Pilgrimage, Book 4 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Of the Kingdome of China.
CHina is supposed of some, to be that countrey, whose people of Ptelomey aPtol.Geog.l.7.c.3.are called Sinae. Some thinke them to be the people mentioned by the Prophet Esay bEs.49.12. Osor.in parap. Iun. Annot., whereunto Iunius also inclineth. The Arabians call them … Tzinin: and the Portugals first of all other (because they could not pronounce it aright) called them Chinians (saith cScal. Can. Isag. lib.3.Ioseph Scaliger): Pierre du Iarric, saith, dPierre du Iarric lib.4. del'histoire des Indes Orient. cap.17.that before that time in all the East they were called Chijs, and the inhabitants of Ceilan were called Chingales, because they were mixed with the Chinois; and Cinamom, was of the Persians named Darchini, that is, wood of China, as some thinke: he addeth their opinion that deriue that name from the Chinian salutation, in which they vse the word Chij, Chij, as a nickname therefore giuen them: and others that thinke the Citie Chincheo gaue name to the whole Region: but it were tedious to recite heere the seuerall opinions in this question; the difficultie whereof ariseth from this, that the Chinois themselues know not this name, but call their countrey Tamen. Leauing therefore these deriuations and names of Cin, Cauchin China, Battechina, and the rest; let vsus come to the Countrey it selfe. It bordereth *Gotard. Arthus hist. Indis Orient.cap.49.on the North, with Catay and the Tartars; on the South, with Cauchin China; on the East, with the Sea; on the West, with the Bramas. It reacheth from seuenteene degrees to two and fortie of Northerly Latitude, and lieth after their owne description eIac. Pantog.almost foure square. On the West it is separated and secure from vnneighbourly neighbours, by a sandie wildernesse; on the North, by a wall, which Nature hath partly framed of high mountaines, and Art hath supplied with the labour and industrie of men. It is diuided into fifteene Prouinces; sixe whereof border on the Sea, Cantan, Foquien, Chequiam, Nanquin, Xantum, Paquin: the other nine bee inland, Qniansi, Huquam, Honan, Xiensi, Xansi, Suchnon, Qutichen, Iunan, Coansi. Some reckon these names somewhat differently. The King holdeth his Court in Paquin; his predecessours, before the Tartarian conquest of this countrey, are said to hauehave resided in Nanquin, or (according to the more ancient writers) in Quinsay. Pantogia reporteth his owne iourney from Macao to Paquin, the space of sixe hundred leagues, in all that space trauelling but one day by land, for shortning his way, otherwise all the way by water, carried in a Riuer, called of the Chinians a little sea for the greatnesse, abounding with sea-fish, an hundred leagues vp from the sea, and after that in another Riuer of like bignesse, whose waters were thicke and mirie, which they clarifie with allume, before they can drinke it: all the rest of the streames that he passed were made by mens hands,. These Riuers are abundantly stored with shipping of two sorts; one for sayling, and the other for habitation: and from Nanquin to Paquin the space of three hundred leagues, it seemed to be, as it were, a continued street of shippes: and though they came in the morning betimes to Nanquin, yet were there the same houre aboue fiue hundred saile of vessels, vnderunder saile readie to enter, which were laden with prouision for the Citie. The Kings shippes in that Region about Nanquin, are reported to bee about ten thousand, to carrie his tents and tributes, besides a thousand saile belonging to priuate men. The shippes wherein the Mandarines, or Magistrates and Officers are carried, are not inferiour in sumptuous statelinesse to the shippes Royall in Europe. The Riuers are no lesse adorned and beautified with Cities, Townes, and Villages, so many, as that in all this way they had alway sight of one or other: and so great, that sometime they sailed two or three houres with the streame alongst the walls of some Citie. Their Townes and Cities hauehave high walles.
Nanquin standeth in two and thirty degrees, and is eight or ten leagues from the sea, with a Riuer leading thither. fAll their Cities are alike, except in bignesse.It hath three faire bricke walles, with large and stately gates. The streetes are of two leagues, or of two and a halfe in length, wide, and paued. The compasse is at least eleuen or twelue leagues, and containeth by coniecture two hundred thousand houses, and (according to all the opinions of the Iesuites there abiding) equalling, or exceeding in people foure of the greatest Cities in Europe. There are diuers other Cities within a dayes iourney hereof, which are great and famous for traffique, of which Hancheum and Sucheum are chiefe, which are of the Chinians called Paradise, for the plentie of all things. Sucheum is as Venice in situation, hauing her streets part by water, and part on land; so rich in traffique, that the China-bookes do reckon twelue millions of reuenue to accrew from hence to the Kings coffers: and he that seeth these Cities (saith the Iesuite) will beleeue those reports.
