[14] “This was obviously made in France.  There is nothing Chinese about
    it, either in construction or ornament.  It is very different from all
    the others.” (Note by Mr. Wylie.)

[15] “There follows a minute description of the brass clepsydra, and the
    brass gnomon, which it is unnecessary to translate.  I have seen both
    these instruments, in two of the lower rooms.”—­Id.

[16] [Ferdinand Verbiest, S.J., was born at Pitthens, near Courtrai; he
    arrived in China in 1659 and died at Peking on the 29th January,
    1688.—­H.  C.]

[17] We have attached letters A, B, C, to indicate the correspondences of
    the ancient instruments, and cyphers 1, 2, 3, to indicate the
    correspondences of the modern instruments.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

[CONCERNING THE RELIGION OF THE CATHAYANS;[NOTE 1] THEIR VIEWS AS TO THE SOUL; AND THEIR CUSTOMS.

As we have said before, these people are Idolaters, and as regards their gods, each has a tablet fixed high up on the wall of his chamber, on which is inscribed a name which represents the Most High and Heavenly God; and before this they pay daily worship, offering incense from a thurible, raising their hands aloft, and gnashing their teeth[NOTE 2] three times, praying Him to grant them health of mind and body; but of Him they ask nought else.  And below on the ground there is a figure which they call Natigai, which is the god of things terrestrial.  To him they give a wife and children, and they worship him in the same manner, with incense, and gnashing of teeth,[NOTE 2] and lifting up of hands; and of him they ask seasonable weather, and the fruits of the earth, children, and so forth.[NOTE 3]

Their view of the immortality of the soul is after this fashion.  They believe that as soon as a man dies, his soul enters into another body, going from a good to a better, or from a bad to a worse, according as he hath conducted himself well or ill.  That is to say, a poor man, if he have passed through life good and sober, shall be born again of a gentlewoman, and shall be a gentleman; and on a second occasion shall be born of a princess and shall be a prince, and so on, always rising, till he be absorbed into the Deity.  But if he have borne himself ill, he who was the son of a gentleman shall be reborn as the son of a boor, and from a boor shall become a dog, always going down lower and lower.

The people have an ornate style of speech; they salute each other with a cheerful countenance, and with great politeness; they behave like gentlemen, and eat with great propriety.[NOTE 4] They show great respect to their parents; and should there be any son who offends his parents, or fails to minister to their necessities, there is a public office which has no other charge but that of punishing unnatural children, who are proved to have acted with ingratitude towards their parents.[NOTE 5]