1 BOOK IV

(O Manuscrito de Lisboa da "Suma Oriental" de Tomé Pires,

NOTES

The numeration of these notes specifically refer to the section of Tomé Pires' original text selected in Rui Loureiro's edited text in "Revista de Cultura" (Portuguese edition), Macau, 31 (2) Abril-Junho [April-June] 1997, pp.24-25.

The prevailing numeration of these notes is indicated between curly brackets 《{}》 and is cross-referenced to Armando Cortesão's English translation [AC] of Tomé Pires' original text, indicated immediately after, in between flat brackets《[]》.

The contents of these notes have been transferred in their entirety exactly as they appear in Armando Cortesão's English translation [AC] of Tomé Pires' text, and do not follow the standardized formatting of the "Review of Culture".

Whenever followed by a superciliary asterix 《*》, these notes' bibliographic references are alphabetically repertoried according to their author's name in this issue's SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY following the standardized formatting of the "Review of Culture".

{1} [AC, p.116, n.1] Prof. A. C. Moule pointed out to me how this modern assumption of Western superiority is an interesting contrast to the medieval wonder at the superiority of the East.

{2} [AC, p.116, n.2] This is the earliest known European description of the chopsticks. 'A very good description too', comments Prof. Moule. Hobson-Jobson,* s. v. Chopsticks, has nothing earlier than Fr. Mendes Pinto's description, c.1540. Barbosa* (II, 213) also refers to chopsticks; Pires account is better, however, perhaps because he had actually seen Chinese eating in Malacca.

{3} [AC, p.117, n.1] Cambara or Peqim-- Peking. The Cambalu · or Cambaluc ·of Marco Polo, and Cambalech ·of other medieval writers. Though several cities had stood on or near the site of Peking, this names was first used in 1403 by the Ming emperor Chêng Tsu· (better known by his reign-title Yung-Lo), · who moved his court thither in 1420. Peking, of course, means, 'northern capital'. It seems likely that Tomé Pires was the first European to call it by that name. It must be said, however, that the Comentários* (111, xxx) compiled from documents contemporary with Pires, also refers to Pequim ·as the city where the king of China was. In their two long letters of 1524, Cristovão Vieira and Vasco Calvo often refer to Pequim. The survival at that date of Cambara (Marco Polo's Cambalu) is of considerable interest. It might suggest that Pires knew of Marco Polo's Book, though Cambara and Cambalu are so different in spelling, and he does not mention the famous Venetian traveller anywhere in the Suma. More remarkable still is the identification of Cambara with Peking. Nearly a hundred years later Ricci reckoned as a discovery 'il Cataio esser la Cina e la corte del re del Cataio esser Pachino.' Opere storiche,* vol. I, p.546. On the probable representation of Peking on Rodrigues's map (fol. 40), see p.523.

{4} [AC, p.118, n.1] Garo, which further on is spelt garuu --The Malay garu or gaharu, for the calambac, eagle wood or aloes. Orta says that the Malays call the inferior quality garro, and the very fine one calambac. 'Valentyn pronounces the gahru to be an inferior species... and different from the genuine kalambak.' Marsden, History of Sumatra,* p. 160. Gaharu--from the Skt. garu, 'heavy' -- is a word of trade and indicates the fragant heavy wood. Burkill,* pp. 198-199, 202. Dr. Lionel Giles informs me that the Chinese name for garo is ch'ênhsiang, · 'sinking incense', so-called because it is heavier than water.

{5} [AC, p.118, n.2] Perhaps the birds of paradise from Aru and New Guinea, and the brilliant-coloured parrots from the Moluccas, which were brought to Malacca as referred to by Pires further on. The Chinese also imported the hornbill and used the bill for various arved ornaments. Cf. Moule, Some Foreign Birds and Beasts in Chinese Books,* p.259.

{6} [AC, p.119, n.1] All this information is, of course, incorrect.

