The Portugues Asia, or, The history of the discovery and conquest of India by the Portugues containing all their discoveries from the coast of Africk, to the farthest parts of China and Japan, all their battels by sea and land, sieges and other memorable actions, a description of those countries, and many particulars of the religion, government and customs of the natives, &c. : in three tomes / written in Spanish by Manuel de Faria y Sousa ... ; translated into English by Cap. John Stevens.

CHAP. XV.

A Continuation of the same Subject.

1. FRom their Childhood they apply them∣selves to study, the first Books they read are Morals, then the classick Authors which are entirely learned by Heart, next the Masters exposition, who looks not on the Book when he teaches. The Coppies for writing are laid under the Paper, and the learner draws by it, the Paper being tran∣sparent. From letters they proceed to com∣position, such as are approved of are Print∣ed every 3 Years, and learners study them. There are no Universities, every Master reaches all that is requisite for a man to know, as well in learning, as manners and behavi∣our. The Disciples of quality never go any where without the Master; there are many Schools for the common sort, but no Master can take more Schollars than he can teach himself, for he is not to trust to another. Their Days of recreation are the first 15 in the Year; and some others, but few in the 5th and 7th Moon. The Masters that serve in great Houses Eat at their patrons Table.

2. They have large and stately Halls, rich∣ly adorned, where they examine students, whereof there are great numbers in every City and Town, but chiefly in the Metro∣polis

of Provinces, where they take their Degrees. These buildings for the most part are all of the same form, some bigger than others, but all large; the greatest of our Pallaces is not equal to the least of them, in every one is an infinite number of little rooms, where such as are to be examined, compose each by himself, with a Soldier to attend him, that the more learned may not help the ignorant. The Hall of Quantung which is the least, has 6000 of these Cels and the number of students is greater.

3. There attend all the time of the exa∣mination, Prefidents, Magistrates, Exami∣ners, Clerks, and all sorts of Trades, and all that are there are maintained ind yet and lodging the whole time upon the publick charge. The Order and disposition of all things is much to be admired, formerly Gen∣tlemen were not admitted to take any de∣gree, because not imployed in the Govern∣ment, but they perceiving that only the learned rose, obtained though with difficul∣ty, to be admitted to both; such as are any way infamous, cannot take a degree: The degrees are 3 answerable to o•…•… of Bat∣chelor, Master of Arts, and Doctor; the Chancellor goes about the Town•…•… •…•…d Cities to examine the first, the second is done in the Metropolis of each Province, once in 3 Years, in each of these Acts there are above 7000 students, and above 1500 take the degree of Master of Arts. The Doctors are only made at Court, on a sud∣den

a Bricklayer or Taylor is set up in state, the marks of this dignity are given them and are a Cap, Gown, Tassels, and Boots, all put on with much Ceremony. The King defrays the whole charge, and every one that takes this degree, stands him in 1000 Ducats.

4. Of those that go to the Court to take their degree, 350 are admitted to that of Doctors; the marks of that honour (ex∣cept the Boots which are the same in all) differ very much in the value, besides those mentioned, they have a girdle, they wear them all in the employments they get, and the last is still richer, as they •…•…e preferred. There is another examination at which the King used to be present, now a Colao sup∣plies his place; after it they go to salute the King, who is on his Throne, and gives with his own hand, a premium to each of the three first presented; the first of the 3 is superior over all the others, and has a particular name, as has the second and third; this is so great an honour, that soon after the whole Kingdom knows them by those names, and their degree of honour is equal to our Dukes. Out of the 350 are chosen 25, who have Pallaces assigned them, and are subject to the Colao that is president of the great College, of him they learn the speculative part of Government. Hence they are preferred to employments supe∣rior to Viceroy ships, only such as are of that College, are admitted to the supream dignity

of Colao: when one of these 25 Doctors is made a Mandarin, (especially if he be one of the three presented by the King) there is erected to him in his own Country a trium∣phal Arch all of Marble, and very stately, with his name on the front.

