A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 1 - Robert Kerr
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[4] Or Guinsai, to be afterwards described.--E.
[5] It does not appear where these islands were, situated; whether Hainan
or Formosa, properly Tai-ouan, or Tai-wan, or the islands in the bay
of Canton.--E.
[6] These sagacious diviners must have been well acquainted with the
military energy of the Tartar government, and the abject weakness of
their own; and certainly knew, from their brethren in Kathay, the
significant name of the Tartar general; on which foundation, they
constructed the enigma of their prophecy, which, like many others,
contributed towards its own accomplishment.--E.
[7] About a year after the surrender of his capital, Tou-Tsong died,
leaving three sons, who all perished in a few years afterwards. The
eldest was made prisoner, and died in captivity in Tartary. The second
died of a consumption at Canton, where he had taken refuge at eleven
years of age. The third, named Ti-Ping, after all the country was
seized by the Tartars, was carried on board the Chinese fleet, which
was pursued and brought to action by a fleet which the Tartars had
fitted out for the purpose. When the Chinese lord, who had the charge
of the infant emperor, saw the vessel in which he was embarked
surrounded by the Tartars, he took the young prince in his arms and
jumped with him into the sea. One considerable squadron of the Chinese
fleet forced a passage through that of the Tartars, but was afterwards
entirely destroyed in a tempest.--Harris.
[8] This direction must be understood in reference to Kathay; as it is
perfectly obvious, that the entrance here spoken of must be in the
north-east of Mangi. Supposing the C aspirated, Coigan-zu and
Hoaingan-fu, both certainly arbitrarily orthographized from the
Chinese pronunciation, are not very dissimilar.--E.
[9] Perhaps an error in transcription for Hara-moran, or Kara-moran, the
Mongul or Tartar name of the Hoang-ho, or Whang river, near, and
communicating with which, Hoaingan, or Whan-gan-fou is situated.--E.
[10] This is an obscure indication of navigable canals on each side of the
paved road of communication to the south.--E.
[11] Cin-gui, or in the Italian pronunciation, Chin, or Tsin-gui, may
possibly be Yen-tching. Tin-gui may be Sin-Yang, or Tsin-yang, to the
north-east of Yen-tching.--E.
[12] Obviously Yang-tcheou, the latter syllable being its title or
designation of rank and precedency. Marco certainly mistakes, from
distant recollection, the direction of his travels, which are very
nearly south, with a very slight deviation towards the east.
South-east would by this time have led him into the sea.--E
[13] Though called a province, this obviously refers to the city of Nankin;
the Nau-ghin of the text being probably a corruption for Nan-ghin.--E
[14] For west, we ought certainly here to read south-west.--E.
[15] Quiam, Kiang, Kian-ku, Kin-tchin-kian, or Yang-tsi-kiang. In modern
maps, there is a town on the northern shore of this river, named
Tsing-Kiang, which may possibly be the Singui of Marco, and we may
perhaps look for the Sian-fu of the Polos at Yang-tcheou, at the
southern extremity of a chain of lakes immediately to the north of the
river Kian-ku. The subject is however full of perplexity, difficulty,
and extreme uncertainty.--E.
[16] This must be Tchin-kian-fou; the three separate syllables in both of
these oral orthographies having almost precisely similar sounds;
always remembering that the soft Italian _c_ has the power of _tsh_,
or our hard _ch_ as in the English word _chin_, and the Italian _gh_
the sound of the hard English _g_.--E.
[17] This evinces the great policy of the military government of the
Tartars, in employing the subjugated nations in one corner of their
empire to make conquests at such enormous distances from their native
countries. The Alanians came from the country between the Euxine and
Caspian, in Long. 60 deg. E. and were here fighting Long. 135 deg. E.; above
4000 miles from home.--E.
[18] By the language in this place, either Sin-gui and Tin-gui-gui are the
same place, or the transition is more than ordinarily abrupt; if the
same, the situation of Sin-gui has been attempted to be explained in a
former note. If different, Tin-gui-gui was probably obliterated on
this occasion, as no name in the least similar appears in the map of
China.--E.
SECTION XVI.
_Of the noble City of Quinsai, and of the vast Revenues drawn from thence
by the Great Khan_.
