Nary.—The imperial navy is divided into river and sea-going vessels. The former amount, it is said, to 1900 ships; the latter to 918—with an aggregate number of 188,000 sailors. This force, however, is insufficient to extirpate or even keep in check the pirates who infest the whole coast of China, and the expedient was formerly resorted to of promoting a pirate chief to some high civil employment. Even yet be is sometimes appointed pilot. The Chinese are now building frigates on their own account—another evidence of the stride taken under the regency of prince Kung.
Revenue.—The estimates of the public revenue of China vary greatly, and while they are stated by some to exceed 100 millions sterling, are held by others not to come up t• half that amount, Official returns of the Chinese government—intended for a special use— were published in 1844, according to which the revenue amounted to £63,934,713, derived mainly from three sources—customs duties, licenses, and a tax upon land.
Religion.—the Chinese, remarkable in so many ways, exhibit, in the matter of relig ion, their usual eccentricity. Three forms of belief—the Confucian, the Buddhist, and the Taouist—may be considered the national religions, as they are believed in, more or less, by the great mass of the people. Of these, the Confucian and the Taouist are indig enous, but Buddhism was introduced from India. A struggle for ascendency was long maintained between these religions, but has now entirely ceased; indeed, it is no unusual thing for all three to be professed by the same person, and as they supplement each other, this is not altogether inconsistent. Confucianism is the basis of the social life and political system of the Chinese. It has been professed by all their ,aTeatest men, and is still the sole belief of the educated classes. It is, however, less a religion than a phi losophy, and does not pretend to treat of spiritual things; hence room was left for other creeds to supply its deficiencies in this respect. The questions to which Confucius replied were: "How shall I do my duty to my neighbor? How can I best discharge the duty of a virtuous citizen?" Funereal temples are erected to Confucius, and though his image is not used as an idol, his tablet is worshiped, and sacrifices of oxen and sheep are offered before it at the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. For an account of Confu cius's philosophy, see CONFUCIUS.
Buddhism in China, though extending over the whole country, and influencing more or less the mass of the people, is fast losing its hold on them, and has very little of the power and authority it once possessed. Its edifices are going to decay, and no new ones rise upon their ruins. Its priests are illiterate, and together with their religion, are held in contempt by the philosophic Chinaman. Aged people and women are now its chief devotees. The begging-monk is characteristic. He wears a loose yellow robe and
large stockings; at his back is a wallet in which to receive the contributions of the faith ful; and he gives notice of his approach by striking his muh-yu. The northern form of Buddhism, which differs considerably from that of Ceylon and the Indo-Chinese penin sula, prevails in China. Its sacred books, in common with those of Nepaul and Tibet, are written in Sanscrit, or are translations from that language. Amongst other addi tions to the creed are the western paradise and the goddess of mercy.
Taouism has not more hold than Buddhism on the literate Chinese. Its priests are generally ignorant men, few of them teaching or understanding the real principles of their faith. They practise a mystic alchemy, prepare spells and incantations, and like modern spiritualists, hold intercourse with the dead. When all other remedies have failed with a sick person, the Taouist priests are sometimes sent for to exercise the evil spirit that is supposed to afflict the patient; and they chant prayers from their mystic ritual, amid the din of gongs, drums, flutes, etc. These mystics worship certain stars, which are supposed to influence human life, and also genii, devils, and inferior spirits. They live in temples with their families, and are known by their slate-colored robes. For a fuller account of Taouism and its doctrines and founder, see LAO-TSE.
Besides these three religions, which alone affect the bulk of the people, there is a ritual state worship, which regards the emperor and ccurt alone—a kind of philosophic pantheism, an adoration of certain natural objects; but it is a mere ceremonial, and asso ciated with no theological doctrines. Three classes of objects are distinguished, to which the great, medium, and lesser sacrifices are offered. The first-class includes the heaven and earth. Equal to these, and likewise restricted to the worship of the emperor, is the great temple of imperial ancestors. The medium sacrifices are offered to the sun and moon, the.gods of the land and grain, genii, and sages. In the third class are reckoned certain natural phenomena, as well as deceased statesmen and scholars. The emperor appears to acknowledge a supreme Being as king- of kings, the rewarder of virtue and the punisher of vice; but still, Chinese philosophy, a4 fixed by Chu-tze, is atheistical, and deduces " the development of the universe from one unintelligent and will-less grin ciple." Hence all educated Chinese are atheists, at least theoretically, as will be found by arguing with them; but when they speak of hunutti affairs generally, and their own particular lot in life, they exhibit a belief in teen as a supreme, intelligent, 'rewarding, and punishing power.