Hao Qiu Zhuan/en-wilkinson/Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Hateful Words Refuse the Betrothal: Treachery Deepens
From: Hau Kiou Choaan, or The Pleasing History. Translated by James Wilkinson, edited by Thomas Percy (London, 1761)
Note: This text was digitized via OCR from the original 1761 print. Some scan errors may remain -- compare with the modern translation and Chinese original to verify.
[Volume III, Book III, Chapters VI-VII]
CH AP .. VI.• TI E H-cbung-u taking his leave of • the Grand Vifitor, went and told Shuey-yeong who had attended him there, all that had paft at the tribunal : and concluded with dcfiring him to recommend him to his miftrefs, and to prefent his thanks for the advice fhe had given him. " It is not in my • Cuu. XIU. Ia the Tranllator'• manafaipt. power
A CHlNESE HISTORY. 97 power, faid he, . to fend any p~efent as an acknowledgment of her goadnefs: neither could . I prefume to· do it, a fingle man as I am, to :a young . ' unmarried lady_,, Then delivering. his horfe to the old fervant, arid hiring: a mule, he departed for his _·own city ; and Shuey-yeong returntd to his , miftrefs. Let us now return to Kwo-kbe-tzu and his c..:>mpanions, whom we have feen difappointed in their defigns on 'Iieb-cbttng-u. When they found he was got clear out of their hands, · they· were ready to burft with rage and madnefs. The firft that broke filence was Sbuey-guwin, who . faid, " Who would· have fi.ifpected this young man to have . VoL, III. H been 9f · ·. been poffefied of K> much. . ftrcngth an4 rourage ?" " It was owing to neither of thefe that he tfcaped, faid his fon• .i(l•laW1 but he had got Cbang•&Dllg• . . izu at fuch difadvantage, that he could neither hdp himfelf, nor we conveniently affift him. But he muft not go. off fo :- let us muftcr up a proper. company, and go find him out: let \1S ftill treat him as he defcrves : and afterwards gin in a petition to theGrand Vifieor.• This propofal Wat approved by. them all: the ~ung Mandarinc Cbaag infiantly prom~d to, bring thlrt.y people • eae.h of the otheB likewife engaged t-o raife as D12D)?. Thefc to the numbe.r of a hundred were f00!1 affcmblcd, and with theii mafters at their head, Shue,-g,rwin leadii2g.
A. CHINESg : HISTORY. 91 irig the way, drove along the ftreets like a fwarm of beers. But when they came to the ·.-inn, where the young ftranger- had 1odgtd, they were told that he went away almoft as • foon as· Ad came home. They were quite difconcerced at this information. " However, faid Kwo-Ui-tzu to the reft, this 1hall not ferve his turn ; we will im- . mediately apply to the Grand Vifitor of the province, and he £hall do us juftice." Sbuey-guwin told him, that their enemy was of the province of Pe-king, and therefore was not under that Mandarine's. jurifdiction. " Well then, faid Kwo-khe-tza and his companions, we will all together draw up a petition, wherein we will accufe him of endea- H :,, vouring
100 HAU KlOU CHO:AAN~. vouring to raife a rebellion • ; thiswill authorife the Mandarincs of any province to lay hold of him. The Grand Vifitor muft give an account of this at court ;. where we will fa.Ad . IO • In order to render this and· fome of the following pages intelligible, itmuft be remarkecl tiar there is i~ China, a horrid.fea called Pe /im-lia always difpofed to rebellion,' and who are therefore fure to be punifhed, whenever they are dif-• . covered. This fea confifts of people, who enter into a cenfederacy to oltertUJ'n the eflablifhed government, for which purpofe, with certain malieal rites, they elea an E-mperor out of their number, diftribute among tbemfelves the principal employments of the ftate, mark out certain families for deftruaion, and lie concealed tillfoJDC infurretlion of the people aft"ords them an opportunity -of putting thcmfelvca at their head. China, on account of its vaft extent, prodigiou1 populoufnefs and frequency of famines, is very liable to {editions and infurredions, which thra'. the pufillanimity and feeblenefs of its military government arc alway, dangerous, and indeedhave often produced intirc revolutions in the iatc..