To stay heere a while, That gAfter I had written this, I was further confirmed in my opinion by the relation of the Citie of Quinsay, largely written by Contugo Contugbi in la 4. parte del Thesoro politico cap.47. who is of the same mind.Quinsay, whilome the royall seate of the Kings of Mangi (as Venetus recordeth) now supposed to be swallowed vp with some Earthquake, or in Bellonaes all-consuming belly deuoured, may seeme to be heere raised from the graue: the waterie streets; the trade and reuenue, exceeding alone (if some hBotero Relat. part.2.account truly) any one the richest Kingdome in Europe: the situation in the middest of China, and neere to the sea; the signification, Quinsay being interpreted, The Citie of heauen: and so is Suntien (in the discourse iLib.1.cap.8.of this Kingdome, translated by R. Parke) said to signifie. All these reasons doe moue me to coniecture, that Quinsay is now by euersion of Earth-quake, warres, or both, and by diuersion of the Court from thence, conuerted into this smaller Sucheum, the name also a little inuerted, remaining, as diuers languages and dialects will suffer, almost the same. Or perhappes sickening with so long warres (begunne in the time of M. Paulus, and continuing in the dayes of our countrey-man Mandeuile, almost an hundred yeares after, both of them seruing the great Cam in those warres.) Quinsay at last, after so long and tedious a consumpation, died, and bequeathed what suruiued those spoiles, of her land-greatnesse vntounto Nanquin, of her sea-treasures vntounto Sucheum, both succeeding, but not together equalling (that wonder of the world) Quinsay, kM.Paulus lib.2.cap.68.encompassing an hundred miles, and twelue thousand bridges, sixteene hundred thousand housholds, with the countrey adioyning, then the ninth part of the Kingdome of Mangi yeelding sixteene millions and eight hundred thousand ducats of gold, besides six millions, and foure hundred thousand ducats for the custome of salt, in yearely reuenue to the great lOf Quinsay see a particular and large discourse by Con. Contughi.Can. Well then may it beseeme Sucheum, and Nanquin, both to hauehave risen out of the ashes of such a Phoenix. Hereto agreeth the report of Nicolo di Conti (who was there about the yeare 1440.) that the King had then built Quinsay anew, thirtie miles circuit. But let vsus listen to Pantogia.
These Cities of China want that elegance and magnificence, which stately Temples, and sumptuous buildings doe afford vntounto our Cities of Europe. Their houses are low, without the ornament of porches, galleries, windowes, and prospect into the streets. In the Winter mAnt. Dal. meida.they hauehave store of ice and snow, euen about Nanquin. They hauehave abundance of all things necessarie to the life of man, fruits, flesh, and fish, with prices correspondent. They hauehave two, and some where three, haruests in the yeare. Few mountaines, but plaines of an hundred leagues. Wine they make of Rice. They eate thrice a day, but sparingly. Their drinke (be it water or wine) they drinke hot, and eat with two stickes of Iuory, ebony, or like matter, nor touching their meat with their hands: and therefore little naperie serueth them. Their warme drinkes and abstinence from fruits, are great preseruatiues of their health, which for the most part they enioy. The Chinians nDescription of the Chinois.hauehave thinne beards (not aboue twentie haires) short noses, small blacke eyes, long garments, and, if they would resemble a deformed man, they paint him with short habite, great eyes and beard, and a long nose. They are white, but not so much as in Europe. They hauehave Artificers of all trades: and in idlenesse none may liue. The impotent are well prouided for in Hospitals. They hauehave no Gentlemen, but eueryevery man is a Plebeian vntill his merits raise him. Preferment is atchieued onelyonly by learning. This maketh them generally studious. Their letters are not reduced into alphabeticall order, nor are properly letters, but characters, whereof they hauehave fortie thousand; and therefore in that they frame not difference of syllables, but of sence, in diuers languages, yea in Iapon, their writing is vnderstood, not their speaking. Their paper is like a thinne transparent parchment, and beareth inke but on one side. Their writing is downewards, not side-wayes, as ours. They hauehave in ordinary and daily vse eight or ten thousand of those characters. Their words are monosyllables. Rhetorique is the only science which they ayme at: for he obtaineth places of honour, which can most fitly place his words, and most eloquently write of the subiect propounded. They hauehave not publike Schooles, but in the Cities are publique trialls or commencements eueryevery third yeare, whither these Probationers resort, and are examined, and are accordingly preferred. They hauehave three degrees: oDescrip. Mac.Graduates of the first degree are called Siusai; of the second, Quiugin; of the third, Chinzu, Euerie Citie yeeldeth triall for the first degree. For the second, onelyonly the Metropolitan Citie of the Prouince; whereunto they of the first degree doe resort eueryevery third yeare, and in a publike house, doe the second time, make an Oration, of some obscurer