CHAPTER XXXV. 



OYSTER CULTURE IN CHINA, (a) 



IMMUTABLE, immemorial China, on the far western coast 

 of the Pacific, with its highly developed industries and long 

 descended customs, the land from which many a product, 

 both of nature and of art, has found its way to western 

 Countries, forms an appropriate connection between ancient 

 and modern times. Amongst other occupations, fishing 

 received its full measure of attention, and the various forms 

 under which it is practised are far too numerous to be here 

 described, though a few of the principal must be noticed. 

 Rather more than a century and a half ago, the encyclo- 

 paedia, Koo Kin Too Shoo Tseih Ch'ing, in one thousand 

 volumes, was drawn up by Imperial authority, and two 

 articles on fishing are contained in it, under the section 

 Shuh Teen. A few plates are to be found in connection 

 with the article ; but most students will probably prefer to 

 consult the French work of M. Dabry de Thiersant, whose 

 abundant illustrations are only equalled in interest by the 

 excellence of the invaluable information conveyed in his 

 text. The cultivation of oysters is on a very large scale, 

 and dates from a remote age. 



(a) See relative information, pp. 275-77. 



CC2 



