to the south of mount Yo. He was successful with his labors on Tan-hwai, and went on to the cross-flowing stream of Chang.

The soil of this province was whitish and mellow. Its contribution of revenue was the highest of the highest class, with some proportion of the second. Its fields were the average of the middle class.

The waters of the Hang and Wei were brought to their proper channels, and Ta-lu was made capable of cultivation.

The wild people of the islands brought dresses of skins (i.e., fur dresses); keeping close on the right to the rocks of Chieh, they entered the Ho.

3. Between the Chi and the Ho was Yen Chau.4

The nine branches of the Ho were made to keep their proper channels. Lei-hsia was made a marsh, in which the waters of the Yung and the Tsu were united. The mulberry grounds were made fit for silkworms, and then the people came down from the heights, and occupied the grounds below.

The soil of this province was blackish and rich; the grass in it was luxuriant, and the trees grew high. Its fields were the lowest of the middle class. Its contribution of revenue was fixed at what would just be deemed the correct amount; but it was not required from it, as from the other provinces, till after it had been cultivated for thirteen years. Its articles of tribute were varnish and silk, and, in baskets, woven ornamental fabrics.

They floated along the Chi and Tha, and so reached the Ho.

4. The sea and mount Tai were the boundaries of Ching Chau.5

4 Yen Chau was a small province, having the Ho on the north, the Chi on the south, the gulf of Chih-li on the east, and Yu Chau, Yu's seventh province, on the west. It embraced the department of Ta-ming, with portions of those of Ho-chien and Thien-ching, in Chih-li, and the department of Tung-chang, with portions of those of Chi-nan and Yenchau, in Shan-tung.

5 Ching Chau, having mount Tai and Hsu Chau (the next province) on the west and south, Yen Chau and the sea on the northwest and the north, and the sea on the east and south, would be still smaller than

The territory of Yu-i was defined; and the Wei and Sze were made to keep their old channels.

Its soil was whitish and rich. Along the shore of the sea were wide tracts of salt land. Its fields were the lowest of the first class, and its contribution of revenue the highest of the second. Its articles of tribute were salt, fine cloth of dolichos fiber, productions of the sea of various kinds; with silk, hemp, lead, pine-trees, and strange stones, from the valleys of Tai. The wild people of Lai were taught tillage and pasturage, and brought in their baskets the silk from the mountain mulberry-tree.

They floated along the Wan, and so reached the Chi.

5. The sea, mount Tai, and the Hwai were the boundaries of Hsu Chau. 6

The Hwai and the I rivers were regulated. The hills Mang and Yu were made fit for cultivation. The waters of Ta-yeh were confined so as to form a marsh; and the tract of Tung-yuan was successfully brought under management. The soil of this province was red, clayey, and rich. Its grass and trees grew more and more bushy. Its fields were the second of the highest class; its contribution of revenue was the average of the second. Its articles of tribute were: earth of five different colors, variegated pheasants from the valleys of mount Yu, the solitary dryandra from the south of mount Yi, and the sounding-stones that seemed to float Yen Chau, and contain the three departments of Ching-chau, Lai-chau, and Teng-chau, with the western portion of that Chi-nan, in Shan-tung. From the text we should never suppose that it passed across the sea which washes the north and east of Shan-tung, and extended indefinitely into Liao-tung and Corla. This, however, is the view of many Chinese geographers.

• The western boundary of Hsu Chau, which is not given in the text, was Yu Chau, and part of Ching Chau. It embraced the present department of Hsu-chau, the six districts - Thao-yuan, Ching-ho, Antung, Hsu-Chien, Sui-ning, and Kan-yu, department of Hwai-an, with Phei Chau and Hai Chau - all in Chiang-su; the whole of Yen-chau department, Tung-phing Chau and the south of Phing-yin district in the department of Thai-an, the department of I-chau, and portions of those of Chi-nan and Ching-chau-all in Shan-tung; with the four districts Hwai-yuan, Wu-ho, Hung, and Ling-pi, department of Fangyang, with Sze Chau and Hsu Chau-all in An-hui.

on the banks of the Sze. The wild tribes about the Hwai brought oyster-pearls and fish, and their baskets full of deep azure and other silken fabrics, checkered and pure white.

They floated along the Hwai and the Sze, and so reached the Ho.

6. The Hwai and the sea formed the boundaries of Yang Chau.7

The lake of Phang-li was confined to its proper limits, and the sun-birds (the wild geese) had places to settle on. The three Chiang were led to enter the sea, and it became possible to still the marsh of Chan. The bamboos, small and large, then spread about; the grass grew thin and long, and the trees rose high; the soil was miry.

The fields of this province were the lowest of the lowest class; its contribution of revenue was the highest of the lowest class, with a proportion of the class above. Its articles of tribute were gold, silver, and copper; yao and khwan stones; bamboos, small and large; elephants' teeth, hides, feathers, hair, and timber. The wild people of the islands brought garments of grass, with silks woven in shell-patterns in their baskets. Their bundles contained small oranges and pummeloes-rendered when specially required.

