Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• Ahmad Rezaee

Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, University of Qom, Iran

Abstract

For ages, there had been strong ties in terms of various fields such as economy, politics, culture, etc. between Iran and China, as two great civilizations. Two main factors seem to be a base for these widespread communications: first, the Silk Road and second, their adjacency and proximity.However, although from distant past other areas had been overshadowed by economic relations, it does not mean that other links between the two countries, especially cultural ones, had been ignored; rather, the expansion of economic relations could somehow be considered as a context for cultural links.After Islamic period, cultural ties became different and wider. The expansion of Farsi in China, especially western parts, as a result of this cultural relations is noticeable. Farsi domain influence seemed to be limited to these areas. However, discovery and exploration of inscriptions, not only revealed some new facts, but also showed a deeper influence of this language in China. In seven inscriptions of Hangzhou Epitaphs, 81 Farsi verses in the forms of Ode, Ghazal, Stanza, and Quatrain were found, out of which 61 verses are legible and non-repetitive. Here, the influence of Saadi's words is obvious. Although the presence of Iranian traders can be evidently concluded through these inscriptions, the influence of Farsi should not be exclusive to them. This study, looking into cultural relations between Iran and China, investigates Hangzhou epitaphs and based on textual and historical evidence, concludes that for some time Farsi language has been common in this area.

Keywords

• Farsi
• poems
• inscription
• Hangzhou
• China