the golden chersonese and the way thither-第11节

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by　Imperial　sanction　or　decree。

The　public　buildings　and　temples；　though　they　bear　magnificent　names；
are　extremely　ugly；　and　are　the　subjects　of　slow　but　manifest　decay；
while　the　streets　of　shops　exceed　in　picturesqueness　everything　I　have
ever　seen。　Much　of　this　is　given　by　the　perpendicular　sign　boards；
fixed　or　hanging；　upon　which　are　painted　on　an　appropriate　background
immense　Chinese　characters　in　gold；　vermilion；　or　black。　Two　or　three
of　these　belong　to　each　shop；　and　set　forth　its　name　and　the　nature　of
the　goods　which　are　to　be　purchased　at　it。　The　effect　of　these　boards
as　the　sun's　rays　fall　upon　them　here　and　there　is　fascinating。　The
interiors　of　the　shops　are　lofty；　glass　lamps　hang　from　the　ceilings
and　large　lanterns　above　every　door；　and　both　are　painted　in　bright
colors；　with　the　characters　signifying　happiness；　or　with　birds；
butterflies；　flowers；　or　landscapes。　The　shop　wall　which　faces　the　door
invariably　has　upon　it　a　gigantic　fresco　or　portrait　of　the　tutelary
god　of　the　building；　or　a　sheet　of　red　paper　on　which　the　characters
forming　his　name　are　placed；　or　the　character　Shan；　which　implies　all
gods；　and　these　and　the　altars　below　are　seen　from　the　street。　There　is
a　recess　outside　each　shop；　and　at　dusk　the　joss…sticks　burning　in
these　fill　the　city　with　the　fragrance　of　incense。

As　there　are　streets　of　shops　and　trades；　so　there　are　streets　of
dwelling…houses；　but　even　the　finest　of　these　present　a　miserable
appearance　to　the　passers…by；　for　all　one　can　see　is　a　lofty　and
dimly…lighted　stone　vestibule；　furnished　with　carved　ebony　chairs　with
marble　seats　and　backs；　and　not　infrequently　with　gigantic　coffins
placed　on　end；　the　gift　of　pious　juniors　to　their　seniors！　A　porter
stands　in　this　vestibule　ready　to　open　the　lofty　triple　gate　which
admits　to　the　courtyard　of　the　interior。　Many　Chinese　mansions　contain
six　or　seven　courtyards；　each　with　its　colonnade；　drawing；　dining；　and
reception　rooms；　and　at　the　back　of　all　there　is　a　flower　garden
adorned　with　rockeries；　fish…ponds；　dwarf　trees；　and　miniature　pagodas
and　bridges。

The　streets　in　which　the　poor　dwell　are　formed　of　low；　small；　dark；　and
dirty　houses；　of　two　or　three　rooms　each。　　The　streets　of　dwellings　are
as　mean　and　ugly　as　those　of　shops　are　brilliant　and　picturesque。

This　is　a　meagre　outline　of　what　may　be　called　the　anatomy　of　this
ancient　city；　which　dates　from　the　fourth　century　B。C。；　when　it　was
walled　only　by　a　stockade　of　bamboo　and　mud；　but　was　known　by　the　name
of　〃the　martial　city　of　the　south；〃　changed　later　into　〃the　city　of
rams。〃　At　this　date　it　has　probably　greater　importance　than　it　ever
had；　and　no　city　but　London　impresses　me　so　much　with　the　idea　of　solid
wealth　and　increasing　prosperity。

My　admiration　and　amazement　never　cease。　I　grudge　the　hours　that　I　am
obliged　to　spend　in　sleep；　a　week　has　gone　like　half　a　day；　each　hour
heightening　my　impressions　of　the　fascination　and　interest　of　Canton；
and　of　the　singular　force　and　importance　of　the　Chinese。　Canton　is
intoxicating　from　its　picturesqueness；　color；　novelty　and　movement。
to…day　I　have　been　carried　eighteen　miles　through　and　round　it；
reveling　the　whole　time　in　its　enchantments；　and　drinking　for　the　first
time　of　that　water　of　which　it　may　truly　be　said　that　who　so　drinks
〃shall　thirst　again〃true　Orientalism。　As　we　sat　at　mid…day　at　the
five…storied　pagoda；　which　from　a　corner　of　the　outer　wall　overlooks
the　Tartar　city；　and　ever　since；　through　this　crowded　week；　I　have
wished　that　the　sun　would　stand　still　in　the　cloudless　sky；　and　let　me
dream　of　gorgeous　sunlight；　light　without　heat；　of　narrow　lanes　rich　in
color；　of　the　glints　of　sunlight　on　embroideries　and　cloth　of　gold；
resplendent　even　in　the　darkness；　of　hurrying　and　colored　crowds　in　the
shadow；　with　the　blue　sky　in　narrow　strips　high　above；　of　gorgeous
marriage　processions；　and　the　〃voice　of　the　bridegroom　and　the　voice　of
the　bride；〃　of　glittering　trains　of　mandarins；　of　funeral　processions；
with　the　wail　of　hired　mourners　clad　in　sackcloth　and　ashes；　of　the
Tartar　city　with　its　pagodas；　of　the　hills　of　graves；　great　cities　of
the　dead　outside　the　walls；　fiery…red　under　the　tropic　blue；　of　the
〃potter's　field〃　with　its　pools　of　blood　and　sacks　of　heads；　and
crosses　for　crucifixion；　now；　as　on　Calvary；　symbolical　of　shame　alone；
of　the　wonderful　river　life；　and　all　the　busy；　crowded；　costumed　hurry
of　the　streets；　where　blue　banners　hanging　here　and　there　show　that　in
those　houses　death　has　stilled　some　busy　brains　forevermore。　And　I
should　like　to　tell　you　of　the　Buddhist　and　Confucian　temples；　of　the
monastery　garden；　which　is　the　original　of　the　famous　〃Willow　Pattern；〃
of　the　great　Free　Dispensary　which　is　to　rival　that　of　the　Medical
Mission；　of　the　asylums　for　lepers；　foundlings；　the　blind；　aged　men　and
aged　women；　dating　from　the　fourteenth　to　the　seventeenth　centuries；
originally　well　conceived　and　noble　institutions；　but　reduced　into
inefficiency　and　degradation　by　the　greed　and　corruption　of　generations
of　officials；　of　the　〃Beggars'　Square〃　and　beggars'　customs；　of　the
trades；　and　of　the　shops　with　their　splendors；　of　the　Examination　Hall
with　its　streets　numbering　eleven　thousand　six　hundred　and
seventy…three　cells　for　the　candidates　for　the　literary　honors　which
are　the　only　road　to　office　and　distinction　in　China；　but　Canton
deserves　a　volume；　and　Archdeacon　Gray　has　written　one！

