English Translation of Annotations Depicted on 1418 Map
1. Original notes with red circles (original notes on 1418 map):
1.1 China
“This Dynasty is the most primary country under the heaven, most of people in this country are Buddhists, and Buddhism is the principal religion, the Taoism is the second and there are also people who are Islam” (on China)
“The Great Land of Imperial Dynasty” (on China)
“Most of the people here believe in Esoteric Buddhism”(on Tibet)
NvZhen (on north east of China), Huns and Mongols (in the north of the Great Wall)
“Great Qing Sea”(on the region of East China Sea, South China Sea)
“Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Xuanfu, Beizhili, Shanxi, Songshan,Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Shandong, Hubei, Nanzhili, Guizhou, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnuan, Wusizang” (on China, province names)
“Songshan” and “Taishan” (on China, names of mountains)
1.2 Asia (except China)
“All people of the cities in west of Jiayu Pass believe in Islam and Muhammad. Their temples are built with clay and stones, and walls of the temples are decorated with gemstone. People who want to go into the temple must bathe and change their clothes, our middle kingdom also have this kind of people.” (on Western Asia)
“Gaoli (Korea) is ancient Ji Zi’s feod, most of the people here believe in Buddhism, other believe in Taoism”(near Korea)
“Wo (Japan) is the ancient Fusang, it have been called ‘Japan’ by the Tang Wu-Zetian’s reign. The people here believe in Buddhism.”(near Japan)
“The shape of people eyes is round and within deeper eyeholes. Their heads are wrapped with scarf, their clothes loose, and their trousers long. Women here must wear veils when going out, or else be punished.”(on the region between Asia and Europe)
“Gaoli (on Korea), Liuqiu (on Ryukyu), Annan (on Vietnam), Zhancheng (on Kampuchea), Tianzhu (on India),Wonu (on Japan), Tatars (near Ural), Kamuha (on the east of Siberian)
“Great Qing Sea”(three respectively noted on the sea in east of Japan, China East Sea and China South Sea)
“Hui Hui” (on Western Asia)
1.3 Europe
“People here mostly believe in God and their religion is called ‘Jing’”(on Eastern Europe)
“Jili(on Eastern Europe), Luomuer(on Central Europe), Funan(on Spain), Xipan(on Portugal), Di zhong hai(on Mediterranean Sea)”
1.4 Africa
“There is a huge city here built with stones, the dimension of stones can be compared to those used by tomb of Qin Dynasty”(on North Africa)
“The skin of people here is like black lacquer. Their teeth are white, their lips are red, and their hairs are curled.”(on South Africa)
1.5 Australia
“The skin of the aborigine is black too. All of them are naked and wear articles around their waists. Those people also have anthropophagous habits”
1.6 North America
“The people living in this area are similar to Qidan and Mongols, who feed on fish.” (on the region of Alaska)
“The skin of the race in this area is black-red, and feathers are wrapped around their heads and waists. They are anthropophagous people.”(on the west of North America)
1.7 South America
“The cities here were built with huge stones, therefore called stone cities”(on the north of South America)
“The people here believe in the religion named ‘Balaka’, in which human beings are used as sacrificial victims, and people pay obeisance to fire”(on the middle of South America)
1.8 Oceans
“In the thirty-three year of Yongle Emperor(1415), following the emissary, Eunuch Zhen He（in the note on chart it is ‘Eunuch Ma Sanbao’）and other persons (I) went to those barbarian countries, the imperial edicts were preached and rewards were granted. In the thirty-six year of Yongle Emperor(1418) (I) came back to Beijing.”(on Pacific Ocean)
“Small West Sea”(on Indian Ocean)
“West Ocean”(on Atlantic Ocean)
“North Ocean”(on Arctic Ocean)
2. Notes without red circles (put by Mo Yi Tong in 1763)
2.1 China
“An hui”, “Great Wall”,” Kunlun”, “Tianshan”.
2.2 Asia (except China)
“There are more than thirty small countries here and the people of all the countries believe in Mohammedanism”(on Central Asia and Western Asia)
“There are more than thirty small countries here and the people of all the countries believe in Nestorianism”(on the north of Asia)
“po luo zhou”(on Indonesia)
“Zhenla (on Burma)
“Huihui”, “Persia”, (on Central Asia)
2.3 Europe
“(this continent) named ‘ou luo ba’ today.”
2.4 Africa
“Anthropophagi” (on the west and the south of Africa)
“(this continent) named ‘li wei ya’ today.”
