly fucceeded him, and the Crown continued in his Family till the Reiom h'T™ “ to them) and you propofe as a Model to all Princes, the Example of one of your Emperors, Hiitory in “ who diverting himfelf of his Dignity, became the public Victim, and offered himfelf a Sacri- “ free for his Subjects; but how much more ought you to admire the Wifdom and infinite Love C u lan,ty ' “ of J. C. who being cloathed with our Flefh, made himfelf a real Propitiation to fatisfy the “ Divine Juftice, and to obtain the Salvation of all Mankind by {bedding his own Blood.” This Argument drawn from their own Hirtory,is more convincing to them than the moft folid Reafonings. This third part of the Shu king contains the wife Ordinances of this Emperor, the fine Inftruc- Contents of tions which the Ko lau ffong whey gave to him and to his Son Fay kya , and the other whole- Parttl,e 3 d - fome Regulations of a Ko lau named Fit ywe , whom the Emperor Kau tjong , having icen his A Mafon re- Figure in k Dream, caufed to be fearched for every where, and who was at laft found among a co ™™e^. company of Mafons. This Prince made him his prime Minifter, and appointed great progrefs in loHn Virtue by following the wifeCounfels of fo fingular a Perfon, whom he regarded as a Prefent fent Drtam ' from Heaven. The Empire continued in the Family of Ching tang for 600 Years, till the Reign of Chew, who revived all the Tyranny and barbarous Cruelty of the infamous Kyi. So that it is now become proverbial for the Chinefe to call a bad Man, a Kyi , or a Chew , in the fame manner as we in Europe , when we fpeak of an infamous and tyrannical Prince, call him a Nero , or a Dioclefian. The three laft Parts contain the Hirtory of the TranfaCtions under the third Race, whofe Contents of Founder was Vu vang ; together with the w'ife Maxims and glorious Actions of the firft five the thrce lal1 Princes of that Family, which fat upon the Throne during 873 Years, and the Reigns of thirty Parts ' five Emperors, in as flourifhing a Condition as any other Family ever did. Vu vang its Founder, was King of a part of the Province of Shen fi ; he took up Arms againft Account of the Tyrant Chew, conquered him, and was proclaimed Emperor by the unanimous Voices of both the Grandees and the People. His firft Care was to pay his Homage to the fupream Being, to re-ertablifh Peace and Tranquillity in the Empire, and to procure Plenty to his Subjects, who had fo long groaned under the Tyranny of his PredecefTor: He opened the Prifons, and fet at piic Ioyp { - or liberty all the Prifoners; he carefully enquired after Men of Merit, who had renounced their ° r Employments and Dignities in the late Troubles, to gain repofe in Obfcurity and a private Sta¬ tion. Thefe he loaded with Honours, and intrufted with his Confidence. His Royal Liberality extended chiefly to thofe who had always been diftinguifhed by their Wifdom, Wifdom, their Honour and their Probity, and under him thefe happy Times revived, when Virtue was the ftep to Dignity and Riches; he took theVirtuous into his Councils and made them ' ,!tue ani . his Minifters. He re-eftablifhed the Weights and Meafures, and brought the Laws and Con- ftitutions of the Empire to Perfection : He reftored the Luftre of the noble Families who defeended of Whang ti, one of the Founders of the Chinefe Monarchy, and of Shun, and Tau, and Tit, the firft Legifiators of the Empire j ail thefe Families Chew endeavoured to extinguish by keeping them in Obfcurity. Thefe illuftrious Perfons law them {elves, all of a fudden, under the Protection of this new Emperor, rc-invefted in their former Dignities, and adorned with additional Titles of Honour. In fhort, he was very careful to increafe filial Piety, and to perpetuate the Memory of deceafed Parents, by enjoining their Children to pay to them after Death the fame Honours and Duties which they paid them when alive. Next follow the wife Precepts of Chew hong the Brother of the Emperor .Vu vang , whom Particular ' Honour, Wifdom and other Virtues have rendered forever famous. The Emperor, when he Account of died, intrufted him with the Tutelage ofhiseldeft Son, and the Government of the Empire chl ^' kon i' ^ OL * I* 5 I during 402 Who is tec- kontd the Inventor of the Marri- ner’s Com pafs. Maxims of Government and Obedi¬ ence. Encomium of the wife Kauxau. -Chandler of a good Ma. Extract from the Shu king, during his'Minoritv. The Invention of the Needle, or the Mariner’s Compafs, is attributed to him. The Ambaffadors of Tong king and Kochinchina, when they came to pay their Tribute to the new Emperor, had iii;t.:red a great many Fatigues in their Paffage, by their not being ac¬ quainted with the Courfe they ought to have held, upon which Chew hug gave them a Mariner's Compafs, which guided them on their Return, and procured them a happy Voyage. In fnort, in the Shu king, which among the Cbineji is of very great Authority, we find Vice punifhed, and Virtue rewarded, together with a great many fine Inftnidtions for the good Government of a State, and wife Regulations for the public Weal: Alio the Principles, the Rules and the Models of the Morals of the firft Heroes, who have governed their Empire, and for whole Memory that Nation lias always prcferved an extraordinary Regard. We (hall give fome Extracts of this Book, which P .Premarc, an ancient Millionary in China, has collected, who allures us, that they are tranllated with all the Exactnels and Faitlifulnefs imaginable. Some Extracts from the Shu king, in a Dialogue upon the Maxims of the antient Kings. W H E N a King, fays Tie, knows how difficult it is to be a good King, and when a Subject knows how much it coils to fulfil all his Duties faithfully - the Government is perfect, and the People make a fwift Progrefs in the ways of Virtue. That is certain, replied the Emperor, and I love to be difeourfed with in this manner. Truths, fo well grounded, ought never to be concealed. Let all wife Men be diftin’ and 15 as “ v ' e ' e the inward part of the Mind. (JI)The I ext fays. Tan fn that is to fay, the Heart of ~Rcc’:v tho’ it is not properly Reafon-, but the Superior part of the Soul, which enciines to the pvueft and righcell Reafon. The Extract from the Shu-king. 4°> The Speech which Chong whey is f,'aid to have made to the Emperor Ching tang. (*) O Prince! what do yon fay ? It is the (+) ‘pen which gives life to Men : As they are (+) fubjedt to a thoufand different Paffions; if they had not a Matter to keep them in their Duty, they could not live in Peace: But Heaven fends them a very wife King, and by means of him, renders them good and happy. The infamous Kyi, extinguifhed all the lights of Reafon ; and the poor People fell as it were into a flood of Fire. But Heaven has given you all the Prudence and neceffary Force to deliver the Univerfe from its Evils. Finifh what the great Tu fo well began; follow his Footfteps, and refpeftfully obey the Orders of Heaven. The King of Hya is blameable, becauie he employed the Name of the moft High to authorife his unjuft Commands. Heaven has chaftifed him and committed the Empire to you, that you may rettore the World to its primitive Happinefs. You know that the cruel Kye had likewife fome wife Men about his Perfon, but moft of his Counfellors were as worthlefs as himlelf. In that fatal time, we found ourfelves mingled with all thefe wicked Wretches, like a little good Grain fow’d in a Field'full of Tares. _ How could we ftiun the dangers that encompaffed us ? there was no Man but trembled for himfelf, and Innocence was a good handle to be fufpeSed. How much then have you. Sir, to dread, who are adorned with fo many Virtues? Fame proclaims them aloud every where: You are look’d upon as a very wife Prince, and far remov'd from all bafe Plealures, as being entirely difintc- refted beftowing Pofts only upon the moft Virtuous; and always proportioning the Reward to the Merit. It is well known, that you, with pleafure, prefer the Opinion of another to your own ; and that you attribute to others, all the good you yourfelf do : That you never excufe, but are always ready to correfl, yourfelf. In (hort, there is feen in you a greatnefs of Soul, worthy of the Empire of the World, join’d to a paternal goodnefs and tendernefs for your Peo¬ ple So many Virtues have gain'd you the Hearts of all. For this Reafon, the petty King ho having rejefled brutally your Prefents, you was oblig'd to march againft him; and, by that means begin your juft Conquefts. Was you in the Eaft ? The People of the Weft impati¬ ently expected you. Was you fettling peace in the North? The Barbarians of the South fighed for V o U . and every one cryed out in a mournful Voice, Why did he not firft come to our Afliftance. Nothing was heard but People faying one to another, Let us wait'for our good King; whenever he (hall appear we (hall receive new Life. Thus, Sir, you fee how great the People's Affeftioii " One muft have no fcruple to be a King, but he mull labour to render himfelf a good King. of With this View diftinguifh the Wife, and aflift the Worthy: Load thofe, whofe fidelity is Government approved, with Glory; and affift thofe who have only upright Intentions: Set Tutors over fuch of the petty Kings as are weak: Abridge thofe of Power who make a bad Ule of it: Deprive fuch as break into good order, of their Crown ; and thofe, whofe Crimes render them unworthy to reign, of their Lives. Thus you will curb the Bad, and guard the Good. And all thefe Kings doing their Duty, you will caufe Virtue and Peace to reign all over the World. As foon as a Sovereign endeavours to make a daily Progrefs in Virtue, all the People will AlJvaiUsg „ have Hearts only to love him: But if he imagines that he has done enough, he is detpis'd and 0 i E ..ndCon- abandon’d even by his neareft Relations. Apply yourfelf with all your Heart to the exercifes a of the greateft Virtues, that your Subjedts may find in you a fimflied Model. Let Juitice regulate all your Aflions, and the pureft Reafon ferve as a curb upon your Appetites. A good (II) King leaves Riches enough to his Children, when he leaves them the example of his Virtues: I have always heard it faid that it is the part of a King, to look upon others, as being able to teach him fomewhat; for he who loves to be taught, enriches himfelf. On the con¬ trary, a fure Method for a Prince to deftroy himfelf, is to believe that others can do him no Ser¬ vice:’For it is a narrow way of thinking, for a Man to believe himfelf fclf-fufficient. Endea¬ vour to end as happily as you have begun: Remember that Heaven is juft; that it elevates the Good, and chaftifes the Bad. Follow the Laws exadtly, that you may be fure of eternal Hap- pinefs. (*) This Ching tang dethron’d the Tyrant Kye, in whom the Family of the Hya was extinft. (t) Heaven. ( J) The ancient Commentary Ching i fpeaks thus. The Tyen produced Man. and gave him a Body and a Soul. Every Man then has a vifiblc and material Body : and a fpiritual intelli¬ gent Soul. Man being formed in this Manner, Tyen affifts him. 1 don’t mean limply, that Tyen after it had given him a Body and a Soul, gave him feveral Laws; but that it likewife afiilts him in a more particular manner. For Man fpeaks, think?, a£ls, diftinguifhes the Good Irom the Bad, and the Bad from the Good : He Hands in need of Food and Raiment: Sometimes he is in Plenty, fometimes in Want, and by 1 urns in Motion and in Reft. But to keep himfelf llriftly juft amidft all thefe, he muft have the Afliftance ol Tyen: For there is within a ftrait Road, which if he follows he is happy; it he forfnkes it unhappy. For which Reafon Heaven unites itfelf to Man, and conftantly nflifts him to tread in this Path that condu&s him to Immortality. (j|) This Thought is not formally in the Text; but it is the Sen'fe of all this Harangue, and the Interpreters make ufe of it to connect what goes before with what follows. V'OL. I. 5 K Inf, rati ions 40 6 Ex.tr a els from the Shu-king. Encomium of Virtue. I Iiftory of a Minifter gi- given by Heaven. InflruBions which (*) I yun gave to the young Tay kya. EI R of Cbing tang 7 Do not prefume too much upon the prefent Proteflion of Heaven, for the continuance of its Favours depends, in tome meafure, upon yourlelf. You ought not to reckon that Happinefs is to continue for ever. The conftant Praflice of Virtue can alone fecure your Crown : But if you abandon Wifdom, you will infallibly forfeit whatever Heaven has bellowed upon you. You have an illuftrious Example of this in the King Rye': He deviated from the Path of Virtue to Impiety and Cruelty. The fupreme Tyeti rejected him, and afterwards look’d all over the Earth in fearch of fome one, who was worthy to reign inftead of this unhappy Prince: As foon as fuch a one was found, it determin’d to enlighten and conduit him. But that which Tven loves and looks for, is a pure and conftant Virtue. This is what it requires in a new King, whom it defigns to give to the World. Cbing tang and I only were of that Charadter. As we were both equally devoted to Virtue, Heaven lov’d us, and carried us in its Pleart. For this reafon, it gave us the Government of the whole World. Having, thus, both Heaven and the People on our Side, we eafily overthrew the Empire of the Hya ; not that Heaven entertain’d an irregular Affedtion for us, but fuch as it entertains for pure and folid Virtue. It was not becaufe we caballed for the fuffrages of the People, but becaufe the People could not refill fo much Virtue. When one is entirely devoted to Wifdom, he is always fuccefsful, always fatisfied, and always happy : But when one is Vir¬ tuous by halves and by ftarts, he inftantly proves the Reverfe of this. Happinefs or mifery then depends upon Man himfelf; becaufe the rewards or punifhments of Heaven depend upon his good or bad Adtions. Heir of Cbing tang ! The Empire you poflefs is but new; let your Virtue be new likewife. Endeavour by inceffantly reforming yourlelf, that there may be no difference between the firlt and the laft Day of your Reign. Raife none to Pofts, but fuch as have Wifdom and Talents. But as for your firft Minifter, he ought to be a Perfon accomplifhed in all Refpedts; becaufe, it is he who is to render you folidly Virtuous, and he is to be the Channel through which your Virtues are to be communicated to all your People. It is hard to find a Man fo perfedl; you therefore are to ufe the utmoft Pains to enquire after him; to the end that the Minifter and the King, having the fame Defires and the fame Zeal, they may form, by a Itridl and intimate union, ( };) one undivided whole. True Virtue never pins itfelf down to the Opinions of a ftrange Matter; (lie hears no Dic¬ tates but thofe of folid Good, which does not always enjoin the fame thing ; in following its LelTons, you diredtly aft according to the different Circumltances ; but ftill with a ftrict attach¬ ment to Uniformity, without which, there can be nothing good. Then all the People Ihall cry ; “ How pure and how perfectly uniform is his Heart ? He is worthy of the Empire ha has received; and will render his Subjects eternally happy. ” 'The Hiflory and Converfation of the Emperor Kau tfong and his Minifter Fu ywe. T HE Emperor anfwers the Grandees by a fhort Note under his own Hand, in which he tells them. “ Ever fince I liicceeded to the Empire of the World, I have ftill feared that I had not all the Virtues requifite for right Government; for which reafon, hitherto I have never ventured to give any Order. But my Thoughts being employed during the filence of the Night, only upon the Means of worthily difeharging my Duties; It feemed to me the Lord delivered to me, from his own Hand, a faithful Minifter : This is the extraordinary Man that is to fpeak to you in my Stead. ” . The Emperor then caufes the Picture of the promifed Minifter to be drawn, according as lie appeared to him, and omitted nothing to make a Difcovery of him, tho’ conceal’d in the moll remote Corner of the Empire. A Man employed in building a little Grotto at the foot of the Mountain Ten, was found by the Meftengers, who thought lie perfectly refembled the Picture which they had in their Hands. As foon as the Emperor law him he immediately knew' {*) It is pretended that I yun a flitted Ching tang to deth rone Kyi. Tay kya is fuppoled to be the Son of Cbing tang, and it is faid that I yun (hut him up in his Father’s Tomb for three Years. But it is certain that in the Body of theText no mention is made of Tay .hya, but of Tji njang, which only fignifies, a young Prince in his Minority. Nor can we anfwer for the bold Action im¬ puted to lyun. TheText perhaps only intimates, that Iyuti fent the young Prince to be inftrufted at tiie Burying Place, anJ upon ills Tomb of Cbing tang. Whatever Truth i> in all thi •, it i> added that this Piece contains the laft Councils which I yun gave him, when he retired from the Court, to lead a private Life in repofe and folitude. (J) Tiiis Idea .of a good King and a perfeft Minifter form¬ ing ant undi-vidd Jr holt, was llrongly imprinted upon the Heart of him or them who wrote thofe Books. They alledge as In- ft.tnces of it, lau and Shut, Shun and Tn, V« va»g and Che tv hug. But this does not extend farther.. 407 Extracts from the Shu-king. knew him, and in prefence of all his Court, made him his firft Minifter; (peaking to him in thefe Terms. Fail not to advife me every Day, and very frequently to reprove me, that thus, you may The Em- help me to acquire true Wildom. Confider me as a piece of unhammered Iron, and that you y*°J r are to fhape and to polifh me. Confider that I am to pafs a broad and a dangerous Torrent-, and bcire robe that you are to ferve me both for Bark and Oars. Confider me as a dry parcht piece of Ground, reprov’d for and that you are to be the kindly Shower that is to refrefh, and render it fertile. Open therefore ,us * aul:s ‘ your Heart, and pour into mine all the Riches your’s contains. But be lure not to fpare me : For if the Medicine is too weak, the Difeafe can never be removed. Unite all ye who approach my Perfon, and unanimoufly endeavour to correct me. So that as the worthy Heir of the Virtues of Ching tang , and the Imitator of our ancient Kings, I may be able to make my Subjects happy. Acquit then yourfelf faithfully of the Talk I impofe upon you, and never relax in your Endeavours, till I am fuch a Prince as I ought to be. Fit ywe anfwers the Emperor thus: Asa Piece of Wood becomes ftraight by following the His Minif- Line, lo Kings become Virtuous by following the wife Councils that are given them. When tcrs Aniwer - a king is Virtuous, his firft Minifter is, of himfelf, induced to do his Duty: But if, befides this, a Prince earneftly defires to be advifed, who will venture to difobey his glorious Commands? A good King is in place of Heaven, and treads the Path that is mark’d out to him. In obe¬ dience to its Supreme Will he divides the Empire into different Kingdoms. He eftablifhes their Kings in whom he can confide; placing about them able Perfons to afiift them in the Government of their States: Far from minding his own Pleafures, he thinks himfelf born only to make the World happy: We can fay of Heaven alone, that it (-f-) fees and hears all Things by itfelf, and of good Kings alone, that they endeavour as much as they can in this to imitate Heaven. For which reafon, their great Officers are always full of Submiffion and Refpetft: And the People fecurely tafte the Sweets of Peace. Shame can only come to Kings by their ilfuing forth unjuft Orders: And the Rebellions of the People only proceed from their Princes making War upon too flight Grounds: Beftow no Reward but upon Merit. Cloaths had better be locked up in a Cheft, than given away with¬ out any reafon : Before you punifh any one, examine yourfelf well. A King who perfectly fulfils thefe four Points, is truly enlightened ; and every thing confpires to render him happy: The Repofe or the Diftratftions of your Empire, depends upon thofe whom you place in Ports. Give not therefore the fmalieft Employments away in Complaifance to a Subjedt, whom you know is incapable to bear it: And never truft any thing of Importance to a bad Man, however great his Qualifications may be. Examine ferioufly before you a thefe ancient Books; and it is ordinary enough to meet with l.eflons of Humility among the Chiue/t Philofopheis, but pretty rare among thole of Greece and Renr.e. (a) The Character of C.r!hr is diawn bv Lucan aim of in the fame Words : AV ei:7i/r, p : ,:at dmn wr. A )';<*> ereffet aoendunt. Select 40 9 Vi^ **»’ *xf +£ *2* &■ *2* ’’»’ '■» t ' *»’" >4f *** ^2* <’»■*" <4* & ^»* ♦*» v«+ *«» *i? *»• '■«■* *2* v»v *. Seleffi ODES /ro/72 ^ an d Nature feems to be dying. A Difciple of Corfu fits, whofe Name upoTit ema ' y was Ko (hi, has compofed a learned Commentary upon this Work, intituled Que yu, that is to fay, fibe Maxims of Government. \The Li ki, or the fifth Canonical Book of the firft Order. |T~' H E filth Book entitled the Li ki, which is, as who (hould fay, a Memorial of the Laws, R Duties, and Ceremonies of a civil Life, contains twelve Books which Confucius had ■*- compofed from the different Works of the Ancients. It is believed that its principal Author was the Brother of the Emperor Vu vang, whofe Name was Chew kong, a Prince whom V irtue, Prudence, and Capacity equally recommended. This Book likewife comprehends the Works of feveral of the Dilciples of Confucius as well as of ether Authors more modern and lefs to be depended on. The Cuftomsand Ceremonies, both fucred and profane, are there treated of, together with the Ufages 0: all Kinds which were prac- ti fed The Canonical Books of the ftcond Order. 4H tifed efpecially in the Times of the three principal Dynafties of the Hya s Chang, and Shea. It treats likewife of the'Duties of Children to their Fathers, and of Wives to their Hufbands; o the Rules of true Friendffiip, of Civilities in Feafts, of Hofpitality, Funeral Honours, War, Mufic, and many other Things proper to cement and to keep up Society. But as 300 Years after this Compilation was made by Confucius, all the Copies were burnt bv that barbarous Order of Tfinfn whang ; and as no more of this Book could be recovered than a’few Leaves, faved from the general Conflagration, and what the old Men had been able to retain by Heart; there is no doubt, and it is the Opinion of the Interpreters and Commentators, that it is not only imperfeft on account of the unfaithfulnefs of the Memory of old Peo¬ ple, and the bad Deflgns of fome, by whofe means there have crept in a great deal of foreign and apocriphal Things, but that there are found in it many Ufages which are now a days laid a fide : Befides it is a Book which the Chineje themfelves own, ought to be read with a great deal of Caution. Of the daffies , or Canonical Books of the fecond Order called Tie ihu; with the Life of Confucius. T I I E five Books juft now deferibed, are of the remoteft Antiquity, and all others com- p ofed fince by the wifeft Men in China , are no other than Copies of, or Comments upon ° tJi 1 “ them. Among the numerous Authors, who have bellowed their labour upon thefe anci- eat Monuments, none has been more illuftrious than Conjupus: For during fo many Ages, he has been looked upon throughout the Empire, by way of Excellence, as the great Majier and Ornament of his Nation, as well as a compleat Model for all wife Men. Tho' he never acquired the Title of King, yet by his excellent Maxims and great Examples, "“V he governed a part of China during his Life ; and fince his Death, the Doctrine which he collected Ru e ot Co¬ in his Books, drawn from the ancient Laws, has been, and ftill is, look'd upon, as a perfedt Rulevermnc.it. of Government. As he never had any other View in his Undertakings, Travels, or Dilcourfes, than to revive the Morality of the firft Ages, to procure the Happinefs of SubjeSs, by in- ftrmfting their Princes, and thereby to promote the Love of Wildom, juft ice and Virtue through¬ out the Empire; So his Memory is in the higheft Veneration, and hath tranfmitted loch a Luf- tre to Polferity, that it ftill fhines, notwithftanding the diftance of Time that has inter¬ vened. There is, properly ipeaking, no Family in China whofe Nobility is hereditary, except - Mi u | . v - m that of Confupus, which ftill fubfifts; and is there in the higheft Efteem. Many Authors having only written the Life of this Philofopher, I (hall deliver what is moll generally laid on that Subjcfl. “ of Kong fit The Life of Kong fu tfe, or Confucius. C O NF UCIUS was born in a Town of the Kingdom of Lit, now the Province of Shan Time 0 f his long, in the 2 ijl Year of the Reign of Ling vang, the 23 d Emperor of the Race of Birth - the Chew, 551 Years before Chrift, and two before the Death of Thales , one of the feven Sages of Greece . He was contemporary with the famous Pythagoras y and fomewhat earlier than Socrates. (*) But Confupus has had this advantage above the other three, that his Glory has increafed with the fucceflion of Years, and has arrived at the higheft pitch that human Wifdom Hii Advan _ can pretend to. This exalted Reputation he ftill Maintains in the midft of the greateft Empire in tages above the World, which thinks itfelf indebted to this Philofopher for its Duration and Splendor. . phiTofophers! Flad Thales and Pythagoras, like Confupus , been contented with giving Precepts of Morality ; had neither the firft dived into Queftions purely Phyfical, concerning the Origin of the World ; nor the fecond dogmatized on the nature of the Rewards annexed to Virtue, and the Punifli- ments appointed for Vice, after this Life; thefe two Sages of Antiquity might have enjoyed a Reputation for Learning, lefs liable to Cenfure. Confupus, without being felicitous to fearch into the impenetrable Secrets of Nature, or to refine The Doc- too much on Points of common Belief, a Rock dangerous to Curiofity, folcly confined himfeif to fpeak concerning the Principle of all Beings; to infpire a Reverence, Fear and Gratitude for works, him; to inculcate, that nothing, not even the moft fecret Thought, efcapes his Notice ; that he never leaves Virtue without Reward, nor Vice without Punifhment, whatever the prefent Con¬ dition of both may be. Thefe are the Maxims fcattered throughout his Works; upon thefe Principles he governed himfeif, and endeavoured a Reformation ot Manners. Confucius was but three Years old when he loft his Father Sho lyang he, who died about the Account of Age of 73. This old Man enjoyed the higheft Offices of the Kingdom of 'Song, yet left no his Paren- other Inheritance to his Son, but the honour of defeending from Ti yc, the ijth Emperor of case> the 2 d Race of the Shang: His Mother, whofe Name was Shing, and who drew her Pedigree from the illuftrious Family of the Ten , lived 21 Years after the Death of her Hufhand. * The Author might have added, that he was Contemporary with §t>Isn, the Celebrated Philofopher, and Legiflator of Athens. In 4i6 HisStudies i his Youth, His Mar¬ riage. He propofes a general Re¬ formation of Manners. Accepts of Offices into tht Magif- n.-.cy with ti at View. Reformation wrought in the Kingdom of LJ Defeated by a Stratagem. He returns to a private Life, and falls into great Indi¬ gence. Number of his Diiciples 7he Canonical Books of the fecond Order. In his mod tender Age he was obferved to have the Wifdom of a dilcreet Man; Play and childifh Amufements were not at all to his liking. A grave, modeft and ferious Air gained him the Refpedt of thofe who knew him, and was a Prefage of what he would one Day become. He hadfcarce attained his i$tb Year, when he applied himfelf ferioufly to the Study of the anci¬ ent Books, and lurnifhed his Mind with Maxims the mod proper to regulate the Heart, and infpire the People with the Love of Virtue. At the Age of nineteen he married, and had but one Wife, and by her a Son called Pe yu , who died at the Age of fifty ; this latter left one Heir, called Tfu tse, who treading in the Steps of Confupus his Grand-Father, devoted him- felt to the ftudy of Wifdom, and by his Merit obtained the chief Employments in the Empire. When Confufius was more advanced in Years, and thought he had made confiderable Progrefs in the Knowledge of Antiquity, he propoled to re-edablifn the form of a wife Government in the feveral little Kingdoms, of which the Empire was compofed, and to procure by this means the Reformation of Manners. For then, each Province of the Empire was a didant Kingdom, had its particular Laws, and was governed by its own Prince. To fay the Truth, all the little Kingdoms were dependant on the Emperor; but it often hap¬ pened that the imperial Authority was too weak to keep them within the bounds of their Duty. Thefe Kings were Sovereigns in their refpeAive Dominions; they levied Taxes, impofed Tribute, conferred Dignities and Employments; declared War, when they thought proper, againd their Neighbours, and fometimes became formidable to the Emperor himfelf. As Inte- refi, Avarice, Ambition, Difiimulation, falfe Policy, with the love of Pleafure and Luxury, pre¬ vailed in all thefe little Courts, Con/ufius undertook to banifh thefe Vices, and to introduce the oppofite Virtues in their Stead, he preached up every where, as well by his own Example, as by his Indrudtions, Modedy, Difinteredednefs, Sincerity, Equity, and Temperance, together with the contempt of Riches and Pleafures. His Integrity, extenfive Knowledge, and the Splendor of his Virtues, foon caufing him to be known, feveral Places in the Magidracy were offered him; which he accepted folely with a View of propagating his Dodtrine, and reforming Mankind. Tho’ his Succefs was not anfwerable to his Pains, yet being lefs influenced with the Honours that were paid him, than the Love of the public Welfare, he prefcntly threw up all his Employments, how confiderable foever, to go in quell: elfewhere of a People more tradable, as well as more capable of profiting by his Precepts. Of this he gave feveral Proofs on various Occafions, but especially in the 55/A Year of his Age, when he was promoted to one of the chief Pods in the Kingdom of Lit, his native Country. In lefs than three Months the Face of the Kingdom was changed ; the Prince who placed his whole Confidence in him, the Grandees of the Kingdom, and the People, were quite different from what they were before. This Change was fo fudden and profperous, that it infufed Jealoufy in the neighbouring Princes. They judged that, as nothing was more capable of making a Kingdom flourifh than good Order and the exad Obfervation of the Laws, the King of Lu would infallibly become too powerful, if he continued to follow the Councils of fo wife and knowing a Man. Of thefe Princes the King of 7 / 7 , being mod alarmed, held feveral Councils with his prin¬ cipal Miniders ; and after frequent Deliberations it was concluded, that under the pretence of an Ambady, a Prefent Should be made, to the King of Lu and to the great Lords of his Court, of a great Number of beautiful young Girls, who had been indru&ed from their Infancy in Singing and Dancing, and had all the Charms, requifite to pleafe and captivate the Heart. This Stratagem fucceeded: For the King of Lu and all his Grandees, received this Prefent with a great deal of Gratitude and Joy ; and not being able to refid the Charms of thefe Stran¬ gers, thought of nothing elfe but making Feads to divert them. The -Prince wholly taken up with his Pleafures, abandoned the Budnefs of the State, and became inaccedible to his mod zealous Miniders. Con/ufius endeavoured by Remondrances, to bring him back to his Reafon and Duty ; but when he faw that the Prince was deaf to all his Councils, he refolved to dived himfelf of an Office which could be cf no ufe to the People, under fo voluptuous a Prince. Whereupon, lay¬ ing down his Employment, he left the Court; and !>ecame an Exile from his native Country, in order to feek in other Kingdoms for Minds, more fit to relidi and follow his Maxims. He palled through the Kingdoms of 7 / 7 , Gbey, and f]Ti, to no Eftedt The Auderity of his. Morals, made his Politics dreaded ; nor were the Miniders of the Princes willing to countenance a dcilful Rival, who was able quickly to ruin their Credit and Authority. Thus wandring from Province to Province, he came into the Kingdom of Shing, where he was reduced to the great- ed Indigence, without laying afide his Greatnefs of Soul and ufual Condancy. It was a Sort of Novelty to behold a Philofopher, after he had gained the public Admiration in the mod honourable Employments of the State, returning of his own accord to the pri¬ vate Functions of a Sage, entirely devoted to the Indrudtion of the People, and on this Account, undertaking continual and painful Journies. His Zeal extended to Perfons of all Ranks, to the Learned and Ignorant* to Courtiers and Princes; in fhort, his LefTons were adapted to all Conditions in general, and proper for each in particular. He had lo often in his Mouth, the Maxims and Examples of the Heroes of Antiquity, Tan, Shun, Tit, Cbtng tang, and Ven vang, that thofe great Men leemed to be revived in him. For this Reafon it is not at all furprizing that he had fuch a great Number of Diiciples, who were inviolably attached to his Perfon : For they reckon 3000, amongd whom there were 500, who 417 The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. who pofleft'ed, with Honour, the higheft Trufts in various Kingdoms; and amongft thefe \Vere 7-2, Hill more diftinguiftied than the reft by the Practice of Virtue. His Zeal inspired him even with a Delire of crofting the Sea, in order to propagate his Dodtrine in the moll; dis¬ tant Climates. lie divided his Difciples in four different Claffes: The firft was of thofe who were to cultivate He divides their Minds by Meditation, and to purify their Hearts by the care of acquiring Virtues. The th '-‘ m mod famous of this Clafs were Men ts'e kyen, Jen pe myew , Sbung fang, and Yen ywen : This 3 Lift was lhatched away by an untimely Death, at the Age of 31 ; and as he was greatly beloved by his Mafter, he was a long time the fubjedt of his Grief and Tears. Tire feconcl Clais conlilled of thofe whole Buftnefs was to reafon juftly, and to compofe perfuaftve and elegant Difcourfes: The inoft admired amongft thefe were Tfay ngo, and If it fang. The Employ¬ ment of the third Clafs was to ftudy the Rules of good Government; to give the Mandarins an Idea of it, and to teach them how to acquit themfelves worthily in the public Offices. The mod eminent in their refpedt were Ien yen , and Ki lu. In flrort, to write iir a concife and elegant Stile, the Principles of Morality, was the Bulinefs of the Difciples of the laft Clafs; among whom Iju yen , and Yfu by a, deferved very great Commendations. Thefe ten choice Difciples were the Flower and Chief of Confu pus's School. The whole Dodtrine of this Philofopher, tended to reftore human Nature to its primitive k c aims to Luftre and Beauty, received from Heaven ; w'hich had been obfeured by the Darknefs of Igno- >ei!ore cor- rance, and the Contagion of Vice. The means he propofed to attain it, was to obev, honour ruptcd Na ‘ and fear the Lord of Heaven; to love our Neighbours as ourfelves; to conquer irregular Incli¬ nations ; never to take our Paffions for the Rule of our Condudt; but to lubmit to Reafon, •. and liften to it in all Things; fo as neither to adt, Ipeak, or think in any wife contrary to it. As his Adtions never contradidted his Maxims; and as by his Gravity, Modefty, Mildnefs,^ co.ineJby and Frugality, his Contempt of Earthly Enjoyments, and a continual watchfulnefs over his Con- lever:tl Kings dudt, he w'as himfelf an Example of the Precepts he taught in his Writings, and Difcourfes, each of the Kings ftrove to draw him into his Dominions: The good Effedts wrought by him in one Country, being a Motive for another earneftly to wiffi for his Prefence. But a Zeal continually fuccefsful, and without Oppofttion, would have wanted fomething of His Refolu- its full Luftre. Confupus appeared always equal to himfelf in the greateft Difgraces and Trou- Stca ' bles; which yet w'ere the more likely to ruffle him, as they were excited by the Jealoufy of ill deftgning Perfons, and in a Place where he had been generally applauded. This Philofopher, after the Death of the Prince of Chew his Admirer, became of a fudden, through the Envy of his Courtiers, the common Talk of the fenfelefs Populace, and the Subjedt of their Songs and Satyrs; in the midft of which unworthy Treatment, he loft nothing of his ufual Tranquility. But what was moft to be admired, was the Conftancy and Steadinefs he difeovered, when his Life was in iminent Danger, through the Brutality of a great Officer of the Army, named Whanti ; who hated this Philofopher, tho’ he had never given him any Offence. But bad Men Remmk.-.blc have always a natural Antipathy to thofe, whofe regular Life is a fecret Reproach to their, imhr.re diforderly Condudt. Confupus beheld the Sword lifted up, ready to give him a mortal Blow; thercof ‘ yet tho’ the Danger was fo near, he did not difeover the leaft Concern or Emotion: But his Dif¬ ciples were terrified and difperfed. As fome of thofe who had moft Affedtion for him, preffed him to make Hafte away, to avoid fj -: c Motion the Mandarins Fury: If lyen, replied he, protects us, of which he has juft given a very fenfible •>> Provi- Proof, what Harm can the Rage of Whan ti do us, notwithftanding he is Prejident of the 7 ri- dence - bunal of the Army ? Confupus feemed on this Occafion to fupport the Charadter of a Sage, more worthily than the Stoic did, when his Mafter gave him the Blow which lamed him. His natural Infen- ftbility, founded on a notion, that the Pains of the Body do not affedt the Soul which refidcs there, has nothing in it equal to the Sentiment of Confupus, who relies on the Protedlion that Heaven extends to thofe who ferve it. This is not to place Happinefs in a Man’s own Virtue, that being an infupportable Pride, but is founded on a long Habit of referring every thing to Yyen ; infomuch that it occured to his Mind, on the very firft motion of Surprize and Dread. The Virtues of this Chinefe Philofopher, were ftill more heightened by his charming Modefty. HisMedeflv, He was never heard to praife himfelf, and could hardly bear the Encomiums others beftowed on anJ Averiicn him: To which he anfwered only by reproaching himfelf, for taking fo little care in watching t0 Prailc - over his own Adtions, and negledting to pradtife Virtue. When any one admired his Dodtrine, and the fublime Principles of Morality which lie taught, far from affuming the Honour to him- fclf, he ingenuoufty confefled that it was not invented by him, but was much more ancient, being derived from thofe wife Legiflators, Yau and Shun, who lived 1500 Years before him. According to a Tradition univerfally received amongft the Chinefe, he was frequently heard Tn-d-tlonthe to repeat thefe Words; Si fang yew jhingjin, importing, that, in the JVefi, the true Saint was to Sou ' c - ol Su- he f ound. It is not known who the Perfon was concerning ’whom he fpoke : But it is certain, “ n that 65 Years after the Birth of Chrift, Ming ti, the 1 ph Emperor of the Family of the Han, equally affedted with the Words of this Philofopher, and the Image of a Man who appeared to him in a Dream as coming from the Weft, fent f/'ay tj'mg and Tftn king, two Grandees of the Empire, into thofe Parts, with Orders not to return till they had found the holy Perfon, whom Heaven had revealed to him, and had learned the Law which he taught. But the Mef- fengers terrified with the Dangers and Fatigues of the Journey, flopped feme where in the Vol. I. 5 N Indies 418 7 he Canonical Books of the fecond Order. Indies, for the Place is uncertain, where they found the Image of a Man named Fo, who had infcCted thofe Parts with his monftrous Doctrine, about 500 Years before the Birth of Confucius'-, and having informed themfelves in the Superftitions ot this Country, on their return to China they propagated that Idolatry. Hi. Death, Confucius having linifhed his philofophical Labours, and in particular the hiftorical Work of Chun tfyu, died in the Kingdom of Lit, his native Country, aged 73, in the 41ft Year of the Reign of King vang, the 2 $tb Emperor of the Race of the Chew. and laft Say- A few Days before his laft Sicknefs, he told his Difciples, with Tears in his Eyes, that he iny; ' was pierced with Grief, to fee the Diforders which reigned in the Empire ; adding, “ Fhe “ Mountain is fallen, the high Machine is defrayed, and the Sages are no more to be Jcen ” His Meaning was, that the Edifice of Perfection, which he had endeavoured to raife, was almoft: overthrown. He began from that time to languid), and the feventh Day before his Death, turn¬ ing himfelf towards his Difciples; ” Fhe Kings, faid he, refufe to follow my Maxims-, and fine e ct I am no longer ufeful on the Earth, it is necejfary that T JJeould leave it.” Lamented by Having fpokcn thefe Words he fell into a Lethargy, which continued feven Days, at the end Uie King of whereof he expired, in the Arms of his Difciples. When Ngay kong, who then reigned in the Kingdom of Lu, firft heard of the Death of the Philofopher, he could not refrain from Tears. Heaven is not Jatisfied with me, cried he, fince it has taken Confucius from me. In effect, the Sages are precious Gifts which Heaven beftows on the Earth, and their Worth is mold known by the lofs of them. d 're SepUl They built his Sepulchre near the City Kyo few, on the Side of the River Su, in the fame Spot where he ufed to aflemble his difciples. It has fince then been enclofed with Walls, and at pre- fent looks like a finall City. He was lamented by the whole Empire, but cfpccially by his Dif¬ ciples, who went into Mourning, and bewailed him as if he had been their Father. Thefe Sen¬ timents, full of Veneration which they had for him, encreafing with time, he is at prefent con- lidered as the great Mailer and chief Dodtor of the Empire. His Perfon. He was tall and well proportioned. His Breaft and Shoulders were broad, his Air grave and majeftic, his Completion olive, his Eyes large, his Beard long and black, his Nofe a little flat, and his Voice ilrong and piercing. On the Middle of his Forehead there was a Swelling, or Kind of Wen, which disfigured him a little, and caufed his Father to call him Kyew , that is, little Hill: A Name he fometimes gave himfelf out of Modefty and Humility. Ills Works. But it is by his Works that he is chiefly known; whereof four are in greateft Efieem, becaufe they contain all that he had collected relating to the ancient Laws, which are looked on as a perfedt Rule of Government: Altho’ the laft of them is more properly the Work of his Difciple Men fits. The firft of thefe Books is called Fa hyo , which fignifies the grand Science , or the School of Adults. The fecond is named the Chong yong, or the immutable Medium, beino- that ]uft Middle which is found between two Extreams, and wherein Virtue confifts. The"third is called Lun yu, that is, moral and pithy Difcourfes. And the fourth is intitled Mcng tse, or the Book of Men fits : In which the Author gives an Idea of a perfect Government. To thefe four Books, are added two others, which are almoft in equal Reputation. The firft named Hyau king, that is, of filial RefpeB, contains the Anlwers which Corfu fins made to his Difciple Ffeng, concerning the Reverence due to Parents. The fecond is called Syau hyo , that is, the Science or School of Children ; and is a Colledtion of Sentences and Examples, taken from ancient and modern Anthors. In order to give the Reader a flight Notion of the Chincfe Science, I fhall make a fhort Extract of each of thefe Books, from the Latin Tranflation of P. Noel {one of the moft ancient Mifiionaries of China ) printed at Prague in 1711. To which I referr thofe who would be more thoroughly acquainted with them. 7he Ta hyo, or, School of Adults. The firft Clafftcal or Canonical Book of the fecond Order. Abftrnft of 0 NF TJ CIXJS is the Author of this Work, and his Difciple Ffeng tse the Com- lUciaijo. j mentator. This is what Beginners ought to ftudy firft, becaufe it is as it were the firft entrance into the Temple of Wifdom and Virtue. It treats firft of the Care we ought to take in governing ourfelves, that we may be able afterwards to govern others; and of Perfe- verance in the Sovereign good, which according to him, is nothing elle but the Conformity of our Adtions with right Reafon. The Author calls his Book Fa hyo, or, Fhegrand Science, becaufe it was chiefly defigned for Princes and great Men, who ought to learn to govern their People well. SuuK 2 econ- . All the Science requifite for the Princes and Grandees of a Kingdom, fays Corfufins, confifts i: in rcito- in cukivating and improving the reafonable Nature they have received from Tyen ; and in reftoring *'’-'"fC t0 ' u that primitive Light and Dilcernment, which has been either weakened or obfeured by tJ.-c. various Palfions, that they may be in a condition afterwards to forward the Perfection of others. To fucceed then herein it is neceflary to begin with ourfelves ; and for that end it is requifite to examine well into the nature of Things, and to endeavour to acquire a true Knowledge of Good The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. 4i_9 Good and Evil; to fix the Will towards the love of this Good, and the hatred of this Evil; to preferve Integrity of Heart, and regulate his Manners. When a Man has thus renewed himfelf, he will have no Difficulty to renew others: And by this means Concord and Union is quickly ieen to reign in Families; the Kingdoms are governed according to the Laws ; and the whole Empire enjoy perfect Peace and Tanquillity. The Dodtor Tjhig, to give his Matters Dodtrine its full Extent, explains it in ten Chapters. In Chap. i. the firft he (hews from the Text of the canonical Books, and the Examples of l'ome ancient Wh ' ,ci " rc “ Emperors, wherein renewing ourfelves confifts; and what mutt be done to reftore reafonable flits.'" 8 Nature, to that primitive Light which it received from Heaven. In the fecond he teaches, in what manner the Minds and Hearts of People are to be renewed. cha P -■ In the third he (hews, what courfe mutt be taken to attain Perfedtion. He propofes as a Patern chap. 3. the Application of a Ikilful Workman, who defires to do his Work in Perfedtion ; and quotes Pittances of feveral Princes, who were continually attentive to the Regulation of their Adtionstion. " and Condudt. In the fourth he demonftrates, that before all things, a Man ought to Study his own Perfec- chap. 4. tion, and that then it will be eafy to render others perfedt. In the fifth he explains, what it is to penetrate the Nature of Things to the bottom, in order ch3 P' >• to come to a perfedt Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the fixth he teaches, that we ought not to deceive ourfelves, but apply with a fincere Heart Chap. 6. to the Study and Pradtice of Virtue; to fix the Will in the love of Good and the hatred of Evil; That °“ r and to put ourfelves with regard to both, in the fame Difpofition as we are with regard to Beauty, be”fincc°e” which we are prone to love, and Uglinefs which we are naturally inclin’d to hate" In the feventh he (hews, that in order to regulate our Manners, we mutt know how to cha P- 7 - govern the Heart; and above all, to matter the four principal Paffions, capable of introducing ^™ t “e g p a ' f . Trouble and Confufion, viz. Joy, Sadnefs, Anger and Fear. That in reallity thefe Paffions are lion., infeperable from human Nature, but can never hurt the Perfon who knows how to bridle them ; and that the Heart is like a polifhed Mirror, which is not fullied by the Objedls it reflcdls. In the eighth he (hews, that to ettablilh Union and Peace in a Family, the Father mutt Chap. s. know how to govern his Aftedtions, that he may not be fway’d by a blind Love, but in all things, Aftau,™ 1 follow the Light of found Reafon : For otherwife he will never be able to lee either the Faults of thofe he loves, or the good Qualities of thole to whom he has taken an Averfion. In the ninth he proves, that the wife and prudent Manner, by which Families are regulated, Cha P- 0 is the Bafts of good Government in a Kingdom ; that it is the fame Principle which adluates and gives motion to both of them; that if we reverence and obey our Parents, we will alfo miiics is tiie reverence and obey the King; that if in the Orders which are given, his Children and Domef- Elf,s of Go_ tics, are treated with Mildnefs, the fame Lenity will be extended towards his Subjedts; that this ver “ m '” t ' was the wife Council which the Emperor Vu vang gave to the King his Brother, faying. Love your People as a tender Mother loves her young Child ; that this Love is infufed by Nature, and requires no Study ; that a Maid before her marriage, was never known to ftudy how to manage in fuckling her Child ; that a wife Prince receives the fame Inclination from Nature ; that his Example is the Rule by which his Family is governed, and the government of his Family, the Model for the government of his Dominions. In the tenth Book he (hews, that to govern a State well, a Prince ought to judge of others chap. 10. by himfelf; that lie ought to avoid impofmg on his Subjefls any Commands, which he would not be pleafed to find in the Orders of one who had a right to command him; that he ought to ™ ' gain the Hearts of his Subjedts by his Virtue, and infpire them with the Love of it by his Exam¬ ple; that the Happinefs of a State does not confift in Gold and Silver, but in its abounding with virtuous Men; that a wife Prince ought, above all things, to be very careful in chufing his Minifters ; that he fhould caft his Eye upon none but juft, wife, honeft and difinterefted Per- fons; that the Hearts of his Subjedts is an inexhauftble Treafure to him; that he will lofe his Riches if he feeks to heap them up, and that if he diftributes them liberally among his People, he will never fail to be Rich; that in fhort, he will never tafte Happinefs, but in proportion as he renders his People happy, and prefers the public Good to his own private Intereft. Chong yong, or, The immutable Medium. The fecond Clajfical, or Canonical Book of the fecond Order. T H I S Work, of which Confufius is the Author, was pufilifhed by his Grandfoh Tfe tse': Abfimft of And treats of the Medium which ought to be obferved in all Things. Chong fignifies chong Middle or Mean , and by Tong is underftood that which is conftant , eternal and immutable. He undertakes to prove that every wife Man, and efpecially thofe who are entrufted with the Government of Nations, ought to follow this Middle, .in which Virtue confifts. He begins Jf h t e h Do (! rinc with a Definition of human Nature and its Paffions: Then he introduces divers Examples of a um% Virtues, 420 The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. The fir ft human At tions. The 2d. 3d. ITc. The Medium of feveral Vir¬ tue.^. Virtues, and among the reft, of Piety, Fortitude, Prudence, and filial Refped’; as fo many Patterns of the Medium that ought to be obferved. He Ihews afterwards that this Medium, and the Practice of it, is the right and true Path for a wife Man to take, in order to arrive at the higheft Pitch of Virtue. This Book is divided into 33 Articles. In the firft he lays, that the Law of Heaven is tick-. Rea ion engraven even in the Nature of Man ; that the Conduct of this Nature, or rather the fecret the Rule of Ljg}-j t t h at directs his Reafon, is the right Path which he ought to follow in his Addons, and becomes the Rule of a wife and virtuous Life 3 that he muft never ftray from this Path, for which Caufe a wife Man ought inceflantly to watch over the Motions of his Heart and his Paffions; that thefe Pafiions keep the Middle, and incline neither to the right nor left when they are calm ; that if we know how to curb and moderate them when they rife, they are then agreeable to right Reafon ; and, by this Conformity, Man keeps in that right Way, that Medium, which is the Source and Principle of virtuous Adions. In the fecond Article, and fo to the twelfth, he deplores the unhappy State of the Generality of Mankind, whereof fo very few follow this Middle wherein Virtue confifts. He enters next into a Detail of certain Virtues, and explains what is the Middle of Prudence, Piety and For¬ titude j confirming his Dodrine by Examples of the ancient Emperors, and lome Dilciples of Con/ufius. The 12th & In the twelfth and thirteenth Articles, he makes it appear, that this Science of the Medium is nth. The f u blinie, difficult and fubtile in Speculation, but in Pradice eafy and common; that it extends to astoPraftice. the moft ordinary Adions of Life, as the Refped a Child owes to its Parent, the Deference due from a younger Brother to an Elder, and the Sincerity ufual between Friends. The 1 h 1 fourteenth he Ihews, that in keeping the Medium, a wife Man confines himfelf to the RrR,asV Duties of his Employment, and does not meddle with other Affairs; that whatever Circum- keeping the ftances, State or Place he is in, he is always the fame, always Mafter of himfelf, being equally Medium. fl. cac }y am idft the hurry of Bufinefs, and in the repofe of a private Life ; that as he is never proud nor haughty in great Profperity, fo he difeovers nothing mean or grovelling in a low and abjed Condition. The 15th From the fifteenth Article to the twenty firft, he brings Examples of Princes, who both & c- Rxam- pofleffed and pradifed the Science of the Medium ; amongft the reft he cites the Emperor Sbun 9 £ S ° f Pim Ven vang and Vu vang ; affirming that Heaven rewarded the Reverence they payed their Parents, by advancing them to the Empire, and loading them with Riches and Honours. Afterwards he gives an Account of the Ceremonies, which thefe Princes inftituted as well to honour the Lord of Heaven, as to give public Marks of their Mindfulnefs of, and Refped for the Memory of their deceafed Parents. In the twentieth he Ihews, that to govern others well, we muft know howto govern our- felves; that the Regulation, of Manners confifts principally in three Virtues, viz. Prudence, Integrity of Heart, and Fortitude ; that Prudence is necelfary for difeovering the juft Medium theManilers. in queftion; Integrity of Heart for purfuing it, and Fortitude for perfevering therein. Next he enumerates nine Virtues which an Emperor ought to be poffeffed of, in order to govern wifely. (1.) He muft regulate his whole Life and Condud. (2.) He muft honour wife Men in a particular Manner. (3.) He muft love his Parents tenderly. (4.) He muft treat the prime Minifters of the Empire with Diftindion. (5.) He muft treat the Mandarins, and thofe who* afpire to Offices, as he is treated himfelf. (6.) Fie muft take Care of his Subjeds as his own Children. (7.) He muft draw into his Dominions fuch as excell in any ufeful Art or Profef- fion. (8.) He muft give a kind Reception to Strangers, and the Ambaffadors of other Princes. (9.) He muft keep all the Kings of the Empire, and the tributary Princes within the Bounds of their Duty-After this he explains the Advantages which will accrue to a Prince, by the Pradice of thefe nine Virtues. If his Life be well regulated, it willferve as a Patern to his Subjeds, who will form their Manners by his Example. If he honours wife Men, their Advice and Inftruc- tions will be of great fervice to him, in governing himfelf and others prudently. If he loves his Parents and Relations, they will not look on his Grandeur and Advancement with an evil Eve; but will join in their Endeavours to maintain his Dignity and Power. If he treats the prime Minifters of the Empire with Honour, they will affift him both with their Councils andlntereft in any dif¬ ficult and perplexing Affair; and he will know what Relolutionshe had beft to take. If he has the fame regard for the other Mandarins as himfelf, their Gratitude to fo good a Prince, will make them more zealous and pundual in the Execution of their Trufts. If he takes care of his Sub¬ jeds as if they were his Children, they will love him as if he was their Father. If he draws all forts of fkilful Artifts into his Empire, they will bring with them Riches and Plenty. If he receives Strangers kindly, the four Quarters of the World will relound with his Fame, and the number of his Subjeds will be encreafed, by the People who will come from all Coun¬ tries to tafte the Sweets of fo wife a Government. Laftly, if he keeps the tributary Princes within their Duty, his Authority will be refpeded, and Peace will reign in the Empire. In the twelve following Articles, he makes it appear that thefe Virtues do not deferve that 1 'uth the*' Name, if they be not real and free from all Difguife ; that Truth is the effence of all Virtue; Eir-nce of that the prudent Man who would follow the Medium in which Virtue confifts, ought to apply virluc - himfelf to the Study of Truth; that it refides in the Heart by the Affedion, and appears out¬ wardly by the Pradice; that when a Man has once acquired it, he extends his Views and Attention to every thing, forefeeing what is to come, a? if it was prefent; that in Ihort, if he The 20th. Virtues re quifite for eulatin- Thofe reqi reel in Prin Btiil thei Effcfts. dll The Canonical Books of the fecond Oder. he who has attained to the Perfection of true Virtue,.be poflcfted of the Sovereign power, he can cftahlilh no Laws but what are wife, and for the good of the People. Laftly, in the 33d Article, he proves, that to acquire this Perfeftion in which the,, Pcr Medium of \ irtue confifs, it is not neceliary to perform difficult, painful and extraerd in ary icCtion enfy Things ; it fuffices to apply himfelf particularly to this Virtue, which tho’ hidden within us and t0 > not vifible to the Eyes of Men, will yet (hew itfelf outwardly, become known and 'admired : qulrEd ' Juft as a Fifli, which hides itfelf at the bottom of clear Water, always appears above. He fupporis this Dodtrine by fome inftances of the ancient Emperors Ven uang and Vu vtwg, who are fpo- ken of in the canonical Books, intitled I king , Shu king and Shi king. Lun vu, or. T he Book of Sentences. The third Clajfical, or Canonical Book of the fecond Order. T HIS Book is a Colledlion of Sentences and moral Difcourfes, and divided into twenty Abflrad of Articles j which confift only of Queftions, Anfwers and Sayings, either of Corfu fius 0 r tiie his Difciples, on the Virtues, good Works, and the art of governing well: ExceptingMo^'sen* the ten Articles, wherein the Difciples of Confafius give a particular account of the outward Knee.,. ° n Behaviour of their Matter. We find in this Collection, as fine Maxims and Sentences of Mora¬ lity, as any aferibed to the feven wife Men of Greece , fo much cry’d up. As it is not pottible to give the Subftance of fo many fcattered Maxims, I fliall only offer a brief Account of the prin¬ cipal Matters treated of in each Article. In the firtt he gives the Character of a wife Man, and (hews what are his Virtues and Duties i. The Cha¬ in every condition of Life, whether he be in a private Station, or at the Helm of Affairs. He n,a ' r of 1 fays, among other things, that it is impoffible a Flatterer ttiould be Virtuous: to which the Dif- wilc Man ’ ciple of Confafius adds, that he examined himfelf every Day, with refpedt to three Things. (i.) If when he undertakes to do any one a Piece of Service, he applies himfelf wholly tott, and without Referve; (2.) If in converfing with his Friends, he behaves with Caudour and Fanknefs; (3.) If after he has heard his Matter’s Dodtrine, he takes care to benefit by it and put it in Practice. He fays likewife, that he who ftudies Wifdom, does not grieve for being little known to Men, but becaufe they are not fufficiently known to him. In the fecond he lpeaks of the Duties of a Prince, who would govern his Subjects well; and 2. Mow to of the Reverence due from Children to their Parents. He informs us by what Signs to diftin- know a guifli a wife Man; with what Care we ought to avoid the evil Sedts &c. Would you know, Man ‘ fays he, whether a Man be wife or not? Examine well his Adtions: If they are bad, he is but too well known : If they are good, try to find out the Motive that influenced him. Carry your Curiofity yet farther : Examine what his Inclinations are, and what he takes moft Delight in ; After this it will be in vain for him to counterfeit, fince you have difeovered what he really is at the Bottom. He who approves of the evil Sedts, fays he again, fuch as thofe of the Ho facin'* and Tau tie Bonzas, does great Plurt to himfelf, and Injury to the Empire. There is no true Dodtrine but that which we have received from the ancient Sages; which teaches us to follow right Reafon, to preferve Integrity of Pleart, to retain a decent Behaviour, to corredt our Faults and reform our Manners. In the third he gives a particular Account of the Ceremonies preferibed for honouring deceafed Honour Parents ; and rebukes thofe who negledt or tranfgrefs them. He fpeaks of the Worlhip due to' 0 deceafed Spirits; of the imperial Laws, Mufic, and the Method of fhooting with the Bow (if). Parents * In the fourth he fpeak of the Duties of Children towards their Parents. Pie fhews the Diffe- ( n . rence between an honett Man and a Knave, a wife Man and a Fool. Thefe following are fome of cS?en of his Maxims; we may judge even by Men’s Faults, whether they are virtuous or not. A t0 Paints, virtuous Man fcarce ever offends, but thro’ excefs of Affedtion and Gratitude ; a malicious Man commonly fins thro’ excefs of Hatred and Ingratitude. The wife Man has nothing in View, but the Beauty of Virtue; and the Fool thinks of nothing but the Conveniences and Pleafures of Life. The wife Man does not grieve for want of being advanced to great Employ¬ ments, but becaufe he wants the neceffary Qualifications for rendering him worthy of them. In beholding the Virtues of wife Men we are wife if we imitate them : In beholding the Vices of wicked Men, we are virtuous if we found ourfelves, and examine if we be not fubjedt to the fame Vices. In the fifth, Confufitts gives his judgment with refpedt to the Qualifications, Difpofitions,. ha Virtues and Failings of fome of his Difciples. He praifes for in fiance, one named Tfu z'cn,oi ti^Dii- 1 who having been advanced thrice to the Office of prime Minitter, in the Kingdom of Lit (now ci P Ies . the Province of Hu qua tig) difeovered no fign of Joy; and having been as .often deprived Ko,, zT u ,Je ‘ of his Dignity, fhewed no fign of Concern. " To which he adds: I judge from thence that he Vol. I. 5 O is (t) In this exercife, which was to teach them Archcry, the Skin of a Beail was fet up for a Mark. For the Emperor it was a Bear’s fkin; for a King, the Skin of a Stag; for a Man¬ darin, that of a Tyger’s Skin; and for one of the Literati/that of a Boar. The Emperor, in {hooting, flood 120 Paces from the But; the King 80, the Mandarin 70, and the Man of Letters t;o. Whuh different Diltance?, denoted the different Degrees of Power and Authority. 422. The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. 6 . Their Charaflers Continued. \z an excellent Minifter, but dare not affirm he was Virtuous; for to be fure of that, I fhoulcl have been able to dive into his Thoughts, and know if he pofleffed Integrity of Heart. He teaches afterwards, that we fhoulc. not judge of a Man’s Virtue by fome outward Adftions, which often have only the appearance of Virtue ; for that true Virtue dwells in the Heart, and in its natural Redtitude. In the fixth Confuyius makes known fome of his Difciples, whom he judges fit for Govern¬ ment ; and praifes their extraordinary Zeal to learn and improve. Then he treats of the Manner to be oblerved in giving and receiving [Prefents.] Next he explains the Qualities of true Virtue. My Difciple Yen whey, fays he, was reduced to ext ream Poverty, having nothing to fubfifi on but Rice and V/ater ; yet in this State of Indigence he ?iever lojl his njital tranquility and Joy : Such a Man I call a true Sage - I call him a virtuous Man , who firjl bears with Conflancy all the Difficulties that occur in acquiring Virtue ; and afterwards thinks of faffing the Sweets which are found in the Poffeffion of it. - A virtuous Man may puffer himfelf to be deceived foffar as to believe Falfhcods, but never fo Jar as to do what is evil, y. Kong ft In the feventh, he relates the mean Opinion Confupus had of himfelf, and the Encomiums tie's, hum lie bellowed on him by his Difciples. It was not I J'aid the Philofophcr, who invented the Doftrine of°hSnf*lf. which 1 teach you : I take it from the Ancients, from whom 1 learned it. - He laid another time, that he was continually uneafy on four Accounts. Firft, becaufe he had made too little Progrefs in Virtue; Secondly, becaule he was not eager enough in purfuit of his Studies; Thirdly, becaufe he did not give himfelf up to the Duties which Juftice prelcribes; Fourthly, becaufe lie was not Efficiently watchful over himfelf, and the Reformation of his Manners. - Fie faid alfo, I fee ntyfelf in extream Indigence, a little Rice and Water being all I have to live upon ; yet therewith I am chearful and content, becaufe Iconjider the Dignities and Riches which are acquired by unjuft Means, as Clouds driven about in the Sky by the Winds. - How happy am II faid he another time, for if I commit a Fault , it is immediately known to every body. -- Being informed one Day that they gave him the Name of King, that is, moft Wife: That Encomium does not fait me, faid he, nor can I fuffer it. All the good that can be faid of me, is that I endea¬ vour to acquire Wifdom and Virtue ; and am 7 :ot difeouraged by the trouble there is in teaching them to others. - His Difciples fayed of him, that he joined three Things together, which feemed almoft incompatible: viz. All the Charms of Politenefs with a great deal of Gravity ; a fevere Look with abundance of good Nature and Mildnefs; and an extraordinary greatnefs of with a great deal of Modefty. 8 F.nco In the eighth, he makes the Encomium of the ancient Emperors Vii vang. Tit, Shun and mium of the 2 Tau. He recites fome Maxims of the Do&or Tfeng, and fliews what are the Duties of a wife Man. Where is there to be found, fays Confucius, a greatnefs oj Soul equal to that of the Emperors Shun and Yu ? They were taken out of a very abjeft Condition to be raffed to the Empire ; and on the Throne they were fo free from Ambition and vain Glory , that they poffeffed the Empire as if they poffeffed it not. -- When Jhallwe find a Man of Abilities, who patiently liftens to the Tnftruc¬ tions given him by an ignorant Per/bn? Where ft:all we find that Man, who being treated with Contempt and Outrage, does not think of Revenge ? For my Part, I never knew any one of this Char after, except my fellow Difciple Yen ywen. - A wife Man fhould for ever be learning as if he knew nothing, and ff.'ould always be afraid of forgetting what he has learned. In the ninth, we meet with feveral Encomiums on Corfu pus, his Doctrine and his Modefty when he fpoke of himfelf; with divers Precepts for acquiring Wifdom. We ff.'ould not only ref- peft old Men, faid Confucius, but ff:culd even refpeft young People : For how do I know, but this young Man may one Day become more wife and virtuous than myfelf ? - I never yet met with any body fo fond of Virtue, as 7 have found others fond of Pleafure. In the tenth, the Difciples of Confucius deferibe the Air and outward Behaviour of their Mat¬ ter; his Manner of Deportment either at home or abroad, with Perfons of all Ages and Condi¬ tions; his Way of living, Ipeaking, walking, dreffing, drinking, eating, lleeping, &c. M His Con- j n the eleventh, Confupus converfes with his Difciples: He praifes fome and reproves others. '. 1 One of them defiring that he would teach him how to die well: Ton have not yet learned how to live well, faved Confucius, and yet you will know how to die well. In the twelfth, Confucius teaches how to make our Actions conformable to right Reafon: Then he prelcribes Rules for governing the People well: gathering the Tribute and acquiring S Virtue. Somebody afking him what he ought to do in order to live well: When you appear abroad , faid he, be as grave and modeff, as if you were vijiting fome great Lord: Treat others in the fame Manner you would be treated yourfelf: Neither do, nor fay any thing that may give Pro- vr ation or Uneaftnefs. - He faid to another of his Difciples: Life and Death depend on the Law of Tyen, which we cannot alter: Poverty and Riches come from the free Dfpenfation of Tven, which cannot be compelled: The wife Man reveres this Law and Dfpenfation op Tyen; and therein is the Source op' the Peace and Tranquility he enjoys. Cu:.!.::es In the thirteenth, he points out the Qualifications and Virtues, which conftitute a wife and i wife prudent Man. I believe a Man to be wife , fays he, when Iffnd that he gains the Love op all good Men, and is hated by none but bad Men. - I think that a Man would be virtuous, when Ifee that he is modeff in his own Hoiffe, aftive in Buffnejs , and candid in his Converfation with others. In the fourteenth, he fpeaks of the Duty of a wife Man ; the Care which Heaven takes of Kingdoms; the Qualifications belonging to a Minifter of State, and the Zeal he ought to have for good Government. He who is very read': at making From pcs, pays Confucius, finds it diffi¬ cult ancient Em¬ perors. 9. Enco¬ mium; cn Km i a 'j‘ 10. His De¬ portment. z. Rules 11 Govern- lent anil 14. And of aTu r.itter o: The Canonical Books of the f ccond Order. 