大唐西域記 2.8

2.8

若夫邑里閭閻，方城廣峙；街衢巷陌，曲徑盤迂，闤闠當塗，旗亭夾路。屠、釣、倡、優、魁膾、除糞，旌厥宅居，斥之邑外，行里往來，僻於路左。至於宅居之製，垣郭之作，地勢卑濕，城多壘塼，暨諸牆壁，或編竹木，室宇臺觀，板屋平頭，泥以石灰，覆以甎墼。諸異崇構，製同中夏。苫茅苫草，或塼或板，壁以石灰為飾，地塗牛糞為淨，時花散布，斯其異也。諸僧伽藍，頗極奇製。隅樓四起，重閣三層，榱梠棟梁，奇形彫鏤，戶牖垣牆，圖畫眾綵。黎庶之居，內侈外儉。隩室中堂，高廣有異，層臺重閣，形製不拘。門闢東戶，朝座東面。至於坐止，咸用繩床。王族、大人、士、庶、豪右，莊飾有殊，規矩無異。君王朝座，彌復高廣，珠璣間錯，謂師子床，敷以細㲲，蹈以寶机。凡百庶僚，隨其所好，刻彫異類，瑩飾奇珍。衣裳服玩，無所裁製，貴鮮白，輕雜綵。男則繞腰絡腋，橫巾右袒，女乃襜衣下垂，通肩總覆。頂為小髻，餘髮垂下。或有剪髭，別為詭俗。首冠花鬘，身佩瓔珞。其所服者，謂憍奢耶衣及㲲布等。憍奢耶者，野蠶絲也；叢摩衣，麻之類也；頷（𭢉嚴反）鉢羅衣，織細羊毛也；褐剌縭衣，織野獸毛也。獸毛細耎，可得緝績，故以見珍，而充服用。其北印度，風土寒烈，短製褊衣，頗同胡服。外道服飾，紛雜異製，或衣孔雀羽尾，或飾髑髏瓔珞，或無服露形，或草板掩體，或拔髮斷髭，或蓬鬢椎髻，裳衣無定，赤白不恒。沙門法服，唯有三衣及僧却崎，泥縛些（桑箇反）那。三衣裁製，部執不同，或緣有寬狹，或葉有小大。僧却崎（唐言掩腋。舊曰僧祇支，訛也），覆左肩，掩兩腋，左開右合，長裁過腰。泥縛些那（唐言裙。舊曰涅槃僧，訛也），既無帶襻，其將服也，集衣為襵，束帶以縚，襵則諸部各異，色乃黃赤不同。剎帝利、婆羅門清素居簡，潔白儉約。國王、大臣服玩良異，花鬘寶冠以為首飾，環釧瓔珞而作身佩。其有富商、大賈，唯釧而已。人多徒跣，少有所履。染其牙齒，或赤或黑，齊髮穿耳，脩鼻大眼，斯其貌也。

The towns and villages have inner gates; the walls are wide and high; the streets and lanes are tortuous, and the roads winding. The thoroughfares are dirty and the stalls arranged on both sides of the road with appropriate signs. Butchers, fishers, dancers, executioners, and scavengers, and so on, have their abodes without the city. In coming and going these persons are bound to keep on the left side of the road till they arrive at their homes. Their houses are surrounded by low walls, and form the suburbs. The earth being soft and muddy, the walls of the towns are mostly built of brick or tiles. The towers on the walls are constructed of wood or bamboo ; the houses have balconies and belvederes, which are made of wood, with a coating of lime or mortar, and covered with tiles. The different buildings have the same form as those in China : rushes, or dry branches, or tiles, or boards are used for covering them. The walls are covered with lime and mud, mixed with cow's dung for purity. At different seasons they scatter flowers about. Such are some of their different customs.
The sanghârâmas are constructed with extraordinary skill. A three-storied tower is erected at each of the four angles. The beams and the projecting heads are carved with great skill in different shapes. The doors, windows, and the low walls are painted profusely; the monks' cells are ornamental on the inside and plain on the outside. In the very middle of the building is the hall, high and wide. There are various storeyed chambers and turrets of different height and shape, without any fixed rule. The doors open towards the east; the royal throne also faces the east.

When they sit or rest they all use mats; the royal family and the great personages and assistant officers use mats variously ornamented, but in size they are the same. The throne of the reigning sovereign is large and high, and much adorned with precious gems: it is called the Lion-throne (simhâsana). It is covered with extremely fine drapery; the footstool is adorned with gems. The nobility use beautifully painted and enriched seats, according to their taste.

Their clothing is not cut or fashioned; they mostly affect fresh-white garments; they esteem little those of mixed colour or ornamented. The men wind their garments round their middle, then gather them under the armpits, and let them fall down across the body, hanging to the right. The robes of the women fall down to the ground; they completely cover their shoulders. They wear a little knot of hair on their crowns, and let the rest of their hair fall loose. Some of the men cut off their moustaches, and have other odd customs. On their heads the people wear caps (crowns), with flower-wreaths and jewelled necklets. Their garments are made of Kiau-she-ye (kauśêya) and of cotton. Kiau-she-ye is the product of the wild silkworm. They have garments also of Tso-mo (kshauma), which is a sort of hemp; garments also made of Kien-po-lo (kambala) which is woven from fine goat-hair; garments also made from Ho-la-li (karâla). This stuff is made from the fine hair of a wild animal: it is seldom this can be woven, and therefore the stuff is very valuable, and it is regarded as fine clothing.
In North India, where the air is cold, they wear short and close-fitting garments, like the Hu people. The dress and ornaments worn by non-believers are varied and mixed. Some wear peacocks' feathers; some wear as ornaments necklaces made of skull bones (the Kapāladhāriṇas); some have no clothing, but go naked (Nirgranthas); some wear leaf or bark garments; some pull out their hair and cut off their moustaches; others have bushy whiskers and their hair braided on the top of their heads. The costume is not uniform, and the colour, whether red or white, not constant.
The Shamans (Śramaṇas) have only three kinds of robes, viz., the Sang-kio-ki, the Ni-fo-si-na. The cut of the three robes is not the same, but depends on the school. Some have wide or narrow borders, others have small or large flaps. The Sang-kio-ki covers the left shoulder and conceals the two armpits. It is worn open on the left and closed on the right. It is cut longer than the waist. The Ni-fo-se-na has neither girdle nor tassels. When putting it on, it is plaited in folds and worn round the loins with a cord fastening. The schools differ as to the colour of this garment: both yellow and red are used.
The Kshattriyas and the Brahmans are cleanly and wholesome in their dress, and they live in a homely and frugal way. The king of the country and the great ministers wear garments and ornaments different in their character. They use flowers for decorating their hair, with gem-decked caps; they ornament themselves with bracelets and necklaces.
There are rich merchants who deal exclusively in gold trinkets, and so on. They mostly go bare-footed; few wear sandals. They stain their teeth red or black; they bind up their hair and pierce their ears; they ornament their noses, and have large eyes. Such is their appearance.