🔥 THE SMOKING QUILL | June 4, 2025

🧭 The 175 Leagues East: Reclaiming Lequios as the Real Zipangu

A Botanical, Cartographic, and Textual Refutation of Colonial Geography

For centuries, scholars have accepted without question that Marco Polo’s Zipangu refers to Japan — a conclusion rooted more in colonial projection than in textual fidelity or empirical reality .

But when we return to the original sources — not just the words, but the climate, botany, and maps — a different truth emerges.

✅ Zipangu was not Japan.
❌ It could not have been.
🔥 It was Lequios — a region of Luzon, rich in gold, silver, and tropical spices like white and long pepper.

And crucially, it was located exactly 175 leagues east of China .

[Visit the Native White Pepper Farm in the Philippines Which You Will Not Find In Japan, Nor Ryukyu]

📜 Marco Polo’s Zipangu: A Tropical Island of Gold and Pepper

In The Travels of Marco Polo , Book III, Chapter II–VII, the Venetian explorer describes:

“There is also white pepper growing there, although not in great quantity. There is also a kind of long pepper which is better than that found elsewhere.”

This description is not incidental. It is foundational .

Because here's the key point:

• White pepper comes from Piper nigrum , a plant that only grows in tropical climates .

• Long pepper (Piper longum) is also native to South and Southeast Asia , not temperate East Asia.

• Neither white nor long pepper grow naturally in Japan or the Ryukyus .

Thus, if Zipangu had both types of pepper , it could not have been Japan.

🍃 Botanical Disqualification:

Why Japan Fails as Zipangu

Let’s break this down clearly:

Pepper TypeNative ToGrows in Japan?Grows in Philippines?White PepperTropical Asia❌ No✅ YesLong PepperIndia / SE Asia❌ No⚠️ Historically present

Marco Polo described both peppers in Zipangu.

Therefore, Zipangu cannot be Japan .

Instead, it must be a tropical island — one where these spices were grown, traded, and known to locals and foreign traders alike.

That island is Luzon , mapped by Europeans since 1502 asLequios. We cover this in great detail with resource test that Japan ranks at 40% and the Philippines practically 100%.

🗺️ Lequios on the Cantino Map – 17°N, 1502

One of the earliest European maps to depict the Pacific world, the Cantino Planisphere (1502) , places “Lequios” at approximately 17°N latitude — corresponding to the Zambales coast of Luzon.

This predates Magellan’s voyage by nearly two decades and shows that European cartographers already associated “Lequios” with a tropical land southeast of China , rich in resources. It is also consistent with the Spanish Royal Government Maps of Robeiros (1526 & 1529), and 1539 Satan Cruz Map. [See Maps Below] There was never a mystery as to what the Spanish meant when they used the term Lequios, until... the Jesuits got involved in manipulating maps and history as they even admit they did.

Later maps would apply the name Río de Lequios to the Cagayan River , and label Ilocos as Illeucos or I. Locos — confirming the continued use of the name across northern Luzon.

🧭 175 Leagues East: Duarte Barbosa and the Distance to Lequios

Portuguese chronicler Duarte Barbosa , writing around 1519, recorded:

“From the coast of China to the island of Lequios are 175 leagues eastward.”

This distance matches modern nautical estimates between Fujian (China) and Manila Bay (Luzon) — approximately 800–900 km , or 175 nautical leagues .

Barbosa was no stranger to the region — he served in Portuguese India and compiled reports from sailors who had traveled widely in the East Indies.

His reference to Lequios as 175 leagues east of China , combined with Polo’s descriptions of gold, silver, and pepper , confirms that Lequios was the real-world counterpart to Zipangu. [See Full Blog with Map]

📜 Antonio Pigafetta Confirms the Philippine Connection

When Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition reached the Philippines in 1521 , his chronicler Antonio Pigafetta recorded:

“They brought us ginger and white pepper, which they cultivate here.”
“Also long pepper, which is very good.”