·101 to our fathcrs ·and friends to acquaint them of the affair; thus we fhall quickty humble him, notwithftanding all his bravery and valour .. •~ They were excecdlngly plcafcd with this propofal, and accordingly got their petition wrote, which Shl«)-gttWin figncd as a witnefs : they then repaired to ftate. Now as in thefe revolutions, it hath frequently happened that fome of the very dregs o£ the people have been raifed to the throne ; this upon tNery infam:aioa encovages the ringleaders to afpire to the empire: who, if tbey are not nipped in the bud, are fore to draw together the dilfolute, the difcontented, and the needy; 'till thcyformalargebody and become very formidable to the government. Upon all thefe accouau . the Mandarines are obliged to be exceedingly jealoas and watchful over the leaft tendency to re.: volt; and to be careful to extin$uilh the firft and minuteft fparks of rebellion, which would otherwjfe foon involve the whole empire in a flame. P. Semedo, p. 91. Lettres edif. xxvii. 344. 'l', Du Halde, vol. r. p. 243. ' H3 the
1102 J\. the city of ~ng-cbog ;, .. and .fiad-ieg the au~nce open: for receiving :peti, tioris, prcfented -themfelv.es bcforic :t~ tribunal. The Grand Vifitor rei:;ciJ(ed their petition, and ordered them all out of the hall, except· Sbtle,-gtlfbin. " This paper, md he, cont~i~~ : 13 ftrange ftory of a ~bellion attemp.f~ in this country by 'lieb-cpjl11g-,: if-.h~ was fo. dangerous a perfon, how came you to be fo dcfirous of his company, and to invite him lo earneftly to drink wine with you ? Did he drop any hint . of his intention to raifc a tumult or rebellion in the city, ih the midft of his cups, or af rcrwards in the quarrel ?" s~xuwin finding the Grand Viiitor fo inquifitive, knew not what to an.: f wer; and therefore remained filent. "You , '" A 'CHINESE HISTOR ~ 101 ~ Y-ou are a very forry fctloti,, w4, the Mandarine. I am well acquainte4 with the whole ftory : ncverthelef& if y<>u do not relate it exactly from be. ginning to end, I will bring your fin. gers to the Ki••tso11 or Tormenting .. flicks." Sbuey-guwin's fear became ex. ceffive when he faw the other fo angrn. and found he fhould be forced to con• fefs the truth. "Sir, faid he, it is true. he was drinking with the others.'.' c, Very weμ, faid the Mandarine, if you were drinking all together, I muff: fuppofe you all equally guilty: nay it is mpre likely that you five lhould form feditious defigns upon the city, than h~ whom you accufe, who perhaps would not join in fuch an attempt, and fo you have agreed to impeach him firft." . " My Lord, r~lied he, KW9-lcbe-lZ!' H + invited o,,,, adb,Googlc ~04 8AU KIOU CHOAAN.·. iti;iittd this young man to his houfe out ofcivility and good-will, and when he was· ,in his cups all the fecret came oui:. ; · Nothing would pacify him; he overfet the table . and fell to fighting, crying out to the young Mandarines, thaf if there were a thoufand of them, he would not regard them : and that if he.- fhould come to be Emperor he would :d~ftroy the, four> houfes to which they · belong: The yo·ung gentlemeA · detp}y· concerned at'thefe things, could not refrain from lodging a complaint with · your Excellency : which , they ·would not have · prefumed to do, had it beeri .falfe. ~' ·A likely ftory, faid
- the GrandVifitor~ that oneperfon fhould
· be~t and abufe four or' five of you •. No! ~o ! you muft not think to impofe on me at this rate. " Sir, faid Shueyiuwin,
ie5 guwin, the broken pieces of furniture are ftill to be feen : nothing is more certain. u The Mandarine took hini up ihort, " How fhould a ftranger of another city come and raife fuch a diftu:rbance, unlefs he had been provoked by fome injury or infult ? However if it be as you alledge, have you fecured or brought him with you ?'• "No, he replied; he ·~as like a tyger., there was no taking· hold of him : he went away without any one's daring to oppofe him." The Grand Vifitor ordered all he had reported to be taken down in writing by the fecretary of the tribunal: then faid to him, " Are not you a!hamed, an old fdlow as iou are, to come here with thefe
106 :. thefe ftorics : arid to keep oompany with young 'rakes, drinking and em-. broiling yourfelf in their quarrels ~ This petition you have brought me is falfe and fcandalous. Go home and tell the four' Mandarincs fons to b~ quiet : I know the whole ftory, better than they imagine. If it were not for the connC\..'tions of thefc young men, I would throw you into prifon, where you {hould die with hunger : however I muft make you a prefent of twenty or thirty baftinadoes •. ~• At thefe words Sbuey-guwin in great terror, cryed out that he was old, and begged he would -pardon and not difhonour him fo • In the orig. it is "of four or five Bam/Joos" ( or Tallies, each five ftrokcs,) See note, vol. z. pag. 189- much.
