Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara Volume Ii Part 19

Adjoining Dr. Bridgman's residence, is a school maintained at the expense of the mission, in which twenty-four Chinese girls are during five years instructed in reading and writing their mother tongue, in arithmetic, and in the rudiments of Christianity, after which they are provided with a small portion and married to Chinese Christians of good character.

Selected under the idea that very favourable results may be antic.i.p.ated, if the various subjects in which the scholars are instructed are imparted to them in their native language, English is entirely omitted. Interesting and extraordinary, however, as it is to hear American ladies imparting instruction in the Chinese language, this method of teaching has many drawbacks, and the mission itself and society in general would derive far more advantage, if these poor females should be instructed in English, thus widening the horizon of their knowledge.

In the boys' school, also supported by the mission, another method of teaching is in use. The children learn an epistle first in Chinese, afterwards in English, when they are called upon to translate the Chinese into English. Thus we heard one lad rehea.r.s.e the Book of Ruth, first in Chinese, and then in English. He was then examined in English upon the meaning of certain pa.s.sages, when he replied with great accuracy in the same language. Education in these schools is mainly intrusted to ladies.

Two of these, Miss Jones and Miss Conover, displayed remarkable attainments in Chinese, besides their really marvellous store of information. None of the teachers are married, while none of the wives of the missionaries interfere with the school, but employ themselves in superintending the education of their own children. We found forty Chinese boys receiving their education at the expense of the mission, whose parents have to sign a written engagement that they will not withdraw their children from the inst.i.tution for a period of ten years, in fact, till the completion of their education. This precaution is absolutely necessary, owing to the fickle nature of the Chinese, else it would be a by no means rare occurrence for the parents to insist on the child returning home, possibly just at the critical moment when the beneficent influence of Christian culture is beginning to spring up in the soul. On the whole, this mission has splendid results to show. We saw one scholar, who at present forms one of the staff of teachers, and speaks and writes English absolutely better than his native language. Another young Chinese, sent out at the expense of the mission, spent eight years at Yale College in Ma.s.sachusetts, and at present earns his maintenance by translating English doc.u.ments into Chinese and _vice versa_, for the mercantile houses of the place.

Dr. Bridgman is at once founder and president of the first scientific a.s.sociation in Shanghai, the "North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society," including among its members almost all the foreigners resident in Shanghai, who a.s.semble regularly every winter for intellectual and literary recreation, and publish from time to time in a periodical of their own, details of the efforts, adventures, and experiences of their colleagues in promoting the objects of the a.s.sociation.

An extraordinary meeting was held in honour of the _Novara_ voyagers, at which about forty persons were present. The President, Dr. Bridgman, welcomed our commander and his subordinates with a few cordial remarks, which was responded to by Commodore Wullerstorff, after which the writer of these lines had the honour to deliver in English a brief address, touching on the chief aims of the Expedition and its scientific objects, stating that its chief purpose was less the promotion of purely scientific knowledge, than by ample, long-continued practice to provide material of suitable quality for our youthful budding navy, to unfurl the standard of Austria in localities where it had never before been seen, to effect treaties of commerce with foreign nations, to knit the various capitals which we should visit in our cruise by the tie of science, to open correspondence with their various inst.i.tutes, and to make collections, chiefly of those objects of natural history, the acquisition of which, owing to their great value or the difficulty of transport, is almost impossible to the single traveller. The hearty reception which had been accorded the Expedition in Shanghai rendered it doubly inc.u.mbent on us to explain the various purposes we had in view, and the original points of inquiry to which we were restricted by the track definitely a.s.signed to us, as also to account for the shortness of our stay in each port, and the fact that our prescribed route led us sometimes to visit places either politically or nautically well known.

After the close of this short lecture, several of those present rose to speak, amongst others the United States Plenipotentiary, Mr. Reed, who expressed his sincere pleasure at having been privileged during his stay in China to meet with the commander of an Austrian frigate engaged with his gallant companions in so grand a mission.

