Cultural exchange between western peoples, particularly Arabs and Chinese have been occurring for centuries. The earliest records go back to 635 with the discovery of the Nestorian Stone and are then followed by the more famous travels of Marco Polo and Ibn Batutta several centuries later. The records of the latter would influence the perception and invigorate interest in trade and travel with the Chinese. Earliest Recorded contact The Nestorian Stone located in Xi'an records the earliest known name of a Christian missionary, Alopen who traveled to China through the Silk Road to Chang'an which was the then capital of the Tang Dynasty in 635. He was sent by the Church of The East. When he arrived in Chang'an he was welcomed by T'ai Tsung where then being enthusiastic about his faith brought him to an imperial library and ordered the books that he brought with him to be translated into Hokkien, and it is noted that of the earliest Christian works earliest works most of them can be dated back to the period of Alopen. In 638, three years after Alopen arrival in China the first Christian church was built in Chang'an and with it came the presence of 21 all Persian Nestorian monks who were recognized to be in the Tang Empire. The Journeys of Marco Polo The first tangible record, for what it is worth, of Westerners in Fuzhou is that of Marco Polo, in about 1285 when he visited Fujiu. He observed that the people were the subjects of Kublai Khan, were ‘idolaters’, and much engaged in commerce and manufacture. ‘In these parts, the tigers are of great size and strength. Ginger and galangal are produced in great quantities as well as other drugs.’ He did not seem to be very impressed with Fuzhou and barely gives the city a mention other than to remark that, ‘The people in this part of the country are addicted to eating human flesh, esteeming it more delicate than any other, provided that the person has not been occasioned by disease … They are a most savage race of men, insomuch that when they slay their enemies in battle, they are anxious to drink their blood, and afterwards, they devour their flesh.’ Given that Marco Polo dictated his book in prison several years after he returned from China, the accuracy of his remarks may be suspect. Either his memory was