The Travels of Marco Polo Volume II Part 7

The distance from Si-ngan fu to Pao-ki is 450 _li_, which could be done in 3 days, but at Polo's rate would probably require 5. The distance by the mountain road from Pao-ki to the Plain of Han-chung, could never have occupied 20 days. It is really a 6 or 7 days' march.

But Pauthier's MS. C (and its double, the Bern MS.) has viii. marches instead of xx., through the mountains of Cuncun. This reduces the time between Kenjanfu and the Plain to 11 days, which is just about a proper allowance for the whole journey, though not accurately distributed. Two days, though ample, would not be excessive for the journey across the Plain of Han-chung, especially if the traveller visited that city. And "20 days from Han-chung, to Ch'eng-tu fu would correspond with Marco Polo's rate of travel." (_Richthofen_).

So far then, provided we admit the reading of the MS. C, there is no ground for hesitating to adopt the usual route between the two cities, via Han-chung.

But the key to the exact route is evidently the position of Acbalec Manzi, and on this there is no satisfactory light.

For the name of the province, Pauthier's text has _Acbalec Manzi_, for the name of the city _Acmalec_ simply. The G.T. has in the former case _Acbalec Mangi_, in the latter "Acmelic Mangi _qe vaut dire_ le une _de le confine dou Mangi_." This is followed literally by the Geographic Latin, which has "_Acbalec Mangi et est dictum in lingua nostra_ unus _ex confinibus Mangi_." So also the Crusca; whilst Ramusio has "_Achbaluch Mangi, che vuol dire_ Citta Bianca de' confini di Mangi." It is clear that Ramusio alone has here preserved the genuine reading.

Klaproth identified Acbalec conjecturally with the town of _Pe-ma-ching_, or "White-Horse-Town," a place now extinct, but which stood like Mien and Han-chung on the extensive and populous Plain that here borders the Han.

It seems so likely that the latter part of the name _Pe_-MACHING ("_White_ Maching") might have been confounded by foreigners with _Machin_ and _Manzi_ (which in Persian parlance were identical), that I should be disposed to overlook the difficulty that we have no evidence produced to show that Pemaching was a place of any consequence.

It is possible, however, that the name _Acbalec_ may have been given by the Tartars without any reference to Chinese etymologies. We have already twice met with the name or its equivalent (_Acbaluc_ in ch. x.x.xvii. of this Book, and _Chaghan Balghasun_ in note 3 to Book I. ch. lx.), whilst Strahlenberg tells us that the Tartars call all great residences of princes by this name (Amst. ed. 1757, I. p. 7). It may be that Han-chung itself was so named by the Tartars; though its only claim that I can find is, that it was the first residence of the Han Dynasty. Han-chung fu stands in a beautiful plain, which forms a very striking object to the traveller who is leaving the T'sing-ling mountains. Just before entering the plains, the Helung Kiang pa.s.ses through one of its wildest gorges, a mere crevice between vertical walls several hundred feet high. The road winds to the top of one of the cliffs in zigzags cut in the solid rock. From the temple of Kitau Kwan, which stands at the top of the cliff, there is a magnificent view of the Plain, and no traveller would omit this, the most notable feature between the valley of the Wei and Ch'eng-tu-fu. It is, moreover, the only piece of level ground, of any extent, that is pa.s.sed through between those two regions, whichever road or track be taken. (_Richthofen_, MS. Notes.)

[In the _China Review_ (xiv. p. 358) Mr. E.H. Parker, has an article on _Acbalec Manzi_, but does not throw any new light on the subject.--H.C.]

NOTE 2.--Polo's journey now continues through the lofty mountainous region in the north of Sze-ch'wan.

The dividing range Ta-pa-shan is less in height than the T'sing-ling range, but with gorges still more abrupt and deep; and it would be an entire barrier to communication but for the care with which the road, here also, has been formed. But this road, from Han-chung to Ch'eng-tu fu, is still older than that to the north, having been constructed, it is said, in the 3rd century B.C. [See supra.] Before that time Sze-ch'wan was a closed country, the only access from the north being the circuitous route down the Han and up the Yang-tz'u. (Ibid.)

