taken into captiyitj. Two years later the last scion of the Saogs
perished at Yai-shan (see Chcu) Ping\ and the Mongols were
masters of China. From 1264 Eablai fixed his capital at Peking,
and in 1271, by the adyice of Lin Ping-chang, adopted the dynastic
style 71^ Tflan. He^ent several expeditions against Japan, Bnrmah,
Annam, Cambodia, and even Java; bnt the results were inconsiderable,
although in 1287 envoys came from the islands of the Malay
Archipelago, and even from Ceylon. A few local risings in China
were easily suppressed, and in 1292 Bayan crushed the growing
power of ]f|^ 1^ Heyduk, who was pressing on Samarcand. The
Emperor was usually under the influence of some fayourite, of
whom P9 ^ il§ Ahma (from 1270 until his assassination in
1282) and ^ ^ Sang-ko (fit>m 1288 to 1291) were the chief;
and latterly, jealousy and suspicion caused him to be frequently
changing the members of his Cabinet. From 1284 to 1291 Eublai
encouraged extortionate taxation, and discontent and disorder
resulted; yet in 1290 the population fell little short of 59 millions.
In 1281 he lost his best helper, his wife; and two years later he
married her sister, who interfered in the goyernment and constituted
herself the only channel of communication with the Khan. In 1286
the Chinese were forbidden to carry arms, and three years later
their bows and arrows were burnt. The Mongol written character
was introduced in 1269; in 1280 the calendar was revised; and in
1287 the Imperial Academy was opened. The Yellow River was
explored to its source in 1280; and paper money, in the form of
bank-notes of from 50 to 1000 eashf was made current in 1285.
Xublai was an ardent Buddhist, and sent an envoy to the Turfi&n
to study the Sacred Books. Nevertheless he paid honours to Confucius ,
and to the great followers of the Master. In 1281 he caused all
Taoist literature, save the Tao Te Ching, to be burnt as spurious
or useless. He made Karakorum his summer, and Cambaluc, the
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