continental south asia and the islands 61Normally, in the case of distant countries, the emperor presented a
belt [ornamented] with gilded silver. This time, he gave a golden belt
(Sung shih 9:10b; 489:14a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:18a).
In 1077, an envoy from “rivijaya was given a nominal Chinese title
(Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:18a).
On Aug.2, 1079, envoys arrived from “rivijaya with silver, real
pearls,p’o-lü ointment, and aromatics. For this, they were paid 64,000
copper cash and 10,500 ounces of stringed silver coins. They wished
to buy golden belts, silver vessels, and textiles. All was provided in
accordance with their request (Sung shih 489:14b; Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-
chien ch’ang-pien p.2802; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:18b).
In 1082, envoys from “rivijaya were received in audience. They
presented golden lotus flowers, real pearls, and baroos camphor. All
were appointed to nominal Chinese offices. On their return trip, per-
haps in 1083, one of the envoys fell ill and died not far south of K’ai-
feng. The emperor contributed 50 bolts of pongee toward the funeral
expenses (Sung shih 489:14b-15a; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:18a).
In the 9th month (October) of 1084, “rivijaya offered gifts. On
Jan.19, 1089, it presented golden lotus flowers, real pearls, and baroos
camphor. In the 12th month (Dec./Jan., 1091) of the Chinese year
1090, in 1091, in the 10th month (Nov./Dec.) of 1094, and in 1095
it offered presents (Sung shih 16:12b; 17:11b, 15a, 17a; 18:3b, 5b; Hsü
Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.4246; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:18b).
On Mar.11, 1156, and Feb.6, 1157, envoys from the king of “rivi-
jaya to the Southern Sung court offered presents (Sung shih 31:8a, 11a;
489:15a;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:18b).
In 1172, the king of “rivijaya wrote and requested [to buy] cop-
per for building ships. The Southern Sung court agreed but later no
longer allowed such purchases (Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:18b). Shortage
of copper was a persistent problem for the Sung, since this metal was
needed for coinage.
The last recorded mission from “rivijaya to Southern Sung was
in the 12th month (Jan./Feb., 1179) of the Chinese year 1178, when
envoys offered regional objects (Sung shih 35:3b; 489:15a; Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 332:18b).
In a single instance, for 1008, it is recorded that a king of “rivijaya
congratulated, but the text does not say why. If it was on Chen-tsung’s
enthronement on May 8, 997, eleven years had elapsed between the
event and the congratulation. It could be that the mission of 1003
brought the news to “rivijaya, and that the next mission, which was