XII THE HSILING, OR WESTERN TOMBS

October 11th-13th

A DREAM of gorgeous red and orange and yellow, shrined among soft dark waves of forest firs, standing out against a range of barrier mountains, escarped, precipitous, gleaming white where the sun's rays catch upon the outstanding rocks, but shading off into blue and yet bluer tones, like the soft bosom feathers of some beautiful bird for colouring ; just as the glowing temples in the foreground resemble a covey of the golden pheasants of Western China, all brilliant in the sunshine. Between them and the beholder marble bridges gleaming white, and straight stone paths, also white, leading onward to the more sacred precincts of the tombs ; these latter guarded by large squared doors of brilliant sealingwax red, brass-bound, and studded with great brass bosses, august in the rigidity of their angles, austere in their outlines, too brilliant in their colouring to be forbidding, yet decidedly not inviting. Engirdling the tombs walls of deep red, a red that shows richly from beneath the great boughs of the firs, with here and there a white-stemmed poplar, its leaves yellowed already by autumn and flashing in the sunshine. Such is the picture stored in my memory of the Chang Ling, the Emperor Kia Ching's tomb, as we stood upon the more distant bridge, at our backs the grand Dragon and Phoenix gate, and the procession of stone men and animals outside it. These last are not impressive from their great size, like the Ming tombs at Nanking, nor are they works of art as at those near Peking. There is only one of each kind instead of four, with one pavilion enclosing a memorial tablet, standing on a monster's back, and, as is usual, surrounded by four tall pillars, engirdled by writhing dragons and griffin-topped. But beyond this there is a peaceful, long-shaped square, cut out of the surrounding forest, at which the wide road may be said to start or to terminate. And about that silent space among the trees there is a repose and a poetry which makes that open place, where nothing is, a very present memory also. The mind turns to it as for rest from the other picture, almost overladen with colour, which I have tried to describe.

第十二章 西陵

10月11日至13日

那是一個夢境般的場景，充滿了華麗的紅、橙、黃色彩，嵌在柔和的黑暗森林波浪中，與一片屏障般的山脈形成對比。這些山脈斜坡陡峭，當陽光照射在突出的岩石上時閃耀著白光，但漸漸地，顏色過渡到藍色，甚至更藍，如同某種美麗鳥類的柔軟胸羽；而前景中閃耀著陽光的壯麗寺廟則如同一群來自中國西部的金雞，絢爛奪目。在它們與觀者之間，白色大理石橋閃耀著光芒，筆直的石道也呈現出潔白色，通向更為神聖的陵墓區域；這些陵墓由明亮的封蠟紅色大門守衛，大門上鑲有黃銅飾條，嵌有大黃銅釘，角度嚴整，輪廓嚴肅，色彩鮮明但不令人卻步，然而也決不是熱情邀請。陵墓周圍環繞著深紅色的圍牆，這紅色在巨大的松樹枝條下顯得更加豐富，而此處彼處還有一些白色樹幹的白楊樹，已被秋天染成金黃色，在陽光下閃閃發光。這就是我記憶中長陵——嘉慶皇帝陵墓的畫面，當我們站在較遠的橋上，背對著宏偉的龍鳳門，門外是石雕人和動物的隊列。這些石雕不像南京的明陵那樣因巨大而顯得震撼，也不像北京附近的那些陵墓那樣是藝術品。這裡每種類型的雕塑只有一個，而不是四個，並且只有一座亭子環繞著立在怪物背上的紀念碑，如常見的一樣，被四根高大的柱子環繞，柱子上纏繞著龍形浮雕，頂端飾有獅鷲。但除此之外，還有一片長方形的寧靜空間，從周圍的森林中開闢出來，可以說這條寬闊的道路從這裡開始或終止。那片樹林中的寧靜之地，帶來了平靜與詩意，使得那片空曠之地，雖然空無一物，卻成為了我心中鮮明的記憶。與那幅幾乎被色彩過載的畫面相比，心靈不由自主地轉向這裡尋求休憩。

