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[[underline]] Chapter XI. [[/underline]] 239

ancient city, partly because they did not fit into any rational plan, but mainly because we found embedded in them, apparently [[underline]] in situ [[/underline]] , bits of broken pottery and even porcelain, of considerably later date; most of them, ^[[ind]]eed, appeared to be of the Sung Dynasty.  We noted, however one fairly large but low mound which we thought might have served as [[the?]] foundation-terrace for some important building---palace or temple---in the old capital; at least we could find in it no potsherds of recognizably later types.
  On reaching the southern or downstream border of the site we struck off across the bare fields in a southeasterly direction to investigate some low mounds visible in that quarter.  These however, we concluded after examination, were probably the sites of rather recent mud villages.  After riding for something over a mile we came on a wide, shallow lagoon covered with wildfowl---ducks, geese, and a few swans---that had paused here on their annual migration northward.  On our describing the pond and its situation to Mr. Ch'iu later on, he made the plausible suggestion that perhaps it had once been included in a park surrounding some palace of the North Wei emperors, outside the walls of their capital
  Our repeated visits to the site of old P'ing Ch'êng showed us quite conclusively that its detailed survey, with a comprehensive plan of its various features as they exist today, would necessitate either considerable aerial photography or else a great deal of careful mapping done on the ground.  Moreover its abandonment when the North Wei Dynasty moved its capital southward to Honan in 494 A.D. rendered it unlikely^[[|]]that excavation would reveal remains of much importance, either archaeological or historical.

[[underline]] Country North and South of Ta T'ung. [[/underline]]