.. Jo7
much~ ". Hono\Ji' l. faid the Grand Vifitor, what honour have you ?u He faid, " I am brother to the fecond Man .. darine •of the. tribunal of arms." " Ard you his brother, faid the magi~ i why who keeps his houfe? ·" My bro• (her, he replied, bath no fon : but only one. daughter, who heretofore hath r.eceived great favour from your Excellency. "If it be fo, replied the Grand Vifitor, for he, fake I wiU p3l• don you: but then tell me truly, who it is that bears fuch implacable enmity againil: this young ilranger." . "I. am not his enemy, anfwered Shueyguwi11: but it is Kwo-khe-tzu, who being difappointcd in his defign of marrying my niece, by the other's interpofal, hath ever fince retained a· fecret
10S fecret malice and ddire of revenge; and it was in order to gratify his revenge., that he now invited him to his houfe : but for my part I owe him no kind of ill will." The Grand Vifitor ordered-hi$ iccretary to make . a . memorand11m. of this ; then giving him back the petition, l,ade him go · tell . thofe young men to mind their ftudies, and let him hear no more of them : " For this once, faid he, I pardon them on account of their fathers ! who would find a great deal of trouble, fhould fuch complaints be brought againft them at court." Shuey-guwin having thus obtained leave to retire, was ready to leap out of his fkin for joy : but when he was gQt without the audience where the others
A 'CHINESE HISTORY. 109 others ,were waiting for him, he fhrugged up his thoulders, and made figna to them to hold their tongues : at the fight of which,. and of the petition which he held in his hand, they were alarmed ;and being informed of aH that had happened, fem in a Sbo-poutt • or billet of thanks, to the Graod Vifitor for hislenity, and afterwards returned home not a little athamed. However KwoJcbe- tzu could not be prevailed on. t& lay afide his refentment, or to drop, his purfuit. On the contrary,. he Walt the more obftinately refolved to perfift in both;. and recollecting that Chun-lcef. had been gone fome time, he dif patched. a meffenger to enquire after him. • A folded paper with a black c.ver~ Trant. Now
110 •. Now Cbun•kie in performance of his promife had made the bcft of his way . to the court : where as foon as be arrived, he delivered to the. ininifter Kwo-jho-Ju the letter from his fon. As f oon as the Mandarine had read the Jetter, he withdrew with him into his. library, and inviting him to .fit down, inquired about his fon's propofal of marriage with Sbttty-ping-.fin. " Her fa th.er, faid he, is now in difgrace : this · match cannot be for our credit:, as we are advanced to fuch a degree in the ftate.0 " This young lady, replied the other,. is endowed with wonduful perfeci:ions · both of mind and perfon, and ia of. lJnex&mpled mo-defty J. in fhort there is not her fellow to be.found in the world. Wherefore ".i,. •• your I
A.'.CHINESE HISTORY. r11· your fon hath fworn either by gentle or violent means to marry her.•' Kwo-Jhofa laughed and faid, " I am afraid my fon is very weak and fimple. If he had a mind to marry her,. he needed not have ient to court, when the Chtfafk and Che-him, the fathen of the country,. might eafily have compleated the marriage for hi~ You have had a greaa tleal of troubh: in coming fo far : and now he would give me mu more, in re• quiring me to fund without the wall into 'larta,ry for her father's con~nt.'" u He hath not been wanting in applica-, tion to the Cbe1of> and Cb1-bie11; replied the other ; he hath. lefr no means t{) prevail with her wiattempted; but fucthatb always by very geru:le but artf~ methods found mellll! .to chide hit purfuit.
