Under: Only as illustration: two details of black mongol horsemen of a painting by Liu Guandao (1280) depicting the Mongol ruler Kubilai Khan hunting.
Under Artist: Ren Bowen (d1327) scroll depicts a procession of foreign envoys presenting tribute to the Chinese imperial court. Among them several black people.
(History of the Sung Dynasty)
----------------------------------------
The History of Song or Song Shi is one of the official Chinese historical works known as the Twenty-Four Histories of China that records the history of the Song dynasty (960–1279). It was commissioned in 1343 and compiled under the direction of First Minister Toqto'a (Tuo Tuo) and Prime Minister Alutu (阿鲁图 / 阿魯圖) during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) at the same time as the History of Liao and the History of Jin. Running to a total of 496 chapters, the History of Song includes biographies of the Song Emperors along with contemporary records and biographical sketches of Song dynasty politicians, soldiers and philosophers. As to East Africa: numerous embassies from the Arabs bring products that might have come from East Africa.
Taken from; Philip Snow; The Star Raft
Teobaldo Filesi; China and Africa in Medieval Times.
W.W. Rockhill; Toung Pao 1914
www.africanfront.com
www.colorq.org
Hirth and Rockhill: Chao Ju Kua
The Vermilion Bird By Edward Hetzel Schafer
Champa in the Song hui-yao: Geoff Wade
Aspects of the Maritime Silk Road...... by Ralph Kauz
Diplomacy and Trade in the Chinese World 589-1276 by Hans Bielenstein
Chinese Sociology and Anthropology by M.E. Sharpe.
Yuan 2
7a
On Jan.7, 969, envoys from the Arab State offered regional objects.(35)
Yuan 3
7b
On May 7, 975, envoys from the Arab State offered presents.
11a
On May 31, 976, the envoy P’u-hsi-mi (36) from the king (caliph) of the Arab State offered regional objects.
Yuan 4
3b
On Apr.21, 977, envoys from the Arab State (37) offered regional objects. They were presented with garments, [porcelain]
vessels, and silk.
Yuan 5
18b
In the 4th month (May/June) of 994, envoys from the Arab State offered gifts.
Yuan 7
7b
In 1004, envoys from the Arab State offered gifts (38). In the autumn, another envoy arrived at the Sung court.
15b, 20b
When Chen-tsung (1) performed the feng and shan sacrifices (4) at Mount T'ai (2)(5) on Nov.24 and 25, 1008 (39), one Arab shipmaster attended it and at that occasion presented regional objects,
while the shipmaster Li-ya-wu sent the envoy Ma-wu (Mohammed) to present a jade tablet. Both shipmasters were given [porcelain] vessels, silk, robes, and belts. Simultaneously, the ruler (caliph)
of their state was presented with a couch with silver ropes, water pitchers, mechanisms, banners, and horse trappings.
Yuan 8
1b
After Chen-tsung (1)had sacrificed to Sovereign Earth at Fen-yin in Shan-hsi (6) on Mar.24, 1011(3)(40), an Arab envoy with the Chinese title of General Who Has Attached Himself to Virtue
presented on Mar.25 aromatics, elephant tusks, amber, limonite, textiles, yueh-ne cloth, wine vessels of white opaque glass, rose water, and dates. He received caps, belts, and
garments.
19b
On June 6, 1019, envoys from the Arab State offered gifts.
Yuan 12
10a
In the 10th month (Oct./Nov.) of 1055, an envoy from the Arab State offered gifts.
11b
In the 4th month (May/June) of 1056, envoys from the Arab State offered regional objects.
17a
In the 1st month (Feb./Mar.) of 1060, an envoy from the Arab State offered regional objects. He was appointed a Guard of the Staircase.
Yuan 15
9b
On Oct.9, 1073, the Arabs offered presents.(41)
Yuan 16
12a
On May 9, 1084, the Arab State offered regional objects.
Yuan 17
4b
In 1085, the Arab State offered gifts.
