Stephen G Haw
Biographic Data
| ID | 544913 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Stephen G Haw |
| GIVEN NAMES | Stephen G |
| FAMILY NAME | Haw |
| SIGNATURE | HAW S G |
| AFFILIATIONS | The Asiatic Society of Mumbai |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 21 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 17 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Anachronisms and Other Misunderstandings in Studies of Marco Polo
Marco Polo’s Departure from China
Marco Polo left China as part of the entourage of a Mongol princess travelling to the Ilkhanate as a new bride for the Ilkhan Arγun. A number of issues surrounding his departure are discussed. These include the dates of the arrival in China of the ambassadors from Arγun, of their attempt to return overland, and of the departure by sea. Some aspects of Marco's description of ships are elucidated. Recent hypotheses regarding the route of the voyage…
Yuan Administrative Units in Marco Polo’s Description of the World
A number of questions relating to Marco Polo's description of China are discussed. "Ghinghintalas" is identified with a high degree of probability; new evidence is adduced relating to the river "Brius"; and it is suggested that the toponym previously identified with Changzhou may really refer to a different town. The former identification of "Cuncun" with Hanzhong, which has been questioned recently, is reaffirmed. Marco's concept of "Tangut" is …
Some Problematic Animals in Marco Polo’s Description of the World
There are a number of animals mentioned in Marco Polo’s book which present difficulties. A few are considered here. The papiones of the area near Fuzhou have been identified as Chinese ferret-badgers. It is suggested that this is probably correct. Wehr’s hypothesis that the word “rondes” is a transcription of the Turkic and Persian term qunduz is discussed and rejected: “rondes” must be considered a scribal error. Marco’s “lions” are usually tige…
Marco Polo
When Marco Polo left China, he passed through Hangzhou (Quinsai) and then travelled approximately southwestwards into what is today Fujian province, to the cities of Fuzhou and Quanzhou (Zaiton). There are still a number of disagreements regarding his route, however, which are discussed here. Consideration is also given to Marco’s use of “Facfur” to designate the last Emperor of the Song dynasty, and more generally to the issue of the use of Pers…
The genus Afzelia and the Belitung ship
It has been claimed that the ninth-century shipwreck found near the island of Belitung, Indonesia, is that of an Arabian ship. The evidence for this is examined in detail, and found to be less than convincing. The identifications of samples of wood from the wreck are shown to be unreliable at species level. The construction technique of the ship appears to resemble that of the eastern Indian Ocean, not the western Indian Ocean. Various items from…
Islam in Champa and the Making of Factitious History
Since their first publication in 1922, two Islamic inscriptions formed an essential basis of the early history of Islam in Champa. Recently, however, they have been shown to have originated, not from Southeast Asia, but from Tunisia. It is clear that either there was an error regarding their provenance, or it was deliberately falsified. The implications of this are discussed, and the remaining evidence of early Islamic presence in Champa is reass…
Cinnamon, Cassia and Ancient Trade
There is a widespread assumption that ancient “cinnamon” and “cassia” were the same as the spices now known by those names; that is, products obtained from trees of the genus Cinnamomum. This article argues that this is not the case, but that the “cinnamon” and “cassia” of ancient writers very probably came from plants native to northeast Africa, as several early writers actually state. Possible African sources of ancient “cinnamon” and “cassia” …
The Maritime Routes Between China and the Indian Ocean During the Second to Ninth Centuries c.e
The interpretation of history is often a complex task. All too often, sources are misinterpreted because of historians’ preconceptions. This article takes issue with one such misinterpretation, the anachronistic view that the Strait of Melaka has been the principal sea route connecting the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea throughout most of recorded history. Beginning at a period when an overland journey across the Malay Peninsula was an ess…
The History of a Loyal Heart (Xin shi)