423 to hep them. - The Ancients , fays he again, fhidycd Wifdom for its own fake, tint is, to know the ‘Truth and acquire Virtue : The Moderns apply themfches to jludy Virtue , j'cr [ale of ethers, that is, to get a Name and acquire Honour and Riches. - Docs not the Father who loves his Son, take care to correct him when he commits a Fault ? In like Manner fcould not a faithfulMinifter, acquaint his Prince, when he is wanting in any op' his Duties ? The fifteenth contains divers Maxims, touching the Virtues of a wife Man, and the great i;. Maxims Art of reigning. Thefe are fome of them : When a Man is hated by every body, before you ' hate him, examine what it is that is hateful in him. When a Man is generally beloved, before "vVi 1 you love him, examine what it is that renders him amiable. Not to mend our Faults, is to commit new ones. - Be fevere to yourfelf and gentle to others, and you will never have Enemies. - The wife Man loves to be by himfelf; the Fool feeks Company. In the fixteenth, he exclaims againft a prime Minifter, who did not diffwade his Prince from 16 • v - ' :U making an unjuft War, and fhews the ill Confequences of bad Government. He fpeaks after- • CJ wards of filch Perfons and Things as we ought to love; of what a wife Man ought to fhun, Awn. and in what Manner Confupius inftrudted his Son. The following are fome of his Maxims, f . a Leopard or Tyger breaks out of the royal Park, who is to anfwer for it ? If Troubles and Dif- fention overturn a State, who is to be blamed for it ? - I have fen a great Prince afflict hi ri¬ fe f not becaufe his Subjects were few in Number , but becaufe they were ambitious: Not on account of the Poverty of his Kingdom, but. for the Difcord that reigned in it. In effect, if And;Ten he bailiffcd from a State, it will quickly grow rich: If Tranquility and Subordination prevail, it will quickly J'warm with People. - Three Sorts of Irlends are uj’eful: Thefe which are virtu¬ ous ; thofe which are frank and fmcere ; and thofe who are learned. - A young Man, when in prefence of a PerJ'on venerable either for Age or Dignity, may commit three Faults : The f.rjl, if' he fpeaks without being j'pokcn to, he will paj's for a forward Rattle. Secondly, if when he is j'poken to he makes no Anjwer, he will be taken for a tricking deceitful Man. The third, if he 'fpeaks without conf dering well what he Jays, he will be looked on as a Fool. The feventeenth contains the Opinion of Confufius, with refpedt to the Mandarins who defert »~- their Princes Intereft the Virtues requilite in a Prince; thofe whom a wife Man ought to hate, ■ ' and the Obligation of mourning three Years for the Death of a Father or Mother. I would have a Prince, fays Confucius, to be Grave and Good, a Speaker of Truth, diligent in Affairs, and Liberal. If he has Gravity, he will be reJ'peSlcd by his Subjects ; if he has Goodnefs , he will gain all their Hearts ; if he loves Truth, he will obtain their Confidence, and give no occajion of Jea- loufy ; if he is diligent, his People will labour to improve themfelves-, if he is liberal, they will obey him with pleafure. - There are four forts of Perfons, fays Confucius again, who ought to he odious to a wife Man. (1.) Thofe malignant Spirits, who love to publijh the Faults op ethers. (2.) Thofe vile Wretches, who fpeak ill of their Princes. (3.) ThoJ'e Men in power, who have no Senti¬ ments of Humanity. (4.) Thofe bold and raff Men, who aSl without the leaf Refection. Tfu kung, one of his Dilciples taking up the Difcourfe. There are three others fayed he, whom I can¬ not endure. (1.) Thofe grofs and ignorant People, who would fain appear "Judicious and Knowing. (2.) Thofe haughty andprefumptuous Mortals, who affeSi Courage and Valour. (3.) Thofe j'a lyrical carping Spirits, who would be thought Jifl and Sincere. - There is one thing which appears to me very difficult, fays Confucius again, that is, to govern Women and Servants: If you treat them with Gentlenefs and Familiarity, they lofe all rcfpeB: If you make life of rigour, there will be con¬ tinual Difurbances and Complaints. In the eighteenth he fpeaks in Praife of fome ancient Princes, or Emperors and their Miniflers: of He fhews how hurtful the love of Women in a Prince is to good Government: Me relates the Ac- ?. outl Mo¬ tions of certain Sages, who led a reclule and obfeure Life: He fpeaks afterwards of divers Mull- vcllllllcm - cians, which were formerly employed at Entertainments: Laftly, he lets down the Ruks of good Government, in reciting the Inflrudlions given by a Prince to his Son. In the nineteenth, he fhews what are the Duties of one who would acquire Wifdom ; and i 0 . Kc,. s fZ after fetting forth the Method of teaching his Difciples, he vindicates his Mailer Confucius from ) ,; - u - certain ill-grounded Reflections, and makes his Encomium. The following are fome of his Maxims. He who is negligent in the Study of Wifdom, and of a light and wavering Temper, will never, during his Life, encreafe the Number of Sages, or dim iniff it when he dies. - When we are ^ going to convcrfe with a true Sage, we find him in three different Situations: When we perceive him at a Difiance, his Couutenance is grave and fevere \ when we draw near and difcourfe kirn, his Air and Behaviour is full of Sweetnejs and Affability ; when we hear him fpeak, we are charmed with his Steadmefs and Integrity. - A wife Minifter ought in the fir ft place to perfwade the People that he loves them, and has their Lite reft at Heart ; when lee has gained this Point, he may without fear exalt the Tribute of the People, who will not think themfelves agrieved: Next he ffould convince the Prince thoroughly of his fidelity and attachment to his PerJ'on, without which all his CounJ'els will be looked upon as Injuries. - Tho the Emperor Chew was not jo wicked as be is reprefented ; yet as he has left a bad Char abler behind him, we commonly attribute all forts of Crimes to bun: For this reafon, a wife Man avoids the very appearance of' Bice, for fear he floould be charged with many Vices, which in reality he was not guilty of. The twentieth contains the Beginnings and Succefs of the wife Government of the Em-, 0 Wi ,- e perors Tan, Shun, Yu, doing tang and Vuvang ; with the Properties of a good Government, Co-.v. i. ^ent and the Defeats of a bad one. All that they recommended to their Miniflers and Subjects,C : ,L ;,,,t was to follow that juft Medium or Mean, in which Right reafon and Virtue confifts. ’ Meng tie, 424 7 he Canonical Books of the fecond Order, Meng tie, or the Book of Mencius; being the fourth Clajfical, or Canonical Book of the fecond Order. Abft raft of c e Book of Mcng-tje. _ Treats of good Go¬ vernment. M ENG is the Name of the Author, and Yfe denotes his Quality, as Doftor: Which im¬ plies that this Book was compofed by the Doctor Meng. He was related to the Kings or Princes of the Kingdom of Lu, now the Province of Shan-tong , and the Difciple of Yfe tfe the Grand-fon of Caufupus. Sit met Author of the Annals of the Empire, who has collected the Precepts and Adtions of the great Men, from the Emperor Yau , to the'reign of the Dynafty of the Ban , makes great Encomiums upon the Work of Mencius. None of the Difciples of Confucius, fays he, has expreffed that Philofopher’s Senfe and Energy fo well • And whoever would be inftrudted in his Doctrine aright, ought to begin his Studies with the Work of Mencius. His Book is divided into two Parts; the firft containing fix Chapters, and the fecond eight. He treats of good Government, almoft throughout this Work: And as at that time the whole Empire was filled with Commotions and civil Wars, above all things, he recommends Uprightnefs of Heart and Equity. For this reafon, he proves, that the Re-eftablifhment of Peace and Tranquility in the Empire, was not to be attain’d by the force of Arms, but by the Examples of Virtue. Thefe Difcourfes are connected in form of Dialogues or Converfations which he had either with his Difciples or with Princes. And the better to illuftrate what he advances he frequently makes ufe of Similitudes, and familiar Comparifons agreeable to the ancient Cuftom. His defign in this Work is reduceable to four Heads. Firft, he much efteems and praifes the Manner in which the Empire was governed, under the three firft imperial Families, namely thofe of Hya, Shang and Chew. Secondly, he defpifes and dilapproves of the Conduft of fome Sovereigns, who imagined that they were able to re-eftablilh Peace, by means of their Arms. Thirdly, he (hews in what, the Goodnefs and Redtitude of human Nature confifts. Fourthly' he refutes the dangerous Errors of fome Sectaries. * Having premifed this general Idea, I fhall now enter into the Detail, and give an Abridgment of each Chapter. PART I. CHAPTER I. cf Gbey. Princes fhould have no view but Piety and Equity. lay recreate Dialogue be¬ tween Meng tie and Prince Vang Jicicnt King of Lyang or Gbey, which is now the Province of Ho nan, and its Capital Ya ha is now called Kay fong. The Prince of Lyang having invited the Philofophers into his Kingdom, Menfius repaired thither. The firft Inftmdlion he gives the Prince, is to have no other view in Government but Piety and Equity. A Prince, he tells him, is a Pattern to his Subjedts: If he feeks only to advance his particular Interefts, his Minifters, the Mandarins, the Literati, and even the People will regard nothing but theirs; and -by this means the common Wealth mult be negledled, and the Kingdom reduced to the Brink of ruin. In the fecond Vifit which Men fits made the Prince, he found him walking in his Park, and diverting bimfelf with feeing the Swans fwimming in the Pond, and the Deer running through theForreft. Can a King, faid that Prince, who is only intent upon the Government of his People, ftoop to thefe Sorts of Amufements ? Princes, anfwers Menfin s, may take reafonable Diverfions like other Men: We read in the Ihemlilvesas Sbi king, that the wife Emperor Ven vang having drawn up the Plan of a Tower for aftrono- . dl as other m i ca l Obfervations, a Park, and a Pond, the People ran with fo much zeal to affift the Build- ing, and were fo eager in their Services to promote thefe Works, that they were finifhed in a very few Days. That good Prince amufed himfelf from time to time, with walking in his Avenues in feeing his tame Deer running about, in obferving his Fifties fwimming, and his Storks flying. Whence proceeded the Zeal of that People, for contributing to the Pleafures of their Prince ? Becaufe he governed them with Piety and Juftice, and becanfe that wife Emperor took great care that his Subjects fttould be deftitute of none of the Neceflaries of Life. On the contrary, the Emperor Kyd, who ufed to fay, that he was in the Empire, the famfc that the Sun is in the Firmament, and that he would perifh only with that Luminary, felt no Joy amidft his Pleafures, and lived in continual Difquiet; becaufe his People looked on him as an execrable and deteftable Objedi:. , l?od He 5 he . n illsws the Hince, that Inhabitants are never wanting in a Kingdom well governed : T,mt !t » an effential Part of good Government, to take Care that the Kingdom may abound with the Neceflaries of Life ; to fee that the Lands are cultivated, that there be Plenty of Filh, and that Trees may be planted and pruned at proper Seafon; ; to be attentive in fettling the The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. the Divifions of Grounds, and in bringing up domeftic Animals, and Silk-Worms, to be mode¬ rate in afflicting Punilhments, or impaling T axes, and to take care that the Morals of Youth be rightly formed: By thefe Means, a Prince gains the Affeflion of his People, and when he is Mailer of that, he will find no Difficulty in eftablifhing Laws, in giving uleful InllruCtions, and in erecting Schools. But a Prince ought chiefly to affift his People in a Time of Famine. Very blameable and unworthy of a Throne, is that Prince, who, in fuch a Time, for his own Pleafure, maintains a Parcel of ufelefs Bealls, that devour the Provifions necelfary for the Subfiilence of Mankind, while his Subjeds are ftarving. Will you lay, adds Mencius, that the Famine, and not you’ is tile Caufe, why thefe People die. You may as well tell me, when you have run a Man through with a Sword; It was not I, but the Sword, which killed that Man ; Where is the dif¬ ference to a Perfon, whether he dies by the edge of the Sword, or under the Tyranny of his Prince ? We naturally hate thofe wild Bealls, which kill and devour one another ; but thefe are only Emblems of the Prince, who prefers the Lives of Brutes, to the Lives of his People, whom he ought to look upon as his Children. Mencius feeing that no great advantage was reaped from his Inftrudions, in the Kingdom of Ghey, directed his courfe to the Kingdom of Tfi, at that time governed by Sven vans;. This Or Prince being greedy of Glory won by Valour, faid to the Philol'opher, We have five 1 "'Princes, whofe heroick Atchievments make a great noife in the Empire : Two who have render’d their Names dluflrious by their Conquefts, are more particularly talk’d of. Inform me of their glo¬ rious Actions, Conf'ufius and his Difciples, anfwered Mencius, would have blulhed to have praifed thefe five Princes; or to have tranfmitted their warlike Virtues to Pollerity; they, and I who am their Difciple, apply only to the Study of Virtue, and the Rules of good Government, as we have them in the Writings and Examples of our antient Emperors. Ha 1 what are thefe’ Rules ? faid the Prince. Rquity and Piety, anfwered Alenfius . It you polfefs the two Virtues, you will cllablifh Peace and Tranquillity in your State: And you will love your People.as your own Children. But is that a Thing in my Power, replied the Prince. Do you doubt of that ? laid Mencius. Mil he ycur firft Minifter told me, that one Day as you were walking out of your Palace, you law an Ox, whom they had bound, and were leading out of the Walls to be flaughtered; and that being melted with the Sight, you ordered the Ox to be carried back to his Stall." If the Death of a worthlels Animal, could excite your Compaffion, can your Heart be infenfible, when you fee the Miferies of your People ? But you love the clafhing of Arms, you delight ill railing Troops, and are pleafed to fee your Subjefts face Death and Danger. By no means, lays the Prince, that is none of my Pleafures : It is a violent Remedy which I ufe againfl my own Inclination, in order to gain what I want, Ha ! replies Mencius, what can you want ? Is not your Table furnifhed with exquifite Meats ? Can your Habits be more Magnificent ? or is there any thing wanting to footh your Senfes ? Have you not a vail Croud of Domeftics, that watch your flighteft Motions to ferve you, and to execute your Orders ? What can you wifh for more ? Thefe are Trifles, anfwered the Prince, my Views are more exalted. To what do you then afpire ? replied Mencius. To extend your Kingdom ? To fubdue the neighbouring Nations ? To invade the Empire ? That is as idle as if you fhould mount to the Top of that Tree, expecting there to find Fillies. Nay, replies the Prince, you now carry you Reflections too far. By no means, faid Mencius, I have not faid enough : For he who climbs to the Top of thatTree to findFilhes; it is true,gives himfclf a very needlefs Trouble, but then no Body buffers befides Himfelf: His Undertaking’ vain as it is, never harms the Common-wealth, and is never attended with any publick Calamity. But by the Wars which you carry on, you torment your felt" with a thouland Troubles and Difquiets, you drain vour Kingdom and plunge it into the moll frightful Mifery. Believe me. Sir; DireCt all your Views only to the Government of your State : Endeavour all you can to render your People happy; take Care they are reafonably provided with all Neceffaries: See that the Grounds ate cultivated, and that Plenty reigns; Watch over the Reformation of Manners, and the Education of Youth: Where Tyranny obtains, the People will abandon that Land, and crowd to talle the Sweets of your Government; and in fhort, they will count it a Happinefs, that then Days fhould gently glide on, and their Lives terminate under the peaceable Sway of of fo moderate and l'o virtuous a Prince. CHAPTER II. K ING Sura vang owned to Mencius, that he was much delighted with Mufic : The Philofopher, far from condemning this Talle, told him, That it might be very uleful to good Government, becaufe of the Relation betwixt the Harmony of Sounds and that of Hearts; and becaufe Harmony, or the well regulated Concert of many Sounds, is a fenfible Image of the Union, which ought to fubfift betwixt the Head and Members of the Body Politic. But, that this Harmony and good Underftanding cannot fubfill, if the Prince ftudies only his own Diverfions; and is fo far from fharing them with the People, that he fuffers them to be plunged into Sadnefs and Mifery. This is the Source of DilaffeCtion and Murmurini Vol. I. 4 P The 426 The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. The Prince (hifted the Subjed. I have heard, faid he, that Ven Vang's Park was feventy C.hinefe Futlongs in Circumference, andyet that the People thought it too little. Mine is but forty, and my Subjeds think it too large. How can we account for thefe different Judgments of the People"? I will inform you, anfwered Mencius: Every body was allowed to enter the Park of Fen rang, to carry off what Wood or Pull's he had a mind ; and to hunt the Pheafants and Hares. The Entry of the Park was Ihut to none, for which reafon, the People thought it too little. When I came into your Territories, I informed my (elf of the Ufages in your Kingdom, that I might obferve them, and likewife of the Reftridions and Prohibitions, that I might not infringe them. 1 was told that you had a Park forty Furlongs in Circumference : That all your Subjeds were debarred from it; and that if any one was fo bold as to venture to kill or to wound any of your Deer in it, he was punifhed as feverely as if he had killed or wounded a Man : Are you aftonilhed after this, that your People fhould think your Park too large ? The Prince, who by no means relifh’d this Advice, afk’d another Queftion ; Teach me, ftid he; What I (hall do to preferve Peace in my State, and to gain the Friendlhip of the Princes my Neighbours ? Two Things, replies the Philofoper : 1. Be obliging, friendly, and always ready to ferve thofe who are weaker ; 2. Be refpedful and fubmiffive to thole who are ftronger than your- felf. He then exhorts him not to abandon himfelf to the Tranfports of a fiery and impetuous Temper; (hewing him, That real Strength confifls in curbing his Anger and fubduing his Paffions, and that true Witdorn has no Aim but pure Equity. The Prince, having at another time admitted Mencius into his Pleafure-houfe, Has fo delici¬ ous a Manfion, faid he, nothing inconfiftent with the Wifdom that a King ought to profefs ? No, anfwered Mencius , if that King (hares in the Joy, and fympathifes in the Grief of his Subjeds: If he fades the Pleafures, and feels the Pains of his People; they, in Return, will partake of his Griefs, and (hare in his Joys: It is by thefe means, that a Kingdom is rightly governed. The ancient Emperors, added Mencius , paid every twelfth Year a Vilit to their tributary Kings and Kingdoms: And this Vifit was called InJ'peSiion. Every fixth Year thefe Kings repaired to the Court of the Emperor, there to to give an Account of their Conduit, and after what Me¬ thod they govern’d their States. In the fame Manner, the Emperors within their Territories, and the Kings in their King¬ doms, made two yearly Progreffes: The firft in the Spring, to examine if the Lands had been carefully fowed and tilled : And if in any Place Seed was wanting, wherewith to low them ; they furnifh’d it out of the public Granaries. The fecond Progrefs was in Autumn, at the time when the Crop is gathered in: And if it was not lufficient to fubfift the People, they opened the public Granaries for their Relief. Very different from this, is the Condud of modern Princes. It is true, they vifit their King¬ doms. But in what Manner? They march attended with near three Thoufand Soldiers, who devour the greateft Part of the Provifions neceffary to fubfift the poor People, who arc flint and languifhing with Hunger. Shall we wonder, in the Bitternefs of Soul and the Oppreffion under which they groan, if they feek fome Relief from their Murmurings, and the perpetual Invec¬ tives with which they tear in Pieces the Reputations of their Princes. Thus, I have laid before you the Conduit: of our ancient and modern Princes, and leave it to yourfelf; which of them you will chufe to imitate. He afterwards propofes the Emperor Ven vang as a Pattern. This Prince exadled no other Tax from Hufbandmen than the ninth Part of their Crop: He afligned Penfions to the Sons and the Grand-fons of the deceafed Mandarins. No Cuftom-houfes were known in his Domi¬ nions. Merchandizes were there exported and imported without being taxed: None were then debarred from fillring in Lakes and public Rivers: If a Criminal was to be punifhed, as he tranfgrefled in Perfon, fo he was chaftifed in Perfon; nor did his Punifhment reach, as at pre- fent, to his Wife and Children. In (liort, this Prince, tho’ he diftinguifhed every Moment of his Reign by Goodnefs and Clemency, yet he extended their Effeds principally to four Sorts of Perlons: To old Men who had no Wives: To Widows: To old Men who were childlels; and to young Orphans who were fatherlefs. Thefe four Species of Unhappinefs, appear'd to him mod: worthy of Compaffion ; becaufe being deftitute of all human Aid, they had no other Recourfe but to the Goodnefs of their Prince ; who, tho’ he is the Father of all his Subjeds, is more particularly fo of thofe, who are mod helplefs. What would you fay, Sir, continued Mencius-, if he, who is at the Head of the fupreme Tribunal of Juftice, did not watch over the Conduct of his inferior Officers, and was at no Pains to be informed of the Manner in which the Magiftrates adminifter Juftice, if he fuffer’d the Innocent to be punifli’d, and the Guilty toefcape? I would difplace him, anfwer’d thePrince. But, adds the Philofopher, if a King negleds the Care of his Kingdom, and if he never minds the Inftrudion of his People, nor compaffionates their Miferies; if be proteds not the unhappy and the forlorn, what is your Opinion of him? At thefe Words, the Prince blufh’d, and appeared difconcerted: He threw his Eyes from the one Side to the other, as if he had been diftraded, and difmift the Philofopher without any Anfwer. Mencius in another Conference, inltruds the Prince in the right Choice of his Minifters. He advifes him not to give too much Credit to the Recommendations of private Men, who might furprize him ; nor even to the Voice of the People, upon whom it was cafy toimpole: But to have a perfonal Knowledge ot their Probity, their Difintereftednefs, their Zeal and their Un~ derftandnig : The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. 427 derfiunding: lie then recommends to his Choice, fuch as have inceffimtly applied to the Study of Wiidom from their Childhood, and, by their Labour and Application, have acquired at then- riper Age the Qualifications neceflary for right Government. C H A PTER III. T HIS Chapter contains a Dialogue betwixt Mencius and his Difciple Rung fung chew, upon the Art of Governing. He proves from a View of the Troubles which then harraffcd the Empire, and the Miferies which afflidled the People in feveral Kingdoms; that it was eal'y for a Prince who reigned with Juftice and Moderation, to gain the Affedtion of all, and to make himfelf univerlai Monarch. But where, continued he, can we find a Prince with thefe Qualifications ? Thofe happy Days, when Kingdoms were governed by wife Princes, are no more, and feafee tire Memory of them remains. There is farther required in a Governor a liable and an unfhaken Soul, both when he deter¬ mines in a puzling Cafe, and when he is expofed to Danger. He then cites many Examples of thofe great Men whom nothing could fhake ; and who might be deprived of their Lives, but not of their Intrepidity and Courage. fie diftinguiihes Refolution into two Kinds, one, peculiar to narrow Minds, the other, to great Souls. The former is direfled by the firll Torrent of an impetuous Ardour; the laft by the Dic¬ tates of right Reafon. I remember, fays Mencius, that our Mailer Confucius formerly gave me two Rules, in which I can eafily difeern true Fortitude, and a genuine Greatnefs of Soul. If an Opportunity fhall offer to fight, faid he, and if, after mature Deliberation,-I perceive that it would be u'njuft in me to attack mine Enemy, even tho’ he is a great deal weaker than me, and unable to make Head againft me, or to keep the Vidtory one Moment in Sufpence, yet I would forbear to attack him. You may eafily perceive from this, that it is not Cowardile that damps me. But if after due Refiedlion, I am convinced that it is juft in me to make the Onfet, tho’ I had Millions to encounter, nothing (liould be able to flop me from plunging undaunted amongft the thickeft Battalions. Mencius next proceeds to the Manner of right Government. There is a great deal of diffe¬ rence, faid he, betwixt the Conduit of our ancient Emperors, and our modern Princes: The firft loved Peace, and the latter, War: The firll by their Piety and examplary Virtue, com¬ manded not only the Hands, but the Hearts of Men ; the latter command the Hands but not the Hearts. Where is the Prince, whofe ruling Paflion is not for Glory ? Or who has an Averfion to what¬ ever can fully his Reputation? Glory is only won by Virtue, and Difgrace can be occafioned only by Vice. Whence then can it proceed, that Princes who fo much dread Infamy among Men, ihould abandon themfelves to their Paffions and Vices ? In this, they are like Men who cannot bear with Dampnefs, yet want to lodge in a low and moift Apartment. If they are fo jealous of their Reputation, why do they not take the only method both for eftablifhing and preferving it ? This Method is to fubdtie their corrupt Inclinations, to efteem Virtue, to wage no War but with Vices, to honour the I,earned, to raife the Wife and Virtuous to the firft Dignities, and to take advantage of the public Tranquility for eftablifhing wile and ufeful Laws; a Prince of this Cha- ralter renders himfelf always formidable to his Enemies, and attracts the Efteem and Vene¬ ration of his Equals. But what is the prefent Pradlice ? While the Empire is peaceable, and the People begin to tafte the Sweets of Tranquillity, the Princes ftudy only to abandon themfelves to Pleafure, and to effeminate themfelves more and more by Luxury and Idlenefs. Is it to be wondered at, if under a Prince of this Charadter, a Kingdom appears to totter, if the People murmur, and if they are upon the Point of being attacked by new Enemies ? There is none, continued Mencius, but receives from Nature a certain Tendernefs of Heart, which gives them a fenfibility of their Neighbours mifery. A Prince whofe Paffions have not Hided this natural Propenfity, and who pities the Afflidtions of his People, has no more diffi¬ culty in governing his Kingdom, than if he could hold it in his Hand. But how can this fecret Propenfity of Nature, this Senfibility with which we are born be difeerned ? An Example will inftrudt you. You fee a Child all of a fudden ready to fall into a Well; your Pleart is immediately touched, and you fiy to fave it. You are not then deter¬ mined by Refiedlion, nor infiuenced by the thoughts of deferving the Acknowledgments of the Father and the Mother, or of procuring to yourfelf an empty Honour; you adl by an Impulle purely natural. In unforfeen Events, and when there is no Time either for Refiedlion or Delibera¬ tion, it is genuine Nature that adts. It is not fo at other Jundtures, which admit of Deliberation before Adtion ; for there Difguifc and Diffimulation may enter. What I have faid of Compaffion, adds Mencius, I apply to the other Virtues: To Piety, to Equity, to Humanity, and to Prudence : We have the Seeds and Principles of them all in our Heart, and if we took care to follow the Hints they give us, we ihould be in a continual Guard againft the Paffions that are alone able to deftroy them, and every Day perfedt ourfelves more and more. One of the Difciples of Confupus, whofe Name was Ts'e If- had fo great a defire for Per- fedlion, that it gave him an exquifite Pleafure when he was told ol any Fault. The Emperor Tu immediately bellowed marks of his Refpedt and Acknowledgment upon the Man who gave 7 he Canonical Books of the fecond Order. gave him good Advice. The great Shun , regarding Virtue not as the property of a particular Perfon', but as a common Good belonging to all Mankind; he made an Advantage of, and ftudied to acquire, all the Perfections and Virtues which he faw in others. This he put in Practice, through all the Degrees of his Life, not only while he was Hulbandman in the Plains of Lye Jhan , a Potter in the City of Ho pin, or a Fijherman upon the Lake Lu i tfe i but even when he was Emperor. When a Man endeavours thus to appropriate to himfelf the Virtues which he remarks in others, he renders Virtue common to all. For in profiting by another’s Example, he fets the fame Example to others, that they may profit in their Turn. C A A P T E R IV. It /£ ENCTUS continues the Converfation, which he had begun in the preceeding Chapter, I with his Difciple. Lie treats firft of three Things which are neceffary to Succefs in War; namely, the Choice of Time, the Advantage of Ground, and the Concord and Union of fuch as either attack or defend a Place. But he judges the laft Circumftance more abfolutely, and more efpecially, neceffary. I fhall fuppofe, fays he, that a City is in the belt State of Defence, both by the height of its Walls, the deepnefs of its Ditches, the number and bravery of its Garrifon; and in fhort by the plenty of its Provifions. With all thefe Advantages, if there is Difcord among Troops, or if a Mifunderftanding divides the Officers and the Soldiers, the City will be carried foon, and without much Reliftance. One of the Dilciples of Men pus 3 a little after, puts a Queftion to him which he thought would puzzle him : I perceive, laid he to his Mafter, in the different Kingdoms where you have redded, you fometimes accepted, and fometimes refilled the Prefents profcrrcd you by their Kings. You have refufed 2400 Laels of fine Silver from the King of TJi, yet made no fcruple to accept of 1680 from the King of Song , and of 1200 from the King of Sye. I find no uniformity in this Conduct: The fame Reafon that made you refufe the Prefents of the one, ought to have induced you to have refufed thofe of the others. You are miftaken, anfwered Menpus: I did nothing but what was agreeable to the Lights of Reafon and Equity. While I was in the Kingdom of Song, and ready to make a long Voyage, it was both polite and equitable in the Prince, to fupply me with Money for defraying my neceffary Expences, confequently, I had a good Reafon for accepting his Prefent. The King¬ dom of Sye } while I was there, refounded with the noife of Arms, and was threatened by an immediate Irruption of the Enemy: Amidft thefe Tumults I run the rifque of being ffarved, and it was but reafonable that the Prince, who had invited me into his Dominions, fhould provide for my Subfiftence. But as to what concerns the King of 7 /J, as he had no Reafon to give me a Prefent, fo I had none to accept of it, which if I had done, it had been a fhameful Avarice in me, and unworthy of a Man, who had fpent his Life in the Study of Wildom. Men fins having gone to the City of Ping lo , which was in the Kingdom of L/i, he found the Country lying wade through a general Barrennefs: One half of the numerous Inhabitants perifhed of Plunger, and the other half left the ungrateful Soil to feek for Food in more diftant Kingdoms. Menpus addreffing himfelf to Kiw JIn 3 who was Governor of the City ; It any of your Sol¬ diers, laid he, while upon Duty, fhould five times fucceffively delert his Rank, would you not pnnifh him ? I would not wait for his doing it three times, replies the Governor, for I would punifh him the firff time. You are in the right, replies Men fins ; but you condemn yourfelf for neglecting what is more important in your Charge. During thefe melancholy Years of Bar¬ rennefs; the People perifh of Hunger and Mifery: I fee many ftooping under the weight of Years, who fall with meer Weaknefs into the Ditches, and there finilh their unhappy Lives ; I fee others, and thefe are the greater Number, who being young, and full of Vigour, rove from one End of the Empire to the other, to feek whereupon to live. Alas! replies Kiw fm , fm 3 I lament thefe Calamities, and I wiffi I were able to apply a Remedy. But I have no Authority to caufe the Granaries to be opened, or to exempt the People from their Tri-' butes. If a rich Man, replies Menpus, fhould commit to you the Care of his Flocks, and would not affign them proper Pafturage, what would you do? You are the Pallor of this great People: And you ought to addrefs yourfelf to the King, to relieve their Miferies and to fupply their Neceffities: If the King will not hear you, can you calmly fee them die of Hun¬ ger, and will not you rather throw up your Government ? Mencius finding that the wife Councils which he gave to the King of c 7 /'/ and his IVIiniffers were all loft, refolved to retire to his native Country. One of his Dilciples called lu who attended him in his Voyage, obferving a certain Cloud of Sadnefs and Melancholy hanging on his Countenance, faid to him ; I have often heard you lay, that a wife Man is never uneafy, ii Heaven no longer favours his Undertakings; and that he never complains when Men refule to conform themfelves to his Maxims; yet you have a melancholy Air which is far from being natu¬ ral to you, and doubtlels is a mark of fome fecret Dilcontent. No, replies Mencius , I complain neither of Lleaven nor of Men : I am only gay or fid, accord¬ ing to my different Situation. When I led a private and a folitary Life, I was imployed only in the Study of Wifdom. But at prefent, while I teach my DoCtrine to Princes and People, and while I have the public Good in View, I am melancholy. C K A P. V The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. 429 C H A P T E R V. T HIS Chapter contains a Dialogue betwixt Mencius and Prince Fen hung, Heir of the Principality of Teng. The Philofopher fhews him, that every Man is capable of practicing Virtue, and imitating the Sages; becaufe the Goodnefs of Nature which we receive from Tyen [« eaven,] is the fame in all Men, and this Goodnefs is no other than a natural Inclination to Juft ice and Piety. When Paifions grow up with Years, faid he, if Reafon moderates them, Nature then per¬ fects herfelf, and the Man becomes virtuous. He next propofes the Emperors Tan' and Shun for Patterns. Think not, continues the Philofopher, that the Virtues of thefe Pleroes can’t be attained. They were Men like you, and according to the Endeavours you ufe, and the Appli¬ cation which you give, you may become wife like them. All I fear is, left you fhould be dis¬ couraged with the Difficulties you muft encounter in your Endeavours to fubdue your Paffions, to pradtife Virtue, and to learn the right Art of Government. The Shu king informs us, that the Medicine, which does not work the Patient, is ineffectual: In the lame manner, a Prince reaps no Advantage from the InftruCtions of wife Men, if he does not ftruggle to vanquifii him- felf. Prince Fen kungs Father dying at this Jundiure, he confulted Menpus in what manner he ffiould pay the laft Duties to him, the better to fhew hisAffeCtion. You muft, anlvver’d Men - pus, obferve the Rules prefcribed by the Rites to thofe who are really rclpeCtful to their Fathers. The Mourning lliould continue for three Years; and during that time, they ought to lay down all public Polls, to be employed only in their juft Griefs, to cloath thcmfelves in coarfe Stuffs, and to fublift only upon the moft ordinary Rice. I have learned from Confupus , added he, that formerly, when the Emperor dyed, his Son who fucceeded him, cauled a mean Hutt to be built without the fecond Gate of the Palace, where he palled three Years in mourning for his Father, in proftrating himfelf both Morning and Evening before his * Coffin, and living on the coarfeft Rice. During that time, the Prime Minifter governed the Empire. The Mandarins and the Grandees, after the Example of their Princes, ftrove who lliould give the greateft Marks of their Grief, and the Mourning became general throughout all the Empire. Prince Fen kung refolved to follow this Advice : But as the Rites in the Province of Teng prefcribe only five Months of Mourning for a King, he pall that Time in bewailing his Father. When the Day for carrying the Corps to the Burying-Place was fixt, Curiofity drew from all Parts of the Empire a prodigious multitude of Spectators, who beheld the Prince following the funeral Pomp with a pale emacerated Countenance, fending up Sighs, which came from the Bottom of his Heart, and melted them into Tears. Thefe Strangers, returning home after the funeral Solemnity was over, were lb many Tongues which proclaimed every where the Piety of Fen kung , and revived the Practice of the ancient Ceremonies inftituted in Honour of the Dead, which till that Time had been much negleCted. Fen kung intending himfelf to govern his Kingdom, defired Mencius to give him fome Rules which might direCt him to govern wifely. The firft ObjeCt, fays the Philofopher, a King ought to regard, is his People; what principally touches the People, is their Sub/ijlence: The means of their Suhfijlence are the Lands , when diligently cultivated, and abundantly producing the Neceffaries of Life. Agriculture then ought to be looked into, and the greateft Care taken that the Lands do not lie idle: The People will then have whereupon to live, and being under no Apprehenfions of Want, they will endeavour to reform their Manners, and to acquire Virtue. On the contrary, if they find themfelves in Want, all their Pafiions will foon break loofe; for'there is no Crime but what Neceffity and Indigence will drive them to commit: When their Wants are exceffive, the Rigour of their Laws, and the Severity of Punishments will be Curbs too weak to reftrain them. For this reafon, wife Princes formerly lived with a great deal of Modelly and Frugality ; the former Virtue inducing them to treat their People with Moderation, and the latter preventing their impofing too fevere Taxes: This made an able Man - darin fay, “ That a Prince who aimed at Riches, could never arrive at Virtue ; and the Prince “ who defired to be virtuous, could never be rich.” Mencius next exhorts Fen kung to eftablifti public Schools, for teaching the Pradtice of Virtue. He then points out the Manner in which the Partition and Divifion of Lands ought to be made, fo that neither the Hufbandman, nor the Officers of the King might wrong one another. In ffiort, faid he, if you pradtife exadtly all I have told you, I dare not fay that you will one Day attain to Imperial Dignity ; but I can boldly pronounce, that Emperors will form themfelves upon you, and take you for their Pattern. The Prince profited by the Inftrudtions of the Philofopher; and by the wife Diftribution which he made of the Lands, and his Care to have them well cultivated, he foon faw Plenty ftourifh in his Dominions. The Reputation he gained, engaged a great many Strangers to fettle in his Kingdom, and to petition for Lands which they might cultivate. Amon? thefe Strangers there were fome Sedtaries, who propagated a very dangerous Opinion, e'ep Le- and very contrary to good Government. They pretended, that a wife Prince ought to live upon ^licmn the his own Labour, in the fame manner as the People; that he ought to till the Land, and to eat Vol, I. 5 5 nothing * The Chineft frequently prcRi ve in their Hoofcs the Coffins carrycd to the Burying-Place. of their Fathers for leveral Months, nay Years, before they are the Canonical Books of the fecond Order. nothing but what was the Fruit of the Ground cultivated by his Royal Hands. Mencius refuted thefe Sedtaries in the following .Manner: Addreffrng himlelf to Shin /yang, who was become their Difciple, Why, fays he, do thofe of your Sea confine themfelves to labouring the Land ? Why don't they make their own Cloaths ? Why don't they forge their own Spade's, and their other Inftruments of Agriculture, together with the Kettles wherein they boil their Rice, and in fhort, .every Thing elfe they make ufe of in their way of Life ? Would not this be better than to run about to Merchants and Tradefmen’s Shops to buy thefe different Utenfils ? This, replied Shin fyang, is impoffsble ; Agriculture employs a Man entirely. If Hulband- men fhall attempt to make all the Inftruments you have named, they mull netdedt the Care of the Lands, which will then become barren. Wifely fpoken, replied Menfius, Is it then a fmall Affair to govern a Kingdom ? Is not that Employment enough for all the Moments of a Prince? He, doubtlefs, will have a meat deal of Leifure to work with his Subjedts in cultivating the Ground. This Comparifon flopped the Mouth of Shin fyang. Mencius then fhews him, that it was neceffary there fhould be different Employments and Profeflions in a Kingdom ; that one Man could not have Time to look after every thing; that the Emperor Tau divided the Toils of Government with his Minifters, for the greater Eafe and Inftruaion of his People; and that this, in a Prince, is called univerfal Piety, and extends indifferently to all his Subjedts. He then oppofes the fame Sedtaries, who wanted to eftablifh an Equality in the Prices of all Goods, lo that a coarfe Stuff fhould be fold as dear as the fineft. In fhort, he concludes this Chapter by refuting the Doftrine of another Sea, which pre¬ tended that all Men ought to be loved alike, without making any Difference betwixt Relations and Strangers. He points out the ridiculous Abfurdity of this Opinion, and then fhews that the CuIloui eftablifhed in all Ages, of bellowing a more honourable Burial upon Parents than on others, arofe from the greater Degree of Love with which Nature infpires Children. CHAPTER VI. M ENCIUS in this Chapter inftruas Shin tay his Difciple, and fhews him the Manner m which a wife Man, who profeffes to teach the Art of living and of reigning well ought to behave Amongft other things, he tells him, that fuch a Man fhould beware not to introduce himfelf in an undecent Manner into the Palaces of Princes, and that he otwht to take care to be invited, and even preft before he goes thither: That as the meaneft Artill would blufh to deviate from the Rules of his Art, fo a wife Man ought to difcover in all his Condudt the Uprightnefs of his Heart, the Decency of his Manners, and the Equity of his Aftions • That if he feeks to raife himfelf to Dignities, in order more fuccefsfully to propagate his Doc' trine, he ought to ufe no Methods but thofe which Juftice prefcribes: If he remains in a pri¬ vate Condition, he ought to be eafy, fince, even then, he deferves equally to be honoured on account of the Excellence of his Dodtrine. The Mimfter of the Kingdom of Song having made a vifn to Mencius, communicated to him a Defign he had to abohfh the difagreeable Cutlom that had been introduced of burthen- mg the People with Impofts; declaring that hip wilh’d to revive the ancient Laws’ which exadt only the Tithe of the Crop to be paid in Tribute, and prohibit the taxing any fore’ign Merchan¬ dize imported into the Kingdom : But, adds he, as thefe wife Laws have been long difufed and feem now to be entirely forgotten, I think they ought not to he re-eftablifh'd all at once: In my Opinion, it will be better to gain that End by flow and imperceptible Degrees: What is your Opinion? I (hall anfwer your Queftion /aid Mencius , only by a familiar Comparifon. A certain Pcrlon had gotten into a Habit of dealing fomc Hens every Day from his Neighbours; One of his r riends, who difeovered him, had the Courage to tell him, that it was a fliameful Aftion and unworthy of a Man either of Honour or Honefty. I own it, anfwered the Doftor • But as it is a Vice now too deeply rooted in my Nature for me to corredt it all of a hidden, I will take this Courfe : 111 deal only one Fowl in a Month, and in time I may come entirely to give over this Habit. What is your Opinion ? replies Mencius, Don’t you think that this Man, who acknow- ledged and deteited his \ ice, fhould immediately have corrected it ? About that Time, two Sedts rnfedted the Empire with their wicked Dodtrines- Tans -was the Author ot the one, and Me of the other. Men fins being a zealous Defender’of the ancient Doftrme was continually refuting their Errors. This, at firft, made him pals for a factious ill- natured Man and one who loved to be difputing. One of his Difciples, zealous for his Mailer's Glory told him that the Strangers, whofe Opinion he oppofcd, run him down on all Tides and made him pafs for an eternal Caviller. ’ I wife, replies Menfius, that I could condemn myfelf to Silence all the reft of my Days- Lut that is not allowed me ; my Duty obliges me to put a Violence upon my Inclination, and to oppofe this Torrent of dangerous Opinions, with which they would overthrow the Empire Ever I,nee the wife Reigns of the Emperors Tau and Shun, under the Shadow of whofe Autho- nty the People lived eafy, we have fcen a continual Vicrffrtude of good and bad Government their P mperorS wh ° Puc f eedeJ t h = fe wife Princes, applied only to their Pleafures, and abufing t e Powery oppreffed tne poor People by their Exactions and Violence: Some of them beat down the Houfes of vaft Numbers of their Subjects, thereto make Ponds, Lakes and Refervoirv- ? ! ' thc P«°P ,e 0LU of their Villages and Fields, which they turned into Parks Gar- uciis, and Places of Pleafure : Whole Diftricls were foon changed into Forcfts, which ferved as the The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. tlie Retreat of Tygers, wild Boars, and Leopards. Such were the Amufements of thefe Princes, who reduced their People to the mod terrible Want. Chew , who fucceeded them in the Throne, by his Cruelties, compleated their Tyranny. At laft, the Criesand Groans of the People touched the Heart of Vii vang, who declared War againft, and dethroned, the Tyrant. This Prince, when Mailer of the Empire, applied himfelf to reftore its primitive Luftre, and to procure the Happinefs of his Subjefls: He demolifhed thofe Gardens, Parks, Forefts, and Houles of Pleafure, and reftored to the People the Lands that were their Property. The Face of the Empire was foon changed, and after fo many Miferies and Calamities the People began to take Breath. But thefe happy Times were of no long Continuance: The Princes who fucceeded him, infenfibly loft a Dil'pofition to Virtue : The Laws were weakened, and the wife Maxims that taught the Art of Reigning were no longer inculcated; the Empire’ faw itfelf plunged again into its former Barbarity: So that the Virtues peculiar to a reaionable Soul, I mean, Love for a Parent, and Refpedt for a Prince, were almoft quite annihilated. Then appeared Confugius , who, touched at this general Blindnefs, endeavoured to prevent the Ruin of the Empire, by reforming the Manners, by reviving the ancient Laws, and by fetting before the Eyes, both of the Princes and People, thofe great Actions of the Emperors and Kings, who reigned glorioufly for about 200 Years. This is the Subject of his Book intitled Spring and Autumn. His Inftructions and Maxims were attended to, and applauded; nay there was no refilling him, fo that every one endeavour'd to conform himfelf to his Morals. But is there now any Footftep of the Reformation he wrought? Where are the Emperors whofe Virtue and Wifdom rendered them refpected by the People ? In what are Kings now imployed ? Do not we fee them tread upon the Laws of Juftice, that they may deftroy and tear one another to Pieces by the moll cruel Wars? How many ignorant and impious Profeffors take the Advantage of thefe Diforders to propagate their pernicious Maxims, and to eftablifh their dangerous Sects ? Such is that of Tang Jhu , who, without regarding the public Good, teaches that every one ought to mind only Himfelf and his own Interell, and is a profelfed Enemy of all Governors ! Such is that of Me tye, who, ignorant of the ftrict Ties of Blood, and laying it down as a Princi¬ ple, That all Men ought to be loved alike, deftroys the filial Affections, and makes no difference betwixt a Father and a Stranger. Thefe Sectaries have already gained Profelites among the Literati, who reject the ancient Doctrine as handed down to them by our Sages, that they may follow the pernicious Maxims of thefe blind Profeffors. What lhall become of good Order, Peace, and the public Tranquility, if thefe Sedtaries are not foon checked ? We have Inflances in all Ages of great Men, who have fupported the Empire when fire was upon the very Brink ofher Ruin. The celebrated Tu flopp’d the Inundation of Waters, and reftored Plenty. Prince Chew-hug fubdued and put to flight the Barbarous Nations that poured in from the South and North, and re-eftablifhed Tran¬ quillity. Confupius revived the Vigour of the ancient Laws, and oppofed the pernicious Defigns of fome Rebels. At prefent, when a general Infection gains ground on all Sides, by corrupt¬ ing the Underflanding, and deftroying the good Morals of Mankind; ought not I, after the Exam¬ ple of thefe great Men, to do my bed to flop its Progrefs, and thereby to preferve the Empire. Mencius ends this Difcourfe by laying down the Rules of true Temperance, and by fhewing how ridiculous thofe Encomiums are, which are bellowed upon a Man who affedls a vain Ap¬ pearance of Sobriety. PART If. CHAPTER I. F ROM a View of the Conduct of fome Princes, who in the Government of their States follow only their own Caprices, and neglect the ancient Laws, Mcnfius makes the fol¬ lowing Reflections: A Workinan however fkilful he is, can never fucceed in what he works, if he does not make ufe of Compaffes and a Rule. He who precedes in a Concert, will make a wretched Difcord of the fined Mufic, if he does not employ twelve Flutes, fome fhort, fome long, that there may be a Harmony betwixt the Voices and the Inflruments. It is the fame with a Prince; his State will be in Diforder and Confufion, if he does not regulate his Conduct by the Laws of good Government which the Ancients have left us. The Ancients invented the different Utenfils; Compaffes, the Rule, the Manner of Level¬ ling, Weights, Meafures, and all the other Inflruments which we at this Day ufe with fo much Succefs, in finifhing Buildings, and the other Works that are ufeful to the public Weal. They likewife, by a conflant Application, endeavoured to tranfmit to their Pollerity the Art of good Government among them, by ellablilhing the wifefl Laws, from which we have learned thofe of Equity, Civility and Politenefs: Thefe have taught us how to divide the Ground, to plant Trees, to breed Animals which are ufeful to the Support of Life, and to eftablilh Schools for inllructing the People in good Morals. A Prince, who is at no Pains to oblerve thefe Laws, can never wifely govern his Kingdom. The Miniftry of a Prince, continued Mengius , who does not reign according to the Rules of Equity, can be compofed only of grovelling Souls, who will flatter his Inclinations, and take no care to enforce the.Obfervation of the Laws. Under him, the Crowd of Mandarins, who commonly follow the Air of a Court, will feek only after the Honours and Profits of their Polls, and neg- le <3 their Duties. The People, feeing this general Difregard both of Law and Juftice, will no lon¬ ger 411 432 'The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. ger have any Thing to reftrain them. They will no longer fear to infringe the Laws of the .Empire, they will live without any Curb, and give a loole to all their Paffions. I aik, if a Kingdom can long fubiift in fuch a Condition ? A Prince then mull be a Lover of Wifdom and Equity : A Minifter ought to be faithful to his Prince, and ready to execute his Orders. But how can he be faithful, if he Trudies only to pleafe him, and to footh his PaiTions; if he does not fet before his Eyes the heroick Virtues of our ancient Emperors, thele nobleft Patterns to every wife Prince. Mencius then (hews that nothing contributes more to the Deftru< 5 tion of a Kingdom, than the unjuft Exercife of the Royal Prerogative. There is an Art, continued he, in maintaining Authority ; which is, by keeping the People within the Bounds of the Fidelity they owe to their Prince. The Means of rendering them faithful are, by gaining their Hearts; and their Hearts are eafily gain’d, when Authority is directed by the Love of juftice, and a hearty Zeal for the public Weal. An Otter, who is conftantly fpreading Snares for Fifh, obliges them to conceal themfelves in the Bottom of the Water ; and a Kite, who is always foaring in the Air over the little Birds, makes them to tremble, and forces them to retire into the Hollows of the Trees; in the fame manner, thefe barbarous Princes Kyc and Chew, by fcattering Fear and Terror among the People, forced them to leek an Afylum under the wife Princes Ching tang and Vii vang, whole Clemency, Juftice, and Moderation are univer- fally celebrated. The Effects of Chew's Tyranny over his People are well known. The Prince Pe i on the one Side, and the wife Pay kong on the other, efcaped his Cruelties by privately retiring to the Sea- fhores. The Fame of Prince Pen vang s great Virtues, his Piety, his Clemency, his Juftice, the Goodnefs of his tender and compaftionate Heart, together with the Care he took ot the A CT ed, the Minors, Widows, and Orphans refounded on all Sides. What are we doing here ? faid thefe two Sages. Let us repair to that wife King, and for ever devote ourfelves to his Ser¬ vice. Accordingly they did fo; but with what an Impreliion were the People (truck, when they law the Conduct of thefe two Men, lo illuftrious by their Birth and Employments, and fo vene¬ rable by their Age and Virtues, and who were looked upon as the Fathers of their Country? Their Examples brought over the whole Empire ; Chew was abandoned by his Subje&s, and forced to delcend from his Throne, which he refigned to Ven vang. Some Princes, adds Men fius, aftedt to appear gentle, affable, fober and moderate. But thefe are only the diflembled Virtues of an Outfide; they are Virtues which are Strangers to their Hearts, and helved by their Actions. Are they in reality affable, while they have a Con¬ tempt for their Subjects ? Are they fober and temperate, while their Avarice is infatiable, and their oppreflive Exa&ions upon their People are endlefs ? True Clemency confifts in the right Affedtions of the Heart, and not in exterior Grimace, an affedted Tone, an obliging Smile, or the tinfel Appearance of an unnatural Gentlenefs. The Eyes of a Man are frequently the Interpreters of his Heart. The candid, upright, gene¬ rous Soul, is often read by a Brightnefs, which gently beams in the Look. On the contrary. Vice, Fallhood, and Dilftmulation, are dilcovered by a certain Gloom that overcafts it. In lhort, the good or bad Affedtions of the Heart are difplayed to public View, by a correfponding Series of virtuous or vicious Adtions. A Difciple of Mencius a Iked him, Whence it happened that fo many wife Peifons, who ten¬ derly loved their Children, intruded their Education into other Hands? That, anlwered our Philofopher, is the Effect of their Wifdom. Is it not true, that when a Son does not improve by the Inftructions of a Father, and if he hears his Precepts with an Air ofDilcontent, theFather won’t fail to be diflatisfied with the intractable Boy ? What is then the Confequence? The natu¬ ral Temper of the Son is fower’d ; he proceeds even to reproach his Father in the following Terms : “ You lay down for me a Plan of Life, which is contrary to your own Practice. Your * c Maxims and your Actions appear to me contradictory.” The Minds of both will thenceforward bedifunited ; the Love of the Father will cool, and the Submiffion andTendernefs of the Sen in- lenfibly decay: Difcord will enfue in the Family, than which nothing can be more deftructive to good Order. Faults that He concludes this Chapter with obferving three Faults, which frequently fteal into filial Ref- lomeumes The ^ When a Son perceives fome Weaknefles in his Father, and yet, without loling to Filial any of the Refpect he owes him, has not recourfe to an ingenious Artifice, which may reclaim Duties. him to Virtue, after the Example of Prince Shun , who having a very vicious Father, redoubled Advice to every Day his Application and Endearments, ftill contriving Ways to divert him ; that he children to might infinuate himfelf fo far into his Affections, as to win him over to the Love and reclaim U vi t0 the Practice of Virtue. The fecond Fault is, When a Son has poor Parents, yet takes no care ciousParents, to relieve them, or to provide for their Subfiftence. The third and laft is, When a Son neglects to marry, and to perpetuate the filial Duties in his Pofterity, by practifing, feveral times every Year, the Ceremonies preferibed in Honour of deceafed Parents. CHAPTER II. M ENCIUS Ihewsin this Chapter, that the wife Emperors, who have reigned likceffivelv, have always obferved the fame Conduct in Government, and the lame manner of Living, and. that their Favours were not confined to particular Perfons, but more unLvcn'.d, and extended The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. in general to all their Subjects. Upon this the Philofopher related a generous Addon of fjeffah, the full Minifter of the K ingdom of Shin , which was univerliilly applauded. Being to pais a River where it was fordable, he perceived a poor Man who was on foot, and durft not venture to take the Ford. The Minifter, touched with Compaffion, took him into his Chariot and car¬ ried him to the other Side. That Mandarin , replied Menfiui, undeniably had a beneficent Inclination : Yet I can never allow that he had Abilities for governing a State. Wife Princes have always taken care to caule Bridges to be built for the public Convenience; and it was never heard of, that during their Reion the Commerce of the People was ever interrupted by the difficulty of paffino a River. Mencius then lays down a good many Rules of Prudence. He tells us,, “that we ought to be very rel'erved with refpect to our Neighbours Failings, left we indifcreetly publifli them to the World. He tells us, that all Extreams are Vice, and even Virtue itfelf, when carried to excefs is no longer Virtue: That every thing about Con/iifius was natural, and that in his Difcourfe and Actions, he always difeovered a modeft Character, removed from all Vanity or Oftentation : That the Lofs would not be great, if Calumny only hurted herfelf: But that the great Mis'ortune is, the Lofs which the Public fuftains from her Malignity, by keeping back from Dignities and Polls Men of Virtue who were moft capable to fill them. Syu, one of his Difciples, alked him why Confucius (lopt fo often at the Bank of a Rivulet: It is true, faid he, that Philofopher made every thing tend to the Inftruction of the People’ But I cannot fee what he could find in the gliding of the Water, and the loftnefs of its Murmur that could be of ufe to the Reformation of Manners. Then I mull tell you, anfwered Menfius. By attentively confidering that Rivulet, which iffued Night and Day from its Source, and which calmly continued its Courie to the Sea, without being flopped by the Inequality of the Ground, or the Gulfs it met with in its Channel, he found an inexhauftible Fund of Reflection. Behold, faid he, a natural Image of the’Man who draws the Rules of his Conduct from Truth, as from a Fountain-head, and whom no Obftacle can hinder from arriving at Perfection in Virtue. After this, he pafles to the Ule that a Man ought to make of Reafon, which is the onlv Thing that diftinguilhes Men from Bealls; and he propofes fome of the ancient Emperors, who fol¬ lowed right Reafon in every thing, as Patterns. Prince Shun , faid lie, fell into fo agreeable a Habit of acting according to the Light of Reafon, that even, tho’ he did not reflect, he never deviated from her Paths. Prince Tu was continually upon his Guard, not to do any thing contrary to the Rules of rit>ht Reafon. His Cup-bearer one Day ferving him with an excellent Wine at Table, he perceived that he was too much pleafed with its Flavour; lam afraid , faid he, that the Princes my Succef- Jiirs willfuff'cr their Hearts to be effeminated by fo delicious a Liquor ; and immediately difiniffed his Cup-bearer, and renounced the ufe of Wine. Prince Ching tang continually watched over himfelf, that he might not fall into either of the two Extreams lb inconfiftent with Virtue. In his Choice of Minifters he regarded nothin"- but Virtue. He preferred the Clown to the Courtier, and the Stranger to his own Relations 6 when he found in them a fuperior Merit. Ever fince the Emperor Ping vang tranfported the Imperial Seat to the Weft, there has been feen a perceptible Decay of Vigour in ail the Parts of the State: The wife Maxims, and the glorious Actions, of the ancient Emperors, have infenfibly fallen into Oblivion. This induced Confufius to write the Annals of che illuftrious Princes of his native Country, Lit. He found Materials in the Annals of the Mandarins, who were preferred to write the Hiftory of their Nation : But he put them in a-quite new Light, by the Reflections which he interfperfed, and by the Ornaments of a chafte, polite Stile: And as this Philolopher always (poke and thought modeftly of himfelf, he ufed to lay, that whatever tvas good in this Book was borrowed from otheis, and that all his Merit was his having ranged that Series of Facts into better Order, and put them in a better Stile. Mencius then lays down the Rules of Temperance, Liberality, and Fortitude, as he faid they had been taught him by the Dilciples of Confucius. He principally inculcates, that in the Exercife 1 of thefe Virtues a Man ought not to be engaged by the firft View that offers, but that lie ought maturely to reflect, before he determines to execute any Action that comes tinder the Head of thefe Virtues. He then treats of the Means of attracting the Friendlhip and Efteem of Afen, which is by practiling of Piety and Humanity; and this, fays he, conlifts in having a lin- cere, obliging and civil Manner of acting. If, continues he, in fulfilling the two Duties, I meet Contempt or Invectives from one of a blundering heavy Underftanding, I will begin by founding my own Breaft, and examin¬ ing if I have done any thing contrary to thefe Virtues : I then redouble the Teftimonies of 1 ' riendlhip, Politenels and Complaifance, and thereby endeavour to foften him ; but if I fee that thele Advances meet with nothing but rude Ihocking Anfwers; I then fay to my felf; There is the Character of a very intractable Fellow, I fee not one Sentiment of Humanity in him, nor feerns thereto be any Difference betwixt his Character and that of the wildeft Bealls. Let me leave lumas he is; 1 iliould torment myfelf ufelelly did I pretend to tame him. By this way of reafoning it is, that nothing can difquiet the wife Man, and the moft (hocking Injuries are'not capable to ruffle his Tranquillity, Vol. I. 5 R 433 Before The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. before he ends this Chapter he lhews, i ft. That tho’ wife Men ad differently according to the different Situations they are in, yet their Adions arc determined by the lame Underftanding, the lame Equity, and the lame Uprightnefs of Heart. 2. He inveighs againlt fuch as make ul’e of the moll unworthy Meanneffes, and the moll fervile Flatteries, that they may arrive at Dignities and Polls; but become intoxicated by Fortune, and infolent with Power, after their Promotion. CHAPTER III. M ENCIIJ S ihews to what a Degree Prince Shim carried his Love and Refped for, and Submilhon to, his Father and Mother. The Emperor Tau finding himfelf Hooping be¬ neath a Weight of Years and Infirmities, the ordinary Attendants of old Age, committed to him the Government of the Empire. While he was in the Height of Grandeur, and furrounded with Honours, Riches, Plenty, and the Applaufes of a mighty People, he could take no Pleafure, becaufe he faw his Parents abandon themfelves to lhameful Paffions: And all his Application was direded to find out the Means of reclaiming them to the Ways of Virtue. This made him often fend up Sighs to Heaven: And tho’ he was fifty Years of Age, and Mailer of the Empire, he perfevered, even to his Death, in the Pradice of all the Duties which are prefcribed by filial Piety. He then lhews the extraordinary Regard the fame Emperor had for his Brother Eyeing , an un¬ natural Prince, who had feveral times attempted the Life of the Emperor his Brother, but he was fo fir from punilhing him, when it was in his Power, that he loaded him with Plonours Favours and Riches. When the Emperor Tau was dying, he left his Empire to his Miniller Shim, preferring him to his own Son, in whom he did not find the Qualifications neceffary for governing aright. Upon which, one of his Difciples alks him, If it be in an Emperor’s Power, thus to deprive his Son of his Birth¬ right. No! anfwered the Philofopher, It is not. Crowns are at the Difpolal of Heaven, and Heaven gave the Empire to Prince Shun. The Emperor Tau only propofed him to Heaven, and Heaven agreed : The People, llruck with the Luftre of his Virtues, voluntarily fubmitted to the Decree of Heaven, and flocked to recognize their new Emperor. This Concurrence of Suffra¬ ges, this unanimous Motion of all the Parts of the Empire, is entirely fupernatural, and can only be the Effed of a Will that controuls and direds Events. It is certain, adds he, that Events whofe Caufes are unknown, can be attributed only to Heaven, which never difpoifefles Children of their Father’s Throne, except they are unworthy to fill it: As were the Emperors Kyi and Chew whofe Tyranny rendered them Objeds of Horror. He then praifes the Modefiy and Dilintereftednefs of a Sage whofe Name was I in: He was a common Hulbandman, but his Reputation for Wifdom and Virtue was very great in the Empire. The Emperor Ching tang , who had heard him frequently mention’d with great Enco¬ miums, was willing to profit by the Counlels of fo underftanding a Perfon, and engage him to come to his Court. Upon which he fent Ambafiadors to him with magnificent Prefents and invited him to fix his Abode in his Palace. I in appeared to be no ways touched, either with the Magnificence of the Embaffy, or with the Richnefs of his Prefents, which he refufed. There ,is, faid he, fomething in your Offers, and in the Propofals you make me, that might flatter a Man who has ambitious Views; but as for me, who defire nothing in this World, can I renounce my dear Solitude, and the Pleafure of finging the Verfes of our ancient Sages, of reading their Books, and of forming myfelf upon their Examples, to engage in the Hurry of a Court, and to expofe myfelf to thofe Troubles and Difquiets, that are inseparable to the Management of public Affairs ? The Prince was very much furprized when he was told of the Hufbandman’s Anfwer. Such a Contempt of Honours and Riches made him ftill more defirous of having a Man of that Character about his Perfon ; fo he fent three Times other Ambaffadors, who renewed his Invita¬ tions. The wife I in then perceived that a Prince who fought him fo earneftly, muft have Views that were very juft, and conducive to the Good of his People. Doubtlefs, faid he Hea¬ ven has bellowed more Underftanding upon me than upon the generality of Mankind that I may propagate my Dodrine, that I may affift the Prince by my Counfels, in caufing the almoft extinguished Virtues of our ancient Emperors to be revived by the Jullice of his Condud. This Motive made greater Impreffion upon him than the Honours and Prefents, which he difdained; fo he repaired to the Court of Ching tang ; and it was by his Advice, that this Prince declared War againft the Tyrant Kye , and thereby delivered the People from the cruel Oppref- iions under which they had long groaned. Mencius then makes the following Refledion: Wife Men, fays he, tread in different Paths: Some infinuate themfelves into, and others keep at a Diftance from Courts: Some don’t fcruple to accept of, others refufe and defpife, Plonours and Dignities. But amidft all this Difference of Condud, they all propofe the fame End, which is to pradife Virtue, and to lead a blamelefs Life. He ends this Chapter by undeceiving one of his Difciples, who believing the popular Reports about fame Sages, who debafed themfelves fo far as to accept of the moft mean and defpicable Employments, in order to make themfelves known, and to pave the way to Dignities: Pie lhews his Scholar, that thefe are fo many Fables, invented by fuch as fought Examples to juftify their Abjednefs and Meannefs, by which they courted the Protedion of the Great. CHAP. IV, The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. CHAPTER 17. H E begins this Chapter with obferving, that tho’ the ancient Sages had no other View iri their Conduit but Equity and Politenels, yet each of them had a different Manner of Aiting, Thinking, and Living. The wile Pe /, for inftance, would not turn his Eyes upon any Objed that was in the lead indecent; nor hear any unbecoming Word : If a Prince had the lead Failure in point of Virtue, he refufed to fervehim: If the People were indocile, he left them : When a State was in Peace and Tranquillity he willingly difchargcd the'Fundions to which he was raifed ; but where there was the lead Agitation or Trouble, he immediately threw up his Employment. The Sage I in was of another Opinion : Where is there a Prince fo vicious, faid he, whom we may not ferve ? Is there any People fo indocile that they cannot be governed ? We ought not to refuie Pods in the Magidracy, neither when a State is calm, nor when itistofs’d with Storms. A wife Man, adds he, in the Time of Peace, has Lei lure to teach Virtue; and during the Troubles of a State, he endeavours to appeafe them. After having faid that a Minider ought to form himfelf upon the ancient Sages, who have given us Examples of Integrity, Generofity, Courage, and Prudence ; he gives a Detail of the Pods and Dignities, which were in the Empire and in every Principality, and of the Revenues appropriated to thefe Dignities. fie then teaches his Difciples the Manner in which they ought to behave to their Friends : Whatever Superiority you may have over them, fays he, either in point of Age, Birth, Dignities; or Alliances, never treat them in a haughty, imperious Manner, but always, as if they were your Equals. Upon this he cites Examples of great Mandarins, Kings, and Emperors them- felves, who courted the Friendfhip of wife Men, and who defeending from the high Rank to which they were raifed, treated them with Honour and Didindion : As for indance, the King of Ifm, who paying a Vifit to the Dodor Hay tang , did not prefume to enter into his Houfe, nor to fit down to eat, before he obtain’d his Permiffion. The Emperor Tau, likewise, lived fo familiarlv with his Minider Shun, that he frequently caufed him to eat at Table with n.mfelf The fame Difciple afked our Philofopher, what ought to be the View of a wife Man that afpired to Dignities ? To affid, anfwer’d Menfius, in the good Government of a State: If he is poor, and wants only to fupp'y his own Necellities, he ought to be contented with the lefs important Employments, without alpiring to more exalted Dignities : He has whereon to live, and that ought to be fufficient. Upon this Head, he cites the Example of Confufius , who being in extream Want, did not bluffi to accept of the Pod of Overfeer of the Royal Park. The meaner and more contemptible my Employment is, faid he, it will be the more eafy for me to difeharge it. Provided the Flocks of the King be in good Condition, I fulfil all my Duty, and no more can be required of me. He lays it down as a Principle, that a wife Man, who has no Employment at Court, ought not to go thither, even tho’ the King himfelf fhould lend to delire him. Upon which a Difciple objeds to him, that if a King fhould order one of his Subjeds to go to War, the Subject would be obliged to obey him : And that for the fame Reafon, a wife Man, whom his Prince wanted to difeourfe with, ought to repair to him whenever his Majedy did him the Honour to call him. That is a different Cafe, anfwered Menfius , for on what Account, think you, does the King wiffi to fee and difeourfe with a wife Man ? Is it not to profit by his Underdanding, to confult him in perplexing Cafes, to hear and follow his Advice? He looks upon the wife Man then as the Mader, and himfelf as the Scholar, and will the Laws of Civility and good Breeding differ the Scholar to fend for his Mader ? And for the fame Reafon, will not the Mader offend againd thefe Laws, if he obeys fuch an Order? A Prince does not difparage himfelf when he vifits a Mader of Wifdom, becaute he oblerves the Ceremonies preferibed, which appoint the Scholar to behave in fuch a Manner to the Mader. If a Prince, who would profit by the Difcourfes of a wife Man, diall fail of obferving this Law of Policenefs and Reiped, he ads, as if he invited him to enter into his Houfe, and yet (hut the Door againd him. But, replies the Difciple, I have read, that Confucius being fent for by the King of Lu , flew immediately to his Court without waiting till the Chariot was got ready. Did that Pattern of wife Men commit hereby an indecent Adion ? At that time, replies our Philofopher, Confufus was the fird Minider of the Kingdom : The King had a right to caufe his Minider to come to him, and it was the Minider’s Duty to obey him as readily as he could; but a wife Man, who is cloathed with no Dignity, is not fubjed to any fuch Law. Modus ends this Chapter, by faying, that when a Prince falls into any Errors, either witli regard to the bad Choice he makes of Mandarins , or the Orders he gives in the Government of Ills State, his Minider ought to tell him of it with all the Addrefs that is fuitable to his Dignity : But if his fird Advice is unfuccefsful, he ought to repeat it again and again ; and if the Prince obftinately perfids to difregard it, he ought then to throw up his Employments, and retire from Court. US CHAP. V. The Canonical Books of the J'ccond Order, CHAPTER V. Tv ENC JUS having advanced, that Nature of herfelf was upright, and inclinable to Vir- J 3 X tue, his Difciple Kau tfe propoles to him fome Difficulties. 1 have always been of opi¬ nion, fays he, that Nature is not vicious ; but it appears to me, that Hie is indifferently and equally inclined to Good or 111 . I compare her, adds he, to Water which falls from the Hea¬ ven into a large Ditch ; if it finds no Pallage by which it can run off', it ffagnates and has no Motion; but if it finds fuch a Pallage, whether it is to the Eaft or Weft, its Courfe is directed by it. In like manner, the Nature of Man appears tome, neither good nor bad, but in a State of Indifference, and is determined to Good or Ill by virtuous or vicious Morals. I iliall grant, anfwers Mencius , that the Water has an equal Tendency towards the Eaft or Weft ; but it does not follow that it has an equal Tendency to mount into the Air, as to link to the Ground. Will not its fpecific Weight prels it downwards? The Nature of Man has ail equal Tendency to Virtue. But as we fee that Water no longer follows its natural Courle when obftnufted by a Mound, but flows back to its Source; in like manner, when a Perl'on knows not how to controul the Paffions which arile in, and continually agitate, the Heart of Man, they entirely pervert that Tendency which is in his Nature towards Good. He then refutes the Opinion of his Difciple, who makes the Nature of Man to confift in Life, and the Faculties of knowing, feeling, and moving. If it were fo, faid he, in what would the Nature of Man differ from that of a Beaft ? He then fhews that his Nature confifts in Rea- fon: ThatReal'on is the Principle of Piety and Equity; and that thefe two Virtues are as it were two Properties infeparable from human Nature. He proves this by the Refpe.:r tur ought to negledt the Delights of the Age, and not to fuffer himfelf to be dazzled by the Tinfel uponmie^ Glitter of Honours and Riches. Princes, who are intcxicated with their Grandeur, diftinguifh Wi'ilom. themfelvesonly by their Vanity and Pride. They have large Halls fumptuoufly adorn’d; Tables ferved with all the Delicacy and Magnificence imaginable; a great number of Lords and Domef- tics who (unround them and court them ; Sure, if I were in their Place, I would take Care not to imitate them. He who would be truelv wife, ought to deteft Luxury ; and without debating his Mind by employing it upon thefe Trifles, to afpire to more fublime Attainments: He ought frequently to remember the Examples of the celebrated Chew ko kung ming , who flourifhed about the end of the Government of the Family of the Han. He lived peaceably in the Town of Nan yang, without Defires and without Ambition ; being employed only in cultivating his Lands, and acquiring Wifdom. Liew pi, General of the imperial Troops, by Ins lntreaties, having engaged him to follow the Profefflon of Arms, he acquired fo great an Au¬ thority in the Army, that having made a Partition of the Fields and the Provinces, he divided all the Empire into three Parts. When he was at this high Pitch of Credit and Authority, what Riches might he not have heaped up? However, Attend to the Difcourfe he had with the Heir of the Empire. I have, faid he, upon my Family Eflate, Soo Mulberry-Trees for nourifhing Silk-Worms: I have 1500 Arpents of Land, which are carefully cultivated; fo that my Chil¬ dren and Grand-children may have a plentiful Subfiftence. This being fufficient for them, I will take Care not to heap up Riches; I have no other View but to procure the Happinefs of the Empire, and to prove to your Majefty the Truth and Sincerity of my Words, I promile, that at my Death, there (hall be found neither Rice in my Granaries, nor Money in my Coffers. And in Effedl, the Thing happened as he had promifed. CHAPTER II. Examples ext ratted from modern Authors. PARAGRAPH I. Examples of Education. A Society for /VNE of the Literati, whofe Name was Lyu , born in the City of Lyen tang , formed with pcrrcfiingthe his Fellow-Citizens a Kind of a Society, for endeavouring in Concert with one another, < to attain to Perfection. They agreed inviolably to obferve the following Laws. 1. All the Mem¬ bers of this Society were frequently to aftemble, in order to engage, and to animate one another in the Practice of Virtue. 2. They were bound to inform each other of their Faults. 3. They were to unite at the Feafts and Alfemblics, and to pafs them together. 4. They were to afiilfc one another in their NecefTities, and mutually to relieve one another in Troubles and Afflictions. 5. If any one of their Society performed an Action worthy of an Encomium, it was entered in a Regilfer, that the Memory of it might be preferved. 6. If any of them fell into a con- fiderable Fault, it was written immediately in the fame Regifter. 7. Every Member of the Society who was three times admoniffled of his Faults, and relapfed into them, was for ever excluded from the Society, and his Name (truck out of the Regifter. The Mandarin Hu ywen, frequently complained that young People, who applied to the Sci- t .c^ianda 0 ences, and afpired to the Magiftracy, followed only a vain Eloquence, without being at Pains 1 in 1 iit y-j.in to fathom the DoClrine of the ancient Sages, or to form themfelves upon their Examples, i^-qi'cnw” ^or Reaion, he explained to his Difciples, only what was moft important in the ancient Books, with refpeCt to the Regulation of Manners, and the Virtues required in good Govern¬ ment: In his Difcourles, he fought only to unfold the Senfc of the ancient Books; and defpifmg the Flowers of Eloquence, he advanced nothing but what was fupported by folid Reafonings. His Reputation foon fpread on all Sides: And in a very little Time, upwards of a thoufand Schol- lars, made a vaft Prcgrefs under fo able a Mafter. While he was Literary Mandarin in the City Hu chew , he ereCted two Schools. In the one, none were admitted but thole who had a very eminent Genius, and had, for a long Time belore, applyed to the Study of the DoCtrine of the Ancients, and to comprehend all that was moft Sublime in them. They who had diftinguiflied themfelves by their Prudence, were admitted into the other, where they were taught Arithmetic, the Exercifes of their Arms, the Rules of Government, &c. This great Number of Difciples, difperfed themfelves all over the Em¬ pire. And as they were diftinguiflied from the Vulgar by their Wifdom, their Modefty, and Integrity, it was enough to fee them, for one to know that they were Difciples of the-Mandarin Hu ywen. PA RAG. II. The Canonical Books of the fecond Order. 