OF THE NOBLE CITY OF QUINSAI, AND OF THE VAST REVENUES DRAWN FROM
THENCE BY THE EMPEROR OF THE TARTARS.
In a journey of three days, you find cities, castles, and villages
well peopled and rich. The people are idolaters, under the dominion
of the Great Khan. At the end of these days you come to Quinsai,
_i.e._ the City of Heaven, which for the excellency thereof hath that
name; for in the world there is not the like, or a place in which are
found so many pleasures, that a man would think he were in paradise.
In this city our author, Marco Polo, hath often been, and considered
the same with great diligence, observing the whole state thereof,
setting down the same in his memorials, as here from them shall be
declared briefly. This city, by common report, is a hundred miles in
circuit. The streets and lanes are very long and very wide; there
are market-places exceeding large; on the one side a clear lake of
fresh water, on the other a great river, which enters in many places,
and carries away all the filth of the city, and so runneth into that
lake, thence continuing its course into the ocean. This course of
water causeth a good air and commodious passage both by land and by
those canals. There may go both carts and barks to carry
necessaries; and the report is, that there are twelve thousand
bridges great and small, and those on the chief channels are so high
that a ship without her masts may pass under, and at the same time
chariots and horses pass over it. On the other side the city is a
large canal forty miles long, which encloses it on that side, large
and full of water from the river, made by the ancient kings of that
province both to receive the overflowing of the water and, besides
that, to fortify the city, the earth which was taken out being laid
within as a bank or hill encompassing it.
There are ten great market-places, besides others in the great
streets, which are square, half a mile in each square; and from the
great entrance is a principal street, forty paces wide, running right
from one end of the city to the other, with many bridges crossing it,
and every four miles is found such a market-place, two miles, as is
said, in compass. There is also one large canal, which runs against
the said street behind the market-places, on the next bank whereof
are erected great storehouses of stone, where the merchants from
India and other parts lay up their merchandise, being at hand, and
commodious for the market-places. In each of these market-places the
people meet three days in a week, to the number of between forty and
fifty thousand, who bring thither all things that can be desired for
man's life, beasts, game, and fowls, that lake yielding such
advantages for bringing them up, that for a Venetian groat you may
have two geese, and four ducks for the same. Then follow the
butcher-rows of veal, beef, kid, and lamb, which the great and rich
men eat; for the poor eat all the offal and unclean meats without
respect. There are all sorts of herbs and fruits continually, and
amongst the rest huge pears, weighing ten pounds apiece, white within
like paste, and very fragrant. Peaches yellow and white, very
delicate. Grapes grow not there, but are brought from other places
dried; very good wine also, but it is not esteemed in those parts as
with us, that of rice and spices contenting them. Every day from the
ocean are brought up the river--which is the space of five-and-twenty
miles--great quantities of fish, besides that of the lake, so much
that a man would think would never be bought, and yet in a few hours
all is gone. All these market-places are encompassed with high
houses, and underneath are shops for artificers and all sorts of
merchandise, as spice, jewels, pearls, and in some only rice-wine.
Many streets answer one to another in the said market-places; in some
of them are many cold baths, accommodated with attendants of both
sexes, a thing to which from children they use themselves. There are
chambers also in the same baths, with hot waters for strangers which
are not accustomed to the cold waters; they wash every day, neither
do they eat before they have washed.
In other streets are mercenary prostitutes, in such numbers that I
dare not report it, and not only near the market-places, where they
have their places appointed, but through all the city; they stand
pompously adorned with rich perfumes, many servants, and their houses
finely furnished. These are very skilful in making sports and
dalliances, and contriving pleasures for ravishing men out of
themselves. In other streets are the physicians, the astrologers,
they which teach to read and write, and infinite other trades. At
each end of every market-place is a palace, where lords and governors
are appointed by the king to determine difficulties which happen
betwixt merchants and others, as also to look to the guards on the
bridges, punishing such as are negligent. Along the principal street
on both sides are great palaces with gardens, and near them houses of
artificers, and such multitudes of people going to and fro that a man
would wonder whence such multitudes could be provided with victuals;
and Master Marco learned of an officer of the custom-house in Quinsay
that, by a very accurate computation, it appeared the daily expense
of pepper in Quinsay was three-and-forty somma, and every somma is
two hundred and twenty-three pounds. Hence may be guessed the
quantity of victuals, flesh, wine, and spices were there spent. The
inhabitants are idolaters, use none but paper money, are of a very
fair complexion, apparelled for the most part in silk, which grows in
all that territory abundantly, besides that which is brought from
other places. There are twelve principal companies or corporations,
each of which have one thousand shops, and in each shop or standing
are ten, fifteen, or twenty men at work, and in some forty under one
master.
