A Survey on the Formation of Trade Competitions in the Persian Gulf and Its Reflection in Port Guangzhou (Canton), China (Seventh to Ninth Centuries AD)

During the Sassanid dynasty, Zoroastrian merchants (in Chinese: "Po-se") were the most famous businessmen in the Indian Ocean and the coast of China, in the other word they dominated marine trade there. They not only traded for Iran, but also met the requirements of the Arab lands. At that time, Arab merchants often made business trips to East Africa. But during the seventh and eighth centuries AD, after Iran's conquest by Muslim Arabs, as a result of their dominance over the Persian Gulf ports, Arab traders (i.e. Ibādhis of Oman and Iraqis) activated along with Zoroastrian businessmen in the Indian Ocean. So they made trade voyages as far as to the Chinese city port of "Khānfu" (Canton, Guangzhou). But political developments in the Persian Gulf, which always resulted in competition or business alliance between the Muslim merchants, reflexed in their relationships and influenced their status in the court of Canton. This article seeks to study the impact of economic ups and downs of the historical development of the Persian Gulf and religious competitions of its merchant groups in the formation of the their competitions in the port of Canton.