616 



MEDIAEVAL HISTORY. 



[PART V. 



quantities of copper cash wanted for adjusting the balances 

 of trade. 1 



It will not fail to be observed that throughout all 

 these historical and topographical works of the Chinese, 

 extending over a period of twelve centuries, from the 

 year A.D. 487, there is no mention whatever of cinnamon 

 as a production of Ceylon; although cassia, described under 

 the name of kwei, is mentioned as indigenous in China 

 and Cochin-China. 



Of the religion of the people, the earliest account 

 recorded by the Chinese is that of FA HIAN, in the 

 fourth century 2 , when Buddhism was signally in the as- 

 cendant. But in the century which followed, travellers 

 returning from Ceylon brought back accounts of the 

 growing power of the Tamils, and of the consequent 

 eclipse of the national worship. The Yung-teen and 

 the Tae-ping describe at that early period the prevalence 

 of Brahmanical customs, but coupled with "greater rever- 

 ence for the Buddhistical faith." 3 In process of time, 

 however, they are forced to admit the gradual decline of 

 the latter, and the attachment of the Singhalese kings to 

 the Hindu ritual, exhibiting an equal reverence for the ox 

 and for the images of Buddha. 4 



The Chinese trace to Ceylon the first foundation of 

 monasteries, and of dwelling-houses for the priests, 

 and in this they are corroborated by the Mahawanso? 

 From these pious communities, the Emperors of China 

 were accustomed from time to time to solicit tran- 

 scripts of theological works 6 , and their envoys, return- 

 ing from such missions, appear to have brought glowing 

 accounts of the Singhalese temples, the costly shrines for 



1 Suy-shoo, " History of the Suy 

 Dynasty," A.D. 633, b. Ixxxi. p. 3. 



2 Foe-koue-ki, ch. xxxviii. 



3 Tae-ping, b. dccxciii. p. 9. 



* Woo-heo-peen, " Records of the 

 Ming Dynasty," b. Ixviii. p. 4 ; Tuny- 

 nee, b. cxcvi. pp. 79, 80. 



5 Muhawanso, ch. xv. p. 99; ch. 



123. In the Itinerary of KE- 

 Travels in the Western King- 

 doms in tJie tenth Century he mentions 

 having seen a monastery of Sin<rli!i- 

 lese on the continent of India. KE- 

 NEE, Sc-ylh hing-ching, A.D. 964 

 976. 



6 Tae-ping, b. dcclxxxvii. p. 5. 



