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[[underlined]]Chapter VII.[[/underlined]] 119.

converted into English measure, equal 164.5 and 822.5 of our feet.  Making allowance for the lowering and broadening effects of agelong settling, weathering, and downwash, they correspond fairly closely to the same measurements which Mr. Wenley and I took of the mound ([[underlined]] cf. [[/underlined]] plan, [[strikethrough]] pl.LVIII).[[/strikethrough]] ^[[fig 25) handwritten]].  We put the present height of the Mao Ling at roughly 140 English feet, while the lengths of its four sides fell between 825 feet for the shortest and 840 feet for the longest of them.  It should be pointed out in this connection, however, that the accumulation of soil at the foot of the mound, carried down from its top and sides by the rains of centuries, made it almost impossible for us to distinguish between the actual base of the tumulus proper and the edge of the [[underlined]] fang chung [[/underlined]] (see page 103) or low earthen platform upon which it was erected.

That such a platform had once existed was indeed quite obvious; but it had been so seamed and eroded in some places, so covered and masked by downwash in others, that its outlines were no longer clearly evident.  When the Mao Ling was erected, it was of course the older Chinese foot, about 9 of our inches long, that was in use.  On this standard, the measurements that we obtained for its four sides [[strikethrough]] (see preceding paragr.) [[/strikethrough]] would be equivalent to about 1100 Han feet or slightly more. The thought suggests itself, therefore, that allowing for expansion at the base of the mound brought about the gradual accretion there of the earth brought down from above, it (or perhaps the [[underlined]] fang chung [[/underlined]]) had originally been an even 1000 Han feet square.

The Mao Ling, like the other Han imperial tumuli that we had seen, fronted toward the south.  At the center of this face, as at the tomb of Han Ching Ti, [[strikethrough]](page 103), [[/strikethrough]] we found the eroded remains of a platform and altar of earth for the performance of the state worship of the spirit of Wu Ti (see plan, [[strikethrough]] pl. LVIII, [[/strikethrough]] ^[[fig 25, handwritten]] no. 2). About 100 yards from the