[Tsi-nan "is a populous and rich city; and by means of the river (Ta Tsing
ho, Great Clear River) carries on an extensive commerce. The soil is
fertile, and produces grain and fruits in abundance. Silk of an excellent
quality is manufactured, and commands a high price. The lakes and rivers
are well stored with fish." (Chin. Rep. XI. p. 562.) - H.C.]
NOTE 2. - The Chinese Annals, more than 2000 years B.C., speak of silk as
an article of tribute from Shan-tung; and evidently it was one of the
provinces most noted in the Middle Ages for that article. Compare the
quotation in note on next chapter from Friar Odoric. Yet the older modern
accounts speak only of the wild silk of Shan-tung. Mr. Williamson,
however, points out that there is an extensive produce from the genuine
mulberry silkworm, and anticipates a very important trade in Shan-tung
silk. Silk fabrics are also largely produced, and some of extraordinary
quality. (Williamson, I. 112, 131.)
The expressions of Padre Martini, in speaking of the wild silk of
Shan-tung, strongly remind one of the talk of the ancients about the origin
of silk, and suggest the possibility that this may not have been mere
groundless fancy: "Non in globum aut ovum ductum, sed in longissimum filum
paulatim ex ore emissum, albi coloris, quae arbustis dumisque, adhaerentia,
atque a vento huc illucque agitata colliguntur," etc. Compare this with
Pliny's "Seres lanitia silvarum nobiles, perfusam aqua depectentes frondium
caniciem," or Claudian's "Stamine, quod molli tondent de stipite Seres,
Frondea lanigerae carpentes vellera silvae; Et longum tenues tractus
producit in aurum."
NOTE 3. - The title Sangon is, as Pauthier points out, the Chinese
Tsiang-kiun, a "general of division", [or better "Military Governor".
- H.C.] John Bell calls an officer, bearing the same title, "Merin
Sanguin" I suspect T'siang-kiun is the Jang-Jang of Baber.
NOTE 4. - AGUL was the name of a distant cousin of Kublai, who was the
father of Nayan (supra, ch. ii. and Genealogy of the House of Chinghiz in
Appendix A). MANGKUTAI, under Kublai, held the command of the third Hazara
(Thousand) of the right wing, in which he had succeeded his father Jedi
Noyan. lie was greatly distinguished in the invasion of South China under
Bayan. (Erdmann's Temudschin, pp. 220, 455; Gaubil, p. 160.)
NOTE 5. - LITAN, a Chinese of high military position and reputation under
the Mongols, in the early part of Kublai's reign, commanded the troops in
Shan-tung and the conquered parts of Kiang-nan. In the beginning of 1262
he carried out a design that he had entertained since Kublai's accession,
declared for the Sung Emperor, to whom he gave up several important
places, put detached Mongol garrisons to the sword, and fortified T'si-nan
and T'sing-chau. Kublai despatched Prince Apiche and the General
Ssetienche against him. Litan, after some partial success, was beaten and
driven into T'si-nan, which the Mongols immediately invested. After a
blockade of four months, the garrison was reduced to extremities. Litan,
in despair, put his women to death and threw himself into a lake adjoining
the city; but he was taken out alive and executed. T'sing-chau then
surrendered. (Gaubil, 139-140; De Mailla, IX. 298 seqq.; D'Ohsson,
II. 381.)
Pauthier gives greater detail from the Chinese Annals, which confirm the
amnesty granted to all but the chiefs of the rebellion.
The date in the text is wrong or corrupt, as is generally the case.
CHAPTER LXII.
CONCERNING THE NOBLE CITY OF SINJUMATU.
On leaving Tadinfu you travel three days towards the south, always finding
numbers of noble and populous towns and villages flourishing with trade
and manufactures. There is also abundance of game in the country, and
everything in profusion.
When you have travelled those three days you come to the noble city of
SINJUMATU, a rich and fine place, with great trade and manufactures. The
people are Idolaters and subjects of the Great Kaan, and have paper-money,
and they have a river which I can assure you brings them great gain, and I
will tell you about it.
You see the river in question flows from the South to this city of
Sinjumatu. And the people of the city have divided this larger river in
two, making one half of it flow east and the other half flow west; that is
to say, the one branch flows towards Manzi and the other towards Cathay.
And it is a fact that the number of vessels at this city is what no one
would believe without seeing them. The quantity of merchandize also which
these vessels transport to Manzi and Cathay is something marvellous; and
then they return loaded with other merchandize, so that the amount of
goods borne to and fro on those two rivers is quite astonishing.[NOTE 1]
NOTE 1. - Friar Odoric, proceeding by water northward to Cambaluc about
1324-1325, says: "As I travelled by that river towards the east, and
passed many towns and cities, I came to a certain city which is called
SUNZUMATU, which hath a greater plenty of silk than perhaps any place on
earth, for when silk is at the dearest you can still have 40 lbs. for less
than eight groats. There is in the place likewise great store of
merchandise," etc. When commenting on Odoric, I was inclined to identify
this city with Lin-t'sing chau, but its position with respect to the two
last cities in Polo's itinerary renders this inadmissible; and Murray and
Pauthier seem to be right in identifying it with T'SI-NING CHAU. The affix
Matu (Ma-t'eu, a jetty, a place of river trade) might easily
attach itself to the name of such a great depot of commerce on the canal
as Marco here describes, though no Chinese authority has been produced for
its being so styled. The only objection to the identification with
T'si-ning chau is the difficulty of making 3 days' journey of the short
distance between Yen-chau and that city.