5. Nothing can be said distinctly of their Sciences, because in reality they know no distinction. Three of their Kings were the masters of the •…•…oral and Speculative learn∣ing, under my•…•…ical numbers and Symbols, they were also the Legislators. Above 1000 Years before Christ, two other Kings com∣posed the book called Yequim, being a com∣ment upon those Symbols; then followed Phi∣losophers, like the Stoicks. The most fa∣mous Confucius composed 9 Books, which are esteem'd (chiefly 5 of them) like our Holy writ, many Doctors comment upon them; he flourished 500 Years before Christ, and aimed at the Reformation of Mankind; and is held in veneration as the universal Master, and a Saint, with Temples dedi∣cated to him. The Government of the Ci∣ty where he was born, remains in his Fami∣ly; the immediate successor has the title, revenue, and state of a Duke; they are all as soon as born held in great veneration.

6. The 5 principal Books are, Yequim that treats of natural Philosophy, fate and pre∣dictions; the second, Xoquim of Chronology; the third, Xiquim Poetically discourses of the Nature of things and Human Affections; the fourth, Liquin of Divine Worship; the fifth, Chun•…•…icu, Examples of good and bad

Kings. There are 4 other Books of the same Author, and another called Mencu, that treat of Physicks and Morals; out of these is taken a subject for the compositions of such as are examined; there are also 9 Books of Comments upon those, but only one of them is established by Law.

7. They consider 3 principal objects in the World, Heaven, Earth, and Man, and accordingly their learning is divided into 3 Sciences; that of Heaven treats of the Ori∣ginal of all things; that of the Earth, of its position, product and variety; that of Man, of his manners and affections, to whom they ascribe 5 Moral Virtues, Piety, Justice, Policy, Prudence, and Felicity, respecting 5 Orders of Persons in the Common-wealth, Father, and Son, Husband and Wife, King and Subject, elder and younger Brother, and friends among themselves.

8. They have rules of Grammar, under∣stand Rhetorick, are well skilled in Arith∣metick, and have knowledge of Geometry, but know nothing of Dialectica, and Alge∣bra; Astronomy is a profession only allowed to two Persons to study, one in each Court, and they leave it hereditary to their Sons; they reckon 5 Elements, Water, Metal, Fire, Wood, and Earth, and appropiate to them as many Planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Iu∣piter, Saturn. The Zodiack they divide into 24 Signs, the Year into 12 Moons, and 354 Days, making a Bissextile every three Years of 13 Moons and 383 Days; it begins with the next Moon to the 5th of February. Their

Musick consists all of one sound, the Bonzes sing after the manner of our plain Song, their Instruments are of several sorts, for the most part noisy, and some like ours, such as are played upon strings, have them of Silk.

9. Poetry was always much esteemed in China; all that was published of this sort, used to be sent to the King, they never write any thing reflecting, or immodest, nor have any letter to express the private parts, so that they are never mentioned in any writing, their Verses are in Rhime. Their Painting was without Oyl, or shadows, till they knew and imitated us, and draw well by the life. Their skill in Phisick is the greatest, they have ancient Authors that treat of it, ours are there unknown; bleeding, Cupping, Sirrups, Glisters, Issues, nor Potions, are not used there, but only Pills. All the Me∣dicines are simples, as Herbs, Roots, Fruit and Seeds, all dry, and therefore their Apo∣thecaries have no pots; the Doctors write no receipts, but bring along with them a case with all Medicines in good order, and compound them before the Patient; their judgment in the Pulse is singular, they ask no questions of the Sick, but give themselves an account of the Disease, and apply the Remedy; their Cures are singular, not but that there are some ignorant among them.

10. In ceremonies they are impertinent, the manner is to bow the Head to the ground, if to a greater Person, they kneel and bow in like manner, in some cases they rise again and repeat it at least 3 times, commonly 4,

to the King 9. Particular garments are used for visiting, unless among familiar friends; if they meet, and one has the garment on, and the other not, he immedi∣ately puts it on, for a servant carries it; it is generally black, Doctors, Magistrates, and Gentlemen that wear the habit of Doctors, are excused from wearing of it.

