Quilon (Xiao Gelan, Hsiao Ko-lan)

(Travellers | Cities | Routes | Trade Goods | Themes)

by Sally K. Church

The port of Quilon, 8 53' N, 76 35' E, lies in the present-day state of Kerala. Once a great political and commercial centre, Quilon was still a place of some importance at the time of the Ming voyages, but its trade was declining. At that time, the territory was roughly equivalent to the former state of Travancore, on the west coast of India. The word "Gelan" in the Chinese name Xiao Gelan (literally, 'Little Ko-lan'), represents the sound of the Malayalam name Kollam, an abbreviation of Koyilagam, or "King's house".

- from J. V. G. Mills, Ma Huan, p. 130, n. 1

“Giles, nos. 4294; 6069; 6721; 'Little Ko-lan', the second word representing the sound of the Malayalam name Kollam (an abbreviation of Koyilagam, 'King’s house'), modern Quilon; the territory was roughly equivalent to the former state of Travancore, on the west coast of India; the port of Quilon, 8° 53' N, 76° 35' E, lies in the present-day state of Kerala. Once a great political and commercial centre, Quilon was still a place of some importance in the time of Ma Huan, but its trade was declining, and Ma Huan’s account is scarcely longer than that of Marco Polo. For Quilon see Hsiang Ta, Kung Chen, pp. 24-25; Fei Hsin, chüan. 1, pp. 31-32 (Rockhill, Part II, pp. 447-8); Ming shih, p. 7921, row 1; Penzer, Polo, pp. 134-5; Yule and Burnell, p. 751a; K. P. P. Menon, History of Kerala, vol. 1 (Ernakulam, 1924), pp. 270-1.”

- J. V. G. Mills, Ch. 12, Quilon, n. 1

Mills argues that Quilon’s minting of its own gold coins, is a strong indication that it was an independent country:

“The right of coinage being the universal symbol of sovereignty in Asia, Ma Huan's statement proves that at this time Quilon was an independent state.”

- J. V. G. Mills, Ch. 12, Quilon, n. 8

“The distance [from Quilon] to Cochin is 70 miles.”

- J. V. G. Mills, Ch. 13, Cochin, n. 2