{7} [AC, p.119, n.2] There has been some discussion about the Chamcheo or Chincheo· of the Portuguese, which has been identified with Marco Polo's Zayton, · the magnifico porto de Zayton of Fra Mauro's map (1459), corresponding either to Ch'uan-chou· or Chang-chou, · or to both, in the province of Fukien. · T'ien-tse Chang· asserts that by the name of Chinche ·'the Portuguese evidently meant to include both the prefectures of Ch'üanchow and Changchow'.· Sino-Portuguese Trade from 1514 to 1644,* pp.70-85. Other authorities, however, are not so sure that the Chincheo of the Portuguese corresponds to any other place than Chang-chou; cf. Paul Pelliot, Un ouvrage sur les premiers temps de Macao,* pp.66, 92, where he analyses Chang's book. Prof. Moule tells me that 'Zayton or Zaitun · was certainly Ch'uan-chou, not Chang-chou; but that does not prevent Chamcheo being Chang-chou. One would think that originally Chamcheo was Changcheo·, and that Chincheo was Ch'uan-chou; but they were naturally and immediately confused. For the Chinese at a rather earlier date, Ch'uan-chou was the port for foreign trade.' Yule had already remarked that on 'the old maps of the seventeenth century [...] Chincheo is really Changchau.'· Marco Polo,* II, 239. It may be added that sixteenth century Portuguese maps, such as Homem's of 1554, Dourado's of 1568-1580, and others, show clearly that Chincheo is Chang-chou, situated at the inner end of a bay dotted with several islands. The spelling of Pires Chamcheo rather suggests Chang-chou. The map of c. 1540 is the first on which I find C. de chimcheo"Mercator's globe of 1541, reproducing an earlier Portuguese map, has also C do chimcheo. Later maps have chimcheo or o chimcheo inscribed at the end of the bay.

{8} [AC, p.120. n.1] The Catalan map of 1375-1381 is the earliest to represent Hainan Island which is called caynam, · from Marco Polo's Cheynam. · The Cantino map has an ylha ana · at the end of what may correspond to Polo's gulf of Cheynan, · bounded on one side by Amu (which in some texts is Ania); but neither Ana nor Amu can be Hainan· One of Rodrigues' maps (fol.38) shows the Gulf of Tong-King, · with Hainan duly placed to the east of the entrance to the Gulf; on Lei chou• peninsula is written rnam llimom. rnam stands for Hainan. Ilimon must correspond to King-Men· or Lin-mū ·(Cantonese pronounciation) which means 'Gate of the mountain range', the name of a town in Hainan. In a Lexique geographique des noms de lieux du Lei-K'ioung Tao,* published by Cl. Mandrolle, we find 'Ling-Mên· --Porte de la montagne. Ling-Moun• (Cantonais); Neing-Moun (local). Bourg dans la region montagneuse de Hain-nan, · district de Ting-an, · hein.' Hai-nan et la côte continentale voisine. p.113. Lei-K'ioung Tao, · or Lei ch'iung Tao. · is the circuit (tao)• comprising the departments (fu) · of Lei chou, · i. e., the peninsula of Kuangtung· opposite to Hainan, and Ch'iung chou, · the northern part of Hainan itself. Lei chou and Ch'iung chou were so called throughout the Ming• and Ch'ing· dynasties. Ting-an• is a district (hsien) ·south of Ch'iung chou city, apparently on the western slopes of Ch'iung· mountain. Ribeiro's maps of 1527 and 1529 have C. daytam-- an obvious mistranscription from some earlier Portuguese map -- written on a peninsula corresponding to Hainan Island, which appears as a prolongation of Lei chou peninsula. The same happens on the c. 1540 map, which has Y. daniã, and near it J. tinhosa (Scurfy). The Gulf of Tong-King· is fairly well drawn on this map, much better than on later sixteenth century maps. L. Homem's map of 1554, D. Homem's atlas of 1558, and Luís' atlas of 1563 represent Hainan as a separate island, but without name; however, they still have J. tinhosa. Two ridges united by a sandy isthmus form the island still called Tinhosa or Tai chau, · separated from the east coast of Hainan by a three mile wide channel. Tinhosa, which afforded good shelter and supplies of water, firewood and fish, was almost an obligatory port of call for the ships sailing to and from Canton or any port further north. This still applies today, in some degree. Cf. China Sea Pilot,* III(1923 ed.).

