Journal of the Eastern Territory Expedition Records

Author: [British] H. Yule
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2002-05-01
Features: The two volumes of The Records of a Journey from China to India were published in 1866. This was the second work compiled by Sir Henry Yule for the Hakluyt Society. Several years ago (1863), Yule had translated and annotated the Mirabilia Descripta of Brother Jordanus. These two works had long been out of print. Copies of The Records of a Journey from China to India occasionally appeared in the catalogues of booksellers, fetching exorbitant prices. For a long time, it had been the handy reference manual for all engaged in the study of ancient and medieval East Asia, and for such a book, I need not add further praise. It is universally acknowledged that The Records of a Journey from China to India is an essential guide for anyone interested in Chinese, Central Asian historical geography, or the broader historical geography of Asia. When it first appeared, it encompassed almost all the knowledge then known about Eastern history, although this learned compiler modestly titled it Collections of Remarkable Things from Medieval China. Since 1866, with the discovery of new regions and travels in countries hitherto little explored, science, particularly geography, has made rapid progress. Yule himself, in the new edition of his monumental The Travels of Marco Polo, published in early 1871, incorporated a great deal of new material but did not supplement The Records of a Journey from China to India. Therefore, it is necessary to publish a new edition of The Records of a Journey from China to India, incorporating all new materials. I was the editor of the third edition of The Travels of Marco Polo, and it is generally considered that I am uniquely qualified to undertake this new task. My dear friend, the learned President of the Hakluyt Society, Sir Maccormack, asked me to take on the responsibility of revising The Records of a Journey from China to India. I happily accepted this proposal, and in doing so, I wish to express my admiration for Yule the man and my respect for this geographer of great renown, whose fame I had long admired. Here I can reiterate what I said in the preface to the third edition of The Travels of Marco Polo: "I have made almost no deletions from Sir Henry Yule's notes, merely making a few minor changes. I have only done so when recent evidence has shown him to be in error. I have supplemented Yule's notes, hoping that these additions will prove to be useful new material." In revising The Records of a Journey from China to India, I have strived to adhere to these principles as much as possible. However, in addition to adding numerous notes, a new chapter on Central Asia based on recent research has been included in the preface, along with a few supplementary notes, which are considered necessary. The opening part of the chapter on the Chinese knowledge of the Roman Empire has been entirely rewritten. The new material has made this work so extensive that it has been decided to publish it in four volumes instead of two [1]. In the preface to The Travels of Marco Polo, we mentioned some works, but in addition to these, we should also mention Sir Aurel Stein's accounts of his travels and discoveries in Central Asia, my colleague and friend, Professor Chavannes, whose scholarly works on Western Turkistan are highly valuable, and the brilliant young scholar, Professor Pelliot, who has supplemented me with many highly valuable notes. I could mention many other works, but these will be found in the notes or in the bibliography at the end of the fourth volume. Regarding Ibn Battuta, like John Bunyan's Latin translation, "my translation is based on the Arabic text"; but not on the abridged version on which Lejeune relied, but rather on the unexpurgated travels of Defrémery and Sanguinetti, like the French translation. Although the text version is borrowed, the notes are not; and I firmly believe that my comments will offer some new insights into this curious traveler. Among the other authors cited in this book, John de Marignolli stands out—proud, noisy, yet somewhat honest. His works are occasionally cited by Sir Emerson Tenison. For Sir Emerson Tenison, few things seem to escape his keen eye. Had it not been for Sir Emerson Tenison's attention, I think Marignolli would have been almost unknown in England. Each author included in this book will have their background and experiences introduced in the appropriate place before telling their story, so there is no need to dwell on them individually here. I need not justify the repetitions in the text. In an anthology rather than a selection, repetition is inevitable. But repetitions in the notes would be dreadful. I beg your indulgence for this. My residence is far from the printing office, and due to objective circumstances, I had to submit the earlier portions for printing first, with the later parts completed only after several months, so I was unable to revise the entire work comprehensively. Some kind friends, without hesitation, provided me with references or answered questions related to this book. I am deeply grateful to them; but here I will only mention the names of Major Major and Mr. Maccormack. Thanks to their kindness, they have successively read and reviewed the second proofs of the printed text.