The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-14
TABLE OF CHINESE IMPERIAL DyNAsTIEs.


49,. Yuen. .......... 1879 1S6! 9
81 To- np 4si ;;;.''''.. i Saa 1883 =
Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. III
This table shows that, during four thousand and
sixty years, twenty-one dynasties have swayed the
destines Of the Chinese Empire, embracing, besides
the present sovereign, two hundred and twenty En-
perors whose average reigns have been nearly nine
teen years each. Two Of the present dynasty,
Kung-he and Keen Lung, reigned sixty years; the
latter from 1876 to 1916, when he abdcated the
throne in favor Of his son. Kea King and died four
years afterwards.
"The Chinese nation, (says Gutzlaff,) was during
the Hea and Shang dynasty, in the age Of childhood;
under the Chow it grew to boyhood, and learned its
lessons Under the Tsin, we see the wanton lad,
who throws off all restraint The age of the Han is
the time of its vigorous youth. During the sue
ceeding period it exhibits the instability and excess
of youth; whilst under the Tang, itbecomes reflect
ing and grave. Thus ripenng to manhood, whilst
still exhibiting some youthful pranks, it forms its
character under the Sung dynasty. By sheer ne
glect, it becomes slave of the Yuen, yet rallies
again, and passes the years Of its manhood in indie
pendence. AS soon as the symptoms Of declining
age appear it sinks again almost unconsciously un
der foreign yoke. Such, in short is the history of
this hoary headed nation, which can only renew its
strength when it shall please the Almighty to rouse
it from its slumber, and direct its energy"
The long period Of s74 years, during which the
Chow dynasty, having thirtyfve princes in success
sion, held sway before the Christian era is to the
Chinese the most remarkable era Of their history.
Though Yaou and Shun had laid the foundation Of
fha hn mas ms nj WI
long forgotten, nor could these perhaps be followed,
under circumstances different from those of remote
antiquity The first sages rose to create system of
politics in accordance with the principles Of the
ancient monarchs. As their name was perpetuated
by host of disciples, who knew nothing else but
what their masters had taught them, and all the
scholars Of the subsequent ages trod in the beaten
track, China may be said to have received, under
the Chow dynasty its sciences arts, and that whole
political system which it has tried to retain IN
alterable to the present day.
1t is remarkable that Yaou, Shun, and Yu, Chi
nese sOveregns, to have been cotemporarics of
the three patrarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The civilization Of China was cocval with that Of
Egypt, the cultivation of literature there with the
cultivation of literature in Greece, and the extension
of the empire with the extension of that of Persia
When Greece bad its Socrates, and other founders
Of philosophical sects, the Confucius school and
the abstruse doctrines Of Laon-keun fourished in
China. Even second Alexander arose in this coun-
try, not long after the Macedonian, in the person of
Tsn-cle-hwang-te. But the human mind in Eastern
Asia, though under the same degrees Of latitude,
never scared SO high as in the western world; its
progress was checked-its exuberance restrained
permanent conquest was achieved by the Chinese,
through the extension of agriculture, which chased
The aborigines from their woods into the mountains
Tie rapidly increasing population gained their lands
from the barbarians by dint Of industry, and kept
possession Of the conquest.
About the time when the Grecian Olympiaas were
instituted, Chinese chronology, under Ting wang, no
b. c., becomes more accurate and deserving of re-
lance. Under his reign twenty one princes raised
their principalties into kingdoms, and openly de-
claled their independence. Under Ling. wang one
of the Chow dynasty who assembled the throne in 57l
Confucus Cor Kung foo tse) was born, in $50 B. G.
His less successful contemporary was Laou-Keun,
mystic philosopher, who deied reason, and added to
the number of idols some others Of his own inven-
ton. His desire apparently was to create State re.
ligion and to render himself as important as Confu-
cius; but in this he did not succeed. The govern
HeHb eoItiHuCu W WUIsHip all VlSUle nature, anu
merely tolerated the followers of Laou-Keun.
During the life of Confucius the Chinese princes
aimed fercey at each others destruction; after his
death complete anarchy succeeded. The empcrors
became mere shadows aud the people, neglecting az
ricuture either lived by war; died of starvation in
the bitches or on the highways. China presented
a more wretched spectacle than even Germany dur
ing the middle ages Mencius (Mang-tse) one OF
the greatest disciples of Confucus who was born in
375 B. c., gives lively picture of those unhappy
times. He travelled through the country, admonish |
ed the princes to harmony took himself the helm of
government in several tributary States, and col
lectcd myriads of disciples to second his views; |
yet he did not succeed in his benevolent in
tentioDs. China, exhausted ly intestine strug-
giles, was an easy prey to an enterprisiny
conqueror. The Tsin State having been ruled by |
Of waiike princes gradually overpowered
The Others. ChuouSeung, Prince of Tsin, took pos
session OF the imperial domains, and the Chow dy-
nasty was soon brought to close Few notices
ABOUT the state Of the country at this period have
been transmitted to us by the Chinese historians;
but their details of and narratives of the rise
aAd Proeiess 81 each tributary State are exceedingly
m,nute The people ,eem % have become az ero-
cIs ~ their Tartar neishborA We learn, ut tie ]