The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-04

name ID called Tull by the Chinese. and
Togrul by the Persian historians, but tho
Kin sovereign Of northern China had con-
ferred on him the title Of Wang, or King,
from which his people gave him slightly
corrupt cognomen, which some scholars
read Awang. and Avenk Khan, but which
the spelling of Rubruquis and Polo shows
to have been pronounced probably az
Aung, or ing Khan. The circumstance
stated by Rubruquis Of his having aban'
doned the profession Of Christianity is
not mentioned by Eastern writer's. NJ
Cordier has been unable to find any salts
factory confederation Of the claim OF SUI
premacy over tho Mongols which Polo
ascribes to Aung Khan. That his power
and dignity were considerable. however
appears from the term Padshah, which
the Persian statesman and historian IA
shiduddin applies to him. He had at first
obtained. it seems. tho sovereignty OF the
keraits by the murder Of two Of his BROTH
ers and several nephews. Yessugai, the
father Of Zenghis, had been his stanch
friend, and had aided him eKectually to
recover his dominion, from which he had
been expelled. After reign Of many
years he was again elected. and, In the
greatest necessity. sought the help Of
Temujin (afterward called ZenghiS kaan),
by whom he was treated with the greatest
consideration. This occurred in 1895. For
some years the two chiefs conducted their
forays in alliance. The son Of Aurg Khan
vtD La It'll tsvN
in l202-l2O3 the two rulers were at open
war. The result was the ultimate eface-
ment Of the Kerait sovereign. NJ Cordier
points out that the idea which Joinville
picked up in the East about Prester John
corresponds pretty closely with that set
forth by Polo. Joinville represents him
as one Of the princes to whom the Tartars
were tributary In the days Of their OPP
preston, and az "their ancient enemy;
ono Of their first acts on being organized
under king Of their own was to attack
him and conquer him, staying all that bore
arms. but sparing all monks and priests.
In the sixty-first chapter Of Polos
narrative we read when you have
ridden three days, between northeast
and north, from the city last mentioned
[Chagannor, an old city of the Mongol
era, the ruined rampant of which is situated
about thirty miles north of the Great Wall
at Kalgan, and some ffty-fve miles from
Siuen-hwa, adjoining the imperial pas
turesl, you come to a city called Chandu,
which was built by the Kaan now reigning
IKublail. There is at this place very
fine marble palace. the rooms Of which
are all gilt and painted with figures Of men
and beasts and birds. and with variety
OF trees and flowers, all executed with such
exquisite art that you regard them with
delight and astonishment. The Venetian
goes on to relate that around this palace
is built wall. enclosing a compass Of six
teen miles, and inside the park there are
fountains and rivers and brooks and beauti-
full meadows, with all kinds Of wild animals
Excluding such as are Of ferocious nature)
which the Emperor has procured and
placed there TO supply food for his ger
falcons and hawks. which he keeps there
In new OF these there are more than
two hundred gerfalcons alone. without
the other hawks
1t is this Chandu Of which Coleridge
writes
In Xanadu did Kubia Khan
a stately pleasure dome Decree
Where Alph, the sacred river. ran
Through cayerns measureiess 70 man
Down to "A sunless sea.
Let us see what the annotators have to
say about the place. According to the
present reviser, Chandu, termed by Ramu-
sio more correctly Xandu, the Chinese
title of Kublai's summer residence. Ia called
also Loan king; that is, the capital on the
Loan River" The ruins Of it still exist
In about lat. 4Oo 90 and little west Of the
longitude Of Petin As matter OF fact,
the site il llS miles in direct line from Cha
Cannon The ruins bear Mongol name
which means City OF the 1903 Temples,
and they are about twenty-six miles to
the northwest Of Dolonnor, q dirty but
bustling town Of modern origin. famous
for a mandatory Of idols. bells and other
OF Buddhism. The site was
visited (but not described) by Pore Ger
billion in 1901. and since then by no European
traveller till 1872. when DR.. Bushell Of the
British Legation at Pekin ma de journey
thither by way OF the Nan-kau Pass, Kal-
gan and the vicinity OF Chagannor, the
route that would seem to have been habitu
ally followed in the annual migration by
Kublai and his SUCCESSORS.
We are told that the deserted site, over
grown with rank weeds and grass, stands
but little above the marshy bed Of the Loan
River. which here keeps the name Of Shang-
tn, and about mile from its north OF left
bank The walls. of earth faced with brick
and unhewn stone. still stand, forming, as
in the Tartar city Of Pekin, a double en-
ceinte of which the inner line no doubt
the area Of the marble palace"
Of which Polo speaks. This inner enceinte
forms square of about two II Owo-thirds
of a mile) to the side. and has three gates
south, east and west-of which the southern
one still stands intact, a perfect arch 20
feet high and ~ feet wide The outer wall
forms a square OF four Il Zone and one
third mile 81 to the side. and has six gates.
The foundations Of temples and palace
can be traced, and both enclosures
are abundantly strewn with blocks of
marble and fragments Of lions, dragons
and other sculptures, testifying to the
former existence OF hourishing city, but
exhibiting now scarcely one stone upon
anot her. A broken memorial tablet has
been found, half buried in the earth. within
he northeast angle of the outer rampant,
bearing an inscription in an antique form
Of the Chinese character, which proves
il to have been erected by kublai kaan in