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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
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| CHAP. XI. | THE CITY OF CAMBALUC | 377 | |||
| The existing Tartar city of Peking (technically Nei-ch'ing, " The Interior City," or Iii~zg c1z'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 3o 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 i8 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 6o li in circumference. The Ch'ue keno 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 pit each are meant. If this statement be correct, it would give only 40 common or geographical li for the circuit of the Mongol town." (Bretschneider, Peking, 13.) Dr. Bretschneider writes (p. 20) : " The outlines of Khanbaligh, partly in contradiction with the ancient Chinese records, if my view be correct, would have measured about 5o common li in circuit (13 li and more from north to south, 11'64 from east to west.")—H. C.] Polo [and Odoric] again says that there were 12 gates-3 to every side. Both Gaubil and Martini also say that there were 12 gates. But I believe that both are trusting to Marco. There are 9 gates in the present Tartar city—viz. 3 on the south side and 2 on each of the other sides. The old Chinese accounts say there were II gates in Taidu. (See Amyot, Morn. II. 553.) I have in my plan, therefore, assumed that one gate on the east and one on the west were obliterated in the reduction of the enceinte by the Ming. But I must observe that Mr. Lockhart tells me he did not find the traces of gates in those positions, whilst the 2 gates on the north side of the old Mongol rampart are ,quite distinct, with the barbicans in front, and the old Mongol bridge over the ditch still serving for the public thoroughfare.* [` ` The Yuen slii as well as the Ch'ue keng lu, and other works of the Yuen, agree in stating that the capital had eleven gates. They are enumerated in the following order : Southern wall—(I) The gate direct south (mid.) was called Li-chen' inen ; (2) the gate to the left (east), [Ven-ming men ; (3) the gate to the right (west), Shunch'eng- men. Eastern wall—(4) The gate direct east (mid.), Ch'uns jen men; (5) the gate to the south-east, Ts'i-Izua men; (6) the gate to the north-east, Kuang hi men. Western wall—(7) The gate direct west (mid.), Ho-i men; (8) the gate to the southwest, P'ing-tse men; (9) the gate to the north-west, Su-ts'ing men. Northern Wall( io) The gate to the north-west, Knien-te men; (II) the gate to the north-east, Anchen men." (Bretschneider, Peking, 13-14. )—H. C.] When the Ming established themselves on the old Mongol site, population seems to have gathered close about the southern wall, probably using material from the remains of Yenking. This excrescence was inclosed by a new wall in 1554, and was | ||||||
| * Mr. Wylie confirms my assumption : " Whilst in Peking I traced the old mud wall, . . and found it quite in accordance with the outline in your map. M r. Gilmour (a missionary to the Mongols) and I rode round it, he taking the outside and I the inside Neither of us observed the arch that Dr. Lockhart speaks of There are gate-oj5enings about the middle of the east and west rides, but no barbicans." (4th December 1873.) | ||||||
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