how to express the highness or lowness of the Sounds which are as follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the help of these Marks must the same word which is written in our Letters and mark'd with these Marks be severally pronounced and then they intend several things As for Example Y'a with this Mark ouer it signifies God and with this Mark over it Yá A Wall and Yà with this Mark signifies Dumbness Yet notwithstanding all these Helps the Chinese Language is very difficult to be learn'd and understood as well in regard of the double signification of the words as also because that in this Language there is no certain number of Letters but every Business and Intention of the Mind must be express'd by a particular Character which gives not only an infinite trouble to those that will learn it but causes a vast expence of time taking up ten or twenty years before a man can attain to the Art of speaking and writing this mysterious Language wherein the Natives themselves know far better how to express their Minds in writing than by speaking But in regard I have now spoken of the Character and Writing of the Chineses I will add in a few Words in what manner they place them And herein they quite differ from the Custom of Europe and almost all other Nations Hereof Peter Iarcius thus in his Treasury of Indian Things The Chineses says he do not write from the left hand to the right as the Europeans nor from the right to the left as the Hebreans but they begin from the right side above and write down to the bottom so that they put the one Character under the other and not one after another as we in Europe And when the Line is full from top to bottom then they begin again at the top of another Line and by degrees go down again to the bottom And indeed which is worth observation in this Particular the Chinese differ from all others who absolutely write after another manner for at this day there are in all the known World but four several ways of Writing upon the Account of placing the Letters The first is from the right to the left side and in this manner are written the Books of the Hebreans Chaldeans Syrians Arabians and Aegyptians The second is from the left to the right side and after this manner the Greek and Latin Books are writ and so write at present all the People of Europe The third sort of Writing is in the Greek call'd Bustrophedon which signifies to Plough with Oxen and this manner of Writing is done just as the Oxen make Furrows with the Plow namely to begin the second Line where the first ended This way of Writing as Pausanius relates was us'd by the ancient Grecians and so as is reported were writ the Laws of Solon The fourth and last way of Writing is from the top to the bottom and this manner of Writing as has been said the Chineses use and some of the Salvage Indians But although this manner of Writing whereby each thing is express'd by a particular Character is very burdensom to the Memory yet it is of very great use and advantage to the People who differ very much in Language from each other for hereby they are able to read the Books and Letters of each other if they use common Characters in Writing though the one doth in no wise understand the other in speaking And in this manner it is that those of Iapan Corea Couchen-China use one and the same Books though they differ so very much in the Pronunciation that one cannot understand a Word the other says yet they bear the same sence to the understanding of the most indifferent Reader no otherwise skill'd than in the vulgar Idiom of his Mother-Tongue And which is yet more of wonder that although the several Natives in the Empire of China differ infinitely each from other in their several Dialects so that their varying of Languages makes them seem as Strangers among themselves their Tongues being useless Members to their Intelect yet in their Books one General Character is us'd so that the same are equally intelligible throughout the whole Empire Notwithstanding the great Confusion of Languages in the several Provinces as is before declar'd there is yet through the whole Empire another Common Tongue by the Chineses call'd Quinhoa which signifies The Court or Mandorin Chinese and this at first took its rise from the Magistrates or Mandorins residing in the respective Provinces whereto they were sent with a Superintendent Authority for coming thither as Strangers and esteeming it below their Greatness to be necessitated to learn any other Tongue this Câ—urtly Mandorin Language was introduc'd through the whole Empire wherein not onely all Affairs relating to the Laws are dispatch'd but likewise all Persons of Rank or Quality use the same so that it is as common and as much in use with them as Latin in Europe or Lingua Franca among the Turks and this is the Language that Strangers Merchants and others learn when they come into those Parts This Court-speech though it exceeds all the others for number of Letters yet it consists of no more than 362 Words so that the shortness or conciseness of this Courtly or more Modish manner of speaking makes it flow so pleasantly from the Tongue that it passes for sweet Elocution almost all other Languages yet known As for Example When we will express the manner of taking a thing either with the whole Hand or with one or two Fingers we are enforc'd to add the word Take but the Chineses do express the same quite otherwise for each Substantive as a Cup or Pot signifies the thing to be done as likewise the manner of doing it Thus Nien signifies to take with two Fingers Tzo with one and Chua with the whole Hand The same is likewise observ'd in the word Stand we say To stand in the House to stand Eating to stand Sleeping but they have a Word which denotes the Infinitive Verb To Stand and the manner of standing So likewise when we will express the Leg of a Man or of a Bird we always add the same word Leg but the Chineses express it all in one for Kio is a Man's Leg Chua a Birds and Thi the Foot of any Creature Amongst all the several noble Arts and Sciences wherewith the Europeans are enobled the Chineses have only some insight into that of Philosophy for the knowledge of natural things is much more obscur'd among them by several interpos'd Errors than any ways enlightned The greatest Philosopher of all that Nation was one Confutius born four hundred and fifty one years before Christ's Incarnation and liv'd in such a manner for above seventy years that not only by Example but also by his Writings and Conversation he stirr'd up all others to imitate him in a vertuous and orderly Course of Life whereby he gain'd so great an Esteem amongst the People that they believ'd
And to that end and purpose in the first place you are to take notice That the old Chinese Characters or Letters differ very much from those in present use for at first the Chineses characteriz'd their meaning in a kind of hierogly phick shape as of four-footed Beasts creeping Creatures Fishes Herbs Boughs of Trees Ropes c. which were variously made and contriv'd as the Fancy of the User thought meet But after-Ages by a long series of time and a constant practical use thereof finding a great confusion in such a vast number of differing Creatures and Herbs imitating the form of some of the Ancients in their Characters made or added some little Points and Lines about them to distinguish them one from another and by that means reduc'd them into better order and a less number and those are the Letters they use at present Of the old Chinese Characters there are to be seen seventeen sorts The first and most ancient was invented by the Emperor Tohias and compos'd of Dragons and Snakes most strangely interwoven one within another and cast into several forms For this reason the Book which the same Emperor Tohias writ of Astrology is call'd The Book of Dragons but at this time those Characters are quite worn out of use in the Countrey The second sort is fram'd out of several things belonging to Husbandry and us'd by the Chinese Emperor Xinnung in all Treatises concerning Tillage The third sort consists of the several parts of the Bird Fumhoan and was invented by the Emperor Xanhoan who has likewise writ a particular Book of Birds in these Characters The fourth sort of old Characters is compil'd out of Oysters and small Worms The fifth of several sorts of Roots of Herbs and in this kind of form the ancient Chineses have writ several Books The sixth sort is drawn from the Claws of Cocks and Hens and other Fowl and invented by King Choam The seventh is compos'd of Tortoise-shells and had for their first Founder the Emperor Yoo The eighth is shewn in small Birds and Parrots The ninth in Herbs and Birds The tenth is of Co invented only for a token of remembrance The eleventh is of Stars The twelfth of several other Letters serving for Privileges and Immunities To the thirteenth belong the Letters Yeu Can Chi Cien Tao The Characters of the fourteenth sort are call'd the Letters of Rest Mirth Knowledge Darkness and Clearness The fifteenth sort is of Fishes The sixteenth sort is not yet known to us in Europe nor indeed to any besides themselves and not to all them neither The seventeenth sort is us'd in sealing up of Letters and writing of Superscriptions That the Reader may more clearly understand the matter I will set down some of the old Characters with those now in use As for Example the Character number'd with the Figure 1. signifi'd with the ancient Chineses a Mountain or Hill at present as the number 2. does express The Sun was demonstrated formerly by a round Circle or Ring with a Speck in the middle as the number 3. declares but now it is express'd as in number 4. A Dragon was formerly depicted with the Figure as is express'd in number 5. but now as it is by the Figure number 6. A Scepter with one Eye as is express'd in number 7. signifi'd formerly the King's Name but now it is shewn with the Figure as in number 8. A Bird Hen or Cock were formerly express'd in full shape and posture as is mention'd in the numbers 9. and 11. but at present those Creatures are describ'd as in number 10. and 12. But the Chineses at present use no more such Characters to express the form of any such things but only some certain Lines and Marks which however different in form in some sort obscurely resemble the Characters of the Ancients which represented the shape of things For a clearer demonstration of the Character in use at present among the Chineses I have thought good to insert one of the Figures mark'd with the Letter M. Out of nine several Lines or Marks the Chinese Characters of these Times are compos'd so that by adding or omitting of one Line or Mark another signification properly arises for example a straight Line as by the Figure a upon the left side of this Print signifies One or The First with a Line drawn through it as at b denotes Ten and with a Line underneath it as at c it signifies Earth with another put over the down-right Line as the Figure d it speaks King with a Point on the right side as by the Figure e it signifies A Pearl but such a Point on the left side as at Figure f signifies To Live Lastly with a Point upon the head of it as at Figure g it signifies Lord. Now though all the Subjects of the Empire use several Characters in their Language yet in speaking there seems to be little or no difference in them all their words sounding alike notwithstanding the difference of form and signification in Writing and this is the reason that there is no Language which has so many double-meaning words as the Chinese being only distinguish'd by some sound or expression in use amongst themselves Out of the double signification of these words there arises a great Inconvenience for no Person can transcribe any thing out of that Language which is read unto him nor can any Book be understood by hearing another read it because the double meaning and various sound of the words cannot be distinguish'd by the Ear and are only to be known by the sight or not otherwise to be understood so that it often happens in common Discourse that they are necessitated to put their Minds in Writing else one cannot understand the other what he means though he speaks very clear and plain This double meaning is in some sort taken away by five several sounds now in use which yet are very hard to be distinguish'd so that many times very great mistakes happen between those that have not been us'd to these sounds from the very Cradle An Italian telling a Chinese That in Europe there were Ships to be seen as big as Mountains he gave the word wherewith he would have denoted A Ship the same sound that expresses A Tyle upon the House The Chinese taking it according to the sound seem'd to admire very much his Saying and at length began to laugh at him as though he had told them incredible things asking him withal To what use they put a Tyle of such bigness and saying That it must have been a very large Oven that could bake such a Tyle By which appears how necessary it is and withal how infinitely troublesom it is both to Strangers and Natives to learn these differences of Sounds and Pronunciations or to be ignorant of them The Iesuits therefore who are sent to propagate the Gospel in China have found out five Points of five Marks which they put over every word and thereby know
him to have far exceeded in Vertue Learning and Integrity all other Mortals that ever liv'd upon the face of the Earth And certainly if his Works which are extant in Chinese Books were minded with a due regard Men must acknowledge him to have been a Person of great Learning and Vertue In respect whereof the Chineses have to this day so great an opinion of his Name that whatsoever he has writ is never call'd in question but by all maintain'd for good having gain'd to it self the authority of Ipse Dixit in the Schools And not only the Learned but the Kings also have ever since his Death perpetuated his Memory and recorded his Name in their Annals as a Reward of the Vertue and Learning they receiv'd from him And such of his Posterity as yet remain are to this day highly respected by all and not without reason for the Emperors of China have Enobled the Heirs of the Family with great Titles of Honor and exempted them from paying any Publick Taxes or Impositions Nor doth the Knowledge of the Chineses end here for they are great Proficients in the Art of Astrology and in several other Arts and Sciences as also heretofore in that of Arithmetick in the understanding whereof they have of late years much decay'd insomuch that now the Shop-keepers use Boards to tell upon which are full of Holes yet they are so ready at it that with a Peg they know how to cast up an Accompt with as much Method and Expedition as the most skilful European with Counters In the division of the Hemisphere Stars and Constellations therein they differ very much from us of Europe having added to their number more than are known to the most critical of our modern Astronomers The Star-gazers are chiefly employ'd in prognosticating the time of the Suns Eclipses and to observe the various Course of the Planetary Motions But herein they are like themselves and Brethren in the same Art full of Errors and Mistakes as also in their Astrological Observations Calculating of Nativities Horary Questions or the like concerning good or bad Fortunes in their Lives as well as present Successes in their Emergent Occasions together with the Fruitfulness and Barrenness of the ensuing Year for they take it as a main Article of their Belief That all things which happen here upon Earth depend upon the Influences of the Stars and are directed and order'd by the various Signatures of their several Configurations Of this Fortune-telling Part of the Art of Astrology Trigautius the Iesuit gives this following Account in his History of China The present Emperor of China has strictly forbidden this kind of Learning to all but such who have a Right by Inheritance or are otherwise appointed and chosen thereunto And this Prohibition at first sprung from fear lest any having obtained to the exact knowledge of that Art should by pretence thereof have an opportunity to erect any Novelty in the Empire Yet that the Art and the Masters of the same may not seem to be utterly lost or neglected the said Emperor maintains several Star-gazers at a very great Charge for his own use and they are of two sorts namely the Celubden who live within the King's Palace and the Imperial Magistrates who live without Both these have at present at Peking two Benches the one entituled The Bench of the Chineses which is employ'd about making of Almanacks and Prognostications the Suns and Moons Eclipses The other is of the Saraceners whose Studies tend to the same things and are Methodiz'd according to the Grounds and Rules of the Western Astrology After a time the Iudgments of both these Benches are compar'd together and any difference or mistake of either or both is then rectified Both these Societies have a convenient Mansion provided for them upon a very high Hill that they may the better view the Stars and raise Observations from the same Several old Astrological Instruments made of Copper or Brass are kept in this Place Every Night one of the Profession remains here to observe whether any new Star appear in the Firmament which might fore-tell some Novelty and if any such thing happen he immediately gives notice thereof to the Society and they communicate the same to the Emperor and consult with him what it may pâ—rtend and how relate to good or evil And this is the Office or Duty of the Astrologers at Peking As to Physick and Chirurgery they are very expert therein and their Rules of Art differ not much from those of our European Physicians for first they feel the Pulse like them and are very skilful in discovering by the same the inward Distempers of the Body in each Hand they take notice of six distinct beatings of the same namely three high and three low which as they conceive have some secret Coherences with certain Parts of the Body as that of the first to the Heart of the second to the Liver of the the third to the Stomach of the fourth to the Spleen of the fifth to the Reins c. And therefore that they may with the greater certainty of Iudgment deliver their Opinions they are at least half an hour in feeling the Pulse of the sick Person When by the Pulse they have found out the Distemper then in order to the curing of the Patient they apply and make use of several Simples and Roots to say the truth they are generally very well experienc'd in the knowledge of the several Vertues of all kinds of Herbs growing among them And this is observable that there are no Schools in all China for the learning of Physick but every Master of Family teaches his Servant And true it is that although in both the Imperial Cities of Peking and Nanking the Degree of Doctor of Physick is not granted but after Examination yet this Degree when obtain'd doth advance neither the Honor or Respect of the Person And for this reason it is probable that few or none Study Physick but the meaner sort of People because the very Profession thereof which is so honorable in other Places is there is no esteem nor adds the least Reputation to him that gains it But it is quite otherwise with such as Study Philosophy for whosoever hath attain'd to the Perfection thereof is by them accounted to have arriv'd at the highest pitch of humane Happiness attainable in this World The above-mention'd Confutius the Prince of the Chinese Philosophers has collected into order all the Writings of the Ancients in that kind and contracted them into four great Books to which he added a fifth of his own In which Volumes are taught Rules Oeconomical and Political as well the way to Live as to Govern well as also the ancient Examples Manners Offerings and several Poems of ancient Authors But beside these five there is another great Volume writ by some of the Disciples of Confutius and is divided into four Parts and call'd The Four Books The last Volume thus subdivided
manner of punishing Offenders is to lay them flat upon their Faces on the Ground with their Legs bare upon which they give them several Blows with a Whip made of twisted Reed which fetches Blood at every Blow And the great Motive that induces to this more than common Severity in punishing Offences is for that the Chineses are infinitely addicted to Robbing and Stealing There are two extravagant Humors that the Grandees in China are much guilty of The one is the Transmutation of other Metals into Silver about which they often break their Brains and consume their Estates The other is an Opinion they have of obtaining an Immortal Being in this World while they are clad with Flesh and Blood that is to say they fancy such means may be us'd as will preserve them from falling into that common Bosom of Nature the Grave Of both these Mysteries there are an innumerable company of Books both Printed and Written and few or none of the Grandees but as it were by Obligation betake themselves to the Study of these distracting and destructive Sciences To this purpose there is a Story in the Chinese Books of one of their ancient Emperors that was so intoxicated with this Prensie that with the danger and hazard of his Life he endeavor'd after an unattainable Immortality the maner thus This Emperor had caus'd a certain Drink to be prepar'd by some deceitful Masters of this Art of whose Rarity and Perfection he had so great confidence that he believ'd when he had drunk it he should be immortal and from this conceited Imagination he could not be dissuaded nor could the strongest Arguments of his nearest Relations divert him from his Humor At last one of his Friends seeing that no argumentative Ratiocinations would prevail with him came one day to Congratulate the Emperor's Health whose Back being turn'd the Visitant took the Bowl and drank a good Draught which the over-credulous Emperor perceiving fell immediately into a great Passion attended with no less than reiterated threats of Death for depriving him of his immortal Liquor But the bold Attempter answer'd him with an undaunted courage in these terms Do you suppose that you can deprive me of my Life now I have drank of the Immortal Cup sure 't were great madness in you so to think But if in truth you can despoil me thereof then I aver that I have not done any thing amiss for either by participating of your Drink I am become equally Immortal with you or else you are equally Mortal with me If you can take away my Life now I have not robb'd you of your Immortality but shall make you sensible of the Deceit and Guile wherewith you are abus'd The Emperor hearing this was presently pacifi'd and highly commended the Wisdom of his Friend in extricating him so ingeniously out of the greatest Folly and Madness imaginable But though there have not wanted wise Men in China that have always endeavor'd to confute this phantastick Principle and to cure this Distemper of the Mind which in it self is no better than a Fit of raving Madness yet they could never so hinder this Disease from increasing or taking head but at present it overspreads the whole Country and generally gains belief among the Great Ones CHAP. VIII Of several Sects in China Concerning Philosophy and Idol-Worship OF all the Heathen Sects which are come to the knowledge of those in Europe we have not read of any who are fall'n into fewer Errors than the Chineses ever since the first Ages for in their Books we read That these People have from the Beginning worshipp'd the Highest and One God-head whom they call The King or with another and more common Name The Heaven and the Earth Hence it appears they were of opinion That Heaven and Earth were inspir'd and so they worshipp'd the Soul thereof for the highest Deity But beside this Supreme Deity they deviated into the worship of several Spirits to wit of Hills Rivers and such as Command over the four Quarters of the World In all Transactions the ancient Chineses were wont to say That Men ought to hearken to the inbred Light of the Understanding which Light they have receiv'd from Heaven But as to the Supreme Deity and the Spirits which wait upon him we do not find in any of their Books that they did ever broach such licentious Doctrines to the support of Vice as were invented by the Romans Grecians or the Egyptians who in the committing of all manner of Filthiness did implore the assistance of their debauch'd Gods It likewise appears by the yearly Book which comprehend the Transactions of four thousand years that the Chineses have perform'd several brave Works for the Service of their Country and the Publick Good The same is also to be seen by the Books of the ancient and wisest Philosophers which were all in being before the last Invasion of the Tartars but then in the general Conflagration of the Country were most of them burnt wherein were writ good and wholsom Doctrines for the Instruction of Youth in the Ways of Vertue and Goodness These Books mention only three Sects to have been in those Times in the World The first of which is the Sect of the Learned The second is call'd Sciequia And the third Lancu The first of these three Sects is follow'd by all the Chineses and the adjacent People which use the Chinese Characters as the Islanders of Iapan Corea and Couchinchina and by none else and is the ancientest of all the Sects that were ever heard of in China Out of it about which a very great number of Books are writ generally are chosen such Persons as are fit for the Government of the Empire and therefore it is honor'd and esteem'd above all others The Doctrine of this Sect is not learn'd all at once but they suck it in by degrees when they learn to Read or Write The first Founder of this Sect was Confutius the Prince of the Chinese Philosophers who is to this day honor'd by all the Learned with the Title of The most Wise. This Confutius as the Iesuit Semedo relates in his History was a Man of a very good Nature and much inclin'd to Vertue Prudent Subtil and a great Lover of his Country His Writings are to this day had in great honor and esteem as being the Ground-work of all the Learning at this time in use amongst them What concerns his Writings which are contain'd in four large Books we have already made mention Several other Books have been written by the Followers of this Sect some whereof have been brought out of China into Europe the Titles and Contents of which I thought good here to mention and are these that follow 1. The first treats of the Original of the whole World of the first Creator and Preserver of all things Out of this Book are most things selected which relate to Natural Knowledge 2. Of the Eternal Middle 3. Of the Doctrine of the Full
