First Contact with Ethiopia

The beginning of Sino-African relations cannot be pinpointed, yet this in and of itself shows us that the history has been a long one. There are many records that show connections between China and Ethiopia. Some believe that China and Ethiopia had unofficial relations as far back as the Han Dynasty which was from 206 BC to 220 AD. (1) 

An envoy named Zhang Qian was sent out from China during the 2nd century BC in order to form formal relations between the Chinese Emperor and various other countries, mainly in the hopes of creating trade partners. (2)

China was the sole producer of silk. It was a national secret, and a time honored tradition. Because it was so rare, this silk became a highly valued commodity. There is evidence of silk in Egypt as far back as circa 1000 BC. (3) Relations expanded during the Song Dynasty and contacts were recorded again in many historical documents, and evidence has been found of trade between the countries expanding during the same period. China received ivory, pearls, ambergis, and slaves from the Horn of Africa in exchange for Chinese goods.(4) Most of the contact between China and Ethiopia was made through maritime exploration until the Silk Road was established. There is evidence in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea of China’s presence in the western side of the Indian Ocean. (5)

By Whole_world_-_land_and_oceans_12000.jpg: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center derivative work: Splette (talk)  NASA - Visible Earth, images combined and scaled down by HighInBC (20 megabyte upload limit)  NASA VIsible Earth [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

There seem to be no truly long term effects of China’s early contact with Ethiopia. Ethiopia maintained it’s religious development apart from the Eastern faiths, and Islam did not travel back to China. This is perhaps because China eventually closed it’s boarders, more concerned with it’s own people that expanding territories so far or the trade that they received. 

India appears to have traded with Ethiopia as far back as the historical record goes. The Axumites Empire was ruling Ethiopia when the two areas began trade relations.(6 Ethiopia-India relations) India trades silk and was probably an indirect trade with China through India to Ethiopia. Spices and gold were other top trading items. The trading and close relationship between India and Ethiopia is strong even today. This maybe simply because of their long history or their close proximity to one another. This trade relationship has had a significant impact on these countries even today. The two countries have had diplomatic relations since India gained it’s independence in the mid-twentieth century. Trade between these two nations is so important today that they have signed several agreements to help both countries economies. India and Ethiopia have experienced an uneventful, yet vital trade history nearly to the beginning of recorded history. 

By Colomb, Philip Howard, 1831-1899 [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons

Ethiopia has had contact with Jerusalem and other middle eastern countries since antiquity. It was from this region that Muslims came. They came for trade and also to spread their faith. Islam sent down roots early in Ethiopia and because of that opened trade to many other places in the middle east. Ethiopia’s relationship with Jerusalem was been more complicated and longer, going back to biblical times. Yet in the more recent past, Ethiopia maintained a Monophysite community within Jerusalem some of whom took part in a church council in 1441. This council took place in Florence and it was at the request of the Pope that these Ethiopian monks attended. (7) Ethiopia also had trade contact with Rome. Rome was in constant need of grain and Egypt and Ethiopia helped feed the Empire. 

European contact with Ethiopia continued when Ethiopians journeyed to Italy and even Spain as early as 1306. (8) The Portuguese sought them as an ally against the Muslims and began diplomatic relations with them in 1493. Missionaries arrived half a century later. (9) This missionary movement led to conflict which eventually alienated European Christians for nearly two centuries from Ethiopia. When Ethiopia was again faced with Europeans coming to the land, it was for war. The Italians were trying to take part in the scramble for Africa. After a few battles things were calm until Mussolini came to power as head of the Fascist government of Italy. Italy controlled Ethiopia until the end of WWII. 

By Nicola Romani (Own work) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Ethiopia’s contact with Europe has been significant and has definitely left an impression on the country. Ethiopia was most strongly influenced perps by the Italian rule of the country. Guerrilla warfare kept the Ethiopian spirit alive. Even today there is a large population of Italians within the country, and an Italian firm was chosen to help in the construction of the Renaissance Dam along the Blue Nile which is to be a crowning achievement for the Ethiopian people. (10)  

1. Abraham, Curtis. “China’s long history in Africa." New African Magazine, March 11, 2015.

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Wikipedia. “China-Ethiopia relations." Last modified February 25, 2016. Accessed August 4, 2016.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China–Ethiopia_relations.

5. Abraham, Curtis. “China’s long history in Africa." New African Magazine, March 11, 2015.

6. Wikipedia. “Ethiopian-India relations." Last modified August 1, 2014. Accessed August 4, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia–India_relations.

7. Ethiopia. “Contact with European Christendom." Last modified 1991. Accessed August 4, 2016.http://countrystudies.us/ethiopia/12.htm.

8. Reader, John. Africa: A Biography of the Continent. New York: Vintage Books by Random House, 1999.

9. Ethiopia. “Contact with European Christendom." Last modified 1991. Accessed August 4, 2016.http://countrystudies.us/ethiopia/12.htm.

10.  Wikipedia. “Italians of Ethiopia." Last modified May 16, 2016. Accessed August 4, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italians_of_Ethiopia.