excellent dinner, wholly prepared in the Chinese style, consisting of a
vast variety of made dishes very neatly dressed, and served in porcelain
bowls. The best soup I ever tasted in any part of the world was made
here from an extract of beef, seasoned with a preparation of soy and
other ingredients. Their vermicelli is excellent, and all their pastry
is unusually light and white as snow. We understood it to be made from
the buck wheat. The luxury of ice, in the neighbourhood of the capital,
is within the reach of the poorest peasant; and, although they drink
their tea and other beverage warm, they prefer all kinds of fruit when
cooled on ice.
The three first days, while the articles were unpacking and assorting,
we remained tolerably quiet, being annoyed only with the interference
and inquisitiveness of an old eunuch, who had in his train about a dozen
of the same kind _simile aut secundum_. But no sooner were they taken
out of their cases, and set up in the room, than visitors of all ranks,
from princes of the blood to plain citizens, came daily to look at the
presents, but more particularly at us, whom I believe they considered by
much the greatest curiosities. All the men of letters and rank, who held
employments in the state, and whose attendance had been dispensed with
at Gehol, flocked to _Yuen-min-yuen_.
Among the numerous visitors came one day in great state the president of
a board in Pekin, on which the Jesuits have conferred the pompous but
unmerited title of the _Tribunal of Mathematics_. He was accompanied by
a Portuguese missionary of the name of _Govea_, who is the titular
Bishop of Pekin, Padre Antonio, and his secretary, both Portuguese, and
all three members of the said tribunal. The particular object of their
visit was to make themselves fully acquainted with the nature and use of
the several presents that related to science, and especially of the
large planetarium, which had already made a great noise in China, in
order that they might be able to give a proper description and
explanation to his Imperial Majesty, both of this instrument, and of all
the others connected with their department, and to answer any question
concerning them that might be asked.
It created no sort of surprize to any of us, on finding that the Chinese
who accompanied these reverend gentlemen were completely ignorant of the
nature of a complicated machine, whose motions, regulated by the most
ingenious mechanism that had ever been constructed in Europe,
represented all those even of the most irregular and eccentric of the
heavenly bodies; nor in perceiving that they seemed to be rather
disappointed in the appearance and operations of this instrument. It was
obvious, from the few questions put by the president of this learned
body, that he had conceived the planetarium to be something similar to
one of those curious pieces of musical mechanism which, in the Canton
jargon, are called _Sing-songs_, and that nothing more was necessary
than to wind it up like a jack, when it would immediately spin round,
and tell him every thing that he wanted to know.
But the difficulty of making the right reverend Bishop and his
colleagues comprehend the principles upon which it was constructed, and
the several phenomena of the heavenly bodies exhibited by it, conveyed
almost as bad an opinion of their astronomical and mathematical
knowledge as of that of their president. The prelate, however, appeared
to be a man of mild and placid temper, pleasing manners, and of a modest
and unassuming deportment. His secretary was a keen sharp fellow,
extremely inquisitive, and resolved not to lose the little knowledge he
might acquire, for he wrote down the answer to every question that was
proposed.
The following day the Bishop came unattended by the Chinese part of
their board, and gave us some account of the nature of their employ. The
astronomical part of the national almanack, such as calculating
eclipses, the times of new and full moon, the rising and setting of the
sun, were, as he informed us, entrusted to him and his colleagues, but
the astrological part was managed by a committee of the Chinese members.
He candidly avowed that neither he nor any of his European brethren
were well qualified for the task, and that they had been hitherto more
indebted to the _Connoissances de tems_ of Paris than to their own
calculations. That having exactly ascertained the difference of
meridians between Pekin and Paris, they had little difficulty in
reducing the calculations made for the latter, so as to answer for the
situation of the former, at least to a degree of accuracy that was
sufficiently near the truth not to be detected by any of the Chinese
members.
The French revolution having put an end to future communications with
that country was to them a severe blow in this respect, though the
secretary thought he could now manage the calculation of an eclipse
sufficiently correct to pass current with the Chinese. Fortunately,
however, Doctor Dinwiddie had provided himself on leaving London with a
set of the nautical almanacks, calculated for the meridian of Greenwich,
up to the year 1800, which they considered as an invaluable present.
The grandsons of the Emperor were almost daily visitors. It seems there
is a kind of college in the palace for their education. Though young men
from the ages of sixteen to five-and-twenty, the old eunuch used
frequently to push them by the shoulders out of the hall of audience;
and, on expressing my surprise to Deodato at such insolence, he informed
me that he was their _aya_, their governor!
