Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c5.s1.21

v1.c5.s1.21

After middle of the 8^th century CE, there were fewer references in historical records about Indian envoys coming to China to pay "tribute", but this does not mean that Indian products did not reach China after that. In fact, sea trade in Tang Dynasty had already advanced considerably, and the products imported from India were much more than "tribute". Foreign trade bureaus had been set up at large ports along the coast in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, which were in charge of the maritime trade. At that time, Indian merchant ships were coming to China with large amounts of "treasure". The *Tōdaiwajō tōseiden* by Yuan Kai recorded that in Guangzhou, "there were numerous ships on the river from Brahmana, Persia and Kunlun carrying mountains of spice and treasures." Even after the mid-Tang period, the foreign trade bureaus at the ports along the coast continued to function and trade to China from India also continued. According to Chinese sources, products were exported to China from India even in the late Tang period, and rhinoceros was one of them. Belts decorated with rhinoceros horn were particularly appreciated in China. Products exported to India from China were mainly silk products. According to *Juan* 198 of the *Jiu Tang Shu*, in the 11^th year of Zhenguan (637), when the ruler of Kashmir presented a famous horse, "Emperor Taizong praised its sincerity and rewarded it with coloured silk." During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong (713-741), Indian envoys were "rewarded" with brocade or rough silk, usually 500 bolts on each occasion.