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Zheng-de: Year 3, Month 12, Day 6

27 Dec 1508

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The Ministry of Rites advised: "Formerly, when the foreign yi tribute envoys were returning home, no interpreters were sent to accompany them. The practice of sending interpreters was only initiated after an attendant minister from Annam made a request. Later as the interpreters were engaging in illegal activities en route, it was proposed that the practice be stopped. Then, only yi persons from Korea, as well as those from Tai-ning and other guards and those from Ha-mi, were allowed interpreter-escorts like before. Subsequently, the Ministry of War proposed abolishing this practice and having the various grand defenders and grand coordinators arrange escorts. Now the Assistant Commander and Senior Interpreter Wang Xi, who is receiving salary from the Embroidered-Uniform Guard, has memorialized requesting the re-institution of the previous regulations. Only yi persons from Korea, Annam and the three guards including Tai-ning should be allowed interpreter-escorts. For others, there should be no such escorts." The Emperor approved this. It was also ordered that the interpreters be strictly forbidden from causing trouble en route or leading the yi into evil activities.

Wu-zong: juan 45.2a

Zhong-yang Yan-jiu yuan Ming Shi-lu, volume 63, page 1025

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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/zheng-de/year-3-month-12-day-6, accessed January 22, 2019