A princess's walled palace by the lake
Editorial contextPast the sandy desert, at the Yu'er lakes, Zhang found a walled detached palace belonging to a princess, with a sleeping hall, side chambers, galleries and a lookout tower, and a small settlement of commoners and craftsmen beside it. It is an early glimpse of Mongol-era buildings on the steppe, and of the artisans who lived around them.
On the eastern shore of the lake is the outer wall of a princess's detached palace, more than one zhang high and some two li square. Inside stands a sleeping hall flanked by two chambers, with a 'turtle' gallery behind, two side wings along its flanks and a lookout tower rising in front; climbing it gives a fine view. East of the palace, commoners and artisans live together, forming something of a settlement.
Working translation
Original wording
泊之東涯有公主離宫之外垣高丈餘方廣二里許中建寝殿夾以二室背以龜軒旁列兩廡前峙眺樓登之頗快目力宫之東有民匠雜居稍成聚落
About Mongol court; Chinese and other artisans
Keep in mind
The text does not name the princess or say who built the palace.
Old walls of 'the former dynasty' and earth-roofed huts on the Kerulen
Editorial contextZhang passed the ruined base of a long wall stretching out of sight, which he credits to 'the former dynasty', meaning the Jurchen Jin, as their outer rampart. On the Kerulen he found a mixed population of 'barbarians' and Chinese living in a few houses roofed with earth and growing a little hemp and wheat.
After four stages there is the ruined base of a long wall, stretching on endlessly as far as one can see; this too is an outer rampart built by the former dynasty... The people along the river are a mix of fan (steppe peoples) and Han Chinese. There are a few houses, all roofed with earth, and they also do some farming, of hemp and wheat, and that is all.
Working translation
Original wording
四驛有長城䫋址望之綿延不盡亦前朝所築之外堡也…瀕河之民雜以蕃漢稍有屋室皆以土冐之亦頗有種藝麻麥而巳
About Mongols and Chinese living together
Keep in mind
'Former dynasty' (前朝) here means the Jin, whose border walls ran across Inner Mongolia.
Ruined walls, 'the old home of the Khitans'
Editorial contextCrossing a level, well-watered and crowded land between two mountain ranges, Chang De saw many old ramparts and ruined walls. Asking about them, he was told they were the former home of the Khitans, meaning the Qara Khitai empire that ruled here before the Mongols. He reckoned the place nearly 15,000 li from Karakorum.
On the 24th of the second month he passed between the two Yidu mountains. The land is level and the people many, with irrigation channels winding everywhere. There are many old ramparts and ruined walls; when he asked about them, [he was told] they were the old home of the Khitans. He reckoned this land to be a little under 15,000 li from Helin (Karakorum).
Working translation
Original wording
二月二十四日過亦堵两山間土平民夥溝洫映帶多故壘壊垣問之盖契丹故居也計其地去和林萬五千里而近
About Khitans (Qara Khitai), as local people told it
Keep in mind
The identification of the ruins comes from local informants.
Houses of earth with windows of glass
Editorial contextAt the city of Bolad (here spelled in its Siku form) Chang De noted fields of wheat and rice, stunted cypresses on the rocky hills, and a town where houses, shops and gardens were interspersed. The houses were built of earth, and the windows and doors were of glass (liuli). Bretschneider rendered the same line 'the houses are built of clay, and the windows furnished with glass'.
Going further southwest he passed the city of Boluo (Bolad). What they sow is all wheat and rice. The hills have many cypresses, which cannot grow into proper trunks but grow twisting among the rocks. In the city, dwellings, shops and gardens are interspersed; the houses are of earth, and the windows and doors are all of glass.
Working translation
Original wording
又西南行過博囉城所種皆麥稻山多栢不能株絡石而長城居肆囿間錯土屋忩户皆琉璃
About Townspeople under Mongol rule
Keep in mind
The Siku editors re-spelled the name as 博囉; the older text has 孛羅. Liuli can mean glass or glazed material.
Mare's milk for the gods at the great tent
Editorial contextThe prince's summer camp stood on the sunny side of a ridge beyond the Tamir. Twice a year, on the ninth day of the ninth month and of the fourth month, his followers gathered at the great ordo-tent and sprinkled the milk of white mares as a seasonal sacrifice, using plain birchwood vessels rather than gold and silver.
On its sunny side stands the tent-palace; this is the summer retreat... On the Double Ninth the prince's following assembles at the great ordo-tent and sprinkles white mares' milk, performing the seasonal sacrifice. The vessels used are all of birch, not decorated with gold or silver: they value plainness.
Working translation
Original wording
其陽帳殿在焉乃避夏之所也…至重九日王師麾下㑹于大矛帳灑白馬湩脩時祀也其什噐皆用禾樺不以金銀為飾尚質也
About Mongols of the prince's (Khubilai's) camp
Keep in mind
大矛帳 is a copyist's slip for 大牙帳 ('great tooth-banner tent', the ordo), as the Siku copy reads.
