There is a pair of pre cipitous rocks on the Chientang between Tunglu and Yenchow known as "The Angler's Platform." it marks the spot where 2000 years ago Nien Tsz-ling, a personal friend of the Emperor Han Kwan-wu' (git), spent his days of retirement.
Nien Tsz-ling and the Emperor had been playmates in youth, sharing the same bed and the usual experiences of childhood. After Han Kwan-wa became Emperor, Nien frequently visited the royal ode. One morning during the visit of this friend the astrologers announced that they had seen an ominous star lingering over the royal bed chamber, and urged the Emperor to beware, The Emperor replied that it must have been a star of good omen as his friend at that time was sharing the bed with him in peaceful slumber.
The ancestral hall at the foot of the hill, a building of: not many Years, bears the name of Nien Tsz-ling. The platforms from which Nien did his fishing are now some 200 feet above the high water mark in the river, which would indicate erosion, elevation or an error in the tradition.
Tue KEN BRIDGE, It is an ancient custom in Chi that when a bridge is complet. the first to cross over must be wealthy man. ¢ Ling fang bridge was nearing completion and a tain beggar® decided that he would be the first to cross, but the people bent on preserving the custom and th good fortune of the communi sob themselves to prevent him Enraged at the insult, the beggar pronounced curse on the bridge saying that should they build up the two ends the contre would fall and should they build the centre the two ends would fall.
Fust as they were preparing to dedicate the bridge the centre arch gave way and gave positive proof that a sage had been offended in not permitting the beggar to cross over first. The beggar disappeared and the bridge has never been repaired. Ho has been named Rich Kwaili ($bHEjg), and his name in this locality stands for a warning against the unjust and over bearing.
The facts concerning the bridge these: In the palmy days of the Ming dynasty when Hucichow was furnishing her full quota of officials, the population was treble what it is now, and the building of bridges and widows' arches was one of the chief means of disposing of surplus wealth. In a vain attempt to lay up merit this bridge was attempted, but, before the bridge was completed, the ollicials fell into ill favour and were cash-lered, being - left thus without funds, and, while the people do
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.