491 l’ARAGRAP H II. Examples upon the five Duties. T H E young Syefau minding nothing, but to render liimfelf expert, and to acquire Virtue : Cbnt! „„ st ; on His Father, who had married a fecond Time, took fucb an Averfion to him, that he drove of theMa* him from his Houle. The young Man, who could not endure to part with his Father, wept 01 Cm ' Night and Day, and ftill hung about the Houle. The Father proceeded to Threatnings, and from Threatnings to Blows: The Son was then obliged to retire: But built a little Hut near his Father’s Houfe ; where he went every Morning to rub and cleanfe the Halls, as he had done before. This put the Father into a ftill greater Paffion ; he caufed the Hut to be demoliflied, and banilhed his Son abfolutely from his Prefence. Sye pail never gave over for all this: He fought out a Lodging in the Neighbourhood, and went every Morning and Evening to prefent himl'clf before his Father to offer him his Service. A year paft thus, and yet thefevere Manner in which he was treated, could not diminilh his Tendernefs and Piety. At laft, his Father began to make Refledions upon the Injuftice of his Hatred ; and after having compared the Harfhnefs of his own Conducft, with the tender Love which his Son bore him, he yielded to the Senti¬ ments of Nature, and recalled his Son about his own Perlon. Sometime after, Sye fau loft his Parents : After having performed a Mourning of three Years, his younger Brothers propofed to divide the Efteds, to which he confented: But what was his Condud afterward ? Behold, faid he, a Number of Domeftics in a decrcpid Age, and incapable to ferve any longer: I have known them for a long Time, and they are formed according to my Humour : As for you, ye will have fome Trouble in managing them : So, they may live with me. Behold l'ome Houfes half ruined, and Lands that are barren: I have helped to cultivate them from my tendered: Youth, and I will referve them for my felf. There is nothing now to divide but the Moveables: 1 will take thefe half broken Veftels, and that old Furniture which is falling into Pieces; I have always made ufe of them, and they flnall be my Portion. Thus, tho’ he was the elder Brother of the Family, he took for his Share all the Refufe of his Father’s Houfhold : And his Brothers, having foon fquandered all their Fortunes, he divided with them what remained of his. When yu, who made himfelf fo famous throughout the Empire, relates, that it was to the wife Councels of his Mother, he owed all the Luftre of his Family. One Day, fays he, fhe took me apart and fpoke to me thus: “ Flaving gone to vifit a prime Minifter, who was one of my Relations; after all the Compliments were paft, You have a Son, faid he to me, it ever he comes to any Dignity, and if you hear that he is poor, and fcarce has whereupon to live; you may thence draw a good Omen for all the future Part of his Life. If, on the contrary, it is toli you,.that he is vaftly rich; that his Stable is filled with the fined Horfes, and that his Cloaths are fine : Look upon this Luxury and thefe Riches, as a certain Prelage of his approach¬ ing Ruin. I have always, continued the, remembered this Refledlion, in which there is fo much good Senfc. From whence can it proceed that Perfons, who are railed to dignities, can every Year fend fuch large Sums and rich Prefents to their Relations? If it proceeds from their Fruga¬ lity, and from abridging their Expences, I fliall be far from blaming them : But if it is the Fruit cf their Extortions, what Difference is there betwixt thef e Mandarins and common Robbers? And if they have Dexterity enough to lereen them from the feverity of the Laws, how can they endure themfelves, and not blulli with Confufion ?” When the Dynafty of the Han reigned ; a young Girl, whofe Name was Shin, at fixteen \ ears Generot* Ee- of Age married a Man, who, foon after his Marriage, was obliged to go to the War. When he was juft departing, I know not, find he to his Wife, if ever I fliall return from this Expedition ; Mori,a- 1 leave a very aged Mother, and I have no Brethren who can take Care of her: Can I rely upon >n Law. you, that if I die, you will charge yourfelf with this Duty ? The young Lady agreed to this with all her Heart, and her Hufband went -to the Campaign without any Uneafinefs. A little time after. News came of his Death, and the young Widow performed her Promile, by tak¬ ing a particular Care of her Mother in Law: She fpun, and wrought at Stuffs every Day, that file might earn whereupon to fubfift her. When her three Years of Mourning were expired, her Relations defigned to give her another Hufband : But fhe abfolutely rejeded that Propoial; and informing them of the. Promife fhe had made to her Hufband, fhe told them that fhe would rather embrace Death than a fecond Marriage. So refolute an Anfwer flopped tho Mouths of her Relations: Arid being thus become Miftrefs of her own Fortune, fhe lived eight and twenty Years with her Mother in Law, and gave her all the Afiiftance fhe could have expeded from the heft of Sons : The Mother in Law dying when ihe was upwards of eighty Years of Age, the Daughter fold, all her Houfes, Lands, and Pofieftlons, that fhe might give her a magnificent Funeral, and purchafe for her an honourable Burying-Place. This generous Action, had fuch an Impreffioti upon the Governor of the Cities of IVheiy ngan and tang chew, that he gave an Account of it to the Emperor in a Memorial which he prelented upon that Head: And his Majefty to reward the Piety of tile generous Lady, caufed 4240 Ounces of Sil¬ ver to be given her, and exempted her from all Taxes during the reft of her Life. Under the Reign of the Dynafty of theTiwy; the Sifter of the firft Minifter of the Empire, whofe ElampIeo) . Name was Ky (ye, was dangerpufly fick: While her Brother was wanning a Drink for her,his Beard fraternal Af- tookFire: His Sifter, touch’d with this Accident, Ha ! Brother, laid fhe, have we not a greatNumber leSbon - of Servants? why will you put yourfelf to that Trouble? I know that,anlwer’d he, but both you and I are old,and perhaps I fliall never have Occafion again to perform to you thefe little Pieces of Service. Pint 4 ^ The Canonical Books of the feconcl Order. Vnu byauJo being Governor of the City KingJ'au , which is now called Sym ngaii, a Man of the lowed Rank, came to him. I formerly had, laid he to the Governor, a Friend who lent me a hundred Ounces of Silver: He is now dead, and I want to pay back that Sum to his Son but he abfolutely refutes to receive it: I beg you would caufe him to repair hither, and order him to take what is his Due : In the mean time, the Debtor depoftted the Money in the Hands of the Governor. The luppofed Creditor appeared by the Orders of the Governor, and protefted that his Father never had lent a hundred Ounces of Silver to any one. The Mandarin, not beinw able to dear up the Truth, inclined fometimes to give the Money to the one, fometimes to the other, but neither of them would receive it; both refufing it, as not being their Right. Upon which, the Dodor Lieut) yang cried out, Who will now fay, that there ate no longer any Men of Probity? Or who will now pretend that it is impoffible to imitate the Emperors Tau and Shun? If any one advances fuch a Paradox, I will go no farther than this Inftance to confute him. Sii quang , who had been Preceptor to the apparent Heir of the Crown, prefented a Petition to the Emperor Swen ti, in which, having laid before him, that he was in a very advanced A»e he begg'd Leave to retire to his Houfe : The Emperor granted his Requeft, and prefented him with a large Sum of Money: The Prince his Pupil, made hint a confiderable Prefent likewife ; and the good old Man returning to his Country, ordered, that his Table tliould be always well ferved that he might entertain his Neighbours and ancient Friends, afking from Time to Time of his Steward, how much Money he had yet left; and ordering him to purchafe every Thing that was bell in its Kind. This Expence alarmed his Children, who went to their Father's Friends, that they might engage them to make Reprelcntations to him upon that Head. We hoped, faid they to the Friends, that when our Father had arrived at Honours and Riches, he would have endeavoured to eftablilh his Family upon a folid Foundation, and to have left us a large Eilate. Yet you fee' what expence he is at in Entertainments and Feafts; Would he not employ his Money much better in purchasing Lands and Houfes ? The Friends promifed to talk with the old Man • and having found a favourable Opportunity, let fall fomc Infinuations to him, with regard to the Reafons of his Children’s Complaint. I am lurprized at my Children, anfwered lie: I believe they think that I am a Dollard or that I have forgot what I owe to my Pofterity. Let them know, that I will leave ’ them in Lands and Houfes, what will be more than fufficient for their Mantainance if thev know how to manage it? But do not let them flatter themfelves, that by increafing their Fortune, I will contribute to feed their Indolence. I have always heard it faid, that to beftow Riches on a wife Man, is the means of enervating and weakening his Virtue: and that to beftow them upon a Fool, is the way to encreafe his Vices. In one Word, the Money which I expend, was beflowed upon me by the Emperor, for the Comfort and Recreation of my old Age ; Is it not therefore juft, that I tliould ufe it according to his Intention ; and that I fhould divert inyfelf with my Relations and Friends, that I may the more gayly l'pend the fhort Remain¬ der of my Life ? Remarkable Jew had two Daughters, the one nineteen, and the other fixteen Years of Age ; both of lore of Chat them poflefled of great Beauty, but of greater Virtue ; tbo’ neither of them had anv other ntvin two than a common Country Education. A Troop of Robbers, who at that time infefted the Em- yoang o- pj re> broke a |j D f a fuddeii into the Village where the two Girls lived : Upon which, thev con¬ cealed themfelves in the Cavities of the Mountains, that they might efcape their Infults and Cru¬ elties. They were foon difeovered by the Robbers, who were dragging them along as Viftims appointed to fatisfy their brutal Paffions. Having walked with them for fome time, they came to the Brink of a Precipice. It is much better, faid the elder Sifter to the younger’ to lole our Life than our Honour; and immediately jumping down the Precipice (lie expired’upon the Spot The younger Sifter, aimoft at the fame inftant, followed her, but did not die by the Fall; hav¬ ing only both her Legs broken. The Robbers frightned by this Sight, held on their Way, "with¬ out enquiring any farther. The Governor of the next City informed the Emperor of what had happened, and his Majefty, to eternife the Memory of fo noble an Aflion, bellowed a magni¬ ficent Encomium upon the Virtue of the two young Women, and exempted their Family and the Village in which they lived, from all Taxes, for ever. * ' ’ Lean yung loft: his Parents when he was a Child : But he had three Brothers, with whom he was very intimate; they all lived together in the fame Houfe, and their Fortune was common to them all. It happened, that all the four Brothers married; and their Wives foon broke the Harmony : They could not bear with one another, and they were every Moment difputino- and quarrelling; at laft, they demanded a Divilion of the Fortune, and a Separation of the Families An Inftance S un g was Rnlibly afflifted at this Demand : And the better to prove how much his of Affection Heart was touched: He affembled his Brethren, and their Wives in his Apartment: He then i» Brethren, (hut t h e Door, and takinga Staff, he {truck himfelf feverely upon the Head : Ah! Unhappy Lean yung, cried he, what does it now avail thee to have watched-continually over your Adtions to have applved thy felf to the ftudy of Virtue, and to have meditated inceffitntly upon the Doc¬ trine of the ancient Sages ? You flattered ydurfelf, that you might one Day by your Example reform the Manners of the Empire, and yet you are not able to eftablilh Peace in your own Fa milt; The The Canonical Books of the fecond, Order. 4^5 This Sight made a lively Impreflion upon his Brethren and their Wives: They threw them- felves at his Feet, and diffolving into Tears, promifed to reform their Conduct. In effeCt, there was no more Noife heard: A good Undemanding was re-eftablifhed in the Family, and a cor¬ dial Union amongft them all fucceeded. PARAGRAPH III. Examples of the Care with which « always gives to the People he creates, Princes I and govern them. If thefe Princes are worthlefs Men, and bad Governors, Pyen them to their Duty, either punilhes or threatens them with Calamities , ~ M,|ler Mn. Vang King. Thefe <+) The JK,. Nothing to the Text merit three S'S ' ore cUtonl'y Mfd, hove been i„ the Nun,- CIJ ^ ed ^ her of their Emperor, At for the fiv Vr not ogreed who Bo*. of Cfcbe B»tned f ^ the Pcrfons are, to whom this exprelhon relates. \\\i ti order- to nourifh , to bring :s a P'urality. to caufe ihe In 4 ^ The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, CJ) , O L. In this I ith Moon, (*) there has been an Eclipfe of the Sun ; what a Warning is this for me 3 On the one Hand, I refleft that upon my weak Perfon is devolved the Care of fupportinsr mv Family; of keeping the People, the Officers, the Princes, and the Kings that are under me in their Duty ; and in fbort, of making my Empire happy. On the other Hand when I con lider, that, tho charged with fuch a Burthen, I have but two or three Perfons at moil who he p me to lupport it; lam fenfible of my own Inlhfficiency: Above, the Stars lofe their Litdit • below, my Subjefts are prelied with Want; in all thefe I read my own Defeft of Virtue & ' Affoon as this Declaration is publifhed, let it be the Bufmefs of my People with the utmoft Attention, to examine into my Condua, and inform me of my Faults; and let this laft Em ployment be entrufted with Perfons of Undemanding, of Integrity, and Refolution, fought out tor that Purpofe, and who (hall be prefented to me. For my Part, I recommend to all in Offices under me, to apply themfelves, more than ever, to a conltiencious Difchame of their Duty specially by retrenching all unneceffary Expences to the People. I will fet them an Example Defence ^ ^ FrontIers a11 my Forces, except fuch as are abfolutcly ncceffiary for their The Emperor Kang bib Remark] In the (f) Shi king we read, All invifible as he is, he Hill is at Hand lo that there is no time in which it is permitted us to relax in our Duty to Sbanr tl ; but when an Eclipfe of the Sun happens, which is as it were a Warning from (+) 7 sen we ought then to redouble our Diligence and Cares to appeaic him. V+ ' 5 c 0ne °{. ‘he Ghfes./peaks thus This is the firft time that any of our Emperors, on occafion ot public Calamities, or extraordinary Phenomena have deiired to be told of their Faults. But iince the Days of V°.n ti , there are many other Inftances. Another Declaration of the fume Emperor Ven ti repeal;,/,, n Law avainfi Crhictfng the Form op Government. I N the Days of our ancient Emperors, there was expofed on the one Side of the Court a Sheet, upon which any one might write, and propofe any Amendments for the good of the State; and on the other Side of the fame Coart, there was a Board fixed, upon which might be marked what ever was conceived to be blameable in the Adminiftration. 6 This was in order to facilitate Remonfirances, and procure good Advice to the Prince At prefent, I find among our Laws, one which makes it criminal to fpeak ill of the Government • This Law is the Means not only of depriving us of the Advantages we might receive from the Correspondence of wife Men, who are at a Diftance from us; but even of flopping the Mouths or the Officers about our own Court. How ffiall a Prince ever after this, be made ien- fible of his Faults. This Law is fubjedt to another Inconveniency; which is this: Under pre fence that the People have already made public and folemn Proteftations of their Fidelity Sub- miflion, and Refpeft, to the Prince, if any one amongft them feems in the lead: to depart from thefe Proteftations, they are liable to be profecuted as Rebels: It puts it in the Power of Maeifirates arbitrarily, to conftrue the moft indifferent Difcourfes into Sedition againft the Government I hus, fimple ignorant People may be accufed of Treafon without any Thoughts of com¬ mitting it and convifted of a Capital Crime. No! I can never fuffer the Continuance of fuch a Law, to let it be abrogated. The Emperor Kang hib Remark.] Lfm Jhi whang made a great many Laws, fuch as this • Kau tfu, Founder of the Dynafty of the Han, had abrogated a great Number of the fame The’ Law fpoken of here, was only abrogated under (*) Ven ti, which was too late. Another Declaration of the fame Emperor Ven ti, importing an Order to deli - berate upon the Repeal of another Law, by which, the Relations of a Criminal were involved in his Punifhment. J L AWS being the Rules of Government, ought, if poffible, to be faultlefs Their Ends are, not only to pumfh Vice but to proteft Innocence. Yet i find among our Laws one Kill m force, by which, when a Man ,s criminal, his Father, his Mother, his Wife and Children, are involved in h.s Punifhment, and the leaft Punifhment they have to dread is Slavery This Law is by no means to my Liking. It is a common and a true Saving that Law’s when perfectly juft, are the fureft Means of keeping the People in their Duty. When Puniffi ment fails only upon the guilty Head, all the World approves of the Judge. The firft Duty ot a Magiftrate is to guide the People, like a good Shepherd, and to prevent their going afcay fifteT " 0tfuCCe f e r d i n th!s > ha «= ftill Laws to judge by, notentirfly coni f.ftent with the drifted equity, thefe Laws, tho' originally defigned for the Good of the Peo¬ ple turn to their Prejudice and favour of Cruelty. Such feems to me the Law I have m-nri oned ; of which I cannot fee the good Tendency. Let it be maturely deliberated, whether it is not neceffary to repeal it. ' ’ 11 15 The E'nperors Kang hib Remark] Thefe wife Princes, the ancient Emperors, often defeenued rom the Majefty of their Throne, to bewail and to weep over the Guilty. How unreafonable (*) It may be like wife tranflated there was. This Text, dees not determine the Time. (+) Shi fl S nifies Verfes, OJes. King fignifies Rule. This is one of the antient Books, which in the Chincfi opinion are the great Rule. Shang fignifies Supreme, Ti Emperor Mailer, I oid. (t) TJlls Exprefiionis not tranfiated. the Reader is left liberty to fettle the meaning of it, by c&nfiJering the Conn-fti of the Palfiges. O There was only a fliort Reign betwixt them. The Imperial Collection of Ed ids, Declarations, &V. was it to include, in the Punilhment of a Malefattor, his Father, his Mother, his Wife* and Children. Ken ti wanted to have this Law abolifhed; whence we may conclude that he was a good Prince. Another Declaration of the fame Emperor, importing, a Remiffion of the half of his Revenue in Grain, for the Encouragement of Agriculture. T HEY who have the Government of People in their Hands, ought to infpire them with all poffible Concern for what ever is neceffary to the Good of the State : Such, without Doubt, is Agriculture. For thisReafon, I have been inculcating this important Point, thefe ten Years. Yet I can¬ not obferve that they have enough laboured the new Grounds, or that there is greater Abundance of Grain. On the contrary, with Grief, I fee Famine painted upon the Faces of the poorer People. Surely, either the fubordinate Officers and Magiftrates have not had a juft Regard to my Ordinances on this Head, or, they are improper to fill the Rank they poffefs. Alas! If the Magiftrates, who are immediate Witneffes of the People’s Mifery, are regardlels of it what effedtual Remedy can I apply for their Relief ? This mull be thought of. In the mean Time I remit plalf of my Revenue in Grain for the current Year. The Emperor Kang hi’r Remark .] Nothing is more juft in itfelf than this Declaration • and it is admirably well expreffed: Even to this Day, it is affeding, and what mult it have been when it was firft publifhed ? There are in the fame Book, a great many other Declarations of the Emperor Yen ti, of the fame Nature with this laft, which proves him (fays Kang hi) to have been a Prince of vaft OEconomy. Another Declaration of the Emperor Venn, importing, an Order to deliberate upon changing Mutilations into other Vunijhments. I HAVE heard it faid, that in the Times of (*) Shun , the Execution of an Effigies was fuf- ficient to keep the People within their Duty. Happy Government! At this Time, for Crimes not Capital, we have three Sorts of (f) Mutilations very real and very fevere. And yet there are every Day terrible Crimes committed. To what is this owing ? Is it to my bciiw deftitute of the Virtues and Qualifications required to inftruft my People aright? Yes, fine it is' The Faults my Subjects commit, and the Neceffity there is of punifliing them accordingly, are to me the greateft Subjeds of Confufion. The Shi king, animating a Prince to the right Government of his Subjeas, fays, that he ought to be to them as a Father and a Mother ; yet, if any of mv Subjefls commits a Fault, even thro'Ignorance, he is immediately puniffied; and the Punifli- ment is fuch, as difables him ever to repair it by a better Condudl. This pierces my Heart What a Torture muft it be to the poor Sufferers, when they commit a Fault, if they are' fo mutilated as to be, for ever after, incurable ? But how fevere does fuch a Law Ihew’thePrince to be? Is this being a Father and a Mother to his People ? Then let the Abrogation of thisLaw come im¬ mediately under Deliberation: I ordain, that thefe Mutilations be changed into other Puniffiments- And it is likewife my Pleafure, that thofe who have been chaftifed more or lefs, according to the Nature of their Faults, be, after a certain Time, readmitted to the lame Privileges with the reft of my Subje&s. ° The Emperor Kang hi’r Remark .] It may be faid, that the abrogating thefe Laws will give greater Encouragement to Offenders, to aft unpunilh’d ; and by this means increafe their Num¬ bers ; but at the fame Time, it Ihould be confidered that thofe Mutilations, and the Difgraces that attend them, deprive the Sufferers of almoft all the Means of repairing their pall Co ml lull (K) To change thefe Punifhments for others, fuch as whipping with Rods, will fave a meat many poor Wretches. a 1 Another Declaration of the fame Emperor Ven ti, on account of the Prayers and Supplications offer'd in his behalf by mc% r ' /r ’ " - • ■ Duty. many Officers who were negligent of their A M now arrived at the 14 th Year of my Reign ; the longer it continues, the more I am fenftble of, and confounded at, my own Want of Abilities; tho’ I have not hitherto failed to difeharge, every k ear, the prelcribed Ceremonies both to Shang ti and my Anceftors I am fenlible, that in thefe Ceremonies, none of our antient and wife Kings had any Eye to their private Intereft, or petitioned for what is term’d Happinefs. So far were they from this, that they fet all Conliderations either of Blood or Intereft afide, in order to raife an able worthy Man tho’ no ways related to them; and preferred the wife Advice of another to their own natural Inclinations. Nothing is more beautiful and wife, than fo difinterefted a Conduft in great Princes! At prefent, I underftand, that many Officers outdo one another, in their Prayers for good Fortune; the good Fortune of what? not of my People, but of my Perfon: This is what I cannot relilli. If I approved that Officers, indolent in their Duty, and unattentive to the Well- VoL ’ L 5 Z fare (*) An Emperor famous for Wifdom. (+) h'iz. Branding; upon the Face with a hot Iron, cutting the Nofe, cutting off one of the Feet. . (J) There is no fuch Thing now as cutting off the Nofe, or Feet, for a Crime Sometimes, for certain Thefts, they apply a hot Iron to one of the Cheeks. But they have a ready Method of effacing the Marks. 4?7 The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, 6V. fare of my People, fhould be entirely employed in the perfonal good Fortune of a Prince, who has fo little Virtue as I have, it would be a confiderable Addition to my Failings. I therefore ordain, that my Officers, inftead of thefe pompous Petitions for me, fhould give all poffible Application to a confcientious Difcharge of their Duties. 'The Emperor Kang hi’j Remark.] It is the Virtue of an Offering, not the Contents, that renders it agreeable. When, in good Earned:, we leek for Virtue, the Gifts of (*) Tycn come of Courfe. How ridiculous was it for the Officers of the Empire to imagine, that, by only repeating fome Forms of Prayer, they could procure Happinefs to their Prince ? Vcn ti was certainly in the right to condemn fuch an Abufe. Tjing te yew, one of the famous Literati under the Dynafty of the Song, remarks of this Declaration: That if there were any Defedts in the State, Ven ti attributes them all to himfelf; and with regard to Happinefs, he difdained all that was not in common with his Subje&s. In this, he was a true Imitator, and a worthy Succeffor, of our ancient Princes. Another Declaration of the fame Emperor Ven ti, importing , that Men of appro-jed Virtue and Merit might be fought for, and prejented to him. T H E great Yu was at extraordinary Pains, to procure virtuous and able Perfons to affift him in governing wifely. The Orders he published for this Effeft, were not only publiftied within the Bounds of the Empire, but were known a great Way beyond them ; and we may fay, they were unknown only to Countries, inacceftible to Ships, to Chariots, and to Men. Every one, both far and near, efteemed it both a Pleafure and a Duty to communicate to him their Know¬ ledge ; by thefe Means, this great Prince was never feen to take one wrong Step, and became the Founder of a long and a flouriftiing Dynafty. Kau ti , in later Times, has taken the fame Precautions in founding our Dynafty. After he had delivered the Empire from its Calamities, his firft Care was, as much as he could, to furnifli himfelf with Men of Merit. All fuch he put in Ports, and recommended nothing fo rtrongly to them, as to help him to govern aright. Aided by the powerful Proteiftion of Tyen, and the Fortune of his Family, and peaceably poftefling his large Kingdom, he extended the Effe&s of his Goodnefs even to neighbouring People, (-f) From him, you know it, the Empire devolves on me. You know likewife (for I have often told you fo myfelf,) that I have neither Virtue nor Qualifications fufrtcient for the Weight of Government. This engages me to publifti the prefent Declaration; to enjoyn all who are in Ports in my Empire, from the Prince, to the fimple Magirtrate, to enquire carefully after Perfons of Merit for my Service. Such, for inftance, as know the World perfectly well; others who have a thorow Underrtanding of all Affairs relating to the State; but above all, fuch as have Refolu- tion and Honefty enough, to inform me freely of what they think amifs in my Condud, I require a good Number of all thefe to fupply my Defeds. In the mean Time, fuch of you as are in the Rank of (§) Ya jii , muft aid me in this, as far as you can. All that is effential to be examined, are the following Points, i. My daily and my perfonal Faults. 2. The Defeds of the prefent Adminirtration. 3. The Injuftice of Magiftrates. 4. The Neceflities of the People. Explain yourfelf upon thefe Heads, in a Memorial drawn up on purpofe. I will read it and, in fo doing, perceive whether your Zeal for my Service extends fo far as it ought; and I will not think it real, if, from the Beginning to the End of that Memorial, you do not fpeak with Freedom, and without fparing even my Perfon. Take Care, Ya fu ; it is no Tri¬ fle ye are about, but an Affair of the greatert Confequence; and endeavour worthily to acquit your felves of what I give you in Charge. Yhe Emperor Kang hih Remark] This is the firrt Declaration an Emperor ever published, in order to procure able Counfellors. The Shortnefs and Aptnefs of the Stile in this Piece, are in the ancient Tarte. Another Declaration of the fame Emperor Ven ti, upon the Peace concluded with Tan yu a Tartar Prince, towards the North of China. F O R many Years paft, my Subjects have buffered a good deal, and my Neighbours and Allies, yet more. The Irruptions of the Hyong nu have been frequent. I am fenfible they have coft many Lives on both Sides, and have Reafon to believe that much of the Mifchief has been concealed from my Knowledge. I cannot fee my People fuffer fo long without being fenfibly affected, and the more fo, becaufe I have always looked upon myfelf as the Author of it; for, if I had more Wifdom and Virtue, thefe Misfortues would have been prevented. In this continual Diftrefs, I have been Day and Night, meditating on the means to procure a lafting Peace, both at Home and abroad. To this alone, tend the frequent Motions of my Ambafladors. I have omitted nothing to make (||) Yan yu fenfible of my real Intentions, which are equally calculated for the good of his Subjects and mine. Yan yu at la ft comprehends them, and ac¬ knowledging their Jurtice, defires to contribute to the common Good of both. We therefore have agreed, mutually to forget what is paft, and to live in Friendrtiip for the Good of the World. In this Year I can fay, I have acquitted myfelf of the firft Duty a Prince owes, which is to tftablifh Peace in his Family. (*J Heaven. (f) He addreffes his Bifcourfe to the great Officers of his Court (§) An important Poll, in the Empire. (1;) Tan yu was a Relation of Fen ti' s. Declaration 7 he Imperial Colie cl ion of Edicts, Declarations, 6V. Declaration of King ti, Succejjor of Ven ti, enjoining Compaffion in judicial Proceedings againji Criminals. L AWS and Punilhments are neceflary, in order to prevent or flop Mifchiefs ; but at the (ame Time, it ought to be remembred, that they who are once put to Death, can never be brought again to Life. Now it often happens, that corrupt Judges facrifice an' innocent Perfon to either their own, or another Man’s Paflion ; and thus, barter away the Lives of Men. It even happens, that fome, tho’ difinterefted in Appearances, yet feek at the Bottom, to acquire a Charafter, at the Expences of another, by giving the fpecious Names of Vigilance and Juftice to the viled Subterfuges, and the mod: unwarrantable Severities; thus, deftroying many of their fellow Subjefts, and even fome Officers of Diftinftion. This occafions to me great Uneafinels, Grief, and Compaffion: But, on the other Hand, as Puniffiments are neceffary, and Laws mull ordain them, what I think myfelf obliged to ordain, that thefe Abufes may be as much prevented as poffible, is this. When, in the drift Senfe of the Law, a Man is capitally convifted, if there are any Circumdancesby which the Public favours the Criminal, let this be regarded, and a Mitigation of the Sentence take Place. The Emperor Kang hi’r Remark .] This Edidt is well expreffed; the Emperor King ti was a clear fighted, and an intelligent Prince, which appears dill more by his Tendernefs and Clemency. Another Declaration of the Emperor King ti, recommending to the People Agriculture, and to Alagiflrates Vigilance and Uprightnefs. T O what end ferve fo many Sculptures, and fuch a Profufion of empty Ornaments? They are not only unneceffary, but mifehievous, by taking up a great Number of Hands, who might be employed in Agriculture. Why too, fo many Embroideries and Bawbles, which now amufe our Women, formerly more ufefully employed in the Manufactures of wearable Stuffs and Cloths? By the Men’s jmrfuing other Arts than Agriculture, the Lands are become defart, and bv the Women’s leaving for Trifles, our profitable Manufadtures, whole Families are defti- tute of Cloathing. It ieldom happens, but that People, who want Food and Rayment, run into all manner of Evil. I, every Year, cultivate the Earth with my own Hands, and the Em- prefs my Confort, rears Silk-Worms. It is with the Labours of our own Hands, that we fur- nidi out Part of the Ceremonies paid to our Ancedors. We think it our Duty to adt thus, that thereby, we may give a good Example, and animate our Subjedls to Agriculture, and procure Plenty in the Empire. With the fame View, I refufe Prefents, I fupprefs unneceffary Offices, and retrench every thing elfe as much as poffible, that the Taxes may be proportionably diminilhed. There is Nothing, Nothing! I have fo much at Heart, as the Improvement of Agriculture. If it once flourifhed, Plenty would follow of Courfe, and Referves might be laid up againd the Times of Scarcity. Then diould we no longer dread thofe Days, when Famine prompted the Strong to fpoil the Weak, and Troops of Robbers deprived poor Families of the Neceffarics of Life. If Agriculture flouridied, we diould no more behold the Young cut off by mifery, and violent Deaths, in the Bloom of Life; and every one would have enough to make his Life glide gently on to the Brink of old Age. Indead of this, we now feel a Year of pinching Want; what occafions this Calamity ? Do I differ myfelf to be impoled upon by Hypocrify and Fraud in in the Didribution of Offices? Are the Magiftrates remifs in adminidrating Judice ? Have the Officers of the Tribunals, under Pretext of collecting my Revenue, oppred my Subjects ? In line, are there any, who trampling upon the mod effential Laws, and whofe Bufinefs it is to fnpprefs Robbers, yet fecretly (hare in their Rapines? We drictly charge all the principal Offi¬ cers of our Provinces, that they will, more than ever, watch over the Conduct of their inferior Officers, and inform our Miniders of the Culpable. And for this Effeft, we ordain, That this our prefent Declaration be publiffied throughout all our Dominions, that every one may be indrufted in our Intentions. • The Emperor Kang hit Remark^ This Declaration comes directly to the Point, and there is not a Word in it but what has this Tendency. What this Prince remarks of inferior Officers, (hews, he was acquainted with the mod private Harddiips of his People. Declarations of the Emperor Ven ti, recommending to his Snljecls, that they would give him sidvice in his Adminiftration, that they would inflrucl him in certain Points, and fpeak to him with Freedom. T OEING raifed as I am, by a Angular (*) good Fortune to the Throne of my Ancedors, ) that I may tranfmit it to my Poderity ; and charged with the Government of a great Em¬ pire, that I may encreafc its Splendor, I am no lefs full of Gratitude for the Honours done me, than fenfible of the Weight of Power. Day and Night ftnee my Acceffion, have I inceffantly applied myfelf, yet, I have Grounds to fear that many Things have efcaped my Vigilance; and that I have committed many Faults. For which Reafon, I have recommended to all the (J-) Chu lyeto, and to all others in the Empire, to find out Perfons capable to indraft and affift me in the great Art of Governing. (*; This aiudes to his being preferred to the Succeffionby his (1) Tributary Princes. Father, before his elder Brother. 4 V You 4^0 The Imperial Colie Elion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. You then (+) La ft) (a Rank which I fee you with Pleafure worthily poffefs) vou I fay who are at the Head of thofe hitherto prefented to me, read this with Attention. The Point upon which I demand your Advice is this. I hear that under our 5 Li and our - Vang the Empire enjoyed a charming Tranquillity; and yet, that in Order to preferve it, they made Ufe only of 1'ome very limple Regulations, and a few pieces of Mufic. Since the Death of thefePrinces the Form of their Bells, their Drums, and other Inftmments, have been tranfmitted to us. But their Government has met with a different Fate: It has fallen by little and little to Ruin. Under (*) Kye, Chew, and others like them, there did not remain almoft a Veftige of it. What furprizes me mod is, that in the Space of 500 Years betwixt the time of Ten vans to the laft Reigns of the Dynaffy of Chew, there have been feveral good Princes and worthy Minifters, who have oppofed the Corruption of the Age, and full of Efteem for the ancient Government, have endeavoured to re-eftabiifh it, but in vain. Things went from bad to worle. Is this to be attributed to the fault of Men alone ? Ought we not rather to fay, that Things happened thus by the fupream Decree of (-f ■) Lyen} From whence proceeded the Prolperity, of our three firft Dynafties ? And what was the firft Caufe of their Decay and Ruin ? I have heard many, both of the naturally Wife and Virtuous, of thofe who are born dull and thofe who are vicioufly enclined, make a Diftindtion of long Life and untimely Death. Both the one and the other, lay they, is to be attributed to Nature and Fate. This” I have a Thoufand Times heard, but am far from being fatisfied on that Head. While I expeft fome Satisfadion from you in this Point, I fhall inform you of what 1 have chiefly at Heart: I require, that every one voluntarily, and without Conftraint, fhould do his Duty, and that the Vicious may be reftrained and reclaimed, by the mol gentle Laws, and the mildeft Punilhments. In Ihort that my Subjeds being united may live in Contentment, and that the Government may be faultlefs. I want to have again the feafonablc Returns of Dews and Rains, that render the Fields fertile and the Trees abounding in Fruits. That no terrible Phenomena may be feen in the Stars, and that the Seafons may again be regular. In fine, I want, aided with the powerful Affiftanccs of Lyen, and the conftant Protedion of §>uey Jkin, to make my Empire every Day more flourilhing, my People more happy, my Neighbours, and, if poffible, all the World, to (hare in thit Happinefs. You fee La fu, what I wilh fur. Front you I c-xped great Affiftance in thefe Points: From you who are fo thoroughly acquainted with the mold remote Antiquity, with the Government of our wifeft Princes, and with the Springs upon which the good or bad Fortune of Empires depend. But what I chiefly recommend to you is, that you proceed regularly, and not upon too many Articles at once, difeufling firft one Subjed, then another; thus advancing by Degrees till you are perfedly well informed, of all that is mol effential and of greatelf Ufe in every Point. Whatever Faults you difeover in the Officers of my Empire, whether they lie in tile want of Virtue, Difintereftednefs, Zeal, or Application, let me be informed of them, without omitting any Thing. As for what relates to my own Perfon, fpeak it out boldly ; for that End ufe no Artifice, or Difguife, and dread no troublefome Confequences. Apply yourfelves incef- fantly to draw up a Memorial on thefe Heads; which, when done, I Aral! read. In Purfuance of the above Declaration, Chvven ti hong fhu drew up a Memo¬ rial for the Emperor, [an Extrafl op' which I fall give below) with which Ven ti was Jo well pleajed, that in order to procure another, made the pillowing Declaration. I T is laid of (+) Shun, that when walking peaceably about, with his Arms folded, he was giv¬ ing the Enjoyment of perfed Peace to the Empire. It is laid, on the contrary’ of (||) Ven vang, that in order to keep every Thing in Order, he put himfelf to prodigious Pains; the Care of his People employed him fo much, that many Times, the Sun was fet, before he had broken his Fall. Whence did this proceed? Why did the one Prince toil fo much, and the other fo lit¬ tle ? Was it on Account of their different Maxims? I know not, if I am miftaken, but I think I have difeovered the Rcafon of fo remarkable a Difference. In the Times of Shun, all the native Simplicity of the firft Ages ftill prevailed. In the Time of Veng vang , Pomp and Luxury had got Footing. In Efted, we find by our ancient Books, that about the Beginning of the Dy- nafty of the Chew, were introduced large Chariots, richly adorned and painted, glittering Arms which were fometimes adorned with precious Stones. Then were introduced Conforts of Mufic and magnificent Balls; but no fuch Things were known in the Reign of Shun : The Maxims of bis Days, were, that if any one had a fine Stone without any Blemilh, to engrave a Figure upon it, was not to embellilli, but to fpoil it: Under the Chew, a contrary Maxim prevailed which was, that Virtue moll be aided, and fupported with a little Embellilhment. In Times more diftant from one another, the Difference was ftill as great; fevere Laws were then inftituted to keep Men in their Duty, and Mutilations were frequent. Thefe Laws were abolillfd under the Chew ; and under Kang vang Criminals were fo few, that the Prifons remained empty, during the Space of forty Years. Punilhments came again in Ufe under the Lj.in-, then a horrible Maffacre enfued, but it never diminilhed the Number of Offences. An infinite Number then perilhed. One cannot reflea on it without Horror and Companion: But alas! (}) A Degree of Honour, to which he had elevated Cbwtn ti (J) A famous Prince. honv fbu, the rnoft efleem’d of the wife Men that were prefenteJ (|l) Another famous Prince annng the firft of the D-nafty to him. of the Che-uu. (•) Names of very bad Princes, (-f) Heaven. 4 6l The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Alas! It is hy calling it continually to Mind, and by comparing what palled under the Empe¬ rors my Predeceilors, that I endeavour to improve, lb as to (iipport the Dignity of my Crown, and to procure the Happinefs of my People. I aim chiefly at promoting Agriculture, and tilling Offices only wit h worthy Men. To fet my Subjebts a good Example, (§) I labour the Ground with my own Hands. I honour thole who diftinguilh themfelves in this Labour, and frequently lend Emiflaries into the Coun¬ try to find them out. I inform myfelf with great Care of the Poor, the Orphans, and the Helplefs; In Ihort, I am inceflantly contriving to render ray Reign glorious, by making my People virtuous and content. Notwithftanding of all this, I cannot lay, that I have been fuc- cefsful. The Seafons are irregular, the Air is tainted, Difeafes abound. Numbers of People die, and my Subjedts luft'er a great deal. I know not to what I Ihould attribute all thefe Misfortunes, unlefs to this, that in fpite of all my good Intentions, fome Corruption reigns among thole I have put in Offices. It is in order to examine this fo intricate and neceflary Point, that I have brought to my Court many knowing Men, whom I have fearched for in all Parts. To you then, my Lords, to all and every one of you, this Declaration is addrefled. We ftrietly charge you, carefully to examine into the Defedts of the Government. In thofe Points that differ perhaps from wife Antiquity, examine, if the Difference is grounded on Reafon, or Negligence, Lay open to us your Thoughts: Dil'clofe the Ways and Means you think proper to procure Redrefs of the growing Evils,. and do it in an exadt Memorial; in the drawing up of which, we exprefsly charge you to take Care of two Things. I. That you (ball not confine yourfelves to talk to me in fine Language; but reftridt yourfelf to what is pradlicable. 2. That neither Re- fpedt nor Fear fhall hinder you from {peaking with Freedom ; for fuch is our Will. In the Book, from 1 which thefe Pieces were taken, are feveral other Declarations of the Empe¬ ror Vti ti upon the fame Subjedt, with the two foregoing. Kang hi fays of one of them, this Piece alone, Jhews that a polite' fine Diction obtained in the time of Vu ti. I lhall not be pofi- tive that thefe are the Emperor’s Words. One thing is certain, that an Author, named Ching te Hew, is cited immediately after, who fays: “ That the Declarations of Vu ti are too laboured. “ They have, continues he, Tafte and Stile, but are at the fame Time vague and empty: I love “ thofe of (||) Vuti much better; the Language is more Ample, but not lefs beautiful; and at the “ Bottom, they come more diredfly to the Point in whatever is real and folid.” I find in the fame Book, other Declarations and Ordinances of the fame Emperor Vu ti, either containing, Acquittances of what were his Dues, or Orders to fupply the Old and the Poor out of his Trea- fury. Upon which, the Emperor Kang hi fays ; Vu ti in all thefe imitated his Father King ti, and his Grand-father Ven ti, but not in their OEconomy. He exhaufted his Treafures by a thoufrnd Expences; and towards the end of his Reign found himfelf in very bad Circumffances. Chau ti, yonngeft Son to Vu ti, futkeeded him: In this Book I only find two Pieces of his, whereof the frjl is very Jhort. The occafion of its being written is ns fallows. Han fu and four others, were prefented to him as P ef¬ forts of difinguifioed Merit, exemplary Virtue, and great Capacity ; but at the fame time, he was given to underfland that they wanted to live retired, and not to concern themfelves with Affairs ; from which they looped his Ma- jefiy would excufe them. Upon this Chau ti publifhed the following Order. I H A V E an equal Love and Efteem for Han fu and his Friends. Qualified as they are for great Employments, I am willing to fpare them the Fatigues. I therefore content that, being free of all Cares, they be only employed in advancing, by their Dilcourfes and Exam¬ ples, every one ill his own Country, the Pradtice of all the Virtues, efpecially filial Piety. As a Teftimony of my Effeem for them, I ordain my Officers, who are upon the Spot at the beginning of every Year, to make a Prefent to each of them, at my Expences. (*) If any Misfortunes happen to them, I order a (-j-) Coverlet to be furniflied to them, and fuitable Ha¬ bits at my Coft likewife ; and that the funeral Honours paid them, be fuch as are due to a Per- fon of the fecond Rank. Emperor Kang hi’s Remark.] For a Prince thus to deprive himfelf of a good Minlfter, is, in Effect, to gain him. Their Difcourles and their Examples form a great many able and virtuous Men. Tang wang, King of Yen, tho ’ of the Blood Royal, entered into a Party againfl the Emperor Chau ti, who thereupon Jent him the following Letter fealed with his own Seal. K yi II L I, from whom we have both of us the Honour to defeend, when he came to the Crown, gave to all the Princes of his Blood Appanages, in order to {Lengthen Iris Family. Since his Days, the (f) Lyu having endeavoured to undermine us ; all the Lye u remained firmly united againft them as common Enemies. They had P rince Kyang and others on their Side. The Lyu were extirpated, and our Family, in the Perfon of Ven ti, kept Poff'eflion of the Throne. Vol. I. 6 A The (§\ An ancient Cuftom. ‘(f) Becaufe in China the.Coffin is dre/t up almoll like a Bed, (||) Some of them are inferted above. ’ and the dead Body, when put into it,' is habited very well. (*) The meaning is. If they Bull die, but the Chinefc fliun (J) A Family, chat by means of an Emprcls Confort afpired that Exprcflion. to the Crown. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. The Families of Tan, the Ki, the Tfau, the $>uan, to which Kau ti was fo much indebted for their Fidelity and Services, after being confiderably encreafed, found themfelves in a fhort time as it were blended with others of all Ranks and Conditions. Numbers of them contentedly laboured the Ground, and fuffered a great deal without repining ; and a few, from Regard to the Figure they once made, were raifed, but none above the Rank of Hew. This you know, and, at Ihe fame Time, are not ignorant, that our Family met with a different Treatment. Without once appearing in the Field, or doing the leaft Service, they were admitted into, as it were, aPart- nerfhip of the Empire: They had a Territory affigned them, they were honoured with the Tide of Van*, or King, and were furnilhed with confiderable Sums. Such was the Condmft of Kau ti to thofe of his own Blood; and thele Favours have been perpetuated lb ever fince his Time, that the Succeffion has continued from Father to Soil; and where the elder Son was dead, it devolved upon the younger; fo that it is to your Blood that you owe all you are. And it is againft that very Blood, which now ennobles you, that inftead of the Affeftion you owe to me as the Chief of your Family, you are caballing againft me, with People who don’t in the leaft value you' You are forming, or at leaft fupporting, a rebellious Party. If it is granted to the dead to be confcious of what paffes here below, with what Face dare you appear at the Myau of your Anceftors, when you perform the ufual Honours to their Memories ? ■TZv Emperor Kang hi’s Remark .] The Grave, the Solid, and the Tender are fo intermixed in this Letter, that they lupport and illuftrate one another. Befides, the Style is well con- nedted, and has a great deal of the Pathetic. A G/ofs.] Tan, when he received this Letter, opened it, read it, and ftrangled himfelf upon the Spot. Declaration of the Emperor Suen ti, importing a;t Order, thnt Perfons might be f re[anted to him, who were dijlinguijhed for filial Piety. C ONSCIOUS as I am, of my own Inabilities and Infufficiency, I endeavour to fupply my other Defefls by a conftant Attention to the Neceflities of my Government, in which I employ myfelf Day and Night. The juft Fear 1 have of diigracing my Anceftors, makes me calf in to my Affiftance, Perfons diftinguifhed for their Charaaer and Merit. Notwithftanding of all this, and other Methods I take, I have yet failed of Succefs in the Reformation of Man¬ ners. Refledting to Day on what Tradition informs us of; That filial Piety is the Bafis of all other Virtues; I ordain, that from every Government, one diftinguifhed for this Virtue be pre- fented me : I want to honour and promote all fuch according to their Capacities. The Emperor Kang hi’s Remark .] The Han fucceeding immediately to the Tfm, that is to fay, to Times of Trouble and Corruption, nothing was more needful than the Suppreflion of Immo¬ rality and the promoting of Virtue; thus we fee that fine eVen ti’s Days, You ti and otheis have made this their main Study. Another Edict of the Emperor Suen ti, importing an Exemption from till At¬ tendance on publick Services, to thoje who had lofl their Father or Mother. O NE good Method to retain Subjedts in a quiet Submiffion is, to infpire them with a Love of the filial Duties. But it happens now adays, that without Regard to fuch as have loft their Father or Mother, they are employed as other People in public Services; fo that a dif- confolate Son cannot peaceably pay his laft Duties to his Parents. If he has the leaft Spark of Piety, this Violence muft pierce his Heart. I am touched with Compaffion at fuch a Cafe, and ordain that henceforth, he who lofes his Father or Mother, his Grand-father or Grand-mother, luch a one {hall be exempted from Attendance on public Services, to the intent that he may provide a decent Funeral for them, and freely acquit himfelf of all the Duties of a good Son. The fame Emperor ( Suen ti) publiihed a Declaration, by which he for the future difpenfed with a Son’s accufing a Parent, or a Wife her Hufband, but made it Capital for a Father or a Hufband, to conceal certain Crimes of his Son or of his Wife. Upon which the Emperor Kang hi remarks, that this Diftindtion is founded upon good Reafons. Yu, younger Brother of Yuen ti [both Sons of Suen ti, tin by a different Mother) was, when young, made Vang, or King of Tong ping. _ When he crew up, lee committed jome Extravagancies which difobliged his Mother, 'who on her Part exafperated him worfe. Yuen ti gave bis Brother Jome Advice, and then wrote to his Mother in the following Terms. J The Emperor, charge all my Eunuchs upon Duty, that they forward this Letter to the 1 Queen, Mother of the Vang, or King, of Tong ping. .ran. Some Things, Madam , have come to my Ears, which makes me beg Leave to iuggeu to you, that the Happinefs of Families united within themfelves by the ^ itncteft Tyes ot Blood, confifts in Unanimity; and their Deftrudtion is occafioned by notning fo much as D'lcord. It is laid, that the King of Tong ping, under the Pretext of the high Rank he holds, grows The Imperial Colkftion of Edicts, Declarations, 6V. grows in Infolence in proportion as he advances in Years. That he negledls his Studies, and abufcs his Officers ; and, even Teems, a little to forget the Refpect he owes to you. Thefe are Faults, but after all, they are Faults that many wile Princes have not been entirely free from at his Age. An ancient Maxim fays, that it becomes Parents to conceal the Failings of their Children. Re¬ flect a little, Madam, upon this Maxim; and on the Relation, in which you and your Son Rand to one another. Tho’ you live and breaths feperated from each other, yet the fame Blood and the fame Spirits are diffufed thro’ both your Bodies. Can any Tyes be more Arid!, and ffiould any Trifle have power to break them ? In former Times, Chew kong in advifmg Pe kyu , recom¬ mended to him, among other Things, never to break with a Friend, but for very weighty Rea- fons. If bare Friendffiip requires a mutual Forgivenefs of many Injuries, judge by this, Madam, I intreat you, of your prefent Cafe. Befldes, I have Tent a Mcfl'enger to the (*') Vang your Son, and I have given him Tome Advice about his Conduit. He does not excufe, but acknowledges, his Faults, and repents of them. You, Madam, on your Part, take care by a Behaviour full of Indulgence, Tendernels, and if there is occafion for it, of Patience, again to cultivate Harmony with him. The Emperor Kang hi\r Remark.] This Advice is very well conceived, and ought to have had its Effe&s. The Hiflor-ian Pay, ku fays of Yuen ti , that all the Orders which he gave in Writ¬ ing, were full of a Sweetnefs and Opennefs entirely in the ancient Manner. He is certainly in the right, and this Piece proves very well what he advances. Declaration of the Emperor Ching ti, Succejjor to Yuen ti, recommending to the ("t") Hew and other great Men , to take Care to avoid all unneceff 'ary Expences ; and that none be allowed to wear Cloths, or have Equipages , &c. above his Rank. O U R ancient Princes, in eftablifhing the Titles of Honour with fomuch Wifdom, had an Eye principally to diftinguifh the Ranks in the State; but at the fame Time took Care, that the Chief ffiould be filled with Perfons of the greateft Virtue. To do the greater Honour to them, thefe Diftindtions in Chariots and Habits were regulated, that were fo fcrupuloufly obferved by Antiquity. According to the Maxims of thefe great Men, Riches gave none a Right to difpenfe with the Obfervance of the Laws. This Ufage was a continual Leffon inculcated thro’ the whole Empire, and taught that Virtue was preferable to Riches. People then faw many as noble Examples of this, as they faw Perfons in a Station fuperior to their own. How vaftly is the Scene now changed? We now behold only Luxury and ridiculous Expen¬ ces : This Evil encreafes every Day. The Kong , the King , the Hew, and thofe who either as my Friends, Relations, or Officers, approach neareft to my Perfon, inftead of entering with me into Sentiments of Zeal and Companion upon thefe Extravagancies, authorife them by their own Examples. Inftead of continually watching over their own Conduct as they ought to do, and by duely obferving the (;£) Rites, fetting a juft Pattern for the People, they are employed in nothing, but their own Vanity and Pleafures. They build large Houfes, lay out vaft Gardens and Ponds, and harbour about their Perfons a Pack of idle Slaves. They refine every Day upon their Drefles, and ftrive who fhall have the greateft number of Bells, Drums, and Tinging Women. To conclude, in their Chariots, their Drefles, their Marriages, their Funerals, and every other Article, their Expences are extravagant. Thofe of the Magiftrates and People who are rich, follow their Examples; and thefe Excefles pafsinto a Cuftom. While thefe Diforders laft, how can Modefty, Temperance, and wife OEconomy flouriffi in the Empire? How, if thefe Virtues are wanting, fhall weefcape fuffering bad times ? Isitpof- fible that every one fhall always be above Necefllty ? O! How good Reafon had the (§) Shi king to fay ? “ Ye,whofe Rank and Employments raife you above the Level of the common Peo¬ ple, watch carefully over your own Condudt: Your Inferiors, who always have you in their View, will be fure to follow your good or bad Examples.” By thefe Prefents, we enjoin our Minifters and Magiftrates to labour for a Reformation of thefe Abufes. Black and Green , are the only Colours which all the Commonality ffiould be allowed to wear; and let them not be permitted to ufe any other. We recommend to all the Hew, and others who have Accefs to our Perfon, that they examine this Point, and that they be the fil'd: to bring about, by their own Example, fo necefiary a Reformation. The Emperor Kang hih Remark .] This Declaration, exactly anfwers the End of eflabliffiing thefe Diftindtions: Thofe who are above others, by pofieffing their Ranks agreeably to the Law, fet to all the Nation a Pattern, of what is called, genteel Frugality: Which, without doubt, is a great Step to the Reformation of a State : For by it, Luxury, that fruitful Source of Cala¬ mities, falls to the Ground. And as thofe who have great Employments, Dignities, and Eflates, are the mod' apt to forget themfelves on this Head, Ching ti went dire&ly to the Point, by addrefling himfelf to them. (J) Public Ceremonies praflifed in their Worihip. ($) The Name of a Dcok. O The King. (f) A Dignity immediately inferior to the Vang or King. Declaration 4^4 Thc Imperial ColleBion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Declaration of the Emperor Ngay ti, for reforming Mafic. A T prefent, three great Abufes prevail among us; Profufenefs in Entertainments, and Ap¬ parel ; an Itch after Numbers of vain Ornaments, and a Paffion for the tender effeminating Muiic of (||) Chin and JVey. Prodigality ruins Families in the third Generation : and by it the whole Empire becomes poorer. The Itch for vain Ornaments, occafions Multitudes of People to attend only very uieleIs Arts, and to negledt Agriculture j and effeminating tender Muiic infpires Licentioufnels. To pretend, while thefe fubfift, to introduce Plenty and Innocence into a State, is to leek a pure limpid Stream from a muddy Fountain. Confucius had a great deal of Reafon to fay, that the Muiic of Chin lliould be avoided, becaule it infpired a Loofnefs of Manners. By thele Prefents, we difeharge our Band of Mufic, and all the Officers attending on it. As for the ordinary Mufic in the Ceremonies of ’Ey an, and the mufical warlike Inftruments, we do not pretend to alter them ; thefe are approv’d of in our (*) King, but no Officers are ap¬ pointed for thefe Purpofes. We will that it be enquired into, to which of the other Officers it will be proper to commit the Management of thefe Matters. The Emperor Kang hi, who pigned himfelf upon being a lover of Mufic , makes the following Re¬ mark upon this Declaration.] Muiic has the Virtue to calm the Heart, and for that the wife Man loves it. Befides, in diverting himfelf with it, he may exercile himfelf in governing well, by an eafy and juft Application of the Government in Mufic. But with Regard to wanton Muiic that admits of no Companion. Ngay was in the right, to retrench fuch a number of needlefs Expences. A Glofsi] The Emperor faved, by this Reformation, the Penlions and Entertainment of above 440 Perlons. D'/fcourfe of Kya fhan, upon good or had Government. Hddrefs 1 d to the Emperor Ven ti, formerly called Hyau wen. S IR, I have heard it laid, that a good Minifter is he, who having the Honour to ferve a Prince, employs in his Service all his Abilities ; and above all things, teftifies his Zeal by fincere Remonftrances, without dilguiftng any thing, tho’ it lliould coft him his Plead. Polfeft of fuch Difpolitions, I now proceed to difcourle to you upon Government. I lliall not go far out of my Road to feek for an Example, to illuftrate the Difference betwixt the Good and the Bad. The Hiftory of the E/in who immediately preceeded the Han , will furnilh me with fuch an Inftance, and I beg your Majefty to run it over with me, and to give fome Attention. In the firft Ages, Literati of frriall Fortunes, and poorly habited, were frequently feen to advance themfelves to the higheft Honours, by their Virtue and Wifdom, and to immortalife their Names by their important Services to the State. It was not thus in the Days of the Efm. Shi whang , a Prince of that Family, by becoming Mafter of the Empire, thereby became Mafter of its ordinary Revenues; but not fatisfied with thefe, he loaded the People with new Taxes and Vaffalages, till his Severity reduced them to fuch a State of Mifery, that knowing they had nothing worfe to fear, the Mountains were infefted v/ith Robbers, and the Roads Filed with Criminals, whom the Officers of Juftice were always dragging to Pril'ons, and to Pu- nilhments. At laft, he alienated the Affections of his People lo much, that they eagerly watched the leaft Breath of Sedition; and waited only for the Signal, for they were ready to follow any one who lliould give it, to fhake off their heavy Yoak. Chin fdn gave that Signal: This, great Sir, you know, and you likewife know the Confe- quences. Befides, if Shi whang ruined the People by Taxes, he likewife ruined himfelf by his Expences. I11 a Journey he made from Kyen yeng to Tong, lie changed his Palaces 300 times, and found every one of them furnifhed, without carrying any of his Moveables from the one to the other; nay, not fo much as the Drums or Bells (-j-). Many of the Palaces he dwelt in were fo prodigioully large, that they appeared rather Mountains than Iloufes. They were fometimes built to the Height of feveral fcores of (t) Tin. From North to South they extended a 1000 Paces, and from Eaft to Weft, half a League. The Number and Richnefs of his Equipages were anfwerable to the Magnificence of his Buildings. Where did all this Profulion end ? Why! in his Defendants, being deprived even of a thatch’d Houle. Shi whang caufed large Roads to be laid out for his Couriers, even to the breadth of fifty Paces, lined with earthen Walls, and planted with Pine-Trees and other Evergreens, which formed one of the moll agreeable Sights in the World. Where did all this end ? His Children of the fecond Generation, had not a Bufti into which they could creep for Safetv. Shi whang choofe for his Burying-Place the Mountain Li ; fome hundred thoufandsof Men were employed upon it for ten Years: They dug a prodigious Ditch of (§) a vaft Depth; within, there was heaped up precious Stones, and Metals of all Sorts; and the Ornaments on the Out- lide, confifted of the moft beautiful Vamifhes, in the rnoft vivid Colours, with even the fineft Pearls fill Thefe arc the Names of a Country, formerly two petty Kingdoms. (*) Old Books that regulate thefe Affairs. (ti Tfeny te fays, that under the Han Dynafly, K, J!.- -in was the fir it who give Advice to the Emperor in Writing; he was encouraged to this by' the good Dilpofitions of If,.in w who created him a Ueuj. ( j.) Tan? Img ch'ivnn fays upon thi. PnfTage, Kya Jhan had r ncrgy, but hi. Stile was not correct. '1 his may be owing to his living near tioub'elome Times. (J) A Menfureof eighty Feet. (Vi The CTre/i fays, that it penetrated even to three Sources, an Exaggeration aludir.g to fome Fable like that of the ancient Poets about Hell. In other Places they mention nine Sources. - The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c‘. Pearls and other Jewels. Round one of the upper Stories ran large Galleries, and behind all, there was raifed a Mount for Pleafure, planted with the moft agreeable Woods. This was a great Expence for the Burying-place of one Man ? I fay of one Man; for his Defcendants were obliged to beg a few Feet of Earth for that Purpofe, and could not procure a fmall Roof of Reeds to cover it. At laft, Shi whang, like a wild Eeaft, having cruelly torn in Pieces all the Chu hew, fwal- lowed down, if we may fo fpeak, the whole Empire, and trampled upon all the Laws of Hu¬ manity and Juftice. But the Vengeance of (* * * (§) ) Tyen foon overtook both him and his Family. Thefe are the Matters I have prefumed to fugged to you, and I beg you would attend to them, and make a good Ufe of them. It is true, the Subjeift who is zealous and faithful, is little regarded by his Prince when he fpeaks without Difguife; and it has often happen'd that he has ruined himfelf, without having it in his Power to ferve his Prince. But at the fame Time it is as true, that it is, almoft always, very difficult for a Sovereign to govern well without fuch a Monitor, and as the mod: underftanding Princes have always had a true Zeal for hearing fincere Advice, the moft loyal Subjeds have not fear’d to expofe even their Lives, that they might give, to the Prince they ferved, this Teftimony of their Duty. But it is with Princes in this Refped as with Soils. The belt Grain when fown upon a ftonv Ground, far from multiplying, does not fo much as grow. On the other Hand, a rich well watered Soil, encreafes even the worft Seed committed to it. For Inftance, under (J-) KyS and Chew, the Advices of §>uan long. Kit Je and Pi kan three great Men of confummate Wildom, had no other Effed upon them but to haften them to their Ruin. Under Ven Dang it was other- wife, he not only had Men of Senfe about his Perfon, who cheerfully and luccefsfully com¬ municated their Lights to him; but there was not the leaft Scullion about his Palace, who durft not fpeak his Mind freely ; and if his Advice was good, it was even followed : The Con- fequences were anfwerable, (+) Kyi ! and (§) Chew perifhed with their Families, while that of Ven vang flourifhed. A good Prince then ought to do the fame by thofe who are capable to affift him, that a good Soil does by the Seeds committed to it; it nourifhes them, and multiplies them as much as poffiblc. Such is the force of Lightning, that there is nothing but what it penetrates: Should a Weight of 1000 (jj) Kyun fall from a Height, it would infallibly cm Hi whatever was beneath it. And yet thefe Comparifons are weak to (hew what the Authority of a Sovereign is, with Regard to a Subjed. Even, when he opens a Way to Remonftrances, when he defires they dial? be made, when he takes them in good Part, and amends by them; yet ftill there remains fome Dread in the Subjed, who feldom goes fo far in this Point as he can. " What would be the Confequen- ces, if a Prince, felf-opiniated, cruel, headftrong, and blinded by his Paffions, fliould fall with all the Weight of his Authority upon thofe who advifed him ? Tho’ they had all the Wifdom of Tau, and all the Firmnefs of Mong pwen, they could not fail of being crufhed. But then a Prince of this Charader would be foon left to himfelf, and then he would commit ftill greater Faults, yet no Body would dare to advife him; till, by an infallible Conl'equence, the State would be in very great Danger. In the firft Ages, our wife Princes were feldom without a Man attending them, whofe Duty and Office it was, to remark their Faults, and to keep an exad Lift of them. They had befides, two Officers, one of which was employed to read in Profe to the Prince, whatever Ads of Government were tranfading in the whole Empire; and the other, in colleding all the Verfes and Songs which were in Vogue. Not only Minifters of State and Perfons in Offices, freely gave neceffary and important Advices in all Affairs as they occurred, but even People in high Ways and in Streets, without any Dread, difcourfed of what they difliked in the State. Thus the Prince was perfedly well inftruded both in his Duties and in his Defeds. Can any Thing be more conducive than this, to the Ends of good Government? Not that our Anceftors were ignorant of the Difference between Subjeds and Sovereigns, or of what was owing to the Rank they held : But they were not lefs exad in refpeding old Age, in furnilhing themfelves with good Minifters, in railing Men of Merit, and, as far as they could, in procuring fincere Advice. In theDeference they flrewed to ? J.) old Men, which went fo far as even to ferve them with their own Hands, their View was to promote filial Piety in Families. They, as it were, affociated in the Government, able Men ; becaufe they well knew how apt a Perfon is to be intoxicated with Power, and blinded with Paffion, when elevated above the Level of Mankind. In fliort, they opened a large Field for Remonftrances, becaule there was nothing they fo much dreaded, as by being ignorant of their Faults, not to have in their Power to corred them. (*) Heaven. (+) Two bad Emperors. (j) He of the Dynafty. (§) Note that the Name of the Dynafty, Chew, whatever Refcmblance is otherwife, is when written and pronounced in VOL. I. the European Manner very different, both in the Chine/e Writ¬ ing and Pronunciation, from the Name of that bad Prince. (||) Kxun was thirty Pounds, i |; There was a Ceremony eflnblifhed for this. 6 B Did 4 ^ The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Did Shi whan” want great Qualifications? By no Means. After having fubdued the Empire and deft roved the fix Kingdoms into which it was divided, he divided it anew, into Kyun ( ) and ,+) which he governed by veiy worthy Officers. On the Side were he had moft to tear, he fortified himfelf with a long and a vaft Wall. He himfelf entered in as mmutea Detail of the Affairs of his Empire, as any Man can do into thole of a private Family. Notwithflanding of all this, his Troops were defeated by (J) Chin , and the Empire palled to the Lye*;, oecaufe Shi whan” who was full of himfelf, liltned to nothing but his Avarice and his Pride Under the Dynafty Chew, the Emperors erefled 1800 petty States, every one of winch had its Prince, and every Prince his Rights. Yet the Land was fubjed only to the Tax of aDimple Tithe and the Perfons of the People only to three Days Average in a 'i ear. T he SubjcL.s caff and contented, by their Songs celebrated the Mildneis of^ the Government ana the Virmeof their Princes, who on their Parts, were furmflied with a occent Plenty. Shi whm. & .. aft thefe 1800 States, fquandered his Revenue and ruined the People and ftiU not having enoug i for fitisfving his Ambition and maintaining his Vanity, he redoubled his Cruelties and^ Exafli- ons. There was not a Family, nay, not a Angle Man in the Empire, who did not inwardly look upon him as their moft cruel Enemy, and fecretly load him with a thou and Cuifes. At laft, -Shi whang, tho' in the moft imminent Danger of lofing all, was .the only one who was eafy; having met with feme precious Stones m a Voyage, he was fo full of felf-conceit, that he culled his Exploits to be engraven upon them, and without any Scruple, raffed himfelf far above i au and Shun. The Pofterity of our moft fortunate Princes, has never been able to mam- t . m themfelves upon the Throne, beyond the twentieth or thirtieth Generation. Shi whang promifedto himfelf, a Succeffion of 10000 Generations in his Family. He laughed at the ancient Cuftom, of having Titles of Diftinflion determined after Death ; he was refolved to fix (111 thole of himfelf and his Defcendants before-hand. He called htmfelf Shi whang ti, as bchw the firft Emperor of his Family. He ordered that his Succeffor fliould have the Appel- 1 lt fon of Eld pi whang ti, to denote his being the fecond of the Family, and fo on for 10000 Generations, or rather, for Eternity. In the mean time Shi whang died There fucceeded an univerfal Infurreaion of the Empire agatnft his Son, who was as worthlefs as himfelf, and in a lhort time, loft at once his Empire and Life. In him ended the Dynafty of Tfm But let us enquire once more, why Shi whang ti did not perceive the melancholy dangerous Situation to which he had reduced his Affairs? It was becaufe no Perfon about him durft talk to him ■'becaufe, intoxicated with Pride, he rigoroufly puniffied the leaft Murmur; becaufe anv one" who pretended to give him a fincere Advice, was fure to forfeit his Head: and becaufe he save to his Minifters neither Authority nor Credit. He proved by his Misfortune the 1 ruth of what is advanced by our Shi king : “ Will a Prince hear ? Then he is fpoken to Do s he hate « Advice ? He receives none ; but there is nothing more dangerous for him than fuch a Silence. Ven vail” underftood the Truth of this Maxim, and aded in a different Manner. So the fame Shi Unit lays to his Praife: “ Appear Men of Merit, and boldly difclole yourfelves; you arc in “’Safety under fuch a Prince, whofe greateft delight is to fee your Numbers encreafe And indeed, to reap all the Advantage that can be expefted from the Councils of Men of Merit you muft both love and honour them. Such was the Condudf of our ancient and wi e Princes towards their Minifters. They not only rendered them powerful and rich by bellow- ino- upon them large Penfions; but they diftinguiflred them yet more, by lingular Marks of their Favour and Regard. Was a Minifter fick? the Prince vifitcd him, without minding how often he did fo. Did a Minifter die? The Prince went into fecond Mourning, and in Perfon performed the (§) Tyau, feeing him dreft according to Cuftom and put mto his Coffin Till rhele Ceremonies were over, the Prince abftained from Meat and Wine; denying himfth Mu lie till after the Funeral; and he was fo very ftridt in this, that he did not even ufe it in the Ceremonies performed in Honour of his Anceftors, if they interfered with thofe ot his Minff- ter if B ouTancient Princes fo much diftingufhed a Minifter when dead, they likewife entertained a vaft Regard for him when living. Did they pay him a Vifit? it was always according to the Rites "in their Habits of Ceremonies, and with Decency and Gravity. The Mimfteii on his Part exerted himfelf in every Inftance, in the exad Performance of his Duties, and dreaded Death lefs than the not anfwering the Favours of his Prince. Thus, every thing prolpered, an m\nv after Aces felt the happy Influences of that Reign. At prefent, your Majefty Rated on the Throne of your Anceftors, calling to mind their Adions and their Virtues, ftiows the g rcat - eft Difpofitions to imitate them ; and by a Reign ftili happier than theirs, to give a new Clory to vour Family, and a new Luftre to the Crown which you hold of them. It is no doubt, with this View that you feek out and honour Men of Merit and Virtue. \ our whole Empire applauds your Condaft, and it is every where fiid, that the ancient Government revives. There is not a Man of Letters in the Empire, who does not afpire to render htmfelt capable to con¬ tribute to this. At prefent, you have at your Court a good Number of luch Men, of whom you can have great Affiftance in fo glorious an Undertaking. (*) The r e are what are now called Fu, or Cities of the firft Older, which have ievera! others depending on them- (D ’Cities of the third Order, of which feveral were re¬ quired to make one of the firft Order. (J) An obfeure Fellow, who rebelled again h Shi whang. (||) Chi fignifies to Begirt, Beginning : Eul, th e Second Ki% (§) Name of a Funeral Ceremony. The Imperial Collection of Edi&s, Declarations, tfc. But for my own Share, lean not diffemble: When I fee thofe whom you have moft diftio- guiftied enter into ail your Pleafures, to which you are but too much addicted ; I am apprehen¬ sive that you (*) reap but too few Advantages, from fo many Men of Capacity and Merit. Do vou on your Part never turn a little indolent ? I am afraid you do. But if you do this, tho' in the fmalleft Degree, the (||) Chu hew will follow your Example, and the Minifters and Magiftratcs will do the fame. Then, what will become of all your good Dcfigns? How have you laboured, iince your Acccffion to the Throne, for the Happinefs of your People ? You have abridged your felf in your Table, your Mufic, your Equipages, and your Troops. You have more than once remitted your own Revenues, and the annual Tributes. You have converted into arable Grounds, all your Parks and Gardens. There has been feen difpenfed from your Magazines, iooooo Pie¬ ces of Stuff for the Relief of the Poor. You have regulated the Exemptions of Children, in Favour of aged Parents. You preferve the Dignities of Nat:, Tze, and the like; every one may advance to them by Degrees; their Appointments are confiderable, and well paid; and all this, without reckoning the extraordinary Gratifications you bellow upon your Officers of the firft Rank and their Families. In fliort, your Favours extend even to Criminals: You have foftened their Miferies, allowed them the Comfort of feeing their Relations, and in their Favours initiated