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Chinese Play

Supplementary material from Volume IV of the Hao Qiu Zhuan Wilkinson/Percy translation (1761).

160 HAU KIOU CHOAAN, 51G HAAR X. INE Empreſs ſhewed great favour and kindneſs to Shuey-pingfin, and diſmiſſed her with very rich preſents : commanding four Eunuchs to attend her to the Emperor. His Majeſty received her in the moſt gracious manner, and ſaid, „ That you a little maid, ſhould poſſeſs ſuch fortitude, and be withal ſo pure and ſpotleſs, affords an inſtance not to be equaled in hiſtory. 1 have now reſtored you to that reputation, which you were in danger of loſing : and have cauſed your virtue to be publiſhed through all the empire. To-day you mayb e married with credit and honour, and J with you both good fortune, and long life: s that A. CHINESE His TORT. 162 chayto u may boget an umerous family, who may be all virtuous like their parents, and inherit all the happineſs I wiſh to yourſelves,” “ - A IlmmedTiieb-a chutng ·eu , Slhutyy-pi ngfin, and all the Mandarines, returned _ thanks+to the Emperor for his goodneſs, and withdrew. Then the newmarried couple ſet out for their houſe, accompanied by the Mandarines in great pomp and magnificence: and as they paſſed along in proceſſiont,h e ſtreets reſounded with the applauſeasn d acclamations ofthe eppes. Tur of 1 olle Thus did e fon after all ber twubles at length attain to the higheſt glory :W hich 0 &calion toH ER lowing verſes." nn Oy OT ce. . a: SI7atTI(ORVO0CE ITE6TILI E E RYO TYI EIWY

S S MIoo7 x r—— re 6: HAU) KUU CHONA Ft reer thiy "att open'd, yield" no 2 agrunce, tis sd yaoi onw vii de precious ſomes ill they are ground, caſt no lu, ine hw e Time ofg reat cold occafions [ſ peed: So doth - 2 adverſity, OR” F B:2 111 104531 ec i CGE 2 Dan ben dhe young a. were arrived at their houſine a ll this ſplendor; u table was placed in the middle of the hall, which was lighted up in the moſt brilliant manner: Then in the preſence of all the company the bride· . ns

  • The words of the Pogue verſion a+r ea s

follows, viz. As rojas nas eftas apertos, nas nas cheros. Ar peurus preciozas nas fas _—_ nai mY me * Eomspo ode anaee frio fas n acer fulas eeceie de fula The laſt of theſe lines the Eddiitoorr | kly 755 feffes he knowsno tw hat to make oF ſubſtituted the laſt line of the Exgliſi 4. merely as a conjectural — D 3 heads, A CHIN|E HISSTEORY ; 163 heads, and making their courteſies and reverence, expreſſed: their gratitude to the Emperor and Empreſs for all their _ favours. They alſo bowed down their | heads to their father and mother with great duty and reverence, Afterwards they performed their reſpecttso all the Mandarines who. accompanied them home, giving them many thanks. This ended, a magnificent banquet was ſerved up with ws r aned When thi FER was over 22 chung-u and his lovely bride performed the. uſual ceremonies: after which the | Mandarines took their leaves, and went back to the palace to inform the Emperor that allt hings. were comae and chat che new. married re- M 2 turned

