Pekim were the Courts of the Princes of the Family of Mim which of later Years was destroyed by the Eastern Tartars Which being granted I answer that Father Martin to whom I refer the Reader for fear of being tedious has very well unravell'd those Difficulties and corrected the Hyperboles of M. Polo who like a Young man as he was has enlarg'd many things much beyond the Truth Nevertheless as to the number of twelve thousand Bridges which M. Polo tells us there are in Kimsai and which Father Martin grants for a Truth I cannot so easily give my consent For besides that we have seen the contrary the Chineses themselves who stuff their Writings with so many impertinent particulars would never have omited a circumstance of that Importance Also what M. Polo relates of the vastness of several Bridges under which Vessels may Sail without striking their Masts is no way probable since it is not to be believed that they should be all so ruin'd that there should be no traces of such Structures remaining Thus much I know that a Famous Chinese Author who has written a Treatise of the Grandeur of this Empire and of whom I shall relate many things hereafter does not allow the City of Ham Cheu which is the same with Kimsai above five considerable Bridges Nor would he have fail'd to have spoken of that extravagant height of the Bridges of his Country had there been any ground for his so doing The rest that M. Polo relates concerning this City is true granting him only some Excursions and Enlargements according to his Custom But to clear all disputes concerning this same City of Kimsai more especially because Father Martini speaking of this Ham Cheù in his Atlas Fol. 109. varies in what he says of the Oriental and Western Tartars I shall here produce an extract which I took for this very purpose out of the Chronicles of China To the end then that Family may be reckon'd into the number of the Imperial Families of this Empire of necessity that Family must either have subdu'd the whole or the greatest part of it For if it has conquered no more then only two or three Provinces that Family is only call'd Pam-Chao or a Collateral Kingdom nor is it to be admitted into the Direct Line of the Imperial Families Those then that we are now to speak of are of that Number In the year of JESUS CHRIST 1200. A Captain of the Oriental Tarâ—…ars that some years since subdu'd this Empire made himself Master of the Provinces of Pekim Xansi and Xantum which the yellow River separates from the other Twelve Thereupon he caused himself to be Crown'd King and Named his Family Tai-Leao Some Years after another Captain of the Eastern Tartars made War upon him got possession of his Kingdom exterminated the Reigning Family and call'd his Own and his Kingdom Tai-Kinque or the Kingdom of Gold which continued till the year 1260. At what time the other twelve Provinces were subdued by an Emperor of the Family of Sûm Upon this some of his chief Ministers advis'd him to send great Presents to the Grand Han who had a little before subdu'd the Western Tartars and to desire his Assistance for the Expulsion of the Tartars out of the three Provinces which they had Usurp'd But others of his Councellors laid before him the ill consequence of provoking that terrible Nation of the Western Tartars or molesting the Eastern with whom they had for several years preserv'd an Amicable Correspondence withal that it was no good Policy to expel Tigres and bring more cruel Lions into their Room Nevertheless the first Counsel tho the worst was follow'd And the Grand Han was called in with his Tartars already the Vanquishers of so many Nations who in a short time exterminated the Family of Tai Kim and made themselves Masters of the three Provinces But so soon as they had finish'd that Conquest perfidiously they turn'd their Arms against the King of China who kept his Court in a City belonging to the Provinces of Hônân bordering upon the yellow River This Prince being terrifi'd by the Neighbourhood of those Barbarians fled in all hast to the City of Ham Cheû in the Province of the Che Kiam where he setled his Court. Of which the Han no sooner had intelligence but he cross'd the yellow River and after little or no resistance made himself Master of the Provinces of Ho Nam Nan Kim and Che Kiam and consequently of the Village of Ham Cheû which M. Polo calls Kimsai Thereupon the King of China fled into the Province of Fo-Kien and from thence into that of Quamtum where having Embark'd himself with a design to seek out Foreign shelter he suffer'd Shipwrack in the Golf of the Island of Haî Nân and there miserably perish'd so that all the rest of China submitted voluntarily to the Grand Har. This is what I have taken out of the Histories of China by which it is clearly to be seen that Ham Cheû and Kimsai are one and the same City And that the word Tai Kim does not signifie a Mountain there being no such thing in Tartary as it is imagin'd but the Kingdom of Gold. Which is the Title that was formerly given to the Oriental Tartars Notes and Explanations of the first Chapter P. 3. As we shall relate in it's due place THE Author as has been already said in the Preface not being able to finish this Work has not according to his promise made out the Original of the Eastern Tartars Nevertheless several Authors have made some mention of them as Father Martini in his History of the War of the Tartars and in his Preface to his Atlas of China The Embassie of the Hollanders to Pekim Father Adam Schall in his Letters printed at Vienna in the year 1665. And Father Couplet in his Chronology of China printed this year By which Authors and particularly by the two latter it appears that it is not above a little while since the Eastern Tartars now Masters of China have had any Kings and that the Original of those Princes is so obscure that as modern as it is it is altogether intermixed with Fables Father Adam reports that the Eldest of the Uncles of the Emperor Xunchi the Father of him that now reigns had told him several times that it was about ten Generations since that three Nymphs or Goddesses called Augela Chaugula and Foecula descended from Heaven to bath themselves in a River of Tartary That Foecula having discover'd under her Cloths which she left upon the shore a sort of Nightshade or Herb call'd Alkakengi with red Fruit devour'd it with such a greedy Appetite that she became with Child That her two Companions returning to Heaven she remain'd upon Earth till she was brought to bed of a Boy which she suckl'd and afterwards left in an Island of the River telling him that she was returning to Heaven but that a Fisherman would come and take
care of his Education which happen'd accordingly That this Child became a Man of an extraordinary Valour and that his Sons and Grand Children rul'd this Country But that in the fifth Generation the People rebell'd against this Family which they defeated and exterminated all but one who betook himself to flight This Prince being close pursu'd and not being able to run any farther sate himself down upon the ground despairing to save his life At what time a Mag-pye came and perch'd upon his head and deluded his Enemies who took him for the stump of a Tree and not for a Man. And thus it is easie to see as Father Adam observes that thus far the Relation is altogether Fabulous and clearly demonstrates that the Original of the Emperor of China is very obscure and has nothing of Illustrious or Renowned That which follows is certain and unquestionable In regard the Person such as he was liv'd at the beginning of this Age and made himself sufficiently known by the bloody War which he made upon the Chineses in revenge of the Death of his Father whom the Chinese Mandarins had caus'd to be murdered and of other outrages committed against his Nation Father Adam says that he was Lord of the Valley of Moncheu which Father Martini takes for a great City The Emperor Van-liè gave him the Government of that same Valley and the neighbouring Countries upon condition he should defend them against the Incursions of the Oriental Tartars who were divided into seven small Principalities He was call'd Tiel Mini and died in the year 1628. His Son a Person of more Wisdom and Moderation continued the War till his death which happen'd in the year 1634. Cumtè his Son in some measure compleated the Conquest of the Empire of China but died before he obtain'd the possession of it in the year 1644. His Son Xunchi at the age of six years was acknowledg'd Emperor at Pekim and di'd in the year 1662. Leaving for his Successor his Son Camtri the Monarch reigning at present This Catalogue of the Tartarian Princes of Father Adam's confirm'd by Father Couplet in his Chronology by Father Rougemont in his Historia Tartaro-Sinica and the Embassie of the Hollanders gives us to understand that Father Magaillans had good reason to justifie himself for saying that the Tartars had neither any King nor any word to signifie a King seeing that it was but in this Age that their Princes have deriv'd their Original from a petty Captain of a Hord or chief leader of Banditi's or wandering Tartars Here we are farther to observe that Tartary which comprehends all the Nothern Asia is divided by the Chineses into Western and Eastern The Inhabitants both of the one and the other are for the most part wanderers with their Flocks and Herds and live in Tents But the Western are incomparably more potent then the Eastern in regard they possess all that Country which lies between the extream part of the Province of Pekim and the Countries of the Mogul the Persian and the Muscovite All which they possess'd entirely in the Reign of Saint Lewis The Eastern Tartary reaches from the Country of Leaotûm beyond Iapon and comprehends the Province of Niuchè to the North of Corea The Province of Niulhan to the North of Niuchè that of Yupi to the East of Niuchè and the Country of Yâ—…co to the North-East of Iapon and to the East of Yupi But these Countries are poor and ill peopled There being not above two or three little Cities in them all the rest is barren uncultivated and full of Woods and Mountains Nevertheless these Tartars are not a little formidable when they are united as being harden'd to labour in a rigorous Climate and almost always ahorleback and employ'd in hunting or busied in War. They made themselves known by their incursions into China above two hundred years before the Birth of Christ And in the twelfth Age after the Incarnation they possess'd themselves of the Provinces of Leaotum Pekim Xensi Xansi and Xantum But the Ancestors of the Tartarian Prince who Reigns in China were so far from being Masters of all the Eastern Tartary that they were not Lords of all the Province of Niuchè where as has been said there were seven or eight destinct Sovereigns And Father Adam observes that Tienâ—…um Great Grand Father to the Emperor Reigning at Present when he enter'd into China had not above eight thousand men which were soon encreased by the concourse of the rest of the Eastern Tartars and an innumerable Number of the Western Tartars which the fame of his Victories and the noise of prodigious Booty drew to his Assistance P. 3. The Kingdom of Chahamalaha whose Inhabitants are Mahometans and which borders upon the Province of Xensi This Name of Chahamalaha is not to be found as I verily believe in any Mapp nor in any other Relation But I am perswaded by what our Author say's of it that it is the same place which Father Martini calls Samahania and which as he does I take to be the Country of the Usbegs or of Mavralnara of which Samarcand is the chief City For that we know not of any other Kingdom of Mahometans to the West of Xensi where there are several considerable Cities Palaces and Houses artificially built and good Architecture store of Gold and Silver-Plates and other things which the Chineses allow the Country of Samahania or Samahan by the report of Father Martini Nor must we be surpriz'd that the Chineses assure us that this Kingdom borders upon the Province of Xensi for that they never travel toward the West nor have any other knowledge of the Countries situated Westward then what they learn from the Information of the Caravans that come once in two or three years to trade in China under pretence of an Embassie For the Merchants make use of that Invention to get leave to enter into China which would be otherwise deny'd them They rendevouze in the Kingdom of Cascar as you may find in the Travels of Benedict Goez inserted into the Relation of Father Trigaut But formerly and especially in the time of Tamerlan who made Samarcand one of the chiefest Cities in the World they went for the most part from that City And it is very probable that those Merchants to give themselves the greater reputation assum'd to themselves to be all of the Kingdom of Samarcand and that the Chineses who want the Letter R and easily confound C. with H wrote Samahand instead of Samarcand For the same reason also the Chineses observing the Merchants arrive à Sucheu the last City of the Province of Xensi and styling themselves all Natives of Samahan or Samarcand might readily believe that Samahan border'd upon the Province of Xensi P. 3. Usanguè This must certainly be the same Country which Father Martini calls Usucang and which is contained within the Kingdom which the Chineses call Sifan situated to the West of the Province
Five Years ago by a certain Prince whose Name was Yao Which last Opinion being held among them as an Article of Faith should any Chinese refuse to believe he would be lookt upon as a Heretick and as such a one be severely punish'd So that should the Preachers of the Gospel but once testifie either by Writing or by Word of Mouth that they make a doubt of it that alone would be sufficient to shut the Door upon our Sacred Religion and cause us all to be sentenc'd to Death The very bare suspicion without any Foundation of a Man's Incredulity in that point being a sufficient ground for Banishment For this reason it is that the Fathers of the Mission have obtain'd leave from the Holy See to stick to the Version of the Seventy approv'd by the Church in the Fifth General Council as well for that the Two latter Opinions are very probable as to avoid the foremention'd Inconveniences and many others which may be easily imagin'd And indeed it must be acknowledg'd that there is not any Kingdom in the World that can boast a Train of Kings so Ancient and so well continu'd Those of the Assyrians the Persians the Greeks and Romans have had their Periods whereas that of China continues still like a great River that never ceases rolling along the streams that fall from its first Fountain This long continuance and other Excellencies of China of which we have already spoken and of which we are to speak in the Progress of this Relation infuse into the Chineses a Pride most Insupportable They put the highest value imaginable upon their Empire and all that belongs to them but as for strangers they Scorn 'em to the lowest pitch of Contempt and all the advantages of their Wit and Learning tho' they themselves have little or no Knowledg Which is not so much to be wonder'd at since Pride proceeds from Blindness and Ignorance In their Maps they allow a vast Extent to China but represent all other Kingdoms round about it without any Order Position or any other Mark of good Geography small contracted and with Titles Ridiculous and Contemptible As for Example Siaò gîn que or the Kingdom the Inhabitants of which are all Dwarfs and so little that they are constrain'd to tie themselves several in a Bunch together for fear of being carry'd away by the Eâ—…gles and Kites Niù gîn que or the Kingdom where all the Inhabitants are Women who Conceive by looking upon their Shadow in a Well or in a River and bring forth none but Girls Chuen sin que or a Kingdom where the Inhabitants have all a Hole in their Breasts into which they stick a piece of Wood and so carry one another from place to place A Kingdom where the Inhabitants have Bodies like Men and Faces like Dogs A Kingdom where he Inhabitants have such long Arms that they reach down to the ground with many other such Descriptions of the same Nature In short they represent the Neighbouring Kingdoms such as are those of the Tartars the Iapanners of the Peninsula of Corea and those other that border round about upon China under the Title of the Four Barbarous Nations They say that besides China there are Seventy Two Kingdoms which they paint all very Diminutive in the middle of the Sea like so many Nutshells and their Inhabitants all Deformed and Monstrous with Gestures so ridiculous or terrible that they resemble rather Apes and Wild Beasts then Men. Of latter times having understood something of Europe they have added it to their Maps as if it were the Island of Tenariff or some Desert Island And therefore it was that the Vice-Roy of Quam tum in the Year 1668 after he had spoken of the Embassie of the Portugueses in a Memorial which he sent to the Emperor added these words We find very plainly that Europe is no more then only Two little Islands in the middle of the Sea. They divide the Heaven into Eight and Twenty Constellations and China into so many Quarters to every one of which they allow one of these Constellations and call them by their Names not leaving so much as one for the rest of the Kingdoms They give to their own most Loâ—…ty and Magnificent Titles but to Foreign Countrys most Barbarous Disagreeable and Scornful Names on purpose to Exalt their own Empire by Disgracing all other Kingdoms At what time I resided with Father Lewis Buglio in the Capital City of the Province of Su chuen there was a Persecution begun against the Christian Religion at the Instigation of several Thousands of Bonzes who assembled together from all parts of the Province and the same time accus'd us in all the Tribunals of the Province more especially before the Tribunal of Crimes which is call'd Gán chan su the President of which made answer to the Petition of the Bonzes in this manner If these Strangers remain in their Habitations without stirring forth or teaching new Inventions Chum que chi tá vû sò pù yûm that is to say This Kingdom is so vast that it is able to contain both the Natives and the Foreigners there being room enough for as many more but if they Teach any new Doctrine different from the Sacred and True Doctrines which we profess in this Great Empire or if they go about to surprize and delude the People let them be Punish'd with every one Forty Lashes and Expell'd the Province Father Nicholas Longobardo having discours'd for some time concerning the Law of God to some of the Eunuchs and with those solid Reasons and Arguments that it was apparent enough that they were inwardly convinc'd They gave no more then the following Reply Chum que chi vâi hûan yeù tao that is to say What is this that we see what is this this that we hear Is it possible that without the Limits of this Empire there should be any Rule or any Path whereby to arrive at true Vertue Is there any other Belief or any other Law And I have many times observ'd that when I have been discoursing with the Learned concerning the Christian Religion and the Sciences of Europe they ask'd me whether we had their Books To which when I answer'd No they reply'd altogether surpris'd wavering and scandaliz'd If in Europe you have not our Books and our Writings what Learning or what Sciences can you have However these Insidels deserve both to be pity'd and excus'd since it is impossible to imagine the high Idea which not only the great Lords and Learned Men but also the Vulgar People have conceiv'd of this Empire And certainly besides that our Nature enclines us always to put a Value upon our selves and all that belongs to us the extraordinary Grandeur and Advantages of this Kingdom contribute very much to puff up the Minds of the Chineses with foolish Imaginations and unparallel'd Pride Notes upon the Third Chapter A. P. 59. THE Chronology of China is of extraordinary Importance