Mr. Reed spoke in high terms of the scientific exertions being made by Germany, and recalled in animated terms the splendid services of A. von Humboldt, whom the news of the death of Was.h.i.+ngton (14th Dec. 1799) found already occupied in scientific research in the primeval forests of South America, and who still (August, 1858) continued to display such marvellous intellectual activity.

Besides Mr. Reed, we also made the personal acquaintance of the French Plenipotentiary, Baron Gros; the amba.s.sadors of England and Russia were already gone, the former to j.a.pan, the latter to the Amur. We were introduced to Baron Gros at the house of M. de Montigny, the French Consul, who during a residence of many years in China has occupied himself not alone with upholding the prestige and influence of "_la grande nation_," but has also rendered conspicuous services to science and agriculture. To him is due the credit of having in 1847 dispatched to Europe the first seeds of what is called the Chinese sugar-cane (_Sorghum saccharatum_), and of having introduced to agriculturists that remarkable species of gra.s.s, with which, in consequence of its many useful qualities, hundreds of thousands of acres have since that period been planted in various parts of the globe. M. de Montigny distinguished the members of our Expedition in every way, and presented them with numerous specimens of seeds from Northern China.[149]

The visit paid to Baron Gros by two of the naturalists left by no means an agreeable impression. The French amba.s.sador is a tall, commanding, powerfully-built man, about fifty years of age, with a full, round, beardless face covered with freckles, and hair of a light colour. He seemed pleased to speak of himself and his connections, and repeatedly proclaimed himself an admirer of German men of science, who was in correspondence with M. von Humboldt. "You know," quoth the Baron, apparently desirous of explaining his meaning, "he that wrote the Kosmos."

The two members of our Expedition coloured up; to p.r.o.nounce the name of Humboldt to German men of science, and deem it necessary to state his literary claims, was sufficiently embarra.s.sing. One of them endeavoured to turn the conversation to the gulf of Petchi-li, whence Baron Gros had just returned after the ratification of the treaty of peace. He showed them a hasty sketch of a portion of the great wall of China, to which he had paid a visit when in the gulf of Petchi-li, and had made the sketch on the spot. The natives with whom he came in contact during his stay in the North he described as dest.i.tute and poor to an extraordinary degree, but anything but hostile to foreigners. They asked for with eagerness and seized with avidity the entrails of animals which the sailors were about to throw away; on empty bottles being thrown overboard, they swam a considerable distance to rescue them. With respect to the political events in the Pei-ho and Tien-Tsin, his Excellency, whether out of diplomatic reserve or for other reasons we do not know, preserved profound silence.[150]

A variety of circ.u.mstances, however, may have contributed to make the Baron less susceptible to every other thing than his everlasting "I."

Baron Gros had in fact been subjected to the very great inconvenience of the Propellor _Audacieuse_, which had been brought from France, having suddenly become unseaworthy, so that he had to abandon her. She was making from 100 to 140 tons of water per diem, and there was nothing for it but to have the vessel taken with all speed to the docks at Whampoa for repairs, while the envoy had to return to Europe by another opportunity.

Moreover, the Baron had been attacked by a disorder of common occurrence in hot countries, namely, a furuncle, which is exceedingly painful, and obstinately resists every remedy. Whoever is of a const.i.tution liable to such attacks is never free from them till he gains a colder climate. In the case of the unfortunate Baron, these went on continually increasing, and on one of his compatriots being asked in society what was the cause of the absence of the French amba.s.sador, replied with an arch look, "_le pauvre baron a quatre-vingt cloux_." In fact, the annoyance caused by this malady is redoubled by the little sympathy accorded to those afflicted with it, who are only rallied or laughed at.

