Note 117 — THE THIRD BOOKE AND HISTORIE OF THE GREAT AND MIGHTIE KINGDOME OF CHINA, IN THE WHICH IS CONTAYNED MANY NOTABLE THINGS WOORTHIE TO BE CONSIDERED OF, TOUCHING MORALL AND POLLITIKE MATTERS. (continued 2)
Robert Parke translation
This character is so vague as to be scarcely recognizable. The proper Chinese word for heaven is tien. The word here given may perhaps mean tsang, the azure sky, which is sometimes used metaphorically for heaven. At the same time the modern Chinese character for Keen, also pronounced Kan , which is likewise a very old word for heaven, appears somewhat to approximate in form to the character given in the text.
