Trade, the Sea Prohibition and the “Folangji” 141
was then in Fujian, for his recommendation.^194 Zhu Wan’s handling of
the mission points to his positive attitude toward tributary relations
and tributary trade. In contrast to Xia Yan, Zhu considered that the
institution of the Maritime Trade and Shipping Supervisorates and the
Sea Prohibition were not in contradiction to each other in their purposes.
Although the prohibition banned private trade (shangbo), it did allow
tributary trade (shibo) under the Supervisorates. For this reason, Zhu
disagreed with an earlier recommendation by the Board of Rites that
the extra ships and personnel of the Japanese tribute mission should be
refused entry. He succeeded in convincing the Court that Sakugen Shuryo
should be accepted as a tributary envoy and his mission be treated with
leniency and βlexibility.^195
Probably Zhu Wan believed that the regulated trade controlled by
the Maritime Trade and Shipping Supervisorates would satisfy the
demands of the tributary states and, hence, restore law and order on
the coast. However, as one observer explained a few years later, the
restrictions on the volume and frequency of trade greatly disappointed
the Japanese, who depended on China for supplies of both luxuries and
daily necessities.^196 Furthermore, during the sixteenth century Sino-
Japanese trade had become even more lucrative than before because
of the large inβlux of silver into China. The demand for this metal in
Ming China was stimulated by the accelerated commercialization of the
country’s economy and the increased circulation of silver as one form
of currency. In Japan, that had large supplies of silver, the use of copper
coins was more widespread. The exchange rate between one silver
Ta el and copper coins was 1:750 in China and 1:250 in Japan. Japanese
trading ships to China were loaded with large quantities of silver that
could be traded at very favorable rates for such Chinese commodities
as copper coins, silks and medicinal drugs.^197 The Portuguese joined
the Chinese and Japanese to form a triangular network of trade, but
Portugal, not being a tributary state of China, was forced to engage only
in smuggling activities.
The more turbulent situation in the late 1540s was just one of two
major difβiculties faced by Zhu Wan. A wave of controversy also confronted
him over his appointment. From the outset some Court ofβicials had
questioned the wisdom of entrusting one ofβicial with such extensive
- MSL: SZ, 330: 5a.
- MJSWB, 205/l: 12b‒13a; MSL: SZ, 337: 2b‒3a, 349: 4a‒b.
- Chouhai tubian, 12: 113b, in WYGSKQS, Vol. 584, p. 400.
- Tanaka Takeo, Wokou—haishang lishi, pp. 52, 53, 65; also Chouhai tubian,
4: 28a, in WYGSKQS, Vol. 584, p. 108.