Beyond the Ultima Thule on the Open Sea: the Chinese and Western Encounters in Trans-cultural Literary Perspectives

Abstract Utilizing ancient Chinese, Latin, and Greek literary sources, this paper examines the interconnected evidence relating to maritime trade from the late 2nd century bc to the 6th century ad . By analyzing the similarities and differences found in texts regarding regions from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean, the paper explores aspects that transcend the geographical boundaries of both Chinese and Greco-Roman civilizations, with the goal of throwing light on the flourishing of Sino-Roman maritime trade during late antiquity.