Srivijaya Maritime Trade Network

Timeline

1. 901–950Strait of Malacca · Southeast AsiaSrivijaya's fleets and port system controlled passage through the Malacca Strait, taxing passing merchant ships and providing anchorage and supplies. Control of the strait made Srivijaya a necessary waypoint for Indian Ocean and South China Sea trade, accumulating enormous commercial wealth.
2. 904–980Palembang · IndonesiaAccording to Chinese historical sources and Arabic documents, in the 10th century Srivijaya traded frequently with the late Tang, Five Dynasties, Northern Song, Java, Champa, and others, importing porcelain and silk and exporting spices, camphor, and tin. Palembang became an international port where diverse goods and cultures converged.
3. 920–1000Palembang · IndonesiaSrivijaya was a center of Mahayana Buddhism, receiving monks from India and China; eminent monks such as Yijing passed through or resided there. Buddhist art spread along trade routes to the Malay Peninsula and Java, forming a maritime civilization network where trade and religion mutually reinforced each other.