GEOOBAPHICAL. 87^ was slain by them ; and they threatened to do further damage, but were^ in August 111, defeated by Commander Dung at the head of an army of Shanyii soldiers, — ^proving the demoralization of the Chinese soldiery. Ever since Chaosien was broken up, the old lands known under that name were, up till this period, more or less closely bound to China proper. This Chinese portion would stretch along the west of the present Kingchow and Ewangning, east to the Liao, and run along the south side of the Taidsu river to the hills on the east ; including all the pLiin south of Liaoyang to the sea, and the southern portion of eastern Liaotung up to the Yaloo ; perhaps to the Ping river. The country was not well cultivated ; nor was the land crowded with large villages, and defended by many walled cities, as it now is. The inhabitants were Chinese in only a very small proportion; though the few forts erected after the conquest of Chaosien, east and west of the Liao, were garrisoned by Chinese soldiers. Skirting the west, north-west, and north sides of Liaosi was Hienbi, from Yoongping on the south to Kaiyuen on the north ; and Qaogowli bordered the north-east and north of Liaotung. Both powers grew in importance yearly. In 121 A.D., a combined Hienbi and Gaogowli army broke into Liaotung, and drove the Liaotung army before them south to Sinchung,* where it was defeated with great slaughter, — ^the Chinese leaders all falling in the van of battla The Gaogowli seem to have been satisfied with what they attained ; but Hienbi pushed westwards, again penetrated into and plundered Yoonggwan, and defeated the commandant of Yunjoong."f" They were, however, driven eastwards by the combined forces of Yowchow (Peking) and other commandants. They ravaged Huentoo, the south-eastern portion of Liaotung, in December of the same year ; and several myriads of them penetrated to Taiyuen in the following year. As proof that the governmental machine of the Han was loosely jointed together, we find that the commandant of Hanyang city joined the Hienbi The Hienbi victories were both the result
- Sonth of the modem Eaichow. f Modem Tatong o ShansL
