Chau Ju-Kua - University of Oregon Libraries

20
IXTKODUCTION.
maritime customs service existed in Canton in the eighth century, and Soleyman,
the Arab, has informed us concerning it a century later. In 971 the Canton
Inspectorate of Maritime trade was reorganized to meet the requirements of
the rapidly increasing foreign intercourse and to secure to the Government a
larger share of the profits. A few years later, between 976 and 983, this 5
trade was declared a state monopoly, and private trading with foreigners was
made punishable by branding on the face and exile to an island of the sea ^
Still a few years later, but before 998, a General Customs CoUectorate
was established at the capital (King-shi, Marco Polo's Kinsay) and orders
issued that all foreign aromatics and goods of value arriving in China, either lo
at Canton, Ts*uan-ch6u, the Liang-ch'6 (Ch'0-kiang) Province, or even in
Kiau-chi (Tongking) ^ were to be deposited in Government warehouses.
In 999 Inspectorates for Maritime trade were established atHang-ch6u
and at Ming-ch6u, — the present Ning-po, — and we are told that this was