[p. 112] purfuit. Your Lordfhip muft not talk of the Che-Joo and Che-him, fince · the Grand Vifitor of the province, who was your pupil, endeavoured · to promote the fuit of your fon, but fhe fo far baffled him, that he hath been glad to put forth a declaration, forbidding any one to moleft her on the fubject of marriage. Now if a Mandarine of 'his rank is afraid to meddle with her, who befides dares approach her gates ? Kwo-khi~tZ# therefore had no other remedy, but to apply to your Lordfhip.,, The Mandarine K'UJQ-jbo-fu was furprized at this account, and faid, " Surely this is a young lady of fine underftanding, and it is on that account my fon fo much admires . her. But this Sbueykeu- yi,
A : CHINESE HISTOR:Y: · i 13 km-ye, her father;: .is a very· pofiti vc man: if he doc~ not heartily appro\le of any. meafure, he is :not to·be moved to engage in .it : · befides I am -·not very intimate with him. He is .a man of one word: when he held an audience, there was very little application made to him, becaufe he was known to favour no body. He hath only this daughter ; and I remember I once ap• plied to him about ~er, but without fuccefs. However, as he is now in trouble, perhaps he will be more inclined to .comp)y: there feems at prefent a good opportunity to afk his confc: nt." " But in what manner, faid Cbun-kei, will your Lordlhip apply t~ him ?" " It muft be done, faid the other, with all the ufual ceremonies. VoL. III. 1 A friend
[p. 114] A ' frief?d muft mft be employed. to break the matter : aftuwards we mufl: fend a prtfcnt. Bot hcrt lu:s the d.iffi.. cuky : as he is diftant from us DQ le& than two bUJ1drcd leaguts, I cannot afk any Mandarine of great quality to go fo far. 1 bllicve I muft write . a letter and beg the favour of you to carry i~ together with the prefent." Cbu11 /ti/, replied, " Your Lord1hip may command my bell iervices. Let me alfo. carry letters to fuch of the great Mandarnes thn-e as are able to influence him." ~ You are righr.,,, faid the MiBifter; and accordingly felc:6:ing a for.;.. tunate day, be wrote the letters- and dif• patched him witl\ them ...
