The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 237 (Color Image)

0237	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

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I♦ II. 44,

CHAP. LXXVI. THE GREAT CÍTY OF KINSAY .3./* •

191

First, however, I must mention another thing. The

people of this country have a custom, that as soon as a

child is born they write down the day and hour and the

planet and sign under which its birth has taken place ; so

that every one among them knows the day of his birth.

And when any one intends a journey he goes to the

astrologers, and gives the particulars of his nativity in

order to learn whether he shall have good luck or no.

Sometimes they will say no, and in that case the journey

is put off till such day as the astrologer may recommend.

These astrologers are very skilful at their business, and

often their words come to pass, so the people have great

faith in them.

They burn the bodies of the dead. And when any

one dies the friends and relations make a great mourning

for the deceased, and clothe themselves in hempen gar-

ments,12 and follow the corpse playing on a variety of

instruments and singing hymns to their idols. And

when they come to the burning place, they take represen-

tations of things cut out of parchment, such as capari-

soned horses, male and female slaves, camels, armour

suits of cloth of gold (and money), in great quantities,

and these things they put on the fire along with the

corpse, so that they are all burnt with it. And they tell

you that the dead man shall have all these slaves and

animals of which the effigies are burnt, alive in flesh and

blood, and the money in gold, at his disposal in the next

world ; and that the instruments which they have caused

to be played at his funeral, and the idol hymns that have

been chaunted, shall also be produced again to welcome

him in the next world ; and that the idols themselves

will come to do him honour.13

Furthermore there exists in this city the palace of the

king who fled, him who was Emperor of Manzi, and that

is the greatest palace in the world, as I shall tell you more

~ *41?. „ ; 4

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.-s.

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

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National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Citation Information

OCR Text

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books