theme then the former. There are such multitudes of them, that some are sometime killed in the entrance of that their Commencement-house. For the third degree, they are examined onelyonly at the Court the third yeare after. And out of this Order are taken their Mandarines or Magistrates, after some studie in the law of the Land. While they are writing their Probationary Themes, they are shut vp, with one to attend them, foure and twentie houres, with penne, inke, paper, and candle, and hauing subscribed their names, certaine Registers copie the said Orations, without setting to the Authors names and then seale vp their first patterns. Those namelesse copies are by appointed Officers examined, and those chosen which they approue for best; the names & authors are known, by comparing these copies with the principall. In the first degree they obtaine certaine immunities to themselues and their families; prouided that he proceed in his studies, or else they will degrade him. He that hath obtained the third degree of pLoytia, or, Loutea.Loytia (as they terme it, or as we may stile it, Doctor) writes it vp ouer his doores, that all men may honor his house: and this is the highest Nobilitie whereto they can ascend. To the elder brother of these fellow-commencers, is a triumphall arch erected, besides other solemnities. They hauehave bookes, written by certaine wise-men or Philosophers two thousand yeares since or more, of Politicall and Morall Philosophie; the Authors whereof they honor for Saints, especially one Confusius, to whom the Mandarines doe therefore once in the yeare offer sacrifice, and the Kings doe honor his posteritie, vntounto this day. And he alone in the pith and weight of his Sentences, may be compared to Plato or Seneca, though farre short of their elegant and eloquent phrase. Their Printing is somewhat differing from ours, not ioyning the letters, but for eueryevery leafe making a table with letters or characters on both sides. They print also white letters in blacke, more atificially then we. Poetrie, Painting, and Musicke, are amongst them commendable qualities. Their learning is not so exceeding, as the first Chinian relations report, in the Mathematikes and other liberall Sciences. The principall Mandarines admire the Iesuites in these things, who esteeme the greatest learning of the Chinois, after their valuation, to be nothing superiour to that of the Romans, in the dayes of Cicero: (although it cannot bee denied, that Rome euen then approched neare her highest toppe of humane Science) It were an endlesse worke to recite the admirable things of this huge Kingdome: and therefore I remit the Reader to those diuers Authors, which hauehave written treatises of them.
Yet out of these I hope the Reader will pardon me, to obserue some thing touching their politie and gouernment. This kingdome is by themselues qPerera.called Tamen, and the Inhabitants, Tamegines: China is a mere stranger in China. The King is absolute Monarch, and in reuenue exceedeth all the Princes in Europe, and Afrike together: which ariseth out of that which is properly called Census, the poll-money of his subiects *Census.(paying three Mazes, or halfe ducats) exceeding thirtie Millions: and his *Tributum.Tributes, out of the profits of the earth and their handicrafts, amounting to sixe and twenty millions after their own bookes: His sVectigal.Customes in Canton (one of the least Prouinces) are neere eight millions. Pantogia summeth the whole at a hundred and fifty millions. His expences are exceeding great; all the Mandarines, Eunuches or Courtiers, Souldiours, Hospitals, and Priests receiuing Stipends out of his Exchequer. The Kingdomes adiacent are willingly refused of his King, whose predecessors sometime possessed, after freed them, as bringing more burthen, then profit: which of late appeared in Corea, which the Iaponites inuaded, the Chinois defended, as abutting on the Frontires: but when the enemie left inuading, the defender soone after voluntarily relinquished these new subiects. The King hath one wife and many Concubines, whose children inherit, if the lawfull Wife bee barren: as euen now it happened; *An. Do…. 1602.Vanlia the present King being the sonne of a Concubine, as his apparant heire also is. These women are so straitly kept that they are neither suffered to goe abroad, nor to speake vntounto their kinsfolks, which likewise receiue no increase of honour or authoritie by their kinswomens aduancement. His Courtiers are Eunuches, whom their poorer Parents hauehave gelded in their youth in hope of this Court-preferment, where after they are admitted by that Manderine appointed to this office, they are trained vp vnderunder elder Eunuches to bee made seruiceable. Of this drosse of mankinde are supposed to bee in the Court a hundred and threescore thousand. This King is esteemed more tyrannicall, then his predecessors, neither doth he euer come abroad, as they were wont once in the yeere, to sacrifice in the Temple sacred to Heauen and Earth. His Palace is farre more spacious, but not equall in workmanship to those in Europe. It is compassed with a triple wall, the first wherof might enuiron a large towne. Herein besides the many lodgings of the Eunuches, are