Sir H.S. Parkes to Earl Granville.—(Received February 28, 1884)

(No. 73) Peking, December 31, 1883

My Lord,

THE inclosed Proclamation, which was issued by the Chinese Commissioner at Söul shortly before I arrived there, will serve to illustrate the way in which the Chinese Government exercise suzerain rights over their so-called tributary States. The display of authority in this form appears to have a greater importance in their eyes than the question of Treaty relations between those States and European Powers. It did not appear to me that the Chinese Commissioner was much consulted by the Corean Government on the provisions of the Treaty which I negotiated, and if the difficulty I at one time encountered in settling the question of interport trade was not attributable to his influence, or to the reputed desire of the Grand Secretary Li Hung-chang to secure a monopoly of the Corean carrying trade to a Chinese side in concluding that Treaty.

I have, &c.
(Signed)　　HARRY S. PARKES

Inclosure

Proclamation issued by the Chinese Trade Commissioner at Söul.

(Translation)
CH’EN, by Imperial command General Director of Foreign Trade at the ports of Corea, with a brevet rank of the second grade, a Taotai on the list for immediate promotion in any province, who holds two steps of commutative rank, and has shown records of merit against his name:
　　In the matter of a Proclamation,
Be it known that I, having reverently received His Majesty’s commands to assume the general management of international trade at the various ports of Corea, arrived by ship at the port of Jên-Ch’uan on the 14th day of the present moon, and disembarked. On the 16th I reached the city of Han, and on the 20th I entered upon the duties of my office.
I would observe that Corea is a tributary of China, and ever since the time that Chi-Tzŭ was invested with the sovereignty of the kingdom up to the present day, a period of several thousand years, this nation has given special prominence to the civilizing influences of poetry, literature, and the requirements of propriety and decorum, thereby having long been held in respect and esteem by the world in general. It may be truly said of her that she is a country whose people deservedly bear the reputation of maintaining a well-balanced equilibrium of elegance and simplicity, and in which culture and refinement prevail.
Since the existence of the present dynasty, now some 200 years and more, she has been reverent and submissive to her Suzerain in a marked and special degree. Her officials, people, gentry, and merchants have never failed to be courteous and jest in their relations with the subjects of the Emperor their Suzerain, nor has there ever been an expression of differences of opinion between them. Such a state of things is most commendable.
The world has now become one family, and the carious nations therof trade one with another, exchanging each other’s resources for their respective needs, and mutually enjoying the hospitality of each other’s States. The prohibitions against external intercourse having been universally removed, the Court of China has now granted special permission to Corea to engage in foreign trade, that she may reap the advantages therof, and hold the profits to be gained by this commerce in her own hands. A Code of Trade Regulations in eight Articles has been promulgated, authorizing the people of the parent and the subject country to engage in trade with each other, respectively giving each other’s products in exchange for their mutual wants, thereby stimulating the increase of the natural resources of either country, and developing their wealth and power.
His Majesty the Emperor has further specially selected me and sent me to reside in the city of Han, in order to assume the general management of all matters affecting commercial relations at the different ports, to exercise supervision over the interests of the merchants and subjects of the mother-country, and to promote the general advance of trade, in such wise that both countries may reap the advantages therof. In due course officers will be sent to reside at Jên-Ch’uan, Fu-shan, and Yuan-shan.
Having now entered on the duties of my office, it is my duty to issue a Proclamation for general information. In addition to exhibiting at my official residence the Trade Regulations promulgated by the Imperial Court, I hereby inform all Chinese merchants, gentry, and people that all who come to this country to trade, whether travellers or residents, must give prominence to the requirements of honesty and good faith, and pay special obedience to the aforesaid Rules. In their relations with the people of this country they must positively cultivate friendship and harmony, in order to manifest the principles of integrity and good faith, by which the subject race are actuated, and pay special heed to the maintenance of that family relationship under one common head which it is the earnest wish of both countries to preserve.
Those Chinese merchants who come here from distant places across the sea to engage in trade are actuated by motives of personal advantage, and they should therefore thoroughly appreciate the principle that harmony is the high road to wealth. In their relations with the people of Corea or of any foreign country they must on no account show unfriendliness, even in the slightest degree, thereby causing adverse comments on their behaviour.
Commercial matters are under my charge, and it is my special duty to attend to the interests of the merchants of my country. Should any of them, therefore, whether residents of travellers, encounter anything of an unsatisfactory nature, whether grave of slight, in their relations with others, they must come to my official residence to report the same, and await my instructions and action thereon. Let them take heed lest, in their impatience, they are guilty of any wrong action, whereby they are led in a momentary fit of anger to commit an offence against the law, as the consequences of such action may be most inconvenient to themselves.
A special Proclamation.

Kung Hsü, 9th year, 9th moon, 24th day (October 24, 1883)