_Of the temperature of the kingdome of China._
The temperature of this mightie kingdome is diuersly, by reason that
almost the whole bignesse therof is from the south to the north, in so
great a length that the iland of Aynan being neere vnto this land, in 19
degrees of altitude, have notice of some prouinces that are in more than
50 degrees, and yet they do vnderstand that beyond that there bee more
vpon the confines of Tartaria. It is a strange thing to be seene, the
strange and great difference betwixt the colours of the dwellers of this
kingdome. In Canton, a mightie citie, whereas the Portingales had
ordinarie trafficke with them of China, for that it was nigh vnto Macao,
where as they had inhabited long since, and from whence they do bring
all such merchandise as is brought into Europe. There is seene great
diuersities in the colours of such people as doe come thither to
trafficke, as the said Portingales do testifie.
Those which are borne in the citie of Canton, and in al that cost, are
browne people, like vnto them in the citie of Fez or Barbarie, for that
all the whole countrie is in the said paralel that Barberie is in. And
they of the most prouinces inwards are white people, some more whiter
than others, as they draw into the cold countrie. Some are like vnto
Spanyards, and others more yealow, like vnto the Almans,[18] yelow and
red colour.
Finally, in all this mightie kingdome, to speake generally, they cannot
say that there is much cold or much heat, for that the geographers do
conclude and say it is temperate, and is vnder a temperate clime, as is
Italy or other temperate countries, wherby may be vnderstood the
fertilitie of the same, which is (without doubt) the fertilest in all
the world, and may compare with the Peru and Nuoua Espannia, which are
two kingdomes celebrated to be most fertill: and for the verification,
you shall perceiue in this chapter next folowing, wherin is declared
such things as it doth yeeld and bring forth, and in what quantitie. And
yet aboue all things (according unto the sayings of fryer Herrada,[19]
prouinciall, and his companions, whose relation I will follow in the
most part of this hystorie, as witnesses of sight), vnto whom we may
giue certaine credite, without any exception. They say that the countrie
is so full of youth that it seemeth the women are deliuered euery
moneth, and their children, when they are little, are extreame faire;
and the country is so fertill and fat, that it yeldeth fruit three or
four times in the yeere, which is the occasion that all things is so
good cheape, that almost it seemeth they sell them for nothing.