196 SURGEON-GENERAL C. A. GORDON. 
Casting Lots.—The land of Canaan was divided among the 
children of Israel by casting lots. In China, more especially in 
the northern provinces of that empire, very many of the ordinary 
transactions of every-day life are similarly decided. 
Lucky and unlucky Days.—These are observed by the Chinese 
at the present time. They were so by the ancient Indians and 
Romans, and our own almanacs two centuries ago. The idea of the 
horoscope is substantially the same in China and in Burmah now, 
as “once upon a time” it was in England. 
5. “ The Seven Rival States,” page 189.—Considerable difficulty 
has been experienced in the arrangement of details connected with 
the condition of China at the period referred to in the text; it is, 
therefore, deemed advisable to add in this form the following par- 
ticulars obtained from the work of Pére Du Halde :— 
About B.C. 478 cruel wars between tributary princes began again, 
and lasted nearly 300 years. The kingdom of Tsin had been 
divided among four princes, one of whom overcame the others, and 
so got the whole kingdom into his own hands. His son, Trent 
Sone, quarrelled with the kings of Han, Guot, and Chao, but they, 
having united their forces, defeated the army of Trent Sona, whose 
kingdom was accordingly taken possession of by the king of Chao. 
The kings of Lou and Tsi were also at war with each other, but 
after a time an amicable arrangement or peace between them was 
brought about. During the reign of H1ey Wana, 32nd emperor of 
the Chou dynasty, B.C. 367-319, the tributary princes strove 
severally to usurp the Imperial authority. In the reign of CuuN 
Tstn Wanc, 33rd emperor of the same dynasty, B.C. 319-313, 
the king of Tsin defeated the combined armies of the kings of 
Tsou, Tchao, Han, Guei, and Yen. He sent his forces to aid a 
prince, in the western part of Sechuen, who was at war with a 
neighbouring chief; and subsequently cleared his own way to em- 
pire by fomenting discord among the various tributary princes 
named, so that they might destroy each other. Thus the kingdom 
of Song, which had existed 380 years, was destroyed by the kings 
of Tsi and Tsou; the principality of Low was destroyed by the 
king of Tsou, who also made tributary to him the king of Gwei. 
After those events CHAo Suan@ no longer concealed his own designs 
upon the Imperial throne. He defeated the king of 7s?, the only 
prince who was powerful enough to standin his way. Shortly after- 
wards he defeated the reigning emperor Nanc Wana, 34th of his 
dynasty, permitting him, however, to retain the nominal power, 