Another personage who, at the period of our stay in Shanghai, attained a rather unenviable notoriety by his strange conduct, and did but little to raise the reputation of France in these lat.i.tudes, was the Marquis de Cha.s.siron. By his marriage with one of the Princesses Murat (since dead), he was allied to the Emperor of the French, whom he occasionally spoke of in an off-hand way as "mon neveu, l'Empereur." Meagre, wizen, spindle-shanked, and ringletted, in coloured check pantaloons, blue frock, open-work cravat of Gros de Naples, and dancing-master's pumps, resembling much more a second-rate Paris dandy than a diplomatist, it seemed as though he must have been dispatched to this out-of-the-way part of the world for quite other than a diplomatic object, although he took great pains to spread the report that he had been appointed the successor of Baron Gros in the Emba.s.sy.

One day the Commodore and some members of the Expedition received an invitation from the kind and hospitable English Consul, Mr. Brook Robertson, to be present at a reception at the Consulate of the Tau-Tai, or highest Chinese official of the city.[151]

We the more readily congratulated ourselves on this invitation, as, owing to the sudden departure of the Tau-Tai, we missed the opportunity of paying him a visit in his own palace in the city. Punctually at the appointed hour, 2 P.M., a formal procession was seen approaching the buildings of the English Consulate. In front were carried numerous t.i.tles and insignia, then the Tau-Tai in a large and handsome sedan-chair, and finally a noisy "following," in the shape of a rabble of servants. Mr.

Robertson received the Tau-Tai at the threshold of his house, and greeted him with the customary Tschin-Tschin, moving the hands closely folded a few times over the breast.

All present kept the head covered, making in like manner a few Tschin-tschins, and then accompanied the visitor to the reception-room, in which were five stools, the seat of honour being on the left. As soon as the Tau-Tai was seated, the rest took their seats, and a proposition was made in consequence of the truly tropical heat, contrary to Chinese notions of courtesy, to divest one's self of one's head-gear. The Mandarin, at all events, seemed as little loth to lay aside his funnel-shaped straw-cap, with its blue b.u.t.ton and peac.o.c.k's feather, as the Europeans present to doff their uniform caps.

The presentation of the commander and the author of this narrative by Mr.

Meadows, who acted as interpreter, gave the Tau-Tai an opportunity of inquiring of the English Consul whether our frigate had been at the gulf of Petcheli. Mr. Robertson replied that the _Novara_ was the first war-s.h.i.+p of a German power which had ever visited the Yang-tse-Kiang and Wusung rivers, and that the frigate was bound on a voyage of scientific discovery. This led to a running fire of questions and answers, during the course of which two attendants were engaged alternately in filling a small pipe with tobacco, which they handed to the Tau-Tai. The latter drew a few puffs, permitted the smoke to escape through his nostrils, after which his pipe was again replenished with a small supply of tobacco.

We next had an example of the custom, already mentioned, of wiping the face with a hot damp towel, one of the attendants dipping a rather thick piece of linen cloth in a tub of hot water, which was then wrung out, when the cloth was presented to the Mandarin, who, without in any way interrupting the conversation, from time to time wiped the perspiration from his brow.

The Tau-Tai had a well-made, handsome figure, pleasing, rather intelligent, features, a round, smooth, delicate face, without any trace of beard, eyes as usual drawn up at the outer corner, small elegant hands, and beautifully tapered fingers, with very long nails. His dress was very simple; he wore, for the sake of coolness, a s.h.i.+rt made of thin bamboo shoots, with a long, yellowish, loose surcoat, white drawers, and, instead of the usual Chinese shoe with its high cork soles, or white thick gaiters, he wore light shoes of European make. His head was covered with a cone-shaped straw-hat of very fine texture, with a red ta.s.sel and blue knot in the midst, and a dark green peac.o.c.k's feather, extending horizontally backwards.

Business over, a table was covered, and the Tau-Tai invited to partake.

According to the Chinese custom, only confectionery, preserves, and fruit were handed round. The liquids consisted of sherry, liqueurs, Chinese wine or Samschoo (made from rice and imbibed from cups in lieu of gla.s.ses), and green and almond tea. The Mandarin drank to all present, and seemed to take more to sherry and Maraschino than to his own native drinks. The slim liqueur bottle, with its neat gilt label and the thick cork stopper, seemed especially to attract his attention.

