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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52346	An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China deliver'd by their excellencies, Peter de Goyer and Jacob de Keyzer, at his imperial city of Peking : wherein the cities, towns, villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from Canton to Peking are ingeniously describ'd / by Mr. John Nieuhoff ... ; also an epistle of Father John Adams their antagonist, concerning the whole negotiation ; with an appendix of several remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher ; English'd, and set forth with their several sculptures, by John Ogilby Esq. ...; Gezantschap der Neerlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie aan den grooten Tartarischen Cham, den tegenwoordigen keizer van China. English	Nieuhof, Johannes, 1618-1672.; Goyer, Pieter de.; Keizer, Jacob de.; Kircher, Athanasius, 1602-1680. China monumentis. Selections. English.; Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.; Schall von Bell, Johann Adam, 1592?-1666.; Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Compagnie.	1673 (1673)	Wing N1153; ESTC R3880	438,428	416

to all whose Burials they are invited and help to perform the Ceremonial part of the Funeral attir'd in very costly and rich Habits and go before the Corps playing upon Flutes and other Musical Iustruments All this Sect are under the Command and Iurisdiction of one Prelate call'd Ciam whose Dignity always descends upon one of his Posterity which hath been observ'd for above a thousand years It seems that this great Dignity or Office had its first rise from a certain Sooth-sayer who liv'd in a Cave in the Province of Quangsi where his Posterity continue at present and practise the Delusions of their Ancestors This their High-Priest Ciam is for the most part Resident in the Imperial City of Peking and very highly honor'd by the Emperor having an allow'd Access into the middlemost part of the Palace to Bless and Consecrate the Rooms if at any time they are suspected to be haunted or molested with Evil Spirits He is carried through the Street in an open Chair in as great State as any of the most principal Magistrates and receives yearly a good Revenue from the Emperor And thus I have given you a Description of the three Chief Sects in China out of which the ignorant and blind People have broach'd and set on foot so many hundred sorts differing from one another in point of Worship The Emperor Humvuus the first of that Race that at the beginning of this Age had the Soveraignty over China gave express Command that those three Sects for the Defence and Honor of the Government should be strictly observ'd by which he did infinitely win the Hearts of the Followers but yet though he mention'd all he so order'd the matter that the Sect of the Learned only should haue a share in the managing the great Affairs of the Empire and also should have Authority over the other two And this probably may be the Reason why the one Sect doth not wholly endeavor to abolish and extirpate the other because the Emperor carries an equal hand to them all respecting the one as much as the other and makes use of them alike as he has occasion sometimes causing an old Temple to be repair'd and sometimes a new one to be built for one or other of them as he thinks it expedient But the Empress affects that Sect best that maintains the Worship of Images and is very bountiful to the Priests thereof bestowing large Annuities and great Incomes upon them The great number of Idols which are found in China is incredible for not only the Temples and such like Places of Worship are hung very full but also all Houses Streets Ships c. are adorn'd with them And this is one of the great Abominations that at first appears to all that come into China The next is the Idol of Pleasure which they call Minifo and is compos'd and made after the same manner as that of Immortality but much bigger being commonly cast of Brass hollow within and twenty Foot high it carries a very pleasant Countenance and like the former is very thick and corpulent with a Belly sticking out and that his gross and fat Members may be the better seen he sits with his whole Body almost naked Betwixt these sitting in a Chair is an Image thirty Foot high made of Plaister having a Crown upon his Head gilded all over richly Apparell'd with several other strange Ornaments They call this The great Kingang and give it a Respect in the highest manner Beside these there are two others the one is the Goddess which at Linain as it is already related in our former Description stand upon the Temple Dedicated to her it is thirty Foot high very richly gilded and hath stood in that Place ninety six years and upwards The other sits in a Chair richly adorn'd resembling one of the Chinese Governors who had done his Country very good Service for which they honor him since his