▁white ▁with ▁white ▁cl ay ▁earth ▁and ▁pow der ed ▁rice . ▁ ▁From ▁a ▁distance ▁the ▁white ▁city ▁was ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁had ▁the ▁appearance ▁of ▁a ▁giant ▁ship . ▁ ▁At ▁its ▁center ▁the ▁city ▁had ▁a ▁lake . ▁ ▁Jin ▁Sh u ▁gives ▁us ▁a ▁contemporary ▁e y ew it ness ▁description ▁of ▁the ▁city ... ▁ ▁" The ▁hill ▁is ▁beautiful , ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁it ▁the ▁plain ▁is ▁wide , ▁and ▁around ▁this ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁lake ▁of ▁pure ▁water . ▁I ▁have ▁w ander ed ▁in ▁many ▁places , ▁but ▁I ▁have ▁not ▁seen ▁a ▁land ▁whose ▁beauty ▁can ▁compare ▁with ▁that ▁of ▁this ▁place ". ▁ ▁At ▁its ▁height ▁the ▁population ▁was ▁around ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁likely ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁greatly ▁supp lement ed ▁by ▁an ▁enc ir cling ▁enc amp ment ▁of ▁nom adic ▁kin ▁groups ▁at ▁certain ▁times ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁ ▁White ▁cities ▁were ▁generally ▁cer emon ial ▁and ▁status ▁cent ers ▁built ▁following ▁con quest , ▁rather ▁than ▁out right ▁military ▁positions , ▁white ▁being ▁a ▁holy ▁color ▁for ▁the ▁X ion gnu . ▁ ▁Yet ▁the ▁thick ness ▁of ▁the ▁walls ▁was ▁certainly ▁required ▁since ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁originally ▁built ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁perpet ual ▁war fare . ▁The ▁threat ▁was ▁also ▁internal ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁from ▁the ▁Chinese ▁- ▁for ▁instance , ▁Hel ian ▁Bob o ▁was ▁attacked ▁with ▁an ▁army ▁by ▁his ▁deput y ▁Hel ian ▁G ui ▁in ▁ 4 2