Chinese Contact with the West
as mentioned in Chinese historical sources
 

 Source

 Date Written

 Referring to events
 Shih Chi, ch. 123  90 BC  100 BC
 Chhien Hans Shu, ch. 96a  100 BC  100 BC
 Hou Han Shu, chs. 116,118  450 AD   97 AD
Wei Lueh in San Kuo Chih, ch. 30  Before 429 AD  220 - 264 AD
 Chin Shu, ch. 97  635 AD 265 - 419 AD
 Sung Shu, ch. 97  500 AD  420 - 478 AD
 Liang Shu, ch. 54  629 AD  502 - 556 AD
 Wei Shu, ch. 102 and Pei Shih, ch. 97  572 AD  386 - 556 AD
 Thang Shu, Chiu ch. 198  950 AD  618 - 906 AD
 Thang Shu, Hsin, ch 221, a,b  1061 AD  618 - 906 AD
 Nestorian Stone  781 AD  719 AD
 Sung Shih, ch. 490  1345 AD  960 - 1279 AD
 Chu Fan Chih 1225 AD  1225 AD
 Ming Shih, ch. 326 1739 AD 1368 - 1643 AD
Chart is adapted from material presented in Science and Civilisation in China, Joseph Needham, Vol. I, Cambridge University Press, 1954, Page 192-193
 
To further follow-up Chinese trade with the Mediterranean area 250 BC - 400 AD click here.
Who were the ancient Arab Sea Traders? Alexandria, the center of trade
Nabataeans in Italy Berenice Port on the Red Sea
Nabataeans in Africa Myos Hormos Port on the Red Sea
Africa: Juani Island Leuce Come Port on the Red Sea
Africa: Mafia Island Trade on the Arabian Sea
Africa: The Coast of Tanzania Trade on the Red Sea
Nabataeans in India Nabataeans in the Arab Gulf
The Kingdoms of South India Indian Pottery Found in Petra
Arab Ports of Call in India Trade on the Bay of Bengal
Nabataeans and Sri Lanka Ancient Trade Items
The Kingdom of Ruhuna Nabataeans in Turkey
Stone Anchors from Arabia in Sri Lanka Malacca in Asia
Southern Arabia Dong Song Kingdom in Vietnam
Southern Arabia Countryside African Pottery found in Nabataea
Southern Arabia A Caravansary Nabataean Trade Routes
Southern Arabia: The Marib Dam Nabataeans on Rhodes
Southern Arabia Sa'ada (City in the North) The Ancient Maritime Sea Route
Southern ArabiaYemeni Lifestyle A Proposed New Trade Route Directly East fromPetra
Nabataeans in Antartica? Elephants and the Nabataeans
Nabataeans in China Trade on the China Sea
The Spice Route Time Chart (China, India, Arabia, Europe)  Nabataea found in Chinese Texts
China: The Li-Kan Question  Chinese Maritime History
An overview of Chinese history The 'West' as mentioned in Chinese historical sources
Book Review; 1421 - The Year China Discovered the World