H i
h
SOUTH GATE OF THE CITY OF TING-HAI,
In the Harbour o f Tchu-san.
T he P o rt o f T c h u - s a n , into w h ich th e E n g lish were fo rme rly admitted,
lies in latitu d e , th ir ty degrees a n d twen ty m in u te s n o rth , o r ab o u t m id w
a y , on the east coast o f C liin a , between C an -to n an d P e -k in g .
T h e wa lls in c lo s in g th is c ity are n e a r th irty feet in h eig h t, w h ich (exce
p tin g Pagodas, p u b lic b u ild in g s , k c .) e n tire ly pre clude tbe sig h t o f the
h ouses, wiiicli in gene ral have b u t one s to ry .
T h e bricks an d tiles o f C h in a , e ith e r from a different q u a lity o f the
substance th a t composes th em , o r from bein g d ried an d b u rn t in a different
m a n n e r, are o f a b lu ish , o r slate colour. T h e embra sures hav e no
a r tille ry , b u t there are loop-boles in th e merlo n s for the use o f archers.
O n th e wa lls, an d a t th e entrance o f the gate, are tents as guard-houses,
whe re a sufficient n um b e r o f soldie rs are co n tin u a lly s tatio n ed . A t an
e a rly h o u r o f the n ig h t the gates are sh u t, afte r w h ich , no person can be
a dm itted on a n y pretence whatever.
T h e angles o f the roofs w h ich curve u pw a rd s , and project considerably,
in C h in e se b u ild in g s , most lik e ly have th e ir o rig in from t e n ts ; for a can-
vas re stin g on fo u r cords w ould receive the same form. T h e ridges on the
angles o f the b u ild in g s o ver the gate are decorated w ith figures o f an im a ls ,
d ra g o n s , k c . ; an d th e sides o f the b u ild in g , and extremities o f the beams,
p ain ted w ith v ario u s co lo u rs. T h e yellow board o ver the arch lias C h inese
ch a rac ters on i t ; w h ich p ro b a b ly sig n ify the name and ra n k o f the
c ity . T h e carriage en te rin g the c ity , is a vehic le used in common w ith
sedans, for the conveyance o f perso n s o f consequence. T h e C h in e se have
n o t adopted the use o f sp rin g s , therefore these machines are little better
th a n a E u ro p e an ca rt. T h e nearest figure shews the usu al meth o d o f
c a rry in g lig h t b u rth e n s , as vegetables, fru it, k c . k c .