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Hong-wu: Year 7, Month 3, Day 27

9 May 1374

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The minister Sha-li-ba, who had been sent by the country of Siam (Hu), came to Court and offered tribute of local products. He said that his country had sent him, together with Nai Si-li Chai-la-xi-shi-ti, to offer tribute. In the eighth month of the previous year (Aug/Sep 1373), when his ship arrived in the Wu-zhu Sea, he met strong winds which destroyed the ship. He then drifted to Hai-nan. When he arrived there, the officials collected the floating remnants of the sapan-wood, laka wood, "tula" cloth and other products which he had brought to offer in tribute. The Secretariat officials then memorialized. The Emperor expressed surprise that he was without a memorial and that while he claimed that his ship had overturned, he still had the local products. Therefore, the Emperor suspected that he was a fan merchant and ordered that the tribute be refused. An Imperial order was sent to the Secretariat and the Ministry of Rites, saying: "In ancient times, the various marquis sent to the Son of Heaven a small embassy every year and a large mission every three years. Outside of China, the fan states and distant countries only had to come to Court once every reign (每世一朝). The local products they offered in tribute were only intended to express their loyalty and respect. Korea is quite close to China and is quite familiar with culture, rites and music. It is different from other fan. Thus, it was ordered to send an embassy but once every three years and if there was a desire to come only once each reign, we would accede to their wish. As for the other newly-attached countries, such as Champa, Annam, Xi-yang Suo-li (Alt: Xi-yang, Suo-li), Java, Bo-ni, San-fo-qi, Siam (Hu) and Cambodia, frequent tribute missions cost them much in effort and expenses, and I do not wish that on them. Have them act in accordance with the ancient statutes. There is no need for them to come so frequently. Transmit despatches to these countries for their information."

Tai-zu: juan 88.4b-5a

Zhong-yang Yan-jiu yuan Ming Shi-lu, volume 4, page 1564/65

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Preferred form of citation for this entry:

Geoff Wade, translator, Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu: an open access resource, Singapore: Asia Research Institute and the Singapore E-Press, National University of Singapore, http://epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/reign/hong-wu/year-7-month-3-day-27, accessed January 22, 2019