Directory_and_Chronicle_1845 — Page 424

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The table on the opposite page and the following notices of Chinese weights and measures are from the Commercial Guide.

In China most unmanufactured articles are sold by weight, not excepting liquids, wood, silk, cloth, grain, and live stock. Grain is however retailed by measure. The minor decimal weights are used in weighing bullion, pearls, precious stones, valuable drugs, &c. There are three instruments for weighing, viz., the balances, steel- yards, and money scales. Balances are used for

Balances are used for weighing large sums of money; standard weights are furnished by the Board of Revenue at Peking, from 100 taels down to one cash, made of brass. The steelyard is made of wood, marked off into catties, mace, &c.; the largest of them will weight two or three peculs; it is called dotch- in by foreigners, a word corrupted from tok-ching, to weigh. The counterpoise is usually a piece of stone, and so common is its use, that no one goes to market without carrying a dotchin. The money scales are merely a small ivory yard like the dotchin, used to weigh money, pearls, and small things. p. 208.

The chih (cubit, covid, or Chinese foot) fixed by the Mathematical Board at Peking is 13-125 English inches; that used by tradesmen at Canton varies from 14-625 to 14.81 inches; that employed by the engineers of public works is 12.7 inches, and that by which distance is usually measured is 12.1 nearly. At Canton, an English yard or má is reckoned at 2 chih 4 tsun, which makes the English foot equal to 8 tsun. The chih is reckoned in the new tariff at 14.1 English inches, which is about the average length of this measure in Canton ; this rate makes the chúng to be 141 inches, or 31 yds.; the usual length of a cháng in Canton, is a very little over 4 yds, though some

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of them are but a little over 11 feet. The foot-rule of tailors is called púi tsien chih, and the shorter one of masons chau tung chih. The chúng varies according to the chih. p. 210.

N. B. 16 taels = catty.

100 catties=1 pecul.

The pecul is usually reckoned equal to 1334lbs. avoirdupois.