- Cohong
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Cohong Traditional Chinese 公行 Simplified Chinese 公行 Literal meaning "public profession" Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin gōng háng Cantonese (Yue) - Yale Romanization gūng hòhng The Cohong, often spelled as kehang or gonghang, was the Chinese import-export monopoly in Guangzhou (also called Canton) during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Over a time of about one century, before the First Opium War, the trade contacts between China and Europe were performed exclusively via the Cohong.
The cohong was a Guild of thirteen hong merchants authorized by the Chinese Central Government to handle trade, particularly rights to trade tea and silk, with the West.[1] They were the only group at the time to authorize this, making them the main controllers of all foreign trade in the nation.
See also
References
- ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/124647/cohong/124647rellinks/Related-Links Entry on Cohong in Encyclopedia Britannica
Categories:- Economic history of China
- Foreign relations of the Qing Dynasty
- Guangzhou
- History of foreign trade in China
- Chinese history stubs
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