{9} [AC, p.120, n.2] This is the earliest document known in which Canton, the modern form of the name of the great city in southern China, occurs. It had been mentioned as Hânfû• (probably = Chinese Kuang fu,• i. e., Kuang [chou] fu)· by Sulayman, and Sín-ul-Sín· by Idrisi, in the twelfth century, and as Sinkalán · by Ibn Batuta, and Censcalan ·(Chinkalan)· by Friar Odoric, in the fourteenth century. One of Rodrigues' maps (fol.40) represents the Canton River. See note on Pulo Tumon, · p.121. The first maps to record the name of Cantam ·are, however, those of Ribeiro of 1527 and 1529. It was thought until recently that the voyage of Jorge Álvares in a junk to the Canton River, the first Portuguese visit to China, was in 1514. There are, however, several documents showing categorically that Alvares voyage took place in 1513. Pires also confirms the year of this voyage when, writing before or at the beginning of 1514, he mentions China as one of the 'places where our junks and ships have been' (p.283).

{10} [AC, p.121, n.1]Nantoo, or Nantó, ·as is called by other early Portuguese writers, is Nan-t'ou or Nam-t'au· (Cantonese pronounciation), 'an important town in the San On [Hsin-an] District, just outside the present British boundary.' J. M. Braga, The 'Tamao' of the Portuguese Pioneers, pp.428,429. By San On, Braga means the District of Hsin-an which was anciently, and is now, called Pao-an. · Nan-t'ou is either (a) the District of Pao-an, or (b) the military post 'in the Pao -an Distric'. See next note.

{11} [AC, p.121, n.2]Pulo Tumon, Timon, · Tamon, · and Tamão, ·or Ilha da Veniaga • (Island of Trade), of the early Portuguese writers, was for long identified with Sanchuan· Island, but so unsatisfactorily that the problem has always provoked a good deal of controversy. J. M. Braga showed more recently that Pulo Tumon is Lin Tin· Island, which lies about the middle of Chukiang, · the Canton, or the Pearl River entrance, nearer to the north bank. It seems likely that the Tumon or Tamão of the Portuguese corresponds to T'un-mên ·or Tuen Moon O, ·an old Chinese name for the anchorage off Lin Tin Island, the pronunciation of which in Cantonese has a sound similar to the Portuguese version. 'This would be the name given to the entire anchorage, and the Portuguese could very easily have applied the name of the anchorage to the island off which they anchored.' The 'Tamão' of the Portuguese, p.431. Prof. Moule tells me, however, that 'A recent and on the whole reliable Geographical Dictionary (Ku chin ti ming ta tz'ǔ tien) ·gives Nan-t'ou as a name of the district city of Pao-an on the mainland. T'un-mên (also called Pei-tu)· is the name of an island south of Pao-an; and there was a military post called formerly T'un-mên, but in the Ming dynasty Nan-t'ou, which was at the anchorage or harbour southeast of Pao-an. So the text seems to be correct in calling Tumon an island, and it is more likely that the harbour was named after the island than vice versa. The 'Lord of Namtou' may be the magistrate of Pao-an (=Nan-t'ou), or the commander of the garrison at Nan-t'ou military post.' Further on Pires says that Tumon is 20 or 30 leagues distant from Canton (Correia and Castanheda say 18 leagues): Lin Tin Island is really about 65 miles or 20 leagues from Canton by river. Pires says also that Tumon lies one league (3.2 miles) from Nan-t'ou on the mainland. The shortest distance between Lin Tin and Nan-t'ou Peninsula is about five miles. Castanheda, Barros, and Góis say that Tamão or Tumon was three leagues from the mainland. but as the anchorage was on the western side of the island and Nan-t'ou is eastwards, Pires' information is not so far out as it seems at first sight. Rodrigues' map (fol. 40) is the first to show this island, but bearing only the inscription: 'off this island anchor the junks of China', meaning the junks which went from Malacca to the Canton River. It is situated nearer the north bank of a large river, which has written at its mouth: 'The mouth of the strait of China'. I do not know of any map with the name Tumon, or the like, though Ilhas da veniaga and Ilhas de Cantam, which include Tumon, appear for the first time in L. Homem's map of 1554. Pires' information shows that before being the anchorage of the Portuguese ships, Tumon was already the anchorage of the ships from Malacca; in this he is confirmed by Rodrigues' map.