to suffer whatever thy Divine Justice shall be pleas'd to ordain He had scarce concluded this Prayer before the Sky was all overcast with Clouds and pour'd down Rain in such abundance that it suffic'd to Water â—…ll the Territories of the Empire and restore them to their pristine Fertility From hence it is that when the Chineses make any scruple about the Mystery of the Incarnation we endeavour to convince them by this Example telling them that this King cover'd himself with the Skin of a Lamb and offer'd himself a Sacrifice to obtain Pardon for the Sins of the People yet thereby did nothing lessen the Lustre of his Dignity So likewise tho' God was pleased to Cloath himself with the homely Covering of our Humanity and was offer'd up as a Lamb in Sacrifice for the Sins of the People he has no way lessen'd but rather exalted his Almighty Power his Infinite Mercy and Goodness and has thereby made it so much the more clearly appear that he was infinitely above this King who was no more then a Man and a mere Creature The Chineses presently submit to this Argument as well because it seems to them to be Rational and Convincing as also for that they are very much pleas'd to hear that we make use of their Histories and Examples to prove the Verity of our Religion This Emperor had for one of his Counsellers a Holy and Famous Learned Person who liv'd several Years hid up in the Mountains among the Wild Beasts because he would not submit to the Tyrant Kie The Off-spring also of this Emperor Chim Tam Reign'd above Six Hundred Years till the Rule of King Cheu who was no less Wicked and Cruel then Kie So that when the Chineses call a Prince a Kie or a Cheu 't is the same thing as when we call such a one a Nero or a Diocâ—…esian The Fifth Emperor call'd Vù Uâm was the Son of Ven Uâm King of the Kingdom of Châ—…uÌ„ which is now a part of the Province of Xensi Who not able to endure the Wickedness and Tyranny of King Cheu set upon him Vanquish'd him in Battel and made himself Master of the Empire This Emperor Vù Uâm had a Brother highly esteem'd for his Prudence and other Vertues whom he made King of the Kingdom of Lù now a part of the Province of XaÌ„n TuÌ„m and of whom he made choice upon his Death-Bed to Govern the Empire during the Minority of his Eldest Son. He it was according to the report of the Chineses who above Two Thousand Seven Hundred Years ago first â—…ound out the Use of the Needle and Compass For the Emperor his Nephew having receiv'd the Honour of an Embassie and the acknowledgment of a Tribute from a Country call'd Tum Xim and Cochin China or Kiao chi que and all by means of the Industry and Prudent Conduct of his Protector the same Governor presented the Embassadors with a kind of Compass by the Direction of which they might return the nearest way home without exposing themselves to the Toil and Hardships of of those â—…ound about Windings and Wandrings through which they had labour'd in coming to Court. So that this Prince is one of the Heroes and Saints of the Chineses who have an extraordinary veneration for his Memory Now when the Emperor Vù Uâm return'd in Triumph from the Battel wherein the Tyrant Cheu had been defeated his two Brothers Pe y and Xeo cî famous for their Vertue and Nobility met him upon his March and after they hâ—…d stopp'd him by taking his Horse by the Bridle they boldly and in very sharp and severe Language reprov'd him for having seiz'd upon the Empire and forc'd the Emperor to burn himself in his Palace together with all his Treasures that notwithstanding he were so vicious and so cruel yet he was both his Lord and Prince ordain'd by Heaven that it was his Duty to advise him to amendment like a good Subject not like a Traytor to put him to death and lastly that he ought to surrender the Kingdom to the Children of the deceased Prince to let the World see that he had not been push'd forward by any motives of Ambition but only out of a Desire to deliver the Title from Tyranny and Oppression But when the two Brothers sound that he would not follow their Counsel they retir'd to a desert Mountain protesting they would rather chuse to die in that manner then eat of the Products of those Territories which Vù Uâm had â—…usurp'd for fear they should be thought in some measure to approve his Treason and Revolt The History of these five Kings which the Chineses look upon as so many Saints especially the four first and their Off-spring is the subject of the first Book which is in as great Reputation among these Infidels as the Books of the Kings among us Christians The Stile of it is very ancient but very exact and elegant Vice is there blam'd and Vertue applauded and the Actions of King and Subjects related with an entire sincerity And to the End the more curious Reader may see the Energy and Briefness of the Chinese Language and Letters which were at that time in use I will here set down five words taken out of the Book already mention'd in reference to the King Yáo Kin Mîm Vén Su GaÌ„n That is to say King Yao was great and venerable he was most Perspicacious and Prudent He was very Compos'd Modest and Courteous He appear'd always Pensive and Studious searching continually after the best means how to govern his People and Empire and therefore he liv'd all the time of his Reign in Comfort Quiet and Repose The second Book is call'd Li ki or the Book of Rites and Ceremonies This contains the greatest part of the Laws Customs and Ceremonies of the whole Empire The principal Author of this Book is the Brother of the Emperor Vù Uà m of whom we have spoken already He was call'd Chéu cuÌ„m and was equally venerable as well for his Vertue as for his Prudence Learning and good Conduct This Volume contains the Works of several other Authors also the Disciples of Cum fu cius and other interpreters more modern and more suspected which therefore ought to be read with so much the more Circumspection there being many things therein contain'd which are accompted Fabulous The third Volume is call'd Xi KiÌ„m containing Verses Romances and Poems all which are divided into five sorts The first of which is call'd Ya sum or Panegyricks and Encomiums sung in Honour of Men famous for their Vertue or their Endowments There are also several Gnomonics or Verses containing Precepts which are sung at their Funerals their Sacrifices the Ceremonies which the Chineses perform in honour of their Ancestors and at their most solemn Festivals The second is call'd Que fuÌ„m or the customs of the Kingdom These are Romances or Poems chosen out among those which were made by private Persons They are never sung but
reason of the Merits of their Ancestours The Tribunal call'd Co Tao or Co Li is that of the Inspecters or Overseers of which we have already spoken which are divided into six Classes like the six superiour Tribunals from whence they take their name and distinction For example the first is call'd Li Co or Inspecters of the superiour Tribunal of the Mandarins The second Hu Co or Inspecters of the superiour Tribunal of the Exchequer and so of the rest Every Classis is compos'd of several Mandarins all of the seventh Order and all equal so that there is not one no not so much as he that keeps the Seal of the Tribunal who has any superiority over the rest of his Brethren Their business is to reprehend the King himself for any miscarriages of his Government and there are some so resolute and undaunted that they will rather expose themselves to Death and Banishment than forbear when they have Truth on their side which they will tell him sometimes to his face and sometimes in writing without any mincing of the matter And of this freedom as we meet at present with several examples so is there a far greater number to be seen in the Chinese Histories Many times also it happens that the Kings will amend their defects and magnificently reward those that have been so liberal of their Reproofs They are also entrusted to inspect the Disorders of the six superiour Tribunals and to inform the King by private Memorials The King likewise makes choice of the Mandarins of this Tribunal for the execution of several Orders of Importance that require Secrecy And every year he culls out three to be Visitors The first of which is call'd Siun Cim who visits all the Merchants of the Court or in the City of Pe Kim and takes notice of all Merchandize that is either sophisticated or prohibited The second is call'd Sium Cam who visits the Burners of the King's Lime The third who is call'd Sium xi nim ym is present at all the General Musters The Mandarins of this Tribunal are only of the seventh Order however their Authority and Power is very large The Tribunal call'd Him gin su consists of several Mandarins all Doctours all equal and all of the seventh Order like those of the preceding Tribunal Their Employment is to be sent abroad either as Envoys or Embassadours either to distant parts of the Empire or to Foreign States As when the King sends them to carry Titles of Honour to the Mother or Wise of a Mandarin slain in the Wars or after he has done the King and Kingdom eminent Service in the discharge of his Employment Or when the Emperour is pleas'd to confer or confirm the Title of King to the Prince of Corea or any other neighbouring Sovereign These Embassies are very honourable and sometimes no less gainfull The Tribunal of Tai li su i. e. of Supream Reason and Justice is so call'd because they are entrusted to examine all doubtfull and intricate Causes and to confirm or annihilate the Sentences of other Tribunals especially in reference to Crimes that concern the Estates the Honour and Life of the King's Subjects The President of this Tribunal is of the third Order his two Lateral Judges or Assessors of the fourth and the other inferiour Mandarins of which there are a great number of the fifth and sixth When the Tribunal of Crimes condemns to death any person of Quality or other person of mean condition and that the King finds the reason of the Sentence dubious he refers it always to San fa su which is as it were his Council of Conscience Then three Tribunals assemble together the Tai li su the Tu li yuen or the superiour Tribunal of Visitors and the Tribunal of Crimes All these together re examine the Process in the presence of the Accusers and the Party accused and many times revoke the Sentence For that the Prosecutor not having gain'd the Tribunal of Crimes nor having Money nor cunning enough to corrupt the other two they judge according to Reason and Justice and generally the King confirms the Decision of those three Tribunals The Tribunal Tum chim su takes care to have the King's Orders and Commands proclaim'd at Court and diligently to inform themselves of the calamities oppressions and necessities of the People and exactly and privately to inform the Emperour They are likewise entrusted to send to the King or else to bury in silence as they shall deem most proper all the Memorials of the Miâ—…itary Mandarins and the Letters of the fourteen Provinces of the Veteran Mandarins who are dispens'd with from all manner of Employments of the People Souldiers and Strangers that come from Foreign Countries The Mandarins of the Province of Pekim present their Memorials immediately to the King himself never taking notice of this Tribunal the President of which is of the third Order of Mandarins his first Assessor of the fourth his second Assessor of the fifth and the rest of the inferiour Mandarins of the sixth and seventh Order The Tribunal Tai cham su is as it were an Associate and Assistant to the supream Tribunal of Ceremonies The President is of the third Order his Assessors of the fourth and the rest of the Mandarins of which there are a great number of the fifth and sixth Orders They take particular care of the King's Musick and Sacrifices and in regard these Sacrifices are perform'd in the Temples dedicated to the Heavens the Earth the Sun and Moon to Rivers and Mountains this Tribunal takes care of all those Piles which are very vast and magnificent They also take care of the married Bonzes who are generally Alchymists and Fortune-tellers Two of these Mandarins are appointed to give orders for the Reception and Lodging of Strangers that come to Court. Lastly they have the oversight of the publick Courtesans of the places of their Habitation and of those that govern and direct them in their infamous Trade The Chineses to shew their aversion to those miserable Creatures call them â—…am â—…a that is to say Men that have utterly bury'd in oblivion eight Vertues viz. Obedience to theâ—… Fathers and Mothers Affection for their Brethren and other Kindred Fidelity toward their Prince Sincerity Honesty Justice Modesty Chastity and all manner of laudable Sciences and Customâ—… This is the signification of those two words which the Chineses mark with only two letters by which it is easie to see the Force of their Language and the esteem which they have for Vertue though for the most part they follow their own deprav'd Inclinations that carry them headlong into vice The Tribunal Quan lo su or of the Royal Inns takes care for the provision of Wine Cattel and all other things necessary for the King's Sacrifices Banquets and for the entertainment of such as are treated at the King's charges whether Chineses or Foreigners This Tribunal is an Associate to that of the Ceremonies The President is of the
his Robe and his Cap fell upon the Prothonotary threw him upon the ground and with his Foot and Fist belabouring the poor Officer cry'd out Kâ—…ave and Impostor as thou art where is the mony that I gave thee where is the City of which thou gav'st me a promise with many other reproaches of the same Nature Thereupon the Tribunal broke up and the Mandarin and the Prothonotary were both committed to the Prison of the Criminal Tribunal where they were both in great hazard of being condemn'd to death For such sort of merchandizing is death by the Laws besides that the scandalous Circumstances of the Action render'd the Crime much more enormous In all the Towns and Cities of the Empire there is a Tribunal compos'd of a President and at least two or three Assessours which is call'd Kiao quon or Judges of the men of Letters For that their business is to take care of Learning and Learned Men and more especially to overlook the Batchelours of Art which are very numerous and frequently very poor yet trusting to their Privileges become bold and insolent and practice many Acts of Violence and Knavery to get Money from Poor and Rich and many times throw off that respect which is due to the Presidents and Governours Therefore the Ancient Kings with much prudence erected this Court to apprehend and punish them either by whipping or other penalties according to their demerits and to degrade them if incorrigible Which is the reason that the Batchelours both fear and respect those Mandarins after an extraordinary manner This Court also has power to assemble from time to time all the Learned Men of the City that is to say the Batchelours Licentiates Doctours and old Mandarins excus'd from Service by reason of their Age to treat of Sciences and Vertue To which purpose they give them Themes taken out of their Books upon which they make several Comments which this Tribunal examines publickly either applaud or discommends so that these Officers are rather Professours than Mandarins Besides these Mandarins which are common to all the Empire there are other Tribunals appropriated to particular Places and Provinces as the Mandarins of the Salt who take care to distribute it over all China by publick undertakers and to prevent private Merchants from uttering any to the prejudice of the King's Revenue Other Mandarins there are who are as it were Stewards of the Rents belonging to the King and the great Lords more especially in the Provinces that lye upon the Sea. There is also another Tribunal call'd Ti Kin Su and by the Portugueses Tai qui si For indeed the Portugueses corrupt all the Chinese words For the City of Hiam Xan or the Mount of Odours they call Ham Sam. Ma Cao is call'd Ama gao That is to say the Bay or Gulph of the Idol Ama. For Gao signifies a Bay and Ama is the Name of an Idol which is worship'd in that Part. These are the Tribunals of the Letter'd Mandarins Those of the Military Mandarins are yet more numerous For besides that they are in all Places where the Tribunal of the Learned Mandarins are erected they are also in several important Places that separate the Provinces in all Ports and Bays and many more upon the Frontiers next to Tartary There is likewise sent from the Court a Catalogue of all the Learned Mandarins which is printed and reprinted every Season of the Year wherein are set down the Names the Titles the Countrey and the Time when every one receiv'd their Degrees And such another Catalogue is printed of the Military Mandarins The Number of the Learned Mandarins over all the Empire is thirteen Thousand six Hundred forty Seven and that of the Military Mandarins amounts to eighteen Thousand five hundred and twenty in all thirty two Thousand one hundred sixty seven Mandarins which though it be most certain may seem a thing incredible Though their Distribution their Distinction and their Subordination as much surpasses belief It seems as if the Legislators had omitted nothing and that they had foreseen all Inconveniences that were to be fear'd So that I am perswaded no Kingdom in the World could be better govern'd or more happy if the Conduct and Probity of the Officers were but answerable to the Institution of the Government But in regard they have no knowledge of the True God nor of the Eternal Rewards and Punishments of the other World they are subject to no remorses of Conscience they place all their happiness in Pleasure in Dignity and Riches and therefore to obtain these fading Advantages they violate all the Laws of God and Man trampling under foot Religion Reason Justice Honesty and all the Rights of Consanguinity and Friendship The Inferiour Officers mind nothing but how to defraud the Superiour Mandarins they the Supream Tribunals and all together how to cheat the King Which they know how to do with so much cunning and address making use in their memorials of words and expressions so soft so honest so respâ—… 〈◊〉 so humble and full of Adulation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so plausible and seemingly disinteren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ded Prince frequently takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for solemn Truths So that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves continually oppress'd and 〈◊〉 â—…tud without any reason murmur and 〈◊〉 â—…ditions and Revolts which have caus'd â—…o much â—…ne and so many Changes in the Empire Nevertheless there is no reason that the Excellency and Perfection of the Laws of China should suffer for the depravity and wickedness of the Magistrates CHAP. XVI Of the Grandeur of the Emperour of China and of his Revenues I Have observ'd in the third Chapter the three Opinions which the Chineses have concerning the beginning of their Empire Nor do they esteem their Kings to be of less Antiquity in regard their Government has been always Monarchical and absolute without any mixture of Aristocracy I have also observ'd that Cum fu cius and all the Learned Men reject the first Opinion as merely fabulous I shall therefore only add that according to the second Opinion that the Chineses were under the Government of Kings two thousand nine hundred fifty two years before the Birth of Christ. King Fohi was the first of their Kings and the Founder of their Empite which began in the Province of Xen si the most western part of China toward the North. The Chineses paint this King cloath'd with the leaves of Trees and all agree that his Kingdom was of no great extent at first nor his People very numerous Their Histories relate how that when this King began to reign the Chineses liv'd upon Herbs and wild Fruits drank the Blood of Beasts and clad themselves in Skins But that he taught them to make Nets as well for Hunting as Fishing and was the first inventer of the Chinese Letters All the Learned believ'd this Opinion probable and some there are that hold it for certain and unquestionable In a word it seems very probable that Fohi
