- This Height Is From Pauthier's Text; The G. Text Has, "Twenty
Paces," I.E. 100 Feet.
A recent French paper states the dimensions of the
existing walls as 14 metres (45-1/2 feet) high, and 14.50 (47-1/4 feet)
thick, "the top forming a paved promenade, unique of its kind, and
recalling the legendary walls of Thebes and Babylon." (Ann.
D'Hygiene
Publique, 2nd s. tom, xxxii. for 1869, p. 21.)
[According to the French astronomers (Fleuriais and Lapied) sent to Peking
for the Transit of Venus in December, 1875, the present Tartar city is 23
kil. 55 in circuit, viz. if 1 li = 575 m., 41 li; from the north to
the south 5400 metres; from east to west 6700 metres; the wall is 13
metres in height and 12 metres in width. - H. C.]
[Illustration: PEKING As it is and As it was, about 1290]
[Illustration: Yenking or Old Cambaluc A.D. 1290]
NOTE 4. - Our attempted plan of Cambaluc, as in 1290, differs somewhat from
this description, but there is no getting over certain existing facts.
The existing Tartar city of Peking (technically Nei-ch'ing, "The
Interior City," or King-ch'ing, "City of the Court") stands on the site
of Taidu, and represents it. After the expulsion of the Mongols (1368) the
new native Dynasty of Ming established their capital at Nanking. But this
was found so inconvenient that the third sovereign of the Dynasty re-
occupied Taidu or Cambaluc, the repairs of which began in 1409. He reduced
it in size by cutting off nearly a third part of the city at the north
end. The remains of this abandoned portion of wall are, however, still in
existence, approaching 30 feet in height all round. This old wall is
called by the Chinese The Wall of the Yuen (i.e. the Mongol Dynasty),
and it is laid down in the Russian Survey. [The capital of the Ming was 40
li in circuit, according to the Ch'ang an k'o hua.] The existing walls
were built, or restored rather (the north wall being in any case, of
course, entirely new), in 1437. There seems to be no doubt that the
present south front of the Tartar city was the south front of Taidu. The
whole outline of Taidu is therefore still extant, and easily measurable.
If the scale on the War Office edition of the Russian Survey be correct,
the long sides measure close upon 5 miles and 500 yards; the short sides,
3 miles and 1200 yards. Hence the whole perimeter was just about 18
English miles, or less than 16 Italian miles. If, however, a pair of
compasses be run round Taidu and Yenking (as we have laid the latter down
from such data as could be had) together, the circuit will be something
like 24 Italian miles, and this may have to do with Polo's error.
["The Yuen shi states that Ta-tu was 60 li in circumference. The
Ch'ue keng lu, a work published at the close of the Yuen Dynasty, gives
the same number of li for the circuit of the capital, but explains that
li of 240 pu each are meant.
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