I passed through many lands and cities and came to a most noble one called Cartan (Quanzhou), also known as Catan, wherein are located two houses of friars of our order. To these brethren I brought the holy bodies of those same friars who were mentioned previously, who were martyred in the city of Cana.
In this city of Cartan, there is a most grand abundance of all those things necessary for human life. There, one may obtain four pounds and eight ounces of sugar for less than half a grosso. This city is very beautiful and situated by the seaside; it is very large, as if it were twice the size of Rome.
There are several abbeys of idolatrous monks, for the people are generally idolaters. They make the sovereign of all their idols as large as we here depict Saint Christopher. At the hour when they give food to their idol, I entered with the others to observe their customs. They bring to their idol most hot and boiling viands, and place them before it: the vapours rise to the face of the said idol, and these foolish people say that the idol, which is made of gold, feeds upon this vapours. Yet as soon as the food ceases to steam, the priests go and eat it among themselves.
[From this region, I journeyed towards the East, to a city called Fuzo (Fuzhou).]
In this city are found the largest roosters in the world. The hens there are as white as snow and have no feathers at all like ours, but rather wool like sheep.
From this city, I travelled towards the East for eighteen days' journey, until I came to a mountain. On one side of this mountain, all the animals are black, and on the other side, all the animals are white. The married women there wear a horn upon their heads, and by this horn are the married women distinguished from the others.
I passed through many lands and cities and came to a most noble one called Cartan (Quanzhou), also known as Catan, wherein are located two houses of friars of our order. To these brethren I brought the holy bodies of those same friars who were mentioned previously, who were martyred in the city of Cana.
In this city of Cartan, there is a most grand abundance of all those things necessary for human life. There, one may obtain four pounds and eight ounces of sugar for less than half a grosso. This city is very beautiful and situated by the seaside; it is very large, as if it were twice the size of Rome.
There are several abbeys of idolatrous monks, for the people are generally idolaters. They make the sovereign of all their idols as large as we here depict Saint Christopher. At the hour when they give food to their idol, I entered with the others to observe their customs. They bring to their idol most hot and boiling viands, and place them before it: the vapours rise to the face of the said idol, and these foolish people say that the idol, which is made of gold, feeds upon this vapours. Yet as soon as the food ceases to steam, the priests go and eat it among themselves.
[From this region, I journeyed towards the East, to a city called Fuzo (Fuzhou).]
In this city are found the largest roosters in the world. The hens there are as white as snow and have no feathers at all like ours, but rather wool like sheep.
From this city, I travelled towards the East for eighteen days' journey, until I came to a mountain. On one side of this mountain, all the animals are black, and on the other side, all the animals are white. The married women there wear a horn upon their heads, and by this horn are the married women distinguished from the others.
