[Regarding the name of this river, the Rev. C. Holcombe (l.c. p. 56) writes:  “Williamson states in his Journeys in North China that the name of this stream is, properly Poo-too Ho—­’Grape River,’ but is sometimes written Hu-t’ou River incorrectly.  The above named author, however, is himself in error, the name given above [Hu-t’o] being invariably found in all Chinese authorities, as well as being the name by which the stream is known all along its course.”

West of the Fan River, along the western border of the Central Plain of Shan-si, in the extreme northern point of which lies T’ai-yuan fu, the Rev. C. Holcombe says (p. 61), “is a large area, close under the hills, almost exclusively given up to the cultivation of the grape.  The grapes are unusually large, and of delicious flavour.”—­H.C.]

NOTE 4.—­+In no part of China probably, says Richthofen, do the towns and villages consist of houses so substantial and costly as in this.  Pianfu is undoubtedly, as Magaillans again notices, P’ING-YANG FU.[3] It is the Bikan of Shah Rukh’s ambassadors. [Old P’ing yang, 5 Lis to the south] is said to have been the residence of the primitive and mythical Chinese Emperor Yao.  A great college for the education of the Mongols was instituted at P’ing-yang, by Yeliu Chutsai, the enlightened minister of Okkodai Khan. [Its dialect differs from the T’ai-yuan dialect, and is more like Pekingese.] The city, lying in a broad valley covered with the yellow loess, was destroyed by the T’ai-P’ing rebels, but it is reviving. [It is known for its black pottery.] The vicinity is noted for large paper factories. ["From T’ai-yuan fu to P’ing-yang fu is a journey of 185 miles, down the valley of the Fuen-ho.” (Colonel Bell, Proc.R.G.S. XII. 1890, p. 61.) By the way, Mr. Rockhill remarks (Land of the Lamas, p. 10):  “Richthofen has transcribed the name of this river Fuen.  This spelling has been adopted on most of the recent maps, both German and English, but Fuen is an impossible sound in Chinese.” (Read Fen ho.)—­H.C.] (Cathay, ccxi.; Ritter, IV. 516; D’Ohsson, II. 70; Williamson, I. 336.)

[1] And I see Ritter understood the passage as I do (IV. 515).

[2] Baligh is indeed properly Mongol.

[3] It seems to be called Piyingfu (miswritten Piying_ku_) in Mr. Shaw’s
    Itinerary from Yarkand (Pr.R.G.S. XVI. 253.) We often find the
    Western modifications of Chinese names very persistent.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

CONCERNING THE CASTLE OF CAICHU.

On leaving Pianfu you ride two days westward, and come to the noble castle of CAICHU, which was built in time past by a king of that country, whom they used to call the GOLDEN KING, and who had there a great and beautiful palace.  There is a great hall of this palace, in which are pourtrayed all the ancient kings of the country, done in gold and other beautiful colours, and a very fine sight they make.  Each king in succession as he reigned added to those pictures.[NOTE 1]