← Explore on the interactive map

Tang Maritime Trade Administration (Shibosi)

Type Object Region China Time c. 713–907

The Tang established maritime trade commissioners (shiboshi, predecessors of the Song shibosi) at ports like Guangzhou and Quanzhou to attract foreig…

Timeline

  1. 713–750Guangzhou · Guangdong ProvinceIn the second year of Kaiyuan, Emperor Xuanz Tang established a maritime trade commissioner in Guangzhou to exclusively handle foreign ship trade taxation, marking the shift from ad hoc to standing overseas trade management.
  2. c. 751–780Foreign Quarter, Guangzhou · Guangdong ProvinceThe maritime trade commissioner imposed a proportional tax on imported goods, taking a share of cargo; he also managed foreign merchant residence and trade exchange, with Guangzhou's foreign quarter becoming a hub for Arab and Persian merchants.
  3. c. 781–800Quanzhou · Fujian ProvinceAfter the mid-Tang, Quanzhou port rose; the court successively appointed maritime trade officials at southeastern ports, forming a multi-point management network with Guangzhou as the main port and Quanzhou as a secondary port, paving the way for the Song shibosi system.

Sources