Ofício do [mandarim sub-prefeito de Macau], ao [procurador de Macau], sobre o caso do escrivão e intérprete do procurador
This abstract describes an imperial edict issued on the eighteenth day of the fifth month in the forty-ninth year of the Qianlong reign (1784), bearing the red oval seal of the Zongli Yamen—the Qing dynasty’s Office for the General Management of Affairs concerning Foreign Countries—and a secondary r...
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| Format: | Manuscripts |
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| Published: |
1784-06-25
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| Online Access: | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/2HU56CMW/viewer_2HU56CMW.html |
| Summary: | This abstract describes an imperial edict issued on the eighteenth day of the fifth month in the forty-ninth year of the Qianlong reign (1784), bearing the red oval seal of the Zongli Yamen—the Qing dynasty’s Office for the General Management of Affairs concerning Foreign Countries—and a secondary red rectangular seal inscribed with ‘Junjichu’ and ‘Zouzhe’, indicating submission through the Grand Council. The document addresses the conduct of an official interpreter tasked with overseeing matters pertaining to the foreign community, accusing him of persistent negligence, incompetence, and improper deference to foreign headmen, thereby breaching his official duties. It records the referral of the matter for investigation while suspending immediate disciplinary action, and issues a formal warning that any future reckless or improper submission of memorials will result in immediate inquiry and punishment without leniency. Marginalia include a directive for strict observance ‘by special mandate’, an archival reference mark ‘T101’, a date annotation ‘1784’, and a catalogue number ‘585-’. The text is a primary source reflecting Qing administrative protocols, intercultural governance challenges, and institutional mechanisms for accountability in foreign affairs during the late eighteenth century. Researchers will find this document valuable for studying Qing bureaucratic practice, Sino-foreign relations, imperial edict composition, and the evolving role of interpreters in cross-cultural diplomatic contexts. |
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