Death after this manner At his Feet as a sign of Victory is Pourtrayed a certain Country and in his Hand to shew his Authority he holds a Scepter In the Province of Quantung near to the noble City of Chaoking in a well-built Temple stands another Statue of a certain Governor of a Province who had done his Country extraordinary Service six years together and as a return of thankfulness for the same the Inhabitants according to the Custom erected this Image and Temple and Dedicated it unto him In Cuchiung near to Hangan there is a great Stone above a hundred Foot high call'd Xinxe and signifies The Holy Stone which they cover yearly quite over with Gold and then worship it This piece of Idolatry was commanded by the Emperor Mung. Near to the City Cioking upon the Mountain Xepao is a great Stone Column with the Image of the Idol Fe and an Elephant Lion and Drum cut out of Stone each of which is of several Colours but whose workmanship they were or who brought the same thither is altogether unknown In the Province of Suchuen near to the Chief City of Chunking is a very strange great Hill upon the side of the River Feu between this City and another call'd Tunchuen and on this Hill is a mountainous Idol call'd Fe it is made sitting with his Legs cross-ways and his Hands clapt over one another before him How incredibly large the same is may be guess'd at by this that Travellers can plainly see his Eyes Ears Nose and Mouth at two Miles distance CHAP. IX Of Idol-Temples ALL this Country doth infinitely abound with Idol-Temples which are built at very great Charge and most commonly situate without the Walls of their Cities in solitary places and in these the Traveller may find Accommodations answerable to his desire Adjoining to these Temples stands commonly a Tower with a smaller Edifice of the same kind but no less costly than artificially built These Idolatrous Places are fill'd with Images and hung round with black Lamps burning night and day in memory of such who liv'd well and died happily When any Governors of Provinces are to be admitted into their Offices they are Sworn in these Temples That they shall faithfully perform their Duties I took an exact view of one of these Structures of which I thought it not amiss to give this following Account The sides of it were built with Timber and the Roo● Tyl'd the Floor was in some places Earth and in other of gray Stone and on each of the sides stood several great Images in a row but at the entrance was one most dreadful to behold being a Horn'd Devil in a most terrible and frightful shape with a wide Mouth and Hands like the Claws of a Griffin in such a posture as if it would have seiz'd those that entred Within in the middle stood an Altar upon which was erected another great Image thirty Foot high behind which stood a great number of small ones Before the great one there stood upon the Altar a thick hollow Bambo's upon

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

Stones Whilst we were beholding with admiration all the Pomp and Splendor of this Court we heard the noise and jingling of a little Bell sounding sweet and delightful to the Ear. Hardly had this Clock or Bell finish'd the Alarm but we saw the old Tutang with thirty of the most eminent Persons and chief Councellors of the Empire in very rich Habits go and make their Obedience in great State and Humility to the Emperor's Trone which was after this manner There stood a Herald who first made Proclamation and then the Tutang with those that accompanied him fell upon their Knees and bowed down their Heads nine times to the Ground whilst delightful Musick both Vocal and Instrumental fill'd up the vacancies of the Ceremony No sooner had these Lords perform'd their Obedience to the Emperor's Throne but immediately another Sett of very eminent Persons came doing the like in the same manner Then followed the Ambassador of the Suytadsen and the Ambassador of the Lammas who were conducted to the Throne in extraordinary State by the first and second Chancellors and after these had done all their Reverence to the Chair the Chancellor came to our Ambassadors and ask'd them what Quality or Dignity they had they answer'd him That they had the same with the Vice-Roys After the same Chancellor went to the Mogol Ambassador and asked him the same Question likewise who answer'd That he was of that Quality with the Dutch Ambassadors whereupon he was plac'd by the Chancellor in the like degree of Honor and Dignity with them In the Centre of the Quadrangle over against the middle Gate of his Majesties Throne stood twenty extraordinary Mark-stones which were Inscrib'd with Chinese Characters cut upon Brass Plates signifying the Quality of the Person which must stand or kneel upon them The Under Tutang went on the left-side and made signs to the Ambassadors that they were to make up the tenth Stone and there was to be their Station PROSPECT OF Y e INNER COURT OF THE