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The National Geographic Magazine 



this valley also are the only practicable 

 passes, two in number, over the Tsin-ling 

 Mountains, which form the barrier be- 

 tween northern and central China. 



In consequence of these unrivaled ad- 

 vantages, trade routes from every direc- 

 tion have converged here from time 

 immemorial and made it a place of great 

 commercial importance, famed for the 

 enterprise and wealth of its merchants. 

 It is the trade center from whence the 

 silk of Chekiang, the tea of Honan and 

 Hupeh, and the silk and sugar of Sze- 

 chuan are distributed to the markets of 

 Mongolia, Turkestan, and Russia in ex- 

 change for rhubarb, musk, medicinal 

 plants, opium, wool, and furs. 



The valley of the Weiho is one of the 

 granaries of China, and the city itself is 

 in the midst of a vast wheat field. The 

 traveler approaching from the east passes 

 through a country ' ' like one continued 

 splendid park, with knolls and lawns and 

 winding paths." The road is a "fine 

 highway — for China, with a ditch on 

 either side, rows of willow trees here and 

 there, and substantial stone bridges and 

 culverts over the little streams which 

 cross it." The city is surrounded by a 

 high wall, said to be forty miles in cir- 

 cumference, with four huge gates flanked 

 by magnificent towers. The principal 

 streets are well paved, and full of good 

 shops, together with palaces, imposing 

 temples, and government buildings. 



One of the few European travelers 

 who have visited Singan, the Rev. A. 

 Williamson, sa5^s that it appeared to be 

 ' ' densely filled with houses, having 

 little or no vacant ground or gardens as 

 jn other cities." At that time, 1866, it 

 was the residence of a Roman Catholic 

 bishop, who claimed that there were 

 about 20,000 Christians in his diocese. 

 Its population is variously estimated 

 from five hundred thousand to a million 

 souls. Michaelis, who visited it in 1879, 

 writes of the courteous treatment which 

 he received wherever he went from the 

 crowds which thronged the streets. 



Though Singan contains no buildings 

 of great antiquity — a mosque built in 

 the ninth century is probabl}^ the oldest 

 structure — the farrtous Pei-lin, or " For- 

 est of Tablets," is the most valuable 

 archseological and historical museum or 

 library in China. H-ere are tablets 

 which chronicle events of five dynasties 

 from B. C. 100. Others are apparently 

 mere specimens of elegant calligraphy, 

 and drawings of well-known mountains 

 and historical scenes. There are also 

 emblematical animals, sacred birds, and 

 likenesses of their great men. Among 

 these is a full-sized portrait of Confu- 

 cius and several of his disciples. The 

 most celebrated of all are the Thirteen 

 Classics, cut in stone, dating from the 

 Han dynasty, far anterior to those in 

 Pekin, now so famous. The most in- 

 teresting monument of past times to the 

 Occidental visitor, however, is the Nes- 

 torian tablet, commemorating the intro- 

 duction of Christianity into China. On 

 it is an inscription in Syriac and Chinese 

 characters giving first a vague abstract 

 of Christian doctrine, and then follows 

 this passage: 



' ' In the time of the accomplished 

 Emperor Taitsung, the illustrious and 

 magnificent founder of the dynasty, 

 among the enlightened and holy men 

 who arrived was the most virtuous 

 Olopun, from the country of Syria. Ob- 

 serving the azure clouds, he bore the 

 true sacred books; beholding the direc- 

 tion of the winds, he braved difficulties 

 and dangers. In the year A D. 635 he 

 arrived at Chang-an ; the Emperor sent 

 his Prime Minister, Duke Fang Hiuen- 

 ling, who, carrying the official staff to 

 the west border, conducted his guest' 

 into the interior. The sacred books were 

 translated in the imperial library, the 

 sovereign investigated the subject in his 

 private apartments ; when, becoming 

 deeply impressed with the rectitude and 

 truth of the religion, he gave special 

 orders for its dissemination." 



The imperial proclamation, which is 