to be expreſſed. 164 Hau klo cHñoAAN. turned their moſt gracefual ls ments for:h ias nt EPA ſu mating his own 8 ment with reſignation; but when he aw the ſentence paſſed on his ſon, he was overwhelmed with an affliction not The Cenſor Vang-o was alſo greatly affected with the reproof he met with. Thus all received the chaſtiſement due to their faults. On which account Tieb-chung-u cc omou nenen verſes. The e man doth nit not pee bow the end may turn out : When the time cometh, be ſhall not eſcape ; beſ hall find according to his works. 3. * * the evample thou beholdeft. e pi LI 5 Rejolve A CHINESE HISTORY. 165 .Nredound tto h fonean dn g? $79 [bmi an—d -ping1- afdir ey were marrliiveed dhap,pil y many years; having the greateſt affection for each other. |T zeh-chung-4-extolled his charming wife, expatiating on her virtue and merit, and thanking her for the benefits he had received at her hands in times paſt, attributing to her the high rank to which he was at preſent exalted. On the other hand ſhe was as full in eybe ncomiums on her be- The * 8 "INE: O man home, mal fas, nas atenia o fim como v : Chegando o tempo nas eſcapara, conforme obra och a4 chara. 3 85 | Con derte te do gxemplo 40 gue ve 2 5 Vreponba home de bem fazer, a boa fave e * ria ha de ter. „ _. loved 156 HAU KIOU CHOAAN. loved huſband : thanking him a thouſand times for the many favours ſhe had received from him, aſſuring him that ſhe could never ſufficiently repay them; thar ſhe was not worthy to be his handmaid; but tho' ſhe was his wife; ſhe would be always humble and obedient to him her huſband, ſerving him all her life with tlie greateſt affecton. Accordingly they made the * e on1 221017 gt 2451910 T6. 2677 517 Hoi 07 The A nana;— go ” thii"r _ | _ woith great ſplendor and fragrante: Tt is in order that their good _ and example may be ſpread abroad : While their worth lay bidw ithin thebe art u Was Not perceived «

1 a . . A CHINESE HISTORY 165 Nobwe t ime in arrive that it is galiſhed through all the world . acid Fwäm this time T%eb-chang-n:And Shuey-ping-/in huſband and wife, lived together in the greateſt harmony, obſerving the moſt exemplary virtue; and ſerving 1t heE mperor with allſ incerity:5 He executing theo ffice of Ca- lau ©or firſt Miniſter and counſellor of the ſtate; with great fidelity and ſkill, ſo that he was beloved and admired of all. Both Tieh-chung-u and Shney-ping-/in afford a ſiftiking.exaniple: ofv irtue and

  • The Portugueſe words are,

Os dous caxados vem a caſa par todo caminho com ande lux e cheire: Por bom obra e exempo que ſe eftende Dentro de coragas que home nas intende ; Ja chegou o tempo que por todo mundo ſe elende. NM ; antegrity— ERP —== r ——— 4 X S 7

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From theſe words one mighe.' be a 8 that the foregoing hiſtory i3 s founded on real fat. J 7 N. B. The Editor hath F'--any — > to enki. bit the exact form in which the — Author concludes his box. 8 7 1 $\-44 51 * 4 * r 4 #4 | h Y & SETS i.

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THE A ACTED AT In the Year M. DCC. XIX. ARGUMENT or STORY Pe OF 25 CHINESE PLAY. CAN T ON,

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n inſt n n ee 1 821 THANMAZIT HAVOC a 1 A * hs BA 1 ADVERTISEMENT: 22 711K5f elling ird cutS aad. — tber of tbe gentleman, to ꝛubom 108 are dualesf or2 f oregoing Tranſlation, and afferas the ſecond ſpecimen that hath yet appeared ian my European anguage of the Salons of the Chineſe for dramatic compeſition :t he Orphan of the houſe of Wr e by F. Du AVE | fon Joſs | II} a * nein? r14> rt {Rs v4 Aube the C hineſe have.na ls diftin8ion as Traczpy and COMEDY, yet. ag the following / ecimen differs in many reſpects from that of, F. Halde, repreſenting characters in lower life, and being founded on incidents neither. fa tragical nor important; the Editor. at it was doubtful, whether. it "might not be. conſidered us a hind of ſpecimen of Chineſe Comedy+ b ut upon propoſing the quęſtian to a very ingenious and learned Friend, he received the following ſenſible remarks, which he here preſents. to the. IE asw 4 u riane Ur th wt 55 * A Gate {Theri s notl s rannte* 8 « on tbe Chineſe ſkeleton ; as the fable is all

