The Journal of two voyages along the coast of China, in 1831 & 1832 : the first in a Chinese junk, the second in the British ship Lord Amherst : with notices of Siam, Corea, and the Loo-Choo Islands, and remarks on the policy, religion, etc, of China

Front matter

THE JOURNAL OF TWO VOYAGES ALONG THE COAST OF CHINA, IN 1831, & 1832; THE FIRST IN A CHINESE JUNK ; THE SECOND IN THE BRITISH SHIP LORD AMHERST ! WITH NOTICES OF SIAM, COREA, AND THE LOO-CHOO ISLANDS ; AND REMARKS ON THE POLICY, EELIGION, ETC, OF CHINA. BY CHARLES GUTZLAFF. NEW YORK : PUBLISHED BY JOHN P. HAVEN, No. 148 Nassau Street M DCCC X-X1II Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1833, by JOHN P. HAVEN, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York. SLEIGHT _. VAN NORDEN, PRINT.

ADVERTISEMENT.

The Rev. Charles Gutzlaff is a native of Stet tin, in Prussia, who, about seven years ago, left his home, and the most inviting prospects of even royal patronage, to commence the labors of a missionary in Eastern Asia. He has made himself completely familiar with the Chinese manners, dialects, and literature ; and his medical skill is another passport to the favor of the people. The Journals now pub lished will furnish the history of his labors in Siam and China. We have greatly overvalued the con tents of this volume, if it can be read without a thrilling interest in the author's personal adventures, and an earnest desire for the success of his truly apostolic efforts. The Journal of the first voyage has been before printed in the " Chinese Repository " at Canton. The other contents of the volume are now for the first time published. The reader will perhaps disco-

Introduction

. INTERCOURSE WITH CHINA. Exclusive system unnatural and unjust — Exclusion of Christianity — Prejudice against foreigners, and its causes — Early civilization of China — Population — Literature — Disputes with foreigners — Foreign embassies to China — False estimate of the government, and ofthe morals of the people — Catholic missions — The grounds of hope for China page 1 JOURNAL OF A RESIDENCE IN SIAM, AND OF THE FIRST VOYAGE.

Chapter I

Missionary labors in Siam — Encouragements and obstacles — Royal family — Native Christians — Chinese residents — Peguans — Burman slaves — Malays — Moors — Laos — Cambojans — Cochin-China — Catholic missions — Trade — Chinese Junks — Idolatrous rites — Missions to China page 19

Chapter VII

Loo-choo Napa-keang — Mandarins — Language — Japanese junk — Distribution of books — Reverence for the dead — Loo-choo physician — Manners of the people — Return to Macao page CONTENTS. XI RELIGIONS OF CHINA. Patriarchal religion — Confucius — Taouism — Budhism — Grand Lama — Festivals — Worship of the dead — Condition of the females — General apathy — Misrepresentations of certain writers — Jews — Mohammedans page 299 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA. Nestorians — Mongul conquests — Catholic missions Jesuits Xavier — Ricci — Female proselytes — Cluarrels between the Catholic orders — Schaal — Tartar conquests — Verbiest — Disputes between Jesuits and Dominicans — Death of Kang-he — Persecutions by succeeding emperors Taou-kwang Protestant missions page

INTRODUCTION.

. INTERCOURSE WITH CHINA. The system of excluding foreigners from all in tercourse with China, has often been extolled as the greatest proof of wisdom in her rulers ; but, upon a nearer investigation, it will be found that nothing is more at variance with sound policy than this unna tural law of restriction. All mankind are created and upheld by the same Gfid, descended from the same parents, subject to the same changes, are living under the same canopy of heaven, upon the same planet, and therefore have a natural right to claim fellowship.* The refusal of it is a transgression of the divine law of benevolence, which is equally binding upon all the nations of the earth. Savages might better be excused for seclud ing themselves from other nations, since the loss must be chiefly their own ; but a people, like the Chinese, acquainted with letters, endowed with in- * An emperor of China, in 1300, before the Tartar Conquest, sent an embassy to Japan for the sake oscultivating an amicable intercourse.

