W’s
Who
Administered by imperial China.
- Cohong (kehang, gonghang): the only group of merchants that foreign traders were allowed to trade with. Was heavily controlled and approved by the emperor.
- Hoppo: the official supervisor appointed by the emperor to lead the system.
When
Mainly Qing Dynasty. 1760s to end of the First Opium War.
Where
As the name of the system suggests, in Canton’s ports (modern day Guangzhou), located on China’s southeastern coast.
What
The system through which imperial China traded with foreign countries and their merchants. Trade was done exclusively through the Canton port and the families part of the Cohong. Modeled after the traditional tributary system (that was reserved for other Asian empires).
- Cohong collected fees and taxes from Western merchants for the government
- Also frequently gifted local officials to earn their place in the monopoly on Western trade
- Responsible for the behavior of foreigners when they were in China
Restrictions on the foreigners
- Foreigners were only allowed to live on an island in the Pearl River, and could not enter walled city
- Were not allowed to learn Chinese nor directly communicate with officials, only the Cohong
- Could only come and stay for specific periods of time
Judicial disputes and courts
Foreigners, motivated by alcohol and women, would come to Canton and often hurt locals or cause damage. Which side of the law should prevail, China’s or the foreign country’s?
Self-governance: for context, in general disputes rarely went to Chinese courts. They were usually resolved by the families/individuals involved, and heavily depends on Confucian morals over actual judicial laws.
Courts were the last resort, for cases like prosecution of Western merchants, so the Chinese judicial system was rather small.
- Often saw the Westerners as in the wrong simply for not following Confucianism.
- Poor conditions in jail, with no regard for the criminals.
Why
Created as a means for the Qing empire to interact with foreign traders and merchants, while still severely restricting their means of interacting with China’s economy and people as a whole.
Historical significance
The Canton system severely restricted Westerners’ interactions with the Chinese economy and empire as a whole.
- It’s an example of the Qing Dynasty/imperial China’s complete disregard for foreigners and how they perceived them as barbaric and undeveloped.
- It also tied into imperial China’s view of being self-sufficient and the center of the world.
- Then, trade with other merchants is unnecessary; they should only be receiving goods (e.g. tributary system).
It was one of the first things foreigners (e.g. British) wanted to change, because issues like judicial disputes completely favored the Qing. And they eventually did, and even went to war over it…
The concepts of Filial piety guided this system, but it was wholly incompatible with trade disputes as both sides are equal here, while filial piety assumes no push back from the “inferior” side.