White furs for the New Year
Editorial contextAt each year's end the whole camp moved its tents to a fresh site to celebrate the New Year. There was a great feast in front of the tents at which everyone from the prince down wore pure white furs, and three days later they went to the great tent to offer New Year greetings. White was the lucky colour of the Mongol New Year (the White Month).
On the last day of the year they always move the tents to a new site, as the place for celebrating the New Year. That day there is a great banquet for all his people in front of the tents, and everyone from the prince down wears pure white furs. Only after three days do they go to the great ordo-tent to offer their New Year greetings.
Working translation
Original wording
比歳除日輙迁帳易地以為賀正之所日大晏所部於帳前自王以下皆衣純白裘三日後方詣大牙帳致賀礼也
About Mongols of the prince's camp
Sledges from post to post, and Kyrgyz dog teams
Editorial contextWest of Bolad, Chang De found that coins were of gold, silver and copper with inscriptions but no square hole, and that in the land he calls Ma'a horses pulled sledges from one post station to the next, carrying heavy loads at speed. He adds, as a report, that the Kyrgyz used dogs in place of horses. Bretschneider doubted there were sledges on this route but noted that Marco Polo also mentions dog sledges in Siberia.
On coming into Ma'a, they use horses to pull sledges from post station to post station, carrying heavy loads and going fast. Some say that the Qiliqisi (Kyrgyz) use dogs in place of horses.
Working translation
Original wording
至麻阿中以馬撁拖床逓鋪負重而行疾或曰乞里乞四易馬以犬
About Peoples of the Chagatai realm; Kyrgyz (Qirqis)
Keep in mind
The dog-sledge detail is introduced with 'some say'.
'Water Tatars' in Manchuria
Editorial contextBretschneider summarises the Ming imperial geography of 1461 on the Jurchen homeland: after the Mongols overthrew the Jin, the Yuan set up military posts there, and the country was inhabited by Jurchens and 'Water Tatars', who gave their name to an administrative circuit. His footnote compares Carpini's 'Su-Mongal' or Water Mongols, who Carpini said called themselves Tartars after a river.
The country was inhabited by the Nü-chi and the Shui Ta-ta (Water Tatars), and formed the circuits of Ho-lan-fu and Shui Ta-ta.
About Jurchens (Nu-chi) and 'Water Tatars' (Shui Ta-ta)
Keep in mind
A 19th-century summary in English of a Ming source, not the Yutang jiahua itself.
The Assassins' paradise
Editorial contextDescribing the Ismaili state the Mongols destroyed in 1256, Chang De repeats the story that its soldiers were all assassins, trained by being drugged, shown music and women in a hidden chamber, and told they would enjoy such bliss after death. It is the Chinese version of the 'Old Man of the Mountain' legend that Marco Polo tells, and it is hearsay.
The soldiers of that country are all assassins. Their custom is that when they see a brave, strong man, they lure him with gain and make him kill his own father or elder brother with his own hand; then he is enrolled as a soldier. They make him drunk, carry him into a cave chamber and entertain him with music and beautiful women, indulging his desires for several days, then put him back where he was. When he wakes, they ask what he saw and teach him that if he can become an assassin, at death he will enjoy bliss like that.
Working translation
Original wording
其國兵皆刺客俗見男子勇壯者以利誘之令手刄父兄然後充兵醉酒扶入窟室娱以音樂羙女縱其慾數日復置故處既醒問其所見教之能爲刺客死則享福如此
About Ismailis (Mulahida), conquered by Hulegu's Mongols
Keep in mind
A hostile legend about the Ismailis, told by their conquerors; not an eyewitness account.
The lamb that grows from the ground
Editorial contextAmong the marvels Chang De heard of is the 'furrow-planted sheep': a sheep's navel sown in the ground and watered sprouts when it hears thunder, grows up still tied to the earth by its navel, and is freed by a scare so it can graze. This is the Chinese form of the 'vegetable lamb of Tartary' (barometz) that European books later placed on the Volga steppe.
The furrow-planted sheep comes from the Western Sea. A sheep's navel is planted in the soil and watered; when it hears thunder it comes to life, its navel still tied into the ground. When it has grown, they startle it with a piece of wood; the navel snaps and it grazes. By autumn it can be eaten, and inside its navel there is seed again.
Working translation
Original wording
壠種羊岀西海羊臍種土中溉以水聞雷而生臍系地中及長驚以木臍断嚙草至秋可食臍内復有種
About Hearsay about peoples of the far west
Keep in mind
Liu Yu himself closes the list by saying such strange things 'cannot all be recorded'; it is hearsay.