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0292 On Ancient Central-Asian Tracks : vol.1
中央アジア踏査記 : vol.1
On Ancient Central-Asian Tracks : vol.1 / 292 ページ(カラー画像)

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doi: 10.20676/00000214
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almost vertical faces I could not help being impressed by
the skill of the old Chinese engineers. It must have been a
formidable task to construct so solid a wall across an ex-
tensive desert area, bare of all resources and for the most
part even of water. And yet it was accomplished within a
comparatively short period, and as it proved in the end
over a total distance of some 400 miles right away to the
Etsin-gol.

But my satisfaction grew still greater when, from the
refuse-layers traceable near most of the watch-towers and
among the remains of small adjoining quarters, we re-
covered an abundance of Chinese records on wood. Quite
a number of the inscribed narrow slips proved to be dated,
and our excitement was great when my Chinese secretary's
decipherment showed that all these dates belonged to the
first century A.D. It thus became certain that this ruined
border line was occupied already in the Former Han
dynasty's times, and that I had in my hands the oldest
written Chinese documents so far recovered.

I had reason also to be pleased with what Chiang
Ssŭ-yeh's rapid examination sufficed to make out of their
contents. It showed that they greatly varied in character.
There were brief reports or orders on matters of military
administration; acknowledgements of receipt for articles
of equipment or supplies; private communications. Frag-
ments also of a school glossary and writing exercises seemed
to be represented. But equally clear was it that the full
interpretation of these materials would need protracted
study. There were, in fact, plenty of puzzles in palaeo-
graphy and diction awaiting solution by the philological
acumen of that great Sinologue, M. Chavannes.