Ancient Chinese description of Alexandrian lighthouse

[Imperial Dave]

https://greekreporter.com/2025/01/25/ancient-chinese-lighthouse-alexandria/

Hopefully of interest

[Keraunos]

Thank you.  An interesting example of Chinese whispers!

I had not hitherto known that remnants of the Lighthouse were in existence as late as the Fifteenth Century.  I had rather assumed that it had been destroyed in the Roman Civil Wars and /or by earthquake around the same time.

[Adrian Nayler]

I'm not sure anyone should necessarily revise their previous views based on this story.

If I interpret this correctly, and taking only what is said by the journalist, it seems to me that the Chinese official may have spoken to traders familiar with the Alexandria of his day but that they had not necessarily seen any remnant of the lighthouse. His informants told him "They have a legend that in ancient times, ... "

What seems to be being reported (and then repeated by the official) is perhaps just a recollection of tales from ancient times.