

r ii IN A. 



infested by locutu, and i\,t mountainous districts are 

 P 1 ) much fiequented by wolves. 



\ i N contain* 8 cities of the first class, and 



Ho cia. |oj O f the second and third, with a number of castles 

 and fortified places. I >o, the capital, is situa- 



ted at the dutance of two league* from the river Hoang- 

 ho, upon ground which is lower than the river, and 

 where strong dikes, to the extent of 30 leagues, wrre 

 erected by government to prevent inundations. When 

 it was besieged in 1641, by an army uf 100,000 rebels, 

 the general, who was sent to its relief, formed the de- 

 UgB of drowning the enemy by opening these dikes. 

 His plan was successful, as far as related to the oppo- 

 sing army ; but the inundation was to sudden and vio- 

 lent, that the city also was overflowed, and 300,000 of 

 the inhabitants destroyed. It is conjectured from its 

 ruins to have been about three leagues in circuit ; but 

 though it has been rebuilt, its size is very limited, and 

 it is distinguished from ordinary cities only by the ex- 

 tent of its jurisdiction. Tchang-te foo, one of the mort 

 northern cities of the province, is remarkable for a fish 

 in its vicinity which resembles a crocodile, and the fat of 

 which is of so very singular a nature, that when once set 

 on lire, it is scarcely possible to extinguisli the flame ; and 

 for a mountain in its district, so steep and inaccessible, 

 that, in time of war, it used to afford a secure asylum to 

 the inhabitants. Ho nan-foo, situated in a mountain- 

 ous region, between three rivers, was formerly called by 

 the Chinese the Navel of the Earth, because it is suppo- 

 sed to be exactly in the centre of their empire. It ii 

 famed for an ancient tower in one of its villages, which 

 is considered as having been the observatory of the ce- 

 lebrated Chinese astronomer Tcheoo-kong, who is said 

 to have lived 1000 years before Christ, and is affirmed 

 by his countrymen to have invented the mariner's com- 

 pass. They still show an instrument, which he is sup- 

 posed to have used for finding the length of the meridian 

 shadow, in order to determine the latitude. This province 

 is situated nearly in the centre of the Chinese empire, and, 

 in reference to its situation and beauty, is called Tong hoa, 

 or " the middle flower." The ancient emperors, invi- 

 ted by the mildness of the climate, and the beauty of the 

 country, generally resided in it part of the year Its 

 abundant fruits, however, rich pastures, plentiful crops, 

 cheap provisions, together with the effeminacy of its 

 inhabitants, have prevented the progress of commerce in 

 its territories. The eastern part is very flat, and finely 

 cultivated, so aa to appear like one immense garden ; but 

 towards the south-west it is more mountainous, and co- 

 vered with forests. Besides numerous streams and foun- 

 tains, it is traversed by the river Hoang-ho ; and has a 

 fine lake within its territories, the water of which is said 

 to impart a peculiar lustre to silk, and the banks of 

 which are therefore covered with the manufactures of 

 that article. It produces fruits and grain of all kinds, 

 silk, cimubar, loadstone, talc. 



Hoc- XI II. HOO-QUANO, ur Hoo-koang, is divided by the 



river Yang tse kian^ :nto two parts, northern and buuth- 

 crn ; and contains 15 cities of the first class, 1 14 of the 

 second and third, exclusive of numerous fortres-es and 

 villages. Voo tchang foo, the capital, situated on the 

 river Yang tse- k;ang, is the great resort of the comnn r- 

 cial people of China. Its ports are crowded with vesnels, 

 sometimes covering the river for the space of two leagues; 

 and every branch of trade is carried on within its walls. 

