GEN, G HIST ANTIQ WALFORD 10-3-18 711776-129 ADD. VOL.

China.

I

CHI

HINA, a country of Asia, situated on the most easterly part of that continent. It is bounded

Boundaries, on the north by Tartary; from which it is divided, extent, &e. partly by a prodigious wall of 1500 miles in length, and partly by high, craggy, and inaccessible mountains. On the east, it is bounded by the ocean; on the west, by the extensive country known by the name of Thibet, which separates China from Hindostan; on the south, it is bounded partly by the kingdoms of Lao, Tonquin, Ava, and Cochin-China, and partly by the southern or Indian sea, which flows between it and the Philippine islands. Its length is about 1400 miles, and its breadth about 1150. These are the bounds of China proper; but the Chinese empire extends over a vast region lying to the west and north, including Thibet, and great part of the country known by the name of Tartary. China proper contains 15 provinces, excluDivision sive of that of Lyau-tong, which is situated without the into progreat wall, though under the same dominion. Their vinces, names are, 1. Shensi, 2. Shansi, 3. Pecheli, which are situated on the north side, along the wall; 5. Shantong, 5. Kyan-nang, 6. Che-kyang, 7. Fo-kyen, which are situated along the eastern ocean; 8. Quangtong, 9. Quang-si, 10. Yu-nan, 11. Se-chuen, which stretch themselves towards the south and south-west; and, 12. Honan, 13. Hu-quand, 14. Quey-chew, 15. Kyang-si; which take up the middle part. For a particular description of all these, see their proper articles.

2

3 Chinese

ty.

4

The origin of all nations is involved in obscurity pretensions and fable, but that of the Chinese much more so than to antiqui- any other. Every nation is inclined to assume too high an antiquity to itself; but the Chinese carry theirs beyond all bounds. Indeed, though no people on earth are more exact in keeping records of every memorable transaction, yet such is the genius of the Chinese for superstition and fable, that the first part of their history is deservedly contemned by every rational Why their person. What contributes more to the uncertainty of history is the Chinese history is, that neither we, nor they themselves, have any thing but fragments of their ancient historical books; for, about 213 years before Christ, the reigning emperor Si-whang-ti caused all the books in the empire to be burned, except those written by lawyers and physicians. Nay, the more effectually to destroy the memory of every thing contained in them, he commanded a great number of learned men to be VOL. VI. Part I.

Bouncertain.

+

CHI

buried alive, lest, from their memories, they should commit to writing something of the true memoirs of the empire. The inaccuracy of the Chinese annals is complained of even by their most respected author Confucius himself; who also affirms, that before his time many of the oldest materials for writing such annals had been destroyed.

China.

5

China.

According to the Chinese histories, the first mo-Fabulous narch of the whole universe (that is, of China), was history of called Puon-ku, or Puen-cu. This, according to some, was the first man; but according to Bayer and Menzelius, two of the greatest critics in Chinese literature that have hitherto appeared, the word signifies the highest antiquity. Puon-ku was succeeded by Tiene. hoang, which signifies the emperor of heaven. They call him also the intelligent heaven, the supreme king of the middle heaven, &c. According to some of their historians, he was the inventor of letters, and of the cyclic characters by which they determine the place of the year, &c. Tiene-hoang was succeeded by Ti-hoang (the emperor of the earth), who divided the day and night, appointing 30 days to make one moon, and fixed the winter solstice to the IIth moon. Ti-hoang was succeeded by Gine-hoang (sovereign of men), who with his nine brothers shared the government among them. They built cities, and surrounded them with walls; made a distinction between the sovereign and subjects; instituted marriage, &c.

The reigns of these four emperors make up one of what the Chinese called ki, "ages," or " periods," of which there were nine before Fo-hi, whom their most sensible people acknowledge as the founder of their empire.