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e N 1 7-0 very ——A—7c<oR O7 Y.e ˙Pra” E S A„T„TY Pu — ——w57 ade —44 .*"o.——— »© — ͤTErT3«I—„GßaE—%n,ko i E eFn s 4 „ ——_—— 1592 ADVERTISEMENT. et yery imartificially condu#ted.' The piect can- < not however be repreſented as a ſpecimen of « Chineſe Comedy : for though the characters

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« yet" theſe enter nur into the eſſential charatteri- . e oft he ttoo dramas. The effeonf cCoem e- 6" dy i to paint charaflers and manners : that . Tragedy, to excite terror and pity thro —

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6. thep oem: © GEORGE BARNWELL 'remains n a Tragedy, tho its characters are of the very loweſt bind, and the diftireſs only of a pri- 6 vate family. But the Chineſe Author hath not & without ſome art contrived to intereſt us in the diſtreſs of his principal perſonages. Our «<:\ compaſſion 15 equally" excited, ꝛcben we ſee cc he Chineſe matron and her for in poverty, 62 with diſdain and relutance obliged to de. end upon alms, as when we Jee the favorite c2t 4 kings in a dungeon. Our terror is afterce wards attempted in the ſeveral dangers and 64. rouph dii treſſes they have to encounter -a nd at << the ſame time that we were engaged to admire <" their feady and conſtant virtue in ſtruggling

  • 6'rhro* them, wwe are intereſted in all their for-

66 tunes;; till in the concliſn wwe are taught this 1 | „ inporADVERTISEMENT. 173 « ;i mportantm oral, that virtue isa ble to wer bh « way thre. thoſe dangers, 2 24. 22N5e « eſe to:l it may * expoſed.” After all it may. be queſtioned ee —< _ Chineſe Author had in view either to paint charafters and manners, or to excite terror or pity, as hit immediate end. The piece ſrems rather ta reſemble thoſe peculiar productions of the Spaniſh lage, whoſe ſole deſign is to puzzle and amuſe the ſpeftators, by the furprizing turns I e Yaan intricate plot. „ INTRO. 3

= 4 : JS . L _— 9 ——ͤ——— — —— —A>—ſ*— aS .—— — — —2 — INT RODUCTI ON. LAV S generally accompany the entertainments of ceremony givenb yt he Chine/e andarines, and are ated while the gueſts are regaling at table. When the gueſts are firſt ſeated, four or five of the principal Comedians enter the hall in rich dreſſes, and making low bos all together, hit their foreheads againſt the ground. Then one of them preſents the principal gueſt with a' book, containing in letters of gold, the names of fifty or ſixty plays; which they have learnt by heart, and are ready to act upon the ſpot. Aſter ſome complimentary refuſals and offers to others, the principal gueſt pitches upon one: which the chief Comedian carries round to all the company for their approbation.—I f any one of the gueſts ſhould chance to have a name ſimilar to one of the Dramatis Perſonæ or the like, that play is ſet aſide and another choſen. . The repreſentation begins with CHineſe muſic, viz. baſons of braſs or ſteel, whoſe ſound is harſh and ſhrill; drums of buffalo ſkins ; flutes ; fifes and trumpets. There are nodecorations for the plays; they only ſpread a . ta on the floor and the Comedians make uſe of ſome adjoining rooms, from which they enter to act their parts. One actor generally performs two or three part—s T.he ladies are placed out of the hall over againſt the Comedians, where through a lattice of Bam- boo and a ſilken net they can ſee all, unſeen themſelves. P. Du Halde, v. 1. p. 299. v. 2. p. 175. &æũ c. N. B. Plays are ſometimes acted on ſtages in the open ſtreets, but we don't find that they have any regular theatres or play-houſes. S's 2 n 4 of * — * *