A CHINESE HISTORY. 115, CH-AP. VU. r·N OW the cdt of) the Man .. · --darine Sbuey-1:m-yi [ was u fetlowi;] upon recemng notice that a war had broke out -with the '.f ar_tarsand that thtre was . not any v~ant ma,n to head the troops t [.he had] . made inquiry after fuch a perfon, and (had] found among die pt!ople of his audieACe t a .man called H11-bia11, GOO of • From the Editor's additions inclad"cd · ia brackett,use Reador will pwceiYc; how abrllj>t the traalition is in the original. The fame abrupt .. aeft i. oblervaWe th,ougaout the whole Jriftory. t All tlte officer& ~ war throughoat ~he Chi- 11,ji eft14H,e. from the- hlgheft co the loweft, ar• \lnder the jQ,ifdi&iea- of tht 'Trih,1111,,l ef Arms,, which-,-ak~oogji compofed 0£ none but literary Mandarines, hath the abfolute and intire direction of all military affairs. · in Chi1111 the· pro- I :a feJiion
1'6 · .. of the north-weft country, who had offered hiaifelf for that. fervic,. Of this Shuey Jceu-ye informed the Emperor, who confented to employ him, ther~ bting none other that cared .to go tguinft the enemy. He was . accord• ingly. conftitutcd General, with orders ro · go · a~d vi6t. chafe parts that were; the feat of war, and to ad as he 1hould fcfiou of arms is held vaftly inferior and (ubcrdinate to that of letters. This, together with thrir natural eifemioacy, ud·tbe conftaat peac:& ~hey generally enjoy, will account for the unwarlike turn of the· Chin,ji • . P. S.tmttlo tells llS that it was ufual (at leaft i'n his time J for the Chintft to fend with tlicir armies a man of the long robe, who bad ·tbt fupreme command, even over the General himfelf. This Mandarine waa always in the middles of the main l,a11alia, and many times a day·• journey from the field of aaion ; fo that akhoogla he would be too remote to give ordcra, be wa, always ready to nm away chc firft in cafe of danger. 811 I• 100. think A· CHINESE HISTORY. 117 think heft for the public fervke. Re executed thefe orders with fuch d1fpatch-; that he would not ftop to pay the- ufual 'Vifits•of ceremony to any of the ·other Mandarines in command, but went im- · mediately in fcarch of the enemy. Thi' gave · fo much difguft to thole officers that they would not go to his afiiflaocei, . nor unite their forces with his. Neverthelefs he attacked the enemy, and had a fharp engagement for a · whole -day with equal advantage on both.fidesl Small as this fuccefs was, it was reprcfented ftill lcfs to the Emperor by t'he difaffec9:ed Mandarines, and both · he and Shuey-ke1'-ye were fuf pended from their employments : the one being fent to prifon, and the other an exile into Tartary. I 3 The
, 1 S H~ lJ . XlQU CHOA,A~. The latter ha~ now remai"eQ abQul: a yc,r itJ banifiuneot: where, althougb he tliU ~~e<;l his dignity of Manda. rine, thf!PC ,v;is tal<M lj~le nptk'e .of him, and he ha.4 fm_aU hopes , of returniPg ho.me. One rporni,ig ~ fervant belcng: iog to his trwuqal (for notwirhftand .. )tlg hi~ difgr~_ h~ ftill had an hall ef audien.ce · aJfigped hqn) came. ·t? ~11 him tQt\t ~here: w~ a. Jne1fenger iu-riY~d -ft-om. P~-1'i11g, with letters from <?ne of Ji~· MinHl:ers of ft~e. Sbue.1--1ce1'·'1, wh~ hau lookc;d μpon himfelf as intire.. l y forgotten at c9urt~ was fur prized ·~ this news. Neverthelefs he ordered the meffenger to be admitted. Cbunlcii was ll(:cordingly fuewn in, attended ,by two fervants whom he had brought with him. He performed his reverences, 0,0<1,edb,Googlc A . CHINESE HISTORY: 119 rences, and prefented a 'lieb-Jfi. or billet ef ·compliments. · The Mandarine pcruf~ it, and. ,finding·CAiun-kii to be no ftr:vant, but th particufar aoquaintance of .the pe.rfon : wbo fcnt him• -de~tcd Jaim-;to fit down. : ~ l un fo' unhappy, Jaid; he, as to · be mtt . of · fav01Jr : and it is a long while .. fince I h1.vc : been taken notice cf . by any ~ .How happens it then, · that you . arc come fo fu ~o me? Upon' what account?" " l fhpuld not have: taken this liberty, re• plied the other,. had I not been lent by Kwo-jho-/11, whofc bufmefs abrpad I •metimes tranfack : and it is on his account that I have now taken (o long .a journey." W hm I was at court, [aid Sbuey-keu-yi, l had very litt.le acquaintaee with that_ Mand~rinc. I fup- 1 4 pofe