The history of the second ki contradicts almost every thing said of the first; for though we have but just now been told that Gine-hoang and his brethren huilt cities surrounded with walls; yet, in the succeeding age, the people dwelt in caves, or perched upon trees as it were in nests. Of the third ki we hear nothing; and in the fourth, it seems matters had been still worse, as we are told that men were then only taught to retire into the hollows of rocks. Of the fifth and sixth we have no accounts. These six periods, according to some writers, contained 90,000 years; according to others, 1,100,750.

In the seventh and eighth ki, they tell us over again what they had said of the first; namely, that men be gan

A

China. gan to leave their caves and dwell in houses, and were taught to prepare clothes, &c. Tchine-fang, the first monarch of the eighth ki, taught his subjects to take off the hair from skins with rollers of wood, and cover themselves with the skins so prepared. He taught them also to make a kind of web of their hair, to serve as a covering to their heads against rain. They obey. ed his orders with joy, and he called his subjects people clothed with skins. His reign lasted 350 years; that of one of his successors, also, named Yeou-tsao-chi, lasted more than 300; and his family continued for 12 or 18,000 years. But what is very surprising, all these thousands and millions of years had elapsed without mankind's having any knowledge of fire. This was not discovered till towards the close of this period, by one Souigine. After so useful a discovery, he taught the people to dress their victuals; whereas before they had devoured the flesh of animals quite raw. drunk their blood, and swallowed even their hair and feathers. He is also said to have been the inventor of fishing, letters, &c.

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Fabulous

plained.

In the ninth period, we find the invention, or at least the origin of letters, attributed to one Tsang-hie, who received them from a divine tortoise that carried them on his shell, and delivered them into the hands of Tsang-hie. During this period also, music, money, carriages, merchandise, commerce, &c. were invented. There are various calculations of the length of these ki or periods. Some make the time from Puan-ku to Confucius, who flourished about 479 years before Christ, to contain 279,000 years; others, 2,276,000; some, 2,759,860 years; others, 3,276,000; and some no less than 96,961,740 years.

These extravagant accounts are by some thought history ex- to contain obscure and imperfect hints concerning the cosmogony and creation of the world, &c. Puon-ku, the first emperor, they think, represents eternity preceding the duration of the world. The succeeding ones, Tiene-hoang, Ti-hoang, and Gine-hoang, they imagine, signify the creation of the heavens and earth, and the formation of man. The ten ki or ages, nine of which preceded Fo-hi, mean the ten generations preceding Noah. This may very possibly be the case; for about 500 years before Christ, some Jews travelled into China, who might have made the Mosaic writings known there.

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Reign of

Fo-hi.

What we have now related, contains the substance of that part of the Chinese history which is entirely fabulous. After the nine ki or "ages" already taken notice of, the tenth commenced with Fo-hi; and the history, though still very dark, obscure and fabulous, begins to grow somewhat more consistent and intelligible. Fo-hi was born in the province of Shensi. His mother walking upon the bank of a lake in that province, saw a very large print of a man's foot in the sand there; and, being surrounded with an iris or rainbow, became impregnated. The child was named Fo-hi; and, when he grew up, was by his countrymen elected king, on account of his superior merit, and styled Tyen-tse, that is, "the son of heaven." He invented the eight qua, or symbols, consisting of three lines each, which, differently combined, formed 64 characters that were made use of to express every thing. To give these the greater credit, he pretended that

he had seen them inscribed on the back of a dragon- China horse (an animal shaped like a horse, with the wings and scales of a dragon), which arose from the bottom of a lake. Having gained great reputation among his countrymen by this prodigy, he is said to have created mandarins or officers, under the name of dragons. Hence we may assign a reason why the emperors of China always carry a dragon in their banners. Healso instituted marriage, invented music, &c. Having established a prime minister, he divided the government of his dominions among four mandarins, and died after a reign of 115 years.

