nifters, the eunuchs, artificers, -and tradefmen belonging to the
court. A great variety o f furface, as well as o f different ob-
je&s, appear within this inclofure. A rivulet winding through
it not only affords a plentiful fupply o f water, but adds largely
to the beauties o f the grounds, by being formed into canals and
bafons, and lakes, which, with the artificial mounts, and rocks,
and groves, exhibit the happieft imitation o f nature.
Between the other two gates, in the fouth wall, and the
correfponding and oppofite ones on the north fide o f the city,
run two ftreets perfe&ly ftraight, each being four Englilh
miles in length, and about one hundred and twenty feet
in width. One ftreet alfo o f the fame width runs from one
jof the eaftern to the oppofite weftern gate, but the other is interrupted
by the north wall o f the imperial city, round which
it is carried. The crofs ftreets can be eonfidered only as lanes
branching from thefe main ftreets at right angles ; are very
narrow; but the houfes in them are generally o f the fame con-
ftrudtion as thofe in the great ftreets. T he large houfes o f the ftate
officers are in thefe lanes.
Although the approach to Pekin afforded little that was inte-
rciting, we had no fooner paffed the gate and opened out the
broad -ftreet, than a very finguhr and novel appearance was exhibited.
W e faw before us a line o f buildings on each fide o f
a wide ftreet, confifting entirely o f fhops and wardioufes, the
■particular goods o f which were brought out and diiplayed in
groupes in front o f the houfes. Before thefe were generally
¡erected large wooden pillars, whofe tops were much higher
than
than the eves o f the houfes, bearing infcriptions in gilt characters,
fetting forth the nature o f the wares to be fold, and the
honeft reputation o f the feller; and, to attract the more notice,
they were generally hung with various coloured flags and
ftreamers and ribbands from top to bottom, exhibiting the appearance
o f a line o f flopping dreffed, as we fometimes fee
them, in the colours o f all the different nations in Europe. The
fides o f the houfes were not lefs brilliant in the feveral colours
with which they were painted, confifting generally o f ik y blue
or green mixed with g o ld : and what appeared to us fingülar
enough, the articles for fale that made the greateft ihow were
coffins for the dead. The mod fplendid o f our coffin furniture
would make but a poor figure i f placed befide that intended for
a wealthy Chinefe. Thefe machines are feldom lefs than three
inches thick, and twice the bulk o f ours. Next to thofe our
notice was attracted by the brilliant appearance o f the funeral
biers and the marriage cars, both covered with ornamental
canopies.
A t the four points where the great ftreets interfe£t One another
were eredted thofe fingular buildings, fometimes o f ftone,
but generally o f wood, which have been called triumphal
arches, but which, in fa£t, áre monuments to the memory o f
thofe who had deferved well o f the community, Or who had attained
an unufual longevity. The y confift invariably o f a
large central gateway, with a fmaller one on each fide, all’ covered
with narrow roofs; and, like the houfes, they ate painted,,
varniftied, and gilt in.the moffi fplendid manner.
The