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View of Pekino, with Imperial Briooe, leading to the Temple of Heaven.

JOURNEYS IN NORTH CHINA.

MANCHURIA, AND EASTERN MONGOLIA :

WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF COREA,

BY THE

y

Rev. ALEXANDER WILLIAAISON, B.A.,

AGENT OF THE NATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND.

WITH ILLUSTKATIONS AND TWO MAPS.

IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.

LONDON:

SMITH, ELDER & CO., 15, WATERLOO PLACE.

1870.

[TQX BIGHT OF TKANSLATIOM IS RESERVED.]

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2016

https://archive.org/details/journeysinnorthc00wili_0

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

CHAPTER I.

Inner, or Eastern Mongolia.

PAGE

Boundaries — Surface — Mountains — Rivers — Lakes — Wells — Cli-
mate— Government — Population — Nomads and Agriculturists
— The Part the Mongols have played in History — Character
and History of the Mongols of the Present Day — Chinese
Settlers — Productions — Minerals — Fertility of the Soil —
Animals — Birds — Cities and Towns — Je-hol — Do-la-nor or
Lama-miau — Hada (Chi-feng-hien) — Ho-shni-tan — Pa-kow
— Monasteries — Education — Religion — Greek Church in
Mongolia 1

CHAPTER II.

SoDTHERN Manchuria.

Definition of Manchuria -Southern Manchuria — Three Visits —
Asjiect of the Plain and Hills — Fertility of Hill Country —
Variations of Temperature — Resemblance of Flora to that of
England — Fauna — Peculiar Species of Lark — Hot Springs —

The Great Highways — Neglected Roads— Chief Cities —
Trading Towns — Seaports— Villages and Hamlets — Chinese
Colonization — Agricultural Produce — Coal and Peat — Iron,
Gold, and Silver — Manchuria and Canada compared — Develop-
ment of the Country t. 22

CHAPTER III.

Kirin, or Central Manchuria.

Boundaries of Province — Mountains and Rivers — Climate — General
Aspect of Country — Character of Inhabitants — Mancbus —
Chief Towns — Cereals— Opium, Indigo, and Tobacco — Coal
and other Minerals — Animals, Wild and Domestic — Birds and

IV

CONTENTS.

Fishes — Flora — Northern Manchuria — Whale and Seal Fishery
— Port May — Kussian Advances 52

CHAPTER IV.

Mr. Meadows on the History or the Manchus.

Origin of the Mongols — The History of the Manchus — Manchuria
Proper — Contrasts between the Mongols and the Manchus —
Comparison between the Latter and the Red Men of New
England and Canada — How governed — Their Customs and
Habits — History of the Ketans — The Mongols conquer Man-
churia— The present Line of Manchu Whang-tis — Novurh-ho-
chih — The Chief City of his State — The Chahars — Prince
.San-ko-lin-sin 7 6

CHAPTER V.

-Journey from Peking through Inner Mongolia via .Je-hol,
Lama-miau, and Kal-gan.

Swine — A Devotee — Camels — The Great Wall — A New Temple —

The Emperor’s Grounds — A Squeeze — Mongolian Temples
and Priests — How the Emperor kills a Lion — Hooded Hawks —
Rural Life in Mongolia 92

CHAPTER VI.

-Journey through Inner Mongolia — continued.

A Magnificent Watershed — A Strange Bridge — A Meeting-place
for Chinese and Mongols — Service in a Mongolian Temple —
Curious Church Music — Praying-Machines — Homewards —
Characteristics of the Mongolian Steppes — Tent Life — Mon-
golian Butter — Various Mongol Tribes — We Procure an Outfit
— Rough Travelling— ^Queer Beds — Reminiscences of Home —

A Beautiful Sight — An Abominable Cavern 10»>

CHAPTER VII.

-Journey through Inner Mongolia — continued.

Mongolian Moors — A Temple converted into a Dairy — A Mag-
nificent View — The Great Wall of China — Sunrise on the
Borders of China — A Morning Prayer — The Flail in China —

CONTENTS.

V

Cave-Houses — A Good Place for a Mongol Mission — Terrible
Police Stations — An Imperial Summer Residence — The Native
Names of China — Contrasts between China and Mongolia —

A Bad Road — Coal-pits — A Land Pilot — The Great Inner
Wall — A Gloomy Pass — Once More at Peking 118

CHAPTER VIII.

JODRNET FROM ChE-FOO TO PeKING via NeW-CHWAXG.

Embarkation — Chinese Boatmen — New-chwang and its Port — Dis-
appointment at Ferry — Dreadful Roads — Misery caused by
Rebels — Corean Embassy — Romanists everywhere — Bad Roads
again — Chinese Canoes — An interminable Regiment — King-
chow — Rapid Sales of Books — Innkeepers’ Manners — Chinese
Signals and Telegraphy — A Carter decamps — Arrangement of
the DiflBculty — Books not sold on Sunday — Strange City of
Shan-hai-kwan — Glimpse of the Great AVall — Imperial Army
— Lawless Soldiery — Yoong-ping-foo — Approach to Peking —
Perils by the Way — Arrival at Peking 129

CHAPTER IX.

Journeys through Southern and South-Eastern Manchuria.

Anticipations — Stolen or Strayed ! — A Colporteur — We meet with
Old Friends at Hai-chpw — Volcanic Hills — Fashionable Head-
dresses— Hot Baths — Manchurian Horse-dealers — Pigs, four-
footed and biped — A peculiar Pagoda — Strange Pots and
Kettles — Firmness — Nearly Tricked — The Capital of Man-
churia— We slightly lose our Temper — New-chwang, dead with-
in and alive wdthout — Echoes of Home — A Picturesque Ravine
— Abusive Boys — A Blank Day — More Cart Difficulties —
Gold-Diggings — Ta-chang-ho — Ta-ku-shan — Silk District —

An old Manchu City — Highland Scenery — Coreans — Curious
Ponies — Fung-whang-chung — Magnificent Scenery — Home 149

CHAPTER X.

.Tourney through the North-Western Portion of Southern
Manchuria, Eastern Mongolia, and Central and Northern
Manchuria.

A Bad Beginning — Sad Intelligence — Pleasant Signs of Spring —
Abundance of Iron-stone — A Melancholy Contrast — Imperial

T1

CONTENTS.

BQr}'ing-grounds — A Comfortable Funeral Procession — An
Insignificant Gate — "We stand on Mongol Territory — Character
of its People — A renowned Mongol Prince — Mai-mai-kiai —
Kwan-chung-tsze, a large Mongolian Market Town 189

CHAPTER XI.

JoCBJTET THROUGH NORTHERN Manchuria, &c. — Continued.

A dismal Spectacle — Scotch Scenery in Mongolia — Men in Autho-
rity— A crafty Innkeeper foiled — Cheap Land — The Chinese
Lark — We pass the Limits of Cultivation — A Mongol Grave-
yard— A Royal Messenger — Unappreciated Gifts — A Prince
in Debt to an Innkeeper — A Curious Superstition — Something
about Lamas — Education in Mongolia — Mongolian Prairie
Ground — A Ferry without Ferrymen — Unexpected Lapwings
— Uncouth Officials — A Change for the Better — Wooden
Walls yersas Stone 199

CHAPTER XH.

Journey through Northern Manchuria, &c. — continued.

OflE again — The Opium Question once more — A Link between
Canada and Mongolia — A Curious Tract of Country- — Some-
thing complimentary about a Goose — Something uncom-
plimentary about Mules — Remarkable Civility — Distilleries
and Piggeries — A travelled Mandarin — Long Streets —

A Fertile Soil — Business rather too Good — Chinese Prim-
roses— Fine Forest Scenery — A Desolate Journey — In DiflS-
culties — A Colporteur in an Awkward Position — A Dis-
appointment — We feel our W ay — More Troubles — Civil
Farmers — A New Household Custom — Hush-a-by, Baby ! —
Trout and Rooks, and other Old Home Friends — A Familiar
Farmyard Scene — The Goitre in China — A Liberal Mandarin
— We Fall under Suspicion — The Last Town in Chinese Terri-
tory— The FLshskin Tartars 210

CHAPTER XHI.

Journey through Northern Manchuria, &c. — continued.

Chinese Civilization creeping onwards — More Signs of bounteous
Spring — No Sheep, but yet a Wolf — The Cry of the Cuckoo —

CONTENTS.

We lay in a Store of Venison — Cool Boatmen — Ornithological
— An artfnl Pheasant — A rising Town — Home from the Wars
— A convenient Stove — A peculiar Method of building
Houses — Curious Chimneys — A Wretched Gate — The Scotch
Thistle and Mohammedan Families — A fallen City — Old Trees
rare in China — An interrupted Book-sale — Bibliopoles be-
ware ! — Unquiet Times — An inhospitable City — A bad Eoad
but good Scenery — Home from the Wars — Forsaken Cities —

A warm Reception — A dishonest Soldier — The Capital of
Eastern Mongolia 224

CHAPTER XIV.

JotJKNET THROUGH ShAN-TUNG AND KeANG-SU TO NaNKIN
AND Shanghai.

Innkeepers — Saw-Teeth Mountains — Terraced Hills — Mill-stone
Quarries — Civil Landlord — Gold-Streams— Kin-kia-kow — Tsi-
mi — Exports of Neu-kow — Donkey-flesh — Civil Reception —
European Dinner — Wheelbarrows with Sails — Gothic Cathe-
dral-Villages of One Trade — Ascent of the Sacred Hill — Its
Temples and Altars — Bewildering Scenery — City of Confucius
— Visit to Duke Koong — Genealogical Tree — City and Tomb
of Mencius — The Lah-shoo Tree — Boat-hiring — Various
Modes of Fishing — Effects of Civil War — Two Camps — Na-
tive Gunboats — Insolence of Boatmen — Religious Fair and
Pageants — Tsing-kiang-pn — Whai-ngan-foo— A City of Fields' 239

CHAPTER XV.

Corea.

Sources of Information — Boundaries and Area — Mountains —
Rivers — Coasts and Harbours — Climate — Connection with
China — Character of the Natives — History — Independent
Tribes — Corean Habitations — Treatment of Boys’ Hair —
Peculiarities of Costume — Money — Mechanical Ingenuity —
Language — Minerals — Cereals and Fruits — Cotton, Silk, and
Paper — Medicines — Varieties of Wood — Animals, Domestic
and Wild — Restricted Commerce and Smuggling — Advan-
tages of Opening the Country to Foreign Intercourse 295

vm

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XVI.

Peking.

By the Rev. Joseph Edkins, B.A., London University.

PAGE

Peking and Geomancy — The Rivers round Peking — Imperial Devo-
tions— The Purple Eorbidden City — The Varied Fortunes of
Peking — Chinese Thieves — The Emperor’s Palace — Religious
Ceremonies — Temple of Emperors and Kings— Lama Monas-
teries— Imperial Monuments — Temples and Public Buildings
— Sacrifices and Altars— Catholic and Protestant Missions —
Embassies — Schools — Catholic Cemeteries — The Summer
Palace — The Altar of the Sun — Ming Tombs — The Great Wall 313

APPENDIX A.

Journey of Mr. Oxenham from Peking to Hankow, through

Central Chih-li, Honan, and the Han River 393

List of Towns passed by Mr. E. C. Oxenham on his Journey

from Peking to Hankow 425

List of Places on the Banks of the Han River passed by
Mr. E. C. Oxenham 427

APPENDIX B.

Ch.vi-tang Coals 428

An Account of Coal in the Kaiping District of Country

BETWEEN THE LaN-HO AND THE PeH-TANG-HO 432

Coal in Honan 436

APPENDIX C.

Agricultural Observations for Che-foo and Neighbour-
hood, OR THE Northern Portion of Shan-tung, made
IN 1868 437

APPENDIX D.

List of Plants from Shan-tung, collected by the Rev. A.

Williamson, 1869 439

List of Plants collected in North China and Manchuria

BY THE Rev. Alexander Williamson 440

JOUKNEYS IN

NORTH CHINA, MANCHURIA, AND
EASTERN MONGOLIA.

CHAPTER I.

INNEB, OK EASTERN MONGOLIA.

Boundaries — Surface — Mountains — Rivers — Lakes — W ells — Cli mate —
Government — Population — Nomads and Agriculturists — The Part
the Mongols have played in History — Character and History of the
Mongols of the present Day — Chinese Settlers — Productions —
Minerals — Fertility of the Soil — Animals — Birds — Cities and
Towns — Je-hol — Do-la-nor or Lama-miau — Hada (Chi-feng-hien)
— Ho-shui-tan — Pa-kow — Monasteries — Education — Religion —
Greek Church in Mongolia.

I HAVE made two journeys through this countiy, tra-
versing the most important districts within its limits.
The first journey was from Peking to Je-hol (also spelt
Zeh-hol), thence to Do-la-nor, — Sinice Lama-miau, —
and home, via Kal-gan. The second journey was from
Mouk-den, entering Mongolia by the Fa-kwo-mun gate,

29

VOL. II.

2

INNER, OR EASTERN MONGOLIA.

thence in a north-westerly dh-ection as far as a point
opposite Petuna, on the north-east bank of the Soongari
in Manchuria. Referring readers to my Journeys for
particulars, I here subjoin some general observations.

Eastern Mongolia is bounded on the east by Man-
churia ; on the south by Chih-li and Shan-si ; on the
west by Trans-baikal, or the country of the Kalkas tribes;
and on the north by the Amoor. It thus embraces an
area of, say, 240,000 square miles. By far the greater
portion of the country consists of an elevated plateau,
relieved here and there by undulations of greater or
lesser extent, with abrupt dips and as abrupt rises, and
occasionally a low range of hills. The remainder of the
country, especially the portions in the centre and the
south-eastern districts, are extremely mountainous. The
mountains have the same general direction as in China
Proper, and much the same features ; the columnar
tops, indicating limestone, are especially interesting in
the neighbourhood of Pa-kow, south-east of Je-hol.
Many of the valleys are of great extent and exceedingly
fertile.

The chief river is the Liau-ho, which rises among
the hills on the north of the Great "Wall, flows first nearly
due north, then N. by E., then E. by S., into Manchuria,
discharging its waters into the Gulf of Liau-tuug. It
receives a good many tributaries, especially in the first
part of its course. Somewhere in lat. 43° 30' it unites
with another great river, called the Sira-muren, which
name it assumes, and retains till it reaches Manchuria,

KIVERS. — LAKES.

3

when it takes the name Liau-ho. Till it receives the
Hersu river from Central Manchuria, it is a slow, shallow
stream ; but from that point it is navigable for boats and
small junks. Several rivers of gi’eater or lesser volume
rise between N. lat. 46° and 48° ; some flowing N.W.
and joining the Amoor, and others flowing S.E. and
joining the Nonni. One speciality deseiwes notice in
connection with these streams ; not ’ a few of them rise
among the hills and more elevated undulations, and
after a definite course pour their waters into inland lakes
which have no outlet. A glance at the map will show
the locality of such better than any description in words.
These things prove that Inner Mongolia is much better
watered than many have imagined.

The largest lake is that called Gou-lou-omo, lat.
49°, long. 116° 30' ; the next Fou-your-omo, lat. 48°,
long. 112°. These are connected by slow streamlets with
each other and the Amoor. The inland lakes which have
no outlet are scattered throughout the country, and are
of varying sizes. The largest are Tal-nor-omo, lat. 44°,
long. 115° 30' ; Do-la-nor, lat. 42° 20' ; Cha-han-omo,
lat. 45°, long, 123° ; and Tap-sou-ton-omo, lat. 44° 15',
long. 119° 40'. Wells are easily obtained in most parts
by sinking. Springs are not uncommon, sometimes
oozing out from the side of some elevated ridge, forming
good natural watering-places, and at other times issuing
from a number of different points, and all running toge-
ther into a low locality and forming large swamps — a
blessing to the nomads and their flocks and herds, and

4

INNER, OR EASTERN MONGOLIA.

the wild clucks and geese; but sometimes a very un-
jdeasant obstruction in the way of a traveller : some
of these swamps are of considerable extent. Small
streamlets rise here and there and flow languidly along
towards the great arteries of the country, or towards
some of the inland lakes.

Owing to the situation and character of the country
the extremes of climate prevail. The latitudes being
comparatively low, the rays of the sun are direct and
powerful in summer, while the wide sweep of level land
presents a vast area of radiation, and so the cold of
winter comes quickly and bitterly. Another cause of
the extreme cold is the great elevation of the plateau,
which, for the most part, lies several thousand feet above
the plains of China. It is winter in Mongolia while the
flowers are all in bloom down below on the edge of the
plain in “ the flowery land.” Some have said that there
are only two seasons in Mongolia, summer and winter ;
but this is scarcely correct. Spring begins later, and is
contracted into very narrow dimensions : yet still there
is a month and a half which may be called spring ; two
months and a half of summer, and one of autumn.
Winter generally commences with a tremendous storm,
and afterwards retires again for a little — perhaps retires
twice — and then comes in earnest and rules with an iron
sceptre. Here, as elsewhere in Mongolia, cultivation
makes a perceptible difference in a few years’ time.
Boreas yields to Ceres : for it has been observed that the
w^armth increases and the seasons lengthen as cultiva-

CLIMATE . — POPULATION.

5

tion advances. And it has been found by the Chinese,
who have entered Mongolia as agi-iculturists, that crops
which at first did not thrive, o-«-ing to the cold, after
a few years yield an excellent return.

The inhabitants of Inner Mongolia are divided into
forty-nine families, or clans, called “banners,” owing
to their having each a distinguishing flag and a separate
chieftain, who is called a “ Wang,” or prince. These
princes are descended from Genghis Khan, and their
dignity is hereditary. They all own allegiance to the
Emperor of China, who invests them with their rank,
and this inferiority is acknowledged hy stated visits, at
longer or shorter intervals, — depending upon the dis-
tance from Peking, — on the part of the several princes ;
who, on such occasions, bring, as a tribute to the
Emperor, sheep, wine, silk, or other produce of their
country. They appear to be veiy loyal to the present
dynasty ; for, though not compelled to provide him
with soldiers or money, large numbers join his armies,
and many of his best generals are Mongols. San-
ko-ling-sin, now so famous in China as the general
who tried to prevent the march of foreign troops on
Peking, was a Mongol ; and his son. Prince Po, was of
great service in putting down the late rebellion in Man-
churia. According to Mr. Edkins, the average number
of men, women, and children in a “banner” is said to
be about 200,000, which gives a population of about
10,000,000 to Eastern Mongolia ; and I should say that
this is not far from the truth. These “ banners ” have

6

INNEK, OE EASTEEN MONGOLIA.

defined boundaries, and altbougb we have not been able
to lay them down with anything like precision, yet a
glance at the map will give the reader a general idea of
the locality of several tribes or sections. We have
travelled over a considerable portion of the territory of
the Prince of the Har-chin Banner, which commences at
the Great Wall at Ku-pei-kow, and extends far beyond
Je-hol; and also through the country of Prince Po just
referred to, as well as the country of the Gorlos tribes.
We found the people invariably quiet, civil, and attentive
to what we had to say.

The Mongols may be diGded into two classes, the
nomadic and the agricultural. The former occupy the
western and northern portion of this division of Mon-
golia, and the latter the eastern and sonthern. The
nomadic Mongols retain all the habits and peculiarities
which have distinguished such people from the veiy
earliest times. They never build substantial houses, but
live in tents. The tent is a circular frame, covered some-
times with felt, sometimes with hides ; one door facing
the south, and a hole in the centre of the top kept open
by a hook for the smoke to escape by, are the only
apertures. Eude boxes, standing around the tent inside,
form the depository for their clothes and valuables, and
are also their seats and their beds. They live in com-
panies, selecting places where there is good pasturage
and water in summer, and the shelter of a hill in winter.
Should drought occur or the pasturage fail, or any other
unpropitious circumstance happen, they immediately

NOMAD MONGOLS.

7

pack up, and move off. Hence, when travelling through
the plains, you often come upon the debris of encampments.
The men employed in the vast prairies herding their
flocks, are always on horseback ; now dashing off after
some stray animal with the speed of a racer ; then quietly
musing, or singing some of their songs recording the
deeds of their fathers ; anon, crying to the cattle, or
driving hundreds with marvellous dexterity to some
fresh pasture-ground, making them fly before them,
and wielding their long poles, like wild men, which they
really are.

The women remain in the tents, busy with household
duties, preparing food, making butter and cheese ; but
often, in an emergency, such as a sudden storm, they will
mount a horse and start off to help their lords. The
children play about the tents, and the elder ones are
employed in the fields gathering argols, which are dried
cow and camel dung, for fuel. When a stranger visits
them, the children fly in terror to their tents ; but on
making your wants duly known, then is enacted before
you the scene of patriarchal hospitality, so beautifully
depicted in Genesis, chap, xviii. 6-8. “And Abraham
hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, ‘ Make
ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and
make cakes upon the hearth.’ And Abraham ran unto
the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave
it unto a young man ; and he hasted to dress it. And
he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had
ffressed, and set it before them ; and he stood by them

8

INNEE, OR EASTERN MONGOLIA.

under the tree ; and they did eat.” Substitute a sheep
for a calf, and the description is perfect ; the laou-bing,
or broad wheaten scone, and the butter and the milk,
are the same. The animal is roasted on a rude fire ;
neither table nor forks are provided for the guests, but
a large piece is handed to you, with a huge knife to cut
the meat from the bones, and }'ou convey it to your
mouth with your hands.

The agricultural people are somewhat different ; they
form villages and have houses, sometimes circular like
their tents, but more frequently square like the Chinese.
These houses are generally built of mud, or mud-bricks,
and covered with thatch. They have the heated brick
“kang,” orbed-place, felt mats, tables, chairs, dishes,
chop-sticks, &c. ; and their houses are all full of
Chinese pictures of idols, and charms to ward off e^•ils.

Their farming implements are of the same character
with those of their neighbours the Chinese, but much
ruder ; the plough is just a combination of sticks with
a rude iron share. Their carts are extremely uncouth,
with solid wooden wheels, seldom circular, a wooden
axle not quite straight, trams and sides rough and
uneven ; it is a wonder how such vehicles get along,
yet they are constantly used. And when you meet these
carts laden with old women on their way to or from the
temples, as I have sometimes done, it is ludicrous to
see theae old, ill-clad, non-intelligent, wrinkled, grey-
haired, dried-up specimens of female humanity, rocked
from one side to the other, now holding on here, now

AGEICULTUBAL MONGOLS.

9

there, with their sons at their side driving their team.
For though the young women are fair, active, and comely,
yet when they pass into years, having no mental culture,
no good hope of a future to cheer them, they become —
as do Chinese old women — the most uncomely of human
beings.

Another mark of the improved civilization of the
agricultural Mongols is, that they place their dead in
coffins and bury them in graveyards set apart for the
dead, with mounds, and often head-pieces over them, as
the Chinese do; thus distinguishing themselves from the
nomads in the west, who still expose their dead in^ the
plains, to he devoured by vultures and wild beasts.
Though called agricultural Mongols they do not cultivate
the ground to any large extent, or for the purpose of
trading with its products; but only, it would seem, to
serve their own household wants : they still depend
greatly upon their cattle. Horsemen on fiery steeds
may be seen in these districts as in the others, flying
across the plains from one point to another, recalling
stragglers, or chasing their herds to other pastures.
Large herds of cattle everywhere abound, and milk
and butter ; and fresh, blooming women, with all the
characteristics of our country-maids at home, cheer
the weary traveller whose eye has been for a long time
repelled by the small feet and odious artificiality of the
Chinese women. One feature of rural scenery is very
common in Southern Mongolia, viz. large flocks of goats
on the hill-sides, far up in all directions, perched upon

10

INNER, OR EASTERN MONGOLIA.

the obtruding rocks. The herdsmen use a veritable
crook, with a curious bend in the end for a stone,
w'hich they sling and throw to frighten refractory
goats from going where they should not, and to bring
them home from places which their keeper could never
reach.

They live a more settled life than the other Mon-
gols, and seldom migrate, in the true sense of the term ;
although the love of roving clearly still possesses them.
They shave the head and w'ear the queue, as their fathers
did centuries before the Chinese had been forced by
their conquerors to adopt this style of wearing the hair.
Their clothes resemble their neighbours’ in the “ flowery
land,” and are generally of cotton or coarse silk; the
furniture of their houses, also, is much the same as that
of the Chinese. The Mongol race is extremely ramified
and extensive ; reaching from the Danube in Europe to
Manchuria in Asia, or rather to the Yellow Sea ; for
the Manchus are undoubtedly an offshoot of the same
great stock. With many variations in dialect, which
are ine^-itable in the circumstances, the language of the
Mongols is one, and the wTitten language is intelligible to
scholars among them throughout the whole of that vast
extent of country.

The Mongols have played a most extraordinary part
in the history of the world. They have formed, as it
were, the raw material of our race, whence the blood,
sinew, and spirit have been replenished ; refreshing
human nature just as the cold bracing winds of their

PART PLAYED IN HISTORY BY THE MONGOLS. 11

northern plateau reinvigorate our frames. Restless,
ambitious, and conscious of their own prowess, they
have been constantly sending off hordes in all direc-
tions ; first laying waste the country and making great
havoc of mankind, and then mixing with the plundered
races and introducing elements of new vigour and new
history. Witness the ravages the Goths made on
Greece in her latter days, during the reign of Claudius
the Second ; the awful desolations perpetrated by Attila,
“ the terror of man and the scourge of God,” as he
delighted to call himself, who carried his armies to
the confines of Paris. Witness also the conquests of
Genghis Khan (a.d. 1194), who overran the gi-eater
part of China and subdued nearly the whole of North
Asia ; and the ravages and desolations of his successors,
especially Timor, or Tamerlane as he is often called
(a.d. 1295), who nearly rivalled Attila in the extent
of his kingdom, and more than surpassed him in his
barbarity ; who carried his arms into Persia and Delhi,
and drove the Indians on to the Ganges, and also de-
stroyed Astrakan and the power of the Ottoman. This
man confirmed the conquest of China commenced by his
grandfather Shih-tsu, and established the famous Yuen
dynasty, which ruled over China from a.d. 1280 to
A.D. 1368. All through the coarse of their history the
Mongols were perpetually making inroads on the rich
country of China, and carrying off great quantities of
plunder and women, insomuch that the Northern Chinese
now so closely resemble the Mongols in a physical point

12

INNER, OR EASTERN MONGOLIA.

of view, that it is extremely difficult often to distinguish
the one from the other.

The Mongols of the present day possess the same
peculiarities of character. Free from the restraints of
town and the conventionalities of society, living a roving
life, having plenty of good food, fresh air, and perfect
liberty to go where they choose on the vast prairies, we
might anticipate that they would have well-developed
frames, and that the most prominent features in their
character would he actmty of body, love of liberty,
bravery, geniality, impulsiveness, and changeableness ;
going from th§ extreme of frolicksomeness to melancholy
at one unexpected leap, and, seeing few new faces, glad
to welcome friendly strangers. And such expectations
are borne out by intercourse with the people. They are,
for the most part, strong, able-bodied, well-made men,
about the average height, with black hair, faces flatter
than Europeans, and their senses keenly developed.
They are whiter than the Southern Chinese, and of a
much more unsuspicious and friendly character : in fact,
they are simply grown-up children. Eating animal food
abundantly, consuming milk, butter, and cheese, and by
no means sparing in the use of a strong whisky, which
they either distil themselves or obtain by barter, they
are generally full-blooded, with red faces ; many of
them hke our brewers’ draymen at home. Inapt at
trade and simple-minded, the Chinese And them an easy
prey, and in bartering transactions deceive the Mongols
most cruelly. Of late years, however, there appears to

CHINESE SETTLEKS.

13

be less of this roguery. Through the teaching of
experience, a middle class has sprung up between the
tricky Chinaman and the raw Mongols, who live far
away, and only occasionally visit the emporiums of trade
on the edge of China. These men now understand
the lying and fraud of the Celestials, and prove quite a
match for them. It cannot be denied, however, that
sometimes their middlemen prove as hurtful to the
simple Mongols as the members of the alien race.

For some time back Chinamen from Shan-si, Chih-li,
and Shan-tung have been creeping into Mongolia and
settling there. They have obtained possession of many
tracts of fine land, and now prosecute farming opera-
tions with great success. At first, as I have mentioned
elsewhere, they could not make much of it, the soil and
climate being so different from that which they had
been accustomed to ; but now they get on vigorously.
Fresh men are pouring in; they are every year occu-
pying more land, and are likely to jn-ove a most im-
portant element in the industry of Mongolia. They pay
a certain rent to the chief of the territory where tbeir
land lies, and also a tax to the Emperor. The Mongol
princes find it to their advantage to encourage these im-
migrants in every w’ay. The great plains are mostly in
a state of nature, producing only prairie grass, which
they yield in great abundance. The mountain districts
are very different : the valleys, being in many instances
well cultivated, yield oats, potatoes, barley, &c., and in
the more southerly parts, millet, Indian corn, and any-

14

INNER, OR EASTERN MONGOLIA.

thing that will grow in North China. In the neighbour-
hood of Pa-kow and other places, they have the mulberry-
tree, and produce a good deal of fine silk, as I shall
mention further on. Indigo and the poppy are reared
extensively in many localities, especially in the east.
Minerals are found in various places, far removed from
one another, indicating a very general diffusion.

The soil of Mongolia appears to be much more
capable of cultivation than is generally supposed. The
countless years during w'hich it has lain fallow, and the
numberless flocks and herds which have pastured upon
its natural grasses, cannot but have enriched the soil.
The frost retains the moisture in the earth during
winter, and so when summer comes the ground is fit
for produce. I found, not only in the valleys of
the mountainous districts, hut on the plains, excellent
crops of millet of all kinds, several varieties of pulse,
and barley in many quarters ; also indigo and the poppy
for opium in the large level districts on the north-east.
Judging, therefore, from the known to the unknown,
I should say that by far the larger portion of Inner
Mongolia may be laid down in crops. Some tracts are
sterile and sandy ; hut it seems obvious that a land
which yields such luxuriant crops of tall prairie grass,
capable of sustaining countless flocks and herds, would
also abundantly respond to the farmer and the plough.
And though the season is limited, yet the power of the
sun is such that it rapidly brings the crops to perfection
(as the sajung is, you can almost see them growing), and

ANIMALS— BIRDS. — CITIES.

15

thus provides for all the labours of husbandry being
completed before the frost sets in. There is, there-
fore, reason to believe that Mongolia will not always
continue a “sea of grass.” Canada and parts of North
America are in higher latitudes, and yet support large
settled populations, and are, in other respects, of great
importance.

The domestic animals comprise the camel, horse,
cow, sheep, goat, dog and pig : the dog a very large
and fierce animal, but which degenerates when removed
from its native plains. Camels are innumerable in the
west, hut few in the east. Wild animals abound :
among the mountains are tigers, panthers, wolves,
foxes, &c. ; on the plains the antelope, hare, ground-
squirrel, &c. The birds in the eastern and southern
districts much resemble those in Manchuria; and on
the plains are chiefly bustards, quails, larks, &c.,
together -n-ith all varieties of water-fowl in swamps and
lakes.

The chief city of Inner Mongolia is Je-hol, described
in my Journeys. Little need be added here, except that
the palace and park are called “ the mountain lodge for
avoiding heat,” or, in other words, the summer palace.
It is famed for its beautiful tables, boxes, &c. of inlaid
wood ; for its fanciful wooden ornaments, and for its
gold dust. The city next in importance is Do-la-nor, or
Lama-miau, also described in my Journeys. The third
place of note is Hada, which lies about lat. 42° 40', long.
119°. It is called Chi-feng-hien by the Chinese, and

16

INNER, OR EASTERN MONGOLIA.

is 450 li N.E. of Je-liol. It consists of eight streets
running at right angles, and the main- streets are about
seven or eight li (over two miles) in length. At certain
times of the year there is a great deal of business done
here : lots of tiger and other skins are procurable in
this city, and leading to it are good cart-roads. On the
north is another town called Ho-shui-tan, where there
is some little trade, especially at stated seasons.

Pa-kow {Sinice Ping-chwen-hien) lies about 180 li
E. by S. of Je-hol ; is a most important market-town,
consisting chiefly of one long street about eighteen li,
or fully five miles, in length. It lies in a very fertile
countiy, and consequently is a busy place, and full of
people. It is the centre of the silk-trade in Mongolia,
and here they produce not only the wild silk from the
worm which feeds on the oak-shrub, hut the finer
qualities requiring the presence of mulberry-trees, of
which there are large numbers : this fact speaks volumes
for the climate and for the character of the soil.

Monasteries are very numerous. Chief among them
are those in the neighbourhood of Je-hol, which are
described at some length in my Journeys. Here I
may add, on the authority of Mr. Edkins, that the
Budala, or the most prominent temple of the whole,
“ is in form like the Dalai Lama’s palace in Thibet.”*
There is a story which I have often heard, that this
temple was built by Kien-loong for his mother, in order
to prevent her going to the famous temples on the
* See North China Branch of Asiatic Journal, for 1866, p. 110.

BUDDHIST MONASTERIES.

17

island of Poo-too, near Chusan. A suit of armour
worn by Kien-loong lies in this monastery, an offering
to Buddha. The monastery next in importance here
is called Tesh-lhumbo ; the others are temples where
Manchu priests reside, and where liturgical services
are read in the Manchu language. The group of
monasteries next in rank are those at Do-la-nor.
Those third in rank are situated approximately, lat.
42° 30', long. 121° 20' ; they are called Gegensum,
or “ The temple of a living Buddha,” and there are no
fewer than 5,000 priests. Eighty miles from Je-hol
is another monastery, with 2,000 lamas.'" Scattered
throughout the whole countiy are monasteries of greater
or lesser extent, crowded with priests. It is said that
the present dynasty encourages the Mongols to become
lamas, to keep down the population, and so limit the
power of this race. The services are very elaborate and
well worth seeing; those who have no opportunity of
travelling inland may see them performed in the Yoong-
ho-kung Lamasery, in Peking, any morning they please
to go.

Education is not generally attended to. There is a
school at the residences of each of the chiefs, where
Chinese, Mongol, and Manchu are taught ; and there
may be one here and there in a populous district :
but certainly schools are not numerous. The sons of
the princes and the chief men go to school and acquire
a knowledge, usually, of these three languages, this
* See Edkins’ Hsi'aiic Journa/, p. 104.

VOL. II.

30

18

INNER, OR EASTERN MONGOLIA.

being indispensable to Government employment ; and
the sons of the common people who become lamas
receive a certain kind of education at the lamasery
or monaster}^ ; but the others do not appear to be
provided for.

The Mongols are naturally of a markedly religious
temperament. This is forced upon the attention of
travellers in every possible way ; such as by charms on
their doors, small flags flying on their houses or tents,
small shrines with incense and idols in every dwelling,
and their extraordinary pilgi’images. Companies are
often met on their way to celebrated lamaseries in far
distant regions in Shan-si, or Thibet ; and not un-
frequently men, and sometimes women, may be seen
travelling from inland districts to Woo-tai-shan, the
sacred hill in Shan-si, measuring the way hy prostra-
tions, which must cause them terrible fatigue.

Another mark of their extraordinary religious pro-
pensity is the number of sons who become lamas or
priests ; always one or two, and very often three out of
four of the sons of a family, devote themselves to this
profession. They enter the lamasery at an early age,
from eight to twelve, study the Pali language, and learn
to read the Buddhist prayers in that character. They
are celibates, but seem to enjoy life in some measure.
As they often obtain leave of absence and return to Ausit
their homes, the traveller very frequently meets a red
or yellow-robed lama, or a party of them mounted on
fine ponies, galloping across the country. Moreover,

LAMAISM. — THE GREEK CHURCH.

19

among the nomadic tribes a priest is allotted to every
family: this priest travels -with them, acts as inter-
preter, and transacts any business that may be done
between them and a Chinaman or foreigner. There are
also many priests in every village in the agricultui-al
districts.

The religion which prevails among them is that
form of Buddhism called Lamaism, which has its focus
at Lassa, in Thibet. It was introduced from India, and
gi-afted on to an earlier and purer, though ruder form
of an ancient religion. It still retains not a few traits
of the old rites, and gives some very significant indi-
cations of connection with some of the early ceremonies
of the Christian church. For many centuries the
Eoman Catholics have made great efibrts to spread
their form of religion among the Mongolian tribes, and
at present have a considerable number of missionaries
engaged in that work. *

The Greek Church, under the patronage of the
Eussian Government, has also of late manifested a
deep interest in the spiritual welfare of the Mongols.
They have established missions in several important
localities, and are carrying them on with zeal and
intelligence ; and, what is most satisfactorj’, the views
of divine truth held by the present heads of that church
in Asia are clear and evangelical. Mr. Edkins, of
Peking, had lately the pleasure of perusing a recent
charge issued by the Bishop of Trans-Baikal, and he

* See Hue’s History of Christianity in China.

20

■ INNEE, OE EASTEEN MONGOLIA.

assured me tliat it was worthy of being set beside many
of the charges of modern missionary bishops. The
worship of Mary and the saints was alluded to, hut in a
great measure ignored, and Christ Jesus was set forth
as the great mediator between God and man. And as
another proof of the changed character of the hierarchy
of the Greek Church in this quarter of the world, I may
mention that they now use that translation of the Scrip-
tures in the Mongolian language which was made by
Messrs. Swan and Stallyhrass of the London Missionary
Society, and also the school-books prepared by them pre-
vious to their expulsion. Two large cases of these Scrip-
tures have lately been purchased by the Kussiaus from
the British and Foreign Bible Society, and forwarded
to the Buriats via Peldng. Nor is this all ; they have
been purchasing Scriptures and portions of Scriptures
in the Manchu language for the use of Manchu tribes
on the Amoor ; and have recently completed a translation
of the New Testament in Chinese for the use of their
converts among that people, and for evangelical work
among the Chinese generally. But perhaps the most
interesting fact of all is that which the archimandrite at
Peking told me two years ago, viz. that they had now
established missions all throughout Siberia, and had
missionaries in all the important centres — such as they
are — on the north of the Amoor, and on the remotest
confines of Asia, both on the north and east. I know
from other sources that the settlements on the Amoor
and the Channel of Tartary have each a priest. To

KUSSIAN MISSIONS.

21

avoid giving false impressions, I may say that these men
are not to be compared in point of intelligence, culture,
or character to Protestant missionaries ; hut it is a
matter of no small joy to know that the great funda-
mental truths of our faith are now being disseminated
in these inhospitable and remote parts of the world, in
many cases by men of piety and devotion. This is the
more gi’atifying from the fact that the Piussian Govern-
ment still continues intolerant of all but its own
church, and will not permit missionaries of other com-
munions to proceed to Russian territories. Few places
now remain unvisited by the messengers of the gospel.
Here, in the presence of a most formidable and hostile
Government, where we had little expectation of ever
being able to carry the message of salvation — God
raises up men and uses the truth, though in a measure
darkened by superstition, to convert a people to Him-
self. We cannot despair of the ultimate triumph of
Christianity when we find that within the limits of the
Russian Empire itself, and with the full sanction of the
Government, Russians are preaching the Gospel in the
remotest and most inaccessible parts of the world.

( 22 )

CHAPTER II.

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

Definition of Manchuria — Southern Manchuria — Three Visits — Aspect
of the Plain and Hills — Fertility of Hill Country — Variations of
Temperature — Resemblance of Flora to that of England — Fauna —
Peculiar species of Lark — Hot Springs — ^The Great Highways —
Neglected Roads — Chief Cities — Trading Towns — Seaports —
Villages and Hamlets — Chinese Colonization — Agricultural Pro-
duce— Coal and Peat — Iron, Gold, and Silver — Manchuria and
Canada compared — Development of the Country.

Manchuria may be said to lie within north latitude 39°
and 49° and east longitude 120° and 133°. These lines
embrace the limits in both directions, but the bulk of
the country lies like a parallelogram across the map,
north-east by south-west, and measures approximately
800 miles in length and 500 miles in breadth. It is;
bounded on the south by the Gulf of Pe-chih-li and the
highlands of Corea ; on the east hy the River Usuri,.
which divides it from the newly-acquired Russian terri-
tory ; on the north by the Amoor ; and on the west by
the Rivers Nonni, Soongari, and the South-western Pali-
sades. It is divided into three provinces — viz., Liau-
toong, Kirin, and Tsi-tsi-har, or, to suit English ears,
the southern, central, and northern provinces.

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

23

Southern Manchuria may be described as an irre-
gular triangle, whose apex is projected southwards into
the Gulf of Pe-chih-li, the waters of which wash it on
the east and west. I have paid three visits to this
country : the first in the spring of 1864 ; the second in
April, 1866 ; and the third in the autumn of 1867 :
on which occasion I made two journeys, the one north-
w'ards via Hai-ching and Liau-yang to Mouk-den (also
called Shin-yang), the capital of Manchuria ; and the
other round the promontory, crossing it twice, going as
far as the Gate of Corea, and visiting every place of
any importance both on the seaboard and inland.

Southern Manchuria may he divided into two
distinct regions, the one a plain, and the other an
elevated country full of high rnountains. A line
drawn from West King-chow-foo (lat. 41° 12' N., long.
121° 10' E.) north-east to Shin-yang, thence south by
west through Liau-yang and Hai-ching to Kai-chow
and the sea, gives the level country on the south, and
the mountains on the north and east. The former is
an alluvial deposit, extremely fertile, except contiguous
to the sea, where that saline exudation so common in
the North of China interferes fatally with the pro-
ductiveness of the soil. The other portion consists of
huge mountain masses, interspersed with fertile and
sometimes extensive valleys. The masses of moun-
tains appear to lie in no determined direction, but
careful observation shows that the prevailing line is
north by south, while there are several ranges of great

24

SOUTHEEX MANCHUEIA.

length whose direction no one can mistake, and which
lie north h}" south, or north-east by south-west.

The plain is monotonous and in some places dreary,
especially in proximity to the coast, and yet it has its
charms ; fine crops of millet and other grain, and clusters
of tall trees, embowering in their foliage large villages
with a busy population. The crack of the whip, the
joyous song of the ploughman, and the various labours
of the husbandman, delight the visitor in summer ; and
numerous lagoons, swarming with waterfowl, render the
bleakest parts interesting at most seasons of the year.
The soil generally tends to he swampy, and few travel-
lers fall in love with this region, for one day’s rain will
often make the roads utterly impassable for carts ; and
the wight caught in such a misfortune has a sad time
of it — his cart floundering out of one black pool into
another, now in the roads, then in the fields, plunging
and splashing at the rate of a mile an hour — men,
beasts, and carts covered with mud.

The hill-country is extremely picturesque : ever-
changing views, torrents and fountains, varied and
abounding vegetation, flocks of black-cattle grazing on
the hill-sides, goats perched on the overhanging crags,
horses, asses, and sheep on the less elevated regions,
numerous well-built hamlets, everywhere enliven the
scene ; while a clear blue canopy overspreading all, and
fine bracing air, make the country delightful to the
traveller.

The eastern side of the promontory differs in a

FOEM OF LAND— CLIMATE.— SEASONS.

25

perceptible measure from tbe western. The water-
shed is not in the centre, but nearer the western shore ;
making a rough estimate, one-third of the country
lies towards the west, whilst two-thirds appear on the
eastern side. This affects the climate, the fertility of
the soil, and the productions of the country. Towards
the east and south, the slopes are more gentle, and
consequently more exposed to the rays of the sun ;
moreover, they receive the south-west monsoon, laden
with its fructifying vapours. As a consequence, we
found this district of the country abounding in all
kinds of gi'ain, and especially jdelding an immense
quantity of Indian corn, which is exported to Shan-tung
and the South.

The climate of Manchuria includes the extremes of
heat and cold ; in summer, the temperature varies
from 70° to 90°, and in winter from 50° above to 10°
below zero. The rivers are generally frozen over by
about the 20th November, and are not navigable till the
middle of March. The seasons may be divided thus, —
six weeks of spring, five months of summer, then six
weeks of autumn, and four months of winter. The
crops grow and come to perfection in a few months,
and by the end of October everything is safely housed.
The winter generally begins with a snow-storm, after
which the weather clears up and hard dry frost sets
in, which continues, with the relief of a fall of snow
now and then, till the sun asserts its supremacy. The
winter is very enjoyable ; if warmly clad, you can scour

26

SOUTHEKN MANCHURIA.

the country in all directions, marsh, lake, or river pre-
senting no obstacle. Carts go in a straight line
■wherever they please, and it is during winter that the
great hulk of the pulse-crop is brought down to the
seaports, and there stored for shipment when the rivers
open. Such in general is true in reference to climate ;
but the physical character of the country produces some
modifications. Among the hills the extremes are not
so great ; the summer heat being not nearly so intense.
In several places on the eastern coast, especially in the
neighbourhood of Sui-yen, the climate is comparatively
moist. The high ranges of mountains appear to attract'
and condense the clouds, so that the atmosphere there
is more like some parts of Europe than Asia. I men-
tion this, as every one knows that a moist climate is a
great desideratum in the North of China. But it is
very different in the basin of the Liau-ho, where the
flat surface, hardened by the sun, in summer reflects
his rays, and in winter radiates the cold. Yet even at
Ying-tsze — the least pleasantly situated spot — the cli-
mate is extremely healthy. My esteemed friend Dr.
Watson assures me that serious sickness is very rare
amongst the foreign residents.

In my journeys I met with many plants and shrubs
which I little expected. Among the first which strike
the visitor on landing, are the common dock-weed and
dandelion ; and these prevail all over the country.
Rushes, strange to say, are triangular in stem and not
round. Advancing inwards, we meet several varieties of

EESEMBLANCE TO HOME SCENERY.

27

the daisy, only more scraggy than “ the wee modest crim-
son-tipped flower” at home. On dry elevated soil, are
found the iris and pink, and the common Scotch thistle;
on yet higher ground, the bluebell is seen hang-
ing in huge clusters on the sides of the ravines, and
the larkspur and other familiar flowers in wild luxuri-
ance. Among the hills hawthorn flourishes in great
abundance, and the dog-rose peeps out among the brush-
wood. Ferns (which I have met nowhere else in the
North of China) wave in the shade of the rocks or cluster
round the roots of the trees. The mistletoe, that beau-
tiful parasite consecrated by Druidical superstition and
by the more sacred associations of Christmas, is found in
profusion in many of the valleys, especially about Kai-
chow, and between Fung-whang-chung and Hai-ching.
The willow, oak, birch, ash, poplar, elm, cedar, common
fir, hazel, and varieties of well-known brushwood, &c., are
found in all directions ; and the weeping willow, gi-ow-
ing generally in the neighbourhood of hamlets, adds a
charm to the scene. Indeed, were an English schoolboy
transported to Manchuria in autumn, he would hardly
recognize any difierence from home ; he would find
“ hips and haws ” and hazel-nuts to his heart’s con-
tent, and the cry of the pheasants and the warbling
of the birds would deepen the illusion. The haws are
somewhat larger ; sometimes, as in Shan-tung, as large
as crab-apples, but are true haws ; they are dipped in
boiling sugar and sold in the streets, and also made
into jam, but often eaten raw. The only tree really

28

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

conspicuous by its absence is tbe rowan or mountain-
ash.

The fauna do not present such striking resemblances,
though they comprehend many familiar animals. The
fox, wild-cat, and hare are common ; but there is the
tawny striped tiger, measuring ten feet to the root of tail,
and the wolf and wild-boar, which abound towards the
north and on the confines of Corea. The feathered tribes
are more like our own, embracing wild geese, ducks, teal,
snipe, pheasants, partridges, multitudes of rooks, jack-
daws, ravens, magpies, pigeons, wild and tame, larks,
thrushes, linnets, &c. The domestic fowls are of the
same species as our own, not long-legged lanky Cochin
Chinas, but round plump decent Dorkings. One bird
deserves special notice, inasmuch as I have hot found it
described even in recent works on natural history ; it
is a species of lark, having the long straight hind spur
peculiar to that genus, and possessing the faculties
peculiar to the mocking-bird. It is peculiar to Man-
churia, and is exported in great numbers to the northern
provinces of China, where it is highly prized : there are
few families in the north that do not possess one or
more ; it may be seen in a cage hanging over the door,
and frequently youths carry the bird about in their
walks for amusement. It imitates birds to perfection,
and it is amusing to hear it trill out their songs and
cries in rapid succession : it readily learns to mew like a
cat or bark like a dog, and picks up all sorts of noises
in its neighbourhood. The bird is somewhat longer

PECULIAR BIRD. — RIVER TRAEFIC.

29

than the common lark, has a thick short bill, slightly
hooked upper mandible, is characterized by a white
collar round its neck, black patch underneath on the
right and left of the breast, whitish belly, earthy brown
back, with some white feathers in the wings, while the
long outer feathers of tail and wings are black. It
builds on the gi’ound among the long grass, sings in
spring and early summer, and possesses the other pecu-
liarities of the true lark. Several times we saw the
beautiful Manchurian crane, grus montignesia, which
has perpetuated the name of M. de Montigny, late of
Shanghai.

There are only two rivers of any importance in this
quarter of Manchuria, namely, the Liau-ho and the
Ta-yang-ho. The former rises in Mongolia, and after
pursuing an easterly course of about 400 miles, turns
southwards and pours its waters into the gulf of Liau-
tung. Within 150 years, large junks used to go up
the river as far as the city of Newchwang ; hut, owing
either to silt, or, as I am inclined to think, in conse-
quence of the rising of the land, they can only now
reach the town called Ying-tsze, — where the foreign
settlement is, — about twenty miles from the bar. Here,
however, there is plenty of water for ships of large
tonnage, and the river is about 650 feet wide. The
tide affects the stream for many miles ; small junks can
yet ascend to Newchwang and boats as far as Mouk-den :
at high water there may be about sixteen feet on the bar.
The other river rises among the hills about lat. 41 N.

30

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

and long 123° 30' E., receives a gi-eat many minor
streams, but especially one from the borders of Corea,
and flows southwards, pouring itself into the north of
the Gulf of Pe-chih-li.

Hot springs are found in several localities, viz.
about one mile south-west of Ning-yuen ; twelve miles
north-east of Hai-ching ; about eleven miles south of
Hyong-yao ; twenty-five miles from Fung-wang-ching in
the wild silk districts ; and on the high-road to Corea
between the Corean Gate and the Ya-lu River. There
are bath-houses at each of these places for the conveni-
ence of visitors, and generally one bath reserved for the
wealthy. They vary in temperature, volume, and cha-
racter ; those at Ning-yuen are the hottest, and rush out
into the bath in volume about one foot square ; the
springs at Hai-ching average about 90° Fahrenheit. The
baths on the highway to Corea are in ruins, but the
blocks of stone lying about indicate former gi-andeur.
The springs south of Hyong-yao are more sulphureous
than the others. One peculiarity deseiwes notice ; they
do not so manifestly lie all in the same parallel of
latitude as those in Shan-tung ; but a look at the map
will show that they approximate sufficiently to warrant
some attention to the subject. Moreover, they nearl}’’
coincide in direction with the springs in the north of
Chih-li.

First among the great roads stands the imperial
highway, which runs from Peking through the Great
•■Wall at Shan-hai-kwan, along the shore of the Gulf of

GEEAT HIGHWAYS.

31

Pe-chih-li on to Mouk-clen. Thus far it has watch-towers
every ten li (three and a third miles), regular guard-
houses, and all the appurtenances of these gi-eat roads ;
only like the jest it is now in a state of decay. Passing
through Mouk-den this highway sends off a branch to
Corea, while the main road continues on to Kirin, where
it again bifurcates, one branch going via A-she-hoh to
San-sing, the limits of the Empire in this direction, and
the other via Ningu-ta and Hun-chun to the sea at
Poissiet. The second great road runs from Ying-tsze,
the port of Newchwang, through Mouk-den, where it
diverges N. by W. to Fa-kwho-mun ; thence through
Mongolia to Kwun-chung-tsze and Pe-tu-na, and then
to Tsi-tsi-nar, Mergen, and the Amoor. A third great
road proceeds from Ying-tsze to Kai-chow, thence S. to
Fu-chow, where it divides — one branch going S. to Kdn-
chow and end of the promontory, and the other S.E. to
Pi-tsze-woa. Another road goes from Ying-tsze via
Sui-yen to Fung-whang-chung and the Gate of Corea.
Besides these, there are minor roads in all directions,
to all the chief villages, and by means of them you can
go entirely round the promontory.

These roads may be said to he in a state of nature ;
no one looks after them, nor is there any toll, except at
the passes leading into Mongolia. In the level districts
they are neither more nor less than lines of deep ruts,
irregular and uneven, which in course of time would
become utterly impassable were it not for the rain,
which obviates the evil by washing them all into a

32

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

common puddle. When tlie rain ceases, carts then
plunge through them, leaving new tracks which the
sun hardens, and this process of repair is perpetually
repeated. The roads are provided with good ferries at
all the rivers, and the inns, which occur every few li,
are much better than the hostelries in Shan-tung and
Chih-li.

Moukdeu (lat. 41° 40', long. 130° 30'), more com-
monly called Shin-yang, is the capital of Manchuria. It
lies on the north of the river Shin, an affluent of the
Liau-ho, and is very pleasantly situated. It is a large
city with eight gates ; the streets are w'ell laid out
and full of good shops. It is an emporium of native
goods, and the seat of considerable distributing trade.
We found many foreign commodities for sale, as
Russian cloth, Manchester goods, foreign iron, matches,
&c. Fur-shops stocked with fine furs are numerous in
the great east and west street. There are also several
large book- shops, which speaks well for the literary taste
of the people. There is a bell and a drum tower, a
perfect gradation of mandarin offices, and all the para-
phernalia of a provincial capital. The city was full of
people, and everything had a well-to-do look about it.
Population 150,000 to 200,000. The southern and
western suburbs are likewise very extensive.*

West King-chow-foo, lat. 41° 12', long. 121° 10',
stands next in importance. It lies not far from the
sea, and has a considerable trade in general goods.

♦ For further remarks on all these towns see Journeys.

VARIOUS CITIES.

33

Liau-yang, lat. 41° 18', long. 123° 10', once the
capital, embraces within its walls a large area of ground,
much of which is now under cultivation, chiefly as vege-
table-gardens. In the centre of the city there are many
large and excellent shops, and there appears to be a
good amount of country trade.

Hai-ching, lat. 40° 52', long. 122° 40', is much
smaller in circumference than Liau-yang, hut has about
an equal amount of business. The shops were well
stocked and the people well to do.

Kai-chow, lat. 40° 30', long. 128° 18', is more compact
than either Hai-ching or Liau-yang, and has a consider-
able trade. It lies not far from the sea, and a good
many junks visit the seaport, a few li distant, which is
connected with it, and thus there is some export and
import trade.

Fuchow, lat. 39° 50', long. 121° 38', is a neat well-
built city, but of little importance except as the centre
of some country trade.

South Kin-chow, lat 39° 10', long. 121° 36', is larger
than Fuchow, with walls equally good. It has about the
same amount of business, hut is a much less pleasant
city. It is washed by the sea, but, owing to the
character of the coast, no junks can trade in the neigh-
bourhood. They accordingly visit the smaller seaports
on the south-west, or Ta-lien-wan Bay on the south-
east.

Tie-ling lies about 40 miles from Mouk-den, north by
east. It is not large, hut compact, and has a moderate

31

VOL. II.

34

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

amount of business ; the eastern suburbs are compara-
tively large, and tbe chief warehouses and most impor-
tant business is transacted there. It has a bell-tower,
and is very prettily situated. Population, say 20,000,
Not far from it (5 li) is a large village on the Liau-ho
river, where there is a good deal of shipping-trade in
small junks : it is the port of Tie-ling.

Kai-yuen is much larger than Tie-ling, and lies
twenty miles from it towards the north-east ; the walls
enclose a large space, and a good deal of business is
done. Shortly before we visited the city a most destruc-
tive fire had broken out, which destroyed between 200 and
300 houses. The principal scene of the conflagration
was in the neighbourhood of the market-place, so that
the centre of the city was heaps of ruins ; but the people
did not seem much distressed about it, and there was
every indication that the disaster would soon be re-
paired. The population would be about 35,000.

Kwang-ning-hien and I-chow are two small cities on
the west of the Liau-ho, and are not of much commercial
importance.

Sui-yen, lat. 40° 15', long. 123° 18'; Foong-whang-
chung, lat. 40° 32', long. 124° 4'; Newchwang, lat. 41°,
long. 122° 30', are quite unlike those above described.
The former are bond, fide Chinese cities, within high
walls, with good gates, &c. ; but the latter are peculiar in
this respect, that the city proper is a comparatively small
square enclosure, with a moderately high wall, occupied
almost exclusively by the mandarin offices, while all

MODERN AND RUINED CITIES.

35

the business is done in the suburbs, which are extensive
and regularly laid out. The chief street in the suburbs
of Sui-yen is about a mile long, and contains many good
shops. It is famed for marble and finely-veined stones,
and many persons find their occupation in cutting and
polishing marble ornaments of various descriptions.

Fung-whang-chung has a good countiy trade, and
exceeds Sui-yen in population and importance. Being
nearest to Corea, it has gathered some notoriety as the
emporium of Corean goods, and is the first place where
the Chinese and Corean officials exchange courtesies, as
the embassy from the latter country passes on to Peking.

The native city of Newchwang is larger than either
Sui-yen or Fung-whang-chung, but the suburbs are
much less extensive. The place is famous for its excel-
lent w’ater, which is used in the manufacture of whisky ;
it is also noted for the production of saltpetre.

Hing-king, Sinice Lau-chung, was once a cele-
brated city, being the birthplace of the founders of the
present dynasty, but is now a veiy poor town ; there is
no trade, and it has few inhabitants. The ancestral tombs
lie in the neighbourhood, and are much cared for. In
Southern and also in Central Manchuria there are a
great many ruins of old cities, once famous, which still
retain their names on the maps, and mislead many : as,
for example, Yau-chu, east of Ying-tsze, Yong-ning-
kyen, Hung-tsin, Lwang-ku, and Ye-ho, which should
aU be obliterated.

The places described above are the cities. We now

36

SOUTHEEN MANCHUEIA.

speak of the market-towns. Fa-kwho-mun is a trading
town in one of the chief passes into Mongolia, about
fifty miles north hy west from Shin-yang. The greater
part of the produce of Eastern Mongolia passes through
its gates, and it also stands on the highway from Eastern
Mongolia to Peking ; it is, therefore, a place of some
note. It is situated on the slopes of an undulating
country, and has a considerable population.

Sing-min-tun (40° 40' N.E. and 122° 50° E.),
as the Chinese call it, is a market-town on the west of
the Liau-ho river, about 15 li from its hank. It has a
great reputation for trade, and about 30,000 inhabitants.
It lies about 120 li, or 35 miles, nearly due west from
Mouk-den, or Shin-yang, and on the great highway to
Peking.

Tien-chwang-tai (lat. 46° 54', long. 122° 6') lies
close on the western hank of the Liau-ho river, about
twenty-five miles north-west of Ying-tsze. It was once
the chief port of Southern Manchuria, hut has greatly
fallen off since the opening of Ying-tsze, which is
nearer the sea. It is still, however, a place of consi-
derable importance, with a gi*eat many junks constantly
trading there. Its population is reckoned about 25,000.
It serves as an entrepot for the country west of the
Liau-ho.

Hu-chwang-tun is about eighteen miles east of Ying-
tsze. It is famous for its cattle-market, which is held
every three or four days ; cattle-dealers and farmers
come from very distant places to buy and sell. It lies

MAKKET-TOWNS AND SEAPOETS.

37

just on the verge of the hilly district, and is very pretty
in summer.

Pun-shi-hu is celebrated for coal and u-on, and has a
considerable population. It lies fifty miles north-east
of Liau-yang.

Sa-ma-gi, like Pun-shi-hu, is a coal and iron dis-
trict, famous all over the country. It is about fifty
miles north by west of Fung-whang-chung.

Sha-ho is a small market-town about midway between
Ying-tsze and Mouk-den.

Kien-chang (or the place for soda) is about seventy-
five miles north of Fung-whang-chung, and is a town of
some trade and population.

As might be inferred from the character of the
country, there are many seaports along the coast, but
only three of any note. The first, and chief, is YTng-
tsze, on the Liau-ho, where the foreign settlement is
established. The main-street is fully two miles in
length, the native warehouses are most extensive, and
the trade is very large. Junks from all quarters visit it,
and the foreign shipping is now considerable. The sea-
port next in magnitude is Ta-ku-shan, lat. 39° 55', long.
123° 52', on the Ta-yang-ho, about twelve miles from
the Yellow Sea. Like Ying-tsze, it possesses many
large native warehouses, and is the medium through
which a very large amount of produce from the North is
exported ; it competes with Ying-tsze for the trade in
pulse and bean-cake. We met great quantities of goods
on their way to this port ; and there was a gi’eat

38

SOUTHEEN MANCHUEIA.

amount of native shipping in the harbour, but chiefly
junks of second and third class. Opposite the town,
the river is about four hundred yards wide, a fine broad
flowing stream ; the tide rises and falls a good many
feet, thus facilitating navigation : but the bar is more
formidable than at Ying-tsze — so much so, that large
southern junks find it advisable to discharge their
cargoes outside. Like Ying-tsze, the river is frozen
over from the end of November till March. Another
harbour of some note is that called Pi-tsze-woa, lat.
39° 18', long. 122° 18', on the sea. The harbour is
defended from all winds by rocks, which form a semicircle
around it. Unfortunately the water is shallow, and
many of the junks are left high and dry when the tide
is out. This could be remedied by a pier, and it would
be worth while to construct one, for the place has the
great advantage of being open all the year round. The
warehouses are also large, and the import and export
trade considerable.

Chief among the numerous minor seaports is Ta-
lien-wan Bay, to which I have directed attention else-
where. Next stands the port of West King-chow-foo,
which is visited by a good many junks, but can never,
from its exposure and the shallowness of the water, be
of much importance.

Villages of large size are much less frequent than in
China (except in some parts of the alluvial plain).
Instead we have hamlets here and there all over the
country — embryo villages which one day will doubtless

POPULATION OF THE PKOVINCE.

89

rival their progenitors on the mainland. They are
generally situated in pleasant localities, and are well
built of good stone. As a rule the people are peaceably
disposed ; in all my travels, in regions near and
remote, in the plain and among the mountains, I
have never met the slightest molestation : I have
heard of robbers and mounted banditti, but have had
the good fortune to meet with none.

The late T. T. Meadows, Esq., H.B.M.’s Consul, who
had travelled extensively over the province, estimated the
population to be about 12,000,000, and I am inclined
to think the number not far wrong. The population
consists of Manchus and Chinese. Originally it was the
abode of the former, but they have in a great measure
migrated northwards, and the country has been occu-
pied chiefly by immigrants from Shan-tung. A propor-
tion of aborigines still remain ; in some places as many
as one in three, in other places only one in ten. All
those who have remained behind have invariably settled
down as farmers, or in some other definite occupation,
and are assimilating themselves to the Chinese in almost
every respect. Some of the more aged still speak the
Manchu language ; but in addition, they all speak the
Mandarin colloquial, and the youths are taught from
Chinese books in their schools, just as in other parts of
the empire. In some places youths are instructed in
the klanchu character after they are acquainted with the
Chinese ; but such instances are rare, and the Manchu
language is evidently dying out. The prevailing portion

40

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

of the inhabitants are thus Chinese, and have introduced
all the peculiarities of their fatherland into their adopted
country.

The population being less dense, the soil fertile, and
the country new, the people have more money to spare
than in Shan-tung and elsewhere on the mainland, and,
on the whole, are extremely comfortable. The head men
of hamlets generally club together and invite over some
poor scholars from their native place to instruct their
progeny ; and thus education is diffused among the
rural districts as well as in the cities. Year by year
great numbers of coolies come over and make high
wages as labourers ; many go hack carrying their
earnings with them, while others invite their families
over and settle down permanently ; thus, annually,
they add to their numbers. When travelling among
them, it was interesting and amusing to find them
eagerly inquiring of my assistants, who were from
Shan-tung and Chih-li, where they came from ; and
if it happened, as it often did, that one or other was
acquainted with their native districts, they had no end
of questions about their kindred and friends, just as
old colonists all the world over assail emigrants fresh
from home.

The bulk of the population is engaged in agi-iculture
and in trades hearing upon that pursuit, as blacksmiths,
carpenters, carters, &c. Some are employed in mining
operations, and others in fishing ; but these are only a
small fraction of the population. Cotton cloth and silk

CROPS AND COTTON PRODUCE.

41

are manufactured to a small extent by the farmers and
their families in their leisure time.

The crops raised are diverse and important. When-
ever spring permits, wheat and harley are the first
things attended to ; they are sown at once and are
ripe by the beginning of June. In the extreme south
the ground is again prepared and pulse put in, which
in its turn is ready for harvest in October ; thus they
have two crops in the year. After the wheat and harley
are sown they prepare for millet, maize, potatoes, &c.,
of which they have only one crop. Kice gi-ows all over
the country, and the quality is excellent, possessing more
of the farinaceous element than that of the south ; it is
plentiful and cheap, and is highly prized by the people,
who despise the other kind as watery. It is sown
about the end of April on dry soil, just like wheat, never
irrigated, gi-ows well, and jdelds an abundant return.
Here, again, we have another fact which confuses all
our generalisations as to zones of vegetation.

Cotton is grown in several places in considerable
quantities ; the producing districts being King-chow-foo,
Hai-ching and Liau-yang, and Hyong-yau south of Kai-
chow. The staple is fair and the colour good, and it
could be grown in much greater quantities if necessary.
The seeds are sown towards the close of April, and the
cotton plucked in October ; the seed is steeped in
liquid manure before sowing, and this is the sum total
of the labour expended upon it : it is never irrigated,
but left to the influence of the weather. An acre, on

42

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

the average, produces 200 catties of wool, exclusive of
seeds, and it is sold for 200 cash per catty. The oil
is expressed from the seeds and used for a variety of
purposes ; the refuse, moulded in the form of a small
cheese or cake, is used for feeding cattle ; the roots,
stalks, and branches are burnt for fuel, and thus every
particle of the plant is utilised. As I have elsewhere
hinted, seed from this region might grow and be re-
munerative in many places of central Europe. Pulse
is grown in all directions, and is one of the most
important crops ; there are several varieties, as in
Shan-tung, and the pm-poses for which it is used are
much the same. Hemp and jute are widely cultivated,
and the fibre makes excellent ropes. The mulberry-tree
and the silk produced from it are very rare, but the
common coarse ponjee silk can be had in any quantity,
and could he gro'wn to any extent among the mountains.

Indigo is produced in immense quantities to the
north of Mouk-den. We met strings of carts of seven
and eight mules each, day after day, in om- journeys,
conveying this commodity to the south for sale and
exportation. Each cart carried about 2,000 catties, and
we met from twenty to forty carts per diem ; and as we
were told the carting continued more or less for six
weeks, the sum total must he prodigious : and it is by
no means confined to that locality ; we found it in several
places in the centre of the country and on the north-east
coast. The quality appears to be excellent, and it de-
serves the attention of our merchants. Tobacco is grown

INDIGO— OILS. — COAL.

43

extensively and is largely exported. It is liighly relished
for its flavour, and brings a good price in the south.

Oil is extracted from several plants, chief among
which is the Sesamum, which yields an oil much used
in cooking. Next is hemp, the oil of which is used
both for cooking and lamps. The castor-oil plant is also
cultivated, and, as elsewhere, with jute, form the hedges
on the roadsides, because cattle will not eat them. The
oil from the castor-oil plant is used, not so much for
medicine, as for lamps and cooking ; innkeepers use it
largely, to compensate, I suppose, for vegetables ;
travellers not having much time to wait, this oil is
mixed up with their wheaten scones and other food, and
so serves its purpose excellently. They also express oil
from the kernels of peaches, apricots, &c. ; in fact there
is nothing which will yield a useful oil which is not
tried.

Not only is the soil fertile and the crops varied, hut
the coun#i-y underneath is rich in minerals. Coal
prevails extensively in all parts of the country ; we
found it both in the north and the south, in common
use among the people. One of the chief producing
districts lies in the north-east of Liau-yang. In this
locality two places stand out prominently — one called
Ma-kia-kow, about 60 li or 18 miles north-east of that
city, and the other Pun-shi-hu, about the same distance
from the former place in the same direction. The coal is
good and used for all purposes. Another coal-producing
district lies 90 li south of the city of Fu-chow, in close

44

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

proximity to the coast. Junks can come close to the
pits, and thus gr-eat quantities are exported, especially
to the eastern portion of the province of Shan-tung.
The seams appear to be of great thickness : in reply to
my inquiries, the people informed me that they could
not speak definitely on this point ; but said that coal ex-
isted in all directions, and that the mine was not only
in front of them, hut above and beneath them, and that
they dug out from the heart of it. Referring to the state
in which the coal was brought out — chiefly small — they
said they could not mine it in lumps, hut referred me
to another region where coal was obtained in large
pieces. I heard of other mines now closed ; one
alluded to with great interest by the natives, lies, lat.
39° 30', long 122° 10', in the neigbourhood of Poo-la-
dien, a place near the centre of the promontory. Here
coal had been mined up to the middle of last year, and
the quality was reported to have been very fine. Another
place was the smaller of the two islands to the south-
west of south Kin-chow, called Siau-yen-tau, and yet
another contiguous to the sea on the Ta-lien-wan Bay,
south by east of the same city. Besides these, coal is
also reported to exist to the east of the Ta-yang-ho.

Peat is found in great abundance along the east of
the promontory. TTe met it first at the seaport of Pi-
tsze-woa, and our wonder and amusement were extreme
when, two days afterwards, we found it at every inn, and
huge stacks of it carefully built up in every farmyard —
“peat reek” perfuming everything, and a peat bog

IRON ORE. — GOLD.— SILVER.

45

all along the line of the great road for fully fifty miles.
We saw the cuttings from which the peat was obtained,
and walls of it to a great height in process of drpng.
The peat is black, not the brown variety.

Two districts are famed throughout the country as
producing iron. The first, Pun-shi-hoo, previously
mentioned, where coal is likewise mined, and the other
Sa-ma-gi. The iron differs in quality ; that yielded by
the former place being much harder, and taking on a
finer edge and polish than the latter. The ore must
be extremely abundant, as, excepting what has of late
been bought at the foreign market, these districts supply
the w’ants of the whole country. The island on the
west of the extreme end of the promontory called the
Lau-tie-shan, or the “ honourable iron hill,” contains
magnetic iron ore, which affects the compasses of ships
sailing too near it. This no doubt is related to that
fine magnetic ore which abounds on the opposite coast
of Shan-tung.

Gold is found in many places towards the south of
the promontory; but the most famous district is that
on the east coast to the north of the Py-li-ho river :
here we passed over gold-diggings and a gold-pro-
ducing country, about forty miles in length by ten
broad. A serious quarrel arose among the gold-seekers,
which resulted in murder, when the mandarins inter-
fered and put an end to the occupation for the present.
We also heard of gold at Kin-chow, which may be inter-
preted the “ Gold-district city.” Silver is said to exist

46

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

in the mountains to the west of Li-quan-fen, lat. 40° 2',
Jong. 121° 50', and also in other places; but of course
it was impossible for me, passing through the country,
to obtain much definite information as to metals of this
kind. There can be no doubt of their existence : the
nature of the rocks, the direction of the mountains,
and the fact that they abound in Shan-tung and Corea,
all point to the certainty of their presence. But there
are other circumstances which lead us to the same con-
clusion. As we have seen, the prevailing direction of
the mountain-ranges is north by south or north-east
by south-west ; this harmonizes with the line of moun-
tains in Japan, Formosa, Loochoo, and the Aleutian
Islands. Moreover, as M. Elie de Beaumont has
shown, “it coincides with the great circle of the ter-
restrial sphere which passes by the Cordilleras of South
America and the Piocky Mountains of the North; whence
we may infer that the mountain-system of Oriental Asia
and that of the Great American chains are of the same
date.”

A still more important inference appears to me
equally evident. The mineral wealth must be distri-
buted in similar proportions in both continents. We
know this to be true of coal and iron, which are always
the first minerals to be discovered ; for in no quarter of
the world except America have we such extensive coal
and iron fields as in China, and there is little doubt
that the magnetic ore in Vancouver’s Island is the same
that abounds in North China. The fact appears true

PROBABLE MINERAL WEALTH. — TRADE.

47

also in reference to gold. California and Columbia lie
in nearly the same parallels of latitude on the opposite
coast of the Pacific Ocean ; and the distribution of gold
here appears quite equal to that in America. It is found
in Thibet in great profusion ; in the western afiluents of
the Yang-tze-kiang ; in Shen-si, where the Jesuit
fathers tell us that an infinite number of people gained
their livelihood by searching the streams for it; it
abounds, as we havfi seen, in Shan-tung, Corea, and
Japan ; and not only so, but there are rich gold-diggings
scattered over Mongolia and Siberia. Few knew aught
of the great extent of the coal and iron, and no one had
any idea of the abundance of silver, copper, lead, &c., in
the Western States, till the recent scientific investiga-
tions appointed by the American Government disclosed
their hidden treasures ; and so we venture to predict
that, were a similar investigation to be made here, it
would lead to discoveries equally astounding.

The trade for the year 1866 stood thus : — Imports,
value, 2,346,767 taels : exports, 4,266,697. This only
includes what was shipped in foreign bottoms at the port
of Ying-tsze. Supposing the goods shipped in junks at
that place to equal that in foreign vessels, and further,
that the trade of all the other seaports together is one
and a half more than the native junk trade at that port
(a very moderate computation), it would give 14,933,439
taels, or nearly five millions sterling, as the sum total
of the shipping-trade of Manchuria.

Intelligent readers who have followed me so far.

48

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

must have often thought of Canada in reference to this
country, and there are many points of resemblance.
A climate similar in its general features, an equally
fertile soil, yielding similar crops ; each having a north-
ern territory famous for its furs, and each drained by
a gi-eat river and possessing a variety of minor seaports.
But in some respects Southern Manchuria bears the
palm : the climate is a shade less severe ; it probably
possesses gi'eater mineral wealth ; it also produces cotton
and silk ; and in addition has seaports on the south
which are open all the year round. I make this com-
parison to bring the matter home. How important has
Canada been esteemed, and how poor is our appreciation
of Manchuria ; yet the latter is perhaps the richer-
country of the two.

Having thus surveyed Southern Manchuria, the
question naturally arises, How can the resources of the
country be best developed ? I am not forgetful of
the proverb “ Xe siitor ultra crepidam but having
travelled over the greater portion of it and become
naturally interested in its people, I may he pardoned
for making one or two suggestions on this point.
Utopian though it may seem, yet believing as I do in
the latv of advancement which Almighty God has im-
posed upon man, and which is so rapidly working itself
out in these days, I venture to suggest as the first and
chief means towards the opening up of the country,
that a railway be constructed, commencing at Ta-lien-
wan Bay on the southern point of the promontory and

PROSPECTS FOR RAILWAY LINE. 49

proceeding northward Kin-chow,* Fu-chow, Kai-chow,
Hai-ching, Liau-yang, Mouk-den, and on to the pulse
and indigo-producing districts in the North. This
country being new, less densely peopled, and with fewer
graveyards, seems a suitable place to open the railway-
scheme in this empire. Nature would seem to have
provided for railway operations in this quarter ; Ta-lien-
wan Bay has an excellent harbour, well sheltered, with
deep water to nearly the edge, and is open all the
year round. From this point, on through the cities
I have indicated, there is a succession of valleys run-
ning north and south, so that there would be no
need for tunnelling and little need for cuttings ; a few
insignificant ridges, which would require only slight
gi-adients, being the only obstacles of any importance :
reaching Kai-chow, the country beyond, northwards, is
a level plain. This line would thus command the
commerce of the whole country ; it would have minerals
along its whole course, and a coal-field at Ta-lien-wan
Bay, its southern terminus. Ta-lien-wan Bay is well
known for good shelter and depth of water, as it was
the rendezvous of our Fleet during the winter of 1859.
Being open all the year, the port of trade established
here would obviate that stagnation which lies as an
incubus upon energy for so many months in the year.
For many reasons, the present port, Ying-tsze, would
never do in the new order of things : the bar at the
mouth of the river, the fact of its being frozen up for
fully four months every year, independently of the

32

VOL. II.

50

SOUTHERN MANCHURIA.

apparent shallowing of the w'ater, which must end in
leaving that market, like its predecessors, high beyond
navigable limits, — would infallibly remove business to
the more ehgible spot.

A railway would provide for the permanent security
of the country. The necessity for this was powerfully
forced on my attention during my last visit. Towards
the close of the summer, only two months before my
visit, two hundred robbers landed from a junk at Taku-
shan, billeted themselves upon that populous town,
and levied black-mail. A portion of them had stayed
in the same inn where I lodged, and not only made
a most exorbitant demand upon the townsmen, but had
every requirement complied with. Eight of them ap-
peared one morning at another small seaport, Ta-
chang-ho, through which I passed, and demanded 1,000
taels each, wnth the threat that, if these were not forth-
coming immediately, their comrades would come and
burn down the place; they got the money at once.
Thus these robbers went about the country for some
time, till soldiers came from Kirin ; or rather till they
themselves were pleased to go. They then embarked,
and by a clever trick (as I believe) got the gun-boats
(English and French) at Chefoo to start on a wild-
goose chase to the Meau-tau Islands ; then, the coast
being clear, came into the port of Chefoo in a heavily
armed junk with good papers, refreshed themselves, and
at their leisure made off to the south. They were
called the “ hung-hu-tsz ” or “ red-bearded robbers.”

WANT OF SECURITY FROM ROBBERS.

51

I asked for an explanation of this name, and was in-
formed that they had their faces painted red, and
coloured horsehair for beards. "WTiat applies to Man-
churia applies in a measure to the whole of the North
of China ; fifty well-mounted robbers could ride through
the length and breadth of the land. There is no sense
of security ; no one knows in what direction the robbers
may move, as they come nearly as quick as news can
travel : in fact generally announce their own arrival. In
consequence of this, the people bury their silver and
gold, transport their clothes and valuables to strong-
holds, and content themselves with the bare necessaries
of life. In such a state of matters how can trade
flourish ? And not only so, traffic is not safe even on
the most important highways. Witness the lately
appointed Minister, Mr. Burlingame, who was inter-
cepted and nearly captured by about 200 mounted
robbers under the very eyes of Peking, between the
capital and Tien-tsin.

CHAPTER III.

KIEIN, OR CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

Boundaries of Province — Mountains and Rivers — Climate — General
aspect of Country — Character of Inhabitants — Manchus — Chief
Towns — Cereals — Opium, Indigo, and Tobacco — Coal and other
Minerals — Animals, Wild and Domestic — Birds and Fishes — Flora
— Northern Manchuria— Whale and Seal Fishery — Port May —
Russian Advances.

Kirin, or Central Manchuria, is bounded on the north
hy the Soongari, on the east hy the Usuri and Russian
Temtory, on the south by Corea and Liau-tung, on the
west hy the Soongari and a line of palisades — which exist
only on the map and in the imagination of H.I.M. the
Emperor of China ; though there is a sort of gate at the
passes, and a ditch or shadow of a fence for a few yards
on each side. The Russians estimate the area of the
province at 135,000 square miles. Like Southern
Manchuria, Central Manchuria may be divided into two
portions, one a prairie country, and the other moun-
tainous. These two portions are of very unequal size,
the former being comprised in the N.E. corner within
the link of the Soongari.

The chief of the mountain ranges is that called the

FORMATION OF COUNTRY.

53

Shan-a-lin Mountains ; their highest peaks lie on the
south-east of Kirin, where they reach heights ranging
from 10,000 to 12,000 feet, their summits being covered
with perpetual snow. From this point they run south-
east and south-west ; towards the north-east they form
the water-shed of the Hurka and the Usuri, and after-
wards the Soongari and Usuri, and towards the south-
west they form the houndaiy of the plain of Newchwang
and the backbone of the promontory. These hills are
sometimes of great beauty and gi-andeur ; as, for
instance, the Hills of One Thousand Peaks near Hai-
ching ; the hills near Siu-yen ; and the range from Fung-
whang-chung to the Corean Gate. Another range of
mountains runs through a portion of Northern Man-
churia, about eighty miles east of A-she-ho, proceeds
south by west parallel to the River Hurka, forming a
second watershed, then continues past Kirin on towards
Mouk-den, where it gradually subsides into the plain. A
third range of mountains lies in the Russian territories
east of the Usuri and the Amoor. Their highest peaks
run parallel to the sea and not far distant from it, so
that the streams which flow eastward are not to be com-
pared in size and volume to those which flow westward
and pour their waters into the Usuri and Amoor. This
range, as a rule, appears to he higher than those east of
it. It will thus be seen that the prevailing direction of
the ranges coincides with that of Southern Manchuria,
Shan-tung, and indeed China in general. One pecu-
liarity deserves notice : we repeatedly came on isolated

54

CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

hills in the plains, often perfect cones. These some-
times lie in a line about fifteen or twenty miles distant
from one another ; as, for instance, Siau-ku-shan, and
Ta-ku-shan, north of Kirin, and sometimes they are
dotted over the plain, like dish-covers on a table. But
whether in range or in solitary beauty, they have a
family likeness ; the conical configuration prevails, and
this shape, together with the peculiarity just noted,
extends not only over Manchuria, but into China ;
aflbrding a still further proof of their geological identity.