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9

and Fo

After Fo-hi followed a succession of emperors, of Mitacul whom nothing remarkable is recorded, except that in solstice. the reign of Yau, the seventh after Fohi, the sun did not set for ten days, so that the Chinese were afraid of a general conflagration. This event the compilers of the Universal History take to be the same with that Hypothe mentioned in the book of Joshua, when the sun and concerni moon stood still for about the space of a day. Fo-hi this solst they will have to be the same with Noah. They imagine, that after the deluge this patriarch remained some time with his descendants; but on their wicked combination to build the tower of Babel, he separated himself from them with as many as he could persuade to go along with him; and that, still travelling eastward, he at last entered the fertile country of China, and laid the foundation of that vast empire. But, leaving these fabulous and conjectural times, we shall proceed to give some account of that part of the Chinese history which may be more certainly depended on.

As the Chinese, contrary to the practice of almost all nations, have never sought to conquer other countries, but rather to improve and content themselves with their own, their history for many ages furnishes nothing remarkable. The whole of their emperors, abstracting from those who are said to have reigned in the fabulous times, are comprehended in 22 dynasties, mentioned in the following table.

12. Swi,

13. Twang, 14. Hew-lyang, 15. Hew-tang,

16. Hew-tsin,

17. Hew-han, 18. Hew-chew,

19. Song,

20. Iwen, 21. Ming, 22. Tsing,

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China.

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Incursions

tars.

This table is formed according to the accounts of the Jesuit Du Halde, and is commonly reckoned to be the most authentic; but according to the above-mentioned hypothesis of the compilers of the Universal History, who make Yau cotemporary with Joshua, the dynasty of Hya did not commence till the year before Christ 1357; and to accommodate the history to their hypothesis, great alterations must be made in the duration of the dynasties.

The most interesting particulars of the Chinese hiof the Tar- story relate only to the incursions of the Tartars, who at last conquered the whole empire, and who still continue to hold the sovereignty; though by transferring the seat of the empire to Peking, aud adopting the Chinese language, manners, &c. Tartary would seem rather to have been conquered by China, than China by Tartary. These incursions are said to have begun very early; even in the time of the emperor Shun, successor to Yau above mentioned, in whose reign the miraculous solstice happened. At this time, the Tartars were repulsed, and obliged to retire into their own territories. From time to time, however, they continued to threaten the empire with invasions, and the northern provinces were often actually ravaged by the Tartars in the neighbourhood. About the year before Christ 213, Shi-whang-ti, having fully subdued all the princes, or kings as they were called, of the different provinces, became emperor of China with unlimited power. He divided the whole empire into 36 provinces; and finding the northern part of his dominions much incommoded by the invasions of the neighbouring barbarians, he sent a formidable army against them, which drove them far beyond the boundaries of Great wall China. To prevent their return, he built the famous wall already mentioned, which separates China from Tartary. After this, being elated with his own exploits, he formed a design of making posterity believe that he himself had been the first Chinese emperor that ever sat on the throne. For this purpose, he ordered all the historical writings to be burnt, and caused many of the learned to be put to death, as already mentioned.

built.

If

12

Kitan Tar

What effect the great wall for some time had in tars settle preventing the invasions of the Tartars, we are not in China. told; but in the tenth century of the Christian era, those of Kitan or Lyau got a footing in China. The Kitan were a people of eastern Tartary, who dwelt to the north and north-east of the province of Pecheli in China, particularly in that of Lyau-tong, lying without the great wall. These people having subdued the country between Korea and Kashgar, became much more troublesome to the. Chinese than all the other Tartars. Their empire commenced about the year 916, in the fourth year of Mo-ti-kyan-ti, second emperor of the 14th Chinese dynasty called Hew-Lyang. In 946, Mingt-song, second emperor of the 15th dynasty, being dead, Sheking-tang his son-in-law rebelled against Mingt-song, his son and successor, whom he deprived of his crown and life. This he accomplished by means of an army of 50,000 men furnished by the Kitan. Fi-ti, the son of Mingt-song, being unable to resist the usurper, fled to the city Ghey-chew; where shutting himself up with his family and all his valuable effects, he set fire to the palace, and was burnt to ashes. On his death, Sheking-tang assumed the title

of emperor; founded the 16th dynasty; and changed China. his name to that of Kaut-su. But the Kitan general refusing to acknowledge him, he was obliged to pur chase a peace by yielding up to the Tartars 16 cities in the province of Pecheli, besides a yearly present of 300,000 pieces of silk.

