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river, crossed by a bridge. The river or broad ditch is termed the wu kung ho () or Centipede river from the tortuous course it is made to pursue. At the two ends of this tortuous water reservoir are two beautiful marble dragons lying in recesses overlooking the stream. I am not sure that originally it was not intended that the water should issue from the mouths of these animals.

Proceeding further, we reach a stone door with beautifully carved dragons on each side. Beyond this are pavilions containing large marble tablets, borne as usual on the backs of tortoises; the chief tablet has been defaced of its inscription. The larger tomb, of which we are now speaking, was erected to a prince of the Ming dynasty, but a brother of K'ang Hi of the present dynasty appropriated it to himself; hence the defacement of the inscriptions of the original owner. No inscriptions whatever are found now on any of the tablets. After passing flight upon flight of steps we reach the limit of the cemetery. In front of the tumulus is a square wall facing the mound with two large dragons in the centre and dragons likewise at the four corners. At the side, after passing through a doorway, an inclined approach leads to the top of the mound, some twenty or thirty feet high, in the centre of which is the red-coloured tumulus proper or grave. After walking round this mound with its substantial retaining walls, we retraced our steps, visited one other of the tombs laid out on the same plan, remounted our donkeys and after an hour's ride reached San chia tien. Here we dismounted, at the further end of this thriving town, so much occupied with the Peking coal and fruit trade, crossed two arms of the Hwen Ho on rows of planks laid on wicker baskets filled with boulders laid in the bed of the river, and after a walk of about a mile on foot we reached the Imperial tile works. The river divides into two arms here, forming a large island, the further or western branch being the main stream; the eastern branch was almost dry, the bulk of its water being conducted in a lade past the town to powder works situated a few miles below the town, where the Seventh Prince or Emperor's father has lately started powder works and where some two hundred of the bannermen are employed each month from each of the eight Manchoo banners in succession. Considerable additions have been made to the works this year-as many as one hundred and twenty additional compartments-and now it is contemplated starting electric works in addition at the same place. It being the mid-autumn holiday, the tile works were not in operation, but we had the opportunity of inspecting the works where the beautiful glazed yellow, green and blue tiles for Imperial use are made. Some of these tiles or bricks are so large and reckoned so valuable that they

are carried to the city on men's backs, one being a sufficiently heavy burden for one man. Connected with the tile works is a large vineyard also official, where some seventy vines are said to be planted, which however we did not visit. The temples and private houses in this neighbourhood are ornamented with these handsome tiles. All the variegated and fantastic but beautiful tiles used in the erection of Imperial buildings are made here.

Having thus reached the furthest limit of our proposed excursion for the day we began to retrace our steps, returning by the plain. On account of the holiday refreshments were difficult to obtain. To secure even grapes, the clusters had to be taken down from the shrine of the household penates to whom they had been offered. It was with the greatest difficulty we could procure a few cakes where ordinarily these things can be bought everywhere. Towards evening it began to rain quite heavily and the latter part of the journey was passed in the dark-the full moon having been quite obscured with the heavy storm of rain which now covered the entire heavens. After a change of raiment and dinner, nothing but the pleasant impressions of the day's excursion remained on our minds, and new preparations were set on foot for another excursion on the following day, some friends having come from the city to join our party.

On this occasion we determined to visit the celebrated bridge of Lu kow() on the Hwen river, about ten miles to the south of our monastery. [The name was derived from the flowering top of the reads which once grew so plentifully along the banks of the river in the time of Mencius, the district on this account being termed Lu kow. It is one of the eight sights of Peking, new moon being said to be seen at this place, hence the expression Lu kow siau yuh (JA). The other seven sights of the capital are the following Chin t'ai hsi chao (y) outside the Chi hwa gate (), by ascending the base of the pei which once had a pavilion over it, the sun may be seen in the west after it has set; the Chi mẽn yen shu (outside the Teh sheng gate (P), a yellow pavilion on the earth-wall of Kambalu―the Peking of the Yuen dynasty with those four characters upon it, indicating that at that time the trees were so numerous as to appear as a bank of smoke; Chü yung t'ieh s'ui in the (*) Nan kow pass leading to the great wall; the hills at certain times assuming a greenish hue; Chung tao chun yin (4) outside the Nan hsi gate(), a Chinese city southern gate which is celebrated to the present day for the richness and variety of its flowers, the place is called feng tai (), the prospect is called after the well of this locality which was so efficacious in rearing such beautiful flowers;

