Hormuz in Yuan and Ming sources

Abstract

Ralph Kauz et Roderich Pták Ormuz à travers les sources des dynasties Yuan et Ming Au cours du XIVe siècle, Ormuz devint le principal port du golfe Persique, relié alors à l'Inde, l'Extrême-Orient, l'Afrique orientale et le monde méditerranéen. Politiquement, il resta assez indépendant, quoiqu'il versât des impôts aux différents pouvoirs contrôlant la région. Les sources arabes, iraniennes, européennes et chinoises reflètent le rôle tenu par Ormuz dans les échanges commerciaux asiatiques. Le présent article porte surtout sur des textes des dynasties Yuan et Ming. Certaines de ces œuvres contiennent des éléments descriptifs, rédigés selon une perspective indéniablement chinoise - confucéenne, taoïste ou autre -, d'autres mentionnent seulement des toponymes, sans plus de détails. D'autres encore font référence à des missions naviguant ďOrmuz vers la Chine ou vice-versa. Les contacts entre les deux parties - presque toujours par voie maritime - sont attestés dans les Annales véridiques des Ming {Ming shilu), diverses inscriptions, des ouvrages de géographie historique {lishi dili), des traités nautiques, des cartes, etc. Les sources plus tardives ont tendance à copier les écrits antérieurs et n'apportent que rarement de nouvelles données. Tous ces aspects sont examinés ici et, éventuellement, confrontés aux informations provenant de sources d'Asie occidentale ou d'ailleurs. L'arrêt des relations entre la Chine et Ormuz ne fut pas causé par des facteurs externes, mais par une nouvelle orientation de la politique étrangère chinoise. Quelques décennies plus tard, le Portugal prit le contrôle d'Ormuz et une nouvelle ère s'ouvrit.

The impact of Zheng He's expeditions on Indian Ocean interactions

“…Hsiao, however, incorrectly states that Zheng He went to Hormuz during his third expedition and seems to exaggerate the importance of the Timurid connection and the strategic role of Hormuz. It is possible the above lamentation by the envoy from Hormuz was over the loss of revenue from the trade it conducted with the Ming armada (on Hormuz in Chinese sources, see also Kauz and Ptak 2001). The Zheng He expeditions had instituted a new system of commercial exchange at several Indian Ocean ports; this was apparently controlled and overseen by Ming officials.…”

Introduction: Spatial Assemblages

“…Economic historians have devoted sustained attention to trade on the Maritime Silk Road and the multi-ethnic cities along the China coast such as Quanzhou and Guangzhou (Chaff ee 2008; Kauz and Ptak 2001;Macauley 2009;UNESCO Quanzhou International Seminar Committee 1991, 1994Van Dyke 2005, 2011. Economic historians have devoted sustained attention to trade on the Maritime Silk Road and the multi-ethnic cities along the China coast such as Quanzhou and Guangzhou (Chaff ee 2008; Kauz and Ptak 2001;Macauley 2009;UNESCO Quanzhou International Seminar Committee 1991, 1994Van Dyke 2005, 2011.…”

Zheng He's voyages to Hormuz: the archaeological evidence

“…Zheng He's visits to Hormuz, and the trade that he undertook there, were clearly recorded in an Islamic historical account by Tarikh-i Ja’far (Kauz & Ptak 2001: 55), who described the trade as follows: During his (Saif ad-Din’s) reign, many ships (jank) from China (Chïn), with Chinese products and many silken fabrics, came [to Hormuz] on several occasions. He (Saif ad-Din) sold countless [normal] pearls and royal pearls to them, and he received many riches in return—gold, silver, silks and ceramics—filling the treasuries [with them].…”

“…Around the same time (in the early fourteenth century), the capital of the kingdom of Hormuz moved from Old Hormuz to Jarun Island and established autonomy (Aubin 1953: 102; Morgan 1991: 71–78; Piacentini 1992: 171–73; Kennet 2002: 161). This site was regarded as New Hormuz (Kauz & Ptak 2001: 17–22). By the early fifteenth century, the boundaries of Hormuz had extended to the Julfar area, situated on the southern coast of the Hormuz Strait (Williamson 1973: 57; Kennet 2002, 2003, 2004).…”

“…By birth, he was a Muslim from Yunnan, whose Arab ancestors had migrated to China during the Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty. Sailing from China, Zheng He's voyages involved some 27400 men and 62 fleets of treasure ships, supported by 190 smaller ships (Kauz & Ptak 2001; Dreyer 2005: 122–24; Park 2012). On four occasions they travelled as far as the Persian Gulf and East Africa.…”