This second selection of studies by Professor Ptak focuses on Chinese maritime trade in the medieval and early modern periods. The first section deals with contacts between China and individual places, in particular Timor, the Sulu Islands, southern India and the islands of the Indian Ocean. Chinese geographical and other accounts of these areas an

Contents: Introduction; Geography, Routes and Regions: Some references to Timor in old Chinese records; Kurze Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten chinesischen Nachrichten zu den Sulu-Inseln wÿhrend der Ming-Zeit; The northern trade route to the Spice Islands: South China Sea - Sulu Zone - North Moluccas, (14th to early 16th century); Die Andamanen und Nikobaren nach chinesischen Quellen (Ende Sung bis Ming); Yuan and Early Ming notices on the Kayal area in South India; The Maldive and Laccadive Islands (Lin Shan) in Ming records; Commodities: Terminology, Production, Uses, Trade: The transportation of sandalwood from Timor to China and Macao, c.1350-1600; Notes on the word 'Shanhu' and Chinese coral imports from maritime Asia, c.1250-1600; Pferde auf See: Ein vergessener Aspekt des maritimen chinesischen Handels im frÿhen 15. Jahrhundert; China and the trade in tortoise shell (Sung to Ming periods); Ebenholz in China: Termini, Verwendung, Einfuhr (ca. 1200-1600); China and the trade in Cloves, circa 960-1435; Asian trade in cloves circa 1500: Quantities and trade routes - a synopsis of Portuguese and other sources; Die Rolle der Chinesen, Portugiesen und Hollÿnder im Teehandel zwischen China und Sÿdostasien (ca. 1600-1750); Index.