12 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan, 



painted in grotesque and fantastic hues. Thence, 

 passing through a yard, we were admitted to the 

 main edifice. A priest, with shaven head, under- 

 took our guidance through the intricate passages, 

 and soon we were in the presence of five hundred 

 idols. 



Throughout the room, these idols were ar- 

 ranged upon long platforms, in sitting pos- 

 tures. They were all gilded, and although exces- 

 sively Chinese in a])pearance, were not expres- 

 .sionless. In front of each idol was a vase of arti- 

 ficial flowers and a leaden vessel of peculiar shape, 

 to receive the ashes of the joss stick offered as a 

 sacrifice. The building containing the idols was 

 exceedingly plain both in its interior and exterior. 

 Giving our attendant a cumshaw, we proceeded 

 on our way, visiting several buildings similar in 

 character to the one we had just left. In one of 

 them we were shown a fine model of a pagoda, 

 constructed of porcelain, and, at least, thirty feet 

 in height. 



Still following our guide, and having mounted a 

 great number of steps, we found ourselves at the 

 summit of a high hill, from which we obtained, for 

 the first time, an excellent view of the city and 

 the White Cloud mountains in the distance. The 

 buildings in the city were nearly equal in height, 

 and, with the exception of several pagodas tower- 

 ing above the common level, few objects met our 

 gaze, and we saw little else save a vast plain of 

 roofs extending on either side to an immense dis- 

 tance. A small temple, containing several gilded 

 images, was the only structure on the hill. On 

 ray way down, I had the curiosity to count the 

 steps that we had passed over, and found the 

 number to be three hundred and seventy-five. 



Desirous to be in time for tiffin, we commenced 

 our return, the coolies walking at a rapid pace. 

 On passing through the gates of the city to the 

 suburbs, I had an opportunity to examine the 

 walls. They seemed to be made of bricks nearly 

 thirty feet in height, and half as thick at the base. 

 It was here that I was repeatedly reminded of the 

 fierce contests between the Cantonese and the 

 English a few years since. Traces of fire — dilap- 

 idated and ruined houses lining whole streets — 

 vacant spots in the midst of once thickly-populated 

 districts — gave unmistakable evidences of the ter- 

 rible bombardment to which the city was subjected. 

 Having returned to our quarters, we discharged 

 our coolies, paying them for a four hours' tramp a 

 quarter each, with which they were entirely satis- 

 fied. 



The next day I was shown the establishment of 

 Hipqua, the most famous manufactory of lac- 

 quered ware in Canton. The buildings in which 

 this beautiful work is done Avere in a very filthy 

 condition; the rooms all small, and crowded with 

 workmen to such an extent as scarcely to admit of 

 easy elbow-room. The first process I was allowed 

 to witness consisted of the coating of the numer- 

 ous articles with a material resembling flax, de- 

 signed, as I was informed, to give elasticity to the 

 .sul)sequent coatings of lacquer, the number of 

 which being less or more accoi-ding to the intend- 

 ed quality of the work. 



After passing through a drj-ing process, the 

 work is first varnished, then polished, and after- 

 wards submitted to artists for embellishment 

 This process is the most curious of all, and not- 

 .-.•.v.»^„,i;r,r, mnnv of the designs are grotesque, 



such is the skill with which they are executed that 

 many of them are really beautiful. The patterns 

 are first traced with a pencil of chalk or marked 

 out by rubbing a white powder over a paper sten- 

 cil. They ai'e then painted in Vermillion, and gold 

 dust is thrown over to bring out the design. 



In the afternoon I visited the Honam Temple. 

 This I found to be more extensive than any simi- 

 lar temple I had seen. Before the hideous idols, 

 women were worshipping, bowing and kissing 

 the ground, rising frequently to light fresh joss 

 sticks which they kept burning in a leaden vase 

 before their god. Great numbers of priests were 

 domiciled here, one of whom conducted me into 

 the kitchen and dining hall. It beingdinner hour, 

 they were seated at long benches, devouring their 

 "chow chow," placed before them in small laowls. 

 The cooking was done in large iron boilers. 



Here too I saw the famous sacred hogs. They 

 were confined in a stone pen, kept quite cleanly, 

 and had the appearance of great age. Some of 

 them were very large, their bellies actually drag- 

 ging upon the ground. They are never slaugh- 

 tered, and of course, die natural deaths. As por- 

 cine specimens, they come far short of what I had 

 been taught to regax^d as at all desirable ; having 

 large, bony heads, coarse frames and skins thick- 

 ly coated with long bristles. 



Extensive gardens were connected with this in- 

 stitution laid out and cultivated in beautiful taste 

 and order. Dwarf pear and other fruit trees sim- 

 ilar to those found at home, were to be seen here, 

 and it was astonishing with what skill and inge- 

 nuity they trimmed and trained trees and plants 

 into imitations of pagodas, boats and even ani- 

 mals. Flowers were interspersed throughout the 

 grounds, and the whole had a most pleasing effect. 



In the afternoon I accompanied a party of gen- 

 tlemen to the celebrated porcelain manufactory of 

 Ushing. On our passage through the streets the 

 inhabitants flocked to the doors to see us. Many 

 of the younger married women had their cheeks 

 and lips painted a violent carmine, giving them 

 the appearance of wax dolls. 



We found the factory divided into small com- 

 partments similar to those seen at Hipqua the 

 day previous. The ware of the establishment is 

 made and baked in the country, and brought here 

 to be painted and otherwise decorated. Tiie col- 

 ors when first put on are destitute of brilliancy, 

 but after having undergone the process of another 

 baking, are very beautiful. 



In the evening we made a tour among the flow- 

 er boats. As these are institutions ])eculiar to 

 China and the Chinese, it may be well to state 

 that when a rich man or successful merchant de- 

 sires to give an entertainment to his friends, he 

 hires one of these boats for an evening. Here, 

 conveniences for smoking opium are furnished. 

 Young girls are in attendance, and music and 

 mirth resound. The boats are highly ornamented, 

 and lighted by numerous glass chandeliers, chiefly 

 of European manufacture. 



An entertainment was going on in one of the 

 boats we visited. Around a small table, on which 

 was spread a variety of preserved fruits, were 

 seated a number of beautiful gii'ls, their heads and 

 hair bedecked with fragrant flowers. Their cheeks 

 and lips were painted, and they seemed to be oc- 

 cupied, some in eating melon seeds, others in 

 self-admiration before small min-ors. Several 



