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 passes, 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 Pagoda, Long-Sáh, which is traditionally said to have been erected about A.D. 250, during the period of the Three Empires. Of all the Pagodas hitherto known, not even excepting the well-known specimen at Canton, it is the best preserved, and forms one massive, 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 Pagoda is a Buddha temple, the well-known Lûng-hwó, 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 attitude strongly suggestive of a Madonna.
This temple is plainly in connection with the Pagoda, 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 circumstance:—a queen from the south, who had anchored her boat one night in the Whampoa Channel near Wusung, suddenly beheld a light shoot up amid the tall grass, 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 massive wall, six or seven feet in height, and painted white. After passing 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 quantities 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 multitude 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 spacious mansions, in which from time to time they have theatrical representations for the amusement 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 classes 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 coarsest 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