796 The Voyages and CTbfervations of J. A. de Mandeifloe, Book I, 
wear filk. The Women are very magnificent in their 
Apparel, and wear abundance of Jewels and Pearls. They 
are very remarkable for their little Feet, They feldoni 
appear Abroad, and when ever they vifit their Relations, 
it is done in clofe Palanquins , or Litters. The Qhinefe are 
fo quick, not only in all forts of Manufactures, but alfo 
in their Way of Trading, that fcarce any body is able to 
over-reach them. Their Money is Gold and Silver, which 
paffes altogether by Weight. They are fo careful in pro- 
viding for the Poor, that in each City a Judge is appoint- 
ed to provide for the Relief of fuch as are unable to pro- 
vide for themfelves, and to let to work fuch as are in a 
Capacity to get their Bread. 
As there are Books extant in China , which have been 
printed above feven hundred Years ago, it is certain that 
they invented the Myftery of Printing before us, fince it 
was not difcovered in Europe till 1450. Their Characters 
are rather Figures, lignifying certain Words than Letters, 
which they write from the Top downwards, not with 
Pens, but with Pencils, and that on one Side only, their 
Paper, which they make of the Bark of Bamboe Canes, be- 
ing very thin. The Emperor maintains at his own Charge 
many Schools and Academies, the over-light of which is 
committed to Vifitors, who, at certain Times, not only ex- 
amine the' Profeffors and Scholars, and expel fuch as are 
not qualified for Studies, but alfo promote fuch as have 
made a fufficient Progrefs in Learning, to the Degree of a 
JLatia , a Dignity like our Doctors. They are very cere- 
monious and obliging in their Convention, in which 
Point they are fo nice, that the firft Rudiments of Learn- 
ing given to their Youths, are certain Books of Compli- 
ments. Their Entertainments are veiy magnificent, in 
which they have this peculiar, that they fet as many Ta- 
bles as they have Guefts. Their Meats are ferved up ei- 
ther in Plates, or Porcelain. They have frnall Cups, be- 
caufe they drink often, but no Napkins, and they fre- 
quently fend Home to their Guefts what Meats are left 
untouched upon the Tables, and are efpecially careful 
In entertaining Ambaffadors with more than ordinary 
Refpedh 
They allow Poligamy, but puniffi feverely Incelt, which 
Is forbidden in a direct Line to Infinity, and in the Colla- 
teral Line to Sifters and Nieces. The firft, however, is the 
only lawful Wife, whofe eldeft Son inherits half of the Eftate 
of his Father ; but on his Demife, the eldeft Son of the next 
W 7 ife has the fame Pre-eminency. Adultery, though it be a 
capital Crime here, yet is feldoni heard of, partly by reafon of 
the great Reftraint the Women are kept under, partly becaufe 
the Chinefe are fo wife, as rather to make the belt of fuch 
an Accident, by an advantageous Agreement, than to expofe 
themfelves, by publifhing their own Difgrace. Though 
the Government of China be not only monarchical, but alfo 
defpoticaj, yet it is obferved, that even in thofe Nations 
which enjoy the greateft Degree of Liberty in Europe , are 
much more burthened with Taxes than the Chinefe , which 
chiefly proceeds from this fundamental Maxim imprinted 
in their Kings, that as War is definitive, and the chief 
means to impoverifh a Nation, they ought not to enter 
upon it, in order to extend the Limits, or make any Con- 
quefts ; for which Reafon it is, that, to avoid all Occafion 
of Conteft with Foreigners, the Chinefe are forbidden to go 
out of the Kingdom without Licence from the Emperor, or 
ihe Governor of the Province where they dwell. 
The eldeft Son always fucceeds ..tfie Father in the Throne, 
the youngeft Sons having only certain Apenages, with 
the Titles of Kings allowed them ; but have not the leaft 
Share in the Adminiftration of the Government, being 
under the Jurifdiction, or rather Inflection of the Gover- 
nor of the Province where they refide, who pays them their 
Allowance quarterly. The chief Council of State confifts 
of twelve Counfellors, and a Prefid ent ; befides which, there 
are in moft of the great Cities fix Commiffioners. The 
firft for the Adminiftration of Juftice ; the fecond for the 
Revenues ; the third for the Ceremonies ; the fourth for 
martial Affairs ; the fifth for furveying the publick Struc- 
tures •, and the fixth for Criminal Cafes. To prevent the 
Mifrnanagement of the Governors, and the Corruption of 
Judges and other Officers, the King fends every three Years 
certain Vifitors into the Provinces, who, after having taken 
an Account of their Tranfactions, make a faithful Report 
to the King, who changes the Officers of the Province 
every three Years, with this Circumspection, that fo as 
never any Officei 01 Note is fent but into a Province remote 
from the Place of his Birth. Debtors are punifhed by moft 
cruel Drubbings, which makes them rather choofe 'to fell 
themfelves to their Creditors, than to undergo this kind of 
Punifhment. 