Corresponding to the thi’ee chains of mountains, are
three great rivers, the Soongari, the Hurka, and the
Usuri. The Soongari, which is by far the most im-
portant, takes its rise on the north-western side of the
Shan-a-hn Mountains, and proceeds in a direction N.
by W., receiving a great many tributaries from the sur-
rounding hills, and sweeps past Kirin, a majestic river.
Passing Kirin, its course lies N. by W., till it reaches
the palisades, about lat. 44° 30', where it enters Mon-
golia and takes a decided north-westerly direction.
This it continues till it passes Pe-tu-na, where it re-
ceives the River Nonni, and then flows east by north,
gi’adually diverging northwards, till it joins the Amoor ;
or rather, till the Amoor joins it ; for I am inclined to
think that it should be looked upon as the parent stream,
inasmuch as it has at least an equal, if not a larger,
volume of water, and moreover maintains its former
direction after its junction vith the Amoor. Its flow is
not uniform ; swifter and more compressed about Kirin,

THE SOONGAEI RIVEK.

55

it becomes wider and more sluggish after entering the
Mongolian steppes. In this quarter it sometimes
spreads out over one mile in width, with an average
depth of about three or four feet. Here and there it
forms numerous islets, and sometimes divides into two
branches, which flow nearly parallel, having a belt of
fine land between them. Nor does its volume increase
in proportion to the length of its flow, owing to the
nature of the country and consequent absorption. We
crossed it at four different places, first at Pe-tu-na, where
we found it about one and a half miles in width, but
having only an average depth of water of about three
feet. The second time about lat. 128° 12' E., where
we found it about 400 yards wide, and deeper than we
could ascertain with the means we had in our possession
— certainly over twenty feet. The third place was at
San-sing, where we found it compressed into a deep
rapid river. The fourth place was on our return journey,
a little north of Kirin, where we found it about 300
yards wide, with an average depth of at least twelve feet.
In the centre we could not touch the bottom as we
passed over, which proves the great height of the hills
in that quarter ; for we were not much above eighty
miles from its source as the crow flies. Travelling
parallel to its course in Mongolia and Northern Man-
churia, we saw a good deal of it. There were many
third and fourth class junks on its waters ; it is
navigable beyond Kirin, and were it not for these shallows
it might be a very serviceable river during the season in

56

CEXTHAL MANCHURIA.

■which it is open. As it is, a good deal of produce is
earned down the stream, hut owing to the immense
“link” which the river makes, goods are generally
conveyed in carts from San-sing, A-she-ho, and the
northern markets to Kirin ; and of course the carts also
take return cargoes, and thus reduce the traffic on the
river. The Russians have proceeded in steamers as far
as long. 127° E. ; some say they have been as far as
Kirin, but of this I cannot speak positively.

Next in point of size to the Soongari is the Usuri.
It rises about lat. 44°, long. 131°, receiving numerous
tributaries, and after a course of about 500 miles pours
its waters into the Amoor. At first it partakes more of
the nature of a mountain torrent, hut it gradually loses
this character, and after reaching Sim-ga-chau it enters a
wide plain. Passing this, it again flows through a
mountainous district for about 100 miles, when it enters
a prau'ie country, and thus, through swamps and steppes,
flows onward to the Amoor.

The Hurka, or the Moo-tan-ho — the “ River of the
Northern Flower,” as the Chinese call it — rises about
lat. 43°, long. 128° 30', not far from the source of the
Soongari, takes a northerly direction, passes by Ningu-ta,
receives two important tributaries from the west, and
then debouches into the Soongari at San-sing. Here,
at its junction, we found it almost 200 yards ■«'ide, with
a good volume of water. At this city were several
small junks from Xingu-ta trading with the merchants.
The people told us that the country through which it

ASPECT.— CLIMATE. — SEASONS.

57

flowed was full of large torrents and liuge mountains
covered with foliage to the summits ; that there was
no population on the hanks, only solitary huts of gin-
sing seekers here and there, and hardly any of the soil
Avas cultivated.

Judging from the character of the mountain ranges
and flow of the rivers, it appears that the country slopes
from east to west and from south to north — the course
of the Soongari river marking its lowest point — from
which it again begins to ascend towards the north and
west. Thus Central and Northern Manchuria form one
huge basin, corrugated by several mountain ranges, with
their respective streams, the mouth of the basin lying
towards the north-east. The extremes of climate are
more marked than in Southern Manchuria, but by no
means so excessive as to interfere with agriculture.
The winter begins about the close of October and ends
at the close of March, and the other seasons are pro-
portionately narrowed ; but the shortness of the time is
compensated as elsewhere by the rapidity of growth and
maturity.

TravelHng from Pe-tu-na eastward, the country is a
level plain, only broken by insignificant undulations.
Considerable patches of land are cultivated in the vicinity
of hamlets, but the rest is a waving sea of tall grass,
with little brushwood and few trees. This monotony
is more than compensated by the variety, beauty, and
frequent boldness of the mountain districts, hills and
valleys, woods and streams, in ever-changing aspects;

58

CENTKAL MANCHURIA.

for the luxuriance of the vegetation is remarkable.
In Shan-tung and on the Manchurian promontory the
tops of the hills are as bare as bald heads, but in
Central Manchuria the hills are as green as in Scotland,
and in many places cultivated to the summits. Far
north, towards San-sing, we crossed a high mountain
ridge with oaks, elms, and willows of huge size, and
having crossed the Soongari at long. 128°, and entered
Northern Manchuria, our route lay along the plains
on the north side for about 100 miles. Here we could
see the country in the south, and I confess it amazed
me to find the hills on the banks of the river, and the
high peaks stretching far behind, covered with trees
of such a size and foliage so profuse, that I could com-
pare it to nothing but the beautiful islands of the Indian
Archipelago. Trying to account for it, the thought
struck me that the severe frost for fom’ and five months
every year must freeze and retain the moisture in those
hills, so that when the sun asserts its power the trees
are at once supplied with abundance of water. In
Shan-tung and other places, where there is comparatively
little frost, the sun constantly beating upon the hills
evaporates all the moisture, precludes vegetable life,
and so leaves their tops bare and bleak against the sky.
In some places the forests are impenetrable, and in
others, as on the high-road from Kirin to Ningu-ta, so
dense that the traveller goes for miles without even being
able to see the sun. Swamps are also met with, often
of considerable extent.

CHAKACTER OF POPULATION.

59

The bulk of the people are Chinese immigi-ants, or
the descendants of immigrants, from the northern pro-
\dnces. They have settled along the lines of the great
highways in hamlets, villages, and towns. Settlers
increase year by year ; and as the Government en-
courages them, by giving land at nominal prices, they
are gradually reclaiming the wastes and forests ; but it
will be long before any impression can be made on so
vast a qpuntrj'. These Chinese carry their industrial
habits and customs with them, so that Manchuria is
neither more nor less than an extension of China.
They are healthier and stronger than their countrymen
in the south, the result not only of climate but of the
abundance, variety, and cheapness of food.

Among them a considerable proportion of Moham-
medans are found, who keep themselves distinct from the
Chinese ; in every town of importance they have their
mosques, eating-houses, &c. Sometimes they live in a
separate locality and foster a strong clannish spirit ; but
they are well disposed towards foreigners ; they showed
us every civility, and claimed kindred with us : travellers
would do well to inquire for them, as they will find
rooms much cleaner, and food much more palatable than
at heathen inns.

The Manchus are in the minority. Moreover, there
is some difficulty in distinguishing between them and
their invaders. Those who live in the central province
have settled down to agriculture or other definite pur-
suits ; and in dress, manners, customs, and language

60

CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

follow the Chinese. Their features are very much alike,
their frames a shade coarser and stronger ; sometimes
their guttural language indicates their descent, but, in
general, it is only by inquiry that you can learn to which
people they belong. The Manchu women have large
feet, but this is not always a sign of Manchu origin,
for many of the “celestials” have got sense enough,
when removed from the restraints of fashion, to discard
the atrocious custom of cramping their feet. The
Manchu language is not much cultivated ; the hoys
first learn the Chinese characters and read the Chinese
classics ; and then those who, from position or j)rospects,
deem it necessary, go to some of the Manchu schools in
the district cities.

Of roving Manchus I met with none, and am inclined
to think their nomadic propensity has entirely died out.
I met several companies of Manchu soldiers returning
from the wars. They came from Northern Manchuria,
and were much less civilized in appearance than the
people in general ; yet they appeared to belong to
families who pursued agriculture, and some of them were
returning to resume work in the fields. Every man
forms a different estimate of the population, and it is
difficult to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. The dis-
tricts along the gi-eat highways are populous, but if the
traveller take them as a basis of calculation he will he
greatly misled ; for beyond these lines there are very
few inhabitants, and so we are inclined to think that
there are not more than two millions in the country.

CITIES OF MANCHURIA.— KIRIN.

61

Of the cities in Central Manchuria, Kirin takes the
pre-eminence ; it is the capital of the province, and is
more beautifully situated than any city I have visited
in China. Zeh-hol has .many points of great attraction ;
Kal-gan, in several respects, commands the admiration
of all ; Tsing-chow-foo, in Shan-tung, is picturesquely
placed ; Toong-kwan stands in a fine situation, with the
Yellow Kiver guarding it on two sides ; but Kirin far
surpasses them all. It lies at the foot of hills which
form about three-fourths of a circle around it. The
open space on the south is occupied by the Soongari,
a majestic river, sweeping past it and then making its
way through a valley northwards ; opposite the city
it is about three hundred yards broad, and when I
was there it was as placid as a summer lake, and as
blue as the sky above. The city itself is not equal
to the situation. Had Mouk-den such a position it
would he a noble place : as it is, the streets are narrow
and irregular ; the shops low in roof, and inferior in style,
the best being but second and third rate in character.
The great street runs east and west, curving here and
there. A portion of the south side of this street is built
on wooden piles stretching out into the river, reminding
one of southern cities. Another great street runs north
and south, and there are cross-streets branching off at
irregular intervals. Many of the squares are very taste-
fully ornamented ; in the place where we lived pots
w'ere ranged in tiers one above another with flowers
from the south, roses, geraniums, and flowering shrubs.

62

CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

and in front of the door were tanks with gold and
silver fish. The streets are paved with wooden blocks.
The Chinese name for Kirin is Chwen-chang or “the
Naval-yard ; ” boats and small junks being built there in
great numbers, as wood is cheap and abundant.

The city next in importance to Kirin is A-she-hoh,
thirty miles south of the Soongari, and situated on a
gentle descent to the river A-she, from which it takes its
name. It consists of a street about a mile and a half
long, with many branching lanes. There are a large
number of shops, and a good deal of country business
is done, hut the shops are third-rate ; though we found
a gi’eat variety of porcelain, and other ornamental things
from the south, exposed in them. There are said to he
1,800 families of Mohammedans in the neighbourhood,
and they had a mosque, which was burned down by
rebels in 1866 because they sided with the people in
defence of the place. The population is about 40,000.

The third city is Pe-tu-na, called Sing-chung by the
Chinese, on the north-east hank of the Soongari. It
consists of two large streets, which run north and south'
and east and west ; the place where they cross forms
the chief market : there is a good deal of business.
The shops are like those in A-she-hoh, and the place is
rather dirtier. There are a great many Mohammedans,
who have a fine mosque, which we visited. The popula-
tion I should estimate at 30,000. >

San-sing, the last town in Chinese territory, is on
the south bank of the Soongari, on the east bank of the

MARKET-TOWN. — FERTILE COUNTRY.

63

Hurka, and the south-west hank of the Kung-ho,
having water on three sides. It consists of one street
about two-thirds of a mile, running east and west, and
two shorter streets running north and south. The shops
are fourth-class. Not a few people are engaged in send-
ing boats down the Soongari to the Amoor with provi-
sions for the settlers scattered there ; others barter with
the Fish-skin Tartar tribes, who \dsit them ^periodically.
There are sixty families of Mohammedans, who have a
mosque, which has suffered from a recent flood.

La-lin is situated about 120 miles north of Kmu,
and is a market-town of about 15,000 or 20,000 in-
habitants. The walls enclose a large space. Ningu-ta
is about the same size as La-lin, and is not of much
commercial importance. Besides these five district
cities, as they may he called, there are other towns
of importance. Chief among them appears to be Shwang-
shing-pu, about forty-five miles west of A-she-ho ; it
is walled round, and consists of two streets about five
li long, and full of large inns, dirty beyond description.
Ai-la-kiai, or Ta-seng-oula, is about twenty-five miles
north of Kirin. It has a few good shops, but the trade
is of little importance. Ku-yu-shu, north of Kirin, is
only a market-town.

The country is very fertile ; the height and luxuri-
ance of the grass in the prairie attesting the fertility of
the soil in that quarter of the countiy : independent
witnesses assured me that it often reaches three, four, and
five feet, and sometimes entirely overtops the traveller.

64

CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

The huge forest and meadow lands are different in cha-
racter, hut equally fertile. In one part we saw a deep
cutting, and the soil was a fat loam, apparently formed
of accumulations of decayed leaves ; so that after the
trees and brushwood are removed, little trouble is needed
to secure plentiful crops.

Among the agricultural products, pulse stands first
in importance as an article of food and of export ;
there are several varieties, large and small, and of
various colours ; it is sown in May and reaped in
October. Next in importance stands millet, which
is used for men and cattle. There are two species,
the tall and short ; the tall comprises four kinds, the
red, the white, black, and the sweet. The red is chiefly
cultivated, and has large heavy clusters of grain ; the
white and black are prized for their stalks, which are
used for roofing, bridges, walls, articles of furniture,
and for fuel. The short millet includes several varieties,
the principal being kutze, which is one of the staples of
food, like oatmeal in Scotland ; it makes excellent
pon-idge and cakes, and is of a golden yellow colour.
Maize is cultivated pretty extensively, and when there
is a surplus it is converted into a kind of whisky, as
is the tall millet. MTieat in this province is all sown
in spring, is bearded, and not much valued ; barley is
also found, though not in large quantities. Potatoes are
indigenous, but though good are not extensively used.

Opium demands more than a passing notice. A
few years ago it was a stranger to this quarter of the

OPIUM.

65

world ; but is now rising into ominous and terrible
significance. We found tbe poppy under cultivation
in all quarters; in some places it bad been grown for
several years, in others for only two or three, or was
just commencing. Natives told us, that it was much
more profitable than pulse or any kind of grain ; that 10
mow of land yielded 14,000 to 15,000 cash when sown
with millet, and that it brought from 24,000 to 25,000
cash when laid down for the poppy. They knew that
its cultivation was illegal, but said the mandarins
winked at it, on receiving a sum of money or a gift in
kind. The prices varied from 350 cash to 500 cash per
oz. ; but we were told that it could be bought in
autumn for 200 to 250 cash per oz., or from 210 to 270
taels per chest ; about half the price of Indian opium.
It was said to be better, and not adulterated like foreign
opium when it reached them. They export opium
to Peking, and westwards ; and, as might be expected,
its effects upon the population are most melancholy.
Farmers’ sons, and the majority of young men, are
addicted to it ; we found some just beginning to smoke,
others habitually smoking, and of these many had smoked
to the point of repentance, but found themselves slaves
to the habit. We were constantly asked about some
means of cure, and in one case a man followed us,
chnging to the cart, and would not believe that we had
no remedy. Sad is the havoc this drug is maldng in
China, and the worst is yet to come. Opium is now
produced in Sze-chuen, Shen-si, Shan-si, Mongolia, and

33

VOL. II.

66

CENTKAL MANCHURIA.

Manchuria, and eveiy year more land is laid down
for it. The vice is reaching the poorer classes, and
even women ; and there can be no question that it is
much more insidious and deleterious in its consequences
than strong drink.

Previous to the introduction of the poppy, indigo
formed the most important crop raised by the farmer
here. Far removed from markets, roads bad, and carriage
expensive, he found this an article "of small bulk which
secured a large return in money or goods; nor have I
any reason to believe that its production has diminished
since the poppy has afforded a yet more profitable in-
vestment. Tobacco is grown extensively throughout
the province, and especially in the centre and east.
The natives thoroughly understand the best methods of
cultivation ; the soil suits it well, and the consequence
is that Manchurian tobacco is famous all over China.
The most highly esteemed is that produced in the
neighbourhood of Kirin ; there we found the leaves of
extraordinary size — about twenty-four inches long and
eight inches broad.

The history of tobacco in China is curious, showing
how rapidly a narcotic can spread. About 270 years
ago it came from Japan to Corea, and from Corea it was
introduced into Manchuria. When the present Manchu
dynasty ascended the throne (a.d. 1664) they introduced
it into China, and now there is hardly a man in the
eighteen provinces who does not use it. Doubtless, the
Portuguese or the Dutch introduced it into Japan, as we

TOBACCO, COAL, IRON, AND PRECIOUS STONES. 67

know the former did into the East Indian Archipelago,
and the latter into Java. The Chinese have always
been remarkably abstemious ; from ancient times tea
appears to have been the only stimulant in general use ;
though whisky was drunk, especially in the Northern
half of the empire, as we find from their novels ; but
not in any very prejudicial way.

The hiUs of Central Manchuria run in the same
direction, and exhibit the same characteristics, as those
in the Southern provinces and Shan-tung, and the proba-
bility is that they contain the same minerals. No one
has tested this experimentally, as abundance of wood
1 provides easy fuel, and iron from the south can be had
I at moderate rates. Coal has been found on the banks

j of the Bureyi’a river, on the north-east all along the

sea-coast, and on the east to the north of Passiette ;
and gold in some of the rivers near Kirin, on the Usuri,
and on the sea-coast. Precious stones, such as agates,
cornelians, onyxes and others, are found in consider-
able numbers on the east of the Usuri. Iron and coal
are found in the hills adjoining the southern province ;
everything, thei'efore, points to the conclusion that
in Manchuria minerals are varied and rich.

Agriculture, and the trades connected with it, employ
the mass of the population. The only manufactures we
saw were those of oil and whisky ; the latter, being
esteemed an economical mode of using up surplus
millet and maize, is extensively carried on : we came
upon distilleries covering large areas, employing many

68

CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

men, and supporting huge colonies of pigs. Distilla-
tion was objected to by some of the first Emperors of the
present dynasty, as a waste of food ; but it has outlived
all interdicts, and is more flourishing than ever. The
mode of conveying whisky is curious ; it is carried
in huge wicker-baskets lined with a thick paper. The
baskets are squat, and several being carefully roped on
each cart, they are rattled safely over bill and valley,
stream and swamp.

In reference to the Fauna, I may remark that the
tiger abounds in the forests, although we were fortunate
in not seeing any. Once, benighted in a forest, and
arriving at the inn about eleven at night, mine host
said God’s blessing bad been on us, for a few days
previously a young tiger bad attacked a cart in broad
daylight and attempted to drag away one of the mules.
Natives are often carried off by tigers ; and it is reported
that several Russians have in this way mysteriously
disappeared. The tigers are of the same species as
those of Bengal, and average about nine and a half feet
in length to the root of the tail. Their skins are highly
prized, and judging from the great number exposed for
sale in the chief towns every year, there must be no lack
of the brutes among the bills : they are found so far
as 51° N., and often go as far as 55° in quest of food.
The black bear also infests the forests, and, with the
tiger, is a great terror to the people ; panthers are also
common. The polecat, weasel, and fox are found every-
where, and in retired places wolves abound : we bad the

WILD AND TAME ANIMALS— BIRDS.

69

pleasure of seeing one almost every other morning for a
time. Wild boars exist in several places, and their flesh
is highly esteemed. On the north of the Soongari
sables are found, and common men had caps trimmed
with their skins. Stags and antelopes are numerous ;
ground and tree squirrels are common ; rabbits and
hares were also seen. The hedgehog we saw here, as
well as in Shan-tung ; thus invalidating the assertion
that it did not exist in this part of the world.

The domestic animals comprise the horse, mule, ass,
ox, sheep, pig, dog and cat. The horse is small and
hardy, and the mule wonderful in its endurance, and is
a finer animal than that of Spain. The ass is like our
own ; the ox, like Highland cattle ; but a larger kind
is used in agriculture. The sheep have large heavy
tails, and are dull beasts, and the pigs, with long black
snouts, are pictures of ugliness. The common dog,
in shape like our own shepherd’s dog, is terrible for
harking, but has no courage ; the cat is like those at
home. Sheep are few indeed in the north, and beyond
the Soongari we did not meet one ; pigs being more
prolific, more easily fed and better fitted for enduring
extremes of temperature.

There are several species of eagle ; not a few kinds
of hawk, and several varieties of owl. In less retired
places are pheasants, red-legged partridges, quails,
grouse, and turkey bustards. Small birds are plentiful
in the copses, and not a few singing-birds of familiar
song, especially north of the Soongari; as thrushes.

70

CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

finches (the bullfinch among the rest), linnets, tits, ham-
mers, and buntings. Water-fowl in countless numbers
frequent the rivers and marshes ; as wild-geese, ducks,
teal, snipe, cormorants, herons, cranes, gulls. North
of the Soongari we met the lapvTing ; I was sitting in
the cart when I first heard its cry, and jumping out saw
the bird alight and followed it ; then others rose and
enacted the scene so familiar on the moors of Ayrshire :
they flew round overhead with their well-known sweep,
at once crying, threatening, and alluring. The cries of
the curlew and the plover also broke the solitude, and
roused crowds of old associations in the mind. Kavens
and jackdaws were common ; swallows were met with
everywhere, and the elegant swift was often seen circling
round pagodas. The cuckoo was very common, and
one kind with a bushy tail, which moved like that of a
wagtail, greatly interested us : it is an extremely pretty
bird, and its call was the first thing we heard for many
mornings, and continued through the whole day. The
laughing-dove was also met with, and it was amusing
to hear the bird running over its well-known formula
of Kwang-Kwo, haou-Kwa, i. e. “ good success solitary
man,” as you went through the wood, — so discordant
to the other sounds, like the laughter of a fool at an
oratorio.

Fish are plentiful in the rivers : trout, carp, perch,
pike, eel, and salmon. This last is a very important
article of food, and the natives catch them in consider-
able quantities in season ; so plentiful are they in some

FISH. — EEPTILES.— FLORA.

71

seasons, that they press on each other in the minor
streams so as to push shoals of them ashore, where
they die. The tribes on the north San-sing prepare the
skins of salmon for summer clothing, and when pro-
perly manipulated and embroidered, they look very
pretty. We found some strange fresh-water shell-
fish, and a spout-fish.

Snakes, lizards, and adders are common, and frogs
ubiquitous. Insects of many kinds (1,000 species the
Kussians say) swarm in clouds, to the annoyance of
man and beast.

The Flora interested us, not from its gorgeousness,
newness, or variety, but by the irresistible attraction
of finding, in this far distant country, numerous home
plants in home-like places. We found the grassy plain
studded with dandelions, and on the hill-sides the Vv’ild
tulip in immense numbers ; in the woods we met the
wild geranium, pimpernel, foxglove, ferns, borage.
See. ; in the valleys we found fields of cowslips and
buttercups, and the crowfoot ; in the low grounds were
sedges, and the iris, generally blue, but sometimes
yellow. Here and there we encountered varieties of the
common Scotch thistle, and several times, as on the
banks of the Soongari, we met it growing in all its
beauty, raising its head in pride, above all its compeers,
like some stalwart Highland chieftain in full costume,
plume and all, among the languid sons of China.
Everywhere, in hill and steppe, wood and glen, we
found the dock, soldier-grass, and thistles ; and in two

72

CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

places we met the nettle — first, on the banks of the
Soongari, close by a cottage, and next in the forest to
the south of Kirin : it is used by the natives to make
ropes with. On our return the wild roses began
to open, and we were regaled day by day with their
sweetness along the road-side. Like the flowers, the
trees were more interesting from their well-known
features than from any remarkable peculiarities.
TVTierever we went we found five or six varieties of
the willow, two or three species of oak, also elm,
birch, maple, and fir; the silver birch often imparted
a brilliance to the dark woods, like a lightsome fairy
amongst a common crowd. One tree abounded every-
where— the white poplar and the black poplar, so
common in other parts of China. We found mistletoe
in widely separated places, at Mouk-den, at Kirin, and
north of the Soongari.

Northern Manchuria, called Tsi-tsi-har, or more
generally Huh-loong-kiang, by the Chinese, is bounded
on the north by the Amoor, on the east and south by
the Soongari, and on the west by the Nonni and Mon-
golia. Its area is 195,000 square miles. The only
cultivated regions appear to be in the valley of the
Nonni and along the banks of the Soongari. In the
former are the cities of Tsi-tsi-har (or Pu-kwhe) and
Mergen, and in the latter the town of Hu-lan and
several villages ; other parts are in a state of nature.
I travelled about ninety miles on the north of the
Soongari, and found villages few and far separate, people

RUSSIANS AIM AT ASCENDANCY.

73

scarce, and only patches round their dwellings under
cultivation. The soil appeared excellent, and only
waiting the spade of the settler to yield an abundant
harvest. In some parts prairie land dotted with herds
of cattle extended as far as the eye could reach, and in
others mountains rose in succession far on towards the
north. The climate, fauna, flora, and general produc-
tions were the same as in Central Manchuria, allowance
being made for the more northerly latitude.

Estimating Liou-tung at 60,000 square miles, Kirin
at 135,000, and Northern Manchuria at 195,000, this
gives an area of 390,000 square miles ; adding to which
Eastern Mongolia in the same latitude, we have a terri-
tory nearly equal to the half of China Proper. Possessed
of an excellent climate, fertile soil, mineral resources, and
good harbours, with by far the greater portion hardly
touched by man, who can doubt but a great future is in
store for this region ? One thing is obvious : it is clearly
intended to receive the overflow of population from the
north of China for many years to come ; and when it is
opened up, and attention directed to its minerals, it
must, together with Corea, play an important part in
the history of Asia. Who shall rule over it ? The
Russians are ardently aiming at ascendancy ; they have
not only taken all the country on the east of the Usuri,
but have now established a telegraph on its banks down
to Port May. Nor is this all : a steamer has been
placed on the Usuri, which makes a trip weekly as far as
the Lakes King-ka, and it is intended to place another on

74

CENTRAL MANCHURIA.

the river Siu-fun to ply to Passiette ; so that they vill cut
off a long bend of countiy, and have only afeio miles of
land conveyance between Passiette and Central Asia.

The ports of Passiette and Port May, especially the
latter, afford every inducement to whalers to resort for
repau-s, supplies of provisions, wood, &c. ; and there is
no danger of men running away, as it is impossible for
any one to come on shore without a passport. Whalers,
too, on approaching the coast will find sperm and other
whales in great abundance, and those who have not
been prosperous in the Japan seas would therefore do
well to visit this coast. Seals are also numerous ; the
fact being that there are no fishermen, and the only
enemies of fish here are their own aquatic superiors.
The weather is very fine after January, and the wind
is generally from the land.

Passiette and Port May are frozen in their inner
harbours from December 24 to March 1, but at both
ports vessels can enter the outer bays, and Passiette is
sometimes accessible during the whole winter. The
communication from the bay to the town of Port May
is only four miles overland ; it is indicated by a footpath,
but strangers applying to the natives to guide them to
the town, will find no difficulty in reaching it. A few
European merchants are established there, who trade
in seaweed and other produce of the country. There
is a fine dry dock now nearly completed, and Russian
ships have to resort thither for repair, as Nicolaiski
is not suitable for the purpose. There is also a large

GOLD. — SILVER.— COPPER. — LEAD. — IRON.— COAL. 75

government store and engineers’ establishment, where
all sorts of iron and brass casting and blacksmith’s
work can be done cheaply ; also a saw-mill.

The country abounds in gold, silver, copper, lead,
iron and coal. There is a gold-field twenty miles from
Port May, where gold is found on the surface of the
ground, and mountain streams afford diggers great
facilities. The Kussians, however, do not allow gold
to be dug without permission from St. Petersburg.

( 76 )

CHAPTER IV.

MR. MEADOWS ON THE HISTORY OF THE MANCHUS.

Origin of the Mongols — The History of the Manchus — Manchuria
Proper — Contrasts between the Mongols and the Manchus — Com-
parison between the latter and the Red Men of New England and
Canada — How goremed — Their Customs and Habits— History of
the Ketans — The Mongols conquer Manchuria — The present Line
of Manchu Whang-tis — Novurh-ho-chih — The Chief City of his
State — The Chahars — Prince San-ko-lin-sin.

The Manchus, Mongols, Coreans, and in all probability
the Tunguzians, the Goldi Gilyaks, Manguns, the
Orotskos — who inhabit Sagalibin — and the Japanese,
have, we believe, originated from a common stock, and
the differences existing amongst them are due to
locality and circumstances. The Mongols, cast on
the great plains of North Asia, were compelled to
be nomadic. The Manchus, more highly favoured,
bad a land of mountains and fertile valleys, and
added agriculture to bunting and fishing; and so with
the others. The history of the Manchu race is
full of adventure, enterprise, and war, and whilst
a detailed account would be out of place here, I am
happy to present a summary from the pen of the late
T. T. Meadows, H.M.’s Consul of New-chwang.

HISTORY OF THE MANCHUS.

77

“ The Manchus, from the earliest period of Chinese
history, have occupied the country bounded on the east
by the Japanese Sea, which is drained in its southern
portion by the Tumun, by the right affluents of the Ya-
lu-kiang, and by the upper portions of the left affluents
of the Liau ; and in its northern portion by the right
affluents of the Upper Soongari, and the Lower Soongari,
and Lower Amoor, with their affluents on both sides.
This extent of countiy may be fitly called Manchuria
Proper, to distinguish it from the present political
Manchuria. This latter embraces not only the real
Manchuria, but also a tract on the east side of the
Liau, composed of the lower valleys of its left affluents,
and of the Liau peninsula, and another on the west
of the Liau, lying between its right bank and the Great
Wall. Now these two tracts, known severally as Liau-
tung or Liau East, and Liau-se or Liau West, have,
from the earliest historical periods, been occupied by
a Chinese population, with the settled habits of their
nation : agriculturists, artisans, and traders, dwellers in
villages and cities. Hence, though situated beyond the
Great Wall, it has always been a part, though a very
exposed and often politically separated part, of China
Proper.

“ Manchuria Proper, as above defined, is a moun-
tainous, well-watered tract, formerly altogether covered
with forests, of which large portions still remain. The
principal mountain range is the Chang-pih-shan, or Shan-
a-lin, or Long White Mountains, which form the water-

78

HISTORY OF THE MANCHUS.

shed between the Tumun, Ya-lu-kiang, and Liau-ho on
the south, and the Soongari and Amoor, with their chief
right affluents, the Hurka and Usui-i, on the north. As
the great arid plateau, the Shamo, has given to the Mon-
gols their national characteristics, so the Long "White
Mountains, with their northerly spurs, separating the
Upper Soongari, the Hurka, and the Usuri, have con-
stituted the character-giving home and stronghold of
the Manchus. These, unlike the Mongols, who have
‘ moved about after grass and water,’ have always been
a settled people, who in ancient times dwelt during the
cold season in holes excavated in the sides of dry banks,
or in pits in the earth, and during summer in huts
formed of young trees and covered with bark or with
long wild grass. They have, unlike the Mongols, from
the earliest periods been somewhat of agriculturists ;
like them they have always reared domestic animals;
but while both have reared horses and oxen, the
Manchus have not had, like the Mongols, camels and
sheep ; on the other hand, they have always been great
breeders of pigs, which have fed on the acorns and other
tree seeds and fruits of their forests. The Manchus
have, like the Mongols, always derived a large portion
of their sustenance from hunting ; but the character of
their countiy has made it a different kind of hunting ;
they have also as fishermen derived a very large portion
of their food from their numerous rivers.

“ It has hitherto been the custom among Occidentals
to speak of the Manchus as ‘ Tartars but if, as I believe,

MANCHUS AND KED MEN OF AMEKICA.

79

this name generally conveys the idea of a people of
nomadic herdsmen, and usually large ovraers of camels,
it will he seen from the foregoing sketch that it is
altogether a misnomer as applied to the Manchus.
These, as presented to us in the earliest notices, have
much more resemblance in their situation and habits
to the Ked men of New England and Canada, as first
known to Europeans, than to any nomadic people we have
heard of. They consisted of a number of communes,
each composed of one or more tribes or families, and
living under the rule of a chief ; who was probably in
general hereditary, but also appears to have been in
some cases elected. As in the case of the Mongols, one
of these tribes or communes has, from time to time,
subjected all the others to its paramount sway, who
have then all taken the name of that tribe. Hence the
nation has, before it was called Manchu, been kno^\Ti by
the successive names of Suh-chin, Yih-low, Wuh-keih,
Mo-ho, Po-hae, and Neu-chin. But it has always
been the same people, speaking in substance the same
language; by which latter, as well as by habits and
manners, Russian ethnologists have identified offshoots
from it, under the name of Tungus, scattered in tribes
or communes among other nationalities over aU Eastern
Siberia.

“ In the eleventh century before Christ this nation
appeared at the court of the Chow dynasty as Suh-chin,
and presented tribute, a portion of which consisted of
stone-headed arrows. In the third century after Christ

80

HISTORY OF THE MANCHUS,

they reappeared as Yih-low. They are still described as
using arrows headed with a green stone, and poisoned.
In winter they wore pigskin clothing, and also smeared
their bodies with lard, to the depth ‘ of several tenths
of an inch,’ as a protection against the cold. In
summer their sole clothing was a strip of linen cloth,
which they themselves wove, about their middle. They
were a fierce people, who ‘ deemed it a weakness to
bewail the death of parents,’ and who were much
dreaded by their next neighbours among the Mongols
and Coreans. In the fifth, sixth, and seventh cen-
turies after Christ we find them under the names of
Wuh-keihs, and Mo-hos, still described as rude bar-
barians, hut politically organized as a confederation of
seven large tribes or seven groups of tribes.

“ At length, in the beginning of the eighth century,
a family named Ta, belonging to the Suhmo Mo-hos, that
member of the confederation whose territory lay imme-
diately on the north of Corea and north-east; of Liau
East, established themselves as rulers over the whole of
Manchuria Proper, over Liau East, and over a large
portion of Corea. In A.n. 712, the then Whang-ti,
or Emperor of China, conferred the title of Prince of
Po-hae on the head of the family ; but the immediate
successors of this prince shook off even the form of
vassalage, and by their conquest of Northern Corea
and Liau East, assumed a position of hostility to the
Whang-ti. Po-hae, the name adopted by the new rulers,
became the name of the Manchu nation ; which under

THE DYNASTY OF LIAU.

81

it for the first time takes a place in history, as con-
stitutins a civilized State \vith a centralized adminis-
tration. The King had five royal residence cities, besides
many of inferior rank ; and it is highly probable that
those, the ruins of which have been found by the
Russians in their recently acquired territory between the
Usuri and the sea, date from the time of the Po-hae
domination, which lasted for 200 years.

“ It was overthrown by the Ketans. About these
the Chinese accounts conflict as to whether they were
a Manchu or a Mongol tribe : I consider them more
of the former than of the latter. They took their rise in
the valleys of the Hu-lan, a small northern branch of
the Soongari, w'hich falls into the latter about 100 miles
below its junction with the Nonni. The Ketans had
possessed themselves of Eastern Mongolia, and been
engaged in successful war on China before they, in
A.D. 926, attacked the Po-hae state, which they speedily
overthrew, incorporating into their own dominions all
Manchuria Proper and the East of the Liau. Before the
middle of the tenth century, they had conquered nearly
all Mongoha and Northern China, and had established one
of those lines of rival Whang-tis to which I have above
alluded. They assumed for their dynasty the name of
Liau, that of the river which flows past this port.
Under the eighth of the line, their power had sunk so
much that it fell easily before the attacks of A-kuh-ta,
the chief of a purely Manchu tribe or commune, the
Neu-chins, whose original seat was the country between

VOL. II. 34

82

HISTORY OP THE MANCHUS.

the Upper Soongari and the Hurka. The Neu-chins
rebelled against the Ketans or Liaus in a.d. 1113.
Within fifteen years, they had possessed themselves of
the whole of Manchuria, Mongoha, and Northern
China, driving the Chinese Whang -ti to the south of
the Great River, and themselves establishing a rival
line under the name of Kin, or Golden ; adopted because
then’ own country Manchuria ‘was a gold-producing
one.’

“ The Neu-chins or Kins were in their turn over-
thrown by the Mongols, under Ghenghis Khan and his
immediate successors. Manchuria came under their
power about A. d. 1217, Northern China, about a. d.
1233, and Southern China, about a. d. 1280, when they
established — it was the first time the thing had happened
— a line of non- Chinese Whang-tis in undisputed pos-
session of that dignity. MTien the Mongols conquered
Southern Chifia, they were aided by large distinct
contingents of Ketans from their old country of Eastern
Mongoha, and of Neu-chins from Manchuria Proper;
and the MongoHan rule in these two tracts was never
an administration by moveable executive officers, but the
local hereditaiy chieftains were left in full power over
their own people, merely rendering, when required, mih-
tary aid to their Mongol suzerain.

“ The Mongol dynasty maintained itself in China
for about ninety years, when (in A. d. 1368) the last
Whang-ti of the line was driven to the north of the
Great W'all by the forces of a Chinese rebel, who esta-

PKESENT LINE OP MANCHU WHANG-TIS.

83

blished himself at Nanking as the first Whang-ti of the
Ming dynasty. By a. d. 1371, the Corean King had
sought and received investiture from the Mings, and they
were in possession of the west and east of the Liau.
But though conquering Ming armies subsequently
penetrated far into Manchuria and Mongoha, a firm
hold of these two countries was never obtained by that
Chinese line of Whang-tis, who soon had, on the con-
trary, to maintain an almost unceasing warfare in order
to check the incursions of Mongolian and Manchurian
chieftains along the Great "Wall and in the country on
the west and east of the Liau-ho ; a warfare that ended
only with the end of the Line, in a.d. 1644,

“We now come to the present hne of Manchu
Whang-tis. The family (not its first Whang-ti) has a
legendary origin in an immaculately conceived perso-
nage— the son of a “ heavenly virgin ” — who appeared
at Ningu-ta, on the north of the Long White Moun-
tains, towards the end of the Kin dynasty, and was the
first who bore the name of Gaesin-keolo (or Aishin-
gioro), that taken by the family as their surname, and
who called the ‘ State ’ or commune which he esta-
blished Manchu. But with this personage, and the
migration of the family to the south of the Long White
Mountains, history has no more to do than it has with
the migration of ^neas and his Trojans to Italy, and
their doings there.

“ The first historically known member of the family
was the founder of its greatness, Novurh-ho-chih, who

84

HISTORY OF THE MANCHUS.

was born in a.d. 1559, the chieftain of a small tribe,
one of a confederation of five bearing the common name
of Mancbus, and whose territory lay at and around
the present city of Hing-king, or Juden, situated on a
small eastern feeder of the Liau, at about ninety miles
to the east of Mouk-den. All that is known with any
degree of certainty of his progenitors is that six of them
ruled in succession, at, or in the close neighbourhood of
that place, then called Hih-too-a-la ; and that the last
two of these, his father and grandfather, having gone
to bring away their daughter and sister, the wife of a
chieftain whose (so-called) “city” was being attacked
by a Chinese border commander, were put to death,
with all the inhabitants of the place : it had been
betrayed into the power of the besiegers by a traitorous
Manchu, Nekan-waelan, who then endeavoured, with
the help of his Chinese allies, to make himself the
chieftain of the five Manchu tribes.

“ This tragic event may be said to have caused the
rise of the family to its subsequent greatness ; for it
was in his persistent and inveterate hostility to, and
pursuit of, the family enemy and traitor, Nekan-waelan,
that Novurh-ho-chih displayed that personal prowess,
indomitable determination, and capacity for rule, by
which he subsequently brought all his countrymen under
his sway, and thereby enabled his successors to establish
a new dynasty of Whang-tis.

“ Novurh-ho-chih was in his twenty-fifth year when
he, with only 100 followers, and but thirteen of these

NOYTJKH-HO-CHIH.

85

fully armed, commenced his work of filial vengeance.
He had first to subdue several tribes with whom Nekan-
waelan successively took shelter. At the end of three
years (a.d. 1586), the latter was di-iven to seek refuge
with the Chinese border authorities ; but by this time
Novurh-ho-chih’s exploits had made him so formidable
in their eyes that they, on his demand, yielded up the
refugee, who was then put to death. From that time
till A.D. 1616, for thirty years, NoTOrh-ho-chih was
occupied in extending his power over Manchuria Proper.

“Having, as I have above shown, been deprived
since the beginning of the 13th century of the benefits
of the one general administration which it had enjoyed
under the indigenous rule of the Po-haes, Leaous, and
Kins, it had, in a period of some 400 years, during
which the local chieftains were left to themselves, be-
come divided into a great number of communes and
petty confederacies, constantly engaged in warfare with
each other. All these were now again gradually brought
under one rule by Novurh-ho-chih ; who gave, more-
over, to the fighting population the organization of one
regular army, thereby at once undermining the local
power of the chiefs of tribes, and preparing an available
instrument for levjung successful war on the adjacent
territories of the Ming Whang-ti, and of his vassal the
King of Corea. To such a war there were, by this
time, other encouragements. Some intelligence of the
growth of gang-robbery and of open rebellion in
Southern China, and more still of the increasingly

88

HISTORY OF THE MANCHUS.

formidable incursions of the Mongols into tbe provinces
lying along the Great Wall, could hardly fail to reach his
ears. In his immediate vicinity, an army of Japanese
landed in Corea in a.d. 1592, seized its capital, and
drove the King across the Yaluh to seek safety and aid
from the Ming Whang-ti. The aid was gi’anted ; but,
though ‘ several hundreds of thousands of men and
several millions of money were expended,’ the efforts of
the Chinese and Coreans were unavailing to expel the
Japanese expeditionary forces ; whose occupation did not
end till after seven years, when political changes in
Japan caused their withdrawal.

“ The immediate occasion of Novurh-ho-chih’s attack
on China was the prolonged interference of the Chinese
authorities in Liau East with his measures for the
reduction of the Yehih tribe to his sway. That tribe
occupied the angle of Manchuria Proper, which has
Leaou East on its south, and Eastern Mongoha on its
west ; and aided by its neighbours, the Chinese authori-
ties and the chiefs of the Kortsin Mongols, it was
enabled to defy the new Manchu ruler longer than any
other body of his countrj-men.

“ In A.D. 1616, Novmrh-ho-chih formally assumed
the state of an independent ruler, giving to his reign
the significant name of Tien-ming (commissioned by
heaven), that by which he is himself often designated
by Occidentals. In 1618, after issuing a manifesto of
the above and other grievances, and a formal declaration
of war, he advanced on and took Foo-shun, the border

HIH-TOO-A-LA.

87

city of the Chinese lying nearest his own capital of
Hih-too-a-la. These proceedings attracted the serious
attention of the Ming court at Peking, and Chinese
forces to the number of 200,000, besides an auxiliary
army of Coreans, were marched against him ; but he
defeated and utterly routed the various armies into
which they had divided themselves, as they severally
converged on Hih-too-a-la. He then again assumed the
offensive, and by the end of 1621, had taken the cities
of Kai-yuen, Tie-ling, Shin-yang, and the then capital
of Liau East, Liau-yang ; on the fall of which ancient
and celebrated city all the remaining strongholds of
Liau East submitted to him. In a.d. 1622, he built a
new capital, about two miles to the north of Liau-
yang, which still finds a place in some western maps as
Tung- king. Its now much dilapidated walls form
merely the ring-fence to a farm, which the space within
them constitutes, and the farm-buildings belonging to
it are the only houses there. For, after only three
years, he made Shin-yang, since called officially Shing-
king, or Mouk-den, the chief city of his State.

“ Hih-too-a-la, since called officially Juden, or Hing-
king (the originating capital), lies about a quarter of
a mile back from the left hank of the Soo-tsze, a
small mountain river, one of the upper feeders of the
Hwan, the branch of the Liau which flows past
Mouk-den. It occupies three low ridges that jut out
from the higher hills, which bound on the south the
Soo-tsze valley, northward into that valley, together

88

HISTORY OF THE MANCHUS.

•with the two hollo'ws between those ridges. The earthen
ramparts extend along the tops of the outer edges of
the ■westernmost and easternmost of the three ridges,
and the (northern) ends of all three, running across the
hollows between them. On the south side, ■where the
ridges proceed from the hills, these rampai-ts are mainly
artificial, consisting of a high earthen mound, ha^\*ing
the ditch outside from which the earth was obtained to
form it. This is also the case in some other portions
of the line of defence ; but on the east, west, and south,
the steep sides and ends of the ridges form in most
places natural slopes of sufficient height and steepness ;
particularly on the western side, where the slope rises
very steeply to the height of 70 or 80 feet above a
streamlet that flows past its foot towards the river.
The general form approaches that of a square with
sinuous sides, which measure about a mile and a half
in all. Three more or less ruined stone gate^ways still re-
main ; but these are all one sees of defences in masonry.
The line of the ramparts can only have been crowned by
a wooden stockade, of which no vestige remains, while
there are scattered everynffiere over their tops and
slopes, large old elms, which must have gi-own up since
the defences were allowed to fall into decay. As a
‘ city,’ it still has a garrison of native Manchus, but
the buildings do not occupy one-fourth of the enclosed
space, and the whole population cannot exceed 2,000
souls. The place, though marked conspicuously on the
maps, is of no importance, military or commercial.

DIVISION OF THE MONGOLIAN NATION.

89

Nevertheless, I viewed it with much interest as the
original home of one of the most powerful and illus-
trious families which the East- Asian or so-called Mon-
gohan division of the human kind has produced.

“ Hih-too-a-la formed, as above mentioned, the hill
fastness of Novurh-ho-chih while he was engaged in
founding the greatness of his house. Finally, he
settled himself at Mouk-den as his capital ; and there
his son, whose armies subdued Corea to vassalage and
made several devastating incursions into China, reigned
for seventeen years, till his death in a.d. 1643. His
son, then a boy of six years old, was in the following
year established at Peking by a Prince Kegent, his uncle,
as the first Whang-ti, or Emperor of the Tsing, or pure
dynasty. It would be out of place here to go further
into the details regarding the early fortunes of the
family. But one transaction, which occm’red towards
the end of Novurh-ho-chih’s rule, does fit properly into
this retrospect ; namely, the alliance established between
his house and the chieftains of Eastern Mongolia.

“ After the expulsion of the Mongol line of MTiang-
tis, the Yuens, from China Proper, by the Mings, the
Mongolian nation became divided into a number of
tribes or groups of tribes, which were constantly
engaged in warfare with each other, only partially
stopped from time to time in order to allow of a
more than usually formidable incursion into Northern
China. Towards the close of the Ming dynasty, one
tribe, which, after several changes of territory, had

90

HISTORY OF THE MANCHUS.

settled itself immediately on tlie north of the Great
Wall, north-west from Peking, under the name of
Chahar — but the chiefs of which claimed to be the
legitimate representatives of the Yuen dynasty — suc-
ceeded in subjecting to its sway many neighbouring
tribes, and in extorting large fixed annual presents from
the Ming Whang-ti. In a.d. 1624, its then chief
Sintan sent an ainny to reduce the Kortsin Mongols,
a considerable tribe with several branches, whose terri-
tories adjoined Manchuria. Though some of them had
before aided the Chinese against Novurh-ho-chih, the
threatened chieftains now entreated his help. He hstened
to their petition, and despatched an army, on whose
approach the Chahar forces dispersed and fled. Two
years later the Kortsin chiefs and their relatives the
chieftains of the Korlos, and other eastern tribes, ap-
peared at the com-t of the rising Manchu state, and
formally declared themselves its vassals, when they
severally received the hereditary titles of princes and
dukes of difierent degrees. They were subsequently of
great service to Tsung-tih, the son of Novurh-ho-chih,
in subduing not only the Chahars, but all the other
Southern Mongolian tribes, and in the incursions of his
armies into Corea and China Proper. Even before they
had to implore the aid of Novm’h-ho-chih against the
Chahars, their close neighbourhood had led to matri-
monial alliances between them and the ruling Manchu
family, and this kind of relationship was afterwards
much extended. Of all the Mongols, they have proved

PKINCE SAN-KO-LIN-SIN.

91

the most trusted supporters of the Manchu line of
Whang-ti ; such they are still, and such, there is every
reason to believe, they will prove to the end.

Prince San-ko-lin-sin, known to us as the com-
mander who repulsed a British gunboat attack on the
forts at the mouth of the Pei-ho, was a Kortsin chief.
Before that he had driven back an army of Tai-ping
rebels which was approaching Peking, and after that he
rendered good service against them in Middle China.
He was killed about three years ago, when in the field
against the Nien-fei rebels. Greater regret was then
expressed in the Whang-tial or Peking Gazettes by the
court for his loss than for that of any other commander
who has fallen in the last eighteen years of internal
warfare ; and his son. Prince Po, supported by a strong
corps of his countrymen, drawn from this consular dis-
trict, holds a high command in the combined operations
at this time being conducted against the formidable army
of rebels, who, under the same name of Nien-fei, are
threatening Tien-tsin and Peking.”

JOUENEYS

CHAPTER Y.

JOUENEY FROM PEKING THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA
via JE-HOL, LAMA-MIAU, AND ILAL-GAN.

Swine — A Devotee — Camels — The Great 'Wall — A New Temple — Tlie
Emperor’s Grounds — A Squeeze — Mongolian Temples and Priests
— How the Emperor kills a Lion — Hooded Hawks — Rural Life in
Mongolia.

In these notes I shall confine myself, in the first
instance, chiefly to the route and natural scenery,
noticing afterwards the most interesting objects that
came under my observation.

On October 14th, 1864, in company with my brother
James,* an agent of the London Missionary Society, I
started from the British Legation, Peking, at 8.45 a.m.,
and arrived at a village called Sun-ho about 11.30 A.m.
Here v/e dined ; and, starting again, reached Niu-lang-
shan about seven o’clock. The scenery was monotonous ;
the soil light, but fertile ; the harvest was all gathered

* Since gone to his reward : the victim of a band of armed men
who attacked him and his companion in their boat near Tien-tsin, during
the night of the 25th August, 1869.

FANATICAL DEVOTEE. — PASTORAL FLOCKS. 93

in, and the autumn wheat finely brairded. There was
a village almost every five li, the district being very
populous, and the inhabitants well-to-do. Everywhere
we saw large herds of swine feeding in the fields ;
they were quite black and unspeakably ugly, with most
repulsive heads and deep hanging bellies.

Strange enough that on the first day we should
meet a devotee on his way to Woo-tai-shan, the famous
temple in Shan-si, measuring the road with his body ;
he wore a leathern apron, and leathern armlets to pre-
vent his knees and arms being skinned. He laid himself
flat upon his face, measured his length on the road, then
rose up and placed his feet where his head had been ;
thus he had travelled for over a hundred miles.

Next day the country became a little more rugged,
and about 12.30 p.m. we reached the city of Mi-yun-
(hien). It happened to be a fair, and so we had a good
opportunity of preaching to people from all parts of the
countryside. The city has good walls, and a number
of large-sized shops, but many houses inside are in
partial dilapidation. Before reaching the city we forded
the Pei-ho Kiver, which runs to Tien-tsin and Ta-koo.
Journeying along in the afternoon, we met large herds
of black-cattle, flocks of sheep, herds of swine, and a
very large mob of young horses on their way to the
Peking market. The cattle were of the same descrip-
tion as the Scotch Highland cattle, finely-shaped beasts,
and in excellent condition ; the horses were Like Scotch
ponies. The sheep were remarkable for their huge tails.

94

JOURNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

wliicli weigh several pounds ; their heads were black and
longer than those of British sheep, hut their bodies were
white. To-day we had our first sight of camels ; they
were feeding in the fields, roaming at pleasure. The
camels here travel through the night and rest and feed
during the day ; when light dawns, the travellers select
a good place, unload the beasts, place all the packages
in the centre, erect tents around, and turn out the
camels to feed ; after they have had their fill, they are
brought back, and being made to lie down, head to tail,
they form a wall around the encampment. When jour-
neying, the first camel has round its hump a rope,
which is attached to a piece of wood pierced through
the nostrils of the second, and so on with the whole
string ; which often number thirty or forty.

W'e reached Shi-hsia at seven o’clock on the morn-
ing of the 17th, sold a few books, and left for Kau-pei-
kow, arriving at 12.30. The country now became grand
and imposing, and we passed successively through
ravines, defiles, and valleys ; several of the valleys were
very beautiful : one in particular commanded om* admira-
tion. There were some villages nestling under the hills,
three encampments of camels on the plain, and drove
after drove of cattle and sheep passing slowly through
it. Nearing Kau-pei-kow we got a glimpse of that
wonder of the world, the Great Wall of China. As one
may suppose, we were all eyes, and yet a feeling of
disappointment gradually crept over us. We sav/ the
towers first, but them only, and kept looking and

i.IoN'OO!

r. .

GEAND WALL OP CHINA,

95

straining our eyes, thinking we were too distant to dis-
cover the wall ; but no wall appeared. As we advanced
we could only see a rude stone dyke, stretching over
the mountain ridges. And this was the Grand Wall of
China ! It must have been more imposing in former
times, hut now it had quite a worn-out look. Nearing
Kau-pei-kow, we ascended a hill and passed through a
gateway, which at one time must have been very fine.
Over it was the inscription “ Nan-tien-mun” (“the Gate
to the Southern Heavens ”), indicating that through it
the happy Tartars now entered the Celestial Empire.

Kau-pei-kow is most picturesquely situated. It lies
low, and is surrounded by a magnificent amphitheatre
of hills ; each hill-top displaying a tower, which gives
quite a martial appearance to the place. The people
seemed well-to-do, and many of a literary turn — perhaps
too highly educated to think it possible to receive any
good from us — did not seem disposed to buy our books.
Starting at 2.30, we passed through a grand gate in the
Great Wall, and thus emerged into Inner Mongolia.
The wall was much better here, being about twenty feet
high, with huge blocks of hewn stone for the founda-
tion, and a good brick superstructure. It was sur-
mounted by a parapet with embrasures for cannon.
There were several lines of walls stretching over the
hills, all meeting in the rubble-stone wall which we first
saw. There were a great many soldiers here, who
allowed us to pass without asking for our passport.
Our road now lay east by north, up a vaUey, through

96

JOURNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

whicli a river wended its way. This river we crossed
and recrossed a score of times, and as we ascended the
country became more and more wild. Passing on we
found a man mending the road — the first time I had
seen such a sight in China. Here, too, we first saw
flocks of goats feeding on the steep hill-sides, so far up
that they looked as diminutive as rabbits. We reached
Liang-tien-fang at 7 p.m.

Next day the country became more and more wild,
and we ascended a very steep hill, when the mules were
severely tested. To-day we came upon a newly-built
temple, which reminded us that we are out of China.
About noon we reached Chang-shan-yen, and got to
Wang-kia-ying at five o’clock, where we put up for the
night. At all these places the country-people bought
books. Early in the morning we saw a wolf at the out-
skirts of the village close behind a house ; it looked us
doggedly in the face, and moved off leisurely. We fol-
lowed it for some distance, and it often stopped, turning
and gazing at us with perfect composure ; then putting
its tail down, and looking towards the ground, moved
slowly off. The inhabitants lay snares for them, and
sell their skins, which are highly prized. There are
plenty of them, and on the hills to the south numbers
of tigers. We reached Lan-ping-hien at 10 a.m., and
as a fair was being held, we sold a gi’eat many books.
This place is a city, or “ hien,” but, unlike those in
China Proper, it has no walls. Here we first made our
acquaintance with the Mongols, two Mongol traders

^EilPEROK’S GROUNDS— MONGOL “ SQUEEZE.” 97

having come to the inn, to whom we gave some tracts.
Leaving at 1 p.m., we crossed a fine river called the
Lan-ho, came in sight of a huge perpendicular rock, cut
like a man’s face : it is now an object of worship, and a
very imposing sight.

The country continued flat till we came near Je-hol.
Approaching it, we ascended a steep incline, and passed
through a fine highway cut out of the solid rock.
Emerging from this as from a deep passage, we came
in full sight of the Emperor’s grounds, and a magni-
ficent sight it 'was. They were embraced by a high
range of mountains, which formed a grand natural
amphitheatre ; in the centre was a multitude of lesser
hills, the very ideal of a hunting-ground. There
seemed far less cover for game than we expected, but
this became more plentiful as we descended the winding
road to the city and palace. The road through the
rock and down the hills was made by Kien-loong, to
whose memory a tablet is erected. The descent was a
perfect joy, each turn presenting a new landscape. We
looked for game, but saw only magpies, black-cattle, and
Chinamen. There was a Mongol temple on the road,
and here we found a Mongol priest, fighting, puffing,
and sweating in his efforts to stop a company of China-
men and mules till they would pay their tax, or rather
their squeeze. They were farmers from the country
accompanying their produce, and declared they had no
money, but would pay on their return ; the tax-gatherer
was inexorable, and tried to tear the coat off the back

35

VOL. II.

98

JOURNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

of one of them. As the Mongol seized one of the
Chinamen, the others drove the mules on ; he then left
the one he had seized, and ran after the others, and
between them was nearly at his wits’ end. He tried to
squeeze us too, hut I showed my passport, and gaA'e him
two tracts, which I hoped would do him good. Our
colporteur remarked, “ How like China ! People of the
same kingdom fiercely cheating each other ! ” Eeaching
Je-hol about 4 p.m., we sold an immense number of
books ; indeed, we could not give them out fast enough.
Darkness, however, put an end to it, and we retired to a
comfortable inn.

20th. Leaving my brother and the colporteurs in
charge of the Chinese books, I set out to see what I
could do at the Mongolian temples. These lay 10 li
from the city, round to the north of the Emperor’s
palace. The magnificence of the temples quite took
me by surprise ; I have never witnessed anything like
them, and believe they are quite unique. The largest
is a most magnificent building, in style entirely differ-
ent from Chinese temples, being square and castellated.
It consists of a series of square buildings, each series
higher than the other, till the last, which is eleven
stories high and 200 feet, at least, square. There is a
picture of this temple in WrighVs Illustrated China,
which is pretty correct. From it, however, one would
think it was grey stone and lime, but its true appear-
ance is very different ; the stories are painted red, yel-
low, and green alternately. Then on each of the first

MAGNIFICENT TEMPLES. — MONGOL PRIESTS. 99

two or three series of buildings there is a row of five
indescribable things like small Indian pagodas, made
of glazed brick or porcelain, and painted blue ; the tiles
of the roof also are blue. This adds to the effect of the
whole, and, as one may imagine, is a most extraordinary
sight ; but seeing it in the full blaze of the mid-day sun,
as I did, the effect is beyond all description. There are
other four temples in this place, of less grandeur, but all
of them beautiful. I did not enter the finest one, as
the doorkeeper objected, but went through the second.

The priests, of whom there are, I believe, some 800
or 900, live in bouses outside the temple. They are
very well-to-do, and the chief men among them live
well, ba\-ing horses to ride on ; and they are respected
in the city : meeting one of them riding through the
streets, we saw the most respectable people bowing
courteously to him. The common priests also were well
clad, and bad money to spare ; immediately on our
showing the books, they were demanded eagerly : one
priest took tract after tract in the Mongolian language
and read them right off, and so did others. I did not
anticipate being able to sell ; but seeing their eagerness,
I put a price on the books, and sold about sixty in a few
minutes. I then oftered Testaments and Bibles for sale,
and gave a copy of each to a young man who asked for
them to show to a bead lama ; be took them in, and
by-and-by I was invited to the inner apartments into
the presence of the great man. He was sittmg on bis
“ kang,” with bis sacred books before him, and received

100

JOUENEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

me with great politeness and frankness, asked me to sit
down, and ordered tea. He inquired about the hooks
in good Mandarin colloquial, then asked their price,
and, after trying to beat down the price, finally bought
a complete Mongolian Bible : a young man, in whom
he manifested very peculiar interest, being anxious to
have a Testament, he bought one for him. Leaving
him with very kind feelings, I went to the other head
priest, who apparently lives in the inside of the great
temple ; sent a Testament in for him to look at, and
he bought it. As it was getting late in the afteimoon,
I had now to return, resolving to ask my brother to go
next day and see the temples, and try to effect more
sales ; he went, but rather late, to see the priests ;
however, as a proof of their earnestness, a priest travelled
to our inn in the evening and bought a Testament.

The city of Je-hol is unwalled, as are all the cities
I have seen outside the Great Wall. It lies in the
valley, and coils round the hills, amidst which the im-
perial palace stands. It consists of one great long street,
with minor streets radiating in all directions. The
people appear well to do, and there are some fine shops ;
but it appears rather a genteel than a trading city,
there being a great proportion of educated men. The
demand for hooks was at times something terrific ;
three of us could not sell fast enough ; the crowd
surged and heaved, and several times nearly over-
whelmed us. They bought all our high-priced hooks,
and asked for scientific works, and several respectable

AGED MODAMMEDAX. — ROYAL HUNTING. 101

persons called upon us. The chief among the Moham-
medans paid his respects ; he was a very aged man,
with an honest, good-natured face, and was led by a
young man. He told us that there were 500 families
of his persuasion in the city, and two mosques. They
were on the best of terms with the other citizens. Here,
as in every other place where we have met them in
China, the Mohammedan claims a sort of connection
with us ; they affirm that their religion is the same as
ours, as they worship the Living and True God, and
have no idols : they say, “ We are entirely different
from these base and stupid idolaters.” The aged man
invited us to his house, hut time did not permit our
visiting him ; so we presented him with the Bible and
other hooks.

After the sale had slackened, we tried to see the
Emperor’s palace, but found it impossible. It lies, as
I have already said, amid a circle of hills, and is sur-
rounded by a high wall. We ascended an eminence
which overlooks the walls, hut could only see the trees
and grounds ; the only building we could descry was
a beautiful nine-storied pagoda. This wall is said to
he of the same size as that which surrounds the palace
at Peking ; within it are all manner of wild beasts, from
the lion downwards. The former Emperors used to
hunt them ; and they generally succeeded in bringing
down some fierce quadruped ; but the keepers always
took care to drug the game beforehand. Here is another
instance of the hypocrisy of the Chinese. “ The Em-

102

JOURNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

peror has killed a lion with his own hand ! ” the whole
country cries. But it was half dead ere he levelled his
piece.

Just as we were emerging from the city on the
morning of the 21st, we met the magistrate and his
followers returning from an execution, and having pro-
ceeded a few yards we came upon the headless trunks
of two men lying in the middle of the road, surrounded
by a crowd : it was a ghastly spectacle. They had
robbed some house, and their heads were being carried
away, to be placed in a cage on the highway, till they
fall to pieces through decay. Ascending the same cir-
cuitous path by which we came, we lingered at the top
and took a last view of the district ere we left. And
our impressions of its beauty were deepened.

At ten o’clock we arrived at Lan-ping-hien, where
we had been before ; but now our path diverged straight
towards Mongolia. A few li onwards we began to
ascend, and soon w’cre in a most beautiful country. On
our way up the hills, we met a countryman on his way
to the city with ten or twelve hooded hawks for sale ;
he had taken them when young, and trained them.
This reminds* us of a most frivolous aspect of the
Chinese character. The sons of gentlemen and the
literati buy these birds and carry them hither and
thither, sitting on their arms, and held by a string.
Others have one, two, or three singing-birds, which they
have tied to a stick, and thus carry them in their hands
through city and country — occasionally feeding the birds

INQUISITIVE CROWD.

103

from their own mouths ! We have often seen old men
amusing themselves in this ridiculous manner. After
crossing a very steep hut beautiful ridge of hills, we
entered a finely-watered valley, and proceeding north-
wards reached a village called Ckang-po-wan about
5 o’clock. Here we also found a Mongol priest in charge
of the temple ; but we were not taken with him : he had
been too long among the civilized Chinese. The people
here were few, hut they bought some hooks.

22nd. Starting at 4.30 a.m., our course still lay
along this beautiful valley. At 10.30 we reached Po-
ur-nan, another .small place, where we found straw and
water, men and dogs, but little else. This was the only
place where we were thankful for the preserved meats
we had brought with us. Leaving at noon we came to
Fung-ning-hien at 4 o’clock, a large and busy town.
We showed our hooks at once, and before the sun set
had sold several hundreds. Next day being Sabbath,
we rested ; but our rest was disturbed by the crowds
poking their fingers through the paper windows, and
■widening the chinks of the doors that they might see
us. Several times on looking up from our “ kang,”
we were amused at seeing the windows riddled and an
eye peeping in at every hole. Here also the chief pastor
of the Mohammedans called upon us. In the afternoon
we went round and saw the mosque : the chief man,
with his conical blue hat, invited us into his sanctum.
He told us there were 200 families in the town. How
difierent the mosque from the other temples with their

104

JOUENEY THKOUGH INNEK MONGOLIA.

crowds of ill-dressed idols ; in it was no image, or
other elevated object, save the steps from which the
Koran is read.

All along our road we have been interested in
observing Chinese customs illustrative of Scripture.
The farmers were busy preparing their grain for the
market, and all the operations were jicrformed out of
doors. The threshing-floor was not a covered-in barn,
as with us ; but a square piece of gi-ound marked oflf,
generally a few inches below the level of the fields, was
rolled quite flat, and then allowed to bake in the sun
until the surface was as hard as a brick ; here the grain
was spread out, and oxen, donkeys, or mules, as the
case might be, were treading it. The cattle were held
by a man who stood in the centre, and they went
round and round until their work was completed ; they
were generally blindfolded to prevent dizziness, and the
mouths of the oxen were muzzled. The grain was
winnowed by the wind ; it was gathered into a large
heap in the centre of the floor, and the men threw it
up into the air by means of large flat shovels ; and
as the chaff flew before the wind, we were ^'ividly
reminded of the fate of the ungodly, “ who are like
the chaff which the wind driveth away.” Every now
and then, too, on the road, we met travellers hastening
on with “ their loins girt.” Another thing often struck
us. Here and there we came upon flocks of sheep and
goats feeding upon the mountain sides ; the goats often
perched on the corners of the rocks and looking down

SUGGESTIVENESS OF PASTORAL LIFE.

105

upon us from a height of several hundred feet ; hut they
generally feed all together, and thus brought vividly
before us that solemn day when the Great Shepherd
shall divide the good from the bad, “ even as a shep-
herd divides the sheep from the goats.”

As we got more into Mongolia their pastoral life
still more threw fresh beauty around many Scripture
sayings. The shepherd could he seen sometimes in the
valleys, and at other times far on the hills, feeding their
flocks ; and as these places abounded with wild beasts,
they had to w^atch them with great care ; bringing them
home at night and gathering them into a large high
walled enclosure : here they were safe in the fold. One
Sabbath evening, wdiile my brother and I were standing
at the inn-door, we observed the shepherds leading their
flocks home ; as they came near we heard their voices,
hut were not prepared to find that the sheep actually
knew the first shepherd’s voice ; and as he wended his
way through various courts of the large inn, it was most
interesting to see that the sheep turned wherever the
voice led, and follow’ed till he got them housed in their
proper location ; thus bringing with extraordinary force
before our minds that beautiful text, “ When he putteth
forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep
follow him ; for they know his voice ; and a stranger will
they not follow, but will flee from him : for they know
not the voice of strangers.”

CHAPTER Yl.

JOUENEY THEOUGH INNEE MONGOLIA— CO JliiJMfeJ.

A Magnificent Waterslied — A Strange Bridge — A Aleeting-place for
Chinese and Mongols — Serviee in a Mongolian Temple — Curious
Church Music — Praying-Machines — Homewards — Characteristics
of the Mongolian Steppes — Tent Life — Mongolian Butter — Various
Mongol Tribes — We Procure an Outfit — Kough Travelling — Queer
Beds — Keminiscences of Home — A Beautiful Sight — An Abomin-
able Cavern.

Oct. 24th. We rose early on Monday morning, and
lia’^dng sold a good number of books, started on our
way, wbicb was a very pleasant one, up a long vallej',
tbrougb wbicb a stream gurgled and spurted. Our
course was a continued ascent ; and by-and-by ive
reached tbe summit of tbe bills, and to our delight
found ourselves on a magnificent watershed. Tbe Aiew
was something extraordinary ; as far as tbe eye could
reach, there was a valley towards tbe north and a valley
towards tbe south ; bills piled on bills lay on both
sides, and far in tbe distant horizon peak behind peak
disclosed themselves to our view. Not only were our
eyes delighted, our minds were aroused ; for who can
stand on tbe watershed at tbe source of a mighty river

WATERSHED —CURIOUS BRIDGE. — SXOW-STORH. 107

and not be impressed ? And here we stood at tbe
source of two rivers. That tiny streamlet at our feet,
which had just leapt into existence, was the commence-
ment of the Lan-ho, which in its course carried life and
fertility, joy and beauty, to thousands. And that other,
on the opposite side, was one of the branches of the
Liau-ho, which flows on through Manchuria. The place
and the scene we can never forget.

In the evening we reached Kwho-jin-tun, and next
day left early. A little beyond the village we crossed
the river on a very strange bridge. Huge baskets were
set in the centre of the stream, fllled with stones, and
trunks of trees placed on them, thus spanning the
river ; millet-stalks and brushwood were then laid down
crosswise on the trunks, and earth heaped on, and thus
the bridge was formed ; this kind of bridge was very
common. We reached Kwho-ti-ur at 10.30, and started
again at noon. The scenery now became wilder than
ever ; the rocks were absolutely perpendicular.

On the 26th at Pi-yin-kow, we encountered a snow-
storm, which we feared would detain us some days ; but
the mule-drivers set off in the midst of it. We knew if
they ventured we need not fear, and so gladly acquiesced ;
it was, however, bitterly cold, and we were fast ascend-
ing and nearing the great plateau of Mongolia. At two
we arrived at Kou-min-sz, the last stage before coming
to Do-la-nor. Next day we reached Do-la-nor about
eleven o’clock. The road lay right across the plain of
Mongolia, and a bleak journey it was. Do-la-nor is

108

JOUKNEY THROUGH INNER HONGOLLY.

one of the chief cities of Inner Mongolia, and a great
meeting-place for Chinese and Mongols ; there is a
large and constant market here for all kinds of produce.
Me had considerable difficulty in obtaining accommoda-
tion ; the inn-keeper seemed afraid to receive foreigners,
and it vas nearly dark ere we got a wretched place in
which to rest our heads — not half so decent as many
country stables. This city is unwalled, and of consider-
able extent ; it stands on the unsheltered plain, exposed
to every wind that blows. The streets are about half
the width of those of Peking, and the filth something
fabulous. There are many very large warehouses occu-
pying great spaces ; wool, hides, horses, cattle, sheep,
and camels, are the principal goods brought in by the
Mongols, and these are exchanged for cloth and groce-
ries, &c. The city is in reality a Chinese city, the
Mongols are only visitors ; yet there were multitudes
of them of all ranks and descriptions, galloping and
gazing about the streets.

There are two sets of lama temples for the Mongols :
very famous ones. Leaving my brother and the colpor-
teur to sell the Chinese books, I set out with the mule-
driver to the Mongol temples to try and sell Mongolian
Scriptures. The temples lie about tw'O miles from the
Chinese city ; the road is across a flat plain, and it w’as
bitterly cold : the snow lay on the ground and the
wind whistled over the plain. When we reached the
chief temple not a priest was to be seen ; they were
all wdthin-doors. We took up a sheltered position, and

MONGOL TEMPLE.

109

opened out our boxes, expecting that the sight of a
foreigner would draw them from their retreat. A few
boys (young priests) came, but no others ; after waiting
a little, we saw the priests coming out of their houses
in great numbers, and expected purchasers. But no ;
they only looked at us, and putting their hands in
their long sleeves, crouching their bodies together, half
walking and half running, made for the temple. Seeing
it was useless to wait much longer, we too entered the
temple, and found them just beginning their service,
which is worth describing.

The Temple is a huge oblong building, flanked by
villages, where the lamas live : on each side of the
main door stood a great machine, like some large
barrel for crockeryware, and two lesser ones of the same
description, six in all. Entering, we found the inside
of the temple not unlike a Gothic building in its plan ;
one long wide aisle ran up the centre ; parallel udth it,
and on either side, were rows of pillars, which were
draped with silk and hung with pictures of various
devices. Right in front stood the chief idol, with lesser
idols on the right and left, and before them was a long
table, on which was spread a great variety of gi’ain, cups
of cold water, and several kinds of food. By the time
we reached the temple the priests were all in their
places in parallel rows ; the elderly priests sat facing
each other on each side of the aisle, the junior priests
in rows behind them, and rows of boy-priests behind all.
Those who sat in the aisle had instruments, and they

110

JOURNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

played and chanted in a way that I had never dreamed
of. The instruments were of the most extraordinary
kind ; . they had huifalo-horns, bugles, and drums of all
sizes— some so big that a man might live in them ;
cymbals, hells, flutes, whistles, and I know not what
else. But the crowning wonder to me was two trum-
pets, each of which was about twelve feet long, with a
mouth two feet in diameter ; they were mounted on
small wheeled carriages like guns, and the players
reclined upon the ground when blowing. Notwith-
standing the heterogeneous mixture of instruments,
the music was capital, though sometimes almost over-
powering.

There were two chief priests, standing at the main
door a few feet from me, who alternately took the
position of leader, and by the waving of their hands and
gestures of their body led the ceremonies. They were
dressed in beautiful yellow robes, with a gorgeous
helmet, of the same shape as the old Greek helmet.
They conducted the music most creditably ; and it was
no mean performance : the chanting was beautiful, and
done con amore. While we stood at the door, coolies,
with large pails of weak tea, gradually assembled ; when
at a signal the performance ceased, the coolies entered
with their pails, each to his appointed row, and the
priests, taking a small cup from their bosoms, drank
their allowance. Thus refreshed, they recommenced,
and the performance was grander than ever; at the
close, they all rose and marched in solemn procession

PRAYING-MACHINES. — NUMBERS OF PRIESTS. Ill

before the chief idol, bowed themselves, and then retired.
The instruments at the door were praying-machines ;
the worshij)pers as they entered turned them round,
and thus performed their devotions. Prayers are pasted
both on the inside and outside of the barrels, which
being turned round, the prayers are presented, as
they suppose, to their god ; and the oftener they turn
their praying-machines the more devout they esteem
themselves.

I could not count the number of priests engaged in
this ceremony, but should say there were not less than
400 ; there are in all 2,300 connected with the temples.
After the performance, I expected they would buy our
books ; but they were neither so intelligent nor well-to-
do as their fellows at Je-hol : indeed, they were very
much inferior in dress, demeanour, and every other
respect. They gathered round, but only bought four or
five tracts. This, however, was compensated for, as I
came upon a place where there were trading Mongols,
who bought books and Bibles at once, and I sold a
good many. It -v^as getting well on in the day, so I
set off to the other temple, half a mile away : I was
received by the chief priests, and one of them bought
a Testament. Keturning through the Chinese city, I
met numbers of Mongols ; and taking up a position
before a shop-door I sold several books to them, as well
as to Chinamen. Finding that the trading Mongols
bought freely, I cared less for the priests, and next
forenoon devoted myself to the traders. Getting home

112

JOUKNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

late, I found that there had been a great sale of Chinese
Scriptures.

This was the most northerly city we intended to
visit, and on the afternoon of October 29th we turned
our faces homewards. The next five days’ journey was
over the Mongolian steppes ; the scenery was rather
uniform, though interesting, as the plains are not a
dead level, but undulating. They were covered with
snow, and in many places looked as if the rolling bil-
lows of the stormy region south of the Cape had been
suddenly arrested in their career and turned to ice and
snow. The plains are covered with excellent grass,
much of which now stood in stacks of hay, as at home.
The roads were only tracks across the moors, and we
nearly lost our way on one occasion. The cold was
extreme ; for we were some thousands of feet above the
level of the sea. The plains in this quarter are abso-
lutely without trees, but bore a little brushwood here
and there. On this account game was scarce ; we saw
a few hares, foxes, and one forenoon a large herd of
antelopes swept across our path : there were several
hundreds of them, young and old together. Quails were
also met with.

Journeying over the plains we came upon a good
many Mongolian settlements, and thus had an oiipor-
tunity of seeing them and learning a little of their
customs. Those here are nomadic in their habits, and
I could see no evidence of their having cultivated the
soil. Their chief occupation seemed to be rearing and

MONGOLIAN SETTLEMENTS.

113

herding cattle ; and yet there must be some places
under cultivation, for they have oats and other gi-ain.
A settlement generally consisted of a few huts, placed
wthout any regard to regularity, just as if they had
been set down at random. The huts were circular in
form, the walls of mud, and covered in with a wooden
framework ; this framework was overlaid with a coarse
strong felt, which rendered them perfectly waterproof.
There were no windows, only a hole in the centre of the
roof for the smoke, and a ventilator over the door, which
always faced the south. In the middle of the tent there
is a triangular iron frame for hanging pots on when
cooking, and underneath it a fireplace and large hearth-
stone. Bound the tent are skins of every description,
on which the inmates recline.

In almost every tent we saw an image of Buddha
set foith conspicuously on the high cupboard, and
generally with incense burning before it. Each respect-
able family appeared to have two or three tents ; one for
sitting and cooking in, and others for sleeping and
valuables. The fuel they use is the dried dung of cattle ;
it ignites very readily, gives a good heat, and sends forth
almost no smoke. The people are extremely simple in
their manners ; many of them were quite terrified at
our approach, but were soon pacified ; then often invited
us into their tents, and we invariably accepted their
invitation. They live chiefly on milk and cheese and
flesh meat. They gladly warmed milk for us, and you
may imagine how much we relished it coming from

36

VOL. II.

114

JOUKNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

China, where milk is almost unknown. We also bought
some butter from them, and several of their cheeses,
which were both good. The butter is made in rather a
peculiar way : they place the milk in a small boiler over
the fire and allow it to boil slowly for a sufficient time ;
they then take it off and allow it to cool : a circular
cake is thus formed on the surface, and this is their
butter. Their cheese is pressed like ours, hut moulded
into very small cheeses only about I V lbs. weight each.

Some of the tents are dirty, others are clean ; and as
I had been told of their uncleanliness, I was agi'eeably
surprised to find several very pleasant tents. In one I
found the clean and rosy-cheeked wife busy making
cheese, with her sleeves turned up and her petticoats
“ kilted,” just like our better class of country servants
at home. The men were strong, hearty, and honest-
looking ; a great contrast to the Chinese : it was quite a
pleasure to be among them. One incident will afford
a key to their character : just after entering the city of
Do-la-nor, we were surprised to hear that loud clear
ringing laugh, characteristic of childhood and honest
simplicity, but which is never heard in China ; it came
from a company of Mongols. Their simple-mindedness
is taken advantage of by the crafty Chinese. The Mon-
gols prized our books, and on the way we sold many ;
they always affirmed that they would take the book to
the lama, who would tell them of its contents. Some
of them are musicians ; one day our attention was drawn
by the sounds of a stringed instrument, and on entering

OUK WINTER COSTUME. — ROUGH QUARTERS. 115

the tent, we found a man playing a rude violin, and
several sitting around diligently listening, as people in
a country-house at home on a wintry afternoon.

As the weather gradually became colder, we were
obliged to buy skins to keep ourselves warm ; and it
may amuse our readers to describe our outfit. Each
of us bought a huge sheepskin coat, the wool outside,
reaching nearly to the feet, sheepskin trousers and
leggings, and hats made of foxskin. As we journeyed
thus arrayed, our friends would not have known us.
My moustache and beard, which now reach to the breast,
were one lump of ice ; for so cold was it in these high
regions, that our breath froze and the snow froze on our
clothes : for several days we never took off our clothes,
but walked, rode, and slept in our furs. We often
laughed at each other, especially when at meals ; and
our readers would have laughed, too, had they seen
us. Our room was generally a dark cavern, with only
a square foot or two of dirty paper for a window ; we
slept on brick bed-places, with a little fire under-
neath ; this “kang,” as it is called, being not only bed,
but serving for table and chairs. Getting up before
daybreak, we washed our faces, if possible, while the
servant was setting our breakfast : we then returned to
the kang. Our lamp was a rushlight, which only made
darkness visible. The morning meal usually consisted
of a kind of porridge made of the small millet of which
we have spoken, and beef-steak, the one eaten with the
other, for there was no bread; this was sometimes

IIG

JOUKNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

varied by a fowl. Thus we fortified ourselves for our
day’s work; our midday meal w’as a little better, pota-
toes generally forming part of it ; and our evening meal
was light enough — sea biscuits, an egg, and tea being
the staple.

"We left Do-la-nor about noon on the 29th October,
for Pien-chang-tsz, a place CO li distant. We arrived
just as darkness was setting in — very thankful that we
were not later, for the roads were not plainly visible,
and the inhabitants very sparse, so that we might easily
have wandered. This place is only an inn ; but is
surrounded by a high square wall, and has plenty of
accommodation, of a kind : it was kept by a Chinaman.

The next day being the Sabbath, we spent the greater
part of it in visiting the Mongol tents in the neighbour-
hood, and found the people very civil. Abundance of
hay grows in the plains ; we were delighted to find hay-
stacks, just as at home — well thatched, and prepared
against the winter. At one place they were carting
it in huge carts, and building stacks, reminding us of
pleasant days in the years now gone. There were large
troops of horses feeding all over the country.

Early on Monday morning, as we journeyed along,
we witnessed a most beautiful sight ; as the rays of the
sun caught the eminences, they lighted up the flakes
of snow which lay on the ground until the whole country-
appeared as if set with myriads of pearls. This effect
is often seen on a small scale, but when it extends over
a boundless plain, it absolutely charms the beholder.

