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Ann: Yongle Dadian: (Yongle Encyclopedia) (1408) 

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The Yongle Encyclopedia or Yongle Dadian  永乐大典 or Yung-lo Ta-tien; lit. 'Great Canon of Yongle' is a largely lost encyclopedia commissioned by the Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty in 1403 and completed by 1408. It comprised 22,937 chapters of which only 800 survive. Although book printing already existed in the Ming Dynasty, the Yongle Encyclopedia was exclusively handwritten. In the lists of tribute brought to the Emperor are products that might have come from East Africa.

Taken from: 宋会要辑稿 (Sung hui-yao chi-kao) m.guoxuedashi.com (chapters on Fan=tribute countries)

 

蕃夷 Fanji (the forth yuan)

Taken from: Prosperity, Region, and Institutions in Maritime China: The South Fukien ... By Billy K. L. So

Taken from: Chinese Celadons and Other Related Wares in Southeast Asia 

….

In the first year of Emperor Xian-ping (998) in August… (an envoy of Dashi (1) came). …….

Two years later in March was send Pu Ya Ti Li with tribute of 4 ivory tusks, 200 pounds of first choice fragrant wood, a 1000 dates, white sugar, wine in glass bottles, 40 bottles of rose-water, which they brought to the throne of the emperor. 

…..

In 1073 on third of July, the Dashi (1) envoy comes with tribute of: pearl, glass, gold belts, rings, strings of beats, borneol, frankincense, ivory, a 1000 dates, glass, medicines. (13)

 ........

In 1131 some 209 tusks, or pieces, of ivory and 35 pieces of big rhinoceros horns were brought by an Arab merchant to Guang-zhou (2). After an investigation by the superintendent, it turned out that each tusk was unusually heavy, i.e., at least 50-70 catties (3). The cost of compulsory official purchase at the officially set price of 2,694 cash per catty would be some 50,000 strings. It was ordered that the weight of each tusk should be carefully measured by officials of the shih-po- ssu so that this shipment of ivory could be properly handled. It was only possible to pay half of the cash first. Therefore the other half was to be sold for enough cash to be collected. (14)

………….

In 1193 Dashi (1) came to pay tribute, they brought a treasure of ivory, frankincense and other things but boats of Champa thieves took it.

 

蕃夷 Fanji (the seventh yuan)

Taken from: Crossroads, Volume 12

Taken from: Memoirs of the Research Department of the Toyo Bunko (the Oriental Library), Issue 30

 

From the Yuhai 玉海 (Jade ocean)

In February of the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1011); Dashi (Arabs) bring elephant tusks as tribute, beautiful embroidery, coloured glassware, bottled perfume, elephant tusks. (15)

 

From the Shantang kaosuo 山堂考索 (Book of Exams)

San-Fo-Ch'I (4) the tribute brought by this embassy in the second year of Tianzhu (1018) (16)

Lung-hsien (ambergris), a lump, 36 chin (5)

Chen-chu (pearls), 113 liang (6)

Shan-hu  (coral), one branch, 240 liang. (6)

Hsi-chiao (rhinoceros horns), 8 pieces.

Mei-hua-nao-pan (crystal plates of camphor), 3 pieces.

Mei-hua-nao (crystal of camphor), 200 liang. (6)

Liu-li (lapis lazulis), 39 pieces

Chin-kang-chui (diamond points), 39 pieces.

Mao-erh-yen-ch'ing-chih-huan (cat's eye rings).

Ch'ing-ma-nao-chih-huan (blue agate rings).

Ta-chen-chu-chih-huan (large pearl rings). 13 in all

Wu-no-ch'i (civet), 28 liang. (6)

Fan-pu (foreign cloths), 26 pieces.

Ta-shih-t'ang ; (Dashi sugar), 4 glass bottles.

Ta-shih-tsao (Dashi (1) dates), 16 glass bottles.

Ch'iang-wei-shui (rosewater), 168 chin. (5)

Pin-t'ieh-ch'ang-chien (large swords of Hindu steel), 9 pieces.

Pin-t'ieh-tuan-chien (short swords of Hindu steel), 6 pieces.

Ju-hsiang (frankincense), 81680 chin. (5)

Hsiang-ya (ivory), 87 pieces, 4065 chin.

Su-ho-yu (liquid storax), 278 chin. (5)

Mu-hsiang (putchuck), 117 chin.

Ting-hsiang  (cloves), 30 chin. (5)

Hsiieh-chieh (dragon's blood), 158 chin.

A-wei (asa-foetida), 127 chin.

Jou-tou-k'ou (nutmegs), 2674 chin.

Hu-chiao (pepper), 10750 chin.

T'an-hsiang (sandalwood), 19935 chin.