Strangers and to Negotiate their Business for them yet we resolv'd not to be discourag'd but rather taking the greater magnanimity and trusting in Almighty God who sometimes permits Difficulties to appear insupportable by Humane Strength that we may ascribe our happy Success to him alone and return him all Praise and Thanks who brings all our Works to pass with erected Spirits therefore and our Hearts advanc'd we accosted a famous Chinese who is likewise President of the Tribunal of Hospitality for now all their Courts have double Chiefs and Presidents in them the one a Tartar and the other a Chinese earnestly requesting his favorable assistance in this Business for knowing his Authority in his Favor lay our greatest Hopes and he was ever a most friendly Person to us as he had been to the Fathers our Predecessors and one that had a good opinion of our Books and Sciences to whom we Presented a Book written in Chinese Characters a Mirror or Theatre of their part of the World wherein I shew'd him a Description of the Island adjacent to the Province of Fokien and among them a Geographical Map of the Island of Formosa which they vulgarly call Tywan and so took occasion to report those Mischiefs that had befall'n that Isle since the Hollanders invaded and to declare the imminent Danger impending not only over that Province of Fokien but the whole Empire of China by the vicinity of such an Enemy particularly that so long as the Hollanders remain'd upon the Island of Formosa neither Civencheu nor Cincheu the Names of the Cities of the Province of Fokien could ever be secure or flourish but would be in perpetual hazard of decay This Mandorin was wonderfully pleas'd with the Book and promis'd me to shew it to the Council that was to be held about the Hollanders and withal he added this word of Consolation That these Hollanders shall never accomplish and bring to pass their Designs here although I well know they have Brib'd the King of Canton and many other great Officers about the Court for I will never suffer them to enter into China or to be allow'd any Commerce with it And as he promis'd so he likewise perform'd with other Chineses of his Party withstanding the Tartars and anon producing the Book to them whereunto they all gave great estimation and credit because it was written in the Chinese Language At length from the Cognizance that all Great Men took of the Hollanders and the Fame that was spread of them it came to pass that the Tartars shut them up and not only deny'd them liberty to sell any thing or to buy any Necessaries for themselves but also prohibiting them to receive those Entertainments whereunto some of the Vice-Roy of Canton's intimate Friends had invited them nor would they suffer any Man so much as to sit down at their Door whence the Dutch despairing of any good issue of their Negotiations plainly disown'd their Pretence of seeking any Commerce here and pretended their Business to be only a Congratulation of the Emperor in his new Conquest which having now perform'd with their most hearty Wishes for the continuance and increase of his Posterity they desir'd his Majesties leave to return to their Ships and Country Hitherto whatever Father Lodowick Balion and my self have done to defeat the Hollanders if it were not according to our Wishes it was according to our Power and by Divine Assistance it prov'd sufficient in our laying open the Qualities of this Nation to alienate the Affections of the Chineses from them and of many Tartars too who before stood at the most but in a Neutrality and to the striking some terror in those who had been corrupted by their Bribes I say That by Divine Assistance it prov'd sufficient for without that it had been impossible for us to have advanc'd one step in a Business of this nature as well for the vast Gifts and Presents whereby they had gain'd upon Men whom they had found capable of furthering their Design as for the contrary Penury on our side which lost us many Advantages that we could otherwise have taken for at Peking as at old Rome all things are bought and sold. We went often to the old Church to confer with Father Iohn Adam about this Matter and to animate him to acquaint the Emperor with it for he had frequent access to the Emperor's Ear I say to animate him not that he wanted either courage or good will but because as I have formerly written unto your Lordships all Matters of great moment are entirely acted in the Tribunals from whence alone the Emperor is to be inform'd of the Administrations of his Empire whereto he commonly conforms himself yea sometimes if he would he cannot alter the Determinations and Decrees of the sixth Tribunal who are become the Supreme Legislators of that Empire When home-bred and domestick Business of the Country is in question and whereof the Emperor hath any knowledge though it be but small they commonly make their Addresses to his Majesty about it but of Forein Business he hath no knowledge at all till they have finish'd it Nor was it a thing of little danger to move the Emperor in lest they who favor'd the Hollanders might be provok'd to plead that what Father Iohn and we did proceeded meerly from Envy and Covetousness to defame the Hollanders because we would ingross the Trade of Canton in the Hands of the Portuguese excluding all other Nations who probably might be more advantageous to this Empire Yet notwithstanding all which Father Adam did adventure to speak to the Emperor who was always highly pleas'd to favor him and now to entertain his Motion and for his sake to incline to our Party and it pleas'd God so to stop the Mouths of all Gainsayers that none durst open after Your Lordships owe much to Father Iohn Valleat who although he could not negotiate with any abroad out of the Palace as he wish'd was yet very behoveful in his constant solicitation of Father Iohn Adam exhorting him to improve his Interest in the Emperor about our Business and suggesting many Reasons to him of its feasibleness and what he did herein we have extracted out of an Epistle from him to Father Visidore as followeth THe twelfth of this present February I was with the Emperor who being pleas'd according to his wont to honor me with familiar Discourse among other Subjects he fell upon the Hollanders which gave me occasion to represent them in their proper Colours and particularly to admonish the Emperor of that great Lye wherewith they had arm'd themselves upon their coming hither in the poud boasting of their large Dominions as if they had been legal and ancient Owners of great Territories when they the truth is were but violent Possessors of a small part of a Country which they at first had traiterously usurp'd and since rebelliously defended from their lawful Soveraign and thereupon became Vagabonds upon the Sea there
the Request of the Mandorins Paul and Leo. This Father Iohn Terentius was a German of the City of Constance who before he entred into our Society was in great favor and request with Princes and Noble Personages for his exact Knowledge of the occult Secrets of Nature and happy Skill in Physick but weary of his Honor and Fame divulg'd far and near and renouncing the World he resolv'd to employ his Talent in the Conversion of the Infidels wherefore he undertook the Indian Expedition which he obtain'd with no great Labor for as he shew'd himself an indefatigable Searcher out of the Mysteries of Nature so now by this Opportunity he pass'd the vast Voyages of the Ocean not after the manner of idle Persons and such as sleep away their Time or spend it in other trivial Employment but our Terentius left nothing uninquir'd after whether you have an Eye to the natural Situation of Promontories or Coasts the original of Winds the Properties of the Sea and the varieties of Fish therein Terentius being now arriv'd in India in the Fields and Woods and being a most skilful Botanist he met with no kind of Plant but having most exactly examin'd he entred them in his Book together with their proper shapes and distinct forms Hence having search'd out the Coasts of India Bengala Malaca Sumatra Couchinchina and the Rarities of Nature worthy of consideration he at last arriv'd at Maccao and from thence he came into China the accomplishment of his Desires over all which he travell'd by a direct transverse and oblique Voyage and because many Rarities of Natures Secrets more perspicuously presented themselves in these most distant Climates viz. in Stones Plants Animals and in the Customs and Manners of the Inhabitants he left no way unsearch'd nor means unexamin'd but made trial of the Vertues of each by Philosophical Experiments and as he was not unskilful in Painting he exhibited each of them Pencil'd to the Life with his own Hands according to the Prototype or Draught of Nature unto the admiration of the Chineses in two large Volumes which he call'd Indian Pliny a Title becoming so great and worthy a Work It was the only intention of this Person by these his admirable Secrets first to lay open a way for himself and at length for others both of the Learned and also of the Mandorins to obtain their Assent for a Liberty of Preaching the Gospel which he so dextrously gain'd that there was hardly any Person that did not esteem and honor him as a Man sent down from Heaven and being an excellent Physician he was sent for at last unto all Persons of what Estate or Condition soever they were that were afflicted with any Distemper whom with the Embracements of the Bowels of an invincible Charity he both cur'd of their Bodily Distempers and heal'd their Souls that were oppress'd and infected with the Darkness of Gentilism by the Word of Life unto the incredible Fruit and Advantage of the Christian Commonwealth Therefore being intent on these Concernments after the so long suspended Business of the mending of the Calendar and the Return of our Fathers from Exile as a Master now a long while Exercis'd in the Astronomical Disciplines by the Labor of Leo the Mandorin now Converted unto the Cristian Faith he was sent for unto Peking at the Emperor's Cost to correct the Calendar but while he was employ'd in this Affair being seiz'd on by Death the Business was obstructed to the great Grief of all Persons and more especially of the Emperor Yet there wanted not new Atlases for in his Place was substituted Father Iacob Rho an Italian of the City of Milan and Father Iohn Adam who by an united Force undertook the prosecution of this Undertaking But Father Rho departing this Life the whole Management of this weighty Affair was laid on the Shoulders of Father Adam who with the Applause of the whole Empire made a final Conclusion thereof But the malice of their Adversaries can hardly be express'd who in their Apologetical Writings to the Emperor complaining that they had prescrib'd the Laws of the Arts and Sciences unto the Chineses to the Disgrace and Signal Contempt of the whole Empire and that Barbarians and Sons of an unknown Land should be exalted with so great Honor from the Emperor and that by the Imperial Diploma or Patent as if the excellency of Wit of all the Learned Chineses concentred in the Heads of two obscure Persons leaving them for the future no hope of Glory And when they could accomplish nothing by such like Accusations returning unto horrible Calumnies they were invective against our Fathers as the Overthrowers of the Republick the Contemners of the Gods Promulgers of a New Law wholly and diametrically contrary unto theirs The Emperor perceiving their Malice answer'd That the Astronomical Government had nothing to do with their Religion and that they should know his Royal Iudgment was just and right which laying aside all respect was confirm'd in the truth of reforming the Calendar and Calculation of the Eclipses in which he had long since found them very much mistaken always discovering the Calculation of our Fathers to answer exactly to their Predictions Wherefore he commanded them to cease from Contentions or otherwise he would immediately inflict due Punishments with Iustice and Severity upon the unjust Slanderers Therefore being as it were thunder-struck they desisted from any further Contradiction judging it more fit for some space to decline the Displeasure of the Emperor than by such Accusations to lose all hope of further Proportion and to run the hazard of Banishment and the loss of Life it self Now the Emperor by Nature most curious respected and favor'd our Fathers for the great Collection of Books which they made for reforming the Chinesian Astronomy which they Presented unto him The first of these was an Astronomical Book of Logarithms adapted unto the Chinesian Accompt which besides that it was involv'd with innumerable Difficulties was altogether insufficient for all manner of Astronomical Operations for what they could not perform by Addition Substraction and the other known kinds of Numbers alone those our Fathers by introducing the European Compute comprehended in a few Lines They also publish'd a Treatise of Trigonometry so necessary to the accomplishment of Astronomical Conclusions concerning which the Chineses even unto that very Day had not receiv'd the least glimpse There also follow'd another Work of the Opticks in which was describ'd the Situations of the Stars their Magnitude their Distance from the Earth and also from one another the Doctrine of Parallaxes of their other Accidents and Phaenomena's or Appearances Next to this succeeded the Mechanicks or the Use and Making of Astronomical Instruments with which the Emperor being much delighted they reduplicated his Ioy by Presenting him with each Instrument as they were newly made in Europe and he was so taken therewith that he gave a strict Order they should be laid up in the most
into 10 Digits where of 9 are equivalent to our Geometrical Foot SOME Special Remarks TAKEN OUT OF ATHANASIUS KIRCHER'S Antiquities of China PART VI. Of the Hieroglyphical Characters of the Chineses THere is no Nation so barbarous but they have some way to manifest their Conceptions one to another but above others the Chineses have the most significant Characters the first Inventor of which was Fohi about three hundred years after the Flood as their Records say who form'd divers Figures drawn from Animals Birds Reptils Fishes Herbage Plants Trees and abundance of other things so that according to the numerous variety of the Products of Nature and her several Resemblances such and so infinite were their Characters which though the modern Chineses taught by Experience have rectifi'd yet at this day they have above eighty thousand the Study of which is the Apex of all their Learning but they are able with ten thousand to make out handsomly most Expressions upon all occasions Yet those that wade farthest into the Puzzles and Difficulties of so long Lessons and so tedious a Science are preferr'd to the highest Offices and Dignities of Place which seldom happens till they grow aged The Chinesian Characters being so numerous the Language is wonderful equivocal and oneword oftentimes only by the different Pronunciation or placing of the Accent may signifie ten or sometimes twenty various things whereby it is rendred more difficult than possibly can be imagin'd The Mandorin Language is common to the Empire and is the same as the Language of Castile in Spain and the Tuscan in Italy The Characters are common unto the whole Empire of the Chineses as also to Iapan Couchinchina Corea and Touchin though the Idiom is much different so that the People of Iapan c. do understand Books and Epistles that are written in this sort of Characters but yet cannot speak mutually to or understand one another like the Figures of Numbers us'd throughout Europe and by all Persons understood although the Words by which they are pronounced are exceeding different so that 't is one thing to know the Chinesian Language and another to speak the Tongue A Stranger that hath a strong Memory and doth apply himself to Study may arrive to a great heighth of that Learning by reading the Chinefian Books although he be neither able to speak it himself or understand those that speak it But Father Iacobus Pantoja according to the Musical Notes Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La first of all found out the rising and falling of the Accents to be observed in the Pronunciation assisted by which they overcome the Difficulties of the Language The first of the five Chinese Accents answereth to the Musical Note Ut and the sound of it is call'd in the Chinese Cho Pim as if you should say The first word equally proceeding The second Note answereth to Re and it is term'd in the Chineses Language Pum Xim that is A clear equal Voice The third Note agreeth with Mi and the sound in the Chinese is Xam Xim that is A lofty Voice The fourth Note is sounded like Fa and is term'd in the Chinese Kiu Xun that is The elated Voice of one that is going away The fifth Note answering to Sol in the Chinese is call'd Se Xun that is The proper Voice or Speech of one that is coming in For Example that one word Ya written in the European Characters and having the five Notes above affixed it must be prounc'd with divers Voices and Accents A Tooth Yâ Dumb YÄ Excellent Yà Stupidity Yá A Goose Ya For as the same word suggesteth divers Significations and the Speech spoken slower or faster resembleth the Modes and Times in Musick so from the Words of Monosyllables for the Chineses have none of bis tres or more Syllables is a timely Harmony by the help of which Notes Strangers may attain to something of the Tongue though with great Labor and indefatigable Patience And though the same word hath one Signification in the Mandorins Language and a contrary in Iapan and other Places yet knowing this one Speech and Character you may Travel not only through the Empire of China but the adjacent Kingdoms THose that are earnest to make further scrutiny in quest of all these wonderful Relations may resort to the Author himself and to those in his Quotations for this we thought a sufficient Appendix to the Dutch Embassy the one seeming the better to Illustrate the other many of the same Concerns being handled in both FINIS The severe Laws of the Lacedaemonians The Division of the Globe Asia divided The Name of China China whence so named The Division of China The Situation The Extent 990 English Miles 1350 English Miles The Revenue by Taxes The Situation of Zansi The Situation of Xensi Prester-Iohn in Asia The Situation of Honan The Situation of Sucheu The Situation of Hucang The Situation of Chekiang The Situation of Fokien The Situation of Quangsi The Situation of Queicheu The Situation of Iunnan The Description of the Island Iava The Description of the City Maccoa Quantung and her Cities A â—toel is 13 Ducatoons in Silver The Ambassadors noble Entertainment in this City A two-fold Interpretation of this Monument Whence the Gospel as aâ—so the Heathenish Superâ—â—itions came into China The Description and Boundaries of China It s several Names The Division of the Empire of China The first discâ—very of the Syro-Chinesian Monument By whom first made publick Martin Atlas pag. 44. At what time the Christian Faith entred into China The Creaticâ—â— of all thiâ—gs The Fall of Adam The Incarnation of the Son of God The Excellency of the Christian Law The Desâ—ription of the Situation of Iudea according to the Chinese Geographers The Effect of the Gospel and Law of Christ The building of Churches Presbyter Iohn where he inhabited Belor a most high Mountain Why the Emperor of the Aloyssines is called Presbyter Iohn The King of Barantola adored as a God Where Presbyter Iohn resided 〈…〉 The Dâ—scription of Hancheu or Quâ—nsai The Voyage of Benedict Goes for the Discovery of Cathay A Description of the Walls of China The Habit of thâ— Tartars of Kalmack The ridiculous Worship of the Great Lama The high Mountain Langur The Voyage of Father Amatus Chesaud The Voyage of M. Paulus Venetus The time of Mahomet's coming into the World The Great Cham converted to Christianity The Letter of Haolon to the K. of France The Presents of St. Lewis King of France to the Gâ—â—at Cham. The various Changes of the Christian Law in China The ignorance of the Chineses The Nobility of China receive the Law of Christ. The Emperor Vumly when he had slain his Wife and Daughter hang'd himself Many Noble Chineses converted to the Christian Religion The Inscription of the Church of the Fathers of the Society of Iesus The original of the Chinesian Astronomy Our Fathers appointed to Correct the Calendar by the Emperor's Edict The Errors of the Chineses in Geography The Emperor's Habit The three Sects of the Chineses The first Sect. The second Sect. The third Sect.
