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all that remains of the Imperial palace of the Sung dynasty which is said to have been built on an earlier site. The artificial lakes and mounds of the palace gardens and the foundations of certain smaller buildings can be traced. The carved stone block said to have stood behind the Imperial throne may still be seen, though at a disadvantage int he twilight of the temple. It is over six feet square and carved deep with a decorative dragon motive, and though it was so dimly lighted that it could not be adequately judged, I considered it an example of the best Sung manner.
[[underline]]IRON PAGODA[[/underline]] The "iron pagoda" (1) (T'ieh T'a) erected in A.D. 1383 stands among the ruins of a temple of which it was a part. It is encrusted with glazed tiles moulded in relief (2) and colored rich brown, green, red and yellow. From a distance the blend of these colours suggests rusty iron. The tower is thirteen stories high and is octagonal, each face measuring m. 4.15 at a height of about four feet from the ground. In the faces toward the four cardinal points are small chapels (bricked up), that on the East containing four Ming (?) iron statues, and a glazed tile bearing an inscription which could not be examined. From the Western chapel leads the stair which extends nearly to the top of the tower. Set irregularly in the stair wall are tiles like those on the outside. Small

(1) Chavannes Pl. CCCCXIV Nos. 922, 923, 924.

(2) The subjects of the reliefs on these tiles are: rows of five figures playing instruments and dancing, angels and clouds, scrolls of lowers (peonies?), scrolls of leaves, dragon, diaper pattern, erect figure playing flute, erect priest with wand, alternating dragon and lion heads, lions' heads and fore feet on corner tiles.