INHABITANTS OF LI^OU-KIEOU. 
01 
near Napa-kiang, and appointed certain revenues for their use, at 
the same time that Hong-vou made them considerable remittances. 
These families first introduced into Lieou-kieou the learned language 
of the Chinese, the use of their characters, and the ceremonies prac* 
tised in China in honour of Confucius. On the other hand, the sons 
of several of the grandees of the court of Tsay-kou were sent to 
Nan-king, to study in the imperial college, where they w'ere treated 
with distinction, and maintained at the emperor’s expense. 
The isles of Lieou-kieou having neither iron nor porcelain, Hong- 
vou carried a great number of utensils and instruments of iron to be 
made, which he sent thither with a quantity of porcelain vessels. 
Commerce, navigation, and the arts, soon flourished. These islanders 
learned to cast bells for their temples, to manufacture paper and the 
finest stuffs, and to make porcelain. 
The celebrated revolution which placed the Tartars on the imperial 
throne of China, produced no change in the conduct of the kings of 
Lieou-kieou. Chang-tche, who was then reigningt, sent ambassadors to 
acknowledge Chim-tchi, and received a seal from him, on which were 
engraven some Tartar characters. It vvas then settled, that the king of 
Lieou-kieou should pay his tribute only every two years, and that the 
number of persons in the train of his envoys should not exceed 150. 
The emperor Kang-hi paid more attention to these isles than any of 
his predecessors. He caused a superb palace to be erected in honour 
of Confucius, and a college, where he maintained masters to teach the 
sciences of the Chinese characters. He also instituted examinations 
for the different degrees of the literari ; he ordained that the king of 
Lieou-kieou should send in tribute nothing but the productions of the 
country, particularly a fixed quantity of sulphur, copper, tin, shells, 
and mother-of-pearl, which is remarkably pretty in these islands ; 
besides house-furniture, pistol-cases, &c, which these islanders ma- 
nufacture with great taste and neatness. 
It is above 900 years since the bonzes of China introduced, at Lieou- 
kieou, the principal books belonging to their sect, with the worship of 
To, which is now the established religion. There is in the royal city 
a magnificent temple, erected in honour of another idol of the Chi- 
nese, named Tieq-fey, which signifies celestial queen. These islanders 
do not make promises, or swear before their idols, but burn perfumes 
present fruits, and stand respectfully before some stone, w hich they call 
to witness the solemnity of their engagements. Numbers of stones are 
to be seen in the courts of their temples, in most public places, and 
upon their mountains, appropriated to this purpose. They have also 
women consecrated to the worship of spirits, w'ho are supposed to 
have great influence over those beings. They visit the sick, distribute 
medicines, and pray for their recovery. 
They respect the dead as much as the Chinese, and are no less 
ceremonious in learning, but their funerals are neither so pompous, 
nor attended with so much expense. Their coffins, which are of an 
hexagonal or octagonal figure, are three or four feet high. They 
burn the bodies of their ddad, but preserve the bones. They never 
offer provisions to them, but place lamps around them, and burn 
perfumes. Families are distinguished in Lieou-kieou by surnames, but 
