THE GREAT PARK OF THE EASTERN TOMBS 261 



beautiful in its simplicity, it is an indication of his life 

 and deeds. In striking contrast is the palace built by 

 the Empress for her eternal dwelling. A woman of 

 iron will, holding her place by force and intrigue, a lover 

 of lavish display she has expressed it all in her gor- 

 geous tomb. The extravagance of its decoration and 

 the wealth of gold and silver seem to declare to all the 

 world her desire to be known even in death as the great- 

 est of the great. It is said that her tomb cost ten million 

 dollars, and I can well believe it. But a hundred years 

 from now, when Ch'ien-Lung's mausoleum, like the 

 painting of an old master, has grown even more beauti- 

 ful by the touch of age, that of the Empress will be 

 worn and tarnished. 



Charmed with the calm, the peace, the exquisite 

 beauty of the spot, we spent a delightful day wandering 

 among the red and gold pavilions. But fascinating as 

 were the tombs, we were really concerned with the "hin- 

 terland," the hunting park itself. Sixty miles to the 

 north, but still within the walls, are towering mountains 

 and glorious forests; these were what we had come to 

 see. 



All day, behind three tiny donkeys, we followed a 

 tortuous, foaming stream in the bottom of a splendid 

 valley, ever going upward. At night we slept in the 

 open, and next day crossed the mountain into a forest 

 of oak and pine sprinkled with silver birches. Hun- 

 dreds of wood-cutters passed us on the trail, each car- 

 rying a single log upon his back. Before we reached 

 the village of Shing Lung-shan we came into an area 