THE ESILING, OR WESTERN TOMBS 175

The Emperor Yung Ching's grave, the Tailing, is grander than that of Kia Ching. Everything is on a slightly grander, larger, fuller scale. Were ever rooftiles a more glorious orange? Did ever roof gleam more golden ? There is, moreover, one quiet, solemn feature about it that especially appeals to the imagination. When you have passed through the underground passage, and climbed one or other of the two stairways leading to the terrace on which the memorial tablet stands, by following a carefully laid out path with marble railing you can walk right round the large tree-clad hill, raised over the grave itself, and on either side find a marble gate standing wide open as if inviting entrance to the hill, the very tomb of the great Manchu ruler. Whilst looking over the marble railing you see down, far down into another jealouslywalled enclosure even the little door that admits to it is tiled with Imperial yellow and all round the gravehill this enclosure follows, forming a complete girdle. It is as if the Manchus both sought specially to guard their sovereign's grave and yet not to prevent nearest possible, loving approach. In all other respects the arrangement of these tombs exactly resembles that of the Chinese Ming Emperors. There are the same shrines for burning paper, all built of yellow, encaustic bricks, the same solemn grove in the inner courtyard, the same stone copies of sacrificial vessels before the tomb but low down among the courtyard trees and far away. There, however, all is in ruins ; here all is brilliant as if made yesterday, with the trees still growing here as they have been at least for two hundred years since Yung Ching's grave was prepared. The marble bridges are not broken down, but gleaming white. The blue and the green and the red paint are all there, and the brasses bright, as if the enfolding papers had only just been stripped off.

The halls to the right on entering from outside, where the sacrifices are prepared, are still there ; the sacrifices were also, when we visited the temples, two sheep still whole, many other carcases cut up, one large vessel full of livers and internal organs of various kinds. Over a hundred oxen, we were told, are sacrificed here yearly, and as we drove down the valley we met the Imperial herds and flocks kept for the purpose, black oxen and white sheep. The road from the railway terminus, rather over two miles from the outside wall of the tomb's enclosure, leads past several walled enclosures on the right, all full of little houses, inhabited by officials belonging to the Board of Rites, one of the seven great Boards. Within the wall there is still a long and beautiful drive beneath the stately trees, with fresh looking little houses here and there, in which live forest-wardens to take care of the trees. Two little boys were our guides, and led us from tomb to tomb, telling us the names of the trees, and generally asking and giving information. There are but three Emperors of the present dynasty buried at the Western Tombs the other five rest at the Eastern Tombs and the Muling, Tao Kuang's tomb, is some three miles distant from the two others, and less beautiful, with no hall, and the trees much smaller. He died in 1851. A man walked about with us all the afternoon carrying some dozen dry mushrooms strung on a string, and we met more than one peasant with a large basket full of mushrooms of all sizes and colours, some one would be inclined to call simply fungi, but all evidently intended for eating. All this added to the autumnal colouring.

雍正皇帝的陵墓——泰陵，比嘉庆皇帝的陵墓更加宏伟。所有的一切都显得更为宏大、更为庄重、更为充实。屋顶的瓦片是否曾如此辉煌的橙色？屋顶是否曾如此金光闪耀？此外，泰陵还有一个安静而庄严的特点，特别能够激发人们的想象力。穿过地下通道，沿着两条通往纪念碑台阶的楼梯中的一条攀登而上，沿着精心铺设的大理石栏杆小径，你可以绕着覆盖在陵墓上的大树环绕的高山行走。在这座大山的两侧，各有一扇大理石门敞开着，仿佛在邀请人们进入这位伟大的满洲统治者的陵墓。当你站在大理石栏杆旁往下看时，可以看到一个被严密围墙保护的另一个围区，甚至连进入这个围区的小门也铺有象征皇权的黄色瓦片，这个围区环绕在墓冢周围，形成一个完整的围栏。这仿佛是满洲人既特别想保护他们皇帝的陵墓，但又不想阻止人们尽可能亲近地接近它的体现。

