This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com L-t - The (Jest Oriental Library Institute for Advanced Study Princeton, New Jersey Cr.L.256 i - — — (j.L. £c5£> THE HISTORY O F CHINA. Upon the Plan of Mr ROLLIN's ANTIENT HISTORY. CONTAINING," / I. A General Idea of their V. Of their Religion, History. Manners, and Particu II. A Description of lar Customs. their Country. VI. A Succinct Descrip tion of some King III. An Account of their doms that are tributary Government. to CHINA.— Also the IV. Of their Commerce, Natural History Arts and Sciences. of CHINA. To which is prefixed, , An Accurate MAP of CHINA, drawn From Surveys made by the Jesuit Missionaries by Order pf the Emperor. Translated from the FRENCH. LONDON: Printed for J. and P. Knapton in Ludgatt-Jlrtet. m. dcc.lv. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE R A L P H, Earl V E R N E Y, Viscount FERMANAGH, Baron BELTURBET, Of the Kingdom of IRELAND. My Lord, MODERN History, in her new Englijh Dress, is ambitious to come recommended to the Public by ^ A2 Your aL.256 . iv DEDICATION. Your Lord ship's approbation; and, ac cordingly, here first presents You with theHisTORY of China, as a sample os that entertainment which she pro mises to your leisure hours whilst, re leased from attendance in parliament, You enjoy the retired sweets of rural life at Clay don*. - ... - j That a competent knowledge of his tory is a useful accomplishment stands confessed by all, and how useful in particular that part of it which relates to civil government is to a Senator of Great Britain., I need not observe to Your Lordship, as by pointing out both the defects and excellencies observable in the political systems of other nations, it teaches how to supply what is want ing, to correct what is amiss, and to set a due value upon what is truly estimable in our own. * The ancient feat of the Femes s in Buckinghamshire, If DEDICATION, v Is it is natural, upon reading the History of the Chinese., to think with a degree of wonder how so consider able a people on the Continent could re main so long unknown to our Western World, it is easy to conceive how great must have been the astonishment of those European Adventurers who first discovered this vast country, when, instead of vagrant troops, or undifei- plin'd clans of rude barbarians, they beheld a mighty, wide-extended em pire cultivated with all the improve ments of husbandry, and rendered com modious for commerce by the surpriz ing contrivances of a most industrious people, expert in trade, flourishing in arts, excelling in politeness, acquainted with most of the sciences, governed by the wisest laws, and, in a word, a kingdom well ordered in the whole of its constitution: And here, My Lord, some particulars occur well worthy of our attentive Observation. A 3 The. DEDICATION. The Mandarins ire. the chief Ma gistrates to whom the government of the people, in their several districts1, is eommitted ; and it is not accounted sufficient that they be qualified for this important office by a learned education, but their moral conduct also is strictly observed ; for to be Vicious or mercenary in China., is, to be deemed unworthy of the magistracy. How well does this part of their civil oeconomy agree with that golden maxim which the au thor ascribes to them, where he tells us, that they make no distinction between politics and morality, but hold it for a principle, that The true art of go verning well) is to live well. An expeditious administration of jus tice is another excellency that does ho nour to the Chinese government. As they are deliberate and stow in their proceedings where life is concerned, so the same tender regard to mercy leads them DEDICATION. vii them to a quick dispatch in their deci sions of property ; for tedious delays of justice here defeat the main end of go vernment, and become real oppression, as they tend to waste the substance, and to break both the peace and heart of the injured sufferer. The various arts and sophistry practised by such as are the allowed disgrace os their profession, to perplex what is plain, and to obstruct the course of Equity, find no place here; for their proceedings are unembarrassed with subtleties, being directed by the simple rules of moral justice ; and, as moral justice is the surest basis and best interpreter of the laws, so her prin ciples are few and perspicuous. Modesty and civility of manners form another amiable characteristic of the Chinese. Their politeness does not only consist in a conformity to certain rules of behaviour enjoined by the ce remonial of their country (which is A 4 cOn viii DEDICATION. confessedly over-precise and incumber'd) but in forbearing to say or do any thing that may offend the most delicate vir tue ; and this regard to decorum is carefully preserved even . in their dra matic performances. Curtesy and good manners