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[Illustration: THE MIDDLE Kingdom.]
_In the drawing is represented the Emperor Hienfung, attended by
his principal ministers, kneeling before the shrine of_ HWANG-TIEN
SHANGTÍ. _Though no foreigner has witnessed this ceremony, a few words
concerning this native representation will make plain the chief objects
of worship._
_Upon the triple altar, or_ TIEN TAN _(Volume I., p. 76), the central
temporary shrine is dedicated to_ HWANG-TIEN SHANGTÍ, _or ‘Imperial
Heaven’s Ruler above.’ Upon the Emperor’s right, nearest the chief
pavilion, are tablets to his ancestors, Tienming, Shunchí, Yungching,
and Kiaking; the corresponding opposite house is similarly devoted
to Tientsung, Kanghí, Kienlung, and Taukwang. The small buildings
behind and below these are the_ TAMING CHÍ WEI, _the ‘Altar of the
Sun’ or ‘Great Luminary’ (on the right), and the_ YE-MING CHÍ WEI, _or
‘Altar of the Night Luminary.’ The last structure on the worshipper’s
right contains tablets to the_ CHAU-TIEN SING, _or ‘All Stars;’ to
the_ URH-SHIH PAT SUHSING, _or ‘Twenty-eight Constellations in the
Ecliptic;’ to the_ PEH-TAN SING, _or Ursa Major; and to the_ MUH, KIN,
SHUI, FO, _and_ TU, _or Five Elements--‘Wood, Metal, Water, Fire, and
Earth.’ Facing this building on the left are shrines to_ SIUEH-SZ’,
YÜ-SZ’, FUNG-SZ’, _and_ LUI-SZ’, _the superintendents of Snow, Rain,
Wind, and Thunder_.
[Illustration: IMPERIAL WORSHIP OF SHANGTI ON THE ALTAR OF HEAVEN AT
PEKING.
FROM A CHINESE PAINTING]
論總國中
THE MIDDLE KINGDOM
A Survey of the Geography, Government, Literature,
Social Life, Arts, and History
of
The Chinese Empire
and
Its Inhabitants
by
S. WELLS WILLIAMS, LL.D.
Professor of the Chinese Language and Literature at Yale College;
Author of Tonic and Syllabic Dictionaries of the Chinese Language
Revised Edition, With Illustrations and a New
Map of the Empire
VOLUME I.
New York
Charles Scribner’s Sons
1900
Copyright, 1882, by
Charles Scribner’s Sons
Trow’s
Printing and Bookbinding Company
201-213 East Twelfth Street
New York
To
GIDEON NYE, JR.,
OF CANTON, CHINA,
A
TESTIMONIAL OF THE
Respect and Friendship
OF THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
During the thirty-five years which have elapsed since the first edition
of this work was issued, a greater advance has probably been made
in the political and intellectual development of China than within
any previous century of her history. While neither the social habits
nor principles of government have so far altered as to necessitate a
complete rewriting of these pages, it will be found, nevertheless, that
the present volumes treat of a reformed and in many respects modern
nation. Under the new régime the central administration has radically
increased its authority among the provincial rulers, and more than ever
in former years has managed to maintain control over their pretentions.
The Empire has, moreover, established its foreign relations on a
well-understood basis by accredited envoys; this will soon affect the
mass of the people by the greater facilities of trade, the presence
of travellers, diffusion of education, and other agencies which are
awaking the people from their lethargy. Already the influences which
will gradually transform the face of society are mightily operating.
The changes which have been made in the book comprise such alterations
and additions as were necessary to describe the country under its new
aspects. In the constant desire to preserve a convenient size, every
doubtful or superfluous sentence has been erased, while the new matter
incorporated has increased the bulk of the present edition about
one-third. The arrangement of chapters is the same. The first four,
treating of the geography, combine as many and accurate details of
recent explorers or residents as the proportions of this section will
permit. The extra-provincial regions are described from the researches
of Russian, English, and Indian travellers of the last twenty years.
It is a waste, mountainous territory for the most part and can never
support a large population. Great pains have been taken by the
cartographer, Jacob Wells, to consult the most authentic charts in the
construction of the map of the Empire. By collating and reducing to
scale the surveys and route charts of reliable travellers throughout
the colonies, he has produced in all respects as accurate a map of
Central Asia as is at this date possible. The Eighteen Provinces are in
the main the same as in my former map.
The chapter on the census remains for the most part without alteration,
for until there has been a methodical inspection of the Empire,
important questions concerning its population must be held in abeyance.
