ART. III. An excursion to the city of Súchau, made in the autumn of 1845 by Isidore Hedde commerical delagate, attached to the French Legation. Communicated for the Repository.

[Besides the subjoined, kindly communicated for our pages, we have been able to learn some other particulars regarding Mr. Hedde's visit. We understand that he visited the dyeing houses, where he inspected the processes of forming some of their choicest colors, and the substances from which they are obtained, among others the L, hung hwa, Hibicus rosa sinensis, which comes, we are told, from the province of Sz'chuen. It is noticed in Medhurst's dictionary as a wild saffron;' perhaps the plant referred to may be the Kiangnán kuh hưá, the Chrysan

themum, or China aster.

Our best thanks are offered to the friend who has so obligingly furnished us with these notices, and we hope Mr. Hedde will not fail to give the world a full account of all he saw while in the "terrestrial paradise."]

SÚ CHAU is situated in lat. 31° 23′ 25′′ N.; long, 4′ 0° 25′′ E. of Peking. It has been compared by the French missionaries to Venice, with this difference, that Suchau is two days distant from the sea, being accessible only by small inland water, communications. It is the second city of the province of Kiángsú, and residence of a governor who acts by himself, subordinate only to the governor resident at Nanking. Its situation in the midst of large channels of water is beautiful; the country all around is very pleasant; its climate is delightful, and it is said by many to be the most populous city of the empire. From Shanghái the way to it is through a continual range of villages and cities. Not an inch of ground is left uncultivated, and crops succeed each other the year round.

The adjacent country is flat, and except some few hills of a blue lime-stone, the soil is of a rich alluvial character. Cotton, silk, rice, wheat, rye barley and vegetables, are common productions. The intercommunication is carried on by means of rivers, canals and ponds surrounded by the most flourishing vegetation. There may be seen the large mulberry with notched leaf, the red leaved tallow tree, the long black bamboo and green willow intermingled with the large lobated leaf, of the paper tree, the dark green tall cypress, the pine, and the wide spreading banian tree. At short intervals may be seen, for purposes of irrigation, machines moved by men or buffaloes; granite sluices are also sometimes observed constructed for the same purpose. All the channels are full of small boats, lighters, junks, &c., coming up and down, some of them fill of fruits and flowers and various other products.

Súchau is like Hangchau not only a town of large commerce and great silk manufactures, but a place of diversion and pleasure. "Above," say the Chinese, "is paradise, below are Sú and Háng." They add, "To be happy on earth, one must be born in Súchau, live in Canton, and die in Liauchau." In fact, Súchau has a high reputation throughout China, for the magnificence of its ancient and new marble buildings, the elegance of its tombs, the multitude of its granite bridges and artificial canals, the picturesque scenery of its waters, streets, gardens and quays, the politeness of its inhabitants, and especially for the beauty of the female sex.

It is said that the city contains a "million of inhabitants," and that there are other millions in its vicinity. Indeed there are several towns included in one, comprising what is called Súchau. First the city proper, inclosed with high walls which are about ten miles in circumference. Second, the suburbs, which are four distinct towns, especially one in the west part, which is about ten miles in length and nearly the same in breadth, and is separated from the city proper by the great imperial canal,. Third, the population resi ding on the water which is very numerous.

This interesting city has never yet been fully described. Several missionaries have visited it, but have said little about it. Lord Macartney passed through it, but only gave a few notices of its elegant bridges, the culture and manufacture of silk, the manners and costume of the people. Many, and among them the courageous Mr. Fortune, have attempted to enter the city, but without success. Mr. Isidore Hedde, an attaché of the French mission, who has been sent out to make researches regarding mulberries, silkworms and the manufacture of silks, has been more fortunate. He went to Súchau in a Chinese dress and traversed the city and suburbs in various directions without being recognised or troubled. He visited several monuments, the mint where Sycec is stamped, the great hall for examination of the literati, a cloister where young girls are educated in reading, singing and dressing, for the pleasure of the higher classes, and two large establishments for the weaving of imperial cloths. Having entered by the eastern gate, he passed out through the famous western gate, and visited there the most interesting part of Sáchau, the focus of Chinese industry. Here are innumerable fabrics of iron, ivory, gold, silver, wood, bone,

Those born in Súchau are remarkable for personal beauty; those who live in Canton enjoy the richest luxuries of life; and those who die in Liáuchau (Kiángsí) easily obtain superior coffins, from the excellont forest-trees which are there abundant.

horn, glass, earth, paper, ma cotton and silk. He saw here silk looms of all descriptions, in cloth, ribbons, tapestry, and embroidery, some even in boats. He saw a singularly woven figured silk, peculiar to Súchau, which is called 'ch sz', in forming which, are the several processes of weaving, painting, embroidery and sewing, exhibiting figures of men, flowers, gardens, &c.

Some Englishmen have suruained Súchau the London of eastern China, but on account of its industry in the silk manufacture, it would better be named by Frenchmen, the Lyons of China.

Mr. Hedde proceeded till he came to the Tiger Nose hill and ascended the pagoda, whence he had a general view of the town, the fortifications, the great imperial canal, the rivers, streams and pools which intersect the city, the numerous temples and government offices, the innumerable streets, the intermingled terraces and parterres, and the confused blending of fields and gardens. At the foot of the hill are the most beautiful shops of every description.

