Gregorii Abil-Pharagii

Dyn. I.

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Distribution of nations & various characters.

variant: "Biha"
and the Berbers. variant: "al"
Of the Chinese.
variant: "al-Ma'mur" the inhabited world
Of the Turks.
variant: "Bara'u" they excelled
Of the Northern Peoples.
variant: "al-Ma'mur"

They, despite the multitude of their factions and the differences in their doctrines, are of two classes: one class that has occupied itself with the sciences, such as the Chaldeans, the Persians, and others who will be mentioned in their proper place; and a class that has not occupied itself with them, such as the people of China, the Turks, the Slavs, the Berbers, the Abyssinians, and those connected to them.

As for the Chinese, they are the most numerous of nations, the most magnificent in kingdom, and the most expansive in territory. Their dwellings encompass the farthest east of the inhabited world, between the equator and the farthest of the seven climates in the north. Their share of knowledge, in which they have surpassed other nations, is the perfection of practical crafts and the mastery of figurative professions.

As for the Turks, they are also a nation, numerous in count and magnificent in kingdom. Their excellence, in which they have pioneered, is the preoccupation with wars and the handling of their implements; they are the most skillful of people in horsemanship, the most insightful in thrusting, striking, and archery.

As for the rest of this class that has not occupied itself with the sciences, they are more similar to beasts than to people. For those who are deep in the north, the extreme distance of the sun from being directly overhead has cooled their temperaments and confused their humors. Thus, their bodies became great, their complexions whitened, and their hair grew matted. Through this, they lost the subtlety of understanding and the brilliance of intellect, so ignorance and stupidity overcame them, and error and folly spread among them, like the Slavs and their neighbors. And those among them who were near the equator and beyond it to the end of the inhabited world in the