[Mr. G.G. Brown writes (_Jour. China Br. R. As. Soc._ xxviii. p. 53): "Crossing the Ta-pa-shan from the valley of the Upper Han in Shen-si we enter the province of Sze-ch'wan, and are now in a country as distinct as possible from that that has been left. The climate which in the north was at times almost Arctic, is now pluvial, and except on the summits of the mountains no snow is to be seen. The people are ethnologically different.... More even than the change of climate the geological aspect is markedly different. The loess, which in Shen-si has settled like a pall over the country, is here absent, and red sandstone rocks, filling the valleys between the high-bounding and intermediate ridges of palaeozoic formation, take its place. Sze-ch'wan is evidently a region of rivers flowing in deeply eroded valleys, and as these find but one exit, the deep gorges of Kwei-fu, their disposition takes the form of the innervations of a leaf springing from a solitary stalk. The country between the branching valleys is eminently hilly; the rivers flow with rapid currents in well-defined valleys, and are for the most part navigable for boats, or in their upper reaches for lumber-rafts.... The horse-cart, which in the north and north-west of China is the princ.i.p.al means of conveyance, has never succeeded in gaining an entrance into Sze-ch'wan with its steep ascents and rapid unfordable streams; and is here represented for pa.s.senger traffic by the sedan-chair, and for the carriage of goods, with the exception of a limited number of wheel-barrows, by the backs of men or animals, unless where the friendly water-courses afford the cheapest and readiest means of intercourse."--H.C.]

Martini notes the musk-deer in northern Sze-ch'wan.

CHAPTER XLIV.

CONCERNING THE PROVINCE AND CITY OF SINDAFU.

When you have travelled those 20 days westward through the mountains, as I have told you, then you arrive at a plain belonging to a province called Sindafu, which still is on the confines of Manzi, and the capital city of which is (also) called SINDAFU. This city was in former days a rich and n.o.ble one, and the Kings who reigned there were very great and wealthy. It is a good twenty miles in compa.s.s, but it is divided in the way that I shall tell you.

You see the King of this Province, in the days of old, when he found himself drawing near to death, leaving three sons behind him, commanded that the city should be divided into three parts, and that each of his three sons should have one. So each of these three parts is separately walled about, though all three are surrounded by the common wall of the city. Each of the three sons was King, having his own part of the city, and his own share of the kingdom, and each of them in fact was a great and wealthy King. But the Great Kaan conquered the kingdom of these three Kings, and stripped them of their inheritance.[NOTE 1]

Through the midst of this great city runs a large river, in which they catch a great quant.i.ty of fish. It is a good half mile wide, and very deep withal, and so long that it reaches all the way to the Ocean Sea,--a very long way, equal to 80 or 100 days' journey. And the name of the River is KIAN-SUY. The mult.i.tude of vessels that navigate this river is so vast, that no one who should read or hear the tale would believe it. The quant.i.ties of merchandize also which merchants carry up and down this river are past all belief. In fact, it is so big, that it seems to be a Sea rather than a River![NOTE 2]

Let us now speak of a great Bridge which crosses this River within the city. This bridge is of stone; it is seven paces in width and half a mile in length (the river being that much in width as I told you); and all along its length on either side there are columns of marble to bear the roof, for the bridge is roofed over from end to end with timber, and that all richly painted. And on this bridge there are houses in which a great deal of trade and industry is carried on. But these houses are all of wood merely, and they are put up in the morning and taken down in the evening.

Also there stands upon the bridge the Great Kaan's _Comercque_, that is to say, his custom-house, where his toll and tax are levied.[NOTE 3]

And I can tell you that the dues taken on this bridge bring to the Lord a thousand pieces of fine gold every day and more. The people are all Idolaters.[NOTE 4]

When you leave this city you travel for five days across a country of plains and valleys, finding plenty of villages and hamlets, and the people of which live by husbandry. There are numbers of wild beasts, lions, and bears, and such like.

I should have mentioned that the people of Sindu itself live by manufactures, for they make fine sendals and other stuffs.[NOTE 5]

After travelling those five days' march, you reach a province called Tebet, which has been sadly laid waste; we will now say something of it.

NOTE 1.--We are on firm ground again, for SINDAFU is certainly CH'eNG-TU FU, the capital of Sze-ch'wan. Probably the name used by Polo was _Sindu-fu_, as we find _Sindu_ in the G.T. near the end of the chapter.

