Volume 1
A description of the empire of China and Chinese-Tartary, together with the kingdoms of Korea, and Tibet. Containing the geography and history (natural as well as civil) of those countries ... / from the French of P.J.B. DuHalde, Jesuit, with notes geographical, historical and critical and other improvements, particularly in the maps by the translator.
- Jean-Baptiste Du Halde
- Date:
- 1738-1741
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A description of the empire of China and Chinese-Tartary, together with the kingdoms of Korea, and Tibet. Containing the geography and history (natural as well as civil) of those countries ... / from the French of P.J.B. DuHalde, Jesuit, with notes geographical, historical and critical and other improvements, particularly in the maps by the translator. Source: Wellcome Collection.
32/794
![Ceremonies Agricultnre IV The A u r H OR’s PREF A C E. • • /r, ‘T’/yyf/try and Tibet as Dr as the mi ' Befides- the general Map of all, including China, Chineje a partieular Map of Plam Caftian Sea, there is in this Tome a general Map of fh'n ’• fro„ thofe of other each Province, with lèverai Plans oi the Cities, which dine & Amah* A, ' h] lh01t,’ this firft Tome bitable down to the prelent ; as I have remarked in the (i) A r\etaq of what After giving thefe gener’al Notices of China, I enter into a more pameu J* IWrtU)t wtrat concerns that Nation as to their Character, Manners, Cultoms, Articles and I flatter Sciences, Religion, Morality, (Sc. which I handle in fo many feparate Articles, and, 1 ilatter q , 3 rfStte InSty ^ndSitent of that Monarchy, the Authority of the Emperor, his^Expences, Revenues,''tloufehold, the Magnificence of his Palace, and his Retinue when ^ goes abroad; the Form of Government both Civil and Military; the proper FimAions of the Mandarins, their Power, and the Honour paid them; the orces o P, Fortreffes, the Soldiery, their Arms and Artillery; the Pohcy which is obfeirved, as well in the Cities for maintaining good Order, as in the great.Roads for the a e y an c; <? or Next I treat of the Genius and Charaâer of the Chinefe, their ^ Air, Phyfiognomy, “rff Falhions ; their Houfes, and elegant Furniture thereof; the Punifhments infixed on Criminals, and the Regulations obferved in the Prifons where they are confined. ; I proceed to fhew how Merit, which alone confers Nobility in China, may be acquired, and how much it differs from the European. As the Grandees are Enemies to Luxury, io iar as concerns their Perlons, they make the better Figure when they appear abroad : we mall here fee what Magnificence the Chineje affed in their Journeys, and Feafts; as well as an their publick Works, fuch as Bridges, Triumphal Arches, Gates, Towers, Walls of them Cities, Cpr. Every Thing is regulated in China, even to the moft common Duties of Society, which gives me an Occafion to fpeafc of the Ceremonies obferved by them in point of Civility.; in their Vifits, and the Prefents they make one another ; in their Letters, Feafts, Marriages and Funerals. With regard to the Commonalty, they are wholly employ'd either about Husbandry*, Manufactures, or Trade. This leads me to fpeak of the Efteem fet upon Agriculture, and thofe who apply themfelves to it; of the Skill and Induftry of the Mechanics; the incredible Trade carry'd on in the Heart of the Empire; the numerous Lakes and Rivers, which render the Provinces fertile and produce Plenty; the Barks and Veffels of Burden for tranfporting fo many rich Commodities from one Province to another ; of the antient Coins, and thofe current at prefent in the Empire. Manufactures principal Trade with Foreigners, efpecially the Europeans, confifting in Varnifhed Works Porcelain and Silks; I fhew how the Varnifh and China Ware are made: and give the Tranflation of an antient Chinefe Author, who teaches us the Method of managing and rearing the Silk-Worms, fo as to encreafe and improve the Breed. Thefe Matters are render'd ftill more intelligible by the Plates, where fomething of each is reprefented after the Life. As the Sciences cultivated in China are the only Way to Honours and Employments, and confift chiefly in a thorough Knowledge of their Laws, Hiftory and Morality, they deferve a more than ordinary Attention. I introduce this Part, by informing the Reader what Ibrt of Idea he ought to have of the Chinefe Language, fo widely different from all others both dead and living. In order to this, I remark what is the Genius of it, and how the Words, which afe all Monolyllables, muff be pronounced, annexing a fhort Sketch of the Grammar of that Tongue : after which I fhew how the Chinefe make their Ink, and different Sorts of Paper; with their Method of printing and binding Books. I proceed next to give an Account of the Studies peculiar to the Chinefe Youth, the differ rent Degrees thro’ which they pals before they commence Dodor, and the Examinations they muft undergo to obtain them. For the Reader’s better Information I have inlerted an Extra# of a Chinefe Book on that Subjed: wherein is fhewn, the Method to be obferved in teaching Students; the Choice to be made of Mafters; the Paffages of Hiftory neceffary to be learned in order to form the Manners; the Examination of thofe who afpire to different forts of De¬ grees; a Specimen of the Difcourfes made in the Affembly of the Literati; laftly, the Plan of an Academy, or Society of Learned Men. Thefe are only, as it were, the Preliminaries naturally leading to the Chinefe Literature, that is, to the Knowledge of thofe Books, fo antient and highly efteemed among them, call'd King « by which Word they underhand a fublime and folid Dodrine, grounded on fure Principles. Of thefe they reckon five, which they confider as Canonical Books of the firft Order, and call U-king, or The five Books, by way of Excellence. I have given the Subftance of thefe 5 Books, viz. (1.) the Eking, a Work purely Symboli- %Zhofthe cal. (2.) the Shu-king, which contains the remarkable Events under the firft Emperors and Le- firft Order gftlatoTs of the Nation; their Inftrudions about Government; with their Laws and Regu¬ lations touching Manners, whereof thofe antient Heroes were fo many Patterns. From this I • Elogies (I) We have omitted fouie Paragraphs that follow this, rel'a- the Grid Advertifement, where the fame Subject is handled more ting to the AuthenticneG of the Chinefe Hiftory, in order to fupply exprefsly. J 5 Language Education Literature](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30455868_0001_0033.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