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, * — ARGUMENT «or STORY 33% 4 $$) ER; IS 515 8 | ch CS 4158 QF A : CHINESE PLAY. N aged matron and her ſon of good deſcent, being in great poverty, diſcourſe about their condition, and find no means of ſupport but in begging alms; to which they bring themſelyes with r reluctance and confulion, - LET | : A 91.) %S - Tbhia y mecewith a Mandarine sdavghos who is wandering. about in f. CONTENT 176 Taz ArBuMenT' OR Sronr content on account of a difference-be- - 2 „ HB 1 Tween her and her father. Shei in quires hat reduced chem to that way of life, and finding by their diſcourſe that they” are of good education and parentage, gives the ſon money, and takes the mother to attend on her. — 45.4 3 — IF. ; * . 3 * 1 is 1 2 * 5 ** 3 Fg f * * Ly 8 . * & & * 4 x © # . & {+ * A 3 at ä 4 The ſon departs for his own country, and frih is way goes into a Teah p, keptby an old woman and her daughter: 3 e inhdis - e a 4 ** f " 7 14 9 7 2 111 22 241 CL ITheſe are 2b ind of coffee-houſeso r of regale. They are called by thew ie= guati-t2e. All populous cities — with them (chiefly in their ſuburbs,] as alſo with a kind of K 2 taverns for wine. In the great earth · quake IF which happened at Pe-4irg in 1731, the Jefaites tell us that there were no leſs than eighty perſons dug Gut of * ruins; of one of thoſe _ Tea-s8oPs, | : Se Lettres 22 XX:* J.3 4 vii. p. 00 7 an | Nenn e Or 4 ChixkESsE PLay, 177 and perceiving him to be a perſon of a good mien, take him in, to ſerve in the houſe+. A young Mandarine, a great rake; coming there to drink tea, coneeives an inclination for the woman's daughter; and finding ſhe is not to be had upon eaſier terms, offers to take her into his houſe to keep her. The old woman conſents; but the young one rejecting his offers, He ſends ſome of his ſervants to take her away by force: but ſhe ii sr eleued by their new. ſervant. + Althougg h a great.W IE ae of men and maid — bind themſelves ſlaves in China; yet there are ſome, to whom, they give Ages as in Europe, P. Du Halde, vol. p. 1. 7 T Upon 3 m——————n ——.— 8MEkB e et h —————— — 13 . , 1

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< | i = |1 i 1 5 F | * [ # [ ou j 'F LY DH——— 9 1 258 Taz Arcoment on Story Upon this the young Mandarine gives in an accuſation againſt him, and hath him carried before a Mandarine of juſtice: by whom he is puniſhed with the baſtinado *; and hach the Can-phi+ or wooden ruff, fixed about his neck to walk the ſtreets with. | O. el * : The No ſentence. is executed in China, but the ba/tinades precedes it of courſe. See an ac. count of this vagal in the * A 8 vol. 2. pag. 188. note. + This — is more n than te baſtinido; the Cangb. i sc ompoſed of two boards, hollowed in the middle to fit the neck of offenders, ſo that they form a kind of moveable piltory. Some are three feet ſquare and five or ſix inches thick; ſo that the wearer can neither ſee his feet, nor put his hands to his mouth, and muſt be fed by others. The commor Toft We fifty or Ker pounds weight: but foine' weigh zcolb. Wen it is fixed on the neck, they paſte on each fide; over the place where a joins, two ſlips of paper about four OAT; broad, on > hie they fix a ſeal that the daards Or 4 CHINESE Play. 73 79 The young rakiſh Mandarine not ſatisfied with this puniſhment, arms himſelf and his ſervants with cudgels, reſolving to bear him to death. They go in ſearch of him about the ſtreets, and find him attended by his young miſtreſs aforeſaid, who is feeding him; he being unable to do it himſelf, on account of his collar. They attack him with their clubs : but he beinga reſolute youth, and having his hands at liberty, beats them; and by whirling his four-cornered collar, boards may not be opened. On th's paper is Written the crime. for which It 1s inflicted, and | how long it is to laſt. | F. Du e vol. . p. 3. 311. &c. P. Semedo, b. 141.7 N 2 ſtrikes 180 THe: ARGUMENT OR "STORY ſtrikes the young Mandarine on the head, and . him. The governor of the ſtreet or ward, comes and takes both him and the woman into cuſtody.— Being brought before a Mandarine called Nan. hayan, he relates how he was attacked, and obtains his releaſe. | But the Mendarine conceives a liking for the young woman, and takes her into his houſe: at which his wife is much diſpleaſed, and, while her huſband is abſent, lets her out of the place in which ſne had been confined. 5 A ſuperior Mandarine, being informed of the death of the young rake | above- an 14 %- - +44 Or 4 Cx ESE PLA V. 181 abovementioned and the young woman being accuſed as the cauſe of it, and of all the reſt of the diſturbance, ſends an order or ſummons for her to app beter him. | The order being carried to the Mandarine, who had had her in cuſtody: he commands hert o be brought forth and delivered up. They bring him word ſhe is releaſed by his wife and fled : upon which he is in the utmoſt confuſion, not knowing how to anſwer it to his ſuperior. N | % After he hath recovered himſelf a. little, he calls his ſervants and charges them all to go in ſearch of the young woman. They object how e "Ns it — 2 R— ———— —— — vis l