The rich tradesmen do not work with their hands, but stand in their
shops, well, or rather pompously dressed, especially their wives,
with jewels invaluable. And although their old kings ordained that
the child should be of the father's trade, yet the rich are permitted
not to work at it, but to keep their shop, and men working in the
same trade. Their houses are well built, and very richly furnished
with pictures and other ornaments of immense price. The natives are
peaceable; know not how to manage arms, nor keep them in their
houses; neither is there strife and debate among them. They exercise
their trades with great sincerity. They live in such amity, that one
street seems as one house, without jealousy among their wives, which
they hold in great respect, and it would be reputed a great disgrace
to speak a dishonest word to a married woman. They entertain foreign
merchants kindly, both in their houses, and with best advice for
their affairs; but they are not over fond of the soldiers and guards
of the Grand Khan, because by them deprived of their natural lords
and kings. About the lake are very fair buildings, and great palaces
of the principal men, and temples of their idols, with monasteries of
many monks. In the midst of the lake are two islands, upon each of
which is a palace with incredible numbers of rooms, whither they
resort upon occasion of marriages, or other feasts, where provisions
of vessels, linen, and other things are maintained in common for such
purposes, one hundred sometimes accommodated at once in several
rooms. In the lake also are boats and barges for pleasure, adorned
with fair seats and tables, and other provisions for a banquet,
covered above, and flat, upon which men stand with poles to push the
boat on, the lake being but shallow. Within they are painted,
without are windows to open and shut at pleasure; nor can anything in
the world seem more pleasant than in this lake, to have such various
objects, the city so fully presenting itself to the eye, with so many
temples, monasteries, palaces, gardens with high trees, and on the
water barges and people; for their custom is to work one part of the
day, and to spend some part in this diversion with their friends, or
with women on the lake, or else in chariots, riding through the city,
which is also another of the Quinsay pleasures; for all the streets
are paved with stone, as also are all the highways in the province of
Mangi only for the foot; posts are left on the side a space unpaved.
The principal street of Quinsay is paved ten paces on each hand, and
in the midst it is full of gravel, with passages for the water, which
keep it always clean.
In this street are innumerable long close chariots accommodated with
cloths and cushions of silk for six persons, who divert themselves in
the street, or go to the gardens, and there pass the time in bowers,
fine walks, etc., which are kept for that purpose, and return at
night in the same chariots. When a child is born, the father sets
down the exact point of time, and with that note goes to the
astrologer to consult of his future fortunes; of these astrologers
are a great number in every market-place. These people will not
celebrate a marriage without such consultation. When one dies that
is of note, the kindred clothe themselves in canvas, and so both men
and women accompany him to the burying-place, playing on instruments,
and singing all the way prayers to their idols, and being come to
that place, cast into the fire many papers of cotton, whereon are
painted slaves, horses, camels, stuffs of gold, and silk, and moneys,
which they think he shall really possess in another world, and make a
grand concert of music, in conceit of the joy wherewith the idols
there receive his soul, where he beginneth, as they fancy, to live
anew. In every street are towers of stone, to which, when in danger
of fire, they used to carry their gods, their timber houses being
very subject to such casualties. The Khan hath ordered that on the
most of the bridges, day and night, there stand under a covert ten
soldiers, five by day and five by night, and every guard-room is a
tabernacle of wood, with a great bason, whereby they know the hours
of the day and night, which at every hour's end the warders strike,
to signify what hour, one, two, etc., beginning at the sun-rising;
and then again at the beginning of the night. They walk up and down,
and if any have a light or fire after the appointed time, they cause
him to answer it before the justices or governors aforesaid, or if
any walk later.
If any be not able to work, they carry him to some hospital, of which
are exceeding many, founded by the old kings with great revenues
through the city; when they are well again, they are compelled to
work. If a fire happen, those from divers places come to and quench
it, and to carry the goods to the islands, or those towers; for in
the night none of the citizens dare go out but those who are in
danger. The Khan always keeps here a body of his best and most
faithful soldiery, as being the best and richest place in the world.
Within a mile of each other are built ramparts of wood, where the
same precautions are used for like purposes. When the Khan had
reduced all Mangi to his obedience, he divided it, being before but
one kingdom, into nine parts, and set them a vice-king over each, who
there administers justice. Every year they give account to the
Khan's officers of the revenues, and other accidents, and every third
year are changed, as all other officers are. One of these deputy
kings is resident at Quinsay, who is governor of above one hundred
and forty cities, all rich and great; nor let this be esteemed a
wonder, seeing in Mangi there are twelve thousand cities, all
inhabited by rich and industrious people, in every one of which the
Khan maintaineth a garrison, proportionable to the greatness and
occasions, one thousand, ten, or twenty thousand, not all Tartars,
but Cathayans; for the Tartars are horsemen, and keep in such places
as may be fit to exercise their horses. Into Cathay he sends those
of Mangi, and Cathayans hither, such as are fit for arms, of which he
makes choice every third year, and sends them for four or five years
together into places twenty days' journey from their own country, and
then suffers them to return home, a fresh body succeeding; and most
part of the Khan's revenues are this way expended, and if any city
rebel, he suddenly, from the next garrison, composes an army to
reduce or destroy them. The city of Quinsay hath in constant
garrison thirty thousand soldiers, and that which hath least hath one
thousand regular troops, horse and foot in garrison.
