China’s forgotten history with the Maldives in the 14th to 16th centuries

Bin Yang explores the early Chinese presence in the Maldives and its significance in the Indian Ocean trade.

Illustration by Kampee Patisena

By Clarisa Sendy and Novanka Laras

Discovered but Forgotten: The Maldives in Chinese History, c. 1100-1620, by Bin Yang

The Maldives, a tropical paradise known for its stunning beaches and clear blue waters, is a modern-day hotspot for Chinese tourism. However, the connection between China and the Maldives stretches far beyond recent travel trends, reaching back to the 14th and 15th centuries. In Discovered but Forgotten: The Maldives in Chinese History, c. 1100-1620, Bin Yang, a professor of history at City University of Hong Kong, delves into the historical context of this intriguing relationship, drawing connections between ancient Chinese explorers and the islands of the Indian Ocean. In his exploration, Yang demonstrates that the Maldives was not only a part of China’s maritime history but also a vital player in the broader narrative of trade and cultural exchange in the Indian Ocean world.

While the Maldives has long been a sought-after destination for Chinese tourists, few are aware of the extensive and fascinating history that underpins these modern connections. As Yang argues, the Maldives’ inclusion in Chinese maritime activity during the medieval period was far from incidental. Rather, it was a significant part of the broader Chinese engagement with the Indian Ocean region. Through the travels of various Chinese explorers and merchants, including the renowned Wang Dayuan, the Maldives found a place on Chinese maps of the world. This period of engagement offers a rich and complex history that sheds light on the ebb and flow of trade, exploration, and cultural exchanges between East and West.

Bin Yang focuses much of his research on the 14th century, highlighting the importance of Wang Dayuan, a Chinese merchant and traveler who ventured into the Indian Ocean region during the Pax Mongolica—a period of relative peace and stability under the Mongol Empire. Wang, who was a contemporary of the famed Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta, is believed to have been one of the first Chinese individuals to visit the Maldives. In the winter of 1330, Wang arrived in the Maldives and stayed until the spring of 1331. His brief but significant visit left a lasting imprint on Chinese knowledge of the region. Wang’s observations of the Maldives, although limited, were invaluable for understanding the role the islands played in the larger Indian Ocean network.

Wang’s accounts were later compiled into a travel memoir known as the Daoyi Zhilue, which was published in 1349. This work recorded over 220 foreign locations, primarily in maritime Asia, and became an essential resource for Chinese exploration in the Indian Ocean. His book provided a comprehensive description of the Maldives, alongside other distant lands such as Southeast Asia and parts of Africa. What was particularly noteworthy about Wang’s account is the level of detail he provided about the region, despite the brevity of his observations. His writings, however, were just a glimpse into China’s early understanding of the Maldives and its importance in the broader maritime world.

Though Wang Dayuan's visit marked the beginning of Chinese engagement with the Maldives, it was the later expeditions of the Ming Dynasty’s Zheng He that would further cement China’s place in the Indian Ocean trade network. Zheng He, a Chinese eunuch and admiral, embarked on seven maritime expeditions between 1405 and 1433, during which he visited many parts of Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and East Africa. His voyages were not only exploratory but were also aimed at establishing Chinese dominance and promoting trade throughout the Indian Ocean. While much has been written about Zheng He’s influence in the region, Bin Yang’s book highlights the importance of the Maldives as part of Zheng He’s broader journey.

Yang points to the writings of Ma Huan, one of Zheng He’s trusted interpreters, to suggest that the Maldives may have been a regular stop on Zheng He’s voyages. Ma Huan’s accounts offer insights into the Chinese understanding of the region, and his mention of the Maldives is a testament to the islands’ role in the early 15th-century maritime trade. While Zheng He’s visits to the Maldives were not as frequent or well-documented as those to other parts of the Indian Ocean, Yang’s research makes it clear that the Maldives had a place on China’s maritime map during this period.

However, despite these early visits and the detailed accounts provided by explorers like Wang Dayuan and Ma Huan, Chinese interest in the Maldives gradually dwindled. By the 16th century, the Maldives had virtually disappeared from Chinese historical records, and little attention was paid to the islands in subsequent Chinese writings. Yang reflects on this disappearance in his analysis, stating, “In Chinese history the Maldives rose like a rocket and came down like a stick, lying deep in the seabed and covered thickly with mud.” This dramatic shift in focus from the Maldives can be attributed to a variety of factors, including changes in Chinese political priorities and the declining significance of the Maldives in the broader Indian Ocean trade networks.

Yet, despite this diminishing interest, Bin Yang’s book uncovers the historical threads that connect China and the Maldives, even in the face of this growing disinterest. Yang contends that the Maldives’ brief but notable presence in Chinese history should not be overlooked, especially given the role the islands played in China’s early maritime explorations and trade. The inclusion of Maldivian envoys at the Ming court, for example, represents a symbolic gesture of the Maldives’ involvement in China’s broader vision for the Indian Ocean world. Yang points out that these diplomatic exchanges illustrate how China’s tributary system expanded beyond East Asia to encompass the Indian Ocean region, with the Maldives as an important, if short-lived, part of this network.

Beyond his examination of historical events and figures, Yang also delves into the economic and cultural exchanges that took place between China and the Indian Ocean world during this period. One of the most fascinating aspects of Discovered but Forgotten: The Maldives in Chinese History, c. 1100-1620 is its exploration of cowrie shells, which were used as currency in many parts of the Indian Ocean. Cowrie shells, prized for their rarity and beauty, became a form of money in various regions, and Yang makes the compelling case that the Maldives played a central role in the supply of cowrie shells to China.

Although the Maldives did not use cowrie shells as currency, Yang argues that the islands were a key supplier of these shells, which were then used as a store of value in China. The role of cowrie shells as currency and as a store of value highlights the interconnectedness of the Indian Ocean trade network and demonstrates the importance of the Maldives as a trading hub during this period. However, Yang also acknowledges the limitations of this claim, noting that the Maldives’ role in the cowrie shell trade remains more of an inference than a proven fact.

Yang’s exploration of cowrie shells ties into a broader discussion of trade, shipwrecks, and the dynamics of the Indian Ocean economy. The chapter on cowrie shells is particularly noteworthy for its examination of the economic impact these shells had in various regions. Yang writes that, by the 16th century, European colonizers began shipping massive quantities of cowrie shells from the Indian Ocean to West Africa, where they disrupted local economies and led to the downfall of existing monetary systems. This shift in the supply of cowrie shells ultimately contributed to the European domination of global trade, a phenomenon that would shape the world for centuries to come.

The book also touches on other aspects of Maldivian life, including the role of Maldivian Buddhism and the islands’ highly regarded textile production. These cultural elements provide additional context for understanding the significance of the Maldives in the medieval and early-modern Indian Ocean world. Yang’s research contributes to a broader understanding of the Maldives as a dynamic and multifaceted society, deeply embedded in the networks of trade, religion, and culture that spanned across the Indian Ocean.

Discovered but Forgotten: The Maldives in Chinese History, c. 1100-1620 offers a rich and nuanced account of China’s forgotten history with the Maldives. While the Maldives may have faded from Chinese historical records by the 16th century, its role in China’s early maritime history and its place in the broader Indian Ocean world cannot be overlooked. Bin Yang’s work not only sheds light on a little-known aspect of Chinese history but also provides valuable insights into the complex and interconnected world of medieval and early-modern trade, exploration, and cultural exchange. As Yang’s book demonstrates, the Maldives may have been “discovered but forgotten” by China, but its significance in the Indian Ocean world endures.