—my — h—T&a—E — tR_A—s . 7* ———— ———— — %> 7.21 * * * ·m—— n ern F* P - * bye2= el s 182 Tux ARGUMENT OR STory it is to recover her as ſhe hath been gone ſome time, and none of them know her face or perſon. He is again at a loſs: at laſt he tells them the neceſſity of ſending ſome woman to the ſuperior Mandarine, and therefore bids them go and ſeize any one, whom they think will do as well, and carry her before him. His ſervants go upon the ſearch, and coming to a Joſs -houſe or temple * on | e he

  • A 7o/5-houfe is an inferior kind of Pagoda

or Temple. See an account of the latter in the foregoing Hiſt, vol. 1. p. 220. note. The Portugueſe, who firſt penetrated into the Indies, called the idol temples Pagodas, from the Perſian word Pout-gheda ; which ſignifies a temple. Some call the idal,a sw ell as the templeb y the ſame word: but the former ſeems more 8 ehe high-way, find the Mandarine's daughter firſt-mentioned, with the matron whom ſhe had taken into her ſervice. N ( (For ſhe had newly fled from her father's houſe: He being accuſed by another Mandarine, diſgraced,. and degraded, and having all his goods and family ſeized on : but not before he had found opportunity to diſpatch a ſervant to acquaint his daughter : which ſervant | had brought her through the city-gate, perly expreſſed by Pagod, as the latter by Pagoda = or Pagode. See 4 [pirated] account vf the Eaft Indies under the name of Captain Cope, _ 8vo, 1758. | LAG zu | N. B. The Chineſe 7a or Demi-gods, are ſome of human ſhape, ſome of monſtrous figures: But all theſe idols are generally made thick and ſhort, ſo that in the Indies, when they would deſcribe a ſhort fat perſon, they call him a t. N 4 and 8.=— —" RAE. . tA—xALs© t e*—2— Ee. CS *e 4O T NE C nREF IP E yn-* — ** .— —7 . ——*—.— *—— b—— f *n-— —o_—* ———.—g 5 a ——A*-—- - —— —W " —T —— — — —.*4y——— baa=*3* — — a-”A— —a ——- 2— -——4= —%*—I— 2— .—: 8i6*I S-2*0———3 2 — 2 — =— — 2b-—— y——ä-8S 5* 5>o 8 .— —<:—s —— — Y — —R—2c8——=r*-—- : %pI "-—42«s" C—4- % —— 0 XI —” — 8 I— E I; n=s820>8”2„P—1— .2” — SW4—o— — :. U 2 s 2 T ” aN*.-4*G 1«. 22 > .. --——* * —1* --N . R—2.-2 1 - * elñ#2s—I—B——nIs2a .—- n—y——= ,— = —I. e —— —I . p——l”2———2— S8. 1—.:— *9e —_ D —&2 —

