On That River There Are Rocky
Hillocks In Many Places, On Which Idol Temples, With Monasteries For The
Priests Are Built, And In All The Course Of The River We Find Cultivated
Vallies And Habitations Innumerable.
Cayn-gui is a small city on the same river to the south, eastwards of
Sin-gui, where every year great quantities of corn and rice are brought,
which is carried for the most part to Cambalu.
For from the Quiam or
Kian-ku river, they pass to that city by means of lakes and rivers, and by
one large canal, which the great khan caused to be made for a passage from
one river to another; so that vessels go all the way from Mangi or Southern
China to Cambalu, without ever being obliged to put to sea. This great work
is beautiful and wonderful for its size and vast extent, and is of infinite
profit to the cities and provinces of the empire. The khan likewise caused
great causeways to be constructed along the banks of this prodigious canal,
for the conveniency of travelling by land, and for towing the vessels. In
the middle of the great river there is a rocky island, with a great temple
and monastery for the idolatrous priests.
Cin-ghian-fu [16] is a city of the province of Mangi, which is rich in
merchandize, and plentiful in game and provisions of all kinds. In 1274,
the great khan sent Marsachis, a Nestorian Christian to govern this city,
who built here two Christian churches.
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