War, Trade and Piracy in the China Seas (1622-1683) (Tanap Monographs on the History of Asian-European Interactio)

Approaching its demise, the Ming imperial administration enlisted members of the Cheng family as mercenaries to help in the defense of the coastal waters of Fukien. Under the leadership of Cheng Chih-lung, also known as Nicolas Iquan, and with the help of the local gentry, these mercenaries became the backbone of the empire¿́¿s maritime defense and the protectors of Chinese commercial interests in the East and South China Seas. The fall of the Ming allowed Cheng Ch¿́¿eng-kung¿́¿alias Coxinga¿́¿and his sons to create a short-lived but independent seaborne regime in China¿́¿s southeastern coastal provinces that competed fiercely, if only briefly, with Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and English merchants during the early stages of globalization War, Trade and Piracy in the China Seas1622-1683......Page 3 Copyright ......Page 4 SERIES EDITOR’S FOREWORD......Page 7 CONTENTS......Page 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 14 Picture ......Page 18 INTRODUCTION THE MISSING LINK......Page 25 How was history rescued from the historical accounts?......Page 26 Convergence of different knowledge interests......Page 30 The VOC archives and the reconstruction of the history of the Cheng lineage......Page 32 A note on the transcription standards and Chinese place names......Page 33 Silver tides sweep the Chinese tributary system......Page 35 The emergence of the Chinese privateers......Page 37 Maritime mercenaries take the stage......Page 41 Shadow over the Sino–Japanese transit trade in Manila after 1617......Page 51 The Dutch presence and the revival of the maritime mercenaries in 1624......Page 56 Captain and reluctant mercenaries......Page 60 Crossing the Rubicon......Page 65 Farewell, Dutch Brother......Page 69 March to Amoy for empty fame......Page 71 Hungry mercenaries need to be fed......Page 73 Iquan and the VOC engage in smuggling......Page 75 Initiation of family business......Page 77 An-hai Harbour and the fishermen militia......Page 79 1630: the exceptional year in which the Eastern Ocean monopoly of An-hai was established......Page 87 Towards the An-hai monopoly in the Western Ocean:the Taijouan trade from 1630 to 1632......Page 90 Regional commander without a fixed base......Page 96 The Dutch petitions......Page 101 Cry wolf again? Imperial permission for Sino–Taiwan trade......Page 106 Red-haired barbarians at the gate......Page 109 Lever effect of the typhoons at the imperial court......Page 112 First dip into the Western Ocean......Page 115 Kicking out the Kwangtung pirates......Page 118 Stretching out to the terminals......Page 122 The mercenaries become involved in politics......Page 125 The risk of politics: confronted by the Siamese king’s Canton trade......Page 127 The politics of risk: co-operation with the Dutch in the Japan trade......Page 133 The usurpation of the silver trade from Macau......Page 141 The usurpation of the pepper trade of Macauin the South China Sea Region......Page 147 Chasing silver in a changing world in crisis......Page 152 The interlude of Nanking and Chekiang merchants......Page 161 Hunting silver and rice for the newly established Coxinga force......Page 167 The lucrative pepper trade targeted against Macau......Page 169 The re-organization of the Min-nan monopolyon Chinese overseas trade under Coxinga......Page 172 The renewed struggle for the monopoly on the export of silk......Page 175 Expansion of the ‘Western Ocean’ trade in China and Japan......Page 179 The politicization of Fukien exceptionalism......Page 183 Challenging all limitations 1654–1656......Page 189 Expanding war and trade 1656–1657......Page 202 The long and winding route to Nanking 1658–1659......Page 215 Setting accounts with the Dutch East India Company 1660–1662......Page 222 The rift between the Taiwanese and the Amoy merchants......Page 229 The merger between the Taiwanese and Kwangtung merchants......Page 233 Suppression of Foochow, desertion of Siam, and a focus on Cambodia......Page 239 The arrival of the ‘Taiwanese Chinese’ force under Piauja......Page 244 All acknowledged by the kings......Page 246 Reorganizing the trading network 1663–1670......Page 249 The struggle to maintain momentum 1670–1678......Page 254 Losing competiveness 1677–1683......Page 266 CONCLUSION DEFENSIVE AND AGGRESSIVE MONOPOLIES......Page 271 NOTES......Page 277 Table A: Cargo of the junk from Quinam bound for Chang-chou,registered on 15 Aug. 1633......Page 353 Table C: Cargo of the junk from Quinam captured near Lampecao on 17 Aug. 1633......Page 354 Table D: Cargoes of the two junks captured near T’ung-shan, on 31 Aug. 1633......Page 355 Table E: Value of rials and taels in stuivers at Taiwan and Batavia, 1624–1661......Page 356 Governor-Generals of the VOC......Page 359 The Ch’ing Governors of Kwangtung and Kwangsi......Page 360 Official titles......Page 361 Personal names in Chinese characters......Page 362 Place names in Chinese characters......Page 365 Other special terms in Chinese characters......Page 368 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 369 INDEX......Page 381 Approaching Its Demise, The Ming Imperial Administration Enlisted Members Of The Cheng Family As Mercenaries To Help In The Defense Of The Coastal Waters Of Fukien. Under The Leadership Of Cheng Chih-lung, Also Known As Nicolas Iquan, And With The Help Of The Local Gentry, These Mercenaries Became The Backbone Of The Empire's Maritime Defense And The Protectors Of Chinese Commercial Interests In The East And South China Seas. The Fall Of The Ming Allowed Cheng Ch'eng-kung-alias Coxinga-and His Sons To Create A Short-lived But Independent Seaborne Regime In China's Southeastern Coastalprovinces That Competed Fiercely, If Only Briefly, With Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch And English Merchants During The Early Stages Of Globalization. Introduction: The Missing Link -- The Tributary System Challenged -- Nicolas Iquan Before 1627 -- The Survival Game Of The Mercenaries, 1628-1631 -- The Establishment Of The An-hai Trading Emporium, 1630-1633 -- Stormy Weather At The Imperial Court And On The South China Coast, 1632-1633 -- The Winding Ways Towards The Western Ocean -- The Risk Of Politics And The Politics Of Risk, 1636-1640 -- In Search Of Silver In A Changing World, 1640-1646 -- The Open Coast Of The Chinese Empire, 1646-1650 -- Fukienese Exceptionalism Transformed Into A Political Project, 1650-1654 -- The Passions Of A Merchant Prince, 1654-1657 -- From Defeat To Victory, 1658-1662 -- All Acknowledged By The Kings, 1663-1667 -- Monopoly Lost, 1669-1683 -- Conclusion: Defensive And Aggressive Monopolies. By Cheng Wei-chung. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.