Mr. Rockhill (Rubruck, p. 157, note) makes the following remarks.
"It is strange, however, that the two famous Uigur Nestorians, Mar
Jabalaha and Rabban Cauma, when on their journey from Koshang in
Southern Shan hsi to Western Asia in about 1276, while they mention
'the city of Tangut, or Ning hsia on the Yellow River as an important
Nestorian centre' do not once refer to Hsi anfu or Chang an. Had Chang
an been at the time the Nestorian Episcopal see, one would think that
these pilgrims would have visited it, or at least referred to it.
(Chabot, Mar Jabalaha, 21)" - H.C.]
Kircher gives a good many more Syriac names than appear on the rubbing,
probably because some of these are on the edge of the slab now built
in. We have no room to speak of the controversies raised by this stone.
The most able defence of its genuine character, as well as a transcript
with translation and commentary, a work of great interest, was
published by the late M. Pauthier. The monument exists intact, and has
been visited by the Rev. Mr. Williamson, Baron Richthofen, and other
recent travellers. [The Rev. Moir Duncan wrote from Shen si regarding
the present state of the stone. (London and China Telegraph, 5th
June, 1893) "Of the covering rebuilt so recently, not a trace remains
save the pedestals for the pillars and atoms of the tiling.