hills, groues, streames, and other things of pleasure. The Iesuite tPantogia.our Author saith, that he passed eight huge Pallaces before he came to the lodgings of those Eunuches, which were appointed to learn how to order their Clockes or Watches, wherwith they had presented the King: and there were as many beyond. And ascending vp a towre, he saw Trees, Gardens, houses, exceeding all that euer hee had seene in Europe, who yet had beene in many the most sumptuous buildings therein. Within the third wall, is the King, with his women, children, and such seruants as are thither admitted. When the Heire apparant is proclaimed, all his other sons are sent away soone after, and confined to certaine cities, where they nothing participate in affaires of State: otherwise are honoured as the Kings kindred, liuing in pleasure in their Pallaceprisons, vntounto the third and fourth generation. The Kings Title is, Lord of the world, and Sonne of Heauen. The Mandarines hauehave their habite (both in attire and language) in their iudiciall proceedings peculiar. Of these Mandarines, (to omit them which are officers in each Citie) there are three principall in each Prouince. The first hath to deale in cases Criminall, and is called Ganchasu: The second is the Kings Fosterer or Treasurer, and is called Puchinsn: The Lieutenant for the warres, named Chumpin. These all are in subiection vntounto the Tutan or Vice-roy of the Prouince. All these Magistrates beare office three yeares together, chosen alwaies out of other Prouinces, to auoide corruption. They hauehave an annuall officer called Chaien, who maketh inquisition of all crimes, both of priuate persons, and Magistrates themselues. None may execute the sentence of death, but by especiall Commission from the King. And therefore the Malefactors are consumed in the prisons. But they hauehave authoritie with certaine Canes to beare men on the legges in such terrible crueltie, that a few blowes may either lame or kill the partie. And therefore no King is more feared then these Mandarines, who goe (or are carried rather) on mens shoulders in sumptuous chaires (such is their fashion) attended with fifty or threescore Sergeants going before them, two and two in a ranke, armed and furnished with Halberds, Maces, Battle-axes, Chaines, and these Canes: some crying to giuegive way, wherewith and the noise of those Chaines, and Canes both men and dogges, with mute silence giuegive place. In the middest of their Cities are pallaces of the Kings for these officers to reside in. In Panquin and Nanquin the multitude of these Magistrates is incredible, one of these Cities containing more then two thousand and fiue hundred, as many as some-where are of Citizens. These all twise a day heare causes, and execute iustice. In Panquin are sixe Mandarines, Presidents of so many seueral Councels. The first of these is called the heauenly Mandarin for that his most ample power, which entreateth with the King for the preferment, Degradation, or correction of all the Mandarines in the Kingdome: for not one of them is there whose office is not by his Maiestie confirmed or abrogated. The second is Maister of the ceremonies, both in humane magnificence, and diuine saricfice. The third is Head of the councell of warre. The fourth, is chiefe Treasurer. The fift is Surueyor, and Procurer generall of the Kings buildings in his Palace, in the walls of Cities, and such like. The last dealeth as Chiefe vnderunder the King in causes criminall. These six are inferiour to one order of Mandarines, which are of the Kings Priuy Councell. These Magistrates are no way comparable in wealth to the Nobles in Europe. Their sentence against guilty persons is without solemne furniture of words: as, Let him hauehave twentie strokes, more or lesse, which by those Canine Cane-men is suddenly executed, the party lying grouelling on the ground. These Canes are cleft in the middest, three or foure fingers broad: twenty or thirty blowes will spoile the flesh, fifty or threescore wil aske long time to be healed, a hundred are vncurable. They vse also the Strappado, hoising them vp and downe by the armes with a cord. They be aboue measure patient in hearing causes: and their examinations are publike. Condemned persons hauehave a pilloryboord fastned about their necke, & hanging downe before them to the knees, in which his fellony or treason is expressed, which boord neither suffereth them well to eate or sleepe, and in fine killeth him. There be in eueryevery Metropolitane Citie foure principall houses for those three officers before mētioned: the fourth, for the Taissu, wherein is the principall gaole or prison, walled about, high and strong, with a gate of no lesse force: within the same are three other gates before you come where the prisoners lie, in the meane space are such as watch & ward day and night. The prison within is so great, that in it are streets & market-places, & neuer void of seuen or eight hundred men that goe at liberty. But by following Perera (sometime a prisoner there) into his prison, I find my selfe almost imprisoned, and therefore will flee hence into their Temples, & there take sanctuarie. Here they deale as madly with their Gods, as there with their men.