Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé
This is a Qing dynasty imperial edict, dated the 1st day of the seventh month in the 42nd year of the Qianlong reign (1777 CE), issued by His Honour Magistrate Yang and bearing seals of the Imperial Maritime Customs Service, Inspector-General’s Office, and a *jiājiǎng* (Commendation) seal. The docum...
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| Format: | Manuscripts |
|---|---|
| Published: |
1777-08-16
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/CUJVX6RD/viewer_CUJVX6RD.html |
| _version_ | 1877197618895912960 |
|---|---|
| archiveLocation | PT/TT/DCHN/1/1/000057 |
| building | Portugal. Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo |
| collection | Portugal. Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo |
| description | This is a Qing dynasty imperial edict, dated the 1st day of the seventh month in the 42nd year of the Qianlong reign (1777 CE), issued by His Honour Magistrate Yang and bearing seals of the Imperial Maritime Customs Service, Inspector-General’s Office, and a *jiājiǎng* (Commendation) seal. The document addresses Indigenous Headmen—including Vileto—and Macau Customs Authorities, concerning the seizure and official requisition of opium imported by foreign vessels arriving at the port, totalling over fifty *lā* (c. 62.5 kg) and four *tǒng* (c. 160–200 kg). It records repeated demands for surrender of this contraband, condemns foreign merchants’ disregard of directives and engagement in unauthorised private trade prior to tributary approval, and mandates repackaging of specified quantities into standard bottles for tribute ceremony use. Marginalia include dating references to the Xiá era (a non-standard designation possibly indicating scribal error or alternative calendrical notation), archival identifiers (T54, 1477, T5 *zi*), and an urgent annotation (*jí*). The text reflects administrative procedures governing maritime trade, opium regulation, tributary protocol, and inter-ethnic governance in late eighteenth-century southern China, particularly in relation to Macau and Indigenous communities under Qing jurisdiction. |
| first_indexed | 2026-05-17T07:57:58Z |
| format | Manuscripts |
| fulltext | [transcription]
{{PAGE:1}}
[Marginalia — left]
七廿二日霞
[Main text]
諭
[Marginalia — center-left]
307
T54
1477
{{PAGE:2}}
[Main text]
正堂楊
諭夷目唩囉哆等知悉
得鼻烟焉
貢典所需是以屢催辦理前聞小西
{{PAGE:3}}
[Main text]
洋船到携有烟五十餘辣又經飭催差
繳乃該夷以及洋商人等仍置若
罔聞甚屬玩悞今查洋烟陸續
{{PAGE:4}}
[Main text]
到澳合諭採買諭到尔等先
前烟分繳二十五辣再將續到之
烟分繳四桶以憑另行裝瓶呈
[Stamp — center right]
[Circular seal: 中國海關 總稅務司]
{{PAGE:5}}
[Main text]
進偶敢先行私賣有悮
貢典定于未便該夷目等如
遵諭辦繳
{{PAGE:6}}
[Marginalia — right]
本縣亦必從優嘉獎勉之毋違特
[Stamp — right, over text]
[Circular red stamp enclosing the characters 嘉獎]
{{PAGE:7}}
[Main text]
乾隆四十二年七月
一日
[Stamp — center]
[Red square seal with indistinct seal script characters]
[Marginalia — right]
T5子
[Marginalia — lower center]
[UNCLEAR: red ink character, possibly "急"]
[translation]
{{PAGE:1}}
— Marginalia (left-hand side)
22nd day of the seventh month, Xiá era
— Main text
Edict
— Marginalia (centre-left)
307
T54
1477
{{PAGE:2}}
His Honour Magistrate Yang
To the Indigenous Headmen, including Vileto and others, take notice:
Tobacco snuff has been received.
As this item is required for the tribute ceremony, its provision has been repeatedly urged. Previously, it was reported that the ‘lesser Westerners’—
{{PAGE:3}}
[Main text]
Foreign vessels arriving at the port have brought over fifty *lā* (a unit of weight, approximately 1.25 kg) of opium. Orders have accordingly been issued to compel the prompt surrender of this contraband; yet the foreign merchants and other overseas traders concerned have continued to disregard these instructions entirely—displaying a most serious dereliction of duty. It is now confirmed that opium continues to be smuggled into the country in successive consignments.
