Kokotan (Hohhot): earth walls, brick towers, glazed temple roofs
Editorial contextThe first Chinese-ruled town Baikov reached was Kokotan, today's Hohhot in Inner Mongolia. He says its people spoke Mongol and its governors were sent from Beijing. The wall was of earth with towers of burnt brick and iron-bound oak gates, but no cannon; inside and outside were many brick temples with green-glazed tile roofs, and a big market of stone shops.
and the town of Kokotan is of earth, with towers of brick, burnt brick; the gate towers are large, with two gates in each tower; … the gates are of oak, bound with iron; … there are no firearms, cannon or muskets; and there are many idol-temples in the town and outside it: the temples are of brick, their tops made as in Russia, and the roofs of glazed tile.
Working translation
Original wording
а городъ Кококотанъ земляной: башни кирпичные: кирпичь жженой; проѣзжіе башни велики: по двои ворота въ башнѣ; … а ворота дубовые, окованы желѣзомъ; … а огненного бою, пушекъ и пищалей нѣтъ, а кумирницъ въ городѣ и за городомъ много: кумирницы кирпичные, а верьхи у нихъ дѣланы по Руски, а крышы черепицею муравленою.
About Mongols of the Qing frontier