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2—0S r _ — 2 184 Tax ARGUMENT oR STorky and then left her, as being unable to 2 he*r She is ſized by the ſervants difpatched by the Mandarine Nan-hayan abovemenioned, and carried before the | ſuperior Mandarine, by whomſh e is ſentenced. to loſe her. head. 9. Being . Either the Author of thiiss P lay( ike our own modern writers of Tragedy) hath not piqued himſelf upon adhering to the uſages of his country, or elſe he repreſents times more ancient than the eſtabliſhment of ſome of theſe uſages. For unleſs it be in extraordinary caſes, no Mandarine can pronounce definitive ſentence of death. See before, wol. 2. pag. 275 note. | N. B. Beheading is in China eſteemed a far more infamous puniſhment than ſtrangling, becCauſe the Chine/e paſſionately defire to have their bodies' preſerved whole after their death. The ccndemned is not expoied on a ſcaffold, but being made to kneel in ſome public place with his hands tied behind him, a perſon holds him ſo ſaſt that he cannot move, while the executioner Foming behind takes * the head at one * an or 4a CuxksE Pl Av. 185 Being brought to the place of execution, (which is performed at mid - night) the young man, whom ſhe had relieved, happens to be there; and when the Chop or writing of the crime comes to be taken off from her fore · head, ] in order to ſtrike off her head, \ he ſees her face and knows her again: Upon which he ſnatches a ſword from one of the officers, and attacks and drives them off. Then he and the young lady make their eſcape. ens But they are preſently after taken, and carried before the Mandarine, who ordered the execution: where the young E63 "£7 and at the ſame time lays him on his back with ſuch dexterity, that not one drop of blood falls on his cloaths. P. Du Halde, vol. 1. P. 4 vol. | 2, p. 299. | 3 % 9 wr 4 man 186 Tue ARGUMENT OR STory man acquaints him that ſhe is not the woman, whom the other Mangarine had in cuſtody. Which he findintgo be true, by examining into the proceedings of *y ſaid Mandarine, ſends for his head. He then releaſes the young man, and takes him into his ſervice for his gallantry: but faliln slov e with the young lady ; and having no firſt wife, orders his women ſervants to perſuade her to comply with his deſires. This ſhe very peremptorily - refuſes to his ſervants, and afterwards to his face: upon which he orders them to fall upon her, and to beat her ſeyerely. Thisw y do till the lies for dead. Jeb | Then Thenh e orders the young man newly taken into his ſervice, to carry her body and throw it into the river. He bears her to the river ſide, but inſtead of throwing her in, takes off his coat and covers her body.: and after much lamentation over one from whom he had received ſuccour in his greateſt ee he goes to ber a coffin for her“. In the interim a boat coming near

  • The Chine/e ſeem leſs afraid of death, chan

of wanting a coffin after it. It is aſtoniſhing to ſee how careful they are in this reſpect, and how coſtly they have them made, and that commonly before their deaths. To provide theſe handſome for their friends is a r piety; ; a this is carried to ſuc exceſs, that a ſon will ſometimes ſell or mortgage himſelf to procure money to buy à coflin for his father. See P, Du Halde, vol. I. p. 280. 306. the Or 4 Chix ES Play. 187 — ——— ——-=— — =— ———m—— 2 4 .———— 7——* = — r2—F n7a 4 g0 ——2*——— — — LMTn =MaE D —L———— —A—— N E _2—*-— — — ——————— — e22r4 r. Fe:r—1——— —.a —— — BWäYn a—.2——y—

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——« 188 Tu ARGUMENT oR SroRY the ſhore, the people in it diſcover

