Entry

Chen Wu-de, a supervising secretary in the Office of Scrutiny for Works, memorialized on several remedial arrangements for Guang-dong: "....On Prohibiting Private Trading with the Fan. The fan merchants of Melaka and other countries have long been known for their coarseness and ferocity. In the past, induced by the lure of some small benefits, Hao-jing and other bays were opened to the traders. People flocked there as to a market, and civilians and yi now reside there mixed together. The occurrence of calamity cannot be predicted. We cannot completely stop this, so it would be best to prohibit the civilians from having private dealings with them. Further, the bao-jia regulations should be firmly promulgated again so as to restrain the civilians. When proportional taxes (抽稅) are to be paid, the traders are to be instructed to hand them over at the bays. They must not be permitted to go to the provincial capital. Violators should be subject to the law.... On Proposed Pacification or Elimination. The pacification and elimination policies in Guang-dong have been poorly executed. The remnant followers of the chieftain Zeng [Yi-ben] have not been entirely eliminated, while the pacified civilian Lin Dao-qian still occupies Xia-kuai. Those responsible should be ordered to put all their efforts into eliminating the root of the troubles...." The Emperor approved all of these proposals....