Map of the Five Indian States in the West from Zhipan’s General Records of the Founders of Buddhism (1270) (as illustration only).
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Chou Chih-Chung : I-Yu-chih (1366)
(Record of Strange Countries)
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Yiyuzhi 異域志 "Report from alien regions" is a short book on foreign states written by Zhou Zhizhong 周致中 (dates unknown). It is kown that he was a supervisor of an academy (zhiyuan 知院) and was six times sent abroad on diplomatic missions. In the book, 210 peoples and states are shortly mentioned and described concerning their customs and habits, the size of their country, and the local products. It reaches from Korea to the East African coast. His descriptions of East Africa appeared previously also in several other works.
Taken from: http://www.guoxue123.com/biji/song/0000/041.htm
The Bulletin of Sung and Yuan Studies, Issues 24-25 Department of History, Cornell University.
Also called: Zhou Zhi Zhong 周致中: 异域志 Yi Yu Zhi
Dashi Bi-pa-luo guo (1)
Has four states, does not have a king, only a headman to run affairs. As to marriage, they cut the tail of a cow who is with calf, the family of the groom has to bring a human penis (2) (of a slain enemy) to prove his masculinity as a betrothal gift to bride's family, the bride's family being overjoyed, welcomes it by the music. There is (in this country) the camel crane, 6-7 feet high, it has wing to be able to fly, it eats all kind of things, also burning red hot copper or steel with it food, its eggs are as big as a coconut, broken they are used as jars. The people are good hunters, they shoot to eat.
Kun-lun-ceng-qi guo (Madagascar)
The country is extremely hot, situated in the south-western sea, on the island they
have a large bird Peng (3) that blocks out the sun (when flying over), it eats camels. Some people pick up their plumes, the cut pipe can be used as a bucket (6). The wild people are as black as
ink, have curly hair, use cloth and food to entice and capture Wildman, giving them
over to foreign merchants to become slaves. In doing so, the profits they reap are extremely lavish. (5)
Bo-ba-li guo (4)
This country produces rare aromatics, ambergris, pearls, glass, rhinoceros horn, ivory tusks, coral, putchuk, myrrh, dragon’s blood, asa-foetida, liquid storax, oak-galls,etc. They are all brought from Dashi for trade…..
(1) Dashi Bi-pa-luo guo: Dashi = Arab; Bi-pa-luo =Barbara coast; guo = country. All the entries given are a repetition of Ch'en
Yuan-Ching (end 12th).
(2) The importance of this text is in the fact that it mentions the habit in Somalia to emasculate slain enemies as well as catching and selling slaves.
(about emasculating enemies)
Buzurg ibn Shahriyar (955)
Ch'en Yuan-Ching (late12 century)
Chou Chih-Chung: (1366)
Zare'a Ya'kob ruler of Ethiopia (1445)
Yakut (or Jakut) al Hamawi (1220)
Al Marvazi (1120)
Ibn Nasir al-Din (d1438)
Ning Xian Wang (1430)
Kun-lun-ceng-qi guo: Madagascar
(3) a large bird Peng: The Roc from the Arab authors
(4) Bo-ba-li guo: Bo-ba-li =Barbara coast; guo = country
(5) ALL THE FOLLOWING CHINESE SOURCES SPEAK ABOUT SELLING SLAVES BY THE PEOPLE FROM MADAGASCAR: Ch'en Yuan-Ching (late12 century); Chao Ju-Kua (1226); Chou Chih-Chung (1366); Ning Xian Wang (1430); Wang Khi (1607).
(6) That the tube of the feathers of the Roc bird are big enough to be used as buckets is found in: Buzurg ibn Shahriyar (955); Li Kung-Lin (d1106); Chou Ch'u-fei (1178); Ch'en Yuan-Ching (late12 century); Chao Ju-Kua (1226); Ibn Said al Maghribi (1250); Luo Miandao (fl. ca. 1270); Marco Polo (1295); Al-Dimashqi (1325); Chou Chih-Chung (1366); Ning Xian Wang (1430); Ibn Al Wardi (1456); Alf layla wa Layla (15th); Wang Khi (1609).
These pictures taken from other books all show Bo si guo kings.