After a few commonplace observations, the Tau-Tai once more turned the conversation upon Austria, and remarked he had never before heard of that power. Mr. Meadows endeavoured to prompt the memory of the Chinese official, produced Muirhead's universal geography translated into Chinese, turned up therein the section relating to Austria, and handed the book to the Tau-Tai, who had the entire pa.s.sage read to him by one of his attendants, that he might "get up" the country from which the strangers had come who were seated on his left and right hands.

The inquisitiveness of every Chinese now displayed itself in a series of inquiries as to the princ.i.p.al products and articles of export of the Empire, and he expressed a hope he should ere long see more of the "Austrian Mandarins" in Shanghai. The _Novara_ travellers on their side with a patriotic pride, readily pardonable under the circ.u.mstances, endeavoured through the medium of the Government interpreter to leave the best possible impression of their native country upon the mind of the Tau-Tai, by giving a glowing description of the Austrian Empire, its natural advantages, and its people. Of numbers the worthy man seemed to have no definite idea, for the remark that the Empire contained (1st August, 1858) very nearly 40,000,000 inhabitants seemed greatly to astonish him, although this is probably barely one-tenth of the population of the Chinese Empire.[152]

Just as the Tau-Tai was preparing to set out on his return, a tremendous tumult was suddenly heard in the street. It seemed like a popular insurrection, and servants were forthwith sent out to ascertain the cause of this unexpected s.h.i.+ndy, who came back presently with the intelligence that an English sailor had struck a coolie of the suite a blow on the face with his fist, so violent that he was seriously injured, and was bleeding profusely. The Tau-Tai made his appearance on the portico. As soon as the injured man saw his master approaching, he flung himself before him imploring aid, and exhibiting his face streaming with blood, and the wound gaping open. The Tau-Tai ordered the man to rise, and delivered him to the Chinese police. Occasionally when a Chinese receives a wound in a quarrel of this nature he will abstain from wiping off the blood-stains from his face for weeks together, finding, it should seem, some satisfaction in being able to exhibit them. This done, the procession resumed its march.

In front strode a man who from time to time administered a sounding thwack to the gong, after which he rushed through the streets bawling like a Stentor, that the people might crowd on one side and leave the Tau-Tai s.p.a.ce to pa.s.s un.o.bstructed. The rear was brought up with police, catch-poles with long bamboo poles, and the executioner with his axe--the never-failing attendant on such occasions,--who accompanies it, however, only as a sort of allegorical personage, to impress upon the yelling crowds around the consequences of disobedience, and of rebellion against const.i.tuted authority.

The only important excursion we made from Shanghai was to the Jesuit Mission of Sikkawei, twelve miles distant. Our excellent host, Mr. James Hogg, of the well-known firm of Lindsay and Co.,[153] and Consul for the Hanse towns, to whose great kindness we are deeply indebted, was so kind as to order his pretty little yacht _Flirt_ to be got ready for our accommodation, and we set off, accompanied by the heroic Mr. Gray, of the American house of Russell and Co., who lost one foot while fighting against the Tai-ping rebels before the very gates of Shanghai. As the Europeans are in the habit of using these pleasure-boats as residences during their visit to the interior, so as not to be dependent upon the somewhat uncertain hospitality of the Chinese, they are provided with every accessory to comfort, being fitted with a neat cabin, a small library, boudoir, berth-cabin, &c. They usually carry an immense spread of canvas, and during calms are propelled like the native boats with one big oar from the stern, which serves at the same time as a rudder. The sail up the Wusung, in which upwards of a hundred sail of merchantmen, and above a thousand junks, were lying at anchor, was very interesting. Many of the junks lying off the Catholic cathedral of Tonka-du displayed a flag with a white cross on a black ground, in token of the religious faith of the crew. Here also we saw for the first time some Siamese s.h.i.+ps, built in Siam, for the most part on European models. Of these we counted eleven. By way of ensign, they had an elephant rather nicely drawn, sometimes on a red, sometimes on a blue field, according to the fancy or the taste of the owner. These vessels have Siamese crews and English captains, and are armed with ten or twelve cannon, so that his Siamese Majesty can at a moment's notice use his little fleet of merchantmen for warlike purposes.