respect Sina in their Language signifies A most brave and famous Countrey Others opposing will have this Kingdom to derive its Name from the Inhabitants of the City Chincheu because these People drive onely a constant Trade by Sea to most Places of Asia so that the Portugueses and Indians by leaving out the same Letters of the word Chincheu might easily give it the Name of China But those are in a very great Error that will have the word China to be derived from a certain word Cinch which by the Chineses is very much us'd The falseness of this Assertion will clearly appear from hence in that the Chineses who Trade with the Indians or Portugueses to those Places and go with their Ships to India us'd on the score of Civility and kind Respect to Greet each other in their Mothers Tongue not with the Name of Cinch but Sia Now that which appears to me to be a most probable Truth amongst the various Opinions of Writers is that which the Iesuit Martinus Martinii a Man of great Learning and Skill in the Antiquities of China has asserted in the sixth Book of his History of China the words whereof are as follow I shall not says he let this pass unmention'd which seems to me most likely That not onely by the Indians but also by Strangers the Name China took rise and original from the Generation Family or Branch of Cina who Govern'd in China in the 246. Year before the Birth of Christ So that we ought not to call it China but rather The Kingdom of Sinen or Cinen for in the time of those Kings which proceeded from this Branch the Name of Siners was first made known by Strangers and especially by the Indians By the Indians the Name of China afterwards came into use and was followed by the Portugueses after the Conquest of India for this Family of Cina Govern'd over the greatest part of the Siners who lived toward the West and continually had Wars with Foreiners When afterwards the Court or Seat of the Kingdom was Planted there received the Name of The Kingdom of China This Family of Cina being risen to the highest pitch of all Prosperity prov'd after a great Invader of others Territories insomuch that it seems no wonder that Strangers and remote Nations had the Name of Cina so frequent among them And though the Sineses call this farther part of Asia or Cina by several Names according to the Governing Families that happen to change yet however Foreiners do reserve the first Name which they heard And this is my Opinion concerning the Original of the Name Sina and according to this Assertion the first Letter of the word ought to be writ not with an S but with a C. All China was formerly divided by the Chinese Emperor Xunus into 12 Provinces afterwards the Emperor Yva who took upon him the Government after the Death of Xinus about 260 years before the Incarnation of our Saviour reduced all China into nine Provinces which onely at that time comprehended the Northern Parts of China and had for their Confines the River Kiang But after that they had Conquer'd the Southern Parts by degrees and somewhat Civiliz'd the Inhabitants the whole Kingdom of China was divided into 15 Provinces Amongst these also they reckon the Province of Leaotung which is situated on the West of Peking where the great Wall begins and the Hanging-Island of Corea both which pay Tribute to the Emperor There are several other Islands beside which pay also Tribute amongst which the Island Haman is the chiefest lying in the Sea over against the Province of Quangsi Among the Islands which are Tributary to this Kingdom is also accounted the Island Formosa which the Chineses call Lieukieu and situated over against the Province of Foken and also the Island Cheuxan over against the Province of Chekiang a very famous Place for Trading But of this more at large hereafter Six of the 15 Provinces verge upon the Sea as Peking Xantung Kiangnan or Nanking Cheaiang Foking and Quantung From hence toward the North lie the Midland Countries as Quangsi Kiangsi Huquang Honan and Xansi and toward the West the other four Xensi Sucheu Queicheu and Iunnan Lastly this Empire which comprehends 15 Kingdoms is also divided into the South and North-China South-China the Tartars call The Kingdom of Mangin and North-China The Kingdom of Catay In the first are nine Kingdoms and in the last six or eight if you will reckon amongst them the Kingdom of Leaotung and the Hanging-Island of Corea By what has been already said it doth clearly appear how far those are mistaken who write of another Empire beyond China which they call Catay as likewise of several Towns as Quinsey Cambalu and many other Fictions whereas in truth beyond the great Wall no other People live but Tartars who have no fixed Abodes but wander up and down the Countries in Wagons and so travel from Place to Place as may be found at large in the Writings of those who have sufficiently confuted this great Error and Mistake as Virgantius and Martinus Martinii in his Atlas of China Amongst the rest the Iesuits have likewise found by experience that beyond the Empire of China no Monarchy of Catay is to be found insomuch that the same People whom we call Chineses are by the Persians call'd Cataians This same Mistake has been likewise sufficiently and Learnedly confuted with undeniable Arguments by the most Learned Iacob Gool a Person of extraordinary Knowledge in all Arts of Literature and especially in the Oriental Languages and at present Arabick Professor in the University of Leyden in his Appendix to the Atlas of China The Kingdom of China is so inclos'd with several Islands and on the East and South with Seas that it seems almost to be four-square onely two great Mountains thrust themselves out toward the Sea which in the Chinese Language are called Tung The one lies by the Town of Ningpo from whence you may Sail in 40 hours to the Island of Iapan the other great Hill is in the Province of Xantung near to the Town of Tengoheu China situated in the farthest part of Asia borders toward the East South and West upon the great Indian Sea and is call'd Tung by the Chineses which signifies Easterly And on the North it is separated from the Kingdoms of Ninche and Nicolhan by that Famous Wall which was made by those of China against the Invasion of the Tartars Higher up toward the North it has for Frontiers the Kingdom of Taniju and a Wilderness call'd Samo which separates the North side of this China from the Kingdoms of Samahan and Cascar Upon the other Provinces situated toward the South joyn the Kingdoms of Prester-Iohn Geo which by the Chineses are call'd by one common Name Sifan as also Tibet Laos and Mien Likewise China reaches as far as Brangale and to some part of Tartary and the Mountains of Damascus which
9 hundred 49 Pounds of Raw Silk 71 hundred 2 thousand 4 hundred and 36 Rowls of Cloth made of Hemp 36 thousand 7 hundred and 70 Bales of Cottons 1 hundred 91 thousand 7 hundred and 30 Rowls of wrought Silk But the City of Hucheu buys off this Tax yearly for the Sum of 500 thousand Crowns The Provinces bring in likewise 1 Million 7 hundred 94 thousand 2 hundred and 61 Weight of Salt each Weight is to be reckon'd at 1 hundred 24 Pounds amounting in all to 1 hundred 87 Millions 6 hundred 88 thousand 3 hundred 64 Pounds 32 Millions 4 hundred 18 thousand 6 hundred 27 Trusses of Hay and Straw for the Kings Stables beside all other Taxes The other ten Provinces of China I did not see in my Iourney yet however I shall give you an Account of the Taxes which the great and lesser Cities thereof pay yearly to the Emperor their Names are these Zansi the second Province of the fifteen Xensi the third Honan the fifth Sucheu the sixth Huquang the seventh Chekiang the tenth Fokien the eleventh Quangsi the thirteenth Quicheu the fourteenth and Immam the fifteenth The second Kingdom of Zansi THis Province lies Westward of Peking and is neither so large nor populous but more Fruitful and of more Antiquity because if credit may be given to the Historians of China the Chineses derive from hence their first Rise and Original On the North this Province has for Confines the Great Wall which reaches from East to West through the whole Country behind which lies the Kingdom of Tamyn and the Sandy Wilderness of Samo The West side of this Province lies upon the Yellow River which runs from North to South and is separated by the same from the Province of Xensi This Province produces the sweetest and fairest Grapes of all Asia but the Chineses make no Wine of them but onely dry them and so bring them to the Market through all China In this Country of Zansi which is very remarkable and worthy of observation are through the whole Country great store of Fire-Wells even in the same manner as the Water-Wells are in Europe which they use for the dressing of Meat after this manner the Mouth of the Well is stopped very close and onely a place left open to set the Pot upon by which means the Pot boyls without any trouble This Province likewise produces good store of Coal which they dig out of the Hills as in England and at Luyk in the Netherlands which serves the Inhabitants for Fewel who likewise use Stoves in their Houses made after the manner of those in Holland In this Country of Zansi are 5 Capital Cities 92 small Cities and several Forts The 5 Capital Cities are Taiyuen Pingiaen Taitung Lugan and Fuencheu 1. Taiyuen Commands over 20 Cities Taiyuen Tayven Iucu Taco Ki Sinkin Congyven Ciaoching Venxui Loping Che Tingsiang Tai Utai Kiechi Cofan Fan Hing Paote and Hiang 2. Pingiaen Commands over 31 Cities as Pingyaen Siangling Hungtung Feuxan Chaoching Taiping Yoiang Ieching Kioiao Fuensi Pu Lincin Yungho Yxi Vanciuen Hocin Kiai Ganye Hia Venhi Pinglo Iuiching Kiang Yuenkio Ho Kie Hiangning Cie Taning Xeleu and Yangho Among these Pu Kiai Ho Kie and Cie are the chiefest 3. Taiâ—ung Commands over 11 Cities Taitung Hoaigien Hoenyuen Ing Xanin So Maye Guei Quangling Quangchang and Lingkieu whereof Ing So and Guei are the chiefest 4. Lugan Commands over eight Cities Lugan Caeneu Timlieu Siangheng Luching Hâ—quan Liching and Pingxun 5. Fuencheu Commands likewise over eight Cities Fuencheu Hiaoy Pingiao Kiakieu Ningâ—iang Lingxa Inugning and Lin. Beside these great Cities there are three other Corporations in this City as Sin Laao and Ca. These Towns are not much inferior to the Cities and so esteem'd by the Chineses but yet they are not preferred to that Dignity of the Cities though they have a Command over some lesser Towns For the safety of the Ways aud defence of the great Wall there are 14 strong Forts in this Country which are surrounded with strong Walls their Names are these Gueiguen Ieuguei Coguei Maye Vanglin Ianghon Caoxon Tienching Chinlu Cuigyuen Pinglin Chungtun Geutung and Tungxing The Pole or register-Register-Book of this Province reckons five hundred eighty nine thoâ—sand nine hundred fifty nine Families and five hundred eighty four thousand fifteen Fighting Men. That which this Country pays in Taxes yearly to the Emperor consists of twenty two hundred seventy four thousand and twenty two Bags of Rice fifty Pounds of fine Linnen four thousand seven hundred and seventy Silk-Stuffs four hundred and twenty thousand Weight of Salt and thirty five hundred forty four thousand eight hundred and fifty Bundles of Hay beside several other Taxes The third Kingdom of Xensi AMongst the Northern Dominions is this Xensi which is very great chiefly situated toward the West in 30 Degrees and borders upon the Kingdoms of Prester-Iohn Casker and Tibet which are call'd by one Name in the Chinese Tongue Sifan Westward the Borders extend beyond the Tartar Kingdom of Taniju betwixt which and this Countrey the Great Wall and some Forts make a separation which doth not run through all this Country but onely to the side of the Yellow River The remaining part of this Country situated on the other Bank of the River has no Wall for its defence but dry and barren Sand-fields and the Yellow River and sufficient Fortifications Eastward this Xensi is likewise Bounded with this Yellow River which runs through the Country Southward lie very high Mountains which are as strong Bulwarks and separate this Province from the Provinces of Honan Sucheu and Huquang Want of Rain makes this Country very dry but yet it produces great store of Wheat Barley and Turkish Corn but very little Rice The Beasts feed all Winter upon Corn. It abounds with Sheep and Goats which they shear three times ayear in the Spring in Summer and in Harvest and of the Wooll they make themselves Clothes In this Countrey they make great store of Musk which grows in the Navel of a Beast not much unlike to a young Hind the Flesh whereof the Chineses eat as other Meat When this Deer goes to Rutting the Cod swells like a Boil that is full of Matter which Exuperation consisting of a thin hairy Purse is then taken out with all its precious Stuff by the Natives True it is that all the Purses which are brought to us are not the right and pure Navels for the cunning Chineses know very well when they empty the Purse how to fill up the same again with counterfeit Musk. There is likewise Gold found in this Country which is not fetch'd from the Mines for those the Emperor will not suffer to be opened there being both Gold and Silver Mines but from the sides of Rivers and shallow Waters In this Country are eight Capital Cities a hundred and seven small Cities beside Castles and Forts The eight Capital Cities are these
Sigan Fungciang Hangchung Pingleang Cunchang Linijao Kingyang and Iengan 1. Sigan Commands over 36 Cities Sigam Hienyang Hingping Linchang Kingijang Caolong Hu Lantien Liuo Xang Chingan Tung Chaoye Hoyang Cheng Pexuy Hanching Hoa Hoyan Gueinan Puching Conan Hoxanijang Xangnan Yao Sanyuen Tungquoa Fuping Kien Fungciuen Vucung Iungxeu Fuen Xunhoa Xanxuy Changvu 2. Fungciang Commands over eight Cities Fungciang Kixan Paoki Fufung Muy Linieu Lung and Pingijang 3. Hanchung Commands over 15 Towns Hanchung Paoching Chingu Yang Sihiang Fungmien Niengkiang Lioyang Hinggan Pingli Xeciuen Sinijang Haniju Peho and Cuijang 4. Pingleang Commands over ten Cities Pingleang Cungsin Hoating Chinyven Kuyven Knig Lingtai Choangleang Limgte and Congning 5. Cung chang Commands over seventeen Cities Chungchang Ganting Hoeining Tunguei Chang Ningyven Fokiang Siho Ching Cin Cingan Cingxui Li Kiai Ven Hoei Leangtang 6. Linijao Commands over five Cities Linijao Gueoyven Lan Kin Ho. 7. Kingyang Commands over five Towns Kingyang Hoxi Hoan Ning and Chuining 8. Iengan Comands over 19 Cities Iengan Gansai Canciven Ganting Paogan Yâ—huen Ienchuen Ienchang Cingkien Fen Cochuen Chungpu Ykiun Suite Miche Kia Upao Xinmo and Fuco Beside these great and small Cities in this Province there are likewise several Magazines which lie scatter'd up and down some within the Great Wall and some without The chiefest of these Forts are these eight Xacheu Xancheu Iungchang Leangcheu Choanglang Sining Chiny Culang These following 14 are small ones Hingnia Ningniachung Yaocheu Nincheu Hocheu Cinglu Yulin Chinfan Xetu Hantung Pinglu Mingxa Guei and Sengqui The Chinese Register reckons the number of Families in this Province to be no less than eight hundred thirty one thousand fifty one and thirty nine hundred thirty four thousand one hundred seventy six Fighting Men. The Taxes which this Countrey pays are nineteen hundred twenty nine thousand and fifty seven Bags of Wheat three hundred sixty and five thousand Weight of fine Linnen nine thousand two hundred and eighteen Pounds of all sorts of wrought Silks seventeen thousand two hundred and seventy Pounds of Cotton eight hundred and twenty thousand seven hundred and seventy Pounds of Callicoes beside fifteen hundred and fourteen thousand seven hundred and forty nine Trusses of Hay for the Kings Stables The fifth Province of Honan THe Province of Honan lies East and South-East with Nanking North and North-East with Peking and some part of Xantung and South South-West with Hucang but Westward it borders upon the Province of Sucheu and with the remaining part of Xensi In this fifth Province we find eight great Cities a hundred small Cities beside Forts and Castles The eight great Cities are Caifung Queite Shangte Gueiheoi Hoaiking Honan Nanijang and Iuning 1. Caifung bears the Command over 30 Cities Caifung Chinlieu Ki Tunghiu Taiking Gueixi Gueichuen Ienlin Fuken Chungmen Iangvu Iuenvu Fungkieu Iencin Laniang Chin Xangaxui Sihoa Hiangching Ienching Chaggio Iu Sinching Mie Shing Iungiang Iungee Hoin Suxi Isung 2. Queite Governs over nine Cities Queite Ningling Loye Hiaye Iungehing Ciu Iuching Hiahching and Xeching 3. Changte Commands over seven Cities Changte Tanchin Linchang Lin Cu Vugan and Xe. 4. Gueihoei Commands over six Cities Gueihoei Coching Sinchiang Hoekia Ki and Hoei 5. Hoaikuing Commands over six Cities Hoaikuing Ciyven Sievun Vuche Meng Ven. 6. Honan â—ommands over 14 Cities Houan Iensu Cung Mengciu Yyang Tenfung Tungpe Nanchao Tengo Nuihiahg Sinije Chechun Yu Vuxang and Ye 7. Kingyang Commands over five Towns Kingyang Hoxi Hoan Ning and Chuining 8. Iuning Commands over 14 Cities Iuning Hanchai Sipnig Sincai Siuping Chinijang Sinigang Loxan Kioxan Quango Quangxan Cuxi Sce and Xangching The great City Iu which though not preferred by the Chineses to the Dignity of a Capital City yet however Commands over five small Cities as Iu Luxan Kia Paofung and Yyang The yearly Revenue according to the toll-Toll-Book of the Emperor which this Country brings in amoâ—nts to five hundred eighty nine thousand two hundred and ninety six Families and fifty one hundred six thousand two hundred and seventy Fighting Men. The Income of the Revenue amounts yearly to twenty four hundred fourteen thousand four hundred and seventy seven Bags of Rice twenty three thousand five hundred and nine Pounds of unwrought Linnen nine thousand nine hundred fifty nine Pounds of several sorts of Silk three hundred forty one Pounds of Cottons which are very scarce in this County and lastly twenty two hundred fourscore and eight thousand seven hundred forty four Trusses of Hay for the Kings Stables The sixth Kingdom of Sucheu THis Territory of Sucheu is very large and fruitful which Eastward bordereth upon Huquang Southward upon Queicheu North-East and by North upon Xensi North-West upon Prester-Iohn's Countrey Westward upon Tiâ—et and Southward upon the Province of Iunnan In this whole Province are eight chief Cities a hundred twenty four great and little Cities four Garison Cities beside several other Towns and Places The eight Capital Cities are Chingtu Paoning Xungning Siucheu Chunking Queicheu Lunggan and Mahu 1. Chingtu Commands over 30 little Cities Chingtu Xaanglieu Veukiang Sinfan Sinlu Kintang Ginxeu Chingping Pi Cu Nuikiang Quou Peug Cuugning Gan Kien Cuyang Cungking Sincin Han Xefan Miencho Teyang Mien Changning Lokiang Mieu Vencheuen Guei and Pao 2. Pagning Commands over 10 Cities Pagning Cangki Nanpu Quangyven Pa Chaoboa Tungkiang Kien Cutung and Mankiang 3. Xunking has under its Command 9 Cities Xunking Sike Iungxan Ylnug Quanggan Kin Tacho Gochi and Linxui 4. Siucheu Commands likewise over 10 Cities Siucheu Kingfu Fuxun Nanki Hiuguen Changning Iunlien Cung Cao and Lukehang 5. Chungking Commands over 18 Cities Chungking Kiangein Changxeu Taco Iuncheuen Kikiang Nancheuen Kiukiang Ho Tungleang Tingguen Piexan Chung Fungtu Tienkiang Fen Fulung and Pinxui 6. Queicheu Commands over 13 Cities Queicheu Coxan Tachang Taming Iunyang Vau Cai Tai Sinning Leangxan Kieuzi Tunchiang and Taiping 7. Lunggan Commands over three Cities Lunggan Kiangyeu and Xeciven and also over several Forts 8. Mahu is alone without having any City under its Command The great Cities are six Tungcheuen Muicheu Kiating Kiung Lincheu and Yacheu Though these six great Cities might very well deserve the Name and Dignity of Capital Cities in regard of their largeness and number of Inhabitants yet they do not enjoy that Dignity because this Province is to have no more Capital Cities then Peking and Nanking The first great City Tungcheuen Commands over 8 other Cities the second Muicheu over four the third Kiating over seven the fourth Kiung over three the fifth Liucheu over four and the sixth Yacheu Commands likewise over four The four chief Garison Cities are Tinchnen Uniung Usa and Chinhiung beside which there are 35 small Garison Cities and Forts This Province produces much Silk and other rich Commodities It is very large and fruitful having the great River of Kiang running quite through it in some places it is Mountainous but wants neither for Trees nor Valleys From hence only comes the right Radix-China or China-Root for that which
grows in other Places of China is wild and good for nothing From hence comes likewise that incomparable Root call'd Rhubarb which the People of Tibet and Mogar who drive the Trade in this Province send from thence into Europe Here are likewise found two sorts of Amber Stones namely the red and yellow which last is found also upon other Coasts The People here are very cunning in counterfeiting of Amber which they do with so much skill that they sell it sometimes for the right it being impossible to discern it being not much inferior unto it either in sight or goodness Iron Tin and Lead are likewise fetch'd from the Mountains in great quantities among which the wonder is are great store of Salt-pits that produce so much Salt that the Inhabitants know not how to spend one third part of it The toll-Toll-Book wherein the number of the People of the Country is set down mentions no less than 4 hundred 64 thousand 1 hundred 29 Families and 22 hundred 4 thousand 1 hundred and 70 Fighting Men without reckoning the Soldiers who are very numerous in the Country That which this Province pays in Taxes to the Emperor yearly consists of 61 hundred 6 thousand 660 Bags of Rice 6 thousand 3 hundred and 39 Pounds of wrought and unwrought Silk 74 thousand 8 hundred and 51 Pounds of Cottons 1 hundred 49 thousand 1 hundred 77 Weight of Salt beside other Taxes paid to his Imperial Majesty in some parts of this Province The seventh Kingdom of Hucang THe Province of Hucang borders toward the North upon the Province of Honan North-West upon Xensi Westward upon Sucheu toward the South upon Quangsi South-West upon Queicheu Eastward upon Kiangsi and South-East upon Quantung In this Province are 15 brave Metropolises above a hundred small Cities and a world of Villages and Cottages beside the Garison Towns and Forts The 15 chief Cities are these Vuchang Hanijang Syangyang Tegan Hoangcheu Kingcheu Yocheu Changxa Paoking Hengcheu Changte Xincheu Iungcheu Chingtien Chinchiang 1. Vuchang Commands over 10 Cities Vuhang Vuchang Kiayn Puki Hienning Cungyang Tungching Hingque Taye and Tungxan 2. Hanijang Commands over two Cities Hanijang and Hanchuen 3. Siangyang Commands over seven Cities Siangyang Iching Nanchang Caoyang Coching Quanghoa and Kiun 4. Tegan Commands over six Cities Tegan Iommung Hiaocan Ingching Sui and Ingxan 5. Hoangcheu Commands over nine Cities Hoangcheu Lotien Maching Hoangpi Hoanggan Kixut Ki Hoangmui and Hoangâ—i 6. Kingcheu Commands over 13 Cities Kingcheu Cunggan Xexeu Kienli Sungki Chikiang Iling Changyang Itu Iuengan Quei Hingxan Patung 7. Yocheu Commands over eight Cities Yocheu Linsiang Hoayung Pingkiang Fung Xemuen Culi and Ganhiang 8. Changxa Commands over 11 Cities Chanxa Siangtan Siangin Ninghiang and Lieuyang Liling Ieyang Sianghiang Xeu Ganhoa and Chaling 9. Paoking Commands over five Cities Paoking Sinhoa Chingpu Vuchang and Sining 10. Hengcheu Commands over nine Cities Hengcheu Hengxan Luiyang Changning Gangin Ling Queiyang Linnu and Langxan 11. Changte Commands over four Cities Changte Taoyven Lungyang and Iuenkiang 12. Xincheu Commands over seven Cities Xincheu Luki Xinki Xopu Iuen Kiuyang and Mayang 13. Iungcheu Commands over seven Cities Iungcheu Kiyang Tan Tunggan Ningyven Iungning and Kianghoa 14. Chingtien Commands over seven Cities Chingtien Kingxan Cienkiang Mienyang Kingling Kingmuen and Tangyang 15. Chinchiang Commands over seven Cities Cinchiang Fang Choxan Xancin Choki Chingsi and Paokang There are also in this Province two great Cities Cingcheu and Chincheu The first Commands over four small Cities Cingcheu Hoeitung Tungtao Suining the second over six Chincheu Iunghing Ychang Hingning Queiyang and Queitung The Garison Cities are eleven in number Xi Iungxun Paocing Nanguei Xiyung Xangki Lankiang Sanpin Iungting Tienkia Iungmui The Chinese Register of toll-Toll-Book reckons in this Countrey Five hundred thirty one thousand six hundred and eighty six Families and Forty eight hundred thirty three thousand five hundred and ninety Fighting Men beside all such as are of the Royal Blood which amount to at least Three hundred thousand in all China These are all the Offspring of one Hunguvus the first Founder of the Family of Taiminga who long after the Expulsion of the Tartars conquer'd the Kingdom and setled himself in the Throne But this Family of Taiminga had the misfortune not many years since to be wholly extirpated by the Tartars as will appear hereafter The Product of the Revenues of this Province which are paid to the Emperor yearly consists in One and twenty hundred sixty seven thousand nine hundred and fifty nine Bags of Rice and Seventeen thousand nine hundred and seventy seven Rowls of wrought Silk The tenth Province of Chekiang THis Province lies Eastward toward the Sea South and South-West it borders upon the Province of Foking but the rest joyns to the Provinces of Kiansi and Nanking In this Province are eleven Prime Cities all of them not much inferior to some Provinces for the Metropolis of Hangcheu is fit to make to make a Kingdom of The eleven chief Cities Command over sixty three small Cities which have likewise abundance of Towns and Castles under their Command beside the Villages which are all full of People The eleven chief Cities are these Hangcheu Kiahing Hucheu Niencheu Kinhoa Kincheu Chucheu Xaohing Ningpo Taicheu and Vencheu 1. Hangcheu Commands over eight Cities Hangcheu Haining Fuyang Iuhang Lingan Yucieu Sinching Changhoa 2. Kiahing Commands over six Cities Kiahing Kiaxen Haiyen Pinghu Cungte Tunghiang 3. Hucheu Commands over six Cities Hucheu Changhing Gankie Teching Hiaofung and Vukang 4. Niencheu Commands over six Cities Niencheu Xungan Tunglui Suigan Xenchang and Fuenxi 5. Kiuhoa Commands over eight Cities Kinhoa Lanki Tungyang Yu Iuugkang Vuy Pukiang and Tanki 6. Kincheu Commands over five Cities Kincheu Lungyeu Changxan Kiangxen and Caihoa 7. Chucheu Commands over 10 Cities Chucheu Cingtien Cinyun Sungyang Suichang Lungcinen Kingyven Iunho Sivenping and Kingning 8. Xaohing Commands over seven Cities Xaohing Siaoxan Chuki Iuyao Xangyu Xing and Cinchang 9. Ningpo Commands over five Cities Ningpo Cuki Funghao Tinghai Siangxan 10. Taicheu Commands over six Cities Taicheu Hoangnien Tientai Sinkiu Ninghai and Taiping 11. Vencheu Commands over five Cities Vencheu Xuigan Locing Pingyang Taixun The chief Garisons are 15. Chinxan Kinxan Tinghui Quo Ninghai Cioki Sinho Xetie Puontun Cumuen Tunchi Haigan Sining Haifung Nan. The number of the People in this Province mention'd in the Chinese Toll-Book appears to be 12 hundred 42 thousand 1 hundred and 35 Families and 55 hundred 25 thousand 4 hundred and 70 Fighting Men. The publick Revenues paid to the Emperor consist of 25 hundred 10 thousand 2 hundred and 99 Sacks of Salt 3 hundred and 70 thousand 4 hundred and 60 Pounds of unwrought Silk and 2 thousand 5 hundred and 74 Rowls of wrought Silk Beside all which the great Ships of his Imperial Majesty call'd Iungychuen come every year to lade with Silk which is very rich and curiously wrought for his Majesties own use The Silk is interwoven with Gold