We had also a great number of Tartar generals and military officers who
had heard of sword-blades that would cut iron bars without injuring the
edge; and so great was their astonishment on proving the fact, that they
could scarcely credit the evidence of their own eyes. We could not
confer a more acceptable present on a military officer than one of
Gill's sword-blades; and from the eager applications made for them, as
we passed through the country, the introduction of them through Canton,
in the regular course of trade, would, I should suppose, be no difficult
task.
But the two elegant carriages made by Hatchett puzzled the Chinese more
than any of the other presents. Nothing of the kind had ever been seen
at the capital; and the disputes among themselves as to the part which
was intended for the seat of the Emperor were whimsical enough. The
hammer-cloth that covered the box of the winter carriage had a smart
edging, and was ornamented with festoons of roses. Its splendid
appearance and elevated situation determined it at once, in the opinion
of the majority, to be the Emperor's seat; but a difficulty arose how to
appropriate the inside of the carriage. They examined the windows, the
blinds, and the screens, and at last concluded, that it could be for
nobody but his ladies. The old eunuch came to me for information, and
when he learned that the fine elevated box was to be the seat of the man
who managed the horses, and that the Emperor's place was within, he
asked me, with a sneer, if I supposed the _Ta-whang-tee_ would suffer
any man to sit higher than himself, and to turn his back towards him?
and he wished to know if we could not contrive to have the coach-box
removed and placed somewhere behind the body of the carriage.
A remarkable circumstance, not easily to be accounted for, occurred in
opening a cask of Birmingham hardware. Every one knows the necessity of
excluding the sea-air as much as possible from highly polished articles
of iron and steel, and accordingly all such articles intended to be sent
abroad are packed with the greatest care. The casks, or cases, are made
as tight as possible and covered with pitched canvas. Such was the cask
in question. Yet, when the head was taken off, and a few of the packages
removed, an enormous large scorpion was found in the midst of the cask,
nearly in a torpid state, but it quickly recovered on exposure to the
warm air.
"The thing we know is neither rich nor rare,
But wonder how the devil it got there?"
Among the presents carried into Tartary was a collection of prints,
chiefly portraits of English nobility and distinguished persons; and to
make the present more acceptable, they were bound up in three volumes in
yellow Morocco. The Emperor was so pleased with this collection, that he
sent it express to _Yuen-min-yuen_ to have the name, rank, and office of
each portrait translated into the Mantchoo and Chinese languages. The
Tartar writer got on pretty well, but the Chinese secretary was not a
little puzzled with the B, the D, and the R, that so frequently recurred
in the English names. The Duke of Marlborough was _Too-ke Ma-ul-po-loo_,
and Bedford was transformed to _Pe-te-fo-ul-te_. But here a more serious
difficulty occurred than that of writing the name. The rank was also to
be written down, and on coming to the portrait of this nobleman, (which
was a proof impression of the print, engraved from a picture by Sir
Joshua Reynolds, when the late Duke of Bedford was a youth,) I told the
Chinese to write him down a _Ta-gin_, or great man of the second order.
He instantly observed that I surely meant his father was a _Ta-gin_. I
then explained to him that, according to our laws, the son succeeded to
the rank of the father, and that with us it was by no means necessary,
in order to obtain the first rank in the country, that a man should be
of a certain age, be possessed of superior talents, or suitable
qualifications. That these were sometimes conducive to high honours, yet
that a great part of the legislative body of the nation were entitled to
their rank and situation by birth. They laughed heartily at the idea of
a man being born a legislator, when it required so many years of close
application to enable one of their countrymen to pass his examination
for the very lowest order of state-officers. As, however, the
descendants of Confucius continue to enjoy a sort of nominal rank, and
as their Emperor can also confer an hereditary dignity, without
entitling to office, emolument, or exclusive privilege, they considered
his Grace might be one of this description, and wrote down his rank
accordingly; but they positively refused to give him the title of
_Ta-gin_, or great man, asking me, if I thought their Emperor was so
stupid as not to know the impossibility of a little boy having attained
the rank of a _great man_.
About the 14th of September, or three days before the Emperor's
birth-day, _Padre Anselmo_, the procurator for the mission _de
propaganda fide_, delivered me letters from Macao for the Embassador,
which the Chinese refused to send to Gehol, though daily expresses went
to and from that place. _Anselmo_ hinted to me that the late viceroy of
Canton, who was no friend to the English, had arrived, and that he
feared all was not right. That the Tartar legate had been degraded from
his rank for deceiving the Emperor, and particularly for not paying his
personal respects to the Embassador on board his ship when in
_Tien-sing_ roads. That the peacock's feather, which he wore in his cap
as a mark of his master's favour, was exchanged for a crow's tail, the
sign of great disgrace, and that the consideration of his age and his
family had alone saved him from banishment. The Emperor, it seems,
having heard that the Embassador had his picture in his cabin on board
the Lion, asked the legate whether it was like him, upon which it came
out that he had never been near the Lion, as his orders directed him.
