Entry

Wu Yong, Yan Zong-lu and Yang Zai were sent as envoys to the countries of Champa, Java and Japan. An Imperial letter was conferred on A-da-a-zhe, the king of the country of Champa. It read: "On the fourth day of the second month of this year (12 Mar 1369), Hu-du-man arrived and presented tigers and elephants. I am now fully aware of your sincere sentiments. However, before Hu-du-man arrived, my envoy was already on his way to you. I sent my envoy to you as I wished to inform you of events. Previously, our country was seized and occupied by hu for 100 years. They caused yi and di to gradually spread in the four directions, and they discarded the constant relationships of our country of China. Thus, I took up arms to punish them. Fighting for over twenty years, I exterminated them, brought peace and became ruler of China. All under Heaven is now at peace, but I fear that the yi in the four directions have not heard of this. Thus, I have sent envoys to report this to the various countries. I did not expect your envoy to arrive first. Your sentiments are truly sincere and I am greatly pleased. Now I am sending you a copy of the calendar Da Tong Li and 40 bolts of fine silks and silk gauzes interwoven with gold thread. I am also sending a special messenger to escort your envoy on his return and to instruct you in the Way. If you are able to accord with the Way of Heaven, the people of Champa will be at peace in their lives, you will long maintain your position and your prosperity will be passed on to your sons and grandsons. The one on high (上帝) will truly be watching and you must not be remiss in your exertions." Hu-du-man and his attendants were also given fine silks and silk gauzes in appropriate quantities. The Imperial letter conferred upon the king of the country of Java read: "The legitimate succession to rule of China was usurped by hu and for 100 years the obligations of morality were ignored and the principles were turned upside down. I thus took up arms to punish them and after twenty years, all within the seas is now settled. I have received Heaven's mandate and am now ruler of China. However, I feared that the countries near and far had not heard. Thus, I sent a special envoy to advise you of this. When the envoy was already on his journey, I heard that Nie-zhi-mou-ding, a person from your country who had previously been sent as an envoy to the Yuan court and who only reached Fu-jian on his return journey when the Yuan fell, had come to reside in the capital. I thought that, as he had long been absent from Java, he must be certainly homesick. Thus, I am now sending persons to escort him home again and to issue you with a copy of the calendar Da Tong Li so that you will know where the legitimate calendar is kept. You should accord with the Way of Heaven as thus the people of Java will be at peace in their occupations, you will long maintain your position and your prosperity will be handed down to your sons and grandsons. It is hoped that you will make efforts and not be remiss in this."....