Illustrated Gazetteer of the Maritime Countries (Vol. 40)

...And throughout history, troubles at the border have often been born of greed. If those who guard the borders are incorruptible officials, then both the foreigners and the Chinese will live in peace and stability. How true these words are!

Regarding the opening of maritime trade, people hold many conflicting views. Ever since the English original: "Yingjili" (Great Britain) began to dominate the seas, reports of their arrogance and insolence have been heard daily. Consequently, there are those who propose the "Policy of Closing the Gates" 封關罷市 (fengguan bashi): a total cessation of trade and closure of customs houses to isolate the country.

Others respond to this, saying: "Maritime trade is an expression of the sincere desire of the island foreigners to seek the benefits of our civilization original: "xianghua," literally 'turning toward transformation,' a classical term for non-Chinese peoples seeking to align with Chinese culture and order. It is also a source of profit for the residents along our coasts. If the foreigners obtain what they desire, the coastal seas will remain calm and peaceful. If they lose their means of business, then treacherous scoundrels will become restless and rebel. Those who are skilled in statecraft should only calculate the relative costs and benefits; it is not worth debating the abstract rights and wrongs with such people."

During the Jiajing era The reign of the Ming Emperor Shizong, 1522–1566, a period famous for "Wokou" pirate raids, sea pirates rose up in great force, poisoning the southeast for more than a decade. This initially began because Japanese ships arrived in the provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang to trade. Many of the local powerful clans and merchants defaulted on the payments owed to these foreigners. When the Japanese ran out of provisions, they turned to robbery. The powerful clans then pressured the military commanders and officials to hunt them down and expel them. Yet, just as the troops were about to be deployed, these same clans leaked the military's schedule, telling the Japanese to flee and promising to repay the debts at a later date.