In the southern tip of Anhui are six hsiens isolated from the rest of the province by natural barriers. This region, at present called Kueichow, was known in-ancient times as Hsin-an, '"New Peace.'"' The "Three Kingdoms,"' speaking of this region, uses an expression something like this, ''Hsinan is notable for. its mountains and rivers." This is a very mild description of so greatly beautiful and varied a scenery.
The people of the region boast of four natural wonders. The "Yellow Mountains" are first mentioned. This high group is part of range which separates Hsinan from the rest of Anhui province.
"Che Yuin Shan" receives second notice. This is a high red sandstone hill fantastically carved by wind erosion. It is the principal] Taoist shrine of that part of China. It is easy to reach and well worth the trouble of a visit.
The one generally mentioned last is the "Kao Hu Shan," The High Lake Mountain. This is the highest peak of an east and west mountain spur, near the middle western border of the region. The whole region is a succession of hills and mountains, but at this point the conformation of the mountains is such that on a clear day the waters of Poyang lake, in Kiangsi_province, can be seen, 60 or 70 miles to} the west.
The other natural wonder of the region, which we have only recently visited, is a group of caves called "Ling Yien Tung," the "Soul of Cliff Caves," in low limestone hills; in the extreme southwestern part of the district. The erosion seems to have started here when the bed of the valley was some 250 feet above its present level. Goodly caves were formed, which, by solution and erosion, have degraded themselves as fast as the surrounding valleys.
"The Small North Cave' consists of three or four recesses. The caverns are not over 50 feet high and 100 wide. Stalactites and stalagmites are numerous and beautiful. Several great statlagmites bear names suggested by their fantastic shapes, such as ''the Priest Gazing Heavenward."
"The Great North Cave" is said to have the most extensive tunnel system. The villagers assert that one passage has an exit in Kiangsi province at least 10 miles distant. Two local mouths were walled up by a previous generation after the main opening had been partly blocked with various debris left by a cave in, landslide or freshet. The people of that time naturally concluded-that the mountain fairies wished to close the cave to visitors. The local people still oppose every effort to visit this cave.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.