We have seen (note 6, ch. lxv. supra) that the tide in the river
before Kinsay was the object which first attracted the attention of Bayan,
after his triumphant entrance into the city. The tides reach Fuyang, 20
miles higher. (N. and Q., China and Japan, vol. I. p. 53; Mid. Kingd.
I. 95, 106; J.N.Ch.Br.R.A.S., December, 1865, p. 6; Milne, p. 295;
Note by Mr. Moule).
[Miss E. Scidmore writes (China, p. 294): "There are only three wonders
of the world in China - The Demons at Tungchow, the Thunder at Lungchow,
and the Great Tide at Hangchow, the last, the greatest of all, and a
living wonder to this day of 'the open door,' while its rivals are lost in
myth and oblivion.... The Great Bore charges up the narrowing river at a
speed of ten and thirteen miles an hour, with a roar that can be heard for
an hour before it arrives." - H.C.]
NOTE 3. - For satisfactory elucidation as to what is or may have been
authentic in these statements, we shall have to wait for a correct survey
of Hang-chau and its neighbourhood. We have already seen strong reason to
suppose that miles have been substituted for li in the circuits
assigned both to the city and to the lake, and we are yet more strongly
impressed with the conviction that the same substitution has been made
here in regard to the canal on the east of the city, as well as the
streets and market-places spoken of in the next paragraph.
Chinese plans of Hang-chau do show a large canal encircling the city on
the east and north, i.e., on the sides away from the lake. In some of
them this is represented like a ditch to the rampart, but in others it is
more detached. And the position of the main street, with its parallel
canal, does answer fairly to the account in the next paragraph, setting
aside the extravagant dimensions.
The existence of the squares or market-places is alluded to by Wassaf in a
passage that we shall quote below; and the Masalak-al-Absar speaks of
the main street running from end to end of the city.
On this Mr. Moule says: "I have found no certain account of market-squares,
though the Fang,[2] of which a few still exist, and a very large number
are laid down in the Sung Map, mainly grouped along the chief street, may
perhaps represent them.... The names of some of these (Fang) and of the
Sze or markets still remain."
Mr. Wylie sent Sir Henry Yule a tracing of the figures mentioned in the
footnote; it is worth while to append them, at least in diagram.
