Front matter
CHINA: A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THAT EMPIRE AND ITS INHABITANTS, &c. IN TWO VOLUMES. Volume I. A CHINA: GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THAT EMPIRE AND ITS INHABITANTS; WITH THE HISTORY OF FOREIGN INTERCOURSE DOWN TO THE EVENTS "WHICH PRODUCED THE DISSOLUTION OF 1857. By SIR JOHN FRANCIS DAVIS, Bart., K.C.B., F.R.S., &c. LATE HER MAJESTY'S PLENIPOTENTIARY IN CHINA ; AND GOVERNOB AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE COLONY OF HONGKONG. A NEW EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED. IN TWO VOLUMES.— Vol. I. Wft\ gllnsirations. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1857. The right of Translation is reserved. LONDON: PRINTED BWZ W. CLOWES AND SONS, BTAMFOKD STREET, AND CHARING CHOSS. TO VISCOUNT PALMERSTON, K.G., G.C.B., FIEST LOED OF THE TBEASUBY, THE STEADY PEOTECTOE OF BEITISH INTEBESTS IN CHINA, Kfcis Jiebisti Wiatk, AFTEE TWENTY-ONE YEAES' TEIAL, IS INSCEIBED BY THE AUTHOR.
Preface
. The exhaustion of several previous Editions, and the sort of Chinomanie created by the late discussions in Parliament, with the events in which those discussions originated, as well as those to which they tended, called for a new and enlarged impression of this work, which has been augmented by an additional Chapter (the fifth), bringing the history of British transactions down to the present time. Hollywood, Gloucestershire, Uh May, 1857.
Chapter I. Early European Intercoukse
China little known to the ancients — Embassy from Marcus Antoninus — Nestorian Christians — Arabian travellers : Ibn Batuta — Mahomedanism — Jews — First Catholic missions — Marco Polo — Portuguese — Chinese opinion of Europeans — Pinto — Desire for foreign commerce — Settlement of Macao — Fruitless embassies to Peking — Catholic missions — Quarrels of missionaries — Persecutions — Spaniards — Dutch at Formosa ; expelled by Chinese — Russian embassies Page 1
Chapter II. British Intercourse To The First Embassy
First trade between England and China — Misrepresentations of Portuguese — Treaty of commerce at Formosa — Troubles at Canton — Charges on trade — Commodore Anson — Intrigues of Hong merchants — Mr. Flint — Quarrels of English and French — Trade forbidden at Ningpo — Seizure of Mr. Flint — The ' Argo ' — The ' Lord Camden ' — Portuguese justice — Chinese maxim for ruling barbarians — Conduct of a ship-master — Debts recovered from Chinese — Shocking case of an English gunner — Mission of Lord Macartney X
Chapter III. British Intercourse To The Opening Of Trade
Objects and results of Lord Macartney's embassy — Affair of the • Providence ' — Americans at Canton — Expedition to Macao — Mission to Cochin-China — Admiral Linois defeated — Ladrones — Successful resistance to mandarins — Second expedition to Macao — 111 success of Admiral Drury — Interdict against Mr. Roberts — The ' Doris ' — Successful measures of the committee — Embassy of Lord Amherst — The ko-tow — The ' Alceste ' — Cases of homicide — Conduct of Americans — The ' Topaze ' — Fire of Canton — Failure of Hong merchants — Discussions — Affair of Parsees — Factory invaded by Fooyuen — Opium-smuggling — The ' Amherst ' — Affrays of smugglers with Chinese — Termination of Company's charter Page 61
Chapter IV. British Intercourse To The War Of
1840. Commons' committee of 1830 — Act of 1833 — Lord Napier appointed chief commissioner to China — ■ His difficulties and death — Mr. Davis succeeds — Edicts of the viceroy — Administration of Sir George Robinson — Increase of smuggling — The opium-trade — Debts of Hong merchants — Visit of Admiral Maitland — Evils of the opium traffic — Efforts for its suppression — Proceedings of Commissioner Lin, and their results — Massacre of an English boat's crew — The ' Volage ' — Affray with war-junks — The ' Psyche ' — Affair of the ' Thomas Coutts ' — Collision with Chinese vessels — English trade stopped — War declared Ill
Chapter V. British Intercourse To The Expedition Of
1857. First capture of Chusan — Visit to Peiho — Hostilities at Canton — Reinforcements — Capture of Amoy — Recapture of Chusan — Chinhae and Ningpo taken — Land operations — Capture of Chapoo — Of Woo-sung and Shanghae — Chinkeangfoo stormed — Treaty of Nanking — Troubles at Canton — Keying's visit to Hongkong — Convention of Boca Tigris — Restoration of Chusan — Riot at Canton — Assaults on Englishmen — Expedition of 1847 — Chinese murderers executed — Progress of rebellion to Nanking — Sir John Bowring — Outrage on the flag
Chapter VI. Geographical Sketch Of China
