America, which is located to the west of the Du Na Mi River, used to be the territory of the Kangju people. It does not have its own king, and the city lord is named Zhaowu, a collateral relative of the Kang king, whose courtesy name is Bizhuo. The capital covers just two miles, with only a few hundred elite soldiers. One hundred miles to the northwest lies the Kang kingdom, five hundred miles to the east is the Su Dui Shana kingdom, two hundred miles to the southwest is the Shi kingdom, and six thousand four hundred miles to the east is Gua state. During the Sui Dynasty, America often paid tribute with local specialties.
The Shi kingdom, located ten miles south of the Du Mo River, was also the territory of the Kangju people in the past. The king here is also named Zhaowu, with the courtesy name of Tizhe, also a collateral relative of the Kang king. The capital city is also two miles in size, with more than a thousand elite troops. The customs are similar to those of the Kang kingdom. To the north, two hundred and forty miles away, lies the Kang kingdom; five hundred miles to the south is the Tuhuoluo; two hundred miles to the west is the Nasebo kingdom; two hundred miles to the northeast is America; and six thousand five hundred miles to the east is Gua state. During the Sui Dynasty, the Shi kingdom also sent envoys to pay tribute with local specialties.
The Cao kingdom, situated just a few miles south of the Du Na Mi River, was also the territory of the Kangju people in the past. This kingdom lacks its own ruler and is governed by Wujian, the son of the Kang king. The capital city is three miles in size, with more than a thousand elite troops. The Cao kingdom is home to a highly revered deity, which is honored by nations east of the Western Sea. This deity has a golden statue that is five feet wide, with harmonious proportions. Every day, five Bactrian camels, ten horses, and one hundred sheep are offered in sacrifice to it, with enough meat to feed over a thousand people, yet still not enough to finish it. One hundred miles to the southeast is the Kang kingdom, one hundred and fifty miles to the west is the He kingdom, and six thousand six hundred miles to the east is Gua state. During the Sui Dynasty, the Cao kingdom also sent envoys to pay tribute with local specialties.
He Kingdom, located a few miles south of Dunami River, was formerly part of the territory of the Kangju people. The king's surname is Zhaowu, a relative of the Kang King, with the style name Dun. The capital city has a perimeter of two miles, with an elite force of one thousand soldiers. The king's throne is made of gold and shaped like a sheep. To the east, one hundred and fifty miles away is Cao Kingdom, to the west, three hundred miles away is Xia'an Kingdom, and to the east, six thousand seven hundred and fifty miles away is Guazhou. During the Sui Dynasty, He Kingdom also dispatched envoys to present local products as tribute.
Wunaho Kingdom, located west of Wuxu River, used to be the territory of the Anxi people. The king's surname is Zhaowu, a relative of the Kang King, with the style name Foshi. The capital city has a perimeter of two miles, with an elite force of several hundred soldiers. The king's throne is also a golden throne shaped like a sheep. To the northeast, four hundred miles away is An Kingdom, to the northwest, more than two hundred miles to Mu Kingdom, and to the east, seven thousand five hundred miles away is Guazhou. During the Sui Dynasty, Wunaho Kingdom also dispatched envoys to present local products as tribute.
Mu Kingdom, located west of Wuxu River, was also the former territory of Anxi, adjacent to Wunaho Kingdom. Their king's surname is Zhaowu, a descendant of the Kang King, with the style name Alanmi. The capital city has a perimeter of three miles, with an elite force of two thousand soldiers. To the northeast, five hundred miles away is An Kingdom, to the east, more than two hundred miles to Wunaho, to the west, over four thousand miles to Persia, and to the east, seven thousand seven hundred miles away is Guazhou. During the Sui Dynasty, Mu Kingdom also dispatched envoys to present local products as tribute.
