Hai jin

Hai Jin (Chinese海禁, Pinyin Hǎijìn ) was the prohibition of private seafaring in China during the Ming Dynasty. The ban was from 1368 to 1405 and was reapplied 1550-1567.

Seeverbot

Already 1277/78 maritime authorities have been set up, which should control the trade. The Seeverbot goes back to the first Ming Emperor Hongwu, and was ratified in Ming Code. When penalties against violations threatened corporal punishment but also the execution.

The concern was, illegal private trade ( ' ssu ') to prevent over the sea, because they feared the danger of pirates (especially the Japanese " Wokou " ) that would be attracted by a busy ship traffic. Primary aim was therefore to strengthen the military power, in part because the country itself especially at the beginning of the dynasty (1368-1402) in the interior was very unstable and continued threats from outside threatened ( Mongols, Timuren, Oirat ). Other reasons are the fear of the rulers of the power of wealthy merchants and the adroit against expansion Confucianism.

Conflicts between the parties

As Chinese emperors claimed the monopoly of trade in the form of tribute trade for themselves, but the coastal residents wanted no means dispense with the commercial use of maritime trade and could ( as Fujian), a thriving system of Contra gang came ( = of smuggling and black market ) produced by corrupt officers and the military was supported. At times attempts were made to control the commercial shipping using maritime authorities and thus to enable the exchange with recognized as tributary countries. However, even the merchants braced to the coast for a perfect trade liberalization, since in this case the privilege of their social networks compared to the poorer population would become void.

End of Seeverbots

Mid-16th century it was recognized that incursions of marauders usually emanated from non- market merchants, who were supported by the population in the absence of other sources of income. Simultaneously with the overthrow of the Seeverbotes also the Chinese system of tribute diplomacy has been questioned.