EMPEROURS PALACE at PEKIN 1. Palace where the Emperours Throone is 2. The two Ambassadors 3. Ambassador from the Great Mogol 4. twelue Snow-white Horses 5. A Herald 6 Emperours Liffe-guards The Holland Ambassadors together with the Mogol's were afterwards conducted to a Stage or Theatre which propt the Seats of the Throne about twenty Foot in heighth and curiously built and adorn'd with several Galleries of Alabaster or such like white Stone And after they had kneel'd and bow'd their Heads once more they were order'd to sit down and then Treated civilly with Tartar Thea mingled with Milk in woodden Dishes and Cups but the Ambassadors Attendants stay'd below not wanting the same Liquor Soon after the Bells tinkled again which cast all the People upon their Knees We endeavor'd what we could to get a sight of the Emperor in his Throne as he sat in State but the crowd of his Courtiers about him was such that it eclipsed him from us in all his Glory He ●ate about thirty Paces from the Ambassadors his Throne so glister'd with Gold and Precious Stones that it dazled the Eyes of all the Beholders The Ambassadors themselves being confin'd to keep their Station could discern very little of him Next and on both sides him sate the Vice-Roys Princes of the Blood and other Great Officers of the Court all likewise drinking Thea in Wooden Dishes and that in great abundance These Grandees wore all one sort of Habit which was extraordinary rich they had Blue Satin Coats on curiously interwoven with Golden Dragons and Serpents the Emperor's Blazonry their Caps embroider'd with Gold and deck'd with Diamonds and other Precious Stones which signified their Degrees and Qualities On each side of the Throne stood forty of his Majesties Life-Guard arm'd with Bowes and Arrows who hindred the Ambassadors from seeing the Emperor This Mighty Prince having sate thus in Magnificent State about a quarter of an Hour rose up with all his Attendants and as the Ambassadors were withdrawing Iacob de Keyser observ'd the Emperor to look back after them and for as much as he could discern of him he was young of fair Complexion middle Stature and well proportion'd being cloth'd and shining all in clinquant Gold We much admir'd that the Emperor suffer'd the Ambassadors to depart without once speaking to them but this is a Custom not only among the Chineses but also amongst other Eastern People That their Kings and Emperors seldom appear to their own Subjects much less to Foreiners besides it has been observ'd through all Times amongst the Emperors of China That they never shew themselves to any Stranger whatsoever but only to their own Domesticks and then seated in State upon the Imperial Throne The Ambassadors departed and the Courtiers Soldiers and Life-Guard march'd off in much disorder By reason of the infinite concourse of People we had trouble enough before we got to our Lodgings though we had a sufficient Guard to clear the Way before us We were no sooner come into our Lodgings but two of the chiefest of the Council repair'd thither in the Name of his Majesty to request the sight of a Pack of Dutch Cloths which the Emperor was desirous to see The Ambassadors presented them with a black Velvet Suit and Cloke a Pair of Boots and Spurs a Pair of Silk Stockings Boot-hose-tops Drawers a Band Shirt Sword Belt and Bever all which seem'd so very rich to the Emperor that he said If the Ambassadors wear such Habits how must their Kings be cloth's then In the Evening the Emperor sent back all the Cloths by one of his Council who very much admir'd the Stuff of the Hat and ask'd of what and where the same was made And to the end all Men may be sensible how far this Court exceeds all the Royal Palaces in Europe for Splendor Art Wealth and Pleasure I shall give you a large Account thereof and of the Platform of it which I took my self This Imperial Court which is exactly square contains three Miles in circumference within the second Wall of the City on the North-side being fortifi'd also with strong Stone Battlements fifteen Foo● high In this Wall are four Gates in the middle of each side one which have their Prospects to the four Angles of the World and so nam'd after the four Cardinal Winds but that which stands toward the South is the chiefest and most us'd We pass'd through this Gate when we went to appear before the Emperor's Throne and from thence into a base Court which had a well-pav'd cross Way of four hundred Paces with a Water-Trench cut through the middle and over it a Stone Bridge of fourteen Paces very curiously built but the Water was in some places cover'd over with Weeds Before this Graff or Channel stands also drawn up upon the Plain a great number of Tartars Horse and Foot who as Sentinels suffer none to pass through when you are over this Bridge you come to the first

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 Quittesol●● 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