A PAI-LOU, OR TRIUMPHAL ARCH.
These monuments are erected for the purpose of transmitting the meritorious actions of good men to prosterity. Magistrates who have executed the duties of their high ofBce with justice and integrity; heroes who have signalized themselves in the field; and others of meaner station whose virtues or superior learning intitle them thereto, often receive this high honour, which likewise serves the purpose of exciting their posterity to the same virtuous actions.
These Pai-lous (usually translated, triumphal arches) are built at the public expense, generally with stone, though sometimes the better sort are made of marble, and some inferior ones of wood; the chief of them have fouruprights, each of one stone, which is often tliirty feet in length; horizontally across these are placed the transoms or friezes, on which the inscription is engraved with letters of gold, kc. and the summit of the fabric is crowned with projecting roofs richly ornamented.
This was drawn from one near the city of Ning-po, Nov. 17, 1793. where many others are erected, some of which were of a meaner kind, and had but two uprights. The inscription on this was thus translated by a Chinese attendant on the Embassy: " By the Emperor's supreme goodness, in the 59th year of Tchien-Lung, and on the first day, this triumphal edifice was erected in honour of Tchoung-ga-chung, the most high and learned Doctor of the Empire, and one of the Mandarins of the Tribunal of Arms."