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　IV

〃Faithful　unto　Death〃〃Foreign　Devils〃Junks　and　BoatsChinese
LuxuryCanton　AfloatAn　Al　Fresco　Lunch…Light　and　ColorA　Mundane
DisappointmentStreet　Sights　and　SoundsStreet　CostumeFood　and
RestaurantsA　Marriage　ProcessionTemples　and　WorshipCrippled　Feet


REV。　B。　C。　HENRY'S；　CANTON；　January　6。

In　the　week　in　which　I　have　been　here　I　have　given　myself　up　to
ceaseless　sight…seeing。　Almost　the　first　sight　that　I　saw　on　arriving
in　this　quarter；　which　is　in　Canton　itself；　was　a　number　of　Christian
refugees；　old　men；　women；　and　children；　who；　having　fled　from　a　bloody
persecution　which　is　being　waged　against　Christianity　about　ninety
miles　from　Canton；　are　receiving　shelter　in　the　compound　of　the　German
mission。　It　was　late　in　the　evening；　and　these　poor　refugees；　who　had
sacrificed　much　for　their　faith　and　had　undergone　great　terror；　were
singing　hymns；　and　reading　and　worshipping　in　Chinese。　In　the　place
from　which　they　came　a　Christian　of　wealth　wished　to　build　a　church；
and　last　week　he　was　proceeding　to　do　so；　when　the　heathen；　instigated
by　the　district　mandarin；　seized　upon　him　and　four　other　Christians；
and　when　he　would　neither　say　the　word　nor　make　the　obeisance　which　is
regarded　as　equivalent　to　denying　Christ；　they　wrapped　him　in　cotton
wadding　soaked　in　oil；　tied　him　to　a　cross；　and　burned　him；　no
extremity　of　torture　availing　to　shake　his　constancy。　They　cut　off　the
arms　and　legs　of　the　four　other　persons；　tied　crosses　to　the　trunks；
and　then　burned　them。　This　deed；　done　so　near　Canton；　has　caused　great
horror　among　the　foreigners　both　here　and　at　Hong　Kong；　and　the　deepest
sympathy　is　felt　both　with　the　converts　and　the　missionary　priests。　In
the　sympathy　with　the　heroism　and　sufferings　of　those　who　have　been
〃faithful　unto　death；〃　all　the　Protestant　missionaries　join　heartily；
as　in　the　belief　that　these　victims　are　reckoned　among　〃the　noble　army
of　martyrs。〃　It　is　estimated　that　there　are　seven　hundred　and　fifty
thousand　Romish　Christians　in　China；　many　of　them　of　the　third　or
fourth　generation　of　Christians；　and　in　some　places　far　in　the　interior
there　are　whole　villages　of　them。　The　Portuguese　and　French　missionary
priests　who　devote　themselves　for　life　to　this　work；　dress；　eat；　and
live　as　Chinamen；　and　are　credited　with　great　devotion。

It　is　most　interesting　to　be　brought　by　the　spectacle　of　these　poor
refugees　so　near　to　the　glory　and　the　woe　of　martyrdom；　and　to　hear
that　the　martyr　spirit　can　still　make　men　〃obedient　unto　death；　even
the　death　of　the　cross。〃　A　placard　was　posted　up　some　time　ago　calling
for　a　general　massacre　of　the　native　Christians　on　Christmas　Day。　　It
attributes　every　vice　to　the　〃Foreign　Devils；〃　and　says　that；　〃to
preserve　the　peace　and　purity　of　Chinese　Society；　those　whom　they　have
corrupted　must　be　cut　off。〃　One　phrase　of　this　placard　is；　〃The
wickedness　of　these　foreign　devils　is　so　great　that　even　pigs　and　dogs
would　refuse　to　eat　their　flesh！〃

Mr。　and　Mrs。　Henry　speak　Chinese；　and　are　both　fearless；　and　familiar
with　the　phases　of　Canton　life。　Of　all　the　places　I　have　seen；　Canton
is　the　most　overwhelmingly　interesting；　fascinating；　and　startling。
〃See　Canton　and　die；〃　I　would　almost　say；　and　yet　I　can　give　no　idea　of
all　that　has　taken　such　a　strong　hold　of　me。　I　should　now　be　quite
content　to　see　only　the　manifold　street　life；　with　its　crowds；
processions；　and　din；　and　the　strange　and　ever…shifting　water　life；
altogether　distinct　from　the　land　life。　The　rice…paper　pictures　give　a
very　good　idea　of　the　forms　and　colors　of　the　boats；　but　the　thousands
of　them；　and　the　rate　at　which　they　are　propelled；　are　altogether
indescribable；　either　by　pen　or　pencil。

There　are　junks　with　big　eyes　on　either　si