The channel, 200 or 300 fathoms wide, which unites the Wusung with the internal network of small rivers, is called the Wuang-Po, a designation which some authorities a.s.sume to be the name of its constructor, while others maintain that it is derived from _wong_, yellow, and applies to the colour of the water, just as Whampoa, near Canton, signifies the yellow anchorage. Nothing has so much contributed to that immense activity of commerce, which we marvel at among the Chinese, as their vast ca.n.a.l system, the introduction of which was pursued with such energy in the 7th century.[154] The innumerable artificial ca.n.a.ls, with which the whole north of China is intersected, and which by their admirably planned system of arrangement unite all the lakes and navigable rivers of the Empire with each other, make it possible to voyage through every province of the Empire without having once to leave the boat. They atone for the great want of good roads, and even make the absence of railroads less perceptible in a country where the value of labour is so unprecedentedly low.

As soon as we leave Shanghai behind, with its immense commercial fleet, the scenery beyond becomes tame. The banks on either side are low, and far as the eye can reach not a single hill is to be seen, not even a rising slope--nothing but a flat alluvial soil, every inch of which seems diligently tilled, or otherwise made useful.

After we had sailed several miles in the _Flirt_ we came to a branch of the great ca.n.a.l, where we s.h.i.+fted into a smaller but not less elegant boat, the property of Mr. Gray, which drew less water, and in which we were to reach the Jesuit mission. At this season, however, owing to the lowness of the water, navigation was only continued with great difficulty, and notwithstanding the astonis.h.i.+ng dexterity with which our worthy Lau-tu (the old chief) conned our craft through the sharp bends of the river, we were at last compelled to halt, and perform the rest of the distance, about two miles, on foot.

We now found ourselves strolling through fields planted with rice and cotton, through cabbage and vegetable gardens, occasionally even over graves, which rose in mounds here and there along our path. Sometimes in the distance we could descry small villages and solitary farm-houses.

In Sikkawei we found about twenty Jesuits, French and Italians, all of genuine Chinese appearance, with heads half-shaved, long queues stretching to the ground, loose yellow clothes, and velvet shoes with thick cork soles. This had a striking, almost theatrical effect. We were ushered into the reception-room, and there offered refreshment. The conversation soon became brisk, which added to the singularity of the scene, as the seeming Chinese, sitting in a circle round the table, and smoking perfumed tobacco out of small long-stemmed pipes, began, in fluent French or liquid Italian, to discuss Paris, Naples, Vienna, or politics and art.

This Mission is supported by the Propaganda of Rome, as also by voluntary contributions. About 80 pupils, chiefly children of poor parents, are instructed in the Chinese language and literature, in reading, writing, arithmetic, and drawing, and in the tenets of the Roman Catholic faith; on the other hand, little anxiety is manifested for their instruction in French or English, or in providing them with any practical mechanical instruction. In this mode of education the main object seems to be to enable the students more readily to reach the highest offices in the state by imparting to them a thorough grounding in Chinese literature, and by these means to ensure for them religious influence and protection.

Accordingly, strenuous efforts are made to increase the number of scholars, and in order to facilitate this aim, as in the case of the Indians of Central and Southern America, their observance of various heathen rites is connived at, as, for example, the wors.h.i.+p of their ancestors, the ceremonies at the death of a relation, &c. &c.

One branch of art, in which some of the scholars have, owing to their having naturally a turn for it, attained considerable proficiency, is wood-engraving. In the church attached to the Mission are shown a number of altar-ornaments, chiefly figures very beautifully carved in wood, the work of a Jesuit of Spanish extraction, whose talent and enthusiasm seem to have laid the foundation of this school of image-carvers. In what is called the model-room are numbers of figures and busts designed by the practised hand of the brother alluded to. Here too are some heads of the Saviour, very beautifully executed in clay by the Chinese scholars, as also Madonnas, busts of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and the Emperor Napoleon III. These are doubly extraordinary, when we remember the slight instruction and very scanty a.s.sistance bestowed on them while in course of execution; their actual value however is small, for at present, as none of the Jesuits in the Mission have any very decided taste for the art, instruction in it has almost entirely ceased.