{12} [AC, p.122, n.2] Hi Taão, i. e., the Hai Tao, · an officer charged with coast defence. Chang (p.54) says that he was the commander of the fleet at Canton. It seems that Pires mixed up the information he obtained.

{13} [AC, p.123, n.1] Perhaps some of the islands forming or adjoining the Lantau· Channel, such as Chung-chou, · which lies about four and a half miles south of Lin Tin, towards the sea.

{14} [AC, p.124, n.1] Piquo or pico, picoll or picul, is the Malay and Javanese pikul, 'a man's load', for the Chinese weight of 100 catties, equal to 1331/31b. or about 60 kg.

{15} [AC, p.124, n.2] The value of the maz was variable in the different far-eastern countries. Maz or 'mace was adopted in the language of European traders in China to denominate the tenth part of the Chinese liang or tael of silver.' Hobson-Jobson, * s. v. See note p.145. These weights are given correctly by Pires. Catty is the Malay kati, tael the Hindi tola (through the Portuguese), mace the Hindi masha, and pon the Chinese fên (also called candareen, from the Malay Kondrin).

{16} [AC, p.125, n.1] Xaas, sash or shash, from the Arab shāsh, muslin -- 'A band of a fine material worn twisted around the head as a turban by Orientals.' Oxford English Dictionary,* s. v. Sash. Prof. Moule tells me, however, that the Chinese sha ·'gauze' is at least as old as the Han• dynasty (206BC-AD200). The s of xaas in Pires' version is probably a plural. Is there any connexion between the Arabic shash and the Chinese sha? Apparently no; but xaas (if s is plural) may be simply Chinese.

{17} [AC, p.126, n. l] XAMCY and Çancy both seem to represent the province of Shensi, · the characters for which are pronounced Shansi. In English it is written Shensi for the province in north-west China, simply in order to distinguish it from Shansi, · the province in north China, separated by the Yellow River where it flows north-south. Prof. Moule tells me that this is derived from the early Missionaries -- Portuguese (?) and certainly French --to whom Chen and Chan provide a convenient distinction without seriously distorting the sound. XÃNBU may well be Si-an-fu, • capital of Shensi, the Kenjanfu • of Marco Polo (II, xli), who emphasises its importance as 'a city of great trade and industry.' Several writers refer to the musk of China as coming from regions neighbouring on Shensi, such as Szechwan province and from Tibet. See: Yule, Marco Polo, * I, 279, II, 35, 49; Cathay, I, 246, 316, etc.

{18} [AC, p.126, n.2] Crooke mentions a reference, in a Madras list of 1684, to 'gold flowered loes', which is supposed to be a 'name invented for the occasion to describe some silk stuff brought from the Liu Kiu ·Islands,' Hobson-Jobson, p.514. But no doubts the word really existed, as the pronounciation of loes in English and loos in Portuguese has the same value. The Chinese lo• means 'coarse silk'. The s of Pires' loos may be the Portuguese plural, the same as with xaas. Dr. Lionel Giles suggests that the word loos might be derived from the Chinese lo• meaning a thin kind of silk.

{19} [AC, p. 126, n.3] Da~~mqm or de Amquem might suggest Marco Polo's Unken -- or Vnquem as it appears in the first Portuguese Marco Paulo (Lisbon, 1502). Unken however, has not been identified with any similar Chinese name, so the chance likeness of Anquem does not seem to have much significance. This part of the Chinese coast is called 'costa de ucheu' on Homem's map of 1554. See note on Foqem, · pp. 129-130.

{20} [AC, p. 127, n.1] Oquem corresponds to Foquem, · or Fukien. Prof. Moule tells me that the local sound of Fu is Hok with an h which might easily be dropped, as the h of Hainan was dropped. The Italian traveller Francesco Carletti brought home in 1603 a Chinese Atlas in which Fukien was transcribed by him as Ochiam. · Cf. Moule, A Note on the Chinese Atlas in the Magliabecchian Library, * p.393.