the Rigours of the Laws; by thefe Steps, you have not only gained the Hearts of your 0 Subjefts, but have procured benign Rains, that have been followed by a plentiful Crop. Fewer Rhbbeffes are now feen, lefs Mifery is felt; and (+) fyen, to fecond your good Intentions, has diminithed the Number of Criminals, in Proportion as you have loftened the Severity of Punilhments. . I underftand, that in the Provinces, when the Magiftrates caufe your Declarations to be pub- lifhed, there is not an old Man fo decrepid with Age, if he can lupport himfelt upon a Staff, who does not crowd to hear them, and in hearing, fays to himfelf: “ Why can’t I live a little “ time longer, that I may fee the Perfedion of that happy Change, which the Virtues of fucli C a Prince°muft produce?" Things being upon this Footing, your Reputation fo well efta- blifhed thro' the whole Empire, and your Court furnifhed with fo many Men of the moft dif- tinguifhed Merit; inftead of profiting by them, happily to finitn what you have fo fuccefsfu lly be°un and fupporting the Hopes conceived of your Reign, in what does your Majefty employ fo many meat Men ? In meer Amufements. No ! Sir, this is what I cannot refled upon with¬ out extreme Anguilh of Heart, which my Zeal will not allow me to conceal: Alas 1 How truly is it laid by our Shi king ; “ To begin well, is common, but to end well, is rule. However, don’t imagine, that I propofe any thing to you that is difficult. All I beg is, that you would apply yourfelf lefs to hunting, that you would revive at certain Times the Ceremonies of (§) Ming tang, and caufe (fjf) the Eay /ays to be reeftablilhed and promoted. You will hence foon fee with Pleafure, excellent Effeds; but as for the Literati of Merit, with whom you have fo well furnifhed your Court, and whom you have put into the greateft Employments, Amufe¬ ments are not for them ; fo far from engaging them in Diverfions, you lliould not fiiffer them to follow you in yours. To treat them as you do, is againft the wifeft Maxims, and the moft conftant Pradice of fage Antiquity. More ferious Affairs ought then to take up all their Time. They ouAit inceffantly to be improving in Knowledge, and confirming themfelves in Difintereft- ednefs, Uprightnefs, and other Virtues. Without this, they will foften by Degrees, till at laft, their Charader will be quite effaced. What a Shame, and what a Lofs is it, that Men of lo many good Qualities, (hould not only be ufelefs to you, but even have their Morals corrupted at your Court 1 This gives me a mortal Unealinefs. Divert yourfelf in the Morning, but let it be with fome Officers of a lower Rank ; and then return to the others, and treat with them about the Affairs of your Empire. Thus, without renouncing reafonable Diverfions, you may maintain in full Vigour the two effential Points of Government, the Councils and the Rites. ‘The Emperor Kang hi’s Remark .] The Compofition of this Difcourfe is far from being corred, but itisfolidat the Bottom. This and other Pieces of that Age, retain a little of the Dil- orders that fo long prevailed in the Empire before the Han ; but, one can perceive by them, that thofe Men, who faw the State extricated out of their Inconveniencies, did their belt to hin¬ der it from relapfing into them. The weftern Han owed a good deal to the two Kya and long chemg Jim '■> they properly were the good Leaven of their Dynafty. (*) China te fytvo fays: All this Difcourfe of Kya Jhan tends to reclaim Ven ti, who was too much add idled to hunting, and .took his Counfellours and Minifters of State along with him to that Diversion. It v/ould feem at firft, that it was neither necellhry or prudent to cite the Hiiforyof the Tjin, but at its Bottom it was not amifs; for tho' Ven ti was a good Prince, he began to be a little carelefs of his Condutt : Inftead of hoidng frequent Cour.cels with his Minifters, he was for ever engaging them in hunting Matches; one Pafiion brings on another : It is eafy to imitate what is ill, and Ven ti might have ruined him- lelf like Tfn, which was what Kya Jhin feared, and wanted to prevent. In’ this he was to be praifed, but in my Opinion he ends ill ; for one of our moft effential Maxims is, always to be perfefting ourfeives in Virtue, to. be flopping up every Avenue of Vice f but Kya Jhan when he ends his Difcourfe, opens a Road of Remiffnefs for his Prince. He is inconfiftent with him¬ felf in this Point, and does not follow the Dcftrine of the I tw or Literati. Thefe are the Words of the Tfmgte jyew, arit ^ £ his Dodlor is in the Right, for t ie true I ezv, which fome Europeans are p ca:ed to call Sett of the Literati, is really the Dcttrine common to the whole Empire, and what is contained in the Book, which have been conllantly acknowledged as King. Now according to thefe Books, every body, but the Prince more efpeciallv, ought inceffantly to watch over his Attions and Thoughts, that he may not give the leal’r entrance to Vice. In this Cafe, and with the Afhltance of Tyen, thefe Books tells us, that both Prince and People are happy. (||) Tributary Princes. (-(-) Heaven. (§) The Chine/e Author have a good deal of Rabbinifm about Ming tang, and they are pretty like one another (J) In Chinefe, fay, fignifies moft High and the firft. Ilya a School or College Study. Kya 467 The Impmal Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. rnyi CHAN, Author of the preceding Piece, left, behind him, one ofhisNephews called Kya / about the Perfon ol the fame Emperor Ven ti. When he was twenty Years of Age he was created (*) Poft, and a fliort Time after he was raifed to the Dignity of Ta f&: Ven A regarding his Councels fo much, that rnoft of the Orders he gave, and the Regulations he made, were by his Advice. But the Jealoufy of the (f ) Kyang and the Quan, to whom the reigning Family owed the greateft Obligations, obliged Vm ti to part with him ; and he appointed him (+) Eay jii to the young Vang of Chang Jha. He afterwards ferved in the fame Station under th I Wham of Leang ivbay, but that Prince dying young, Kya i was fo fenfiblv grieved that he fellfick and died a little after his Pupil, in the 33 (’) A Title of Honour. (D The Names of two Families. ({) Governour. (jf) D'e Chinefe call certain Tartars of China, by this Name. I 1 ' I '> signifies Antiquity. Siting, to perfect. I m lays a Glols, caufed his My an to be built in his own I.ife time; and p.aced the Infcription Kti cbing upon it, thereby denot. ing that he apply’d to perfeft what hi> Father had eflablifheJ (!) fay figmnes very great. Tjong fignifies the Head of a ft,, mriy: Ent-the two Words joined here together are a Title oi Honour, given more than once to Princes who are looked upon as Joint Founders of a Dvnalh : A, Tay tjH is given as the Tit’e of many Founders of Dynafties 7/7 tting when joined, fis¬ hes Anceltors in general. & The Imperial ColleBion of Edi&s, Declarations, c fc. In the Infancy of a Dynafty, if a Prince would eftablifh it firmly, it is natural for him to be diftruftful, and then, he fometimes takes falfe Alarms, and may be deceived in his Sufpicions. Hence it happens, that lometimes the Innocent 1 'ufFer ; but there is no avoiding this: And in fuch Cir- cumltances, in the Beginning of the Dynafty, the lafety of the Sovereign, and the good of the State, is inconfiftent with the Impunity of fubordinate Powers, when overgrown. Take Care that your younger Brother does not poflefs too powerful a State. He may be tempted, if he has not already formed the Defign, to make himfelf Emperor of the Eaft, and to rival you. On the Weft your deceafed elder Brother’s Son, certainly has Defigns upon Tong yang; and fome even pretend, that they are upon the Point of Execution. As for the Vang of U, you know what his Forces arc, and that he is the moft powerful of all the Chu hew, this Vang, I fay, ads in all Rclpects within his own State, by his own Authority, and in contempt of your Laws. This too, I am certainly informed of. You may judge by this, what a Prince who behaves thus, and has yet only tailed of your Indulgence, will not attempt. Such is your preient Situation, a Situation little different from that of thofe Emperors, whofe melancholy Hiftory is wrote in the (*) Chun tj'yw. ’Tis true, that there are no a (final Com¬ motions ; but why ? Moft of the Vang are yet young, and under the Tuition of Governors and Minifters, who manage their Affairs. And thefe Governors and Minifters are Men of your own appointing; or at leaft, fincerely devoted to your Family. But in a few Years, when thefe Vang are grown up, they will have more Spirit, and be lefs tradlable. Then their ancient Officers will each pretend Infirmities, or tome other Reafon for retiring from Court. Then fhall thefe Prin¬ ces, being as it were emancipated, either give a Loofe to their Inclinations, or follow the Advice of thofe who have interelled Views. When this Change happens, and the Time is not far off if your Brother or Nephew fhould ftart their Claims, and break openly from their Allegiance, what Remedy mull be applied ? For my own Share, I fee none ; and I believe that (-)-) Yau and Shun themlelves would be puzzled to find out one. A Man who wants to dry himfelf, does not wait for Night, but makes the bell of the Noon-Day Sun that he can. Why have you that Knife in your Hand if you make no Ufe of it ? Two Proverbs are attributed to (f).Whang ti-, their Appli¬ cation is very plain. Profit Prince, Profit, by the Power and Time you have. You will then find every thing eaiy ; but, if you delay, all will be difficult. The fmalleft Inconvenience that can attend fuch a Delay, is, that you will be reduced to the irkfome Neceffity of fhedding the Blood that comes from the fame Source. with your own. But who can anfwer for other Confe- quences? And then will not the Times of Tf'm revive? Roufe your felf, Sir, ftrike a mafterly Blow, you have Authority, you are Emperor, the Junfture is favourable, but at the fame time prelling ; Supported by (§) Tyen , fear only what is really formidable ; Give your Empire Peace and Quiet, by preventing the Danger and diffipating the Storm that threatens it. That you may the better comprehend the Importance of this Advice, let us call to Mind fome Points of Hiftory, and make fome Suppofitions. No Doubt, you remember what Hiftory tells us of one of the Vang of T/i, called When. He grew fo powerful, that nothing lefs would ferve him, but that the other Chu hew fhould come in a Body and pay him Homage. They refpedled him a good deal more than they did the Emperor. Had you been then Emperor, if you had allowed him quietly to arrive at that degree of Power, what would you then have done ? Durft you have attempted to reduce him ? I own I know little; but I know, and dare boldly pronounce, that if you had, your Attempt had been fruitlefs. But we need not go fo far back for Inftances: In later Times, Shang reigned in Tfii, Kin ft) in Whey nan , fung ywe in Leang, Hun fin in Han , Chang ngau in Chau , having for his Minii- ters , Quan kau. Lie quan reigned in Ten, add Chin hi , tho’ no Vang, poffeffed Tay. Now fup- 4>ofing that thefe fix or feven Princes were ftill alive; and that each of them was fo well efta- blilhed at Home, that his State was in a flouriihing Condition ; and that they had nothing to fear from one another ; luppofe all this, would not you who are Emperor be a good deal alarm’d ? Sure you would. After the Deaths of Shi whang and his Son Eul.[hi, the Empire being in Diftrefs and with¬ out a Mailer, your Father Kau ti taking Arms, all thofe I have named did the fame. Every one had his own Views and his own Party. But none among them at firft had any particular At¬ tachment to your Father ; yet, by Degrees, they all came over to his Side. It was a great Piece of good Fortune for him, that they were all of them Princes very moderate in their Ambition. But the great Motive of their Refolution was, that they found a Superiority of Merit in Kau ti above Envy, fo that they were not ailiamed to yield to him. Thus your Father was indebted for his Crown to his own Bravery and Merit. He was no fooner Mailer of the Empire than he fhar'd his Conquefts with thefe Princes, giving to each 20 or 30, and to fome, 100 (||) Hyen. Notwith- ftanding all his Merit and Liberalities, within ten Years, there were frequent Rebellions in feveral Quarters, and he fcarce reign’d a Year in Peace. Yet all thefe Princes were fenfible of his Abi¬ lities and Courage, by Experience, and they perfonally held their Dominions of him. If thefe fix or feven Princes reigning over as many different States, fome larger, others lefs, but every one of them confiderable, had enjoyed them quietly, would you, had you been then Emperor have Vol. I. 6 C ’ liv’d (*) The Name ofa Book aferibed to Confucius. (+) Two Princes famous for their Wifdom. (t) The Name of an ancient Emperor. (§) Heaven. (||) Towns of the third Order, and their Diftri£b. are called Hjen. 470 The Imperial ColleElion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. liv’d undifturbed ? Could you have kept their Turbulence within the Bounds of Duty and Sub- million ? 1 dare again affirm, you could not, had they belonged as much to you, as, for the molt Part, they did to the then Emperor. But I mult repeat it again ; If you do not fpeedily tal;e fome Courfe to prevent it, Affairs will come to this Iffue. All the Vang, who are now your Subjeds in Name, will in Effedbe no lon¬ ger fo. Each of them proud of his Power which is really too great, will be a petty Emperor within himfelf, and difpofe of every Thing independantly of you, and arrogate to himfelf the Right to difpofe of this or that Dignity as he pleafes; of forgiving Crimes, and of pardoning Malefactors tho’ worthy of Death; and perhaps fome of thefe Vang more bold, or powerful than the reft, will go fo far as to ule a Chariot covered with Yellow, to the great contempt of the Laws of the Empire, and your Sovereign Authority. Should any one forget himfelf, to this Degree, what mull: be done? Will you fend him your Orders and Reprimands? He will defpile them. Will you fummon him to appear at your Court? He won’t come ? Or granting he comes; wiir you dare to punifh him according to the Rigour of the Law ? But thus to punilh near Rela¬ tions, would infallibly fet all the reft againft you, and produce a Rebellion from moft of them. I own, indeed, that there are fome(*).F£wg- kya, but, befides that they are rare, to what End will their Boldnefs ferve ? No fooner ffiall they dare to open their Mouth, but fome mercenary Cut throat will, by planting a Dagger in their Hearts, render them for ever dumb: Unlefs then, you immediately purl'ue other Mealures, Things will come to this Pafs, that you neither can ftop the Rebellion of your Relations, nor protedl from their Refentment, thofe who fhall have the Courage to declare for you againft them. No fooner was your Dynafty of Han eftabliffi’d on the Throne, than the (f-)Lyu, abufing their too great Power acquired by an Alliance, endeavour’d to deftroy it. But] have pointed out the Spring of thefe former Commotions, which was the Power of the Lyu, and have you not the fame Reafon to be afraid, left the very fame Thing ffiould be attempted againft you, which formerly the Lyu have againft all your Family, and that the Empire fhould fall into almoft the fame Troubles as formerly ? In fuch a Cafe, who could anfwer for the Event ? Notwithftanding your vaft Capacity, you would be then in no fmall Perplexity. But how much more fatal would it be, flrould it not happen till the Reign of fome of your Children endowed with fewer Abilities than you? The Butcher (J) Tan in one Morning differed twelve Oxen, without his Knife being in the leaft hacked, how came this ? Becaufe he only ufed it to cut the Flefh, and artfully to fepe- rate the Joints. When he came to the Bones, or any Part that was too hard, he immediately ufed the Ax : What the Knife was to this Butcher; Clemency, Liberality, and the like Virtues are to the Sovereign : The Laws and his Power are the Ax; and at prefent, the Chu hew feem to be fo many Bones and hard Cartilages: At leaft two of them doubtlefs are fo. Certain Expe¬ rience (hews that moft Troubles in the State begin by the too great Power of tributary Princes. This is plain from Hiftory, particularly from one of the Paffages I have pointed out. The Revolt began by JVhy yu , when he was the Vang ot Lfu a powerful State. He was followed by Han Jin. Why? Becaufe the latter was fupported by the Hu. The Abilities of <$uan kau, Minifter of (§) Chau , had rendered that State rich and powerful, fo that he was the third who rebelled. Ching hi , who rebelled immediately after, had no large Dominions, but excellent Troops. The others rebelled fooner or later, as they were more or lels ftrong. Li, Vang of Chang Jim was the only one who never fwerv’d from the Refpedt and Obedience he owed to his Sove¬ reign. But his Dominions contained no more than 25000 Families. Itisjuftly faid of him, that tho’ he did lefs than any of the others for the reigning Family, yet it was more obliged to him than any other, becaufe he had never done any Thing againft it. And indeed, tho’ he might have been emboldned to throw off his Obedience to his Prince, by his being at fuch a Diftanco from the imperial Court, yet he continued always faithful and obedient. But was his Fidelity owing purely to his Virtue, or to his having better natural Difpofitions than the others? May not one fafely conclude, that it was in fome Meafure owing to his own Weaknefs; but let us come to Facts. There were formerly given to Fan, Ki, Quan and Kyang, fome dozens of Towns, as it were in Pledge, with the Title of Vang. Thefe petty Principalities were afterwards aboliffi’d, and it is right not to re-eftablifh them. The Defendants of Han fin and Tw obtained the Title and Rank of Chu hew, which they ftill poftefs. There is no great Inconvenience in allowing them to keep this Diftin&ion, if it is not made a Precedent for others; for if you would keep all the Vang in Obe¬ dience, and deftroy the Intrigues of the great Men of the Orders inferior to Vang, nothing is more expedient, than to reduce the firft Order to the fame footing with the Vang of Chang cha; and to treat the fecond as formerly Fan, Ki, Kyan and Qvan, were ferved. At the fame Time would you eftablifh your own Authority, and affure a lafting Peace to the Empire, weaken the Power of every one of thefe Princes, by making feveral petty Principalities out of every one of their Territories. The Smalnefs of their Power will deprive them of the Temptation to rebel. Thus, it will be eafy, by treating them gently, to keep them attached to you, and make them as ready to comply with your Will, fo far as the Laws of the Empire oblige, as the Fingers are to obey (*) This was the Name of a Man who being Yu fe , openly Kan ti, founder of the Dynafty of Han, was. prclented anAcculation to the Emperor againft Li ong, faying he (J) This Citation is taken from Menu tfe a famous Minifter, ought to be punifhed wijh Death. under When Hong Founder of the Dynafty called I Lau. (f,) The Name of a Family, of which theEmprefs, Wife of (§) The Name of a foreign Nation adjacent to China. The Imperial Colle cl ion of Edicts, Declarations, bV. obey the Motions of the Hand. Put things in this Situation, and I will anfwer for it, that every one will cry out; “ What a mafterly Stroke of Wifdom is here ! The Peace of the Empire is now affured for a long time.” Begin then by breaking the three Kingdoms of T’/i, Chau, and Tffii, into the feveral Principalities, which the Extent of their Dominions comprehends, rendering each almoft equal to that of Chang Jha-, ordain that the three Vang , who at prelent pcffefs thele three Kingdoms, leave each to his eldeft or youngeft Son, according to the order of his Birth, one of thefe Principalities, till every one of them has its own Prince: Do the fame with Leang yen , and the other Kingdoms. If it (hall, happen, that the Sons or Grand-fons of the reigning Vang are not fo numerous, as that each of thefe Principalities, fo divided, can have its own Prince, then order it fo, that the Principalities that remain, may go to the other immediate Defendants of the Family. As to certain Principalities lock’d up within fome of thefe Kingdoms, and pofleft by Families who have the Title of Chu hew ; you muff diftinCtly mark out their Extent, and make them ftp era te States as the others, with the Rights of Succeffion, and render it impoffible that they Ihould ever be annexed to your Empire, but for the Crime ofTreafon. By this, you will endear a great Number to your Perfon, fince you will (hew that you leek no private Advantage; and by this, the whole Empire, will both applaud your Wifdom and praife your Generofity. Every Branch of the Eftates that are divided, will do their utmoft to preferve themfelves in the Rank of Vang. Their Weaknels and their Intereft will naturally induce them to continue in their Obedience ; and this will fpare you the Unpopularity of inflicting any rigorous Punilhments. No more tra¬ gical Events will be feen, and your Clemency and Goodnefs will be no lefs praifed than your Wif¬ dom and Difintereflednefs. The Laws will then be in Vigour, and your Commands meet with Obedience. No Prince, tho’ poffeft of a Li ki or a Quan kail for a Minifter, will dare to under¬ take anything. The factitious Deligns of Chay ki and Kay chong (*) will be crufhed. When the Princes and great Men are fubjeCted, their Inferiors eafily fall in with what is right; and the whole Empire, charmed as I have faid, by your Wifdom, Difintereflednefs, and Clemency, will enter vet more unto its Duty by fo equitable a Firmnefs.- In effeCt, when things are upon this Footing, not the leaft Convulfion in the Empire, can follow even upon the Reign of a minor Prince, tho’ an Infant and poflhumous. In fhort, you will thereby allure the Glory and Tranquility of your Kingdom, and make your Name adored by future Ages. All thefe Advantages may be produced by a fingle Stroke, of which I am perfwaded you fee the Expediency, and I dare anfwer for the Confequences. Then what withholds your Arm ? Perhaps you think the Evil is yet Light. But allow me to afk you. Sir, if a Man can be in good Health when his (*(*) Leg is fwelled as large as his Body, and his Finger (J) as big as his Arm. Sure you will own, he cannot; and that yon look upon fuch a ’ Swelling as dangerous. Believe me, Sir, it is a certain Truth, that even a Wound in the little Finger, when negleCted and ill managed, too often baffles the ablefl Phyficians, becomes incu¬ rable, and kills the Patient. Such a Swelling is flill more to be dreaded, when accompanied with acute Pains in the (§) Feet. This is certainly the Evil that is capable to make one fend up great Cries. But what is more monflrous is, that tho’ the Emperor,whoever he is, is without Doubt the Head of the Empire, becaufe he is above the Reft of the Nation; and the Barbarians on 'our Borders are the inferior Extremities, and in this RefpeCt, the Feet of the Empire : Yet at prefent, the Hyong nil commit a thoufand Infults upon us, and in order to prevent more, the reigning Family furnifhes them every Year with large Sums, either in Money or other Commodities. To exaCt this kind of Tribute, is the Part of Mailers, to pay it, of Subjects. Thus the Feet is above, and the Head below : Unnatural Reverfe ! While this is fuffered, can it be faid that there are in the Empire Officers truly zealous ? And yet this is her fhameful Situation, without one Effort to relieve her. She is likewife afflicted with violent Pains in one of her Sides; that which I fpeak of is the N. W, Notwithftanding the great Expences in keeping on Foot fuch a vail Number of Troops; and notwithftanding the large Pay of their Officers, the People are in continual Alarms. Thefe who have ever fo little Strength, are inceffantly upon the Watch, and Day and Night em¬ ployed in making Signals by Fires or other Methods. The Troops on the other Hand, are obliged to lleep with their Armour on their Backs, and their Helmets on their Heads: Theft are the real Calamities that affliCl your Empire. A Pbyfician offers you an infallible Remedy for them, and he is not heard. Is not this capable enough to draw Tears from the Eyes ? As you poffefs the glorious Title of Emperor, is it not fhameful to render yourfelf in EffeCt, Tributary ? If you continue to put up with the greateft of all Ignominies, and to fuffer the prefent Wounds to feller, in what mull fuch a ConduCt end? Among all who have the Honour to advife your Ma- jefty, there is not one who does not agree with me, in the Reality of the Evils I have touch’d upon. But when there is any talk of remedying them, they fee not, they fay, in what Manner it can be done: For my Share I am of a different Opinion. The whole Nation of Hyong nu has not fo many Inhabitants as one of the great Hyen of your Empire. And what fhame mull it reflect on thofe at the Helm of Government, that they have not, with the Forces of fo vail a State, been able to relift the Inference of one fo ftnall. The Inconveniences we fuffer from the Hyong nil are (*} Thefe were the Men who advifed the Vang of Whey nan, (J) He means the VangplTfi pe. to the Rebellion he then projected. , (§) He means the Vang ot Tj7t and 7/7. The one Coufin Ger. (|) He means the Vang of Whey nan. man of Ven ti both Sons of one of his elder Brothers. 471 47- T^ e Imperial ColleBion of Edicts, Declarations, & c. are fo eafily prevented, that let the Forces of one Prince your Tributary ad hut ever fo little ac¬ cording to my Direftions, theft Barbarians (ball foon be reduced. Make but a Trial and vni, (ball foon be abfolute Matter of the fate of. (*) tan yu, and pronounce the Doom of the^ravtor (+) Twe, who is at the Head of his Counfels. Allow me. Sir, to tell you that the Infolence of the % nu is owmg to your Manner of treating them. Inftead of hunting down theft trou blefome Savages, you are chafing Wild Boars ; and inftead of purfuing theft revolted Scoundrels you are following Flares; Thus, for a vain Amufement, you negled the moll dangerous Evil’ It is not thus, that the Quiet and Repofe of a People is attained. It mull be owing to yourielf if you are fincere in the Matter, that your Authority is formidable, and your Virtues dear to the mod diftant People, even beyond the Limits of your Empire; while, at prelent, you are not fure of being obeyed even within thirty or forty Leagues of Empire. This is the fecond Thine 1 mentioned, which muft draw Tears from the Man who is zealous in your Service (s) Luxury is now arrived at fuch a Height, that mean People embroider the Cloaths, and even the Shoes of the Boys and Girls whom they are obliged to fell. One can fee none expofed in the Slave-market but fueh as are glittering with a Profufion of Ornaments. At prefent. People of ordinary Rank drels their Wives and Slaves in thefe very Things, which formerly adorn’d our Emprefs, and which file carried only to the Temple. Thefe Axes and other Figures in Embroidery, formerly folelv referred for the imperial Habits of Ceremony, ferve now to adorn the Parlour or the Dining¬ room of a Merchant who has leraped together a little Money: Who, in feeing theft DifordeS would not fay that the Forces of the Empire are drained? No, they are not in Effeft but they are very near being fo. 3 When I fee Perfons of no Quality furnifh their Houfes in this Manner, while your Maieftv’s Habit is only of the coarfeft Stuffs, and the molt ordinary Colours: When I lie the Shoes of a yde Concubine more richly embroidered than the Collar if our Emprefs; this Diforder chiefly fets me a crying: But I hkewife fee, that it is of fuch a Nature, that it muft be foon followed by Mifcry. In efTed, the employing fo many Men in making Cloaths for one Perlbn is the Canfe why many can get no Cloaths at all. There are ten who eat the Produft, for one who tends' the Culture, of the Earth; How then is it poffible but many fliould want Food ? Befides to pretend to maintam Order among a People preffed by Hunger and Nakednefs, is to pretend’to an Im poffibility. behold, what drams and ruins the Empire: Behold, what produces the Robberies -and Rebellions that are ready to break out. Neverthelefs you are frequently told: Every thing goes well., let us leave them as the y *re • And they who talk to you in this Manner, are your clear-headed Gentlemen. Yet there cannot be a greater Medly of Cuftoms imagined: All Ranks are confounded, and there is no longer any Dif tindlion betwixt the Grandees and the People. Even the Refpea due to your facred Maieftv is encroatch d upon, yet they never ceafe to cry out; Do not let us /Hr, every thing goes well I there any thing more capable to make a Man fend up deep Sighs? (||) tong yastg, with'om troubling himfelf about Virtue, was wholly employed in fuggeftmg to his Prince the Means of o- a inin? and amaffing Money. Thus in the two Years that he was in Office, there was a terrible Corrun H°n Of Morals. The Son of a poor Man then only thought upon the means of leaving his Father, that he might become the Son in Law of one who was in better Circumfiances While a Father and Mother was digging the Ground .or handling the Rake, the Son, pampered with the Fiuits of their Toils, was ading the Man of Importance, and putting on Airs of HauHi tmefs even with regard to them. The young Wife, when giving fuck to her Child ufed then infolently to d.fpute with her Hufoand : The Step-mother and the Step-daughter were Spies upon one another, and every Moment looked upon one another with the moft malignant Eves No th;ng then remained to Men, but Indulgence for their Children, and a Paffion for Riches :' When this is all the Dminftion, how fmall is the Difference between Man and Brute? Notwithftanding.of this, Shi whang, purluing his Projefl, and taking Advantage of favourable Junctures, invaded fix Kingdoms and made himfelf Emperor; he had then notlifng more to do but to take fuch Meafures as might eftablifli his Family upon the Throne. The true Mealim-s for th, were Temperance Modefty, Gentlenefs, Upright,lefs, Honour, and the Maintenance of the eftabhlhed Laws Thefe were all unknown to Shi whang-. He blindly followed th- Road which shang yang had pointed out; and only ftudied to be rapacious, that he might be profufe H,s Subjeas followed h. Example; every one made hisPaffion, and the Extent ofhis own Power' the Rules of his Conduft. Wit and Parts were then only ufed to make Dupes of the Ample and weak; Bravery and Courage to take advantage of the weak and fearful; and a fuperioritv of Strength was looked upon as a Rignt to commit an Infult. In fhort, the Diforder was at lait too great to be longer born. At this Junaure (4.) a Man of a fuperior Merit appeared; every thing yielded to his Courao-e and alllubmittedto h.s Virtue: And as before that our Fore-fathers faid; TheDynafty of tfin fo ey after tha faid; The Dynafty of Han But tho’ the Days of the tfin are over, yet almoft all en Vices ftill remain. Luxury prevails: The Rites are more and more difregarded, and with them (") The Prince of the Hyig nu. 4) A Chinefe Fugitive. {§) Here begins a Detail of theThings that are capable to make one fend up great Sighs. According to our Author, there ought to be fix. But Ting king fays that three of them are on'y touched upon in this Difcourfe, as we have it in the authentick Hillory They are found, fays he, more at /arge in Coiiedions made fince, but thefe deferve ;itt’e Credit. The Gaps therefore are left unlupplyed, and remain as in the Body of tne Hiltory. (||) The Name of the Minifter of Tf.ng. ( 4 ) The Author points out Lyrw pang Surnamed Kau. f Kau tfu, the Founder of the.Dynafty of Hur, the Father ofV,„ it, to whom he addrefles himfelf The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, tf'c. themModefty and Virtue vanifh. This Change from bad to worfe increafes fenfibly every Month, but more fo every Year. The Crimes of murdering a Father or a Brother, however shocking, are not without" their Examples in our Age. As to Thefts and Robberies, they are become fo barefac’d, that the innermoft Rooms of the Palace, in your Father’s and Brother’s Time, were for¬ ced open, and rifled of their Furniture. In ftiort, Licentioufnefs has come to fiich a Height, that in the Capital of your Empire your (*') Officers are robbed, and have their Throats cut in the Face of the Sun. While thefe Outrages are committing on the one Hand, one fees, on the other, a wealthy Vil¬ lain under the Appearance of Honefty, furniffiing to the public Stores fome hundred thoufand Mealures of Grain, or vaft fums of Money, and thereby procuring the higheft Employments of State. A Diforder greater than all I have mentioned : Yet it is a very common one, tho’ they take care to conceal it from you. While they are bulled in aggravating fome particular Abufes, the Age is corrupted, the greateft Vices obtain, and an unbounded Licentioufnefs is rooting it- ielf in your Empire; and all this is beheld withont Concern or Uneafinefs. One would be apt to conclude by the Infenfibility of your great Men, with regard to thefe Diforders, that they either think all things are going right, or that it is none of their Bufmefs to reform them if they are wrong. But upon whom then mull: we rely ? Upon the ordinary Magiftrates and their Under¬ lings ? Alas! Thefe are fo taken up with their Writings and their Regifters, that they carry their Views no farther. And granting that they had Underftanding and Virtue enough to fee, and be touched with, thefe Evils; to reform fo many Abufes, to remedy fo many Diforders, and to infpire your Subjedls anew with the Love of their Duty and Virtue, is an Undertaking far beyond their Capacity. Our Dependance then is, That your Majefty would take a perfonal Concern in reforming all this Degeneracy. But I don’t fee that you are in the lead: touched with, or alarmed at it. This gives me greater Uneafinefs ftill. For, to maintain the fovereign Authority, to mark out the proper Diftintftions of different Ranks, and to regulate Families, are the Duties that ('[•) Tyen has devolved upon Emperors, and in which he does not immediately concern himfelf. In thefe fort of Matters we may fafely fay, that not to advance is to retire, and not to put Things on a good footing, is abfolutely to let them fall to the Ground. (£)’ ®uan tfe fays, that the exadt Ob- fervation of the Rites, Juflice, Uprightnefs, and Modefty, are the four Pillars of Government, and that if they fall, the Empire is foon ruined. Perhaps it will be objected, that £>uan tfe is a poor Author: I ffiall fuppofe he is. But it is at the fame time the more fhameful for others to be more ignorant than he. The Paffage I cite is a certain Truth. Tfm differed thefe four Pillars to fall, and immediately after he fell himfelf. Within thirteen Year's after, his fine Court became a defart Hillock. Can we now pretend, that thefe four Pillars are in a firm State ? No, that would be to flatter ourfelves too grofsly. We fee thofe who are hatching the mod pernicious Projects, already hugging and applauding themfelves. Whifpers and Surmifes are buzzing about on all Hands. And why are not Things immediately regulated as they ought to be ? Why is not the neceffary Diftindtion of Power betwixt Sovereign and fubordinate Authority adjufted, the Diftindtions in Ranks fettled, and the Order in Families regulated ? Were this done, all thofe who form deftrudtive Schemes, would lofe the Hopes of fucceeding. Sufpicion and Jealoufy would ceafe, and you would thereby give Pofterity an eafy Plan for their Condudt in Life : In fhort, by this, the Peace and Happinefs of all your Empire would be fecured for a long Time. To negledt Affairs of this Confequence, is the fame Thing as if one ffiould fet adrift a Bark in a large and rapid River, without either Oars or Tackling. It muff go down with the Stream, and the lcaft Breath of Wind that moves the Billows makes it a Wreck. Are we not in the fame Condition ? And is not this a fufficient Reafon to make any one fend up deep Sighs ? The three firft Dynafties fubfifted for many Generations; that of Xfin, which fucceeded to them, but for two fliort ones. Surely, if we regard his Qualities and Nature, there is nothing differs fo much, as Man does from Man. Whence proceeded it, that the three Families Hya, Shang , Chew, had fo many long and glorious Reigns, and the Dynafty of Tfin, which was al¬ ways in Trouble, ended almoft as foon as begun ? One, and perhaps the chief Caufe was this. Of old, if our Emperor had an hereditary Prince, they inverted him as fuch with Solemnity. A Man of Diftindtion was nam’d, who conduced him to the(§) Kyau in Noon-day, that he might be prefented to Tyen. All the great Officers of the Court followed them thither in their Habits of Ceremony, and refpedfully prefented themfelves before the young Prince, to acknowledge him Heir of the Crown. Tho’ he was thus declared Succeffor to the Throne, if he paffed by the Palace of his Father, he immediately alighted from his Horfe, or out of his Chariot. Did he meet with a Palace of any of his Anceftors in his Journey? he inftantly quickned his Pace. By all thefe Ceremo¬ nies, he was taught what Obedience and Duty he owed to his Parents; and thus they loft no Time in inftrudling him aright from his Infancy. (||) Cbing vang could fcarce walk, when he was put under the Tuition of Chau kong in quality of Tay pau , of Chew kong, in quality of Tay fu, Vol. I. 6 D and (*) A Glofs fay?, Ven ti was a good Prince. Pofterity has much commended him : Kya i himlelf knew well that Things did not go fo ill: But he wanted they fhould be better than they were, fo he exaggerated them, that he might thereby the more aftedt and influence his Prince. (f) Heaven. ft) An ancient Minifter of the Kingdom ofT/in. (§) A Place appointed for the folemn Ceremonies in honour of Shang ti, Shang, fignifies lupream, ti, Empefor, Lord, Mailer. (I!) An Emperor of the Dynafty of the Chew. 475 474 7he Imperial ColleBion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. of fay kong in quality of fay tfe. Every one of thefe three Lords had one under him, who never left the Prince. The firft had the Charge of his Perfon, the fecond was his Governor, and the third his Preceptor. The Men then chofen to form a young Prince, were recommended by their Virtues, and were equally capable to give their Pupil proper Inftrudtions. The Leffons they gave him were indeed frequent ; but their principal Care was, that he fhould fpeak to none but thofe of unblemifhed Morals, and fee nothing but what was decent and regular. In fhort, all the Officers of his Train were eminent for Virtue, Gravity and Knowledge, but at the fameTime they were ingenious at improving every Opportunity for inftrudting him aright. A Man born and edu¬ cated in the Country of either ffi or ffu , will infallibly have its Accent; and can a Prince, edu¬ cated in the Manner 1 have defcribed, fail of taking a virtuous Bent ? Confucius rightly obferves that Education is, as it were, a fecond Nature; and we naturally do that to which we are habituated. When the hereditary Prince was become marriageable, he was made to pafs fuccemvely thro’ fix Sorts of Apartments, which w'ere fo many Schools. In the firft, which was to the Eaft, he was inftrudted in the Rites, one by one; and above all, in the Duties he owed to his Relations, either by Blood or Alliance. He was there taught to prefer the neareft of Kin, to thofe more remote, when all other Circumfiances were equal; to treat every one with Goodnefs, and to keep them united, every one in his proper Sphere. He then paffed to the School of the South , where he was taught to make the proper Diftindtions of Ages, and to infpire the younger with Refpedl for the elder; to eftablifh Principles of Honour and Honefty among all, and thus, to root out the Seeds of Diffenfions and Law-Suits. Then he went to the School of the Weft ; where he was inftrudted in the Choice a Sovereign ought to make of the Officers, whom he puts in Pofts: And the conftant Maxims inculcated here, were to prefer Wifdom to all other Qualifications, to pay more particular Honour to fuch as had diftinguifh’d themfelves by their Virtue; and to put none into great Pofts, but Men of great Abilities and uncommon Merit, Men capable both to fee and to promote whatever was for the Good of the Empire. From the School of the Weft, he paffed to that of the North , where he learned the Diftintftions of Stations, and the Regard a So¬ vereign ought to have, for fuch as are, by their great Employments and eminent Dignities, raifed above the Level of Mankind, in order to preferve thereby the neceffary Subordination of Ranks in a State and to oblige every one to keep his own. Having palled through thefe four Schools, the Prince arrived at a fifth which was of a higher Order. There, under the moft able Mafters he had Inftrudions of greater Depth and Extent. After every Lefl'on, he retired with hw fay fii [or Governor] who caufed him to give him an Account of it. If he had miftaken Things, the fayfu put him right, and fometimes even chaftifed him. But his chief Care was, to incul¬ cate in his Mind, and give him a clear Notion of, the moft important Points. Thus, his Head and his Heart were improved at once; he became both able and virtuous, and he was qualified for Empire. Did he begin to form himfelf? In place of the Officers I have named, he had others of lefs Authority, but no lefs Vigilance, who examined all his Actions. He had an Iliftorian who was placed near him, on Purpofe to take Notes of his Adfions for the Day; another Perfon obferved him during Meals, and told him immediately when ever any Indecency efcaped him. In fhort, he had a Flag fet up in public, whereon any one might fix what he judged proper to be propofed ; on the other Side there was a blank Table, where he might write what he had a mind to propofe fhould be corrected. But if any one had an urgent Remonftranee to make, he had no more ado but to beat a Drum, and he was inftantly heard. All this was advantageous to the Public, without being difagreable to the Prince; who, as he was educated from his Infancy in the Schools of Wifdom and Virtue, had nothing in him to reprehend, that could occafion to him either Grief or Shame. Ashe was, without Ceremony, inftrudled in the moft wholefome and the moft fafe Maxims, he naturally took every thing in good Part. Befides, the Ceremonies inftituted on particular Seafons and Days; and which were never dif- penfed with by the Emperors under the three famous Dynafties, were of great Ufe both to the Prince and his Subjects. Some of them both taught and infpired Refpetft to the Sovereign, others. Obedience and Piety to Parents, and others, the Rules of Gravity and Decency. The moft mi¬ nute Obfervance had its allegorical Meaning; for Inftance, it was ufual for the Prince not to fee an Animal dead which he had been accuftomed to fee when living, nor to tafte of any Creature whofe Groans he had heard when under the Knife of the Butcher; for this Reafon, he never went near the Kitchens. The End of all this was, to encourage in the Prince and all about him. Sentiments of Goodnefs, Humanity and Compaffion. If it is afked, why every one of our three famous Dynafties continued fo long? I anfwer, from obferving all thele Meafures, but more efpe- cially the right Education of the Heir to the Throne. The Reverfe happen’d under the fftn, Politenefs and Modefty were Virtues fcarce known. The Man moft refpedted, was he who yeilded to no-body, who was moft liberal of his injurious Lan¬ guage, and moft grofly affronted the firft who came in his Way. Thus, neither the Rites norVir- tue, but the fear of Punifhment was the Prop of Government: So that Chau kau , Governor to (*) Hu hay , entertained him with nothing but this Maxim. To Day, Heads were cut off, to Morrow, whole Families were maffacred. What was the Event? Hu hay, to Day, mounted the Throne, and to Morrow, killed one of his Subjects with his own Hand. The moft refpedtful and juft Complaints palled for feditious Murmurs, the moft important Advices were treated as trifling, (* / This wit the Name of the Son, whom Shi whang appointed for his SuccefTor; being the fame who was afterwards called Eul fii. 479 The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. trifling, and the Prince flaw the Head of a Man ftruck off with the fame Indifference as that of a Poppy. Mnft all this be attributed only to the Nature of the Prince ? By no Means, the great- eft Part of it was owing to his bad Education. Of two common Proverbs, one fays, “ If you have no Experience in an Affair yourfelf, follow thofe that have fucceeded in it: ” The other: “ When the firft Cart overturns, he who drives the fecond is upon his Guard.” Our three famous Dynafties flourifhed long ; we know by what Means, we have nothing to do but to imitate thefe Means. The Dynaftv of the Tf:n was foon cut off; we know the crooked Paths they kept,and theTraces of theirSteps are mark’d out to us, fo let us fhun them. To march in the Steps of the 2 "fin, is to perifh like them. I have faid, and lay it again, that upon the Edu¬ cation of the hereditary Prince, depends the Fate of his Empire. But upon what does the Suc- cefs of this Education depend? Upon two effential Points; Firft, that he be earlv i ml meted. Secondly, that it be by Men equal to the Office. When a Prince is inftrufted in Time, before he receives any Prejudices, good Iinpreflions have all their Force upon his Heart. There remains nothing more then but to put Men about him, who can conduft theml'elves wifely and dexte- roully. On the other Hand, if this is delay’d, and if his Heart has got a wrong Byafs, you may place worthy Men about him; who may follow him, attend him, and fee his Faults, but rarely can they fucceed fo far as to correft them. The People of U and TwC are born with the fame Inclinations, and in their Infancy referable one another even in their Accents; but when they grow up, the Antipathy betwixt them is fo great, that they can’t endure one another. Whence proceeds this but from Education and Cuftom ? I then had Reafon to fay, that in order to edu¬ cate a Prince aright, he muft be early put into good Hands; when this is done, the Succefs in a manner is certain, and confequently, the Empire is happy. For, as the Shu king fays, the Hap- pinefs of all the People depends upon one Man. This is what ought to be thought of, and is what moft immediately preffes. (*) The moft clear-fighted Mortals fee what is paft, much more diftinftly than what is to come. But what is the end of our Rites ? They are to prevent Diforders, as Chaftifements are to punifh them. Hence, every one muft be fenfible of the Importance, the Neceffity, and the Effects of Puniihments. To encourage the Pradtice of Virtue by Rewards, and to deter from the Purfuit of Vice by Puniihments, are the two great Springs of Government. Our ancient Sages have made Ufe of them with a matchlefs Firmnefs, Conftancy and Equity. I am far from rejecting either; but if I here tye myfelf down to the Rites, it is, becaufe they tend to root out the Seeds of Vice before they fpring up. They inftruft the People by almoft infenfible Degrees, remov¬ ing Vice, and direfting us to Virtue fo gently, that we ourfelves fcarce perceive the Motions. This made Ctmfufius fay; “ It is a happy Talent to be able, to determine a Law-Suit aright; there are Men who can do this, and actually do it, but it would be much better, were there no Law-Suits at all.” Let us fearch for the Means. They who would aid a Prince in governing well, cannot, in my Opinion, do better, than to diftinguilh betwixt his real and principal Interefts, and thofe which either are not neceffarily fo, or fo only in Appearance: and may be neglefted without hurting him. Upon this, more than any Thing elfe, depends a Prince’s good or bad Succefs. What he chiefly ought to underftand is, that great Alterations either for the better or the worfe, are not made all in one Day, efpecially in great Empires; that they proceed by little and little from remote Caufes, and that tho their Seeds are fown feperately, yet their Effefts appear all at once. If the ordinary Government depends only upon the Rigour of Laws, and the Severity of the Princes, thefe Numbers of harfti Laws and cruel Punifhments, will be anfwered by the People with a load of Curies and Rebellions. If on the other Hand, the Prince regard the Rites and good Example, there will refult from the People a lincere Union among themfelves, and hearty Affeftions for his Perfon. Shi whang wifhed as much as Ching tang or Vu vang, to do Honour to the Hall of his Anceftors, by tranf- mitting his Crown to lateft Pofterity. Yet Tang and Vu founded, each of them, a Dynafty that lafted for 6 or 700 Years, while that of Shi whang endured but for thirteen. The Caufe of fo vaffc a Difference was as follow's. The Empire may be compared to a Veffel beautiful and precious, but brittle. If it is always placed upon a compaft, fure Place, it will continue whole for a longTime; without this Precaution it will be foon broken. Goodnefs, Juftice, the Rites, and Mufic, compofed a firm and compaft Bafts, upon which Tang and Vu eftablithed their Empire. Thus, their Dynafties continued for many Ages, and their Memories is, and ever will be, dear to us and our Pofterity. As for Shi whang , he eilablilhed his Authority folely upon Terror and Punifitments, neither Virtue or Bene¬ ficence having the leaft fhare therein: Hence foon followed the Murmurs and Imprecations of his Subjefts who hated him, as being their greateft Enemy ; and he in Perfon had well nigh fallen a Sacrifice to lo general a Hatred. His Son could not efcape this Fate, and at once loll his Life and Empire. This Event is fo late, that it may pafs as one in our Days; fo that I can produce no more interefting Proof to confirm what I have advanced. A Sovereign may be compared to a Hall, the Officers of his Kingdom to the Steps of the Stairs that lead to it, and the People to the Ground, upon which thefe Steps ftand. If the Flail is fo railed above the Ground, that there are betwixt them, for Inftance, nine handfome Steps in good Repair, the Look of it is grand ; it has a good Effeft, and we mount to it with Refpeft. (*) Perhaps Kya i, to finifh one of the Subjedls of his groan- rian has curtailed. However that may be, he enters on another ing, took occafion here to mention fome Circumftances relating Subjeft. to this Prince, whofe Education was negledted, which the H ilto- The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. If, on the other Hand, it is almoft on a Level with the Ground it ftands on, and has a few piti¬ ful Steps to lead to it; we narurally defpile it, and enter the Hall without any Ceremony. The Application of this is eafy, and our ancient Emperors underftood it well. For which Realon they eftablifhed that beautiful Variety of different Orders. Neareft their Perfons they had the Kong, the King, and the Pa fu : (*) Thro’ different Parts of the Empire were difperfed the Kong , the Hew, the Pe, the Pfe, the Nan, without counting the Officers of the different Cities, and a great Number of Subalterns. The Sovereign, raifed above all thefe Orders, appeared fo grand and venerable, that all the Offi¬ cers who approached him, being under the Shelter of his Majefty, were l'ecure from all Infults. The Vulgar have a Proverb : Tho' 1 killed the Rat, I had a Regard for the Vejfel. This Expref- fion, tho’ homely, may be applied here. ’Tis the Refpedt due to the Perfon of the Prince, that makes even the Horfe he rides on, nay, the Straw his Horfe eats, refpetfted. Our antient Rituals prohibited any one from looking into the Mouth of this Horfe; and there was a Punifhment deter¬ mined, for any one that trod upon the Straw he was to ule. And to this Day, whoever is fit¬ ting, when the Table or the Baton of the Prince paffes by, inftantly riles; they who are on foot compole themfelves refpedtfully: If any one either in a Chariot or on Horfe-back, meet the Chariot of the Prince, tho’ empty, he immediately alights to the Ground. Can it then be won¬ dered at, that our ancient Laws fubjeded, to the corporal Punifhments they prefcribed, only fuch as were of an Order inferior to the Pa fu? Doubtlefs our wife Legillators thought it in fome Meafure inconfiftent with the Refped they owed the Prince, to fubjed to thefe Laws any one who by his Rank approached his Perfon ; and always believed that as the Prince raifed none to diftinguifhed Ranks, but Men of true Merit, it would have been abfurd to have employed any fuch Means to keep them in their Duty. And indeed we don’t find in Antiquity, that a wife Prince punifhed any one with Death. Matters are a good deal changed in that Refped ; they whom our ancient Emperors called by way of Diftindion, when they fpoke to them, (-f*) Pe fu, Pe kyew, are liable to be capitally punifhed; even they, whom to this Day, our Emperors, when they meet them, honour with a Civility, are not exempted. The Kong, the Hew, and the Vang themfelves, are fubjed to the moft infamous Punifhments, as well as the meaneft People. Their Vifages are branded, their Nofes Hit, their Hair cut off, they are whipt, expofed in open Roads, and are fometimes cut in Pieces. Nay, I muff fay more, it is no rare Thing to fee Officers of the higheft Rank fuffer the moft ignonimous of all Punifhments, by having their Heads cut off. To pufh things to fuch Extremities, to pay fo little Regard to the higheft Diftindions, befides that they are the means to make the Pof- feffors of them take vile Inclinations, is going againft the Proverb, and paving no Refped to the Veffel. Another Proverb fays, That let the Shoes be never fo \\e\\ made, they won’t make a Pillow, and however neat the Cap may be, it won’t mend the Shoes. Formerly, was an Officer broke for Cor¬ ruption ? His Fault was mitigated to the World, and it was only faid, that he had not duly attended the Rites. Was he broke for Debauchery ? The Harfhnefs of that Expreffion was foftned, and it was faid , (J) that the Curtains about him were too thin. If he was broke for Weaknefs or In¬ capacity to difcharge his Duty, it was faid, that his fubaltern Officers obeyed him ill. When an Officer then was declar’d culpable, if the Fault was not of a high Nature, he immediately relign’d his Employment, and Matters went no farther. If his Crime was capital, as foon as the Prince had pronounced it to be fuch, the Officer turned towards the (§) North, made the ordinary Obei- fances, firft condemned, and then actually put, himfelf to Death. So much did Antiquity refped Greatnefs even when Guilty. But muft they then efcape ? By no means; let them be caflieered, let them be punifh’d, nay, put to Death, if they deferve it. But to feize them, to baftonade them, to bind them with Ropes, to deliver them up like the meaneft private Perfons to the vileft Officer of Juftice; can be Spedacles profitable neither to the Small nor Great. It is pernicious to the People, from whofe minds it erafes that excellent Maxim ; Refpeft thofe who are over you, and who by their Rajik are venerable. It is pernicious to the Great, in whom it damps thofe heroic Sentiments which their high Stations infpire. It is pernicious to the Prince, as naturally tending to weaken the Zeal of thofe upon whom principally depend both his Glory and Safety. For this Reafon, the Rites have always recommended to a Prince, that he fhould treat his Minifters and other great Officers with Civility. Otherwife, the People will forget the Duty they owe to their Superiors; theEffeds of which Negled may be in Time felt by the Prince himfelf. The great Men will forget themfelves, and feeing themfelves outwardly degraded, will degrade themfelves, if we may fo ule the Expreffion, inwardly too. No more will they entertain any Sentiments of Honour; but acquit themfelves fuperficially of their Duty, and catch at every Occafion of plundering, felling, enriching themfelves with, and negleding the public Good. If their Prince is diftrefs’d upon any occafion, they will take but little Concern, nay, perhaps aid the oppofite Party underhand, and rejoice at his Difficulties; when they fee the State and the Prince both in Danger, their firft and only Care is to provide for their own Safety. ("'I Perhaps the Hiftorian has here likewife cut off fome Cir¬ cumstances; at lead what follows, has no Connexion with what goes before ; Kya i in the Thread of this Difcourfe, fpeaks of the Regard a Prince ought to have for his Minsters, and other great Officers.. (f) My grand Uncle, as European Princes fay, myCcufm, to Pc: - fonsof a certain Rank. fj) Contrary to the Chineje Cuftom, it being fcandalous there for Men and Women to be feen together in Common. (§) The Emperor fat with his Back to the North, and his Face to the South. The Imperial Colletlion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Yu yang was a great Officer under Chong bin. When Chi pe had defeated and killed Chong bin , he offered an Employment to Tu yang, who accepted of it. Chau a little after overcame and put to Death Chi pe, upon which Tuyang appeared inconfolable, and did all he could to place the Son of Chips upon his Fathers Throne : Hiftory fays, he made five different Attempts for that purpofe, but all without Succefs. One aiked of Tu yang his Motives for a. Conduit fo different from his former, with Regard to the two princes he had ferved. Chong bin, anfwered he, tiled me almoft like the moft vulgar of his Subjects, tho’ I was under him a great Officer; fo I took but a vulgar Concern in his Fate. Chi pe treated me according to the Rank I held in his King¬ dom and my Grief for him is proportioned to his Refpeafor me. And indeed, if an Officer, for whom a Prince Ihews a due Regard, is not zealous in that Prince's Service, he muff be a Brute. When Affairs are on a right footing betwixt a Prince and an Officer, the latter forgets even the Interefts of his own Family to ferve thofe of the State. If an occafion happens that he may be a great Gainer, or muff be a confiderable Lofer, he neglefts all Advantages, and hazards every thing rather than to defert his Duty: In thort, he lacrifices him- ip If without Referve to the Service "of his Prince. But thefe Dangers are rare, when the Prince treats his great Men with the Regard prelcribed by the Rites; for then there are no Differences among the Princes of the Blood, who after they have lived in Friendlhip, have the Sadsfaftion to die in Peace, and to be buried with their Fathers. There are no rebellious Wars among the tributary Princes, each lives and dies in Quiet at Home. Good Miniffers feek for no Pretences to retire from Bufinefs, which, to their laid Breath, it is their Pleafure and Duty to difeharge. The Officers of War do the fame, and willingly die on a Breach, or in the Frontiers of the Em¬ pire. This is meant by the Expreffion; A wije and an accomplished Prince is J'afe in Ramparts If q 0 /S A Comparifon that (hews the Relation betwixt him and his Grandees. Such were the happy Effefls of their Union, betwixt our ancient Princes and their great Officers ; but alas! Since their Days, this Maxim is much negleSed, this good Cuftom is abolifhed. Is not this deplorable ? The Emperor ICang hi's Remark .] Kya i, like an able Minifter, faw the means of preventing the leaft Troubles, reforming Abufes, and regulating Manners. No Time, no Station ol Life efcaped him His Under Handing like a flaming Torch lighted him thro' all. What an Unhappinefs was it for a %uan and a Kyang to banilh fo great a Man, and to lofe the Benefit oi his vaft Capacity ? Another Difcourfe Kya i, to induce the Emperor Ven ti, to Liy up Stores of Corn titl'd Money. (*) AN tfe l peaking of the People, faid, that they might be inftrafted and formed to y mnd Morals, when there was wherewithal to feed them. But no Antiquity, even the moft remote can produce an Inftance, nor is there any to this Day, of a People continuing long faithful in their- Duty, when they wanted the Neceffaries of Life. It was an old faying, that a Man who did not labour the Ground was in danger to want Bread. A Woman who negleOs to work at Stuffs, may be foon without Cloaths. The Neceffaries of Life are not all to be had_ at all Times. If they are not frugally managed, they muft run fhort. Such were the Maxims of Antiquity, Maxims which they praftifed, and whereof the exafl Obfervance formed the Balls of their Government. Thus they never wanted Neceffaries. At prelent. Agriculture is negledted. Vaft Numbers of People live upon the Fiuits of the Earth, which very few cultivate. This is equal to a Famine. On the other Hand, Debauchery and Luxury increafe; this is the fame as if Troops of Robbers plundered the Empire. When Robbery and Famine prevail at once in a State, for what can one anfwer ? Forty Years ago, the Dynafty of the Han began. They did not lay up the leaft Referve, either publick or private. This awakens Compaffion when one confiders it! If Rain was ever wanting to fall juft at the Time it was expedited, the People were inftantly alarmed. Was there a fcarce Year? One bartered ■away bis Degrees, another difpofed of his Children. This is no unufual Thing. W hen a State is upon the Brink of Ruin, can the Father or the Mafter of it be without Dread? That Years of Famine may come, is to be expeded. Tu and Tang have themfelves paffed thro' thefe flrock- ing Proofs. Let us luppofe, that by Misfortune, 2 or 300 Leagues of a Country pioves barren. How (hall this be remedied? At the fame Time, fnppole our Frontiers are invaded, and we are obliged to fend- large Armies to their Defence, how are our Troops to be maintained ? There is War and Famine at once, and the Empire impoveriflied without having any Refource. It commonly happens in theie Cafes, that the daring and the ftrong take advantage of the Op¬ portunity to affemble, to plunder, and to rob where ever they can. While the weaker are for feme Time (imported by the Price they get for their Children, and then they perifh miferably. Theie are not vainTerrors; you know they are not. You are but half Mafter of the Extremities of your Empire, which wane but an Opportunity to revolt. It fo a cruel Piece ot News were brought you all of a hidden, how would you behave? Would it be then time to deliberate ? Believe me, there is nothing of fo great Confequence, as to lay up in Time good Magazines of Provifions : This will, as it were, fecure your Empire. When the Treafury is full, and Provifions abound, every thing is calm ; and the State is equally able to make a Defence, or to pufh a Conqueft. (•) A Glofs fays, that the ereaing of the Granaries which the Emperor hadin every City in Chim, wa! owing to this Difcourfr. 6 E 477 VOL. I. The 4 “ 8 The Imperial ColleBion of Edicts, Declarations, & c . The flirt Step to this is efFeSually to labour for the Re-eftablifhment of Agriculture Do\ll you can, that your Subjefls may each live upon the Fruits of his own Culture 8 X where infinite Numbers of idle and vagabond Peonle ■ Anri i ' . ^ cre are esery themfelves to Employments ufelefs in Society ? Difpatch all fu ‘ m P rope , r,y ap|lly whereas, now it is m a dangerous and a melancholy Situation. Thhffis what afflidb me Mv you" State S ‘ Ve y °" Ce ' Pr0CCCdS ° nly from my Zeal for the Cilory and Welfare of unS^I^ g} Mh^a proper°Counfeno^for a P^nce^” ^ he ' P ^ TWs is » Ma " whom we may jtlly Ch ff; t] r l f °f th Children °/ Kau ti, Founder of the D of the Han. ^henhs elder Brother Ven ti became Emperor, hi made l", l V J '/ ha/ ” an ' Ih ii new , Kt,,g a f Urwnrds committed 1 many Faults, T l h f° 7 s T Ur f y m,ld ’ took n0 mke °f '**»> til < untied out i ulw^tn ”&*}*",’ h f° rdt: : ed « 1 fyang kyun (*), whowas at the fame time Hew, to w Ute the following Reprimand to the Vang ofW hay nan. Tho the l y ang kyun T* Wl l l S T” Hnnd > h was h> tcrms > M found that it was by the Emperor s Orders . ^ G REAT King. I have heard often of your Refolution vour Turtle. r .• Honour and other good Qualifications; that is to fay, that (+) Tyen treafin" vo^ as P its favourites, has crowned you with its Gifts and (riven » n „ n re ^ ■ * ejt n p y ou as one °f ® Sbmg-, this is what you ought carefully to attend to : But it would feemTy yourConduftAat you do not, hnce you are ungrateful for the Gifts nf our ‘sfe .74 ”dss.’ss' ssrs t - *. "’«J. .nd AO,a«.,o„ g iv , fldl , M „„ t of OSli.wf ?„a throughout the Lmpire. This indeed is judging very ill All that vnur E.,,'l r now poffefs, comes originally from your Father Kate ti. He many Times endured ffie'Tn 7 'l" ^ cies of Air, expofing himfelf to the Dangers of Battles and SiJ, n ° ' Hclemen- glorious Wounds. Why did hefuffer this? It was to eftablifh his Family" InfieldT^ i W -‘ th yourlelf fenoufiy to imitate lo worthy a Father, inflead of performing tl,eV/f and offifr S? y, “ S mes, which may revive in your Mind the Ideas of his Virtues and Exploits' 7 von s,t f Cerem0 ' extravagant Project of degrading the Hew, who are dependant on you to the Rank ofTe ” S 3,1 mon People. I o degenerate thus into Pride and Avarice is not to oerfnrm P , e th Son. Not to be able to maintain things upon the fame Footing o P n which you re^i^edTem horn your Father, is to betray a want of Capacity and Wifdom To make , pL- [ e 1 m the Sepulchre of your Mother, and to negle'ft th'at of one and not for the other, and thus to overthrow all good Order. In yourTepeated Wotk of the Emperor your Mailer. Orders, where is your Submiffion and Obedience ? In vo ,r W° nS lea of Duty to your elder Brother, where is your Obfervance of the Rites? In your infixingll {I! ^hlgheg Degree 0 f the Office ofWar. ( t , A Man of.heSrA Order. y ° Ur (!!.' She was not Mother to Ven ti. Th e Imperial Colleclim of Edicts, Declarations, &c. your greateft Officers infamous Puniffiments, where is your Clemency ? In fhewing the crreiteft Contemptfor the I^and the Hew, that you may'honour and Wh °m ? n y M f, nt IS hl . s Sword ’ where IS y° ur Underftanding ? In ihort in necledtinoi all Study, in (lighting all Council, in running blindly into every Sugveftion of mm P ^ f Caprice, where is your Condud? Great Prince, beware- The WavTon Paffion > and “in^d 7 f U ft° y0m ' Ruin> nay ’ 'l 1 may * &y ’ y° U de S rade yourfelffrom the D^nk^C Inftead of flaying at your own Court, there with Majefty to receive the Honour! due to vouf Dignity you flutter about, and piquemg yourfelt upon equalling Mong fwen, you affect to acflffi- t 1 ke y of h rT ind T entlS T t ! at lrepeat 1[ °' lce more . a11 your Steps are fo dangerous that if you take not Care in Time, I dare pronounce, that (* Kau ti will receive no more Offerings from your Hands. Formerly Cnew kong put to Death tjuan Jhu, and imprifoned Has M in orfc m fr cure the Dynafty of the Chew. When kong Prince of Tfi, put to Death his own Brother for Rebel lion Tfinjhi whang put to Death two of his Brothers, and lent his Mother a great wav off in order to iecure the Peace of the Empire. Kin van?, whom your Fath-r Km t'i Imu' y j ’ Charef ^Th d ^ ended f St . ate ', er 7 ! U a S ainft the fymg mi; and Kau ti deprived him This Tb Vmg °f Y fC ‘?, 0k U * n hlS IdCad t0 raife Troo P s: ° ur Emperor did himfelf /aTn v SUCh TT T Procecdln S s at the Col >« of Tfi and Chew. We have like,vile taken a View of what has been tranfafted in our Days, by the 'T/in and the Han AnH n ! difpUte Wkh the ^ ^ Examples, 3 both ai^ien't and'moTT If you do not amend, your Quality of being the Emperor’s Brother, cannot exemnt vo,i from being judged by the Laws If Things come to hat Pafs, you are infallibly ruin'd and vour Officers great and final^ efpeca ly your Minifters, muft be invok'd in your Fate, To iofe in thfe Manner at lead, your Rank and your State, to become the Objed of Compaflion to thole of the meaneft St at.ons to fee your Officers punifhed, and draw the Scoffs of a whole Empire upon your own Perfon, in Ihort, to be a Stain to the Memory of your god-like Father, is what Tuft be ! anfT S'™' Spm p ^ then , ab ° Ut 2 Chan S e ' Wri * a rrf Fdful Letter to your fiT her, and acknowkdge your Fault in tbefe Terms: “ (+) I had the Unhappinefs to lofe my Father in my Infancy, the Troubles of the Lyu then fucceeded, and laftedfor fome Time! - T P°T° T th b TJlr0ne> that J ha PPf Chan gu a nd your Favours puffed me too mTh p. Blinded b y Pnde, I have committed many confiderable Faults, which, when I refied at prefent upon, fill me at once with the moil fenfible Grief, and the beft grounded Fear 'Tis with thefe Sentiments, that humbly proftrate upon the Earth, without daring to raife myfelf ‘ I wart for the Chaftifement I deferve.” S } ‘ If you behave thus, the Emperor as he is your Emperor, will allow himfelf to be mollified - and as he is your Brother w.ll be highly pleafed at your return to your Duty Each of you will poffefs your high Ranks with a mutual Contentment. This is what I wiffi, Ld fare tis o/the greateft Importance to you, that fenoufly weighing my Advice, you inftantly follow the Courfe I vomToft^p ft y ° U ° ng ’ Arr ° W WiU te difchar S ed > and will be in vain to ende/- A Gbfs ] Li vang was difcontented at this Letter, and held on his former Way ; foon after he was judged in Form, and baniflied. “ ’ ter > lle The Advice that Kya 1 propofed under the Emperor Ven ti, to dimimfh the Power of the tab,ttary Princes by dividing their E/lates, was renew'd by Shau tfo under King ti, thefucceeding Emperor. The Matter was brought into the Conn * a! whereupon the U and T(u revolted. King ti retraced , and facrificed Chau tlo, as if he had given the Advice. There is nothing in the Difcourfe oj Chau tlo on this Occajmn, but what we have already feen in that of Kya i: Jo I out juft mention it, and proceed to other DiJ'courfes of that Minifer. ^ A Difcourfe upon War, addrefed to the Emperor King ti. T H A V E heard, that fmee the Acceffion of the prefent Dynafty to the Throne, the (+) Hu hi if haV f , m T ma 7 I " cur . fions lnt0 out Frontiers, and always carried off a Booty, either more or lefs confide; able. In the time of (§) A an hew, in one Irruption they forced feveral Cities, ravaged a large Extent of Country carried off a great Quantity of Cattle, and either killed or made Slaves of many of the Emperor s Subject. They returned feme time after by the fame Quarter; we op,T fed them with lome Troops, but we were defeated; and a good many of our Officers killed upon the Spot It is a common faying, that “ Vidory infpires even Cowards with Courage And a defeated Army can fcarce fupport itfelf. Since the Days of Kau hew, thefe Barbarians entered thrice by Long ft and came always off witn Advantage. At prefent it is otherways; Our Troops that lie on that Side of the Emptre, fuftained by the Protedion of (||) the She and direded bv your wife Orders, have revived the Courage of the neighbouring People, and we are in a Con- dition ( T ) ^ er e infinuates to Li vang, that he may come to lofe his Life. What follows proves this to be the Senfe. ft) -The Chinefe Expreffion is equivalent to this: They fay literally, your Subjeft bad the Unhappinefs ; and above, for I have heard their Expreflion is, tour SubjeSl has heard. The Chinefe, not excepting the Pang, make ufe of this Term when they fpeak to the Emperor. (i) Thc famc, who by way of Contempt, are called Hyong nU Hyoug fign.fying Wide cl. Cruel ; Nil a Slave. (^) The Queen Dowager of Kau ti. (II) This appears to be a tutelar Spirit; but the CoWare lo little agreed upon the precife Signification of thefe two I/ *- ter.-, that I chofe not ro tranflatt them. 47 9 Succcfs Men. and Arms. 480 The Imperial Collection oj Edicts, Dcv-lmatioiis, o c■ dition not only to refill, but to conquer them. There have paffed already feveral Actions, in which ...» defeated the Barbarians, tho' they had the Advantage in Numbers C,„ The Difference of this Succefs is not owing to the People of Lorg-Ji, who of them- fh es are not more nor Ids brave than they were, but to the Generals and Officers. A book en¬ titled 'The Art of War fays, “ That there are no People, however brave, who can be called in- “ vincible but there are Generals, of whom it may be laid, that they never were beaten. No¬ thing is then of greater Importance, either for the Reputation of youi Arms, 01 the Safety of ^BCdiChiClCceCCcCCthiC^C'^Things of the utmoft Importance to the Succefs of ,f> , Battl* and to which a good General ought to attend. I irft, the Giound, which he ought to know «*£ ** SweTl. inonteto be able to make all Advantages of ns Situation. Secondly that h.S Men become Warlike, by a continual Exercife of their Arms Thirdly, that the Arms, o whTch there are different Sorts, be all excellent. As to the Ground if the Country is mcumoered with Rocks, Woods or Rivers, or tho’ level, if covered with Bullies, and ran.. Oiafs, he. ougl OftheChoice . ’ Tnfo . r. nce a Soldier on Foot is then better worth two others, either on Hone- ““ to emplo hit^^“"y ^contrary, if he meets with a plain level Field, or a Trad of high Wing Ground?without either Woods or Rocks, he ought to employ his Cavalry for then a Rorle nanm a Charioteer is worth ten for,: Soldiers. Ir the R.fings of the Ground are frequent the Valleys n “ow, and feperated with a great t - : v Rivers the beft Arms are Bows, ffiorter Arms are then of fimllCCwitbThi , . and Woods,’^ymul have rccourfe to their £32 ”” i. - 1 *1 hS™. ,«.I. mm *. ™ 1. raj, -* Windings, the Sword and Dagger are of ufe : A Man thus armed is then worth ten Archers. As to the Men themfelves, the fubaltern Officers ought to be chofen, and the Soldiers well difekdined Otherwife they will know nothing of Encampments or Marches, it will be eafy to d perfe and impoffible to rally them, they will let flip every Advantage, and neither have Cau- “ ’ nt forfeen nor Dexterity to extricate themleVves from unforfeen Dangers. They will not know when to obey the Signal, either of the (+) Drum or the Kettle-Drum; and a hundred fuel, raw undifeiplined Men are not worth two. , r . As to their Armour, if offenfive, it muff be found, handfome, and fbarp. It defenfive, it muff be n „„ „ n d thick You may as well expofe a Man naked to the Watft, as allow him to carry a bad CV.nfs ‘ A llow that wants force, is not fo good as a Dagger An Arrow that does not fly ftreivl t is as bad as none. And if it does fly, what is the ufe of it if it has not Force to pierce ? A Man’had as good be without Steel, as to have it blunt and bad. If a General does not watch over this and if his Soldiersare but ill armed, five Men are not fo good as one The Book I have cited troes on “ To lead on an Army ill provided with Arms, is to carry Men to be butchered. -• A Prince who puts a General at the Head of wretched Troops that are to fight, m Effect, deh- .. vers them up io the Enemy. And the General, who neglcOs thofe Points we have touched .. „ n „ n is a Travtor to his Prince: In fhort, a Prince who makes an .11 Choice of a General, aban- .. dons his Dominions to his Enemy. Their Maxims are very juft, and ought to be weighed. 