Введение
В конце I века китайский военный посол, китайский посол Ган Ин (; фл. 90-е годы н.э.) был китайским дипломатом, исследователем и военным чиновником, отправленным в 97 году н.э. китайским военачальником Бан Чао в Римскую империю с целью получения более подробной информации о ней. Ган Ин не достиг Рима, дойдя лишь до "западного моря", которое могло относиться к восточному побережью Средиземного моря, Чёрного моря или парфянскому побережью Персидского залива. Оттуда можно было за несколько недель проследовать по Евфрату на север к римской границе в Сирии, но он этого не знал и вместо этого планировал обогнуть Аравию и добраться до римского Египта, что заняло бы три месяца. Удручённый рассказами местных моряков о неблагоприятной погоде, он отказался от дальнейшего путешествия и вернулся домой, а затем вернулся вновь. Предыдущие поколения не достигали этих земель. В "Шаньцзине" нет никаких подробностей о них. Несомненно, он подготовил доклад об их обычаях и изучил их ценные и необычные [товары]". "В девятый год правления Юньюань [97 г. н.э.], во время правления императора Хэ, генерал-протектор Бан Чао отправил Ган Иня в Да Цинь (大秦) [Римскую империю]. Он достиг Тиаочжи (条支) (Хараксена) и Сибина (斯宾) (Сузианы?) у берегов большого моря. Он намеревался пересечь его, но моряки с западной границы Аньси (安息) [Парфии] сказали ему:
the Chinese ambassador
Gan Ying (; fl. 90s CE) was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and military official who was sent on a mission to the Roman Empire to find out more about it in 97 CE by the Chinese military general Ban Chao. Gan Ying did not reach Rome, only traveling to as far as the "western sea" which could refer to either the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, or the Parthian coast of the Persian Gulf. From there they could have followed the Euphrates north to the Roman border in Syria in a few weeks, but they did not know this and instead they planned to sail around Arabia to Roman Egypt, which would have taken 3 months. Becoming discouraged by local sailors' stories of bad weather, they gave up and went home. and then returned. Former generations never reached these regions. The Shanjing gives no details on them. Undoubtedly he prepared a report on their customs and investigated their precious and unusual [products]." "In the ninth Yongyuan year [97 CE], during the reign of the Emperor He, Protector General Ban Chao sent Gan Ying to Da Qin (大秦) [the Roman Empire]. He reached Tiaozhi (条支) (Characene) and Sibin (斯宾) (Susiana?) next to a large sea. He wanted to cross it, but the sailors of the western frontier of Anxi (安息) [Parthia] said to him:
"The ocean is huge. Those making the round trip can do it in three months if the winds are favourable. However, if you encounter winds that delay you, it can take two years. That is why all the men who go by sea take stores for three years. The vast ocean urges men to think of their country, and get homesick, and some of them die." When [Gan] Ying heard this, he discontinued (his trip). The Hou Hanshu also recorded:
"[Roman] territory extends for several thousands of li. It has more than four hundred walled towns. There are several tens of smaller dependent kingdoms. The walls of the towns are made of stone. They have established postal relays at intervals, which are all plastered and whitewashed. There are pines and cypresses, as well as trees and plants of all kinds."
