AN INQUIRY INTO THK POPULVJION OF CHINA." 



Bv William Woodville Rockhill. 



From the earliest times of their history the Chinese have made 

 every few years enumerations of the adult popidation of the Empire. 

 The history of the census in China may 1)(> divided into two parts. 

 Dnrinir the first, extendi ng- from tlie first recorded count in the 

 twenty-third century B. C. down to fTl:2 A D., with a few excep- 

 tions, the number of lax-paying- househokls alone was recorded. In 

 (lie second i)eriod the total numl)er of individuals is purposed to have 

 been taken. 



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

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

 officials systematically kept the returns forward to the central Gov- 

 ernment 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. GGo), it became a matter 

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

 of population. 



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

 taineil in each recorded "household " or lui, and whether by the word 

 "individual" (literally "mouth," k'ou) is to be understood male 

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

 who have never been included in the enumerations of any period. In 

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

 was supposed to comprise eight months (k'ou). This was the num- 

 ber of persons whom 100 mou (about 15 acres) of medium land were 

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



" Kei"'i"t«'"l fnnn Siiiillisoniini Miscellaneoiis Collection (Quarterly Issue) 

 vol. 47. Dect'iiiher 10. 1'.»(i|. 



&Moiicius. Ilk. I. i>l. I. Cli. Nil. 1^4. 



659 



