of Liu-pei, towards the end of the second century A.D., and became a national 

 hero. He was canonised in the 12th century, " became in time a tutelary 

 deity " at the end of the i6th century, and was " promoted " to the " rank of 

 God " by the Emperor Wan Li (Ming). 



Let into the wall, and immediately behind the Confucian portrait, is a 

 small tablet on which are shown the two sides of a fan. On the one side, 

 amongst reeds and water lilies, stand two cranes, on the other is neatly 

 written a quotation, or composition. The original picture and writings, from 

 which the^cuttings were made, are acknowledged to be the handiwork of the 

 scholarly Emperor K'ang-hsi ; and they certainly attest his ability. 



Leaving the grand upper hall, we pass down a roofed pavement, lined 

 on either side with large tablets covered with various writings in every 

 conceivable style of character. To-day some of these even Chinese scholars 

 cannot decipher. Here and there a single large rendering of the character 

 " Fu" (prosperity) occupies the whole surface of a tablet, and is much admired 

 by scholars as the work of some famous scribe. One example, executed with a 

 single continuous sweep and flourish of a large brush, is placed to the credit of 

 K'ang-hsi, and is especially valued and admired. 



Turning to the right, when about half way along the avenue of 

 monuments, one reaches shortly a large side room, wherein a fine collection of 

 massive monuments are arranged in picturesque confusion, some standing on 

 solid cubical bases, some leaning against the walls or propped against one 

 another. This room seems to be devoted to artistic productions rather than 

 to literary works, and some of the pictures it contains reach a high standard. 

 Particularly is this the case with a large tablet that faces the door ; a repro- 

 duction of a rubbing from this stone is given in Plate 26, so that a description 

 is unnecessary. On another tablet, of equal size, are given the eight principal 

 views round Hsi-an Fu, a description of each appearing below it. This tablet, 

 and two others bearing quaintly executed representations of T'ai-pei Shan and 

 Hua Shan, two of the five sacred mountains of China, show that scenic 

 beauty appeals to the cultivated Chinese mind. T'ai-pei Shan is a lofty peak 

 lying some days' journey south-west of Hsi-an. It is studded with temples, 

 but extensive and very precipitous, giving shelter to the Tahkin (a peculiar 

 animal, looking like a cross between an ox and a goat), the goral (goat- 

 antelope), and other animals of shy and retiring habits. The priests of the 

 temples, and the natives of the district, being good Buddhists, do not chase 

 these animals, which fact no doubt accounts for their presence in great 

 numbers. Hua Shan, as stated in the preceding chapter, is situated close to 



48 



