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Yong-le: Year 4, Month 6, Day 18

3 Jul 1406

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The Guang-dong Provincial Administration Commission memorialized: "Every year, when the foreign fan bring tribute of local products, the products are transported on the waterways by boat. Between Nan-xiong and Nan-an lies the Mei Range. The boats thus cannot pass. It is requested that the people's labor be employed to provide the link." The Emperor said: "As ruler, I mu st look after the people. Now, the foreigners' tribute does not come at fixed times, while the farmers have little time for rest. If this is to be ordered, then from Spring to Autumn, if the fan come to offer tribute just at the time when the farmers are required to work, the goods will have to be stored in Nan-xiong. In the 11th month, when there is leisure in the farming cycle, the farmers can then be ordered to transport the goods to Nan-an. This should be so instructed." The attendant ministers said: "As long as the people do not lose their livelihood, they will not greatly resent having to do this work. If they lose their livelihood, even if they are given rest, the arrangements will not be feasible."

Tai-zong: juan 55.3a

Zhong-yang Yan-jiu yuan Ming Shi-lu, volume 11, page 817

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Preferred form of citation for this entry:

Geoff Wade, translator, Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu: an open access resource, Singapore: Asia Research Institute and the Singapore E-Press, National University of Singapore, http://epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/reign/yong-le/year-4-month-6-day-18, accessed January 22, 2019