'Tis farther laid and juftly too, that as there is a Difference betwixt great and little, between ftro.12 and weak, between what is difficult and dangerous, and what is eafy and favourable, a Man muft underftand and attend to all thefe Circumftances before he can determine aright frow he is to aft Different States ought to have, and generally have, different Manner. The Max- ,ns of a final! Kingdom are to yeild to a greater, that it may procure Peace. The common Maxim of little States is, whenever Occafion ferves, to unite agauift a greater Power. The Maxim of our Empire is, always to oppofe Barbarians againft Barbarians. The m lu with whom we have now to do, have three Advantages which we want. Their Country is full of Mountains and Ditches, to which their Horfes are accuftomed, and in which neither our Horfes norCliariots can enter, far lefs, aft. Thefe People are accuftomed to make irregular Incurfions from their Youth, and while they are galloping over Mountains and Plains, know how to (hoot very exaffly from their Bows. As neither our Horfes or Chariots can come X how can our poor loot Soldiers make Head againft them ? Befides the Hu lu fear neither Wind nor Rain, Hunger nor Thirft. They are much fitter for Fatigue and more hardened to T hour than our People. But when we engage them m a plain open Field, we have great Advan¬ ces The Evolutions of our Cavalry and Chariots put them in Diforder Our large Bows do Execution at a great Diftance; their’s make no Impreffion upon us. When we come even to ■ handy Blows, our Men armed with good Cuiraffes, keeping ft.ll then Ranks, with either their c t hr their Pikes in their Hands, and fuftained by our Archers, foon rout the Barbarians. WM hm Me'u Smiffi lr fight everVo little at a Diftance, the defenfive Arms of thefe *r- barians being made of nothing but Skins or Wood, are foou broke to Pieces. If both Sides d.f- nount and engage Hand to Hand, fighting only with iliort Arms, thefe Hu lu refift us ft.ll lefs. As they are accuftomed only to fight on Horfeback, they have not Refolution enough to m Tv this RCkmnin™ we” have feven Advantages over thefe Barbarians for three that they have over us if we add to this, that we can eafily bring ten Men into the F.eld for their one; the V iflory re mil more certain. However we may always fay with great Truth, that Arms are fatal Inltruraen'tSL Maxims of differ Advantages o! the Hu lu over the C u e. and of the Chinnfe ovei (») A Glofs fays. That the Signal for Battle was given by Drums; and for a Retreat, by Kettlc-Drurm. The Imperial Collecliou of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Indruments, and War is a dangerous Trade. The greateft and the ftrongeft may there, in an indant, be levelled with the meaneft and the weakeft; and it fometimes happens, that by too determined a Refolution to conquer, a Defeat becomes total and irretrievable. Then Repentance is too late. To tread warily, and to leave nothing to Fortune, is always a good Maxim. There are fome of thefe Strangers that voluntarily fubmit to our Laws; of thefe may be form’d a Body of fe- veral Thoufands. They are a Race as hardy and as laborious as th eHu lu: They have all their Manners and all their Qualities; and in my Opinion, may be of great Ufe. We ought to provide them well in Arms both offenfive and defenfive, and put at their Head one of our bell Officers ; who is beforehand a little acquainted with their Manners, and who knows how to gain them : We ought to recommend to this General, to employ thofe Troops, only in Defiles and PafTes, and to make Ufe of others in open Fields. This in my Opinion is the Way to hazard nothing. Tradition informs us, that an underdanding Prince makes his Advantage of every thing, even of a Fool’s Words. What am I, but a Man without Wifdom, and without Merit ? However I don’t delpair, but that your Majefty’s Wifdom will find fomething in this Difcourfe that may be of Ufe. Another Difcourfe of the fame Shan tfo, to the fame Emperor, upon the Manner of fe caring the Frontiers of the Empire. I F IN D that under the Dynady of the Tjin, jS % whang from the North, attacked Hu me (-(-) and Tangywe in the South : He took Arms, not to guard his Frontiers and fecure his Subjects, but to gratify an unbounded Pride and an unfatiable Avarice: Thus before he faw his ambiti¬ ous Defigns take effect, he threw the whole Empire into Diforder. It is a true Saying, That to make War upon an Enemy with whofe Strength or Weaknefs we are unacquainted, is to hazard all. Shi whang found this true by Experience. The Country of the Hu me is very cold, the Bark of the Trees there are about three Inches thick. The Men fubfid themfelves upon the Flefh of Creatures half raw, and drink nothing but Milk; the Skins of the Beads are hairy and thick, and the Skins of the Men are as hard in Proportion, and as well formed to endure exceffive Colds.' Tang ywe on the contrary, is a Country where is almoft no Winter, and where the Heats are long and violent, but don’t much affedt the Inhabitants who are accudomed to them. The Troops of Shi whang could not bear the Rigour of thefe Climates. They who carried them their Provisions perifhed upon the Road; and no body went to l'uch a Country, but with as much Unwillingnefs, as if they had been going to receive a Punifhment. In effedt, they who were condemned to this Service were, id. Officers who had been faulty ; 2 d, Thofe who had married in order to be free from the Authority of their Fathers; and ladly. They who had been branded with Infamy, whofe Father and Mother had been People who adt by Violence, and, contrary to their own Inclinations, are by no means to be depended upon., The Method of Rewards is much better; where there is a Profpedt either of Preferment or Spoil, the Soldiers and common People will ruth upon the Fire, and expofe themfelves to the greated Dangers. But in thefe Expeditions of Shi whang , both Soldiers and Subjedts had a thoufand Dangers to encounter, and no Reward to expedt. Thus every one forefaw the impending Mis¬ fortunes of the Dynady of the Tfin. No fooner had Qhing jhin given the Signal and taken the Field, after poffefling himfelf of Ta tfe , but the People flocked to him from all Sides, as the Waters of a River follow their natural Courfe. Thus ended the Expeditions, to which Ambition, Pride and Avarice prompted Shi whang. It is not furprizing that the Hu attempt frequent Incurfions into our Frontiers. The Reafon is this; They are a People not indebted to the Culture of their Grounds, either for Food orRayment. Flelh and Milk fur nidi them with the former, and the Skins of Beads with the latter. They have neither Towns nor cultivated Fields, nor fettled Habitations, but wander up and down like Sava-j ges. Do they find in a Spot Padurage and Water for their Herbs ? There they dop. Are they) in want of Grafs? They decamp and feek it where it is to be found. In fliort, to come and to go cods them nothing. It is their ordinary Employment. Let us then fuppofe, that this Nation’ when hunting, fliould make an Irruption into our Frontiers in feveral Places: The Princes of Ten, of Lay, of Shang kyun and Long Ji, who are upon the Boundaries of thefe Lands, have fo few Subjedts to oppofe them, that if your Majedy does not 1 'endTroops thither, the People in thefe Quarters mud be expofed ; and if not fupported. Fear may induce them to fubmit to the Enemy. To fend Troops, is attended with another Inconveniency: A few will not anfwer the Defign ; and a large Army takes a confiderable time to be drawn together. Nay, when it comes into the Field, the Hu are retired too far to attack them. Condantly to keep up a large Body of Troops there, is a vad Expence. To dilband them, is inviting the Hu to renew their Incurfions. Thefe are the Inconveniences that have long fubfided, and attend the Empire upon that Quarter. In order to obviate them, nothing feems to be more expedient, than to edablifli new Colonies all along our Frontiers, to encourage Families to fettle there, by giving them the Property of Lands. For this effedt, Fortreffes ought to be built, furrounded with good Walls, and furniflied with (*) Stones and other Arms. Every one ought to have.a reafonable Extent of Land, and to be placed as near the Paffes upon the Frontiers, as Conveniency will allow of: And each Dif- Vol. I. 6 F tridt. {+) The Names of Countries. (*) The Chinefe fays Pan, which fignifies a Machine for throw¬ ing Stones : But how it was made, or how it threw the Stones no body knows. Ever fince they have had Cannons in China, they likewife call them Paw, but there is this Difference betwixt the two Chinefe Chara&ers, that the firft is fa Jhe, and the fecond Ho fiau. Now She fignifies a Stone, Ho File. Pan fignifies Wrapped up } to wrap t/p, &c. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. tridt, where at lead a thoufand Families ought to be fettled, fhould be diftindly marked out by Rivers and other Boundaries. For this Fifed:, Houfes mull be firft built, and Provifions made for whatever is neceflary for Agriculture ; then let fuch as are convided of certain Crimes, and fuch as have by fome Ad of Grace elcaped their deferved Punilhments, be lent thither. As there will not be lufficient to People the Country, certain Criminals may have Power to ranfom them- ielves, by fending certain Numbers of Slaves both Men and Women, who fhall go thither. Ho¬ nour may likewife be decreed, for luch as fhall contribute voluntarily a certain Number. In Ihort, if all this is not fufficient for the Purpofe, certain Honours and Rewards mud be propofed to fuch as will willingly go; and Magiftrates mull be ordered, to furnifh fuch as are unmarried with the Means of maintaining Wives, without which, it will be difficult to fix them there. Not only every Family muft be furnilhed with what is neceffary for Agriculture, but Laws muff be eftablifhed that are advantageous for the Society in general. For Example; if the Enemy fhall make any Inroads upon our Lands, and any of them be taken Prifoners, the Magiftrates fhall be obliged immediately to pay a reafonable and a fixed Price for the Property of half the Slaves thus taken, which Property fhall devolve to thofe who have taken them. Thus thefe Peo¬ ple, partly from a Profped of Advantage, partly from their own mutual Defence, as Allies and Relations, will become hardened, and ready to fall upon the Hu , if they fhall rebel. As they will be accuftomed to the Climate from their Youth, and acquainted with whatever relates to thefe Barbarians, they will the lefsfear them, and be more able either to reftrain or concjuer them, than any Troops fent thither for that Purpofe. Thus you will fhun the Inconveniences that attended Shi whang , and muft attend every Prince that fends out his Armies upon fuch an Expedition. You will lecure your Frontiers by procuring them retd Advantages, which will encreale in pro- grefs of Time; and thefe Eftablilhments when made, will leave a grateful Remembrance of your Virtues and Glories to future Ages. The Emperor having agreed to this Advice , Shau tfo drew zip the following Memorial, which he prefented to his Majejly . G REAT Prince. I hear with Joy, that your Majefty is determined to fecure your Fron¬ tiers by eftablifhing Colonies, which for the future will lave a vaft deal of Expence and Trouble. You cannot give your People a more folid Proof of your Goodnefs, than by thus cut¬ ting off all Occafions of future Inconveniencies. There is no more now to be done but that your Officers fecond your Majefty’s good Intentions; and like wife and diftinguifhed Men, ma¬ nage the Inclinations, and win fo upon the Affedions of the People who are firft tranfplanted, that they fhall have no occafion to regret the leaving their native Country. In this Cafe, I dare affure you, that there will be no want of Colonifts; and that in a fhort time, all the poorer Sort of People will encourage one another, and aftemble themfelves to go thither. Betides thefe Colonies will anfwer two Purpofes: The one is the Cultivation of defart Coun¬ tries ; the other, the Security of the Frontiers. With Relped to the firft Point, what is to be obferved according to the Method of the Ancients, is as follows: Before any City is built, or any Diftridt regulated, Care muft be taken to pitch upon a healthy Place where the Waters are good, and where the Soil, by the Beauty of its Trees and the Quantity of its good Vegetables, is pro- mifing and inviting. When fuch a Spot is fixed upon, then the City may be built, and its De¬ pend’nces on all Quarters marked out: The good and arable Lands muft be divided, and each one’s Pofletfion bounded by hedges of Communication. Every Houfe ought at leaft, to have one Parlour, and two convenient Chambers in good repair, fecured with fufficient Doors and tolerably well furnifhed; fo that thefe new Inhabitants finding there whatever is neceffary may the more ealily forget their ancient Dwellings, and more cheerfully improve their new Set¬ tlements. Each of thefe Cities ought to be provided with Phyficians and (*) U’s ; the one to take care of the Sick; the other of Burials and funeral Ceremonies. Marriages muft be promoted, and the Cufloms of mutual Rejoicings and Condolences, attended with mutual Affiftances, en¬ couraged ; Burying-Places muft be affigned them; in fhort, nothing muft b'e wanting that is re- quifite to their fixed and lafting Settlement. With Refpect to the lecond Point, which is the Security of the Frontiers; what I have far¬ ther learned of the Ancients to be neceffary on this Head, is as follows. That all the Families of the Diftrid be divided into fives. That every five Families be under one Head. And that every fifty Families be incorporated in a Li , which is to be under a Chief of greater Diftindion than the former. That four Li thus formed may make a Lyew , which fhall be under an Officer. In Ihort, that ten Lira may compofean 7 , which is to have a Commandant, who fhall be fuperior to all the other Officers. That the Officers be Men who are well acquainted with the Country, and the moft proper to make themfelves popular. That every fubaltern Officer fhall have regu¬ lated Times, when thofe under him are to perform their Exercifes, to which all the younger Peo¬ ple muft duly repair. That every Officer fhall be at the Head of his refpedive Troops when they march againft an Enemy. That the People of one Diftrid fhall not be allowed to fettle in another, but that being accuftomed one with another, they may live in Harmony too-ether. Thus, if an Alarm fhould fpreadat Night, they will the better know one another’s Voices in order to their mutual Aluftance. In the Day-time, during the Heat of Combat, they will more eafily diftinguilheach other; and tho' at a Diftance, will more readily expofe themfelves even to Death for (*) It is p!r.*n, that this Exprcllion has not the Signification of a Sorcerer or Magician, which it ha- elfewherc. The Imperial Collection of Ed ids, Declarations, fife. for their common Safety. That to all thefe Regulations, Rewards be appointed for the Brave, and Punittiments for the Cowardly : Thus in a fliort Time, we may hope to fee Soldiers, who will never turn their Backs upon an Enemy. Under the Empire of the [aid King ti, the King of\J refolved to attack the King of Lyang. yds he had no lawful Rea [on for Jo unjttft a Proceeding, Mey thing endeavoured all he could to dijj'wade him, and for that end drew up the following Difcourfe. S I R ; It is a common and a true Saying, that if a Prince is accomplifhed, every thing fuc- _ ceeds well with him. If he is inconfillent with himfelf in any Point, a (ingle Slip will make him mifearry; and that Mifcarriage often brings him to the Brink of Ruin. Shun, not- withftanding he was afterwards Emperor, did not polfefs a (*) Foot of Ground. Tu, whole Jurifdi&ion did not extend over ten Families, faw himfelf Matter of the whole Empire, and of, I don’t know how many other Princes. Cbing tang and Vu vang were born Princes, yet nei¬ ther of them was poflefled of ten Leagues of Ground. Each of thefe in his Life-time became Emperor, and Founder of an illuftrious Dynafty. What was the Secret of their Succefs? In a few Words it was this; Being careful to do nothing that could make them blufh before Tyen (-f), or that could hurt them in the Attentions of the People, they always followed the Dictates of that right Reafon they had received from Tyen, and looked upon themfelves as the common Fa¬ thers of their Country. Their Subjects on their Part, anfwer’d this Conduct with fuitable Sen¬ timents of Affedion. There were none in Potts during their Time, who were afraid of ruining themfelves, for making a plain and frank Declaration of whatever they thought conducive to the Public Well-fare. Thus, thefe great Princes met with Succefs in their Life-time, and with Fame and Veneration after their Deaths. I with I were able to difeover the Bottom of my Heart, and to {hew the Zeal from which I fpeak. I know of how fmall Importance I am, and how much Reafon I have to fear you will flight my Council. However, I beg you will give fome Attention, or rather awaken the Senti¬ ments engraved upon your own Heart on this Occafion. Suppofe there were a Rock equally high and rugged, at whofe Foot there lay an unfathomable Abyfs. Suppofe that a Man loaded with a vaftWeight, were placed upon the Extremity of this Rock in fuch a Manner, that half hanging, half ftanding, both he and his Load were prevented from falling entirely, only by a (J) fmall weak Thread. What Man in fuch a Situation, feeing on the one Hand that his Fall was hin¬ dered by next to nothing, and on the other, that if he did fall he mutt infallibly perifh ; who I fay, would not tremble? And yet, allow me to fay it, this is very near the Condition you are actually in : But it is only in your own Power to efcape the Danger. The Enterprife into which you are engaged, is infinitely (§) difficult and dangerous. Give it up, and in the Twinkling of an Eye, you may be allured of a (||) permanent Profperity. To be able to pafs the reft of your Days in Peace, in Joy, and the Pottettion of a powerful State, and yet to engage your Forces in an Enterprize equally painful and fruitlefs, allow me to fay, is what I cannot comprehend the Meaning of. Some People there are whom their own Shadows frighten, and to fhun the Sight of it, are always fooliflily turning and returning. But would they peaceably remain in a Shade, the Phan¬ tom would difappear, and they would be eafy. The beft Method for a Man who is afraid to be over-heard, is to hold his Peace. The Man who is afraid his Project fhould be known, had beft abandon it. Is boiling Water upon a large Fire ? To blow upon that Water with one’s Mouth, to allay the Boiling would be fruitlefs; the only Way would be to take away the Fuel; any other Method would be (-)-) ridiculous. ThcHappinefs of Prince and People both, depends upon certain Foundations, which ought to be well eftabliined. Their Unhappinefs likewife has it Seeds, but the wife Man crulhes its Growth. To fucceed in this, the moft minute Beginnings mutt be watched. For that which appears but an inconfiderble Matter at firft, in a fhort time, becomes important and weighty. The Water which diftils from the Mountain Tay , in a long Courfe makes itfelf a Pafiage thro’ the Stone, which one would think had been wrought by a Chiflel. A Cord frequently drawn up and down thro’ a Plank in the fame Place, becomes at laft two Pieces, tho it is longer a doing than if it had been cut by Steel. In Ihort, that Tree, which, tho’ now ten Foot in Circumference, was railed from a very {mail Seedling, when tender and young, was every way flexible, and might have been eafily plucked up. But how vaftly different is it now from what it then was? (J) Evil is of the fame Nature. Think upon this, my Prince, I conjure you, think upon it ferioufly. Do not begin to abandon, nor change the wholefome Maxims of your Anceftors; Such a Condud never goes unpunifhed. The Emperor Kang hi’j Remark .] When this Remonftrance was prefented, the Defign of Vang had not yet taken Air; and very few People were acquainted with it: For this Reafon, Mey cbing, thro’ all this Piece, fpeaks in too general, and fometimes in dark Terms. But Vang underftood him. H The Chinefe Exprefiions : He had notfo much Ground as could ferve him for ereding a Stile, or driving a Stake. Ct) Heaven (J) The Chinefe fays, a Hair. (]) The Chinefe Expreifion is: There is as much Danger as an Egg-is in, to be cri.ih.ed by a heavy Weight, and as much Difficulty, as there wonld be in fealeing Heaven. (II) Orig. As firm as the Mountain Thy. (.j.) The Chinefe is ; It would be as it were to run with Fag¬ gots, in order to quench a Fire. (+) A Glofil] Vang had no Regard to this Rcmonftrance; he made War and perilhed. Jfe 483 The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. IFe have already fees the Declaration which the Emperor Vu ti made, by which he demanded of the wife Men prejented to him, efpecially of Ton'o- chong ihu, proper Advice about Government and other Points. The Anfwers of Chong mu were Jo long, that I Jhall only give fame Pafages. ExtraUs of the Anfwers of Chong fhu, to the Emperor Vu ti. Y°UR Majefty, in your Declaration, was gracioufly pleafed to command, that fome Infor- 1 mation may be given you about what is called the order off) Tyen , (Heaven) and about the (-<-) Nature and Affedions of Man. This is a Talk to which I own myfelf very unequal. All I can do, in Confequence of your Commands, is to inform your Majeftv, that, after a fcr’ious Exami¬ nation of paft Events, particularly cf thofe in which we are inftrufted by the (+) Chun tfyfr nothing feems to me more capable to infpire Princes with a filial and relpedful Awe than the Method m which Tyen ufes to deal with Men. When ever a Dynafty begins to deviate from the right Ways of Wifdom and Virtue, Tyen commonly fends them fome Chaftifement in order to reclaim them. If the reigning Prince pays no Regard to fuch a Warning, it employs Prodi¬ gies and extraordinary Appearances to infpire him with a juft Dread. If all thefe are ineffedtual and the Prince perfifts; his utter Ruin is near. By .this Condud of Tyen, it is plain that his Heart is full of Tendernefs to Princes and that he means oqly to reclaim them by Corredion. In effed, his Defign is to aid and fuppirt them • and he never abandons them, till their Diforders proceed to the laft Extremities The moft effen’ tial Point then for a Prince, is, that he ufe his utmoft Efforts, Firft, to receive Inftrudion and Lights in whatever relates to his own Duties. Secondly, to make fo good Ufe of them that lie may daily advance in Merit and Virtue. Thus, and no otherways may a right Change be wrought and happy Confequences expeded. “ Do not relax in your Endeavours Dav nor Night ” fays the Sh king ; “ Uie your utmoft Efforts,” fays the Shu king : Would not all this feem to fay that there is a Neceffity to put a Violence upon one’s Self in thefe Cafes ? ‘ The Dynafty Chew was wretchedly torn in Pieces, under the Reign of Tew van? and Li van? But when there arofe a Prince, who inceffantly called to Mind ^Virtues of his Anceftors and animated himfelf by their Example, to fupport the Glory of that Empire he had received from their Hands, who applied himfelf as well to remedy the Abufes, as to fupply the Defeds of Go¬ vernment ; (§) Shang tyen afiifted him, and furnifbed him with able Minillers Hence he always fucceeded. Under him tile good Government of the firft Chew revived. ’ He was a Subied of the Poets in his own Time, and after his Death, his Memory was celebrated ; as it continues to be to this Day, by Elogies. Such is the ordinary Effed of a fincere Attachment for Virtue, and of that continual Ap¬ plication recommended by the Shu king. What this Emperor obtained by thefe Means another might have obtained in the fame Manner: For tho’ Honour commonly attends Virtue • ’vet pro perly fpeak.ng, it is not Virtue that railes the Man, fays Confufim, on (lie contrary it is the Man that can give a value to the Virtue. The Peace or Difquiet of States, their Ruin or their Glory depends upon Princes. When any one of them lofes his Empire, this Event is not to be at tnbuted to the Order of Tyen, who deprives them of their Power to maintain themfelves on the Throne, but to their own Imprudence and Diforders : I know, that it is very truly faid that the Foundation of a Monarchy is a thing beyond the Forces of one Man to compafs that it is a Boon from 7 j™, perhaps the greateft he makes to Mankind, and that the Confent of the Uni verfahty of the People to own one Man as their common Parent, and the happy Omens that attend iuch a Confent, are, as it were, the great Seal of Heaven in his Favour But befides that even tins, in fome Sort is only the Confequence ofVirtue, which, as Confucius fays, does not lone remain by itfelf; befides this, 1 fay, we never fpeak thus, but where we treat of the Founda° tiou of a Dynafty. After having let the good Princes Tail and Shun, their Government, their Virtues, in Contrail: with tne bad Princes Kyc and Chew, and the unhappy Confequences of their Vices Ton? chon? tin concludes in thefe Words: * 6 J bo true it is, that the Manners of People depend on thofe who are over them as the Clav upon tile Wheel depends upon the Potter who forms it, and as the Metal in the Crucible depends upon tlie Founder, who throws it into what Mold he pleafes.” F . He then ^ how tlle Corruption of Manners, tho’ before very great, grew ftill more excel five under Shi whang. And then he goes on, “ The bcft Carver in the World, fays Confufim, cannot work upon a Piece of rotten Wood- anu it would be lolingones Pains to prop an earthen Wall already old, and which threatens to fall every Moment. Irt/g Remonftrance. T H E People at the fame time, have in their Hearts two Principles very oppofite, the one of Good, the other of Evil. They have a Stock of Goodnefs and Juftice, but they have likewife, a Fund of Avarice and Intereft ; again!! both which, they ought to be fortified by In- ftrudtions and by Laws. Yau, as great a Prince as he was, during the Courfe of his Reign, never could extirpate from the Hearts of his Subjedts all Paffion and all Intereft : But he took his Meafures fo well, that Paffion and Injuftice yeilded to Reafon and Equity. Under the deftrudlive Reign of Kyd, Corruption, tho’ at the greatell Height, had never entirely ftifled in the Hearts of the People, the Principles of Virtue and Equity, but that of Avarice was their Predominant. This is properly the Difference betwixt thefe two Reigns; a Difference, to which thofe who are intrufted with Rule cannot enough attend. It is propofed to your Majefty, that thofe convidted of certain Crimes, may be permitted to ranfom themfelves, by furniftiing a Quantity of Corn. This I cannot approve of, for when two Men are equally guilty, why fhould the one efcape becaufe he is rich, and the other die becaufe he is poor? Shall the Heinoulnefs of Crimes then no longer be the only Rule of Punifbment? Shall Poverty and Riches have any Share in it? Are we then henceforward to fee two Laws efta- blifhed, where indeed there is but one? This is a Diforder which muft infallibly be attended by another. For as foon as this Innovation is known, where is the Son, or where is the Brother, that to ranfom the Life of his Father, of his Brother, or any other of his Relations, will not ufe all imaginable Methods to fave them ? Their Hopes of Succels will render them blind to Danger: What a Source of new Crimes will this afford ? For one Man whofe Life Money will lave, there will be ten who will lofe theirs under the Punilhment. This is, at the fame Time, to wea¬ ken the Love of Virtue and the Force of our Laws. When thefe Bafes of Government are once ruined, I doubt -much, if your Minifters, let them be as able as Chew kong and Chau hong, can ever re-eftablifh them. In former Days, the Granaries of the Prince were open to the Subjedt, Did they want ? He furnifhed wherewithall to fupply their preffing Neceffities. If they were free of all thefe Ne- ceffities? He allowed his People to live in Plenty. We read in the Shi king thefe Words: I lave Pity upon thofe poor People who J'ujf'er. Applyyourfelf toJuccour them preferably to us. In this Paf- fage the Princes addreffed Tyen: And thus the Poet chufes to.exprefs their Goodnefs and Contpaf- fion for their People. But we find at the fame Time, a fuitable return of Zeal on the People’s Part for their Sovereign. The Poet makes them fpeak thus: Water, injlantly Water ; and render fertile the Domain of our Prince; then extend that Blejfmg to our Lands. Tho’ our Times fall lhort of thofe of the Ancients, the Zeal of your Subjedts ftill fubfifts: They are loaded with Duties to fupply the Exigencies of our Frontiers : A Poll Tax is added to the Tax; your Sub¬ jedts fuffer a great deal, and are not infenfible of their Mifery: Notwithftanding of which, they make it their Duty to furnifti all the neceflary Charges. Nobody remonftrates againl! thefe ; they being, the ordinary Means of providing for the Safety of States. But for the Method that is now propofed, it is a diredt Breach of the Laws: It naturally tends to make ten Men perifti for one, there is no Choice to be made. Your Virtues, Sir, and the Care you have taken for the Inftruction of your People, have put Things upon fo good a Footing, that your Government will refledt no Dishonour upon Yau and Shun ; but you would degenerate, fttould you follow the Council that has been given you. The (•) Heaven. ft) The Chintfe fays Stive jin. ft) The fupreme Emperor. The Imperial Collect ion of Edicts, Declarations, Cfc. The Effeft of this Difcourfe.] Swen ti laid this Difcourfe before Chang-Chang , who notwith- ftanding perfifted in his former Opinion, which drew a Reply from Syau whang chi , wherein he expofed at large the Inconveniences that had followed upon a like Experiment. This Reply made the Emperor drop the Project of Chang-Chang. A Remonftrance of Lyevv hyang to the Emperor Ching ti, upon the extravagant Ex pence s he had been at, and which he fill continued to lay out tip on In¬ terment of the Princes of his Houje . , S I R j I find in our I king this Maxim, which is principally calculated for Princes. “ You live happy ; do not forget, your Happinefs may foon change. You find yourfelf now fettled on the higheft Pinacle of Fortune, remember that you may tumble down.” This is the way to render the Repofe you now enjoy in your own Perfon durable, and to tranfmit the high Station you now fill to the Defcendants of your Family. A wife Prince cannot do better than to examine Hiftory, and attentively to weigh the different Events which are there pointed out, and to trace back and to found their Springs, to diftinguifh what is worthy of Praife or Blame, that he may the better profit by what he reads. By this he will, at lead:, have one Advantage, that he can rea¬ dily point out this Truth, fo proper to infpire with a refpedtful Dread; That there never was, till this Day, a Family to which Tyen has for ever allured the Empire. Con/ufius reading the Shi king , and coming to a certain Palfage in the Ode, which is intitled Ven vang ; “ How terrible, cried he, with a Sigh, are the Judgments of Tyen! And how great is this Truth; That the firft Care of a Man ought to be, to leave, as an Inheritance to his Defcen¬ dants, a large lhare of Virtue! ” How true is it, that without it, all other Goods are ufelefs and tranfitory ? If Tyen had ordered it otherwife, how could Princes have been kept in their Duty ? Or how could Subjects have been animated to Virtue? Thus fpoke Confufius, in bewailing the Lot of the W't tfe, and that of the Ing , who were become Subje&s of the Chew. Tau himfelf, that wife that virtuous Prince, could not render his Son capable of the Empire, and chofe another for his Succelfor. Yu and Tang , in Spite of all their Cares, could not perpetuate Virtue in their Houfe, and the Empire palfed to another Family. How many Changes of Dynafties have hap¬ pened fince that Time! Kau ti , the Founder of yours, feeing himfelf Mafter of the Empire, en¬ tertained the Thought of removing his Court to Lo yang{ a). Lyew king reprefented to him, how needlefs that Expence would be. Kau ti immediately defifted, and fixed his Court at <2 uang cbong. There he frequently called to mind the Fates of the Dynafties of Chew and Tfin. This firft, faid he, had many great Princes, to whom I cannot, I cannot be compared. It has, however, at laft degenerated, and is now loft. The laft had only two Princes, both without Virtue, fo it was foon at an End. Full of thefe Thoughts, he carefully avoided the Faults of Tfin , and applied himfelf, as much as Circumftances would allow him, to imitate the firft Chew. In fhort, during his whole Reign, he was extremely attentive, vigilant, and circumfpedt. That wife Prince underftood in its full Extent, what I have cited from Confucius. Hyau wen being at(*) Pa lin , in examining the Situation of the Place j finding'that on the North Side the Mountain was not very fteep, appeared very uneafy and thoughtful: Then addrefting himfelf to the great Men who were about him, he told them the Reafons. I am thinking, fay& he, how I may beft fecure from Infults the Tomb of (-f-) Kau tfu ; and I am contriving for that Effedl a Pile of the largeft and hardeft Stone, with the beft Cement that can be made. Chang che Jhi anfwered : ‘ c If there is nothing in the Tomb to excite Avarice, if it had all the “ Thicknefs and Solidity of Mount Nan , it is the fame thing, as if it had many Openings. If “ there is nothing in it to prompt Avarice, it is fecure without a Rampart”. And, indeed, what has a Prince to dread after Death? But it is otherwife with his Family and the State. Their Profperity and their Ruin depend upon many Things. This demands our Precaution ; the little Expreflion, Chang che fin, is full of Meaning: It exprefies what I would fay. Hyau wen underftood it well, and left oft' his intended Expences. Formerly, fay our Books, the Corps of the Deceafed was cloathed in ftrong thick Habits, and placed in fome remote Spot built about with Faggots, without any other Security. Afterwards, fome wife Men judged it requifite to change this Cuftom, and brought in Ufe the double Coffin. It is faid this Change was made under Whang ti. This Whang ti was himfelf buried under Mount Kyau: As Tau was upon Tfi in. Both their Burials were very frugal, and their Sepulchres no way magnificent. Shun was buried at Tfang u , without any other Attendants but his two Wives. The Place of Yu’s Sepulchre is at Whey ki, without fo much as a Tree growing round it. Where is the Sepulchre of Ching tang, and the other Emperors of his Dynafty ? Neither Hiftory nor Tradition give us any Light into this Point. Ven vang , Vu vang, and Chew kong, have theirs at Pi. That of Mu kong King of Tfing is at Tong. That of Chu li tfe at Vu ku. All their Tombs are very mean, and it was a wife Precaution which thefe Princes took in ordering them to be fo. With refpedt to their Children or their Subjects, ’twas the Effedt of Wifdom and Piety in them, to conform themfelves to the Royal Intentions. Chew kong was the younger Brother of the Emperor Vu vang. He was intrufted with his Funeral, and defrayed it at a very cheap Rate. Confucius buried his Mother at fang, in an old Tomb only four Foot high ; but being much da¬ maged by the Rains, the Difciples of Confufius not only repaired, but embellifhed it. Their Mafter underftanding this, “ Alas, cried he, with Tears! Antiquity would not have adted thus.” (a) Now Ho-nan fit in the Province of Ho nan. (! ) The fame with Kau ti or Kau «uv? iano ti. Founder of the (*) The Name of che Place, whereKau ti'i Burying-Piace \va. c . Dynaft/ of the Han, and Father to Ven ti, or Hyau wen. Vol. I. 6 1 Ten 4 93 49A The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, Isc. Ten lyu ki tfe making a Journey into the Kingdom of Tf, his Son who was with him died on the Road as they returned. He cuffed him to be buried in the Habits of the Seaibn in a Grave not very deep, without any more Mold upon him, than was neceffary to {hew that a dead Body had been buried in that Spot. This done, he faid, weeping for his Son j “ It is the Fate of our t{ Bodies to return to Dud. It is an unalterable Decree that Rottennefs fhall penetrate every where, whatever Precaution we ufe to prevent it.” The Place of his Son’s Birth was but ioo Leagues diftant from that of his Death. His Father caufed him to be buried in the Spot where he died, without being at the trouble to (*) tranfport him to the burial Place of his Family. Confucius on a Journey, underdanding what Ten lyu had done and laid on this Head 3 He both approved and commended him, as being well veried in the Rites. Confucius was certainly a du¬ tiful Son 3 Ten lyu an affe&ionate Father: Shun and Tu loyal Subje&s; and Chew kotig loved Vu van* as his elder Brother, and honoured him as his Emperor. Yet we fee that all thefe great Men, as if they had aded in Concert with one another, fhunn’d Magnificence and Expences in Funerals and upon Sepulchres. Was this Motive a mean Parfimony ? Doubtlefs not: Who dares to fuf- ped them of that? Butbefides other Conliderations, they had this one, that they thereby lefs ex- pofed the Bodies of the Dead to the Intuits of the Living. The King of Wen aded quite otherwife 3 he ereded to his Father, without much regarding the Rites, a Monument equally fumptuous and proud. Within ten Years he faw it demolithed and plundered by the People of Twe 3 the fame Thing happened to the five Kings of Tfin, in a Sepulchre where their dead Bodies were interred, together with a good deal of Riches. Thefe Riches were teen carried off, and the Remains of their Bodies were left in fo pitiful a Condition, that one cannot think of it without Horror. At lad Shi whang , the King of Tfm, becoming Emperor, he chofe for his Sepulchre the Mountain Li, whofe Foundation he caufed to dig, if we mav fo lpeak, even to the (-j-) Center of the Earth. On its Surface he ereded a Maufoleum which might pafs for a (J) Mountain. It was 500 Feet high, and at leaft half a League in Cir¬ cumference. On the Outfide was a vad Tomb of Stone, where one might walk as eafily as in the lar^efi Hall. In the Middle was a fumptuous Coffin, and all around there were Lamps and Flambeaux, whofe Flames were fed by human Fat. Within this Tomb, there was upon one Side a Pond of Quick-filver, upon which were lcattered Birds of Gold and Silver: On the other, a compleat Magazine of Moveables and Arms: Here and there were the mod precious jewels in Thoufands. In ffiort, the Magnificence and Riches, either of the Coffin, the Tomb, or the Buildings wherein it was placed, is inexprefiible. He not only expended immenfe Sums upon it but it cod him the Lives of a great many of his Subjeds. Befides the People of his Palace who had periffied there, the Workmen who had been buried alive were counted by (§) Wan. The People no longer able to fupport this Tyranny, all of a fudden run to Arms, upon the fird Signal of a Revolt. Thefe Works upon the Mountain Li were not yet ftniffied, when Chew chang encamped at its Foot 3 and foon after Hang fi rafed thefe vad Walls, burnt thefe beauti¬ ful Buildings, penetrated into that proud Monument, carried oft' all its Riches, and made that Sepulchre n Place of Horror: However the Coffin dill remained there, It is faid, a Shepherd fearching in the midd of thefe Labyrinths for a dray Sheep, happened to drop fome Fire, which caught the Coffin and conlumed it. Surely, never did any Prince carry his Magnificence farther than Shi whang, efpecially with regard to his Sepulchre. You fee what are the Confequences. Can any thing more difmal be conceived ? But to return. It is plain from Hidory, that always where there was mod Virtue, there was lead Pomp, even as to what related to Sepulchres: That thofe who are acknowledged, by all the World, to have been the mod underdanding of the Ancients, were the mod removed from Pomp: That thofe who valued themfelves upon their Magnificence on this Point, were fuch as had no Reputation, either as to Wifdom or Virtue 5 and that thofe who had the fmalled Share of both, always carried this Odentation and Magnificence the farthed : It appears, that the mod fumptuous and the mod rich Tombs and Myau, were foon pillaged and demoliffied. Can one deliberate, after this, upon the Courfe that he is to follow ? There was a Time, when the Chew beginning to degenerate, gave into Luxury and Expences. The red of the Government felt it. Yen Vang , a clear-fighted Prince, fucceeded them : He perceived the Caufe of the Evil: He applied a Remedy: Fie revived a decent Frugality: And fet the fird Example himfelf. This Example had fuch an Effect, that it put the Government upon a right Footing: His Reign was flouriffiing, and his Poderity numerous; and it is his Me¬ mory which our Shi king, in the Ode Se kan , celebrates. On the contrary, Nyen kong , King of Lft valued himielf upon erecting fine Terraffes, inclofing vad Parks, and magnificently adorning t 1 ': Halls of his Ancedors. He died without Poderity, and the (||) Chun tfyu does not fpare him. Will any one after this, prefer Pomp to Oeconomy ? Your Majedy, at your Acceffion, {hewed your Value for, and gave more than one Proof of, this lad Virtue. Your Moderation, efpecially, was admired, in the Conveniences which you propofed to make at the ancient Sepulchre of your Family. You foon changed that Method in the new Sepulchre, that you have begun at Chang iiu. What proud Terraffes, or rather what laboured Mountains! How many private Coffins have been removed for it ! We may count them by ten Thoufands. How much Money ha? been (' This is commonly done; all Perfons, of any Diftindlion, never Til to do it at this Day. ;; The CBinefe fays, to three Sources; no Doubt alluding to fome Fable, of which I am ignorant. (J) The Text does not very clearly exprefs the Form; whe¬ ther it was a Tingle Mafs, or confided of many Buildings, as at prefent. (§) A Wan is toooo. ((]) The Name of an antient Cbinrfe Book. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. been expended, and the Charges already amount to more than a hundred Wan. The Dead hate you, the Living endure you, but murmur at you. The Breath of thefe Groans and Impreca¬ tions blafts the Seafons, and fterilizes the Ground. I am a Perfon without Underftanding, but my way of Reafoning is this: If the Dead know what paffes here, furely, by difturbing fo many Coffins, you make a great many Enemies among them. If the Dead are unconfcious of what is done on Earth, what End can thefe profufe Ex- pences upon the Sepulchre of one Man, ferve? Only one, which is, that they attract the Eyes of the Living. But Men of Wifdom and Virtue, far from approving thefe Expences, only behold them with Regret. A People which is harrafled, is far from relifhing fuch expenfive Leffons of filial Piety. We fhall fuppofe, that there are fome Perfons abandoned to Wifdom and Virtue, whofe Inclinations lead diem to Pomp, that applaud this Undertaking. Is there any thing in fuch Applaufes that can flatter you ? You, Sir, are naturally full of Goodnefs, Sincerity, and Up¬ rightness. Your Genius is Superior, and never was there a Prince more capable to refled: a Lu- ftre upon his Dynafly, or more clofely to follow, even the mod wile among our ancient Sages and ancient Emperors. Will you then, on the contrary, imitate the Faults of fo bad a Prince as Shi whang? Will you, like him, difregarding the Repofe and Safety of your Empire, and the Senti¬ ments of every wife and virtuous Man, undertake thefe proud and ufelefs Works ? Will you buy, at fuch a Price, the Applaufe of certain worthlefs Sycophants? Nothing can be more melancholy if you do, nor can I help blufliing in your behalf. You have many other Patterns to follow; amongft the Ancients, Whang ti, Tan, Shun, Yu, Yang, Vu vang, Chew kong ; amongft thofe who are more modern, Vu kong , Yen lyu, Confucius, &c. But without even going fo far back as them, you find in Hyau wen, who was one of your own Anceftors, an Example of this Kind, which you ought to follow; and in Shi whang one, which you ought to fliun. To conclude, I advife you to abandon the Works of Chang lin, to fix on the ancient Sepulchre of your Family, and to regulate by the Counfels of all your great Men the Accommodations which ought to be made there. A Glofs.] Ching ti, at firft, appeared touched with this Difcourfe of Lyew hyang ; neverthelefs he did not follow his Counfel. Another Remonftrance of the fame Lyew hyang, to the fame Emperor Ching ti, upon his abandoning the Government to the Relations of the Emprejs. S I R; There is no Emperor, who does not wifli to maintain in his State good Order and Peace, during his Reign ; and who does not propofe to tranfmit his Crown to his Pefcendants; not- withftanding of which, great Revolutions are not rare : And it is ftill more frequent to fe , at leaft, dangerous Commotions in States. The moft ordinary and immediate Caufe of thefe Mis¬ fortunes is attributed, and I believe juftly too, to Princes giving, or at leaft permitting too great an Authority to certain of their Subjects. This appears evident in a great Number of Examples which are furnifhed us, by the ancient Book (*) Chun tfyu. In Times nearer our own, Chau vatig. King of Yfmg, faw his Kingdom brought to the Brink of Ruin, by making his Uncles on the Mother’s Side, too powerful. However he was happy, in finding two faithful Subjetfts who fupported him. Eul flri, the SuccefTor of Shi whang, gave himfelf entirely up to Chau kau. This laft begun, by removing from about his Perfon every one whom he fufpedted : After which, he freely abuled his Power. A Revolt foon followed ; Eul Jlri loft his Empire and his Life, at once. This Example is not ancient, flnce to this Prince, who was the laft of the Dynafty of the Yfm, the Dynafty of the Han fucceeded. But this very Dynafty furnifhes us with an Example yet more recent: In the fecond Genera¬ tion, it law itlelf at the Brink of Ruin. The Lyu, whom the Favour of the Emprels, a De- fcendant of that Houfe, had raifed, feiz’d the Helm of Government, and all Honours and Employ¬ ments were engrofled, either by them or their Creatures. They had the Command of the Troops, both to the North and South ; their Pride and their Haughtinefs even exceeded their Power, and they were within one Step of mounting the Throne, which they were ready to take, when the Hew’s ofKyang and of Chuhi, fupported by fome others of their Character, with a Courage and Zeal worthy of themfelves, oppofed the Lyu, rooted them out, and confirmed the Throne to the Lyew(-f) The Wang (£) are at this Time, what the Lyu, were before. No lefs than 23 of them are raifed to the higheft Honours. One of them, who is Generaliflimo of your Troops, abfolutely and arbitrarily difpofes of every Thing. Five others, who are of the fame Family of the Lyew, carry their Pride and their Infolence yet higher. They frequently cloak their Avarice, their Violence, and even fometimes the moft mean and the moft fhameful Paflions, under the Pretence of pub¬ lic Good. When this Pretence cannot take Place, they have Recourfe to your and the Emprefs’s Name. They make every one fenfible of the Relations they bear to her, and what file bears to you ; and under this Title they attempt every thing. All the firft Employments of the great Tribunals are filled with their Creatures. Is there any one of their Cabal who applauds them ? Does he mount to the firft Offices ? Is there any Unwillingnefs exprefled, that he ought not to be raifed in that manner ? The Effe&s of their Vengeance are foon felt, f Jappy is he, to whom it does not coft his Life. They have in Pay vaft Numbers of wordy Sycophants, who are always praifing them every where. Even your Minifters are in their Intereft. (*) This Book cites a great many; but as they are only Names (J) Name of the Family of the Emprefs, Confort to the Em- of Men and Countries, I omit them. peror Ching ti. (-{-) Family-Name of the Dynalty, furnamed Han. 4 You ! The Imperial Collodion of Edicts, Declarations, c fc. You fee truly, great Prince, upon what footing thefe Wang are, while the Princes of your Houfe are buried in Obfcurity. Thofe amongft them, whom they underftand to polfefs any"De¬ gree of Merit, are removed to a Diftance, by a thoufand Artifices. You are often put in mind, that you may entertain a Diftruft of them, of the Examples of the Princes of (*) Ten and Kay- chi : But they take care never once to mention the (-(-) Lyu and the Ho : In fhort, never did the Whang fit , under the Chew ; never did the Hew of Tang, under the T/in ; nor the Lyu and the Ho, under the Han, your Predeceffors, attain to fo great a Pitch of Power, as have the Wang under your Reign. The fame State never fuffers two Powers fo extremely oppofite. Either your Houfe is in the utmoft Danger, or that of the Wang ought to perifh. Remember of whom vou are defcended. Will it not be lhameful for you to let your Empire pals to meer Allies, and to reduce thofe who are of your own Blood, to the moft vile Conditions ? If you have not a due Senfe of your own perfonal Intereft, Rudy at leaft to fupport the Splendor of your Anceflors. This touches your own Honour: This touches even the Honour of the Emprefs; for it is a fet¬ tled Rule with the moll; remote Antiquity, that a Woman ought to prefer the Family into which fhe enters by Marriage, to that from whence Ihe is defcended. The Security of the Happinefs of States mull be begun at a Diftance; and Troubles muft be prevented before they arrive. By doing other wife all is hazarded. It is not yet too late if you pleafe, but if you will believe me, do not delay it. Call near your own Perfon fucli of the Princes of your Blood as have Merit, and make them enter into a Share of the Government; but above all, truft the leaft Part of it to your Allies. Hyau wen excluded them, and his Reign was peaceable. It is the true Intereft of both Families, that your Allies fhould be enriched by your Favours, in Confideration of the Emprefs: That they Ihould have wherewithall to fupport themfelves in Time to come on a good Footing ; but that your Houfe fhould reign and fhould govern. This is the Method by which both of them, each according to its own Rank, Ihould continue and flourilh for many Ages. But if your Majefty Ihould ad: otherwife, there is all Reafon to fear, that we may yet in our Days, fee the tragical Events of which I have fpoken, and that you will leave to Pofterity a melancholy Memorial of your Reign. A Glofs.] Ching ti having read this Remonftrance, caufed Lyew hyang to come into his Prefence; and fhewing by his Sighs that he was very much touched with his Difcourfe, he told him; Tou may depend upon it, that I will think upon and provide for every Thing, that you have reprefented to me. Belides he raifed him to a confiderable Poft in the Government. Towards the Reign of Ching ti, People gave into all kinds of Superftitions, and pretended Se¬ crets, particularly into a Search after a kind of Immortality. In the Colledion from whence I take thefe Pieces, there is a Difcourfe of Ku yong, which reprefents to the Emperor the Vanity of thefe Refearches, and concludes, by defiring him not to fuffer any one of thefe Mountebanks to appear at his Court. All his Proof confifts of Examples drawn from Hiftory (||); fo that to point it out as I have done, is to give an Abftrad of the Difcourfe. A Petition of Mey fu, prefented to the Emperor Ching ti in favour of the Family of Confucius. P RINCE; It is commonly faid, that every one ought to conform himfelfto the Rank that he bears: And that he who ads otherwife, is in hazard to difpleafe the Sovereign, and to feel the Effeds of his Indignation. According to this Maxim, I ought to hold my Peace ; and be¬ ing but a petty Officer, ought not to propofe any Thing that is confiderable; but I own this is a Maxim that I cannot approve of. The fear of Punifhment, and the hopes of raifing my For¬ tune, no way affed me. ’Tis true, that if I am filent, agreeable to the humble Rank I polfefs, I may quietly pafs the Remainder of my Days; but then after my Death, my Body will be no fooner rotten, than my Name fhall be forgot. There is no degree of Reft, and no Pitch of Fortune that I would purchafe at this Price. My Ambition is not confined to this Life : I endeavour to merit, that after my Death, my Name may be feen engraven upon Monuments of Stone, and that my Figure may be feen gravely fitting in a lofty Hall, before which there is a handfome Court. I fhould be fenfibly afflided, fhould I pafs my Life without being (+) tileful to my Country, and thus deferve to be forgot as foon as I am dead. This is what employs me Night and Day : And this is my Motive for prefenting to you this Petition. It is a common and a true Saying, That to preferve others is the Means of preferving one’s felf, and that to fhut up the Way to one’s felf, is to fhut it up to others; and accordingly every one receives either Reward or Punilhment, in proportion as he does good or evil. Shi whang deftroyed the Chew, and feized fix Kingdoms. Under him Virtue was without Honour and without Reward. Under him, the Ceremonies, in honour of the Chiefs of our three famous Dynafties, were difufed. In fliort, he did all he could to extinguifh the (§) true Dodrine. Thus he died amidft Alarms and Troubles; his Son was killed, and with him his Pofterity pcriflied. Punilhments, which perfectly well agree to his Condud with refped to others. (*) T wo Princes of the reigning Family, who had occafioned fome Commotions. (+) Two Families, two of which were Emprefles, whoabufed their too great Authority. (||) The ordinary Fund of the Cbinefe Eloquence. fj) A Glofs fays, that he who procures Honours to the great Men of pall Ages, does real Service to the State. (§) The Chi::efe fays, Tjen Hyi, the Dottrine of Tyen, or the Celeitial Doftrine. vo The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, cf e. . V * " Mn g obfervcd a contrary Condud. Before lie defcended from the Chariot, which fervcd him to gain the Vidory, he gave orders to preferve tile Defcendants of our five Ti He after¬ wards made the Prince of Ki, one of the (*) Hya, and the Prince of Song, one of the hr-, that they might be in a Condition to continue tile Ceremonies with regard to the Chief of thefe Families, and to (hew, at the fame time, that he did not pretend to poflefs the Empire, lb as not to do Good to others. Thus his Family, as a Recompenfe, multiplied fo exceedingly, that tlie Number ofthofe who carried the Pidures of theirAnceftors into their Hall, formed, ash were the Courfe of a fine River. At prefent, the Royal Family Ing, has no hired Heirs which are in Place and Ching tang who was the Chief, has no body who continues the Ceremonies in his Honour! Is it not for this, that you as yet have no Heir ? According to the Interpretation which Ku lyang gives of a Pa huge of Chun tfyu , Confucius and his Family are defcended of tile Ing. Your Majefty would do wry well, to honour them with the Title of Succefl'ors in Chief to that Royal Family, in order to continue the Ceremonies. It is true, that they defeend only in a collateral Line, but what does that fignify ? The firft of a Family who becomes a Prince, becomes thereby Prefident of the Ceremonies, altho' it was formerly the Right of another. A Prince (f) of diftinguifhed Merit, tho’ born of a Woman of the fecond Order, is fometimes juftly preferred to the (+) Son of the Wife. Befides an ancient Tradition fays, that the Defcendants of Perfons of Merit and Virtue, ought never to be without Lands. By much (Longer Reafons, tliofe of Confucius , that eminently wife and virtuous Man and who has the Advantage to be defcended from the Ing, ought not. Ching vam celebrated the Funeral of the great Chew hong-, his Unde treated him only as a Chu hew. (§) Whan* /yen as it isfaid, found that to be too little, and teflified its Refentment by a great Storm. ^ ’ At prefent, the Hall of Confucius is but little honoured, and his Defcendants are in the Rank of mean People. It is not the Intention of the Whang tyen, that fo great a Man fhould not be refpetfted in the ordinary Ceremonies, except by People of fo mean a Condition. Confucius with¬ out poilefiing any Kingdom, had all the Qualities of a great King; for which Reafon' Kii Is an* called him a King without a Kingdom. Your Majefty then with that Confideration, can grant to his Delcendants what I propofe. Befides that, I don’t doubt but that this good Adlion will con¬ tribute to the Happinefs of your Empire. It is tile Means of eternizing your Memory, and mv Reafon is this. Till this time, it has never been the Cuftom to honour great Men in the Perfons of their Defcendants: The wife Kings your Succefl'ors, will follow this Cuftom, audit will eternally be remembered, that it was introduced under your Reign : Is this a tiling to be nededed ? . The Emperor Kang hi'r Remark.) The Aim of Mey fu was to illuftrate the Family of“ Conffi- fius, that he might more certainly obtain what he wanted. The G/ofs .] Ching ti granted to the Family of Confupius, what Mey fu propofed. Under Ching ti, on account of fame extraordinary Phenomena’s, a pretended Aflro- loger, propofed to feud a large Army againjl the Barbarians of the North: Ad¬ ding, that when the Army was on foot, the frfl Officer of Dtflinttion, who ffiould commit any Fault, fhould be put to Death: That thereby the rejl mioht beft ruck with RefpeU. and the Barbarians with Terror : That the bad Omens might be averted, and every thing might fumed. Ching ti half inclined to this Advice, and ajked the Opinion oj Wang kya, who gave it in fFritiug as follows. " ^ I T is not by empty Words, but by virtuous Actions, that you mu ft try to gain the Hearts of the People. 1 yen muft be anfwered and obeyed by a real and folid Virtue, and not by a fair Outfide. No that is not allowed,^ nor is it indeed eafy to impole upon common People, and far lets is it either allowable or pofhble to mipofe upon Shang tyen , or to efcape his (II) penetratino- u • t-n ^ len le cau ^ es extraordinary Phenomenons to appear, it is either to keep Princes in then Duty, orTo reclaim them. If they profit by this Warning, and if they ferioufly praflife Virtue, the Minds of the People are fatisfied, and Tyen obtains his Aim. As for what certainTalkers (ay, who take Advantage of every thing to enhanfe their own Value and whopetend to fee in the Stars, the Necefiity and Succefs of thele Expeditions againft our Neiglil hours I am far from finding in their Difcourfes, the true manner of anfwering and obeying fen On the contrary, I think I fee the melancholy Prelude of the mod final Revolutions. Nothing' it is true, is more terrible, than to fee a confiderable Officer dragged for the leaf! Fault with his Hands tied behind his Back, to the Cate of the Palace, thereto undergo the mod difgraceful Punimment. But can all this Pomp of Terror hinder it from being faid with Truth that it is always dangerous to ftir without Neceffity : And that the Advice of thefe Talkers was not an V°l. I. 6 K ’ Ad _ (*) The Hyau reigned before the Shan or Ing : And the Shan before the Cheats, of which Fu asang was the firll Emperor : Thefe are called the three Dynamics. (+) Some eminent Writers complain of this Ufage, and look upon it as an Abufe. CP The famous Venatang is ranked in this Number, but it is *!” ctW ** n S' linl1 ■ ™ d it is pretended, that It is (caret :r done without very bad Confequcncw. S*L Thc Character Whang is never applied but to the Emperor, 1 /yen, as we have many times obferv’J, to If raven. (ID The Senfe of the Chim/r Expreliion is Shin, which fieni- ■ Spirit, fpiritual, impenetrable, all at once. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Advice to be followed. As for me, all that I fee in the Councils given you, are either Flatteries in order to engage you in Enterprizes that are really very dangerous : Or, frivolous Reafons founded upon new Conjectures, in order to induce you to an extravagant Severity. Is there any thing more capable to fpoil the moft Virtuous Prince, than Flattery ? Is there any thing more ready to attradl the Hatred and Curfes of the Subjects, than Expeditions, that are as hazardous as they are unneceffary ? As for thefe trifling Reafonings that are founded upon vain Conjectures, they vifibly wound the true DoCtrine. And the extravagant Severity with which, by this Means, they would infpire you, is diametrically oppolite to Clemency and Gentlenefs; Virtues, upon which the greateft Princes have always valued themfelves. Formerly Mu hong, King of T/ing, preferred the Advice of a certain Talker, to the wife Councils of his wife General Pe li lu ; this coft him the entire Ruin of his Army. Mu kong then openly acknowledged his Fault, but it was too late, for his Army was de¬ feated : Believe me, that the Quality which bids faireft to render a Prince famous in after Ages, is the Faculty of difcerning thofe who would impofe on his Judgment, and his Care not to give into the Advice of People, who are without Experience, and without Wil'dom. Your Majefty may be convinced of this, by reading Hiftory: To which I advife you as much as poffible : And I conjure you above all, never to take the firft Advice that is offered, without a due Examination. The Emperor Ngay ti had a Favorite, wbofe Name was Tong hyen, •whom he loaded with Ho¬ nours and Riches: ‘This made every body repine at his Condutt. Wang kya upon this, made a Remonftrance to the Emperor: Wherein , having laid before the Emperor , a full Account of the Favours be had heaped upon Tong hyen : Together with the Riches , the Pride, and the Vanity of that Favorite : He gave an Injlance of two Perfons, who by a like Bounty, were raifed under other Reigns, and wbofe Fortune had Jo far intoxicated them, that they threw the State irfto Con - fijion , and likewife ruined themfelves. He concluded, with prefjing the Emperor to weigh thefe two Examples, and other Infances of paf Ages, and to moderate his Favours with Regard to Tong hyen ; were it for no other Re afon, but for the good of that Favorite, whom thefe extrava¬ gant Favours could not fail to hurt. The Hiftory Jays, that this Remonftrance by no means pleas'd Ngay ti, wbofe AjfeBion for Tong hyen was not at all dimini fed: That notwithflanding, he was ajhamed to act openly againft the Remonftrance; he took an indirect Method of increafng the Riches of his Favorite. The Emprefs Confort produced an Ordinance, either real or J'uppoft- tious, by which the Emprefs Dowager left to Tong hyen an Eft ate, containing 2000 Families : This Ordinance was fent to Wang kya the Minijler of State, in order to put it in Execution. Wang kya immediately fealed it and fent it to the Emperor, with a J'econd Remonftrance, which is as follows. I T is a common and a true Saying, that Tyen is the Mafter of Dignities and Lands. Thus the Shi king fays, when it fpeaks of Sovereigns. “ Tyen deputes under his Commands, a ca- tl pable and a virtuous Man.” In this RefpeCt therefore, they who reign are in Tycns Place. What then is more proper to infpire them in their Diftribution of Favours and Graces, with a ferious Attention and a refpeCtful Dread ? Whoever therefore mifplaces them, is almoft always punifhed with the Murmurs and Curfes of the People, by the Difordersof the Seafons, by epide¬ mical Difeafes, and fuch like Plagues. No Man can be more alarmed than I am, to fee on the one Hand, your Majefty in a bad ftate of Health, and on the other, the exceffive Favours you heap upon a Minion, by lavifhing on him the higheft Titles, by draining your Treafures, and fearing, if I may lb Ay, that they will not be lufticient for him : In Ihort, in fome meafure, by degrading yourfelf, and ftooping to raife him. Hyau wen, one of your Anceftors, was anxious to raife a certain Terrafs. But upon a Com¬ putation of how much it would coft him, altho’ the Sum was but moderate, and not above a hundred (*) Kin, yet he gave up his ProjeCt, notwithflanding of his Inclination. Hyen your Fa¬ vorite underftands better Things. It is not rare to fee him, tho’ a Subje.Ct:, draw out of the Roy¬ al Treafury a thoufand Kin, in order to gratify fome Family. This is what has not been feen fince the moft remote Antiquity: For this Reafon, he is curfcd all over the Empire. There is a Proverb in Country Places; That the Man who is pointed out with the Finger, never dies of a Dijeafe. I tremble for Tong hyen -, yet I underftand, that an Order of the late Emprefs is pro¬ duced, by which the Minifters of State and others, are commanded to put him in Poffelffon of what formerly was the Eftate of three Flew. For my lhare, I am inclin’d to believe, that thefe late Earthquakes, thefe Rockings of the Mountains, and Eclipfes of the Sun, are fo many Advi¬ ces given you, not to raife the SubjeCt above the Sovereign. Hxcn, who has been for a long time overloaded with your Favours, has been feen infolently to difdain them, and when lie had re¬ ceived Lands from you, to demand an Exchange : But after having obtained it, to return incef- fantly to the Charge, and fatigue you with new Demands: He being always importunate and infatiable, and you always eafy and condefcending to his Defires and Caprices: This has been cbferved for a long time. But as nothing is more contrary to the RefpeCt that is due to you, and to the Good of your State, there is not one of your good Subjects, who does not behold it with Grief. Your Health is precious, and you have as yet no Heir. Thefe Circumftances demand of you a Angular Application to gain the Heart of Tyen, to render yourfelf amiable to your Subjects, and thereby * At prefcat ioa Kin is too Ounces of Silver: I know not if it was the fame in thofe Days. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, b c. thereby to deferve his aulpicious Protedion. Yet this is what you do not in the leaft think ofj being entirely employed in making the Fortune ot one Subjed you forget all the reft, and even yourown Health Whence can it proceed, that you are lo inlenlible of what iupported Kantju in fo many Exploits, I mean, the Defire and Hopes of perpetuating the Throne in his Family The Book (*) Hyau king fays: “ If there are at the Court ot a Prince feven Officers tra y zealous, and who have Courage enough to make refpedful Remonftrances upon occafions tho that Prince be a little irregular in his Condud, he will not, for all that, loie Ins Crown. If I prelume at prc- fcnt to fend back to your Majefty this Ordinance fealcd up, it is not becaufc I tail m my Helped to theOrders of the Court, nor that I court my own Ruin by offending you; it is becaufe I dare not produce it; it is becaufe for the Honour ot your Majefty, and the Good of your Mate, I am very much afraid, leaft it ilrould come to the Ears of the Public: All I do, and all I lay, is not in order to raife my own Value, or to make a Shew ot my Zeal to your Majefty. Be plealecl to examine yourfelf, what other Motive could engage me to make thefe reiterated Remonftiance , uotwithftanding of the Danger to which they expole me. . The Emperor Kang hi praifes thefe two Remonftrances of 1 /ang kya , efpecially the one I have now tranflated : Several other Authors are cited, fome dead, others living, who praile this Piece. Warn kya periled, but not entirely for thefe Remonftrances, but for fome other Affair which f-Ws Vengeance had raifed againft him. He was thrown into Pnfon where it is imd.ta was ftarved to Death. His melancholy Fate, flopped the Mouths of al the other zealous Subjeds. Under the Emperor Ngay ti, fan yu a Tartar Prince to the North Weft of China, wrote a Letter of Submiffion, begging the Emperor’s Permiliion to come in f erfon, and to pay him his Homage The greater Part of the Minifters and Officers of State, looked upon this Requeft as an Occaiion of a great, but ufelefs Expence. Tangyong was of another Opinion and F^mfd a Remonftrance to the Emperor on that Head, where he lays before him at latge, all the Troubles that thefe People had occafioned fince the Days of the 7 Jm. Reprefentmg at the fame time, that it was both for the Honour and Advantage ofC&M.that thefe People fhould fubmit. He adds, that thePropofal of fan yu could not be rejeded without irritating him, in wffiich cafe, the Emperor muft feel the Effed of it for a long Time. The Emperor, upon this Remonftrance accepted the Propofal of fan yu, and fenthim hisPermiflon for what he wanted. In the Book from which thefe Pieces are extradited, fome Refledions, which an ancient Author named Hu yu, made upon the Events treated of in this Piece, are inferted in the Margin A good many of our Emperors, fays that Author, feeing every thing quiet at Home have en¬ deavoured to make Conquefts abroad ; and have valued themfelves upon fubmitting thofe Peo¬ ple which the former Dynafties could not fubdue. Such amongft others was, Vu ti one of the Him who during thirty Years, employed vaft Armies againft his Neighbours to the North Weft but without Succefs. On the contrary, under the Reigns of Suva ti , lwcn ft, Ch, *£ u y a " d Ngayti Princes, who never troubled their Head about making Conquefts thefe People fub- mittcd themfelves, particularly in the time of Ngay ti, under whofe Reign the Dynafty H/< was much decay’d ■ (+) U fun paid him Homage according to the Rites, and more than Fifty petty Princes of the weftern Kingdoms, had Seals which they received from our Emperor. Tho’ nothing, in Appearance, was more glorious, or more advantageous for China for my Share, when I confider it in that Situation, I compare it to a great Tree which (hoots forth lai ge Branches and thick Leaves, but whofe Trunk and Root the Worms devour The Tree notwithftandmg of its beautiful Appearance, is in great Danger. Thus, our wife Kings of Antiquity, applyed themfelves carefully to regulate their Empire well at Home: This they made their principal Study and were far from neglcdting it, in order to form Defigns abroad. O! How well did thefe great Men underftand Matters ? . , n i n i r r „t_ " Korn quang a Minifter under Ngay ti, propofed to that Prince, to deftroy the Palaces of fuch of his Anceftors, whofe Times and Ranks were palled. This P™pofit.on appeared in general, realonable. All the Difficulty was, with Refpeft to the Palace of the (§) Hya vu upon wh ch there were different Opinions. $uan le. Pong fwen, and fome others, were of Opinion, that it fliould be deftrov’d, faying, that tho’ Hyau vu was a very great Prince and tho the Empire owed him great Obligations, yet his Time being expired, according to the Degrees both of Succeffion and Relation, his Palace ought to be deftroyed. Lyew hing If am pun, and fome other^ weie of a contrary Sentiment. They prefented upon that Head, a ffiort Difcourfe to the Emperor. It confifted entirely in crying up the Reign of Hyau vii, who according to them, and to Hiftory was a very great Prince, and particularly a great Conqueror. They ended, by fayin 0 , that the E.) &V determined nothing fo clearly with Refpeft to the Number ot Degrees but that their places might vet Hand. Thev fliewed by fome Examples, that they have flood for ieven Gene¬ rations at one time: Ngay ti followed this laft Advice, and the Palace of Hyau vu was preferved. («) A Book upon filial Piety, written by Con/nc (J) Formerly nam'd Tanyit. (it) Otherwi!e nam'd VI ti. ( t , Book \ L-rl'e, which are Cannomcal. ring 499 jhe Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Ping t'l fucceeded Ngav ti, but reigned only a port Time. Vartg pwen poffeffed himjelf of the Throne and the Dynajly oj the Han was interrupted for ufnvards of twenty fears , Syew, other-wife cal¬ led Wen ftifi, Grand-fen of Kau tfu, rejlored it in the ninth Generation: And tie Han having remounted the Throne, pojjeffed it for upwards of 200 Tears. This Rejlorer of the Dynafly of the Han, has been Surnamed Quang vu. J J In the 27th Tear of his Reign, feme body frefented a Memorial to him, to engage him to make War upon the Barbarians in the North Weft: Which Propofition he anfwered in the following Deck- ration. 6 1 R E M E M B E R, that I have often read in the Whang fee hong, that what is flexible, altbo’ it appears weak, carries it from what is ftiff and flrong. This is an Allufion which lets us fee that what is called Force and Power, ought to yeild, and in effed does yeild, to Gentlenefs and Virtue. Thus it is ufually faid, When a Prince is virtuous, that which contributes to his Pleafure, contributes to that of his People. On the contrary, when a Prince is without Virtue, his Plea- fures are of luch a Nature, as cannot be relifhed by the Subjeds. It is added with Reafon that the Pleafures of the firft Kind are durable, but thofe of the fecond Sort, are fhort liv’d and fatal to the Enjoyer. The Prince who fecks to meddle in foreign Affairs, fatigues himfelf to no pur¬ pose. He who confines himfelf to thofe at Home, eafily brings them to a happy Period. Is a Prince in Peace ? People attach themlelves to him : Are his Affairs perplexed ? They take Occa- fion to raife a thoufand Storms againft him. Thence proceeds this Maxim, that the Prince who endeavours to extend his Territories, renders them defart and barren : He who endeavours to grow in Virtue, fees, that, at the fame time, his Strength encreafes. Is a Prince content with what he has ? He can prelerve it without great Trouble. But would he invade the Property of others? He labours for his own Hurt and Deftrudion. Vidories of that kind, are at the Bottom real Defeats. My Government is as yet very imperfed : My Empire is frequently fubjed to public Calamities: My poor People have Difficulty to fubfift themfelves, and pafs their time very poorly- What ffiail become of them, if by ill timed Undertakings, I ffiould enereafe their Miferies" The Emperor Kang hid Remark .] (*) Quang w had been long at the Head of Armies he knew well, how much the People differed by War: So that it is not at all furprizing, that he took Care not to engage them needlefsly in it. A Glofs.\ After this Declaration, nobody prefumed to Quang vu to any Projed of War, Ming ti, the fourth Sou of Quang vu, fucceeded him. JFhcn he was (f) Ta y tfe, he had. Wen yong for his Preceptor, who being infrm, petitioned to be allowed to retire front Court. Ming ti, who was now Emperor, anfwered the Petition of Wen yong in a Jf riling, which I am now to travfate. I HAVE had the Pleafure to fludy under you from my Child-hood, for during nine Years Notwith{landing of your Cares, I am yet a Man without judgment, and without Under- flanding. Our five King are Extenfive: The Words of our ancient Sages are full of Myfteries and deep It is all that forms a .Genius of the firft Order, to be able to penetrate to their Bottom : This is far above the Capacities of a Man, without Genius and without Abilities like me Your Affiftance can yet be of great Ufe to me, and I am very fenffble, how little I d’eferve what you are fo complaifant as to tell me, when you aflc Permiffion to retire. Others befides you have ufed fuch Terms to their Difciples, but thefe Difciples were, in effed, able Men, who had perfedlv comprehended our King. Befides, they were obliged to leave their Mafter by indifpenfible Du- ties, and by Family Affairs. They gave him Teftimonies of their Grief, which he anfwered by the Marks of Efteem, which every one of them deferved. As for me, I am far from defending thofe which you beftovv upon me in your Petition. But fince you abfolutely defire to be gone I dare not prefume to hinder you : I only recommend to you, to take care of your weak State of Health, and to fpare nothing for that Effed, and in fhort, to put a due Value upon your own f+1 precious Perlon. r } Chang ti fucceeded his Father Ming ti: Inthe fecond Tear of his Reicrn, these was a great Drought. His Advijers attributed this Calamity, to his not rail¬ ing the Relations of Emprefs Dowager. So it was immediately proofed to the Emperor that they fhould be raijed, but this was oppofed by the Emprefs Dowager, who caufedthe following Declaration to be publifhed r Hi.SE Talkers who attribute the Drought to my Relations being without Dignities, talk „ thus > e ! ther t0 flatter me, or from fome other fecret Motive. What they fay, is without any Foundation; (§) Five Brothers of an Emprefs were made Heats in one E)ay:' But this did not produce the leaf! Ram. Every one knows how many Commotions the Relations of the Em- O Qx a ”g himfelf, in a Letter to one of his Officers fays: 7 V-. c Ten ten Tears in the Army, and /save no relifb for empty Compliments. ‘ J , ' ’ ' V - i r f af t wy great: Tfe, fignifies a Son. To thefe two Characters, is commonly joined the Character Whang, . prefles and then they fay Whang tay tfe, toexprefs that Son of the Em- peror, who is appointed his Succeffior. (it) The Ckir.cfc fays. Of your Body of precious Stones. (§) She means the Wang, againft whom we have feen abc vs. pretty home Rcmonltrances. 