The achievements of the present members of the Society of Jesus, in China, suffer greatly, measured by the standard of what was accomplished by their renowned brethren in previous centuries; one looks in vain for the high attainments, the self-sacrificing zeal, the practical talents of other times, and Sikkawei, with its present spiritual occupants, cannot leave a very pleasing impression on any unprejudiced Catholic. There is an utter lack of all those qualities which once formed the renown and the t.i.tle to admiration of the Jesuits in China. One looks for, but fails to find, a library corresponding to the dignity of the Mission, or mathematical or medical instruments, or a chemical laboratory: in lieu of these there seem to prevail a deficiency of Christian toleration for these unmistakeable adjuncts of true education and enlightenment. At all events, we judged as much from a remark made by the brother who accompanied us round the building, who spoke some words in Chinese to the gaping crowd of long-tailed scholars, who kept pressing upon us, and then turning to us, observed in French,--"I have informed our pupils that our present guests are Roman Catholics, and therefore _true_ Christians, because we occasionally have English visitors at the Mission, and they are heretics."

Apparently the intolerant padre was reckoning without his host, for there were several Protestants among the party!

Throughout the province of Kaing-su there are at present 80,000 Chinese Catholics, that is to say, who profess Catholicism, though having but a very superficial idea of its spirit and its reality.

In returning to our boat we availed ourselves of the mode of conveyance in most common use in China, the sedan-chair, or couch. The ordinary sedan-chair differs little in exterior form and interior arrangement from those still occasionally used in some of the out-of-the-way, old-fas.h.i.+oned towns, both of Germany and England. Owing to the extreme cheapness of labour, the least well-to-do cla.s.ses of Chinese are able to avail themselves of these convenient conveyances, the use of which is doubly agreeable in such a hot climate. Indeed, long journeys are very frequently made by this mode of transport. As a rule, the sedan-bearers get over from twenty to twenty-five miles per diem, charging for that distance one dollar, in addition to their food, consisting of tea, rice, vegetables, and cakes. Baggage and merchandise of all sorts are conveyed by coolies, each carrying with ease 110 _catties_, equal to 146 lbs. With such a burthen he will trudge over lofty mountain pa.s.ses, and without much effort will cover thirteen miles a day. If special dispatch is required, the burthen must be reduced one-half, when the coolie, keeping at the trot, will get over double the distance in one day; what is gained in speed being lost in power.

On our return to Shanghai, we visited the celebrated six-storied PaG.o.da, Long-Sah, which is traditionally said to have been erected about A.D. 250, during the period of the Three Empires. Of all the PaG.o.das. .h.i.therto known, not even excepting the well-known specimen at Canton, it is the best preserved, and forms one ma.s.sive, wide quadrangular tower, about 150 feet high, arranged in six stories, one of which has running around it a richly carved balcony. The pyramidal roof has turned-up angles, to which are suspended bells, which when agitated by the wind give forth their music.

From the highest story, to which access is obtained by a stone staircase, there is a rather agreeable, pretty extensive view over the country, and its cultivated surface, stretching away till, at 200 miles from Shanghai, to the north and north-west, rises a range of mountains, of which of course not a glimpse is to be seen hence, the prospect in this direction having no defined limit. This panoramic view gives an excellent idea of the characteristics of a Chinese landscape, the various methods of cultivation, the situation of the valleys, and, above all, the ceaseless tide of traffic, as evidenced by the almost innumerable artificial water-channels which intersect the country in every direction. Quite close to the PaG.o.da is a Buddha temple, the well-known Lung-hwo, erected A.D.

230. Of the seventy Buddhist and Taouist temples of the province this is the largest and most beautiful. The rear of the edifice is adorned with countless figures, sometimes of colossal dimensions, in wood, plaster, and porcelain, richly carved and gilt. There is also a female statue among these Chinese saints, the att.i.tude strongly suggestive of a Madonna.

