Identifier: chinaherhistory00park (find matches)
Title: China, her history, diplomacy, and commerce, from the earliest times to the present day; with maps
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: Parker, Edward Harper
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Dutton
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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he late Colonel Yulehas treated this subject so exhaustively in hisimmortal work on Ser Marco Polo l that it isquite superfluous to cite further evidence, unlessit be to demonstrate the accuracy or inaccuracyof insignificant points in detail. Full accountshave also been published, by various gentlemencompetent to examine the Chinese originals, ofthe voyages of Cheng Ho and other Chineseeunuchs, despatched early in the fifteenth cen-tury by the Ming emperors reigning at Nankingand Peking upon various diplomatic and com-mercial missions to most of the countries in theIndian Ocean between the Red Sea, the PersianGulf, and Singapore. The above historical sketch of early trade,imperfect and superficial though it necessarilyis, will perhaps suffice, when read in connectionwith the preceding chapters, to prepare the wayfor an account of the great turning point in theannals of the Far Eastern trade -—the arrival ofEuropeans in the China seas. 1 Bevised and enlarged in 1903 by Henri Cordier.
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CHAPTER IV TRADE ROUTES After the first land discoveries of Han Wu Tis generals, the Chinese laid it down quite clearly that there were two main roads to the West, and to this day they are still known by their old names of North and South roads—i.e. of the Tien Shan (Celestial Mountains) which divide off the two. In the Han times the six states north of the mountains were nomad, and the iC thirty-six town-states were settled in their habits. The North, or Sungaria Road, or Great Road, is the one which leads from Si-an Fu, north of Kokonor, past Kan-chou, Suh-chou, and the Purun-ki River at Ansi Chou to Hami, Barkul, Manas, Urumtsi, and Hi. The Tien Shan must be crossed at either Hami or Turfan, which last place, under various names, has always been a pivot of Chinese power—i.e. whenever it reached so far. In other words, on leaving Barkul for Urumtsi you can go by Turfan if you like. The South, or Kashgaria Road, or Short Road, branches off from the North Road, either at Turfan fo

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