But the same city is, I observe, called _Thindafu_ by one of the Nepalese emba.s.sies, whose itineraries Mr. Hodgson has given in the _J.A.S.B._ XXV.

488.

The modern French missions have a bishop in Ch'eng-tu fu, and the city has been visited of late years by Mr. T.T. Cooper, by Mr. A. Wylie, by Baron v. Richthofen, [Captain Gill, Mr. Baber, Mr. Hosie, and several other travellers]. Mr. Wylie has kindly favoured me with the following note:--"My notice all goes to corroborate Marco Polo. The covered bridge with the stalls is still there, the only difference being the absence of the toll-house. I did not see any traces of a tripart.i.te division of the city, nor did I make any enquiries on the subject during the 3 or 4 days I spent there, as it was not an object with me at the time to verify Polo's account. The city is indeed divided, but the division dates more than a thousand years back. It is something like this, I should say [see diagram]".[1]

[Ill.u.s.tration: |------------| | | |---| |---| | | B | | C | A | |___| |___| | | | |____________|

A. The Great City.

B. The Little City.

C. The Imperial City.]

"The Imperial City (_Hw.a.n.g Ching_) was the residence of the monarch Lew Pe (i.e. Liu Pei of p. 32) during the short period of the 'Three Kingdoms'

(3rd century), and some relics of the ancient edifice still remain. I was much interested in looking over it. It is now occupied by the Public Examination Hall and its dependencies."

I suspect Marco's story of the Three Kings arose from a misunderstanding about this historical period of the _San-Kwe_ or Three Kingdoms (A.D.

222-264). And this tripart.i.te division of the city may have been merely that which we see to exist at present.

[Mr. Baber, leaving Ch'eng-tu, 26th July, 1877, writes (_Travels_, p. 28): "We took ship outside the East Gate on a rapid narrow stream, apparently the city moat, which soon joins the main river, a little below the An-shun Bridge, an antiquated wooden structure some 90 yards long. This is in all probability the bridge mentioned by Marco Polo. The too flattering description he gives of it leads one to suppose that the present handsome stone bridges of the province were unbuilt at the time of his journey."

Baber is here mistaken.

Captain Gill writes (l.c. II. p. 9): "As Mr. Wylie in recent days had said that Polo's covered bridge was still in its place, we went one day on an expedition in search of it. Polo, however, speaks of a bridge full half a mile long, whilst the longest now is but 90 yards. On our way we pa.s.sed over a fine nine-arched stone bridge, called the Chin-Yen-Ch'iao. Near the covered bridge there is a very pretty view down the river."--H.C.]

Baron Richthofen observes that Ch'eng-tu is among the largest of Chinese cities, and is of all the finest and most refined. The population is called 800,000. The walls form a square of about 3 miles to the side, and there are suburbs besides. The streets are broad and straight, laid out at right angles, with a pavement of square flags very perfectly laid, slightly convex and drained at each side. The numerous commemorative arches are sculptured with skill; there is much display of artistic taste; and the people are remarkably civil to foreigners. This characterizes the whole province; and an air of wealth and refinement prevails even in the rural districts. The plain round Ch'eng-tu fu is about 90 miles in length (S.E. to N.W.), by 40 miles in width, with a copious irrigation and great fertility, so that in wealth and population it stands almost unrivalled. (_Letter_ VII. pp. 48-66.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLAN OF CHENG-TU.

Eglises ou Etabliss.e.m.e.nts francais des "Missions etrangeres"

Reproduction d'une carte chinoise]

[Mr. Baber (_Travels_, p. 26) gives the following information regarding the population of Ch'eng-tu: "The census of 1877 returned the number of families at about 70,000, and the total population at 330,000--190,000 being males and 140,000 females; but probably the extensive suburb was not included in the enumeration. Perhaps 350,000 would be a fair total estimate." It is the seat of the Viceroy of the Sze-ch'wan province. Mr.

Hosie says (_Three Years in Western China_, p. 86): "It is without exception the finest city I have seen in China; Peking and Canton will not bear comparison with it." Captain Gill writes (_River of Golden Sand_, II.

p. 4): "The city of Ch'eng-Tu is still a rich and n.o.ble one, somewhat irregular in shape, and surrounded by a strong wall, in a perfect state of repair. In this there are eight bastions, four being pierced by gates."