11. The King when he does reverence to his Idols or Mother, holds before his Face a piece of Ivory, a span and half long, and about 4 Fingers broad, all that speak to him use the same ceremony. If two Manda∣rines in the street cannot avoid meeting without stopping their Chairs, they joyn their hands, and carry them leisurly to their Heads bowing them, which is done as soon as they see one another, and repeated till they be passed by; if one be inferior to the other, he stops the Chair, or in case he be on Horseback, alights and makes a profound reverence; if they are not Mandarines, they make the usual compliments, if common People they joyn hands, carry them to the Forehead shaking. Servants in great Houses do not bow to their Lords, but at the new Year, or when he has been absent, their sign of respect is to stand upright with their Arms hanging down; Mandarines servants speak to them on their knees, to give or receive any thing with one hand is not courteous betwixt equals, and very rude from inferors to superiors.

12. In their visits they use the Thie, which is a long piece of Paper made like a Fan, the

breadth is proportionable to the quality of the Person from one to 16 sheets, the Colaos use the least; only one line is writ upon it, and contains 9 letters between friends, among others 6, or 7, the purport of them to this effect, Your great friend and perpetual Disciple of your Doctrine, (here enters the name) kisses your hand, and comes to do you reverence. This Paper is in a purse of the same, and that in another made close and curious.

13. The visiter himself carries this Paper and gives it the Porter, who delivers it to his Master; if he receives the visit and not the Thie, he is not obliged to pay it, but if it is left only with the Porter, he pays the visit. Great Men, as Colaos, Mandarines, and Viceroys seldome visit •…•…y body, but as they pass by the Doors, leave their Thies; when they will not receive visits, they set up a Paper over the Door specifying, they are not in Town; all visits are made in the morning, and they always treat with Sweet∣meats or Fruit, or at least Drink that is Cha.

14. When any one is to absent himself for a time, all friends visit and present him, and he is bound at his return to send presents to all that sent him any; they never visit the Sick, but inquire at the Door of their Health; the Person visited sets the Chairs himself, and wipes them with his sleeve, all the vi∣siters do the same with his. If there be no distinction of superiority, they take their places according to Age, the Person visited the last; as soon as seated, the Cha is brought

and they all Drink. When one speaks of himself, it is with great humility, if they speak of the Son to the Father, they do not say your Son, but the Noble Son; if of the Daughter, the pretious Love; if they inquire about the Sick, they say, How goes the illustrious Sickness; speaking of them∣selves they do not say, I, but the Schollar, the Disciple, and Persons of mean profession, as a Carryer, they call The great Rod; the Person visited waits upon the visiter to the street, and they part with impertinent Ce∣remonies, then send Messages to and fro, as if they had not seen one another.

15. They often send presents of Shooes, Stockins, Linnen, Porcelane, Ink, Pencils, and Eatable things of the best. With the present goes a Thie, being a list of the things sent; it is no ill manners to send back all or part; some only send the list of things they design to present, naming very many, as knowing all will not be accepted, and he it is sent to, marks down what he will accept of, others send all the things which are on∣ly hired, and so restore what is sent back and pay for the rest; he that receives is obliged to return a present.

16. They use many banquets, which are very costly and last long. There are neither Napkins nor Knives on the Tables, because they Eat as was said of the Iaponeses, but sitting on Chairs and at high Tables and round them hang cloths in the manner of Pulpit cloths, Dinner is at 7 in the morn∣ing, Supper at Evening or Night; upon

these occasions the Rooms are adorned as our Churches on Holidays; all the time of Eating, there is Musick and Plays acted, some will go to four or more Feasts in one Day; they seem to be of the Opinion of let us Eat and let us Drink, for to morrow we shall Die.