moral character of the Chinese. But the fault, as I before observed,
seems to be more in the system of government than in the nature and
disposition of the people. The accession of a foreign power to the
throne, by adopting the language, the laws, and the customs of the
conquered, has preserved with the forms all the abuses of the ancient
government. The character of the governors may differ a little, but that
of the governed remains unchanged. The Tartars, by assuming the dress,
the manners, and the habits of the Chinese, by being originally
descended from the same stock, and by a great resemblance of features,
are scarcely distinguishable from them in their external appearance. And
if any physical difference exist, it seems to be in stature only, which
may have arisen from local causes. The Chinese are rather taller, and of
a more slender and delicate form than the Tartars, who are in general
short, thick, and robust. The small eye, elliptical at the end next to
the nose, is a predominating feature in the cast of both the Tartar and
the Chinese countenance, and they have both the same high cheek bones
and pointed chins, which, with the custom of shaving off the hair, gives
to the head the shape of an inverted cone, remarkable enough in some
subjects, but neither so general, nor so singular, as to warrant their
being considered among the _monsters_ in nature, _Homo monstrosus_,
_macrocephalus_, _capite conico_, _Chinensis_[10]. The head of our
worthy conductor _Van-ta-gin_, who was a real Chinese, had nothing in
its shape different from that of an European, except the eye. The
portrait of this gentleman, drawn by Mr. Hickey, is so strong a
likeness, and he was deservedly so great a favourite of every Englishman
in the train of the British Embassador, that I am happy in having in
opportunity of placing it at the head of this work.
[10] Linn. Systema Naturæ.
The natural colour both of the Chinese and Tartars seems to be that tint
between a fair and dark complexion, which we distinguish the word
_brunet_ or _brunette_; and the shades of this complexion are deeper, or
lighter, according as they have been more or less exposed to the
influence of the climate. The women of the lower class, who labour in
the fields or who dwell in vessels, are almost invariably coarse,
ill-featured, and of a deep brown complexion, like that of the
Hottentot. But this we find to be the case among the poor of almost
every nation. Hard labour, scanty fare, and early and frequent
parturition, soon wither the delicate buds of beauty. The sprightliness
and expression of the features, as well as the colour of the skin, which
distinguish the higher ranks from the vulgar, are the effects of ease
and education. We saw women in China, though very few, that might pass
for beauties even in Europe. The Malay features however prevail in most;
a small black or dark brown eye, a short rounded nose, generally a
little flattened, lips considerably thicker than in Europeans, and black
hair, are universal.
The Mantchoo Tartars would appear to be composed of a mixed race: among
these we observed several, both men and women, that were extremely fair
and of florid complexions: some had light blue eyes, straight or
aquiline noses, brown hair, immense bushy beards, and had much more the
appearance of Greeks than of Tartars. It is certainly not improbable
that the Greeks of Sogdiana, whose descendants must have blended with
the western Tartars and with whom the Mantchoos were connected, may have
communicated this cast of countenance. _Tchien-lung_, whose nose was
somewhat aquiline and complexion florid, used to boast of his descent
from _Gengis-khan_: these, however, are exceptions to the general
character, which is evidently the same as that of the Chinese.
But although their appearance and manners are externally the same, a
closer acquaintance soon discovers that in disposition they are widely
different. Those who are better pleased with a blunt sincerity bordering
on rudeness than a studied complaisance approaching to servility; who
may think it better to be robbed openly than cheated civilly, will be
apt to give the preference to the Tartar character. Yet those Tartars of
distinction, who fill some of the higher situations in the state, soon
lose their native roughness and are scarcely distinguishable in their
manners and demeanour from the Chinese.