7he Imperial Collection of Ed ids, Declarations, tfc. prcffes have occafioned under other Reigns; for which Reafon, the Emperor and I judged it con¬ venient, that my Relations fhoud have no ihare in the Government. I have often told this to my Son, who is the prefent Emperor, and yet he is preffed to raife the (*) Ma upon the footin')- of the (f) Yu ; Is that reafonable ? I have the Honour to be Emprefs, that is to fay, (+) Mother of & the Empire. The Cloaths that I wear, ale of Silk, but they are plain and without Embroidery. My Table is neither magnificent nor delicate. My Servants are cloathed with the moll common Stuffs: And I am at no Expellees, either in Ornaments or Perfumes. My View in this,'is chiefly to fet a Pattern to my Relations, that I may induce them to do the fame. But inftead of imi¬ tating my Conduit in this, I know that they make it a fubjedt of their Raillery, and look upon my Frugality and Modefty, as the Efledt of fordid Parfimony. Not long fince, I paft by the Gate called To long, where I met one of my Relations : Having ftopt a little to afk his News, I faw in his Train, a long Rank of Chariots together with a light and a numerous Troop of Horfemen, every one of which feemed to be a flying Dragon. His meaneft Domeftics were all richly cloathed. As my Servants and his were too near, I did not care to put myfelf into a Paflion or to give him a public Reprimand. But in order to bring him to himfelf, I took care, without telling him for what Reafon, to cut of his Appointments for a whole Year. Notwithftanding of this, I did not fee that he endeavoured to reform himfelf, or that he fhewed that he was fenfi- ble of the public Calamities. It is ordinarily faid; Who {hall know the Subjeds but the Prince? And indeed, I know my Relations and Servants better than any other. No! Whatever may be faid on this Subject, I will never abandon the wife Views of the late Emperor, or degenerate from the Virtue of my (§) deceafed Father. I will take care not to renew the thing that has once already overthrown the Dynafty of the Han. The Emperor Ching ti, after having read over and over again, with great Sighs, this Declaration of the Emprefs Dowager, renewed his Injlances with her, in the following Terms. I T has for a long time, been ufual to make the Sons of the Emperor Vang or Kings, and the Brothers of the Emprefs, Hew. The one Cuftom is as well eftablifhed as the other. Your Modefty and Difintereftednefs, certainly do you a great deal of Honour. But why would you hinder me from being as liberal and as beneficial, as any of my Anceftors ? Of three Uncles by the Mother whom I would make Hew, one is aged, and the other infirm. What Confe- quences then are to be dreaded ? If you do not yeild, I own to you, it will give me great Pain, So I beg that you would inftantly confent, that it fliould be done. The Emprefs anjwered her Son’s Injlances, by the following Declaration. I T was not upon flight Grounds, and without due Deliberation, that I made my former Declaration. I am far from endeavouring to fet up my Modefty in Prejudice of your Libe¬ rality. What I have in View, is the real and the folid Good of both Houfes. Formerly the Emprefs (||) Tew propofed, to make the elder Brother of the Emprefs (-j-) Wang, a Hew. Kau tfH, fays Ya fii, in oppoling this, made a Regulation, that none fhould be raifed to this Dignity, but a Perfon of the reigning Family, or of feme Families, from which the reigning Family has had great Obligations. But what great Services have the Ma performed that they fliould now be put upon the fame footing with the Yu? Befides, it is with Families that are raifed and enriched in fo fhort a time, as with certain Trees, that are made to bear twice in a Year: This cannot laft. In fliort, I fee but two Reafons that can induce a Family to wifli for Riches and Plenty: The one is, to do honour to their Anceftors, by being in a Condition to acquit thcmfelves of the Cere¬ monies that are appointed on their Account: The other is, that they themfelves may live com¬ fortably and happily. My Brothers have tafted more than fufficiently of your Favours, to make them to do this: What Occafion is there for them to have an Appennage ? \ oppofe it once more and I have ferioufly weighed it. Give over your Jealoufies and your Uneafineffes on that Account’. The mod follid Mark of Piety which I can give to my Anceftors is, in fecuring the Fortune of my Brothers, by checking its Growth. We are in dangerous Times. Corn is at an exceffive Price; and the People are miferable: This employs and afflias me Night and Day. At fuch a melancholy Junaure, ought I to be thinking to raife my Relations, and to facrifife to them, what 1 owe to the Empire; I who am its Mother ? No! Speak no more of it to me; my na- tural Temper is well known : I am firm in my Refolutions, and it is fruitlefs to irritate me by an obftinate Refinance. If we (hall fee happier Times when Peace and Plenty fliall be diffufed over all, then I will confine my Cares to my Grand-fon : I will meddle no more in Government let my Son aCt as he pleafes. The Emperor Kang hih Remark .] After praifmg the Wifdom, Firmnefs, and Reflation of this Princefs ; (he reflected, fays he, upon the fine Inftruaions and Examples of her Father Her Vigilance and Zeal, may ferve as a Rule and a Mirror to the Empreffes of all Ages. (§) Her Father was a Warriour, famous for his Wifdom and Virtue. (II) The Name of a Family. 4) The Name of another Family. Of thefe two Empreffes, the one was Mother, the other the Wife, of an Emperor. 6 L (*) The Name of the Empreffes Family. (t) The Name of the Family, which had contributed mod to re eftablilh the Dynafty of the Han. (1) Qn e fignifies Empire , Kingdom ; Mu, Mother. $-01 Vol. r Chong The Imperial ColleBion of Edicts, Declarations, t0 the B~t , The J?, rft Care , of a Father of a Family is, to provide plentifully for the Subfiftance of his Chil- drem This is what they pride themfelves in above any thing elfe. For a like, or abetter Reafon the Sovereign, who is the Father and Mother of his People, ought to do the fame. We never fee a rich Father of a Family, refufmg a little Vinegar to his Children, or fome fuch Trifle capable to create an Appetite. Is it then becoming, that a Sovereign of a rich and powerful Empire^ Ihou d he lels indulgent to h,s Subjedfe, and refufe them the mod common thing that vr Ve . n has °^ da ‘ nei } f ° r their Ufe And yet this is done, by forbiding them Salt. I know that the Motive of this Prohibition, which is more antient than your Reign, or even your Dvnaftv “ thc Rc , venu , e ’ thcr f 5y c T Ue L t0 ^ Prince - But is not this like imitating a Man who tho’’ he is rich, takes Care only of his Mouth and his Teeth, and neglefts the reft of his Body > Do not all the Peoply Men and Women work for their Sovereign? That which they furniftr every \ear, is it not fufficient to maintain his Dignity, and to lupport his Troops. Can a Prince for whom fo many People work be m any Dread of Want ? Is it reafonable that fuch a Dread (hould make him “forbid the People, from ufing what is prefented them by certain Ponds. The anti- ent Kings aaed quite otherwife. Their firft Care was to provide for the Wants of their People and thereby they rendered them docile and attentive to Inftrudtion. This was what makes them fo celebrated;.and.for this, the Sh, king praifes them. I am a Man, whofe Knowledge is but flnall, and whofe Views are confined: But I love to read, and I read a great deal. When afte having feemn our antient Books, the Indulgence which our Kings had for their Subieds I come t°.certainiBooks of modern Date, where I find Taxes upon Taxes: I can't help faying with a Sigh What a Difference there is betwixt ancient and modem Times ? How much at large were People in thefe Days How confined now ? Many Dynafties have fucceeded one ano¬ ther without lightning the Yoke: Your Dynafty, Sir, has the Honour already, to have begun well. It has almoft abohlhed the Taxes upon Corn and Stuffs. How many Encomiums has it a ready received, among the moft diftant People ? Kings, whom their Dignity has raifed above the Level of Mankind, ought likewife to carry their Virtue much higher. This is their Duty nay then tiue Intereft Pay vang, by the Contempt that he expreft of a Jewel, fubmitted and de¬ voted the whole People to his Perfon; on the contrary, in the Ode Kye chu, we have a Kim* leprdented to us who is odious and unhappy, for having over-burdened his People Tho' your Pre- deceffors have earned their Goodnefs to their Subjects to a great Height, yet I fhoold wilh for tnc Honour of your Reign, that your Majefty would carry it yet a little higher It is Laid that two things are commonly very fatal to Princes. Too great Prodigality in their great Men and *°r U n h £ Va r m themlelves ' , If 1C 1S unworthy of a Prince, and even dangerous in him to Penni a f fi 1 p“fi y ’? pa f tln S " lth ^sTreafures; how much more fo will it be todilpute with his People the Profit of a little Salt. It is a common and a true Saying, That it is better for a Prince to oard up in his Subiefts Houfes, than in his own Granaries and Coffers. When this Hoard is in the People s Hands, they are fatisfied, and the Prince is rich. But when all is heaped up only in t.,e Royal Granaries and Exchequer, the People are poor and difeontented. Whei/the People are uncontented, how can they be profitably inftrafled, or fuccefsfully infpired with the Love of Vir- tue. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. tue. When they are poor, can the Prince be long rich ? I therefore wifh, that your Majefty, im¬ proving upon the Goodnefs of your Anceftors, would take off the Prohibition from the Salt Pits, and only make fome Regulations for preferving it in Plenty. The Emperor having ordered this Supplication to be deliberated on, the Chief of his Counfel were of Opinion, that the Prohibition fhould fubfift. It is very antient, faid they : And in the preceeding Dynafties, when there were Deliberations for the fame Effect, it was always concluded to maintain them. It is true, that in Progrefs of Time, it occafioned Murmurs, and fome Com¬ motions among the People ; but this muft not be attributed to the Prohibition, but to the Neg¬ ligence and Malice of the Commiffaries. Not-withjianding of the Advice of the Counfel , the Emperor caufed the following Declaration to be publifhed. I T is true, that the Prohibition upon Salt is very antient, and has, as it were, part into a Rule, yet all the Dynafties do not relemble one another. Some of them have been more felici¬ tous to promote the Good of the People than others. As for me, if any thing appears capable to advance the Happinefs of my People, or to facilitate their Devotion to the Rites, and the Love of Virtue: That is a fufticient Motive for me to embrace it, provided it is confident with Rea- fen. This appears in what was propofed to me by King ching ; fo that as foon as the proper Re¬ gulations for preferving the Salt Pits are made, let the Prohibitions be taken off. Let this our prefent Order be publifhed and executed. After the Emperor Ven ti, Founder of theDynafy of the Swi, had reduced the Kingdom of Chin ,(-]-•) all his Officers applauded his Vittory, and propofed the malting Choice of fome Mountain , where they Jhould repair to perform the Ceremony of Fong chen. Ven ti rejected this Propofol , and that they might not renew their Solicitations , publifhed the following Order. I SEN T one of my Generals, to reduce to Reafon, a petty rebellious Kingdom. The Ex¬ pedition was fuccefsful, and what then ? Yet every one flatters and applauds me. I am even preffed, notwithftanding of my Defeats in Virtue, to perform the Ceremonies of Fong chen , upon feme famous Mountain. As for my fhare, I never heard that Shang ti was to be moved with trifling empty Talk. I abfolutely forbid any one ever to fpeak of this to me again. A Letter of the fame Emperor Ven ti, Founder of the Dynajly of the Swi, to Tang the King of Korea. E VER fince (+) Tyen raifed me to the Throne, I have had nothing fo much at Heart, as the Happinefs and Quiet of my Subjects. By leaving you in Polfeffion of the maritime Countries, I thereby intended to make known to all the World, how much removed I am from all Avarice; and that all I propofe by reigning, is, that I may render my Subjects content and virtuous. I may likewife pretend, that you on your Part, remain in your Duty, and that you in Proportion, enter into the fame Views, and like a good Subject, imitate my Examples. And yet I under- Rand, that you difturb your Neighbours: It is faid, you ftreighten (§) Ki ta?i , and deprive it of all 'Liberty. You exadt Contributions of more Kinds than one, from Mey ko. Whence proceeds that Itch of Oppreflion ? Or how dare you to harafs the States which are in Subjedtion to me? If you are in want of Labourers, I have Plenty: Why don’t you call for them ? For fome Years, you have foolifhly been bufied in heaping up Stores and Provifions, you have your Agents for that Effect, diftributed thro’ all Quarters; and you drain thefe little States. Why is all this done? If you have not formed bad Defigns, and fearing, leafl: they fhould be difeovered, you adt every thing underhand. An Envoy was difpatch’d from my Court to you; my Intention in fending him was to give you, as one of my foreign Subjects, a Mark of my Goodnefs and Efteem. But I defign’d at the fame time, that after having informed himfelf of what related to your Subjects, that he fhould give you fome Advice on my Part, on the Manner of Government. Neverthelefs, you caufed him to be watched under your own Eye, and fhut him up in his Houfe as in a Prifon. You concealed, as much as you could, his Arrival from your Subjects. You prohibited the Officers of your Court, from whom you could not conceal him, from vifiting him; in fhort, you have, as it were, fhut both his Eyes and his Ears, and you appeared frightned, leafl; he fhould have been able to inform himfelf of the State of your Affairs, but I have taken care to be informed in another Manner, of all your Steps, which are not like thofe of a good Subjedt. I have put you in Pofieflion of a great Extent of Ground, and the Title and Honours of a (*) King. In fhort, I have loaded you with Favours; all the Empire knows I have : And yet, all this is not fuflicient to make you fenlible of my Good¬ nefs. You want Gratitude ; you exprefs a diftruft of me; and you render yourfelf fufpedted,-by fending, under different Pretexts, Perfons, who fecretly examine all that pafles at my Court. Is this the Condudt of a faithful and a blamelefs Subjedt ? Notwithftanding of all this, as I impute your Faults, partly to the little Care I have taken to inftrudt you in your Duties, I am willing to forget what is paft. But you muft amend, and an- fwer my Indulgence, by a fincere and real Submiffion : You muft exadtly fulfill the Duties of a foreign Subjedt: You muft follow and imitate my Government: In Place of hating and harrafi- Vol. I. 6 N fing (*) Or Vang. ft In the Times of the Swi. (§) Ki tan and Mey ho are the Names of two Petty States lying near Korea. S°9 (J) Heaven. $ 10 Jbe Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, cdV. fmg thefe other Strangers, who are your Neighbours ; you mu ft, by your Example, inculcate upon them Submiflion and Virtue: And above all things, you muft remember, that tho’ they are weaker than you, yet, like you, they are illy Subjects. But do not think to impede upon me by vain Appearances: A thorough Change muft be wrought upon you, if vou deiire that I ftiould treat vou as a good Subject. And then being fatisfied with your Amendment, 1 will never decree vour Puniflunent. Our wife and ancient Emperors, above all things, efteemed Gentlenels and Juftice : Notwithftanding, that I come far ftiort of the Virtue of thefe great Princes, yet I make it my Duty to imitate them. AH my Empire knows this: And that alone, ought to tree you of all Dread and Diftruft. If, after the Aflurances I have given you, I fend Troops again ft you, what will all my Subjects fay of me ? But above all, what will the Strangers that are fubdued, like you, to my Empire, lay ? Free yourlelf therefore of your Sulpicions; change your Conduct, and be eafy. It is true, I have fubdued Chin : But if you continue in your Duty, that ought not to alarm you : All the World knows that Chin forced me to putiifli him. After being many times pardoned, he attacked the Hew of Fong, who was faithful to me, and killed a great many of his People. He plundered on all Sides, and had the Boldnefs to advance even to my Frontiers. I had oftner than once, during the Space of ten Years, given him Advices with Regard to his Conduct. But inftead of profiting by them, he grew infolent upon my Goodnefs, and trufting to the (*) Kyang, which bounds his Territories, he valued neither my Advices nor my Threatnings. He even encreafed the Number of his Forces, and feem’d to defy me with hislnfolence. Being forc’d to it by fo open a Rebellion, I lent againft him, one of my Generals with only a few Troops: This Expedition lalled but for a Month. One Morning, avenged me of ten Years obftinacy, and the Defeat of Chin was fol¬ lowed with univerfal Peace. Both the Shin (f) and Men rejoyced at this. You alone, I hear, are alarmed, and uneafy : I fee the Reafon but too well. As it was not the Fear of Chin that en¬ gaged me to treat you well, fo his Defeat is no Motive for my opprefling you. But if I were of an Humour to do it, who could proted you ? What Comparifon is there betwixt the Waters of (D Lya, which are upon your Frontiers, and the great Kyang which covered Chin ? Is your Country more populous, than that of Chin? Doubtlefs not. And if I fliould punifh your part Faults, as they deferve, it would coft me but little. I would have no more to do, but to lend againft you, forne of my Officers: But I do not love to hurt any body. For which Rea¬ fon, I follow the more moderate Courfe j I advife you, inftrud you, and give you Time for your Amendment: If you anfwer my Gentlenels a*s you ought, you may live eafy and happy. (§) Tay tfong, the fecond Emperor of the Dynajly of the Tang, whom Hijlorians have compared with the mof famous Princes of Antiquity, drew up a Writing, upon the Difference betwixt good and bad Government, and upon the difficulty of reigning well. As he drew it up chiefly for his own Ufe , he entitled it the Mirror of Gold, or the Precious Mirror. A FTER having each Day, fpent the neceflary Time for difpatching the Affairs of my Em¬ pire, I take a Pleafure in reviewing and refleding upon the Hiftories of paft Ages. I ex¬ amine the Manners of every Dynafty, the good and bod Examples of all their Princes, their Re¬ volutions and their Caufes. I have always done this with Profit, and I have done it as often as I can mention. Every time I read, what is faid of Fo hi andJVhang ti, and the matchlefsGovern- ment of Tail and Shun, 1 always flop. I feel, I admire, I praife, and all this, without wearying. When I come towards the End of the Hya, the Ing, the Tfln, and certain Reigns of the Han, I am feized with an unealy Dread. I feeni to walk upon a rotten Board, or upon a thin Surface of Ice over a deep River. When I refled from whence it proceeded, why under all the Princes who have wiftied to reign in Peace, and to tranfinit their Empire to a numerous Pofterity, there has yet happened fo many Troubles and Revolutions: I find that the rnoft common Caufe, was the little Care which thefe Princes had to refled upon themfelves, and the Averlion they had to hear any thing that could difeompofe them. Thus in the End, they became blind, both to their Duties and their Defeds; and this Blindnefs occafioned their Ruin: With what a Dread does this Refledion infpire me. It is in order to fhun this Blindnefs, that after having feen by reading Hiftory, what are the Principles of good Government, and what are the Springs of Commotions; of all thefe I com- pofe a Mirror for my felf, in which I may behold my Faults, in order to endeavour to amend them. The moft eflential Charader of good Government is, not to raile any to Polls, but Men of Merit and Virtue. A Prince who ads thus, reigns happily ; but there is nothing more dan¬ gerous and fatal for a State, than a contrary Condud. Isa Prince in any Difficulty? He never fails to confult his Minifters and his other great Officers. If thefe are all underftanding zealous Men, let the Danger be ever fo great, it feldomends in his lofing all. And what cannot be enough lamented, is, that Princes, heedlefs of this Choice, are intirely taken up with empty Pleafures. Ah! how much better would it be for them, to make a Pleafure of their Duty : But above all, of a Duty fo important as is the Choice of good Officers, efpeciallv good Minifters! It is commonly laid, that Shun and Yu, thefe two great Princes, loved no Pleafure, and that, on the contrary, the two Tyrants, Kye and Chew , loved it much. I am of a different Opinion. The bad (*) Kyang. fignifies a River. It likewife is the proper Name (f) The Spirits '+) The Name of a River, of the greateli River in the Empire. i In the Tinr.s of the Dyrai'.y of the Tang, The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &Ci bad ConduCt of Kye and Chew, croft them a thouland Difquiets, abridged their Days, confequently difturbed their Lives, and rendered them of a fhort Duration. Can this be called the Love of Pleafure ? On the contrary, is it not to have a true Tafte of Pleafiire, to love it like Shun and Yu: who owed a long and quiet Life to their Virtue, and who calmly tafted the Pleafures of a happy and peaceful Reign ? It muft be allowed, that Complexions and Dilpofitions are very different; fome are good, and others bad : And that there are different Degrees in each Kind. The Virtues and Actions of Yau, Shim, Yu, and Yang, give us ground to believe, that (#) Tyen has diftributed them very juftly. It was not thus of Kye, Chew, Yew and Li : as may be feen from the brutal Cruelties of thefe bad Princes. However, we may truely fay, that the Happinefs of Princes and States, depends lefs upon their Complexions and natural Dilpofitions, than their Care of keeping that juft Mean in every thing, which common Senfe dictates. We read in U ki, that a Prince of(-f-) Sang applying himfelf folely to certain Exercifes of Vir¬ tue, and neglecting to keep his Army on Foot, loft his State; that the Prince of / perilhed like- wife, but for a quite different Reafon, he laying all his Strefs on his Forces, and neglecting Virtue. Therefore Confupius fays, that the Government of a State, ought to be juftly tempered with Gen- tlenefs and Refolution, with Severity and Mercy. And indeed, Goodnefs andjuftice fhould always go Hand in Hand ; to make too great Conceflions to the one in Prejudice of the other, is a fundamental Fault, and may be attended with very bad Confequences. What a ConduCt there¬ fore is it, for a Man to deviate from both the one and the other? And what would one fay of a Man, who was abfolutely deftitute of Goodnefs? An Emperor railed to the higheft Degree of Honour, to which a Man can rife, is obliged at once, to love his People, and to endeavour to make them happy. Two Things are requifite for this: Good Order and Security. As for good Or¬ der, Regulations muft be made, and they muft be fupported with Example. As for Security, an Army muft be kept on Foot, to intimidate Enemies from undertaking any Thing upon the Fron¬ tiers/ For as it is by no means convenient, to terrify the People by a ftanding Army; it is like- wile rare, that Gentlenefs alone, and the Virtue of a Prince, can over-awe the Barbarians, and fecure the Frontiers. When the great Fifh, Kin, appears above the Water, the Billows become fmooth. When the (J) Whang, and the Ho, plunge, or dive under the Water, there is no fair Weather to be expedited : It is their Flight in the Air, which prognofticates that. A very important Point for a Prince, is to know how to accommodate himlelf to the different Tempers of Men, and to profit by their feveral Talents. It is an univerfally received Maxim, that as he who intends to build a large Houfe, fhould begin, by chufinga good Architect, and then to proceed to buy Materials proper for his Plan: In the fame Manner, a Governour ought to begin by chuling his Minifters, in order to affift himfelf by their Underftahding and by their Councils, in the Government of his Subjects. In attentively reflecting upon the palt Dynafties, I obferve, that when the Prince had a foiid Love for Virtue, he never wanted virtuous People about him ; but when he fliewed a Paflion for Building, and other Works of Art, all the able Men in that Way appeared : If he loved hunting, he got a parcel of excellent Hunts-men about him : Was he enchanted with Mufic ? He was prefented with Crowds of People from Chin and Wey: Sometimes it might happen, that the Prince debafed himfelf fo far, as to love Painting, and fuch like Ornaments. Then (§) len and Chau were in Vogue. When all Avenues are bjocked up to fmeere Remonftrances, then few zealous, or faithful Perfons are feen at Court. Is a Prince fond of Applaufe? Numerous are the Crowds of his Flatterers. Our Ancients, indeed, had a good deal of Reafon to compare a Prince to a Veffel, and the People to the Liquor that it contains. As the Liquor takes the Figure of the Veffel, fo the Subjects commonly imitate the Prince. How great a Motive ought this to be for him to aim at Perfection? But as the fineft Stone requires to be polilhed, in order to become a fineVeflel; thus Man ftands in need of Study and Application, in order to acquire true Wifdom. Ven r cang and Confupius had their Matters: And if thefe great Men had need of Mailers, how much more have others ? fo that one of the molt remarkable Differences betwixt a good and a bad Prince, is, that the good Prince fighs for Perfons of Merit and Virtue, in the fame man¬ ner, as the Labourer expeCts his Crop; and receives them with the fame Joy, as the Hufbandman, who has a little before been threatned with Drought, fees a plentiful Shower fall upon his Fields: On the other Hand, a bad Prince, commonly has an Averfion for any Man, who has more Merit than himfelf: And admits none about his Perfon, but thofe who are without Merit and without Virtue. O how hard it is, for a Man thoroughly to diveft himfelf of the bad Inclinations, to which he has a long time been habituated! Vangpwen, and Sun hau, at firft, counterfeited to be good Princes: But as they aCted only by Intereft, and as their pretended Virtue was only Hy- pocrify and Diflimulation, they did not long hold it out. They returned to their natural Byafs; People knew them, and abandoned them: A Bark of plain Boards joined together only with Glew, cannot hold out long, againft the large Billows. A Plorfe, who is bred up on purpofe, in or¬ der, on fome Occafions, to make a hundred Leagues at a Stretch, if he is put to the Trial, frequently burfts before the journey is ended : This exaCtly was the Cafe of Vang pwen and Sun hau. Wc faw (*) Heaven. (f) Sang and /, were two Countries. (j) The Names of two Water-Fowl. Thefe Allegories admit of a double Senfe: The Billows denoting the Irruptions of the Barbarians, which the Power of Arms, figured under the Fifh Kin quells : And by the Birds Whang and Ho, the People, who fliould be eafy and fatisfied, while the State is without any Com¬ motion ; or elfe, by the Fifh Kin , is denoted brave Perfons, who are capable to head Troops: And by the Birds Whang and Ho, thofe who are fitted for Governing, and muft be drawn from Obfcurity, and put in Polls. If we apply thefe Allegories with what goes before, the firft Senfe appears the molt natural; But if to what follows, the laft appears to be the Meaning. (§) Names of Countries. i ‘7 12 . The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. fuw verified in their Perfons, as in a great many others, our antient Proverbs. That as the (*) Shin cannot be made ufe of, when we would meafure large Stones: Thus, a midling Capacity will not do for great Things, &c. And the moft fimple Virtue, if. it is conftant, is more worth, than the mod; political Cunning. Oh ! what a Difference is there betwixt Prince and Prince, and Man and Man. Kau tju refpedted Li tfong fo much, that lie lield up his Train, to do him the greater Honour. Syu chew, being difobliged with the wife Advices of Pi kan , inhumanly or¬ dered his Heart to be pluck’d out. Ching tang always had a real Efteem, and a cordial Love for his Minifter Iyun. Kye had a wife and zealous Minilfer in Long pong ; and yet he caufed him to be put to Death. Chwang , King of 7 ft, after having held a Council, and difcovering a Supe¬ riority of Genius over all his Minifters, went from the Council Board (-(-) melancholy and "thought¬ ful. This Melancholy hung about him, even in his eafier Hours. On the contrary, Vu hu , re- joyced and triumphed in a Manner, in fuch a Superiority. The Reafon of this is,' that Princes who are without Capacity, want either to conceal or perfeverein their Faults 3 but Underftanding Princes, want to be acquainted with their Failings. When I caft my Eyes upon Kau tju and Ching tang, I compare the Reigns of tliefe great Princes, to thefe Years, that are remarkable by a juft Temper of Heat and Cold, and by a Regu¬ lation of the Seafons, which diffufes Plenty over all. It is faid, that when the Empire is well governed, Ki ling, an Animal of an aufpicious Omen, appears. Were not Kau tju, and Ching tang , real Ki ling in their kinds? I own, I think they were. When I next confider the Kyi J and Chew, I think, that I fee in their Reigns, thefe direful unhappy Years, which the Irregularity of the Seafons, renders barren and fatal. Thefe Years, ufually produce a great Number of de- ftrubtive Infers, and even frightful cruel Monfters. Alas! Were not thefe wicked Princes Kyi and Chew, Monfters themfelves? How much Inftrudlion do I not find, in reflcding upon thefe two Oppofites. I know very well, it is laid, that Tyen has more or lefs favourable Conjunctures for States. That is true: But that does not hinder the Happinefs orIJnhappinefs of States, from depending on the Conduct of Men. Was there not under Ching tang, a feven Years Drought? This Prince having pared his Nails, devoted himfelf as a Victim. Immediately there fell a Rain for a hundred Leagues all round. In the Time of one Emperor, Mulbcrrv-Trees were feen all of a fudden, to grow in the Palace. This Prince ftruck with a Prodigy, which was explained to him, as being very dreadful, folidly applyed himfelf to Virtue; and inftead of the Dangers that threatned him, he receiv’d the Homage of the Ambafiadors of fixteen Courts, at his Palace. Who then dares fay, that it is not the Bufinels of Princes to make their States happy ? Some fay, that it is a very difficult Thing to reign : Others fay, it is eafy. The firft to prove their Opinion, reafon thus: The Dignity of Emperor, raifes a Prince above the reft of IVIankind : He has an abiblute Power: Rewards and Punifhments are in his Hand: He not only pofifeffes the Riches of his Empire : But he likewife can, as he has a Mind, ferve himfelf with all the Abilities and the Talents of all his Subjects. What then can he with for, which he may not obtain ? Or what then can he undertake, which he may not execute? They who are of the contrary Opinion, reafon otherways: If a Prince, fay they, (hall fail in his RefpeCt to Tyen, Pro¬ digies ftreight appear, and Monfters are born. Does he exafperate his Subjects Minds ? He is often punifhed by an untimely Death, as happened to Vu i and Chew. Would h,e indulge him¬ felf in any Paffion, as for inftance, bringing Things of greater Rarity and Value, from afar ? In making large Parks, fine Ponds, great Buildings, lofty Teraffes ? He muft for thefe Ends, load the People at leaft, with Averages, and Agriculture muft thereby fuffer. Hence proceed Scarcity and Famine. The People groan, they murmur, they faint. If the Prince is infenfible, and neo-- leCts to remedy this: He is look’d upon as a Tyrant, born, not to govern, but to opprefs, the Peo¬ ple. Fie is the ObjeCt of public Curfes: What worfe can he dread ? But every Prince, who va¬ lues his Reputation, ought, as much as he can, to be watchful in his Endeavours, to diminiih the Taxes, to ffiun every thing that can overload the People, and to procure their Happinefs and Tranquility. But he cannot do all this, without very great Self-denial, and without reprefiing his moft darling Inclinations: Then, it is eafy enough. There is another Difficulty yet greater; which is the right Choice of Perfons who arc put in Pofts, and the employing each of them according to his Talent. A Man, whom the Prince very much efteems, and looks upon, as equally capable and virtuous, may have many Failings, and even, Vices. Another, whom all the World deferts for real and well known Faults, may have, at the lame time, fome good Qualities, of which an advantagious Ufe may be made. When this proves the Cafe, what Courfemuft be followed ? Should a Prince'reject a Man who has Abi¬ lities, he thereby deprives himfelf of an ufeful Affiftant. Should he know a Man to be vicious and yet not abandon him : This has given Rife to the moft fatal Commotions in a State. Even they, who to all Appearance are blamelefs, have not always fuitable Talents; nor ought they to be in¬ differently imployed in every thing. Kong cho was very lerviceable to a great Kingdom. But Tj'e tjan would have mifearried there ; yet he was Minifter in a fmaller State, where he did Wonders, Chew pu Hammered, and fpoke ill. (J) Kau tju did not, however, fail to make him a Hew, and he richly repaid that Plonour, by confirming upon the Throne his Family, when it was almoft ruined. Tje Ju, on the contrary, was an eloquent Man, and a fine Speaker ; and yet, notwith- ftanding (*) A Shin ,, is 1 tenth ofa Tew, and a Tew is i tenth of a Tan, no bodv would put him right, a Tan, for inltance, of Rice, is ioo, or at moll, 120 1. Weight. rp The lirlt J'.mperor, of the Dynafty of the Han, (t) De was afraid, that, in cafe he fhould be in the Wrong, 'The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &V. ftan'ding of his fine Speeches, he never could raile himfelf; He was feen to beg for a Poll under Vm ti, about his Menagery, and yet he could not obtain it. Out of different Talents, always to make the belt Choice, and that too, among Perfons, whole Talents are the fame, are difficult, but neceffary, Things, in order to reign well. There is a Difference, not only in Talents, but in natural Difpofitions, in Tempers, in Conditions, in Incli¬ nations, and even in Virtues. In all thefe Kinds, there are different Species, and different Orders in every Species. What Difference, for Example, is there between the common (* * * (§) )Hyau and a Hyau of the firft Order? The firff confifts, in chearfully ferving the Father and the Mother, in never failing to them in Point of Refped, and in providing for all their Neceifities. The fecond exerts itfelf, in procuring the Good of the State, in re-eftablifhing Peace in Families, and in exattly ob- ferving all the Rites. Shun poffeffed the Virtue Hyau in an eminent Degree, and yet he had not the good Fortune to pleafe his Parents. Tfen tfan , poffeft the Virtue (f) T in in'a very exalted Mealure; Yet he was not the Perfon, whom Gonjufius praifed the moft of all his Scholars* Confufius laid, that a Son has not the true Virtue Hyau , if he indifferently obeys all that his Father commands : And that a Miniller, who implicitly gives into all the Views of his Prince, does not poffefs the Virtue (;£) Chong. Thus the great Chew kong , being lefs afraid of difpleafing his Prince, than of not ferving him honeftly, fecur’d the Peace of his Empire, by the juft Punilh- ment of a Criminal who was dear to his Prince. I ya , on the contrary, in order to affure his Fortune, took Care always to accommodate himfelf to his King’s Inclination: When (§) $uan chong was dead, he was advanced, and he foon threw every thing in Diforder. (jj) Ki fingi upon a prelfing Occafion, bravely expofed himfelf to certain Death, that he might fave a Perfon whom he acknowledged as his Prince. (-|-) Twen yang, that he might gratify a private Relent- ment, reduced the Empire, within two Inches of Ruin. In ChU ywen and others, Fidelity and Uprightnefs have been feen, not only without Reward, but even in Mifery and under Opprdfion. In 1 fay pi, and others, Treafon has been covered with the moft fpecious Outfide. Does not all this prove the Difficulty of reigning well? This Difficulty would be ftill greater, had we not thefe Hiftories, where an attentive Prince may learn to diftinguilh real and faithful Subjects, from felf defigning Flatterers. The Kings of TJin, owed it to the Bravery and Abi¬ lity of Pe ki that they became Mailers of the Kingdom of Chau: And yet one of them put him to Death. Ta fu, under the Emperor King ti , prevented the Dilafters, that otherwife might have attended the Rebellion of the tributary Princes; and yet, under that fame Emperor, Ta fu ended his Days, under the Hands of an Executioner. Wen chong was treated in the fame man¬ ner by the King of the Twe, tho’ that Prince, without the Advice of Wen fiong , could never have fubdued his Enemy U. In Ihort, U ft, as a Reward of long and very faithful Services, had a Sword, with which he had orders to kill himfelf. We fhall fuppofe, that thefe great Men were Criminals; but did they deferve to perilh in this Manner? Surely not. It was Injuftice and Palfion, on the Part of the Princes. As for Chau kau, Han /mg, Hing pu, and Chin hi ; altho’ all of them had their Merit, and fome of them had done very important Services, yet they forgot, and belyed themfelves: Thus their Punilhment was warranted by Juftice. But their Faults Ihould have been wifely prevented; and it is a Blemilli in Kau tfu , who was fo great a Prince, that he did not know how to preferve Perfons of fo extraordinary Qualifications, who had ferved him fo well. The Founder of the Dynafty of the Han , in this refpe< 5 t, was much inferior to its Reftorer Quang vu. This laft, knew how to reward his Generals as well as Kau tfu. But like him, he did not expofe them to be forgotten by him. It is thus, that a Prince oughCto atfl, with Regard to thofe, to whom he in fome meafure, ovves his being raifed, or prelerved upon the Throne^ It is a bad Reward of their Services, to expofe them to lofe their Fruits. The Difficulty of reigning well, in my Opinion, may be enough feen from what I have already faid j but we fhall render it ftill more perceptible. As a Prince is elevated in a high Rank above the reft of Mankind, he is in the moft confpicuous Point of Light. If he commands any thing that is not agreeable to the moft exadl Reafon ; he not only does himfelf a confiderable Injury, but he is defpifed by every wife Man: Does any Adtion or Gefture efcape him, which is unbe¬ coming his Majefty ? A general Sneer goes round, among both great and fmall. Does headvance any one to Pofts? Then there rife a thoufand jealous Murmurs. Has he Regard for a Recom¬ mendation ? All the Candidates cry out, that every thing is bellowed by Inclination and Intereft j and that nothing is given to Merit. If he raifes a Man of acknowledged Merit, to the firft Em¬ ployment; it is immediately attributed to Chance, and not to the Difcernment of the Prince. By good Luck, fay they, for once, he has-not blundered. Is any one in Poft, who ha9 not fo great Vol. I. 6 0 Merit? (*) Hyau , Refpeti and Love for Parents. The Senfe of this Chara&er is more ample here. Cl') l Goodoefs, Charity, Clemency. This Word is fome- times put for Virtue, or any virtuous Man in general. (t) Zeal and Loyalty for ones Prince. . (§) He was firft Miniller to Ch-.-ang vang. King of Tfi and very llrongly recommended to that Prince, never to put I ta in Poll. (||) Kau tfu , the Founder of the Dynally of the Han , while he was difputing the Empire with Hyangyu, was befieged in a City; his Army being at a great Dillance, Ki fing, who com¬ manded in the City, marched out in form ; feeming as if he would furrender himfelf, and abandon Kau tfu. This News caufed great Joy in the befieging Camp. The G,uards grew carelefs, and Kau tfu, flying out of another Gate with fome Horfcmen, forced the Guards, and faved himfelf Hyang yu hav ing entered into the City, fummon’d Ki fing to give up Kau I have deceived you, anfwer’d Kifing ; that f might give him an Opportunity to efcape. Hyang yu, in a great Palfion, ordered Ki fing to be burnt on the Spot. (4) Ywen yang, was the Enemy of Shau tfo: The firft had given the Emperor a ufeful Advice, which had been followed. As it related to a Tributary Prince ; Yuien yang, that he mi"ht ruin Shau tfo, by his intrigues, alarmed all the Tributary Princes, who took up Arms againft the Emperor. They wre jd’ peafed by facrificing Shau tfo. This war- what Y--.cn yav wanted. SI? The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Merit? People never fcruple to fay, that the Prince has no Underftanding. If a Prince fpeaks pretty frequently, he is a Caviller. Does he fpeak little? There is nothing in him ; and he does not know how to inftrua thofe who are about him. Dees he follow the Diflates of his Hu¬ mour, and Ihow fome Paffion ? He fprcads over the Court, and through the whole Empire, a very prejudicial Terror. Is he moderate, eafy, and indulgent ? The Laws and his Orders are ill ob¬ served. Are the People at eafe ? The (|j) Officers have too much to do, and are diicouraged. Are the Officers fatisfied ? The People are harraffed, and complain. All the Empire is like a great Tree, of which the Court is, as it were, the Trunk and the Root. Cannot a Prince then know, all the difafterous Events that afflift his State ? ZVo Skin, no Hatr, fays an antient Pro¬ verb. Theeffential Point therefore to a State, is, that the Court be provided with good Minifters. That is true, but Mmiilers like (*) I in and Fu ywe, are very rare. The Court being provided in good Minifters, the next Point of Confequence is, to have faith¬ ful, able, and indefatigable Generals on the Frontiers. But the (+) Whey pang, and the Li mu, are’ hard to find at prefent. Befides, when a Prince is fo happy, as to find People of fuch a Merit, lie cannot help taking a liking for them. After he is inftrufied of the Danger a Man buffers on the Frontiers, he does great Violence to himfelf, in lending Perfons, whom he loves, thither: He knows, that on the other Hand, if he fails to fend them, he is in danger to fee the Leaves of his great Tree fall, and its Branches cut down. Nay, perhaps the Tree perilh intirely : What does not a Prince, who has an equal Share of Goodnefs and Wifdom, fuffer when this is the Cafe ? As for me, when I am revolving thefe Thoughts in my Mind, I feel all the Weight of Royalty . But being yet more fenfible of another’s Pains, than of my own, I frequently lay, to myfelf: If a Prince, who is an abfolute Mailer, has fo much to fuffer, what mull they fuller, who without being Mailers like him, lhare and bear with him the Weight of Government? The I king l, ays, The Ghinefe Books do not drain their Subjedts. Thus, Words feldom give the ex-ad Meaning of Thoughts, in all their Extent. I have aimed at nothing in this Difcourfe, but to exprels in a few Words, that which employs me inwardly. Tho', according to the Proverb, He who lufters, has fome Comfort in finging his Pains; yet this is not the Reafon why I have taken up my Pen. I am yet farther, from endeavouring to dazzle the Sight by a lhining Difcourfe. I ftrive to in- ftrudt myfelf: This is my End. But at the fame time, I do not at all blulli, to lay before all wife Men in this Writing, my Thoughts and my Sentiments. Lhe Emperor Kang hi’j Remark] Nothing is better conceived, or better expreft, than what Lay t/biig fays of Government in general, and of the Choice of Officers in particular. This is le- membring Antiquity to purpole, Lay pong did more; he imitated it. His Government almoli equall’d that of our three famous Dynallies. Lhe fame Emperor Tay tfong, in the third of the Tears called Chin quan (a) , made the fol¬ lowing Ordinance. ■—»—' H E Virtue (j.) Hyau, is the Foundation of all the other Virtues. It is the moll effential I Inftrudtion. In my Youth, I received good Leffons upon this Virtue. My Father, and my Kfafter, did not only make me repeat the Book of Verfes, the Book of Rites, and others, but at the fame time, they let me fee the great Springs, upon which the Good of States and the Go¬ vernment of People depend. With thefe Advantages I extirpated by one Expedition, all the Enemies of the State; and fecured Quiet and Liberty to my People, who had juft emerg'd from beneath Oppreffion. Befides, my Heart is full of Goodnefs; and ii at any Time, 1 have difeovered more Juftice and Severity, than Clemency, the Reafon is, becaufe there are Crimes, to which Mercy cannot be abfolutely extended; in the fame manner, as there are fome Enemies, with whom we mull neceffarily ufe Force and Courage. I have had nothing in View, but the Good of the whole, and the Peace of the Empire. Paffion has no (hare in what I have done The Emperor, my Father, when he retir’d to La ngan, charged me with the Government. I was obliged to obey him. As I feel all its Weight, it is all my Employment. I am in the Infide of my Palace, and amongft my Queens, as if I were in a frozen Valley. Frequently do I pafs whole Nights without Sleep. I rife before Day. All my Words and Thoughts, are direiled to anfwer as far as I am able, the Goodnefs of (if) Lyen, and the Intentions of my Father. That I may better fucceed herein; being full of Compaffion even for the Guilty, I want to regulate Punilhments anew, to prevent and relieve the Mifery of the People ; to punilh and check thofe who opprefs them ; to invite near my Perfon, and to put in Polls, Men of Virtue and Merit; to open a wide Door to Remonftrances, and to take away from thofe who would prefent them, all Dread ; that I may thereby, if poffible, make new Acquirements in Knowledge, every Moment. ' In the CLincfe it is Quart ; under which are comprehended Cv. ..i-,. all the Judges, Magiftrates, Officers of War or. Some Books have uied another Expreffion, calling them Manda¬ rins. This if one has a mind, may ferve here; and in other Paflages, where I have ufed the Term Officers. I mull only in¬ form the Rentier, that the Word Mandarin, has no Rcfcmblance to the Cbimje Sound. I believe it is a Portuguezt Word, and is derived from Mandar to Ordain. ( A ) The third of the Years Chin quan t anfwers to the third Year of his Reign, and of Cbriji, 629. Thefe Names of Year are, as it were, Epochas, Marks, or Titles, by which the Years of e ..,» r y Emperor are defignated ; for the Cbinefe never mention their Emperors, whether dead or living, by their proper Names, out of reverence to them, as if they were too fzered to be pro. nounced. The curious chronological Table of the ( Ibineje, publifhed by P. Fcuquet , [as already obferved, P. 133 - Nore l ’ gives us thefe Epochas of the Emperors, fome of wr.om have had no lefs than ten, during the Courfe of their Reign. Without this Table we ftiould have been at a Lofs to fix the Dates of the Decrees, which the Miffionary who tranflated them from th* Chintfc , ought to have done, for his Readers fntisfa&ion. (•) Twofamous Minifters, mentioned in the Shi ling. (f) Whsy Jkar.g and Li riu } were two General', famoin in their Time. (1) Filial Piety jt' The Chirr( fays,to the Heart of T;.~ Mv The Imperial Colle Hi on of Edicts, Declarations, £sV. My Application in all this, is fo conftant, that I don’t even allow myfelf one Day of Relaxa¬ tion. My great Paflion is, that every thing may be regular; that my Subjects may follow Rea- fon in all things, and may be folidly virtuous. Thus, when I fee any thing not in its proper Place, and any of my Subjects vicious, I immediately take myfelf to Talk, for thefmall Talent I have for Inftrudtion, and effe&ual Reformation : I have good Reafon for doing all this. For in fhort, the Shu king fays, Virtue , when pure and fiolid , touches (§) Shin: What ejj'ett then, mu ft it not have upon the People? I am told from different Quarters, that the People enter into their Duty; that Robberies are become rare; and that the Prifons in feveral Cities are empty. I learn all this with Pleafure: But I forbear to attribute it to my Care and Example. My Reflections on this Head, are as follows; People are weary, fay I fo my felf, of Commotions and Rapines: They are now returning to the Paths of Virtue : Thefe happy Difpofitions muft be improved, in order to endeavour the Converfion of the whole Empire. My military Expeditions have occafioned me to run over a great Part of the Provinces. At every Village I came to, I ligh'd and beat my Breaft,at the Mifery of the poor People: Being convinced of it with my own Eyes, I did not al¬ low one Man to be imployed in the ufelefs Averages. I did my beft, to make all my Subjects live at Eafe, to the end, that Parents might be more able to educate their Children well, that their Children on their Parts, might acquit themfelves better of all their Duties with Regard to their Parents, and that the other Virtues may flourifli with the Virtue Hyau. In order to make known to my whole Empire, that I have nothing more at Heart ; When this Ordinance is publifhed, let there be given in my Name, and on my Part, in every Diftridt, five Meafures of Rice, to thole who diftinguifh themfelves by their Hyau ; two Meafures to every one who is Fourfcore Years of Age ; Three to thofe who are Ninety ; as many to thofe who are a Hun¬ dred, together with two Pieces of Stuff: Befides, at the Beginning of every Moon, let a Meafure of Rice be given to every Woman who brings forth a Son. As for they, whom the Calamities of the Times have forced to abandon their Country; let fome be at Pains to perfwade them to return, and at their Return, let them be furnifhed at my Expence, with what may put them on Foot again, in the fame Condition as formerly. I likewife ordain, the general Officers of every Province, to examine carefully, which of their fubaltern Officers arc excellent, which good, and which bad, in order to fend me a fealed Lift of them. That each Officer in his Diftridl, take care to inform me if there are any, no matter in what Station, in whom is defeerned a true Talent for Bufinefs or for War, or have diftinguifhed themfelves by their Virtue ; let a Memorial for this Effedt be drawn up. Laftly, if there are any, who, having been a little debauched in the late Commotions, have reclaimed themfelves fo far, as to amend in Time of Peace. I likewife want to be informed about them. To bewail ones Faults, and tocorredt them, is a Thing, that many of our ancient Kings, whofe Example I much value, have efteemed. Let this prefent Or- dinance be immediately publifhed. It is a common and a true Saying, that one Day being un¬ happily loft, the Lofs is frequently felt for three Years. The Empire cannot be too foon inftrudted in my Intentions. In the third of the Tears, named Chin quan, Li ta lyang was raifed to the Dignity of Ta fu, a?id had the Government of all the Territory of Leang chew given him. Some time after , a De¬ puty oj the Emperor Tay tfong pajftng that Way , Jaw an excellent Hawk, and immediately pro- pofed to Ta lyang, to make a Prefent of it to the Emperor. Ta lyang gave it to the Deputy , in order to fend it if he thought fit. In the mean Time, he fecretly conveyed to the Etnperor,a Me¬ morial conceived in the following Terms, Y OUR Majefty, long ago, openly laid afide the Diverfion of Hunting. Yet one of your Deputies has afked a Bird for you, for that Purpofe. He either did it becaufe be well knew your Inclinations in that Point, and thought that it would give you a Pleafure; or he has done it of his own Head, and without knowing your Intentions. If the Latter was the Cafe, he muft be a very weak Fellow, and very unfit for his Employment; But if he knew your In¬ tentions, your Majefty muft have changed your firft Refolutions, and as it were, annulled your former Orders. TAY TSONGS’s ANSWER. Y OUR rare Ability for Affairs, both of Peace and War, joined to a lingular Honefty, and an unfhaken Firmnefs, induc’d me to commit to your Care, the Management and Safety of a People, at a great Diftance from me, and almoft Forreigners. I am extemely well fatisfied with the Manner in which you difeharge this important Truft. I am charmed with the Honour you acquire, and I have always in my Mind, your Services and Zeal. I have not indeed tried the Officer, who was the occafion of my being prefented with the Hawk ; but I have a due Efteem for the good Advice you fend me on this Occafion, at fuch a Diftance, and for your Care in recall¬ ing to your Memory, the Pafi, in order to my being inftrudted with Regard to the Future. I read your honeft Heart thro’ all your Writing, and while I read, I fighed, and inceflantly praifed you. Am I not happy, faid I to myfelf, in having fuch an Officer ? Never deviate from your Honefty; perfevere to the end, in worthily filling the high Rank you poffefs. To this Condudt, fays the Shi king, the Favour of the Shin, and the greateft Prolperity, are infeperable. In the Opi¬ nion {§) Shin , fignifiesa Spirit. I have elfewhere tranflated \tSpi- docs not determine, neither here nor in other Places, whether it rits ; the Reader may ufe it as he has a mind. For the Text be of the "Singular or Plnra! XumBer. $i6 The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. nion of our Anticnts, an Advice given in Seafon, is a very rich Prefent. The Advice I have now got from you, certainly has its own Value; and to fhew you that I efteem it, I fend you three Veffels of Gold, which are not indeed maffy, but they have been ufed by me. One of the moft proper Methods for your worthily filling your important Employments, and your fupport- ing your high Reputation, is, to employ your leifure Hours, in reading fome ufeful Book. That J may animate you to this, I augment my Prefent, with a Copy of the Hiftory of the Han, written by Sun. The Fadts are there laid down in few, but well chofen, Words, and the political Obfcrvations are mafterly: So that one may fay, that this Book contains the Subftance of the great Art of Governing, and the mutual Duties of Sovereigns and Subjects. I hope that you will read this Book with the greater Care, as you receive it from me. ‘ Towards the End of the Tears, named Chin quan, the fame Emperor Tay tfong, compofed, for the Infiruftion of his Son and Heir, a Book , intituled tlie Rule of Sovereigns. This Book confifted of twelve Chapters. The fir ft. was intituled, Concerning what regards the Perfon of the Sovereign: The fecond. Concerning his advancing Relations: The third, Of the Care in fearching for wife Men : The fourth. Of the Choice of Officers: The fifth. Of Readinefs to hear Advice and Remonftrances: The fixth. Of his Care to baniffi Backbiting and Calumny: The J'eventh recom¬ mends, The avoiding of Pride : The eighth. The Love of a decent Frugality : The ninth treats, Of Rewards and Punifhments: The tenth. Of Application in promoting Agriculture: The eleventh treats, Of the military Art, of which a Prince ought not to be ignorant: And the twelfth. Of the Learning, which he ought principally to efteem and cultivate. All thefe Matters were treated in fuch a manner, as ferved both to form the Prince to Virtue , a?id to teach him how to govern well. Tay tfong addreffes this Book to his Son, and begins with the following Preface. T HESE twelve Chapters, tho’ they are ffiort, contain the great Rules of our ancient and wife Kings, and the Duties of good Princes. On a Prince depend Troubles or Peace, the Ruin or Profperity of his State. It is eafy to know thefe Rules, and to be acquainted with thele Duties : But the great Point is to follow, and to fulfill them : This is not fo eafy : And it is ftill more difficult to perfevere invariably in them, to the end. It muft not be imagined, that thefe wicked Princes, knew no other Path, but that of Vice; and that our wife and virtuous Emperors, whofe Memories are fo much celebrated, were unacquainted with all Paths, but thofe of Virtue. Both the one and the other, knew the two different Roads: But the one is downwards, and eafy to follow : The other leads over Heights that feem fatiguing. Groveling Souls, without regard¬ ing the other, follow the eafy Path, which conducts them to their Ruin. Great Souls, on the contrary, without being difeouraged at the Difficulty, bravely take the other Road. But the Profperity which foon attends them, rewards their Courage. Thus Men, by their different Con¬ duct, become happy or unhappy, and all that is told us of the Gates of good and bad Fortune, are either allegorical Reprefentations of what I have now mention’d, or elfe, they are mere Fictions. If (-f) you would reign as you ought, you muft tread the Paths of the great Souls. Propofe to yourfelf as your Patterns, and take for your Matters, our wifeft Princes. Do not confine your- felf to what I have done. He who endeavours to imitate our greateft Princes, frequently comes far fhort of them. If a Man afpires only at what is midling, he bids fair not to reach even that. No! Nothing, but a virtue of the firft Rate, ought to be your Pattern. For my fhare, fince 1 mounted the Throne, I have committed many Faults. I have been over curious about fine Stuffs and Embroideries, and even Pearls and precious Stones. To make a conftant Ufe of thefe, as I have done, is guarding very ill againft the Paffions. I have adorned my Buildings with Sculptures, I have gone fo far, as to raife fome Terraffes. This cannot be done, without adding too incon- fiftently with what is called a Praife-worthy Frugality. I provided myfelf in Dogs, Horfes and Hawks, even from the moft diftant Countries. It is an empty Curiofity which breaks in upon. Difintereftednefs, and perfect Temperance. In ffiort, I have made fome Journies of Pleafure, by which, many have fuffered. This difeovers a grofs Ignorance of one’s Self, and a great Difre- gard of others. Don’t make my Example, your Authority. I look upon it, as being fo faulty, that it might have been attended with fatal Confequences. If it has not, it is owing to my having on the other Hand, re-eftabliffied the Empire in Peace and Tranquillity. If I have wronged any of my Subjects, I have much oftner relieved their Neceffities, and I commonly fupplied them with Plenty. The Advantages attending my Victories, my paternal Cares, and my Goodnefs, have made them either to forget my Faults, or bear with them without repining. They even praife and applaud me; but notwithftanding of all that is faid of my Reign, I acknowledge a great many Faults, upon which I cannot think without Shame and Repentance. If you imi¬ tate thefe Faults, what will you not have to dread ? You, I fay, to whom the Empire as yet owes nothing, and who owe the Empire, only to the Happinefs of your Birth. But if, by affuming Inclinations worthy of your Rank, you pradtife and promote Virtue ; if you undertake nothing but what fhe authorifes, your Life will be happy, and your Reign ’glorious. If, on the contrary, you fhall abandon yourfelf to your Caprice and Paffion, you will forfeit your Empire, and lofe your Life. It requires Ages toeftabliffi, and but Moments to ruin. Empires. Nothing is more eafy than to lofe a Throne, but great is the Difficulty in rifing to it by Merit. Ca p a Sovereign then be too watchful and attentive 5 (f) He fpeaks to his Son. An The Imperial Co Heel ion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. An Author, named Hu fan feng, fays of this Preface, fay tfong , here acknowledges and con- feffes his Faults: This is very commendable; but it appears, that he writes all this for his Son ; and the great failing of this Prince, was his Love for Women. Notwithftanding this, 1‘ay tfong does not give him one Caution againft this Paffion: Nothing is more true than the Saying, that Parents never know the Faults of their Children. An Author, called fingfong , reafons otherwife upon the fame Subjedl, and fays: According to the Maxims of our Antients, nothing is more commendable in Princes, than not to doat upon Women, fay tfong , who in this Rule of Sovereigns, fo exadtly inftrudted the Son in every other Point, never fpoke of this important one. Was this becaufe, perceiving that this was his own weak fide, he was afraid, fhould he mention it, of giving People Occafion to talk ? One thing is certain, that Kau tfong his Succefl'or, had fo blind a Paffion for a Woman during his Life, that he left- her when he died, the Government of the Empire, which had well nigh ruined all. The Silence of fay tfong, upon fo important a Head, feems to confirm what is too much verified in other Refpedts; That Princes have commonly fome darling Faults, which they do not like ihould be touched upon. The fameEmperor fay tfong, marching in Perfon towards Korea, and arriving at Ing chew, gave order, that the Bones of the Officers and Soldiers, who had died in theWar of Lyau tong, fhould be carefully looked for and collected. He caufed them all to be brought together, near the City Lyew Chew. He then ordered the Magiftrates of the Place, to prepare an Animal of the firft Clafs. He next performed in honour of the Dead, the Ceremony called ffi: He.likewife made ufe of a (*) ffi wen of his own Compofition, and wept fo bitterly, that all his Army was deeply affedled. A Declaration ly one of the Emperors of the Dynafly of the Tans. I T is a true Saying, fhat Pearls and. precious Stones are of no Ufe, either for Food or Raiment. They do not of themfelvesi protedt us from Cold or Hunger. It is the fame, with diverfe other vain Ornaments. Ven ti , one of the Han, very rightly lays. That Sculpture, Ingraving, and fuch like Arts, are detrimental to Agriculture: That Embroidery, and other Works of that Kind, do, mofl pernicioujly, divert Women from employing themfelves, as formerly, in making itfeful Stuffs, and Garments for common Wear. That wife Prince aferibed to thefe Diforders, the Cold and Want which his People underwent. Kya i, who lived in the Reign of Ven ti, carried thefe Rc- fledtions yet farther. A Man, fays he, who does not eat twice a Day , fiffers Hunger ; and, if he lets a Year ftp, without making himfelf any Cloaths, he endures Cold in the Winter. Now, when a Perfon undergoesCold and Hunger, nothing can reftrain him: In fuch a Cafe, the tendered: Mo¬ ther cannot rellrain her Child ; and therefore, by a far more cogent Reafon, how fhould a Prince reftrain his People ? Raifed, as I am, above the People, above the Nobles, and above the Kings, loaded, in Spite of my Debility, with the Care of making my Empire happy, I inceffantly apply my felf to" it, fo far as to forget, even my neceflary Meals and my Sleep. I would gladly revive Simplicity and In¬ nocence in my Empire : Yet, as that is not to be hoped for, while our People are in Want, I would fain have every individual Family fufficiently provided for. But alas! I am unable to bring that about. My Granaries are in a manner, empty, and the Scarcity ftill continues. If there happen but the leaft Drought or Inundation, my People will, as heretofore, be reduced to feed n on Bran. When I fearch for the particular Caufes of this Calamity, I find myfelf to be the fule Occafion thereof: By the Delicacy of my Table, and Richnefs of my Attire, I have taught my Sub;sets, high Feeding and Luxury. In fhort, People follow the Inclinations of Princes, and not their Inftrudlions; it being ■very rare, that a Sovereign’s Exhortation reclaims thofe whom he hath corrupted by his Example: And, accordingly our prudent Monarchs of old, made their own perfonal Condudt, the principal Springs of Government. By this means, they effedlually corredted allAbufes,and made their Subjedts virtuous. In Times nearer our own, fome Princes, without being able to equal, have imitated them with Succefs? And why fhall not I do the like ? For me to aim at infpiring my People with good O.-conomy and Frugality, with Simplicity and Integrity, while they behold me ufing choice Silks, Pearls, Embroidery, and coftly Gems, is to attempt an Impoffibility (-f-). Yes, I at length know it to be a certain Truth, that it behoves the Sovereign to fet the Example; and I will do it. All my Gold and Silver Moveables, with other Ornaments of thofe Metals, fhall be melted down for the Payment of my Troops, and fuch like Occafions: And as for my rich Garments, my Pearls, Diamonds, and other precious Stones, Things fufficiently ufelefs, I am inftantly going to deftroy them all in a Fire, before my Apartment; to convince my whole Empire, that I abhor and deteft Luxury. Since a fincere and upright Heart, has the Power to move fyen or Heaven, I likewile reckon, it may touch my Subjedts; and that, at leaft, they will obey fuch of my Orders, as they fhall lee fupported by my Example. To begin with my Palace, I ordain, that the Queens, Princes, and Concubines, do henceforward array themfelves in Garments, whole finery, fhall con- fid folely in being neat and decent. I forbid their wearing Pearls or any other Ornaments of Price. (+) I,will, if poffible, bring Matters to fuch a Pafs, that Gold fhall be no more efteemed VoL. I. 6 P than The Imperial Collection of Edi&s, Declarations, cftc. ihan common Earth (*): I will, at lcaft, abfolutely banilh Luxury. Maderation and Frugality are the Means, whereby People’s Wants are to be relieved: It is my Defire, that thefe Virtues fltould flourifh in my Empire. Let this my prefent Declaration be immediately publrfhed, and be it known unto all Men, that fuch is my Will and Pleafure. In the fifth of thofe Tears, fled Whey chang, (z) Vu Tl'ong, one of the Emperors of the Dyttafiy of the Tang, publijhed the following Ordinance. U 'NDER our [firft] three renouned Dynafties, there never was the lead mention of Fo : (f) It has been only Cnee the Dynafties of the Han and the Whey, that this Sefl, which introduced Images, began to fpread itfelf over China. Thence downwards thofe foreign Cuftoms have been eftablithed infenfibly, for want of taking proper Care to prevent it, and are ftill gain¬ ing Ground daily. The People are unhappily bigotted to them, whereby the State is a Suffe¬ rer. In the two Courts, in all the Cities, and in the Mountains, nothing is to be leen but Bonzas (+) of both Sexes. The Number and Magnificence of the (a) Bonzaries, are every Day augment¬ ing: Multitudes of Artifans, are perpetually employed in making for them, Images of all Sorts of a Materials: Vaft Quantities of Gold and Silver, are confumed to adorn them. Many People forget their Prince, their Parents and Relations, to ftation themfelves under a Bonza Mailer. (b) There are alfo many wicked Wretches, who abandon Wives and Children, to feek among the Bonza's Sandluarv, to fereen and proteft them from the Laws. Can any tiling be more perni¬ cious than this ? 'Our Anceftors held it for a Maxim ; that if there was but one Man who did not labour, and but one Woman who negledled employing heifelf in fomething appertaining to the Silk Manufadtures, fome one in the State was fenfible of the Omiflion, and underwent either Cold or Hunger. How then muff: the Cafe be, in thefe our Times, when infinite Swarms of Bonzas, both Male and Female, are fed and cloathed by the Sweat of others, and employ in all Parts, at an immenfe Coll, vaft Numbers of Workmen, in building and adorning ftately Edefices? (c) Are we to leek for any other Caufe of that Poverty, to which the Empire was reduced, during the Dynafties of the Ffin, Song, Ffi, and Lyang, and of all the Impoftures and Knaveries, where¬ with thofe Times abounded ? As to our Dynafty of the Fang, the Princes, who were its Founders, after having fuccefstuliy employed the Force of Arms to reftore the State to its priftine Tranguillity, took care to efta- blilh it by prudent Laws; and in order to affefl it, far from borrowing any thing from that vile foreign Sea; in the very firft of thofe Years, ftiled Chin quart, the Emperor Fay tfimg, declared himfelf againft it: But he proceeded with too much Lenity and Indolence, lo that the Evil has only increal'ed. For my own Part, after having read, and ferioufly confidered the feveral Repre- fentations made to me on this Subjeft, and having maturely deliberated thereon, with wife and ntelligent Perfons, I am come to a Refolution. It is a Grievance, and fome Remedy mull be applied. All my’well affedled and experienced Officers, throughout the Provinces, prefs me to let a Hand to the Work: This, in their Opinion, is the Way to dry up the Spring of thofe Er¬ rors', which overipread the whole Empire, and to re-eftablifh the Government of our Anceftors. they think it is the common Intereft; and that the very Life of our People, confifts in doing it. after this, how can we excufe ourfelves from applying the Means? Here then follows what I do ordain. ’ I. That more then 4600 great Bonzaries, [or Monafteries] which are difperfed through¬ out the Empire, (hall be entirely demolifhed : Confequently the He and She Bonzas, (d) who have their Abode in thofe Bonzaries, and by a moderate Computation, amount to no fewer than 26 (e’i Wan, muft again become Seculars, and pay their Shares of the ufual Taxes. 2. That there be alfodeftroyed upwards of four (f) Wan of leffer Bonzaries, which are fpread up and down the Provinces : And confequently all the Lands thereunto annexed, amounting to feveral Wan of FFm, (§) muft revert to our Domains: Likewife, that fifteen Wan, [or 150,000] of Slaves, apper- tainfng to the Bonzas, be inrolled by the refpeftive Magiftrates, and accounted as part of the Peo¬ ple With regard to fuch out-landilh Bonzas as are come hither, either from Fa tfing, (-(-) or ‘ ‘ 0 MU (’‘l He alludes to a Saying of Kan ti, firft Emperor of the Dy¬ nafty of the 7 fi. Viz. If I reign only ten Years, I will make Gold and Earth bear one Price. [See P. 109.] ‘7.) In the French it is ou Tfing, as if 7 ’fang was another Name, of the Year Whey chang, which was the 5th of Vu tfing. See the lull Note in this Page. , . ^ i ; The Name of a certain Seftary of Hindu ft an, whofe Doc- n ne paired into China, not long after the Birth of Chrift. ft) I ule this Word [Bonza] fays our Author, becaule it is ufed in other French Books; tho’ it is not of Chintfi Original [it was firft brought into Europe by the Portuguese, who feem to have coined it; The China? Word being Seng or Ho Jiang, which the Author ought at lcaft to have given us.] /, 'phis Word feems to be coined by tne Jefuit , who tranf- iated thefe Declarations, to fupply the Place of Monafteries, which Name he is not willing to give them : tho’in Effedt, they arc fuch, and are fo called by other Miffionaries, in feveral Parts of this Work. . . I k) They are Sandfuaries for all Sorts of Villains, like the Ro- mi ft) Monafteries; which for that Reafon, will equally fall under the Lafh of this Declaration. ,V‘: Has not the fame Complaint been made againft the Romijh Clergy ; and ought not the Romijh Princes to mind thofe Argu¬ ments coming from a Chine /?, which they difregard in Protef- tants, as the Effedt of Prejudice ? (d) For there are Bonzaries of Women, as well as of Men ; jult like the Monafteries and Nunneries in popifh Countries. (e) A Wan is 10,000, fo that 26 Wan, amount to 26r,000 (f) Or 40,00c. ($) A certain Land Meafure fo named. (4) Several Europeans pretend, that 7 a tfing is Palefiine ; as lealt, it is certain from a Monument ftill extant, that under the Dynafty of the Tang, fome Chriftian Priefts came into China, who had Churches in more than one Part of the Country, and lived in common. But we cannot eafily difeover by this Monu¬ ment, whether they were Catholics, or Neftorians: [Nor does it matter which they were. But fince they are fayed in the Monu ment, to come from 7 a tfing or 7 an tjin, it appears from the Or¬ dinance, that they underwent the fame Fate as the Bonzai ; nay, what is more remarkable, are confidered thAnlelves as Bonzas ■ Which (hews, there appeared to ih eChineJe, the fame conformity between their Religion and that of the Bonzas, which we have already obferved, and fhall, in its proper Place, fhevv there is be¬ tween the larter and the Romiih. The Generality of thole who read the French will find it difficult to know, when, and by what Emperor, this Decree was made ; for his Name is omitted Of The Imperial ColleBion of Edicts, Declarations, &“c. Mu hu pa , to propagate the Law, profelfed in their refpedive Regions, and are in Number, about 3,000: It is my Decree, that they alfo return to a fecular Life ; To the end, that the Cuftoms of our Empire may be uniform, and unmixed. Alas! The putting them on their ancient Footing has been but too long deferred: Why fhould they be deferred any longer? Jt is a Matter fettled and concluded on. At Sight of this prefent Ordinance , let every one proceed to Execution. Such is our Will and Pleafure. A Glofs fays, That this Decree was adually executed, fome few Particulars only excepted. That two great Bonzaries , with thirty Bonza’s belonging to each, were left (landing both in the Northern, and the Southern Court; that one Bonzary alfo was luffer’d to remain in every Govern¬ ment, with a certain Number of Bonzas ; that thofe Bonzaries were diftinguifhed into three dif¬ ferent Orders; and that the Number of Bonzas was not alike in all of them.