During the twelfth century, many Arab merchants traveled by sea to Guangzhou in South China, where they became wealthy and powerful. The author, who lived early in the thirteenth century, described the life of an Arab family in the city. He wrote:

The "Sea barbarians" lived side by side with the Chinese in Canton and the most powerful of them was a man named P'u. Mr. P'u, a white barbarian, came from Chan-ch'eng where he was reported to be a man of great importance. On his way to China, he encouraged a heavy storm; and fearful of the sea, he requested his employer to let him stay in China as a commercial agent so that he did not have to risk his life on the stormy sea again. His employer agreed to his request. . . .

Having been in the city for a...