First, HAN, the first record that has found some islands on the South China Sea.
On the first route to open up the South China Sea
If you do not have enough sailing activities, it is not possible to find the South China Sea islands, first, there is an accurate record of the route on the South China Sea.
The earliest record is 《汉书·地理志下》, the author is 班固 Ban Gu (AD 32 - AD 92 ).
Can read it here ,《汉书》
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《汉书·地理志下》 <Han Geography>,here
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Main, the Han emperor sent envoys to the maritime trade from southern China through South China Sea to reach the Indian Ocean, and finally returned.
粤地……处近海,多犀象、毒冒、珠玑、银铜、果布之凑,中国往商贾者多取富焉。番禺,其一都会也。
自合浦徐闻南入海,得大州,东西南北方千里。武帝元封元年,略以为儋耳、珠崖耶。……元帝时,遂罢弃之。
自日南障塞、徐闻、合浦,船行可五月有都元国,又船行可四月有邑卢没国,又船行可二十余日有谌离,步行可十余日有夫甘都卢国。自夫甘都卢国,船行可二月余有黄支国,民俗略与珠崖相类。其州广大,户口多,多异物,自武帝以来皆献见。有译长,属黄门,与应募者俱入海……平帝元始中,王莽辅政,欲耀威德,厚遗黄支王,令遣使献生犀牛。
自黄支船行可八月到皮宗,船行可二月到日南象林界云。黄支之南有已程不国,汉之译使自此还矣。”
《南裔异物志》(a book in the 2nd century), the author is Yang Fu, according to the record, AD 77, to participate in the court's "virtuous response" was selected and awarded to Yi Lang(an important official), become involved in government ministers.
There is no online version, but here to download.
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"涨海崎头,水浅而多磁石"
A place in the South China Sea, there are many shallow reefs.
Therefore infer that the first time the South China Sea should be in the HAN dynasty.