182 SURGEON-GENERAL ©. A. GORDON. 
day, to be celebrated as originally ordered by this emperor at 
the commencement of the Chinese new year. ‘The ceremonies 
attending that festival bear some resemblance to the pro- 
cession of the bull Apis in ancient Egypt, which in like 
manner was connected with the labours of agriculture and 
hopes of an abundant harvest. Astronomical observations were . 
taken, and instruments for the purpose made. From the days 
of Suun his successors on the throne have continued, like him, 
literally to put their hands to the plough, and to “sow the five 
kinds of grain’”’* as he did, thus intimating the honour they 
accord to manual labour, and especially to that connected with 
the tillage of the land. In the reign of Suun also the first 
mention occurs of religious worship in the shape of ‘ sacrifices 
to Smanere ; + to hills and rivers, and to the hosts of spirits.”’ 
In those early days, also, tradition informs us that Governors 
of Provinces were under special obligation to show kindness 
to strangers and travellers, and see to their suitable accommo- 
dation and general care while passing through the districts 
under their charge and administration. 
The particulars now given illustrate the kind of materials 
from which is woven the web of so-called History throughout 
the periods, indefinite in duration, which preceded the dis- 
covery of symbols and other written characters, by means of 
which it became possible to record actual events in their order 
and manner of occurrence. With reference, however, to the 
“sovereigns and emperors”? whose names have been given, 
there are capable writers who look upon them simply as 
Chinese travesties of antediluvian patriarchs, an opinion the 
more plausible if we accept the theory already expressed, that 
the people we are dealing with had their birthplace in or near 
the territories adjoining the Euphrates. 
Neither is the circumstance to be ignored that the history 
of China, like that of other nations, mythical or fabulous in 
its earliest stages, is not therefore necessarily altogether 
devoid of truth as some critics assert it to be, the truth being - 
more frequently in respect to manners and customs of the 
people than to actual events. 
The third rEr1op enumerated is held to date from the acces- 
sion of Yu tHE Great, founder of the first, or Hea dynasty 
(B.C. 2204) ; that is, the year assigned to the institution by 
Nimrod of the first Assyrian empire; and to extend to A.D. 
264, corresponding to the time in which lived ignobly 
GaLuienus the Roman emperor; when Zenobia reigned in 
* Namely, maize, pulse, millet, sesamum, and sorghum. 
+ Shangte,=Jehovah of the ancient Jews. See Note 4, p. 194. 
