The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-10
sIyeAy, cHINAs OLD CAPITAL.
IT'S Natural AdvantaEes Have Made " im-
portant for 3.oo Tears.

From the Saturday Review.
Slngan is practically the Chinese terminus OF
the great t~rans-Asiatic highway along when
the Polos travelled. and along which the silks Oh
the Seres were first carried TO houm' eingah
stands, in fact, just within the eastern BOUNDARY
OF a region that seems TO realize on an ehtenueo
scale. the conception OF an inoloseu VaiIey
which finds expression in so many ancient
legends. Rounded on the north by the Mon
golIan plateau. his great basin Is shutin pre-
cautiously on the south by a barrier OF noun
tains whose summits rise from 5000 10 1000
feet above the sea level. An approximation OF
these natural barriers narrows the outlet into
Central Asia TO the dimensions OF aRorge which
the Chinese have blocked by a fortress called
Kiaynkwan: while the eastern entrance IL
closed, or nearly closed, by a mountain range
descending from the north which tends to JON
the southern barrier but stops short before the
meeting Is effected. leaving an interval OF about
fifteen miles through which the Yellow River
issues into the PLAIN. A though Determined
however. to complete her work. Nature mas
closed even this gap by a remarkable bank OF
loess clay, against which. In former times. the
river would seem to have been Stored M. but
now It breaks through 1t by n narrow passage
that constitutes the Tungkwan or Eastern gate
The fortress which guards this exit consti-
tutes the key OF tho east. as the Kiayukwan
constitutes the key OF the west for the posses
tors Of Shensi and Kansuh. Here NAV be SAID
practically to commence the great Nanloo or
South road. whose prolongation beyond the
KiayG Gate constitutes the old highway across
central Asia. and along 1t without doubt the
ancestral Chinese Immigrants made their way.
Here. apparently, in this Wei basin thew re-
solved to settle. and hence they extended their
-. aua .an,h ayor tho Graat plain
We may begin ow to realize the political and
commercial Importance Of n city which dom
mated this great highway. and thus "medi-
affixed the entire traf1c between north China
and the countries beyond When. nearly 200
years ago. the Emperor Ping established his
capital In Honan. Singan, or Changan as II was
then called, became the capital OF the prine's
OF Tsin, who were destined 500 years later 20
mount the impartial throne IL was here that
ne fret Ism Emperor ShS hTanfte; issnea
the books which has caused his name to be ex-
eCrated by the ~literati: and though IL was, de-
ensued that fires blazed for three months
among the palaces and public buildings.", Y
was promptly rebuilt and made the cspItal OF
20 2iA D, relgned the emperors OF the nst
Han here. also, for a few, short years resided
I IhG E% N rSo S OF ,ns avn SgGia s9''e % q r ise 'wH pst GsS5
S.ngan wa the first and greatest
The sung. who reigned from a. d. 900 to ii26.
made Singan theic first capital. It has been
besiegsd. destroyed and rebuilt. Dynasty has
succeeded dynasty. alaces have succeeded
palaces. city has succeeded cltyi but for nearly
5000 years II has bean a princely. an imperial
or a provincial capital. Theodosius sent
ENJOYS here. bearing presents Of emeralds and
Tubies TO the Chinese monarch OF the day:
Marco Polo visited II and noted It's greatness
and wealth. and though time and political
change have lowered its earlier rank. II oon-
tinues 20 be one Of the first cities In CHINA
focus of ancient legend. a centre of archRo-
logical interest. aud q point Of the FIRST strategic
Importance.