Sa’id from Somalia was the first African Ambassador to China in the 14th century. Yes, the 14th century it’s not a typo! Africans started “ exploring” many years before Columbus!
Little is known about Sa’id’s childhood and pre-teen years. He, however, left Mogadishu as a teen and went to Mecca and Medina where he studied various subjects for the next 28 years. During his time, he became a renowned scholar, gaining audiences of the Amirs of the region. Aside from his scholastic work, Sa’id traveled the world, including visiting Bengal and China. He also went to India, where he stayed in a mosque and met Ibn Battuta.
Sa'id of Mogadishu was a famous Somali scholar and traveller. He is said to be the first African to study the Mandarin language and first African to translate the Mandarin language with a native African language like Somali. He is also known to have made the Somali merchants, leaders in the commerce between Asia and Africa.”
Africa and China have been trading for 1000 years. China has a long history of trade with Africa especially the East African coast.
“Relations between Somalia and China long predate the Middle Ages. Through trade, the peoples of both areas established good relations. Giraffes, zebrasand incense were exported to the Ming Empire of China, which established Somali merchants as leaders in the commerce between Asia and Africa,and in the process influenced the Chinese language with the Somali language and vice versa. The Chinese exported celadon wares, spices and muskets in return for horses, exotic animals and ivory. The prominent Hui-Chinese explorer, mariner, diplomat and fleet admiral, Zheng He, arrived in his fourth and fifth voyage to the Somali cities of Mogadishu, Zeila, Merca and Berbera.
Sa'id of Mogadishu a Somali explorer travelled to China in the 14th century, when China was ruled by the Yuan Dynasty, and noted the trading communities of the Chinese ports and cities.”
Admiral Zheng visted the East African coast in the 15th century.
“Admiral Zheng He (aka Cheng Ho, c. 1371-1433 CE) was a Chinese Muslim eunuch explorer who was sent by the Ming dynasty emperor Yongle (r. 1403-1424 CE) on seven diplomatic missions to increase trade and secure tribute from foreign powers. Between 1405 and 1433 CE Zheng He commanded huge fleets loaded with trade goods and high-value gifts to such far-flung places as Hormuz in the Persian Gulf and Mogadishu in East Africa. Following established sea routes but often finding himself the first ever Chinaman to land at many of his destinations, Zheng He is widely regarded as the greatest ever Chinese explorer.”
https://www.google.mw/amp/s/www.ancient.eu/amp/2-1334/
Ruins of Medieval Somalia. They even had 4 story buildings according to Portuguese 15th century eye witness accounts.
Somalia also had a colony in the Maldive Islands. They established a ruling dynasty in Maldive islands.
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