In his letter he said, — " The sages considered the whole world as one family ; but if all the members have not a friendly intercourse, how can it be said, that the principle of one family is maintained V Pub . telligence, and boasting of a civilization superior to that of any other nation, cannot do the same without injury to others, as well as themselves. The most deplorable consequence of this unsocial system is, that the worship of the only living and true God has been thereby excluded from this vast empire. Whilst all nature proclaims an Almighty Creator and Preserver, the sons of China worship the work of their own hands. Peace is proclaimed between God and men, through the mediation of Jesus Christ, the Saviour, not of any favored nation, but ' of the world ;' but China has not welcomed these ' glad tidings.' Although she once despatched embassadors to India to inquire into the doctrines of Budhism, she has never been equally anxious to possess the divine revelation, or to examine it when brought to her doors.

It may perhaps be said in ex cuse for the Chinese, that the true Gospel was for merly purposely withheld from them, whilst they were offered, in its stead, only the frivolous legends of a spurious Christianity. Protestant Christians are indeed chargeable with guilt in having so long neglected to send the Gospel to them ; but we confidently hope, that, when an opportunity is offered to introduce it, and they are found willing to receive it, Christians will no longer be slow to give them the word of life. Perhaps it will be said, that all attempts to remove the barriers to intercourse with China have hitherto proved abortive, and will be so in future. The for mer is partly true, the latter remains to be proved. It may be interesting to inquire, what causes have operated so powerfully as to defeat all past attempts to establish mutual intercourse ?

It is remarkable that all the nations which use the Chinese written character, harbor the same preju dices against foreigners. By means of this written language they have been united for ages under similar laws, institutions, and religion. Hence they have formed one great family, quite distinct from other nations, in all points of national peculiarity.* As they enjoyed the privileges of civilization at an early period, while the adjoining nations were living in barbarism, they learned to look down upon them with contempt, and in all collisions with them, to treat them, if inferior, as vanquished enemies, or if superior, as savage intruders. By sedulously shun ning any intercourse with the [ barbarians,' the opinion of their ferocity and depravity, which the Chinese had first imbibed, continued to be cherished through ignorance of its objects and settled prejudice.

This general contempt was increased also by the * "The Chinese language," says Dr. Morrison, " is read from the borders of Russia on the North, throughout Chinese Tartary on the West, and in the East as far as Kamschatka ; and downwards through Corea and Japan ; in the Loo-Choo Islands, Cochin-China, and the islands of that Archipelago, on most of which are Chinese settlers, till you come down to the equinoctial line at Penang, Ma lacca, Singapore, and even beyond it, on Java. Throughout all these regions, however dialects may differ, and oral languages be con founded, the Chinese written language is understood by all. The voyager, the merchant, and the traveller, as well as the Christian missionary, if he can -write Chinese, may make himself understood throughout the whole of Eastern Asia."

Pub. consciousness that they were the most numerous of the nations of the world.* The fact is certainly true, but not so the conclusion which they derive from it, that their country was the most extensive of all. Fancying the earth to be a square, they assumed to * There have been many conflicting opinions as to the population of China. The number of 333,000,000, reported to Lord Macart ney, has generally been considered an absurd exaggeration. It is at the high rate of 257 persons for each square mile. Malte-Brun gives 150,000,000 as the estimate of all "cool and impartial men." The editors of the British Almanac give 170,000,000. But if any credit is to be given to Chinese official documents, addressed to their own officers and people, the weight of evidence is decidedly in favor of the largest number.

In the coUection of the Statutes of the Em pire, of which the latest edition was published at Peking in 1825, there is contained a proclamation of the Emperor Keen-lung, in 1793, calling upon all ranks and conditions of men to economise the gifts of heaven, food, &c, and by industry to increase their quantity ; assigning as the reason his fear lest the population by its rapid increase, should soon exceed the means of subsistence. He states, as the occasion of the proclamation, that the amount of the population, according to returns sent from all the provinces, the year previous, was 307,467,200. The same work contains the particulars of another census taken in 1813, amounting to 361,693, 879, to which are to be added 188,326 families in certain provinces, the individuals of which were not enumerated.