11b
On Dec.10, 1088, envoys from the Arab State offered gifts.
13b
On May 22, 1089, envoys from the Arab State offered gifts. The chief envoy was appointed a General of the Gentlemen Who Maintain Obedience.
Yuan 18
7a
In 1096, the Arabs offered gifts.
13a
On Mar.15, 1099, the Arabs offered gifts.
Yuan 21
7b
On Aug.8, 1116, the Arab State offered gifts.
Yuan180
In 1248 we hear that the censor Ch'en Ch'iu-lu attributed the drain of cash out of China to the extravagance of its people in purchasing such luxuries as perfumes, ivory, and rhinoceros horns,
and to the sea-trade generally.
Yuan 186
In the 4th year k’ai-pao (AD971) a Merchant shipping office was established at Canton (7), and later on offices were also established at Hang-chou and Ming-chou (8). All Ta-shih (Arab) and
foreigners from Ku-lo, She-p’o (Java), Chan-ch’eng (Annam), P’o-ni (Borneo), Ma-i (Philippines) and San-fo-ts’i (Palembang) exchanged at these places for gold, silver, strings of cash, lead, tin,
colored silks and porcelain-ware, their aromatics, rhinoceros horns, tusks of ivory, coral, amber, strings of pearls, steel, turtles’ shells, cornelians, ch’ih-k’u shells, rock crystal, foreign
textile fabricks, ebony, sapan wood, etc. In the Emperor Tai-tsu’s time (960-976) a Licence office was established at the capital, and orders were given that the foreign aromatic drugs and high
priced goods brought to Canton (7), Kiao-chih (9), the Liang Che (10) and to Ch’uan-chou (11) should be deposited in the governmental godowns, and that all private trading in pearls,
tortoise-shell, rhinoceros horns, ivory, steel, turtles’ shells, amber, cornelians and frankincense outside of the official markets was forbidden. All objects not included in the above list might
be freely dealt in by the people.
Between 1049 and 1053 the annual import of ivory, rhinoceros horn, pearls and other products amounted to over 530,000 units of currency, but from 1064 to 1067 it increased by 100,000 units more. In 1076 the total of the revenue of the bureau of trading junks in Hangchow (12), Mingchow (13) and Canton (7) amounted to 540.173 units. In 1115 the annual was still above 500,000 units.
(The records of economy and finance) Shih-huo chih (part of the Sung-shih)
Also repeated in; Sung hui-yao chi-kao (11th-13th documents collected by Hsii Sung et al. in the 19th c.).
Hu –shih po fa:
In the third year of the Ch'ien-tao reign period (AD1167), on the first day of the tenth month, the shih-po-ssu (14) of Fukien Circuit said: “A merchant leader of this locality, Ch’en Ying, and
the others arrived in Chan- ch'eng [Champa] yesterday. Their [ie, Champa's] chief said: "We intend to send an envoy and vice envoy to reveren-tially present tribute to T’ai-tsung (15):
frankincense, elephant tusks, and others. Now, (Ch’en) Ying and his companions have five vessels which, in addition to the goods they have bought for themselves will carry [our] frankincense
elephant tusks etc. We will also send an envoy, and a vice envoy and others. Subsequently, a merchant leader, Wu Ping, and others came to Chan-ch’eng by boat. “Their chief “Chou-ya-na prepared an
inventory of what they were to present; White frankincense, 20,455 chin; mixed frankincense, 80,295 chin;(16) elephant tusks, 7,795 chin; aconitum sineuse (17) and garu-wood (18), 237 chin;
garu-wood (18), 990 chin; garu-wood (18) heads (?) 92 chin (16), 8 liang (19); chien-hsiang-t'pu 255 chin; chia- nan-mu hsien-hsiang (ambergris), 301 chin; (16) huang-shu hsiang (tortoise shell)
1780 chin. An imperial prescript dispensed the envoys' trip [to China], and ordered a Ch'uan-chou (11) official to be deputed.
