T'an, and crossing the Yang-lou range arrived at the garrison city of Chang-yeh. Chang-yeh was in a state of rebellion and the roads impassable; and therefore the Prince, being anxious about them,[1] kept them there at his own expense[2]. Thus they fell in with Chih Yen, Hui Chien, Seng Shao, Pao Yün, Sêng Ching and others; and rejoicing to find their errands the same, they spent the rainy season together. The rainy season over they again went on to Tun-huang, where there is a fortified encampment eighty li from east to west and forty li from north to south.[3] Having stayed here one month and some days, Fa Hsien and others, five in all, went on ahead in the train of some officials[4], and where thus once more separated from Pao Yün and his colleagues. The prefect[5] of Tun-huang gave all necessaries for crossing the desert (of Gobi). In this desert there are a great many evil spirits and hot winds. Those who encounter them (the winds) perish to a man birds above nor beasts below. Gazing[6] on all sides as
- ↑ The words 慇懃 have been omitted by Mr. Beal.
- ↑ Literary, "became their patron" 檀越
- ↑ About 26 miles by 13. We may here notify the reader that throughout this translation we shall keep to the Chinese measurements whether in li, feet, or inches. It is difficult to determine what was the exact value of either at the time when this volume was written. Julien fixes the li at 12 of the English mile, and the foot may possibly have been near about what it is now-a little larger than the English foot.
- ↑ The text has 隨使先發. Rémusat gave, "à la suite de quelques ambassadeurs," and it is difficult to get anything else out of the text as it stands. Mr. Beal has, "made arrangements to set out in advance of the others," which implies that he has changed 隨 into 遂, though he does not say so or even allude to the doubt fulness of the passage. But see Chapter IV, note 1
- ↑ 太守
- ↑ Mr. Beal's rendering of the following sentence would be
