112 Boundaries and Beyond
procedure had nothing to do with the new emperor’s xenophobia, and
the Portuguese embassy, together with two other tribute delegations
from Hami and Turfan on the western borders of the country, were all
suitably rewarded before their departure.^60 Pires left Beijing on May 22
and arrived in Guangzhou on September 22, 1521. However, imperial
instructions had reached Guangzhou ordering that the ambassador and
his suite be detained until the Portuguese evacuated Malacca.^61
A few months earlier, in April or May 1521, a Portuguese βleet under
the captaincy of Diogo Calvo had arrived in Tunmen. Jorge Alvares also
came with his junk and more Portuguese ships from Pattani and Siam
joined them later. The ships carried such merchandise as pepper and
sandalwood. Despite the atrocity committed by Simåo de Andrade, the
Guangzhou authorities did not seem to want to order a stoppage of
trade.^62 On the contrary, they stated that these foreign vessels had come
to bring supplies to their tribute envoy, a common practice accepted by
the Chinese authorities. Such supply missions were allowed to trade
after duties had been levied on their merchandise in accordance with
regulations. However, the new sovereign was determined not to allow
the Portuguese entry into the country. He also announced that other
tributary envoys whose arrivals were not on the approved schedule or
whose documents were not in proper order should be refused entry.^63
These measures were a natural attempt at the beginning of the new reign,
that was imbued with the spirit of reform, to rectify the infamous abuses
committed by the eunuchs in charge of the ports designated to receive
tribute missions.
Following the new order from the Court, the Chinese βleet used
force on the orders of the Deputy-Commissioner of Guangdong Coastal
Surveillance, Wang Hong, to suspend unauthorized trade and expel the
foreigners. This contretemps led to the commencement of a long, βierce
battle, during which many of the Portuguese trading ashore or on board
the vessels were killed or taken prisoner. In the midst of the βighting, Jorge
Álvares died of an illness in early July 1521. Only three junks managed
to βlee the horrible scene.^64 The unfortunate Tomé Pires and his suite
arrived in Guangzhou shortly after this bitter clash. He was imprisoned
there and died there without leaving China again.
An equally bloody confrontation occurred the following year when
the Portuguese decided to make an effort to re-establish trade with China
- MSL: WZ, 197: 5b.
- Cortesão, “Introduction”, p. xl.
- Chang T’ien-tse, Sino-Portuguese Trade, pp. 53‒4.
- MSL: SZ, 4: 27b.
- Chang T’ien-tse, Sino-Portuguese Trade, pp. 54‒5.
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