MONOTONY OF TRAVELLING IN MONGOLIA. 117

About 12 o’clock we readied Ta-la-tien, 60 li distant ;
and again set out for Shan-tan-hoh, wbich we made
about 5 P.M., being 40 li distant. We shall never forget
this place : the room we occupied was the dirtiest hole
we ever lay down in, and that is saying a great deal.
Often in our journeys we had that sajdng of Burns in
our mind :

“ To lie in kilns and barns at e’en,

When banes are crazed and bluid is thin,

Is dootless great distress.”

But Burns hardly could conceive of it being realized
as it was here, for barns with clean straw are palaces
and feather-beds to these abominable caverns. But we
shut our eyes to everything, and our ears and our noses
as best we could, and lay down contentedly.

I have already alluded to the monotony of travelling
in Mongolia ; it is interesting at first, but the ever-
lasting undulating plains tire on your eye.

“ Where the wave murmurs not,

Where the gust eddies not,

Where the stream rashes not.

Where the cliff shadows not.

Where the wood darkens not,

I would not be.

Bright tho’ the heavens were.

Joyous tho’ the bracing air.

Yet as a dweller there
I would not be.

O the wave, and breeze, and rill, and rock, and wood !

AVas it not God himself that called you good ? ”

( 118 )

CHAPTER VII.

JOURNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA — continued.

Mongolian Moors — A Temple converted into a Dairy — A Magnificent
View — The Great Wall of China — Sunrise on the Borders of China
— A Morning Prayer — The Flail in China — Cave-Houses — A Good
Place for a Mongol Mission — Terrible Police-Stations — An Im-
perial Summer Residence — The Native Names of China — Contrasts
between China and Mongolia — A Bad Road — Coal-pits— A Land
Pilot — The Great Inner Wall — A Gloomy Pass — Once More at
Home.

November 1st. Leaving as the sun-rays began to
illumine the plains, we dined at a Mongolian settle-
ment 50 li distant. The Mongols here were, at first,
afraid of us ; they ran and hid themselves, but hy-and-
by they soon emerged.

After dinner we started for Chang-ma-tsz. The
country at first had the appearance of undulating plains,
but after a little became quite marshy, with plenty of
peats. This afternoon another large flock of antelopes
scampered across the road. Next day the ground was
peaty ; very like the moors in Scotland. Distant about
40 li, we came upon a small inn, where one might have
put up for a night. However, having made tea, and
procured hay for our horses and refreshed ourselves, we

A TEMPLE CONVEBTED INTO A DAIEY.

119

set out for Pau-slian-tu, the road still reminding me
of Ayrshire moors.

Pau-shan-tu, which is said to be a military station,
is a small town full of Chinese. There were numerous
Mongol tents around the town, and a good Mongol
temple to the southward. We called upon the priests,
who took us all over it, and we found it in good
repair. There were the three Buddhas and their four
attendants, with five guards on each side ; before the
Buddhas were rice, rice-cakes, &c., and basins full of
pure water, as offerings. The temple, however, was at
this time converted into a dairy, for every available spot
was full of butter and cheese. We gave them a Testa-
ment. To-day we saw extraordinarily large herds of
horses feeding on the plains : I would not venture to
say how many hundreds.

We left Pan-shan-tu before daylight next morning.
The road was good— a fine hard road ; this was the sign
we were getting into more frequented places and nearing
China. About 11 o’clock we arrived at Shi-pai-li-tai,
where we dined, and set out again, anxious to reach the
Great Wall that night. The road still coptinued good;
during the afternoon we began to ascend, and our
enthusiasm rose in like proportion, for we knew we were
nearing the verge of Mongolia, from which we would
be able, we hoped, to see China lying at our feet.

We ascended hill after hill ; now getting a glimpse
of the Great Wall, and then losing sight of it. The
roads were villanous. At last we gained the summit :

120

JOUENEY THEOUGH INNEE MONGOLIA.

I rushed to the highest j^eak, and from it got such a
view as I never had before. The view of Zeh-hol was
grand, and there w'ere other views also grand, but this
surpassed everything. On the north there were high
mountains ; peak rising behind peak in impressive
majesty. The air was clear, and as the sun was just
setting, the peaks caught his rays and reflected them
one from the other. By-and-by they became more
luminous, until they appeared like a crowd of towering
pyramids clothed in rainbow hues. I thought of the
Alps and of the Himalayas, and felt I now saw that
which was equally grand. Far away towards the east,
and at our feet, lay China — a boundless plain : we
literally looked down upon it : for we were from 4,000
to 5,000 feet above it. Fascinated by this enchanting
scene, we lingered, until we were obliged to follow
our carts in order to get to an inn ere dark : most
unwillingly we departed ; for this surpassed all the
sights ever I saw, and it will ever linger in my memory
as a joy.

A little beyond w'e came upon the Great Wall of
China ; we ascended it, and as our road lay parallel to
it, we walked along the top. This wall is the outer-
most, and not so well built as the other, about 60 miles
from Peking — being, in fact, merely a mass of unhewn
stones, placed one upon another, wide at the base, and
only 18 inches at the top. In some places there was
no wall at all, hut only signal-towers, at irregular inter-
vals. Just as daylight disappeared we reached an inn

THE FLAIL IN CHINA. — CAVE-HOUSES.

121

just at the head of the pass, iu a most romantic position,
commanding a very fine view ; so we determined to wait
an hour, that we might witness the sun rise next
morning ; and we were ■well rewarded. The spectacle was
magnificent ; and the play of light upon the pyramidal
hills showed a gorgeous panorama : it was quite en-
trancing.

This was the highest point of our journey : Ave con-
tinued to descend, more or less, for three successh'e
days ; and haA’ing reached the inner Great Wall, AA'e
commenced another descent, Avhich continued for about
sixteen miles.

Having satiated ourseh^es Avith the glorious prospect
on every side, and the sun being noAv well up, Ave
commenced our downward journey. Just as we started,
Ave were interested by the sight of some men threshing
oats with the flail, just as at home. The men were
Chinamen, and we found that they had grown the corn
in patches of ground on the hill-sides Avhich had
southern exposures. At first, our road was tolerable,
but soon it became rough enough ; and there seemed
no end to our doAvuAA'ard progress. After a little Ave
entered a pass, which continued all the way to Chang-
kia-kow, or Kal-gan, as the Kussians call it ; the hills
Avere very high in some places, and our road Avas
OA'er the dry bed of a torrent. Here we found whole
A’illages built on the terraces on hill-sides, and many
of the houses actually excavated out of the side of
the mountain — haA'ing a door opening on to the

122

JOUEXEY THKOUGH INNEE MONGOLIA.

terrace, and holes for windows. There were several
villages of this description, presenting a curious ap-
pearance.

About 10 o’clock increased hustle intimated we were
neariug Kal-gan, and soon the massive gates, &c., came
to view. It must have been a strong place once, having
mountains on all sides, and only a narrow defile by
which it can be entered by the west. Our passport was
demanded as we passed through, hut the guards were
very civil.

We found multitudes of Mongols here, passing and
re-passing in all directions, and busy trading ; we
offered them books, and met with some success. At
first they were shy, and apparently afraid to take our
hooks ; but one or two respectable Mongols having pur-
chased them, their reserve vanished : in fact, by-and-
hy, they became clamorous, and we disposed of all the
Scriptures we had, and could easily have sold many
more. This e\-idently would he a good place for the
head-quarters of a Mongol mission, being only five days’
or so journey from Peking ; so that the missionaries
would never feel themselves entirely isolated. There is
a capital inn here, which the Piussians frequent ; we
stayed at it, and found it clean and pleasant, though
comparatively expensive. They appeared to court
European travellers, and I think there would be no
difficulty in a missionary taking up his quarters in it
till the people got accustomed to him, and found he was
peaceably disposed ; after which he might quietly rent a

A BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE. — TERRIBLE POLICE-STATION. 123

house.* This city consists of a walled-in town, and
suburbs which are just long streets in the Yalley, three
miles long. It is famous for the manufacture of soda,
and is full of mills for that purpose. The number
of population is uncertain ; it must be under 100,000.
We met a Russian at the inn, from Tien-tsin ; and it
is said they have eight or ten warehouses here for
storing goods.

Leaving the city, on our way to Peking, we passed
through a fine arch, and over a very beautiful bridge
of seven wide arches ; the balustrades ornamented with
marble figures of monkeys, lions, tigers, elephants,
men, dogs, &c. &c. Here we found the highway
bordered by a clay wall two feet high ! Who could have
imagined that the civilization of China would ever have
reached this length ? Here also were police-" stations,”
with pictures on the walls of beheading axes, swords,
guns, whips, war-chargers, tigers ready to make the
fatal spring, in red paint, intended to terrify robbers.
These extraordinaiy stations were met every few li, each
one decorated more fiercely than another.

On the 5th we reached Suien-wha-foo, a large
city, once the summer residence of the Emperors of
China dui-ing the Yuen or Mongol dynasty. Out-
side were fine parks of old willow-trees, which once
must have been really grand ; inside the gates are large
spaces of cultivated ground. The inhabitants are now

* Since this was written Protestant missionaries have commenced
operations here with great encouragement.

124

JOUENEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

comparatively few, aud they chiefly live on the south
side. It is famous for the manufacture of fine felt. It
has long been occupied by the Catholics ; and our land-
lord told us there were two Eomanist chapels and 400
or 500 families ; there are also three mosques and 1,000
Mohammedan families. We found our books sell well
at one quarter of the city, hut exceedingly poorly at
another; which we found was the Christian quarter of
the city.

During these two or three days, we have been gra-
dually coming to a clear understanding of a matter which
has long been a byword among us, viz. the native
names of China. The Celestials call themselves the
“ middle kingdom,” “ the flowery kingdom,” and other
yet more aspiring names ; and, as I have mentioned, one
of the gates to the east of Peking, on the borders of
Manchuria, has inscribed on its front, “The entrance
to the Gate of the Southern Heavens.” We now see
the reason of these names. Standing on the ridge of
the mountains over which the Great Wall passes, and
looking down upon China, girt as far as the eye could
see by that great chain, and knovslug that it is more or
less circled by mountains all round the west and north,
a Tartar would naturally distinguish it from the rest,
and call it the “ middle kingdom.” Again, travelling
over the plains of Mongolia, we were clad from top to
toe in furs, and even then not over-warm ; but as we
descended the temperature fell, until we were obliged
to throw aside our furs and found ourselves in a genial

ORIGIN OF EPITHETS FOR CHINA.

125

climate, among flo'v\’ers and pleasant groves. No wonder
^longols and Tartars were struck with the contrast, and
called it the “ Flowery Kingdom.” So, in the western
plateau of Mongolia, all is uniform, and either in winter
cold, bleak, and barren, or in summer plains of burning
sand heated by a powerful sun, or morass and long
waving grass ; whereas when the wanderer comes down
into China every variety of scenery meets the eye : there
are smiling villages, fertile plains, broad, flowing rivers,
waving willows, and everything that can charm the
senses. Who can wonder that they called it in their
ignorance “ The Heavenly Country?”

Leaving Suien-wha-foo about one, we had a good
road for about 20 li, but afterwards- a very hilly,
dangerous pathway. At Hsiang-shui-poo we came upon
the river Yang, which here entered a defile lying east-
wards. Our road ran through a grand defile, which lay
right over the tops of the rocks, and the wheels of carts
had literally worn a track-way deep into the stone, and
the hoofs of mules and donkeys had worn holes also in
the rocks, so that the beasts stepped regularly into one
foot-hole after the other. At Chang-kia-kow we had
seen great quantities of good coal, and found that it
came from the district through which we were now
passing. All along our way from that city we had met
strings of donkeys and mules in almost uninterrupted
succession ; a collier village and men’s black faces told
us we were not far away, and at last the huge coal-
mountain came in sight. They call it the Ki-ming-

12t> JOURNEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

slian, or Cock-crow mountain, and tliere are said to be
fifteen pits upon it, but some of tbem are not worked at
present. The coal is of two kinds, viz. anthracite and
bituminous. There is also excellent lime found here.
The coal is all claimed by the Emperor, but is worked
by contractors, who pay their men by piece-work. Here
at the foot of the high coal-hill, in a small city, w-e spent
the Sabbath. The hill is very picturesque, and on its
summit, almost as if in the clouds, stands a fine heathen
temple. This small city is not properly a city, but only
a village walled in for the purpose of keeping relays of
horses, &c. for the Emperor or imperial messengers,
and also providing the Emperor or the high mandarins
with sleeping accommodation on journeys.

7th. We started at 4 o’clock, and arrived at Tu-mu
about 9 o’clock, where we also met with a tolerable
demand. Leaving about 11 o’clock, we found the roads
were so worn down by the traffic that they were far
below the level of the country. In an amusing account
of the state of the roads in Lancashire at the end of the
last century, it is stated that the ruts in one place were
four feet deep. But these were literally in a cutting 15
and 20, and even 30 feet deep ; so that persons in the
fields could not see even the tops of the carts. The
country was very fine, well watered by the river Yang,
and there were enormous orchards.

In the afternoon we arrived at Huai-lai-hien, where
there was a fair being held. Starting next morning
at 4 o’clock we arrived at Cha-tao-ur by 10 o’clock, a

CHA-TAO-UE. — THE GEEAT IXNEE WALL. 127

small village at the entrance of the Great Pass. Before
coming to it we met men and boys rushing to ask if we
needed men or mules to help us down the pass ; extra
mules being always needed here if there he anything in
the cart, as everything has to he taken out, to save it
being broken, and placed on mules’ backs. Fortunately
for us, our books were now almost sold, and we had
idle mules, and so did not require to hire ; the carter,
however, hired a “ pilot ” to direct and help him as we
went through the pass, for he said if he got among the
boulders he could not get out again. I smiled at these
precautions, for I discredited the awful stories told of
the fearful pass ; hut I found that they were within the
truth, and all the precautions not more than sufficient
for safety.

We rested at this place, breakfasted, and then, with
our “ pilot” and one empty cart, set out. Here at once
we came upon the Great Inner Wall, a most gigantic
work, very strongly buUt, having huge blocks of granite,
well joined together, for its foundation, and being
strongly defended by well-built towers. We mounted
the wall and walked along it, and were more than repaid
for our trouble : it certainly deserves to be ranked
among the “wonders of the world.” Passing through
the gateway of the wall we entered the pass — a pass
which defies my powers of description. Some parts of
it are worse than others ; but, on the whole, it is terrific :
I cannot conceive of a worse road which could, by any
means, he passable. We had to traverse 16 English

128

JOUENEY THROUGH INNER MONGOLIA.

miles of a sombre defile, with towering hills on both
sides, the way strewn with big stones at all sorts of
angles, and every now and then boulders in the centre
as large as a cottage. At several places the mules leapt
from stone to stone like cats, and the cart bounded
hither and thither like an india-rubber ball ; it was
upset twice, and would have been three or four times
had we not walked behind and held on by the sides as
it went jerking down the valley. Yet the cart stood
it, so strongly made are these Chinese conveyances.

Some hundreds of years ago this pass was cause-
wayed, a prodigious undertaking ; and it bears evidence
of it yet, for there are patches of causeway standing
here and there eight and ten feet above the tops of the
stones, showing that it had stood at a higher level.
There are some famous archways with inscriptions near
the entrance.

About 4 o’clock we reached Nan-kow, or the
“ Southern Mouth,” or entrance, in safety — a small
city where we slept — and early next morning set out for
Peking. Our way lay through a level country, very
dusty, but well peopled ; we reached the city about
2 o’clock, and found all our friends quite well, having
performed a long journey without any accident to man
or beast.

( 129 )

CHAPTER VIII,

JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING vid NEW-
CHWANG.

Embarkation — Chinese Boatmen — New-chwang and its Port — Disap-
pointment at Ferry — Dreadful Roads — Misery caused by Rebels —
Corean Embassy — Romanists everywhere — Bad Roads again —
Chinese Canoes — An interminable Regiment — King-chow — Rapid
Sales of Books — Innkeepers’ Manners — Chinese Signals and Tele-
graphy— A Carter decamps — Arrangement of the difficulty — Books
not sold on Sunday — Strange City of Shan-hai-kwan — Glimpse
of the Great Wall — Imperial Army — Lawless Soldiery- — Yung-
piug-foo — Approach to Peking — Perils by the Way — Amval at
Peking.

In company with a native assistant and a servant, I
went on board the Prussian barque Elise, bound for
New-chwang, on the night of the 9th of April, 1866.
Owing to the darkness we had considerable difficulty,
and encountered not a little danger, in reaching the
ship. The rowers being inexperienced, I could hardly
make the boat answer the helm ; and what with dark-
ness, wind, and tide, and Chinese junks with their long
cables, we were nearly fouled twice ; and had it not been
for a friend who accompanied me, and who ultimately
took an oar, our peril would have been much greater.
VOL. II. 37

130

JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

In danger the Chinese often become utterly useless ;
they lose self-control, and act blindly and desperately.
We left the harbour next morning at daybreak, and,
after heating about for five days against northerly winds,
took our pilot on board, passed the bar safely, and
reached Ying-tze-kow that afternoon.

It being early in the season, the coast had not that
picturesque appearance which it presented on my first
visit ; then everything was green and beautiful, and
fleets of fishing-boats were out at work, reminding me
of the herring-fishing on the coasts of Scotland ; but
now everything was cold and bleak. The port called,
Ying-tze-kow is about eighteen miles from the bar by
water, but only four or five miles from the sea in direct
line ; it is situated on the river called the Liau-ho, and
is about twenty-seven miles from the city of New-
chwang, which wrongly gives its name to the port. At
first sight this place has not a prepossessing appearance ;
as it lies on a plain not much above high-water mark, in
some places covered with reeds and in others with the
saline exudation of which we have already spoken. When,
however, I landed and looked about, I became more
reconciled to the aspect of the country. On the north
and east were patches of vegetation and fields of grain,
while fine hills bounded the plain at a distance of ten or
twelve miles. Entering the native town, and walking
down the great street, and observing the huge native
warehouses, the crowds, bustle, and business, I forgot all
about uninteresting scenery, and became absorbed in the

A FATAL COLLISION.

131

people and in thoughts of the great work to be done for
them. I speedily found that this town is the key to the
whole of the vast district which lies to the north and
east, comprising the provinces of Shin-king and Kirin,
with their great cities ; it is also, in some measure, the
key to the valley of the Ya-lu-kiang river and the country
of Corea. In the streets we met traders and strangers
from every quarter, and I was thankful to have an
opportunity of speaking the word of truth and giving
books to those who would carry them to their far-distant
homes. The late Mr. T. T. Meadows, her Majesty’s
Consul, received me with great kindness, and I had
the pleasure of being his guest during my stay at that
time.

About a fortnight previous to my arrival, there had
been a collision between the American Consul and a band
of lawless “ sword-racks ” in the native town ; several
of those who accompanied the Consul were wounded
by gun-shots, and a few of the aggressors killed ; and
there being some excitement in the place, it was feared
that I should be molested in my work if I went into the
town. On inquiry I ascertained that some of the
custom-house officials had gone thither on duty since
the fight, and I therefore concluded that there would be
little chance of my being interfered with ; since the
Chinese do not think it worth while to rob or kill for
the sake of books. So I cautiously ventured : the
people received me well, heard me preach, and bought
my books in great numbers, and without any discourtesy

132

JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

whatever. I wrought in the task for three days in suc-
cession.

Our purpose being to proceed overland to Peking, we
procured two carts with a couple of mules each, and
filled one with Scriptures and books, and the other in
the same way, leaving only room for myself and
assistant. We left the British Consulate on the
morning of the 19th April, and made for Tien-chwang-
tai, a large towm on the Liau-ho, where we hoped to get
a ferry across the river and save two days’ travelling ;
but in this we were disappointed : the luggage of some
mandarin had been upset in the river by the ferrymen,
he had gone to law with them about the loss, and the
ferry was at an end for the time. This was provoking,
and the more so because the people on the road did not
tell me plainly of the fact : consequently we had to
retrace our steps and proceed to a more northerly ferry,
about eight miles from the other as the crow flies, hut
about thirty-seven by cart-road, o■\^’ing to the marshy
nature of the soil. It took us a whole day to reach
this ferry, as the roads were frightful, not from stones
but from mud, which was up to the axle ; at one time the
tracing mule w'as floundering in a pool, and at another
the tram mule was up to the neck and nearly drowned ;
requiring not only that we should dismount, but that
the men should strip and dig. When, by dint of
digging and yoking the other two mules to the cart, and
the whole company lifting and pushing and shouting,
we gradually got the vehicle moved and righted, it

CUKIOUS DEVICE FOR A TIME-PIECE.

133

was frequently only to tumble over into the slough
on the other side. The carters took all these annoy-
ances quite coolly ; they were accustomed to such
disasters, and had the most ingenious expedients for
getting us out of our difficulties.

As the darkness was descending we came in sight
of the ferry, just in time to see the last boat cross for
the night. We holloed for half-an-hour before the
rascals on the other side would heed us ; at last we
got them to understand that the carts were under the
charge of a foreigner, and after a great deal of delay they
prepared to come for us. Having got to the other side,
we found the inns full, and we had to lodge in the
house of the ferryman : thankful were we for any place.
Here we first encountered that curious device for a time-
piece which often amused us afterwards, viz. a cock.
The cocks crow at regular intervals, and the carters
rise, feed their beasts, and start according to the cock-
crowing. The innkeeper had a huge fat one tied beneath
his bed ; and as I occupied it that night, there was no
rest for me after midnight.

It was fortunate that we had to turn back and come
by this roundabout way, for thus we had a glimpse of
the country bordering on the district infested by the
rebels. At one place, where we had to halt to feed
our animals, there used to be large inns, but they
were deserted, and scarcely anything could be procured.
Now and then we met long carts laden with women
and children sitting on their provision-sacks, and fol-

134

JOUKNEY FKOM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

lowed by the male part of the household flying from
the rebels. We gave them copies of the Bible and
other books.

We also met the Corean embassy returning home :
part of the suite on the other side of the ferry, and part
in the ferry-house and inns around. The chief men
spoke the Mandarin colloquial well, and we found they
had met several missionaries at Peking, and had visited
the London Mission. They said they had some of our
religious books and knew a little of their doctrine, and I
offered them some more ; the chief man refused them,
politely telling thegi’eat lie that “ he did not understand
the Chinese characters;” but some of the others
accepted them. They would have a difficulty in getting
them smuggled through the Corean gate ; but, if in
earnest, no doubt they would succeed. They were
dressed in their own fashion, and were pleasant and
affable, and brave too. They inquired about the rebels,
declaring that they were not in the least afraid of
them ; I jocularly said that no doubt the gi-eat General
Wun-siang would drive the rebels into Corea. They
smiled and said, “ No fear of that ; we shall kill them
as fast as they appear. One come, one dead ; ten
come, ten dead.” One or two of the party were Eoman
Catholics, and spoke freely of the foreign priests at
Peking. The Eomanists get their converts into every
business of any importance, doubtless to further their
religion : I was surprised to find that even among the
select youths who had been set apart to learn the

BAD ROADS. — CANOES.

135

English language at the capital, there was a Romanist,
who likewise frequents the London Mission, and tries
to make himself very familiar there.

Next morning we were up at daybreak and soon on
the road. At first the highway was good and the weather
j)leasant, but by-and-by the road became worse — indeed
just like what it had been on the previous day ; we
again stuck fast in a marsh, and in the midst of our
efforts to dig the cart out and pull it through, the rain
began to fall. After no little labour we again got on
solid ground, but the rain continued and increased,
making the road, which was only tolerable at best, a
perfect puddle ; and so, after about seven hours, we
reached the place, on the opposite bank of which we
had been two days before : we had only made eight miles
in these seven hours. Sitting cooped up in the cart,
we saw little to interest us in the country. On the
east side of the river the soil was poor, and the crops of
millet rather indifferent ; the western side, on which
we were now, was much better, the crops more luxuriant
and the people more numerous. The river was wider
than the Thames at Richmond, and when the tide was
full presented quite a noble appearance. The boats
which the fishermen use, and also the passenger ferry-
boats, are peculiar ; being long narrow canoes like
those in the South Sea Islands, and propelled with
paddles ; sometimes as many as six men were pad-
dling in one boat : previously I had seen nothing
like these primitive boats in China. "Wild geese.

136

JOUKNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

(lucks, and water-fowl were frequent at this part of
the river.

The rain having cleared away in the afternoon, we
went out and had the gratification of selling a large
number of hooks before it got dark. Next day being
Sunday, I spoke in several parts of the town, and met
with some encouragement. When I had nearly finished,
we met a large body of militia parading the town ; they
were well fed, well clad, and otherwise well appointed,
and had been raised on account of the proximity of the
rebels.

The country towards the west and south of this town
again presented the sterile aspect caused by the presence
of salt in the soil, and that uninteresting appearance
continued for about fifty miles. Here and there we saw
patches of wheat, and ground on which a few vegetables
and millet would grow, and now and then came on
starved-looking horses feeding in the plains. The road
w'as neither less nor more than a long winding body of
black mud, with innumerable cart-ruts ; and there was
nothing hereabout that could he called a town. The
places where we halted were simply a concourse of inns,
like a monster railway-j unction in a country district at
home ; only, instead of innumerable lines of rails con-
verging to one centre, there were cart-ruts, from a country
very like a desert. After having gone thus far, the land
began to rise, the soil became better, and the people
more numerous ; a little further on, we came on trees,
rookeries, crows in abundance, good horses and cattle

KING-CHOW-FOO.

137

grazing, and pigs marked with white patches, unlike
other Chinese pigs. Still further on, we came to hills,
where we found farmers busy sowing cotton ; at last, just
before dusk, on the 24th of April, we reached the city of
King-chow-foo, and found a most comfortable inn.

To the traveller arriving from the east this city has
no very promising appearance, as it lies in the midst of
a great sandy plain, and he cannot see the walls on
account of sand-hills intervening, until he is close
upon them. When, however, he enters the eastern
suburbs, his expectations are at once raised ; there being
a street of great length full of fine shops on each
side. The impression of its importance is deepened on
entering the city itself, which is a miniature of Peking,
as Brussels is of Paris ; there are light carts standing
at the gates for hire, like cabs at home ; they have
a great morning market, as in the capital, and the city
appears to possess a good deal of wealth. It stands
about thirteen miles from the sea, and obtains a portion
of its supplies by junks and boats, which enter a small
seaport at that distance : coal is in common use, and
beef is readily procurable. There are a few Koman
Catholics and Mohammedans among the inhabitants.

We rose early on April 25th and prepared for work.
The innkeeper kindly offered to send a man with us to
the great morning market : so having loaded ourselves
with books, we set out with our guide, who groaned
under his load. The market was held in one of the
large temples, and having selected a vacant place, w'e

138

JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

set down our burdens, and I began to preach. At first
the people were chary about purchasing, but after speak-
ing a little, explaining the contents of the books, and
our design in coming, they commenced to buy, and soon
there was a perfect pell-mell of a sale. The people
attending this market were well dressed and respectable-
looking, and our higher-priced books went off in large
numbers ; we continued selling till about nine o’clock,
when the gates of the temple Avere shut, and business
was over for the day. "VVe next w'ent to the eastern
suburbs, thence back to the middle of the city, and
having thus traversed the place, we prepared to start,
as we wished to make other thirteen miles that day.
After dinner we threw our weary frames into the carts,
and off we set. The country on the w'est side was very
prettj'- ; sheep grazing, and farmers sowing cotton and
grain of several kinds ; but this did not continue long :
about half way the road became villanous, and Ave
suffered much fatigue before we reached Kao-kia-chuu.

It w’as now dusk, and the inns being full, w'e had
some difficulty in getting lodging — more than would
have been necessary had the innkeepers cared to put
themseh^es about for us. Here we learned from expe-
rience the truth of the wayfaring maxim to take quar-
ters at the first inn you go to, even though inferior, and
never accept a refusal ; for if one innkeeper declines to
haA'e you the others follow suit, and the likelihood is
that you do not get any lodging in that town. Early in
the morning we distributed some books, but found the

A QUICK SALE OF BOOKS.

139

people disinclined to receive them ; probably the affair
of the preceding evening bad led them to look upon
us with suspicion. \Ye started about seven o’clock, and
bad very bad roads as far as the neighbourhood of
Xiug-yuen-cbow ; nearing this city the country became
billy, and although the road was bad and the thumps
most annoying, yet there were pleasant views of the
country every now and then. The city is prettily
situated. Like King-cbow-foo it stands in a sandy
plain, through which a pleasant stream flows ; but there
are no sand-hills hiding it from view. It is a fine
compact city, surrounded by pleasant trees, which often
conceal the walls, and beyond it were fertile fields gi-een
with young wheat and vegetables.

Passing through Ning-yuen-chow, we caused the
carter to leave a box of books under a canopy on several
huge logs of wood at the door of a shop which was
shut, and the assistant and servant were sent on to
the inn in the suburbs to eat their dinners and to pre-
pare mine, and then come and relieve me. A vast
crowd immediately collected, and after telling them that
I came with the message of salvation, I began to sell ;
they bought as fast as I could take their money : but
many books were stolen. After more than an hour my
men returned, and I stayed with them till the sale
slackened, and then went off for dinner, not a little
exhausted ; after dinner I returned and sold still more.
At last I told the carters to prepare for starting, and
hartng sent one of the carts on, I remained in the city

140

JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

and sold from the shafts of the other till nearlj' evening,
when I followed and made other six miles that night.

All along the road from Yin-tze-kow the inns were
good ; hut when we came upon the Emperor’s highway
to Mouk-den and Manchuria and the east at King-
chow-foo, they were still better, extremely large and
with good Chinese accommodation, and the keepers
and waiters particularly civil, except at the one place
above referred to. As on the other highways there were
high towers every 10 li, on the hills when practicable,
as signal-posts ; they were well built and in good repair.
When danger appears fires are lit at night, and in-
telligence is thus rapidly conveyed to Shau-hai-kwan
and the capital. The deduce for daytime is the same
as elsewhere ; they make fires of dried wolf’s-dung,
which they declare has the peculiar property of emitting
a dark volume of smoke that goes straight upwards and
resists the force of the wind to scatter it, so that, wind
or no wind, there is a dark perpendicular column which
can be discerned at a great distance.

Starting before daybreak (April 27) we made 15 li.
Arriving at a A*illage where a fair was being held, we
halted for a little and effected some sales ; we then
went southwards, and turning towards the west, skirted
the sea. Passing over a very bad road, we came to hills,
on the further side of which we found ourselves in a
most pleasant country : hills towards the north and a
fertile plain extending for miles southward to the sea.
About mid-day we reached a town called Chun-hiu-so,

JOHN CHINAMAN’S WAYS.

141

formerly walled, but having been taken by the rebels
some years ago, the walls were in ruins in many places,
and only a few people resided inside ; on the return
of peace the inhabitants made their residences outside
the city on the great highway, and the business was
now very extensive.

Ha\ung deposited a large number of books under the
A’erandah of an apothecary’s shop, I sent our carts on to
the inn and began work. Here, again, the people hardly
gave us time to finish our address ; they insisted on
buying, and when we did begin the sale was rough and
quick work. Eeturning in the afternoon to the inn for
dinner, we found that one of the carters had decamped,
and left his cart and harness in the yard ; on inquiry
we learned that his home was only a few miles from this
place. The innkeeper is responsible for all carts and
mules which put up at his quarters, and we therefore
told him he must get another cart for us, or pay
damages. He cheerfully procured another, and far
better cart and mules ; he having the cart and harness
as a pledge : in fact, he paid the new carter more than
I was to give the other, and gave the new cart to me
at the old price, avowing that he would make the rascal
pay the difference.

Here another incident occurred illustrative of John
Chinaman’s honest ways. The new carter was brought
to me as clever and good, and it was affirmed that the
cart and mules were also first-rate ; next morning,
when they made their appearance, I was quite satisfied.

142

JOUBNEY FKOM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

and had everything transferred and nicely packed ; hut,
just as we were starting, an ugly rag-tag man took his
place on the shaft. “Who is this?” I asked. “The
carter,” was the reply. “ Why does the man not go who
was said to be the carter last night ?” “Because he
has just recovered from an illness, and has his crops to
attend to.” “ That won’t do,” I said. “ This man does
not appear capable, and perhaps is quite ignorant of the
road.” I was assured that he was constantly on the
road to Peking and elsewhere ; but I was not to be
imposed upon, and persisted that the man with whom
I bargained must go. The rag-tag fellow declared that
the cart and mules were his own, though it was plain he
had not the value of a cash in the world ; the truth
was, the right carter literally wanted to sell us : he had
made a bargain for a certain price, and would have given
us over to the tender mercies of this irresponsible man
whom he hired for a less sum. A missionary friend of
mine had once been victimized in this way on a boat
excursion : he agreed for a certain price, the boat-
men took him a little distance, met another boat, sold
him to the new boatman, at a far less price ; and having
told a beautiful and grief-stirring string of lies, our
friend innocently changed boats, and the first boatman
went olf exulting.

All being arranged, we set out in our new cart, and
had no occasion, during the whole journey, to repent of
the change. At first the country was pleasant, and we
observed the people using for fuel the small oak-shrub.

A PECULIAE CITY.

143

from the leaves of which the large species of silkworm
is fed ; ou inquiry, we found we had entered a silk
district, and that silk was made still more extensively
tow^ards the north, where both the small silkworm which
lives on the mulberry-tree, and this one which lives on
the oak, were to be found. We sold hooks at a large
village called Tsian-wei, and also at a walled town called
Chen-soa. In two places the road was very stony and
hard to travel over. We put up for the night at the
inn a little beyond Tsong-tsien-shi, or Chen-soa.

Sunday, April 29. Ha^dng remained in the inn
during the morning, I went hack a short way to the
fair in the village and preached, and was listened to
with great attention. In the afternoon I went to the
city called Shan-hai-kwan, the great thoroughfare
through which the chief traffic to the east passes, where
I preached in different parts of the city to very attentive
audiences. Next day I began early, and had the satis-
faction of disposing of not a few hooks. This city is
peculiar in several respects. It consists of three cities
separated from one another by strong gates, — one, the
large inner city, where the business is chiefly transacted,
and where there are light carts for hire at the corners
of the streets ; one, smaller, to the east, inhabited by
officials and soldiers ; and another small city to the west,
inhabited partly by traders and partly by military ; all
the three are again surrounded by one wall, which is
rather dilapidated at present. The place has a pre-
dominating military aspect ; not only were there crowds

144

JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

of soldiers in all directions, many of them armed, hut
cannon were fired now and then ; and almost every
shop — if not literally every shop — had a flag fijdng,
intimating that the shopmen and apprentices were
volunteers belonging to some banner. Our passports
were examined with great care ; hut, at the same time,
with extreme civility.

Shan-hai-kwan is pleasantly situated. It lies at the
foot of hiUs over which you see the Great "Wall, or
rather two great walls, descending and forming one
where they meet at the city, and passing on to the sea
about three miles distant, where it ends its long course.
One of these walls is the true Great Wall of China,
which runs round the north and west of the empire,
and the other is a shorter wall, a continuation of pali-
sades which run in a north-easterly direction, and form
part of the boundary of Manchuria. Having finished
our work, we set out in the forenoon, and just in time ;
for ere we had got out of the city we met the vanguard
of a large body of cavalry on their way to Mouk-den, the
seat of war ; they had good horses, were well armed, and
looked soldierly men. Had we been any later, we should
have found it difficult to get accommodation, for they
would have occupied every available lodging-place ; we
might also have been interfered with in our work.

At first we found the country stony, hut it soon
improved, and by and by became very pretty. Here we
came upon a company of lamas (Buddhist priests)
from Manchuria on their way to Peking. Starting

YUNG-PING-FOO.

145

before daybreak on the 1st May, we arrived about
6.30 A.M. at Fab-ning-hien, a pretty little city, with
walls in good repair. Here we found a number of good
shops and well-dressed people, indicating respectability
and comfort ; we also disposed of a good number of
books. Pushing onwards we found the country hilly
and picturesque, but not very fertile. On our way we
passed through several cuttings in the hills, whether
artificial, or worn by the slow and constant passage of
carts, I could not tell. Again we met a large body of
cavalry with their impedimenta — well named ! for such
baggage must be no small hindrance. Some had foreign
arms, and many were most ill-favoured men. In the
evening we reached Yung-ping-foo, with which I was
thoroughly disappointed : it is not the large first-rank
city which the affix “ fbo ” would indicate. We found
it big enough, it is true, but full of emptiness ; with
only a small conglomeration of paltry shops in one
corner, and no activity anywhere. Finding it such a
poor place, and seeing that we could do all that was
necessary in two hours, we told the carters to rest and
feed their mules, and prepare to go some miles further
that night ; accordingly, after preaching and selling a
few books, we again set out. Within a li or so we
crossed the Lan-ho river, an old friend of ours which
we had first met near the city of Je-hol, and whose
course we had followed on our way to Do-la-nor
(Lama-miau). It had not improved in appearance ; its
flow was slower, its width greater, and it did not excite

38

VOL. II.

146

JOUKNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

our admiration as it lay sweltering in this sandy plain.
On the other side the country became more fertile, and
we found wheat, beans, and other crops in abundance.
As it was getting dusk, we put up at a small inn, which
was not uncomfortable. During the night — which was
moonlight — another body of cavahy passed, and we had
the satisfaction of hearing their cries and noise without
seeing them ; the innkeeper was in a state of no small
trepidation, lest any of them should think of coming in,
for they would help themselves to whatever they pleased,
and so he kept the gates strictly closed and barred ;
they went off in peace, and at dawn we were again
on the road. For fully twenty miles we passed through
a plain of sand, in some parts presenting more of the
aspect of a desert than anything I had before met
with ; and j-et there must have been springs under-
neath, for miles of the way were covered with peach and
apricot trees, and willows. In one of the villages on
the road we found a gi’eat variety of articles of wicker-
work for sale, some of which were very beautiful; so
much so that we bought a lot of small baskets and
other things for the folks at home. Quantities of this
work are sent to adjacent cities, and we passed a huge
cart bulged out with all sorts and sizes of wicker-work.
Resting at a village called Sha-ho-i, we found asbestos,
which abounds in the hills to the north-west. Next Ave
came to Chin-tze-jin, another rtllage, where we sold
books, and on our way we met another body of cavalry,
the last we saw on this journey.

SOLDIERS ON THE ROAD.

147

Rising early (at three o’clock), we made for the city of
Fung-ynng-hien, a comparatively busy place, surrounded
by walls somewhat out of repair. There was a large
fau- being held here, and having taken our station under-
neath the shade of an untenanted shop, I preached, and
sold not a few hooks. Starting about 9.30, we rested at
a large and important village called Sha-lin-ho, where
were good shops and inns, with more business and life
than in Yung-ping-foo. Here, also, we had the pleasure
of selling a number of books, and having dined, we started
for the city of Yu-tien-hien (called on the maps Yu-hen !),
which is a homely, quiet city. Doing a little work, we
passed on, and put up for the night at a village called
Tsai-ting-chiau.

Up at daybreak on May 4th. The country through
which we passed was comparatively fertile, and it con-
tinued to improve till we reached Peking ; abundance
of flowers and trees of different kinds relieving the
monotony of the plain. At mid-day we arrived at a
large village called Pung-djun, where we intended to feed
the mules and dispose of our books ; but finding we were
forestalled by a regiment of infantry returning to the
capital from war in the north, we did not deem it
prudent to remain, much less to work in our vocation ;
for no one could tell how soon, or under what pretext,
these armed ragamuffins would seek a quarrel with us.
Driving on for other six miles, we got dinner and rest ;
but from this, on to Toong-chow, we had no pleasure
either in travelling or work, for we were constantly

148

JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO PEKING.

meeting and passing detacliments of the Northern army.
Some of the troops had been drilled by foreigners, and
they were respectable-looking and respectful to us ; hut
the others were such as you would rather not meet.
If they came upon any cart going their way, they would
order the driver to dismouut, and themselves take his
place. On several occasions they tried to take possession
of our carts, especially the two behind me ; for the driver
of another empty cart had, for safety, attached himself
to our little party ; hut as often as they tried this, I rose
up, and they invariably went away. These fellows
reminded me of Falstaff’s ragged regiment.

Passing on, we came to Shang-ho-hien, a small
broken-down city, and then to Hia-tzen, where we sold
books, and rested for the night. Rising early. May 5th,
we set out for Toong-chow, where we arrived about mid-
day. The place was full of soldiers ; but being now in a
large city and near Peking, I had no anxiety, and so
began my work : I was not interrupted in any way.
Leaving in the afternoon, we went alongside, and some-
times upon, that famous causeway — famed once for its
grandeur and ease, but now a species of terrestrial
purgatory, over which ambassadors and tributaries pass
on their way to audience with his Celestial Majesty.
About 6 p.M. we had the great joy of arriving safely at
the London Mission ; where, finding my wife and
daughter and all our friends in good health, we united
in gmng thanks to God.

( 149 )

CHAPTEK IX.

JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN AND SOUTH-EASTERN
MANCHURIA.

Anticipations — Stolen or Strayed! A Colporteur — 'We meet with Old
Friends at Hai-chow — Volcanic Hills — Fashionable Head-dresses
— Hot Baths — Manchurian Horse-dealers — Pigs, four-footed and
biped — A peculiar Pagoda — Strange Pots and Kettles — Firmness —
Nearly Tricked — The Capital of Manchuria — ^We slightly lose our
Temper — New-chwang, dead within and alive without — Echoes of
Home — A Picturesque Ravine — Abusive Boys — A Blank Day —
More Cart Difficulties — Gold-Diggings — Ta-chang-ho — Ta-ku-
shan — Silk District — An old Manchu City — Highland Scenery — ■
Coreans — Curious Ponies — Fung-whang-chung — Magnificent
Scenery — Home.

We contemplated the prospect of these journeys, like the
others, with great interest. The country was compara-
tively new, the resources and products uninvestigated,
the people little known, and no Protestant missionary
had ever carried the Gospel to these remote regions.
There was, however, a spice of danger in the trip, for
the mountaineers are famed for their independent
bearing, and were said to make free with travellers and
their luggage. Moreover, the trains of carts and mules
which, on former occasions, we had seen enter the port
of Ying-tze attended by spearmen with matchlocks slung
across their backs, weather-beaten, dirty, dusty, and

150 JOUKNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

wearied, did not tend to allay our apprehensions. But
“cantahit vacuus coram latronc viator ” Our books were
no great temptation ; and, moreover, we felt we were in
the path of duty. We therefore prepared to set out.
Having completed our arrangements, on Sept. 9, 1867,
we went on board the good ship the Rijie, Capt. Elliot,
of Annan, who kindly gave us and our books a free
passage.

The winds were contrary, and after a tedious passage
of seven days we reached Ying-tze, the port of New-
chwang, on Monday the 16th, where we spent a few days,
making arrangements for the journey, in which we were
greatly assisted by our friend Rev. W. C. Burns. After
taking note of the nature of the country, we saw it
would be advisable to make two trips : one northwards to
Mouk-den, the capital of Manchuria; the other south-
wards over the promontory. Accordingly, having
obtained carts, &c., we set out early on Thursday after-
noon for the former place. The roads were generally a
l^uddle, and in some places a river, so our progress was
tardy ; hut we made forty li the first day, and slept at
Kau-kan, a collection of inns.

Starting early on the morning of the 20th, we found
the road rather worse, and often left the main-road for
the fields. To lighten the carts we all frequently
walked, and in this way nearly lost colporteur Li in the
tall millet ; he strayed from the carts, and thinking to
take a short cut, made through the millet : the result
of which manoeuvi’e was that for some time we could not

HAI-CHUNG.

151

find him ; for the kau-liang, the name for the tall millet,
is so high and thick as to puzzle anyone. We shouted,
all to no purpose ; and it was only after some time and
a good deal of screeching we saw him manfully trudging
through the high stalks like some wild beast in the
jungle.

As we approached Hai-chung the country began to
rise sUghly, and consequently the roads were better.
Beaching that city in the afternoon, we commenced
work, and were successful in disposing of a good many
hooks. Next morning we also pursued our labours for
some time in the city, and then departed for Lai-yang.
Hai-chung is a moderately sized city ; the walls are
good, and the gates in ordinary repair. The chief street
is that running east and west ; but the north and south
has also a fair number of large shops : altogether the
trade was better than I anticipated. At the same time
it was too evident that there were many opium-smokers
there. We saw much pottery and large earthenware
utensils, which are made about forty li east of the city.
Immediately outside the walls the road is bad, but as
you proceed the country continues to rise, and soon you
enter upon an undulating district, the scenery of which
gradually grew in interest. Hitherto the only diversity
had been tall millet, short millet, beans, rice and mud,
or rice and mud and millet with the occasional variety
of a village ; but to-day we had hills at hand and a
variety of objects which interested us. We found the
dockweed in abundance, also several species of daisies.

152 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

viz. large and small, blue and yellow; but they are scraggy
and not like those at home ; also varieties of thistle,
including the common Scotch thistle, pinks, dandelions,
bluebells, convolvulus, a kind of pimpernel, soldier-
grass, &c. A stray cotton-plant here and there on the
roadside spoke of a different soil and a cotton district.
By-and-by we found quantities of the hawthorn, and in
some places tall hawthorn hedges, the haws much
larger than those at home. A partridge rose from the
highway, totally unlike our own, being red-legged like
the Shan-tung species, but less varied in its plumage.

The hills, which were pleasant to look on, were
not in ranges but rather in clusters, evidently volcanic
in their origin, and often crowned with clumps of rocks
in columns like basalt ; herds of black-cattle, horses,
and asses were feeding on the slopes. The country
was not populous, hut the natives were clearly well-
to-do ; the majority of the people are Chinese, but
there are a few Manchus among them ; the latter have
adopted the greater number of the customs of the
former, and have settled down as agriculturalists. The
women for the most part were fat, strong, red-cheeked,
and had large feet ; their strange head-dress greatly
amazed us : to convey an idea of its oddity is impos-
sible ; it baffles description.

Forty li past Hai-chung, on our way to Lai-yang, we
came on hot baths which are famous all over the
country ; leaping down from our carts, and crossing a
field, we soon reached them. There were three baths.

HOT SPRINGS. — MANCHURIAN HORSE-DEALERS. 153

situated in a morass at the foot of low hills ; the water,
as it rose, was greenish, and the temperature was
about 98° Fahr. In one a man had just emerged from
the water, and was sighing immoderately and wiping the
perspiration from his forehead, evidently relieved ; in
another was an elderly man dipping a very bad sore
leg in the tank ; the third was empty, ready for use ;
but the surroundings were more than suflBcient to repel
us from even the thought of an ablution. Outside the
walled square in which the baths were, we found
numbers of people taking advantage of the hot water to
wash their clothes ; unfortunately we were not provided
with bottles, and could not carry away any of the water.

Our way lay through an undulating district, and we
crossed several pleasant streams. We then met five
horsemen carrying gun and bayonet, and others armed
with long spears, whom we at once thought were rob-
bers, and who frightened us a little ; hut they passed
without molesting us, and we found that they were
only horse-dealers from Manchuria : they wore their hats
in a peculiar fashion, which the carter told us was the
sign of that class of men.

To-day as well as yesterday we met great strings of
carts — one time a dozen together — laden with indigo,
from beyond the palisades, each drawn generally by
eight mules, and carrying 2,000 catties. We also met
droves of pigs for the southern market, which the swine-
herds drove slowly, allowing them to eat in the fields
and roadsides as they went along, and the pigs all lay

154 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

clowTi when the men rested, spreading out a primitive
sort of tent made of waterproof ; under its shade they ate
and slept.

Shortly after dusk we reached the great inn at
Sha-hoh, where we spent our first Sabbath. It rained
in the morning, but we preached all over the place in
the afternoon. On Monday, starting early, we sold a
large number of books in the village ; the people having
been induced to buy them by the preaching on the
l^revious day. This village Sha-hoh is one of the
market-towns of the district, and has a few decent
shops ; the people were very civil. Here we found
coal from the north-east hills and iron from Pun-si-
hoo and Sa-ma-gi. We were informed that natives
among the hills would only employ certain favoured
persons to cart the coal and minerals away.

Leaving Sha-hoh you come in sight of a low range
running east and west, the highest peak of which is
crowned by a signal-tower : the hills themselves are
like bald heads, mere bare rocks. Passing this you
come in sight of the pagoda of Liau-yang, which in
structure differs from the usual form, and has a very,
striking effect in the landscape. A fertile plain lies
between you and the city, and crossing it you enter
moderately extensive suburbs, and soon reach the city.

Liau-yang occupies a large area, 10 li by 7 or 8 broad,
of ground ; the walls, at least 55 feet high, are stronger
and higher than usual, and it has a good trade, as
noticed previously. Having finished our work, we

STKANGE POTS AND KETTLES.

155

departed for Mouk-den ; leaving tlie city by the east
gate, called the Corean Gate, we crossed a winding
river three times, the mules being led by a man who
waded the stream. We here saw a number of men navi-
gating a large raft of wood on itsNvay to Ying-tze; the
shallows and rapids tested both their strength and
ingenuity. Pushing on we found the country yet finer,
and better wooded ; crows in great number crowded the
trees. At this point we met men carrying those strange
kettles and pots made of a peculiar kind of sand, which,
when finished, look like black-leaded eggshell utensils,
and which we found so plentifully manufactured in
Shan-si : as we then noticed, they boil veiy quickly
with little or no fuel. Much of the millet was cut
in this district, and arranged in the common “ stooks ; ”
the fields were hedged in by castor-oil plants. Having
to make a detour of some length, owing to the main-
road being a water-course for the time being, we did
not reach an inn till long after dark.

24th. Up and off at 4 o’clock. After travelling 35 li,
we crossed a stream and dined at a village where there
were excellent inns. We sold a number of books at this
place, and found it also an emporium of the cotton
produced in the neighbourhood. Proceeding, we soon
came in sight of a fine pagoda, now out of repair, 20 li
from Mouk-den. After this we came to a village, and
then reached the river, which flows on the south of the
city. We crossed by a ferry, the men in charge of
which tried to “ squeeze ” an honest, soft-looking man.

156 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

in such an outrageous way as to lead us to interfere.
The distance to the city being longer than we thought,
it was dark before we reached the gate of the outermost
wall, which we found partially shut. Having with diffi-
culty gained access, we passed through very extensive
suburbs, and then reached an inn under the walls.
The innkeeper opened the gate, hut finding I was a
foreigner, refused to give me and my men accommoda-
tion. Knowing well from past experience that if I was
shut out from one inn all the others would likewise be
closed against me, I went in by the half-door and opened
the gate myself. The carts and men entered, and we
took up our position in the great court, in the open air.
The inmates still persisted in saying “they had no
room,” lying with great ingenuity. By-and-by, however,
a respectable-looking man came to me and said he would
take me to an inn where I would have excellent accom-
modation ; suspecting a trick, I cross-examined him,
and on the assurance that it was not far away, resolved
I would go and see. Enjoining my men on no account
to leave the premises until I returned, which they were
in no way disposed to do, I went off in company with
my friend. He led me through a variety of streets and
lanes in the suburb, with the view, no doubt, of bewilder-
ing me, and at last said we were not far from it ; but
as there was still no appearance of any inn, I refused to
go further, and told him to take me back. He then
said, “ Here it is,” and taking another cross street led
me to a large gate, and knocked. No answer ! He

TRICKS UPON TRAVELLERS.

157

knocked again. Dogs barked, and we heard the sound
of voices ; whereupon he made a sudden spring up a lane
and disappeared in the darkness. The inmates replying
to my call assured me it was no inn, hut a warehouse :
I had therefore to make the best of my way back ;
anticipating some trick of this kind, I had marked the
turnings and windings of the streets, and so reached the
inn pretty easily. I now felt angry, for no doubt the
innkeeper was cognisant of the trick. I produced my
passports, appealed to the crowd of travellers who had
collected in the yard, and threatened if they did not im-
mediately provide me with a room, I w’ould make them
suffer.

At last an old man came who said he was the pro-
prietor, and begged me to go. I looked at his aged
appearance — he was not far from the grave — and asked
him if he seriously wished us to be left in the streets
all night without food or shelter. Fortunately I had
some apt quotations from their classics suitable for such
emergencies, and I repeated them, to his great annoy-
ance ; for he got ashamed, and after a little came and
said he had got a place, and bargained about the price of
everything. He then shouted, “ All things are explained,
understood, and fixed; give them rooms and fodder;”
and we were led to a hole, little better than no
place, where we were huddled together. I said no
more ; content that I had gained my point, and made
the way easier for any succeeding travellers.

Next morning we commenced work, but with some

158 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

trepidation. It being the capital of Manchuria, multi-
tudes of mandarins of all ranks ■n'ere there, and v:e
feared interruption. We directed the carter to take our
book-boxes to a quiet place in the main north and south
street ; shortly after we had commenced, our passport
was demanded, and proper credentials having been
given by the man who came, we gave it to him. Two
officers — one with a tremendous whip — were appointed
to keep the crowd in order, and we were allowed to
proceed with our work without the slightest molestation.
We sold large numbers of complete Bibles and Testa-
ments, and often a whole set containing a copy of
every book we had ; in the afternoon we went through
the whole city, speaking, preaching, and selling books.
Wearied with our exertions, we returned to our inn about
dusk, selling from the shaft of the cart as we proceeded
homeward. Next morning we again resumed work, but
as our book-cart had not arrived, we feared we should
not have sufficient for the return journey, and so turned
our faces again towards New-chwang ; besides, we did
not wish to try the patience of the officials too much the
first time.

Eetracing om* steps, we recrossed the river — this
time fording it, as the water was shallower — and
saw large herds of cattle swimming over. Proceeding
through country roads we had the good fortune to see
our book-cart a few miles from the place where we
intended to rest for the night ; the carter went with us,
and we made arrangements to transfer the books to the

EXCELLENT INN. — CATTLE-FAIR.

159

other carts. One of the carters, who was an opium-
smoker and half idiotic, objected, and we had to pack
his cart ourselves ; next morning the cart was there,
hut carter and mules had vanished. I, of course,
applied to the innkeeper, who sent messengers in all
directions, and soon brought the fellow back ; at first
he would not go, but at last the innkeeper and his
fellow-carters persuaded him to go, and we arrived at
Liau-yang about 3 p.m. We again commenced work in
the city, and had the satisfaction of a good sale. When
it got dark we went to the western suburbs, where our
carts had preceded us, and lodged in one of the finest
inns we have found in China. We were up at 5 o’clock
next morning, had a pleasant drive, dined at Pah-kia-
tze, and reached the market village of Kung-kia-chung
at dusk. We went out to the street as our food was
being prepared, and had the pleasure of doing some
work.

29th, Sunday. How one enjoys the Sabbath in
these hard, lonely journeys. Unfortunately in some
respects, there was a great cattle-fair at the place,
which interfered with our rest — especially after ten
o’clock ; but we had the satisfaction of speaking to many
of the great truths of salvation. Up early on Monday
morning ; 30 li brought us to the city of New-chwang,
where we spent the best portion of the day in our M'ork.
Having traversed the whole town, and the sales having
abated, we departed for Ying-tze, which we reached
next forenoon ; having passed through a fertile country,

IGO JOUENEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

full of millet, pulse, garden-plots, clumps of willow-
trees, birch-trees, and by roadsides covered with dock-
w'eed, thistles, oleanders, soldier-grass, &c. Thus we
finished our first trip.

New'-chwang proper is a small city with broken-
down walls, situated in the midst of flourishing suburbs :
a place dead in the centre and living at the extremities.
The water is excellent in this locality, and is used for
the manufacture of a native spirit, which is famed far
and near. We found a good many foreign goods for
sale, and observed, as at Liau-yang, a great Cartwright
establishment. The people were civil, and not over-
curious; hut the officials were exceedingly insolent.

We reached the port from which we had set out in
safety; and having supplied ourselves with hooks, and
got another carter instead of the opium-smoker, we
started again on the 2nd of October for the south-east,
on our second journey, with the intention of visiting all
the chief places in the promontory.

Leaving Yiug-tze, we emerged on* a barren plain,
hoary with saline exudation ; here and there we found
a few patches of millet, salt-stacks, and a few mud
huts, hut nothing more attractive to relieve the eye. At
dusk, 10 li from Kai-chow, w’e entered the hilly country;
so great was the difference in the air, vegetation, scenery,
that it was like another world. Beaching Kai-chow, we
tried to find an inn in the suburbs in order to start
early next morning, but had great difficulty ; and at last
obtained a most miserable room, where there had been

KAI-CHOW.

161

no guests nor fire for I know not how long. The people
are not only extremely suspicious of foreigners, but seem
to be actually afraid of them.

3rd. Very wet day ; changed our quarters to an inn
inside the city, and waited patiently for fair weather.
In the afternoon, the rain having cleared away, we went
out to work ; the people recognized us as having been
there before, and knew our books ; we did not sell
many, but preached over the principal parts of the city.
Kai-chow is a fine city ; walls high, well built, and in
good repair ; gates spacious and strong, one of them
built up owing to bad “ fung-shui.” The north and
south and east and west streets are full of large shops,
well supplied with a great variety of goods, and there
were one or two book-shops. There were several
Mohammedans in the city, who were civil to us : a
small seaport on the S.W. of this city makes it a sort
of emporium for southern and foreign goods. Through
the night a foreign timepiece in an adjoining house
struck the hours, sending our thoughts far away to the
land we love.

4th. Up at five o’clock : fine morning. Crossed a
river. Found the mistletoe in several moist localities ;
proceeding southwards through a fine country, we entered
upon rising ground and sandy soil ; as we travelled on,
the country became more elevated, then undulating.
We found buckwheat, pulse, large millet, patches of
cotton, clumps of trees, and a little silk. We took
luncheon at an inn 30 li from Kai-chow, and hastened

39

VOL. II.

162 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

on to work and dine at Huing-yoli, which is a small
walled town with a moderate amount of business in
the north and south street, the emporium of a second
cotton district, and where there are many cotton-stores
and cleaning-mills. We were told that there were eighty
Roman Catholic families and a foreign priest in this
neighbourhood. Having finished our work, we pushed
on, first over the wide-spread sandy bed of a straggling
stream, then to a fine country ; saw more cotton,
large clumps of white poplars, &c., and mountains on
each side of us. Having reached a small inn, we made
our bed in a cotton barn, and got what we could for
food.

5th. Up at 4.30 ; saw Indian corn drying on the
housetops, and cotton in great abundance, and of ex-
cellent quality for China. Entering a valley like those
in Shan-tung, wfith a brook running through it and
fertile fields on either side, we met a patch of autumn
wheat, the first we have seen in Manchuria, and indica-
tive of a milder climate. After this we crossed a rolling
moorland, on which we saw black-cattle, horses, asses,
and pigs feeding. The people are few, and the Ullages
mere hamlets ; the great inns good, hut the others only
fit for Chinamen. We dined at an inn which was
solitary and three li from the old Manchu town of Yong-
ning-kyan. Many large trees clothed the valley, and
the rocks which bordered it M-ere sandstone of difl'ercnt
colours — white, reddish, dark, &c. Bej'ond this we
entered an undulating country ; then we crossed barren.

FU-CHOW.

163

uncultivated moorland ; on approaching Fu-chow, the
soil becomes more fertile, and, after crossing two
ridges, you descend upon the city in the fertile
valley.

6th, Sabbath. Not being very well, I kept indoors
and enjoyed rest and meditation. Up early next morn-
ing, and sold a great many books, traversing the whole
city, speaking and preaching.

Fu-chow is a small square city, with high walls in
good repair, containing two main-streets, running north
and south, and east and west, with many good shops
well supplied with articles of all sorts. The people
were well to do, and very civil ; the trade is principally
local. It is inland, and not on the coast, as in the
map, being twenty-seven miles from the gulf on the
south, and about ten miles from sea on west and north.
The coal is very plentiful and good : the coal-mines
lie on the shore of the gulf, and are approachable by
junks. The Komanists have an establishment on the
west of the city.

Our work over, Ave started a little after noon through
a fertile, rolling country in a direction east by south ;
w'e found buckwheat, wheat, rice, and millet everywhere,
as well as tobacco in considerable quantities. Having
crossed a stream four or five times, we ascended a
more elevated region, traversed moors, and at dusk
made the old town of Lw’ang-ku ; it now consists only
of tumbled-down walls, with two or three beggarly
families, and a wretched inn, in which latter we had

164 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

such poor accommodation that we were glad to leave
the place.

8th. Up at four o’clock. Our road now ran through
a romantic ravine, whose picturesque rocks were hung
with beautiful flowers of various descriptions, such as
bluebells, larkspurs, flowering balm, large yellow daisies,
&c. In the cultivated patches we found tobacco,
capsicums, and also cotton in several places. The rocks
were various, such as blue limestone, white limestone,
common slate, purple and veined slate, and sandstone.
Further on we found dandelions ; also many familiar
wild-flowers. Every now and then we passed hamlets
of but two or three dwellings, — embryo villages, which,
in a few years, I doubt not, will rival their ancestors in
Shan-tung. The houses and outhouses were well built
of good stone, and the yards often clean and neat. In
their neighbourhood w'e found numbers of flne plump
barn-fowl, ducks and geese, reminding us of country
districts at home ; the poultry and ducks were so much
like the varieties at home, and the surroundings so akin
to farm-steadings in the moorlands of Scotland, that we
could hardly believe we were in Manchuria : the goose
was the Canada goose.

About 9 A.M. w'e came in sight of that branch of the
sea which runs inland as far as the centre of the pro-
montory.* The gulf was full of pretty islets. Keeping
close to the shore, and the tide having ebbed, we took a
short cut across the sands, and saved fifteen li. Having
* See Map.

SHIPWRECKED MARINERS. — EMIGRANTS. 165

reached the furthermost point of the gulf, we thence
went south-west, and dined at a comfortable inn outside
a village, 70 li by the great road, from where we started.
We found coal in use here from the pits south of Foo-
chow ; the landlord also confirmed the report of coal
existing at the island Yen-tau. After dinner, we con-
tinued our journey in a south-westerly direction, and had
proceeded but a short way when we met a great number
of Ningpo men in carts, some large carts having nearly
thirty men each. They told us that they were sailors,
and had brought two war -junks to Kin-chow for the pro-
tection of the place, and were returning to Peking ; but
the truth is, they were shipwrecked mariners, who had
been cast ashore somewhere on the coast. Each man
had a wooden passport tied round his neck, warning the
people not to molest him but permit him peaceably to
pursue his journey; this had been given by some
mandarin “ for a consideration.”

After rounding the gulf the country became in-
creasingly fertile, and continued so to the neighbour-
hood of Kin-chow. Our road lay through a plain, with
mountains on the east, and others now and then visible
on the west. Every day, since leaving the port of Ying-
tsze, we have met numbers of emigrants from Shan-tung
on their way north seeking for employment ; they were
chiefly from the department of Lai-chow, and told us that,
“ owing to the presence of the rebels, there was not a
bean nor a millet-stalk left in that district.” Perhaps
there were more emigi-ants than usual owing to this

166 JOUENEYS THEOUGH SOUTHEEN MANCHUEIA, ETC.

cause, but every year a large number of men come over.
Nor is it to be wondered at, for land is plentiful, and can
be bad at a very cheap price, and landowners can afford
to give good wages, so that coolies can often save as
much as 40,000 cash per annum — about £10 — a large
sum for such people. Early in the afternoon we reached
an excellent inn, thirty li from Kin-chow, and having
taken up our quarters there, proceeded to dispose of our
books as usual.

10th. Up at 4.45 a.m. Crossed a sandy plain and
two low ridges, on one of which the book-cart tumbled,
but escaped with little damage. We arrived at Kin-
chow about 9.30 A.ii., and immediately began work;
but many of the people were from Tung-chow-foo, in
Shan-tung, and had seen our books, or heard of them,
and accordingly our sale did not nearly come up to
our anticipations ; and, to add to our disappointment,
when we went over the city, speaking or preaching to
the people, we found them not very civil ; the boys, who
had got hold of some words which they imagined were
abusive English ones, shouting them after us. We
returned to our inn only to be molested by visitors,
young and old, pretending to be interested in our
doctrine.

The walls of Kin-chow are in excellent repair, and
enclose a large space, but a good portion of it is
taken up by gardens, &c. The main-street runs north
and south ; but the east and west street is not much
inferior ; the shops are comparatively poor. Like

MANDAEIN “ SQUEEZES.”— PLEASANT SCENEEY. 167

Foo-chow there is a temple at the cross, but neither
in neatness nor respectability of the people, nor in
general aspect, can it compare to that city, although
in area it is much larger. One of the men connected
•n-ith the inn, an old man, told us a gi-eat deal about
minerals in the neighbourhood, but lamented the
general degeneracy, and said there were no men of
ability willing to embark in any enterprise, all fearing
the “ mandarin squeezes.”

11th. AVe set off about 3.45 a.m. nearly due east.
Our road lay uphill for twenty li, and then we entered
upon a fine roUing country, which proved to he the
watershed, and from this point we found all the streams
flowing eastward. The scenery in this quarter was
extremely pleasant ; on all sides were fertile fields, here
and there pretty hamlets with flowers such as China-
asters, balsams, &c., before the doors, and large thresh-
ing-floors full of Indian corn, millet, &c. The people
seemed well-to-do, were well clad, and busy at their
several agricultural employments, and cattle, horses, and
asses were gi-azing in many places. Such scenes con-
tinued all the way across to the sea, and about 2.30 p.m.
we came upon the old Manchu city of Hung-tsui, a very
small ruined mass containing scarcely any inhabitants ;
and immediately after came in sight of the seaport of
Pi-tze-woa. iVe sent om’ men to the inn, and having
taken a box of books, w^ent down to the main-street ;
hut we were again disappointed : Mr. Thomas had been
here on his way from Corea, and had sold books to all

168 JOUKNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

who seemed to care for them. Accordingly we gave
ourselves to preaching, and in the course of the after-
noon and evening did as much as we could ; the people
were more civil than at Kin-chow, but not particularly
loveable. When the darkness set in, we returned to
our inn, wearied and worn-out, as much by disappoint-
ment as work. i

Pi-tze-woa is a seaport situated on the slojies of a
hill which goes down to the sea. The main-street runs
east and west, along the edge of the sea, and reminds
one veiy much of Lerwick in Shetland ; the streets
north and south are up and down hill. There is a good
deal of business done here, and there are several large
warehouses ; hut the trade appears second or third rate,
as all the things we saw exposed for sale were inferior
articles, such as large bundles of second-hand clothes,
inferior skins, &c. The harbour is very shallow — the
junks were all high and dry when the tide was out — hut
appears well protected by islets on the east and south ;
the chief entrance is on the west. There was apparently
no great dej^th of water that I could see near the shore,
hut of course piers could be carried out, if necessary.

In the course of the evening we found the innkeeper
very suspicious of us and unwilling to believe our word ;
hut our assistant helped to allay his apprehension. In
consequence of the bad sale at Kin-chow and Pi-tze-woa
we had to renew our engagement with the book-cart or
hire another. Unfortunately the driver had promised to
return his borrowed cart in two days, and could not go

A REPULSIVE PERSONAGE.

169

with us, and so I sent the colporteur out to inquire
about carts ; he returned saying he had hired one at
a moderate rate, which was to be at the inn at daylight.
Imagining it was all right, I paid the other carter and
let him go ; but, to my surprise next morning, no cart
appeared, and the colporteur having been sent to make
inquiries, returned, saying that no carter would go
unless they received higher wages than usual, because
we were foreigners. 'We went ourselves to the inn
where the carts are, and were amused at their ingenuity
in the invention of falsehoods. The head man was
a most repulsive personage : I can only describe his
appearance as that of a two-legged human red-herring ;
he was shrivelled, tawny, with small blinking eyes, and
looked the very picture of a rascal. He thought he had
us in his power, and was determined to make as much
out of us as he could. At last we applied to the small
mandarin of the place, who manfully tried to assist us,
but eHdently had no power to do so. Consequently we
went olf, determined to walk rather than be forced to
comply with their demand. We had not gone far, how-
ever, before a messenger arrived to tell us that the man-
darin had found a cart, and that proper mules would
be forthcoming in a short time ; the cai-t arrived, we
commenced packing, and proceeded on our way — glad
to get off.

Our road lay close to the shore, and the bracing air,
the newness and pleasantness of the scenery, served to
soothe our ruffled tempers ! The rocks w'ere chiefly

170 JOUKNEYS THEOUGH SOUTHEEN MANCHUEIA, ‘eTC.

sandstone, but the cuttings were rich in veins of granite,
indicating the presence of gold. After a few li we
crossed a small stream and entered a sandy district.
By-and-hy the soil became marshy, and we found great
numbers of water-fowl, such as snipe, wild-geese, &c.,
the latter being so remarkably tame that we were for
a time under the impression that they were domesti-
cated. We also came upon two or three specimens of
the Manchurian crane, and could not hut admire the
bird as it stalked through the pools in its peculiarly
graceful fashion. During the afternoon we crossed
celebrated gold-diggings, which extend a considerable
distance along the coast, and are about ten miles broad ;
they have been wrought for some time, hut omng to
quarrels and a murder last year they were stopped for
the present. Just about dusk we forded the Pi-liou-
hoh, and then, having passed over a variety of sandy
hills, reached a small village, where we put up for the
night.

12th, Sunday. Wet day ; real west of Scotland
weather. In the afternoon we gathered a few of the
villagers together and had a service.

On Monday morning we were up at 4 o’clock. The
morning was raw, hut we started at day-break — road due
east, then east by north — and kept along the shore for
some distance, and again saw the Manchurian crane
stalking solitarily in the marshes. In the morning, to
our surprise, we smelt peat-reek, and could hardly believe
our eyes when we found excellent peats stacked in yards.

TA-CHANG-HO.

171

The country all day was of the rolling prairie character,
with herds of cattle, horses, asses, and pigs in all direc-
tions, and bare-legged herd-boys scantily clad. The
country was very sparsely peopled, and at the mid-day
halt we could get nothing at the inn but cold sweet
potatoes and Indian corn. Wood was scarce, consist-
ing chiefly of willows ; though here and there we found
the oak-shrub, small firs, the hawthorn, and bramble.

During the course of the evening, as’ we approached
Ta-chang-ho, we crossed a very bad stony ridge, at the
foot of which we forded another stream which flows
into the Ta-chang-ho, in which the hinder cart stuck
fast and detained us for some time. Things righted, we
crossed a muddy plain, which got worse as we neared
the town, and at last had the satisfaction of reaching an
inn long after sunset. The innkeeper, a Tung-chow-foo
man, was very civil, and told us that one of his relatives
had been baptized. Next morning we were up early
and went out to work. The people were extremely
supercilious, and their demeanour was hard to hear ;
we, however, wrought on with poor success till nine
o’clock, when we resolved to start. Having mounted
our carts, the sale became brisker, and we had the
pleasure of being detained for about an hour in the
outskirts, selling books and speaking from the shafts.

The town of Ta-chang-ho is situated on the south-
west bank of a stream of that name, and is about five
miles from the sea. It is a straggling place, but
there is a moderately good trade : unlike Pi-tze-woa, it

172 JOUKNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, *ETC.

is frozen up in winter. The inhabitants are chiefly men
from the eastern portion of Shan-tung, and had suffered
from the red-bearded robbers. Leaving the town we
forded the river and entered a fertile plain which was
comparatively well wooded, and in which Indian corn
was growing in gi-eat abundance. We took dinner at
the regular inn about 30 li distant ; the innkeeper was
civil, though his looks were not prepossessing. After
dinner we went north by east over a fine rolling country,
more fertile than we had found it for several days ;
the great crop was Indian corn, but we also saw patches
of indigo, &c. : as before we found the hawthorn in all
directions, yielding plenty of haws. About the close of
the afternoon we made Ching-de-tsze, and did some
work. This town is another small emporium, and does
a moderate amount of trade.

On the 15th we started before the sun was up.
Owing to the destruction of a bridge, by our red-bearded
friends, we had to retrace our steps some distance, and
spent the whole morning wandering over the fields in
search of the road to Ta-ku-shan. At last, having made
a detour, we alighted on the great highway. We were
now in the country of peats imr excellence ; we passed
through great peat-cuttings, and saw huge high rows of
them built up in the fields, drying : the quality is first-
rate. The cuttings were full of water owing to the late
rain, and the watchman’s house was built of peats —
wet peats : we could not help remarking that it is
wonderful how much discomfort these Chinamen can

TA-KU-SHAN.

173

stand; or rather what the human frame can get ac-
customed to. We dined at a pleasant little village
about 30 li from Ta-ku-shan, and after leaving it
crossed the Siau-yang-hoh. The country was now a
plain, muddy in many places, and as we approached
Ta-ku-shan we had to shift about in all directions in
order to keep the carts above ground. We found men
constructing a new bridge near the toum with fine
blocks of beautiful granite, which were procured from
the mountains on the east. Arriving about three o’clock,
we commenced work immediately, had the satisfaction
of a tremendous sale, and spent the whole of the next
day also in this place, and went over every portion of it
preaching and selling books.

The town of Ta-ku-shan is the chief seaport in this
quarter of Manchuria. It covers a considerable area,
but is very in-egularly laid out. There is a large
number of huge warehouses well built and stored with
goods, indicative of no little wealth. It lies upon the
river called the Ta-yang-ho, a stream of considerable
importance ; it is opposite the town, about 400 yards
broad, and was crowded with numerous junks of the
second and third order. Large Foo-kien junks dis-
charge at a place 40 li distant, called Loo-tau, outside
the bar. We found blocks of wood fi-om Corea, from
twenty-four to twenty-eight inches in diameter, that
had come down by the affluent of the Ta-yang-ho
river which enters that country.

A high rugged hill, crowned with fir-trees and oma-

174 JOUKNEYS THKOUGH SOUTHEEN MANCHUEIA, 'ETC.

mented with two temples, overlooks the place, and gives
a picturesque aspect to the whole. The people were
moderately civil ; some tried to pelt me wdth coal : hut
an appeal to the better-disposed, and a quotation or two
from Confucius with reference to the treatment of guests,
soon quieted them : afterwards, however, the same
squad tried to get into our room, but were foiled. There
were several hundred mounted soldiers from Kirin for
the defence of the place ; they were Manchus, and by the
gift of a hook or two, we gained their favour. The
mandarins sent to see my passport, and set men to watch
me, but were very civil. Both days several people came
to the inn persistingly asking if I had any pistols, guns,
or pow'der for sale ; at first they seemed to think that
the sale of hooks was a mere trick, hut by-and-by w'ere
apparently convinced of my honest intentions.

Friday morning, up at four o’clock, and started for
Siu-yen. For 35 li our road lay west by south over bare
sandy hills, but passing this point the beauty of the
scenery made ample amends for former bleakness. Flere
we entered fine valleys, which continued ever vaiying
till we reached Siu-yen ; their sides were covered with
all kinds of trees and brushwood, and in many places
with a profusion of flowers : we found ferns growing
plentifully in the shade of the rocks and roots of trees.
We met streams rushing down in all directions, and
forming a river up which we wearily made our way : our
readers must not suppose that this is a slip of the pen,
for we had veritably to ascend the river-bed. Some-

SILKWORM CULTURE.

175

times we made a sliort-cut across the fields, but at other
times were engaged either in jolting over the stones
and boulders or in crossing and recrossing the river,
which we did I know not how many times. The scenery
was charming ; but the travelling perfect misery, unless
when we were walking ; whereas, in other places, travel-
ling was pleasant but the scenery tame. We dined at an
inn 50 li from Ta-ku-shan, very picturesquely situated,
with a clear limpid stream flowing past, high crags
covered with brushwood in front, and mountains reced-
ing behind. We found the inhabitants preparing cocoons
of the large silkworm, and spinning the thread ; they
told us that there were quantities of coarse silk produced
in the neighbourhood, and also that there were a few
mulberry-trees.

After dinner our way still lay up the bed of the
river, rolling and jolting terribly. We passed a few
hamlets, in one of which we found schools and a good
many well-to-do people. The carters took us 20 li out
of our road in order to avoid some hill difficult to cross ;
we were annoyed at this, for we knew carts had gone
over that very day, and were the more vexed as it was
likely to prevent us reaching Siu-yen early next day and
getting our work done before Sabbath. To obviate this
we drove on in the dark to an inn some two or three
miles away; and next morning started by moonlight
and travelled several li before sunrise. Crossing a river
we came to the bed of another stream, up which we
journeyed, and in the course of the morning we met

176 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

many carts heavily laden bound for Ta-ku-slian ; and
were amused 'ndth their long whips, which were like
huge fishing-rods, and detonated like the discharges of
revolvers : seeing a train of carts coming through the
cuttings while the beasts were hid from view, the long
whips reminded one of the slender masts of small boats
in a heavy sea.

By-and-hy we crossed another ridge, and coming on
a sandy plain passed a curious conical hill on the road-
side ha\dng immense boulders stuck in its exposed
sides, like big raisins in a plum-pudding. "We also
observed plenty of wild-fruit such as haws, dog-hips,
hazel-nuts, acorns, and various kinds of berries, the
common Scotch thistle, bramble-bushes, &c. Again we
crossed another stream, and ascended a yet higher
plateau, where we met some beautiful weeping-willows
of great size. Yet another stream, and we came in sight
of Siu-yen, which we reached about noon. Commencing
work at once, we sold a large number of books, and
reserved preaching till next day.

On Sunday we rested during the first part of the
day ; having taken a late breakfast, we went out and
preached all over the town, hut found the people ex-
tremely rude and foul-mouthed. The diversity which
marks the character of the people in different locali-
ties is somewhat remarkable ; in certain places we
have found them, men and hoj'S particularly, pugna-
cious, fighting with one another on the least provoca-
tion ; in other localities their warlike demonstration

AN OLD MANCHU CITY.

177

towards each other was confined to abuse. In one place
their abuse takes one form, and in another a different ;
each place having its own speciality, so that very often
a slight change of district places you amongst a people
w’ho show a complete change of manners.

Siu-yen, the city proper, is a small square old
Manchu city, with walls tumbled down in several places.
Inside are the yamun buildings and the residences of
the mandarin followers, and little else except a few
paltry houses and huxters’ shops ; outside are the
suburbs where all the business is done : these consist
of a street about a mile long and several shorter streets
at right angles. There are several large shops, and the
houses are in general well built of stone, some of them
covered with Manchurian ivy. The place, which lies
in a plain watered by a fine clear stream and surrounded
on all sides by lofty hills, is famous for its fine marble
quarries, some of the products of which are really beau-
tiful. There is a good country trade.

19th. Up at 4.10. Having bought a few specimens
of their marble, we started in S.E and E. direction ; as
usual the bed of the stream was the cart-road. Emerging
from this we crossed several ridges and streams flowing
S.E., branches of the Siau-yang-hoh, and found rice,
cotton, tobacco, and the oak-shrub for the silkworm,
in addition to Indian corn and the other common
products. As it was a brisk, cold morning — ice was
on the streams — we w'alked a good deal and enjoyed
ourselves. We dined at a small inn (60 li), in which

40

VOL. II.

178 JOUKNETS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

we found a boys’ school ; the schoolmaster was a Shan-
tung man, not over intelligent, but the boys were bright
fellows, and they bought some books. After dinner
we pursued our way, crossed the Siau-yang-hoh, a river
some parts of which were so deep that the carter had to
strip and lead the mules. After passing through some
fine scenery, in which we found tall oak-trees, pines,
large weeping-willows, and hawthorn, we made Sha-tze-
ho, a small market town with two or three stores. In
this neighbourhood we found the wild strawberry.

On Tuesday morning we started early, and were
enjoying ourselves as well as we could when we found
the carters had strayed from the main road. Eighting
ourselves, we came to some very wild and di-earj’ scenery,
"ndth hills bleak and bare, which was succeeded, how-
ever, by a rather pleasanter place, where the conical
mountains were covered "ndth firs, oaks, &c. By-and-
by we entered upon a fine undulating country, with
beautiful landscapes, reminding one of wide sea and
land views ; and, after a little, entered another totally
different tj'pe of country, viz. ravines with overhanging
rocks bedecked with brushwood of varied hues, and
flowers of different descriptions ; then at last we passed
through several gullies in which the water rushed on
as in a mill-course. Emerging thence, we came to
the Ta-yang-ho river, which winded through the plain.
"We crossed it twice, and having passed through a marsh,
came to Sa-li-tsai, a small village, where we dined at
an inn built of fine granite : the innkeeper reared silk-

HOME SCENERY.

179

worms from which is obtained a superior description of
the pongee silk. We then crossed a wide mountain-
ridge and entered a fine valley, which ran N.E. by S.W.,
and travelled through it during the remainder of the
day. The hill-sides and ravines were covered with firs
and oaks of a good size ; the mountain -ridges being
high, sharp, and bleak. Further on, the hills were
conical and covered to the summits with wood ; and
here we again met iyy, but not that fine velvety kind
which prevails at home.

21st. Up at 3.50. This morning we passed through
a very fine glen, which extended for several miles, and
resembled many in the Highlands of Scotland ; so much
so as sometimes to startle us by its likeness : there
were high hills on either hand, with rocks and crags
and brushwood of all descriptions ; torrents here and
there ; a stream flowing in the middle, springs of water
bubbling up, rural hamlets built of rubble-stone, stacks
of firewood, flocks of poultry — hens, ducks and geese, —
plenty of pigs and cattle, willows, hazel-nuts, hips and
haws in profusion, many trees hanging with mistletoe,
and the w’ayside covered with quantities of familar
grasses. Trudging along, for all was so home-like we
could not keep in the cart, Ave enjoyed the ever-changing
aspect of the glen ; the delusion being completed by the
familiar cry of the pheasant. Altogether the whole
country, the feeling of the air — moist and delicious — and
the character and occupations of the people, were such as
I little expected ever to find on the confines of China.

