This city occupies the south-east angle of a more extensive enclosure,
bounded by what is now a grassy mound, and embracing, on Dr. Bushell's
estimate, about 5 square miles. Further knowledge may explain the
discrepancy from Marco's dimension, but this must be the park of which he
speaks.[3] The woods and fountains have disappeared, like the temples and
palaces; all is dreary and desolate, though still abounding in the game
which was one of Kublai's attractions to the spot. A small monastery,
occupied by six or seven wretched Lamas, is the only building that remains
in the vicinity. The river Shangtu, which lower down becomes the Lan [or
Loan]-Ho, was formerly navigated from the sea up to this place by flat
grain-boats.
[Mgr. de Harlez gave in the T'oung Pao (x. p. 73) an inscription in
Chuen character on a stele found in the ruins of Shangtu, and built by
an officer with the permission of the Emperor; it is probably a token of
imperial favour; the inscription means: Great Longevity. - H. C.]
In the wail which Sanang Setzen, the poetical historian of the Mongols,
puts, perhaps with some traditional basis, into the mouth of Toghon Temur,
the last of the Chinghizide Dynasty in China, when driven from his throne,
the changes are rung on the lost glories of his capital Daitu (see
infra, Book II.