On the 17th, being the Emperor's birth-day, all the princes and officers
about the palace assembled in their robes of ceremony, to make their
obeisance to the throne in the great hall of audience. On this occasion
were placed on the floor before the throne, on three small tripods, a
cup of tea, of oil, and of rice, perhaps as an acknowledgment of the
Emperor being the proprietary of the soil, of which these are three
material products. The old eunuch told me that I might remain in the
hall during the ceremony, if I would consent to perform it with them,
and offered to instruct me in it. He said that all the officers of
government, in every part of the empire, made their prostrations to the
name of the Emperor inscribed on yellow silk on that day.
Two days after this, on going as usual in the morning to the hall of
audience, I found the doors shut and the old eunuch, who kept the keys,
walking about in so sullen a mood that I could not get from him a single
word. Different groupes of officers were assembled in the court-yard,
all looking as if something very dreadful either had occurred, or was
about to happen. Nobody would speak to me, nor could I get the least
explanation of this extraordinary conduct, till at length our friend
Deodato appeared with a countenance no less woeful than those of the
officers of government, and the old eunuch. I asked him what was the
matter? His answer was, We are all lost, ruined, and undone! He then
informed me that intelligence had arrived from Gehol, stating, that Lord
Macartney had refused to comply with the ceremony of prostrating
himself, like the Embassadors of tributary princes, nine times before
the Emperor, unless one of equal rank with himself should go through the
same ceremony before the portrait of his Britannic Majesty: that rather
than do this they had accepted his offer to perform the same ceremony of
respect to the Emperor as to his own sovereign. That although little was
thought of this affair at Gehol, the great officers of state in the
tribunal or department of ceremonies in Pekin were mortified, and
perplexed, and alarmed; and that, in short, it was impossible to say
what might be the consequence of an event unprecedented in the annals of
the empire. That the Emperor, when he began to think more seriously on
the subject, might possibly impeach those before the criminal tribunal
who had advised him to accede to such a proposal, on reflecting how much
his dignity had suffered by the compliance; and that the records of the
country might hand it down to posterity, as an event that had tarnished
the lustre of his reign, being nothing short of breaking through an
ancient custom, and adopting one of a barbarous nation in its place.
Deodato thought even that its ill effects might extend to them, as
Europeans, and might injure the cause which was the first object of
their mission.
I found it in vain to put into good humour that day either the officers
of government, or the eunuchs, or even the missionaries; and our table
was very materially affected by it, both in the number and the quality
of dishes;--a criterion from which, more than any other, a judgment may
be formed of the state of mind in which a Chinese happens to be.
Something of the same kind, it seems, occurred at Gehol. From the time
the Embassador began to make conditions, his table was abridged, under
an idea that he might be starved into an unconditional compliance.
Finding this experiment fail, they had recourse to a different conduct,
and became all kindness and complaisance.
The ill-humour occasioned by the news from Gehol gradually wore off, but
I observed that the princes who had hitherto been daily visitors now
kept entirely away; and the old eunuch, when put out of his way, used to
apply to us the epithet of proud, headstrong Englishmen.
On the 26th the Embassador (during whose stay at Gehol in Tartary an
account of all that passed there is given in Sir George Staunton's book)
returned to Pekin, when the remainder of the presents were sent to
Yuen-min-yuen. A number of Tartar princes and great officers of state
came to look at those fitted up in the hall of audience, and seemed
extremely solicitous that the whole should be got ready without delay.
Notice was also given that, on the 30th the Emperor would inspect the
presents. This was the day fixed for his return, and it was notified to
the Embassador that it was an usual compliment for all public officers
to meet him on the road, at the distance of ten or twelve miles from the
capital. Accordingly, about four o'clock in the morning of the 30th, we
were all mounted and arrived at our ground about six. The whole road had
been newly made, rolled as level as a bowling-green, watered to keep
down the dust and, on each side, at the distance of about fifty yards
from each other, were small triangular poles erected, from which were
suspended painted lanterns.
They brought us into a kind of guard-house, where tea and other
refreshments were prepared, after which we took our station on a high
bank on the left of the road. On each side, as far as the eye could
reach, were several thousands of the great officers of state in their
habits of ceremony; Tartar troops in their holiday dresses;
standard-bearers without number, military music, and officers of the
household, lining the two sides of the road. The approach of the Emperor
was announced by a blast of the trumpet, followed by softer music, "and
at that time when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flutes,
harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, then the princes, the
governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors,
the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, that were gathered
together, fell down and worshipped," except certain strangers, who,
being obstinately resolved to do no greater homage to any sovereign than
what is required by their own sovereign, bent one knee only to the
ground.