{21} [AC, p.127, n.2] Que se chama or se chama, as it appears in the manuscript, means 'which is called'. It is possible that Pires wrote some word or words corresponding to the Chinese name for a city in Tartary, which the transcriber transformed into se chama.

{22} [AC, p. 128, n. l] Who are these Guores? In this case thy could hardly be the Lequeos. Prof. Moule wonders whether they are not the Mongols (Moguors).

NOTES

Numeration without punctuation marks follow that in Tome Pires' original text selected in Rui Loureiro's edited text in "Revista de Cultura" (Portuguese edition), Macau, 31 (2) Abril-Junho [April-June] 1997, pp.24-25.

The spelling of Rui Loureiro's edited text [Port.] is indicated between quotation marks and in italics 《" "》-- unless the spelling of the original Portuguese text is indicated -- followed by the spelling of Armando Cortesão's English translation [AC], indicated immediately after, between quotation marks within parentheses 《(" ")》.

1 Tomé Pires merely repeats foreign reports gathered from Malay and Chinese traders and maybe from Jorge Álvares, who was the first Portuguese to explore the coast of the province of Guangdong, · in 1513.

2 "[...] haverem-se em nosso Portugal, [...]" (lit.: '[to be] had in Portugal [...]' or "[...] as true of our Portugal [...]"), is substituted in the Lisbon manuscript by "[...] haverem-se na Europa [...]" ('[to be] had in Europe [...]').

3 The author expressed his amazement for the fame of the kingdom of China's greatness among the peoples of southeast Asia.

4 "gentio" (lit.: "heaten"): neither a Catholic, nor a Muslim or a Hebrew.

5 The Emperor of China was that time was Zhengde· (r. 1506-+1521).

6 The "alvura"("white") of the Chinese -- an analogic trait -- is mentioned repeteadly in the first Portuguese texts about China.

7 After"[...], como peneiras pretas do nosso Portugal, "("[...] the black sieves we have in Portugal."), the Lisbon manuscript adds "[...]e panos de cores [...]" ('[...] and coloured fabrics [...]').

8 "[...] todas [as] outras alimárias. " (lit.: '[...] all sorts of animals [...]' or "[...] and other animals."), is substituted in the Lisbon manuscript by "[...] todas [as] outras maneira de aves." ('[...] all sorts of game.').

9 Probably making reference to 'tea'.

10 "Comem com dois paus [...]" ("They eat with two sticks [...]"): the first reference in Portuguese literature to 'pauzinhos' ('chopsticks').

11 "altamia" ("earthenware"): a small alguidar (vessel) in glazed clay.

"porcelana" ("china bowl"): meaning in this context, an alguidar (vessel). For a period of time the word being employed with the double meaning of a recipiente (container) or its raw material.

12 "alvaiade" ("ceruse") and "arrebique" ("paint"): cosmetics.

13 "abano[s]" ("fan[s]"): the same as leque (fan). This last Portuguese word derives from the expression "[...]abanos léquios[...]" ("[...]fans from the Léquias ·Islands[...]"), meaning, fans made in the Liuqiu· Islands, which have been identified as the Ryukyu· ("Liú Kiú") Archipelago.

14 "Cabara" [original Port.] ("Cambara" or "Cambarra")·: a note in the margin of the Paris manuscript alongside this section of the main text mentions here "[...] a qual se chama Pequim•" [sic] ('[...] which is called Beijing.') is probably a mistake from the copyist, as the author did not seem to trave known the description of Cathay made by the famous Venezian traveler.

15 "Champa" ("Champa"): an ancient coastal kingdom situated in eastern Indochina, and partially occupied by present Vietnam.

16 The author's text effectively report on all these regions.

17 "Pacém" ("Pase"): an ancient sultanate situated in the north of Sumatra Island (presently Sumatera).

18 The author makes a brief reference to the tributary system which controlled the China's contemporary foreign affairs policy. The "[...] selo da China [...] " (" [...] seal of China [...]") related by the author to be in possession of the tributary kingdoms, symbolically confirms the formal subordination of these kingdoms to Beijing [Imperial government].

19 "garo" [original Port.] ("garo"): the same as 'agalloch' or 'eaglewood', the fragant wood of the Aquiluria agallocha, used both as insense and organic stimulant.

