War, Trade and Piracy in the China Seas1622-1683 -- Copyright -- SERIES EDITOR'S FOREWORD -- CONTENTS -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- Picture -- INTRODUCTION THE MISSING LINK -- How was history rescued from the historical accounts? -- Convergence of different knowledge interests -- The VOC archives and the reconstruction of the history of the Cheng lineage -- A note on the transcription standards and Chinese place names -- CHAPTER ONE THE TRIBUTARY SYSTEM CHALLENGED -- Silver tides sweep the Chinese tributary system -- The emergence of the Chinese privateers -- Maritime mercenaries take the stage -- CHAPTER TWO NICOLAS IQUAN BEFORE 1627 -- Shadow over the Sino-Japanese transit trade in Manila after 1617 -- The Dutch presence and the revival of the maritime mercenaries in 1624 -- Captain and reluctant mercenaries -- Crossing the Rubicon -- Farewell, Dutch Brother -- CHAPTER THREE THE SURVIVAL GAME OF THE MERCENARIES 1628-1631 -- March to Amoy for empty fame -- Hungry mercenaries need to be fed -- Iquan and the VOC engage in smuggling -- Initiation of family business -- An-hai Harbour and the fishermen militia -- CHAPTER FOUR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THEAN-HAI TRADING EMPORIUM 1630-1633 -- 1630: the exceptional year in which the Eastern Ocean monopoly of An-hai was established -- Towards the An-hai monopoly in the Western Ocean:the Taijouan trade from 1630 to 1632 -- Regional commander without a fixed base -- CHAPTER FIVE STORMY WEATHER AT THE IMPERIAL COURTAND ON THE SOUTH CHINA COAST 1632-1633 -- The Dutch petitions -- Cry wolf again? Imperial permission for Sino-Taiwan trade -- Red-haired barbarians at the gate -- Lever effect of the typhoons at the imperial court -- CHAPTER SIX THE WINDING WAYS TOWARDS THE WESTERN OCEAN 1631-1636 -- First dip into the Western Ocean -- Kicking out the Kwangtung pirates -- Stretching out to the terminals.

CHAPTER SEVEN THE RISK OF POLITICSAND THE POLITICS OF RISK 1636-1640 -- The mercenaries become involved in politics -- The risk of politics: confronted by the Siamese king's Canton trade -- The politics of risk: co-operation with the Dutch in the Japan trade -- CHAPTER EIGHT IN SEARCH OF SILVERIN A CHANGING WORLD 1640-1646 -- The usurpation of the silver trade from Macau -- The usurpation of the pepper trade of Macauin the South China Sea Region -- Chasing silver in a changing world in crisis -- CHAPTER NINE THE OPEN COAST OF THE CHINESE EMPIRE 1646-1650 -- The interlude of Nanking and Chekiang merchants -- Hunting silver and rice for the newly established Coxinga force -- The lucrative pepper trade targeted against Macau -- The re-organization of the Min-nan monopolyon Chinese overseas trade under Coxinga -- CHAPTER TEN FUKIENESE EXCEPTIONALISM TRANSFORMED INTO A POLITICAL PROJECT 1650-1654 -- The renewed struggle for the monopoly on the export of silk -- Expansion of the 'Western Ocean' trade in China and Japan -- The politicization of Fukien exceptionalism -- CHAPTER ELEVEN THE PASSIONS OF A MERCHANT PRINCE 1654-1657 -- Challenging all limitations 1654-1656 -- Expanding war and trade 1656-1657 -- CHAPTER TWELVE FROM DEFEAT TO VICTORY 1658-1662 -- The long and winding route to Nanking 1658-1659 -- Setting accounts with the Dutch East India Company 1660-1662 -- CHAPTER THIRTEEN ALL ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE KINGS 1663-1667 -- The rift between the Taiwanese and the Amoy merchants -- The merger between the Taiwanese and Kwangtung merchants -- Suppression of Foochow, desertion of Siam, and a focus on Cambodia -- The arrival of the 'Taiwanese Chinese' force under Piauja -- All acknowledged by the kings -- CHAPTER FOURTEEN MONOPOLY LOST 1669-1683 -- Reorganizing the trading network 1663-1670 -- The struggle to maintain momentum 1670-1678.

Losing competiveness 1677-1683 -- CONCLUSION DEFENSIVE AND AGGRESSIVE MONOPOLIES -- NOTES -- APPENDIX I -- Table A: Cargo of the junk from Quinam bound for Chang-chou,registered on 15 Aug. 1633 -- Table B: Cargo of the junk from Quinam captured around the Cape of Good Hope,117 Aug. 1633 -- Table C: Cargo of the junk from Quinam captured near Lampecao on 17 Aug. 1633 -- Table D: Cargoes of the two junks captured near T'ung-shan, on 31 Aug. 1633 -- Table E: Value of rials and taels in stuivers at Taiwan and Batavia, 1624-1661 -- Ming Grand Coordinators of Fukien -- Ming Supreme Commanders of Kwangtung and Kwangsi -- Governor-Generals of the VOC -- The Ch'ing Governor-Generals of Chekiang and Fukien -- Ching-nan viceroy (in Fukien) -- The Ch'ing Governors of Kwangtung and Kwangsi -- APPENDIX II -- Official titles -- Personal names in Chinese characters -- Place names in Chinese characters -- Other special terms in Chinese characters -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX.