Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 11.djvu/526

* KIANG-SI. •178 KICHAI. rivers of the province have their origin, and from this they drain either directly into the lake or join the Kankiang, the principal stream of which rises in the Meiling Mountains in the south, and after a course of over 300 miles flows into the Yang-tse through the lake. This forms the great water highway from north to south, a single day's ixjrtage over the Meiling bringing the trav- eler to the North River of Canton, which leads to that city and the China Sea. The province is rich in minerals. Coal is found not far from ,the lake, and about 30 miles south of the city of Kwang-sin. in whai are called the 'Interdicted Hills.' are valuable copper and irop mines, which have been closed by Imperial authority since the fifteenth century. Kaolin and other materials reeded for pottery and porcelain making are abundant in several localities, and support an important industry. (See Tvixg-teii-chi.n.) The chief products of the province are tea, tobacco, grass-cloth, and hemp, chinaware. and paper. Kiang-si has played an important part in litera- ture. The capital is Xan-chang. Area. 72.176 square miles; population, about 24.000.000. KIANG-SU, kyjing'soo'. A maritime province of China, lying along the Yellow Sea, with Shan-tung on the north, Che-kiang on the south, and Xgan-hwei on the west (Map: China, E 5). It is a great alluvial plain, broken only by isolated hills, and is well watered, being intersected by numerous waterways and the largest chain of lakes in China. The Yang-tse tra- verses its southern pi.rt. cutting it in two, and until 1853. when it suddenly changed its course to the northeast, the Yellow Kiver intersected its northern part. The Grand Canal, which is a series of canalized rivers and lakes, runs through its entire length from Shantung to Che-kiang, and is important for irrigation purposes and for local transportation. The southern section of the province is watered by the Hwang-pu and numerous creeks. The soil is very fertile, and produces grain of all kinds, cotton, tea. and silk. Rice is grown extensively. The old bed of the Yellow River has been resuneyed and taxed, and is now under cultivation and produces im- mense crops. The capital is Kiang-ning, or Nanking, where the (Jovernor-General (or 'Viceroy') of the two Kiang provinces (which also include Ngan-hwei) resides. It is a treaty port, but not .vet fully opened. Other important cities are: Yang-chow, on the Grand Canal, 1.5 miles from the Yang-tse. w ith an immense salt trade; Chin-kiang; Shanghai, on the Hwang-pu, the most important of the treaty ports of China; Wu-sung; and Su-chow, opened as a treaty port in 189C, and one of the richest cities of "China. Area. 44,.500 square miles; population, about 21.000.000. KIAO-CHAtr. ky-i'.Vchou'. or KIAO-CHOW. A walled city cm the south coast of the i)eninsula of Shan-tung, Cliina. near the head of a large bay of the same name, and since 1898 the centre of a German protectorate of about 200 square miles (Map: China, F 4). It was formerly a very important centre of trade, but. owing to the silting up of the bay. and the openins of Chi-fu on the north coast of the province, business has fallen off. The city is not large, but the suburbs, which are surrounded by walls, arc extensive. The port of Kiao-chau was taputu. 13 miles from the sea, and about six miles from the city, on a small creek which at ebb tide became dry. The surrounding country (with the exception of Lao- shan) is flat, and along the shore somewhat marshy. The bay of Kiao-chau measures about 15 miles each way, and receives five small streams which carry into the bay much sediment during the rainy season (July and August). The best harbor on the coast is that of Tsing-tao(or Ching- tao), at the extreme end of the peninsula of Lao- shan which forms one side of the bay. The vil- lagers were bought out by the German Gov- ernment, and the port of Tsing-tao made the foreign settleaient and the capital of the German zone. Fine wide streets have been made, electric lighting, a telephone system, water-works, etc., have been iii-stalled, conunodious houses, ofTices, hotels, and workshops erected, and a railway con- structed to the native city, and thence to the city of Vci-hien, 10 to 20 miles south of which are several coal-mines. The maximum temperature is about 90° F., and the minimum 12°. Lao- slian is rich in minerals. On November 14, 1897, Kiao-chau was seized by a German fleet as a result of the murder of two German missionaries, and in the negotiations which followed a lease for ninety-nine years was obtained, including the zone already mentioned, and later valuable railway and mining conces- sions were gianted in this and the adjoining coinitry. In 1898 it was declared a German protectorate, and Tsing-tao a free port, and by an agreement with the Chinese Government the cus- tom-house is managed by the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs. In 1900 the imports amount- ed to .$114,190, and the exports to .$23.24.3. The administration of the colony is to some ex- tent autonomous. At its head is a naval oflicer with the title of Governor, who is assisted by a council composed of heads of departments and three elected members. The expenses in 1901 amounted to $2,629,900. of which the Imperial Government contributed $2..i.58.500. The garri- son numbers 2350 men. KIBLAH, keljla. or KEBLAH (Ar. Kihlah, that which is opposite, from kahahi, to come from the south). The direction of the Kaaba (q.v.), in Mecca, toward which Mohammedans face when in prayer. It is indicated in a mosque by a niche in the wall called the mihrub. At the outset of his career Mohaumied is said to have turned toward the Kaaba when praying; though this is contrary to Sura ii. 110: "Tlie cast and the west is God's: therefore, whichever way ye turn is the face of God." After his llight to Medina, the Prophet changed the direction of prayer to- ward Jerusalem in the hope of attracting the .Jews. On Januarv- 16. 624. recognizing the futility of this hope, he changed the kiblah back ag-ain to the Ka.iba. justifying this momentous change by a special revelation (Sura ii. 136-145). Consult Sprenger. Dnx Lrhen vnd die Lehre des jrol'iiinHfft ol. iii. (Berlin. 1869). KICHAI, ke'chl. A small tribe of Caddoan stock (q.v.), formerly residing on Sabine and Trinity rivers, ea.stern Texas, in alliance with the Caddo, but since 18.50 more closely united with the Wichita (q.v.), with whom they arc now living on their reservation in Oklahoma. They are remark.-ible for their peculiar language, and have given their name to the Kichai Hills, in Oklahoma. In house-building and general custom they resemble the Vichita. In 1805 they were