Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 173

1850.

Notice of Japan in the Hái-kwoh Tú Cht:

147

the districts of Tung-ngán, Hwui-ngán, and Nán ngán, assaulted Fuh uing chau, and after storming Fuh-ngán and Ningteh, in the fourth moon of the following year (1557), they blockaded Fuhchau, and did not raise the siege for a month The towns of Fuhtsing and Yung- fub were also attacked and destroyed by them; they spread down as far as Hinghw, and thence made a sudden irruption into Cháng- chau. The scene of their troubles had been entirely shifted into Fuh- kien, and in Cháuchau and Kwángchau (Canton) much alarm was caused by the report.

In the 40th year (1560), the pirates were successively put down to the northeast of the river Cheh and the north of the Yáng-tsz’, but Tsung Hien was convicted not long after of some offense, and superseded. In the 11th moon of the following year they leveled the city of Hing; hwá to the ground, putting a large number to the sword, and making many prisoners, with whom they took passession of the garrison town of Pinghái, where they remained without stirring.

Since they first began their incursions into Chehkiáng, they stormed both large and small district and garrison towns, a hundred or more, but never until now the chief city of a department; and their doing so, in this instance, created so serious an alarm, far and near, that the generals Yü Tá-yü, Tsih Kí-kwáng, and Liú Hien, were moved up with all speed. These officers attacked them conjointly, and routed them; and as those who were making raids into other districts were likewise overcome by them, peace was quite restored to Fuhkien.

Kwangtung was after this extensively ravaged by Tsang Yih-pun, Hwáng Cháu-t'ái, and others, all of whom brought with them Japanese allies. In the period Lung-king (1565–71), they stormed the garrison towns of Kieh-sheh and Kiáhtsz'. They attacked Sheh-ching in Hwá- chau, razed to the ground the station of Kinning and the fort of Shinlui ; and the towns of Wi-chuen, Yáng kiêng, Máu-ming, Hai fung, Sin-ning, and Hwuilai were all fired, and their inhabitants made prisoners. They then turned [southward] towards Luichau fú, Lien- chau fú, and Kiungchau fú (Háinán I.), which three prefectures also suffered from their outrages.

In the 2d year of Wánlih (1573), they invaded the departments of Ningpo, Sháu-shing, Tảichau, and Wanchau, in the east of Cheb- kiáng, and destroyed the fort of Tungkú and the station of Shwáng- yü in Kwángtung. In the 3d year (1574), they attacked T'ien-peh (Tín-pák); in the 4th (1575), Tinghái (Chusan); in the 8th (1579), Kiu-shán, in Chehkiáng, and Pang-hú (the Pescadores) and Tung- yung in Fuhkien. In the 10th year (1587), they invaded the depart-