Pekin. and\foïA^i.plgasnre>öfjone man, but by »the hard labqur
of manyjlhousands.
The temples of PeMin 'are not ps|ual to its paJhbeS.
T h e ‘religion of the: Emperor; is mtevv'in Qhiiiav andiitf
-worship* is performed’ with-most magnificence inT&taay.
The mandarines, the;menofle6ters,; from whpm arose.*
l e ^ d s the magistrate^whof govera thé empire,’.au^pósr
upper ranks- of life, venerate ratheaMthtóïtiey
^dorm Gonfecius; and meet'to honouriand eele&atediis
memory id halls of a simple but neat -consteuetion: The
numerous and^ower classes^of the people, >a®èdess^able
tha^iaelined^o eontariburemuqhitov»ards:iim^t«tib4i of
hpge.and costlyiedafices.for.ipublie worship. ‘THèirJ reg
io n s attention is much, engaged, besides,'with their
homehold^bds.> Every house has its sdtar.andite’detties.
The' iboofcs - o i their mythology eontaiaai '-representations
of those whorpreside’ >over Theïr'p.erSöns andjproperties,
as well as over exterior objects likely, to affect them. In
the; ’representation of Vin-ddn^ or .’spirit prekidinl^s^F
thunder;; .tbevialence of that, meteor^ whlehmothingife
supposed capable, lefs wdthstmding, ?thfe:^eloeity1of ^fehe
lightning;,whièhcndthing,can exceed,.and <their united
effects, are;designed by the monstrous figure Involved in
Hoods,-.as engraved in the -opposite; pagiek His.ehio.-is
terminatediin theheaksOfmaifeagle, to expressthe-devour-
ang: effects.; «of thunderyias itHe; wings-; doiiitr swiftness.
. With one hand he grasps d thunderbolt; and in the
other is held a-truncheon for striking the kettle-drums
•with which h e is surrounded. The eagle’stalonsare sometimes
represented affixed upon the axis of a wheel, upon
.whiph, with aided velocity, he rolls - among the clouds.
Inch'd original from whence-the annexed figure'has bedfi
.taken, the dreadful effects o f this terrific spirit beneath
the .clouds are pointed-but,by the- appearancdof animals