『島夷志略』을 통해 본 元과 馬八兒의 西珠 교역 — 생산·유통·소비 구조를 중심으로 —

초록

This study examines the structure of the pearl trade between the Yuan Empire and the South Indian kingdom of Maabar(馬八兒國) in the fourteenth century through the interconnected dimensions of production, distribution, and consumption, with the Daoyi Zhilüe serving as its principal source. During the Yuan period, imperial demand for pearls expanded dramatically around Dadu, where pearls functioned not merely as luxury goods but also as a form of “political currency” that reproduced loyalty relationships and imperial hierarchy. As pearl consumption spread beyond the imperial court to aristocrats and urban society, demand for pearls increased substantially. However, as indicated in the Dade Nanhai Zhi, existing domestic supply networks such as northern pearls (北珠) and southern pearls(南珠) were insufficient to satisfy this growing imperial demand because of ecological and structural limitations. Consequently, the importation of western pearls(西珠) from the Maʿbar region, which controlled the pearl fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar, became increasingly important. Whereas previous scholarship has primarily focused on macro-level trade networks and diplomatic relations, this study reconstructs the micro-level dynamics and ecological conditions of the pearl trade through a close reading of the Daoyi Zhilüe. In particular, it analyzes the Di-san-gang(第三港), a major center of pearl production, processing, and distribution in Maʿbar. The study examines the dangerous labor of pearl divers, ritual practices associated with sea deities, and the military-fiscal control exercised by local authorities, which appropriated half of the harvested pearls. These findings demonstrate that the pearl industry was deeply embedded within structures of state power and fiscal extraction. Furthermore, this study highlights the role of Tamil Chetty merchants, who acted as crucial intermediaries in the circulation of pearls. By controlling pricing, storage, and resale, these merchants accumulated considerable commercial profits. The mismatch between monsoon cycles and pearl-fishing seasons further reinforced the intermediary trade structure by making direct transactions between producers and Yuan merchants difficult. As a result, the fourteenth-century pearl trade operated through a multilayered network linking producers, intermediary merchants, Yuan traders, and imperial consumers.

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