958 



CHINA. 



CHAPTER CLII. CHINA. 



Chinese Ladies. 



1. Boundaries and Extent. China is bounded by Chinese Tartary on the north ; by the 

 Pacific Ocean on the east ; by the Chinese Sea on the south ; and by Tartary, Thibet, Bir- 

 mah, and Annam, on the west. It extends from 20^ to 41'^ N. lat., and from 100^ to 121° 

 E. long., and contains 1,300,000 square miles. 



The Chinese empire stretches from 1S° to -56^ N. lat., and from 70^ to 140'^ E. long., cov- 

 ering an area of above 5,300,000 square miles, or one tenth of the whole land surface of the 

 earth. The population of this vast region is very differently stated, according to the opinion 

 adopted in relation to China Proper, the estimates of which vary from 150 to 360 miUions ; if 

 the former sum is adopted, the pppulation of the whole empire may be conjectured to be about 

 1S5 millions, if the latter, 395 millions. The regions included under the Chinese rule, are 

 China Proper, Corea, Thibet, Bootan, Manchooria, Mongolia, Chinese Turkistan or Little 

 Biicharia, the Loo Choo islands, &c. 



2. Mountains. The provinces of Yunan, Koeicheou, Sechueen, and Fochen, are so 

 mountainous as greatly to obstruct cultivation ; and that of Chekiang has lofty and precipitous 

 mountains on the west. In the province of Kiangnan there is a district full of high mountains, 

 wliich are also numerous in the provinces of Shensee and Shansee. The greater part of the 

 country, however, Is level, and most assiduously cultivated. 



3. Rivers. The two principal rivers of China, are the Hoangho and the Kiangku ; the for- 

 mer, called the Yellow River, from its discolorment by the mud, which its waters bring down, 

 nas its source among the mountains of Thibet, and falls into the Yellow Sea, after a course 

 of 1,850 miles. The Kiangku rises near the source of the Hoangho, and after passing the city 

 of Nankin, falls into the sea about 100 miles to the south of the mouth of the Hoangho, having 

 traversed a course of 2,000 miles. There are many rivers of inferior note in China ; but the 

 water of this country is in general very indifferent, and. in some places, must be boiled to make 

 it fit for use. 



