Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "silk-road"

Across the Sea: Fujian and Southeast Asia by Yuan Zhang

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Silk Road was a land route that established trade between China and Europe. Imperial China also traded with eleven countries in Southeast Asia via the sea, with Fujian being the principal Chinese point of contact with foreigners. These routes were part of the Maritime Silk Road, and this volume of the Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road series examines trade within this network of countries.

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), Governor Wang Shenzhi lays the groundwork for Fujian to play a central role in overseas trade, but the earliest trading ventures between China and Southeast Asia date back to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). The port of Fuzhou will play such a key role that it becomes one of three where trade with foreigners is permitted by imperial decree. Admiral Zheng He will begin his seven treasure expeditions from Fujian beginning in the 15th century.

Trade is not one-sided; instead, Chinese go to other countries and mariners of those regions come to China. Copper, iron, and ceramics are traded for currency, jewelry, and spices. Zhao Rushi writes about these cultural exchanges in A Description of Barbarian Nations, Records of Foreign People, just as medieval travelers Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta write of the port of Quanzhou. Gunarata, a monk from Funan (Cambodia), becomes the first to visit Fujian to translate Buddhist scriptures and preach. Over time, emigrants leave China to establish communities in Southeast Asian countries, bringing with them their artisanship, their literature, and their art, as well as techniques for planting sugarcane and building with brick.

There are times when the emperor decrees sea bans against maritime trade with foreigners, which give rise to pirate merchants who engage in smuggling and plundering. One of the most powerful is Zheng Zhilong and later, his son Zheng Chenggong.

There are a few drawbacks to this book. One is the price, but the information provided is unique and rarely found in other English volumes. Consistency in measurements (kilometers versus miles) and the inclusion of dynastic dates would help to better orient readers unfamiliar with Chinese history.

Even so, this series is an engaging combination of narrative and illustration that depicts the history of the Maritime Silk Road and Fujian’s participation. Each volume can be purchased separately, and Across the Sea includes portraits, sample pages of historical documents, architecture, boats and ships, archaeological artifacts, agricultural products, temples, and statues. I am particularly intrigued by artwork showing native costumes, such as those of Bantam and Chinese merchants. Equally fascinating is the information about tea and the history of its exportation, as well as religious beliefs of Chinese who venture overseas. Anyone seeking an introduction to the Maritime Silk Road, and Fujian’s roles in Imperial Chinese maritime history, is richly rewarded in this book.

(Review originally posted at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-expl...)



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