History of Ming
The "History of Ming", compiled during the early Qing dynasty, describes how Hongwu met with an alleged merchant of "Fulin" (拂菻; the Byzantine Empire) named "Nieh-ku-lun" (). In September 1371, he had the man sent back to his native country with a letter announcing the founding of the Ming dynasty to his ruler (i.e. John V Palaiologos). It is speculated that the merchant was actually a former bishop of Khanbaliq (Beijing) called Nicolaus de Bentra, sent by Pope John XXII to replace Archbishop John of Montecorvino in 1333. The "History of Ming" goes on to explain that contacts between China and "Fu lin" ceased after this point, and diplomats of the great western sea (the Mediterranean Sea) did not appear in China again until the 16th century, with the Italian Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci.