The City of Light
The Hidden Journal of the Man Who
Entered China Four Years Before Marco Polo
by Jacob d'Ancona
Translated by David Selbourne
Today Fujian province in China provides a large share of China's economic migrants who flood into Japan, Canada, the U.S. and other developed countries. Ironically, 725 years ago, Fujian province was the home of one of the greatest and richest seaports in the world, one to which Persians, Arabs and Europeans flocked to trade for Chinese porcelain, silk and spices, sandalwood, jade and other precious stones.
The name of this teaming port city was Zaitun, "the City of Light," second in trade and riches only to the fabulous Jinsai, modern-day Hangzhou, capital of the Southern Song dynasty. The modern word "satin" probably comes from Zaitun
.But a cloud hung over these rich cities. The Mongols, who had conquered northern China (and most of the rest of Asia and eastern Europe east of Budapest) were threatening to conquer the rest of Song-dynasty China.
In 1270, a year before Marco Polo set out for the Mongolian capital of Xanadu, a Jewish merchant, Jacob d'Ancona, set sail from his Italian home, embarking on an epochal jouney to the distant kingdom of Manzi (southern China), hoping to acquire the products that would make him rich.
Being Jewish, Jacob could rely on the help and support of Jewish communities, which existed in every port city. These Jewish communities were like a commercial network that could provide Jacob with help and refuge all the way from Italy to China.
But Jacob was not only a merchant, he was also a devout Jew and something of a philosopher, having once studied with Jacob Anatoli, a follower of Maimonides (Mose ben Maimon, 1135-1204), the renowned rabbi, humanist and doctor of medicine.
Before setting out, Jacob had to divorce his beloved wife, Sara, so that, if he didn't come back before three years were up, his wife would be free to remarry.
Although Jacob remained faithful to his wife, he observed women closely. Here is his description of women in Basra, southern Irak:
The women, who go without veils, are beautiful and graceful with black hair, yet have fair and clear skins, with eyes which are soft and black and sparkle from the powder which they put on them, may God forgive me for writing in such a light manner. About their waists they wear embroidered belts, have their hair braided and their fingernails dyed red.Jacob is a keen observer of all the cities he visits, but he is overcome by what he sees in Zaitun.
[Zaitun] is a city of measureless trade, and its streets are crowded with a vast ebb and flow of men and carriages....Thus in Zaitun there are so many people that no one could know their number, but they say that it is more than two hundred thousand, which is larger than Venice itself, God be praised.
Yet in the city a man may hear the sound of one hundred different tongues, so many are they who come thither from other countries, so that, as I shall tell, there ar also among the Mancini (Chinese) those who have mastered the Frankish (French) and Saracen (Arab) tongues. Indeed, there are many types of Christians in the city, even those who preach against the Jews, as well as Saracens, Jews and many other peoples who have, as well as their temples, houses of their own, each people being in its district within the walls. In these districts there are also hostels for each people, in which the Christians and Saracens of our fleet found shelter.Jacob finds religious tolerance in Zaitun, something that medieval Jews were very sensitive about.
Thus there live together in the city of Zaitun people of every land and sect, may God save them, yet all are permitted to act according to their creed, for they hold the opinion that everyone can find his salvation in his own faith. Therefore the priests may preach what they will without obstacle and whatever the follies in which they may believe.Nevertheless, Jacob is wary of the Chinese Christians.
But the Christians of the place alone seek the conversion of the Jews to their faith, but of not one Jew have they made a heretic to betray the God of his forefathers, may God be praised and exalted.Jacob is surprised at the number of Jews he finds in China.
There are many Jews in the land of Sinim who came to its shores in the time of our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, peace upon them, and being so long among the Sinimiani (Chinese) have taken their faces, customs and names, so that only with difficulty may these be distinguished from others of the city, having the same skin, eyes, noses and colour of hair as those of the people of Manci. They also speak their prayers in a tongue that I could not follow, being composed of the language of Sinim (i.e. Chinese) and of some words of our tongue (i.e. Hebrew)...Jacob is surprised to find that the Nestorian Christians are looked down upon by other Christians.Yet they also have among them a Scroll of the Law which is written entirely in our language, but which none of them can read save their rabbi, a certain Lo Hoan, so that a Jew of Frankish lands cannot follow their reading of the Law. Nevertheless, they are Jews, for the Shema is understood by them in our language, their foreskins are cut before the eighth day and they observe the laws of purity in food.
Thus I have forgotten to say of the Christians that among them in Zaitun are many followers of a certain Nestorius who have their own churches and bishops, and are as much hated by the other Christians of the city as being perfidious, not because the beliefs of the Nestorians are more foolish than their own, but because there is a prohibition from Rome against them that reaches even to the shores of Sinim (China). As to their beliefs, they say that there resided in that man (Jesus) not one person but two, the one the corporeal form of the word of God, may they be condemned for such blasphemy, and the other a man, the former being placed in the latter as in a temple, or united with him as fire with iron, so these idolaters declare. (For more on Nestorian Christianity go to my article Marco Polo and Asian's Lost Christians on this Web site.)There are also many muslims, which Jacob estimates at over 15,000, "divided like the Christians into sects... each having its own temple where they go to worship their Prophet, and each in his own fashion."
But Jacob is most astounded by the richness of the markets and shops.
At these markets...great numbers of people may be found looking closely at the wares, which are of an abundance such has never yet been known in the entire world.Zaitun has a public forum where all kinds of questions -- philosophical, religious, economic and political -- are debated. Being by nature a philospher, as well as a merchant, Jacob often attends these debates and, through an interpreter, participates in them. Once, debating the relative merits of the differing religions, he declared:In the shops, which are more numerous than in any other city of the world, every kind of merchandise, spicery, silk cloth, jewel, wine or salve may be found, of which I bought greatly.
One street, by name the Street of the Three Plates, is given over to silks, of which there are no fewer then two hundred kinds, woven with such skill that they are a marvel to behold.
Hence I declared that God, may He be exalted, is neither a body, nor a force in a body, nor can possess a body, nor may become incarnate in a body. But the Christians, being idolaters, falsely and impiously attribute to God, may He have mercy and pity on the world and upon Jew and Gentile, both substance and place, quantity and quality, relation and time, and thus give to the Unspeakable Name the body of an idol, may God the exalted spare me for such words.Jacob is thrilled to participate in these public debates. One of the city's leaders, named Pitaco, often meets with him privately because Jacob supports him in his running feud with the merchants, who he sees as uncultured and unconcerned with the public good. Jacob would love to be appointed counselor or judge, as is suggested to him by this leader.
But over all lies the threat of the Mongols, who have already conquered all of northern China (called Cathay at that time) and who are poised to finish off their conquest by attacking the southern half, which includes the city of Zaitun. The citizens of Zaitun are divided into two camps: 1)those who champion the position that the people of Zaitun should build up their defences and prepare themselves for prolonged combat and 2) those who feel that all attempts to repulse the Mongols would be suicidal and, therefore, the city should prepare to accommodate themselves to Mongolian rule with as little trouble as possible.
The debate over this and other issues becomes stormier as time passes. Finally, Jacob's friend Pitaco is murdered during a public debate. Jacob flees to his ship, raises anchor and sets sail for Italy.
Jacob's account of his voyage to China will be of great interest to those who are interested in medieval religion, philosophy, trade and travel. But especially, Jacob's writings present us with an inside look at life in a world-class Chinese city, its society and culture, before it was to disappear for all time.
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