- Wey ching’s Remonftrance to the Emperor Tay tfong. I T effectually behoves a Prince to love the Good and hate the Wicked ; to place near Ins own Perfon, Men of Virtue and Merit; and to remove from about him, thofe who are deftitute thereof. By entertaining the former, he furnifhes his Court with feled Perfons: By keeping at a Diflance the latter, he avoids being furprized by the Artifices, which Interefl and their Paffions are, on every Occafion, fuggefling to them. As to the reft, there is no Man fo bad, but that he has one laudable Quality, and does fome little Good: Nor any, however prudent and virtuous, but has fome Foible, and is fometimes guilty of (light Faults. But then the Imperfection in this latter, refembles a minute Spot or Blemi(h in a fine Jewel; while the little Good which the former has in him, may be compared to the (harpened Edge of a Knife-Blade, made only of Lead. This Blade, may indeed be uled once : But is it, on that Score, held in any Efteem ? On the contrary, a fkilful Jeweller, does not refufe a beautiful Gem, on account of a fmall Blemifh. To fuffer ones felf to be impofed on, or captivated by fuch (light good Qualities as may be found in a Man, otherways monftroufly vicious; and to be difeouraged at (lender Defeds, in a Perfon otherways of Virtue and Capacity, is to confound the mod differing Scents, and to be unable to diftinguifti a Diamond of the higheft Value, from a common Pebble. But it is a much greater Misfortune, when a Prince, l'ufficiently qualified to diftinguifti Men of follid Virtue and real Merit, from fuch as have neither, negleds to invite the firft, or rejed the laft. You, Great Prince, have an intrepid Courage, joined with a mod penetrating Wit and Difcernment; a mod majeftic Air, and uncommon Capacity, unite in your Perfon. But you do not, methinks, fufficiently temper your Love and your Hatred; and that redounds greatly to your Prejudice : Hence it proceeds, that notwithftanding your Fondnefs for Men of Virtue and Merit, the Choice you make, is not the mod exad: Hence it proceeds, that you have ftill in your Court, Flatterers, whatever Averfion you have to Adulation. But you, more efpecially, differ yourfelf to be carried too far, by your Averfion to Evil. When you are told Good of any one, you feem not to believe it: Are you told Ill of one ? you inftantly take it for granted. How great foever your Talent may be, it is ftill better you fhould be diffident thereof. Your Con- dud: in this Particular, feems to me, liable to many Inconveniences. How comes this to pafs ? It is thus. As it is the Property of honed Men, to fay what Good they know of others: O11 the con¬ trary, it is the Cuftom of bafe Spirits, to fpeak Ill of every one indiferiminately. If the Prince eafily believes the Ill which is told him, and is not ready to believe the Good he hears of People, he takes the dired Way to incourage Slander and Calumny: Which of courfe would be opening the Gate to wicked Men, and (hutting it againft good ones. This is a Failing of evil Confequence ; for it puts, as if it were a Wall of Seperation, between the Sovereign and his virtuous Subjeds. Do any Troubles afterwards happen to arife? Are the Prince and State in any Danger? There are none found at Court to apply a Remedy. There are two Sorts of Intimaces, which ought well to be diftinguifhed : The firft is, that of good Men among themfelves. Of this Tie, Vir¬ tue is the Knot. They mutually efteem each other. This Efteem engages them to affift and fupport each other on every proper Occafion; but it is always by honourable Methods. The fecond is, that of bafe and wicked Souls: Tho deftitute either of Love or Efteem, they fail not uniting thro’ Intereft, and helping each other in their Intrigues. The firft of thefe Unions has nothing in it but what is juft, and muft be ufeful to the Prince : The fecond is pure Cabal, nor is there any Thing more pernicious. The Misfortune is, that one may be miftaken for the other; and in fuch Cafe, the Confequences are terrible. For if the Prince takes for Cabal, what is fayed or done, by Perfons of Virtue and Merit, in behalf of one another, he keeps on his Guard, hemiftrufts, and (hews them no manner of Relped : If, by a fecond Error, he takes for a fincere and upright Zeal, the Liberty, wherewith fome buz in his Ears, Calumnies againft this and that Perfon, and believes all they tell him, it is ftill much worfe ; For he will baniffi from his Prefence, his bed Subjeds, or at le-aft, grow diffident of them. This they will foon perceive : But in removing the Caufe or difguis’d (See before Note z) in the Title of the Ordinance : (whether by a Miftake of the Printer, or with Defign by the Tranflator, to conceal this remarkable Event, I fhall not pretend to fay,) and only the Year of his Title mentioned ; but that Cir- cumflance helps to difeover the Secret: For by the Chronolo¬ gical Table (mentioned P. 133. Note l. and 514 ) the fifth of the Years, named Whey (hang . (or as it is written in the fat'd Table Quey chang ) is the fifth Year of the Emperor Vu t[bng y which falls in the Year of Chriji 84?, when confcquently this Ordinance was publilhed. The Difference between the Title of Years in the two Authors, happens by an eafy Mftake in the Printer or Engraver, of an H for a K, ora K, for an H : Du Haldt writing it Hoe] tebang and Foujuei, Ktiei chang ] $20 The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, err. Caufe of his Jealoufy, they may not give him all the Light which would be necelTary. Such of his inferior Officers as are privy to the Intrigues, dare not once open their Mouths to make a Dif- covery. From the Court, this Evil fpreads itfelf into the Provinces; and if it be not fpedily plucked up by the very Root, its Confequences are always very fatal. Nothing, indeed like this, has happened yet, nor will, tis to be hoped, in your Time. Your Majefty’s Views are, undoubt¬ edly, extended beyond the prefent Juncture: You will prudently turn any Miftakes, you may have committed of this Kind, to your Advantage; and know how to repair them to your Profit. But what may not be apprehended during fome weaker Reign, and under a Prince lei's dilpofed rea¬ dily to recoiled! and corredt himfelf? Your Majefty cannot do it too foon. Be afraid of trans¬ mitting to your Defendants, amidft fo many mining Examples, the Faults I take notice of to your Majefty. Let your Promptnefs, to rid yourfelf of it, teach them to fhun it. What I have been laying down, my Sovereign, properly fpeaking, regards only the Choice of your Officers. I fhall now offer a Piece ofCounfel of a more general Concern, and fo of more Importance, with Refpedt to your well Governing. It is, that you frequently confult the beau¬ tiful Mirror (*) of Antiquity. Looking at ourfelvesin a clear and ftill Water, we behold our Faces, fuch as they really are. A Prince, by comparing his own Condudt, with the Steps taken by the Sages of old, may pafs thereon a found Judgment. Informed thereby of his own Defedts, the Error he commits, and what are his principal Duties, he leaves very little to be done by his Officers, whole Buftnefs it is to remark his Faults, and to give him Advice. He increafes, as of himfelf, in Wifdom and in Virtues. His Government grows daily, more and more perfedt; and his Repu¬ tation augments proportionably. Confequently, what’s more worthy the Applications of a Mo¬ narch ? As to the reft, the chief Care of our greateft Princes, Whang ti, Yau, Shun, and Yu, was to make Virtue reign, and to infpire their Subjedts with the Love of it. In vain, would a Prince promife himfelf, by the Affiftance of a Code, or Statute-Book, three Feet thick, to govern as they did, without taking Pains and beftirring himfelf (j-j. In thefe happy Days, it was neither the Severity of Laws, nor the Rigour of Punifhments, which regulated or reformed People’s Man¬ ners : It was only the Virtue of thofe Sage Princes. Careful not to allow any thing diforderly in their own Condudt, and exercifing on themfelves the ftridleft Juftice, they treated their Subjedts gently, and with Lenity : Whereby their Government, without being any way harfti or fevere, was extremely vigorous. In effedt, Mildnefs and juftice are the mainsprings of Government: Thefe are the Springs, which in a State, lhould give all Things their Motion ; and if Chaftife- mentsare ufed, they ought to apply them as the able Coachman does his Whip, by Intervals, and but very rarely. What then moft of all imports a Sovereign, is to be himfelf virtuous, and to inlpire his People with Virtue. Mankind are internally furnifhed with Reafon and Paflions; from whence out¬ wardly proceed their good or bad Adtions. Confequently, the only way for them to root out all their Diiorders, is to regulate their Hearts. “ To this end, our firft: rate Philofophers have applied “ their Care. Rightly to give Judgment in Caufes, fayed Confufius, is fomething. I know fome Men ,£ capable of doing it. But what I would have, is, that fome would do it in fuch a Manner, as “ not to need any farther Judgment thereupon.” To fucceed herein, what is to be done? The Way is prudently to regulate and eftablifh Rites ; to inflrudt the People, to acquaint them with the Nature of their Paflions, and arm them againft Surprife from that Quarter ; to oblige and encou¬ rage them to make Ufe of their Reafon ; to make tighter, if I may fo exprefsit, the Ties of Na¬ ture, which is common to them, and infpire them with a fincere Affection for each ether. This mutual Love, will eradicate all Inclinations to do harm ; every one will ftrive to perform his Duties, and Order will reign univerfaHy. It will be in vain, to think of attaining this, by the Multitude or Rigour of Laws: Only Inftruc- tion, fupported by good Example, can have fuch a defirable Effedt. Accordingly, the wifeft of our Kings, have always afligned Punifhments a Place many Degrees below Virtue and Morality: Nor did Shun, as the Shu king informs us, nominate Kyew yu, to prefide over the five Punifhments, till he had firft giving him orders to caufe the five capital Inftrudtions, to be thoroughly inculcated over all the Empire. Nay, farther : The End even of Punifhments, is not merely to punifh Faults, and make Malefadtors fuffer; but they are defign’d, either to deter People from doing what is Evil, or to remedy fome Diforder j to widen the Path of Virtue, and ftreighten that of Vice. In fhort, Inftrudtion and Example, ought to be the ordinary Occupations of Sovereigns. When they em¬ ploy thofe Means, every one imbibes great and generous Sentiments, and condudts himfelf by noble Principles; whereas, under bad Princes, however fevere they may be in punifhing, the Inclinati¬ ons of the People being wholly bafe and corrupt, nothing is feen but Trouble and Diforder. It is, in proportion, the fame, as to the Condudt of Magiftrates, with Regard to the People un¬ der their Jurifdidtion ; and it may with Reafon be affirmed, that the Figure of Metal has fcarce more Dependance on the Form of the Crucible in which it is melted, or of the Mould it is to becaft in, than have Peoples Manners on thofe of the Princes and Magiftrates, by whom they are governed: So that a Prince who fhould imitate our ancient Kings, would revive thofe happy Times. O Poflibly, this Difcourfc was what induced Tay tfong to com- po!e his Golden Mirror •, whereof we have already given the Tranflation, p 510. (f) The Cbintje has it, with bis Ha vds a-or of, and doing nothing. (Jj A famous Minifter, by whofe A Alliance U'h; Prince of 7 fi, became fo powerfri, that he was in a Manner, equal to the Emperor himfelf True The Imperial Colie [lion of Edicts, Declarations, Cfc. True it is, that thole great Monarchs have had very few perfect Imitators. But, even while the Dynafty of the Chew was in its Decay, if the Government had not then, as formerly, InftruCtion and good Example for its Ground-Work, but greater Reckoning was made of the eftablillied Laws, yet we find thole Laws to have been obferved religioufly. “ A good Prince, (fayed %uang “ (*) chong) is guided by the Laws, and not by his own Views: He makes his particular Ideas “ and Inclinations give Place to the general Opinion and Benefit; nor can he pofiibly profper uen. Certain Difcontents have Vol. I. 6 R occafioned (*) A Glofs fays; “ We mud always leave the Game fome Gap, that Part may get away, and the Species be preferved.” “ Befides, this fhews Clemency and good Nature. ” (a) That is, the fourteenth Year of this Emprefs Reign. (f) Thefe two Words imply Moving Sands. U, fignifies five ; ling is Mountain, or a Chain of Mountains: [five Tandy Hills.] {%) Names of Dynafties. [Ing is the fame with the Shang ] (§) e. Our ancient and wifeft Princes. (||) A Title of Dignity, equivalent with Duke. (f) Fu, to make happy : min, the People ; Fu min hew, is, the Duke charged to make the People happy. (*) The Chinefe here, and on all fuch Occafions, avoid the ordinary Expreflions Died, Death, Deceafe , Defunct, &c. In this Place it Verbatim runs, in repojitjg his Chariot, in the fame Manner as we lay, in finijhing his Career. The Imperial Colleclion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. occafioned a Divifion, between your Majefly and that young Prince; which I attribute to the Unhappinefs of the Times, but others, to your Ambition. “ The Exprefs, fay they, wants to “ dethrone the Li (*)> and tranfmit the Empire to fome other Family: Elfe, considering her “ great Age, why does (he not fufter her Son to reign ? ” That which I myfelf fay, and which feems to me to be FaCl, is, that your Court fwarms with Sycophants, and the Door is (hut againfl wholefome Counfel. As the Empire is attacked by Barbarians, and your People fuffer at the rate they do, you will find it very difficult to preferve them, and freeyourfelf from the prefent Embarafs. This Empire which you now rule over, is the fame that once appertained to thole ilhiftrious Monarchs Tail and Ven vang. The Swi (F), who lately pofiefied it, having by their ill ConduCt, become unworthy thereof, faw themfelves let upon from every Quarter. While like Deer they fled, Numbers of Crows aflembled : Then appeared, like an Eagle, (J) or a flying Dragon , our illuftrious Founder of the Tang ; who, after he had reftored a Calm in the Empire, was acknowledged as its Sovereign. He flipulated with all the Grandees, that only the Li fhould be made or Ailed Vang ; and that the other Titles of Dignity (§) fhould not be bellowed on any, but thofe who had deferved them by their Services. Accord- ingly, he gave a few of them to fuch, as had ferved him well already. The Agreement was con¬ firmed by Oath; nay, even Blood was drawn to that effeCl. If then your Majelly now fills the Throne, it is not therefore ever the lefs the Throne of the Tang. “ A Magpy, fays the Shi king, builds her Nell, and the Bird Kyew places herfelf there afterwards.” You are a Woman, and born a Subject; yet you are become Emprefs and Miflrefs. How comes this to pafs ? Doubtlefs, it was done with no other View, but that you fhould take Care on your Part to aft conformable to the Defignsof Tyen (or Heaven) and win People’s Hearts. There was a Time, when, dif- gufled with the ConduCt of the Heir, who had not then attained to Years of Maturity, you had Thoughts of fubllituting in his Stead his Brother Vang, of Syang. But, reflecting afterwards, that this Prince was the younger, and rightly fearing to ruin the Royal Family, by creating therein Trouble and Divifion, you wifely conformed with the People’s Wifhes, by recalling the rightful Heir from his Exile. This Prince is now of ripe Age; he has withall, many Virtues; he is your Son, and you are his Mother: All this notwithflanding you envy him the Station whereof he is fo worthy, and with-hold what is his Due. It is a true Saying, “ That thofe in the Provinces generally follow the Court's Example." By dealing fo unjuftly by the right Heir, what Sort of Example is it you let the whole Empire"? What Hope is there, after this, of reforming its Abufes, of eftablifhing good Manners, and more particularly, of propagating Tendernefi and Piety in Familes ? With what Front dare you hence- forvvards appear, at the Burial-Place of the late Emperor and his Anceftors? Yoti have hitherto, indeed, reigned alone and peaceably : But know you not, that Things are never nearer their Fall, than when they have attained their utmofl Perfection ? That which is powr'd into a Veflel al¬ ready full, runs over upon the Ground. It is often fo very neceflary to come immediately to a Refolution, that to make the lead; Delay will ruin our whole Defign. For my Part, it feems to me, that both Tyen and Men, are ready to declare in favour of the Li (||). Befides, why, at your Years (for the Water, which is almolt all run out, will foon ftrike the Bell) ( 4 -) why fhould you dill, I fay, fatigue yourfelf both Day and Night ? Why do you not throw off the heavy Load of Government, and charge the Prince with it ? Your Repofe is abfo- lutely concerned; and, if you are more fenfible of any thing elfe, it alfo concerns your Honour. This AClion will gain .you the greated Praifes at prefent, and it folely depends otl you, to have it tranfmitted to Poflerity, by Songs and Hidories. I therefore exhort you to it, as to a Thing of high Importance to the Tranquillity of the whole Empire. I am of Opinion, that I ought not to prize a fhort Life, and fail in Duty to my Country by a criminal Silence. I therefore intreat your Majedy, to fpare a few Moments from your great Occupations, to examine at leifure thefe my weak Arguments. If your Majedy does me the Judice to look on me as a fincere and loyal SubjeCl, I conjufe. you, without Delay, to do what I propofe. But, if you afcribe my Remon- drance to any other Motive than that of my Zeal, and are theteat offended, it is in your Power to punifh me for it, and, at the Expence of my Head, to convince all your Subjects that you can¬ not bear the Truth. For the better Underdanding of the foregoing Peice , it is neceffary to fubjoin what follows, Vu hew, was originally a Girl of mean Condition ; it is even fayed that (he was a Slave: But Kan tfong, became lo greatly enamoured with her, that he made her Emprefs. When he was dying, he appointed a Succeffor, who was already of fome Age : However, he declared at the fame time, that it was his Will the Emprefs fhould govern in Conjunction with his Son. This Prince being married, grew very fond of his Father in Law, whom he advanced, and enriched to fuch a Degree, that all the Nobles made him on the Occafion pretty home Remonflrances, which were received very ill by the Prince, and caufed no change in his ConduCt. The Lords then addreffed themfelves to the Emprefs, who laying hold of this Opportunity to reign by her¬ felf, banifhed her Son at a great Diftancc from Court. Many People however were difpleafed with this Proceeding; but the Grandees having been digufled with the Prince, had them- . (*) The Name ofthe then reigning Family. (+; The Name of the Dynaily, which immediately preceded that of the Tang. (t) I tranflate Fong, Eagle, and Long, Dragon, after Other Mif- fumanes, but will not warrant the Jullnefs of the Tranflation. (§) Of Hew, of Kong, ire. (||) Family-Name of the Prince.-, of the Dvo . of the Ta>g. (_|.) An allegorical Expjeiiion, to tell hei, ilu: iiA 3 not long to furvive. It hence appear:-, that the Clinrs ha-- formerly, a Sort of Water-Clock. [ClepiVdni ] The Imperial ColleElion of Edicts, Declarations, bfc. felves fet on the Emprefs, who befides was very much dreaded. Thus the Exile and DifgratS of the Prince continued for feveral Years, and the Emprefs governed alone. ° Su ngan beng, lay on the Watch for a proper Opportunity, which having found he advifed the Emprefs to recall the Prince, and reftore him to his juft Rights. The Emprefs confented to it and the Prince returning to Court, was declared Succeffor as before; but that was all, for (lie ftiil're tained the whole Authority. As the Prince was of a mature Age, and feemed to have amended his Faults, every one murmured at the Emprefs for nor not refigning the Government which right belonged to him: But none was bold enough to fpeak to her, for fear of her Refentment Befides, (he was fo befieged by certain Flatterers, who were her Favorites, that it was very diffi ■ It to get a Petition conveyed to her. However, SU ngan Deng more couragious than' the reft and encouraged by the Succefs he met with the firft time, found means to inclofe the following Remonftrance in a Box, which none but the Emprefs herfelf was to open. ° The Emprefs diffembled: But (till let Things remain as they were. At length falling fick the Grandees took that Occafion to addrefs the Prince to mount the Throne On his agreeing to the Propofal they told him, the firft thing he had to do was to put to Death the two Fate rites of the Emprefs, in whom (he put moll Confidence. The Prince confented and marching to the Palace with feme Troops, feized thofe Minifters, and (truck of their Heads The Em prefs being informed hereof, demanded by wbat Authority, they came with Force to take and put her People to Death ? She was anfwered, they had done it by the Princes Order ’ and that he was prefent. The Emprefs then faid, without difcovering the leaft Concern, thefe’ftrt Men had offended him, and he was rejoined to punijh them. I am well enough Jatisfied, let him retire to 'his own Palace. (*) To which it was replied, that, to obey her orders was not convenient ■ that (he being fo old and infirm, could no longer take that Care on her, which fuch a vaft Empire re' quired: That it was time for the Prince to aflame the Government, and that they entreated her to approve thereof. As foe was not in a Condition to oppofe it, (lie was obliged to give her Con fent, and a few Months after died. ° In thejixth of thofe Tears, namedTaW, the Emperor Te tfong (a), publijh'd the /«Wi£ Declaration T O be a Sovereign, is to have received from Tyen (Heaven), an Order to fubfift the People For this Reafon, a good Prince loves his Subjefts, not only as his Children, but even as his own Perfon. He takes Care to feed the Hungry, and cloath the Naked, and yet he thinks he has not done too much, nor is his Goodnefs fatisfied; it always employs his Heart either in the Care of rendering his Subjeds happy, or in the Grief and Confofion of not having fully fucceeded In good Tunes, his Granaries are in the Hands of his People, and all his Subjefts are at their own Eafe: The old Men want for nothing, and without Troubles or Difquiets they fee their Chil dren’s Children multiply. The Averages are few and eafy. The Rule of which our antienr Princes laid down, was, three Days Work of a Man in a Year for each Family In foort when Peace and Harmony obtains m a State, it is eafy to promote Virtue there likewife • Alas I ’l have been burthened with the Government thefe eight Years, yet I have not been able to reach or even come near, this. But this is not owing, notwithftanding of my Defedl in Virtue to my not doing all that lies in my Power for that efteft, and to my not wilhing if I could to do more But th Irruptions of the Barbarians, and the Troops that muft be kept on foot to fecure our Frontiers and other neceffary Expences, have put me out of a Condition to relieve my People and have obliged me fometimes, even to load them with new Taxes. There has been one continued Sue ceffion of Inundations and Droughts. We cannot fay, that we have had one plentiful Year" The Hufbandmen abandon the Fields; Fathers fell their Children ; and the High-wavs are full of poor People, whom Neceflity have obliged to leave their Country and their Relations It is not fo much their Fault as mine, that thus they forget all their mod natural Sentiments 'i have neither Skill enough to prevent their Neceffities, nor Virtue enough to infpire them with the Courage and Patience which thefe Extremities require. This gives me real Grief, and the "reateft Confufion: Night and Day I think of nothing elfe. Till fuch time as I can relieve my People as the Territory which depends upon this Court has fuffered moft, I free it for one Year of all its Averages and all us Taxes. And I ordain, that my Officers fhould fall upon fome'Method for the Relief and Support of the Poor. * ° n Occafion of the Rebellion of certain Chu che, the Emperor Te tfong, travelled into Lyau tong The Army ofKebd\swas defeated, their Chefs were taken, and upon the Emperor's refohimto tubl.Jh an Indemnity, the Soothfayers told him, that the Royal Family was fill threatned with fome new Misfortunes .: And that m order to avert them, it was neceffary to change fomewhai in the prefent Names and^ Titles. The great Men profjed, that he JhonQ aid a Word or two to his own surname, and Lu che, as the only Perfon who oppofed it. S I R, faid he, addreffing himfelf to the Emperor, all thefe Surnames and pompous Titles are not of ancient Ufage. To affume them even in the moft flourifoing and happy Times would difeover a Want of Modefty. But to encreafe them at fo melancholy a Tundlure as the prefent, would be very improper, and might be very hurtful. If you are pofnive to regard wh ir thefe Soothfayers pretend, I mean, what they fay with Regard to changing the prefent Titles and (*) The hereditary Prince, has his Palace a-part to the Eall (a) Here feems to be a Midair, r , , , .. of that of the Empcor; And Tag htg, which f,gnines the up. ta U. by P. Fnpip, Chronological Table'^ a’ 7 ?v° f **?- Wn« “ “ h =redi,ary the Emperor 7 fifing, the immediateo?rJ%. ?27 5i8 The Imperial Co lie 8 ion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. and Surnames, it would be better, inftead of increafmg your own, which would render you odious to teftify your Refpeft for the Advice which Tyen has given you, by retrenching them. The Emperor took the Advice of Lu che very well, and relolved to change only, the Name of the Years. And then he caufed to be (hewed to Lu che, a Declaration minuted by a Secretary of State, and afked his Opinion of it. Sir, anfwered Lu che. The Addons of a Sovereign, are what properly and effedually touches the Heart. Difcourfes are commonly empty, and, if they are not well executed, they have not the leaft effed. While you publifh a Declararation in fuch Circumftances, you cannot appear too modeft, you cannot too much aggravate your own Failings, nor (how too earned: a Defire of re¬ forming your'felf. The Emperor agreed to this, and ordered Lu che to draw a Declaration up, which he did in the following Terms. Declaration of the Emperor Te tfong, drawn up by Lu che. T H E bed Means by which a Prince ought to govern aright, and promote Virtue in his Em¬ pire, are, a fincere Affedion for his Subjeds, a generous Self-denial in their Favours, a con¬ tinual Care to corred his own Defeds, to repair the Faults he has committed, and to prefs to Per- fedion • Ever fince I mounted the Throne, to which I fucceeded by my Birth-right, there has fcarce been any thing but Troubles. Thefe Troubles have obliged me, fometimes to negled the ordinary Ceremonies with Regard to my Ancedors; and have fo much taken up my Mind, that I have not as I ought employed myfelf to acquire Virtue. While with Grief I refleded over and over again upon thefe fird Years of my Reign, which I have employed fo ill, it is time, (aid I to myfelf it is time to begin to repair them, by publickly acknowledging that I have lod them, by laying o’pen, without difguife, the melancholy Effeds of my bad Condud; and by expreffing a fincere Defire, to obferve a better, in Times to come. My Ancedors, thefe illudrious Founders of ourDynady Tang, after having, by their Valour and their Virtue’ delivered the People from Oppreffion, and given Peace to all the Empire, cftablidied an admirable Order. In this, they were affifted by a great Number of excellent Offi¬ cers in all Ranks, whofe Zeal they wifely animated, and whofe Services they generoufiy rewarded. Things being put upon fo good a footing, continued there; and behold ! at the End of 200 Years, (*) you fucceed to your Ancedors in their Pods, and to my Father in his Throne. Ever fince my Acceffion, my greated Fear has been, lead I fhould fall fliort of their Wifdom and Virtue; and to do my’utmod to imitate them, has been my condant Refolution. But being educated by Women in the Heart of a Palace, till I was pretty well grown up; I at this Day, feel the Ef¬ fects of an Education, fo unfuitable toa Prince. Being quite ignorant of the Affairs of Govern¬ ment I entered into Poffeflion of a peaceful Empire: But I have not had (kill enough to prevent that which may diforder it: Unacquainted with the Fatigues of Hufbandmen, unmindful of the Hardfhips of Soldiers, I have not imparted as I ought, the Effedts of my Bounty to either the one or the other of thefe Profeffions; by this, I have given them a Right to doubt of my Affec¬ tion and a Handle to treat me with Indifference. Befides, indead of employing myfelf in ac¬ knowledging my Defefls, I have undertaken ufelefs Wars upon (light Grounds. There has been nothing but the Motions of Troops, of Convoys, and Recruitings. I have encreafed the ordinary Taxes Here, I have exaded Chariots, there, Horfes. There is not a Province in all the Empire, but what has differed by thele Proceedings; My Officers, and my Soldiers, after being obliged to fight feveral times in one Day, have fpent whole Years, without laying afide, either their Head Pieces or their Armour; far from the Burying-places of their Ancedors, far from their afflicted and forlorn Wives. My People being obliged to leave the Lands without Culture, for continual Averages, have been over-whelmed at once, with Toil and Mifery, and reduced to wiih for Death 5 under the Hands of an Executioner, rather than for fuch a Life. Mean time, Tyen, above me, gave me frequent Advices, by chadifing me ; yet I cannot profit by it • Below, Men are breaking out into Murmurings, of which I am not inform’d. Thus Mifery increafed by little and little, till a rebellious Subjed has endeavoured to take the Advantage of this Diforder and has puflied his Infolence to the utmod Exceffes. Forgetful of all ffiame and dread, he has fpread Tumults thro’ all. The People and the Nobles, have all differed by this; and he has carried his Boldnefs fo far, as even to infult the Tombs of my Ancedors. 1 am the more fenfibly concerned at this, as I myfelf have been the Occafion of it: And I never think of it, without the greated Confufion, and the mod lively Grief. Thanks to the Protection of (+) Tyen tj w hi c h comes from on high, the Shin and Men, united themfelves in my Favour. My Miml- te’rs and my Generals, have unanimoufiy done their utmod, to (how their Zeal and their Abili¬ ties’- my Forces have ferved me well: The Rebel is defeated, and taken. I mud now endeavour to remedy the pad Evils. It is for an Introdudion to this, that I publifh the prefent Declaration. While I am inceffantly employed in remembering my pad Faults, my Officers of all Ranks, without (*) He addrefles his Difcourfe to the great Officers. (f)I have not as yet tranflated Tyen, which has occurred fre- cuently by itfelf, and is again to be met with in this Piece. He feecas to have determined the Senfe of the Word Tyen in the firlt Line of the Emperor Te tfong’s Declaration p. 527.] Here, and in other Paflages, the Charadler Ti, which commonly fig- n.f.es the Earth, is joined to it. As I have always left the Rea¬ der to judge of the Senfe of Tyen, by that of the Paflages with y, hich it isconne&ed, I likewifc leave him to judge of the Senfe, which it is proper to affix here, and in other Paflage, to the Characters of Tyen and Ti, when joined together : and if it is better to make Ut che fay. that the material Heaven and Earth, powerfully prote-fl ; and that the Protetfion of, the material Earth, comes from on High ; or to underlbnd the Figure in the fame Senfe as the Exprelfion Chau ting, which literally implies the Court and the Hall, or, the Hall of the Court, lignilie. the Em¬ peror; and Tong tony, 01 the Eafltrn Palace, figniiiej the Ueredi- thry Prince See. The Imperial ColleBion of Edicts, Declarations, 6V. without excepting the greateft:, in all the Writings they addrefs to me, outvye one another in „ivi n g me new Titles: I have never accepted of them : I never wilh'd for them. I have only been l’o complaifant, as to allow, fome Days ago, that upon the Advice of the Soothfayers, a certain Affair might be taken into Confideration. But refleaing feriouily upon it yefterday, I found my- felf leized with Dread. Alas! Said I to myfelf, to (* * * (§) ) penetrate, to comprehend, and as it were, to incorporate with the moil impenetrable (f) Ing yang, is to deferve to be called (f)Shin: To unite one’s Virtue with Tyen ti, is to deferve to be called a (§) Sbing. Can a Man, without un¬ demanding like me, fupport tbefe Titles ? To govern peacefully and luccefsfully, to promote good Order over all, is what we call (||) IVen. To know the proper Management of Arms, in order to maintain, and’eftabliffi a happyTranquillity in the State, is what we call being (-|-)Warlike. Can thefe Epithets agree with me ? Yet, thefe are the magnificent Titles, my Officers laviffi upon me in their Writings. If, notwithftanding my Unworthinefs, I lhould accept of them, ffiould I not therefore render myfelf Hill more unworthy ? And would not that be anew Subjedi of Confu- fion for me ? I therefore forbid, that henceforth any one, be who he will, either at the Court, or in the Pro¬ vinces, in their Petitions, or other Writings, ihould give me the Titles of Shin, Shing, Wen, Vii. Man,’who is fubjea to fo many Paffions, is likewife fubjedt to Inconftancy: Sometimes he fol¬ lows Virtue, fometimes Vice. Both one and the other, greatly depend upon the different Junc¬ tures, in which the Perfon is: And when the Prince, by his Wifdom and Example, does not pro¬ mote’ Virtue, we need not then wonder, that Diforders and Villanies are very frequent. If there¬ fore I, who hitherto have not known how to give my Subjedts the Inftrudtions and Examples I ought, ihould treat with Rigor, all thofe who have committed Faults, it would be a Kind of In- juftice, or at leaft, too great Severity in me. After this, I would not dare to allow myielf to be called ’the Father and Mother of my People, a Title fo effential to a Sovereign. I therefore defign, in the Beginning of this Year, to renew myfelf, and to pardon what is pail: The Year, which now commences, and according to the ordinary Courfe, ought to be called the fifth Kyen chong, ihall be called the firft Twen hing , And I give an univerfal Indemnity, for all Faults'that have been committed until the firft Day of the faid Year. Li hi lye, Tyen ywe, Wang, V fun, are Perfons, who formerly did great Services; fome in the Cabinet, others in the Field ’: I have not been able to gain them : My Condudt towards them, has infpired them with Diftruft and Uneafinefs: They have {hared in the laft Commotions: But their Faults, tho' grie¬ vous, are nothing in Comparifon of mine. It is a common Thing, when a Prince goes aftray, that’his Subjeas ffiould go aftray likewife. Have I really been an Emperor ? What EffeAs of my Power and my Goodnefs have been felt ? But it is time that they ffiould be felt, and that all the Empire fhould be acquainted with the Effeas which my Repentance hath had upon me, and the benevolent Inclination with which it infpires me : I pardon Li hi lye, and the three others: I even give them a full Pardon: I re-inveft them in their former Ranks; and I will treat them henceforward, as if nothing had happened. (*) Chu hau, is the Brother of Chu tfe: They are both together at prefent, in Prifon : But they were far diftant from one another, when Chu tfe rebelled. It has not been proved, but that the younger of thefe two Brothers, was firft acquainted with the Defigns of the elder. Otherways, I would carry my Goodnefs as far as it would go. But without any further Examination, tho’ he helped his Brother, and by that committed a very great Crime, yet, I willingly grant him time to reform. As for the Troops difbanded towards the North and South of (J-) Whang ho, all I require of them is, that they retire to their former Ports, by the ordinary Roads, without offering any Vio¬ lence or Harm to any one whatfoever. As for Chu tfe, he is an ungrateful perfidious Villain. He has joined the greateft Infolence to Rebellion and Perfidy. He has committed Outrages, he has plundered and demoliffied the Tombs of my Anceftors, fo that I dare not pardon him. Such as have joined him in his Rebellion, whether People or Soldiers, great or inferior Officers, as they have been deluded by his Artifices, or forced into his Meafures by his Violences; if they return to their Duty, no farther Notice Ihall be taken of them. Talents are differently difpofed of. A Man, who cannot fucceed in one kind of Bufinefs, may do Wonders in another. But as the Architedl who plans a Building, heaps up Materials of all Sorts: In the feme manner, a Prince, who lays out great Projedts, does not confine himfelf to Perlons of one Kind; and he rejects no Man, who can be good for any one thing. Far lefs ffiould he reject for ever, thofe who being otherways Men of Merit, have had the Misfortune to make fome Slip, by which they have loft their Pofts: Provided they become Wife at their own Expences, they effedtually reform, and therefore ought to be the Objcbt of my Clemency. If therefore, among thofe antient Officers, whether great or fmall, who for flight Offences, have been degraded, broke, or even baniffied, any one is found, in whom a rare Talent, or an uncommon Capacity is difeover’d; let fuch be prefented to me, and I will difpenfe with the common Rules, by giving them new Pofts, according to their Qralifications. (*) The Chinefe Expreflion implies all thefe Senfes. (t) Tw o very unfettled empty Expreflions in the Chinefe Phi lolophy. (t) Spirit, Spiritual, Excellent , &c, (§) Wife and virtuous in the firlt Degree. 6 S (II) Politic. 4 ) Vu. („) He was the Head of the Rebels. 4 j The Name of a River. Ho, figr.ifies a River, Whang, Yellow; which implies, that its Waters are tinged yellow by the Land thro’ which they run. $ 2 .9 VoL. I, All 33° Imperial ColleBion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. All you brave Officers of my Army, whofe Zeal and whofe Valour have been long unlhaken, have lately given greater Proofs than ever of both, by fo feal'onably flying, either to defend the Capital, or to Lyau tong, to make head againft the Rebels. Never (hall \ forget either vour toilfome Marches, or your generous Combats. I know well, how much both the State and my Family owe to you. I want to eternife the Memory of your Services, by honouring your Fa¬ milies, and giving you Lands and Revenues. Such of the Soldiers who fignaliz’d themlelves upon the late Occafion, (hould likewife have fome Diltindtion. If any amongft them, has unhappily committed any Fault that is criminal, let his Punifhment be diminilhed three Degrees below what the Law ordains. 1 grant to their Sons and Grand-fons, the Diminution of two Degrees. To die generoufly in Defence of one’s Prince and Country, is a thing which our ancient Sages have much efteemed. To gather together the Bodies and the Bones of the Dead, in order to pay them the laft Duties, is a thing recommended by the Book of Rites. Thefe two Kinds of goods Works, thoeach of a different Species, have for their Principle a juft and a tender Compaffion. We or¬ dain and enjoin the Magiftrates of the Cities of all Ranks, that, if within their Jurifdidtion, any Officers of War die in our Service, they carefully look for their Bodies, and caufe them to be tranfported immediately to the Place of their Departure: And there if they have no Families, that the Magiftrates (hall honourably difeharge their Burials, and the Ceremonies 2 /f, according to theCuftom; That they proportionly adt in the fame Manner towards thofe, whofe Bodies or Bones are yet upon any Field of Battle: That the Magiftrates of the Neighbourhood (hall ga¬ ther them together, and bury them decently. The Neceflity of keeping up our Troops in the Field, hds harrailed our People for the Con¬ voys. The Villany of fome Commiffaries, has likewife very much encreafed their Yoke. At prefent, fince my Exigencies are not fo preffing, I am willing, not only to diminifh thefe oppref- five Averages, but to make them a little amends for what they have fuffered, I ordain, till I can do better for them, That the Taxes upon Marches, upon Buildings, upon Wood, upon Canes, upon Tea, upon Varnifh, and upon Iron, be henceforth abolifhed. And becaufe the Territory depending upon our Court, has fuffered more than all the reft, as it is the Place which the Rebels have over-run, ravaged, and burnt: I remit to it, the half of the Summer Taxes. In that Part of thefe Territories where I halted with my Army, when I marched out againft the Rebells the Inhabitants of the Place provided every thing in great Order: This was a great Relief to my Troops. In that Spot let a Banner be erected, which may inform all the World of mv Faults and of their good Services. Let Fong tyen, which was hitherto but a Town, be a City of the third Order, and bear the Name of Chi ; and let all its Dependances be exempted for five Years, from all Impofts. The fil’d Principle of a wife Government is, to honour Virtue ; Earneftly to fearch for Men of Virtue and Merit, is the chief Dntv of a Prince : Thefe are Maxims univerfally received in all Ages: I tall them to Mind, and meditate upon them Night and Day : With Grief I fee that inftead of pure Virtue, Artifice and Contention prevails yet chiefly at my Court. Shall this then be the Age, in which there are no more truly wife Men. Doubtlefs, they are not extindt; but they have retired, and have no Regard to my Words. They obferve my Conduft, and pro¬ bably that prevents them from appearing ; therefore this Day, I earneftly recommend it to all the Magiftrates of my Empire, that each in his own Diftrift, (hould obferve, if there are not fome one of thefe wife Men who bury in a Retreat, a fublime Virtue and rare Talents; who con¬ tented with genuine Virtue, practife it in Private, without Shew or Ambition. Let m. e ac¬ quainted, without failing, of as many of thefe wife Men as (hall be difeovered. I (hall take Care to invite them according to the Rites, and will omit nothing to engage them in my Service. Likewife, if any one, whoever he is, is difeover’d to poffefs an unlhaken Uprightnefs and Sincerity, which qualifies him freely to reprefent to me, what ever is for the common Good; a profound Knowledge of our antient Monuments, which may render him capable of labouring with Succels to reform the Manners of the People ; or a Angular Genius for War, fo as eafily to become a General; I will, that all fuch be prelented to me. In like Manner, I enjoin all Magiftrates to keep an exadl Lift of all Orphans, old Men, Widow¬ ers and Widows, and other Perfons who are deftitute of Support, and are not in a Condition to earn their own Livelihood ; and let them be relieved according to their Neceflities. We likewife enjoin the two firft Officers of each City, to appear in Perfon, at the Gate of the Houle of every old Man who is above ninety Years of Age, in order to inform themfelves of their Health and their Wants. If any Man or Woman (hall excell in the Virtue proper to his or her State, more efpecially if a Woman (hall diftinguilh herfelf by Modefty, or a Child by filial Piety : Our Inten¬ tions is, that a Banner be eredted at their Houfe, and that all their Lives, they (hall be exempted from fuch Averages as are lead difpenfable. It is the Quality of War to drain a State, it therefore behoves us at prefent, more than ever, to live frugally and foberly. I defign to fet an Example of this, by circumfcribing myfelf for the Benefit of my Subjedts. Of all my Tributes’and ordinary Taxes, I (hall only exadt fo much as is juft neceffary for the Support of my Troops, and to defray the Ceremonies regulated with Re¬ gard to my Anceftors. 1 abfolutely remit the reft to my Subjedts; being forrv and afliamed by reafon of the Lownefs of my Exchequer, that I am not in a Condition to fatisfy my Inclination, by giving them more ample Rewards, and greater Largeffes. Moreover, if in thefe our prefent Letters, any thing has efcaped our Attention, which may render the Benefit of our Amnefty in compleat; The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &sV. compleat; I ordain the great Officers of our Court and Provinces, to draw up an exad Memorial of what they conceive proper to be added. In the mean time, we declare, that whofoever after the publishing of thefe Prefents, fhall prefume, either in Juft ice, or otherways, to reproach any one of a Fault for which he has our Pardon, fuch a one Shall render himfelf criminal, and incur the Penalty due to that very Fault. If either in the Mountains, or elfewhere, any Arms are ftored up or concealed; we ordain, that they Shall be produced in the Term of ioo Days, under the Pain of being treated as guilty of Rebellion. In Short, as by the antient Regulations, thofe De¬ clarations that carry an Indemnity in them, Shall be forwarded at the Rate of (*) fifty Leagues in a Day : We Will, that the fame Regulations be obferved in this Cafe; to the End, that the Ex- tremeties of the Empire may be the looner informed of it. A Glo/s.] This Declaration caufeda general Joy all over the Empire: Particularly in Shang tong ; it fo much affeded the Officers of War and the Soldiers, that they Shed a great many Tears. The (J-) JirJl Years of Te tfong’s Reign , being troubled with feveral Commotions , and that Prince attributing the Fault to himfelf, in a Converfation he had with Lu che : The latter talked to him in the following Terms. G R E A T Sir ; I am very far from blaming your Modefty. In this you imitate our greateft Princes Tau and Shun. Permit me, however, to inform you of the Condud of your Mi¬ nisters, who diforder every thing. He then particularifes Lit ki. Te-tjong modeftly taking upon him the Defence of his Minister; What fay you to this, fays he to Lu che: You*now forget your TJprightnefs, you have not the Courage to attribute the prefent Misfortunes to me, but to others: But after all, they ought not to be attributed to Men. In all Ages, is it not well known, that the Rife and Fall of Empires, is regulated by the Order of (J) Tyen? Lu che retiring without mak- any reply: But a few Days after, he prefented to the Emperor the following Writing, in which having in a livelo Manner laid open the Defedsof the Government, he concludes thus. You fee, Sir, what in reality caufes Commotions and Rebellions. The Evil reaches farther than you imagine, and you alone are ignorant how far it extends. While rebel Troops ■cflemble and march with flying Colours, infulting even your Palace in broad Day; there is not the leaft Guard at your Gates to defend them, nor even a Angle Sentinel who dares fay who goes there? Where are thefe Officers, by whofe Eyes you fee, and by whofe Ears you hear. Daunted with the Danger of which they themfelves are the Caufe, they neither have the Honefty to inform you of its Nature, nor Courage to check its Progrefs, at the Hazard of their own Life. Yes I lay, and maintain it, that your Minifters are very blameable: And I dare averrit it; it is likewife a Fault in you, to attribute all to the Order of Tyen. Chew , that Pattern of wicked Princes, did the fame. When it was reprefented to him, that his Diforders and his Cruelty ruined him: It is Tyen, anfwered the Tyrant, who has made me Emperor, and upon him depends my Deftiny. On the contrary, we find, that the Shu king makes a wife Prince fpeak in a very different Manner. The Author fpeaks as follows. “ Tyen looks upon what I do, in the fame Light in which my People fees it; and Tyen hears my Words with the fame Sentiments, with which they are heard by my People. All then that Tyen fees, and all that he hears, is that which paffes amongft Men.” One muft not imagine to him¬ felf an Order of Tyen which does not relate to, or has no Connexion with the Adions of Men. Nothing is more unreafonable than to negled ones Duties, and to impute Miscarriages naturally attending fuch a Negled, to the Orders of Tyen. The Text of the I king fays: Tyen is propi¬ tious; and Confupius commenting upon that Text, fays; The Expreffion (§) Tew , fignifies the fame thing with the Expreffion Tffi. But who are they whom Tyen favours ? They who are tradable and Docile. Who are they whom Men ufe to relieve? They in whom is feen Sincerity and Probity. To ftudy ones felf with Submiffion to Tyen, and never to be defedive in Faith to Men, are the Means of obtaining Affiftance. The I king treating of the Relation of Men to Tyen, and of the Affiftance and Favours which the latter grants or denies to the former, immedi¬ ately lays it down, that an Adion is good or bad, to which fome Good as a Reward, or fome Misfortune as a Punifliment, fymbolically anfwers. Hence it evidently appears, that the Orders of Tyen with Regard to Men are not fuch, as that nothing depends upon Men themfelves. In effed, it was never feen, that a State, wherein Reafon and Virtue prevailed thro' all the Degrees of Men, was ever at the fame time vifited by Tyen with fatal Diforders. Neither was it ever feen, that an Empire in which Irregularity univerfally prevailed, has been bleft by Tyen with the Enjoyment of a flourifhing Condition and a profound Peace. No; never, never, was fuch a thing feen. But if your Majefty has ftill any Doubt of what I fay, behold, without going very far, how you may point out this Truth with your Finger. Ever lince, by ill concerted Wars, and never ceafing Levies, the Forces of your Empire have been drained, and your Subjeds alarmed and ren¬ dered diftruftful; there has been nothing but fufpicious Intrigues, and Cabals on all Sides. One would think he beheld the Sea toffed by the Fury of the Winds. Every body fays loudly in this vaft Capital, that if this continues ever fo little, fome melancholy Event muft neceffarily happen. But tell me, I beg you, are all they who talk thus, flailed in the Art of Divination ? Have they by (’) The Chinefe fays 200 Li ; ten Li make an ordinary League. (f) This is Prior to the foregoing Declaration. The Order of l ime is not very itri&Iy obferved, in the Book out of which thefe Pieces are extrafted. (}) Heaven. (§) Both the one and the other fignifies to aid and to fuccour. But Tju is more vulgar, Ytiv is more fublime, and may ferve to denote more than human AlMance. The Imperial Co lie cl ion of Ed ids, Declarations, tfc. by the myfteriotls Secrets of that Art, difeovered the Order of Tyen? It is plain, that they only- talk from their Obfervation of the Minds of the People, and the prefent State of Affairs. In this they are in the Right. Hence, in effeQ, fpring Commotions and Rebellions, and not from what we call the fatal Revolutions of Times. I am well aware of what is laid, that a long and a too great Profperity,is the Forerunner of Con- fulion; and that out of Confufton arifes Order: That there are States whofe Ruin has been preceded by no Calamity ; and others, amidft impending Dangers and Misfortunes, have become riourilhing: All that is truth in this, inftead of contradifling, confirms my Obfervation. For inftance, How is it, lays one, that Profperity introduces Confufion? Becaufe too much Proiperity, unlefs Men are upon their Guard, naturally infpires an exceffive Confidence, and an indolent Secu¬ rity. In what Senfe, fays another, does Order rife from Confufion ? It is, becaufe Trouble awa¬ kens and excites Attention and Vigilance, and gives Opportunities for Men of Merit, to exercife their Talents. To make a juft Application of all this, a large Detail muff be made of all the Defefts and Dif- orders, that are the Source of the prefent Calamities. But it is not neceffary that Things lliould come to this Pafs; for that which I pointed out to your Majefty in the Beginning of this Dif- courle, is fufficient; if your Majefty thinks upon that, it will verify again at this time, that out of Confufion itfelf, Order may arife. There is one Method by which this may be brought about : No Severity, and much Virtue. This is the only Secret I know. In fuch an Ex tremity as Things are in at prefent, he who follows this Method, fupports and raifes himfelf; he who leaves it, is mined. Every' Mean amidft thefe Extremes is dangerous; think on it ferioufiy. To prefer the Judgment of the Public to your private Views, to follow Reafon, and not your own Inclinations, as your Guide; to banifh from your Perfon thofe Sycophants, whole Hearts are yet more defigning, than their Tongues are fmooth; to employ Men of real Merit, to chafe Diffimulation and Arti¬ fice from your Court and Councils and 'in their (lead, to introduce Sincerity and Uprightnefs, by fetting the Example yourfelf: This is the high Road in good Government , which is eafy to be known, and impofiible to be miftaken. There is even no Occafion to wafte your Spirits, in or¬ der to fread in it with Succefs. You only have Occafion for a little Refolution and Conftancy, in order never to leave it. If you have thefe, I may boldly affure you, that you have nothing to fear either from your Subjedls, or from thofe fatal Revolutions to which you feem to attribute the prefent Calamities, and that your Reign will be glorious. The fame 'Emperor Te tfong, talking one Day with Lu che, told him , “ Toil have hitherto repre- fented to me, that the Prince compotes but one Body with his Subjects, and efpecially with the Offi- 'cers he employs ; Jo that there ought to be among them, no Diflruft Sufpicion or Referve: And that thus the Prince ought to have, and to exprefs a fincere Dijpofition, to profit by the Advices of all Kinds of Perfims. I have done this, and what has been the Confiquence ? I know not how many 'Talkers have impofed upon me. They drive a Trade with their Eloquence, and feem at that Price, to buy the Right of being formidable. They put me in the wrong, whether I am fo or not, and thefe Gentlemen always raife themfelves at my Expences. You fee that jor feme time I have dropt Re monFrances, without declaring myfelf with regard to what they contained. It is not from Indolence, that I have relaxed from thefe Cares in State Affairs." The Reafon of my Silence, is what I have told you. Lu che feme Days after, prefented the following Remonftrance upon that Head. S I R : I have always heard it faid, that amongft Men, there is no (*) Afliftance without (+) Confidence, and no Confidence without Sincerity. Thus, all our antient Sages have held thefe two Virtues in Angular Efteem. An ancient Tradition goes fo far, as to fay, That by this, all Bufinefs ought to begin and end : And without this, all Bufinefi would foon be at an end. If this Truth holds in the fmalleft Affairs of common Life, how much rather ought it to have Place in Affairs of State? Can then a Sovereign, whofe firmed Support is the Sincerity and Upright- liefs of his Subjeas, and efpecially of thofe whom he immediately employs, difpenfe with the Praaice of thofe Virtues? Doubtlefs not; and permit me to tell your Majefty, that you defpife them when you think that thefe Virtues have done you wrong. It is a common, and in fome meafure, a pretty true Saying, that common People have but little Underftanding: But it may likewife be truely faid, that they underftand a great deal in fome Points: If they concern cither themfelves or their Duties; they frequently are miftaken, or in doubt. But when it concerns their Prince then nothing efcapes them, they perfealy well diftinguiih his good or bad Qualities, they fee through all his good, evil, and mod fecret Inclinations, and publifh them. They ftudy and imitate all his Aftions. , , n ■ That which is true of the People in general, is ftill more fo of the Perfons, whom the Prince employs in particular. Do they fee their Prince ufe any Artifice with them ? They treat him with the lime. Are they fenlible that he diftrufts them? They are cautious and upon their Guard ; being entirely taken up with the Care of keeping themfelves in Poll, they give them¬ felves very little trouble about any thing elfe, having no Regard for their Duty, or Zeal for their Prince, hut in Proportion as he treats them with Honour and Gentlenefs. In lhort, as the Sha¬ dow follows the Body which forms it, and the Words, the Voice which pronounces them, thus, {(1 r ligniSei Slvi-r, I’fripr, Srnret, TirfrH, Vprifbtne/s. Tnc Cor.-ex't likr.vil'c determines itaSenf.-. (») Sin, fignilici to believe, to tnj 1 , Confident e, Faith , Fide- Htj. The Context determines its Senfe The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, C 55 Thus, the Generalitity of thofe Perfons whom the Prince employs, conform themfelves to his Conduct. If a Prince, who is not fincere and upright, require Sincerity and Uprig’ntnels in his OfHcers, He may deceive them for the firft time; but they won’t trull: him a fecond. No! It i9 only by carrying Sincerity and Uprightnefs to the higheft Perfection, that a Prince has a Chance to find either of thefe Virtues in his Servants. Does an Officer of War in your Reign, actually for¬ get what he owes to you and the State? You fend others againft him, who fight and extirpate him. Some one of your Minifters or other Officers, are deficient in lerious Affairs : You order him to be tried. In fuch Junctures as thefe, tho’ they are frequently very delicate, why Ihould thofe whom you entruft with the Execution of your Orders, obferve them ? Why fhould they impartially do ready Juftice upon the Guilty? Becaufe, finding in thefe unworthy Snbjedts only Ingratitude, Art and Treachery, they find a Prince full of Gentlenefs, Sincerity, and Uprightnefs. So true it is, that it infinitely concerns one never to deviate from thefe Virtues. Stick dole therefore, I conjure you, ftick clofe to thefe inviolably. Pradlife them conftantly; and tho’ you are obliged, for that Effedt, to make great Efforts, yet they will be well employ’d : And I am perluaded, you never will have caufe to repent of them. The antient Tradition fays: Where is the Man who does not commit Faults ? The Point is to know how to corredt them. Chwang tvey , in our antient Books, praifing the Virtue of Ching tang , thought he paid him a great Compliment, by faying, “ that he fpared for nothing in order to cor* red! himfelf.” Ki j'u , being willing to exalt the glorious Reign of Swen vang, fays, that all that was defective in that Prince, was abundantly fupplied by Chong Jhan fu, his firft Minifter. Ching tang , certainly, was a Prince of uncommon Wildom, and eminent Virtue : Chong wey, who was a Man very virtuous, and very underffanding, was Minifter of that Prince, and ought to have known him very well ; yet he did not go fo far as to fay, that he committed no Faults: But was fatis- fied with praifing his Care in corredting them. Swen Vang was likewife a very great Prince. The Dynafty of the Chew was ruin’d: He had the Honour to raife it by his wife Government. Ki ja was an underftanding Man, and a very good Judge of this Kind : And yet in praifing his Mafter, he never faid, that he wanted no Qualification neceflary for good Government; always fuppofing, that his Prince would take care to fupply what was defedtive in himfelf, by the Affift- ance of a good Minifter. Whence, I think, we may conclude, that according to the Idea of our Antients, nothing is more to be efteemed or praifed, efpecially in a Prince, then a conftantCare to corredt his Failings, and to repair his Faults. They had good Grounds for judging in this Manner : For there is no Man, even from the moft Ignorant and Stupid, to the moft Knowing, who is not fometimes miftaken, and don’t fometimes commit Faults. The Difference betwixt thefe two Charadters is, that the former acknowledging their Faults, profit by them, and corredt them ; but the others, by a falfe Shame, feeking to cover them, and to excul'e them, never endeavour to amend them, and commit ftill greater. In Antiquity lefs remote; when Things ruffled to Ruin, Flattery prevailed among Minifters, and Pride among Princes. Throwing out, as it were in Concert, that fincere Confidence which formerly prevailed, and was fo ftrong a Link in Life, they fubftituted in its Place, the Grimace of Ceremony. A Man then could not approach or leave the Perfon of his Prince, without having recourfe to mean Flatteries; but it was all Show. Men of Merit, being over upright and fincere, could not comply with this Change ; and thereby fuff'ered. The Bad, whom Intereft render’d fawning,made theirAdvantage of this, the Sovereigns then began to be intoxicated with their Mean- nefies and Flatteries, and at the fame time, a thoufiind Divifions lprung up amongft themfelves, from their Avarice and Ambition. In fhort, it is hardly to be expreffed, what Evils were occafi- oned then and afterwards by this affedted Complaifance and artful Flattery, which unhappily undermined that honeft Liberty and noble Opennefs, which formerly prevailed, and ought al¬ ways to prevail, at the Courts of Princes. Tay tfong , one of your moft illuftrious Anceftors, united Gentlenefs and Juftice, the civil and the military Virtues, in the higheft Degree. By this Wifdom and Valour, he eftablifhed Peace and Order in the Empire, fo that few Reigns have been more flourifhing than his. But at prefent, what is he moft praifed for, and what has he been moft praifed for ever fince his Reign ? You know well, that it is his Ardour in procuring Remonftrances, and his Manner of receiving them. Is not this alone fufficient to make your Majefty comprehend, that in effedt nothing is more glorious for a Sovereign, and nothing bids fairer to eternife his Memory. Your Majefty fays, that your Officers have fuch a way of reprefenting Things, that whatever is good, they take care to attribute to themfelves; and whatever happens wrong, to their Prince. I own this is a Fault in them ; but after all, it is fuch a Fault, that inftead of obfeuring your Virtue, if you pleafe, it may be the Means of brightning it. To admit Remonftrances conceived in thefe Terms, to ftiew no Uneafinefs at them, but to let them pafs current, would be a mafterly Stroke in you, worthy of yourfelf, and tending to your Plonour. Befides, what does your Majefty gain by following an oppofite Courfe ? When you rejedt thefe Remonftrances, do you hinder them from having a Run in the World ? For my fhare, I believe it is quite otherways, and that fuch a Condudt in you, does not a little contribute to fpread them the more. It is true, that by thefe Means you prevent the like coming to your Hands again ; but then at the fame time, you hazard your never receiving any more that are ufeful. Ought the Door to be lhut to all Advices, for fuch a Trifle as that ? 6 T Vol. I. The 334 The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, tfc. The truly wife Man takes care never to relax, even in the fmalleft Affairs: He keeps -well with all and he difpleafes none. The moft eloquent Difcourfe makes no Impreffion upon him, if at the Bottom, it is not fupported by lleafon and Experience: When both the one and the other give a Sanftion to any Propofal that is laid before a wife Man, he is not ftartled at an ill-turned Period or a homely Expreffion. Does he find a Man that agrees with his Views ? Pie does not, for all’that, conclude, that he is in the right. Does another differ from him? He does not there¬ fore conclude, that others are in the wrong. He does not fuffer himfelf to be dazled with what is extraordinary and fineular, lb as to embrace it; nor to be fo much prepoffefl'ed with what appears vulgar and homely, as to rejedt it entirely for that. A Perfon makes a Difcourfe to him, which appears empty, and without any Tendency, and that too in very harlh Terms: Yet he does not prefume immediately to pronounce, that he is impertinent. Another lays down his Propoftl in very fmooth, plaufible, clear Words, and the Advantage accruing by it, appears to him confidera- ble and certain: And yet he is not very forward in affuring himfelf that he is an able Man, and that he mutt follow what he propofes. He examines every thing at his own Leifure : He weighs every thing maturely : After which, he takes what is beft from every one. It is by obferving this Method, that a Prince may promife himfelf, that he fhall never be ignorant of any thing, that it imports him to know. „ On the other hand, Propofitions which are dangerous to all Mankind, are much more lo to a Prince. The moft common may be reduced to four ; namely, that of an extravagant Confidence, that of Suspicion, that of Contempt, and that of Pajfion. Isa Prince abandoned to the hi ft - thele ? He approves every thing that is told him by any one, be who he will, without examining it very clofe ; and this Approbation frequently has dangerous Confequences. On the contrary, is a Perfon ftifpefted ? He may well propofe fine things, and fupport them with lohd Realomngs; but as his Intentions are fufpefted, thefe Reafonings have no Weight. Is a Man undervalued ? Whatever he propofes is defpifed, and frequently he himfelf ruined. Is a Prince pjiffefl with a ftrong Paffion for any thing? Every worthlefs Wretch, who can be a Tool to his Patlion, is raffed to Dignity and Polls. A Prince, thus following Paffion and Prejudice in Defiance of Reafon, becomes hateful to Men of Probity and Virtue, who no longer care to ferve him. How then can he fucceed in governing right ? , ,. ,,, ,. t . it- t r It i» a good Subject's Duty, to endeavour to render himfelf ufeful to his Prince. His Inclina¬ tion and Intereft in this, go Hand in Hand with his Duty. Therefore, he defires to be near the rerlbn of his Prince, to be known to him, and to make him acquainted with his Views. Princes, on their Parts commonly endeavour to know their People thoroughly. However, it frequently happens that a Man of Merit finds it difficult to gain Admittance to his Prince, who on the other hand has oftimes no lefs Difficulty, to be perfeflly acquainted with thofe he employs. Whence proceeds this ? From nine Faults; of which, fix relate to the Sovereign, and three to the Subjecft. i A Defire to overbear every body upon all Subjects. 2. To make a Show of Wit. 3. A Spi¬ rit of ContradicTion and Wrangling. 4. His hating to hear Truth. 5. The having too fevere a Haughtinefs or 6, too violent a Temper. Thefe are the fix Faults relating to the Prince ; and thefe produce three on the Part of the Officers. 1. Artful Flattery. 2. An interefted Relerve. 3. A cowardly Meannefs. Thefe are Faults that ftifle Zeal in the Subjeft, and are a great Hin¬ drance to the Princes knowing Mankind ; which is a Science fo difficult, that it puzzled I au him- felf. A Prince fubjedt to the Faults I have pointed out, does not fail fometimes to flatter himfelf, with having fathomed the Capacity or Weaknefs of his Officers, by an Objeftion which he ftarts, or an Anfwer which he draws from them. Oh! how much is he deceived 1 In lhort, to defire to govern well, and not to make it your principal Study to gain the Hearts of your Subjects, is purluing wrong Meafures: Without this, never did any Prince fucceed. But what Meafures mutt be purfued, in order to gain the Hearts of the Subjedts? You muft ftudy to court, and to fearch for Men of Merit; you muft even make Advances to them, in order to bring’them over to your Service. I fay you mu d court and J'earch for Men of Merit-, for if a Prince ads in the fame Manner with all the World indifferently. Men of Merit will not come near him at all. Nothing then is more important for a Prince, than juftly to diftinguiffi true Merit This is certain ; but then it is no lefs certain, that if the Prince hates fincere Advice, and loves Flattery, he is frequently deceived. One commonly fucceeds by accommodating himfelf to his Sovereign’s Views, and by flattering his Inclinations; to oppofe him, and tell him difagree- able Truths, is always a dangerous and ticklilh Affair, and frequently cofts the Advifer dear. It is true there have been wife Princes, under whom the contrary has happened ; and who were fo far from frightning Truth away, that they always received her with Encomiums, and crowned her with Rewards: And yet, thefe Princes themfelves, had Reafon to be afraid left the Zeal of Sub¬ lets fhould be too delicate in exerting themfelves on that Head. How would it be under a Prince, whole fufpicious ill Temper, and Tranfports, fhould prove fo many Barriers to flop this Zeal ? The Emperor Kang hi'j Remark .] As to the Principles of this Difcourfe, there is nothing more juft, or more diftintft. In The Imperial Colicclion of Edi&s, Declarations, c fc. • In the fecond of the Tears named Ywen ho (a), there -were Complaints againft the great Officers of the Provinces ; they being accufed of harroffing the People, and extorting from them large Sums, under Pretence of feme Gratuity •which they were raifmg for the Emperor. Hyen tfong, who then reign¬ ed, publijhcd an Ordinance, in which he very much bewail'd this Abufc. In the Conclufon of it, he abfelutely prohibits all the great Officers of the Provinces to prefent any thing at Court, befides what was regulated, and exaBly to obferve the fated Times for raifmg the ordinary Taxes. Not- •withflanding this Ordinance, which was publifhed in the Spring, Fey kyun, who commanded in the Country of Yang yang, trufting to an Officer of the Palace, who was in his Interefls, privately caufed Bafens, and other Moveables of Silver, weighing upward of 10,000 Ounces, to be prefented to the Emperor, who accepted of them all ; but the Secret took Air. Li kyang taking up the Pen, in the Name of many others in Concert, with whom he prefented to Hyen tfong the following Memorial. S I R: Among the great Qualifications, and eminent Virtues, which render you equal, or fupe- rior to lb many of your Royal Predeceffors; all your Empire, more efpecially, admires your Angular Penetration, which gives you fuch an Infigbt into the Mifery of your People, and that paternal Goodnefs, which inceffantly engages you to relieve them. Worthlefs Officers abufing your Name, levy large Sums upon your People, befides the ordinary Taxes. A Prefent they make to you, ferves as a Screen for their Avarice; for the greater Part of it goes to their own Coffers. This Diforder could not efcape your Penetration ; and you no fooner was appriz’d of it, than in order to apply an effectual Remedy to it, you prohibited that any thing fliould be prefented to you, befides your ordinary Revenues, which Ihould be colledted at ftated Times. Your Ordinance upon this Head, publifhed lafl Spring, drew Tears of Joy from us. Your People, both when they read it, or heard it read, made loud Demonftrations of their Joy, by Feafts and Songs. We now faid one to another, we now live in the moft happy Days: Let us celebrate the Virtues and Bene¬ ficence of that Prince who has reviv’d them. Such were the Sentiments which your Ordinance,publifhed laft Spring, produced in the Hearts of your Subjefls. But at prefent, when you have aboiilhed it, by receiving the Prefents of Fey kyun, what do you think is their Difcourfe ? They fay, that no Strefs is to be"laid upon your Ordi¬ nances ; that you want only to five Appearances, and that the Defire of amaffing Riches is your ruling Paffion. What can give a greater Wound to your Virtue than this? Fey kyun, if we may judge by this Aaion, is far from being a good Officer: His CondufI, with regard to you, is art¬ ful. Why fhould he prefent you with that Plate, againft fo pofitive and fo late an Ordinance ? The moft favourable Conftrudtion that can be made of fuch a Step, is, that he did it to found you that he might take his Meafures according to the Manner in which yon accepted of the Prelent! His way of Reafoning with himfelf would then be this; If the Emperor rejefls this Prefent I muft ad uprightly, and do my Duty ; If he accepts it, this Ordinance is only for Form fake: He is pleafed with what is offered him ; we may ad in our own Way, and behave in our ufual Man¬ ner, to thofe who are under us. But are not fuch Adions and Reafonings, a Failure in Obedience Fidelity, and Uprightnefs? In a word, are they not Crimes? However, as Fey kyun is one of your greateft and moft powerful Officers of War: Befides, as he poffeffes a Poft of the greateft Importance by its Neighbourhood to Strangers ; if, for thefe' or other Reafons, vour Majefty is unwilling to punifli him according to Law; let us, at leafl, hope that your Majefty, in order to preferve your Ordinance in Force, will inftrud yourSubjeds’of the Provinces anew in your real Intentions, and, for the Credit of your Government, will’ be pleafed tocaufe an exprefs preffing Order to be iffued out in Form, ordaining, that the Plate fent by Fey kyun, fhall not remain in the Palace, but be inftantly fent back to the ordinary Treafurers. Hyen tfong having read the above Memorial, at firft appeared furprized, and a little touched. But foon recompofing himfelf, lie caufed Li kyang to enter, and he talked to him in the follow¬ ing Terms : The Multiplicity tf my Affairs is fuch, that it is impoffible for me to keep each of them prefent in my Memory. In effeSl, I have permitted Fey kyun’s Prefent to be received, but it was merely thro want of RefleBion. As for Fey kyun, he is excufable in one Point: When he fent off his Prefent, my Ordinance was only yet on the Road, and 'had not reached him : But the Money (hall, according to the Requefi contained in your Memorial, be paid back immediately to the ordinary Treafurers: This was actually done that fame Day, and the Emperor gave an Advice, as follows, to all the Minifters of State. Behold fo many Pieces of Plate, with which Fey kyun prelented me, contrary to my Orders: But as his People were upon the Road before he had received them, he is lefs blame- able, and I pardon him. As for the Plate itfelf, we let you to know, that according to our Orders, it fhall a finally be remitted to our ordinary Treafurers. This Declaration of the Emperor’s agreeably furprized all his Minifters, who complimented one.another in common, by Writings drawn up on purpofe: And they learned with Joy, both at Court and in the Provinces, with how much Facility the Emperor yielded to Reinonftrances. This is the Subftance of what is related in an hiftorical Glofs, by one of the Perfons, who, by order of the Emperor Kang bi, wasfet over the Edition of the Coliedion, from which tliefe Pieces are extracted. Two Authors of Reputation are cited in the Margin, who fay, that this was not the (a) That is, in the fecond Year of Hj-n tfonfs Reign. The Imperial Collection of Edicts., Declarations, &e. the fil'd time that Hyen tj'ong had iffued out Ordinances, which he was not at all difpleated to fee broken. They fpeak of this Emperor, as a Prince of no Chara&er in Hiftory, as one who was covetous of Money, and fuffering himfelf to be guided by his Eunuchs. Thislaft Evil, lays IIti in, was doubtlefs the greateft, and the Caufe of the other. Ly kyang, and others, would have done much better, had they in their Remonftrances, gonediredlly to the Ground of the Evil : Bccaute they did not this, their Remedies had a bad Effect. •The fame Emperor Hyen tfong, having received a certain kind of a Bone, which was faid to be a Bone oj (*) Fo, caufcd It to be introduced, with Ceremony, into the inner moj! Parts of in Palace, where he kept it guarded with great Rcfpcbl for three Days, in order to caufe it to be tranj- ported ’folemnly into the Temple of that SeB. The People, the Literati, the Kong,, and great Nunn ben of the (f) Vang approved of this Pefiival. Han yn, who was only She ling in the Tribunal of Crimes, prefented the Emperor with the following Remonftrance. Q [ R ; let me be permitted refpedtfully to reprefent to you, that the Doflrine of Po is, at the Bottom, a vile Secft of feme Barbarians. It began to infinuatc itlelf into our Empire, under the laid Emperors of the Han ; at lead, it is certain, that anciently it was not known. Whang ti, it is faid, reigned a hundred Years, and lived a hundred and ten. Sbau bait reigned ninety Years, and lived a hundred. Chwen hyo reigned 79 Years, and lived only 98. Ti ko reigned leventy Years, and lived 105. Tau reigned ninety Years, and lived one hundred and eighteen. Shun and Yu, each lived 100 Years. Under thefe great Princes, the Empire enjoyed a profound Peace: Their Subjefls being happy and contented, lived to a good old Age. Yet Fo and his Seft were not yet known in China : .Ching tang, the firft Emperor of the Shang, likewife lived Ins hundred Years. Venvarigt&ni Vu mnig, the firft of the Chew, lived, the one 97, and the other 93 Years. Surely it was notfc who made them reign and live fo long ; for no Fo was yet known in China. Ming ti, on the contrary, reigned but eighteen Years. His Defcendants were always in Trouble, and fucceeded always foon to one another, and loon loft the Empire. The Wotfnip of Fo did not end with the Dynafty of the Han ; on the contrary, it encreafed. Notwithftanding this, in a very Ihort time, a great many Dynafties fucceeded one another, namely, the Song, the T/i, the Lying, and the Chin. And of all thefe Princes, Lyang vii ti alone reigned for a long time. This Prince, from his Bigotry to the Seft of Fo would not kill Animals, even for the (t) Tji of his Anceftors. He reduced himfelf to one Meal a Day, and that confided of Pulfe and Fruits. In Ihort, three times during his Reign, did he debale himfelf to honour Fo by MeannelTes un¬ worthy ’of his Rank. Where did all this end ? He was belieged in Tay doing, and prefs'd fo clofe by Hew king, that he died of Famine, and his Empire paffed into other Hands. Thefe Princes, who have founded their Empires upon the Honours they paid to Fo, have been llill more unhap¬ py. Let 11s then conclude, that the Service of Fo is, at lealf, an ufelefs Thing. The illuftrious Founder of our Dynafty, Tang, when he became Matter of the Empire, enter¬ tained a Thought of extirpating this Seft. He put the Affair under Deliberation: But un¬ happily they who were in Poft, were Men of a narrow Way of thinking. They were not con¬ versant in Antiquity, and, for the moft part, they were ignorant of the Doftrine of our ancient Kings, which is fo agreeable to all Times: So that, inftead of profiting by the good Difpofitions of Kautfu, to extirpate that Error out of China, they let the Propofal drop. How heartily do I curfe them, whenever I think of this! Your Majefty, whom fo much Wifdom, and fo much Valour, exalt above the moft of the Princes who have reigned thefe many Years; your Majefty, I fay, in the Beginning of your Reign, prohibited this Seift from building new Temples, andany of your Subjects from becoming a Bon- za in time to come. This makes me believe, and fay with Joy, that at leaft, under your Reign, the Defigns of Kau tfii will be executed. Yet, your Orders have as yet been without Effedt: This is too much Condefcenfion already. But belides, how can you yourfelf annul them by running into an Extreme diredtly oppofite ? It is laid to be by your Majefty s Orders, that all the Bonzas affemble folemnly to conduft in Proceffion one of the Bones of Fo, into the inner Part of your Palace, where you defign to place it with Honour in an exalted Hall. Notwith- llanding the Poornefe of myjudgment, I know well that your Majefty, tho' you have given Orders about this Pomp of Worfhip, Proceffions and Prayers, is no way devoted at the Bottom to the Sea of Fo. I know well, your real Motive is ; that you may render the Joy which fills all Hearts, more folemn, for this plentiful Year. Indulging this Difpofition, you havea mind to give fume Speftacle, or new Diverfion; and for that Reafon, you have permitted this Pomp of extra¬ ordinary Ceremonies. For in Ihort, is it probable, that a Prince, fo underftaoding as you are, (hould have any Belief in that Sett? No! I am perfwaded you have not; but the ignorant ftupid Vulgar, are ealy to be feduced, but hard to be reclaimed. When they perceive that your Majefty pays thele outward Ho¬ nours to Fo, they are convinced that you really honour him: And they don t fail to lay ; Our great and wife Emperor, giving himfelf fo much ado about honouring Fo ; why Ihould we poor People fpare our Perlons and Lives? There needs no more to perfuade them, by Dozens and Hundreds, to burn their Heads and Fingers. The only Conteft then among them will be, who fhall (*) The Name of aSeftand Sefhry, which came from India. any Pofleflions. (J-; A Title of Honour next to the Iltv.