LALFERj RELATIONS OF CHINESE TO THE PHILIPPINES 271 



decree is extremely great, and calamities and crimes would be sure to follow 

 the dispatch of an army there." 1 



The governor of Fuhkien was not inclined to go himself, but, compelled by 

 the imperial decree, dispatched the assistant district magistrate of Hai-ch'eng 

 (in Chang-chou fu, Fuhkien), named Wang Shih-ho, with a hundred in- 

 dividuals from the same city, to go to Luzon, together with Chang-Yi, to in- 

 vestigate the matter. When the Spaniards heard the news they were terror- 

 stricken. The Chinese, who had a temporary residence there, thus addressed 

 the envoys : "The Imperial Court has really no other intention than that such 

 perverse evil-doers shall breed trouble !" When the governor came to under- 

 stand a little the intention of their visit, he ordered the clergy to scatter 

 flowers on the road which the imperial envoys would take, and to treat them 

 with respect. He provided a large escort of soldiers to receive them. Shi-ho 

 and his retinue entered the house of the governor, who entertained them with 

 a feast, and after making inquiries, said, "The Imperial Court sends an em- 

 bassy with the view of exploring our mountains. Each mountain has its 

 owner. How will you explore them? There are mountains in China; could 

 our country go there and open them? Furthermore, you speak of trees on 

 which gold beans grow. Which is the tree that produces them?" Shih-ho 

 could not answer, and looked at Chang-Yi. Chang-Yi replied, "This entire 

 country is gold. Why is it necessary to inquire for beans?" All. without ex- 

 ception, burst out laughing, seized hold of Yi, and wanted to kill him. The 

 Chinese all requested Shih-ho to return to China. He died heartbroken. The 

 governor of Fuhkien was informed of this, and was requested to pass sentence 

 on Yi for his wild speeches. In the meantime the Spaniards were suspicious 

 that the Imperial Court was secretly planning to raid their country, and that 

 the Chinese settlers were treacherously plotting to kill them. The next year 

 the rumor was circulated that troops were to be detailed to take possession of 

 the country. In consequence of this, prices in the iron market rose consider- 

 ably. The Chinese, in their craving for profit, exhausted their supplies of 

 iron, selling every inch in their possession. The governor issued an order 

 to have the names of the Chinese registered, and divided them into groups 

 of three hundred men, each group to reside in one building. The Spaniards 

 broke into these houses and slew them. As their intentions thus became 

 clear, the Chinese fled in large numbers to the outlying farms. The governor 

 dispatched troops to attack the multitude. As they had no arms, they were 

 killed. A great number took refuge in the mountains of the interior of Luzon 

 (Ta litn shall). The savages followed them thither, assaulted them again, 

 and killed a number. As the troops of the savages met with some resistance 

 in the fight, the governor repented, and sent an envoy to deliberate concern- 

 ing peace with them. The Chinese, suspecting this to be merely a pretext, 

 threw the envoy down and killed him. The governor fell into a great passion, 

 assembled his army, penetrated the city, and set an ambush, so that a great 

 famine broke out among the Chinese near the city. The}- descended the hills, 

 attacked the city, and suffered a decisive defeat from the division, which 

 fell out of ambush. The total number of those killed in the successive bat- 

 tles amounted to twenty-five thousand. The governor, after holding an in- 



1 History was to prove that his prediction was right; but at that moment, 

 when the nation was maddened by a thirst for gold, no one paid any attention 

 to the words of the clear-sighted censor. 



