《隋书·列传·卷三十二》
我既然抚纳了他们，观察了解边关要塞的贸易情况，寻找探索书传，采访胡人，对有些有怀疑的事情，我就广泛听取各自不同的说法，按照他们本国的服饰仪态，从国王到一般百姓，表现出他们各自不同的形貌举止，又即刻用丹青摹仿勾画出，写成《西域图记》，一共是三卷，记有四十四个国家。
臣既因抚纳，监知关市，寻讨书传，访采胡人，或有所疑，即详众口。依其本国服饰仪形，王及庶人，各显容止，即丹青模写，为《西域图记》，共成三卷，合四十四国。
Since I have interacted with them, I have assessed and understood the situation of trade in the border fortresses, searched and read books and texts, interviewed foreign people, and for those things where I was uncertain, I listened to different versions of the story, according to their own national attire and demeanor, from the king to the common people, I detailed their different appearances and behaviors, then commanded and supervised skilled artists to paint their portraits, and wrote up the Illustrated Records of Xiyu, in total three scrolls, which recorded forty-four countries.