TEXTES DIVERS ET NOTES 251 



A Chinese Mediœval Account of Western precious Stones. 



(Extrait des Mediœval Researches from Eastern Asiatic Sources, by E. Bretschneider (Loodon, 

 Tûbner aud G°, 1888, ia-S», t. I, p. 173-176). 



In the Cho keng lu, notes on différent matters, referring to the time of the 

 Mongol dynasty, written by a learned Chinese in the fourteenth century, an 

 article is found (c. vu), entitled Hui-hui shi Cou (Precious Stones of the Moham- 

 medans). This notice reads as follows. 



The precious stones in the countries of Mohammedans vary in appearance 

 and in price. Towards the end of the reign of KubilaiKhan (end of the thirteenth 

 century), one of the rich Mohammedan merchants sold a red la (balas ruby) to 

 the emperor. It weighed one liang and three ts^ien, and was estimated at 

 140.000 ting, paid in bank-notes. The emperor placed it on the top of his cap, 

 and thus it was afterwards successively transmitted from one emperor to 

 another. The emperors always put it on at the new year, on their birthdays, and 

 on other solemn occasions. The following are the precious stones X (i. e. the Chi - 

 nese author) know, and I shall give a list of them. 



1° Red stones, of which there are four kinds. 



The la. When of a pale red colour it is very beautiful. 



The bl-dje-da. The stones which are of a deep red coloar and thin are the 

 most valuable. 



The si-la-ni is of a dark red colour. 



The gu-mu-lan, has an irregular colour; it is red mixed with dark, yellow. 

 This stone is found in large pièces, and is the least valuable of the above men- 

 tioned. 



2° Green stones. The are three kinds found together in thesame mines. 



The dju-ba-bi takes the fîrst rank. It is of a deep green colour. 



The dju-mu-la, is of médium quality. 



The sa-bu-ni, which is of a pale green, belongs to a lower class. 



3" The stones called ya-hu or ya-gu. 



The red ya-gu has on the surface a white water. 



The ma sze gen-di. Without lustre. A variegated stone. This stone and the red 

 ya-gu are dug from the same mines. 



There are three kinds of blue ya-gu, viz. : First quality, of a deep blue colour. 



The ni-lan, médium quality, of a pale blue colour. 