I come next to speak of the palace of King Fanfur. His predecessors
caused to be enclosed a place of ten miles circuit, with high walls,
and divided it into three parts. That in the midst was entered by
one gate on the one side, and on the other were great and large
galleries, the roof sustained by pillars, painted and wrought in pure
gold and fine azure. These were smaller at the entry, and the
further the greater, the fairest at the end; the roof richly adorned
with gold, and on the walls were painted the stories of the farmer
kings, done very elegantly. Every year, on certain idol holidays,
Fanfur keeps his court and feasts his principal lords, the great
merchants, and rich artificers of Quinsay. Ten thousand are at a
time under these terraces. This feasting endured ten or twelve days
with incredible magnificence, every guest endeavouring to present
himself in greatest pomp. Behind this marble building was a wall,
which divided the palace, in which were, as it were, a cloister with
pillars, sustaining the terrace round about the cloister, wherein
were chambers for the king and queen, curiously wrought. From this
cloister was an entrance into a gallery six paces wide, extending in
length to the lake, all covered. On each side of this gallery were
ten courts, answering to each other like cloisters, each court having
fifty chambers, with their gardens, and in them one thousand
concubines abode, which the king kept for his service, who, sometimes
with the queen, sometimes with them, went on his royal barge on the
lake for recreation, or to visit his idol temples. The other two
parts of the seraglio were divided into groves, lakes, and gardens,
planted with trees, in which were enclosed all sorts of beasts,
roebucks, stags, hares, conies, and there the king diverted himself
with his damsels in chariots or on horseback, no man entering there.
There the ladies hunted with his dogs, and when weary they went into
those groves, which answered one another over the lake, and there
leaving their garments, came forth naked, and fell to swimming in the
king's presence. Sometimes he would eat a banquet in those groves,
being served by those damsels, without once thinking of arms, which
sweet meat cost him the sour sauce ye have heard. All this was told
me by a rich old merchant of Quinsay while I was there, one who had
been familiar with King Fanfur, and knew all his life, and had seen
that palace flourishing, into which he would needs bring me. The
viceroy now resides there, and the first galleries remain as they
were, but the damsels' chambers are ruined. The walls also which
encompassed the woods and gardens are fallen to the ground, the
beasts and trees being gone, and all the other ornaments destroyed.
Twenty-five miles from Quinsay is the ocean, between the east and
north-east, near which is a city called Gampu, an excellent port,
where arrive the Indian ships with merchandise. While Marco Polo was
in Quinsay, account being given to the Grand Khan of the revenues,
and the number of inhabitants, he hath seen that there have been
enrolled one hundred and sixty toman of fires, reckoning for a fire
the family dwelling in one house; every toman contains ten thousand,
which makes sixteen hundred thousand families, of all which there is
but one church of Christians, and those Nestorians. Every
householder is bound to have written over his door the names of his
whole household, males and females; also the number of horses, the
names added or blotted out as the family increaseth or decreaseth;
and this is observed in all the cities of Mangi and Cathay. Those
also that keep inns write in a book the names of their guests, and
the day and hour of their departure, which books they send daily to
the lords or magistrates, who preside at the market-places. In
Mangi, the poor which are not able to bring up their children sell
them to the rich. The revenues which accrue to the Khan from
Quinsay, and the other cities pertaining thereto, being the ninth
part of the kingdom of Mangi, are first of salt, every year, eight
tomans of gold; every toman is eighty thousand sazzis of gold, and
every sazzi is more than one florin of gold, which will amount to six
millions and four hundred thousand ducats. The cause is, that that
province being nigh the sea, there are many lakes where the water in
summer is coagulated into salt, wherewith five other kingdoms in that
country are served. There is plenty of sugar growing, which pay, as
likewise all spices do, three parts, and a third in the hundred: the
like of rice-wine. Also those twelve companies, which we said had
twelve thousand shops, and the merchants which bring goods hither, or
carry any hence by sea, pay the same price. They which come from
remote countries and regions, as, for example, from the Indies, pay
ten per cent. Likewise all things there breeding, as beasts, and
growing out of the earth, and silk, pay tithe to the king, and the
computation being made in the presence of Master Marco, besides salt
before-mentioned, yearly amounts to two hundred and ten tomans, which
will be sixteen millions eight hundred thousand ducats in gold.
