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
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
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
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
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
of his Dominions one Chuenhious Nephew to Hoangtius upon the account of his extraordinary good Qualities was Substituted to the Administration of the Government in the Year 2513 before Christ's Birth and Reigned seventy eight years He continu'd the vertuous Courses of his Ancestors both in Religious and Worldly Concerns Amongst others he caus'd a Law to be made That no Person of what Quality soever should be admitted to Offer to the Gods but the Emperor only so great an esteem they had in those days of Ecclesiastical Employments that they were not to be Exercis'd by any but the greatest Princes No sooner wat Chuenhious dead but his Nephew Cous succeeded him being as his Predecessors very eminent in all manner of Vertue and Goodness He was chosen Emperor two thousand four hundred thirty five years before Christ's Birth He Married four Wives which was very rare in those Days and had four Sons by them one of them nam'd Cious he procur'd by performing some Promise to the supreme Emperor of Heaven Another of his Wives bore a Son call'd Kius who was said also to be given to her by the Gods through importunity of Prayer having been always barren before The third Woman had a Child in the fourth Month of her Marriage which was call'd Yaus having first seen in her Sleep a red Dragon which is held by the Chineses for a sign of great Prosperity The fourth had a Son call'd Cheus This last was preferr'd to the Throne by his Father Cous before all the rest being observ'd by him to be the most inclin'd to Vertue and Goodness But the good old Man was much mistaken for he was no sooner in the Throne but he fell into all manner of Debauchery giving himself up so much to Women and Drinking that he neglected the Affairs of the State And being often admonish'd by the Magistrates to take better care of his Government but continuing still in his lewdness the Subjects who had been for the most part Govern'd by just and vertuous Princes judg'd that he was unworthy to Reign any longer so that they depos'd him in the ninth Year of his Reign and set up his Brother Yaus in his Place This Yaus who began to Reign in the Year 2357 before Christ's Birth and Govern'd ninety years is renown'd in all the Chinese Histories for a most vertuous Prince and certainly if regard be had to the greatness of his Actions and the whole course of his most exemplary Life he may for honorable Atchievements be compar'd with the best of Princes that ever sway'd that Scepter A certain Book call'd Xu publish'd in his Reign mentions in short his Fame in these words The Noble and Heroick Actions of Yaus have fill'd the whole World with Admiration such was his extraordinary Diligence that he was esteem'd by all Men for his Worth Understanding Civility and quickness of Apprehension according to the grandeur of his Merit and such his good Fortune that whatsoever he undertook was brought to pass by him The Chinese Histories tell us That during his Government the Sun did not Set for the space of ten days and great fear possess'd the People that the World would have been destroy'd by a general Conflagration in regard there had hapned several great Fires at that time They likewise report that at the same time several strange Monsters as Snakes and Dragons crept out from under the Ground and that this Yaus in these dismal Times and notwithstanding all those dreadful Accidents carried himself with so much Piety and Care for the Welfare of his Subjects that he was look'd upon by every body as the Redeemer and Deliverer of his Country To descent to Particulars concerning this Emperor he was very much addicted to Astrology being instructed therein by the two famous Men Hâ—us and Hous Persons more than ordinarily expert in that Science But he was not alone eminent for Knowledge and Industry for his Wife the Empress taught other Women how to breed and raise Silk-worms and the Art of preparing and weaving of Silk When he had thâ—s civiliz'd the People by his own and Wifes Instructions to the knowledge of Manufactures he forthwith new modell'd the Government and introduc'd the six Iudicatures or Benches of Iustice to wit Sipu Hopu Limpu Pimpu Cumpu and Humpu When he had thus setled the Affairs of his State in order he depos'd himself and transferr'd the Government in his Life-time upon another in which more than ordinary Action he had more regard to the Good of the Publick than to the Welfare and Affection of his own Children and Relations all whom he voluntarily pass'd by although no ways inferior to him in Knowledge and uprightness of Life and surrendred the Empire to a Stranger in Blood not for respect of his Princely Alliance but only the Eminency of his Vertue and Integrity And as a singular Testimony of this his Zeal for the Good of his Country I shall onely give you this one Example namely Discoursing once with one Fangius an Eminent and Learned Person of his Council he told him That he was in a very great suspence whom he should chuse to be his Successor The Counsellor made him this Answer There is one of your own Princely Family your Eldest Son Chus and rightful Heir upon whom you may settle your Empire the goodness of whose Nature extraordinary Prudence quickness of Wit treading in your Royal Steps and imitating your laudable Exemplar merits no less And if your Servants Counsel be acceptable to your Ears I shall advise you to settle in the Government this your Eldest Son and no other But Yaus interrupting his Discourse said You know Fangius that I take as much distaste at the commending of Bad as I do at the discommending of Good People My son is unready of Speech and slow of Tongue his Words and his Deeds not agreeing true it is he knows in outward Gestures how to behave himself as a Wise Man but inwardly he is nothing Not long after being about the seventieth Year of his Reign he sent for one Sungous one of his greatest Favorites and Counsellors to whom he spake in this manner I find the Weight of a Crown too heavy for my aged Head and therefore intend to surrender up my Empire to you having in all my time observ'd none so fit for it either for Vertue or Wisdom But Sungous unacquainted with Ambitious Thoughts absolutely refus'd to accept of it modestly protesting his Insufficiency for so great a Charge for that he was not not furnish'd with those Qualities wherewith an Emperor ought to be provided and so neither worthy of that Honor nor able to undergo the Burthen When Yaus saw him persisting immovably in his Resolution not to accept of the Government he demanded of him whom he judg'd worthy of the same to whom Sungous in the presence of the Emperor's Council made this Answer Since you are pleas'd to inquire of me O King whom I judge worthy to be a
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
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
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
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.