CASE I. No. 1. MANDARIN OF THE FIRST CLASS AND HIS SECRETARY. No. 2. MANDARIN OF THE SECOND CLASS. No. 3. MANDARIN OF THE SIXTH CLASS. TWO MASSIVE ARM-CHAIRS, COVERED WITH CRIMSON RICHLY EMBROIDERED. DRAPERY, SQUARE TABLE, HANDSOMELY CARVED, WITH MARBLE TOP. ING IN FRONT OF THE TABLE. CAP STANDS AND VARIOUS ORNAMENTAL ARTICLES. CHINESE MAXIMS ON THE WALL. THE principal figures in this case are three civil Mandarins,* of the first, second and sixth grades, bearing the title "Ta jin," (" great and distinguished men,") applicable to persons of the above class. The one highest in rank is seated, with his head uncovered; the others, with their caps still on, are paying the customary respect to their superior, previously to the occupancy of an adjoining chair. The former is upon the left, this being the post of honour among the Chinese. A secretary is in waiting behind the principal, with official documents in his hand. The two dignitaries are attired in their state robes, which are literally stiff with embroidery, a liberal proportion of which is wrought with gold thread. The greater part of the splendour of their under dresses is hidden from the eye of the visitor by the loose outward garment of dark purple satin, called by the Chinese "Pow-kwa," to divest these figures of which, would give the visitor an incorrect representation of these personages as they invariably appear upon state occasions. Each has an enormous bead necklace, extending below the waist in front, with a string of "chaouchoo," or “court beads” attached to it at the hinder part of the neck, which reaches down to the middle of the back. The caps are dome-shaped, with the lower portion turned up, and forming a broad rim, which is faced with black velvet. The top of the cap is surmounted by a globular button, or ball,† from which there depends a sufficient quantity of crimson silk to cover the whole of the upper portion. The material and colour of the crowning sphere indicates the rank of the wearer. The cap is the most ceremonial appendage among the Chinese, with the ball on * The word " Mandarin," from the Portuguese, is significant with the Chinese term "Kwan," i. e. an officer of the Government, whether civil or military. + Called "Maou-teng." 66 its conical top, as elsewhere remarked, it is a distinctive mark of titular rank. As on most other occasions, their customs as to covering the head are the very reverse of our own. We consider it a mark of respect to uncover the head; with them it would be a great violation of decorum, unless among intimates, and with leave previously asked. In hot weather, when friends interchange visits, and it is more agreeable to be uncovered, the host says to his guest, Shing Kwán!"-raise, or put off the cap,— after which the scruple no longer exists. Besides this distinctive button, the removal of which by the emperor, would be to degrade the person from all rank in the state, each grade of mandarins has a characteristic badge, worn both upon the breast and the back. This is a square piece of purple silk, covered with various embroidery. Its centre is occupied with the figure of a bird, a dragon, or a tiger. The rank of the officer is designated by the kind and colour of the central figure. In the badges of the two mandarins (Nos. 1 and 2) for example, the figure in each is a bird; but in one it is white, and in the other blue. The dress of a military officer is adorned with the figure of a tiger. It may be as well here to remark, that at the imperial court, and on all state occasions of pomp and ceremony, the figure of a dragon denotes the emperor, and that of a tiger, his ministers. The articles of furniture in this case are such as are usually seen in the houses of the higher classes. The wood of which the chairs and table are made, is of a hard grain resembling rosewood. It is called by the Chinese "Muh-wang," or "King of woods," and is esteemed beyond all other trees. It is deserving of remark that with the exception of the Chinese, chairs are not used by eastern nations. On the wall are suspended a pair of silk scrolls, bearing the following appropriate maxims :-"A nation depends on faithful Ministers for its tranquillity." "Mens' sons should rest on filial piety as their particular duty.” The nobility of China are of two kinds, hereditary and official. The former class is not numerous, nor greatly influential. It consists chiefly of the relations of the emperor, who are styled princes, and are bound to live within the precincts of the imperial palace. The real nobility, or aristocracy of the country, are the mandarins. Of these there are estimated to be, on the civil list of the empire, not less than fourteen thousand. The mandarins are divided into nine ranks, or pin, each of which is indicated by a double badge-the colour of the globe on the apex of the cap, The and the embroidery on the front and back of their official robes. colours employed are red, blue, crystal, white, and gold; and these, with certain modifications of shade, serve to distinguish what are denominated "Kew pin," i. e. "the nine ranks," into which all persons possessing any rank in China are divided. The