Investigating the Use of Chinese Goods in Iran and Other Parts of the World According to Shahnameh Stories in the Framework of Annales School of Historiography

Document Type : Original Article

Author

mandana tishehyar

Faculty Member at Department of Asian Studies, ECO College of Insurance, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22067/irlip.2026.87198.1510

Abstract

The inhabitants of the two kingdoms of Iran and China have had continuous cultural, economic, and political relations for a long time and have been considered among the major players in the international system for centuries. These exchanges and trades have not only influenced the rituals and worldviews of the Chinese and Iranians, but their peaceful and stable lives have also depended on their cooperation at different times. A central document, which has dealt with the relations between Iranian and Chinese people is Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. Over 1000 years ago, Ferdowsi has masterfully related the ties between the kings and the peoples in these two lands. Shahnameh can be considered a major resource to conduct research on the ancient relations between Iran and China. The present study attempted to use New Historicism to examine the Shahnameh stories, identify the various uses of Chinese goods in Iran and other parts of the world, and re-interpret valuable aspects of the relations between these people from a fresh perspective.

Keywords

Iran

China

Khagan

Khosrow

Shahnameh

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