Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms, Vol. 12

The Southwestern Ocean: The Western Indian Kingdom

...a circuit of the city walls in one day. The city was not only vast, but it also contained over one thousand and one districts. It was known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World original: 天下七奇 (Tianxia qiqi); the Jesuit author is introducing the Greco-Roman concept of the Seven Wonders to a Chinese audience, and this city was indeed one of them. Later, this country was annexed by Persia original: 百爾西亞 (Bai'erxi'a), which is why it bears its current name. It remains a powerful nation to this day.

The ruler of this country once constructed a tower built entirely from the heads of the Muslims 回回 (Huihui): a historical Chinese term for Muslims or peoples from Central Asia he had killed in battle. By the time the tower was completed, it contained nearly fifty thousand skulls. Twenty years ago, the King of that land was particularly fond of hunting; in a single expedition, he captured as many as thirty thousand deer. To boast of this feat, he likewise gathered their antlers to build a tower, which still stands today.

Furthermore, to the east, on the borders of Samarkand original: 撒馬兒罕 (Samarhan); a major Silk Road city in modern-day Uzbekistan, there is a tower cast entirely of pure gold. At its very peak is set a diamond 金剛石 (Jingangshi): literally "adamant stone," the term used for diamonds as large as a walnut. Its brilliance is such that at night, it can be seen from fifteen li approximately 5 miles or 7.5 kilometers away.

The land of Persia possesses immense rivers. There is a certain cave from which water gushes forth; wherever this water reaches, all manner of famous and beautiful flowers immediately spring into bloom. To the south, there is an island called Hormuz original: 忽魯謨斯 (Hulumusi); a strategic island in the Persian Gulf, located twenty-seven degrees north of the Equator. The land there consists entirely of salt or sulfurous minerals. No vegetation grows there, and there are no traces of birds or beasts. The inhabitants wear leather sandals; however, if it rains, the moisture causes the soles of the sandals to rot immediately. The region also experiences frequent earthquakes, and the climate...