A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 62
The City of Quinsay described.
Quinsay was formerly the Regal City of China, situated abuut the heart of the Country, and yet not far from the Sea: In it were to bee found so many delights, that it seemed an earthly Paradise: It was one hundred miles in compasse, for the streets, and channels thereof were very wide, and the Market-places very large. It had on the one side, a clear lake of fresh water, and on the other, a great River, which entring into many places of the City carryed away all the filth, and occasioned a good air. There were store both of Carts, and Barks to carry necessaries. It had in it twelve thousand Bridges, great and small; those on the chiefest Channels being so high, that ships might passe under them. On the other side of the City was a great Trench forty miles long, large, and full of water from the River, which served both to receive the overflowings of the River, and as a fence to that side of the City, the earth, that was taken out, being laid as a bank, or hill on the inside. There are ten chief Market-places (besides infinite others along the streets) all of them square, the square being half a mile on each side, and from the fore part of them runs a principal street forty paces wide, reaching from one end of the City to the other, with many Bridges traversing of it; and at the end of every four miles is such a Market-place. There is also a large channel running over against the street behinde the Market-places, on the banks whereof are erected store-houses of stone, where Merchants out of all Countries laid up their Commodities, being commodious to the Markets. In each of the Market-places three dayes in a week was a concourse of forty, or fifty thousand persons which brought in whatsoever was requisite for the life of man, besides beasts, and fowls of game. Then followed the Butchers rows of Beef, Veal, Kid, and Lamb: Besides there were all sorts of Herbs; and fruits, and amongst them huge Pears weighing ten pound a peece, and very fragrant: Peaches yellow, and white, very delicate. Every day from the Ocean, which is but five and twenty miles off, is brought up abundance of fish, besides what the Lake and River yeeld. All the Market-places are encompassed with high and fair houses, and underneath are shops of Artificers, and all sorts of Merchandises, Spices, Jewels, Pearls, Rice-wine, &c. Many streets answer one another in those Market-places, wherein are many Bathes, both of cold, and hot waters, and people wash every day before they eat any thing. At the end of each Market-place is a Palace where Magistrates determine all controversies which happen amongst Merchants and others.
There are twelve Principal trades, each of which have one thousand shops, and yee shall see in every shop ten, twenty, thirty, or forty men at work under one Master. The Masters themselves work not, but stand richly apparreled, and their wives with Jewels inestimable: their houses are well ordered, and richly adorned with Pictures, and other stupendious costs.
About the Lake are many fair buildings, and great Palaces of the Nobles, and chief men; and Temples of their Idols, and Monasteries of many Monks. In the middest of the Lake are two Islands, upon each of which is a Palace with incredible numbers of rooms, whither they resort upon occasions of marriages, or other feasts, where are provisions of Vessels, Nappery, and other things, kept in common for such purposes. In the Lake also are Boats and Barges, for pleasure, adorned with fair seats, and Tables, and other provision for banquets, covered over head: within they are neatly painted, and have windows to open, and shut at pleasure. Nor can any thing in the World seem more pleasant, than from the Lake to have such a prospect, the City so fully presenting it self to the eye, with so many Temples, Monasterys, Palaces, Gardens with high trees, Barges, People, &c. For their manner is to work one part of the day, and the other part to spend in solace with their friends, or with women on the Lake, or in riding in Chariots up and down the City. All the streets are paved with stone, as are all the high wayes in China: The principal street of Quinsay is paved ten paces on each side, and in the midst it's well gravelled with passages for the water, which keeps it alwayes clean: There are also multitudes of Chariots, accommodated with cloathes, and cushions of Silk, for six persons in each of them; and in them the inhabitants solace themselves in the streets, or go to Gardens provided on purpose for their pleasure. This City contains about sixteen hundred thousand housholds, and together with the Country adjoyning, yeelded to the King sixteen millions, and eight hundred thousand Ducats of gold yearly, besides six millions, and four hundred thousand Ducats for the customes of salt. Pur. Pil. v. 3. p. 98.