What was Ma-I called by early Chinese traders?

What was Ma-I called by early Chinese traders?

• A. Mindoro
• B. Luzon
• C. Panay
• D. Cebu

Answer: (A)

Ma-i shows up in early Chinese records as a trading hub in the Philippine archipelago. Historians identify its location with Mindoro because the Chinese sources describe Ma-i as a place along the southern route from China toward the rest of Southeast Asia, in a position that fits Mindoro’s location just off the island of Luzon. These accounts also mention a prosperous trade in goods such as precious metals and other items that aligns with what Mindoro was known to export in those times. The other islands—Luzon, Panay, and Cebu—are distinct centers with their own separate mentions in the records, not the specific Ma-i described by the Chinese sources. So the description and geography line up best with Mindoro, making it the most plausible identification for Ma-i.

Ma-i shows up in early Chinese records as a trading hub in the Philippine archipelago. Historians identify its location with Mindoro because the Chinese sources describe Ma-i as a place along the southern route from China toward the rest of Southeast Asia, in a position that fits Mindoro’s location just off the island of Luzon. These accounts also mention a prosperous trade in goods such as precious metals and other items that aligns with what Mindoro was known to export in those times. The other islands—Luzon, Panay, and Cebu—are distinct centers with their own separate mentions in the records, not the specific Ma-i described by the Chinese sources. So the description and geography line up best with Mindoro, making it the most plausible identification for Ma-i.