What do you think?
Rate this book
The City of Light: The Hidden Journal of the Man Who Entered China Four Years Before Marco Polo
Challenging Marco Polo's status as "first" to enter China, this journal of a scholarly Jewish merchant who sailed into Zaitun four years before the arrival of Polo describes the adventures of a medieval trader and adds another fascinating chapter to the classic encounter between East and West.
539 pages, Hardcover
First published October 23, 1997
9 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 26, 2015
I narrated this years ago for the Jewish Braille Institute years ago and whether it is real or not, it certainly is entertaining.
August 3, 2022
When you're hiding the supposed original manuscript so it can't be examined by scholars, you're obviously a fraud and a con artist.
October 12, 2025
After considerable thought, I'm now 70% convinced this is a hoax. But if it is, a lot of thought and work went into it. If it is, I don't know why the author simply didn't present it as a wide-ranging historical novel, along the lines of "Aztec" (1980, Gary Jennings)--which in some respects this work resembles.
The book is purportedly the travel diary of a Jewish merchant, Jacob, who arrived in Quanzhou, Fujian province, China four years before Marco Polo. Even conceding the point that it might be genuine (and I’ll come back to that shortly), the work is more interesting as a piece of medieval Judaica than as a work revealing details about Sung dynasty China. And here's why: day-to-day pep talks encouraging Jacob to keep up his faith, diatribes against the Christians (even while Jacob is in China!), and condemnations of the “idolatrous” practices of the Chinese, take up most of the work. Because of these aspects, After the first hundred pages the interest of many readers may diminish rapidly. One wishes for more of a travel account.
On the idolatry business, Jacob continually refers to the Christians as idolators, even though (translator? Selbourne helpfully tells us) rabbinical authorities have stated that Christians should not be referred to in this manner.
You could present a whole paper about this work at some conference or other (I would even love to do so myself), but let me make only a few points:
Authenticity of the work. Many readers and scholars complained, if the work is genuine, why can’t it be brought forward for examination. I can think of many reasons. First of all, the tale could be embarrassing to the descendants of the author, there could be ownership issues, and one might even suggest it might embarrass the Jewish community in Italy, since there is so much negativity in the work.
Indications that it may be genuine: Wang Lianmao, a Chinese researcher, has a thoughtful and helpful essay at the back of the 2000 edition, suggesting several points where the known facts are not contradicted by Jacob’s account of Quanzhou in the 1200s. Indeed there are many statements of the traveler that are perfectly plausible regarding times of travel across the Middle East, etc.
As a student of China, I went to Chinese quotes and terms and titles described—or we might say, mangled—by Jacob. And several problems arise. During the public debate (1272) which takes place before the arrival of the Mongols, two parties emerge in the city: the Confucians, led by Pitaca, and the merchants--or here, they sound like the "free trade" or "libertarian" faction, led by several traders. Several references to Chinese sages are made, somewhat logically by Pitaca, but utterly out of context in the case of the merchants. Examples: one merchant suggests everyone go about armed, and assume responsibility for their own protection. This sounds more like the National Rifle Association in Texas, 1999, than southern China in 1272. References (262, 263) are made to the philosopher Lao Tsu (his Dao De Jing is the 2nd most translated book in the world today), but that philosopher advocated less laws, not none. He would be spinning in his grave to hear he was being used as ammunition in defense of merchants doing whatever they like.
Assuming that what the traveler heard was some kind of Fujian province dialect (heaven help us), nevertheless, several terms stand out: for the “gifted” (xian), Mencius (Meng zi), jinshi (holding the Metropolitan degree), and so on.
Leaving aside for a moment the question of plausible words and arguments of the characters, what is disappointing for the lovers of history and students of China is Jacob’s unrelenting incuriosity (again, this is why the work is more interesting as a piece of Judaica, rather than as informing us about China in the 13th century). There are misleading statements too. Looking at the Middle Eastern portion of the work, in Iraq, when the author quotes Jacob as saying he "had many conversations in Arabic,” it may be Jacob had his allies (fellow-Jewish traders) in Basra translate conversations. Jacob himself (or Selbourne?) does not know Arabic. He misspells Baghdad, is called "muallem" (learned one, teacher) but doesn't know the word, describes the state of Jews living in Iraq, but doesn't know the term "dhinni" (protected status), and so on. He knows little about Islam--and has no interest in learning about it. Despite Selbourne’s footnote, it’s doubtful Jacob (or again, Selbourne?) knew any Persian either.