In a journey of three days from Vagiu, we find numbers of cities, castles,
and villages, all well peopled and rich, the inhabitants being all
idolaters and subject to the great khan. At the end of these three days
journey, we come to Quinsay, or Guinsai, its name signifying the City of
Heaven, to denote its excellence above all the other cities of the world,
in which there are so much riches, and so many pleasures and enjoyments,
that a person might conceive himself in paradise. In this great city, I,
Marco, have often been, and have considered it with diligent attention,
observing its whole state and circumstances, and setting down the same in
my memorials, of which I shall here give a brief abstract. By common
report, this city is an hundred miles in circuit[1]. The streets and lanes
are very long and wide, and it has many large market places. On one side of
the city there is a clear lake of fresh water, and on the other there is a
great river, which enters into the city in many places, and carries away
all the filth into the lake, whence it continues its course into the ocean.
This abundant course of running water causes a healthful circulation of
pure air, and gives commodious passage in many directions both by land and
water, through those numerous canals, as by means of these and the
causeways, by which they are bordered, carts and barks have free
intercourse for the carriage of merchandize and provisions. It is said that
there are twelve thousand bridges, great and small, in this city, and those
over the principal canals are so high, that a vessel without her masts may
go through underneath, while chariots and horses pass above. On the other
side of the city, there is a large canal forty miles[2] long, which
incloses it on that side, being deep and full of water, made by the ancient
kings, both to receive the overflowings of the river, and to fortify the
city, and the earth which was dug out from this canal, is laid on the
inside as a rampart of defence. There are ten great market places which are
square, half a mile in each side[3]. The principal street is forty paces
broad, having a canal in the middle with many bridges, and every four miles
[_Li_] there is a market place, two miles [_Li_] in circuit. There is also
one large canal behind the great street and the market places, on the
opposite bank of which there are many storehouses of stone, where the
merchants from India and other places lay up their commodities, being at
hand and commodious for the markets. In each of these markets, the people
from the country, to the number of forty or fifty thousand, meet three days
in every week, bringing beasts, game, fowls, and in short every thing that
can be desired for subsistence in profusion; and so cheap, that two geese,
or four ducks, may be bought for a Venetian groat. Then follow the butcher
markets, in which beef, mutton, veal, kid, and lamb, are sold to the great
and rich, as the poor eat of all offal and unclean beasts without scruple.
All sorts of herbs and fruits are to be had continually, among which are
huge pears, weighing ten pounds each, white within, and very fragrant[4],
with yellow and white peaches of very delicate flavour. Grapes do not grow
in this country, but raisins are brought from other places. They likewise
import very good wine; but that is not in so much esteem as with us, the
people being contented with their own beverage, prepared from rice and
spices. Every day there are brought up from the ocean, which is at the
distance of twenty-five miles, such vast quantities of fish, besides those
which are caught in the lake, that one would conceive they could never be
consumed, yet, in a few hours all is gone. All these market places are
encompassed with high houses, underneath which are shops for all kinds of
artificers, and all kinds of merchandize, as spices, pearls, and jewels,
and so forth, and in some the rice wine is sold. Many streets cross each
other, leading into these markets; in some of which there are many cold
baths, accommodated with attendants of both sexes, who are used to this
employment from their infancy. In the same bagnios, there are chambers for
hot baths, for such strangers as are not accustomed to bathe in cold water.
The inhabitants bathe every day, and always wash before eating.
In other streets, there are such numbers of mercenary prostitutes, that I
dare not pretend to say how many. These are found near the market places,
and in all quarters of the city, in places appointed for their residence,
where they shew themselves, pompously adorned and perfumed, attended by
many servants, and having their houses richly furnished. They are very
skilful in sports and dalliances, and in contriving pleasures to rob men of
their senses. In other streets there are physicians and astrologers, and
persons who teach to read and write, and an infinity of other trades. At
each end of every market place, there is a palace or tribunal where judges,
appointed by the khan, are stationed for determining any disputes which may
happen between merchants and others; also, to superintend the guards upon
the bridges, and other matters of police, punishing all who are negligent
or disorderly. Along both sides of the principal street, there are great
palaces with gardens; and between these the houses of artificers; and such
multitudes are perpetually going to and fro in all the streets, that one
would wonder how so vast a population could be provided in food. I was
informed by an officer of the customs, that it appeared, by a very accurate
computation, the daily expenditure of pepper in Quinsai, was forty-three
_soma_, each soma being 223 pounds[5]. From this some idea may be formed of
the immense quantities of victuals, flesh, wine, and spices, which are
expended in that place. There are twelve principal companies or
corporations, each of which has a thousand shops; and in each shop or
factory, there are ten, fifteen, or twenty men at work, and in some forty
under one master[6].