ſomething more than common, and

finding it to be a woman, catry her off: they being in ſearch of women to ſerve the Tartar Queen - | sd 51 (For „This paſſage and thoſe that follow in pag. 191, 192, c. relating tothe Tartar Queen, &c. are

extremely curious, and worthy the attention of

the learned: who" will perhaps be ſurprized to find ſome notion of the Amaxons, among a people ſs remote from Greece, and ſo unacquainted with its fables, as the Chineſe. That the Scythians, among whom the Amazons were ſuppoſed to be ſeated, were no other than the ancient Tartars, there 1s no doubt: and that there was ſome foundation for their ſtory is probable ; from its prevailing (tho not with ll the ſame circumſtances) in two nations who could not poſſibly derive it from each other. This fable did Probably ariſe from the Scyr5:an or Tartar women having ſometimes appeared in battle with a maſculine ferocity unknown in countries, where the women lived ſo reſerved as in Greece and China. A paſſion for the marvellcus ſopr lied all the reſt. That the women of one of the Jef civilized nations bordering upon China, do ſome- To | times Or a Cainest Pray. 189 (For the Tartar Qucen being at war with the Chineſe,” had ſent to pictarocu - - — Fy . P "? y ; 5 * 4 5 . "F Py F 1 A&A

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times enter into the field, appears from ſeveral authors. Marlinius telis us that when China was invaded in 1621 by the Tartars,— « Among other commanders, who came with «* ſuccours to the Chine/e, there was one heroic | lady, whom we may call the Anaxon or Pen- « thefilea of China. She brought along with her three thouſand [men] from the remote « province of Su. chuen, bearing not only a

  • maſculine mind but habit, and even aſſuming

e titles more becoming a man than a woman. This heroine, who gave many rare proofs of © her courage, had come in the room of her « ſon, an infant; &c. For in the mountains of of this province of Sa- chuen, there is a king- « dom not ſubje& to the Chingſe, but under a government of its own, &c.” Vide bellum Tartaricum ad fin. Atla. Sin. pag. 4. Fc. | The above hypotheſis relating to the Arazons will derive ſtrength from the narrative of 7 brandt Ides, who tells us, that among the Ton guxians, one of the people inhabiting Great Tartary, the men and women go cloathed „ alike, are both very ſtrong, and that both

  • « ſexes, not excuſing the young girls, ride on

" horſeback, and are n armed with 3 a4 an -—- . —1of -—, .4 e m wK1 -—2 ———N.s —- - — .— —8—: = -— — of*—-T—- — . o ===ä—-8 .- a . .* — wT— —-—=——*= 4— W— +— . 4 lOe——u<.n*-—6 --= —s 6—= ——— .2 * _ —a =23.2o*—*—2— ——* — 84= >Kw= =o—5— a y-* - ; n— K : - — b——1——. -y— — ——— —=— 2 N*.4=:n —2-= —/ — — a*—— nA \ d —«2—b=: y — =. =_ by—\= —— =— 8—.— —8 | r - —-2— "£ - D- SI

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=\— -, 5w— A5A W 4E-W w !+=T—*— v*W7— C= ©a— .—0 08s —— \ I 1— ———c———5 ——-— ů — ,A2e s —— —— — 100 Tux ARGUMENT OR SToky for [or kidnap] women in the enemies country: and had alteady carried away the mothero f the young man, who was along with this young lady in the Faſs-houſe or temple, as alſo the young woman in whoſe place ſhe had Je to have been executed.) % And arrows, in the uſe of which they aar e very et expert. See pag. 44, and 102. It appears alſo that even the women of the AMascbr e Tartars, who conquered China, did not at firſt aſſume the reſerved manners of the Chineſe women: for when the Durch Ambaſſadors were at Nan-KinG in 1656, they were accoſted by'a Tartarian lady, who without any ceremony examined their dreſs, and handled their ſwords, with a freedom unknown Iin Ching. See . p. 133. Before we quit this ſubjectww,ee ought not to omit what the Neſuites tells us in their account of Korea, that the Zaſtern Tartars told a Chineſe General, among other romantic fables, of

  • a kingdom peopled only by women, who

c conceived of themſelves, and carried the foetus © in their ſtomach: they had no breaſts, but «© ſuckled the child by a tuft of hair behind the

  • neck, &c. P. Da Halde, vol. 2. pag. 378.

