THE CHENGTU PLAIN 107 



ti tso yen " (Dig the bed deep, keep the banks low), has become 

 an estabhshed law in these parts, and is rigorously carried into 

 effect. Amidst so much that is decaying and corrupt in China 

 it is refreshing to find an old institution maintaining its 

 standard of excellence and usefulness through century after 

 century. The originators of this work have been deified, and two 

 magnificent temples overlooking their work at Kuan Hsien bear 

 witness to the gratitude of the millions who have enjoyed, and 

 continue to enjoy, prosperity from the labours of the famous 

 Li-ping and his son. The "hero-worship" here exemplified 

 would do credit to the people of any land. 



The larger of the two temples merits some description. 

 It is by far the finest example I have seen in my travels, and is 

 probably not excelled by any temple in all China. It nestles 

 midst a grove of fine trees, facing the river on the side of a hill, 

 with broad flights of steps leading from terrace to terrace. The 

 buildings are of wood, finely carved and lacquered. The court- 

 yards of stone are broad and spacious, with ornaments in 

 bronze and iron of old and unique workmanship. There are 

 figures representing Li-ping, his wife and son, also many finely 

 gilded and inscribed votive boards, gifts of a long line of 

 succeeding emperors, viceroys, gentry, and guilds. Not a 

 weed is allowed to grow, the whole place being kept scrupulously 

 clean by the Taouist priests in charge. In the courtyards are 

 many interesting trees and shrubs, trained in Chinese manner 

 with consummate skill. Two magnificent specimens of the 

 Crepe Myrtle {Lagerstrcemia indica), trained into the shape of 

 a fan some 25 feet high by 12 feet wide, and said to be over 

 200 years old, are finer than anything of the kind I have 

 seen elsewhere. 



The whole of the plain is subdivided into small fields, every 

 field or series of fields having its own level, differing (sometimes 

 only by one or two inches) from that of its neighbours. This 

 arrangement necessitates a complicated code of regulations, 

 which, sanctioned by custom and usage, determines the pro- 

 portions in which the water of any one canal is distributed into 

 its branches, and the order of succession in which proprietors 

 of different fields are allowed to make use of it. The system 

 has been so far perfected that each rice field receives, exactly 



