Ofício do mandarim sub-prefeito de Macau, Wei, ao procurador de Macau, sobre a entrega da licença de comércio e visita a familiares, para um mercador trances, de Cantão a Macau
This abstract describes a Qing dynasty administrative edict issued on 22 May 1756 (22nd day of the fifth month, Qianlong 21) by He Xian, Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, and transmitted through Wei, Record-Officer of the Guangdong Macau Maritime Defence and Civil-Military Administration (s...
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| Format: | Manuscripts |
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| Published: |
1754-06-10
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| Online Access: | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/FRSAQSD9/viewer_FRSAQSD9.html |
| Summary: | This abstract describes a Qing dynasty administrative edict issued on 22 May 1756 (22nd day of the fifth month, Qianlong 21) by He Xian, Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, and transmitted through Wei, Record-Officer of the Guangdong Macau Maritime Defence and Civil-Military Administration (sixth appointment), to foreign headmen (‘Yi mu’) in Macau, including Do-lo and Ma-cha-duo. The document, bearing official seals of the Dongguan County Magistracy and dated annotations confirming its issuance in May 1756 and resealing on 22 May 1757, mandates the annual Spring Rites (Chūn Jì) tribute. It specifically requires the procurement and delivery—by the tenth lunar month of 1756—of fifteen bottles of high-grade imported snuff (‘yang binyan’ or ‘yang biyan’), stipulating strict quality criteria: sharp, pungent or sour aroma; golden-yellow colour; fine, authentic texture; and verifiable foreign origin. A marginal note emphasises urgency and prohibits substitution upon rejection. The edict also references genuine maritime-imported opium (‘yangyan’) for delivery in the same lunar month, requiring declared valuation and prohibiting adulterated or substandard goods. Intended for imperial presentation, the consignment necessitates accompanying documentation specifying unit price and total value for official assessment and reimbursement. The document reflects Qing bureaucratic protocols governing foreign trade communities in Macau and Canton during the mid-eighteenth century. |
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