Peking is composed of two distinct cities,one being called the Tartar
city.the other the Chinese.The Tartar city is so named because it is
inhabited bv Tartars,and by those who,though not Tartars,are enrolled in
the Ki-hiu-ti.or eight bands which constitute the Tartar troops.The
Chinese city is inhabited by Chinese alone.It may be proper to observe
that the district now called the Tartar city was in former times
inhabited by the eunuchs in waiting,who amounted to ten thousand;but
under the present dynasty it is inhabited,as I have said,by Tartars and
Chinese of the Kihiu-ti.The eunuchs.now about six thousand in
number,live entirely wiminthe walls of the palace.The Tartar city is
square,and encircled by a yellow wall.It is within this yellow wall that
the imperial palace is situated,but it is surrounded again by another
wall,more loftly than that of the city, and of vast extent.The
inhabitants within amount to a great multitude;for besides the six
thousand eunuchs.there is in the seraglio a vast assembly of women.of
whom the Emperor alone knows the number.There is also within the
imperial residence a great number of Tartars who are in the service of
the Emperor’s sons,each of whom has his separate court;so that this
palace may be very well considered as a third division,and Peking
described as containing three distinct cities. The Tartar city has
nine gates.and each side of it is three miles in length.The Chinese
city。which is also walled,joins the northern wall, which separates it
from the Tartars.It is of the same size,but of a diffe:rent form.being
10nger from east to west than from north to south;and it is more
densely peopled with the middling and 10wer classes than the other
city.In its fcIur sides there are seven gates;and thus Peking has in all
sixteen gates,and outside every gate there is a large suburb.The two
cities together are twenty-one miles in circuit,according to a
measurement made by the command of the Emperor.If to the circumference
of twenty-one miles be added the suburbs and environs,which are also
very populous, particularly those towards the west,through which nearly
the whole commercial traffic of the Chinese capital passes,some idea
may be formed of the vast size of this city.