Temples and Joss Houses, where are placed the figures of their gods, are seen frequently along the river bank, and the great Temple of Honan on the opposite side of the river is extensive and very curious. On entering the gate from the river side you pass under a line of shade trees, and enter three temples in succession, with colossal figures of Joss, seven in number, of giant form, in sitting postures, and in size reminding me of the figures Gog and Magog, in London. The architecture of the buildings is strikingly Chinese, with figures of lions and dragons at the angles. The priests have their heads clean shaved, and the beating of the kettle-drums of huge size, and the sound of their instruments at hours of worship, are almost deafening. The contents of some of the temples remind one of a museum, from the great variety of armor and figures. The grounds attached to the temple of Honan contain a pond for the cultivation of the sacred lotus, or water lily, and granite monuments wherein repose the ashes of the priests, who are buried in a small stone structure, which is inclosed on three sides, within shady bamboo trees; the blackened and smoky chimney betokened recent use. Eight noble fat hogs are within the inclosure of the temple, and are represented to the faithful as immortal; in the event of accident, however, others are in reserve.
Opium is freely used by the people, and the trade in it has increased to a frightful extent, although contraband, the officials being engaged in the traffic, so that the consumption has increased to twenty-five millions of dollars per annum. This, in a population of three hundred millions, is considered not to be a great excess, but it tells a sad story on the constitution of an habitual smoker. The use of tea is of course general, and spirit is distilled from rice. The Houqua gardens belonging to the great merchant deceased, some few miles above the city, are in good taste, with fish-ponds, artificial cascades and grottoes, and a vast number of fruit trees, plants, and flowers, peculiar to the climate.
LXIII.
Hong Kong, China, Aug. 20, 1851.
This island, the name of which translated is Fragrant Springs (it is certainly supplied with running water, though barren and hilly), is twenty-one miles in circumference, and is situated on the north side of the bay which communicates with the Canton river, to which it is the key. It was ceded in treaty to the English, and is a great acquisition, but has cost them five or six millions in erecting buildings for troops, fortifications, and general improvements, in addition to the large expenditures of English capitalists. It is decidedly an English town, although their numbers are not great therein, though it contains a regiment of one thousand troops. Its being a free port facilitates contraband trade; it has a large Chinese population, and in all contains probably twenty thousand inhabitants. Macao, on the opposite side of the bay, about thirty miles distant, occupied for centuries by the Portuguese, is an agreeable place of residence, but it has, through bad management, lost its trade, and its harbor is quite deserted. It is now used as a place of summer resort, but rents have declined, and the people are poor. The heat of Hong Kong and Canton is very oppressive at this season of the year; we had the thermometer in the latter city from ninety-eight to one hundred for several days in succession, with but little difference in the night. Humboldt says that La Guayra, in South America, is the hottest place in the world, but I suffered more from the heat in Canton than there.
Before leaving Hong Kong, I made an excursion to the Whampoa Pagoda, which is nine stories high, of an octagonal form, and has in the distance a most imposing effect. The duck boats by the river bank attracted my attention; the ducks are driven ashore in large numbers to feed, and at the sound of a bell they rush back to their quarters, from the circumstance that the last one who enters gets whipped for being dilatory. The Chinese have a temple here, also, well fitted up; and last evening it was magnificently lighted by their fanciful lanterns, and a festival called Sing Song came off, with the beating of gongs, kettle drums, and other instruments, and a supply of confectionery and other eatables, inside and outside the building, upon stands, for sale.
There were immense figures of men and animals, made of painted pasteboard strengthened by wires, which were taken out and burned as offerings to their gods. We could expose ourselves with perfect safety among the people, and examine minutely the idols of the altars, feeling a sense of security on British soil which I could not feel in and about Canton, under like circumstances.
I was quartered in Canton in the most desirable part for sights, and some of a most amusing character were constantly seen. One day I counted from my window eighteen stout barbers, who carried on their backs a three-legged stool with straps attached, and in the bottom a chest of lances; they were engaged on, or waiting for, customers in the open court. The operation of dressing the long tail and scraping the pate, in addition to the practice of cleaning the eye and ear, occupies some time, for all of which they get about six cash, or half a cent each. Mandarins occasionally passed in sedan chairs, with suites of attendants, and the hurry of the crowd was observed to allow their mandarinships a free passage. A large wedding procession attracted my attention from the great quantity of presents therein. I counted fifty coolies with loaded hand-barrows, filled with fruit, flowers, confectioneries, cakes, nuts, robes, &c., in rich profusion, preceding the bride, who was conducted to the house of the groom veiled, in a sedan chair, as the tiny feet of the ladies are seldom seen in the streets. They are affianced early by their parents without ever having seen their lovers; and when their intended husbands gaze upon them, if acceptable, they are supported by women across a pan of coals into the house.
They are sometimes rejected, but damages are expected. This leads to unhappy marriages and polygamy, which is recognised by the law, the children having legitimate rights. The river-women all go bare-footed in warm weather, and their feet are of natural size.
The upper classes still continue the bandaging of the feet as a mark of rank, which is eulogized in Chinese poetry. This barbarous practice consists in turning under the small toes of the infant and bandaging them, leaving only the great toe exposed, which system in course of time raises the instep and throws the heel backwards, giving them more equilibrium; the iron shoe is not used, but the wrappers are changed daily. Among the poorest classes, female children are much neglected, and frequent instances of infanticide occur, woman being considered born to drudgery, and not meriting an education.