Basic Study on the Trading Pass System in the 17th century East China Sea Maritime World

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18011
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Economic history; History of Asia and Africa
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: PENG HAO 大阪市立大学, 大学院経済学研究科, 准教授 (80779372)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: トレーデング・パス / 牌照 / 通商許可書 / パス / 通航証 / 自由貿易 / 移動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focuses on various trading permits or licenses used in the maritime trade of East Asian seas, the early modern period, and calls them “trading passes” for discussion convenience. The most important outcomes are two academic articles. The first one is “Min-Dai Koki no To-Kai Bun-In: Tsu-Sho Seido-Shi teki Bunseki kara no Sekkin” (Wen-Yin as trading passes in the late Ming dynasty: an analysis focusing on trading systems), in Fuyuko Matsukata (ed) Correspondence Between Crowns: Diplomatic Practices in the China Seas, 1400-1850, university of Tokyo press, 2019. The second one examines various trading passes issued by the Qing authorities for regulating the maritime trade of Chinese merchants or foreign merchants. It has already entered the last stage for publishing. Furthermore, a comprehensive study on the trading passes in the documents of the Dutch East India Company, has also made remarkable progress, and can be expected to promote the discussion on free trade.

Free Research Field

経済史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

19世紀中期以降、東アジアにおいては欧米列強の進出により、国家間の通商関係が条約によって規定される、いわば条約体制が次第に普及した。その過程で、通航証や貿易許可書類の通商関係公文書の存在意義が薄くなり、結果的にはそれらの存在形態や機能も等閑視されつつあった。本研究は、トレーディング・パスという新しい分析用語を用い、近世期東アジアにおける多様な存在形態と機能の相互補完などを論じ、さらに「自由貿易」との関係性につながる論点も見出した。また、現在関心を持たされている「自由貿易」や「人の移動」などの議論にも、参考になる新しい歴史の素材を提供している。