180 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

By-ancl-by we came in siglit of the famous range of
hills called the Fung-whang-shan, from which the city
takes its name ; hut as it was our intention first to visit
the Gate of Corea, we left the high-road, which was
crowded with carts for Ta-ku-shan, and diverging through
the fields, struck the hills at a right angle ; we then went
southwards, parallel to them, on the highway to Corea,
where we had the pleasure of meeting many Coreans on
their way to Fung-whang-chung, indicating that we had
arrived at the right season, and that the market was
open. We gave them a few hooks, which the greater
number took readily, but some sent their servants hack
after our carts to return them. As we drew near the
gate our excitement rose, for we expected to see a grand
gate-way in keeping with the extent of the country and
its famous history ; and when at last we reached the
village, we asked each other, “ Where is the gate ?”

Looking in all directions we could see nothing hut
a few mean houses. “T^Tiere is the gate?” we asked
of a man we met. “ Forward there,” was the reply.
Failing to see it, we made for the inn, and had a
morsel of dinner, after which one of the colporteurs
and I went out to our work, and had the satisfac-
tion of disposing of some hooks ; the price of which
we reduced to tempt purchasers among the Coreans.
Having wrought for some time, I left the man in
charge, and went to look at the market and find the
renowned gate ; the market was really a novelty, con-
taining things little that should he big, and vice versa ;

MAKKET CUEIOSITIES. — THE COEEANS.

181

there were ponies for sale little higher than sheep, or
rather about the size of a small year-old calf, and the
very colour of calves — reddish brown ; and bullocks of
tremendous size with saddles on their backs, and shoes
on their feet, fine animals, surpassing in size, shape,
and beauty of action, any cattle I ever saw.

The Coreans were curiosities themselves, with their
conical wire hats, their white linen, cotton and silk robes,

182 JOURNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

and other varieties of costume. They were more civil
than I expected, spoke a little Mandarin, and were very
inquisitive. They had the famous gen-sing for sale, as
well as beautiful cotton wool, coarse silk, Corean rice,
&c. One man only was impertinent, and it was with
some difficulty that we got rid of him. “ But where
is the gate ? and where are the famous palisades ? ” I
asked. “ There,” was the reply. “ Where ? ” I asked.
“ There,” again shouted the crowd, i^ointing to a small
house with an opening through it, at the end of the
street, not larger than a labourer’s cottage at home.
“ Is that the gate ?” I exclaimed. “Why, it is not bigger
than a cook-shop ! ” They only smiled. “ Where are
the palisades?” I now inquired. “There,” shouted
the people, directing me to a fence, in had repair, con-
sisting of a few stakes of wood about three feet high,
intertwined with some kind of willow, and which
extended only a few yards on the north and south of the
house. These were the grand palisades so obtrusively
marked in the maps. Going forward to the gate, I
found officials, some Chinese and others Coreans, who
readily answered my questions, but made up for it by
interrogating me.

The country beyond — mountainous and moorland
in aspect — was neutral ground, and for 100 li neither
Chinese nor Coreans were allowed to settle on it. The
opening through the house, which would only allow
a moderately loaded cart to pass, was the gate ; hut in
most cases the carts went round the end of the house,.

PECULIAR RACE OF PONIES.

183

as I was shown. The officials were pleased to hear I
was a British subject, and when they found that I was
no trader they were less apprehensive than at first ; but
seeing that my sketching excited their attention, I put
my pencil in my pocket, assuring them I was no soldier
taking notes of the defences, hut a preacher of the Truth.
Rejoining my colporteur, I found he had sold a few
books, and then, having again preached, we returned to
our inn to finish our dinner, with the view of making
the city of Fung-whang-chung that night, as we did
not deem it prudent to spend the night in that locality.
At our request, they brought some ponies for us to
see; I bought a prett}' young filly for about eleven
shillings ; it followed the carts like a dog, and is now
a joy at home and a curiosity to all. It neither bites
nor kicks, goes out and in doors through all the
house, lies down on the floor and rolls itself where it
pleases, and feeds out of the hand. This race of ponies
is peculiar to Corea : they are miniature horses, not
like Shetland ponies, and, when well kept, are strong
and swift. They are not very well treated in their own
country, being kept for carrying burdens across the
mountains, and used as asses are in China.

The market is held three times each year — viz. on
the third, ninth, and twelfth months of the Chinese
year ; on these occasions the Chinese meet the Corean
traders and barter with them, and the village, which
is just a collection of inns, is full of people and busy,
hut at other times it is comparatively deserted. On our

184 JOUENEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

way to the city we met many Coreans returning, and had
the pleasure of giving a few hooks. The road lay at
the foot of the mountains, which run north and south,
and it was impossible not to admire the grandeur of
the range ; in many places the peaks were high, rugged,
and precipitous ; their lower sides were often covered
with firs and brushwood. Near the city a thunderstorm
overtook us, which made us hasten our steps, and we
were fortunate enough to reach an inn without being
very wet.

Fung-whang-chung city has acquired some notoriety
as the first city at which the Corean Embassy arrives on
its annual visit to Peking, and where the respective
officials exchange courtesies. The city proper lies on
the north of the town, and is a very small square enclo-
sure, now almost, if not entirely, occupied by mandarin
offices. The suburbs are extensive, and consist of one
long street, running north and south, and several branch
streets. They are larger than those of Siu-yen, and
the business is considerably greater. The people were
civil and courteous ; several Coreans who were in the
town came to buy books, but made a gi’eat haggling
before purchasing ; being accustomed to the trickery of
the Chinese, I suppose they thought we might be as had.
Our work completed, we left early on the following
afternoon on our way home. Immediately on leaving
we came on a watercourse, and our road lay along the
bed of the stream ; in a short time we entered a valley
where the scenery was fine, but riding in a cart dreadful.

MAGNIFICENT VIEWS.

185

Having travelled 30 li we reached a rural inn, where
we were very hospitably treated.

23rd. Up at 4.10. Our way still lay up the bed of
the stream, which flowed eastwards. The hills on the
north and the south were increasingly beautiful, and about
11 o’clock we crossed the first mountain range by a zig-
zag ascent. The \dew from the summit was magni-
ficent : hills and valleys, woods and streams in all
directions. Descending by a similar zigzag, for carts
could not come straight up, we dined at an inn on the
west side. In reply to our inquiries about the district,
we were informed that tigers, cheetas, wolves, and foxes,
frequented these hills in winter. There were also
pheasants, &c. Resuming our descent, we found
another stream running north and north-west, and
following its course for some time, we passed through
a grand gorge, left the stream, turned round the corner
of a hill, went w'est by north, and soon commenced
another ascent; having surmounted this with a great
deal of toil, we gained the summit of another range
of mountains, and enjoyed a second magnificent view.
Looming through the depressions in the mountain
ranges w'e saw ridge rising hehinjl ridge in endless
succession for many miles. The sun was setting, the
rays crossed the ridges, and thus a most peculiar beauty
was imparted to the scene ; the whole country looked
like some earthen sea solidified in a storm, enveloped in
a haze of gorgeous sunlight. But there was more than
beauty in the sight — there was information : for it

186 JOUEXEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

showed that the preYailing direction of the ranges was
north and south, and that there was, therefore, every
probability of their being full of mineral treasures.

Pushing on, we gained a very homely inn, where
the whole family, men, women and children, all waited
upon us., "We had very little choice of food to eat — only
Indian corn, and when we asked for anything we were
answered u V Eccossais: — “How could we expect aught
in a mountain vallej" ? ” The water for these two days
has been remarkably soft, indicating the prevalence of
sodium. The mountains were chiefly granite, some-
times of the finest description. Wild berries of several
descriptions abounded in the valleys, also immense
quantities of mistletoe with fine yellow berries, and
hawthorn in all directions. The inhabitants were few,
and we saw onlj’ a house here and there.

On Saturday morning the road was very creditable
for the first part of the journey ; the country less
rugged, the plains wider, and the country more fertile.
About 8.30 we passed two huge distilleries where
whisky is made from the large millet. Onwards the
country was yet more fertile, and the people more
numerous, and well fed and clothed. Among other
products we found cotton and tobacco. We dined at a
large solitary inn, where there was also a country store,
full of articles of all descriptions. Crossing an undula-
ting country we passed through a small village, and
again commenced a third ascent up the course of a
stream. Easy at first, it gradually became steeper, and

BENIGHTED.

187

as night drew on we put up at a small inn on the road-
side. Here we spent the Sunday, and enjoyed the
repose as well as we could, in spite of a most dis-
agreeable landlord, who tried to make as much out of
us as possible.

26th. Started early : country still ascending ; and
to-day we crossed another high range, and then a lower
one. We found silk manufactured in this district.
During the first part of the journey to-day granite was
the prevailing rock, hut in the afternoon we met
quantities of fine quartz. These hills proved to be the
watershed, for henceforth all the streams ran towards
the west. To-day we found mistletoe, the Scotch
thistle, cranberries, &c. Night overtook us before we
reached our destination, and we had four weary miles
in pitch darkness ; the necessity of crossing and recross-
ing the stream added to the romance of the adventure,
hut we would rather have been excused the danger. At
last we emerged from the hills and streams, and safely
reached Sur-mu-ching, on the skirts of the alluvial
plain, where we found a magnificent inn.

Next morning it was wet, but we went through the
place speaking and selling as well as we could. Sur-
mu-ching is a small market town with many streams
in the neighbourhood. Our work being over, and the
rain having abated, we set out on a road running west-
ward over a rolling country, in which we passed a great
many potteries, and found earthenware of many descrip-
tions for sale, such as baths, basins, &c. Some were

188 JOUKNEYS THROUGH SOUTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

very good, and were sent to gi’eat distances. We skirted
the city of Hai-chung, and made an inn seventy li from
Ying-tsze.

28tli. Up early, and with a joyful heart passed
swiftly along the fine level road — for the rain had only
been local — and reached the port about mid-day. Here
we found letters from home, saying that all were well,
and then we gave thanks to God for enabling us to
complete another arduous journey.

( 189 )

CHAPTER X.

JOUENEY THEOUGH THE NOETH-WESTEEN POETION OF
SOUTHEEN MANCHUEIA, EASTEEN MONGOLIA, AND
CENTEAL AND NOETHEEN MANCHUEIA.

A Bad Beginning — Sad Intelligence — Pleasant Signs of Spring —
Abundance of Iron-stone — A Melancholy Contrast — Imperial Burj--
ing-grounds — A Comfortable Funeral Procession — An Insignificant
Gate — We stand on Mongol Territory — Character of its People — A
renoTmed Mongol Prince — Mai-mai-kiai — A large Mongolian
Market Town.

We embarked on board the Dutch barque Welhel-
mina ou the morning of April 14th ; had a fair wind
all the way, and were at the bar of the New-chwang
river within forty-eight hours ; but owing to the weather
being thick, the pilot did not deem it safe to cross. He
offered us, however, a passage in the pilot-boat, which was
going direct to the port, and being assured that it would
reach the harbour in a few hours, we went on board ;
little knowing the risk we were running. The wind fell
as we were crossing the bar, and we made little way ;
towards the afternoon we met the runner’s boat coming
down with fresh pilots, who took possession of our craft,
and made us change to theirs — a miserable Chinese

190 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

house-boat. After a little the wind became contraiy,
the night came on, rain began to fall, and as it was
positively dangerous to continue to beat up, we came to
anchor : not that this was a safe plan, for we were liable
to be run down, or, if the anchor dragged, to be dashed
against the fish-net stakes to certain destruction ; but it
was the least of two dangers. Two foreigners and their
Chinese attendants had been drowned in a small com-
pradore schooner which had come across from Che-foo
only a short time before, and two pilots had also been
lost in this way. The rain increased ; we dared not
sleep, and spent the night in great discomfort and
anxiety. The morning was very misty, but we weighed
anchor and had the satisfaction of reaching the port
about noon, when remembrance of the misery of the
preceding night was banished by the kind reception
and hospitable entertainment of our friends. Dr. and
Mrs. Watson.

The pilot had communicated to us the sad intelli-
gence of the death of Eev. W. C. Burns, and our first
hours were spent in learning the particulars of his sad
and unexpected decease.

On Monday morning we were up at 4.30, and
away to a fair, which is regularly held at a place called
Hoo-chwang-tun, where we had the satisfaction of doing
some work. The country was just beginning to recover
from the effects of winter ; the roadsides presented a
sprinkling of young fresh green blades shooting out of
last year’s grass, just sufficient to impart to the roads

SIGNS OF SPUING. — lEON-STONE.

191

and fields a greenish hue ; the dockweed was three
inches long, and some other weeds, such as dandelion,
were just showing themselves. The farmers were busy,
some ploughing and others sowing the tall millet. The
town lies on undulating ground at the edge of the rising
country, and in the gardens the apricot was in full
blossom.

We found iron-stone very plentiful, many of the
lower tiers of the houses, and the second and third layers
of the dykes, being built of it. We also found varieties
of good granite.

Returning to the port next day, we recommenced
preparations for a long journey, in circuit about 1,400
miles through Eastern Mongolia and Central Mati-
churia. Having got everything arranged, we set out
on the morning of Thursday, the 23rd April. We
were not without some apprehensions as to the re-
sults of our trip or the reception we should meet with :
for, independent of highway robbers, the district was
the asylum for all the blacklegs and criminals who
escape from justice in north-eastern China ; but strong
in a sense of duty, we cast aside fear. Though we
had travelled the first portion of the road twice before,
yet we found it interesting ; the season of the year being
different. The willows were in half leaf; the birch and
elm just bursting their buds, the crows busy at their
rookeries, the farmers at work in their fields ; wheat 1 1
inches in height ; and everything looking cheerful.
The soil is black clay, but after passing the city of

192 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

New-cliwang it became drier, lighter, and reddish in
colour ; and vegetation showed a marked improve-
ment. To-day we met the first wild-flower, and
found dandelions and violets in bloom. In the after-
noon we came on fine gardens with apricots and
peaches in blossom, some in the pink flush of newly
opened buds, and others faded into white. Hills, on
the east, ferruginous. Nest day, crossing the hill near
Liau-yang, famous as the seat of the imperial camp
during the great siege of Liau-yang when the Coreans
held possession of Manchuria, we met the first wild
tulip. Country finer still, but roads dreadful. On Sab-
bath we rested quietly all day at Yen-tai, and on Monday
were up at four o’clock; fine morning, with a sharp
north wind. Birch in half-leaf, elm in half-leaf,
wheat 1| to 2 inches, hawthorn half-leaf, sedges
just rising above gi'ound, iris in blade, 2 inches.
Low hills towards the east. In the afternoon we
reached Mouk-den, where we were fortunate to find
the literary examinations going on ; and where we
spent the remainder of that day, and the whole of
the next, in the sale of Scriptures and books, and
preaching the Gospel.

On the second day we \usited the eastern and
western suburbs, and traversed the gi-eater part of the
city, and did a splendid day’s work. There was a great
stir in the city ; literati were walking about in all direc-
tions. Many gay carts, escorted by seven, eight, or
ten horsemen, rushed hither and thither in all the

LITERATI.— IMPERIAL BURTING-GROUNDS. 193

pomp of stupid pride ; whilst other “ swells ” were on
their feet, swaggering along with bows and arrows,
having been tiying their skill in archery. Amid the
bustle, tumult, and gaiety, a cart-load of criminals
appeared, poor starved, unclean creatures in chains,
and threw a shade of gloom over the scene — at least,
in our minds ; they passed through the main-street
into the prison, forming a sad contrast to the scene
around. 'WTiile outside the west-gate, selling books,
the people began to push and jostle each other, in order
to buy : those pushed retaliated ; they were com-
mencing to fight, and the matter was becoming some-
what serious, when a policeman mysteriously appeared,
as if he had sprung out of the earth, and with a large
whip soon quelled the commotion.

29th. Up at 4.15, and left at 5 o’clock. We
passed through the northern suburbs, which are large
and well to do. There is a pagoda outside the
little north gate — a miniature of Liau-yang pagoda.
Outside the city, 5 li on the north, stands a lama
tomb, of the same shape and character as that on the
south side. Ten li from the city we came to the Pe-ling,
or imperial hurying-grounds, which occupy a large area,
and are surrounded by a wooden fence, such as one
sees before the offices of high mandarins. The grounds
were full of fine old cedars, and a great variety of
flowering shrubs, as well as fruit-trees. As the houses
and tombs stand in the centre, we could only see their
roofs, which were covered with red tiles: it is death

41

VOL. II.

194 JOUENEY THKOUGH NOKTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

for a native to enter the enclosure. Walking through
the outer portion, we passed on towards the north,
and met a funeral procession ; the huge sedan, in
which the coffin was placed, was carried by thirty-four
men ; carts followed containing the women, who were
smoking their pipes, composed and careless, much as
though they were out on a day’s enjoyment.

To-day we met droves of pigs and donkeys and
mules on their way to the southern markets. The
country became undulating, and the soil very different
from that south of Mouk-den ; the farmers were sow-
ing, and the grass, though somewhat advanced, had not
yet covered the old straw. Thirty li farther on, we came
to a stream, and a large village ; and after 10 li more, to
low hills with a pagoda on their summit. Passing this,
we reached the Liau-ho river, which we crossed at a
place where it was about 100 yards wide and five feet
deep ; there were small junks sailing up and down,
as it is navigable up to the port, five li from Tie-ling.
Slept at Kieu-dien. Beyond the village we crossed an
undulating country, with low hills on both sides.
Entered a valley, and had to leave the main-road and
make a circuit, owing to the swampy character of the
neighbourhood. The country very fertile ; people well
clad; women strong, large-footed, with rosy cheeks,
wearing large long loose robes, and working hard at
various occupations, both out of doors and indoors.

About 2.30, P.M., we reached Fa-kwho-mun, one of
the chief passes into Mongolia. This town is very irre-

THE “PASS” INTO MONGOLIA.

195

gularly built, lies on the slopes of a rising ground, and
presents a curious appearance as you approach it.
There are many large warehouses in it, and it has the
appearance of doing a good trade. The population
numbers 12,000 or so, and we sold an immense quan-
tity of books at good prices. The greater part of the
pulse, which comes to Ying-tsze-kow in winter, passes
through this place.

May 1st. Up at 4.10. Passed through the town,
and out by the north gate, as it was called. This being
one of the main passes, and also the chief thoroughfare
leading to Peking and the west, we expected something
imposing ; but, to our infinite amusement, there was
no wall, not even a palisade, and only a wooden affair
at the end of the street, such as you find at a sheep-
pen on the moors of Scotland, which was put to at
night with chains, and lifted away in the morning.
This was the “ pass ” into Mongolia ; and now we stood
on Mongol territory: we had not to wait long for a
proof of this; for, just as we went down the incline
towards the bare country which stretched before us, we
met a Mongol on horseback driving a large troop of
horses before him. It is wonderful to see the dexterity
with which these men guide their steeds and herd their
cattle. We dined at Siau-tah-tsze, where we found a
great many Mongols, forming the retinue of the chief
who rules over this part of the country ; he was Usiting
the place, with the \uew of selling land to the Chinese
and readjusting the taxation. We did not see him, but

196 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

met several of his principal followers, who are just
huge children in all their ways, and are easily duped
by their astute neighbours. Crossing the ferry over the
Liau-ho, which is rather narrower at this place, we
noticed that there v/ere two ferry-boats — one belonging
to his excellency the Mongol prince. His followers
were in a terrible state of trepidation lest we should use
the boat sacred to their chief ; one man, in crimson
jacket and red petticoat, called in terror to his com-
rades, and they obediently shoved off to the other side.

That evening we reached Kin-kia-tun, a large
market-town, in which we immediately commenced our
work, and had considerable satisfaction ; but by-and-by
the crowd got too great, and a number of scamps began
to push and make an uproar : so we deemed it prudent
to desist. Proceeding on our way, we rested at an inn
five li on. Next morning was wet, but fortunately the
weather cleared up, and we got off. The country was
drier and finer, sprinkled with large villages, and the
people were well fed and clad. Dined at Koong-tze-hia,
where we found them building a new lama temple,
which we visited. The lama temples are unlike the
Chinese temples, being square and two-storied. In the
afternoon the country became yet finer, and better
wooded ; willows were common, also the white poplar,
weeping-willow, birch, &c. We saw pear-trees in
blossom. Made Pa-mien-chung, where we sold many
books, and continued at our work till late.

3rd. Sunday. In the afternoon we went out, and

IIAI-IIAI-KIAI.

197

preached all over the place. On Monday morning
vre passed through the fine country which belongs
to the son of San-ko-lin-sin, the renowned Mongol
prince who led the Chinese armies against the British
during the late war. His son, Po Wang, now rules
in his stead, and his palace is about 200 li, or 60
miles, from Pa-mien-chung ; it was described as a
square house, high-walled, like the temples. The
majority of the Mongols in this quarter are soldiers.
About midday, we reached Mai-mai-kiai, and did a gi-eat
deal of work; it is a large market-town, and consists
of one main-street of about half a mile, and several
branching streets, all having a wooden gate at each
end. The population is about 8,000 or 10,000. After
leaving this place, we ascended a higher plateau ; and,
as we now joined another of the great roads leading to
Mouk-den, on which huge carts are constantly travelling,
the roads were fearful from this point to Kwan-chung-
tsze. We had to cross three streams, and saw low hills
on the east. We met a coffin being carried to Ying-tsze
and the south of China, with the inevitable cock and red
flag. Flies abounded for the first time to-day, and the
people were sowing millet (large and small), yellow
beans, &c. There is no cotton in this district, nor is
rice grown ; but we were now in the indigo region, and
from this time onwards found plenty of it. The winter
here begins in October, and ends at close of March.

The colporteur Jen, who was to follow us with books,
came up with us on the morning of the 5th, just in

198 JOUENEY THEOUGH NOETHEEN MANCHUEIA, ETC.

time for the gi’eat town of Kwan-chung-tsze ; having
arrived at which we laboured till dusk, and had a tre-
mendous sale.

Kwan-chung-tsze, which is the centre of the trade
in Eastern Mongolia, and the ruling market for pulse,
indigo, and opium, lies in a hollow or gentle valley,
the hills on each side being merely undulations. It
consists of one long street running east and west,
and another great street, not so long, going north
and south ; they form a cross, which is considered the
centre of the town. The streets are full of shops of all
kinds, but the shops are not fine, and are evidently
places where men are intent on making money rather
than spending it on external decorations. The popula-
tion is large, say 60,000 or 80,000. There is no regular
wall, only an attempt at a mud fortification ; the gates
are made of wooden planks, and not formidable ; but
one huge cannon lay looking out at the north gate.
The people were very civil ; and when one man threw a
piece of mud at my head, the populace instantly showed
their disapproval of such pranks. There are 100
families of Mohammedans in the city, who, as usual,
were very pleased to see us, and extremely communi-
cative. We found first-rate mutton and beef here.

( 199 )

CHAPTEE XI.

JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC. —
continued.

A dismal Spectacle — Scotch Scenery in Mongolia — Men in Authority —
A crafty Inn-keeper foiled — Cheap Land — The Chinese Lark — Wc
pass the Limits of Cultivation — A Mongol Graveyard — A Royal
Messenger — Unappreciated Gifts — A Prince in Debt to an Inn-
keeper— A Curious Superstition — Something about Lamas — Educa-
tion in Mongolia — Mongolian Prairie Ground — -A Perry -without
Ferrymen — Unexpected Lap-u'ings — Uncouth OfiBcials — A Change
for the Better — Wooden Walls versus Stone.

May 7th. We left the city next morning about 7.30
or 8 o’clock. Passing out by the north gate, we found
the fields in the suburbs full of uncovered coffins, show-
ing that a multitude of strangers inhabiting the city
had no place of sepulture, nor the means of conveying
their remains to their native districts. Proceeding
northwards we found every inch of the country cultivated,
and met with some delightful bits of home-like scenery :
one view particularly attracted our attention, and had
we been blindfolded, and set down in the midst of it,
we should have felt sure, on opening our eyes, that
we were somewhere in the lowlands of Scotland — the
country road with trees on each side, the undulating

200 JOUENET THEOUGH NOETHEEN MANCHUEIA, ETC.

character of the landscape, with regular plantations here
and there, and many small birds, as finches, &c. ; fine
meadows, adorned with dandelions, stretching far beyond,
on which cattle, and horses, and asses were feeding, boys
playing, and willow-catkins flying with the wind, — gave
quite a familiar aspect to the scene. To-day we observed
swallows for the first time in this journey ; also a few
flies and mosquitoes. After dinner we had the pleasure
of seeing two lamas on horseback, who appeared to be
men of some authority, having a haughty and domineer-
ing mien as if they felt themselves lords not only of
the soil but of all the inhabitants ; they were clothed in
red, with yellow under-dress, and certainly rode well :
we met many such afterwards, of various grades.

8th. Up at 4 o’clock. Just after the carts were
packed, and we were starting, it commenced to rain ;
thinking it would clear up, we went on, but soon found
it necessary to make for an inn 30 li distant. Unfor-
tunately, we took the wrong road across the fields and
missed it, and as there was no other inn between us and
the next city, we had no alternative but to proceed.
About 11.30 the clouds began to rise, and we had the
satisfaction of travelling in comfort ; and it was well the
rain ceased, for the country was very marshy, and would
have been well nigh impassable bad the weather con-
tinued wet. A pagoda had long appeared above the
horizon, tantalizing us by its apparent proximity; but we
had to make many a turn ere we could gain it : however,
we reached the city about one o’clock, and immediately

CRAFTY INNKEEPER FOILED. — CHEAP LAND. 201

commenced work. The place is called Noong-ngan-
chung, and consists of one long and two cross streets.
There are several distilleries and some very large ware-
houses, and a good deal of country business is done in
the town. We found several Mongols trading with the
shopkeepers, and they stared at us most amazingly ;
but the people of the town were civil.

Having dined, we spoke of travelling other 20 li ;
but the innkeeper and the hangers-on were determined
that we should stop there for the night, and so told us
no end of lies about there being no inn for 40 li. We
went out, however, and having satisfied ourselves that
there were inns much nearer, and also that we had
sold about as many books as we could sell, we ordered
the carts to proceed. Fortunately we met a decent
young man, a Manchu, riding the same road, who
kept us company, and gave us a great deal of information
about the locality. He told us that there was a good
proportion of Mohammedans in Noong-ngan-chung, and
also a few Komanists. Here, as elsewhere in Mongolia,
land was very cheap to purchase — about 1,250 cash per
mow, or a little less than 2h per acre. The soil was
excellent, and produced good crops of cereals, such as
millet, tall and short, maize, beans, pulse, &c. Opium
was produced all over this district ; also indigo. We
found the country very pleasant. We were told that
there were plenty of pheasants and partridges in the
neighbourhood, and also that we were close in the
vicinity of the native region of the famous Pe-ling-tze,

202 JOUENEY THEOUGH NOETHEEN MANCHEEIA, ETC.

or Chinese lark, which Jias all the specialities of a mock-
ing-bird, and lives among the tall grass on the unculti-
vated prairies all over eastern Mongolia.

About nine o’clock on the following day we made a
town called Ha-la-hai-chung, where we met a Eomanist
who was under church censure, who gave us some infor-
mation about his co-religionists and about their station
at “ Siau-pa-kia-tsze.” We found opium cultivated here
also, and got a young man to procure us some seed ; the
people said it was grown in considerable quantities and
could be produced much more extensively. Ha-la-hai-
chung consists of only a few poor shops, one large dis-
tilleiy, and two or three inns. Having finished work
and breakfasted, we again set out, and after 20 li we
passed the limits of cultivation and entered upon a huge
common, in which there were no trees nor even bushes,
but a sea of gi’ass extending on all sides. In the course
of the afternoon we descended into a valley with a small
stream, which, after a course of six or eight miles,
ojjened out into a magnificent lawn, broad and beautiful.

Just before entering this lawn we passed a few
Mongol houses on the roadside, and afterwards a
Mongol graveyard with its peculiar mounds and head-
pieces — the burial-ground of the head of the tribe and
his immediate followers. We next came into full
view of the palace grounds of the Koong-wang, the
Mongol prince, and the residences of his retainers, and
w'ere very much struck with the beauty of the place.
The lawn is of considerable extent, comprising at least

MONGOL PALACE— THE SOONGAEI KIVEK. 203

400 acres, and is studded witli fine old willow-trees ; on
the west it is enclosed by high ground, w’hich appears
like hills, but which, in reality, is only the undulating
and water-worn edge of the gi-eat plateau. Under the
shade of these apparent hills, and embowered among
trees, is the palace, a house of no striking appearance,
more like an ordinaiy Chinese merchant’s dwelling than
a prince’s residence ; hut, of course, a Chinese mer-
chant’s premises are a palace to a Mongol. His fol-
lowers have residences all around, and some more
conspicuous than others we found belonged to his
secretaries and Chinese and Manchu interpreters. The
commonalty live in mud huts, sometimes circular, just
like mud tents, but more generally a step advanced and
square, with a convex roof, like that of a railway-
carriage.

On the east side of the lawn, at the foot of what
also appears like a low ridge, flows the famous river
Soongari, which we now saw for the first time, and
which bounds the plain. The lawn is perfectly level,
the grass fine and thick, and there were herds of horses,
cattle, and sheep ; whilst the picturesqueness of the
scene was greatly heightened by the Mongol herdsmen
on their well-trained steeds, galloping hither and thither
after stray animals in their respective flocks.

Being Saturday afternoon we surveyed the district
very leisurely, and then made for the inn on the north
of the lawn. Here we met a messenger from the palace
awaiting us, who told us he had seen us long before

204 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

we arrived, by means of a spyglass the Prince had
purchased at Peking ; the messenger was very civil,
and inquired particularly for the British General who
led the forces on to the capital of China. On our
asking how he knew him, he replied that he had the
honour of being one of the captains of the cavalry who
tried to oppose him, and had stood the fire of our guns.
We asked him to share a cup of tea, which he very
readily accepted, and we chatted for some time. Again
and again I went out to admire the beauty of the scene,
and could not help feeling that the locality was most
admirably chosen, having plenty of water, pasture-
gi-ound, fertile soil and hills within small compass : and
what more could Mongols desire ?

Eeturning at dusk, we resolved to make an effort to
see the Prince, and leave some books with him, on the
following day. Early in the morning our valorous
friend came again, and we expressed our wish to call
upon his Highness ; he hesitated, so I sent one of my
assistants with my card and copies of the Scriptures and
other books. The Prince received my card, and said he
would receive me on my return journey ; but returned
most of the books, saying he could not read Chinese :
he, however, kept one in the Mandarin colloquial. After
a little he sent a small mandarin, or officer, to return
my politeness. The owner of the inn was a Chinaman,
who had obtained the privilege of keeping an inn in this
locality by the loan of a large sum of money to the
Prince. We were told that the Prince was in debt

CUmOUS SUPERSTITION.

205

ever3'wliere, and that none of his creditors could obtain
their money.

In the afternoon we ascended the hills on the west
side of the town, and observed a great many small white
flags flying from the doors and corners of several of the
houses, which we were told 'were, in some cases, in-
tended to protect the inmates from evil influences, and
in others to intimate that there was sickness in the
house. We saw a great many lamas riding about ;
and in reply to our inquiries regarding their number,
found that one son, and often two and more, in
every family, entered the monastery and devoted them-
selves to the priesthood. The Mongols here, as else-
where, are a very simple people, ignorant, and highly
superstitious ; the old women are especially ugly, and
the very ideal of our conception of witches. There
was a school here where Mongol was taught, and also
another where Manchu and Chinese were attended to ;
and we were told that in every “foo,” or ducal residence,
and in each tribe, there were such schools ; but elsewhere
there were no opportunities of education, nor apparently
any desire for it.

We were up before 3 o’clock next morning, as we
wishM to he early at the ferry, thirty miles distant, and
not to have the romance of encamping on the banks of
the Soongari for the night. Just after starting, a
thunder-storm came on, and we w’ere obliged to put in
to a wayside inn ; but fortunately the sky soon cleared,
and we again pursued our way. The road lay across the

206 JOUENEY THEOUGH EOETHEEN MANCHEEIA, ETC.

prairies, and our only companions were two Chinamen
bound for Tsi-tsi-har. On our way we roused two
beautiful turkey bustards — birds we little expected to
find in such a place. After travelling 40 li we baited
at a Mongol inn kept by a Chinaman, where, seeing a
little boy with bis bead shaven and dressed with great
care, we found be was intended for a lama. We could
not but compassionate the little fellow, so lively, bright,
and pretty. We got excellent milk, and found that here,
too, they make butter by boiling the cream and skimming
the top. We talked a good deal with the Mongols at
this place, and they told us that in this quarter of
Mongolia they were all agriculturists, and lived in
bouses such as those we were in ; the nomadic tribes
were further west. They also said that the prairie-
ground was fertile, but that, except for a few miles
in the neighbourhood of settlements, it was wholly
uncultivated. We parted with reluctance, but were
apprehensive of being too late for the ferry.

The country was undulating gi'ass-land as far as eye
could reach, with here and there herds of fine horses.
About 2 o’clock we came in sight of the mosque and city
of Petu-na, but unfortunately bad a long road before us
ere we could gain the great ferry. As we approached,
the highway became a little less solitary ; Mongols
driving their clumsy carts, and other carts with cargoes
of women, old and young, diversified the scene. At
last we reached the ferry, and happily the boats were
lying on our side ; but the ferrymen were “ nowhere,”

CEOSSING A FEEEY. — LAMAS.

207

SO the stragglers about said. We knew wbat they
meant, however : so we gave orders to our carters to
put the carts on board themselves. This called forth
the expostulation that the wind was too high, and
that by-and-by the ferrymen would come, as they were
refreshing themselves at a neighbouring village. We
told our carters to go on with unyoking; I helped to
haul the large boat into position, and we were soon
all safe on board. Others who were waiting also
put their animals and luggage on the boat; but still
no appearance of ferrymen, and it was not till I said
I would unmoor the boat, and we would row it across
ourselves, that a shout arose, “ They are coming ! they
are coming !” A man in the midst of us took the
helm ; and in a few minutes the others arrived, and we
were speedily on our way. The river was very broad at
this point, but very shallow ; from shore to shore it
was more than a mile, but only averaged three or four
feet in depth. There was an island in the middle of
the stream, and the current was rather sluggish.

We took a long time to cross, and amused ourselves
talking to the passengers. There were several lamas
in our company, who were very communicative : one was
much more religiously disposed than the others, and
employed his whole time counting his beads — still more
impressing us with the predominance and strength of
the religious sentiment in this race : we have often met
them counting their beads while pursuing their journeys.
It is sad that they are so uncared-for by Christian

208 JOUENEY THEOUGH EOETHEEN MAECHUEIA, ETC.

churches, as they form one of the largest families in
the •world, extending from the Soongari to the Danube :
their 'written language is one, and their spoken dialects
present no great dissimilarities. There were several
Mongol women among the passengers, some as fresh
and good-looking as our country maids at home.

We saw a number of birds to-day, like the lapwing,
flying about, but could not believe it was that bird ;
however, having met them afterwards in the same
latitude, we are inclined to think that our conjectures
were right.

We disembarked at the gate of the city, and there
was a great hustle at the landing ; the people crowding
to see us. We passed right into the city, and finding
a good place for our work, told the carters to leave
several boxes of books and proceed to the inn. We had
no sooner got the boxes opened, and a few words spoken,
than the sale commenced pell-mell ; but it was rudely
interrupted. Whack ! whack ! went sticks, and whang !
went whips among the crowd, and ugly officials appeared
ordering the crowds to disperse, and forbidding any one
to buy. We asked to speak a word to the chief man ;
and when we showed him our passport, he seemed rather
afraid, but begged us to desist. We then asked him
to take the passport to the yamun, saying we would
wait his decision ; on this he went off, hut as he was
long in returning, we recommenced the sale — only, how-
ever, to call forth a renewed exercise of the sticks and
whips. It was most amusing to observe the manoeu'vres

VIEW FROM A MOSQUE.

209

of the ruuners ; they made most horrid faces and laid
about them lustily, creating a tremendous noise of
thrashing ; but the noise was made, not on the bodies
of the crowd, but on each other’s sticks : it was a
vigorous species of fencing, the blows falling above the
heads of the terrified crowd on each other’s weapons.
We, of course, again desisted ; but by-and-by the small
mandarin returned with a permission for us to sell ;
and when we asked him to state this publicly to the
crowd, he immediately complied, telling the people to
buy quietly, pay me the full price, and go quietly home ;
we accordingly sold a large number of books.

At daybreak next morning we visited the mosque
which had attracted our attention, at a long distance
away, on the previous day. We ascended the tower, and
obtained an excellent view of the town, which appeared
larger than we expected and much more populous : I
should think there would be about 30,000 inhabitants.
Here we first saw those stockades and wooden plank
walls round their premises which were found every-
where beyond this, indicating plenty and cheapness of
wood, and presenting a striking contrast to the mud
or stone walls so common in other places. There were
other two temples in the town, which we did not visit :
one to Yu-whang-shang-ti, and the other to the “ God
of Kiches.”

VOL. II.

42

( 210

)

CHAPTER XII.

JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC. —

continued.

Off again — The Opium Question once more — A Link between Canada
and Mongolia — A Curious Tract of Country — Something compli-
mentary about a Goose — Something uncomplimentary about Mules
■ — Remarkable Civility — Distilleries and Piggeries — A travelled
Mandarin — Long Streets — A Fertile Soil — Business rather too Good
— Chinese Primroses — Fine Forest Scenery — A Desolate Journey
— In DiflSculties — A Colporteur in an Awkward Position — A Dis-
appointment— We feel our Way — More Troubles — Ciidl Farmers —
A New Household Custom — Hush-a-by, Baby ! — Trout and Rooks,
and other Old Home Friends — A Familiar Farmyard Scene —
The Goitre in China — A Liberal Mandarin — We fall under
Susincion — The Last To'ivn in Chinese Territoiy — The Fish-skin
Tartars.

Setting out on our journey, we passed leisurely tlirough
the town, up the north street and along the east street
and out by the east g&te. The shops were all of inferior
order, though often well stocked, and, as might he
expected, leather-merchants and harness-makers were
somewhat numerous. We saw the common bullfinch
in a cage. On leaving the walls the countiy was un-
dulating, and every inch cultivated ; wheat 1|- inches
above ground. Rain began to fall, and we had to put
into a -vn-etched inn 20 li on, the innkeeper of which, a

I

CURIOUS PLATEAUS.

211

Manchu, did what he could for our comfort. He told

us that opium was produced in the district, and if the

»

mandarins saw it they ordered its destruction ; but if
it did not come under their notice, nothing was said
about it. We dined here, and the rain having cleared
off, we again set out, and during the afternoon saw,
for the first time, a bird of the Ortyx family, which
prevails in Canada and Nova Scotia ; it is about the
size of a large snipe, and has a reddish-brown head :
there were not many on this occasion, but afterwards,
for several days, they were in large flocks, and abso-
lutely innumerable. They feed on gi’ain, insects, &c.,
and have all the characteristics of colins.

Next morning we found the country cultivated for
some distance on each side of the road. By-and-by the
soil became wet, and all at once we descended to a
lower plateau, crossed a bad swamp, and the ground was
more or less swampy till we reached the river La-lin-ho
in the course of the afternoon. These plateaus are
curious ; you come to what appears a range of hills and
commence the ascent : you approach the summit, then
expect to descend, and to your amazement, you find
you are landed on the surface of a huge level country
extending in all directions, or (in other cases) you
come to the edge of a prairie, and looking down see
a vast tract on a lower level at your feet. We were
much interested this morning in seeing a species of
goose which was new to us ; it was about the ordinary
size ; the back red-brown ; the ends of tail and wings,

212 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

black ; root of tail and wings, white ; the bead, black
and white ; the bill, black.

We dined at a village where there were two good
inns and some large shops, one of which was a huge
medicine-warehouse, and we had the pleasure of selling
a number of books. During the afternoon the country
was varied with copses of brushwood; consequently
there were many small birds of several varieties, such
as linnets, grey and green ; finches, among which we
saw what we thought was the goldfinch, a species of
the yellow-hammer, &c. In the swamps there were ^\ild
ducks and geese innumerable ; also flocks of colins in
all directions. About 2 p.m. our cart stuck fast in the
mud, and we had a terrible business to get the mules
and cart on terra firma. These mules are strange
beasts ; not only wilful and obstinate, but apparently
vindictive. Once on a steep hill, with a ravine on one
side, the mule in the shafts suddenly stopped stock-still,
and then, after apparently meditating for a few minutes,
commenced to push backwards towards the ravine ; the
carter lashed it, the leading mule pulled with all its
might, and we plugged the wheels ; but backwards and
backwards it went, and had it not been that I fortunately
got hold of a huge stick and thrust it between the
spokes of the wheel and cart, the driver, cart, mules,
and baggage, would all have been over the precipice.

Having got the beasts and cart extracted from the
mud, we made for the river La-lin-ho, which was about
100 yards wide, deep, and with a strong current, and

DISTILLERIES AND PIGGERIES. — LONG STREETS. 213

crossed at once, as the boat was at hand ; the ferrymen
were particularly civil, and refused any fare, but, of
course, we insisted on their acceptance of the usual sum.
The country on the other side was very different to that
through which we had passed ; the soil dry and well
cultivated, and diversified with clumps of trees and
hamlets more numerously peopled. There were here
several distilleries, with piggeries in the rear. Passing
through a fine meadow, we reached the town of Chau-
yang-pu at dark, where we found a bad inn, densely
crowded. The landlord gave up his sleeping apartments
to us, but we had to wait till he cleared out his opium
apparatus, and cleansed it of the smell. A small man-
darin called upon us, who said he had been at Shanghai,
and had seen steamers, and fought against us !

Next morning we made the town of Shwang-shing-
pu ; it is a large and fiourishing place ; the east and
west streets, and north and south streets, are said to he
5 li long. There are good mud walls round the town,
hut much unoccupied space within ; it is a dreadfully
dirty place, about as muddy a town as ever I visited.
It is 450 li to Kirin, and 600 li to Kwan-chung-tze ;
and, being on the gi-eat highway, has many large inns.
The mandarins sent runners to keep the crowds off, and
were very civil, so we spent all the remainder of the day
there. The population is said to he 1,800 families.

Passing this place, we found the road bad at first,
the country well cultivated and wooded in several locali-
ties, soils fertile, farmers planting potatoes without

214 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

manure, wheat growing between the drills of last year’s
millet-stalks, and, again, buckwheat between rows of
this year’s spring-wheat. Within 18 miles of A-she-
hoh, the aspect of the country again changes ; it rises
and falls, and takes the character of a rolling hilly
country ; we saw hills in the far east. Twenty li from
A-she-hoh we stopped at a good inn, called the “ Red
Hen Inn;” hut the landlord was suspicious of us, and
required much persuasion to grant us quarters.

Next morning we were astir by 3.30. There was a
cold north-west wind blowing, and ice on the water.
Wheat over two inches ; dockweed fully out ; willow,
birch, and elm nearly in full leaf. The country broken,
fertile, and pretty. About 6.30 a.m. we reached the
city of A-she-hoh, and immediately commenced work.
There are about 1,800 families of Mohammedans in
this place. Being afraid that our books would not
suffice for what yet remained of our journey, till we got
a fresh supply from the carts, which were to meet us at
Kirin, we left at a little after noon. One and a half
miles from the city we crossed the river A-she-hoh, from
which the place takes its name ; the country still broken
in aspect, and hill-tops on north-east covered with trees.
At dusk we reached the village of Fei-kuh-pu, where we
spent the Sabbath.

18th. Rose at daybreak ; sky clear : started at five
o’clock. Another stream on east of village, the ferry
of which was crowded, and the ferrymen lazy : so that it
was not till after an hour’s detention we got over.

FINE FOEEST SCENEEY.

215

To-clay we came on bunches of true primroses, the first
we have met in China. The valleys were highly culti-
vated, and the rate of produce here was stated to be
about twice as great as in Mongolia, viz. 10 mow
juelding 20’tau of ku-tsze, or 20 tau of Indian corn, or
15 tau of kauliang, or 3 or 4 tau of wheat, or 15 tau of
pulse. In this locality they also produce potatoes,
hemp, indigo, and opium. The poultry of this district
is particularly fine, and of the same species as at home.
In the afternoon the country became charming; we
could hardly believe we were in the far East : now
passing through a real forest, full of veritable oaks of
huge dimensions, interspersed with elm, birch, and
willow ; then through the remains of burned-down
forest, full of brushwood and of hazel-nuts, at whose
roots the true primroses and violets lifted their modest
heads : anon through a meadow full of wild ducks, or
across a moor ; ascending and descending ; now skirting
a hill, then through a highland forest, and across an
Ayrshire moor ; anon among Yorkshire glens, full of
buttercups and the crowfoot’s early bell. It was really
intoxicating. No one in the far East need go to England
for change of climate : he will have abundance of change
here.

19th. This morning our way skirted the base of low
hills for some few miles, and we came to a village called
Kia-pau-djan, where we were advised to buy provisions
for several days to serve us till we reached Sansing.
We did so, though needlessly, for we could have got

216 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

almost all we needed at any of the stations. We
descended a hill, forded a rapid river, and ascending,
our road lay along the top of a high ridge, from which
we had a magnificent view. The country w'as covered
with brushwood, hazel-bushes prevailing ; portions of
this had been burned down last year, and fine fresh
grass was fast springing up. Descending, we gained a
village called Nan-tan-kie, where there w’as a tolerable
inn with a disobliging landlord. We were anxious to
proceed, and though told that we would not be able
to reach the ferry in daylight, that there were many
wild beasts, such as wolves, tigers, and bears, we re-
solved to set out, but soon repented of our obstinacy.

Leaving the village we crossed a small stream and
entered a series of valleys, extremely picturesque. But
by-and-by the district became lonely in the extreme ; not
a house was to be seen, nor any indication of human
beings : it was the most solitary place ever I was in.
A hawk poising in the air, wild-ducks crying in the
swamp, a few small birds chirping among the grass, a
timid deer raising its head, looking at us, and then
bounding away, were the only signs of life that broke
the settled solitude : there was not even a breath of
wind. My musings were, however, rudely broken in
upon, for just as we w’ere emerging from a dangerous
stony portion, and imagining all danger was over, my
cart upset, and self, mule, baggage, and everything
overturned in the field ; it was the first and only time
my own cart has ever been upset in all my journeys.

IN DIFFICULTIES.

217

Righted again, we passed through no end of meadows ;
then crossing a stream, my cart stuck fast in the mud
up to the axle ; it took us an hour and a half to drag
it out, and then we had to extemporize a bridge for the
occasion. We were hardly over before the book-cart
stuck fast, and presently my cart again stuck fast.
Having got the vehicles and mules extricated, we soon
came to harder ground, and the country before us ap-
peared rising ; but the cart-tracks led in a different
direction, and took us right to the heart of a dense
wood. We were beginning to enjoy the wild-flowers
and the luxuriance of the foliage, when we came to a
worse swamp than w^e had hitherto encountered. We
halted and examined the place, and progged it wuth
poles to find firm ground ; but observing broken poles,
branches of trees, and bundles of straw used to
support other carts, we decided upon unloading and
dragging the carts through empty. All the mules were
attached to one cart, and the first cart was pulled
through successfully ; the second was not equally for-
tunate : the mules got up to the neck in slush and there
they stuck ; at last, plunging and splashing, they
reached the solid ground : we then dragged the cart
backward, and trying another place, got it through.

Meanwhile one of the colporteurs was left to watch
the books and baggage ; we knew that there were tigers,
bears, and wolves about, and he was conscious of his
danger, hut sat quite composed, with that look of
stoical resignation which a Chinaman puts on when in

218 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

danger and knows there is no help for it ; though right
glad was he, after we were over, to join us by jumping
across from one bunch of reeds to another with a burden
on his hack. It was now nearly dark, and we knew not
what was before us; hut as we were on a cart-road
which must have some termination, we went forward.

Ascending a hill — still through a forest — we gained
the top, where we expected to get a view which would
give us some idea of our whereabouts ; but aU we could
see was the Soongari river gleaming through the trees
on the N.W. It was now dark, and having consulted
together, it was agreed that the oldest colporteur should
lead the way and give notice of swamps, stones, blocks,
&c. He accordingly armed himself with a pole which
might have done for a jury-mast, and we renewed our
journey ; up and down, now rattling over roots, now in
good ruts, for two or three hours. The forests appeared
interminable ; fortunately there were no more swamps,
for w’e appeared to be following the ridge of some range
of hills. By-and-by we were evidently descending ; the
Soongari again gleamed clearly out before us, this time
not far distant, and we felt sure there would be some
resting-place on the bank ; and at last we gained the
inn called “Foo-kia-dien ” not far from midnight, and
were comfortably lodged. We found we were on the
right road; and the innkeeper received us with the
salutation similar in terms to what had been addressed
us after a like peril in Honan, viz. that “ God’s blessing
had certainly been on us.” He told us that a young

MORE TROUBLES. — CIVIL FARMERS.

219

tiger had attacked a cart in open day, a few days pre-
viously, and attempted to drag the leading mule away.

Next morning we were ready long before the carters.
The scenery was grand ; woods in luxuriant foliage,
the river a majestic stream, and all things in the joy
of opening summer. The ferrjTnen detained us for a
time : they are a lazy, lying set, and pretending the
true ferry was further down the stream, actually com-
menced shouting to supposititious men a mile away.
We found the river about 400 yards wide, and of good
depth ; Kussian steamers had passed up and down twice
or thi'ice. Gaining the northern shore, we now stood in
Northern Manchmia. We had to make a long detour
to escape a huge swamp, extending along the hank some
miles ; as it w'as, we lost our way, and often stuck in
the mud. After travelling about six miles, we reached
a village called Pih-yu-moo, where we dined. Setting
out again, we had a pleasant ride, as our road lay in
full view of the southern bank of the Soongari ; we
were delighted to find the hills literally covered with
wood up to their summits, and the high peaks far
behind also grandly w^ooded. The country through
which we passed was level, with patches under cultiva-
tion, but the greater portion pasturage ; we saw bunches
of mistletoe on trees in several places.

Towards evening it began to rain, and we put into
a wayside farmhouse, called “ Noo-noo-ho,” which also
serves for an inn. The people were extremely civil, and
gave us the best quarters in the establishment, which

220 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

were respectable and clean. Since crossing the feriy
we bad observed many women in the fields, boeing and
sowing seed, and met them driving carts ; they were all
particularly bealtby and rosy-cbeeked, and, in and out
tbe bouse, busied themselves in a more kindly and
womanly way than I bave ever seen in China. One
new household custom amused us : their infants spent
tbe greater portion of their babyhood in cradles sus-
pended from tbe rafters ; they were so covered up that
they could not well tumble out, and when they began
to cry, tbe mother, or elder children, gave tbe cradle a
push, set it a-swinging, and thus bushed tbe little ones
to rest.

On tbe 21st and 22nd we pursued om’ way through
a pleasant country, abounding in birds of all sorts, and
passed a stream called Si-peb-bo, in tbe eddies of which
we saw tbe trout leaping as at home ; whilst on tbe
other side, we found tbe buttercup and tbe crowfoot
among willow-wands, in countless numbers. Still fur-
ther on, in tbe neighbourhood of tbe village called
Ur-djan, we passed through copses in which were
multitudes of familiar singing-birds, and, at last, we
came on rookeries, and saw the young rooks meeting
their parents with them eager hungry cry. Moreover,
the houses and their surroundings reminded me of the
farm-steadings so frequently met with among the moor-
land districts at home ; hei'e was the large yard full of
horses and cattle, with rickety stables and outhouses
on either side ; the stack-yard behind, whence you heard

A FARMYARD SCENE.— GOITRE.

221

the cackle of hens, the crow of the cock, the quack of
the cluck, the hiss of the goose, the bark of the dog, the
grunting of the pig, as it rooted up the ground, and even
the chirping of multitudes of sparrows ; and out and in
at the windows flew the swallows, and their nests —
religiously preserved — adhered to the rafters under the
eaves. Meadow-lands stretched far before you, hills
bounded our northern horizon crowned by oak, birch,
and elm, wheat covered many fields, and familiar grasses
were crushed under every step. Who could withstand
the illusion ? Yet this is what any one may see at
the beginning of summer, here and in manj^ other
places in Manchuria, on either bank of the Soongari.

The people, who are few, are simple in their
manners, and about as clean as can be expected ; but
we found goitre in several places : one woman greatly
grieved us, her head, neck, and body seeming just one
mass. Many of the men are expert shots, and, although
their guns are matchlocks, they seldom miss, and even
bring a bear down with one shot. In the hills at hand
on the north, sables are found, and we met several of
the common men wearing good sable fur caps.

24th. Starting at 1,0.30, about 4 o’clock we turned
due south, and made for the Soongari and Sansing,
which was full in view. A “wun-shoo,” or mandarin’s
despatch, had preceded us, and the boatmen were
prepared for our arrival at the ferry : so we went on
board at once, and were soon over. Kunners from the
yamun met us at the shore, and convoyed us to an

222 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

inn, wliicli had been engaged for our reception ; it was
not a very comfortable or clean place, but we were
contented. The chief mandarin called, and asked a
number of questions ; be was a Mancbu — a young,
active, good-natured man. On leaving, be bade us enjoy
ourselves, and said that be would defray all expenses :
we thanked him, but said we could not think of taxing
bis generosity. Next morning we rose early, and imme-
diately commenced work. The inhabitants were sus-
picious of us at first, but soon gained confidence, and
bought many books. Runners from the yamun attended
us, as spies, in all our walks over the place.

Sansing stands on the south side of the Soongari,
east of Moo-tan-bo and west of Kung-bo, having water on
three sides ; fine bills lie behind it on all sides but north
and north-west. Many of the merchants are natives of
Tung-cbow-foo and Lai-cbow-foo in the east of Shan-
tung. There are sixty families of Mohammedans in
the place, and they have two excellent eating-houses ;
their mosque, partly destroyed by a flood, was now
rebuilding. The town, and all public buildings and
private residences, are fenced in by the wooden walls
\ybicb appear so strange to a resident in China, viz.
planks let into pillars rising to about ten or twelve
feet. The Russians bad landed here two or three
years previously, and there were reports among the
people that this Power was in treaty with the Emperor
of China to obtain the town, w'bicb is the last in
Chinese territory. The place seems to have overflowed

THE FISH-SKIN TARTAKS,

223

its bounds, for from the hills we could discern several
villages away northwards on the northern hank of the
river. South of this towards Ningu-ta there are only
two villages, — one fourteen miles from Sansing, of about
seventy families, and another near Ningu-ta, of about
one hundred families.

Among the woods in the north-east and on the south-
east bank of Soongari, dwell the Fish-skin Tartars.
They are very peaceable, entirely illiterate, live on the
proceeds of the chase by fishing, and clothe themselves
in the skins of salmon, beaten and finely prepared ;
we tried to purchase a suit or two of their clothes, but
could only manage to get one pair of trousers, the
legs embroidered with other variegated pieces of fish-
skin nicely coloured. For an account of these and
other tribes in the North, see Kavenstein’s Eussians
on the Amoor.

( 224 )

CHAPTER XIII.

JOUKNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC. —

contmtied.

Chinese Civilization creeping onwards — More signs of bounteous Spring
— No Sheep, but yet a Wolf — The cry of the Cuckoo — We lay in a
Store of Venison — Cool Boatmen — Omithological — An artful
Pheasant — A rising Town — Home from the Wars — A convenient
Stove — A peculiar Method of building Houses — Curious Chimneys
— A wretched Gate — The Scotch Thistle and Mohammedan Fami-
lies— A fallen City — Old Trees rare in China — An interrupted
Book-sale — Bibliopoles beware ! — Unquiet Times — An inhospitable
City — A bad Road but good Scener}’ — Home from the AVars —
Forsaken Cities — A warm Reception — A dishonest Soldier — The
Capital of Eastern Mongolia.

There being no road to Ningu-ta, whither we intended
to proceed, and for other reasons already mentioned,
we prepared to return to A-she-hoh. We started about
midday, and runners were sent forward to prepare the
ferry-boats. Just as we reached the river a thunder-
storm broke out, huge hailstones fell, and the wind
rose so high, that we thought we should have to return ;
we waited patiently and employed our time making
inquiries about the rivers, and testing the truth of
our previous information. The Soongari here is not so
broad as at Foo-kia-dien, but of immense depth, with a
strong current, and quantities of fish were obtained

SIGNS OF SPKING.

225

from it. The wind having moderateci, we soon got over,
and made for our former inn 60 li away. Examining
the country leisurely, we found it moderately fertile, and
many patches away towards the north-east well cultivated,
showing that the Chinese civilization was creeping on-
wards. Here the hawthorn was in hud, sugar-pear in
blossom, the willow had shed its catkins, crowfoot in
flower, young rooks in the nests ; the cuckoo and the
plover were heard, and there were plenty of lapwings
and wagtails. We saw fine black and brown cattle, good
horses, a few asses, hut no mules nor sheep, nor did we
see any wheat here : strange that there should be no
sheep even among the mutton-eating Mohammedans.
In the meadows near Ur-djan we again came upon a
wolf, which went away slowly and sulkily.

The country now rapidly improves in appearance,
and, though only a few days had transpired, there was
a marked difference, not only in the vegetation, hut also
in the liveliness and songs of the feathered tribes. The
first thing heard every morning was the cry of the
cuckoo, and it continued more or less throughout the
whole day. At one of our former resting-places we
found the skin of a turkey bustard being preserved,
and saw a hedgehog. Towards night on the 26th a
farmer came running to our carters and asked if we
wished any venison ; we were only too glad of such an
offer, and went to his house and found a fine antelope
just cut up, which he had shot on the day previous ;
we bought as much as served us all for several days.

VOL. II. 43

22G JOUENEY THKOUGH NOETHEEN MANCHUEIA, ETC.

On the evening of the 27th we were within 40 li of the
ferry at Foo-kia-dien. We got the mandarin at Pe-yii
to send a messenger forward to warn the ferrymen, that
we might not be detained, and so get through those
horrible swamps and woods which had troubled us
before, by daylight. He complied, and sent a messenger
off on horseback ; we followed, imagining that the boat
would be awaiting us. To our disgust, however, there
was no boat, nor any appearance of one ; and when we
holloed and made signs, a man came out and coolly
told us to wait till they had finished breakfast : there
was no help for it, so we waited till the gentlemen
thought proper to come.

Gaining the inn on the other side, we were delighted
to find that the other road by the banks of the river was
open, owing to the waters having fallen several feet ;
so, having dined, we set out by the northern road, and
this afternoon’s ride proved one of the most enjoyable
of all. The road was very rough at first, as may be
imagined, between the foot of the hills and the river ;
but it all at once became good, and our way lay through
fine hard meadow-land, with grass already over one foot
high. The trees were as before ; wild-flowers plentiful ;
besides those formerly referred to, we found beautiful
foxgloves and several ferns. We met the nettle near
a fisherman’s house ; I stung myself to verify the
acridity of its bag and sting. The feathered tribes
comprised both land and water fowl ; among the former,
what appeared to be wild-swans. We saw two varieties

LAEGE SHELLS— PHEASANTS.

227

of wagtails, one the common black and white, and the
other new to us, with a reddish-yellow belly and white
feathers in tail ; also a species of thrush with marked
tail, many sand-birds, and cuckoos more numerous than
ever. Some natives assured us that the cuckoo had
its own nest here : we could hardly believe them ; and
having witnessed two yellow-hammers chasing and
crying at a cuckoo, we are inclined to think the habits
of these birds are not improved in Manchuria. The
natives had nets fixed on stakes, and also portions of
the river marked ofi’ by poles to drive the fish into their
nets. We found many shells on the hank ; some huge
bivalves five and six inches by seven and eight, many
spout-fish shells and mussel shells in the fresh water.

Emerging from the bank, and having gained the
other side of the meadows, we again came on the river ;
where the banks were covered Tvith osier willows, &c.
About one hour afterwards we again entered among the
hills, where the scenery was very fine, and we heard the
cry of pheasants in several quarters, and came on one
in the brushwood. It pretended it could not fly : one
of the carters rushed after it ; the bird ran hut badly,
and I myself began to think it really was crippled ; but,
just as the man was on the point of striking it with his
whip, of course it rose, amid the laughter of us all. We
also saw several hares in the grass. At night we made
a village called Peh-tau-ki, or the north Tau-ki, about a
mile or so from the Nan or south Tau-ki, from which we
started on our way through the woods. Still traversing

228 JOUENEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

a district traversed before, ve saw little new, but never-
theless had all our impressions renewed and deepened.
The country, seen from the hills north and north-west
of Tau-ki, was a fine level land ; and the place called
Wei-tze-kow, which lies in a hollow amongst mud,
seems fast rising into a town of importance : they were
building new houses in all directions. We arrived at
A-she-hoh on Saturday evening, and spent the Sunday
there preaching as usual.

On Monday morning the 1st of June we started for
Kirin, and now entered a fresh district. The country
broken, but somewhat cultivated, with hills on east
running north and south. Seventy li from Kirin we
reached the city of La-lin. They were building a good
wall round the place and enclosing a large space, much
more than was occupied by the buildings. The shops
are inferior to those of A-she-hoh. We made for the
centre of the town and commenced work ; but in the
midst of our preaching and sale, mandarin runners
interfered and stopped our selling ; we moved to another
spot and recommenced, when we were again interrupted ;
so we proceeded on our way. Beyond the city 25 li we
crossed by ferry the river La-lin-ho, which is a good
large stream, and passed the night at a nice inn in a
pretty locality called New-to-shan. Here we found a
few sheep with huge tails, the first we had seen for
many a day ; also the common iris in blossom for the
first time this journey.

Next day we started early through a fine undulating

MANDARIN SOLDIERS. — HOUSE-BUILDING. 229

country, remarkably well cultivated in proportion to the
number of inhabitants. We passed through several
hamlets and two good-sized towns, the first called
Ta-ling, the second Ku-yu-shu. Leaving the last we
met a general returning from the "wars with a grand
display of flags, &c. His retinue Avas very gaudily
dressed. The mandarin runners and soldiers in this
quarter of Manchuria, who all wear a strip of fur in
their caps, domineer over the people more than in
China, and seem to have the inhabitants entirely under
then- power. Here, as well as on the north of A-she-
hoh, the inns are somewhat differently arranged to those
in the south. The kangs, or hot-hrick beds, are on
either side of the long buildings as elsewhere ; but in
the middle of the house is a large brick or mud erection,
with a hollow in the centre as large, and often larger,
than a full-length bath. On this wood and charcoal
are burned, and the hollow is kept constantly full of hot
ashes ; here kettles stand full of hot water, from which
the travellers replenish their teacups, and also pewter-
pots of whisky and beer.

One method of building houses struck me as being
very peculiar. A wooden frame is first erected and
roofed in, then straw twisted into ropes is dipped in
mud and hung like yarn on poles close to one another
from the cross-planks ; the first finished, another line
of mud-bearing straw-ropes is hung above it, and so on
to the roof. When this frail wall is dry, the whole is
plastered over outside and inside, and the house is

230 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

completed. Tall wooden shafts, bedaubed round the
foot -«-itb their unfailing mud, supply the place of
chimneys. Such are the tenements in which multi-
tudes hve in various districts here, and on the north
of this, and in the plains where stone is diflScult to
procure. One would have thought these frail human
swallow-nests too thin for the cold winters, but I sup-
pose the kangs all around inside compensate : moreover,
most of the settlers must content themselves with such
habitations or none at all; for the majority have little
money to spare for the construction of dwellings.

3rd. — Detained till 1.30 by heavy rain : country
undulating and fertile. Made the most northerly
boundary gate, called Fa-ta-mun ; it looked like a
wi-etched cart-shed, with both sides out and the gables
of the roof “ nodding to their fall there was no
palisade, only a ditch and willow-trees for a few yards
on each side. The wretched gate was indicative of
equally wi-etched quarters, there being within it only
one dirty inn, and a collection of broken-down houses
and shops ; inquiring the reason, we found the place
had been sacked by the rebels a few years before. Our
innkeeper was a Mohammedan, and, as usual, very com-
municative ; he confirmed all we had previously heard
about opium, and further affirmed that it was grown
to within 20 or 30 li of Kirin ; that about 80 or 100
chang, or 130 to 160 acres, were laid do'^Ti for the poppy
at this village, and that three or five years previously
there were none at all. There are thirty families of

MOHAMMEDANS. — OPIEM-SMOKEES.

231

Mohammedans here, and a small mosque. We found a
few sheep in the neighbourhood.

June 4th. — Started early, and passed through a fine,
fertile country ; soil, fine red loam : hawthorn and
elder-tree in blossom. Passing on we came on a branch
of the Soongari, and kept its banks for a short distance,
and found the red Scotch thistle growing majestically
on its hanks. We dined at a small market-town, called
Si-lan-ho, where we found ten Mohammedan families ;
our host was of that creed, and several of his friends
had unmistakable western features, being strong, square-
built men, with a fine crop of hirsute appendages ; we
sold a good many books to them and the villagers.
Leaving the inn we passed a small stream, an affluent
to the Soongari, and in two or three hours reached
Oula-kiai ; it was once a most important place, the
remains of the old city being still visible on the north,
but is now diminished to a countiy town, consisting of
one long street running north and south, and a cross-
street : there are a number of good shops, and a
population of about 5,000. Here, as in every town for
several days, we met large numbers of opium-smokers.
The fen-y over the Soongari is 5 li from this place,
and hearing that there was a good inn on the other side,
we resolved to make for it : fortunately the boats were
on this side, so we got over at once, but found that the
inn was 15 li away, which caused us to travel in dark-
ness : having reached the inn, we found it very com-
fortable.

232 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

The country we entered next morning was most
heautiful, hilly, well wooded, with a large proportion of
tine old trees — rather a rare sight for travellers in China.
The entrance to Kirin from the north was very grand ;
we passed through valleys, then ascended a broken,
picturesque country, and all at once Kirin appeared in
view lying at our feet, surrounded on all sides by hills
of various shape and size. We went to the inn formerly
occupied by the late Mr. Consul Meadows, the pro-
prietors of which were very unwilling to admit us, but
ultimately yielded. Our book-carts from the port were
awaiting us, and our sale of hooks was at first successful,
but towards evening the mandarins interfered ; we
protested, however, and showed our passports, and were
again allowed to go on. Next morning we resumed our
work, but men with whips beat the people away ; we
changed our pcsition, and again were followed by the
runners with whips. At last we found a huge empty
temple, and resumed work ; hut to no purpose — the
rascals were there, too : we remonstrated in vain. The
runners said to our faces that there was no objection to
our selling and preaching, and at our instigation they
even told the people so ; hut whenever a man bought a
book he w^as watched, pounced upon, hauled to the
yamun, and beaten — some very severely. We saw that
there w'as no use in persisting, for the inhabitants
were thoroughly frightened ; at the same time we were
loth to leave such a city without distributing a sufficient
number of hooks. Thinking that if I left, the colpor-

MANDARIN TYRANNY.

233

teurs might be allowed to sell, I returned to the inn,
leaving instructions with the two men to remain and
sell, if possible ; but, if unable to sell, to distribute
gratuitously the books they bad as rapidly as they
could, so that there would be too many people and too
great a hubbub for many to be caught. They waited
till late in the afternoon, preaching, but without selling
any ; they then did as they were ordered, and the crowds
received the books eagerly : men and boys fled in all
directions with them, and thus a good distribution was
effected. Meantime, as the crowds inside and around
the inn were increasing, and becoming more and more
uncivil, I sent to the yamun for men to protect the
doors and windows ; several soldiers came and quieted
the crowds, but it was not till darkness bad fallen that
we bad any peace. We found that our chief enemy w'as
no less a personage than the governor of the province,
just home from the capital, who was a very dangerous
man ; and as be might binder our work all along the
road, and even stop our provisions, we deemed it best
to clear out, and so give him no further cause of com-
plaint or annoyance.

Rising early, we went out while the carts were pack-
ing, spoke and preached in several places, and also
along the streets as the carts passed on ; the people
beard us cmlly, but soon the runners with whips
appeared, and we gradually discontinued our public
speaking. The population of the city must be about
100,000 or 120,000 ; of these there are said to be about

234 JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

2,000 families, or about 14,000 or 15,000, of Moham-
medans ; they have three mosques, and one portion of
the city on the north is occupied entirely by them.
Leaving Kirin by the great highway to Mouk-den, we
passed through respectable suburbs, and then ascended
a hill ; and after twenty-five li we came to an inn,
where we dined. This inn lay at the foot of the fine
pass called Lau-yeh-ling, and we would have remained
here, but were too near the city ; we accordingly com-
menced our ascent. The road was bad and difficult,
but the woods were glorious ; there was a temple on the
summit, and from this the prospect on all sides was
grand. We found the nettle here, also ferns, wfild
geraniums, bugloss, pimpernel, speedwell, forget-me-not,
and a variety of other fiowers.

At Ta-shui-ho the road branches off for Kwan-
chung-tsze, in Mongolia, and we were glad to be back
within the sound of familiar names. We met a great
many soldiers in carts returning from the wars with the
rebels in Chih-li and Shan-tung, — not the pleasantest
men to meet. To-day we crossed two streams, and sold
a number of books at the villages and toAvns on the
way. Mountains on south all day. Rested for the
night at Chang-ling.

On the 10th we made the busy town of Yi-toong-ho,
where there is a small mandarin. The people were
timid, but after a little, and when we were on the out-
sldrts of the town, they bought many of our books.
The roads at this place and onward were very much

PLEASANT DEIVE. — DESEETED CITIES.

235

cut up. We dined and sold at Ta-ku-shan, a village at
the foot of a double hill, standing alone on the plain,
with low hills on south and north. Towards evening
we made Siau-ku-shan, a good village beside a solitary
conical hill, with a fine temple on its top. The inn-
keeper and people more than usually civil.

11th. Pleasant drive this morning. Crossed a
stream running N.W. ; hills on south ; low hills on
north. Dined at Ta-koo-kia-tsze. During the after-
noon we found many roses in bloom on the roadside, and
hills green to their summits, in part cultivated and in
part wooded. At night we made Ye-ho, and instead of
finding a city, as we expected, found only a straggling
village, with little or no trade ; questioning the natives
about this, we found that the ruins of the old city lay a
little to N.E., and it was now deserted entirely. Here
we had another illustration of the mobility of the former
inhabitants of Manchuria : we have found several such
old forsaken cities in our travels — one to the S.E. of
A-she-hoh, and another notable one on the north of
Liau-yang in South Manchuria.

Next day I was very unwell, and rain falling, detained
us for an hour, for which I was thankful. Weather
having cleared up, we started and kept the course of a
small river, with hills on either hand, covered with
beautiful soft green grass up to the very top. Having
made 45 li, we stayed and dined ; then pushed on to the
“ pass ” before us. Leaving the inn, we entered a
valley which ran through an undulating district ; forded

236 JOURN'EY THROUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

a river, on tlie south side of which we found cotton
growing about one and a half to two inches high, then
ascended a gentle slope, and reached the gate. This
houndary gate, called Wei-yuen-pu, was somewhat more
respectable than several others, being in good condition,
with a wall on either side about five feet high : there
was a guard stationed, and a tax levied. The inn was
tolerably good, and the innkeeper extremely civil ;
Mr. Meadows had been here twice, as also another party
of foreigners. This was the scene of an unfortunate
accident in which a native was shot unwittingly by one
of our countrymen ; but the alfair had been so well
arranged by the Consul, that the people seemed more
than usually respectful to foreigners.

Between this place and Kai-yuen the soil was sandy,
with hills on east and south ; hut the country became
more fertile as we approached the citj’. Reaching it
about one o’clock, we sold an immense number of hooks ;
the people being so eager to buy, that when we retired
to dine they were wild to see us, and very civil : we
went out several times and preached to them, and they
listened with great attention. A terrible fire had oc-
curred only a few days previously, and laid the centre of
the city in ruins; this, however, did not seem to affect
them much. We Avould gladly have spent the Sunday
in such a city, hut experience forbade the attempt ; for
however civil the people might appear, yet they were so
excited to see and hear us that a disturbance of some
kind among themselves was sure to arise. Leaving

A COWAEDLY THIEF. — HORKIBLE ROADS. 237

colporteur Li to sell a few books to people who still
wanted them, we moved slowly on with the carts. A
blackguard of a soldier, thinking we were off, insulted
the colporteur, and tried to take his bag of money ;
the colporteur left the money, and at once ran after us.
We returned, and found the soldier standing trembling
by the bag of copper cash, not daring to leave the bag
of money nor take it with him ; he w'as very insolent,
however, and the people urged us to take him to
the yamun, but we knew that this would involve
delay.

Emerging from the city w'e crossed a stream outside
the south gate, and after a few li came on the great
highway to Mongolia. From this point on to Ying-tsze
the roads were literally horrible ; we were now on the
track of the great carts with eight or ten mules which
convey the merchandise to and from the seaport, and
in many places to sit in the cart was a species of most
exquisite torture.

We rested here the following day, the place being
quiet, landlord civil, and rooms excellent, and had many
talks with neighbours.

On the 15th we started for Tie-ling. Barbarous
roads through a rolling country, and villages with inns
every few li ; we made the city about eleven o’clock, and
found the people civil. There were pretty hills on the
south and east ; one with a fine pagoda crowning the
brow. Work finished, we made forty li, and met several
companies of Manchu soldiers returning from the wars ;

238 JOURNEY THERUGH NORTHERN MANCHURIA, ETC.

they were rough, strong fellows, but appeared good-
natured.

16th. Couuti-y still rolling and soil stony, much
less picturesque and fertile than the country further
north : hills on the east. Crossed a stream running west-
Avards ; ascended to a higher level, and then descended
towards Mouk-den. Anxious to get home, we passed
through the city, crossed the river, and rested that
night in the village on the south side. Next day we were
up at daybreak, and went homewards with thankful
hearts. On the evening of the 18th June we had the
pleasure of arriving at our friend’s (Dr. Watson’s)
house, where we found letters awaiting us, telling us of
the welfare of the dear folks at home. We have thus
made this journey in fifty-eight days ; hut had it been at
any other season of the year, we could not have done it
in less than eight or ten days more, or say seventy
days : the length of daylight enabled us to journey from
ten to twenty li more every day.

( 239 )

CHAPTER XIV.

JOURNEY THROUGH SHAN-TUNG AND KEANG-SU TO
NANKIN AND SHANGHAI.

Innkeepers — Saw-teeth Mountains — Terraced Hills — Millstone Quar-
ries — Civil Landlord — Gold-Streams — - Kin-kia-kow — Tsi-mi —
Exports of Neu-kow — Donkey-flesh — Civil Reception — European
Dinner — Wheelbarrows with Sails — Gothic Cathedral— Villages
of One Trade — Ascent of the Sacred Hill — Its Temples and Altars
— Bewildering Scenery — City of Confucius — Visit to Duke Koong
— Genealogieal Tree — City and Tomb of Mencius — The Lah-shoo
Tree — Boat-hiring — Various Modes of Fishing — Effects of Civil
War — Two Camps — Native Gunboats — Insolence of Boatmen —
Religious Fair and Pageants — Tsi-kiang-pu — Whai-ngan-foo —
Yang-chow — Chin-kiang — Arrival at Nankin — At Shanghai.

In company ■with Mr. Markham, her Majesty’s Consul,
I started on the 24th February from Che-foo for an
overland journey to Nankin and Shanghai. Desirous
of visiting several portions of the province, hitherto
unnoticed hy me, we made a zigzag course, and pro-
ceeded in the first instance direct for Lai-yang.

The first night we slept at a good inn, near the
village of Wang-yuen, and next day we dined at Tau-
tswun, a market-town of some importance. It was
market-day, and we had large and attentive audiences,
but no sale for our books ; the place having been

240 JOUENEY FEOM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

repeatedly visited by foreign missionaries. Onr mule-
teers were respectable men of their class, but, as usual
at the beginning of journeys, we had our initiatory
disputes to settle : First, our luggage and books were
too many, we must hire more mules ; then the inn-
keeper’s charges had to be attended to. Were we not
to pay paid of the expenses of the muleteers ? And
was it not the custom for our honourable selves to pay
so much for our horses, so much for water they used ;
so much for room-rent ; so much for boiling water, to
make our tea ; so much for charcoal, to cook our rice ;
so much to the waiter for bringing it ; and so much for
the innkeeper himself, for allowing us the privilege of
his commodious quarters ? He would waive the last
particular, as we were great men and friends of his ; but
he begged us to pity his poor waiters. We knew our
procedure here would determine our comfort and the
measure of our expenses all along the road, for the
muleteers tell everything, and get a percentage of any
overreaching ; we, therefore, very quickly adjusted
matters ; sent mine host, with his disagi'eeable little
twinkling eyes, to the right-about, paid our just bill,
and departed. We had no further trouble all along
the road, except at Tsi-nan-foo, where the innkeeper
tried to make some capital out of our visit to the
mandarins and their return calls.

Leaving Tau-tswun, we came at once in sight of the
Saw-teeth Mountains, at the foot of which the best
gold in Shan-tung is said to be found : their jagged

SAW-TEETH MOUNTAINS. — GOOD INN. 241

summits vindicate tlie appropriateness of tlie name.
We slept at Shoo-kia-dien, another market-town. The
inn here is worthy of notice, being the best in that
region ; it is new, spacious, and clean ; the chief
guest-room is in the inner square — a fine commodious
room, with high ornamented roof, furnished with a
large and beautiful four-post bed, handsome tables,
chairs, and a grand “ kang,” covered with fine felt ;
food was served in porcelainware, on japanned trays.
The front windows look out on the great yard, and the
back windows face a pleasant shrubbery. It being the
fifteenth of the first moon, candles were burning, and
incense smoking in all directions ; and lights outside,
on the tombs in the scattered graveyards, gave a strange,
weird appearance to the country.

February 26th. Started at daybreak, and crossed
the watershed, from which point the streams all flow
southward. Our way lay over several low ranges of
hills, and then we passed through several vast basins.
The country all around is hilly, each hill being regularly
terraced. The rocks are varieties of slate, soft and hard ;
and a species of white sandstone gives everywdiere a
whitish appearance to the ground. Having passed
through this country, we entered a fine valley, full of
willow-trees. Here, to the south of the road, are huge
sandstone cliffs : one specially riveted our attention ;
it projected from the others, in shape like an immense
tortoise, and had a fine temple erected on its back. On
the north side of the road were the famous Lai-yang

44

VOL. II.

242 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

millstone quarries ; a cliflferent formation, showing how
abruptly geological characteristics change in this part of
China.

The road still lay along the course of the stream ;
and about two o’clock we emerged into the plain, and
soon reached the city of Lai-yang, surrounded by gi-oves
of fine trees. It lies in the plain, at the border of the
hill country ; the walls are in good repair, and the
houses have a respectable appearance. There are a great
many pailows, or ornamental arches, in the main-streets,
and a fair amount of trade is done. The eastern and
southern suburbs are comparatively large, the northern
and western small. The north and south street is
two li, the east and west street about li long. The
soil around is very different to that on the road by
which we reached the city ; Chinese poplars, handsome
cypresses, and many grand groves adorn the landscape
in every direction. There was a fair in the city, which
gave us an opportunity of seeing and preaching to the
country-people, from all directions. Late in the after-
noon we made for Shoo-kia-chwang, on our way to Kin-
kia-kow. The inn here was rather miserable — only one
dirty room, full of rubbish, not much over six feet
square ; hut this inconvenience was compensated by the
civility of the landlord : he had quartered foreigners
before, and knew all about us.

February 27th. This inn lies in the mining country
to the south of Lai-yang ; our route, consequently, lay
across the hills, which here also are terraced, and where

SIGNS OF GOLD. — KIN-KIA-KOW.

243

we found abundance of quartz, marble, and gi'anite,
indicating gold. In answer to our inquiries, we ascer-
tained that gold was found in the streams, and espe-
cially in a stream li li east of a village called Kiang-
wang-dang, which lies 18 li east of the place where we
had slept. About 8.30, we crossed the Woo-lung river,
a mountain-torrent which bears down immense quanti-
ties of sand : the country was much the same as before ;
we crossed two low ridges, entered a plain, and found
the fresh-water deposit in the valley. We dined at a
small village, called Dzo-tswun ; and leaving this, found
the plain widening, and covered with sandy soil. We
again crossed the river, now increased by tributaries,
and soon came in sight of the sand-hills which lie in
front and on the west side of Kin-kia-kow ; and here
we spent the Sunday.

Kin-kia-kow used to be a seaport of considerable
importance, but has been twice visited by the rebels, and
is not now likely to rise again. It lies on the north
side of a low ridge, exposed to the full blast of the north
wind. At its feet is a small creek, nearly dry when the
tide is out, in which lie small junks and fishing-boats ;
large junks of 800 to 1,000 piculs, say 60 tons, cannot
come near the place, but anchor six or eight miles away
on the opposite shore, under the lee of an eastern island.
The town is about 14 miles long, and has short branching
streets ; it formerly had nearly 400 warehouses, large
and small, but now has not much over half that number.
The population is about 4,000 or 5,000 : they export

244 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

pulse, beancake, oil, and other produce ; tlie imports
are opium and Manchester goods. The people were
extremely civil, and said, if we came to trade here the
place would soon rise.