speaks but occasionally of the Affairs of China Father Semedo indeed applies himself wholly to the Description of the Country in the First Part of his Relation wherein he has been very fortunate Father Couplet in his Chronology and Father Martini in his First Decad of the History of China and his Relation of the Tartar War has publisht almost a compleat Succession of the History of that Kingdom The same Father Martini in his Atlas has made a Geographical Description of it so compleat and full that there hardly remains any thing more for us to desire And lastly the Annual Letters and other Pieces which I have cited giving an Account of the various Successes of the Missions which they undertook inform us of several Notable and Curious Particulars But tho' these Authors are every one worthy to be esteem'd and valu'd Certain it is that we wanted still a very great number of Considerable Particulars whither it were that the Subject was too Copious to be exhausted or that those other designs which they proposed to themselves diverted their particular Industries However it were it is apparent that Father Magaillans had it in his thoughts to have supply'd all the Defects which he found in those other Pieces and whatever was wanting that might give us a perfect knowledge of China For they who read this Relation will find that the Matters therein contain'd have either been wholly omitted by all other Authors or else but very slightly touch'd and therefore in regard they are things of great Curiosity I make no question but this Translation will be grateful to the more exact Part of the Learned World. In a word it seems to me to have all those Advantages that suffice to recommend it to the Reader The Matter is of great consequence and becoming the Curiosity of all those that desire to know remote Countries since it has describ'd with an extraordinary Exactness and Part by Part what is most Considerable in that same Famous Empire of China There you shall find it determin'd by evident Proofs that the Countries of Catay and Mangi are comprehended in that Spacious Kingdom It discourses at large of the Chinese Language of the Letters and their Composition of the Words which they comprehend of the Excellency of the Language and how easie a thing it is to attain it which gives us a far different Idea of it from whatever we have had till now Of the Chinese Books and their Antiquity and the great number of them upon all sorts of Subjects Of the Antiquity of their Kingdom and their Kings Of the Certain and Successive Continuance of the Chinese Chronology from the next Ages to the Deluge It shews us the Industry of the Chineses in many things their wonderful Form of Government and all their different Tribunals with a world of other Circumstances There you find an exact Acount of all their Public Works and a particular Description of some Magnificent Bridges the Great Canal the City of Pe Kim their most Sumptuous Houses their Principal Temples and the Vast and Spacious Palace of the Emperor which comprehends within it several others sufficient to make us admire their Architecture and the Form and Contrivance of their Buildings Lastly there is a Description of a certain sort of Wax which is not any where else to be found of the Riches of China of the Emperor's Revenues of some Remarkable Ceremonies and of so many other Particulars which it would be here too tedious a trouble to repeat The Author was well inform'd of all those things of which he gives us an Account He had travell'd over all the Chiefest Parts of China from the Year 1640. to 1648. at what time he was carry'd to Pe Kim where he stay'd Nine and Twenty Years at the Court that is to say till his Death which happen'd in the Year 1677. without stirring from thence unless it were once that he was sent to Macao by the Command of the Emperor So long and constant a Residence the Knowledge of the Language and Books his Conversation with Persons the most Considerable in the Kingdom the Liberty which he had to enter into the Palace the Choice which he made of the Matters and Particulars of which he gives an Account will easily confirm us that he had a perfect Knowledge of the things of which he gives us the Relation So that altho' the Description which he gives us of the Emperor's Palace does not agree with that which we find in the Dutch Embassie to China yet there is all the Reason of the World to prefer the Testimony of this Author before that Relation The Sincerity also and Reality of Father Magaillans farther appear by this that he makes no scruple to Correct Father Martini where he knows him to be in an Error Tho in other places he confirms by his Testimony the Esteem which all Europe had for the Works of that Father and for that he speaks with Moderation of many other things where the Authors have strech'd too far in their Relations Having thus far given an Account of the Worth and Merit of this Relation it will not be improper to tell the Reader how it fell into my Hands It is now about Three Years since that F. Couplet coming to Rome in the Quality of Procurator for the Missions of China had several Occasions to wait upon Cardinal d' Estrees where I had the Honour to be at that time His Eminency ask'd him several curious Questions concerning China but chiefly concerning Pe Kim the Emperors Court and the Government and Policy of that Great Kingdom To which the Father gave His Eminency all the Satisfaction he could desire so far as he knew But in regard he had never been but once at Pe Kim when he was carry'd Prisoner thither in the time of the late Persecution he answer'd the Cardinal with his usual sincerity That he was not so well inform'd as to those other particular Questions which His Eminency put to him but that he had brought out of China a Portuguese Manuscript written by F. Gabriel de Magaillans where he would find the Plenary Satisfaction of all that he desir'd to know and at the same time presented the Manuscript to His Eminency who having read it over with great delight gave it into my Hands upon a proffer which I made him to Translate it However I found it a more Difficult Task then I imagin'd for tho Father de Magaillan's had deliver'd it fairly written yet by an Unfortunate Accident it hapn'd to be half Burnt so that I was forc'd to have recourse to the Confus'd Original which had been luckily preserv'd which being the greatest part writt'n in loose Papers it requir'd a great deal of time to place them in order and find out the connections The Author had entitl'd his Work The Twelve Excellencies of China But this Title seem'd to me to be too much affected and not answerable to the Subject for it was not limited to
As we pronounce it in Totality and Totus V Consonant as we do U Vowel as the Latin U or the French Ou except in these Words Chu Triu Xiu Yu Tiu Niu Siu c. X Is pronounc'd as in Portuguese or Ch in French as for Example Xansi Xensi as if it were written Chansi or Chensi I took those Observations upon the Pronunciation from Father Couplet from a Chinese that was brought out of China from my Author and out of Father Greslones Preface to his Relation THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. OF the Names which the Chineses and Foreigners give to China and of the Countries of Catai and Mangi p. 1 CHAP. II. Of the Extent and Division of China of the number of the Cities and other wall'd Towns and some other particulars observed by the Chinese Authors p. 31 CHAP. III. Of the Antiquity of the Kingdom of China and what a high Opinion the Chineses have of it p. 59 CHAP. IV. Of the Letters and Language of China p. 68 CHAP. V. Of the Wit of the Chineses and their principal Books p. 87 CHAP. VI. Of the Civility and Politeness of the Chineses and of some of their Feasts p. 101 CHAP. VII Of the Publick Works and Buildings of the Chineses and particularly of the Grand Canal p. 113 CHAP. VIII Of the great Industry of this Nation p. 121 CHAP. IX Of the Navigation of the Chineses p. 128 CHAP. X. Of the great Plenty of all things in China p. 133 CHAP. XI Of the Nobility of the Empire p. 145 CHAP. XII Of the wonderful Government of this Empire of the Distinctions between the Mandarins and of the Council of State p. 193 CHAP. XIII Of the eleven Supreme Tribunals or of the six Tribunals of the Mandarins for Letters and the five Tribunals of the Mandarins for Military Affairs p. 200 CHAP. XIV Of several other Tribunals of Pekim p. 218 CHAP. XV. Of several Tribunals and Mandarins of Provinces p. 241 CHAP. XVI Of the Grandeur of the Emperour of China and of his Revenues p. 250 CHAP. XVII A description of the City of Pe kim Of the Walls that inclose the Emperours Palace and the Form of the Principal Houses of China p. 265 CHAP. XVIII Of the twenty Apartments belonging to the Emperours Palace p. 281 CHAP. XIX A Description of twenty particular Palaces contained in the Inner Enclosure of the Emperours Palace p. 303 CHAP. XX. Of several other Palaces and some Temples erected within the same Enclosures p. 314 CHAP. XXI Of the Emperours seven Temples in Pekim and how the King goes abroad upon the performance of Publick Ceremonies p. 319 THE PLANE OF THE CITY OF PEKIM Y E METROPOLIS OF CHINA A Scale of 10 Chinese furlongs w ch amount to 2730 Geometrical Paces one Chinese furlong making 273 Geometrical Paces An EXPLANATION of the Plane of the City of PEKIM A The Walls of the ancient City of Pekim nere 4 leagues in Circuite B The 9 Gates of the same Wall C The Streets of the City D 1 The first Enclosure of the Palace two leagues in Circuite D 2 The second Enclosure D 3 The third Enclosure where the Emperour resides E The south and principal Gate of the City F The first street â—… ch you pass through upon youâ—… entrance into the City G A Palace encempassed with a Marble Baluâ—… trade H The second street â—… â—h two Triumphal Arches I The 〈◊〉 Apertim 1 The street of perpetual repose 2 2 d. 〈◊〉 â—… ch is the first within the outer enclosure of the Pallace 3 3 d. called the Portal of the beginning 4 4. is The second Enclosure 5 5 Called the supream Portal 6 6 Called the supream Imperial Hall 7 7 Called the Hall thrice exalted 8 8. 〈◊〉 the Supream Hall in the middle 9 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of â—…overaigne Concord wher the Emâ—… 〈◊〉 in Councâ—…l â—… â—h his Colaos 10 10 The 〈◊〉 of Heaven 11 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Heaven in â—… â—h and y e two 〈◊〉 the Emperour lodges himself 12 12 The Beautifull House 13 13 The House which receives Heaven 14 14 〈◊〉 and Gardens 15 15 The 〈◊〉 of the Inner Enclosure 16 16 The High â—…aisd Portal on the south side with a place to manage Horses 17 17 The Park and artificial Mountaines 18 18 Consisting of three Houses 19 19 The Portal on the north side 20 20 The Enclosure called y e Portal of repose 123 to 20 Are 20 particular places belonging to the Emperour for several uses K The first Palace betwen the two Enclosures L The second Pallace M 3 Palace upon the Lake N 4 Palace upon a Mountain O 5 Palace nere the Lake P 6 Palace nere the Lake Q 7 Palace R 8 Palace of the Fortress S 1 Temple of the 4 within y e Palace T 2 Temple V 3 Temple X 4 Temple Y 24 Places for the Mandarins Z 5 Temples in y e new City mark 1 2 3 4 5 1 Temple in the Old City 2 Temple in the Old City A A The 6 Tribunals markd 1 2 3 4 5 6 â—… â—h A A B B The 5 Tribunals of y e military Mandarins A New Relation OF CHINA Containing A Description of the most considerable Particulars of that Great Empire CHAP. I. Of the Names which the Chineses and Foreigners give to China and of the Countries of Catai and Mangi IT is a Custom usual in this Empire that when any new Family ascends the Imperial Throne the Sovereign gives a new Name to his Dominions Thus under the Reign of the preceeding Family China was called Taè mim que that is to say a Kingdom of great Brightness But the Tartars who govern it at present have called it Taà cim que or a Kingdom of great Purity and this is the Appellation most common among the Chineses However in regard thâ—… formerly there have been Kingdoms in it highly famâ—…s either for their long Continuance or for the Vertues of their Princes or the number of Learned Men or for some other Advantages they have preserv'd and still make use in their Books of Names which were then in Practice 〈◊〉 as are those of Hia que Xam que Cheu que Hâ—…n que c. Which gives us to understand that although these Names signifie China yet they were rather intended to denote the Reigns of several Royal Families than to signifie the Kingdom it self In their Books and Petitions to the King they generally make use of the Word Xam que that is High and Sovereign Kingdom The Learned Men in their Writings and their Books make choice of the Word Chum que which signifies the flower of the Middle or Center And indeed the most usual and common Name for all China is Chum que or the Kingdom of the Center which name is given to it either because they believe that China lies in the middle of the World or because the first King of China establish'd his Throne in the Province of Honan which was then as it were the Center
of the Kingdom or lastly because it is much more considerable than all the barbarous and poor Kingdoms that surround it That same Hyperbolical Word also Tien Hia or the Kingdom that contains all that is under Heaven is very frequently made use of So that when they say Tien Hia 〈◊〉 â—…im all that is under Heaven is in Peace it is the same thing as to say China is in Peace China likewise has other Names which I forbear to mention because they are less in Practice Foreigners call it Hara Kitai Catai Cataio Mangi Nica Corum Chin China and Kina The Tartars that lie to the West call the Chineses Hara Kitai or the Black Barbarians which is the Name they give also to China it self The Europeans instead of Hara say Cara for that in regard the Tartars pronounce Ha with a very strong Aspiration strangers believe they say Cara and not Hara For that Reason it is that Marcus Paulus and other Authors call by the name of Can that Emperor who between the years 1260 and 1275. conquer'd the Western Tartary and all China instead of calling him Han that is to say King in the Language of the Western Tartars The same word also is at present in use among the Eastern Tartars who are Masters of China and who were formerly so barbarous that they had not any King nor any word to signifie a King as we shall relate in its due place The Muscovites as I was inform'd by some residing in this Court in imitation of the Tartars call it Kitai The Kingdom of Chahamalaha the Inhabitants of which are Mahumetans and which confines to the Province of Xansi the Kingdom of Tumet or Tibet which environs a good part of the Provinces of Xensi and Xansi and that of Usangue bordering upon the Province of Sù Chuen having corrupted the word Kita call it Kataâ—… and the Merchants that come from Indostan and other parts of the Indies call it Cataio By which we clearly find that the Kingdom of Cataio of which Father Anthony de Andradâ—… speaks in his Relation of Tibet where he had been signifies no more than China and that Grand Catai is no other then Grand China to which alone may be attributed whatever has been said of China So much the rather for that of all the Kingdoms seated between the Indies and the Eastern Extremities of Asia only those that lie upon the Sea are known the rest are small barbarous poor and untilled The Eastern Tartars moreover in derision call'd China Nica Corum or the Kingdom of the Barbarians tho' at present now they are setled therein and are become Masters of it they call it Tulimpa Corum or the Kingdom of the Middle The Kingdoms of the Indians as Canara Bengala and others call it Chin as I was inform'd in the Province of Sù Chuen by two Iognes of which the one had been at Goa and had learnt some Portugal Words and as I understood at Pekim by some Merchants of the Country This name of Chin seems to have been given to China by the Indians because of the Family of Chin who reign'd a Hundred sixty nine Years after Christ though I find more probability to believe that it comes from the Family of Cin who reign'd two Hundred forty six before Christ the chief of which Family was Master of all China and among the rest of the Province of Yûn nân which is not far distant from Bengala because the Chineses pronouncing strongly and whistling the Word Cin through the Teeth the Indians that cannot imitate them pronounce it Chin and the Portugals who took this word from the Indians not having any word in their Language that ends in N have added an A at the latter End. The Italians write China like the Portugheses but they pronounce it Kâ—…na and so they ought to write it Cina to give it the same sound as the Germans who write schina By what has been said we find apparently that Cataio Hara Kitai and China are all one and the same thing and not different Kingdoms as Cluverius would have them to be who in his fifth Book of his Introductions to Geography Chapter Fifth frames several Kingdoms as Catai Tangut Tainfu and others which he seems to have borrow'd from Marcus Paulus whereas they are not the names of Kingdoms but only the corrupted names of certain Cities of China And this is particularly manifest by the word Tainfu which is no other then Tai Yuenfu the Metropolis of the Province of Xansi where the Tartars settled their Court before they Conquer'd the Province of Pekim The Description also which Cluverius gives of the Province of Tainfu agrees perfectly with that City and the Country that belongs to it For there are the best Grapes in China and good store of Iron near the City of Lû gân which furnishes Pekim and the rest of the Provinces especially those that lie toward the North with Nails and all sorts of Iron Utensils and Instruments Marcus Paulus speaks of another City of that Province which he calls Pianfu tho' the Chineses call it Pim yà m fù Cluverius has also borrow'd from Marcus Paulus the corrupted word Cambalu the Capital City of Catai for neither the Western nor Eastern Tartars have any B. as we shall shew in due place in our Tartarian Alphabet so that Marcus Paulus instead of Cam should have written Han that is King and instead of Balu Palu which signifies Court and consequently instead of Cambalu Hanpalu which in the Tartarian Language signifies the Kings Court. And then he should have taken notice that there were two Hanpalu's or Kings Courts the ancient Court at present but a mean place distant about three Leagues from Pekim toward the East which is called Tum Cheum and the new Court which is Pekim which Marcus Paulus calls Taidu instead of Tai tu which signifies the great Court. Some Authors question whether the Kingdom of Mangi of which M. Paulus makes such frequent mention be not a different Kingdom from China but there is no doubt to be made but that it is comprehended within it For M. Paulus divides China into two Kingdoms Catai and Mangi Comprising under the Name of Catai all the Nor thern Provinces and under that of Mangi all the Southern The word Mangi is deriv'd from Mânt Zù which signifies Barbarous For that the Southern Chineses to mock the Northern call them Pe tai that is Fools of the North and the other to pay the Southern Chineses in the same Coin call them Nân Mân Barbarians of the South or else barely Mantzu Barbarians The Tartarians likewise in contempt of the Chineses call them also Mantzu or Barbarians But in regard the Tartarians especially the Eastern cannot well pronounce the Syllable tzu they say gi Mangi which I have heard a Thousand and a Thousand times for three and twenty Years together that I liv'd among them And so without question it was in the time of M. Paulus who being
