Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/788

780 to the Arsenal, while the large bronze top of the pagoda has been inverted to serve as the basin of a fountain in front of this building. The chief attraction of Nanking now is the tomb of Hung Wo, founder of the Ming dynasty. This is about 10 miles distant from the station, and lies outside the east gate of the city. A carriage road runs to within two miles of the spot, and is being continued for the remainder of the distance over hilly country from which may be obtained a fine panoramic view of the surrounding district and a general idea of the extent of the city boundaries. The monoliths, which were erected in front of the tomb by Yung-ho when he removed the capital to Peking, fill the spectator with wonder as to how they were placed in position. Some two or three miles beyond the Ming tomb is a spirit valley where lie the remains of the famous Buddhist priest who was a Prime Minister of the Liang dynasty. On the way to the Ming tomb are the old Imperial and Forbidden Cities, in which only one building remains standing. This is constructed with timbers, and the roof is supported by arches. It was called the Leang Kung, or Cold Palace, and is now used as a store-house for powder and ammunition. Within the Forbidden City, and enclosed in a pavilion that stands just across the Five Dragon Bridges, is a carefully preserved stone bearing the bloodstains of a faithful minister of the Ming dynasty who allowed his tongue to be torn out rather than betray his Emperor. The Drum Tower, a building dating back to the Ming dynasty, is situated about five miles from the station on the return journey from the Ming tomb by the main carriage road, while but a short distance away to the left is a pavilion containing one of the great bells of the world. Cast during the reign of Hung Wo, it is made of bronze, stands some 14 feet high, and is about 7 feet in diameter at the bottom. About two miles away, on the road which runs to the right, is a Confucian temple, which is reputed to be one of the best in the Empire. Another feature of Nanking is the great City park. It is still undeveloped except for a fine carriage drive round it, but it is said that the Viceroy intends to proceed with its improvement very shortly.

But few words are needed to deal adequately with the trade of Nanking at the present day, for, with the exception of the shipping interest, it is a negligible quantity. In 1906 its net value was Tls. 9,668,934; in 1905, Tls. 10,573,545; in 1904, Tls. 8,826,048; and in 1903, Tls. 7,352,525. The silk piece-goods trade, which is carried on in the most primitive fashion, forms the chief item of commerce. But there are brighter prospects for the future, and the predictions made by the Commissioner of Customs in his report for 1900 seem likely to be realised. He said: "A new and brilliant era should dawn upon the port of Nanking on account of its excellent position as a terminus for the railways which will bring down the immense mineral wealth and other wealth of the provinces of Anhwei, Honan, and Shansi. The distance from either Honan or Shansi is about the same to Nanking as to Hankow,

and the engineering difficulties of a railway down to the river opposite Nanking are no greater than those of a line to Hankow. The great advantage,