The ease, politeness, and dignified carriage of the old viceroy of
_Pe-tche-lee_, who was a Mantchoo, could not be exceeded by the most
practiced courtier in modern Europe: the attention he shewed to every
thing that concerned the embassy, the unaffected manner in which he
received and entertained us at _Tien-sing_; the kindness and
condescension with which he gave his orders to the inferior officers and
to his domestics, placed him in a very amiable point of view. He was a
very fine old man of seventy-eight years of age, of low stature, with
small sparkling eyes, a benign aspect, a long silver beard, and the
whole of his appearance calm, venerable, and dignified. The manners of
_Sun-ta-gin_, a relation of the Emperor and one of the six ministers of
state, were no less dignified, easy, and engaging; and _Chung-ta-gin_,
the new viceroy of Canton, was a plain, unassuming, and good-natured
man. The prime minister _Ho-chang-tong_, the little Tartar legate, and
the ex-viceroy of Canton, were the only persons of rank among the many
we had occasion to converse with that discovered the least ill-humour,
distant hauteur, and want of complaisance. All the rest with whom we had
any concern, whether Tartars or Chinese, when in our private society,
were easy, affable, and familiar, extremely good-humoured, loquacious,
communicative. It was in public only, and towards each other, that they
assumed their ceremonious gravity, and practised all the tricks of
demeanour which custom requires of them.
The general character, however, of the nation is a strange compound of
pride and meanness, of affected gravity and real frivolousness, of
refined civility and gross indelicacy. With an appearance of great
simplicity and openness in conversation, they practise a degree of art
and cunning against which an European is but ill prepared. Their manner
of introducing the subject of the court ceremonies in conversation with
the Embassador is no bad specimen of their sly address in managing
matters of this sort. Some of them observed, by mere accident as it
were, how curious it was to see the different modes of dress that
prevailed among different nations: this naturally brought on a
comparison between theirs and ours, the latter of which they pretended
to examine with critical attention. After a good deal of circumlocutory
observations, they thought their own entitled to the preference, being
more convenient, on account of its being made wide and loose and free
from tight ligatures; whereas ours must be exceedingly uneasy and
troublesome in any other posture than that of standing upright; and
particularly so in making the genuflections and prostrations which were
customary and indeed necessary to be performed by all persons whenever
the Emperor appeared in public. No notice being taken of this broad
hint, so artfully introduced, they proceeded to compare their wide
petticoats with our breeches, and to contrast the play and freedom of
their knee-joints with the obstruction that our knee-buckles and garters
must necessarily occasion. This brought them directly to the point, and
they finished by recommending, in the warmth of their friendship, that
we should disencumber ourselves of our breeches, as they would certainly
be inconvenient to appear in at court.
Of perseverance in negociation, or more properly speaking, _in driving a
bargain_, the Tartar legate gave no bad specimen of his talent. Having
in vain practiced every art to obtain from the Embassador an
unconditional compliance with the court ceremony, he was sent at length
by the Prime Minister to inform him, that the important point was
finally decided and that the English mode was to be adopted; but, he
observed, that as it was not the custom of China to kiss the Emperor's
hand, he had something to propose to which there could be no objection,
and which was that, in lieu of that part of the English ceremony, he
should put the second knee upon the ground and, instead of bending one
knee, to kneel on both. In fact, they negociate on the most trifling
point with as much caution and preciseness, as if they were forming a
treaty of peace, and with more address than some treaties of peace have
been negociated.
As a direct refusal to any request would betray a want of good breeding,
every proposal finds their immediate acquiescence; they promise without
hesitation, but generally disappoint by the invention of some sly
pretence or plausible objection. They have no proper sense of the
obligations of truth. So little scrupulous indeed are they with regard
to veracity, that they will assert and contradict without blushing, as
it may best suit the purpose of the moment.
The vanity of an usurped national superiority and a high notion of
self-importance never forsake them on any occasion. Those advantages in
others which they cannot avoid feeling, they will affect not to see. And
although they are reduced to the necessity of employing foreigners to
regulate their calendar and keep their clocks in order, although they
are in the habit of receiving yearly various specimens of art and
ingenuity from Europe, yet they pertinaciously affect to consider all
the nations of the earth as barbarians in comparison of themselves. A
Chinese merchant of Canton, who, from the frequent opportunities of
seeing English ships, was not insensible of their advantages over those
of his own nation which traded to Batavia and other distant ports,
resolved, and actually began, to construct a vessel according to an
English model; but the _Hoo-poo_ or collector of the customs being
apprized of it, not only obliged him to relinquish his project but fined
him in a heavy penalty for presuming to adopt the modes of a barbarous
nation. So great is their national conceit that not a single article
imported into the country, as I have elsewhere observed, retains its
name. Not a nation, nor person, nor object, that does not receive a
Chinese appellation: so that their language, though poor, is pure.
