The Archbishop of Soltania (A.D. 1330) speaks of these stores.  “The said Emperor is very pitiful and compassionate ... and so when there is a dearth in the land he openeth his garners, and giveth forth of his wheat and his rice for half what others are selling it at.”  Kublai Kaan’s measures of this kind are recorded in the annals of the Dynasty, as quoted by Pauthier.  The same practice is ascribed to the sovereigns of the T’ang Dynasty by the old Arab Relations.  In later days a missionary gives in the Lettres Edifiantes an unfavourable account of the action of these public granaries, and of the rascality that occurred in connection with them. (Lecomte, II. 101; Cathay, 240; Relat. I. 39; Let.  Ed. xxiv. 76.)

[The Yuen-shi in ch. 96 contains sections on dispensaries (Hui min yao kue), granary regulations (Shi ti), and regulations for a time of dearth (Chen Sue). (Bretschneider, Med.  Res. I. p. 187.)—­H.  C.]

[1] Marsden observes incidentally (Hist. of Sumatra, 1st edition, p. 71)
    that he was told in Bengal they used to dry-kiln the rice for
    exportation, “owing to which, or to some other process, it will
    continue good for several years.”

CHAPTER XXXII.

OF THE CHARITY OF THE EMPEROR TO THE POOR.

I have told you how the Great Kaan provides for the distribution of necessaries to his people in time of dearth, by making store in time of cheapness.  Now I will tell you of his alms and great charity to the poor of his city of Cambaluc.

You see he causes selection to be made of a number of families in the city which are in a state of indigence, and of such families some may consist of six in the house, some of eight, some of ten, more or fewer in each as it may hap, but the whole number being very great.  And each family he causes annually to be supplied with wheat and other corn sufficient for the whole year.  And this he never fails to do every year.  Moreover, all those who choose to go to the daily dole at the Court receive a great loaf apiece, hot from the baking, and nobody is denied; for so the Lord hath ordered.  And so some 30,000 people go for it every day from year’s end to year’s end.  Now this is a great goodness in the Emperor to take pity of his poor people thus!  And they benefit so much by it that they worship him as he were God.

[He also provides the poor with clothes.  For he lays a tithe upon all wool, silk, hemp, and the like, from which clothing can be made; and he has these woven and laid up in a building set apart for the purpose; and as all artizans are bound to give a day’s labour weekly, in this way the Kaan has these stuffs made into clothing for those poor families, suitable for summer or winter, according to the time of year.  He also provides the clothing for his troops, and has woollens woven for them in