On Monday morning, 1st March, we left Kin-kia-
kow for Tsi-mi, and passed over a country undulating,
unfertile, with a great mud flat on the seashore. The
villages in this quarter were all sacked by the rebels and
the imperial troops ; hence the people were few and poor.
As we approached Tsi-mi, the country presented a more
fertile aspect, and the neighbourhood of the city was
very fine ; Chinese poplars and willows are numerous ;
there is one hill on the north and many on the south.
The city itself is about three miles in circumference :
Y»alls good, gates in recent repair, but the houses rather
dilapidated. There were immense numbers of pailows
in the main-streets, which formerly formed a perfect
vista, and would easily make a fine arcade : a great
contrast to the shops, which were mean and poor, and
their business of no account. The eastern suburbs are
comparatively large, and contain some respectable-
looking dwellings. We stayed at an inn in this quarter
of the city, and were visited by a very intelligent man of
the name of Li, who gave us much information about
the place.

On the 2nd of March we set out for Neu-kow, a sea-
port on the north-east of the Gulf of Ivyau-chow. The
country is extremely fertile and well wooded ; there
are some fine views of the Lau-shan mountains, which

EXPORTS OF NEU-KOW.

245

rise to a great height, and are famous for their innumer-
able temples, precious stones, medicinal plants, pears
and pigs. We were told that from 20,000 to 30,000
taels, or from 7,000L to 10,000L worth of medicine was
exported annually ; and that on an average, about
200,000 pigs were killed every year for the Southern
markets. The pears are in great repute, and not unlike
our jargonelle ; bamboos, also, grow here. The chief
port for this produce is called Ching-tau, on the south
of the promontory, where the water is deep, and at
which steamers could call.

AVe reached Neu-kow by one o’clock. The water is
shallow, the harbour poor, the shelter bad, and utterly
unfit for foreign trade purposes ; the trade also is quite
insignificant. The residents all spoke of Ching-tau
as a place capable of accommodating steamers and
foreign shipping, as there is a good mule-road to it.
The road from here to Kyau-chow is 50 li by sea, and
00 by road ; owing to the sands, we had to retrace our
steps 15 li, ere we struck the highway to Kyau-chow.
The country near the sea is unfertile, but possesses
several salt-manufactories. AVe made Ki-hoong-tun, and
slept there, and found the people extremely civil. The
country undulates slightl}’. There are plenty of geese,
cranes, pigeons, &c.

March 3rd. AVe crossed a good-sized river, up which
the tide flows, about 18 li east of Kyau-chow. We found
the people at Kyau-chow much more civil this time than
^on our former visit, and we preached all over the city.

246 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

Our impressions regarding tlie unsuitableness of Kyau-
cbow for a foreign port were all deepened : were there
railways, and an iron or stone pier run out some three
or four miles into the sea, the thing might be prac-
ticable, but not otherwise ; and when railways come,
there are more suitable termini than Kyau-chow.

March 4th. Started for Kau-mi. The country still
undulates, and has a fine wheat soil ; the autumn
wheat was just beginning to revive. The city of Kau-
mi has about 7,000 or 8,000 inhabitants. The people
eat donkey-flesh in this quarter, and it is publicly
exposed for sale. Leaving Kau-mi, we almost imme-
diately crossed the watershed ; the country is hoggy ;
but wheat was seen in many places. The next day we
slept at Dza-foo, crossed a fine plain, and forded two
rivers, viz. the Wei-ho and the Pih-tang-ho. The
former divides the country geologically; after passing
it the character of the country changed, and towards
evening we made the gi’eat coal district of Wei-hien.
After a miserable night in a roadside inn we left early
for Wei-hien. The road was full of traffic in coal ; the
country fertile, the roadsides studded with extremely
fine poplars. Near Wei-hien we met that peculiar fresh-
water deposit which prevails in many places in North
China; the carts had made many deep cuttings in it,
and we found many shells sticking in the perpendicular
sides of the roads. We went to the inn which we
had occupied on a former visit : the city has been
already described. As at Kyau-chow, the mandarins

COMPLIMEXTAEY RECEPTION.

247

and citizens were much more cml than formerly. On
that occasion they tried to keep us out of the city, station-
ing two files of armed soldiers at the east gate to oppose
our entrance, and commanded the people, on pain of
the lash, not to buy books. This time I was permitted
to preach all over the city, and had the satisfaction of
disposing of a large number of hooks ; on Sunday I
again preached at various places over the city, and
found many people desirous of purchasing books. When
the mandarins heard that the Consul was at the inn,
they sent a runner to inquire if he needed aught, and
offering their services ; but he brought no card, and so
could not be received. We looked upon the affair as
rather an equivocal compliment.

We started early next morning, and again passed
through cuttings in the sand and found the same shells ;
then through a fine lime district ; lastly crossed two
streams, and dined at Chang-lo-hien. Here the man-
darin had lunch prepared for us, hut did not come
himself. Leaving, we again passed through cuttings in
sand, and here found some curious nodules. Passing
on through yet steeper sand-banks, we forded another
stream, rather larger than the former, and entering on
a fine plain, we found mulberry-trees in profusion :
a good deal of yellow and white silk is made in the
district.

Next day, early, we reached the city of Tsing-chow-
foo. Here we spent the day at our work, and found
the people civil and ready to buy our books, although

248 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

several persons witli books had visited the place before.
To-night our esteemed friend, Mr. Wilson, overtook us,
to our great joy ; he had travelled all the way from
Wei-hien, and was rather late in arriving here ; but,
as we fully expected him, we had a European dinner
of four courses prepared for him ; and this in the in-
terior of China ! Leaving Tsing-chow-foo, we walked
through the Manchu town, and met the carts on its
N.W. side, then descended through cuttings in the sand,
forded a stream, and found many nodules sticking in the
sides of the road. Further on, we came on a stream
spreading out largely, in whose wide bed were small
limestones, which the natives gather and burn in kilns.
The rolling and trituration of these stones gave the bed
and banks of the river an unpleasant, white aspect.
Here we fairly encountered the coal-traffic from Po-shan-
hien ; there was no end of wheelbarrows bearing coals ;
many of them had sails, which greatly amused our
companions, who had never seen them before. We
dined at Ta-shin-dien, and slept at Chang-hien ; on
the following three days we visited Po-shan-hien, Chi-
chwen, and places formerly described. The only
novelty we met with was fly-fishing on the Po-shan river
with living flies on fine hooks ! Many men and boys
were engaged in this pastime. On leaving Chi-chwen,
we sent the carts round by Chow-tswun and went
through a different district, via Wang-tswun. This
l)art of the country was new to us ; fertile, well cul-
tivated, well peopled, possessing many mulberry-trees.

GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, SCHOOLS, ETC.

249

We noticed the sand deposit on the banks of the
stream, and here and there we found bones in it pro-
truding from the cuttings. The town of Long-shan is
built on this deposit.

We reached Tsi-naii-foo on the 15th, and next day
called on Pan-nien-tai, formerly Tautai at Che-foo ; he
received us politely, and returned our call at the inn
during the course of the afternoon, bringing a few
presents of dried fruit and sweets. We also called upon
the Roman Catholic bishop, and were shown over the
schools, orphanage, and new cathedral ; this last, a fine
building in the Gothic style, is an imposing sight in a
Chinese city. The priests were very civil to us, and did
what they could to oblige us : the bishop exchanges calls
with the mandarins. On the morning of the 17th we
went in company with one of the priests to their
establishment outside the city, and then visited the
magnetic iron-ore district, a few li to the east. The ore
appears good and plentiful : another iron-ore district
and an old coal-pit lie in the neighbourhood. Since our
last visit another wall has been built, embracing the
.suburbs 50 li round ; it is substantial, and was erected
in a mai-vellously short time.

In the afternoon we started for Tai-ngan-foo : near
the 30 li village we again met the lake deposit : the
river-bed was dry. Limestone is abundant, the walls
of houses are built and streets paved with it ; troughs
for mules, and tablets, are manufactured here and
exported. The hill-tops are columnar, and have a

250 JOURNEY FROM CHE-EOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

strange aspect, similar to those north-east of Hai-ching
in Manchuria.

18th. Went along the course of a river ; sand-
deposit plentiful : shells sticking in it; crossed two fine
old bridges. About 50 li hence we crossed the water-
shed, and came on another river flowing south. Part of
the road is well paved with oblong hewn stones. We
passed a village where nothing but whips were sold ; in
some other villages only girdles and cotton checked
handkerchiefs could he had. Yesterday and to-day we
met cart-loads of pilgrims returning from Tai-shan ;
women, old and young, were huddled together : some of
the carts w'ere veritable caravans, or moving houses,
thatched with matting, and drawn by six or eight mules.
We slept at Shin-tswang-kiau, and early next morning
arrived at Tai-ngan-foo, where we obtained a good inn.
The people were less opposed to our stay, and more civil
in many particulars, but thoroughly disinclined to buy
our books ; we found that the shop-keepers dissuaded
the pilgrims from purchasing, doubtless perceiving that
their gains were at stake. We therefore i)reached as
much as we could, and stationed the native preacher at
the foot of the Sacred Hill to give Scriptures to bond
fide pilgi’ims.

Next day, in the afternoon, we all ascended the hill ;
Mr. Marltham walked the whole distance — no small feat.
Mr. Wilson took the chair only for a very short way ;
but my legs, though long, were not tough enough
for the task. We reached the summit before sunset.

ASCENT OF THE SACEED HILL TAI-SHAN.

251

bad some glorious views, slept there that night — a cold,
miserable night it was — and descended next day. I
have already described the hill as far as I ascended
on my former visit, and also referred to the beggars,
&c. It being rather earlier in the Chinese year, there
w'ere fewer beggars, and the place was much quieter.
I have spoken of the fine road, and the expense at
which it must have been laid out ; but the upper part
is steeper and more interesting, and as you get near
the summit it is as nearly perpendicular as can he, and
yet accessible. Here stams are cut out of the rock and
built in the crevices, and as you ascend you feel as
if mounting right into the blue heavens ; there are
landing-places where the pilgi-im may rest, hut very
narrow, and up and up you must go. At the top a gate-
way meets you, through which you can see as through a
hole into the heavens; it is well named — “ Tien-mun,”
or “Heaven’s gate.” Passing through this you are
not yet at the summit ; but proceeding along a road, on
the north side of which are houses for refreshment and
the sale of incense, you make another gi-adual ascent
towards the east, and then come to the foot of the main
temple, where there is a flight of steps ; gaining the
top you find one peak on your front and another on the
east, which are the loftiest, and standing on them you
are on the highest elevation in Shan-tung. The view is
very fine ; the city lies far down at your feet, appearing
very small indeed ; and the intervening winding preci-
pitous valley, clothed with firs, cypresses, and locust-

252 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

trees, is very picturesque. The following enumeration
of the various temples, &c. on this hill, will give the
reader some idea of the importance and interest of Tai-
shan hill and city.

It is thus described in the Chinese map. “ The
Tai-shan is the chief of the five sacred mountains of
China : is buttressed by the surrounding hills ; it is full
of springs, which pour their waters over the precipices ;
it gathers the clouds and sends down the rain. Its
merit is equal to Heaven, and so is appointed and
called Heaven’s equal, the benevolent and holy Ruler.
It is Lord of this world ; and determines births, deaths,
misfortune, and happiness ; honour and dishonour ;
things high and great, low and crooked. The peaks
are many; and of all places under Heaven, this hill
is the most worthy of being visited.”

Underneath I have given the names of the chief
places, beginning at the summit. The names are suffi-
ciently suggestive, and need no comment. The whole
thing is, however, worthy of consideration as a picture
of Chinese superstition : —

List of the Structures ix Tai-ngax-foo, the Sacred Citt
AXD Suburbs.

No.

1 The chief temple on top of hill. In the centre is a pavilion, within
which is the “ Old Mother hence it is vulgarly called the
“Lau-mu-miau.” This deity is held in great veneration all
over the province. Sick people, unfortunate people of all
kinds, and especially childless women, go there and bum
incense, and pray before her image. This pavilion is very
elegant. On our visit there were candles burning before

STRUCTURES ON THE SACRED HILL.

253

it, and incense-vases smoking, &c. The bouse behind is the
main building. It is closed all the year round, with only a
hole in the door, into which pilgrims cast silver, cash, and
other things. Childless women generally cast in old shoes as
their offering, and, strange to say, very frequently obtain
their wish afterwards. Hence the story of “ Goody Two-
shoes,” which is also current in China. Great processions
ascend to this temple on the 18th of the fourth moon, when
some one, appointed by the Emperor, opens the main building,
and takes possession of all the money and contents, which for-
merly was given to the priests in the temples. I may also here
mention that the “ Whe,” or religious processions, in Shan-
tung, which are so universal in spring, have this idol as their
object. The tiles on the main building are all copper ; those
on the side buildings are iron.

There are copper tablets on each side of the pavilion 14
feet high, also one incense-vase on each side. The pedestals
arc ornamented with dragons. The inscription says that the
temple was repaired by Kien-loong. The copper and iron
tiles have proved too heavy for the rafters, and the place is
now all out of repair.

2 A temple sacred to the god of the Tai-shan mountain, called

Toong-yoh-ta-di, which means equal to Almighty God. Be-
hind this there is a famous inscription, cut out of solid rock,
about 20 feet by 6 feet. The priests often get 20 taels for a
single rubbing of it.

3 A temple sacred to Yu-whang-shang-ti, the great Taouist deity.

This deity is the active governor of all, and stands imme-
diately under the highest Taouist Trinity, called the San-
tsing, or “ three pure ones.” This temple is on the highest
peak.

4 The temple of the god of Spring.

5 The house where the Mandarins sleep.

6 A temple sacred to Confucius.

7 The altar sacred to the North Pole star.

8 The pavilion from which they can see the province of Kcang-su.

9 A pavilion sacred to Heaven and Earth.

10 The room where the great Mandarins change their robes pre-

paratory to worship.

254 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

11 A platform for gazing at the stars.

12 A pavilion for enjoying the scenery.

1.3 The house where the Emperor takes refreshment.

14 The gate of the Southern Heavens.

15 The five famous pine-trees, where Sze- whang- ti, the first Emperor

of the Posterior Tsin dynasty (n.c. 246 — 209), sheltered him-
self from the rain which came down in torrents.

16 No. n. Heaven’s Gate.

165 Huge inscriptions cut out of the solid rock, commemorating the
visits of great men.

16| The happy three li (or 1 mile), referring to its being level.

17 Another Temple sacred to the god of Tai-shan.

175 The hill where the Emperor turned his horse’s head ; he could
ascend no farther.

18 The nunnery described below. It is called the palace of Tow-

moo, a female divinitj', supposed to reside in the Great
Bear.

I85 The look-out of the 10,000 genii, or spiritual beings.

19 The cloud tower.

20 The place to which Confucius ascended and then returned.

21 Another Temple sacred to Yu-whang-shang-ti. In this temple

there is a priest sitting upright on a table, in his bones. He
lived about 1 20 years ago, and was considered very holy. Some
time before his exit from this world he sat down at this table
and slowly starved himself to death. Taking less and less food
every day he gradually became more and more emaciated till
his breath went out, and there he was left sitting as we saw
him. He sits cross-legged : his legs and arms are bare bones ;
the skin, however, and also the nails, remain dry on his
hands. A mask, which covers his face, keeps up his human
likeness ; and there he sits, a ghastly, strange figure. He is
considered, as he certainly is, a great curiosity.

^2 Temple sacred to the Great Bear constellation.

223 The palace where the idol of the “Old Mother” resides, when
not in procession.

23 The temple of the God of Hades.

24 The great Tai-shan Temple, where the fair is held, and in which

the pilgrims may buy all sorts of curiosities, and see all sorts
of jugglers’ tricks and abominable peep-shows. It occupies a

STRUCTURES ON THE SACRED HILL.

255

large portion of the city, and has been described before.
The great idol of the mountain resides in this temple, and
is called Tien-chi, which means the god equal to Heaven.
Originally this god was a man called Whang-fei-hoo, who was
a mandarin of the Chow dynasty in the reign of Wu-wang,
B.c. 1122-111,5, and afterwards deified.

25 The pavilion where the god of Tai-shan may be worshipped at a

distance.

26 The chief temple of the god of the city.

27 The Yamun, or offices of the Chi-foo, or governor of the depart-

ment of Tai-ngan.

27^ The Yamun of the Show-pei, viz. the military mandarin.

27 J The Yamun of the Chi-hien, or governor of the district.

27f The Yamun of the Tsan-tsiang, the highest military mandarin
in the department.

28 The examination-hall.

29 The residence of the local examiner, who twice a month examines

the literary productions of any scholars who may choose to
avail themselves of his help.

29^ The residence of another local examiner,

30 The temple of the star called Wun-chang, who is the god of

literature, and worshipped by literary men — originally a man
of the Chow dynasty, in the reign of Siian-wang (b.c. 827 —
781), who was remarkable for filial and fraternal piety. He
is said to have undergone seventeen metempsychoses — each
time he was a mandarin — and at last his spirit ascended to the
star just named — which is a small constellation near the Great
Bear.

31 The temple of literature, sacred to Confucius.

32 The temple of the dragon, who rules over the rain.

33 Idolatrous temples, of which those marked (*) are sacred to

Kwanti, the god of war, originally a Shan-si warrior of the
Posterior Han dynasty, b.c. 221 ; those marked (o) are sacred
to the goddess of mercy, the famous Buddhist deity. There
are eighteen of the fonner, and nine of the latter.

34 The temple sacred to god of horses, of which there are

two.

35 The orphanage asylum, for orphans and destitute children.

36 A frec-school.

256 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

36 J The temple sacred to serpents.

38 The temple of age.

39 The granary. Each “foo” and each “hien” has a granary, but

they have all been empty for years.

40 The platform sacred to the star K’hwe-sing, or the constellation

of Andromeda, — originally another literary man, of the Tang
dynasty, of the name of Tsoong-k’hwei.

41 The temple s.acred to the spirits of women who commit suicide

after the death of their husbands. The Emperor causes
tablets to be placed in this temple in honour of such. There
are many who destroy themselves in this way, for this horrible
practice is considered a highly respectable action. Each de-
partmental and each district city has such a temple. *'TVhat
a confusion of good and bad in China !

42 A temple sacred to Loo tsoo, a man of the Tang dynasty, a.d.

618 — 905, called Li, a “ great scholar,” and a good mandarin.
His son misbehaved, and was slain, together with all belonging
to him who could be found. This man (the father, with his
mother,) fled and was changed into a genic, and is now wor-
shipped. He can be recalled by magic, and comes and writes
on tables, covered by fine sand, or flour, by means of a pencil
suspended from the roof. Persons wishing to ascertain their
fortune, or the result of any action, often consult him ; and
there are few places where men are not found who profess to
be able to call him forth. Many cities have temples in his
honour. Strange, the resemblance between this and spirit-
rapping, &c., of modern times.

43 The temple of the god of riches.

44 The temple of the god of fire.

45 A pavilion erected by the people in honour of a good mandarin.

46 The tower from which the mandarins review their trooj)s.

47 The altar on which they sacrifice to the hills and streams.

48 The place where the Emperors of the Tang dynasty, a.d. 618

— 905, offered sacrifices.

49 The place where the Emperors of the Soong dynasty, a.d. 960

— 1278, offered sacrifices.

50 The altar of the god of husbandry, viz. Shin-noong, one of the

rulers of the Chinese before they came to China, b.c. 2737
—2697.

STEUCTUKES ON THE SACKED HILL AND CITY. 257

51 A tablet in honour of darkness.

52 The temple of the god of roads, also eolonrs.

53 The temple of the god of husbandry, to -which the mandarins

proceed in spring, and plough, and offer prayers.

54 The temple of “ Eo,” the great god of the Buddhists.

55 The place -where they sacrifice to the god of rain and -wind.

56 The place for the Emperor taking refreshment.

57 The rooms prepared for the Empress washing her face and

combing her hair.

58 The library of the books of Heaven, which means the Buddhist

classics.

59 A famous spring.

60 The altar of the god of land and grain.

61 An ornamental arch in honour of a good mandarin.

62 The temple of the god of fever.

63 The temple of the planet Venus, beside which there is another

spring.

64 The great temple called Ling-ying-koong, which means the

palace in which whatever is prayed for is obtained.

65 The temple of the gods of Hades, of which there are two.

66 This pagoda was erected by Wan-li of the Ming dynasty, a.d.

1573 — 1620, in honour of his mother. On passing through the
district, she took a fancy for this spot, and caused her son to
promise to erect a temple here in her honour, after her decease.
He did so. The temple fell down some time ago, but the
pagoda — said to be of iron — remained. The present djmasty
built another small temple in lieu of the first.

67 The temple of the god of spring.

68 The temple of the god of earth.

69 The temple of Lau-keun, the founder of Taouism, who flourished

in the reign of Kien-wang, b.c. 585, and immediately pre-
ceded Confucius.

70 The temple of the god of medicine.

71 The place where they killed the tiger, proving that these animals

had once roamed in Shan-tung.

72 The bridge of the genii.

73 The place where they can see the sun emerging from the sea.

74 The bamboo grove.

75 The place where the genii are found.

VOL. II.

45

258 JOUKNEY FKOM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

76 The temple for explaining books and preaching.

77 The famous stone, in shape like a man brandishing a sword.

78 The black-dragon waterfall.

785 The genii’s stone.

79 Great stones showing the columnar character of all the hill-tops

around.

80 The “ small Pung-lai,” referring to an imaginary island in the

Eastern Ocean, mentioned in the Buddhist classics ; sacred as
the abode of Buddhist deities. Hence the Pung-lai-hien in
Tung-chow.

81 Temples sacred to the minor Taouist Trinity, called San-kwan-

ta-ti, who preside over heaven, earth, and water, and send
do-wn good and evil on men.

I have entered minutely into these details, inasmuch
as every “ foo ” city has a like garniture of yamuns,
temples, granaries, free-schools, examination-halls, &c. ;
the population may he few or many, trade great or
small, hut they all have these various public build-
ings : ex xmo disce omnes. A plan of the hill and
city gives a very poor idea of the beauty of the
place ; if the reader, however, causes his imagination
to fill the city with streets and shops ; the causeway
up the hill to the top with rows of beautiful trees
on each side ; the hills with trees, brushwood, ver-
dure, and rocks piled rugged and threatening, with
waterfalls here and there ; temples of gaudy colours,
and strings of pilgrims, old and young, men and
women, marching up in Indian file, with richer men
among them, in mountain chairs ; small companies
sipping tea at the several arches, beggars lying on the
road, like bundles of living rags, or animated sores,
■with beggar-children following each company of pilgrims

THE CITY OE CONFUCIUS.

259

— he will have some idea of the bewildering variety of
the scene.

The mandarins of this place were anything but civil
to our party.

On the 22nd we started for Kio-fu-hien, the city of
Confucius. Our road lay nearly due south, first through
a fine fertile plain, bounded by hills on the S. E. and W.
After travelling about 30 li, we came on an undulating
country, full of large and small boulders ; passing this,
we again emerged into a fine plain, which continued
till we reached the town of Ta-wan-kow. Here we
dined ; and it being market-day, we preached to the
country-people, and sold many books. Leaving the
town, we crossed the famous Wan-ho river, which had
skirted the foot of the eastern hills all the morning.
The bridge was of stone, and once very good ; the
country beyond was undulating and stony. We slept
at an inn 40 li from Kio-fu-hien. Next morning we
found the country extremely fertile, with many mulberry-
trees growing, and* the richness of soil increased as
we proceeded southwards. By-and-by, we came in view
of the large cemetery, where the remains of the great
sage and his descendants are buried ; at a distance, it
looks like a huge plantation surrounded by a wall.

Passing it, we went direct to an inn in the northern
suburbs ; when having refreshed ourselves, and dressed,
we sent our cards to his grace Duke Koong, the lineal
representative of Confucius. He kindly invited us to
call, and so Mr. Markham went in his mountain-chair,

260 JOUKNEY FEOil CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

and Mr. Wilson and I on horseback. We were received
with great ceremony at the palace-gate, and after passing
through two courts, the Duke received us at the entrance
of the third. He led us into the reception-room, and
placed Mr. Marldiam in the seat of honour, on the left,
and Mr. Wilson and myself in due order : he then took
his seat outside of us all on my left. He asked if
we had a pleasant journey, and made several polite
inquiries of the like description. We told him we had
come to see the country of the gi*eat sage, and pay our
respects to his representative ; that many of our
countrymen were acquainted with the sacred books,
and appreciated the wisdom displayed in them. Tea
was served in the usual way. We sipped it ; thanked
him for the interview he had kindly afforded us, and
assured him if he, or any of his friends, ever came to
Che-foo, Mr. JMarkham would pay them every attention
in his power ; at which he seemed pleased. We told him
of the grand reception the Chinese embassy had met with
in America, and assured him that if he thought of
visiting America, or England, he would meet with the
kindest attention. The new Pacific steamers were then
alluded to, and railways came in for a word or two ; but
he and all his tutors and attendants laughed at the idea
of going from Kio-fu-hien to Peking in one day. We
then rose to go ; as he pressed us to sit, we waited a
moment or two, and then departed. He came to the
door, and not only did that, but insisted, evidently
against the wishes of some of his people, on accom-

CONFUCIUS’ LINEAL EEPEESENTATIVE.

261

pauying us to the second court, where he left us, amid
much bowing, &c.

When we first put our eyes on him, outside the
reception-room, we could hardly believe he was the right
man, till we recognized the dark red button on his hat.
He is a young man of twenty years of age (twenty-one
according to Chinese), short in stature, and, unfortu-
nately, appears to be deformed ; thus presenting a striking
contrast to his relations and attendants around him,
who, like Confucius himself, are large-boned, tall, strong
men. He is also a somewhat melancholy contrast to
“ Heih,” the father of his great ancestor and the hero
of Peih-yang, who, when the portcullis was dropped
enclosing his troops in the hands of the enemy, seized
the huge heavy structure, raised it up, and held it by
main strength till every man escaped in safety. There
was, however, something very pleasant and intelligent
in his countenance, which was frank, open, and kindly ;
that of a young man who evidently would consider the
feelings of others, and shrink from wounding their sen-
sibilities. He appeared very happy, and seemed to wish
all to share in the pleasure of seeing us, and we
felt drawn towards him, and deeply interested in him.
No foreigners had ever had an audience with him before^
but he said he had seen some foreigners from the balcony.
On arriving at our inn, we found an invitation to stay for
a few days, and an offer of a large number of presents ;
we returned our thanks, but said we required to leave
next morning. He ordered the magistrate to place

262 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

a guard at our inn, and keej) the crowd from molesting
us.

The Duke is an independent nohleman of the empire, .
and the next in rank to the Imperial family. The
governor of the province has to prostrate himself nine
times when he pays his respects ; we only made the
customary salutation. He has a grant of land from the
Emperor of 9,999 king, or about 166,650 acres; this
affords him a sufficient income. Eight-tenths of the
Ijopulation of the city are of the same stock as himself ;
and he has authority over the whole district, although
he does not interfere in petty affairs.

After taking luncheon, we went to the grand ceme-
tery, and then hack to the Holy Temple of Confucius
in the city. HaHng described these places in a former
journey, I need only supply one omission : I forgot to
mention in my previous account that the genealogical
tree, cut out in the large marble slab in one of the
yards, is upside down ; the root being at the top, and
the branches of the family literally descending — another
curious illustration of the contrariety of Chinese ideas.
Several of the tutors connected with the palace, and
some of the kinsmen of the Duke, met us in the temple,
and asked us a great many questions; they said they
had seen our sacred books, and read several of our
scientific treatises, especially one on geography. We
had some lively talk with them, and intentionally pro-
longed the conversation, as they were extremely respect-
ful, and evidently deeply interested in the acquisition of

THE TEMPLE OP A FAVOURITE DISCIPLE. 263

knowledge. We made up our minds to send them a
copy of all the scientific works in Chinese puhHshed by
foreigners, and accordingly, on our return to Che-foo,
made up a large parcel containing a great number of
books, with one copy of the Bible in fine type, the
Shanghai Chinese newspaper for one year, the Canton
Serial, &c. &c., and sent them through the Tau-tai of
Che-foo, with om’ cards, to his Grace ; w'ho, I have no
doubt, will be pleased to see them. The study adjoined
the reception-room, and we could see many works in
the bookcases in that room, giving quite a literaiy air to
the whole place.

Next morning we visited the temple of Yen-tze, or
Yen-hwuy, the favourite disciple of Confucius, who died
young, to the great gi-ief of the sage ; and, as we did
not see it on our previous visit, we may describe it here.
It is a large, oblong enclosure, the walls being about 20
feet high ; there are two side entrances, on the east and
west respectively, and one grand entrance on the south :
we entered by the west door. The front court is full of
C}q)resses and tablets, and the whole temple has much
the same appearance as that of Mencius. The chief
thing worth noticing in this temple is the fine white
pine, so rare in Shan-tung. The keepers of the temple
were very civil, and gave us all the information we
needed.

Leaving this place, we proceeded on our way to the
city of Mencius, 40 li distant ; emerging by the east
gate, we came on a large country fair. We asked Mr.

264 JOURNEY FE03I CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

Markham and Mr. Wilson to go on to the other places
with a guide ; and waiting for awhile with our books,
we had the satisfaction of selling a good number, and
preaching to attentive audiences.

On the 24th we left Kio-fu-hien, and made for Tsiu-
hien, the city of Mencius. The country in this neigh-
bourhood is very fertile, and spring had made some
advances ; the u-is, the violet, the apricot, and dande-
lion were in blossom, the grass had recovered its
greenness, and the autumn wheat had recommenced to
grow. A little rain fell, and we put in to a wretched
inn on the roadside, where we dined ; or rather tried to
do so. The village lay in proximity to one of the
graveyards of the family of Mencius, in which was the
tomb of his mother. We resolved to visit it, rain or
no, and also to visit the tomb of the sage himself,
which lies 25 li olf the road, and which I had not
yet seen. The village was full of the descendants
of the sage, one of whom agi-eed to be our guide ;
so ordering the carts to proceed direct to the city and
await us at the great inn, we set out. The tomb of
his mother has been already described, and after re-
examining it carefully, we made our way eastwards to
the other ; it was a long 25 li, but at length we sighted
the hill.

The tombs are all on the southern exposure, and
there is no high wall enclosing it, as in the case of Con-
fucius. A fine double avenue of cypress and yew trees,
running due north, led to the gateway ; and proceeding

THE TOMB OF MENCIUS.

2G5

up it, we came on a bridge, at the side of which stood
a slab of marble, on which was engraved : “ The Holy
Mencius’ Cemetery.” Passing this, we entered another
avenue of cypress and yews, or rather a continuation of
the former, and then came to the house w^here the
sacrifices were prepared : a small unpretentious building,
in which were some tablets of the Ming dynasty.
Passing through the house, we came in front of a stone
table, 10 feet long by 5 broad, which, alas ! was lying
broken in the middle ; showing how careless his
descendants are. Beside this, on one side, stood a
small square table, and on the other a vase ; a tablet,
8 feet high by 4, standing on a tortoise, was at our
right ; on the top of the tablet was another slab, orna-
mented with a dragon, about 6 feet by 3, and on this
tablet was inscribed the name of “ Mencius.” Behind
all, and right in front of us, was the tomb, a small hill,
rather larger than that belonging to Confucius. The
tomb was covered with brushwood, and enclosed in a
square wall ; on the east was a tablet, erected by Yoong-
ching, of the present dynasty, a.d. 1733. The country
around was much more picturesque than that where
Confucius lies ; and is fully taken advantage of in the
arranging of the cemetery. Here, as w'ell as at the
tomb of his mother, we procured a few seedlings of
cypresses and yews, &c., which were safely conveyed to
Che-foo. Our curiosity being satisfied, we set off to the
city of Tsiu-hien, where our carts were. The country
through which we passed was beautiful ; the rain had

266 JOUENEY FEOM CHE-FOO TO KAYKIN, ETC.

refresliecl everytliing, and as we crossed some low hills,
and came in full view of the great district of Yen-chow-
foo, we could not help admiring the richness of the
plain. Darlmess came on just as we sighted Tsiu-hien ;
and at last we reached the inn, and found all things
right, after wading through mud and water in the south
streets of the city.

Next morning, at daylight, we went over the temple
of Mencius, and sent our cards to the representative of
the family. Alas ! the old hearty man we had seen
previously had died two weeks before ; the family were
absorbed in funeral preparations, and so we did not see
any of them. After this we visited the temple of Tze-
sze, the grandson of Confucius, who is believed to have
been the preceptor of Mencius. It lies outside the citj',
at the south-east corner, and is terribly neglected ; the
wall was broken down, and no gate to keep out any one.
"Within a pavilion is a tablet, erected in his honour by
Kien-loong, a.d. 1736 — 1796, and in the temple itself
is an image, with small sharp eyes, rather inclined to
squint. A wooden table stood before it, with incense-
j)ots, Ac. ; a figure of Mencius stood on his left hand.
The place was converted into a species of farm-house,
and we found a duly family sleeping in the buildings
on the west of the enclosure ; they came out rubbing
their eyes, rather astonished to see such persons -ftlthin
their sacred precincts. "We also visited a temple,
erected on the spot where Mencius’ mother lived, and
where he studied. It lies to the west of the Temple of

A PAETING. — NEW GROUND.

267

Tze-sze, and, like it, is going to decay : we found
several beggars sleeping in the sacred courts. Here was
a tablet, telling that this place had been repaired by
Kang-hi, in his fifty-fifth year, a.d. 1717. It was cer-
tainly interesting to view all these places, and many
reflections arose in our minds regarding the compara-
tive state of China and Europe in those early days, and
all the changes that have transpired since, and the part
the teaching of these men played in the succeeding
ages.

Keturning to the inn, we had a sad sort of break-
fast, as we had to part from Mr. Markham, who now
went straight home to Che-foo. We had thoroughly
enjoyed his cheerful society, and had been companions
in several rough places and scenes ; and though hoping
soon to meet again, we yet felt for him in prospect of
his lonely journey. We had, however, perfect con-
fidence in his men and the muleteers, and hoped all
things would go right. Thus we parted, and Mr. Wilson
and I, with our carts, made straight for Loo-kiau, a
station on the Grand Canal, where we expected to get
boats.

We now entered upon new ground, with all the
pleasant excitement which this occasions. A few miles
onwards w'e came upon a religious fair, at which we
halted and preached, and sold many hooks. Passing
on, we found soil light but good ; many mulberry and
date trees, &c. The villages, with high square towers
like those in Shan-si, are rather poor, as they had been

2()8 JOUENEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

repeatedly overrun by rebels. Hills lay on the east of
us, running S-W. by N.E., witb the bigb peak of Yih-
sban very prominent. As we approached the canal, the
country got more marshy, and we came on large flocks
of wild geese. For several days we had been meeting
wheelbarrows full of peculiarly shaped hay and straw
forks, made of one piece of wood, and we wondered
where such quantities came from ; to-day we found an
explanation. Towards evening we came on huge planta-
tions of the lah-shoo tree ; it is regularly cultivated in
the marshy grounds, and there were thousands in rows,
which, at a distance, looked like stockades. The saplings
are cut when young, and so bound that they naturally
divide into prongs and make a natural fork, both strong
and useful, without either cutting or nails. Frames for
mules’ backs are also manufactured in the same way
from these trees.

Beyond, the country got drier again ; wheat was
far advanced, dandelions fairly out, and we found great
numbers of mulberry-trees and date-trees. We had
been looking out for the masts of boats on the canal for
some time, thinking we could not be far away, and at
last descried what we supposed must be boats on the
canal ; but our road took a different direction, and when
we were at last landed at Loo-kiau, we found it a small
town in a creek off the Grand Canal. Fortunately, we
reached a fine spacious inn and found a cml host. The
place had once been of some importance ; the houses
were of brick, strengthened by stone, but it was greatly

BOAT-HIRING.

269

reduced by floods and rebels, and now presented a very
unflourisbing appearance. It is called after the king-
dom of Loo, famous in Chinese history.

The next day was occupied in flnding boats ; there
being no boats at this place, none nearer than Nan-yang,
18 li away, we sent our seiwant away at daylight, in
company with a guide, to procure one at that place.
We waited patiently for the greater part of the day, and
at last, about 2 p.m., he returned, bringing a boatman
with him. Being assured that the boat was sound and
clean, and large, we made our bargain, and hired two
small flshing-boats for our books and luggage to Nan-
yang. Thankful to get on our way once more, we pulled
and pushed down the creek, and soon entered a wide and
shallow lake ; the wind veered round against us, but the
boatmen pushed and pulled, and after a little we left the
lake and entered the old canal, a narrow shallow cutting
on side of lake. Darkness fell while yet we were far
away, but we at last gained the town and found the large
boat awaiting us. But such a boat ! with patched-up
roof mat-covers, through which the wind whistled,
ragged sails, a dirty hold in which peas had been con-
veyed, and no bed, only some straw at the bottom ; the
captain an opium-smoker, and the crew anything but
reassuring. But there was no help for it, and so we
put things in as decent order as possible, and had our
goods conveyed on board.

On the following morning we rose early and went
over Nan-yang. It is a long town, lying along the south

270 JOUENEY FEOM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

bank of the canal for about miles, and there are lakes
on north and south, so that it is in the midst of water.
The place is a military station of some importance ; and
here we saw, for the first time, those small native gun-
boats which are so numerous in these parts. The shops
are third-rate, hut a large amount of business evidently
is done, and the traffic on the canal was considerable in
this quarter, although the water was not very deep. At
an early hour we commenced work, and sold hundreds of
books.

We had one boatman fewer than had been agreed
on, and our progress was consequently very slow ; there
being no wind, w'e were tracked along the canal, and
made 30 li. The next day, being Sunday, we rested for
the most part, but spoke to the people along the banks.
After leaving Nan-yang, the country, on both sides, was
very marshy ; in some places entirely covered with
water. Fishermen were engaged in all directions, and
it was most interesting to observe their proceedings ;
every conceivable method was adopted for catching
fish — i. e. with line, net, trawl, hands, and cormo-
rants ; some were wading up to the chest, clothed to the
neck in raw bufialo-hides, dragging their nets after
them — a most extraordinary sight. But the most novel
to us was the way they had of frightening the fish into
stations where they had fixed their nets, and which
were so arranged that when the fish entered they could
not get out. Two men occupied a small flat-bottomed
boat ; one pulled and the other stood at the stern

PEOULIAE MODES OF FISHING.

271

beating the water with a flat pole and naaking a great
noise ; thus they traversed the lakes from morning to
night. Such fishermen were in thousands : to give an
idea of their number, I may say that we first thought it
was the roaring of the distant sea ; but as this was out
of the question, we inquired of the natives, and then dis-
cerned that the noise was caused by thousands of fisher-
men on the lake beating the waters. The cormorants
interested us, as they are not common in Shan-tung; they
are melancholy birds, with white strips of colour round
their necks like white neck-cloths, and extremely tame :
sitting on the sides of the boat till a given signal, they
then plunged in and dived, and very soon one or more
reappeared with a fish, which they delivered up to their
guardian. There were scores of herds of cranes feeding
in every direction ; they are very pretty, but very shy.

On Monday morning we had a fair \vind, which was
fortunate, as we had a wide and dangerous lake to cross,
and might have been detained for days. Setting sail
at daylight, we swept along the canal for a short dis-
tance, then left it by a breach in its banks and entered
the lake. The entrance was dangerous, inasmuch as
there had been no proper way made, but just such as
the floods had forced ; and the stones which had formerly
supported the bank were lying loose and ragged all
along the sides. The wind was blowing strong, and the
helmsman not being careful, we came thump against
the eastern edge and knocked a hole in the stern ; pro-
videntially it was not a large one, and we got it quickly

272 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANEIN, ETC.

plugged. Eiglited again, away we went among reeds and
waterfowl, sailing south-east. A town lay on the north
at which we intended to call with our books, but as it
would take us off our track and detain us at least three
hours, we thought it prudent to take advantage of the
wind and get out of the lakes ; especially in view of
the state of the boat. On we went, therefore, flying
before the wind, when we were again landed on an
unseen bank where we stuck fast ; the boatmen were
quite unable to push the boat off, and it required all the
strength of Mr. Wilson and myself in addition to move
it ; at last it yielded, and we were again in deep water.
The point of exit now appeared clear in view, and in
the course of another hour we had the satisfaction of
re-entering the canal, about one o’clock, and landing at
a market and seaport towm on the opposite shore, called
Chi-san-kow.

Here w'e stayed for a time engaged at our work, and
then sailed again. We found good coal here from north
of Yi-hien, being put on board junks for the south.
The canal now became much wider and deeper, and the
current in our favour, and pretty strong : so w^e made
good way, and in the course of two hours reached a large
camp called “ Han-chwang.” Here we met Waters, an
Englishman, who had been a long time from Shanghai,
and whose friends thought he was dead ; we were there-
fore happy to find him. He was engaged in drilling
native troops, and showed us over the place. There
were many soldiers here — infantry and artillery, with

MUD-TENTS. — EFFECTS OF CIVIL WAK.

273

camels for the transport of tents, &c. ; but the town and
country had long been in the hands of the rebels and
imperialists, and now was desolate.

Having finished our work we again proceeded on-
ward ; the current was still stronger, and sluices were
numerous : we had some apprehension at first on
shooting the rapids between the sluices, but our boat-
men proved better than we expected. The country was
rich enough in point of soil, but desolate in appearance,
owing to the civil wars, and the people were poor and
miserable ; for the most part they lived, not in mud-
houses, but rather in mud-tents, the framework of the
house being kau-liang (tall millet) stems plastered over
with mud : good enough, I suppose they thought, to be
destroyed by the next regiment that passed. We came
to anchor at a ruined village, and passed the night in
some apprehension of robbers, who were said to abound.
Next morning we sailed early ; the country fine, fertile,
on both sides, but houses and people wretched as before.

At 3 o’clock we made the town of Tai-chwang, a
busy place of some importance. Once it was a good
market, but now a fear and a dulness rested upon the
people ; they had not that brisk lightsome step and
cheerful appearance w’hich generally characterize the
Chinese population : perhaps the monotony of the
country had something to do with it, as well as the
presence of their “ braves.” There were a number of
good shops and dwelling-houses ; and in one place we
saw them spinning silk : carts can come to this place.

46

VOL. II.

274 JOUENEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

The sides of the canal are finely built with stone here,
and everything indicated former importance. Having
gone over the whole place, and disposed of a good num-
ber of hooks, we returned to our boat with the view of
departing, hut the boatmen had all left and could not he
found ; their object was to detain us here all night.
They appeared to have some business in the place, hut,
our work being over, we resolved to go ; and knowing
that one of the boatmen was hiding and watching our
proceedings, we quietly weighed anchor ourselves, and
began to move, when the boatmen quickly came to light,
and waved to us to stop ; as we w^ould not, they got
into small boats, and soon were on hoard, all hut the
master, wdio was nowhere. We said he was of little
use and we could do without him, and as they moved
about very reluctantly, we told them to sit down, for
we could manage the boat ourselves, and we again set
to work ; this brought them to their senses, and they
then commenced to pole, when just as we were leaving
the suhuibs the master appeared in a sanpan, a boat
made of three hoards, bawling with all his might after
us. , We then pushed on, and coming to a village
called Whang-ling-chwang, five li away, stopped for the
night : this proved to he the first village in Keang-su,
so that we were now in another province.

On March 31st we started at daybreak, with a strong
current ; the country was flat and fertile, and we saw
wheat everywhere. About midday we made Han-chang,
a market town of no great importance ; the people were

PROSPEROUS SALE. — TWO CAMPS.

275

dull, and trade poor. The canal was very wide at this
place, and for some distance both above and below ; the
water, however, was shallow, and there were several
shoals, on one of which we stuck fast. We hired
another boatman to help the men, in order that we
might get to Yau-wan early in the afternoon and thus
save half a day ; notwithstanding this we did not reach
that town till about four o’clock. Having anchored, I
went immediately ashore with our man and books, and
told Li, the assistant, to sell from the boat. We
went through the town, and took our position in a wide
portion of the street ; the people were shy at first, but
ultimately bought in considerable numbers. We re-
mained till it was quite dark, and then returned to our
boat, and had the satisfaction of finding that Li had
done well at his place. We were glad to get on board,
for the town was one of the most ragamuffin places I
ever visited ; and no wonder, for the place was infested
by those defenders of their country, the irreproachable
“ braves ! ”

There were two camps, one on the south and another
on the north side of the canal : the former was com-
posed of troops drilled by foreigners, and we had reason
to believe that there was an old drill-sergeant of British
troops among them, but he did not make his appear-
ance ; the other camp was formed of genuine “ braves,”
with whom we managed to steer clear of all altercation.
Formerly the town was flourishing, hut having been long
held by the rebels, was reduced to great extremity, and

276 JOUKNEY FEOM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

the shopkeepers had a timid, distrustful look ; but the
place seemed to be recovering, judging from a few new
houses, and old houses which were being repaired.
There were numbers of opium dens, which always give
a repulsive aspect to a place, especially in the gloaming.
Several of the temples were occupied by the troops,
and from the gates the trumpets were sounded, calling
the soldiers to their quarters ; the night-watches were
marked by the firing of guns.

On the 1st of April we had a fine breeze, fair -nund,
and so went on merrily. Ever after having joined the
canal we met numbers of native gunboats, and found
them also stationed at all the towns and villages on the
way ; now there were more than ever : at a small
village about 45 li south of Yau-wan we found ten or
twelve, and every few li encountered one or two. They
vary in size, but average 60 feet in length, and are
manned by twenty or thirty rowers ; they have also good
large sails, and sail rapidly with the breeze ; they carry
one gun at the stem and another at the stern, and are
handy boats, as they pull quickly, and can enter any
creek. The boats were clean and tidy ; the oars formed
a framework at night, over which the men spread an
awning, and so made themselves snug.

We went ashore at the village, and found the people
civil, but they did not care for our books. We were
within a short distance of the former course of the Yellow
Paver, and saw one of the old towers on its banks.
Passing on we found the country flat and uninteresting

A boatman’s dinner.

277

as before, but fresher, owing to the advance of spring.
We walked a long way on the north bank, and found the
country-people communicative. Mulberry-trees grew on
the south side, and the natives were rearing the silk-
worm. We again met men fishing with cormorants.

Eeturning to our boat we found the master sitting
down to dinner, and as his repast often amused us it
merits description. The first course was sam-shoo
(native whisky) and raw onions ; second course, raw
onions and sam-shoo ; third, rice and fish ; fourth, pork
and bread ; fifth, tea ; sixth, nuts or fruit ; seventh,
down below to his opium. Altogether the scene was
worthy of the pencil of Hogarth.

To-day we passed the sluice which communicated
Avith the Lo-ma lake ; but there was very little water,
and by-and-by we found the lake dry and fields of wheat
growing in its basin. After this we passed a fine old
bridge called the “ Saw-oo-who-kiau,” originally of 110
arches, now in ruins. About 1.30 we reached the city
of Sui-cheu-hien, which lies on south side of river ; not
on the north, as in some maps. Going on shore we
found the city lay li miles inland, and proceeding on-
wards we found large suburbs, and at last came to the
busy quarters, where a good deal of business appeared
to be transacted ; inside the walls there appeared to be
very little trade. We commenced our work, but found
that we had been preceded by a foreigner with native
assistants, who could be no other than Johnston, now
missing. On this account our sales were few, but we

278 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

had the satisfaction of preaching to large audiences.
The people were civil, and so were the soldiers ; hut I
could perceive that it was a war-like civility on the part
of the latter : two of them attempted to disperse the
crowds with violence ; I remonstrated, and said that I
was only a preacher, and would soon leave the place,
on which they disappeared and I saw no more of them.

The preacher Li, who had been unwell for several
days, became worse in the city, and could hardly manage
to walk ; he rested for a little, and then was able to pro-
ceed slowly to the boat, and, after a while, he greatly
recovered himself. We all retm-ned and gave orders to
proceed, but, as usual, the boatmen wushed to stay over
the night ; they had managed so that they were still at
dinner when we returned, and asked us most imperti-
nently if we wanted them to go before they had got
their food ; adding that we were pretty preachers who
would not give poor men time to eat. I mention these
things to show the character of these men ; they are
children in many ways, but have all the characteristics
of vulgar impudence and the passions of full-grown
evil men. After a little they moved o-n, but most reluct-
antly and slowly : unfortunately we had hired them by
the day. The canal became yet wider, deeper, and finer ;
from 250 yards to 300 yards in width. We expected
to reach a village that evening before sunset, but at
length had to anchor in mid-stream ; not a very com-
fortable position in any case, much less where there were
so many gunboats about. Nothing, however, occurred,

DIFFICULT SAILING.

279

and at daylight we were again under way ; the canal
having all the appearance of a fine broad river, with a
good strong current eastwards.

Fifty li past Sui-cheu-hien we came on the old
canal, which used to go oif to Hai-chow ; a little way
on we came on a second barrier, whei’e all boats were
stopped and “ squeezed.” The wind, which had been
contrary all day, now increased, so that the men said
they could not ch-ag the boat ; we accordingly halted for
three hours at the ferry, where the high-road crosses
the canal. A train of six or eight carts, from Waug-kia-
ying-tsze to Peking, was passing in ferry-boats, two by
two, and we had a good deal of talk with the carters and
travellers ; they were crossing from the north side to
the south, and would have to recross the canal at a
point further east. There was another custom-house
here.

The wind having abated, we pushed on, and soon
came to a bend of the canal where the wind was fair, and
we set sail : another trick of the men, for the rascals
knew that a little more exertion would have brought
them to this point. Having made several li with a fair
wind, we came to another bend, and found the wfind
against us ; hut it was moderate, and we now proceeded
by tracking. We expected to make a certain village
where we could anchor in safety, hut were again brought
up at a very lonely spot. The boatmen were more inso-
lent than ever ; presuming upon our profession, as
poor ignorant creatures generally do, they became very

280 JOUKNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

nearly intolerable, and bad we been merchants or others,
they would have got what they deserved. Through the
night some of the country-people came off to our boat
inquiring for some sanpan (a boat made of three boards)
which they affirmed had been blown away with the wind.
We could not say whether this was a trick or not to
ascertain the character of our craft, and who were on
board ; but we heard the noise, and inquiring what was
the matter, they made off.

Next day the wind was light, but soon rose into a
good breeze in our favour, and we made good way.
The canal still continued broad and deep ; the country
was fertile, wheat in bunches, butterflies in all directions.
We stopped at a military station called Tsoong-hing,
where there were plenty of “ braves,” but little trade ;
we spoke in different places, and found the townspeople
civil. For two daj’S past we noticed a change in the
character of the speech ; and people, customs, and trade
all bore indications of Shanghai.

Returning to our boat, Ave found the wind still fair
and good and went on merrily, as we expected to
reach Tsing-kiang-pu about midday, where we had
friends and could get another boat ; hereabouts, how-
ever, the canal suddenly narrowed into about one-third
of its width, and on looking out we found ourselves in
a current as strong as a mill-race, both narrow and
shallow. On inquiring, we were told that there was no
offshoot to account for the water running more impe-
tuously ; we are inclined to think, however, there must

FKOM BOAT TO DONKEYS.

281

be some branch oflf to the old Yellow River. We met
water-buffaloes to-day, indicating wet-rice cultivation.

The boatmen about 1.30 shouted out that we had
ai-rived, and pointed to the masts of junks now visible.
We soon reached the place : sai^ were lowered and down
went the anchor ; but judge our mortification when we
found that it was not Tsing-kiang-pu, but a place called
Yang-kia-chwang, 18 li away. We told them this was
not the place ; they said they could go no further. We
asked them why? and reminded them that they had
agreed to go to Tsing-kiang-pu. They, however, denied
their bargain, and said there was no water ; but we found
there was plenty of water. They then said there were
sluices they could not pass ; we showed that boats were
constantly passing. At last out came the truth : they
would have to pay extra “ squeezes ” on their return
voyage if they passed this place. We went to the small
mandarins’ office, but they were powerless. The head
boatman then offered to hire donkeys and take us and
our things overland to Tsing-kiang-pu ; as there was no
help for it, we agreed, and after no end of trouble
reached that city long after dark. A very weary anxious
journey it w'as, for we knew that the chances w'ere that
the innkeepers would refuse to receive us in such a
plight ; happily, however, we were well received at the
best inn in the place, and obtained most comfortable
quarters.

On Sunday, the 4th of April, w’e rested all day, in
our quiet and commodious quarters, Avith the view of a

282 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

long and hard day’s work on Monday. In this, how-
ever, we were disapj^ointed ; for going out next morning
very early, taking the trouble to secure an excellent
position, and arranging everything for a great day’s sale
and bustle, we found, to ojir regret, there was no demand,
hardly any curiosity even, and we had the mortification
to stand and he gazed at by the passers-by. We
changed our locality, hut still there was no improve-
ment ; the reason was, that the city had been visited
before. Hearing of a great religious fair at Wang-kia-
ying-tsze, ten li away, we resolved to go there : so went
to breakfast, hired donkeys and wheelbarrows for our
boats, and set out in company with Mr. Wilson. It
being the day called “ ching-ming,” on which the people
sacrifice to the tombs, the crowds were very great, and
the road was crowded with pedestrians, men on horse-
back, some on mules, others on donkeys, and multitudes
of women in wheelbarrows : in fact, all sorts of people,
on all sorts of conveyances. Our spirits rose ; we
thought our books would not be sufficient, sent back for
more, and hopefully went on our way.

Crossing the bed of the Yellow Kiver, on which
wheat was growing, we soon reached the place. The
bustle was prodigious ; the processions grand ; the para-
phernalia clean, of good quality, graceful, and evidencing
both wealth and taste ; the concourse immense. There
w'ere four different processions ; each made up of all
kinds of things — a junk, two or three boats of different
sizes, a fine wheelbarrow, donkeys with new gaudy

GEAND PROCESSIONS. — DISAPPOINTMENT. 283

saddles ; then came boys dressed up as girls, and raised
on high frames, as if flying in the air ; literati, march-
ing very sedately under gorgeous canopies, glancing
forth in all the colours of the rainbow ; hundreds of men
dressed as criminals, in chains; many children in red,
with cangues * on their necks ; crowds of men repre-
senting sinners ; horsemen ; more literati, in silks,
clean and respectable ; idols, and the god of the city
bringing up the rear ; flags were flying in all directions,
drums beating, music squeaking, and tens of thousands
of spectators looking on. Everything promised well :
so we selected an excellent spot, quite off the road, but
in view of the whole pageant ; not a person deigned to
come near us ; hy-and-by, at intervals in the proces-
sion, a few stragglers came, hut w'e hardly sold a book.
We went to a different place, hut vith no better suc-
cess ; and so, after waiting for some time, w^e bundled
up our books and retired in great disgust.

I should have mentioned that we had called on our
friend, the agent of Messrs. Canny and Company, of
Chin-kiang ; he was extremely polite, and got a boat
for us. We had left instructions with our men to have
everything on board, accounts settled, and all ready
to proceed w'henever we should return ; they had
managed very well, and as soon as our rejected hooks
were on board, w'e set sail, regretting our non-success
and vexed that we had not occupied the preceding day
in preaching.

* A square wooden frame, which is fixed round the neck of thieves.

284 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

The city of Tsing-kiang-pu is an important place.
The city proper Hes on the south side of the canal ; and
consists of one long street running east and west, and
one cross street near the west end running north and
south, with lanes intersecting it in all directions. There
are many large shops, with a good proportion of foreign
goods, and evidently a great business done. It has very
extensive suburbs ; the northern suburbs, built on the
north hank of the canal, are at least '2i miles in length,
and contain many warehouses : the agent of Canny and
Company has his premises in this quarter. The sides
of the canal are well faced with stone; the bridges in
present use, however, are very rude, not even draw-
bridges, but only planks laid across beams, which are
lifted when large junks pass through. There is an
immense collection of boats of all kinds, gun-boats,
junks large and small, passenger-boats, ferry-boats, and
sanpans innumerable. We saw a crow’s nest on the
top of a large boat, called a “ flower-boat,” which name
indicates a boat full of the worst of characters. The
boat we procured was a perfect contrast to our old one —
clean, neat, and the men perfectly cml.

At starting we made good way, and rapidly approached
Whai-ngan-foo, a few li distant. "WTien in full sight of
the city, we came upon a custom-house of a very preten-
tious character, built on the canal ; the ofiicials called
on us to stop. At first we did not feel disposed, but at
last yielded; they hoarded us very officiously, and in-
quired what we had ; we told them to look and see, hut

GREATER SUCCESS— WHAI-NGAN-FOO.

285

not to detain us. The sen*ants explained who we were ;
but still they were rather surly, until I told them to he
quick, on which they said, “ All right,” then asked for
a foreign newspaper, and left us. This was the famous
barrier where certain salesmen in charge of foreign
goods in 1868 were so badly treated, and w’hich case
Mr. Medhurst managed so well. We w'ent on shore
immediately, and commenced Avork ; a large crowd col-
lected, we preached several times, and sold a few books ;
hut a number not at all in proportion to the size of
the place, for there had been others before us : still, the
sale was satisfactory.

Whai-ngan-foo is a large city, with good walls and
imposing gates in good repair ; the suburbs being
surrounded by a mud wall. The main-street runs east
and west, and there are many good shops, but the
business is chiefly country and local trade ; another
busy street runs north and south, and there are several
other streets at right angles, of greater or lesser import-
ance. The town seems to be the residence of wealthy
people, for there are a large number of good dwelling-
houses and an extra proportion of well-dressed men
and literati. The boys were rather rude, and the
beggars holder than usual, persisting in following us
for alms. There is an interesting pagoda in the north-
west portion of the city.

The wind being fair, the boatmen started of their
own accord during the night, hut the wind rose too
high, and we had to anchor ; having first passed another

286 JOUKNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

barrier, and heard the officials call and question the
boatmen. When morning dawned the wind had fallen
and was still fair ; we therefore made good way. About
nine we passed Pao-ying-hien, a city of large extent, but
little trade or population. Sailing on, we arrived at
Fan-shin, a large \illage on the banks, where we sold
and preached. An immense quantity of rice is produced
in this district, and our boatmen laid in a large supply.
The water-buffalo is in common use here.

From this point, southwards, there was nothing but
paddy-fields on the east of the canal, and a large lake
on the w'est, on w'hich were many boats of various sizes
and descriptions. Onward a little way, we found the
mandarins repairing the banks of the canal, and making
a sluice on the east side between the canal and paddy-
fields ; many thousands of men were employed, who
were paid at the rate of 100 cash per day, or, say, Gd.
sterling. The canal is very narrow, and the current very
sluggish. We slept at Ma-pung-ngan.

April 7th. The wdnd being bad, we tracked the boat.
We saw lagoons and paddy-fields on the east full of rice,
and a lake on the west full of boats and water-fowl. We
were glad to see the “ forget-me-not ” and beans in full
blossom. About 9 we made Kau-yeu-chow, an extensive
city full of fields ! The southern portion and southern
suburbs possess a few good shops ; but there are plenty
of villages with greater trade and population. We
stayed for a little and did some work, but found we had

YANG-CHOW.

287

been anticipated everywliei’e, so that our books were not
in great request. There were great quantities of rice
here for sale. Passing the entrance to the lake, the
canal became wider and deeper. We slept at Shau-pa,
40 li from Yang-chow.

Next da}^ the wind was still contrary. The number
of junks increased as we approached Yang-chow, and,
by-and-by, we were in their midst, for they lined the
canal on both sides for a long distance on the north of
the city. There was at the time a large encampment
of soldiers here. On reaching this city, now famous as
the scene of the outrages which brought Chinese matters
again prominently before the British public, we went
straight to the residence of the missionaries, and found
Mr. Judd and Mr. White at home ; they received us very
cordially, and showed us all over the residence, where
we could still see the marks of violence, and the places
which had been patched up. The people were now per-
fectly civil, and our friends had recommenced opera-
tions ; their schools were going on : a girls’ school and
a boys’ school for day scholars ; they had daily preaching
in their chapel, and things appeared very satisfactory,
and the missionaries were full of hope. This city —
once governed by Marco Polo, and thus doubly interest-
ing— was a very important place ; a large portion is in
ruins, owing to the rebels, but it seems to be rapidly
rising. It is a double city, and has twelve gates ; the
chief east and west street is five li, and chief north and
south street three li in length. There are many large

288 JOUKNEY FKOM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

shops, and a good proportion of foreign ware. The
boats and junks were very numerous and from all quar-
ters, as Hoopeh, Honan, and other distant places. A
great many soldiers were going about in all directions,
and many native gun-boats were stationed in the canal.

Our friends accompanied us to our boat, and we
sailed for Chin-kiang. The scenery on the banks is
flat and uninteresting ; there are not so many lagoons
and no lake. Hitherto, the current had been in our
favour, but now was against us : it Avas not the tide,
for on making inquiries we were told that the Yang-tze-
kiang was high and sent off a portion of its waters,
which thus ran up the canal, washed the walls of Yang-
chow, and found an exit by a creek which joined it
further down on the S.E. At night we gained the town,
on the banks of the Yang-tze-kiang, opposite to Chin-
kiang. Here the canal makes a turn, nearly approaching
to a circle, before entering the river ; to modify, I
suppose, the rush which might ensue were the junction
direct.

Starting at daylight on the 9th, we crossed the great
Yang-tze-kiang, and landed at Chin-kiang about 7 o’clock.
Here we met with a most hearty reception from Mr.
Carney, to whom we had a letter of introduction ; he
proved to be the grandson of an old friend and neighbour
of my father’s, which made the meeting all the more
cordial. Once more among civilized society, we laid
aside all our travelling-clothes, &c., and again rejoiced
in respectable apparel. We called on the missionaries

EMBARK FOE NAKKIN AND HANKOW.

289

in the city, and had the satisfaction of meeting Mr.
Meadows, who told me that a namesake of my own —
one of their mission — had the prospect of renting a
house in Ngan-king, the capital of the province of Ngan-
wei, which I have just heard has been accomplished.
I trust they may be permitted to continue there in the
performance of their good work.*

Hearing that there was a steamer for Nankin and
Hankow expected that night, we made preparations to
proceed by her to the old capital of China ; she arrived
about 9.30 p.m. It w^as pitch-dark and blowing hard;
but as our host provided us with a large strong cargo-
boat and crew of fourteen men, we got safely on
board the hulk in the Yang-tze-kiang, where the steamer
was moored. She proved to he the Kiang Loong,
Captain Harmon, an acquaintance of Mr. Wilson’s, w’ho
received us very kindly. Steamers take about six hours
against the stream from Chin-kiang to Nankin, so that
we arrived there about 4 a.m. The steamer whistled
twice, a boat came off from the native custom-house,
and we disembarked in the dark. We were taken to the
custom-house, which is a small hulk at the junction of
the city moat and the river, where we were asked our
names and errand, and these proving satisfactory, we
were taken in the same boat up the moat under the w’alls
of the city on to our destination. This occupied nearly

* The students and literati created a disturbance at a late Examina-
tion ; but owing to firm representations on the part of the French and
English authorities matters are now moving most satisfactorily.

47

VOL. II.

290 JOUBNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

two and a half hours, when we were landed at one of the
east gates, where we procured a guide for Mr. Duncan’s
house. This occupied nearly another hour ; hut we had
the pleasure of finding our friends all well, and happy to
see us. After a hearty breakfast w^e went and called
upon Dr. Macartney at the Arsenal, which stands con-
tiguous to the ruins of the famous Porcelain Tower, and,
in fact, is built of the bricks which remain of its ruins.
This pagoda must have been a most extraordinary
structure ; an examination of the bricks, &c. among the
ruins showed us that the building must have been, not
only carefully planned, but the size, shape, position and
number of the bricks had all been minutely detailed and
arranged before commencing. The porcelain frontings
are remarkably hard ; Dr. Macartney told us that his
finest instruments could make no impression upon their
surface. The tradition of precious stones being built on
the walls, and the top hall being gold, were the immediate
cause of its destruction by the rebels — a punishment for
the lie impudently handed down.

The Arsenal is a very formidable establishment ;
we found them making rifled cannon of all sizes — some
very large — artillery-carriages, shot, and shell, and
everything pertaining to war, down even to a machine
for making percussion-caps — I know not how many
thousand i)er diem. Were the Chinese Government
an intelligent body, amenable to reason and the obliga-
tions of civilized nations, we might hail these manu-
factories as a pledge of peace and prosperity, and

MING TOMBS. — NANKIN.

291

deliverance from rebels ; but it is impossible to look
upon them otherwise than with grave apprehension.

Having taken luncheon with Dr. Macartney, we set
out to the Ming tombs, in company with Mr. Duncan
and Mr. Reid ; having hired four ponies from among the
many horses and donkeys which were standing for hire
in several places in and about the city. The day looked
threatening, but, as our time was precious, we resolved
to proceed ; unfortunately it came on to rain heavily, —
for a short time in torrents, — and continued, less or
more, all the afternoon. The Ming tombs are on the
same principle as those near Peking, but the sceneiy is
somewhat different; to our taste less picturesque, and
the arrangement of the stone figures, guarding the sides
of the road, less agreeable. They cannot all be Hewed
at once, as at Peking, but the idea is the same. The
buildings are all in ruins ; nothing was standing but the
stone elephants, horses, tigers, lions, &c., which would
resist a good deal of force, and in whose bodies there
was little likelihood of finding gold, or wood. The size
of the elephants again struck me — they are each of one
piece of granite, and I, on horseback, was a pigmy
beside them.

The city of Nankin has been too often described to
need description here ; suffice it to say that the circum-
ference of the present wall is 96 li, or about 30 English
miles, and that it was once a splendid city; but the
streets are narrow, and thus have a meaner appearance
than those of northern cities. Just now more than

292 JOUEXEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

one-half of the city is in ruins ; the only portion which
appears to be reviving is that inside and outside the
south and south-west gates. Hardly one tree is to he
seen, all having been cut down by the rebels for fire-
wood, and the appearance of the city is dreary in the
extreme.

At first Mr. Duncan lived in a half-ruined bell-tower ;
but now he and Mr. Eeid have succeeded in renting
two houses, and I trust they will be permitted to labour
long and prosperously in this great centre.

"We remained until Monday morning, when we parted
with our friends, and set out homewards. We expected
the steamer Fusi-yama to he at the junction about
noon ; but no steamer appeared, so we went and saw the
gi'and park of artillery which they have got at the en-
trance of the moat, facing the Yang-tze-kiang : a most
efficient defence, but an ominous sign. Dusk came on,
and we made preparations to watch for the steamer,
as she might come through in the night ; we could
only get a small boat partially covered with matting,
and in this we went with two boatmen — there ought to
have been three — and one of the two was a boy. Our
provisions had been left at Chin-kiang, and the only
food we could get to take on board was a teapot with
native tea, and a cake of wheaten bread, nearly three-
quarters of a yard in diameter and two inches thick.
Thus victualled, we anchored in the river ; pitch-darkness
fell and a good breeze ai-ose, and there we were tossing
about in that sanpan on the huge river, with the

HOMEWAED BOUND.

293

prospect of being up all night. We resolved to watch
in turns, hut neither of us could sleep ; we were so
miserably cold, and apprehensive of the consequences
of this exposure. At last, about ten o’clock, we thought
we saw a light : it became clearer : then two appeared,
and, by-and-by, we felt sure it was the steamer. I got
a lantern hoisted on a long pole, and stood at the stem,
waving it up and down ; onward came the huge ship,
looming grand in the darkness, with all its bright lights ;
again and again I waved the pole and lantern, A
whistle was heard, showing that our signal had been
observed ; the steamer slows ; we pull alongside, and
jump on board, never more thankful in our lives. It is
after risks and dangers and fatigues, that the comfort of
our commodious steamers is appreciated. We had an
excellent cup of coffee, and turned in with the expecta-
tion of rising at Chin-kiang at about two o’clock a.m.,
to take in our servants and luggage, which we had
left there ; fortunately, they w'ere all awaiting us, and
congratulating each other on our safe meeting, we got
berths for them, and then retired to sleep again.

Next day we enjoyed the sail down the river to
Shanghai, and many and vivid w'ere the reminiscences
of former times which rose before my mind, w'hen I
used to sail over the same waters, but in very different
craft : I regarded this as a promise of still greater pro-
gress in future years. Landing, we went to our old
friends, Messrs. Bower, Hanbury and Co., where we
stayed during our sojourn. Next day, w'hile walking

294 JOURNEY FROM CHE-FOO TO NANKIN, ETC.

witli Mr. Wylie, two gentlemen met us in the street,
one of whom — evidently a new arrival in China, from
the cut of his coat and his black hat and rosy cheeks —
stepped forward, and asked me, if I knew where Mr.
Wylie, of the Bible Society, resided ? I said, “ This is
Mr. Wylie.” He then asked Mr. Wylie, if he knew
where Mr. Williamson could be found. Mr. Wylie said,
“ Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Williamson.” Thus
we met our Irish friends on their way to New-chwang;
and I was again and yet more amused to find that Mr.
W^addel had left Ireland the very day I left Che-foo, and
had reached Shanghai by the mail-steamer only about
an hour before me on the day previous.

Shanghai has greatly improved since my last visit ;
the fine paved streets, gas, telegraph-wires, and veloci-
pedes giving it quite the air of an European city.

Leaving on the 17th by the steamship Chih-li, a
Clyde-built steamer, formerly called the Lamont, we
enjoyed the society of Captain Patterson and a large
party of friends, and arrived at Che-foo on Monday, the
19th, and found all well and happy. Thanks be to God !

( 295 )

CHAPTER XV.

COREA.

Sources of Information — Boundaries and Area — ^fountains — Rivers —
Coasts and Harbours — Climate — Connection with China — Character
of the Natives — History — Independent Tribes — Corean Habitations
— Treatment of Boys’ Hair — Peculiarities of Costume — Money— -
Mechanical Ingenuity — Language — Minerals — Cereals and Fruits
— Cotton, Silk, and Paper — Medicines — Varieties of Wood —
Animals, Domestic and Wild — Restricted Commerce and Smug-
gling— Advantages of Opening the Country to Foreign Inter-
course.

I HAVE not had the opportunity of visiting Corea, but
have seen numbers of Coreans at the Palisade Gate on
the borders of the country, have met the annual
embassy to Peking, and have had a good deal of inter-
course with several Coreans who were on a visit to
Che-foo ; moreover, I have had information from China-
men who have visited the country as traders : hence
the following observations may be taken as substantially,
if not perfectly, correct.

Corea is a peninsula lying obhquely N.W. by S.E.,
lat. 34° 40' and 42° 30', and long. 125° to 129° E.,
hounded on the east by the Sea of Japan, on the south
by the Yellow Sea, on the west by the Yellow Sea and

296

COKEA.

the Gulf of Pe-cliih-li, and on the north by the rivers
Ya-lu-kiang and Tu-mun, which separate the country
from Chinese and Kussian Manchuria respectively.

The area is estimated at 79,414 square miles, exclu-
sive of the numerous islands which crowd its southern
and western shores, or more than one and a quarter times
larger than Shan-tung, and more than three times larger
than Scotland : this may startle some who have looked
upon Corea as an insignificant peninsula hardly worthy
of consideration. It is a land of mountains, which, as a
rule, are higher than those of Shan-tung ; many on the
seaboard reaching an elevation of from 1,000 to 8,000 feet,
according to the measurements of our nautical surveyors.
They appear tumbled about in all directions, but both
the Chinese and Roman Catholic missionaries coincide
in affirming that the prevailing directions of the ranges
is north and south, or N.W. by S.E. The loftiest
appear to lie on the north between lat. 40° and 42°,
where the two great rivers take their rise. The highest
mountain known is at the south-eastern extremity of this
range, and is called Hien-fung by Europeans, after the
late Emperor of China ; it reaches the elevation of 8,114
feet ; the next attains the height of 6,310, and is called
Tao-kwang after that Emperor’s father. The valleys are
said to be fertile, and the mountains in many parts of
the country are often covered to their summits with
dense forests.

The chief river is the Ya-lu-kiang, which partly
forms the northern boundary, but which is admitted by

RIVEES.

297

all to belong to Corea ; it is called the Aye-kiang by
the Chinese. It has two main sources ; one on the
southern slopes of those prodigious mountains from
which the Soongari takes its rise, and the other in the
north-eastern portion of the peninsula. These unite
about lat. 40° 50', long. 125° 15' E,, and form a stream
of large dimensions, having three mouths, the eastern,
central, and western. The first is the deepest, and has
the strongest current ; the central is less powerful, and
the western is comparatively small and safe, and is about
150 li, or 45 miles, from the harbour of Ta-ku-shan, the
emporium of the timber-trade. The navigation of the
eastern branch is interdicted by the Coreans, and China-
men found attempting to use it are put to death. Sand-
banks abound in all directions, and a bar impedes each
debouchement ; but Chinese assure me that navigation is
comparatively easy, and that our large steamers could
enter the eastern branch. The river should certainly be
explored, as the Chinese assert that it is as deep and
wide as the Soongari, and, moreover, is about the only
great river still unknown to us : its great valley is
extremely fertile and thickly wooded. The second in
rank is the Tu-mun, which rises on the eastern slopes of
the northern ranges, receives many tributaries, and
flows on toward the eastern sea — a gi-eat wide river. At
the town Hunchun, it is about 300 yards wide in
summer, and about 20 feet deep in the centre ; at this
season it has 5 feet of water on the bar. One great dis-
advantage pertains to both these rivers — they are frozen

298

COREA.

for several months in the year. The river next in im-
portance is that on which the capital stands. It has
been surveyed by the French.

The western coast is dangerous, owing partly to
strong tides among islands and rocks. The commander
of one of her Majesty’s gun-boats told me that, on a
cruise one summer, he anchored in deep water, and in a
few hours found himself in a shallow pool. The Chinese,
however, say that there are several deep and well-shel-
tered havens on the western side. On the eastern coast
throughout there is deep water, and not a few most
excellent harbours, among which Chosan on the south
and Broughton on the north are conspicuous.

The climate is magnificent ; for Corea possesses not
only all the advantages of hill and dale, and river and
sea, hut lying in the very mouth of the great Chinese
channel, it receives the full force of the south-west
monsoon, with all its fertilizing and genial influences.
As a consequence, many of its productions reach a
maturity and perfection far surpassing that of Shan-tung
or North China. The -ndnter is also much less severe,
and the summer far more enjoyable than on the main-
land.

The country is divided into eight provinces, and
these are subdivided into smaller jurisdictions, as in
China. The capital is called Seoul by the natives, and
King-i-tao by the Chinese. It is in the province of
Kiengieto, and has good water communication with
the sea. The King, though in a great measure an

CHAEACTER OF THE NATIVES.

299

independent sovereign, yet recognizes tlie Wliang-ti of
China by a yearly tribute. This appears to a great
extent voluntary, and I am incbned to believe that,
were it not for the material advantages on the part
of the Coreans which this embassy enjoys in the way
of barter and information, it would long since have
ceased.

The people clearly belong to the same stock as the
Mongols, Manchus, Japanese, and Chinese. They are
shorter than the inhabitants of North China, and
darker, hut franker and much more like Japanese in
their manners ; they are a brave people, excellent
friends, hut dangerous foes. We have had proofs of
both these qualities — first, in the way in which the
converts stood by the Roman Catholic priests in their
evil hour, hiding them and risking their lives for
them, and, finally, succeeding in convejdng those who
remained after the general massacre safely to Che-foo ;
and second, in the determined and successful stand
they made against the French, who tried to punish
them for these dreadful murders, and the spirited way
in which they have repelled several other descents —
among others, the late visit of the Russian gun-boat.
The careful conveyance of shipwrecked mariners to New-
chwang, and the destruction of the “ General Sherman,”
which went into their river armed to the teeth, also
illustrate their character. Judging from what I have
seen of them, I like them, admire their pluck, and
anticipate the time when the country will be fully

SCO

COEEA.

opened, and we shall have pleasant and profitable inter-
course with them.

Corea appears early in Chinese history, the first
notice being b.c. 1122. The famous Shang dynasty had
been overthrown, and the Chow dynasty had entered
into power, led on by its first king, called Woo. The
Viscount of Ke, one of the principal supporters of the
old regime, refused to acknowledge the sovereignty of
King Woo, and fled to Corea, then called Chau-seen.
The King respected his attachment to his former
master, and took a very Chinese-like expedient at once
to save the feelings of the Viscount and assert his own
supremacy — he invested him with the sovereignty of
that territory; and from this period the Emperors of
China have claimed supremacy over the country. Du
Halde gives an account of the history and wars of Corea
in an appendix to his great work.

!Mr. T. T. Meadows summarises its history thus : —

“Corea is described in the earliest notices of
authentic Chinese records as a country inhabited by a
population of agriculturists, artisans, and traders,
dwellers in houses and living together in villages and
cities. Its geographical position accounts for this.
The bulk of it lies in the same latitude with the original
seat of the civilizing Chinese people, the middle and
southern portions of the provinces of Chih-li and Shan-si
and the province of Shan-tung ; and, surrounded as it
almost is by seas, its climate is more equable than that
of that oldest portion of China Proper, less cold in

HISTORY.

301

winter, less hot in summer ; hence, Chinese civilization
there found a suitable home at a veiy early period. On
the other hand, its almost insular position has served to
preserve it as the habitat of a separate nation, distinct in
manners and language. Chinese governments have
never been powerful on the seas, and though expeditions
have occasionally been despatched by sea from the
Shan-tung peninsula to the opposite coasts of Corea,
still military operations and international intercourse
have, practically speaking, been conducted by the
northerly and, as regards the Mongols and Manchus,
exposed land route through Southern Manchuria. Hence
it is that, though Corea has, in the past two thousand
years, been more than once occupied by Chinese armies,
and even administratively incorporated into the directly
governed dominions of the Whang-ti of China, that
state of things has lasted only for very short periods.
Corea has, in the main, been independent as regards
internal government ; though, on the other hand, its
rulers have habitually, as it were, yielded, with rare
exceptions, the homage of vassals to each line of un-
doubted Whang-tis. This has, for instance, been the
case without intermission for the last 650 years, during
the Yuen, Ming, and the present line of Whang-tis.

“In the earliest periods Corea was called Chau-seen,
and it has at times been politically divided into several
states, as Hwuy, Shin-han, Yuh-tsoo, Pih-tse, and
Sin-lo. In the second century after Christ, a new state,
called Kaou-le, began to grow into power, and eventually

302

COREA.

absorbing all the others, gave • its name, written by
Occidentals ‘ Corea,’ to the peninsula. About a.d. 385,
at a time when China was torn by internal dissensions,
the Coreans possessed themselves of the whole of the
country east of the Liau-ho, which they retained for
260 years, till a.d. 645, when they were attacked by
the then Whang-ti or Emperor of the powerful Tang
dynasty, and expelled after several years of hard fighting.
The Coreans were great in the construction and defence
of fortified places, ruins and vestiges of which now, after
a lapse of 1,200 years, meet the eye of the traveller on
all sides as he moves through the eastern half of this
l)rovince. They are everywhere known to the people as
‘ Corean fortresses.’ They are of all sizes, from the single
round tower, with the traces of a small encircling court,
to the surrounding works of a city, usually quadrangular
in shape, and the sides of which may measure three or
four miles, with a gateway protected by outworks on
each face, or one or two miles with only two such gate-
way's on opposite sides. Some of these ruined fortresses
are found in the low plain of the Liau-ho, where they
evidently depended on their wide, wet ditches as a main
source of strength : two such lie not far from this port-
town. Others occupy the tops of isolated hills in the
plain, or the ends of spurs jutting out into it from the
mountain range that bounds it on the east. Others
again occupy lower peaks of that range itself, peaks
rising steeply to heights of 1,000 to 1,200 feet above
the adjacent plains and valleys. All these ruined

INDEPENDENT TRIBES. — HOUSES.

303

fortresses are exclusive of the existing walled cities of
Southern Manchuria, as Liau-yang, Kai-yuen, Hai-
ching, Kai-chow, &c., nearly all of which were equally
fortified cities in the time of the Corean domination,
and were at its close the scenes of recorded, in some
instances of celebrated, sieges.”

Among the lofty mountains which separate Corea
from Manchuria, and also in the valley of the Ya-lu-
kiang, are independent mountaineers who defy alike
the power of China and Corea. They have been, I
believe, several times attacked by mandarins and their
forces, but it has been found impossible to dislodge
them from their mountain fastnesses. They appear
to be Manchus, and are partially civilized. They
employ themselves in gathering medicinal roots, cutting
down trees which they float down the rivers to the
Ya-lu-kiang, and in seeking for gold. There are certain
points of meeting between them and the Chinese and
Coreans ; at these places they sell their medicine
and wood, purchase a variety of commodities, and
invariably pay the balance in gold, which appears to be
plentiful.

The houses of the better classes of Coreans,
especially in the north, are oblong, and of one stoiy.
The door is curiously set in a corner, adjoining which
is a boiler for cooking, and a small rectangular space
for working ; three or four feet inwards the “ kang ”
begins, which forms the floor of the remainder of the
house. At the further end of the “ kang ” are two

304

COREA.

compartments 'wliicli constitute tlie sleeping-rooms of
the family. The “ kang” is built and heated, generally,
by the fire which also cooks their food, as is the practice
of the Chinese. In the north the windows are invariably
of paper.

The houses of the poor have also the indispensable
“ kang ” and the two rooms at the end ; but the door is
at the side, and one end of the house contains the hard
prepared circular indentation in which they shell and
prepare their millet : the poor have generally a cow
tied up inside in the same place. The rich have their
cattle, grinding-stones and mills, and grain, outside the
dw'elling, often in circular outhouses. They have their
cities, towns, and villages as in China, and the more
important places are all defended by walls and towers,
which are often formidable. Many of the poor in the
north build houses in the same way as is adopted by
the immigrants in Manchuria, which I have already
described.

They have a curious custom relating to boys : they
allow the hair to grow long all over the head, after-
wards it is parted in the centre and the back portion
plaited into a long tail; at marriage this tail is cut
off and sold to the Chinese ; hence the quantities of
human hair for sale at the fairs.

