which by this method are prevented. Since this Inftitution, there are 
now 73 Periods elapfed^ and the 74 is current ; in which time they ac- 
count that there has been 234 Kings of China, (prung from no lefs 
than ^^ feveral Royal Famihes ; the King now reigning being the 
fecond of the Race of the Tartars^ who within thefe f o Years have 
throughly fubjeded 
In this Chronology are fet down the beginnings of each Kings 
Reign, with a fhort Charader of the Prince, and the principal of his 
Ads, with the moft notable Contingencies of his time : amorigft the 
reft, feveral Eclipfes of great Antiquity are recorded, whereby this 
account may be examined^ 
The third King, Chuen-hio, is faid to be the Author of the Cbineje 
Kalendar, and to have appointed the beginning of the Year to be 
on the New-Moon next the beginning of the Spnng, which the C/6i- 
nefs account to be when the Sun is in %gr. of Aquarim : this Account 
is now in ufe, tho' inftituted 2500 Years before Chrift. About 700 
Years after, the King Chim tam reduced the beginning of the Year 
to the Winter Solftice ; but the former was reftored about 1 00 Years 
before Chrift, and ftill continues. 
The Years of this Account are Luni-fblar, or confifting of 1 2 Lunar 
Months, half of 30 days, and the reft of 29 days, with the Intercalati- 
on of 7 mon. in 19 years; ib that 7 years in each Cycle have 1 3 mon. 
This Diftribution of mon. was ordained by K.2>^?, above 2500 years 
ante Chrifium, and is, if rightly intercalated, a more exad meafure of 
the Cceleftial Motions than our Julian Account or old Style, for that 
fails a day in i ; i years, whereas this Account of the Chine fe (which 
is nearly the fame with the Jewijh) fails but a day in 225 years, or 4 
days in 900 years ; but fince their method of Intercalation is not here 
expounded, I lliall not (ay more m a matter of (iich Uncertainty. 
'Tis here faid, that the famous Wall of China ^ extending above 400 
Leagues, was begun by King Xt-Hoam-ti about the year ^«f.C/&r.2io. 
to hinder the Incurfions of the Tartars, \^hichin all Ages have infe- 
fted this Country. The following Cycles are more amply defcribed, 
and towards the End,theTranfadions of the Romifh Miflionaries are 
inferted, with a brief account of that great Revolution in China, by 
the entire Conqueft of that Kingdom by the Tartars, This Chro- 
nology ends with thbyear of Chrift 1683 ^ being the laft of the 73^ 
Cycle, fince.the King Hoamti ; and contains in all 438oyears. 
::;:'TwilI be needlefs to adv?e$tii(e; ribat this Account places the begin- 
ning of the Chtnefe Empire long before the Deluge, according to the 
Holy Scriptures; wherefore if this be to be wholy rejeded, as fabu- 
Igus^or notjhow it is to be reconciled with the iacrcd Chronology, 
hcUigs more properly to the Difquifition of the Divines. 