It is worth noticing how generally the estimates in this chapter--or
much larger figures--have since its first publication been accepted for
the population of China. Foreign students of natural history in China
have, by their researches in every department, furnished material for
more extensive and precise descriptions under this subject than could
possibly have been gathered twoscore years ago. The sixth chapter has,
therefore, been almost wholly rewritten, and embraces as complete a
summary of this wide field as space would allow or the general reader
tolerate. The specialist will, however, speedily recognize the fact
that this rapid glance serves rather to indicate how immense and
imperfectly explored is this subject than to describe whatever is known.
That portion of the first volume treating of the laws and their
administration does not admit of more than a few minor changes.
However good their theory of jurisprudence, the people have many things
to bear from the injustice of their rulers, but more from their own
vices. The _Peking Gazette_ is now regularly translated in the Shanghai
papers, and gives a _coup d’œil_ of the administration of the highest
value.
The chapters on the languages and literature are considerably improved.
The translations and text-books which the diligence of foreign scholars
has recently furnished could be only partially enumerated, though here,
as elsewhere in the work, references in the foot-notes are intended
to direct the more interested student to the bibliography of the
subject, and present him with the materials for an exhaustive study.
The native literature is extensive, and all branches have contributed
somewhat to form the résumé which is contained in this section, giving
a preponderance to the Confucian classics. The four succeeding chapters
contain notices of the arts, industries, domestic life, and science
of the Chinese--a necessarily rapid survey, since these features of
Chinese life are already well understood by foreigners. Nothing,
however, that is either original or peculiar has been omitted in the
endeavor to portray their social and economic characteristics. The
emigration of many thousands of the people of Kwangtung within the last
thirty years has made that province a representative among foreign
nations of the others; it may be added that its inhabitants are well
fitted, by their enterprise, thrift, and maritime habits, to become
types of the whole.
The history and chronology are made fuller by the addition of several
facts and tables;[1] but the field of research in this direction has as
yet scarcely been defined, and few certain dates have been determined
prior to the Confucian era. The entire continent of Asia must be
thoroughly investigated in its geography, antiquities, and literature
in order to throw light on the eastern portion. The history of China
offers an interesting topic for a scholar who would devote his life to
its elucidation from the mass of native literature.
The two chapters on the religions, and what has been done within the
past half century to promote Christian missions, are somewhat enlarged
and brought down to the present time. The study of modern scholars in
the examination of Chinese religious beliefs has enabled them to make
comparisons with other systems of Asiatics, as well as discuss the
native creeds with more certainty.
The chapter on the commerce of China has an importance commensurate
with its growing amount. Within the past ten years the opium trade
has been attacked in its moral and commercial bearings between China,
India, and England. There are grounds for hope that the British
Government will free itself from any connection with it, which will
be a triumph of justice and Christianity. The remainder of Volume II.
describes events in the intercourse of China with the outer world,
including a brief account of the Tai-ping Rebellion, which proximately
grew out of foreign ideas. No connected or satisfactory narrative
of the events which have forced one of the greatest nations of the
world into her proper position, so far as I am aware, has as yet
been prepared. A succinct recital of one of the most extraordinary
developments of modern times should not be without interest to all.
The work of condensing the vast increase of reliable information upon
China into these two volumes has been attended with considerable labor.
Future writers will, I am convinced, after the manner of Richthofen,
Yule, Legge, and others, confine themselves to single or cognate
subjects rather than attempt such a comprehensive synopsis as is here
presented. The number of illustrations in this edition is nearly
doubled, the added ones being selected with particular reference to
the subject-matter. I have availed myself of whatever sources of
information I could command, due acknowledgment of which is made in the
foot-notes, and ample references in the Index.
The revision of this book has been the slow though constant occupation
of several years. When at last I had completed the revised copy and
made arrangements as to its publication, in March, 1882, my health
failed, and under a partial paralysis I was rendered incapable of
further labor. My son, Frederick Wells Williams, who had already looked
over the copy, now assumed entire charge of the publication. I had
the more confidence that he would perform the duties of editor, for
he had already a general acquaintance with China and the books which
are the best authority. The work has been well done, the last three
chapters particularly having been improved under his careful revision
and especial study of the recent political history of China. The Index
is his work, and throughout the book I am indebted to his careful
supervision, especially on the chapters treating of geography and
literature. By the opening of this year I had so far recovered as to be
able to superintend the printing and look over the proofs of the second
volume.
