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