20 "pássaro/[s]" ("bird[s]"): the famous 'aves do paraíso' ('birds of paradise') or manucodiates, of colourful plummage, native from the easternmost islands of Indonesia.

21 "government" ("mandarin"): high ranking Chinese government official. The author probably was the first contemporary Portuguese chronicler to use this word of Sanscrit origin.

22 The author collates here informations which he gathered in Malacca -- which I [Rui Loureiro] feel to be quite reliable -- with information he would have most probably acquired from reading, but it is not possible to indicate exact literary sources.

23 "Quantom" [original Port.] or 'Canton' [Port] ("Canton") = Guangzhou ·[Chin.]. It is interesting to note that the toponym used by the author closely reproduces the phonetic of the Chinese word 'Guangdong'· which stands for the name of the province, the city of 'Cantão' ('Canton') being spelled 'Guangzhou'.

24 Contrary to what the author states the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) had a hereditary succession. Once again the author provides information based on somewhat untrue reports. Could it be a 'resonance' of the election practises of the Mongols? This section instantly reminds one of the passage in Luís de Camões Lusíadas (The Lusiads) where the author mentions the king of China being elected (Canto X-130)

Editor's addendum: (CAMOENS) CAMÕES, Luis Vaz de, ATKINSON, William C., The Lusiads, * London, Penguin Books, 1952, p.244- "The emperor of China is not born a prince, nor does the office descend from father to son: he is elected by the people for his oustanding wisdom, virtue, and nobility."

25 The author makes reference to the heavy penalties that China imposed to all kinds of external trade, except that precluded in the context of the tributary embassies.

26 "Cauchi" ("Cauchy"): meaning in this context, 'Cochinchina' ('Cochin-China').

27 "aljôfar" ("seed-pearls"): meaning, 'pérola miúda' (lit.: 'small pearls').

28 "Chancheu" [Port.] ("Chang-chou (Chamcheo)") = Zhangzhou· [Chin.]: meaning in this context, the coastal city of this name, in Fujian· province.

29 "luções" [singular: 'lução'] ("Luções"): natives of the Luzon Islands, later [generically] called the Philippines. The author made the acquaintance of merchants from these islands in Malacca (presently Melaka).

30 "Nantó" [Port.] ("Nan-t'or (Nantoo)") = Nantou· [Chin.]: a village situated opposite Lingding· Island, in the southern side of the Zhujian· (Pearl River) estuary.

31 "Pulo Tumom"· [original Port.] or' Tamão' [Port.] ("Pulo Tumon") = Tunmen · [Chin.]: identified by some as the 'ilha da Veniaga' (lit.: 'island of Trade'), an island along the coast of Guangdong province. The word 'Tamão' derives from the Malay homonym word meaning, 'a trading activity'.

32 "hitaão"· [original Port.] or 'aitão '·[Port.] ("Hi Taão") = haidao· [Chin.]: the commander of a Chinese province's coastal defense forces with powers of jurisdiction upon foreigners.

Most probably the author intended to mention the "tutão" [Port.] = dutang · [Chin.]: the Viceroy or governor general of a Chinese province.

33 In reality, the public appointments had a duration of three years.

34 This passage evokes the debates of the Portuguese of Malacca to whom the author might have given assistance regarding the eventual possibilities of controlling the Chinese coast.

35 The first Portuguese obviously underestimated the military power of the Middle Kingdom, equivocally insisting on the matter of fact that the Chinese were a weak people. This negative criticism which can also be found in other contemporary texts by Portuguese chroniclers seems to contradict the undisputable fact that several kinds of renowed martial arts originate in China.

36 "Burnei" ("Borneo (Burney)"): contemporarily applicable to both Brunei -- the sultanate in the north of the Island of Borneo -- or to the whole island the as such.

37 "cacho" ("catechu"): a the pale yellow gum of the Acacia catechu, used in the composition of 'betel', a chewing mixture of pounced areca-nuts, lime, oyster powder and other aromatic substances roled in a betel leaf, with stimulating and astrigent properties much appreciated in the Far East. "pucho" ("pachak"): the aromatic root of the Saussurea lapa, used as insense.