The rich tradesmen do not work themselves, although the ancient laws
ordained that the sons of all should follow the trades of their fathers,
but the rich are permitted not to work with their own hands, but to keep
shops and factories, superintending the labour of others in their
particular trades. These rich people, and especially their wives, stand in
their shops, well dressed, or rather sumptuously arrayed in rich silks, and
adorned with valuable jewels. Their houses are well built, and richly
furnished, and adorned with pictures and other ornaments of immense price;
and they exercise their trades with great integrity. The whole inhabitants
are idolaters, of a very fair complexion, and mostly dressed in silken
garments, as silk is produced in great abundance in their neighbourhood, or
brought from other places. They dwell together in great amity, insomuch,
that the inhabitants of a street seem only to compose one family, and are
particularly circumspect in their behaviour to females, as it would be
reputed exceedingly disgraceful to use any indecorous language to a married
woman. The natives are of a most peaceable disposition, and no way addicted
to strife or quarrelling, and altogether unused to arms, which they do not
even keep in their houses. They are extremely hospitable to foreign
merchants, whom they entertain kindly in their houses, giving them the best
advice in regard to the conduct of their affairs: But they are by no means
fond of the soldiers and guards of the great khan, as by their means they
have been deprived of their natural kings and rulers. About the lake there
are many fair buildings and palaces of the principal men, and numerous idol
temples, with monasteries of idolatrous priests. There are two islands in
the lake, on each of which is a palace, containing an incredible number of
rooms, to which they resort on occasion of marriages and other festivals.
In these palaces, abundance of plate, linens, and all other things
necessary for such purposes, are kept up at the common expence, and
sometimes 100 separate companies are accommodated at one time in the
several apartments. In the lake also there are vast numbers of pleasure
boats and barges, adorned with fair seats and tables under cover, being
flat on the tops, where men stand to push the boats along with poles, as
the lake is very shallow. These are all painted within, and have windows to
open or shut at pleasure. Nothing in the world can be more pleasant or
delightful than this lake, from its immense variety of rich objects on all
sides; particularly the city ornamented with so many temples, monasteries,
palaces, gardens, trees, barges, and innumerable people taking their
recreations; for they ordinarily work only a part of each day, spending the
remainder in parties of pleasure with their friends, or with women, either
on the lake, or in driving through the city in chariots. All the streets
are paved with stone, as are all the highways in the kingdom of Mangi, only
a space on one side being left unpaved for the use of the foot posts. The
principal street of Quinsai has a pavement of ten paces broad on each side,
the middle being laid with gravel, and having channels in every place for
conveying water, it is kept always perfectly clean. In this street there
are innumerable long close chariots, each of which is accommodated with
seats and silk cushions for six persons, who divert themselves by driving
about the streets, or go to the public gardens, where they pass their time
in fine walks, shady bowers, and the like, and return at night in the same
chariots to the city[7].
When a child is born, the father notes down the exact point of time, and
with this memorandum goes immediately to some astrologer, of whom there are
many in every market place, to consult the destiny in regard to his future
fortunes; and they use the same forms before celebrating their marriages,
to ascertain the lucky times. When a person of note dies, the kindred
clothe themselves in canvas or sackcloth, and accompany the body to the
funeral, both men and women, people being employed to play on musical
instruments, and singing all the way prayers to their idols; and being come
to the place, they cast into the fire in which the body is burnt, many
pieces of cotton paper, on which figures of slaves, horses, camels, stuffs
of silk and gold, money, and all other things are painted, which, by this
means, they believe the dead person will really possess in the next world;
and they make a grand concert of music, under the idea of the joy with
which the soul of their departed friend will be received by their idols in
the other life which he is now to begin. As their timber houses are very
liable to accidents by fire, there are stone towers in every street, to
which they carry their goods for security on such occasions. On most of the
bridges there are guard-houses, in which soldiers continuallv watch, five
in each by day, and five by night, in case of any alarm or disturbance. In
every guard-house there hangs a great bason[8], on which the warders strike
the successive hours, beginning one at sunrise, and beginning a new series
at sunset. These guards patrole during the night, and if they see any light
or fire in a house after the appointed time, or meet any person in the
streets after legal hours, they cause them to answer before the judges or
magistrates of the district. When a fire happens, the guards collect from
their different stations to assist in quenching it, and to carry away the
goods to the stone towers, or into the islands in the lake; for during the
night none of the citizens are permitted to go out, except such as are in
danger from fires.