From Súchau Mr. Hedde passed along the imperial canal, saw elegant boats conducted by young girls richly dressed and having their heads decked with gold and flowers. He often met large junks loaded with the imperial revenues. He passed through the Wúkiáng district, one of the richest in silk, bordering on the famous silk department of Kiáshing and the greatly celebrated Húchau. He saw the fields of mulberry trees, observed the mode of cultivation and made inquiries respecting the seeding, planting and grafting of those interesting trees. He stopped at different establishments, remarked the ingenious apparatus for avoiding double cocoons, the simple process for reeling the fine white silk named ts'ih li,, and the seven cocoon thread, well known all over the world. He noticed the difference between it and the coarse kind tá tsán,, large worm silk, and especially the imperfectly known kind yuen hwá, or the garden flower silk.

Mr. Hedde has brought silk worm seeds, mulberry tree, ma plants,* drawings and pictures, apparatus and looms, from his laborious though short excursion, and will make them known in his own country. He intends, if permitted, to publish a full accourt of his different excursions in Shuntí, a Canton silk district, in Changchau a department of Fukien, noted for its silk manufactures, and in other

Má, improperly named grasscloth, is a web of fibres of Urtica nivea, different from the Canton má, which is usually made of the Cannabis sativa, and from the Tientsin ma, which is, according to Dr. Abel, the Sida tibia folia.

regions, and to give translations of different Chinese works on mulberry trees, the rearing of silkworms and the weaving of silk. He will make known the generous concurrence he met with, especially from the Italian and American missionaries, in his various enterprises, where religion and industry seem to have joined for mutual aid, here amongst the assemblies of native Christians, there in the official residence; every where amongst the crowded, noisy and talkative people of China. Mr. Hedde's relation will be of course very interesting to every foreigner and a sure guide to future travelers.

L. B. O.

ART. IV. A communication from the imperial commissioner Kiying, addressed to Mr. Forbes, the U. S. A. consul, giving full toleration to the religion of the Lord of heaven, or Christianity as made known by the missionaries of the Roman catholic church. THE accompanying Chinese document, it will be seen, has been elicited by the French minister, H. E. Lagrené,-to whom belongs the honor of securing for Christianity the late act of toleration. In China Christianity has never been prohibited under any other form than that in which it has been taught by the missionaries of the Roman Catholic church, who have designated it Tien Chú Kiáu, "the Religion of heaven's Lord." The French minister has acted a noble and generous part. We wish, however, and many others will wish, that he had been more explicit, and in addition to the phrase "Religion of heaven's Lord," designated Christianity, as all protestant Christians in China will do, Yésú Kiáu, the "Religion of Jesus." Kíying in soliciting an expression of the imperial will, and the emperor in granting this act of toleration, have both, we doubt not, wished to place all nations and all religions on a perfect equality; and this too we are sure the French minister both wished and intended. It will be seen, however, by a careful perusal of the paper given on page 196, and the two subsequent documents, (one in our last on page 532 and the one which follows,) that the act of toleration is, after all, restricted to what is designated the Tien Chú Kiêu. With this many will be dissatisfied.. We shall be glad to learn the opinions of any of our readers on this subject.

KIYING of the imperial house, governor-general of Kwangtung and Kwangsí, a director of the Board of War, a vice high chancellor vice guardian of the heir apparent, minister and commissioner extraordinary of the Tá Tsing Empire, makes this communication.

A dispatch has been received from the French commissioner Lagrené, in which the following appears: "Formerly, in requesting that a memorial might be laid before the throne for removing the prohibitions against the religion of the Lord of heaven, it was my original design that all persons, professing this religion and acting well should alike share the imperial favor, and that the great western nations should all as one be held blameless in the practice thereof. The religious customs referred to, on a previous occasion, were those of my own nation; yet if persons of other nations did not entirely conform to these, still there was to be no distinction, no obstruction, thus showing great magnanimity."

Now I find that, in the first place, when the regulations for free trade were agreed upon, there was an article allowing the erection of churches at the five ports. This same privilege was to extend to all nations; there were to be no distinctions.

Subsequently the commissioner Lagrené requested that the Chimese, who acting well practiced this religion, should equally be held blameless. Accordingly I made a representation of the case to the throne, by menorial, and received the imperial consent thereto.

-no matter

After this, however, local magistrates having made improper seizures, taking and destroying crosses, pictures, and images, further deliberations were held, and it was agreed that these [crosses, &c.,] might be reverenced. Originally I did not know that there were, among the nations, these differences in their religious practices. Now with regard to the religion of the Lord of heaven whether the crosses, pictures, and images be reverenced or be not reverenced, all, who acting well, practice it, ought to be held blameless. All the great western nations being placed on an equal footing, only let them acting well practice their religion, and China will in Whether their customs no way prohibit or impede their so doing. be alike or unlike, certainly it is right that there should be no distinction and no obstruction.

As it behooves me, I make this communication. the said consul, he will easily comprehend it.

On its reaching

The foregoing communication is addressed to Mr. Forbes, consul of the United States of America. [Canton,] December 22d, 1845.