THIRTY THOUSAND MILES IN CHINA 5 



elements: metal, wood, water, fire, earth; though the all 

 surrounding air is omitted ! There are the five senses, the 

 five virtues, the five planets, five colours, five musical notes 

 aad toe five classics, the learning of which bv a cast-iron 

 method has in several hundred years wasted enough energy 

 for ten millenniums of true education. There are the five 

 races, the five cereals, the five seasons and of special value 

 to the traveller the five points of the compass: North, East 

 bouth West and Center; indicating that it is just as im- 

 portant to know where you are as it is to get your direction ! 

 Hence even under the risk of being considered too artificial 

 1 shall present my subject according to the ancient rule of 

 rive. 



m The five corners of my own area of travel are significant 

 m their contrast. 



In the south-east Hainan, the Island of Palms; in the 

 north-east Dolonnor and the Salt Marshes of Inner Mon- 

 golia; in the north-west the Snow Mountains of Sungpan 

 Pass, the Switzerland of China; and in the south-west the 

 jungles of Laos and Siam, and in China proper, the elevated 

 lakes of Yunnan. 



My separate expeditions might be characterized as 

 follows: (1) Along the China Coast from end to end; (2) 

 Overland from Peking to Canton via Hankow, Changsha, 

 Kweilin and Wuchow ; (3) The Yangtsze Kiang from Tibetan 

 Borderland to the sea; (4) The Yellow River's Middle 

 Course; (5) Over the Meiling from Canton to Kiukiang; 

 (6) Across Shantung, China's Holy Land; (7) A Loop in 

 Inner Mongolia, via Hannor Pass, Dolonor, and Jehol; (8) 

 From Canton to Mandalay, but stopped half way by a 

 Revolution; (9) Partout en Indo-Chine; (10) China's Far 

 West, Shensi, Kansu and Szechwan. 



These journeys have taken me to the five Sacred Moun- 

 tains of China : — Taishan in Shantung, Hengshan in Hunan, 

 Wutaishan in Shansi, Omeishan in Szechwan and Hwashan 

 in Shensi. Of these Omei is the highest (10,000 ft.) and 

 affords the greatest variety of scenery, Hwashan (6,000) 

 presents the most interesting ascent because of the steepness 

 of the artificial way prepared for devotees, while Tai Shan 

 (5,000) has the most valuable historical connection with 

 China's Chief Sage, Confucius, who ascended this mount 

 about 500 B.C. Each bears numerous temples and each is 

 visited annually by thousands of pilgrims from far and near. 

 The lastnamed is now very accessible even for the tourist 

 since the Pukow-Tientsin railway passes through Taian which 

 lies at its base. 



