Marco Polo's Voyage to Indian Seas: 04: The Sea of China

You must know that the gulf containing this island is called that of Zin, meaning in their language the sea opposit Manji.  According to skilful and intelligent mariners, who have made the voyage, it contains 7448 isles, mostly inhabited.  In all these there grow no tree which is not agreeably fragrant, and also useful, being equal or superior in size to the lignum aloes. [1] They also produce various spices including pepper, white like snow as well as black. They yield also much gold, but they are much distant and difficult to reach.  The Mariners of Zai-tun and Kin-sai, who visit them, gain indeed great profit; but they spend a year on voyage, going in winter, and returning in the summer.  The wind in these seasons blows from two different quarters, one of which carries them to the isles, and the other brings them back.  But this country is immensely distant from India.  You may observe that though the sea be called Zin, it is really the ocean, just as we say the sea of England, the sea of Rochelle.  The great Khan has no power over these islands.  Now let us return to Zai-tun, and resume our narrative.

Notes:-

1. Lignum aloes: Also known as aloe-wood or agarwood is fragrant wood and is highly valued derived from the Aquilaria tree. It is highly priced for its sweet fragrance when the wood is burned as incense.

2. Zai-tun and Kin-sai: Zai-tun is modern day Quanzhou and Kin-sai is modern day Hangzhou. Both these were important centres of trade and culture.

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