In the Imperial palace, there are Mandarins wearing this feather, who may be compared to the Valets-de-Chambre of European Princes.
There is also a kind of Mandarins who wear a long black feather; but these two kinds of Mandarins in waiting do not wear their feathers out of the palace, nor even when off duty; while the Mandarins of the first rank never lay theirs aside.
Pe-king. See Chun-ting-fou. See also Temperature.
At Pe-king, the north part, in which stands the Imperial palace, is distinguished by the appellation of the Tartar City; and all the south quarter, which properly speaking is only the suburbs of Pe-king, is called the Chinese City.
The proper name of this city is Chun-ting-fou; the word Pe-king, which signifies the Northern Court, being only an epithet. But the Europeans have adopted the latter word, because more easy to pronounce.
Picol.
A picol is equal to a hundred Catis, or a hundred and twenty-five French pounds, troy-weight (poids de marc). (Fr. Ed.)
Portugueze.
The reader must not be surprised In this work, at several words derived from the Portugueze, since Portugueze and English are the habitual and commercial tongues of foreigners at Canton. (Fr. Ed.)
Prostitutes.
Gemelle reproaches Nieuhoff with saying, that there are women of that description in China; but the fact is but too true, and is proved unequivocally by what the Author says upon the subject.