2.5 North America
“This area is frozen land.”(on the north-east of North America)
“There are more than one thousand tribes and kings here.”(on the middle of North America)
“Most of the people here have learnt equitation and toxophily.” (on the middle of North America)
“Anthropophagi” (on the middle of North America)
“The land of this area is rich in gold and silver, and the people here use gold as currency” (on the middle of North America)
“The land is covered with trees and the big tree here is big enough for one hundred persons to hold in the arm.” (on the south of North America)
“(this continent) named ‘bei ya mo li jia’ today.”
2.6 South America
“There are more than twenty stone cities here, most of which are prosper.”(on the south of South America)
“(this continent) named ‘nan ya mo li jia’ today.”
2.7 Greenland
“Wo Long Di”
2.8 Antarctica
“South Pole”
2.9 North pole
“North pole”
3. The notes on customs with red circle (original notes on 1418 Map):
“The people living in this area are similar to Qidan and Mongols, who feed on fish.” (on the region of Alaska)
“The skin of the race in this area is black-red, and feathers are wrapped around their heads and waists. They are anthropophagous people.”(on western America)
“The cities here were built with huge stones, therefore called stone cities”(on the north of South America)
“The skin of the aborigine is black too. All of them are naked and wear articles around their waists. Those people also have anthropophagous habits”(on Australia)
“All people of the cities in west of Jiayu Pass believe in Islam and Muhammad. Their temples are built with clay and stones, and walls of the temples are decorated with gemstone. People who want to go into the temple must bathe and change their clothes, our middle kingdom also have this kind of people.” (on Western Asia)
“The shape of people eyes is round and within deeper eyeholes. Their heads are wrapped with scarf, their clothes loose, and their trousers long. Women here must wear veils when going out, or else be punished.”(on the region between Asia and Europe)
“There is a huge city here built with stones, the dimension of stones can be compared to those used by tomb of Qin Dynasty”(on North Africa)
“The skin of people here is like black lacquer. Their teeth are white, their lips are red, and their hairs are curled.”(on South Africa)
4. The notes on appearances and customs without red circle (put by Mo Yi Tong in 1763):
“This area is frozen land.”(on the north-east of North America)
“There are more than one thousand tribes and kings here.”(on the middle of North America)
“Most of the people here have learnt equitation and toxophily.” (on the middle of North America)
“Anthropophagi” (on the middle of North America, the west and the south of Africa)
“The land of this area is rich in gold and silver, and the people here use gold as currency” (on the middle of North America)
“The land is covered with trees and the big tree here is big enough for one hundred persons to hold in the arm.” (on the south of North America)
“There are more than twenty stone cities here, most of which are prosper.”(on the south of South America)
5. The notes on religions with red circle (original notes on 1418 Map):
“The people here believe in the religion named ‘Balaka’, in which human beings are used as sacrificial victims, and people pay obeisance to fire”.(on the middle of South America)
“This Dynasty is the most primary country under the heaven, most of people in this country are Buddhists, and Buddhism is the principal religion, the Taoism is the second and there are also people who are Islam” (on China)
“Most of the people here believe in Esoteric Buddhism”(on Tibet)
“All people of the cities in west of Jiayu Pass believe in Islam and Muhammad. Their temples are built with clay and stones, and walls of the temples are decorated with gemstone. People who want to go into the temple must bathe and change their clothes, our middle kingdom also have this kind of people.” (on Western Asia)
“Hui Hui” (on Western Asia)
“The shape of people eyes is round and within deeper eyeholes. Their heads are wrapped with scarf, their clothes loose, and their trousers long. Women here must wear veils when going out, or else be punished.”(on the region between Asia and Europe)
“Gaoli(Korea) is ancient Ji Zi’s feod, most of the people here believe in Buddhism, others believe in Taoism are less”(near Korea)
“Wo (Japan) is the ancient Fusang, it have been called ‘Japan’ by the Tang Wu-Zetian’s reign. The people here believe in Buddhism.”(near Japan)
“People here mostly believe in God and their religion is called ‘Jing’”(on Eastern Europe)
6. The notes on religions without red circle (put by Mo Yi Tong in 1763):
“There are more than thirty small countries here and the people of all the countries believe in Mohammedanism”(on Central Asia and Western Asia)
“There are more than thirty small countries here and the people of all the countries believe in Nestorianism”(on the north of Asia)
