Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Humans, Volume 13

Page 9

The illustration depicts a man in heavy, layered clothing suitable for the northern steppes. He wears a traditional Mongolian-style hat with a wide brim and fur trim, a long robe cinched at the waist, and sturdy boots. His pose—standing with one hand on his belt and the other holding a staff—suggests a person accustomed to long-distance travel and the rugged life of the plains.

The settlements of the Tuma people are entirely like those of the Tatars; it takes seven months by horse to reach Yingtian Prefecture.

The way of life and the settlements original: 人烟. Literally "human smoke," a poetic term referring to populated areas and signs of habitation. of the Tuma original: 土麻人. These are the Tumed Mongols, a prominent Mongol subgroup that rose to power in the 16th century under Altan Khan in the region of the Ordos and what is now Hohhot. are entirely similar to those of the Tatars original: 韃靼. During the Ming dynasty, this term was generally used to refer to the Eastern Mongols..

To travel from their lands to Yingtian Prefecture original: 應天府. The city of Nanjing, which was the southern capital of the Ming Empire and a major hub for trade and administration. takes seven months by horse.