Towards the close of this reign, intercourse with China brought about an economic revolution in the West, especially in England, the importance of which it is difficult to realize sufficiently at this distant date.  A new drink was put on the breakfast-table, destined to displace completely the quart of ale with which even Lady Jane Grey is said to have washed down her morning bacon.  It is mentioned by Pepys, under the year 1660, as “tee (a China drink),” which he says he had never tasted before.  Two centuries later, the export of tea from China had reached huge proportions, no less an amount than one hundred million lb. having been exported in one season from Foochow alone.

CHAPTER IV—­K`ANG HSI

The Emperor Shun Chih was succeeded by his third son, known by his year-title as K`ang Hsi (lasting prosperity), who was only eight years old at the time of his accession.  Twelve years later the new monarch took up the reins of government, and soon began to make his influence felt.  Fairly tall and well proportioned, he loved all manly exercises, and devoted three months annually to hunting.  Large bright eyes lighted up his face, which was pitted with smallpox.  Contemporary observers vie with one another in praising his wit, understanding, and liberality of mind.  He was not twenty when the three feudatory princes broke into open rebellion.  Of these, Wu San-kuei, the virtual founder of the dynasty, who had been appointed in 1659, was the chief; and it was at his instigation that his colleagues who ruled in Kuangtung and Fuhkien determined to throw off their allegiance and set up independent sovereignties.  Within a few months, K`ang Hsi found vast portions of the empire slipping from his grasp; but though at one moment only the provinces of Chihli, Honan, and Shantung were left to him in peaceable possession, he never lost heart.  The resources of Wu San-kuei were ultimately found to be insufficient for the struggle, the issue of which was determined partly by his death in 1678, and partly by the powerful artillery manufactured for the Imperial forces by the Jesuit missionaries, who were then in high favour at court.  The capital city of Yuennan was taken by assault in 1681, upon which Wu San-kuei’s son committed suicide, and the rebellion collapsed.  From that date the Manchus decided that there should be no more “princes” among their Chinese subjects, and the rule has been observed until the present day.

Under the Emperor K`ang Hsi a re-arrangement of the empire was planned and carried out; that is to say, whereas during the Mongol dynasty there had only been thirteen provinces, increased to fifteen by the Mings, there was now a further increase of three, thus constituting what is known as the Eighteen Provinces, or China Proper.  To effect this, the old province of Kiangsan was divided into the modern Anhui and Kiangsu; Kansuh was carved out of Shensi; and Hukuang was separated