Herbert G. Ponting

THE FIVE-ARCHED MARBLE GATEWAY TO THE MING TOMBS

The site of the Ming Tombs, chosen by the Emperor Yung Lo, is a peaceful valley some 30 miles northwest of Peking. The remains of 13 out of
the 16 monarchs of the Ming Dynasty are interred here. This p'ai lou (memorial gateway) was erected in 1541 and marks the principal entrance to
the Valley of the Tombs. It is 50 feet high and 80 feet wide and is, perhaps, the finest in China.

THE OUTER TOWER OF THE TE SHENG MEN, OR GATE OF VICTORY, PEKING

Photograph by Dr. Osvald Siren

This north wall of China's capital city, built of brick, stone, and concrete, and 60 feet thick at the base, was constructed either by Kublai Khan
or by the Emperor Yung Lo. The great towers which surmount the gates in the wall are of comparatively recent construction, none of them dating
earlier than the 15th century, while some are modern. They are pierced with many apertures, supposedly for cannon, but now generally empty.

CHINESE WORKMEN TAMPING DIRT WITH A LARGE METAL DISK, CHIHLI PROVINCE

The Chinese coolie is one of the hardest workers on the face of the globe. He often carries a burden of from 100 to 200 pounds a distance of
8 to 15 miles a day, receiving on an average about 10 cents for his labor. Despite the hardships and privations that fill his life, he is a cheerful
person and something of a sportsman. One of his favorite forms of diversion is "pitching pennies." A coolie will sometimes wager a whole week's
salary on a single pitch, and lose without a murmur, thereby disproving the axiom "easy come, easy go.'

A CARVED MARBLE STAIRWAY IN THE TEMPLE OF CONFUCIUS, PEKING Almost every city in China has its Confucian temple, where, in the spring and autumn, important rites are solemnized. A triple stairway leads to the Hall of the Great Perfection in the temple of Peking, but only spirits may use the central portion, which consists of a single slab of marble wonderfully carved in dragon design. Similar but less elaborate dragon stairways are to be found in many parts of China.