My experiences in the forty-three years of my life in China were
coeval with the changes which gradually culminated in the opening of
the country. Among the most important of these may be mentioned the
cessation of the East India Company in 1834, the war with England in
1841-42, the removal of the monopoly of the hong merchants, the opening
of five ports to trade, the untoward attack on the city of Canton which
grew out of the lorcha Arrow, the operations in the vicinity of Peking,
the establishment of foreign legations in that city, and finally, in
1873, the peaceful settlement of the _kotow_, which rendered possible
the approach of foreign ministers to the Emperor’s presence. Those
who trace the hand of God in history will gather from such rapid and
great changes in this Empire the foreshadowing of the fulfilment of
his purposes; for while these political events were in progress the
Bible was circulating, and the preaching and educational labors of
missionaries were silently and with little opposition accomplishing
their leavening work among the people.
On my arrival at Canton in 1833 I was officially reported, with two
other Americans, to the hong merchant Kingqua as _fan-kwai_, or
‘foreign devils,’ who had come to live under his tutelage. In 1874, as
Secretary of the American Embassy at Peking, I accompanied the Hon. B.
P. Avery to the presence of the Emperor Tungchí, when the Minister of
the United States presented his letters of credence on a footing of
perfect equality with the ‘Son of Heaven.’ With two such experiences
in a lifetime, and mindful of the immense intellectual and moral
development which is needed to bring an independent government from
the position of forcing one of them to that of yielding the other, it
is not strange that I am assured of a great future for the sons of
Han; but the progress of pure Christianity will be the only adequate
means to save the conflicting elements involved in such a growth from
destroying each other. Whatever is in store for them, it is certain
that the country has passed its period of passivity. There is no more
for China the repose of indolence and seclusion--when she looked down
on the nations in her overweening pride like the stars with which she
could have no concern.
In this revision the same object has been kept in view that is stated
in the Preface to the first edition--to divest the Chinese people and
civilization of that peculiar and indefinable impression of ridicule
which has been so generally given them by foreign authors. I have
endeavored to show the better traits of their national character,
and that they have had up to this time no opportunity of learning
many things with which they are now rapidly becoming acquainted. The
time is speedily passing away when the people of the Flowery Land can
fairly be classed among uncivilized nations. The stimulus which in
this labor of my earlier and later years has been ever present to my
mind is the hope that the cause of missions may be promoted. In the
success of this cause lies the salvation of China as a people, both in
its moral and political aspects. This success bids fair to keep pace
with the needs of the people. They will become fitted for taking up
the work themselves and joining in the multiform operations of foreign
civilizations. Soon railroads, telegraphs, and manufactures will be
introduced, and these must be followed by whatsoever may conduce to
enlightening the millions of the people of China in every department of
religious, political, and domestic life.
The descent of the Holy Spirit is promised in the latter times, and
the preparatory work for that descent has been accomplishing in a
vastly greater ratio than ever before, and with increased facilities
toward its final completion. The promise of that Spirit will fulfil
the prophecy of Isaiah, delivered before the era of Confucius, and
God’s people will come from the land of Sinim and join in the anthem of
praise with every tribe under the sun.
S. W. W.
NEW HAVEN, July, 1883.
FOOTNOTE:
[1] An alphabetical arrangement of all the tables scattered throughout
the work may be found under this word in the Index.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
GENERAL DIVISIONS AND FEATURES OF THE EMPIRE, 1-48
Unusual interest involved in the study of China, 1; The name
_China_ probably a corruption of _Tsin_, 2; Other Asiatic names
for the country, 3; Ancient and modern native designations, 5;
Dimensions of the Empire, 6; Its three Grand Divisions: The
_Eighteen Provinces_, _Manchuria_, and _Colonies_, 7; China
Proper, its names and limits, 8; Four large mountain chains,
10; The Tien shan, _ibid._; The Kwănlun, 11; The Hing-an and
Himalaya systems, 13; Pumpelly’s “Sinian System” of mountains,
14; The Desert of Gobi and Sha-moh, 15; Its character and
various names, 17; Rivers of China: The Yellow River, 18; The
Yangtsz’ River, 20; The Chu or Pearl River, 22; Lakes of China,
23; Boundaries of China Proper, 25; Character of its coast,
26; The Great Plain, 27; The Great Wall of China, its course,
29; Its construction and aspect, 30; The Grand Canal, 31; Its
history and present condition, 36; Minor canals, 37; Public
roads, De Guignes’ description, _ibid._; General aspects of a
landscape, 40; Physical characteristics of the Chinese, 41; The
women, 42; Aborigines: Miaotsz’, Lolos, Li-mus, and others,
43; Manchus and Mongols, 44; Attainments and limits of Chinese
civilization, 46.