A Study On The Chinese Merchants In Vietnam From The Mid-17th Century To The Early 19th Century 1640-1802

This dissertation looks at the Chinese Merchants in Vietnam from the mid-17th century to the early 19th century. First, it looks at their development in the main economic fields to illustrate its basic feature and characteristics. Secondly, it explores the historical role the Chinese Merchants played in the local economic development. Thirdly, it illustrates the impact both the governments of China and Vietnam exerted on them with the related policies respectively.This dissertation is divided into ten parts including the introduction and the conclusion. The first part introduces the significance and purpose of this paper, reviews the main research works, and briefs the methodology and materials adopted in this dissertation.The first chapter briefs the development of Chinese merchants prior to the mid-17th century.Chapter II introduces the background of the entry of Chinese Merchants into Vietnam from mid-17th century to the early 19th century.The following four chapters (Chapter III to Chapter VI) explores in all aspects the development of Chinese merchants in the major economic fields from mid-17th century to the Tay Son Period. The general management, the structure and distribution of the Chinese merchants, the role they played both in the economic development of both countries, and the impact of two countries'policies on them are all explained in detail in these four chapters.Chapter VII focuses on the Chinese merchants in the Tay Son Period, with the introduction of the basic development of the Chinese merchants, this chapter mainly concerns the causes and process and the outcome of Chinese merchants'involvement in the local disputes. It concludes that chaos caused by the war resulted in the decline of the Chinese merchants'power as a whole, though it was not that stagnant, and thus the hub of their merchant activities began to move to the south.Chapter VIII argues that non economic factors also played an important part in the development of Chinese merchants in Vietnam in this period. The intermarriage between Chinese merchants and the local people, their participation in Chinese societies'activities (clans, temples and other organizations) also counted in their economic development. This intangible social capital helped promote their integration and the construction of the networks among the Chinese merchants. It also helped the Chinese merchants to become adapt to local societies.To conclude, this dissertation gives a summary based on the following three points(:1)the distribution of Chinese merchants and the evolution of their businesses. (2) the contribution Chinese merchants made to the development of local economy and society as well. (3) the impact of the two governments'policies exerted on the Chinese merchants. The details are as follows:First, compared with the development of Chinese merchants before the mid-17th century, the Chinese merchants were broadly deployed almost in all the economic fields. However, their businesses still focused on overseas trade with a more prosperous development in the south. In the 1870s, the Chinese merchants reached their peak, then suffered a decline after the founding of the Nguyen Dynasty.Secondly, the contribution the Chinese merchants made to the local economy lies the fact that their deep involvement into the local economy contributed to the formation of a modern Vietnamese state, on the other hand, they helped enhance the economic cooperation with its neighboring countries and ultimately ushered its economy into the regional economic system.Thirdly, to some extent, the development of the Chinese merchants as a whole or as individuals was decided by the policies of the two governments, particularly the local government's policy exerted great impacts on the distribution of the Chinese merchants.