Allowing an ave rage of four members to each of these families, the grand total of the population would be 362,447, 183. " This statement," says the editor of the Anglo-Chinese Kalendar, " will probably serve to set at rest the numerous speculations concerning the real amount ofthe popu lation of China. We know, from several authorities, that in China the people are in the habit of diminishing rather than increasing their numbers, in their reports to government. And it is unreasonable to suppose that, in a work published by the government, not for the information of curious inquirers, but for the use of its own officers, the numbers so reported by the people should be more than doubled, as the statements of some European speculators would require us to believe." Pub. themselves the main land in the centre, and allowed to the other nations the small and remote clusters of islands, in various directions around themselves.

How could they look upon the poor inhabitants of those scattered lands otherwise than with the utmost contempt ! The sovereign of so great a nation, also, regarding himself as the sole potentate of earth and the vicegerent of heaven, claimed tbe universal dominion over all the lands and the four seas. Their princes, he considered his vassals and tributaries. He slighted them when he pleased, viewing them merely as the petty chiefs of barbarous tribes ; yet, with much compassion, he occasionally condescended to receive their embassies. Though the modern im provements in navigation, the progress in the science of geography and in general information, have par tially rectified their opinions on this subject, yet they are too proud to eonfess the fact of their national ignorance ; to this moment they claim the title of "the flowery middle kingdom," and would have all the princes of the earth humbly do them homage.

We still hear the same old stories about the " four seas" repeated, and maps of the world may be met with, which so represent it still. So long as the pub lic opinion is swayed by such notions, we cannot expect foreigners to be held in any just estimation among them. Those petty nations which use the Chinese written character, and acknowledge their vassalage to the Celestial Empire, imitate them also in all the arrogance of national vanity. Another cause operating to favor the same system 1* INTERCOURSE AVITH CHINA. 6 of restriction, exists in their literature. The Chinese are much attached to their own literature, and are therefore prepared highly to value any degree of eminence in this department. But foreigners are not often acquainted with their literary productions, and having scarcely any thing else which in the es timation of a Chinese, entitles them to rank among the " literati," they are together regarded as ignorant barbarians.

Proud of their own observance of the rules of propriety and justice, the Chinese are also taught by their classical authors to look down upon these barbarians as rude and fraudulent, and to esteem any friendly intercourse contaminating '■' These barbarians," they are told, " have never felt the transforming influence of the Celestial Empire, and though they may therefore be pitied, yet much more do they call for our contempt. Drive them away, banish them from the empire." This is true Chinese policy. To increase and perpetuate this contempt of foreigners, various methods have been adopted by the government, and with various degrees of success. They know, though reluctant to admit it, that some barbarians are more warlike shan themselves, that they have made extensive conquests in their vicinity, and that in the event of a war wilh them, they them selves would be an unequal match for them.

This has led them to regard these nations with constant suspicion. But to conceal from the people their fear of the superiority of Europeans, they are accustomed to stigmatize their characters as infamous, and in their intercourse with them, to substitute violence and cunning for principle and candor. I am firmly per suaded that government would, were it possible, reduce all European residents and visitants to the same state of humiliation which the Dutch endure at Japan. It must, however, be acknowledged, that Europeans have frequently, by petty aggressions, provoked the Chinese to carry their laws of exclusion into the most rigorous execution. We have cause to regret that they have never been so successful in re-establishing friendly intercourse, as unfortunate in giving occasion for stopping it.

As in the instances where actual force was used to decide disputed claims, the Chinese have generally proved inferior, they have become desirous to avoid any resort to physical strength. Instead of spilling blood, they prefer to spill ink, and have proved to the world that China is invincible in a paper war. Like the anathemas of the Papal See, fulminating edicts havebeen invariably issued on such occasions, against intruding foreigners. These edicts are in general very specious, and would persuade a European un acquainted with the case, to believe that the Chinese have justice on their side. Their threats are intimi dating, and their commands almost irresistible, but here they stop : for the intruder either yields and re traces his steps, or if not, the Chinese is too wise to let matters come to the extremity of force, where he is as sure of defeat, as he is certain of victory in a pitched battle of words.