"Океан огромен. Те, кто совершает кругосветное плавание, могут сделать это за три месяца при попутном ветре. Однако, если вас настигнут задерживающие ветры, это может занять два года. Поэтому все, кто отправляется в море, берут с собой запасы на три года. Бескрайний океан заставляет людей тосковать по родине и умирать от тоски". Услышав это, [Ган] Ин прекратил (свою поездку). В "Хоу Ханьшу" также записано:
the Chinese ambassador
Gan Ying (; fl. 90s CE) was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and military official who was sent on a mission to the Roman Empire to find out more about it in 97 CE by the Chinese military general Ban Chao. Gan Ying did not reach Rome, only traveling to as far as the "western sea" which could refer to either the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, or the Parthian coast of the Persian Gulf. From there they could have followed the Euphrates north to the Roman border in Syria in a few weeks, but they did not know this and instead they planned to sail around Arabia to Roman Egypt, which would have taken 3 months. Becoming discouraged by local sailors' stories of bad weather, they gave up and went home. and then returned. Former generations never reached these regions. The Shanjing gives no details on them. Undoubtedly he prepared a report on their customs and investigated their precious and unusual [products]." "In the ninth Yongyuan year [97 CE], during the reign of the Emperor He, Protector General Ban Chao sent Gan Ying to Da Qin (大秦) [the Roman Empire]. He reached Tiaozhi (条支) (Characene) and Sibin (斯宾) (Susiana?) next to a large sea. He wanted to cross it, but the sailors of the western frontier of Anxi (安息) [Parthia] said to him:
"The ocean is huge. Those making the round trip can do it in three months if the winds are favourable. However, if you encounter winds that delay you, it can take two years. That is why all the men who go by sea take stores for three years. The vast ocean urges men to think of their country, and get homesick, and some of them die." When [Gan] Ying heard this, he discontinued (his trip). The Hou Hanshu also recorded:
"[Roman] territory extends for several thousands of li. It has more than four hundred walled towns. There are several tens of smaller dependent kingdoms. The walls of the towns are made of stone. They have established postal relays at intervals, which are all plastered and whitewashed. There are pines and cypresses, as well as trees and plants of all kinds."
"[Римская] территория простирается на несколько тысяч ли. На ней насчитывается более четырехсот городов, окружённых стенами. Существует несколько десятков более мелких зависимых царств. Городские стены построены из камня. Они установили почтовые станции на определённых расстояниях, все они оштукатурены и побелены. Там растут сосны и кипарисы, а также деревья и растения всех видов".
the Chinese ambassador
Gan Ying (; fl. 90s CE) was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and military official who was sent on a mission to the Roman Empire to find out more about it in 97 CE by the Chinese military general Ban Chao. Gan Ying did not reach Rome, only traveling to as far as the "western sea" which could refer to either the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, or the Parthian coast of the Persian Gulf. From there they could have followed the Euphrates north to the Roman border in Syria in a few weeks, but they did not know this and instead they planned to sail around Arabia to Roman Egypt, which would have taken 3 months. Becoming discouraged by local sailors' stories of bad weather, they gave up and went home. and then returned. Former generations never reached these regions. The Shanjing gives no details on them. Undoubtedly he prepared a report on their customs and investigated their precious and unusual [products]." "In the ninth Yongyuan year [97 CE], during the reign of the Emperor He, Protector General Ban Chao sent Gan Ying to Da Qin (大秦) [the Roman Empire]. He reached Tiaozhi (条支) (Characene) and Sibin (斯宾) (Susiana?) next to a large sea. He wanted to cross it, but the sailors of the western frontier of Anxi (安息) [Parthia] said to him:
"The ocean is huge. Those making the round trip can do it in three months if the winds are favourable. However, if you encounter winds that delay you, it can take two years. That is why all the men who go by sea take stores for three years. The vast ocean urges men to think of their country, and get homesick, and some of them die." When [Gan] Ying heard this, he discontinued (his trip). The Hou Hanshu also recorded:
"[Roman] territory extends for several thousands of li. It has more than four hundred walled towns. There are several tens of smaller dependent kingdoms. The walls of the towns are made of stone. They have established postal relays at intervals, which are all plastered and whitewashed. There are pines and cypresses, as well as trees and plants of all kinds."
Анализ
Генри Юл отмечает, что описание завершается подробным изложением о средиземноморской коралловой индустрии. Гань Ин путешествовал примерно в то же время, когда император Нерва усыновил Траяна своим преемником, однако ни один из них не отказался от власти из-за неблагоприятных предзнаменований; по его словам, эти "короли" больше напоминают мудрецов древнего китайского предания, чем какое-либо римское учреждение. Шелкопрядов на греческом острове Кос разводили уже в античности, но их продукция никогда не могла сравниться с китайским шелком. Тем не менее, эта ссылка, вероятно, относится к очень редкому и изысканному золотому морскому шелку, который также упоминается в историческом труде III века, "Вэйлюэ".