This submission served only to inflame the avarice and ambition of the Kitan. In 959, they broke the treaty when least expected, and invaded the empire afresh. Tsi-vang, the emperor at that time, opposed them with a formidable army; but through the treachery of his general Lyew-chi-ywen, the Tartars were allowed to take him prisoner. On this, Tsi-vang was glad to recover his liberty, by accepting of a small principality; while the traitor became emperor of all China, and, changing his name to Kaut-su, founded the 17th dynasty. The Tartars, in the mean time, ravaged all the northern provinces without opposition, and then marched into the southern. But being here stopped by some bodies of Chinese troops, the general thought proper to retire with his booty into Tartary. In 962, Kaut-su-dying, was succeeded by his son In-ti. The youth of this prince gave an opportunity to the eunuchs to raise commotions; especially as the army was employed at a distance in repelling the invasions of the Tartars. This army was commanded by Ko-ghey, who defeated the enemy in several battles, and thus restored peace to the northern provinces. In the mean time, In-ti was slain by his eunuchs, and the empress placed his brother on the throne: but Ko-ghey returning in triumph, was saluted emperor by his victorious army; and the empress being unable to support the rights of her son, was obliged to submit, while Ko-ghey, assuming the name of Tay-tsu, founded the 18th dynasty. Nine years after this, however, the grandees of the empire, setting aside Kong-ti, the third in succession from Taytsu, on account of his non-age, proclaimed his guardian, named Chau-quang-yu, emperor; who assuming the name of Kau-tsu, founded the 19th dynasty, called Song or Tsong.

Under this monarch the empire began to recover itself; but the Kitan still continued their incursions. The successors of Kau-tsu opposed them with various success; but at last, in 978, the barbarians became so strong as to lay siege to a considerable city. Taytsong, successor to Kau-tsu, detached 300 soldiers, each carrying a light in his hand, against them in the nighttime, with orders to approach as near as possible to the Tartar camp. The barbarians imagining, by the number of lights, that the whole Chinese army was at hand, immediately fled, and, falling into the ambuscades laid for them by the Chinese general, were almost all cut to pieces.

This check, however, did not long put a stop to the ravages of the Kitan. In the year 999, they laid siege to a city in the province of Pecheli; but Chingtsong, successor to Tay-tsong, came upon them with his army so suddenly, that they betook themselves to flight. The emperor was advised to take advantage of their consternation, and recover the country which had been yielded to them; but instead of pursuing his victory, he bought a peace by consenting to pay annually 100,000 tael (about 34,000l.), and 200,000 pieces of silk. The youth and pacific disposition of Jin-tsong,

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Meng that she had been divorced, they left her behind. Cha This proved the means of saving the empire; for by her wisdom and prudence she got the crown placed on the head of Kau-tsong, ninth son of the emperor Wheytsong by his divorced empress.

China. Jin-tsong, successor to Ching-tsong, revived the cou. rage of the Kitan; and, in 1035, war would have been renewed, had not the emperor condescended to as shameful a treaty as that concluded by his father. Two years after, the Tartars demanded restitution of ten cities in the province of Pecheli, which had been taken by Ko-ghey founder of the 18th dynasty: upon which Jin-tsong engaged to pay them an annual tribute of 200,000 taels of silver, and 300,000 pieces of silk, in lieu of these cities.

13 Kitan dri

Tartars;

From this time the Kitan remained in peaceable posvan out by session of their Chinese dominions till the year 1117. the eastern Whey-tsong, at that time emperor, being able neither to bear their ravages, nor by himself to put a stop to them, resolved upon a remedy which at last proved worse than the disease. This was to call in the Nu-che, Nyu-che, or Eastern Tartars, to destroy the kingdom of the Kitan. From this he was dissuaded by the king of Korea, and most of his own ministers; but, disregarding their salutary advice, he joined his forces to those of the Nu-che. The Kitan were then everywhere defeated; and at last reduced to such extremity, that those who remained were forced to leave their country, and fly to the mountains of the west.

