XVIII INTRODUCTION. 



According to the Shu-king there are 3 virtues: //Honesty, severity and kindness. (') Three 

 things the emperors ought to observe in ruling the people, viz: to mak e right the virtues of the 

 people, to make the people prosperous, and to make the people flourishing. ( 2 ) 



In three parts the Chinese army was divided, these consisting of the superior and inferior of- 

 ficers and the soldiers. ( 3 ) 



There are 3 beginnings : ( 4 ) the first beginning ( 5 ) on the 15th of the first month; the 

 middle beginning ( 6 ) on the 15th of the seventh month; and the last beginning ( 7 ) on the 15th 

 of the tenth month. 



The first elementary book for children is written in verses of 3 words each, and is called the 

 Trimetrical classic. ( s ) Equally the Chinese distinguish 3 souls, called the San-hwan. ( 9 ) Three 

 years is the time of mourning for a paren t, being reduced, however, in practise, to 8 x 9, or 

 27 months. Three times a woman is dependent: as a virgin upon her father, as a wife upon 

 her husband, as a widow upon her son. If a husband remains away 3 years from his wife 

 without giving sign of life, his widow is allo wed to marry again with consent of the autho- 

 rities. ( 10 ) There are 3 degrees of the pain of death, ( n ) viz: Quartering, Decapitation and 

 Strangulation. ( 12 ) 



Even the number of concubines of the emperor of China is based upon the numbers 3 and 

 9. According to the Booh of Rites, composed towards the year B. C. 1112 by Chao-kimg, He 

 is allowed 3 concubines of the first rank; 3x3, or 9 concubines of the second; 3x9, or 27 

 concubines of the third, and 9 x 9, or 81 concubines of the fourth rank. ( 13 ) 



All the odd numbers are male (Yang), and the even numbers are female (Yin), just as Py- 

 thagoras taught. Heaven is male (Yang), Earth is female (Yin) : therefore the odd numbers re- 

 present Heaven and the even numbers Earth. 



To illustrate this, these numbers, from the unit to the decas, are drawn up in the following 

 diagram. 



I 1 ) H |, - JE |, - I S. = I %> Chapt 

 Hung-fan ($fc gg), 



( 2 ) IE fÉ« ffl ffi« J¥ *%L Shu-king, cliapter Yu-nm, 



( 3 ) Mémoires concernant les Chinois, T. VII, 75. 



( 4 ) H TC ( 5 ) ± TÉ 

 ( 6 ) # 7Ü ( 7 ) T 7t 



( ) zn ~5~ $_e ( ) .m ^Mi 



( 10 ) See the ~J^ 'fipa |É| ^J Laws of the great Tsing-dynasly. 



( n ) h m ♦ m 



1 12 ) )M M Ling-chi, ^ chan, gg i. 



1 13 ) /Il IE Cha P' ffl j§ Part H ' Vo1, l> foL 49 verso ' of the Edition ff |i 



ei 