The continual collision of the foreign mercantile establishments at Canton, with the Chinese authorities, has occasioned great surprise to persons but slightly acquainted with the native character. The most severe animadversions also have been called forth from capitalists who have suffered loss, and who have not been on the ground to judge of the case. But so long as the prejudice against foreigners is cherished, there must be contests ; on the one part, to maintain old privileges, ameliorate their present condition, and extend the trade, and on the other, to retrench the liberties and enforce the exclusion of strangers. The experience of centuries has taught Europeans that the Chinese authorities will heap in sult on insult upon them, when it can be done with impunity to themselves and their interests.

But when an opponent supports his argument with physi cal force, or their interest demands it, they can be crouching, gentle, and even kind. This peculiarity of national character, so very unlike our own, has been prolific in mutual evils. It has exhibited the measures taken by the Euro pean residents to redress their grievances, in a light the most unfavorable by contrast with their own plausible and forbearing deportment. While we do not forget the long catalogue of petty annoyances from the Chinese authorities, which the Europeans have suffered from the first arrival of the Portuguese to this day ; we regret that the possession of the Gos pel has not taught Europeans more forbearance and long suffering. Had these been oftener practised on suitable occasions, we should have had fewer causes of complaint against the Chinese.

But it is not strange, that Europeans, destitute of the spirit of Christian meekness, on coming to this country, and finding themselves treated as barbarians by a nation so evidently below them in civilization, should feel their indignation roused, and should retaliate inso lence for insolence and dislike for hatred. Thus the line of separation became broader and broader. Governmental proclamations, detailing the infamous conduct of barbarians, have been repeatedly posted up at Canton. Foreigners have wisely taken no no tice of them, but the minds of the people have been thus imbued with strong antipathy against such worthless barbarians. Thus the authorities gained their point, for the aversion to foreigners thus excited and cherished, was the best precaution against form ing too close a friendship with them.

The writer has often heard the natives rehearse these accusa tions„with self gratulation at their own superiority. Thus every event has contributed to widen the breach between foreign nations and the Chinese. In vain have embassies been tried to conciliate their favor ; no presents have been withheld, no trouble spared, in order to bring about a friendly intercourse. An explanation of these failures will be found in the above remarks on the general spirit of the nation and the policy of its rulers. The Portuguese, who were the first of the European nations to lead the way to China, had frequent opportunities and causes to soli cit the imperial favor. In 1520, a Portuguese embassador to the Court of Peking, was sent back with out having gained any advantage, and eventually, on account of the jealousy caused by their conquests in India, imprisoned and slain.* In 1667, they sent an embassador to Kang-he, the reigning em peror : this was repeated during the reign of Yung- Ching.

They were treated as Chinese vassals, but enjoyed more liberty than any natives during their residence at Peking. The Dutch, from the first, had attempted negotiation with China ; but only their conquests in its neighborhood effected the opening of their trade. To establish it on a permanent basis they sent an embassy to Kang-he, in 1655. This was very graciously received by the young sovereign, who had a clear conviction of European superiority ; yet he was unable to stem the torrent of opposing prejudice against foreigners, and could therefore only grant a few inconsiderable privileges, which by no means effected a reciprocal intercourse. The present relations of the British with China, make a definite treaty of trade highly desirable. Much might have been accomplished by a well conducted embassy to Peking, near the close of the last century, and with a sovereign like Keen-lung, had not the old custom of national exclusion operated too strongly against them.

The Dutch, supposing the failure of this English embassy in 1793, chiefly ascribable to the unyielding spirit of the embassador, enjoined upon the deputation which they soon * Chinese Repository. afterwards sent, implicit submission to every prescribed ceremony, however, humiliating. The consequence was, that while the former had been dismissed honorably, the latter were despised. For it is a Chi nese maxim to trample on the voluntarily submissive and abject, while they respect firmness and decision. A second embassador from his British majesty, in 1816, encountered still greater difficulties and had less success than the first. These fruitless embassies will teach the sovereigns either to attempt no nego tiations at all, or to propose them in a different state of affairs. For there are two grand obstacles : the pretension of China to supremacy over all the na tions of the world, and her dread of every superior power.