 It is celebrated for its plentiful crops of fine tea, its ma- 

 nufacture of bamboo paper, and the beautiful crystals 

 which are found in its mountains. Tchang-tclin-foo, the 

 principal city of the southern division, is situated npou a 



3 



K< . .- 



Urge river communicating with an extensive lake-; and 

 is remarkable only for a festival, instituted in one of its 

 dependent cities, in honour of a mandarin, one of its go- 

 vernors, which is still solemnized with great splendour 

 throughout the empire, by sports feasts, and combats on 

 the water; but the latter p:,rt of the amusement, owing 

 to the accidents with which tliey were frequently attend- 

 ed, have been in a great measure prohibited. 



This province h generally level, and well watered by 

 lakes, canals, and rivers. Its soil is rich and fertile in 

 high degree ; and it is called the granary of the empire. It 

 produces great quantities of rice, excell'-nt cotton, paper, 

 wood, crystal, talc, iron, tin. vitriol, mercury. 



XIV. KOKI TCHGOO, or Quei t>-/ifoo, one of the small 

 est provinC' s of China, contains 10 cities of the first class, 

 and,38 of the second and third. K.oei-yang-foo,the capital, 

 is said to have once been an imperial residence ; and re- 

 mams of temples and palaces still prove its ancient mag. 

 nificence. Some of the other cities are situated in fertile 

 vallies, and on the banks of pleasant rivers ; but the pro- 

 vince is, in general, a kind of desert, covered with inac- 

 cessible mountains. Its ancient inhabitants, a tribe of 

 savage mountaineers, still preserve their independence ; 

 and the Chinese colonies on the lower grounds, obliged, 

 by the dread of these depredators, to keep near the for- 

 tified places, are prevented from improving the soil to 

 any great extent. All attempts to subdue these plun- 

 derers, and to secure the cities from their incursions, have 

 been attended with very partial success. It is regarded, 

 in short, as the Siberia of China, and its mandarins arc 

 generally disgraced nobles, whose family connections or 

 former services prevent them from being altogether dis- 

 carded from office. It has mines of gold, silver, copper, 

 and quicksilver ; and produces a species of hemp, which 

 is made into cloth for summer dresses. It furnishes the 

 best horses in China, numbers of cattle and hogs, and 

 particularly wild fowl of exquisite flavour. 



XV. KIANO-SEE contains 13 cities of the first rank, Kiang-ir, 

 and 78 of the second and third. Nan.tchang-foo, has 



great trade, chiefly in porcelain, which M. De Gn 

 describes as sold remarkably dear; and is so much fre- 

 quented, that Mr Barrow calculated, at the time of the 

 British embassy passing it, that, independent of innume- 

 rable small craft, 100,000 tons of shipping lay around it. 

 Its streets, however, as observed by M. De Guignes, were 

 narrow and dirty, and few of its shops richly stored. In 

 its neighbourhood is situated a celebrated temple, with a 

 large well belonging to it, full <-f great snakes, which 

 the priests exhort the people to worship as the children 

 of dragons, which, if not appeased by sacrifice and of- 

 ferings, would destroy the whole world. It is affirmed 

 as a natural fact, that the appearance of these snakes up- 

 on the surface of the water always prognosticates r.uns 

 and inundations, a circumstance which assists to support 

 the superstitious reverence which i> paid to them. Jao- 

 tcheoo-foo, or Zhao-tcheoo foo, situated on the northern 

 bank of the lake Po-yang, is particularly celebrated for 

 the beautiful porcelain, which is manufactured in a vil- 

 lage of its district, called King-tr-tching. This village 

 is as populous as the largest cities in China, and is said ' 

 to contain a million ol inhabitants, crowded together in 

 long narrow streets. It stretches along tlie banks of a 

 fine river, which forms a harbour abuut a league in cir- 

 cumference, which is sometimes lined, throughout its 

 whole extent, with a triple row of barks. All the pro- 

 visions, which it requires, arc brought from a distance ; 

 and ev.'ii the wood, which is consumed by the furnaces, 

 is carrud about 100 leagues. It is, nevi-i tin less, a gr- 

 neral asylum to pour families ; as children and invalids 