Clock in the Morning of a sudden there came a Deluge that overflow'd the new City the Suburbs and the Planes adjoining Presently they shut up the Gates of the old City and stopp'd up all the holes and clefts with Chalk and Bitumen mingled together to prevent the entrance of the Water But the third part of the Houses of the new City were overturn'd and an infinite number of poor Creatures especially Women and Children were either drown'd or buried in the Ruins A great number of Villages and Houses of pleasure were carried away by the Impetuosity of the Inundation and the same thing happen'd to the Neighbouring Cities All the People fled for Refuge to the high Places or clim'd up to the tops of the Trees where several confounded with their Fears or fainting for want of Food dropt down into the Water and miserably perish'd In other Provinces their happen'd Accidents and Calamities yet more strange occasion'd by dreadful Earthquakes So that it seem'd to be the Pleasure of God to punish those Insidels for the Persecution which they had rais'd against the Christian Religion and the Preachers of the Gospel Never was â—…en the like Consternation in that Court where all Men were reduc'd to utmost despair not being able to divine the Cause of so extraordinary a Deluge At last the King having sent out certain People upon Rafts of Timber for they have no Boats at Pekim to examine the Reason they found that the troubled River of which we have already made mention had broken down the Damms and made it self a new Channel cross the Fields and Suburbs of the City which begat such an amazing Fear in the Minds of the People that the King and the Grandees were just upon the point of removing to some other place The same Fury of the Inundation carried away several Rocks which knocking against the Piles of the famous Bridge shook it in such a manner that they broke down two of the Arches The fifth Proof is that M. Paulus in the thirty second Chapter of the same Book speaks of that great River which the Tartars call Caramoran and the Chineses Hoâm Hô or the yellow River in regard that the slimy Mud which it carries with it makes the Waters to look of that Colour In the thirty sixth Chapter he makes mention of another River which he calls in the Chinese Language ô Kiam or the great River and which the Chineses as we have said already call Yam cu Kiam or the River Son of the Sea. In the thirty sixth Chapter describing the City which he calls Kimsai and which erroneously he will have to signifie the City of Heaven tho' the word as we shall shew hereafter signifies a Court he reports several Particulars concerning it for example that the City is seated between a Great Lake and a great River and that round about the Lake are to be seen several Palaces of the Grandees and divers Temples of the Bonzes and many other things which are very true only that he stretches too far where he says that the City is an hundred Miles in Circuit wherein he shews himself rather a Poet then an Historian However it be the Description which he makes of the City and Palace of Cambalu sufficiently demonstrate that Catai is a part of China and that what he says of the City of Kimsai is enough to prove that Mangi is another part of the same Empire for that the greatest part of his Relation is entirely conformable to what we our selves have seen Yet if M. Paulus had understood the Chinese Language as he says he understood that of the Tartars he had with more Exactness set down the Names of the Cities and Provinces and other particulars which he reports concerning that Empire But it is no wonder he should so often corrupt the Names since we our selves who upon our first arrival appli'd our selves with all the industry imaginable to understand the Chinese Letters and Language after the Study of several Years were frequently deceiv'd and quite mistook some part of the words So that we must not be surpriz'd if a Knight who only minded his Military Designs and to court the Favour of the great Han and only convers'd with the Tartars who for want of Politeness are the greatest Corrupters of Words above other Nations should fall into the same Inconvènience For he has corrupted Names in such a manner that they among us who have the greatest Knowledge of the Language and the Empire have much ado to pick out the meaning of many of his Mistakes Nevertheless by a strict Examination of the Situation of the Places and other Circumstances of his Relations we at length find out what he intends Father Martin Martini so famous for his Atlas of China as witty and ingenious as he was could not exempt himself from committing the like Errors Insomuch that we who have resided in this Empire for so many years have found it very difficult to understand the Persons and the Places of which he speaks especially in the Names that ought to terminate in M and which he always ends in Ng. For example instead of saying Pekim Nankim Chekîam Yûmlie Cûmchîm he always writes Peking Nanking Chekiang Yeunglie Cungching Wherein he must of necessity be deceived because that manner of writing does no ways correspond with the Chinese Pronunciation which answers to that of our M. and not of Ng Nor will it avail to say that the Germans pronounce I'm open with a soft production of the sound almost like Ng because they express it somewhat through the Nose for that the letter M whether pronunced open or close has always a much greater correspondence with the Chinese and Latin Pronunciation then the letters Ng. So much the more because the Germans pronounce I 'm final open rather like In or En then Im or Em. So that indeed this Reason might have been in some measure pardonable had the Father written in High-Dutch or only to the Germans But having writ in Latin and for the benefit of all Europe he ought to have conformed to the most exact and common Pronunciation Philip Cluverius in his sixth Chapter of his sixth Book makes a doubt whether the City of Kimsai of which M. Polo makes mention in his sixty eighth Chapter of his second Book wâ—…re the Court of the King of Tartary or the King of China He also with good reason takes notice of the Hyperboles which M. Polo makes us in describing the said City of Kimsai For the resolving of which Difficulties it will be necessary to observe that instead of Kimsai he ought to have written Kimsu the Master Court. For that Kim signifies a Court and Su a Master The Court being as it were the Model of the Rest of the Kingdom Kimsai then or Kimsu was the Court of the Princes of the Family of Sum whom the Western Tartars despoil'd of the Kingdom in the time of M. Polo A hundred years after that Nankim and
of Suchuen The Relation of Father Anthony de Andrada calls it also the Country of Ussanguè and says that it is situated to the East of the Kingdom of Tibet twenty days journey from China P. 3. Father Antony de Andrada c. Father Anthony de Andrada travelled twice into the Kingdom of Tibet The Relation of his Second Travels in the year 1624. with Father Concalo de Sousa which was Printed at Lisbon in the year 1628. speaks very clearly of China For there we find that it is not above twenty days journey from the Kingdom of Ussanguè or Ussang and that Ussang is not above forty days journey from the City of Caparange where the King of Tibet keeps his Court and where those Fathers arriv'd from Agra in less then two months and a half passing through Sirinagar As for Catai in regard the People of Tibet are very ignorant they spoke of it very confusedly to Father Andrada to whom they asserted that Catai was a great City By the way we may observe that by that Relation and by the Atlas of Father Martini who in his History of the War of the Tartars tells us also that the Province of Suchuen borders upon the Kingdom of Tibet that the Kingdom of Tibet is situated to the East of the Country of the Great Mogul and not to the North where the most part of our Maps place it So much the rather for that Father Benedict Goez in his Travels which he made always to the North of the Empire of the Great Mogul from the Country of the Usbegs travelling continually Eastward as far as China P. 5. The Tartarian Alphabet which we shall give you in due place Father Magaillans not being able to perfect his Work has not given us this Tartarian Alphabet But it is to be found in the Grammar made by Father Ferdinand de Verbiest which will suddenly be printed at Paris P. 6. Mangi or Mantzu Barbarians Father Nicholas Longobardo in his Letter written from China 1598. and printed in Latin at Mayence in 1601. tells us that the Chineses call'd those of the Province of Quamtum Mangi that is to say Barbarians Manginos that is Barbarous People which confirms the opinion of Father Magaillans P. 10. Stone-Coal and Stoves of China Almost all Authors that speak of China agree that in the Northern Provinces the cold is much more intense then it ought to be considering the climate and situation under the fortieth or forty second degree They also speak of the Stoves which are very Common and built all alike in all those Northern Provinces See the Relation of Father Trigant l. 4. c 3. Father Semedo Part 1. c. 3. and Father Martini's Atlas in his Description of the Provinces of Xansi and Pekim where he says that the two Mountains out of which they dig their coal are very near to the City of Pimko and are call'd Kie and Siu vu P. 12. That which causes M. Polo to commit these Mistakes is this that three leagues c. Father Martini in the Description of the Province of Pekim confirms this conjecture in these words The River Lu keu which is also call'd Sangean passes to the South-West of the Royal City You cross over a stately Bridge where a man may count several Arches of Stone 't is plain that he speaks of the River that runs to the West of Pekim and the Bridge built over it and that this is that of which M. Polo makes mention For that there is no great difference between the name of Sangean which Father Martini gives it and that of Sangean or Buli Sangan as M. Polo calls it Father Greslon in his History of China l. 3. c. 8. speaks of an Eastern Bridge in these words In the Province of Pekim there was a Bridge of an admirable Structure above three hundred paces in length of which two Arches are broken And Father Magaillans tells the true reason of the fall of those two Arches the ninth of August 1668. To which Father Greslon adds That the rest of the Bridge fell the 26. of the month of Aug. the same year He says moreover that it was call'd Lo-Co-Kaio that it had been built a thousand years and that it was not above six Leagues from Pekim The Fathers Rougemont and Intorcetta in their Relations confirm the fall of the rest of the Bridge the 26 of August 1668. three thousand years after it was first laid And the first of those Fathers tells us that the same Bridge was three hundred and sixty paces in length P. 15. These Reasons of Father Magaillans are so much the stronger because his Opinion is conformable to the practice of all those that have wrote concerning China both before and after him as Father Adam a German Father Greslon a Frenchman Father Semedo an Italian Father Rougemont a Flemming c. And for that Father Martini has not been follow'd by any but by the Author of the Embassie who has either copy'd or borrowed from Father Martini all that he speaks concerning China except the Gests of the Embassadors from Camtum to Pekim and their Negotiations So that 't is no wonder the one has imitated the other in his Orthography Father Greslon also in the Preface to his Relation proves against Father Martini that the Chinese words ought to be pronounced as our Author tells us P. 16. We could add several other Reasons to prove that Catai is no other then China deduc'd from the Silk many Fruits Plants and Animals which according to M. Polo breed and grow in China and are not to be found in any part of Tartary But this has been so often bandy'd about for these hundred years and all Authors who have writ upon this Subject have prov'd it by so many different Arguments besides what our Author alledges that it would be but time ill spent to labour any more about it Besides that there is no person now that questions or can doubt of it unless he would be wilfully blind I shall only observe that the reason why men might formerly be deluded was this because that when the Western Tartars undertook the Conquest of China there were two Emperors The one was the Real Chinese Emperor of the Family Sum who possess'd the twelve Southern Provinces the other was the King of the Eastern Tartars of the Family Tai-kin who possessed the three Northern Provinces the Country of Leaotum and the Eastern Tartary These two Emperors were vanquish'd one after the other and their Kingdoms subdu'd between the years 1225. and 1280. This being granted it may be readily apprehended how easie it was for the Oriental Authors and such as had heard talk of those Conquests to believe that the real Emperor of China was Master of all China as now we know it and that the other Emperor of the Family Tai-kin whose Empire was more Northerly liv'd in Tartary to the North of the great Wall where for that reason our Ancient Geographers have placed
Cambalu and many other Cities and Countries CHAP. II. Of the Extent and Division of China Of the Number of the Cities and other wall'd Towns And some other particulars observed by the Chinese Authors IT is now eighteen years since Father Francis Fierrado Vice-Provincial of China and afterwards Visitor of Iapan and China order'd me to write the History of this Empire and the Progress of the Gospel there first begun to be preach'd now fourscore and thirteen years ago But the Employments of the Mission and the Persecutions we have undergone have hindr'd me from going on with it The Fathers Nicholas Trigaut a Flemming Alvaro Semedo a Portuguese Martini Native of Trent Antony Govea and Ignatius de Costa in their yearly Relations have treated very largely upon this Subject But the Beauty the Grandeur and the Antiquity of this Empire are such copious Subjects that though there has been much already written concerning them yet there remains much more to be said Wherefore I thought it my duty to set down in this place the chiefest Observations which I have collected together China is seated almost at the utmost Extremities of Asia towards the East It lies under twenty three degrees from North to South from the Fortress of Cai Pim placed upon the Frontiers of the Province of Pekim in forty one degrees of Latitude to the Meridional point of the Island of Hai Nan in eighteen degrees of Elevation and A to the South of the Province of Quamtum So that the length of China from North to South according to the Chinese Books is five thousand seven hundred and fifty Li or Furlongs Which makes 402½ Spanish or Portugal Leagues at 17½ to a degree 575 French Leagues at 25. to a degree â—…45 German at 15. to a degree 1380 Italian Miles at 60. to a degree 5750 Li or Chinese Furlongs at 250. to a degree From the Point of Nîm Pô a Sea-port Town in the Province of Che-kiam where the Portugals were formerly wont to trade and which Ferdinand Mendez calls Leam Po to the extremity of the Province of Suchuen in a streight Line from East to West it is accounted 297 Spanish and Portugal Leagues 426 French Leagues 255 German Miles 1020 Italian Miles 4080 Chinese Furlongs at 240 to a degree But if you would have the length of China where it is longest you must take it from the last place to the North-west of the Province of Leaotum call'd Caiyven to the last City of the Province of Yunnan call'd Cin tien Kiun min Fu. Take it thus and then the longest length of this Empire will bâ—… 525 Spanish Leagues 750 French Leagues 1800 Italian Miles 8400 Chinese Furlongs at four and a half to a Mile of Italy The truest breadth of China to take it from Tam Chan the most Easterly place of the Country of Leao tum and which joins to the Kingdom of Corea to the Place call'd Tum tim to the West of the Province of Xensi is 350 Spanish Leagues 500 French Leagues 300 German Miles 1200 Italian Miles 5400 Chinese Furlongs There are fifteen Provinces in this Empire which for their largeness their Riches and Fertility may well be call'd Kingdoms Which the Chineses rank in this Order according to their Antiquity and Precedency Pe kim Nan kim now call'd KiaÌ„m Nân Xansi Xantum Hô nân Xénsi Che Kiam Kiam si Hù quam Su chuen Fo Kien Quám tuÌ„m Quam si Yunnan Quei cheum The Country of Leao tum might also well deserve the Name of a Province by reason of its extent but the Chineses include it within the Province of Xan tum The Provinces that lie upon the Sea are Pe kim Xan tum Nan kim Che Kiam Fo Kien and Quam tum Those that border upon Foreign Kingdoms are Pekim Xansi Xensi Su chuen Yunnan Quamsi The Midland Provinces are Honan Hu quam Kiamsi Quci cheu By which it appears that Cluverius trusted too unwarily to false Relations when he reckons up Eighteen Provinces in China and among the rest the Kingdom of Cochinchina For tho' that Kingdom and that of Tum Kim were formerly subject to China 't was but for a very few Years and it is a long time ago since they threw off that subjection There are several Islands also belonging to China as the Great and Little Lieu Kieu Tai Van which the Portugueses call Formosa where the Hollanders had a Fortress which was wrested out of their hands by a Chinese Pirate some Years since and where they lost a great number of Men and great Guns and a great quantity of Goods Hai Nan and Hiam Xan where stands the City of Amagao or Macao upon the Southern Promontory of that Island and a great number of others some Inhabited others quite Desart The Kingdom of Corea is not an Island adjoining to China as Cluverius believes but a great Promontory of the Firm Land extending it self from the North to the South Neither is Xam Haì an Island as Martini writes in his Atlas and marks it in his Map but a Fortress so vast and so well fortisi'd by Art and Nature that it may compare with the best in Europe It stands upon the firm Land near the Sea between the Province of Pe Kim and the Country of Leao tum The Places Wall'd in through the whole extent of this Empire amount to the number of Four Thousand Four Hundred and Two and are divided into Two Orders the Civil and Military The Civil Order comprehends Two Thousand Forty Five Wall'd Towns that is to say One Hundred Seventy Five Cities of the first Rank which the Chineses call Fu Two Hundred Seventy Four of the Second Order which they call CheuÌ„ One Thousand Two Hundred Eighty and Eight Cities which they call Hièn Two Hundred and Five Royal Hosteries or Places of Entertainment call'd Ye and an Hundred and Three Courts of Guard or Royal Hosteries of the Second Rank which they call Cham Chin. Among the Cities and Towns of this Empire I reckon several seated in the Provinces of Yun Nan Quei cheum Quam Si and Su chuen which however pay no Tribute to the Emperour nor yeild him any Obedience but are govern'd by particular and absolute Princes These Towns are for the most part so environ'd with high Mountains and steep Rocks as if Nature had taken a particular Care of their Fortification Within which Mountains lie Fields and Plains for several Days Journeys where are to be seen Cities both of the first and second Rank together with many Towns and Villages The Chineses call these Lords Tù Sù or Tù Quon that is to say Mandarins of the Country For that as they believe there is no Emperour of the World but the Emperour of China so they are conceited that there are no other Princes or Lords but such as they to whom the Emperour gives that Title Nor do they give the Title of Mandarins of the Land or Country to those but to distinguish
Lord and Master The Friends and Favourites of Sun co vanâ—… advis'd him to put the Fugitive Emperor to Death and to maintain himself in the Sovereign Power that had been conferr'd upon him But he absolutely resus'd so unworthy an Action and more then that declar'd that he was resolv'd to acknowledge Yum Liè whose Birth had given him an undoubted Right to the Crown In short he acknowledg'd the Fugitive Emperor and all his Officers and Soldiers follow'd his Example His Forces were very numerous and well disciplin'd and there was great hopes that so brave a Captain would have resettl'd the Affairs of China and driven out the Tartars But the Vices of the Emperor who took no care of his own Affairs as being wholly addicted to Wine and Women prevented the Success For this bad Management of himself brought Yum Liè inâ—…o Contempt among his Subjects and Sun co vam repenting perhaps that he had resign'd the Empire to him left him only the Name of Emperor with whaâ—… was requisite for his own and the subsistance of his Family However this harsh Usage of the Emperor displeas'd several of the Commanders of the Army and among the rest one of the chiefest among them call'd Lì â—…im Qué before the best Friend that Sun co vam had and his Brother by Adoption as being both Adopted by the Tirant Cham hien chum Thereupon the Quarrel between these Two Great Persons grew to that height that they broke Friendship parted their Forces and fought one against the other till at last in the heat of the Combat Sun co vam's Soldiers deserted him and went over to the Enemy so that he had much ado to escape by flight with only Three Hundred Men that continu'd faithful to him Upon which despairing ever to resettle the Affairs of China he surrender'd himself to the Tartars who having his Vertues in high Esteem and Veneration advanc'd him Laden with Honors to the Dignity of a Petty King. Some time after Yum Liè bereft of the Assistance of so great a Captain was in a short time by the Tartars depriv'd both of his Empire and his Life the Prowess of Li tim not being sufficient to withstand their Power Nevertheless that the Eldest Son the Wife and Mother of the same Emperor had been Baptiz'd in the Year 1648. by Father Andrew Kassler a Iesuit the Son being nam'd Constantine Thus much I took out of the History of Father Rougemont C. P. 43. In the same Book you may see the number of Soldiers that keep Guard upon the Frontiers c. There is some difference among Authors concerning the number of Soldiers in China which nevertheless is very extraordinary Father Trigaut asserts that there are above a Million Father Martini near a Million and by the report of Father Semedo Father John Rodriquez who was a person very Curious and one that had Travel'd much in China assur'd him that by what he had met with in the Chinese Books that the number of Soldiers in the several Provinces of the Kingdom amounted to Five Hundred Fourscore and Fourteen and Six Hundred Fourscore and Two Thousand Eight Hundred Fourscore and Eight to Guard the great Wall against the Tartars not including the Soldiers which belong to their Fleets But we ought rather to give Credit to ihe Relation of Father