CHINA. 



239 



Hiitory. narchy), the Emperor Poen-keng emigrated with all his 

 < T < ~ / svibjects to a new settlement, and assigned the example 

 of his ancestors in vindication of the measure ; that, in 

 1122, the empire was conquered by Voo-vang at the 

 head of the Tcheoo, a people whom one of their suc- 

 ceeding sovereigns affirmed to be far from numerous ; 

 that the different tributary kingdoms, subdued by the 

 founder of that dynasty, soon ceased to acknowledge the 

 authority of his successors, and that at length the most 

 powerful of them, the Tsin, introduced a new race of 

 sovereigns 255 years before Christ ; that the fourth em- 

 peror of this new dynasty, viz. Shie hoang-tee, was the 

 lirst who effectually reduced these independent princes, 

 and thus became sole master of the empire ; but found 

 *uch a variety of usages among these constituent parts of 

 his dominions, that he could devise no better expedient 

 for removing all traces of their former disunion, and com- 

 pelling them to live under the same laws, than to cause 

 all their historical records to be destroyed in the year 

 213 before Christ. The Chinese empire, now united for 

 the first time, did not continue long under one head, but 

 was soon dismembered into distinct sovereignties, till it 

 was again established by Kao-tee, the founder of the Han 

 dynasty, 200 years before Christ. About 220 years after 

 the Christian era, it was again divided into three king- 

 doms ; that of the Han, in the provinces of Se-tchuen and 

 Shen-see; that of the Oey, in the northern part of China; 

 and that of the Oo, in the southern regions. These three 

 kingdoms and the reigning families were again annihi- 

 lated by Voo-tee, who founded the dynasty of the west- 

 ern Tsin A. D. 26.5 ; while Yuen-ty, in like manner, 

 established that of the eastern Tsin A. D. 317; but 

 neither of these princes were long in possession of all 

 Cmna, and several provinces revolted during their re- 

 pect've reigns. After the destruction of their dynasty, 

 A. D. 420, the whole country was thrown into a state 

 of confusion, which gave rise to two empires, the north- 

 ern and the southern. The empire of the north was al- 

 most constantly occupied by the Oey or Tartars named 

 Topa, of whom the Yuen-Ocy (or first Oey) reigned in 

 Shan-see and Honan from A. D. 386 to 531; the Ti.ng- 

 Oey (or eastern Oey) reign' d in Honan from A. D. 

 534 to 550, when they were displaced by the family of 

 Pe-tsee, who held the throne till A. D. 578 ; and the 

 Sic-Ocy (or western Oey) reigned in Shen-see from 

 A. D. 585 to 556, when they were displaced by the 

 Heoo-tcheoo (or later Tcheoo), who prevailed till A. D. 

 .581. The empire of the south was held from A/D. 

 420 to A.D. 479, by the dynasty of Song, which was 

 followed in 479 by that of Tsee ; in 502 by that of 

 Leang ; and in 557 by that of Tchin. In 581 the two 

 empires were united by Ven-tee, founder of the 3 

 u'ynasty, which was displaced in 618 by that of Tang; 

 during the latter end of whose government, the empire 

 was agitated by new troubles, desolated by the Tartars, 

 named Kee-tan, and divided into so many independent 

 sovereignties, that it was reduced within a very narruw 

 compass, under the Heoo-oo-tay (or five later dynasties) : 

 the Heco-lang in 907, the Heoo tang in 923. the Heoo, 

 tsin in 936, the Heoo-han in 94-7, and the Heoo tcheoo 

 in 951. These commotions and divisions were once 

 more terminated in 960 by Tay-tsoo, founder of the 

 dynasty of Song ; but the two Tartar nations of Kee- 

 tan and Kin, or Niu-tche, and the prince of Hia, still 

 retained possession of the northern parts of China. In 

 1127, the Kin having destroyed the Kee-tan, the Song 



were obliged to remove the seat of their empire to a History 

 greater distance from these formidable neighbours, and s """"" 

 resided in the province of Tche-kisng, till they called in 

 the Yuen or M >guls, called by the Chinese Mong-koo, 

 to assist them against the Kin in 1235, and were them- 

 selves overthrown by those allies in 1260, when Kublay- 

 Khan, a descendant of the renowned Genghis-khan, be- 

 came absolute sovereign of all China. Since the esta- 

 blishment of the Mogul dynasty, the empire has never 

 been again divided ; but has experienced two great revo- 

 lutions, at the accession of the Chinese dynasty of Ming 

 in 1368, and of the Mantchoo Tartars in 1644 ; and ha 

 scarcely, in any reign, been entirely free from revolts, 

 wars, and domestic seditions. The empire of China, in 

 short, instead of having existed as a great and united na- 

 tion 3000 years before Christ, was never formed into one 

 state till the year'before Christ 220 ; but, being soon 

 again dismembered, and only transiently united under 

 successive sovereigns, has composed one sole and undi- 

 vided monarchy only since the year of Christ 1279. In- 

 stead, therefore, of being regarded as a privileged coun- 

 try, governed from time immemorial by the same con- 

 stitution, exempt from foreign conquest and intestine 

 commotions ; the only peculiarity which it possesses, in 

 comparison with the other empires which have disap- 

 peared from the earth, is this, that, owing perhaps to its 

 peninsular situation, at the extremity of the habitable 

 world, and its consequent exemption from the sweep 

 of those conquering nations, who changed the people 

 whom they overthrew, it has preserved its manners and 

 usages in a great measure unaltered, amidst the various 

 revolutions and subjugations, which it has experienced. 



The government of China bears a strong resemblance GOVIRM- 

 to what has been called the Patriarchal form, from MKNT. 

 which it is supposed to have originated. The emperor Emperor, 

 possesses the most unlimited authority, and can issue 

 new laws or abrogate the old at his pleasure. He is the 

 undisputed master of the lives of his subjects ; and no 

 sentence of death can be executed without his consent. 

 To hi* revision, in like manner, every verdict in civil 

 suits is subject, and has no force till it receive his confir- 

 mation. All his own sentences are executed without 

 dtlay; and all his edicts acknowledged throughout the 

 empire, as if they were the mandates of the Deity. He 

 is the source of all power in his dominions ; dispenses 

 honours and offices at his will ; and appoints or dis- 

 misses the mandarins of every class without control)]. 

 The princes of the blood alone, or those who bear that 

 title, cannot be degraded or punished without a trial ; 

 but. as the sovereign has the power of nominating the 

 judges, he always possesses the means of disposing of 

 the life or liberty of the highest personages, who have 

 incurred his displeasure. Hi* has even the power of ap- 

 pointing his own successor to the throne, either from his 

 own family, or from ai.y class of his subjects ; and should 

 the person thus nominated, afterwards give evidence of 

 being incapable or unworthy, the emperor can at once 

 set him aside, and appoint another in his place. This f 



unlimited power of the crown appears to be as ancient as 

 the empire itself ; and is regarded as one of the funda- 

 mental laws of the- constitution.* It is still farther aug- 

 mented and confirmed by the principle of filial respect 

 towards the government, which is so carefully instilled 

 into every one of the people from their birth, which 

 arises almost to adoration, and which represents all dis- 



Somc degree of check upon this absolute power of the emperor, is supposed to be provided 



i the ceremony of bringing offerings to deceased ancestors; on which otcaaiun, the emperor, however implicitly obeyed during 



3 



