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CHINA. 



(_/ IIINA PROPER, an inmtr.se country in Asia, ex- 

 tends about 1 S degrees from north to south, and nearly 

 Extent. n equal distance from east to west. It is bounded on 

 the east by the tea ; on the west by lofty mountains and 

 extensive desarts ; on the south by the ocean, and the 

 kingdom* of Tunkin, Laus, and Cochinchina ; and on 

 the north by the regions of Tartary, from which it is 

 divided by a stupendous wall 1500 miles in length. 



By the Chinese, their country is called Tehoiis-Kout, 

 or the middle kingdom, because they formerly imagined, 

 that it was situated in the centre of the earth, and that 

 all other countries lay scattered around their empire in 

 the form of small islands. In later times they have, in- 

 deed, acquired a more correct geography ; but so inve- 

 terately do they adhere to ancient opinions, and espe- 

 cially to whatever flatters their national vanity, that they 

 till continue to express themselves in this erroneous man- 

 ner, and to preserve unaltered every sentiment and ex- 

 pression of their great philosopher Confucius. By the 

 western Tartars, it is called Calay ; by the Mantchew 

 Tartars, MwMMWM ; by the Japanese, Thau ; and by 

 the natives of Siam and Cochinchina, Cin. It is suppo- 

 sed, that the word China is derived cither from this last 

 appellation, or from Ttia, or Tai-lsin, the name of the 

 first imperial family, who carried their arms towards the 

 west. 



China is divided into fifteen provinces ; Pe-tchelee, 

 Shansee and Shensee, situated towards the north and 

 north west ; Setchuen and Yunnan, on the west ; Quan- 

 ec and Quanton, on the south ; Fokien, Tchekian, 

 Kiannan, and Shantong, on the east ; and Honan, Hoti- 

 quang, Koctchou, and Kiangsee, in the middle region. Of 

 these provinces a very laborious and accurate survey was 

 made by order of the Chinese government, under the 

 direction of the Jesuit missionaries, in which they are 

 said to have employed a period of ten years, and of which 

 a beautiful manuscript map, by a Chinese, is deposited in 

 his majesty's library at Buckingham house. 



Te-tehelee. I. PC-TCHELEE, Tchelee, or LUpa-foo, is the principal 

 province of the empire ; and its capital, Pekin, is the 

 ordinary residence of the court. This city is situated in 

 a fruitful plain, about 20 leagues distant from the great 

 wall of Tartary. Its name signifies the northern court, 

 which distinguishes it from Nankin, the southern court, 

 where the emperor formerly resided ; but found it ne- 

 cessary to remove nearer to the northern boundaries of 

 the empire, to repel more effectually the frequent incur- 

 sions of his Tartar neighbours in that quarter. 

 Fekui. The city of Pekin forms an oblong square, inclosing 

 an area of 12 miles, exclusive of the suburbs, and is di- 

 vided into two towns, the one inhabited by Tartars, and 

 the other by Chinese. This division, or rather addition, 

 took place at the Tartar conquest, when the new sove- 

 reign crowded the capital with such numbers of his 

 own nation, that the Chinese were under the necessity 

 of building a new city without the walls of the old one. 

 The walls of Pekin, especially of the Tartar city, are 

 of considerable height and breadth, and arc formed of 

 two lines of brick or stone, the middle space being filled 

 up by the earth, which is dug out of the surrounding 

 ditch. They are generally SO feet high, 25 feet thick 

 at the base, and 12 feet across the top within the para- 



E. There are nine lofty and arched gates, (whence 

 kin it fomctimes called " the city with nine gates,") 



which three are placed in the south wall, and two Topogw- 

 < ach of the other sides. Over each pate is a larjre phy 



of which 



in i-ach uf the other sides. Over each gate is a large phy 

 pavilion-roofed tower, divided into nine stories, with *"" V" 1 ' 

 port-holes, or apertures, in the wall ; and, before each 

 of the gates, is a large open space, inclosed by a semi- 

 circular wall, equal in height and thickness to that 

 which surrounds the city. At each angle of the city 

 wall, also, is a similar large square building, rising above 

 the parapet to the height of four stories ; and, in each of 

 the sides, there are, on each floor, fourteen windows or 

 port-holes. These structures are now used only as pub- 

 lic granaries, or rice magazines. Along the whole course 

 of the wall, at the distance of a bow-shot, or 70 yards 

 from each other, are spacious towers, projecting about 

 40 feet from the line of the wall, with a small guard- 

 house on the summit of each. 



The middle gate of the south side opens into the E mpfror ', 

 emperor's palace, which is situated in the centre of the p' a l.uc. 

 Tartar city. This imperial residence comprehends a 

 vast assemblage of immense buildings, extensive courts, 

 and magnificent gardens. It occupies a space about a 

 mile in length, and three quarters of a mile in breadth, 

 and is inclosed on all sides by double walls of red polish- 

 ed bricks, 20 feet high. Through the middle of this in- 

 closure winds a considerable rivulet, formed into canals, 

 basons, and lakes, and adornrd with artificial rocks, 

 mounts, and grottos. This palace is peculiarly distin- 

 guished by the singular structure of its pavilion roofs, 

 which are covered with varnished tiles of to brilliant a 

 yellow, as to have the appearance, at a distance, of being 

 gilded. 



Between the other two gates on the south side, and 

 the corresponding opposite gates in the north wall, 

 run two parallel and straight streets, each about four 

 English miles in length, and 120 feet in breadth. Of 

 the two streets which stretch, in like manner, from 

 the two eastern to the opposite western gates, one is 

 equally wide and straight as the other main streets; but 

 the other is interrupted by the north wall of the pa- 

 lace, round which therefore it is carried in its progress. 

 The cross streets are only lanes branching from these 

 principal streets in right angles, exceedingly narrow, but 

 filled with houses of the same appearance as the larger 

 streets. The main streets are lined on every side with 

 shops and warehouses, before which the goods are 

 brought out and displayed in various groups. In front 

 of these shops, are generally erected large wooden pillars, 

 higher than the eves of the houses, with inscription* 

 upon them in gilt letters, describing the nature of the 

 wares within, and the reputation of the dealer ; and, in 

 order to attract the notice of passengers, they are hung 

 with various coloured flags and ribbands from top to 

 bottom, so as to have the appearance of a line of ship* 

 ping dressed. The sides of the houses also are painted 

 with different colours, chiefly sky-blue or green, mixed 

 with gold. The streets are not paved, but covered 

 with sand and dust, on account of which the cross lane* 

 are frequently watered. 



At the points, where the great streets intersect each 

 other, are erected monuments or triumphal arches, in 

 memory of those, who have attained remarkable longevi- 

 ty, or distinguished themselves in the i-rvice of the state. 

 These structures consist of a large central gateway, with 

 a smaller one on each 6Jde, covered with narrow roofs ;. 