Magaillans a more Modern Writer and who took what he asserts out of a Book presented to the Emperor himself However we are to consider that these Soldiers are not like to ours in Europe neither for Courage nor Discipline as being no other for the most part then the Country Militia For Father Semedo speaking of the Soldiers of the Provinces says they are of â—…ittle worth and that we are not to think they follow no other Employment then that of being Soldiers â—…or that they are generally Inhabitants in the places where they are Enroll'd and follow their Trades some Shooe-makers others Taylors c. And Father Trigaut in his Second Chapter tells us that to the end we may knâ—…w the number of the Soldiers to be incredible we ought to observe that almost half the People of the Three Northern Provinces are â—…oll'd iâ—…â—…he Service of the Emperor 〈◊〉 Magaillans 〈◊〉 firmâ—… the same thing wherâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ays that the Exâ—…e of the Emperor eveâ—…y Year for Nine Hundred aâ—… Two Thousand and Fifty Four Soldiers that Guard thâ—… Wâ—… including Officers and all amounts but to 〈◊〉 Millions Thirty Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Fourteen Livres which is not above half a Pistol a Year for every Man which could never maintain them did they not follow their Trades to support themselves and their Families And for that very reason we are not to think such a number of Soldiers incredible which the Chinese Historian Cited by Father Magaillans allows as well for the defence of the Frontiers as the inner parts of the Provinces which amounts to Sixteen Hundred Seventy Thousand and Twenty Four More especially considering the vastness of the Empire numerously Peopled and that the Soldiers have neither Courage nor Discipline And therefore Father Martini tells us that the Tartars are better Soldiers then the Chineses but neither of them comparable to the Soldiers in Europe CHAP. III. Of the Antiquity of the Kingdom of China and what a high Opinion the Chineses have of it THis Kingdom is so Ancient that it has preserv'd its form of Government and has continu'd during the Reign of Twenty Two Families from whence have descended Two Hundred Thirty Six Kings for the space of Four Thousand and Twenty Five Years For it is so many Years since it began according to the Opinion which the Chineses hold for certain and unquestionable For should we rest satisfi'd with what they look upon to be very probable it would be Four Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty to this present Year 1668 since this Kingdom began The Chineses however have Three Opinions concerning this matter Some of their Books six the Original of their Kingdom some Hundreds of Thousands of Years before the Creation But tho' the Vulgar sort believe this to be true yet the Wiser and more Learned sort hold those Books for merely Fabulous and Apocryphal more especially since Consucius has condemn'd that Error The Second Opinion makes King Fohi to be the Founder of this Kingdom who was the first that Reign'd towards the Consines of the Province of Xénsi the most Western part of China and afterwards in the Province of Honan seated almost in the middle of the Empire So that according to their Books it was Two Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty Two Years before the Birth of Christ that this Prince began to Reign about Two Hundred Years after the Universal Deluge according to the Version of the Seventy Interpreters All the Learned Men hold this Opinion to be probable and many among them take it to be unquestionable The Third Opinion is that the Foundations of this Kingdom were laid about Four Thousand and Twenty
for want of Art and Knowledge not for defect of Wit they have also several Books that Treat of the Mathematicks and Military Discipline and several Excellent Treatises of Physick wherein they shew the smartness of their Wits by making several solid and learned Discourses upon the Pulses or beating of Arteries of which they have a particular knowledge upon the Manner of knowing and distinguishing between Deseases and Deseases they have several Pleasant Romances and Books of Chivalrie like those of Amadis de Gaul Oâ—…lando Furioso D. Quixote c. and Volumes of Histories and Presidents of Obedience of Children toward their Parents of the Loyalty of Subjects towards their Princes of Agriculture Eloquent Discourses Pleasant Poems full of Witty Invention Tragedies and Comedies and lastly a very great Number of Treatises upon an Insinity of other Subjects besides that such is their readiness and quickness of Invention that there are very few Licentiates or Doctors that do not publish at least one or two large Volumes They have five Volumes which they call U Kim or the five Writings which among them are the same as the Holy Scriptures among us The first is call'd Xu Kim that is to say a Chronicle of five Ancient Kings which the Chineses esteem and worship for Saints The three last were the Heads of three different Families that raign'd for almost two Thousand Years that is to say almost as long as the Nineteen Families that succeeded them including also that of the Tartars that Reigns at present The first of these Emperors was call'd Yao who according to the Chinese Chronicles began his Raign four Thousand and Twenty five Years ago counting to this present year 1668. or about Five Hundred Years after the Deluge according to the Calculation of the Seventy Interpreters This Prince the Legislator of the Chineses was eminent for several Vertues more â—…specially for his extraordinary Clemency Justice and Prudence Now in regard he saw that his Son had not those Qualities which are requisite for a Good Governour for by the Report of the Chineses they put a higher value upon Vertue then upon all other Endowments he chose for his Co-partner in the Empire one of his Subjects call'd by the name of Xùn whom he declared Emperor upon his death Bed and gave him his two Daughters for his Wives This President the Chineses make use of to maintain Polygamy but the Fathers of our Society return for answer according to the Sentiments of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church that God at that time permitted plurality of Wives because it was requisite for the Multiplication of Human Kind and for peopling the Earth The Chineses are satisfy'd with this Answer because the first of their sacred Books informs them that at that time China was but very thinly inhabited Moreover they approve the Exposition which Father Iulio Aleni makes upon that passage in the Books call'd Keù to ge chao compos'd by the Learned Christians of the Province of Fo-kien from what they had heard the Learned Father discourse both in publick and private that is to say that tho' the words of the Text of that first Book are Cil Niù those two Monosyllables do not signifie two Daughters but the second Daughter of the Emperor Yao which he Marry'd to his Successor For that the Chineses as it is the Custom at present never gave no other Names for distinction's sake but only that of the Order of their Birth As for example the First the Second the Third Son. So that when they read that Yao gave to Xùn Cil Niù the meaning is that the Emperor gave him his Second Daughter the Letter Cil being no more then the Figure 2 among us That Emperor Xùn is applauded in this Book for many Vertues but more especially for his Obedience to his Father and his Affection to his Brother who both endeavour'd to have kill'd him several times but he suffer'd all their Cruelties with an extraordinary Patience Among other Examples of his Vertue there are two Philosophers who report how that one Day his Father and his Brother who were both as Wicked as he was Vertuous commanded him to go down into a Well to cleanse it Immediately he Obey'd but he was no sooner at the bottom but those Barbarians transported with Fury and Malice drew the Ladder and threw down great Stones peices of Wood and what ever they could find next at hand to destroy him in the Well However he got out through a passage which he discover'd under ground Nevertheless he was so far from seeking to revenge that excess of Fury and Inhumaniâ—…y that he repay'd them with greater Marks then ever of Respect and Love. The Third Emperor was call'd Yù who having serv'd the Emperor Xùn during his Life time with great Loyalty and Advantage the Dying Prince made choice of him for his Successor in regard that his Son besides that he was notoriously Wicked was no way endow'd with parts to Govern the Empire This Emperor Yù during the Reign of his Predecessor took care to drain away the Water of the Deluge which at that time overslow'd a great part of the Plains of China and which the Chineses call by the Name of Hûm Xùi or the Great Deluge of Water This Emperor was desirous as his Successors had done before him to choose for his Successor one of his Subjects call'd Ye who had been assistant to him in the Government of his Kingdom but the People would not permit him declaring that the Emperor's Son was a Person Endu'd with all Vertues necessary to Govern them well and so they put him in possession of the Empire The Princes that succeeded this last Emperor Reign'd by right of Succession and not of Election till the Emperor Kie a Vicious and Cruel Prince who was the last of this same first Family The Fourth Emperor call'd Chim Tam was the Founder of the Second Royal Family His Eminent Vertues had oblig'd the preceding Emperors to make him King of the Kingdom of Po which is at present comprehended within the Province of Hô nan He took up Arms against the Emperor Kie and after he had deliver'd the People from so Cruel a Tyrant made himself Master of the Empire During the Reign of this Emperor there was such a Drought that there was neither Rain nor Snow for Seven Years together as if the Heavens had been made of Brass The Fountains and Rivers were almost all dry'd up the Land became Barren and these Calamities were attended with Famine and Pestilence In the midst of these Fatal Extremities the Emperor forsook his Palace quitted his Royal Habit and covering himself with certain Skins went up to the top of a Hill call'd Sam Lin where as he lay prostrate upon the Earth he made the following Prayer Lord if thy People have offended thee punish them not because they have ignorantly transgress'd against thee Punish me rather who here present my self before Thee as a Victime ready
they have all which we have in Europe and many more Varieties that we have not the Cheapness of which sufficiently demonstrates their Plenty Now as the Chinese Language is very Laconick and short so is their Writing which is the reason that they express all these things with Six Letters or Syllables The Two first are ù co which signifie that there are Five Principal sorts of Grain Rice Wheat Oats Millet Pease and Beans The other Two are Lo trio signifying that there are Six sorts of the Flesh of Tame Animals Horses Cows Pork Dogs Mules and Goats The Two last Pe quò signifie that there are a Hundred sorts of Fruits as Pears Apples Peaches Grapes Oranges Walnuts Chestnuts Pomegranates Citrons and several other sorts which we have also in Europe except Three which we have not The first of the Three is call'd SuÌ„ sù and at Macao Figs of China not that they resemble Figs in shape but because the Tast of Figs is somewhat like to the Tast of this Fruit which is so Delicious that it may well be call'd a Lump of Sugar The largest and the best are about the bigness of a Quince but somewhat flatter or a little more seemingly crush'd The Colour of it is a lively deep Yellow truly resembling the true Golden Apple The second sort is call'd Li chi and the third Lum yen and at Macao Lichia and Longans These two Fruits whether Eaten newly gather'd or dry'd are of a most Exquisite Tast. It may be objected perhaps that in lieu of these we have Quinces Medlers and Services but beside that those Fruits are also to be met with in the Province of Xan si there is no comparison between the Tast of the one and the other especially the Two latter which are not to be Eaten neither but when they are Rotten All manner of Game is also there so plentiful that during the Three Months of Winter you shall see in several places appointed for the sport of Hunting several Nets of one or two Musket Shot in length spread forth upon Tacks and heaps of several sorts of Land and Water Fowl harden'd and set upon their Legs and as it were Embalm'd from Corruption by the Vehemency of the Cold. Among the rest of their Game there are to be seen wild Bears of three sorts which the Chineses call Gin hium or Men-Bears Keu Hium or Dog-Bears and Chiu Hium or Pig-Bears because of their several Resemblances especially in the Head and Paws The Paws of Bears well boyl'd are highly esteem'd in the Banquets of the Chineses and their Fat is a great Entertainment for the Tartars who eat it raw temper'd with Honey Nevertheless these Bears are very rare and consequently very dear But there are such vast Numbers of all other sorts of Creatures as Deer of several Kinds wild Boars Ellands Hares Conies wild Cats and Rats Geese Ducks all manner of Wood Fowl Partridges Quails of different sorts and shapes which we have not in Europe and all so cheap that I could never have believ'd it had I not been convinc'd by my own Experience for Two and twenty years together that I liv'd at Court. Notes upon the Tenth Chapter A. P. 139. The Wax is the fairest c. OTher Relations speak of this Wax produc'd out of Trees but not with so many curious Circumstances Father Trigaut says that the flame of it is very clear and that it is whiter and not so unctuous as ordinary Wax Another Author writes that it is Transparent and that you may see the Week through it Father Trigaut says moreover That the Chineses make another sort of very white Wax drawn from a Tree but that it does not give so clear a Light as the first Another Relation gives this Description of the Tree and the Fruit of it There is in the Province of To Kien a fair Tree large and well tufted with Boughs call'd Ku ei Xu which grows by the River side In December it produces a Fruit of a dark Green colour as big as a Hazel Nut the green Peel of which dryes up of it self and sheds off by degrees and then appears a certain Substance as white as Snow like to Suet exactly try'd This the People gather at the End of December or Beginning of January afterwards they melt it and make Candles of it which are like to white Wax and yield no ill smell They make use of these Candles all the Year tho they last much longer in the Summer than in the Winter and cost not above Fourteen pence the Pound Out of the Dregs and Lees of this Fruit they press out an Oyl which serves for Lamps This Fruâ—… is very Extraordinary and shews us how Heaven hâ—… favour'd China above other Countrys B. P. 143. Fix'd upon their Legs and as it were Embalm'd from Corruption by the vehemency of the Cold c. This by no means ought to be look'd upon as a thing incredible since it is the ordinary Effect of Cold. All the Spanish Histories report That in the Voyage that Diego d' Almagro made to the Country of Chili several of his Men crossing the high Mountains of Andes growing numm and stiff with cold were frozen to Death either upon their Horses backs or standing upon their legs and leaning against the Rocks In which Postures they were found a long time after without any Corruption The Relation also of Muscovy which I have already quoted once before tells us that there is every Winter a great quantity of Sturgeon of Astracan sold in the Market at Mosco stiffen'd and preserv'd sweet and wholesom by the vehemency of the Cold as also whole heaps of other Fish cover'd over with Snow CHAP. XI Of the Nobility of the Empire IF this word Nobility be tak'n in general for the Nobility of the Kingdom it self which is no more then an Illustrious Grandeur that has continu'd all along for several Ages since it began not above Two hundred years after the Flood and has flourish'd ever since to this present time for about Four thousand five hundred thirty two years certain it is that never any Empire was ever more Illustrious than that of China But if we restrain the Signification of the word to the Nobility only of particular Families we must confess that there are very few noble Descents in the Kingdom for the following Reason For all the Great Lords which are as it were so many Petty Kings Dukes Marquisses Counts c. never last any longer than the Reigning Family with which they perish all together Because the Family which is advanc'd in the room of the t'other puts them all to Death as we have seen by Experience in our Time. For this reason it is that the most Noble House that ever was in this Empire is the Family of Cheu which has lasted Eight hundred seventy five years and expir'd about Two thousand two hundred years ago No Family since that having been able to attain to a Continuance of
Three hundred years However what we have hitherto said extends it self only to that Nobility which is acquir'd by Arms. For as to that which has been acquir'd by Employments of the long Robe the continuance of it is very inconsiderable And therefore tho a Man should be Xam xu which is the first Dignity in the Supream Tribunals of the Court or Co laò that is to say Prime Minister of State which is the Highest degree of Honour and Riches to which Fortune can raise a Subject in this Empire generally his Grandchild shall be reduc'd to great Poverty and shall be constrain'd to follow Merchandize or to trade by Retail or to be an ordinary Man of Letters as his Great Grandfather was before him In short there was never any Descent of the Gown-men that ever lasted so long as the Reigning Family I was acquainted under the Family that reign'd before the Conquest of the Tartars with several Pâ—…tty Kings Dukes and other great Lords who because they were of the Blood Royal or descended from Valiant Captains who had been assisting in the Conquest of the Empire claim'd a Nobility as ancient as the Royal Family and which expir'd as unfortunately with it but I never saw or heard of any Family of the Gown-men that ever lasted so long However that which is but a usual Misfortune which attends the latter is an Effect of the Cruelty of their Enemies in regard of the first of which there are several which had they not been destroy'd by Massacres might have continu'd their Lustre and Grandeur as long as the Empire it self And yet there is still one Family remaining which not only has preserv'd its Luster but is honour'd at present by the Kings the Grandees and People with equal Veneration and has flourish'd for above these Twenty Ages so that it may be truly said to be the most Ancient Family in the Universe This is the House of that famous Confu ci us who was born under the Third Imperial Family call'd Cheu Five hundred and fifty one years before the Birth of Christ and so his Family may be said to have lasted Two thousand two hundred and nineteen years reck'ning to this present year 1668. The Ancient Kings gave to his Descendants the Title of Que cum which is the same with that of Duke or Count. And this Family claims to it's self a kind of Sovereignty an Exemption from Paying Tribute in the Province of Xan tum and the City of Kio feu where Cum fuci us was Born without ever having been molested or having suffer'd any Alteration tho the Empire and the Reigning Houses have been several times ranvers'd The Chineses also bestow upon this Philosopher Names and Titles very Honourable of which the Chiefest are Cum su Cum fu su and Xim gin The two first signifie Doctor or Master as we say Doctor or Master Scotus The third signifies a Holy Man. For that when they say The Saint by way of Excellency they mean Cum fu ci us which among the Chineses signifies a Person of extraordinary and heroick Wisdom For this Nation has so high a Veneration for that Philosopher that altho they do not Worship him as one of their Deities yet they honour him with more Ceremonies than their Idols or Pagods tho they cannot endure to hear him call'd their Idol or Pagod but on the other side would take it for a very great affront I could add several other things which that Nation affirms of this Philosopher who in reality was a Learned Person and endow'd with several Natural Vertues It shall therefore suffice to say that they liberally bestow upon him now he is dead that Affection that Veneration and those Titles of Honour which he could never obtain while he liv'd and therefore it is that they call him Su vam that is to say a King without Command without a Scepter without a Crown and Jewels only Naked and without Luster By which they would have us to understand that he was furnish'd with all the qualities and vertues requisite to have made him a King or an Emperor but that Destiny and Heaven were not so favourable to him CHAP. XII Of the wonderfull Government of this Empire of the Distinctions between the Mandarins and of the Council of State. IF China be to be valu'd and admir'd for those things which we have already related it merits certainly a far greater reputation for the excellency of its Government But before we proceed any farther upon that Subject it will be necessary to unfold what the learned say of their Kings and the form of their Government Among all the Three Laws which are observ'd in this Empire that which they call the Law of the Learned is the principal and most ancient The chief end of it is the good Government of the Kingdom upon which they have compos'd so many Treatises and Commentaries that it is a thing to be admir'd Anciently Cum fu sius wrote a Tractate upon this Subject which he entitled Chum Yum that is to say The Golden Mediocrity wherein he teaches that a vertuous Prince ought to have nine Qualities or to doe nine things First of all to accomplish and govern himself well to the end he may shew himself a Guide and example to all his Subjects Secondly to honour and cherish men of Learning and Vertue and frequently to converse with and consult them upon the affairs of his Empire Thirdly to love his Uncles his Cousins and all the rest of the Princes of the Blood to grant them those favours and rewards which they deserve and to let them see that he respects and values them and prefers them before all other persons within his Dominions Fourthly to be respectfull and courteous to all his Nobility which are not of the Blood Royal advancing them to wealth and honour that all the world may see how much he values and considers them above the common sort Fifthly to incorporate himself as I may so say with the rest of his Subjects to equalize and unite his heart to theirs and to regard and esteem them as his own proper substance and Person Sixthly to love his people with a true affection to rejoyce in their welfare and their joy and to be afflicted at their calamity and sadness so that the meanest person in his Kingdom may be â—…ully perswaded that the King loves him as one of his Children Seventhly to invite to his Court all sorts of Workmen and Artists for the quick dispatch of all publick and private business Eighthly to caress and treat with all imaginable civility and liberality all Foreign Embassadours letting them see in deeds as well as words the effects of a Royal and Generous Soul and taking such order that upon their departure they may return into their Countrey with all security and satisfaction Ninthly to cherish and embrace all the Lords of the Empire and to treat them in such a manner that they may be so far from