38 "alaqueca " ("carnelian"): a precious stone also known as 'cornalina' ('cornelians'), which was believed to have the property of containing blood hemorrages.

39 "Hucham" [Port.] ("Hucham") = Laowanshan· [Chin.] Islands. Possibly meaning in this context, a group of islands later known as 'Ladrões' (lit.:' Robbers') or 'Marianas' ('Marianas').

40 The expression "O nosso porto [...]" ("Our port [...]") reveals that the author was writing after the first Portuguese sea voyage to China of 1513.

41 In every Chinese port custom taxes were paid according to the estimated [cargo] volume of the vessel.

42 "cate" ("catties" [singular: 'catty'): a measure of weight current in Malacca which varied between six hundred grams and one kilogram.

"pico" [original Port.]("piquo[s]" or "picoll"): an Oriental (Malay and Javanese) and Chinese measure of weight of approximately sixty kilograms.

"tael" ("tael[s]"): a measure of weight of approximately forty grams.

"maz" ("maze[s]"): a measure of weight of approximate twenty five decigrams.

"pom" [original Port.]("pon"): a practically insignificant measure of weight.

"baar" [original Port.] ("bahar"): a measure of which weight could vary between one-hundred and forty and three-hundred and thirty kilograms. Measures of weight varied greatly from region to region in the Orient sometimes in a trading port the same measure of weight varied according to the kind of produce being traded.

43 "caixa" [original Port.]("cash"): a coin of very low value with a hole in the centre which enabled them to be strung in bundles.

"fuseleira " ("fuseleira"): an alloy of tin and copper of which the cash coins were made.

"ceitis" [singular: 'ceitil'] ("ceitis" ): a low value Portuguese coin.

44 "xabandar" ("Xabandar"): meaning in this context, the representative or head of a foreign community. For instance, there were several Xabandars in Malacca, each being in charge of a nation's merchants.

A word of Persian origin contemporarily used in the East, more commonly meaning the harbour captain.

45 "despeitam " ("[...] greatly overtax [...]"): meaning, 'exigem peitas' (impose 'duty').

46 This paragraph/section indicated between curly brackets {}, solely found in the Lisbon manuscript, is found in Armando Cortesão's translation after note {17}.

47 "Pegu" ("Pegu"): ancient kingdom situated in Western Indochina partially occupying the contemporary territory of Burma (presently Myanmar).

48 "abarute" ("abarute"): a non identified merchandise.

49 "Ruibarbo" ("rhubarb"): a rhizomatous plant (Rheum officinale) with extensive medicinal use, frequently ingested as a purgative in the past.

50 "Xanci"· ("Xamcy") = Shaanxi· [Chin.]: probably meaning in this context, this Chinese province.

51 "Xambu" ("Xanhu") = Xi'an · [Chin.]: probably meaning in this context, this city-capital of Shaanxi province.

52 "almíscar" ("musk"): a strongly odouriferous substance segregated in the preputial follicles of the musk-deer (Moschus moschiferus), a common ruminant native of Tibet.

53 "Xás" [original Port.] ("xaas") and "16s" [original Port.] ("loos"): two types of silk textiles.

54 "Anquém"[original Port.]("A~~mqm") = Nanchang· [Chin.]: possibly meaning in this context, this city in Jiangxi· province.

55 "Oquém" [original Port.] or 'Macao' [Port.] ("Oquem") = Aomen · [Chin.]: in this context, conjectured to be this Portuguese settlement. If this is so, then the author was the first Portuguese chronicler to ever mention the settlement.

55A Editor's addendum: The Portuguese frequently made use of "bombardeiro[s]" ("bombardier[s]") from northern Europe.

56 "Quesechama" ("Quesechama") is an obvious transcription error of the copyist who mistook the expression 'que se chama' ('which is called') for the name of the mentioned city.

56A Editor's addendum: "gores" [original Port.] ("Guores"): possibly meaning in this context, the Moguors (or Mongols) or the Koreans.

57 The Portuguese knowledge of the geography of Inner Asia was still rudimentary at that time. The author shows having the vague notion that China borders Russia when he suggests the possibility of a land route to Europe via northern regions, although he grossly underestimates the distance between East and the West.