The expressions made use of in salutation, by different nations, may
perhaps be considered as deriving their origin from features of national
character. _Lau-ye_, _Old sir_, is a title of respect, with which the
first officers of state may be addressed, because the maxims of
government have inculcated the doctrine of obedience, respect, and
protection to old age. The common salutation among the lower orders of
people in some of the southern provinces is _Ya fan_, _Have you eaten
your rice?_ the greatest happiness that the common class of people in
China can hope to enjoy consisting in their having a sufficiency of
rice. Thus also the Dutch, who are considered as great eaters, have a
morning salutation which is common among all ranks, _Smaakelyk eeten!_
_May you eat a hearty dinner!_ Another universal salutation among this
people is, _Hoe vaart uwe?_ _How do you sail?_ adopted no doubt in the
early periods of the Republic, when they were all navigators and
fishermen. The usual salutation at Cairo is, How do you sweat? a dry hot
skin being a sure indication of a destructive ephemeral fever. I think
some author has observed, in contrasting the haughty Spaniard with the
frivolous Frenchman, that the proud steady gait and inflexible solemnity
of the former were expressed in his mode of salutation, _Come esta?_
_How do you stand?_ whilst the _Comment vous portez vous?_ _How do you
carry yourself?_ was equally expressive of the gay motion and incessant
action of the latter.
The Chinese are so ceremonious among themselves, and so punctilious with
regard to etiquette, that the omission of the most minute point
established by the court of ceremonies is considered as a criminal
offence. Visiting by tickets, which with us is a fashion of modern
refinement, has been a common practice in China some thousand years; but
the rank of a Chinese visitor is immediately ascertained by the size,
colour, and ornaments of his ticket, which also varies in all these
points according to the rank of the person visited. The old Viceroy of
_Pe-tche-lee's_ ticket to the Embassador contained as much
crimson-coloured paper as would be sufficient to cover the walls of a
moderate-sized room.
CHAP. V.
Manners and Amusements of the Court--Reception of Embassadors--Character
and private Life of the Emperor--His Eunuchs and Women.
_General Character of the Court--Of the Buildings about the
Palace--_Lord Macartney's_ Account of his Introduction--Of the
Celebration of the Emperor's Anniversary Festival--Of a
Puppet-Shew--Comedy and Pantomime--Wrestling--Conjuring and
Fire-Works--Reception and Entertainment of the Dutch Embassadors from a
Manuscript Journal--Observations on the State of the Chinese
Stage--Extraordinary Scene in one of their Dramas--Gross and indelicate
Exhibitions--Sketch of_ Kien-Long's_ Life and Character--Kills his Son
by an unlucky Blow--conceives himself immortal--Influence of the Eunuchs
of the Tartar Conquest--their present State and Offices--Emperor's Wife,
Queens, and Concubines--How disposed of at his Death._
After the sketch I have exhibited of the state of society among the
different ranks in China, a tolerable notion may be formed of the
general character and complexion of the court. It is, as Lord Macartney
has justly observed, "a singular mixture of ostentatious hospitality and
inbred suspicion, ceremonious civility and real rudeness, shadowy
complaisance and substantial perverseness; and this prevails through all
the departments connected with the Court, although somewhat modified by
the personal disposition of those at their head; but as to that genuine
politeness, which distinguishes our manners, it cannot be expected in
Orientals, considering among other things the light in which they are
accustomed to regard the female part of society." Whether the great
ministers of state, who have daily intercourse in the different
tribunals, sometimes relax from the stiff and formal deportment observed
towards each other in public, I am not able to say, but when at Court
they invariably observe certain stated forms and expression as studied
and ceremonious as if they had never met before. It appeared to us
highly ridiculous to see our friends, the two colleagues _Van-ta-gin_
and _Chou-ta-gin_, on meeting in the precincts of the palace, performing
to each other all the genuflexions and motions of the body which the
ceremonial institutes of the empire require.
I rather suspect, however, that where any degree of confidence prevails
among these people they sometimes enjoy their moments of conviviality.
