Since the Zeng clan left the Court, the Zeng became one of the most important families doing international import and export in Quanzhou and Zhangzhou. Quanzhou was the starting point of China's Maritime Silk Road. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Quanzhou was hailed as the "world's largest port" by the medieval traveller Marco Polo. Later, Zhangzhou became the major port for trading with Portugal and Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries.