The country of A-TAN (ADEN)

Setting sail from the country of Ku-li (1) and going due west — the point tui [on the compass] — you can reach [this place after] travelling with a fair wind for one moon. The country lies beside the sea, and is far removed from the mountains.

The country is rich, and the people numerous. The king of the country and the people of the country all profess the Muslim religion. They speak the A-la-pi (2) language. The people are of an overbearing disposition. They have seven or eight thousand well-drilled horsemen and foot-soldiers; therefore the country is very powerful, and neighbouring states fear it.

In the nineteenth year of the Yung-lo (3) [period] the emperor ordered that the principal envoy the grand eunuch Li (4) and others should convey an imperial edict, with robes and hats to be bestowed upon the king and the chiefs. When they reached the country of Su-men-ta-la (5), the fleet was divided, and the eunuch Chou (6) arrived there in command of several treasure-ships.

When the king heard of his arrival, he led his major and minor chiefs to the sea-shore, and welcomed the imperial edict and the bestowal of gifts. At the king's palace they rendered a ceremonial salutation with great reverence and humility.

When the reading of the imperial will was completed, the king of the country issued an order to the people of the country that only those who had precious things were permitted to sell or exchange them; and there [our people] were able to buy large 'cat's-eyes' weighing about two ch'ien (7), and all kinds of ya-kus and other such rare gems, and large pearls, and several stems of coral-trees, two ch'ih in height; they were also able to buy five cases of coral branches, and such things as golden-spotted leopards, camel-fowls (16), and white pigeons, and these things were brought home.

As to the dress of the country’s king: on his head he dons a gold hat; on his body he wears a yellow robe; around his waist he binds a gold belt adorned with jewels. When the day of prayer arrives and he goes to the temple to worship, he changes (his attire), binding his head with a fine white foreign cloth, on which he superimposes a top-piece of gold brocade; on his body he wears a robe of white; [and] he proceeds [to the temple] sitting in a carriage, with a formation of soldiers.

All his chiefs have different hats and clothes according to their gradation of rank.

As to the dress worn by the people of the country: the men bind the head, and wear a sa-ha-la (8), or a woolen, or an elegantly-embroidered hemp-silk, or other such garment; [and] on their feet they put boots or shoes.

As to the dress of the women: over the body they put on a long garment; round the shoulders and neck they set a fringe of gem-stones and pearls — just as Kuan yin (9) is dressed; in the ears they wear four pairs of gold rings inlaid with gems; on the arms they bind armlets and bracelets of gold and jewels; (and) on the toes they also wear toe-rings; moreover, they cover the top of the head with an embroidered kerchief of silk, which discloses only the face.

All the people in the country who make and inlay fine gold and silver ornaments and other such articles as their occupation, (produce) the most refined and ingenious things, which certainly surpass anything in the world. Again, they have market-places and public bathing-establishments, also shops selling cooked foods, silk fabrics, books, and every kind of article – all these they have.

The king uses red gold to cast a coin for current use; it is named a fu-lu-li (10); each coin weighs one ch’ien (7) on our official steelyard; (and) it has lines on the reverse. He also uses copper to cast a coin named a fu-lu-ssu (11) – for petty transactions.

The climate of this country is warm – always like the eighth or ninth moon.

In fixing the calendar they have no intercalary moon; they merely take twelve moons to make one year; (and) they have no long or short moons. If their chiefs see the new moon one night, then the next day is the beginning of the moon. (The dates of) the four seasons are not fixed.

Of course they have astrologers who make the calculations; for instance, they will fix a certain day as the beginning of spring, and the flowers will in truth bloom after that day; (they will fix) a certain day as the commencement of autumn, and the leaves of the trees will in truth fall (after that day); so too as regards eclipses of the sun and moon, the varying times of the spring-tides, wind and rain, cold and warmth – all these are accurately determined.

As to the drink and food of the people: all kinds of rice-flour and wheat flour -all these they have. Many of the people make up a mixture of milk, cream, butter, sugar, and honey to eat.

Husked and unhusked rice, beans, cereals, barley, wheat, sesame, and all kinds of vegetables – all these they have. For fruits, they have such varieties as Persian dates, pine-nuts, pa-tan, dried grapes, walnuts, apples, pomegranates, peaches, and apricots.

The animals found there are elephants, camels, mules, asses, cows, dogs, and cats; they have also fowl and ducks, but no pigs and geese. There is a kind of sheep found here with white hair, but without horns; where they should be they have two round black spots; the flesh underneath the neck hangs like a dewlap of a cow ; the hair is short like that of a dog, and the tail is as big as a basin.