The khan keeps always a large body of his best and most faithful soldiers
for the security of the city, which is the largest and richest in the whole
earth; and besides the small guard-houses on the bridges already mentioned,
there are larger lodges built of wood all over the city, for the
accommodation of parties of guards to preserve peace and order. On the
reduction of Mangi to obedience, the khan divided it into nine great
provinces, placing a viceroy in each, to administer the government, and to
dispense justice. Every year each of these viceroys gives an account to the
tribunals of the khan at Cambalu, of the revenues, and all other matters
connected with his government; and every third year, the viceroy, and all
the other officers are changed. The viceroy, who resides in Quinsai,
commands over 140 other cities, all large, rich, and populous; nor is the
extent of this government to be wondered at, as there are in Mangi 12,000
cities, all inhabited by rich and industrious people, in every one of which
the khan maintains a garrison proportional to its greatness and importance,
in some 1000 men, and even up to 10 or 20,000 men[9]. These are not all
Tartars, for the Tartar soldiers are cavalry only, and are kept in places
where there is conveniency for exercising their horses. The great majority
of the troops in Mangi are Kathayans, and the garrisons in Kathay are
composed of people from Mangi. Every third year, such a number of men fit
to carry arms as are wanted, are selected for filling up the garrisons, and
are sent to serve in places, at least twenty days journey from their homes;
and, after serving four or five years, they are permitted to go home, and
are replaced by fresh recruits. Most part of the revenues of the khan are
expended in this way, and on the other necessary expences of government;
and by this distribution of so powerful a military force, an army can be
suddenly called together in the event of any town rebelling. In the city of
Quinsai there is a constant garrison of 30,000 soldiers, and the smallest
city in all Mangi contains at least 1000 regular troops. If any person is
not able to work, he is carried to some hospital, of which there are many
in Quinsai, founded by the ancient kings, and endowed with large revenues:
But when they are well again, they must return to their labour.
I come next to speak of the palace of the late king Fanfur. His
predecessors caused a large park to be inclosed with high walls, ten miles
in circuit[10], and divided within into three parts. That in the middle was
entered by a gate leading to a range of large galleries or halls, whose
roofs were sustained by pillars finely wrought and painted, and richly
adorned with gold and azure. The smallest of these galleries was that
nearest the gate of entrance, and they gradually became larger and fairer
in succession, the most sumptuous being at the farthest end. The walls of
all these apartments were elegantly painted with the portraits and
histories of the former kings. Every year, on certain holidays dedicated to
the idols, Fanfur used to hold open court, on which occasion he feasted his
chief lords, the principal merchants, and rich artificers of Quinsai,
10,000 at a time in these halls, the feasts continuing for ten or twelve
successive days, with incredible magnificence, every guest using his utmost
endeavours to appear in the most pompous dresses. On one side of this
magnificent range of galleries, there was a wall dividing it from a great
cloistered court, having a terrace all round, set with pillars,
communicating with which were the chambers of the king and queen, all
curiously wrought, carved, gilded, and painted with the utmost splendour
and magnificence. From this cloister, a covered gallery, six paces wide,
extended a great length all the way to the lake; and on each side of this
gallery there were ten courts, answering to each other like cloisters, each
having fifty chambers with their gardens, and in these there were 1000
concubines for the kings service. Sometimes with the queen, and sometimes
with these concubines, the king used to go in his barge for recreation on
the lake, or to visit the idol temples. The rest of the great inclosure was
divided into graves, lakes, and gardens, in which all sorts of beasts of
chase were kept, as stags, roebucks, hares, conies, and others, and there
the king used to divert himself with his damsels, in chariots, or on
horseback, no man being allowed to enter there. In this place the ladies
hunted with dogs, and when wearied with sport they retired into the groves,
and throwing off their garments, came forth naked, and fell to swimming in
the lakes in the kings presence. Sometimes he banqueted in these groves,
being served by his damsels. All of these particulars I learnt from an old
rich merchant of Quinsai, who had been familiar with king Fanfur, and knew
all the incidents of his life and reign, and had seen the palace in its
most flourishing state; and he carried me to see it. The viceroy now
resides there, the first described galleries remaining, still in their
original state, but the chambers of the damsels are fallen to ruin; the
walls also which encompassed the woods and gardens, are all fallen down,
the beasts and trees are all gone, and all the other ornaments are
destroyed.