Our two worthy conductors met at Canton an old acquaintance who was
governor of a city in Fo-kien. He gave them an evening entertainment on
the river in a splendid yacht to which I was privately invited. On
entering the great cabin I found the three gentlemen with each a young
girl by his side very richly dressed, the cheeks, lips, and chin highly
_rouged_, the rest of the face and neck whitened with a preparation of
cerate. I was welcomed by a cup of hot wine from each of the ladies who
first sipped by way of pledging me. During supper, which for number and
variety of dishes exceeded any thing I had hitherto met with in the
country, the girls played on the flute and sung several airs, but there
was nothing very captivating either in the vocal or instrumental part
of the music. We passed a most convivial evening free from any reserve
or restraint, but on going away I was particularly desired by _Van_ not
to take any notice of what I had seen, apprehensive, I suppose, that
their brother officers might condemn their want of prudence in admitting
a barbarian to witness their relaxation from good morals. The yacht and
the ladies it seemed were hired for the occasion.
The incalculable numbers of the great officers of state and their
attendants, all robed in the richest silks, embroidered with the most
brilliant colours, and tissued with gold and silver, the order, silence,
and solemnity with which they arrange and conduct themselves on public
court-days are the most commanding features on such occasions.
This sober pomp of Asiatic grandeur is exhibited only at certain fixed
festivals; of which the principal is the anniversary of the Emperor's
birth-day, the commencement of a new year, the ceremonial of holding the
plough, and the reception of foreign embassadors, most of whom they
contrive to be present at one or other of those festivals. The birth-day
is considered to be the most splendid; when all the Tartar princes and
tributuaries, and all the principal officers of government both civil
and military, are expected to be present.
For reasons of state, which will be noticed hereafter, the Emperor
rarely shews himself in public among the Chinese part of his subjects,
except on such occasions; and even then the exhibition is confined
within the precincts of the palace from which the populace are entirely
excluded. Consistent with their system of sumptuary laws there is little
external appearance of pomp or magnificence in the establishment of the
Emperor. The buildings that compose the palace and the furniture within
them, if we except the paint, the gilding, and the varnish, that appear
on the houses even of plebeians, are equally void of unnecessary and
expensive ornaments. Those who should rely on the florid relations, in
which the missionaries and some travellers have indulged in their
descriptions of the palaces of Pekin and those of _Yuen-min-yuen_, would
experience on visiting them a woful disappointment. These buildings,
like the common habitations of the country, are all modelled after the
form of a tent, and are magnificent only by a comparison with the others
and by their number, which is sufficient, indeed, to form a town of
themselves. Their walls are higher than those of ordinary houses, their
wooden columns of greater diameter, their roofs are immense, and a
greater variety of painting and gilding may be bestowed on the different
parts; but none of them exceeds one story in height, and they are
jumbled and surrounded with mean and insignificant hovels. Some writer
has observed that the King of England is worse lodged at Saint James's
palace than any sovereign in Europe. Were I to compare some of the
imperial palaces in China to any royal residence in Europe it would
certainly be to Saint James's; but the apartments, the furniture, and
conveniences of the latter, bad as they are, infinitely transcend any of
those in China. The stone or clay floors are indeed sometimes covered
with a carpet of English broad-cloth, and the walls papered; but they
have no glass in the windows, no stoves, fire-places, or fire-grates in
the rooms; no sofas, bureaux, chandeliers, nor looking-glasses; no
book-cases, prints, nor paintings. They have neither curtains nor sheets
to their beds; a bench of wood, or a platform of brick-work, is raised
in an alcove, on which are mats or stuffed mattresses, hard pillows, or
cushions, according to the season of the year; instead of doors they
have usually skreens, made of the fibres of bamboo. In short, the
wretched lodgings of the state-officers at the court of Versailles, in
the time of the French monarchy, were princely palaces in comparison of
those allotted to the first ministers of the Emperor of China, in the
capital as well as at _Yuen-min-yuen_.
When attending the court, on public occasions, each courtier takes his
meal alone in his solitary cell on a small square table crowded with
bowls of rice and various stews; without table-linen or napkins, without
knife, fork, or spoon; a pair of small sticks, or the quills of a
porcupine, are the only substitutes for these convenient articles:
placing the bowl under his chin, with these he throws the rice into his
mouth and takes up the pieces of meat in his soup or stews. Having
finished his lonely meal, he generally lies down to sleep. In a
government so suspicious as that of China, if parties were known to meet
together, the object of them might be supposed something beyond that of
conviviality, which however mutual jealousy and distrust have prevented
from growing into common use.