nominal rank, and of course the distinc tive costume, of any of the official grades, may be purchased of the emperor. The sum demanded for the distinction, is, however, proportionately large. Howqua, for instance, the richest of the Hong merchants, whose likeness we have in the collection, purchased his nominal rank at the enormous price of 100,000 dollars. Honours obtained by purchase, as in this instance, form a considerable source of revenue to the government during the reign of some emperors. Persons are selected for civil office in China, with an almost exclusive reference to their talents and education. Strange as it may seem, there is probably no other country on the globe where cultivated talent, exercises its legitimate sway to an equal extent. Wealth, titular nobility, and purchased rank, have their influence, no doubt; but, unless accompanied by personal merit, and, above all, by education, their power is comparatively limited and feeble. The emperor chooses for his officers none but men of the highest attainments and most commanding abilities. It is well-known that the civil institutions of China claim to be framed and fashioned upon the exact model of a wise family government. The emperor is invariably spoken of as the "father of the nation;" the viceroy of a province arrogates the same title in reference to his satrapy; a mandarin is regarded as holding a similar relation to the city which he governs; and even a military commander is the father" of his soldiers. This idea, with its corresponding sentiments, is sedulously instilled into every subject of the empire, from the earliest dawn of intellect, till its powers are extinguished by death. The Book of Sacred Instructions, whose sixteen discourses are read to the people twice every moon, inculcates the doctrine again and again. In our general conduct," it says, "not to be orderly is to fail in filial duty; in serving our sovereign, not to be faithful, is to fail in filial duty; in acting as a magistrate, not to be careful, is to fail in filial duty; in the intercourse of friends, not to be sincere, is to fail in filial duty; in arms and in war, not to be brave, is to fail in filial duty." 66 In fact, obedience to parents, filial piety, and duty to superiors, are placed at the head of all moral excellence. Mr. Davis observes, that fathers have virtually the power of life and death over their children; for, even if they kill them designedly, they are subject only to the chastisement of the bamboo, and a year's banishment; if struck by them, to no punishment at all. The penalty for striking parents, or for cursing them, is death, as among the Hebrews, (Exod. xxi.) It does not appear that this absolute power bestowed on fathers, is productive of evil; the natural feeling being, on the whole, a sufficient security against its abuse. B CASE II. No. 4. 5. 6. PRIEST OF Fûн, OR BUDDHA, IN FULL CANONICALS. PRIEST OF THE TAOU SECT, IN FULL DRESS. GENTLEMEN IN COMPLETE MOURNING APPAREL. 7. SERVANT OF THE ABOVE, ALSO IN MOURNING Dress. 8. CHINESE SOLDIER WITH MATCHLOCK. 9. ARCHER OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY OF THE TARTAR TRIBE. VARIOUS MILITARY WEAPONS ON THE WALL. THE two sects whose ministers are here represented, are, properly speaking, the only religious sects in China. There is, indeed, a thirdthe Confucian--but its doctrines constitute a system rather of philosophy than of theology. It has no priesthood but the emperor and his civil mandarins, no modern temples, and no regular worship. Having previously noticed the religion of Buddha, we subjoin the following account of the Taou sect, together with the philosophy of Confucius. The Taou, or Rational religion, is indigenous in China. This religio-philosophic sect is numerous, and consists of the followers of the doctrines of Laou-Keun-tsze, who lived 569 B.C. The founder of this system has been called the Epicurus of China; and, in some points, there would seem to be a resemblance between the doctrines of the Chinese sage and the Grecian philosopher. He inculcated a contempt for riches and honours, and all worldly distinctions, and aimed, like Epicurus, at subduing every passion that could interfere with personal tranquillity and self-enjoyment. According to Mr. Davis, however, they could not even pretend to despise death, and, therefore, studied magic and alchymy, in the hope of discovering some elixir or other means of prolonging life. In this they failed, of course. Some of the leaders of his sect are called "Doctors of Reason," and many of their tenets and traditions are of an extremely fanciful and absurd character. Many of the Chinese believe in fatalism; while ghosts, spells, charms, omens, talismans, and divination, are quite common among them, besides many other branches of the occult sciences are practised, as geomancy chiromancy, fortune-telling, &c., by persons who exercise great influence over their credulous countrymen. Meanwhile the Confucians, or followers of Confucius, (Kung-foo-tsze,] ) the Chinese philosopher, who flourished about 500 B.C., teach the prac tice of every moral virtue, and a deep veneration for God, or the King of |