Page 200 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

9 Ceramics from Nagasaki: A Link to Manila Galleon Trade 171

Fig. 9.15 Blue and white landscape cup with handles of Jingdezhen Kiln

9.3 Fujianese Merchants Who Connected Nagasaki,
Manila with Fujian

Nagasaki as a port city in the modern period did not seem to have direct relation
with the Manila Galleon Trade during !rst few decades. However it is true that
many folding screens, lacquer wares and other art crafts were sent to Acapulco via
Manila. Who brought all these products to Manila? When we see the ceramic
excavated from Nagasaki and from Mexico, it seems that the excavated Fujianese
ceramics from both sites match these blue and white bowls and plates with flower
basket motif. This means that Fujianese productions were gaining their weight in
the trade and were exported to many other consumption sites especially after Qing
Dynasty abolished the trade ban in 1684. It was the Fujianese merchants who
brought the ceramics into Nagasaki and Manila and possibly traded goods between
Nagasaki and Manila during the 17th and 18th century. Then, the goods were
transshipped to Acapulco (Chia 2006).