Note: The author in a footnote adds that Frankincense came from Arabia and Ambergris from East Africa. And everything else from South East
Asia.
Yuan 405
In 1194 we read of Wang Chu-an, then governor of the Hsing-hua military district in Fu-kien (20), refusing to allow the people under his jurisdiction to go beyond its borders to trade with
foreign people whose many ships coming from abroad laden with aromatics, rhinoceros horns, ivory and king-fishers' feathers were already draining all the copper cash out of the land.
Yuan 489
During the Xian-de reign of the Zhou (21), the official Pu-he-san (Abu Hasan) who had been sent by their king She-li Yin-de-man (Sri Indravarman) offered tribute of local products. These included a rhinoceros horn belt in the form of clouds and dragons, as well as a Pu-sa (Boddhisatva) stone. Also included was rose-water, which when dripped on clothing would remain just as fragrant even after a year, and wild-fire oil (Greek fire), which burned even more fiercely when water was added. These were both contained in glass bottles.
King Jaya Indravarman I (22) sent P'u Ho-san to China in 961 with a letter on palmyra leaves in an envelope of fragrant wood, and an offering of ivory, camphor, peacocks, and twenty Dashi bowls for the new Sung emperor.
Kenneth R. Hall adds: all items are from Arabia, Persia, and other western regions that were supposedly available in Cham (Vietnam) ports as commercial products.
(entry for the year 960 AD) In the country of Sarbeza (San-fo-ts'I) (Palemban) (Sumatra), for music, they have a small guitar and small drums. Kun-lun (23) slaves (Kouen-loue-nou) make music for them by trampling on the ground and singing.
Yuan 490
17a
On Jan.7, 969, envoys from the Arab State offered regional objects. (35)
In the 7th month (July/Aug.) of 971 (42), the Arabs offered regional objects. On Aug.7, their chief envoy was appointed General Who Cherishes Civilization and presented with five-coloured damask
with golden flowers.
In the 3rd month (Apr./May) of 973 (43), Arab envoys offered regional objects.
17a-17b
On May 31, 976, the envoy P’u-hsi-mi (36) from the king (caliph) of the Arab State offered regional objects.
17b
In the second year of Tai-ping Hsing Kuo (Apr 21-977) Arabia sent the ambassador Pu-sze-na, the vice-ambassador Mo-ho-mo (Mahmud), and the judge Pu-lo, with the products of their country as
presents. Their attendants had sunken eyes and black skin and they were called Kun-lun-nu (23). By imperial decree, in return, these envoys were given suits of garments with lining, utensils, and
currency; their servants were given variegated silk fabric with defects.
In 979, the Arabs offered gifts.(44)
In 984, an Arab envoy offered flowered brocade (45), yueh-no cloth, aromatics, white baroos camphor, white granulated sugar, rose water, and opaque glass vessels.
17b-18b
In 993, the Arab envoy Li-ya-wu arrived (46) on the China coast at the same time as the Arab shipmaster P’u-hsi-mi. Because the latter was old and ill, he was unable to proceed to the palace in
the capital.
He therefore added his regional objects to the presents brought by Li-ya-wu, together with a written inventory. It listed 50 elephant tusks, 1,800 catties (29) of frankincense, 700 catties (29)
of fine steel, one item of cotton with red threads, four items of variegated flowered brocades, two items of yueh-no cloth, one opaque glass pitcher, one lump of limonite, and 100 bottles of rose
water. Emperor T’ai-tsung (15) presented P’u-hsi-mi with a letter, a brocade robe, silver vessels, and silk.
18b-19a
In 995 an Arab (Dashi) shipmaster P'u-ya-t'o-li (47), who deputed P'u-hi-mu (Abu Hamid) with a letter to the Sung court and presented 100 ounces (24) of baroos camphor (=100 liang (19) of bai
longnao), castoreum, dragon salt (25), drugs, white granulated sugar, dates, schisandrag chinensis (26) seeds, peaches, 20 bottles of rose water, frankincense, foreign brocade, mats and yueh-no
cloth.