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who assume the

name of

Kin, and invade

China.

15

Kau-tsong fixed his court at Nanking the capital of Kyang-nan; but soon after was obliged to remove it to Kang-chew in Che-kyang. He made several efforts to recover some of his provinces from the Kin, but without effect. Ili-tsong the Kin monarch, in the mean time, endeavoured to gain the esteem of his Chinese subjects by paying a regard to their learning and learned men, and honouring the memory of Confucius. Some time after he advanced to Nanking, from whence Kau-tsong had retired, and took it: but, receiving advice that Yo-si, general of the Song, or southern Chinese, was advancing by long marches to the relief of that city, they set fire to the palace, and retired northward. However, Yo-si arrived time Progr enough to fall upon their rear-guard, which suffered the K very much; and from this time the Kin never dared check to cross the river Kyang. In a few years afterwards the Chinese emperor submitted to become tributary to the Kin, and concluded a peace with them upon very dishonourable terms. This submission, however, was

of little avail: for, in 1163, the Tartars broke the peace, and, invading the southern province with a formidable army, took the city of Yang-chew. The king, having approached the river Kyang, near its mouth, where it is widest as well as most rapid, commanded his troops to cross it, threatening with his drawn sword to kill those who refused. On recei

cheli and Shensi, made himself master of the greater part of them. Whey-tsong, finding himself in danger of losing his dominions, made several advantageous proposals to the Tartar; who, seeming to comply with them, invited him to come and settle matters by a personal conference. The Chinese monarch complied: but, on his return, the terms agreed on seemed intolerable to his ministers; so that they told him the treaty could not subsist, and that the most cruel war was preferable to such an ignominious peace. The Kin monarch, being informed of all that passed, had recourse to arms, and took several cities. Wheytsong was weak enough to go in person to hold a second conference; but, on his arrival, was immediate

They take ly seized by the Tartar. He was kept prisoner unthe empe- der a strong guard during the remaining part of his ror prison- life; and ended his days in 1126, in the desert of Shamo, having nominated his eldest son Kin-tsong to succeed him.

er.

16

Kin-tsong began his reign with putting to death six ministers of state, who had betrayed his father into the hands of the Kin Tartars. The barbarians in the meantime pursued their conquests without opposition. They crossed the Whang-ho, or Yellow river, which a handful of troops might have prevented; and marching directly towards the imperial city, took and

Imperial plundered it. Then seizing the emperor and his concity and sort, they carried them away captives: but many of the principal lords, and several of the ministers, preferring death to such an ignominious bondage, killed themselves. The Kin being informed by the empress

my mutinied; and the king being killed in the beginning of the tumult, the army immediately retired.

I

the k

I

From this time to the year 1210, nothing remark-They able occurs in the Chinese history; but this year, attac Jenghiz-khan, chief of the western Tartars, Moguls, Jeng or Mungls, quarrelled with Yong-tsi emperor of the khan Kin; and at the same time the king of Hya, disgusted of Hy at being refused assistance against Jenghiz-khan, threatened him with an invasion on the west side. Yong-tsi prepared for his defence; but in 1211, receiving news that Jenghiz-khan was advancing southward with his whole army, he was seized with fear, and made proposals of peace, which were rejected. In 1212, the Grea Mogul generals forced the great wall; or, according force to some writers, had one of the gates treacherously Jeng opened to them, to the north of Shansi; and made in-khan cursions as far as Peking, the capital of the Kin empire. At the same time the province of Lyau-tong was almost totally reduced by several Kitan lords who had joined Jenghiz-khan; several strong places were taken, and an army of 300,000 Kin defeated by the Moguls. In autumn they laid siege to the city of Tay-tong-fu; where, although the governor Hujaku fled, yet Jenghiz-khan met with considerable resistHaving lost a vast number of men, and being himself wounded by an arrow, he was obliged to raise the siege and retire into Tartary; after which the Kin retook several cities. The next year, liowever, Jenghiz-khan re-entered China; retook the cities which the Kin had reduced the year before; and overthrew