The positions of Pho Hien and Domea in the Trade system of tonkin (Dang Ngoai), 16th-17th Centuries (Based on fieldworks, archeological and historical sources)

Abstract

Located at one of the main routes of the Asian maritime trading system in the 16th-17th centuries, along with the general developments of the regional trade, the Tonkinese ports of Vietnam like Thang Long, Pho Hien... became big city-ports which were famous with their thriving development. The marchants from many Asian countries likely China, Japan (Nihon), Siam and Western traders working for the companies: Dutch East India Company (VOC), English East India Company (EIC), French East India Company (CIO)... came to Tonkin's ports and conducted the trade activities and promptly established their trading enterprises. This was the only time in the process of history of Vietnam that the Tonkin's commerce attained the flourishing development.

Based on the historical sources in Vietnam and abroad, fieldworks' investigations and archaeological researches... this article tries to examine and recover the activities and roles of the commercial ports in the North of Vietnam through two main town-ports as Thang Long and Pho Hien. However, together with both of them, in the 16th-17th in the Tonkin's trade system, there was still existed Domea (as in the Western documents so called Habor-town), Van Don and some other ports, wharfs. These ports played a particular role and were in the mutual and close relationships with the main ports.

The orientation to awake more adequately more adequately to the Tonkin's trade system (basing on focusing on Domea case abundantly recorded in Western documents) that not only contributed to shed light the foreign economic picture of Vietnam, but also aimed to obtain a better understanding of the Vietnam's position in the regional network of economic and cultural exchanges