The History of a Loyal Heart (Xin shi) is allegedly a work by the Song loyalist, Zheng Sixiao, written to bemoan the fate of the Song empire after its conquest by the Mongols. There have always been doubts about its authenticity, however, and many scholars have believed it to be a forgery. The arguments for and against this have remained inconclusive, and the work has been commonly used as a source for the history of the Song–Yuan transition peri…
The Mongol conquest of Tibet
The Mongol conquest of Tibet has been poorly understood. ‘Traditional’ Mongol and Tibetan accounts, in comparatively late sources, tell of a submission to Chinggis Khan by Tibetan chieftains. This version of history was rejected some time ago, and replaced with an account that begins with a Mongol invasion of Tibet in 1240. Problems with clarifying this issue include the often poor quality of Tibetan sources, the confusion of Tibet and Tangut (Xi…
The Semu ren 色目人 in the Yuan Empire
Cathayan Arrows and Meteors
Although it is now generally accepted that the rocket was invented in China, there is little agreement about exactly when this occurred. Various conflicting claims have been made, usually on the basis of dubious evidence. This article examines these claims and rejects all of them. It also discounts the hypothesis that the rocket developed from a kind of firework called a “fire-rat.” Instead, it suggests that the rocket very probably developed fro…
The Mongol Empire – the first ‘gunpowder empire’
This article uses Chinese sources to argue that a range of gunpowder weapons was already in use in China during the late tenth and early eleventh centuries, earlier than previously thought. ‘True firearms’, that is cannon or guns firing solid projectiles, had quite probably been developed by at least as early as 1200 ce
The deaths of two Khaghans
The sudden Mongol withdrawal from Hungary in 1242 has been explained by historians in several ways and no consensus about the reason has ever been reached. Contrary to some previously expressed opinions, it was not an unparalleled event: a similar withdrawal from a successful invasion of the Song empire in southern China occurred in 1260. The parallels between the events of 1242 and 1260 are instructive, and strongly suggest that the deaths of th…
Beijing - A Concise History
Stephen Haw sets out the history of the city of Beijing, charting the course of its development from its early roots before 2000 BC to its contemporary position as capital of the People’s Republic of China. Stephen Haw, a well-established author on China, outlines the establishment of the earliest cities in the years before 1000 BC, its status as regional capital during most of the long Zhou dynasty, and its emergence as capital of the whole of C…
Marco Polo's China
Marco Polo’s famous book about his journey to China, written in 1298, continues to be a subject of considerable controversy. One recent work on the subject argues that Marco Polo never went to China at all, and other scholars have pointed out apparent mistakes and important omissions in Marco’s writings, including his failure to mention the Great Wall, and his apparently erroneous description of the course of the Yellow River. Haw re-examines Mar…
Marco Polo's China
Marco Polo’s famous book about his journey to China, written in 1298, continues to be a subject of considerable controversy. One recent work on the subject argues that Marco Polo never went to China at all, and other scholars have pointed out apparent mistakes and important omissions in Marco’s writings, including his failure to mention the Great Wall, and his apparently erroneous description of the course of the Yellow River. Haw re-examines Mar…
The Mongol Empire – the first ‘gunpowder empire’
This article uses Chinese sources to argue that a range of gunpowder weapons was already in use in China during the late tenth and early eleventh centuries, earlier than previously thought. ‘True firearms’, that is cannon or guns firing solid projectiles, had quite probably been developed by at least as early as 1200 ce
Cinnamon, Cassia and Ancient Trade
There is a widespread assumption that ancient “cinnamon” and “cassia” were the same as the spices now known by those names; that is, products obtained from trees of the genus Cinnamomum. This article argues that this is not the case, but that the “cinnamon” and “cassia” of ancient writers very probably came from plants native to northeast Africa, as several early writers actually state. Possible African sources of ancient “cinnamon” and “cassia” …
The Maritime Routes Between China and the Indian Ocean During the Second to Ninth Centuries c.e
