188 
CHINESE CITIES. 
are usually encompassed by a ditch either dry or full of water. 
Distributed through the streets and squares, or situated in the 
vicinity of the principal gates, are round, hexagonal, or octagonal 
towers of unequal height, triumphal arches, beautiful temples de- 
dicated to idols, and monuments erected in honour of the heroes 
of the nation, or of those who have rendered important benefits 
to the state or to the people ; and lastly, some public buildings 
more remarkable for extent than magnificence. The squares are 
large, the streets long and of variable breadth, some wide, others 
narrow ; the houses have for the most part but a ground floor, and 
rarely exceed one story. The shops are varnished, and ornamented 
with silk and porcelain. Before each door is fixed a painted and 
gilded board seven or eight feet high, supported on a pedestal, and 
having inscribed on it three large characters chosen by the merchant 
for the sign of his shop, and distinguishing it from all others. To 
these are often added a list of the articles to be disposed of, and the 
name of the seller. Under all, and conspicuous by their size, are 
the characters Pou-hou , £ No cheating here.’”* 
Such is Du Halde’s description of a Chinese city, and the notion 
it conveys of the distribution of the temples, streets, and shops, will 
answer for the greater number of cities in the empire. The modifi- 
cations are not many, and depend on mere localities. Thus, where 
stone is readily had, the streets are paved much in the manner of 
European cities ; but in Tong-Chow, built on an alluvial soil re- 
markably free from all stones, the streets are without pavement, 
and cut into deep ruts. Another peculiarity of certain Chinese 
cities, is the quantity of land included and cultivated within the walls. 
* A writer not very favourable to the Chinese has observed, that unless they were pre- 
determined to cheat they would not place these characters before their shops. “ II ne 
reste done apres tout ceci que Pextreme bonne-foi des marchands Chinois, qui sont assure- 
ment de grands moralistes ; puisqu’ils ecrivent a l’entree de toutes leurs boutiques, Pour- 
how, e’est-a-dire, { ici on ne trompe personnel Ce qu’ils n’auroient point pense a ecrire, 
s’ils n’avoient ete tres resolus d’avance de tromper tout le monde.” De Pauw sur les 
Chinois, tom. i. p. 9 et 10. 
