-
8. Beaukeequa 黎開觀 and Family 1726–1758
- Hong Kong University Press, HKU
- Chapter
- Additional Information
Relation Trade Name Mandarin Chinese Father Beaukeequa Li Kaiguan 黎開觀 Son no. 1 Li Zhaopeng 黎兆朋 Son no. 2 Li Zhaokui 黎兆魁 Son no. 3 Fuiqua Li Jie 黎捷 Brother Ley Keyqua Li Qiguan 黎啟觀 Beaukeequa’s story is exceptional among his peers. No other merchant had more influence on trade in the mid-eighteenth century than he did. As Chapters 5 and 6 reveal, Tan Suqua and Tan Hunqua had significant impact on the commerce, and the latter tried very hard to push through reforms in the 1730s. In Chapters 3 and 7, I outline the control the triple alliance and its head, Cai Hunqua, had over a good part of the trade in the 1750s and 1760s. I also briefly discuss, in several chapters, the great influence Poankeequa had with officials in Canton. None of these men, however, came close to changing the system in their life times to the extent that Beaukeequa managed to do, unintentionally, after his death. It is largely owing to the debts he left behind that the triple alliance formed in 1758 and gained control over 38 percent of the market. This event, in turn, led to the establishment of the Co-hong and further shrinking of the merchant ranks. A new tax was introduced to pay Beaukeequa’s imperial duties that were in arrears, which laid the precedent for the consoo fund that was later established. These additions and changes to the trade may have come about anyway, in due course, but probably not at this time and certainly not with the same urgency of purpose or intensity of enforcement as appeared after Beaukeequa’s failure. Beaukeequa’s Chinese name was Li Guanghua ( 黎光華 ), but he was more commonly known in Canton as Li Kaiguan ( 黎開觀 ).1 He traded out of three different firms: Fengshun Hang ( 豐順行 ), Tianshun Hang ( 天順行 ) and Ziyuan Hang ( 資元行 ). In the 1720s and early 1730s, the Fengshun Hang was his main business (Plates 08.05 and 08.06). Beaukeequa traded in Canton from 1726 to 1734. In the later year, he returned to his home in Quanzhou, where he stayed until he returned again to Canton in 1748. By this time, the Ziyuan Hang had become his main business (Plates 08.07 to 08.09 and 08.11), but he also did some trade out of the Tianshun Hang.2 C H A P T E R E I G H T BEAUKEEQUA 黎開觀 AND FAMILY 1726–1758 Paul_08_ch08.indd 137 Paul_08_ch08.indd 137 11年9月8日 下午2:24 11年9月8日 下午2:24 138 Merchants of Canton and Macao Because little information is available about Beaukeequa’s years in Quanzhou, from 1734 to 1748, I will separate his story into two parts: the early years and the later years. THE EARLY YEARS, 1726–1734 The first mention of Beaukeequa in the foreign records is on 11 January 1727, when he appears in the Ostend General India Company (GIC) records selling 1,000 pieces of silk.3 When the next GIC ships arrived in July 1727, the supercargos contracted again with Beaukeequa.4 From this year to 1733, he appears regularly in the foreign records, trading in a wide range of products (Appendixes 8A and 8C). From the beginning, Beaukeequa was known for his high quality silks. He seems to have specialized in handling the best fabrics. Beaukeequa sometimes traded with a partner, Amoy Tiqua, about whom we have little information. Cheong points out that Beaukeequa was considered to be ‘honest, helpful and the best in the silk business with a good eye for colours’. This is a summary of what the English officers thought of him in the early 1730s.5 When the first Swedish ship arrived in 1732, supercargo Campbell described Beaukeequa as follows: Beau Keyqua had the Character of making the best silks of any Body here though dearer, yet as the difference of the Goodness would easily make amends for that if not too great, I thought of buying some of him, But there was no dealing with him, He not only kept the price up very high but also fairly told me that he could not promise to have them ready in less than 110 days, which I saw was making a Jest of us, Since no body to ask more than 70 or 80 days at the longest, so I soon gave over thinking more of him.6 The Swedes did not contract with Beaukeequa in 1732, but the reference helps us explain one of Beaukeequa’s business strategies. By dealing in...