Trade upon equal Terms with those three Nations they would in acknowledgment thereof every third Year come and Salute his Majesty bringing Presents but with this Proviso That the Ship or Ships which brought the Ambassadors might have Licence to depart in due time without staying for the return of them because the Vessels which were us'd to salt Water could not be continu'd in fresh without very great damage But the Ambassadors after all their Endeavors were not able to effect any thing being not well furnish'd with Money the Key of the Work and that which gives a quick dispatch to all Affairs in China for they had already disposed both of their Presents and Silver and to take up Money at Eight or Ten per Cent. for a Months time they did not think it convenient and therefore they resolv'd to apply themselves to the Emperor himself who was pleas'd to send to know how far the Council had proceeded in the Business and understanding that the Ambassadors offer'd every five years to come and Salute the Emperor he himself was pleas'd to put out with his own hand the number of Five and to insert that of Eight out of a particular Inclination to the Hollanders alledging That they had need have five whole years to go and come if so be they would only Travel by Day for said the Emperor How is it possible for them to continue such tedious Voyages if you allow them no longer time Beside why should we straiten them in such a Point who do not stand in need of me nor fear me but out of a singular Respect and Affection come to Salute me with their Goods and Presents Certainly we ought to use these People more kindly that so after they have perform'd such Undertakings they may tarry at home and rest themselves for two or three years This favorable Answer of the Emperor gave great encouragement to the Ambassadors to hope well of their Business but the Chancellors chief Secretary did all that possibly he could to disswade them from making over much haste with what they had to desire further of his Imperial Majesty saying Is it not enough that such who never till then address'd themselves in Embassy to Salute his Majesty and were so much prejudic'd by former Aspersions as made them almost unacceptable to many great Persons in China be receiv'd and admitted as Friends and Allies at the first Overture and have leave to progress through the Country wherefore he endeavor'd to perswade the Ambassadors not to insist too much upon a free Trade that being the way to unhinge their well-begun Business for they were not to imagine that the Emperor and his Council were oblig'd to grant at first sight all what'ere they should desire and therefore advis'd them to forbear mentioning a free Trade till their next Return when they would have a better opportunity But the Ambassadors did not think fit to follow his Advice because the time drew near that the Emperor was to make his Entrance into his new Palace when he had appointed and promised the Ambassadors to give them Audience But before they could have a Hearing they were first to perform Obedience in the old Palace where the Emperor's Treasure and Seal are kept in regard according to a Proverb amongst the Chineses this Place is older than the Emperor and therefore chosen and bless'd by Heaven and the first Honor doth also belong unto it so that all Foreign Ambassadors who refuse to pay such Respects must not appear before the Emperor but depart without a Hearing as it hapned to the Ambassador of Muscovy who to preserve the Dignity and Esteem of his Lord and Master would not perform here the usual Complement and Ceremony Likewise all the Grandees of the Kingdome must do their Duty here ere they appear before his Majesty nay more the Emperor himself before he is Install'd is oblig'd to come and bow here This Custom is usually perform'd by Ambassadors three Days before their Audience Upon the 22. of August came the Agents of the Canton Vice-Roys with the Mandorin Pinxenton and others of Canton early in the Morning to our Lodgings and not long after also appear'd three Chinese Doctors and some of the Court in very rich Habits These Persons conducted the Ambassadors and their Followers in great State into a Room of the old Palace much like a Library for we saw none but Scholars and Gown-men with Books in their Hands from whence after some short stay we were conducted into an open Court within a high Wall where we were commanded at the voice of the Herald to kneel three times and to bow our Heads to the Ground after a short pause the Herald proclaim'd aloud in the Chinese Language Caschan which in English is God hath sent the Emperor afterwards he cried aloud Quee that is Fall upon your Knees then he pronounced the word Canto signifying Bow your Head after that Coe bidding them Stand up and this did he three times in order one after another wherein we also conform'd at last he signified to us that we should stand aside which we did All these Ceremonies were perform'd in presence of at least a hundred Chinese Doctors or Rabbies after which we return'd to our Lodgings And now the Ambassadors according to the Custom were to appear upon the 25. of August before the Emperor but were prevented by the sudden Death of the Emperor's youngest Brother who being about six years of Age hapned to die upon the 23. of the same Month not without suspicion of Poyson by some of the Council who it seems as we were told did not think him worthy to live because he had provoked the Emperor in some ill Language before our arrival at Peking But others ascrib'd his Death to a violent Cold he took by drinking a Glass of Ice-Water being very hot which put him into such a violent Distemper that he died in few hours after The Emperor seem'd very much to lament his Death for he would not be seen by any Person in three Days This young Prince was kept a whole Month before his Interment so that the Ambassadors were held from having Audience of the Emperor until the second of September Upon the 14. of August they understood that the Ambassador of Muscovy went from thence without Audience becaus'd he refus'd to bow to the Seal of the Emperor so to preserve the Honor and Dignity of his Lord and Master One of his Gentlemen came about Noon whilst the Ambassadors were at Dinner and took leave in the Name of the all the rest and he desir'd likewise the favour of a Letter to shew in Russia that he had found us here which was presently granted Afterwards we were inform'd That this Ambassador was not suffer'd to depart till such time as the Emperor had given him a Pass Upon the Day appointed for this long expected Audience came the Mandorin Pinxenton with the Agents and Mandorins of the Canton Vice-Roys and some
Quarter so that they are all continually busie about weighty Affairs but the number and good order of the Officers very much facilitates their Work for in each Council is a President whom they call Ciu who has two Assistants one on his right side call'd Coxilam and another on his left term'd Yeuxilam These three both at Court and through the whole Empire have the highest Dignity except those who sit in the supremest Council call'd Colao Beside these three Principal Councellors there are belonging to each Council ten others who differ but little in Dignity from the rest being always employ'd together with a great number of inferior Officers as Notaries Scribes Secretaries and Clerks The Iesuit Semedo in his Relation of China mentions several other Councils whereof some have a like Authority with the before-mention'd six all which are call'd in the Chinese Tongue Cien Cim and consist of several Offices belonging particularly to the King's Houshold The first of these is call'd Thai Lisu that is The Council of the great Audite This Office seems like the great Chancery of the Kingdom and therein all weighty Affairs receive a determination it consists of thirteen Mandorins one Councellor two Assistants and ten under-Officers The second is call'd Quon Losu and provides for their Imperial Majesties Tables and for all the Expences of the Emperor's Court. This Council has one Councellor two Assistants and six Officers The third call'd Thaipocusu has the Power of the Emperor's Stables and makes provision of all Post-Horses for publick Use and Service It consists of one Councellor and six Officers Beside all these there is yet another Council higher than all the rest and of the greatest Dignity having Place next the Emperor in all publick Solemnities Those that sit in this Council are call'd Colaos being seldom above four or six in number and the most select Persons of all the other Councils and of the whole Empire and are honor'd and reverenc'd accordingly No private Affairs are brought to them for they only mind the Publick Good and Government sitting with the Emperor in private Council for the above-mention'd six Councils intermeddle not with the Affoirs of the State as to make any Conclusion upon them they being only to Debate and Consult and afterwards by way of Petition to offer their Advice to the Emperor who either altereth or confirmeth what they have done according as he sees cause But in regard he will not seem wholly to relie upon his own Iudgment some of the chiefest Philosophers always attend upon this Colaos or Council and come daily to the Palace to answer Petitions which are brought continually to the Emperor in great numbers This last Conclusion the Emperor Signeth with his own Hand that so afterwards his Command may be Executed There are yet two Councils more whereof the one is call'd Choli and the other Tauli each consisting of above sixty Persons all choice Philosophers and wise Men whose Fidelity and Prudence both the Emperor and People sufficiently have approv'd and therefore they hold them in great honor and esteem With these his Majesty adviseth upon all extraordinary and weighty Affairs but more especially when any thing has been committed against the Laws Beside these there are several other Councils whereof the chiefest is call'd Han Lin Yven where are employ'd none but Learned Men who busie themselves with no Affairs of the Government yet exceed all in Dignity except such as sit at the Helm Their Charge is to take care of the Emperor's Writings to compile year-Year-Books and write Laws and Orders From among these are chosen Governors and Tutors for the Princes they only are concern'd in Matters of Learning wherein as they grow more and more excellent they mount by several Steps to the highest degree of Honor coming afterwards to be employ'd in Places of the greatest Dignity in the Court neither is any chosen into the great Colao who hath not first been of this Council They delight in Poetry and get a great deal of Money by their Writings as in making of Epitaphs Poems and the like to pleasure their Friends and very happy he esteems himself that can obtain such a favour of them The Government of the City Nanking where the Chinese Emperors formerly kept their Courts is the same with that of Peking save that at Nanking the great Council of the Colao is not in being but the Esteem and Authority of the rest of the Councils here is as much eclipsed for want of as at Peking 't is advanc'd by the Emperor's Presence Thus far we have spoken of the Government in general In the next place we will treat of particular and Provincial Iurisdictions The whole Empire is divided into fifteen Provinces in the principal Cities whereof the chiefest and supreme Courts of Iudicature reside differing little in Method and Rule from those of Peking and Nanking and so not consequently one from another The Regiment of each Province is committed to the care and fidelity of two Persons whom they call Pucinsu and Manganzasu the first whereof intermeddles only with Civil Affairs and the other is altogether concern'd in Criminal Matters They have both their Seats of Iudicature in the Chief Cities of their Province and live in great Magnificence having beside several Officers assistant unto them as also the chiefest Magistrates call'd Tauli who in regard they Command over some other inferior Cities it often happens that they are absent from the Metropolis of the Province to take care of their Employments All the fifteen Provinces as has been already said are subdivided into several other less Portions which the Chineses call Fu over each of which is appointed a Governor call'd Gifu These Divisions are again proportion'd into great and small Cities the first whereof they call Ceu and the last Hien each hath a particular Magistrate which in the great Cities are call'd Ciceu and in the less are nam'd Cihien for Ci signifies To Govern Every Principal Governor of these Cities is aided by three Councellors who assist them with Advice in all their Affairs and Undertakings The first is call'd Hun Chim the second Chu Phu and the third Tun Su and have their particular Courts and Iudicature but the Governor over the whole Division has no more Authority in the Place of his Residence than in the other Cities under his Command True it is he may condemn a Malefactor to die but he cannot put the Sentence in Execution without the consent of the rest that are join'd in Commission with him But in regard an Account must be given of the whole management of Affairs and the Transactions of all the Provinces at the Court at Peking therefore in each Province there are appointed two other great Officers by the Court who in eminency of Honor and Grandeur of Commission exceed the rest The one of these always resides in some of the Provinces and is call'd Tutang the other is sent yearly from the Court at Peking and
to live as private Persons Under the third are reckon'd such as are decrepit and too far stricken in years for Government or else such as are too remiss in their Offices these though they are put by the Exercise of their Offices yet enjoy all their Privileges as they were wont when they were in their Places so long as they live In the fourth Rank are put down such as have been too hasty and rash in passing Sentence acting without any forecast in the Affairs of the Empire these are degraded and put in some inferior Offices or else employ'd elsewhere upon less weighty Affairs In the last place all such as live imprudently and unbecoming the greatness of their Station and Employment are not only depriv'd of their Places but also of their Liberties and Privileges for ever The like general Inquisition and Examination is made every twelfth Year amongst the Rix-Councils as also amongst the Military Officers Besides the Mandorins and Assistants are oblig'd once a day to give an Account to the Governor of their City of their own and other Persons Transactions under their Iurisdictions as also what has past either in City or Country and if they forbear to give notice of any thing that tends to the prejudice of the State which afterwards comes to be known they are most severely punish'd without any delay or respect of their Persons an instance whereof hapned at Canton when we were there the old Vice-Roy causing one of the chief Mandorins to be kill'd in his Presence for such a Crime and would not delay the expiation of the Criminal's Offence by his Blood so long till the Executioner could be fetch'd to behead the Offender according to the Custom of the Country Fourthly None may in the Province where he was born take upon him the Office of a Magistrate but is admitted to be a Field-Commander the reason whereof may be lest he who sits in the Place of Iustice should favor his Relations but the Soldier being at home in his own Country will Fight pro Aris Focis and the more valiantly defend it The Sons of such as are Magistrates are not permitted to go much abroad that so they may not be corrupted with Bribes Fifthly The Chineses will not suffer any Stranger to continue in their Country who has an intention to return home into his own native Soil or is found to hold any Correspondence with forein Kingdoms neither is a Foreiner permitted to come into the heart of the Empire And this is the cause that no Stranger dares venture into China otherwise than under the pretence of an Embassy which is not only to be understood of such as are far distant from China but also of their Friends Allies and Tributaries who pay Taxes to them of which sort are the neighboring Islanders of Corea who for the most part observe the Chinese Laws and if they discover a Foreiner to have liv'd privately in China they restrain him from returning into his own Country upon pain of death Sixthly No body is suffer'd to wear any Arms within a City nor the Soldiers nor Commanders nor the Learned Philosophers unless they are upon the March and going to the Wars Neither are any suffer'd to have Arms in their Houses or to ride Arm'd otherwise than with a Dagger to defend themselves against High-way-men In this Empire all Magisterial Officers whatever whether Philosophical or of the Council of War are rank'd into nine Orders according to which each has a monthly Allowance paid him either in Money or Rice out of the Publick Revenue which in regard of the State and Garb they live in is not sufficient to defray the Charge and Expence they are at for those of the highest Order have but a thousand Crowns yearly yet some of them grow to be very rich Men but certainly not by what is given them under-hand for Courtesies done notwithstanding all the Examinations aforesaid All the Magistrates as well superior as inferior wear for a Badge and Mark of Respect and Dignity one sort and fashion of Hat which none else is suffer'd to wear These Hats or Bonnets are made of black Silk and have on both sides two oval Flaps which cover the Ears and are made fast to the Bonnet that they cannot fall off In which manner and Garb when they appear in the Streets they walk with great gravity not differing from each other in the rest of their Habit save only that they have distinguishing Marks upon their Clothes whereby their Qualities are known to the Inhabitants and to what Order they belong Lastly you must know that the Chineses though the Tartars have made themselves Masters of this Empire yet sit every where in the Councils they enjoy their old Laws Customs and Privileges as formerly and it seems the Tartars suffer this in regard they find the Chineses have more understanding and are better vers'd in Governing the Country and People than themselves who on the other hand are fitter for War and more able by force to Conquer than by Policy to Rule Kingdoms CHAP. II. Of the Characters Language Writing and Literature of the Chineses And in what manner the Learned in China arrive to the several Degrees of Knowledge THE Chinese manner of Writing differs very much from the Language they speak for there is not one Book in all China which is writ in their Mother-Tongue All the Words in the Chinese Language without exception are Monasyllables neither have they fewer Letters than Words for each Letter is with them a Word and though there be some Chinese Words which comprehend several Letters yet every one of those Letters signifies a particular Word And although the Chineses have as many Characters as Business yet they are so skilful in joyning them that they make about seventy or eighty thousand but about the certain number Writers seem to differ The Iesuit Athanasius Kircher reckons them eighty thousand in all which they must be knowing and expert who will aim at the highest Degree of Learning although any one that knows but ten thousand of them may perfectly understand the Language and be able to write their Characters M. Martinus in his Prologue to the History of China says That the Chineses have above sixty thousand Characters which have several distinctions and significations This is confirm'd my Mandelslo in his Persian Voyage though others raise the number to One hundred and twenty thousand and which is worth observation notwithstanding this almost infinite variety and difficulty yet such is their diligence and industry that all these words are found in a large Dictionary call'd Holpien which signifies The Sea Of this so great difference in the number of the Chinese Letters no other reason can be given but that the original number hath been increas'd from time to time For the better understanding the method of the Chineses Writing I conceive it not amiss to declare more plainly the form and difference of these their so varying Characters
