for he is worshipped by his people like a god. He is called "The Son of
Heaven," and "Ten Thousand Years;" yet he dies like every other child of
earth. His sign is the dragon, and this is painted on his flags, a fit
sign for one who, like Satan, makes himself a god.

Yet the emperor is also styled "Father of his people," and to show that
he feels like a father, when there is a famine or plague in the land, he
shuts himself up in his palace to grieve for his people; and by this
means he gets the love of his subjects.

Once a year, too, this great emperor tries to encourage his people to be
industrious by ploughing part of a field and sowing a little corn; and
the empress sets an example to the women, by going once a year to feed
silk worms and to wind the balls of silk.

The emperor wears a yellow dress, and all his relations wear yellow
girdles.

But the relations of the emperor are not the most honorable people in the
land: the most learned are the most honorable. Every one in China who
wishes to be a great lord studies day and night. One man, that he might
not fall asleep over his books, tied his long plaited tail of hair to
the ceiling, and when his head nodded, his hair was pulled tight, and
that woke him.

But what is it the Chinese learn with so much pains?

Chiefly the books of Confucius, and a few more; but in none of them is
God made known: so that, with all his wisdom, the Chinaman is foolish
still. The words of the Bible are true.