The interpretation of history is often a complex task. All too often, sources are misinterpreted because of historians’ preconceptions. This article takes issue with one such misinterpretation, the anachronistic view that the Strait of Melaka has been the principal sea route connecting the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea throughout most of recorded history. Beginning at a period when an overland journey across the Malay Peninsula was an ess…
The genus Afzelia and the Belitung ship
It has been claimed that the ninth-century shipwreck found near the island of Belitung, Indonesia, is that of an Arabian ship. The evidence for this is examined in detail, and found to be less than convincing. The identifications of samples of wood from the wreck are shown to be unreliable at species level. The construction technique of the ship appears to resemble that of the eastern Indian Ocean, not the western Indian Ocean. Various items from…
Islam in Champa and the Making of Factitious History
Since their first publication in 1922, two Islamic inscriptions formed an essential basis of the early history of Islam in Champa. Recently, however, they have been shown to have originated, not from Southeast Asia, but from Tunisia. It is clear that either there was an error regarding their provenance, or it was deliberately falsified. The implications of this are discussed, and the remaining evidence of early Islamic presence in Champa is reass…
Cathayan Arrows and Meteors
Although it is now generally accepted that the rocket was invented in China, there is little agreement about exactly when this occurred. Various conflicting claims have been made, usually on the basis of dubious evidence. This article examines these claims and rejects all of them. It also discounts the hypothesis that the rocket developed from a kind of firework called a “fire-rat.” Instead, it suggests that the rocket very probably developed fro…
Beijing - A Concise History
Stephen Haw sets out the history of the city of Beijing, charting the course of its development from its early roots before 2000 BC to its contemporary position as capital of the People’s Republic of China. Stephen Haw, a well-established author on China, outlines the establishment of the earliest cities in the years before 1000 BC, its status as regional capital during most of the long Zhou dynasty, and its emergence as capital of the whole of C…
Marco Polo's China
Marco Polo’s famous book about his journey to China, written in 1298, continues to be a subject of considerable controversy. One recent work on the subject argues that Marco Polo never went to China at all, and other scholars have pointed out apparent mistakes and important omissions in Marco’s writings, including his failure to mention the Great Wall, and his apparently erroneous description of the course of the Yellow River. Haw re-examines Mar…
The Semu ren 色目人 in the Yuan Empire
Cathayan Arrows and Meteors
Although it is now generally accepted that the rocket was invented in China, there is little agreement about exactly when this occurred. Various conflicting claims have been made, usually on the basis of dubious evidence. This article examines these claims and rejects all of them. It also discounts the hypothesis that the rocket developed from a kind of firework called a “fire-rat.” Instead, it suggests that the rocket very probably developed fro…
The Mongol Empire – the first ‘gunpowder empire’
This article uses Chinese sources to argue that a range of gunpowder weapons was already in use in China during the late tenth and early eleventh centuries, earlier than previously thought. ‘True firearms’, that is cannon or guns firing solid projectiles, had quite probably been developed by at least as early as 1200 ce
The deaths of two Khaghans
The sudden Mongol withdrawal from Hungary in 1242 has been explained by historians in several ways and no consensus about the reason has ever been reached. Contrary to some previously expressed opinions, it was not an unparalleled event: a similar withdrawal from a successful invasion of the Song empire in southern China occurred in 1260. The parallels between the events of 1242 and 1260 are instructive, and strongly suggest that the deaths of th…
The Mongol conquest of Tibet
The Mongol conquest of Tibet has been poorly understood. ‘Traditional’ Mongol and Tibetan accounts, in comparatively late sources, tell of a submission to Chinggis Khan by Tibetan chieftains. This version of history was rejected some time ago, and replaced with an account that begins with a Mongol invasion of Tibet in 1240. Problems with clarifying this issue include the often poor quality of Tibetan sources, the confusion of Tibet and Tangut (Xi…
The History of a Loyal Heart (Xin shi)