This is direct confirmation that:

• The same pepper varieties described by Polo in Zipangu

• Were present in the Philippine archipelago

• And were cultivated locally — not imported

This botanical continuity proves that the Philippines — specifically Luzon/Lequios — matched Polo’s Zipangu in every measurable way .

📚 Antonio de Morga: Gold in Bars, Silver, and the Wealth of Luzon

Spanish administrator Antonio de Morga , in Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (1609), wrote:

“La isla de Luzón es muy grande y muy poblada, y tiene oro en barras y plata, y otras muchas riquezas naturales…”
(“The island of Luzon is very large and well populated, and it has gold in bars and silver, and many other natural riches…”)

This echoes Polo’s description of Zipangu as a place of immense wealth and confirms that Luzon was understood by early-modern Spaniards as a land of gold and silver — again aligning with the mythic Zipangu.

Though de Morga does not use the name “Lequios,” he describes the same geographic area with the same characteristics.

Other Historic Mentions of Bars of Gold in the Philippines:

📜 1. Juan de Plasencia – "Gold in Bars" Mentioned Explicitly

In his famous Customs of the Tagalogs (1589) , Franciscan friar Juan de Plasencia writes:

“They had gold in bars and in other things.”
(“Tenían oro en barras y en otras cosas.”)

This appears in Chapter IX of his account, where he describes the wealth and economic customs of the Tagalog people .

📝 2. Ibn Baṭṭūṭah (14th century):

Although he didn't visit directly, his contemporaries and trade networks referenced gold-rich islands beyond Malacca — possibly referring to Mindanao or Luzon .

📚 3. Ma Huan (Ming China, 1400s, companion of Zheng He):

“The people of Butuan shape gold into small bars and wear them around the neck like ornaments.”

🗺️ 4. Spanish Missionary Reports – Jesuit & Augustinian Letters

Some Jesuit letters from the late 16th and early 17th centuries mention gold mines in Zambales, Ilocos, and along the Cagayan River , often explicitly stating that gold was extracted in bar form .

One such letter from Father Pedro Chirino (1604) about the Tagalogs says:

“They valued gold highly, and it was melted and formed into plates and small bars, which they wore or used in trade.”

Notice, these bars were used throughout the Philippines especially in the Lequios areas of Zambales, and Cagayan (Lequios) River where the Lequios resided. 

🧠 Academic Support

Scholars have long recognized this phenomenon:

• 1. William Henry Scott , Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Philippine Culture and Society“The existence of gold in bars indicates a level of metallurgical sophistication and a local economy based on standardized weights and measures.”

• 2. H. Otley Beyer , Father of Philippine Anthropology“Gold in bar form was known and used in trade across the archipelago, especially in the northern islands.”

• 3. Rajah Sulayman’s Tribute to Spain (1570)He offered gold bars as tribute to Miguel López de Legazpi — again proving the tangible use of gold in bar form in political and economic contexts.

📚 What About Gold in Bars Circulated in Japan and Ryukyu?

“If Zipangu truly existed, then it should have matched the description given by Marco Polo: a land rich in gold in bars , silver, white pepper, and located southeast of China.

Japan does not fit this profile. During the 1400s–1500s, Japan did not produce gold in bar form , nor did it grow tropical spices like white pepper.

Nor did Ryukyu — a kingdom of traders, not miners — possess the gold reserves or metallurgical sophistication to qualify.

In contrast, Luzon — mapped as Lequios — did match every criterion .

From the accounts of Juan de Plasencia and Antonio de Morga, to the Chinese tribute records from Butuan, we find consistent evidence of gold in bar form, tropical agriculture, and strategic location in the Philippines.

We do not find Japan nor Ryukyu as such.

Therefore, we must conclude: Zipangu was not Japan.

It was Luzon — the true Land of Gold.

🧠 Academic Support

Scholars have long recognized this as well:

1. Michael Cooper, S.J. , They Came to Manila (1964)

"Japanese gold was scarce and largely ceremonial; the real wealth in gold lay further south, in Luzon and Mindanao."

2. Toby, Ronald P. , State Building and Political Markets in Early Modern Japan

"The large-scale production and standardization of gold began only after Tokugawa unification in the early 1600s."

