On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c10.3

v1.c10.3

From Udakakhaṇḍa city a journey north over hills and across rivers (or valleys) for above 600 *li* brought the traveller to the Wu-chang-na country. This country was above 5000 *li* in circuit; hill and defile followed each other closely and the sources of river-courses and marshes were united. The yield of the cultivated land was not good; grapes were abundant, but there was little sugar-cane; the country produced gold and iron (in the D text, gold coins) and saffron; there were dense woods and fruits and flowers were luxuriant. The climate was temperate with regular winds and rain. The people were pusillanimous and deceitful; they were fond of learning but not as a study, and they made the acquisition of magical formulæ their occupation. Their clothing was chiefly of pai-tieh (calico). Their spoken language was different from, but bore much resemblance to, that of India, and the rules of their written language were in a rather unsettled state.