-, They are Kings, but (t J it is faiJ, that in their Stead, he made the Animals ap- Fcudatory. At prefent, this Dignity is a mere Title without pointed for thefe Ceremonies, ot Parte. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, 6V, foall fooneft fquander what he has, in order to take the Habit of a Btmza. At lead from Even¬ ing to Morning, the Roads leading to the Bonzaries will be filled with Pilgrims Old and Young will be feen running thither in Crowds; and for fear of what may happen, dived themfelves of what they have. They will go dill farther, and if this (hould be prevented by rigorous Prohibit tions affixt to the Bonzaries, there will be Ample People enough found, who will flath their Arms and other Parts of their Bodies in honour of Fo (a). am meir Arms This Abufe, you mud be fenfible, will be greatly prejudicial to good Morals, hurt our Policy and render us ridiculous to all the World. But what was this fame Fo ? A barbarous Foreigner whofe Tongue and Cioaths were different from ours. He never was capable to fpeak that Language which our antient Princes have tranfmitted to us: Nor did he ever wear any Cioaths made in the Fadiion regulated by thefe great Men. He either was ignorant of, or neglefted, the mod effential Duties of Prince to Subjedf, and of Son to Father. In fhort, let us fuppofe that this Fo were dill alive, and that his Prince had deputed him in his Name, to repair to your Court to pay you Homage; how would your Majedy receive it? At mod, after a ihort Audience, you either would treat him hofpitably according to the Rites ■ and make him a Prelent of a cornpleat Habit, or elfe you would order him a Guard which (hould have an Eye to his Condudt, and which ihould convey him to your Frontiers, without allowing him an Opportunity of endeavouring to feduce your People. In this manner would you treat To If he were yet alive, and lent hither by his Prince, why then (hould he be fo much revered fo many Vears after his Death? Where then is the Decorum of introducing in Pomp into your Palace, and to its innermod Parts, whofe Accefs is fo feverely prohibited, a rotten Bone the forty dinking Remains of his Carcafs? RefpeSl the Quey diin, faid Confucius, but don’t go 'near them It ha- been feen m Antiquity, that Clou hew being obliged to perform a funeral Ceremony with¬ out the Bounds of his own State, was afraid of troublefome Confequences: And that in order to guard againd the Badnefs of the Omen, he fent one of thefe U, who, by ufing the Herb Lye and 'other Formalities, averted the Misfortunes. J At prefent, your Majedy, without taking any Precaution, and without the lead Neceffity draws near a rotten dinking Bone, and dops to look at it. Notwithdanding this your Officers keep Silence, and differ you to do it, the Tu tfe themfelves, who by their Employment are more oblig’d to fpeak, have not made the lead Remondrance. Indeed I bludi with Shame. Give up I conjure you, give up that Bone to your Officers of Judice : Let them cad it into the Water ot the Fire, and thus root up the Evil. Thereby you will prevent the Progrefs of thofe Sufpicions and Doubts, which you have given Rife to in your Empire, prepoffefs Poderity againd thefe Errors and verify by your Example, that Sages of the fird Rate, in concerting and executing their Defigns far exceed the Generality of Mankind. Oh ! How glorious and how graceful would that be in vou ? Oh ! What a Joy would that give to me, and to every truly zealous Subjeft! Dread no trouble¬ fome Confequences: I take thefe all upon my felf. If Fo really can do any thing, let him difeharge all his Wrath upon me. Shang tyen, who fees us inwardly, knows that my Sentiments anfwer to my Words, and that I am incapable to prevaricate. Happy (hould I be, if your Majedy would indulge my earned Prayer. I (hould not then know how to exprefs my loyal Gratitude Hyen tjong , having read thisWriting, was in fo great an Anger, that he defigned to put Han yu to Death. But he was appealed at lad by Ffwi kyun, Fey td, and feme others. He was fatis- fied with banifhing Tun yu to the Provinces, where he gave him a Pod much inferior to that he had at Court. FheEmperor Kang hi’r Remark. ] TheExpreffions here are clofe and full of Honedy; and at the Bottom, reafonable and fenfible. It ought to have been fufficient to have reclaim’d the fird Man of the Literati of that Dynaffy from the vulgar Errors, and to have given a Value for its Author I leave the Reader to judge, both of theDifcourfe oCHanyu,md what theEmperor and he faysof it, by which he will know in what manner the Chinefe reafon, when they refute drange Religions.. Y wen ching, being one of the Cenfors by his Office, fre/ented thefollowing Difcourfe to the Emperor. O U R antient Kings, by edablilhing different Employments for the common Good, intended that each (hould acquit himfelf of his own, with Exadtnefs and Faithfulnefs, and that they who failed (hould be cafhiered, and even puniihed with Death. At prefent, amongd all the Officers of your Empire, We the Cenfors, without contradiflion, are they who mod ufelefsly fill fo me Employments at your Court, and do the lead for our Appointments. It was not thus under Fay tfong : That Prince, who was the Honour of your Family, had IVang quey, and Wcy ching : He had them always near his Perfon, even in the Time of his Diverfions. He gave them (o much Employment, that he formed no Enterprile, and gave no Orders without taking their Advice. Thus, what was too hard for the Capacity of that Prince, when aided by the Under- ftandmg of thele two great Men ? Nothing was better laid down, than the Projedts that were undertaken under that glorious Reign ; nothing was ever better conceived, than the Declarations and Ordinances that were then publilhed. Fay tfong treating his Cenfors thus, was only afraid of making too few. When the three fird Orders affembled to take fomeImportant Refolution with regard to War, he always caufed one of the Cenfors to affid, and to make the Report to him The great Officers, who are by their Pods, as it were, the Eyes, Ears, and Arms of their Sovereigns’ had then in Fay tfong, not only a vigilant Head, but a good Father, who devoted them to his Per¬ fon by a tender Generofity, and animated them tq his Service by an entire Confidence As every VoL ’ T - 6 U ' thing, (a) The belt of Religions when its ProfeiTors lofe Reafon in tnlhujia/n or PrUJlcra/l, degenerates into the like Absurdities. S 37 8 The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, cfc. tiling tho’ propofed by the Prince himfelf, was freely rejetfted at the Council Board it it was bad ffo every thing that was good, was eagerly embraced. Thereby Succcls became l'o lure, that in lets than four Years there was feen an admirable Order in the Empire: And the Chiefs of our birburous Neighbours came themfelves with their Arms to guard our Emperon What was tire Reafon of fo great and fo ready a Succefs ? Was it the Force of Arms? No, it was the Accefs which the Prince granted to his Perfon, it was his Manner of receiving Counfels, and the Zeal of his Officers, efpecially his Cenfors, to give him good ones. How much are Things now changed in this Re ip eft! All the Office of Cenfors, at prefent, is reduced to the Appearance they make in their Rank, at certain Ceremonies, but \yhat is the Duty of their Polls by their Inftitution ? It is carefully to obferve the Prince, and to tupply, by their Advices, every Failing, both in his perfonal and political Charafter. It is to propole openly, in full Audience, and in full Council, capital and effential Points, and fome others in particular under their Hand and Seal. Thefe feveral Years, there have been no Audiences or Councils as for¬ merly, nor any Channel regulated for thefe Writings. Behold then the Subilance of the CenforsPoft now'. When a new Order ispublilh'd, when any Retrenchment or extraordinary Regulation is made, if they appeared blameable to the Cenfors, they could under their Hands and Seals reprefent the Inconveniences, and propofe their own Opi¬ nions. Alas 1 fay I to my ielf, when I think of this, when one has even the Freedom of realon- ing with the Prince upon Affairs, and to fuggeft to him Precautions againll future Dangers ; in fhort, when at the Council Board and in private Audiences, one labours with the Prince in the Government of the State; yet it does not fail fometimes to happen, that he has difficulty enough to make him yield and quit his own Opinion, and to keep in his Favour againll Sycophants and Backbiters. How can we, by a fimple Remonftrance, or by an Advice given under our Seals, raufe Ordinances to be revoked after they are publithed, Things already eftabliflied to be abolilhed, or draw from the Prince one of thele honourable Declarations, of which we had formerly fo ma¬ ny, and of late, fo few Inftances? No, that is not a thing to be hoped for. It appears fo im- prafticable, that he who makes Remonftrances, or gives any Advice with regard to Government, is look’d on as a Knight Errant, fometimes, as an incendary. Things being on fuch a Footing, I cannot, notwithftanding my Defedt of Merit, hinder myfelf from bluihing, while I ufelefsly fill a Poll which Wang quey and Wey ding pofleffed under Tay tfong. If your Majefty looks upon me and my Colleagues, as Perfons incapable to aflift, or unworthy to approach you, we confe- quently are' unworthy to poffefs the Rank we fill at your Court; we ought to be broke and ba- But if your Majelly has put me in Poll, with a Defign that I fliould be ufeful : If with the fame View you continue to me the Penfion and Honours annexed to my Rank, I beg that you would give me an Opportunity of fulfilling its mod effential Duties. Formerly, the firft Cenfors were of the Privy Council, as much as the Prime Minifler was. Befides, the firft Cenfors were frequently about the Perfon of the Prince, who called them from time to time, by an exprefs Or¬ ders : He'always received them with an Air of Goodnefs, which affur’d them, as it were, that their Advices would be agreeable. If your Majefty will be pleafed to re-eftablifti Things upon that Footing, I fhall endeavour on my Part to anfwer your Goodnefs, and worthily to fulfil the Duties of my Function ; I will lay before you my weak Thoughts, and perhaps I may be fo happy as to propofe fome that may be of Ufe to your Service. But if your Majefty lhall find nothing in them but what is frivolous and trifling, let me be punifhed, and die the Death of a Traytor. It would be lefs Blocking for me, to lay "down my Cenforfhip, than to poffels it on the Terms I do now. A Memorial prefented to an Emperor under the DynaJlyoftheTmg, to induce him to rank(*) Han wen kong in thcNumber ofthofe who accompany Confujius, in the Buildings eredled to hisHonour. T H E Sages of the firft Rate are glad to be known, provided their Wifdom can be ufeful. There "is one thing admirable in this, which is, that fooner or later, they have Juftice done them. Some are in Polls during their Life, and become the Glory and Happinefs of their Age : After which, they are entirely, or very near, forgot. Others, who during their Life-time are neg- leaed, are honoured after their Death: And their Memory for many Ages encreafes in Fame. Confu’fius was of the lail Sort. From the Times of the (f) Han to thofe of the Sow, the high- eft Titles that the Emperors have conferred upon him, have been thofe of (J) Kong or Hew. At laft, under our Dynafty Tang, he got the Title of (§) Vang. The Titles of his Scholars were always changed in Proportion ; being made Kong or Hew, when before they were only King or Ta fit. Tho’ filial Piety has been always look’d upon, as the Virtue moft capable to move Tyen ti, and to touch Iguey pin ; Pfen tje, whom this Virtue rendered fo famous, nevertbelefs remained, for the Space of five or fix hundred Years, among the common Rank of Difciples : And it was only by our Dynafty Tang, that he was advanced to be one of the ten (||) Che. Thele were happy and charming Regulations, if ever there were any fuch. In the Middle of a dark Night, if the Moon appears all of a fudden, her Splendor appears the more bright. It is the fame with the Sun, where lie rifes from behind the thick-Clouds that had long concealed him. The longer the Time is fince it thunder’d laft, the louder will the next Thunder be. m Wen low, is a Title of Honour bellowed upon Onto, (the (t) Degrees of Honour, fuch as Marque* Duke, (ft King, /uchorof a Piece which we have feen above, againft the Bone (||) Che, fignifies able, intelligent, &c. I hele ten Lht hold of Fo.) after his Death. (f) Names of Dynalties. a dilfinguilhed Place in the Hall of Confucius. The Imperial Colie Elion of Ed ids, Declarations, He. 339 be. The Wifdom and Memory of (* * * (§) ) Chong chi , which was negleCted or defpifed under the (-J-) Chew and. the Tjin, known and refpeCted, but in too imall a Degree, under the Han, buried, and as it were extinguifhed under 'Tfin, the Song, the Chin, and the Swi, has at laft, under our Dynafty ‘Tang, happily and glorioufly, in one Day, been avenged of the Injuries of fo many Ages. If the Dead are confcious, it is eafy to judge of the Sentiments, which thefe great Men enter¬ tain about thefe Changes. But our Dynafty Tang itfelf has had a Man, whofe whole Life was employed in the Maxims of Confucius, who has difplayed their Worth in his Dilcourfes and Writ¬ ings, and exprefled it in his Morals and Actions: In the former, he is on a Level with (J) Ten and Min, in the latter, with Hyew and Hya. Yet he has not a Place at the Feaft celebrated in Honour of Confucius. This I think is very inconfiftent with the Zeal of our Dynafty in Ho¬ nour of Confucius, and inconfiftent too with the Honour, which the Zeal of our Dynafty has always exprefled for departed Sages. One Wen chong tfe, without much deferving it, enjoy’d this Honour for a long time; and can it be denied to Han wen kong ? None ever deferved it better than he did. He declared an open War with the SeCts Tang, Me, Fo, Lau, and fingly reduced them to the greateft Extremities. He fairly and vigoroufty maintained the DoCtrine of Cmfupius j he maintains it at this Day in his Writings, from whence Thoufands of learned Men draw, at the fame time, the fame Zeal againft the falfe SeCts, the fame Love of Virtue, and the fame Art of go¬ verning a-right, which he himfelf drew from Confupius. Thus he fays in one of his Works, If there had not been fo great a Majler as Confucius, / would not have called myfelf a Scholar. And furely, if he had lived with Confucius, he had at prefent poflefled a diftinguifhed Rank in the Monuments ereCted to the Honour of that great Mafter. Under our Dynafty Tang, a Score of Men, famous each in his feveral Age, for being attached to the Books of Confucius, have been pitched upon to have a Place on that Account in the Hall, and at the Banquet of Confucius. I do not at all blame this; there is nothing in it but what is ufeful and reafonable: But if this Honour has been granted to twenty Perfons, of whom moft had not well penetrated into, or comprehended the profound Senfe of Corfu pius: How can it be refufed to Wen kong, the Glory of our Dynafty, who fo well exprefs’d it in his ConduCt, and raifed its Value in his Writings? I therefore befeech your Majefty to give Orders, that a Place may be affigned to this great Man; and I doubt not, but fuch an Order will infpire into your Subjects a new Ardour for Study and Virtue. In the eighth of the Tears named Pau ta, on occafion of fome extraordinary Phenomena, the Emperor publijhed the following Declaration. W E find in the Book Chun tfyu, a great Number of Solar Eclipfes, Earthquakes, Comets, extraordinary (§) Showers and Hail. At prefent, we fee thele extraordinary Phenomena renewed ; Whether the Faults of the Princes draw them on us, or if it is the charitable Warnings of Tyen, [Heaven] whofe Heart is full of Goodnefs; they ought equally to infpire us with a re- fpeCtful Dread. With thefe Sentiments, upon feeing thefe Prodigies, I -call to Mind, that formerly my Armies being in the Country of the Min and TwJ, the Officers and Soldiers there, committed great Excefles: Without refpeCting theWill of Tyen, or being touched with the Neceffities of Men, they ruined Agriculture, and brought the People to Mifery. Tho’ they did this without my Or¬ ders, and againft my Intentions, yet their Sin falls upon me, and I acknowledge that I am guilty. That I may teftify my Repentance, and, in fome meafure, repair my Faults, I grant an Amnefty to all the Criminals of my Empire, and I ordain, that Care (hall be taken, effectually to relieve the Poor, efpecially fuch as are deftitute. In the firft of the Tears called (b) Twang kong, Tay tfong, the fecond Emperor of the Dynafty Song, Declarations gave the Title of Vang to four of his So?is in different Provinces, where they already commanded, under the and addreffed to them the following Dilcourfe, which he publijhed in form of a Declaration. of D URING the Years named Hyen te, while the ( 4 -) Chew reigned, I was fcarce fixteen Years of Age, and followed my deceafed Father, who commanded the imperial Armies, and who r educed to Obedience Tang chew, Tay chew, and other Places. Being early ac- cuftomed to carry Arms, I frequently fought againft the Rebels, and killed many of them with my own Hand. My Brother, who during that time was employed in reducing Lu ho, being informed by my Father’s Letters of my Courage and ConduCt, faid ; It is well, we have a worthy younger Brother. At Eighteen I joined him, and was prefent at the famous Expeditions of Kyan quail, I chew, and Mo chew. My Brother mounting the Throne a little after, had two Wars fuc- ceffively upon his Hands, againft two Rebel Officers. He marched againft them in Perfon, he committed to me the Care of defending the Capital, and of maintaining Order through all. He returning victorious, I had the Command of his principal Troops, and the Government of Kay fong. My ConduCt there, during fixteen or feventeen Years, is well known. The Literati and the People, the Hufbandmen and the Soldiers, all praifed it, and 1 had the Pleafure to fee the Wicked (*) A Surname of Confucius. , (b) The firft of the Tnvang or fwon kong , as it is in P.Fouquet's (f) That is to fay, during his Life, and the two or three hun- Table, was the 13th Year of the Reign of this F.mpcror. dred Years immediately after his Death. (|) This is not the ancient and famous Family of that Name, (J) Famous Difciples of Confucius. but one of thofe five, each of which reigned for fo fhort a time (§) That Author fays, that it rained frozen Wood. betwixt the fang and the Song. 7 he Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Wicked themfelves reform by my Cares. In fhort, during the (*) thirteen Years that I have reign¬ ed, you know how averfel have been to all Luxury and foolifh Expences; you have neither feen me opprefsmy People by ufelefs Expeditions, or by Voyages of Plealure abroad, nor lead a volup¬ tuous fofc Life at home: Above all, you have feen me upright and fincere, without Affedation, and without Vanity in my Words or Condudt As for (-j“) you who are born to Royalty and Plenty, you have been delicately bred up within a Palace; and this makes me fear, that being unacquainted with the Miferies of the People, and negligent of didinguilhing Vice from Virtue, you may commit a great many Faults. I have a thoufand things to lay before you on this Head: But I fhall confine myfelf to recommend to you fome of the moft eflential Points. Know therefore, that as you are the Sons of an Empe¬ ror, you ought above all things to vanquifh and curb your Paflions. That you may be afiided in this, always hear with Attention, and take in good Part the Advice that fhall be given you, either with regard to your Faults or Defeds. Never put your Cloaths on, without compaffionately refleding how many Cares and Pains the Stuffs that you wear have cod. While you are at your Meals, refled upon the Sweat and the Toils of the Hulbandman. If you are to take a Refolution to decide an Affair, or judge in a Caufe, put yourfelf ih the calmed Difpofition : No Joy, no Anger. I have a great many Affairs to go through, but that does not at all fatigue me. Was I ever feen to exprefs either Impatience or Difgufl? I give a great many Audiences: Was I ever known to fhew, I will not fay Difdain or Haughtinefs, but not to treat every one according to his Rank, and with due Civility ? Above all, I recommend to you carefully to avoid Defeds, to which Princes who have Spirit and Capacity, are very liable. Don’t trud too much to your own Under- Handing, nor defpife the Advices of them, whom you believe to be lefs capable than yourfelf. It was a good Saying of our Ancedors; I look upon a Man who contradicts, me, as my Mafter , becaufe he wants to injiruCl me, and to be ufeful to me. But I dread hitn, who applauds and flatters me, as my Enemy-, for he looks to his own Tnterefi, and not to mine. Don’t forget thele Maxims, but prac- tiie them ; and thereby you will keep your Footing and come to a happy End. Remonflrance of Yun chu to his Emperor, with regard to three Faults which he found in him. If ENT I, one of the Han, was a Prince of Angular Virtue ; and yet Kya i at that time found K fomewhat to bewail in his Government. Vu ti, one of his Succefl'ors, had reduced and fub- dued all his barbarous Neighbours; and yet Sin lo and Ten ngan did not fail to inculcate upon him the Ruin of Tfin, as if he had reafon to fear the lame Fate. Thefe two great Princes were fo far from being angry with thefe Advices, that they took them very well. Thus, the Empire con¬ tinued without Interruption, for upwards of ten Generations. EulJhi, the Son and Succelfor of Shi whang, who yvas the fecond and laff Emperor of the Tfin, and Tangti, the fecond and lad Emperor of the Swi, adted quite otherways; therefore they perifhed in a very fhort time. I am far from defigning to compare a Prince fo gentle and virtuous as you, to either of thefe two lad. But I beg you at the fame time, to-examine how neceffary it is, that Things fhould be on as good a Foot¬ ing now, as they were under Ven ti and Fu ti. Towards the Wed, there is a Nation fometimes fubmitlive, and fometimes jealous: You have very powerful Enemies tovvards the North. Both the one and the other are attentive to what pafles in the Empire, and are ready to take Advantage of any Commotions that fliall happen. Thus, notwithdanding of the Peace your Empire adlu- ally enjoys, your Majedy has reafon to be afraid, and to block up every Inlett to the fmalled Dilbrders. Befides the Care of watching over the Frontiers, and of opening a Door to Advices, which I cannot enough recommend to you ; my Zeal for your Glory and the common Good, obliges me to reprefent to you three Things. In the fird Place, you are incondant in your Government, you frequently alter your Edidts. In the fecond Place, you often mifplace your Favours, and do not always make a right Choice of the Perfons whom you employ and trud. In the third Place, you are extravagant in your Gratifications, which are commonly ill judged. There is nothing eafier for your Majedy, than to fhun thefe three Defedts. It depends only upon yourfelf: You have no more to do, but heartily to will it; to which I exhort you, and fo much the more, becaufe it ap¬ pears to me, that at lad they may be attended with bad Confequences. Let us touch a little upon each: To what do the People trud, if not to the Words and Edicts of their Sovereign ? Anciently, when one was publifhed, every body run eagerly to read or to hear it; now-a-days it is otherways. They are coldly received. Everyone who talks of them, fays; This is not conftant, we cant depe?id upon this Edict : Another very different, or perhaps direCtly contrary, will be J'oon publifhed. In this manner People talk: This Incondancy which renders your Edidts defpicable, cannot fail to diminilli, by little and little, the Refpedt that is due to Sove¬ reign Authority. I hear People fometimes reafon upon th'13 Incondancy, and the Caufe to which they attribute it is as follows. The mod part of your Officers lay before you a Regulation : Beforehand they weigh its Advantages, and lay them before your Majedy ; yoii approve of them. If another, whom you love and value, comes, and in a private Audience, puts Things in another Light, concluding that the former Regulation was by no means convenient; your Majedy immediately changes your Opinion. Therefore, when your zealous and underdanding Officers fee the Fruit of their Zeal and their Wifdom vanifh, they cool, and are difeouraged. The fecond Inconvenience of your (*) He fucceedea his Brother, who died without Male IiTue. ft' He addreffes his Sons, whom he had made Vang. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. your Inconftancy is this; the Sovereign alone can diftribute Dignities and Polls, according to the Merits and Services of each. Tilings not long ago have been much changed not only the being related to the Emprefs, but even the Pod of a Eunuch of the Palace, or the Merit of having fome Connexion with them, is a Title of being advanced very quickly. This Method which has been opened one of thefe Years, is fo well known, and fo common, that it has got a Name ; It is called the Within-door Way. I don't know, but that under the Reigns of fome of the Dynally of the Tang, while Women were at the Helm of Affairs, fuch Methods mi?ht be in Ufe then. But I know well, that thefe Reigns have been always look’d upon as the bad Times of the Dy- nafty; that that Method was then called the indireSi Way, and that thefe Examples are not to be follow'd. If among the Relations of Queens, or amongft the Eunuchs of the Palace, there are found any Men of Virtue, Merit, or great Capacity, they ought to be advanced; but let it be in a quite different manner; and by the Deliberation of the Council, not by indiredt fneaking Methods: Thefe are unworthy of your Majefty, and liable to great Inconveniencies. If your Officers who fee thefe Inconveniencies, are filent, and wink at them, that is a great Breach of the Laws. If they vigoroufly oppofe them, that would be to put a bar upon your Goodnefs, and to refill your Will. To abandon the Defence of the Laws, is what zealous faithful Officers can never refolve to do: To oppofe your Goodnefs and your Orders, is what refpedful Subjedls will hardly do, for fear of weakening your Authority. This is a perplexing Dilemma. Befides, I beg you would confider, that the principal thing you require of your Officers, is a perfedt Equity, which is never byaffed by private Affedtions, or interefted Views. You are in the right to exadt this. But how can you obtain it, if in the Diftribution of Honours and Polls, you are inconfiftent with yourfelf. As for Gratifications, Princes ought to bellow them; for by their Means, a Prince animates his Officers to l'erve him well. But befides, that their Donor ought always to be tender of the common Good, there are likewife Rules to be obferved in Gratifications. They mud be pro¬ perly made, and difcreetly proportioned. But for thele feveral Years, you have carried them to an excels. It is not rare to fee you without any Reafon, make large Prefents, fometimes to a Domef- tic, fometimes to a Groom of your Bed-chamber, and fometimes to a Phyfician. Your Subjedls know this very well, and lay loudly, that your Majefty is a very bad Hulband of what your An- ceflors have faved, and that you will foon exhauft it all. The People indeed have not feen the infide of your Coffers; nor can they know exaflly what is, or what is not there. But on the one Hand, as they are acquainted with your Bounty, fo on the other, they feel themfelves every Day loaded with new Taxes. Hence, they conclude, that your Exchequer is not very well fur- nilhed, and they fufpedl that what you feek from them, you lavilh upon Sycophants. Yes! That People who faw with Pleafure, the Valour and the Services of Wangquey richly rewarded, groans under lefs confiderable, but more frequent and ill judged Gratifications. Thele Thoughts which I have laid before you, are not my own private Sentiments alone, but thofe of the Public. AH the great Officers about your Perfon know this as well as me; but the Fear of difpleafing you, binds up their Tongues. By their Silence, the Government every Day goes from bad to world’ and the Minds of your Subjedls are exafperated to a Degree that makes me tremble. All I wilh then, is, that you would inceffantly regulate your Houthold, and exert yourfelf in your public Charadler with that Application, that fo vail an Empire requires. Then you will not want zealous loyal Subjeds, who will affift you with their Abilities. The Laws by little and little will be eftablillred in their former Vigor; your Revenues being rightly managed, will fufficc for the Exigences of the State, and the Security of the Frontiers. In (hort, that I may end as I have be¬ gun, I beg that your Majefty would confider, that the Occafion of the fudden Ruin of the Tfin and the S-wi, was, their having Hint the Door to Advices, by taking them amifs; and that a Con- dud diredtly oppofite, rendered the Reigns of Ven ti and Vie ti in the Times of the Han, ffiorious and affured the Crown for a long time to their Pofterity. ^DISCOURSE by SHE KYAY. U N D E R the prefent Dynally, we have nothing but Impofts, Taxes, and Prohibitions, and thefe too in the higheft Degree. They obtain on the Mountains, and in the Vallies, in Rivers and Seas; upon Salt, and upon Iron, upon Wine and Tea; upon Stuffs and Silks, upon Turnpikes and Roads, upon Brooks and Bridges. Upon all thele and many other Things, I every where fee Prohibitions laid, &c. While thefe Prohibitions are rigoroully and carefully enforced I lee on the other Hand, the Son abandon the Father, and the People withdraw from the Autho¬ rity of the Prince; the Hulbandmen quit the Spade and the Plough, and the Women the Manu¬ factures of Stuffs. The Tiadefmen, each in his way, every Day refine upon vain Ornaments; the Merchants traffic with Pearls and other ufelefs Ornaments; the Gentlemen of the Gown negledt the Study of our ancient Books, whofe Summary is JuJiice and Charity. Superilition and Error become as fo nranyCuftoms: Corruption creep into our very Language; empty Flourilhcs be¬ come the Fafhion ; Numbers of People run about the Streets, and lead an idle Life A «reat Number of Magiftrates lofe their Time at Entertainments ; Multitudes of People wear Cloath- far above their Ranks; Buildings become every Day more expenfive ; Weaknefs and Innocence oppreft by Force and Power. The great Officers fuffer themfelves to be corrupted and their Un derlings to fleece the People. I fee, I fay, all this; andl fee at the fame time, that no effedlual Remedy is applied, either for preventing or fuppreffing it. And yet, according to the Notions of our Antients, thofe wholfome true Notions it was a per- VoL ' L 6 X ’ W S4 2 - The Imperial Colie ftion of Edicts, Declarations, &c. fonal Crime in a Son to abandon his Father, nay, it was a public Diforder, and is always a great Abufe It is rebellious in a Subjefl to withdraw himfelf from Authority ; for Men to abandon the labouring the Ground, and the Women the Manufadtures of Stuffs, is to ftarve both themfelves and others: For the Workmen to refine upon vain Ornaments, the Merchants to traffic in uieleis 1 oys, and the Literati to negleft Charity and Juftice, is, for each, in his refpeaive Profellion, to abandon what is Effential and Capital. For Superftitions toeftabliffi themfelves in China , is to introduce Barbarifm into the Empire. To bringa florid Stile in Vogue, is, as it were, to bury our King: So many idle Vagabonds running about the Streets, and our Magiftrates loflng their Time at Feafls, is abandoning both public and private Concerns. By the Prevalence of Luxury in Building and Cloaths, all Orders muff be foon confounded. By Force and Power not being curbed, the Poor and the Weak are oppreft. By great Officers fuffering themfelves to be corrupted by prefents, and the fmall living upon Rapine, there is an End of Equity and Juftice. Where is the Wifdotn in not prohibiting, or rather in not putting an effeiftual Stop to fo great Evils, and in inforcing a rigo¬ rous Obfervance of, I do not know ho w rnanv, Prohibitions, from whatever is neceffiry to Mankind ? Is this the Government of our Ancients? But if any one ffiould afk at me, what ihould be done in order to re-eftabliffi that wife Government, my Anl'wer (hall be in two Words: All that is done at prefent inuft be forbidden, and all that is forbidden muft be done : Such was the Go- vernment of our Anceftors. The Emperor Kang hi’s Remark .] AmongLaws,there arefome more fome lefs important: Some are Capital and Effential, and fome are lefs fo. If they are confounded, and the latter are prefer¬ red to the former, the People do not know which ot them to embrace. The Diftinftion that ought chiefly to be made in this Cafe, is very well laid down in this Piece, whofe Stile is likewife lively and nervous. An hiftorical Glofs fays, that She kyay was an able, upright, refolute Mn, who loved G ood and hated Evil: But a little too greedy of Reputation. For which Reafon, he feized all Occaii- ons of fpeaking and adting. He thereby made himfelf Enemies who fought to ruin him, and he had fome Difficulty to efcape their Vengeance. Jin tfonv having no Son, adopted one of his Relations who was a young Man, and created him here - J ditan Prince. Phe young Prince being weak and committing Jeveral Faults, the Emperor and the Emprefs bad thoughts offubflituting another in his Room : But the Secret was not fo well kept, but that 'the Prince was apprized of it. Upon this, they laid a fide their Defign: And Jin tfong dyinr, the young Prince was declared Emperor. He falling fick, and his Difeafe putting him out op a Condition to take care of his Affairs, the Emprefs Dowager took the Reins of Government in her own Hand, giving Audiences regularly, and confulting about every thing with the Mtmfiers thro a Curtain. As foon as the Emperor was recovered, Jhe refigned the Government into his Hands. Phe Prince having been informed that Jin Bong, and the Emprefs had for fome time been confulting to fet him af.de, he inwardly owed them a grudge ; and feemed uneafy, that the Emprefs had 'during his Illnefs, taken upon her the Government. Phe Officers oj the Palace fid- ingwith his Refentment, treated that Princefs very ill, and let her and her Daughters be in Want of a great many Phings. At this Jun&ure, the Emperor being informed of the Services and Me¬ rit of Fu pi, nominated him to be Ting che, which at that time was a very confderable Poff ; but Fu pi exalted himfelf from accepting it, and laying hold of fo fair an Opportunity exhorted the Emperor fo behave otberways with Regard to the deceafed Emperor, and the Emprefs Dowager who was yet living. He did it as ufual, in Writing-, and it was in the following Perms. S I R ; I have a due Senfe of the Goodnefs with which you would reward me for fome Ser¬ vices that my Duty bound me to perforin to the Emperor your Father. But I would be much better plealed, if you yourlelf would endeavour to acknowledge the Obligations you are under to that Prince, and the Emprefs his Confort who is yet alive. They chofe you as their Succeffor to the Throne, out of a great many Princes of the Blood, who were as nearly related to them as you. If at prefent, you poffefs the glorious Title of the (*) Son of Pyen, if you are Maf- ter of the vaft Riches of fo great an Empire, it is merely thro’ their Favour. A Angular Favour if ever any was! A Favour for which it is not eafy to make fuitable Returns. In fhort, a Fa¬ vour which you cannot enough acknowledge. Yet, you not only negleil to acquit yourfelfof the ordinary Ceremonies with Regard to the late Emperor, but you are neither obferved to pay the Refpedt due to the Perfon, nor to provide for the Exigencies, of the Emprefs Dowager who is yet alive. How! Is then the mod ordinary Civilities too great a Complement to Perfonsto whom you owe fo much ? Where is your Gratitude and Piety ? Surely all the Empire expects ot h er things of your Majefty. While you were under the Hands of the Phyficians, the World was lefs furprized at this Conduit. But fince your Health is recovered, fince you bear without anv lnconveniency, all the Weight of Affairs; to fulfill all the other Duties of a Prince, and to negleil that of a Son, makes every Officer, both of your Court and in the Provinces, conclude, that your former Negligence was not fo much occafioned by your Want of Health, as your Want of Piety. As for my fhare, I own that I don't underftand the Motive that induces you to ail in this Manner. Is it becaufe you imagined, that the late Emperor in his Life-time, dilcovered a Coldnefs towards you ? Is it becaufe you have had unfavourable Accounts on that Head; It is a certain Truth, that the late Emperor if he pleafed, might have named another Succeffor befides yotu (•) Tjtr. • , this is a Title of Honour given to the Emperors of China, The Imperial Colleclion of Edicts, Declarations, you ; but he chofe you, and in Confequence of that Choice, you are his SuccefTor. What fur- mifes or fufpicions, even tho’ they had a little Foundation, ought to efface a Favour fo well known, fo great, and fo real. As for the Eraprefs Dowager, if, for fome time, die took the Management of Affairs upon her felf, file did it at the Requeft of your Minifters and other great Officers, while you was not in a Condition to manage them yourfelf; but file never pretended to be a Partner with you in Sove¬ reign Rule. In fhort, fome time ago, file refigned to you the Government; fince which time you have reigned and ruled alone. The reft is paft and ought to be forgot, nor does it become you to refent it fo long as you do. For thefe petty Reafons of Uneafinefs, even tho’ they were real, to forget a Benefit of the firft Order, is to imitate Yew vang, who is fliarply reprimanded in the Shi king , for a Fault in its kind, not fo grievous as yours. I have a lenfible Concern when I fee you, inflead of imitating Shun , a Prince eminent in fo many Rcfpccts, particularly in that of his Piety towards his Relations, imitate Yew vang, a Prince who is fo infamous in Hiftory. It is faid, that it is not the Emprefs Dowager alone, who mufl bear with your capricious Temper, your Refentment I hear, extends even to the Daughters of the late Emperor, whom confequently you ought to look upon as your Sifters. You have deprived them of their Apart¬ ments, and given it to your own Daughters. Being fliut up in a Corner of the Palace, they receive from you not the leaft Mark of your Goodnefs; you take no Care of them, and they are to you as Strangers. Permit me then to open my Heart, and to inform you of tile Sentiments of the whole Empire, and of my felf more efpecially. The late Emperor reigned for 41 Years. Un¬ der a Reign whole Happinefs was equal to its Length, the Empire felt the Effedis of his Good¬ nefs. There is not one of his Officers who is not (*) pierced with his Gratitude: As no Man owes more to him than I do, being railed by him, from one of the poor fimple Literati to the greateft Employments, fo no body has more fincere, and more lively Sentiments of Gratitude for that good Prince, than I have. By this you may judge, how great the Concern of all the Sub¬ ject of your Empire, and of me in particular, is to fee the Emprefs hisConfort, and the Princefles his Daughters fo much neglected. I am fo much affected with it, that I have not the Heart to accept of the Dignity to which you would raife me. What Proportion do my weak Services bear to the Obligations, which your Majefty owes to the late Emperor and Emprefs Dowager ? Such as a Thread, or 3 Hair of Silk bears to the whole Univerfe. How inconfiftent is it to for¬ get what you owe to them, for the greateft of all Favours, and to reward the trifling Service that I have done you ? How abfurd is it, not to he fenfible of it ? I own I am heartily fo. What I willi above all things, is, that you would render to the late Emperor the accuftomed Duties; and that as a good Son, you would honour the Emprels. Befides your owing this Example to all your Empire; it is the way to gain the Hearts of your Officers. As for me, when I (hall fee you change, tho’ I Ihould live only upon Roots and Water, there are no Fatigues nor Hardlhips that fhould difeourage me, and no Danger that fhould daunt me from ferving your Majefty with Pleafure, to the laft Breath of my Life. But at the fame time, while, without fuch a Change wrought, your Majefty offers me every Day new Honours and the greateft Riches, I cannot rcfolve to accept of them. The State ftill feels the wife Government of your Anceftors: The Laws which they eftablilh’d are obferv’d, the People are fubmiffive, theOfficers vigilant, and every thing cr 0 es fmoothly on. There is no occafion for your Majefty who is yet in Mourning to difturb your¬ felf, or to give a very clofe Application to Affairs. That which is mod preffing, and in which, without you, your Officers can do nothing, is, to take care of whatever relates to the Emprefs Dowager, and the five betrothed Daughters of Jin tjong : Upon you alone, depends their For¬ tune, and you alone can make them happy. If you adt as a dutiful Son and Brother, you will attach the People to your Perfon, and draw upon yourielf and your Pofterity the Affiftance of Yyen. I fay, that you will attach to you the People; Make a fair trial, they will be fenfible of it, and you will be able to point out the Truth of thisPromife. I fay, that you will draw upon your¬ felf and your Pofterity, the Affiftance of Yyen. This Point, tho’ it be a little more obfeure, yet is as certain as the other. Don’t pretend to fay, that Yyen neither hears nor fees; That Men are very (hort fighted, and what have I to fear ? You would be hood-winkt if you thought fo. Behold, what I thought it my Duty to reprefent to you, while I excufe myfelf from accepting of the Honour which your Majefty is pleafed to do me. I own, it is both imprudent and ralli to talk fo freely. But I dare to affure your Majefty, that what I have here laid before you, is the Dic¬ tates of my Honefty and Zeal. Happy would I be, if your Majefty would think it fo; and inftead of finding Fault with my Boldnefs,profit by my Honefty. A Glofs.] This Remonftrance was without effect, or at leaft, without any Anfwer. I n pi re¬ peated it fix or feven times. But the Emperor Ing-tfong always rejedfed his Excufes: At laft, that Prince by a public Declaration, {hewed a Refolution to alter his Condudl, and then Fu pi accepted of the Poft that he offered. Difcourfe of Se ma quang to the fame Emperor Ing tfong, upon filial Piety and Equity. T T is a (-f-) common and a true Saying, that in point of perfonal Perfection , filial Piety is the JL Chief of allVirtues, and Equity is the Soul of Government. Confucius in his Book uponflial Piety, fays, that this Virtue is the Principal and the Foundation of all others. He adds, that he who (*) The Cbinefe fays: His Goodstefs fiersed to the Warms of f-f} In the Cbitie/e it is literally ; Tour Subject bus beard far, tho Bones. ’tit a tcii.ir.cn Phiale with tltm in this hind of Writing. M3 iThe Imperial CollcBion of Edicts, Declarations, bV. who does not love his Father a?id Mother , and does not behave to them 'with all due Rfpeff, tho he loves the reft of Mankind, and treats them 'with all the RefpeSl imaginable , cannot in JuJHce pafs for a Man, either of Virtue or Honour ; and in effeft, is neither the one nor the other. For never did a free without a Root foot forth fair Branches. The late Emperor Jin tfong, by adopting you, and calling you to Empire, made you the nobleft Prelent which was in the Power of Man to make. (*) That Prince is now no more; but he has left an Emprefs and five Daughters. Thefe as they were neareft to him, fo they ought to be deareft to you: and you fhould exprefs for them, all pofiible Concern. You cannot fail in this, without anlwering very ill the Intentions of Jin tfong, and the Obligations you owe him. Formerly, when the Emprefs Dowager governed in your Palace, the Officers of your Houfhold refpeCted her. Both Great and Small were watchful to ferve her. At prefent, when (he hasrefigned to you the Cares of Government, and meddles no more in Affairs, I apprehend no Alteration with Regard to her will happen. Some of the Offi¬ cers of your Palace may be idle Fellows, and may negleCt, and ferve her ill. She is Mother of the Empire, and all the Empire ought to have it at Heart, that fhe be happy and fatisfied. But all the Empire, Sir, relies upon you, and you have more Obligations than one upon you, to take all the Care of this which you are capable to exprefs. I likewife fear, that there are Fire-brands in your Palace, who interpreting in their own Manner, the Words and Actions of the Emprefs, make Reports of both, which ferve either to cool, or to exafperate your Majefty. If there are any of fuch a Character, they won’t fail to mafic them- felves under the fpecious Pretexts of Fidelity, Loyalty and Zeal. But they are at the Bottom mean Souls, who have nothing in View but their own Intereft, and who endeavour, by the Difpo- fitions which they either believe or fee to be in the Prince, to make their own Advantage. If then you dilcover any of thefe abandoned Sycophants, ordain, without hearing them, that they fhall immediately be put into the Hands of Juftice and tried. One Example which you fhall make of this fort, will flop the Mouths of all others of that Kidney. On the contrary, if you lend an Ear to fuch Difcourfes, there will be no end of Backbitings and Calumnies, and they will in¬ fallibly be attended with fatal Diforders; this is a Point of the Importance, and deferves your Attention. In ffiort, it is a received Maxim, and has become as it were proverbial: In Matters of State the Prince alone ought to decide , but in domeJHc Affairs , the Emprefs ought to rule ; I therefore wifh that your Majefty deciding all foreign Affairs by yourfelf, would leave all Affairs within Doors to the Emprefs, together with the Diftribution of all the Gratuities and Ports there, at leaft, that no¬ thing of that kind be done without her Advice and Content. Every thing then will be in order; you will fee your Mother, who is above you, happy, and the Officers and your People under you, teftifv their Satisfaction, by Encomiums and Songs. If, becaufe this Order is not eftablifhed, the Officers of your Houfhold fhould be neglectful, and fail in their Services to the Emprefs ; if any of them by falfe Reports, fhould embroil you with her, this muft be known without Doors: Perhaps the Emprefs fhall fall fick out of Vexation ; what a Difhonour will that reflect upon you? How can you anfwer for it in the Face of the Empire? All the Good you can otherways do, will not be able to cover your Shame. This is the Tendency of my firft Propofition, which was; That filial Piety is in point of perfonal Perfection, the Chief of all Virtues, In the Chapter of the Shu king , which is called (J| )Hong fan , when the Author comes to recom¬ mend it to the Prince to be equitable, and never to be influenced in his Actions by private Inclina¬ tions or Averfions; he lays fo great Strefs upon that Point, that he inculcates the fame thing in fix different Manners, that he may the better fet forth its Importance. Fie who governs a State, lays Chew jin , ought not to repay private Services done to him before he mounted the Throne, with public Rewards. Much lefs ought he to employ the Rigour of the Laws, that he may gratify a perfonal Hatred. We read in the fa hyo (+), he who would promote Reafon and Wifdom in his ConduCl, ought to keep his Heart equal and ballanced. But the Heart lofes that Equality and Ballance, when private Love or Hatred gives it a Byafs to one Side or other. From being but one of the Princes of the Blood, you were raifed to the Throne on which you now fit; this was a wide Step. It was natural enough after this Rife, that you fhould retain fome private Favour or Refentment, towards thofe who had formerly done you fome good Office, or given you fome Difguft : But beware, for thefe AffeCtions and Difquiets ought not to influence your Government. The great Rule of Sovereigns, is, to reward Virtue, and to punifh Vice; to advance Men of Probity and Merit, and to banifh all who want both. Honours and Ports, being the moft precious Treafures of States, a Prince ought not to diftribute them to his Subjects, whofe only Merit is, that they agree with him in fome particulr Notions. Far lefs ought he to make ufe of the Chaf- tifements regulated, bv the Laws, to fatisy a private Refentment againft thofe who have tranfgreffed them. Formerly, Dignities and Ports were diftributed before an Aflembly of the whole Court, and Criminals were executed in the Face of the World : As if the Prince would thereby fignify, that his private Inclinations had no Part in all that was done ; that he diftributed Rewards to Per- fons whom the Public would not think unworthy, and that they whom they judged worthy of Death, were jCondemned at the fame time by the public Voice. At prefent, there is a great Mixture among the Officers of your Empire. There are amongft them Men of Virtue ana Merit, but they are mixt and confounded in the Crowd. The Good and (*) The Chinefe lias it He is retired far off in fffeending ; I (||) The great Rule or Rules, have ,r ready taken Notice, that the Chinefe Politenefs Ihuns the ft) The great Study or Science Tin's is the Title of the blunt Expreflion of He is dead , and employs more foftTerm?. Book, according to Perfons and C rcumflances. The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, 6V. and the Bad are upon a Footing. This is a Diforder infinitely prejudicial to the Good of the State and I could wifh that your Majefty would ferioufly apply to remedy it. The Thing you inuft do for that effedl, is as follows. Lay yourfelt out to know thole thoroughly, whofe Virtue and Capacity are greater than ordinary, and who are thereby moft capable to anfwer the f lopes of the Public. Such as you know to be Men of this kind, draw immediately out of the Crowd, advanc¬ ing them to the firft Polls; and tho' they had formerly the Unhappinefs to difpleafe you yet do not fail to promote them in proportion to their Services. Aft in the fame manner with Regard to Punifhments: However great the Favour be you have for any one, yet if he is guilty of any Crime, and for that detefted by worthy Men, and condemned by the Voice of the Public do not allow yourfelf to relent fo far as to pardon him. By this Conduct, there will foon be no more any Men of Merit out of Polls, nor any weak Perfons in them. You will advance Virtue you will make Vice tremble, and promote Order throughout all your Court. All your People will feel its EfFeds, and you will build their Happinefs upon your Wildom. And reciprocally making their own Happinefs yours, by their Loyalty and Submiffion; your illuftrious Pofterity will, in order to reign in Peace, have no more to do but to imitate you. 3 But on the contrary, if your Majefty, leading an idle Life in your Palace, and abandoning yourfelf to your Pleafures, Ihould devolve your Authority upon feme one of your Officers ■ if without examining who has, or who has not, Merit; without diftinguilhing genuine Virtue from Vice artfully difguifed, or regarding any Conferences, you put all indifferently into Polls the firft who lhall prefent: or which is worfe Hill; if making your Inclinations or Refentments your Rule, if you fhould banifh from you all thofe who have formerly difpleafed you, and advance only thofe whom you have always inclined to favour; if you ufe the Power of rewarding only that you may gratify Sycophants who have no Merit, and who have done no Service, and that of punifhing, only that you may check zealous loyal Subjedls, whofe Uprightnefs ’is" all their" Crime; then every thing will foon mill to Confufion, both at the Court and in the Provinces: There will be no more Law, no more Order, no more Peace : Can any thing be more fatal both to the Empire in general, and to your Majefty in particular: Thefe are the Reafons why I faid that Equity is the principal Point of Government, in the fame manner as in perfonal Perfeflion filial Piety is the firft of all Virtues. Upon the Value or the Contempt which a Prince fhews for thefe two Virtues, more than upon any thing elfe, depends the Happinefs or the Unhappinefs of his State ; and the Glory or Shame of his Reign. Weigh this Truth, that you may be the more animated to the right Pradlice of thefe two capital Virtues. 1 A Glofs.] Se ma quang, the Author of this Difcourfe, was a dutiful Son, a firm Friend and a loyal Subjedl; he was a Man of approved Probity, of a reverend Gravity, fingular Temperance and unfhaken Uprightnefs: He was Minifter to four Emperors, and was never known to preva- ricate. * ^ Another Difcourfe of the fame Se ma quang, to the fame Emperor Ing tfong, on Ozcafrn of the public Calamities. S INCE your Majefty came to the Throne, there have been many extraordinary Phenomena and public Calamities. Black Spots have appeared in the Sun ; and Inundations and Droughts have fucceeded one another. During the Summer of the laft Year, the heavy Rains begun and did not end till Autumn was over. Towards the South Eaft of your Court, in a Country where there were upwards of ten Cities, great and frnall Houfes were fwallowed up in the Waters or feen floating and fwimming upon the Tops of Trees. How many Families were thereby ruined ? Thus univerfal Mifery prevail’d on all Hands: The Son was feperated from the Father, and both the one and the other were overwhelmed under the Weight of their Calamities. Parents fold their Children, and Hufbands their Wives, at as low Prices as we now commonly give for the vilefl Animals: The Famine was fo great at Hyu and Ping, that the neared Relations were feen to eat one another. To this watry Autumn a Winter fucceeded, not as it ought to have been, cold and dry but moift and temperate, fuch as the Spring ufes to be. Plants and Trees ffiooted forth out of ’sea- fon; and in the Spring came very boifterous Winds. At laft, in the Summer, the infedtious Difeafes made a horrible Ravage over upwards of too Leagues of Land. The Houfes were filled with the Sick, and the Highways with Burials. In the Beginning of this Spring, the Crop appeared prodigioufly fine, and then the People began to breathe, in hopes of a plentiful Har- veft, which they were juft about to reap, when there fell fo extraordinary a Rain, that in one Dav and a Night, the Rivers and Brooks overflowed, and forced the moft rapid Torrents to run avainlt their Streams, overturned the higheft Bridges, covered the talleft Hills, made a wide Sea of the level Fields, and ravaged the Harvefts. Here in your Capital, the Defolation is as great; the Inundations has carried off all the Barriers and has undermined all the Gates and Walls: The Tribunals of the Magiftrates, the public Gra’ nanes, and the Houfes of the Soldiers and People have all buffered. Numbers of People have perilhed, either by being buried under the Ruins of their Houfes, or fwallowed up in the Waters Doubtlefs, thefe Calamities are very extraordinary; I don’t know if their Parallel has happened for many Ages. Is not your Majefty frightned ? Are you not thinking upon a ftridl and a fericus Examination, into the Caufes that have contributed to draw down fo great Calamities ? My Zeal has led me to think for you, and I believe that' on your Part, three Caufes principally contril utc. V 0L ' 1 6 Y Tirlf ^4 S’ The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. Firft vour Condua with Regard to the Emprefs Dowager. This Princefs who is full of Wif- dom andGoodnefs became your Mother, by adopting and defining you m Confer! with Jm tZ for the Empire. Ever fince you enter'd into the Palace, (he has expreffed for you all the Cares of i’ Mother. When Jin tj'ong died, and you were fick, that Princefs kneel d before the Im- nerbl Apartment, knocking the Ground with her Fore-head fo as even to wound herfelf, m praying with the utmoft Elrneftnefs for your fafety. After, this, how could you on the Report fonie fnvenom’d Tongue, who exafperated you againft her, allow yourfelf to bepeifuaoed tl at his Princefs did not entertain for you all the Sentiments of a good Mother ? Tho this fhould be partly truth, is it allowable for a Son to difpnte with his Father and his Mother, and to entertain only for them, the Tendernefs and Refpeft which he judges to be proportioned to the good 01 bad Treatment they give him. Who ever heard fuch a Maxim maintained ? There is another Maxim better eftablifhed, and univerially received A great Favour, Trad.- tion tells us ought to cancell all the little Caufes of Difcontent The late Emperor drew yen f om the Government of a Province, for which you was hkewife indebted to him to place you upon the Throne, and to make you Matter of the Empire. What has he required of you as a Return for a Prefent of that Nature ? That, at his Entreaty, you would take a Concern about the Emprefs his Wife, and the Princeffes his Daughters. Yet you loft your Temper, as toon as that Prince was put in his Coffin, and even before he was buried, you ttiut up the Pnnceffes ,n a re- rir department ; you never almoft faw them; you abandoned both the Mother and the Pr.n- to the Difcretion, or rather to the Negligence of feme mean Officers. Permit me in this Affair 10 reafon from Lefs to Great. Imagine with yourfelf mat one of the common People has fome Arpents of Ground to fubfift himfelf his Wife and his Daughters upon , •fhdbe himfelf advancing in Years, and without a Son, he adopts a young Man one of h.s Re¬ lations 8 and makes him hfs (*) Heir. The Latter finding himfelf Matter of the Eftate, no fooner fees hh Father dead, than he abfolutely diipoles of his Goods according to h.s own Fancy, witli- ou towing any Regard for his Mother, or any Care fir his Sifters. They might we Cgh, groan, and bew if themfelves: But he was infenfible of all. What Idea do you think all the Neigh¬ bourhood would entertain of a Son of fuch a Charader ? How would he be look di upon What would be faidof him? Such a Condud then would lofe the ch J ra ^ er . of a Prafant in hid own Village: And what ought an Emperor, upon whom the Eyes of all his Subjeds are fixt, to exped from a Condud, a gfeat deal more extravagant. How is it poffible that he can be beloved ? ' In the fecond Place, the‘late Emperor, who was naturally eafy and gentle, was always m Pain, when he was obliged to contradid thofe he employed. During the laft Years of his Reign he was violently tormentod with a Pain in his Bread, which difabled him from attending the Cares of Government; fo that he was forced to devolve them almoft entirely upon fome one or other of his Officers It is to be wifh'd, that he had always made a right Choice ; but Intrigues and Intereft were often feen to prevail over Virtue and Merit. Whatever Care the Authors of thefe n uftices took to fereen themfelves, they could deceive only the heedlefs .inattentive Vulgar. Men of Senfe faw and bewailed the Evil: But not knowing how to help themfelves as the Prince was in fuch a Situation, they kept filence. All their Comfort was that a young Prince, as you were mounting the Throne, you would examine every thing by yourfelf, mftrud yourfelf m every thing carefully, and vigoroufly maintain the Sovereign Authority They then hoped that all in¬ capable Perfons would be removed, that Men of Merit would be advanced that pure Equity would regulate all Rewards and Puniftiments, in ftiort, that by this wife Condudt, the Court and all the Empire would foon change its Face. ... , Thefe were our Hopes, but we have not feen them fulfilled ; even in the Beginning of your Reign you appeared to be as much fatigued with the Weight of Affairs, as ever Jtn tfing was, whe 0 n’bowed P down with Sicknefs, in the latter Part of h.s Reign you abandoned the Deci- fion of Affairs more than he did, to certain Officers; and one would have faid that you was afraid to have feen clearly Into their Condua. Great Numbers of Memorials have been pre- fented to you, fome of them were of the greateft Importance ; you paid no Regard to them. Under Pretence of letting Things go as they were formerly, you examined nothing to the Bottom, and while you attentively applied to Trifles, you ncglc&d the material Part of Government. Officers ^ho are abfolutely worthlefs, without Virtue and without Merit, are m I oils. \ou know th mTand yet iuffer them to continue, as if you had not the Courage to remove them. The Empire does not want for Men of Parts, who join a great deal of W.fdom and Probity to very gmaf Abilities. You are convinc'd of this, and you know them to be fuch : Notw.thftand.ng of this you never mind them. Such a Step is dangerous, and ubjed to great Inconveniences which afe pointed out to you, and yon are fenfible ot them; and yet you take that very Stej. Another Meafureis good you know it is, and you are taught to point out the Advantage of .. y you dare not delate yourfelf and fay; My Pleafur. nthtt tb,s Mca - TZrZrfJ Then V who l'erve you, perceive this Weaknefs, and takeAdvantage of u, or rathe^ they abufe you. As they are at prefent more Matters, than they could be in t e at tr Part of the U Reign ■ they are likewife more infolent. Their Caprice, or their Intereft, deceits Lry thing. ‘ Thefe § Gentlemen don't bluffi at promoting the moft Worthy and facing the moft Guilty : In one Word, they dare do every thing and flick at nothing. Thus ,t , h.r you govern in the Empire, but do you hereby worthily anfwer the Expectation, o. c u. (*) The Daughters in China don’t inherit any thing from their Parent' In ?47 The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. In the third Place, you have, it is true, fine natural Parts: But have you a larger (hare of them than Tail Shun Yu, and Ching tang? You ought, after the Example of thefe great Princes, to endeavour to improve fo fine a Ground-Work, in profiting by the Abilities of wile Men. But this is what you have never been known to Jo. On the contrary, if you have any thing in your Head which you refolve to execute, you can be diverted from it with the Reafons that expofe its inconvenience. No! The braveft Soldiers don’t defend a Place in which the Enemy has be- fieged them with greater Refolution than you defend your own Opinion. You never once refled upon any thing that contradids it. To aft in this Manner, is not ading according to the Max¬ ims of our ancient Sages, in uniting many Rivers to form a large Sea. A wife Prince hears and weighs every thin* without Prejudice. When he examines the different Views, he does not fay; < 77 ,A here is mine °and that there is anothers. This PerJ'on is my near, and that my dfftant, Relation. This was firfl fuggefted to me, and that came hut late. Thefe Circumftaces never fway him cither to one fide or the other; he feeks the belt courfe, and that determines him entirely. But how can he diftinguifh this belt Way, if he lays himfelf open to Prepoffeffions. The Shu king fays, “ If any one offers an Advice contrary to your Inclinations and your No- *■ tions, that is a Reafon for prefuming that it is good, and for weighing with greater care Us >. Ufefulnefs and Advantages. Another Advice agrees with your Views, for which Reafon, you “ ought to pay the greater Deference to the Reafons that are againft it. ” But if, contrary to thefe Maxims you hear with Pleafure, and imbrace with Joy, only what is agreeable to your Notions, if you rejed and are even angrv at, every thing elfe, the natural Effed of this Condud will be, that Flatterers will appear, and that Men of Probity will retire. Is this the way to procure Hap- pinefs to your Subjeds, and Glory to your Reign? Your Dynafty from its Beginning, after the Example of other Dynaflies, eftablifhed Cenfors, who were in a manner the Eyes and the Ears of the Prince: So that neither Minifters nor others, dat’d to conceal anything from him that con¬ cern’d him to know. All the Affairs which come to Court, pafs through the Hands of Minifters. They deliberate they decide, and under the Favour of the Prince, they promulgate that Decifion: If it happens that a Cenfor, according to the Duties of his Poll:, fhould make any Reprelenta- tionstoyou upon their Decifions, and lay before you their Reafons: Your Majefty, inftead of ex¬ amining his Memorial by yourfelf, immediately delivers it into the Hands of thole very Perfons whole Decifions are cenfured, and you follow their Judgment. Where are they who have fo much Uprightnefs, as to acknowledge that the Advices of another, are better then what he has refolved upon himfelf; far lefs are there any found, who own that they have done wrong, and that they are blame worthy. All that your Majefty gains by ading in this manner, is, that you acquire the Reputation of being a Prince who loves no Advice, and who defires to have none. As for your Officers, they have the Advantage of being abfolute Matters, and quiet Poffeflors of Sovereign Authority. , The three Points which I have touched upon are not fecret, all the World is very well apprized of them Every faithful zealous Officer bewails them. But they are afraid of fome Emotion of Anger from you, or fome Refentment, almoft as terrible, from the interefted Perfons. For which Reafon they dare not talk to you. In the mean time, Sadnefs, Uneafinefs, and Indignation, poffefs the Hearts of your good Subjeds the more thefe Sentiments are fuppreft, the more violent they are And I am not at all furprized, that they have drawn down thefe intemperate Seafons. It I have the Boldnefs to talk thus, it is only that I may beg you to confider, that as you are above Men fo Tyen is above you, and to conjure you to anfwer the Defigns of Heaven, and the De¬ fires of your Subjeds. You cannot do this better, than by effectually remedying the three Points which I have touched upon. Acquit yourfelf towards the Emprefs Dowager with all the Duties of a good Son. Take Care to pleafe her, and make it your Bufinefs to render her happy and contented. Extend your Goodnefs to the young Princeffes your Sifters, have an Eye upon their Wants and fettle them when it is time. Delegate the fovereign Authority to no Perfon, for it belongs to yourfelf alone. In your Choice of Officers, diftinguilh true Merit: In Rewards and Punilhments, regard nothing but the Importance of the Services, and the Heinoufnefs of the Crimes. Give an utter Exclufion to all Flatterers, and banifh filch of them as are in Polls. Open a Door to Advice, hear without Prejudice all that is given you ; and follow with Courage and Conftancy, that which is the moll wholfome. Befides, it is not enough to teftify by Words, that vou will in Time to come, obferve this Condud ; you mull (hew it by your Adions; and thefe Adions too, mud be the Effed of a firm and fincere Refolution. Nothing can refill this Since¬ rity when it is perfed; even Stones and Metals have more than once yeilded to it. How then can Men refill it. But if you are deficient, Appearances will produce nothing. No, they won’t make the fmallellof your Subjeds move. Far lefs can you hope that it will touch Tyen. Do not deceive yourfelf, fays the Shi king, by faying he is far exalted above us &c. Notwithllanding of his beinv exalted above us, yet he is near both to our Words and Adions, which he fees and hears. Scarce do our Thoughts rife from our Hearts, but Tyen is immediately acquainted with them ; mud he then prefent himfelf to your Eyes under a human Shape, and llrike your Ears with the Sound of a fenfible Voice ? I know of how little value I am, and of how little ufe to vou, yet I thought rnyfelf obliged to tell you my Opinion and my poor Sentiments, which your Majefty may examine and weigh at Leifure. Another C4S The Imperial Collection of Edicts, Declarations, &c. fince, your Majefty knowing that I had return'd to Court, ordered that Declaration to be render'd tire fifth Day of the fifth Moon. No Man could be more fenfible than I was, when I firft re¬ ceived thefe News. Befides its being extremely agreeable to me to underftand that your Maieft v defign'd to agree to my Propofal, the Advantage which I hoped would thereby accrue to the State was a ftill greater Caufe of Joy to me. But when I read over that Minute, I own to you that I found things in it which I could not relilh. Let me die a thoufand Deaths rather than to’diffe- ble. Nothing could be better than the Beginning and End of this Declaration : But towards the Middle of it, we read thefe Words. “ But if any one, in prefenting to us Memorials Advices or “ Remonftrances, fhall fpeak from Inclination or Imereft, if, forgetting his Station he fliould “ touch too freely upon the great and fecret Springs of Government; if he thould find fault in “ other Terms, with things that are eftablifhed and pracftifed; and in order to enhance his own “ Value, if he fliould oppofe the Defigns of the Court, fell and abandon himfelf to Popularity “ efpoufe its Inclinations and Abulcs, that he may raife an empty Reputation : As all this will “ be very hurtful if it go unpunilhed, I cannot difpenfe with my effedlually punifliing thofe who tc fhall be herein culpable. ” Sir ; I have heard it conftantly and truly faid ; When a wife Prince treats his Officers with Good- nefs, and exprefles a Value for them ; when banifhing Diftrufts and Sufpicions, he, as it were fets their Zeal at large; then, thefe Officers on their Part, being free from Dread’and Uneafmefs are entirely taken up with the Care of ferving him well. As they are fecure of the Heart of their Prince, they likewife open theirs to him, and fuffer him to be ignorant of nothin^ which they think can be of Service to him. You, by an unfeafonable Precaution in a Declaration exprefslv made for exciting your good Subjefts to affift you with their Advices, infert fix Reftriaions con¬ ceived in fuch a manner, that any who fpeaks, if Advantage is taken againft him, cannot efcape his Ruin. In my Opinion, no more effeaual way could have been fallen upon to have (hut up every bodies Mouth. * Let us in the mean time fuppofe, that, any one.Ihall fpeak. Let him blame or praife ever fo little in his Difcourfe, nothing is more eafy than to min him, by faying that he fpeaks from a Mo¬ tive of private Favour or fecret Intereft : If an Officer who is in Poll fhall tranfiently touch ever fo little, upon what in a ftria Senfe fhall not be found within his Sphere, he may be ruined if his Enemies pleafe to accufe him of having forgotten his Rank. He who fhall treat of what may trouble the State, and affine its Repole, may pafs, if one has a mind, for having too freely touch¬ ed upon the great Springs of Government: If by accident, a Perfon fpeaks of a Matter, to which any ancient Edidt relates, he may pafs as a Man who at an improper time, blames Things that were eftablifhed and praftifed. Zeal further infpires fome one occafional’ly to declare againft a new Regulation, which for fome time paft may have made a Noife ; and if he expofes its Incon- veniency, he is accufed of endeavouring to make himfelf popular, by oppofing the Views of the Court. Laftly, none dare endeavour to touch the Prince with the Miferies of his People, without expofing himfelf to be condemned as a Fire-brand, a feditious Perfon, and the Head of a Re¬ bellion. Things being thus, I can't fee any thing upon which one can exprefs himfelf with Safety Surely a Declaration in fuch Terms, inftead of procuring Memorials and Advices, will deprive you of them more than ever. I then very earneftly requeft you, to ftrike out that middle Part and to fill it in another manner, agreeable to what I laid before you in the thirtieth of the third Moon. It concerns the Good of your State and your Honour, that there may be no Room to fufpea, that while you demand Advice, you really defign to fliut the Door againft it. In the fixtb of tlx Tears named Kya yew, Chin kyew, was very intimate with two favorite Eu¬ nuchs of the Palace, and obtained the import ant Employment of Ryu mi, managing fo by his In¬ trigues, that not only Affairs that regarded War, but 'all others faft through his Hands. Tan<^ kyay, Fan tfe tau, Lin whey, Chau pyen,W Wang tau, who were Cenfors, openly attacked him and prefented Remonftrances upon Remonftrances againft him to the Emperor. Chin kyew recrimi¬ nated, and accufed his Aggreffors of caballing: As thefe laft had pointed out the Patrons of Chin kyew, the Emperor had taken their Advices as a Reproach to himfelf for being governed by the Eunuchs , and this Reproach had picqued him. The Meafures he took were, to break Chin kyew and the Cenfors at the fame time, and to give each of them different Employments in the Provinces. Ngew yang fyew, who was afterwards one of the moft famous Men of 'the Song Bynafty, began then to be upon the Ranks. Althd by his Employment, he was a Subaltern of the Kyu mi, he tided with the Cenfors, demanding that they jhould be recalled and re-eftablijhed. For this effebl, he pre- fented the following Remonftrance. Q I R; Since the Beginning of your Reign, you have been feen to open a very large Road to kJ Remonftrances ; if it fometimes happened that there was any exceptionable Pafla