A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Chao Ju-kua
164 Chao Ju-kua 趙汝适. A member of the Imperial family under the Sung dynasty, A.D. 960—1278. He held the position of Superintendent of Customs at Ch'üan-chou in Fuhkien — the Zayton of Marco Polo — and in his official capacity was thrown into contact with merchants of Arabia, Persia, and India, who came to trade. He used his opportunities to advantage, and collected a store of information on foreign countries, which he published in a work in two volumes, under the title of 諸蕃志. Vol. I. treats of Further India, the Archipelago and the Philippines, Japan, Korea, the Loo-choo Islands, Ceylon, Spain, Cochin-China, Tongking, and the dominions of Islam, &c. Vol. II. contains a description of the various articles imported into Ch'üan-chou, followed by an account of the island of Hainan.