在其他方面，这些陵墓的布局与中国明朝皇帝的陵墓完全相似。那里有同样用黄色琉璃砖建造的烧纸钱的神龛，同样庄严的内院树林，同样的石制祭祀器皿的复制品，但它们在庭院的树木间低矮而遥远。然而，在那里一切都是废墟；而在这里，一切都如同昨天才建成一样辉煌，树木在此仍然生长，至少已经有两百年的历史，自从雍正皇帝的陵墓被修建以来。大理石桥没有坍塌，依然洁白光亮。蓝色、绿色和红色的油漆依然如新，黄铜饰物光亮如新，仿佛包裹它们的纸张刚刚被剥去。

从外面进入的右侧大厅，那里是准备祭品的地方，依然存在；我们参观寺庙时，祭品也依然存在，两只完整的羊，以及其他被切割的动物尸体，其中一个大器皿里装满了各种内脏。据说，每年在这里祭祀的牛有一百多头，当我们驶下山谷时，遇到了为了这个目的而饲养的皇家牛群和羊群，黑色的牛和白色的羊。通往陵墓围墙外的铁路终点站的道路略长于两英里，经过右侧的几处围墙区域，那里满是小房子，居住着礼部的官员，这是七大部之一。墙内依然有一条长长的、美丽的车道，树木高大，车道旁散布着一些看起来很新的小房子，里面住着负责看护树木的森林看守人。两个小男孩是我们的向导，他们带我们逐个参观陵墓，告诉我们这些树的名字，并且询问和提供信息。

现今朝代的皇帝中，只有三位葬在西陵，其他五位安葬在东陵。而道光皇帝的陵墓——慕陵，距离另外两个陵墓大约三英里远，景致不如前两个陵墓，没有大厅，树木也要小得多。他于1851年去世。一个男人整下午都和我们一起走动，手上拿着串在绳子上的十几个干蘑菇，我们还遇到了不止一个农民，他们的大篮子里装满了各种大小和颜色的蘑菇，有些人可能会称之为简单的真菌，但显然这些蘑菇是用来食用的。所有这一切都为秋天的色彩增添了几分风味。

THE HSILING, OB WESTERN TOMBS 177

We crossed two streams on our way, and passed by a brilliantly-coloured temple of the God of War, the special patron of the present dynasty. There were some fine bits of scenery, and the views of the mountains were particularly beautiful. To the east a wild romantic defile apparently led through them, and straight in front a pillar of rock stood up against the sky as if it were exactly behind Kia Ching's tomb as we approached. By the railway station there were fine trees, and among them a lamaserai freshly restored, with specimens both of the present Empress Dowager's writing and Chienlung's. There were also five Buddhas of more than life-size, sitting very still in the long-shaped highly-coloured Lama halls, as also diminutive Buddhas made of jade, and with real jewels in their necklaces. We were shown a picture, which was pushed back and revealed behind it a little quiet sanctuary, where we were told the present Emperor had retired to rest when last here. The Lamas pointed to a pillow on the floor, and the carter who drove us talked lovingly of the place where the Emperor had slept. We also saw where he had sat, and the beautiful lacquer table that was placed beside him.

It was for his suite on the occasion of the ceremonial visits to the tombs we understood the two rows of corrugated iron buildings had been erected, in one of which we were kindly assigned a lodgingplace for the night, quite clean and airy, but without furniture except what was brought in for the occasion.

The railway arrangements were then somewhat inconvenient, but the service is likely to be rendered much more comfortable if, as projected, the company that now manages the Peking- Hankow line takes over the little branch line. The traveller can, however, now leave Peking at 1.25, and return there again at 1 1. 1 8, two days later, having had the whole of the intervening day to wander about in the woods and enjoy the colour delights of the Manchu Emperors' tombs, considering the while whether " thus would I wish to be gathered together when turned into bones," or whether Diogenes is more to be approved " who willed his friend not to bury him, but to hang him up, with a staffe in his hand, to frighten away the crowes." Anyway, " the greater part must be content to be as though they had not been, to be found in the register of God, not in the record of man."

The day of great tombs, and satisfaction in looking forward to the gratitude and appreciation of posterity, seems to have passed ; though the day for conducting all life so as to meet the approval of each man's inner voice, guardian angel or conscience, be not yet quite arrived. Yet all through the centuries

" Hearts, though stout and brave,