The admirable inuention, and the subtill ingenie of printing is such, that for lacke of the vse thereof, should haue beene forgotten in the happie daies and times long past: and manie in these our dais woulde not trouble themselues as much as they doo, in learning to get honour and promotion, or in feates of warres, if that their fame should no long continue in writing then in their liues on the earth. Leauing apart the woonderfull effectes of this subtile inuention, least speaking thereof I should be ouer tedious, I will heere onlie goe about to prooue that which this chapter dooth propounde, with some ensamples, whereof manie are found in their histories, and likewise in ours. It doth plainlie appeare by the vulgar opinion, that the inuention of printing did beginne in Europe in the yeare of 1458, the which was attributed vnto Toscan, 1 called John Cutembergo: {1} and it was said of trueth, that the first mould wherewith they doo print was made in Manguncia, from whence Almaine called Conrado{2} did bring the same inuention into Italie. And the first booke that was printed, was that which sain Austine did write entitled De ciuitate Dei: 2 wherein manie authors agree. But the Chinos doo afffirme, that the first beginning was in their countrie, and the inuentour was a man whome they reuerence for a saint: whereby it is euident that manie yeares after that they had the vse thereof, it was brought from Almanie{3} by the way of Ruscia and Moscouia, from whence, as it is certaine, they may come by lande, and that some merchants that came from thence into this kingdome, by the Redde Sea, and from Arabia Felix, might bring some books, from whence this John Cutembergo, whom the histories dooth make authour, had his first foundation. The which being a trueth, as they haue authoritie for the same, it dooth plainlie appeare that this inuention came from them vnto vs: and for the better credite hereof, at this day there are found amongst them many bookes printed 500 yeares before the inuention began in Almaine: of the which I haue one, and I haue seene others, as well in Spaine and in Italie3 as in the Indies. The frier Herrada and his companions, when they came from the China vnto the Philippinas, 4did bring with them manie printed bookes of diuers matters which they did buy in the citie of Ancheo, • 5the which were printed in diuers places in the kingdome. {4} Yet the most part of them were printed in the prouince of Ochian, • 6{5} whereas is the best print: and as they did report, they woulde haue brought a great number more, if that the vizroy had not disturbed them, for they haue great libraries, and very good cheape; but hee suspected that those bookes might be a meane to giue them to vnderstande the secrets of their kingdome, the which they doo indeuour to keepe close from strangers. The vizroy vsed a policie, and sent them word, how that he was certified that they went about buying of bookes for to carry them into their countrie, and howe they shoulde not spende their money on them, for hee would giue them for nothing so manie boodes as they woulde haue, which afterwarde hee did not performe, possible for the reason aforesaide, or else hee did forget his promise.
At such time as this commandement came vnto them, they had brought a good number, out of the which are taken the most things that wee haue put in this small historie, for to giue a briefe notice7 of them and of that kingdome, till such time as by a true certificate the experience of manie shall cause more credite thereunto: for that vnto this day, by reason of the small notice wee haue, we cannot with so great authoritie make it so credible as wee hope that time hereafter will doo. The which hath moued mee, yea and constrained mee, to leaue to intreat of manie things, which in those parts are to bee credited and reprehended by such as haue had perfite notice thereof.
And nowe for that I will not go from my purpose, you shall understand in the chapter following, whereof these bookes that they brought doo intreat, that the better you giue credite vnto curiositie and policie of that kingdome, as in manie places I haue declared, and hereafter will declare. 8
CHAP. XVII
The substance and manner of those bookes that Frier Herrada and his companions brought from China
They brought with them a great number of bookes, and we haue said, that did intreat of diuers matters, as you shall perceiue in sequell.
Of the description of the whole kingdome of China, and the placing of the 15 prouinces, and the lenth and bredth of euery one of them, and of other kingdomes bordering vppon them.
Of all tributes and rentes belonging vnto the king, and of all the orders of his royall pallace, and of his ordinaire pensions that hee giueth, and the names of all officers in his house, and how far euery office doth extend.
How many tributaries euerie prouince hath, and the number of such as free from tribute, and the order and time, how and when they are to be recouered.
For the making of ships of all sorts, and the order of nauigation, with the altitudes of euery port, and the quantitie of euerie one in particular.
Of the antiquitie of this kingdome of China, and of the beginning of the world, and in what time and for whome it beganne.
Of the kings that haue raigned in this kingdome, and the order of their succession and government, with their liues and customes.
Of the ceremonies they vse in doing sacrifice vnto their idols (which they hold as gods), and the names of them: of their beginnings, and at what time they shoulde make their sacrifices.
Their opinions of the immortalitie of the soule, of the heauen, of hell, of the manner of their funerals, and of their mourning apparel that euery one is bounde to weare, according as he is alianced vnto the dead.
Of the lawes of the kingdome, and when and by whome they were made; and the punishment executed on those which violate the same, with manie other matters touching their good governmant and policie.
Manie herbals, or bookes of herbes, for phisitions, shewing how they shoulde be applied to heale infirmities.