3 Magal. p. 61. The or A Cntnzss Pray. 191 The young man returns to the rivet fide, and finding the young lady carried away, goes back to acquaint the Mandarine his maſter, that he hath executed his orders; but finds him very much concerned, for by this time he had heard whoſe daughter ſhe was. To prevent the truth from coming to her father's knowledge, he orders the young man to find out that Mandarine and kill him. This he pretends to undertaakned, i n hisſ earch lights on this very perſon, (who is then wandering about indiſgrace) without knowing him. The diſgraced Mandarine, upon inquiry, finding the young man hath no intention of harm to o him, reveals him- >**—”—1*7 P4- A P.sL* R E nr—f—- .8 x2—— *— 5 8 r w—a=T3gTdw - —- y i Nw—7n7L=e*————o +— *P—=—— —— y Fo S.8i +y— — —t h————s—wb as.* 02— y— — 5 ” ———IL— ——*o 20*—— — - Lre—E8—:22 — s „b—R=y73— = 2 3 "A—=TY-a .- —-* —— ——2—

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—— =&a s 192 Tur ARGUMENT oa STORY ſelf, and enters inat coloſ e; confederacy with him,t o kill the Mandarine his maſter, who had ſo highly injured both him and his daughter. This they immediatepluty i n execution. The young man then goes to the wars againſt the Tartars: where he behaves with great courage; and, it being the cuſtom there for the women to fight, he encounters his own mother, the Mandarine's daughter, and the young woman that belonged to the tea- hop. 1 . each other's faces with equal ſurprizoen both ſides: In conſequence of which the young man, wine he had for that time drove Or a CN ESE PAT. 193 drove off the Tartars, determines to take the firſt opportunity to run among them, and be taken priſoner, On the other hand, the women petition the Queen, that they may lay down their arms, not being able to fight againſt an enemy, where they are in danger of killing, or being killed by, one ſo dear to them, as 2 ſon or friend, c. e ee Afterwards the young man is taken priſoner and brought before the Queen, to whom he declares his reaſons for 8 himſelf up. The Queen, much affefted wich his ſtory, ſends for. the three: women, 7 M Dm . o———n—4 aoe a 194 Tur Anouu,⏑“ji⁊ on Sroxv and, ſetting them at liberty, commits them to his care. The Queen 1 by his reaſons, and moved by his virtuous diſcourſes] ſoon makes peace with the Chineſe, and retiring to a convent becomes a _ or nun . The young man, and the three women return to China, where they find out the father of the young lady firſt In like manner as there are Pagodas or convents in China full of Bonzees or monks: fo there are alſo nunneries called Men, and Bonzeſſes or nuns, who live after the ſame manner. They ſhave their heads, renounce marriage, and abſtain from all converſe with men ; but they are not numerous, neither do they obſerve monaſtic conſinement. Sce P. Du Halde, vol. 1. p. 518. Mod. Univ. . p. 175. Nieuhoſf, p. 59. Or 4 ChixksE Plar. 195 mentioned; who by this time is reſtored to his rank and honours, He very much rejoices at the ſight of his daughter; and gives her in marriage for a firſt or chief wife to the young man. Who then takes the other young woman for a ſecond wife or concubine +. Upon this follows the Emperor's patent to create him a great Mandarine | for the ſervices he performed. + The Chineſe may have more wives than one, but the firſt or primary wife hath all the power, and is married with more ceremony than the reſt, whoſe children are alſo deemed to belong-to her : bat their ſituation is not at all difreputable, N. B. All the ceremony required in taking one of theſe ſecond wives, is to fign a writing with their parents: whereby they engage to give a certain ſum agreed on, and to ule their daughters well. See P. Du Halde, vol. 1. p. 304. 462 W242 : He 196 TuR ARGUMENTC,c . He receives the habit of that order of Mandarines to which he is advanced : and agreeably to that quality cloaths his mother and both his wives. Then they receive the congratulations of all their friends.

  • The mothers and wives of the Mandarines,

as their ſons or huſbands are advanced to higher offices and dignities, have certain honourable diſtinctions both in their habits and titles, ap- Pointed them by the Emperor. | P. Semedo, p. 13%. THE END OF THE CHINESE PLAY.


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