406 Boundaries and Beyond
In sum, the resident Chinese merchants found it more fruitful to
operate from their bases overseas. They gained from the growth of the
regional trade and from playing a role in connecting the intraregional
junk trade with the long-distance carrying trade conducted by western
vessels.
Integrating into Local Societies
The southeastern coast of China and Southeast Asia formed parts of
the interlocking networks of a trans-regional maritime trade that was
simultaneously in the process of establishing linkages to the greater
maritime world. The Min-Yue people injected an enterprising spirit into
their trade activities and developed lively, bustling trading communities
in the port cities on the China coast and in the Nanyang.
In the port cities at home and abroad the Min-Yue merchants
endeavored to create a favorable trade environment and accumulate
their social capital. They were not just sojourners looking for quick proβit
in the port city, but were making an effort to build social networks and
integrate themselves into the local community to facilitate their trade
activities.
Amoy provides an example to illustrate the workings of such social
networks. Like other port cities, it was a developing migrant society. It
had a population of “several tens of thousands” on the eve of the Qing
conquest of Taiwan. Owing to the inβlux of migrants from the interior,
the population had increased to 144,893 by 1830.^206 In the port city,
commercial wealth was the basis for the establishment of social status.
The wealthy merchants undertook the βinancial sponsorship of public
works and local events. They built close relationships with the ofβicials
and members of the gentry. The latter two groups did not shy away from
making clandestine investments in businesses through the merchants,
even though Confucian ethics despised proβit making. The merchant
involvement in community affairs could be seen in the temple activities
that represented one salient feature of local popular culture. As organizers
of religious processions during temple festivals, the merchants would
invite the ofβicials and the gentry members to the events. Such occasions
provided them with the opportunity to build a tripartite relationship.
For the ofβicials, participation in these social events demonstrated their
care for the subjects and helped to suppress any potential public ill-
feeling toward the local authorities. Undoubtedly, their wealth enhanced
the merchants’ social inβluence, attained through their role as social
- Ng Chin-keong, Trade and Society, p. 84.
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