As the ready compliance of the late Dutch Embassadors with all the
degrading ceremonies required by the Chinese, added to their constant
residence in the capital, gave them more opportunities of observing the
manners and the amusements of the court than occurred to the British
embassy, I shall here avail myself of that part of a journal relating to
this subject, which was kept by a young gentleman in the suite of the
former, and whose accuracy of observation may be depended on. The
account given by him of the New Year's festival, added to Lord
Macartney's description of his introduction and the birth-day
solemnities, which his Lordship has obligingly permitted me to extract
from his journal, together with my own observations at the palace of
_Yuen-min-yuen_, will serve to convey a tolerably exact idea of the
state, pleasures, and amusements of the great Monarch of China.
"On the 14th September," observes his Lordship, "at four o'clock in the
morning we set out for the court, under the convoy of _Van-ta-gin_, and
_Chou-ta-gin_, and reached it in little more than an hour, the distance
being about three miles from our hotel. We alighted at the park gate,
from whence we walked to the Imperial encampment, and were conducted to
a large handsome tent prepared for us, on one side of the Emperor's.
After waiting there about an hour, his approach was announced by drums
and music, on which we quitted our tent and came forward upon the green
carpet. He was seated in an open Palankeen, carried by sixteen bearers,
attended by numbers of officers bearing flags, standards, and umbrellas;
and as he passed we paid him our compliments, by kneeling on one knee,
whilst all the Chinese made their usual prostrations. As soon as he had
ascended his throne I came to the entrance of his tent, and holding in
both my hands a large gold box, enriched with diamonds, in which was
enclosed the King's letter, I walked deliberately up and, ascending the
steps of the throne, delivered it into the Emperor's own hands, who,
having received it, passed it to the Minister by whom it was placed on
the cushion. He then gave me, as the first present from him to his
Majesty, the _Eu-shee_, or symbol of peace and prosperity, and expressed
his hopes that my Sovereign and he should always live in good
correspondence and amity. It is a whitish agate-looking stone, perhaps
serpentine, about a foot and a half long, curiously carved, and highly
prized by the Chinese; but to me it does not appear in itself to be of
any great value.
"The Emperor then presented me with an _Eu-shee_ of a greenish-coloured
serpentine stone, and of the same emblematic character; at the same time
he very graciously received from me a pair of beautiful enamelled
watches, set with diamonds which, having looked at, he passed to the
Minister.
"Sir George Staunton (whom, as he had been appointed Minister
plenipotentiary, to act in case of my death or departure, I introduced
to him as such) now came forward, and after kneeling upon one knee, in
the same manner as I had done, presented to him two elegant air-guns,
and received from him an _Eu-shee_ of greenish stone nearly similar to
mine. Other presents were sent, at the same time, to all the gentlemen
of my train. We then descended from the steps of the throne, and sat
down upon cushions at one of the tables on the Emperor's left hand. And
at other tables, according to their different ranks, the chief Tartar
princes and the Mandarins of the court at the same time took their
places; all dressed in the proper robes of their respective ranks. These
tables were then uncovered and exhibited a sumptuous banquet. The
Emperor sent us several dishes from his own table, together with some
liquors, which the Chinese call wine; not however expressed from the
grape, but distilled or extracted from rice, herbs, and honey.
"In about half an hour he sent for Sir George Staunton and me to come to
him and gave to each of us, with his own hands, a cup of warm wine,
which we immediately drank in his presence, and found it very pleasant
and comfortable, the morning being cold and raw. Among other things he
asked me the age of my Sovereign and, being informed of it, said he
hoped he might live as many years as himself which were then
eighty-three. His manner was dignified, but affable and condescending;
and his reception of us was very gracious and satisfactory.
"The order and regularity in serving and removing the dinner was
wonderfully exact, and every function of the ceremony performed with
such silence and solemnity as in some measure to resemble the
celebration of a religious mystery.
"There were present on this occasion three Embassadors from _Ta-tze_ or
Pegu, and six Mahomedan Embassadors from the Kalmucs of the south-west,
but their appearance was not very splendid. During the ceremony, which
lasted five hours, various entertainments of wrestling, tumbling,
wire-dancing, together with dramatic representations, were exhibited
opposite the Emperor's tent, but at a considerable distance from it.