THE INDO-CHINESE FAMILY. 47 



It appears that the great philosopher of China is actually worshipped by his 

 countrymen, that no less than fifteen hundred and sixty temples are dedicated to 

 him, and that upwards of sixty thousand animals of different kinds are sacrificed 

 to his manes every year.* The Laou-tse doctrine appears to be a mere tissue of 

 moral subtleties; while the Budhism of the Chinese is essentially the same with 

 that of the neighboring nations — a gross and enervating idolatry. 



The Japanese bear a striking resemblance to the people of China, whose 

 features the former possess in an exaggerated degree. According to Thunberg 

 " the eyelids form in the great angle of the eye a deep furrow, which makes the 

 Japanese look as if they were sharpsighted, and discriminates them from the other 

 nations."! In general they are of short stature, with heavy limbs, large heads, and 

 sunken eyes." Like the Chinese they are laborious artificers, but less ingenious 

 than that nation, nor have they equalled them in the art of navigation. They 

 have two religious sects, but the dominant creed is that of Budha, mixed up with 

 some peculiar superstitions. Their vernacular tongue is said to have no resem- 

 blance to that of the Chinese, but they derive their classical or learned language 

 from that people. Their alphabet, instead of whole words, designs single letters 

 only4 



The peninsula of Corea is inhabited by a branch of this family, rougher, 

 however, in their exterior, and less advanced in the arts than the Chinese proper, 

 whose vassals they are. Their vernacular language and alphabet are altogether 

 peculiar, but they are required to use the Chinese characters. 



11. THE INDO-CHINESE FAMILY. 



The Indo-Chinese nations have been so called more on account of their 

 geographical position between Hindostan and China than for their resemblance to 

 the Hindoos, from whom they differ widely. The Indo-Chinese are real Mon- 

 golians, yet their proximity to India has undoubtedly given rise to some intermix- 

 ture with the Hindoos, and in some instances the partial adoption of the letters 

 and religion of that people. 



The nations embraced in this family are those of Ava, Pegu, Aracan, Siam, 

 Cochin-China, Cambodia, Tsiompa, Laos, and Tonquin. 



The states of Ava, Pegu and Aracan, constitute the Burmese empire. The 



* Mediiurst, China, p. 193. t Malte-Brun, II, p. 537 



t Tucket, Mar. Geog. Ill, p. 300. 



