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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

BOOK FOURTH.

WARS AMONG THE TARTAR PRINCES AND SOME

ACCOUNT OF THE NORTHERN COUNTRIES.

XXII., p. 488.

RUSSIA.

" It seems that Russia [Chinese A -to-sz' = Mongol Oros ; the

modern Chinese name for Russia is Wo-to-sal was unknown to

the nations of Eastern Asia before the Mongol period. In the

Mongol and Chinese annals the Russians are first mentioned after

Subutai's invasion of Southern Russia in 1223. The Yüan chao

pi slii terms Russia or the Russians Orus, as they are called even

now by the Mongols. The Chinese of the Mongol period write

A-to-sz', sometimes also Wa-to-sz' or U-lu-sz'. All these names

evidently render the Mongol appellation Orus.

" In the Yuan shï Russia is frequently mentioned.... I may

notice here some other instances where the Russians are spoken

of in the Yüan-shï. We read in the annals, s.a. 1253, that the

Emperor Meng k'o (Mangu) ordered Bi-dje Bie-rh-k'o to be sent

to Wu-lo-sz' in order to take a census of the people.

" It is an interesting fact recorded in the Yüan shï that there

was in the first half of the fourteenth century a settlement of

Russians near Peking. In the annals, chap. XXXIV., s.a. I33ó, it

is stated that the Emperor Wen Tsung (Tob Timur, 1329-32,

the great grandson of Kubilai), formed a regiment composed of

U-lo-sz' or Russians. This regiment being commanded by a

wan hu (commander of ten thousand of the third degree),

received the name ` The Ever-faithful Russian Life-guard.'

It was placed under the direct control of the council of war.

Farther on in the same chapter it is stated that 14o king of land,

north of Ta to (Peking) was bought from the peasants and

allotted to these Russians, to establish a camp and to form a