h of it is fact and how much
fiction. The first ruler named, Yew-chaou She (the Nest-having), was the
chief who induced the wanderers to settle within the bend of the Yellow
River and make huts of boughs. After him came Suy-jin She (the
Fire-maker), who discovered the art of producing fire by the friction of
two pieces of dry wood, also how to count and register time by means of
knots tied in cords. Fuh-he discovered iron by accident, and reigned one
hundred and fifteen years. Chin-nung invented the plough, and in one day
discovered seventy poisonous plants and as many antidotes. Under
Hoang-ti the calendar was regulated, roads were constructed, vessels
were built, and the title of _Ti_, or Emperor, was first assumed.
Hoang-ti means "Yellow Emperor," and became a favorite name with the
founders of later dynasties. His wife, Se-ling-she, was the first to
unravel silk from cocoons and weave it into cloth. Several others
followed, all partly or wholly fabulous, until Yao ascended the throne
in 2356 B.C. With this emperor history begins to throw off some little
of the mist of legend and mythology.

With the reign of Yao the historical work of Confucius begins. His
narrative is not trustworthy history, but it is not pure fable. Yao and
Shun, his successor, are two of the notable characters in the ancient
annals of China. Under them virtue reigned supreme, crime was unknown,
and the empire grew in extent and prosperity. The greatest difficulty
with which they had to contend was the overflow of the Hoang-ho, an
unruly stream, which from that day to this has from time to time swept
away its banks and drowned its millions. Yu, the next emperor, drained
off the waters of the mighty flood,--which some have thought the same as
the deluge of Noah. This work occupied him for nine years. His last
notable act was to denounce the inventor of an intoxicating drink made
from rice, from which he predicted untold misery to the people.

All this comes to us from the Confucian "Book of History," which goes on
with questionable stories of many later emperors. They were not all good
and wise, like most of those named. Some of the descendants of Yu became
tyrants and pleasure-seekers, their palaces the seats of scenes of
cruelty and debauchery surpassing the deeds of Nero. Two emperors in
particular, Kee and Chow, are held up as monsters of wickedness and
examples of dissoluteness beyond comparison. The last, under the
influence of a woman name