uo •. · . . pofe therefore my punifhment. is -naw: going . to be increafed." · · Cbun-ltii replied~ "J t will not be long before :your Lordfhip will return :to: Pe-king : I am only come at prefent in behalf of this nobleman~• fon; who. defires yeur daughter in marriage : but as 1be hadi not your . permiffion or order, I am fent to intreat you to grant it." Then afking the fervants .for the letter, he prefented it to SbutJ-lceu-ye-: who open.;. ing. it, and having read it, thought that the whole affair was not rightly conducted, according to the manner among people of. quality ; nor f ~ ably to the dignity of his rank. ~t .the fame time being not unacquamtcd with the character of Kwo-lcbi-lztJ, and having no great opinion of the Mandarinc
A .CHINESE HI:STORY: U\ darine his· f~ther, he, .r~fQ.l vc:d not to confent . to; their req~.: This refo-: lution . be . was the •. ·i;~th,~[ confirmed in, as:he fuppofed if ;h~ 9:rnghter had approved of. it, they w~ld; never have ientfo · far to hirn. ,A.ft~ fome paufe, Cbun-kie: took the liberty ~o afk him if he had read ~he letter, · He replied, " I have, and th~nk you for the great trouble you. have been at ·in bringing it : I am obliged to Kwo.jho-fu for the high honour ·he doth me: and lhould eftrem it-great good forcune that he is pleafed to· defire my daughter for his .._ : but only that: I am now under ~,j~ajefty's difpltjlfure, and removed above two hundred leagues from home, from whence I have been abfent five years- at court, and ·one in banifhment. As
[p. 112] As I have no fon, and;only-this daughter, who is unto :me as a fon, and as fuch hath the· whole dir-eaion-of my houfe, I ·fhall therefore permit her to govern herfelf in this affair according to her own indinations. If Ku'llkbe- tztt had fo great a delire to marry ~e·r, why did not he apply to the Che• foo and Che-hien, who are the public guardians of the people •i •.:-and to my brother Sb111J-guwin? What need had he to take ro much trouble in Mnding fo far?" "' Sir, replied Cb1111.:.Jc«, you fpeak very weU; and KfDo-lthl-tu did ·iatt year purfue the method you -defcribt; but after Oie had many tim'5 put him off, fhe at length confeffed, • The Clliufi icl;'em is, " Wbo are the •· Grandfather and .Father of the reople." it
~- CHINESE :H~~TORX; fii it was becaufe ihe .h;td not your per• ' . ' . ( . , ~iffiQJl, and therefore htt hath got ·me io .come for it." . The Mandarine. Sbu~•-keu ye judged from his dif courfe,_ that his . da~hter w.as not inclined to marry Kwo-khitzu, iUld therefore he faid, " As I am now , . . . . i~ .difgracc, I look upon it that I hav~ nothing to do ~it~ -my family,. nor can I .pretend to difpofe of my daugh• ier •. I. have been here a.twelvemonth, ~d have not fo much as fent home one letter: and it is becaufe I am not yet acquitted. Now under thefe cu-;,. cumftancesi fhould I p..retcnd to give QUt an order about. my daughter-, it would !lggravate my o.Efence: E dare not ~erefore offer to do it." CJ,«;11.·kei faid
.. 1 • • 124 HAU -KIOU ·CHOAAN.· faid, " Let me· have but you~ word~ and it wiU be fufficient." He was very importunate, infomuch that Shuey~ ~eu-ye grew downright angry, and faid, that it was not a thing of a flight or indifferent nature: and cuftom required that there thould be more than two to concert fo important an affair as marriage. Without any further fatisfaction he difmiffed him, but ordered him alodg,. ing : from whence Chun-lcee often . paid hiin vi fits, but to no P~re6fe: he ~here: fore fent to all the n~jgbl,ouring ·Man~ darines, and got them to fpeak to him ·on the fubject of the marriage. They were · accordingly very urgent and preJ'fing, which made Sbuey-lceu ye fo uneafy, that he fent for Chun-kei and faid : · I never did any ill to the Man·• darine o,,, ,,,, ·,, A -.CHINESE HISTORY.