ABSTRACT.This contribution examines Chinese engagement with the maritime world, specifically the greater Indian Ocean region, from the Neolithic Period to the ninth century AD. It highlights three key issues: the problems caused by the fact that the Chinese dynasties did not actively participate in maritime trade and exchanges until after the seventh century; how, despite this passive role of the imperial courts, several regions of China were already intimately connected to the Indian Ocean networks; the significant contributions of the spread of Buddhism through the maritime routes during the Later Han period (AD 23–220) and the fiscal needs of the Tang empire (AD 618–907) in the mid-eighth century to the ways in which the Chinese engaged with the Indian Ocean World.

RÉSUMÉ.Cette contribution étudie les relations de la Chine avec le monde maritime, et plus spécifiquement avec la vaste région de l'océan Indien, du Néolithique au IXe siècle ap. J.-C. Elle dégage les trois questions principales suivantes : les problèmes posés par l'absence de participation active aux commerce et échanges maritimes des dynasties chinoises avant le VIIe siècle ; comment plusieurs régions de la Chine étaient déjà intimement connectées aux réseaux de l'océan Indien malgré la passivité des cours impériales ; les contributions importantes de la transmission du bouddhisme par les routes maritimes durant la dynastie des Han postérieurs (23–220 ap. J.-C.) et des besoins financiers de l'empire Tang (618–907 ap. J.-C.) au milieu du VIIIe siècle à la manière dont la Chine s'engagea auprès du monde de l'océan Indien.

This essay examines China's (including what is present-day northern Vietnam) engagement with the maritime world, specifically the greater Indian Ocean region, from the Neolithic Period to the ninth century. It highlights three key issues. First, it underscores the difficulties of examining early China's interactions with the Indian Ocean realm due to the fact that the Chinese dynasties did not actively participate in maritime trade and exchanges until after the seventh century. Second, it demonstrates that despite this passive role of the imperial courts, which were mostly located in the Yellow River Valley region, and even before the occupation of the territories south of the Yangzi River by the Han dynasty (206 BC-–220 AD), several regions of China were already intimately connected to the Indian Ocean networks.