HAU KIOU CHOAAN. A CHINESE HISTORY. IN BOOK II. CHAP I.* N the preceding Book we faw Tiebchung-u conducted to a Pagoda or convent by the fervants of the Che bien: a piece of respect, which seemed attended with fo much good will, that it took from him all fufpicion of harm. But indeed his thoughts were entirely * CHAP VI. in the Translator's manuscript. VOL. II. B taken taken up with the lovely Shuey-ping-fin; whom he the more admired when he called to mind the account he had received of her wit and judgment, and the uncommon dexterity with which fhe had fet aside the tricks to ensnare her. Certainly, faid he to himself, this is a young Lady truly admirable! If my father and mother, who would have me marry, could procure me fuch a wife, I fhould be the happieft man in the world. Kwo-khé-tzu cannot be blamed for endeavouring to gain fo fine a woman; but then had he no other means but violence? That was not only criminal but foolish. Little did my heart fuggeft to me this morning, that fo uncommon an adventure would fall in my way; that I fhould come come to the fuccour of fo fair a lady, and be the happy inftrument of ref cuing her from danger!" Amidst these pleafing reflections he yielded himself up to fleep; which the fatigues of the day rendered far from unneceffary; and which received no unpleafing interruption from the image of Shuey-pingfin, who was the fubject of his dreams. As foon as he awaked in the morning, he commanded his fervant to pack up his bedding and furniture, in order to depart. But the * SuVOL. II. perior B 2 * The Chinese title in the Tranflator's MS. is Too-fieu Ho-fang.· -The idolatrous Monks or Priests of Fo, called by the Portuguefe Bonzi (in the fingular number Bonzo, from a Japanese word, which fignifies Religious +,) are in China called Ho-fhang Thefe monks appear fo like fome of the religious orders abroad, that P. Premare, a jefuit miffionary, can no otherwife account for it, + Let. ed. xxviij. 407. than perior of the Bonzees, came to him. and told him he must not go: but must spend a few days longer with than by fuppofing the devil had in view to counterfeit the holy rites of the church. "These priests of fatan (fays he, Let. ed. ij. 103.) "have 66 long robes which reach to their ancles, with "vaft fleeves, which exactly resemble those "of fome of the religious [orders] in Europe. "They live together in their Pagodes, as in Con"vents; they go about the streets [a la quête] a begging as the mendicants [two and two together, fays P. Semedo.] They rife in the "night to worship [FO:] they fing toge"ther in their choirs in a tone, which very much "refembles our pfalmody or chanting."-They go with their heads and beards fhaven: (fays "P. Semedo, p. 89) They have feveral offices and prayers against fire, tempefts, misfortunes, "and especially for the dead. Their caps are "like ours, [meaning thofe of the jefuits]; and "their fprinkling brushes without any difference "at all." They alfo ufe large chaplets of beads, practife rigorous faftings, and never marry. Some of them are hermits, others folitary wanderers, but the greatest part live in Convents. [See vel. 1. p. 220. netc.] They have fuperiors whom they call Ta-Ho-bang, or Great Bonzees, who prefide over their Convents, and govern them, but at large: diftributing the feveral offices among them, deciding their differences, &c.-After all, the Bonaces in China are very much kept under, * Vid. Authores infra citat. and |