Chun Fan Chi on Superphysics

North, South, and Champa Vietnam

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter using rice

North Vietnam (Kiau-chi)

Kiau-chi, the ancient Kiau-chou, to the east and the south reaches to the sea and borders on South Vietnam.

Cambodia (Chonla)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

Cambodia is south of South Vietnam.

West of Cambodia is Bagan Myanmar (Pukan)
South of it is Thailand (Kialohi)

This can be reached from Guanzhou by ship in a month on a good wind.

Chiang Mai

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

Myanmar is west of Cambodia. Its ruler wears flowers in his hair, which is done up in a knot.

Palembang Sumatra (San Fotsi)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Silver bullion

Sumatra 三佛齊 is between Cambodia and Java. Its territory is over 15 chou provinces.

It is far south of Fujian, China and is reached in the winter by going with the monsoon for over a month, then come to Linga island (Lingyamon) where 1/3 of the passing merchants go before entering Palembang, Sumatra.

Chaiya Thailand (Under Sumatra)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Chaiya

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

Chaiya (Tanmaling) is under a ruler called Siangkung.

Its city is surrounded by a palisade 6-7 feet thick and over 20 feet high, strong enough to be mounted for fighting purposes.

Malaysia (Under Sumatra)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

9. Kedah, Langkasuka (Lingyassikia)

Activity	Method
Trade	Bullion

Kedah can be reached from Chaiya by sailing six days. There is also an overland road between the two countries.

Its ruler wears a sarong and goes barefooted. The people cut their hair and also wear sarongs.

Sunda (Western Java)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

The kingdom of Sunda (Sinto) has a harbor with a depth of 60 feet.

The people are given to agriculture. They live along the shores wit houses made of poles stuck in the ground, roofed over with the bark of the coir-palm. The partitions are made with wooden boards tied with rattan.

Ceylon (Lanwuli under Sumatra)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

The exports of Ceylon are:

sapan-wood
elephants’ tusks
white rattan

The people are warlike and often use poisoned arrows.

With a north wind one comes within 20 days of Ceylon which under the Chalukya (Nanpi).

Java (Shopo) Indonesia

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Copper money

The kingdom of Java is also called Pukialung. It is southeast of Canton and can be reached within a month.

East of Java is the sea where the waters flow downward and there is the kingdom of women.

Chalukya India (Nanpi)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

Chalukya is in the extreme southwest of Canton. It can be reached from Palembang in a little more than a month.

Its capital is Mieamo which has the same meaning as the Chinese expression li-ssi.

Northern India: Gujarat and Malwa

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	?

Gujarat (Huchala under Chalukya)

Gujarat’s capital has a four-fold wall and rules over 100 cities.

Its people are white and clean looking. Both men and women wear double rings hanging down from holes in their ears. They wear close fitting clothes with a cotton sarong wrapped around them.

South India (Chola)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

Chola is in southern India (Yintu) of the west.

Its capital is 5 li away from the sea.

Baghdad (Tatsin)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Bullion

Baghdad is also called Likien. It is the general mart of Muslims and the place where the foreign merchants of the Arabs assemble.

Iran (Tienchu)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Iran (Tienchu) is under Iraq. All its rulers are selected by Iraqis.

The people plait their hair and let it hang down. But the temples and the crown of the head are covered with a silken turban.

Arabia (Tashi)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Bullion
Food	Cereals, Mutton

The Arabs are to the very far northwest of Guangzhou. This makes it hard for foreign ships to trade to it directly.

After these ships have left Guangzhou, they arrive in Srilanka after 40 days to to trade. The next year, they go out to sea again and make the journey in 60 days in regular wind.

Mecca

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter using rice

23. Mecca

Mecca can be reached by 80 days land westward travel from Basra (Malopa).

This is where Mohammad was born. In the house of God, the walls are made of precious stones of every colour.

Ethiopia (Pipalo)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ethiopia has four cities. The other places are all villages which are constantly at fighting with each other.

The people are heathens and not Muslim, and eat the meat and milk of camels and with baked cakes.

Oman

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter
Food	meal cakes, mutton, sheep’s milk, fish and vegetables
Exports	horses, pearls and dates
Imports	cloves, cardamom seeds and camphor

Oman (Yung-man) resembles Wupa in terms of its people and soil.

Ctesophon Parthia (Paita)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ctesophon is the greatest metropolis of the Arabs.

It is 130 days land journey from Malopo, passing through 50 cities,

Ctesophon is extremely powerful and large, and the number of soldiers and cavalry armed and equipped is very great.

Afghanistan

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

32. Ghazni (Kitzini)

Ghazni is reached from Malopa in 120 stages.

It is in the northwest of Guanzhou and is exceptionally cold. The winter’s snow does not melt until the spring.

Syria

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

34. Damascus

Activity	Method
Trade	?
Farming

Lumei, also called Meiluku, is 300 stages west by land from Aden (Malopa).

The city wall is crooked, seven-fold, and built of large smooth flat black stones. Each wall is 1,000 paces from the adjoining one.

Egypt (Wussili)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	?
Farming	Mass farming + Irrigation + Granaries

35. Cairo (Mulanpi)

Cario is west of Arabia which is separated by the Red Sea which has many countries.

Island Nations

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Andaman (Yentoman)

When sailing from Lan-wu-li to silan, ships might be driven to Andaman if the wind is not fair.

It is made up of 2 islands:

one large which is 70 li around
one small and uninhabited.

Its people are black skinned and eat men alive*. This is why sailors do not anchor here.

Sumatran Islands

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

5. Possi Besi Sumatra. Po-ssŭ (波斯).

Possi is above the southwestern countries. Their people are very dark skin and curly hair.

