Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c14.31

v2.c14.31

Ibn Batuta (1304-1368), an Arab traveller, came to India via central Asia in 1333 and became an official in the court of Mohammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate. Afterwards, he was appointed as a special envoy to China. He wrote *Rihla* (*Journey*), often titled as *Travels of Ibn Batuta*, which gave a detailed account of his journeys in Central Asia, India and China. Although it is doubtful whether he even reached China, his account of southern coastal India was quite consistent with that of *Yuan Shi* and *Daoyi Zhilue*.