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Grand Hotel des Wagons-Lits, Ltd.,
Peking, Nov. 21st 1910.

My dear Colonel Hecker - 

I am back in Peking again after a months absence, during which I visited Lung-men, (Dragon's Head) Kai Feng-fu and Honan Fu, both sites of several ancient capitals of China, and other points of special interest in the valleys of the rivers Lo Ho and Yi Ho, near by.

The Lung-men Buddhism was first introduced into China and at this point sculpture depicting the Buddhistic faith was carried to its perfection during the 3rd, 4, 5, 6, and 7 centuries.  In the 11th century some additional work was done there.  In feudal times, the capital was near Lung-men then known as Lo-yang.  In B.C. 221 the capital was removed.  In A.D. 25 it was again the capital - In 220 A.D. it lost it.  In A.D. 317 to A.D. 419 it was again the capital.  And lastly from A.D. 816 to 907 it was continuously the capital, after which the capital was removed to Kai Feng-fu, where it continued to remain until 1126 when it was removed to Hangchow near Shanghai.  I burden you with these historic facts so that you may know why I particularly desired to visit the locality.  During the Wei, Sui and Tang dynasties (A.D. 220 to 905) the sculpture in which I am most interested was produced.

During the Tang and Sung dynasties (618 to 1278 A.D.) the paintings and potteries in which I am most interested were produced.

So you will understand the attractiveness of the locality to me from one point of view.  Another point is that this locality is the most fertile in all China, so that notwithstanding wars have followed wars, these valleys have continued prosperous and very populous down to the present day.  Consequently the architecture and other arts of the following dynasties, (all of which I consider decadent in a certain sense) Yuan - Ming - and Ch'ing - have followed that of Wei, Sui, Tang and Sung and can be studied together in comparison.

And the western or farther end of the district, that nearest Honan Fu, is the most wonderful - rivers running through beautiful valleys separated by hills and mountains from 100ft to 10,000 feet high.  The valleys, garden-farms, and burial grounds - about half and half - the graves running from 1 ft to 100 feet in height.  The hills and mountains capped with great tombs and temples.  The hills up to 1000 ft terraced from river level to top; every level inch cultivated and the perpendicular parts of the terraces pierced with "dug-out" homes - cool in summer warm in winter.  In the valleys stone and brick temples and homes and farm buildings, so thick in many places, as to make the valleys almost continuous villages - the scenery never to be forgotten.  And through these valleys I travelled, by railway where possible, by cart, by chair, and on foot - much of the time by the latter method - thanks to good legs.  But the members of my little expedition, unfortunately, excepting the splendid soldiers and chair bearers, were poor walkers and really suffered at times.  The far western end of my route is badly infested with brigands and they have been raising the devil during the last two months, particularly near Lung-men where I remained fully two weeks and where the only buildings are two groups of Ming Temples, one on each side of the Yi river, and the hundreds of rock-hewn temples cut into the perpendicular mountains on each side of the river.  I was fully advised by the Chinese officials after reaching Honan Fu of the conditions near Lung-men, but I fancied considerable exaggeration was being added for decorative effect, and reluctantly, but with outward assumed pleasure, left Honan Fu for Lung-men escorted by six native soldiers, furnished by the Lieutenant Governor of the province, who noted under instructions from the Chinese Government at Peking.  Within two days after my arrival at Lung,men, the Lt. Governor accompanied by his chief of staff called upon me at Lung-men, and said that I must accept a larger guard for protection, leaving six additional soldiers for might duty.  And so I was guarded during my entire stay, I was only once able to pass out of the door of my temple into its court without finding two armed soldiers on duty and never outside of my temple gate without at least four