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Chu Wai-chuan (book from 868)
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Taken from: Yamada, K. A short history of ambergris by the Arabs and Chinese in the Indian Ocean.
(quoted in Ku-chin-shus-hai), a statement is found that on a certain very hot day people hang a large piece of wet cloth from the eaves, then the heat was subdued as it contained Lung-hsien, (and Mr. Suzuki consider this Lung-hsien to signify Lung-hsien-hsiang, namely ambergris)
Note: All authors agree that the Chinese only got to know Ambergris through the Arabs and that they were unaware that the substance was also found on their own coast. The Arabs collected Ambergris on all Indian Ocean coasts (including East-Africa); but the importance of early texts pointing to Ambergris in China is also that we have mentions of black people arriving in China at the same time as the Ambergris; the Arabs were also importing black slaves, (who might also have come from South East Asia and / or Africa)
Note: we add here some mentions of Ambergris in medieval Chinese poems; all taken from: Paul Wheatley; Geographical notes on some commodities involved in Sung maritime trade.
Su Shih: Poem (1036-1101)
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The odor was as of ambergris, the color white
Chu Tzu-ts'ai; Poem ; (12th century)
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Ambergris: At night the gilded lamps, fed with ambergris, shine like pearls�.
Note: the shows that the Chinese may have adopted the Arab custom of feeding lamps with oil scented with Ambergris.
Chu Sung; Poem (d1143)
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( a poem on the planting of Chrysanthemums)
The flowers burst open in the autumn wind, Their scent resembles ambergris, pervading the morning dream.