This temple is plainly in connection with the PaG.o.da, and the various small chambers behind it seem to have been destined for the accommodation of priests and devout pilgrims. According to an old Chinese tradition this temple owes its erection to the following circ.u.mstance:--a queen from the south, who had anch.o.r.ed her boat one night in the Whampoa Channel near Wusung, suddenly beheld a light shoot up amid the tall gra.s.s, and rise towards heaven, in consequence of which she gave orders for a temple to be built on the site.

One of the most interesting episodes of our stay at Shanghai consisted in a genuine Chinese banquet, given by a wealthy native merchant, named Ta-ki, a warm friend of all foreigners, in honour of the Austrian Expedition. The huge invitation cards, written, according to the usual practice of the country, in Chinese characters upon blood-red paper, and folded in envelopes of the same brilliant hue, were sent round to the residences of the guests some days beforehand.

At 8 P.M. the feast began. Ta-ki's house, like those of all the wealthy Chinese, is surrounded by a ma.s.sive wall, six or seven feet in height, and painted white. After pa.s.sing through a narrow gateway, the visitor finds himself at once in the usual apartments. These were adorned for the occasion with large coloured lanterns, which despite their numbers shed a mild and most agreeable light.[155] Along the walls, which were richly gilt, hung quant.i.ties of sententious native maxims, written with Indian ink, sometimes in Chinese characters, sometimes in Tartar, on white or yellow rolls of paper. The greatest attention appeared to have been paid to the preparation of the reception-room, whose form was a rather narrow oblong, in which at the far end was erected a platform, where a strolling company acted Chinese theatricals. The musicians sat on the stage. The company belonged to one of those innumerable wandering troops which are engaged for a day or two now by the community, now by wealthy Mandarins, to give some theatrical representations, which it seems must in China form the accompaniment of every important event, whether joyous or sorrowful.

At those performances which are given in public, the mult.i.tude is admitted gratis, and of this privilege they avail themselves to the utmost. Each man selects the best seat for himself, on the street, in a tree, or on a roof. Mandarins, however, and rich private individuals have their own little stage scenes in the interior of their usually s.p.a.cious mansions, in which from time to time they have theatrical representations for the amus.e.m.e.nt of a small circle of friends. Some Mandarins even go the length of having their own players, who receive regular annual pay, and form part of the household.

Notwithstanding the very extensive collections of Chinese plays, with several of which the learned cla.s.ses of Europe have been made acquainted by the valuable labours of Julien, Bazin, Remusat, and others, there are but a very few of true literary value. The plot of most of them is exceedingly simple, the actors themselves specify the characters they are to play; between each scene there is usually a lack of connection, and frequently the most telling scenes and situations are marred by the most arrant trash, or the coa.r.s.est jests. Only a very small number of these rise above the level of the buffoonery of former ages, and judging by the accounts given by travellers, who have been present at such entertainments in even the large cities, including Pekin itself, the dramatic art would as yet seem to be in its infancy in China.[156] The company which was a.s.sembled in the hospitable mansion of Ta-ki, to do honour to the members of the _Novara_ Expedition, was not calculated to impress them favourably with the scope of the Chinese drama. The piece appointed consisted of events in the ancient history of China, for which Chinese dramatic poets have a special predilection, owing to the abundance of material from which to choose, although the mult.i.tude seem to have but little sympathy with it. Even our host, who spoke the Canton-English, as it is called, could give us but little explanation or enlightenment as to the plot, and contented himself with repeatedly remarking that the piece related to "old, old times!"

