. The awakening of China . he north bank of the main stream;but a few missionaries live within the walls, and thereI passed the first years of my life in China. Above the walls, conspicuous at a distance, appearsthe pinnacle of a lofty pagoda, a structure like mostof those bearing the name, with eight comers and ninestories. Originally designed for the mere purposes oflook-outs, these airy edifices have degenerated intoappliances of superstition to attract good influences andto ward off evil. Not only has this section of the province a dialectof its own, of the mandarin type, but its people po
. The awakening of China . he north bank of the main stream;but a few missionaries live within the walls, and thereI passed the first years of my life in China. Above the walls, conspicuous at a distance, appearsthe pinnacle of a lofty pagoda, a structure like mostof those bearing the name, with eight comers and ninestories. Originally designed for the mere purposes oflook-outs, these airy edifices have degenerated intoappliances of superstition to attract good influences andto ward off evil. Not only has this section of the province a dialectof its own, of the mandarin type, but its people possessa finer physique than those of the south. Taller, witheyes less angular and faces of faultless symmetry, theyare a handsome people, famed alike for literary talent£ind for commercial enterprise. During my residencethere the whole city was once thrown into excitementby the news that one of her sons had won the firstprize in prose and verse in competition, before theemperor, with the assembled scholars of the empire—. PROVINCE OF CHEHKIANG 21 an honour comparable to that of poet laureate or of avictor in the Oljnnpic gaijjes. When that distinctionfalls to a city, it is believed that, in order to equalisematters, the event is sure to be followed by three yearsof dearth. In this instance, the highest mandarinsescorted the wife of the literary athlete to the top ofthe wall, where she scattered a few handfuls of riceto avert the impending famine. My house was attached to a new church which wassurmounted by a bell-tower. In a place where nothingof the sort had previously existed, that accessoryattracted many visitors even before the bell was inposition to invite them. One day a weeping mother,attended by an anxious retinue, presented herself andasked permission to climb the tower, which requestof course was not refused. Uncovering a bundle, she said: This is my boysclothing. Yesterday he was up in the tower and,taking fright at the height of the building, his littlesoul forsoo
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