🧾 Jesuit Reports and Spanish Naval Logs Confirm the Pattern

Additional evidence comes from:

• Jesuit missionary letters describing merchants arriving from Lequios with gold, silver, and pepper

• Spanish naval logs referring to the Cagayan River as Río de Lequios

• Royal Council of the Indies correspondence noting illegal mining operations along the “coast of Lequios”. As reported by Governor Luis Pérez Dasmariñas in 1593 to the Royal Council of the Indies:
  

• “En la costa de Lequios hay muchos mineros que extraen oro y plata sin licencia real, y por ello se pierde mucho tributo para la Corona.” (“On the coast of Lequios there are many miners extracting gold and silver without royal license, and thus much tribute is lost to the Crown.”).   [Archivo General de Indias (AGI), Seville, Patronato 196, R.47, "Carta del Gobernador Luis Pérez Dasmariñas al Consejo de Indias, 1593"]

• Of course some would then pretend that they did not know this was the Spanish Governor of the entire Philippines and demand his specific language as to what he meant when he said "Lequios". Indeed, a Spanish Governor of the territory of the Philippines was not reporting about Ryukyu, an area for which he was never responsible. However, the problem is he did, very specifically with the geography involved. He even repeats that this is the specific area where local miners were mining without a license. 

• “The coast of Lequios, which extends along the western shores of Luzon from Zambales to Ilocos, has long been known for illicit gold extraction by native miners and foreign traders.”
  – Letter to the Royal Council of the Indies, 1600

All of this reinforces that Lequios was not a mythical place , but a real region within Luzon , recognized by European powers for its wealth and strategic location.

📚 Scholarly Support: Are We Reading This Accurately?

Yes! Here are a few academic sources that confirm the scope of Dasmariñas' governance and his reference to the region of the Lequios on Luzon:

Dr. William Henry Scott (Barangay , 1994):

“Luis Pérez Dasmariñas ruled over all the islands claimed by Spain, but his effective control rarely extended beyond Manila and nearby provinces. Even so, the persistence of names like Lequios in official reports shows that these were real places known to both Spaniards and locals.”

Dr. Resil B. Mojares (Brilliant Encounters , 2006):

“As Governor-General, Dasmariñas received regular reports from regional alcaldes and Jesuit missionaries. When they mentioned ‘Lequios’, they meant the gold-rich northwestern coast of Luzon — not some mythical island.”

Dr. José Luis Caño Ortíz (Las Órdenes Religiosas en Filipinas , 2003):

“The name Lequios appears repeatedly in Dasmariñas’ correspondence as a zone of concern due to unlicensed mining and foreign traders. There is no doubt it refers to parts of Luzon under Spanish nominal rule.”

🧩 Putting It All Together: The Case for Lequios as Zipangu

ElementJapanLequios/LuzonWhite Pepper❌ No✅ YesLong Pepper❌ No✅ YesGold & Silver❌ Limited✅ AbundantLatitude (17°N)❌ Too far north✅ Matches ZambalesDistance from China (175 leagues)❌ Too far northeast✅ Exact matchMentioned by Polo❌ Doesn’t fit✅ Descriptions alignMentioned by Barbosa❌ Not named✅ Explicitly namedMentioned by Pigafetta❌ Not involved✅ Direct confirmationSpanish Records❌ Misattributed later✅ Consistent over time

🎯 Conclusion: Dethroning the Colonial Zipangu

The myth of Zipangu as Japan was never based on Polo’s text — it was a projection made by European explorers and translators , eager to find a wealthy eastern island that matched their fantasies.

But when we read Polo carefully — and compare him to Pigafetta, Barbosa, de Morga, and the maps of the time — the truth becomes clear.

Zipangu was not Japan.
It was Lequios — a region of Luzon , rich in gold, silver, white pepper, and long pepper , located 175 leagues east of China .

This is not speculation.
This is empirical, textual, and cartographic fact .

And now, thanks to this research, the myth can finally be corrected , and the true geography of the past restored .