treats of the same Subject with those other five And these nine Books are all that are to be found in China amongst the Booksellers out of which all others are compos'd And certainly therein are contain'd most excellent Rules and Directions for the well ordering of all Civil Affairs and such as have proved to the very great advantage of the Empire of China For which cause a Law was made by the ancient Kings That whosoever would be a Learned Man or so reputed must extract the principal Ground-work of his Learning from these Books Nor is it enough to understand the true meaning and sense of the same but he must likewise get them by heart and be able to repeat a considerable part thereof if he will be thought to have arriv'd at an eminent pitch of Learning There are no Publick Schools in all China though some Writers have erroneously told us the contrary but every Person chuses his own Master by whom he is taught in his House at his own Charge And in regard of the great difficulty in Teaching the Chinese Characters in respect of their vast number and variety it is impossible for one to teach many several Persons and therefore every Master of a Family takes an Instructer into his House for his Children of whom if there be two or three to learn they are as many as one Tutor can well teach All such as are found upon Examination to have made good Progress in Philosophy arise to Promotions by three Degrees of Learning The first is call'd Sieucai the second Kiugin the third Cinfu The first Degree of Learning call'd Sieucai is given in every City by a certain Eminent Learned Person appointed by the Emperor for that purpose and according to his Office bears the Name of Tihio This Tihio goes a Circuit through all the Towns of his Province on purpose to Promote Learned Men to this Degree As soon as he is come into any City he makes known his arrival whereupon all such as stand for this Preferment address themselves unto him to be examined and if he find them qualified he immediately prefers them to this first Step of Learning and that their Worth may be taken notice of for a particular Badge of their Dignity they wear a Gown Bonnet and Boots in which Habit none are permitted to go but such as are in this manner become Graduates They enjoy likewise several Honorable Privileges and Immunities and are preferr'd to considerable Employments in the Government The second Degree of Honor to which the Learned Chineses are preferr'd is call'd Kiugin which is given with much more State than the former and is conferr'd only upon such as they judge to be most deserving and this Promotion is made but once in three years and perform'd after this manner In each Capital City is a great and well-built Palace encompass'd with high Walls and set apart only for the Examination of the Scholars In this Place are several Apartments and Mansions for the use of Examiners when they come to Supervise the Scholars Works Beside these Apartments there are at least a thousand Cells in the middle of the Palace but so small that they will only contain only one Person a little Table and a Bench In these no one can speak to his Neighbor nor be seen by him When the King's Examiners are arriv'd in the City they are lock'd up apart in this Palace and not suffer'd to Discourse with any whatsoever while they are there When the time of Examination is come to which are appointed three whole days namely the ninth twelfth and fifteenth Days of the eighth Month then are the Writings of the Scholars with great Iudgment narrowly Examin'd and several Questions propounded to be resolv'd by them The third Degree is call'd Cinsu and is equal with that of Doctor of Divinity Law or Physick in Europe and this is conferr'd likewise every third year and to them only in the Imperial City of Peking To this Honor can only three hundred out of the whole Empire arrive and the Examination of them before they are chosen is perform'd by the King's Examiners in the same Method and State as the former And such as attain to this heighth of Honor by their Learning are preferr'd to the highest Places of Dignity in the Empire and are had in great Esteem and Reputation by the People CHAP. III. Of several Chinese Handicraft-Trades Comedians Iuglers and Beggers THe Chineses are not altogether without some Experience and Skill in Architecture although for neatness and polite Curiosity their Building is not to be compar'd with that in Europe neither are their Edifices so costly or durable in regard they proportion their Houses to the shortness of Life building as they say for themselves not for others And this surely is one reason why the Chineses cannot comprehend nor imagine the costly and Princely Palaces which are in Europe and when they have been told that some of the said Edifices have stood for many Ages they seem as it were amazed thereat But if they consider'd the true Reasons of such continuance they would rather applaud and imitate than wonder for that which makes our Building last so long is because we make deep Foundations whereas in China they dig no Foundations at all but lay the Stones even with the surface of the Ground upon which they build high and heavy Towers and by this means they soon decay and require daily Reparations Neither is this all for the Houses in China are for the most part built of Wood or rest upon woodden Pillars yet they are cover'd with Tyles as in Europe and are contriv'd commodiously within though not beautiful to the Eye without however by the curiosity of the People they are kept very clean and neat Their Temples are most curiously built some whereof in solitary places near the High-ways to the great accommodation of Travellers They are hung full of Images and heavy Lamps which burn continually in memory of one or other that liv'd well and died happily These People have made no small progress in several Sciences by their early being acquainted with the Art of Printing for though those of Europe do therein exceed the Chineses having reduc'd the same to more exactness and certain Method yet says Trigautius in the fourth Chapter of his first Book The use of the Printing-Press was much sooner in China than in Europe for it is most certain that the same has been in use amongst the Chineses for five Ages past nay some stick not to affirm that they us'd Printing before the Birth of Christ. Mercator in his great Atlas writes That the Printing-Press and the use of Cannon are of so great Antiquity in China that it is not known who was the Inventor of them All which if it were taken for granted yet nevertheless they are too large in saying That That Printing has been us'd by them ever since their Country hath been call'd the Empire or Kingdom of China
their Gods and Images as well at home in their Houses as in their Churches before the Altars Moreover if a Master speak to his Servant he stands next to him but when he gives an Answer he falls upon his Knees They use likewise several particular Forms and Methods both in Writing and Speaking for in Speech they never use the second Person Thou neither when they speak of themselves must they ever use their Proper Names unless the Master speaks to his Servant or a Superior to his Inferior In their Discourse with their Betters they have several forms of Speech by which together with their submiss Behavior the Reverence they give them is known Amongst which the courtly and polite modish way of Speaking is never to mention himself but in the third Person as not I but He or Such a one whereas we in Europe use the word I or Pronoun in the first Person and whatever a Man's Reputation may otherwise be yet he is never thought or thinks himself to have attain'd the Pinacles of Honor wanting the most accurate ways both of Speaking and Writing When any makes a Visit the Party visited is oblig'd in convenient times to make a return of the like Civility modo forma Also when they send Presents which is very frequent they write them down in a Book with the Name of him to whom they are Presented which are either receiv'd or civilly sent back with a Complement And if they are accepted he Enters their Receipt likewise and makes a Return accordingly which he also Registers It is also very common there for Presents to be made in Money though not so usual with us in Europe Such as are preferr'd to any Place in the Magistracy or have attain'd to be Learn'd in the several Arts and Sciences put on distinct Habits when they go a Visiting each according to his Place and Degree and hereby he is known although it differs not much from his daily Habit. And according to this Order such as are not Learn'd nor of the Magistracy but yet are Persons of Quality put on a distinct Habit when they make Visits which however differing little from the ordinary Garb is satisfactory to him that is visited whereas the contrary is ill resented And for this reason the Iesuits in those Parts in point of prudence Habit themselves in other than their common Vestments when they are to Confer with the Grandees about any Affairs If several Persons are visited in one House the chief among them places the Chairs in the best part of the Room wiping the Dust off with his Hand though made never so clean before then he invites his Friends that came to see him to sit down and taking a Chair seeming to wipe off the Dust seats himself The Visitors being thus plac'd presently after comes one of the Houshold Servants in a long Gown bearing in his Hand a very next Board fill'd with Cups of Cia or Liquor made of Beans of which I have already made mention in each a piece of Bisket and a little Silver Spoon lying by as a Nicety The Servant Presents to each his Cup but to him first that sits uppermost and so going till he comes at last to his Master who sits at the lower end of the Room and then exits If they continue any time together the Servant returns and fills the Cups the second third and fourth time and a fresh piece of Bisket is put every time into each Cup. The Entertainment being in this manner ended they take leave of each other after the usual manner with bowing and lifting up of Hands and being attended by the Master of the House to the Door there again they bid farewel for the last time after the same manner And now upon their departure the Master is very importunate with them to see them in their Chairs or on Horseback as they came but they civilly excuse it and desire him to return into his House Hereupon he goes back to the Threshold and there again bows and lifts up his Hands to which the Guests make a sutable Return and thus they part without any other kind of Complement or Ceremony It may be as they are riding away he will suddenly come again to the Door and perform the last Complement in using the word Cin putting up his Hands on high and then down again in all which Actions the same Return is made by the Guests who notwithstanding these Formalities of Courtesie make no stop nor halt by the Way Last of all he sends his Servant to see how they got home and to Salute them in his Name and this is likewise done by the Guests who send their Servants to return him Thanks Thus far we have treated after what manner the Chineses Salute Visit and sends Presents to each other Now we will speak of their more solemn Entertainments wherein they are much concern'd for they dispatch most of their Business and Transactions at Feastings and Topings not only such as live a well order'd and more private Life but the very Priests themselves and count the greatness of the Friendship by the value of the Entertainment of their Friends and these indeed may rather and more truly be stil'd Drinking Meals according to the ancient Custom of the Greeks than Eating-Meals for though they sip but a little at a time yet they sip often and that for several Hours together They neither use Spoons Forks nor Knives at their Meat but round Sticks about half a Foot long like our Drum-sticks wherewith they are very dexterous to take up Meat and put it into their Mouths without once touching it with their Fingers These Sticks are made of Ebony or other hard Wood and tipp'd at the end with Gold or Silver But here you are to take notice that all forts of Flesh are brought to the Table hasht cut in small pieces They drink their Liquors which are generally made of Beans Zia or Water boiling hot in the heat of Summer Wine only excepted which is drunk as it is naturally and they find by experience that such hot Liquors are very good and comfortable for the Stomach being very great Cordials and much strengthening the inward Parts and to these Means they attribute their long Lives and Healths being very brisk and lively at seventy or eighty years of Age. And indeed by this means I conceive the Chineses are preserv'd from the Stone in the Bladder wherewith a very great part of the People of Europe are very much afflicted and which divers Learned Men have believ'd to proceed from no other Cause than their continual drinking of cool Drink When any Person is invited to a great Entertainment the Inviter sends to his Guest two or three days before a Book wherein is contain'd beside the Inviter's own Name the usual Form of Salutation in few words then is declar'd That he is preparing a Feast of green Herbs and has rinsed his Bowls to Entertain them at such a Time
and Reverence but the chiefest Honor is given to King Hunvuus who deliver'd the Kingdom of China out of the hands of the Tartars and restor'd the same to Peace and Honor. Next to the Emperor they observe and reverence their Superiors and Magistrates which they do in particular forms and manners of Speech as also in stately and noble Visits neither is access free to them all but only to such as have born some Office of Honor or Trust in the Kingdom or serv'd abroad in some honorable Employments for such when they return into their own Countries are had in great esteem as well by the Magistrates as People If any one has done his Country considerable Service behav'd himself well in his Office hath been preferr'd to some higher degree of Honor and Trusâ— than ordinary or for some Reason of State or Policy happens to remove from the City he is Presented by the Country in his Passage with great Gifts but at his departure he must leave behind him his Boots Marks of Honor c in perpetual remembrance of this Favor His Boots are lock'd up in a Chest kept on purpose for such uses with great care and respect Others of a higher Quality have a Pillar of Marble erected to their Honor to preserve their Memory and Fame to Posterity by inscribing thereon in the most legible Characters the great Services they have done for their Country Some indeed are more magnificently Signaliz'd having Temples erected in Honor of their Names at the Charge of the Publick with Images of the Party deceased drawn to the Life by the best Artists in the Country and plac'd upon the Altars nor is that all but there is Incense Vessels Torches and Persons appointed to look after the same that they may always be kept Trimm'd Perfum'd and Burning which to accomplish the more readily they have great Vessels of Copper provided to burn in as is us'd in their Idol-Temples only there is this difference between the Worship of the one and the Veneration of the other for in that of their Gods they are always Desiring or Praying for one thing or other but in this appointed to the Memory of a deceased Party they are always shewing their grateful Respects for the Benefits receiv'd by him But it may be very soberly conjectur'd that the ordinary Man not able by the narrow scantling of his Iudgment to discern this duplicity makes no difference between the two Worships and this seems the more probable for that great numbers of People resort thither and there bow and kneel and Offer up what they have with the same zeal to the one as to the other All the Chiness Books which treat of Manners and Fashions contain no other Instructions but in what manner Children are to obey their Parents and certainly herein these blind People are highly to be commended for there is no Place in the World to be compar'd with them in this Particular for the Honor and Reverence that is by Children yielded to their Parents they being neither suffer'd to sit near them or opposite unto them but in some low place of the Room and that with great Submission and Reverence The like respect is shewn by Scholars to their Masters neither do Children speak to their Parents but in the most submissive Terms imaginable and if perhaps either the Father or Mother or both fall into want in their old Age the Children freely work night and day to provide for them and stint themselves pinching their own Bellies to fill those of their Parents An Example truly well worth both imitation and praise although to their shame not much practised by Christians Such is their Behavior to their Parents living however qualified and it ends not with their Lives but follows them to the Grave attending their Funerals not only in their Mourning wherein they differ very much from other People but likewise in the Coffin wherein the Corps is enclos'd which is made of the richest and most durable Wood that is to be purchas'd in their own or the Neighboring Countries Every Person in China observes his Birth-day as Sacred bestowing Presents upon his Friends and withal making great Entertainments for them Now although every Anniversary Birth-day is thus observ'd yet there is one especially celebrated with a more Festivous Solemnity which is when they live to the Age of seventy for not till then are they reckon'd amongst the Old People and then are the Walls of the Houses hung with Pictures and Verses fill'd with Eulogies to the Party whose Birth-day is to be commemorated There are also two others more remarkable than the rest one whereof is that of the tenth Year but this wants much of the Ceremonies of the former The other which is much honor'd by them is that upon which they put on the Virile Hat as formerly at Rome the Young Men did the Togâ— Virilis or Manly Gown and this is when they have attain'd twenty Years of Age. But with far greater Splendor and more extraordinary State is New-years-day solemniz'd through the whole Country to wit upon the first day of the New and Full Moon for that is the Emperor's Festival on which day every Man lights in his House great store of Artificial Candles made of Paper Glass and Cloth which are sold in the Markets in great quantities These being lighted and the Rooms hung therewith very thick make a shew as if the House within were all of a light Fire And as an addition to their Mirth they run up and down the Streets with the like Candles in their Hands whooping and hollowing like mad People The Chineses like the old Romans have several Names by which they are distinguish'd for first they have a Sir-name which is ancient and never alter'd then a Christian Name and lastly a Proper Name and this is still newly invented and signifies one thing or other as their Sir-names most commonly also do This second Name which the Father bestows onely upon his Sons is always writ with one Character and pronounc'd with one Syllable but the Women have no such Name being call'd by their Fathers Sir-name and by the number of Place in which they stand in regard of their Birth among the Sisters When a Child is put out to School he receives from the Master a new Name and that is call'd the School-Name whereby he is call'd by the Master and the Scholars onely Again when a young Man puts on the Virile Hat or is Married he is presented by some Person of Quality with a more Honorable Name call'd The Letter by which any Person may afterwards call him except his Servants Now when he is grown to Years of perfect Manhood he is presented by some other Person with a very honorable Name call'd among them The Great Name By this Name he is call'd by all without any distinction except his Parents who think him unworthy of that Honor and continue to call him onely by the Name of the Letter
the greatest part of a Morning in Combing and Dressing their Heads When they go abroad they skreen themselves from the parching heat of the Sun with large Quittesolâ—â— in Italy call'd Umbrella's which are carried over their Heads but the ordinary sort of People make use only of Fans The Country Women in China wear Breeches which they tie about their Knees And some that they may lose no time go commonly Spinning about the Streets Fields or other Places which arises to such Profit that thereby onely a great number of Families make shift to get a competent Subsistence CHAP. VII Of some Superstitious Customs Fashions and other Errors in use amongst the Chineses IN this following Chapter we shall treat of some Superstitious Fashions and Erroneous Customs which are in use among the several Sects of the Chineses And first we shall take notice That they are generally very much inclin'd and addicted to observe Times and Seasons and have so great an esteem for Sooth-sayers Fortune-tellers Astrologers Star-gazers and the like that they believe whatsoever they foretell insomuch that they govern all their Transactions according to the Sayings of those People whose Advice is taken and follow'd in their Affairs from time to time their Books much like our Almanacks being in general request besides which there are other Books of their Writing which treat of far deeper and conceal'd things So prevalent is this Science among all sorts of People that there is a vast multitude of Masters that teach it who have no other livelyhood but what they get by directing those that come to them the Day and Hour in which they may with great hopes of Success go about any Business And indeed they are so infinitely possest with an opinion of the Knowledge and Wisdom of these Men that they never undertake a Iourney go about to erect a Building or do any thing else of consequence but they first consult with them about it and observe to a Tittle whatsoever they direct so that neither Rainy Stormy or Tempestuous Weather such as would even fright a Satyre can hinder them from beginning their Iourney upon the Day prefix'd for the same though they go but out of sight of their own Dwellings or if they are to Build they will dig a little way into the Ground or make some entrance or beginning into the Work let the Weather be never so bad that it may be said they began upon that Day which was foretold them should be successful to their Undertaking Over and above these humorous Niceties they are great Observers of the Day of any ones Birth by which they confidently undertake to predict to them the good or bad Fortune likely to befal them through the whole Course of their Lives and in truth this inclination of their Nature is the cause that no People in the whole World are more easie to be deluded with the fallacious Fancies of such as assume to themselves the Title of Wizards and Sooth sayers whose Cunning hath devised various Ways to cheat the Ignorant and to make them pass for Oracles In the former Chapter we treated of their Sepulchres and the ordering thereof wherein they are not more careful than curious in making choice of the Place for that purpose which they make to resemble the Head Tail and Feet of a Dragon which sort of Creature they fancy to live under Ground Upon this doth not only depend as they firmly believe the good and bad Fortune of particular Families but the very well-being of Cities Countries and of the whole Empire And therefore when any publick Building is to be Erected the Learned in this mysterious Art are first consulted with concerning the good or bad success that will follow upon it that they may thereby chuse the better Lot There are abundance of People here who not able to restrain their licentiousness though in the meanest degree of Poverty sell themselves for Slaves to the Rich upon condition that they may take to Wife any of the Maid-Servants But note That whatsoever Children come of these Marriages become Slaves for ever Othere there are who being well to pass and of ability purchase them Wives for their Money but when their Families increase in number and Means begin to fail they sell their Sons and Daughters for two or three Crowns apiece not caring what becomes of them afterwards nor ever taking notice of them though they are made Slaves for ever and may be put to what Employment the Purchaser thinks good Many of this kind are bought up by the Portuguese and the Spaniard and carried out of their native Country into Forein Parts where they live in perpetual Slavery during their Lives without any hope of Redemption This cannot in Civiliz'd Nations be accounted other than a piece of Heathenish Barbarism But yet they commit a far greater and more horrid Inhumanity which is this In some Provinces they drown the young Infants especially Females for no other reason but that they mistrust they shall not be able to maintain them but be forc'd to sell them to unknown People This liberty they take to themselves from a belief That the Souls of the Deceased transmigrate into other Bodies and therefore they would seem to infer That this their Cruelty is necessary at leastwise convenient and so no ways dreadful unto them averring That they do the Children great advantage in taking away their Lives for by that means they deliver them the sooner out of a miserable Condition to settle them in a better And therefore the poor Children are not made away clandestinely or in private but aperto sole openly before all People But this unnatural Cruelty is not all there is yet more inhumanity practis'd amongst them for some out of despair of Good Fortune or because they have sustain'd great Losses will voluntarily lay violent Hands upon themselves others if they cannot find a means to revenge themselves upon their Enemies will kill themselves thinking thereby to do them a mischief for as 't is said great numbers both of Men and Women destroy themselves every year either in the Fields or else before the Doors of their Adversaries by strangling drowning or poisoning themselves Another sort of Barbarism they are guilty of in the Northern Provinces towards young Children which is by Gelding them whereby and no otherwise they are made capable of Service and Preferment in the Emperor's Palace And these they call in their Language Gelubden besides whom none are admitted to wait on the Prince and which is more the whole Government of the Empire is in their Hands and Management There are at least ten thousand of these Gelubden in the Palace who originally are all mean Persons without Learning c. brought up in perpetual Slavery by reason whereof and their ignorance they are of a dull and heavy Disposition and unfit for any Business of Concern The Magistrates have in effect an Arbitrary Power over the Subject whom they oftentimes condemn unheard The