The country of Persia, with its capital of Sulind located on the west side of the Dahe River, which was known in ancient times as Tiaozhi. The king's name is Kusaha. The capital city stretches over ten li, with over 20,000 elite soldiers, and they even ride elephants into battle! In their country, there is no death penalty, and those who commit crimes may have their hands and feet cut off, their property confiscated, their beards shaved, or a sign hung around their necks to distinguish them as criminals. Anyone over the age of three must pay four coins to speak. They have a custom of marrying their sisters. When someone dies, their body is thrown onto a mountain, and the family must wear mourning attire for a month. The Persian king dons a golden floral crown, sits upon a throne crafted from golden lions, decorates his beard with gold dust, wears brocade robes, and adorns himself with jewels. Their land is rich in fine horses, large donkeys, lions, white elephants, and large bird eggs, along with pearls, porphyry (a gemstone), chalcedony (a gemstone), coral, glass, agate, crystal, sardonyx (a gemstone), carnelian (a gemstone), lapis lazuli (a gemstone), rubies, diamonds, gold, silver, copper, iron ore, tin, silk, fine cloth, felt blankets, woolen blankets, Huna fabric, Yuenobu fabric, sandalwood, fabrics woven with gold thread, deer skin, cinnabar, mercury, as well as various spices like aloeswood, saffron, benzoin, musk, and various fragrances, pepper, aloeswood, rock honey, semi-honey, jujube, aconite (a medicinal herb), helile (a medicinal herb), gallnuts (a medicinal herb), verdigris (a pigment), and realgar (a pigment). The Turks cannot penetrate their territory, and Persia pays tribute to the Turks only in name. Persia frequently sends envoys to pay tribute. To the west, the sea lies just a few hundred li away; to the east, the Mu country is over four thousand li away; to the northwest, Fuli (the Byzantine Empire) is four thousand five hundred li away; and to the east, Guazhou is eleven thousand seven hundred li away. Emperor Yang of the Sui dynasty sent Li Yu, known as the Cloud Rider, as an envoy to Persia, and later sent envoys with Li Yu to present special products as tribute.
Cao State, located north of Congling, was called Jibin State during the Han Dynasty. The king of Cao State, whose surname is Zhaowu and courtesy name Shunda, is a relative of the king of Kangguo. The capital city boasts a military force of over ten thousand and has a circumference of four li. The laws in this state are extremely strict, punishable by death for murder or theft. However, their customs tend to be quite superstitious, and they take part in peculiar sacrificial rituals.
On the mountain of Congling, there is a temple dedicated to the God of Shuntian, featuring grand ceremonies adorned with gold, silver, and copper. The temple is fronted by a massive fish spine, with a hole in the middle that allows horses to pass through. The king wears a hat made of goldfish heads and sits on a throne crafted from gold horses, radiating authority.
Cao State produces rice, maize, beans, wheat, elephants, horses, and a type of cattle known as Fengniu, alongside gold, silver, and bintie, a type of high-quality steel. It also produces carpets, cinnabar, indigo, incense, sandalwood, and various spices, including storax, aloeswood, rock honey, semi-honey, which may refer to a honey-based product, black salt, asafoetida, myrrh, and white aconite root.
The Cao Kingdom is rich in resources, producing rice, millet, beans, wheat, elephants, horses, and an animal called "Fengniu." In addition, there are minerals and handicrafts such as gold, silver, bintie iron, carpets, cinnabar, and indigo, as well as local specialties such as stone honey, half-honey, black salt, asafoetida, myrrh, and white aconite.
The distance from Cao Kingdom to Fanyancheng in the north is seven hundred li, to Jueguo in the east is six hundred li, and to Guazhou in the northeast is a considerable distance of six thousand six hundred li. During the Sui Dynasty, Cao Kingdom had previously dispatched envoys to present local specialties.
It is said that, in the state of Fu, more than two thousand li northwest of Shu County, was the territory of the southwestern tribes during the Han Dynasty. There was a tribe called Jialiang Yi to the east of Fu, who governed themselves, with customs similar to those of Fu, but their language was not unified. They had no concept of surnames. The king of Fu was named Yi Zeng. Their country was eight hundred li long from north to south, and fifteen hundred li long from east to southeast; they lived in areas near valleys and mountains without city walls. The people there had a strong sense of vengeance, so they constructed "stone nests" from stacked stones as a refuge from enemies. These "stone nests" were as tall as ten zhang, with shorter ones measuring five to six zhang, with each layer about a zhang high, separated by wood. The base was only three or four steps square, and the "stone nest" was two or three steps wide on top, resembling a pagoda. The lower level featured a small door and had stairs leading up from within, and the door had to be closed at night to prevent intruders. There were over twenty thousand households in the country, all obeying the king. The Jialiang Yi tribe followed their chieftain, with severe crimes resulting in death and minor crimes punished by a fine of a cow. The people there were quick and adept at swordplay. They used lacquered leather for armor, with bows six chi long and bamboo strings. They practiced polygamy, including marrying sisters-in-law, and if a brother died, the older brother would marry the younger brother's wife. They enjoyed singing and dancing, using drums, reed instruments, and flutes. When someone died, they had no elaborate funeral rites; the body was placed on a high platform, cleaned, dressed, covered with lacquered armor, and then draped with animal skins. The children did not cry; instead, they donned armor and danced with swords, shouting, "My father was taken by ghosts, I will avenge and kill the ghosts!" Other relatives would cry three times before stopping. Women had to cover their faces when crying. Upon someone's death, a cow was slaughtered, and relatives shared pork and alcohol, then buried the deceased. Ten years later, a grand burial ceremony was held, inviting relatives and friends, slaughtering horses, and offering sacrifices to ancestors. They wore round leather hats resembling bowls, some with face masks. Their clothing was primarily made of fur, and their shoes were made of whole cowhide boots. They wore iron chains around their necks and iron bracelets on their hands. The king and chieftain adorned themselves with gold jewelry, including a gold flower pendant about three inches in diameter on their chests. The region was elevated, featuring a cool climate, strong winds, and little rainfall. The land was well-suited for cultivating wheat and green millet. Gold and silver were extracted from the mountains, and there were numerous white pheasants. The river was home to a type of excellent fish, measuring four feet long with fine scales.