admitting the least thought of Revolt to slide into their hearts as rather to be the Bulwarks and Fortresses of his Kingdom These were the Nine Rules or Maxims of Cum fu sius What follows is the Exposition of a Commentatour If the King says he puts in practice these nine Rules he may immortallize his Reign and not onely acquire great Renown but attain the end for which Heaven has advanc'd him to so high a degree of Dignity For if a Prince govern himself well at the same time he shall also obtain that sovereign perfection and universal vertue of Golden Mediocrity He shall be a chrystal mirrour wherein his Subjects may behold themselves and a living Rule and enliven d Model for them to imirate If he esteem and honour men of Learning and Vertue with equal complacency they will discover to him the method and maxims of good Government He will every day become more and more enlighten'd and acquire Prudence Judgment Experience and Knowledge how to govern himself and his people and he will find himself from moment to moment less uncertain and less entangled in the conduct of affairs both of his House and Kingdom If he love his Uncles Brothers and the rest of his Kindred they will live together with him and serve him with concord and satisfaction If he favour and cherish his Grandees they will be faithfull and diligent they will serve him as Instruments to increase his power they will act sincerely and justly in all affairs of importance In a word they will be a help and assistance to him in all things nor shall he ever be expos'd while he makes use of their counsel to be without a Guide and hazard his Dominion by the rash errours of his Government If he consider his Subjects as his own members they will do their utmost to serve him with all the marks of entire sidelity in return of their Prince s esteem and favour If he love his people as his Children he will fill their hearts with joy and affection while they on the other side prostrate themselves at his feet ensâ—…am'd with love and veneration for their King their Parent and their Master If he invite to his Court Artificers and Artists of all sorts they will make it their business to settle or improve Commerce Agriculture and all such Trades and Arts to which they have been bred Thus the Kingdom will be enrich'd and by that means the people the whole Empire and the King himself will live in plenty and enjoy an abounding and durable peace If he be courteous and liberal to Embassadours and other Foreigners the fame of his Vertues will spread it self to all parts of the Earth and distant Nations will glory to be under his subjection If he cherish in his bosome the great Lords of his Kingdom he will excite them to all the heroick and illustrious actions of which their Quality and Nobility renders them capable and all with a respectfull awe and ardent affection for their Prince will embrace vertue and be Guards to the Emperour and Bulwarks to the Empire These are the Reflexions of the Commentator upon the Nine Rules of good Government I translated them out of Chinese into Portugueze to the end that by this Essay men might be able to judge of their Sentiments upon this Subject and the Reader more clearly understand the rest that follows The Mandarins of the whole Kingdome are distinguished into nine Orders and every Order is divided into two Degrees For example It is said such a one is a Mandarin of the second degree of the first second or third Order or else he is a Mandarin of the first degree of the first second or third Order This Division signifies no more than onely the particular Titles which the King gives them without any respect to their Employments For though usually the Mandarins are of an Order Superiour or Inferiour according to the Dignity of their Employments nevertheless that is no general Rule because sometimes is happens that to recompence the merits of a person whose Office has been usually enjoy'd by a Mandarin of the inferiour Order the King may give him the Title of a Mandarin of the first or second Order And on the other side to punish a person whose Office belongs to the superiour Mandarins he debases him to the title of Mandarin of the inferiour Orders And the knowledge distinction and subordination of these Orders is so perfect and exact the veneration and submission of the latter toward the former is so great and lastly the sovereign power of the Prince over the one and the other so absolute that I never met with any thing that could compare with it among all the searches I have made into any of our Governments whether Temporal or Ecclesiastical The Mandarins of the first Order are Counsellors of the King's Council of State which is the greatest Honour and the highest Dignity to which a Learned man can arrive in this Empire They have several Names and several Titles both ancient and modern annext to their Offices of which the most common are Nui Co Co Lao Cai Siam Siam Cum Siam Que yet all these with little difference signifie no more than Assistants Judges Lateral and supream Counsellors to the King. There are also several Halls in the King's Palace magnificent as well for their Architecture as for their Spaciousness and Furniture which are distinguisht into inferiour or superiour according to the business therein transacted For when the King would bestow any great favour upon some one of his Counsellors he gives him the name of one of those Halls as Chum chie tien that is to say Supream Royal Hall of the Middle and then he adds this new Title to his usual Name The King also gives them other Titles by which they acquire an extraordinary same and honour when they merit those Titles by any glorious Action as Que chu which signifies the Pillar that supports the Empire Of these Counsellors there is no determin'd number being sometimes more sometimes fewer as it pleases the Emperour who chooses them at his own pleasure out of the Mandarins of other Tribunals Nevertheless there is always one call'd Neu Siam who is their President and as it were the Emperour 's prime Minister and Favourite The Tribunal of these Counsellors as it is the highest of all that belongs to the Empire so it is also plac'd in the King's Palace on the left hand of the supream Royal Hall where the King gives Audience and receives the Homages of the Mandarins when he goes abroad And here we must observe by the way that among the Chineses the left hand is the place of Honour This Tribunal is call'd Nui Yuen or the Tribunal within the King's Palace It is composed of three Orders of Mandarins The first are the King's Counsellors of whom we have already spoken These are to view examin and judge of all the Memorials which the six chief Tribunals of
which more in due place present to the King upon all important affairs of the Empire whether they relate to Peace or War or whether to Causes Civil or Criminal When they have determin'd them they communicate their judgments to the King in a very short Extract who either ratisies or cancelâ—… them as he pleases and then overlooking the Memorials at large himself gives his own decision as he thinks the Cause deserves They that compose the second Classis are as it were Assistants and Assessors to the King's Counsellors and are very powerfull and much dreaded and respected They are usually of the second or third Order of Mandarins and are many times preferr'd to be Counsellors to the King Viceroys of Provinces and to the principal Offices of the six supream Tribunals Their usual Title is Ta hion su or the Learned in great knowledge This Title is also given to the King's Counsellors besides which the King also consers other very honourable Titles upon the Mandarins of these two Classe's according to their deserts as Tai cu Tai or chief Governour of the Prince Heir of the Crown Tai cu Tai su Grand Master to the same Prince Ho tien ta trion su Chief Letter'd of the Hall of Concord and the like The Mandarins of the third Classis of this Tribunal are call'd Chum xu co that is to say the Classis or School of the Mandarins Their business it is to write or cause to be written out the Affairs of this Tribunal and the King gives them Titles answerable to the Place and Halls where they exercise their Functions They are usually of the fourth fifth or sixth Order of tho Mandarins But they are much more dreaded than those of the two preceding Classe's for that upon them solely it is that the good or ill success of Affairs in a great measure depends for that by altering adding or leaving out a Letter they may cause either the gaining or losing of a Suit. Insomuch that many times through their wilfull mistakes the most innocent lose their Estates their Reputation and their Lives So great a power has Corruption and Avarice over that Nation and such an Energy of Expression and Nicety of Equivocal Interpretation lies in the Chinese Letters Moreover besides these three Classe's there belongs to this Tribunal an infinite number of Scriveners Procters Revâ—…sers and other Officers CHAP. XIII Of the eleven Supream Tribunals or of the six Tribunals of the Mandarins for Letters and the five Tribunals of the Mandarins for Military Affairs BEsides the Supream Tribunal of which we have spoken in the foregoing Chapter there are yet eleven Chief Tribunals more between which the King of China two thousand years before the coming of CHRIST shar'd all the affairs of the Empire and which remain to this present day That is to say six of Learned Mandarins which they call Lo pu and five of Military Mandarins that are call'd ù fu and of which we shall speak hereafter The first of the six Tribunals of the Learned is call'd Li pu whose business it is to take care of all the Manderins of the Empire and has power to confer or deprive them of their Employments The second Hu pu has the Superintendence over all the Impositions and Revenues of the King The third Li pu has the management and ordering of all the Rites and Ceremonies The fourth Pim pu takes care of all the Arms Captains and Souldiers throughout the whole Empire The fifth Him pu takes cognizance of all Crimes and the punishments of all Offenders in the Kingdom The sixth Cum pu has the overseeing of all the King's Works and Buildings These six Tribunals have a Jurisdiction over almost all those that belong to the Court but are absolute over all in the Provinces by whom they are dreaded and obey'd though at never so great a distance as if they were under their Eye But in regard their power is so large and of so great an Extent for fear lest any one among them should make use of his authority to raise Sedition and lay hold of any opportunity to revolt their Employments are regulated in such a manner that there is not one of these Tribunals that can determin the business with which they are intrusted without the interposition and approbation of the rest as we see every day and have found true by wofull experience in the time of our Persecution during which we were sent to all these Tribunals for the determination of several circumstances In the Palaces belonging to every one of these six Tribunals there is always a Hall and an Apartment for one Mandarin call'd Co li or Overseer who examins either publickly or privately all that is done in his Tribunal and if he finds any disorder or any injustice he presently gives notice thereof to the King. Which Mandarin is neither subject nor superiour to his Tribunal but only an Overseer or Controller as we have said before The Chief Presidents of these six Tribunals by reason of their Office are of the first degree of the second Order of Mandarins They are called Xam xu for example Li pu Xam xu that is Chief President of the Tribunal of Ceremonies Hâ—… pu Xam xu Chief President of the Tribunal of the King's Revenue Every one of these Presidents has two Assessors of which the first is called Tso xi lam or President of the Left Hand The other Yeu xi lam or President of the Right Hand Which Assessors are of the first degree of the second Order All these three Presidents have several other Titles beside for example the first is call'd Ta tam the great or first Hall the second the Hall on the Left Hand the third the Hall on the Right Hand These Six Tribunals are planted according to their rank close by the King's Palace on the east side in large magnificent square Structures the sides of which are every way a musquet shot and a half in length These Structures have every one three divisions of Doors Courts and Appartments The first President possesses that in the middle which begins at the Street with a Portal that has three doors and runs along through other doors portals and courts beautified with portico's and galleries supported by fair pillars till you come to a spacious hall where the first President sits with his Assessors and many other Mandarins who have their particular titles but are generally called Mandarins of the great Hall. Beyond this Hall there is another Court and beyond that another lesser Hall where the first President withdraws with his Assessors when he is to examine any private business or any affairs of extraordinary moment On both sides and beyond this Hall there are several Chambers and other Halls The Chambers are for the use of the President his Assessors and the rest of the Mandarins to take their repose and to eat their Meat which the King gives them to the end that having no occasion to go to their own
severity of Punishment as Confiscation of Goods Banishment or Death then after they have inform'd the King they send back the Indictment and the Person indicted to this Tribunal where after another re examination of the cause the definitive sentence is pronounc'd To the Palace appointed for this Tribunal belong fourteen more inferiour Courts or Tribunals for the fourteen Provinces of the Kingdom as we have already observ'd in the description of the second Tribunal The Torments also and Executions which this Court inflicts upon Criminals are of various sorts which I omit for fear of being too tedious I shall onely observe one custome among the Chineses quite contrary to what is usual in Europe where Noble men are beheaded and ordinary offenders are hang'd whereas in China the greatest ignominy that can befall a man is to have his head cut off And therefore when the King would shew an extraordinary favour to a great Lord or Mandarin condem'nd to dye he sends him a very soft peice of Silk to be hang'd in instead of a Halter And the reason which the Chineses give to justifie this conceit of theirs is this because they say that of necessity such as are beheaded must have been disobedient to their Parents who gave them sound and perfect Bodies till they by their disobedience and their crimes made a separation and disfigurement of the members And they are so possest with this Opinion that the Chineses will buy of the Hangman the Bodies of the Malefactors executed if they were their Parents for five ten or twenty Crowns nay sometimes they will not spare for hundreds and thousands of Crowns according to their wealth or poverty and then they sow the head to the body again with a world of lamentation and showers of tears to satisfie in some measure for their disobedience They report that the original of this Ceremony proceeded from a Disciple of Cum fu cius call'd Tsem â—…su This Philosopher lying at the point of death sent for his Children and Disciples and after he had shewn them his head his arms and his feet he took his last farewell of them in these words Children said he learn of your Father and your Master to be as obedient as I have been to them who gave me my being in this world and brought me up with so much care since by that means I have preserv'd entire and perfect the body which they bestowed upon me I said but now that the Chineses purchased the bodies of Parents at great rates which is true for they that are condemn'd to be beheaded are also sentenc'd to be depriv'd of common burial which is a most terrible infamy among them For this reason the hangman is oblig'd after he has stript the body to throw it into the next Ditch and in selling the body he exposes himself to the hazard of being severely punish'd or at least to give the Mandarin or the informer that discovers the sale a good part of the money which he receiv'd and therefore he must sell dear that he may give the more Among the rest of the Laws there is one observ'd by this Tribunal which was enacted by one of the Ancient Kings of which I cannot omit the rehearsal that when any criminal either for his good qualities or for any other reason deserves to be pitied whether he be condemn'd in the Spring the Winter or the Summer he shall be repriev'd till the end of the next Autumn following For that it is an ancient custome among the Chineses upon the Birth or Marriage of a Prince or upon any other cause of publick rejoycing or after an Earthquake or upon any extraordinary alteration of the Seasons or Elements to release all sorts of Prisoners except some few that are excepted and by that means those that are reprieved are set at liberty or at least live in fair hopes for some months The sixth and last superiour Tribunal is call'd Cum Pu or the Tribunal of the publick Works This Tribunal takes care to build and repair the King's Palaces their Sepulchres and Temples wherein they honour their Predecessors or where they adore their Deities the Sun Moon Heaven and Earth c. as also the Palaces of all the Tribunals throughout the Empire and those of the great Lords They are also the Surveyors and Overseers of all the Towers Bridges Damms Rivers Lakes and of all things requisite to render Rivers navigable as High-ways Wagons Barks Boats and the like To this Palace belong four more inferiour Courts The first is call'd Vin Xen Su which examines and draws the Designs of all the works that are to be done The Second Yu hem su which has the ordering of all the Work-houses and Shops in all the Cities of the Kingdom for the making of warlike Arms and Weapons The third Tum Xui su takes care to make the Rivers and Lakes Navigable to level the High Ways to build and repair Bridges and for the making of Wagons and Boats and other things necessary for the convenience of commerce The fourth Ce Tien su are the Overseers of the King's Houses and Lands which he lets out to hire and of which he has both the Rent and the Fruits of the Harvest By what has been said it appears that the six superiour Tribunals have under them four and forty inferiour Courts which have their peculiar Palaces within the circuit of the Palace of that Tribunal to which they belong with Halls Chambers and other conveniences Every one of these forty four Courts has also a President and twelve Counsellors four of which are of the first degree of the fifth Order of Mandarins four of the second degree of the fifth and the other four of the sixth Order In the Tribunals of the Exchequer and the Criminal Tribunal the number of Judges is double where all the inferiour Tribunals have a President and twenty four Counsellers But besides these graduated Mandarins there are some employ'd who are under no degree and yet are Mandarins for all that however after some years service the King advances them to the Ninth and eighth Order of Mandarins Moreover all these Tribunals have a great number of Prothonotarys Registers Clerks Controllers Merchants Ushers Porters Messengers Attendants and Servants Jailors Provosts Serjeants Bayliffs Beadles to whip and punish Offenders Sweepers Cooks to dress their Viands people to lay the Cloath and wait at Table and all at the King's charges Observe by the way however that what we have said as to the number of Mandarins relates onely to the reign of the preceding Family for at present their number is double in all the Courts For example the lower Court which consisted of no more than twelve Mandarins has now twenty four that is to say twelve Tartars and twelve Chineses These are the six Tribunals that govern all China and which are so famous over all the Kingdom However that neither the one nor the other should grow too powerfull the Ancient Kings that
