( 4°<5 ) 
It is thus that all the Years of the Emperors, for 
above two thoufand Years, have Names in Hiftory 
common to them with the correfponding Years of the 
Cycle : and thefe Names common to both, are a Sort 
of Link which unites the Years of the Emperors to 
the Cycle, ‘ and thereby prevents Confulion. Hence we 
fee how the Cycle among the Chinefe is the Knot and 
Balls of all their Chronology. 
Here a Queftion naturally arifes, concerning the 
Signification of thefe Charaderiftics, which diftinguilh 
the Years of the Cycle and Emperors : for it mud: 
be pleafing to the Reader to dive into their true Senfe. 
It is to bewilhedit were aseafy to anfwer thisQue- 
Ilion as it is natural to propofe it : But it regards 
Charaders fo infinitely different from ours, that their 
Nature or Origin have never been well extricated , 
nor has there been any Principle hitherto eftablilhed 
for their Explanation. Wherefore to endeavour now 
to. penetrate their primitive Signification, would be the 
fame thing as to attempt walking without a Light in 
an unknown dangerous Road, in a dark Night. Yet 
lince an Anfwer mull be given, to lead the Reader by 
Degrees to the Knowledge of fo new a Subjed, 
We muft remark, Firjiy That it is not poflible to 
give thefe Names any Tranflation. Kta f^fe will ftill 
be Kta ffe in all Languages ; y mao will ftill be 
y mao ; Kang chin^ Kang chiny and fo the other fifty- 
feven Names : and this no European that underftands 
the Chinefe Tongue will contradid. 
Secondly^ That thefe Names are compofed of two 
Sorts of Charaders very famous among the Chinefoy 
who 
* Stt the characters in thi Platt ann$xedf Tab-Ill. 