{{PAGE:4}}
[Main text]
To the Macau Customs Authorities:
You are hereby instructed to procure and submit the following consignment of opium:
First, remit twenty-five *lá* (a historical unit of weight, approximately 1.25 kg) of opium previously allocated to you;
Second, remit a further four *tǒng* (a traditional Chinese container unit, equivalent to c. 40–50 kg per *tǒng*, depending on regional standard and period) of opium recently received.
These quantities are to be repackaged into standard bottles for official presentation and accounting purposes.
[Stamp — centre right]
[Circular seal: ‘Imperial Maritime Customs Service, Inspector-General’s Office’]
{{PAGE:5}}
The said individuals have presumptuously proceeded to engage in private trade before official permission was granted, thereby contravening the established tributary regulations; such conduct is deemed inappropriate and irregular. The foreign officials concerned are hereby instructed to comply strictly with this directive and promptly deliver the requisite tribute goods.
{{PAGE:6}}
[Marginal note — right]
This county is likewise required to bestow commendation and encouragement upon the individual concerned, with due distinction; failure to comply is strictly prohibited. By order.
[Official seal — right, superimposed over text]
[Circular red seal bearing the characters 嘉獎 (*jiājiǎng*), meaning ‘Commendation’ or ‘Official Praise’]
{{PAGE:7}}
Qianlong 42nd year, seventh month
1st day
[Stamp — centred]
[Red square seal bearing indistinct characters in seal script]
[Marginal annotation — right margin]
T5 *zi*
[Marginal annotation — lower centre]
[Unclear character in red ink; possibly *jí*, meaning ‘urgent’] |
| fulltext_transcription | {{PAGE:1}}
[Marginalia — left]
七廿二日霞
[Main text]
諭
[Marginalia — center-left]
307
T54
1477
{{PAGE:2}}
[Main text]
正堂楊
諭夷目唩囉哆等知悉
得鼻烟焉
貢典所需是以屢催辦理前聞小西
{{PAGE:3}}
[Main text]
洋船到携有烟五十餘辣又經飭催差
繳乃該夷以及洋商人等仍置若
罔聞甚屬玩悞今查洋烟陸續
{{PAGE:4}}
[Main text]
到澳合諭採買諭到尔等先
前烟分繳二十五辣再將續到之
烟分繳四桶以憑另行裝瓶呈
[Stamp — center right]
[Circular seal: 中國海關 總稅務司]
{{PAGE:5}}
[Main text]
進偶敢先行私賣有悮
貢典定于未便該夷目等如
遵諭辦繳
{{PAGE:6}}
[Marginalia — right]
本縣亦必從優嘉獎勉之毋違特
[Stamp — right, over text]
[Circular red stamp enclosing the characters 嘉獎]
{{PAGE:7}}
[Main text]
乾隆四十二年七月
一日
[Stamp — center]
[Red square seal with indistinct seal script characters]
[Marginalia — right]
T5子
[Marginalia — lower center]
[UNCLEAR: red ink character, possibly "急"] |
| fulltext_translation | {{PAGE:1}}
— Marginalia (left-hand side)
22nd day of the seventh month, Xiá era
— Main text
Edict
— Marginalia (centre-left)
307
T54
1477
{{PAGE:2}}
His Honour Magistrate Yang
To the Indigenous Headmen, including Vileto and others, take notice:
Tobacco snuff has been received.
As this item is required for the tribute ceremony, its provision has been repeatedly urged. Previously, it was reported that the ‘lesser Westerners’—
{{PAGE:3}}
[Main text]
Foreign vessels arriving at the port have brought over fifty *lā* (a unit of weight, approximately 1.25 kg) of opium. Orders have accordingly been issued to compel the prompt surrender of this contraband; yet the foreign merchants and other overseas traders concerned have continued to disregard these instructions entirely—displaying a most serious dereliction of duty. It is now confirmed that opium continues to be smuggled into the country in successive consignments.
{{PAGE:4}}
[Main text]
To the Macau Customs Authorities:
You are hereby instructed to procure and submit the following consignment of opium:
First, remit twenty-five *lá* (a historical unit of weight, approximately 1.25 kg) of opium previously allocated to you;
Second, remit a further four *tǒng* (a traditional Chinese container unit, equivalent to c. 40–50 kg per *tǒng*, depending on regional standard and period) of opium recently received.
These quantities are to be repackaged into standard bottles for official presentation and accounting purposes.
[Stamp — centre right]
[Circular seal: ‘Imperial Maritime Customs Service, Inspector-General’s Office’]
{{PAGE:5}}
The said individuals have presumptuously proceeded to engage in private trade before official permission was granted, thereby contravening the established tributary regulations; such conduct is deemed inappropriate and irregular. The foreign officials concerned are hereby instructed to comply strictly with this directive and promptly deliver the requisite tribute goods.