Many other bookes of phisicke and medicine, compiled by authors of that kingdome, of antiquitie and of late daies, containing in them the manner how to vse the sicke, and to heale them of their sicknes, and to make preseruatiues against all sicknesses and infirmities.
Of the properties of stones and mettals, and of things natural that haue vertue of themselues; and wherefore pearles, gold, and silver, and other metals, many serue for the vtility of man, comparing with the one and the other the vtilitie of euerie thing.
Of the nomber, and moorings of the heauens: of the planets and stars, and of their operations and particular influences.
Of such kingdomes and nations as they haue notice off, and of particular things that are in them.
Of the liue and behauiour of such men, whome they holde for saints, where they lead their liues, and where they died and were buried.
The order howe to play at the tables, and at the chests, and how to make sports of legerdemaine and puppets.
Of musike and songs, and who were the inuentors thereof.
Of the mathematicall sciences, and of arithmeticke, and rules how to vse the same.
Of the effects that the children doo make in their mothers wombs, and how they are euery moneth sustained, and of the good and bad times of their birth.
Of architecture, and all manner of buildings, with the bredth and length the euery edifice ought to haue for his proportion.
Of the properties of good and bad ground, and tokens how to know them, and what seede they will beare euery yeare.
Of astrologie naturall, and judiciarie, and rules to learne the same, and to cast figures to make conjectures.
Of chiromancia and phisiognomia, and other signes and tokens, and what euery one doth signifie.
The order how to write letters, and how to give euery one his title, according to the dignitie of his person.
How to bring vp horses, and to teach them to runne and trauaile.
How to deuine vpon dreames, and cast lottes when they beginne any journey, or take any thing in handles, whose ende is doubtfull.
Of apparell worne in all the kingdome, beginning with the king, and of the ensignes or coates of armes of such as doo gouerne.
How to make armour and instruments of warre, and how to firme a squadron.
These bookes, and many others that the fryers brought, out of which (as afore saide) haue been taken all such things as haue beene and shall be declared in this historie, interpreted by persons naturally borne in China, and brought vp in the Philippinas with the Spaniards that dwell there, who affirme that they haue seene great libraries in cities where they abode, but specially in Ancheo and Chincheo. • 9
Revised reprint of:
[MENDOZA, Juan Gonzàlez de], The Historie of the Great and Mighthie Kingdom of China, and the Situation Thereof: / Togither with the great riches, hug citties, politike gouernment, and rare intentions in the same. / Translated out of the Spanish by R. Parke / London: Printed by I. Wolfe for Edward White, and are to be sold at the little North / doore of Paules, at the signe / of the Gun, 1588.
[MENDOZA, Juan Gonzàlez de], The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof/Compiled by the Padre/Juan Gonzales de Mendoza, /and now reprinted from the early translation of R. Parke / Edited by/Sir George T. Stauton, Bart. /with an Introduction by R. H. Major Esq., /of the British Museum, Honorary Secretary of the Hakluyt Society/2 vols., London, Printed for the Hakluyt Society, 1853, vol. I pp. 131-1-37 - vol. I, London, Printed for the Hakluyt Society, M. DCCC. LIII., No. XXIX; vol. II, London, Printed for the Hakluyt Society, M. DCCC. LIV, No. XXX.
For the Portuguese translation see:
MENDOZA, Juan Gonzàlez, LOUREIRO, Rui Manuel, intro., Historia do Grande Reino da China, in "Antologia Documental: Visões da China na Literatura Ibérica dos Séculos XVI e XVII", in "Revista de Cultura":, Macau, 31 (2) Abril-Junho [April-June] 1997, pp.111-113 — For the Portuguese modernised translation by the author of the Spanish (Castilian) original text, with words or expressions between square brackets added to clarify the meaning.
For the original source of the Portuguese translation, see:
MENDOZA, Juan Gonzàlez de, ALBA, Ramón ed., Historia del Gran Reino de la China, Madrid, Miraguano - Polifemo, 1990, pp. 127-130 — Partial translation from Spanish.
NOTES
The numeration of these notes specifically refer to the section of Juan González de Mendoza's original text selected in Rui Loureiro's edited text in "Revista de Cultura" (Portuguese edition), Macau, 31 (2) Abril-Junho [April-June] 1997, p.113.
The prevailing numeration of these notes is indicated between curly brackets 《{ }》 and is cross-referenced to R. Parkes' English translation [RP] of Juan González de Mendoza's original text, indicated immediately after, in between flat brackets 《[ ]》.
The contents of these notes have been transferred in their entirety exactly as they appear in R. Parkes' English translation [RP] of Juan Gonzalez de Mendoza's text, and do not follow the standardized formatting of the "Review of Culture".
Whenever followed by a superciliary asterix 《*》, these notes' bibliographic references are alphabetically repertoried according to their author's name in this issue's SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY following the standardized formatting of the "Review of Culture".