They followed the course of the Chiang and the sea, and so reached the Hwai and the Sze.

7. Mount Ching and the south of mount Hang formed the boundaries of Ching Chau.8

The Hwai was the boundary of Yang Chau on the north, and we naturally suppose that the other boundary mentioned, the sea, should be referred to the south of the province. If it were really so, Yang Chau must have extended along the coast as far as Cochin-China, and not a few Chinese scholars argue that it did so. But that no southern boundary of the province is mentioned may rather be taken as proving that when this Book was compiled, the country south of the Chiang — the present Yang-tze was unknown.

Along the greater part of its course, the province was conterminous on the west with Ching Chau, and in the northwest with Yu Chau. We may safely assign to it the greater portion of An-hui, and a part of the department of Hwang-chau, in Hu-pei. All this would be the northern portion of the province. How far it extended southward into Chechiang and Chiang-hsi, it is impossible to say.

8 Mount Ching, which bounded Ching Chau on the north, is in the

The Chang and the Han pursued their common course to the sea, as if they were hastening to court. The nine Chiang were brought into complete order. The Tho and Chien streams were conducted by their proper channels. The land in the marsh of Yun became visible, and the marsh of Mang was made capable of cultivation.

The soil of this province was miry. Its fields were the average of the middle class; and its contribution of revenue was the lowest of the highest class. Its articles of tribute were feathers, hair, elephants' teeth, and hides; gold, silver, and copper; chun trees, wood for bows, cedars, and cypresses; grindstones, whetstones, flint stones to make arrow-heads, and cinnabar; and the chun and lu bamboos, with the hu tree (all good for making arrows) of which the Three Regions were able to contribute the best specimens. The three-ribbed rush was sent in bundles, put into cases. The baskets were filled with silken fabrics, azure and deep purple, and with strings of pearls that were not quite round. From the country of the nine Chiang, the great tortoise was presented when specially required and found.

They floated down the Chiang, the Tho, the Chien, and the Han, and crossed the country to the Lo, whence they reached the most southern part of the Ho.

8. The Ching mountain and the Ho were the boundaries of Yu Chau.9

The I, the Lo, the Chan, and the Chien were conducted to the Ho. The marsh of Yung-po was confined within its

department of Hsiang-yang, Hu-pei, and is called the southern Ching, to distinguish it from another mountain of the same name farther north in Yung Chau. Mount Hang, its southern boundary, is "the southern mountain" of the Canon of Shun in Hang-chau department, Hu-nan. Yang Chau was on the east, and the country on the west was almost unknown. Ching Chau contained the greater portion of the present provinces of Hu-pei and Hu-nan, and parts also of Kwei-chau and Sze-chuan. Some geographers also extend it on the south into Kwangtung and Kwang-hsi, which is very unlikely.

• Yu Chau was the central one of Yu's nine divisions of the country, and was conterminous, for a greater or less distance, with all of them, excepting Ching Chau, which lay off in the east by itself. It embraced most of the present Ho-nan, stretching also into the east and south, so as to comprehend parts of Shan-tung and Hu-pei.

proper limits. The waters of that of Ko were led to the marsh of Mang-chu.

The soil of this province was mellow; in the lower parts it was in some places rich, and in others dark and thin. Its fields were the highest of the middle class; and its contribution of revenue was the average of the highest class, with a proportion of the very highest. Its articles of tribute were varnish, hemp, fine cloth of dolichos fiber, and the boehmerea. The baskets were full of checkered silks, and of fine floss silk. Stones for polishing sounding-stones were rendered when required.

They floated along the Lo, and so reached the Ho.

9. The south of mount Hwa and the Black-water were the boundaries of Liang Chau.10

The hills Min and Po were made capable of cultivation. The Tho and Chien streams were conducted by their proper channels. Sacrifices were offered to the hills Tshai and Mang on the regulation of the country about them. The country of the wild tribes about the Ho was successfully operated on.

The soil of this province was greenish and light. Its fields were the highest of the lowest class; and its contribution of revenue was the average of the lowest class, with proportions of the rates immediately above and below. Its articles of tribute were: the best gold, iron, silver, steel, flint stones to make arrow-heads, and sounding-stones; with the skins of bears, foxes, and jackals, and nets woven of their hair.

10 Liang Chau was an extensive province, and it is a remarkable fact that neither the dominions of the Shang nor the Chau Dynasty, which followed Hsia, included it. Portions of it were embraced in the Yu and Yung provinces of Chau, but the greater part was considered as wild, savage territory, beyond the limits of the Middle Kingdom. It is difficult to believe that the great Yu operated upon it, as this chapter would seem to indicate. The Hwa at its northeastern corner is the western mountain of Shun. The Black-water, or the Chiang of the Golden Sands," is identified with the present Lu. The province extended over most of the present Sze-Chuan, with parts of Shen-hsi and Kan-su. I can hardly believe, as many do, that it extended far into Yun-nan and Kwei-chau.

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