A Perfect " Fing-shui" 105 



height, the benignant influx of the genial south (" Yang," i.e. 

 Light). A smooth point of rock juts out into the river just 

 above the city, and constitutes the " Lung " (Dragon), without 

 whose presence no site is complete. This bank, rising land- 

 wards, is crowned by a three-storied " Ting-tsze " (pavilion), 

 which overlooks the city and commands a charming prospect. 

 This protruding dragon checks the current and makes a 

 smooth bight behind, in which moor the large fleet of junks 

 that frequent this busy place — a characteristic Szechuan town. 

 Situated on a bend, the descending river pours its wealth 

 into the arms of Wan, before which it halts for a while ere 

 pursuing its onward course. But lest when leaving the city 

 in its downward course it should carry away too rapidly the 

 gifts it has brought down, not only is it checked by the 

 natural gorge below, but on the jutting points, which here 

 keep the river back, the Feng-shui is perfected by a couple 

 of pagodas and the elegant " Chung-ku lo ! " 



Apart, however, from all these fanciful, yet poetical, 

 advantages — ^which were kindly pointed out to me by an 

 enthusiastic old gentleman, a big junk-master and owner, 

 who volunteered as my guide in an evening stroll — the 

 extraordinary way in which the peculiar sandstone hills are 

 broken up gives an unique appearance to a landscape, which 

 once seen is never forgotten. I would advise all tourists to 

 the rapids not to stop at Kwei, but to extend their trip two 

 days further to the lovely Vale of Wan. 



A river, now almost dry, winding through steep banks, 

 divides the small, walled city from the extensive suburb 

 above it, and is crossed by a semi-circular bridge with no 

 visible abutments, giving it the appearance of a bent bow, 

 the highest and most elegant structure of the kind I have yet 

 seen. Down this stream comes the "Hwang piao tsz'," a 

 yellow paper, manufactured from macerated bamboos, for 