Night with Lights and catch abundance of them Near the City Fuencheu is the Mountain Vanhu which is reputed the highest of all Hills and this Name was given to it because ten thousand People in the time of the Inundation of the World got upon the top of this Mountain to avoid the danger of drowning Near to Tingcheu is a Mountain call'd Kin upon which are three Pools which turn Iron that is flung into them into Copper immediately There are several other strange Pools Springs and Wells to be found in China some whereof are very soveraign for the cure of several Distempers of the Body On the West side of the City Caifung in the Province of Honan lies a Pool call'd Kinning which the Imperial Race of Sunga caus'd to be digg'd for the disciplining and training up Sea-men to make them expert in Sea-Fights which was very much us'd by the Emperor Taicungus This Pool is so very pleasant that round about the same are built several brave Palaces of the Grandees besides divers Idol-Temples CHAP. XVIII Of the Chinese Kings and Emperors which have Govern'd in China before and since Christ's Birth BEfore I make mention of the Wars between the People of China and the Tartars I shall speak in short concerning the Genealogy of the Kings and Emperors who have Reigned there before and since the Birth of Christ. First then observe That before Christ's Birth between the Years of the World 2207. and the Year 2952. eight hundred succeeded one another in the Government of that Empire which took not the same by Inheritance but after the death of one another was elected by plurality of Voices But after that time the Government became Hereditary and the next Heir to the preceding King succeeded after his death The first eight Elective Kings were Fohius Xinnungus Hoangtius Xaohavus Chuenhious Cous Yaus and Xunus All the Transactions during the Reign of these eight Elective Kings and the following Imperial Races before and after the Birth of Christ are not in the least doubted but firmly believ'd by all the People in regard the Histories of those Times are faithfully transferr'd to Posterity by the then Chronologers for it has been a constant and without doubt a most laudible Custom amongst them that the new Emperor doth appoint and order some of the most Learned Philosophers to write the Deeds and Actions of his Predecessor at large without fraud or flattery Out of this voluminous Work which comprehends in general all the great Transactions of the whole Empire the Chineses for ease of Memory have made an Extract or Epitome of the most remarkable Passages But as to what pass'd before the eight elected Emperors the Chineses themselves are very doubtful because the Books of those Times are full of ridiculous Stories as well relating to the Age of the People as the Years of the Governors for according to the phantastick belief of those Writers the World must have been created some thousands of years before the Flood But before I proceed to the Lives and Actions of these eight Emperors I shall in a few words declare what Kings and Princes are feigned to have had the Rule over China before the Government of Fohius the first of them The Chineses feign That the first Man whom they also own for their first Governor was call'd Puoncuus and had his Original out of a confus'd Lump as out of an Egg though some of the more Learned in Europe are of opinion That Cainan or Kenan the Son of Enos was the first Man that with his Followers Peopled China and that from him they all had their rise They also add That this Cainan was preferr'd to the Government when he was five hundred years old and that after him the eight Elect Emperors Govern'd those Countries and Inhabitants as hath been and shall be more fully related Yet they tell us That after the decease of this Puoncuus one Tienhoangus succeeded in the Government of whose Time a certain Chinese Historian speaks thus 〈◊〉 that time the Spirit of Heaven cover'd the Face of the Earth and by degrees introduc'd good Manners and taught the People being then very decible Civility and Morality but especially when the great Dragon was kill'd which had molested the whole World by mingling Heaven and Earth together after his Death every thing receiving a more illustrious form and Dignity After him they say succeeded one Thâ—angus who was very skilful in the Course of the Stars distinguish'd the Day and Nights by Name and ordering every Month to consist of thirty Days When he was deceased they write That nine other Princes succeeded but they are altogether ignorant both of their Names and Actions After these nine follow'd according to their Legend Ginhoangus with nine more of his Family He divided the Country into nine Parts whereof one was given to the People to inhabit and the other eight he appointed for Husbandry and by this means he brought the People who at first as wild and unciviliz'd liv'd dispers'd to bring their Habitations near together though yet they had no Houses His Reign they say was a Golden Age for the Earth brought forth Fruit of it self without much Labor This Prince cared for his Subjects with more then a Fatherly Love who on the other hand honor'd and serv'd him as dutiful Children obey their Father After him follow'd one Yeus who instructed the People that had long liv'd in Holes and Caves of the Mountains to make Huts and little Edifices of Wood to defend themselves against the fury of wild Beasts for till this time they were ignorant of most things useful for the support and sustenance of Life for they had not so much as heard of Husbandry nor knew how to strike Fire wherewith either to dress their Victuals â—r to refresh the Body but they liv'd only upon wild Herbs and Fruits and devour'd the raw Flesh of wild Creatures and drank their Blood going for the most naked or at the best wearing only the undress'd Skin of some wild Creature they had kill'd about some part of their Body After the death of this Yeus Sujus Reigned who was very skilful in Astrology He taught that there were five Elements as Metal Wood Earth and Fire which last he observ'd in the Air. He was also the first that made the discovery of Fire by rubbing one piece of Wood against another There was no kind of Money or Coyn either Silver or Gold in his Days but they exchang'd Commodity for Commodity by way of Barter Thus far their hardly-believ'd Histories proceed which whether true or false shall be no Task for me to discover but leaving them as they are I shall return to speak of the eight Elect Emperors before-mention'd the first whereof was Fohius whom the Chineses call'd Thiensu that is The Son of Heaven and by this Title they still call all their Emperors They say and haply believe it that he was brought into the World by his Mother
Stone it self to the Eye of the whole World in the Chinesian Idiome as it was Sculp'd in the Year of Christ 782. that from this most ancient Testimony every one may conjecture how true the Doctrine of the Catholicks is seeing the same was Preach'd in an opposite Quarter of the World amongst the Chineses Anno 636. of our Saviour that is about a thousand years since The Chinesian Original of the Stone is now conserv'd in the Library of the Roman Colledge that belongeth to the Fathers of the Society of Iesus and another Copy is to be seen in the Repository of the House of the Profession I my self also obtain'd from the most Grave Chinese Doctors and Masters at the very time that the Monument was found a Book Printed in the Chinese Language in which the Writing of the Stone was most truly and exactly express'd according to the true Original They advise the Chineses in the larger Preface adjoin'd to the Book that at length they would have recourse to the Masters of the great Occident for so they term the Fathers of the Society of Iesus and discover whether they Preach the same Law amongst the Chineses which their Ancestors with so many Emperors embrac'd a thousand Centuries ago and which the Fathers of the Society of Iesus exhibited in the Books Printed in the Chinese Language before the Stone was found Now it only remaineth that I should declare how this Marble Table was detected When after the Death of St. Francis Xavier the venerable Father Matthew Riccius and other Fathers of the Society of Iesus had introduc'd the Gospel of Christ into the more Inland Parts of China and had erected Residences and Churches in some Provinces and therefore the Propagation of the Holy Faith had made no small progress in that of Xensi Anno 1625. one of the Fathers of the same Society invited by Doctor Philip having Baptiz'd twenty Persons in his native Country of Sanyven he went with the same Doctor to see a Stone which they had found some Months before in the Village Chenche near the Metropolis Siganfu whilst they were casting up the Rubbish for the building of a Wall This Father writes which other Fathers who had fix'd their Abode and erected a Church in Siganfu with the Christians and Heathens also affirm'd That a Stone was found five Hands broad one thick and nine long the top whereof made like an oblong Pyramid of two Hands and one broad on the Vertex the Cross was Engraven above the Clouds that with its Branches seem'd to imitate the Flower-Deluce besides the Chinesian Inscription on the left side and beneath there appear'd the Names of the Syrian Priests and also other Chinesian Names of the same Priests under-written It is the Custom of the Chineses to have many Names whence also the Christians at this Day retain both the Name of the Saints they receiv'd in Baptism and another Chinese Name The Governor of the Place being certifi'd of the finding of this Monument commanded an elegant Composition to be made in praise of it and to be Engraven on such another like Marble Stone causing both of them to be plac'd in the Fane or Temple of the Bonzi that are call'd Tan Su a Mile distant from the Walls of the Metropolis Siganfu as a perpetual remembrance of the same Many other Footsteps of the Catholick Faith Preach'd to the Chineses were discover'd in the following Years which God seemeth not willing to have manifested but only at that very time in which the Preaching of the same Faith arriv'd amongst the Chineses by the Labor of the Fathers of our Society that so both the old and new Testimonies might affect the identity of the Catholick Faith and the truth of the Gospel might be rendred perspicuous and manifest unto all The like Images of the Holy Cross were seen in the Province of Fokien in the Year 1630. In the Province of Kiangsi also a miraculous Light shone forth Anno 1635. which was beheld by the Gentiles and also in the Mountains of Fokien and in the City Cyvencheu 1643. Crosses were found yea the venerable Father Martin Riccius when first he came into China found Xe tsu Kiao to be a Name signifying The Doctrine of the Crosses by which the Christians anciently that were Disciples of that Doctrine of the Cross were nam'd and I doubt not but all that were Christians in the Kingdoms of China when the Tartars about three hundred years past first invaded China and that they liv'd there mix'd with Sarazens Iews Nestorians and Gentiles that is to say in the Time of Marcus Paulus Venetus who travell'd unto Catay which is the very same with that we now call China And now whether St. Thomas or any other Apostle first Preach'd the Gospel to the Chineses is not yet certainly known Father Nicholas Trigautius collecteth from some ancient Testimonies of the Christians of the Church of Malabar in the Arch-bishoprick of Cranganor or De Serra which are termed The Christians of St. Thomas That in that Place as also in Meliapor which formerly was call'd Calamina and now by the Portuguese San Thome the holy Apostle Preach'd by reason that out of their Gaza or Treasury in the Office of St. Thomas is recited or rehearsed That by St. Thomas the Chineses and Ethiopians were Converted to the Truth by St. Thomas the Kingdom of Heaven took its flight and ascended to the Chineses And in the Antiphono the Ethiopians Indians Chineses and Persians in commemoration of St. Thomas Offer up Adoration unto his holy Name Also in an ancient Synodical Canon the Bishops of the great Province viz. those other Metropolitans of China India and Pases do send their Letters of Consent Add withal That he that Govern'd the Church De Serra at the coming of the Portuguese subscrib'd himself Metropolitan of all India and China But in truth things being more narrowly consider'd from those Circumstances and Footsteps which began to be manifest after the time of Father Trigautius we cannot certainly conclude that St. Thomas the Apostle Preach'd the Gospel himself amongst the Chineses for although these Footsteps of the Faith of Christ here found do evidently shew That the Christian Belief hath been in China yet notwithstanding those very Paths or Tracts do demonstrate that the Faith had its entrance into China when the Family of Heuhan Rul'd over three Kingdoms which are now united in Nanking the third Province of the Empire viz. in the Province of Kiangsi at the Shore of the River for Antron-Cross seems by its Inscription to have been fix'd according to the Chinesian Computation about the Year of Christ 239. which Cross weigh'd about three thousand weight whence the Faith and the Preachers of the same are certainly evinc'd to have come amongst the Southern Chineses about a thousand four hundred and fifteen years ago But in some years following the Knowledge of the Gospel being extinguish'd it was again renew'd by Priests out of Tacyu
that is India or Syria in Xensi a Northern Kingdom of the Chineses the Royal Family of Tam then Reigning Anno 639. as the Monument that was found avoucheth where relating the Preachers of the Faith of Christ at that time amongst the Chineses it mentioneth not St. Thomas or any other Apostle which yet if Insculp'd would have been of considerable moment unto their purpose who erected the Stone viz. That the Preachers of the Faith then again Preach'd the same Law that St. Thomas or some other Apostle had before Preach'd amongst the Chineses Moreover it is evident That those Preachers of Tacyu had no knowledge of St. Thomas or any other Apostles Preaching the Law of Christ unto the Chineses and a Conjecture may be made that peradventure neither St. Thomas nor any other Apostle introduc'd the Gospel amongst them And that I may speak most moderately nothing can be certainly deduc'd or drawn concerning this Matter from the Footsteps here found and the Passages before alledg'd are only able to prove That those Priests were sent from the Church of St. Thomas or Babylon which then Govern'd the Malabran Chuch De Serra belonging unto the Christians of St. Thomas as the Portuguese afterwards found to erect an Episcopal Seat and to introduce the Faith amongst the People of China seeing this is testifi'd by the ancient Syrian Language call'd Estrangelo which is now retain'd in that Church and was in former Times in use in Babylon and Syria And as for the Orations compos'd in praise of St. Thomas the Apostle from them we may only conjecture that by the Merits of St. Thomas and his Church the Priests perchance introduc'd first of all the Faith which they had receiv'd from St. Thomas amongst the Chineses and therefore deservedly their Conversion ought to be attributed unto St. Thomas Wherefore seeing there is no mention of St. Thomas to be found in the Paths of the Faith Preached hitherto discover'd we cannot positively assert That St. Thomas or any other Apostle Preach'd the Gospel unto the Chineses but I rather think that many Ages after the Christians of Prester-Iohn's Country whose Emperor Paulus Venetus calleth Usan Can who are term'd The Worshippers of the Cross were those that entred into China either with the Tartars or a little before for those from India or rather from the Syrian Chaldea or those of Malabar as they are far more ancient than the Tartar-Christians so would they have call'd their Disciples that were Followers of a more clear Doctrine Kin Kiao but I believe those Preachers came not out of India for the Syrian Language and Names testifie them to be Syrians and they term'd themselves Iews or of India by reason they Preach'd that Law or Doctrine which had its Original from India But from what Place those Syrian Priests came as also their Syrian Subscriptions these I say we leave to the industrious Disquisitions of the Reverend Father Athanasius Kircher a Person highly meriting of all Antiquity which that he may accomplish with the greater fidelity and solidity we have presented him the same Writing transcrib'd in the Chinese out of the Book by the sole pains and industry of Don Chin Andreas a Noble Chinesian Youth the inseparable Companion of my Voyage to Rome to the Apostolick See which Book was Imprinted and divulg'd throughout the whole Empire by the Chinese Doctors Men of great Fidelity and Authority with my Latin Translation rendred word for word and I have laid up the Book that is altogether consonant to the original Monument in the Study of the same Father together with an Attestation of the Fact by the Subscription of my own Hand and the Hands of those that were Natives of China Eye-witnesses of the Monument as also the Transcribers of this Table from the Original Rome Novemb. 4. Anno 1653. Father Michael Boim Andreas Don Chin a Chinese Matthew a Chinese A Paraphrastical Declaration of a Chinese Inscription Translated word for word out of the Chinese Language into the Portuguese out of that into Italian and from the Italian into the Latin Tongue The Declaration of Xiu Piu or as the Commentator hath it made by a Priest of the Kingdom of Iudea who was call'd Kim Lim. 1. THis therefore I say That he who was always True and Undisturb'd being without any Beginning of a most profound Intellect and eternal Essence by his most excellent Power out of Nothing created All things and by his Divine Wisdom made the Saints This is that Divine Essence Three in Person but One in Substance our Lord who being certainly Infallible without Beginning Olo o yu which in the Chaldee signifies the same with Eloba made the four Parts of the World in form of a Cross gathering together the Chaos He form'd two Kis that is two Virtues or Qualities call'd Inyam the Commentator names them Two Principles chang'd the Abyss that is he took away the Darkness and the Heaven and the Earth appear'd He form'd the Sun and Moon that by their continual Motions they should distinguish the Night and Day He set together and built all things But when he created the first Man besides his Being he endow'd him with Original Righteousness appointing him Lord of the whole Universe which at first of his own Nature was empty and vile fill'd with himself of a plain and equal Understanding and having no mixture of any inordinate Appetite 2. But afterwards by cunning Deceits the Devil brought it to pass that Adam infected whatever was before naturally and in its self Pure and Perfect that is he was the cause of sowing the Seeds of Malice that general Disturber of the Peace in his Heart whereby the equal Temper of his Uprightness was alter'd and Discord fraudulently introduc'd From whence in process of time three hundred and sixty five Sects sprung up one after another each of which drew to themselves as many as they could delude some worshipping the Creature in stead of the Creator others made an empty Principle of all things and a real Ens to this alludes the Sect of the Pagodi and Learned Chineses because they assert That the Principle which produc'd all things was void That the same is to them subtile and undiscernable to the Senses although in it self it be a real and positive Principle But others say That the Principle of things is not only real and positive but that it was of such a Figure and Corpulency as might easily be comprehended by Sense Some did seek Happiness by Sacrifices others took a pride to deceive Men under the specious shew of Goodness using all their Skill and Industry therein making all their Diligence and Intentions subservient to their Affections But in vain and without any profit did they labor still making their progress from bad to worse as it happens to those that would strike Fire out of an Earthen Vessel they add Darkness to Darkness and so indeed once leaving the true Path they can never return to the
remain'd unexplain'd hitherto by reason of the want of Men in China that are vers'd in those Characters and for that very cause was sent into Europe by the Portuguese Fathers of our Society to be explicated by Persons skill'd in the Syrian Language I first of all undertook the Interpretation thereof and that with good success discharging the same with equal fidelity and diligence Now it is Engrav'd on the Margins of the Stone in the ancient Syriack Characters that are term'd Estrangelo and it containeth the Year the Names and Offices of those Apostolical Men and Promoters of the Divine Law that were then in China when the Stone was erected Father Emanuel Dias in a certain Letter written in the Portuguese Tongue Dated from Maccao August 23. 1625. taketh notice of this Stone and of the Inscriptions mention'd His words translated are these In the Province of Xensi in China where now Trigautius resideth a certain Stone of about twenty four Hands breath was digg'd up in which is manifestly apparent that above a thousand two hundred and forty three years since there were Christians with shaven Crowns that Preach'd the Mystery of the Trinity and Incarnation and that the Kings of China conferr'd many Favors on them Doctor Leo desir'd to have the whole Matter Printed first transcrib'd by the Mandorins that were Christians to shew all the Mysteries contain'd on the Stone that the same might more plainly appear At present we only endeavor that the Matter may come to the knowledge of the Emperor God prosper all to his own Glory Father Francis Hurtado from the Province of Nancheu also confirmeth this and addeth That in the same Year a Passage was open'd into the new Provinces of the Empire of China viz. Xensi Xansi Fohum which last is conterminate with Couchinchina and easily admitteth of Strangers And thus proceeding says Unto these were annexed ten or twelve Lines in Syriack which I could not Interpret also the Priviledges granted by the Kings of China to the Priests of that Law were adjoin'd The Version was made word for word out of the Chinese Language There were also other Translations but they all agree in the Essential Matters It is Recorded in the Books of the Kings of China that the Christian Faith arriv'd amongst the Chineses above 994 years since and that this Inscription was made 140 years after its entrance Thus Father Emanuel Dias But in other Letters of a more later Date from Maccao 21 Novemb. 1627. we find it thus written concerning this City Some years since there was found a very long and ancient Writing Engraven on a Stone in the Chinesâ—â— and Chaldean or Syrian Language from whence it is evident That the Law of our Lord and Saviour arriv'd amongst the Chineses about a thousand years since Anno Dom. 636. Now the Stone was erected and inscrib'd Anno 782. that is a hundred and forty six years after the Preaching of the Gospel there by which a great Conversion unto the Faith was wrought Churches were built and Bishops constituted The Kings that Govern'd at that time are reckon'd about eight whose Names are express'd in that Stone and who â—ll of them favor'd the Christians Now the Preachers of this Law came out of Palestine and other adjoining Places It containeth the chief Misteries of our Faith which are manifest from the Inscription All which are largely evident from the foremention'd Testimonies of Father Boim Martinius and Daniel Bartolus which were collected from the Study of the Colledge of our Society But I think it will be worth our time to produce this Syrian Inscription in the same Strangelick Characters in which it was express'd in China together with the Interpretation especially seeing the Fathers of our Society in China therefore sent it hither into Europe in a particular Folio Printed in China by the Masters of that Language for a better Explanation of it For this being Explain'd I hope it will so come to pass that both the Day the Names the Country and the Offices of the Preachers of the Divine Law and finally our Design will the more evidently be discover'd The Inscription of the Syriack Names is two-fold one of them Sculp'd on the Margin the other on the Foot of the Monument And because this latter containeth the Year of its Erection we shall begin the Thred of our Exposition from it The Syrian Inscription is as followeth Adam Kasiso Ucurapiscupo Upapasi di Zinstà n Bejume Abo dabohotho Mor Haâ—an Iesua Kataliko Patriarchis Besanath alf utisaain utarten dia vanoie Mor libuzad Kasiso Ucurapiscupo de Cumdan medinah malcutho bar nihh napso Milis Kasiso dmâ— Balehh Medintho Tahhurstan Akim Lucho hono Papa dicta bou beh medaharnaâ—ho dpharukan Ucaruzuthon dabhain daluat malche dizinio Adam Meschamschono Bar Iidbuzad Curaphiscopo Mar Sargis Kasiso Ucurapiscupo Sarnischua Kasiso Gabriel Kasiso Varcodia cun Urisch ahito de Cumbdan u Dasrag This the Explication of it Adam Priest or Presbyter and Archbishop and Pope of Zindostan or the Region of China where note that Stan in the Indian Language signifieth A Region whence are deriv'd Indostan Turkistan or Turchestan and the like Names that signifie the same even as the following German Names Friesland and Franckeland signifie the Regions of Frisia and Francovia and other innumerable words of the like kind all which are compounded of the German word Land which as the Indian word Stan is the proper Name of a Region or Place Which I though fit here to alledge that the Reader might not be ignorant why China is call'd Zindostan in the Days of the Father of Fathers the Lord Hanan Iesua or Iohn Iosue Catholick Patriarch you must understand either the Patriarch of Alexandria or of Antioch or of Babylon who are properly call'd Universal or Catholick Patriarchs in the Year 1092. according to the Grecian Compute The Lord Iidbuzad Priest and Vicar-Bishop of Cumdan City of the Kingdom so they phrase the Metropolis Son of Milis Peace be to his Soul Priest of Belehh a City of Tahurstan you must read Turchestan Pope so they term the Chief in any Ecclesiastical Order erected this Table and the Administration or Government of our Savionr is Inscrib'd in it and also the Preaching of our Fathers who resided with the Kings of China Adam the Deacon Son of Iidbuzad Episcopal Vicar Mar Sargis Presbyter and Episcopal Vicar Sarnischua Presbyter Gabriel Presbyter and Archdeacon Head of the Churches of Cumdan and Dasrag And these are found in the Folio Printed in China which are also seen Inscâ—lp'd on the Stone But before I proceed any farther I must clear one Difficulty which occurreth about the Year of the Erection of this Stone for the Year of this Stone in the Chinesian Inscription is found so different from that of the Syriack that not a few Persons being perplex'd with the diversity alledg'd their Doubts unto me concerning the true and faithful Interpretation of the Monument for the Portuguese Version out of
