Indian Ocean
Porcelain, spices, cotton, pepper, ivory, gold, frankincense
More daily stuff, different from the Silk Road
Monsoons, better ships, compass, astrolabe, diasporic traders
Exchange of goods and religion, China–India–Africa zone
Southeast Asia
Between China and India
Srivijaya controlled Straits of Malacca. The Buddhist center
Sailendra (Java)world’s largest Buddhist monument
Khmer (Angkor Wat) Buddhist, symbol of power
Islam blended with them
Malacca, Muslim port city, 100k people, multicultural, early globalized city, conquered by Portugal later
East Africa
Swahili cities, Lamu, Mombasa, Kilwa, Sofala, urban trade states
Gold, ivory, slaves, skins
Arabic script, mixed Bantu and Arab culture
Islamization later on
Great Zimbabwe inland power from gold trade
Bananas from southeastern Asia to Africa, population growth
China’s Voyages
Ming dynasty, Emperor Yongle, 7 voyages by Zheng He
300+ ships, 27k people, reached India, Arabia, and East Africa
Aimed to expand tribute system, not conquer / colonization
Stopped after Yongle’s death, China turned inward