In the north the poor do not wear much cotton, but
almost universally dress in a species of grass-cloth made
from a fibrous plant which grows abundantly. This
cloth bleaches well like linen, and a crowd of Coreans

PECULIARITIES OF COSTUME.

805

looks remarkably clean and pleasant. In the south
they wear cotton, and, like those in the north, are
always in white. The wealthy wear silk dresses ; some-
times their own silk and sometimes Chinese manu-
facture. Their shoes are mostly made of stout twine
carefully plaited ; the soles are made first and then the
ujjpers are ingeniously fastened on : these shoes wear
well. They have also straw and leather shoes, as the
Chinese, and these are sharp-pointed. In the north
hats are frequently made of horse-hair ; they also have
hats made of a fine grass, beautifully woven, with broad
brims and flower-pot tops : their costume, as a whole,
is after the fashion of *the late Ming dynasty in China.
Their buttons and ornaments are commonly of amber,
which must be plentiful. Their cups and dishes are,
for the most part, of copper, or rather a composition
in which that metal largely prevails : these utensils
appear to be first cast, then turned. In the south,
clay and porcelain dishes are more in general use.

The native coin is reported to be made of a species
of hard-baked clay, but they readily use Chinese copper
cash, and are also acquainted with Japanese silver coins.
They greatly prize silver in sycee form, and buy it by
touch and weight. The value of commodities now sold
or bartered at the three fairs at the N.W. gate of Corea
each year is estimated at not more than 300,000 taels
or 100,000L

Coreans are possessed of considerable ingenuity, as
evinced in their garments and manufactures. Their

48

VOL. II.

306

COEEA.

guns and cannon especially deserve attention ; they
are all breech-loaders, and far more efficient than the
clumsy articles used by their neighbours : some of the
breech-loaders taken by the French were of the most
beautiful make and finish. Their boats and junks are
made wholly of wood, without a nail in them ; the
planks are fixed with strong tough wooden trenails,
which are most efficient. I examined one of their
junks which came across to Che-foo, and it was a
very fair specimen of such craft as is found in the
East.

They have a language of their own which is alpha-
betical, and resembles the Japanese in many respects ;
now, however, the Chinese characters and classics are
taught in their schools, and every Corean who wishes to
rise must master the sacred hooks of China.

Chinese and natives agree in declaring that the
country is rich in minerals. Coal is in common use in
many parts ; iron is mined and manufactured ; silver-
ore and galena are common : one hill is reported to he
composed of silver ! Gold was early known to the
Coreans ; Koeemfer tells us, in his account of Japan,
that the first gold brought into that country was from
Corea, a.d. 605, during the reign of the Empress Sui-
ko. It must he very plentiful : they do not set the
value upon it which the Chinese do ; and it is surmised
that its value, as compared with silver, must he low,
as it was in Japan when European traders first went
there.

POTTEEY. — COTTON GOODS.

307

There appear to be a variety of clays from which
excellent pottery is made ; the manufactoiy best known
to Europeans is that near Chosan, from whence pottery
is said to be exported to Japan across the narrow
channel. All the chief cereals are found in abundance,
and vegetables of endless variety grow as in Shan-tung;
gi'apes, apricots, peaches, plums, apples, pears, and
cherries are indigenous throughout the country, and
gooseberries, currants, and strawberries are found in
the north.

The cotton produced in Corea is far superior to that
in any part of China ; it is long in the staple, and fine
in quality, just like the best kinds of Carolina cotton :
it appears to be very expensive. They are vei-y fond of
foreign cotton cloth, and buy it largely from the
Chinese at the gates, as well as smuggle considerable
quantities every year on the coast. A merchant in
Passiette assured me of their great desire for cheap
cotton goods, and said that there would be a large
demand were the country opened up ; this is extremely
probable, as cotton is a much safer and more pleasant
dress than grass-cloth for a climate like Corea : the
Coreans at the gate alleged that they formerly purchased
30,000 pieces of foreign manufactures yearly. They do
not appear to have any woollen manufactures; the
only thing I could hear of in this way was coarse
matting for sleeping on in winter. The mulberry-tree
is cultivated in many places, and they produce silk, but
manufacture it to a very limited extent ; they, however,

308

COEEA.

sell fine coloured silk thread at the gates to the Chinese,
and weave it for their own use. Looking at the position
and climate of Corea, there can he no doubt that the
best qualities of silk could he raised there in great
quantities, and also that the eggs of their silk-worms
would he valuable for exportation.

Corean paper is made chiefly from the hark of the
mulberry-tree, and is famous all over the north of
China, especially for its texture and strength ; it is
exported in large quantities at the gates, and smuggled
on the sea-coast. They use it for handkerchiefs, partition-
walls, windows, umbrellas, &c. &c. Medicines are pro-
duced in innumerable variety ; the most renowned is Gen-
sing, a famous tonic, which constitutes one of the most
important articles of barter with the Chinese. The better
qualities are of higher value than gold, and so it forms
a convenient substitute for money. The medicinal
plants and preparations are highly prized by the neigh-
bouring Celestials. Tobacco is grown in many places,
and widely used by the natives.

Trees are numerous and various. The elm attains
a great height, rising fifty feet without a branch, and
attaining three feet diameter at the butt ; next in
importance are pines, of which there are three kinds, in
addition to the cedar. There are three species of oak,
hut only one of any commercial value ; three varieties
of birch ; and cork-trees are abundant, as well as a tree
in colour like the beech, the wood of which is hard, dry
and hea^y, like iron. The hawthorn is common, and

TREES. — DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

309

the wild fig not infrequent ; and several kinds of nut-
bearing trees and bushes are found in many places.
The valley of the Ya-lu-kiang has attained a wide
celebrity for its massive pines ; and in view of its con-
tiguity to the great iron and coal districts in Manchuria,
and of its grand water communication Avitb the Gulf of
Pe-cbib-li, it may yet become one of the chief building-
yards in China, in the grand future which unquestion-
ably lies before this country. Several of the islands are
also renowned for their trees, and Chinese sailors often
land, and try either to steal or purchase : one trader
told me, you had nothing to do hut climb the mountain
and cut down a tree, when it rolled of itself into the
sea.

The domestic animals resemble the Chinese, but
there are some singular divergences, which w'e have
before referred to. The horse is not larger than an ass,
and is not like a pony, but is a miniature horse, and
when properly cared for is the very effigy of a diminu-
tive hunter. The bullock, on the other hand, is a giant
among its kind — as large as an ordinary horse, and is
shod and harnessed for agricultural purposes. The
Coreans have also the dog and cat, and the pig, but
smaller than on the mainland. They have their share
of wild beasts : wolves and tigers abounding in the
north ; their skins form part of the tribute to China,
and constitute a portion of the barter which goes on at
the gates and on the coast.

The commerce of the country is hampered by most

310

COREA.

pernicious laws and regulations ; there are only three
places where trade with Chinese is allowed, and only
for brief seasons at stated intervals. These trading
places are called “ gates,” the chief of which is on the
south of Fung-whang-chuug ; the second is near Hun-
chun, not far from Passiette ; and the third is now hardly
anything else than a military station. The consequence
is that a large amount of illicit traffic goes on between
the ports on the east of Shan-tung and Corea ; the
traders have signals which are faithfully observed, and
Manchester cloth and other foreign articles thus find
their way from Che-foo into the country.

In presenting these remarks I wish to draw attention
not so much to what Corea is, as to what it could be
made. Obviously it is a country of great capabilities.
The people possess capacities of no mean description ;
they are intelligent, acute, and ingenious, and, what is
better, of a resolute character. The climate is ex-
tremely salubrious ; the resources of the country are
manifold, embracing all kinds of grain, fruit, vegetables,
and wood, with coal, iron, and the most important metals.
The water communication is fair, and the harbours,
especially on the south and east, most excellent. Nothing
is wanting for the advancement of the country but the
stimulus and guidance of western religion and civiliza-
tion. It ought to be opened to European intercourse :
it is the only country of any importance which remains
closed against us. One party says we have no right to
force ourselves upon an unwilling people ; another, that

ADVANTAGES OF FOREIGN INTERCOURSE. 311

tlie Coreans are happy as they are ; while a third looks
partly at the evils and partly at the expenses of war. It
strikes me that mankind have common interests in each
other and duties towards one another, and that it is the
duty of the strong to help the weak ; the intelligent, the
ignorant ; and the civilized, those who are lower in the
scale of advancement. Hence, I believe, it is at once the
duty and privilege of such countries as Great Britain
and America to lead the van, and use the power God
has given them to open up countries which are stupidly
and ignorantly closed against them like Corea.

War is a temble evil in every aspect, but it seems a
condition of progress in this fallen world ; and, in view
of the advantages, moral, intellectual, and spiritual,
which would accrue to a people brought into full con-
tact with the blaze of true civilization, the cost would he
immeasurably counterbalanced. But the opening up of
this country might he effected without war. Eepresen-
tations of such a character might be made through the
Chinese Government as would, perhaps, accomplish the
object ; or negotiations might be entered into, directly,
with the annual Corean Embassy at Peking ; or, if
diplomacy failed, a resource still remains, which might
obviate any great loss of life, if not bloodshed altogether.
Let a large force, naval and militaiy, which clearly — in
the eyes of the Coreans themselves — would be irresistible,
appear at their capital, explain our motives, and demand
such concessions as are consistent with natural justice.
Let it be seen that we are in earnest, and let such

312

COREA.

arrangements be made as would secure peace until the
natives bad discerned our true motives and the advantages
of dealing with us, and then intercourse would go on
of its own accord. This, of course, would entail some
expense, though not so much as appears at first sight ;
for it is. just about as cheap to keep our ships on
duty as laid up in idleness or stationed in unimportant
quarters. And then the profit would soon appear in
the shape of increased demands for our manufactures.
A little additional outlay is a poor excuse for neglecting
such an undertaking ; and sad will it be for Great Britain
if the day comes when charges of this kind will weigh
against deeds of enterprise and philanthropy. If Prussia
wishes territory in the East, Corea is infinitely prefer-
able to Formosa.

( 313 )

CHAPTEK XVI.

PEKING.

Bu the PiEV. Joseph Edkins, B.A., London Universitij.

Native Works on Peking — The Rivers round Peking — Imperial Devo-
tions— The Purple Forbidden City — The Varied Fortunes of
Peking — Chinese Thieves — The Emperor’s Palace — Religious
Ceremonies — Temple of Emperors and Kings — Lama Monasteries
— Imperial Monuments — Temples and Public Buildings — Sacrifices
and Altars — Catholic and Protestant Missions — Embassies —
Schools — Catholic Cemeteries — The Summer Palace — The Altar
of the Sun — Ming Tombs — The Great Wall.

The native works on Peking are numerous and very full.
They are deficient in maps and drawings, but contain details
sufficient to satisfy the most industrious antiquary. For
example, that called Ji-hia-kieu-wen-kau contains IGO chapters,
the contents of which I will here briefly mention.

The first chapter is upon astrologj’, which is followed by
three upon the ancient history of the city and country. It
collects passages from the dynastic histories and other old
hooks. Four chapters on the beauties of Peking are filled with
extracts from poetical compositions.

Twenty chapters are devoted to a desciiption of the palace
buildings, including eleven on the palace proper, one on Yung-
ho-kung, a large monastery containing eleven hundred lama
priests, and eight on the west park, describing all the buildings
north and south of the marble bridge, all within the Tartar
city. One chapter gives an account of the palace of the Liau

314

PEKING.

and Kin imperial families ; three that of the Mongol dynasty.
Four detail the peculiarities of the Ming dynasty, palace,
temples, and parks. Two chapters then introduce the capital
city in a general way. Four more are sufficient to describe
the imperial city and twelve bring to an end the history of the
Tartar city, or, as it is called officially by the natives, the
inner city. Seven more are found necessary for the Chinese
city. Four chapters detail the history of the six Boards, the
Board for superintending the affairs of the imperial family,
the chief secretary’s office, the office for foreign dependencies,
the court of censors, the literary college, etc., in all, twenty
government offices. The Confucian temple occupies two
chapters, followed by three more on the ten stone drums,
preserved for three thousand years, as old literary monuments.
The reader then encounters the history of twelve more public
Boards, including those of astronomy, medicine, artillery, etc.,
in three chapters.

Taking leave of Peking, fourteen chapters describe the
imperial parks on the west, north-west, and south, and twenty
more the suburbs. The rest of the work is devoted to
descriptions of the neighbouring cities, with notes on the
population, the productions, the frontiers, and the treatment
of various questions interesting to the antiquary.

There is a much smaller work, a manual of Peking in eight
volumes of portable size, which constitutes a valuable guide to
the topography of the city and neighbourhood. It is in great
part an abridgment of the foregoing work, and has some poor
maps of the palace and inner and outer cities.* By its help,
to those who read the written language, all the principal
objects of interest may be visited in a month, and their uses
and peculiarities understood. With a shorter time than this,
the traveller will probably receive very inadequate impressions
of the city. The population of Peking according to foreign

* Chen yuen chi lio.

mVERS ROUND PEKING.

315

estimate is above a million, and by native tables is reckoned
at two millions and a half ; the city embraces twenty-five square
miles within the walls. An ancient government with number-
less ramifications of offices and duties, a resident nobility, with
retainers, a colony of Manchu bannermen which, though kept
on starvation allowance, is said to cost 160,000/. per month,
the connections of China with Tartary and the outer world, —
these, among other things, tend to increase the importance of
Peking. The capital of China is a city notable in itself on
many accounts. Its various imperial buildings, its broad
streets, the regularity with which it is laid out, its extent
and populousness, the variety of costumes and equipages seen
in its public thoroughfai’es, make it interesting to every
traveller and unique among Asiatic cities. Built on a gently
sloping plain, it is surrounded on three sides by a semicircle
of mountains. Westward, several broad roads lead to the
western hills, which contain an abundant supply of coal and
lime, and are reached in a few hours, being only ten miles
distant from the west wall of the city. On the north-west the
great road to Mongolia and Kussia, after traversing the plain
for thirty miles, pierces the western mountains by the Nan-kow
pass ; to the north-east the road to Je-hol, the Emperor’s
summer residence, enters the mountainous region through a long
valley, and crosses the Great Wall, seventy miles from Peking.
Eastward, the mountains hend from the north, bounding the
plain thirty miles from the city, till they touch the great eastern
road to Manchuria, which reaches the sea 200 miles from
Peking, at Shan-hai-kwan, and skirts the coast of the Gulf of
Pe-chih-li as it trends eastward on the way to Mouk-den.

The rivers round Peking are distributed according to their
situation among the astrological divinities that are supposed to
dominate the earth’s surface as they do human life. The Pei-
ho on the cast, commencing on the plateau near Lama-miau,
passes Jung-cheu and takes there the name of Jung-liang-ho,
the Grain river : it is under the Blue Dragon. The water

31G

PEKING.

from the western hills, which flows from the Yu-tsuieu-shaii
park on the north-west of the city, and passes through the
palace gardens, is ruled by the White Tiger. The stream
which, under the name Whun-ho, comes out of the western
hills and is crossed on the soutJi-west, seven miles from the
city, by the Lu-ku-kiau bridge on the great road to Pau-ting-
foo, is controlled by the Red Bird. The streams on the north
take their direction and influence from the Black Warrior.

In commencing this account of Peking with geomancy, we
wish to do as the Chinese do, in order to impart to it a Chinese
colouring. In several works on the metropolis, after men-
tioning under what stars of the zodiac it is situated, native
authors proceed to describe its advantages in a geomantic
point of view. The province of Chih-li has the sea on its
south-east, and, as all nature is permeated with the influences
of the Kwei-shin — the beings whose energy gives shape, con-
tour, and character to the world — here is seen peculiarly the
power of the dragon. The chain of mountains bounding the
province on the right, and separating it from Shan-si, denotes
the influence of the White Tiger. The pillow on which
Chih-li reposes its head is the Kti-yung pass * to the north-
ward. It is bounded by the Yellow River and Tsi River on
the south.

Peking consists of an inner and outer, or Manchu and
Chinese city. The Manchu city is forty li in circuit, or about
twelve miles. f It forms a square and has nine gates in all,
namely, three on the south side and two on each of the others.
The wall is thirty-five feet five inches high by native measure-

* This is a celebrated historical pass leading to Kal-gan and Russia.
It is also called the Nankow pass. There is an arch here of the Mongol
dynasty, with a long inscription in six languages, Sanscrit, Tibetan,
Mongol, Niichi, Ouigour, and Chinese.

t Length of the walls in Chinese measurement : south, 12,959 feet ;
north, 12,324 feet ; east, 17,869 feet ; ■west, 15,645 feet ; thickness
below, 62 feet ; thickness at top, about 34.

THE WALL OE PEKING.

317

ment, or about foily feet by ours. It is nearly as thick as it
is high, and is defended by massive buttresses at intervals
between the gates. The tow'ers are ninety-nine Chinese feet in
height, and are very imposing in appearance. There is one
over each gate. That at the middle south gate is the highest.
It formerly contained the imperial collection of Buddhist works
cut on wood, consisting of about six thousand volumes ; but
this has been removed to a temple at the north-east angle of
the city. The towers, like the walls, are built of brick, and
have a large number of embrasures for cannon. Their aspect
to the traveller, on approaching, is very imposing, and I have
heard of European visitors dismounting from their horses on
arrival, to shake hands and express their gi-atification at
reaching so ancient a city and of so noble an appearance.

In the autumn of 1860 one of the gates of the north wall —
the An-ting-men — was in the possession of the English and
French troops then besieging the city, after the three victories
of Takoo, Chang-kia-wan, and Pa-li-chiau. When officers of the
British army saw the massive thickness of the walls, they
began to doubt whether their artillery would have been able to
batter them down ; at least it would have been no easy task.
The w’alls are kept in good repau', and the terreplein is well
paved and guttered. There is a large semicircular enceinte
outside of each gate, and its wall is of the same dimensions as
the ordinary wall. The enceinte wall of the Chien-men, as the
central south gate is called, has in it three gates ; the people
make use of those on the right and left; w'hile that on the
south is reserved for the Emperor. Here he passes out, home
by an elephant,* or by chair-bearers, on the 21st of December,
when on the evening before the winter solstice he proceeds to
the Altar of Heaven to offer sacrifice at dead of night to the
Supreme Euler of the Universe. Over this gateway is another

* The elephants arc now all dead. There is at present a prospect
of new ones coming from Siam or Birmah.

318

PEKING.

tower of 99 feet high with its three rows of embrasures. From
the bridge in front the visitor is struck with the lofty and
majestic appearance of the wall and its tower. If he ascends
the wall by one of the many inclined planes which on the inside
are used by the guards to mount to the top, he finds himself
on a broad and pleasant promenade forty feet above the dust
and disagreeable sights and smells of the city. Here is
obtained on the south a fine view of the Chinese city, including
the Temple of Heaven, at a mile-and-a-half ’s distance, and on
the north is seen the palace, with Prospect Hill behind,
encircled by the imperial city first and the Tartar city outside
of that. The line of the wall may be traced all round by the
gate towers. On the west the Si-shan mountains, twelve
miles off, add much to the beauty of the scene in fine w'eather.
The promenade is in places entangled by prickly shrubs, the
rapid growth of which renders repairs more frequently
necessary. In the watch-houses the soldiers placed as guards
keep birds, gamble, and smoke, and, withal, find it hard to kill
time in this quiet and elevated region. A walk for a short
distance to the east or west enables the observer to notice with
advantage the palace buildings.

Immediately north of the gate is a large paved square,
bounded by a palisade of upright stones. North of this is the
outer gate, Ta-ching-men, of the imperial city, Hwang-cheng,
within which is an avenue leading to the inner-gate, Tien-an-
men, a quarter of a mile to the north of it. AVithin this
second gate (which corresponds to the Heu-men or Ti-an-men
at the back of Prospect Hill) are seen the buildings of the
Temple of Ancestors on the east and that to the Gods of
Grain on the west. The road to the palace continues between
these temples half-a-mile farther north to the purple forbidden
city, Tsi-kin-cheng, which constitutes the palace properly so
called, and covers half a square mile of ground. The towers
at its four corner's, the south gate, AVu-men, and within it
some of the roofs in the interior, as the Tai-ho-tien, are visible,

OUTEE AND INNER CITY.

319

and beyond them King-sban, Prospect Hill, in the centre of the
Tartar city. Yellow porcelain tiles cover all the buildings.
Turning the eye to other portions of the city, green roofs
denote the residences of princes, and yellow those of imperial
temples, store-houses, and some offices. Trees are planted
abundantly in all parts of the city and give it a beautiful
appearance in summer after rain and later in the year, when
the leaves have put on their autumn colouring.

The “outer city,” Wai-cheng, or, as it is usually called
by foreigners, the Chinese city, has walls nine miles in length
and twenty-two feet high. They enclose a parallelogram nearly
five miles long and two miles wide, on the south of the
“ inner ” or Tartar city, Nui-cheng. On the north side the
wall of the “inner city” serves for a boundary. Where this
terminates the outer city wall begins, first east and west for a
quarter of a mile, and then south. The Chinese city wall has
two gates on its northern extension, three gates on its south
side, and one each in the east and west. Little more than
half of this space is inhabited. Ten square miles closely
packed might well accommodate a million of persons. But in
fact the southern half of this space is built over only near the
gates. The Temple of Heaven on the eastern side occupies
more than a square mile, and the Sien-nung-t’an temple, to the
“ genius of agriculture,” on the west, a less space. There
are also a powder-manufactory (where was a great explosion in
1865), a well-kept mosque, with a numerous Mohammedan
population located near it, some villages, and much unoccupied
ground.

There have been changes in the position of the city. In
the year a.d. 937, the Liau * dynasty made Yeu-cheu, as it
was then called, their southern capital, the northern being in
Tartary : the walls were twelve miles in cii'cuit, and were

* It was under the Liau or Kietan that China received the name of
Cathay, still used by the Mongols and Russians, and taken doubtless
from the name of the people, who were a Tartar race.

820

PEKING.

pierced by eight gates. WTien the native Sung dynasty took
the place of the Liau Tartars, the city was reduced in size and
in rauk, and only became a capital again under the Kin or Nii-
chih Tartars. The inner city was then ten miles round, and
the outer twenty-five ; they lay more to the south-west than
at present. A very fine pagoda, covered with carved entabla-
tures representing Buddhist mythology of the Sung dynasty,
now situated outside the w'alls on the south-west, was then
within the city ; it is called Tien-ning-sze, and dates from about
A. D. 550. There is also a temple in the south-east corner of
the Chinese city, the Hwa-yen-sze, which has in one of its
courts a Sanscrit monument of the Kin dynasty ; other
inscriptions of the same period are not wanting in this
locality, and in the surrounding country.

When Marco Polo visited China in the reign of the Mongol
Emperor Kublai Khan, he found him holding his court at
Khan-balik, as Peking w'as then called by the Turks and
Persians. It was newly built and was twenty miles in circuit,
occupying a larger space than the present Peking. The ruins
of the old walls remain, in the form of long mounds, two miles
to the north and east of the walls as they are in our day.
Some of the names of gates given by Kublai remain in use
colloquially even now, just six hundred years later. In 1681
an old monument of the year 799 was dug up a short distance
outside of the west gate of the palace ; it had on it carved
figures of the twelve hours, with human bodies and heads of
beasts, and stated, among other things, that the place was
distant five li, a mile and a half, to the north east of Yeu-cheu.
Thus we learn that at the end of the eighth century the south-
west portion of the modern Chinese city was the north-east
portion of the city of Yeu-cheu, and that the ground now
occupied by the Tartar city was outside the walls on the
north-east. One of the best streets in the existing Chinese
«ity is the bookseller’s street, called (from an imperial porcelain
manufactory in the centre of it, now disused) Lieu-li-chang ;

PEKING IN 1644.

321

it is half a mile to the south-east of the Chien-men or central
gate of Peking. We know by monumental evidence that this
fashionable promenade, the scene of a very busy fair lasting
for a fortnight, at every new year, and where an infinite number
of precious stones, curiosities, antiques, books, pictures, and
toys are sold, was, in the tenth century, a village to the east
of the city of that time.

In 1419, about fifty years after the expulsion of the
Mongols, the Ming Empei-or (Tunglo) built the present south
wall of Peking, half a mile to the south of the wall of Kublai.
In 1544 the outer wall, that of the Chinese city, was erected ;
the original idea was to carry it round the whole city, making
it more than forty miles in circuit, but this scheme was not
carried out on account of the great requisite expenditure.
The object was to combine the ruined walls of the Nii-chich,
old capital, on the south and west, with the newer walls of
Kublai in the north and east into one vast and substantial
structure, such as would suit the piide of the Chinese
dynasty which succeeded to power after the expulsion of their
northern enemies.

The Manchus, when, in 1644, they assumed the govern-
ment, found a magnificent city ready for them. The walls,
the palace, the lakes, the pleasure-grounds, they took as they
found them : their plan was to improve the metropolis, not
to begin it afresh. The prize of martial prowess was theirs ;
not the genius for practical invention, or for patient and
persistent thought ; this belongs to those whom they con-
quered, and who, by internal jealousies and divisions, and on
account of yielding to the temptations of luxury, ease, and
wealth, lost the honour of self-government.

When the Manchus came from Mouk-den and Kirin, they
brought with them a mixed army of Chinese and Mongols, as
well as of their own people. Emigrants in Manchuria of both
these nationalities joined the rulers of their new country as
mercenary soldiers. When gariisons were to be established

VOL. II. 43

322

PEKING.

in Peking, and most of the important cities of the empire,
there were included in the number, in equal portions, men of
the three nations who had accompanied the conqueror from
Manchurian Tartary. Each of the eight banners has three
divisions ; the banners are distinguished by colour, as the
yellow, the white, the red and the blue ; the separation of
these into plain and bordered makes eight. The yellow banner
occupies the north part of the city ; the white the east ; the
red the west ; and the blue the south. Nearly the whole
space not occupied by the palace and the residences of princes
was once owned by hannermen ; but of late years they have,
in many cases, become poor, and have sold their houses to
Chinese. Until the last thirty years nearly the whole popula-
tion of the Tartar city, except the shop-keepers, consisted of
chi-jen, or hannermen, hut now there is a considerable sprinkling
of Chinese among them.

Besides the prefect, Shun-tien - fu, and the two district
magistrates, Ta-hing-hien and Wan-ping-hien, the police of
the city is placed under five members of the Board of Censors,
Tu-cha-yuen, who have soldiers under their charge, and report
immediately to the Emperor.

But the highest in rank and responsibility of those who
have control over the municipal arrangements of the city, are
the general of the garrison, the Ti-tu and his assessors. The
police, amounting in the Taidar city to about twelve thousand,
are subject to this yamun. Each of the eight banners has
ten police officers, and attached to each of these officers there
are about a hundred and fifty runners, including sergeants,
etc. If you walk a mile in one of the wide streets you pass
five or six police officers ; the sergeants are well clothed and
polite in manner, but the underlings are miserably clad, and
have a thievish, never-do-well appearance, suggesting the
proverb “set a thief to catch a thief.” Yet with this army of
ragged policemen ready to pounce on the evil-doer at every
corner, thefts are very numerous. For a small sum the shop-

PEKING THIEVES. — THE PALACE.

323

keeper or householder can purchase special protection from
the police ; but this privilege often proves of little value.
The thieves are dexterous chmhers, and often is the sleeper
wakened by the suspicious sound of footsteps on the roof
over his head. During the evening, before the inhabitants
are in bed, the nimble-fingered pilferer makes his ladder
of a bamboo pole, four or five yards long, and so light as
to be easily carried ; he ties on firmly a few small pieces of
bamboo, or hard wood, as steps to his ladder ; takes with him
a knife in case of need, and, proceeding to the quarter where
he has resolved to make depredations, mounts a roof and
carries his ladder with him. If the people below are awake,
they will probably call out and reason with him on the folly
of coming to steal in their habitation, assuring him that it is
not worth his while ; he then goes to another house, where
the inmates sleep more soundly, and where, if there happens
to be no watch- dog, he may seek for plunder with a greater
sense of security.

The walls of the palace are seen to advantage on the
north side, across a broad moat. Between moat and wall are
placed guard-houses along the whole length, facing inwards.
The north and south walls are 2,362 Chinese feet in length ;
and the east and west 3,295 feet in length : so that the whole
space is about half an English mile in breadth and two-thirds
in length. No foreigner can now examine the interior. The
Jesuit missionaries formerly had access, when they performed
the ceremony of prosti’ation and entered the Emperor’s service
as painters, astronomers, and manufacturers of cannon. At
present we can only know the interior by description. The
bannermen go on duty into the palace. The eunuchs, of whom
there are upwards of two thousand (all Chinese), come constantly
into the streets and visit the foreign hospital Hke other people.
Hence the European resident, although in his rambles he is
assailed by a dozen eager gate-keepers, should he approach
the palace entrance to look at it or through it, is not without

324

PEKING.

means of learning both the appearance of the interior and
something of what takes place there.

At the centre south gate (Wu-men) are placed a sun-dial
on the right hand, and a standard of measures (Kia-liang) on
the left ; both are of stone, and the measure is that of a pint.
When the Emperor passes this gate the hell in the tower
above is struck. When the Emperor’s ancestors have a
sacrifice performed to them in the Tai-miau, the Emperor’s
family temple, a little to the south-east of the palace gate, the
drum is beaten. This also takes place when a victory is
reported to the ancestors, and on this occasion a song of
triumph is sung, and prisoners are brought to the temple.

Every year, on the first of the tenth month, the almanac
for the next year is taken to the palace gate and there
distributed, to he sent through the empire. The almanac is
printed at the oflBce of the Astronomical Board in three
languages — Manchu, Mongol, and Chinese.

Within the central south entrance (Wu-men) commences
a series of gateways and high buildings, consisting of halls of
various dimensions, which occupy the middle of the palace
enclosure from south to north. The first is that called Tai-
ho-men, a lofty triple gateway with three flights of steps to
the south, and one on the east and west. When the person
entering has passed this he finds himself in front of the Tai-
ho-tien, the largest reception-hall in the palace. On his right
and left he sees rooms which are stored with silver, skins,
satin, clothing, china-ware and tea, under the care of the
“household office,” Nei-uni-fu.

The Tai-ho-tien is a hall erected on a terrace twenty feet
in height, and is itself a hundred and ten feet high. Its roof
rests on twelve rows of pillars taken in breadth, and six in
depth. Though it has two more rows of pillars than the great
hall at the tomb of Yung-loh, and was first built at about the
same period for the use of the same Emperor, it is not so large ;
but it will not be less than 200 English feet in length, and 90

THE TAI-HO-TIEN.

325

in depth. It is surrounded by triple marble balustrades, carved
with figures of flowers and animals, and ascended by five
flights of steps. Among the balustrades are placed eighteen
three-legged urns (ting) of bronze : these urns are a symbol
of sovereignty. The nine ting of the Chow dynasty denoted
the rule of the Emperor over the nine provinces that then
existed ; now the number eighteen stands for the Shi-
pa-sheng (eighteen provinces) of the empire, as it is at
present. There are also two bronze tortoises and storks, —
symbols of strength and longevity, with a sun-dial, the
measure of time, and a kia-liang, the measure of quantity.

The Emperor comes here to receive the congratulations of
his court on New Year’s Day, at the winter solstice, and on his
birth-day ; also when he examines the doctors of literature,
when he orders a military expedition, and on occasion of great
acts of grace. He sits on a high throne in the centre of the
vast and gloomy hall, facing the south, while about fifty
attendants of high rank (chiefly Manchus) stand on each side.
These constitute the Emperor’s suite, and they enter the temple
by side-paths and side-doors, — the Emperor himself entering
by a central raised path, several feet higher than that by
which his attendants enter. In front of the hall, south of the
front balustrades, is the space appropriated to the nobility and
officers who come to perform the act of prostration. They are
arranged in eighteen double rows ; the civil officers are
on the east side, and the military on the west. Nearest to the
hall steps, and upon them, are the princes of first and second
degree, Chin-wang, Chiun-wang ; with the Manchu ranks,
Peit-si, Pei-le ; followed by the five orders of Chinese nobility,
— Kung, Heu, Pe, Ts'i, Nan. These make in all nine. Then
come the mandarins of nine grades. Stones are fixed in the
pavement to mark their positions, and over these stones are
placed copper covers shaped like mountains. Here they

perform the immemorial ceremony of the nine prostrations
before the unseen Emperor, who, deep in the recesses of

326

PEKING.

the hall, is concealed still more completely by a cloud of
incense.

When will this ancient ceremony of prostration be given
np ? It did not in ancient times mean so much as it now
does. Abraham, when he fell on his face before the tkree
strangers who approached his tent-door, expressed in this way
his respect for his visitors. There was a time, then, when this
habit was not rare among equals. It is now, for the most
part, only seen among the Chinese when in the presence of the
Emperor, or any document emanating from him ; though they
also practise it on occasions of deep emotion and distress,
when a man feels humbled and earnestly desires some favour.
To our view it cannot but be degrading, and it would be a
sign of real progress if it could be exchanged for a ceremony
indicative of more self-respect and independence of feeling.

The official rules for the reception and promulgation of a
decree are an example of the fastidious decorum required by
ancient usage in China. The officers of the Board of
Ceremonies (Li-pu) and the Ushers’ Office (Hung-lu-si) place
the table in the Tai-ho-tien. By the Imperial Marshallers
(Luan-i-wei) a yellow canopy and lacquered tray are placed on
the pavement in front, and the vehicle for caiTying the decree
waits at the palace south gate ; this is the Lung-ting, — a
kind of sedan-chair with canopy of wood carved with dragons.
With it is a portable incense-bumer with wooden canopy,
carried by bearers. The Board of Works superintends the
arrangements for depositing the decree on a table at the Tien-
an-men, which is, in fact, the south gate of the Imperial city,
where it is publicly read. The I'eader, in court robes, accom-
panied by old men, proceeds to the Tien-an-men, and waits at
the bi'idge to the south of it. When these preparations are
completed, the Cabinet Secretaries, Nui-ko-hio-shi, bring the
decree to the inner palace gate (Chien-tsing-men), and it is
then taken to the hall of Great Harmony (Tai-ho-tien), where
it is placed on the east table. When the edict is there it is

EECEPTION AND PKOMULGATION OP A DECREE. 327

supposed to be the same thing as if the Emperor were there ;
and the mandai-ins perform the nine knockings of the head
accordingly. After this ceremony the Chief Cabinet Secretary,
Ta-hio-shi, enters the hall and takes the edict from the table ;
he carries it to the front of the temple under the eaves, and
gives it to the president of the Board of Ceremonies, who
receives it kneeling ; and after a moment, rising, takes it
down the steps to the pavement below, where he places it on
a table and knocks head to it three times. He then takes it
again, rises, and carries it to the lower pavement on the south,
where he places it on the lacquered tray. Officers of the
Board of Ceremonies here take the tray, extend over it the
yellow canopy, and carry it out of the Tai-ho gate ; all the
mandarins follow by the side-gates, till the edict and the
accompanying crowd of officers arrive on the outside of
the Purple forbidden city. Here the edict, in its tray, is
placed in the Dragon Sedan. Bearers from the Marshallers’
Office (Luan-i-wei) carry it, with a long row of stick, flag, and
umbrella-bearers in front, led by the President of the Board of
Ceremonies, to the Gate of Celestial Rest, the south gate of the
Hwang-cheng, — Imperial city. Here it is carried up the wall

and placed on a table upon the dais there provided for the
public reading of edicts. The officers stand south of the
bridge in front of the gate, and kneel while the edict is read ;
after which they perform in full the ceremony of knocking the
head on the ground. Then the edict is replaced in the
Dragon Sedan, and is borne by the bearers of the Marshals’
Office, preceded by the usual array of staves, flags, and
canopies, with music playing outside the Ta-tsing-men, to the
Office of the Board of Ceremonies, where it is received by
the president and vice-presidents kneeling ; and after being
placed on a table it is again honoured with the nine-times
repeated prostration. It is then reverentially cut on wood, and
promulgated through the empire.

It is pitiful to see such extraordinary reverence paid by

328

PEKING.

men to one of themselves, and to find a roll of paper wrapped
in yellow cloth honoui’ed with what may he called religious
worship. The isolation of China has caused her people to
remain unconscious that these degrading ceremonies are
inconsistent with a just appreciation of man’s freedom,
honour, and duty. They are not yet aware that there is a code
of relative duties far superior to their own existing in the
Western world ; and that, though they enjoy no small amount
of popular freedom and social happiness, they have much to
learn in politics and morality, and would do well to give up
a mass of foolish ceremonies — the legacy of ancient des-
potism.

Behind the hall of Great Harmony is a lower building, —
the hall of Central Harmony ; it has a circular roof. Here
the Emperor comes on the day before sacrificing to the earth,
the sun, and moon, to his ancestors, the ancient emperors, and
to Confucius, to inspect the written prayers provided for those
occasions.

Next to the Chung-ho-tien, just described, is the Pau-
ho-tien, the hall of Precious Harmony, — a building not so
large or so high as the Tai-ho-tien, hut capacious enough to
seat a very considerable number of guests at an Imperial
feast. On the last day in the year the Mongol princes are
invited to a feast here, and the Corean and Loo-chooan
ambassadors, if present in Peking at the time. The Emperor
is elevated above his guests, who are seated at tables on the
terrace in front of the hall. When he begins to eat they do so
too, and when he ceases they cease also — taking just enough
for ceremony, but not for appetite. When he takes a piece of
bread in his hand he bites a mouthful and gives the
remainder to his attendant high otficers, one on each side,
who receive it kneeling and with protestations of gratitude.
They are men of the highest rank, and usually Manchus ;
San-ko-lin-sing, England’s enemy at Takoo, though a Mongol,
was recently one of them. Each guest has a small table to

HALL OF PEECIOUS HARMONY.

329

himself ; he just takes a bite or two, and no more : the
honour of being present is enough.

The Emperor also comes to this hall on occasion of the
triennial examination for the degree of doctor of literature.
The candidates, who are masters of arts from all the provinces,
are examined here on the second occasion, — the first having
been gone through in the Tartar city. About a hundred and
fifty receive the degree at one time. This is what is called the
Fu-sh'i : the first examination outside in the Masters’ Hall
(Kung-yuen) is the Hwei-shi ; then comes the Tien-sh'i, or
final examination in the Tai-ho-tien. The senior wrangler is
called Chwang-yuen, the second Pang-yen, the third Tan-hwa,
and the fourth Chwen-lu. These four receive the unexampled
honour of riding on horseback from the Tai-ho-men out of the
Tien-an-men, to the Board of Ceremonies.

All this is very illustrative of the high honour )delded by
China to literary merit. The Emperor is chief examiner, and
himself assigns the title Chwang-yuen to the most worthy.
He and the three other most distinguished essayists have
their fortunes made, and their career in life determined by
this achievement. A brilliant essay, composed with careful
attention to rules, and accompanied by competent learning,
gives a man at once a good position in the civil service. Men
of ability are secured for important posts ; the study of books
is encouraged ; and, throughout the empire, myriads of poor
scholars are stimulated to continue cultivating literature from
the knowledge of the dignity and fame attaching to those who
reach the highest steps in their profession.

The entrance to the inner palace behind the great
reception halls is called C’hien-ching-men, Gate of Heavenly
Purity. In front of it are two gilt lions, amusing themselves
with a round ball of silk — an emblem of strength in repose if
referred to the Imperial lord who resides within, or of ferocity
subdued if it be understood of the unruly spirits who are coerced
and tamed by the renovating effects of wise government.

330

PEKING.

Here, at the last of the gates which separate the palace
from the outer world, the officers of state come eveiy morning
before day with petitions and memorials, and to be present at
the five-o’clock audience. On the west side are offices for
the guards, the cabinet ministers, the board of household
affairs, and for princes. Secretaries and others, having entree
to the Emperor’s rooms for despatch of business, enter by the
west door. The daily audience sometimes is held in the hall
called Chien-ching-kung, but more frequently in that called
Chin-cheng-tien.

Feasts are sometimes given here, for example to the
princes once a year. The Emperor Kang-hi, on occasion of the
fiftieth anniversary of his accession, entertained 1,000 old men
here under tents in the courtyard ; they were all 60 or more
years old, and were chosen from all ranks, fi'om that of princes
with hereditary rank down to the common people. His children
and grandchildren waited on them. His grandson Kien-loong
followed this example, but the guests were required to be
above ninety j'ears of age.

Near this hall is the cabinet, Kiun-ki-c’hu, where the
Emperor usually sits at morning audience from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m.
The forty or fifty courtiers kneel on both knees to salute
the Emperor when he comes, which is intimated by the eunuchs
saying “ whisht.” Any one that is called for enters the hall,
and speaks on his kuees before the Emperor and Empress-
dowager ; the latter being concealed by a curtain. The chief
members of the imperial suite are the four Kwo-shi-amban,
“great followers,” who stand beside the Emperor on all state
occasions. Tea is served at 5 a.m. evei^ morning before the
audience. Breakfast is served at eight, and dinner at six.
At one of these meals the same dishes are brought every day,
at the other variety is allowed.

There is no one more a slave to etiquette than the
Imperial master of 400 millions of men. Everything con-
nected with his daily life is arranged for him by certain under-

OTHER HALLS OF THE PALACE.

331

stood rales, most of which, indeed, are carefully compiled and
printed in the “ statute laws of the dynasty,” Ta-tsing-hwei-
tien.

Eigid adherence to regulations characterizes Peking society,
not only in the court hut in the private and public life of all
the rich and nohle families. Hence the seclusion of women,
who cannot leave their homes hut for funerals, weddings,
and occasional formal visits. These women are, many of them,
intelligent, inquisitive, and highly susceptible of enjoyment,
but they are ruthlessly immured in their homes, and society
places her ban on any extension of their liberty.

On the east side of the audience hall is a building where
are preserved the engraved blocks and old copies of 400
ancient works belonging to the first period of the art of
printing. They are 400 in number, and range from a.d. 1000
to 1G40. On the west side are a room for entertaining guests
to tea on certain occasions, and a hall where the tablets of the
sages of antiquity, and of literature, are honoured ; and the
Emperor’s studying apartment, where the princes, when
young, receive their education. Behind the hall of audience
is that called Kiau-tai-kung, where the state seals are kept.
The oldest is that said to have belonged to Tsin-shi-hwang,
B.c. 240.

We have now come nearly to the end of the central range
of yellow roofs stretching from the Chien-men to Prospect
Hill. There only remain a hall called Kwun-ning-kong, or
that of “ earthly repose,” behind which is a gate leading to a
garden, and in the north is C’hin-an-tien, “ hall of reverential
repose,” where the spirit of the Black Warrior, or god of the
north, is installed for worship. Near this is a select library for
Imperial use.

Here we reach the hack of the palace and the gate leading
to Prospect Hill. If we followed the written descriptions
further, the residences called Tung-kung and Si-kung, occupied
by the Empress-dowager and Empress-mother, might be

332

PEKING.

mentioned : they are on the left and right of the central
range. The Emperor lives in the west side, in the inner palace,
— that is, in the north-west corner of the Purple forbidden
city. From the marhle bridge which crosses the lake may be
seen, on the north-west side of the palace, some yellow roofs
between the palace wall and the great central buildings, Tai-
ho-tien and Pau-ho-tien. These indicate the region of the
palace now referred to.

On the south-west of these buildings are the portrait hall
and printing-office. In the former the portraits of all past
Emperors and Empresses, from Fuh-hi downwards, are pre-
served, with those of statesmen and learned men : this
gallery is called Nan-hiiin-tien. Behind it are the ruins of
the printing-office Wu-ying-tien, burnt down in July, 1869,
where the Emperor’s poetry and all Imperial books were cut
on wood and printed. He may well be highly educated, and
have a poetic genius, for his rhythmical effusions will all be
respectfully printed and handed down to posterity. Some of
Kien-loong’s verses were good ; he had a taste for grandeur
in architecture and variety in ornament. But ordinary
Imperial verse only loads the shelves, and is suitable for those
who are proud of having imperially bestowed tablets suspended
in their entrance halls, with a note informing the reader that
an Emperor wi-ote the inscription with his own hand. Great
is the gratification felt by the mandarin of high rank when, on
his birthday, or some auspicious occasion, he receives from his
Imperial master or mistress a tablet, inscribed with some
commendatory sentence, or with the character Fu, happiness,
and deep will be his gratitude and reverence when, on his
knees, he conveys it to his home, and elevates it to the most
honourable position among his family treasures.

Literature is more nobly represented on the east side
•of the palace in the south-east corner, where is found the
great library, in the gallery called Wen-yuen-ko. It was
designed by Kien-loong ; the books are in manuscript, and

LITERATURE OF PEKING.

333

constitute a selection of Chinese literature of the most
valuable kind. The plan of an-angement is a copy of that
used in the celebrated Ningpo library, Tien-3'ih-ko ; the Wen-
yuen-ko library is usually known as Si-ku, “ the four
libraries,” because it exists in quadruplicate in this and the
other three Imperial residences at Yuen-ming-yuen,* Je-hol,
and Mouk'den.

Near it is a hall called Wen-hwa-tien, where the King-yen,
or “ feast of the classics,” takes place in the second month of
each year. On this occasion noted scholars explain the
classical books before the Emperor. A little further to the
east is a hall called Chwen-sin-tien, where learned men and
the Emperor’s personal tutors are sacrificed to.

A great variety of beautifully printed works have issued, at
times, from the ill-fated Wu-ying-tien, the blocks of which are
now destroyed. The Emperors of the present dynasty have
been magnificent promoters of literature. Many copies of
their works have been destroyed with the printing-blocks.
Near it are schools for Turkish and Thibetan, where a limited
number of pupils are taught those languages for the public
service. The two Turkish teachers belong to the mosque and
colony of that race, to the north-west of the Board of Punish-
ments. These schools were founded 120 years ago, when
Kien-loong married the widow of a Turkish prince from Cashgar.
By her he had a daughter who lived to be married, hut died
without bearing children, and the tie effected by this manuage
between Turkey and China was thus dissolved.

The Thibetan teacher is a Lama sent for the pui-pose by
the Dalai Lama from Lassa. The schools — in existence last
centur)- — for the Burmese andNewara languages, do not appear
to be in operation at present.

On the west side of the palace is the park called Si-yuen,

* The library at Yucn-raing-yuen was destroyed with the halls and
temjdes of that magnificent imperial residence in 1860.

334

PEKING.

“ west garden.” Its boundary wall is three miles round, and
it includes a large lake. Here was fonnerly the palace of the
Mongols. There is a narrow strip of houses with a street
lying between it and the palace. In this street are temples to
the rulers of rain and thunder, corresponding to two temples
to wind and clouds on the east. The inmates of the palace
have access to the lake hy the north gate or the west gate of
the “ Pui-ple forbidden wall.” The Emperor, when he prays
for rain in the Ta-kau-tien, leaves the palace hy the north
gate. Eecently (1869), the Cochin-Chinese ambassadors,
who arrived here for the first time since the Kwangsi rebellion,
were instructed to come to the space outside of this gate, in
order to have a glimpse of the sacred person of their lord
paramount in passing ; as he went by in his sedan, they
prostrated themselves at a sufiicient distance. The Emperor
turned to them, and called out, in Manchn, “ Hi ” (“ rise ”), and
so passed on. Such was the reception they received, and which
they would he expected to regard as a high honour and
privilege. The Ta-kau-tien, to which the Emperor was going
to worship on that occasion, is passed on the right by the
visitor to the park. It looks out on the moat : its outer
quadrangle has gateways on the east, west, and south ; that on
the south is flanked by two yellow tiled ornamental towers ;
the east and west entrances are under ornamental archways.
Outside of each is a stone on which is inscribed in six
languages * the usual order for all passers-by, officers or
people, to dismount from their horses. The chief idol is the
Tauist god, Tu-hwang-ta-ti, who, as a nature god, is supposed
to send or withhold rain. Sometimes the Emperor orders
Tauist priests to come here from the temple of Light, Kwang-
ming-tien, to perform, for several days in succession, a service

* At first, Chinese, Mongol, and Manchu vere enough ; but when
the eonquests of Kanghi and Kien-loong added Turkestan, 'Western
Mongolia, and Thibet to the empire, Calmuck, Turkish, and Thibetan
were engraved at the hack of the stone.

THE "WEST PARK.

335

for rain ; at the back is a circular pavilion, roofed with blue
tiles, in imitation of the colour of heaven.

Leaving this temple and proceeding through a gateway, the
visitor is in the west park, and sees in front of him a round
high wall over which hang the branches of a large white pine
and other lofty trees ; this is the Tw’an-c’heng. Within it
is a temple called Cheng-kwang-tien, dating from the times of
Mongol rule. In front of it is a large um of eai-thenware for
fish. It is a relic of the Mongol period, and is two feet five
inches high. It was lost, but recovered from a Tauist temple
in the west city, where it had been regarded as of no account,
and was used to contain vegetables at the kitchen door. It
was bought for the Emperor for 1,000 taels, 330/. of English
money.

The public path skirts this wall, and crosses the lake by a
handsome marble bridge, from which the view is charming.
Fresh from clouds of dust, the traveller emerges on an
elevation, where he is entranced by a lake with winding shores,
eveiywhere wooded or decorated with marble stinictures and
gay temples. On the north side is a hill on an island called
Iviung-hwa-tau, capped by a white pagoda or dagoba. Here
there is an altar on the hill-side to the originator of silk
manufactures and to the presiding genius of the silkworm ;
the altar wall is 1,600 feet round, and the altar itself forty
feet in circuit, and four feet high. Round it are mulberry-
trees, and near it a tank for washing the worms. The
Empress comes here annually to feed the silkworms, which
are kept in a house suitable for the purpose ; she thus sets an
example of industry to the working-women of the empire.

Part of the stones of this hill were brought from a
mountain in Honan province by the Kin Tartars. Hence a
tradition has floated from mouth to mouth, among those little
careful of facts, to the effect, that the whole hill had been
brought from Honan.

At the north end of the lake are some buildings, under the

33G

PEKING.

charge of the priests of Chan-t’an-s'i, an adjoining Lama
monastery. Here are seen in one high building a colossal
Buddha, about sixty feet in height. The figure is Maitreya,
the coming occupant of the throne of the world’s teacher.
In another building is a representation in stucco and wood-
work of the Paradise of the "Western Heaven. To see these
buildings Mongol visitors are admitted in the winter. For a
few months, some years ago, Englishmen were admitted, but
it became known to the princes, and an order was sent not to
open the gates to the men from the west.

In the Chan-ta’n-si are placed, in certain galleries, some
indecent figures, which the more respectable Lamas do not
much like to be asked about. They are also found in other
Lama temples in Peking. Thibetan Buddhism is responsible
for the first introduction of these figures into China in the
period of the Mongol dynasty. The Confucianists at the time
raised an outcry against the immorality of this practice ;
hut they did not succeed in checking it, except in regard to
Chinese Buddhism, which never adopted the custom.

In the time of Macartney’s embassy there were boats on
the lake, and the imperial cortege was rowed on some occasions
from one side to the other. At present the lake is too shallow
for boats. The part to the south of the bridge is larger than
that to the north. On its banks, among other buildings on
the east side, is the Ying-tai, and the hall called Wan-sheng-
tien, where, when the Emperor so appoints, foreign princes
and ambassadors are entertained. Here, perhaps, when the
Emperor comes of age, at sixteen or seventeen years, as may
be decided, the ambassadors from Europe and America will be
received. A compromise, amounting to an omission of the
three kneelings and nine knockings, will be more conveniently
carried into effect here than in the palace, where the new year
and birthday ceremonies are performed.

At another building in this part of the park are to be seem
eleven bells of the Chow dynasty, found buried in the earth in

GALLEKY OF PURPLE LIGHT.— PROSPECT HILL. 337

Kiang-si province in the middle of last century, and, conse-
quently, about 2,000 years old.

On the west side of the lake there are performances, on
certain occasions, by candidates for military distinction in
archery and riding. The Gallery of Purple Light is a building
appropriated to feasting the Mongol princes and Corean
ambassadors at the new year. When, in 1865, the new French
church was completed, its two handsome and lofty towers over-
looked the grounds of the west park in this place. By
ascending the staircase of one of the towers, it would have
been possible to see the ceremony at the new year. The
Chinese Government elevated the wall next the cathedral to
twice its former height, from fear of a bad influence. The
Chinese, firm believers in geomancy, particularly dislike high
buildings of foreign construction. They are supposed to be
conductors of the evil energies of the mischievous demons who
inhabit the air. They interfere with what is called the Fung-
shui, and will bring misfortune on neighbouring houses and
their occupants. Even in the street, on the north side of the
church, where princes and courtiers pass to the morning
audience with their suites, it was thought necessary, also,
to build a high wall to ward off the dangerous influence.
These high walls are a conspicuous monument of the
foolish superstition of the Chinese Government at the pre-
sent day.

North of the palace is Prospect Hill, Ching-shan. It is
supposed to be a protection to the Fung-shui of the palace, to
which it acts as a mound on the north side does to a grave,
keeping from it evil influences. The hill has five prominences,
each of which is crowned with a Buddhist temple, having idols
in it. The park round it is about a mile in circumference.
The last of the Ming Emperors, unable to escape from his
enemies, hanged himself on a tree in the eastern part of this
park.

Previous to removal to the imperial cemetery, the coffin of

VOL. II. 50

338

PEKING.

each deceased Emperor is placed for the time in one of the
buildings of this enclosure.

Native traditions say that, some centuries ago, a large
quantity of coal was placed under this hill for use in case of
the city ever needing to be shut up. It is, therefore, called
Mei-shan, “ Coal hill.” The hill is half a mile in circuit, and
the enclosure fully a mile. It was measured in the Ming
dynasty, and found to be 147 feet high, with a slope of 210
feet. It is not, then, quite half so high as Arthur’s Seat in
Edinburgh.

On the south of the palace, in a part inaccessible to foreign
visitors, are found one of the most important altars and one
of the most important temples of the imperial dynasty, the
Tai-miau on the east, and the altar to the spirits of the land
and grain on the west.

The enclosure of the Tai - miau is south-east of the
Emperor’s I'esidence. It is 2,916 feet in circuit, or more than
half an English mile. The temple is appropriated to the
ancestors of the Emperor. It is his family temple, and
occupies the most honoured position of all religious structures,
except the Temple of Heaven. To be on the south, and also
on the east of the palace, is the summit of honour. Thus the
Temple of Ancestors is more thought of than any temple,
except that of heaven, which is placed immediately in front of
it, at the distance of a mile and a half in the Chinese city.
The Tai-miau has a front, a middle, and a back hall. In the
front hall the members of the imperial clan worship at the end of
the year. In the middle hall are kept the tablets of the emperors
and empresses of the imperial lines. In the east and west
haUs are placed tablets to princes and meritorious officers, and
in other side-rooms are preserved the sacrificial vessels. At
the conclusion of wars an announcement is made in this temple
to ancestors, as, also, at the Kwo-tsi-kien, to the spmts of
Confucius and the literati there worshipped, of victories won
and new territories acquired.

ALTAR TO SPIRITS OF LAND AND GRAIN. 339

In a building near the Tai-miau is the Eecord Office, where
genealogical tables, important documents, and addresses of
exhortation by the emperors are preserved. When the portrait
of the present Emperor’s father was sent to Mouk-den lately, it
was accompanied by a copy of the genealogical tree, the
“ important instnictions,” and the chronicle of his reign.
They were taken from this office. The important, or holy
instructions, consist of the addi'esses which the deceased
Emperor formerly delivered to his great officers, clansmen, and
children, in regard to their special duties.

The attachment of the Chinese to antiquity has led them
to retain old customs with extreme nicety of imitation. The
principal imperial temples now found in Peking had their
counterpaii in the period of the classics. For example, the altar
to the spirits of land and grain, She-tsih, on the west of the Tai-
miau, and in front of the palace, is imitated from the practice
of the Chow dynasty 1,000 years before our era. At that time
it is said that the great sage Chow-kong, when setting apart a
site for a new city on the Lo river, offered two bullocks to
heaven outside of the city, and to the spirit of the land within
the new city. The custom has been ever since retained.
Keu-lung, minister of works to the ancient Emperor Chwen-hu,
was long since made into a divinity to be worshipped as the
god of land, and Heu-tsih, ancestor of the Chow imperial
family, was appointed to be worshipped as god of grain in the
same way.

The altar is fifty-two feet square, and four feet high, faces
the north, and is built of the favourite white marble which has
been so plentifully brought to Peking from the western hills.
The terrace is laid with earth of five colours, arranged according
to the ordinary Chinese distribution of the five colours among
the cardinal points : blue is east, red is south, black is north,
white is west, and yellow is central. The inner wall is 764
feet long, and is built with different coloured bricks on each of
its four sides, according to position.

340

PEKING.

In the She-tsih-tan of the Yuen dynasty there were two
altars, one to the spirit of land, and the other to the spirit of
grain. They were within the present Ping-tse-men, on a site
now occupied by houses.

It may be remarked here that the altars represent the
most ancient Chinese religious worship. They are, first, the
Tieu-tan, or altar of heaven, on the south of the Tartar
city, hut enclosed within the wall of the outer city ; second,
the altar of earth, outside the north gate ; third, the altar of
the sun, beyond the Chi-hwa-men gate on the east ; fourth,
the altar of the moon, outside the west wall ; fifth, the altar
to Sien-nung, the ancient Emperor who first taught the people
agriculture ; sixth, the altar just described, to the gods of the
land and grain.

The sacred buildings called Miau are next in importance.
There is the Tai-miau, that to ancestors ; the Wen-miau, to
Confucius ; the Ti-wang-miau, dedicated to the Kings and
Emperors of all dynasties, and containing tablets inscribed
with their names. The Miau represents the second stage of
the ancient religion when the house succeeded to the altar, and
the worship of deceased men, including ancestors, kings, and
w'ise men, was added, with the use of tablets, to the earlier
worship of the powers of nature. The third period was that
of the simultaneous growth of the Buddhist and Tauist mytho-
logy and worship, when the monastery was introduced by the
Buddhists, with its idols, consisting of real and imaginary
Hindoo philosophers and ascetics, and its resident fraternity
of professed priests forming a Avorshipping choir. The si, the
tang, the an, and the yuen are varieties of the Buddhist
monastery. The kwan, the tien, the koh, and the miau are
Tauist ; of which the kwan is monastic, and the other terms
denote buildings of various sizes for the worship of Tauist gods.

In the Hwang-cheng we find inside the Tung-ngan-men, a
Lama monasteij, inhabited by Mongol Lamas reading the
Buddhist liturgical books in the Mongol language. It is called

/

SUNG-CHU-SI. — BELLS.

341

Mahaliala-miau. The word Mahakala means great black
spirit. This temple was once the residence of a hereditary
prince, Jui-tsin-wang, who now lives in the neighbourhood of
the observatory. Its anomalous name seems to owe its origin
in some way to this peculiarity in its history, for, as a Buddhist
institution, it should not he called Mian. It is the only monastery
in Peking where the Lamas are obliged, by the rules of the
place, to read prayers in Mongol.

A mile to the north of this temple is Sung-chu-si, where
about a hundred Mongol Lamas have excellent quarters
provided. Here there is a shop for the sale of Mongol and
Thibetan liturgical books. They are cut on wood and printed
on thick paper, in long strips, piled one over the other in
Hindoo and Siamese fashion. They are sold in yellow covers
to Mongols visiting Peking in the winter, and for use in the
Lama monasteries. Among them are the Adventures of Gesser
Khan, a celebrated Tartar hero : a hook which has in it some
amusing comic scenes, a fact unique in Buddhist literature.
There are also dictionaries for learning the Thibetan language,
and some poetry constructed on the principle of alliteration, as
it is employed in Tartary.

The gate north of Prospect Hill is called, in common
pulance, Heu-men, the hack gate. Outside of it is the office
of the Ti-tu, or governor of the city, and also the drum and
hell tower.

One of the five large bells of Peking is here suspended. A
view of it may be seen in Kircher’s China Illustrata. In a
letter there cited, Verbiest says this bell is 120,000 lbs. in
weight, while the bell of Erfurt, “the queen of bells,” is but
25,400 lbs. in weight. It is twelve cubits high and ten cubits
eight inches wide at the mouth. The metal is nine inches
thick.

The Emperor Yung-lo, so celebrated for his magnificent
enterprises, caused five hells to be cast, all of about the same
weight — namely, 120,000 lbs. avoirdupois. One is in the

342

PEKING.

palace beside the Tai-ho-tien ; another was cast with the entire
text of a long Buddhist liturgical work, and is hung at a
temple outside of the north-west angle of the Peking walls ; a
third is here ; and the other two are in certain temples.
This hell was foiTuerly swung on an open scaffolding. By
Kien-loong, more than a century ago (1740), a building was
erected to shelter it. In the stillness of the midnight hour its
deep mellow tone is heard at four miles’ distance, throughout
Peking, as it strikes the watch. The Chinese bells are more
cylindrical and less conical than the European. This, Yerhiest
remarks, renders them superior.

In the drum-tower incense-sticks, to mark the honrs for
the drummers, were formerly supplied from the Board of
Astronomy, and may he so still. One would think a good
clock would serve much better ; hut in China customs that ought
to he obsolete are blended with science in a singular way. To the
west there is an open space, a shallow lake, and to the north-
east, an avenue of willows leading to Prince Kung’s residence ;
and about a mile farther, is the temple where Sir Hari’y Parkes
was confined in 1860. It is called the Kau-miau. It was built
in the sixteenth century by a eunuch. The date of imprison-
ment of Sir HaiTy and Mr. Loch is still to be seen on the
walls in the handwriting of the captives, September 29th to
October 7th. Heng-chi, who showed such kindness as he
conld to the prisoners, lived in this neighbourhood, and they
were placed here that they might be near his residence. He
continued to maintain friendly I'elations with foreigners till his
death.

Our survey has now brought us to the north-west quarter
of the city. Here is the old palace of To -to, a learned and
influential Mongol statesman of the Yuen dynasty, anthor of
the Historij of the Kin Dynastij, and other works. The
building is now a large temple, where a busy fair is held on
fixed days, six in each month. It is occupied by Buddhist
priests, and is called Hu-kwe-si.

TEMPLE OF EMPERORS AND KINGS.

343

Passing westward by the Si-si-pai-leu, or “ four ornamental
arches of the west,” spanning as many broad streets which
here meet, the yisitor comes in sight of the Ti-wang-miau, or
Temple of Empeeoks and Ejngs. It was founded during the
latter half of the Ming period, in the sixteenth century. In it
are placed tablets to all good emperors from the most ancient
times to the present. Tyrants, enemies to literature, and
usurpers are not allowed a place there. The Mongol Kublai,
Marco Polo’s patron, was at first admitted by the Mings, and
retained against the opinion of censors, but was afterwards
sacrificed to the prejudices of a more successful memorialist.
This brings to mind the question once eagerly debated, “ Shall
Cromwell have a statue ? ” But, as in the British House of
Parliament the claims of great genius and the resolute achieve-
ment of a noble destiny found recognition, so Kublai’s right to
a place among China’s sovereigns was allowed by a new
dynasty. The Manchus added the founders of the three Tartar
dynasties, Liau, Kin, and Yuen ; and of the Chinese dynasty,
Ming. They also honoured in the same way IHn-shi-tsung,
the best of the Nii-ch'ih Emperors, their own ancestors, and
assigned positions to two good officers of the Liau, Kin and
Ming dynasties. The great conqueror, Ghengis Khan (Cheng-
kis), founder of the most extensive empire the world ever
knew, was also added to the list, though he was not much in
China, and kept his court at Karacorum, not far from Urga, to
the south of the Baikal sea. The rule as to the admission of
tablets in this temple, is that all past emperors should have
them, except the vicious and oppressive, with those who have
been assassinated, and such as have lost their kingdom, although
it should be by no fault of their own. It is thought that in
this way the judgments of history should be acknowledged and
her lessons pei-petuated.

Near the Ti-wang-miau is the Pai-t’a-s'i, a large Lama
monastery, founded 700 years ago in the Liau dynasty. There
is a conspicuous white dagoba here, under which are buried

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PEKING.

twenty beads, 2,000 clay pagodas, and five books of Buddhist
charms. Kublai, who was devoted to Buddhism, spent much
gold and quicksilver in gilding the images and w'alls of the
temple. Under the Mongols the buildings were much used
for transacting public business. On the w'est side of the city,
beside this dagoba and that on the island hill in the west park,
there are three small pagodas, two of which are erected as
gateway towers in front of a temple to the south-west of the
palace. A few years since a censor advised the Emperor to
build a new astronomical observatory to the south-east of the
palace, in a position corresponding to these two pagodas, in
order that a favourable geomantic influence might be established
for the eastern side, similar and supplemental to that of the
pagodas on the western.

The Yung-ho-kung is at the north end of the eastern half
of the city. It is a Buddhist temple, containing from 1,300
to 1,500 lamas, mostly Mongols. They are divided into four
classes according to subjects of study. About three hundred
receive instruction in metaphysics or the doctrine of “ the empty
nature” — in Mongol, “hogo sen chinar,” — that is, the non-
existence of matter, beings, and things, — with such explanations
as are requisite to reconcile the observed dififerences in nature
and qualities of things with this otherwise incomprehensible
doctrine. Three hundred more study the Tantras in Thibetan
translations. They form the second part of the Ganjur
collection, and treat of the Buddhist priest’s personal action as
an ascetic, with devotional rituals, and charms for invoking
the aid of the Buddhas and the divinities of Sivaism. To
these are added the mystic Yoga, in which the hermit’s
reveries are reduced to a system, with complicated ramifications.
This course of instruction is called “ Undusun soragal,” or
“ Dandara.” The third course is attended in this temple by more
than 200 pupils. It treats of astronomy and astrology,
according to the Hindoo system as taught in Thibet. The
fourth course is Medicine. There are about 150 pupils.

THE TUXG-HO-KUNG.

345

Including Mongols not arranged in these four faculties,
there are usually in this monastery from 1,300 to 1,500
lamas. It is ruled by a Gegen, or living Buddha, who is
usually a Thibetan. He resides in the south-west portion of
the monastery, where some lamas of the same nation also have
their domicile.

The Yung-ho-kung was once a prince’s residence, and was
inhabited by the son and successor of Kanghi. When he
became emperor he gave his palace to the lamas, and became
a favourer of Buddhist doctrine so far as a Confucianist may.

The Emperor is visitor of the institution, and nominates a
cabinet minister to take charge of communications with the
Gegen. The Gegen when he dies is buried at Wu t’ai-shan,
in the province of Shan-si. This celebrated spot, one of the
oldest Buddhist establishments in China, is distant a fort-
night’s journey from Peking. At the head of it is a Thibetan
Gegen, or “ living Buddha.”

The buildings are very imposing. A broad paved space
leads to the front from the south gate. On each side of this
space are the dwellings of the lamas, the greater part of which
are arranged in regular rows of streets and lanes. At the
hour of praj’er they are seen issuing in crowds from their cells,
habited in yellow stoles. Passing a gateway, they cross the
court of two bronze lions, the colossal animals which, with fine
old trees, ornament the front of the hall of the Devas Kajas.
Farther on in the principal court is a large square monument
of marble inscribed with the history of lamaism. Its rise in
Thibet in the Ming dynasty and subsequent fortunes are
sketched. This narrative is in four languages, Chinese,
Manchu, Thibetan, and Mongol, each occupying one face of the
stone. Before it is a bronze incense-urn eight feet high.
At the south-west comer of the court hangs on the wall a
picture of the Universe, according to the opinions of the
Thibetan lamas. The world is held by the four-clawed feet of
a huge sea-monster, Matara, a crocodile or sea-calf with three

346

PEKING.

eyes. The six paths to the Nirvana are here painted : Buddha
at the north-west side points to the sun, and thus the sorrow and
joy of life are set before the eye of the lama as he adjusts his
robes when about to enter the chaunting-hall for service. It is
called the “ Wheel of Sansara,” the deceptive ever-changing
world of the Buddhists.

They sit, when performing service, on low cushioned stools
or benches facing east and west in rows. Some among them
sing a deep bass note in D in accompaniment to the Gregorian-
like chaunt of the greater number. This is an accomplishment
learned in youth when the voice is breaking. The idols in the
lama temples are the same as in Chinese, with a few exceptions.
But the lamas are fond of using Thibetan pictures of Buddha,
which in some of the halls take entirely the place of images.
The personages painted aU belong to Northern Buddhism, in
which Kwan-yin, the “ goddess of mercy,” and Amitabha
Buddha of the western paradise, are favourite objects of
adoration.

At the north end is a lofty building in which is a colossal
image of Maitreya, the coming Buddha. It is seventy feet
high, and is made of wood. The traveller ascends to the head
of the image by several flights of stairs. The coronet he wears
is that of a Bodhisattwa, with several angular projections tm’ned
up at its circumference. This indicates that he has not yet
attained the dignity of Buddha, who wears a skull-cap embossed
with inverted shells. A lamp over Maitreya’s head is lit when
the Emperor visits the temple, and a large praying-wheel on
the left hand, reaching upward through the successive stories
of the building, to an equal height with the image, is also set
in motion on that occasion. The whole series of buildings,
inclusive of the Emperor’s private apartments, is called
commonly Yung-ho-kung, hut this name is properly applied to
the central building, in front of which is the tetraglott inscription
of the history of Lamaism. Beautiful silk carpets made at
Po-ti-cheng, beyond the Ordos countiy, are laid on the floor of

CONFUCIAN TEMPLE.

347

this hall. The pictures from Thibet, here worshipped, represent
the past, present, and future Buddha, San-shi-ju-lai, as in
Chinese temples. In front are a double row of the “ eight
precious offerings,” consisting of a wheel, a canopy, a fish, a
shell, and so on, which, with the Wu-kung, candles, incense
and flowers, constitute the usual gifts at the shrine of Buddha.

On the west side of the Yung-ho-kung is the Confucian
temple, usually called Kwo-tsi-kien. Old cypresses of the
Yuen and Ming dynasties give it a venerable appearance. The
idea of a Confucian temple requires a suitable building to
present offerings at spring and autumn, with wooden tablets
set upright in niches, and inscribed with the names of the sage
and his chief disciples. In front of this hall are always planted
rows of cypresses. This idea is here carried out in an imposing
manner. The hall is very lofty, from forty to fifty feet high,
the roof being supported by large teak pillars from south-western
China. In front is a broad and handsome marble terrace,
twenty-eight yards long by fourteen wide, with balustrades
ascended on three sides by seventeen steps. The inscription
on the tablet, in Chinese and Manchu, says, “ The tablet of the
soul of the most holy ancestral teacher, Confucius.” The
tablets of the four distinguished sages, Tseng-tsi, Mencius, Yen-
hwuy, and Tze-sze, are placed two on each side. The first
of these wrote the Great Instruction, the first of the four books ;
the second, Mencius, wrote the fourth book ; Tze-sze wrote the
Tsoong-Yoong, or the “ Invariable Mean; ” and Yen-hwuy, the
remaining, is the most conspicuous of the disciples who in the
Lun-yii discoursed with the Master. Six more celebrated men
of tbe school occupy a lower position on each side ; among
them is Chu-hi, the famous philosopher of the Sung dynasty
in the twelfth century. This arrangement is not older than
the division of the sacred books into the Four Books and Five
Classics which took place in the age of Chu-hi. Under the
influence of Buddhism, images were introduced in the Tang
period, and used for some centuries, but abandoned again in

348

PEKING.

the Ming dynasty, on the ground that “ to mould clay into an
image is to lose the idea of the Shin-ming.” * The tablets
are two feet five inches high and six inches wide, on a
pedestal two feet high : the title is in gilt letters on a red
ground. Formerly ten wise men, in addition to Mencius and
Yen-hwuy, were honoured with sitting images ; now they are
increased to twelve, in order to introduce Chu-hi, and the two
have become four. The floor is covered with Tsung matting,
an article imported from the south, and much used in China
for carpeting and for printers’ brushes : it is made from the
involucre of the leaves of the areca-palm, well known in India.
On the roof are seen handsome tablets in praise of Confucius :
each Emperor presents one in token of veneration for the sage.
Every inscription is different, and presents some aspect of his
influence: he is called “Of all horn men the unrivalled,’’
“ Equal with Heaven and Earth,” “ Example and Teacher of
all Ages,” &c.

On each side of the court is a range of buildings where
there are tablets to more than a hundred celebrated scholars.
On the east side are seventy-eight virtuous men, and on the
west fifty-four learned men. Among them eighty-six were
pupils of the sage ; the rest are men who have accepted his
principles. No Tauists, however profound or brilliant, no
original thinkers, however much they may have been followed,
are allow’ed a place here : it is the Temple of Fame for the
Ju-kiau, the sect of the Confucianist literati, exclusively.

During the Tang and Sung dynasties Confucius was
worshipped under a title of nobility. He was then a Wang, or
Prince. Now it is thought better to honour him with t’ne
denomination of a “ teacher,” sien-shi. His ancestors are
adored in a back hall.

In the temple court in front of the Moon terrace, with its

* Shin-ming, the spiritual and illustrious ones, — a common title
for the invisible powers of a good kind.

STONE DRUMS.

349

marble balustrades, there are six monuments with yellow-tiled
roofs, recording foreign conquests by the Emperors Kanghi,
Yung-cheng, and Kien-loong : —

1704. Kanghi. Conquest of Shomo, Western Mongolia.

1726. Yung-cheng. Conquest of Tsing-hai, or Eastern
Thibet.

1750. Kien-loong. Conquest of Kui-chwen, the Miau
country.

1760. Do. Conquest of Chungaria, land of the

Calmucks.

1760. Do. Conquest of Mohammedan Tartary.

1777. Do. Conquest of Mian countn' in Sechwen.

On occasion of the announcement of victories to the soul of
Confucius, to ancestors, to deceased Emperors in the Ti-wang-
miau, and to the spirits of the laud and grain, it is usual to
erect these monuments.

In the gateway to the same court are the celebrated stone
drums, consisting of ten black drum-shaped blocks of granite.
When first mentioned, about the seventh century of our era, they
were in a Confucian temple in a city of the modern province of
Shen-si. Eu-yang-sieu, one of the chief literati of the Sung
dynasty, objects to their antiquity on several grounds : he says
the characters are not cut deep enough to warrant our believing,
with the Tang period authors, that they are 2,500 years old.
He also says there are no authentic stone monuments inscribed
with characters previous to the third century before our era ;
and adds, as a further objection, that Han writers would
certainly have mentioned them, and that they would have found
a place in the imperial book catalogue of the Sui dynasty.
On the other hand, later authors are inclined to think more of
their antiquity, and believe them to date from the Chow
dynasty, and to belong to the period of Siuen-wang, two
centuries before Confucius, and to be, therefore, about 2,500
years old. They consist, according to this view, of poetry in
the old seal character, commemorating one of Siuen-wang’s

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PEKING.

hunting expeditions. A part is still legible, but though the
drums are of solid granite, more than half the inscription has
peeled olf.* The stones are ascribed to the age of Wen-wang,
■when first mentioned by writers of the Tang period, about
A.D. 600 to A.D. 900, the inscrqfiions only being referred to
Siuen-wang. To secure the preservation of the remaining
characters, which seemed likely to peel off like the rest, the
Emperor Kien-loong had new stones cut and placed on the
south side of the same gateway. In front of them is the court
of the triennial examinations. A stone is here erected in
commemoration of 'each, and on it are inscribed the names and
residences of all who then receive the title of Tsin-shi, “ doctor
of literature.” The oldest are three still remaining of the Yuen
dynasty. For the five centuries that have elapsed since, the
monuments are nearly complete. Has any European university
a complete list for five hundred years of all who have taken in
it the title of doctor ?

Adjoining the Confucian temple on the west side is the Pi-
yung-kung, or Hall of the Classics. This was a thought of
the Emperor Kien-loong. Before his time the classics had
been expounded in the adjoining Kwo-tsi-kien or Tai-hio, — the
college attached to the temple of China’s great sage. But, as
in ancient times the emperors had had a hall called Pi-yung in
a circular ornamental tank, while the feudal princes had
in front of their colleges a semicircular tank, Kien-loong
determined to give completeness to the Tai-hio by adding to it
the present structure. It is a lofty building, square, with a
four-sided roof having double eaves, yellow-tiled, and at top
surmounted by a large gilt ball ; a verandah carried to the

* These ancient relics of the Chow period have followed the court
from one capital to another, till they were placed in Peking. One of
the drums has lost its upper halfi and the remaining half has had a
hole scooped in it. It is said that it was found in the country near
Kai-fung-fu, in Honan, at a farmstead, where it had been used as a
watering-trough for cattle.

TEMPLE OF HEAYEE.

351

roof, and supported by massive wooden pillars, encircles it.
The sides consist of seven pairs of folding-doors each ; the
tank surrounds it, and is circular and edged hy marble
balustrades. A bridge crosses it to the centre doorway of
each side. There is a large thi’one in the interior, protected
at the back by “ the screen of the five mountains; ” and the
antithetical sentences suspended on the pillars announce that
the Emperor had perfected the work of former dynasties by the
erection of this hall.

In front is a yellow porcelain arch with three entries.
On each side, in long cloisters, stand about 200 upright stone
monuments, engi'aved on both sides. They contain the
complete text of the nine classics. The idea has been
repeated from the Han and T’ang dynasties, each of which
had a series of monuments engraved with the classics in the
same way. The whole is executed in a style of great beauty.

The intentions of the Han and T’ang emperors, as well as
of the Manchu sovereign, Kien-loong, in erecting these
monuments, was to preseiwe an accurate text of the classics.
Literature took alarm from the book-burning of Tsin-shi-
hwang ; and it was afterwards found that the lapse of
centuries was scarcely less fatal to the purity of ancient texts.
The danger of coiTuption would be much lessened by the
preservation of these highly-prized remains of antiquity on
stone tablets in the temple of Confucius. So as to be more
easily read, the text is divided on the face of the stone into
pages of a convenient size, so that the difficulty felt in reading
long lines of Chinese characters fr'om top to bottom of the
stone is obviated.

The Temple of Heaven is in the Chinese city, thi-ee miles
to the south of the palace. It is placed there because the
sacrifices there performed were anciently offered in the
outskirts of the city where the Emperor resided, and the part
called by us the Chinese city is properly the southern portion
of the outskii'ts of the capital.

3’52

PEKING.

The most important of all the State observances of China
is the sacrifice at the winter solstice, performed in the open
air at the south altar of the Temple of Heaven, December 21.
The altar is called Nan-Tan, “ south mound,” or Yuen-
kieu, “ round hillock,” — both names of the greatest antiquity.
Here also are offered prayers for rain in the early summer.
The altar is a beautiful marble structure, ascended by twenty-
seven steps, and ornamented by circular balustrades on each
of its three terraces. There is another on the north side, of
somewhat smaller dimensions, called the Ch’i-ku-t’an, or altar
for prayer on behalf of grain. On it is raised a magnificent
triple-roofed circular structure ninety-nine feet in height, which
constitutes the most conspicuous object in the tout ensemble,
and is that which is called by foreigners the Temple of Heaven.
It is the hall of prayer for a propitious year ; and here, early
in spring, the prayer and sacrifice for that object are pro-
secuted.

These structures are deeply enshrined in a thick cypress
grove — reminding the visitor of the custom which formerly
prevailed among the heathen nations of the Old Testament, and
of the solemn shade which sun-ounded some celebrated temples
of ancient Greece.

On the day before the sacrifices the Emperor proceeds to
the Chai-kung, hall of fasting, on the west side of the south
altar. Here he spends the night in watching and meditation,
after first inspecting the offerings.

The tablets to the Supreme Euler of Heaven, and to the
Emperor’s ancestors, are preserved in the chapel at the back
of each altar. There are no images. Both these chapels are
circular, and tiled with blue glazed porcelain ; and, in this
respect, resemble the lofty edifice on the north altar. But they
have no upper story. The name of the southern chapel, Hwang-
kiung-yii, means “ the circular hall of the imperial expanse.”

The south altar, the most important of all Chinese
religious structures, has the following dimensions. It consists

SYMBOLISM OF TEMPLES.

353

of a triple circular tei'race, 210 feet -svide at tbe base, 150 in
tbe middle, and 90 at tbe top. In these, notice tbe multiples of
three; 3x3 = 9, 3x5 = 15, 3x7 = 21. Tbe heights
of tbe three tei-races, upper, middle, and lower, are 5'72 feet,
G'23 feet, and 5 feet respectively. At tbe times of sacrificing,
the tablets to Heaven and to tbe Emperor’s ancestors are placed
on tbe top ; they are 2 feet 5 inches long, and 5 inches wide.
Tbe title is in gilt letters ; that of Heaven faces tbe south,
and those of the assessors east and west. The Emperor, with
his immediate suite, kneels in front of tbe tablet of Shang-ti,
and faces the north. The platform is laid with marble stones,
forming nine concentric circles ; the inner circle consists of
nine stones, cut so as to fit with close edges round the central
stone, which is a perfect circle. Here the Emperor kneels,
and is surrounded first by the circles of the terraces and their
enclosing walls, and then by the circle of the horizon. He
thus seems to himself and his court to be in the centre of the
universe, and turning to the north, assuming the attitude of a
subject, he acknowledges iu prayer and by his position that he
is inferior to heaven, and to heaven alone. Kound him on the
pavement are the nine cii’cles of as many heavens, consisting
of nine stones, then eighteen, then twenty-seven, and so on in
successive multiples of nine till the square of nine, the
favourite number of Chinese philosophy, is reached in the
outermost circle of eighty-one stones.