During the audience emperor Taizong (r. 976-997) enquired about his country, when he stated, among other details, that it was conterminous with Ta-ts'in, which, being a dependency, was
now governed by his native country. That his native country lay between these and mountains where one could catch elephants and rhinoceroses, as well as obtain perfumes and certain materia
medica. Asked by the Emperor which kinds of things his country produced, Pu-xi-mi replied: Only rhinoceros horn ivory, and xiangyao (27). Then on the request of the emperor follows the story on
how rhinos and elephants are hunted. The agent received a brocade robe, textiles, and gold and silver pitchers, the shipmaster real gold, equivalent to the value of the goods he had
presented.
Note: This country must have been Persia, which through the Abbasid-Caliphs was ruling the Arabs and through its harbor Siraf had close relations with East-Africa. This story is also
found in Chao-Ju-Kua.
19a
In the 3rd month (Apr./May) of 1000 (48), an agent of the shipmaster T’o-p’o-li, offered gifts. T’o-p’o-li was paid 2,700 ounces (24) of silver, water sprinkling vessels, and gilded silver horse
trappings.
19b
In the 6th month (July Aug.) of 1003 (49), envoys from the king (caliph) of the Arab State offered a red parrot and regional objects. On Chen-tsung’s (1) birthday, they were given a great banquet
and presented with garments.
In 1004, envoys from the Arab State offered gifts (38). In the autumn, another envoy arrived at the Sung court.
In 1007, envoys from the Arab State (50) offered gifts. They arrived together with envoys from Champa. They had travelled by sea.
19b-20a
When Chen-tsung (1) performed the feng and shan sacrifices (4) at Mount T'ai (5) on Nov.24 and 25, 1008 (39), one Arab shipmaster attended it and at that occasion presented regional objects,
while the shipmaster Li-ya-wu sent the envoy Ma-wu (Mohammed) to present a jade tablet. Both shipmasters were given [porcelain] vessels, silk, robes, and belts. Simultaneously, the ruler (caliph)
of their state was presented with a couch with silver ropes, water pitchers, mechanisms, banners, and horse trappings.
20a
After Chen-tsung (1) had sacrificed to sovereign earth at Fen-yin in Shan-his on Mar 24 1011, ship master Pu Ma-wu Tuo-po-li (Abu Mahmud Tabriz) (of the Dashi) with the Chinese title of General
who had attached Himself to Virtue presented on Mar 25 aromatics, elephant tusks, amber, limonite, textiles, yuh-no cloth, wine vessels of white opaque glass, rose water, and dates. He received
caps, belts, and garments.
On June 6, 1019, envoys from the Arab State offered gifts.
In the 11th month (Dec./Jan., 1024)(51) of the Chinese year 1023, envoys from the Arab State offered gifts to the Sung court.
Ts'ong-t'an ( or Tsang-d'an) (or So-tan) (or Zengdan (land of the blacks)) is on the southern ocean. The town is twenty li (six or seven miles) from the sea coast. In the fourth year hi-ning
(1071) it brought presents to our court for the first time. Travelling by sea and with a favorable wind, the envoy took a hundred and sixty days. He passed by Wu-sun (Sohar in Oman) Ku-lin
(Quilon) and San-fo-ts'i ( Palembang in Sumatra) and came to Kuang-chou. The ruler of the country was named A-mei-lo A-mei-lan (from persian amir-I-amiran meaning: prince of princes) (or
A-mi-ro-a-bi-ran) (or Amir al-Umara). They had ruled the country for 500 years or 10 generations. The language sounds like that of the Arabs (Ta-shi). The climate is warm all the year. The
wealthy people wear turbans of yue-(no) stuff and clothes of flowered brocade, or of po-tie cloth. They go forth riding elephants or on horseback. They have official salaries. According to their
laws light offenses are punished with the bamboo, serious crimes with death.
