中山伝信録 巻六 - 翻刻

翻刻

　　馬
　馬与中国無異高七八尺者絶少蹀躞善行山路崎
　嶔上下沙礫中不見顚蹶此則其所習也上山渉水
　則馳　地既多暖冬草不枯馬終歳食青不識桟豆
　故雖村戸下貧亦皆畜馬有事則歛用之事過散還
　村家亦有以馬耕者
　[鞍]制同中国黒漆紅漆不同有極精者　鞍前後加
　紅帕四条分垂左右以為馬飾
　[韉]与障泥皆従簡略仕宦者或用紅氈一条
　[勒口索]貴家多用五色相間蕉布全幅入手両盤垂
　之尚及馬脇也
　[鐙]以木為之式如曲杓形一辺着縄繋鞍下空其口
　以便赤足穿踏或鞴皮為之朱黒漆有極精者
　国人騎馬皆不用鞭能騎者縦控令速行否則折樹
　梢用之下馬即擲去
　宦家女人騎馬擁領蔽面多側坐鞍上両足共一鐙
　人控徐行前使汪録有記今偶見亦有之
　　長弓短箭

現代語訳

馬

馬は中国と違いがない。高さ七、八尺のものは極めて少ない。小刻みに歩み、山路の険しい上り下りや砂礫の中を歩くのが得意で、転倒することがない。これはそのように慣らされているからである。山を上り水を渡る時は駆ける。土地が暖かいので冬でも草が枯れず、馬は年中青草を食べ、穀物の飼料を知らない。そのため貧しい村の家でも皆馬を飼い、用事がある時は集めて使い、用事が済むと村の家に散らして返す。馬で耕作する者もいる。

鞍の制度は中国と同じで、黒漆や赤漆など様々で、極めて精巧なものもある。鞍の前後に赤い布四条を加え、左右に分けて垂らして馬飾りとする。

障泥と泥よけはいずれも簡素で、官吏は赤い毛氈一条を用いることがある。

手綱は、貴族の家では五色を織り交ぜた芭蕉布の全幅を用い、手に入れて両端を巻いて垂らすと、馬の脇まで届く。

鐙は木で作り、形は曲がった杓子のようで、一辺に縄を付けて鞍の下に結び、口を開けて素足で踏み入れやすくしている。革で作って朱や黒の漆を塗った極めて精巧なものもある。

国の人々が馬に乗る時は皆鞭を使わず、上手な騎手は手綱を操って速く走らせ、そうでなければ木の枝を折って使い、馬から降りるとすぐに捨てる。

官吏の家の女性が馬に乗る時は、襟元を覆って顔を隠し、多くは鞍に横座りして両足を一つの鐙に入れ、人が手綱を取ってゆっくり歩く。前の使節の汪録に記録があり、今もたまに見かけることがある。

長弓短箭

英語訳

Horses

Horses are no different from those in China. Those seven or eight feet tall are extremely rare. They pace with small steps and are skilled at traversing steep mountain paths and rocky terrain without stumbling. This is because they are trained for such conditions. When climbing mountains or crossing water, they gallop. Since the land is warm, grass does not wither in winter, and horses eat green grass year-round, never knowing grain feed. Therefore, even poor village households all keep horses. When there is work, they gather them for use, and when the work is finished, they scatter them back to village homes. Some also use horses for plowing.

The saddle system is the same as in China, with black lacquer, red lacquer, and other variations, some extremely elaborate. Four red cloth strips are added to the front and back of the saddle, hanging separately on the left and right as horse decorations.

Both the saddle cloth and mud guards are simple, though officials sometimes use a single strip of red felt.

For reins, noble families often use full-width banana fiber cloth woven with five alternating colors. When held in hand and coiled at both ends to hang down, they reach the horse's flanks.

Stirrups are made of wood, shaped like a curved ladle, with rope attached to one side and tied under the saddle. The opening is left wide for easy insertion of bare feet. Some extremely elaborate ones are made of leather and lacquered in vermillion or black.

When the people of this country ride horses, they never use whips. Skilled riders control the reins to make the horse run fast; otherwise, they break off tree branches to use and immediately discard them upon dismounting.

When women from official families ride horses, they cover their collars and veil their faces, mostly sitting sideways on the saddle with both feet in one stirrup while someone else controls the reins for a slow walk. The previous envoy Wang Lu recorded this, and it can still occasionally be seen today.

Long Bows and Short Arrows