might be the first King of China in the regard that if we set aside the Fables which the Chineses have added and of which the Greeks and Romans are no less guilty when they speak of their first Founders the Sequel of their Story and the successive Train of their Kings seems to have much of Truth For according to the Computation of their Histories and Chronologies we clearly find that the first King of China began to reign about two hundred years after the Universal deluge according to the Version of the seventy Interpreters In which time the Descendants of Noah might well spread themselves to the farther end of Asia seeing that within the same space they expanded themselves over all the Western Parts of Asia into Africa and a good part of Europe The third Opinion asserts that the first King of China was Yao who according to their Chronology began to reign four thousand and twenty five years ago Their Histories relate that in his time there were both Mathematicians and Astrologers that he caus'd great Ditches and Chanels to be made for the draining away of the Waters of the Grand Deluge that till then cover'd the Valleys and the Champaign Grounds This King was a Prince illustrious for his Vertues and his Transcendent parts and is still honour'd as one of the wi sest and most vertuous Princes of China this Opi nion passes for currant and unquestionable among the Chineses And all the Fathers that have had the greatest Knowledge and Insight into their Books and Histories hold this latter Opinion for certain and the second for probable And because that according to the Version of the Holy Scripture call'd the Vulgar it would of necessity follow that Fohi and Yao must have been born and reign'd before the Deluge therefore we are forc'd in this Countrey to follow the Version of the Seventy Which being granted the History of this Empire seems very probable well trac'd and conformable not only to the Egyptian Assyrian Greek and Roman Histories but which is yet far more surprising to the Chronology of Sacred Scripture According to the second Opinion then which is most probable from King Tohi who began to reign about two hundred years after the Deluge to the Emperour Cam Hi who reign'd in the year 1668. There have been two hundred thirty six Kings divided into twenty two sidifferent Families who have govern'd this Empire for the space of four thousand five hundred thirty four years Which Families endur'd for a longer or lesser time according as they govern'd well or ill and till another revolting put the King to death routed out all the Princes of his Family and all the Nobility which he had rais'd and made himself Master of the Empire At the beginning these Rebels were either Petty Kings or Great Lords But afterwards they happen'd to be Men of low Birth and mean Condition The first King of the preceding Family was a Person of very obscure Parentage whose Name was Chum He was a long time a Servant among the Priests of the Idols after which he betook himself to be a Robber upon the High-way Afterwards being banish'd he put himself at the head of certain Free booters and after a great deal of prosperous Success made himself Master of the Empire At his Coronation he call'd himself Hum Vu or the Valiant and Warlike but then the Learned Flatterers advanc'd his Titles and call'd him Tai Mim which signifies a Reign of great Luster His Posterity reign'd in China two hundred seventy six Years and till the Year 1643 that the Tartars made themselves Masters of the Empire and destroy'd the Royal Family All those that revolt pretend that it is by the decree of Heaven that sent them to ease the People opprest by the Tyranny of their Governours And this Opinion or rather Vision finds so much credit in the Priests of the Chineses and is so deeply rooted in their minds as if it were one of the greatest Truths in the World insomuch that there is hardly one among them that does not hope to be an Emperour at one time or other And this is the reason of those frequent Revolts which we find in this Empire to day in one Province to morrow in another nay many times onely in one City or in one Town Many times you shall see a miserable Wretch advanc'd to be a King sometimes by a Troop of fifty Bandity sometimes by a hundred or two hundred Peasants but more frequently by a certain Sect of Idolaters who make a Profession of creating new Kings and establishing a new Government in the Empire 'T is a wonderfull thing to see the Comedies or rather Tragedies which are acted every day upon the Theatre of this Empire For he that but to day was but an ignominious Robber and under that Notion both dreaded and hated let him but shift his Habit and take upon him the Crown the Robes and Ornaments of a King and the same Man to morrow shall be belov'd and respected by all the World and though he is known to be of vile and abject Birth they shall presently call him the Son of Heaven and Lord of the Universe For that the Chineses as we have said call their Kingdom Tien Hia that is to say all that which is under the Heaven or Su hai Chinun that is to say all that is between the four Seas Titles conformable to their Pride and their Ignorance and to their scorn of Strangers So that it is the same thing among them to call a Man Master of all that is under the Heaven or between the four Seas as to call him King of China The Chineses give their Emperour several losty and magnificent Titles For example they call him Tien Hu Son of Heaven Xim Tien Hu Holy Son of Heaven Hoam Ti August and Great Emperour Xim Xoam Holy Emperour Hoam Xam August Sovereign Xim Kium Holy Prince Xim Xam Holy Sovereignty Que Chu Lord of the Kingdom Chao Tim Palace Royal Van Sui ten thousand years with several other Titles full of Grandeur and Majesty which I omit for fear of being tedious So that 't is the same thing to say Son of Heaven or ten thousand Years or Palace Royal as to say King or Emperour Yet notwithstanding all these idle flatteries this Prince is far from being so vain as the King of Monomotopa who believes it to be in his Power to command the Sun the Moon and Stars or so ambitiously Politick as the King of Siam who knowing by experience that the great River that crosses his Countrey overflows its banks every year at a certain Season and that it returns again by degrees within a certain time marches forth in great pomp out of his Palace to command the Waters to retire and fall down into the Sea. For though the Chineses give these great Titles to their King and though he suffers them yet neither he nor they at least the learned and more prudent sort are so
unprovided of reason as to believe him to be the real Son of Heaven but onely that he is an Adopted Son whom Heaven has made choice of to be Lord of the Empire for the Government and Defence of the People Nevertheless we cannot deny but that these Titles demonstrate not a little presumption in those that ascribe and in him that assumes them But it is in some measure excusable in a Pagan People and which inhabit an Empire so spacious so puissant and so flourishing So much the rather for that the King never makes use of them when he speaks of himself For in private he onely uses the word Ngo or I and which is common to all his Subjects and when he speaks in publick seated upon his Throne he uses the word Chin which signifies the same onely with this difference that no other Person but himself can make use of it wherein he is more modest than many of our Princes who are continually swelling out the Catalogues of their affected Titles with new Additions The most part of sovereign Princes create Dukes Marquisses and other great Lords as well as the Emperour of China but he outvies them in this that of late days he takes upon him a power of making Gods and Idols It was formerly a custome in this Empire that when the King was desirous to recompence the merits of any Illustrious person for the great Services which he had done the Kingdom he built him up after his death a magnificent Palace where his name was usually set up engraven in Gold with Titles and Encomiums proportionable to his Merits For example Somewhat above a thousand years agoe there was in China a most renowned Captain who for several years defended the Empire and the People and restor'd the King and Kingdom to its ancient lustre after he had wone several famous Victories with vast labour and toils with great expence of Blood and at length the loss of his own Blood while bravely fighting against the Rebels of his King and Countrey Therefore in acknowledgment of so much fidelity and so many heroick actions the Emperour resolv'd after his death to keep up that honour which he had so well preserv'd in his life-time To which purpose he built him a magnificent Temple wherein he put his Statue and declar'd him Emperour of all China This valiant Captain and several others of equal vertue are now ador'd as Pagods or Deities by the King and all the Chineses who forgetting that the Intention of their Ancestours was onely to honour vertuous persons and to excite and encourage others by their example to be valiant and faithfull lost by degrees the knowledge of what they formerly had obtain'd that there was but one onely God and plung'd themselves headlong into Idolatry At present the Kings assume to themselves a privilege to deisie whom they please as it was anciently the custome of the Senate of Rome of which I shall here produce two instances that merit observation When Father Matthew Ricci first enter'd into China it was govern'd by the Emperour Van Lie whose Reign which lasted eight and forty years was no less happy for the Kingdom which he all along maintain'd in peace and plenty than he himself was unfortunate in the Government of his Family For he made choice for Tutor to the Prince who was heir to the Crown of a Colao or Counsellor of State a person of great Policy and great Learning whose name was Châ—… Kâ—… Cheâ—… This person abusing the easie freedom which he had of entring into the Palace which his great Reputation and Dignity allow'd him insinuated himself into that Familiarity with the Emperour's Mother that she abandon'd her self entirely to the lust of that great Officer which when the Emperour came to understand he forthwith put him to death As for the Lady she laying deeply to heart the asfront and death of the Colao and fearing the same destiny her self within a few days fell sick and dy'd But then the Emperour in some measure to repair the Reputation of his Mother by giving her Honours more than ordinary solemnly declar'd that she was Kieu Lien pu sa that is to say a Goddess of nine Flowers and erected her Temples over the whole Empire where she is ador'd under this Title as the Curtisan Flora was honour'd among the Romans for the Goddess of Flowers After the death of this Colao the Mandarins advis'd the Emperour to burn the Commentaries which he had made upon the Books compos'd by Cum su sius but he answer'd them with his wonted prudence that he onely punish'd his evil deeds and not the good Works which he had made for the Instruction of the Prince and the whole Empire In short that Commentary is the most excellent Piece which the Chineses have upon that Subject It is full of Moral Discourses well handl'd full of solid Maxims and Arguments and of clear and true Decisions of many difficult Controversies and for those reasons it is a Book which our Fathers who have acquir'd the Knowledge of the Language study very much It is about four hundred years ago that a Bonze of the Sect of those that never shave their heads yet marry by the Chineses call'd Tao Su so insinuated himself into the Affection of the Prince then reigning by means of his Skill in Chymistry and after that by his Magick Arts and other Diabolical Inventions that he not onely esteem'd him as one that was more than a Man during his life but also after his Death declar'd him God and Lord of Heaven of the Sun the Moon and Stars By these two examples it is evident how great the Ignorance of the People is to believe that the Emperour has a power to make an Almighty God of a feeble miserable Man and to what an excess the Flattery of the Learned extends it self who not only approve but perswade the King to Actions so contrary to all manner of Reason Which gives us an opportunity to convince them with the greatest ease in the World by this Dilemma Either the King is more powerfull than this Pagod or this Deity or this Pagod is more powerfull than the King. If they say that the King is more powerfull How comes it then to pass say we that the King throws himself upon his Knees before the Pagod and adores him by bowing his head to the Earth Why does he offer him Incense Why does he implore of him long life for himself and peace for his Kingdom with several other blessings Iâ—… they say as usualthey do that the Pagod is more powerfull then we answer them thus This Power cannot proceed from any other reason but onely that he is a Pagod Now it is the King that makes the Pagod and therefore the King is more powerfull than He. And to let them see that the Pagod has no Power we ask them whether the King can grant them long Life Health Children c. They answer that he is so far from being
tasted Fruits About the middle of the Repast he sent us another Plate of Gold wherein were twenty Apples of the largest and best in the Kingdom call'd by the Name of Pin quo At the end of the Feast he sent us another Plate full of Pears and those Apples of Gold of which we have spoken in another Place The favour which the Emperour did us at that time seem'd to us surprizingly extraordinary as it did to all those that heard the Relation of it but it was no more than what was usual to all the rest that were invited in regard they are feasted by the King in the same manner every day Not but that at other times upon certain occasions of publick rejoycing he treats much more magnificently all the Great Lords and Mandarins of the Court which are about five thousand By which the Reader may readily conjecture at the Grandeur and Puissance of this Emperour and that the abundance of Provisions which is brought continually to the Court is far beyond the Relation which I have made Notes upon the sixteenth Chapter Father Magaillans had already spoken of the three Opinions of the Chineses concerning the Antiquity of China And I make no question but that if he had liv'd to finish this Work he would have put all that he says of it in the same Chapter However I did not think it proper for me to pare off any thing from this Chapter as well for that I would not make an Alteration so considerable as for that the Authour has inserted several new and 〈◊〉 Circumstances and for that the matter is also of great moment Besides that this Chapter being compos'd in the year 1669. serves for a Confirmation of the third which F. Magaillans had written in the year before as may be seen by the difference of the dates which he sets down in this Work. CHAP. XVII A Desoription of the City of Pe Kim Of the Walls that enclose the Emperour's Palace And the form of the principal Houses of China THE City or Court of Pe Kim is seated in a Plain It forms a vast Square each of the Sides of which is twelve Chinese Furlongs in length which make about three Italian Miles or near a Portugal League It has nine Gates three upon the South Side and two upon each of the other Sides Not twelve Gates according to the Relation of F. Martini in his Atlas p. 29. wherein he seems to have follow'd M. Polo l. 2. c. 7. This City is now inhabited by the Tartars and their Troops divided into eight Quarters or Banners as they call ' em But in regard that under the preceding Kings the Inhabitants were so multiply'd that the Capital was not sufficient to contain them nor the nine Suburbs answering to the nine Gates which if they are not every one a great City are at least as big as many great Boroughs there was a new City built of a square form like the Old one of which each of the Sides is six Chinese Furlongs or an Italian Mile and a half in length having the North Side joyning to the South Side of the Old City It has seven Gates and every one a Suburb well peopled more especially that which looks toward the West for that is the Side where all that come from all Parts of the Empire enter into the Capital City Both the one and the other City is divided into five Quarters or Jurisdictions as we have said in the fourteenth Chapter The principal Streets some run from the North to the South others from the East to the West But they are all so streight so long so broad and so well proportion'd that it is easie to see they were mark'd out with a line and not built by hap hazard as in our Cities of Europe The little Streets run all from the East to the West and divide all the Space between the great Streets into equal and proportionable Islands Both the one and the other are known by their particular Names as the Street of the King's Kindred the White Tower-street the Iron Lyons-street the Fish-street the Aquavity-street and so of the rest There is a Book to be sold that speaks of the Names and Situation of the Streets which serves for the use of the Lacquies that attend upon the Mandarins in their Visits and to their Tribunals and carry their Presents their Letters and their Orders to several Parts of the City and Empire For they are continually sending a great Number all over the Kingdom Whence comes that Proverb so often in the Mouths of the Chineses that the Provinces send Mandarins to Pe Kim and Pe Kim in exchange sends them none but Lacquies and Messengers And indeed it is a rare thing to meet with a Mandarin who is a Native of that City The fairest of all the Streets is that which is call'd Cham gan kiai or the Street of perpetual Repose It runs from East to West bounded on the North side by the Walls of the King's Palace and upon the South side by several Tribunals and Palaces of great Lords It is so spacious that it is about thirty Fathoms broad and so famously known that the Learned in their writings make use of it to signifie the whole City taking a part for the whole For it is the same thing to say such a one lives in the Street of perpetual repose as to say he lives at Pe Kim If the Houses were but high and built to the Street like ours the City would shew much more stately But they are all low Buildings to shew the respect which they have to the King's Palace Yet there are some Palaces that belong to the great Lords which are lofty and magnificent But they are built backward so that you see nothing to the Street but a great Gate which has houses on each Side inhabited by their Domesticks or by Merchants and handycraft Tradesmen However this is very convenient for publick convenience For in our Cities a great part of the Streets is taken up by Houses of Noble Men so that the Inhabitants are forc'd to go a great way to Market Whereas at Pe Kim and in all the other Cities of China there is every thing to be sold at your Door for entertainment subsistance or pleasure For these little Houses are as so many Magazines or Markets Shops and Taverns But for the Multitude of People so numerous it is that I dare not presume to utter it nor do I know how to make it understood All the Streets both of the old and new City are crowded with People as well the small Streets as the great as well those at the farther ends as those in the hart of the Place The Throng is every where so great that there is nothing to compare with it but the Fairs and Processions of Europe The Emperour's Palace is seated in the midst of this great City and fronts toward the South according to the Custom of that Empire where you
