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north, the wind, as I was informed, being eastsouth. We do not say so in Europe, thought I; but imagine my surprise when, in explaining the utility of the compass, the boatman added, that the needle pointed to the south! Desirous to change the subject, I remarked that I concluded he was about to proceed to some high festival, or merry-making, as his dress was completely white. He told me, with a look of much dejection, that his only brother had died the week before, and that he was in the deepest mourning for him. On my landing, the first object that attracted my attention was a military mandarin, who wore an embroidered petticoat, with a string of beads round his neck, and who besides carried a fan ; and it was with some dismay I observed him mount on the right side of his horse. I was surrounded by natives, all of whom had the hair shaven from the forepart of the head, while a portion of them permitted it to grow on their faces. On my way to the house prepared for my reception, I saw two Chinese boys discussing with much earnestness who should be the possessor of an orange. They debated the point with much gesture, and at length, without venturing a combat, sat down and divided the orange equally between them. At that moment my attention was drawn by several old Chinese, some of whom had grey beards, and nearly all of them wearing huge goggling spectacles. A few were chirruping and chuckling to singing birds, which they carried in bamboo cages, or perched on a stick. Others were catching flies to feed the birds; and the remainder of the party seemed to be delightfully employed in flying paper kites; while a group of

boys were gravely looking on, and regarding these innocent occupations of their seniors with the most serious and gratified attention."

One of the few athletic diversions of the Chinese takes place on the occasion of a public festival, held on the fifth day of the fifth moon, which usually occurs in June. Long narrow boats, built for the purpose, and manned by from forty to eighty men with paddles, meet in the rivers of China, and race against each other with great heat and emulation. They row to the sound of the gong, and the paddles keep time to its beat. In their contests accidents frequently occur from the upsetting of the boats, which, from their great length, are called "dragon boats."

Another public entertainment is given in the feast of lanterns. This takes place on the first full moon of the new year, and it is a display of ingenuity and taste in the construction and mechanism of a variety of lanterns made of silk, varnish, horn, paper, and glass; some of which are supplied with moving figures, of men galloping on horseback, fighting, or performing various feats, together with representations of birds, beasts, and other living creatures, all in full motion. The moving principle in these is formed by a horizontal wheel turned by the draft of air created by the heat of the lamp, and the circular motion is communicated in various directions by fine threads attached to moving figures.

The Chinese are celebrated for their fire-works. Some of these are ingenious and entertaining, on account of the variety of moving figures which they exhibit. Such are the "drum," which is a cylindrical case, containing a multitude of figures

so contrived as to drop in succession on strings, and remain suspended in motion during the explosion of fire-works contained within the cylinder; and their figures of boats, which are constructed so as to float upon the water by means of a stream of fire issuing from the stern. The brilliancy and skill of the pyrotechny displayed in these contrivances, however, are inferior to those exhibited in European fire-works, and their rockets are of very indifferent manufacture.

Dramatic entertainments are frequently given at public feasts, for which purpose some of the Chinese officers of state have private theatres in their houses. Scenery seems to be altogether dispensed with; on which Barrow observes:"The want of scenery is sometimes supplied by a very unclassical figure, which, just the reverse of the personifications of grammarians, considers persons to represent things. If, for instance, a walled city is to be stormed, a parcel of soldiers, piling themselves on a heap across the stage, are supposed to represent the wall over which the storming party is to scramble." The same writer, after having described the frivolous nature of the Chinese drama, adds, of their general diversions, in continuation: "In short, the greater part of the amusements of the Chinese are at the present day of a nature so puerile, or so gross and vulgar, that the tricks and the puppet-shows, which are exhibited in a common fair of one of the country towns of England, may be considered as comparatively polished, interesting, and rational. In sleight of hand, in posture-making, rope-dancing, riding, and athletic exercises, they are much inferior to Europeans; but in the variety of their

fire-works, they perhaps may carry the palm against the whole world. In every other respect the amusements of the Chinese appear to be of a low and trifling nature, neither suited to the affected gravity of the government, nor to the generally supposed state of civilization among the people.'

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Conjuring, sleight of hand, and other species of dexterity, form the in-door amusements of the Chinese. These are invariably practised at feasts, if theatrical entertainments are not available. The mind left uninformed thus seeks enjoyment in the most foolish amusements.

Among the out-door amusements of the Chinese is a species of shuttlecock played with the feet; the hand being allowed occasionally to assist in the game. Kite-flying is also universally practised, and in this the Chinese excel all other people, both in the various constructions of their kites, and the heights to which they make them rise. They are constructed of paper made of refuse silk, and split bamboo. They assume every possible shape, and sometimes it is impossible, when they have reached the highest point of ascent, to distinguish them from birds. When ascended, by means of round holes, supplied with vibrating cords, on which the current of the air acts, they issue a humming noise similar to the hum of a swarm of bees.

The nature of the amusements of the Chinese is the same generally, both in the palace and the cottage. Farces, tumbling, and fire-works are the usual diversions with which the emperor and his guests are regaled. In this respect, the Tartar dynasty has become much degenerated. In the

days of Kang-he and Kien-loong, hunting expeditions and falconry were in vogue, by which the hardy and warlike habits of the Mantchoos were maintained; but these are now laid aside. The only amusement, exhibiting the spirit of the Tartars, now practised by the emperor's court, is skating. A scene of this description has been thus described by Van Braam, who was one of the Dutch mission which proceeded to the emperor's court, soon after Lord Macartney's embassy :"The emperor made his appearance on a sort of sledge, supported by the figures of four dragons. This machine was moved about by several mandarins, some dragging before, and others pushing behind. The four principal ministers of state were also drawn upon the ice in their sledges by inferior mandarins. Whole troops of civil and military officers soon appeared, some on sledges, some on skates, and others playing at football on the ice, and he that picked up the ball was rewarded by the emperor. The ball was then hung up in a kind of arch, and several mandarins shot at it, in passing on skates, with their bows and arrows. Their skates were cut off short under the heel, and the fore part was turned up at right angles."

The Chinese have been justly characterized by Lay as devotees of mirth and pleasure. The more voluptuous among them hang a swinging cot up in their apartments, in which they idly pass their time away in singing. Generally speaking, the rich are averse to any bodily exertion, whether in business or amusement, which may in part be attributed to the great heat of the climate during a considerable portion of the year. From this

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