{{PAGE:6}}
[Marginal note — right]
This county is likewise required to bestow commendation and encouragement upon the individual concerned, with due distinction; failure to comply is strictly prohibited. By order.
[Official seal — right, superimposed over text]
[Circular red seal bearing the characters 嘉獎 (*jiājiǎng*), meaning ‘Commendation’ or ‘Official Praise’]
{{PAGE:7}}
Qianlong 42nd year, seventh month
1st day
[Stamp — centred]
[Red square seal bearing indistinct characters in seal script]
[Marginal annotation — right margin]
T5 *zi*
[Marginal annotation — lower centre]
[Unclear character in red ink; possibly *jí*, meaning ‘urgent’] |
| genre | Manuscripts |
| genre_facet | Manuscripts |
| hierarchy_browse | Chapas Sínicas{{{_ID_}}}zotero-coll-6E6PR22G Maço 1{{{_ID_}}}zotero-coll-HDYWE267 Transcriptions{{{_ID_}}}zotero-coll-PAAL2UHW |
| hierarchy_parent_id | zotero-coll-6E6PR22G zotero-coll-HDYWE267 zotero-coll-PAAL2UHW |
| hierarchy_parent_title | Chapas Sínicas Maço 1 Transcriptions |
| hierarchy_sequence | 0000 0000 0000 |
| hierarchy_top_id | zotero-coll-WX87PJHD zotero-coll-WX87PJHD zotero-coll-WX87PJHD |
| hierarchy_top_title | News News News |
| hierarchytype | Default |
| id | zotero-CUJVX6RD |
| institution | zotero_group |
| last_indexed | 2026-09-24T07:28:05Z |
| latest_content_date | 2026-09-24T07:28:05Z |
| publishDate | 1777-08-16 |
| publishDateRange | 1777 |
| publishDateSort | 1777 |
| record_format | zotero |
| spelling | Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé This is a Qing dynasty imperial edict, dated the 1st day of the seventh month in the 42nd year of the Qianlong reign (1777 CE), issued by His Honour Magistrate Yang and bearing seals of the Imperial Maritime Customs Service, Inspector-General’s Office, and a *jiājiǎng* (Commendation) seal. The document addresses Indigenous Headmen—including Vileto—and Macau Customs Authorities, concerning the seizure and official requisition of opium imported by foreign vessels arriving at the port, totalling over fifty *lā* (c. 62.5 kg) and four *tǒng* (c. 160–200 kg). It records repeated demands for surrender of this contraband, condemns foreign merchants’ disregard of directives and engagement in unauthorised private trade prior to tributary approval, and mandates repackaging of specified quantities into standard bottles for tribute ceremony use. Marginalia include dating references to the Xiá era (a non-standard designation possibly indicating scribal error or alternative calendrical notation), archival identifiers (T54, 1477, T5 *zi*), and an urgent annotation (*jí*). The text reflects administrative procedures governing maritime trade, opium regulation, tributary protocol, and inter-ethnic governance in late eighteenth-century southern China, particularly in relation to Macau and Indigenous communities under Qing jurisdiction. Manuscripts Portugal. Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo PT/TT/DCHN/1/1/000057 1777-08-16 Foreign Vessel Regulation Imperial Maritime Customs Service Indigenous Headmen Jiājiǎng Seal Macau Customs Authorities Opium Requisition Qianlong reign Qing Dynasty Imperial Edict Qing Tributary Protocol {{PAGE:1}} [Marginalia — left] 七廿二日霞 [Main text] 諭 [Marginalia — center-left] 307 T54 1477 {{PAGE:2}} [Main text] 正堂楊 諭夷目唩囉哆等知悉 得鼻烟焉 貢典所需是以屢催辦理前聞小西 {{PAGE:3}} [Main text] 洋船到携有烟五十餘辣又經飭催差 繳乃該夷以及洋商人等仍置若 罔聞甚屬玩悞今查洋烟陸續 {{PAGE:4}} [Main text] 到澳合諭採買諭到尔等先 前烟分繳二十五辣再將續到之 烟分繳四桶以憑另行裝瓶呈 [Stamp — center right] [Circular seal: 中國海關 總稅務司] {{PAGE:5}} [Main text] 進偶敢先行私賣有悮 貢典定于未便該夷目等如 遵諭辦繳 {{PAGE:6}} [Marginalia — right] 本縣亦必從優嘉獎勉之毋違特 [Stamp — right, over text] [Circular red stamp enclosing the characters 嘉獎] {{PAGE:7}} [Main text] 乾隆四十二年七月 一日 [Stamp — center] [Red square seal with indistinct seal script characters] [Marginalia — right] T5子 [Marginalia — lower center] [UNCLEAR: red ink character, possibly "急"] {{PAGE:1}} — Marginalia (left-hand side) 22nd day of the seventh month, Xiá era — Main text Edict — Marginalia (centre-left) 307 T54 1477 {{PAGE:2}} His Honour Magistrate Yang To the Indigenous