Chien-hsiang (gharu-wood), 364 chin (5)

 

Note: as the Chinese are receiving here preserved foodstuff from Arabia it might also be that other imports in the shipment come from Arabia e.g. ivory. As to the weight of the tusks it is 47 chin (5) each: rather looks like a collection of African (50 to 70 chin) and Asian (35 chin) tusks.

………..

In the third year of Xining 熙寧 (1070) on 24 December

Dashi guo (Arabia) envoys arrived at the court; they brought tribute of coral, a letter written in gold, dragon brain (camphor), real frankincense, pearls, elephant tusks, crystal, glassware, brocade cloth, medicinal drugs.

………..

In the fifth year of Xining 熙寧 (1072) on the fifth of April:

Dashi-wuxun guo (Sohar) dispatched envoys to bring tribute of pearls, rhino-horn, dragon-brain (ambergris), frankincense, coral, calligraphy, colored glass, fine utensils, dragon-saliva-perfume, rose-water, five-grains, thousand-dates, lamp-oil, white parrots, lots of beautiful textiles, rolls of cloth, brocade, flower-plants.

……………

In the sixth year of Xining 熙寧 (1073) on the third of July,

Dashi-guo (Arabia) Bo-ni-guo (Persia) send envoys to bring tribute of colored glass, gold ornaments, beats on strings, dragon-brain (camphor), frankincense, elephant tusks, thousand-dates, glassware, medical-drugs. (17)

……….

In the seventh year of Xining 熙寧 (1074) on the third of february

The Yu-tian-guo envoy and Adan difficult presenting of respect to its superior of tribute Jade, frankincense, mercury, an-xixiang (incense), dragon-salt, emery, amber, gold-dust.

……….

San-Fo-Ch'I (4) the tribute brought by this embassy the 25th day of 12th lunar month in the 26th year of Shao-hsing (1156AD)

(Is near complete copy of long list for the year (1018))

Taken from: 大德南海志

 https://toyoshi.lit.nagoya-u.ac.jp/maruha/siryo/dadenanhaizhi.html  

 

Yuan 11905-11907 Guangzhou fu zhi 廣州府志  in which is found the yuan 6-10 of the Dade Nanhai zhi (1304)

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Crops………….

Melon:

Watermelon: According to the History of the Five Dynasties (7): Hu Wei is the secretary of Xiao Han (8), and he went to the Uigur Khitan (9). When he  came back, it is planted with cow dung and covered with sheds. It is as big as Chinese melon, and has sweetness. Guangzhou (2) has this since the arrival of the Yuan. In fact, it is round and strong, and it is in three colors: yellow, red, and black. Visitors from the north say: Melon can stop polydipsia (10) and do not eat too much. It is sweet and warm. Today it exists in Lingnan (11) as a native product……………….

(this is the arrival of the watermelon a native from East Africa in China)

………………………..

(the beginning of the section on trade goods)

The yuan dynasty covers the ends of the four seas (all over the world) where the sun and the moon rise and set, and no one dares not to bring tribute, kowtow, and call themselves vassals. Therefore the strangeness of seas and mountains, and humans and beasts, and the diversity of pearls and rhinoceroses are always stored in the internal [governmental] storages . … the prosperity of the precious goods is now twice than that written in previous gazetteers. Now I listed the countries, the names of which we know, as an attachment after the section……………..

……………………..

Goods received from the Fan (=Tribute) Countries……

Treasures:

ivory, rhinoceros horn, crane top, zhen beads, coral, bitianzi, cui mao, turtle, tortoiseshell.

Cloth: ……

Fragrant goods:

Agarwood, fragrant incense, yellow ripe fragrant, beat incence, dark and spicy, zhan-cheng, cu-shu, wu-xiang, fragrant wood, dalbergia-fragrance, sandalwood, musk, rose water, frankincense, golden fragrance.

Drugs: ……

Various wood:

logwood tree, shooting wood, ebony, red-wood.

Leather goods: ……

Hoofs; Horn: …..

Sunderies:…….

…………………

The countries south of Ma-ba-erh-country (马八儿国): (12)(18)

Xì lan, (19) jia yi (20), wu li fa dan (21), cha liye kuo (22), bo de zhi (23), gu da lin (24).

Da gu lan guo. 大故蓝国 (25)

Hu tu la guo. 胡荼辣国 (26)

Xi li fu dan. 禧里弗丹 (27)

Bin tuo lan na. 宾陀兰纳 (28)

Po jia lu. 迫加鲁 (29)

Meng ge lu. 盟哥鲁 (30)

Tiao tu ji. 条土□吉 (31)

Da na. 靼拿 (32)

Kuo li zhu si. 阔里株思 Hormuz

Jia la dou. 加剌都 (33)

Ba fei li. 拔肥离 Berbera on the east coast of Africa.