Eighteen provinces of China — Dimensions — Temperature — Principal mountain-chains — Two great rivers — Imperial Canal — Crossing the Yellow River — Great Wall — The provinces — The Meaou-tse — Volcanic symptoms in the west — Manchow and Mongol Tartary — Neighbouring and tributary countries — Chinese account of Loo-choo — Intercourse with Japan . . . . Page 180
Chapter VII. Summary Of Chinese History
Chinese mythological history — Authentic history commences with Chow — Confucius — ■ The first emperor — Erection of Great Wall — Race of Han — ■ The " Three States " — Law against female rulers — Nestorian Christians — Power of the eunuchs — • Feudalism — Invention of printing — Tartar encroachments — Reign of Koblai Khan — -His successors driven out of China — The Ming dynasty — Catholic missionaries — Conquest of China by Manchow Tartars — Kang-hy — Kien-loong — First British embassy — Kea-king's will — ■ The late emperor Taou-kuang — ■ Final expulsion of Catholic missionaries 217
Chapter VIII. Government And Legislation
Chinese government parental — Practice at Canton exceptional — Influence of public opinion — Motives to education — Love of peace — Reverence for age — ■ Influence of wealth — No hereditary aristocracy — The emperor — Ministers — Machinery of government — Provincial magistrates — Civil officers superior to military — The army — Implements of war — Penal code — Its arrangement — Punishments — ■ Privileges and exemptions — Crimes — Testimonies in savour of the code — Sanctions superior to wiU of emperor . CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
Chapter IX. National Character And Institutions
Worst specimens of Chinese at Canton — > Instance of gratitude — Good and bad traits — Pride and ignorance — Respect for age — Regard to kindred and birthplace — Infanticide — Physical characteristics — Earliest inhabitants — Personal appearance — Caprices of national taste — Primitive features — Imperial kindred — Importance of talent and learning — • Descendants of Confucius — Absence of ostentation — Condition of women — Marriage ceremonies — Desire of male progeny — Education — Funeral rites — Primogeniture Page 296
Chapter X. Manners And Customs
The new year — Presents — Feast of lanterns — Fireworks — Contrariety of customs to our own — Festivals — Meeting the spring — Encouragements to husbandry • — Festival for the dead — Ceremonial usages — Feasts and entertainments — Description of a dinner — Asiatic politeness — Articles of food — Taverns and eating-houses — Amusements — Gambling — Conviviality — Kite-flying — Imperial hunts — Skating 345
Chapter XI. Manners And Customs
— (continued.) Costume of upper classes — Arms not worn — Summer and winter costume — Paucity of linen — Furs and skins — No sudden changes of fashion — Modes prescribed by authority — Honours to just magistrates — Shaving and shampooing — Female dress — Dwellings — Gardens — Furniture — Travelling by land — The post — Itinerary — Conveyance of goods — Travelling by water — The vessels — Passing a sluice — Antiquity of canals
Chapter XII. Cities
— PEKING. External walls — The Tartarian city — The Yellow Wall — The Chinese city — Occasional scarcity — Dangers of the emperor — Gardens of Yuen-ming-yuen — Scene in last embassy — Expenses of the court — Tartars and Chinese — Police — Murder of a French crew — Punishment of assassins Page 420 CHAPTER XHI. CITIES NANKING AND CANTON. Nanking partially depopulated — Occurrence in last embassy — View within the waU — Similarity of Chinese cities — Canton : streets and shops — Mercantile corporations — Fires — Charitable institutions — Clans and fraternities — Temples — Inundation of foreign factories — Their limits — China-street and Hog-lane — Population — Female infanticide — Kidnapping children — People of the coast — The military — Forts ILLUSTRATIONS. Page View on Canton River 42 The Empekoe Kien-loong 63 Sketch near Canton 100 Passing a Sluice 186 Plan, Elevation, and Section of the Geeat Wall .. .. 193 Budhist High Peiest 214 Chinese Military Station, with Soldiees 246 Mandaein seated in a Sedan 271 Chinese Shield 276 Instruments of Wae 277 Punishment of Wooden Collae 284 Small Feet of a Chinese Ladt 312 Chinese Bookseller 336 Chinese Sepulchee 340 Chinese Lanterns 348 Oblations 355 Teacups on Stands 358 RlCE-BOWL AND CHOPSTICKS 366 Chinese Juggler 380 Fan and Case and Belt 384 Pubse 384 Summer and Wintee Caps 386 Chinese Gentleman and Seeyant 388 Men's Shoes 389 Audience of Kien-loong 392 Husbandman 397 Interior of Mansion 402 Chinese Jars and Household Obnaments 406 Mandarin bearing Empeeoh's Letter 408 Accommodation-Barge 413 Nine-stoeied Pagoda
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