a province of China in Asia, commodiously situated for navigation and commerce, part of it bordering on the sea, in which they catch large quantities of fish, which they send salted to other parts of the empire. Its shores are very uneven, by reason of the number and variety of its bays; and there are many forts built thereon to guard the coast. The air is hot, but pure and wholesome.

The mountains are almost everywhere disposed into a kind of amphitheatres, by the labour of the inhabitants, with terraces placed one above another. The fields are watered with rivers and springs, which issue out of the mountains, and which the husbandmen conduct in such a manner as to overflow the fields of rice when they please, because it thrives best in watery ground. They make use of pipes of bamboo for this purpose.

They have all commodities in common with the rest of China; but more particularly musk, precious stones, quicksilver, silk, hempen-cloth, calico, iron, and all sorts of utensils wrought to the greatest perfection. From other countries they have cloves, cinnamon, pepper, sandal-wood, amber, coral, and many other things. The capital city is Foutcheou Fou; or, as others would have it written, Fucherofu. But as for Fokien, which most geographers make the capital, Grosier informs us there is no such place.