Of cereals they have rice, millet and wheat. For food they eat fish. Of animals they have sheep, goats, buffalo, water-buffalo, camels, horses, rhinoceros and elephants. Of drugs they have
putchuck, dragon's blood, (a product of the shrub Dracaena) myrrh, borax, asa-foetida, frankincense. Of products, pearls, glass (p'o-li), (these three he might have required en route) and three
kind of drinks called mi (Persian, mei, wine) sha (Arab-Persian, sharab, sherbet) and Kua (?). In commercial transactions they use coins made by the government only, three part are of gold and
copper in equal proportion , the fourth of silver. The people are forbidden coining them themselves.
20b
On Oct.9, 1073, the Arabs offered presents.(41)
In the sixth year Yuan-fong (1083) the envoy Pau-shun-lang-tsiang Ts'ong-k'ei-ni (some writers translate this as :Lord Guardian of Prosperity and the last three characters as the Zanj, in resent
articles the translation reads the envoy Zengijani) (other spelling: Fo-jun-ro-sho-ka-ni) (in that case translated as: na’ib Zakariya) came again to court. The emperor Shou-tsung, considering the
very great distance he had come, besides giving him the same presents which had been formerly bestowed on him, added thereto 2,000 ounces (24) of silver.
Note: F. Hirth and W.W.Rockhill identified this country with al Zanj but recently Dr. T. Fujita and Yajima Hikoichi identified it with Sultan; the country of the Seljuk Sultan. This identification is based on a description of the country found in another Chinese book: Phang yuan lu: Wen chhang tsa lu
East of the country So-tan is limited by sea, west of it is Ko-ro-mo south of it is Ka-mo-dan and north is limited by Li-ki-ban.
For all the neighboring countries west-Asian places were found, no African.
On dec 17, 1131 the Maritime Trade Commission (52) of the (Eastern)Kuang-nan Circuit (28)(in canton)(7) reported to court that the envoy P’u ya li had arrived from the Arab state by ship to offer 35 large veined rhinoceros horns and 209 large elephant tusks. The tusks weighted more then 57 catties (29)(each). One catty of ivory was evaluated at 2 strings of 1000 cash. He was paid 600 ingots of silver, gold and silver vessels, and textiles.
On July 28 1134, the Juridical Commission of the eastern Kuang-nan Circuit (28) reported to the court that bandits had invaded P’u ya li’s ship, had wounded him and killed four foreigners, and had robbed all the gold and silver.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Sung-shih we have for the first time (but erroneously) mentioned the minting of coins on the East African coast.
This
is a link to a Medieval coin from Mogadishu.
If you fill in on that web page the numbers of the
coins here given (one by one) you will find Medieval coins from Kilwa :17646 / 17645 / 17644 / 17643 / 17642 / 17640 / 7581
There is a website where massively the coins of East Africa are shown.
-179 Coins of Kilwa
-2 Coins of Zanzibar
-55 Coins of Mogadishu
This link brings you to the search page of the museum where you type (on the right top) Kilwa or Mogadishu or Zanzibar to see the collection of medieval coins minted in those three places.
Liao shih (History of the Liao) (1343)
-----------------------------------------------
Taken from: Transactions of the American Philosophical Society by American Philosophical Society, 1949
PERSIA
(in 923) On the day hsin-ch'ou (30) of the sixth month [in the second year of T'ien-tsan](31) the country of Persia came to offer tribute.
TA-SHIH (here Baghdad)
(in 924) On the day kuei-hai (32) [of the ninth month in the third year of T'ien-tsan](31) the country of Ta-shih came to offer tribute.
TA-SHIH (here Samarkand)
(in 1020) On the day jen-yin (33) of the tenth month in the ninth year of K'ai-t'ai (34) the country of Ta-shih sent envoys to offer ivory and local products and to ask for a wife for (the ruler’s) son Ts’e-ko. (he received the bride in 1021).
(1) Chen-tsung: Emperor Zhenzong of Song (23 December 968 – 23 March 1022), personal name Zhao Heng, was the third emperor of the Song dynasty of China.