The same s3"mbolism is earned throughout the balustrades,
the steps, and the two lower terraces of the altar. Four
flights of steps of nine each lead down to the middle tei'race,
where are placed the tablets to the spirits of the sun, moon,
and stars, and the year god, Tai-sui. The sun and stars take
the east, and the moon and Tai-sui the west : the stars are
the twenty-eight constellations of the Chinese Zodiac, borrowed
by the Hindoos soon after the Christian era, and called by
them the Naksha-tras ; the Tai-sui is a deification of the
sixty-year cycle. The present year, 1869, is the sixth year

VOL. II. 51

354

PEKING.

of the cycle, and is denoted by the characters ki-si, taken from
the denary and duodenaiy cycles respectively. For this year
the tablet is inscribed with these characters. In 1870 the
characters keng-wu, next in order, will be taken, and so on.

The balustrades have 9 x 8, or 73 pillars, and rails on
the upper terrace. On the middle terrace there are 108, and
on the lower 180. These amount in all to 360 — the number
of degrees in a circle.

The pavement of the middle terrace has in its innermost
circle 90 stones, and in its outermost 162 stones, thus
reaching the double of 81, the outermost circle of the upper
terrace.

So again, in the lower terrace the circles increase from 171
stones, the innermost to 243, or thi-ee times the square of nine
for the outermost.

The pavements, flights of steps, and balustrades, are all of
the white marble known by the Chinese as Han-pai-yii, — an
excellent stone for architectural pui-poses, and for the rough
sculpture of the Chinese masons, hut not fine and hard enough
for European sculpture.

It has been an aim to use odd numbers only ; Heaven is
odd. Earth is even. Heaven is round. Earth is square ; or, to
use the ultimate expression of Chinese metaphysical thought.
Heaven is Yang, Earth is Yin. The numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9,
belong to Yang, Heaven ; the numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, belong
to Yin, Earth. In the official published accounts of the con-
struction of the Temple of Heaven, this is set down as the
fundamental principle.

It may he remarked here, how well this accords with the
opinion that the Persian religion and system of thought
agreed in ancient times with the Chinese. The city of
Ecbatana was so built that the Emperor lived in the centre,
surrounded by concentric rings, representing the celestial
spheres. Each ring was a wall painted with its appropriate
colour, according to the astronomical notions of the time.

SACRIFICES. — BURNT-OFFERINGS.

355

The old Persian religion, with its worship of the elements, and
its dual philosophy, before the introduction of Oimuzd and
Ahriman, and the worship of fire, hears a most striking
resemblance to the old Chinese religion as exemplified in the
modern Temple of Heaven.

As might he expected, careful distinctions are made in the
sacrifices. The animals ordinarily used for food by the
ancient Chinese, and the fruits of the earth known to them,
are almost all included. But productions recently introduced
into the country are not offered. To heaven alone is offered a
piece of blue jade, cylindrical in shape and a foot long,
formerly used as a symbol of sovereignty. But the great dis-
tinguishing sign of superiority is the offering of a whole-humt
offering to Heaven. Heaven receives also twelve bundles of
cloth, while the Emperors, and the sun and moon, have offered
to them but one. Various- shaped vessels, filled with different
kinds of corn, are offered to heaven, to the Emperors, and to
the sun and moon ; but in greater number to the former.
The spirits of the atmosphere, winds, clouds, rain, and thun-
der, have their tablets placed below the altar on the east and
west sides, between the inner and outer enclosure. They also
receive a share of the offerings, consisting of four bundles of
cloth, a bullock, a sheep, and a pig, with the productions of
the soil.

On the south-east of the altar stands, at the distance of an
arrow-flight, the large furnace for the whole-burnt offei'ing.
It is faced with gi'een porcelain, and is nine feet high. It is
ascended on three sides — east, south, and west — by a green
porcelain staircase. The bullock is placed inside-, upon a
substantial iron grating, underneath which the fire is kindled.
Outside there is a pit for the blood and ham. The visitor,
ascending by one of the staircases to the top of the
furnace, sees within it the remaining charred hones of the
last sacrifice.

Some native scholars attempt to explain the burnt sacrifice,

35G

PEKING.

as intended to call the attention of the supreme spirit of
heaven, by the smoke, odour, and flame, to the circumstance
that the time for the sacrifice has come. This agrees with
the common Buddhist notion that the wooden fish, and the
bell, the musical stone, and various instruments of music, need
to be struck in order to announce to the god worshipped that
his presence is desired. Another native explanation is that
the odour is agreeable. This is very ancient, and agrees with
many passages in the Old and New Testaments, which speak
of the sweet-smelling savour of a burnt-oflering ; as well as
with the ideas of the ancient Greeks in their burnt sacrifices.
It has never occurred to the Chinese that the original idea
connected with burnt sacrifices was propitiatory in the sense
of substitutionary. The book of Genesis, while recording the
fact of burnt sacrifices in the primitive patriarchal religion,
does not give this explanation, except in the offering up by
Abraham of his son Isaac. It first occurs in complete form in
the revelations made to Moses. The Chinese sacrifices must
be compared with those of the patriarchal, rather than the
Mosaic age, and we cannot wonder that even if the doctrine of
substitution was at first taught with the original institution of
these sacrifices, that after the lapse of so many centuries the
knowledge of it should be lost.

Whether, in the primeval institution of sacrifices, the
substitutionary idea of life for life, and punishment for sin,
transferred from offerer to victim, was at first plainly taught,
or darkly hinted, is a question not easy to decide. The
symbol may first have been given and afterwards its signifi-
cance revealed ; or the significance of sacrifices may have
been made known to the earliest men, but not recorded till a
later age in the early portions of the Bible.

The bullocks are selected with great care : they must be
males of two years old, the best of their kind, and without
blemish : they are fed in the park which surrounds the altar.
These circumstances together constitute another point of

THE TAI-HO-MEN.

357

resemblance to the Jewish sacrifices, which should not be lost
sight of.

The name of the furnace, Liau-lu, means the furnace of
the fii'e sacrifice. Here the word Liau, for fire sacrifice,
alludes in its .etymology to “ light-giving,” thus favouring the
first of the two native explanations.

On the south-west of the altar stand three high poles for
hanging lanterns. The sacrifice is performed before dawn.
The illumination will fall from these lofty lanterns upon the
Emperor and his suite, while they all tneel in worship on the
upper terrace, the altar-steps, and on the south pavement
beyond the altar.

On December 21 the Emperor goes in a sedan-chair to
the gate called Tai-ho-men in the palace : here he mounts the
elephant can-iage, and proceeds to the Temple of Heaven.
There be goes first to the tablet chapel, where he offers
incense to Shang-ti and to his ancestors, with three kneelings
and nine prostrations. Then, going to the great altar, he
inspects the offerings, proceeds to the south gate, and taking
his seat in the elephant carriage is conveyed to the hall of
penitential fasting. Next morning, seven quarters before sun-
rise, or about 5.45 a.xi., he puts on his sacrificial robes, and
goes to the south gate of the outer enclosure, dismounts from
the nien, as his carriage is called, and walks to the Imperial
yellow tent on the second terrace. At the moment he arrives
at the spot w'here he kneels, the fire of the burnt sacrifice is
kindled to meet the spirit of Shang-ti, and music is heard
playing an air called Shi-ping-chi-chang. The Emperor then
goes to the upper terrace of the altar, kneels and burns
incense before Shang-ti, and then presents incense to his
ancestors, whose shrines, with their tablets, are arranged in
wooden huts on the north-east, and north-west portions of the
altar. While he makes three kneelings and nine prostrations
and offers bundles of silk, jade cups, and other gifts, the tune
called King-ping-chi-chang is heard played by the musicians.

358

PEKIXG.

He then proceeds to the point on the altar where the
prayer is read. The prayer is presented by an officer, the
music stops, the Emperor kneels, the officer reads the prayer
aloud, the Emperor hows to the ground three times, offers a
cup to his ancestors on each side, and music and dancing
commence.

At this point, certain officers bring forward what is called
“ the flesh of happiness” to the front of the tablet of Shang-ti
and hold it up. The Emperor then goes to the spot for
drinking “ the cup of happiness ” and receiving “ the flesh of
happiness,” and prostrates himself three times, receiving the
cup and flesh kneeling.

The north altar is a little smaller than the southern, but
has erected upon it a lofty temple, ninety-nine feet in height.
Before last centuij it was roofed with blue, yellow, and green
tiles, hut by Kien-loong these colours were changed to blue.
The elaborately carved and richly painted eaves are protected
from birds and insects by iron-wire net. In the interior, the
large shrines of carved wood for the tablets are all seen in
their places, corresponding to the moveable blue wooden huts
which, on the days of sacrifice, enclose the tablets on the
southern altar. The windows are shaded by Venetians made
of thin blue glass rods strung together ; they are produced
at the glass factories in Shan-tung. Here also, as at the
south altar, are seen, on the south-east, the green furnace for
the bullock, and the eight open-work iron urns in which the
offerings of silk are burnt, and which are arranged, as at the
southern altar, on an arc of a circle from the furnace round to
the eastward ; an urn is added when an Emperor dies. From
the remnants of silk found in the urns it may he judged,
that a plain, uncoloured, and coai’sely woven silk cloth is
preferred, such as is produced in the northern provinces,
and that the rich satins of Nankin, or the figm'ed silks of
Hu-chow, would he unsuitable for these solemn sacrifices.

On the east is a winding passage or cloister, of 72 com-

SACRIFICE AT THE NORTH ALTAR.

359

paiiments of 10 feet each = 720 feet in length, leading to the
slaughter-house. Here, in ancient times, the monarch him-
self used to kill the animal, but now an officer is deputed to
discharge this duty, under the superintendence of the Emperor’s
deputies. One of the buildings passed while proceeding along
this cloister of the seventy-two compartments was burnt
by lightning in the year 1862 ; it contained part of the
sacrificial vessels. Such a catastrophe was regarded as very
ominous at the time, but as the dynasty has since gained
strength by the successes of the army in dispersing several
powerful bodies of rebels, and as the building was rebuilt
without further disaster, the court has taken heart again.
Near the long passage are to he seen, on the south, seven large
stones lying in the open park ; they are called the seven
stars. They are supposed to have fallen from heaven, and to
secure prosperity to the Empire.

The sacrifice at the north altar takes place at the
beginning of spring. At this time it is thought right for the
Emperor to go out from his home in the city to the altar, for
the fruits of the year in the country, to meet there the new-
come spring, and offer prayer to Shang-ti for a blessing on the
labours of the husbandmen ; the word “ new,” in Chinese sin,
agrees in sound with the eighth symbol of the denary cycle.
The names of the denary and duodenary cycles have, from the
most ancient times, been assigned to days. A day, therefore,
is chosen for the sacrifice, which is marked sin ; for this
there is no other reason than similarity of sound and ancient
custom. It must be after the 6th of Februaiy, in the solar
calendar, because then, in Chinese phraseology, spring begins,
Li-chun. The temple is called Chi-kien-tien, “ temple of
prayer for the year.” The name is inscribed in Manchu and
Chinese on the upper roof.

Prayer for rain is ofifered at the south altar in the summer.
On occasions of drought the Emperor sometimes goes on foot
to the “ Hall of penitent fasting.” This is to indicate that his

3G0

PEKING.

anxiety of mind forbids him to seek bodily ease, while his
subjects are suffering. That heaven should be angry with the
people, is a sign that there is a fault in the prince. He there-
fore appears as a criminal, and lays aside his state for the
time. The distance to be walked is three English miles, and
it may be at a time of year when the heat is great. He may,
however, return on horseback.

This is a special ceremony. There is also a regular
prayer and sacrifice for rain offered about the time of the
summer solstice at the south altar. The Emperor proceeds
there with a numerous array of officers, who range themselves
behind him on the twenty-nine steps and lower terraces on the
south side of the altar. When the Emperor kneels, they do
so too. While all are thus kneeling upon and below the
altar, the prayer is presented and read. It is then placed
before Shang-ti on the ofl’ering of silk. The prayer, which is
written on silk, is then taken to the iron urns, and there burnt.
The order followed in worship is that of court ceremonial.
First come the nine orders of nobility, and then the nine ranks
of officers. The distinctions indicated by different coloured
balls on their caps, and by other insignia, are scrupulously
observed. An isosceles triangle, whose vertex was on the top
of the altar, and base on the south pavement, would represent
the appearance of the worshipping suite, the Emperor being at
the vertex.

Early, in the Ming dynasty, the temple was called Altar of
Heaven and Earth. Such, also, w'as the name of the Peking
altar, till a new park on the north of the city was set apart
for an altar to earth. After this the sacrifices at the older
altar were presented to the supreme spirit of heaven alone.

Some have imagined that they detected in the worship of
earth, as distinguished from that of heaven, a duality entirely
fatal to the monotheism which others represent as the real
faith of the Chinese. It should be remembered that the
ancestors of this people had both a nature-worship and a belief

TEMPLE OF AGRICULTURE.

361

in the personality of Shang-ti. In the popular songs of the
Chow dynasty God is represented as having the attributes of a
personal ruler, a deity to be prayed to, and as addressing
verbal revelations to royal sages. Beside this belief, there
was a graduated nature-worship, which was regarded as of the
highest importance. The sun, moon, and stars, the earth, the
mountains and rivers, were all worshipped. The feudal barons
olfered sacrifices to the nature gods of their own jurisdiction,
while the lord paramount alone worshipped Shang-ti. At
present, in Peking, the ancient customs are followed as closely
as possible. The Emperor addresses himself as a humble
servant only to Shang-ti. In prayer to the others — those that
are simply nature gods,' the spirit of the earth, the spirit of
the sun, of the moon, of the grain and land — he speaks as a
superior, praising them for their beneficial acts and influences ;
hut viewing them all as subordinate beings, each ruling over
his own province in a position of subjection to Shang-ti. Such,
for example, is the relation of the spirit of earth, or Heu-tu, to
the supreme ruler. Hence, this divinity is not female, nor is
he ever personified by the Chinese, except so far as the title
Heu-tu, “ ruling earth,” and Ti-chi-shen, “ spirit of earth,”
deserve to he regarded as personification.

The objects of worship in the imperial temples in Peking
may he spoken of as gods in the sense of nature worship without
idols. But this does not disagree with the statement that the
Chinese are monotheists, inasmuch as Shang-ti is, and has
always been, regarded as the one supreme ruler.

On the west of the Temple of Heaven is that of Agriculture.
It is dedicated to the fabulous originator of agriculture, Shin-
nung. While the park of the Temple of Heaven has trees
growing only in parallel rows, on the grass surrounding which
are pastured the sacrificial cattle, that of the Shin-nung-tan
is planted with trees irregularly throughout. Here the
Emperor ploughs in the spring, as does also some one of the
city magistrates, to give thereby an example of industry.

362

PEKING.

Several long plots of ground are shown. This one is the
Emperor’s, that one is the Chi-hien’s (city magistrate), that is
the Chi-fu’s (prefect), and so on. Five grains are sown,
called : 1, shu-tsi, a panicled millet ; 2, tan, rice ; 3, mei, a
kind of millet, grinding into yellow meal like maize and small
millet; 4, ku, small millet ; and 5, pai, also a millet. In the
Three Character classic there are six kinds of grain mentioned :
1, tau, rice; 2, liang, Barhadoes millet, sorghum, &c. ; 3, shu,
beans ; 4, meh, wheat, barley ; 5, shu, a panicled millet ; 6,
tsi, a small millet. The grain sown by the Emperor is rice ;
when he is not able to come his part is left barren ; no
inferior person can plough and sow it.

North of this ground is a square terrace, five feet high and
fifty feet on each side, for watching the ploughing and other
operations.

There are four large altars with appropriate buildings : 1,
the altar of the spirits of heaven, tien-shin-tau ; 2, of the
spirits of earth, ti-kl ; 3, of the spirit of the year, tai-sui ; 4,
of the ancestral husbandman, or Shin-nung himself.

The first two altars are together, and both rectangular.
That of the spirits of heaven is on the east, and that of the
spirits of earth on the west. On the north side of the eastern,
which is fifty feet square and four feet five inches high, are
placed four blue marble shrines for tablets. They are carved
with clouds and dragons, and are more than nine feet high.
The tablets are inscribed with the titles of the spirits of clouds,
rain, wind and thunder. The western is one hundred feet
long by sixty wide and four feet high. On the south side are
placed five shrines of marble, of which three are carved with
waving lines to represent mountains, and two with another
design to denote water. In the first three are placed tablets
to three sets of five mountains — viz., the five yo, the five
chen, and the five shan. In the remaining shrines tablets
are placed to the four seas and four lakes. On the east side
of the altar there is an additional shrine to the celebrated

OTHEK PLACES OE NOTE.

B63

mountains and rivers of the metropolitan province, and on the
west another to those of the entire empire. The religious
ceremonies connected with agriculture would not he considered
complete without the worship of the year god and of the
traditional father of Chinese agriculture. In ancient times
the planet Jupiter was considered the year god, because he
goes through the heavens in twelve years. At present, the
officers who advise the Emperor on these matters are content
with the canonization of the cyclic characters. They quietly
act on the assumption that the government of the year
depends on their chancery arrangements. In the Tang and
Sung periods — comprising five centuries — no year god was
worshipped at all. The same defect lies underneath all official
worship days for nations, and saints’ calendars for churches ;
they are liable to be changed by a new generation, their
authority being only temporary and not acknowledged by
posterity. Eeligious observances must rest on the ground of
divine revelation, or be exposed to the risk of being altered or
of falling into disuse. Gods that are made so by a state paper
one day, may be deposed by another the day after, and are
never anything more than seal and parchment divinities.

The two parks enclosing the altars of heaven and those
just described are each two miles round, and are an ornament
to the capital, which the foreign residents, when they emerge
from the dust of the Peking streets into these grassy glades,
delight to walk in.

It would he too tedious to speak of all the other places of
note, such as the ponds where gold and silver fish are reared ;
the public execution ground ; the various idolatrous temples ;
examination-halls ; the charitable institutions, e. <j. for the
poor, for the aged, for the supply of coffins ; the foundling-
hospitals, &c. &c. I may only say in reference to the last
that infanticide is almost unknown in Peking. The dead-
cart, which traverses the streets at early morning, receives the
bodies of poor children dying by ordinary causes, and whose

364:

PEKING.

parents are not able to buiy them. The mothers would rather,
if not walling to keep their infants, carry them to the foundling-
hospitals, w'hich are established in the inner and outer cities,
than take their lives. At present the people are not aware
of the existence of infanticide ; nor is this atrocious custom
known in the surrounding country : indeed, it exists only in
some provinces, four or five in number. The dead-cart is in
connection with the foundling-hospitals.

The example of the Roman Catholic charitable institutions
appears to have had an effect on the establishment and con-
tinuance of the Peking native charities. Since the Sisters of
Mercy opened their schools for poor children in the vicinity of
the palace, a foundling-hospital has been instituted close by.
The sisters also have opened an active dispensary ; they heal
many of the sick, and teach a large number of poor children
and w'omen. At the large new church recently erected there is
a considerable attendance, comprising from one to two hundred
or more of native Catholics. Everything is done to make the
service attractive, by careful attention to music and an imposing
ritual. Few, except converts, are present; the sisters, with
a long array of pupils, form a principal feature in the congre-
gation. There are four catholic churches in the Tartar city,
but none in the Chinese. Five years ago there were three
thousand Catholic native converts.

The Protestant missions, having recently commenced their
operations, cannot vie with the Catholic. It appears probable,
however, that the more free spii’it of Protestantism will prove
itself to be, after the lapse of a few years, better adapted than
the Latin form of Christianity for extension among the Chinese.
It encourages independence and free inquiry, and checks
servility and reliance on a sacerdotal order. This the
educated Chinese appreciates very highly, and when the alter-
native is before him he will never choose the abnegation of
liberty.

It has been thought that the pomp of an external ritual —

INSTITUTIONS FOR VACCINATION.

365

beautiful pictures illustrating the evangelical history, flower-
decked altars, devotional processions, ravishing music, and
rich priestly robes — would dazzle the senses of the Chinese
and outrival the attractions of Buddhism. The conclusion to
be drawn from this is very doubtful. The Pekinese have their
own street processions, their long pilgrimages to noted shrines,
their own masses for the dead. Their penitents travel for
many miles, measuring their length on the ground as they go,
or with iron chains fastened on their hands and feet. They
make vows when sick to devote themselves to a life of celibacy
and prayer. They expend large sums in building temples in
order to accumulate merit and ensure the forgiveness of sins.
The multiplied repetition, by the believing votary, of the name
of Amitabha Buddha, will, he is assured, bring him as much
happiness and exemption from as many evils as that of Ave
Maria could do, should he change his creed. If the Catholic
priest rely on his power to outrival the Buddhist and Tauist
priests of the heathen monasteries, he will find the compe-
tition a sharp one and the victory difficult to secure. In an
educated country like China the prospect of success remains
rather with those who appeal to reason and to divine com-
mand.

There are in Peking several institutions for vaccinating
infants. Introduced at Canton early in the pi’esent century,
the practice of vaccination was brought to the capital forty or
fifty year's ago. It is an understood fact that all children who
are not vaccinated take the small -pox, that disease being
constantly present everywhere, though with varying degrees
of intensity. The public vaccinators have regular days for
vaccinating children brought to them, and also frequently visit
the families of princes for the same purpose.

New supplies of vaccine lymph, when it fails, are now
regularly obtained by the Chinese operators from the English
missionary hospital.

These facts show that the Chinese are not insensible to the

366

PEKING.

advantage of changing their old practices in the province of
medicine, where the benefit can be clearly ascertained. Though
the progress of vaccination is slow, it has already gained con-
siderable ground on the practice of inoculation, and will, in
time, push it altogether out of the field.

As an example of the adoption of foreign inventions may
he here mentioned the publication of the extensive work called
Kin ting ku kin tii shu tsi cheng (“ Imperial Cyclopaedia of
Ancient and Modern Works, with diagrams”), in 10,000
chapters, printed in the reign of Kang-hi, with copper movable
types. It is a cyclopaedia in thirty-two sections, each treating
of a single department of Chinese knowledge. These sections
are, again, divided into 6,109 sub-sections. The whole would
occupy on book-shelves the space of about 1,044 thick octavos,
of which four would constitute the index ; this, the largest of
Chinese cyclopaedias, and printed with movable types, does not
exist in many copies, and is sold for about 500/. of our money.
The types were, in a moment of weakness, ordered to be
melted and made into cash. Afterwards wooden types were
substituted by Kien-loong to print the catalogue of the books
in the imperial library.

This catalogue was prepared by a learned commission, who
had orders from the Emperor to collect all possible rare and
valuable works for republication. Out of 13,725 works
received, 3,750 were found to be duplicates. In addition to
these there were included from the Ming dynasty collection of
the Emperor Yung-lo, eighty-five complete works, and 284
imperfect works. In making the catalogue, a critical account
of each work was appended to the name, constituting a most
valuable addition for the native and foreign student, and
affording a bird’s eye view of the whole national literature.

In this survey of the Chinese metropolis it is time to speak
of the remaining buildings in the Tartar city, of inferior interest,
perhaps, to those already described, but deserving of some
notice.

THE BOAKDS,

367

Here it may be well to begin with the Boards, — the
buildings appropriated to the use of the Six Boards, viz., those
of officers, of revenue, of ceremonies, of the army, of works,
and of punishment. The first five are on the east side of the
palace front entrance, and the sixth on the west. As a rule,
all important buildings, public and private, face to the south,
but these face west and east, in accordance with the ceremonial
laws which require the officers of these boards to stand on
state days facing east and west. The Emperor sits in the hall
facing the south. Outside of the door, on the terrace in front,
the princes and dukes prostrate themselves. On the steps of
this terrace first and second rank officers take their positions,
and those inferior to them are arranged in the court below in
two divisions, the one east and the other west ; those on the
right facing to the left, and those on the left facing to the right.
Among the kneeling crowd of officers thus parted into four
divisions, the foreign ambassadors, according to old laws,
should take their place with the inferior servants of the govern-
ment on the right ; Chinese etiquette having assigned them this
humble position. The Emperor Kien-loong appointed that the
board of officers, of revenue, and of ceremonies, with the Han-
lin College, &c., should be on the left hand, and the board of
punishments, of the army, and of works, on the I'ight, where
the censors were also placed ; at present the board of works
and of the army are both on the east side.

Among the boards on the east side is found the Tsung-jen-
fu, or office for superintending the affairs of the imperial
family, the Hung-lu-si, or chamberlain’s office, the college of
physicians, Tai-i-yuen, and the tribunal of astronomy, Kin-tien-
kien. Most of the buildings are somewhat dilapidated. The
street gateway conducts into a large square court ; north and
south of it are seen ranges of offices. The visitor advancing
to the east passes through a screen- door, and sees before him
the principal hall, where the presiding officers, the president,
Shang-shoo, and his two assessors, shi-lang, range themselves

368

PEKING.

on state days. On the edge of the leaved terrace in front of
this hall, is seen a stone sun-dial on one side, and a gong, or
musical stone, on the other. An imperially bestowed tablet
ornaments the roof above the president’s chair. At the hack a
roofed passage leads to other suites of apartments.

The hoard of revenue has been recently repaired and is a
scene of activity. The tribute silver from the provinces, nailed
up in the inside of logs made of thick tree-branches, is stored
up there in the treasury at the back. At the board of
ceremonies, in the large court, a feast is given to the doctors
of literature on occasion of their attaining their degree, when
the Chwang-yuen, or senior wrangler, is treated with special
lionour. Here the English and French treaties were signed, in
1860, by Prince Kung, Baron Gros, and Lord Elgin. At the
chamberlain’s office there is an upright tablet, like those used
in sacrifices, representing the Emperor. It is placed in a round
yellow-roofed pavilion, and here the unskilled are taught the
ceremonies to be performed on seeing the Emperor. The
Coreans, Loochooans, and others, come here to practise, and
w’hen they are sufficiently expert they are admitted to the
presence of the son of heaven. In the Kin-t’ien-kien is the al-
manac printing office, which supplies all China with the imperial
calendar, and also Manchuria and Mongolia with translations.
The office of the College of Physicians is at present the most
dilapidated of all these buildings. It contains a copper figure
of a man, which is used in teaching medicine. Printed views
of this image wdth descriptions are sold, representing it before,
behind, and on the two sides, and are used in giving
instruction in the thirteen branches of Chinese medicine.*
The Han-lin-yuen is a college to which admittance is gained

* The thirteen branches are the pulse, large and small, wind
diseases (including palsy, convulsions, leprosy, and rheumatism), mid-
wifery, the eyes, the mouth, teeth, and throat, bone-setting and wound-
nursing, ulcers, acupuncture, cauterizing, charms written and spoken,
and the forbidden branch.

OFFICES FOE ENTEKTAINING FOREIGN EMBASSIES. 3G9

by a series of successful examinations. The Emperor’s
carriage repository, Luan-i-wei, is conspicuous among the
buildings in this part of the city for its yellow roofs sheltering
the elephant carriage, various chairs, flags, embroidered
canopies, and the other paraphernalia of imperial processions.
The board of punishments being the chief state prison cannot
be visited. Sir Haii'y Parhes describes the shudder with
which he passed within its chained gate when conveyed there
as a state prisoner in 1860.

Near the boards are the offices for entertaining foreign
embassies. These are institutions of the old regime, when all
embassies were those of subject kingdoms. With the Corean
ambassadors came traders in ginseng, cloth, paper, and
medicines. They are not allowed to exceed 200 in number.
By the strictness of monopoly laws, the trade with Corea is
restricted to Peking, excepting a little in the Manchurian
cities. The throwing open of that country would tend to
enlarge the trade, and allow Tien-tsin and other cities to share
in it. The productions of Corea would thus become cheaper,
and the imports of China into that country would also soon be
increased in quantity and diminished in price. During last
century an intimacy with the Catholic missionaries commenced
by a Corean prince, who formed one of an embassy to Peking,
led to the introduction of Christianity into Corea, and it has
flourished there ever since, in the face of severe persecution.
One of the greatest benefits that would follow on the opening
of Corea to foreign trade would be the establishment of religious
toleration.

The Loo-chooan and Cochin Chinese embassies are located
in the same quarter close to the south wall of the Tartar city.
They are kept, when in Peking, under strict regulations, and
can never escape from the numerous attendants provided for
them when at home or in the streets. This renders it difficult
for strangers to form any acquaintance with them.

The Russian legation is in the same neighbourhood. In the

VOL. II. 52

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latest Chinese map the deluding fiction of feudal superiority
over Eussia is still maintained. The position of the Eussian
legation in this part of the capital, in the immediate vicinity of
the Corean and Loo-chooan hotels, is strongly indicative of
the feeling which guided the Chinese ministers of state in the
selection of it. Formerly, the Eussian archimandrite had, in
addition to ecclesiastical duties, the office of political agent
for the Eussian Government, and he resided on the site of the
present legation. This system was changed in 1859, when the
new treaties were made, and an ambassador, not an ecclesiastic,
with full powers, was appointed. The old-fashioned houses of
Timskowski’s time were taken down, and buildings were
erected in their place in accordance with European ideas of
elegance and comfort. The archimandrite took his departure,
and was accommodated in the residence that had hitherto been
appropriated, in the north-eastern part of the city, to the
Albazin ecclesiastical mission. In the reign of Kang-hi, at
the termination of the war with the Eussian colonists on the
Amoor, it was arranged that the captives then brought to
Peking and incorporated among the Mauchu bannermen, should
be placed, for religious instruction and superintendence, under
the care of Eussian priests. It w’as in this way that Eussia
came to have a double establishment in Peking, with two
churches and resident priests in connection with each. During
the greater part of the present centui-y the Eussian missionaries
have devoted themselves with assiduity to the study of the
Chinese language and institutions, and have made many
valuable contributions to European knowledge, especially in
the history and description of the religious and political con-
dition of Mongolia, Thibet, and China.

The Eussian missionaries have now commenced evangelistic
operations among the Chinese, both in Peking and in the
surrounding country. This step in advance has followed
naturally on the introduction of the article securing the
toleration of Christianity in the treaty of Tien-tsin, and it is in

FOOS.

371

agreement with the STnodic action recently taken hy the Greek
church in Kussia, in the direction of missionary activity
and colloquial bible translation. At present the Russian
missionary programme embraces China, Mongolia, Turkestan,
Manchuria with Siberia, and the Caucasus ; an immense field,
at several points of which operations have already, during the
last few years, been vigorously commenced : as on the Amoor,
among the Buriats and Tungooses in Siberia, in the Altai
mountains, and among the tribes of the Caucasus.

Attached to the ecclesiastical mission in Peking there is
also a magnetic observatory, the observations made at which
are regularly sent to St. Petersburg, and published in the
interests of science. The English and French legations had
assigned to them such residences as constitute the palaces of
princes of the blood. These residences are called Foo, and there
are about fifty of them in Peking. The chief among them are
those of the eight hereditary princes who received this rank on
account of services rendered at the time of the conquest of
China. Conspicuous among them was Jui-t’sin-wang, guardian
of the boy Emperor Shun-chi, and regent of the empire. There
was also Li-t’sing-wang, conqueror of Corea, Su-t’sin-wang,
Yil-t’sin-wang, Chang-t’sin-wang, and others, all occupying
handsome Foos, and enjoying an annual income of 3,300/. in
silver, and as much in grain, with the rental of lands granted
them in the province of Chih-li or Manchuria. The sons of
Emperors enjoy possession of a Foo for three lives, then-
descendants taking at each generation a rank one step lower.
When their great grandsons sink below the title of duke they
cannot reside in the Foo which has hitherto belonged to the
family ; it reverts to the Emperor, who grants it to a son of
his own, or to a daughter on her marriage. The Emperors
Kia-k’ing and Tau-kwang had several Mongol sons-in-law,
and, in consequence, they and their sons after them, have
come into the possession each of a Foo. Lately, on the death
of Yii-t’sin-wang, one of the eight hereditary princes, no fewer

372

PEKING.

than 1,100 persons went into mourning on his account, all
being attached to his Foo. He, being one of the richest of
these princes, would have an exceptionally large number of
dependants. In many of these residences the wives, concubines,
children, eunuchs, slaves, and servants, would not amount to
so large a number as this.

A Foo has in front of it two large stone lions with a house
for musicians and for gate-keepers. Through a lofty gateway,
on which are hung tablets inscribed with the prince’s titles, the
visitor enters a large square court with a paved terrace in the
centre, which fronts the principal hall. Here, on days of
ceremony, the slaves and dependants may be ranged in
reverential posture before the prince, who sits as master of the
household, in the hall. Behind the principal hall are two
other halls, both facing, like it, the south. These buildings
all have five or seven compartments divided by pillars which
support the roof, and the three or five in the centre are left
open to form one large hall, while the sides are partitioned oft'
to make rooms. Beyond the gable there is usually an
extension called the ur-fang, literally, the ear-house, from its
resemblance in position to that organ. On each side of the
large courts fronting the halls are side -houses, siang-fang, of
one or two stories. The garden of a Foo is on the west side,
and it is usually arranged as an ornamental park with a lake,
wooded mounds, fantastic arbours, small Buddhist temples,
covered passages, and a large open hall for drinking tea and
entertaining guests, which is called Hwa-t’ing. Garden and
house are kept private, and effectually guarded from the
intrusion of strangers by a high wall, and at the doors a
numerous staff of messengers. The stables are usually on the
east side, and contain stout Mongol ponies, large Hi horses,
and a goodly supply of sleek, well-kept mules, such as North
China furnishes in abundance. A prince or princess has a
retinue of about twenty, mounted on ponies or mules.

The Duke (a grandson of the Emperor Kien-loong), who

ENGLISH INSTITUTIONS.

873

had to give up to the English his family residence, removed to
a smaller one in the vicinity of the Confucian temple. About
8,000/. was paid to the government for the house and land
then assigned to the British Legation.

The Prussian and American legations are lodged in
houses in the same part of the city, purchased from private
persons.

It is now much regretted by many that a position close to
one of the gates opening into the country was not in the first
instance secured, so that the advantage of country air could
have been enjoyed within a short distance.

The London Mission Hospital was established in a house
connected with the British Legation in 1861 by Mr. Lockhart,
and has since been removed to a more public position, a mile
north of the Hata-men city-gate, in a principal street. One other
English society, the Church Missionary, and four American
societies, have been established in Peking : all are located in
the southern half of the Tartar city. Three girls’ boarding-
schools, one boys’ boarding-school, and several day-schools,
have been commenced, and a printing-ofiice is to be opened
during the present year.

Native free-schools in Peking are not uncommon. Each of
the banners has its school, and there are also special schools
for the families of those who wear the yellow sash or waist-
band,— a sign of their descent from one of the emperors.
Rich mandarins also willingly contribute to charities such as
these, and establish additional schools when needed. The
boys are taught Chinese and Manchu, but only a small
proportion of the pupils care to leam the latter language ; if
they do, it is as a stepping-stone to promotion. According to
the usual Chinese system, one teacher has the care of about
twenty boys. In one large school of about 160 boys there are
about eight masters, and among these only one teaches
Manchu. The parents of only one-eighth of the boys care for
them to learn that language, and this accordingly is the

374

PEKING.

amount of provision made for that branch of instniction by the
founders of the school.

At the Tsung-li-ya-men (“ Foreign Office ”), there are
three schools in operation for teaching as many languages, —
the Russian, English, and French. When the T’nng-wen-
kwan was estahhshed about three years ago as a school for
instruction in languages and European science, these schools
became connected with that institution, and the pupils were
taught by foreign professors in new buildings erected as an
extended wing of the Foreign Office. Mathematical instruction
has recently been commenced here for those of the pupils who
were supposed to have made sufficient progress in the French
and English languages. They are taught by a native
mathematician, Li-shen-lan, assistant-translator of several
European works into Chinese, and who has the advantage of
knowing both Chinese and European mathematics. The
progress of the school has been much impeded by the
opposition made to it by the prejudiced literati of Peking and
the provinces.

From seven to fifteen Englishmen who are students, in-
tended for the consular service, learn the Chinese language in
its Pekingese colloquial and documentary form at the English
Legation. At the residence of the Inspector- General of Im-
perial Maritime Customs, situated near the Foreign Office,
there are as many more foreigners studying Chinese, and who
are intended for the Customs’ service.

The Astronomical Observatory (Kwan-s’ang-t’ai) is in this
quarter of the city. Its teiTace overtops the city-wall, against
which it is built, being about fifty feet high. It was built in
A.D. 1296, in the reign of the Mongol Kuhlai Khan, the
celebrated Kwo-sheu king. A native savant made the
instruments of bronze, which are now exposed in the central
court. In 1674 the Emperor Kang-hi ordered the construction
of the present set of instruments, made by Ferdinando
Verbiest, his President of the Board of Works. These

CATHOLIC CEMETERIES.

375

replaced the old instruments on the terrace, and like those that
preceded them they are of grey bronze, or, as it is called,
white copper. They consist of instruments for taking latitude
and longitude, altitude and azimuth, with declination and right
ascension, a large celestial globe, sextant, quadrant, a sun^
dial, &c. Among them is a large azimuth instrument, sent as
a present to Kang-hi by the King of France.

In a room opposite the entrance in the court below is a
clepsydra. Five copper cisterns are arranged one over
another beside a staircase. At eclipses the time is taken by an
arrow held in the hand of a copper-man looking to the south ;
the arrow is three feet one inch in length ; it is marked with
hours from 12 noon to 11 a.m. The arrow rests on a boat
which floats in the fourth cistern, and ascends as the water
rises. The quantity of water and size of the cisterns are so
adjusted that the time marked on the arrow agrees with the
time of day as known by astronomical observation. A new
supply of water is needed for each day.

Among the many spots worthy of a visit in Peking are the
three Catholic cemeteries, all outside of the west wall. These
are the Portuguese cemetery, as it is often called, outside of
the P‘ing-tse-men ; the French cemetery, four miles further to
the north-west ; and another for native priests and converts
outside of the Si-pien-men. Of the three, the most interesting
is the first, for though in the French cemetery are buried
Amyot, Gaubil, and many well-known French missionaries of
the last century, they are not equal in fame to Eicci, Schaal,
and Verbiest, who, at an earlier date, laid the foundations of
Pmman Catholic prosperity in China.

In summer the entrance court is made attractive by the
vines trailed over poles in the native manner, so as to form a
broad spreading shade. Passing through these, the cemetery
itself comes into view. At the south end there is a mausoleum
on the right hand to Ignatius Loyola, and on the left to Saint
Joseph, the patron of China. These are very imposing struc-

376

PEKING.

tures, with Latin inscriptions. The path conducts the visitor
between them, thi'ough long rows of tombs regularly arranged
in four rows from north to south, to the end of the cemetery,
where there is a marble raised terrace. On the east is the
tomb of Ricci, and on the west that of Schaal. It was the
Emperor Wan-li who, in 1610, gave this land for the burial
of Matteo Ricci, who died in that year, after thirty-two years’
residence in China. Before that time it had been the custom
to transport the bodies of deceased missionaries from the pro-
vinces to Canton. The companion of Ricci, Pantoya, petitioned
the Emperor to grant a burial-ground for the deceased, and
the hestowment of a Buddhist temple for this purpose was the
result.

The tomb of Ricci is at the head of two rows of tombs on
the east side. Among those near him are Rho, Lombard,
and Verbiest. After Ricci’s death, the opinions he had advo-
cated on the worship of ancestors and of Confucius were
strongly opposed by Lombard, who, after much study and
inquiry, came to the conclusion that all the Chinese worship,
whether of heaven, of ancestors, or of Confucius, ought to be
forbidden to converts. The permission to retain these rites
had been accorded to them by Ricci and his companions during
the first three decades of the missions, and there had been a
flow of prosperity. The number of neophytes of high and low
rank had become very considerable, and doubtless this libe-
rality of opinion which characterized the early Jesuits had
powerfully aided in facilitating conversion. The symbols of
Buddhist idolatry are found here before the tombs of Ricci
and others and on the terrace. The incense-urns, candle-
sticks, and flower-jars, cut in marble, and arranged in the order
followed in all Buddhist temples, show how great a willingness
there was at the time of the death of Ricci to avoid opposition
to idolatrous customs. This was a consistent development of the
practice in regard to the use of images of the Latin church at
home. Lombard, the successor of Ricci as superior of the mis-

TOMB OF RICCI.

377

sions, introduced a new set of opinions, which after many years
of bitter controversy were confirmed hy the Pope, and made
binding throughout China. But these Buddhist symbols have
never been removed, and no priest has ever ventured to deny
that the old missionaries should he worshipped with incense
and prayers. The prohibition from the Vatican only extended
to the honouring of ancestors and the sages in this way. The
laxity of the first Jesuits, though recommended hy worldly
prudence, was resolutely checked, and Roman Christianity
undertook to extend her reign in China in a way as nearly as
possible like that she has pursued in Europe. As a conse-
quence, since that time she has made few distinguished con-
verts from among the literati. Sii Kwang-c‘hi and others
were not followed by men so celebrated — neophytes of brilliant
minds from the scholars’ class ceased to join the Catholic
community. It was in after years made a criminal charge
against Christianity that it interfered with honour to parents.
The Emperor Tung-cheng spoke in this way to the mission-
aries, and it was made a ground for persecution. The system
of opposition to Confucianism, and the rejection of the old
classical term for God, which had been greatly favoured hy the
early Jesuits, have had much to do in modifying the subse-
quent history of the missions. The converts have become
more and more foreign in their views, and in these times have
come to look for protection and for every privilege verj' much
to foreign aid.

The following account of the funeral of Verhiest illustrates
the manner in which the obsequies of the missionaries are
conducted. It took place March 11th, 1688. “ The man-

darins sent hy the Emperor to honour the illustrious deceased
arrived at 7 a.m., and at that hour we proceeded to the apart-
ment where the body lay in its coffin. The Chinese coffins
are large, and of wood three or four inches thick, varnished
and gilt on the outside, but closed with extraordinary care to
prevent air from entering. The coffin was taken to the street,

378

PEKING.

and placed on a bier within a sort of richly covered dome,
supported hy four columns ; the columns were wrapped in
white silk, that being the Chinese mourning colour, and festoons
of many-coloured silk hung from one column to the other,
with a veiy pretty effect. The bier was attached to two poles,
a foot thick and long in proportion, and was borne by six or
eight men. The father superior and the other Jesuits present
knelt before the coffin in the sti’eet. We made three profound
inclinations down to the ground, while the Christians present
were bathed in tears.

“ In fi-ont was a tableau twenty-five feet high and four
wide, ornamented with festoons of silk. At the bottom was a
red piece of taffety, inscribed with the name of the missionary,
Nan-hwai-jen, and his dignities, in gold characters. Before
and behind were bands of musicians and of standard-bearers.
Then came the cross, in a large niche, ornamented with
columns and various silk ornaments. Several Christians
followed, some with flags and others with wax-tapers in their
hands.

“ Then came an image of the Virgin Mary and the child
Jesus, holding a globe in his hand. A picture of the guardian
angel followed, with more flags and tapers, and then a portrait
of the Father Verbiest, habited as an official, with all the
honours confeiTed on him by the Emperor.

“ We follow’ed immediately after in white mourning, accord-
ing to the custom of the country ; and at intervals we expressed
our deep grief by loud weeping, in the manner of the people.

“ The body came next, accompanied by the officers named
by the Emperor to do honour to the memory of this celebrated
missionary. They were on horseback. Among them were
the Emperor’s son-in-law and chief captain of the guards.
The procession was closed by a party of fifty horsemen.”

The graves are made seven feet long and five feet wide,
with a depth of six feet. They are paved, and built up with
brick all round, and the coffin is placed in the centre upon

CLIMATE.

379

two low walls of bricks a foot high. The graves are covered
with a brick construction in vault shape, and surmounted by
a cross. The tombs have consequently a semi-cylindrical
appearance, the ends of the cylinder facing south and north.
A few feet in front of the tombs are placed upright marble
slabs, inscribed with the name, date of arrival in China, date
of decease, and age of the missionary.

The evidence to be gathered from the tombs in regard to
the longevity of the missionaries is favourable, and shows the
climate of Peking to be well suited to European constitutions.
A few have lived forty years in China, a considerable number
twenty-five, and a very large proportion sixteen. From a
cursory view of these monuments, it may be concluded that a
missionary m^y hope to live twenty-five years in this country.

The chapel has disappeared, but there is an old arbour
for meditation at the north end of the cemetery. Schaal’s
tomb is on the west side. He was in disgrace when he died ;
but the Emperor Kang-hi, becoming aware that he had been a
faithful servant of his dynasty, caused a handsome monument
to be erected over his remains on the west side of the cemeteiy,
where he heads a double row of tombs, as does Ricci on the
east.

Proceeding from the Si-chi-men, the north-west gate of
the city, the visitor arrives, after travelling a mile, at the
temple called Ki-Io-si, a handsome structure of the Ming
dynasty, formerly noted for its show of the Mau-tan peony.
West of this is the “ temple of the five towers,” Wu-t’a-si.
In the reign of Yung-lo, nearly five centuries ago, a Hindoo
from the banks of the Ganges, named Bandida, came to Peking
with five gilt images of Buddha, and a model of a diamond
throne, as gifts to the Emperor, who ordered the erection of
this monastery to receive him. In one of the courts was
erected, according to the Indian model, a square marble
terrace fifty feet high, inside of which winds a staircase
leading to the top. On the ten-ace are five pagodas, each

380

PEKING.

twenty feet tigli, engraved with Hindoo characters and
figures.

At a distance of little more than two miles (seven li) fi-om
the Si-chi-men, is the Great Bell temple, built in the
year 1578, to accommodate the bell made a century and a
half previously, in the time of Yung-lo. This beautiful triumph
of the bell-caster’s art is twelve feet in height, and is hung in
a tower at the back of the temple ; it is struck externally by a
large wooden clapper, when, on occasions of public or private
distress, it is desired to invoke the attention and aid of
Buddha and the Bodhisattwas. It is inscribed inside and
outside with Chinese characters, consisting of extracts from
the text of the Lotus of the Good Law (Fa-hwa-king), the
Sutra of Amitabha Buddha, and the Leng-yen-king. There
are also sentences in the Hevanagari writing. 5?he bell may
be heard at many miles’ distance : at present no such fine work,
or on so large a scale, is done at the Peking bell-foundries.
But the process may be constantly observed in the production
of coarsely made and cheap bells just outside of the Shun-chi-
men and Hadamen in the Chinese city.

At the north-west angle of the Peking wall commencing
from the Si-chi-men, as the gate there is called, a stone road
fonned of rectangular blocks of sandstone is laid to the parks
lying in that direction, and specially to the Yuen-ming-yuen.
Branches of this road conduct to the various gates of these
parks, and along the banks of the lake Kwun-ming-hu, as far
as to the hills at Hiang-shan.

Wan-sheu-sban is a hill once covered with ornamental
buildings, which were all set fire to in 1860 by the allied
troops. It overlooks the lake on the north, and commands an
extensive view of Yii-t’siuen-shan, of the city, the western
hills, and the strip of country ten miles wide lying between
them. The gate of TYan-sheu-shan park is at Hai-tien, and
is seven miles from the north-west comer of Peking. Entering
the gate and passing through a mass of burnt buildings, where

THE WAX-SHEU-SHAN HILL.

381

the Emperor on his visits was formerly entertained, the hill,
which, like all the hills in this region (on account of the
prevalent direction of the water-flow), winds from north-west to
south-east, is mounted by the eastern shoulder to the top. It
is crowned by a Buddhist building, the highest of a series,
reaching down the steep incline to the stone parapet, which
bounds the lake underneath. These erections^ formed the
parts of a monastery occupied by yellow-clad lamas, about six
in number, whose duty was to recite prayers on behalf of the
Emperor. All is now a dismal ruin, but the stone staircase
by which the visitor descended still remains, as does the
building on the summit, a small temple constructed entirely of
beautifully wrought copper, and many portions of the buildings
which were not easily destroyed. The copper temple is
double roofed, is twenty English feet high, and has a marble
staircase with balustrades on three sides. It contains an
image of Shakyamuni, and the apparatus for worship. The
inscriptions over temple doors and on ornamental gateways
are all Buddhist. The Hindoos must have the credit of intro-
ducing into China, with Buddhism, the habit of connecting
the ornamentation of pleasure-grounds with the mythology and
modes of thought of that religion.

Along the water’s edge are two large stone lions, and three
ornamental gateways, all much injured by fire ; near them is
a large marble boat, rudely shaped, and placed there as a
monstrous curiosity.

The name of the lake, Kwun-raing-hu, is very ancient, and
is imitated from the Han dynasty, which used this name for an
ornamental water at Si-ngan-foo, the metropolis of the period, in
the province now called Shen-si. A good view of it is obtained
from the island temple on the east side, reached by a bridge of
seventeen arches, which connects it with the imperial cemented
road that here borders the lake. The temple is dedicated to
the ruler of rain. One of the ornaments on the cemented road
is a large bronze cow. A remarkable bridge, in another part

382

PEKING.

of the lake, is thii-ty-one feet high, with a span of twenty-four
feet. It is called from its shape Lo-kwo-chiau, Hunchback
bridge.

The ornamental structures on Yu-tsiuen-shan, the next hill
to the west, were less injured in the war than those of Wan-
sheu-shan. Two or three pagodas, very conspicuous from
many points in the surrounding country, serve to characterize
this park. The name Jade Fountain Hill is taken from a
springing well of abundant water at the foot of the hill, which,
besides filling a small lake just by, helps to feed the lake south
of Wan-sheu-shan, and the Peking city reservoir outside the
Si-chi-men. This, and other water from the valleys of the
western hills, supply the ornamental lakes in the city, and also
the moats. The water comes chiefly from Pi-yun-si and Hiang-
shan, winds to the north of the two hills and pleasure-grounds
which have just been described, and goes by Hai-tien to the
above-mentioned reservoir. It ultimately finds its way east of
Peking by the Grand Canal to Toong-chow.

The buildings of an ornamental character in the Yii-tsiuen-
shan park are chiefly Tauist, as those of Wan-sheu-shan are
Buddhist.

The Summer Palace, or Yuen-ming-yuen, is a little more
than half-a-mile from Wan-sheu-shan on the north-east. It
has eighteen gates and forty beauties, at least so say the
official accounts. The range of halls, before the burning, for
court ceremonies and private convenience, very much resembled
that of the palace in the city. This was rendered necessaiy by
the length of time which, in former years, the Emperors spent
at this suburban residence. All that will he said here of the
Yuen-ming-yuen is that the buildings were most extensive, the
ornament highly elaborate, the grounds laid out with as much
effect as a level plain would admit of, the treasures of art and
curiosity most various, abundant and rare, and all the arrange-
ments complete for the entertainment during half-a-year of the
Emperor, his wives and attendants. The Empresses have

PARKS. — REMARKABLE MONUMENT.

383

recently been urged to rebuild the burnt halls and restore the
old appearance of the place, on the ground that it is essential
to the proper maintenance of the court dignity, but they have
steadily refused to commence the suggested reparations till
rebellion is crushed out. The park wall of the Sumfner Palace
is surrounded by a circle of soldiers’ villages, where detached
bodies of bannermen reside for its constant protection. Each
village is regularly built in barrack-fashion, and belongs to a
particular banner.

There are also several smaller parks, granted to the
princes for their use during the stay of the court at the Summer
Palace, or belonging to the nobility and ministers of state.

On the north side of Peking there is an open plain a mile
Avide, used as a review ground. Just beyond it is seen a large
Lama temple, called Hwang-si. A remarkable monument was
erected here during last century by the Emperor Kien-loong to
the memory of a Lama, from Thibet, whom he invited to Peking,
and who died there of small-pox. His rank was that of Banjan
Bogda, and he was second only to the Dalai Lama. The
monument is a handsomely caiwed mausoleum in marble. On
its eight sides are engraved scenes in the Lama’s life, including
the preternatural circumstances attendant on his birth, his
entrance on the priesthood, combats with the unbelieving,
instruction of disciples, and death. His body went back to
Thibet, but his clothes are buried here.

The Mongols who come in the winter to Peking make
their prostrations before this monument reverentially, and place
upon it, as offerings, small silk handkerchiefs and other things.
This is the explanation of the occasional presence, on different
parts of the monument, of handkerchiefs tied by strings or held
by a small stone to prevent the wind from blowing them
away.

The circumstances connected with the Banjan Lama’s visit
to Peking, and the consequent erection of this monument, are
mentioned in Turner's Embassy to Thibet.

384

PEKING.

Passing by the Russian cemetery, where, for more than a
centur}-, the bodies of deceased Russians, belonging to the
ecclesiastical mission, have been laid, we reach the Altar of
Earth. The park enclosing it was occupied by the allied troops
in 1860, when the adjoining city-gate, An-ting-men, was given
up to them.

The altar is a square ring teiTace, enclosing a square lake
or tank. The terrace is in circuit 494 feet four inches,
while the lake is eight feet six inches deep and six feet wide.

On the north side is a double terrace — the upper sixty
feet square, and the lower 106 feet square, and both six feet
in height. The paving bricks are in multiples of six and
eight. Thirty- six and sixty-four are the favourite numbers,
for we have now come into contact with Yin, the principle of
darkness, which affects a square form and even numbers, just
as in the Temple of Heaven the Y'ang principle was represented
by roundness in form and odd numbers.

Stone shrines for the tablets of the spirits of mountains
and seas are placed on the second terrace. Arranged opposite
to each other, east and west, are shrines to five mountains of
China, and several more in Tartary and Manchuria. Next
to them are the four seas on one side and four lakes on the
other.

On the first terrace the central tablet is dedicated to the
spu'it of imperial earth. Six tablets to the Emperor’s
ancestors are arranged on the right and leiT as companions
to it.

The principal sacrifice is offered at this altar on the day
of the summer solstice. There is, near the altar, a pit for
burying a bullock. At the Altar of Heaven, when the bullock
is burnt, the Yang principle, in the sacrifice, is supposed to go
upward in smoke and flame. At that of earth, on the contrary,
when the victim is buried, the YTn principle descends in con-
nection with death and conniption.

On the east side of Peking, half a mile beyond the Chi-

TEMPLE OF TUNG-YO-MIAU.

385

hwa-men, is the Altar of the Sun. The worship of the sun
and moon with the stars is prescribed in the Book of Rites, Li-
Ki, dating from about the commencement of the Christian era,
or earlier. Like the other altars, this One is enshrined in
evergreen groves. The sacrifice is offered at the vernal
equinox. No companions are placed on the altar to share in
the sacrifices with the sun. This is in marked contrast with
the custom at the altar of the moon on occasion of the
autumnal equinox, when the seven chief stars of the great
hear, the five jffanets, the twenty-eight constellations, and the
remainder of the stars, all have their tablets on the altar in
conjunction with that of the moon. The sun is too bright a
luminary to share his honours with the stars.

The altar of the sun with its park are on the south side of
the stone road leading to Toong-chow. Opposite to it, on
the north side, is the temple called Tung-yo-miau. A copper
mule placed here furnishes a significant illustration of the
superstition of the Pekingese. It is touched for various
diseases, in hope of cure : eye patients touch the eyes, con-
sumptive patients the chest, those who have ulcers on the leg,
the leg ; the part affected is, in all cases, the part touched
and rubbed. The mule is of about the natural size, and is
much worn and kept bright on various parts by incessant
rubbing of sick persons. As usual in this kind of Tauist
temple, the torments of hell, as borrowed by the Tauists from
Buddhism, are depicted with great minuteness on the walls of
some of the rooms. The chief divinity worshipped in this
temple is the spirit of the eastern mountain, the celebrated
Tai-shan, in the province of Shan-tung. Special offerings
are presented on the Emperor’s birthday, this divinity being
the bestower of good luck.

• The old rampart of the city, as known to Marco Polo, is
met with a little to the south-east -of the sun temple. But it
is best preserved on the north side, two miles from the gates,
where a long and lofty earth mound exists some miles in

VOL. II. 53

386

PEKING.

length, hut disappearing where the roads from the city north-
ward cross its direction.

This account of Peking will not he extended farther from
the walls, except to describe the Ming tombs and the
Great Wall.

The Ming tombs, called colloquially Shi-san-ling, “ Tombs
of the Thuieen Emperors,” were, as the name indicates, the
last resting-places of thirteen of the Ming emperors. The
first and second were buried at Nanking, — their capital, and
the last on a hill near Pi-yim-si, by command of the Manchu
rulers when they obtained the empire.

It was for the Emperor, usually called Yung-lo fi-om the
title affixed to his reign, that this beautiful valley was selected
as a cemetery. It is six miles in length, and thirty miles
distant from Peking on the north. In the official accounts
there are, from the entrance of the valley to the tomb of Yung-
lo (known as the Ch’ang-ling), six stages. The first, Lung-
sha-tai-yai, was an ornament which has disappeared. The
second is the marble gateway dating from a.d. 1541. This is
probably the finest pailow in China ; it is constructed
entirely of fine white marble. The fashion in China in
building a wooden pailow is to roof it with green or other
tiles over each compartment. Viewed from a distance this
magnificent gateway seems to be so roofed ; but, on nearer
inspection, it may be seen to be cut in solid marble. It is
ninety feet long by fifty high. The carved work consists of
squares of flowers, and was formerly painted red and green.

To the north of the gateway is a stone bridge, and there
grew formerly in front of the bridge two high pines. Beyond
it were six rows of pines and cj’presses on each side, extending
for three li — an English mile — to the Bed gate. Houses on a
large scale were formerly standing here, where the Emperor,
on arriving, changed his clothing, and passed the night.
Many attendants and gatekeepers resided here.

From this gate the visitor advanced through an avenue of

AVENUE OF ANIMALS.

387

acacia-trees to the fourth stage, — the Dragon and Phoenix
Gate. He was now within the park wall,, roofed with yellow
and green tiles, which proceeded east and west to the hills,
over which it wound its way to the north at the hack of the
tomhs. This spot, the fourth stage, was further marked by
two pillars carved with dragons, and seven marble bridges
with elegant balustrades. At present this wall has almost
entirely disappeared. Clumps of foliage appear at intervals,
enclosing yellow'-roofed buildings on the edges of an iiTegular
semicircle hounded by the hills. These are the tombs, some
at three and others at four, miles’ distance. The road to them
is first diversified by the fifth ornament of the Ming tombs,
the pailow, — a monument to Yung-lo, erected by his son.
The Emperor Kien-loong wrote a poem, w’hich was, a century
ago, engraved on the hack of the stone. Four stone pillars,
each tipped with a griffin, suiTound this erection. The monu-
ment rests on an enormous stone tortoise, twelve feet long.

Beyond this point begins the avenue of animals, cut in
colossal size, out of one piece of bluish marble. There are two
pairs of lions, two of unicorns, two of camels, two of elephants,
two of the Ki-lin, and two of horses. One pair stands, and
the other pair sits or kneels. The elephants are thirteen
feet high, by seven wide, and fourteen feet long. Beyond the
animals come the military and civil mandarins, of whom there
are on each side six. Each figure is also one stone. The
military figures are carved, to represent coats of mail extend-
ing to the knees with tight sleeves. A round cap covers
head and ears, and hangs on the shoulders. The left hand
holds a sword, the right, a baton or ju-i. The civil officers
have long hanging sleeves, with a sash round the waist,
which falls to the feet before and behind with a long tassel.
They wear a square cap, under which their long ears are ex-
posed. The girdle consists of embroidered squares. This
square embroidered breastplate is fastened by a sash round
the neck which hangs down the back.

388

PEKING.

The Ming dynasty dress resembles the ancient Chinese
style as well as that of the old west. The Tartar style now
introduced has tight sleeves, a loose cape or jacket which hides
a plain sash, and a much simpler cap with ball at the summit,
while it retains only in the way of elaborate ornament the
embroidered breastplate. It also has a long necklace
borrowed from the Lama religion.

In dressing up the idols in Tauist temples everywhere in
China, the old style is preserved. In Buddhist temples, the
idols have an Indian costume. The human figures are all
nine feet high, and were first placed here with the animals
in 1436.

Beyond them is the triple gateway called Lung-hwa-men,
consisting of three elegant fiai- fangs, and forming the sixth
and last ornament in the approach to the tombs.

Then the land descends for a time ; there is a declivity of
twenty feet, and a broad valley worn low by rain-floods is
ci'ossed. Gradually it ascends to a stone-paved road, which
leads to the tomb of Yong-lo, through extensive persimon
orchards.

Arrived at the tomb, the visitor is conducted through an
entrance court and hall and a second court to the sacrificing
hall, where, by orders of the Manchu emperors, offerings are
still presented to the long-deceased sovereign of a fallen
dynasty. The roof of this hall is supported by eight rows of
four pillars each. It is seventy yards long by thirty deep.
The pillars, brought from the Yunnan and Birmah teak forests,
are twelve feet round and thii-ty-two feet high to the lower
ceiling, which is of wood in square painted panels. Above
this ceiling is the true roof, which at its summit may be
sixty-four feet high. On the sacrificial table in fi'ont of the
tablet are placed flower -jars, candle -supporters, and an incense
mm in the centre. The tablet is contained in a yellow flowery
roofed shrine on a dais behind the table. To the hall terrace
there is an ascent of eighteen steps, with elaborately cawed

TOMB OF YONG-LO.

389

balustrades extended round the whole building. The roof at
the ends is carried out about ten feet from the walls.

Leaving this magnificent hall and passing another court,
planted like those preceding with cypresses and oaks, the
stranger is introduced to the actual tomb. A passage thirty-
nine yards long leads through solid mason-work up to the
mound, the door of which is carefully closed with masoniy.
At this point the single passage divides into two, which lead
by a long flight of steps, the one east and the other west, to
the top of the grave terrace. Here, in front of the mound,
and immediately above the coffin passage, is the tombstone,
an immense upright slab, inscribed with the posthumous title,
“ The tomb of Cheng-tsu-wen Whang-ti.” The name may be
translated, the complete ancestor and literary emperor. He is
known in history as Cheng-tsu, the title conferred after his
death. According to the custom of all dynasties, the proper
name is not allowed to be mentioned, and during life each
Emperor is spoken of simply as “ his Majesty,” or “ the
Emperor.” The stone was painted with vermilion, and is
three feet thick, two yards wide, and proportionably high.
The mound is more than half a mile in circuit, and, though
artificial, looks quite like a natural hill ; it being planted with
trees to the top, principally cypresses and oaks. The famous
white pine, the trunk of which seems to the stranger eye to
have recently had a thick coat of whitewash, does not grow
here, on account of the want of lime in the soil. There are
fine specimens in the courts here of that species of oak called
by the Chinese PoTo ; which is fed on by wild silkworms, and
is useful in marketing, the leaves, which are vciy large, serving
as wrapping-paper.

Ten miles from the Ming tombs, on the south-west, lies
the busy little town of Nankow, through which passes the
traffic between Kal-gan and Peking. It is at the opening of
the famous historical pass Kii-yung-kwan, extending through
water- worn valleys of the Tai-king range for forty li, or thirteen

390

PEKING.

miles, from Nankow to the Great Wall. This stupendous
structure is seen here to great advantage, for it was repaired
in the Ming dynasty, and completed in the best manner at this
important point. The same is true of Ku-pei-kow, another
great pass into Mongolia, on the Je-hol road. The wall was
measured there by members of Lord Macartney's suite in
1793, and found to he twenty-five feet thick at the base and
fifteen at the top. The use of strong granite foundations and
bricks above cemented with lime in the vicinity of important
passes, give it the appearance of gi'eat strength. It winds
over the hills as it finds them ; whether the incline be steep
or gentle, it goes boldly forward, often capping the highest
ranges. At a distance, the traveller's attention is arrested by
a white curved line passing along the hills. The prominences
seen at intervals like telegi’aphic beacons are the towers.
Approaching nearer, he notices it mounting a steep in terraces,
like the successive steps of a gigantic staircase. The towers
are erected with arched windows and doorways, and the intro-
duction of wooden beams is avoided. The impression made
on the mind after inspecting these towers, and observing the
tiers of hewn granite of which the Great Wall in its lower part
is constructed, and the wonderful way in which it traverses
the mountains, is that a strong military government alone
could have undertaken such a work. The decision and energy
of a conquering dynasty are manifest in the boldness of its
plan. Regarding the hill ranges as nature’s boundary for the
Chinese empire, the builders often despised the easier labour
of carrying the wall in a straight line across a valley, and have
preferred to produce an impression of power and grandeur by
climbing heights where assuredly they would meet no enemies
but the wolves and tigers which inhabit these mountains. If
built partly for strength and for defence, the wall was probably
intended just as much for impression. And the aim has been
secured. The Mongols of to-day regard the chagan herem, or
white wall, as the natural limit of the grass land. North of it

THE GREAT WALL.

391

they roam at will with their flocks and herds over boundless
steppes of pasture. South of it they descend into a well-tilled
country, where wheat and millet take the place of the upland
prairie, and an alien people follow those civilized arts and
professions for which the roving Tartar feels himself as much
unsuited now as he did thousands of years ago. He, there-
fore, reveres China for her power and civilization, and makes
no new attempt to conquer.

The passes in the wall are exceedingly numerous. The
water flowing south-east from the great plateau has cut many
valleys in succession parallel with each other, and entering the
Peking plain each with its tributary stream at distances only
a few miles apart. Each of them as it crosses the wall has
its gate, which is used by the agriculturists and shepherds of
the vicinity, and, where coal-mines occur, by the miners and
mule-drivers.

The Great Wall, so far as it owes its origin to the
Emperor Tsin-shi-hwang, was erected n.c. 213, five years
before the death of that conqueror. Little of his w'ork now
remains. The inner Great Wall, or that which passes the
Ming tombs valley a little higher up, and is seen at Pa-ta-ling,
in the Xan-keu pass, \vas built in the sixth century by the Wei
dynasty, under the Emperor Wu-ting, a.d. 542. So states
the Kussian archimandrite Hyacinth in his Piefcctions on
Monyolia.* He adds that 50,000 workmen were employed in
building it, and that it passed to the north of the present
Tai-cheu in Shan-si. But the length of this wall, and the
points to which it extended, cannot be known rvith certainty.
The tradition — not mentioned by Hyacinth — should also be
kept in view that the pass Kii-yung-kwan received its name
from the location (kii) there of workmen (yung) employed by
Tsin-shi-hwang. Hyacinth further says that the same wall
was rebuilt fifty-four years after on the same ground.

When the native Ming dynasty di'ove out the Mongols in

* German translation, page 38.

392

PEKING.

1368, they decided on re-erecting the wall along the north
border of Chih-li. The same author says : — “ The erection of
the brick and granite wall as a fortification was first under-
taken in China by the Ming dynasty in the fourteenth century.
At this time it was the custom to compact such walls with
lime. Hence, the opinion must be entirely given up that the
old Great Wall was built of stone and bricks.” But on the
exact situation of those parts of the wall which were erected
by the Ming dynasty history speaks without distinctness.

I shall only add here that the difficulty of recognizing
some of the old names of places, and the habit indulged in by
the court historiogi'aphers of abridging the original records
when compiling their histories, still require, even after the
valuable investigations of the Russian sinologue, that we
should receive with hesitation some of his conclusions. The
stone monuments erected during the re-erection of the inner
wall at certain poiuts have still to be examined, and I think,
from recollection of one which I saw a few years ago, that an
examination of them will lead to the conclusion that the work
of the Ming emperors was only partial, and that much of the
granite and brick wall was in existence before their times.

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX A.

JouENEY OF Me. Oxenham feom Peking to Han-kow, theough
Centeal Chih-Li, Honan, and the Han Hivee.

Mr. Oxenham to Sir II. Alcock.

Han-kmr, March 1, 1860.

SiE, — I have the honour to lay before your Excellency the
following report of my journey, undertaken with your per-
mission, from Peking to Han-kow, and passing through the
provinces of Chih-li and Honan, to the centre of Hu-pei ; and
I trust that the great number of things worthy of record which
I saw, may he some excuse for the great length to which I
fear I have extended it.

On Monday. 2nd of November, 1868, I left Peking, and
proceeded out of the Chang-i-men gate, in the west wall of the
Chinese city, when I thus passed early on my journey an
innumerable number of carts, gathered together in front of the
inns, and almost blocking up the road, which were, to a certain
degree, a prognostication of the traffic which I was to meet
coming up from the south along this — the great high-road
from the south.

After leaving the city a paved road led to nearly as far as
the Su-kiu-kiau, a. small walled town on the Peking side of
the When-ho, and beyond which is the handsome bridge over
that stream, and giving its name to the town. On arriving at
the opposite side, the direction of the great road diverges

394

APPENDIX A.

towards the south, another hut less important one proceeding
due west towards the hills. The importance of the southern
one soon became evident, its breadth being increased to double
its former size, whilst along it numerous carts were slowly
and painfully toiling, often six inches deep in the sandy ruts
with which the track ■was covered. The goods taken in these
clumsy and primitive vehicles, each drawn by its motly team
of ponies, oxen, donkeys, and mules, consisted principally of
cotton, oil, tea, medicine, and grain for the metropolis, whilst
occasional strings of coolies might be seen carrying the same
description of goods, and proceeding quite as speedily, if not
more so, than the carts.

About fourteen miles from Peking, Ch’ang-ching-tien is in
front, and on both sides of it stretched, as far as the eye
could reach, a large earthwork, intended for the defence of the
capital. I could see no signs of guns, and a great part of it
was overgrown with grass ; hut a very small amount of labour
would soon put it into a condition to present a formidable
obstacle to an enemy approaching from the south.

Continuing my journey, I arrived in the evening at Tou-tien,
having passed through Liang-hiang-hien, a small ruinous-
looking place, remarkable for nothing but its wall. The
country was very similar to that about Peking, the fields perhaps
being rather smaller, and the trees more numerous. Further
south, the carrying trade seemed to he confined more exclusively
to hales of cotton, and cotton cloth, immense quantities of
which from the south of Chih-li vi'ere proceeding in carts or on
camels towards Peking. The road passed through several
villages, hut none of any importance, till at the Liu-li-ho, on
the south side of which stream, crossed by a stone bridge of
eleven arches, and ■with handsome marble balustrades, was the
flourishing little town of the same name. It consisted of a single
street nearly a mile in length and was full of prosperous shops.
About thirteen miles from this the road led through Tso-chow,
a large town of the second order, situated on the hank of a
small river, flowing towards the south-east. It had the appear-
ance of being a place of considerable trade, and the streets wmre
crowded with people. Their great number was, ho^vever,
accounted for by the fact that a fair wms going on at the time,
it being the 19th of the Chinese month. The numerous and

APPENDIX A.

395

well-kept shops attested a certain degree of prosperity ; hut
there were, nevertheless, more people and more traffic than
the situation of the counti’y appeared to warrant.

About a li from the southern suburbs of this town, the
great road to Shan-tuug and the south-east diverged, causing
an immediate diminution in the number of carts and travellers.
The Si-shan were just visible from the road, but in clear
weather would be easily discernible, their distance being
about fifteen miles off. The country remained flat as before,
but the ti’ees were less numerous, and great stretches of
cultivated plain, inclosed by lines of trees about every two
miles, became the principal characteristic. A slight change
soon after took place, reedy and swampy places impregnable
to cultivation being fi-equent. This, however, did not long con-
tinue, and the usual fields soon reigned pre-eminent, continuing
so as far as Pau-ting-foo, where I arrived on the evening of
November 4. This, politically, important city is situated in
a plain, and about a mile to the south of a small river called
the Ch’ao.

To the west, about twelve miles distant, and distinctly
visible, are the Si-shan or the Western Hills, the environs of
the remaining quarters being the usual flat uninteresting
country. Of natrrral defences the city seemed to possess
none ; but strong, high, and thick walls were a sufficient
defence against Chinese ar-tillery. A small mud wall of
recent construction surrounded the suburbs, as also did a
similar one some soldiers’ camps close under the north wall.
The northern plain near the city was entu-ely uncultivated
and covered w'ith grass. On it were placed poles with flags
flying on them, having inscribed the characters exhorting
the local militia to be prompt in the execution of their duty,
and w'arning travellers to beware of the rebels. Commer-
cially, the place is of slight importance, and merits but slight
notice. A small trade is earned on with Shan-si, whence
comes iron and coal ; foreign cloths and other goods being
sent in return. The iron is manufactured into small iron
balls used to roll about in the hand, which, together with
pickles, appear to be the single manufacture. I took the
opportunity to pay a visit to the inside of the city walls, and
found the streets rather naiTow after those of Peking, the

396

APPENDIX A.

appearance of the shops only betokening a slight amount of
prosperity, and the population respectably numerous ; hut
several bare spots inside the walls told their own tale. As
the provincial capital, it is the residence of a Governor-
General, a provincial Treasurer, and a provincial Judge, and
from this circumstance derives all its importance. In addition
to the trade I have mentioned may be added the constant
passage of travellers to and fro between Peking and the south.
In accordance with your Excellency’s instructions, I made
every inquiry about the rebels who approached and were
reported to have besieged this town in the winter of 1867-68.
As far as I could gather from people in the toum and in the
vicinity, it appears that no actual bombardment of the city
took place : the walls, though old, were everywhere in perfect
repair ; but that the enemy came very near, so near as to
cause great apprehensions among the people, is true, their
distance from the walls being variously given as from two to
four miles. Engagements took place in the immediate neigh-
bourhood between them and the Imperial troops, and the)’
finally suffered a severe defeat at a place twenty li from the
city, after which they fled towards the south-east. The
country people in the neighbourhood had, however, suffered
severely from their ravages, but less than from the reports
spread abroad of their cruelty than might have been expected.
In some small villages tln-ough which I afterwards passed,
signs of the destruction wrought by their bands were every-
where visible ; doors and windows had been toi-n off to make
fires with, and holes had been knocked in the walls and roofs,
but the houses had in no cases been completely destroyed.
Chinese villages are so universally in a dilapidated condition
that the damage attributed to rebels may sometimes be simply
the result of the people’s indolence and cai’elessness, but here
such was evidently not the case. The inhabitants, I was told
by an innkeeper whose inn bore signs of the destnictiou it had
undergone, had all fled to the hills on the approach of the
enemy, fearing outrage and death, so that in his and some
neighbouring places no lives had been taken ; but further
south, in places where the people were unprepared, great
atrocities had been committed. Eveiy one was agreed as to
the large numbers of the rebels, some saying they extended

APPENDIX A.

397

over sixty li of country, another that they were 200,000
strong ; and allowing somewhat for popular exaggeration, it
seems evident that they were a large and formidable body.
Their arms consisted of muskets and spears, but they had
verj" few cannon in their possession. Every one was also
agreed upon the point that the Imperial ti'oops were as much
to be dreaded by the populace as the rebels. They did not
slay, it is tnie ; but pillage, robbery, and outrage marked
theii' course. A people who have as much to dread from
their avowed foes as from their nominal protectors are, indeed,
in a pitiable condition, and the foreigner ceases to wonder at
the continual outbreaks of rebellion. Something may be
allowed to the wild licence and savage passions engendered
by war in all countries and at all times, but a country unable
to restrain its own soldiery seems ripe for the sickle. The
fields, however, had been even, where possible, untouched by
the spoiler ; long lines of willow-trees still continue to border
the roads ; the long stretches of cultivated land still continue
to reproduce themselves with monotonous uniformity ; and
the fruit-trees, the heritage from happier times, still continue
to ornament the gardens of the cottager ; and the tuns (brick
towers erected every five li, and used to announce the approach
of the foe) still remain undestroyed and generally intact. In
mentioning these tuns it will be necessary for me to bring to
your Excellency’s notice the remaining traces of that vast
organization which once stretched through the length and
breadth of this wonderful empire. It still exists, though with
decreasing vigour. I have above stated the arrangement and
use of the tun ; in addition to these, at every three li, is
erected a small house built of brick, and about 8 feet squai'e ;
the face fronting the road is generally whitewashed, and on
this is written, in the picturesque Chinese character, the
distance from the nearest hien, both to the north and the
south, the name of the township this particular building
belongs to, and the number, name, and residence of the thief-
takers, watchmen, and police. By this means, if the perform-
ance equals the design, great facilities are thus offered to the
robbed or benighted traveller. In addition to this, some
attention — arising more from the economical laws of supply
and demand than from any care of the Government — is paid,

398

APPENDIX A.

if not to the comfort, at least to the wants of the traveller.
Every twenty li the thirsty mule finds pails of water set
across the road for his refreshment, and tea-houses and inns,
more or less dilapidated, abound in every village.

After leaving Pau-ting-foo my road continued through the
usual monotony of cultivated plains, villages of considerable
size being neither few nor infrequent. I was fortunate enough
to pass through the country at the season of the autumn fairs,
and I traversed several places where they were going on.
Immense quantities of grain of every kind were for sale, and
in many places the women were occupied in spinning and
selling cotton thread ; au employment they were engaged on
almost universally in Chih-li. The cotton comes from the
south of the province, and what thread is not consumed at
home goes up to Peking. Long strips of blue cotton cloth
were also abundant, and fruit, raw cotton, and the rude
implements of Chinese agriculture complete the list. In all
these places I met with no insult or even ridicule, and I was
struck wdth the purity of their accent ; and this purity con-
tinued to within a few' miles of the southern boundary of the
province. On the 6th of November I arrived at mid-day at
Ting-chow', famous for au eye-salve, renowned throughout the
empire ; and which, judging by the numbers and appearance
of the shops dealing in that article, seems to be in great demand.
Beyond this place, the aspect of the countiy entirely changed
to flat and fertile fields, succeeded by so poor and sandy a soil
that not even Chinese industry could cultivate it. It was, how-
ever, turned to some account, as plantations w'ere scattered all
over the countiy. They were composed of birch, willow, and
poplar, and are cut down every thi-ee or four years, when the
wood is used to make firew'ood and matches. The plain was
watered by w'hat the country people called the Sha-ho, now
of no great breadth, but in summer overflowing lai'ge tracts of
country. The banks on either side were bare of anything for
the distance of half-a-mile from the river. The people were
wilder in look, ruder in manner, and less intelligent than the
agricultural population, but decidedly more independent and
self-asserting. On the following day I arrived at Ching-ting-
foo, the residence of a prefect, and renowned for its manufac-
ture of images of Buddha, made with iron from Shan-si. It

APPENDIX A.

399

consisted of two long streets, crossing one another at right
angles, and having some little traffic at one of the gates ; hut
the dilapidated appearance of the houses told their own tale.
Outside the two main streets, lanes, a few houses long,
stretched into the plains, which, surrounding them, extended
to the walls. At the south gate I met some braves returning
from drill, remarkable for the magnificence of their banners,
the brilliancy of their attire, and the primitive and decayed
nature of their arms, which consisted of a long spear and old
flint musket per man. They appeared flushed with the excite-
ment of their drill exercise, and by theii’ proud and martial
attitude would have extorted admiration from any one hut a
soldier. Outside the south wall was stretched a large grass
plain untouched by the plough, and bounded by a hroadisli
river about six or seven feet deep. It was crossed by a ferry,
and I learnt from the boatman that this river, by name the
Poo-too-ho, flows into the Pei-ho near Tien-tsin, from which
latter place large quantities of salt come up by boat to within
a few miles of this feriy, and are sent on to Shan -si in ex-
change for iron. A Roman Catholic Mission and Bishop
likewise reside at this Foo. About 40 li from the city the
road to Shan-si was passed ; the first place (and one which,
whenever I spoke of iron, coal, or hardware, was always in
men’s mouths) of importance on which was Why-loo (an
emporium), whence comes large quantities of iron and coal.
Possessing both in such abundance, it has all the facilities
for the smelting of the ore ; and from the reports of the
natives it must be a large and important place. Soon after
passing the Shan-si road, I arrived at Luan-ching-hien, a
well-built, prosperous town, with houses of a somewhat loftier
aspect and better construction than is usual in Chih-li. Banks
and granaries were numerous, and there was a considerable
trade in local agricultural produce. Beyond this town the
country resumed its former aspect of monotonous cultivation
and insipidity, and the inhabitants likewise regained the polite-
ness and courtesy which seems to characterize the northern
agricultural districts.

Another day’s journey brought me to Pai-hiam-hien,
where I was fortunate enough to fall in with a fair. The
streets were lined with stalls and crowded with people selling

400

APPENDIX A.

rope, raw cotton, thread, grain, peas, native matches, and
other country produce. And notwithstanding that the street
was so crowded that the carts could only proceed at a snail’s
pace, causing some annoyance to the populace, I never heard
an angry word or met with the slightest opposition. Great
astonishment, some excitement, and an intense curiosity pre-
vailed, but never transgressed the limits of politeness. This
was perhaps attributable to the presence of a Roman Catholic
Mission, which consisted of a chapel, a school, and some fifty
converts in the neighbourhood. A short distance from this
town the country underwent another change, and ranges of low
downs appeared. The soil was of a chalky nature, and eveiy-
where covered ■with the sprouting wheat. By the hanks and
streams, and in sheltered hollows, some trees were visible, and
in one place in particular a large grove of them existed — -used
when of sufficient size to make scaffolding poles. After
passing Hei-ping-hieu the country became as flat as before,
but the land was less fertile, and the traces of rebel destruction
became again apparent. Cottages destroyed, the mile-houses
often entirely in ruins, and some tracts of country completely
uncultivated. Guard- houses were erected at intervals and
filled with local militia carrying their usual miserable arms.
Flags were flying with exhortations written on them to be
prompt in action against the rebels. On the borders of this
kind of country was Shun-tuh-foo, a lai-ge city with a con-
siderable local trade. The usual wall of some height and
thickness surrounded it, and the streets, though not remarkable
for their bustling appearance or for the excellence of the
houses lining them, had better shops than the cities I before
had traversed. The suburbs on the south side were of great
extent, stretching nearly a mile beyond the walls, and
possessing all the inns and eating-houses. It was remarkable
at all the large walled towns, at least in Chih-li, how all the
life and activity of the city seemed concentrated in the suburbs,
and likewise how much moi'e prosperous the market towns and
hiens were than the cities of greater size. I was assured
this arose from the small number of and comparatively inferior
rank of the ofiicials, who were neither so much feared or so
encroaching ; and the people thus left more free to choose
their own employments, and not subject to so many illegal

APPENDIX A.