ThePrifons, wherewith all the great Cities are provided 
are very ftrictly kept ; but at the fame time want not any 
Conveniencies, fuch as Courts, Gardens, Ponds, Walks, 
L? c. for the Divertifement of the Prifoners, and Drinkino-! 
houies, and Cooks Shops, for their Conveniencies. No 
Sentence of Death is executed without a Warrant from the 
Emperor, and this muft be done in the Prefence of the 
Judge, who are fo nice in this Point, that they allow a 
very confiderable Time betwixt the Condemnation and 
Execution, make divers Vifits to the Prifoners, and exa- 
mine them whether they have any thing to alledge in their 
Behalf; by which Delays it happens, that more Malefac- 
tors die in Prifon than are executed. Their ordinary Pu- 
niftiments are Hanging, Impaling, and Burning alive ; but 
the laft is only in Cafes of High-Treafon. Thieves they 
lay upon their Bellies with their Hands tied back, and fo 
the Executioners beat them with Canes moiftened with 
Water upon the Calf of their Legs, with fuch Violence, that 
they frequently expire under their Hands. 
The Chinefe are Pagans , though fome Authors have 
taken a great deal of Pains to perfuade the World that they 
found fome Remnants of Chriftianity among them, which, 
they fay we introduced there by the Apoftle St, Thomas . 
They acknowledge the Heavens for the Creator and chief 
Governor of the Univerfe, which is managed by a Vice- 
gerent called Layocan Tzantey , unto whom they pay the 
greateft Veneration next to the Sun. The next Divinity is 
called Can fay, unto whom they attribute the Government 
of all fublunary Things. They allot to thefe three Divini- 
ties as many great Minifters, viz. Tanquam, who prefides 
over the Air ; Teiquam , whofe Bufinefs is to look after the 
Generation of Men, and all living Creatures, as well as the 
Produces of the Earth, and Tzinquam , the chief Patron of 
the Sea. They have alfo three famous Saints ; the firft 
called Sichia, Founder of all the religious Orders of both 
Sexes, of which there are great Numbers in China ; the 
other two are Females, called Quanina and Neoma. The 
Chinefe are alfo much addicted to Incantation, and adore 
the Devil. They believe the Immortality of the Soul, 
which is communicated to it by Heaven, and that it ffiall 
either enjoy eternal Felicity or Torments, according to the 
good or bad Actions done in this World ; for which Reafon 
it is that they affign a certain Place of Abode not unlike 
Purgatory to the Soul, after its Departure from the Body : 
There it is purged from its Sins, and, by the Interceffion of 
its Relations and Friends, may be eafed in its Sufferings. 
Many of them alfo adhere to the Opinion of the Tranfmi- 
gration of the Soul, which they derive from the Indians. 
Their Orders of religious Men have one General refidino- 
in the City of Xuntion , who has under him feveral Provin- 
cials, and thefe under them the Superiors and Guardians of 
their refpe&ive Monafteries. They make ufe of Beads, 
and keep to their conftant Mattins and Offices, not unlike 
the Monks in Europe. The eldeft Sons amongft the Chi- 
nefe are not permitted to enter into religious Orders, and 
fuch as have, may quit them at Pleafure, and marry, as may 
all the reft, who have embraced a monaftick Life. As to 
their Funeral Rites, the Chinefe waffi the dead Bodies, put 
them in a Coffin of fweet Wood well clofed, and fo keep 
them upon a Table fifteen Days; during which Time the 
Priefts. who come there to fing and pray over the Dead, 
are feafted with Wine and Fruit ; their Bufinefs it is to in- 
ter them after the Expiration of thefe fifteen Days, which 
is commonly done in the Country, near a Pine-tree, and if 
that be not to be found, they plant one on purpofe. Theft 
Mourning is very clofe, in coarfe Cloth, and Hats, with 
a Cord tied about their Middle: Sons continue this for two 
Years, and the other Relations proportionably. 
The firft time the Tartars broke through the Chinefe 
Wall was in 1206, when they made themfelves Matters of 
ail the Country, and remained in Poffeffion of it till 1368, 
when 
