z. 9 6 OSBECK'S VOYAGE. 



erects the tent in which the emperor is to eat j 

 and another gets 40 or 50 old venerable pea- 

 fan ts together, who are prefented to the em- 

 peror ; the younger ones direct the plough, 

 lead the oxen, and get the corn ready which 

 is to be fowed. The regard of the emperor, 

 and of the greateft lords, for agriculture is 

 Jiich, that when deputies are fent to the go- 

 vernors, the emperor always enquires in what 

 condition agriculture is. The governor of 

 Peking often vifits the fields, and is greatly re- 

 joiced in cafe he finds all in a good condition. 

 The emperor Cang-ti particularly favoured 

 countrymen ; he ordered the governors annu- 

 ally to fend in an account of what was mod 

 remarkable, becaufe he intended to reward 

 the diligence of the husbandmen with peculiar 

 honours, (o that they fhould be dreffed like 

 the king's fervants, vifit the governor of the 

 city, fit clown in his prefence, and drink tea 

 with him ; and after their deaths be handfome- 

 \y buried, and a decent monument erected tq 

 their memories. 



This nation prepares its food in the mod 

 fimple manner : rice, which they make ufe of 

 inftead of bread, and which is their principal 

 food, they bcil in water, letting the watec 



rim 



