Niuche

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

The Tartars of Kin, People of the Kingdom of Niuche upon the Confines of China, towards the Country of Leaotung, are commonly called Lords of the Golden Mountains, because it's thought this Country abounds with such, Kin in the Tartar Language signifying Gold. These have always been capital Enemies to the Chinese, for they invaded their Country in 1206, and made themselves Masters of the Provinces of Peking, Leaotung, Xantung, Xansi, and Xensi; so that the Emperor of China was forced out of the Northern Provinces called Catai, to the Southern called Mangin. These Tartars would then have subdued all the Empire, if the Tartars of Samahania or Samarcanda, jealous of their Conquests, had not entered China by the Provinces of Xensi and Suchen, beat them out, and set one of their own Family of Ivena upon the Throne in 1278, whose Successors Reign'd after him until the Priest Cha, Chief of the Family of Taiminga, beat them home to their own Country, and established his Family, which governed until 1644, that the Tartars of Kin deprived them, who now Govern there, Ysumte being the first Tartar Emperor, after him his Son Xunchi, and after him the present Emperor Yunchi. The Tartars live generally in Tents covered with wax'd Silks or Hides. Some wear Skins, others Silk and Cotton: They carry their Cimeter on the Left-side with the Handle raised behind, so that they draw it easily with the Right hand alone: Their Caps, in Winter, are faced with very rich Furr, as Castor, &c. but in Summer they wear one of Rushes. These seem more polish'd than the other Tartars, perhaps because they live so near China. They are better Soldiers than the Chineses, and accustomed to Toil and Fatigue from their very Youth. As for Religion, they have none at all, but hate Mahometism and the Turks very much, because they assisted the Chinese to beat them out of their Country under the Reign of the Founder of the Family of Taiminga, when the Christians, especially the Nestorians, stood by the Tartars: yet they have several Superstitions from the Indians, and hold their Priests, called Lamas, in Veneration. They seem much dispos'd to receive the Christian Religion, and many of them have embrac'd it already. Their Language somewhat resembles the Persian; in Reading they begin at the upper part of the Page, and end at the bottom, as they of China, continuing from the Right to the Left, as the Hebrews and Arabians, and all the rest of China do. M. Thevenot Description of China, vol. 3.

Niuche, Lat. Niucanum, called also Tenduc and Charchir, a Kingdom in the Asian Tartary, the King whereof has lately conquered China.