Add to this the want of veracity prevalent in all the departments of her government, the igno rance on subjects of general knowledge, and their bigoted adherence to unfounded opinions ; and we shall the less blame the embassadors for the failure of missions, in which there was scarcely a possibility of success. That class of persons who form their opinions from the Chinese writings, and regard the nation with that obsolete admiration which was once so fashionable, will rejoice that the government has per severed in the exclusion of strangers, or has so cir cumscribed their intercourse as to render it harmless. ': This wise policy," they say, " has preserved from ruin and change, the excellent laws and customs of this ancient empire : the patriarchal institutions which have the sanction of ages are still existing there : and while the other countries of the world are agitated by war, China enjoys the enviable bless ings of peace and plenty.

The unwarrantable at tempts of foreigners first to gain an intercourse, and then to subvert the existing laws, the Chinese have justly repelled. These strangers should be thankful for the privileges granted them merely by Chinese humanity ; they should praise and obey those laws which secure the happiness of more than three hundred millions of people. All attempts at changes should be promptly repelled ; otherwise China would soon be in the present servile condition of Hindos tan : internal wars fermented by foreign influence, would desolate the country and destroy the indus trious inhabitants, or reduce them to starvation." These reasonings are as specious as the Chinese writings on national prosperity : for the sake of suf_ fering humanity, we wish they were verified by facts. Notwithstanding their utmost precautions, the Chi nese have repeatedly fallen under a foreign power.

And even at the present time, they are subject to the chief of a Tartar horde. Had Europeans designed their conquest, and had they succeeded in their design, still the condition of China would not have been so abject a slavery as at present. Look at the civil and religious rights enjoyed in Hindostan, the rapid pro gress there made in science, and the knowledge of divine truth, and then see China ; China ! never in advance, but always in retrograde movement, groan ing under arbitrary rule, doomed to perpstual seclu- ■sion from the world, from its interests, its sympathies, and its progressive illumination. We fully accord to many political institutions and laws of the " Celestial Empire," the praise of high excellence in theory, and of practical utility during ages of trial. We grant that the government which has kept so many millions of subjects comparatively quiet, cannot be devoid of some principles of sound policy.

At the same time, many of their laws are far from being praiseworthy ; some impracticable, be cause not adapted to the actual state of human nature ; so numerous also and strict, that it is impos sible to be a subject and not a transgressor. Hence the relaxation of punishment, hence the introduction of bribery with all its concomitant evils. The patriarchal institutions exist only on paper, and the paternal exhortations are similar to the ad dresses of the inquisitors to the temporal judges. when delivering them a victim. Happily there are :\ few exceptions to this mode of administering "justice ;" but they are very rare. To talk of the con stant peace of an empire where rebellion is frequently breaking forth, is denying facts, to establish a theory. Of the "plenty" said to abound in China, we will only say that no where else have we seen so much want as here, though we do not charge upon the go vernment the entire amount of the prevailing misery.

Those persons who form their opinion from Du Halde, alone, will be ready to consider the Chinese a most virtuous nation. Surely there are amiable qualities in the Chinese character, but their vices are also very repulsive. Without enumerating them, we may confidently aver, that their manners cannot be very much deteriorated by foreign intercourse. In their morals there is, unhappily, not too much good theory, and very little practice of it. Every point of etiquette is rigorously observed, while the claims of mercy and justice are forgotten. Extortion seems universally prevalent ; where it cannot be effected directly, it is done indirectly To escape these numerous impositions there is one mode, often recommended and even enforced by the Chinese authorities ; namely, to leave the country. No class of strangers have submitted to so great indignities as the Catholic missionaries.

