| Buddhist Monks Discovered America Before | | | | but reddish. They spin thread from the bark and make |
| Columbus | | | | coarse cloth from which they make clothing, and from |
| Happy Columbus Day -- but, let's not get carried away. | | | | it they also make a finer fabric. The wood is used to |
| After all, Cristoforo Colombo was johnny-come-lately | | | | build houses, and they use fusang bark to make |
| in the American discovery business. | | | | paper." |
| The riddle of who really, really, discovered America | | | | The word "Mexico" means "land of the maguey" -- or |
| continues to fascinate scholars. You can get even | | | | century plant. |
| money on Columbus (1492), Leif Ericson (1000), Saint | | | | Professor Charles Chapman points out that in no other |
| Brendan (545) or Hwui Shan (458). | | | | country is there a plant put to such uses as those |
| Hwui Shan who? That is not his true family name but | | | | described by Shan. |
| is a Chinese term meaning Very Intelligent. Shan was | | | | Sprouts of the maguey resemble those of the |
| born in land-locked Afghanistan and became a | | | | bamboo, and Mexicans eat them. When shredded, the |
| Buddhist monk. He was among 40 other young monks | | | | plant furnishes both coarse and fine fibers from which |
| who set out to carry the words of Buddha to the | | | | cloth is woven. |
| ends of the earth. | | | | The plant often reaches a height of 30 feet and was |
| They spent a few years in China which at that time | | | | cultivated in regular groves in ancient Mexico. Its trunk |
| navigated the open oceans with the aid of an | | | | was used for the beams and rafters of buildings. Its |
| instrument then unknown elsewhere -- the compass. | | | | broad leaves were woven into roofs and walls. |
| We know that early Chinese ships sailed on regular | | | | The maguey does not have reddish pear-shaped fruit, |
| schedules with ships capable of carrying 300 | | | | but a similar cactus sometimes mistaken for it does. |
| passengers. | | | | Shan also said: "They have a system of writing, but |
| Shan heard tales by sailors about countries beyond | | | | they have no fortresses or walled cities, no military |
| the "Eastern Ocean" -- a vast body of water the | | | | weapons or soldiers, and they do not wage war in |
| Spanish explorer Balboa would "discover" | | | | that kingdom. "The ground contains no iron, but it has |
| fifteen-hundred years later and name Pacific. | | | | copper. The people do not value gold and silver," wrote |
| Chinese navigators knew there was land on the other | | | | Shan. When Cortez conquered Mexico, he also |
| side of the "Eastern Ocean" -- just as Columbus knew | | | | remarked at the natives' respect for copper and |
| the earth was round and that eventually he would | | | | disinterest for gold except as decoration. |
| reach land across the Atlantic. | | | | Shan stayed 40 years in the Land of Fusang. This |
| The young monks were intrigued by accounts of a | | | | was during the classic period of Mayan rule throughout |
| fabulous land where "trees grew a mile tall, silk worms | | | | Central America. Those ancient people had a system |
| were seven feet long, and birds had three legs." | | | | of hieroglyphic writing. Their calendar was more |
| A third-century Chinese poet, for example, had written | | | | accurate than ours. They had a sophisticated |
| of far eastern lands: | | | | knowledge of mathematics that included a symbol for |
| "East of the Eastern Ocean lie/ The shores of the | | | | zero centuries before the concept was known in |
| Land of Fusang./ If, after landing there, you travel/ East | | | | Europe. |
| for 10,000 li/ You will come to another ocean, blue/ | | | | Mayans mined copper for tools but did not know how |
| Vast, huge, boundless." (The Atlantic?) | | | | to smelt iron. They built cities that were unique in the |
| The Chinese were among the earliest boat builders | | | | ancient world because of the lack of fortification. They |
| and navigators. Archeological discoveries in California | | | | were a peaceful people who had no enemies until the |
| and Central America bear out ancient contacts with | | | | fierce Toltecs, and later Aztecs, came down from the |
| Orientals. | | | | north and introduced the arts of war. |
| The Japan Current -- a strong river within the Pacific -- | | | | At age 90, Shan returned to china in 499. There, in a |
| speeds along at 70 to 100 miles per day in the initial | | | | tearful reunion, he presented Emperor Wu Ti with 300 |
| stages of its course eastward to the southern | | | | pounds of "silk" from the fusang tree and a mirror |
| reaches of Central America before swinging west. It is | | | | made from volcanic glass. |
| certain that pre-history sailors used this current as an | | | | The old priest's account was recorded by the court |
| aid in going to and coming from America. | | | | scribe and entered in the imperial records as an |
| Several of the adventurous monks charted a | | | | outstanding event of the year. It was published in the |
| sea-going junk to take them east until they reached a | | | | year 600 by Li Yan Chu whose books are recognized |
| new land where the teachings of Buddha should be | | | | as the foundation of Chinese history. |
| established. Shan, the apparent leader, kept careful | | | | Inasmuch as our history today is so strongly oriented |
| records of the directions and distances they traveled. | | | | to European events, we know little about early |
| His descriptions of the people, animals and plants | | | | Chinese explorations. However, they were widely read |
| encountered make it easy to trace the journey. | | | | and discussed in the 1880's. California was being |
| His journal indicates the mendicants sailed northeast of | | | | extensively developed at that time, and evidences of |
| Japan to the Land of Ta-han (the Kamchatka | | | | ancient Chinese influence were unearthed. |
| Peninsula of Siberia). From there they traveled 20,000 li | | | | Chinese junks, probably not much larger or stronger |
| (6,600 miles) east and south to the "wonderful land of | | | | than that of Shan and his companions, occasionally put |
| Fusang." If you trace this route, you end up at | | | | into San Francisco with miners during the Gold Rush. |
| Acapulco, Mexico. Shan related that on the way to | | | | Chinese coins, some dated before the Christian era, |
| Fusang he saw a people who raisedherds of "trained | | | | were found in several places. |
| reindeer" (Siberia), and other natives with "marked | | | | From an historical point of view, Shan's discovery |
| bodies" (tattooed Eskimos). He marveled at giant trees | | | | came centuries before there was trade between East |
| (Oregon and California redwoods). | | | | and West to stimulate permanent contacts. |
| Finally he arrived at the Land of Fusang and described | | | | Columbus' epoch voyage in 1492 opened up a new |
| it thus: | | | | world at a time Europeans were ready to settle and |
| "That region has many fusang trees, and these give it | | | | exploit it systematically. He was at the right place at |
| its name. The fusang's leaves resemble those of the | | | | the right time. Thus, honor is rightfully due him. |
| t'ung, and its first sprouts are like bamboo shoots. The | | | | . |
| people of the country eat them. The fruit is like a pear | | | | |