Notwithstanding the universal custom, according to which women are not permitted to enter a theatre, so that even the female characters have to be played by men dressed to represent the part, the majority of the present troupe were girls of from 14 to 20 years of age, who, stained red or white, and elegantly arrayed, appeared mostly in Mandarin dresses on the stage. The most outrageously absurd of the scenes were those most in favour with the numerous domestics who, besides the invited guests, formed the audience. Thus, there was a roar of laughter when a nurse entered with a child in her arms, which had the face of an old soldier, with grey beard, whiskers, and moustachios. They sang a long, rather melancholious ditty, and then retired, without there appearing to be the slightest connection between this and the following scene. We noted the evident predilection of the Chinese actors for a high-pitched falsetto tone of voice when speaking, which, by the way, must render their a.s.sumption of female parts much more easy, and on the present occasion they probably were desirous of giving us a specimen of their skill in this accomplishment. The music on such occasions is, if possible, even more discordant and monotonous than the delivery, and is not confined to merely accompanying the couplets, but continues to play during the intervals till the ear is utterly wearied.

At the close of each act a large board covered with a red cloth was brought on the stage and placed beneath the feet of the actors; on this the steward of the house placed a present for the troupe about four dollars' worth of copper _cash_, which was forthwith carried away. This was apparently the only intimation to most of the spectators that a piece was ended, and a fresh one about to begin.

After these theatrical representations had lasted about an hour and a half a long pause ensued. One longed to escape outside into the fresh air, to get rid of the wearying sensation of the performances, and the stifling heat which prevailed in the room. The guests were at liberty to walk without obstruction through the various apartments of the extensive residence, and accordingly stumbled upon rooms which are usually, as it were, hermetically sealed to a foreigner, viz. the apartments of the women. Ta-ki carried his hospitality even this length, and presented us to his wives, as also to his grey-haired mother, seventy years old, for whom he showed the utmost love and respect. Ta-ki's wives, four or five in number, had "a.s.sisted" at the theatrical performances, each seated on elevated seats expressly prepared for them, and behaved with the greatest courtesy and ease of manner. They seemed not to have the slightest thought of showing off, or of t.i.ttering or joking with the strangers. All were attired in silk, and most tastefully decorated with jewels; all had the usual painfully distorted small feet, which greatly interfered with their powers of locomotion. They did not attend at the banquet, but had their food served in the private apartments.

For supper the quondam theatre was converted into a banqueting-hall. But there was no long wide table set out as in Europe, only small four-cornered tables covered with red cloth, at each of which three Europeans and one Chinese took their seats; the duty of the latter being to do the honours to his companions in the name of the host, who took his seat beside the Commodore, and to minister to their comfort.

As it was the object to give us the most accurate idea possible of a genuine Chinese repast, everything was eliminated which could in any way interfere with the design, and we had accordingly to begin with dessert and conclude with the soup, as also to convey the various descriptions of food to our mouths with thin strips of ivory ("chop-sticks"), instead of knives and forks.

The peculiarity of Chinese usages, so directly opposed to those of Europe, became likewise strikingly apparent in the course of the meal. And as in China the mark of courtesy is to keep the head covered instead of removing the hat, so the place of honour is on the left hand; the ancestors are enn.o.bled instead of the descendants (which is at once more sensible and more economical); the characters in writing run from right to left instead of the reverse; the mourning colour is white instead of black; the natives carefully extirpate every sign of a beard, instead of cheris.h.i.+ng it as a symbol of mature, dignified manhood; thus also meals begin with the food with which we terminate ours, confectionery and fruit. When we were all seated, each table was forthwith covered with a profusion of the most varied dishes on beautiful plates of stained porcelain, and while we were still engaged in attempting to discover the mysterious ingredients of these, the Chinese who was doing the honours at our table was exerting himself to select and lay before us the most dainty morsels of each dish.

In performing this part of his functions he thought only to act with more care and attention, in drawing each of the twain chop-sticks between his own lips and withdrawing them before he fished up a fresh piece and laid it on our plate! The dexterity with which all Chinese use these chop-sticks, which are usually made of ivory, ebony, or bamboo, borders on the marvellous. In their hands, held between their fingers, they become like a pair of pincers, with which they can pick up the smallest objects, and can eat rice-grains, beans, or peas as easily as they can separate the flakes of a fish from its skin, or remove the sh.e.l.l of a hard-boiled egg.