Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality. Vol. 12 (of 15), Japanese and ChineseMorris, Charles
History
Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality. Vol. 12 (of 15), Japanese and Chinese
Morris, Charles
China -- History; Japan -- History
Within the second wall lay the royal arsenals and the deer-park, with
meadows and handsome groves, and in the interior rose a third wall of
great thickness, each side of which was a mile in length, while its
height was twenty-five feet. This last enclosure, one square mile in
area, contained the palace, which reached from the northern to the
southern wall and included a spacious court. Though its roof was very
lofty, it was but one story in height, standing on a paved platform of
several feet elevation, from which extended a marble terrace seven feet
wide, surrounded by a handsome balustrade, which the people were allowed
to approach.
Carved and gilt dragons, figures of warriors and animals, and
battle-scenes ornamented the sides of the great hall and the
apartments, while the roof was so contrived that only gilding and
painting were to be seen. On each side of the palace a grand flight of
marble steps ascended to the marble terrace which surrounded the
building. The interior contained an immense hall, capable of serving as
a banqueting-room for a multitude of guests, while the numerous chambers
were all of great beauty and admirably arranged.
The roof on the exterior was painted red, green, azure, and violet, the
colors being highly durable, while the glazing of the windows was so
neatly done that they were transparent as crystal. In the rear of the
palace were arranged the treasure-rooms, which contained a great store
of gold and silver bullion, pearls and precious stones, and valuable
plate. Here also were the family apartments of the emperor and his
wives. Opposite the grand palace stood another, very similar in design,
where dwelt his eldest son, the heir to the throne.
On the north side, between the palace and the adjoining wall, rose an
artificial mound of earth, a hundred paces high and a mile in circuit at
its base. Its slopes were planted with beautiful evergreen trees, which
had been transported thither, when well grown, by the aid of elephants.
This perpetual verdure gave it the appropriate name of the Green Mount.
An ornamental pavilion crowned the summit, which, in harmony with the
sides, was also made green. The view of the mount, with its ever-verdant
trees and the richly decorated building on its summit, formed a scene
delightful to the eyes of the emperor and the other inmates of the
palace. This hill still exists, and is yet known by its original title
of Kinshan, or the Green Mount.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account