Little changes when Jacob arrives in China. He repeatedly calls the Buddhists idolators, apparently not having been informed (or refusing to hear?) that Buddha was simply a man. The statues he refers to are simply those of the saints; arhats, Boddhisattvas, etc. He learns next to nothing about the system governing China on the eve of the Mongol invasion, and nothing of the Chinese language. He fails to even pick up the fact that China has a well-developed civil service—something Europe will not have for centuries.
Despite all this, the attitude Jacob displays does seem to dovetail (unfortunately) with that of other visitors to China and east Asia, such as the priest William of Rubruck and his colleagues (who visited the Great Khan Mongke (1209-1259), and the Muslim traveler Ibn Batuta (1304-1368 CE). They all approach China and East Asia with the same biased viewpoint—i.e., sure that their “religions of God” are superior. Ibn Batuta supplies a slight variant on this feeling of superiority. He says, “China was beautiful, but it did not please me” (Dunn, 258). His coyly unstated meaning is: China under the Mongols was prosperous, wealthy, a world superpower. How could it not be a Muslim power?
Back to the question of is "City" genuine: several passages seem anachronistic to me. 238, 239 seems to anticipate Hitler, saying a "new Haman" may arise who will seek to wipe out the Jews. That seems too prescient. Later, Lifanli's sister delivers a feminist speech which is worthy of Germaine Greer ("The Female Eunuch," 1970)--but would this person have made such a speech to a visiting trader? Further, in one meeting of the scholars, a scholar of the city rails for several pages against immorality and homosexuality. At the moment when the Mongols are about to invade, would homosexuality even be on the dashboard of such a scholar? I suppose it is possible. In another passage, Jacob, usually a prudish character describing his prayers with numbing detail and repetitiveness (this is the pep-talk aspect of the work), suddenly describes a sexual act he witnesses in the “red light district” of Quanzhou. Selbourne refers to this incident in his Afterward and compares it to other examples of medieval Jewish poetry, etc. (in other words, "There's nothing unusual in this account"). I'm still not convinced. It doesn’t sound like the Jacob of the last 5000 miles. When you add all these passages up, they don't make a convincing argument for the authenticity of the work. But it is entertaining! Again, why not present it simply as a historical novel.
I have no problem with the idea that there are many manuscripts describing medieval travel which have yet to be discovered and discussed. This book contains many mysteries and puzzles. If it is a hoax, the perpetrator went to a lot of effort to construct it. See what you think.
Enjoy.
The book is purportedly the travel diary of a Jewish merchant, Jacob, who arrived in Quanzhou, Fujian province, China four years before Marco Polo. Even conceding the point that it might be genuine (and I’ll come back to that shortly), the work is more interesting as a piece of medieval Judaica than as a work revealing details about Sung dynasty China. And here's why: day-to-day pep talks encouraging Jacob to keep up his faith, diatribes against the Christians (even while Jacob is in China!), and condemnations of the “idolatrous” practices of the Chinese, take up most of the work. Because of these aspects, After the first hundred pages the interest of many readers may diminish rapidly. One wishes for more of a travel account.
On the idolatry business, Jacob continually refers to the Christians as idolators, even though (translator? Selbourne helpfully tells us) rabbinical authorities have stated that Christians should not be referred to in this manner.
You could present a whole paper about this work at some conference or other (I would even love to do so myself), but let me make only a few points:
Authenticity of the work. Many readers and scholars complained, if the work is genuine, why can’t it be brought forward for examination. I can think of many reasons. First of all, the tale could be embarrassing to the descendants of the author, there could be ownership issues, and one might even suggest it might embarrass the Jewish community in Italy, since there is so much negativity in the work.
Indications that it may be genuine: Wang Lianmao, a Chinese researcher, has a thoughtful and helpful essay at the back of the 2000 edition, suggesting several points where the known facts are not contradicted by Jacob’s account of Quanzhou in the 1200s. Indeed there are many statements of the traveler that are perfectly plausible regarding times of travel across the Middle East, etc.
As a student of China, I went to Chinese quotes and terms and titles described—or we might say, mangled—by Jacob. And several problems arise. During the public debate (1272) which takes place before the arrival of the Mongols, two parties emerge in the city: the Confucians, led by Pitaca, and the merchants--or here, they sound like the "free trade" or "libertarian" faction, led by several traders. Several references to Chinese sages are made, somewhat logically by Pitaca, but utterly out of context in the case of the merchants. Examples: one merchant suggests everyone go about armed, and assume responsibility for their own protection. This sounds more like the National Rifle Association in Texas, 1999, than southern China in 1272. References (262, 263) are made to the philosopher Lao Tsu (his Dao De Jing is the 2nd most translated book in the world today), but that philosopher advocated less laws, not none. He would be spinning in his grave to hear he was being used as ammunition in defense of merchants doing whatever they like.