hang down on both sides The rest of the Wall is cover'd with square Tiles green yellow and blew which are so rang'd as to represent Beasts Flowers and Horns in abundance This being suppos'd the Palace takes up the space or part in the middle and the other parts are for the collateral Palaces which we are going to describe and by consequence stand within the innermost Enclosure The first is call'd Ven hoa tien or the Palace of flourishing Learning It serves the King for two Uses first for his Retirement when he has a mind to discourse of Sciences or any important Affairs of the Empire Secondly for his more strict observance of the Fasts that are most usual among the Chineses which they observe four times a year and are generally answerable to our four Seasons For when they design to perform their solemn Sacrifices they fast the three preceding days And lastly when they would implore the Favour and Mercy of Heaven in any publick Calamity as in the time of Famine Pestilence Earthquakes or extraordinary Inundations During these days the Mandarins live apart from their Wives and remain Day and Night in their Tribunals never eat any Flesh nor drink Wine nor discourse of any Business especially in criminal Matters The Emperour also keeps himself solitary in his Palace upon the East side of the Supream Imperial Hall. The second Palace is just over against the former on the West side of the same Imperial Hall and is call'd vu im tien or the Palace of the Council of War. Thither the King retires to Consultation when the Kingdom is alarm'd by any Revolt or by Pyrates or the Inrodes of the Tartars upon the Frontiers These two Palaces have every one four Apartments with their Courts and a Royal Hall in the middle with Stairs and an open Walk or Gallery round about of white Marble wrought after the same manner as are those of the principal Palace but much less The Courts are garnish'd on each side with Halls and Chambers the Architecture of which is very exquisite and painted within side with Vermillion Varnish intermix'd with Gold and Azure And what we say of these two Palaces is to be understood likewise of those that follow The third or second on the East side is call'd Tum sien tien or the Palace where honour is pay'd to the deceased Kings of the Royal Family that actually Reigns Those Kings are seated upon their Royal Thrones in a magnificent Hall adorn'd with Stairs and Galleries and all other conveniences like the rest before mention'd Their Images are made of Eagle-wood Saunders or some other odoriferous and precious Wood and adorn'd with sumptuous Habits Before the Images are plac'd sumptuous Tables with Candlesticks Chafers and other costly Ornaments And upon the day of the Ceremony there is an Offering made them of several Tables cover'd with a great Quantity of Exquisit Viands The fourth Palace or second on the West side is call'd Gin chi tien or the Palace of Mercy and Prudence So soon as the King is dead they set him in a rich Chair which is ready prepar'd and which sixteen Eunuchs carry into the Middle of the Royal Hall of this Palace where there is an Estrade and a rich Bed upon which they lay the Body Soon after with a world of Ceremonies and funeral Musick they put him into a Coffin which costs no less than two or three thousand Crowns It is made of a certain Wood that grows in the Province of Su chuen call'd cum cio mo or Peacock-wood in regard the Lines and Veins of it form certain Figures that represent the Eyes in a Peacock's Tail. The Chineses affirm that this Wood which is certainly very curious and precious preserves dead Bodies from corrupting for many years afterwards The funeral Pomp is perform'd in this Palace with so many Ceremonies and with so much cost that it would be the Subject of a long and curious Relation The Chineses after they have stopt up all the seams and joyntures of the Coffin with Bitumen to prevent the Exhalation of any offensive Smell usually leave the Body for several Months and sometimes for several Years in the same place especially if it be the Corps of a Father or Mother for whom they wear Mourning for three Years because say they they cannot endure to part with them As for the King after the funeral Obsequies are perform'd with a Magnificence incredible and befitting so great a Monarch they carry him to be interr'd in the Imperial Wood. For so they call the place where the Royal Sepulchers are of which I shall say no more but that the Grandeur of it the Palaces the Wealth and Ornaments that belong to it the Walls that environ it the Mandarins and other Servants that are employ'd in continual Attendance and the Souldiers that guard it would well deserve a particular Relation The fifth Palace or third on the East side is call'd Tsu him cum or the Palace of Compassion and Joy. Here the Prince who is Heir to the Empire keeps his Court till the Death of his Father The sixth and third on the West side is call'd Kim ho cum or the Palace of Union and Flourishing This is the Residence of the second and third Son of the Emperour before they are marry'd for when they are marry'd they are usually sent to the Capital or some other principal Cities of the Provinces where they have Palaces built to receive them of an astonishing Magnificence I have seen three several times my self The first in the City of Vu cham Capital of the Province of Hu cham The second in the City of Chim tu Capital of the Province of Sucheuen and the third in the City of Ham Chum a famous City in the Province of Xen si There are others in the City of Si gan Capital of the said Province of Xen si In the City of Pien Leam Capital of the Province of Honan In Kim cheu a considerable City in the Province of Hu quam In Kien cham a remarkable City in the Province of Kiam si In Nam cham Capital of the same Province and in several others All these Palaces though much less than Pe kim were very vast beautifull rich and magnificent They contain'd some ten some twelve some more Apartments with separate Palaces on each side and a double Enclosure of Walls When the Emperour sent his second or third Son to one of these Palaces he gave him the Title of King. For example he gave the Title of Cho vam or King of Cho to him whom he sent to the City of Chim tu Metropolis of the Province of Su chuen because this Province was antiently call'd Cho. Every one of these Kings had a thousand Eunuchs to serve and attend them to take care of their Affairs and receive their Revenues But these Kings had nothing to do in the publick Affairs of the Province Nevertheless the Mandarins were oblig'd to come four times a year
go to the North call'd Tum sien tien or the Palace where Honours are pay'd to the deceas'd Kings of the Royal Family IV. The fourth Palace on the West side call'd Gin chi tien or the Palace of Mercy and Prudence where the funeral Honours are pay'd to the King after his Decease V. The fifth Palace on the East side call'd Tzu kim cum or the Palace of Compassion and Ioy where the Heir to the Crown resides till the Death of his Father VI. The sixth Palace on the West side call'd Kim ho cum or the Palace of Union and Flourishing Here the second and third Sons of the Emperour reside till they marry VII The seventh Palace or fourth on the West side call'd Yuen hoen tien or the Palace of the Royal Nuptials because the Nuptials of the King and the Heir to the Crown are there solemniz'd VIII The eighth Palace or fourth on the West side call'd Tsu nim cum or the Palace of Piety being the Residence of the Queen Mother and her Maids of Honour IX The ninth Palace or fifth to the East call'd Chum cui cum or the Palace of Beauty X. The tenth Palace or fifth to the West call'd Kia â—…iam cum or the happy Palace appointed for the Sisters and Daughters of the King before they are marry'd XI The ' leventh or sixth to the East call'd Y hao tien or the Palace of due Title XII The twelfth or sixth Palace to the West call'd Siam nim cum or the Palace of Felicity XIII The thirteenth or seventh Palace to the East call'd Gin chu cum or the Palace of long Life XIV The fourteenth or seventh Palace to the West call'd Kien nim cum or the Palace of Celestial Repose In this Palace the second and third Queen keep their Courts together with the Concubines and other Ladies of the deceas'd King. So that this Palace serves for the same use as the old Seraglio at Constantinople XV. The fifteenth or eighth to the East call'd Kiao ta tien or the Palace of great Friendship XVI The sixteenth or eighth to the West call'd Guen nim cum or the Palace of the place of Repose To these Palaces the King retires when he has a mind to be private with his first Queen XVII The seventeenth Palace or ninth to the East call'd Chim kien cum or the Palace that receives Heaven XVIII The eighteenth Palace or ninth to the West call'd Y xuen cum or the Palace of the elevated Earth To the first of these two Palaces the King retires with his second Queen and to the second with his third XIX The nineteenth Palace or tenth to the East call'd Lum te tien or Palace of abounding Vertue XX The twentieth or tenth Palace to the West call'd Kiun sin tien or the Palace that envelops the Heart In these two Palaces are kept the King's Iewels and Rarities of an inestimable Price Our Authour tells us that this Treasure has been filling for these four thousand and twenty five Years and that in all that time nothing has been taken out of it But this is to be understood unless there happen any sudden Conflagration or that the City had not been taken and plunder'd by the Enemy who never trouble themselves to observe the Laws of China in that particular For example all the Relations that mention the Wars of the Tartars among the rest Martini and Couplet tell us that in the year 1644. the Rebel Li or Li cum not daring to abide the coming of the Tartars to Pe kim spent eight Days in removing all that there was of precious and valuable in the Palace To every one of the Palaces belong twenty four separate Apartments with a Royal Hall in the middle I have plac'd them as they stand in the Draught for a Man may easily believe that the last where the Women reside and where the Treasure lies ought to be most remote from the principal Gate CHAP. XX. Of several other Palaces and some Temples erected within the same Enclosures ALL these Palaces which we have hitherto mention'd are seated within the innermost Enclosure of the Palace from which they are separated by two Walls and divided one from another by other Walls of the same Fabrick Those that follow are seated between the two Enclosures The first is call'd Chum hoa tien or the Palace of the doubl'd Flower Now to understand this Name you are to take notice that about two hunder'd years ago one of the Chinese Kings contrary to the Advice of his Grandees and People would needs go and fight the Western Tartars who took several places and lay'd waste the Province of Pe kim but he was overthrown taken and carry'd into Tartary where the Chineses believ'd him to be dead and therefore set up his Brother in his place Some Months after Embassadours came from the Tartars who brought news that he was alive and demanded a Ransom both for him and the rest of the Prisoners So soon as the new King receiv'd this Intelligence he gave Order to Commissioners to treat about his Brother's Enlargement and appointed a magnificent Palace to be built whither he intended to retire upon his Brother's Return The Palace being finish'd and the Treaty concluded the Prisoner was brought to the Frontiers where the Tartars receiv'd a great Summ of Money great Quantities of Silk and Cotton and all that they demanded Thereupon the King returning to Pe kim the new King would have resign'd the Scepter into his hands but the old King would not accept it but retir'd to the Palace which his Brother had prepar'd for himself without ever offering to moddle any more with the Affairs of the Government Three years after that the new King dy'd and then the old King accepting the Crown was crown'd a second time and then the Learned Men according to the Custom gave him another Name calling him Tien xum or the King who follow'd the Will of Heaven They also gave a new Name to the Palace where he had liv'd three years retir'd calling it Chum hoa tien or the Palace of the doubl'd Flower alluding to the double Coronation of the King. The Bridge over which they cross the Mote that surrounds this Palace is a wonderfull piece of Workmanship It is a Dragon of an extraordinary Bulk whose fore and hind-feet standing in the water supply the place of Pillars and whose Body Dolphin like makes the middle Arch and two more the one with his Tail the other with his Head and Neck The whole is made of black Jasper stone so well clos'd and so well wrought that it seems not onely to be of one piece but represents a Dragon to the life It is call'd Ti kiam or the flying Bridge For the Chineses report that this Dragon flew through the Air from a Kingdom in the East-Indies which they call Tien cho or the Kingdom of Bamboos whence they also pretend that their Pagod and their Law was brought in former times They also tell
or the Palace of â—…en thousand Sports and Pleasures It stands by the Lake on the North side for so we have plac'd it according to our Authour's description There the King reposes when he goes a Fishing or to take his pleasure by water Q. The seventh Palace call'd Hu chim tien or the Palace of the Tiger Walls There the King breeds up wild Beasts of several sorts and goes to see them himself The situation of this place is not particularly set down by our Authour I have plac'd it in that part which I thought to be the most spacious and most proper between the two Walls R. The eighth Palace call'd the Mansion of Fortress of the Middle appointed for exercising the Eunuchs The situation is not mention'd by the Authour onely he places it between the two Enclosures as well as the other six S. The first Temple of the four most considerable in the Palace it is call'd Tai quam mim or the Palace of great Light and dedicated to the Bear-stars It stands within the inner Enclosure and I have plac'd it on the left side as the most honourable place as being upon the left hand of the Emperour T. The second Temple call'd Tai cao tien or the Temple of the most Illustrious and Sovereign Emperour This Temple is dedicated to that famous deify'd Captain mention'd in the sixteenth Chapter whose Name I could never find nor the precise time of his death I have plac'd the Temple at a venture upon the West side of the Lake because our Authour says no more but onely that it stands between the two Enclosures V. The third Temple call'd Macala tien or the Palace of the Oxe's Head But our Authour does not precisely mark down the situation of it X. The fourth Temple Lama tien the Palace or Temple belonging to the Lama It stands in the Plane as our Authour places it in the Middle of a Rocky Mountain made with hands like a Sugar-loaf with a Tower at the Top. Y. Twenty four Palaces for the Mandarins High Stewards of the Emperour's Houshold I have plac'd them on the East side between the two Enclosures where our Authour places them who makes no particular description of them no more than he does of the other Edifices as Houses of Pleasure Libraries Magazines Offices Stables c. Which makes the curious more desirous of compleater descriptions and more perfect draughts CHAP. XXI Of the Emperour's Temples seated in Pe kim and of the manner how the King goes abroad to perform publick Duties BEsides the Temples which stand in the Palace the Emperour has seven more in each of which he sacrifices once a year Five in the new City and two in the old one The first of these is call'd Tien tam or the Temple of Heaven seated two Chinese Furlongs from the principal Gate of the City a little to the East and encompass'd with a round Wall three furlongs in compass One part of this Area is taken up with very beautifull Buildings The rest with a green and very thick Grove whose Trees are of an extraordinary heighth and render the place no less melancholy and gloomy to us than it seems devout and venerable to the Insidels It has five doors on the South side three in the middle like the Palace which are never open'd but when the King comes to sacrifice and two of each side always open for admittance of all that go to the Temple On the South and North side there are seven separate Apartments Six of which are Halls and Portals as large and magnificent as those of the King's Palace The seventh is a vast and high round Hall which represents Heaven supported by fourscore and two Columns the whole painted within side with Azure and Gold and cover'd with Tiles varnshi'd with blew In this Temple it is that the King sacrifices to Heaven upon the day and at the very moment that the Sun comes to the Winter Solstice attended by all the great Lords and Mandarins of the Court and as for the Victims he offers they are Oxen Hogs Goats and Sheep Great preparations are made for the performance of this Ceremony which is very solemn and the Solemnity carry'd on with no less respect and humility For then the Emperour lays aside his Gold his precious Stones and yellow Robes appearing onely decently habited in a plain of Vestment of black or sky Colour Damask The second Temple is call'g Ti tam or the Temple of the Earth It stands toward the West at a distance answerable to that of the first from which it differs nothing but onely that it is cover'd with Tiles varnish'd with green When the King is Crown'd before he takes possession of the Empire he goes to this Temple where he sacrifices to the God of the Earth Afterwards he puts on the Habit of a Ploughman and with two Oxen with guilded Horns and a Plough varnish'd with Vermillion and Streaks of Gold he sets himself to plough a little piece of Ground that lies within the Enclosure of the Temple While he is busie at his Labour the Queen with her Ladies in another part dress him a poor and homely Dinner which she brings him and which they eat together The ancient Chineses instituted this Ceremony to the End their Kings might remember that their Revenues came from the Labour and Heat of the Peoples Brows and therefore ought to be employ'd in necessary Expences and for the good of the Kingdom not in useless Buildings exorbitant Sports and Pleasures or superfluous Riot To the North of these two Temples stand three more distant two Chinese Furlongs from the Gates and from the Walls on the North East and West sides and which are altogether like the two former That on the North side is call'd Pe tien tan or the North Temple of Heaven Here the King sacrifices at the time of the Summer Solstice and at the time of the Vernal Equinox he sacrifices in the Eastern Temple call'd Ge tam or the Temple of the Sun and to the Autumnal Equinox in the Western Temple which is call'd Yue tam or the Temple of the Moon But before the performance of these Sacrifices the King commands a Fast for three Days to be observ'd in Pe kim during which time they are forbid to eat either Flesh or Fish Nor are the Tribunals especially the Criminal to doe any business Which somewhat resembles our Fast of Ember-weeks I ask'd a learned Man one day what benefit they hop'd to obtain by these Fasts and Sacrifices and how they durst affirm that their King nor Queen ever sacrific'd publickly to Idols since the Heaven the Earth the Sun and Moon were all inanimate Bodies that no way merited Divine Honours and Sacrifices which belong'd onely to God by whom they were created To which he reply'd that the word Heaven had two significations By the first was meant the material Heaven call'd Yeu him chi tien which is that which we see and of which we feel the