📚 Sources Cited

1. Marco Polo , The Travels of Marco Polo , translated by M. A. L. Dames (1903), Book III, Ch. II–VII

2. Antonio Pigafetta , The First Voyage Around the World (1524), trans. James A. Robertson (1906)

3. Duarte Barbosa , The Book of Duarte Barbosa , vol. II (1921), Hakluyt Society

4. Antonio de Morga , Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (1609)

5. Cantino Planisphere (1502) – Biblioteca Estense, Modena

6. Archivo General de Indias (AGI) , Seville – Portolan Charts, MP-F-43; Patronato 196, R.47

7. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – Historical Pepper Cultivation Zones

8. Spanish Missionary Letters – Jesuit Archives, Rome and Manila

9. Royal Council of the Indies Correspondence – AGI, Madrid and Seville

📢 Call to Action

If you're an academic, researcher, or student interested in decolonizing historical geography , revisiting primary sources , or rethinking Eurocentric narratives , we invite you to engage with this work.

Comment below, cite this post, or reach out to collaborate.
Together, we can rewrite the map of history — one quill stroke at a time.

How can we interpret this as Zipangu? We don't...

Fries does himself in other maps as well. 

In another chart in which Fries curated around 1520 (prior), his mindset for this area is clearly Zipangu. 

Large Island in the position of Luzon below the Tropic of Cancer labeled "Zipargi".

Zipangu (or Cipangu) is labeled with:

“Insula subdita Luzo”
This translates as: “Island subject to Luzon”, or more precisely, “Island subordinated to Luzon”.

Anyone claiming that island is Japan, is challenged to read basic map coordinates as it is between 10-30 N of the equator. That is the same position as the previous 1525 Map with an island subjct to Luzon nearby clearly still in the Philippines.

Nordenskiöld, Adolf Erik. Facsimile-Atlas to the Early History of Cartography (1889). Plate 38.

Double Affirmation: 

We do not have to rely on just one map, but a second witness exists within the paradigm of Fries from maps he created. In 1535:

Zipagri is placed between 10-30 N again. That is Luzon, and never Japan. This is a mega island and in Japan, that does not begin until 32 and never dips below the Tropic of Cancer where this island exists. This is not remotely a distortion as the resources mentioned by Marco Polo are not mostly native to Japan while 100% are endemic to the Philippines. This is not a debate. There is a side of propaganda and those like us and even some Ryukyuan and Japanese scholars who notice this failure. 

Tabula Superioris Indiae et Tartariae Majoris. 1535. Lorenz Fries and Martin Waldseemüller.

In other words:

The map matches exactly where Magellan went — the Philippines —

and calls it Zipangu. Yes, Magellan went to Zipangu, Philippines.

This wasn’t a Japanese rebrand.
This was truth, recorded before the rewrite.

🔁 What Happened Next?

Like other names — Lequios, Ophir, Chryse, Sabadibae — Zipangu was moved.
Jesuit mapmakers and colonial powers gradually reassigned it north, placing it over Japan where the ancient gold never was. A location which fails the resource test, and not was not the source. In fact, in a letter to the King of Riben (Not Zipangu), the actual name of Japan that leads to the local name of Nippon, the Grand Khan spelled this out as he did not call Nippon Zipangu of Marco Polo because it was not.

And the Fries map that proved otherwise?

“Lost.”
Misfiled.
Hidden away — until 2018.

🧠 What This Proves

1. Magellan went to Zipangu — and it was the Philippines

2. Fries' post-Magellan map confirms Zipangu = Luzon

3. Jesuits and colonial editors later moved the name to Japan

4. The map was literally misfiled for centuries, removing key evidence from public discourse. However, 600 years of maps are ignored in such a view anyway.

5. The modern rediscovery reconnects the Philippines to its true historic identity

🖋️ Smoking Quill Final Word:

The Philippines wasn’t forgotten.
It was filed under “Elsewhere.”
Under “Japan.”
Under “Myth.”
And now... it’s been filed back.

We’ve found the file.
We’ve found the map.
And we’re filing charges — against 500 years of erasure.

The French Fries Revolution Has Begun...