inhabit And in the eighth Part Line 18. he saith That a great quantity of Gold is gather'd out of these Mountains and divers sorts of Precious Stones and that there is a great Monarch that Ruleth over these Countries All which are agreeable to the Empire of the Great Cham as Marcus Paulus Venetus an Eye-witness in his first Book Chap. 64. delivereth in these words Departing from the Province of Egriaia towards the East the Way leadeth unto Tenduc it is better to read it Tanchut Now Tanchut is a Kingdom of Tartary which comprehendeth many other Kingdoms as the Kingdom of Lasa or that which the Tartars call Barantola the Kingdoms of Nethel Tibeth Maranga and others as I shall shew anon together with the Desart Kalmack which is bounded by the Wall of the Chineses and most Geographers confound this Kingdom with Cathay in which are many Cities and Tents where also that great Emperor term'd Presbyter Iohn so famous throughout the whole World was wont to reside But now that Province is Tributary to the Great Cham having a King of the Progeny of Presbyter Iohn and although there are many Idolaters and Mahumetans yet the greatest part of the Province embraceth the Christian Faith and these Christians are the Chief in this Province especially there is a certain Nation in the Province call'd Argon which is more subtle and eloquent than the other People here are also the Regions of Gog and Magog which they term Lug and Mongug in these Places is found the Stone Lazuli that maketh the best Azure In these Mountains also are great Provinces Mines of Silver and various sorts of wild Beasts All which aptly consent with the Description of the Arabick Geographer before alledg'd Also he thus writeth concerning the Altitude of the Mountains Iagog and Magog in his first Book Chap. 27. Hence if you travel to the Eastern Quarter you must ascend for three whole Days up the steep Rocks of Caucasus until you come to a most high Mountain than which there is not an higher in the World and there also appeareth no Bird by reason of the Cold and the over high Elevation of the Earth which can afford no Food unto Animals And if at any time Fire he kindled there it becometh not light it being obstructed by the over-much coldness of the Region neither is it of that activity as in lower Places And a little after he saith This Region is call'd Belor always having the face of Winter stamp'd on it Thus far Marcus Paulus All which agree unto that Mountain which they call Langur the highest Mountain in the Kingdom of Lasa concerning which Father Iohn Gruberus who travell'd through it on foot relateth that you cannot travel through it in Summer without danger both by reason of the great subtilty of the Air which hardly admitteth a Passenger to breathe and also because of the Vapor of a certain poisonous Herb which by its scent killeth both Man and Beast And about this Kingdom of Belor viz. the ancient Seat of the Sacae the Arabian Geographer placeth the principal Kingdom of Presbyter Iohn in Cathay as the Tractate written by Rabbi Abraham Pizol doth also clearly demonstrate The Nubian or Arabick Geographer calleth it Begarger in which he saith there is situate a very great City his words are these In the Eastern part of it is the Kingdom of Begarger the great City of which is call'd Centaba fortifi'd with twelve Iron Gates Rabbi Pizol with Paulus Venetus calleth it Belor in which he saith the Kingdom of Thebeth was lately discover'd his words are as followeth The Kingdom of Belor is very great and mighty according unto all Historians that have written of it there are many Iews inhabiting in it principally in the Eastern and Northern Quarters And there are moreover other Eastern People not long since discover'd call'd by the Natives Thebeth having a most splendid and magnificent City exceeding all others in magnitude there being not the like under the Canopy of Heaven in which all good things are found Which indeed can be no other than the City Chaparangue situate in the Kingdom of Thebeth concerning the Monuments of which in relation unto our Religion there left by the Christians Father Anthony Andradas a Portuguese of the Society of Iesus relateth Wonders who when he had heard that the Inhabitants thereof were professed Christians he took a Voyage into the same from the Kingdom of Mogor Anno 1624. full of labor and difficulty in which also having discover'd the Fountains or Heads of Ganges and Indus he observ'd many things most worthy of Consideration and admiration as I have it confirm'd by Ioseph a Christian of the Mogors Country who at the time of this my writing with Father Henry Roth Moderator of the new Converted Christians in the Kingdom of the Mogor is yet at Rome strong and lusty although eighty five years of Age who related unto me every Particular There is in the most high Mountains of Thebeth that are perpetually cover'd with Snow a great Lake the Receptacle of the greatest Rivers of India from which Indus Ganges Ravi Athec derive their Currents Hence the River Ganges hath its original falling down from the most high Rocks into a low Valley Indus and the other Rivers make their Outlets through the foot of the Mountains as is evident from the Map Now he affirmeth this Kingdom to be one of those of Great Cathay that are contain'd both without and within the Walls of the Chineses although the Relation be not in every respect conformable unto that perform'd by Benedict Goes of our Society which he undertook by order of his Superiors as we shall see anon And in these vast Regions of Cathay I find by the Relation of Paulus Venetus that most Potent Emperor Presbyter Iohn to have had subject unto his Dominions seventy two Kings partly Christians and partly Heathens although the similitude of the Kingdoms in those vast Regions and the Names arising from the various Revolutions of those Nations the Tumults of War and the other changes of Affairs together with the different Denomination hath caus'd such and so great a Confusion that to this very Day no Person hath been able to free himself out of this intricate Labyrinth for some make him the same with the Great Cham others call him Ascid by Original a Persian so Almachin in the third Book and fourth Chapter of his History of the Saracens Every King saith he of Pharanga so they call the City of Sogdiana is call'd Ascid as the Roman Emperor is call'd Caesar and the King of the Persians Cosrai And there are some that rather by a new Name with the Ethiopians more truly than by the old term him Iuchanes Belul that is to say Precious Iohn Others by no improbable Conjecture do assert That in honor of the Prophet Ionah who is highly respected amongst them all that Govern'd the Empire were so denominated But yet in these Western Parts of the Latin
the Globe of the Earth was furnish'd with so many and those so Potent Nations and People unknown to them that it should be eucompass'd with so large an Ocean with so great a multiplicity of Islands here and there on every side scatter'd abroad and moreover that Europe should be situate so far off in the ultimate Recesses of the West disjoin'd by the interposal of so many Lands and Seas resplendent for so many Kingdoms and Monarchs and more especially for the Majesty of the Roman Empire also that China should be plac'd in the utmost Corner of the East this indeed they admir'd at and were withal much displeas'd that their Empire beyond which they imagin'd nothing to be remaining yea which was fix'd in the middle of the Earth as a Iewel in a Ring should be cast into the extreme Part of the World Father Riccius being mov'd at this their Displeasure that he might not any way abate of that Reputation he had gain'd amongst them design'd a new Delineation of the Globe of the Earth in a greater Form distinguish'd into two Hemispheres that China the proportion of the Paralells and Meridians being observ'd and kept should be in the middle Lastly he Illustrated all the Kingdoms Regions Provinces Cities Mountains Rivers Seas and Lakes in the Chinesian Characters and Language which Work of so universal Diligence and Labor you can hardly express how much it drew and fastned the Mind and Eyes of all upon it especially seeing that what before they admir'd as a rude indigested Heap having no farther understanding of it now they did not only behold the Constitution of each Part of the World declar'd in their own Language but also comprehended and discover'd all and every Place in it whence when the House was not able to contain the great number of Persons that â—ame to view this hitherto unseen Work that many might become partakers of so great a Good the Map at the Cost of the Vice-Roy was speedily Engraven and abundance of the Copies of it were dispers'd through the whole Empire which excited such a flame in the Minds of Persons that were curious that they believ'd Matthew Riccius like a reviv'd Atlas to be the most excellent Astronomer in the whole World and to have fall'n down from the Clouds The Grandees of the Empire being smitten with those first Fruits of Curiosity every where labor'd to call our Fathers unto them but by this means they were unmeet for so great Undertakings having sent for divers of the Fathers of great Abilities from Maccao they employ'd them in Fishing By this means first the Minds or Phantasies of the Great Personages being allur'd by such preparative Inventions of curious things as they acquir'd an high esteem of their admirable Learning and incomparable Wit so nothing was more easie than by laying hold on the occasion which was the chief inducement of their Voyage into China to discourse concerning the Christian Religion and the God of Heaven Now the Chineses who for a long space of time had a great Controversie about the Worship of the True God being captivated with their great Reasonings that were strengthned with the weight of Arguments concerning the One and True God and the nullity of the Gentile Figments and Images presently submitted themselves to be instructed in their Worship and Discipline whence within a few years Men of Note together with other Persons of all States and Conditions discovering the Vanity of their own Religion being wash'd with the Sacred Water of Baptism were receiv'd into the Bosom of our Holy Mother the Church amongst which were many Noble Persons and Governors of the Empire whom they term Mandorins and Colao's who acknowledging the Benefit of the Divine Call unto the safe Harbor of Saving Faith so warmly embrac'd the Law of Christ that they seem'd hardly able to rest before they had brought over many others to embrace the same Hence many Books which deliver'd the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion were written and dispersed throughout the whole Empire to the incredible advantage of Souls But the great Enemy of Man-kind suffer'd not such a Prey to be rescu'd from him for now Places of Residence being establish'd through the chief Provinces of the Empire and Churches also erected unto the Service of God by the Envy and Hatred of the Bonzii that is their Priests who were almost frantick at the so great Advancement and Propagation of the Divine Gospel so heavy a Persecution was rais'd against our Fathers and Converts that often being clapp'd up in Prison and cruelly tormented and lastly by their withdrawing and the total exilement of the Christian Profession so happy a Progress of the Faith was almost reduc'd unto the extremest hazard but by the Assistance of the Divine Favor the Constancy of our Fathers the Books publish'd by Great Persons whom they had gain'd unto Christ and also by reason of the great Authority they bore and the Innocency of the Fathers demonstrated by the detection of the Calumnies of the Adversaries they were restor'd unto their former Liberty they learning from this one Example that it cannot possibly be brought to pass that such another Persecution should ever go about to obscure the so famous Fruits manag'd for the Glory of the Divine Majesty no more than a Shadow can put out the Light of the Sun therefore Matters being again brought to this tranquillous Condition Christianity arose to so much the more heighth by how much it had been the more lowly and violently depress'd for the Faith did not only extend it self throughout the utmost Bounds of the Empire but also entred the Palace of the Emperor and the inviolable force of Verity was such that it drew the Empress and her Son to the love of it by the Pains of Andrew Cosler and Austrian who being wash'd with the Water of Baptism the Empress had the Name of Helena given her and her Son that of Constantine the chief Minister of whose Court Pan Achilleus having also been instructed in the Christian Religion and being a Person mightily inflam'd with zeal to propagate the Christian Faith often solicited by ardent Entreaties that Letters might be sent unto the Pope and to the General of the Society of Iesus for the sending over of a great plenty of Laborers into China They had so great a Devotion towards the Apostolical See that what Homage and Obedience they could not perform in their own Persons they enjoyn'd Father Michael Boim to discharge at Rome unto the Pope in their steads Things thus prosperously succeeding and according to the Desires of all behold a new Whirlwind with great violence from the North disturb'd the prosperous and fortunate Transaction of the Christian Affairs which being establish'd and confirm'd by the Broad Seal of the Emperor they hop'd might have enlarg'd the Preaching of the Gospel throughout the whole Empire But the Tartars being allur'd or intic'd by the Intestine or Civil Wars of the Chineses and breaking through
Calendar and how much Good redounded from thence THE Chineses never so much delighted in any thing as in an exact Calculation of Times and Seasons without which they justly believ'd that neither the Actions of Princes or Histories of any Age could methodically be compos'd always endeavoring to confirm the same if their Rules of the Astronomical Science had not fail'd them for they relate in their Annals that they have had an Academy of Astronomers maintain'd at the Publick and Royal Cost above three thousand nine hundred Years whose Employment was to compute the Course of the Sun and Moon and the Eclipses and as accurately as might be to note the Houses of the New-Moons entring and her other Apearances that by these Lunary Observations they might give Advice to the Husbandman and others concern'd for they had no knowledge of the various Walks of the Planets but were of an Opinion before the arrival of the Fathers of our Society that all the Constellations of what Sphere soever were equally distant from the Earth discovering thereby their gross ignorance in this Science The Chineses relate That their Astronomy had its original from a very ancient King call'd Iao who had two Brothers one nam'd Hy and the other Ho most famous for their Skill in Astronomy whom he enjoin'd to declare and set down in a short and clear Method whatsoever they thought might be known concerning the Compute of Times to be observ'd by a constant Rule which they perform'd with such care and diligence as was requisite but after the space of about two thousand years Cin Hoam obtain'd the Empire who in the thirty fourth Year of his Reign did not only prohibit the use of all Arts but also caus'd to be burnt all the Books that he could find but so it hapned in course of Time that amongst the Ruines of vast Fabricks the so long desir'd Astronomical Volumes were discover'd to the universal joy of the Empire but as they had lain neglected for the space of so many years so also they were found so erroneous that they were of little use without Correction the Emendation of which was at length undertaken by one Cofcencin an Astronomer of great note in China At length it came to pass also but how I know not that a Book concerning the Diurnal Motion of the Planets was found preserv'd in the Kings Library which was Presented by the Ambassador sent out of Persia to the Emperor of Tartary when the Tartars were expuls'd out of China by the Emperor Humun He caus'd the same Book to be Translated out of the Persian and Arabick Tongue into the Chinesian Language hoping that in time to come their Chinesian Calendar might be restor'd unto its pristine Perfection But the Mandorins most Learned in the Arts not fully understanding the subtle Theories of the Persians it came to pass that the Chinesian Calender remain'd uncorrected until the arrival of the Fathers The Masters of the Astronomical Function being forc'd to make use of their accustom'd erroneous Tables in the yearly Publication of the Lunaries with such grand Escapes in the computing Eclipses in which having in vain employ'd themselves three years they ingeniously acknowledg'd that they were wonderfully mistaken and therefore they Presented a Petition to the Emperor in which they shew'd the great necessity of correcting the Calendar recommending unto him the Fathers of the great Western part of the World both in relation to their Skill in Astronomy and also the acuteness of their Ingenuity in that Art The Emperor when he had read the Petion was very much rejoyced and assented unto whatsoever they desir'd and presently by his Proclamation manifested his Majesties high Pleasure for the carrying on of the Work without delay Our Fathers being exalted to an Honor they never durst hope for or ever could desire a Means more commodious for the Propagation of the Gospel of Christ most willingly apply'd themselves to a Business of that great and weighty concernment Those that were first employ'd were Father Sabatinus de usrsis and Father Iacobus Pantoja Anno 1611. Persons excelling in the Knowledge of the Astronomical Sciences Father Sabatinus immediately endeavor'd to have the Theories of the Planets very necessary to the understanding of the Motion of the Constellations Translated out of the Latin Tongue into the Chinesian by the assistance of two Mandorins Paul and Leo now become Christians who with great proficiency had sometime since attain'd the Astronomical Disciplines by the instruction of Father Matthew Riccius Then he apply'd himself to find out the Longitude of the City of Peking by Observations made by his Correspondents both in China India and Europe without which the Calculation of Eclipses is altogether in vain undertaken Pantoja undertook to search out the Latitude of the Cities of China and beginning from Canton he most exactly measur'd with the Astrolabe through the Latitude of the whole Empire in a direct Line from the South unto the Limits of the North of Peking sporting himself both Night and Day in the indagation of the preparative Exercises concerning which there was not the least hint in the Chinesian Astronomy And although the Chineses vaunt so much of their great Excellency above other Nations in subtlety of Wit yet they knew not what the Longitude or Latitude of Places was so that when the Fathers of our Society first entred into China and caus'd some Sun-Dyals to be made they admir'd that the Cities of China should be under divers Elevations of the Pole in regard they assign'd but thirty six Degrees unto the whole Empire relying upon the Tradition of the Ancients who foolishly persuaded themselves that the Earth was not Globular but that it was extended into an infinite Superficies and that the Sun and Moon about or under the West entered into a certain deep Cave from which again they arose about the East And moreover that the Sun and Moon were no bigger than what the Eye demonstrated them to be viz. that those lucid Bodies are not above six Handfuls in magnitude from whence it is manifest how maim'd lame and impefect the Chinesian Astronomy was But to return to our purpose This happy beginning of the Emendation of the Calendar continu'd not long by reason that the Academy of the Mathematical Colledge being enrag'd at our Fathers for the great Honor conferr'd upon them by the Emperor Presented an humble Petition to him in which with great eagerness they complain'd of the suppression of the Studies of their Country Sciences and of the signal Advancement of Barbarians in the Royal Employment But the Emperor having fully discover'd the imperfection and deformity of the several Computations made by the Adversaries and that the Calculations of our Fathers always agreed to the Point of the Prediction at length by a new Patent granted unto the Fathers a plenary Power in reference unto the Astronomical Arts Father Iohn Terentius being more especially taken into this Employment at
