The Porcelain Trade Of The Dutch East India Company During 17^th And 18^th Centuries

The Dutch East India Company was founded in 1602. From the beginning of the 17^th century to the end of the 18^th century, the Company didn't cease to import the Asian porcelain until 1799, in which year the Company was disintegrated. The main points in this paper are how the Dutch porcelain trade developed, what the quantity of porcelain transported by the Dutch and the profit of porcelain trade were, what the influence of porcelain trade on Dutch and the other European countries was, and the reasons why the Dutch porcelain trade were prosperous in 17^th century and declining in 18^th century.The paper is divided into four parts. The first part casts back the origin of the China-Europe porcelain trade, which initiated by the Portuguese at 16 century and followed by the Dutch at 17th century, then discusses the competitive situation between the Dutch and Portuguese in Asia. The Dutch set up a series of colonies and factories which occupied the convenient geographical position in Asia. By the way of these actions, the Dutch built the foundation of the development and prosperity of the porcelain trade with china.The second part discusses how the Dutch porcelain trade established own superiority status in 17^th century. By way of dividing stages of the Dutch porcelain trade, discussing the historical background and characteristics of development of porcelain trade in every stage, and analyzing Intra-Asiatic Trade, the panorama of the Dutch porcelain trade between Europe and Asia will be revealed. The main reasons, why the Dutch porcelain trade prospered were the powerful sea power, acute market judgment, possessing convenience trade stopover station and the superiority status in Japan. In later period of 17^th century, the Dutch began to import Japanese and Vietnamese porcelain, which enriched the European porcelain market.The third part discusses the rise and fall of the Dutch porcelain trade during the 18^th century. The rise of tea and coffee drinking in Europe led to increase the number of porcelain imported at the beginning of this century. And the trade fell at later of the same century gradually, because of the changes of European fashion and the rise of the European ceramic industry. Chinese things were losing their appeal and native porcelain industries, which could supply cheap and exquisite products for the European. Chinese porcelain lost its European market. With the declining of the sea power, the Dutch lost its dominant power in East India. At last, it ended its porcelain trade with disintegrating the Company in 1799.The last part discusses the influence of the Dutch porcelain trade on Europe. The porcelain exercised influence on European art and social life, especially which promoted the development of European porcelain industry and made the contribution to the capitalism development.