Page "Cathay" Paragraph 8

As European and Arab travelers started reaching the Mongol Empire, they described the Mongol-controlled Northern China as Cathay ( in a number of spelling variants ) as well.

The name occurs in the writings of Giovanni da Pian del Carpine ( ca.

1180-1252 ) ( as Kitaia ), William of Rubruck ( ca.

1220-ca.

1293 ) ( as Cataya or Cathaia ).

Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, ibn Battuta, Marco Polo all were referring to Northern China as Cathay, while Southern China, ruled by the Song dynasty, was Mangi, Manzi, Chin, or Sin.

The word Manzi or Mangi means the recalcitrant ones, i. e., those who did not submit to the rule of the Yuan dynasty.

The name for South China used most commonly on medieval maps was Manzi.