This book uses several distinctive historical themes and cultural images as clues to connect the extensive history of interaction between many parts of the world in history. The author shows us that the "lotus birth/lotus transformation" image represented by Nezha is not unique to China, but was brought to China from Egypt via West Asia and India; the seashells in the Central Plains during the Shang and Zhou dynasties were not brought from the southern coastal areas of the mainland, but were brought from the Maldives via India to the northwest and north of my country. Most of the seashells in the official warehouses in Jiangnan during the Yuan and Ming dynasties came from Ryukyu. Using this as a starting point, the author shows us the important hub function of Ryukyu at this time connecting East Asia, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and even South Asia. In addition, the author also uses the underwater magnetic mountain legend and the ambergris trade as clues to reveal the history of cultural and trade exchanges between China and the Indian Ocean (Arab) world behind it; and reveals how the eruption of Mount Tambora in the southern hemisphere in 1815 (known as the largest volcanic eruption in the history of human civilization) and the extreme climate anomalies it caused formed an unexpected obstacle to the world, especially ancient China in the 19th century. The content of the book is scattered in form but concentrated in spirit. It uses microscopic things such as lotus seals, seashells, and ambergris as clues to trace their origins and destinations, as well as their important role in history. It widely explores the history of cultural and trade exchanges between the Asian continent, with China as the main object, and the Indian Ocean, Pacific Islands and other places, and ultimately presents a rich and exquisite history of global interaction spanning several centuries.
本书以几个富有特色的历史主题与文化意象作为线索，串联起世界多地在历史上开启互动的广泛历史。作者向我们呈现，哪吒所代表的“莲生/莲化”意象并非中国特有，而是埃及经由西亚和印度传到中国的；商周时期中原内地的海贝，也并非从本土的南方沿海地区传来，而是从马尔代夫经印度自西传入我国西北和北方。而元明时代江南官仓中的海贝则大多来自琉球，以此为切口，作者向我们展现了琉球在此时所发挥的连接东亚、东北亚、东南亚乃至南亚的重要枢纽职能。除此之外，作者还以海底磁山传说、龙涎香贸易为线索，揭示其背后的中国和印度洋（阿拉伯）世界的文化贸易交流史；并揭示了1815年，位于南半球的坦博拉火山大爆发（号称人类文明史上的最大火山爆发），及其引发的极端气候异常，如何对全球，特别是19世纪的古代中国形成意想不到的阻碍力量。全书内容形散而神聚，以莲印、海贝、龙涎香等微观事物为线索，追溯它们的来源和去向，及其在历史中的重要作用，以此广泛探讨以中国为主要对象的亚洲大陆，与印度洋诸地、太平洋岛屿等地的文化、贸易交流史，最终展现出一部丰富又精致、跨越几个世纪的全球互动史。
本书以几个富有特色的历史主题与文化意象作为线索，串联起世界多地在历史上开启互动的广泛历史。作者向我们呈现，哪吒所代表的“莲生/莲化”意象并非中国特有，而是埃及经由西亚和印度传到中国的；商周时期中原内地的海贝，也并非从本土的南方沿海地区传来，而是从马尔代夫经印度自西传入我国西北和北方。而元明时代江南官仓中的海贝则大多来自琉球，以此为切口，作者向我们展现了琉球在此时所发挥的连接东亚、东北亚、东南亚乃至南亚的重要枢纽职能。除此之外，作者还以海底磁山传说、龙涎香贸易为线索，揭示其背后的中国和印度洋（阿拉伯）世界的文化贸易交流史；并揭示了1815年，位于南半球的坦博拉火山大爆发（号称人类文明史上的最大火山爆发），及其引发的极端气候异常，如何对全球，特别是19世纪的古代中国形成意想不到的阻碍力量。全书内容形散而神聚，以莲印、海贝、龙涎香等微观事物为线索，追溯它们的来源和去向，及其在历史中的重要作用，以此广泛探讨以中国为主要对象的亚洲大陆，与印度洋诸地、太平洋岛屿等地的文化、贸易交流史，最终展现出一部丰富又精致、跨越几个世纪的全球互动史。
