continental south asia and the islands 9Continental South Asia and the Islands
During the Six Dynasties, trade connections between continental
South Asia and the islands had been lively.^1 After the reunification
of China in 589 by the Sui, foreign missions continued to arrive. But
the Sui also made active attempts of its own to establish relations. In
607, the Master of Affairs of Military Garrisons, Ch’ang Chün, and
the Master of Affairs of the Bureau of Forestry and Crafts, Wang
Chün-cheng, volunteered to go as envoys to the state of Ch’ih-t’u.
Emperor Yang was greatly pleased and bestowed on them 100 bolts of
silk each. In the 10th month (Oct./Nov.), they embarked in Nan-hai
commandery, presumably Canton, After having sailed for twenty days,
they encountered favourable winds, passed the Chiao-shih Mountain
and reached the Ling-chia-po-pa-to Island. They then reached the
Shih-tzu Rocks, from whereon there was a chain of islands. After
another two or three days, they saw from a distance the mountains of
the Lang-ya-hsü State.^2 Thereafter, they reached the Chi-lung Island
on the border of Ch’ih-t’u. On their return, they encountered shoals
of green flying fish. After more than ten days, they reached Lin-yi (in
central and southern Vietnam). To the southeast, there were mountains.
The sea water turned yellow and smelled rank. They were stuck in
the slime for one day. It was said to be the excrements of big fish.
They then reached Chiao-chih, i.e. the Hanoi area (Sui shu 82:4a-5a;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 331:13a).
This account is obviously based on the report of the envoys after
their return, and it is interesting for two reasons. It brings out the
eagerness of Emperor Yang for foreign relations and trade. It also is
an example of sailing directions prepared by Chinese travellers from
their own experiences or based on information provided by foreign-
ers. As will be seen, the ancient historians availed themselves of such
records in attempting to describe the locations of foreign countries in
relation to China and to each other. The trouble is that the accounts
are contradictory. Modern attempts to identify the various states in
continental South Asia and the islands during the time under discus-
(^1) See my Six Dynasties, vol.II, pp.80 ff.
(^2) Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao has Lang-ya-hsiu.