465 



CHINA. 



direction to the farthest extremity of the projecting tract, can hardly 

 fall short of 2000 miles. If however this latter tract is excluded, 

 the length of China from the peninsula opposite the island of Hainan 

 to the Great Wall due north of Peking is about 1400 miles ; its 

 breadth varies between 900 and 1300 miles. The area of China is 

 about 1,300,000 square miles, or more than eleven times as large 

 as that of the British Islands. The north-western projecting tract 

 is not included in the calculation. According to a state census made 

 in 1812, the population was then 360,279,897, but it would not be 

 safe to regard this as anything like an accurate enumeration ; by a 

 state census taken in 1825, the population was only 352,866,012, and 

 this, though not to be regarded in the same light as a European census, 

 is perhaps not greatly in excess. 



China is surrounded by countries dependent upon it, except at its 

 south-western and southern side, where it borders on the Birman 

 empire, the kingdom of Siam, and that of Cochin China. On the 

 west of it extend Tibet and the country of Kho-kho-nor, or Ching- 

 hai. The projecting tract is mostly surrounded by Eastern Turkistan, 

 lately called Grand Tartaria, and by Mongolia. Mongolia occupies 

 also the greatest part of its northern boundary, except in the extreme 

 east, where it is bounded by Manchuria, or Ching-king, and by Corea. 

 Its eastern side is washed by the Pacific, which forms a deep gulf 

 between China and Corea, called the Hoang-hai, or Yellow Sea ; it 

 assumes the name of Tung-hai, or Eastern Sea, between Corea and 

 the island of Formosa, and that of Nan-hai, or Southern Sea, or more 

 generally China Sea, between Formosa and Hainan, while the strait 

 between Formosa and the mainland is known as Formosa Channel. 



Coatt-line, Surface. The coast of China being about 2500 miles, 

 there is only one mile of coast for every 520 square miles. Where 

 China borders on Corea its coast is high and bold, and full of rocky 

 islets. This coast continues on both sides of the peninsula of Leao-tung, 

 or about 240 miles. It is followed by a sandy coast, which in most 

 places is so low that it cannot be seen at a short distance from the 

 shore : this coast extends from the innermost corner of the Bay of 

 Leao-tung for about 360 miles to the neighbourhood of the Straits of 

 Meao-toa, which form the entrance of the Bay of Pe-tche-li. The 

 coast of the peninsula of Chan-tung is rocky, and commonly bold, 

 but not high, except in a few places. It extends from the Straits of 

 Meao-toa to Cape Macartney, and hence to 35 N. lat, about 350 miles. 

 The shores, as far as the Chusau Islands (30 30' N. lat.), are low and 

 sandy, indeed in many places very swampy, and extend from 420 

 to 450 miles. From the Chusan Islands to the Bay of Canton the 

 coast is rocky, bold, and high, except in the recesses of the numerous 

 bays and harbours. At some places it rises to a considerable height, 

 and is besides lined with numerous cliffs and rocky islets, in all its 

 extent of about 800 miles. The western shores of the Bay of Canton, 

 for about 30 miles, are formed by a great number of low sandy 

 islands. From the Bay of Canton to the peninsula of Lui-tuheou, 

 about 120 miles, the coast is again rocky and bold, but it does not 

 appear to be high. The shores of the peninsula itself are about 100 

 miles long, sandy, flat, and low; the remainder of the coast of China 

 is washed by the Gulf of Tonkin (about 100 miles), along which 

 are numerous small islands. 



The whole surface of China may be divided into the mountainous 

 country, the hilly country, and the great plain. The mountainous 

 country comprehends more than half of the whole, and the meridian 

 of 112 may bo considered its eastern boundary, but to the north of 

 the Hoang-ho it extends as far as 114. All thin immense tract of 

 country ig covered by mountains and valleys. The mountains are 

 commonly too steep and rugged to admit much cultivation, but a 

 great part of them is covered with high trees. Towards the north 

 they are mostly bare, but contain immense beds of coal. The valleys 

 are often narrow, but being watered by numerous streams, their fer- 

 tile soil maintains a numerous population. This general description 

 however applies properly, in all its extent, only to the districts north 

 of the Tapa-ling and south of the Nan-ling, for in those between these 

 two ranges the mountains are less steep, and their sides are commonly 

 cultivated to a considerable height. The valleys too are much wider, 

 and the level land sometimes extends to plains of considerable width, 

 as for instance the plain of Tching-tu-foo, which is perhaps 20 miles 

 in every direction. 



The western boundary of China extends to the mountain chains 

 which constitute the eastern edge of the high table-land of Eastern 

 Aia [ASIA ; BAYAN KBARA] ; but only the most eastern of these 

 ranges lies within the boundary of China. It may be considered as 

 beginning in the most southern bend of the Yang-tse-kiang, between 

 101 and 103 E. long., and as extending hence in a north-north-east 

 direction, and terminating in the great northern bend of the Hoang-ho, 

 between 107' and 111 E. long. This mountain range, which is called 

 Siue-ling (Snow-range), or Yung-ling, contains a considerable number 

 of snow-capped summits. The snowy mountains are numerous 

 between 30 and 36 N. lat., and more especially between 32 and 

 34. But even south of the great southern bend of the Yang-tse-kiang, 

 and at a short distance from its banks, are some snow-covered sum- 

 mit*, whence Hitter rightly concludes, that the river breaks through 

 the southern portion of the range. The four mountain chains which 

 traverse China from west to east, may be considered as offsets of this 

 range. South of the snowy mountains, which are situated on 'the 



OIOO. !)IV. VOL. II. 



