PREFACE 



statements. The Tibetan translations have presented special 

 difficulties. The language of Tibetan gospels written in 

 ancient Lama script is not simple of comprehension, even to 

 the Lama. The lack of scholars possessing a knowledge of 

 Tibetan has necessitated transliteration by Lamas who, 

 having no knowledge of Chinese characters, wrote in Mongol 

 script. The Mongolian character had then to be translated 

 into Chinese before ultimate reduction to English. 



It is hoped that even to those who take no interest in dogs, 

 the following pages may be attractive because of the side- 

 lights thrown on Chinese history, together with Eastern 

 palace life, and the inter-State relations of the long line of 

 Emperors who have dominated the world's oldest ruling race. 

 Modern research tends to prove that more of the East than was 

 generally imagined is akin to the West. On the other hand, 

 not a little of Western canine life owes its origin and dis- 

 tinctive peculiarities to the East. 



IX 



