Back to table of Contents
Yu Huan: Wei Lue (239-265AD)
(History of the Wei dynasty)
-----------------------------------------

Taken from: The Peoples of the West from the Weilue by Yu Huan. English translation by John E. Hill

The king of Zesan or Ala-san (Azania) is subject to Da Qin (Rome). His seat of government is in the middle of the sea. To the north you reach Lufen. It can take half a year to cross the water, but with fast winds it takes a month. It is nearest to the city of Ar-ku in Ar-shi. South-west you go to the capital of Da Qin, we do not know the number of li. The king of Lufen is subject to Da Qin. His residence is 2000 li distant from the capital of Da Qin. Leaving from the city of Lufen you head west to go to Da Qin, crossing over the sea by an elevated bridge 230 li (96km) long; then you take the sea route southwest, travelling around the sea (coast), and then head due west (to reach Da Qin).

Note: Although Zesan is often said to be Azania in older books, recent authors do not state this anymore. 

Taken from: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/eastasia/romchin1.asp

The following products are frequently found in Ta-ts'in (Roman Syria): Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron, lead, tin, tortoises, white horses, red hair, hsieh-chi-his, tortoise shell, black bears, ch'ih-ch'ih, p'i-tu-shu, large conches, ch'e-ch'u, carnelian stones, southern gold, king-fishers' gems, ivory, fu-ts'ai-yu, ming-yueh-chu, yeh-kuang-chu, real white pearls, amber, corals. Ten colors of opaque glass, viz., carnation, white, black, green, yellow, blue, purple, azure, red, and red-brown. Ch'iu-lin, lang-kan, rock crystal, mei-kuei [garnets?], realgar and orpiment, five colors of pi. Ten kinds of jade, viz., yellow, white, black, green, a brownish red, crimson, purple, gold, yellow, azure, and a reddish yellow. Five colors of Ch'u-shu [rugs?], five colors T'ao-pu, five colors of T'a- teng[rugs?], chiang-ti, nine colors of Shou-hsia t'a-teng, curtains interwoven with gold, gold embroideries, five colors of Tou-chan [Chinese], damasks of various colors, chin-t'u-pu [Gold colored cloth?], fei-ch'ih-pu, fa-lu-pu, fei-ch'ih-ch 'u-pu, asbestos cloth, o-lo-te-pu, pa-tse-pu, to-tai-pu, wen-se-pu, I-wei-mu-erh, storax, ti-ti-mi-mi-tou-na, pai-fu-tzu, Hsun-lu, Yu-chin, Yun-chiao-hsun, in all 12 kinds of vegetable fragrant substances.