40 continental south asia and the islands
587-606: 2
607-626: 2
627-646: 7
647-666: 3
667-686: 2
687-706: 10
707-726: 5
727-746: 4
747-766: 3
767-786: 0
787-806: 2
It can be seen that, even allowing for omissions, relations hardly
survived the rebellion of An Lu-shan in 755. Only two missions are
recorded for the period after that event.
The recorded gifts from Lin-yi/Huan-wang were tame elphants,
a war elephant, elephant tusks, tame rhinoceroses, rhinoceros horns,
gilded objects, a burning-lens, pearls, gharu wood, fabrics, a parrot,
and a cockatoo. Nothing is known about the Chinese return gifts or
payments other than two horses.
Champa
In the 10th century, a new state came into being in the territory
formerly occupied by Lin-yi/Huan-wang. This was Chan-ch’eng
or Champa. But whereas its predecessor had bordered on China,
Champa did not. The Annamese state of Chiao-chih was situated
between them.
The first mission from Champa to the Chinese Later Chou court, is
recorded for the 9th month (Sep./Oct.) of 958. The envoy P’u-ho-san^95
from the king Shih-li-yin-te-man, i.e. Sri Indravarman, brought a letter
written on palm leaves and offered embroidered robes, long-lasting
aromatics, 15 bottles of rose water, 84 opaque glass pitchers, and an
unstoppable fierce-burning mineral oil (naphta). If one poured water
on it, it burned all the more. The envoys were given an audience in
the palace and presented with caps, belts, garments etc. In the 11th
(^95) According to Schafer, ibid.p.173, this transliterates Abu Hasan. If that is so,
the envoy was an Arab acting for Champa.