The Legal Reasoning Process of the Legal System of Thirteen Hongs in Guangzhou of the Qing Dynasty
During the Qing Dynasty,to manage the Sino-Western trade centered around the Thirteen Hongs in Guangzhou following the opening of maritime trade,the Qing government established a legal system with several components.This included the construction of a customs management legal system based on the powers and duties of the Guangdong Customs;a domestic merchant management legal system based on the rights and obligations of Chinese merchants;and a foreigner management legal system based on the rights and obligations of foreign merchants.Objectively,these elements formed an orderly operating legal system for the Thirteen Hongs in Guangzhou during the Qing Dynasty.From the perspective of legal sources,national statutory law laid the foundational framework for this system.Separate regulations constituted an essential component,and commercial customary laws served as a vital supplement.The legal system of the Thirteen Hongs in Guangzhou during the Qing Dynasty was a set of behavior norms specifically designed to regulate the social relations arising from the Sino-Western trade in Guangzhou.These norms were either enacted or recognized by the state,stipulating the rights and obligations of the Guangdong Customs,Chinese merchants,and foreign merchants,and were enforced through state authority.This legal system aligns with the general definition and basic characteristics of law.
Qing Dynastylegal system of Thirteen Hongs in Guangzhoulegal sourcesthe characteristics of law