周達觀在1296年8月奉元成宗之命出使到真臘（今之柬埔寨），他並非正式使節，而是以間諜身份前往刺探國情。他在柬埔寨居住10個月返國，將其所見所聞紀錄呈上報告，整理後出版成該書。
該書所記錄的柬埔寨的政治、經濟、社會和風俗習慣，極具歷史參考價值；特別是對吳哥寺之記錄，是為當今最早有關該寺廟的成文紀錄。該書因具有重要的歷史價值，先後被翻譯成數國文字。陳鴻瑜教授將該書譯成英文，俾有助於東西方文化交流。

Zhou Da-guan was sent to Chenla (now Cambodia) by Emperor Yuan Chengzong in August 1296. He was not an official envoy but went to pry on the national situation as a spy. After living in Cambodia for about ten months, he returned to China and submitted a report on what he saw and heard. The political, economic, social, and customs of Cambodia recorded in this book are of great historical reference value; especially the records of Angkor Wat are the earliest written records about this temple today. Because of its historical significance, this book has been translated into several languages. Professor Chen Hurng Yu translated the book into English to facilitate cultural exchanges between the East and the West.