A day's journey from Quinsay to the south-east, are all the way
houses, villages, fair gardens, and plenty of victuals; at the end
whereof is Tapinzu, a fine city in the jurisdiction of Quinsay.
Three days thence, south-east, is Uguin, and two days farther you may
still ride that way, finding castles, cities, and well-cultivated
places in such a neighbourhood that they seem to travellers all one
city, and are all in the jurisdiction of Quinsay; there are great
canes fifteen paces long and four palms thick. Two days' journey
farther is the city Congui, fair and large; and travelling farther
south-east; are places full of people and trades; and in this part of
Mangi are no sheep, but beavers, buffaloes, goats, and swine in great
plenty. At the end of four days' journey farther is the city
Zengian, built on a hill in the midst of a river, which dividing into
two branches, encompasses it, and then runs one to the south-east,
the other to the north-west. This city is in the jurisdiction of
Quinsay, and its inhabitants are merchants also and idolaters; this
country abounds with all sorts of game. Three days' journey from
thence, through a most pleasant country, exceedingly well inhabited,
stands Gieza, a great city, which is the last of the Quinsay kingdom;
after which you enter into another kingdom of Mangi, called Concha;
the principal city thereof is called Fugiu, by which you travel six
days' journey south-east, through hills and dales, always finding
places inhabited, and plenty of game, of beasts and fowl; they are
idolaters, merchants subject to the Khan. There are stout lions, and
here grow ginger and galingale in great plenty, with other sorts of
spices; eight pounds of ginger are sold for a Venetian groat. There
is a herb whose fruit hath the effect, and gives the colour and smell
of saffron, but is not saffron, which is used in their meats. They
commonly eat man's flesh, if the persons die not of sickness, as
better tasted than others. When they go into the field they shave to
the ears, and paint their faces with azure: they serve on foot,
except the captain, who rides, and uses a sword and lance; they are
very cruel, and when they kill an enemy presently drink his blood,
and afterwards eat his flesh.
After six days' journey is Quelinfu, a great city, with three
bridges, each eight paces broad, and above a hundred long: the women
fair and delicately shaped. They have abundance of silk and cotton,
are great merchants, have plenty of ginger and galingale. I was
told, but saw them not, that they have hens without feathers, hairy
like cats, which yet lay eggs, and are good to eat. Here are many
lions, which make the way very dangerous. After three days' journey
you arrive in a populous country, inhabited by idolaters, who make
abundance of silk manufactures; the chief city is Unguem, where is
great plenty of sugar, sent thence to Cambalu, which they knew not
how to make good till they became subject to the Khan, in whose court
were Babylonians, which taught them to refine it with ashes of
certain trees, they only boiling it before into a black paste.
Fifteen miles farther lies Cangiu, still in the realm of Concha, and
here the Khan keeps an army in readiness for a guard of the country.
Through this city passes a river a mile broad, fairly built on both
sides, and abounding with ships carrying sugar and other lading.
This river disembogues from hence five days' journey south-east at
Zaitum, a seaport, from which the rich ships of India come to this
pleasant city, as is all the country betwixt, in which are trees and
shrubs of camphire. Zaitum is a famous port, where all the ships
arrive with merchandise, thence dispersed through all India. There
is here such a quantity of pepper, that what comes by Alexandria to
the west is little to it, and, as it were, one of a hundred. The
concourse of merchants is incredible, it being one of the most
commodious ports in the world, exceeding profitable to the Khan, who
receives custom at the rate of ten in the hundred of all merchandise.
They pay so much for hire of ships also, that there is not above one
half of their merchandise remaining entire to themselves, and yet
that moiety yields vast profit to them. The citizens are idolatrous,
given to pleasure: in it are many artificers on embroidered and arras
work. The river is great, very wide and swift, and one arm of it
runs to Quinsay, at the parting of which is Tringui situated, where
porcelain dishes are made. I was told of a certain earth, which they
cast up in hills, and so let lie exposed to all weathers for thirty
or forty years without stirring; after which refining by time, they
make dishes, paint them, and then put them in the furnace. You may
there have eight dishes for one Venetian groat. In this kingdom of
Concha, the Khan has as great a revenue almost as that of the kingdom
of Quinsay. In these two Master Marco was, and in none of the other
nine kingdoms of Mangi, in all which one language is used, with
variety of dialect, and but one sort of writing; and therefore we
will speak no more of them, but in the next book discourse of India
the Greater, the Middle, and the Less, in which he was both in the
service of the Khan, and also in his return with the Queen to Argon.