OF CHINA. 13 



the time of Shun when he devided the Empire in 12 provinces, was 

 included by the great Yii in the Ki tchou, and restored by the 

 Tchou. 



48) Ibid, fol: 49, and page 275. Ed. Biot, forgetting the previous 

 statement about the Yu tchou, remarks how curious it is that silk 

 should be attributed only to the North of the Empire, and supposes 

 that it may indicate an exportation of silk. The learned author was 

 labouring under the glowing and exagerated explanation put forth by 

 the commentators of the Yu kung, and the wrong impressioD that silk 

 culture was much more extensive than it really was in olden times. 



49) Shuh wang pen tsi. — Of. also the Tcheng-tu ki. 



50) On this great scholar cf. T. de L., The languages of Chinabefore the 

 Chinese, §§ 42-53. 



51) Tsang i'sung she (9628-1108-4820). 



52) Tsien Han shu, T'i li tchi. 



II. 

 Calendaric Eules, Rites and Customs. 



22. A remarkable document, the Brief Calendar of the Hza dynasty 53 , 

 which internal evidence shows to have been compiled about 2000 gp.c., s/ 

 proves how great was already at that time the importance attached to 

 silkworm rearing. There are in it three special entries, as follows : 



1,30. " (In the second month). Is plucked 54 the Ailanthns glan- 

 dulosa 55 . Multitudes of small insects (silkworms ?) tap the eggshells 

 (which contain them). 



1. 38. In the third month, gathered are the mulberry leaves. 



1. 44. Lasses and Lads begin attending the silkworms. 



1. 45. And take in hand the rearing-house ^business 56 ." 



These calendaric statements of olden times, assumed afterwards the 

 value of official regulations. 



. 23. The Ritual of the Tchou dynasty 57 , which we have previously 

 quoted rules that " in the middle of spring, the Nei-tsai invites the 

 Queen to inaugurate the rearing of silk-worms in the Northern suburb 

 to make the sacrificial robes 58 ." Nei tsai is the title of the special officer 

 of government in charge of the part of the palace occupied by the queen, 

 wives and concubines of the Son of Heaven. There are besides two 

 officials, the Managerof silk or Tien se and the Manager offlax 

 or Tien si, who keep these textiles in stores and distribute them for em- 

 broidering and wearing, and receive them when worked out 59 . 



24. In the third century B.C., Lii Pu-wei (D. 237 b.c) or one of x/^ 

 his collaborateurs, compiled for his collection entitled Tchun tslu, the 

 monthly regulations, similar to the Brief Calendar of the Hia dynasty, but 

 with all the modifications and additions which had occurred in the mean- 

 time. This precious record, named Yueh ling or Monthly rules was 



