Identifier: chinahistoryofla02grayuoft (find matches)
Title: China : a history of the laws, manners and customs of the people
Year: 1878 (1870s)
Authors: Gray, John Henry, 1828-1890 Gregor, William Gow
Subjects: China -- Social life and customs
Publisher: London : Macmillan
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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now no longererected for this purpose. In the fifteenth century they w^eresometimes built to perpetuate the memories of distinguishedmen and women. Native writers inform us that the once famousporcelain pagoda at Nankin was erected in the year of our Lord1413, by the third sovereign of the royal house of Ming, in signof his gratitude towards his mother. It is also stated by nativewriters that in order to exercise a good influence over the city ofNankin and its environs, no fewer than five pearls of great pricewere placed on the roof of the pagoda. One was to preventthe overflowing of the adjacent river Yang-tsze; a second toward off conflagrations; a third to avert tempestuous winds;a fourth to check the prevalence of dust-storms; and a fifth,called a night-shining pearl, to render futile all attempts madeto disturb the peace during the hours of darkness. The outei-walls of this once graceful tower were built of bricks of thefinest white porcelain. The Chinese say, however, that tlie
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XXI.) POKCELAIN PAGODA AT NANKIN. 93 predominating colour of the pagoda was green, owing in agreat measure to the fact tliat tlie eaves by which each storywas defined were of that colour. The inner walls, it appearswere built of ordinary bricks of clay, and not of porcelain, astlie Western world had been led to suppose. They were, how-ever, encased by fine porcelain bricks, yellow and red, and, likethe porcelain bricks forming the outer walls, so richly enamelledas to impart a very imposing appearance to the structure. Thispagoda was an octagon, and nine stories high, each story beingnearly thirty English feet in height. As with Chinese pagodasin general, the summit was crowned with a large gilded ball,fixed to the top of a strong iron rod or bar, which was incircledby nine iron rings, each of considerable circumference. Thetime occupied in building the pagoda is said to have been nine-teen years, and the sum of money expended not less than200,000/. sterling. The city of Nankin was ca

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