Tai yeh chieu feng () referring to the lake in the Imperial city which in the Chin or Yuen dynasty was so called, the prospect here being the beautiful effect of the ruffling water of the lake caused by the autumn wind; U tung chui hung (E), the two pai leus or ornamental arches at the lake on each side being respectively termed U tung (E) and Chin au (), and the marble bridge uniting the two being compared to a rainbow; Hsi shan chi hsieh (US), referring to the beauty of the snow lying on the Western Hills in the Spring.] This structure dates from the T'ang dynasty and is over 1000 years old. It is rather a handsome bridge, as bridges go in China. It has eleven arches and is on the line of traffic from the capital to the south and south-west. The stones are deeply worn. There is a small walled city on the north side called Kung chi cheng (). There are several very good and large inns just at the bridge on the north side, in one of which we partook of a good Chinese meal, and which afforded shelter to us and our horses from a severe thunderstorm which broke over us in the early afternoon. In the middle of the court yard of our inn was a cellar for the preservation of meat in summer and vegetables in winter. The people are not allowed to store ice, the sound of the word for ice ping () and soldier ping (E) being identical. It might cause uneasiness at the capital to hear of tens of thousands of ping, soldiers (ice blocks) stowed away on the banks of the river. The people must resort to Peking for the purchase of the article if they choose to indulge in summer in cold acid conge. The ice could be easily obtained in the spring when the river breaks up, large masses 1 feet thick of the purest ice being dammed up against the bridge or thrown on the banks. Although the river is well termed "muddy," from the large quantity of silt brought down in the rainy season, in the winter the water is said to be quite pure. The great object of interest at the bridge is of course the parapet, which is covered with large and small lions. These lions, with most carnivorous looks, are so numerous as to defy calculation. Such at least is the Chinese saying. It is not however that they cannot really be counted, but that it is extremely difficult-one gets so confused and giddy in the enumeration, and hardly any two calculations agree. We were determined to put the question to the test and settle the problem if possible. Dividing our party into two lots, one to each side of the bridge, and with pencil and paper in hand, one member counting the lions, another checking the reckoning and a third noting the number, we attempted the hitherto impossible feat. After each party had finished its own side, the sides were changed and the same process repeated. The result arrived at s as follows: The parapet is supported at the two ends by animals

the south by two elephants, the north by two lions. At each end of the bridge are two chung tien chu () or stone pillars surmounted by a lion or lions. Leaving these out of our calculation, the figures for the parapet alone are on the east or down river side 235 lions great and small, 142 large ones heading each pillar, and on the opposite side 233 lions large and small, 141 of them being large lions on the head of each pillar. The figures comprise both male and female lions. It is only the latter however who have cubs hidden about them. There is invariably one under the left paw, this being the place from which the young lions are said to be suckled. Under the right paw is a globe, which some have supposed to represent the round world, the lion among animals being monarch of all he surveys. But this is opposed to the Chinese notion of the earth being flat; moreover the lion is not found in China and is therefore not likely to have had such a post of honour conferred upon him. Others think it a mere ball as a plaything for the cubs, which is perhaps more probable. The young lions on this bridge are perched in all possible positions, and unless carefully examined many of them would easily escape observation. It is this which renders the calculation nigh impossible. The figures here given may be relied upon.

On leaving the bridge we rode along the northern bank of the river which is here strongly embanked and faced with massive masonry, to the Shih ching hill (), a noted hill at the mouth of the mountain gorge out of which flows the river. We mentioned this hill in our description last year of a visit paid to two celebrated temples. Here we partook of tea, enjoying the beautiful prospect all around. The view in all directions is exceedingly grand and extensive. The face of the hill fronting the river is quite perpendicular. The originally beautiful contour of the hill has been much destroyed by quarrying. for grinding stones many years ago. These quarries are now wrought out and grass has covered the mounds of rubbish, thus hiding what would otherwise be extremely ugly. Quarries for these stones are now carried on near Sz p'ing t'ai, with considerable destruction to the natural beauty of the locality. In the river below, the ferry boat is busy plying to and fro; the current of the river is deep and rapid and a rope passing round a windlass is employed to guide the ferry boat across. Lower down planks and wicker work are lying ready for the construction of a winter bridge similar to the one at San chia tien. The current is too strong to permit of the existence of such a bridge here in summer. In the river was a little boat grinding wheat utilizing the current. Paddy was plentifully sown in the island formed in the middle of the river, which was everywhere abundantly irrigated

from the river, small ditches intersecting it in all directions. Lower down hundreds of camels, just down from their summer pasturage on the plains of Mongolia and waiting for the commencement of the Peking coal and lime carrying trade and the Russian tea trade from Tungchow to Kalgan were browsing about. On this hill is a well 230 feet deep, the deepest well we have ever seen-the hill itself is about 400 feet high and the well is about halfway down the side of the hill. It took a stone some 5 or 6 seconds to travel before we heard it strike the water. The hill seems to be called from this well, so the priest informed us. A new hall has been repaired in a lower court of the hill. Entrance to the various portions of the hill are called by gates bearing heavenly names from the four points of the compass. In this new hall we had the privilege of seeing a number of bran new gods and goddesses, among the latter being a small-footed Chinese woman enjoying a tobacco-pipe, the first image of this nature we had seen in China. In the evening we returned to our own monastery, being greatly pleased with our day's excursion.

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CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY, FUHKIEN MISSION.

HE Annual Conference of the above Mission has just been held in the American Methodist Episcopal Church, Foochow, which the members of that mission kindly lent to them for the occasion. In addition to this the C.M.S. is indebted to two rich Chinese gentlemen for the use of a large hong which was placed at their disposal for the accommodation of those attending the Conference from different parts of the Province.

There has been every thing to encourage the missionaries in their work, for although the number attending was not quite as great as last year, owing probably to field work and sickness, yet the interest and enthusiasm were in no way diminished but rather increased.

The following is a rapid sketch of the subjects and work brought before the Conference :-On Saturday, December 9th, the Conference was opened by a Devotional Meeting in which many spoke of a few interesting events in their work during the past year.

On Sunday morning, the Rev. J. R. Wolfe preached to a good congregation from the words of 1 John i. 4, after which about 150 stayed to the Holy Communion. In the evening, the Rev. Ting Seng Ki preached from Luke xxiv. 47-48.

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