"It is one of the largest of Chinese cities, having a circuit of about 12 miles." (_Baber_, p. 26.) "It is now three and a half miles long by about two and a half miles broad, the longest side lying about east-south-east, and west-north-west, so that its compa.s.s in the present day is about 12 miles." (_Captain Gill_, II. p. 4.)--H.C.]

NOTE 2.--Ramusio is more particular: "Through the city flow many great rivers, which come down from distant mountains, and run winding about through many parts of the city. These rivers vary in width from half a mile to 200 paces, and are very deep. Across them are built many bridges of stone," etc. "And after pa.s.sing the city these rivers unite and form one immense river called Kian," etc. Here we have the Great River or KIANG, Kian (Quian) as in Ramusio, or KIANG-SHUI, "Waters of the Kiang,"

as in the text. So Pauthier explains. [Mr. Baber remarks at Ch'eng-tu (_Travels_, p. 28): "When all allowance is made for the diminution of the river, one cannot help surmising that Marco Polo must have felt reluctant to call it the _Chiang-Sui_ or 'Yangtzu waterway.' He was, however, correct enough, as usual, for the Chinese consider it to be the main upper stream of the Yangtzu."--H.C.] Though our Geographies give the specific names of Wen and Min to the great branch which flows by Ch'eng-tu fu, and treat the Tibetan branch which flows through northern Yunnan under the name of Kin Sha or "Golden Sand," as the main river, the Chinese seem always to have regarded the former as the true Kiang; as may be seen in Ritter (IV. 650) and Martini. The latter describes the city as quite insulated by the ramifications of the river, from which channels and ca.n.a.ls pa.s.s all about it, adorned with many quays and bridges of stone.

The numerous channels in reuniting form two rivers, one the Min, and the other the To-Kiang, which also joins the Yangtzu at Lu-chau.

[In his _Introductory Essay to Captain Gill's River of Golden Sand_, Colonel Yule (p. 37) writes: "Captain Gill has pointed out that, of the many branches of the river which ramify through the plain of Ch'eng-tu, no one now pa.s.ses through the city at all corresponding in magnitude to that which Marco Polo describes, about 1283, as running through the midst of Sin-da-fu, 'a good half-mile wide, and very deep withal.' The largest branch adjoining the city now runs on the south side, but does not exceed a hundred yards in width; and though it is crossed by a covered bridge with huxters' booths, more or less in the style described by Polo, it necessarily falls far short of his great bridge of half a mile in length.

Captain Gill suggests that a change may have taken place in the last five (this should be _six_) centuries, owing to the deepening of the river-bed at its exit from the plain, and consequent draining of the latter. But I should think it more probable that the ramification of channels round Ch'eng-tu, which is so conspicuous even on a small general map of China, like that which accompanies this work, is in great part due to art; that the ma.s.s of the river has been drawn off to irrigate the plain; and that thus the wide river, which in the 13th century may have pa.s.sed through the city, no unworthy representative of the mighty Kiang, has long since ceased, on that scale, to flow. And I have pointed out briefly that the fact, which Baron Richthofen attests, of an actual bifurcation of waters on a large scale taking place in the plain of Ch'eng-tu--one arm 'branching east to form the To' (as in the terse indication of the Yu-Kung)--viz. the To Kiang or Chung-Kiang flowing south-east to join the great river at Lu-chau, whilst another flows south to Su-chau or Swi-fu, does render change in the distribution of the waters about the city highly credible."] [See _Irrigation of the Ch'eng-tu Plain_, by _Joshua Vale_, China Inland Mission in _Jour. China Br.R.A.S.Soc._ x.x.xIII. 1899-1900, pp. 22-36.--H.C.]

[Above Kwan Hsien, near Ch'eng-tu, there is a fine suspension bridge, mentioned by Marcel Monnier (_Itineraires_, p. 43), from whom I borrow the cut reproduced on this page. This bridge is also spoken of by Captain Gill (l.c. I. p. 335): "Six ropes, one above the other, are stretched very tightly, and connected by vertical battens of wood laced in and out.

Another similar set of ropes is at the other side of the roadway, which is laid across these, and follows the curve of the ropes. There are three or four spans with stone piers."--H.C.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bridge near Kwan-hsien (Ch'eng-tu).]