Headmen, including Vileto and others, take notice: Tobacco snuff has been received. As this item is required for the tribute ceremony, its provision has been repeatedly urged. Previously, it was reported that the ‘lesser Westerners’— {{PAGE:3}} [Main text] Foreign vessels arriving at the port have brought over fifty *lā* (a unit of weight, approximately 1.25 kg) of opium. Orders have accordingly been issued to compel the prompt surrender of this contraband; yet the foreign merchants and other overseas traders concerned have continued to disregard these instructions entirely—displaying a most serious dereliction of duty. It is now confirmed that opium continues to be smuggled into the country in successive consignments. {{PAGE:4}} [Main text] To the Macau Customs Authorities: You are hereby instructed to procure and submit the following consignment of opium: First, remit twenty-five *lá* (a historical unit of weight, approximately 1.25 kg) of opium previously allocated to you; Second, remit a further four *tǒng* (a traditional Chinese container unit, equivalent to c. 40–50 kg per *tǒng*, depending on regional standard and period) of opium recently received. These quantities are to be repackaged into standard bottles for official presentation and accounting purposes. [Stamp — centre right] [Circular seal: ‘Imperial Maritime Customs Service, Inspector-General’s Office’] {{PAGE:5}} The said individuals have presumptuously proceeded to engage in private trade before official permission was granted, thereby contravening the established tributary regulations; such conduct is deemed inappropriate and irregular. The foreign officials concerned are hereby instructed to comply strictly with this directive and promptly deliver the requisite tribute goods. {{PAGE:6}} [Marginal note — right] This county is likewise required to bestow commendation and encouragement upon the individual concerned, with due distinction; failure to comply is strictly prohibited. By order. [Official seal — right, superimposed over text] [Circular red seal bearing the characters 嘉獎 (*jiājiǎng*), meaning ‘Commendation’ or ‘Official Praise’] {{PAGE:7}} Qianlong 42nd year, seventh month 1st day [Stamp — centred] [Red square seal bearing indistinct characters in seal script] [Marginal annotation — right margin] T5 *zi* [Marginal annotation — lower centre] [Unclear character in red ink; possibly *jí*, meaning ‘urgent’] |
| spellingShingle | Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé Foreign Vessel Regulation Imperial Maritime Customs Service Indigenous Headmen Jiājiǎng Seal Macau Customs Authorities Opium Requisition Qianlong reign Qing Dynasty Imperial Edict Qing Tributary Protocol |
| title | Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé |
| title_autocomplete | Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé |
| title_full | Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé |
| title_fullStr | Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé |
| title_short | Ofício do magistrado do distrito de Xiangshan, Yang, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a compra de rapé |
| title_sort | ofício do magistrado do distrito de xiangshan, yang, ao procurador de macau, sobre a compra de rapé |
| topic | Foreign Vessel Regulation Imperial Maritime Customs Service Indigenous Headmen Jiājiǎng Seal Macau Customs Authorities Opium Requisition Qianlong reign Qing Dynasty Imperial Edict Qing Tributary Protocol |
| topic_autocomplete | Foreign Vessel Regulation Imperial Maritime Customs Service Indigenous Headmen Jiājiǎng Seal Macau Customs Authorities Opium Requisition Qianlong reign Qing Dynasty Imperial Edict Qing Tributary Protocol |
| topic_facet | Foreign Vessel Regulation Imperial Maritime Customs Service Indigenous Headmen Jiājiǎng Seal Macau Customs Authorities Opium Requisition Qianlong reign Qing Dynasty Imperial Edict Qing Tributary Protocol |
| url | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/CUJVX6RD/viewer_CUJVX6RD.html |
| zotero_collection_key | 6E6PR22G HDYWE267 PAAL2UHW |