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Extinction of Species: China

We learn from incidental passages in the Bamboo Books* that the rhinoceros, which is now unknown in China, formerly extended throughout that country. We read of King Ch'aou, named Hěa (в.c. 980), that " in his sixteenth year [of reign] the king attacked Ts'oo, and in crossing the river Han met with a large rhinoceros." And, again, of King E, named Sëě (в.c. 860), that " in his sixth year, when hunting in the forest of Shay, he captured a rhinoceros and carried it home." There is also mention made-though this is less conclusive-that in the time of King Yiu, named Yeu (в.c. 313), the King of Yueh sent Kung-sze Yu with a present of three hundred boats, five million arrows, together with rhinoceros' horns and elephants' teeth.

Elephants are now unknown in China except in a domesticated state, but they probably disputed its thick forest and jungly plains with the Miaotsz, Lolos, and other tribes which held the country before its present occupants. This may be inferred from the incidental references to them in the Shan Hai King, a work reputed to be of great antiquity, of which more mention will be made hereafter, and from evidence contained in other ancient Chinese works which has been summarized by Mr. Kingsmillt as follows :- "The rhinoceros and elephant certainly lived in Honan в.c. 600. The Tso-chuen, commenting on the C'hun T'siu of the second year of the Duke Siuen (в.c. 605), describes the former as being in sufficient abundance to supply skins for armour. The want, according to the popular saying, was not of rhinoceroses to supply skins, but of courage to animate the wearers. From the same authority (Duke Hi XIII., в.c. 636) we learn that while T'soo (Hukwang) produced ivory and rhinoceros' skins in abundance, Tsin, lying * The Chinese Classics, vol. iii. p. 1, by James Legge, B.D. † Inaugural Address by President, T. W. Kingsmill, North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1877. north of the Yellow River, on the most elevated part of the Loess, was dependent on the other for its supplies of those commodities. The Tribute of Yu tells the same tale. Yangchow and King (Kiangpeh and Hukwang), we are told, sent tribute of ivory and rhinoceros' hide, while Liang (Shensi) sent the skins of foxes and bears. Going back to mythical times, we find Mencius (III. ii. 9) telling how Chow Kung expelled from Lu (Shantung) the elephants and rhinoceroses, the tigers and leopards."