a province of China, bounded on the north by that of Ptecheli and Chanfi, on the south by Chanfi, on the south by Houquang, and on the east by Chantong. Everything that can contribute to render a country delightful is found united in this province; the Chinese therefore call it Tong-boa or the middle flower: it is indeed situated almost in the centre of China. The ancient emperors, invited by the mildness of the climate and the beauty of the country, fixed their residence here for some time. The abundance of its fruits, pastures, and corn, the effeminacy of its inhabitants (who are accounted extremely voluptuous), and lastly, the cheapness of provisions, have no doubt prevented trade from being so flourishing here as in the other provinces of the empire. The whole country is flat excepting towards the west, where there arises a long chain of mountains, covered with thick forests; and the land is in such a high state of cultivation, that those who travel through it imagine they are walking in an immense garden.—Besides the river Hoangho, which traverses this province, it is watered by a great number of springs and fountains; it has also a valuable lake, which invites to its banks a prodigious number of workmen, because its water has the property of communicating a lustre to silk, which cannot be imitated. Exclusive of forts, castles, and places of strength, this province contains eight fou or cities of the first class, and 102 of the second and third. In one of these cities named Nanyang, is found a kind of serpent, the skin of which is marked with small white spots: the Chinese physicians steep it in wine, and use it afterwards as an excellent remedy against the palsy.

HONAN-Fou, a city of the above province, situated amidst mountains and between three rivers. The Chinese formerly believed this city to be the centre of the earth, because it was in the middle of their empire. Its jurisdiction is very extensive; for it comprehends one city of the second class and thirteen of the third: one of these cities named Teng-fong-bien, is famous on account of the tower erected by the celebrated Tcheou-kong for an observatory; there is still to be seen in it an instrument which he made use of to find the shadow at noon, in order to determine the latitude. This astronomer lived above a thousand years before the Christian era, and the Chinese pretend that he invented the mariner's compass.