44 THE SHUH COUNTRY 



superstitiously worshipped; its devotees are so plentiful that 

 it is said that the incense sticks are rarely ever extinct. 

 The stone is believed to have flown from the uttermost 

 part of the heavens, and is most likely to be of meteoric 

 origin. 



The weavers stone (% iS S) is a large stone situated 

 in the centre of the inner city, and is believed to have been 

 there since the Han Dynasty. The legend concerning it 

 runs as follows: A certain official named Chang K'ien 

 entered the milky way (3£M), where he met the weaver 

 star goddess. The goddess presented him with a stone 

 and instructed him to take it. back to Ch'en tu and ask 

 Nien Chiiin P'ing (Wl ^ f) to explain its meaning to him. 



This stone probably also is of meteoric origin. Nien 

 was a famous logomantic scholar, who opened his door 

 and earned one hundred copper cash daily, after which 

 he closed his door and devoted himself to study. 



The wash horse pool ($fc M 3flL) is situated in the present 

 Loh Kong Ts.'i (,§£ & M) street, just behind the tax office. 

 This pool became famous during the three kingdom period 

 when General Chao (t§ HfF ^)' washed his horses there. It is 

 also called the Ts'i Long (^FtM) pool, after this famous general. 



The pool of Mo K'o (M !$ 3&) who was one of the Budd- 

 hist apostles. This pool is situated in the Imperial city, 

 and is believed to be a relic of the Sui (fit) Dynasty(A.D. 600). 



The wash-ink-pool (^Jfe M J&) had its origin in the Han 

 Dynasty, when a famous scholar named Yang Hsiong (%b J£) 

 lived and taught near this spot, and probably washed his 

 ink slab there. 



The well of Hsioh T'ao (I? HI ft), a famous female 

 scholar, who lived in the T'ang Dynast}'. This well is 

 said to be situated outside the east gate near the Wang 

 Kiang leo (H t£ ft). It is stated that this is the spot where 

 Hsioh T'ao (1& *f!) made and dyed her own paper. A certain 

 Ma Shao Hsiang {$> '}* M) built a pavillion and planted 

 trees around the spot; this pavillion being called the wash 

 paper pavillion (jS H *?). The same gentleman also built 

 a loft and called it the sing poetry loft (flaft^l). Closely 

 connected with the foregoing buildings was a pool of water 

 which was called the Liu Pei Ch'i (ifo H 3&). A cup filled 

 with wine was placed on the surface of this pool; while 

 the guests stood around waiting for the cup to be wafted 

 ashore, and to whomsoever the cup came, the same had 

 to drink the wine it contained. A likeness of Hsioh T'ao 

 was carved and placed in the adjoining loft at the same 

 period. 