Their zeal to enter China was stronger than any travellers to reach Timbuctoo. Francis Xavier died in sight of this beloved land, and prayed with his expiring breath for its conversion. Alexander Valignano, general of the India Missions, who resided at Macao, often turned his face towards the coast of China and exclaimed, " O rock ! O rock ! when wilt thou open !" Diffi culties abated not their zeal ; they overcame them all by perseverance, and Matthew Ricci actually entered the Celestial Empire in 1582. Had they then spread the pure Gospel instead of the doctrines of the Ro mish Church, China would have been numbered among the social nations, for true Christianity seeks to unite all the inhabitants of the world together. Many of them were meu of superior talents, of in sinuating address, and matchless patience.

Amongst so great a variety of character, some must have been men of true piety, whose anxiety to advance the Redeemer's kingdom would free their religion from much of human invention. We admire the upright ness and intrepidity which many showed in defence of the Gospel ; while we detest the servility by which a great number conciliated the favor of the Chinese autocrat. Men like Schaal, Verbiest, Gerbillon, Bre marre and Bouvet, would have shone in Europe by the lustre of their genius. In China they inspired the emperor with a very high opinion of European science, but failed to gain his sincere love of the Gos pel. Their successors could never gain the same ascendancy over his mind, and though willing to en dure, as they actually did, all the hardships of their predecessors, they never rose so high into favor.

After the abolition of the order of Jesuits, the mis sions of the various orders of monks sunk down to comparative insignificance. Yet their professed con verts are numerous even to this day. The most se vere prohibitions have not prevented their entering the forbidden ground. Ridicule and contempt, per secution and martyrdom, have been directed against their religion and its votaries, yet they still con tinue their attachment to it, and their efforts to promote it.* When love to our Saviour shall transcend all minor and selfish passions, and fully possessing the heart, shall prompt to the utmost exertions to glorify * In 1815, the late emperor, Kea-King, encouraged a persecution against the Christians. The present emperor, Taou-Kwang, has never persecuted them.— Pub. his name, we humbly believe that all the barriers of Chinese misanthropy will fall.

There is some thing irresistible in that holy ardor which counts all things nothing for Christ, and which is prepared fo) any sacrifices to exalt his glorious name. The prince of darkness, with all his infernal array, can never prevail against the men who rely upon their Redeemer's strength, who walk in his spirit, and who live and die in his service. As he is the ruler of the universe, and the sole potentate, upholding the world by his almighty hand, the removal of ob stacles insurmountable to man is to him an easy work. A simple, steady faith in him, exalts its pos sessor above impediments and repeated disappoint ments : he knows that his Saviour will triumph over all his enemies, and under all difficulties in the path of duty, will uphold him. In the divine promise, surer than any human covenant, that all the nations of the earth shall be given to his Lord, he reads the certain conversion of China.

Armed with this faith. he is confident that the day, though remote, is yet sure, and that small efforts, in the clay of small things, will subserve the cause of God. The translation and circulation of the Holy Scriptures, the composi tion and distribution of tracts, with occasional oral addresses to the people, are the means he would em ploy to promulgate the Gospel of Christ. Many thousands may read, and hear, and not understand ; yet, if a few among these thousands embrace the word of eternal life, the salvation of that few is an abundant reward : for to save one soul is far more valuable than to conquer the world. While quoting this divine truth, I am convinced that individual Christians, thoroughly penetrated with such sentiments, could accomplish more for the benefit of Chi na, than the greatest statesmen as mere politicians.

Of the former there have been few to consecrate their lives to this great object, and still fewer who have been successful in their attempts ; but more will arise so soon as the enterprise shall cease to be re garded as hopeless. After the total or partial failure of so many en deavors to open an intercourse, a very general doubt of the success of any future attempt seems to exist. Yet exertions, prompted solely by a desire for the glory of God and the good of men, and executed with a single eye to the Almighty for guidance and strength, can never be wholly useless. The divine promise, the experience of past ages, and the present dispensations of Providence, are in our favor. When we express our confident hope of success through the Invisible One, it is not meant to deny the difficulties of spreading the Gospel in China, but only that the successful result is foreseen through them all by the believer.