“The difficulties are, (1) that for either reading, Thaigin or Caichu, a corresponding place can be found; (2) in the position of Cachanfu, setting both at naught.

“Thaigin.  There are two passages of the Yellow River near its great bend.  One is at T’ungkwan, where I crossed it; the other, and more convenient, is at the fortress of Taiching-kwan, locally pronounced Taigin-kwan.  This fortress, or rather fortified camp, is a very well-known place, and to be found on native maps; it is very close to the river, on the left bank, about 6 m.  S.W. of P’u-chau fu.  The road runs hence to Tung-chau fu and thence to Si-ngan fu.  T’aiching-kwan could not possibly (at Polo’s rate) be reached in 2 days from P’ing-yang fu.

“Caichu.  If this reading be adopted Marsden may be right in supposing Kiai-chau, locally Khaidju, to be meant.  This city dominates the important salt marsh, whence Shan-si and Shen-si are supplied with salt.  It is 70 or 80 m. from P’ing-yang fu, but could be reached in 2 days.  It commands a large and tolerably populous plain, and is quite fit to have been an imperial residence.

“May not the striking fact that there is a place corresponding to either name suggest that one of them was passed by Polo in going, the other in returning? and that, this being the only locality between Ch’eng-tu fu and Chu-chau where there was any deviation between the two journeys, his geographical ideas may have become somewhat confused, as might now happen to any one in like case and not provided with a map?  Thus the traveller himself might have put into Ramusio’s text the name of Thaigin instead of Caichu.  From Kiai-chau he would probably cross the River at T’ungkwan, whilst in returning by way of Taiching-kwan he would pass through P’uchau-fu (or vice versa).  The question as to Caichu may still be settled, as it must be possible to ascertain where the Kin resided."[2]

[Mr. Rockhill writes (Land of the Lamas, p. 17):  “One hundred and twenty li south-south-west of the city is Kiai Chou, with the largest salt works in China.”  Richthofen has estimated that about 150,000 tons of salt are produced annually from the marshes around it.—­H.C.]

NOTE 3.—­The eight days’ journey through richly cultivated plains run up the basin of the Wei River, the most important agricultural region of North-West China, and the core of early Chinese History.  The loess is here more than ever predominant, its yellow tinge affecting the whole landscape, and even the atmosphere.  Here, according to Baron v.  Richthofen, originated the use of the word hwang “yellow,” as the symbol of the Earth, whence the primeval emperors were styled Hwang-ti, “Lord of the Earth,” but properly “Lord of the Loess.”