Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-10-28
The Real China Land.

THE London Times says: Mr. Thomas
Ferguson, the writer of the following let
ter, is the principal merchant at Chefoo,
and is also the Belgian Consul at that
port:
"WEIHYEN, SHANTUNG, China, May 80, 1875.
q arrived here on the 9th inst after
a most interesting journey of zoe
miles through the province Of Shantung.
I had no idea of what the real China land
is until now, or rather my idea Of it was
incomplete; and now [ have seen this adj
mirable country so closely | feel that it is
a most wonderful place in many ways.
From the time [ left ChefOo until came
here the fields of wheat extend on both
sides of the road as far as the eye reaches.
Luxuriant crops they were, and they be-
token great wealth in the land For the
first seventy miles the road is over billy
country, not steep but undulating, and
with the greatest height Of 275 feet. This
portion Of the journey ended at Wang
hyen, and after that the road traverses a
vast plain, over which numerous villages
are spread, about one or two miles apart.
All the villages are inclosed bymud walls
and at a distance look solid, but when
seen close they are miserably defended by
such walls, the greater part of them being
out of repair The population Of this
province is quite up to the estimate of
100000 if one can judge of it from the
inhabitants Of the plain | came across.
[ passed the large city of Lai-
chufoo, with high walls of stone, and
another, city of Chang-yi, with very fine
stone walls, and fireplace where [ am now
is vast city of about 900 inhabitants,
with magnificent stone walls about seven
ty feet high, with battlements, and most
grand in appearance. | went to the coal
mines, about twelve miles distant, and !
was much struck with the helplessness OF
the Chinese to work those mines properly.
It was curious feeling to find myself and
a missionary gentleman diving here)
among a crowd Of Chinese miners, about
500 men keeping ring around us as we
advanced, looking at Us with establishment
and concern, but with no hostile feeling or
a word expressive of dislike, and there
was the appearance Of respect arising out
of the feeling. These foreigners can
help us to get the water out of our mines
and allow us to work them and gain our
bread This is what they seemed to be
saying to themselves all the while. 1t was
strange sight as / stood in the midst of
the crowd with an umbrella over my head
and the people staring at me and good
naturally walking with me to the coal
pits. / have had visits from several peo-
these mines, and | have visited one
of the most ancient and wealthy fam
lilies of the city. Chin is the fam
lily name (his visiting card is Chin Ghiai
See'). His house is remarkable-the first
have seen in China. The reception-room
is furnished with ancient arm-chairs at
least three feet wide in the seat, like
thrones. The place of honor had beau
tiful drawing of bamboo grove in the
wall. We never saw such thing in Chi
ma. Before it large porcelain plate on a
stand 700 years old. On one side is a
bronze vase of the Chen dynasty of
900 years before Christ. The old man in
troduced his grandson, a charming boy,
and on our request to see some old curios-
tiles he went to his room and brought a
sacrificial bronze cup on three legs which
belonged to a noble family LOO years be-
fore Christ, just the same as one sees
printed in the books of the ancient Chi
nese classics. 1t was most curious, and it
seemed to say: show yol thing which
was used by my ancestors in their worship
nearly 5000 years ago. In fact this cup
was contemporary with Solomon's Tenn
pie, and was made before Rome was built.
He only showed Us that, as if all the rest
was too modern for our admiration. In
his grand room, where he received US, was
his library of books, in beautiful cedar
cases, and his family banners of silk,
with gold letters on them, which are
borne before their collins at their inter
ments."