Dashi (Arabs)

Dashi (Chinese: 大食, Dàshí) was a historical Chinese term used primarily during the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) to refer to Arabs and Arab Muslims encountered by the Chinese in Central Asia and at the imperial court. The term appears in Chinese histories describing diplomatic, commercial, and military contacts between Tang China and Arab polities.^[1]

The Chinese term Dàshí was applied by Tang-era Chinese writers to Arabs and Muslim polities they encountered along the Silk Road. Linguistically, the term is understood as a transcription of the Persian word Tāzik or Tazi, itself derived from the Arab tribe Ṭayyiʾ whose name was used by Persians and others to refer to Arabs generally.^[2] Classical sources also describe Dashi peoples as coming from the Western Regions (Xiyu)—lands west of China, including Central Asia, Persia, and Arabia.

During the Tang period, contacts with the Arab world expanded through trade, diplomacy, and occasional military interaction. The term Dashi appears in Chinese records referring to Arab Muslim envoys, traders, and political entities. The Abbasid Caliphate, emerging in the mid-8th century, was known in Chinese sources as Dàshíguó (大食國, "Country of Dashi").^[3]

The earliest recorded Chinese reference to a Dashi mission dates to 651 CE, when an Arab ruler sent envoys to the Tang emperor in Chang’an (modern Xi’an).^[4] Subsequent missions included tributes and gifts presented to the Chinese emperor, reflecting ongoing official relations.

Dashi peoples also traveled to China as merchants and settlers. Arab and Persian merchant communities flourished along the Silk Road and in port cities such as Guangzhou. These interactions facilitated the spread of goods, culture, and religion between the Arab world and China.^[5]

Chinese texts mention Dashi contingents in some military events, especially in Central Asia where Tang interests intersected with Arab-led expansions. However, details are limited and interpretations vary.^[6]

In later Chinese sources, particularly during the Song dynasty, Dashi was used more broadly to refer to various foreign peoples and polities, not always strictly Arabs.^[7] Scholars caution that references to Dashi in later texts may cover a mix of Central and Southwestern Asian groups.

The identification of Dashi in Chinese sources provides insight into early Sino-Arab and Sino-Islamic relations, illustrating how medieval China perceived distant lands and peoples. Historians use Dashi references to reconstruct trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange along the Silk Road.^[8]

• China–Arab relations
• Islam during the Tang dynasty
• Silk Road