- u5 ~rine Kwo-jho-fa: why then doth he give me fo much troμble, and is · foi-~ taking my daughtc:r by force ? (i.o horn¢, and tell h~m, I will never compel , her to at\: againll . h~r inclinations. As for myfelf, . J never expect to carry i;ny bones home .ag!lin: my life is to me of little value : [ but I will .not spake my daughter miferable.] Nay fhould ,the Emperor himfelf order me t~ compel her, I would ftill leave her ~o her own choice : and lhould all the M~ndarines here my fuperiors do their l,ltmoft to make me fuffer, I regard it not. Therefore take your letter· and. your prefent back again." .. Chun-Me finding it would be in vain to perfift, packed up · his baggage and returned
1i6 HAU KIOt( CHOAAN. · retmncd to the court. Where being arrived with rio Iitcle fhame for hit ill fuccefs, he gave · ·ba~k to 'Ktwrkjho-Ju his letter and pref«nt,· · At which tht Minifter was very · Muth inraged, and refolved to refene it tho firft opportunity. It was nO! Jong bef~e he fouO<l on&, -'#for there beit1g a demand for more troops to go againft the 'Tatt11rs, on ;account of the · hav~ and lo{s whict. f1ad been made of thofe who went before;· that Mandarine, when he advifcd • the· Emperor of it,. did not fail to lay the blame on the former mifmanagement' of Sht,teJ-keu..yE, and on that of his general Hu-hiau : reprefefttit\g to his Ma.jefty, that if they were tak~n off' by d\e punitlitm~nt they deferved, warriors- cnow weuld offer rhemfel~ and 3 bring
A CHINESE HISTORY. n, bring the war· to a conclufion :. but thac. this could not be exped.ed dll all fuf,. picion was taken away of their ever returning into employment; in the difcharge of which they had both ren• dered themfelves extremely odious. The Emperor approved of this remonftrance, and referred it to the confideration of the San-fa-tjeh, or tribunal of three• : which was commanded to affemble • '/'he 'J',,r&111tal of 'Three is cOZ11pofcd of the following tribeDals; viz. of the Hi-g-p,,, or Tribunal of crimes; of the <f11h-u-fu, which may be catted The Tribaml of revifors • ; and of tho' fi,h-,lt.y_,, or Superb Tribnal of vi6to,s. The la1l of thefe hath been alrcad), dcfcribccl f&t w/. z-. l"K· 1~;. •olA] and ought ew:,y where to have been entitled, as beJC. &, P. M«g.: ,. 219- . The Ping-p., or Tribunal of crilllCI, is one of ffiO' • Stt L,t1r1s tdif. :rix. 16:i. 11.
i.is HAU .. KIOU .. CH:OAAN. affemble and examine-into. the cdndu=.c of Hu-bia'! . in -0rdcr to bring that ge- · neral tojuftice. the fix fovereign courts at Pe-king, [ See note vol. · 2.p. 279.J and hai:h under it fourteen fubor-. dinate tribunals according to the number of pro• vince~. · It belongs to them to examine , try and punilh all criminals t}lroughout the empire. P. Du Ha/de, v. I. p. 249, (;ie. . · The Tribunal of 'Tab-k-ju,i. e. offupremc n:afon or juflice, is as it were the great Chancery of the empire. It examines in t)te laft .ap~al the judgments and fentences paired in other tribumils: efpecially in criminal caules, or in matters of great moml!n~. P, Mag. p. 228 . P. S,m, do, p. 125. · · ' · · ' • When the 'Trihunal if Crimes hath paired fentence of death on a perfon, whofe crime was not very cl~ar, or when any perfon is to be condemned in a cafe thatwould admit of doubt, " the Emperor, (fays P. Magalhtu11s) refers it always .to the San-fa-fu [ or lj'eb] which is as it were his council of confcience. Theo the three tribunals abovementioru:d aliemble together, either to re-examine the merits of the caufe, or to pals the more folemn feotence. & it is not fo eafy to corrupt them thus .united, -as feparate, great regard is had to their decifion, which is generally confirmed by the Emperor. P. M11g. 1· 229. Ltttrts edif. xix. 162. ·
End of Chapter 13