are too nearly connected with modesty to be wanting here; nay, perhaps, this nation excells all others in this respect. Scurrility or an over bearing behaviour would not be en dured either in a public asiembly or a private company os Chinese ; for no thing os this kind is practised even in their streets : The meanest of the people, fays our author, are untainted with that rudeness of behaviour which distinguishes the vulgar of other na tions. , .. Lastly, Shall we more admire the wisdom or virtue os this people, in laying the foundations of allegiance and submission to superiors, in filial obe dience ? DEDICATION. ix dience ? sure it is, that a just fense of this great duty of natural and revealed obligation is cherished among them with a religious care; and as they ho nour their parents, so they love and obey their Mandarins, and almost adore their Prince : It is true> they challenge in return all due protection, and evi dent proofs of a tender regard to their welfare ; and it must be allowed to be both the duty and interest of Gover nors not to disappoint a loyal and lov ing people in so just a claim. The choice I have made os the sore- going particulars, in order to engage Your Lordship's favourable attention to the following History, was directed by a persuasion, that what is excellent and praise worthy in any character, is the nearest way to your esteem, and that it could not fail giving You plea sure to find so much os pure morality in the precepts and practice of the Chi nese, x DEDICATION. nese, who habitually recommend it Yourself, from better principles, by so virtuous an example. That Your Lordship may long live a friend to your country in a steddy course of unbiass'd integrity, and adorn every relation of private life with di- stinguisti'd Grace and Dignity, is the sincere wish of, My Lord, Tour obedient, Humble servant, The Translator. [ si ] THE INTRODUCTION. I HAVE here attempted, in the History of the Moderns, what Mr. Rollin has so happily executed in that of the Ancients : and as the knowledge of the present state of the world is no less curious than that of Anti quity, so our nearer connexion with it gives it the preference in point of usefulness and importance. As the Subject before me is of great extent and copiousness, I find it the more necessary to. set myself proper bounds in the execution of it ; and, accordingly, mall confine myself chiefly to the following particulars : In the first place, I shall endeavour to give as clear an account as possible of the Origin and Progress of every People and Nation, and also point out the particular Epocha and most remarkable Circumstances of their Establisli- . ment, xii INTRODUCTION. ment, the Order of their Dynasties, their most renown'd Princes, and most considerable Re volutions. I shall then present the Reader with an ac curate Description of the Situation, Extent and Limits of their Country, of their principal Towns, and the Curiosities they contain, to gether with their Monuments of Art and Pro ductions of Nature. And lastly, I mall give an account of the particular Genius of each people, their form of Government, Arts, Sciences, Religious Worship, Manners and Customs. This is nearly the method which the Au thor of the Ancient History beforementioned has observed in the former part of his Excel lent Work, more particularly in his History of the /Egyptians and Babylonians. He there se lects a few of the most memorable Events, without dwelling on a detail of minute Histo rical Narratives, whilst the chief of his pains is bestowed on the most Interesting Subjects : and here the Rife and Progress of Arts and useful Inventions, Natural Curiosities, such Laws and Customs as are most worthy of No tice, and a thousand other useful Enquiries present INTRODUCTION, xiii present themselves to his pen, and enrich his Work with a grateful and instructive Variety. The Choice I have made of Mr. Rollins Plan, and my resolution to adhere to it, are founded on solid reasons ; and as I am per suaded, that a long Recital of the military Exploits of any People, is neither the most concerning nor most edifying part of their History, I shall avoid all prolixity on Subjects of that kind ; a fault too common with many Writers of Modern History: whereas, to re present to the mind, as it were by Review in a moving Picture, every thing that is most re markable in the Origin and Advancement, the Prosperity and Declension of a People; to un fold the Systems of their Politics and Religion, and to give a just Idea of their Power and Industry : and to add to these different Views a faithful Description of their manners and usages, together with a particular Account of their several Occupations and Entertainments, and their Oeconomy in Private Life : This is what few Writers of History have even under taken, and still fewer executed to the Satisfac tion of the Public.