continental south asia and the islands 67dragon camphor, tortoise shells, sandalwood, and six elephant tusks.
The camphor was graded by the Chinese according to quality. Emperor
T’ai-tsung made rich bestowals on the envoys, i.e. payed a good price
(Sung shih 489:19a-19b; Hsü Tzu-chih t’ung-chien ch’ang-pien p.157; Wen-
hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:18b).
In the 2nd month (March) of 1082, envoys from the king of Po-ni
offered regional objects. They begged to return to their country by
ship from Ch’üan chou. This was allowed (Sung shih 489:20a; Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 332:18b).
Hirth and Rockhill, Chau Ju-kua, p.157, read P’u-ya-li as a trans-
literation of Abu Ali. This would mean that Po-ni made use of an
Arab intermediary, just as Champa may had done in 958. In fact, the
letter of the king stated that he had asked the help of a stranger. In
1082, the envoys must have come as passengers on a ship, since they
needed permission to return on a vessel not their own. That vessel
could have been Arabian.
T’o-huan
In 644, envoys from T’o-huan to the T’ang court offered gifts (Chiu
T’ang shu 197:2b).^146
In 647, envoys from T’o-huan presented a white-feathered cockatoo
with several ten red-coloured feathers on its head,^147 a five-coloured
parrot, and p’o-lü ointment. They requested in exchange horses and
copper vessels. This was agreed to (Chiu T’ang shu 197:2b; T’ung-tien
188:72b;Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5025;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:16a).
The last recorded mission from T’o-huan was in 651, when envoys
offered gifts (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5025).
Mo-yi
Men with valuable goods from this country reached Canton in 982
(Sung shih 489:17b; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:15a). It is not recorded that
(^146) Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5024 dates this mission 643. It may have arrived that year
and departed in 644.
(^147) Schafer, Golden Peaches, pp.101-102, identifies this bird as the rose-crested
cockatoo of Ceram and Amboina (Kokatoë moluccensis).