Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Humans, Volume 13

Page 9

The woodcut displays a figure dressed for a frigid environment, consistent with the northern frontier. He wears a heavy, fur-lined robe and a distinctive hat. The presence of a sword and a staff emphasizes his status as a warrior or traveler from the rugged borderlands.

Uriankhai Mongols

The Uriankhai Mongols original: 兀良蒙古. A group related to the forest tribes mentioned previously, who were often involved in the complex border politics between the Ming Empire and the northern steppes. live on islands in the sea original: 海島. Ming dynasty geographical texts often categorized distant northeastern territories—potentially referring to the regions near the Sakhalin or the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk—as "islands.". Within their territory, they have walled cities and populated settlements original: 城池人烟. This indicates that, unlike purely nomadic groups, these people maintained permanent structures and dense habitations..

They are frequently at war with the Temei original: 忒没. A neighboring northern tribe or group, likely located in the Siberian or Manchurian frontier.. For their garments, they wear the skins of eagles and sables original: 鵰鼠皮. While the text literally says "eagle and rat," this term refers to the luxurious furs of the sable or marten, which were highly prized in the Ming imperial court for their warmth and status..

To travel from their lands to the Yingtian Prefecture original: 應天府. The primary capital of the early Ming dynasty and its continued southern capital, known today as Nanjing., it is a five-month journey by horse.