They wrap around their bodies cotton cloth with green (or blue) flowers (or spots), and wear golden circlets on each arm. They have no walled cities.

Brunei

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

Brunei is southeast of Canton.

From Java, it is 45 days’ journey.
From Malaysia, it is 40 days’ journey.
From South Vietnam, and Maharlika it is 30 days’ journey in either case.

All these distances are to be understood as taken with a fair wind (i. with the north-east monsoon)

Maharlika (The Philippines)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

Territories

Manila 麻逸

The kingdom of Maharlika* (Ma-i) is north of Borneo. Its capital has over 1,000 families settled together along both banks of a creek [Pasig River].

Taiwan (Liukiu)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter

30. Northern Taiwan

Northern Taiwan (Liukiu) is 5-6 days sail east of Canton.

The king’s family name is Huan-ssi. But the natives call him Kolau.

His lives in Polotantung. It has a threefold mound and a palisade surrounded by running water and protected by thorn hedges, and the eaves of the palace building have many figures of birds and beasts carved upon them.

Korea (Sinlo)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Barter using rice

The Koreans (Sinlo) descend from the Pien-han.

Korea rises opposite to the sea entrance to Canton. But, from the popular superstition on what geomancers call the relation between north and south, traders going to Korea must first go to Ssi-ming, and then go out to sea again. Others say that the water current of Canton gradually lessens, which makes it necessary to pass by Ssi-ming.

Japan (Wo)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Activity	Method
Trade	Copper Money

The country of Wo is northeast of Canton. It is currently called Ji-pon, meaning a country near where the sun rises.

Some people say that they changed the old name because they disliked it.

Hainan

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hainan is the Chu-ai and Tan-ir of the Han period.

When the Emperor Wu-ti (BC 140-86) 86) had made the conquest of Southern Yue, he sent a mission from Suwon across the sea to reconnoitre Hainan.

Chang-Hua, Hainan

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Chang-Hua is north-west of the Li-mu mountain, and is the same as the ancient Tan-chou.

The city walls are 14 feet high and 220 paces in circumference.

The city was built by the noblewoman Tan-ir
She made the goblins work for her.
With basket and shovels, they completed the whole work in a single night.

According to another version, the people were called Tan-ir (pendant ears) because their ears hung down on their shoulders.

Camphor, Frankincense, Myrrh, Sweet Benzoin

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

1. CAMPHOR

Nau-tzi, or camphor, comes from Brunei and Pin-su.

It is wrongly said to come from Palembang, Sumatra because that place is a hub for foreign trade.

Dammar

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

6. DAMMAR

Tu-nau-hiang comes from the country of Cambodia.

It comes from a tree which resembles the pine and juniper in shape. But its gum lies concealed in the bark.

Gharu Wood

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Chon-hiang comes from different places.

The best is from Cambodia (Chon-la)
The second quality is from South Vietnam (Champa)
The poorest qualities are those of Sumatra and Java.

It is customary to distinguish between:

Sandalwood

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

12. SANDAL-WOOD (檀香)

Tan-hiang comes from Takang and Tiwu, as well as Palembang, Sumatra.

The tree, even its leaves, resembles the Chinese lichee.

The natives fell the tree and dry it in the shade. Its aroma is pure and strong and apt to evaporate; in burning

Coconuts

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

19. Coconuts

The ye-tsi, as regards the trunk and leaves, closely resembles the coir-palm and areca-palm.

The fruit grows in the leaves in bunches of several nuts of the size of a 5-pint vessel. It is the biggest of fruits, with the sole exception of the jack-fruit.

Laka Wood

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

15. LAKA-WOOD

Kiang-chon-hiang is also called tzi-tong-hiang or red vine incense.

It comes from:

Sumatra: This is the best kind of the purity and strength of its fragrance.
Java
P’ong-fong
all districts of:
- Kuang-tung
- Kuang-si.

Its aroma is strong and penetrating.

Cotton and Mats

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

23. COTTON

The ki-pei tree resembles a small mulberry-tree, with a hibiscus-like flower furnishing a floss over 1/2 inch long. It is very much like goose-down, and containing some dozens of seeds.

Pachak

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Mu-hiang comes from the country of Ma-lo-mo of the Arabs. It is also found in Shi-ho and Nu-fa.

The plant resembles the Chinese ssi-kua (Luffa cylindrica, Koem.).

The root is gathered during the winter months. These are chopped into pieces of 1-2 inches in length and sun-dried.

Cubebs, Asofatida, Aloes, Coral-tree

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

28. Cubebs

Pitongkie come from a plant of creeping habits, which blossoms in the spring and bears fruit in the summer, resembling the kienniutzi. It has a white flower and black seeds, which are packed up after being dried in the sun.

Opaque Glass, Pearls

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Liuli comes from several Arab countries.

The method followed in melting it is the same as that of China – by burning:

oxide of lead
nitrate of potash
gypsum

To these materials the Arabs add southern borax which causes the glass to be elastic without being brittle and indifferent to temperature.

Ivory, Rhinoceros Horns, Castoreum, Civet, Parrots

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

36. Ivory

Siang-ya, or ivory, comes from several Arab countries and the two countries of Chonla India and South Vietnam.

The Arab product is better and is found most in Malomo.

Ambergris, Tortoise-shell

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

41: Ambergris

In the Western Arabian Sea, there are many whales [dragons]. When a whale sleeps, his spittle floats on the water, collects and hardens.

The fishermen gather it as a most valuable substance. Fresh ambergris is white. It turns red when slightly stale, and black when it is old.