Quanzhou
From Mw
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[edit] Nanhai Trade in Guangzhou and Yangzhou
According to Chinese records the Persians (Po'ssi) and Arabs (Ta'shish) dominated the maritime trade with China at the height of the Tang Dynasty [1].The Persians and the Arabs displaced the trade that was previously dominated by Indians and Malay Merchants [2] . They brought goods from Java and Sumatra and spices from the Moluccas. This was confirmed by Masudi in 956 CE (344 AH) in the book Muruj al-Dhahab
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The ships from Basra, Siraf, Oman, India, the islands of Zabaj and Sanf came to the mouth of the river of Khanfu (Guangzhou, old Canton China) with their merchandise and their cargo (before AD 877-878). Then the trader went by sea to the land of Killah (Kedah) which is approximately half way to China. Today this town is the terminus for Muslim ships from Siraf to Oman, where they meet the ships which come down from China, but it was not so once... This trader then embarked at the city of Killah on a Chinese ship in order to go to the port of Khanfu.[3] |
Large Merchant communities in the 8th century in Guangzhou, Yangzhou.
- 755 CE (137 AH) An Lushan rebellion
- 758 CE (140 AH) Persians and Arabs in Guangzhou pillaged the warehouses and sailed fo with the loot.
- 760 CE (142 AH) Tang army plundered Yangzhou killing thousands of Persian and Arab merchants.[4]
By 794 traded had recovered until in 878 CE (264 AH) during the Huang Chao rebellion, Huang captured Guangzhou and massacred all of the foreigners, Muslims Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians. According to the Arab geographer Abu Zaid
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No less than 120,000 Muslims, Jews, Christians and Parsees Perished [5] |
The trade again flourished under the various warlords between the end of the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty who controlled the ports of Guangzhou and Fuzhou
[edit] Rise of Quanzhou
Along with Guangzhou and Fuzhou under various warlords at the end of the Tang Dynasty, Quanzhou sprung up. This rise in trade was partially fueled by the cut off of trade through the Silk Road.
various FanFang (foreigners streets) were established and large tracts of land wer allocated by the governmnet for residence of the various foreign communities. These communities were allowed to establish community courts
- 1136 CE (530 AH) Pu Luoxinan Arab merchant was awarded an honarary rank in recognition of his contribution to the Frankinsensetrade.
- 1233 CE (630 AH) Pu Kaizong father of Pu Shougeng recieved an honorary rank
- 1274 CE (672 AH) Pu Shougeng along with his brother gained offical ranks for suppressing pirates.
1276 CE (674 AH) Pu Shougeng given trade superintendancy and millitary command in Fujian and Guangdong as part of the Song initiative against the Mongol. However Pu Shougeng negotiated with the Mongol and set a trap for the Song who sailed into Quanzhou. Suspecting the trap the Song captured 400 of Shougengs ships and left. He reacted by slaughtering around 3,000 members of the Song Imperial family and soldiers who resided in Quanzhou.
- Pu Shougeng an Arab trade was assigned superintendent of Quanzhou.
[edit] Quanzhou under the Yuan
The Mongols revived trade. In return for 70% of profit, it reduced tariffs, extended loans and financed shipbuilding. It was during this period that Marco Polo visited
- in 1292 CE (691 AH) Marco Polo described Quanzhou in glowing terms as one of the two greatest harbours in the world (the other being Alexandria). He estimated that ahundred times more pepper was shipped to Quanzhou than to Alexandria.
With the destruction of the Abbasid Caliphate in 1258 CE (655 AH) and the creation of the Il-Khanate trade flourished between the Islamic World and China.
[edit] Decline
- Epidemeics of bubonic plague broke out in Fujian between 1345 CE (745 AH) and 1346 CE (746 AH)
- Increased inflation due to Government printing more and more money.
- Rebellion in the 1330 - 1350 reaching a peak after the flooding of the Yellow River.
- in 1345 CE (745 AH) Ibn Battuta described it as the greates harbour in the world at its time.
[edit] Sipahi
During the rebellions in Fujian between the 1330's and 1350's the Muslims created militia in order to protect themselves. These militia were called the Sipahi which has close connection with the Turkish use of the word for calvery regiments.
The Sipahi were led by Sayf ud-Din and Amir ud-Din and after successfully defeating bandits and rebels in their region they expanded and started capturing territory themselves. In 1357 CE (757 AH) they raided Xinghua and Fuzhou. However in 1366 CE (767 AH) a Fujian warlord named Chen Youding. He met the Sipahi in batle at Xinghua. The Sipahi, faced with a numerically superior force fled. Thousands were killed including their commanders Baipai Muhammad and Jin Ali. Chens army then marched into Quanzhou and slaughtered every weter, or western looking person.
By the time the Ming armies defeated Chen, most of the Muslims had fled by Sea or into the countryside.
With the collapse of the Muslim Middlemen the sea trade also collapsed and China entered a long period of inward policies.
[edit] Islam in Quanzhou
[edit] Mosques
[edit] Lingshan Hill
On the Lingshan Hill in the eastern suburbs of Quanzhou are the graves of two of the disciples of the Prophet
. The people of Quanzhou referred to them respectfully as the Graves of the Saints, and to the hill as Divinity (sanctity) Hill. This is one of the earliest historical sites related to the transmission of Islam to China, and also one of the earliest Islamic graves in China.
