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MOst of the Cities in all China are of one Model and Fashion, and ex∣ceed each other only in Bigness and Commerce; for most of them are square, with broad and high Walls of Brick or Free-stone, Fortifi'd round about at an exact distance, with high Watch-Towers, not unlike those of the ancient Romans; surrounded with broad Moats; and within, with Pal∣lasadoes.
The Entrances into the City have always double Gates, one before ano∣ther, with Portcullases, between those two Gates is a large Court, wherein the Soldiers are Exercis'd that belong to the Guard: These Gates are not oppo∣site but oblique, so that they cannot see through them both at once: The first hangs on a double Wall, which appears like our Bulwarks. Above the Gates, on the Arch are high Towers, which the Chineses call Muen Leu, in which the Soldiers keep Guard, and are Magazines where their Arms are kept.
Every Metropolis, and almost all the small Cities, have a little distance* 1.1 without the Walls in a pleasant and frequented place, or near the Road, a Tower, by Peter Iarrik and others call'd Chimes, which the Chineses look up∣on to be so auspicious, that no Man goes about any business of consequence, before he hath Saluted these Edifices, from thence expecting their better Fortune. One of these Towers, by which we may judge all the rest, is be∣fore discrib'd in the Province of Xantung: They have at least seven, nine, or ten Galleries of Free-stone, and very artificially built, in manner like a Pyra∣mid; they are not onely Erected in or near the Cities, but some of them on the highest Mountains.
These Towers are not much unlike other Structures, from their quality* 1.2 call'd Culeu (which here we should name Hourly Towers) which are built at the Publick Charge, one or two in every City, according to the bigness thereof: On every one of these Towers is a Water-Glass, for in stead of Watches or Hour-Glasses, the Chineses use Water Glasses, which shew the Hour of the Day; for the Water falling out of one Glass into the other, lifts up a Board, Carv'd with the Figures of the Hours, and time of the Day: There is also one, who constantly observes the Hand which points, and by the beating on a great Drum, gives notice thereof to the People every Hour, what the Clock is; he also puts forth another Board out of the Steeple, on which the Hour of the Day is Painted with Golden Figures, of a Foot and a half long.
The same Person which Watches the Hours, hath an Eye also (because he looks over the whole City) if any Fire should accidentally happen in one House or other, and by beating on his Drum, raises all the Citizens to the quench∣ing of it: He whose House is set a Fire through his own carelesness, suffers Death without mercy, because of the danger which threatens the neighboring Houses, all built of Wood.
On these Time-telling Towers, the Governors often meet to keep their Festivals.
Trigaut.
Other Towers call'd Cu∣•…•….