Arabic Classical Accounts of India & China

The work contains two books: (1) An account of India by Ibn Khurdadhbih, one of the earliest Arab geographers, and forms a past of his world geography al-Masalik wa’l Mamalik, (2) An account of India and China compiled in A D 851 and usually attributed to Sulayman, the Merchant. Professor. Ahmad has presented the first complete English translation of the two works with exhaustive commentaries based on the latest editions of the works. The works deal with the geography, social and economic life of the peoples and the political set-up of India and China during the ninth century A D. The account of china and India is based on the personal observations and experiences of merchants and travelers visiting these countries. The two works are of immense historical importance and provide valuable and authentic source material for the ancient history of India and China.