Hangzhou's temples and ten thousand stone bridges
Editorial contextThe Khan sent the legates home through Manzi, southern China, with its 'thirty thousand great cities'. Campsay (Hangzhou), the old Song capital, is to Marignolli the finest city in the world, full of buildings and temples, with thousands of monks living together. The ten thousand carved stone bridges he takes from earlier writers and cannot quite believe. These were Chinese buildings in a Chinese city under Mongol rule; he does not credit any of them to the Tartars.
And among them is the most famous city called Campsay, more marvellous, more beautiful, richer and larger, with a greater population, more riches and delights, more buildings and above all temples of idols … than any city that exists in the world, or perhaps ever existed. There, writers write, are ten thousand fine bridges of stone with sculptures and images of armed princes; it is incredible to one who has not seen it, and yet perhaps they do not lie.
Working translation
Original wording
Et inter illas est civitas famosissima nomine Campsay mirabilior, pulchrior, dicior, & maior cum maiori populo, & pluribus diviciis, & deliciis, edificiis, & maxime ydolorum templis … quam aliqua civitas, que sit in mundo, vel forte fuerit unquam. Ubi scribunt scribentes esse decem millia poncium nobilium de lapide cum sculpturis & ymaginibus principum armatorum, incredibile est non videnti, & tamen forte non menciuntur.
About Chinese of Manzi (southern China) under the Great Khan
Keep in mind
The bridge count is taken from earlier writers, as he says. Dobner's footnote wrongly identifies Campsay with Cambay in Gujarat.
Fighting harder for their hair than for their emperor
Editorial contextThe Manchus took the south of Zhejiang easily, Martini says, until they ordered everyone to cut their hair in Tartar fashion. Then soldiers and townspeople alike rose up, fought 'more desperately for their Hair' than for king or kingdom, and drove the Tartars back across the Qiantang river. Elsewhere (p. 108 to 109) he says the Tartars made refusing the haircut high treason, and many Chinese chose death instead.
But when they commanded all by Proclamation to cut off their Hair, then both Souldier and Citizen took up Arms, and fought more desperately for their Hair of their Heads, than they did for King or Kingdom, and beat the Tartars not only out of their City, but repulst them to the River Cienthang
About Manchu Tartars and the Chinese of Zhejiang
Keep in mind
Martini was living in Zhejiang at the time, but he did not witness every battle he describes.
The rope trick at a Mongol governor's feast
Editorial contextAt a banquet given by the emir Qurtay at El Khansa (Hangzhou), the Khan's jugglers performed. A ball on a strap was thrown up out of sight; a boy climbed the strap and vanished; the master followed with a knife and threw down the boy's limbs, then put them together and the boy stood up. Ibn Battuta says he was so shaken he had palpitations. The Muslim judge beside him swore it was all illusion.
he then threw the hand of the boy upon the ground, then his foot ; then his other hand, then his other foot ; then his body, then his head. He then came down, panting for breath, and his clothes stained with blood. … The juggler then took the limbs of the boy and applied them one to another
About Yuan Mongol court entertainers
Keep in mind
He says he witnessed it; a judge present called it trickery. Some scholars doubt how much of the China section is first-hand.
A Tibetan lama loots the Song tombs and builds a pyramid of bones
Editorial contextUnder Khubilai a Tibetan lama in favour with the Mongols dug up the tombs of the Song emperors near Shaoxing, reportedly finding much gold and jewels, and piled the bones with those of oxen and horses into a pyramid. The outraged local officials jailed him, but Mongol lords and court lamas got Khubilai to free him and return most of his treasure, which, Gaubil says, the Chinese never forgave.
His passion for gold and silver drove him to dig up the dead bodies of the Emperors and great men whose tombs were near Shaoxing. He found there, it is said, much gold, silver and jewels. From these bones, mixed with the bones of oxen and horses, he made a pyramid.
Working translation
Original wording
Sa passion pour l'or & l'argent le porta jusqu'à déterrer les corps morts des Empereurs, & des Grands dont le tombeau étoit près de Chaohing. Il y trouva, dit-on, beaucoup d'or, d'argent, & de bijoux. De ces ossemens mêlés avec des os de bœuf, & de chevaux il fit une pyramide.
About Mongols (Yuan court of Khubilai); a Tibetan lama; Chinese
Keep in mind
The Chinese histories were hostile to the lamas and to this episode; 'dit-on' marks the treasure as report.
