AN INQUIRY INTO TIIP: POPULATION OF CHINA." 



By AVlLLlAM WOODVILLE KOCKHILL. 



From tli(' earliest times of their history the Chinese have made 

 eA^erv few years emimerations of the adult jiopulation of the Empire. 

 The history of the census in China may be divided into two })arts. 

 During the first, extending from the first recorded count in the 

 twenty-third century B. C. down to 17i'2 A D., with a few excep- 

 tions, the number of tax-paying households alone was recorded. In 

 the second period the total numl)er of individuals is purposed to have 

 l)een taken. 



In the first period the census was made solely for the purpose of 

 levying the taxes, and there is every reason to Ijelieve that the local 

 officials systematically kept the returns forward to the central Gov- 

 ermnent below the real figures, so as to divert to their own use as 

 much of the taxes levied as they possibly could. In the second period, 

 that reason no longer existing (see infra, p. CGo), it became a matter 

 of pride with the officials, as well as good policy, to swell the returns 

 of [)opulati<)n. 



There is much uncertainty as to the number of individuals con- 

 tained in each recorded '• household " or hu. and whether by the word 

 "individual" (literally ''mouth," k'oii) is to 1)e understood male 

 achdts, or both sexes, or persons of all ages — exclusive of infants — 

 who have never been included in the enumerations of any ])i'riod. In 

 the time of Mencius (fourth century P). C.) the '"family" (chia) 

 was suj)posed to comprise eight months (k\)u). This was the num- 

 l)er of persons whom 100 mou (al)()ut 15 acres) of mediuni land were 

 computed to support.'' Under some dynasties (as the Han) it would 



" Kepriiited from Sniitlis((iii;iii MisceHaiu'Diis Colloftioii (Quarterly Issue) 



AOl. -17. T)(>c('llll)tM- 10. I'.HII. 



6Meiicins, l>k. i. pi. i. ("li. \'1I. I'l. 



(559 



