Page 67 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

34 M. Liu

Fig. 2.4 The early blue and white porcelains found in Anhai port of southern Fujian

(Aga-Oglu 1963: 7–19) and Indonesia (Adhyatman 1999: 42). The archaeology at
Anhai seaport revealed the same things in last few years (Fig. 2.4: 1–2). The early
blue and white porcelain wares of south coast of China are probably the imitation of
the products of Jingdezhen of the mid-Ming Dynasty, which were also found in
Anhai seaport (Fig. 2.4: 3–4). These discovery reveal that the production of blue
and white porcelain in south coast of China began as early as the Jiajing period,
consisting with the history of early maritime trade of Zhangzhou Bay area as
Yuegang and Anhai, during Jiajing period.

2.2 The Flourishing of Yuegang in the Mid and Late Ming
Dynasty and Its Exportation of Zhangzhou Kiln
Products

In 1567 (the 45th of Jiajing imperial court), Yuegang of Haicheng (!%) county
was of!cially permitted to engage in maritime trade in the east and west oceans,
signing the changing of sea ban policy of Ming Dynasty. As a legal seaport for
oversea trade, Yuegang had gradually prospered after then. At that time, Spanish
colonized central America and was searching for the new sea route across the
Paci!c to Asia as a segment of European maritime globalization. After getting and
controlling the Philippines in 1571, Spanish founded colony and eastern Asian
trading base at Manila, bridging two sides of Paci!c by famous Manila galleon
navigation. Connecting with Manila galleon trading system, Yuegang became an
important trading center for Chinese cargoes exporting to Manila and America for