Next, we continue to learn about the customs and people of the kingdom...
In the year 608 AD, during the fourth year of the Daye reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, their king sent eight people to the court to pay their respects.
The following year, he sent his student Yilin with sixty people from Jialiangyi to pay their respects. They wanted to offer good horses, but because the road was too treacherous, they couldn't pass through, so they requested the opening of a mountain road for future tributes. Emperor Yang of Sui thought it was too much trouble, so he declined the request.
Jialiangyi has a river, approximately sixty to seventy zhang wide, and the kingdom also has a river, over one hundred zhang wide; both rivers flow south, and they used animal skins to make boats to cross the river.
To the south of the kingdom lies a region called Baoyuanyi, with customs similar to those of Jialiangyi. To the west of the kingdom is a matriarchal society. To the northeast of the kingdom is a mountain range stretching thousands of miles, extending all the way to the Dangxiang region. In the mountains, there are Qiang tribe settlements everywhere: Dazuo Feng, Xiaozuo Feng, Xiwei, Geyan, Baigou, Xiangren, Wangzu, Lintai, Chunsang, Lidou, Misang, Biyao, Daxia, Bailan, Chilimotu, Nae, Dangmi, Qubu, Sangwu, Qiandiao. These tribes all live deep in the mountains and forests, lacking prominent leaders. Their customs and habits are similar to those of the Dangxiang people; some fall under Tuyuhun's jurisdiction, and some are attached to the kingdom. During the Daye reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, these Qiang tribes all came to the court to pay their respects. The court appointed several governors in the southwest to oversee them.
Historical records say: From ancient times to the present, to open up remote areas and establish connections with border areas, it demands an enlightened and open-minded ruler, as well as ministers willing to work for the country's major affairs. Zhang Qian opened up the Western Regions, Ban Chao abandoned his pen for the sword; they either made alliances with precious treasures or used sharp swords to intimidate, risking their lives to achieve short-term gains. All of this is because the emperor advocates for the reputation of opening up the border areas, and the ministers are willing to sacrifice themselves for the country. Therefore, it is said that what those in power favor, many below will surely follow suit.
Emperor Yang of Sui imitated the monumental feats of the Qin and Han dynasties, even wanting to surpass them. Pei Ju presented the "Record of the Western Regions" to align with his ambitions. As a result, the emperor personally led a large army out of the Yumen Pass, establishing outposts in places like Yiwu and Qiemo, stretching all the way to the shifting sands. The people's complaints were relentless, and their lives were unbearable. If the northern nomadic tribes were not at war and reports of success came from the eastern tribes, Emperor Yang of Sui would definitely continue to build watchtowers at Luntai, construct fortresses at Wulei, and even seek the precious pearls of Daqin, obtaining bird eggs from Tiaozhi for transport back and forth. How could the country possibly bear such a burden?
Ancient wise emperors ruled over territories that spanned no more than five thousand miles, focusing on stabilizing the Central Plains and ignoring remote desolate lands. Could it be that their prestige could not reach the borders, their generosity could not benefit the distant lands? No, they simply did not want to burden the people and squander resources on distant lands, nor did they want to harm useful matters with useless ones. Therefore, the Qin Dynasty guarded the Five Ridges, the Han Dynasty governed the Three Borders, leading to either fields strewn with corpses or a drastic population decline. With its formidable strength, the Sui Dynasty ultimately found itself in a desperate situation in the Qinghai region. All of this was because the rulers had lost their way, causing countless people to suffer hardships.
If Emperor Yang of Sui could carefully consider the pros and cons of this matter, resolutely reject the requests of the regional commanders, recall the thousand-mile horses, and not seek tribute from the Bai wolves, then even without the victory in Liaodong, how could the tragedy at Jiangdu have happened?
