[Illustration:  PEKING As it is and As it was, about 1290]

[Illustration:  Yenking or Old Cambaluc A.D. 1290]

NOTE 4.—­Our attempted plan of Cambaluc, as in 1290, differs somewhat from this description, but there is no getting over certain existing facts.

The existing Tartar city of Peking (technically Nei-ch’ing, “The Interior City,” or King-ch’ing, “City of the Court”) stands on the site of Taidu, and represents it.  After the expulsion of the Mongols (1368) the new native Dynasty of Ming established their capital at Nanking.  But this was found so inconvenient that the third sovereign of the Dynasty re-occupied Taidu or Cambaluc, the repairs of which began in 1409.  He reduced it in size by cutting off nearly a third part of the city at the north end.  The remains of this abandoned portion of wall are, however, still in existence, approaching 30 feet in height all round.  This old wall is called by the Chinese The Wall of the Yuen (i.e. the Mongol Dynasty), and it is laid down in the Russian Survey. [The capital of the Ming was 40 li in circuit, according to the Ch’ang an k’o hua.] The existing walls were built, or restored rather (the north wall being in any case, of course, entirely new), in 1437.  There seems to be no doubt that the present south front of the Tartar city was the south front of Taidu.  The whole outline of Taidu is therefore still extant, and easily measurable.  If the scale on the War Office edition of the Russian Survey be correct, the long sides measure close upon 5 miles and 500 yards; the short sides, 3 miles and 1200 yards.  Hence the whole perimeter was just about 18 English miles, or less than 16 Italian miles.  If, however, a pair of compasses be run round Taidu and Yenking (as we have laid the latter down from such data as could be had) together, the circuit will be something like 24 Italian miles, and this may have to do with Polo’s error.

["The Yuen shi states that Ta-tu was 60 li in circumference.  The Ch’ue keng lu, a work published at the close of the Yuen Dynasty, gives the same number of li for the circuit of the capital, but explains that li of 240 pu each are meant.  If this statement be correct, it would give only 40 common or geographical li for the circuit of the Mongol town.” (Bretschneider, Peking, 13.) Dr. Bretschneider writes (p. 20):  “The outlines of Khanbaligh, partly in contradiction with the ancient Chinese records, if my view be correct, would have measured about 50 common li in circuit (13 li and more from north to south, 11.64 from east to west.")—­H.  C.]