The History of a Loyal Heart (Xin shi) is allegedly a work by the Song loyalist, Zheng Sixiao, written to bemoan the fate of the Song empire after its conquest by the Mongols. There have always been doubts about its authenticity, however, and many scholars have believed it to be a forgery. The arguments for and against this have remained inconclusive, and the work has been commonly used as a source for the history of the Song–Yuan transition peri…
Islam in Champa and the Making of Factitious History
Since their first publication in 1922, two Islamic inscriptions formed an essential basis of the early history of Islam in Champa. Recently, however, they have been shown to have originated, not from Southeast Asia, but from Tunisia. It is clear that either there was an error regarding their provenance, or it was deliberately falsified. The implications of this are discussed, and the remaining evidence of early Islamic presence in Champa is reass…
Cinnamon, Cassia and Ancient Trade
There is a widespread assumption that ancient “cinnamon” and “cassia” were the same as the spices now known by those names; that is, products obtained from trees of the genus Cinnamomum. This article argues that this is not the case, but that the “cinnamon” and “cassia” of ancient writers very probably came from plants native to northeast Africa, as several early writers actually state. Possible African sources of ancient “cinnamon” and “cassia” …
The Maritime Routes Between China and the Indian Ocean During the Second to Ninth Centuries c.e
The interpretation of history is often a complex task. All too often, sources are misinterpreted because of historians’ preconceptions. This article takes issue with one such misinterpretation, the anachronistic view that the Strait of Melaka has been the principal sea route connecting the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea throughout most of recorded history. Beginning at a period when an overland journey across the Malay Peninsula was an ess…
The genus Afzelia and the Belitung ship
It has been claimed that the ninth-century shipwreck found near the island of Belitung, Indonesia, is that of an Arabian ship. The evidence for this is examined in detail, and found to be less than convincing. The identifications of samples of wood from the wreck are shown to be unreliable at species level. The construction technique of the ship appears to resemble that of the eastern Indian Ocean, not the western Indian Ocean. Various items from…
Some Problematic Animals in Marco Polo’s Description of the World
There are a number of animals mentioned in Marco Polo’s book which present difficulties. A few are considered here. The papiones of the area near Fuzhou have been identified as Chinese ferret-badgers. It is suggested that this is probably correct. Wehr’s hypothesis that the word “rondes” is a transcription of the Turkic and Persian term qunduz is discussed and rejected: “rondes” must be considered a scribal error. Marco’s “lions” are usually tige…
Marco Polo
When Marco Polo left China, he passed through Hangzhou (Quinsai) and then travelled approximately southwestwards into what is today Fujian province, to the cities of Fuzhou and Quanzhou (Zaiton). There are still a number of disagreements regarding his route, however, which are discussed here. Consideration is also given to Marco’s use of “Facfur” to designate the last Emperor of the Song dynasty, and more generally to the issue of the use of Pers…
Marco Polo’s Departure from China
Marco Polo left China as part of the entourage of a Mongol princess travelling to the Ilkhanate as a new bride for the Ilkhan Arγun. A number of issues surrounding his departure are discussed. These include the dates of the arrival in China of the ambassadors from Arγun, of their attempt to return overland, and of the departure by sea. Some aspects of Marco's description of ships are elucidated. Recent hypotheses regarding the route of the voyage…
Yuan Administrative Units in Marco Polo’s Description of the World
A number of questions relating to Marco Polo's description of China are discussed. "Ghinghintalas" is identified with a high degree of probability; new evidence is adduced relating to the river "Brius"; and it is suggested that the toponym previously identified with Changzhou may really refer to a different town. The former identification of "Cuncun" with Hanzhong, which has been questioned recently, is reaffirmed. Marco's concept of "Tangut" is …
Anachronisms and Other Misunderstandings in Studies of Marco Polo
History (12 works) · Ancient history (11 works) · China (10 works) · Eurasian Exchange Networks (10 works) · Archaeology (8 works) · Chinese history and philosophy (7 works) · Political science (6 works) · Geography (5 works) · History (5 works) · Empire (4 works)