CHINA. 



277 



0hinese 

 author:. 



literature, tending to 200 volumes, and published by the authority 

 s<- "Y"' of the Emperor Kien long ; the Tong- kien-kang-moo, 

 a general history of China, translated into French by 

 Father Mailla, in 14 volumes ; the Hao-kioo-tchuan, or 

 pleasing history, which has been rendered into English 

 from a Portuguese version by Dr Percy, and which is 

 considered as at once one of the most faithful transla- 

 tions of a Chinese work, and one of the best fitted to 

 convey a correct idea of the sentiments and manners of 

 that people. * In consequence of the early and frequent 

 intercourse, which subsisted between the Cninese and 

 Hindus, there is said to be an immense number of works 

 to be found in the temples of Fo, translated from the 

 Sanscrit language into the Chinese. 



But though China abounds in works of erudition, 

 these are seldom produced by the lab iurs and resources 

 of private individuals. The youth of the country are 

 so continually occupied with their studies and examina- 

 tion! in their progress to office, and so entirely engaged 

 with the duties of their place, when they have obtained 

 appointments, that they have no leisure for literary pur- 

 suits. The constant and regular removals also of the 

 mandarins from one station to another, and the uncer- 

 tainty of a son being able to preserve the rank of his fa- 

 ther, prevent the accumulation of private libraries ; and 

 though there are generally large collections of books 

 and manuscripts stored by order of government in the 

 monasteries of the bonzes, by way of security, to 

 which all the literati have free access ; yet the greater 

 part of these convents are at a distance from the cine-, 

 frequently situated in the midst of mountains, and thus 

 not easily within the reach of literary men. All the 

 great w rks, therefore, of Chinese production, have 

 proceeded from the Han-lin, a kind of college, or body 

 of select literati, who have their residence at court, and 

 who act as secretaries to the emperor, or as supcrinten- 

 dants of the imperial schools. The neater part of 

 t.iem. however, are lodged in a large and commodious 

 building, where they are surrounded with all the lite- 

 rary treasures of the empire, and where they labour in 

 concert, and without interruption, on such works as the 

 emperur ordera to be executed. As each of these has 

 his proper employment, as all of them are interested in 

 the general result, and as there is no restriction in point 

 of cxpcnce or time ; their united productions possess a 

 degree of perfection, which is rarely found in the works 

 of a private author. From this body proceed all 

 the great historical collections, dictionaries, commenta- 

 ries, &c. ; and these works, printed at the expince of 

 government in a most magnificent style, are distributed 

 by the emperor as presents to the princes of the blood, 

 prime ministers, principal tribunals, governors of pro- 

 vinces, and pubLc libraries. In oth"r respects, there are 

 few publications and little printing in China, except a 

 multitude of temporary and trifling productions, which 

 are poured forth every mo .th from the presses at Pe- 

 kin, and which are speedily circulated throughout the 

 empire. These consist chiefly of almanack* an-1 calen- 

 dars ; manuals of medicine and devotion, of rites and 

 C'-remonies, and rules of good-breeding ; predictions of 

 g.iod and bad fortune; mo al maxims from ancient 

 sages, and the exhortations of the existing emperor ; 

 , r rnances, or moral tales ; comedies and laugh- 

 able stories, popular songs and fables ; receipts tor 

 cuoki-ry or physic, and similar productions, which are 

 generally told at a cheap rate, and of which the Chi- 



fmprrial 

 liege. 



Tmp 

 colic 



Ordinary 



pub'ica. 

 Fions. 



nese are said to be great readers. Daily papers also are Literature, 

 printed in the capital, containing private anecdotes, do- > "*""Y"""*' 

 mestic occurrences, notices of sales, and the virtues of 

 quack medicines ; and to a certain extent the press may Freedom of 

 be &aid to be free, that is, not under the necessity of "* e P res5- 

 waiting, before publishing, for any licence or imprima- 

 tur. But the summary mode of punishing any breach 

 of morality or good order provides a sufficient security 

 against any licentiousness in the press, as not only the 

 printer and vender, but even the reader of any libellous 

 or pernicious publication, would be equally obnoxious to 

 the bamboo. As the superior mandarins also are the 

 sole judges of the limits to be observed in such, publica- 

 tion-, it may be said that there is, strictly speaking, no 

 real liberty of the press, or of any thing else-in China ; 

 and it would be certain ruin to publish the slightest re- 

 flection upon the conduct of government, or of its prin- 

 cipal officers. 



As learning is so essential a requisite in China for ad- General 

 mission to office, the more wealthy classes endeavour to education, 

 give to their children the best education ; and they find a 

 sufficient number of preceptors in those students who are 

 candidates for the title of doctor. The government pro- 

 vides teachers for the children of the soldiery, but sup- 

 ports no other seminary throughout the whole empire, 

 except the imperial college at 1'e.kin ; to which the 

 mandarins of the four first orders, resident in the metro- 

 polis, those of the three first orders resident in the pro- 

 vinces, and those of the first and second orders in the 

 military class, are entitled to send one of their children ; 

 where, after an attendance of three years, they are ca- 

 pable of being admitted to inferior appointments. There 

 ia not a city or village, however, in China, where a 

 school is not to be found ; the elements of education 

 may frequently be obtained at the low rate of two dol- 

 lars per annum ; and it has been calculated, that about 

 one half of the people are able to read and write. 



It is said, that the Chinese literati, employed only in 

 useful studies, and in the pursuit of office, put very little 

 value upon poetical compositions, except as a mere 

 amusement in moments of relaxation ; but that, never- 

 theless, a ta^te for the perusal of verses is general in the 

 nation, and that there are few of their writers, who have 

 not devoted a part of their leisure hours to the muses. 

 At the same time, it may be affirmed, that, according to 

 all our received ideas of poetical composition, there is, 

 in strict propriety of speech, no such thing as poetry in 

 the Chinese language ; and it is only by analogy, that 

 the name can be applied to a particular species of their 

 literary productions. The nature of the language pre- 

 cludes every thing that constitutes the essence of a 

 poem. The energy and beauty of expression among the 

 Chinese depends not upon any measured arrangement of 

 sounds, but upon a skilful choice of written characters ; 

 and it may be said, that Chinese verses (the merit of 

 which can be appreciated only by the learned) are ad- 

 dressed rather to the eye than the ear. 



They designate their poetry by the appellation or 

 character Shee. which is compounded of Yen, a word, 

 and S/'ee, a temple, that is, the words of the temple ; an 

 expression which is supposed to imply, that such a style 

 of writing is derived from a divine origin, iand designed 

 for sacred uses. As the word yen signifies also to speak, 

 it has been farther conjectured, that the Chinese name 

 of poetry may allude to the mode of speaking or teach- 

 ing in temples, and may thus imply an imitation of that 



For a particular account of Chinese books, see Hiitairt. dt C Aaukmic tUt Jntcr. ft Bdlu Ltttret, torn. 36, and Fourmont'e Cram' . 

 , Sinicu. 



