In the 16th century, Portuguese ships held mastery of the seas. In 1514 they began to carry back Ming blue-and-white porcelain, which was received with surprise and delight by European kings and nobles, who thought they had been brought "The products of a heavenly host / Indeed the fruits of a paradise sublime."
十六世紀掌控海權的葡萄牙船，在一五一四年開始載回明代青花瓷器，受到歐洲王公貴族的大大驚豔，他們相信葡萄牙人為他們帶來了「天堂的產物，樂園的果實」。