94 



CHIN A. 



and Kejlorians. At that time Jefiiiabas^ fays Mojheim^', was at 

 the head of that fedt. The memory of this tranfa<Stion was 

 quite loft for ages, till in the year 1625 a monument was found 

 in digging under ground near Si-ngan-fu, in the province Shenfi. 

 It was a table of marble, ten feet long and five broad, containing 

 the names of the miffionaries, and a hiftory of the caufe of their 

 coming, written in the ^t/^c language, which was tranflated by 

 the Jefuits who happened to be in China at the time of its dif- 

 covery, and is given in Kircher\ China Illujlrata. There is no 

 doubt of the authenticity. The Jefuits are charged with a moft 

 ufelefs and unavaling forgery, efpecially by Voltaire. The 

 curious may fee more of the affair in Renaudot^s account of 

 India and China i. The effect of this mrflion did not continue 

 long; at iirft they made abundance of profelytes ; they were 

 favored by the reigning emperor, permitted to build churches, 

 and inculcate their dodrine among his fubjeds. This monu- 

 ment brings down their hiftory to 783, the time of its being 

 made. In the year 845, an emperor inimical to the monaftic life 

 arofej and by an ordinance entirely fuppreffed every religious 

 houfe. This was in fadt levelled at the Bonzees, and the 

 profeflbrs of the idolatry of Fo or Fwe, who had not only ex- 

 pended vaft fums in the ornaments of their pagodas and monaf- 

 CoNTENTs. teries, but made them faniftuaries for all kinds of profligates. This 

 event correfponds exactly wirh our celebrated diflblution : here 

 four thoufand fix hundred of the great monafteries of ma-le and 

 •female reclufes, and forty thoufand of the leffer, were direcfted 

 to be demoliflied, the lands and revenues to revert to the royal 



* Vol. ii. p. I. t Tranf. Pt. ii. p. 76 et feg. 



domain^ 