{1}[RP, p.131, n.1] Mis-translated from the Spanish "Tudesco", a German. The reader will recognise the name of Johann Gutemberg of Ganzfleisch, of Mentz, who disputes with Laurens Koster, of Haarlem, the honour of having invented and first practised the art of printing with moveable types.
{2}[RP, p.131, n.1] Conrad Sweynheim, who, in partnership with Arnold Pannartz, published in 1465, at the Monastery of Subiaco, near Rome, the Lactantii Opera, 4to., the first work printed in Italy. The De Civitate Dei of St. Augustine, was printed by the same printers at Subiaco two years later. It is now known that the first book printed in Europe with metal types, was the Mazarine Bible, printed by Gutemberg and Fust, at Mentz, in 1455.
{3}[RP, p.132, n.1] Germany.
{4}[RP, p.132, n.1] Printing without moveable types does not go back, even in China, beyond the beginning of the tenth century of our era. The first four books of Confucius were printed, according to Kalproth, in the province of Sze-chuen, • between 890 and 925, and the description of the technical manipulation of the Chinese printing press might have been read in western countries even as early as 1310, in Raschid Eddin's Persian history of the rulers of Kathai. According to the most recent results of the important researches of Stanislas Julien, however, an ironsmith in China itself, between the years of 1041 and 1048, A. D., or almost 400 years before Gutemberg, would seem to have used moveable types made of burnt clay. This is the invention of Pi-sching, • but it was not brought into application. See: Humboldt's Kosmos,* translated by Otté, fol.623. Moveable types are now no longer used, for as Sir John Davies observes, vol. ii, p.222, "the present mode of Chinese printing with wooden stereotype blocks is peculiarly suited to the Chinese character, and for all purposes of cheapness and expedition is perfect." A complete set of the materials used by the Chinese in the process of printing, may be seen in the Museum of the Royal Asiatic Society. In the note on page 121 of Hakluyt's Divers Voyages,* edited for the Hakluyt Society by J. Winter Jones, Esq., the following description is given of a book printed in 1348: "The earliest work of which we have been able to obtain an account, from one having had the opportunity of personally inspecting it, bears date of the eighth year of the last period of the reign of Shun Te, • or A. D. 1348. Mr. Prevost, our informant, who is at present engaged in cataloguing the splendid collection of Chinese books in the British Museum, has favoured us with the following description of the book. The title is 'Chin Tsaou Tsëen Wan, • or the Thousand Character Classic'. It is one of the most popular works in China, and consists of exactly one thousand different characters, not one being repeated. It is composed in octosyllabic verses, which rhyme in couplets; each verse presenting to the student some useful Chinese notion, either in morals or in general knowledge. The object of this work is to teach the written character, both in its semi-cursive and its stenographic form, termed Tsaou, or grasswriting: the text is, therefore, printed in parallel columns, alternately in the Chin, • or correct, and the Tsaou, or cursive character. The author lived in the first half of the sixth century. This work, when seen by Mr. Prevost, was in the possession of Colonel Tynte." The Editor has also in his own possession a Chinese bank note, printed, or rather stamped, in the fourteenth century.
{5}[RP, p.153, n.1]Hou-quang. •
NOTES
Numeration without punctuation marks follow that in Juan González de Mendoza's original text selected in Rui Loureiro's edited text in "Revista de Cultura" (Portuguese edition), Macau, 31 (2) Abril-Junho [April-June] 1997, p.113.
The spelling of Rui Loureiro's edited text [Port.] is indicated between quotation marks and in italics 《" "》 — unless the spelling of the original Spanish [Span.] text is indicated —followed by the spelling of R. Parkes' English translation [RP], indicated immediately after, between quotation marks within parentheses 《("")》.
1 Johann Gutenberg (° ca 1397-†1468) is traditionally considered the 'inventor' of printing in Europe.
2 The City of God, written by St. Augustine (°354-†430) between 413 and 427 is considered the most profound literary work of Catholic thought on the meaning of History.
3 In those days, Chinese printed books were greatly sought after in Europe and cherished as exotic 'objects'.
4 Friar Martin de Rada (°1533-† 1578) was one of the first Augustinian missionaries to settle in the Philippines. In 1575 he travelled in the Chinese province of Fujian, • attempting in vain to obtain permission from the local authorities to establish a local Spanish trading post, analogous to the Portuguese settlement of Macao.
5 "Aucheo" • [original Span.] ("Ancheo")= Fuzhou • [Chin.]: a coastal city in the province of Fujian.
6 "Ochian" [original Span.] ("Ochian") = Fujian [Chin.]: the Chinese province.
7 That is, the reply from the Chinese authorities to the Spanish intentions for founding a trading post on the coast of Fujian province.
8 The inventory of the collection of books acquired in China by Fiar Martin de Rada and his companions is particularly interesting because of the express intention of studying and analysing the history and culture of the Middle Kingdom. Excerpts from many of these works were certainly translated in Manila with the assistance of local Chinese residents, which came to be known by the author, who, most probably assimilated them in his writings.
9"Chincheu" • [original Span.] ("Chincheo") = Zhangzhou• [Chin.].
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