(2) this will be repeated in Yuan 490
(3) this will be repeated in Yuan 490.
(4) feng and shan sacrifices: was an official rite offered by the Son of Heaven (emperors of China) to pay homage to heaven and earth to receive the mandate of heaven. Feng involved building altars out of soil at the peak of Mt. Tai and proclaiming the merits and legitimacy of the emperor to god of heaven. Shan involved clearing land at the foot of the mountain to show respect for the god of earth.
(5) Mount T'ai: north of the city of Tai'an. It is the highest point in Shandong province, China. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
(6) Fen-yin in Shan-hsi: Fen - yin prefecture in Shan-hsi province.
(7) Canton: Kuang-chou: Guangzhou formerly Canton; A city of southern China on the Pearl River Delta near the South China Sea.
(8) Hang-chou and Ming-chou: Hangzhou is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang. Ming-chou is present day Ningbo, a major port and industrial hub in east China's Zhejiang province, lies south of Shanghai on Hangzhou Bay.
(9) Kiao-chih: Tonkin or Cochin: coasts of Tonkin (northern Vietnam) and South China.
(10) Liang Che: Liang Che Circuit in lower Yangtze.
(11) Ch’uan-chou, Quanzhou also known as Zayton is a prefecture-level port city on the north bank of the Jin River, beside the Taiwan Strait in southern Fujian, China.
(12) Hangchow: Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province, is the southern terminus of the ancient Grand Canal waterway, which originates in Beijing.
(13) Mingchow: now Ningpo, a major port and industrial hub in east China's Zhejiang province, lies south of Shanghai on Hangzhou Bay.
(14) Shih-po-ssu : office of maritime affairs.
(15) T’ai-tsung: second emperor of the Song dynasty (976–997) who consolidated the empire.
(16) Chin =jin 斤. Also called catty is 604gr.
(17) aconitum sineuse: bleu flower with medical properties, but also poisonous.
(18) garu-wood: eaglewood or gharuwood is a fragrant dark resinous wood used in incense, perfume, and small carvings.
(19) liang: traditional Chinese weight unit, about 37.8 grams, the same as a tael.
(20) Hsing-hua military district in Fu-kien,: Hsing-hua prefecture on the coast of Fukien province developed because of the military presence.
(21) Xian-de reign of the Zhou: Xiande reign period of Emperor Taizu of the Zhou Dynasty (started in 954-959)
(22) King Jaya Indravarman I: (d1167) was a Cham noble and King of Champa. Rising to power during the 12th Century Khmer–Cham wars, he spent much of his rule consolidating his control over Champa.
(23) Kun-lun: see my webpage: Note on KUNLUN empire.
(24) Ounces: here liang: traditional Chinese weight unit, about 37.8 grams, the same as a tael.
(25) dragon salt: mixture of spices and salt.
(26) Schisandrag: Schisandra chinensis, whose fruit is called magnolia berry or five-flavor-fruit, is a vine plant native to forests of Northern China.
(27) Xiangyao: spices and herbs
(28) Kuang-nan Circuit: modern Kwangtung and Kwangsi
(29) Catties; Chin =jin 斤. Also called catty is 604gr.
(30) hsin-ch'ou: Xinchou is the Chinese Lunar Calendar.
(31) T'ien-tsan period: Emperor T'ai Tsu (AD 916-25).
(32) kuei-hai day sixty of the Chinese calender.
(33) jen-yin: day 39
(34) K'ai-t'ai period (1012-1021) Emperor Sheng-tsung (982-1031)
(35) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295).
(36) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295); this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(37) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(38) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(39) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(40) this is also found in Yongle Dadian (1408); Wang Ying-lin (1296)
(41) this is also found in Yongle Dadian (1408)
(42) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(43) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(44) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(45) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(46) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295); Chao Ju-Kua (1226)
(47) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(48) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(49) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(50) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(51) this is also found in Ma Tuan-lin (1295)
(52) this is also found in Yongle Dadian (1408)