History of the Kingdom of China (Vol. 1&2). Juan González de Mendoza
life, it is not vnto them tedious, but dooth rather reioyce in the same.
CHAP. VI.
The bignesse of this kingdome of China, and of such measures as they do vse in trauaile.
This mightie kingdome, which we commonly call China, without knowing any cause or foundation wherefore we should so cal it, those countries neere ioyning vnto the same, do call it Sangley: and they in their naturall toonge do cal it Taybiner,[26] the which is to be vnderstood, nothing but a kingdome: and is the most biggest and populous that is mentioned in all the world, as it shalbe apparant in the discourse of this hystorie, and in the wonderfull things that shalbe treated of in the next chapter following. All the which is taken out of the bookes and hystories of the said Chinos, whereas they do make mention of the mightinesse thereof, and of the 15 prouinces that are comprehended in the same: the which bookes and hystories were brought vnto the citie of Manilla, printed and set forth in China, and were translated into the Spanish toong, by interpreters of the saide nations. And for that they were baptised and became Christians, they remaine as dwellers amongst vs in these ilandes, the better to obserue and keepe the lawes of baptisme, and to flie the paine and punishment the which they should receiue for dooing the same: for that they turned Christians and receiued the faith without the license of the king and counsell, which is forbidden vppon paine of death, and is executed with great violence, and without remission. This mightie kingdome is in circuit or compasse about 69516 die,[27] which is a kind of measure that they do vse: which being reduced into the Spanish account, is almost 3000 legues, and in length 1800 leagues, this is to be vnderstood the whole 15 The China is in compass 3000 leagues and 1800 leagues long. prouinces: the which are garnished with many cities and townes, besides a great number of villages, as you may plainely see in the chapter following. By the said booke, it is found that the Chinos haue amongst them but only three kind of measures: the which in their language are called lii, pu, and icham, which is as much as to say, or in effect, as a forlong, league, or iorney: the measure which is called lii, hath so much space as a mans voice in a plaine grounde may bee hearde in a quiet day, halowing or whoping with all the force and strength he may: and ten of these liis maketh a pu, which is a great Spanish league: and ten pus maketh a dayes iourney, which is called icham, which maketh 12 long leagues. By the which account it is founde that this kingdome hath the number of leagues as afore is saide: yet, by the account of other bookes, they do finde it bigger and of more leagues. Yet frier Martin de Herrada, prouinciall of the Austen friers in the Ilands Philippinas, who is an excellent geometrician and cosmographer, did cast the account with great diligence, by their owne descriptions, and doth finde it to amount vnto the sum aforesaid, to be 1800 leagues long and 3000 leagues in compasse, beginning at the prouince of Olam, which is that towards the south, and nearest vnto Malacia,[28] and so alongst the countrie towards the north east for the space of 600 leagues.
CHAP. VII.
Of the 15 prouinces that are in this kingdome.
This mightie kingdome is diuided into fifteene prouinces, that euery one of them is bigger then the greatest kingdome that we doo vnderstand to be in all Europe. Some doo esteeme those cities to be metropolitans, where as is resident, the gouernors, presidents, or viz rées, which in their natural toong are called Cochin: of the prouinces, two of them, which are called Tolanchia and Paguia, are gouerned by the king in person with his royall counsel. The occasion why the king is alwayes resident or abiding in one of these two prouinces which are two of the mightiest and most popularst of people, is not for that in them he is most at his content, or receiue more pleasure in them then in any of the other: but onely for that they doo confine vpon the kingdome of Tartaria, with whom in times past they had ordinary and continuall wars: and for that the king might with more ease put remedie in such harmes receiued, and defend with better oportunitie the rage of his enimie, he did ordaine and situate his pallace and court in them two. And for that it hath beene of antiquitie many yeeres past, it hath remained hitherto, and appeareth to continue still the habitation of the kings of that kingdome, as by desert for the excellencie of the clime, and aboundance of all things necessarie.
The names of the fifteene prouinces are as followeth:—Paguia,[29] Foquiem,[30] Olam,[31] Sinsay,[32] Sisuam,[33] Tolanchia,[34] Cansay,[35] Oquiam,[36] Aucheo,[37] Honan,[38] Xanton,[39] Quicheu,[40] Chequeam,[41] Susuam,[42] and Saxij.[43] Almost all these prouinces, but in particular tenne of them which are alongst the sea costs, are full of deepe riuers of sweete water and navigable, vpon whose branches are situated many cities and townes, whereof you may not onely haue the number of them, but also their names: for that these Chinos are so curious people, that in their books are named besides the cities and townes, the banketing houses and houses of pleasure, which the gentlemen haue for their recreation. And for that it will be more trouble than profite to inlarge any further in this matter, I will refer it vnto the next chapter, where I will intreate of the cities and townes that either of these prouinces hath, and pass ouer all the rest, as not necessarie; for our intent is to set forth the bignes of this kingdome.
CHAP. VIII.
Of the cities and townes that every one of these prouinces hath in himselfe.
These fifteene prouinces, which with better truth might be called kingdomes, according vnto the greatnes of them, as you may perceiue by the number of cities and townes that each of them hathe, besides villages, the which if I should adde herevnto, would be an infinite number.
The number of cities and townes that euery prouince hath. First, the prouince of Paguia, where as ordinarily the king and his counsel is resident, hath 47 cities and 150 townes.
| Canton | hath 37 cities and 190 townes. |
| Foquien | hath 33 cities and 99 townes. |
| Olam | hath 90 cities and 130 townes. |
| Synsay | hath 38 cities and 124 townes. |
| Sisuan | hath 44 cities and 150 townes. |
| Tolanchia | hath 51 cities and 123 townes. |
| Cansay | hath 24 cities and 112 townes. |
| Ochian | hath 19 cities and 74 townes. |
| Ancheo | hath 25 cities and 29 townes. |
| Honan | hath 20 cities and 102 townes. |
| Xaton | hath 37 cities and 78 townes. |
| Quicheu | hath 45 cities and 113 townes. |
| Chequeam | hath 39 cities and 95 townes. |
| Susuan | hath 42 cities and 105 townes. |
By which account appeareth to be 591 cities and 1593 townes, beside villages and houses of pleasure, which are an infinite number: by the which you may consider that this kingdome doth deserve to be called great, and compared with the best and principalst that is heard of in al the whole world. The Chinos do vse in their pronunciation to terme their cities with this sylable, Fu, that is as much as to say, citie, as Taybin fu, Canton fu, and their townes with this sylable, Cheu. They have some villages