Translations of Selections from the Kunyu quantu

Text about Asia
(Translation is a selection from full text)
"Asia is the largest continent in the world. Mankind was born here at the beginning. Sages and philosophers came first. To the south the boundary of Asia reaches to Sumatra, Luzon, and other islands. To the north it reaches the Nova Zembla [Novaya Zemlya, a Russian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean ] and the Kara Sea. To the east it includes the Japan island and the Great Qing Sea. To the west it reaches to the Don River, the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean. There are more than one hundred large countries. China is the first. Others include Tartary, Hui-Hui (i.e. the Islamic states), India, Mogores, Persia, Turkistan, and Judea. All are large countries on this continent. There are islands called Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Sumatra, Java, Borneo (now shared by Malaysia and Indonesia), Luzon, and Moluccas (now South Philippines). There are some further islands in the Mediterranean, also belonging to the Asian continent. China lies in the southeast of Asia. From ancient times its emperors and kings, sages and philosophers, cultural heritage and reputation, rituals and clothing were studied and followed by countries from near and far. Its mountains, rivers, customs and products, as well as tributary states, have been recorded in detail in the provincial annals...."

Complete map of world (Kunyu quantu), detail

Text about Norway and Sweden
(Translation is a selection from full text)
"There are few grains in Norvegia (i.e. Norway), but there is much lumber as well as birds and beasts in the forest, and many fish in the sea. People are easy-going and honest and they like to welcome guests from far away. There are no thieves and robbers. The land of Swecia (i.e. Sweden) is divided into seven areas, and has twelve subordinate states. It is the largest country north of Europe. Quite wealthy, the country is rich in grains and metals, money and goods. Trading is not done with gold and silver, but with different products. The people are brave. They are also kind to visitors...."

Complete map of world (Kunyu quantu), detail

Text about the Tarantula
(Full text translated)
"There is a kind of spider in Italy called tarantula. Those who get stung by it will become crazy. They laugh, dance, lie down, or run back and forth. After the poison enters their blood, an attack happens every year. To cure the disease, one should use the kind of music that suits and comforts his or her own nature."

Complete map of world (Kunyu quantu), detail