Old walls of 'the former dynasty' and earth-roofed huts on the Kerulen
Editorial contextZhang passed the ruined base of a long wall stretching out of sight, which he credits to 'the former dynasty', meaning the Jurchen Jin, as their outer rampart. On the Kerulen he found a mixed population of 'barbarians' and Chinese living in a few houses roofed with earth and growing a little hemp and wheat.
After four stages there is the ruined base of a long wall, stretching on endlessly as far as one can see; this too is an outer rampart built by the former dynasty... The people along the river are a mix of fan (steppe peoples) and Han Chinese. There are a few houses, all roofed with earth, and they also do some farming, of hemp and wheat, and that is all.
Working translation
Original wording
四驛有長城䫋址望之綿延不盡亦前朝所築之外堡也…瀕河之民雜以蕃漢稍有屋室皆以土冐之亦頗有種藝麻麥而巳
About Mongols and Chinese living together
Keep in mind
'Former dynasty' (前朝) here means the Jin, whose border walls ran across Inner Mongolia.