Changes

''Hai jin'', literally "maritime restrictions" or "sea prohibitions," was a system of maritime trade proscriptions put into place during the [[Ming Dynasty]], and lasting from [[1371]] until [[1567]].

''Hai jin'', literally "maritime restrictions" or "sea prohibitions," was a system of maritime trade proscriptions put into place during the [[Ming Dynasty]], and lasting from [[1371]] until [[1567]].

Chinese overseas activity, including trade, was not cut off entirely, but was merely limited in certain ways; in particular, trade outside of that associated with [[tribute]] missions was strongly proscribed. That said, unofficial, or private, trade continued in great volume - just in a less official, less "above board" manner.

Chinese overseas activity, including trade, was not cut off entirely, but was merely limited in certain ways; in particular, trade outside of that associated with [[tribute]] missions was strongly proscribed. This meant that members of the large [[overseas Chinese]] communities in Southeast Asia and elsewhere could only return home to visit, legally, as members of tribute missions; many were able to do so, leveraging their knowledge and skill in maritime navigation, commerce, Ming bureaucracy, ritual, Chinese language, and/or other relevant matters, to gain positions in tributary missions.<ref>Chan, Ying Kit. “A Bridge between Myriad Lands: The Ryukyu Kingdom and Ming China (1372-1526).” Thesis, National University of Singapore, 2010, 59. http://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/20602.</ref> Still, unofficial, or private, trade, continued in great volume - it was just now considered illegal smuggling.

The volume of Chinese goods flowing out of China decreased dramatically, increasing the market for goods such as Southeast Asian ceramics and silks. The number of active Chinese merchants on the seas and in the ports similarly decreased, creating greater opportunities for Southeast Asian, Japanese, and especially Ryukyuan merchants to expand their activity and revenues. The official [[kango boeki|tally trade]] between Ming China and [[Ashikaga Bakufu|Ashikaga Japan]] was ended after [[1523]], and in [[1557]], Chinese were banned from traveling to Japan, and Japanese were banned from making port in China. These bans allowed for the development of [[Nihonmachi]] (Japantowns) in Southeast Asia, and the expansion of Japanese maritime activity in the 16th century, while also providing for the increased prominence of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] as an intermediary or entrepot for Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian goods being provided to Southeast Asian, Japanese, and Chinese markets.

The volume of Chinese goods flowing out of China decreased dramatically, increasing the market for goods such as Southeast Asian ceramics and silks. The number of active Chinese merchants on the seas and in the ports similarly decreased, creating greater opportunities for Southeast Asian, Japanese, and especially Ryukyuan merchants to expand their activity and revenues. The official [[kango boeki|tally trade]] between Ming China and [[Ashikaga Bakufu|Ashikaga Japan]] was ended after [[1523]], and in [[1557]], Chinese were banned from traveling to Japan, and Japanese were banned from making port in China. These bans allowed for the development of [[Nihonmachi]] (Japantowns) in Southeast Asia, and the expansion of Japanese maritime activity in the 16th century, while also providing for the increased prominence of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] as an intermediary or entrepot for Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian goods being provided to Southeast Asian, Japanese, and Chinese markets.