Some New Findings concerning China’s Communication History with Ma’bar and Chola during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties

　　ABSTRACT: This paper points out that the Ma Ba Er Island recorded in the Dao Yi Zhi Lue by Wang Dayuan in the late Yuan Dynasty actually means the Maabar Sultanate. The author holds an opposite opinion from Paul Pelliot, who deemed that King Bie Li Ti of the Western Ocean Soli (Chola) and King Bo Na Di of Soli were one person, and these two countries were one country. This paper considers that Bie Li Ti and Bo Na Di are different Chinese translations of Bandi, a title of the king of Maabar referred to by Marco Polo. Soli was neither recorded in the official history nor in the historical documents with regard to Zheng He’s expeditions, for South India was ruled under the Kingdom of Vijayanagar after the Yongle Emperor (r. 1403-1424). The author also reckons that Suan Dan, a Chinese title for the king of Maabar recorded in 1281 in the Yuan Shi, was a transliteration of Sundara instead of Sultan, and Xi La Mu Ding, then the king of Maabar, who sent his envoy to China in 1314, was no other than Sayyid Jalal-ud-Din Ahsan.