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National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
i1!
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CHAP. XXXVII. THE PROVINCE OF PEIN
I9I
in 1895. He made a stay of nine days at Ilchi, the population of which he estimated at 5500 inhabitants (5000 Musulmans, 50o Chinese).
(See also Sven Hedin, Die Geog. wissenschaft. Ergebnisse meiner Reisen in Zentralasien, 1894- 1897. Petermann's Mitt., Ergänz. XXVI II. ( Hft. 13 I), Gotha, 1900.—H. C.]
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CHAPTER XXXVII.
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OF THE PROVINCE OF PEIN.
PEIN iS a province five days in length, lying between
east and north-east. The people are worshippers of
Mahommet, and subjects of the Great Kaan. There are
a good number of towns and villages, but the most noble
is PEIN, the capital of the kingdom.' There are rivers in
this country, in which quantities of Jasper and Chalcedony
are found.2 The people have plenty of all products, in-
cluding cotton. They live by manufactures and trade.
But they have a custom that I must relate. If the
husband of any woman go away upon a journey and
remain away for more than 20 days, as soon as that term
is past the woman may marry another man, and the
husband also may then marry whom he pleases.'
I should tell you that all the provinces that I have
been speaking of, from Cascar forward, and those I am
going to mention [as far as the city of Lop] belong to
GREAT TURKEY.
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NOTE I.-" In old times," says the Haft Iklím., " travellers used to go from Khotan to Cathay in 14 (?) days, and found towns and villages all along the road [excepting, it may be presumed, on the terrible Gobi], so that there was no need to travel in caravans. In later days the fear of the Kalmaks caused this line to be abandoned, and the circuitous one occupied ioo days." This directer route between Khotan and China must have been followed by Fa-hian on his way to India ; by Hiuen Tsang on his way back ; and by Shah Rukh's ambassadors on their return from China in 1421. The circuitous route alluded to appears to have gone north from Khotan, crossed the Tarimgol, and fallen into the road along the base of the Thian Shan, eventually crossing the Deser; southward from Komul.
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