According to the Book of Rites, the Emperor and the Royal Princes had to go to the chase whenever politics allowed them any leisure. As for the people, the chase was a military exercise, which they took after harvest-time. The book of verses mentions stalking in carriages. Emperor Chuang-Ouong, after having reconquered the territory, used to hunt in his carriage with his feudal princes, so as to see which of them were likely to become the bravest soldiers. Holidays were selected for hunting excursions. There was also at that time a special government department, whose duty it was to see to In the winter it was the wolves that were hunted, in the summer the deer, in the spring all other kinds of animals. Birds were hunted in the autumn. Bows and arrows were used, and the sportsmen had reached to such a degree of skill in archery, that they could transfix a leaf at the top of a tree. A celebrated hunter, named Kia-Kieng, only shot with a bow, which was so strong and tough that it needed a force of three hundredweight to stretch the string. One day he was asked to shoot at a buffalo at a distance of one hundred paces. His first arrow grazed the animal’s back, tearing away a few hairs; the second grazed its belly. The archer was told that that was not good shooting. He said that it was just his superiority that he knew how not to pierce the animal. “But if you like,” he said, “I will do so.” His third arrow killed the buffalo. With every shooting-party were taken Excess in all being a fault, many official hunters, owing to the encouragement held out by the State, gave themselves up entirely to this sport, totally neglecting all public business. In consequence of this, the Censors and other reasonable people advised the sovereign to moderate the laws, preferring to deprive themselves of their pleasure in the interest of the commonwealth. The chase was accordingly somewhat restricted by law, and began to be neglected. An Emperor of the dynasty of the Liangs, noticing when he was out one day shooting His Majesty, recovering from his anger, smiled, and took the arm of his councillor to re-enter his carriage. When he had reached home empty-handed he said, “I have had a very successful day, for instead of bringing home a good bag, I have had a good lesson.” Under the present dynasty the Court used to go out to the chase from time to time, and men of letters used to take There are no game-laws in China. Everybody has the right to shoot wherever game is to be found. It is quite usual for a landowner to see sportsmen walking about his estates with their guns on their shoulders, doing as if they were on their own lands. The golden pheasant is found in great quantities in China. It is one of the favourite pastimes of Europeans who live in China to shoot these splendid birds. Amongst other feathered game that we possess in China, I may mention woodcock, snipe, quail, wild duck, |