PaulA.VanDyke’snewbook,WhampoaandtheCantonTrade:LifeandDeathinaChinesePort,1700–1842,authoritativelycorrectsmisconceptionsabouthowtheQinggovernmenttreatedforeignerswhenitcontrolledalltradeintheGuangzhouport.VanDykereappraisestheroleofWhampoainthesystem—aporttwentykilometresawayfromGuangzhou—andreassessesthegovernment’sattitudetowardsforeigners,whichwasmuchmoreaccommodatingthanpreviousresearchsuggested.Infact,VanDykeshowsthatforeignerswerenotboundbylocallawsandweregivenfreedomofmovementaroundWhampoaandCantontotheextentthattheyweretreatedwithleniencyevenwhenfoundinoff-limitplaces.
WhampoaandtheCantonTraderecountsthelivesofseamenwhotravelledhalf-wayaroundtheglobeatgreatriskandlivedthroughahistoricperiodthatwouldbecometheframeworkforsubsequentencountersbetweenChinaandtherestoftheworld.WereitnotfortheexchangesbetweenthemajorpowersandtheQingempire,theworld—asweknowit—wouldbearatherdifferentplace.Hence,VanDyke’scommandofdataminingshowsthatWhampoawasakeypillarintheCantonSystemand,thus,inthemakingofthemodernworldeconomy.
