2 - Managing Hybridity

Summary

The Nguyễn lords initially sought to control Mo Jiu and his descendants by means of stationing troops, marriage alliances, and symbolism and ritual. Jiu managed to secure autonomy for his realm by forging ties with horizontal translocal networks. Buddhist monks connected him to other Chinese communities while serving as intermediaries to the Cochinchinese state. The remnants of the Dragon Gate under Chen Shangchuan’s descendants bolstered Jiu’s military capabilities while helping him forge ties with the Qing Guangdong gentry. He further sought to provide a welcoming climate for Chinese merchants, sojourners, and immigrants by manipulating allusions in Chinese history, especially the Tang, in labeling and categorizing the major landscapes and features of The Port. The Austronesian networks helped him forge ties with island Southeast Asian ports, while the Portuguese creoles set up a mint. The brief Qing maritime ban in 1717, which exempted Vietnam, cemented The Port’s role as an emerging transshipment point, natural resource exporter, and financial center able to interact and compete in its own right with more established emporia, such as Guangzhou, Batavia, and Ayutthaya.