注：1.khan: 可汗，汗，在历史上是鞑靼、蒙古、突厥最高统治者的称号。
2.Kublai Khan: 忽必烈汗(1216-1294)，成吉思汗之孙。中国元朝开国者(1260-1294),即元世祖。
3.原文中Cathy是个古词，意思就是China中国。根据文中描述的宫殿来看，此处的首都指中国元朝的上都。遗址在今内蒙古自治区正蓝旗境内。元世祖忽必烈1256年在此建新城，1258年建成，称开平府。1260年忽必烈在开平即皇帝之位。1263年将此地定名为上都，作为首都1267年忽必烈又营建大都(今北京)，上都成为了陪都。
（译文） 忽必烈大汗的宏伟宫殿
每年有三个月时间，忽必烈汗居住在当时中国的首都，在那里他拥有一座宏伟的宫殿。
周边有方形的围墙，每边的围墙有一英里长，墙很厚，有十步之高，刷成白色。在四面墙角处各有一座豪华美丽的宫殿，那是大汗存放兵器的地方。在每堵墙的中间位置又有一座相似的宫殿，使整个宫殿数增加到八个。朝南的一堵围墙开了五个门，中门只为大汗一人开，靠近中门的两个小门和靠近墙角的两个大门为市民及其他人进出用。
在这个外围墙里面还有一圈内围墙，内围墙里面也同样有八座宫殿，而大汗的宫殿就在内围墙内。这是一座所有见到过的宫殿中最大的一座宫殿。大殿仅有一层。宫殿的地面比四周的地面至少高出十拃（尺寸见英文后注），殿顶很高。宫殿四周有两步宽的大理石围墙，围墙里面就是宫殿的主体地基。在宫殿的每侧有宽大的大理石台阶，通到围墙的顶端，构成进殿的通道。
宫殿内墙上贴着真金子、银白装饰，还有绘有骑手、龙、各种飞禽走兽的图画。拱顶也布满了绘画和金制的装饰。主接待厅可容纳六千人就坐。宫殿内的房间多得数不胜数，恐怕没有哪个建筑师能设计出更完美的宫殿了。屋顶被漆得五彩缤纷，像珠宝一样熠熠闪光。且从很远处就能看到。房顶的建造坚实，虽时光流逝而屹立不倒。
在宫殿的后部是一些大厅和房间，用来存放大汗的私人财物,
在内、外围墙之间有几个庭院，里面奇树成林，又是动物的乐园。
在这两个围墙之间的西北部有一个建造精美、又宽又深的人造湖，小河水源源不断灌注其中。在两墙之间的北部有大汗下令建造的小土丘，小丘则是用造湖时挖出的泥土堆积而成，其坡上长满的树木四季常青。
The Great Khan's Palace
For three months every year Kublai Khan lives in the capital of Cathay, where he has a great palace. It was surrounded by a square wall, each side of which is a mile long. The wall is very thick and ten paces high, painted white. At each of the four corners of the square there is a splendid and beautiful palace where the Great Khan's arms are stored. Half-way along each side of the square there is another similar palace, making eight in all. There are five gates in the south side of the wall. The central one is only opened for Great Khan himself. Two small gates on either side of the main gate and two large ones near the corners of the wall are for citizens and other people.
Inside this wall is another one with eight palaces like these in the outer wall. Within the second wall is the Great Khan's palace - the biggest palace ever to be seen. It is built on only one floor, with a very high roof, and is raised at least ten spans from the ground, surrounded by a marble wall two paces wide within which are the foundations of the palace. On each side of the palace a large marble staircase leads up to the top of the wall, forming entrances to the palace.
The walls inside are covered with silver and gold and there are paintings of horsemen, dragons and every kind of bird and animal. The vaulted ceiling is also entirely covered with paintings and gold ornamentation. The main reception room can seat more than 6,000 people There is an overwhelming number of rooms, no architect in the world could have designed the palace better. The roof is beautifully painted in many colors so that it shines like a jewel and can be seen from afar. The roof is solidly built to withstand the passage of time.
In the rear of the palace are large halls and rooms containing the Great Khan's private possessions.
Between the inner and outer walls are parks planted with beautiful trees where all kinds of animals live.
Between the two walls on the north-west side there is a deep, wide and very well-built artificial lake which is fed by a small river. Between the walls to the north the Great Khan has had a hiflock made from the soil excavated from the lake, which was covered in evergreen trees.
附注notes:The wall is very thick and ten paces high, painted white. 墙很厚，有十步高，刷成白色
pace 指一步跨出去的长度，约为30英寸长(0.76米)。
... and is raised at least ten spans from the ground:宫殿的地面比四周的地面至少高出十指。
span 拃宽(手掌张开时，拇指尖和小指尖两端的距离，约为9英寸或23厘米)。
