Probably Hang-tcheon, a city about forty miles W. from
Ning-po. - E.]
[Footnote 327: Pou-teou, is directly E. from the eastern end of
Tcheou-chan. - E.]
Sec.2. Ancient and modern State of the Country, and of the coming of the
English to reside there.[328]
In my former letter, I informed you that the emperor designed to have
come to worship at Pou-to in May last, being the fortieth year of his
age, but I ought to have said of his reign. After every thing was
prepared for his reception, he was dissuaded from his purpose by some of
his mandarins, who made him believe that the thunder at that place was
very dangerous. This Pou-to is a small island, only about five leagues
round, and at the east end of Chusan. It has been famous for the space
of eleven hundred years, for the superstitious pilgrimages made to it,
and is only inhabited by bonzes to the number of three thousand, all of
the sect of Heshang, or unmarried bonzes, who live a Pythagorean life.
They have built four hundred pagodas, two of which are considerable for
their size and splendour, and were lately covered with green and yellow
tiles, brought from the emperor's palace at Nankin. They are adorned
within by stately idols, finely carved and gilded, the chief of these
being an idol named Quonem. To-these two pagodas there are two chief
priests, who govern all the rest.
