252 Boundaries and Beyond
to 200 taels (liang),^39 depending on quality and size. Comparing the cost
of a ship with the price of a rice βield gives a more concrete idea of the
value of the boat. In 1571 a secondary leaseholder could buy ten mu of
rice-land at a cost of 50 to 60 liang.^40 Building a larger ship would have
deβinitely been beyond the means of the common people. As Zhu Wan
puts it: “The proβit derived from a two-master vessel does not go to the
xiaomin.”^41 The reason he gave was that they were βinancially incapable
of owning the vessel. Zhang Wei and his friends, like many other peasant
xiaomin, were desperately anxious to participate in the off-shore retail
trade. They customarily “supplied” (the word “jieji” often appears in the
source-materials to describe the activity of these peddlers) the foreigners,
mainly with their daily necessities as indicated in Lin Xiyuan’s letter
cited earlier. Unfortunately, as the authorities wished to avoid irritating
the shihao who were the major group engaged in substantial transactions,
they picked on the xiaomin to be their victims. Zhang Wei and his group,
who were forced into a position to which there was no alternative, were
just a few among many others. They transformed themselves into what
were known as the “disguised Wo” and created an even more serious
situation than the real Wo (Japanese pirates).
Turning to the real Wo problem, if the truth be told, the shihao and
their shady relations with the local authorities were responsible for
much of it. The very devastating intrusion that erupted in the renzi 壬子
year (1552) was nothing but the outcome of such malpractices. Before
the incident, the authorities had been even more vigilant in patrolling
the sea-coast. Therefore, the Japanese merchants could rely only on a
few prominent families to act as their business agents. Unfortunately, the
latter turned the strained situation to their own beneβit by swindling the
foreigners. They received payment in advance from the Japanese traders
but never delivered any cargoes or kept the cargoes without paying the
costs. Waiting off the coast in vain, the Japanese traders were desperately
worried about the consequences if they were to go back to their lords
with empty hands. With no other alternative, they resorted to violence.
- The estimate is made after comparing the following sources: Zhu Wan 朱
紈, “Yeshi haifang shi—moguan haichuan” 閱視海防事—沒官海船 [Matters
concerning coastal defense—On conβiscated vessels], in MJSWB, 206: 8b;
MSL: SZ, 92: 12a; and 118: 5b‒6a; Ming shilu: Shenzong chao 明實錄：神宗朝
[Veritable records of the Ming Dynasty: Shenzong/Wanli Reign], 239: 6b‒7a;
and Zhangzhou fuzhi (1573 ed.), 7: 17a‒b. - Zhangzhou fuzhi (1573 ed.), 5: 7a: For the term “secondary lease-holder”, see
Chapter 7 of this book. - Zhu Wan, “Haiyang zeichuan chumo shi” 海洋賊船出沒事 [Activities of the
pirate junks], in MJSWB, 205: 14b.
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