CHINA. 486 



south of the great bend of the Yaug-tse-kiang, is the hilly table-land 

 of Yun-nan. It is of considerable extent, and at a great elevation 

 above the sea. From the eastern edge of this table-land two moun- 

 tain ranges branch off, the Yu-liug and the Nan-ling. The Yu-ling, 

 the most southern of these ranges, branches off from the table-land in 

 24 N. lat., and 102 E. long., and runs nearly east to the neighbour- 

 hood of the Bay of Canton, dividing the river Ta-si-kiang from the 

 sea. It does not seem to approach the shores of the sea in any point, 

 nor to rise to a great height. The Nan-ling (or Southern Range), 

 which constitutes the most extensive mountain system in China, 

 branches off from the northern edge of the table-land of Yun-nttn, 

 where the snowy mountains are situated (26 N. lat. and 103 E. long.), 

 and runs eastward, passing about 150 miles to the north of Canton 

 as far as 116 E. long. ; it then inclines to the north-east, in which 

 direction it continues with a slight bend to the west to its termina- 

 tion at the sea near the harbour of Ning-po, opposite the islands of 

 Chusan. Several summits of this range rise above the snow-line, west 

 of 110 E. long., where also it extends to a great width. An abori- 

 ginal nation, the Mioatsee, have maintained their independence in its 

 fastnesses. A lateral range, which separates the Yang-tse-kiang from 

 ita tributary the Yuen-kiang, and extends north-east to the centre of 

 China, is also said to contain some summits which rise above the 

 snow- line. East of 110 no snow-capped mountains occur, though 

 some rise to a great elevation ; but even here the range preserves its 

 steep and rugged character. Its numerous branches, running towards 

 the Formosa Strait and the' Tung-hai, are also steep and craggy, but 

 those extending northward are of inconsiderable elevation. Three 

 mountain passes are known to traverse the Nan-ling. The most 

 frequented is to the north of Canton, where the range is called Mei- 

 ling (the Chain of the wild Plum-trees, according to Klaproth), and 

 hence the pass is called Mei-ling pass. By this pass goods are trans- 

 ported from Canton into the interior of China. Goods are brought 

 in boats on the river Pe-kiang to the town of Nan-youg-foo. Between 

 this town and that of Nan-gan-foo is the pass where goods are carried 

 on the backs of men, for about 24 miles over rocky mountains. This 

 is the only place, between Canton and Peking, where no water 

 communication exists ; for at Nan-gan-foo the goods are again shipped 

 and descend the Kan-kiang and afterwards the Yang-tse-kiang till 

 they come to the Great Canal. The elevation of the Mei-ling moun- 

 tain-pass is estimated by Staunton to bo 8000 feet above the sea. The 

 second pass which is known occurs near 28 N. lat., and 118 E. long., 

 between Kien-nmg-foo on the east and Kian-tchang-foo on the west of 

 the range, and though the mountains are very steep and rugged it is 

 much frequented ; 18,000 porters are said to be continually employed 

 for the transport of goods. The third road, which is a little farther 

 north, connects the town of Kien-niug-foo with the town of Kin- 

 tcheou-foo, which lies ou the west of the range. Though difficult to 

 pass it is much used. 



The two other mountain ranges, the Tapa-ling and the Pe-ling, are 

 immediately connected with the Yun-ling, the Tapa-ling branching 

 off south of 33 N. lat. and Pe-ling about 35. The Tapa-ling runs 

 south of east nearly in a straight line, and terminates near 112 E. 

 long, north-east of the town of Koei-tcheou-foo. It divides the valley 

 of the Han-kiang from that of the Yang-tse-kiaug, and rises to a great 

 height ; several of its summits exceed the snow-line, as for instance 

 the Kianku-shan, with which it terminates. The Pe-ling, which runs 

 nearly parallel to the Tapa-ling, separates the valley of the Han-kiang 

 from that of the Hoai-ho, or Wei-ho, an affluent of the Hoang-ho, and 

 consequently the two great river-systems of China from one another. 

 It continues in its eastern direction to 113 E. long., and this portion 

 of the range is high, rugged, and steep. At 113 it declines to the 

 south-east, diminishing considerably in elevation and ruggednesa. 

 Having attained 32 N. lat. it turns again to the east, and soon sub- 

 sides into a chain of hills, which terminates on the western shores of 

 the lake Tsiao-hoo, a considerable distance east of Nanking. The 

 western part of this range contains several snowy mountains, though 

 fewer than the Tapa-ling. The obstacles opposed by these two chains 

 to the communication between the provinces which they traverse 

 have b^en overcome by an artificial road said to be 420 lis, or nearly 

 150 miles long, and which, through the mountain district, is conducted 

 over deep clefts by long bridges, and often by deep cuttings through 

 high mountains. 



These ranges traverse that part of China which lies south of the 

 Hoang-ho. But even the western, and greater, portion of the countries 

 north of that river is almost entirely covered witli high and rugged 

 mountains. These mountains belong partly to the northern portion 

 of the Yun-ling, which joins the Hoang-ho at its great bend, and 

 partly are ramifications of the Inshan, a range which extends round 

 the bend of the river on the west and north, and whose offsets enter 

 China between that bend and the town of Peking in several ridges. 



Among the mountainous districts must be included the tract of land 

 which lies between the Nan-ling and the sea ; but with th<! exception 

 of the immediate neighbourhood of the range it rather resembles the 

 countries between the Nan-ling and Tapa-ling thau those farther 

 north, its valleys being generally wide and sometimes expanding into 

 plains, as for instance the plain of Canton. A considerable portion 

 of the sides of the mountains is also fit for cultivation. If this tract 

 is added to the other mountainous country, it may be said that 



2 II 