The Emperor was carried by eight men in a kind of sedan chair, which was
followed by a clumsy state chariot upon two wheels, and without springs.
He bowed very graciously to the Embassador as he passed, and sent a
message to him to say that, understanding he was not well, he advised
him to return immediately to Pekin, and not to stop at Yuen-min-yuen, as
was intended.
The morning being very cold, we were desirous to get home as fast as we
could; and accordingly galloped along with some of the Tartar cavalry.
When we arrived under the walls of Pekin, we turned our horses towards a
different gate to that through which we were accustomed to pass, in
order to see a little more of the city. But one of our conductors, who
had thought it his duty not to lose sight of us, in perceiving us making
a wrong turn, hallowed out with all his might. We pushed forward,
however, and got through the gate, but we were pursued with such a hue
and cry, that we were glad to escape through one of the cross streets
leading to our hotel, where we arrived with at least a hundred soldiers
at our heels.
On the 1st of October the Emperor, attended by a Tartar, inspected the
presents in the hall of audience and examined them with minute
attention. He desired the Tartar prince to tell us, through Deodato,
that the accounts he had received of our good conduct at _Yuen-min-yuen_
gave him great pleasure, and that he had ordered a present to be made to
each of us, as a proof of his entire satisfaction. This present was
brought, after his departure from the hall, by the old eunuch, who took
care to tell us that before we received it we must make nine
prostrations according to the Chinese custom. I made him no answer, but
requested Deodato to explain to the Tartar prince, who was still
present, that being under the orders of the Embassador we did not think
ourselves authorized to do what he had found good to refuse, but that we
had not the least objection to go through the same ceremony that he had
done at Gehol. The Tartar prince immediately answered that nothing
further was required. We accordingly placed one knee on the lowest step
leading to the throne. The present consisted of rolls of silk and
several pieces of silver cast in the form of a Tartar shoe, without any
mark or inscription on them, and each about the weight of an ounce.
The presents being now all delivered, and the Embassador informed by the
missionaries that preparations were making for our departure, the usual
time being nearly expired, his Excellency was desirous of having the day
fixed, and for this purpose dispatched a note to the first minister, who
sent an answer by the Tartar legate to inform him that, to prevent any
likelihood of being surprized by the approaching bad weather, the
Emperor had named the 7th instant for the beginning of our journey; and
had given orders that every honour and distinction should be paid to the
Embassy on the road.
But before I quit these renowned gardens of Yuen-min-yuen, it will
naturally be expected I should say something on their subject. From all
that I had heard and read of the grandeur and beauty of the scenery and
the magnificence of the palaces, I had certainly expected to meet with a
style of gardening and laying out of grounds superior, or at least
equal, to any thing in the same line in Europe; and, perhaps indeed, I
might have been fully gratified in all my expectation provided no
restraint had been thrown upon our walks, which was far from being the
case. All the little excursions I made were by stealth. Even in the
short distance between the hall of audience and our lodgings, which
might be about three hundred paces, we were continually watched. The
idea of being stopped by an eunuch or some of the inferior officers
belonging to the court, was sufficient to put us on our guard against
meeting with any such mortification; pride, in such circumstances,
generally gets the better of the desire, however strong, of gratifying
curiosity. I sometimes, however, ventured to stroll from our lodging in
the evening in order to take a stolen glance at these celebrated
gardens.
The grounds of _Yuen-min-yuen_ are calculated to comprehend an extent of
at least ten English miles in diameter, or about sixty thousand acres, a
great part of which, however, is wastes and woodland. The general
appearance of those parts near where we lodged, as to the natural
surface of the country, broken into hill and dale, and diversified with
wood and lawn, may be compared with Richmond park, to which, however,
they add the very great advantage of abundance of canals, rivers, and
large sheets of water, whose banks, although artificial, are neither
trimmed, nor shorn, nor sloped, like the glacis of a fortification, but
have been thrown up with immense labour in an irregular, and, as it
were, fortuitous manner, so as to represent the free hand of nature.
Bold rocky promontories are seen jutting into a lake, and vallies
retiring, some choaked with wood, others in a state of high cultivation.
In particular spots where pleasure-houses, or places of rest or
retirement, were erected, the views appeared to have been studied. The
trees were not only placed according to their magnitudes, but the tints
of their foliage seemed also to have been considered in the composition
of the picture, which some of the landscapes might be called with great
propriety. But, if an opinion may be formed from those parts of them
which I have seen, and I understood there is a great similarity
throughout the whole, they fall very short of the fanciful and
extravagant descriptions that Sir William Chambers has given of Chinese
gardening. Much, however, has been done, and nothing that I saw could be
considered as an offence to nature.