千里達入貢中國考

作者:許大成(國立臺灣師範大學英語學系)

摘要：

明初入貢中國之千里達，不列於鄭和下西洋之航圖中，至今事隔將六百年，如何進尋？本文研究當時之千里達共有三種可能，一為西班牙或葡萄牙，二為中古後期 於羅馬教廷之三一教會，三為今日托貝哥與千里達共和國之千里達島。本文係經本人多年探索，翻閱典籍數以千計，並緣廾餘年在師大教學之便，接觸為數千計之僑生與外籍友人，直至前年從南美世界語文會議歸來，始有比較明確之答案。尚望海內外高明之士，不吝指教。

關鍵詞：千里達、千系臘、千絲臘、中古後期成立之三一修會、明史彙證、菸草、威爾斯（英史學家）、哥倫布、廣韻、鄭和（三保太監）

《詳全文》

Trinidad as a Tributary to China in the Early Ming Dynasty

Author: T. C. Hsu(Department of English, National Taiwan Normal University)

Abstract：

Scholars have failed to find the name of Trinidad on the Marine Map of Cheng-ho drawn by Mao Yuan Yi of the late Ming dynsaty. After the elapse of about six hun-dred years, it is rather difficult to trace the geographical site or the source of the name. After several years of research and contact with oversea people, the researcher has ar-rived at the following possible conclusions:
1.The name of Trinidad has come from Castila or Castelo, which is of course another name for the quasi city-state or castle in Portugal.
2.The name of Trinidad referred to the Order of Holy Trinidad, whose members came to China, following the Polos of the Yuan dynasty, for both religious and commercial purposes.
3.Call a spade a spade. The name of Trinidad referred to the Trinidad Island of the Carabean Sea, which traded with some countries both in Africa and Asia in tobacco business.