718
CHINA
lease ot the Bay of Kuaug-Chaii-Wau, on the coast of the peuiusula, betweei) Hong Koijg and the Island of Hainan, and in November, 1899, the possession of the two islands commanding the entrance of the bay. This territory has lieen placed under the authority of the Governor-General of French Indo- China.
Peking, the capital of China, according to a census undertaken by the Minister of the Interior (1912) gives the total population as 1,300,000. Tientsin, from 750,000 to 900,000 ; Canton and Singan, each doubtfully credited with 1,000,000.
The Chinese population of the treaty ports is (1911) estimated as follows, mostly from Imperial maritime customs, partly from Consular, returns: —
Ports
Antung Tatungkau . Niuchwang . Chinwangtao Tientsin Chefoo . Kiauchau Chungking . Changsha Yocliau . Ichang . Shasi . Haiikau. Kiukiang Wuhu . Nanking Chinkiang . •Shanghai Suchau .
Population
161,000
3,000
61,000
5,000
800,000
54,000
34,000
598,000
250,000
20,000
45,000
90,000
820,000
36,000
122,000
267,000
184,000
651,000
500,000
Ports
Hangchau
Ningpo .
Wenchau
flantuao
Fuchau .
Anioy .
Swatow
Canton .
Kongmun
Samshui
Kiungchau
Pakhoi .
Wuchau
Nanning
Lungchow
Mengtsz
Szeraao .
Tengyueh
Population
350,000
350,000
100,000
8,000
r.24,000
114,000
66,000
',100,000
62,000
6,000
43,000
20,000
59,000
37,000
13,000
11,000
15.000
10,000
According to an estimate of the Imperial Customs authorities, in 1911 the total number of foreigners resident in China was 153,522, the nationalities most numerously represented being : —
Japanese*.
. 78,306
American
3,470
French .
1,925
Russian .
. 51,221
Portuguese.
3,224
Other nationalities
2,362
British .
. 10,256
German
2,75S
Relig^ion.
Three religions are acknowledged by the Chinese as indigenous and adopted, viz. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
The police authorities of Peking, about the end of 1908, made a census of the temples in Peking and of their inhabitants. The totals are as follows : Temples of all descriptions, 1,049 ; Buddhist priests, 1,553 ; Taoist, 133 ; Nuns, 102 ; Students (T'u-ti), 934 ; Servants, 795 ; Lodgers in temples 15,445.
Under the monarchy the Emperor was considered the sole high pi'icst of the Empire, and could alone, with his immediate representatives and ministers, perform the great religious ceremonies. No ecclesiastical hierarchy is main- tained at the public expense, nor any priesthood attached to the Confucian religion. The Confucian is the State religion, if the respect paid to the memory of the great teacher can be called religion at all. But distinct and totally separate from the stated periodic observances of respect otfered to the memory of Confucius as the Holy Man of old (who was deified by Imperial
