Volume 1

A description of the empire of China and Chinese-Tartary, together with the kingdoms of Korea, and Tibet. Containing the geography and history (natural as well as civil) of those countries ... / from the French of P.J.B. DuHalde, Jesuit, with notes geographical, historical and critical and other improvements, particularly in the maps by the translator.

  • Du Halde, J.-B. (Jean-Baptiste), 1674-1743.
Date:
1738-1741
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A description of the empire of China and Chinese-Tartary, together with the kingdoms of Korea, and Tibet. Containing the geography and history (natural as well as civil) of those countries ... / from the French of P.J.B. DuHalde, Jesuit, with notes geographical, historical and critical and other improvements, particularly in the maps by the translator. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    59/794 (page 15)
    ‘Concerning the Hyang-chang-tfe, or odoriferous Deer, is very true ; this Animal is not- fcafce, being found, not only in the southern Provinces, but even within 4 or 5 Leagues to the Weft of Pe-kingi ’Tis a fort of Deer without Horns, with Hair of a blackiffi Colour j its Mufk-bag is compoied of a very thin Skin, covered with Hair exceeding tine ; the Flefh is good to eat, and ierved up at the beft Tables. I thall have occafion to fpeak of it hereafter. In the Southern Provinces, as C>uang-tong, and efpecially ^uang-Ji, there are Parrots of all forts, in every refpedt like thole brought from America, they have the fame Plumage and Docility for Talk¬ ing, but they are not comparable to the Birds called Kin-ki, or Golden^HenS -, thefelaftjire found in the Provinces of Se-clmen, Titn-nan and Sken-fi. We have no Bird in Europe that refembles them} their lively red and yellow, the Plume on the Head, the fhadowing of the Tail, and the Variety of Colours in the Wings, together with a well fhap’d Body, have no doubt given occafion to the Name of Golden-Hen, as it fhews the Preference this Bird ought to have over all others : Its Flefh is more delicate than that of a Pheafant ; fo that, of all the Birds in the Eaft, this perhaps beft deferves to be brought into Europe. Nothing is more to be admired than a little Bird called Fung-wha-fong, mentioned by the Chineje Geographers, according to whom, the Variety of its Colours is furprizing, and its Bill of a ftiining Red, inclining to Vermillion ; but in the Province of Se-chwen, and even at Ghing-tu-fu it felt; where, they lay, it breeds, the Inhabitants know nothing of this Bird, according to the fame* Geographers, its Life is of no longer Duration than the Flower Fng-wha, and its Beauty iurpaffes that of the Bird Fang-whang-, which fhould be our Phœnix, if there ever was fuch a Bird, as it is defcribed by our Authors. It is certain that the Fong-ivhang, whofe Figure is often painted and let off with a vaft Number of Ornaments, never appears in any of the Cities or Mountains, to which they have given its Name, at Fohg-tfyang-fu in Shen-fi, where they fay it is, ’tis not more known any where elfe, as we have already remarked in fpeaking of Fong-whang-ching in Fartary (M.) Among the beautiful Birds, .they with good Reafon reckon the Hay-tfmg. ’Tis very rare, bein<* found only in the DiftiiOt of Hong-c u in Shen-Ji, and fome Parts of Fart ary -, it is not inferior to our fineft Falcons, but exceeds them in Bignefs and Strength ; it may be called the King of <the Birds of Prey in Fartary and China-, for it is the moft beautiful, fprightly and courageous of , » an<^ i*V fuch Efteem, that as loon as any of them is catched, it muft be carried to Court, where it is prefented to the Emperor, and afterwards committed to the Care of the Royal Fal¬ coners. s 7. The Butterflies of the Mountain Loyfew-Jhan, fituated in the Diftrid of Whey-cheWyfu and province of §>uang-tong, are like wife fo much efteemed, that the largeft and moft uncommon are lent to Court, where they become a Part of certain Ornaments in the Palace : Their Colours are lurpnzmgly diverflfied and lively ; they are much bigger than the Butterflies of Europe, and their •Wings a great deal larger. In the Day time they appear without Motion on the Trees, and are ealily taken ; in the Evening they begin to flutter about, much like our Bats, and fome of them o n\V° be aS argr’oW.llen îheir WinSs are extended : There are alfo beautiful Butterflies found in the Mountains of St-Jhan m the Province of Pe-cheNi, which are likewife in Requeft j but they are Imall, and not to be compared to thefe of Mount Lo-few-jhan. °f a/f*are fti11 more valuable, on account of the Mines of different Metals. T e Chineje fay they are full of Gold and Silver • but that the Working of them hitherto has been hindered from fome political Views, .perhaps, that the publick Tranquillity might not be difturbed Ao'ricultur^reat abundancc of thefe Metals, which would make the People haughty and negligent of Thus this irmnenfe Fund of hidden Treafure, which they talk fo much of, becomes ufelefs. The S mu™ u ??,f0 famous for his had once given Permiffion to fome of his own tlouiUoid, who had the Care of his Domain to a large Extent, to open the Silver Mines, but Î?™1 * -n0 glveLover tbe Work in 2 or 3 Years. Not, fay they, becaufe the Profit arifing from thr>c* T n !fg> b?t rather ^°. Prevent the Rabble from affembling together. They add that 7 ° T01 Silver Mines in the Province of Tun-nan, which have always been open, were formerly confiderable Gainers by them. P ’ . ry?1 doubt’ China affords Mines of Gold alfo. What Gold they have there, is partly dug * M ln^S *. .u^m°ft of it is found among the Sands, which the Rivers and Torrents roll from °fthe Provinces of Se-chwen and Tun-nan -, this laft is the richer in» P T >Tl ^COp I calledrLQ-^ of whom I fhall fpeak hereafter,and who poffefs the neighbour¬ 's Parts of the Kingdoms of Pegu and Laos, probably dig a great deal of Gold from the r Mountains ; fince they ufe to put a good Quantity of Gold Leaves in the Coffins of ilkffidous rZÇOnS'(^A thi°fC ^°. d,^ervçd their Efteem- Their Gold is not very beautiful, poffibly becaufe 1 ; *n a11 ilkehhood the Lo-lo are not better fkilled in Smelting of Gold than Silver as pur^and I ^ °f 5 but when refined by the C^efe Workmen, it becomes M * *5“ chandize*; touhtSmTnTfor S**®? “ • Colned> k *s eraP!oyed in Trade as a Mer- e Demand for it in the Empire is not very confiderable. becaufe Gold is fcarce ever (M) Itfeerasfrom this Circumlhnre ,t;rtunr • ■ r ~ «f China. nuance, as it the Defcnpüon of 7artary was originally defigned to have been placed before that Birds Kin-ki% or golden Hens. The ni'ba-fhnpi Fcng-'ivbfifjgi or Phcenix. Butterflies* Mountains, and Mmes therein. Gold Mines