Centuries before Spanish discovery the Filipinos were in regular intercourse with the neighboring countries of China, Japan, Borneo, and others. In the work of Chao Ju-kua, a Chinese geographer of the thirteenth century, there is a chapter on Philippine trade, from which we learn that the "foreign traders import porcelain, commercial gold, iron vases for perfumes, leaden objects, glass, pearls of all colors, iron needles," [76] black damask, and other silk fabrics, fish nets, and tin, and also silk umbrellas, and a kind of basket woven from rattan. In exchange, the Filipinos exported cotton (perhaps the "kapok" or tree cotton), yellow wax, strange cloth (foreign cloth: sinamay, a light fabric made from abacá,--and other textiles of the country.--Blumentritt's note), coconuts, onions, (camotes?--Blumentritt's note), and fine mats; also pearls, shells (i. e., tortoise-shell.--Blumentritt's note), betelnuts, and jute (yuta) textiles. (Yu-ta seems to be the abacá.--Blumentritt's note). [77] Domestic trade. The first Spaniards who came to the Philippines observed a lively commercial intercourse, not only among the peoples of the different islands, but also with the near-by countries. [78] The chief method of exchange was by means of barter, [79] though oftentimes gold dust was used. With the coming of the Spaniards, domestic trade was upset. First of all, restrictions were imposed upon trade; communication between the villages was restrained. [80] Though later ordinances allowed freedom of commerce between villages and provinces, [81] the spirit of restriction predominated until modern times. [82] Then, the government officials, though in many decrees and ordinances prohibited to engage in trade, [83] used their position as a means of gaining profits in trade. [84] This evil prevailed till later days. [85] However, as seen by Dr. Tavera, trading by the officials was not without its good effect. [86] Trade relations with oriental countries. The coming of the Spaniards opened a new market to the products of the Orient, and Manila soon became the great distributing center of the East. [87] "The merchants and business men form the bulk of the residents of the islands, because of the great amount of merchandise brought there--outside of native products--from China, Japan, Maluco, Malacca, Siam, Cambojia, Borneo, and other districts." [88] From China, from thirty to forty ships sailed every year usually in March, and reached Manila in fifteen or twenty days; here the traders sold their goods, and, with the exception of some of the larger dealers, returned towards the end of May or during the first days of June, in order to avoid the stormy season. Morga gives a detailed list of the goods imported from China. [89]