DOGS OF CHINA AND JAPAN 



modern " Pekingese " dog came from Europe. In evidence 

 of the fact that communication with Europe existed at an 

 early period it may here be mentioned that the name " China " 

 is probably due to the country's becoming known to the 

 Graeco-Roman world during the Ts'in Dynasty (255-206 B.C.) 

 about the time of Ptolemy (247-222 B.C.). A little later silk 

 was introduced into Rome and Greece by the northern 

 overland route. This overland caravan route became 

 thoroughly established during the Han Dynasty, a hundred 

 years before the Christian era. The profusion of silks which 

 were worn by the wealthy Romans all came from the looms 

 of Han in exchange for the products of the West, chiefly 

 glass, steel, pottery, elephants, horses, and most probably, in 

 view of the custom of including them as objects of exchange 

 between states even at this early period, the pet dogs for 

 which the Eastern Roman Empire and Greece were famous. 



With the death of Ling Ti the Eastern Han Kingdom, 

 which constituted China, broke up into three parts. These 

 united for a short period only to be split into sixteen minor 

 kingdoms which waged war among themselves for a period 

 lasting roughly from A.D. 300-400. No less than six dynasties 

 rose and fell before Buddhism introduced into China at the 

 beginning of the first century B.C., became the dominating 

 religion. 



' By the year 420 of our era a decisive change was wrought 

 for China, full of the most important consequences for the 

 future of her literature and art ; and that was a clear division 

 of the groups of Chinese states into North and South 

 Dynasties the whole north, the ancestral seats, being taken 

 over by Tartar conquerors. 



The Emperors of pure Chinese stock now moved their 

 capital down to the lately civilized south. This separation, 

 with relatively long intervals of peace between the two 

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