Tu fu. 涂拂 (34)

Pi sha fu dan. 毗沙弗丹 (35)

Ya da. 哑靼 Adan

Peng jia luo. 鹏茄啰 Bengal

Ji shi. 记施 Kish

Ma luo hua. 麻啰华 Malwa

Bi shi luo. 弼施啰 Basrah

Ma jia li. 麻加里 Malindi East Coast of Africa.

Bai da. 白达 (36)

Ceng ba. 层拔 Zanzibar

Shan si. 赡思 should be 瞻思 Zhan Si (now East Africa Coast Zanji Land).

Bi pa luo. 弼琶啰  Berbera

Wu si li. 勿斯离 Misr=Egypt

Wu ba. 勿拔 (37)

Lu mei. 芦眉 (38)

Weng man. 瓮蛮 Oman

Fu lan. 弗蓝 (39)

Hei jia lu. 黑加鲁 (40)

Mo jia. 默茄 Mekka

Cha bi sha. 茶弼沙 (41)

Ji ci ni. 吉慈尼 (42)

(1) Dashi: Arab

(2) Guang-zhou: formerly Canton; A city of southern China on the Pearl River Delta near the South China Sea

(3) catties; Chin =jin 斤. Also called catty is 604gr.

(4) San-Fo-Ch'I: Sanfotsi also written as Sanfoqi, was a trading polity in Southeast Asia mentioned in Chinese sources.

(5) Chin =jin 斤. Also called catty is 604gr.

(6) liang: traditional Chinese weight unit, about 37.8 grams, the same as a tael.

(7) History of the Five Dynasties: The Five Dynasties comprised a string of dynasties in northern China that succeeded one another from 907 to 960.

(8) Xiao Han: (d 949), was a general of the Khitan-led

(9) Uigur Khitan: the Khitan led the Liao dynasty of China (907-1125).

(10) Polydipsia: the feeling of extreme thirstiness.

(11) Lingnan: Guangdong + Guangxi + Hainan + Hong Kong +Macau + northern to central Vietnam.

(12) List of countries is repetition of Chen Da Zhen: Da de nan hai zhi (a gazetteer of the Guang-zhou area) (1304)

(13) In 1073 on third of July: is also mentioned in Tuo Tuo (1345)

(14) In 1131 some 209 tusks: is also mentioned in Tuo Tuo (1345)

(15) Dazhong Xiangfu (1011): is also mentioned in Tuo Tuo (1345); Wang Ying-lin (1296)

(16) second year of Tianzhu (1018): is also mentioned in Zhang Ruyu (1224)

(17) In the sixth year of Xining 熙寧 (1073): is also mentioned in Tuo Tuo (1345)

(18) Ma-ba-erh-country (马八儿国): Mabar on the East Coast of India.

(19) Xì la: Ceylon

(20) jia yi: Kayal: medieval town in the Tamrapani delta of Coromandel of Tamil Nadu.

(21) wu li fa dan:Kaveripattanam; Chola port city in India.

(22) cha liye kuo: Kilakarai is an eastern coastal town and a port, located in southern Tamil Nadu.

(23) bo de zhi: Negapatam is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu important port during the period of Medieval Cholas.

(24) gu da lin: Gangaikonda Cholapuram is a village in Tamil Nadu, India. It was the capital of the Chola dynasty from c. 1025.

(25) Da gu lan guo. 大故蓝国 "The Great Blue Country", which is now Kollam on the west coast of southern India.

(26) Hu tu la guo. 胡荼辣国 Hucha Spicy Country", which is the area of Gujarat in northwestern India.

(27) Xi li fu dan. 禧里弗丹 Shirifudan in present-day Nagapatam on the south east coast of India.

(28) Bin tuo lan na. 宾陀兰纳 Pandaraina in Sanskrit and Fandarāina in Arabic. It is about 16 miles north of Calicut on the west coast of the Indian peninsula.

(29) Po jia lu. 迫加鲁 referring to Mangalore North Baganor on the west coast of India.

(30) Meng ge lu. 盟哥鲁 is now Mangalore on the coast of Malar, India.

(31) Tiao tu ji. 条土吉 now the Maldives Islands.

(32) Da na. 靼拿 is now Netana, Mumbai Bay, India.

(33) Jia la dou. 加剌都 Kaladu refers to Karachi, Pakistan

(34) Tu fu. 涂拂  除拂 now Dhofar, in the Arabian peninsula

(35) Pi sha fu dan. 毗沙弗丹 Vishafdan on the coast of present-day India

(36) Bai da. 白达 Baida (now Baghdad, the capital of Iraq)

(37) Wu ba. 勿拔 the Mirbat area in southern Oman.

(38) Lu mei. 芦眉 Eastern part Roman Empire.

(39) Fu lan. 弗蓝 Byzantine Empire

(40) Hei jia lu. 黑加鲁 Hedjaz province of Mecca

(41) Cha bi sha. 茶弼沙 or today's European Spain

(42) Ji ci ni. 吉慈尼   Gitzni refers to the territory of Afghanistan today.