82 REV. PROF. JAMES LEGGE, M.A., ON CHINESE CHRONOLOGY. 
large volumes. May I ask in how many of these books the ex- 
aminations are conducted which have so great an influence on 
Chinese official advancement ? 
The AurHor.—The examinations have always existed in China 
from nearly 1000 B.c., but the system of competitive examination 
was not fully organised until the seventh century of our Christian 
Era, and embraces all the classical books. 
The Rey. F. A. Watxer, D.D.—Is it true that all the historical 
records connected with Confucius perished, as stated in the public 
press in England ? 
The AurHor.—They did not all perish, but the destruction was 
no doubt very considerable. It was just as if any of the palaces 
of our great noblemen were burnt down, which would not 
affect the archives of Great Britain. I myself went over that 
residence of Confucius about seventeen years ago, and saw a 
great many things that no doubt are not to be seen there now; 
but the fire was nothing like a complete destruction of the works of 
Confucius. Suppose the establishment of the Bible Society here 
were to be burnt down, still Bibles would not be burnt out of 
England ; we should have them everywhere. 
Mr. R. C. Asuspy.—May I ask if there still exist any known 
samples of the knotted cords by which the records were kept ? 
The AutHoR.—No, none. 
Mr. Asupy.—Is there any known system extant of these knotted 
cords P 
The AutrHor.—No, they have great difficulty in telling us what 
they were, and we might not be willing to believe in their existence 
until we turn to the accounts of the first discoverers of Mexico. 
There the quippos were found by the Spanish invaders to have been 
used for chronological record by the Mexicans. This seems to have 
been the way of keeping the records in China, but you must go 
‘back for it, according to the Chinese accounts, to about 4000 B.c. 
or more. 
The Meeting then adjourned. 
