广州十三行法语文献略述

Abstract:This paper gives a general introduction to the French literatures concerning the Canton Thirteen Hongs.These literatures help to reconstruct the organization and function of the French East India Company and the commercial operations of the French private merchants in Canton in the second half of the 18th century.Nontheless，the literatures that were produced by the non-French merchants in China also provide abundant details on their own countries’ China Trade.These literatures，together with the archives of the EIC，VOC and the American companies，it is worthwhile to make a comparative study on the commercial operations of the companies of different nationalities at the end of the 18th century，a great transitional period witnessed the switch of power between the Qing Empire and the western countries and a fundamental change in the world commercial structure.

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