seal," implies a re-commencement of public business, after ending the new year's holidays, which continue from about the twentieth of the twelfth moon, to the twentieth of the first moon.

483. Glass-box for containing the red pigment used with seals. 484. Model of a mandarin's couch, called "Kang," which occasionally answers for a bed; it is made of the wood " Muh wang," and is richly carved.

In the north of China, during the cold weather, these couches are warmed by fire underneath. They were introduced by the Tartars. In the centre of the seat is placed a small table, " Kang cho tsze," to receive tea, and other refreshments, whilst two persons sit one on each side of it; stools for the feet are placed in front.

486 to 488. Three ornamental stands, in which are variegated marbles, covered with sculptured hieroglyphics, and which are held by the Chinese in religious veneration.

489. Small ornamental stand, with porcelain vessel.

490. Copper cast of Buddha, worshipped by the religious sect in China, on a stand of hard wood.

491. Beautiful specimen of variegated marble, with rude natural resemblances of birds and animals, in a richly-carved frame.

492. Specimen of painting on glass, with an astrological device, in richly carved frame.

CASE XXVII.

SMALL ARTICLES OF FINE PORCELAIN.

493. Three tea-pots and sundry cups. The inside is of porcelain,

the outside of white copper.

These afford a good specimen of a singular application of this metal, being formed in a very puzzling manner over a porcelain vessel of the same shape, which appears as an interior lining. The handles and spouts are of the stone called jade, to which the Chinese give the name

of yu. The outsides of these tea-pots are covered with sentences expressive of the excellencies of good tea.

494.

Porcelain dish in form of a leaf with imitation fruit.

495. Porcelain snuff bottle, of great beauty, with stopper of red cornelian, attached to which is a tortoise-shell spoon.

496.

Perforated porcelain vessel, for sweet-scented flowers.

497. Brown porcelain tea-pot of singular form.

498. Another ditto, with maxims.

499. Very curious porcelain box, in form of a crab, with moveable eyes

and feet.

500. Singular and ancient tea-pot, having no lid. The tea is put in at the bottom, and the orifice is then stopped, the object of which is to prevent the escape of the aroma of the tea.

501. Very small tea-pot of brown ware and porcelain cup of very small dimensions.

These are not toys, as they are sometimes supposed to be; but are used in making the finest and most expensive kinds of tea; teas in China being sold at prices varying from a few cents to several dollars per catty.* The most costly kinds are never exported, as they would not bear the exposures of a distant voyage. A small canister of peculiarly fine tea accompanies the above.

502. Vessel to contain tsew hing, hot wine, at dinners.

503. Perforated porcelain vessel, resembling an orange.

504. Very ancient tea-pot, but similar to the more modern, except in the handle; the outer surface being cracked in the burning.

505 & 506. Two porcelain bowls of great beauty.

507. A small portable furnace and kettle, made of a species of fire

clay.

508. A vessel of clay in common use for the purpose of cooking rice. 509. A figured tile, used for paving court-yards.

510. A kettle made of clay, for boiling water. This vessel is in general use in China, and is of the least expensive kind, the retail price is about one farthing each.

* A catty is one pound and one-third,

Earthenware vessels for containing liquids are extensively used among the Chinese; some of them are very capacious, and others display the taste of the artist. Stone ware, or coarse earthen jars, are frequently seen as large as hogsheads; earthen cooking utensils are there employed, which elsewhere are made of iron or wood.

513. Ornamental stand, with grotesque sculptured human figure. 514. Mariner's compass called by the Chinese, The needle pointing

516 & 517. Buttons worn on mandarins' caps to denote their rank. 518. Ancient Chinese coins of different reigns, also the coins of the

Ta-Tsing, or present Tartar dynasty.

Coinage, in the strictest sense of the word, is hardly applicable to the Chinese mode of working the precious metals. The inscriptions on the back of these copper pieces (tsëen) are in the Manchow character, which is unintelligible to most of the Chinese. The name of the dynasty is placed on the left hand, and that of the reigning monarch on the right of the square hole. The value of these cash as they are called by foreigners, has fallen much within a few years, having formerly approximated nearly to the standard. The amount of pure copper contained in them varies almost as much as their value. Tutenague is the principal alloy contained in it.

519. Pair of washed metallic rings, put on the arms of females when young, and never taken off; also, a washed metallic pin for the hair.

520.

Pair of spectacles of peculiar construction.

521. Model of a couch, the panels and seat of which are of marble.

525.

Pair of spectacles with tortoise-shell frame and embroidered case. 526. Swan-pan or calculating board.

527. Ornamental stand, with marble top, on which is a plate of wax fruit, and several coloured glass snuff bottles.

528. Specimen of beautifully embossed lacquered ware from Soochow, in which are a pair of ear-rings.

529.

Stand with grotesque figure, and antique copper vessel in form of a duck, used to contain water for diluting the China ink.

530. Pallet and cover, for mixing India ink.

531. Lady's work-basket, ingeniously wrought from bamboo. 532. Stone medallions, with hieroglyphics inscribed on them, used as

amulets or charms.

The written spells which the Chinese sometimes use, consist of mystical compounds of various characters, or words, in which astrology is generally introduced. Some of these spells are kept about the person, others are pasted on the walls of rooms.

"Occasionally," observes Mr. Morrison, "they are used as cures for sick persons, being either written on leaves which are then infused in some liquid, or inscribed on paper, burned, and the ashes thrown into drink, which the patient was to swallow."

A common Chinese talisman is a silver plate, on which is inscribed the characters Chang ming, foo kwei, "long life, riches, and honors," this is presented to a child a month old, and is worn suspended from the neck; kindred and friends subscribe to its purchase; it is called Yin pae, a silver medal."

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.

533. Pen-holder, made of the bark of a tree.

534 & 535. Rosaries of colored beads.

538. Winnowing machine, used in sifting tea, having two spouts, to ascertain the proportion of dust, called "fung-kwei," or "wind devil."

539 & 540. Gentleman's girdle. The ends are very ingeniously wrought in braid, representing a basket of flowers.

SMALL ARTICLES OF FINE PORCELAIN.

543. Beautifully enamelled vessel, (on copper,) to hold flowers.

544 & 545. Porcelain rice dishes.

546 & 547. A pair of rich porcelain vases, with figures inlaid with gold. Very ancient porcelain vessel, to hold soy made from the Dolichos

548.

549.

Soja. There are large manufactories of soy at Honan.

Curious small porcelain tea-pot.

550 & 551. Two finely painted porcelain tea-cups and covers, with written sentences on each. These are of a superior kind, and are designated" egg-shell porcelain.”

552. Porcelain vessel of beautiful texture, for holding rice or soup. 553. Enamelled tea-cup, cover and stand; curious, but rarely used. 554. Beautifully painted porcelain pencil-holder, on carved stand. 555. Eight richly painted porcelain cups forming a set.

556 & 557. A pair of white porcelain jars, on which are paintings of some of the highest mandarins in their state robes.

558. Small porcelain vessel for liquors.

559 to 561. Three large dishes, being beautiful specimens of enamel on copper. These are used at marriage entertainments of the wealthy.

562 & 563. Two large China ware tea-buckets, used by labourers, &c.

while engaged at their work.