The residences of the people are all built with layers of stone, over them they have a roof of bricks or a roof of earth; in some cases the layers of stone (rise to) three storeys, four of five chang (12) in height; sometimes, too, wood is composed of locally – produced red sandalwood.

They have red sandal-wood, rose-water, magnolia flowers, white grapes.  Here also is found the patterned fu-lu (13), the white camel-fowl (14) with black markings, and the big tailed hornless sheep. (one manuscript adds) (The lion, the ch'i-lin (15), and the gold spotted leopard)  Hua-fu-lu (13): the animal is about the size of a mule; its body and face are white, lined with dark stripes, which begin in the middle of its forehead, and are distributed at regular intervals over its whole body and down its legs, just as if they painted. The white camel-fowl (14) also has black markings – just like the fu-lu (13).

The giraffe is also found in this country : its fore legs are nine feet high, and its hind legs about six feet; its neck is sixteen feet long; owing to its fore-quarters being high and its hind quarters low it can not be ridden. It has two short horns at the side of its ears; the tail is like that of a cow, and the body like that of a deer; the hoof is divided into three sections, the mouth is flat, and it feeds on millet and pulse.

The lions resemble tigers; they are black and yellow, but without stripes; they have large heads, wide mouths, and pointed tails, on which hang tufts of long black hair; their roar is like thunder, and when heard by other beasts, these latter crouch with fear and dare not stir. Truly this is the king of beasts, says the traveller.     

Their king, grateful for the condescension shown him by the Chinese Emperor, had specially made for His Majesty two gold enamelled belts, set with pearls and precious stones. These, with a cap of gold, rubies, and every other kind of precious stones, two rhinoceros horns, and a letter written on gold leaf, were sent as tribute by our fleet on its homeward voyage. 

In the Chang -Sheng version of this book the following is added after the description of the lion.
There is also found the ts'ao shang fei and by the natives ya-kuo-shih. It is like a big cat in size, the whole body is like that of a tortoise shell cat. It has black ears. It is gentle and kind, not fierce like the lion and the leopard. When animals see it they prostrate themselves to the ground; it is the king of the animal kingdom.

 

In his description of Hormuz:
The king of this country, too, took a ship and loaded it with lions, ch'i-lin (15), horses, pearls, precious stones, and other such things, also a memorial to the throne (written on) golden leaf; (and) he send his chiefs and other men, who accompanied the treasure-ships dispatched by the emperor, which were returning from the Western Ocean; and they went to the capital and presented tribute.       

In his description of Mecca
They bought all kinds of unusual commodities, and rare valuables, ch'i-lin (15), lions, camel-fowls (16), and other such things; in addition they painted an accurate representation of the Heavenly Hall, (the Ka'ba) and they returned to the capital. 

In his description of Dhofar
Before and behind (the Sultan) a detachment on elephants, camels, and horses, accompany him, all playing on pi-li and so-na. (other manuscripts read: a detachment mounted on camels and horses....)

(1) Ku-li: Calicut on the west coast of India.

(2) A-la-pi: Arabic

(3) Yung-lo [period]: The Yongle Emperor — personal name Zhu Di, or Chu Ti— was the third Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1402 to 1424.

(4) the grand eunuch Li : Li Hsing still assistant envoy during the first voyages.

(5) Su-men-ta-la: Samudra, Semudera. The town stood on the left or west bank of the Krueng Pasi, nearly opposite to Pasai or Pase, and about five miles from the mouth of the river, on the north coast of Sumatra.

(6) eunuch Chou: there were two on the voyages; Chou Liang and Chou Man. Chengjun Feng selects Chou man but adds a question mark.

(7) ch'ien; ch'ih: now one third of a meter.

(8) sa-ha-la: from persian sakallat = Broadcloth; is a dense, plain woven cloth, historically made of wool.

(9) Kuan yin: the Buddhist goddess of mercy

(10) fu-lu-li: fuluri coin ; was the Persian name of a gold coin, later also used by Ottoman Turks.

(11) fu-lu-ssu: fulus coin ; is the plural of fils, for the classic Arabic word fals. Fals was a medieval copper coin first produced by the Umayyad caliphate (661–750).

(12) Chang: 310 cm

(13) patterned fu-lu: Zebra

(14) white camel-fowl: Ostrich

(15) ch'i-lin: or Kirin; giraffe

(16) camel-fowls: ostrich