Chapter 55 Chapter Fifty-Three

How the Teremi Monastery was Built and Donated As the construction and equipment expenses of the seminary, Gao Kangda ordered the payment of 2,700,831 "big woolen gold coins" in cash, and also ordered the allocation of 100 yuan from the income of the Tivo River ② every year. 669,000 "Sun Coins" ③ and the same number of "Pleiades Coins" ④, until all the projects are completed. As the monastery fund and perennial funds, donate 2,369,514 "rose gold coins"⑤ from the field income, and guarantee that it will be paid on time every year without deducting any expenses, and the money will be sent to the monastery At the gate of the courtyard, and set up a written note.

The building of the monastery is hexagonal, and a tall round tower is built on each corner, with a diameter of sixty steps. The towers are exactly the same in style and size, and the Royal River flows through the north of the building.A tower along the river is called the Altista⑥, another tower to the east, the Cala Erta⑦, after that the Anadol Tower⑧, after that the Mezambina Tower⑨, and beyond that the Esperita ⑩, the last one is the Clier Tower (11).Between tower and tower, each distance 312 steps (12).The entire building is divided into six floors, including the basement, which also counts as one floor.The second layer (13) is a curved dome shaped like the handle of a basket.The other floors are made of plaster from Flanders with a lamp base flower top.The roof is neat slate, the ridge is lead, and there are various gilded flower decorations and animals on it.The aqueducts are between the windows, painted in two colors of gold and blue, and go out from the wall in a diagonal shape, leading directly to the large underground water pipes, which lead to Hanoi from under the house.

Compared with Bao Niwai ①, Chambord ② and Chantilly ③, this mansion is really a hundred times more magnificent. It has a total of 9,332 rooms in the interior, each of which is divided into inner rooms, studios, Dressing room, prayer room, and a door leading to a large living room.Each tower leads to the central building, and there is a spiral staircase in the tower. The steps are of cloud stone, red Numidian stone, and emerald piebald stone. The finger is thick, and there is a section of ladder head for rest every twelve steps.There are two ancient arches at the head of each step, from which the light comes.Going out from the door, you can enter a small room as wide as the stairs and equipped with railings.From the stairs, you can go straight to the roof, which looks like a pavilion.On each floor, you can walk into a hall from both sides of the stairs, and then lead to various suites from the hall.

All the way from Altista to Clierta were tall and elegant bookshelves, with books in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, French, Tuscan, and Spanish. , according to the language, hierarchical storage. ① "Big Wool Gold Coin" with Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) engraved on it, worth about sixteen gold francs.The amount of Gao Kangda's donation is approximately equivalent to 43,216,296 francs. ② The Tivo River, to the west of La Duvini, is actually a small river that cannot be used by boats. ③ "Sun Coin": 1475 King Louis XI gold coin, with three lilies on the face and a small sun on it.

④ "Pleiades Coin": There is no such coin name, and the author made up "Pleiades Coin" because he mentioned "Sun Coin". ⑤ "Nine Rose Gold Coins": Edward II dynasty gold coins with roses cast on them. ⑥ Altis Tower: the north tower. ⑦ Cala Erta: A scenic tower. ⑧ Anadol Tower: East tower. ⑨ Meizangbina Tower: The south tower. ⑩ Esperita: West tower or evening tower. ① The residence of Fort Bouni, four leagues away from Poitiers, began construction in 1513, and was left unfinished due to the death of Admiral Gouffier at Bavia. ② Construction of the Château de Chambord started in 1524, and it is said that it was in 1519 and was not completed.

③ Chantilly Building, triangular, built in 1534 and destroyed at the end of the 18th century. ① It is Italian. In the middle, there is a magnificent grand staircase, and at the entrance is an arch six "Twaz" ② wide.The staircase is symmetrical, and its width can accommodate six knights carrying guns on their legs ③ parallel at the same time, all the way up to the top of the building. Between the Anadol Tower and the Mezambina Tower is a gorgeous and tall gallery, which is full of ancient heroic stories, historical stories and maps.In the middle there is also a staircase of the same kind, and a door like the one facing the river which we mentioned above.On this door, the following words are written in large ancient characters:

② "Twaz": The ancient French name for length, approximately equal to 1949 meters. ③ At that time, the gun was carried on the thigh.