certain mode of a Trinity in which they feign three Gods at length to co-unite into one Deity Of this also the Spanish Epistles make mention in these words They had notice of the Gospel because in the Province of Peking amongst other Idols there is the Figure of a Man which hath three Heads and they look one towards the other and the Chineses say That it signifies that all three of them have but one Will and Desire And a little after he saith There is another Image of the Figure of a Woman with a Child in her Arms. Father Martin Martinius reporteth That he hath seen in many Images the Prints or Footsteps of the Christian Faith in the Province of Fokien And he also asserteth That he beheld ancient Crosses and the Image of the Blessed Virgin embracing her Son which are now to be seen in our Church Now we may piously suppose these to be the Relicks of St. Thomas the Apostle or of some later Propagators of the Gospel and it is more probable that Idols had their original from the Persians Medes and the Indian Philosophers Heirs of the Egyptians amongst whom it was a peculiar Property to make many Statues to signifie the Effects of one thing They continually shave their Heads that give themselves up unto Contemplation on Mountains and in Caves Their Temples are so full of Idols made of Brass Marble Wood and Clay that you would take them of Egyptian Chappels The third Opinion of the Prophane Religion call'd Lanzu answereth to the Plebeians and Egyptian Magicians and had its original from a certain Philosopher who flourish'd at the same time with Confutius they feign that his Mother bare him eighty years in her Womb wherefore he was call'd Lanzu that is The Old Philosopher This Opinion promiseth Paradise unto those that are made up of Soul and Body and they hang up in their Temple the Effigies of certain Persons whom they fable to have soar'd up unto the Heavens they prescribe Methods of Exercises to attain the same which consist in vâ—rious Rites and certain Prayers also in Potions by which and with the favor of the Gods they promise a long Life It is the peculiar Office of the Priests of this Sect by impious Prayers to Exorcise Devils out of Houses which they attempt by affixing on the Walls the horrid shapes of Daemons delineated with Black on yellow Paper then they fill the Houses with such strange Cries that themselves seem to be Furies They also promise to fetch down Showers in a Drought to stop great Rains and to avert Private or Publick Misfortunes And these are the three chief Heads of the Opinions of these Idolaters but the subtlety of these Masters have wrought them into so many Meanders that they seem scarcely to be numbred and the incredible number of Images sufficiently shew the same which they do not only expose often to be ador'd in their Temples but also in each private Dwelling a Place is deputed for them and in the Market the Streets their Ships and Palaces they are first obvious to the sight wherein they imitate the Egyptians who were infamous for all sorts of Idols But to clear this First as the Egyptians and Grecians believ'd certain Deities to preside over the Universe so unto these do the Chineses build mystical Temples these they after the manner of the Egyptians pacifie and attract with various Rites and Ceremonies The second Argument that the Religion of the Chineses was borrow'd or deriv'd from the Egyptians is so manifest that no Person can in the least doubt or question the same and it is this That unto this very Day there are found Temples Dedicated unto Mars Venus Fortune Peace the Oreades or Nymphs of the Mountains and other Gods common both to the Grecians and Egyptians as the Ichnography of the Metropolitan City of Nanking in China no less elegantly than exactly Imprinted on Chinesian Silk by our Fathers and sent from China to Rome some years since will sufficiently prove which I have here adjoin'd as I Copied it with great fidelity to demonstrate the great Affinity that there was between the Chinesian Grecian and Egyptian Religions The Temples of the Chinesian Gods THE Temple of the Dragon of the Sea or Typhon The Temple of the Queen of Heaven Dedicated to the Moon The Temple Dedicated to Heaven The Temple Dedicated to Daemons and Spirits The Temple Dedicated to Mountains and Rivers that is to the Oreades and Nereiades The Temple of a Grateful Mind The Temple Dedicated to the Planet Mars The Temple Dedicated to the President of the Walls The Temple Dedicated to Good Peace The Temple Dedicated to the Spirit of Medicine Aesculapius or Apollo The Temple Dedicated to the President of the Woods or Diana The Altar of Heaven The Altar of the Earth Ceres The Altar of the God of Rain The Altar of the King of Birds These are so agreeable to the Grecian and Egyptian Deities that all their Idolatry seemeth to have made a Voyage thence into China The third Argument is That besides their Letters in which they come very near the Hieroglyphicks of the Egyptians as I have shew'd in the second Part of my Oedipus they have the same Ceremonies 'T is receiv'd for Truth on all hands That the Egyptians always ador'd the Figures of the Pyramids with a certain Divine Honor the Tracts of which sort of Worship continue in China for they have also Pyramids which they call Chinees and hold them in so great Veneration that no Person dares undertake any thing till such time as he hath perform'd his Devotion there I shall alledge Petrus Iarricus as a Witness of this Matter who in the fifth Book of his Indian History publish'd in French Chap. 51. speaking of them hath these words following Besides these Wooden Idols there are others which they call Chinees made for Workmanship in the fashion of Pyramids within which there is a certain kind of white Ants or Emmets which discover not themselves without but have their little Cabbins or Lodges within so that none know from whence they receive their nourishment The Idolaters stand much in fear of these Chinees insomuch that when they buy a Slave they first bring him before some one of these Pyramids with a Wine-Offering or other things which they Present unto it supplicating the Idol that if he should run away he would cause the Serpents Lizards and Tygers to kill and devour him whereupon the poor Slaves are so fearful that although they are ill us'd by their Masters yet do they never presume to forsake them From which it is apparent that the Chineses borrow'd all these Fopperies from the Egyptians Persians and others who as I have shewn in my Oedipus worshipp'd a Stone or Rock terminated in a Cone or a Pyramid in stead of a Deity but for the Novizonian Pyramids hear Father Martinius who in his Atlas fol. 57. thus describeth them In the Province of Foquien saith he are
589939 5084015 1929057 4770 3544850 420000 3. The Kingdom of Xensi 831051 3934176 2812119 9218 1514749  4. Xantung hath six Metropolitan Cities and ninety two others subject to them 770555 6759675 2414477 54990 3824290  5. The Province of Honan hath eight Metropolitan Cities and a hundred others subject to them 589296 5106270 6106960 9959 2288744  6. The Province of Sucheu 464129 2204170 2167559 6339  149177 7. Huquang hath fifteen Metropolitan Cities 531686 4833590 1616600 17977   8. Kiangsi hath thirteen Metropolitan Cities and sixty two others under them 1363629 6549800 5995034 11516   9. Nanking or Quiang hath fourteen Metropolitan Cities and under them a hundred others 1969116 9967429 2510299 28452 5804217 5808217 10. Chekiang hath eleven great Cities and sixty two others subject unto them It abounds in Silk 1242135 4525470 883115 2574 8704491 44476◠11. Fokien hath eight Metropolitan Cities and unto them forty eight others 509200 1802677 1017772 600   12. Quantung vulgarly Canton hath ten Metropolitan Cities unto which are subject seventy three 483360 1978022 1017772   37380 13. Quangsi hath twelve Metropolitan Cities and subject to these above a hundred others 186719 1054760 431359    14. Queicheu hath eight Metropolitan Cities and to these ten other are subject 45305 231365 47658   56965 15. Iunnan hath twelve Metropolitans and underthem eighty four Cities 132958 1433110 1400568    CHAP. III. Of the Cities of China and the Customs of the Inhabitants FAther Martinius Samedus Trigautius and Gruberus Eye-witnesses relate That the Empire of China is so full of Inhabitants the Towns and Villages so contiguous that did the Wall reach the South Sea it might deservedly be term'd but one City but there are Metropolitans and Chief Cities of Provinces to the number of a hundred and fifty and of those of the inferior rank a thousand two hundred sixty two all fortifi'd with Walls Works and Trenches besides there are Castles Corporation-Towns Villages and Granges without number The Cities for the most part are built four-square Their Houses generally are Wood and not above one Story poor and rude without but within very splendid each House is bound to affix a Shield upon the Door containing the number of Inhabitants and of what Condition each Person is to the end the Mandorins may know how many Persons every City contains for the avoiding of Seditions and to gather in the Revenues by which means it cannot be thought strange that if Foreiners come into China they are discover'd their Landlords being oblig'd under the infliction of a severe Penalty not to conceal them The Mechanick Arts are in great esteem amongst them and they so manage them that they suffer not the vilest Dross to perish but convert it to some Gain The Learned apply themselves unto no other Sciences but Politick and Moral They know not the Name of the Scholastick and Speculative Discipline which is wonderful in a Nation that aboundeth with Ingenious Persons yet their Physicians by Tradition are endow'd with an admirable knowledge of the Palsie by which with incredible Industry they find out the most Latent Causes of Diseases and then apply for Cure their proper Remedies But in the Arts anvil'd out by modern Curiosity as Architecture Sculpture and Weaving if you except the knowledge of Proportions and the Opticks they come not behind the Europeans For their other Acquirements see what I have said in the preceding Discourse and he that desireth more full Information may have recourse to the above-cited Authors CHAP. IV. Of the Mountains of China and the stupendious Prodigies of Nature which are observ'd in them ALthough in this Empire Mountains are so numerous yet the greatest are the continual Theme and Argument of their Studies for what our Astrologers perform by the Celestial Houses they make out by the Terrestrial Hills But amongst their many Enquiries by Terrene Calculations after their good and bad Fortunes there is nothing they more labor in than the Business of their Sepulture about which they spare no Cost or Pains not only observing with no small scrutiny the Summits Tops and Superficies but also making subtle Inspections into the very Bowels of the Mountains to find a fortunate Spot of Ground which they fancy to resemble the Head Tail or Heart of the Dragon which done they joyfully conclude they have found a Place in which the Person Interr'd shall be happy and his Posterity successful which Opinion I believe to have been inculcated by some grave Philosopher to advance a filial Piety to the deceased Parents and more special care of the honor of Funerals Now the Mountains of China are for the most part encompass'd with great Villages pleasant for most beautiful Sepulchral Monuments Chases and Groves and a waving Sea of Rice makes them like a Plain which when Groves and Woods do smile with their Summer Attire renders a most pleasant Prospect the Chappels plac'd on them excelling for Magnitude and Splendor there are also the Monasteries of the Priests but yet in the thick and overgrown Woods liveth a barbarous Nation not yet subjected to the Chineses Many things are observ'd in these Mountains which if true may be deservedly accounted amongst the Miracles of Nature Some by reason of their immense heighth have a perpetual Serenity on their Tops others are cover'd with a continual dark Mantle of ambient thick Mists there are some which triumph only with wholsom Plants exiling all venomous Weeds In the Mountain Queyu both small and great Stones are found in a cubical or four-square Figure which are also in one of the Mountains of Calabria of which we have treated in our Book of the Subterranean World The Mountain Paoki in the Province of Xensi hath the Figure of a Cock who on the approach of a Storm sendeth forth such Murmurs and Rorings as may be heard at a great distance and Olaus Magnus in his History of the Northern Reigons saith That such monstrous Sounds happen in the Mountains of the Botnick Sea That is also worthy of admiration which the Chinesian Oreoscopists relate concerning the Mountain Cio That on the top of it there is a Stone five Perches high and another also in the Kingdom of Fokien which as often 〈◊〉 a Storm is near tottereth and is moved hither and thither as Cypress 〈◊〉 shaken by the Winds There is another Mountain continually cover'd with Frost the cause of which may be conjectur'd to be the Nitrous Spirits which the Mountain together with the Vapors of the Watry Receptacles therein laid up perspireth There is a Mountain in the Province of Kiangsi which hath two Tops the uppermost of which resembles a Dragon seeming to stoop fiercely at the lower Spire which appeareth like a Rampant Tyger from whose various Aspects the Priests make many Rules of Divination for their Disciples Another Mountain by its seven tops configureth the seven Stars in the Constellation of the Greater Bear But the
Furlong in length over which is the direct Road to Fokien and has several good Inns upon it for the Entertainment of Passengers Bridges or Sluces IN the Province of Xensi over the River Guei lies three Sluces namely one Easterly the second in the middle the third towards the West all of them built very strong with many great and very high Arches of square Stone curiously adorn'd and carv'd with divers sorts of Images as Lions Dragons and the like In the Province of Queicheu in the fourth Chief City Ganxin are three Sluces of great bigness but the third call'd Tiensing that is to say the natural Sluce is well nigh a thousand Rod long In the same Province near to the City Hanchung is a most admirable piece of Work so great a Master-piece in its kind that the like thereof is hardly to be found in the World whose Description I will give you as follows Between this and the Chief City the Way was formerly altogether unpassable and the Inhabitants were constrain'd to fetch a great compass round by reason of the high and rough Hills and steep Passages sometimes necessitated to travel toward the East to the Frontiers of the Province of Honan and then again to turn towards the North so that they went at least two thousand Furlongs whereas the direct Way over the Mountains was not much more than five hundred wherefore at the end of the Race of Cina when Licupangus made War with Hiangyus for the Empire all these steep Hills and Vales were levell'd by order of Changleangus the General of Licupangus to make his Army with the more ease to pursue the flying Enemy And certainly with great and incredible labor and industry was this stupendious Work effected in which he employ'd no less than his whole Army with at least a hundred thousand Men more by whose Labor a Way was at last perfected through the same On both sides of the Way are Walls made out of these Mountains so high that part thereof toucheth the very Clouds and thereby obscures the Passages in some places In others he caus'd Planks to be laid to serve as Bridges to pass over from one Mountain to another on purpose to shorten the Way which is generally so broad that four may ride abreast and has Conveniences enough to accommodate Passengers And lest the People should by chance receive any mischief as they pass over the Bridges both the sides thereof are Rail'd in from one end to another In the same Province near to the City Chegan is a Bridge call'd Fi reaching from one Mountain to another and having but one single Arch which is six hundred Foot long and near seven hundred Foot high through which the Yellow River runs It was three years in building and is call'd by the People The Flying Bridge In the Province of Honan in the City Queite lies a Sluce made of four-square Stone over the Mere or Lake call'd Nan. In the Province of Huquang near to the City Chyangang is another Sluce of Stone having several Arches erected by King Guei In the Province of Kiangsi in the little City of Gangin there is a Bridge worthy to be spoken of and call'd The Bridge of Obedience and Subjection the Story of it goes thus A Daughter of rich Parents Married a Husband who soon after died and in regard it is held in China a great dishonor to honest Women to Marry the second time she went and liv'd with her Father and Mother that by the enjoyment of their Company she might the better and more easily forget the loss of her Husband but not long after her Father and Mother hapned to die by whose loss being left comfortless she upon serious debate within her self laid out her Estate upon building of this Bridge which stands upon several Arches and when she had finish'd it being yet troubled in her thoughts she came early one Morning to take a view of the Structure which having done and imagining her Memory would be Eterniz'd thereby she flung her self headlong into the River where she was drown'd In the same Province in the City of Cancheu where the River Chang and Can meet in one is a very long Bridge built upon a hundred and thirty Boats fastned to one another with Chains upon which lie the Planks and Timber that compile the Bridge one or two of which Boats are so contriv'd and order'd that they easily remove to open or shut and so make passage for Vessels at pleasure after they have paid their Toll for the receipt whereof there stands a Toll-house at the foot of the Bridge In the Province of Chekiang near the fifth Chief City Xinhoa from the top of the Mountain Fanguien is a very large Bridge made over a Vale which is so stupendious a Work that it fills all People with great admiration that ever saw it In the same Province in the City Luki is a Bridge consisting of Stone Pillars and Woodden Planks which is a hundred Rod in length In the Province of Fokien in the Chief City Focheu is a very stately Sluce of a hundred and fifty Rod long and half a Rod broad built over an Inlet of the Sea of yellow and white Stone with a hundred very lofty Arches adorn'd and beautifi'd with Sculpture of Lions and other Creatures The like lies near to the City Focing and according to the relation of the Chineses is a hundred and eighty Rod long In the second Chief City Civencheu may be seen a stately Bridge call'd Loyang the like whereof is hardly to be seen in the whole World whose Description a certain Chinese Historian gives after this manner Near to the City Burrolilicum says he lies over the River Loyang the Bridge by some call'd also Loyang but by others Vangang The Governor of the City nam'd Cayang caus'd this Bridge to be made which is three hundred sixty Rod long and half a Rod broad Before the erecting thereof People were Ferried over in Boats but in regard every year several Boats were cast away by foul Weather the Governor for the preservation and safety of the Inhabitants resolv'd to build this Bridge which he did of blackâ— Stone it rests not upon Arches but has at least three hundred large Pedestals or Columns of Stone made after the fashion of Boats which are sharp before the better to withstand the force of the Current and to prevent any danger to such as pass over the sides are Wall'd in with Stone to a good heighth and beautifi'd in several places with Images of all sorts according to the fashion of the Country In the third Chief City Cangcheu there is to be observ'd another very stately Bridge made of Stone with thirty six very high and great Arches it is so commodiously broad that Shops are made on both sides and yet room enough for Passengers either on Horse or Foot There are several other famous Bridges in many Ports and Cities of this Empire which to particularize
would take up too much time and make this Book swell into a larger Volume than was at first intended therefore to pass them by we will proceed to give an Account of the fashion of their Ships Of Ships THe Royal Ships and those of the Governors of Provinces exceed the rest and are built after such a manner that few or none will scarce give credit to the Account I shall give of them unless they had seen them our Vessels in Europe being in no wise comparable to those for they lie upon the Water like high Houses or Castles and are divided on both sides with Partitions In the middle is a place like a Hall furnish'd with all manner of Houshold-stuff as Tables Chairs c. The Windows and Doors are made in the fashion of our Grates wherein in stead of Glass they use the thinnest Oyster-shells they can get or else fine Linnen or Silk which they spread with clear Wax and adorn with several sorts of Flowers and this keeps out the Wind and Air better than any Glass Round about the Ships are made Galleries very commodious for the Seamen to do whatever business they have without prejudice to the Rigging The outside of the Ship is Painted with a certain sort of Gum call'd Cie which makes it glitter and appear very glorious at a distance but within it is most curiously Painted with several Colours very pleasant and delightful to the Eye The Planks and Timber-work are so curiously rifted together and jointed that there is little or no sign of any Iron-work In length they differ not much from those in Europe only they are lower and narrower and the Passage up into them is by a Ladder twelve Foot long the Stern of the Ship where the Trumpeters and Drummers stand is like a Castle When any of these Ships of the Governors meet one another at Sea they Salute and give place according to their Qualities which are writ in great Letters behind their Ships so that there never happens any Dispute about Precedency When it is a Calm at Sea and little or no Wind stirring to fill their Sails which are made of Mats there are certain Men appointed to Tow the same At such time also and as a farther help they are very dexterous in the use of their Oars wherewith they can Row without pulling them out of the Water The Ships which carry the Fish call'd Saull and the Silks to the Imperial Court are so extraordinarily curious and rich that no others can compare with them for they are gilt within and without and Painted red and such is their esteem that all other Ships strike Sail and give place to these whensoever or wheresoever they meet them In the Province of Nanking near to the Chief City of Sucheu may be seen several Pleasure-Boats or little Ships which the Inhabitants keep only for their Pleasure they are very richly Gilt and Painted and may more properly be compar'd to Houses than Ships Some of the Chineses are so profusely in love with them that they will spend their Estates aboard these Vessels in Eating and Drinking There are a vast and incredible number of Ships and Boats that pass daily from one Place to another by which means there is so great Accommodation by Water that Men may pass from the City of Maccao to the City of Peking except one days Iourney by Water Also Men may travel by Boat from the Province of Chekiang through the whole Province of Suchue from East to West And to say the truth there is hardly any considerable City but what has access to it by Water for the Natives have with Art and Industry digg'd Channels through most of the Provinces and let in the Rivers on purpose to carry their Goods and themselves by Water by reason of the extraordinary Hills and Desarts which they meet with in a Passage or Iourney by Land of all which we have already made mention in our General Description of China In the Province of Fokien are such an innumerable company of Vessels that the Inhabitants proffer'd the Emperor when he intended to make War upon those of Iapan to make him a Bridge of Boats which should reach from thence to the said Island of Iapan The Courts of the Governors of Provinces IN each Chief City are at least fifteen or twenty great Houses belonging to the Governors which is regard of the Magnificence of their Building may compare with Kings Palaces In other less are eight or nine great Houses and in every small City four which are all alike in fashion only they differ in largeness according to the Quality of the Governor At the Front of each Palace are three Gates whereof the biggest stands in the middle adorn'd on both sides with great Marble Lions Next to this Plano or Court-yard Pail'd in Painted with Gum which they call Cie In this Plano stand two small Towers or Pyramids curiously adorn'd and furnish'd with several Musical Instruments upon which certain Persons play as often as the Governor goes out or comes in Within the Gate is a large Hall and generally every great Palace hath four or five where the Governor gives Audience to any that comes about Business to him on the sides of this Hall are several small Apartments inhabited by inferior Officers Here are also two particular Rooms for the Reception of Persons of Quality that come to visit the Governor when you are past these two Rooms you come to three Gates more which are seldom open'd but when the Governor sits upon the Bench of Iudicature The middlemost of these Gates is very large through which Persons of Quality are only suffer'd to go other People pass through the Gates on each side Then you come to another large Plano at the end whereof is a great Court built upon Pillars call'd Tang and here the Governor administers Iustice on Both sides thereof the Courtiers and inferior Officers have their Dwellings who never remove with the Governor but live there continually in regard they are maintain'd at the Charge of the Country Next to this is an inward Court but far exceeding the former and is call'd Sutang which signifies Private and in this Court only may the nearest Relations converse with the Governor To these Places appertain also several Gardens Orchards Ponds Rivers Warrens and the like as well for Pleasure and Ornament as Profit And here observe That the Emperor furnishes the Governor not only with these Palaces but likewise with all manner of Houshold-stuff Provisions and Servants at his own Charge And when a Governor which is yet more remarkable happens to depart to the Rule of another Province or else to lay down his Employment which falls out commonly every half year it is allowable for him to take all the Houshold Goods with him and then the Court is to be furnish'd anew for the succeeding Governor In Cingtu the first Chief City of the Province Suchue famous for Trade there liv'd formerly a