TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE MING DYNASTY AND THE TIMURID DYNASTY

Abstract

This article explores the trade and diplomatic relations between the Ming dynasty of China and the Timurid state in Central Asia during the 14th–15th centuries. Drawing on Chinese, Persian, and European sources—including the Ming Shi, Ming Shilu, Xiyu Fanguo Zhi, as well as the works of Ghiyāth al-dīn Naqqāsh, ʿAlī Akbar Khātāʾī, and Ruy González de Clavijo—the study analyzes the nature, dynamics, and significance of missions exchanged between the two powers. Particular attention is paid to the figures of Chen Cheng and Fu An, diplomatic exchanges, trade in horses, silk, jade, and porcelain, and broader cultural interactions, including falconry and the transmission of medicinal knowledge. The article highlights that, despite intermittent disruptions, Ming–Timurid relations remained resilient, contributing to the development of the Silk Road in the 15th century and shaping the political and economic landscape of the region.