Guangdong Pass - Guangdong Pass

A customs office located in Guangzhou (Canton), China. After the Qing dynasty government overthrew the Zheng clan, which had its base in Taiwan, and lifted the maritime ban, it opened four ports, including Macau, in 1685, allowing foreign trade, and established the Yuehai Customs in Guangzhou to supervise the area. The chief and deputy Yuehai Customs superintendent (called Hoppo by foreigners) were sent directly from the central government on the recommendation of Tobe, and their term of office was three years in principle, and they were mainly Manchu bannermen. In 1720, the official travel system was established in Guangzhou, allowing only chartered merchants to monopolize trade, and the collection of customs duties was also entrusted to traveling merchants. From 1757, foreign trade was limited to the port of Guangzhou, and the Yuehai Customs reached its heyday with the British East India Company as its main trading partner until 1834. The taxes consisted of five items: import and export taxes, surcharges, ship tax (weighted ship tax), and gifts. The tax rates for imports and exports were about 6% and 2% ad valorem, respectively, which were lower than in Europe during the mercantilist era. However, large surcharges and surcharges were imposed arbitrarily, increasing the burden on official merchants and causing considerable friction with foreign merchants. In 1843, foreigners were permitted to reside in Guangzhou and new taxes were enacted, bringing about a turning point in customs affairs, but full-scale reform did not begin until 1859, when the foreign tax officer system was introduced in Guangzhou. Furthermore, supervision of the Guangzhou and Guangdong customs was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Governors-General of the two countries after 1904.

[Takeshi Hamashita]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、広州（広東(カントン)）に置かれた税関。清(しん)朝政府は台湾を根拠にしていた鄭(てい)氏を滅ぼして海禁を解くと、1685年に澳門(マカオ)など4港を開いて対外貿易を許し、広州に粤海関を設けて一帯の監督にあたらせた。正副粤海関監督（外国側はこれをホッポHoppoとよんだ）は、戸部の推薦により直接中央から派遣され、任期は3年を原則とし、おもに満州旗人が任ぜられた。1720年には広州に公行(こうこう)制度を敷いて特許商人にのみ貿易を独占させ、関税の徴集も行商に請け負わせた。1757年から外国貿易は広州1港に制限され、1834年に至るまでイギリス東インド会社を主たる貿易相手とする粤海関の全盛期を迎えた。税則は、輸出入税、付加税、船鈔(せんしょう)（量船税）、規礼（贈物）の5項目からなり、輸出入品課税率はそれぞれおよそ従価6％と2％であり、重商主義時代のヨーロッパより低かった。しかし多額の付加税および規礼が恣意(しい)的に課せられ、公行商人の負担は増大し、外国商人との摩擦も少なくなかった。1843年、広州における外国人居留や新税則が制定されて、海関事務は転機を迎えるが、本格的な改革は1859年、広州に外国人税務司制度が導入されてからであった。また粤海関監督も1904年以降は両広総督の管轄へと移行した。

［浜下武志］

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