Twenty-five miles from Quinsai we come to the ocean, between the east and
the north-east, near which is a city called Gampu[11], having an excellent
port frequented by merchant ships from the Indies. While I Marco was in
Quinsai, an account was taken for the great khan, of the revenues, and the
number of inhabitants, and I saw that there were enrolled 160 toman of
fires, reckoning for each fire a family dwelling in one house. Each toman
is 10,000, which makes 1,600,000 families[12]; and for all this population
there is only one Nestorian church, all the rest being idolaters. Every
householder is obliged to have written over his door the names of every
individual in his family, whether males or females, as also the number of
horses, adding or effacing as the family increases or diminishes, and this
rule is observed in all the cities of Mangi and Kathay. Those also who keep
inns, must write down in a book the names of all their guests, with the day
and hour of their arrival and departure; and these books are sent daily to
the magistrates who preside at the market places. The revenues which accrue
to the khan from Quinsai, and the other cities under its authority, are,
first from salt eight tomans of gold, every toman being 80,000 sazzi, and a
sazzi is more than a gold florin, which will amount to six millions, and
four hundred thousand ducats. The cause of this is, that being near the
sea, there are many lakes or salines of sea water, which dry up and
coagulate into salt in summer, and five other provinces in Mangi are
supplied from the coast of Quinsai. This province produces plenty of sugar,
which pays, like all other spices, three and a third in the hundred, which
is likewise paid for rice-wine. All the twelve companies, which, we said
before, have twelve thousand shops, and all merchants who bring goods
hither by sea, or carry any away, pay a similar rate. Those who come from
India or other remote countries, pay ten per cent. All breeding cattle, and
all productions of the earth, as silk, rice, corn, and the like, pay to the
khan. The whole computation being made in my presence, amounted yearly,
besides the above mentioned produce from salt, to two hundred and ten
tomans of gold, which are equal to sixteen millions and eight hundred
thousand golden ducats[13].
A days journey from Quinsai to the south-east, we pass the whole way
through houses, villages, fine gardens, and abundant cultivation, and then
come to a fine city called Tapin-zu. Three days hence is Uguiu, and two
days farther, we still ride past castles, cities, and well cultivated
fields, so near adjoining, that the whole seems, to travellers, like one
continued city; in this district are great canes, fifteen paces long, and
four palms thick. Two days farther is the large and handsome city of
Congui, and travelling thence for four days, through places well filled
with industrious people, having plenty of beeves, buffaloes, goats, and
swine, but no sheep, we come to the city of Zengian, which is built on a
hill in the middle of a river, which, after encompassing it, divides into
two branches, one of which runs to the south-east and the other to the
north-west. Three days journey thence, through a most pleasant country,
exceedingly well inhabited, we come to the large city of Gieza, which is
the last in the kingdom of Quinsai, After this we enter into another
province of the kingdom of Mangi called Concha, the principal city of which
is Fugiu, by which you travel six days journey south-east, through hills
and dales, always finding inhabited places, and plenty of beasts, fowls,
and game, and some strong lions are found in the mountains and forests.
Ginger, galingal, and other spices, grow here in great plenty, and there is
an herb, of which the fruit has the same colour, smell, and effect with
saffron, which it is not, and is much used in their meats[15], The
inhabitants are idolaters, and subjects of the great khan, and eat mans
flesh, if the person has not died of disease, even considering it as better
flavoured than any other. When they go into the fields, they shave to the
ears, and paint their faces with azure. All their soldiers serve on foot,
except the captains, who are on horseback, and their arms are swords and
lances. They are very cruel, and when they kill an enemy, they immediately
drink his blood, and afterwards eat his flesh.