Chinese Names for Faraway Lands?

If somehow the Chinese made extensive contact (later colonized) lands far from their Middle Kingdom, what would have they name them?

What the Chinese names for Africa, with individual areas, like Egypt, South Africa, Mali, Zanzibar, etc?
Southeast Asia, along with the Indonesian-Filippino archipelago, and Australia?
Would India be called as "India" (singular), or divided into few different areas?
Europe, with Iberia, British Isles, Germany, even European Russia?
America? Would they call it as Fusang or had something else for the continents of western hemisphere?

I really need these names, if anyone be so generous to donate your knowledge, please reply.

Thanks in advance!
 
I wish I could find it, but I saw a map showing the places Zheng He went with the old Chinese names for them, including parts of the African East coast.
 
Last edited:
I know Bactria was called "Daxia", they made contact with the Seleucids and Ptolemies, so they had names for those too. Using 'Daxia' Google and Googlebooks should be your friend.
 
Southeast Asia is already well established as Nanyang (literally Southern Seas).

India as a whole was called Shendu, Tianzhu, and Yindu (the modern term). All three originate from Sindhu.

The Arab lands were collectively called Dashi, from the Persian term Tazik for some Arab tribes.

Everything beyond the Strait of Malacca was collectively called Xiyang (Western Ocean) during the Ming Dynasty. Later it referred to the "western world".

The Roman and later Byzantine Empires were called Daqin (Great Qin). Probably this would have referred to all of Europe in time.

My gut feeling is that Fusang will only refer to California and northwards, rather than all of America. Given the Chinese preference for a balanced world, my guess is that America, Australia, and Africa will be referred as the Great Eastern Continent, Great Southern Continent, and Great Western Continent respectively. Particular regions will either be derived from indigenous names or from any incidental factors involved.
 
Southeast Asia is already well established as Nanyang (literally Southern Seas).

India as a whole was called Shendu, Tianzhu, and Yindu (the modern term). All three originate from Sindhu.

The Arab lands were collectively called Dashi, from the Persian term Tazik for some Arab tribes.

Everything beyond the Strait of Malacca was collectively called Xiyang (Western Ocean) during the Ming Dynasty. Later it referred to the "western world".

The Roman and later Byzantine Empires were called Daqin (Great Qin). Probably this would have referred to all of Europe in time.

My gut feeling is that Fusang will only refer to California and northwards, rather than all of America. Given the Chinese preference for a balanced world, my guess is that America, Australia, and Africa will be referred as the Great Eastern Continent, Great Southern Continent, and Great Western Continent respectively. Particular regions will either be derived from indigenous names or from any incidental factors involved.
San Francisco called Jiu Jin Shan
 
Top