Assuming that what the traveler heard was some kind of Fujian province dialect (heaven help us), nevertheless, several terms stand out: for the “gifted” (xian), Mencius (Meng zi), jinshi (holding the Metropolitan degree), and so on.
Leaving aside for a moment the question of plausible words and arguments of the characters, what is disappointing for the lovers of history and students of China is Jacob’s unrelenting incuriosity (again, this is why the work is more interesting as a piece of Judaica, rather than as informing us about China in the 13th century). There are misleading statements too. Looking at the Middle Eastern portion of the work, in Iraq, when the author quotes Jacob as saying he "had many conversations in Arabic,” it may be Jacob had his allies (fellow-Jewish traders) in Basra translate conversations. Jacob himself (or Selbourne?) does not know Arabic. He misspells Baghdad, is called "muallem" (learned one, teacher) but doesn't know the word, describes the state of Jews living in Iraq, but doesn't know the term "dhinni" (protected status), and so on. He knows little about Islam--and has no interest in learning about it. Despite Selbourne’s footnote, it’s doubtful Jacob (or again, Selbourne?) knew any Persian either.
Little changes when Jacob arrives in China. He repeatedly calls the Buddhists idolators, apparently not having been informed (or refusing to hear?) that Buddha was simply a man. The statues he refers to are simply those of the saints; arhats, Boddhisattvas, etc. He learns next to nothing about the system governing China on the eve of the Mongol invasion, and nothing of the Chinese language. He fails to even pick up the fact that China has a well-developed civil service—something Europe will not have for centuries.
Despite all this, the attitude Jacob displays does seem to dovetail (unfortunately) with that of other visitors to China and east Asia, such as the priest William of Rubruck and his colleagues (who visited the Great Khan Mongke (1209-1259), and the Muslim traveler Ibn Batuta (1304-1368 CE). They all approach China and East Asia with the same biased viewpoint—i.e., sure that their “religions of God” are superior. Ibn Batuta supplies a slight variant on this feeling of superiority. He says, “China was beautiful, but it did not please me” (Dunn, 258). His coyly unstated meaning is: China under the Mongols was prosperous, wealthy, a world superpower. How could it not be a Muslim power?
Back to the question of is "City" genuine: several passages seem anachronistic to me. 238, 239 seems to anticipate Hitler, saying a "new Haman" may arise who will seek to wipe out the Jews. That seems too prescient. Later, Lifanli's sister delivers a feminist speech which is worthy of Germaine Greer ("The Female Eunuch," 1970)--but would this person have made such a speech to a visiting trader? Further, in one meeting of the scholars, a scholar of the city rails for several pages against immorality and homosexuality. At the moment when the Mongols are about to invade, would homosexuality even be on the dashboard of such a scholar? I suppose it is possible. In another passage, Jacob, usually a prudish character describing his prayers with numbing detail and repetitiveness (this is the pep-talk aspect of the work), suddenly describes a sexual act he witnesses in the “red light district” of Quanzhou. Selbourne refers to this incident in his Afterward and compares it to other examples of medieval Jewish poetry, etc. (in other words, "There's nothing unusual in this account"). I'm still not convinced. It doesn’t sound like the Jacob of the last 5000 miles. When you add all these passages up, they don't make a convincing argument for the authenticity of the work. But it is entertaining! Again, why not present it simply as a historical novel.
I have no problem with the idea that there are many manuscripts describing medieval travel which have yet to be discovered and discussed. This book contains many mysteries and puzzles. If it is a hoax, the perpetrator went to a lot of effort to construct it. See what you think.
Enjoy.
Read
December 17, 2021光明之城
7.3 (39人评价) [意] 雅各·德安科纳 / 杨民 [等] / 上海人民出版社 / 1999
《光明之城》一书，是最近发现并整理出版的。全书洋洋30余万言，记述的是一位意大 利犹太商人雅各由海道前往“光明之城”亦即泉州经商的经过和见闻，
7.3 (39人评价) [意] 雅各·德安科纳 / 杨民 [等] / 上海人民出版社 / 1999
《光明之城》一书，是最近发现并整理出版的。全书洋洋30余万言，记述的是一位意大 利犹太商人雅各由海道前往“光明之城”亦即泉州经商的经过和见闻，
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2009
The second half of the book contains Jacob D'Ancona's philosophy of justice and the morality of society. Very fitting for our times given the immorality of the Bush Administration and the issues we are facing today.
January 23, 2011
Fascinating.
July 27, 2012
Good overall read. The only drawback to this is the mysterious manuscript that the author claims to have viewed and is possessed by an unknown person who refuses to release it publicly.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews