Anything Under the Sun
Ancient Silk Route passed Panay (1)
The recent showing of Zheng He, Emperor of the Seas of Cathay (ancient China) in Discovery Channel may prove that Panay and Negros could be along the ancient silk sea route from China to Europe.
The traditionally recognized silk route was the land route from China passing its southern borders with Tibet, Afghanistan, Persia (ancient Iran), Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq), Syria and Phoenicia (ancient Lebanon). Then, the ancient Phoenician sea traders brought the Asian goods to Greece and ancient Roman Empire (Venice and Florence).
The journey along the land route was very dangerous as shown in the real story of Marco Polo -- the ancient Venetian adventurer to China and the fictional Arabian story of Sinbad the Sailor. Indeed, this land journey passed thru the dense jungles and mountains with strange animals as well as vast deserts either uninhabited or having hostile races.
These conditions could have inspired Zhen He to look for an alternative and less dangerous sea route to Europe. So, he sailed south thru the coasts of China passing the coasts of Mai (ancient Philippines), Malacca (ancient Malaysia), Java, Sumatra, Burma, India, Persia, Arabia and Eastern Africa.
Following this sea route carved by Zhen He, the ancient Chinese traders (Sanglay), must have made stopovers in Panay vending porcelain articles--pinggan (plates) and sida (silk) in the ancient ports of Araut (Dumangas), Salog (Jaro), Tabucan (Molo), Ogtong (Oton) and Gibuangan (Guimbal).