401

exactions, were enabled to pursue their various trades with
greater profit and greater energy. This state of things had,
however, its unfavourable side, as the people were invariably
much less civil and more disposed to be insulting. In the
morning, on leaving Shun-tuh-foo, we were escorted for about
two miles outside the mud walls of the suburbs by soldiers sent
out by the prefect for the protection of travellers against local
banditti. A more miserable set of men I have seldom seen,
but we fortunately had no occasion for their assistance. The
country now resumed its usual appearance of cultivation, and
the broad high-road passed between a continual succession of
fields. On the 10th we passed the Ling-min-huanzu, where a
long extent of wall stretched east and west as far as the eye
could reach, and on the south side of which was a town full of
shops and people. This barrier, I was informed, was the
limit of the jurisdiction of the governor-general of Chih-li,
although the actual province itself extended some distance
further south. A few miles further brought us to Han-tan-
hien, famous for the many delights and pleasures to be found
inside its walls, and for the beauty of its situation. I was,
however, uuable to discover anything in any way remarkable
about it, as the situation was in no respects striking, and the
town itself in a very dilapidated condition. The women of
the place and neighbourhood are famous for thek beauty, and
arrange their hair in a coil at the back of the head, where, with
the assistance of a silver comb, they form it into a crest ; this,
I fancy, has contributed largely to their reputation for personal
charms, which thek natural features do not seem at all to
deserve. Carts lumbering slowly along at the rate of three or
four miles an hour here again become numerous ; and in
addition to tea, medicine, and tobacco, and varnish, many of
them carry coal brought from the Si-shan in the neigh-
bourhood, and costing 200 cash a chin. Sixteen miles
from here the road for the first time in my journey passed
through fields cultivated with the cotton-plant. A broad
stream, with numerous offshoots running at right angles into
the fields for the purposes of irrigation, ran on each side of
the road, and the careful Chinaman had made use of them to
rear fish as well. The plants were all brown and withered,
but numbers of women were employed in the fields gleaning
VOL. II. 54

402

APPENDIX A.

for wliat they could find. This is the cotton used hy the
northern Chinese to pad their garments with during winter,
and is the article used by the village women to spin into
thread. It is, however, regarded as of an inferior quality.
The cotton-fields ceased after three miles, and the usual corn
evciTwhere prevailed again, interspersed with occasional vege-
table gardens, which in the neighbourhood of Su-chow entirely
took possession of the fields. Su-chow, through which I
passed, is a large tonm of considerable local importance. The
streets v;ere crammed with people and lined with shops in
which large quantities of grain, pots and pans, and long blue
cotton-cloth were for sale. The staining of tables a deep
cherry-colour seemed another fruitful branch of commerce,
and peculiar to the place and its neighbourhood. So engrossed,
however, w'ere the people with their own afi'airs that they
scarcely deigned to cast a glance at me, although I w'as
probably one of the first foreigners many of them had seen. A
large suburb, with its inclosing mud wall, extended towards
the south. Towards the evening of the same day I arrived
at Chang-ho, a river of some breadth and about 6 feet deep.
It flowed through a sandy e.xpanse of gi'ound which is in
summer completely inundated with water. All the traffic is,
therefore, at that time of the year compelled to make a long
detour in order to arrive at a passable spot. To obviate this,
wonderful to relate, the local magistrate had determined to
erect a bridge of wood, and some of the piles were already
(biven in. As this bridge would have to be about a quarter of
a mile long, and be proportionately expensive, it speaks well
for that official’s energy, and shows there still remains some
even in Chinese officials. On the opposite hank is the
provmce of Honan, where I amved on the evening of the
11th of November.

Sixteen miles south of this place brought me to Chang-tuh-
foo, a city equally famous for its trade, its prosperity, and the
excellence of its buildings. It is situated on the south hank of
a river of some size flowing into the Pei-ho near Tien-tsin, and
crossed hy a bridge of six arches. Below' this bridge I
noticed several small junks which can-y dovm to Tien-tsin coal
and cotton, bringing back in return salt and foreign goods.
From this cbcumstance it is evident the water must be of some

APPENDIX A.

403

depth, but not sufficient to be of much avail for anything but
small boats. The absence of a river of sufficient depth would,
in the present condition of China, prevent this city being
opened to foreign trade ; but in the event of a railway passing
along this route it could not fail to be a place of gi’eat impor-
tance. On entering the walls I soon perceived that I had
arrived at a city very different from the so-called Foos of
Cbih-li. Handsome temples in first-rate repair, and stone pai-
lows, elegantly carved, bespoke the piety or the wealth of the
inhabitants ; whilst a busy and numerous population, and the
constant succession of shops, gay with the fantastic ornaments
of the Chinese, showed the sources whence this wealth was
derived. Outside the main street, instead of the bare spaces
destitute of houses, which are inclosed in a wall to dignify a
village, the residence of some prefect, with the title of Foo,
are here to be seen a constant succession of well-built
dwelling-houses reaching up to the very base of the wall. In
passing through the streets of this crowded city I was the
subject of an intense and amused curiosity, but beyond some
boys making use of the phrase “ Yang huetzu,” for which in
most cases they were rebuked by the bystanders, I met with
neither insult nor injuiy. When it is considered that I was
nearly half-an-hour before I got clear of the houses, and that,
being on horseback, I was a very conspicuous object, such a
fact speaks well for the Chinese character, and is hardly the
treatment a Chinaman would have met with in similar circum-
stances in England fifty years ago, before the introduction of
railways. From inquiries I made about the rebels, it appears
that they, 200,000 strong, were for a few weeks in the
neighboui’hood. The people all fled to the city for protection,
which it fortunately afforded them, a large body of Imperial
troops being stationed there. These soldiers eventually were
marched out for battle, and gave the rebels a severe defeat,
driving them off to the eastwards.

About four miles from Chang-te-foo, at a small village
where I stopped for my midday halt, immense quantities of
wheelbarrows were collected, for by this slow and tedious
method most of the goods are here conveyed.

The country now became undulating with a succession of
downs. The soil was chalky, and in some few places entirely

404

APPENDIX A.

uncultivated, and I was surprised to observe the excellence of
the roads ; hard, smooth, and destitute of ruts as they were,
they would not have disgraced an English county. Crossing
these downs came large numbers of wheelbarrows, and in one
place where the country was unusually high and open, and
where a strong wind was blowing in their favour, all of them
set up a sail to assist them in their journey. The manner in
which this was arranged was as simple as it was ingenious.
Two long bamboo poles were fixed upright at the end of the
wheelbarrow, to which was attached a piece of cloth, an old
coat, a sack, or, in fact, anything which would catch the wind.
It was impossible not to admire the ingenuity which could
avail itself of so novel an assistant, and the persevering
industry which could take so cumbrous a conveyance such long
distances. The men who use these awkward and loud-
shrieking vehicles contrive to take them 70 li a day, and in
the event of a favourable wind often 100 li. One man
generally manages the wheelbarrow, though he sometimes
avails himself of the assistance of his son, his wife, or his
donkey ; and on the whole, though an Englishman may
marvel, he is not likely to desire either to copy or to admire
such a mode of conveyance. Each man owns his own wheel-
barrow, as the drivers do the carts, so that the system of
personal ownership, and consequently awakened self-interest,
seems to prevail in China from the land to the wheelbarrow.
On these bare, houseless, and often uncultivated downs were
here and there erected stone monuments to deceased Chinese
statesmen, and many casual expressions used by the natives
reminded one, that now one was arrived at the classic land of
the dynasty of the Sung. Another day’s journey through
country of a similar nature, where broken-down houses often
gave evidence of rebel destruction, brought me on the
13th November to Wei-kiun-foo, a large city situated on a
fertile plain, and distant from the Si-shan about 6 miles.
These mountains, which for the last few days have disappeared
from view, begin here again to make their appearance. The
road in one place passed so near them that I was able to
distinguish the nature of the rocks, which had the appearance
of being of a basaltic nature, and I could plainly distinguish
the different ranges of mountains rising one behind the other.

APPENDIX A.

405

aucl some attaining to a considerable height, but uncoyered
with snow or ice. The city of Wei-kiun-foo had a very hand-
some appearance, several large pagodas and towers ornamented
the place, and temples, well wooded and prettily situated,
abounded in the vicinity. The walls of it are washed by the
waters of the Wei River, a large broad stream of considerable
depth, sufficient for moderately sized junks to ascend from
Tien-tsin. At the place itself there is between 12 and 15 feet
of water, and though the river has not a uniform depth of this
nature, yet I was assured an average of from 8 to 10 feet may
be relied on. Large quantities of coal come from a place
called Fang-shan-hien, and are sent to Tien-tsin in exchange
for its salt. Traces of the rebels, who plundered, ravaged,
and burnt last year up to the very walls of the city, are still
visible in the ruined houses and broken doors and windows.
Provisions were likewise very dear from the same cause. The
advantages this place possesses as a possible residence for
foreigners are neither few nor unimportant. Though not
equalling in the extent of its trade Chang-tah-foo, yet the
beauty of its situation, the abundance of coal, the presence
of what in Europe would be called a navigable stream,
and the healthy nature of its climate, all seem to give it the
superiority, whilst the people are courteous and obliging. In
addition to this, the high-road branches off to Kai-fung-foo,
another, though shorter, route leading more directly to Fan-
ching; and Shan-si, the great iron and coal mart, is in the
immediate neighbourhood. It was with great regret I was
compelled to give up proceeding to the capital of Honan, but
the state of the roads rendered it impossible ; and though, in
hopes of getting more favourable answers, I made every inquiry,
yet the people unanimously declared the roads too heavy for
the passage of carts.

On leaving this city my road lay for the rest of my land
journey along country roads, tolerable indeed, but narrow
tracks after the broad highway along which I had so long been
travelling. Traces of the rebels were constantly appearing,
hut the industry of the people had entirely obliterated any
marks of their devastation on the fields, and universal
cultivation reigned supreme. The majority of my fellow-
travellers, some of whom had accompanied me from Peking,

406

APPENDIX A.

and the greater part of the traffic likewise, proceeded along
these country roads, and I was credibly informed that at all
times most of the traffic takes this road, partly because it is
shorter and partly to avoid the dangerous ferry at Kai-fung-
foo. A new feature in the counti-y now presented itself : I
mean, the presence of numerous walled villages. Their walls
are generally built of mud, are about six feet or more in
thickness, and usually possess four stone gateways. These
fortifications are not expected by the Government, hut by the
people as a defence against the continual invasions of rebels.
In one place the whole village — men, women, and children —
were engaged in repairing the wall with earth taken out to
deepen the moat. Koue of the gateways had any appearance
of antiquity, the second and third year of Tung-chih (1862-3)
being the most frequent date. This instance of local public
spirit and independence was remai’kable, and this, together with
the number and evident importance of the local militia, shows
how, even now, in parts of the countiw free from the encroach-
ments of a corrupt and pedantic officialism, a large amount of
public spirit and courage still exists among the body of the
people, so that they seem to want not so much new forms and
theones of government as that the theories of their own great
philosophers should be put into practice — a thing now impos-
sible when a body of officials exists whose only escape from
poverty lies in bribery and extortion.

In traversing the open plains of Northern Honan and the
great stretches of cultivated land in Chih-li, it was impossible
not to be struck with the extraordinary facilities these parts of
China possess for the movements of large bodies of troops, and
this may perhaps account for the constant succession of
invasions, battles, and sieges of which this part of the empire
has been so often the theatre ; the nearness to the capital, and
the consequent ease with which the authorities at Peking are
intimidated, is another ; and all these combined may account
for that continual warfare which seems to have made Northern
Honan the Belgium and cockpit of China.

At Sin-hiang-hien, the road to Shan-si was passed, and
in five hours more the neighbourhood of the Yellow River
was reached. A series of banks, some ten or twelve miles
from its northern bank, showed the distance its ravages extend.

APPENDIX A.

407

Tliese defences were of no great height, but stretched to the
east and west as far as the eye could reach, and seemed to be
the termination of a series of gigantic steps sloping on the whole
up (though sometimes towards) from the Yellow River. They
were of sufficient size to keep out stagnant water, but not
bulky enough to resist a sudden inundation, so that, at this
distance, only the ultimate, not the immediate, results of
these inundations are to he seen. At last, in a village
apparently hounded by an earthen wall as large as that
of the Tartar city of Peking, was reached the first of the
outworks erected to resist the Whang-ho, and on arriving at
the top that river, and the gigantic earthworks rendered neces-
sary by its outbreaks, burst on the view.

On a level with the spot on which I was standing,
stretched a series of embankments, each one about seventy
feet high and of breadth sufficient for four railway trucks to
run abreast on them. The mode of their arrangement was in
this wise : one long hank about two miles from the river bank
ran parallel to the direction of the stream ; half-a-mile distant
from it ran a similar one ; these two embankments were then
connected by another series exactly similar in size, height,
and breadth, and running at right angles to them right down
to the edge of the water so as to present their narrow ends to
the river. By these means the country is divided into a
series of squares, ofifering, I should imagine, a very effectual
resistance to any inundation. In many of these enclosed
spaces groves of tsao-trees were growing, and in a few places
were some unsuccessful attempts at corn-growing ; but in the
squares next to the water hare stretches of sand, with a little
coarse grass growing on it, were all there was to he seen.
On reaching the bank the yellow colour of the river attested
the correctness of its name, hut the current, though by no
means slow, did not impress me by its rapidity. The breadth I
calculated at about half-a-milc, and from the bank the stream
had the appearance of deserving in some degree the approba-
tion as well as the execration of mankind, for so broad a river
must be of value to the commercial world ; but on embarking
on board the ferry-boat, by which men, carts, and ponies are
all conveyed across, I found how cruelly I was deceived, for
on proceeding across the river we were poled nearly the whole

408

APPENDIX A.

of the way, and it was not until arriving close under some
mountains, which hounded and ran down into the water on the
opposite bank, that deep water was reached ; there was a
channel of 20 to 30 feet deep and some 12 feet in breadth,
but this was simply owing to the proximity of the hills. The
current was swifter than at first appeared likely, and the
feriy-hoat was hauled some distance along the northern hank
before the transit was begun, a depth of from 4 to 6 feet being
the average. Several small junks were sailing up the stream,
hut from inquiries I made there does not appear to he any
gi'eat trade, the little that there is consisting of grain.

The inundations for which this river has a melancholy
celebrity are most prevalent during the fifth, sixth, and
seventh Chinese months. The gi’eat quantities of goods,
principally tea, from Siang-yaug-foo and Hankow, lying on
the bank awaiting transhipment, showed how this country*
route is becoming popular ; and though at present peculiar cir-
cumstances have diverted the trade from K’ai-fung-foo, yet
this line of route seems likely, eventually, to supersede the old
high-road.

The south bank of the Yellow River was entirely destitute
of the elaboi’ate series of embankments which were erected on
the northern hank, partly because the range of the Mang hills
bordering the south bank of the river would naturally impel
the waters more towards the north bank, and pai’tly because
the country itself was more undulating and often traversed by
low hills. The Mang hills, apparently consisting principally
of earth, and said to possess some coal, ceased at the landing-
place on the southern bank, and the country there lay open to
the river. In appearance, however, it was entii’ely different
to that through which I had been passing. Small fields,
generally divided by hanks and occasionally by hedges,
impaired a more varied aspect to the landscape, to which
orchards of tsao-trees lent an additional charm.

It was agreeable to travel through country of a somewhat
more varied nature, and which continued almost the whole of
the rest of my laud journej". The country to the south of the
Yellow River now became of this natui’e, and a constant
succession of hill and dale reminded me often of England,
whilst the numerous fanns with their thatched roofs, and

APPENDIX A.

409

occasional gardens, surrounded with clumps of trees, did not
diminish the similarity. Short ranges of hills, mostly running
north and south, were not unfrequent, and some of them were
reported to contain coal, — a rumour w'hich was verified at
Siu-ching-hien, in w'hose southern suburb was a regular
market for the sale of this valuable mineral. It is here
brought down in small boats from some hills to the west of the
town ; but it was soft, and of an inferior quality. This
country, for three or four days’ journey to the south of the
Yellow Eiver, has another peculiar feature, namely, the extra-
ordinary manner in which it is split and rifted into innu-
merable cracks and ravines. The earth has thus the
appearance of having been, when wet, suddenly dried by a
very hot sun, and so divided into a series of gigantic splits.
The result of this was, that the roads were continually passing
between high earthen banks, often as much as 30 feet in height.
Carts seem to be again the principal conveyances, though
wheelbarrows are occasionally met w'ith, and tea and medicine
the goods most generally carried, and, considering that this is
a country-road, in large quantities. In several of the fields I
noticed a sort of coffin-shaped basin, built of brick and
plaster; and on inquiring, found it was the “ leang-tien,” or
indigo vat, used for dyeing the native cloth. The dye is said
to be manufactured from the leaves of trees, but from what
particular species of tree I could not discover. The people
wore a healthy, well-fed, happy appearance ; and though
rather rude in their manners, and gruff in their answers, were,
oil the whole, fairly obliging. The harvest this year had been
an e.\cellent one, so that I saw them under the most favourable
circumstances ; but after a bad one I could imagine the
traveller might tell a different tale. The harvest being over,
a series of rejoicings and fairs were being proceeded with in
most parts of the country ; and almost everywhere might be
seen a theatre in the open air with its crowd of open-mouthed
iTistics. If the nature of the country has any influence over
the appearance of the inhabitants, the character of these people
is accounted for, and a happy agricultural life seems possible
for them in a country so diversified with such a variety of scene,
and such a variety of employments.

On 18th of November I arrived at Sin-ching-hien, a large

410

APPENDIX A.

and flomishing tovru, situated on the Yu-ho, with a range
of hills stretching from east to west, immediately to the south
of it. The river is broad and deep, having a bridge with a
kind of drawbridge in the centre over it, and some large barges
were anchored below it. The stream, I was told, flows past
Yang-chow into the Y'^ang-tsze, and some trade consequently
descends it, a great quantity of coarse crockery- ware being
sent ; foreign goods from Shanghae among other things being
brought back in return. In the suburbs the houses were, for
the first time in my journey, not built of mud or bricks, hut
of a red freestone, large quantities of which are found in
quarries in the neighbouring hills. Having time to spare, I
entered on foot the walls of this town, and found it a flourishing
place ; hut the lateness of the hour, and an enormous and
constantly-increasing crowd, soon compelled my retreat. The
people were, however, extremely civil, and considering that
(as I was afterwards informed) two Englishmen, about three
years back, had behaved in a manner disgraceful to themselves
and to their nation, going sometimes so far as to fire at the
people, such conduct speaks well for the character of the
populace. The following day the road led through a pass in
the Chow hills behind the to^vn, and I met numerous carts
carrying tea, medicine, and immense quantities of coarse
paper. The houses continued for some distance to be built
of stone ; hut on leaving the hill district, and arriving once
more at the plain cultivated with corn, and orchards of tsao
and persimon trees, they were again constructed of mud or
bricks. In one place we came upon the astonishing spectacle
of Chinamen mending a road, and the manner in which they
proceeded to perform this action merits some slight description.
Their method was this : they dug two broad ditches, one on
each side of the road, about 15 feet broad and 3 feet deep.
The earth thus obtained was thrown on the offending road,
and men with rammers completed the business. The effect
of this was to make the tolerable intolerable, and the bad
totally impassable fur at least a month, at the expiration of
which period the road will probably return to its pristine
badness.

On this day, in passing through a large market town, wdiere,
as I have already remarked, a foreigner is much more liable

APPENDIX A.

411

to insults than in the larger towns, I experienced, for the first
time on my journey, great rudeness from the populace, who
strove in every way, except blows, to manifest their hatred to
foreigners. On first entering the gates I imagined the place
to be a large village, and that the houses would soon cease ;
but after I had proceeded nearly half-a-mile through a
hooting and enraged population, only waiting for a leader to
set upon me, matters began to look more serious. I was,
unfortunately, at the time, entirely by myself, the carts having
made a detour to avoid the lately-mended roads, so that I was
entirely at the mercy of the crowd. Fortunately, however,
the streets grew broader, aud as soon after the gate leading
into the country became visible, I galloped away from the
crowd, saluted by hoots, gi’oans, and showers of stones.

In the evening we arrived at Chin-hien, another largo
town ; and on the following day, after passing over a succes-
sion of downs, arrived at Yu-chow. Here a continuous rain
compelled me to remain two nights ; and I was enabled by
chance to verify with my own eyes the reports tlie Chinese
universally give of the mischievous brutality of the Imperial
soldiery.

On the night of our arrival all the inns were crowded with
Government troops, disbanded and returning home to Shan-si,
compelling us to take refuge for the night in a large stable.
The next morning their departure enabled us to proceed to an
inn, where w'e found the doors taken off their hinges, the
windows all smaslicd, aud holes knocked both in the W’alls
and roof. In addition to this, not one cash did the innkeeper
get for the food and lodging with which he had supplied
them, or for the furniture and crockery they had destroyed.

A continuance of l ain compelled me to give up any idea
of continuing my journey by land, and I accordingly struck
across country to a place called Shih-chia-tien’rh, a navigable
place on the Siang River, an affluent of the Han River, and I
arrived there on the 22nd of November.

On the following day, on proceeding to the river, about
half-a-mile distant from the walls, I had an opportunity of
seeing the town, and was astonished to see from the walls
what a large place it was. Although but an ordinary market-
town, the W’alls extended for twenty-five li in circumference,

412

APPENDIX A.

and several large warehouses, with their yards full of goods,
from the south, attested the trade and prosperity of the place.
The shops, though not large, were in capital order, and the
whole town gave me the idea of great prosperity. As men
from all parts of the Empire are here congregated together,
and especially men from Canton, Fu-kien, Hunan, and the
south, the population is of rather a motley character, and the
place has a bad reputation for the character of its inhabitants.
My own observations confirmed this report, and members of
the Chinese rowdy class seemed numerous. My arrival, and
consequent walks about the streets, spread the news of my
presence far and wide, and I was unable to stir from the inn
without being followed by half the city ; and in their eager
desire to see a foreigner, my inn was almost besieged, an
enormous crowd completely blocking up the street in which it
was, and effectually preventing either ingress or egress.
Having endeavoured, but without success, to disperse them, I
sent my card in to the local officials, who kindly sent some
policemen to assist me, and these men remained for the rest
of my stay in the inn. I cannot say they were of much
assistance to me, but the goodwill of the mandarins deserves
some little recognition. At the time of the rebellion this
town was a gi'eat centre of disaffection, and is still, I believe,
regarded with suspicion by the provincial authorities.

On the evening of the 24th, having made all my arrange-
ments, I went on hoard the boat, and on the follow’ing morning
started down this branch of the Han. The river is here about
50 yards broad, and 6 feet deep, and rendered navigable by the
entrance of another large stream. For about half-a-mile the
hank of the river was lined with small boats, averaging about
30 feet long and 8 broad, and resembling in their construction
our barges at home, though of a less cumbrous nature. The
boat proceeded but slowdy, as the sandbanks were numerous,
and contrary winds continually delayed my course. The
people, whilst I was passing through Honan, were excessively
rude and turbulent ; and as my tw'o days’ stay at Shih-chia-
tien’rh had enabled all the country-people to know' of my
presence, they were everywhere on the look-out. When the
boatmen refused to stop they used bad language, and in some
places threw stones and mud, refusing to discontinue till I

APPENDIX A.

413

came on deck and remonstrated with them. At one or two
small towns where the boat w'as obliged to anchor to purchase
provisions, half the population would turn out, and, on the
boatman desiring to depart, refused to allow him, using oppro-
brious epithets and threatening gestures. I always insisted,
however, on leaving such places as soon as the necessary
purchases were made, but showers of mud and stones showed
the temper of the populace. Nor did I find them even plea-
sant to converse with, as they often refused to answer a
civil question ; or replied in a rude, discourteous manner.
Though independent in manner, they likewise had a loose,
disorderly expression about them, which seems to justify the
bad reputation they have amongst the Chinese. Nor did
there seem any special immediate cause for such conduct, such
as a bad harvest, an inundation, or an invading army ; the
fields were well cultivated, and the houses appeared in perfect
repair. The country, though by no means flat, could not be
termed hilly, and, from what I could see of it, was universally
cultivated, — corn, millet, cotton, and oats being the principal
crops.

On the 1st of December I arrived at the borders of Hu-pei,
and very glad I was to escape out of the hands of the fierce
democracy of Honan. The river increased in breadth, but
not in depth, and the boat, though not drawing more than one
foot of water, w'as continually aground. Various kinds of roots
are here cultivated, many of which were unknown to me, and
a species of radish of a purple colour, of the shape, though
larger than a caiTot, called the pai-shu, which, when fried, is an
excellent substitute for potato. Further south great quantities
of yellow peas are grown and shipped off in junks from the
banks for Hankow and the south. A kind of sweet pea,
creeping along the ground, whose beans, when dried, are much
eaten by the natives, was also very plentiful ; it is called
chih-mo. The banks of the river were thickly inhabited, large
ch’ais occurring every twenty li, with small villages interspersed
between. In Hu-pei the inhabitants wer-e polite and courteous,
and I was able to walk along the banks in peace. AVe met
great quantities of junks of small size proceeding north, con-
veying tea, silk, cloth, bamboos, and a little foreign cloth.
After entering Hu-pei the river grew sensibly broader, and, on

414

APPENDIX A.

tlie wliole, deeper, though still full of numerous sandbanks,
requiring care and skill to avoid. As we neared Fan-chung,
however, the banks grew higher, and the water deeper and
broader, sufficiently so to enable the large junks to float. The
aspect of the river remained thus for the two days before
reaching Fan-chung, at which place I arrived on the 3rd of
December, having passed through a fertile and populous
country, and along a river too shallow to be of any avail for
foreign steamers.

In accordance with your Excellency’s instructions I pro-
ceeded to land, in order that I might make the necessary
inquiries as to Siang-yang-foo, which place I discovered was
about two miles distant. The spot where the great majority
of the junks were anchored was at the place where the Siang
Diver enters the Han, trebling the size in every way of that
otherwise small stream ; and here, as in many cases, the
smaller stream gives the name and the larger the water. The
number of junks was very great, lying ten or twelve deep on
both sides of the Siang, and leaving hut a narrow space for
the passage of boats. All sorts were there, from the great
mandarin junk down to the small travelling boat. On landing
I was surprised to discover that I was among a quantity of
houses built of nothing but mud and millet-stalks, and con-
sisting only of eating-houses and provision shops for the
use of the boating population. The annual inundations are
the cause of the wretched materials used. Accompanied by
my servant, I walked along the banks of the Siang the two
miles to Fan-chung, and had an admirable opportunity for
surveying the aspect and position of these two large towns.
They are situated on opposite banks of the Siang, and Fan-
chung bears much the same resemblance to Siang-yang-foo
that Hankow does to Wu-chang-foo. In both cases the trade
is largest in the town ; and in both cases the strong high walls,
the yamuns, and the other paraphernalia of officialdom belong
to the city. A lofty and picturesque amphitheatre of moun-
tains surrounds three sides of the plain on which they are
situated, extending for a long distance (some 100 li I was
informed) towards the south-west, but only a few miles towards
the north-east. A large portion of the plain, on which Siang-
yang-foo is situated, being surrounded on three sides by water,

APPENDIX A.

415

is entirely uncultivated, being in fact nothing but a great spit
of sand, which in summer is invariably overflowed. On the
Fan-chung side, however, the usual crops were extensively
cultivated. On arriving at the low wall of Fan-chung I
entered the gates, and found myself, for the first time in my
journey, in the narrow-paved streets of the south, which are
quite impassable for carts. The shops were numerous, and from
their thriving appearance apparently did a large business.
Rope, wine, articles of dress, boots, and some foreign cloth
were for sale, and immense quantities of grain and edible roots
were lying for sale in the market, and had lately arrived from
the neighbouring country. The foreign cloth was spoken of as
remarkably dear and not very plentiful, and was far too
expensive to be of any avail to any except the veiy I’ich.
This was easily accounted for from the fact that it is a
monopoly in the hands of five Chinese hongs, who can place,
from the absence of all competition, any price they please
upon their goods. These people are naturally very hostile to
the idea of foreign steamers ascending the Han, as it would, of
a certainty, destroy their comfortable monopoly and excessive
profits, and they consequently use all the influence they can
bring to bear on the authorities to prevent such a catastrophe.
The boatmen, who make their living by conveying goods from
the south, were, however, of an entirely opposite opinion, and
many expressed a hope that the foreign fire-wheel vessels
might soon ascend to Siang-yang-foo. Nor did they appear
to dread the competition which at first, at any rate, would
cause them some slight loss, but they were probably ignorant
of the great capacities of foreign steamers. Similar mono-
polies ma}' be expected to exist at many places in the interior
of the Empire. An enormous, but very civil crowd, soon
gathered about me, and accompanied me wherever I went.
Though indirectly they were a considerable annoyance, shop-
men and innkeepers often refusing me admittance to their
premises for fear of them, yet I was subjected to no indignities,
except from the juvenile population, here as elsewhere, eager
to annoy and provoke a foreigner and a stranger. Their
elders often reproved and restrained them, but their own
eagerness to behold me deprived their conduct of any remark-
able energy. The numbers at last became so insupportable I

416

APPENDIX A.

was compelled to depart, accompanied by crowds to the water’s
edge, and by embarking in a boat escaped from tbeir
importunities. The inns in this place were remarkably
spacious, lofty, and clean, for which the great numbers of
travellers, officials, and merchants continually passing through,
and generally being compelled to wait a day or more, till their
boat or cart is prepared, is a sufficient reason. A little higher
up the river, and nearer the mountains, is Siang-yang-foo, a
large city surrounded by lofty walls and the residence of a
Tautai and prefect. I was told it was formerly the residence
of a Nien-tai and Fan-tai, at which time its prosperity was
probably greater than at present.

As the terminus of the great high-road from Peking and
the north, and as the place where all the goods from the south
are removed from the boats into carts or wheelbarrows, this
important town merits some few observations on the possible
advantages it may possess for future foreign residents, and for
becoming another step further inland whence there may radiate
into central and north-west China, foreign goods, foreign
improvements, and their inseparable companions, foreign
ideas. The Han connects it with the Yang-tsze-kiang, and
with the north-west provinces, and the great northern high-
road would afford further facilities for trade.

I was deeply impressed throughout my journey with the
ignorance of foreigners displayed by the poorer and even well-
to-do classes ; the most absurd notions were prevalent among
them, often breeding prejudices noxious to our trade and
influence; and the presence of foreigners actually residing
amongst them seems necessary to remove these feelings.
Honan has long been celebrated for the number of its
rebellions and the turbulence of its inhabitants : the presence
of Europeans in the neighbourhood, however, might induce
them, from the motives of fear and self-interest, to lead a
more settled life; and foreigners residing in Fan-chung would
have little to dread from the people. They are, though the
reverse of servile, perfectly courteous, and seemed not averse
to the possible residence of Europeans amongst them. It
may here be remarked, with regard to the question of residence
in the interior, that the Chinese are so far from objecting
to it that, in many places through which I passed they

APPENDIX A.

417

almost appeared to welcome the idea. Those people who,
under the indiscriminate title of Orientals, confound Chinese
and Hindoos, Mongols and Malays, and are of opinion that
because one race requires protection against even a solitary
foreigner, so also must another, may rest assured that of all
people, Chinamen are best able to take care of themselves, and
certainly everywhere, except perhaps in the Imperial province,
able and willing to make any foreigner rue any violent or cruel
act he may commit ; and the foreign merchant would soon
discover that his truest interests lay in obedience to the laws
and even the prejudices of the people.

The Han River would, I fear, be impassable for foreign
steamers beyond 300 or 400 li above Siang-yang-foo ; but as
a step further inland, and as an inlet of light capable of
dispelling the mists of prejudices not wilful, and an ignorance
not blameable, this place would be valuable in other ways
besides those connected with coinmerce. There is, however, a
considerable trade with Kan-su and Shan-si carried on in
native boats, bringing down from the north-west hemp,
varnish, water, tobacco, grass-rope, wood, furs and skins, and
a little iron.

The fact of this place being the terminus both of the land
and water routes naturally brings the question of locomotion
before the mind, and it may not be out of place if I venture to
offer a few remarks here on the many and great advantages
the route along which I have been travelling offers for the con-
struction of any future railway. A country for the most part
level, or with hills of but slight importance, with but a single
river, the Whang-ho, which would offer any serious obstacle to
engineering science ; with coal in abundance, even now when
its eduction and management is in the hands of the Chinese ;
with iron from the Si-shan, the mountains which border the
route nearly all the way to Wei-kiun-foo ; with a country
universally cultivated with the tenderest care, and rich in crops
of millet, of corn, of beans, and in parts of cotton ; and finally,
with a succession of large and opulent towns, only needing the
invigorating and life-awakening presence of a railway to render
them larger and more opulent, it would be difficult to name
any route combining so many advantages. When clumsy
carts, wheelbarrows, and donkeys, proceeding at the rate of

VOL. II. 55

418

APPENDIX A.

from three to five miles an hour, are at present the only means
of locomotion, it is impossible not to he struck with the
enormous reform and change that would he wrought. It is
sometimes advanced that the Chinese are not a travelling race :
that they do not journey of their own free will may he true ; hut
the circumstances necessitatinf/ traceUinfj are, perhaps, more
numerous in China than in any other countiy.

When the continual examinations, civil and militaij, both
at the provincial capitals and the metropolis ; the continual
movement and changing of the immense body of oflicials ; the
necessity of every small mandarin having to visit the Emperor
on his appointment, — when all these axe taken into considera-
tion it can hardly be maintained that the nation is not prepared
to travel. In addition to this, the enormous trade daily and
hourly passing between all parts of the Empire, gives employ-
jnent to thousands of men, and makes use of thousands of
vehicles. !More, too, is done simply for the sake of travelling
than is ordinaidly supposed ; and I was often struck with the
love the Chinese manifested for beautiful scenery. In addition,
this route is the high-road, and has branches to the south-east,
west, and north-west, so that a railway traversing it would
possess all the advantages of bridges, inns, markets, and
provisions all ready at hand ; and the plausible objection
against railways, that in taking a new route they would destroy
the prosperity of the towns along the old highways, would in
this case be satisfactorily disposed of.

On the 5th of December, having been detained by a
contrai’v wind longer than I had intended, I left the mouth of
the Siang, and again entered the Han River, now increased
to a mile in breadth, but in many places veiy shallow. Several
broad channels, however, existed, with from twelve to twenty
feet of water, and a pilot would easily guide a foreign steamer
among the banks. After proceeding twenty-five li, some hills,
forming the termination of the amphitheatre of mountains
round Fan-chung, were passed on the east bank, but they were
in no way remarkable either for height or picturesqueness : a
good huilding-stone, of a red colour, was the only production.
About two miles further, in a straight line, but double that
distance by the rise, a second range appeared to the north-
west composed of grey sandstone, and supplying large quantities

APPENDIX A.

419

of flints and building-stone. The river was slightly narrower,
about half-a-mile in breadth, but the water was deeper, and the
sandbanks less frequent. It continued thus for two or three
days, great tracts of sandy land sometimes a mile, sometimes
half-a-mile in breadth, showing the extent of the summer
inundations.

It may, perhaps, be worth while to mention a slight incident
which came under my notice. Floating down the river, and
crow'ded with people of every age and sex, were two large
junks ; on their outside were hung various implements of
husbandry, such as cartwheels, hoes, spades, and the frame-
works of carts. On inquiring who these people were, I was
informed they were colonists from Hu-pei, who of their own
free will, and at their owm expense, were emigrating from their
crowded native province to the desolate and untenauted lands
of Kiang-nan. The number of individuals crammed into one
ship was marvellous, seemingly leaving only just standing-room
for the passengers.

At a place called Siu-chui-kou, on the west bank, I went
on shore ; and, ascending some hills which bordered on the
river in order to view the aspect of the country, I found it to
consist of a series of low sandstone hills stretching some
distance inland, and entii'ely uncultivated ; where the hills
ceased, however, the exuberant cultivation again commenced ;
but the fields were smaller and the trees more numerous than
is the case in the north. A strong wind blowing up the river,
here half-a-mile in breadth, brought with it great numbers of
junks, some of them of great size and heavily laden with goods
from the south ; in one reach I counted no less than eighty
vessels ; and as the wind died away, and the men proceeded
to the shore with a long rope to drag the Vessels up against
the stream, it was impossible not to remark how great an
opening there might be here for steam-tugs and foreign enter-
prise. At Nei-ho-kow was another range of hills running from
north-east to south-west, high, and extending some distance.
A very poor coal is procured here, called by the natives earth-
coal, and of little value. As the formation of these hills is red
sandstone, foreign enterprise and skill might succeed in dis-
covering some of a better quality deeper down in the earth.
The country, in every place where I was able to go ashore, was.

420

APPENDIX A.

in the absence of mountains, everywhere cultivated ; corn,
cotton, pease, beans, and a little sugar being the ordinary crops,
whilst the numbers of people which issued from small villages,
consisting of perhaps ten houses, bore testimony to the
population of the country ; the people were, too, uniformly
courteous, and very different to the brave population of
southern Honan.

On the 7th, I passed the town of An-lui-foo, distant from
its port on the bank of the river about 40 li, and of course not
visible. It was spoken of as a large place with a fair trade,
and making use of the earth-coal above mentioned for manu-
facturing indigo vats and a coarse kind of porcelain. The river
about here began to decrease in breadth, and increase in depth,
being often 20, and always 12 feet deep. It flowed, too,
between high mud banks, which are often artificial, as the bed
of the river is here higher than the surrounding country, and
requiring earthworks ; for the inspection of which an official is
appointed, who, if he can, during his term of office (three
years), prevent an inundation, obtains his promotion.

At Sha-yang, the port of Cheng-chow, was a river which
flow’s down from Sze-chuen, and which has been deepened by
labour, thereby rendering it navigable for small boats, and
saving the long round by Hankow and the Yang-tsze-kiang.
Numerous articles are brought down from that magnificent
province, among which arc sugar, paper, medicine, salt, very
valuable silk, and opium. I may here mention a slight but
striking incident which I noticed. Amongst several large
junks floating down the stream was one with a flag at its stern,
having inscribed on it the characters “ Ta ch’en tai tzu shao
pao,” one of the highest and most honourable of Chinese titles.
I thought it was rather strange so poor-looking a vessel should
carry so great an official, and on inquiry found it was a trick
meant to evade the custom-house dues. It is, I imagine, too
obvious to escape detection, but is remarkable as showing the
disrespect even high civil official titles have fallen into in
China. In England, not even the most foolhardy of Captains
would venture to hoist an Admiral's pennant at his mast-head.
The houses now' began to be plastered with white, a fashion
which continued for the rest of my journey.

At Wu-chia-hou, the port of Tien-men-hien, a place

APPENDIX A.

421

famous for its Tariegatecl cloth sent all over the Empire, aud
likewise (as my boatman informed me with great impressive-
ness) for a living Chuan-ynang, more important in his eyes
than all the cloth in the world, the river somewhat widened,
hut the same depth of water remained. At Sien-tao-chen,
the port of ilien-yang-chow, houses stretched for nearly a mile
along the hank, and a large trade is canied on in cotton, rice,
and sugar. Banks and pawnshops were likewise plentiful, each
of them paying 200 taels per annum to the authorities of the
Chow. The river was here broad and deep, being about 500
yards in breadth and with 20 feet of water. Near this place a
contrary wind gave me the opportunity of going on shore, and
I w'as surprised to find how far the country was below the level
of the bed of tbe river, banks being required some 10 feet high
above tbe summer level of the river, and some thirty feet
above that of the surrounding country. The river now became
more full of junks than ever, and some Chinese gun-boats were
to be met with, cleaner and better appointed, both as regards
men and vessels, than is tbe custom with the Chinese. They
had the appearance of being modelled, on a very small scale,
after our own gun-boats, and bad a small cannon at their bows.
The men were dressed in a loose jacket and trousers.

A high official, tbe Governor- General of Hupei, was de-
scending the river, and was saluted on bis arrival aud departure
from every large town. Tbe river still continued broad, but
swifter and deeper, aud remained so as far as Han-chuan-hien,
after which place it grew narrower again with a rapid and eddying
current. On the following day, the river continuing to narrow
up to its debouchure into the Yang-tsze, I arriv'ed at Hankow
on the evening of the 14th of December, after a journey of
exactly six weeks from my departure from Peking. The river
here, lined on both sides with junks for a mile in length, — and
sometimes two deep, — bespoke the immense amount of trade
which descends this important stream, aud bore testimony to
its worth as an artery of commerce. A few words about the
boating population, amongst whom I was so long, may not be
out of place. Sailors are proverbial for their cleanness and love
of neatness, and the Chinese boatmen seem no exception to the
rule ; their boats were almost universally clean and in good
repair, and the men, though to our idea dirty, were yet infinitely

422

APPENDIX A.

superior to their fellow-countrymen on land. It was remark-
able, too, to observe the large share their uives and daughters
had in the management of the boats ; women almost invariably
performed the office of steering, and occasionally rowed, trudging
manfully about on their tiny feet. Their faces bore a happy
and cheerful expression, nor did their hard work appear to
have any coarsening or degrading influence on them. The
men, like other nations’ boatmen, were freer, more generous,
and less avaricious than is usual among the Chinese, nor did
they attempt by eveiy possible means, and at every possible
opportunity, to make money out of the stranger. Their food
was good and plentiful ; all eat meat (generally pork) once a
day, and with rice, vegetables, and the constant tea, seemed
to live in a manner a poor Englishman would call well, and
which compared to that of the peasant proimetor is luxury
itself. Each boat is the property of its owner, generally grant-
ing its services to some hong for a certain time, and paying
them a percentage on their profits. In summer none of them
that can aSbrd it do any boat-work, but live on shore and spend
their time in cultivating ground bought with their savings.

Of the capacities of the Han Eiver j’our Excellency will be
now in a position to judge ; and considering the uniform depth
and breadth of the river, the great amount of traffic traversing
its waters, and the fertile nature of the country through which
it flows, there can, I should imagine, be no doubt that there is
here a great and propitious opening for foreign steamers, foreign
goods, and the foreign ideas which eventually follow in their
train. I regretted not being able to visit more of the surround-
ing country, but the length of time I had been on the journey
did not appear to justify in me any further delay, even for so
laudable an object.

With a few general remarks I will bring this Eeport to a
conclusion. In travelling long distances through a semi-
civilized country, the traveller is in expectation of accidents,
and thinks himself fortunate if he escajjes robbery or mal-
treatment, and thoroughly makes up his mind to endure a
large amount of annoyance from the natives. He is of opinion
that, in a country destitute of railways and telegraphs, or some
other equally rapid mode of communication, advantage will be
taken by the local authorities of their distance from the capital

APPENDIX A.

423

to hinder and extort monej* from him, and he v>ill think himself
fortunate if he is able to complete his journey. But in my case
in a journey at home I could not have suffered less hindrance
or annoyance. An intense curiosity and constant astonishment
■svere everywhere visible ; but no insults, no maltreatment, and,
except in southern Honan, good-humoured kindness were the
universal characteristics. A great deal is at present said of
the weakness of the empire, its want of stability, and the
impotence of the local officials to preserve order or ensure
obedience, and it may perhaps be true ; but it may confidently
be stated that fifty years ago no European could have traversed
England with a like impunity, whilst here in a so-called
decrepit and declining empire the wonderful organization and
arrangement visible everywhere was especially remarkable.
Old embassies in former days were struck with this fact, and
it remains up to the present day in full working order, though
with less outward magnificence. Universal cultivation has
long been known to exist in China, but the cultivators of the
land are not in any w.ay remarkable either for the excellence
of their dwellings, the intelligence of their appearance, or the
cleanliness of their persons. Their homes, miserable hovels
of mud or mud bricks, with a single room, in which husband,
mother, son, and daughter are huddled together, present
no trace of any love of elegance or refinement ; and the
entire absence of an)’thing like a landed gentiy with large houses
and more cultivated manners, to be an example and centre of
information and refinement to their poorer neighbours, was
singularly conspicuous. Happiness in anything but material
matters seem impossible for them, and even that is precarious
and liable to be destroyed by the first bad harvest. Their
poverty was, however, often more apparent than real, many of
them hoarding up their money in chests, and being of the
opinion that their superfluous cash should be lavished, not on
ornamenting their homes or gratifying the simple tastes of them
wives and children, but on selfish debauchery in the nearest
city, where, I may remark, every facility for \dce is carefully
supplied. Still the system insures order and respect for
property, and their neat and careful cultivation of the ground
shows that property in China, as elsewhere, begets greater
attention and a more assiduous care.

424

APPENDIX A.

' It was curious to remark the almost entire ignorance of
the inhabitants of the various towns and villages with regard
to foreigners and their position in China. I was generally
supposed to be a European in the employment of his Im-
perial Majesty, and some few people who boasted of their
knowledge of foreigners seemed to be entirely unaware of the
presence of foreigners in Peking or of our having diplomatic
intercourse with the high authorities at the capital. Most of
these wiseacres mentioned Canton, and observed it was there
we transacted business. Some civil and military officials who
came with me from Peking scarcely seemed to know of the
presence of the foreign Legations there, and one, a Prefect of
Shan-tung who had been more than once residing in Peking,
gravely informed me that Tseng-kwo-fan, in memorializing
the Emperor on the revision of the Treaty, was cheating and
humbugging (the terms he used) his Majesty. Out of sight,
out of mind ; and driblets of foreigners dotted about at a few
seaports seem insufficient to enable the Chinese to understand
and experience our superiority, not only in material hut moral
civilization. The Piussians were better known and more gener-
ally respected, and I was often imagined to belong to that
nation. I was always careful to allow those who wished to see
any things I possessed which excited their curiosity ; and our
books, our papers, and the fact of our being able to read and
write, were a continual source of amusement and astonishment ;
and a general idea that the great English nation were brave,
rather fond of war, and excessively so of trade, but not good
for much else, was the prevailing opinion throughout the country
through which I passed.

My Keport has now arrived at its conclusion, and I trust
that in mentioning, for the information of your Excellency, the
nature of the country, the trade, the capabilities for foreign
modes of locomotion, and the condition of the population inhabit-
ing the various provinces I have visited, that I have contrived
to meet the wishes of your Excellency ; and that the excessive
length of the Report I have now the honour to present may be
excused on account of the many subjects requiring some notice
and description.

I have the honour to enclose a list of the various towns
through which my road passed, and your Excellency will perceive

APPENDIX A.

425

that I entered 5 foos, 6 chows, 14 hiens, and 22 smaller
places, which, in England, would be, many of them, reckoned
as provincial towns of some size and importance. The names
of the towns bordering on the Han Eiver I have also given ;
and, though only the names of 3 hiens and 2 foos are mentioned,
yet it must be taken into consideration that, in most cases, the
large towms are situated some distance from the banks, possess-
ing only their ports close to the river.

I have, &c.

(Signed) E. C. OXEXHAM.
H.B. Majesty's Consulate, HaiiliOir.

List of Towns passed by Mr. E. C. Oxeniiam on ms Journey
FROM Peking to Hankow.

November 2, 1868 : —

From Peking 30 li to Chang-ching-tien.

15 li to Liang-hiang-hien.

25 li to Tou-tien.

November 3, 1868 : —

25 li to I.iiu-li-ho-ticn. A small river flows past into the Pei-ho.

25 li to Tso-chow. Another river flows into the Pei-ho, and road
to Shan-tung and south-east branches oft’.

40 li to Ting-hing-hien.

10 li to Kao-pei-ticn.

50 li to Pei-ho-tien. A river flowing into the Pei-ho.

November 4, 1868 ; —

60 li to Ngan-su-hicn.

50 li to Pau-ting-f'oo, ca])ital of Chih-li. A river flowing east
north-east about 5 li to the north.

November 5, 1868 : —

60 li to Tang-shun-Kian.

60 li to Ching-feug-tien.

November 6, 1868 : —

40 li to Ting-chow.

20 li to Ming-yuc-tien. Counti'y of a sandy nature, and covered
with plantations of ]>oplar, willow, and birch, cut down every
three years.

60 li to Fu-cheng-i.

November 7, 1868 ; —

50 li to Ching-ting-foo. Very scantily inhabited. Iron foundry,
and Roman Catholic Mission.

10 li to Shih-li-pu. Road branches off to Why-loo and Shan-si.

45 li to Luan-ching-hicn. Flourishing town with large houses.

426

APPENDIX A.

November 8, 18G8 : —

CO li to Chao-chotv.

50 li to Po-hsiaug-hicn. Important town for loeal trade.

November 9, 1868 : —

60 li to Nei-chiu-hicn. Country with poor soil and poor erops.

A large town with extensive suburbs.

60 li to Sluin-tuh-foo.

November 10, 1868 : —

60 li to Ta-hen-ticn.

60 li to Han-tan-hien. A town which has suffered much from
rebels.

November 11, 1868 : —

55 li to Too-tsuu-pu. Near here are some cotton-fields.

36 li to Su-chow.

14 li to Chang-lio or Feng-ko-pu. A broad river channel, in
winter greater part dry, in summer overflowed.

Arrived at Province of llonan.

November 12, 1868 : —

30 li to Chang-tuh-foo. A large flourishing well-built city, on a
river joining the En-ho, and afterwards Pei-ho.

20 li to VVei-chia-ying. Country here is a series of downs. Sail
wheelbarrows much used.

30 li to Tang-yin-liicn.

30 li to Ni-kou-i.

November 13, 1868 : —

60 li to CFii-hien. Tlie Si-shan an-ived in sight again.

50 li to Wei-kiun-foo. A large town on the Wei River, flowdng
past into Tai-yuen-foo.

November 14, 1868 : —

50 li to Sin-hiang-hicn. Road to Shan-si here branches off.

50 li to Kang-tsun-i. Embankment commences.

November 15, 1868 : —

60 li to the Whang-ho. Many hills on south bank of the river.

10 li to Sing-chai-hien. Country hilly and wooded.

November 16, 1868 : —

50 li to Ching-chow. Small fields and orchards of tsao-trees.

60 li to Kuo-tien-i. Passed a chart range north-east to south-west
called Tai-shan.

November 17, 1868: —

45 li to Sin-ching-hien. Another range of low hills, and small
river running into Yellow River.

60 li to Shih-ku.

November 18, 1868 : —

50 li to Yin-chiao.

45 li to Siang-chcng-hicn. Range of hills to the south of town
having red freestone quarries, and a river flowing into Yang-
tsze-kiang.

APPENDIX A.

427

November 19, 1868 : —

40 li to Ju-fen-kiiiu.

60 li to Chin-hien. Country flatter.

November 20 and 21, 1868 : — •

50 li to Poo-shu.

40 li to Yii-cbow. Eaiige of hills in neighbourhood.

November 22, 23, and 24, 1868 : —

40 li to Shih-chia-tien’rh. A very flourishing town.

Here 1 struck an affluent of the Han Kiver.

In all, 2,040 li of land journey, or 680 miles, and 1,560 of water
travelling, or 520 miles ; 1,200 miles in all.

List of Places on the Banks of the Han Rivek passed by
Mr.. E. C. OxENiiAM.

November 25 and 26, 1868 : —

Shih-chia-tien’rh 70 li to Yuan-tai. NaiTow stream, and full of
banks.

November 27 and 28, 1868 : —

20 li to Tang-hien. Country covered ■w'ith low bare hills.

November 29, 1868 ; —

60 li to Kuo-chia-tau. Country cultivated. A range of hills on
the east branch of the river.

November 30, 1868 : —

40 li to Tsang-tai. Cormorants used for fishing. Countiy much
cultivated, and growing .several kinds of root-crops.

Arrived at the Province of Hupei.

December 1, 1868 : —

40 li to Ycn-chia-pu-hou.

December 2, 1868 : —

25 li to Chcn-chia-ho. Yellow peas, root-crops, chih-un, and
ginger grown here.

35 li to Shuang-hou.

December 3 to 5, 1868 : —

60 li to Ean-ebung. A large town, and flourishing.

Siang-yang-foo. Not in such good repair. Hills all
round.

December 5, 1868 : —

15 li to Toong-chi-wan. Several ranges of hills bordering on
banks, and the river broad and deep, about half a mile broad
and 12 feet deep.

150 li to Sin-chia-chi.

428

APPENDIX B.

December 6, 1868 : —

40 li to Ilsiao-ho. Great stretches of land on both sides, in summer
overflowed.

30 li to Yi-cheng-hien.

40 li to Sin-shin-hou. Hills of red and yellow sandstone.

20 li to Feng-ho-ho.

December 7, 1868 : —

45 li to Nei-ho-hou. A range, high and long, with poor coal.

55 li to Au-lin-foo. A town reported to have some manufactures.
60 li to Shih-pci. River about 400 yards broad and 25 feet deep.
December 8, 1868 ; —

60 li to Chio-hou. River begins to be above level of country.

40 li to Sha-yang. Part of Cheng-men-chow ; and a river deep-
ened by labour flows down from Sze-chuen.

30 li to To-pu-wan.

December 9, 1868 : —

35 li to Nieh-ehia-tau. River continuing about 400 yards broad
and 15 to 20 feet deep.

30 li to Chai-hou.

20 li to Chang-ehia-hou.

30 li to llei-mu-tu.

40 li to Yueh-chia-hou. Port of Tien-meu-hien.

December 10, 11, and 12, 1868 : —

120 li to Ilsien-tac-chen. Port of Mien-yang-chow.

December 13, 1868 : —

60 li to Mang-mang-tsei. River branches through country.

120 li to Han-chuan-hien.

December 14, 1868 : —

60 li to Yu-hou. River continues to increase in depth and decrease
in width as far as Hankow.

60 li to Tsai-tien.

60 li to Hierh-tang.

60 li to Han-hou-chen.

.APPENDIX B.

Tien-tsin, Hth October, 1868.

My dear Mr. Williamson. — The Chai-tang coals have been
tried by nearly every steamer frequenting Tien-tsin, and, by all
who have tried them, are allowed to be of first-rate quality,
and well adapted for use on board steamers. One gentleman,

APPENDIX B.

429

chief engineer of one of the steamers, and who has often tried
them, reports on them, as follows ; —

Tons. Ashes.

Per Cent. Per Cent.

Of 'Welsh coals he would burn in 24 hours’ steaming 1 1 to 1 1 5 to 7

„ English Newcastle coal

24

13 to I3J

11 to 15

„ Peking coal

„ 24

,,

13 to 13.1

8 to 11

„ Sydney coal

„ 24

15 —

20 to 25

■With all of these sufficient steam could be had.

„ Japan coals „ 24 „ 16 about SO

■With Japan coal he could only steam about 7u knots an hour;
the average rate being nine knots an hour. Formosa coal he
had never burnt alone. Others who have been so unfor-
tunate as to have no other than Formosa coal, had to burn every
spare piece of timber they had on hoard to reach their port.

Such being the quality of the coal for steam purposes, it
is no wonder that the agents of the steamers are anxious to get
supplies of them.

The coals are also valuable for gas-making, as the follow-
ing results of testing of coal, which I sent down will prove : —

Gas.

Coke.

Tar.

Quality
of Coke.

Water-

Sp. trrav.
of Coal.

Volatile

matter.

Ash.

Mrk.

Feet.

9,856

Iba.

1,960

11)3.

Nil

inferior

lb.3.

26

1-469

14-35

14-80 grey

A

9,184

1,907

))

yy

52

1-403

13-80

13-30 red.

B

8,848

1,960

„

69

1-322

14-85

C

9,128

1,857

Jf

9*

103

1-435

17-75

D

8,624

1,960

ft

fair

103

1-369

16-50

E

2 327

2,100

yt

Anthrac.

26

1-603

6-10

F

7,928

1,512

175

fair

300

1-454

23-

G

PiEJI.AKKS.

A, B, C, and D are bituminous, non-caking coals ; E ditto,
but slightly caking ; F an anthracite ; Gr semi-bituminous and
semi-caking.

Each of the coals will, I think, be very valuable for heating
purposes, especially for the use of steamboats, as the specific
gravity of the coal being very high, greater weight can be
carried in a given bulk ; this is precisely the case with F, which
is an anthracite.

430

APPENDIX B.

The gi’eat drawback to the coal is the large percentage of
ash which they leave, A producing 14-80 per cent, of ash,
and B 13-30. As it is rather a tedious process, I have not
ascertained the percentage of ash in the other instances. I
fear, also, the coal will clinker rather badly, but cannot
ascertain if such is the case by small quantities.

(Signed) T. G. Mead.

I am unable to account for the discrepancy as regards ash
between the accounts of the engineer of the steamer and
Mr. Mead of the Gas Works. Mr. Pumpelly makes the ash
3,4 to 7 ; one of the engineers 3,4 to 9 ; and another 8,11 to 9.
The latter did not burn his cinders, so his increase may be
accounted for. I have never heard that they cliukcred, and one
says distinctly there is nothing in them but what w-ill burn.

The first six samples w-ere from Chai-tang and district
around, the seventh was from the Lau-ho district.

.1 have travelled by four different routes to and from
Chai-tang; but there is only one route, so far as I can learu,
by which a railroad, tram-road, or good cart-road can ever be
made, viz., by Yang-fang, Foo-tow-ling, Hia-ma-liug, Ching-
pai-kow to Chai-tang.

No country in the world could be better adapted for rail-
ways than the district between Takoo and thirty miles beyond
Peking, up to the Foo-tow-ling. And only at Tien-tsin are
-bridges required ; there, two small ones will be wanted —
one over the Grand Canal, and the other over the When-ho.
The country is quite level, and without a stone until we reach
Yang-fung, 70 li N.W. of Peking. Here commence the moun-
tain-ranges— one going north by west to Nan-kow, the other west
by the temples inhabited by foreigners in summer. Between
the mountains, at a gentle incline, the road leads to the Foo-
tow-ling. This mountain may be about 1,000 feet high, and is
rather steep on the eastern side. It is oue of the range, and
there is no getting round it ; it must either be tunnelled or
surmounted. The descent on the other side is quite gradual,
the land apparently being considerably higher on the western
than on the eastern side of the pass. The top of the pass
itself could with ease be lowered 150 to 200 feet, which would
greatly lessen the ascent, or a short tunnel might save at least

APPENDIX B.

431

half the ascent, so far as I could judge. Beyond Foo-tow-ling
there is no obstruction until we come to Hsia-ma-ling, except
two rocks which abut into the road. At Hia-ma-ling the
mules cross over the mountain, w'hich took us twenty minutes
to get from the bottom to top. There is said to be a path
round the brow of the mountain, and several villages. The
^^^len-ho is here again met with, and sweeps round the base
of Hia-ma-ling. This mountain may either be tunnelled
or surmounted, or we may go round the base of it ; if the latter
plan is adopted, arches will have to be built in front of the
villages, as they close into the face of the mountain, which on
the south side is here steep. On getting to the north side of
the mountain, the path is along the face of the mountain for
some three miles, the river flowing beneath. Some arches
from the end of the mountain, and a bridge over the When-ho,
bring us to Ching-pai-kow, beyond which, on to Chaitang, I
see no difficulty, the road leading through a narrow valley,
containing abundance of material close at hand for road-making.

The valleys also between Hia-ma-ling and Foo-tow-ling,
and from Foo-tow-ling to Yang-fang, contain abundant mate-
rials, and close at hand, to make roads innumerable.

A railroad fi-om Takoo to Chaitang would, without doubt,
be a paying investment, w'ere the mines opened to foreign
trading, which the owners are quite anxious to have done. First
they w'ould have all the tribute rice from Takoo to Toong-chow
or Peking (for quantity of this, see Mr. Dick’s report) ; the
Russian brick, too, to Yang-fang, on its way to Nan-kow-pass ;
and the general goods’ traflic, which now takes about four days
by either cart or boats. Passengers in great numbers, who at
present pay from 6 to 9 dollars for a cart, which takes two days
between Tien-tsin and Peking, a distance of 80 miles, would
also take advantage of the line : and from the mines at
Chaitang and neighbourhood at least 100,000 tons of coal.
In addition to this, with the aid of a short railway over the
level ground from Mun-ta-kau on one hand, and Fang-shan on
the other, meeting, and crossing over by the Lu-ku-kiau,
the traffic would be almost doubled, as with this line would
come the soft anthracite coal, used in every house : white
and blue lime, building-stone, slate of good quality, and, pro-
bably many other articles at present but little thought of.

432

APPENDIX B.

I do uot know a single port in China that would benefit
so much as Tien-tsin, hy the introduction of railways and the
opening of mines. Tien-tsin is the great outlet and inlet for
the whole of this vast province ; for the whole of the rich pro-
vince of Shan-si ; for the whole of Mongolia and part of Man-
churia, part of Honan, and part of Shan-tung. With a railway
to the Chaitang mines, the benefit, as I have tried to describe
it, would he very great ; hut if, in addition to this, the iron
road penetrated as far as the capital of Shan-si, passing
through the heart of the rich coal and iron districts, contain-
ing the best materials of this kind, what could we not do if we
tried ? What is to pi-event it from becoming a Glasgow and
Manchester combined, building its own iron ships, and manufac-
tmdng its own cotton, which Manchester must import ? We
are promised to have our bar at Takoo dredged, and a light-
house built on Sha-lii-tien Island. And with a pier built out
beyond the bar at Takoo, we may in a great measure defy the
winter and the sea, and load our screw- colliers at all seasons
of the year, and with other goods besides coal. Were there a
line to Ta-zun there would be little to hinder the produce of
the west of Mongolia reaching the Yellow Eiver by boats to a
port close to the capital, and thence on to Tien-tsin. Then
could we export the wool, hides, tallow, &c., which are now
almost valueless to the natives for want of transport.

J. Henderson.

An Account of Coal in the Kaiping district of country
between the Lan-ho and the Peh-tang-ho : —

Tien-tsin, 18t/t May, 1869.

I returned here a few days ago from visiting the coal-
mines at Kaiping and neighbourhood, in lat. 39° 36' N., long.
118° 10' E. We left Tien-tsin one morning, arriving at
Lootu, on the Peh-tang-ho, on the evening of the same day ;
distance, 120 li. The country between 'Tien-tsin and Lootu
is perfectly flat, and almost barren ; in some places, not a
house or tree is to be seen, in other places are a few cultivated

APPENDIX B.

433

patches for wheat and millet ; but the principal crop seems to
be wild-grass and reeds. Lootu is a very thriving town ;
several junks of considerable size, from New-chwang, were lying
oflf the town discharging their cargoes. The Peh-tang-ho has
here a depth of water of 20 feet and upwards ; and it is said
the tidal current extends for 200 to 300 li above Lootu — rise
and fall of tide 10 feet, giving about 30 feet at high-water,
according to Chinese account.

Leaving Lootu on the following morning, we arrived at
Kaiping on the evening of the same day ; distance, 120 li.
The following day was market-day, the market being held
every fifth day ; so many people from the country gave the
place a cheerful and animated appearance ; the market, for
one thing or other, extended all over the town. Kaiping is
small, and, except on market-days, is of little importance ; it
had been walled round at one time, the remains of the wall
still standing in places, the oldest inhabitant not recollecting
them in any other state. For the first 50 or GO li, after leaving
Lootu for Kaiping, the country presents much the same
appearance as between Tien-tsin and Lootu ; after this the
ground is undulating, cultivation and trees are seen, increasing
in extent and beauty until we reach Kaiping.

Leaving Kaiping on the forenoon of the day after we
arrived there, we went to see two mines, lying about two or
three miles north of the town. One of these mines was
entirely closed, hut had out some 300 to 400 tons of coals,
principally dust, from which they were taking the larger
pieces, as they sold the small. The other mine had one shaft
open, by which they were taking up water ; and another shaft,
close to it, was being dug in search of a seam of coal. One
new shaft they had abandoned, after sinking some 60 feet,- —
on account of the hardness of the rock. At this shaft, and
generally in this locality, in sinking, the first four or five feet
is earth ; then comes 80 to 100 feet of limestone ; and at this
mine is also found about one foot in thickness of clay or other
substance, between the limestone and coal, — and next to the
coal, — possessing the property, the miners say, of taking oil and
grease out of clothes. At other mines this clay had not been
noticed ; this second mine had no coal on hand. About 35 li
to the eastward of these two mines are three other mines,

VOL. II. 56

434

APPENDIX B.

pretty close to each other. The first is situated on lower ground
than the other two ; it has three shafts, two of which are per-
pendicular, and are used for bringing up coal and water, by
means of windlass and wickerwork baskets or buckets. The
pei'pendicular shafts are about nine feet in diameter, octagonal
in shape, lined with matting, supported and strengthened by
hardwood battens — the whole having a very neat appearance.
The other shaft is at an angle of about 60°, well wooded, and
large enough to walk up and dowm with ease, until we reach
the bottom of the perpendicular shaft. This mine had three
buckets going for water, and only one for coal. As near as I
could judge, the quantity of water brought up by the winch
was about 4,000 gallons, or 12i tons an hour, or 300 tons a
day ; while the quantity of coal brought to the surface was
about 700 piculs, or 42 tons a day. Nearly all the coal of
this mine was dust, only about 30 piculs a day of large coal
being found ; but a better vein was shortly expected to be met
with. The other two mines are on the brow of a low ridge
of hills, and a few miles south of the first low range of
mountains ; they have two shafts each, one pei’pendicular, and
the other at an angle of 60°. One of the latter I went down;
the galleries get smaller the further we go, but large enough
to allow of the coal and water in two baskets to be carried up
by a bamboo on the shoulders of the men ; the water is emptied
so that it can run into the reservoir at the foot of the perpen-
dicular shaft ; the coal is carried to the foot of the shaft and
taken up by the windlass ; the main shaft was only about one
half the entire depth of the mine ; the seam here worked at
was about 4| feet thick ; there was little water in these two
mines — only about 500 gallons each an hour. At times, in
some of the mines, two-fifths of the number of men emploj'ed
are engaged in cari7ing water from the different galleries to the
main shaft. There were, at one time, other mines open about
20 li west of Kaiping ; one is said to have been 240 feet deep,
and had a seam of excellent coal, and of better quality than
any found there at present ; it was about 30 feet broad, and
had been worked to a depth of 40 feet, when an accident
occurred about ten years ago, which caused the death of 28
men ; the mine on this account had to be shut up, and six new
shafts, which were being sunk, were at once abandoned.

APPENDIX B.

435

The method of mining pursued here is greatly in advance
of that in use at the mines to the west and north of Peking,
and had they pumps and steam-engines to allow of their being
worked to a greater depth, they might he \ery valuable ; hut at
present they are unable to go below the first seam of coal, and
when that is finished the mine is abandoned, and new shafts
sunk ; they often have to do this every year, and they tell me
they never last longer than ten years.

The cost of digging a shaft is from 600 to 1,200 taels,
according to the hardness of the stone. Three shafts at one
mine cost 2,000 taels, while the shaft of 240 feet cost 400
taels. Around the mines now open, are the signs of many an
old one. The coal here, it is said by some, extends for 100
li in length, following the line of the hills ; others say it
extends for 80 li ; while others again say it covers a space of
about 200 li, in the form of an elliptic circle, comprising within
it some three or four ridges of low hills, in which the coal is
found. I could not hear of any other mines being open to the
east of this, towards the Lan-ho, and so did not proceed
further, but it is well known that, to the eastward of the Lan-
ho, there are coal-mines, although the quality of the coal is not
very well known.

Besides the coal, the Kaiping district produces granite,
and limestone, and abundance of grain, the most of which is
sent by cart to Lootu for shipment to Tien-tsin, and comes
here, in small flush boats, by a shallow and nan-ow creek,
with an entrance from the Peh-tung-ho, some 20 li below Lootu.

Owing to the demand for these coals at present, and the
increased distance from Kaiping of 35 li of the worst road on
the route, both coal-masters and carters have increased their
charges, the lowest price they would accept for their coal being
300 cash per picul of 95 catties. Cart-hire 285 to 300 cash
per picul to Lootu ; boat-hire from Lootu and Cedu-hu to
Tien-tsin 92 cash per picul ; the first cost of the cheapest
coal being thus : Taels 8. 4. 8. 4. per ton of 2,240 pounds.
While one miner sells his small coal at 310 per picul, and
refused to sell his large coal under 500 cash per picul of
95 catties, and at this price, he says, he can readily sell all
he can get ; this coal, with cartage and other expenses, would
amount at first cost, not including transit duty, to Taels

436

APPENDIX B.

10. 9. 5. 3. per ton of 2,240 pounds.* My visit to these mines
has convinced me that only to Chaitang can we look for a
supply of the best steam coal.

Jajies Henderson.

Coal in Honan.

Baron von Richthofen has just published a preliminary
report of his investigations regarding the Geology of Honan,
and as the discoveries he has made show what may he expected
of other parts of China than those referred to in these volumes,
I beg to append one or two extracts. The area of the coal
deposits in that one province occupies no less than 21,000
square miles. Of the principal of these districts, the Baron
relates ; —

“ The most important region is situated on both hanks of
the Lui river, between Yung-hing-hien and a few miles north
of Lui-yang-hien. The coal formation rests here on the flanks
of a north and south range, made up of more ancient fonna-
tions, its strata dipping with great regularity, about 45 degrees
off from that range on either side of it. The coal-beds are
intercalated, in groups and at various levels, between a series
of sand-stones and argillites which have an aggregate thick-
ness of at least five thousand feet. The inclined position of
the strata is favourable for disclosing the various coal-beds
to view, and makes mining tolerably easy. The situation is
no less advantageous ; many mines are worked close to the
river side and at little distances from it. All the coal in this
district is anthracitic.”

The Lui river, on which the district is situated, flows into
the Siang, itself flowing into the Tung-ting lake. It has thus
direct communication with Hankow. The mines are worked
to a considerable extent, though in the wasteful and extrava-
gant manner which marks both Chinese and Japanese methods
Of the coal itself, the report says the anthracite “ is usually
of great purity, black colour and conchoidal fracture, hut lacks

* These prices are nearly four times beyond the common rates.

APPENDIX B.

437

solidity. ... I think it will compare favourably with the best
kinds of anthracite known.” “ The original price of the
Lui-yang coal is from 80 to 100 cash per picul (Tael 0. 8. 0.
to Tael 1. per ton) for small ; and 140 to 160 cash (Tael
1. 4. 0. to 1. 6. 0. per ton) for lump put on board the boat.
Freight is remarkably cheap, viz,, Tael 1. 6. 5., or, say lOi.
per ton for a distance of 433 geographical miles. The price
at Hankow would therefore be Taels 3. 1. 5.” The report
also draws attention to the fact of a considerable portion of
the field being occupied by bituminous coal-beds.*

APPENDIX C.

Agricultur.vl Observations for Che-foo and Neighbour-
hood, or the Northern Portion of Shan-tung, made in
1868, by A. Williamson.

Feb. 2nd. — Garlic planting.

March 5th. — -Barley sowing ; dockweed above ground.

„ 20th. — Leeks planting ; mustard sowing ; garden-peas sowing.

„ 22nd. — Wheat beginning to grow. ”

April 1st. — Poplars, catkins fully developed ; flowers above ground.

„ 6th. — Apricots in blossom ; a little new grass.

,, 9th. Violets, dandelions, and tvild tulips in bloom j thyme
and rose in full leaf.

„ 12th. — Wheat in good bunch ; hawthorn in leaf ; peony and

elder-bush above ground ; pear-tree in leaf.

„ 20th.— Small millet sowing; tall millet and Barbadoes millet

sowing ; Indian com sowing ; hemp sowing ; celery
sowing ; apricots in bloom.

„ 21st. — Small millet sowing; tall millet sowing; Indian com

sowing ; hemp sowing ; plums in blossom.

„ 26th. — Pears in bloom.

„ 29th. — Early apples in blossom.

May 3rd. — Wheat in ear ; vines bursting their leaf-buds.

„ 5th. — Shoo-tsze and chi-tsze sowing ; rice sowing ; pulse

sowing ; sesamun sowing ; sweet potatoes planting ;
melons, fang-kwa, whang-kwa sowing ; first cherries
ripe ; pomegranates bursting their leaf-buds.

* See Baron Richthofen’s Letter to the Shanghai Chamber of
Commerce, &c. : also “North China Herald” April 21, 1870.

56—3’

438

APPENDIX C.

May 12th. — Wheat in full ear; tall millet and Barbadoes millet
well brairded ; late apples in blossom ; pomegranates
in half leaf ; pears formed.

,, 22nd. — Sorrel in blossom ; cherries in market.

„ 24th. — Green peas in market ; hawthorn in blossom.

June 13th. — Pulling wheat ; sowing pulse and black peas where
wheat grew ; kiang-teu lo-teu, fragrant peas, &e.
sowing ; late hemp sowing.

„ 14th. — Wheat ripe ; pomegranates in full blossom.

„ 19th. — Busy gathering in the wheat crop ; mimosa-tree first

flowers out ; sowing pulse where wheat had been.

„ 21st. — Wheat and barley reaping and pulling ; small millet

well up ; pulse, Indian corn, and hemj) sowing ;
apricots, nectarines, and plums ripe.

July 10th. — Early musk melons.

„ 13th. — Sweet potatoes planting, from cuttings, &c. ; unripe

apples in market ; early peaches.

„ 17th. — New Irish potatoes ; mimosa still in blossom ; good

apples.

July 20th. — Peaches ripe.

„ 22nd. — Buckwheat and beet-root sowing.

„ 23rd. — Small millet in ear.

„ 26th. — Tall millet and Barbadoes millet beginning to ear.

August 7th. — Hemp pulling ; great cabbage sowing ; crab-apples
ripe ; Siberian crab ripe ; walnuts ripe.

„ 23rd. — Small millet, shoo-tsze and chi-tsze reaping ; red

flowery and large red apples ripe ; quinces ripe.

Sept. 7th. — Wheat sowing ; rice reaping ; tall millet and Barbadoes
millet reaping ; pulse, kiang-teu lo-teu, fragrant peas,
&c., reaping ; Indian com reaping ; sesamum reaping ;
grapes ripe.

„ 20th. — Pears ripe.

„ 23rd. — Indian corn reaping ; leek and onion sowing ; pome-

granates and winter peaches ripe.

Oct. 8th. — Barley sowing ; pulse and yellow beans reaping ; pea-
nuts.

„ 23rd. — Buckwheat reaping ; hemp pulling ; eitrons, dates,

persimons, haws, chestnuts, musk melons ripe.

( 439 )

APPENDIX D.

List of Plants from Shan-tung, collected by the PwEV. A.
Williamson, 1869. (Those marked thus * seem closeli/
allied, in most cases perhaps identical, with Indian speci-
mens so named.)

(The specimens were often imperfect. They have been named and
arranged by Mr. William Bell, Curator of the Herbarium at the
Edinburgh Botanical Gardens.)

Caryophyllaceae.

Dianthus, and another genus
not known.

Geraniacese.

Erodium sp.

Zygophyllacete.

Tribulus lajvigatns.*
Leguminosae.

Melilotus parviflora.*
Medicago sativa.*

Glycine sp.

Cassia occidentalis.*

„ mimosoides.*

Vicia — fl. wanting.

Orobus — fl. wanting
Indigofera macrostachya.
Eosacese.

Kubns niveus.

Pyrus variolosa.*

Potentilla multifida.*
Sanguisorba sp.

Agrimonia lanattf.*
Umbelliferae.

Bupleurum graminifolium.*
Kubiacete.

Rubia cordifolia.*
Campanulacese.

Campanula sp.

CompositsE.

Artemisia indica.*

Bidens leucantha.*

Xanthinm sp.

Leontodon.

Taraxacum.

Asclepiadaceac.

Cynanchum.

Cryptostegia — no flowers.
Scrophulariacese.

Linaria vulgaris (?) and other
two species.

Labiatae.

Plectranthus Coetsa.*

Acinos (?)

Verbenaceae — Vitex incisa.*
Primulaceae.

Androsace and another genu.s
not known.
Plmnbaginaceae.

Statice sp.

^ Plantaginaceae.
j Plantago major.*

i Chenopodiaceae.
i Salsola collina.*

I Chenopodium sp.

I PolygonaceiE.

I Polygonum glabrum.*

Fagop)Tum esculentum.

I Euphorbiaceae.*

' Euphorbia thyraifolia * and

I two or three other species.

Urticaceae.

Two genera not known.
Salicaceae.

Populus(?) no flowers.
Corylaceae.

1 Castanea (?) no flowers,

j Liliace®.

I Asparagus sp.

Allium sp.

440

APPENDIX D.

Iridaceae.

Pardanthus sp.
Cyperaceae.

Cyperus difformis.*
„ Haspan.

GramineiB.

Sorghum halapense. *
Setaria glauca.*

Arundo Donax.*
Saccharum cylindricum.

List of Plants collected in North China and Manchuria
by the Rev. Alexander Williamson, and presented by
him to the Edinburgh University Herbarium, Fehruary,
1870.

Ranunculaceae.

Anemone nemorosa(?)

„ Pulsatilla (?)

Caltha sp.

Clematis sp.

Paeonia sp.

Ranunculus sp.

Papaveraceae.

Chelidonium sp.

Cruciferae.

Capsella Bursa-pastoris.
Draba sp.

Capparidaceae.

Cleome pentaphylla.
Violace®.

Viola sp. (near V. Wighti-
ana).

Caryophyllaceae.

Dianthus sj).

Mollugo sp.

Silene sp.

Tiliaceae.

Tilia sp.

Aceraceae.

Acer truncatum.

Vitaceae.

Ampelopsis sp.

Geraniaceae.

Geranium sp.

Linaceae.

Linum sp.

Celastraceae.

Celastrus sp.

Rhamnaceae.

Zizyphus (?) sp.

Leguminosae.

ADschynemone sp.
Albizzia sp.

Arachis hypogea.
Astragalus scaberrimus.
Cassia sp.

Crotalaria sp.

Indigofera sp.

Lotus sp.

Meliloius sp.

Orobus sp.

Psoralea sp.

Vicia sp. (near Cracca.)
Rosaceae.

Agrimonia sp.

Cerasus sp.

Potentilla sp.

Poterium sp.

Rubus sp.

Spiraea sp.

Onagraceae.

Epilobium sp.
Scleranthaceae.

Scleranthus sp.
Crassulaceae.

Cotyledon (?) sp.
Sedum (?) sp.
Coniaceae.

Cornus sp.

Sambucus sp.

Galiaceae.

Galium verum ( ?).
Rubiaceae.

Rubia sp.

APPENDIX D.

441

Compositaj.

Anthcmis sp.

Artemisia (several species).
Bidens sp.

Carthamus tinctorius.
Chrysanthemum sp.
Echinops sp.

Leontodon sp.

Mulgedium sp.

Senecio sp.

Tagetes sp.

Campanulacese.

Campanula media.
Lobeliacea;.

Lobelia sp.

PIricaceas.

Khododendron sp.

Oleacea;.

Ligustrum sp.

Apocynaceae.

Vinca sp.

Asclepiadaceae.

Cynanchum sibiricum.
Gentianacese.

Gentiana sp.

Pedaliaceae.

Sesamum indicum.
Convolvulaceae.

Convolvulus sp.

Ipomma sp.

Cuscutaceae.

Cuscuta sp.

Boraginaceae.

Tournefortia Arguzia.
Lithospermum sp.

Myosotis sp.

Solanaceae.

Phy sails sp.

Capsicum sp.

Hyoscyamus sp.

Datura sp.

Labiatae.

Ajuga sp.

Leonurus sibiricus,

Nepeta sp.

Prunella vulgaris.

Salvia sp.

Scrophulariacea:.

Linaria sp.

Orobanchaceae.

Orobanche indica.
Verbenaceas.

Vitex sp.

Primulaceae.

Androsace sp.
Plumbaginacea:.

Statice sp.

Plantaginacea;.

Plantago sp.

Amarantacem.

Celosia sp.

Chenopodiacea:.

Blitum (?) sp.

Salsola collina.

Euphorbiacete.

Euphorbia macrorrhiza, and
several other species.
Ricinus communis.
Polygonaeeaa.

Polygonum (several species).
FagopvTum sp.

Ulmaceae.

Ulmus sp.

Urticaceae.

Cannabis sp.

Urtica sp.

Salicacea;.

Populus sp.

Salix sp.

Betulaceae.

Betula sp.

Corylaceae.

Quercus chinensis.
Orchidaceae.

Cypripedium sp.

Iridaceae.

Pardanthus sp.

Liliacea;.

Allium sp,

Alstroemeria sp.

Anthericum sp.

Asparagus sp.

Polygonatum sp.

CyperaceiE.

Carex sp.

Cyperus (several species).
Scirpus (?) sp.

442

APPENDIX D.

Gramiiieae.

Andropogon sp.

Arundo sp.

Chloris sp.

Cymbopogon sp.
Eragrostis sp.
Hierochloa sp.

Panicuin sp.

Poa sp.

Saccharnm spontaneum.
Setaria sp.

' Filices.

Adiantum Capillus-Veneri
lunulatum (?)

Apidium sp.

I Asplenium sp.

; Don'opteris sp.

Niphobolus sp.

Polypodium sp.

I Lycopodiaceae.

I Lycopodium sp.

' Equisetaceae.

Equisetam (fwo species).

THE END.

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