’During the reign of the dynasty Tsi, in the first year of the year-naming[E] ‘Everlasting Origin,’ (Anno Domini 499,) came a Buddhist priest from this kingdom, who bore the cloister name of Roci-schin, that is, Universal Compassion, (Allgemeins Mitleiden:  according to King-tscheu it signifies ’an old name,[F]’) to the present district of Hukuang, and those surrounding it, who narrated that ’Fusang is about twenty thousand Chinese miles in an easterly direction from Tahan, and east of the middle kingdom.  Many Fusang-trees grow there, whose leaves resemble the Dryanda Cordifolia;[G] the sprouts, on the contrary, resemble those of the bamboo-tree,[H] and are eaten by the inhabitants of the land.  The fruit is like a pear in form, but is red.  From the bark they prepare a sort of linen, which they use for clothing, and also a sort of ornamented stuff.[I] The houses are built of wooden beams; fortified and walled places a unknown.

    ’THEIR WRITING AND CIVIL REGULATIONS.

’They have written characters in this land, and prepare paper from the bark of the Fusang.  The people have no weapons, and make no wars, but in the arrangements of the kingdom they have a northern and a southern prison.  Trifling offenders were lodged in the southern, but those confined for greater offenses in the northern; so that those who were about to receive grace could be placed in the southern prison, and those to the contrary in the northern.  Those men and women who were imprisoned for life were allowed to marry.  The boys resulting from these marriages were, at the age of eight years, sold for slaves; the girls not until their ninth year.  If a man of any note was found guilty of crimes, an assembly was held:  it must be in an excavated place, (Grabe.) There they strewed ashes over him, and bade him farewell, as if he were dying.  If the offender were one of a lower class, he alone was punished; but when of rank, the degradation was extended to his children and grandchildren.  With those of the highest rank it attained to the seventh generation.

    ’THE KINGDOM AND THE NOBLES.

’The name of the king is pronounced Ichi.  The nobles of the first class are termed Tuilu; of the second, Little Tuilu; and of the third, Na-to-scha.  When the prince goes forth he is accompanied by horns and trumpets.  The color of his clothes changes with the different years.  In the first two of the ten-year cyclus they are blue; in the two next, red; in the two following, yellow; in the two next, red; and in the last two, black.

    ’MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.