Of the R. Geog. Soc.,
vol. xiii. p. 178; Q. Rashid, p. lxxxviii.) Mr. Moule states that
popular oral tradition does enclose the lake within the walls, but he can
find no trace of this in the Topographies.
Elsewhere Mr. Moule says: "Of the luxury of the (Sung) period, and its
devotion to pleasure, evidence occurs everywhere. Hang-chow went at the
time by the nickname of the melting-pot for money. The use, at houses of
entertainment, of linen and silver plate appears somewhat out of keeping
in a Chinese picture. I cannot vouch for the linen, but here is the
plate.... 'The most famous Tea-houses of the day were the Pa-seen ("8
genii"), the "Pure Delight", the "Pearl", the "House of the Pwan Family,"
and the "Two and Two" and "Three and Three" houses (perhaps rather "Double
honours" and "Treble honours"). In these places they always set out
bouquets of fresh flowers, according to the season.... At the counter were
sold "Precious thunder Tea", Tea of fritters and onions, or else Pickle
broth; and in hot weather wine of snow bubbles and apricot blossom, or
other kinds of refrigerating liquor. Saucers, ladles, and bowls were all
of pure, silver!' (Si-Hu-Chi.)"
[Illustration: Plan of the Metropolitan City of Hangchow in the 13th
Century. (From the Notes of the Right Rev. G.E. Moule.)
1-17, Gates; 18, Ta-nuy, Central Palace; 19, Woo-Foo, The Five Courts;
20, T'ai Miao, The Imperial Temple; 21, Fung-hwang shan, Phoenix Hill;
22, Shih fuh she, Monastery of the Sacred Fruit; 25-30, Gates; 31,
T'ien tsung yen tsang T'ien tsung Salt Depot; 2, T'ien tsung tsew koo,
T'ien tsung Wine Store; 33, Chang she, The Chang Monastery; 34, Foo
che, Prefecture; Foo hio, Prefectural Confucian Temple.]
NOTE 5. - This is still the case: "The people of Hang-chow dress gaily, and
are remarkable among the Chinese for their dandyism. All, except the lowest
labourers and coolies, strutted about in dresses composed of silk, satin,
and crape.... 'Indeed' (said the Chinese servants) 'one can never tell a
rich man in Hang-chow, for it is just possible that all he possesses in the
world is on his back.'" (Fortune, II. 20.) "The silk manufactures of
Hang-chau are said to give employment to 60,000 persons within the city
walls, and Hu-chau, Kia-hing, and the surrounding villages, are reputed to
employ 100,000 more." (Ningpo Trade Report, January 1869, comm. by Mr. N.
B. Dennys.) The store-towers, as a precaution in case of fire, are still
common both in China and Japan.
NOTE 6. - Mr. Gardner found in this very city, in 1868, a large collection
of cottages covering several acres, which were "erected, after the taking
of the city from the rebels, by a Chinese charitable society for the
refuge of the blind, sick, and infirm." This asylum sheltered 200 blind
men with their families, amounting to 800 souls; basket-making and such
work was provided for them; there were also 1200 other inmates, aged and
infirm; and doctors were maintained to look after them.
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