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Chinese Export Ceramics Found in Africa and the Peking University formed a joint archaeological team to conduct
Maritime Silk Road’ (Project Number: 15ZDB057), with the an excavation on the Fengdongyan kiln site at Dayao, Longquan
support of China National Planning Office for Philosophy city (Zhejiang sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo et al. 2009). During
the excavation, the strata of the Hongwu and Yongle periods were
and Social Science. It is also supported by the ‘Integrated discovered. Among the Yongle strata, three shards with the incised
Research on the Exported Ceramics of Ancient China date of the Yongle reign were unearthed and thus confirmed the
Found along the Coast of East Africa’, which was sponsored reliability of the date of the strata. Subsequently, some researchers
by the Compass Plan Project of State Administration of have continued detailed comparative studies on the unearthed
Cultural Heritage. materials from the strata of the Yuan, early Ming and mid-Ming
periods (Xu Jun 2009; Shen Jun 2014). These studies have
significantly enhanced our knowledge about the early Ming
1 In 2011 the government dissuaded the team from undertaking Longquan ware, followed by the discovery that many formerly
excavation and research for security reasons. identified Longquan ware of the Yuan dynasty are actually
2 Kirkman 1974. products from the early Ming period.
3 Kirkman 1954. 16 Wang et al. 2014.
4 Horton et al. 1996. 17 Zhejiang sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo et al. 2009.
5 Chittick 1984. 18 Xu 2009.
6 Qin 1995. 19 Qin et al. 2009.
7 Liu Yan et al. 2012; Qin et al. 2014. 20 Krahl 2001.
8 Qin 2013. 21 In Da Ming huidian, vol. 194, ‘Ministry of Works no. 14’, the entry of
9 The famous Yuan dynasty navigator Wang Dayuan (1311–?), ‘pottery wares’ recorded: ‘In the 26th year of Hongwu reign edict:
author of Daoyi Zhilüe (A Simplified Description of the Ocean’s Shores), Firing of imperial wares and others must have designs of the
made his two major trips from Quanzhou on merchant ships. His examples approved, the materials and labours calculated. If large
first trip was in the first year of Zhishun (1330) when he travelled to quantity has been counted, the potters shall be sent to the capital
Somalia and Mozambique. The second trip was in the third year of for setting up the kilns and for the production of the porcelain. If
Zhiyuan (1337) when he returned to Mozambique. Both of his trips less quantity has been counted, works are delegated to Raozhou
were on merchant ships, indicating that Chinese merchants had state and Chuzhou state under the order of Ministry of Works.’
already been to Africa by this time. Wang Dayuan recorded more (Shen Shixing 2007). We know from this record that Raozhou 饒州
than 220 places in Asia, Africa and Australia in Daoyi Zhilüe: ‘What State (present-day Jingdezhen 景德镇) and Chuzhou 處州 State
I recorded is what I visited, experienced and what I saw and heard. (present-day Longquan 龍泉) both accepted official orders from
Legends and stories are not mentioned in this book’ (Wang Shixing the government to produce imperial objects. They made ordered
1981). Ma Huan, the author of Yingya Shenglan (The Overall Survey of objects from sample designs and requested the same standards of
the Ocean’s Shores), who participated in three of Admiral Zheng He’s production. A further record consulted has shown that Longquan
maritime expeditions, complimented Wang Dayuan’s undertook the manufacture production of official wares from the
documentation: ‘After visiting and seeing in person, I know what 26th year of Hongwu reign (1393) to the first year of Chenghua
the author of Daoyi Zhilüe documented are real facts’ (Ma Huan (1465).
1985). 22 Shen Fuwei 2004.
10 Harrisson 1958; Tai 2011. 23 China had long exported copper coins through smuggling since
11 Brown 2005; Brown 2009. ancient times. The coins were mainly used as raw materials to
12 Kirkman 1954. recast as new objects. Despite numerous government edicts
13 A preliminary report was published about our study of Chinese forbidding the exportation of copper coins since the Song dynasty,
ceramics unearthed from the Gedi Ruins in 2012. However, some the smuggling of these coins continued. Therefore, a copper coin of
more shards from the Gedi Ruins were found in storage during the Yongle tongbao found overseas does not necessarily mean that the
course of our investigations in 2013. Because of this, the statistics findspot was one reached by Zheng He’s voyage. But, if the coin is
used in this chapter are slightly different from those in the brief taken into consideration with the Longquan official ware sherds
report. See Liu Yan et al. 2012. and the Jingdezhen Yongle official blue-and-white sherds
14 Longquan ware from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasty are discovered in Mambrui, they become relatively secure evidence for
very similar which is why we have considered them as coming from the argument that Zheng He’s fleet had landed there.
one time period. 24 Wan 2004.
15 In 2006, the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and
Archaeology and the School of Archaeology and Museology at

252 | Ming China: Courts and Contacts 1400–1450